The white pebbled path shone in the moonlight. As much as Marina hated the sound of their footsteps echoing in the night, she disliked the dark patches in the soft grass even more. Behind her, she could hear Mike keeping pace with her.

They reached the circular fountain at the same time that Orion and his men did. Behind the group, she could see Drago in his dragon form baring his teeth at the wisps of black tentacles.

“This looks like the evil magic that Magna has cloaked herself with,” Orion said as a greeting.

“She has spread herself out too much in an effort to secure both the interior inner and outer areas of the palace,” Drago observed.

“Why would she do that? Surely she realizes that it would weaken her defenses,” Kapian said.

“You need to be cautious. Even as thin as these appear to be, they can be deadly,” Mike warned.

Marina nodded. “We came through the maze. The black mist came together into deadly spears. It can exist in many different forms. We barely escaped,” she said.

“Kapian has two men working on opening the gates for Nali. We must get inside the palace. Do we know if Koorgan and Ashure were successful in securing the villages?” Orion asked.

“Yes, I saw them come ashore. Remind me to never make Koorgan or his men mad. There were a few stray Hellhounds on the loose that didn’t make it back to the palace before nightfall,” Drago shared.

“What happened to them, if I may ask, your Majesty?” Kapian inquired.

Drago gave everyone a sharp-toothed grin. “Let’s just say they pop when you step on them. The farmers are going to have a large area of fertilized farmland for a while.”

“Gross. At least with my magic arrows they disintegrate,” Marina replied with a shudder.

“I will remain by your side per my orders from Queen Jenny,” Kapian stated

Orion shook his head and chuckled before he turned to Marina. She saw his expression turn to one of cold determination and knew he expected her to lead the way. Marina nodded and turned on her heel.

She gripped Mr. Bow in one hand and the torches in the other. She kept a wary look out for the black wisps. She wasn’t sure how they were tied to Magna. Her biggest fear was that the Sea Witch was already aware of their presence.

They made it to the front of the palace. The walls all the way around were covered in the black vines. She was surprised that they had not encountered any of the Hellhounds so far. The thought had no sooner flashed through her mind when she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye.

“Look out!” she cried, turning as three Hellhounds emerged from between the stone captives littering the courtyard.

“Protect the statues,” Orion ordered, pointing his Trident at the Hellhound in the lead.

Marina instinctively lifted Mr. Bow and uttered the magic spell she had used so many times before. The bowstring glowed faintly before fading as she tried to pull it back. She reached for it again as the second Hellhound turned toward her.

Power surged through her when she felt Mike’s hand on her back. Mr. Bow hummed to life, the powerful glow of the string vibrated in her hands. Marina pulled back the string and released one magical arrow after another at the beast. The third arrow struck it through the forehead and it disintegrated into a puff of ash mere feet from her.

Marina turned on the third Hellhound. Two of Orion’s men were firing bolts of electricity at the beast. Her arrow struck it in the side at the same time as the men buried their tridents into it. The beast glowed brightly before dissolving into a pool of ash.

“Orion!” Mike shouted.

Orion had sprung upward, flying over the head of a snapping Hellhound. He turned and landed on its back. Raising his trident above his head, he brought it down on the Hellhound’s neck with such a force that the creature stumbled before its head was severed, and its body rolled to the side. Marina turned and fired arrows into both the body and the head.

“Look out!” Mike yelled, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her down to the ground.

Long tentacles from a black vine crawling along the palace walls struck out with deadly force. Three of Orion’s men grunted and crumpled to the ground as sharp spears pierced their bodies. Drago turned and ejected a long blaze of fire on the vines, driving them back.

“There!” Marina breathed out, pointing to one of Orion’s guards who was fighting against the moving vines. “We have to help him!”

“Stay back until I tell you,” Mike ordered, rolling to his side and pulling one of the small jars out of the knapsack. Yanking the lighter out of his pocket, he lit one of the Molotov cocktails. “Now!” he shouted as he tossed the flaming jar at the vines.

They both rushed forward as the jar exploded, sending flames up the withering vines. The guard fell back several steps and glanced at Mike in surprise. Mike tossed two of the small jars to the guard. The man nodded in understanding. Throwing the jar toward the top of the vines, the guard aimed his trident at it and fired a bolt of electricity. The flammable liquid exploded, raining fire from the top of the vines downward.

