Mustering her magic, she creates an underwater current to lift him in the air above them. The water spout holds him aloft as his eyes turn into saucers and his heartraces. His simple white shirt clings to the muscles of his chest, bringing back memories of when she ran her hands across his bare flesh the other night.
Gently, she lowers him back to the waves, and he clutches at one of the nearby ropes. His eyes are still wide as he looks at her with parted lips. “That was astounding. Terrifying, but astounding. I think I need to recover now.”
“You need to breathe.” She gently brushes a sodden lock of hair from his face.
What is she doing? She pulls back her hand, and his heart pounds.
“Breathe.” She demonstrates for him, and as he joins her, his heart rate slows.
She needs to keep her hands to herself until he invites her to run her fingers over him.
Whistling wind. Where did that thought come from?
Suddenly, his heart is racing again, and his wide eyes latch on to something behind her. The breeze has picked up, whipping strands of her wet hair against her cheeks, and when she glances over her shoulder, terror freezes her heart.
It’s a storm, dark on the horizon as swirling water rises to meet black clouds. The waves are already growing around them in anticipation. The sails on their boat flap in the wind, and panic clutches at Rominy’s face.
“We need to get to the hatch,” he calls out over the wind that seems so much louder than it did moments ago.
Elowyn looks back at the rapidly approaching storm, and Rominy hurries to pull himself onto the wooden deck, holding his hand out to help her climb up beside him.
“Elowyn, come on!”
This Is Not Normal
Episode 27
RominypullsElowyntowardthe hatch as angry drops of rain pelt their waterlogged skin. Wasn’t the sun beating down on them moments ago?
As he directs her through the opening to the cottage below, he glances over his shoulder one more time.
He shouldn’t have done that.
The storm is almost upon them, and mammoth waves rush toward them as their little boat rocks ominously in the ocean. The deck lurches beneath his feet, and he loses his balance, falling to his knees and sliding away from the hatch.
“Rominy!” Elowyn screams, rushing back onto the deck.
He clutches a rope to keep from being hurled overboard, and as he struggles to crawl back toward the hatch, Elowyn watches with horror written on her face.
“Go below!” he cries, but the howling wind swallows his words, and another wave slams into them, soaking him all over again. The water’s no longer warm, and an icy chill grips him as he sputters and shakes the wetness from his face.
What sort of diabolical place is this? This is not normal.
Fierce determination replaces the fear on Elowyn’s face, and the water around Rominy lifts him to his feet,propelling him forward. Mustering his strength as her magic gives him the leverage he needs, he lunges for the hatch, overshooting his aim. As he skids past, Elowyn swerves after him, grabbing his shirt and yanking him through the doorway. He barely ducks in time to avoid hitting his head, and together they tumble down the stairs, landing in a heap of soggy, tangled limbs and hair.
Rominy’s chest rises and falls rapidly as he hurries to extract himself from Elowyn. Most of his weight landed on her when she broke his fall.
“Elowyn! Say something!” He rolls to his knees beside her, hovering near her lips to make sure she’s breathing. As he brushes her sopping silver hair away from her face, she moans.
“That was...quite the adventure.”
A cry of relief catches in his throat, and he pulls her to his chest. She’s all right. Thank the heavens, she’s all right.
“Elves are sturdy creatures,” she murmurs against Rominy, and another choked laugh escapes him, followed by a shiver.
At least there’s no wind down here. And their cottage isn’t trying to hurl them into the sea.
“Rominy, you’re freezing.”
