Nicholas, having heard the desperate cries for help, immediately jumped into the water. When he reached her, Lucy had already swallowed a large amount of water. Her weak, exhausted body didn't resist and sank freely to the bottom.
The strong movements of his arms caught her by the waist and lifted her above the surface. He carried unconscious Lucie in his arms. Her limp hair trailed behind them on the water, leaving a path.
He didn't go far from the shore and laid her down right away. Kneeling beside Lucy, he took a deep breath. He pressed his lips to hers and gently breathed into her, filling her lungs with air. He did it several times, but she still layed motionless, showing no signs of breathing.
Nicholas, though knowing nothing about heart massage, knew he had to act. He feared making a mistake, but instinct urged him to continue. He placed one palm on the center of her chest, set the other on top, and pressed. Then released.
He repeated the rhythmic movements again and again: press and release. Press and release.
With every movement his muscles grew weaker. His hands, which he pressed so desperately on the lifeless body, began to tremble.
— "Aaah…" suddenly came with a broken gasp. Dazed and terrified, Lucy began to breathe in quick gasps.
Nicholas sat down next to her and let out a deep breath of relief.
Lucy, with her eyes wide open and full of wonder, stared at him and slowly pieced together what had happened.
They sat on the ground. For a minute or two they were silent, looking at each other.
— "Are you okay?" he broke the silence with a long exhale.
She quietly wrapped her arms around his torso.
Nicholas hadn't expected such a gesture, but he pulled her closer and held her tightly.
— "Nicholas…" she mumbled into his embrace, her words muffled.
— "What?" he gently pushed her back a little, unable to understand.
— "I'm saying… that…" she didn't dare raise her head, as if afraid to admit the truth and face the guilt before an angry father.
— "I can't hear you." He lifted her chin to look into her eyes.
— "I did something wrong!" she looked at him with eyes full of distress and pain.
— "Lucy, if you can't swim, then you shouldn't go in the water. But now everything's fine, don't worry."
— "No! That's not it!" She stood up, embarrassed and angry. "I went there because I saw… no, I heard my father!"
— "Huh?" he blinked, confused. "How's that possible? He's dead…," he paused, "but I think it's normal to hear—"
She cut him off:
— "No, I mean… yes! He's dead… But…" she stammered, not knowing how to continue.
— "You mean you heard his voice, but he wasn't there?"
— "Yes… he was begging for help. I ran to him. I thought he was really drowning. It was his voice, I swear! But then… then I realized he wasn't there," she was lost, "and… and… I started drowning…" she hurried to explain every detail, words spilling from her.
— "Calm down. You started drowning?"
— "Something was pulling me…" she finally stopped. "Nicholas, it's not my fault! It was just lying there, I… I wanted to bring him back! I thought it would help, I didn't mean for this to happen! I put it back!" She began rambling and screaming again, unstoppable.
— "Stop!!!" he suddenly shouted. It wasn't anger or impatience, but a desperate need for her to listen.
She fell silent.
— "What did you take?" he asked slowly and clearly.
— "I… I took the book… the summoning book…" she was afraid to finish the sentence.
He looked at her patiently, as if waiting to hear his own thoughts spoken from her lips.
— "The Devil," she said, looking straight into his eyes.
— "Lucy!!! What have you done?!" his anger finally burst.
— "I think…" she curled up in fear, unable to finish.
— "THE BOOK!" he shouted, echoing her words.