by Linsey Hall
Iain dived below me, catching me as I fell. I clutched him tightly, grateful for his strong arms around my back and legs. He surged away, throwing one more blast at the Kraken, who splashed into the water with a roar.
“Did you get it?” Iain asked.
“Yeah.” I looked toward the Kraken, who surfaced with a huge splash.
Its tentacle went right for the sub, wrapping around the boat and crushing it like a frat boy with a tin can.
Dread opened a hole in my chest. “There goes our ride.”
Iain cursed.
“Can you use the current to get us to the surface? Like you did with the guards?”
He shook his head. “Only if you can hold your breath for ten minutes.”
“I’ll die.”
He nodded, face grim. “I can’t move the water fast enough. Especially now that my magic is weakened from using it to distract the Kraken.”
I craned my neck, searching for an escape. “We have to find the tunnels that Fabien mentioned.”
The queen would know when we entered them, but it was our only choice. Iain flew quickly around the room, searching for an exit. The Kraken swam toward the land, dragging the sub with it. The massive piece of metal slowed the beast, but it wouldn’t for long. Once he deposited his newest treasure in his stash, he’d be coming for us.
“There.” Iain darted toward the tunnel, clutching me tight to him as he flew.
The tunnel entrance beckoned, large and dark. Too large. “The Kraken can fit through there.”
“Then we need to be fast.” Iain swooped into the darkness.
The Kraken roared, and I looked back, spotting its green eyes as it surged toward us. The crushed submersible sat at the entrance to its hoard cave.
Oh fates.
The queen would be pissed.
My potion bag was still around my neck, so I reached for one. A stunner, this time. I timed my throw with the beat of Iain’s wings, and hurled it at the monster.
It slammed against its head, slowing it briefly. The limbs became clumsy, and it trundled along, giving us a few precious seconds to get farther away.
Soon, the tunnel narrowed to the point that Iain could no longer fly. Which meant that the Kraken was too big to get through, thank fates.
Iain landed at a run, slowing to let me down. Together, we sprinted a few more yards down the twisting tunnel.
We stopped in a quieter section, breathing heavily. All around, the coral was white and studded with blue gems to light the way. In the distance, I heard the Kraken roar its rage. I patted my pocket where the gem was located, just to make sure it was still there.
“How the hell are we going to get out of here?” I asked.
His brow creased. “If we can hide long enough for me to recoup my magic, I can possibly get us to the surface using the currents. But it’ll be close. We’re so deep it’ll take time.”
Damn, that sucked.
“We can try to steal another sub,” Iain said. “But they’ll be on alert for us. It’ll be harder.”
My mind raced. We could implore the queen for forgiveness, but I really didn’t like that idea. I really didn’t want to dip my toe back into her conniving world if I could help it.
An idea flared. “I can ask Syrea, the girl who was helping me dress.”
“Why would she help us?”
I shrugged. “She might not. But I was nice to her. I knew I might need an ally.”
I’d been nice to Syrea because I’d liked her, but maybe I was just as conniving as the Primordial queen.
“Let’s try to find her then,” Iain said. “Perhaps she can lead us to another sub that’s not in the harbor.”
“Yeah. But we need to hurry. The queen’s guard might be aware of us now that we’ve entered the tunnels.”
We set off down the corridor, moving quickly.
“You do have the stone, correct?” Iain asked.
“Yeah. But it feels weird.”
“What do you mean?”
“Different. I don’t know how. But it’s the right stone.”
“We’ll deal with it, whatever it is.” The support in his voice warmed me.
“Yeah.”
We reached a divide in the path, and I stared at it. “I have no idea.”
“Go left.”
“How do you know?”
“I have a good sense of direction.”
“Left it is, then.” We hurried down the path. The farther we got, the brighter the lights became. The path even started to look nicer, as if it the castle’s influence were stretching to this part of the tunnels. Soon, we were within the castle itself. The walls were covered in ornate carvings of sea life and Primordial Ones, and the scent of perfume wafted down the hall.
“We’re near the queen,” Iain murmured. “Her quarters, most likely.”
I didn’t have to ask how he knew. That scent was distinct.
I pointed to a spot where the hall branched off. “Let’s go that way.”
He nodded, and we headed toward it on silent feet, avoiding the queen’s chambers. She was likely to be the most powerful of all of them, and we didn’t have time for that. Not to mention, if we actually fought her to ensure our escape, it would definitely be a declaration of war.
Finally, we reached the section of the castle where our chambers had been located. Footsteps sounded in the distance.
Iain gripped my arm and pulled me into a nook in the wall, hiding us behind a huge statue of the same Kraken that we’d just stolen from.
“I told you,” a masculine voice said. “They were in the Kraken’s quarters. I could feel their presence in the tunnels.”
I peeked out in time to see the figure sweep by in deep sapphire robes. Heavy ceremonial chains dotted with seashells dangled from the man’s neck, and I assumed he was some kind of seer or wise man.
Next to him, a hulking man in the uniform of the palace guard listened with a frown on his face. “We’ll send troops to the area immediately.”
