Forever (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #5)

“I’d like to see them try. I’m too strong for them.” He smirked. But when he faced her, his smile fell again. “Can you not hear their cries to be free?”

Mina tried to listen, but her head was pounding. “No, I don’t hear anything.”

“That’s because you’re not trying.”

“I am trying.”

He didn’t seem to believe her and stepped away from the glass. More sharks came, now extremely interested in Kino’s movements. Maybe he could hear them, but she couldn’t let him continue.

Kino turned to the smaller aquariums, and he blasted out the glass. Small turtles and frogs fell to the floor. Mina didn’t think Kino had a strategy, he was too emotional—endangering the creatures more than he was helping them. She was grateful that—at least—he was attacking in bursts, so he wouldn’t bring the whole building down around them.

Mina had made it past the jellyfish and followed him down the hall until he stood inside the giant aquatic tube. He stared up in awe at the thousands of gallons of water surrounding him, confused at what he was walking through.

“Kino, stop right now. We have to leave.”

“This isn’t just a game anymore, Princess,” he said. “I have a duty to let them free.” He lifted his hands, and his mouth opened to let out a loud piercing shriek.

Mina covered her ears and fell to her knees in pain. She watched in horror as spider like cracks ran up the sides of the tubes. Pain wracked her brain, and she had to grit her teeth and force herself to get up and run toward Kino, but her equilibrium was off. She couldn’t walk without stumbling. Rivulets of water ran down the tunnel and started to soak the carpet. How long before it gave out and crushed them? “You’re being selfish, Kino. Please. Another day, another time, but you are jeopardizing the whole reason we came here, and that was to stay low and find my brother.”

She could read all of the emotions plane as day across his face, and she knew he was struggling internally. She didn’t blame him for his need to free the animals of the sea. She just faulted his methods and timing.

He released another almost inaudible yell, and her head throbbed.

The crack along the tube got longer. Her shoes were now soaked, and the carpet made squishing noises as she moved closer to him.

Mina pushed her panic aside and used her fury to thrust her will upon him. He didn’t think she could do it again? Well, he was wrong. “You will stop!”

Kino stopped his piercing yell, and his hands fell to his sides. She could see the golden glow in his eyes. “Make your way back to the ship now, and wait below deck for Ternan and Winona. You will tell them what you’ve done.”

He struggled against her. She watched as he tried to fight her power of suggestion. Before, he’d been willing to let her use it on him. This time it was a struggle, but she wasn’t going to let up. She felt power rush to her, and she pushed everything she had into her words. “Obey me.”

His back stiffened, and he turned and walked out of the room.

Mina collapsed on the ground and gently touched her ears. Small trails of blood had eked out, but it was worse than that.

Over the pain in her ears, Mina heard the distinct sound of cracking.

“Oh no!” She darted out of the tube just as it broke, and thousands of gallons of water filled the walkway behind her.

She ran down the hall, overcome with rushing water. She fought to get her head above water. Just as she regained her footing, something large knocked her into the wall. Mina screamed when she realized it was a shark, but the shark wasn’t interested in her. It was going with the flow of water. Thankfully, she hadn’t been directly under the aquarium when it broke. Still, while the water pulled at her feet and pushed her head forward, she wondered if she’d make it to the exit.

She slipped, fell, and climbed back to her feet only to be knocked over again. Then the water picked her up and carried her right out the double doors. Mina found herself in the middle of the dock, looking up at the night sky, alit with flashing red and blue lights.

Someone picked Mina up by her forearms and dragged her through the water. Her brown hair was wrapped around her face, and she didn’t fight the helping hands. Until she felt cold steel handcuffs placed around her wrists.

“What? No. I didn’t do this.” She tried to swing her head to brush the hair out of her eyes, but it clung to her face like tentacles. An uncaring female police officer shoved her forward.

The fire department and police rushed toward the building but stepped back when a shark made its appearance flipping and flopping along the deck. They had their hands full. Mina wasn’t given a chance to explain as the female cop pushed her along, away from the others. Hmm. Something feels off.

When they walked past the cruisers and continued, that confirmed it. The woman kept silent, despite Mina’s attempts at small talk. When they passed a store front window, she caught a glimpse of her captor, and her heart stopped in her chest. It was Claire.

“Claire! No, stop!” Mina reared back and fought the witch.

By now they were out of sight of help, and Claire turned, reaching for Mina’s sopping wet head. “Should have known you were part Fae. Otherwise you’d never have beaten me.” She laughed, and Mina felt herself start to suffocate.

How did they know she was Fae? She could breathe, but everything felt heavy, and her limbs wouldn’t obey. She slid to the ground and noticed a dark form move out of the alley. Grey Tail.

“We have permission to kill her, right?” Grey Tail asked, his voice gruff. He still wore his black leather vest, and the wolf tattoo stood out as a taunt across his chest.

“Yes, we’re supposed to kill her before he comes for her.”

Wait. They’re not here because of Teague?

“We need to move her farther away. There’s enough Fae magic in the air, I can smell it for miles. It will attract unwanted attention.” Grey Tail looked nervous and kept sniffing.

“You’re right for once. We can’t stay here.” She pulled Mina roughly along.

The cuffs dug into her wrists, making her wince. As they walked, the police uniform slowly faded from Claire’s form until she was in a skirt and her signature red heeled shoes. Her face was younger, proving she had been stealing the youth from others.

Mina tried to keep her head low as she gathered power to her. She had to try and control both of them before they caught on.

Grey Tail froze and looked at her, his nose sniffing the air, while Mina pushed at his mind, her arms tingling, the hair on the back of her neck telling her she was ready to attack. As She pushed toward Grey Tail, she felt Claire’s hand on her head again. Her power was quickly siphoned off. Mina gasped for breath again, and she clutched at her chest.

“Keep it up, child. Grey Tail can smell magic, and you can’t use it on me. All I have to do is keep draining you, and soon I’ll drain you dead. You don’t have a magic book this time. Let’s see how you fare against me now.”

If only Claire wasn’t so close to her. If she could get away, maybe she’d have a fighting chance.

They kept hurrying her along the pier, and Mina only had one last idea. Maybe she could slowly pull enough power and not direct it at her captors but somewhere else, like a beacon for help.

Mina closed her eyes and felt the power tickle her fingers. She tried to keep it at bay and not let it rush to her. She pushed the power out and away from her with one intentional command.