Their plan was going perfectly. Lex Cross carried Flora Bloom on his back as he waded into the lake. He crossed the deepest part, his body mostly submerged. Flora expanded her water shield, enveloping them both completely.
The whole time, they held their breath, not daring to speak a word, even consciously slowing their breathing. But when they were less than ten meters from the opposite shore, Lex Cross suddenly stopped.
Flora Bloom was taken aback. She patted his shoulder from her perch around his neck, wanting to ask why he'd stopped. But in the next second, that familiar black energy suddenly erupted from Lex Cross's body for no reason, wrapping them both in its embrace.
His long legs launched him into the air. When he landed, a dozen massive, black crocodile heads had risen from the lake's surface.
