left!”
“Sorry,” mumbled the Gold Wizard.
The hull scraped against the rocks, twirling the boat around. With a rush, they spun into the rapids backwards. The Gold Wizard paddled frantically, trying to turn them around. The boat hit another rock and spun again. Reina grabbed a paddle lying on the bottom of the boat and used it to push away from the rocks. This sent the boat spinning again.
“Hey!” yelled the Gold Wizard.
“We would have crashed if I hadn’t,” snapped Reina. “Look out!”
The boat went straight over the top of a rock, sailing through the air. The boat lurched to the left. We’re going to tip over! She leaned right, and the Gold Wizard did likewise. They landed with a terrific splash. The boat stayed upright, and Reina let her breath out in relief.
But safety was momentary. They hit another swirl in the current, and the boat went spinning towards the rock cliffs along the bank. Reina pushed away with the oar again while the Gold Wizard tried to keep them facing forward. Around the corner loomed a huge section of whitewater rapids.
Reina paddled on one side, the Gold Wizard on the other in a frantic battle to stay facing the right direction. The boat twisted first one way, and then the other, fighting them. Despite their efforts, the next big drop in the water sent them sideways, and the boat capsized. Clutching the oar in one hand and the unicorn sword in the other, Reina flew through the air. Austyn! Austyn, hang on! She couldn’t get the words out. Water engulfed her.
She fought to the surface, hanging onto the oar and looking around desperately for Austyn. Upstream from her, the Gold Wizard surfaced, Austyn next to him. They clutched at an oar together, kicking their feet towards the shore. The rapids tossed them this way and that, but they were making progress.
The current pulled Reina under the water again, ripping the oar from her hand. She fought again to get to the surface, but the water held her down. Bubbles escaped from her mouth, and her lungs burned for air. She flailed for the surface, and her knee scraped against a rock, making her gasp and swallow water. She beat her arms and bobbled to the surface, coughing. The wild current whipped her around, and Reina struggled to stay above water.
A large green-gray shape leaped out of the water and crashed into her. Reina screamed as she struck out at it. The creature had a head like a shark, with a large fin sticking up its back, but knobby legs and a long pointed tail like an alligator. The current dashed them into another rock and tossed Reina away from the sharkgator. Three dorsal fins tailed her, battling the current to get at her. The current pulled her under again.
She opened her eyes, and the water swirled her around. She peered through the murky depths at a sharkgator swimming straight at her. Its wide, toothy mouth gleamed in the dull light. She thrust forward with the unicorn sword, and it caught the sharkgator along the gills. Blood stained the water.
Reina kicked off a rock, putting some distance between her and the monster, and fought to the surface again. The other sharkgators attacked the wounded one, and more blood colored the water. Reina swam hard for the shore, the river tugging at her. Water pounded in her ears, and her breath came in ragged gasps. Finally her feet scraped the bottom of the river, and she fought the current to reach the shore.
She collapsed on the bank. “Reina!” Austyn came running along the bank to help her to her feet. Exhausted, she dragged herself into the bushes. How far up from the river do those monsters come? Part of her was too tired to care. Then she realized she still held the sword. It had dried now and glinted in the sun, looking more beautiful than ever. She sheathed it.
“Here comes the Gold Wizard.” Austyn pointed to where he clambered along the bank to join them.
“Are you well enough to get moving?” The Gold Wizard asked. “I don’t want to stay by the river,
“Sorry,” mumbled the Gold Wizard.
The hull scraped against the rocks, twirling the boat around. With a rush, they spun into the rapids backwards. The Gold Wizard paddled frantically, trying to turn them around. The boat hit another rock and spun again. Reina grabbed a paddle lying on the bottom of the boat and used it to push away from the rocks. This sent the boat spinning again.
“Hey!” yelled the Gold Wizard.
“We would have crashed if I hadn’t,” snapped Reina. “Look out!”
The boat went straight over the top of a rock, sailing through the air. The boat lurched to the left. We’re going to tip over! She leaned right, and the Gold Wizard did likewise. They landed with a terrific splash. The boat stayed upright, and Reina let her breath out in relief.
But safety was momentary. They hit another swirl in the current, and the boat went spinning towards the rock cliffs along the bank. Reina pushed away with the oar again while the Gold Wizard tried to keep them facing forward. Around the corner loomed a huge section of whitewater rapids.
Reina paddled on one side, the Gold Wizard on the other in a frantic battle to stay facing the right direction. The boat twisted first one way, and then the other, fighting them. Despite their efforts, the next big drop in the water sent them sideways, and the boat capsized. Clutching the oar in one hand and the unicorn sword in the other, Reina flew through the air. Austyn! Austyn, hang on! She couldn’t get the words out. Water engulfed her.
She fought to the surface, hanging onto the oar and looking around desperately for Austyn. Upstream from her, the Gold Wizard surfaced, Austyn next to him. They clutched at an oar together, kicking their feet towards the shore. The rapids tossed them this way and that, but they were making progress.
The current pulled Reina under the water again, ripping the oar from her hand. She fought again to get to the surface, but the water held her down. Bubbles escaped from her mouth, and her lungs burned for air. She flailed for the surface, and her knee scraped against a rock, making her gasp and swallow water. She beat her arms and bobbled to the surface, coughing. The wild current whipped her around, and Reina struggled to stay above water.
A large green-gray shape leaped out of the water and crashed into her. Reina screamed as she struck out at it. The creature had a head like a shark, with a large fin sticking up its back, but knobby legs and a long pointed tail like an alligator. The current dashed them into another rock and tossed Reina away from the sharkgator. Three dorsal fins tailed her, battling the current to get at her. The current pulled her under again.
She opened her eyes, and the water swirled her around. She peered through the murky depths at a sharkgator swimming straight at her. Its wide, toothy mouth gleamed in the dull light. She thrust forward with the unicorn sword, and it caught the sharkgator along the gills. Blood stained the water.
Reina kicked off a rock, putting some distance between her and the monster, and fought to the surface again. The other sharkgators attacked the wounded one, and more blood colored the water. Reina swam hard for the shore, the river tugging at her. Water pounded in her ears, and her breath came in ragged gasps. Finally her feet scraped the bottom of the river, and she fought the current to reach the shore.
She collapsed on the bank. “Reina!” Austyn came running along the bank to help her to her feet. Exhausted, she dragged herself into the bushes. How far up from the river do those monsters come? Part of her was too tired to care. Then she realized she still held the sword. It had dried now and glinted in the sun, looking more beautiful than ever. She sheathed it.
“Here comes the Gold Wizard.” Austyn pointed to where he clambered along the bank to join them.
“Are you well enough to get moving?” The Gold Wizard asked. “I don’t want to stay by the river,
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