Page 31 of Queen of Thorns
I know Caelynn’s tendencies to disregard her own needs to complete what she deems a worthy cause. She’d easily kill herself to complete her goals. And I am praying against hope that she won’t resort to that again.
But part of me knows that raising the ancient king may be our best option. I just can’t bear the thought of putting her at risk again.
Another flicker of bright light pulls my attention back to Raijin. His streak of electric magic rises twenty feet over the ship and then dissipates in a snap.
A breath releases from my lips as a rumble begins beneath my feet. The ship groans, wooden boards trembling.
Caelynn leans back, fear and anticipation in her eyes.
The once-still water ripples gently.
“Again,” Caelynn whispers.
Raijin lets out a long breath through his nose and then holds out his hands again. He releases a bolt of lightning into the sky. It’s flashes and crackles and then disappears just like the last.
“Mmmmm.”
Caelynn frowns. “Did you hear that?”
I nod.
The ship rocks to the side, knocking me into the railing. I grip it tightly, holding back a yelp of surprise.
“What’s happening?” Rai calls out over the rumbling that is growing with each moment.
“Hmmmmmmmm,” the sing-song voice calls again.
Water sloshes several feet out. Black water rises in a smooth glistening bulge, like the crest of a monstrous creature is rising. Around the figure, water swirls in a circle.
A sound suspiciously like a growl releases from Rai’s lips.
“Just like during a storm,” I call to him. He told us a figure would rise.
“Move us farther out!” Rai orders his crew. The wide-eyed glistening fae leaps into action and pushes his hands out toward the water at the bow of the ship. The ship groans as the water beneath us stirs and sloshes. We begin moving away from the rising black waters slowly. So achingly slow.
My breaths come out in pants as I wait. We all wait. Within the rushing black water, a set of glowing white eyes flash open.
A female with a head the size of an elephant stares at us from behind the smooth layer of dark waters. Her eyes are distant, hazed. Her expression lax. Her skin is dark with a near golden sheen.
She lifts her chin, gazing up into the clear skies above us and then whines. A shrill but sad sound. She’s... disappointed? She usually only rises to dance during thunderstorms. It’s what she expected when she rose from her watery grave.
She turns her attention back to us, only her neck and head are above the surface of the lake, and still, water remains in a thick layer between her and open air.
“The Lady of the Lake,” Raijin murmurs, leaning toward her as if mesmerized. He holds out his hand, palm up.
I grab his upper arm and force him to face me. “No more magic.”
“It’s what she wants.”
“You may wake her,” I say quickly. “We don’t want to wake her.”
Rai blinks and recognition returns in his gaze. “Keep moving away,” he says, eye glancing over my shoulder. “Faster!”
The water fae pushes harder and harder, and finally, the ship picks up speed. The dark female curls a lip in what appears to be annoyance. She rises higher, exposing shoulders and collar bones, and then a hand rises. She flicks two fingers in our direction. A whip of cracking white magic slams into the boat. Splintered wood flies about, sending the ship reeling, tipping sideways. Everyone onboard falls at once, screaming and clawing at the wooden boards. I cling to the railing as the ship evens out and smashes back down to the water, sending a wave at the ancient.
The massive female begins laughing. A haunting tune echoes through the waves like a sadistic melody.
“Below deck!” Raijin cries out. “We’re taking on water.”