Mike turned and threw three more jars while Marina lit two of her torches from the burning creature nearby. She gave one to Mike. They jabbed them at the twisting vines, sending the thorny limbs into retreat while Orion and his men worked at killing the half-dozen Hellhounds that had converged on the courtyard to stop them.

Marina’s anguish cry echoed above the sounds of fighting and the crackle of the fire. A large Hellhound had knocked over two of the statues which shattered and turned to ash. Her fingers trembled as she pulled back on Mr. Bow. The Hellhound was heading straight for Isha. The glow of the bowstring faded when she pulled it back.

“Mike! We need Mike,” Mr. Bow frantically said.

“Mike!” Marina screamed, searching for him through the smoke.

Mike turned to her. He ran toward her, but Marina knew he wouldn’t make it in time. Her lips parted on a scream of denial as the Hellhound raised a sharp paw to swipe Isha out of its way. The scream died on her lips when the Hellhound was suddenly lifted in the air and tossed against the front doors of the palace.

“What the…?” Mike choked.

Marina felt him grab her around the waist and pull her to the side as a swarm of monsters swept through the courtyard. The Cyclops, Minotaurs, and Centaurs circled around the statues, forming an impenetrable wall.

“It is Nali!” Marina half-cried, half-cheered as the Empress stood protectively over her brother.

“That’s Nali… and Charlie?! How in the hell did Charlie get here?” Mike whispered in shock, staring up at the monster that was the size of a giant before his gaze lowered to the pup that was excitedly barking next to Isha’s statue.

Nali lifted her head and snarled. The ground trembled with the sound. Marina pulled her gaze away from Nali when Kapian came up to them.

“Hurry!” Kapian ordered, turning and firing on another Hellhound. “There are more than we thought. Nali and Ashure will handle the ones outside.”

“Ashure! He shouldn’t be…,” Marina started to protest.

She glanced over her shoulder when Mike grabbed her left arm while Kapian held onto her right. They pulled her to the front doors of the palace that now stood wide open. Drago burned away any residual vines that had survived.

Marina pulled free and grabbed the two unlit torches. Shivering, she followed Kapian as he entered the palace. Behind her, Mike followed, then Drago. She could only hope they were in time to save the King and Queen.

* * *

Mike glanced behind them as they entered the palace. Outside, in the courtyard, flashes of light and the screams of the Hellhounds echoed through the night. He caught a glimpse of Charlie’s golden body in the protective circle of Nali’s monsters. With a shake of his head, he still couldn’t believe the huge monster snarling out orders was the slender Empress that he had met.

Nali’s appearance shocked the shit out of him. How could someone so—whatever—turn into a monster that looked like something out of a 1930’s King Kong meets the Abominable Snowman movie? Well, okay, with her long white hair she looked more like a female version of an Adorable Snowwoman rather than King Kong, but still—what the hell? He wondered what other talents the amazing Empress of the Monsters had.

With a shake of his head, he forced himself to focus on their present situation. The danger was far from over. If anything, it was just beginning.

“Where do you think Magna would hold the King?” Mike asked as they stepped into the cold foyer.

“I suspect she keeps him in the throne room. As long as he remains on the throne, he keeps his power. Magna would know that if King Oray were to abdicate the throne, she would lose any chance of using the gift from the Goddess against the other kingdoms,” she explained.

“What’s so important about this gift? Why should it matter who has it?” Mike asked, glancing around with a frown.

Everything was icy cold, and he swore he could see something moving in the shadows. It was probably more of the black shit that made up the vines. He moved his hand to his gun holster, undid the snap, and pulled his gun free.

“Our King is a good leader. Queen Magika and King Oray protect the Orb of Eternal Light. It is what gives us our magic. Without both of them, the light will fade and so will our kingdom,” Marina explained.

“I don’t like the sound of that. Look out,” Mike hissed, pulling Marina back as one of the shadows reached greedily for her. “What is this stuff?”

“I don’t know,” Marina whispered in a trembling voice. “Before Magna came I never saw anything like it.”