“It’s too late. If they were moving quickly, they’ve already reached the palace itself.” The seer waved his hands. “They could be anywhere, now.”
Like right next to you.
The guard seemed to think the same thing, because he looked around as if to search for us.
I pressed farther back against Iain’s chest, making sure that I was fully in the shadows. His warmth surrounded me, along with his scent, and I tried to ignore it. Tension tightened the air between us, and we held our breath.
The two men passed, and I sagged against him. He gripped my shoulder with strong hands, and I leaned into him for a moment more.
As soon as I was about to straighten and exit the hiding spot, the light sound of footsteps approached. I peeked out again, catching sight of Syrea.
Holy fates, just our luck.
Quickly, I grabbed her arm and yanked her into the nook, covering her mouth so she couldn’t shout. I spun her to face us.
The words spilled out of me. “We won’t hurt you, I swear. We need help. Will you not scream?”
Her wide eyes darted over my face, then she nodded.
My heart thundered as I withdrew my hand. “Sorry about that.”
“What the hell is going on?” Her gaze moved between us. “They say there’s an intruder coming from the Kraken’s quarters.”
“That’s us.”
“Why did you go there?”
“It stole something of mine.” I winced slightly. “Found is probably a fairer word. But either way, I needed it back. All of the Fire Fae needed it back. We will burn without it.”
She grimaced. “So you stole from the Kraken?”
“Retrieved.”
“He won’t see it that way. And neither will the queen.”
“We’ll deal with the queen once we’re gone,” Iain said. “I’ll send gifts. Many gifts.”
We’d have to start by replacing her submarine, which I was going to leave up to Iain.
“She likes gifts,”
Syrea said. “But you better make them good ones.”
“We will,” he said. “Can you help us escape?”
I held my breath, praying that our short time together had made her like me enough to not want to see us get in huge—potentially deadly—trouble.
Come on.
She sighed. “How?”
Relief sagged my shoulders.
“We need to get to the surface,” I said. “Is there any way you can sneak us to a boat or help us?”
“A boat? No way. I can’t help you steal a boat. That’ll get me in too much trouble.” Her lips pursed as she appeared to think. “But there is a potion that allows one to grow fin-wings and gills for a short period. The queen uses it to take guests on a tour of the Coral Forest.”
“Can you get us some?” Iain asked. “If I combine that with my control over the currents, we could survive long enough to make it to the surface.”
“I could, yes.” She nodded. “There’s a big jar of it in the queen’s store room. Enough that she wouldn’t notice if I took a bit.”
Oh, thank fates. “How do we get there?”
“Come on, follow me. And stay quiet.”
I nodded, then followed her out of the nook and into the hall. She led us through the twisting corridors. Every time we heard footsteps, she knew an appropriate nook or closet to slip into.
“You’re really saving our butts,” I whispered.
“You owe me.”
“I’ll think of something.” I grinned. “You should visit Magic’s Bend.”
“The surface?” Interest gleamed in her eyes. “Maybe. Now come on.”
We raced down the hall, finally stopping in front of a nondescript door. Magical signatures wafted from the room within.
This had to be it.
Syrea slipped in and we followed, entering a wonderland of magical objects and potions. Shelves were stuffed full, everything from clothing and weapons to tiny vials of liquid and huge vats of colorful powder.
“Keep an eye on the door,” she said.
Iain and I positioned ourselves on either side, and Syrea went straight to one of the clear glass jars that glittered with a pale pink powder.
Footsteps sounded outside the room, and I turned to her, whispering frantically, “Someone is coming.”
12
“Someone is coming?” Syrea spun around, her face shocked. “We can’t be caught here.”
No kidding. Who knew what the queen would do to Syrea if we were caught raiding her royal stash?
Syrea reached into a jar full of shimmering yellow powder and flung some at Iain, who immediately disappeared. I received the same treatment, and suddenly, I was able to see Iain.
I had to be invisible too. A moment later, Syrea shimmered briefly, then reappeared.
She looked at us both and hissed, “Be absolutely silent.”
We pressed ourselves against the walls and I held my breath. Syrea did the same, and we all watched the door with bated breath.
It creaked open, and a male Primordial walked in. He wore the uniform of the palace guard and stopped at the door wary, carefully sniffing the air, his brow furrowing.
He could smell us.
Should I knock him out?
But then that would leave a trail to here. He might not see us when we did it, but it would be obvious that the two intruders had been the ones to do the crime.
Syrea met my gaze and shook her head, a serious expression in her eyes.
I ditched that plan and stood stock still. Finally, the guard moved, going to a shelf full of potion bombs and taking a handful. He left the room quickly, and I sagged against the wall.
“Thank fates,” Syrea murmured. “We cannot attack anyone in this room or they’ll be on us in minutes. The guards’ quarters are right near here.”
I eyed the contents of the room. “Won’t they suspect you if we take something?”
“There’s no reason she should miss the powder. There’s so much of it. Anyway, you could get in here yourself, and many people have access. I’ll be fine.”
I hoped she was right. I’d hate to get her in trouble.
Quickly, she pulled on some gloves, then filled up two tiny vials with the pale pink powder she’d first approached. She handed them to us. “Just sprinkle a bit on your bare skin right before you jump in the water.”
