As they hit the water, the impact was forceful enough that Gordon lost his grip on Fiona. Bubbles popped audibly all around her, and suddenly, it took everything she had to maintain consciousness. There was no room left in her mind to worry about what had become of Gordon. Fiona strained her eyes, but the lake was dark and deep, revealing nothing to her; only the faint glimmer of the moon told her which direction she needed to swim.
My dress… It’s too heavy, she thought. The bodice was not all that restrictive, but the thick skirt was tangled around her legs, meaning she couldn’t move very well. Aware that time was running out before she would need to breathe, Fiona slashed her dress with the knife in her hand, cutting the cord around her waist and releasing the pannier hoops inside. Kicking the fabric away and dropping the knife gave her a little more freedom of movement.
Stay calm, Fiona. You’ll make it out of this. You swam a lot as a child, remember? This is no different.
She was scared and suffocating. Her heartbeat clanged in her ears like a gong, but she knew that if she panicked, all would be lost. Desperately trying to calm herself, she kicked through the water, aiming for the lake surface. Just as she was reaching her limit, her fingers broke through the water’s surface. The relief that flooded her made her so euphoric, she didn’t know up from down anymore.
“Mmph! Hah!” Her face shot to the surface and she drank in a big gasp of air. However, with nothing to grab hold of, she couldn’t stay up there long, and she began to sink again. The shore wasn’t all that far away, but it looked like a distant island to her.
Breathe…just breathe.
Her ears sank back beneath the surface, and water entered her mouth, choking her. Suddenly, a dull crash in the distance shook the lake, then an enormous ring of fire burst in the sky.
Fireworks?
That was right—there were supposed to be fireworks to entertain the guests at the ball. More colorful fireworks exploded over the forest beyond the lake, and Fiona heard a chorus of gasped oohs and aahs around her.
Then, amid the clamor of attendees celebrating the party’s grand finale, Fiona’s ears picked out a familiar voice: “Fiona! Over here!”
She turned toward the voice and saw a boat, with Dennis and Reginald rowing. What are they doing here? she thought, but before she could wonder any further, Reginald dove into the lake, hoisted her onto the boat, and draped a dry tailcoat over her.
Oh, good… I’m saved… As Fiona sighed in relief, Giles popped into her mind. Just like the day she rushed after Rudolph in the alley, she could practically feel him hovering over her, his eyes filled with a primal rage. Oh dear, I’ve worried him again.
She was beyond exhausted. Every muscle in her body felt sluggish and heavy. She couldn’t even speak. Dennis’s voice, crying for joy, sounded so distant.
Resolving to apologize once she woke up, Fiona let her eyelids slide closed.