“Be careful, I see it moving over the walls,” Kapian said.

“Where’s Orion? Hell, where did Drago go?” Mike asked, noticing that Drago had disappeared as well.

“Orion searches to make sure the Queen is safe. I swore to Queen Jenny that I would protect him,” Kapian said, glancing at the two of them.

“Go. If you find them, let them know we are heading to the throne room,” Mike said.

“Be careful,” Kapian instructed.

“You, too,” Mike warned, watching as Kapian nodded and turned to disappear down the long corridor. Mike swept his gaze over the shadows. “You’d better light the torches.”

Marina nodded and quickly lit the last two torches. She handed one to Mike. She watched as he swung it towards the dark shadows. The creature pulled back with a loud hiss, shrinking away from the flames.

“You were right. Whatever it is, it does not like the flames,” Marina whispered.

“Do you know the way to the throne room?” he asked.

“Yes, follow me,” she murmured.

Mike followed Marina, careful to keep his eyes on the shadows as they moved down the long corridor. Curious, he lifted the torch. The shadows recoiled even when the flame was not close to them. It would appear it had another weakness.

“It doesn’t like the light,” he observed.

They continued to move quietly down the corridor, turning several times to see the dark shadows moving behind them, but staying away from the light. Mike swallowed and gripped the butt of his gun. He doubted his gun would make much of an impact on whatever was covering the walls, but it gave him a sense of comfort. Marina’s soft cry of warning drew his attention forward when another shape separated from the shadows. This one didn’t shrink from the light.

“A Hellhound,” Marina choked, holding the torch out in front of her.

Mike raised his arm and fired just as the Hellhound released a roar and jumped. He and Marina dove to the side and rolled as the creature landed and turned. Mike fired again, knocking the creature backwards. It stumbled and shook before collapsing with a small hole in the center of its forehead.

“Shit,” Mike muttered, climbing to his feet. “Are you okay?” he asked as Marina bent over to pick up their torches.

“Yes. I am glad you have your weapon. Hold these and touch me,” she instructed in a trembling voice

“Me, too,” Mike muttered.

He didn’t add that his weapon was down to one bullet. He slid his gun into the holster and took the torches from Marina. Gripping the two torches in one hand, he picked up the pack holding the rest of the Molotov Cocktails, slid the strap onto his shoulder, and placed his left hand against her back.

Marina pulled back the bowstring and fired several arrows into the Hellhound. He watched as it glowed for a moment before turning to ash. Handing the torches back to her, he decided he’d like to keep a couple of the Molotov Cocktails jars handy just in case.

He lowered the pack and pulled two out. He reshouldered the pack and kept the two in his free hand. With one last glance at where the dead Hellhound had been, he motioned for Marina to continue moving down the corridor.

They were almost to the throne room. Hopefully, they wouldn’t encounter anymore Hellhounds, but he wasn’t going to bet on it. He paused behind Marina when they turned the corner.

At the end of the hall stood a set of elaborately carved doors that led into the throne room. Two Hellhounds paced back and forth in front of the doors, snarling sentinels preventing any from entering or exiting the room.

“Your weapon,” Marina whispered, turning to look at him.

Mike shook his head. “I have one bullet,” he said. “It might slow one of them down, but not both.”

He fingered the jar in his hand. He ran his gaze over the throne room doors. It was covered with the same tangle of vines they encountered before. His gaze flickered to the two beasts pacing back and forth. Perhaps they could kill two Hellhounds and take out the thorny vines at the same time.

“Hold this,” Mike ordered as he shrugged the bag off his shoulder and knelt.

Marina quickly took the two jars and his torch. “What are you going to do?” she asked, watching as he quickly opened the bag and began tying together the wicks of the half-dozen jars that were left.

Mike glanced up at Marina and smiled. “I’m going to light this place up,” he informed her in a grim voice.

Returning his focus to what he was doing, Mike finished twisting the wicks together and slid them back into the bag. He stood up and nodded to Marina as he held the open bag out to her. He started counting slowly once she lit the thick cord with her torch.

Turning, he took off running toward the snarling creatures that stood frozen in front of the doors. He threw the bag at them and dove to the side, rolling as they both jumped to grab it. The moment they did, it exploded in a fiery inferno that lit up the massive corridor.

