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Even worse, Sabyn actually started healing the wounds I’d inflicted on hi was left but a couple livid red scars across his chest I didn’t even knoas possible--he was a merman, not a selkie, and merpeople normally didn’t heal anywhere near that fast I should know

Frightened, confused, and more desperate than I wanted to adht at him, but my brain was so scrambled that I couldn’t find much power to put behind it Sabyn deflected it easily and lobbed back one of his own that hadfor cover

I wasn’t very fast, as I was still carrying Mahina Turning my body so that any blast from Sabyn would hit e containers that stood at the end of each of the et to safety, I knew there wasn’tit

Still, I had to try I shifted to the left one second before a blast of energy whooshed past ht I knew I had only seconds before he ca what else to do, I dived for cover It was a ga around waiting to get hit was easily as dangerous

I braced round or from a fireball from Sabyn, but it never happened--instead, Mahina leaped back into action Pushing herself off ht at Sabyn

We didn’t bother sticking around to see hoas going to handle this latest attack

Instead, I course-corrected and we careened off the front wall before I dived for the door--deterrenade exploded I was thrilled Mahina was okay and didn’t want anything to change that--especially not a grenade of her own

We made it, with about three seconds to spare And then I was barreling down the hallway,a million times better now that the horrific noise had stopped

Put nored her Out here, where I wasn’t trying to avoid a es, it was a lot easier to carry her--plus I wasn’t sure she’d even be able to swim or shift

I was more powerful in my human form, but I definitely wasn’t faster, so we hit the narrow, circular stairs at the end of the hall only seconds before a volley of spears flen the hallway They sla Since I was sure there were more where those had come from, I didn’t bother for a look at our newest attackers Instead, I took the remainder of the stairs three at a time and then ducked into the first available doorway

I was expecting the worst, and froainst me I knew she was too But there was no one in the roo the door--hooray for round

It’s about ti to feel like a two-year-old

Would you rather I’d left you back there?

No She paused, then grudgingly added, Thanks for the rescue

I think that should be ?

I’ot a hell of a headache, thanks to psycho-merman

You probably have a concussion I looked around the room for the first time It was completely empty except for a few chairs knocked over on their sides But there was another staircase built into the wall opposite us It was leading down I stared at it for a , then turned to Mahina

How far froing from the lack of s in any of these rooine room is usually pretty lon Why?

I nodded at the staircase, saw understanding dawn What room do you think this is?

She shook her head It’s hard to tell without any of the original contents, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it had been soo hold below this?

I don’t know Maybe She sighed heavily You’re going toYou can come or stay here alone …

She beat h violence to last h to know there was much more to come--and it didn’t matter what order we took down the stairs Still, after everything she’d done to helpto take the first hit here It hat I had always planned on anyway, before Mahina had suddenly decided to play hero