Page 124 of Traitor Witch

Please, Goddess.

A strong arm bands around my waist. The heat of him chasing away the ocean's chill.

His other hand flies out, grabbing Opal by the scruff of her neck.

We break the surface seconds later, immortal strength propelling us faster than a normal man would ever be capable of.

I cough up water, but my breathing is still choppy. Lungs reacting to the visceral fear of what's beneath me.

Opal curls her wet body around my neck, sandwiching herself between my spine and Cas's chest.

"Are you alright?" Cas's worried voice breaks through the fear fogging up my brain. "Nilsa. Come on. Talk to me, princess."

Rysen's voice echoes from somewhere far away, but I can't make out the words. I shiver and burrow into Cas, trying to swallow away the bile crawling up my throat.

But we're in thesea. My heart is still pounding in my ears. My throat constricting. Reacting to a threat that takes up all my senses.

Below us, the darkness of the water beckons.

"You're safe," Cas croons, that purr rumbling through me.

"Nilsa?" Elsie's voice is lulling, the warmth of Solar magic radiating from her. The Solar is swimming quite happily beside us, her eyes focused on me. "Come on, listen to my voice."

I can feel her magic soothing my symptoms. That calm quality all Solars have magnified a thousand by her magic.

It almost works.

Then something brushes against my arm.

I gasp, my heart galloping in my chest.

"It's just kelp," Cas reassures me, holding up the slimy offender for me to see. "It's just seaweed, princess. Come on. Deep breaths for me."

"Give her to us!"

Two figures on brooms are closing in on our group. One in white, the other in black. Behind them, closer to the cliffs, more witches wait in the sky, watching the drama unfold.

The Solar dives, her hand latching onto Elsie's arm and pulling her up behind her on the broom. She returns to the sky, hovering as her Lunar counterpart tries to do the same for me.

Cas launches us out of the way as she draws close, splashing more water into my face.

"She'smine!" Turquoise flashes across the shifter's gaze, his arms squeezing me so tightly that it's impossible to breathe.

"Casimir!" Elsie screeches from above. "You're hurting her."

"Release her to us." This time, the Lunar's words are laced with compulsion.

But it's not moonrise yet; her power is weaker and Cas visibly struggles against it. "You're not taking our mate. She stays with us."

The Lunar dives. "Let. Her. Go."

The second compulsion-laced sentence does its job. Cas's arms spasm around me, giving just enough that the Lunar can pluck me out of the water and onto the broom in front of her.

The golden sparks of his transformation follow us as the Lunar turns her broom and races vertically into the sky.

Opal hisses in indignation, digging her claws into my shoulders.

An animalistic roar shakes the broom. The leviathan's head reaching out of the water.