Devouring Hollow Hearts || ONC'24

》Chapter Eight《

She was fire and smoke, brimming with light.

Then, she was submerged.

Extinguished.

Freshwater flooded Chyrie's nostrils as she was tugged deeper underwater, the current battering her ribs and forcing air from her lungs. The water boiled against her skin, evaporating pockets of bubbles as she sank.

Hands gripped her ankles, guiding her through the waves as the flame in her soul winked out.

At first, when she opened her eyes, the only thing surrounding her was murky darkness. Holding her breath and tipping her head high enough to see light, Chyrie saw the tail of fire dousing from her braids. Sodden hair drifted around her, mimicking the sea creatures of old she'd only heard about from stories.

Her body threatened to swallow but she steeled herself, focusing past the scattering fish to see Xiran.

Chyrie jolted, trying to rip her ankles out of his grasp, trying to understand why he would drown her in the ocean beyond Courmasse but he only shook his head.

He released her gently, swimming to her level with two kicks.

Suspended in the water, Chyrie felt the hatred and pain evaporate with her power, draining the pent up energy from her body as they drifted. A subtle lull soothed the aching in her joints. Her bones no longer screamed, begging to crack.

Xiran held her gaze for a long moment, tiny bubbles drifting away from his neck.

She fought a gasp as her eyes locked onto the gills appearing where bunched scales used to be. Awe struck her as she studied his bare chest, golden studs of skin decorating his arms and ribs, disappearing into the beltline of his rider pants.

Chyrie half anticipated a mer's tail in place of his legs, not the cord of emerald and honey steadily flicking behind him. Even Xiran's eyes were luminous beneath the surface.

Her chest burned without oxygen.

She knew her magic wouldn't aid her so nicely in the deep, let alone summoning it.

Chyrie's mind emptied of all thought as she slowly paddled her arms.

In one fluid motion, Xiran hooked his arm around her chest and held her close. Launching them toward the surface, they broke out of the waves and into cloudy light where the world stretched for miles.

She rubbed a surprisingly dry hand into her eyes, watching as steam erupted around them. Still heated.

"What in the gallows were you thinking?" Xiran snapped, stormy eyes narrowing on the now seared bandages draping her arm.

"Me?" Chyrie rasped, choking in air. "What were you thinking, throwing us into the damned aeluinn?"

His brows furrowed.

"The ocean," she continued. "Our name for the ocean."

Xiran's answering grumble sent chills down her spine, his frustration obvious.

"You were screaming. So loud the whole forest could hear and when I found you–when I found you, your skin was burning like the forge, your hair was on fire..."

She shut out the concern lining his eyes, looking out at sea. Even if her attention dragged from the ripples contouring his chest, his black hair pasted against the left half of his face. Xiran was rescuing her again, potentially from herself and the taste sat bitterly on her tongue.

"What happened?" he asked again.

"I don't know..." she muttered, still paddling her arms in rhythmic circles, her body leaden. "I don't know what happened."