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CHAPTER FIFTEEN; even in death
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THE FALL WAS IMPOSSIBLY LONG. Ace was clutching him for her life as they fell, which was why Kaz's hands were free to shove the disk of baleen on the Shu he was holding onto—who he hoped was a surprisingly young Bo Yul-Bayur and not some hapless prisoner Nina and Matthias had decided to liberate. He'd snapped the disk with his own fingers and then gave the whip a flick, releasing all of the cables, and heard the others scream as the strands retracted. At least they wouldn't go into the water bound. Kaz waited as long as he dared to bite into his own baleen and he heard Ace bite into hers.
He just had enough time to wrap his arms around her, one hand still hanging onto the Shu, as he struck the icy water—he feared his heart might stop.
He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but the force of the river was terrifying, flowing water, but with fear also came a kind of giddy vindication. He'd been right. He'd wondered where the water that fed the Court's moat and fountains came from, why the river gorge was so very deep and wide. And after Nina described the initiation ritual of the drüskelle, he'd known: The Fjerdan stronghold hadn't been built around a great tree but around a spring. Djel, the wellspring, who fed the seas and rains, and the roots of the sacred ash. If Kaz was right, Djel would spit them out into the gorge. Assuming they didn't drown first.
And that was a very real possibility—the baleen only provided ten minutes—maybe twelve if they remained calm—of air. His own heart was hammering, and his lungs already felt tight, his grip on the Shu had slackened slightly, but he had half a mind to keep Ace closer—if he lost her in the water he'd have to drag her back from hell; if he lost the Shu, he'd just have to rob the Council. His body was numb and aching from the temperature of the water, and the darkness was impenetrable. There was nothing but the dull thunder of the water and a sickening sense of tumbling.
Ace gripped him tightly too, as if she let go they'd go their separate ways and die alone—at least like this, they'd drown together. With everything around, and wanting to keep her close Kaz didn't even have time to feel sick at touching her—he would feel worse if he let her go.
What would be waiting when they fished up in the gorge? Who would be waiting? Jesper and Wylan had managed to engage Black Protocol. But had they managed to do the rest? Would Inej and them be on the other side? Would he wash up on shore with a limp Ace in his arms? His Misery forever gone? He didn't know the speed of the water, but he could only pray to any Saints who'd hear him that they lived.
Saints hate us criminals because they know we don't need them, he'd written to her once after Ace had left him a note telling him the Saints were against him when it came to winning against her. He never believed in Saints, what good were they for? But the image of Ace's corpse in his arms was enough for him to talk to the empty skies, and hope they weren't so empty after all.
