Secrets of the Deep (52 page)

“But of course,” Finnderool drawled, quickly nocking an arrow and lifting his bow to return fire. “Best barbarians-for-hire gold can buy.”

The Noxu had long served as the Dark Druids’ foot soldiers and henchmen. They were a barbarian tribe of armored mercenaries from the Outer Myrmidon Hills.

A smaller, somewhat more intelligent offshoot of the ogre species, the beastly brutes were said to have just enough elven blood flowing in their veins to make them more cunning and agile than true ogres, and closer to human size.

But they were just as nasty as their full ogre cousins, if not more so. Unlike their feral, solitary kin, the true ogres, the Noxu had developed a crude society and the ability to cooperate with others of their kind.

In time, they had become known as fearsome mercenaries who sold their services to the highest bidder. They usually fought with battleaxes, but were also skilled bowmen.

Though their arrows kept coming, the Order’s two teams managed to resume their advance, protected by the wizards’ shields.

Still, Ramona knew that these types of barriers could only last so long, and then her friends would be sitting ducks out here. She had to do something–buy them just a few minutes so they could mount a counterattack. Her moment had come.

She knew it was dangerous, especially in spirit form, to go directly over the Black Fortress; she did not want to get caught up in the mysterious vortex of dark energies that appeared over the center of the castle whenever the Council gave the order to jump locations.

But the Noxu had the Order fighters pinned down under their unceasing hail of arrows. The mission was already stalled unless
somebody
did something.

She would just have to be careful not to let herself be detected.

Unseen by either foes or allies, she flew up over the battlements, unharmed by the arrows whizzing through her spectral body.

A moment later, she found herself looking down on the burly castle guards.

At this range, she could smell their sweaty ogre stink, hear their brutish growls and grunts and the creak and clank of their leather-and-metal armor. She could see their mottled grayish-purple skin and the small, boar-like tusks protruding from their lower jaws.

For a moment, she considered how best to rid them of their arrows. Then she thought of the children, and a mischievous smile skimmed her lips.

She waved her spectral hand over them all and whispered the spell.

The arrows stopped abruptly.

Instead, the Noxu grunted in confusion. A few squealed with surprise to find all their arrows turned to licorice sticks.

“Wh-what’s happened?” one said, trying to nock it anyway.

Another shook his, as though doing so might turn it back. “Our arrows have changed into little ropes.”

A third took a bite. “It’s delicious!”

“Get that out of your mouth!” the captain of the guard huffed as he came stomping along. He glared over the wall at the Order teams, who were now hurrying forward again. “We’ve got to stop them,” the captain growled in a garbled voice.

“How, sir?” his underling asked while a few more of the Noxu sneaked bites of the licorice candy when their chief wasn’t looking.

His piggish little eyes narrowed. “Very well. If it’s magic they want…” He turned and bellowed, “Release the Fire Swarm!”

CHAPTER 26

Battle Royale

A
ll was quiet at the Villa di Palma. So far, it was a peaceful night.

Maddox stood on a boulder at the surf’s edge, his rifle at patrol carry in his hands, the sling across his shoulder comfortably distributing its weight for the long night ahead.

The wind ruffled his hair and blew his black jacket against his side as he continually scanned the sea before him.

The waves were high, reaching for the bright full moon so far above them. He fought the lulling effects of their serene rhythm, rolling up to the beach and washing out again. Every now and then he saw Liliana’s seahorse peek up from the waves and the dolphins slowly swimming past, arcing up out of the water with the moonlight gleaming on their curved dorsal fins before they dove under again.

Everyone was in position, as agreed. Lady Bradford was working some spell in her room, trying to help the rescue effort. Archie sat up high in the villa’s quaint center tower, with its cupola roof like a scoop of ice cream above the window where his head was visible. He was watching the horizon through the telescope.

Nixie, meanwhile, ambled back and forth along the terrace, surveilling the midrange from her vantage point. Dani was minding Liliana inside, and the four eldest were out on the beach, each in charge of one quarter of the cove.

