Arthur Hood: the Heir of Robin and King

Chapter Twenty-Eight

'Nixie!' Merlynna shouted, as she, Little Johnny and Esme stood on the riverbank across from the entrance to the Secret Pond.

'In all my time here in Robin's Wood,' said Esme, 'I never knew about their home.'

'There,' snapped Little Johnny. He was pointing to the vines covering the entrance. They were moving, their leaves shimmering under the stars. 'I think Nixie heard you.'

Merlynna smiled but Fury hissed and started to dart back and forth in agitation.

'What's wrong with you?' Merlynna asked him as the vines had parted and a long shadow beneath the water swam out into the river.

Fury continued to hiss.

Watching the shape head towards them, Little Johnny said, 'I hope she can help us with finding Arthur.'

The shadow was only yards away from the children now, which sent Fury into more distress.

'Seriously, what is wrong with you?' Merlynna asked her flying friend.

Suddenly, a tail with thick green scales flicked out of the water with a tremendous splash.

'That's not a mermaid,' Little Johnny bellowed with a stammer before the head of a horrifying serpent with spikes roared into the air.

And as the beast shrilled like some giant abominable raptor, Merlynna instinctively waved her hand and screamed, 'Danu!'

Her dull stunning charm zipped pathetically through the air yet hit the serpent flush on its flared snout. The beast froze for only a few moments but that was enough time for an escape.

The children ran, Fury racing overhead, and they ran some more. They ran until they couldn't run any longer, eventually finding a rock to hide under.

'What was that thing?' Little Johnny said, his voice cracking.

'It was a leviathan,' replied Merlynna. 'I read about them in a book about terrifying water monsters.'

'It was huge,' Esme shrieked softly.

'And that was just a baby leviathan.'

Little Johnny and Esme snapped their shock looks at Merlynna.

'That was a baby?' stammered Little Johnny.

Merlynna nodded.

'What do you think happened to the mermaids? To Nixie?' asked Esme.

Merlynna shrugged with horror. 'I don't know. And I was only talking to her not too long ago.'

'Hopefully they were able to escape like us,' said Little Johnny. 'What is it, Merlynna?'

Merlynna was now looking off into space. 'This was what Nixie was talking about. Morgana and the Sheriff have corrupted this forest with their presence. More and more horrible creatures and monsters will find Robin's Wood and make it their home. The Shadow will eventually take it over.'

'This is not good. Not good at all,' Little Johnny mumbled to himself.

'What do we do? Esme asked. 'I can't let that happen. Robin's Wood is all the Children of the Forest has?'

'Then we need to find Arthur and defeat Morgana and the Sheriff,' said Merlynna. 'If we do that, the forest will surely heal itself–'

'Now what is it, Merlynna?' asked Little Johnny.

Merlynna had broken off and was staring down at herself. 'I feel something, something strange coursing through my veins.'

And just like that, sparks flickered briefly between her fingers.