As I approached the door, I heard my sister think to me, “Nike, it’s witches.”
“Why did it have to be witches?”
“You can’t deny us entry. It is against the law.”
“Ladies, there are plenty of other establishments,” my brother said soothingly.
“We will call the police on you.”
“Whoa there, ladies, it’s fine,” I said as I walked outside. I was reminded of what my uncle had said about the types of people he allowed in his bar.
“Nike, no matter what, don’t you let a sea witch in here.”
“But, Uncle, surely you can’t…”
He didn’t say another word. It was the look of an ice-cold chill, a frosted stare that any child who has ever angered their parents knew. I took a step back, lowering my head. He grabbed my hand and lifted my chin with his other hand. “Little one, you can do this. Please. this is my only rule.”
I lifted my head to meet his eye. I knew my uncle’s pain, and I knew I had to help him. I nodded. He brought me into a big hug.” Thank you, Little Nike.”
“As you wish, Uncle.”
He kissed the top of my head and released his hug.
“Ladies, please…” Thinking quickly, I asked, “Were you here to eat or did you want to go to the bar?”
”We have the right to be here.”
Whispering to the three, I said, “Look, my uncle he has been burned by witches.”
“How’d you know we are?”
“Let’s just say I know.”
“Fine, and?”
“If you promise not to cause any trouble or curse my uncle’s bar, I’ll let you in.”
“We only wanted to eat here. We wanted to try the Tuxedo Sam Pasta we heard about.”
“Alright.”
“Nike, you can’t. What will the uncle say?” Bia sent the thought to me.
“I know, Bia, I know. Search their minds; do they mean to harm any of us?”
Bia took a moment to scan their minds, and found that these were, in fact, mortals with the tendency in witchcraft, and that’s why the curtain reacted. “They mean us no harm, Nike.”
“Very good. Zelus, will you take care of our guests?” I breathed a sigh of relief that they were nice enough to accept my apologies. Zelus escorted the ladies to their table that was near the door. My brother waited on them personally, which made me feel at ease.They were happy and I comped them a bottle of my brother Dionysus’ wine.
I hurried up to my uncle’s office, realizing I was still wet and I had two she hippi’s waiting on my return. Arriving in his office, I searched the desk till I found his dagger. His dagger was a special one that my brother Hephestus made. His blades never needed sharpening, and they would cut anything. I headed back down the stairs to the lower bar. Kratos stopped me.
“Nike, is everything alright?”
“I hope so.”
“What do you need that for?”
“The mares are holding the eggs.”
“What? Nike, it’s very dangerous. “
“I can do this. Remember the hybrids of the pegasus? I managed those just fine.”
“Yes, you did, but this is underwater .”
“I’m fine.”
At that moment, my eyes changed to the water reflection, and Kratos nodded, patting my shoulder. “Come get us if you need help.”
“Don’t let anything happen to Uncle’s bar.”
“Go on.” Kratos pushed me in the water.
I dove down and swam to the caves. You could still hear the moans of the she-beast.
I asked the handlers to keep the bulls back as I went to Freah (Fray ha). She is a beautiful Hippocampi with a shimmering skin of purple and ocean green. “Easy, easy.” I looked at the mare, and saw her look of fear and pain. I asked the other handler to cover her face and to help hold her down. I took the knife out and got close to the delivery shaft. I took in a deep breath of water and exhaled. I made a cut to open the shaft just a bit, there was some bleeding and the male bulls were bucking to get to me. I saw the eggs that were stuck. Then I saw it, the reason the eggs didn’t come. There was a third egg, and it was causing the delayed delivery. I reached into the shaft, grabbed the eggs one by one and laid them in the nest. The mare was in such pain, she bucked as I removed each egg. The other handler placed the glowing sea kelp from Atlantis over the eggs to keep them warm. I signaled the handlers to release her so she could see her eggs.
I floated over to Minyan (Mien yen). “There, there, girl, I’ll help you.” I swam to her delivery shaft and made the same small cut. Her mated bull broke free of the handlers and headed right for me, but was stopped short by Kratos, who grabbed hold of the beast’s tail and flung him back to the cave entrance. “Nike, hurry. I’ll keep him away, but you need to make it quick.”
