By the time we got to Martel’s, my friends had already left. There was a handwritten note pinned on his door that said, Gone Fishing, xxoo, R. C. M. Hah. Since Ryker’s initial was first, I assumed the message was her doing. Some of the tension left my gut. I was profoundly relieved to know they’d made it to safety.
We didn’t waste a moment. With one last glance around Martel’s messy and well-loved shop, I whispered goodbye and hoped I never saw the place again in my lifetime.
Zev knew Natheria better than I did, and with a few shortcuts through buildings, it didn’t take too long to get to the Brownie District. The feeling of being followed put a real pep in my step. My knee be damned.
The city's constant darkness had helped us stay undetected in the shadows, but the Brownie territory was distinctly different in that it didn’t have any high-rise buildings. The morning sun crested the horizon, bathing the district in pale peach and golden light.
The quick shift from night into day took my breath away.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmured softly, awestruck as if I’d never seen a sunrise before.
Zev put his arm around my shoulders. “Come. The docks are down this street.”
Martel had made brownies sound like badasses who stuck it to the man, but from what I could see, the small fae-folk were adorable. Their hair and skin tones ranged from light brown to a rich chestnut, and they moved about with purpose and energy. Their clothing, however, was rich with a patchwork of colorful fabrics that spoke to a less practical nature.
As we made our way towards the docks, the salty tang of the ocean mingled with the scent of damp wood and fish. Small sailboats and bigger fishing trollers lined the port. The brownies might be small, but I saw them loading and unloading boxes that would break most backs. The wooden planks beneath our feet groaned with each step, as I scanned the area for any sign of our friends.
“There,” Zev pointed to a midsized deck boat near the center of the port. Our tall, dark-haired companions stuck out amongst the tiny dockworkers and fishermen.
“Hey,” Ryker shouted. Surprise and relief lit up her features as she waved at us. “Hurry. It’s time to go.”
Carver was helping one of the brownies carry a heavy-looking chest onto a mid-sized deck boat. “About time,” he said as we jogged down to join them. “I thought Ryker was going to chain herself to the steering wheel to keep Captain Dalewood from taking off without you.”
“My clients won’t wait for me, so I can’t wait for you,” the brownie captain quipped. “All aboard who’s coming aboard.” He narrowed his gaze at Zev and me. “That means get your ass on the boat if you want a trip to the mainland.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” I gave the brownie a salute as I got on the boat. “How long will it take to get there?” I wanted to get as far from Natheria as possible, and I had no plans on ever coming back.
“About twenty-five minutes if the weather holds.” He licked his finger and stuck it in the air. “It’ll hold just fine.”
The boat was spacious, with deck seating for six people and a small cargo hold below. A small rowboat was strapped to the side. I stared at the heavy chest sitting at the center of the deck. “What’s in the box?”
“None ya business,” Captain Dalewood answered as the engine roared to life.
I glanced at Carver. “It’s heavy,” he said. “That’s all I know. My back will be feeling it for a couple of days.”
Zev leaned back, his face weary. He looked pale, and it worried me. I slipped my hand onto his knee, and he met my gaze. “Are you sure you’re doing okay?”
“I’m just tired.” He shaded his eyes with the back of his hand. “It’s been too long since I have felt the sun on my skin and breathed fresh air.”
He’d been gone for seven months, most of that time spent coiled in a glass bottle. “When we get you home, I am ordering a few days of rest until you get your strength back.”
He slipped his arm around my shoulders, and I curled into his side. As the boat motored away, Natheria began to fade, replaced by Isla de Altamura.
“That’s some crazy magic,” I mused. Until recently, I’d never had an inkling that the supernatural and paranormal world was reality. “How can so much be hidden from humans? Are we really that blind?”
“People see what they want to see,” Zev replied. “And when something doesn’t fit in the box, they find ways to make it fit.”
“Truth.” I knew a lot of people who would rather believe lies over facts if the lies aligned with their beliefs. “Why are we like that?”
The corner of his mouth tugged into an amused half-smile. “A question for the ages.”
I looked at the captain and did a double-take. The small, dark brownie had turned into a tall, older black man. He wore a white sailor’s hat and sported a fluffy white beard and mustache. In other words, he looked every bit the epitome of a grizzled sea captain. It was no wonder most humans were still in the dark.
“Once we make land, I’ve arranged a ride for you all into Mazatlán,” Captain Dalewood informed us. “From there, you can get a plane ride home.”
“I have my own plane,” Ryker said. “I’ll be taking it back.”
“But it’s broken.” On top of that, I was worried about the cartel. “Wouldn’t it be better to come back when you have what you need and there’s less heat?”
“Martel got me the part I need, and I’m not waiting. Mystara is my baby. You don’t leave your baby behind.”
“Stubborn,” I muttered.
Carver, who’d been resting with his eyes closed, said, “That’s the pot calling the kettle black.”
Zev did not leap to my defense.
“Fine. I’m stubborn. It’s an Everlee family trait.”
My response elicited grunts of agreement from both Zev and Carver.
Ryker chuckled.
A wave crashed against the side of the boat, splashing us thoroughly and knocking the boat sideways. So much for smooth sailing.
“What’s happening?” I hollered to anyone who could answer.
Carver stood up, his feet shoulder-width apart, as he looked around. “Storm kelpies,” he answered, shaking droplets off his hand. “I can feel them in the water.”
“Those fucking blue men,” Ryker seethed. “They won’t give up.”
“I got this,” the captain announced. “Hold on to your hats.”