Mike slid to a stop beside a large stone planter. Rolling to his side, he stared at the two Hellhounds that were now engulfed in flames. Their loud roars echoed as they fell back against the doors. The dark, shadowy creatures on the walls writhed in agony as they were ignited in flames. One of the Hellhounds rose up on its hindquarters before falling backwards, crashing through one of the huge doors to the throne room.

“Come,” Marina cried out as she raced forward.

Mike rolled to his feet. Marina covered her face as she jumped over the dead Hellhound and through the burning doorway. Mike did the same, landing on the other side and rolling before he rose back to his feet and turned to look back. The thick gel from the jars continued to burn brightly behind them. The light from the flames drove back the vines on the inside of the throne room.

He shifted on his feet and turned to look around the large room. His eyes took in the remnants of a meal on the long table. His gaze turned to Marina when she brushed a long strand of her hair back from her face. Her eyes were glued to the throne. He followed her gaze, locking on a pair of vacant eyes.

“My King,” Marina whispered as she slowly started walking toward the throne. “My King, we must get you out of here,” she said in a louder voice.

“I don’t think so,” a woman’s raspy voice replied. “You see, I need him as well.”

Mike watched as a very beautiful, pale-skinned woman stepped out from behind the throne. His eyes immediately moved to the weapon in the woman’s hand. The long, curved blade left him in no doubt that while she might not be able to use her magic like Marina, she could still destroy the kingdom by using the knife.

Instinctively, his hand slid inside his jacket and he removed his gun. He flicked the safety off and pressed it against his side as they continued to walk forward in slow, measured steps. Mike ran his gaze over the woman. Magna’s rich black hair hung in a tangled wave down to her waist. Her skin was almost translucent, and shimmered like a white pearl. Her lips were painted as black as her hair, making them stand out, but it was her eyes that held him. There was something in them; if it was anyone else, he might have thought it was desperation. Her eyes were a light green with swirls of black in them that reminded Mike of the black vines along the walls.

“Release him, Sea Witch,” Marina demanded. “We are not alone. The Sea King, King Drago, and the other rulers have joined with my people to stop you.”

Magna’s high pitched laugh echoed throughout the room. Mike’s hand tightened on his pistol when he saw her raise the knife and lightly drag it across the King’s throat. She murmured something too low for him to hear before she turned to look at Marina with disdain.

“Orion is bound by the laws of his pathetic people. He is weak and unable to harm me,” Magna replied with a shrug

“He might be, but I’m not,” a loud voice echoed from behind them. “I already told Orion I was going to kill you, bitch. After I turn you to ash, not even the bottom dwellers of the deep will have anything to feed on,” Drago snarled.

“I am bound by the laws no longer, Magna,” Orion warned, stepping in behind Drago.

Magna’s eyes jerked up and she released a hiss. A long spiderweb of shadowy creatures hidden in the recesses of the ceiling swirled down in a cloud, wrapping their thorny tentacles around Drago and lifting him up. Mike heard Orion shout to his men as more of the deadly vines surrounded them. He turned to stare at Magna. Her eyes were almost completely black as she focused on Drago, Orion, and his men. He shot his hand out and stopped Marina when she started forward.

“Wait,” he said, staring at Magna’s face.

Marina turned in surprise. “She is enchanting you. We must destroy her,” she hissed in frustration

Mike glanced at Marina and shook his head. “No, it’s something else,” he replied in a puzzled voice.

“I won’t be defeated. You will doom your people, dragon!” Magna’s voice rose when Drago shifted into his dragon form to fight against the steely threads trying to rip him apart. “NO!” she screamed as if in pain when Drago released a burst of fire at the ceiling.

Mike reacted when Magna lifted the knife. He raised his hand and fired his last bullet. The bullet struck Magna in the left shoulder, causing her to spin around. The blade flew from her hand and landed several feet away. A swirling black cloud rose from where she lay, rising up toward the ceiling and reforming.

“Fire on the black cloud!” Orion ordered, lifting his trident and aiming at the massive cloud.

Mike and Marina ran up the steep stairs leading to the throne. The King, free from the threat of Magna’s evil magic consuming him, fell forward gasping and shaken. Mike grabbed King Oray’s left arm while Marina slid her arm around his waist and lifted him.

