My fingers wrapped around the cold metal of my chalice, and I knelt to fill it. No ripples emanated when I broke the waters’ still surface. Instead, it seemed to absorb the movement. Frowning, I tried to slip my hand beneath as well, to splash, to create movement, but I met with an invisible wall. I pushed harder. My hand stopped a hair’s breadth over the surface—so close I could feel the wintry cold emanating from the waters. I still couldn’t touch them. Expelling a harsh breath, I abandoned the attempt. Constantin had said as much.

I eyed the iron chalice warily. This wouldn’t be pleasant.

“Wait.” Coco clasped my forearm when I moved the cup to my mouth. “Lou first. I don’t know what’ll happen when we drink, but I doubt we’ll be able to help her.”

“I don’t think we can help her.” Still, I lowered my hand. “We don’t know what the waters will show her. How can we fight an invisible foe?”

“I’m not saying she’s incapable of fighting her own battle.” Coco rolled her eyes and bent to fill the other chalices. “I’m saying she’s unconscious. She’ll need help with the actual drinking.”

“Oh.” Despite the seriousness of our circumstances, heat crept up my throat. I hurried to help her lift Lou, gently pulling her onto my lap. “Right.”

“Tilt her head back.”

I obliged, fighting the instinct to knock the chalice aside as Coco brought it to Lou’s lips. Because Coco was right—if anyone could do this, Lou could. I held her secure, and slowly, carefully, Coco opened her mouth and tipped the water in. “Easy,” I warned her. “Easy.”

Coco didn’t take her eyes from the task at hand. “Shut up, Reid.”

Nothing happened when the cold water touched Lou’s tongue. Coco poured a little more. It trickled from one corner of her mouth. Still nothing. “She isn’t swallowing,” I said.

“Yes, thank you—” But Coco stopped abruptly when Lou’s eyes snapped open. We both stared down at her. Coco placed a tentative hand on her cheek. “Lou? How do you feel?”

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head in response, and her mouth opened on a violent scream—except no sound came out. Silence still reigned. The waters, however, rippled in an eerie sort of acknowledgment. Gripping her shoulders, I watched helplessly as she scratched at her face, her hair. Like she would tear Nicholina out by force. Her head thrashed. “Shit.” I struggled to hold her, but Coco pushed me backward, downing her chalice in a single swallow.