Chapter 5
Xaydin turned toward Gisela. “Can you swim?”
“Not at all.”
He growled low in his throat. Of course she couldn’t swim. Why would this be easy on them? “Get in the center of the boat and brace.”
Manifesting a bow, he nocked an arrow and took aim at the waves, waiting for one of them to show themselves. Masakage moved to stand at his side with a fireball at the ready.
Xaydin smirked. “Has anyone ever told you what happens when fire meets water? You might as well be pissing on them for all the good that’ll do.”
Masakage gave him an irritated smirk before he threw the fireball into the water.
It exploded, sending waves out toward the mermaids.
“You were saying, brother?”
Respect went through him. “What a fine weapon you’ve crafted. Really makes my bow obsolete.”
Shaking his head, Masakage manifested another fireball.
Ferris pulled the rudder in and sat down near the bow. Letting out a sigh, he glared up at Xaydin. “They’re starting early. Who are you after that they’re so eager for you?”
“I assumed it was just your average goblin. Nothing special.”
But Ferris was right. This was a lot more intense than his usual. Normally, it was only one mer creature and it took nominal effort to bypass it.
The horses began prancing as if they could sense what was coming for them.
Masakage took a knee so as to remain steady.
Xaydin admitted he wasn’t as intelligent as his brother. A wise man would do exactly as Masakage, Gisela and Ferris were doing. Steady himself on the craft.
But he wanted blood. Let them throw him overboard. He’d take a piece of them with him into eternity.
Suddenly, something struck the bottom of the boat. Hard. So hard that it knocked him from his feet.
Masakage caught him before he fell overboard, into the sea. “What was that?”
“No idea.” It’d been too strong a hit to be a simple mermaid or merman.
It hit the boat again.
Ferris held on tight to the edge. “They break my boat, you’re buying me a new one!”
“Sure. If you live, I’ll be glad to.”
The older troll didn’t appreciate his humor.
Neither did Gisela nor his brother. To be honest, he wasn’t exactly fond of it, either. Not with this much turbulence. They were surrounding the boat like a school of piranha.
And sadly, none were dumb enough to poke their heads above the waves to give him a target.
They’re learning.
That was his thought until one of them shot out of the waves and into the air. The merman launched his own fireballs at them.
Masakage fired back as Xaydin let fly his arrow. His mark struck true but ricocheted off the merman without leaving a wound.
What the hell?
More of them jumped from the water. One was even bold enough to land on the boat.
Xaydin traded his bow for a staff, but before he could strike, the merman fell screaming to the boards at his feet.
It was only then he saw Gisela holding a bloody sword in her hands.
“Thank you.”
She nodded before she moved to go after another one who was trying to climb on board.
“Don’t!” Xaydin barely had the word out before a merman reached up and yanked her into the water.
Gisela tried to scream as she sank into the sea. Choking, she couldn’t see anything but water. Feel the hands of the creature that was trying its best to drag her down.
Hold your breath!
But it was impossible. The more she fought, the more she needed to breathe.
She gulped, ingesting the dark water against her will. Water that stung her eyes and lungs.
I’m going to drown if I don’t turn into something that swims!
But if she used her powers, Xaydin might shoot her with his bow. Just for spite.
He hates shape shifters. Don’t do it!
She tried not to panic, but how could she not? She couldn’t swim in her human body, and she didn’t know how to float in this nightmare. Not without pushing her companion to a murderous rage.
Just as she sank deeper, someone lifted her head above the water.
“I’ve got you,” Xaydin said in her ear. “Don’t fight me.”
Her heart pounding, she closed her eyes in relief and laid her head back against his shoulder. She was so grateful that if she could, she’d kiss him for this. No one had ever saved her before.
They’d only stabbed her when she fell.
With what seemed like no effort at all, Xaydin swam them to the ferry boat, then lifted her up so that Masakage could help her back in.
Gisela turned around to reach for Xaydin to return the favor when one of the merman broke the surface.
Before she could react, the merman grabbed Xaydin from behind and pulled him under.
“No!” Gisela tried to reach him, but he was gone so fast that all she could do was cry out.
Masakage started to dive into the water, but Ferris stopped him.
