Winter Fire (The Witchling #3)(84)

Not that she didn’t like Samir, her fiancé. His family and hers were friends, and she hung out with him for a few years, until she was sent here. He was nice enough.

He wasn’t a witchling and didn’t have blue eyes like Noah’s. She wondered if he’d come find her in a storm, like Noah did.

“There’s only one cemetery around here,” Noah said.

Biji shook her head. She had better things to do than drool over some guy. She tested her arms and legs. They were functional, but she wasn’t going to be running anywhere soon.

“It’s a long walk around the lake,” she murmured, frowning at her stiff legs.

“We’re not walking around it,” Noah replied.

She looked at him curiously. “You have a boat?”

“Water element,” he reminded her with a small smile.

“Oh.” As an air element, Biji loved freedom. Air was the most independent of the elements, always moving and active. The idea of venturing back to the lake – and the prospect of falling into it again – made her nervous. She’d been completely cut off from her element for those few seconds before Noah grabbed her. “So what’s the plan?”

“I’ll show you when you’re ready.”

“Are you going to take me out there and drown me?”

“I just told you I think you’re beautiful and you think I’m going to drown you?” Noah laughed. “No, Biji, I won’t drown you.”

She said nothing but rubbed her legs. She wanted to be ready, in case he did anything stupid. She didn’t think she’d ever want to leave the fire, but she was painfully aware of how much time was passing. Noah was calm. Biji grew more frantic. Her body wasn’t warming fast enough, and her friends were in danger. She was hungry, and her fingers and toes hurt.

The snow still fell. She hoped Noah was able to talk to the lake to guide them, because she was utterly lost.

“Okay. I’m ready,” she said after a short while.

“You sure?”

“No, but we have to save them. I’ll be fine.”

Noah studied her for a moment then rose. He offered her a hand and helped her to her feet, ready to catch her if her legs didn’t hold.

They did. Biji stretched them. They were stiff and her core still shaking from cold. The strange earth magick had kept her alive while Noah’s cool water magick and fire saved her life.

“Let’s go,” he said and held out his hand.

“I can walk,” she said indignantly.

“I know.” The troubled Dark teen didn’t drop his hand or look away. His scent tickled her nose from the coat she wore, and his body heat made her want to huddle against him.

Warmth crept up her cheeks. Biji felt the fluttering again. It almost took away the chill remaining in her body. Without another word, she took his hand.

Noah turned and led her into the forest. His step was careful but determined. He knew where he was going. Biji held his hand tightly, appreciating the warmth as well as the company.

Within minutes, they reached the edge of the lake. Noah walked out onto the ice without hesitation. Biji balked, recalling her last encounter with the body of water. She pulled her hand free.

“It’s okay,” Noah assured her. “It’ll warn me if the ice isn’t strong enough.”

She gazed at him for a long moment, debating whether or not she wanted to trust him. Noah waited quietly.

Biji stepped onto the ice. Her legs were stiff enough that balancing on the slick surface was hard. Noah took her hand without asking this time and wrapped his other arm around her. She froze in place, not expecting his gentle touch. He nudged her forward.

She went. Her heart beat harder the farther she got from solid ground. Noah’s warmth both comforted her and made her air magick fly through her blood. They reached the edge of the ice. The lake water appeared black ahead of them. Like it would swallow her whole and suffocate her away from her air magick.

“If you hyperventilate, you’ll pass out,” Noah said. “I promise. Nothing bad will happen. The water is my element, and I know how to use it.”

Biji managed a nod, unconvinced.

“And now for the bad news.”

She looked up at him.

“We need to cross the lake,” he said deliberately.

“Freeze it. We’ll walk,” she reasoned. “You can do that, right?”

“I can,” he agreed. “But there’s a faster way. You want to try it?”

“Yeah, definitely. We have to save my friends,” she said.

He released her and pulled her in front of him to face him, her back to the center of the lake. Noah’s gaze was on her, his hands on her shoulders.

“Keep that in mind, okay?” he said. “Do me a favor. Hold your breath and count to three.”

“What?”

“One. Hold your breath.”

She found herself sucking in a deep breath.

“Two.”

The lake snatched her. Biji didn’t have time to scream or react. One minute, she was standing before Noah. The next, her world exploded in a mix of ice cold water and the sensation of flying. She couldn’t move; the water wrapped around her like a vice. Water magick poured through her.

Suddenly, it released her. Biji gasped as she broke through the surface of the lake. The long arm of water wrapped around her body unraveled and released her gently onto the snow-covered beach. It took with it every last drop of lake water, leaving her chilled but dry. Her air magick was panicked by her disappearance and swirled around her.