Court of Nightmares and Ruin

Chapter 27

Icelyn

Lifting my palms upward, I used my hail as ammunition, hammering them relentlessly with ice. They fell back; their bodies bloodied from the large pieces of ice. Athen yelled, signaling the soldiers to attack.

Soon, the campsite was in an uproar, and within minutes, we had the slavers subdued. Anger surged through me as I went around the grounds, freeing the captives. I reached a cage full of night pixies. They were so weak and malnourished that they could not fly. My eyes misted over as I lightly picked one up, cradling it in my palms.

"What would you have me do with them?" Athen walked over to me and motioned to the slavers.

"Lock them up and have Kohl deal with them. I am so angry right now that if I even look at them, I will kill them."

Athen nodded in understanding and had a few comrades hall the slavers away. I put the pixie back down and walked over to the green goblin being whipped before we raided the camp. He cowered away from me, his blood oozing from the open gashes.

"It's ok," I coaxed him to come forward.

He sniffed at my outstretched hand and finally came closer to me. I carefully inspected his wounds and temporarily bandaged them. I didn't have the supplies to properly cleanse and dress the wounds.

"Athen," I called her, and she came over.

"Have all of the captives taken to the palace. I want them properly cared for and have the cook make some broth. They have been starved for so long that I fear their stomachs will reject solid foods."

Athen nodded her head and set out to do what I asked. I glanced around, just now realizing no one had seen the princess. I started to search the camp but came up empty. Just when I accepted that she was not at the campsite, I came across a large wooden barrel with a lid and lock. I froze the lock, broke it, and slowly lifted the lid.

I stared down into the swirling depth of water. Slowly, a little blond head broke through the water's surface with just her nose up, visible for me to see. She had the most beautiful golden curls and blue eyes that rival the sea.

"Hello, darling. It's ok." As soon as I spoke, her head emerged from the water, her eyes turned black, and she bared sharp teeth at me.

"Careful, Icelyn, sirens are deceptive creatures. Beautiful, but deadly," Athen warned me as she hovered nearby.

I think for a second and then mold tiny fish out of snow. I swirled them through the air, making them look like they were swimming. The infant's eyes instantly turned back blue, and she giggled at the fish.

"That's right, love, we will not hurt you. I am going to take you back to your mommy," I said in a very gentle voice.

I held out my arms, and she bounded from the barrel and into my arms in one leap. She snuggled close to my chest, and I couldn't help but fall in love with her.

"Gage, give me your shirt, please."

"If you wanted to see my physique, all you had to do was ask." He winked at me and handed me his shirt.

After training with him for so long, I finally broke through his rough exterior.

"Better not say that with Kohl around." I laughed, dipped his shirt in the water, and swaddled the baby siren in the wet material.

"Hopefully, this will keep you wet enough until we reach your mom."

With a shrill whistle, I called Nero to join me and carefully climbed on his back to not disturb the baby.

"I'm going with you," Athen said, and we took off towards the coastline.

"How will we find her mother in such a vast ocean?"

"Leave that to the baby, she will call to her mother, and her mother will come."

The longer it took us to reach the coast, the more nervous I became. The shirt was drying out quickly, and the infant's scales flaked. I urged Nero to go faster.

About an hour later, I sighed in relief as the ocean finally came into view. Nero landed, and I bound from his back and rushed the infant to the water. I waded chest deep so the baby was submerged in the water. She instantly perked up and started to struggle in my arms. A wail left her lungs but didn't sound like a typical baby cry. Hers was ethereal and melodious.

"Icelyn, get out of there. They will drown you." Athen ventured to the edge of the water but went no further.

I ignored her; I would not risk the baby's life by bringing her to dry land again.

"Icelyn, please. Kohl will pluck out my feathers if anything happens to you. I can't protect you from..." Athen went deadly still as the water around me started to churn, and rough water wakes rushed towards me.

"Icelyn!" Athen screamed, but I could barely hear her over the churning waters. I stood still, barely even breathing. The infant has soothed herself and slowly closed her eyes as she sucked on her thumb.

Heads started to break through the surface, at least twenty of them. My heart throbbed painfully in my chest as their eyes blackened and they hissed at me. Two feet in front of me, a beautiful siren with hair that matches the infant slowly emerged from the depths of the water. I instantly knew it was her mother by how she looked at the bundle in my arms.

"She's not hurt," I reassured her and carefully handed the infant to her. Her eyes blackened as she pulled the baby from my arms and snatched the shirt from around her so that she could check her out thoroughly.

The water was still raging around us, and I was finding it more and more difficult to hold myself upright through the raging current. The siren held her hand up in the air, and the waters instantly calmed.

"I am Ariel, queen of the Merpeople," she spoke slowly like she was not used to using our language.

"I am Icelyn, Queen of the Night Realm. You have a beautiful daughter." I smiled down at the baby, who was completely content in its mother's arms.

"What of the men who plucked her from the sea."

"The Night Realm King will deal with them," I reassured her.

"Good, he will have no mercy on them," Ariel hissed.

I turned to leave, but Ariel called me back. "For returning my daughter safely to me, you have the honor and support of all the Merpeople. Call us using the siren song if you ever need us."

"I don't know the siren song."

Ariel's hand started to glow, and she pressed it to my throat over my vocal cords. My throat heated up under her touch, and she pulled away.

"Try it," she encouraged me.

I opened my mouth, and a beautiful ethereal song poured from my mouth.

"Lovely, you have the voice of a siren." She smiled as she and all the others around me slowly disappeared beneath the water's surface.

I walked back to shore and towards Athen, who finally took a reassuring breath when my feet were back on dry land.

"You, my Queen, will be the death of me."

I smiled at her as we headed back toward the castle.