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A rc’s eyes flashed open, and water pushed against his chest. He willed his magic to force the liquid from his lungs and spread his arms to spin a globe of protection, sourcing air from within the water to breathe.

Pulling in his fill of air, he shook his head.

The magic had come so easily. He kicked his feet, driving toward the surface so he could rejoin the fight against the sea beast.

Shapes swam past, a dozen or more, and he didn’t have time to react before they were throwing spelled coral spears at the beast. Dashing through the red fingers of blood twisting through the currents from the sea creature’s wounds, Arc hurried to join these unlikely allies.

The water sizzled with sea magic as the sea kynd circled the beast, throwing their spears in turn and retrieving them with a word.

Their voices thundered through the current in a way that made Arc’s ears ache.

Blood darkened the battleground, and he drove toward the surface.

The beast lurched, and blood blackened the water, completely cloaking the glow of the moon and stars. Arc broke the surface, called up a wind, and leapt onto the land.

Vahly and Kyril flew close, Vahly holding out a hand for him to grab. She looked like a true goddess with her flaxen hair blowing in the wind and the way her eyes loosed arrows of fire into his heart.

Source save him, he would do anything for this female.

He grabbed Vahly’s hand and jumped behind her onto the gryphon. “The sea folk are helping us defeat it.”

“Yes, but why?” Vahly lifted a hand, fisted it.

The pine gryphons released the bleeding sea creature from their vines.

Two coral spears jutted from the beast’s torso.

A female sea kynd blasted through the waves, body rising on a crest of salt water as she threw a spear at the red tentacle.

The dragons and the earth gryphons blew fire, citrine and emerald, at the creature’s face.

The spear hit its mark, and the sea beast roared.

The creature crashed backward into the ocean, separating the waters and sending walls of foaming spray to either side.

The dragons soared high to avoid the water, but the waves caught the earth gryphons and pulled them under.

They disintegrated into leaves and broken tree limbs before disappearing into the sea.

When the water calmed, everyone remained high in the air, afraid of the sea folk and their spelled salt water. But Arc noticed the female who had struck the killing blow, bobbing at the edge of Vahly’s new island.

He pointed her out, his mind recalling how Vahly had looked when she’d been one of the sea kynd, how her second eyelid had blinked across her vivid irises, how her flesh had been both beautiful and incredibly foreign. He was wholly glad to have her true self back again.

“The leader of their group wishes to speak to us,” he said. “We should risk it. They could have allowed that creature to kill us or at least slay me while I was underwater. I couldn’t have fought off that many.”

“All right. Let’s give it a go.” Astride Kyril, Vahly’s legs shifted against Arc’s, her movements giving the gryphon the request to drop from the sky to land.

Are you certain this is wise? Amona asked the group telepathically, her matriarch voice booming with power that would have made Arc wish to go to his knees before he’d taken the elven crown.

Nix joined in. I don’t trust this. They might have saved you just to bring you to Astraea. W e should give them a nice little wave of thanks, then move on.

Arc pursed his lips. I’ll remain by Vahly’s side, Kyril too . If there is any sign of danger, I will blow them backward and Kyril will take our Earth Queen into the sky.

I think Arc is right, Vahly said. Allowing that freakish beast to slay us would’ve pleased Astraea just fine. This group might be like Ryton, trapped in a scenario and trying to do their best.

Fine, Nix said. But if the sea kynd even so much as flaps a finned finger at you, Queenie, I’m blasting the Source life right out of her tail.

Sea folk don’t have tails, Nix, Vahly said, smirking.

Not the point, darling.

Arc summoned his air magic, keeping it at the ready as he trailed Vahly and Kyril to the water’s edge.

The sea kynd female raised her eyes, squinting like the light caused pain as she watched the dragons.

Her face showed the scars of battle. A jagged line marred her left cheek and mangled one of her gills, and shining flesh showed where hair should have been above her ear, a slash that would’ve killed a lesser being.

“Can you speak to us?” Vahly asked.

Earth power vibrated from her words, and Arc was fairly certain she wasn’t fully aware of the effects her magical abilities had on those around her. She was far too humble.

The sea kynd female held her webbed fingers toward Arc, raising her eyebrows, then she lowered her hands into the water. “Here,” she said, her voice a rasping croak, barely intelligible.

Vahly glanced at Arc, her lips turning up at one side. “You up for another swim, King Arcturus?”

He bowed. “If it pleases you, my queen.”

Normally, these words would’ve drawn an impish grin across Vahly’s lovely face, but now a wariness cloaked her feigned nonchalance.

The sea kynd female moved back as he lowered himself into the water. The surface had thankfully calmed since the demise of the sea beast. The tides were strong, tugging at his legs, but he was glad for them because they had obviously drawn the dead sea creature away.

The female sea kynd’s tentative eyes relieved some of his hesitation; something about her urged him to trust her.

Before he went fully under, Vahly gripped his hand, her gaze going to his discolored fingers. She lifted her eyebrows at him, but then blinked and clicked her tongue like she was thinking there was a better time to ask him about his affliction.

“You’re certain you want to do this?” she asked.

“I am.” He gave her an encouraging nod, then submerged beneath the water.