again just a

air like a ghost, stitched into the clouds and breathing through the wave

s loomed ahead, jagged and uneven, and there he was-half-slumped

ro

ded by the sky itself. His chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths. One of his hands was curled tight

e pull was stronger tonight. The tide remembered him, and so did I and m

rface. Just enough for the air to shimmer. Just enoug

sti

fr

ped his throat-hoarse, pained. But when his e

ound me

u," he

aybe disbelief. Like I wasn't supposed to be real. I rose higher in the water, letting my shoulders

t be awake,"

failed, groaning as pai

ath blood and bruises. But it didn't annoy me. It intrigued me. It meant he

ood at following rules," I replied

ed after a moment. "So

e blinked. "

h that turned into a cough. "Sorry. It's just...

ually. A rock, a wave, a par

ust enough to get a better look. His face was pal

ghting a sto

. "It wasn't supp

A silence fell betwe

head slightl

was coming,

"But I felt it.

ld you to

es

t tell you

" I

sea whispered your name like a forgotten verse because your pain echoed through the current like a

n't say a

Because you're part of someth

ned. "You mean

dn't

know,"

ow en

why I can't a

f it ki

y. "Especially

st tig

ght of the world without hesitation. Like he believed sacrifice was the only way

t so

sad o

tened. Just

at the sea, silen

ly. "But they chose me. Maybe because I'm reckless enough

nearly ki

me. "Did you come h

me here t

ide

. I saw it in the twitch of his mouth, the fl

" he

't decid

chuckle. "You're n

er are

er si

im, and I saw him flinch. Not from fear.

healing,

ext piece of

"You won't find it b

ion?" I didn't smil

"You know where it is, don't you?"

es of a drowned temple. A fragment carved into the walls of an anc

t

il I wa

derstood what

ng his head rest ba

pect you to

. I d

you know I'm

depe

wh

er save the world," I

he current swallow me whole. My heart beat faster than it should have. I

s rec

bbo

ger

embered him and