Castle Kidnapped by John Dechancie Page B
Authors: John Dechancie
didn't have to come through the portal. You shouldn't have!"
âToo late for shouldn't-haves, my dear.â Trent boosted himself out of the water, sank, then came back up with more velocity, rising waist-high until he sank once again.
âWhat are you doing?"
âTrying to see above the swells. I think there's land in that direction. It's a ways off, though. You a strong swimmer?"
âMy God, no. I feel like a lead weight."
âDrop your shoes and strip to your underwear. Quick."
Sheila did as she was told. Undressed, she felt ten times more buoyant.
âReady?â he asked.
âAs I'll ever be."
âEasy now, don't tire yourself. If you get fagged out, roll over and backstroke."
They struck out sunward, cautiously dog-paddling. The swells were gentle but high, and at the crest of one particularly elevated wave, Sheila could see a thin strip of green on the horizon. It looked miles away.
âWe'll never make it,â she groaned.
âYes, we will. Steady now. Even out your strokes."
Â
They swam on for what seemed like hours. The water got even warmer. It made Sheila feel her fatigue more. They rested periodically, treading water.
âWe'd better get going,â Trent said.
Sheila found that she could float on her back and give her legs a rest. âI really need to stop."
âI know, but there's something swimming around us and it looks interested."
Sheila straightened up and searched.
âThere,â Trent said, pointing.
She could see it now, a wickedly sharp fin cutting the water. Its path took it in a slow circle about them.
âTrent, I don't like this."
âWe'll have to swim faster, Sheila. Can you do it?"
âYes."
âThe island is just another half mile or so. Or two or three. Come on."
They swam. The fin altered its trajectory and closed, its manner still more curious than menacing. Then another fin broke water and came abreast of the first. More followed.
âSeems we're becoming quite an attraction,â Trent said calmly.
âFree lunch,â Sheila said, amazed that she was capable of gallows humor.
âGot any magic yet, Sheila?"
In the last hour or so, she had been testing for magic in what seemed like an unconnected compartment of her mind, insulated from the fear and the panic. The supernatural elements of this world were very strange, and she didn't know if she could make any sense of them. She sensed vague fields of force, subtle influences, but nothing she could put her finger on.
âNot really."
âThey're getting closer. Can you get up any more speed?"
Sheila's arms felt like lead. âNo."
âThen I'm afraid we're going to have to face them."
Trent stopped swimming and reached out for her. He enveloped her in his arms, and she went limp, surrendering to the fatigue. She felt like she could never move again.
A huge gray form came in from the seaward side, its path still indirect, still exploratory.
âTrent, we're going to die,â she said.
âKiss me, Sheila."
They embraced in the water, her legs wrapped around him, her tongue finding his.
Something nudged her in the back, and she didn't care.
Trent looked over her shoulder. He said, âI think..."
âDarling,â she breathed.
âDolphins."
âDolphins?"
âOr a reasonable facsimile."
Sheila reached out and touched the rough skin of the thing. It was warm and resilient, like rubber. Another animal approached, and Trent grabbed its dorsal fin. The creature seemed to have no objection.
A head broke water in front of Sheila. It was the head of no dolphin or porpoise she had ever seen. The snout was blunt and wrinkled, and the eyes caninelike, large and intelligent. Sharp teeth protruded from the mouth. The animal was more like a seal or walrus than anything else, but sleeker, more streamlined, and the body more fishlike. In that respect it resembled a dolphin.
Trent's animal suddenly bolted shoreward. Trent hung on for
âToo late for shouldn't-haves, my dear.â Trent boosted himself out of the water, sank, then came back up with more velocity, rising waist-high until he sank once again.
âWhat are you doing?"
âTrying to see above the swells. I think there's land in that direction. It's a ways off, though. You a strong swimmer?"
âMy God, no. I feel like a lead weight."
âDrop your shoes and strip to your underwear. Quick."
Sheila did as she was told. Undressed, she felt ten times more buoyant.
âReady?â he asked.
âAs I'll ever be."
âEasy now, don't tire yourself. If you get fagged out, roll over and backstroke."
They struck out sunward, cautiously dog-paddling. The swells were gentle but high, and at the crest of one particularly elevated wave, Sheila could see a thin strip of green on the horizon. It looked miles away.
âWe'll never make it,â she groaned.
âYes, we will. Steady now. Even out your strokes."
Â
They swam on for what seemed like hours. The water got even warmer. It made Sheila feel her fatigue more. They rested periodically, treading water.
âWe'd better get going,â Trent said.
Sheila found that she could float on her back and give her legs a rest. âI really need to stop."
âI know, but there's something swimming around us and it looks interested."
Sheila straightened up and searched.
âThere,â Trent said, pointing.
She could see it now, a wickedly sharp fin cutting the water. Its path took it in a slow circle about them.
âTrent, I don't like this."
âWe'll have to swim faster, Sheila. Can you do it?"
âYes."
âThe island is just another half mile or so. Or two or three. Come on."
They swam. The fin altered its trajectory and closed, its manner still more curious than menacing. Then another fin broke water and came abreast of the first. More followed.
âSeems we're becoming quite an attraction,â Trent said calmly.
âFree lunch,â Sheila said, amazed that she was capable of gallows humor.
âGot any magic yet, Sheila?"
In the last hour or so, she had been testing for magic in what seemed like an unconnected compartment of her mind, insulated from the fear and the panic. The supernatural elements of this world were very strange, and she didn't know if she could make any sense of them. She sensed vague fields of force, subtle influences, but nothing she could put her finger on.
âNot really."
âThey're getting closer. Can you get up any more speed?"
Sheila's arms felt like lead. âNo."
âThen I'm afraid we're going to have to face them."
Trent stopped swimming and reached out for her. He enveloped her in his arms, and she went limp, surrendering to the fatigue. She felt like she could never move again.
A huge gray form came in from the seaward side, its path still indirect, still exploratory.
âTrent, we're going to die,â she said.
âKiss me, Sheila."
They embraced in the water, her legs wrapped around him, her tongue finding his.
Something nudged her in the back, and she didn't care.
Trent looked over her shoulder. He said, âI think..."
âDarling,â she breathed.
âDolphins."
âDolphins?"
âOr a reasonable facsimile."
Sheila reached out and touched the rough skin of the thing. It was warm and resilient, like rubber. Another animal approached, and Trent grabbed its dorsal fin. The creature seemed to have no objection.
A head broke water in front of Sheila. It was the head of no dolphin or porpoise she had ever seen. The snout was blunt and wrinkled, and the eyes caninelike, large and intelligent. Sharp teeth protruded from the mouth. The animal was more like a seal or walrus than anything else, but sleeker, more streamlined, and the body more fishlike. In that respect it resembled a dolphin.
Trent's animal suddenly bolted shoreward. Trent hung on for
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