by Sarah Noffke
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The placid waters of the fountain reflected Liv’s image. She stared into the pool, seeing shimmering blues and greens deep in the water.
She glanced down at Plato beside her. “What do you think of the plan?”
“I think it could work,” he answered, his eyes on the water. “But it could also not work.”
“I knew you were going to say that.”
“Then why ask the question?” Plato said.
“Well, it’s this thing people do when they need to be reassured and encouraged in a dangerous situation,” Liv answered.
Plato plastered a fake grin on his face, which looked all wrong, as if he were a deranged cousin of the Cheshire Cat. “You can do this. Go, you.”
Liv grimaced. “Don’t ever be cheerful again. It doesn’t suit you.”
His smile dropped. “I could have told you that.”
Liv pulled the Fish Finder that Mr. Simmons had dropped off at the shop for her to fix from her pocket. She’d repaired it but had conveniently forgotten to tell him that it was ready for pickup. She’d return it to him after one small use. Turning the device on, she waited for the sonar sensor to detect whatever was in the pool. A moment later, it showed a giant fish on the far-right side of the fountain.
“Looks like we found our pretty lady,” Liv said, striding to the opposite side of the fountain, some twenty yards away.
“Yes, I’m sure she’s pretty. About like an anglerfish,” Plato stated.
Pulling off her cape and boots, Liv prepared for the plunge. She knew the water was going to be cold, and that she’d have to swim fast. What she didn’t know was if the minimizing spell she’d just learned would work on the mortal’s body so she could easily carry it to the surface. When she’d practiced it on the refrigerator in John’s shop, it had made it so that it was lighter but not any less bulky. Plato had stated that was how the spell was supposed to work. Too bad for Liv, she’d learned how to expand things, like the shop, but hadn’t figured out how to do the opposite with a compacting spell.
Liv would have taken the time to learn the spell, but Plato informed her that they didn’t work well on physical beings and could have permanent side effects. It would do no good to retrieve the mortal for Rudolf, only to deliver a tiny person who wasn’t in the shape he wanted them.
“Why does Rudolf want some mortal who is sleeping at the bottom of the fountain in the House of Seven again?” Liv asked Plato.
The lynx flicked his tail, watching the surface of the water. “Dead,” he corrected. “His mortal is dead, most assuredly. A sleeping spell wouldn’t work underwater.”
“Okay, same question as before,” Liv said. “Why does he want some dead person?”
“Some people are into that,” Plato said with a laugh.
“Oh, gross.” Liv grimaced.
“I’m sure you’ll find out when and if you’re successful.”
“Again, can we work on being a bit more positive when I’m about to risk my life for a mission?”
“Okay,” Plato affirmed. “But do I have to be positive otherwise?”
Liv shook her head. “No. I realize that would kill your spirit, and I wouldn’t want that.”
After she’d rolled up her sleeves and removed her socks, Liv tied her hair back, trying to minimize anything that could potentially slow her down. It had been a lifetime since she had gone swimming. Many in Los Angeles went to Malibu or Santa Monica and swam on the weekends, but firstly, Liv didn’t like the tourists who were always clogging up the beaches with their popup tents and bratty kids. And secondly, swimming in freezing-cold shark-infested water wasn’t the least bit appealing to her.
She laughed at the irony as she stared at the chilly pool of water where a monster resided, guarding something that she couldn’t leave without.
The vial of John’s blood that Liv had taken from him was still warm thanks to the spell she’d put on it. She was a little tired of taking blood from people she loved, like when she’d had to use Sophia’s to trick Queen Visa. However, Liv was pretty certain that she needed John’s blood to make this work, and also, it was viable as bait to entice the mermaid as long as it was fresh. Liv hoped that the blood of a mortal was enticing enough to take the mermaid away from the spot she was guarding.