Together, they half carried, half dragged him down the steps. Mike lowered the man to the floor and turned back toward Magna. His gaze flickered to the mass above her.

“Don’t,” Marina warned, grabbing his arm. “Leave her. This is something not from our world.”

Mike glanced back, torn. The training inside him wouldn’t let him just leave Magna. She was vulnerable and needed help. He turned to look at the spot where Orion and his men were firing intense blasts of energy at the black swarm. He shifted on his knee to see that Drago was also breathing fire at the swirling cloud. Whatever it was, they were barely making a dent in it.

“I can’t leave her,” he said, grasping Marina’s hand and squeezing it. “Take care of your King.”

“Mike,” Marina cried out, her hand slipping from his arm as she tried to stop him.

Mike sprinted up the steps and slid across the marble tile to where Magna lay. He touched her chin, turning it toward him. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him with surprisingly clear eyes.

“Go!” she whispered in a weak voice.

“Not without you,” he said with a glance upward.

“No,” she said, hissing in pain when he started to slide his arm around her. “No, I know how to… how to kill it now. Go,” she said again, this time in a voice filled with determination and sorrow. “What I have to do will kill you all if you don’t. Please, give me this chance to right some of the wrongs I have been forced to do.”

Mike stared into Magna’s intense green eyes and turned to look at Marina. She shook her head and pointed. Glancing upward, he could see the dark swarm massing together and pushing back against the assault of Orion and Drago. He looked down when he felt a slender hand on his arm.

“Go,” Magna whispered in resignation. “There is no hope for me. I would be sentenced to death anyway. Let me at least have some purpose in my life.”

Mike swallowed and reluctantly pulled back as Magna struggled to rise to her feet. He turned and quickly moved back down the steps as Magna began to chant. Reaching down, he lifted King Oray over his shoulder, fireman style.

“Let’s go,” he instructed Marina.

Marina looked at Magna. Her arms were raised, and blood coated the front of her white gown as she chanted. Her gaze was focused upward on the circling swarm above.

“What…?” Marina started to say.

Mike shook his head and reached for her arm. “She knows what she is doing,” he said. “We’ve got to get out of here. Orion! Get your men out of here. Magna is going to kill that thing,” he yelled as he hurried past the Sea King.

“Fall back,” Orion ordered. “Drago, get out of here!”

The group continued to fire as they fell back through the burned doors. Drago was the last, shifting as he stepped out. Orion gripped Drago’s arm when he paused.

“Think of Carly and your children, my friend,” Orion quietly said, pulling on Drago’s arm.

Drago grunted and turned. Breaking into a run, they retreated as fast as they could down the corridor. They were almost to the end when a brilliant flash of light exploded behind them, followed by a shockwave that knocked them forward of their feet. Mike tried to shield the man on his shoulder as he fell.

It took several long minutes before they were able to catch their breath. Mike rolled onto his back, his ears ringing as he reached out and searched beside him for Marina. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her small hand grip his. Turning his head, he stared at Orion. Grief and resignation glimmered in the man’s eyes. Mike suspected he’d known that Magna had not been acting of her own free will until the end when she finally destroyed the creature.

“What… What happened? What have you done to my beautiful palace?” King Oray murmured in shock, staring at the destruction. “Magika is going to be furious!”

Dry laughter echoed in the corridor along with more than a few groans. Mike pushed up into a sitting position and looked around. All of the black vines were gone. There was a huge hole in the ceiling of the throne room. The first rays of daylight shone down over the two elegant chairs that sat unscathed on the raised platform.

“Oray… Where is my husband?” Magika demanded.

Mike watched as the King turned when he heard his name. The man’s thin face softened and a smile curved his lips. Mike rose to his feet and helped Oray stand.

“Thank you,” Oray said, his eyes glued to his wife’s frantic face.

“Oh, Oray,” Magika whispered, her voice filled with trembling tears. “You’re back.”

“Yes, my beloved. I’m so sorry,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. “I thought I could stop her, but it wasn’t her.”

“Your Majesties…,” a strong voice called.

“Isha!”

