Page 191 of Drown My Sorrow

I don’t know who gets the motor going. I’m too busy gripping the side of the boat for dear life as I watch the huge green waves rush towards us.

“GO!” Mitch shouts.

I tear my eyes away from the water and look behind. Typhors’ thugs for hire are closing in, but Typhor is pursuing us into the water. I let out a wild, frightened scream that the wind snatches up. The engine catches, and we take off suddenly.

The boat bounces in the water, sea spray hitting my face like hail. I’m freezing but terrified. I glance back and see Gael easily handling the motor, directing us out into the ocean. In seconds, we’re in the deep. The beaches here look nice, but the shelf drops off alarmingly, leaving us in dark, depthless waters. I try really hard not to think about that.

I hold on to the rope on the side of the dingy and try to focus on breathing. The waves get bigger. The boat bounces into each trough. I cry out, wishing I was anywhere else, but I don’t let go. I hang on.

“ASPYN!”

I turn to Gael. His eyes are wide and terrified. I’ve never seen him look like that.

I follow his stare back ahead of us, my eyes widen in horror. It’s the wave from my dreams. The monstrosity stretches up, the water so dark it appears black, it blocks out the light. It blocks out the world.

I scream.

“Hold on!” Gael shouts. He lets out a grunt, and I wrench my head around, seeing him slump forward and sideways. The front of the boat rises with the wave, but Gael slips into the water, vanishing before my eyes. In his place, holding onto the rope on the side, is Typhor. He drops the rock into the boat and smiles with insane glee.

This time, my scream is more anguished. I attempt to stand up, but my leg won’t support my weight.

“ASPYN!” Mitch screams in terror. No one is at the motor, no one is controlling the boat. We’re helpless. Typhor swings his leg over, pulling himself in.

The boat goes up and up, the wave crests, and we reach the point of no return. The boat hangs in the air for a second that feels like it lasts forever and then falls back, dumping us into the ocean.

Chapter forty-eight

Keagan

KeaganAged24

No one has seen her today. I know we agreed to give her space, but this is crap. I’m not doing anything technically wrong.

I jiggle my lock picks until the lock disengages and then open the door.

All the lights are out.

So I turn them on.

If she finds me, she finds me.

I search her house but find nothing. I get to her bedroom and push open the door.

“Aspyn?”

It’s the softest groan.

I charge into the room and find her lying on her stomach on the floor. It looks like she’s tried to crawl from the bathroom to the bed but hasn’t made it.

I crouch beside her.

“Aspyn, are you hurt? How bad is it?”

She shakes her head and lets out a sob.

Fuck. This.

I scoop her up as carefully as I can and carry her to the bed, where I cover her up and quickly fire off a message to Shale. I climb up with her and curl my body around hers.

---