Fidelé tightened his grip so suddenly that I gasped in pain. Rufus ran around on my shoulder, totally freaking out. I spun around on the branch, looking for what they were hearing. I didn’t see anything. Stupid ears.
Rufus scampered from my left shoulder to my right. He and Fidelé got rigid and pointed there noses at a particular door. There wasn’t anything there. “What? What? What?”
Then I saw them. Gerald and Iris ran through the doorway, carrying Horc. Leanna and Gledit were two feet behind, dragging an unconscious Rickard between them. I snapped open my wings and the pain brought me to my knees. I nearly threw up on the branch as I struggled to get to my feet.
Iris made it to an interior column and yelled something back at Leanna and Gledit. They tried to put on speed, but Rickard was dead weight. Then what Iris was yelling about came into view. Guards and not just a few. Dozens, probably everyone that I hadn’t locked up.
I held up my free hand and shot fireballs at the guards. They hit the ground at their feet, spraying wicked orange sparks and driving them back. Iris screamed and pointed. Another group came from the opposite direction. The doge was with them. He moved surprisingly fast, considering his bulk. Leanna and Gledit made it to the column. Their legs were buckling from the effort.
I took a deep breath and took off. I dropped so fast I almost hit the paving stones before I was able to control myself. I was June bug slow and just about as good at flying as those stupid bugs. I flapped as hard as I could. The pain radiated up my wing and imbedded in my shoulder. I couldn’t make it the whole way. I landed in a heap three feet from the column. Three feet is long way for fairies. Even longer if you’re dragging a mostly dead master secretary. I looked up to see Gerald pointing and screaming. Another group of guards were coming through a small blue-green door to my left. Tiepolo led them. Something about his expression said we were in trouble. All of us, including the doge. Tiepolo had five times as many guards. They poured out of the door, snarling and hissing.
I waved my arm and a wall of flame appeared in front of them. It wasn’t strong or high, only enough to stop them for a moment. I was weakening. I expected Tiepolo’s guards to juke to their left around my flames toward Iris’s column. I launched fireballs in that direction, but there was nothing to hit. Tiepolo went the other way, toward the doge. I saw the doge’s eyes go wide. Then he bared his teeth, yelling, “Proteggere!” His guards were already running. They drew their short swords, but they split. Half of them engaged Tiepolo’s forces. The other half ran for us, screaming like mad.
Someone grabbed me from behind, roughly lifting me to my feet. A ripping pain went through my wing. I screamed. They dropped me and I looked back to see Ursula standing on my wing. She jumped off and yelled, “Help him!”
Him? The doge? We were seconds from being overrun. I sprayed a magnificent display of sparks in the guards’ faces and they skidded to a halt. Some tumbled and rolled through my fire, setting their uniforms alight. I grabbed the bags I’d dropped and ran for Iris.
“What’ll we do? What’ll we do?” She grabbed my traveling bag and yanked on it, nearly knocking me off my feet.
I shoved her away and spun around. There were guards fighting every which way and they all wore the same uniforms. I don’t know how they knew who to fight.
Ursula grabbed me. “My father. Save him.”
Tiepolo was advancing on the doge. His sword was out and stained with golden blood. I concentrated and lit a spark in his pants. His face went blank for a second. Then he screamed. It must’ve been blood-curdling, because everyone stopped and looked. Tiepolo danced around, screeching and grabbing at his undertail.
“You did it!” yelled Ursula.
Then I undid it. Not on purpose. My strength failed. My eyesight closed in. All I could see was the tip of Iris’s shoe. I wobbled, trying to stay upright. Ursula lifted me to my feet and gave me a hearty slap that made my ears ring. I didn’t know they could do that. I shook my head and she yelled in my face, “Do it!”
“What?” My fire was there, but so weak as to be pointless.
Ursula shook me. “Kill—” She looked up. So did everyone else in one solid gesture. Our dragons darted down from the high, fluffy clouds. Ovid was in the lead. He snapped his wings in and pointed at the courtyard like a javelin—a screaming javelin, that is. Percy and Penelope were in line behind him. Flames erupted from their jaws and streamed down their scaly bodies like ribbons. Ovid pulled up at the last second, going like a shot down the length of the courtyard and then rocketing back into the sky. The dragons left two walls of fire, separating us from most of the doge’s and Tiepolo’s guards. The ones behind Leanna and Gledit were creeping past where my wall of flame had been. The line of flames died down and the doge pointed at us.“Fermarli!”
Ursula and I ran to Gerald and Iris with Horc. Horc had an oily sheen to him and Iris could barely keep ahold of him. “Why’s the doge yelling like that?”
“He wants to keep you here,” said Ursula.
“Why?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but this isn’t like my father. He is the best of hosts.”
