Old Demon and the Sea Witch (Welcome to Hell #9) - Eve Langlais Page 0,34

Atlantis. It’s famous for its knowledge.”

“No more. Gone. Sank.” The fish man exploded his hands. “Books melt. All gone.”

I stared at the shelves in disbelief.

I’d come here for nothing. I’d made the wrong choice. I glanced up and steeled myself for the climb.

The janitor gurgled. “Faster.” He pointed a gray-scaled hand that was more fin.

I noticed a glass tower in the corner tucked into the wall itself so only the front of it showed, the water inside agitated. There was a circle in front of it.

I stood on it and said, “How does it—glurg.” It sucked me into the watery tube, and I shot up, up, up.

Out!

I flailed my arms and legs as the water cannon shot me out a hole. I had a second to notice the surprised face of a guard before slamming into him.

I lifted myself muttering, “Sorry about that. Your elevator system needs to come with a warning.”

The guard groaned and didn’t get up. Probably for the best.

I limped off the impact as I traced my way to the throne room. The Forgotten Book helped me past some more guards, allowing me to ease into a kickass throne room.

Tall pillars reached to an open sky. A fountain in the center spewed water. A dais with a big-ass chair, a king sitting on it.

My Dottie looked like an annoyed statue standing beside the throne, and Ian, my poor nephew, was dodging spears.

Too many of them. The boy did his best to weave, but sheer volume felled him, and I was too far away.

A spear struck him in the thigh, and Ian dropped to a knee.

The boy I’d raised. The one I’d learned to make cakes for. Who’d taught me the worst knock-knock jokes. Who loved me. He was going to die in front of me. I could already see the next round of spears aiming, readying to fly.

My gaze went to Dorothy, silently begging even as I ran to try and stop it.

Those damned pearls remained around her neck. She wouldn’t be able to act.

“Ian, no,” I huffed, sprinting for him, seeing the arc as all those pointed missiles sailed towards my nephew.

I stumbled in disbelief as they all clattered to the floor, broken and bent as if they’d hit a shield.

A smile spread across my face as Dottie turned to the king by her side, her lips pulled back over her teeth. “How dare you?”

The king rose and began to back away. “Impossible. You wear the necklace. You must obey.”

Relief made me chuckle as I neared the dais. “You obviously don’t know Dottie very well. She doesn’t take orders—"

“—from anyone!” she snapped. She wrapped her fingers around the necklace and yanked, tugging until it broke, and the pearls scattered, the only noise in the silence that fell. They bounced off the dais and plinked down the steps before rolling to a stop all over the floor.

A breeze arose out of nowhere, hot and hinting of ozone. Overhead, dark clouds formed, hiding the warm sun, and the wind turned sharper, colder, slapping into the warm breeze, a clash that had lightning flashing, immediately followed by a thundering boom.

Dorothy’s hair whipped as she hissed, “How dare you think to control a sea witch? I am mightier than any king.”

Also more beautiful than anything I’d ever seen. Powerful, too, with magic at her command. I almost applauded when she pointed at the stunned king. He barely had time to yell before he got slapped with a hard burst of wind. It propelled him off his feet into a pillar.

He landed with a thump and cracked the totem. Both fell to the floor.

I glanced away from Dorothy to Ian. He yanked the spear out of his leg, and I winced in sympathy.

My fault. I should have come straight here and ignored the library.

Those fighting noticed me, and even the Forgotten Book couldn’t make them all unsee my presence. Fish men poured in and attacked. While Dottie handled some, I had to take care of others. A wild and wet battle broke out, with the wind whipping raindrops against my skin. Lightning illuminated the makeshift battle ring in a burst that blinded. Thunder rattled the very air all around and stunned the ears.

For every creature I brought down, another took its place. A glance showed Ian on his feet, barely, leaning on a broken spear as a crutch. Dorothy did better, still toying with the king, smashing him into pillars while holding off his guards. But she couldn’t do this forever.