They had about a hundred yards to cover. Jake and Maddox stood guard on the ends, while Sapphira and Isabelle split the middle section.

It was very quiet. There was nothing to do but think—and stay sharp. Maddox kept watching, listening, feeling out into the dark with his Guardian instincts for any sign of trouble. He knew it waited for them. The question was, when?

He intended to be ready for it, but it was hard not to be distracted when his heightened senses made him acutely aware of Miss Bradford about twenty yards to his right.

Beyond her, Sapphira paced with a spear in her hands and the Triton Trumpet hanging at her hip to use as a signal in case she saw anything. The mermaid princess really seemed to be itching for a fight, Maddox thought, as if she just wanted to get this whole thing over with and go home to Coral City.

He couldn’t blame her. He just hoped she still had a city and a palace to go home to. They’d had no news from Tyndaris or King Nereus, and that worried him.

Beyond Sapphira, Jake stood guarding the far end of the beach, but in the darkness, all Maddox could make out was his blond hair.

Bored, Maddox tried counting the seconds between the waves rushing up onto the sand, but, inevitably, his attention wandered farther down the beach to Isabelle again.

His sharp Guardian eyes could see her clearly in the moon-silvered darkness, her long, bright tresses blowing prettily about her shoulders, the pale skirts of her shin-length walking dress rippling around her in the breeze.

His sensitive ears could hear her whispering the numbers of the quarterstaff positions as she moved about on the sand, brushing up on her skills, to his amusement. He’d thought the white staff that went with her role as a Keeper of the Unicorns was only a ceremonial weapon, but apparently, the young lady knew how to use it.

So she claimed.

We’ll see,
Maddox thought. She shouldn’t even be out here, as far as he was concerned. The viscount’s daughter was no fighter. He wanted her back inside, but he didn’t dare offer his opinion at this point.

No, he believed he had already said
quite
enough today.

He tried again to ignore her, but ultimately, it was her flowery smell that made it impossible for him to concentrate. Downwind of her, the springtime scent of her hair filled his every breath with painful awareness.

He swore under his breath, shook his head, and kept scanning the waves, starting to curse the day he’d ever met Isabelle Bradford.

This whole thing was maddening. He could fight brawls and fix problems, but when it came to this, he was completely out of his element. More of a blasted fish out of water than the two visiting mermaids.

Oh yes, he was well aware that he had messed up today with her. Worse than ever. He let out a sigh and shifted restlessly on his perch atop the boulder.

He had been so proud of himself ever since he’d met her for how honorable he’d been, how well he’d resisted the temptation she presented. Guardians had no time for girls.

But the things he’d said to her this afternoon, the way he’d acted…he wasn’t proud of that at all. What was honorable about hurting a young girl’s feelings?

He wasn’t even sure why he’d been so mean, but it had something to do with that stupid vampire. And it wasn’t just the jealous anger he felt when Janos taunted him by flirting with Isabelle.

It was anger at himself. For his failure. Blast it, if he couldn’t even be a good Guardian, then what was the point of anything?

He should’ve been there when Jake had come under attack from those Nightstalkers. Instead, he had been late. Jake could’ve died, and that irritating bloodsucker was the one who’d saved the day.

So, Janos had ended up playing the hero, while
he
had looked a failure in front of everyone—including Isabelle.

Maddox hated embarrassing himself. No doubt the touch of haughty royal pride came from having a real prince as his father–not a fake one like Janos. The vampire had been given his crown, his title, and his lands by the same fanged harpies who had given him his immortal life: his pack of bloodthirsty brides.

Well, at least the bloodsucker knew how to talk to women. Maddox shook his head, disgusted with himself.

If botching his duty to protect Jake weren’t bad enough, he couldn’t believe he had lashed out at Isabelle today when, in truth, the only one he was angry at was himself. This whole awful thing about Derek had him on edge, he supposed, and he didn’t like knowing Ravyn was heading into battle.

He should’ve been there too.

With a low growl of frustration, Maddox drummed his fingers on his weapon and continued scanning the sea for any sign of trouble.
Get your head in the game.

