The water shimmered like glass beneath the demon sun. Nerine lingered near the edge, her feet barely touching the cool depth, unsure if she should take another step.
Kael was still in the lake, the light bending around his form, his dark hair slicked back and eyes brighter than the reflection of fire on steel. He extended a hand toward her.
"Come," he said, the command gentle but unyielding. "You can't stay frozen there forever."
"I'm not frozen," she muttered under her breath, though she hadn't moved.
He only smiled — that calm, knowing curve of his lips — and in one motion, he reached out, caught her wrist, and drew her in. The water broke around them with a soft splash, and she gasped at the sudden cold before he steadied her by the waist.
"Breathe," he said softly. "Let it hold you."
Nerine clung to him for a moment, her pulse quick and her breath uneven. Slowly, he guided her hand to his shoulder and the other to the surface of the water.
