Page 16 of Rescued By the Great Grim

“I don’t know, yet.”

“It’s from over there.” Hailey points toward the lakeshore. She’s dressed in the outfit she had on before her bath, and leans down to put on socks and shoes.

“Stay here,” I say as I step out of the cabin.

“Nope,” she says and follows me out. “We do this together.” I want to argue, but she stares at me. As I open my mouth, she slowly shakes her head, her eyes filled with anger. “If that’s Johnny, this is more my fight than yours.”

This woman. This magnificent woman who balks at nothing. My woman. “Our fight,” I correct, and she rewards me with a brilliant smile.

We walk toward the lake together and the chanting grows louder. The sound comes from our left, and take Hailey’s hand to steer her a little to the right. A full moon illuminates the ground and I stare toward the lake but can’t see anything.

“He’s cloaked himself,” Hailey whispers. “But I recognize his voice. It’s definitely Johnny.”

“Can you decipher the spell?” It’s not anything I’ve heard before, not that I know that many spells.

She tilts her head, listening for a moment. “Not really. I think it’s a seeking spell. He’s probably looking for the trident.” She grins. “Good thing I hid it. I’m not sure I can find it again, so his spell is shit out of luck either way.”

I love this woman so much. Her spirit, her humor, her joy of life. I kiss her, hard. “You are smart, beautiful, and strong. We’re going to destroy Johnny.”

She’s breathing a little harder after the kiss and determination shines in her eyes. “Yeah, we are.”

We continue hand-in-hand toward the lake. Almost by the shore, there’s a large boulder that we crouch behind. “I still can’t see him,” I whisper.

“I can.” Hailey squeezes my hand, and something passes between us. Her eyes widen and then she grins. “You’re filled with power.” I have no idea what she means and when she stands up, I tug on her hand to pull her back down. “Trust me,” she says. And I do.

A silent wind that touches only Hailey blows her hair back. The Twin Lakes call to me and I close my eyes to hear what they’re trying to say. But they’re really talking to Hailey through me. A rush of energy flows from my waters to the woman beside me.

She holds out her hand, pointing toward the shore. A sizzle of power flares from her fingertip toward the shore. A flare bursts by the water’s edge and a middle-aged man appears as if out of nowhere. He’s cursing loudly.

“I take it that’s Johnny,” I say.

“There’s Johnny,” Hailey says in a sing-song voice and laughs as she steps out from behind the boulder. She’s still holding my hand, but even if she wasn’t, I’d still go with her.

I’d follow this woman anywhere.

“Hailey,” the man spits out as we approach him. “Where’s the trident? It’s mine.”

“Is it, though?” She tilts her head.

The man mutters something under his breath that I don’t catch. It’s not in a language I recognize. He slaps himself in the face several times and then screams, “Give me my trident.” Hailey exchanges a look with me, and we both take a step back. I grasp her hand harder. The man faces us, drool trailing down the side of his mouth. “Give it to me.” Spittle flies out of his mouth.

“I don’t think that’s Johnny, anymore,” Hailey says.

The man tilts his head in too far to the side than what’s humanly possible. He studies us for a beat. “You’re a linked pair.” A chilling grin stretches his lips too far across his face. “This will be fun.” I have no idea what he’s talking about, but there’s no time to ask if Hailey does before the man rushes us. He runs on all four, like a dog.

“The creepiness is strong in this one,” Hailey says, stepping in front of me as if she wants to protect me.

I pull on her hand and swing her around until she’s behind my back. She sputters, but I keep her there as the man-demon—because he’s absolutely possessed by something—barrels toward us. Crouching down, I grab a downed tree limb with my free hand.

The creature in front of us is so focused on Hailey he doesn’t notice my position or what I hold. A few steps away from us, it launches itself into the air, hands stretched out as claws and aimed at Hailey.

I swing the thick branch in my hand like a baseball bat and hit the creature’s head so hard it spins and lands halfway into the water.

Howling in rage, it tries to get up again.

Hailey runs towards it, and I sprint to keep up with her. She’s still holding my hand. She steps into the water until it is at her waist. Keeping our grip, I step up beside her.

She closes her eyes and raises her hands, dragging one of mine with hers. I feel the tug of power through our connection again. A huge water column rises from the lake, glittering in the full moon’s light. It keeps growing until it’s three times as tall as me and then it bends. Like a burst pipe, water pummels the demoniccreature. It shrieks in frustration but then gurgles as its mouth fills with liquid. After another few minutes, it stops struggling and just bops up and down as the water continues assaulting the body.

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