Page 89 of Prince of Tides
“It’s about time,” another more seasoned voice said.
“Hello, Gisele. See to Laurie while I’m busy, will you?”
“Of course,” she said. “Now, go.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said wryly and continued into the War Room.
Silence spread as they saw the weapon in my hands. One of my attendants, holding my spear, started to look around in confusion.
“Sir,” Suh said, jogging into the room and skidding to a stop. He looked at the Trident, then fell to one knee. “My prince.”
“Oh, get up,” I said with a laugh, walking over to my attendant. “Thank you,” I said.
Turning, I saw Suh rising.
“Here,” I said, tossing him the spear. He caught it with ease.
“Sire …” he said, awed.
“Hold on to that for safekeeping,” I instructed, “until my firstborn is old enough to wield it.”
“Yes, sir!” Suh barked, coming to attention, as did the rest of the room.
“Now, back to work. Report!”
I absorbed the information from the sonar and relayed to the War Room, nodding along. The outer defenses were under heavy attack and retreating toward the arms of the Bastion. Shortly, the main battle would be joined. I directed the disposition of our forces, glad to hear that this time the barges were all docked and everyone was safe.
“You will take the Royal Guard,” I directed Suh. We stood at the opening in the glass, where the first pieces of the framework for the platform I wanted to be installed were taking shape. “Deploy half of themoutsideof the Bastion, and split the remaining half in two, one section on the inside of either of the walls. Slow them down, but do not take unnecessary casualties.”
“What’s the goal?” Suh asked, wings sprouting from his back.
“The goal,” I said, gripping the Trident tightly, “is to get them as bunched up as possible.”
“Of course, sir.”
Suh leaped from the window and descended toward the bay. I watched him go, extending my newly enhanced senses out beyond the wall. I located our outer defenses, the dragons doing a credible job of withdrawing in order. They were facing strong opposition, but—
I blanched as I found the main thrust. Our men were only fighting the vanguard. A fraction of the enemy's forces. The rest were swimming out wide, intending to pincer them.
“Signal the outer defenses,” I snarled. “Full retreat, max speed,now. Tell Suh to advance and cover them as best he can.”
But it was going to be too late. They wouldn’t get there in time.
“I’m going,” I said, lifting the Trident and striking it on the stone in a cloud of light.
Blue-green armor sprang into existence over my body, an extra layer of protection. My wings sprouted wide, their tips coated in multi-inch long weaving thorns full of paralyzing acid, while supple fin-like appendages adorned my feet, giving me extra propulsion.
I leaped from the wall of the Bastion and dove for the water, soaring through the arms of the fortress and diving into the sea beyond while calling out into the water.
A trumpeting sonar blast briefly silenced all my forces’ signals as somethingelseshrieked its war cry.
I hovered in the water, holding the Trident. From the darkness, something approached with blinding speed, surging forward with wings nearly the size of mine, its body curled into an S-shape. Red eyes stared, while a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, each the size of my hand, promised pain to anyone who got on its wrong side.
“Enshalla,” I whispered, running a hand down the scaled side of the King of the Sea Horses. “We ride.”
The armored war horse trumpeted its sonar blast again, and I slipped astride his back, feeling his power, eager to be unleashed. I could sense he was ready for battle. It had been too long.
“Ride,” I commanded, and we shot through the water. The seas responded to my call, encasing us in a spinning tunnel, speeding us toward the outer defenses. Light glowed from my armor and the Trident, an eerie green in contrast to the blue filter of the normal seawater.