The guards kept creeping forward and Ursula commanded them, “Stop, in the name of the doge.”
They froze and looked confused.
I grabbed her sleeve. “The doge commanded them to capture us?”
“Yes, but I’ll be the new doge. My father chose me,” she said with considerable pride.
“What about the election?”
“I’ll win.”
I hugged her. “Congratulations. Will you take care of our humans?”
“You have my word,” said Ursula, kissing her claws. “If you’re going, you should go now. Tiepolo’s going to want you to be put in as a temp to give himself more time before the election.”
The dragons sailed past and strafed the courtyard, but managed not to hit anyone.
I struggled to see through the flames until I snapped my fingers and they parted obediently. On the other side of the courtyard, Tiepolo had recovered and was again advancing on the old doge.
“Is it official?” I asked. “You being chosen?”
“Not yet.”
“He told Tiepolo, didn’t he?”
“What do you mean?”
“If your father died—”
Tiepolo ran for her father. Ursula screamed, charging straight at them. Tiepolo’s guards grabbed her and pulled her to the ground. I dropped my bags and dashed into the courtyard, dragging my wounded wing behind me. A guard seized me before I got to the old doge. Rufus leapt from my shoulder to his neck, sizzling hot. The guard howled and spun away. The dragons were coming in for another pass. I used my last bit of fire to thrust a flaming hand in Tiepolo’s face as he raised his dagger to thrust it into the old doge’s throat. Tiepolo stumbled backward into the courtyard. I screamed to Ovid, “Fry him!”
The green dragon obeyed like he’d never obeyed before. He zipped over Tiepolo and incinerated him with a teardrop-sized ball of blue fire. Only a smudge of soot remained.
I turned to the old doge, expecting gratitude. I mean, he was this close to getting skewered, but oh no, he wasn’t grateful. He yelled, “Seize her!”
What did I ever do to you?
“No seizing!” I yelled at him. “Percy! Time to go!” I held my hand up and was swept off the courtyard in a claw. Penelope picked up everyone else.
In seconds, we were above the palazzo, winging our way to the train. I relaxed in the claw. We made it. If the damumoto were at the station, we’d get out together. My family. And Rickard, who might be dead. But hey, I got him out. If he wasn’t dead, I’d fix him. Grandma Vi had to have something good to cure the devious. I stiffened and my eyes popped open. Grandma Vi!
I pounded on the top talon. “Go back! Go back!”
Percy craned his neck under his belly and eyed me.
“We left Rufus and the bags!” I screamed.
It’s hard to tell with dragons, but I think his expression was on
e of exasperation. He let out a squawk and curved to the right. We returned to the palazzo. Ovid and Penelope hovered. Percy did a barrel roll while diving down. He peppered the courtyard with teeny fireballs. Then he shot back up and hovered.
I pounded on his talon again. “There! The guard on the far end.”
Rufus was jumping from guard to guard, still red hot, but they were trying to catch him. Percy dove down and Rufus did a flying leap. The membranes between his front and back legs helped him to soar over. I grabbed him before Percy shot up again. He scampered up to my neck and wrapped himself around, warming my neck. Fidelé’s tail inched over and gave him a micro pat since he was glowing.
“We need the bags!” I yelled.
Percy snapped in his wings and we dropped down so fast I had to close my eyes against the blinding wind. When I opened them again, we were flying over Venice, the twinkling lights far below. I looked over at the other claw, expecting to see the bags. I really have to stop expecting. The bags were there, but they weren’t alone. A terrified guard had them. He must’ve been carrying them off when Percy nabbed him. The guard’s jaws were wide open in a scream. His tongue flapped back over his shoulder like a scarf. His one leg that was visible was scratching wildly at Percy’s biggest talon.
“He’s not going to eat you!” I yelled at him, although if Percy decided to eat him, there wasn’t much I could do about it.
The guard took a huge breath and then screamed at me. Okay. That didn’t work. He could just scream himself hoarse.
Percy dropped down and circled the train station. A crowd of humans came out of the wide entrance and headed for the various boats. A train was pulling out of the station, gathering speed and getting the heck out of bissabova territory. How I wished we were on it, cuddled up in a nice sleeping car with our humans.
“Look for the damumoto!” I was starting to get hoarse myself. The guard’s throat must’ve been raw and quite painful since he was still screaming. I’d have to give him some honey and goldenseal tincture.
A light drizzle started and Percy curved around to dart inside the station to avoid the dangerous drops. Penelope flew up next to us and Iris waved. “What are we doing?”
“Looking for the damumoto!”
Iris hugged Horc tight and grinned.
“I need to eat,” said Horc. He had scales between his teeth. A lot of them.
“That’s not the priority!” I yelled over.
“It is to me.”
