Chapter 88 Declaration of War
1592words
Rake, who'd been knocked down onto the ground by Kayn, pushed himself back up, a malicious grin spreading on his lips. "You're going to regret that, buddy."
"Really?" Kayn breathed. "Because that felt freaking amazing."
"What is wrong with you two?" I scowled. "Seriously, what's going on?"
"Go near Carly or my sister again, and I will disembowel you," Kayn ignored me.
"Good luck with that," Rake grunted, wiping the corner of his lip. "You know damn well I'm capable of worse than whatever you can conjure up."
"Do you want to test that theory? Because I'm all game." Kayn rolled his shoulders. "Come on, give me your best shot."
"For heaven's sake, stop it. Now!" I picked up a small rock and chugged it at Kayn. It hit his forearm, hard enough to make any average person cry out in pain. But, since he wasn't normal, it didn't surprise me when the action went unnoticed.
A tremor erupted beneath my feet, expanding to rampant convulsions through the soil, knocking me back flat onto my ass. "Stop!" I cried, not sure which of the two was responsible for the disruption. "This isn't funny. You two are going to be the reason all of us will end up killed. I can't—" the words died at the tip of my tongue as a long groan sounded behind me.
"Rake, seriously?" Kayn cocked a dark brow. "That's the best you could do?"
I slowly turned, afraid to find out what was behind me. When I spotted it, I gulped, faced back, and did the best I could to steady the hysteria swelling inside my chest.
"Rake, please, put them back," my voice squeaked.
There was a bunch of freaking uprooted trees moving towards us, walking on their roots like a person would on their legs.
I went ignored. Instead, the corners of Kayn's lips quirked into a devious smile, and he lifted a hand, drawing a symbol in the air. His face had turned all freaky again, his eyes glowing. He murmured something in a musical language, and I could hear the ocean grow louder. I peered past the walking trees to see something huge emerging from the water. "Oh, no," I muttered. Whatever Kayn was doing, I knew it was going to be dangerous.
"What has my life turned into?" I whimpered, pushing up onto my feet.
A gigantic shadow swelled across the ground, creeping over us like a dark cloak. I had a daunting feeling it was whatever Kayn decided worthy of pulling out of the ocean.
My body stiffened, and as I glanced up, Rake released a long whistle.
"Is that the best you can do?" he snorted, unimpressed. "I don't think I've ever been this disappointed."
My eyes slowly moved upward, and the panic I felt got replaced by complete mortification.
A shark floated above us, writhing violently to free itself from the magic Kayn used to drag it out here.
"Kayn, I'm asking really, really nicely," I breathed nervously. "Please, put it back where it belongs."
His attention turned to me at last. "If you knew what he did, you'd encourage it. Believe me. You would."
"I hardly doubt it," I spoke nervously.
"Come on, Rake, why don't you tell Carly what you did." Kayn switched his attention to the fairy. "What you did to my family. And to Ember."
My eyes flicked to Rake. "What is he talking about?"
Rake's features wrinkled up. "He's got it all wrong. That's why I'm here, I've been trying to prove my innocence repeatedly, but they refuse to listen to me."
"About w...what?" I swallowed as the trees proceeded toward Kayn, creaking and moaning as their roots swirled beneath them.
Rake rolled his eyes. "I didn't betray her, Kayn. Regardless of your assumptions of my kind, we love too. And, were more than capable of loyalty."
Was he talking about Ember? I glanced at Kayn. The question must have been clear in my eyes because he responded with, "Yes. He's talking about Ember." He scowled at Rake. "But, if you loved her as much as you claimed you do, why the hell did you tell them where we were?"
"I didn't tell them a bloody damn thing!" Rake shouted, and I flinched. His eyes blazed as he ranted on, "I don't know who ratted you out, but it sure as shit wasn't me."
"Aria is dead because of it," Kayn bit out. "My sister, Ember's sister, is dead because of you!"
My eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what?"
"Still feel I'm going a bit overboard here?" Kayn peered at me.
I huffed. "No, I don't. But if my mom walks out and sees this, you'll be just as responsible as him if we all die. Including Ember."
