NIX'S POV
Okay. I get that I was the last person to join the gang. It gets kind of confusing, what with Mina and Nan first, then Brody, then Jared, then Ever, then Teague. And then ME! *Applause*
But seriously. Why am I always last to find out everything? Ugh.
Ever and Teague look positively frazzled, annoyed and upset. Teague has multiple bruises and cuts, and Ever is deathly white, her hair mussed up and her clothes ripped.
"What just happened?" I demand. "And why was it only you two? What about me and Charlie?"
Ever looks exasperated, but answers in a calm voice. "The ring flashed and as we all know, Mina doesn't have any magic, so I needed to act quickly before whatever was sustaining it ran out."
Oh.
Hold on a second-
"So why did Teague go with you?"
She shoots a pointed glare in his direction. "Because that IDIOT walked in right in the middle of the one person incantation."
Okay. I am SO glad I am not Teague right now.
"So what's the deal?" Charlie cuts in.
Teague answers. "Well, at the moment he's keeping your sister captive in a giant fish tank because he's somehow managed to give her a tail and gills."
Yeesh.
"Anything else?"
"He declared war on anyone who opposed him in his quest for world domination or whatever." Teague tries to pass it off as no big deal, but the worry in his demeanour is clear.
We all sit in silence for a moment, mourning Mina in our own way. Not that she's gone, but because she's in trouble and in pain. She is the sweetest, kindest, funniest person ever, and after all she's been through, she doesn't deserve yet more agony. Nobody would.
Scratch that. Annalora would. And Finn too.
Ever breaks the silence.
"Remember after the Godmother Guild was attacked?"
Do we ever. Teague especially, considering HE was the one that attacked it.
"Well, Mina said to assemble an army. So I think that's what we should do. I also think that Brody and Nan would want to be involved, so we need to get them too."
After not a whole lot of discussion, the plan is made. Teague, Charlie and I are going to go off to persuade the sirens and whoever else we can to join our side. Ever is going to get Brody and Nan.
Charlie, however, has a concern. "What about Mina? You can't just leave her there!"
"We don't have a choice. We need to get in there in the most secure way possible when Finn isn't there because otherwise he will hurt her. Or destroy us. Or both. And also we need to figure out how to get rid of the tail." Ever says in the kindest way she can. Which admittedly, doesn't sound all that kind, but she means well.
Charlie says, a little sulkily, "There's nothing wrong with having a gills or a tail."
And I have to say, "Unless you cannot get rid of them and are half human and there is a war going on and you are stuck in villain HQ."
MINA'S POV
After hours swimming round in the tank, planning my revenge and trying to think of ways to get magic back, I get an idea. A plausible one. With two different ways to go when I'm out.
I pick up a stone and scratch the tank with it. It makes a barely noticeable fault. I bang it down and it leaves a faint mark.
I work, focused for about two and a half hours and then stop. For this to work, I need to make sure Finn is in the castle. He'd better come soon, because I've created a leak and it won't take long to develop.
After a short wait, he comes in and teasingly sprinkles fish food into the tank.
"Feeding time!"
What I will do to him when I get out, I am not sure. But it will be painful. Very, very painful.
Just as he walks out of the room, I take a deep breath and smash the tank. The whole wall splinters and crashes open. There is a look of terror on his face.
The glass flies out in all directions and embeds in my tail and his face. I have no way to breathe now so if he needs me alive he'll either give me back my oxygen or…well…let's not think of that.
He opens his jacket and pulls out a locket – my locket – and forces it into me. My body begins to transform but only halfway. The gills disappear but the tail remains. My voice returns.
"We need to discuss a couple of things, sweetling," I say as I pull back my fist. But something deflects it.
He smirks and heals himself.
"Remember our connection, dearest? Well, I've played around with it and now you can't hurt me."
Crud.
"But I can still hurt you."
Double crud. I have to revert to plan number two now. I really, rally didn't want to have to do this. Taking a deep breath, I prepare to take the plunge.
"But why would I want to hurt you?" I ask, widening my eyes.
He looks at me suspiciously.
"Maybe because you've hurt me every single time we came into contact after leaving the Fae plane."
I sigh theatrically.
"I'm a smart girl. The other side are going to lose, no question about it. So why not join the winning team and rule? I did a pretty good job before. And I had a lot of time to think inside that fish tank."
"Well, if you are going to join us, I need an affirmation of faith."
"What?"
"This will make sure you are not lying. Because I know you can. You are only half Fae, after all."
There is no way to back out of this, is there? But at least I can move, and be free. Hopefully he won't see through this pack of lies.
"Okay. What do I have to do?"
"You will be branded and take an oath. So if you are lying I suggest you stop, because there is no backsies on this one."
I consider my options. Maybe I could be a mole? Avoid helping him, but get information and eventually find some way out of it? As for branding, I can live with branding. I hope.
"I'm not lying," I say, meeting his eyes.
"So you won't mind doing it immediately?"
"Okay."
He pauses a moment, lost in thought.
"Why did you break open the aquarium?"
"Because there was no way you were going to listen to me inside it."
"I see."
He considers my answer, and then drags me into a different room, none too gently, and sets me down on a throne.
"I'll explain what I'm doing as we go through it. I need you to make a deal with me first. Promise you will consent to whatever I put in you. And just sit quietly."
Do I have a choice but to make this deal? I can't do anything to him, but at least if I cooperate, he'll think I'm on his side.
"I promise."
"Good."
We shake hands and they glow for a split second before fading back to a normal flesh tone.
He summons a large wooden chest with many padlocks and opens it up. Pulling out a vial filled with a nasty shade of orange, he describes what it is for as he injects me with it.
"This one makes our bond unbreakable unless you die."
A glittering brown – yes, BROWN (so weird) – anyways, the brown vial is for 'loyalty'; basically I have to obey whatever he says. Like in Ella Enchanted. No so good. Then there's a hideous purple shade for no breaking the deal - so basically no backsies - and a sky blue shade for…whatever. I don't really care. As we go on he explains to me that all of these will be severed if I die. There are so many I lose track. But I amn't allowed to object because of the deal. Which I am starting to think was a bad idea.
"This one is just something that accelerates the affects of everything else."
But as it enters my bloodstream, it stings and then…. nothing. Absolutely nothing. I cannot move or anything. My arms and tail tingle but the only thing acting like it should be are my main organs. It's super scary.
He smiles.
"So I don't really want you to do anything at the moment, other than stay here. Be good."
And with that he walks out of the room. I thought I had him, but instead, he had me. Much worse.
And now what have I gotten myself into? A far, far worse situation. With only one solution. Death.
But I can get Teague to help with that. Hold on.
If Teague can take me there...he can take me back!
But he doesn't know where I am.
I guess I'll just have to find him.
Okaaaay. Mina can be a little stupid sometimes, no? Finn is way smarter than she realised. Of course he didn't trust her! Or maybe he did...uuuuhhh...
Speaking of Finn, he is actually meant to look like Zac Efron in Hairspray. And he's meant to act like Nick Jonas in Hawaii 5-0. Yeah! I love them both!
Also, has anyone ever wondered why Mina had a red bike and her least favourite colour was red...?
Please review if you have time!
Thanks!
XXXTheArtist