Chapter 105 James
James
His head broke the surface, and James lifted his wife’s face above the waves, only to find her limp in his arms, her eyes closed.
“Pull them out!” Aren shouted. “Get her out!”
Ithicana’s king lifted his sister out of the water, screaming Ahnna’s name even as other Ithicanians caught hold of James, dragging him to the safety of the Ithicanian vessel.
“Ahnna!” He shoved people out of his way to get to her side.
Sacrifice.
The word filled his head, whispered by Caly’s voice.
But what you will give up, I do not know.
“Not her,” he screamed. “Anything but her.”
Lara leaned over Ahnna’s still form. “She’s breathing!”
But it was little relief, because there was blood everywhere. “Where’s the bite?” He couldn’t control his panic. “Do you see a bite?”
Lara tore at Ahnna’s clothes, her face a mess of blood and tears. “Stabbed. She’s been stabbed!”
The world faded in and out as his eyes fixed on the wound above Ahnna’s hip bone. It pulsed blood with each heartbeat until Lara pressed her hand down on it.
Sacrifice.
“There is no room to move!” Lara shouted. “We need to get her onto the ship! I need space to save her.” Then she caught hold of James’s hand and pushed it down on the knife wound.
Ahnna’s eyes fluttered open. “James?”
“I’m here.” All around was chaos as the Ithicanians moved the ship closer to the Victoria. “You’re all right. You’re out of the water.”
“Oliver?” She turned her head, eyes searching. “Where is he?”
“He’s safe.” Alive because of her.
The fear in her eyes faded, and she smiled up at him. “That’s all that matters.”
It wasn’t all that mattered. Not even close.
“Get her in the longboat! Move! Move!”
James scooped her up and half fell into the boat that the Victoria had lowered, Lara and Aren following. It lifted into the air, the noise of the winches loud, but none of it mattered. Only her. “You’re fine,” he said to her. “You’ve had worse. This is nothing.”
“I can’t see.”
“Press down hard!” Lara shouted at him, then screamed instructions to the crew above as they were lifted higher.
“I love you,” Ahnna whispered to him, staring at something beyond James’s head, and then her lids slipped shut.
Sacrifice.