A Destiny of Dragons (Tales From Verania #2)(117)

I opened my mouth to argue but closed it just as quick. I’d give him shit for it later. We didn’t have time for me to be an asshole right now. Especially since it was probably better that he take the lead, given that I was still feeling the pull of whatever waited for us on the island. “You’re so cute when you get all huffy,” I said instead.

And there was the eye roll I was looking for, even as he blushed. “Shut up. I do not.”

“Totally do.”

“I really fucking hate you guys right now,” Gary said. “Just so you know.”

“Let’s go,” Ryan said, looking toward the ruins.

Left, Ruv had said. Then right. Then left.

We had this.

Ryan pulled me forward, sword still gripped in his other hand at the ready. Each step he took was deliberate, kicking up the sand, making sure we kept to the path hidden underneath. I followed him closely, trying to keep an eye out around him.

Ruv had started to drift up the incline of the sand dune that wrapped around the ruins. The sand mermaid following him leapt out of the sea, hooked claws reaching, but Ruv swerved at the last moment, and the creature flew into the sand dune, disappearing with the last flick of its tail. Remarkably, I could hear Ruv’s laughter, like he was having the time of his life.

I didn’t see the other one, though. And it made me nervous. I tried not to think about what would happen if there were more than two. That probably wouldn’t bode well.

Ryan paused briefly, hand tightening around mine as his feet found the first ledge. We began to move left and— Wizard. Wizard. I feel you. Are you worthy? Are you ready?

I gritted my teeth against it, forcing myself to remain upright as Ryan led the way. It was urging me on, calling me to it, and I didn’t want to fight it. I wanted to sing back to it that I was coming, that I heard it too— “Watch out!” Gary screamed behind us.

The path under our feet shook.

We turned slowly.

Behind us, only a short distance away, sat the other sand mermaid, on the path, tail flicking back and forth.

“Oh, we are so boned,” I said weakly.

“Run,” Ryan whispered in my ear.

And we did.

I had trusted Ruv to lead us on the path, trusting that he knew where to go.

Ryan didn’t know where to go.

And I trusted him more than anything.

We ran.

The mermaid snarled behind us, and I didn’t have to look back to know it was coming after us. I hoped that the others were being smart and staying where they were supposed to. They weren’t going to— A shadow passed overhead.

I looked up.

Because of course they weren’t fucking smart.

“Incoming, motherfuckers!” Gary screamed. “Tiggy, fuck that shit up!”

“GWAAAAHHH!” Tiggy bellowed as Kevin flew right above us, Gary clutched in one set of talons, Tiggy in another. I watched as Kevin released Tiggy, the half-giant shouting that ridiculous cry he thought meant the sound of war. He hurtled toward us as Kevin and Gary continued on, heading toward the ruins.

“Oh, fuck me sideways,” I squeaked as a nine-foot half-giant fell toward us.

Ryan jerked my hand, pulling me forward as we ran under Tiggy.

The sand mermaid roared behind us, sounding like it was right there— I shot a look over my shoulder in time to see Tiggy land on top of the mermaid, squashing it against the hidden stone path. A great plume of sand burst up around them, swallowing them both, but not before I saw the mermaid’s face twist in pain as it screamed.

But even as I thought to cheer Tiggy for kicking ass and taking names, I heard the stone beneath our feet begin to shift and crack.

Which was not a good sound to hear when we were still far from the island.

Ryan didn’t try to pull me away from Tiggy, which was the only reason I held on to his hand still. The sand settled around Tiggy and the mermaid, enough so that I could see the creature’s arm skittering around, trying to find purchase as the crack of stone got louder. Tiggy was trying to hold down the mermaid, but the thing was strong, and it looked like the half-giant was in danger of getting bucked off.

“Tiggy, it’s going to break!” I cried at him. “You need to run!”

Tiggy looked at me, a determined look on his face. “No, Sam. You run. Get to dragon. Tiggy smash.”

My eyes widened. “No! No smash! You’ll fall in the sand.”

The mermaid shrieked and bucked up again, and Tiggy almost went over and into the sand.

“Fuck this,” I snarled. I began to pull my magic toward me, drawing it from the dry desert air, the earth, the sky, the few clouds there were, the rays of the sun, anything so that I could get to kill this bastard of a thing and— And of course Ryan felt it, of course he knew what I was doing, because he pulled me back against him. “You can’t,” he muttered in my ear. “We don’t know if there are more of these things or what the dragon will do.”

“If you fucking think I’m just going to leave him—”

“Kevin’s coming back,” he said. “We gotta move. Kevin will help him.”

“He can’t. You heard what Ruv said. The vibrations—”

“I’m pretty sure we’re past vibrations now—”

“Then just let me do this!” I jerked out of Ryan’s grasp and was about to fucking bring it when Ryan cried out behind me. I whirled around in time to see another mermaid rising out of the sand, a clawed hand wrapped around his ankle. He’d fallen on his ass and was being pulled toward its mouth, the needle-sharp teeth so close to his boot. He was reaching for his sword, which had gotten knocked out of his hand.