Finally, Liv pulled the sonar device she’d made from under her cape. This was the part of her plan she doubted the most. There had been no way to test it, and it was unique technology since she’d created it herself—after fixing the Fish Finder, of course. Using a normal active sonar device she’d found in the junk bin in the shop, Liv had tweaked it using magical tech. She wasn’t sure if her skills were up to par for combining her magic with electronics, but all of her mess-ups fixing things had paved the way. Once she had repaired and upgraded the device, Liv had made it so that she could increase the frequency, which, when combined with the magic tech, would hopefully make the mermaid a non-issue.
Liv laid the device down beside her cape right in front of Plato. “You know what to do?” she asked him.
“I click that button on top,” he answered, holding up his paw like he was going to do it right then.
“Do you know when to do it?” she grilled him.
He nodded. “When it’s time.”
Liv rolled her eyes. “Do you know when that time is?”
“Before you get eaten.”
Liv shook her head. “If I die in this fountain, I will haunt you for the rest of your long-ass life.”
“Good, you can join the club,” Plato said seriously.
“And if someone comes into this area of the garden?” Liv quizzed.
“Then I disappear, leaving you to fend for yourself,” Plato answered.
“I don’t believe that was what we discussed.”
Plato huffed with annoyance. “I’ll use my voodoo to ensure I’m not seen, but otherwise, I’ll be right here, monitoring the sonar device.”
Liv wasn’t sure how long the sonar device would work, but she was gambling on having at least a minute, or maybe a bit longer where the mermaid was no longer incapacitated. That was why the timing had to be right. And she wasn’t sure it would work, but she was running out of time to experiment.
Uncorking the vial of blood, Liv offered Plato one last look, full of hesitation. “Okay, get ready. It’s almost time.”
“Get ready for what?” he asked through a long yawn.
Liv couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s the kind of morale boost I expect from you. Thanks.”
She turned the vial over, spilling the contents into the fountain and staining the water red.
Something jerked under the surface, knocking into the side of the wall on the far side.
“Looks like Viperfish is awake,” Liv said, tensing all over.
The water rippled as the mermaid swam under the surface, and the waves increased as a dark figure moved closer to the top. She wasn’t to the halfway point of the tank when Liv jumped up on the rim bordering the fountain and sprinted along the side, then dove in. She sincerely hoped the pool was thirty feet deep because her body was arched. She really didn’t want to dive into a shallow basin, but it was too late to worry about that now.
Her hands reached out in front of her as the night air whipped across her face. Although it had been many years, her dive was in form, her hands touching the surface of the water first followed by her arms, head, and body.
The cold was piercing, the water dark. Liv kicked hard, headed for the bottom of the tank. Not only was she confined by how long the sonar device would work, she also knew that in this cold tank she wouldn’t be able to hold her breath for long. Already her lungs were pulsing with the urge to breathe. Liv kept her lips pressed tightly together and pushed harder to the bottom.
The darkness grew as she got farther. Liv doubted if she’d even be able to see the mortal’s body down there when a shimmering light caught her attention ahead. Bubbles blurred her vision as she swam.
A scream pierced the water, echoing in Liv’s head. The mermaid knew she was there.
Chapter Thirty
Liv dared to look over her shoulder, but all she saw was a commotion on the other side of the tank. There were bubbles everywhere, like something was caught in a tornado. Soon it would be time for Plato to start the sonar.
Although the mermaid was apparently faster than a shark, it would still take her a little while to cross the tank, which was one of the reasons to bait her on the other side. Also, there was little chance of getting to the mortal with the mermaid resting right on top of it, or however she spent her time.
Kicking hard, Liv finally caught sight of the mortal lying at the bottom of the fountain. It was a woman wearing a white gown. Her long brown hair floated around her, partially obscuring her pale face. However, Liv could tell that she was stunning, her features balanced and her skin flawless even after all this time submerged.
Liv pointed a finger at the mortal, sending the minimizing spell at her. Her body rose off the floor of the tank slightly.
So far, so good, Liv thought, feeling victorious.
