by Smith, S. E.
Mike’s arms protectively tightened around Marina when her legs gave out from under her. Her eyes fluttered for a moment as she fought to keep them open, but it was impossible. The weight of Magna’s spell had slammed into her, draining all the energy from her body even with Mike’s touch.
He picked her up in his arms and carried her over to a nearby tree where he gently lowered her to a soft thatch of grass growing underneath. He unhooked Mr. Bow and laid it to the side before he slid his hand along her cheek and cupped it. His hand trembled slightly as he waited until she opened her eyes. He needed to reassure himself that she was alright.
“It’s Magna’s spell and the drain from creating the portal. My magic is not made for such spells,” she whispered, forcing her eyes open. “Give me a few minutes.”
Mike breathed a sigh of relief. “Take all the time you need,” he said.
He removed his jacket and placed it over her. Turning, he sat down next to her and gently lifted her head so she could use his lap as a pillow. He tenderly brushed her braid to the side.
Shivering, Marina rolled onto her side and pulled his jacket around her. “I can feel the power within you,” she whispered with a sigh. “It is giving me strength. Already, I feel stronger than I would have.”
“Take all the power you need, honey,” Mike offered, leaning back against the tree and staring out at the ocean. “It is beautiful here.”
“One day I would like to show you how beautiful it truly is,” Marina murmured in a barely audible voice.
Mike tightened his hold on her slender figure. He could feel her fatigue. The spell took a lot out of her. Before, her grandmother had helped. This time, Marina had used every bit to transport them here.
He leaned over and picked up Mr. Bow, placing it next to her. He smiled when she pulled the bow under the jacket and hugged it close to her. Shifting a little more, he moved until he could straighten his legs. Tilting his head back, he stared up at the stars. Unobstructed, he could see the center of the star system running south to north like a wide river.
“Sleep,” he instructed, brushing his hand along her silky hair. “I’ll wake you when the others arrive.”
Marina started to shake her head before she sighed. “I shouldn’t, but I’m so tired,” she grumbled
Mike’s hand paused. “Get some rest. We will need you to be ready,” he ordered in a gruff voice.
She was silent for several seconds. Mike thought she had fallen asleep until she turned her head and brushed a kiss against his leg.
“You are a good man, Mike Hallbrook,” she sighed. “I’m glad you are here.”
Mike felt his chest tighten at her softly spoken confession. He listened as her breathing grew steady and knew she had fallen asleep. Relaxing, he leaned back against the tree and gazed out at the glittering ocean. The light from the twin moons created millions of dancing diamonds that reflected on the surface of the water. Love and fear warred inside him as he continued to tenderly stroke her hair.
“I’m glad I’m here, too,” he whispered, settling down to watch and wait for the others’ arrival.
Chapter Twenty
Mike’s soft whisper in her ear woke Marina from a sound sleep. She sat up and blinked in surprise, feeling more refreshed than she had in over a year, and…
“It’s still dark,” she whispered in amazement, turning to look up at Mike with shining eyes. “I don’t feel the weight that normally drains me.”
Mike’s eyes glittered for a moment before he concealed his anger. “It is all the positive mojo I was giving you while you slept,” he teased, shifting and rising to his feet.
She took the hand he offered and stood as well. They both stretched. For the first time, Marina could actually see Magna’s spell swirling like fine threads through the air. The threads recoiled whenever they brushed close to Mike. Curious, Marina took several steps away from Mike. Gasping, she stumbled back against him. Once again, the vivid red threads recoiled.
“What happened?” he asked, holding her close to his body and looking around.
“I can see Magna’s spell,” she said, tilting her head.
“You can see…? You couldn’t see it before?” he asked, puzzled.
“No. I can see a person’s magic, but never the actual spell,” she replied.
Her fingers itched to touch the threads and see if she could tell how the spell was created. For some reason, the spell was repelled by Mike. Turning, she looked at Mike. Her eyes widened when she saw a shimmering white glow surrounding him.
