The Mermaids Madness

day. She swung hard, trying to keep them back and off-balance.
    Varisto let out a tremendous shout as he smashed a spear, then kicked a merman in the stomach. “If need be, I can destroy this place. My spirits can crack the land, destroy the tower, send us all into the hot sea.”
    “All of us?” Danielle asked, parrying another spear.
    “If they go, we all go. All but the flying fish-woman over there. My spirits are strong, but I’m afraid they’re much less discerning than my brother’s.”
    “Then let’s hope Snow succeeds.”

    Talia drew two knives from her forearms without breaking stride. She threw one with each hand as she ran, and two of the undine fell. Another tripped over the body of his companion, leaving only two between Talia and the tower.
    She started to run between them, watching as they both drew back to swing. Talia bent backward, sliding to the ground as their attacks passed over her. They managed to avoid striking one another, though. Talia’s luck was never that good.
    Talia kicked out the knee of the mermaid to her right, then rolled away to avoid another spear thrust. She grabbed the spear and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Stepping in close, she slammed a knee into his crotch.
    Mermen might keep their equipment hidden within their scales, but there was only so much those scales could do. He dropped, groaning. Talia snapped a kick to his cheek, then turned to plant her heel in the nose of the other merman.
    That left only the one who had tripped over his friend. He charged, spear outstretched.
    Talia slipped her toes beneath a dropped spear. She waited until he was almost upon her, then kicked the fallen spear up into her hand and dropped low.
    The merman’s spear passed over Talia’s shoulder. Talia’s sank into his stomach.
    Soon Talia was scaling the tower wall, circling around to the ocean side in order to keep the tower between herself and Morveren. All it would take was one of those damned air spirits to rip her from the wall and dash her onto the rocks.
    When she reached the window, she pulled herself up to peek into the tower. Lirea sat on the far side, her legs pulled to her chest and her head buried in her knees. Another of Morveren’s transformed mermaids was with her, her body between Lirea and the window.
    “Sorry, Danielle,” Talia whispered. “I don’t intend to wait.” She pulled out her last knife, the one Beatrice had given her. Moments later she was through the window, balanced on the balls of her feet. Raising her voice, she said, “Excuse me, but you’re in my way.”
    The other mermaid spun. As Talia had hoped, the movement exposed Lirea. Talia was already throwing her knife. The blade spun across the tower, only to veer right, sucked out the window by one of Morveren’s spirits.
    “I am tired of those damned things.” Talia ran, but a gust of air knocked her into the wall. Her shoulder scraped stone. The other mermaid was coming at her with a sword.
    “You see?” the mermaid said as she attacked. “The humans will never stop trying to kill you. Morveren is the only one who can save us.”
    “What if I no longer want to be saved, Nilliar?”
    Talia ducked and tried to step back, only to be shoved into the wall again by the wind.
    “She can give you back your prince.” Nilliar swung again, cutting Talia’s arm. “It won’t be like before. You have to let Morveren complete her spell. Gustan still loves you, Lirea.”
    “No, he doesn’t,” said Talia, scooting backward. The wind was weaker here at the wall. So long as she kept her body pressed to the stone, the air spirit couldn’t do much more than push her from side to side. Of course, that severely limited her options. If she kept backing up, the wind would either push her out the window or toss her down the steps. “He never did. You know that, deep down.”
    “He said I was most dear to him,” Lirea said, hugging herself. Tears shone on her cheeks. “He was kind to me in the beginning.”
    Talia dropped onto her back, kicking at Nilliar’s legs. She missed the knee, but caught Nilliar’s shin. It wasn’t enough. Nilliar’s sword rang against the stone where Talia had been a moment before. Talia tried to rise, only to be tossed away from the wall, toward the broken edge of the floor and a long drop to the bottom of the tower. She pressed herself flat, clinging to the floor.
    “People lie.” Talia waited for Nilliar’s next attack. This time, she rolled toward the