Penelope's POV
Splash—
The impact of our bodies hitting the water sent shockwaves through my system. The river swallowed us whole, its icy fingers clawing at my skin as we sank into its depths. In that moment of complete submersion, with Austin's arms locked around me like iron bands, another memory surfaced - fragmented yet vivid. I'd experienced this before. The sensation of falling, the shock of cold water, the desperate embrace of someone determined not to let me go. No matter how I strained my memory, the face remained blurred, but the protective warmth of those arms felt achingly familiar.
"Cough—! Gasp—!"
Austin's body convulsed beside me as river water flooded his airways. His movements were weak, barely more than twitches, and within moments he'd gone completely still in my arms. The realization hit me like a physical blow - he'd lost consciousness. If I didn't get him to the surface immediately, these might be our last moments together.