“What is it?” he asked in an uneasy voice.
Marina lifted her fingers to trace the glow. “I see your magic,” she breathed.
Mike shook his head. “I don’t have any magic,” he started to protest before he looked at his arm, then lifted it to see better. He breathed out a soft curse. “What the…?”
“It’s your magic,” she repeated.
The vivid colors of her magic spiraled outward, touching and entwining his. Her magic changed as they combined, becoming brighter and sparkling with the same light as the stars on the water. Curious, she slowly backed away from him. She stopped when she was halfway to the water. All around her, the sparkling, soft-white glow of his magic clung to her, protecting her from Magna’s spell.
She felt stronger than she ever had. Running back up to Mike, she threw her arms around his neck and held him. She didn’t understand what had happened, or why this time was different, but she was grateful.
“Thank you, Mike. You have truly given me a priceless gift,” she said in a voice filled with awe and joy.
* * *
Mike started to correct her. Relief flooded him at the sight of Marina’s glowing face. She had scared the crap out of him when she collapsed earlier. Emotion choked him. Unable to voice the overwhelming feelings coursing through him, he bent his head and captured her lips. He honestly didn’t care what it was or what she called it—magic, aura, a gift—he was just thankful that she was safe from the spell’s horrible drain on her body.
A slight change in the cadence of the waves caught his attention and sent a flare of warning through him. Releasing Marina’s lips, he instinctively turned, placing his body between Marina and the beach while his hand reached for his gun. He relaxed when he saw Orion and a group of men emerging from the sea.
Drago’s dark shape suddenly appeared out of the night sky to land on the beach nearby. The relieved smile on his lips turned into a scowl when Drago’s light chuckle was swept away on the breeze.
“Shit! Damn it, Drago! You are practically invisible at night,” Mike snapped.
“It wouldn’t do me much good if my enemies could see me coming,” Drago replied with a toothy grin.
Mike shook his head. “Do you have any idea how weird it is to hear your voice coming out of a dragon’s mouth? Hell, what am I saying?! The fact I’m talking to a dragon is weird enough,” he retorted, running a hand through his hair.
“Nali, Koorgan, and Ashure have arrived at their designated positions on the east, west, and south sides of the kingdom. They will begin moving in shortly. If Nali and her monsters need assistance in protecting the statues, Ashure will be the closest and he has assured me that he could be here quickly,” Orion stated.
Marina bit her lip. Mike could see a troubled expression in her eyes. Reaching over, he grasped her hand.
“What is it?” he prompted.
Marina looked between Orion and Drago. “King Ashure must not be allowed anywhere near the palace,” she softly informed them.
“Why?” Orion asked in surprise.
Mike watched as Marina hesitated and looked out to sea. The memory of Ladonna’s warning flashed through his mind—Keeper of the Lost Souls. Ashure must be the one who Ladonna warned them about. For some reason, Marina—and obviously Ashure—didn’t want his particular talent to be public knowledge.
“You know what palaces normally have inside them. Can you image what might be left after Ashure went through it?” Mik
e joked.
“Gold,” Orion dryly remarked.
“Jewels,” Drago snickered.
Marina drew in a breath and smiled. “I’m sure my Queen and King would appreciate not awakening to an empty treasury,” she reasoned.
Mike bit back a chuckle when he felt Marina squeeze his hand in thanks. A part of him felt sorry for helping ruin the Pirate King’s reputation, but something told him Ashure would rather be known as a thief than a soul collector.
“We need to move. It will be near dawn by the time everyone is in place. We do not want to strike too soon. I have no doubt that Magna would use the innocent lives of your people to protect herself if given a chance,” Orion said.
“I can feel the black magic. It has the same taste in the air as it did during the wars. You should have killed the bitch when you had a chance, Orion,” Drago snorted, looking at the thick tangle of trees before his gaze moved up the rocky face of the cliff. “I’ll save you the trouble this time,” he added, looking back at Orion.
