FOR HER, HE WILL SET EVERY KINGDOM ON FIRE.
Kyron LeFur never wanted to be king. He may have united a torn people and ended a bloody war, but none of that matters without his queen. She sacrificed her crown for him, and now he will stop at nothing t...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Greer!" I scream, racing across the frozen lake to where she once stood. My feet slip from under me, and I slide toward the hole in the ice on my stomach. The desperation building inside me urges me on. I don't push my cloak away from where it's wrapped around my neck, instead I kick and claw until my fingers wrap around the cavity's edge. With one mighty yank, I try to plunge into the freezing water. The bite of sharp teeth scrapes along my lower back as Ashavee grabs the waist of my trousers.
Our eyes lock, and she growls at me in warning. The second of pause allows clarity to invade my frantic thoughts. I rip off my shoes, cloak, and jacket. The last thing I need is something holding me down when Greer might need my help to the surface. Ashavee yanks a rope from the saddle of Greer's horse and brings it to me. My hands shake as I tie it around my waist and throw the end at her. The jaguar clenches it in her teeth and tips her head, letting me know I'm free to go.
I dive into the water headfirst. It takes all my self-control not to release my breath and scream. The lake is beyond freezing. Pain like a knife driven into the top of my head spreads through me. I want to press my palms to it, apply some presser to calm the ache, but if I do, it will be at Greer's expense. I push through the pain, swimming hard and fast. Every stroke forward, I spread my fingers, hoping that I brush against her body. My path is erratic through the murky water. Up. Down. Out. In. I swim until the rope at my waist prevents me from going any further.
The burning in my chest grows the longer I go without air. Instinct tells me to go back to the hole and take a breath, but my heart won't let me give up on finding my friend. My skin is numb, and my muscles scream as I push them to keep moving. The urge to breathe is so intense that I'm struggling not to open my mouth and see if the water will substitute pure oxygen.
The rope pulls and I glide backward. Panic takes over just as a harsh reality sets in: If Ashavee believes it is time to bring me back to the surface, Greer is gone. I fight against each tug, begging for just another second to search for her. My chest constricts, squeezing my breaking heart together. I can't bear the thought of filling my lungs with air while she sinks to the bottom of the lake.
My fingers rake through the water, grasping at nothing. Pull. Nothing. Pull. Nothing. I give up the flight, letting my arms and legs dangle beneath me in defeat. Pull. Pull. Hair intertwines with my fingers. I reach further, gripping fabric. My surprise overwhelms me, and I suck in. Liquid floods my mouth and throat, choking me. I try to cough but only manage to pull in more water.
Pull.
Pull.
Pull.
My head hits something hard, and I snap it up. Cold wind brushes my face. I gasp and choke, needing the water out and the air in at equal measure. Ashavee grabs the back of my tunic with her teeth and hoists me out of the lake. My arm remains in the water, and I use all my might to pull the fabric. Relief rushes through me when Greer's head rises above the water. Ashavee takes over hoisting her from the lake as I vomit up everything that doesn't belong in my airway. When the first drag of oxygen fills me, I lift my head to see Greer lifeless on her back.
