Chapter 138: Accident, Part 3

Ducking his head, he strode past Korin. In his haste, however, he did not quite step far enough around him. His shoulder rammed Korin's hard enough to send them both stumbling. Korin cried out, flailed, and grabbed wildly at Telmé, snagging his tunic but only sending them both completely off balance and tumbling into the pond.

Telmé was helpless to prevent it as they toppled into the ice cold water. He oofed as he landed right on top of Korin. He came up sputtering, choking, and fumbling for a handhold while also trying to get his hair out of his face, cried out when he was grabbed by his hair and hauled from the water. He finally got the rest of his hair out of his face and stared up into Tunç's burning yellow eyes. "It wasn't—we weren't—accident! It was—"

"Not. Another. Word," Tunç said, voice so full of anger and disappointment that Telmé almost started crying.

"It really was an accident," he said softly, bracing himself as Tunç lifted a hand.