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"Understood, child"

A hint of Carrow's Then he scented ghouls Below thee

And lost his breath

The first step was terrifying, the plued into the water, the freezing tes Desperately swi in air, exhaling with a scream

The wave that had cushioned her fall now seized her, hurling her away from land

Had she heard Malkom's bellow?

Live, Carrow! The words replayed in herno ed fingertips before her skin grew nuish The force of the current couldn't be fought

Would she be cast out to sea? If the island compound was truly a thousand miles away from land, would she drift for days before someone found her? Months?

As an immortal, she wouldn't die from exposure Sharks were another matter Don't let those ruods, no! The ghouls had juht in the sa parallel to the shore, those fiends cluht sight of her again They were so stupid, so aggressive, without even the sense to get to safety before attacking her

As the rain and waves boiled all around her, the ghouls soest slashed its claws out at her

She kicked back just in tilided past her A second joined it The ruhoul disappeared before her eyes, yanked down into the depths Was a shark beneath Carrow even now, eyeing her legs?

Floating with her face barely above the surface, she forced herself to remain motionless When a shark bu herself still

Her strategy worked; she bobbed "uietly, while behind her, one frenetic ghoul after another was snatched down Though the shore was still in sight, she couldn't risk swier surrounded her, the bitter chillnuer cold, just so sleepy Hypothermia She lost the battle to keep her eyes open

Close them just for a moment

Malkom had watched her ju her body like a giant fist His heart had dropped when the ghouls followed

And Malkoht to his side, he sprinted along atrail that wound down to the water

Running, praying

"Hurry, deround beside the waves, he set the child down and ran along the edge, peering out

The great water crashed against the edge of land in deafening bursts, swirling and swelling like angry wraiths He couldn't see her

"She's there! Just past the waves" The girl pointed "Swiht of Carrow,depths -

The botto, he kicked to stay above the surface, gulping breaths, sing stinging water Can't breathe