She saw the Villa, now to their right, but closer than it had been. She struggled to pull air into her lungs as water struck her face.
Sol frantically pulled Cas through the turbulent waters, sparing only seconds to sink down and kick the sandbank below them to remain afloat. She tried to just drag him along with her, but with each passing moment he became weaker and less responsive, forcing Sol to propel herself through small jumps instead of fluid swimming, wasting time they did not have. One arm was wrapped around him so tightly it hurt, while the other tried to help them against the current.
With every kick of her legs and lick of salt in her eyes, Sol grew desperate, wishing more than anything for this man to yell at herover her stupid choices instead of being so quiet. She wished Cas would be doing anything else.
“Cas, wake up,” she stammered through breaths. She moved to shield him, having them break at her back instead.
She could only hope Phil and Jonah had made it to shore and hoped the Jinn did the opposite and truly meant their blabber about leaving her alone.
Sobbing, she shook him. “Cas, PLEASE.”
He didn’t respond, his eyes remained closed as water seeped into his mouth and across his face. Panic coated her throat worse than the sea salt, shocking her colder than the current they struggled in. Using every ounce of strength left, she pushed him above the water, praying to any god that would listen to have him hang on.
She kicked her way to the shore, adrenaline squeezing her chest and fire burning in her lungs as her limbs threatened to fail. She willed any ounce of dormant magic within her to listen, to help her in this pathetic situation she had so stupidly put herself in.
She should’ve just accepted the fight over her. Marry the victor, who would’ve likely been Cas, but at least they would be safe and warm and alive.
Another shuddering sob escaped her while she gripped him harder.
Please don’t die.
Please don’t die.
“Please, please…”
The tide was stained ruby red as her feet finally found consistent terrain. The shore was mere steps away now, the Villa an unwelcomed relief.
Cas grew heavier in her arms by the time they arrived at the shore. Sol had to sit on the sand, hug him from behind, and drag them both completely out of the water. The hot grains dug into her hands and bare legs, making her grunt with every pull. Cas's head slumped over the front of her thigh, resting on her hip bone.
He was so pale.
“Cas.” She coughed and cleared the sea water from her throat, taking only a second to breathe.
Then she saw the Jinn.
Unlike the ones she had seen before, these were animalistic in build, reeking more than the others. One perched near the fence, an elongated beak clicking with interest. Others spread around it. As soon as they began their howls and laughs, she slumped over Cas with a sob.
She would kill anything that came near him. She didn’t know how, but she would. Whatever possessed her to do it to Cattya would surely take hold again, and she would let it.
She laid Cas on the sand and leaned over him, unable to stop the tears and shallow breathing, unable to focus beyond the haze of the situation.
“Cas, wakeup. You can’t die like this, it’s pathetic!” Sol hoped the insult would wake him, that he would roll his eyes and shoot back a remark as he usually did, but he didn’t.
She pressed her ear to his chest, listening for something, anything.
But there was nothing.
Keeping one hand on the wound on his side, she closed the other into a fist and desperately pounded his chest. Flashes of the night her mother died swarmed through her mind, lacing the past with the present, taunting her with what would happen if she didn’t act quickly. Reminding her what she would lose if someone else she cared for died in her arms.
“Please wake up, Cas. Please. You can’t leave me here,” Sol cried.
“Gods, please. I don’t know what to do.”
The stench of copper taunted her, from blood and metal alike.
Wielders aren’t immortal, Sawyer had told her. But we are a bit harder to kill.
Sol continued pounding on his chest. “You’re supposed to be hard to kill, damn it!”
