Shasta turned and bolted back to shore. The sirens were scattering, but that wasn’t her primary concern. She couldn’t see Cord. Sirenum was oozing its way down the sand dune, leaving glass in its wake. The elemental lobbed a few balls of lava at the fleeing sirens. There was no time to worry about Cord. The sirens were defenseless. Shasta sucked in a deep breath and hoped that for once luck was on her side. Then she bellowed and charged forward.

  Sirenum swung away from the sirens. The glowing orbs that it had for eyes tracked her.

  As she ran across the sand, the ground rumbled underfoot, causing her to stumble. She tripped but was able to stay on her feet. Hearing a soft hiss, she jerked her head up. Three balls of lava were headed directly for her. Shasta lunged to the side, just managing to dodge all three of them.

  Unfortunately, that move brought her close enough to Sirenum to feel the heat radiating off the elemental’s form. She scrambled backward, trying to keep the sword as far away from Sirenum as she could. It wouldn’t do any good if the water evaporated away before she could use it.

  A rumble, like that of an avalanche, came from deep within Sirenum’s chest. “Look at you. Pathetic.”

  Instead of replying, Shasta eased back another step. Her dad always said the key to winning a fight was knowing your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, she wasn’t finding a weakness. Both up close and at a distance, the elemental was dangerous. The sword wouldn’t do her much good unless she was close to it, at which point she would be at risk for numerous horrific injuries and several truly gruesome ways to die. Her best strategy was to keep its focus on her but stay far enough away to give herself time to react. Sure, that wouldn’t be a problem.

  Sirenum opened its mouth, and a spout of lava shot through the air.

  Shasta held up her off hand. “Air, hard and cold.”

  The lava hit the wall of air with an audible crack. Shasta flinched. The lava slid down the surface, turning from yellow to dark gray. Pops and cracks filled the air as fresh lava continued to pelt the wall of air.

  Shasta clenched her jaw and focused on the wall of air, giving it all the power, both magical and elven, she could. Finally, the assault ended. There was a waist-high pile of cooling rock in front of her.

  Sirenum was absolutely still.

  Shasta carefully stepped back. The pile oozed toward her. She stopped and swore. She had to get away from this, make sure she didn’t get her feet in something that could hurt her. To her left, a sand dune rose above the rest of the beach. That would do.

  Trying to look at Sirenum and the pile of rock at the same time, she carefully took one step and then another to the left. The elemental didn’t move. The same could not be said for the lava rock. As she edged away from it, the crust ruptured, sending a hot flow of lava across the sand. Shasta scrambled back.

  The water in the sand flash boiled where the lava hit it, sending up bits of molten rock and clouds of sand. Luckily, none of the debris made it to her new perch on top of the dune.

  Sirenum still hadn’t moved.

  Shasta glanced around. There was still no sign of Cord. She hoped he was all right.

  “You do have powers.” Sirenum’s voice grated through the air.

  Shasta yanked her attention back to the elemental. She didn’t trust this. “I told you I’m not a siren. I’m here to help.”

  The elemental tipped its head back and made a sound she thought was supposed to be a laugh. Gooseflesh raised on her arms.

  “Your lies will not fool me either.”

  Shasta suppressed a sigh. It was like arguing with a broken record. No matter what she said, the elemental simply didn’t believe that she had no interest in taking his island.

  The ground rumbled underfoot. However, this felt different. It felt more like shifting directly under her and less like an earthquake.

  A yellow smile spread across Sirenum’s face.

  Shasta scrambled away, bolting toward the safety of the water. She leaped over the smooth, glassy swath of sand, her foot slipping as she landed. She went down on her side, air exploding out of her lungs, losing her grip on her sword.

  She was still struggling to breathe when she snatched the sword off the ground and scrambled to her feet. Sirenum wasn’t far behind. Lava was swelling up around him before flowing toward her like an unrelenting wave.

