Mermagic by Lucia Ashta

Author:Lucia Ashta [Ashta, Lucia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Awaken to Peace Press
Published: 2018-01-12T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

The Count stilled against the ocean bottom. I watched him, confused, until Salazar swam past his father, paused only to verify he wouldn’t be getting back up, and then continued on to Marcelo.

In sudden panic, I took off after Salazar, because I realized two things at once: the Count had thrown a ball of death magic toward Marcelo and I didn’t see whether it met its target, and Salazar might kill Marcelo if he reached him when he couldn’t call on his usual defenses.

And I was behind already. Salazar was a fast swimmer, also free of water-logged clothing, and Marcelo wasn’t that far away, sprawled across the ocean floor, but moving, I realized with a thump to my heart.

My hands now free of all strands, I streamed everything I had into my strokes. I was a fast enough swimmer. I’d been a mermaid for more than three years. I might not be able to catch up to Salazar, but I wouldn’t be far behind.

A lot could happen in the few seconds it’d take me to catch him though. Magic seemed to be all about waiting and considering impossible odds, and then the real battles took place in seconds that weren’t nearly long enough to accept the inconceivable losses and costs.

I pumped my legs and arms, but when I reached Marcelo, Salazar was already bent over him. Hands outstretched, I grabbed at Salazar’s bare shoulders and pulled with all my strength. I managed to twist him only halfway toward me. He was stronger than I realized.

He turned back to his uncle, but I tried again. I wouldn’t lose Marcelo, who’d apparently survived Washur’s attack—not when we were both so close to making it out of this alive. I settled my fingers around Salazar’s shoulders and dug them in, then I wrenched him backward with all the strength I could summon within the water, pumping my legs forward as I tried to swim backward with a man in tow.

“Clara, it’s all right,” Marcelo said, but I didn’t let Salazar go. “He’s not Salazar anymore. What you said got through to him.”

I hesitated but didn’t release him. It didn’t look like what I’d said did anything... “He told Washur to kill us after what I said.”

“I did,” Salazar said, “because that was the only way to distract him from what I was about to do.”

I was confused.

Marcelo said, “Brave just killed Washur.”

I spun around to look at Washur, still unmoving. “He did?” I sputtered. “He’s dead?” Could it be? As little as I enjoyed wishing a man dead, this man being dead would improve our lives—as in, we’d all have an increased chance of living them.

“I don’t think he’s dead yet,” the man I held said, “but he’s dying.”

I looked to Washur again, then to Marcelo, and finally to Brave. I released the death grip I had on him and turned him to face me. “Brave?”

He smiled shyly. “Yes.”

“Oh I’m so glad you’ve come back to us! I was so worried.” I

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