Something Wicked This Way Comes

Chapter 15

The breath was sucked from his lungs, replaced by stagnant, pungent air that reeked with unfiltered magic. Carter was basically gagging on it, every sense filled and overwhelmed by the thick air. His heart throbbed in his chest, the adrenaline Olivia had pumped into his veins making the blood rush in his ears. He felt hot, almost feverish. He was vaguely aware of damp sweat beginning to drip from his forehead and make his hair stick to his face and neck.

Someone's voice echoed far away, something tough and sharp gripping his shoulders. He blinked, vision hazy and blurred. That sharp grip tightened and something like pain tried to alert his brain but it didn't get through his dizzy haze. Something hot and thick trickled from his nose, dripping onto the wood below him. He was swaying... but that may have just been the boat bobbing on the waves.

Then, for the first time in decades a familiar voice rang in his head.

"Welcome back, little one. I've missed you."

Carter gasped, vaguely aware of someone shouting, and then a hand cupping his jaw to turn his face. A silhouette blurred in front of him. Carter couldn't recognize who it was... his head was too foggy, too muddled.

"Hey!" Jim shook him by the shoulders a little rougher. His face finally came into focus and Carter blinked. "Carter!"

"Wha?"

"You spaced majorly," Steve said, behind him. When had Steve moved? "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." Carter shook himself off, trying to clear his head. "Yes. I'm fine."

"Love, you didn't look fine." Douxie said, voice so tight Carter wasn't sure he was even breathing.

"I am," Carter reassured, trying to breathe through the sudden nausea. "Now, at least."

Douxie didn't look convinced. "Okay..."

"What was that?" Jim asked, looking around. "Like... you guys felt that too, right?"

"Yeah." Toby nodded. "Major heebie jeebies."

"Ugh, please do not say that," Carter groaned.

"Agreed," Archie said, moving from Douxie's lap to Carter's.

"Why?" Steve questioned.

Douxie and Carter exchanged glances, then said together, "We'll tell you later."

Jim rolled his eyes, offering Carter a hand up. Carter took his hand, scooping Archie up with one arm. "Anyway," the Trollhunter said. "What happened?"

"The Sea of Monsters has... effects on the people who pass into its waters," Antigone explained slowly. "Especially when deciding where to put the people coming in."

"Put us?" Claire emphasized.

"Magic across all types are connected," Douxie said, getting to his feet too, keeping a steady eye on his fiancé "Depending on who you are and where you come from... well, let's just be glad we're not taking Odysseus' way in."

"Oh." Claire nodded. "Charybdis."

"Scylla," Douxie said like he was confirming. "The sirens, Circe's island. We don't want to live through the Odyssey. It seems like it's put us on our side of the Triangle."

"Our side?" Jim questioned.

"The one with the Isle on it." Douxie clarified. "If we sailed far enough, I'm sure we'd find other mythologies' islands and creatures, but we're not doing that."

"Ah." Jim nodded like he understood. He didn't look like he understood at all. "So... what's our side got on it?"

"Annwn." Douxie said. "The Isle of Avalon. The origins of the Arcane, and home of the Faer Folk. Also a couple island chunks with other interesting little bits of mythos history. Like the cave of Grendel, and Beowulf's tomb."