The bull charged back at my brother as I turned back to Minyan. “Hold her head,” I said to the handlers. I pulled the two eggs from her shaft and placed each one in the nest. But the mare was still in great pain.
“Nike, something is wrong.”
I put my arm into the shaft. “Ah, there you are.” I found the other egg and pulled it out, placing it in the nest with the others. They released the bulls and the mares to go to their egglets. I got out of the way quickly and watched as the males, Nahiam (Nei am) and Hadit (Ha dita) laid on their eggs.
Within five minutes, the first egg cracked. One by one, the eggs began to break. Normally, the Hippocampi only deliver 1-2 hatchlings. so this was a very special night that they would both deliver three each. “This is a blessed day,” one of the handlers, Japho, shouted.
“Lady Nike, you have brought a great victory to your uncle’s herd. He will be very proud of you.” “They did all the work. I just helped.”
“You are truly the Goddess of Victories.”
I giggled at that. “Wait, Kratos, if you are here, how’s the bar?”
“Let’s get back.”
I swam up to each of the nest and the little ones each poked their heads out, and I petted each of them. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, Lady Nike.”
I nodded and swam off.
My brother and I came out of the water, and were walking into the restaurant when we heard screaming. We rushed to the dining room, and that’s when I saw the curtains were going crazy. The tables were being tossed and the customers were running out.
Bia ran up to us. “Where have you been?”
“What happened?”
“Look.” She pointed to the ceiling
I looked at the ceiling above the bar and I saw them: nightgoyles. “WHAT the Hades are they doing here?” I knew I only saw one, but they traveled in packs.
Bia had our swords and handed them to us.
“Where is Zelus?”
“I am here.”
“Get them out! Get all the mortals out of here.”
“I’m on it,” Zelus said as he rose up, releasing his wings to help get the mortals out. Bia flew up to combat a nightgoyle. Martina and Deja were hiding behind the bar. I screamed for them to get out of there, but a nightgoyle blocked their way. Bia threw her sword, and it pinned the creature to the wall, and the ladies were able to escape.
The kitchen erupted, with pots and pans hitting the wall, followed by the most profane words…I can’t even write them down. Kratos went to check on Brian and those in the kitchen.
“Hetty the first, Hetty the first, you bring the blessing and not a curse.
Hetty the first, Hetty the first, we summon you to help us.
Hetty the first Hetty the first bind these shadows for us.
Hetty the first, Hetty the first, you bring the blessing and not a curse.”
I heard the three mortal witches chanting as they were holding hands, and their eyes began to glow.
All at once, the curtains released from the hooks and swirled around the whole restaurant, grabbing up each of the four nightgoyles and wrapping them so tightly that they disappeared.
My siblings were so surprised, we stood next to each other and watched the fabric float back into place. The three witches vanished.
“Nike, what the…?”
“Where’d they go?”
All I could do was look around and see the mess, but I swear I heard in my head, “Thank you for your kindness, young Goddess. You tell Poseidon his bar will not be cursed by any of our covens. You have proven yourself worthy. You are pure of heart.”
Bia looked over at me. “Did you hear that?”
I nodded.
“Well, this was one hell of an opening,” Lucas, one of the wait staff, stated. “Man, I knew it. What do you all have planned for tomorrow?”
All we could do is laugh. Kratos and his grand laugh rang out through the whole restaurant.
I left everyone to clean up the restaurant. I wanted to check on the foals before we all headed home to see if they were alright and if they were swimming. They rushed up to me, knocking their heads up to mine, showing me love.
The next day the paper gave us a review, and the highlight read: The new Mermaid’s Tale bar and grill offered the best Halloween show I’ve ever seen. With the realistic Greek mythology showmanship, I wonder how they will top themselves for Christmas.”
Disclaimer: The spell in this story was created for fictional use . It is not intended for magical use.
Nikki Crump-Hansted is a professionally trained actress from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She’s been writing short stories and telling tall tales since she was very young. Nikki is currently one of the original Gods of the Pantheon. She not only writes for the Goddess Nike, but also does her voice, as well as the voices for many of the characters she has written in the blog. Follow her on Twitter @CrumpHansted
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