Page 104 of In Rising Tides

Lir scowled. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it once Drystan fixed him in his sights.

Lyra’s stomach churned like a choppy sea, and she held her stomach.

“Drystan …” Her voice cracked, and she licked her lips.

He was at her side in an instant.

His fingertips grazed her flesh, and it felt like he was skinning her alive.

Lyra winced. “Something iswrong.”

Her skin flushed hot and cold despite the steady temperature of the room.

The sea was too loud.

The current was practically a gale-force wind, with the way it sounded in her ears and the way she felt it throwing her body around.

“Lyra,” he called her name, but it sounded muffled, as if he had spoken to her from above the surface. “Lyra!”

Blackness swallowed her sight, turning her tongue to stone.

She couldn’t see, couldn’t move.

But she felt him wrap her in his arms, and she relaxed knowing he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

His chest vibrated against her cheek as he spoke.

“We need a healer—now.”

“I’m glad my roadblock worked,” Otto grinned, brushing off his pants as he stood. “Was worried you would separate.”

“We did,” Maelys spat, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Why?” Wilder asked, gripping his sword tightly. “Why did you save me?”

Otto had betrayed him.

Wilder had spent time in a dungeon only for Otto to come back and save him from a killing blow.

“I didn’t betray you in the first place,” Otto said.

Maelys opened her mouth to retort, but Otto raised a hand to stop her. “Not in a true sense, anyway. And I only did it because of what you said.”

Otto directed that last part directly to Maelys.

Maelys took a step towards him, a scathing glare glowing in her eyes. “How dare you accuse me?—”

He held up his hands in surrender. “You accused me of not acting when I should, so Ididthis time.”

His reply drew her up short, and all was quiet for a moment.

Ridge wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her back into the fold.

“Explain,” Wilder demanded.

Otto rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Seeing underwater is difficult, extremely difficult, and seeing is impossible when there are no plans in place.”

Wilder’s eyes narrowed as he recalled the last time they had all been together.