Page 80 of Ransomed to the World
Mason clutched at his tank, inhaled so deeply his whole chest expanded, then dropped it.
He twisted the vines around his wrists, got a firm grip, then gave a nod.
Her stomach cramped with dread.
This had to work.
Logan swam in behind her, braced his legs and pulled. She could’ve kissed him.
Hope made her giddy when Mason slid through the water, then her confidence crashed hard—he was moving much too slowly!
He’d never make it in time.
Camden and Xander soon joined them and helped pull, but both their canisters were flashing red as well. They were overworking themselves.
Fuck!
Mason pulled himself along to speed up the process, determination to get to her darkening his expression. She looked down at her own tank, and her heart stuttered—she had two minutes left at most.
It had to be enough.
As Mason approached, Annora took one last gulp of air and pressed the tank toward him. He shook his head, pushing back at her, and she grabbed onto his wrist to stop him.
Take it. Arguing is only wasting oxygen. I’m too slow a swimmer, and I can’t pull you along if you pass out. The other tanks are almost empty. You’re the strongest of us and can drag us along behind you if it comes to that.
He looked ready to argue, but she didn’t give him a chance. She brought her feet up and shoved off his chest, arrowing her body through the water, aiming for the aquifer.
She swam hard and fast, her movements clumsy as she pushed herself, expecting to be stopped at any moment. The guys were stronger and faster, so she was the logical choice to go without.
And they could revive her if the worst happened.
Instead of stopping her, Logan swam next to her, hauling her closer to the aquifer. He tried to shove her in first, but she shook her head. She’d slow him down. Water churned around him in his agitation. He was furious, ready to argue, when Camden pointed toward the tunnel.
Rebellion flashed across his face, then he gave a snarl before he reluctantly obeyed.
Camden urged her to go next. She wanted to protest, but his expression brooked no argument. Not wanting to waste any more time, she conceded defeat and dove into the dark opening. To her surprise, a current grabbed hold of her and dragged her through the tunnel an almost reckless speed.
Complete darkness surrounded her for the first few feet, then a glow began to brighten the walls from the thin layer of algae clinging to the tunnels. Tiny bugs zipped through the water, a few pelting her in the face.
A minute passed when her lungs began to burn, and she quickly shut down the connection between the guys. She was too far away from the surface.
She was going to drown, recognizing the symptoms as her uncle had often used it as a form of punishment. She didn’t want the guys to experience it. They would only panic.
The water began to chill her skin. Her throat tightened, and it was a struggle not to automatically inhale. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape, but stones surrounded her on all sides. Dark particles shimmered in the water around her, and it was all she could do to stay in control.
If she used any more magic, they’d be caught, and all their hard work and planning would be wasted.
So she kept quiet, her vision dimming around the edges, the world gradually darkening. Her limbs became ungainly, her elbows and knees bumping and scraping along the stones, and she dug her fingernails into her palms to resist clawing at the walls.
She gritted her teeth as fear of being trapped again began to creep into her mind. Then she felt a hand wrap around her wrist and she was hauled forward.
Edgar!
He came back for her.
Logan must have sent him back to help.
She gripped him back just as it felt like someone was squeezing her lungs. Her body spasmed at the lack of air. The darkness inside her snarled in fury, demanding to be set free, and it took every ounce of her concentration to stop it from taking over.