  Shasta ran a few more steps, sighing as the cold water poured over the top of her boots yet again. She pivoted to look at the elemental. It had stopped ten feet back from the high-water line, but the lava around it was quickly headed for the water.

  She slowly eased back and to the left. She was waist deep in the water and well away from danger when the first edge of lava hit an oncoming wave. Crackles and hisses filled the air. The water meeting the leading edge of the lava boiled, and steam hung low over the incoming molten rock. For a moment it skinned over and cooled, but it didn’t last. Another sheet of lava flowed over the cooling section, sending up more steam.

  She set her left hand in the ocean, inviting it to come and play. The water flowed all the way across her, chilling her skin as it went, until it had made its way across her body to where her right hand was clenched tightly around the hilt of her sword. After a moment of hesitation, the water flowed until it merged with the bubble around the blade.

  With a feral smile, Shasta flicked the blade into the air, pointing it at Sirenum. “Fly, hit like ice.”

  A stream of water arced through the air, landing squarely on Sirenum’s face. It hissed and cracked, but more and more water followed, flowing across her body, over the blade, and then through the air.

  It dripped down the elemental, cooling all the exposed lava, turning the bright red and yellow cracks into the same near black as the rest of Sirenum. Only when even the bubbling lava around its feet was skinned with a metallic-gray sheen did the flow of water stop.

  “Great. You made it angry,” Cord’s voice reached her.

  “Or I stopped it.” The words hung in the air for a moment before she realized she’d replied to Cord. She looked around, and there he was, soaking wet from head to toe and scowling.

  He marched through the water toward her. “Do you really think that’ll stop Sirenum?”

  “Hello. I’m glad you’re alive. I was worried about you.”

  Cord nodded absently. “Yes, same to you. But what are we gonna do about that thing?”

  Shasta looked back at the statue that might or might not still be Sirenum. “You know, I was too busy not getting hit by lava to think that far ahead.” She glared back at Cord.

  A dull thud reverberated through the air. Hoping it wasn’t what she thought, she focused on Sirenum again. His arm, which had been bent, was now straight. The elbow joint was no longer shiny and gray but oozed bright yellow-white lava.

  “I suggest you think quickly,” Cord muttered.

  “Narzel blast it.” Shasta watched. It moved the other arm. She swore again. “You’re the one with all the police experience. Anything you’d like to offer?”

  “You distract it. I’ll work on our next plan.” He nudged her shoulder. “Give me your hand.”

  Without looking away from the elemental, Shasta held out her left hand. Something wet and thick landed in it. She started to turn it over and dump it into the water, but he grabbed her, keeping her hand upright.

  “Easy there.”

  She looked down at the thick black sludge sitting in her palm. “Dirt? Your grand plan is dirt?”

  He nodded. “Keep that with you.”

  “What am I supposed to do? Throw it at Sirenum?” She glanced back over at the elemental. Its knee joints were oozing lava again.

  Cord’s eyes were wide. “No! You need to keep it.”

  “Sure. I’ll just put it in my pocket,” she sneered.

  “Great idea. Do that now.” He paused for a moment. “Keep Big and Angry busy.”

  She risked a quick glance back at the elemental. Sirenum’s shoulders and wrists had bright yellow lines where it had broken through the rock. “If you tell me why.”

  Cord sighed. “I had to escape into the water and swim away. I can’t make walls of hard air and throw ocean water at it. But I can fight with the earth. That wet lump of dirt will help connect you to me and hopefully to the island.”

  Biting her lip to hold back snarky comments, Shasta sloshed her way into shallower water. Then she pried open her pocket and scraped the lump of sludge into it. “You are getting the better end of this bargain.”

  Cord brushed his fingers across her cheek. His eyes were dark and sad. “I know. I wish it could be me, but I am a simple elf. You are Shasta, born of the earth.”

  She stood there, not knowing what to say.

  He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, retreating before she could react. “Be Shasta. Then come back to me uninjured.”

  She had to swallow before she could answer, pushing back tears and a deep fear that she couldn’t do this. “I’ll do my best.”

