Restless Waves

Chapter 63

Rowan hit the rocks with a thud that shuddered Kaerius from head to fins. Rowan screamed in agony, and his cries could be heard from Shroud Island. Kaerius hauled himself onto the rocks and tried to grab at Rowan.

The hunters leaned over the edge, and one started climbing down the ladders.

"Rowan," Kaerius said and stretched out a webbed hand. Rowan was in so much pain; he could barely breathe, let alone move the arm he assumed had broken in several places. Kaerius was running out of time. Yanking himself across the rocks would take too long. "Come to me," he begged, but all Rowan could do was cry and shudder. "Rowan please," Kaerius whispered, reaching out.

Then, something unexplainable happened. The sea around them started rising, up and up. Kaerius turned, fearing that waves were coming and would smash Rowan against the cliffs. The water behind him was flat. Kaerius watched as the water seeped up the rocks and surrounded Rowan. He was lifted by the water and pulled Right into Kaerius's open arms. As soon as Rowan was in the water, Kaerius connected their lips. He ducked below the surface, away from hunters who almost reached them. Kaerius didn't know whether Rowan had made the sea do that, or if the sea was looking out for its sovereign, or if the Goddess had heard their prayers.

Rowan was able to kiss Kaerius back once before passing out. His legs turned into a tail, and he breathed through gills. Kaerius swam deeper and deeper until he could trail the ocean floor. He was safe, but Rowan was far from okay. Rowan had been shot in the lower back, and the fall from the cliff had broken many bones. Kaerius didn't want to think about the inside damage.

"I know you're strong," Kaerius said in the Thalassic Tongue, ignoring all the fish that would usually get his attention. His heart set on the caves where Jaiker and Laiken prepared plants and healing remedies for Rowan. "You can get through anything." Rowan didn't respond, and Kaerius had to think a lot about his own breathing to stay calm enough to reach the caves without breaking down.

His tears were gone before they touched his cheeks, but Laiken knew he was crying when they helped pull Rowan into the cave. The whites of his eyes were all red, and Kaerius fought against his quivering bottom lip.

"We'll do our best to help him," Laiken spoke in the soft tone he used when people were upset. "You need to stay with him. Hold his hand and speak to Rowan in your head."

Kaerius wanted to wrap his tail around Rowan's, though Rowan's fins bent oddly. All Kaerius could do was stop Rowan from drifting. He pressed the sides of their faces together and started praying to the Goddess. He prayed for Rowan to pull through. He prayed for Jaiker and Laiken to have good knowledge of healing. He prayed for Rowan's parents to be okay.

After a while of Jaiker stuffing plant remedies into Rowan's stomach wound and wrapping things tightly to hold his broken bones in place, Jaiker said that Rowan was still declining. His heart was slow; his breathing was scarce.

Kaerius then prayed for Rowan to have an easy death. "Please, please, please," Kaerius whispered. "Don't take him from this world. He's not ready to go." Then he said, "if he is ready, don't let him suffer."

When Jaiker was done, all they could do was wait and hope that Rowan was fighting to wake up.

* * * * *

When two days passed, Kaerius felt a big weight lift from his shoulders when Michael and Mandy entered the cave in their Thalassic forms.

They rushed to Rowan immediately, and Mandy started to cry.

"What happened?" Laiken asked Michael as Kaerius and Mandy hugged each other and spoke about Rowan's strengths to pull himself through.

"Mandy's hunters were waiting for us when we got back. We went peacefully until they told us that they shot Rowan. We thought they had killed him when they didn't return with him. The werewolves luckily came to our aid this morning. They were furious."