“Thank you so much.” I took the vial. “Where is the nearest exit? One of those windows to the sea?”
“I’ll show you. The windows aren’t actually exits. Magic prevents you from entering or leaving. You have to go through the harbor or the entrance you came through, the one with the chariots and sea monsters.”
Crap. “How do we get there?”
“I’ll lead you. No one will be able to see us until we get to the harbor because of the invisibility powder, but the wards there will strip this magic from us.”
“All we have to do is get into the water, correct?” Iain asked. “They haven’t repaired the hole in the iron fence, have they?”
Syrea frowned. “Damn it, they might have. We’ll head toward the river harbor instead. You’ll have to deal with the sea creatures, but it’s better than the iron gate.”
I nodded quickly. “I don’t have the strength to melt the metal again.”
“Let’s go.” She gestured for us to follow, then stopped and looked at me. “You meant it—about the invitation to the surface?”
“I did. Especially if you get in trouble here.”
“That’s what I was thinking. I doubt I’ll get caught, but if I do…”
“Head to Potions & Pastilles in Magic’s Bend, Oregon.” I gripped her shoulders. “And thank you for this. It’s not just our lives you’re saving, but those of my people as well.”
She nodded. “You’ll have to tell me the story one day. Now come on.”
We followed her from the room, sprinting down the corridors on silent feet. A guard turned the corner in front of us, and I nearly skidded to a halt, ready to fight.
But he looked straight through us.
Syrea kept running, her footsteps impossible to hear. The guard’s brow wrinkled as she passed him, almost like he could sense her, but he hesitated only briefly. My heartbeat thundered as I passed him, praying that he didn’t figure out what was going on.
We passed four more guards, and every single time, my heart threatened to beat its way out of my chest.
Syrea looked back and whispered, “We’re nearly there.”
A few moments later, Syrea stopped abruptly at the entrance to a huge room. I skidded to a halt next to her, peering inside. It was the same massive throne room that we’d arrived at initially. I’d forgotten that the river had terminated here.
Shit.
I looked toward the sloped wall. The queen wasn’t sitting in her throne, but there were half a dozen attendants or whatever they were called.
“The courtiers are powerful,” Syrea whispered. “Beware their magic.”
I didn’t see the chariot or the sea monsters, and hoped that was a good thing.
Please be a good thing.
“You can’t see them now,” she said. “But there are guards camouflaged against the wall. At least six.”
“That makes twelve against two,” I said.
Three.
I looked down, spotting Puka.
“Thanks, pal.”
“I’ll create a diversion back here. It won’t distract all of them, but it will take care of some.” Syrea smiled bracingly. “Good luck.”
“The Court of the Sea Fae owes you a debt.” Iain reached into his pocket and withdrew something. He handed a small opal stone to her. “If you need assistance, use this stone. It will alert me.”
Her hand closed around it. “Thank you.”
“As soon as you step into the room, the wards will force the invisibility charm to break.”
“Thanks. Truly.” I watched her slip back a few feet, then drew Connor’s potion bag from the ether. I grabbed a couple stunners
and handed them to Iain. “These won’t kill.”
“Good.”
“Use your wings if you have to. One of us needs to get to the surface.” That thought triggered another. “Actually….” I reached toward my zippered pocket. “You should take the SoulStone. With your wings, you have a better chance of getting out of here.”
“No.” His big hand covered mine, stopping me from removing the SoulStone. “You hold onto it. There’s no way in hell I’m leaving you.”
“You have to. All of my people will die without it.”
“I’m not leaving you. Keep the stone.” His tone was firm.
“You need to get out of here,” Syrea said. “More guards could come at any minute.”
I second that. Puka nudged my leg.
“Fine.” I left the SoulStone in my pocket and looked down at Puka. “No killing, all right?”
Maiming?
“None of that either. Minimal wounds.”
Party pooper.
“Where did you even learn language like that?”
Spying. Duh.
I looked at Syrea. “Ready with the diversion?”
“Ready.” She grinned and held up a gleaming silver orb about the size of a baseball.
I gripped a stunner potion bomb in my hand and gave Iain one last glance. He nodded, his expression reassuring, and I believed him when he said he wouldn’t leave me behind.
I swallowed hard, warmed despite myself.
Syrea chucked the silver orb to the ground and a horde of screeching ghosts flew from it. They howled and wailed as they rushed out into the throne room. There had to be a dozen of them, all amorphous figures without real faces or clothes.
“Bye!” Syrea sprinted away, disappearing quickly down the hall.
The throne room erupted into chaos, the hidden guards surging away from the wall, weapons raised. The courtiers burst to their feet, shouting.
“Let’s go,” Iain said.
“Yep.”
We sprinted form the corridor, headed for the river. Puka stayed between us and the courtiers, her eyes glinting with ferocity.
“It’s the king of the Sea Fae!” shouted one of the guards.
“Get them!” shouted another.
Jets of water hurtled toward us, flying so fast that they’d be deadly. The guards hurled their tridents, and I dodged the weapons that clattered to the ground around me.
