Page 67 of Selkie AU: Beyond the Storm

“Rowan, listen to me—”

“No, Milo. Listen tome. We’re in this together. We’re going there together. And we’ll pray to hertogether.”

“But it’s dangerous.”

“Nothing is more dangerous to me than being apart from you.”

I didn’t know how to answer that, and he didn’t give me the chance to think about an appropriate argument, because he was slipping off the boat with a splash before I had the chance.

“FuckingChristthat’s cold,” he cursed.

I rushed to him, feeling the icy water envelop me as I dived in after him. If he was really stubborn enough to do this, then the least I could do was try to keep his body warm with mine.

My arms wrapped around him, tight and secure as he clung on to the side of the boat.

“Don’t think we can swim like this, little hurricane,” he chuckled.

He was already so cold.

“Off with you, then. I’m a tired old woman and would very much like to nap by a fire as soon as possible. Go get this done,” Aanaa said as she leaned over the edge to look at us.

With a final scowl, I pulled my coat over me until skin became fur, and my eyes better adjusted to the underwater darkness, spotting the tunnel in the cave wall we were supposed to follow.

Rowan couldn’t see under the water, so he held on to me and trusted me to get us where we needed to go. “Please keep him safe,” I started the first of our prayers to the goddess.

The opening was onlyjustwide enough for us both to fit through, the tunnel long and dark enough that I couldn’t see the end. “Please, please.”

Rowan kicked his legs as he held on tight and I swam as fast as I could, well aware that he couldn’t hold his breath for as long as I could.

“Please.Protect him.”

On and on it went. Rowan’s kicks became stronger, more frantic. He was running out of air.

“Please, please, please, please.”

I shouldn’t have let him come. I should have tried harder to stop him. What was I thinking? This was all for nothing if I couldn’t even get him there. I couldn’t take him back. The tunnel wasn’t wide enough for us to turn around, and he’d definitely be out of air by the time we got back to the boat anyway. Fuck.

“Please,” I projected as loud and as far as I possibly could. “Please.” I prayed with my entire soul in a plea more desperate than I’d ever prayed before.

I could see the end of the tunnel now.

So close. “Please.”

Rowan’s grip on me loosened and panic propelled me faster than I’d ever swum.

The tunnel opened up into a huge open chamber. I raced for the surface, a soft blue light guiding the way.

Rowan’s hands lost their grip right as we broke the surface.

I ripped my coat from my body, needing hands to grab him and drag him up so his head was above the water.

Everything was illuminated in a light blue glow from aurora crystals embedded in the stone walls and a huge white and blue tree with long drooping branches that looked to be made of pure light.

“Please,” I choked out loud. “Rowan.”

He was so cold, so heavy. I slammed him against the rocks in my desperation to get him out of the water as quickly as possible. He coughed, spewing up water and then sucking in ragged breaths.

Rowan groaned as I reached for my seal coat, wrapping it around his shoulders to keep him as warm as possible as soon as he sat up. The ice in my chest melted into tears, escaping from my eyes in relief. He was alright.