Page 18 of The Tides of March (Moon Murder Mysteries)

Seventeen

T ony was urged to stay behind with Ronan but had refused, arguing that a cottage wasn’t going to protect them. He’d rather go down fighting with the rest of the team so he followed Nox, Merlin, Everly, Fletcher, and the twins out and down to the beach. He had seen the kraken in countless dreams and visions but he was still in awe as an ancient, mythological horror crested the waves.

“That’s what Ronan’s been fighting? For months? ” Fletcher verified and Merlin responded with a belligerent snort.

“I fear it was toying with him and biding its time as it grew stronger. But a valiant and deeply foolish endeavor on Ronan’s part.”

“We’re here now,” Nox replied as he pushed back the sleeves of his sweater and glanced at Arawn and Bryn. “Think you two can hold it while Ev and I hit it with everything we’ve got?”

Bryn grinned, nodding. “Never fought a kraken before but I’m willing to give it a shot.”

“I’m ready,” Arawn said and Tony held up the shotgun.

“I will be, once I figure out how to load this.”

“Let me” Fletcher said, then gestured for Tony to pass him the rifle and the box of shells. “You’ll put your eye out,” he told Tony with a wink as he quickly worked, then took a knee on the sand. He held the gun up and squinted down the barrel before pulling the trigger. Tony had covered his ears, expecting a loud bang but there was nothing except a dry click. “Where did you find this?” he asked and Tony pointed back, over his shoulder at the lighthouse.

“There was a musket too…”

Fletcher rose and shook his head. “We can throw these at it. But that’s about all they’re good for. They’re too rusted and dirty or the ammo’s bad.”

Nox rubbed his hands together and blew on them. “Okay, I’m going to try something but you all have to promise that Nelson doesn’t find out. Even if it works, because he’ll kill me if this doesn’t,” he shouted at them. He shook out his right hand, then raised it over his head. “By the power of Thor and Grayskull!”

“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?” Bryn yelled back but they all ducked and shielded their eyes as a current of lightning streaked from the sky, striking Nox.

“Nox!” Tony moved to push him out of the way but was halted by Merlin.

“Not so fast! Let’s see what happens!”

“Are you serious?” Tony couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “He’s going to—!” His jaw fell as Nox raised his other hand, aiming it at the kraken as lightning shot from his palm.

“That’s brilliant, my lad!” Merlin cheered and danced around him.

“Holy shit,” Tony whispered.

Bryn must have heard, he laughed and nodded. “He certainly is but he has his uses.”

“I think it’s working!” Arawn shouted as he pointed.

The kraken thrashed and roared as it was blasted, creating a plume of steam and smoke. “I hope so! I can’t hold this for much longer,” Nox said, then slowly lowered his hands when the kraken sank beneath the waves.

Tony ran and caught Nox when he staggered back. “Are you okay?” he asked as Nox swayed, looking dazed.

“I’m fine. A little singed, is all,” he said and held up his hands. His palms were charred. “You should see the other guy,” he joked but there was a groan from Fletcher as he nodded at the water.

“I think we’re about to,” he warned before they heard a high-pitched scream and saw the kraken’s giant, ugly head breach the waves again.

“Son of a—!” Nox gave himself a shake and snarled as he stalked in its direction. “Let’s try this again,” he said loudly as his hand shot toward the sky again but Nox let out a startled yelp when a tentacle lashed around his calf and he was hauled into the air.

“No!” Tony ran after him but was knocked onto his ass by Bryn.

“Stay back,” he ordered and sprinted after Nox with Arawn at his side.

Tony didn’t recognize the twins as they raced into the water, both had grown much larger and were growling with feral fury. There was a loud shout as Bryn was thrown but Arawn dove onto one of the massive tentacles, biting down as he wrapped his arms and legs around it. The kraken let out a mighty screech as it attempted to shake Arawn off but he stubbornly hung on, tearing out chunks of blue flesh with his teeth.

“Do not let it take Nox!” Merlin cried as he ran to Bryn and helped him up. “You must stop it!” He pointed as the kraken retreated with Nox.

Bryn howled as he leaped over the waves and launched himself at the kraken, slamming into its side. He took Arawn’s lead, hanging on as he gnashed at anything he could get his teeth into.

“Stop it!” Merlin demanded as the kraken caught Nox’s arm with another tentacle and pulled, stretching him. “Stop it now before it rips him apart!” the old man yelled.

“Put him down!” Everly tripped in his haste, tumbling onto the sand, but he popped right back up and dodged a tentacle before it could crush him. He raised his hands and hurled two flames at the kraken. One hit the beast’s face and Nox caught the other, hurling it at the kraken’s eye. There was a deafening roar as Nox was thrown at the shore, but the kraken recovered and turned its ire on Everly. It lumbered at him, its tentacles stretching across the sand, twisting and curling as they chased him. Everly was too small and light, hopping and weaving around them.