“They’ll tear you apart. You can’t!”
Gisela heard the words, along with her common sense that reminded her she didn’t know how to swim in her human body. There was nothing she could do for him without making him hate her completely.
Nothing.
And yet she couldn’t sit here and watch him die. Let him fight the monsters by himself.
Before she could stop herself, she dove back into the water and turned into her real form.
“Stop struggling!”
Xaydin slammed his fist into the merman’s throat.
With a fierce curse, the beast slapped him in the ribs with his fin. “Would you please stop?”
The please was what kept him from hitting the merman again. That and the fact that he realized he was somehow able to breathe underwater. “What’s going on?”
“My king wishes a word with you.”
Seriously? “He couldn’t send an invitation like a civilized creature?”
“Would you have come?”
So the merman had a valid point. Still…
“There are better ways to get my attention.”
The merman bowed to him. “Forgive us. We meant no harm or offense to you. Please, Your Highness.” He actually gestured in the opposite direction where a group of his kin were carrying what looked like a giant battering ram.
That must have been what they’d used to strike the bottom of the boat. Those bastards really were getting smarter.
“Do you have a name?” Xaydin asked his attacker.
“Captain Mersin of the Ningyoan Navy.”
That was interesting…although it made sense.
He’d never before thought about the fact that the Ningyoans had armed forces.
Since he had no way of visiting the underwater nation of Ningyo, their society and politics had held little interest to him, other than watching out for and avoiding their citizens whenever he traveled to Oath Island.
All he knew about them was the name of their king, Mardyth. And only that because it was bandied about by those who traversed the waters over Mardyth’s domain.
Most of what anyone knew came from the Nereids who were amphibious. Whenever they were on land, they complained incessantly about the Ningyoans who often warred against them.
Now, he had the rare chance to meet them. He might as well see what the king needed.
“Very well, Captain. Take me to your king.”
Mersin held his hand out to Xaydin. As soon as he took it, the merman pulled him through the sea to a small city not that far away. In fact, he doubted if it was more than a couple of leagues from the southern tip of Oath Island.
“Is this your capital?”
“It is. Hyteria.”
Xaydin would say it was similar to one of theirs, but it was nothing like the villages, towns or cities he was used to.
For one thing, the walls were made of coral and shell.
Even in the dim light of the sea, they managed to glisten vibrantly.
Of course, some of that came from strange-looking fish they had harnessed to the walls like living torches.
There was also something painted on the walls that glowed reminiscent of fireflies.
Truly magical. And even more so as they swam through a guarded gate toward a large tower that was surrounded by numerous buildings. He would ask how they expected to keep anything out, but there was a huge dome over the walls.
Mersin looked back and smirked. “The mirrored dome keeps earth-dwellers and mages from finding us.”
A part of Xaydin wanted to look around more and even explore this place, but he didn’t really want to stay under water any longer than he had to. Honestly, he found all of this rather disturbing. The fact that he could breathe…
Magic he could handle. Monsters he handled even better.
But this…this was the most unnatural thing he’d ever experienced, and he didn’t like it at all.
“Why is there a giant mirror at the tower?”
Mersin paused and released his hand. “It’s a divine reminder that order cannot be forced. It must be coaxed and cared for.”
That made no sense to him. “How so?”
“It’s part of our religion. All important buildings are marked with a mirror to pay tribute to our great sea goddess, Sanow.
It’s a reminder of why she left the land to dwell in the sea.
Her land siblings were cruel and so she came here to be away from them.
But after a while, she became lonely. So she returned to the world above.
It was still chaos there. As she stepped back on land, she turned and saw her own reflection in the sea.
In that reflection, she remembered the tranquility and peace that she craved.
Order. Not the chaos of the land. And so she returned to the sea where she found the god, Enon.
Together, they created our domain and our race. ”
He liked their view of things. His people believed the world had been created when Ofdan stomped his foot on the ground from the heavens and demanded all creatures bow to him.
When they refused, the god slaughtered them and their blood mixed with the earth to create the trolls.
Which said it all about troll culture and their mindset.
They weren’t a peaceful lot, by any means.
Mersin bowed to him, then gestured toward the tower’s door. “Come, Highness. My king awaits.”