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But if I don’t try, we will both definitely die.
“Help me up.”
Juliette hesitates, but there’s no time. She curses and loops an arm around my waist. We stagger to our feet and turn to survey The Kelpie. It’s so close. I try to weigh the distance, but my brain feels fuzzy. I don’t have to get us all the way there; I just need to get close enough for the crew to gather us up.
I don’t know if I can do it.
I don’t have a choice.
“Whatever you do, don’t let go of me.” I want to be strong enough to save Juliette, but she’s going to have to be strong enough for both of us.
“Okay.”
The mermaids are still attacking each other as much as they’re aiming for us. Getting through the frenzy is going to require pure luck. Juliette hooks her hands into my belt. I do my best to cling to her as well. She gives me one brief, desperate kiss. “We’re going to live.”
You will. I move us to the edge of the rock and tip us into the water. In a perfect world, I would dive forward and build up momentum on my own that I could supplement with my magic. That’s not an option right now. I dig deep and pull the dregs of my magic to me. It hurts. Holy fuck, it hurts. The magic burrows into me, feeling like it’s sucking every bit of vitality from my very bones. I ignore the pain; it’s only temporary, after all, and when this is through, I can rest for good.
Juliette clings to me as I propel us through the water. I’m distantly aware of the screeching of mermaids but somehow none of them makes contact. Black dances across my vision. I hope we’re close enough to The Kelpie to get help, because I have nothing left.
The whole world goes dark.
21
JULIETTE
It takes me far too long to realize Maura has gone limp in my arms. When the water surges around us and lifts us into the air, at first I think she’s responsible. It’s not until we’re gently deposited on the deck of The Kelpie that I realize she’s passed out. “Maura!”
Hands grab my shoulders and pull me away from Maura’s limp body. I fight them, but I’m pathetically weak right now. It’s only when I’m shoved back and Daichi appears before me that I realize he was the one holding me.
His expression is drawn. “Give the healer space. He’ll take care of her, but he can’t do that if you’re in the way.”
My heart climbs into my throat as a boy who looks far too young crouches next to Maura. He holds a hand over her chest and closes his eyes. I tense, searching the space between his hand and her chest for some kind of indication of the magic working. There’s nothing. “She has to be okay,” I say.
“She’s the captain. Of course she’ll be okay.” Daichi might be more believable if the statement didn’t come out more like a question. “Just give it time.”
That’s the problem; I’m not sure we have time. “The Cwn Annwn. He was on the cliffs. If he comes after us—”
“He won’t get a chance. The exit spell is in place.” Cai speaks from zir place at the helm. “We’re getting the fuck out of here.” Ze barks commands at the air mages wielding their powers to keep the sales tight and the ship skimming over the surface of the sea. The ship turns for open water, far faster than I’ve ever seen a ship maneuver.
Maybe we really will escape.
That’s good, but my priority right now is Maura.
The healer sits back on his heels and emits a string of curses, the likes I’ve never heard before. I must be delirious because I have the most ridiculous urge to write them down so I won’t forget them. He turns and looks at me and Daichi. “Burnout.”
Daichi curses.
I look between them, the heaviness in my chest getting worse. “What does that mean?” Obviously I know magical burnout is fatal, but that can’t be what they’re talking about. Maura cannot die. I won’t allow it.
The healer shrugs, but his nonchalance is ruined by the sick expression on his face. “There’s nothing I can do. Either she’ll recover on her own, or…”
“No. Do not say ‘or’ to me. She’s going to recover.” My voice sounds more forceful than it ever has in my life. I hate the way it looks like he’s already mourning the loss of Maura. Fuck that. She’s going to live.
“Daichi, take the captain and Juliette to her cabin. Things are going to get rough.”
I follow Cai’s gaze to the sky darkening in front of us. The clouds look green and almost yellow in places. We don’t see many storms like that in Ashye, but people still talk about the hurricane that came through the fall after I was born. From the stories, the clouds looked a lot like the ones in front of us.
