A wet coughing and sputtering jarred me from my stupor, sending me to my knees as I rolled the body onto its back.
I gasped loudly, hand flying to my mouth, as a familiar face stared up at me, water streaming from his nose and mouth.
“LEX! ILYAS!” I screamed.
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight
The Ocean’s Gift
WEEKS AGO, DURING THE BATTLE AT SEA
“BACK TO ALV—” My words cut off sharply as a resounding boom so loud it was quiet, echoed with the release of Solace’s long-held, massive ball of magic. Bright white shone in my eyes, obscuring my vision completely as I felt the ship splinter apart beneath my feet.
Then, I was falling, the ocean rising to consume me.
I plunged down, down, down, unable to fight against the current manufactured by the Water Mages, unable to help the soldiers I’d condemned to death as I watched their bodies sink down into the black depths of the unforgiving sea.
All around me, ships burst apart, their pieces slowly sinking downward to a watery grave.
Yet, on I sped.
Water filled my lungs, my eyes bulging from lack of oxygen, as I pawed at my throat, certain I would die. My vision spotted, growing darker as a voice I hadn’t heard in a year spoke to me.
“It’s not your time yet,”Finian said.“Hold on a bit longer, Peytor. Help is coming. Hold on and return to love those people just as they love you. Then, when you’re old and grey, we will meet again.”
Spots danced in front of my eyes, movement growing sluggish as I tried to make my legs cooperate. I swam toward the surface, only for a strong hand to grip my ankle, pulling me back into the darkening depths of the ocean.
“The Ocean gives, and the Ocean takes,” a haunted female voice filled my mind with terror and peace before I opened my mouth, inhaling a lungful of water. “You’ve been claimed, Peytor d’Talionis. Now,sleep.”
I knew no more.
Present Day
Coughing and sputtering, I weakly turned my head to the side as I vomited what felt like gallons of water onto the wooden deck.
My throat and lungs burned, stomach tightening around nothing.
Gods, I’m hungry. And I never want to see water again.
“Peytor?” a hesitant, familiar female voice called to me. Though my hearing was fuzzy and every sound apart from my continuous retching muffled, I would recognize her anywhere.
“Folami,” I rasped, more water pouring from my throat.
“Gods, how much did you inhale?” she muttered quietly, pushing me onto my side so I wouldn’t choke.
I sighed, opening my mouth to simply let it dribble outward.
Stomping feet vibrated the dock as I felt two other people rapidly approach.
“What is it, Fo? What’s wrong?” a worried male voice intoned as Folami’s shaky hands coasted over my wet, naked body as if afraid to touch me.
As if she feared I wasn’t real.
“Is that . . . Peytor?” Ilyas’ incredulous tone joined the group, and I suddenly felt whole. My heart warmed as hands were laid on my skin, gently turning me so everyone could see my face.
“In the flesh,” I muttered, finally feeling well enough to sit. All three of them moved as one to support my back as I shakily sat, my muscles loose and uncontrollable.
“How—what—I—” Lex started, his mouth agape as his hands rubbed unconscious circles on my cold flesh.
