Shadowfire & The Nymph

Chapter Eight

The boat bobbed atop the gentle current; the rippling waves a shimmering, intimidating beauty under the moon's ethereal light. Sage knew the way to the weakened stretch of fence like it was the back of his hand. They had ventured out to it countless times – and it all lead to this. The copper fence panged against the boat's impact, carrying the vibration up and up and up to its diamond spiked peak.

The hairs rose along Sage's arms as he leaned over the hull, knotting a rope to the fence to secure the boat. Thoughts of the alleged monstrous creatures with razor sharp teeth and fifteen eyes ambushed his mind while his arm was exposed to the dark depths. Typical.

As though sensing the direction of Sage's thoughts - or merely noticing the stiffness of his arm, Arlo shifted himself to the centre of the boat, tucking his arms in close.

Moments later, the boat was secure, and Sage cursed himself for the racing of his heart. Arlo's tools clunked onto the wooden deck behind him as he unpacked his bag, blaming his piss poor eyesight. It was no matter, nobody could see them out this far at night, let alone hear them.

"What do you need first?" Arlo's voice was carefully calm – masking the nerves underneath, barely. Though Sage appreciated it all the same.

He turned his head to survey the array of glinting metal laid out in front of Arlo's kneeling frame – his eyes skimming the thick pliers, the coarse metal wire, a mallet, a dagger, and a chisel.

"The chisel." He paused to glance at the fence. The water flowed through the bars with a soft gurgle; the weak spots distorted beneath.

He clucked his tongue, "Actually, Copper End." The heaviest, most expensive dagger bought for this very purpose. He hadn't so much as shown it to Kali. He hadn't even told Ivy what he was doing, only that he would help her.

They had been sure to chip each copper bar twice. One just below the water line. One six feet higher. It would be difficult to cut them all quickly, but they had to do it. The upper half would be harder without the water's erosion, but he would stay there all damned day if he had to. To the fiery pits of Uffern with anyone who saw them. He would rather die on the boat than go back empty handed.

"I still cannot believe you named that beautiful dagger such a Gods awful name." Arlo sighed, amusement dancing in his eyes as he handed the dagger to him, the hilt cool and weighty at his palm.

Sage clucked his tongue. "And what was the name of your dagger?"

He lifted his fingers to his forehead as if just remembering something, and tutted, "That's, right... Kindness." Arlo's mouth straightened into a thin line.

"I thought it was witty." He muttered, and Sage allowed the chuckle he was holding.

Ignoring the thoughts of sea creatures; their teeth and claws, Sage rolled his sleeves to his elbows and lowered them into the cool water – goosebumps prickling the skin of his arms.

He poked at the weak spot with Copper End and relief flooded him as he felt how eroded the bar was. A slim person could squeeze through if he managed to break one. But they needed the boat to sail through.

He placed Copper End in his lap, droplets of water dampening his cotton trousers. Before he could ask, Arlo handed him the chisel and the mallet. This was it - he was going to break the fence. Their eyes met for a moment, the readiness of what lay ahead teeming in Arlo's buttercup yellow irises.

Noting the bleak light cracking through the night sky in shades of peach and topaz, Sage took both tools and positioned the chisel at the centre of the copper bar. He pulled his arm back, the gauntlets pinching at his elbow joint - and willed every ounce of strength he had to his arm. He brought the hammer down with an almighty pang of metal on metal and could only watch as the bar trembled before snapping and breaking away from the fence – drifting to the shadow-veiled ocean floor far below.