Mike heard Marina’s cry of happiness. He turned and watched her scramble over the debris. A young man, only a few years younger than him, met her halfway. Isha gripped her by the waist and lifted her up in the air. Marina’s delighted giggles echoed through the devastated palace corridors.

“You’re okay. That means…,” Marina started to say.

“Woof!”

“Charlie?! How in the hell did you…?” Mike exclaimed, turning as the pup raced down the corridor, hopping over the debris as if it wasn’t there. Mike opened his arms and caught the flying body with a muttered oath. “Char… Geoff?”

Mike stared in surprise when instead of a dog, he found himself holding a laughing teenage boy. Geoff grinned up at him. Mike shook his head, closed his eyes, and opened them again.

“When the ogre wasn’t looking, I changed into Charlie. Ogres aren’t the smartest creatures,” Geoff laughed. “I’ve been hiding near Isha. I knew you would come. Did you see the monsters? They are everywhere!”

“Monsters? Is Empress Nali here?” Magika asked, patting at her disheveled hair.

“Yes, and King Ashure, King Koorgan, King Drago, and King Orion,” Geoff answered excitedly.

“Oh, my,” Magika murmured.

“Ah, Drago, you made it. I guess I won’t be able to charm your lovely wife and children into moving to the Isle of the Pirates,” Ashure commented, gingerly jumping from one section to another. “Hello, Magika. You look lovely as ever.”

“Didn’t I banish you from the palace, Pirate?” Oray growled, turning so his wife was partially behind him.

Ashure glanced around the ruins in distaste. “Only in my dreams, Oray. You look rough, old man,” Ashure remarked.

“I thought you were told to stay away from the palace, Ashure,” Drago growled, folding his arms across his chest.

“Ah, well, yes, but that is unnecessary now,” Ashure said, glancing at Marina.

“Your Majesties, I can assure you that King Ashure was nowhere near the treasure room,” Marina said, raising her eyebrow at Ashure to follow along.

“Treasure… Oh, yes, no. I fear I was much too busy to steal any treasure this time,” Ashure agreed with a grin.

“Then what are you doing here?” Oray demanded.

Ashure turned his gaze to Drago. “I came to say that several of my men reported seeing dragons flying in the direction of the Isle of the Dragons,” he said.

All eyes turned to Drago. For a moment, the Dragon King showed no emotion. Mike wasn’t sure if the man understood what Ashure was trying to tell him—at least for a moment.

Drago’s eyes darkened to a dusky, glittering gold. Pushing past everyone, they watched as he made a path for the front entry doors. He shifted before he cleared the doors. With a loud roar that rang throughout the Seven Kingdoms, he launched into the sky. In the distance, the sounds of other dragons answering their king could be heard.

“The silence is broken,” Magika whispered.

“Not quite, my love, but the Dragon King’s people live again,” Oray replied in a tired voice.

Mike watched as Magika helped her husband through the debris. Her hand waved as they walked and the broken pieces of the palace slid back into place as if nothing had ever happened. Mike slowly closed his mouth when he felt a slender hand pushing against his jaw to close it.

“She is very powerful,” Marina said with a sigh.

“You think?” Mike muttered in awe.

“Can we go find Erin and see if Mother and Father have been returned to normal?” Geoff asked, turning to look at Marina.

“Yes, of course,” Marina replied, looking at Isha.

“I need to remain here and help the King and Queen restore order,” Isha said.

“I know,” Marina replied.

Isha smiled at his sister and brother before turning his gaze to Mike. Mike could feel the other man’s confusion. It was obvious he wasn’t sure which kingdom he came from.

“My name is Mike Hallbrook. It’s a long story,” Mike said.

“But a very good one,” Marina replied, threading her arm through Mike’s.

“They are mated,” Mr. Bow informed Isha.

“They’re what?!” Isha exclaimed in surprise.

Marina sighed. “I really don’t know why Father gave me this bow,” she grumbled.

Mike’s soft chuckle turned into a deep, rich laugh. He wrapped his arms around Marina and swung her around. Loosening his arms, he let her slide down his body. He ignored everyone still standing in the corridor and bent his head to kiss her.

God, I love this witch, he thought as she returned his kiss with a passion that made his toes curl.