Kingdoms of Lies and Intrigues (Return of Vesna book 2)

Chapter 9 Selkie River

They had been walking for an hour, having left Knut's enchanted abode with the single purpose of travelling to the river. No longer sheltered by the wards that protected them, they were vulnerable to an attack by anyone of the immortals that lived in Irinthar.
Havah walked ahead of everyone, the crunch of their boots the only sound they dared to make. It wasn't a long trek but it felt as if the trail was endless. They passed the thick trees that dotted the forest, pushed back the sharp brambles that threatened to scratch their skin, ever mindful of the dangers that lurked around them.
They did not bother to enjoy the scenery of the forgotten forest although neglected there were still points of interest. Dead leaves formed a carpet around them as they continued their sojourn to the embankment, each one lost in their own private thoughts.
Cem decided to stay beside Evaline in silent solidarity even if the others didn't feel as he.  His commander just a few feet ahead of them.  He hadn't really thought much about this journey except at the point when his existence was tethering on the balance of this strange place. He looked at his friend briefly noting the tenseness of her shoulders as she pulled along.
Caspian was right behind them, choosing to remain at the other end of their line, looking about him in case of a sudden attack. He had been quietly observing the way events unravelled up to that point. He never suspected Evaline to be a seelie but he knew from the very beginning she was different. Havah on the other hand was something quite unexpected. Unseelie, but his gut told him there was more.  Her knowledge of this place made her a part of this world he would rather not have visited at all.
When he found her body at the foot of the decaying temple of Vesna he thought she was a straggler, someone who had witnessed a terrible battle.  Her injuries were fatal yet she survived. Any ordinary human would have perished but she did not. He never saw the runes that dotted her arms until they were revealed. All he knew was that she possessed an uncanny strength that went way beyond an average female. Still there were moments when he had caught her and his mother huddled in silent conversation, he had dismissed them thinking it was just women talking never realizing his mother had participated in their deceit.
They lived under his roof, shared meals with him, bantered with him, and he treated them like family.
Then there was Darren, the boy who had stolen his heart from the first moment. A child so frail and lost he had vowed to protect that boy only to discover he wasn't quite human. He never questioned the boy's innocence until that moment. What if he was the boy the unseelie were searching for? What would they do to him if they found out? It made his insides turn cold at the very thought.
He preferred to be prepared but they were on uncharted realm, he hated feeling vulnerable about that.
"We are here," Havah pointed to the river that was just a few feet ahead.  So far they encountered no threat but before them was an even bigger threat for the selkie dwelt within the river.
Havah removed her conch shell and blew, within seconds to their astonishment an empty boat appeared, moving silently against the quiet river.  They formed a line at the shore watching carefully two as boats came forward to rest on the embankment. They were bobbing slowly, it was almost serene except they all knew beneath the camouflage of the silent blue waters lay the deadliest creatures that could break them.
She turned to the group her face set with a serious expression . "We are to board these boats that will take us across at the foot of the mountains.  Be mindful of the selkie, they will scent us above the water and they will come forward.  Their music will be unimaginable, expected to lure us. They like beautiful things so they will go for the males first. The more appealing the better. Once they capture your interest  with their voices, they will make you jump off the boat and when you are in the river your lives will be in your own hands."
"What do you mean? Can we just cut them down with our swords?" Rufus asked.
"It's not that easy," Havah explained. "You won't have your wits about you. They will drag you down into the depths of the river and there they will make a meal of your flesh."
"I suggest the women hold on to the men with all their strength until we pass safely beyond the perimeter that will lead us to the foot of the mountains."
"So your saying the women are immune?" Xion asked
"We have to drink the vial of liquid I brewed yesterday," Jutu said. "Some of us will be immune and make us capable of holding down the others who will be tempted to jump into the waters." She paused looking at Caspian. "Don't be fooled!"
They split into the boats, Caspian , Rufus and Captain Jacob took the first one with Havah Jutu and Erica
while Evaline rode with Estelle, Cem and Lord Fenwick. The waters were still as they pulled away from the shore, they rowed single file the second boat following the first. There was an eerie silence over the river, not a soul in sight except for the travellers. They had downed their vials of whatever brew Jutu had concocted leaving a bitter taste in their mouths.
A slight mist formed on top of the water like a wisp of smoke that blanketed the greyish blue surface. A slight breeze caressed their faces softly, as they continued to lap against the water. Evaline shivered slightly as she pushed the paddle against the water.
"Are you cold?" Cem asked beside her.
