Page 84 of Brambles and Bellflowers
“Now!”
Something in his tone shattered my fear, and my body moved before I could think. I lunged forward, desperation coursing through me as I stretched toward Miles, determined to reach him before it was too late.
For a fleeting moment, our fingers brushed—a fragile connection that slipped away as quickly as it came—before it happened.
The crack rang out through the air, and the branch gave way beneath me. Time seemed to slow, every detail burning itself into my mind: the terror etched across Miles’s face, his mouth forming a shout I couldn’t hear.
And then the river claimed me. The world vanished into icy chaos as I plunged down, down, down, the screaming rapids swallowing me whole.
The cold was a numbing weight.It caused my muscles to seize and my limbs to lock. Darkness surrounded me as the light blue of the sky faded. An invisible force dragged me deeper.
Already, my lungs ached, and my panic compounded my inability to breathe.
I kicked, desperate to reach the surface. It worked for less than an instant before the rapids tossed me under again. They pulled and pushed until I couldn’t tell which way was up or down.
A hard body crashed into mine, and the little air I had left was knocked from me. I gasped on reflex, and water flooded my mouth. I fought against it, but the presence wouldn’t let go. My arms were trapped against my chest, and I could no longer move.
My teeth rattled as I was thrown, helplessly and painfully, against an unforgiving surface.
“Bianca!” Miles roared in my ears.
The strength of his voice, so close even though I’d been alone seconds ago, was the only thing to drag me out of the dark. I blinked, trying to clear my eyes and dodge the waves.
Miles had jumped in—unless he’d fallen in himself, which I doubted. He held me tight against him with one arm. We were trapped against a trio of boulders, which, unfortunately, were smack dab in the middle of the waters. He had his back to the current, the lines of his face set in a mixture of concentrationas he fought to keep me sheltered from the harsh waters while keeping me from being crushed against the stones.
“D-d-did you jump in a-a-after me?” This time, my stutter wasn’t from nerves; my teeth were already chattering.
“It’s fine.” It didn’t sound very fine, nor did his expression scream confidence. “I’m fine,” he repeated, more to himself than to me. “I can do this. It’s only a little water. Just hold on to me.”
I had no idea what he was talking about. This was far from a bit of water. But given the lack of options, I scrambled to obey. Twisting in his hold, I wrapped my arms around his neck even as his arms shook in his attempt to keep himself from crushing me.
“Good…” His chest rumbled, and his attention returned to the shore. Instead of their normal chocolate-brown color, his eyes were now a light caramel honey. The water still pulled at us, and I could feel Miles’s grip slipping as we continued moving closer and closer to the edge of our refuge, but—unless it was my imagination—it seemed to have let up—only slightly.
As I pressed my cheek against his chest, I felt a faint vibration through his body—something steady and calm, almost rhythmic. Our rock shelter seemed stronger, his stance steadier, even as the current fought against us.
Miles was muttering something under his breath, and a faint glow seemed to flicker beneath the water’s surface around his feet, like veins of golden light threading through the stones beneath us.
“Hold on tight,” he said again, his voice sharper now, as though he were steeling himself.
“What are you doing?” I asked, but my voice barely carried over the water’s roar.
“I’m trying,” he ground out. “I can… I need to…”
The vibration beneath us grew heavier, but then a sharp crack split the air, and Miles’s focus shattered. His eyes widened, and the golden glow vanished as the current surged again.
“Hold on!” Miles’s voice broke with panic as the boulders shook. The momentary reprieve was gone, and we were swept back into the water’s relentless grip.
I clung to him with all my strength, and he did his best to fight, but, at that moment, something shifted in the air—something unnatural.
An unearthly howl broke through the chaos, cutting into the sound of rushing water. Miles’s concentration broke as his strokes faltered, and he looked toward the sound.
We were overwhelmed once more before either of us could breathe, and again, I felt myself slipping beneath the surface.
A warm breathwashed over my face, prodding me back into awareness as a tender touch pressed against my cheek.
“Bianca,” the voice called for me. “Wake up.”
My lungs screamed for air, and I rolled to my side, desperate to release the pressure threatening to suffocate me.
