Page 51 of The Sea-Ogre's Eager Bride

He knows just what to say. Invoking Lord Vor’s name reminds me that we are in the god’s territory now, and Ranan’s people are probably his favored. “Just don’t remind Lord Vor that I haven’t gotten him his fish yet.”

A hint of a smile flashes on Ranan’s somber face and he squeezes my hand. “The gods will understand that you have been occupied with other things.”

I’m not so sure. The gods aren’t known to be incredibly understanding. I’ve promised Vor of the Seas a sacrifice, and I’ve let weeks pass without fulfilling my promise. I’m suddenly thankful that there’s an Anticipation going on right now—like Ranan said, Vor might not even be there to accept my sacrifice. Here’s hoping.

Sighing, I turn and look at the smudge of darkness on the edge of the horizon. It’s farther away than I’ve ever swam, and we’re in the middle of the sea. We’ve seen nothing but blue waters for days now. I’ve found the vastness a bit alarming, but safe on Akara’s back, I’ve been able to stave off my fears. Now I get to jump in and swim next to my husband who will swim better with one leg than me with both.

Lovely.

“What about our supplies?” I ask Ranan. “Do we leave them here?”

“For now. We’ll send someone back to retrieve them once we’ve arrived on the flotilla.” He releases my hand and turns on his side, extending his legs out behind him. “The sooner we go, the better. Help me stand?”

Stand? He’s ready to go now, it seems. I’m not ready. I might never be ready.

I swallow my fear and nod brightly and lie through my teeth. “Great. Let’s do this.”

It takes a bit of maneuvering to get Ranan to his feet—he might have four arms, but having only one uninjured leg plays havoc with his balance. He puts all his hands on me and uses my sturdy form as a lever to haul himself upright and then leans his weight over my shoulder and hops towards the edge of the water. Once we get close enough, he dives in. I hold my breath until he surfaces and gives his head a toss, flicking water from his proud head fin. “Better already.”

“How’s your leg?” I ask, stalling as I curl my bare toes against the moss on Akara’s back.

“Stings a little, but I’ll just use my arms,” he says, and demonstrates by flicking a bit of water at me.

He seems buoyant enough, all right. My turn. Biting back my fear, I hold my nose and run towards the edge of Akara’s shell, then jump into the water. It’s biting cold out here despite the warm sunshine, and the shock of it makes me flail momentarily.

I surface, sputtering, and then immediately sink again.

I claw frantically at the water, desperate to get air, and then a hard arm locks around my waist and hauls me to the surface. I cough right into Ranan’s frowning face.

“Quit flailing,” he tells me. “You’re going to tire yourself out.”

“I’m trying to swim?—”

“Hold onto me,” he says. I wrap my arms around his neck, shivering, but he’s not able to keep both of us afloat. We go under once more, my weight hanging on him like an anchor.

I immediately release him so we can both suck in air and paddle at his side, splashing. “Just go,” I tell him. “I’ll swim as best as I can at your side and we’ll manage.”

“Take your dress off,” he says. “It’s keeping you from being able to move your limbs properly.”

“And show up naked on your family’s doorstep? I think not!”

His frustration is evident, and he tries again and again to keep me afloat while he propels us forward. It never works for long, and in the end, I simply paddle in my flailing way at his side while he slowly moves at my side. I try to copy his movements, but he can hold his breath for far longer than me, so it doesn’t matter nearly as much when he goes under for long spells…whereas it matters for me. We push on, though, and somehow manage to make some progress away from Akara. I can tell he’s getting tired because his movements grow slower, his breathing labored. I watch him anxiously, which just makes me swallow even more water. We swim and swim and…gods, the flotilla looks just as far away as it ever was. I want to weep with frustration because my limbs are cramping from fatigue, but I keep going because there’s no alternative. I paddle and claw at the water, paddle and claw, and somehow I keep going under over and over again.

“Vali?” Ranan calls as I submerge again, only to come up coughing once more. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I reassure him between gasps for air. “Worry about yourself!”

I go under again and he growls with frustration, moving to my side and tearing at the dress tangling my legs. I’m too tired to protest as he rips it free from my legs. It helps, but only a little. At this point my limbs feel like painful knots and every breath hurts. My hair is in my face, salt water stings my eyes, and that gods-damned flotilla still looks as if it’s the size of my thumbnail.

I might be drowning. Just a bit. But Ranan’s tired, too. I just have to manage.

Something brushes under my foot and I yelp, swallowing a mouthful of water as I do.

I go under, thinking a shark is surely going to eat me. Under the surface is so peaceful, though, and for a moment I stop paddling and moving just to drift. Drifting is so very nice…

Dimly, I’m aware that I’m hauled to the surface again and someone slaps my back, hard. I cough up water, and hear the sound of Ranan arguing with another man, who seems to be yelling right in my ear. I can’t focus. I’m too tired, and I just want to go back under the cold waves and drift a bit more. But I have to keep swimming. I try to paddle again, only for a hand to push my arm back to my side.

“Stop your windmilling, lass. I have you now.” The hand moves up to my chin, tipping it toward the sun and keeping me above the water.

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