  A sharp crack and a sizzle were quickly followed by a deep bellow.

  Shasta swung around.

  Sirenum glared at her. Then crack after crack filled the air. The elemental swelled, growing broader and taller. “I am Sirenum, and you will not take my island.”

  Shasta reached behind her and shoved Cord back. “Go.” She heard a soft splash and hoped that he was going somewhere safe where he could try to open a connection to the land. Maybe if they could communicate directly with Sirenum, it would understand they were not a threat.

  Maybe it was the cold water, but the size of the elemental and the ferociousness and its voice chilled her to the bone. She exhaled and drew herself up to her full height. “I am Shasta.”

  “I care not who you are, only for what you will become.” Lava swirled around its feet.

  The air pushed at her. Shasta took the hint, diving into deeper water. Something impacted the water behind her, sending concussive waves through the water. They pushed her forward, but the water flowed around her, keeping her from tumbling too much, absorbing the shock. It carried her away as explosion after explosion rocked the surface. Finally, when long seconds ticked by without a nearby explosion, it pushed her to the surface. Shasta sucked in one deep breath after another, grateful to find the sword still clenched in her hand.

  The water had pushed her around so she was now at Sirenum’s back. She let the waves carry her into the shallows where she could stand. Then she invited the water to play again. It flowed across her as before, and when she pointed her sword at Sirenum, blasted through the air.

  It hit the elemental so hard it knocked Sirenum forward and the elemental crashed facedown in the sand. She let the water pour over Sirenum until its entire body wasn’t just silvery gray but darkening toward charcoal. Then she ended the water spout.

  With Sirenum contained, she pushed her way through the water, finally emerging onto the beach. She kept close to the water, trotting away from the elemental. Hopefully, Cord and the sirens were safe. She, however, had to find another way to slow the elemental down. While the water was effective, at some point Sirenum would regain mobility and attack someone. She needed to change tactics before that happened.

  As she trotted, she toyed with the idea of using fire to fight with fire. Had this been of the forest fire variety, that might have worked, but against the volcano elemental on its own island, well, that didn’t seem very promising.

  The ground rumbled, and only a short distance from her a spout of lava surged out. Little bits of molten rock flew in every direction.

  Shasta scrambled back. “Air! Solid and cold.” She held up her hand. The dome of protection formed around her. Bits of rock hissed as they bounced off and fell to the ground.

  A figure slid out of the fissure. It was about her size, but there was no mistaking Sirenum, even if now the elemental was swirls of yellow and red, not yet hardened into the rock. “You can’t escape me on my island.”

  Lava continued to pour out of the fissure, heading for her. A second fast-moving flow was already between her and the water. There would be no escape that way. Shasta glanced inland. From here it was slightly downhill and didn’t rise again until close to the volcano in the center of the island. That wasn’t a good way to escape either.

  Sirenum chuckled. A third lava flow broke off from the other two, heading in the very direction she was looking. There would be no easy escape this time.

  Shasta offered more power to the air, letting it form a hard shield that completely encapsulated her all the way down to the ground. With an extra nudge, she was even able to stand on top of it. It would keep her safe for a moment, but it wouldn’t last for long.

  An ear-piercing shriek rent the air. She looked up. In the first rays of the morning sun, Shasta saw Sappho leaping at Sirenum, claws extended, her face twisted into a fierce mask.

  “No!” Shasta screamed.

  Chapter Fifteen

  She had to do something quick. Sappho wouldn’t survive attacking Sirenum, and it would be a gruesome death.

  “Wind!” The hard shell of air around her raced away and knocked into Sappho. Her elegant leap turned into an ungainly sprawl of limbs as she fell away from Sirenum and the three lava flows.

  Shasta didn’t have time to see if the siren landed safely. Without the shell of air, she was vulnerable. Her own personal reserves of magic were dwindling, and this fight might go on for a while. She reached for the air again. “Slow him for me, cool the fires, suppress that which seeks flight.”

