A cry of alarm came from the crane operator, and the next thing I knew, he was scrambling off the machine and booking it up the hill.
Vuheia protect us.
From my viewpoint, I could see the water retreating, the floor and reefs in open view. The ocean roared, a cacophony of sound that beat against my ears. Having lived near the coastline my entire life, I recognized the second sign without trouble.
The Retazo’s Wrath approached, and we had maybe minutes to get out of danger.
“Run!” a man screamed as he shoved his way past us. “The sea’s receding—run!”
I turned on my heel, pushing everyone ahead of me, urging them to move. The faster we got to higher ground, the safer we’d be.
The market area became madness in a second, people racing to get to safety, jostling each other, vendors, and anything not nailed down in the process. Even as I ran, my mind whirled.
We shouldn’t be having Wraths at this time. We shouldn’t be under this threat right now. It was way too early—months too early—for this particular disaster!Why was it happening now?!
And how the hell did I safeguard myself and everyone with me when there was nowhere to go but up a steep hill?
Twenty-five
Edwin
I ran.
That was all you could do when a Wrath hit. Run and hold on to whatever you could if running didn’t get you away from the water fast enough. We had a very short window—about twenty minutes—to get to higher ground. Which sounded like a lot of time until you were in this throng of people and animals, all panicked, all running for the same destination. Then you realized the streets leading up were clogged, people packed in like sardines, frantic to get up, up, up but also getting in each other’s way in the same breath.
Then there were the animals, who had also sensed what was going on. Multiple people had cut their carriage horses and mules loose so as to give them a chance. The animals were fighting their way forward as well, some of them half rearing because they were uncomfortable being pressed against on all sides.
I ran, even though I wasn’t a runner, because my life depended on it. I clutched my planner to my chest, trying tokeep my feet under me. If I fell, I’d be sucked under this wave of people and trampled for sure. That scared me more than the water since the threat felt more immediate. The alarm bell for the town clanged, sounding louder with every step, more urgent as if to sayRun, damn you.
Captain Rowan ran in front, acting like a trailblazer, and I tried to stay right on his heels. Sir Pedan was right behind us, keeping people from tripping over us or shoving past. Princess Helena ran to my right, already sweating under the weight of her dress and her desperation to move, her own knight protecting her flank.
Prince James did an awkward half run in the middle with us, the fastest pace we could manage with so many people around, slowing us down. I saw him lift his signet ring to his mouth, was confused for a split second, then remembered—the royal signet rings were mage rings. They were connected to each other, and the court mages, to be used in emergencies. Emergencies just like this one. He spoke into it as we moved, because of course he could give orders without becoming winded, even at this pace.
“I need mages down herenow,” he barked, his voice a gestalt of anger and worry that came across as hard. “Retazo’s Wrath incoming, we’re seeing all the signs. Get them down here before the seawalls give up entirely!”
I heard bits and pieces of a reply but could only catch one word in three, despite standing next to him. Between the roar of the seawater, the alarm bell, and the panicked cries of the people around us, I was amazed I could hearhim. Then again, he was yelling into the ring, likely in a bid to be heard.
Then I heard it—the rushing sound of water as it crested the top of the wall. I dared a glance over my shoulder and could barely see between two people’s heads but was far enough up a steep street to get something of a bird’s-eye view. The water poured over the top, the masonry only a small impediment.
Retazo have mercy, once it fell, nothing would stop the great wave from washing out the entirety of the market.
And the wall was going to fail. I couldn’t even see the stones anymore. Under my horrified gaze, the water came flooding in.
I’d read depictions of Retazo’s Wraths in some of my books, and I could always tell when the author lived near the coastline. The ones who didn’t described the wave as a cresting wall of water that formed and crashed overhead, making it impossible for people to escape. Only part of that was right.
In truth, Wraths were more likethis, where the water just kept rising, with swells showing an even stronger push of water was coming in our direction. If nothing was done, the entire market would be flooded in minutes. The drains were hearty but would take time to handle this deluge of water.
A strong arm looped around my waist and hauled me in closer.
“Don’t look back, Edwin!” Prince James pulled me forward. “We’re not far enough up yet, keep running!”
He was right. We were nowhere near far enough up yet, and there were people behind us, too. Not many; we’d been at the wall when this started, so everyone else had a head start in comparison. Still, we weren’t the last, and for everyone’s sake including my own, I had to get higher.
I didn’t look back but I could hear it, the rush of water gaining on us. Those who got sucked underwater during a Wrath very rarely lived to tell the tale. Terror beat against my heart, my adrenaline-fueled legs propelling me upward even though my calves had begun to ache.
Ahead, I could see the crest of the hill in sight, saw so many people running past it, trying to make way for those of us still struggling up. If I could just reach the top, I would be perfectly safe—
Something wet and icy cold rushed around my ankles. My breath froze in my chest. The leading edge of the water had reached us.
