by S. E. Smith
Trelon laughed and leaned back, lifting his legs and resting his feet on another chair in the outside café area. The cavern was buzzing with workers getting the area ready for tomorrow’s festival. They had all decided to enjoy Cara’s replication of an Earth beverage called beer. He could see the symbiots and kids playing through the large windows. They were monitoring the kids and would alert them.
“Where did Vox go?” Mandra asked, looking around for the huge Sarafin.
“He wanted to call and check on the twins again,” Creon replied with a grin. “He has no idea that it will only get worse as they get older.”
“Tell me about it,” Trelon retorted with a grimace.
The men laughed and relaxed while they chatted about how their lives had changed since that one fateful day when Zoran crash landed on Abby’s mountain back on Earth.
“You know, I never thought I would be thankful for getting kidnapped,” Zoran murmured to the group. He stared into the frosty mug of amber liquid for a moment before he looked around the table and lifted his mug up in the air. “To old rebellions and new lives,” he toasted.
“To true mates and good friends,” Ha’ven added quietly, touching his mug to Zoran’s.
“What did I miss?” Vox asked, walking up.
“A toast to true mates and good friends,” Zoran said.
“I’ll drink to that,” Vox muttered and sat down in the vacant chair between Ha’ven and Creon, and motioned to a passing worker that he wanted a glass of beer.
“How are you doing?” Creon asked, slapping Vox on the shoulder.
“I’m going to kill my brothers and father when I get home,” Vox admitted, draining the glass and motioning for another. “If Riley doesn’t do it first,” he added, wiping a hand across his mouth.
“What did they do this time?” Ha’ven chuckled.
Vox scowled. “They have a list of potential mates for the girls,” he muttered. “Like I’ll ever let a horny cat near one of my girls.”
Creon and Trelon sat back in their seats and burst into laughter. Nodding in agreement with Vox as he ranted and raved about all the things he was going to do if his father dared try to negotiate a bond between some young cat and his daughters.
*.*.*
“What’s are we going to do, Zohar?” Roam asked, peeking out the window at the men sitting at the table. “How’s we supposed to booby-traps the castle if we aren’t there?”
“We knows,” Jade and Amber announced behind them.
“Hows do you thinks we can gets out without being seen?” Zohar asked with a frown.
“Through the tunnels,” Jade said. “They’s connects alls the things togethers. Mommy says it’s to makes things looks more real.”
“Can you finds your way back to the castle?” Zohar asked with a skeptical expression.
Amber nodded. “Symba knows how to gets there,” she promised.
“What about our daddies?” Alice asked, peeking outside where her daddy was sitting.
“We’s can makes a movie,” Bálint suggested. On the wall behind them, a video showed a replay of them playing earlier. The kids loved seeing themselves up on the wall. They watched for several long seconds before Bálint continued. “You’s just gots to press the buttons and dance.”
“Yay!” Alice exclaimed, clapping. “I’s make movies.”
Several minutes later, the small group, along with their golden partners-in-crime, quietly slipped out of the Paint House and down the service tunnel. On the wall, a video loop streamed the children happily playing inside. Each of the men glanced every minute or so to make sure the kids were behaving, completely oblivious to the fact that all they were seeing was a recording.
13
“No, not likes that,” Roam said in exasperation. “You’s doing it wrongs.”
“No’s we aren’t,” Jade grumbled, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. “We’s going to go makes our own booby-traps. You’s are too complicated.”
“That means they’s too hard,” Amber informed him.
“I’s knows what it means. My mommy and daddy uses big words, too,” Roam growled, pulling on the short jump rope. “I’s need more buckets.”
“We’s going to go gets Mommy’s old cloner to make stuff,” Jade said, turning.
“Don’t lets the grown-ups sees you,” Zohar replied, balancing one of Jade and Amber’s buckets of minions above the entrance to the library. “Moves me that way, Goldie.”
The golden symbiot slid to the left a few inches and stopped. All around the castle, the small teams of dragonlings and their friends worked with the symbiots to prepare for the Queen’s arrival that night.
