Page 55 of Great Service from Top to Bottom

“Victor?!”

Above, some kind of plate covered the top of the tank, and with the water rising, it wouldn’t be long before I’d reach it. Of course, our tank had to have a lid.

Okay.

This was good. And bad.

Good, because the water was rising, lifting me closer to the top.

Bad, since the lid appeared to be welded shut. The only other way out was the waterfall.

“Victor?!” Where was he?

Reynard broke the surface next to me, gasping. “Adam!” he spluttered. His black hair stuck to his fraught face. His wild gaze darted. “This is alarming.”

The water’s churn pushed us toward the pounding waterfall.

“Now might be a good time to demonstrate some of those abilities you claim not to have,” Reynard suggested.

I glowered. “We don’t talk about that.”

“Alright, but we have roughly four minutes before the water rises enough to lift us to the top and drown us under the lid.”

“Don’t you have abilities, Victor?”

“Indeed,” he spluttered water, “but strength and speed are of little help against that force of water.” He nodded toward the raging waterfall.

“What do you think I can do that you can’t?”

“I realize you are displeased with me. And we will discuss it. But in order to do that, now would be a fabulous time to demonstrate what you supposedly cannot do, Adam.”

“I am very mad at you.”

“Naturally. Now, please focus on perhaps preventing our impending deaths so we might survive to argue later.”

I eyed the plate, fast approaching us. Trapped within my curse and my glamor, my choices were limited. The whole idea of hiding was that I wouldn’t need to display any kind of supernatural talents, because I was obviously a very basic and boring human, who did not have any special abilities. At all.

“Do you need to breathe?” I asked him.

“I am quite fond of it, yes.”

“But is it necessary?”

“For living? I’d say so.”

The plate hovered a few inches from our heads now. Water still poured in, and if water was pouring in, it had to flow from somewhere. Victor might not have been able to fight the current, but I could. I offered my hand. “Calm your heart and hold your breath.”

He grasped my fingers. “I apologize for the deception. For all of it. I am in your debt. My life is yours.”

My head bumped the plate. Water sloshed between us, stealing the last few seconds of eye contact. Seconds in which Victor’s terrified eyes locked on mine.

I squeezed his hand, took a deep breath, and pulled him under.

CHAPTER 15

Fighting the current was as easy as pushing against a hurricane. I kicked hard—blinded, deafened, crushed. Rushing water burned my skin and yanked at my clothes, trying to tear strips off me.

Victor’s fingers remained hooked in mine.