In Time

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Amara?"

She tried to respond, but when she drew in a breath, it rattled in her chest like death. She coughed and to her horror, water gushed from her mouth instead of air. She sputtered and choked, gasping as she fought for another breath.

"Easy, amrâlimê," a gentle voice whispered over the rattling, over the gushing, and a hand smoothed over her hair, "just breathe. You're safe now, givashel. I've got you."

Her eyes refused to open. Her next breath brought forth another torrent of murky, brackish, foul water. Gone were the tantalizingly sweet scents of jasmine and honeysuckle. The air instead was heavy with a sour mustiness that stung the inside of her nose and made her choke even more.

Finally, the water stopped gushing and she could breathe again. Tender arms cradled her body. A broad chest cradled her head. She knew the voice, knew the hands that touched her so gently. She went limp against that chest, just savoring each ragged breath until she had enough air in her lungs to whisper, "What happened?"

"Enchanted water," Thorin murmured and she finally forced her heavy eyelids to obey and looked up to find herself sprawled across his lap, wrapped in his heavy fur and leather coat. "You should've been more careful. You of all people know the power of enchantments."

"It didn't feel off, though." She let her eyes close once more. She was just so very tired. "It felt... fine... inviting, even. I wanted you to join me. And if you had..."

"It took every bit of will I have to resist doing just that," he told her softly, his arms tightening about her. "And thank Mahal I didn't, otherwise we'd have both been in trouble. As it was, I only just barely got to you and when I did, I lost my grip on you. Twice. The water was so murky, I didn't think I'd find you the second time."

"Murky?" She shook her head. "But it wasn't murky at all. It was crystal clear and beautiful."

His eyes softened as he stroked her hair once more. "I'll show you when you've energy enough to stand." He glanced up at the dying sunlight. "But we need to move soon. I shudder to think what this place would be like in the dark."

"I think I can stand now." She sat up. The coat fell away and she shivered, wrapping her arms about herself as Thorin let out a soft strangled groan again. "Where are my clothes?"

"Here." He eased her off his lap and stood to retrieve the tunic and leggings, handing both to her before turning away from her.

"Thorin?"

"It's better if I don't look at you at the moment, amrâlimê. I'd hate to fall prey to this dark magic again."

Her arms trembled, her legs felt leaden, and just the act of drawing on her clothes was enough to make her yawn and want only to lie down and sleep for a while. But he was right, as night's darkness crept in, so did a different darkness, one that was icy and evil and lurked behind every tree, around every rock.

She tugged on one boot, and stumbled as her legs gave. Thorin lunged, catching her before she hit the ground and she clung to him as a wave of nausea surged through her. The trees, the bushes, the flowers around her all blurring as she swallowed hard against the rising brackishness.

"Easy, givashel..."

"I am sorry," she managed to grit, closing her eyes as the dizziness worsened. "We need to leave this place now. I care not about seeing the deceptive pool."

"As soon as you—"

"No." A sharp sense of panic snapped through her, one she rarely felt and didn't like. "Now."