Drawn to the Sea

Chapter 4: Douglass Takes Nathaniel Home

Douglass

I blew into the shell as hard as I could. Nate sagged against me. I could hear the car doors opening and the men getting closer. I swam deeper into the water, Nate a dead weight at my side. The reality of my situation came crashing down on me.

I was experimented on, Nate got me out, then got shot in the shoulder, and was now passed out in the water at my side. The saltwater would most likely infect the wound, making my job a whole hell of a lot harder.

This is why you don't make friends, Douglass, I thought. Because they always wind up hurt— or worse.

Splashing sounded in front of me, and I almost sighed in relief at the sight of the pod of dolphins surrounding me. One shifted, revealing itself as the elder's daughter.

"You called?"

"Yeah, uh, I was captured. Nate here saved me and then got shot." I ducked as gunshots sounded. "I don't have my wand, and I'm injured so I can't use my magic without burning out. I need to get to my cave."

She nodded and make a series of clicking noises at the pod. "What about the human?"

"It's not safe for him on land right now. He needs to come with me."

"How will he survive underwater?"

"There's an underwater herb I can use. I know exactly where it is but only I can get there, it's only accessible by magic—"

"There is magic we can use. Where is this herb?"

I rattled off instructions on how to get to the little cave where the herb grows. "For now we need to get away from the shore."

She nodded and made clicking noises again. Two dolphins swam to us and hooked their bodies under Nate's arms, letting his float on his back. One more handed the girl some sea sponge. She placed it over the bullet wound on Nate's shoulder and used some seaweed to hold it in place.

"That should stop the bleeding for now." She whistled and the pod started to swim out to sea. "He will die from hypothermia soon if we do not move quickly to your cave."

"What of the herb?"

"I sent Malik to retrieve it. He will be back shortly."

I nodded and started to swim alongside Nate. He groaned in his sleep, his body shivering. I bit my lip and tried to think of a way to help him. I hated feeling so useless. 500 years of magic and I still couldn't use reliable magic without my wand. Pathetic.

I didn't even notice when we came to the opening of the cliffs that lead to my cave. I felt a nudge of my arm and looked to see the girl holding the herb out to me.

"Thank you, I don't know how to thank you enough." I took the herb and forced it into Nate's mouth. He swallowed it with little resistance, thankfully.

"You needn't thank us. It is our duty as a pod to protect those who help us. I'm Mary Jane, by the way."

I almost cringed. I hated when people put attention on me, it made me feel cornered. "Well, Thank you anyway, but I must get him out of the water."

She nodded and whistled, and they were off. I sighed and dunked underwater, taking Nate with me. I waited for him to start drowning, but he breathed normally. I sighed in relief and weaved my way through the volcanoes until I hit the mouth of my cave.

Being in the water healed the worst of my wounds, so I shifted and carried Nate bridal style to my bed. I laid him in it, then pulled on some pants. I grabbed my wand from my bag, having not unpacked it the day I helped the elder, and walked over to Nate. I dried his clothes, then peeled them off him, deciding they needed to be cleaned. I dressed him in loose black pants, then gathered my medical supplies.