Dive In

Chapter 19

“Nix?” Ella sputtered.

“Yes, it is I,” he made an over dramatic bow, bending so low his nose almost brushed the ground. He rose with an elegant grace, a smirk on his full lips.

Ella could feel her cheeks redden and she quickly looked away.

While her Waterfolk guards shifted around her awkwardly, the Forestfolk simply watched Nix's antics with bemused expressions. Dressed in rich greens and browns, they looked rather out of place on the beach. The metallic spears of the Waterfolk glimmered in the sunlight, whereas the dull metal of the Forestfolk's daggers and swords was hard to see against their worn clothes.

“I think we can handle it from here on out boys,” Nix said playfully, “You are dismissed.”

Seeming almost relieved, the guards turned on their heels and marched back into the water. Ella watched them until the very last spear tip disappeared underneath the waves. Turning to face her new guards, she found herself being watched by ten pairs of rather unearthly eyes. None of them made a move towards her, hell, none of them were even blinking.

Aside from Nix, who was clothed in what seemed like his standard black t-shirt and jeans, they were all dressed in a wide array of different leathers, animal skins and neutral coloured cloth. One particularly skinny woman was wearing nothing but a thin leather strap covering her chest and a short skirt, with knives and daggers strapped to her thighs. Her eyes were so dark they looked black, and her lips were pulled up in a permanent sneer.

All of them towered over her, and all of them shared the same angular faces and high cheekbones. Most of them had bronzed skin, but she noted one of the females appeared paler than her. Upon closer inspection, Ella saw that the hair pulled tight against her skull in a pony-tail was white, and her narrow eyes glowed red. She went to take a step back from the unnerving woman, then it occurred to her that she was probably just an albino.

Nix began to chuckle, earning the annoyed stairs of his comrades. Noticing their stoney glares, he burst out into laughter, throwing his sword down into the sand and doubling over. Ella folded her arms over her chest, glaring at the laughing boy.

“Nix, I believe that is enough,” chastised the woman with the unwavering sneer.

“I'm sorry Maev. But fish is our beloved Keeper! Oh the irony!” he broke into another set of giggles.

“My name isn't fish. I'm not a fish. My name is Ella, and I'm the Keeper,” she growled, taking a step forwards.

“Oh so she does have some fight in her! Hopefully there wasn't any fainting spells since the last time we met?” he grinned evilly.

“Oh there was. And do you know why? Because my necklaces were drained of power to keep me alive after some insolent boy left me to die in the woods,” she glowered.

Any sense of mirth disappeared from his features instantly. He straightened up to his full height, nearly blocking out the setting sun. Ella knew she should feel intimidated by his sheer size and strength, but her anger continued to bubble under her skin. What was it about Nix that infuriated her so? Not even Carter could get under her skin the way Nix did!

“Maybe that boy had better things to do then stick around some ignorant girl who was stupid enough to be wandering alone in Fallenfolk territory,” he snarled, green eyes darkening.

“Oh really? Because I heard that boy was nothing more than a petty criminal.”

“Enough!” the woman he'd called Maev charged forward, grabbing Nix by the collar so roughly he let out a strangled chocking noise.