Not with that attitude, she admonished herself.
Suddenly, the dangerous Dragon Tongue froze in mid stride. He was just a few feet from the water, and the flames still licked at his cloak, burning it to tatters.
Maria, confused, looked to Gramps—he had his wand pointed in the direction of the guard, and the tip glowed an icy blue.
“What do the cops say? ‘Freeze?’ ” Gramps shouted to her before mumbling another spell. This one hit the guard with a big burst of wind. The flames extinguished, and he dropped to the sand in a burnt heap, but still alive.
Frieda screamed as she slugged a nearby Dragon Tongue in the face. Currently, there were no other guards around Maria, so she ran to Frieda to help her out. She got up behind the guard and whacked him on the back of the head with the hilt of her sword. He fell to the sand like a pile of bricks.
Frieda smiled. “Thanks,” she said. “I needed that.”
The bodies of the Dragon Tongue littered the beach all around them. Some were dead; some were alive but unconscious. Gramps rushed over, pushing his wand into the sleeve of his robe. Maria hugged him.
“Great work, Maria. You continue to amaze me!” he gushed, and then he hugged Frieda, sneaking in a kiss on one soot-marked cheek. “As do you, Frieda.”
“Never thought one of the sworn enemies of Dominion could be capable of kicking so much ass, did you?” Frieda asked, a smile on her face and budding love in her eyes.
“Hmm,” Gramps replied, bringing a hand up to stroke his beard, which was also streaked with soot. “I assumed a dark witch would never help out a wizard such as me, but I suppose—”
“Stranger things have happened,” Maria finished for them, smiling.
“Yes, Maria, you’re right—”
Gramps was cut off by the sound of cackling.
All three turned their heads in the direction of the noise. Once Maria’s eyes focused on the Dragon Tongue standing at the edge of the beach closest to the paved road, the man clapped slowly. Under his arm was a thick book that was as old as time itself.
“Very sweet,” the man said.
“Spare me the bad guy monologue,” Maria replied, raising her voice. “I’ve heard it all before, and it never ends well for the enemy.”
The man smiled. His teeth were longer than those of all the others, and the tattoos on his face seemed more intricate than the ones she’d seen on the other guards.
That’s because this isn’t a guard, Maria. This is the head honcho, the big cheese. You’d better kill him before he can mess everything up.
Maria lunged forward, but Gramps caught her as quickly as a striking snake.
“Careful,” he whispered.
“Yes; careful, my young witch,” the man warned.
“My name’s Maria, asshole,” she shot back.
“Maria, ah, such a sweet name for a foul-mouthed girl. I am Hunter, the leader of the men you have just maimed and killed.”
“More like ‘Hunter, the destroyer of families and innocent people who have done nothing wrong.”
Hunter grinned again. His teeth were so long, Maria saw divots around the bottom of his lip where they settled and had made permanent impressions.
“I quite like that, Maria, but I’m afraid my new name shall be ‘Hunter, the Dragon Lord’.”
“Such big aspirations for a man with such a small mind,” Gramps said. The fingers of his right hand wiggled as he called upon his wand. Maria noticed that he had, perhaps subconsciously, put himself between her and Frieda.
“Quiet, old wizard,” Hunter said. He turned to Maria, his red eyes burning bright. “I want one thing from you, witch, and then you and your friends can leave this town without repercussions. I will look past all the men and, most importantly, all the time you’ve cost me.”
“In your dreams,” Maria said, clutching the satchel closer to her body. It seemed everyone was after the damn music box; so much so, she had begun to hate the burden that had been thrust upon her. “The only thing I’ll give you is death, and it won’t be a swift one.”
“I like the way you think.”
“What is it you’ll have of her?” Gramps interjected.
Maria looked at him, shocked.
He leaned toward her and whispered, “I almost lost you twice, dear—with Malakai, and in the Cave of Delusion. I don’t plan on going for a third time. We will give him what he wants and regroup.”
Maria was resolute. I will never negotiate with villains. I will die before I let Hunter wreak havoc on this town again, and I know that, deep down inside, Gramps feels the same way.
“The sword,” Hunter said. “You have my sword; the sword of Anwyn, the Dragon Slayer. Now I am the Dragon Lord, therefore I am the rightful owner.”
“That sword was bestowed upon me by my grandfather, and on him by his father before that,” Maria said. “It is not your sword, but I will give it to you—just not in the way you want.”
Maria took off toward the leader of the Dragon Tongue, her sword raised. A moment of fear flashed over Hunter’s features, but he quickly composed himself. He stomped down on the sand, and a ring of fire surrounded him. Maria stopped short.
“Maria!” Gramps yelled.
Soon he and Frieda were by her side.
Hunter was laughing, his forked tongue jutting out of his mouth. He opened the book he held to a marked page. “You witches and wizards are so cute. You think you can stop me, the Dragon Lord? Well, you are crazier than you are stupid!”
“It’s over,” Maria said. “Your men are still out on the lake, there’s no townspeople to offer up to your dragon god, and you are trapped in a fiery prison with only an old book to keep you company. As soon as you come out, I will strike you down where you stand, Hunter. Know that we have you beat.”
“Not in the slightest.”
A great burst
