Page 136 of The Eye of the Fifth
‘We know the risks, Kano,’ Akraia said boldly. ‘We knew them before we came.’
Her sister said none too softly, ‘Raia took one look at the man and knew he was your blood. Apparently saving him was worth the risk.’
‘Thank you,’ Kano said straight away, but he was looking at the sister now. ‘Akeria… thank you.’
Akeria held his gaze for a moment, then shrugged.
‘Eko,’ Naal greeted the waterling woman as she hustled over to them wrapped in a shawl. In Lorosi, she said, ‘Could you part with your boat? I will endeavour to replace it as soon as I am able.’ The poor woman’s face blanched as she saw the copious amounts of blood staining the white sand, but she nodded fervently without uttering a word, moving to drag her boat into the water for them. ‘Kano, help Eko with the boat. Akraia, Akeria, can you carry Kawai between you?’
The physical strength of a nymph far surpassed a human, bordering that of a fae’s.
The girls nodded too, Akeria less enthused than her sister, but they both moved to lift Kawai from the sand nonetheless.
Naal sent a whirl of weightless air around Kyra’s ankle and helped her to her feet. ‘Thank you,’ she mumbled, still averting her gaze as she limped with Naal to the boat.
It was not quite how she had imagined going back home with another Warden successfully in tow. But alas, these things rarely went to plan.
More so when Kyra was involved, she wryly observed.
The nymphs laid Kawai in the boat, and with Naal’s help, Kyra sat next to him, her eyes glued to his face.
Akeria was already wading back into the water, but Akraia lingered by the boat next to Kano. ‘I didn’t think I would see you again,’ the nymph said quietly. A tint of rose blushed over her blue cheeks.
Kano seemed unable to look directly at her. ‘I…’ He cleared his throat. ‘I hope it’s not the last time.’
‘Me too,’ she replied earnestly.
Ah. The nymph had pulled on his heartstrings it would seem. Naal wished she could have given him more time to say goodbye. ‘Kano,’ she said, a gentle reminder that time was of the essence.
Glancing at her, Kano nodded nervously a few times, his feet shifting beneath him. He turned back to Akraia. ‘Goodbye, then.’
Akraia’s face dropped as he clambered into the boat.
Naal wrung Eko’s hands with her own, and said in her language, ‘Thank you, Eko. I can never repay you for your hospitality. And I will never forget your kindness, nor the risk you have taken in aiding us.’
Eko’s answering smile was watery as she said, ‘I am honoured, Air Warden, by you and the Water Mother for blessing me with this task. You need not ever repay me.’
With a gust of her wind, Naal pushed the boat into the water, then hopped in herself, occupying the space in the aft. Akraia’s head still bobbed on the surface, watching them as Naal guided them out to deeper water.
The wild, quick pounding of a heart filled Naal’s ears. She frowned at Kano, wondering why the scent of adrenalin had suddenly filled the air-
She wasn’t the only one who had noticed. ‘Kano,’ Kyra said softly. He turned to look at her. ‘Tell her.’
His breath dragged unsteadily. ‘What?’
‘Tell her,’ Kyra repeated, then gave him a knowing smile, her eyes still wet. ‘You’ll regret it if you don’t.’ Naal could have sworn her grip on Kawai’s limp hand tightened.
Blowing out a breath as though steeling himself to jump off a cliff, Kano leaned over the side of the boat and shouted, ‘Akraia!’
‘Yes?’ the nymph instantly cried back, as though she’d been awaiting his call.
Kano’s heart was surely reaching dangerous levels of beating as he blurted, ‘I love you!’
Akraia’s answering gleeful little laugh carried across the water like the tinkling of a wind chime. ‘I love you too!’
Akeria’s head appeared behind her, still and watching. Akraia waved, then both sisters dove back under the water.
Dazed in a way that only young love could make a person, Kano sat back down, and as he caught Kyra’s eye, the grin he gave her was nothing short of triumphant.
