Through the Door (The Thin Veil) - By Jodi McIsaac Page 0,59

your war, Danann,” Deardra said, her lips curled back over her pearly teeth. “I will do as I please in my own domain and with those who have entered it.”

“She is just a child!” Finn said, the muscles in his face straining and constricting his voice. “She was taken by someone who would use her to see this whole world destroyed!” He was trembling from head to foot. “You said you were fond of her. Will you do nothing to help her?”

Deardra stared at him through narrowed eyes. Then she opened her mouth slightly and slowly exhaled.

“There,” she said, waving her hand toward the water behind her. “I will leave her for you to fight over. We are not of this world, nor are we of yours, and your troubles do not concern us.” She turned and looked out over the water, and the others followed her gaze.

Cedar cried out as she saw Nuala’s and Eden’s heads break the surface of the water outside the ring of Merrow, close to a small rocky island that held a ramshackle hut. Their hands were flailing in the water, and they both coughed and spewed seawater back into the ocean.

“Eden!” she cried, starting to scramble to her feet again. Riona yanked her down, and Cedar’s knee connected painfully with the rocks underneath her. She struggled to stand up again, but Riona’s grasp was unmovable. “Let go! She can’t swim!” Cedar pleaded.

“You cannot be seen!” Riona hissed back. “Anya will help her. You must stay hidden.”

But it was Nuala who held Eden afloat as they both gasped for air. Nuala’s eyes fell upon the shore, and then several things happened at once. Rohan and Finn started to run along the shoreline toward Nuala and Eden, moving so quickly Cedar could barely follow them with her eyes. Murdoch pulled a handful of small silver daggers out from the inside of his jacket and followed on their heels. Oscar stood transfixed for but a moment, and then pulled out his own long dagger and took off after his father. Felix and Molly followed close behind. Anya held out her arms toward the ocean and started chanting in a loud voice words Cedar did not understand. Deardra stepped in front of her. “These are my waters!” she said.

Then Nuala, still holding Eden afloat in front of her, took a deep breath and shouted, “Tuatha Dé Danann! The Merrow are your enemy! Attack them!”

Rohan and Finn spun around to face the others. “No!” Rohan roared. “She lies! Close your minds to her! Nuala is the enemy!”

Everyone on the beach stopped as if momentarily stunned. Each face was creased in concentration. Cedar held her breath and looked over at Riona, who had the same look of paralyzed torment on her face as the others. Below, Oscar whirled about and flung his dagger down the beach toward Deardra. Cedar watched it fly through the air for an impossibly long time, as if the laws of gravity did not apply. Then it connected with its target, sinking itself hilt-deep into Deardra’s bosom. The queen’s mouth opened but no sound came out. Then she collapsed at Anya’s feet, a pool of violet blood forming around her and running into the water. Instantly, the water near the shore started to seethe as dozens of Merrow rose to the surface, hissing and screaming in tortured, high-pitched voices.

Meanwhile, Riona had regained control of herself and was watching the scene below with a look of horror on her face. More and more Merrow swarmed to the surface, and the water churned and started to rise, turning into a giant wave that towered over the rocky beach. Anya lifted her hands into the air once more and started chanting. The wave stopped cresting and started to recede, taking the still-screaming Merrow with it. Then one of the Merrow gave an order, and immediately the others started emitting loud, forceful bursts of sound that almost pierced Cedar’s eardrums. She saw Anya crumple as if she had been shot. Felix and Molly rushed to her side and tried to pull her back, away from the Merrow’s invisible projectiles, but they, too, stumbled as the Merrow continued their onslaught. Cedar watched as Molly disappeared in a thick cloud of smoke that hung close to the ground, obscuring Anya and Felix from view.

Farther down the beach, Oscar was continuing his attack on the Merrow. His dagger out of reach, he was wielding melon-sized rocks with unwavering precision, cracking the skulls of