Chapter 41

I feel ice beneath me. The rhythmic splashing of water causes a groan to slip past my lips. I peer through blurry slits, making out the vast, blue sky. I reach up to shield my eyes from the sun, turning over to fold into myself. The action causes me roll into freezing cold water.

"Gwen!"

I feel hands grabbing at me.

When my head breaks surface, I suck in a loud breath, clawing my hair out of my face as Umber drags me onto the ice sled, pounding my back. When my spine threatens to break under her administrations, I burst, "Stop. I'm fine--I'm fine, that's enough."

She relents, seating back. "Goodness. Thought I'd lost you." A nervous, high-pitched chuckle. "Imagine that, me alone out here. I know we're going to die at some point, but it's relief to not do it alone."

My stomach bottoms out when I take a look around. Vast, unending blue sea. "Don't talk like that," I tell her with a stroke of determination. "We're going to pull through and t