Emblazed by Nikki Narvaez Page A

the waves, mimicking how a dolphin effortlessly
     leaps in and out of the water.
    “Kimber, move back! I’m going to end this!” Brielle yelled.
    Kimber did as Brielle said, but continued controlling the waves that were drowning
     the demons.
    The Tritons were close, only about fifteen feet away from where Brielle floated. A
     whirlpool began to form in front of where they swam, increasing to span the width
     of the whole river. The Tritons were sucked in, swirling around the outer edge before
     being swallowed into the center.
    After a few seconds, Brielle dropped her arms and turned to me with a beaming smile
     on her face. Demons floated lifelessly in the water, but there was no sign of the
     Tritons.
    “Where’d they go, Brie?” Kiera asked.
    “I made my own sinkhole underneath the whirlpool and trapped them deep in the earth
     before covering it back up. Badass, ri—”
    Brielle was abruptly ripped underwater, and I immediately plunged down, blinking through
     the grit floating in the water until my eyes focused on her retreating form. I darted
     after them, but felt myself being pulled back by a current.
    I came up for air to see Kimber making a pulling motion with her arms, maneuvering
     the water to flow back towards us. A flare of light under the water flashed from where
     I had seen Brielle, and then she popped up, gasping for air. Kimber continued to pull
     the water towards us, making Brielle float back faster.
    I swam to her, wanting to get to her as soon as possible. She wrapped her arms around
     me as we crashed into each other roughly, smacking our foreheads together.
    “What the fuck, Kimber?” Brielle yelled.
    “What? I didn’t do anything,” Kimber replied innocently before bursting out laughing.
    “Yeah, right. You didn’t just slam us into each other with the water,” Brielle sarcastically
     retorted.
    “I didn’t mean to. Sometimes I just can’t control my powers,” she teased, somewhat
     mocking Brielle.
    “You okay, mi amante ?” I asked after we finished laughing at Kimber.
    “I’m fine. That bastard bit me though,” she replied.
    “Where?”
    She raised her arm out of the water, showing a gaping bite mark on her bicep.
    Zane had been right—it looked just like a small shark bite. Water and blood dripped
     from the sharp, teeth-shaped lacerations. I placed my hands on either side of her
     bicep to heal her. She winced as she hissed through her teeth, but soon wore a look
     of relief as her skin fully mended.
    “Better?”
    She nodded as she chuckled, “You always have to heal me.”
    “Well, stop getting hurt and I won’t have to,” I teased.
    She smacked my shoulder before quipping, “It’s not like I ask to get hurt. It just
     happens.”
    I laughed softly before replying, “C’mon, let’s get the hell out of here.”
    We swam back toward Kimber, Zane, and Kiera before continuing through the Acheron
     towards home.
     

     
    We made it back to the dock several hours later. Charon’s boat was there; he had passed
     us along the way. The asshole wouldn’t give us a ride, quoting his statement from
     earlier as he floated by, “No return passage.” Dick.
    We trudged up the bank of the river, thoroughly fatigued from our stint in the Underworld.
     I wondered how long we had been down there, but I couldn’t tell from that deep in
     the cave.
    We plodded slowly through the mass of shades still congregating around on the pier.
     Brielle lagged behind, and I knew she needed to rest. She had expended so much of
     her powers, and even though my touch helped to replenish her, she desperately needed
     sleep.
    I picked her up and cradled her in my arms, causing her to protest, “Jace, you don’t
     have to carry me. I’m fine. I can walk.”
    “ Mi amante , why would I let you walk when I’m able to hold my whole world in my arms?”
    A smile graced her beautiful lips as she wrapped her arms around my neck. She pressed
     a soft kiss to my collarbone and nuzzled into