  The morning breeze swirled for a moment, redirecting its path before blowing past her and flowing across Sirenum. It wasn’t as dramatic as when the water had contacted the lava, but it did skin over Sirenum’s joints and the top layer of the lava flows. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. Plus Sirenum didn’t seem to realize it was being attacked. There was no overt change in its level of aggression or increased vigor in its current methods of attack.

  Sirenum’s lack of action gave her a moment to try something else. The air wasn’t enough to stop the lava flows, merely slow them down. And assuming she could get enough water up here, using it had only angered Sirenum in the past.

  As she shifted her weight, a cold trickle of water squelched out of the lump of dirt in her pocket, dripping down her thigh. Other than the first moments when the earth had joyously greeted her, it hadn’t been willing to interact with her. Now with Sirenum somewhat distracted, perhaps she could manipulate the earth enough to turn the flows away.

  Shasta took a deep breath and focused on the flow that was only four feet from her. She opened up her shields, letting herself feel all of nature around her. The earth was as silent as ever. However, that didn’t mean it wasn’t listening. She extended her mind toward the slowly advancing molten rock. I want to be your friend.

  Nothing.

  Friend. Ally.

  Still nothing.

  Maybe if she tried a different way. If you turn to the right, you can flow toward the ocean, expand the island.

  Still nothing. Now the lava was only three and a half feet away. However, rather than continuing directly at her, it seemed to be angling ever so slightly toward the beach.

  “No!” Sirenum roared, flames dancing across the top of the pool around his legs. “You will not replace me!”

  The three flows surged forward. The closest one continued on a sideways track, but as more and more molten rock oozed forward, Shasta spotted a problem. While it was continuing to move sideways, there was so much volume that it couldn’t help but continue forward. She had to do something.

  Shasta reached out toward the water. Send a wave over this area. Cool the rock, extinguish the fires.

  She felt the ocean ripple. It would take time. Building a wave large enough to reach this area wasn’t easy. She took a few steps back. Maybe if she provided sufficient distraction, Sirenum wouldn’t see the waves coming. “You said something like that several times. But I don’t want to replace you.”

  “You turned the lava,” Sirenum rasped. “You control the air and water. You’re here only to take my island.”

  In the distance, Shasta felt a surge from the ocean. The wave was coming. “Have you ever met an elf?”

  Sirenum swayed, much like a flame dancing in the wind. Finally, it answered. “I know of humanoids, sirens, and those who visit them. You are all deceivers and should die.” It hurled a ball of lava at her.

  With the lava flows around her, there was nowhere to go. Shasta lifted her sword, swatting at the lava with the flat of the blade. The water from the bubble on the blade transferred to the lava, encapsulating it, cooling it, and containing it as it hit the ground.

  Now, the ocean whispered to her mind.

  Shasta braced her legs and turned her face away. The waves crashed over her, buckling her knees. She fought to stay upright under the force of the water. Hisses and pops filled the air as steam rose from the rapidly cooling rock.

  She wiped the water away from her eyes. A thick layer of water covered all the lava, holding it in place and keeping her safe. Hopefully Cord would hurry. They needed a more permanent solution, and they needed it soon.

  As she watched, Sirenum popped its mouth open. “I can always create another form.”

  The earth vibrated underfoot. Shasta swore. She needed to be able to communicate with Sirenum directly, explain to him what she was. If the elemental had only met the sirens and the people who brought them supplies, then it didn’t understand what she and Cord were. It didn’t know they were elves, or in her case a half elf, and able to communicate with the earth in ways many other people couldn’t. It didn’t know that communication wasn’t equal to control. It didn’t know that their abilities weren’t a threat to Sirenum’s place as the elemental of this island.

  “You will not create another form.” Agatha stood on a small rise about fifty feet inland from Shasta and Sirenum. Sappho, scraped and bruised, and Melissa, flanked her. Without giving Sirenum a chance to reply with words or actions, Agatha began to sing.