Slave to Sapphire
Chapter 32

Before Iris could process Julian’s command, he leapt from the cliff with Iris held against him. The air tore through her clothes as they plummeted down. Iris let out her breath when they hit the icy water and sank below the surface. The impact of the water ripped her from Julian’s arms. Iris clawed at the water trying to pull herself to the surface, the terror of drowning rising in her as she sunk deeper. The frantic flailing of her arms and legs did nothing to bring her to the surface. The weight of the water was heavy on her chest and her lungs ached with the need for air. The need to open her mouth and inhale, even if it meant letting seawater flood her lungs, was overwhelming. Iris kept her mouth firmly shut, after everything she had survived, she would not give in. She would keep struggling to the surface until she lost consciousness. The force of Julian’s arm wrapping around her chest almost caused her to lose the battle of keeping her mouth shut against the water.

Iris relaxed her body and focused on staying conscious as he hauled both of them to the surface. They broke the surface and Iris gasped for air. She greedily sucked in the oxygen and her lightheadedness started to recede. The ocean surface was turbulent and churned around them. Water sprayed her face, and she inhaled it, her breathing still desperate. Choking on the water, panic took over. Iris started kicking and flinging her arms. The fear of dipping below the surface again was all consuming. In her desperate state she tried to push away from Julian. Julian’s grip across her chest didn’t loosen, it was almost painful.

“Iris! Fear is not your master,” Julian shouted into her ear. The words hit her, and she stilled.

Julian treaded water in place, never letting Iris go as he waited for her to calm. Iris forced herself to take steadying breaths, closing her mouth when the agitated surface of the water slapped across her face. When Iris was finally calm enough to take in her surroundings, she noted the water around them had a red tint. Iris craned her neck over her shoulder to look at Julian. His face was set in determination but his vice-like hold on Iris was weakening.

“Julian, you are hurt.”

Julian spoke through clenched teeth, “Just try and relax your body and I will swim us over to the boat.”

Iris looked around and didn’t see any boats. She tilted her head back; she wasn’t able to see the top of the cliffs either. A rising mountain of water rolled towards them. Iris took a deep breath of air and clamped her mouth shut. The wave moved over them. Panic threatened to take over Iris again, so she focused on the feel of Julian’s unwavering hold across her chest. Julian yanked them to the surface again. He pulled them through the ocean away from the cliffs, swimming with one arm. Iris watched in horror as the wave that had moved over them folded onto itself with an explosion of white foam before it crashed into the cliffs. Julian’s chest was heaving against her as he strained to keep them away from the cliffs and swim them out of the violent surf zone.

Julian wasn’t going to last much longer. Even if he managed to swim them away from the danger of the crashing waves, there was no boat in sight and without Julian’s help Iris would drown. Iris blocked out her fear of drowning and connected with her ability. She felt the riot of life that her source stone now contained. She took a hold of a piece of it and directed it towards Julian. Julian’s breathing eased and his grip on her strengthened.

“Iris be careful, if you drain your life source there is no one to help you this time,” warned Julian.

“If you bleed out in the ocean, there is definitely no one to help me. So don’t tell me what to do and stop moving so much.”

Julian grumbled but stopped using his arms and kept them afloat by kicking his feet. Iris turned so that she was facing Julian. She wrapped her legs around his middle and reached her arms around his neck. For a moment their faces were almost touching, Julian’s eyes widened. Iris turned her face to the side and moved her hands over Julian’s back until her fingers wrapped around the base of one of the arrows. Iris hesitated.

“Do it.” Julian grunted.

Iris closed her eyes focusing on her life source. She yanked the arrow from Julian’s back as she directed her life source to where she pulled. Julian’s muscles spasmed and he cried out. Iris could feel him struggling to ease his breathing.

He spoke between his ragged breaths, “Hurry, pull the second one, we won’t have much time until another set of waves comes through, and we don’t want to be caught here when they do.”

Iris moved her hands over his back until she found the second arrow. The arrow was lodged deep in his lower back. She pulled with force; the arrow wouldn’t budge. Iris panted, “Julian, I can’t get it, it’s too deep.”

Julian’s voice was strained but he kept it level and calm. “Iris, you need to try again but twist the arrow as you pull. You are right, I am not going to be able to swim us to safety with this arrow still in me.”

Julian’s heart beat frantically against Iris, she could feel the truth in his statement. Iris gripped the arrow again. She focused on her life source directing it at Julian as she twisted and pulled the arrow. There was a movement of resistance and then the arrow pulled free from him. The roar of pain that broke from Julian’s lips reverberated against her, then his muscles went limp and his breathing shallowed. His arms fell limply from her. Iris kept her legs wrapped around him and imagined the life source flowing into him. His kicking stopped and their heads dipped below the surface of the water. Iris closed her eyes and kept her focus on her life source, leaving no room for the fear of drowning to creep in. His heart still beat against her chest, as they continued to sink farther below the surface. Iris clung to him. She further increased the flow of source until his heart beat with more force and his arm wrapped around Iris again. Julian started kicking again and using his free arm to swim, their heads breached the surface.

Iris took a breath and noticed a change in the flow of life source, when she had first started, she could feel it being pulled towards Julian. When their heads broke the surface the pull on her life source decreased until it was gone. Iris clamped down on her life source, shutting down her ability.

“Amazing.” Julian panted. At the sound of his voice, Iris opened her eyes. There were gold flecks in his honey eyes when the sun hit them. Iris became acutely aware of how her position caused her breasts to be pushed up against his muscular chest. She unfolded her legs and arms from him and turned around so that he could continue to tow her.

“You better get swimming again before that set comes in.”