The Hammer - Cor Series Book I

Chapter 48

Corvan could only stare at Tyreth, frozen in place, as if in a trance.

She did not want him to save her, but how could he let her drown? His hand moved slowly to his side. If only he had the hammer to help him to know what to do. No! He pulled his hand away. He didn't need to hold the hammer to know that he had promised to do whatever he could to save her. There was no way he would let her die just to save himself. Tyreth was the future of the Cor, not him. He had to do something, and now.

The lizard spoke from the stone platform overlooking the karst amphitheater and Corvan raised his eyes to the scaley creature.

"The gods found the father guilty!" The Chief Watcher cried out as the lizard stepped back between the two pillars and pointed down at Tyreth. "Now we shall see if his daughter shared in his treason."

All eyes focused on Tyreth and to Corvan's horror, she was slowly edging her feet back to the end of the pier.

"No!" Corvan shouted, as he tore of the enclosed space and past the shocked priests. "You don't have to die to save me! I'm not the Cor-Van!"

He raced toward the pier. Instantly two palace guards ran in from the door at the statues boot to cut him off.

"It's a trap," Tyreth shouted, jumping toward him. "Run away!"

Corvan did not slacken his pace. He easily beat guards to the pier and out to Tyreth. "Don't jump," he gasped, "we can escape together through the water." He whipped around to face the two red cloaked guards that had arrived at the far end of the pier and were looking up at the Chief Watcher for further instructions.

There was no need for any directions to be given for neither of the two hooded men had any warning as slender tentacles snaked out of the water, wrapped around their ankles and then, in the blink of an eye, both of them disappeared below the surface with barely a ripple.

The audience did not move or breathe. The amphitheater was silent a long moment before the Chief Watcher spoke into the electric air and pointed directly at Corvan. "Tarran, you cannot save your sister so now the two of you shall be judged together." The lizard lifted both arms over his head. "I call upon the gods of the water to show us if these two are the source of the lies that have torn Kadir apart." His claws dropped on the two posts, and he leaned forward.

Corvan put his hands on Tyreth's shoulders. "We're going to fall together into the water, but you must not panic. Keep your mouth closed and don't let the air go out of your body. I won't let you drown; I promise."

Tyreth nodded, fear rising in her eyes. Reaching into his robe, Pulling out the stub of a fire stick, Corvan stuck it in his mouth just as a wall of spray exploded around them, obscuring everything and everyone in the amphitheater.

Wrapping Tyreth tightly in his arms, he toppled them from the pier.

Clouds of bubbles rose around them as they plunged into the pool. Corvan flicked the cap from the fire stick and filled his lungs with air. Pulling Tyreth closer he tried to move the bubbling stick into her mouth, but her lips were clamped shut.

They were descending rapidly. He tried desperately to show her what to do, pushing the stick to her lips, but her mouth and eyes were squeezed tight. A stream of bubbles was flowing steadily from her nose. She needed fresh air right away.

Pulling in another deep breath from the fire stick, Corvan placed his mouth firmly over hers, and pushed his air past her lips and into her lungs. Tyreth's eyes opened wide, as a burst of fresh bubbles shot out of her nostrils. This time she watched him Corvan take more air into his lungs through the firestick. He put his mouth to hers and Tyreth's mouth relaxed, as she allowed the air to flow freely into her body. As he took another breath through the stick, Tyreth's blue eyes locked on his, her lips lifted in slight smile as she pulled him close, and put her mouth over his.