Page 221 of The Sins of Silas

I squeezed my arms around Silas, swallowing as our speed increased. Silas angled his head back. “Don't let go of me.”

“I didn't plan on it,” I murmured.

Water droplets began sprinkling against my face as Dani went faster, faster, faster. The ripples in the waves had us bouncing slightly, and I found my grip around him tightening.

“We will be passing Wrendier shortly,”Torrin spoke, presumably to all of us in our minds.

As the land of Tovagoth began rounding off, I saw it then, the island off in the distance.

“My Gods, do you see it, Silas?” I yelled over the waves.

He shook his head. “No. I see nothing!”

We were zipping forward, water spraying up as Dani led us to the island. I began to sense it then…that darkness I always felt when the necromancer's power was near.

Whipping my head to my right, I flung my right arm out, producing a forcefield. My Mage friends did the same.

Wrendier was far in the distance, but as a dark orb came rushing for us, I knew we'd been spotted.

My shield was hit first. I grunted as it struck, the darkness surging back in the direction it came from.

“Hold on tight!” Silas ordered, grasping the spike close.

The island only had to be a couple of minutes away at the rate Dani was swimming. Still, orb after black orb came hurtling us. Myfriends and I shot out our forcefields, bouncing their magic back, but they were relentless in their pursuit.

“There's too many of them!” Elowen cried, wincing as another orb hit her forcefield.

“My magic…it's weakening! I can feel it!” Viola yelled, roaring as her shield repeatedly got hit.

“Just a few more seconds. We can make it!” Torrin shouted.

But the second his words were released, I felt myself plunging into the cold sea.

Water rushed up my nose, burning my sinuses. I desperately flung my arms forward, trying to find my way up.

The water was freezing, the waves relentless.

I couldn't find my way back up.

I couldn't breathe.

My head felt like it was imploding with every passing second I went without air, and when I couldn't take it any longer, my body inhaled for me.

Water flooded my lungs, a burning sensation spreading across my chest.

This was it.

This was how I was to die.

My eyes began to shut just as I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I had the sense I was being pulled to shore, the brisk air harsh as my face emerged from the water.

“S-s-stay with me, L-Lena, p-please…please…”

Silas.

The cold was unbearable. My whole body felt like it was shaking violently. But I was still. Motionless. I couldn't move—couldn't open my eyes. My hands and my toes felt numb.

I suddenly felt a pressure on my chest. Over and over and over.

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