“My booby-traps are nots too hard,” Roam muttered under his breath when the twins took off. “Theys just don’ts know hows to make thems right.”
“I thinks they are brilliant,” Bálint said with a grin. “My mommy uses big words, too. She calls me thats all the time.”
“My mommy says it to my Daddy, but I’s don’t thinks she means it,” Roam replied with a shake of his head. “Mommy says ‘Brilliant, Vox, just brilliant’. Mostly afters we break something when we are playings,” he added, imitating his mother’s voice.
“I’s done with these ones,” Zohar said, motioning for Goldie to lower him back to the floor. “I’s going to go check on Spring.”
“I’s going to goes to the dancing room whens I’s finished. Bálint’s booby-trapping the forest, Alice is in the kitchen, and Jabir’s putting his pets in the gardens,” Roam said, turning to reach for another rope.
“Where’s Phoenix?” Zohar asked.
“She’s booby-trapping the attic,” Roam called out.
*.*.*
Zohar shifted into his dragon when he and Goldie passed through the doorway and into the hidden corridor. The corridors were the ones Auntie Cara and his mommy always used to get from one part of the castle to the other. Over the past year, he and the other dragonlings had fun playing there. His mom said that they were secret and that no one else but the workers knew about them.
Goldie moved silently beside him, opening the doors before he reached them so that he didn’t need to stop and shift again. He turned and focused on the soft sound of Spring’s voice. He slowed and shifted back to his two-legged form when he neared the doorway leading to the dungeons. Behind the door, he could hear Spring singing a song.
Welcome to Halloween
Where ghost and goblins dance with glee
Tonight it is the time to see
How Jack and Sally fight the Queen
“I’s likes that song, Spring. It’s pretty,” Zohar said.
Spring turned in a quick circle, releasing a startled squeak. Zohar saw her glare at Harvey, who snickered. His Aunt Carmen and Uncle Creon’s symbiot was half the size of Goldie. Zohar knew the other half would be with Phoenix. Beside Spring, a smaller symbiot was weaving back and forth through the air. Zohar watched for several long seconds seeing the thin, almost transparent threads turn a soft, glowing white.
“What’s that?” He asked with curiosity.
“Dirty Worm silk,” Spring replied, staring up at the mesh above the tracks. “I’s remembered what you said when you drews out the map of the castle. The Queen will have to rides the magic chairs to the thrones. If the Queen gets throughs the doors, then she’s goings to comes here first. I’s found dirty worms when I’s digging. They makes really sticky glowy strings that’s fun to plays with, but isn’t easy to gets off unlesses you knows how. Mommy makes me take lots of baths when I’s plays with it, but I’s know how to gets it offs me really easy.”
“Does you needs help?” Zohar asked, touching a thread of the silky web. His eyes widened when he tried to pull his hand back and found it difficult to pull away. When he finally did, his finger was glowing and sticky. “Looks at this!” He exclaimed, giggling when tiny flashes of light flashed between his fingers.
“I knows. I tolds you it was fun,” Spring said. “You gots to rub your fin
gers togethers to gets it off. Likes this.”
Zohar watched as Spring stuck one hand in the bucket of webs and swirled it around. When she pulled her hand out, it was covered with the sticky threads. She used her other hand and gently rubbed at the threads. As she did, the threads dissolved.
“Ifs you tries to makes it come off, it gets stickier,” she explained. “You’s got to be nice to make it disappears, or it takes lots and lots of bubbly baths.”
Zohar gently brushed his palm with the fingers of his opposite hand and watched the threads rise up and vanish. He grinned and looked at Spring. This was better than the Tickle Bugs that Jabir got Roam with.
“I’s going to go sees hows Bálint is doings in the forest. Comes to the Queen’s big chair room when you are dones,” he said, turning and shifting again.
“I’s will,” Spring called after him before she started singing again while her symbiot continued to spread the silky webs.
