Page 185 of House of Pain
“Okay,” Blaze replied. “I’ll keep them at bay with fire. Can you and Andro muster a spell to get the boat to the shore?”
“I don’t know about the spell, but how about this?” Andro said, lifting a hand with a band of rope he managed to scrounge from inside the boathouse nearby.
Jolene cracked a smile. “Perfect. We’ll just need to make sure the rope gets to Alecto.”
“But the sirens are holding the boat in place,” Blaze reminded them. “What if you can’t move the boat?”
Jolene stayed silent for a moment, then she brushed a hand through her pleated skirt and lifted her chin.
“We’ll make them let go,” she said.
Blaze smirked at the determination on Jolene’s face. He grabbed for his bones, conjuring the fire in his mind.
When the flame flared in his palm, Blaze went to the edge of the lake and threw the first flame at the sirens gathered on the left of Alecto’s boat.
The fire died the moment it hit the water, but not before it had the sirens hissing and scattering away. They turned their attention to Blaze, black eyes gleaming with hate.
Blaze didn’t waver. He threw one flame after another, targeting every siren’s head he could see above the surface.
By his side, Jolene and Andro both worked the rope, letting it float in the air towards Alecto, so she could hold on to it as they towed her to the shore.
When he sent a larger flame towards a group of five sirens climbing over the edge of the boat, the flame caught the boat, setting it on fire.
“Blaze!” Alecto gasped, moving away from the side of the boat, crackling with fire. “Now is not the time to fucking try to kill me again!”
“My bad,” Blaze said.
“Again?” Jolene turned to him and the rope she was working on came to an abrupt stop. “What the fuck does she mean byagain?”
Blaze pushed his tongue into the cheek, glancing at Jolene.
“I thought everyone knew.”
“Jolene, help me!” Andro urged, and Jolene returned her attention to the rope.
But from the look that she gave him, Blaze was sure this wasn’t the end of it.
The flame was spreading fast, but Jolene and Andro finally managed to get the end of the rope to Alecto.
She scurried forwards and grabbed tight to the rope.
“Pull me in!”
Blaze grabbed for the rope, and with Andro’s help, they pulled her in.
“Did they leave?” Alecto asked, her eyes wide.
Just three more feet left. And she’d be safe.
Two more.
The water behind the boat swirled, a dozen heads popping from underneath the surface.
One more foot.
The sirens plunged forwards, hissing as they advanced.
But they were too late.
