Chapter 38
DEATH
One moment I was crossing the board, reaching for Cat, the next I was stepping onto an unoccupied square and the high hedge and people around us wavered, replaced by another vision.
I caught sight of a black pawn moving, opening up the path for the bishop to claim me unless I moved, then I collided with a solid wall.
It was only when I was hit by punches on every side, my body ice cold, that I realised I’d fallen into an ocean. Water attacked me, soaking my clothes. The weight of them dragged at me, the ocean eager to pull me into its depths and suffocate the life from me.
I carved my arms into the thrashing water, hissing through gritted teeth when the water fought me. It battered me until I lost balance, and had to scramble, panic dizzying my thoughts.
I kicked my legs frantically to keep my head above water. It was raining, it took me a moment to realise, water droplets hitting the ocean with so much force they bounced, the sea rippling with rage. Rage or hunger.
This wasn’t real. I knew it, but it was hard to remember that when my head dipped and my mouth filled with the taste of salt, overriding my last taste of Cat’s kiss.
I threw a desperate look around, searching for land within reach, but there was nothing but thrashing sea and gunmetal skies full of swirling clouds.
The wind hit me a moment later, determined to make me drown.
I got out of Exile; I could get out of this endless ocean, too. I pumped my arms, dragging myself through the water, scanning the horizon.
But no matter how much I swam, the water was endless. And weakness began to weigh at my arms, making my strokes lethargic.
I faltered once—only once—but the storm surged, the ocean crashed into me, and my head went under. One mistake, and the water dragged me down.