And then I see the creature swirl and twist up from the darkness below. Its body is elegant and lethal—sinuous lines covered in thick scales that catch the sunlight in glittering patterns. The navy blue serpent keeps its wings tucked tight to its side as it gives a swish of its long, finned tail. It explodes upward, jaws snapping shut around the girl just before the beast's momentum carries it above the lake's surface.

For a moment, it's completely gone, leaving only the disturbed ripples of water from its ascent.

And then it crashes back down, those deep blue eyes pointed straight for Malakai as it pumps its tail, rocketing toward him.

Fuck.

I see him struggling to escape, but he can't. He's still anchored by the magical rope of water I'm channeling.

Maybe he's screwed either way—maybe we both are—but I don't want to be part of his death. Maybe he deserves to die, but I'm not going to stain myself by being the one to do it. I don't have time to think about whether that's the right or wrong decision.

I release the spell, and even from twenty feet up, I can see the relief and confusion in Malakai's face.

I wince, eyes closed because I don't want to see the beast eat him. I wait three heartbeats, then I can't keep them closed anymore. I open my eyes and scream.

Two blue eyes, each the size of dinner plates, hover directly in front of me. White steam curls from reptilian nostrils and rows of teeth like blue crystals are slowly revealed as it opens a mouth large enough to swallow me whole.

Behind the dragon-like head, its serpentine body drifts back, so long that the finned tail is shrouded in shadow. Dread creeps into my bones as I see dark wings spreading slowly in the waters. The sheer size of the monster settles on me, making the blood drain from my head until I think I might pass out.

It’s huge.

Ancient.

Fucking impossible.

To lose consciousness would be a mercy. There's no surviving this thing.

It has to be an elemental, but something so huge and powerful defies all explanation.

It twists suddenly, curling in on itself as Malakai stabs it from below. A small burst of blue blood drifts from the wound as it turns to look at its attacker. With a movement I can only describe as dismissive, it slaps its tail through the water, slamming into Malakai so hard his air bubbles explode again and his body goes limp to float in the water.

It turns its attention back to me.

I can't say what the hell I'm thinking, but I know there's no point in attacking it. And it's close enough to touch, so I reach a hand out and place it on the beast's snout, even as my lungs burn for air.