Kayn's shoulders sagged slightly as if he was considering my words, the frown deepening on his forehead. "You're right," he breathed. He waved a hand, lowering the shark in front of us toward the grass. I stumbled back, dodging getting knocked by its tail by inches. "That's why we need to get this over with." His gaze turned to Rake, his eyes glowing. "Now."
Kayn forced the shark to turn, facing its snapping jaws toward Rake. Without warning, Kayn flung the hungry beast at him.
Rake remained rooted on the spot, turning his head away from the droplets of water spraying over him as the shark moved toward him.
Out of nowhere, trees flung themselves at Kayn, smoke hissing from their barks. Gradually, where the smoke slithered through, flames began to grow, and it wasn't long before all the walking trees were fully ablaze.
Unlike Rake, Kayn started backing away from the angry trees. "Now, this is something I haven't seen before."
If I wasn't mistaken, he sounded impressed.
"Please, stop," I pleaded. "This isn't worth—"
"What in the everloving Poseidon is going on out here?" I jerked back, startled by Hector's booming voice. "Kayn, put it—oh, for the bloody love of." Hector did a waving motion, sending the shark flying away from Rake, and it skidded across the grass.
Kayn had increased his pace, eluding the burning branches clawing at him. "Mind killing these while you're at it, old man?"
"Seems like you've got it under control," Hector clucked his tongue. He waved a hand. Not a second later, a spray of water washed over, soaking all of us. The trees stiffened and groaned noisily, dropping over in an array of thuds.
I groaned, rubbing my face, unbothered by the fact that I was dripping with water. "Why me?"
"What on earth happened out here?" Mom's voice stuttered. She stood in the doorway of the cottage, her eyes surveying the mess surrounding us. "My camera. Where, oh, I'll be right back!"
I glared at Kayn as Mom disappeared back into the cottage. "Are you happy now?" I waved toward the shark tossing around on the grass. "How the hell am I going to explain this to her? Anything, Kayn, because I seriously could use a few ideas right—"
Mom reappeared, fiddling with the buttons on her camera as she rushed toward me. "Did you see it? Where did it go?"
I blinked. "See what?"
"It was like this when we came outside," Rake announced. He stepped toward Mom. "We heard this awful noise and came to investigate."
Mom stiffened, her eyes flicking to Rake. "You were out here a while. The noise started after you came out here."
"It came from the woods," Hector spoke up. He lifted a hand, pointing toward the foliage. "Right over there. I went to check, and I swear, I saw something furry running between the trees."
I had to fight hard not to snort.
"I saw it too," Kayn added. "It moved pretty fast."
A heavy silence stretched as Mom narrowed her eyes. "Really?"
"Yes," Rake, Kayn, and Hector responded in unison.
Mom scanned the vicinity, snapping pictures as she went. "So you're telling me you saw Bigfoot again?"
"That's what I think I saw," Hector deadpanned. "With all our other findings, it wouldn't surprise me it was our big, ugly old furry friend."
Mom tugged out her cell from her jean's pocket with one hand, holding out her camera for me with the other. "Carly, take pictures for me. I need to make a call."
"You're calling the crew?" I took the camera. "Mom, I don't—"
"That's a great idea," Hector exclaimed, nodding frantically at the shark when Mom turned. Kayn nodded at him in response.
"Hey, Sarah," Hector said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Let me show you where I saw it."
Mom allowed him to steer her in the direction of the woods. Her cell pressed to her ear as she talked to whoever was on the other line.
"Delete them, quick," Kayn instructed while flicking a hand toward the shark. The beast got airlifted, drifting back toward the crashing waves.
"You think it's still alive?" I asked.
"He's fine. Just a bit dazed," Kayn waved me off. When he realized I was glaring at him, he added, "The fish is fine, I promise. Relax. Delete, quickly."
I heaved a sigh, flicking through the pictures on her camera, deleting any evidence of the shark. "What about everything else?"
"The other stuff can be explained," Rake shrugged. "Who can explain how a shark ended up here?"
I muttered a string of curses, peering in the direction where Hector had lead Mom.
