“Is he…?”
Kalder arched a brow at her question. “Part demon? Aye. ’Tis the real reason he lives here on this island. Like us, he fears accidental exposure, and what he might do should he be riled to the full extent of his wrath.”
The moment Muerig saw Savitar’s true form, he vanished beneath the sea, taking his army with him.
Savitar went after him, causing half the ocean to cave in upon itself. A mountain range of water rose up so high that Cameron swore it reached to the heavens and left the ocean floor visible to all.
And when it came crashing down, it soaked every one of them. The only one who wasn’t wet was Mara, who’d been shielded by the captain, and Cameron. And Cameron only because Kalder had caught her tight against his body so that his Myrcian skin could prevent her from taking another dousing after her earlier dip into the ocean to save him.
“You can’t help protecting me, can you?” She could feel his strong heartbeat against her cheek.
“Nay. But only because I know you’ve not had enough of it.” He brushed her damp hair back from her face.
The humorous light in Kalder’s eyes died as he turned toward Savitar.
And Cameron couldn’t blame him for it. That was a terrifying sight, indeed.
Savitar’s body rippled with flames. What little skin he had exposed was swirled with colors and was covered with an ancient articulated armor. He was even horned.
His expression still furious, he landed on the beach in front of them, and tucked his coal-black wings down. Along with his tail. All that remained of his handsomeness were those vivid purple eyes that swept over their group as if sizing them up for lunch.
After a few seconds, he seemed to calm.
The moment he did, his armor slowly flipped up in a wave tomelt and then vanish inside his flesh as it returned to a normal human hue.
Once it was again its flawless caramel shade, the Charonte flew back, then transformed into small dragons and other beasts so that they could lay themselves over his skin. Cameron’s jaw was still slack as Savitar resumed his earlier breechcloth attire and he ran his hand over the Charonte tattoos. That action seemed to calm him and return him to his earlier laid-back lethality.
All that remained of his demon body was the staff and that hellfire stare that dared them to mention what had just happened.
Savitar glared at Kalder. “So… that little bastard of fun will be back, won’t he?”
“Sad to say, most likely. He never could learn.”
“Beautiful. Should I gut you now? Stake you out on the beach as a sacrifice so he’ll leave me alone?”
Kalder scratched nervously at his neck. “I’d rather you not.”
“And I’d rather be left alone and not be pulled into your little family drama.” Savitar growled low in his throat. “Good thing for you that I know it won’t placate them. Damn it to the Source! Why’d you have to go and do something so stupid?”
“I didn’t mean to land us here. I was trying for Tobago.”
“Well, your geography sucks, buddy. You need a new map. Preferably one updated to this century… whatever century we’re currently in. Not like I give a fuck.”
Kalder opened his mouth to speak, but Savitar held his hand up to silence him. “Just don’t make this worse.” He grimaced at the captain. “Andyou…”
“What?”
“Scáthach should have drowned you when you were born.”
“Wish she had. Would have saved me endless centuries of trouble.”
Cameron bit her lip. “Scáthach?” she whispered to Kalder. “As in the Celtic goddess who trained CúChulainn?”
“Not exactly a goddess, but aye. She did train CúChulainn and she was the Chthonian in charge of the Dumnonii lands… and all of northern Europe when the captain was mortal.”
That knowledge stunned her.
“They are the same person?”
