Chapter 10
You better believe it.
I sat there for just a moment, kind of rocking on my haunches. Half awake, half just losing my balance because of shock. All of us were free? My pin was broken. My skills rusted. Natalia exhausted. All of us were free?
It was then and there that I just decided to just let it go. Dwelling on it too long would cost us too much valuable time, and I couldn't waste much more of that. I just accepted the fact. Took it into my calculations, and began multiplying and dividing all the equations again.
Coral dusted herself off, Corr, who was, until previously, still wrestled with Argenteus' bonds, let go and just stood back as Argenteus rose herself unsteadily. Her fin was still useless to walk on. She sat on the cold metal board, and just took in breath. I was sure she was still dizzy, and still feeling quite sick. There would be no heavy-lifting or quick movements for her anytime soon.
They had disarmed us. Taken everyone of our swords, arrows, bows, shields. Of course. What else would they do? Let us keep them? Not likely. They would have taken them somewhere and hidden them.
But where..?
Natalia and Magenta were on the floor, tending to those in need. Natalia was rather good at healing spells, as I might have already mentioned. She called Corr over, when she had finished with Jaco. She eyed his wounds.
“Corr.” She called. She held out her hands.
Corr looked at her hands, then back up at her face. Then noticing Jaco on the floor and realizing what she was doing, and what she was offering. He shook his head. “No, Natalia.” He smiled, “None for me. Finish up with them.”
Natalia then began to beckon to Coral, who was also badly injured, but Magenta spoke up.
“Corr.” She said, “Come here.”
He smiled and shook his head again. He was helping Argenteus find her way to a proper sitting position.
“Corr.” She repeated, more firmly, “Come here, NOW.”
He pretended to ignore her and then answered slowly, “I'm sticking with my previous answer.” Lifting an arm to take Argenteus' slender pale white hand, he then keeled over slightly as a scar that went from his shoulder and almost all the way around burned. He grabbed it with his other hand, keeping his other one in the air, perfectly balancing the mermaid's own hand.
“Corr, come here now, or I will come over there.” Magenta threatened.
Corr's head was bent over his chest. He was obviously in pain. But he lifted his head, forced a smile and said firmly, “No.”
“Corr.” I looked him squarely in the eye. He cast a slight glance over at me. His eyes were slightly resentful, because he knew what I was going to do. “As your leader, I command you to accept help.” I eyed him challengingly.
I sidled up next to him and took his place as Argenteus' aid. Pushing him along slightly, he fumbled on over to Natalia. Obviously, unhappy, but not complaining. He did as he was told, lying down on the floor, showing her his wounds, flipping over when told. I'm so glad he's obedient, but bless one of the nine Rackshallmna, why on Vilekshan did he have to be so stupidly selfless?!
Argenteus was regaining color. Her legs were also, wait, reforming? Amazing! It usually was hours before she began to change back, or even feel normal. She didn't seem to want to talk, her lips were pinched tightly together and her face was regaining color.
“Argenteus.” I whispered, “You OK?”
Her dark silvery blue eyes flicked from the floor up to me. She was concentrating heavily on breathing. She gave a slow nod, and then clasped her hand to her neck, where the gills were sinking back into her neck. Her legs were nearly done, the scales sinking back into her tangent flesh. It was incredible to watch. What was she? A mermaid transforming into a human or a human hiding herself being a mermaid. What a creature.
I helped her off the table, and she stumbled onto me to keep her balance. I helped her walk over to the wall where she could regain her footing and start breathing again. She needed some pants. I was looking around when I spotted Coral cursing in the corner.
“Where's my BOW!!!?!?” She bellowed, pacing around the chamber like a trapped cat.
“Coral! Shhh!” Ammie warned.
“Hold on.” Said Artemis. She put her hands to her forehead, and then furrowed her brow. Then her one golden eye and one red eye popped open together. “They're right outside the door!”
“They're what?” Tailan spat. He was rousing now, one eye shut in pain and the other squinting grumpily.
“Tailan!” Natalia said lightly. “You're...” Everyone was looking at her. Natalia went blank.
“You're.... right there.” She finished slowly.
“Right there?” Coral mimicked, “Of course he's right there. He was lying there the whole time, where else was he gonna go.”
“Er...” Natalia began, but decided not to end. She busied herself with Corr on the floor. I saw Magenta flash a smile at me, and then go back to her work. She beckoned to Coral who paced over just to distract herself.
“Right outside the door?” I asked, picking up a bit of a piece of a ripped flag for something for Argenteus to wear.
“Yeah.” Artemis nodded, “I'm not kidding. They put them right out there.”
“They were probably supposed to be a part of the ceremony later,” Tailan remarked, and Ammie nodded.
“Fair enough.” I said, “Now, what about this door?”
Tailan grinned a slight grin, as if it hurt to smile, “I can take care of that.” He opened up both icy brown eyes and got in front of the door. Then, holding out both hands, he began to work magic. His hands twisted in the air, grabbed hold of something invisible and pulled.
We waited.
“Nothing is happening.” Said Jaco, who was getting up from his healing session.
Tailan furrowed his brow. “Hold on.” He then tried the exact same thing again.
Nothing.
“Tailan?” Natalia said quickly.
“I...” Tailan let go of the magic string and looked at his hands. “I...”
We waited.
“I don't know what's wrong.” He stated plainly.
“Well, neither do we.” Ammie said.
“But... I really am good at magic! No, really! I am!!” He started to panic. Then, pointing to a small object on the floor, he commanded it to move with his hand gestures.
Nothing. There was a long awkward pause in which we all tried to think of something good to say.
Koraca, whom we had nearly forgotten was there, was the one to break the silence with the firm sentence we were all fearing in our minds.
“They stole your magic.”
