Walk in the Shadows

Twenty-Two

Brynjolf

My arms ached from treading water. My legs were tiring fast. The combined weight of my soaked armor and heavy weapons kept trying to pull me under the surface.

Grinding my teeth in frustration, I kept swimming around the far wall, hoping to find our way out before we drowned. The water kept rushing in, thunderingly loud. The room quaked again, making small waves ripple over me.

"Bryn!" screamed the lass from the other side of the chamber. "Bryn! Help—"

My heart stopped. Femke. "Lass!" Fatigue forgotten, I kicked my legs and swam back in her direction. I had to dodge falling rocks. I kept paddling through, narrowly making it to the lass's side.

She was just sinking below the surface when I reached out and grabbed her arm. She was totally limp and still, her eyes closed.

"Come on, lass, don't do this to me." I pulled her form close to mine, my arm wrapped under her arms and her head leaning against my shoulder. Now my legs screamed in agony, having to hold up even more weight than before.

Grunting, I began to paddle towards the center of the chamber. "Karliah! Do you see anything?!"

"This way!" I heard her voice, but could not see her. "Hurry, Brynjolf!"

With another grunt, I followed the sound of her voice to a large hole in the ceiling of the cavern. She was standing on dry land, hand outstretched to me. I kicked, every muscle protesting, and threw my free hand towards her. She latched onto my wrist and pulled both me and Femke out of the water.

I stumbled deeper into the small, damp cave we stood in, trying to get as far away from the still-rising water as possible. Once safely away, I laid Femke on the ground, ripping the cowl and hood away from her face. I pressed my hand to her cheek. She was stone-cold and clammy. "Lass, don't do this. Come on!"

No answer.

Karliah knelt down and pressed two fingers to the side of Femke's throat. I waited, not breathing, heart in my throat.

After what seemed like forever, Karliah shook her head. "No pulse." Her hand dropped away, and she bowed her head. "She's passed into shadow."

No. No, she... she can't be. "No, she's going to wake up." I grabbed Femke by her shoulders and began to shake her. "Come on, lass! Wake up!"

Femke's head fell back, water dripping past her parted lips.

"No." A sob swelled in my chest, but I swallowed it. "She's not gone. Lass, you can't be gone." I pulled her into my arms, holding her cold body close to my chest. My head fell onto hers, the sob now forcing its way into my throat. Tears welled in my eyes. I blinked to keep them from falling.

"Femke, I'm so sorry." I rocked back and forth on my knees, pulling my own mask and hood off. "I'm so sorry, lass."

The sob shook my body as the tears forced their way free. Like a dam rupturing, more tears poured down my face. More sobs wracked my body. I buried my face into Femke's soft hair and wept.

Not again. I could not lose her again. Not to Mercer. He already tried to take her from me. He was not going to do it again.

"Lass, you have to wake up." I pulled away and gazed at Femke's still face. I moved my gaze all over her features, from her soft lips to her arched brows. From her strong cheekbones to the deep scar she bore on her left cheek. How anyone could think she was hideous was beyond me. They only looked at her parents, at her halfling blood. They did not bother to know who she really was. They were all so blinded by prejudice and their stuck-up ways, they did not even bother to talk to her. To get to know her.