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T he shifting water was the only indication that told me Riella had fled as ordered.

The creatures' shrilling screeches forced me to wince, the sound rupturing my sensitive water fae hearing, leaving my ears ringing with pain.

Cutting my arms through the water, I sent my knives sailing. Directing them towards as many hooded depths as I could muster while they shot through the water with renewed vigor.

Deirdre was eager.

Lunging, I reached below into the cavernous hole where Deirdre’s statue had disappeared.

“Come on, come on.” I snarled, looking up only to throw more shadow knives at the hooded beings barreling towards me. Several fell, slowing down the many others. “Always a stubborn bitch, aren’t you?” I snarled, groping the top of the statue's head, fumbling for the lever behind her ear.

The click was loud when I finally wrenched it upwards and her marbled being started to rise.

Snapping my head up, I grabbed the shadow knives around my belt.

One of the phantom creatures was only ten feet from me—too goddess damn close.

Throwing my knife, I weaved the shadow to embed into whatever lay beneath the tattered robes, then sliced my hand through the water, ripping off the screaming abominations head forever.

“Dimittis.” Release, I commanded and threw seven more shadow knives, each one finding its mark with deadly decapitation, except for the seventh, which had plunged into the back of the marbled queen’s crowned head.

“That’s for being such a bitch.” I snorted, feeling the relief of the passageway being sealed, leaving behind the hideous creatures and buying us more time.

I pushed off the statue’s perfectly carved ass, knowing full well she had made sure it was molded that way, and shot through the illuminated passageway, careful to avoid the blood crystals as I went.

Riella had made good progress and it was a few moments before I was able to reach her. She cried out, swimming harder, feeling my presence and driven by fear to escape me.

“It’s me, little one! But don’t stop and don’t look back!”

A sob of relief escaped her tiny lips and my heart lurched to provide her comfort. Reaching for the shadows, I molded a herd of unicorns to gallop alongside her. Her giggle in the sinister red glow of the tunnel was enough for me to not dwell on the fact that my power was now waning.

Just a little further.

I felt the power release just moments before it hit us.

Sending us both crashing into the walls of the tunnel with the crystals pulsating in a blaze of red light.

Riella screamed and my stomach rolled at the sickening sound of her body cracking against the walls.

The shadow unicorns beside her torn to shreds by glaring red light.

Rolling through the attack, I caught her tiny body as it began to slide down the wall. “Shh, I have you little one.” I soothed, smiling at the spear still clutched tightly in her webbed hand while she blinked up at me. “I have you.”

Red tears spilled out of her multi-hued eyes. “What is happening?”

I wiped her eyes, my hand cupping her face.

“The crystals feel our presence. They want us.” A veiled truth…

the powerful burst was directed right at me.

I could feel the change in my gifted water fa e body.

I had run out of time. “We are close but we must continue quickly. Wrap your arms around my neck and I will swim us both there. Can you continue to be brave for me?”

Riella swallowed hard and nodded.

I smiled reassuringly down at her. “You are a true warrior fae, Riella, tamer of dragons. Shen would be so proud to see you now. Climb on and we shall leave this place in no time.” Riella darted around me and clung to my back, her arms and legs wrapping tightly around my torso.

“Shen Shen says you are the greatest warrior of all the fae. I do not think I am like you.” She whispered into my ear.

My chest tightened. “No Riella, you are not like me,” I felt her stiffen and patted her leg. “You are better than me…you are something I never can be. You must believe in yourself, like Shen Shen believes in you …like I believe in you.”

She squeezed me tighter, the tiniest whisper of her voice brushed against the scales of my neck and my heart splintered. “I believe in you too, even if you don’t.”

“Hold on.” I whispered brokenly.

Grasping onto any flickers of shadow in the passageway, I used them to propel us forward, moving faster and faster towards the inner sanctum. Riella molded to my body, streamlining us further, just like she had onboard her water dragon.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the torrent of water could be heard and the current started moving us faster along.

“We are almost there.” I called over my shoulder.

“The whirlpool portals are still dangerous. You must not fight their current if we get separated. Just allow it to take you and I will be with you eventually. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.” She nodded against my scales.

The crystals flashed again, even brighter this time and I reared back in both pain and shock. The taste of salt was strong on my tongue and I thrashed violently when water started to fill my lungs.

“Remnant!” Cried Riella, attempting to soothe me.

I screamed when the painful pressure in my head ruptured my ears. My cries forced the water filling my lungs outward and I used it to my advantage. Closing my mouth I forced my chest to expand. The ocean felt like a vice squeezing my body, making the task difficult.

I raised my hands, my eyes burning in the salted water and pointed towards the whirlpools, waving Riella to continue onward. My reflection in her terrified eyes confirmed that I had fully transformed back to my normal self.

“No! Not without you!” She cried and frantically grabbed my arms to pull me forward.

Spasms wracked my entire body and I frantically waved her onward but she stubbornly refused. Pulling along my crushed body with pure determination.

Closing my eyes, I focused, sensing the soft dormant shadows around me. With one last burst of energy, I sent them careening outward like a lasso, searching for the portals.

Seconds seemed like hours before a tug wrenched us both forward and I flung my arms around the faeling’s body right before the shadow line violently launched us through the rest of the tunnel.

Riella’s clawed hands pierced my skin, fighting to hold onto me while my own began to slip and my vision darkened.

Our salvation was swift and violent. The water swirled into a darkened chamber, the portal suctioning us into an uncontrollable spin. Down, down, down we spun…the echoes of Riella screaming my name was the last thing I heard before everything went frighteningly silent.