Page 100 of Shadows of Light
“Excuse me?” Skog’s accent grew thicker as he became more riled up. “I have killedcountlessenemies.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Maverick said as he clasped Skog’s shoulder. “You’re a warrior, and we’ll ensure you’re rewarded with a fine new weapon since you sacrificed yours for a great cause. You helped destroy the kraken.”
Skog rolled his eyes. “I’d like one made from fae metal this time.”
“I doubt the fae will allow that, but first, let’s save my nephew.”
“Cole?” Del asked.
No one answered as their attention shifted to the lake. There was still no sign of him, and though the kraken was gone, other horrors filled the water.
CHAPTERSEVENTY-SIX
“There!”a merfolk shouted and pointed at the lake.
Sahira held her breath as she frantically searched the water. The silver fish continued churning, a shark fin circled near the shore, and she couldn’t see the other horrors below.
She also couldn’t see Cole. Biting her lip, her fingers bit into Del’s shoulder as she tried to keep her crushing disappointment and sadness at bay. If the monsters haunting this water were still all riled up, then he had to be alive… didn’t he?
She hoped so, but she had no idea how to help him. Del had taken care of the kraken, but what did they do about these other things?
And then, just when she was about to look at Del and shake her head, Cole broke free of the water. Blood dripped from the hands stretched into the air and ran down his face in dark red rivulets.
Shadows enclosed Cole’s wrists while they dragged him forward with impossible speed. His body and legs jerked as they trailed him in the water, but he wasalive! The shadows wouldn’t exist if he was dead.
When Cole was closer to the shore, Maverick and Varo grasped his hands and yanked him onto land. More of those hideous, silver fish followed him onto the shore.
Their bodies slapped against the ground as they flopped back toward the lake. They splattered with a sickening crunch when Maverick stomped on them before kicking their remains into the water.
Maverick knelt at his nephew’s side and clasped his face; from Sahira’s position, she saw his chest was so broken it was concave. Water trickled from his lips, but his chest didn’t rise and fall with air.
He was too crushed to breathe.
Bile clogged her throat. Cole had survived the water, but at what cost, and could he heal from this extent of injuries?
“He has the vine,” the queen said and pointed at Cole’s arm.
Unexpected tears burned Sahira’s eyes as she spotted the vine wrapped securely around Cole’s arm. After everything he’d endured, he managed to keep the vine. His love for her niece robbed Sahira of her words, before she finally found them again.
“We have to get that to Lexi. She can help heal him,” Sahira said.
Maverick carefully lifted his nephew as Varo and Skog hefted Del between them. Cole’s eyes remained closed and his breathing nonexistent as his head fell against Maverick’s chest.
She twisted her hands together while hoping it wasn’t too late to save him. Not only was his chest crushed, but dozens of gashes lacerated his body; he had so little blood left that it barely trickled from his injuries.
As the others hurried toward the portal Maverick created, Sahira remembered the merfolk. She had far more important things to worry about now, but they couldn’t leave without thanking them.
“Your kindness will be repaid,” she vowed to the king and queen.
Mira tilted her head to the side as she studied Sahira. “Who are you to promise such a thing?”
“The queen of the Shadow Realms is my niece; she won’t forget that you helped save her life. I promise you that.”
“Make sure of it,” the king said.
Sahira nodded and followed the others into the portal and onto the human realm. From there, they traveled to Dragonia.
CHAPTERSEVENTY-SEVEN
