I slid through the shackle of an anchor and the serpent followed. Luckily for me, the immense size of the serpent was too large for the ring. The serpent began shaking wildly sending clouds of sand through the sea. It was no use the anchor had moulded into the rock and had melted together over the years. The anchor did not budge, thankfully. The sea serpent was stuck. It began spitting and snapping like the wild animal it was.
I needed to get out of here, whilst I still could. I swam back to the seaweed Forrest before anything else had a chance to attack. That was close, too close. I took a deep breath and slowly backed into shadows, praying that nothing had seen me.
Where was the golden egg? Where could it be hiding? How was I going to find it undetected? Then I heard a snapping of something. Something was watching me. I turned around eyeing every angle, searching for any signs of danger.
A hand landed on my shoulder. I jumped back defensively. "Calm down. It's just us." Northern's voice sighed in my mind. I took a much-needed breath.
"What are you doing here?" I thought. He was meant to be searching the other side. I noticed Naira hiding behind Northern. Sympathy filled me as I looked into her tiny, helpless eyes. She reminded me of Caroline and I could not help but feel protective over her.
"I could sense you were in danger." Northern clarified. He could sense me? I did not have time to ask what magical abilities he had, we needed to keep searching. "My thoughts exactly."
"Can you not read my thoughts?" I thought back. I did not like that someone could see past my skin wall and into all my most intimate thoughts. I felt far too exposed.
A pointed blade slashed into my backside. I jumped back, waiting to find my attacker. They drew blood, the red liquid oozed out into the water and my suit was now damaged.
"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" A sinister voice echoed. I saw four pairs of bright yellow eyes lurking in the darkness. Every muscle in my body tensed.
"Hmmm..." Another voice joined in. I strained my eyes to get a better look. They slowly emerged from the shadows. Their hair was short and cropped. Their skin was covered in battle scars, their teeth sharpened triangular like sharks. Their dark green shimmering tail blended in with the seaweed. "A cluster of trespassers." The second shortest merman snarled.
"No, just a simple travelling mishap," Northern spoke and I suddenly realised that the suits gave us the ability to speak underwater. I wondered how many enchantments had been cast on this material. Northern looked uneasy at the sight of these new members. I did not blame him. They were circling us like predators.
"Wait. Wait." The first grinned twistedly blocking our way. "Do you know what we do to humans here?" They all grinned and laughed cruelly.
Naira spoke and I wish she had not. "You can't do anything to us."
"Actually they can..." Northern whispered, not taking his eyes off the deadly weapons the mermen held. We were defenceless.
The mermen were clearly listening to every word. "But I thought you said they were just stupid fish? Your exact words were irrational, slow, unwise and dumb." Naira really picked her moments to speak. The mermaid's eyes flashed red in anger and outstretched their tridents. This was not good.
"Shhhh in the comments. LIKE NOW." I muttered through gritted teeth. They were going to get us into even more trouble.
"Yes, we should be off..." Northern began to back away.
"What's the hurry? Don't you want to stay around for dinner?" The second-placed its long silver tongue on my neck and I smacked it away. Not if I am going to be it.
"Feisty." The first grinned at me. I noticed a sparkling golden object in his brown satchel, the golden goblet. It was the perfect hiding place: the Mermen moved constantly making it almost impossible to find, even if you did, conflict and life-threatening peril were inevitable. "I like my food to have a bit of a kick." He smirked, licking his lips. I needed to get that egg.
Just another normal day, here I was trapped in a lake surrounded by a secret underwater city and competing in some chaotic game for the queen of the Fae. When did my life get so chaotic? Not to mention that I now had to get my hands on some golden egg that the man-eating mermaids had possession of. The vicious, deadly creatures are the only thing that stands between us and survival. This is not going to end well. And the worst part? I was running out of time.
Chapter Sixteen- Farewell
"Northern, you need to get out of here with Naira." I thought, knowing he would be listening to my thoughts. "Meet me back at the portal beneath the arena."
"What about you? You can't escape from these beasts alone." His voice echoed in my mind. I still was baffled that he could do that. Why couldn't I do that? I need to learn how to do that.
"I don't have time to explain. Do not worry about me. I can take care of myself." I assured him. He looked at me reluctantly. "Think about Naira." His eyes softened and it was obvious that he had agreed to my plan.
Time to set the plan in motion. I swam forward lunging myself past two of the mermaids, they had not seen it coming. "Come and get me, cowards!" I did not need to look back to know that they were after me.
Mermen were incredibly stupid and extremely competitive. They had not even thought about watching the others; all their energy was concentrated on proving me wrong. Naira and Northern fled the scene as I had asked. I weaved in and out of the coral, trying to confuse the mermen.
What next? I had not really thought this far ahead. I needed to use my magic, there was no other way. I needed something that would stop them but I did not want to kill them. One grabbed hold of leg-pulling me back, I turned swiftly to face them. "Frigidus in tempore!" I screamed. I didn't even know what I was doing or saying before it was too late. It was like triggering a reflex but instead, it was an unknown language. How was that even possible?