Then it happened again—the scream, this time closer. Liv whipped around, and bubbles were rushing in her direction. That was when Liv saw her.
Hey, pretty lady, Liv thought, momentarily wondering if ugliness could be a weapon.
The picture in Mysterious Creatures didn’t do the mermaid justice. Her long, flowing seaweed-like hair spread all around her, its pointy locks twirling as she sped in Liv’s direction. Her mouth, with its rows of knife-like teeth, was open. Her dark eyes resembled those of a fish, large and unblinking. Her long-clawed hands reaching in Liv’s direction, her black dorsal fin propelling her faster than a motor on a boat.
Hell, she’s supposed to be incapacitated, Liv thought urgently. Could she create a portal here if necessary? She didn’t think so. She realized she was screwed when the mermaid collided with her like a torpedo.
The mermaid’s clawed hands grabbed Liv’s arms, piercing her skin and sending blood into the blue waters. Liv brought her leg around to kick the mermaid in the chest, which under other circumstances would have been totally rude since she wasn’t wearing a top.
The assault didn’t have any effect on the mermaid, who screamed in Liv’s face, her voice somehow making Liv’s teeth hurt from the vibration.
She tried to pull free, but the mermaid was impossibly strong.
Sit-ups, Liv thought morbidly as she fought for her life. The mermaid spent endless hours at the bottom of the tank doing sit-ups and other strengthening exercises.
The mermaid’s jaw came unhinged, her face splitting almost in half, making her look like a strange doll. Liv knew what came next: one bite, and she’d be dead. Nothing could survive an attack from something that size.
Air escaped Liv’s lungs as she kicked and thrashed, doing everything she could think of to fight the mermaid. If she could just get away an inch or two, she could try a spell on the creature, although they hadn’t found anything that would be instantly effective. Still, dying at the bottom of the fountain after a short fight had the worst potential.
The mermaid’s eyes widened as she pulled Liv into her to chomp down on her shoulder. The monster was going to eat her heart out.
This was the end, Liv thought, continuing to fight the impossibly strong mermaid.
The grip on Liv’s arms loosened and she jerked free, kicking backward as the mermaid let go, floating away, her head lolling to the side.
It had worked! Liv could hardly believe it! And not a moment too soon. The sonar must have taken longer than she’d calculated to work.
She didn’t waste any more time, swimming back in the direction of the mortal. Liv knew she only had twenty or thirty seconds before she was out of air. Scooping up the woman’s body, Liv sped toward the surface of the water, her lungs aching for oxygen. She nearly opened her mouth, allowing water to surge into her body.
Just a bit farther, Liv encouraged herself, seeing the light brighten as she neared. The girl’s hair flowed into her face, partially obscuring her view. Each second was making it harder to kick, and Liv was losing momentum. Even when she got to the surface, she’d still have to get the woman out of the fountain. It seemed hopeless, but she didn’t give up.
She slowed when the surface was only a few feet away, finding it impossible to continue to carry the woman all the way to the top. Her lungs burned.
Only two more feet.
The mermaid screamed at the bottom of the fountain.
Liv pushed harder. I can’t ever give up. Not now, not ever.
One foot.
She felt the surge of water under her as the mermaid sped toward her.
She’d never get out of the tank and pull the mortal out before the mermaid got her.
When Liv broke the surface of the water, she took a giant breath, her lungs drinking in the air and welcoming it like a spring day after the longest winter.
She was about to push the woman’s body over the side of the fountain when something like a lion’s mouth gently picked the woman up by her gown, pulling her out of Liv’s arms. She barely had a moment to register the strange vision or protest when something bit into her ankle.
Liv screamed, grabbed the side of the fountain, and held on for dear life as the mermaid tried to yank her back under.
Trying to kick the mermaid in the face, Liv screamed. “Plato! The sonar!”
