“I—I can’t—”
“You can.”Sebastian moved his other hand so both of his cradled Kieran’s.“Listen to me: Inhale for one…two…three…”
It took Kieran a second to really hear what Sebastian was saying over his panicked heartbeat.His mind was moving a million miles an hour, the world around him nothing but an impressionist blur.But then, slowly, he began to follow along.One long inhale, hold it for three seconds, then exhale.Once, twice, three times.
“Now,” Sebastian said, “focus on your magic.Take a minute to find it, then really, really focus.Don’t rush.”
Kieran nodded, screwing his eyes shut.His thrumming pulse began to slow.The woods around them had gone quiet, as if even the birds were holding their breath.He focused on his breathing for a couple more seconds, then on feeling his magic.
When he’d tried to find it a moment ago, the feeling had been too subtle to grab hold of.Now, though, Kieran could sense the tiniest spark of it deep in his chest.He let his head hang as hevisualized giving the spark more oxygen, fanning it with enough force to feed it, but gently enough to keep it from slipping back into the void.All the while, Sebastian held on to his hands, bowing his head toward Kieran’s so they were nearly touching.The sensation was electric, skittering over Kieran’s skin with warmth.
When he opened his eyes, he found that his hands had begun to glow with subdued silvery light.
Sebastian smiled at him.“Well done.”
At those words, Kieran felt a zing of power rush through him, and the light coming off his hands glowed brightly, pulsating like a star come to life.After a second, it shrank back, revealing the breathing device in his hands.Now, though, Kieran could feel the magic within it as if it had come into focus after being nothing but a blur.
A smile broke across his face.“I-it worked!”
Sebastian gave Kieran’s hands one last squeeze before he let them go.“I knew it would.Now, Hattie has a boat tied up near the shore.I’ll row us to the center of the lake and drop you off as close to the spirit as I can.Then you get the Hilt, and I’ll hold off Elias’s men.Deal?”
“Deal.”Kieran gazed into Sebastian’s eyes, feeling a lightness in his body he hadn’t felt in a long time—something like courage.
“All right,” Sebastian said.“Let’s go.”
It didn’t take long for them to haul Hattie’s boat to the water and push off.Sebastian held one oar in each hand, effortlessly paddling them toward the middle of the lake, where Elias’s men lay inwait.He’d taken his jacket off to stay cool, revealing a black long-sleeved shirt that clung to his arms.Kieran did his best not to stare as his muscles flexed with each row.
Halfway to the center of the lake, the steam from the warm water below became a cloud of mist that got thicker by the moment.
“Do you think the spirit is doing this?”Kieran asked, watching as Elias’s boats became more and more obscured by the mist.
Sebastian shrugged.“Maybe.I don’t know much about spirits.”
“Guess that makes two of us.”
The closer they got, the faster Kieran’s heart beat.The breathing device hung around his neck, and he’d stripped down to his white undershirt and shorts.The chill bit at his exposed skin, but the warmth coming off the lake negated some of it.He rubbed the gooseflesh on his arms and worried at his lip.
Once they were a few yards from the other boats, Sebastian brought the boat to a stop.This close, they could hear the mercenaries talking, but the men didn’t seem to have noticed their approach, thanks to the mist.Aside from the conversation, the only sound was the gentle lapping of the water against Kieran and Sebastian’s boat.
“One more thing,” Sebastian whispered.He took Kieran’s hand and pressed something into it.Looking down, Kieran saw that it was a small ball of yellowish wax.He cocked his head in confusion, and Sebastian said, “Beeswax.Use it to make earplugs before you go in.That way, if the spirit tries to lure you with its song, it’ll be easier to shut out.”
Kieran pulled his hand back, meeting Sebastian’s dark eyes.“Smart.Thank you.”
Sebastian nodded.“Of course.Best of luck.I’ll take care of everything up here.”
I’ll take as much luck as I can get.“Appreciate that.I…guess I’ll be off, then.”
Sebastian nodded.“See you on the other side.”
Before he could allow his thoughts to unravel, Kieran balled up the wax, stuffed it in his ears, put on the mask, then slid out of the boat and into the lake.
It swallowed him whole.
As soon as his eyes adjusted, he stared around in awe.The water was crystal clear and warm.Instantly, the tension melted away, and he kicked forward.Hesitantly, he opened his mouth and inhaled, ready for the water to fill the breathing device and send him into a coughing fit.
Nothing happened.He took a deeper breath, and all he got was air.
That’s a relief,Kieran thought.Drowning would be an inglorious way to die after all this.