Everything around me was frozen, nothing moved. The mermen's vicious exterior was paused along with the swaying of the seaweed. It was like I had stopped time. Correction: I had stopped time. I looked around shocked, this was not happening. I needed to get out of here quickly. I did not know how long the spell would hold but I could already feel my power weakening.
I removed the mermen's grip from my foot and slipped my hand into his leather satchel, the golden egg. I allowed myself to feel relieved, I needed to hurry. I could already feel the spell weakening. I swam as fast as I could, making long strokes in the lake water and kicking as powerfully as I could. The golden egg’s weight was slowing me down but I could see the outline of Naira and Northern in the distance. I was going to make it.
"Over there! THIEF!" I heard someone shout. The spell had worn off and the mermen were less than three-hundred meters away. They were going to catch me. I swam faster now, harder. I will get there in time. I will get there. "We are going to torture you when we get our hands on you. I am going to rip you from limb to limb. Do you hear me?!" It bellowed.
"NORTHERN!" I screamed. He spun around and headed towards me. We met halfway between the mermen and the portal. They were coming for us. His eyes were filled with shock, relief, worry, pride, and curiosity as he glanced at the golden egg.
"Go to the portal! I will hold them off for as long as I can." He assured me. Holding them off was code for sacrificing a life.
"NO! I will hold them off." There is no way I was going to let someone die for me. Especially a stranger who owed me nothing; a stranger who did not even know me. Everything was happening too fast. I could not even think clearly.
"You got the golden egg, now it's my turn to play my part. You are Naira's best hope of survival." His hands cupped my head and everything slowed down. He looked even more serious than normal, his eyes met mine and he took a deep breath. "It would be my honour to die for the destined child, it was an honour to have met you."
"How do you?" I stared at him bewildered. There had to be another way. I did not, I could not let someone die for me. Then I looked back to see the trembling little girl in the distance.
"Just look out for Naira for me.
" He pleaded and I nodded. Still stunned. How did he know? How did he figure it out? Northern disappeared and headed off to meet the mermen. I felt a knot in my gut. I did not have time for this. I needed to get to the portal.
I swam back toward Naira. "Where's Northern?" She asked. She looked like a lost puppy, terrified, and hopelessly lost. I felt a lump in my throat as I swallowed her question. I did not have the strength or courage to tell her the truth. How do you tell a child that the person they love most has sacrificed themselves for them? How can any amount of letters make that okay? How can you spare them the inevitable heartbreak?
"Seelie queen, the challenge is complete, we have what you asked for," I called out, hoping she could hear me. Naira let out a shriek and I turned to see Northern. I saw the outline in the distance as three tridents plunged into him, letting out a cloud of blood.
"Naira no!" I screamed. Naira sprang forward but I tried my best to restrain her. She fought back, shrieking out and hitting me as hard as she could. Her sobs were like daggers to my chest. Plunge. Plunge. Plunge.
A white light surrounded us as we were transported back into the arena. But I still see the cloud of blood and shimmering tridents. Drums bombarded my ears and it took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the bright light of the arena. The crowd was going wild, they hooted and cheered. My hair and clothes were soaking wet. Everything squelched as I breathed. I finally let go of Naira. She fell to the floor with a thud. She looked broken. It was like watching a piece of glass smash to pieces. You could pick it up bit by bit but there would always be cracks. I knelt next to her.
"Northern told me that he wanted you to be brave. You need to do that. He died for you. You need to have the courage for him." I whispered. Her eyes were puffy from crying and she had large red circles around her eyes. She nodded but said nothing.
There was a beep as the timer stopped. We were the only ones left. Out of all the tributes: two survived. The queen silenced the crowd with her hand and no one said a word. My heart was hammering and as I breathed in the fresh air I counted the silent seconds: One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.
Slow claps from Her Majesty echoed around the arena. "Well, what a show!" She beamed wickedly. I felt Naira's tiny hand slip into mine and squeeze. She was scared and she should be. "You mortals do have a flair for the dramatic." I felt like smacking that smile off her face. She was a psychopath, a murderer.
She gulped down a few glasses of a purple liquid before continuing. "Well done for surviving this long." she paused. "I am disappointed that none of the others made it through. Oh well, I guess watching them go to their watery grave was entertaining enough." She smiled. I closed my eyes as the image invaded my brain.
"You are sick." I accused her. I could not help it, just looking at her made me ill. I wondered how she had been driven to such insanity. It was like her mind had been twisted like a rope and it had finally fallen to pieces, this was all that remained.
"I know." She grinned at me maliciously. The queen snapped her fingers and the suit that I had previously worn disappeared. My hair was dry along with the rest of my body. I wore a short cropped top that did not cover my stomach and I felt exposed. The skirt was made from a thin type of silk. I looked like the gipsy fortune tellers you find along the main road. "Prepare them for the next challenge." The crowd hooted and chanted once again.