Orion grimly nodded. “I feel the dark magic as well. I have fulfilled my obligations to the laws of my people. If you want to kill her, I will not stop you, but be warned that even with her death the spell she cast over your people may not be broken,” he cautioned.
The large dragon nodded his head before turning his gaze to Mike. Drago stared down at him with intense eyes that glowed with an internal fire, sending a shiver of unease through him. Mike wanted to groan when Drago bared his teeth in warning before he spoke.
“Speaking of mates, when this is over, don’t try to talk my mate into returning to your world. She isn’t going, even if she did threaten to if I didn’t come back. Dragons don’t give up their treasure, and Carly is mine,” Drago informed him.
A sudden acuity struck Mike as he gazed at the huge dragon—Drago was afraid of losing the woman he loved. It dawned on him that his sudden appearance in this world had deeply shaken Drago and Orion. He couldn’t believe that he was just now comprehending that they were worried that his presence might somehow jeopardize Carly and Jenny remaining here.
The thought hadn’t even entered his mind—well, not for long anyway. It hadn’t taken him long to see that both women were where they wanted to be. Besides, he reasoned, who in their right mind would argue with a dragon? After seeing Carly Tate in her dragon form, he wouldn’t want to think of the damage she could do back home after some of the stories he had been told. He could just imagine the whole west coast going up in flames if she caught a cold!
“Like I said before, my job was just to make sure she was safe. I’m glad she is here and not dead. I can close the case, that is all I care about,” Mike assured the dragon.
“Good. Orion, I’ll wait for your signal above the palace,” Drago replied.
Drago turned and walked several yards down the beach before he took off. “Is he always this pleasant before a battle?” Mike asked with a hesitant laugh.
“I think the better question to ask is if he is ever pleasant. Of course, he is probably scared and doesn’t want to admit it. You saw his three children. Drago is probably terrified he would get stuck with them alone, especially Little Jenny-Roo. Drago told me she is a lot like her mother. Drago had to fireproof the paper birds the last time Roo was sick,” Orion chuckled.
Marina smothered her laugh. “If you follow me, your Majesty, I will show you and your men the way to the river,” she said with a sigh of apprehension.
Mike could feel the adrenaline kick in. It was showtime. He turned and walked back to the tree where his jacket and Mr. Bow were lying on the grass. Picking up his jacket, he slipped it on, double-checked his gun to make sure the safety was on, and picked up Mr. Bow.
“I feel normal,” Mr. Bow exclaimed.
“It must be my magical mojo,” Mike chuckled at the excited hum of the bow. “I just hope you feel that way when we get to the palace.”
Mr. Bow quivered. “You stay near Marina and I’ll fire my arrows,” he promised.
“Deal. Whatever you do, make sure you protect your mistress,” Mike quietly ordered.
“Always,” Mr. Bow softly answered.
He returned to Marina where she was quietly talking to Orion. She reached for Mr. Bow, smiling at Mike when she felt the familiar hum of magic in the wood. He nodded in acknowledgement.
“Mike and I will find the King and do everything we can to keep him safe,” Marina finished.
Orion nodded and turned to his Captain of the Guard standing silently behind him. “Kapian, just in case, have two of the men fall back and cover the rear. I do not trust Magna. She could have some of her other unnatural creatures patrolling the inner perimeter of the palace.”
“Anything made of magic will be weakened,” Marina said.
Orion pursed his lips and shook his head. “It is her non-magical creatures I worry about. The inky blackness that attacked me in the throne room was not made from Magna’s magic. It was something else. She will keep whatever it is close to her,” Orion replied in a terse tone.
“I know that the Hellhounds are not easy to destroy. I have only seen the other creature once, the day the Sea Witch changed my brother to stone,” Marina responded in a solemn voice.
“We will do everything we can to stop her and restore your people, Marina. Kapian, make sure the men use full charge on their tridents,” he ordered.
