“Don’t be salty,” Gary said. “But he’s right. Move your fucking asses.”
I took a step toward the island and stumbled as there was another blast of something from the island, my head spinning with so many colors that it felt like I was choking on them. I pitched forward and thought, Oh fuck oh fuckohfuckohfuck, but a strong hand wrapped around my arm and pulled me back right before I fell off the path. Ryan pulled my back to his chest, wrapping an arm around me.
“That was close,” he breathed in my ear. “Don’t suppose you’d consider letting me carry you?”
I turned my head to glare at him. “Are you out of your mind? I’m not some damsel in distress that you need—”
“Right,” he said. “Because right now you’d choose to be difficult. And notice how I am not bringing up the whole damsel thing, even though you technically just swooned right in front of me.”
“That’s such crap, and you know it—”
“Are you guys really doing this right now?” Gary bellowed. “Oh my gods, you idiots, run!”
“Move, Sam!” Tiggy yelled. “Don’t get eaten! I would cry!”
“You heard him,” I said. “I would feel guilty for the rest of my life if I died. We should probably avoid that if possible.”
“Fine,” Ryan said. He let me go but trailed his hand down until he caught mine, holding tight. “I lead. You follow. Got it?”
I opened my mouth to argue but closed it just as quick. I’d give him shit for it later. We didn’t have time for me to be an asshole right now. Especially since it was probably better that he take the lead, given that I was still feeling the pull of whatever waited for us on the island. “You’re so cute when you get all huffy,” I said instead.
And there was the eye roll I was looking for, even as he blushed. “Shut up. I do not.”
“Totally do.”
“I really fucking hate you guys right now,” Gary said. “Just so you know.”
“Let’s go,” Ryan said, looking toward the ruins.
Left, Ruv had said. Then right. Then left.
We had this.
Ryan pulled me forward, sword still gripped in his other hand at the ready. Each step he took was deliberate, kicking up the sand, making sure we kept to the path hidden underneath. I followed him closely, trying to keep an eye out around him.
Ruv had started to drift up the incline of the sand dune that wrapped around the ruins. The sand mermaid following him leapt out of the sea, hooked claws reaching, but Ruv swerved at the last moment, and th
e creature flew into the sand dune, disappearing with the last flick of its tail. Remarkably, I could hear Ruv’s laughter, like he was having the time of his life.
I didn’t see the other one, though. And it made me nervous. I tried not to think about what would happen if there were more than two. That probably wouldn’t bode well.
Ryan paused briefly, hand tightening around mine as his feet found the first ledge. We began to move left and—
Wizard. Wizard. I feel you. Are you worthy? Are you ready?
I gritted my teeth against it, forcing myself to remain upright as Ryan led the way. It was urging me on, calling me to it, and I didn’t want to fight it. I wanted to sing back to it that I was coming, that I heard it too—
“Watch out!” Gary screamed behind us.
The path under our feet shook.
We turned slowly.
Behind us, only a short distance away, sat the other sand mermaid, on the path, tail flicking back and forth.
“Oh, we are so boned,” I said weakly.
“Run,” Ryan whispered in my ear.