Shattered by the Sea Lord - Starla Night Page 0,72
had to regroup. This was a disaster.
The bull shark rushed him, blocking his way. Then, the shark veered away and all the animals dispersed. Dannika or Bex must have told Meg to release them.
Except now he was alone on the wrong side of the lattice with the patrol blocking him from reaching the shallows.
Lieutenant Orike didn’t notice what was happening inside the lattice. He watched the dispersal of the animals in shock. “The Undine has an affinity for sharks. He will only cause us irritation.” He leveled his trident on Ciran. “Destroy him.”
The Luscan warriors charged Ciran.
He arched over them and raced for the largest hole.
Lieutenant Orike shouted. Would Ciran make it through? He was nearly there—
The sharp blades of Lieutenant Orike’s trident speared across the hole, blocking him.
Ciran grabbed the handle closest to the blade.
Lieutenant Orike yanked it back, dragging Ciran closer, and then jabbed hard, aiming for his belly.
He forced the blades away.
Lieutenant Orike yanked and thrust again, and a third time. He was strong despite the recent fight.
Ciran’s energy drained.
Oh, no.
Dannika, do not fear. Not now. Use your shield.
Feel your power.
“I told you not to enter my territory, exile.” The lieutenant yanked his trident out of Ciran’s weakening hands. His lips curled into a snarl. “Now feel the wrath of Lusca.”
Ciran kicked backward. He would only have one more shot at escape before his strength drained away.
The lieutenant darted forward and stabbed.
Ciran arched over the thrust—and kicked through the opening in the lattice.
Now he was in the safe zone.
“Yah!” Lieutenant Orike cried behind him.
Shocking pain pierced his shoulder. The tip of Lieutenant Orike’s trident emerged through the front of his upper chest, the fleshy muscle, and the upper arm.
He bellowed in pain.
The lieutenant had leaned through the lattice to hook Ciran. He dragged him back, toward the open ocean.
Ciran struggled against the pull.
From across the shallow reef, Dannika locked eyes with him. Horror contorted her face.
She screamed.
Her scream echoed through the water like a wall of shattering glass.
It reached into Ciran’s soul and yanked at the roots. Nausea soared up his throat and his very heart turned black. He collapsed on the trident.
Lieutenant Orike grunted in pain. “What is that noise?”
And then a white wave of light whipped the coral lattice. It shuddered as though it had been smashed by a giant fist. And then the coral broke into pieces and toppled to reef floor.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The rest of the fight passed in a blur.
Lieutenant Orike flew back empty-handed, leaving his trident embedded in Ciran’s shoulder. “What is that?”
Dannika’s agonizing scream faded.
Lieutenant Orike searched the shoreline and fixed on Dannika, who was now floating alone. “Your mainland bride…”
Meg and Bex had moved to Konomelu and Itime. Lieutenant Orike’s gaze passed over them without stopping. Did he actually see them? He called his other warriors to him and growled, “Do not challenge me again, exiles, or I will see you murdered by your own young fry.”
They swam away.
Ciran was dead. He was dead. Oh, God, Dannika had messed it up. She hadn’t shielded him in time. Everything was wrong and he was dead.
She’d been so terrified during the fight, and angry at herself for not having better control to push through and make a shield when she felt like she would throw up, and horrified for him, fighting on bravely and alone while everyone else was safe inside the lattice.
But then he’d escaped through the lattice, and she’d relaxed. It was okay she’d failed this test. She’d have another chance.
And then he’d jolted, horribly, and that warlike lieutenant’s trident had stuck out of him. Her horror had ejected in a scream. She hadn’t even been able to control it, and all the warriors had flinched.
Then Bex, the real hero, had used her powers to push the lieutenant back.
It had also taken half the coral lattice with it. But at least the lieutenant had abandoned Ciran and they’d all swam off.
Now, Ciran floated on his back with a trident sticking out of his shoulder like a harpoon.
Dannika jetted through the water. Her heart throbbed in her throat. A metallic taste filled her mouth. She couldn’t feel anything below her neck.
She reached his side.
“Ciran?” She touched his taut face, stroked his cheek, brushed his scratches and bumps. Please be alive. Please don’t be dead because of me. “Ciran?”
She delicately probed around the sharp, angry spear points. Blood, his blood, seeped into the water.