Chapter 16

Iscissor kick through the water as fast as I can. My mind oddly boggles at the sudden depth of the freaky-ass arena, which seems like the least important detail at the moment. Finally, I manage to break the surface and gulp down air.

“Piper,” Lyko screams, and a huge, hard appendage slams against me, propelling me through the water and knocking the breath out of me.

It’s a good thing I’m not wearing pants, because I’m pretty sure I’d pee them.

This is it.

It was a good run, I think. Spots form in front of my eyes as I choke on briny water and air. Being death rolled and stashed underwater after being eaten by a huge reptile was not how I wanted to go.

My lungs start working again, and I inhale, pain cascading through my brain before it’s wiped by adrenaline. God. Every breath hurts. I paddle through the water, looking around for signs of the beast. The crowd is chanting something, but I ignore those bloodthirsty anuses and focus on getting the fuck out of the swamp.

I glance around, trying to focus, trying not to panic.

I’ve been pushed too far from the tree. There’s no way I’m going to make it back.

“Tell Billie and Leigh I love them,” I yell to Lyko. “I’m sorry. This was a fucking stupid idea?—”

My eyes go wide. Lyko jumps into the water, clutching something to him as he splashes in, swimming for me furiously.

“It’s toying with you,” he screams. “Swim for the tree. Climb it. I’ll distract it.”

“Distracting it doesn’t work,” I yell back, suddenly mad at him. Ouch, it hurts to yell. That monster must have broken a rib or something. “It’s smart. It knew to snap the vine.” It’s not a normal crocodile. That’s for damn sure.

Something hard seizes my waist, dragging me beneath the murk.