Page 98 of Damned and Broken Gods
“Leela!” Priti cried from the ship. “Watch out!” She pointed.
I turned my head as the water to my left erupted with the head of another serpent, momentarily losing my grip on Vick.
He let out a shrill screech and grabbed at me.
“NO!” I swallowed water as he dragged us under, wrapping himself around me in a death grip. I kicked out, desperately trying to rise.
A scream swelled in my chest, panic a fist around my throat as I tried to calm him, to save us both.
A shadow appeared in the water to my left, and I twisted, the bubble in my chest expanding.
Priti’s face emerged from the gloom. She reached for Vick. Keyton appeared at the other side of me. Together they wrestled him free. Keyton took him, dragging him to the surface.
Free of Vick, I began to rise, Priti by my side. We broke the surface to chaos.
The water rolled, and the current grabbed at me, choppy waves hitting with enough force to rattle my bones. But all that came secondary to the epic sight of Araz riding an orange serpent, his flames melding with the scales as he held it firm, burning into it so that Rajnanga could attack.
We swam for the ship, working with the waves that pushed us toward our destination, Rajnanga’s sonic screams rising above the roar of the elements.
Keyton got to the boat first, shoving Vick up onto deck before turning to look back at us. But his gaze tracked to something beyond.
He yelled, words snatched away by the wind, before he dove into the water toward us.
I looked back, and the blood froze in my veins as a serpent’s maw hurtled down, aimed straight at me.
“Leela!” Araz’s bellow cut through the thunder of blood in my ears, but all I saw were teeth.
The next moment, I was underwater, hands pushing me down. I twisted, looking up at Priti’s face, her eyes wide as she shoved me under, out of harm’s way. But she was in danger now.
Our gazes locked as I reached for her, fingers grazing her hand. The water broke around her—ivory teeth and crimson scales. And she was gone. Leaving nothing but a red stain where she’d been a moment ago.
Blood.
Her blood.
No…
No…
Arms wrapped around me and tugged me away.
I thrashed, but the grip was steel, pulling me away and bringing me to the surface, into the middle of a low keening scream.
Keyton, oh gods.
The wind whipped up, fueling the waves.
“Leela!” Araz shook me. “Get to the fucking boat!”
The water erupted to our far right, and the crimson serpent raised its head again. Keyton bellowed and swam toward it.
“Leela, move!” Araz ordered before going after Keyton.
I swam for the boat, blocking out everything else, because Priti had given her life to save mine, and I wouldn’t let it be in vain.
Rajnanga’s body loomed, and I grabbed the rope dangling in the water and hauled myself up. The Shattiraksha turned sharply, throwing me into an arch that slammed me into his shell, jarring my arm.
If there was pain, I didn’t feel it.
