The cool lap of water several feet away didn’t spike the same dread in my heart as it had only hours earlier. My world was in chaos, and my fears were greater than sucking water in my lungs now. I rubbed the fabric of Lori’s nightgown through my fingers. What did it mean that this had survived? I didn’t kid myself that somehow she had too. That kind of hope destroyed people.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” The pack had, mostly, done me no harm. “Do you think they’ll listen to reason?”

What I meant was him. Would they listen to their beta?

“You saw firsthand how it is when a warg gets its blood up. In a group it’s impossible for all but an alpha to control the bloodlust.” Regret flickered across his features. “They’re scared of fae, Bessemer taught them that. They’re still mourning Marie and reeling over my decision to bring a fae bride home. They don’t trust me. They think grief has warped me.”

Ignoring the fae bride comment, I focused on the bigger picture. “So we fight our way out.”

His pause stretched several heartbeats. “Yes.” He set his jaw. “Bessemer’s left us no choice.”

Ready as I would ever be, I threaded the nightgown down the inside leg of my pants in the hopes the tight fabric would hold it in place as I swam.

Graeson smeared goop down both sides of Harlow’s throat then doctored himself up too. “How do you want to do this?”

“You take care of Harlow. She might be able to breathe underwater, but with her hands bound, she can’t maneuver, and I don’t trust Charybdis not to pop back into her body while you’re both vulnerable.” I swung my arms to limber up before the long swim. “I’ll stick close enough I can catch you if I start struggling.”

Stalking toward me with Harlow in tow, Graeson fisted the hair at my nape and claimed my mouth with a kiss that left me breathless. “Be careful.”

“I will be,” I promised, while my brain scrambled.

With an arm looped around Harlow’s middle, Graeson hauled her into the rippling water with him, and they both vanished from sight. I stood alone in the cave of a long-gone sprite with a bitter taste rising up the back of my throat.

Gulping air, I flung myself after them before fear changed my mind. Submerged in effervescence, I squinted after Graeson and kicked toward the muted light rippling overhead, a golden halo cast by the fickle moon.

For once the familiar panic didn’t swamp my senses and send me reeling. The ghost of Lori failed to put in an appearance, perhaps held at bay by the talisman at my hip. Panic fluttered through me as my lungs pulled tight, their oxygen depleted, but it was an honest burst of fear.