I looked down at Naira who wore a simple, plain, purple dress. Her hair had been braided and I couldn't help but feel worried. I did not just have to survive, I had to save her and that complicated things. "Everything is going to be alright," I promised her. The worst part was that she believed me. She had faith that I could save her but I was not even sure if I could save myself. Two guards came up to us and forced our hands in heavy chains.
"For Northern." She glanced at me. I nodded. I felt the queens watching us and I felt the weight of her gaze. The guards led us to two large wooden pillars that had been carried in only a few minutes ago. The pillars were at least fifteen meters high and I cringed as they bolted us into the wood. We had barely escaped from the last challenge with our lives and I did not know whether we would be so fortunate this time.
The guards ran off the pitch, leaving us both chained up in the centre. The drums sounded with a steady pounding and the crowd cheered on. "The next challenge is one nobody has ever faced in the arena. The queen would like to give you: THE BEASTS OF THE DARK REALM!" The announcer shouted. I noticed the light reflecting off a barrier between us and the crowd, a force field. Whatever they were about to realise could not be controlled and even they feared the monsters. A wave of dust covered the arena like a shadow. My palms had gotten uncomfortably sweaty and clammy. My heart stopped and I forgot to breathe. The suspense was killing me.
I watched as three metal gates opened and out came the beasts. "You have got to be kidding me," I said under my breath. "NAIRA. CLIMB NOW!" I ordered. How had the Seelie queen even got her hands on these monsters? Naira did not argue she began hauling herself up bit by bit.
They came out from the shadows one by one. The first daemon was dark purple, it had a reptile face and wings like a bat and scorpion tail that swung back and forth. Its legs and teeth were like razor spikes. The smell of dead corpses filled my nose. It let loose a high pitched shriek as it began moving forward. Closer and closer. One of the guards poked it with a silver spike forcing it towards us. The creature did not do as it was asked. It lunged itself at the Faerie guard, taking his head clean off. I gulped. The crowd went wild.
The second was a deep green. It was larger and had an immensely hard, wide-body like a crocodile, its head was covered in deadly thorns and it had three horns like a rhinoceros. Its thick skin surrounded it like armour and I watched as it huffed heavy breathes. It began to stamp its feet like a Minotaur and show off its fangs like a wolf. It was safe to say it did not look peaceful.
The third was an aggressive red that stood out from a mile away. Its eyes were like sparks and its fur like flames. It resembled an enormous ferocious cat with poisonous spikes on its back. It let out a roar flashing a bone between its humongous jagged teeth. The remains were from his last victim. It was coming for me. They were all coming for me.
"What do we do?" Naira asked nervously. I do not know.
"Just stay up there!" I commanded. I hoped that if I stayed in plain sight, they would not go after Naira. Why would they? I was the obvious target.
"What about you?!" She called down. "We need to come up with a plan!" I could hardly hear her over the roar of the crowd.
I stared at the beasts that were getting closer with every minute. I needed to do something and fast. Think. Think. Think. "I am going to improvise." I shrugged. The feline demon was the first to leap forward.
I moved as quickly as I could avoid the deadly claws by inches. Again I moved to dodge the attack. This time though the feline demon broke the chain that kept me trapped.
It swiped again pushing me back. "LEILA! Watch out!" Naira screamed so loudly, I thought her lungs would burst. I dodged again but this time fired back, wiping the beast with the remains of the chain. I managed to stun it and I had caused a cut above one of its seven eyes but I did not do any real damage. Time to change tactics.
I led it away from the others, even though they were circling nearby. I needed to get a weapon, a real weapon. I slashed the chain down again harder but the beast clung onto it and ripped it from my grip, overpowering me. It slashed its razor-sharp claws against my skin, drawing blood. Three identical lines marked into my skin on my back and I could feel a burning sensation fill me. I yelped in pain but I had no time to cringe in pain. The beast was moving in for the kill.
I rolled over grabbing hold of the dead Faeries spear and I drove it into the beast's head. It grovelled in pain and rolled onto its side. It was not dead but it was not strong enough to attack me either.
I had no time to think. The second beast that horns could drive straight threw me was already charging. There was nowhere else to go
but forward. I charged forward, running towards the monster head-on. Its black soulless eyes were like nothing I had ever seen before. I slid beneath the beast, in-between its legs and out the other side. My body was covered in sand and dust. Including my new wounds and I could feel the poison already taking its toll.
"RUN!" Naira called out.
If there was ever a time I wished I spoke some weird language and cast a spell from my subconscious: it was now. But I did not get to choose when I had control of my powers. The beast turned on its heel, this time its horns were driven down low. I ran. The crowd shouted out things like: "KILL HER NOW!"
I ran back towards the pillars hoping to slow down its momentum. I weaved around the massive pillars waiting for the beast to do the same. It did not. Instead, it took down the pillar I had been tied to. I leapt out of the way as the pillar smashed to pieces making the ground shake and sending waves of sand up in the air.
The Golden Year and the Sorceress Page 14
