That was when Mina saw the camera gear and paid closer attention to the signage on the van. She’d gotten in a news cameraman’s van.
“You can’t video this,” Mina begged.
“Are you kidding me? How can I not? This footage will be the start of a new career. I’ll be famous.”
She touched the camera and willed a flare of power into it. It sparked and caught fire.
“Ow, what’d you do?” He dropped the camera to the ground, reached in for a fire extinguisher.
“Sorry!” Mina called over her shoulder, as she ran past the police tape.
No one tried to stop her from going in, because the police were so busy rescuing people from the bridge.
Mina was exhausted, darting left and right of abandoned cars. She made it past the school bus, grateful to see it was finally deserted.
She found a metal pipe on the road and held it between her hands. Concentrating, she felt the power flare up. She turned it into a glowing sword just as a troll attacked.
Mina screamed and swung blindly at the troll’s midsection. She let loose her power and—as she let the grief of Teague’s death wash over her—the power eked through her skin.
She swung again at the troll. This time, he howled in pain and jumped off the bridge to avoid another onslaught from her. She turned to the next opponent—another smaller troll. On and on she fought, clearing a path until she got to the middle.
It seemed the advance charge from the sirens had stopped. Kino was on defense now, fighting off projectile attacks. Her grandparents and half the sirens were diving under water and doing their best to rescue people from the sunken cars.
Which were still being tossed from the bridge by one of the giants.
At the center, she realized there were too many. Fae were still pouring through the gate, more than just the strongest of Teague’s army who had come through on small boats and vessels. This was a different army, more human-looking with tanned skin and angry eyes. Familiar, but Mina couldn’t place who they were or why they would attack.
She had to stop the giants and the stone golem.
Ever waved and flew past her, knocking into a Fae wolf who looked a bit like Lonetree. He flailed and hit the water. He started to swim toward the land, but a siren pulled him beneath the water. Bubbles surfaced for a moment, then stopped.
Mina’s stomach rolled. It would only get worse if she couldn’t stop this.
“Mina!” Nix slid over the hood of a car to get to her. “Catch!” He tossed her journal to her, and Mina caught it mid-air. Her used-to-be notebook of Unaccomplishments and Epic Disasters. Now, leather bound and ready for action.
“Nix!” Mina looked down at her book and smiled.
“Yeah, I thought you might want that. If today isn’t a day to use it, I don’t know what is.” He winked.
“Stand back.” She waved them away.
“What’s your plan?” Ever said as she flew around a nearby car.
“Ever, I thought I told you to get back!”
“And when have I ever listened to you?”
“I listen to her,” Nix answered from the other side of Mina. “Just not this time. And yeah, what she said. What’s the plan?”
“My plan is to not have a plan.”
“I’m down with that.” Nix pulled up short when they confronted the stone golem. “Except for now. Now, I think a plan would be dandy.”
“Well, anyone know how to weaken a golem, so I can capture him in the Grimoire?” Mina asked.
“Water. No, fire… I think,” Nix answered.
“Which is it?” Mina sang out as the golem turned and noticed the three teens standing below him on the bridge.
“Fire!” Nix yelled.
“Got it!” Mina turned the book into a large, flaming fireball, which she sent shooting directly at the golem’s eyes. It roared in distress as it fell backward onto the cars, which rolled right off the broken bridge through the railings it had destroyed. The splash reached them on the bridge, soaking them.
Kino was there to meet the golem and introduce him to his powerful siren gift. A few seconds later, the golem was more debris littering the San Francisco Bay.
“One done, a hundred to go!” Nix marked an imaginary line in the air.
Ever rolled her eyes and said, “We can’t take them on one at a time. Where are the Godmothers when you need them?”
“That’s what you’re for, remember?” Nix called out jokingly. “You always said you were worth a hundred Godmothers.”
“You’re right, Nix.” Ever’s shoulders went rigid as she took a deep breath. “I am.”
She flew straight and true toward the mass of the army. Her fluttering wings created a wave of blue and purple in her wake. Above the army, she began to fly in circles. Round and round she flew, and blue pixie dust fell from her wings toward the army of Fae warriors climbing onto the bridge.
Mina waited, confused, as the first one playfully jabbed the second and laughed. Then the other one started laughing. One after another, the Fae stopped fighting and started rolling on the ground in hysterics.