As I walk through the water now spilling into my boots and soaking my feet, my thoughts return to the way Kyranis smiled at me this morning and how excited he seemed about my presence. No guy ever gave me this much attention, but I don’t know the culture of this place, and he’s the literal ruler. No one can guarantee he wasn’t being nice for the sake of winning me over. Once we married, I’d be tied to him, and how could I be sure of my safety then, especially in the light of what Viniatold me?
A desperate squeaking stops me in my tracks and forces my thoughts into the present. I want to trudge forward and out of the caves, but the pull on my heart is instant. That did not sound like an angry bat. It was a cry for help.
But how am I supposed to help any other creature if I drown? The first rule of helping others is to make sure you’re secure first. So, with my heart in my throat, I rush forward. Once I know how far I am from the exit, I’ll be able to decide—
The bat squeaks again, and I turn around without thinking. I can’t just leave it there. It might have gotten injured by a falling rock. And I could save it if it’s close.
A wave pushes at the sides of my knees, but I keep myself steady and raise the lantern, scanning the nearby rocks as I follow the distressed squeaks. With the light shaking in my hand, it's difficult to spot anything, but in the end, I find a little critter wriggling in the water in a pathetic attempt to climb out.
The animal is… vaguely similar to a bat, even though its purple fur is nothing short of extraordinary.
It’s also much larger than any bat I’ve seen in person, and in truth looks more like a rabbit with demon wings. It has big yellow eyes, long ears and a bit of youthful chub. Can it still be a pup?
“It’s okay, little guy. I’ve been helped tonight too. I’m not leaving you behind.”
With my heart in my throat, I extend my hand, palm up, ready for a potential bite. But it whines, looks into my eyes and licks my finger with its warm tongue. I sigh in relief and try to assess what’s wrong with it as quickly as possible. Its wing is bent out of shape, most likely broken.
The fuck can I do in this situation?
“Oh, baby…” I coo to it, bringing the lantern closer with a sinking feeling.
Should I… take it?
A wave hits my thighs, once more reminding me that I’m running out of time. I rip my cape off and take in the trembling creature. It’s not trying to run or attack me, as if it understands I’m the only one who would hear its plea for help. For all I know, this baby could be venomous, but I couldn’t look at my face in the mirror if I left it to die.
I open the silver rib cage, take it off, then cover my hands with the fine fabric of the cloak. I pick up the bat and wrap it, both for its comfort and to protect myself from its sharp claws. I’m still hesitant about my next move, but when the wave reaches my groin, Ithrow caution to the wind. I wrap the cape over my other arm and swaddle the bat against my side. Tucked inside the cocoon, it calms down rather fast.
I can’t believe I’m doing this, that I’ve lost so much time, but when I feel the tiny body shiver against me, I know going back for it was the right thing to do, but I shouldn’t waste a moment longer.
At times, I move against the wave as it tries to push me back, but right after, I’m sucked toward the beach. As the water keeps rising, I’m dreading what awaits me outside, because the currents feel more violent with every passing moment.
With no reference as to how far I still need to go, I decide to do the only sensible thing in this situation and hurry down the path. Focused completely on dealing with the rising water level, I trudge across the cave, my legs fighting the water with every step. I try not to think about all the monsters Kyranis pointed out to me in the sea yesterday, but they’d surely be too big to enter this cave system, wouldn’t they?
I’m exhausted by the time I reach a wall on the other side of the cavern and see a passage ahead, but there’s a chance the ground rises beyond this narrowing of the path, so I pet the bat when it squeaks with worry, and step into a corridor with smooth black walls and a naturally vaulted ceiling. The air here is warmer than in the vast space I’ve just left behind, and I feel like the meal of a monster passing from its stomach into the intestine, which, hopefully, means I’ll soon emerge on the other side. Let’s not go there with the digestive metaphor.
My arm aches from holding the lantern up, but there’s a glimmer of moonlight in the distance. My heart leaps, and I speed up as much as the rising waves allow me.
I do wonder if I shouldn’t have turned back and waited things out on the tall stairs, hidden from Kyranis, but it’s too late to ponder that now. I have to finish what I started.
Something slides against my thigh in the water, and I yelp, chilled to the bone.
“Just seaweed, just seaweed,” I tell the bat, but it’s myself I’m trying to calm down, because that was definitely something capable of moving on its own.
The next wave reaches all the way to my chin, and I freeze when it pulls my feet off the ground, bringing my head dangerously close to the low ceiling.
The reality of my situation sinks in when I need to hold the bat up in order for it to still have access to air. I’m inside an unfamiliar cave system that’s being flooded, and if I find no way out, I mightjust… drown.
Would Kyran even be sad over losing me or annoyed that I spoiled his big day? He did say he could get another Companion if I died.
I check on the bat when I get a second of reprieve, though the lowering tide means I’m getting pulled toward the exit. That’s either good, or terrifying, depending on what’s actually out there.
I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself, but I can’t help it. What did I do to deserve this? My mother hates me, but I didn’t ask to be born. I’m just trying to do my best in life, keep my head above water, and now, what used to be a metaphor, is turning into my reality, because I’m about to drown, and there’s no one here to help me. I’m on my own, as I’ve always been.
I suck in air when another wave shoves me against the wall. I raise my hand to protect my head.
“Luke!” Someone yells right before a wave covers my head.
Chapter 15
