Then she turned back to Poppy.
Then she pulled her sword.
Poppy gasped and spun around, but there was nowhere to run. The bird was gone, and the Valkyries’ formation kept them blocked from the wide grassland behind them.
She caught sight of Mack’s alarmed expression as the Valkyries stalked toward them with slow, purposeful steps, their eyes suddenly dark and gleaming against their pale skin. Brynne’s were fixed on Poppy.
Behind them, the cliff fell away fifty feet or more to the fathomless waters. Poppy swallowed. It wasn’t so far … there was a good chance they would live. Probably.
“We have to jump off the cliff,” Poppy muttered, trying to keep the Valkyries from seeing her lips move. Her knees shook as she backed up.
Mack shook his head. “Hitting the water will be more like hitting stone at this height.”
Poppy met his eyes. “I don’t think we have a choice.”
Nula appeared at her side. She cast them a sympathetic look and changed into a swallow, zipping out into the open air. Mack stared out for a moment as if willing another solution to make itself known. Then without a word, he reached down to sling Dog over his shoulder, and turned to meet Poppy’s eyes. “Now?”
“Now!” Poppy shouted as she grabbed his hand, and jumped.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
This time they didn’t scream. The air rushing past was like a scream itself—sharp and cold. The wind was so strong Poppy couldn’t open her eyes at all. It whistled painfully in her ears and flapped at the fabric of her hoodie, whipping her long black hair against her face. She sensed that Mack and Dog, and even Nula, were still with her, but she couldn’t see them. Fear stiffened all her muscles and made breathing impossible.
Her feet pierced the water with a shock of pain, rushing downward through the still, salt sea. For a moment Poppy’s eyes flew open, but she only saw the dark shapes of Mack and Dog hanging in the water, before her eyes were burning with salt. She tried to move in their direction as she rose to the surface, arms outstretched to grab them if she could.
Mack broke the surface, sputtering, as Poppy took her first gasp of air. Nula—at least she assumed it was Nula, had become a dolphin, and held Dog to the surface, swimming in graceful circles around them.
Poppy’s feet stung, and her legs ached from hitting the water. She took deep, choking breaths as she turned, looking for any hint of shoreline. In the distance, she could see the Holly Oak island. Behind them, and all around, were cliffs. No shoreline in sight. The river and shallows were on the other side of the Alcyon.
“We’ve got to get to the island.”
Mack grimaced, and Poppy moved toward him. “Are you okay?”
“I—my shoulder.” He was holding it as he bobbed awkwardly.
She couldn’t see much through his hand, but the strange angle told her he’d knocked it out of the socket. “Can you put it back?”
Mack blanched, but gave a stiff nod. “I think so. Put a hand against my back and when I hit it, push.” He took a breath and hit himself hard, knocking the shoulder back with a grunt. He closed his eyes, floating on his back for a moment. When he opened them, his eyes narrowed. “Look,” he said.
Poppy followed his gaze up the cliffside. At the top, the Valkyries peered down over the edge, their armor sparking in the afternoon sun.
“I hope they don’t stay angry,” Poppy sputtered.
“But you caught their song.” Mack smiled at her.
“Yes.” Poppy grinned back. “I did.”
They swam for the island, Mack moving slow to favor his shoulder. The quiet between them grew heavy. Poppy knew she needed to talk to him—say something about what she’d done, and she didn’t think she could wait any longer to do it.
“Mack?” Poppy kept her eyes pinned to the Holly Oak island.
“What?” he puffed.
“I’m really sorry.”
A long pause.
Poppy risked a quick look. His expression was hard—his copper eyes fixed on her. She looked away again, her cheeks heating. She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for what I did. Breaking my promise … it was reckless.”
“Yeah, it was.”
Poppy swallowed her pride. “You’re my best friend,” her voice hitched. “I should have trusted your advice and been more careful—more thoughtful. Also, I made you a promise, and that meant something, and I didn’t keep it. And I should have … I should have at least talked to you about it.”
He was quiet, swimming next to her, but she risked another look. His expression had softened. “I’m sorry too,” he said. “Finding your parents is the most important thing right now. You needed me, and … I was really harsh. I’m sorry.”
“You were just trying to keep me safe.” Poppy forced herself to stop swimming and look Mack fully in the face. His eyes widened, and he stopped swimming, treading water as she wiped her eyes. “It’s just splashes,” she said. “I’m not crying.”
He looked away.
“Mack?”
He looked back.
“Thank you for caring. I’ll do better, okay? I’ll really try. Please don’t give up on being my friend.”
Their eyes locked for a heartbeat … then two. Mack gave her his best smile. “I won’t, Poppy. I promise.” Then he lifted his good arm and sent a splash of water right at her face. Poppy ducked, laughing, and swam toward shore again.
The sun was scorching, drying the salt on their skin until it stung. Poppy’s eyes burned. While she and Mack struggled along, Dog seemed to be enjoying Nula’s bursts of assistance. They’d made a game of it, with Dog paddling along, then falling behind, waiting until the dolphin came up beneath them to shove them forward with a few flips of her tail. Two’s tongue lolled, and Eta and Brutus looked like they were smiling. After the third time, they even wagged their tail, slapping the water as Nula approached.
Poppy almost laughed, but she needed all her breath. Her whole body hurt, and next to her, Mack’s face had grown grim.
