Fire burned through her, and she wondered if Adair thought he was on his path to greatness. Darkness pulled at her, and she clawed toward the surface, any surface. There was a flash before her, imploring green eyes, and a strange guttural voice as it yelled, “Ceol!” Pressure was loosened from her wrists, from her neck, and she felt her body suspend in the water, floating up. Hands frantically clawed around her waist, and she surged upwards, through time and space. Maybe this was what dying felt like, a freedom, a fierce peacefulness. Her eyes were closed, and she felt herself climb, up, up, up. Until they broke through and freezing air assaulted her. Her eyes flashed open, and Marquis’s face filled her vision, his forearms pressuring down hard on her chest. He hissed in pain, his wrists bound in makeshift splints, and she gazed at them, wondering who had hurt him. Once. Twice.
Sputtering, he rolled her onto her side as water spewed from her lungs and she dragged in painful breaths. “Good, Emory. Listen. Breathe. Listen to my voice and breathe.” More voices circled around her.
“Memphis, will you shut up? He just saved her life.” Brokk.
“Oh, and you’re so trusting all of sudden when we all almost died for them!” Memphis.
“Will you both shut up? We don’t have long.” Tadeas.
Relief coursed through her violently as she coughed up more water, her body vibrating from her wet clothes. “Emory, you have to lie still for me for a second, okay? We have to get your clothes dry.” Marquis’s voice was soft, and she closed her eyes, exhaustion crippling her. Her best friends argued around her, not trusting the prince. She didn’t understand why. Over the course of the last couple of weeks, Marquis not only intrigued her, but he had been a steadying force by just being him.
He had never pushed her like Adair had. He had never confused her like Memphis did. And so, she laid still as a roaring wind sounded all around her, and she was lifted and her world became a spinning entity. The wind was warm, like she was standing on a coastline bathing in the sun. She spun, faster, faster, faster. Until gently, she drifted back down, finding her feet underneath her. Her hair was tangled and wild, and she opened her eyes, swaying slightly as she croaked at the disheveled prince, “Thank you.”
Marquis dipped his head and stepped back as Memphis shot forward, gripping her in a crippling hug, whispering in her ear, “I thought I had lost you. I thought you had...” His voice became thick with emotion, and she hugged him back.
“I’m here.” Breaking from his hold, she looked at Brokk, looking rough but nonetheless alive. “How did you all find me? I saw you fall Brokk... and Adair...”
“We split apart because someone wanted to be the hero of the day.” Memphis rose a pale eyebrow at his friend. “But it didn’t take me long to figure out you weren’t in the Academy. I used Brokk’s secret tunnel and headed for the woods. That’s where I found Marquis and Tadeas.”
Brokk cut in, “Adair has some control over the army. I knew the Gortach had you, and I barely got away, but I did.”
She pieced the rest together quickly. Looking over her shoulder, the suspended roaring orb of controlled water churned behind them, the limp body of the Gortach floating within it. Shivering, she looked back at the group. “Thank you. I owe you all my life.”
Tadeas looked to his son before surging toward her. “Emory, we have to get back to the Isles. Right now, this country is lost to the Strattons. You can all come with us, find sanctuary with us.” Chewing on her bottom lip, she looked to Brokk as his gaze darkened. Her heart dropped into her stomach, but she knew she had to hold firm.
“Thank you, Tadeas, but no. Protect the Isles, and I will call on you when the time comes.” She stuck her hand out toward him. “For all our sakes, I hope you respect this alliance.”
He shook her hand firmly, his voice gravelly. “We will uphold our end. You will always find sanctuary on the Isles. Where will you all go?”
Her pulse jumped, her heart battering against her chest unevenly as she whispered, “Into hiding. Adair won’t stop...” She trailed off, all of them understanding the unsaid words.
Nodding, he bowed to them all. “There are dark times ahead. I hope that we will all meet again on better terms.”
Marquis mimicked his father, wincing against his splintered wrists. He caught her eye and quirked a smiled. “I’m glad you’re not dead.”
She huffed. “Yeah, same to you.”
He shuffled uncomfortably, but in a clipped tone whispered, “If you see Adair again, don’t immediately try to kill him. He is still in there, whatever happened.”
Anger licked at her heart, confusion and frustration battering against her will. She bowed her head. “I can’t make any promises.”
His face darkened, and he dipped his head. “Until next time, Princess.”
And with that, the King and the Prince of the Shattered Isles walked away. Marquis faltered, looking back at Emory, and the burst of energy emitted from him made
