"Ariel," grunted He'dtaalh, taking my hand in his. "Even if you were leading me to my death, I'd still trust you with everything that I am."
I smiled at his words, enjoying the warmth that they sent through my entire being. "Take in a deep breath and hold on to me," I said, taking his hand and swimming backward.
There was no way I qualified to teach someone how to swim. I, myself, only learned by actually doing it. I used to sneak out of my parents' house at night when I couldn't sleep and go down to the watering hole where the cattle used to drink.
However, the silence of being surrounded by water was like nothing I had experienced before then. In a house with over 20 children was not a quiet place, and when I had to share a room with five other girls…
