Another step. The heel of her boot narrowly missed a gap in the wood and his heart narrowly missed two beats. Her steps were small, cautious, and though she no longer looked at him, he would be willing to bet his fortune that she was smirking.

“You sure you don’t want to join me?”

“Hey,” Clark warned, this time moving forward in step with her. He kept his hands out in front of him in a show of surrender. Approaching her as if she were a wounded animal, he mentally begged her not to move another muscle.

“Just a little bit closer…” She crooned.

Clark halted in place. So that was her game. Trickery. He was not going to cross those logs. Games and sneaking around wouldn’t work anymore than bribery or pleading would. Instead, he turned away from the river and headed for the path straight home.

He wasn’t actually going to go home, of course. He just needed her to think he was so she would be inclined to follow him. Two could play at her game.

“I’m not doing this. You won’t pressure me.”

His reverse psychology failed. A huff from behind him told him so.

“Fine! I’ll just go by my—”

A crack. A piercing scream. A rush of water. Three sounds wrapped up in one cymbal crash of noise. Clark spun on his heel.

“Kate! KATE!”

But Kate was gone. She’d fallen. Broken the ice sheet. And the river—still only a second ago—now rushed away from him. Taking Kate with it.

He didn’t think twice. He didn’t have to. His body acted for him. Without a moment’s hesitation, his powerful legs crossed the muddy ground and he dove head-first into the frigid water. It stung, a million frozen daggers cutting into his skin.

He crashed beneath the surface. His eyes opened, but the water was so black and cold he could neither see anything nor feel anything but pain. Slamming them closed again, he stretched his arm out before him. Once. Twice. His body shoved the water aside, searching for the one thing he needed to save. His lungs ached for air. His skin screamed from the cold. Currents pulled him, dragging him away, but he urged his muscles forward. He opened his eyes once, then twice, but besides the stinging this action caused him, he couldn’t see a thing. He was swimming blindly, praying with every motion that he’d somehow find her. He had to find her.