The crew shouts in dismay as they rush below deck to check out the damage. The waters of Black Lake shudder. The ancient rises until her entire body is exposed. She is a hundred feet tall at least, but now she spins, her water rustling out like a flaring skirt.
“She’s dancing,” Caelynn says, crouching low but her eyes are intent. She too is mesmerized.
As the Lady of the Lake picks up speed, her form is no longer recognizable, and soon it’s just a spinning waterspout, rising higher into the sky.
I rush to Caelynn just as the waterspout reaches the side of the ship, but Caelynn steps out, her eyes still unfocused. Her hands reach wide, and inky black magic blasts from her open palms.
A shield of solid black curls around the ship in a protective orb just as the twisting water reaches us. The crew scream in horror but then stop, staring at the black magic surrounding us. Protecting us.
Most fae only see shadow magic as secrets and destruction. Their expressions are full of awe as they realize what Caelynn has done.
The watery cyclone spins, slamming into Caelynn’s shield, shuddering. I grab her forearm to steady her and then turn to Raijin. “Get us out of here, now.”
Caelynn
Istep off the shipand onto solid ground, teeth chattering. Salty water drips from my tunic.
“What do we make of that?” I murmur.
“She has always been a fickle beast.” Well, that’s not going to help in convincing Rai to allow us to rouse her from her restless slumber.
Rai sheds his jacket and tunic, standing on the docks entirely bare-chested. A small redheaded fae scampers toward us, carrying his replacement clothes. My eyebrows rise, but then I turn my attention to wringing out my own clothing. Water splatters onto the uneven wood by my feet.
Rai marches to meet us at the end of the peer.
“Well, that was fun,” Raijin comments. “You two owe me a ship.”
The ship is half sunk, water now reaching the top deck. We were able to make it back to shore thanks to the help of the water fae. The hull had several cracks and even outright holes that were irreparable.
There are several more water and crackling fae on the docks, rushing to help all of the sailors from the sinking ship.
“She was disappointed there was no storm to dance in,” I say.
Raijin nods. “But she’s powerful. She could have destroyed us without a second thought.”
I nod. “But she didn’t.”
