The peace feels nice. It feels like a much nicer way to die than by a painful poison. Then I feel the burning in my chest. A deep, searing pain. Maybe drowning isn't as peaceful and painless as I thought. The pain gets more and more intense, like my lungs are being ripped out. And then, I feel the air on my face and try to take a breath, but I can't seem to get my lungs to work. I feel two pairs of arms pulling me onto land.

"Breathe, Cecily, breathe!" I hear a muffled voice cry.

"I'm trying!" I want to yell back but my lungs still don't seem to work. I feel a hand pounding on my back, and suddenly, my lungs work again. I cough the water out of my lungs, deep, rasping coughs, and gasp for air.

"That's it! Come on!"

I cough some more and gulp in the air that can finally make its way into my lungs.

"She's breathing, Tryan!"

I uncontrollably start to shiver.

"Moira, get her some blankets! Quick!"

I open my eyes, but all I see are blurred images. I try to speak, but only seem to get out jumbled sounds.

"Shh. Don't try to speak. You're okay now," I hear Tryan say and feel a hand stroke my hair.

"Here, Tryan," I hear Moira say, and then I am enveloped in warmth.

"Lyza?" I finally manage to squeak out.

"She's fine, thanks to you."

That is all I need to hear before I sink back into my peace.

I open my eyes, it feels like an eternity later, to darkness. I lay there a moment, trying to get my bearings. I try to swallow but my throat feels like it's on fire. I am lying on the couch in the family room. I can feel a bandage wrapped around my head, probably from where I hit my head. There is one lamp lit on the table behind my head and by the light I can see Tryan leaning up against the couch, asleep. I smile and reach down to stroke his hair, as if making sure he was real. He opens his eyes, looking momentarily confused, but then jumps up as soon as he sees I am awake.

"Oh, Elaerya!" he says, kneeling beside me and pulling me into a warm embrace. "Thank God you're awake," he whispers beside my ear.

I wrap my arms around him and accept his hug, burying my face in his shoulder. It felt so good to feel his arms around me and to smell his familiar scent of horses and...and...oh, what was it? Something that reminded me of the garden back home...

Amaryllis! That was it! Tryan smelled of my mother's amaryllis flowers!

Tryan pulls away. "How are you feeling?"

I open my mouth to speak, but can't seem to form any words. "Water," I manage to croak out.

"Of course, your throat is probably killing you," Tryan hands me a glass of water from the table behind my head. He helps me to sit up and drink the water and it instantly cools my throat. I sink back into the pillows and let out a sigh of relief.

"Better?"

I nod and smile. "How is Lyza?" I ask, hoarsely.

"A little waterlogged, but she is fine. She's asleep upstairs. I think she was more worried about you. We all were."

Tryan takes my hand and looks at me intensely with his piercing blue eyes. "We were so close to losing you. I was so afraid you weren't going to make it. I saw you go under and I panicked. What were you thinking, Elaerya? You can't swim and you jumped right into a raging river!"

"When I heard Lycia screaming, all I could think about was getting Lyza out of the water. And then that log was ripped right out from under me by the current. I tried fighting, but I had no idea which way was up. I was so tired, I just gave up."

"Elaerya, listen to me. Don't you ever give up. Do you hear me? You are too strong for that. You're a fighter and you keep fighting until you win. Got it?"

"I tried. I tried fighting, Tryan. I couldn't do it."

Tryan squeezes my hand. "You have to, Elaerya. For your father, Brycen, and Jenisyn. You have to fight for Moira, and Lyza, and Lycia, too. And for me. You have to fight for me. Elaerya, I..." he pauses, and I'm almost afraid of what he is going to say next.

If he tells me he loves me right here, right now, I don't know what I'm going to do. It wouldn't be fair, not when I'm so vulnerable and weak.

"I can't lose you, Elaerya," he finishes, barely above a whisper. "I was given the duty of protecting you, but I can't protect you from yourself. You have to fight. Please promise me you will fight, Elaerya. Promise."

Tryan seems so desperate that I would promise him anything in my current exhausted state.

"I promise I will try," I whisper, squeezing his hand.

"Trying is good enough," he smiles, and I smile back at him.

"Tryan? Will you take me to see the ocean? I've never seen it before."

His smile grows wider. "When you are stronger, I would be honored to take you to see the ocean. It is absolutely magnificent. But for now, you need some rest." He gets up to leave but I grip his hand tighter. Suddenly, I don't want Tryan to leave my side.

"Please don't leave me," I beg, my eyes barely open.

"I'll always be here for you, Elaerya. I promise," Tryan whispers, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead as I fall asleep.