The Last Hope

24 - Truce

SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER - Waking Up, MJ Cole & Freya Ridings. Linked above! If you enjoy the chapter please vote, it means a lot. Also, I actively encourage commenting and am trying my best to reply to any as quickly as I can. Want a chat? Don't be shy!

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Choking. Mercy was choking. Not suffocating from lack of air but gagging as someone forced a cup to her lips. Forced her to drink. To swallow.

Salted water made her sputter and wretch. She vomited all over the carpeted floor. Where the vomit hit, the carpet sizzled and melted away, eating into the wooden planks beneath. "Drink more, you need to get it all up. Preferably in the bucket, next time." The voice was deep and vaguely familiar, but Mercy didn't have the strength to raise her head at the sarcastic tone. The cup pressed to her lips again, forcing her to drain it before she spewed her guts again all over the floor. Missing the bucket by inches. Someone sighed.

Blood rushed noisily in her ears, her heart beating thrice as fast. Sweat soaked her hair, her back, made her hands slick as she gripped the corner of the bed - the bed? Before she could think about it, heaves wracked her body and she vomited again, until she was shaking so violently her teeth clacked together. She was burning from the inside out. "You've got a fever." Something cool pressed to her cheek, a pale hand. Mercy blinked as calloused fingers came in and out of focus.

Footsteps faded away as her eyes drifted closed but whoever it was continued to talk. Mercy couldn't make any sense of the words. Low and guttural; harsh and sharp. They slurred together as a black wave rocked the room - Mercy lurched with it.

Into a deep, dark sea.

She opened her eyes at the tug of the current, which whipped her hair around her face, coiling and dark like seaweed. The roiling surface was far, far above and spearing through it were shards of ivory sunlight. Bubbles floated past her as she swam for the light, precious air squeezing her lungs tightly.

Her head swam from lack of oxygen as she broke the surface, gasping, clawing at empty air. She kicked her legs manically and looked around. Blue. Everywhere. Endless, extensive sea. The sun bounced off a wave, Mercy shielded her eyes, spinning in the water, looking for land. Nothing. There was none. The cold water seeped into her bones and set her teeth chattering.

The shock from the cold would set in soon, and then the lethargy would slow her muscles, she had to find somewhere to swim to, something to cling to. Mercy scanned the horizon again and found absolutely nothing.

She floated onto her back and forced herself to think. Thrashing around would likely waste all of her energy, and she would drown. Floating exerted minimal effort, but it didn't keep her warm, which would lead to hypothermia. But the most dangerous of all was panic. She willed her heartbeat to slow as she stared at the sky. Think. Think.

Something caught her attention in the water. A flash of pale skin, her arm, wrapped in inky patterns, but the central rune had vanished. Magic. She had magic again. If she could figure out how to use it, she might be able to save herself. She went back to treading water lightly and closed her eyes, willing herself to calm, willing the magic to do something - anything.

Save me save me save me save me.

She pleaded with the magic to listen.

But with her eyes closed, Mercy didn't see the bubbles floating to the surface beside her. Didn't see the wave forced up from beneath the water, the rising form from deep below. Didn't see any of it, until it was too late, and she was yanked under by her ankles...