***
Aslin raced up the hidden staircase and out into the night. This was not what he desired, but if young Daniel was right, he needed to stop their new employee before the fool got himself killed. He spotted Martin duck through the fencing and race through the underbrush on the other side. With a deep breath, Aslin headed across the back yard of the Embassy.
With a wave of his hand, the underbrush and branches parted as he ran to the shoreline. Good thing, as this running was taxing his energy. He stopped by the edge of the water to catch his breath, watching the two run down the shore. A ripple in the water caught his attention and he took a step back, concealing himself within the shadow of a large tree.
The sound of a branch snapping made him look back, as Daniel tumbled through the underbrush toward him.
“Did you tell him?” Daniel asked, breathing heavily as he leaned against the tree.
“You should not be out here. Your body needs to heal.”
“I’m fine, but they won’t be unless you stop them.”
Aslin faced the shoreline as Martin’s ambiguous shouts echoed across the lake.
Daniel stood next to him. “You have to bring them back here.”
“I believe that would be highly impossible at this point.”
“Aslin, you have to do something before it finds them!”
Aslin looked down at the young man. In the few years they had known one another, he’d never seen Daniel take to a newcomer so quickly. Perhaps Barbara was right about their new employee. He looked back out at the lake as a trail of bubbles raced toward the shore.
Daniel took a few steps forward but Aslin reached out and grabbed him, dragging him back into the shadows. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”
The young man jerked his arm free and ran a few feet down the shore. “It’s their footsteps. It’s amplified underwater! It’ll lead it straight to them!”
Aslin watched as the trail of bubbles quickly descended on to the shore. He had to think of something quick to protect them, but the battle inside drained much of his energy--too much--and any protection spell would be useless. His mind raced with possible alternatives as the trail of bubbles came closer to the shore.
“Aslin! Please!” Daniel’s sorrowful plea cut through him like a dagger. “Make Martin stop running!”
Aslin raised his eyebrows. “Oh? Is that all?”
He held up his hand to the water and then closed his fingers one by one into a fist. From the water, seaweed and other aquatic plants burst out and wrapped themselves around Martin, bringing him to a halt. The sudden stop caused Martin to fall forward onto his back on the pebble shore.
Daniel tilted his head to one side. “Well, at least he stopped.”