Page 125 of Iron Roses

“I don’t want to.”

My voice is small. I’m already crying again, throat tight, breath stuttering in short, broken pulls.

My mother steps back, tears streaking down her cheeks. She holds onto my hand until the last moment. My father squeezes my shoulder once, then lets go.

They smile through it.

Giovanna steps beside me, fingers curling gently around my wrist.

She gives a soft tug.

“Let’s take you back.”

The world begins to shift. The sky folds in on itself. The grass dims beneath my feet.

The warmth recedes.

And just like that—

I’m back in the water.

****

The first thing that hits is cold. Then pressure. Then pain.

My chest convulses. I gasp and water pours into my lungs like fire—salted, heavy, burning all the way down. My eyes snap open but everything is blurred. Bubbles erupt past my face, light above me warping.

Cassian’s voice shatters through the water.

He’s calling my name.

Sound breaks over and over in waves as I flail, lungs screaming. Something clamps around my ankle.

A hand. Thick fingers.

Fausto.

His grip locks around the joint and yanks.

I twist hard, foot dragging through his hold. My leg kicks back, heel connecting with his face. He jerks. I kick again—harder. The hand slips. I shoot upward.

My arms tear through the water. Breaching the surface hits like being born again.

I cough so hard it feels like my ribs might split open. Salt and water pour out of my throat. I pull at the dock edge, fingers scraping wood. I climb—knees slamming, muscles shaking.

I drag myself up onto the boards. Behind me, water explodes.

Fausto splashes up, mouth open in a half-snarl, half-scream, soaked and bleeding. He drags himself onto the dock behind me. His hand slams down near my calf.

I spin, still coughing. His body crashes into me, driving my back against the wood. My head bounces off the planks. The world flashes white.

He straddles my chest, both knees pinning down my arms. One hand clamps over my throat.

He squeezes.

I choke, gagging—air nowhere. His face hangs over mine, blood dripping from his mouth, smeared across his teeth.

“You think you win?” he growls. “You don’t win. You never did.”

---