No one but him had a hat on. Ryker grabbed Carver and pulled him down onto the bench with her as we braced for another incoming wave. Captain Dalewood spun his steering wheel to the left, then back to the right and full throttle ahead. The back of the boat took the brunt of the incoming wave.
“These guys are famous for sinking ships,” Ryker shouted as he pointed to another wave breaking from about a hundred feet away. “I don’t know what chance we stand in this water coffin!”
“Zev?” I made his name a question.
He gave me a reassuring smile. “I will be fine.”
I knew he’d been weakened by captivity, but I hadn’t been sure how much until he shook his head. “I’ve got nothing left. I can’t stop them.” Guilt punched me. This was my fault. Apparating us twice had cost him so much. I’d volunteered the two of us to act as decoys. I’d just assumed that once he was back in his body, his powers would return to normal. However, I’d rather have a weak Zev than a dead Zev any day of the week.
My jaw dropped as I saw four blue figures riding the next wave, their torsos out of the water and their arms crossed over their wide chests. Cooper and his cronies looked like King Neptune and his army on their way to battle. A seagull, its wings spread as it rode the wind, cried out from above. It was the bird equivalent of “you are so screwed.”
Tell me something I didn’t know.
When the boat stopped rocking hard, Carver stood up again. He outstretched his arms and began chanting.
The air thickened around us as he called on the waterpower of the sylph. He circled his index fingers counterclockwise and intoned, “Power of water and wind, heed my call. Take them down, make them fall.” He clapped his hands then pressed his palms in the direction of the blue wall. I watched as water rose from the ocean in a spiral that took off in the direction of the storm kelpies. The further it got from the boat, the larger it became until the spiral seed became a mega downspout that stretched from the sea to the clouds.
The Blue Man Group tried to apply the brakes, but they were no match for a water tornado. It ripped them from the wave and tossed them so far away that I never saw where they came down. The wave they’d created died instantly.
Stunned silence filled the boat until I jumped up and threw myself at Carver in celebration. “Oh, man. You nailed those jerks! They had no idea that air and water trump water alone.”
Ryker had joined our celebration on the deck. She punched Carver in the arm. “And they called you soft. Hah. You showed ‘em who’s boss! Yeah, baby.”
Carver winced and rubbed his shoulder. “I wasn’t sure it would work. But since we’ve gotten here, I’ve felt more attuned to magic. Even my father’s aero-craft. It’s in me.” His eyes were watery with emotion as he met my gaze. “Can we go home now?”
“Land ho,” Captain Dalewood called out. “As soon as we drop anchor, you can get the feck off my ship.”
A large helicopter's chopping whir filled the air, its blades kicking up a breeze as it descended toward us. It was army green with a large bay door.
“What now?” Was this someone else stalking us from Natheria? Or was it the drug cartel? Neither was a good option. We’d just gotten rid of one problem: why was fate so unfair? Because it was, I told myself, as the bay door opened. I braced myself for offensive magic or machine guns as the whirlybird swooped down on us.
My heartbeat skipped a dozen beats when I saw my sister Iris waving from an open door. Keir Quinn, Iris's druid fiancé, stood beside her, his presence a reassuring anchor amidst the chaos. And his sister Luanne, the fierce warrior, was expertly piloting the aircraft.
“Woo hooo!” I hugged Zev around the neck. “We’re safe,” I told him. “It’s going to be good. Everything will be all right now.”
He nodded and then smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. I knew he was worried about Lamia, but now that my kickass sister was back home from Ireland, she’d help me dispose of the slippery serpent. Iris had gotten the nickname God Eater for eating a god. Lamia didn’t stand a chance.
Zev and my friends were safe. That’s all that mattered to me right now. As to the rest, I’d make it up as I went along. It had worked out for me so far.
The helicopter touched down about the same time that Captain Dalewood booted us from his boat. I noisily kissed his fuzzy cheek, and he grinned. Still, it didn’t stop him from warning me, “You’re bad luck, lass. Best ye stay ashore.”
“You got it,” I’d told the crotchety brownie. “Thank you again for the ride.”
He gave a cursory salute as he watched us row to the beach. Iris and Keir emerged from the helicopter, their faces grim as they rushed to greet us.
“I was so worried.” Iris squeezed the stuffing out of me. Keir helped Zev, Carver, and Ryker into the helicopter.
“How did you find us?” I inquired. “It’s like a miracle you’re here.”
“Not a miracle,” she explained. “That text of yours scared the crap out of me, and when I couldn’t get ahold of you after, Luanne called a buddy in the C.I.A. to trace your phone. Last night, we found it in a dry bag about two miles down the coast. We’ve been knocking on cartel doors since then. Those bozos had no idea what kind of shitstorm they were dealing with when they decided they’d rather fight than talk. Tru-craft witch—one. Cartel assholes—zero.”
I laughed as I climbed on board and sat next to my djinn. He reached across me and buckled me in, a gesture that made my heart happy. The journey had been long, hard, and dangerous, but I got him back. It made everything we’d been through worth it.
“Can you drop me off at my plane?” Ryker asked Luanne. “It’s in a clearing, not that far.”
“Sure thing,” Lu called back. “Okay, folks. Let’s get out of here.”
“Do you still have my phone?” I asked my sister.
She nodded. “It was on its last leg, so I turned it off.” She reached into a pouch in her jacket and handed it to me.
As the helicopter lifted off from the sandy shore, I let out a huge sigh of relief. Goodbye, Mexico and Natheria.
I hope never saw either of ‘em again.