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Paige stared down into the dark waters as she waded through them. “Ugh, I hope there are no creepy fish in here.”

“Like piranhas,” Dewey said. “That’d be your luck.”

Paige squeezed her eyes closed as she continued forward. The flow of the water quickened, whisking past her legs.

“Is this getting deeper?” she questioned as the water lapped at the top of her legs.

“I wouldn’t know.”

Paige shot him an annoyed glance. “No, you wouldn’t, Mr. ‘I’m still dry.’”

Dewey shrugged and darted in front of her as the water turned frothy, speeding along under him. “Looks like the current is even faster up here.”

“Yeah,” Paige said. “It’s getting hard to… Whoa!”

The water whipping past dislodged her feet from the riverbed. She lost her balance, slipping deeper into the water. With flailing arms, she struggled to stay afloat as the current pushed her along.

“Dewey! Help!”

“Paige,” Dewey shouted, racing after her as she floated past him.

A loud roaring met her ears while Paige glided farther along with Dewey chasing after her. She glanced ahead of her, trying to ascertain the source of the sound as it grew deafening.

Her eyes grew wide when she spotted it. The underground river disappeared over a steep ledge.

“Dewey! It’s a waterfall! Hurry!”

“I’m trying!” Dewey said as he sped along.

He stretched his tiny arm out, reaching for her. Paige spread her fingers, surging out of the water toward him as she fought against the current.

His scaly fingers wrapped around hers and, for a moment, she slowed before the current swept them both along.

With shrieks echoing in the cavern from both of them, they tumbled over the edge of the waterfall.

CHAPTER 32

Paige plunged into the underground river’s icy waters. The force of the impact ripped her fingers from Dewey’s paw. She flicked her hand around in the water, blindly searching for the tiny dragon.

Her lungs burned as she spent longer underwater than she preferred. She clawed for the surface, disoriented and unable to find it in the dark chamber. Finally, cool air caressed her fingers.

Paige shot out of the water, choking and coughing as she gulped in a deep breath. She wiped at her eyes while she trod water. Dots of liquid covered her glasses, which had miraculously stayed on during the fall.

She spun in a circle, searching for her small friend. “Dewey?”

She continued to spin, searching the water and the air. “Dewey?”

Her lower lip trembled from the cold and from worry. She blubbered out his name one more time. Her face pinched as her stomach clenched. Tears welled in her eyes.

She sniffled, continuing to tread water. A light bobbled in the distance. She crinkled her brow, forcing her limbs to move toward it while she shivered.

The light shone in her eyes after a moment, and she squinted against it.

“Paige?” Dewey’s voice called.

Paige gasped. “Dewey?”

He buzzed past her and swung around. “Paige!”