Page 77 of Rise of the Melody
“The one who messed with your hair?” Shani asked. All I could do was nod.
At that, Teague growled and dug his feet down, hurling a giant wave of dirt toward Zar, which crashed uselessly against his shield. Zar was beginning to look bored.
“Stop, please,” I begged. “Let’s all just talk.” I knew firsthand what Zar could do if he wanted. He was holding back. His head tilted toward the portal, and he stared at it, his jaw locked tight.
“This bloody place is a crime scene,” Zar said, his voice darkening. “And nobody investigated. Nobody did a damned thing about it, did they?”
“What are you talking about, man?” Teague asked, sweat beading on his hairline.
No, no, no….
“Not yet,” Zar said softly, almost under his breath. “But soon.”
“Dafuk does that mean, dude?” Teague asked.
Zar looked done with all of this. “Tell whoever is doing the half-arsed job finding the kelpie that it’s at Friar Pond.”
Black smoke suddenly filled the air, acrid and choking. We all jumped back, waving the air and coughing.
“What the hell?” Teague yelled.
I screamed as Chrystamos leaped into the smoke, snarling in a rage.
Both Shani and Clare yelled for him.
A gust of sea breeze came up from the ocean, clearing the smoke to show Chrystamos running to where Zar had first been standing. My eyes darted around.
He was gone. Another magician trick.
Teague took off, and the rest of us ran after him. My heart had not slowed. What was Zar thinking, antagonizing everyone like that? We tripped and ran sloppily in the rocky sand, coming to the corner. Chrys had already leapt up on the rocks and his cat head swiveled, his tail twitching in agitation.
“Where did he go?” Teague asked. “He has to still be here.”
“Let’s just leave,” Clare said, her face ashen in the moonlight. “We’ll get your uncle and he can come back with some druids.”
“Iama druid,” Teague reminded her. “I can handle this. It’s my job.”
Nora nimbly climbed the rocks and stood beside Chrystamos. She stared around and shook her head.
“This side is really rocky with some trees,” she called down. “But I don’t feel him anymore.”
Clare caught my eye, and we shared a freaked-out expression.
“I can’t leave,” Teague said. “But you all need to go. I’m going to call my uncle.”
Chrystamos climbed down, and for a moment I saw his bare butt as he shifted back near his clothes. I looked away, not even phased because so many other feelings were taking precedence inside me.
“Teague.” I took his hand and made him focus on me. “If he comes back, just try talking to him first before using magic.”
“He was clearly not interested in talking,” Teague said. “Druids know better than to wander onto portal lands and act like dickheads.”
I let out a sigh. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
I could see in his tense face that he still wanted to fight. I hoped wherever Zar was, that he left Teague alone and got far away before the other druids came.
But was that what I should be hoping for? I didn’t know. There was so much I didn’t know.
