“Rodric, is that—”
“Celina, run! Flood!” Rodric freed the pack horse’s lead and kicked Zora into a flat-out gallop. Dahlia jumped into motion, following the lead mare as fast as she could.
Oh no.A second later, she heard the deafening crash of fast-moving water echoing in the distance.We were wrong.Her heart raced as panic seized her. She couldn’t see it, but the ground rumbled as if it was alive, a ball of thunder at its core, awakening it from centuries of slumber. Water continued to rise, whipping around the horses’ legs to slow them down.
“What do we do?” The river would toss them around like toys as it crashed through the valley. She looked around desperately, but there was no escape in sight. “There’s nowhere to climb!”
“There’s a small alcove hidden around that bend,” he yelled over the sound of the water and hoofbeats. “We can try to wedge ourselves in.”
Pushing the horses deeper down the river, they fought their way to the edge of the narrowed valley. Reaching the bend, Rodric herded the pack horse forward into the small crevice.
“Hurry, we should all fit.”
Dahlia balked at the dark space, rearing up and throwing her head.
No! Come on!Cursing under her breath, Celina backed her up to try again, fighting the terrified mare for control. “Rodric, you should—”
Her scream mixed with Dahlia’s as a huge gush of water swept under and around them, catapulting them up into the moving flow.
“Celina!” The ravaged shout echoed through the water as she went under.
Breaking the surface, she had a glimpse of Rodric launching off Zora into the churning water before she was pulled under and tumbled farther down the river.
Water blinded her and cut off her airway. Fighting panic, she kicked away from Dahlia so she wouldn’t be injured by flailing hooves as the river swept her horse away. Rocks pummeled her—the bottom of the river or carnage brought with the water, she wasn’t sure. She tried to make herself into a smaller target, protecting her head from the fast-moving debris.
Bouncing over a huge rock bruised her ribs but tossed her above the waterline for a split second. Finally having a glimpse of which direction was up, she tried to maneuver that way again, managing a brief pull of air before getting sucked under.
The flicker of a weakening lifeforce caught her attention, and she launched herself toward it. A warm body crashed into hers the same instant she connected magically with the damaged life. Clutching the small creature to her chest, she brought it with her back to the surface, this time staying up for a full breath. It became easier each time as the flow around them started to lose momentum.
Air. Need air first.She focused on keeping herself bobbing up out of the water for air occasionally. The furry creature's lungs moved just a little, and she sent another wave of magic to it.Hold on, little guy, we’re going to make it.
Staying up for a longer breath, she tried to twist around to go with the flow of water instead of against it. Although she couldn’t see anything with her head tilted back, keeping her head above water allowed her other senses to return. An enraged whinny from Zora was the first non-water sound she heard, making her want to laugh.You tell them, girl.
The solid thud of a tree branch around her middle made her shriek, choking as she was pulled out of her path through the water. Her head broke the surface again. She coughed, grabbing at the branch with the arm not holding her furry survivor. She latched on to strength and warmth. Rampaging emotions nearly crushed her as she tightened her hand on Rodric with a death grip.
“It’s okay, we made it.” He spoke the words into her temple. “I’ve got you, Celina.”
Her name spoken in deep resonant tones, only slightly waterlogged, was the most wonderful thing she’d ever heard. She shook as shock took hold of her body. His words coursed through her in a physical caress, warming the cold, weak places in her soul.
“Tell me you’re okay.” His arm tightened around her.
“Shock,” she coughed. “Otherwise, minor injuries.”
She pushed magic into her own lifeforce until the shaking lessened to a light tremble. Dozens of scrapes and gashes stung as the water moved against her, and she could feel spots of severe cold biting painfully at all the places her clothing was torn. Nothing seemed to tug at her magic with life-threatening intensity though, so she tried to block out the sensations.
Dropping her head back, she let him take her weight. He’d found two huge boulders and was wedged between them, holding her to him as the water rushed past.
“Zora made it,” she murmured. The obstinate mare was as much family to him as a real person. She was afraid to ask about her own horse, fearing the worst.
“I heard her.” There was a smile in his voice. “She’ll be delightfully cranky when we get out.”
Celina coughed, expunging water in little choked spurts, but the movement of it felt good, lightening her spirit. She kept her eyes closed, letting Rodric take care of them both for a while as they waited on the river’s demise.
“What are you holding?”
“Hmm?” She frowned in confusion.Holding something?
“The furry thing clutched to your chest.”
