Free Between the Waters (Symphony of Light) by Renea Mason

faster and more fierce. “Nium Parnum omsti narum.”
    “Linden, I’m losing you. I can’t hold the connection much longer. Don’t stop. You must live! For me. For us all. I love you.”
    He was right. They all needed me. The heat drowned out the pain. I cracked open my eyes. Blood clung to my lashes. The light, flitting through the trees, stung my eyes. I tried to force them to focus, but my lids proved too heavy.
    I struggled to utter words through my crusted lips. Thick, viscous liquid coated my throat. But the sensation of cold mountain water prickling my toes was welcome.
    “Linden!”
    The voice came from behind me. I would know it anywhere. Overton.
    “Linden!”
    I wanted to answer, but speech beyond the magic syllables proved impossible. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on repeating the phrase in my head. He would find me.
    “Linden!”
    Nium Parnum omsti narum.
    “Oh, Lind…dear God.” He lifted my head with his arms.
    So entranced, I needed more power. I yearned for his comfort, but my wounds were critical. More. I had to have more.
    He brushed a hand over my face, smearing blood, sweat, and water. “Speak to me. Please.”
    I couldn’t.
    “Linden, can you hear me?” His hair tickled my face. “Fuck! She’s not breathing.”
    I wasn’t breathing? How could that be? Was I already dead? I didn’t feel dead.
    He tilted my head and touched his lips to mine. A rush of air filled my lungs. “I’m sorry, Cyril, but I’m breaking my promise. I will not let her die! We’ll have to take our chances.”
    He placed his hands upon my chest. I halted my chant when I heard the same words falling from his lips. “Nium Parnum omsti narum.”
    Slow and steady he set his rhythm. In my head, I followed his lead. His words grew louder and louder until he screamed every syllable. The rushing sound of the water falling behind me swallowed the echo. With one final cry, he slammed his fists against my chest, and a jolt ran through me.
    The gasp that tore through my throat whistled and whined, my eyes flew open, and my body shuddered. I stared into the most frightened set of steel-blue eyes. He stared back, but only for a moment.
    “Oh, thank God.” He placed a quick kiss upon my lips. “Where are you hurt?”
    Our movements submerged my blood-soaked panties into the water, and the red stream traveled over nearby river rocks. Other than small electrical jolts, my sensation returned to normal. Overton struggled to position me. Control returned to my limbs, but it remained sluggish.
    “You healed me. How?” I should have been dead. My wrist that was once sliced to save Clarence was healed. Not even a scar. “How is that possible?”
    “You know, love.” He ran his hands over my skin, searching. When his gaze again connected with mine, his dilated pupils were a black abyss I longed to lose myself in.
    My bones no longer ached, and the bleeding had stopped, but none of it helped the chill caused by the river.
    “Cold,” I muttered through quivering lips.
    Overton lifted me out of the water with ease. I expected it to hurt, but nothing. He was always so gentle that it was easy to forget his strength. And the magic was a surprise. I wasn’t sure how to interpret what happened, but it seemed my chant kept me from passing over and his brought me back to life.
    He sat me on a rock and worked to remove his clothes. “I have to get you some warmth. Take my clothes.” Once he was undressed, he lifted me again. “Let me get you rinsed off to make sure you don’t have any injuries that didn’t heal.”
    He picked me up and carried me to the waterfall. The spray was cold, but his skin was hot. I wrapped my arms around him, clinging to his heat. I shifted and wrapped my legs around his waist when the water pounded my back, forming a pool of blood at our feet. He was so warm.
    His one arm supported my bottom, and the other brushed through my hair as the water weighed it down. My head fell back, allowing it to drown out