“I have to do something!” Tony searched around for anything that might help in the fight or for a way to distract the kraken. He dismissed the shotgun and the pieces of driftwood and rocks littering the shore, then considered the boats. There was no telling where the keys were and Tony didn’t know the first thing about how to operate a boat so that plan was immediately dismissed. “Come on! Think!” He clutched at his hair, willing his brain to work. “How do you kill a kraken?” he asked and gasped at the beast as he recalled the fall of Balor. “Its eye!”

Tony checked his pocket and he still had Ronan’s keys. “I’ll be right back. I have an idea!” he told Merlin, then took off for the lighthouse. It wasn’t an idea as much as a recurring vision but Tony finally understood as he climbed a dune, running for all he was worth as soon as he reached the grass. Once again, he had to put his entire weight into opening the door and Tony was shaking as he tiptoed around all the tools and trunks.

“Sorry to disturb you again…” he whispered loudly, searching the shadows and listening. “But we’re in serious trouble out there.” The metal cabinet’s doors were open and a large, rusty whaling harpoon at the front caught Tony’s eye. It was just like the “spear” from his visions but he must have missed it when he was hunting with Everly earlier. He picked it up and Tony saw himself again, throwing it at the kraken. “Will this work?”

“Yes!” a voice called from the top of the ancient, winding staircase. “Come!”

“Okay,” Tony squeaked back.

He made his way around the obstacles, to the stairs, and cautiously climbed. “Hurry!” the voice ordered so Tony picked up his pace, his hands shaking around the rail and the harpoon. When Tony reached the top, the door to the observation deck was open but he didn’t see anyone when he peeked around it.

On the shore, Nox and Everly were lobbing fireballs at the kraken as Bryn and Arawn attacked its body and tentacles. But they were merely keeping it at bay. There was a pained bark as one of the twins was flung at the dunes and landed in a cloud of sand.

Tony pulled the flare gun from his waistband and aimed it at the beast. “Hey, you big, briny bitch! Come and get me!” he jeered as loud as he could and pulled the trigger. The flare dragged through the air, leaving a trail of orange sparks before hitting the kraken. It fizzled when it collided with the side of its head, but there was a shrill scream as the kraken turned and aimed its fury at the lighthouse. “That’s it! Over here!”

He waved wildly and jumped when the light was behind him, encouraging the monster to come ashore. It was working, to Tony’s chagrin, but he stood his ground and waited instead of fleeing back down the stairs.

“What are you doing?” Merlin shouted from below. He had scurried up the hill after Tony.

“Remember Lugh? Let’s see how much of an oracle I am.” he shouted down at Merlin and heard a delighted cackle. “Really wish I hadn’t stunk at track and field,” he murmured to himself, holding the harpoon like a javelin. He’d been too scrawny and uncoordinated for team sports in high school. Tony had stuck through two seasons on the track team before accepting that swimming and chess was more his speed.

“It’s coming!” Merlin pointed as the kraken lurched toward the lighthouse.

Tony had only brought the one harpoon so he waited, sweating and chest heaving. The twins, Nox, and Fletcher had moved up the beach with the kraken but were no longer attacking, seemingly waiting for Tony to make his move. Tony held onto the rail and the harpoon until the kraken was about forty meters away and he could clearly make out its flaming red eye.

“Please work!” He hurled the harpoon as hard and as straight as he could and Tony held his breath as it soared. Tony begged all the gods and goddesses, praying that his visions were true because everyone’s fate was resting on that throw. If they couldn’t stop the kraken there, on Pooles Island, there was no telling what havoc it would wreak later.

The harpoon hit its target, piercing the kraken’s eye. Another deafening roar came from the beast as it staggered backwards, tentacles flailing. It crashed back into the sea, creating an enormous splash but time stopped on the beach and everyone was silent as they watched to see if the kraken would rise again. The beast remained still so Nox aimed and hit it with another fireball but nothing happened.

“It worked!” Merlin waved excitedly up at Tony. “You brilliant boy! It worked!”

“It worked,” Tony whispered but held onto the rail as his legs gave out. He collapsed onto his knees, laughing in disbelief and immense relief. “It worked!”

There were more cheers and whistles from the beach as Nox, Fletcher, Everly, and the twins celebrated. They kicked sand and water at the beast, chanting Tony’s name. Eventually, Tony was able to make his way down the stairs but it was a much slower trip. He was still shaken and overwhelmed, yet stopped and searched around the inside of the lighthouse for any sign of his helper.

“Thank you, Elijah,” he said, then locked the door behind him.

Nox was waiting and tackled Tony, laughing. “That was incredible! I can’t believe it worked but it was incredible!”

“An anthropology professor would remember!” Merlin said as he wagged a finger at Nox. “Balor was felled when Lugh shot him through the eye with a spear.”

“I didn’t forget!” Nox said, then flashed Tony a guilty wince. “I might have forgotten but let’s go and let Ronan know it’s over and you saved the day.”

“Me?” Tony waved it off. “We all did it and I wouldn’t have remembered if you hadn’t shot it in the eye first.”

Regardless, Tony was lifted and they all cheered his name as he was carried back to the cottage.