บท 43: The True Culprit
As Seraphine plunged into the icy river, her legs instinctively transformed into a fishtail, stabilizing her body with a gentle sway. She waved her wand towards the other three, who were struggling in the frigid water.
Bubbles erupted from the mermaid staff's tip, enveloping the trio and keeping them afloat amidst the churning undercurrents. The mermaid protector used her magic to connect the bubbles and then latched her own tail to Grayson's bubble, preventing the group from being separated by the swift river.
"We're being swept downstream; we need to find a way to shore!" Grayson communicated through the bubble's magical properties.
The mermaid shook her head slightly, "The current is too strong. I can't control the entire river. We must follow the flow to find an exit and make our way to land!"
"Drifting downstream will take us far off course!" Morven raised his voice, "The river surfaces across the Ice Isle are perennially frozen. We won't find a natural opening; we must find a way to break through the ice!"
"Katheren, shoot at the ice with your hand cannon. See if you can shatter the ice above us!" Grayson called back.
Katheren drew her silver hand cannon and aimed at the ice layer above, pulling the trigger. A silver bullet carved a bubbly trail through the water, striking the ice.
A crack appeared but failed to break the ice. Grayson, handing Katheren a second pistol, directed Seraphine, "Get me closer to the surface; I'll break through!"
As Seraphine maneuvered the bubbles upward, Grayson approached the underside of the ice, hammering his silver sword into it and gripping the hilt for leverage. He pressed the pistol's muzzle against the ice and fired repeatedly. The ice eventually cracked further under the assault, and Grayson swapped the pistol for Morven's scimitar, jabbing into the fissure until a person-sized hole fractured open.
"Through there! Take us up!" Grayson pointed at the hole, signaling to Seraphine.
Directing her wand at the opening, Seraphine generated a powerful upward current, forming a reverse vortex that propelled each person towards the breach.
Nearest to the opening, Grayson shot up through the hole, followed closely by Seraphine. She aimed her wand northward, and the vortex surged towards the riverbank, flinging them onto the shore.
Drenched and gasping, they lay on solid ground, all except Seraphine, who emerged gracefully from the water.
After a moment, Grayson sat up, reaching into his drenched hood and pulling out the soaking wet owl, which spat a mouthful of water straight onto his face.
"Cough, cough, I thought I was a goner!" Elyra shook her head, transforming into a drenched little girl in a burst of red light, clinging to Grayson's chest.
As Grayson combed her wet hair with his fingers, he asked the others, "What happened back there? Why did you all fall?"
"It was me…" Katheren looked up guiltily, "I don't know what happened. My legs just stopped working when I slipped, and I fell, hitting Morven and Seraphine..."
Intrigued by her description of losing control, Grayson looked down at Elyra nestled in his arms, "Little one, what did you do?"
"I... I didn't..." Caught in her mischief, Elyra bit her lip, gazing up at Grayson with trepidation. Overwhelmed, she burst into tears.
"It seems we've found our culprit!" Grayson said with a mix of annoyance and amusement, looking at the others. Their faces showed a blend of irritation and mirth, reluctant to chide the weeping girl.
"Let it be. She's just a child, after all," Seraphine consoled, reaching out to stroke Elyra's head, who cried louder as if she were the wronged party.
"Enough crying!" Grayson's sudden shout silenced everyone, including Elyra, who looked up at him with tearful, fearful eyes.
"You're off the hook this time, but another stunt, and you'll go without food for a day," Grayson warned, pinching her cheek lightly.
Returning Elyra to Seraphine's care, Grayson stood and walked to the river's edge, finding his cigars and matches ruined by water. Sighing, he looked out contemplatively.
Morven joined him, asking softly, "What's on your mind?"
"I'm thinking that despite Elyra's antics, the ice felt too fragile. Even if no one had fallen, it might not have held our weight..."
Grayson turned to Morven, "From your adventures, would an ice-bound river like this be so fragile?"
"I was pondering that as well. Even at its thinnest, the ice should be over a dozen centimeters thick. It shouldn't collapse from a fall."
"You're right. When I shot at the ice, it was much thicker than I expected. The force of our fall couldn't exceed that of ten bullets," Grayson agreed.
Their eyes met, voicing simultaneously, "The ice must have been tampered with!"
"Could it have been Duglas?" Morven speculated, knitting his brows.
"I'd like to suspect him, but I have to defend him this time," Grayson shrugged. "Though he's never spoken a fair word for me."
"If Duglas were to sabotage the ice without Andros' knowledge and make it indistinguishable from thin ice, it would take his men until dark, even without firearms or magic."
"But Duglas was with us before dusk, giving him a solid alibi."
"Then who do you suspect?" Morven pressed.
"Anyone with enough magic could be responsible," Grayson glanced around, "Wystan could be nearby, Gothard and his priests likewise, and Duglas may just be a spy leaking our crossing point."
He added meaningfully, "Perhaps we're being watched right now."
Morven scanned the surroundings, "But they should know Seraphine will protect us. Merely the river's waters can't drown us."
"True," Grayson nodded, "They're just putting obstacles in our path. Drowning one or two would be a bonus."
"They're stopping us from reaching Titan territory, indicating we're on the right track," Morven added.
Just then, Elyra, sitting up in Seraphine's lap, called out to Grayson, "Hey, I hear something strange. Something's coming!"
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