Peaches almost died that instant.
Almost.
The long dark shadows in the water below swam so too lazily. The rosy pink sky was far too clear of clouds and thunder. The quiet was unnatural for whatever darkspawn attack this was. And the smell …
So fishy it hurt the nose, and stomach.
But she stood tall and firm on the rooftop. Hand tight over her other wrist. Ready to cast another spell quick and deadly, as her nickname proclaimed.
Her blond hair blew yanky in the wind and … wait.
Wind?
It was too quiet for natural wind, and that tickle across her neck – no!
She slammed her palm onto the roof – just in time.
A pentacle of icy blue glowed on the tiles. Engulfed her in a sparkling orb of blue lightning. Lightning that cackled and snapped away a swarm of silent but deadly night nippers of the miniature mutant monster sort, as Roo would call them.
The biting smell of blood and worse … that should wipe out that swarm but–
Splash!
From below.
Peaches rolled away. Just in time. A giant shark, with a tentacled mouth, leapt up. Bit off a chunk of the roof. No. The house!
And splashed back into the water.
The spot where she had been standing – gone. The inside of the house visible. A bedroom. Empty of everything?
Peaches backed up. “That’s it? Pathetic!”
A shadow engulfed her.
A tentacled shark leaping up.
Alright about to swallow the roof – and her – whole.