“Full charge, men,” Kapian ordered the men standing behind them.
“Lead the way, Marina. We only have a few hours until sunrise,” Orion said.
Chapter Twenty-One
An hour later, the small group emerged along the edge of a narrow but deep ravine. The wide waterfall fed the underground river that surfaced on the other side of the palace walls and flowed into the pristine lake on the palace grounds. Marina knew from experience that the water was deep.
“Please be careful, your Majesty. Isha once told Father that he swam the underground river to see if it was possible. There are many caves that dead end. There are also eels, sharp rocks, and passages that he said he was barely able to squeeze through. Once you enter, the swift current will prevent you from coming back out this way,” she warned, staring down at the glittering mist shining in the moonlight.
“You needn’t worry, Marina. My men and I are very adept at handling anything under the water,” Orion dryly reminded her.
She released a self-conscious snort. “I’m sorry, your Majesty. Tonight may be the only chance we have to save my people,” she replied with a bow of her head.
“There is no need to apologize. We will be successful,” Orion told her, touching her chin so she was forced to look at him. “I promise.”
Her expression softened, and she smiled. “I believe you,” she murmured.
Orion dropped his hand and nodded to Mike, who stood to the side. “Safe journeys. We will see you at the palace,” he said.
“Good luck,” Mike automatically responded with a nod of his head.
Marina watched as Orion nodded to Kapian before he dove off the side of the cliff into the turbulent waters below. The others quickly followed. She waited to see if they surfaced, but they didn’t. She hoped they would be successful.
It would be a fight to get through the waters, even for the sea people. Once the men were inside the palace, Orion and his men must kill any of the Hellhounds that patrol the interior courtyard while one of his men opened the gate for Nali and her monsters.
Now that her magic was restored, she could seek the aid of the trees and other plants to help them. Once Nali and her monsters secured the statues in the courtyard, Orion, Drago, her, and Mike could enter the interior of the palace and discover where the Sea Witch was holding the King.
“Let’s go,” Mike said in a quiet voice.
“Yes,” Marina responded with a slight nod.
They wove their way through the forest to the eerily silent outer city. She turned and headed through the park that was adjacent to the palace grounds. Running down the same path she had traver
sed nearly a year before, they wound their way through the forest to the outer wall of the palace.
“Please Mr. Tree, guide us safely to the other side of the wall,” Marina softly requested.
She breathed a sigh when the vines hanging from the tree reached down. Lifting her arms, she waited for the vines to wrap around her wrists. Mike hesitated a moment before he reluctantly did the same. She heard Mike’s swiftly inhaled breath when the vines lifted them off their feet.
Seconds later, they were lowered to the ground on the other side of the wall. Marina blanched and stumbled back from the interior wall when she saw the tangle of black moving along the stone wall. They had escaped the creature’s detection by not climbing on the wall. Marina could see the skeletal remains of birds, small mammals, and insects, which had not been so fortunate, caught in the thick tentacles.
“I don’t understand,” she whispered as she stared at the moving vines. “If the Sea Witch used her magic to enchant these vines, they should be normal. The spell she cast should have weakened, just as it does with the ogres. I think this isn’t magic, but the same creature that chased me before.”
“A creature?” he muttered, stepping back when the curling vines twisted toward him.
Marina frowned, puzzled. “Perhaps this is its natural form.”
“Whatever in the hell it is, we need to stay out of its reach and get to the palace,” Mike grimly pointed out.
Marina nodded and looked around them. She waved her hand to Mike to follow her. They moved through the maze, staying in the middle where the light of the moon shone. Several times, they were forced to pause when they saw a black tentacle stretching across their path.
“We will have to go a different way,” she whispered.
The path leading to the main garden was blocked. The moving tentacles looked like a bed of boiling worms or snakes. Backing away, she signaled to turn left. She began to worry that they were taking too long. Turning to the right, she could see a narrow side entrance to the maze. This one came out near the sheds that housed the supplies for the gardeners.
