Chapter 29

"Rika!" Ferran screamed as he saw her go flying off of Mack into the water. His horse skidded to a stop beside Mack, and he hopped off. Ferran threw his cloak off to the side and dove into the water after her, glowing green as he used his magic to assist him.

Swimming like a merman made for the water with a trail of magic behind him, Ferran caught up to Rika, wrapped his arm around her, and swam back up. The glow around him grew as he used more magic to help him swim, the weight of Rika and her once fluffy dress trying to drag them both down.

"Ha!" Ferran gasped as he reached the top and swam back over to the ledge. "Up you go," he huffed as he picked Rika up and placed her back on solid ground.

He pulled himself out and wiped the water off his face as he leaned over Rika. "Miss Rika?" He lightly tapped her cheek and leaned in close. "She's not breathing?" He checked her throat for obstructions. "Clear." He pinched her nose and breathed into her mouth. "One... Two... Three..." Ferran counted as he did chest compressions. "Come on, Rika. Wake up." He repeated the process.

Rika coughed up water and rolled onto her side as her raw lungs burned, pain ripping through them.

"You're okay!" Ferran couldn't resist hugging her, pulling her into his lap. "I'm so glad." He rocked in place, his grip tight.

"Ferran... Thanks," she mumbled and leaned into him.

The yellow rose above him glowed.

Is it because I thanked him or because I lived?

"I can't believe you almost died." He sniffled, still trying to hold back.

The wind kicked up, and Rika shuddered.

"We need to get you out of that dress."

"What?" Rika's head shot up, her face burning, and a tingle running through her body. Did he suggest what I think he did?

"You're soaked; you might catch a cold if you stay in it."

"Same for you," Rika huffed.

"But it's important for you to stay healthy—"

"Don't you dare say you're not important, too." Rika frowned up at him and saw the rose glow again. Why? What did I say this time?

"O-okay, but I need to start a fire to dry our clothes while we wait for Wolfe." He hesitated for a moment, lost in thought, and kissed her temple before setting her down.

Geez, it's even colder without him there. Rika hugged herself, shivering as she struggled to stand. She spotted his cloak, dry since he had thrown it off before jumping in, and trudged over to it. There's no way I'd be able to walk around in this dress while it's wet. She huffed and glanced back to make sure Ferran had his back to her before reaching to the back of the dress.

"Tch." The bow couldn't have come apart easily, could it? I can't get a grip on the stupid knot! Rika picked at it and growled. Stupid dress! "If I had a knife, I'd cut the stupid thing off. Hmm?"

Mack nudged up against her.

"Hey, Mack." She petted his nose. "I'm a little worse for wear, but I'm okay. You must've been pretty scared back there. I'm sorry." Oh, he's so warm.

"Um... I got the fire ready," Ferran said after he also built a rack out of branches to hang their clothes on. "I-I'll try not to look, but you should join me over here." He sat in front of the fire, hugging his knees to his chest.

"Well, I would, but I'm stuck in the dress." Rika laughed awkwardly. "It kinda knotted, and I can't get it to budge. Maybe I'll just sit there like this and it'll dry eventually. Mack can even sit with us for some extra warmth."

"If you don't mind, I can help you with the knot." Ferran stood back up, wishing he had more than his underwear still on as he approached her from behind. "Oh, the cloak. Good t-thinking." He noticed it right in front of her as he brushed her hair over her shoulder to reach the knot.

"Well, it's a good thing you took it off before jumping in. Something dry to stay in..." Rika bit her lip as his fingers brushed against her back. He's not doing anything lewd, so stop acting like it. She could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks. Gosh, this must be torture for him, standing there without clothes on as he picks at a knot.

"You're right; this knot is horrible, Miss Rika." Ferran frowned as he picked at the knot, ignoring the fact that his face was red up to his ears. "I got it!" he cheered and patted her shoulders.

"Oh!" she gasped out of surprise.

"S-sorry about that." Ferran backed away.

"Don't worry about it; I was just startled. Thank you for helping me. Mind loosening the strings too, since you're back there?"

"O-okay." Overly aware of how little he wore as he stood behind her, Ferran reached his shaking hands out to pull at the strings, loosening her dress. "Should be good now. I think." He backed away again. "I'll be over there." He pointed, despite her facing the other way. "By the fire."

"Yes, thank you again."

"You're welcome, Miss Rika." Ferran held onto his burning cheeks as he backtracked and plopped down next to the fire, his horse wandering over to him.

I can only imagine how hard that must've been for someone like Ferran. Not that I'm doing much better with it. Rika peeled her dress off and quickly grabbed the cloak to wrap herself in it. "Come on, Mack; sit with me by the fire."

He neighed, nudging up against her.

I sometimes wonder how much animals understand us.

She pulled the cloak closed and dragged her dress over to the rack. "Ugh." She heaved it over. "This is going to take forever to dry." She sat beside Ferran with Mack sitting right behind her, nuzzling up close. "Thanks for all your help. I hate to ask, but is there a way to dry our clothes faster?"

"I can use wind magic on it, but I fear they might float away, possibly over the cliff, and we'd be even worse off." Ferran's teeth chattered a bit, despite his efforts to not show how cold he was.

Geez... I have to do it, don't I? Doesn't matter how awkward it might be... and at least I don't think he'll do anything, unlike a certain someone else. She pulled the cloak loose and hung one side on Ferran's shoulder.

"W-what are you doing?" Ferran froze, scrunching his eyes closed.

"Hold on to that side." Rika swallowed hard before wrapping her arm around his, squishing up against him as their thighs touched, and pulled on her side of the cloak. "Trying to share it, since you're shivering."

"Thank you, Miss Rika, but I don't think this is appropriate!"

Can't completely argue that, considering my chest is pressing up against his arm... "It's also warmer in this cloak with you here, too."

Mack neighed.

"And with Mack nearby. We're just trying to stay warm. Nothing inappropriate about that."

Ferran went silent, his lips quivering as he kept his eyes closed.

"Ferran, we're both hiding under here, and you can't really see anything, so you don't have to keep your eyes shut like that right now," Rika said, finding it hard to hold back her laughter. I figured this wouldn't go well, but didn't expect it to go this badly. Then again, I'm in my underwear pressed up against him. It's probably harder on him than me. If the cloak were bigger, I'd give him some space, but this is the best method for now.

At least it's not Kael with me here. He'd definitely hit on me, or blow it up in some way.

"I'm sorry, Miss Rika. I should've been able to stop Mack. I should've tried to create a barrier to land on instead of the water, so you wouldn't have gotten wet... and almost drowned," his voice cracked at the end, his lip quivering as he held back.

"It's okay, Ferran. You did what you could. If it weren't for you, we might've gone off a cliff. And if you didn't jump in, I definitely would've drowned."

"But I should've done better! How can I be the head of the magicians if I can't think on my feet? All this power, and I can't use it properly."

"You're being too hard on yourself." She squeezed his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You've fought off demons, protecting the city, and you've learned as much as you could to bring a saint here, and everything about the rituals. You're constantly working to help everyone." Wish I knew what to say right now. He saved me, and yet he's beating himself up. "Please remember this was my fault. I scared Mack."

"You don't have fighting experience, but you vanquished all the minor demons. You're truly magnificent, Miss Rika."

I think he's got rose-coloured glasses on when it comes to me. "I think it could've gone better, but all I did was concentrate on my powers like you and Dryden taught me." Rika sighed and glanced over at their clothes. "How long until they dry?"

Hopefully, those two are okay.