“Why not?” Adalard asked, his eyes wide and his hands clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned white. “We’ve already got a tunnel that spins upside down. We can handle a few arachnoid and bubble traps!”
“Speak for yourself,” Ha’ven muttered. “Alice conjured a tornado of glitter last month. I still have glitter in places I don’t want to talk about and dots dancing in my eyes.”
Zoran barely heard them. His eyes were locked on the cursed flagship—Blackheart’s grotesque vessel stitched from bones and dark magic, now roaring with flames from a glorious gash Phoenix had burned clean through from bow to stern.
“Well… she’s definitely not going to be grounded,” Trelon said dryly. “That kind of destruction earns at least a week of desserts. Possibly two. That was a seriously sweet maneuver.”
“I want to know where Jabir is,” Mandra grunted. “I don’t see him. Why don’t I see him?”
“Relax, he’s probably launching himself off a mast with a grappling hook made of pretzels,” Vox said.
A hush fell over the room as Adalard suddenly leapt to his feet, pointing wildly. “There! There they are!”
The screen zoomed in on the flaming deck of Blackheart’s flagship. Alice stood firm, sorceress-like, radiant in her glowing battle armor, her hand lifted. Light crackled from her fingers and blinded Saldusa, a sickly green-skinned woman with glowing red eyes and a crown of slimy seaweed for hair. Behind Saldusa was a swirling mist that took shape.
“Adaline,” Adalard breathed, his voice a rasp.
On screen, the Elemental mist shimmered, coalescing behind the dark sorceress.
Saldusa shrieked and spun, a blade gleaming in her hand. She slashed through the mist.
Adalard’s tortured cry rang through the room. “NO!”
Everyone stilled, their breaths caught as they waited in tense silence.
Suddenly… the mist roiled, folded in on itself, and embraced the sorceress.
Alice stepped forward, her hand outstretched. Her palm touched Adaline’s.
And Saldusa froze.
Crystals of salt began forming across her face.
“What… what’s happening?” Ha’ven asked, awe and fear warring in his voice.
“The old hag must be seeing her own reflection in every direction,” Trelon whispered. “They must’ve created a reflective surface, Adaline protecting Alice from the witch’s magic while Alice creates a mirror.”
Saldusa spun, a horrific screech escaping her as every reflection stared back with unblinking eyes. Salt crystalized over her skin. Her limbs jerked. Her face twisted.
Then—
Adaline dissolved and reformed beside Alice just as a monstrous beast charged toward them.
“WATCH OUT!” Ha’ven bellowed.
Alice grabbed Adaline.
In the blink of an eye, they vanished.
The monster slammed into the pillar of salt.
Saldusa toppled backward, a statue of malice and salt shattering as it hit the waves.
A stunned silence filled the room.
Then… cheers erupted.
“BOOM, BABY!” Ha’ven whooped, leaping into the air.