*.*.*
Bálint carefully wrapped the end of the thin rope around the tree and tied it like his Grandpa Paul had showed him. Once he was done, he shifted and flew down to the floor. The forest looked different when all the lights were on. It didn’t look scary at all.
The faces formed onto the trees were all frozen. Some of the faces had their eyes open and their mouths were open like some of the statues in the upper garden and ballroom, while others were closed as if in slumber. Out of all the rooms in the castle, this was his favorite one because it reminded him of the great forests outside the city where Grandpa Paul, his mom, and dad liked to take him to explore. Only there, the trees didn’t talk and sing like these did.
“Bálint, wheres are you?” Zohar’s familiar voice called out.
“I’s over here,” Bálint responded, shifting and running toward the sound of Zohar’s voice. “Heres I am.”
“Are you dones yet?” Zohar asked, looking around the forest with a frown. “I’s don’t see your booby-traps?”
“You’s not supposed to see thems,” Bálint replied. “They’s up there.”
Bálint pointed upward. “Bio is coverings them now,” he said.
“What’s they supposed to do?” Zohar asked with a frown.
“I’s put mud shooters in thems. When the Queen’s chair comes under them, it pulls the ropes and shoots muddy dots. Uncle Dulce mades me one so I could plays with Grandpa Paul in the woods and tags him. Jade and Amber clones me more of them to use in here,” Bálint explained.
“I wants to plays tag with mud shooters!” Zohar exclaimed with a grin.
“So’s do Jade and Amber,” Bálint replied, wrinkling up his nose. “We’s gonna needs a bigger forest if they plays.”
Zohar nodded. “I’s going to go see what’s Jabir’s doing. Do you’s wants to come?” He asked.
“Yes. Bio, let’s go finds Jabir,” Bálint called out.
In a flash, the huge symbiot landed on silent feet next to the Goldie and two boys. The two symbiots shimmered, communicating with each other. The boys could tell that the symbiots were having fun from their colors.
“I’s race you,” Bálint said excitedly, shifting into his small purple and gold dragon.
Zohar shifted back into his dark brown and copper colored one. The two boys raced through the corridors, getting help from their attentive babysitters to pass through closed doors. Deep down, he could feel the excitement building as their plans to stop the Queen from stealing the babies took shape.
14
Jabir tenderly stroked his fingers over the large grass and hardened mud home of his Tickle Bugs. There were hundreds of the small, furry creatures sleeping peacefully inside.
His gaze swept over the garden. It was unlike any garden he had ever seen before. At first, he had been afraid to be there alone. Phoenix had stayed with him for a while before she went to the other side of the huge room. Every once in a while he would catch a glimpse of her when she flew up toward the ceiling. He didn’t know what she was doing, but he had to admit, he was glad he had the singing plants instead of the chomping, stomping furniture and boxes on the other side of the long room.
“Jabir,” Zohar said breathlessly.
“Eek!” Jabir squeaked, turning and holding out the large egg shaped nest in front of him. “You’s scared me.”
Jabir scowled at Zohar and Bálint when they grinned back at him. His fingers itched to wake the creatures inside and sic them on his two friends. Instead, he carefully turned and set it on one of the large open flowers.
“We’s came to see if you’s needed any helps,” Bálint said. “I’s never been ups here before.”
“Me’s neither,” Jabir admitted. “I’s like this parts. It’s not as scary as the forests or the attics.”
“You’s needs to see under the castle, it’s lots of fun,” Zohar said. “I’s been alls over the castle with my mommy.”
Jabir grimaced and shook his head. “I’s likes the talking flowers. I’s don’t have no more critters with me. Daddy says I could only brings five this time,” he said with a sigh. “Mommy says that’s okay, ‘cause we can always finds more on our trips.”
Zohar stared around him with a frown. He could only see the one egg shaped nest. “Did you brings any mores?” He asked.
Jabir shook his head. “I’s just has the one nest of Tickle Bugs. I’s didn’t wants to brings my other animals. They’s might gets hurt,” he said in a slightly defensive tone. “My Tickle Bugs are tougher. I don’t thinks the Queen can hurts them.”
