I could feel the prickle of magi that meant the spectators were watching. Well, I was going to give them an eyeful, because I didn’t want to run around in wet stuff this whole time. I left only my bra and panties. Then I waded into the lake, shivering at the cold.
There was no way this was going to be a nice, easy swim. I’d never really liked the water either.
I charged in anyway, ready to get it over with. When I was up to my waist, I sucked in a deep breath and dived deep. Cold water closed over my head, and I opened my eyes to see an emerald green world. Weeds waved in the beams of sunlight, and silver fish darted.
I kicked deeper, headed toward the golden glow at the bottom. The weeds slipped by my skin as I swam. Fear pierced me at the idea that they might wrap around me, but they just waved peacefully in the water.
I was nearly to the golden object when a figure flashed by to the right. Out of the corner of my eye, I could just barely make out that it was roughly human shaped, though it did have a fin. Scales covered the rest of its body, along with a fringe of spines along the back.
I diverted my eyes, keeping them glued on the object. Water pressure distorted my vision, so it was impossible to see exactly what it was.
My lungs burned as I went deeper. The figure flashed by to the left again. Closer this time. My heart thundered into my lungs. The thing brushed against my side, and I nearly screamed.
I called on a dagger from the ether and gripped it in my hand as I swam deeper. It was the iron blade, the one that I’d hidden and retrieved. The Finfolk were a type of Fae, and I was here to win.
When the hand grabbed my arm, horror shot through my chest. I did not like the water, and this wasn’t helping. I lashed toward the hand, stabbing down with my blade. It plunged into the arm, and the creature hissed loudly, yanking its limb back.
Through squinted eyes, I barely caught sight of a broad face and distinct gills. There was a flash of yellow eyes, but I squeezed mine shut immediately.
Don’t make eye contact.
I waved the blade in front of me, a threat of iron, then spun back toward the key and kicked for it. I opened my eyes just enough to see the golden glow and make sure I was on track.
Finally, I reached it and grabbed the tiny golden disk. I couldn’t swim with my dagger and the disk gripped in both hands, so I shoved the disk in my sports bra, which was big enough and tight enough to contain the little object.
With the key safely in place, I turned to swim back to the surface.
And came face-to-face with a waiting Unseelie Mer.
The creature’s yellow eyes caught mine, and I stared, unable to look away. I could feel the hilt of my dagger in my hand, but couldn’t make myself use it.
The creature reached for me with a rough green hand and grabbed my arm, pulling me deeper into the water. His touch snapped me back to attention, and I struggled, trying to break free. But my movements were too weak, as if part of me wanted to go with him. My body fought my mind.
No!
I screamed, bubbles escaping my mouth. It took everything I had to curl myself forward and slash my blade at his scaled green torso, but I was too slow. He was an acrobat in the water, and now that he knew I held iron, he was fast.
My blade swiped through a weed, missing the creature entirely. My lungs burned with pain I’d never felt before. I thrashed and struggled, but couldn't break free.
There was a flash of movement in front of me. A person.
Tarron.
He kicked toward the Unseelie Mer, breaking the creature’s grasp on me. The king grabbed my arm and kicked toward the surface. I helped, using the last of my energy. My head broke through to the air and I gasped.
“Come on!” The king’s grip tightened on my arm, and he dragged me to shore. I kicked from behind him, weak and exhausted. I couldn’t feel the prickle of magic that indicated that the spectators were watching, which meant he’d blocked their vision.
I crawled onto the shore, gripping my blade tight. The king bent