Something sticky slid over his cheek and he jerked his face, smashing his nose into the low ceiling. “Damn it.”
He clawed at the spiderweb in jerky movements, bobbing beneath the surface. When water filled his nose, he coughed and sputtered.
A hand closed on his arm and he jumped again, this time taking a blow to the forehead.
“Calm down, Lieutenant.”
Red’s smooth voice slid over him.
In the darkness, he fumbled for her hand. Her fingers closed around his and he took several deep breaths. With a tug, she kept moving.
Soon, even with his face pointing up, the rocks began to push him deeper into the water.
Tommy let out a groan. “You sure the treasure’s this way?
“Red.” Christian’s voice came out strangled. “There’s no more room. We need to turn back.”
“I’m not turning back.”
“You’re going to get us drowned.”
Silence fell around them, save for the drip of water. Something hard pressed into his chest and he clenched his jaw, trying to backpedal. His muscles refused to move.
“Hold this.”
The torch.
She tried to pull her hand away but he couldn’t bring himself to release it. The only thing tethering him to sanity right now was her touch. She lifted their hands and pushed the torch against his clenched fingers.
“Lieutenant.”
“What are you going to do?”Don’t leave me.
“Trust me.”
“Pirates. Trust. Don’t go hand in hand.” His breaths came too fast.
“Are you—?”
“No.” The word came out in a strangled gasp.
Water rippled against his face.
“You’re scared.”
Her voice echoed off his cheek and his insides tightened.
“It’s alright to be scared, you know?” She squeezed his hand. “The first step to moving past it is admitting it.”
If only it were that easy.
“Ever since I was a boy...” He paused when his voice cracked. “Small places have made me nervous.”
“Then why on Earth did you come with me?”
Why on Earth, indeed.
“I couldn’t very well let you go alone, with only a cabin boy for protection.”
