Black Fang's blade skidded across an armored scale. The serpent lunged at her before she could recover, and the water dragged against her twisting body.
Her first underwater fight was giving her few chances to learn.
Quinlan seized the seawater around his shoulders with his magic and stopped his tumble. His muscles swelled as he hauled his knees toward his chest, pushing Synchra's thigh plates outward.
He packed the sea behind his boots into a foothold, and Synchra braced his spine, crimson seams blazing as he planted his feet against it.
He kicked hard enough to blow the compressed water apart. Bubbles erupted behind his heels as Quinlan hurtled back toward the serpent, his magic forcing a path through the sea until its gill was within sword reach.
Quinlan pushed against Black Fang's hip with a current, carrying her through the turn. As its teeth snapped shut behind her, he thrust the Soul Reaper into the gill the monster had exposed to him.
