Myths and Gargoyles by Jamie Hawke (interesting books to read in english txt) 📕

I didn’t have a choice in this, apparently. I reached out for Nivian as I held my breath, focusing my Fae connection on trying to reach her, to latch onto her. There was no reason to know if it would work or to expect it to, but she was there, cursing me and lashing out with her tail, flying at me with claws at the ready.

My arms sliced through the water and, to my surprise I was thrown out of the way. Right, Tempest! I’d forgotten that my chosen class now had to do with elements, with water being a major part of that. Her eyes went wide with surprise, but that didn’t stop her assault. In fact, she smiled, clasping her hands together. The light from below shot up, water swirling around it and coming for me.

Again I threw myself sideways, barely dodging it, but realized what she was doing as the light took one of the boats above—she wasn’t going to use this portal or whatever it was she was creating to escape, but to send us away!

To my horror, the boat with Elisa, Red, and Sharon came swirling down with the light. They were scrambling in confusion, trying to reach for me. I threw myself at them this time, but it was no use. Swirling, roaring light shot out long tendrils of luminosity that reminded me of a massive octopus grabbing hold of them… and they were gone.

I screamed, forgetting my need for air, and charged Nivian. If my attack had been against anyone else, it might have worked. But not her—this was her domain. Her tail came up to slam into my back as she changed direction and then came across my midsection, drawing a stream of blood as another swirling light went for Pucky.

No way was I letting it take her too, but without breath, I didn’t know what to do. Instead of staying here and trying to fight this mermaid, I shot up for the surface, hoping to grab Pucky and make for shore.

Instead, she went shooting past me, mouth clamped shut and eyes wide with panic, but Excalibur held out for me. I grabbed it and watched her horns glow as she shot past, hoping she would be able to teleport or whatever it was she did. Before she was able, the light took her and she was gone too.

Fuck me.

Almost at the surface, Nivian charged me. I had Excalibur, though, and the sword fueled my powers. Before she could reach me I changed direction, caught her with a good slice to the arm, then went for another strike—fast, direct for her heart. Her only chance was the light, and she took it.

In a flash, she was gone and the waters had returned to normal. I surfaced, spluttering, confused, and glanced around.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that everyone up here was going about their business, oblivious to what had just happened. Swan boats moved out from the dock, a sailboat in the distance, and tourists were walking about enjoying the sunlight, not a cloud to be seen.

I treaded water, wondering what the hell I was going to do. Finally Sekhmet calling my name got my attention, and I remembered that I wasn’t completely alone, at least.

Swimming back to shore, I swore we’d find a way to go after that fucking mermaid, find my team, and get to Arthur. No matter what the cost.

41

My return to shore happened in a flash, with Sekhmet helping me out of the water and Bastet pacing, hissing at the lake as if to say she’d been right to hate the water. She had a good point.

“What the fuck do we do now?” I asked, after spewing out the quick version of what had happened.

Sekhmet glared at the lake, chest heaving. “How could you let this happen?”

“Me?” I took an aggressive step toward her, clenching tight to Excalibur. “If you two hadn’t been scared of fucking water, we wouldn’t be having this talk!”

Bastet hissed at me, but Sekhmet held up a hand and said, “No. Turning on each other does no good here. We still owe the price of leading them to Arthur, and…” She eyed me to see if I was catching on. After a moment, she took out her blades and seemed about to cut me, but then ran them over me, flames going just enough to act like a quick-drying spell.

“Since your tracking spell led us to Milan, he can’t be far away,” I said. “But Nivian—The Lady of the Lake?”

“A distraction.”

“Still leaving us with the question of what we’re supposed to do now.”

“Well, considering someone led us here…” she spun back toward the direction of the station, back to Milan where we’d met Tore, and started walking, Bastet at her heels.

“I’m just supposed to follow you?” I called after her. Seeing people eye me with curiosity, I rolled my eyes and started after her. “Do we have a plan at least? Just go ask him again?”

“This time we’re not asking,” Sekhmet replied. “We’re demanding.”

I heaved Excalibur up onto my shoulder, careful not to cut off an ear. “I like the sound of that.”

Taking the train back to Milan was painful, in that it took two hours and we knew we were running out of time. Still, our only hope right now was this Tore character. If I thought there was a chance of reopening the portal in the lake, believe me, I would’ve done it, even if it meant drowning in the process. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my ladies.

It went quickly, though, and soon we were back in that shopping district, all of it looking much less glamorous this time around. Sekhmet took the honors of stomping on the character’s balls to summon him.

“You?” he said, emerging from the shadows. He stood tall, muscular, his horns glimmering in the sun that shone down from the glass above. “You have