The lion disappeared, having safely put the woman’s body on the ground beside the fountain. Liv squeezed her eyes shut, trying to pull herself up as the mermaid clawed at her legs. The only thing that had saved her so far was that the bite wasn’t that big. However, soon the monster would unhinge her jaw like she had before and then she’d be done.
Her hand slipped on the edge, and she was quickly tugged under the surface and towed to the bottom.
She clawed through the water, trying anything she could think of to get away. She turned around and pointed her hand at the mermaid, about to send a defensive strike at her. Then, as before, the mermaid released her, floating lifelessly away.
The sonar device had worked again! But it wouldn’t last long, Liv knew.
With her injured legs, she kicked to the surface, grateful when her hands found the edge of the fountain. She hauled herself over the side, sliding down ungracefully and lying in a heap next to the dead woman, exhausted and grateful to still be alive.
Her eyes fluttered shut. She just needed a minute to rest.
Chapter Thirty-One
Something was grabbing her leg. Liv kicked, thinking the mermaid had crawled out of the fountain and was about to devour her and take back her mortal.
“It’s okay,” a familiar voice said, a comforting quality in his tone.
Liv battled with the urge to keep her eyes closed, sleep crashing down on her, and her lids opened to a blurry world. A dark figure crouched in front of her, and he was wrapping her wounds in bandages. At least that was what she was hoping he was doing.
Pushing to a sitting position, Liv forced her eyes to focus. Stefan Ludwig was taking care of the bite and scratches on her leg. Finally feeling the pain after the ordeal, she let out a soft moan.
“Is it bad?” she asked him.
He shook his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes. “No, just surface wounds. It could have been way worse.”
Liv nodded and looked around as Stefan charged to the other side of the fountain, gathering up her stuff. Plato was nowhere in sight, but she couldn’t shake the image of him as a large lion. He had been majestic and beautiful, and he had saved her. If he hadn’t pulled the woman out of the fountain, Liv would have never been able to get her out. And without her? Well, Liv would have stayed in the fountain until it was over. Until she was dead.
Stefan strode back over, looking around as if trying to decide if they were forgetting something.
When had he shown up? Liv would have to find out. The timing had been good, but now she had some explaining to
do.
“Quick question. Totally no big deal,” Stefan asked, regarding Liv with a half-smile as he stood in front of her. “Why are you hanging out with a dead girl in the garden?”
Liv brought her chin over to regard the cold, wet corpse. “Because I have the worst friends in the world.”
“Yeah, you do,” he said, shaking his head as he ran his eyes over the mortal’s face. She was even more beautiful out of the water, her eyes closed like she was simply sleeping. Stefan pulled off his cape and threw it over the body. “Need help transporting this? I’m thinking you don’t want to hang out here any longer. Unless you want Adler or Bianca to find you and have to stick around for an interrogation.”
Liv groaned as she stood up, realizing she was dripping wet and shivering from the cold. “That would be great, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Hey, what are awful friends for?” Stefan pointed to the long bite marks on her arm, the ones he hadn’t dressed yet. “Should I be concerned that you’re going to turn into a demon?”
She laughed darkly, pulling a piece of loose material from her already-ripped shirt. “Nah. Maybe a mermaid, though.”
Stefan heaved the dead girl’s body onto his shoulder. “Mermaid, huh? Wow, I can’t wait to hear this story.”
“It’s totally boring,” Liv said, tying the material around her arm. Then she took the cape that Stefan had put by the side of the fountain, catching the strange ripple on the surface of the water. She could have sworn she’d seen the mermaid’s face staring at her, but when she blinked to clear her vision, there was nothing there—only shadows. She put the devices in her pocket, letting out a heavy sigh.
“A dead mortal and a mermaid. Sounds like a real snooze-fest of a story.” Stefan pointed first at the body of the girl, making her look like a large bushel of potatoes on his shoulder. Then he pointed at Liv, drying her instantly. “Hope you don’t mind that I helped you with that. You look a little weak from your battle or whatever you were doing in the fountain.”
“I decided to take a swim,” she admitted.