Terena heard more yelling from her right as she turned to shoot at the men on the other bank. Daris and his men thundered toward them, their swords lifted as they engaged more attackers at her back.
She had just fired another arrow across the river when a jolt of pain on her left thigh made her stumble forward. Terena cursed, her right hand shooting out to stop her momentum, but she slipped on the riverbank and fell in.
The rapids grabbed hold of her and sucked her under. She fought to emerge, arms digging against the current. As the rapids dragged her down again, Terena opened her mouth in a panic and swallowed water. She flailed her arms, her chest tight and throat burning. Pushing against the water, the rapids pulled at her, taking her further away.
The river roared around her whenever her head emerged, and she gasped for air. Terena swung her arms some more and was able to keep her head about the water for a few precious seconds. Turning her head, she took several deep breaths as she hurtled toward a large rock near the center of the river. Her eyes darted around, landing on a thick tree branch clinging to the side of the river.
She thrust her legs down and for a second had enough momentum to push toward the branch as she rushed past. Grabbing it, she pulled herself up enough to keep her head above water. Terena coughed, retching up water and air as she clung to the branch.
Shouts sounded, and she turned her head. Rydon and Daris raced toward her.
The tree snapped, and she screamed when the rapids whipped her away, pulling her toward the falls. Terena yelped and tightened her hold on the branch, hugging it as she tried to lift herself atop it.
The branch collided with another rock, allowing her enough time to twist her leg and hoist herself up. It turned and the rapids carried her along once more.
Terena looked up when she heard Daris shouting at her. Lookingaround, her terrified gaze landing with surprise on Daris and the others, now in the middle of a wood bridge she was careening toward. She had a second to register Daris hanging over the bridge, with the others holding him as he extended an arm down.
Terena’s heart jumped to her throat.
She lifted her right hand, screaming as pain shot up her leg when the branch hit another rock. It snagged and caught, but Terena was now on the other side of Daris. She looked up again and saw he’d scrambled to the other side, so close now she whimpered, trying to pull herself up.
“REACH!” he screamed at her, his hand shaking.
Terena inched her hip up higher on the branch, crying out against the pain in her thigh and gritted her teeth. She reached up again, her fingers glancing off of Daris’s when she heard a crack.
Her eyes widened, glued to his when she realized what was happening.
A primal scream ripped through her as Terena jerked violently. The roar of the falls drowned out all sound as she fell.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Water engulfed Terena, spinning her around like a child’s top. Her lungs screamed, her body falling
falling
She landed and was immediately swept up again and tossed. The burn in her lungs overwhelmed her and darkness edged her sight. When she began to succumb, she was jerked backwards. Her body spun, rocks and dirt biting into her, and she fell.
Landing on her side, Terena’s right shoulder smacked into the ground hard enough she heard the pop before the pain hit. Stars exploded behind her eyes and white hot pain ripped through her as she lost consciousness.
Sleep was so good.
No.
She hated sleep.
Sleep was filled with pain jabbing at her shoulder, her hip, her leg.
Everywhere.
Terena moaned.
She was moving.
She hated the movement.
She squirmed. Cried out when pain lanced through her leg.
A voice.
