5. Chapter 5
“You realise how insane that sounds?” I asked.
If the merfolk could have accessed unlimited phoenix eggs, surely they would have tried to bring one to the phoenix by now.
“I’m desperate.” Isadora laid a hand on her stomach. “Three months, Maeve, maybe less. But even if I survive to raise my children, how do I keep them alive when...?”
She looked at the window; the light catching the tears in her eyes. Even in here, she knew we were all on borrowed time.
“You are so na?ve, Izzy.” I leaned back in my seat, one hand cupping my cheek. “Did you really think you could pull a stunt like this and just rewind everything, like you didn’t destroy a baby phoenix and curse us all?”
“Freddie said he would get the merfolk to talk and we could, yeah.”
My jaw clenched. Knowing Freddie, he wouldn’t have asked nicely. But all this was news to me. Janeira had once referred to me as a ‘straggler’; a mermaid on Dusk who wasn’t part of their coven. Maybe still existing outside of her coven didn’t make me privy to that information.
“Are we done here?” I asked. “Or do you want me to spot you some noodle packets and soap?”
“Stop being a bitch about this and please ask them.” Isadora pressed her hands to the table as she leaned even closer. “You want to live, don’t you? Please?”
I didn’t just want to live. I wanted everyone else to live and, at a push, even put things back the way things were. But under the circumstances, that was probably too much to ask.
“We’ve got a plan,” I said. “One that will work and still make sure you and Freddie get the consequences you deserve. Because if you think I’m going to rewind time for you so you can get away scot-free, you’re crazy.”
I stood up. Even ten minutes talking to her was too much.
“Promise me you’ll do it, Maeve,” Isadora said as the officers walked towards us. “Please.”
“Or what? You’re going to tell everyone my secrets?” I asked. “Threats are no way to make friends, Izzy.”
I turned my back on her and walked away, fury erupting in my belly. How dare she try to get out of this and use me to do her bidding while she was behind bars? We were going to figure this out without her dodging the bullet she fired herself. By the end of the day, everything would be... just fine.
***
I didn’t mention to anyone that I had visited Isadora that day, and I avoided Sandra like the magical plague until it was time for me to meet up with everyone at the inn. Bronwyn came with me in the hope she could help somehow. If nothing else, she was good moral support for Allison when she needed it.
On the entire car ride to the inn, Bronwyn clenched one hand on the windowsill and the other around the amulet at her chest. Having travelled from hundreds of years in the past herself in the trunk of an ancient tree, Bronwyn didn’t much like the idea of modern day travel. One day, when she acclimatised to cars, I would have loved to put her on an aeroplane.
When I parked on the gravel car park outside the inn, Bronwyn got out before I had even killed the engine. As I got out, I noticed Ben’s car parked a few spots away. Hopefully Adrian would sit this one out.
But when we walked in through the heavy, iron-laden door, my hopes smashed. In a pool of candlelight underneath two torch brackets, Ben and Adrian sat at a table in the corner, chatting. Five full shot glasses sat in between them. Wow, he had really taken Kira at her word.
Ben wore all black light workout gear which clung to his muscles in the most delicious way. I had decided on dark clothing too, sporting a black dress with my bikini underneath.
“You look nice,” I said as I slid next to him on the bench.
“I do?” Ben looked down at himself, wrapping an arm around my waist to tug us together.
“Black’s your colour.”
“Um, excuse me? Who’s this?” Adrian asked, glaring at Bronwyn.
She sat down next to him anyway and reached for a shot, downing it.
“This is Bronwyn. She’s a friend of ours.” I cuddled up to Ben, resting my head on his shoulder.
“So we can add anyone we like to the party now?” Adrian asked.
Ben sighed and extracted his wallet from his pocket.
“Get some more shots,” he said, handing Adrian a ten as Bronwyn took another shot.
Grumbling, Adrian snatched the note out of his hand and walked up to the bar.
“Are you okay?” I asked Bronwyn.
Having lived in my family home for a month, I knew her to be quiet, reserved, and somewhat spiritual. To see her drinking this way gave me the inkling something was wrong.
“I want this to work,” Bronwyn said. “This entire plan makes me nervous.”
“Me too.” But we had little choice if we wanted to save the island. “We’ve got this, we just need to... fortify.”
It was the only word I could think of.
Adrian returned with shots at the same time as Kira and Allison walked in. Bronwyn immediately got up to give Allison a hug, which lasted several moments. Since Bronwyn had emerged from her tree, Allison had supported her in every way. Now that Allison needed a boost, Bronwyn was eager to step up.
“Thanks for these, but what are you guys going to drink?” Kira asked, grinning as she surrounded the collection of shots with her arms.
“Funny,” I said.
When we were all seated, we each took a shot glass, toasted, and drank. The liquor burned all the way down my throat, sparking a vigour in me I sorely needed.
“Are we all clear on the plan?” Kira asked. “You two,” she pointed at Bronwyn and Adrian, “keep watch. You two,” she pointed at me and Ben, “get to the phoenix. We will keep the border clear.”
“Are we ready to do this?” Ben asked.
“Let’s go.” Allison stood first and linked arms with Bronwyn to take the lead.
We left the inn and made our way into the forest together. Manoeuvering in the dark with little more than our phone torches to light the way made progress difficult, but I held Ben’s hand tightly the whole time. We didn’t say a word to each other, as agreed, to prevent drawing attention.
When we reached a black, swirling wall of magic, Kira stopped us.
“Right,” she whispered. “Maeve, you need to get ready and in the water.”
While I undressed down to my bikini, Ben searched for a gap in the layers of roots that we could slip through into the natural spring below. When he couldn’t find one, Allison knelt down and teased the roots apart with her dryad powers to create a hole just big enough for the two of us. I lowered myself into the water and removed my bikini bottom before teasing my tail into existence.
Ben took off his shoes and socks and clambered into the water with me.
“Oxygen enchantments?” I asked, wrapping my arms around his waist to keep him afloat.
Ben slipped one out of his pocket and waved it at me. Good. We couldn’t take any chances.
“Here.” Kira handed Adrian and Bronwyn a wooden whistle each. “If you see anyone coming, blow the whistle. Maeve, that’s your cue to get the hell out of there.”
“And me.” Ben narrowed his eyes at Kira, but his smile told a different story.
“Nah. Leave him behind if you like. Collateral damage and all that,” Kira said with a shrug.
I snorted as Ben grimaced.
“You’d better be joking, or I’ll blow this whistle right now.” Adrian waved it in the air.
“Oh, relax.” Kira rolled her eyes. “Ali and I will take down the barrier now. Maeve, the second you see it’s down, swim for your life.”
“Got it.”
With that, Kira and Allison walked through the black veil, disappearing in a swirl of magic. Adrian exchanged looks with Ben before turning around to pace the perimeter. Bronwyn followed suit in the other direction.
I held Ben close as we bobbed up and down, my tail swishing back and forth to keep us above the water.
“I’m kinda excited,” Ben said, gazing at the magical barrier. “I’ve never seen the inside of this forest before.”
“Which I still can’t believe. How long have you lived on Dusk again?” I asked.
“I felt awkward about visiting just to gawk when I didn’t know anyone in the forest covens.” Ben shrugged.
“Well, gawk all you want when we’re in there.”
“I think I will.”
An odd whooshing noise filled the air, and a section of the magical barrier fell away, revealing a pathway into the forest.
My gut clenched. It was time.