Casey's eyes widened, her voice sharp with disbelief as the python's sleek form vanished into the lake's deeper waters, leaving only ripples behind. "What do you mean you can't swim?" she said, her tone almost shocked, her words cutting through the sudden quiet. She still clung to Vlad's shoulder, her arms tight, but his gurgling coughs—water spluttering from his mouth—snapped her back. Her cheeks flushed, realizing how close she was, her body pressed against his sodden linen shirt. She pulled away, her dress dripping, clinging to her skin as she grabbed it from the shore, slipping it on over her wet underclothes, the fabric sticking awkwardly.
Lily, her small frame shivering in her underwear, followed suit, grabbing her tunic and pulling it on, her braids dripping, her eyes still wide from the snake scare. "Mama, it's gone, right?" she asked, her voice small, glancing at the water.
