by Flynn, Mac
She tightened her hold on the book and shook her head. "Never."
I frowned. "Just hand it over. You've got them memorized."
Mab winced. "No, not the last one. The rejuvenation spell is too difficult to produce from memory."
"And if you don't cast it?" Orion asked her.
She glanced over her shoulder at the captain and her face fell. "Everyone aboard would revert to their proper age."
"And your beloved captain would be nothing more than dust," Melicertes spoke up. He stretched his hand closer to her. "That is why I must have that book."
It was the captain's turn to chuckle. "Or you will do what? Will your hounds tear to pieces dat which can't be touched? Look around you." He swept his sword over his crew. "Your curse trapped them between de living and de dead. You can't hurt them anymore."
Melicertes turned his gaze on Orion and me. His lips curled into a sly grin. "No, but I can very much kill your friends." He snapped his fingers. A half dozen of the hounds hunkered down and growled at us.
Orion grabbed my arms and tired to pull me behind him. "Hell no!" I shrugged off his hands and marched to within five feet of the short man. "Who the hell do you think you are pushing everybody around like this?"
Melicertes chuckled. "I forget how little they teach in schools. You would not know I was once a human, but now changed into a god of the seas."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "Prove you're a god and not just a dog trainer and a weatherman."
Melicertes smiled and snapped his fingers. The familiar fog of horrors past parted behind him and revealed a dark void that surrounded the ship. "I willed that this ship would be trapped in this world until the end of time. Its fate would be to sale the seas on stormy days as a warning to others." He looked past me at Mab. "And every thirty-three years the ship would come to the river as a reminder of the thirty-three times Mab refused my pleas of marriage."
I snorted. "Wow, you were desperate."
I swallowed my rising fear and straightened to my full short height so I could glared at him face-to-face. "So who died and made you a god over other people's lives?"
He glared at me. "I died. My god-hood is compensation for the unjust actions against me."
I arched an eyebrow. "Really? That's all that has to happen?"
Melicertes narrowed his eyes. "Do not treat my tragedy so lightly. My mother was forced to throw us both over a cliff to save us from danger."
I shrugged and strode a few steps in front of him. "Tragedies happen every day. It's called life. So how come you were granted the privilege of being a god?"
"Because it was a god who wronged me!" he snapped.
A smile slid onto my lips. "Really? That sounds like a familiar story." My eyes flickered to Mab and the captain. "You don't happen to have a way to communicate with gods, do you, Mab?"
She shook her head. "No, but-" Her eyes widened. She returned my sly smile with one of her own. "But within the confines of this space it may be easier to reach them."
Melicertes frowned and balled his hands into fists at his sides. "What are you going on about?"
I spun around to face him. "I'm going over your head to your boss. Somebody made you a god which means they can undo it."
Melicertes' eyes widened. "Y-you're mad! You're insane." He marched toward Mab. "Give me the book this instant or-" I cupped my hands over my mouth.
"Hey! The guy in charge up there!" I shouted. Melicertes stopped dead and spun around to face me.
"Shut up!" he screamed. He ran up and grabbed my shoulders to give me a hard shake. "Be quiet or-" We heard a soft rumbling in the distance.
I smiled and batted my eyes at Melicertes. "Did I do something wrong?"
Melicertes let me go and stumbled back. He whipped his head left and right as his hounds whimpered. They tucked their tails between their legs and retreated into the diminishing fog. "T-there's no need for your presence! I have the situation under-" Another, closer rumble sounded.
Mab stepped forward and swept her eyes over the black void around the ship. "With in this hour of my greatest need I plead with the oldest gods." She knelt on her knees and bowed her head. "Grant us protection from this false god you forsakes his duties as helper to vessels in need of guidance."
Melicertes' eyes widened and he barreled down on Mab. "Shut up! Shut-" A bolt of white lightning flew from the void and streaked across the deck.
It hit Melicertes in the chest and pushed him off his feet. He flew across the deck and over the railing. Orion and I rushed to the edge and looked into the darkness. He was a tiny speck far below us.
A sliver of blue light surrounded him and flew up toward us. Orion and I stumbled back as the streak of light flew over the railing and across the deck. It hit the captain in the chest. The captain cried out and fell to his knees where he bent over.
"Geliefd!" Mab shouted. She stood and hurried over to kneel by his side.
The captain raised himself and held up one of his hands. The bluish color disappeared and changed to a healthy skin tone. He turned to Mab. "Geliefd. What has happened?"
Mab clasped their hands together and smiled. "The gods have granted that you be the of troubled ships."
She helped him up as he looked down at himself. His rotten clothes transformed into their majestic, colorful old selves. Mab picked up his shining sword and held it out to him.
She nodded at the faces of the crew around them. "Your men need you, my Geliefd to lead them home."
The captain pursed his lips and took the sword from her palms. "What do you say, my men? Are you prepared to trade your sea legs for land shoes?"
"Ja!" was the resounding reply.
He pointed his sword forward. "Den let us to land!"
