“We wait,” she replied, treading water beside him.
He looked questioningly at her. “Wait for what? We’ll freeze in this water.”
She pointed halfway up the wall to another opening. “We can’t access the main tunnel into the cave until high tide. We stay afloat until the water level is high enough for us to climb onto the ledge.”
He stared at her in amazement. While he was certain he could withstand the cold, he wasn’t sure she could. She was much smaller than he. Something would have to be done to keep her warm.
Swimming over to her, he pulled her up in his arms, feeling her icy skin against his. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms trying to infuse some warmth into her limbs.
“I’ll be all right, Merrick,” she said. “The medallion will keep me warm.”
He glanced doubtfully at her. “Symbolism won’t keep you alive. I fail to see the importance of this so-called journey. What purpose does it serve? Aren’t the laws regarding succession enough?”
She frowned. “I suppose it would seem silly to outsiders, but it’s just the way it is done here. The journey is largely symbolic, I suppose. It is a method to gauge the merit of the potential ruler. Not everyone has succeeded in the quest, indeed, many have failed, so I have to think there is more to it than going in and retrieving a few relics.”
“What happens when someone fails?” he asked.
“They are removed from consideration, and the task is put to the next in line.”
So it appeared that the journey was, in fact, a large part of appointing a new ruler. It did sound odd, but the idea of a monarch proving their worth appealed to him. How many times did an inept person inherit the throne with no more qualification than his birth order?
The more he learned of Isabella’s country, the more he was convinced it wasn’t just a fanciful dressing at all, but a nation that took the responsibilities of their ruler very seriously. “So this is a test of sorts,” he said.
“Yes, exactly. If passed, the man or woman is deemed fit to rule and is crowned.”
“It’s logical,” he admitted. “Your customs are very beautiful.” And he meant it. The ceremony had been solemn but very powerful. He had felt humbled to be included, and it firmed his resolve to keep her safe until she was crowned. But more than that, he would see her succeed. At any cost.
After treading water in the frigid waters, Isabella could barely feel her legs. But warmth infused her chest and her arms just as her father had said the medallion had done for him. But more than actual warmth, she could feel her father’s presence. It made no sense, but she felt comforted in a way she couldn’t explain, and the encounter she had during her vision still weighed heavily on her.
A glance upward told her they hadn’t much longer to wait before the tide was at its peak, and they could enter the main cave. Excitement made her forget the discomfort of the cold as she imagined returning to the palace triumphantly.
Merrick swam over to the wall, pressing himself against it.
“If I boost you up I think you can make it now,” Merrick said, interrupting her thoughts. “At least then you can start to dry off.”
She looked up one more time then nodded her agreement. He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her up. “Stand on my shoulders,” he directed.
“But I’ll push you under,” she protested.
“I’ve got a toe hold in the wall. Just be quick.”
Reluctantly she placed first one boot then the other on his shoulders and pushed up so that she stood. It took her a moment to gain her balance and stop weaving precariously, but she steadied herself and looked down at him.
“Reach up,” he said with a labored breath.
She looked upwards and stretched as far as she could toward the ledge. Her fingers slid along the rock, and she was a mere inch from grabbing the edge. “I’m going to jump.”
He made no reply, and she focused intently on the ledge, knowing he could slip at any time.
Concentrating on her goal, she bent her knees slightly and jumped as hard as she could, reaching with both hands to grab the ledge. She caught the edge, and her body slammed against the wall, nearly causing her to let go.
Breathing heavily, she extended her arm so that her elbow lay on the smooth surface of the ledge. Then she pulled herself up so that both arms were completely on top. Her armpits rested against the jagged edge and she took a moment to rest.
She swung her legs, trying to hook her foot on the side so she could haul the rest of her body up. After three attempts, she finally caught it with her boot and pulled as hard as she could to slide the rest of her body up.
Finally, she managed to roll over the top and onto the flat surface. She lay there, catching her breath and closed her eyes in relief. Then she rolled onto her stomach and leaned over the side to look down at Merrick.
The water had risen so that he was a few yards from her now, and in a few more minutes, he would be able to climb up.
