ex

y tether holding

tossed me back and forth like flotsam. Saltwater burned my throat, my nose, my

urely by a primal

ed against somet

een drifting in the inflatable raft Rico had stashed at the base of the cliff. The

s coarse and biting against my cheek. I coughed, ret

cramp di

a sharp, tearing agony that h

lutching my stomach as a low,

ase,

mory surfaced through the agony-the

from the inside out. I felt a warm, sickening we

was broken. I was shivering uncontrollably, my teeth chatt

s. The cold indifference in his eyes.

hispered to the emp

I was losing the last piece of me that mattered. The onl

rise, baking my salt-crusted skin. The hea

of consciousness, sus

ium of fever

ch, his shoes polished and spo

, his lip curling in disgu

bling hand. "Help me

w-a void where a heart should be. "You ser

, fading into the blindin

no sound tore free. My th

ache. I knew, with a mother's terrible, ancient instinct

s em

hadow fel

and tears. I tried to focus. A figure w

Ga

er, the edges less re

ng in one last time. But my arms gave out, useles

n from the edges of m

lcom

was kinder than Gavy