Page 65 of A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star
New experiences bring with them new realizations. Keep an open mind but be sure to keep your wits about you. Hold your friends close and your enemies as far away as possible. This is a vulnerable time for Sagittarius. You’re special, Sagittarius, and others are starting to realize that. They may try to steal your thunder, so don’t trust everyone who approaches you. Remember, you and water signs don’t mix too well this month. Steer clear!
One moment I’m sittingin the rowboat, holding on to Elryk while I use my mental tentacles to feel up the magic ley line—heh—and the next, I’m crashing into dark, icy water.
The breath leaves my lungs in a pained whoosh the instant I make impact. My entire body seizes in revolt against the freezing cold loch. I struggle to react as every physical part of me tries to shut down at once. My loaned heavy coat is now a water-logged weight dragging me down, and even when I can finally manage to feebly kick my legs, I don’t make much headway toward the surface. By now, I wouldn’t even know where it was if it weren’t for the commotion happening overhead.
This is a whole other type of brain freeze, but my sluggish mind can’t fully comprehend what’s happening let alone the situation I’m in.
Suddenly, a tentacle wraps around my waist and yanks me up and out of the water. I dangle in the air and gasp and sputter, pulling in glorious lungfuls of oxygen.
I can’t entirely make sense of what’s happening below me while I’m trying very hard not to go hypothermic, but someone or something is fighting with Elryk and Nasser.
From what I can sense with my newfound abilities, they also appear to be using magic. It’s not entirely visible to my human eyes, but I can distinguish the vibrations in the air now.
The boat I’d been sitting in not too long ago has been reduced to splinters of wood bobbing on the surface of the roiling water as Nasser strikes back with his free tentacles and Elryk assists him from the air, diving and swooping on our attackers.
Without warning, Nasser shouts to Elryk. “Go long!”
“Wha—AHHHH!” The tentacle holding me yanks back hard and then flings me into the air.
I go screaming all the way.
“Aaaaaahhhhhh!”
The force of Nasser’s throw catapults me toward the shoreline at what feels like light speed—which is exactly as terrifying as it sounds. Definitely the closest I’ve ever come to flying on my own, but I don’t recommend it.
Just as I’m about to crash into a tree, Elryk swoops in to rescue me from near death for the second time in our brief acquaintance.
“You cut that a bit close,” I tell him tartly as I try to hide how badly I’m shaking.
It’s not much use since I’m in his arms and he can feel every damn tremble.
I squint in the darkness and can see that Elryk appears a little worse for wear. His usual man-bun has come loose, letting the beautiful long waves of his thick, dark hair hang around his shoulders. He’s also sporting a bloody gash on his forehead.
Damn him for looking so mouth-wateringly yummy even after a fight!
Evidently, being dunked in a freezing Loch Ness makes me a grouchy bastard.
“Aye, that was a wee bit too close for comfort, but I will say it wasn’t my idea,” Elryk growls, casting an accusing look back at Nasser.
I follow his gaze in time to witness a now fully transformed Nasser breach the surface of the loch in all his glory.
What also becomes clear to me is now that Nasser has gone kraken-sized—eat your heart out, McDonald’s—he’s got a complete handle on the situation and is evidently having fun with two opponents he’s grabbed in his tentacles. He’s gleefully alternating between tossing them up in the air and then dunking them in the loch.
“Uh… is that the kraken equivalent of waterboarding?” I ask, letting out a nervous laugh as my teeth start to chatter.
“Hmm. That’s probably a good analogy. Nasser likes to toy with his foes. And it’s been a while since he had anyone to tangle with.”
Now that the danger has passed, the frigid cold suffusing my entire body feels like it’s taken up residence in my very core, and I fear I might never be warm again.
While I’m grateful to be out of the water, being wet in this cold air is nearly as bad.
Lines of concern form on Elryk’s face. “I’ll explain everything shortly, but I need to get you warmed up and fast. Hold on and I’ll fly us to Nasser’s cabin. It’s not far.” Clutching me tightly in his arms, Elryk flies through the forest until we reach a small log cabin nestled far from human eyes.
My mental tentacles—as I shall now forever call them—pick up on what has now become the recognizable resonance of magical energy as we get closer to the cabin.
“What was that m-m-magic?” I ask, shaking uncontrollably now. “A barrier. It protects this place and also keeps it from the eyes of others.”
Confused, my mind still foggy, I glance around. “How did we get through it?”
