Waters of Chaos Page 9

  *****

  Mandy

  Mandy stumbled into the other witch as Greg headed toward Prince Dormolon. Oh Goddess! What should she do now? What could she do to help?

  "Remove the squids," said the voice in her head.

  Right. Twelve squids on their way out. But even with Greg's power enhancing her magic, Mandy found it difficult to get a grip on the squids. The spell that turned them from savage natural predators to Prince Dormolon's goons was too alien for her to grasp. Where had he found that thing? But the voice of the pendant didn't answer. Maybe if she tried moving just one at a time?

  Mandy made the effort. The Humboldts were so slippery, as hard to grasp with her magic as their tentacles would be to grasp with her hands! She struggled, hoping that reducing the odds against them by even one squid might make a difference. Another tentacle slammed into the shield of the witch protecting her. Mandy grabbed it, then grabbed the whole squid. She ripped the magic away from it and, groaning with the effort, transferred the squid back to the open water of the Puget Sound where it belonged. Once again a simple predator, it headed back into the depths.

  She used the same technique on the next squid, and the next. By then, she was gasping for breath and dripping sweat. Even with the help of Greg's strength, this was the hardest work she'd ever done.