“What if she slaps them?” Bálint asked.
Jabir smiled brightly. “Then they gets really mad and tickles you really, really bads,” he said. “You’s can’t squish them. Daddy alreadys tried that. Last times, he laughed for two whole days!”
“Are you dones, then? We’s were checking to see if anyones need helps,” Bálint said.
“No, I’s done,” Jabir admitted with a sigh. “Precious, I’s needs my armor,” he said, turning to the symbiot who was inspecting all the different plants.
Within seconds of Jabir’s request, a small section of gold separated from Precious’ body and flowed toward Jabir. It wrapped protectively around him. A small helmet formed over his head while arm, chest, and leg plates covered his body. With a click of his tongue, his own small symbiot shifted into a Werecat – well, more of a Werekitten, but its sharp teeth warned anything to approach with care.
Precious had shifted as well, becoming a large Werebeast with a saddle. The symbiot carefully lowered itself to the floor and waited until Jabir climbed onto its back. Once Jabir was seated, the creature rose to his feet.
“I’s ready,” Jabir told the other two boys.
“Wow!” Bálint whispered in awe. “You’s looks just like a warrior.”
Jabir looked down at Zohar and Bálint with a serious expression. “I’s am a Prince of the Valdier. I’s am a warrior.”
Zohar nodded. “You’s a mighty warrior, Jabir,” he whispered before he glanced at Bálint. “Let’s go sees whats Phoenix is doings.”
*.*.*
Phoenix glided through the thick rafters of the attic, enjoying the feel of flying. The faster she flew, the wider the streams of dark ribbons trailed behind her. She swerved in and out between the pieces of rough wood before curving in a delicate turn and doing another flight around the room. She had just made her last pass when Harvey alerted her that she was no longer alone. Slowing, she released the strands and glided down to the boys who were staring up at the ceiling with their mouths hanging open. She shifted as she landed, taking several steps at the same time until she was silently standing in front of them, waiting for their responses.
“Wows, Phoenix,” Jabir whispered, almost falling off Precious when he leaned back to stare upwards. “How did you’s do that?”
Phoenix stared at each of the boys before she looked away. She gazed down at the floor and ran her left foot along the rough wood surface. Biting her lip, she looked back at the boys to see if she had frightened them, but
they were still gazing upward, enthralled by the swirling black cloud with the star filled center.
“I’s making a mirror,” she whispered, staring up at her creation.
“That don’t looks like no mirror I’s ever seen befores,” Bálint muttered before he cleared his throat and gave her an apologetic look. “I’s likes it. Its just don’t looks like the mirrors in my house.”
“Mines either,” Jabir murmured. “I’s see colors.”
Phoenix smiled at Jabir. The smaller boy was lying back along Precious’ back, gazing up at her creation with wonder and fascination. She started when Zohar touched her arm.
“What’s it do?” He asked in a curious voice.
Phoenix turned her gaze to Zohar’s serious golden ones. She could see the curiosity in them, but also a little bit of caution – as if he was a little bit afraid. She rubbed her hands together.
“I’s made a playground,” she said. “You’s can floats inside it and see all kinds of things. Spring and I plays in one alls the time. I’s thought if the Queen sees how pretty the worlds are, she won’t want to takes the babies.”
“Can we plays in it?” Jabir asked in excitement, suddenly sitting up and almost falling off of Precious.
Phoenix shook her head. “No. I cans only makes them sometimes,” she admitted with a rueful smile. “I’s not strong enough to makes more in the same day.”
“Oh,” Jabir replied with a disappointed sigh. “Okay.”
“We’s going to go sees what the others are doing, do you’s wants to come?” Zohar asked, pulling his gaze away from the swirling cloud.
“No, I’s staying here,” she replied. “I’s gots to be close to its or it goes aways.”
“Okay,” Zohar murmured in a distracted tone before he shook his head. “We’s going to go sees what Amber and Jade’s booby-trap looks likes.”
