Adria shook her head. “No, he isn’t.”
“Shot him myself,” Callen replied, motioning toward the pool. “He’s where he belongs, floating with the traitors.”
Adria barely heard him. She was already running to the pool’s edge, diving into the dark deep waters.
The pool bit colder than she remembered, every fiber of her being urging her to go back. But Adria pressed on, gliding downward into the darkness, the pool swallowing her. Swimming deeper, Adria strained for any movement, any sensation that would lead her to them.
Somewhere beyond the murk, she felt eyes—cold, dead eyes—tracking her descent. She swallowed hard. They would have to understand.
A shapeless blur drifted past, and she brushed the side of Kaydon’s leg.
She saw the vague outline of Bryson trying to drag Seth towards the surface. Her arms wrapped around Seth, she kicked with them, but Seth didn’t move.
Bryson was struggling, and Adria pointed to the surface, but Bryson refused.
Adria traced the rough braid of rope tied around Seth’s ankles. It was jammed between two jagged rocks.
She tugged with every ounce of strength, lungs screaming, but the rope didn’t move.
She tried again. Nothing.
Suddenly Kaydon pressed a breath into her lungs before grasping the rope himself. Together they heaved, with Bryson still supporting Seth. Inch by inch, they loosened the snare until at last the bonds broke free. The four of them surged upward in a frantic, synchronized pull.
They burst through the surface in a shower of coughs. Adria gasped, half-clinging to the pool’s edge.
It was then that she noticed that Seth wasn’t coughing.
His head lulled to one side, and Adria pressed her back to the edge of the pool, clinging to him.
“Bryson,” she screamed.
He was there with Kaydon, pulling Seth out of the water. Adria followed, kneeling at Seth’s side. She moved without thinking, pushing the heel of her palm into the center of Seth’s ribcage.
Her hands pressed down on Seth’s lifeless form, pumping up and down. Kaydon knelt next to Seth’s head, tilting his pale face and breathing into him.
Water trickled off her hair and onto her face and eyes, but Adria didn’t slow her pace.
His normally pink lips were so pale.
Adria pressed harder.
The world blurred around her. Everything happening narrowing to the agony in her muscles, the thump of her heartbeat, and the sounds of Seth’s ribs caving around her hands. Adria concentrated on maintaining rhythm.
Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen….
She counted to thirty and then started again.
When Kaydon gave Seth a few more rescue breaths, Adria felt Bryson’s hand on her shoulder. “Let me.”
She moved, letting Bryson use fresh arms.
Kaydon continued to breathe into Seth’s mouth.
Seth was soaking wet, clothes clinging to his small frame. Adria found herself leaning in to whisper in his ear.
“You can’t die. Not yet. I haven’t got a chance to punish you for leaving,” her voice cracked.
Bryson kept pushing on his chest, and Adria saw Seth pale further, his freckles now a sharp feature on his face.
