Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

As soon as Lyv hit the water, Jai had Roshan flying toward the Keep as fast as he could. Allel was clutching his jacket at the suddenness, but he didn't have time to apologize. He needed to get to Lyv and get to her as soon as he could.

The closer they got, the more they could see. Guinevere and her guardsmen were storming the shoreline in search for Lyv, only to be held back by the ward that had gone up all around them. Mik was pulling himself up on the balcony, his black eyes wide with anger. And Corliss was just...standing there, looking out at the Whelm in search for the asset who just escaped.

Until her eyes lifted and met Jai's.

Even when Roshan continued forward, their gazes never wavered. Jai could feel the fury pulsing around her in dark waves. And no matter how much he wanted to destroy her himself...he had other things he had to worry about.

Before they even got close to the ward that bubbled around the Keep, Roshan banked and dove, following movement under the water that Jai himself could hardly see. Just flashes of gold and even burgundy beneath the waves.

Thia had Erly beside them the next moment just before Roshan dived for the water. Not to go under, but rather to fly just a few feet above, his eyes on the figures beneath the surface who were swimming as quickly as they could away from the shoreline.

But right when they met the wall of fog that shielded an oncoming wave, both Roshan and Erly took to the skies once more.

"What are you doing?" Jai yelled at Roshan over the wind that whipped around them. "Go back down there so we can get Lyv!"

But it was Allel who was hitting his side, trying to get his attention as she stared at what was emerging from that fog. "Jay, look!"

He couldn't look. Not when Lyv was still beneath the waves below them.

And that was when he saw her.

Her body surfaced slowly, coming up from under the water and floating. Jai's heart stopped at the sight of her in her thin white dress, different from the clothes she'd been wearing in Filwey. It clung to her body, which had filled back out from the skin and bones she'd been before. Her eyes were closed, face serene.

And no golden cuff circled her wrist.

Before he even comprehended what he was doing, Jai pulled Allel's arms from around his waist, swung one leg over the saddle, and launched himself into the water below.

It only took a few seconds before Jai hit the water, immediately being pulled under by the current. With lung screaming, he struggled to get to the surface before finally breaking, gasping for breath. He treaded water for a few moments, trying to get his bearings as the fog crept closer, but all he could focus on was getting to Lyv.

And then he saw her just as she started to sink below the surface once more.

"Lyv!"

Jai dove with her, swimming as fast as he could through the choppy waters. He could barely see, but he still could make out the figure that floated peacefully, burgundy hair a glowing halo around her head.

As soon as he saw her, his strength was renewed and before he knew it, she was in his arms.

Jai struggled to get both of them to the surface with Lyv a dead weight and the water seemingly dragging them both down. But he finally managed, breaking the surface with a gasping breath.

"Lyv? Lyv!"

Her head lolled back, hair tangling in the water. Jai secured one arm around her as he lifted her head, letting out a sob when he saw her pallid complexion, how blue her lips were. But when his magic swept through her, he couldn't sense any water in her lungs, though it had been there before. And she was breathing.

She was breathing.

"Lyv," Jai moaned desperately, tightening his hold on her as they bobbed in the water, pressing his forehead against her just before he began kissing all over her face before managing to find her lips.

Gods above, to have her in his arms again...

One arm wrapped around his shoulders then as another clutched at the front of his jacket as he got a kiss back.

And when he opened his eyes, pulling back, he was met with the emerald ones he loved so absolutely. He couldn't stop his tears then as Lyv leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his.

"Jai."

They were both clinging to each other then. The flood of emotions was almost too much for him to handle. After all this time, everything both of them had been through to get back to each other, and finally doing just that...

"I've got you," Jai told her.

Somehow, Lyv managed to laugh through her tears. "You found me."

"I found you...and yet you still saved yourself. I was coming for you. We were coming for you..."

A shadow passed overhead. Then two. And they both looked up as Roshan and Erly circled above them just before Roshan let out a roar that echoed around them. First one excitement...then one warning.

Because what Jai had caught a glimpse of in the fog had finally broken through.

And suddenly three ships surrounded them, all with blood red flags with golden starbursts. They could hear the shouts from those aboard as they peered down at Jai and Lyv in the water, but only one face struck out to them.

A grinning Pirate Queen of Blacklock.  

***Can we all happy dance now?  Jai and Lyv are back together!  *cries in absolute joy*

And of course, there was something in the fog!  Our favorite pirate queen Kalla!  

This will be the last of the shorter chapters, so I'll have the next up in a few days since the longer ones will be coming back.  I actually like the short ones, too.  They pack a good punch, don't you think?

What did you guys think?  Comment and vote!

Happy reading!

- Ansley***