The flood level began to recede, drains pulling gallons into the walls of the culvert every second. As Mina’s head broke the surface of the water, she looked over and saw Nan holding onto the large handle, her eyes squeezed shut.
“Thank you.” Mina coughed.
The rushing water pulled at them, but Nan smiled and nodded.
Mina reached up to wipe the water from her eyes.
“Don’t let go!” Nan reached out with one hand to stop her from releasing the wheel but realized her own mistake. She slapped her hand back on the cold metal and gripped even tighter with both hands.
“I think it’s fine. The river will keep the door sealed now that it’s closed,” Mina tried to reassure her.
“How do you know?”
“I don’t, but Anders seems sure.” She pointed to the Baldander who was now waiting a ways down the tunnel looking at them eagerly.
Ever walked up to the door and inspected the lock. “I wonder why it wouldn’t open. It’s kind of odd for them to send you this way if it’s going to almost kill you.”
“It’s been welded shut.” Nan pointed from her perch on the stairs. She finally released one hand to point at the bead trail that ran around the whole door.
“It’s a good thing it was shoddy work, otherwise I might not have been able to get it open,” Ever admitted.
“No, it’s a good thing you were with us. Otherwise we wouldn’t have made it.” Mina looked up at Ever gratefully.
Ever shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t mention it…really.”
“Now what?” Nan asked finally gathering enough courage to let go of the door handle.
“We follow the wet rat.” Ever pointed at Anders in his otter shape, who was shaking the water from his wet fur and giving her a pointed glare. He moved forward and then turned back to the tunnel, trying to get them to follow him.
“She’s right. We follow him.” Mina instructed.
Anders went farther up the tunnel, trying to stay on higher ground—anything that hadn’t been submerged in the floodwater. He peeled off down a left passageway, and they came to a second set of air lock doors. Anders jumped up onto the round wheel and—this time when Mina turned it—it unlocked and opened easily. He scampered right through the door.
The girls were a bit more hesitant.
Mina went first into the second air lock. It was dark. There was a slight smell of kerosene in the air as if a lantern or heater had been lit recently. She put her hands out in front of her and tried to make it to a wall, but she stumbled over something on the floor. Mina let out a cry as she fell forward onto the large form. She got up and tried to feel around on the ground but almost lost it when she realized what she was feeling.
Her hands were roaming over a dead body.
Chapter 12
Mina’s hands stilled on the dead body as bile rose to her throat.
But then she realized it was still warm. Even though every part of her wanted to run away, she stayed.
She heard a slight moan, and instinct kicked in.
“Light! I need light!”
Ever and Nan searched the room until one of them found a kerosene lamp and matches. The room was quickly illuminated as Ever held the lamp close to Mina.
“It’s Nix!” Ever cried out. “He’s hurt.”
Nix was sprawled across the floor. He groaned and his eyes started to flutter open. He immediately reached for the back of his head and winced. “Where am I?”
Mina looked around, unsure exactly how to answer him. “Right outside the air lock, below the river.”
“That’s right,” he said, cringing again. “I was supposed to meet you and take you to Constance.” He groaned and tried to sit up but almost tipped over from the pain. He curled up in a ball and nursed the wound on his head.
“Nick?” Nan said.
“Yeah. He’s one of us,” Ever said without a blink. “Nix, what’s the last thing you remember?”
“I remember coming around the corner and putting the lamp down to unlock the door. I think someone came up from behind and attacked me.”
“You poor thing!” Ever said softly.
Nan cast an odd look over to Mina, both of them surprised at Ever’s nurturing side appearing out of nowhere.
“You mean someone from this side of the door?” Mina asked. “Are you sure? Because that would have to mean it’s one of the Godmothers.”
Nix stood slowly with Ever’s help. “Yeah, it must have been. But why would they attack me? I’m so confused.” He leaned against the wall.
“Someone sealed the outer air lock door, and we were caught by the river when the walls started to come down. We could have drowned. I’m guessing whoever did that didn’t want you in the way,” Mina answered.
“That’s terrible! I’m so sorry. If I had been paying more attention—or if I was still a Nixie—I would have been able to sense someone down here, so close to water. Mina, please forgive me. I’m such a failure!”
“So you’re a…a Nixie?” Nan breathed out slowly.
“Uh…hi, Nan,” Nix said sheepishly. “It’s Nix actually. I mean down here with my kind it is. But for school and stuff, Nick is better.”
“Nix used to be a Nixie.” Ever spoke up.
“What is that?”
“Think jolly green giant but likes the water,” Ever explained.
Nan chuckled. “You said ‘used to be.’ What happened?”
“Something happened on the Fae plane—and he was dying,” Mina answered. “Charlie and I brought him over and now he’s human. But he’s still learning to adapt.”
Nix grinned ear to ear. “I’m a fine specimen of human if I do say so myself.”
Nan leaned over and whispered loudly to Mina. “That explains…a lot.”
“Nix, I think we better find Constance.” Mina was exhausted, but whoever tried to kill them still had to be around somewhere. This day felt like it would never end.
“Of course, yes. Right away. That’s what I was supposed to do. It was my only job and I botched it.” Nix turned and led the way, slowing a few times to touch the back of his head.
Mina was so worried about him that she wasn’t paying attention to the way they headed. She needed to do better.
“She’s waiting for us.” Nix took a back hallway, and they passed the dining hall. Nan craned her neck, apparently wanting a slower tour of the place.
When Nix opened the door to the library, Constance was sitting in the same high back chair as last time, drinking tea and talking with someone. Mina wasn’t surprised to see her music teacher, but Nan certainly was.
Constance glanced over at Nan. Her short white hair was particularly spikey today, reminiscent of a hedgehog. Her teal wing-tipped glasses matched her knitted button-up sweater and pencil skirt.
“Mrs. Colbert?”
Constance straightened in her chair. Mina’s guest seemed to take her by surprise.
Quietly, Nan said, “Our music teacher is a Fae too. This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.”
“Yes, dear. I’m a muse.”
As they approached and could see both women, Mina cleared her throat, feeling awkward. “Nan, you remember Mrs. Wong?”