She whipped her face to the side and granted him a half smile before shaking her head. He seemed more attentive than before as if everything was fine, but they all knew it wasn't. They were treading on dangerous waters which held the balance between life and death.
Selfies were determined when they caught their prey. They may look like innocent nymphs with scales for feet and a razor sharp tail that could gut a man. Havah explained that they tempted with their ethereal beauty and majestic voices, but once you were caught in their web, they would devour every piece of your body and leave only bones to be collected at the bottom of the river. The thought of being vulnerable to such creatures made her shudder inwardly.
They were in a land of creatures with dominion over their lives. It was such a dismal though she shoved it from her thoughts when suddenly she saw Captain Jacob lean forward. His face a perfect expression of bliss. Erica seemed to have noticed, reaching out to pull his back into his seat when their boat started to wobble. Jolted out of her stupor, Evaline looked about her frantically. It happened so fast, fins in rainbow colors emerged, beating the side of their boat. Women with face that were so beautiful it was almost blinding, emerged bobbing slowly around them.
"Quick grab onto Cem, I'll hold on to Lord Fenwick." Estelle barked.
The boat in front of them was shaking as she heard the men pleading to let them go.
Cem thankfully just looked, he didn't seem at all ensorcelled, he continued to row the boat taking special care not to come in contact with the selkie but one of them swam closer to their side. Wrapping her arms around Cem waist she leaned resting her head against his back. It seemed to work for he didn't stop rowing.
"Hang on to me Evaline, it seems to be working, I don't hear a thing." He told her.
Estelle on the other hand was pulling Xion's arm holding on to it with her dear life as he tried to get up.
"Let me go, can't you see, I need to be with her!" He bellowed, his eyes wide as he started to push toward the side.
The boat was wobbling wildly, Evaline managed to crawl toward Xion's  foot and held fest on his ankle with all her might. He was extremely strong as he tried to kick her off with a blow to he chin that knocked her sideways. He was about to punch Estelle when Evaline managed to hold on to his leg distracting him so Estelle could grab on to his waist and hold him down easily but he backhanded her and she feel back letting go of him completely when suddenly he stood pushing against Evaline's shoulder.
Cem was about to help when Evaline ordered him to keep rowing hoping Estelle would get up but it was too late, Xion dragged himself up and pushed forward jumping into the water dragging Evaline with him as she continued to hold on to his leg.
The minute they plunged into the murky depth, she could feel the scales brush against her body as one of the selkie started dragging Xion downward, her arm hooked against his neck. She continued to hold on to his leg clawing upward until she latched on to his waist. Holding her breath she tried to look but everything was dark. Closing her eyes she reached into her core to summon the energy as a selkie tugged on her legs.
They were both dragged, down into the inky depth, when she remembered her rune.
"Lieu" she thought all her energy centered on that one word when a blinding flash of light emerged around them. There she saw with horror hundreds of selkies circling about them but they seemed afraid of the light as they covered their eyes.
This was her chance, kicking the selkie that held her leg she begun to push upward dragging the heavy body of Xion with her. The light remained encasing them but it seemed the selkie got smart and started to claw after them. Reaching down for the dagger in her boot she started slashing about her, hearing the startled cries as several of them got hurt from her slashing.
Finally they managed to reach the surface of the water, gasping for breath she turned to Xion who was passed out, his body like a solid rock, limp beside her. She hooked an arm around his waist and was starting to swim toward the boats but they were far away.
What now?!
Selkies started bobbing up beside them , baring their razor sharp teeth as they hissed.
"Kaitsta" protect she said aloud when suddenly the selkies were shoved away from them, leaving an opening for her to swim "kiiresti" she barked and her feet began paddling faster."juhataks meid ohutusse" she muttered feeling the coldness of the water deep into her flesh as she paddled onward. Spotting land "Bring us to shore!" she commanded and soon they were nearing the embankment of the river.
When they reached the embankment she started dragging Xion with all her might. Slumping into the ground she turned on her bank spreading her arms wide, the dagger still on her hand.  She sat up abruptly looking about her.  It seemed as if they were back in the forgotten forest for the landscape looked the same, but instinct told her they were not.  The boats were out of sight, there was no one about except her and the unconscious Lord Fenwick.
Sheathing the dagger back into her boot she dragged her body forward, putting an ear to Xion's chest to check if he was still breathing. Hearing his heart beat she sighed in relief. His hair was wet and stuck to his pale face.  His lips were turning blue.  They was a wound on his neck, appearing to be puncture marks.
Removing her gauntlet, she placed a palm on his neck and felt the heat from her hand heal the wound.  Color immediately returned to his face but his eyes remained closed
Plagues!