A quarter-hour later, Dani traipsed out onto the beach with Liliana in tow, balancing a tray with snacks and cups and pitchers of beverages for everyone, as promised.

Maddox wasn’t hungry, but he welcomed a break from the monotony of standing guard.

The Irish lass started on Jake’s end of the beach—of course. Thick as thieves, those two. Pondering it, it seemed a little ridiculous to Maddox that a rogue like Jake and even an oddball like Archie could find a true connection with a girl, but for him, it was not to be.

When Dani moved on to Sapphira, Lil stayed by her sister, hopping around and babbling about little-girl things. From there, she visited Isabelle. The two chatted for a few minutes. He strained his ears to listen furtively, wondering what they were talking about. Maybe him?

Didn’t seem so. He jumped down off the boulder onto the sand when Dani eventually reached his lookout.

“Refreshments for you, sir?” she asked in a cheery tone.

“What’ve you got?” he asked, glancing at the tray.

“Coffee, biscuits. Tea, if you prefer. Glass of water? Some fruit?”

“Thanks.” Maddox took the water and a round, crunchy biscuit.

“Any signs of trouble down your way?” Dani asked.

He shook his head as he ate the biscuit in one bite and washed it down with a swallow of water. “All clear,” he said.

“Oh, have another one,” she urged, holding the tray up. “You can save it for later if you like.”

He smiled at her warmly and accepted. He had always rather related to Dani O’Dell. Their situations here were not that different. Both of them were lowborn, and both had developed stronger involvements than expected with the people they were supposedly here to serve.

“Pretty boring, huh?” Dani said.

“Very,” Maddox agreed.

“Well, that’s probably for the best. See you in another hour.”

As Dani turned and started to walk away, Maddox was filled with a sudden sense of urgency.

“Um, Dani?” he said abruptly, almost taking himself by surprise.
Don’t be an arse,
he warned himself, but it was useless.

She stopped and turned around with a dimpled smile. “Change your mind about the coffee? It
is
good–just ask Archie.”

“Nah, it can make your hands shake. Not good for a sniper. I just…er, could I ask you something?” he inquired with just a hint of desperation.

“Of course.” She returned to him with a curious look. “What’s the matter?”

He couldn’t believe he was going to do this, but the little redhead
was
Isabelle’s official companion. He kept his voice low. “Did, um, Miss Bradford
say
anything to you about me today?”

She looked startled by his admission of interest in anything having to do with the blonde, but shook her head. “No.”

His heart sank, but on second thought, maybe that was a good sign. “She didn’t rant about me, or anything?”

“Not today,” Dani joked. “Why? Did you give her cause?”

He faltered, shifting his weight uneasily from one foot to the other, then shrugged.

Dani furrowed her brow. “Maddox, do you like Isabelle or not?” she asked bluntly.

He stared at her, then glanced past her shoulder to the beauty farther down the beach. A small sound of distress escaped him, neither a yes nor a no.

Dani’s eyebrows lifted. “I see. Well…hmm. I suppose if you want, I could talk to her for you–”

“No!” He could feel his cheeks burning in the cool of night at the mere suggestion. “Don’t say anything.” Blazes, he didn’t even want to admit this nonsense to himself, let alone to Isabelle. “It’s just…I hurt her feelings today, and I really didn’t mean to.”

Dani rested the tray more comfortably against her waist. “You two seem to do that a lot.”

Maddox nodded ruefully. “I tried to apologize, but she walked away. She never walks away from me like that.” He stole a wistful glance in Isabelle’s direction. “I don’t think she likes me anymore…I mean,
really
doesn’t like me.”

Dani searched his face. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“I don’t know,” he said, miserable. “Please don’t tell anyone we discussed this. I feel like an idiot.”

“Of course.” She paused. Her straight red hair swung about her shoulders as she turned her head, glancing over at Isabelle and then back at him. “For what it’s worth,” she ventured, “I think you should tell her how you feel.”

“What’s the point, if nothing can come of it?” he said in a weary tone.