Her stomach cramped, and that wriggling sensation escaped up to her chest, pulsing beside her frantic heart. She tried to push it back down, but it only grew stronger as she grew more desperate. It beat against her fear.Let me help.
She bit down on her tongue.No.
The farther she and Suri stepped, the more the rope frayed. She swallowed hard. The pressure leaked from her chest, pounding inside her skull. She didn’t have a choice.
Only a bit,she vowed.
And then her whole body was vibrating, a sudden glee taking over. Shivers raked her every limb, and new strength found her muscles. She thought of her flask, then cast the thought aside. She kept her focus on the rope, on making it strong.
The rope held.
Held until Toran’s head poked over the stones, Genna in his shaking arms. And then Nes was holding him, pulling him to her. Toran was colder than the ocean on a snowy night, his skin corrosive compared to the warmth of her own, but she held on tight. She vowed not to let go. Beside her, Suri grabbed Genna, and they all tumbled to the floor.
“Genna!” Nes cried out.
Suri’s hands were on the guard’s face, smoothing away her wet hair and slapping her cheeks. But Genna didn’t move. Her eyes were shut and her lips looked blue under the light of their lone lantern. Suri put her fingers to Genna’s neck.
“She’s not breathing,” Suri said.
Nes stared at Toran. Everything in her screamed to hold on to him. Fear kept her fists clenched in his wet clothes, his head cradled in her lap. But Toran was breathing.
Nes squeezed him tight before she released him and scrambled over to where Genna and Suri lay. She could still feel that vibration under her skin, though it was softer now, almost like a purr. She placed her hands, one on top of the other, on Genna’s chest—the faint pulse of the girl’s heart answered—and thrust down. Something surged past her fingertips, and water spewed from Genna’s mouth. The girl coughed, gasping for breath.
She clambered back as Suri crawled forward, helping Genna sit up. Suri removed her cloak and slid it around Genna’s shoulders.
“Is she alive?”
Nes jumped and turned to find Toran staring, not at Genna but at her. “You’re okay.”
Toran shook, his teeth clattering, but he was awake. “Is Genna?”
She crouched down in front of him. Running her hands up and down his arms, she said, “I think so. Suri will take her to the Siren’s Hair. Get her warmed up.”
Toran nodded, but it looked more like a spastic jerk of his head. “S-sounds nice.”
“Can you stand?”
Hands still shaking, Toran managed to get his feet under him. From there, she helped him up. “Come on, we’ll get you some warm clothes.”
Toran leaned into her for support as they walked. Even through her heavy cloak she could feel the prick of his icy skin. As Suri had for Genna, Nes pulled her cloak off and wrapped it around his shoulders. She’d seen too many people die from the cold.
Winter in the Ditch could eat away at your very soul. Those without roofs over their heads shriveled in on themselves until they became corpses on doorsteps. Those lucky enough to dwell inside were warm, but their hearts were cold.
They trudged through the underground to the stairs, Suri and Genna ahead. They wound through the streets, avoiding the Drowning Square in favor of the dirt roads of the Ditch.
Beside her, Toran’s eyelids drooped, as if keeping them open was akin to lifting heavy sacks of flour. His lips were so blue it looked like icicles had sprouted from the cracks in his skin.
Nes kicked in the door of the Siren’s Hair. The main floor of the gambling den was empty, but she didn’t relax. The staircase loomed. She could feel the way Toran needed her support. He hadn’t stopped shivering. There was no way they would make it to Toran’s room on the third floor. The bedroom she shared with Suri was on the second.
“Toran,” she said. He didn’t move. “Toran.”
He lifted his head slightly. “Huh?”
“We’re going upstairs. I can’t carry you by myself.”
A soft moan. His next words were so slurred it took her several seconds to decipher them. “Why…” Long pause. “…’ot?” Another long pause. “You didn’t four.”
Why not? You did it before.