The void around us filled in with a deep, familiar fog. This one didn't have the stink of the sea air like Melicertes' tool. There was a sweet-smelling tropical tinge to it that reminded me of oranges, hot summer days, and a little of-
I turned to Orion. "Do you smell apples?"
He sniffed the air and furrowed his brow. "Yeah, I do."
The fog enveloped the ship and all hands on deck. There was a moment of silence before a cool, chilly breeze blew over me and parted the fog. Though it was night, the banks of the Apple Hollow river appeared in sight. There was the small park with the abandoned bridge. I feared a reenactment of past events, but the boat turned toward shore and plowed into the ice until it was firmly stuck.
I heard gasps and looked at the crew. Their skin and clothes were once again normal. Their faces brightened with smiles. The captain pointed at the land. "Everyone ashore!"
The crew yipped and hollered as they threw ropes over the sides and scrambled down them. The men landed ashore and stamped their feet on the hard snow. The wizard and young boy scurried off to resume their places in the Hollow community.
Orion and I turned to Mab and her captain. They clasped hands and looked into each other's eyes.
"Does this mean I won't be leaving you for a long while?" he asked her.
She smiled and nodded. "We can share eternity together." She stood on her tiptoes and they embraced each other in another kiss.
I leaned against Orion's shoulder and smiled up at him. "Remind me never to complain about a story that ends with a deus ex machina."
CHAPTER 24
Orion and I followed the lovers down the ropes and onto the hard ground. Snow never felt so good. Our pairings turned to face each other.
"What will you do now, Captain?" Orion asked the man.
The captain clutched Mab close to himself and smiled. "I will do my duties as god of lost schips, and when dey give me reprieve I will come visit my lady."
"And I have a diner to reopen," Mab added.
I looked down at the book tucked under one of her arms. "It looks like you carried that thing around for nothing."
Mab shook her head. "This was a far better way. I wasn't sure even I could combine so many powerful spells."
"So was t
he first part of that spell to change his shipping schedule?" I asked her.
She shook her head. "No. I don't know what brought the ship early."
I sighed and glanced up at Orion. "That's one mystery we didn't solve."
He chuckled. "I can live with that."
"I have a thank-you I wish to give to you," Mab spoke up. She slipped the necklace over her head and held it out to me. "This was a gift from the captain to me, but I think we both believe you should have it."
The captain nodded. "Ja. Perhaps it will bring you good fortune."
I took the necklace and nodded. "Thanks. It's not every day a reporter gets to keep a part of their story."
Orion glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the road and sighed. "Speaking of reporters."
I followed his gaze and watched a red car pull up. Loretta Hopper stepped out and surveyed the rag-tag group of grown men in dated sailor outfits running amok in the city park. Her gaze fell on us and her smile brightened.
I grabbed Orion's arm and tugged him in the direction of the bridge remains. "Oh no. Not her again." I dragged him a few snowy feet before I turned back to my mate. "For this one time, I give you permission to carry me."
He grinned and swept me into his arms. "I thought you'd never ask."
I rolled my eyes. "Just get goinnnggg!"
Orion sped through the snow and clamored up the hill. He hit the plowed streets running and raced along the sidewalks with the early-night traffic beside us.
I pointed at the motel. "That way!"
Orion pointed his fast feet in that direction, dodging traffic and the occasional snowball from an unruly kid. We reached the motel and swept into the office. Troy was behind the desk with his ever-present smile on his face.
He leaned his arms on the counter as Orion set me down. "What fortunate wind has brought you here?"
"I doubt we have to tell you," Orion commented as he kicked the snow off his shoes and onto the mat.
Troy chuckled and gestured to the chairs opposite the desk and against the front wall. "No, perhaps not, but a story is most pleasantly heard from its source."
We took our seats and regaled Troy with the last three nights of excitement. The retelling meant our pursuer was long gone by the time we finished.
Troy stood the whole time, and when we were done he smiled and nodded his head. "A very good telling for an admirable story. Now I imagine you will want some rest."
Orion stood and hid a yawn behind his hand. "I might hibernate until the were-bears wake up."
I rolled my eyes and shoved him toward the door. "Just don't snore through the winter."
"Goodnight, and rest well," Troy called to us.
Orion stepped outside, but I paused in the doorway and glanced back at him. "You know, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
His eyes twinkled. "Only one thing?"
I nodded at the crate in the corner, the one on which the prophetic bum had made his proclamations. "Why didn't you hide that better?"
Troy chuckled. "Perhaps I thought it was time you started to learn the truth."
I raised an eyebrow. "What truth?"
He shook his head and straightened. "It's not quite time to know that truth."
I frowned at him. "Exactly how many other personas do you have around here?"
Troy winked at me and tapped his temple with his finger. "I'm sure with your smart minds you will solve this mystery. In the meantime, I wish you good luck on your next adventure."
As I was to find out, we were going to need all the luck we could get.
For all books by Mac Flynn visit her author's page or visit Mac Flynn's website.
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