I rolled my eyes at him and went back to scanning the train station. I didn’t see the damumoto anywhere. I started to get queasy. Had Maraleeza failed? Or could she be dead?
Ovid raced up with Victory hopping on his head. Percy flipped sideways and stuck out my claw. Victory hopped over and began stalking back and forth on the top talon. He had his hands behind his shell and looked just like The Commander with his air of calm aggression—minus the smoking stick, of course.
I stuck out my finger to block his path. “I can’t understand you if you don’t face me.”
Victory turned, put his tiny hands on his hips, and stood with his feet widespread. “I apologize, Your Highness.”
“You can call me Matilda or aunt, like you used to.”
“I can’t. Your rank demands respect.”
“Okay, nutjob.”
“My rank is Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces.”
He’s worse. I can’t believe it.
“And who gave this rank to you?” I asked.
“I awarded it to myself.”
I groaned. “I’m calling you Victory.”
“Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces.”
“Nutjob.”
“Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces.”
I poked him. “I’m not calling you that.”
He pumped his fist. “I will it.”
I pumped my fist. “I don’t care. Now have you seen the damumoto?”
“What’s my name?”
“Victory!”
His lower lip poked out. “My trusty steeds are on Track C, between First Class and the dining car.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That was very polite.”
“Mother said I should be.”
“Iris is always right about these things.”
I pounded the talon. “Percy! Did you hear that?”
Percy made an abrupt change of direction, so I guess he did. Victory hopped all over the claw talking about his brilliance in understanding my signal and the Battle of the Courtyard. I wouldn’t really call it a battle. It wasn’t our battle anyway. I hoped Ursula was okay. The old doge should be fine. Once Tiepolo got smoked, his guards ran away. You need a leader to be that stupid.
Percy hovered over the space between two cars on Track C. The damumoto were standing on the couplings that connected the cars. It must be to hide from the bissabova. I didn’t know much about the damumoto, but I knew they didn’t like to be dirty. Percy dropped down and I noticed they had no fire in their nostrils. Weird. I’d never seen them without a spark.
Percy gently placed me on the coupling and I saw the damumoto were rigid. I could see the whites of their eyes. A feeling of intense hostility came over me and Victory jumped on my arm. “Ambush!”
I turned to see bissabova soldiers coming out of cracks and crevices like angry red roaches. I jumped back and stepped on my own injured wing. Pain rocketed up my already aching shoulder. I bumped into a damumoto, who steadied me with his head. I wheeled around and shoved him. “Go! Go! Fly away!”
The damumoto didn’t move. Victory hopped up and down. “Hostage!”
“Hostage?” I turned to see a bissabova stepping down onto the couplings. He had Maraleeza in his arms with a stiletto to the hobgoblin’s throat.
The sea serpent didn’t speak. Such was the power of protocol.
“Let her go!” I yelled.
“Your Highness will return to the palazzo or I will kill the traitor.”
Maraleeza stared at me with terrified eyes, filled with tears.
Be calm. Think of something.
“Why do you want me to come back so bad?” I asked.
“It’s the doge’s orders. You must be kept in Venice permanently.”
“Permanently is a long time.”
He gestured with his slimy tongue to two soldiers with a rope. “Go with them.”
“I don’t think I will,” I said, crossing my arms.
“I will kill her.”
“You will. I get that, but, you see, I have a hostage, too.”
Percy dropped down to hover over us and stuck out his claw with the guard, who’d stopped screaming and was trying to stuff his dried-out tongue back in his mouth.
“Kill him,” said the soldier.
The guard’s tongue fell back and hit the talon.
“The new doge won’t like that,” I said.
“I have my orders.”
“To get me back?”
“Yes.”
“At any cost?”
He nodded.
Interesting.
“I’m not going back. I have a family to save.” I checked my fire. I had a little, but not nearly enough. “I command you, as principessa, to release my friend.”
A smile flickered on Maraleeza’s face and it made me feel stronger.
“You aren’t my principessa.” The soldier smiled and ran his tongue over his many teeth. I didn’t know what that meant, but I didn’t like it. I had to stall until I thought of a way out that kept everyone alive.
“So it’s a draw,” I said. “What do you suggest?”
“You surrender yourself and your non-verbal minions to us.”
Victory pumped his fist and there was a flash of green. The soldier and Maraleeza were gone. I whipped the tiny phalanx around. “What did you do?”
“I’m the decider. I am Victory.” He pumped his fist.
“You don’t decide. You’re weeks old.” I stuck up m
y arm. “Percy!”
Percy picked me up and flew to the top of the dining car, where Ovid had landed. We got there just in time to see the soldier go down his fiery gullet.
“Ovid! No!”
It was too late. The soldier was gone and he wasn’t the only one. Maraleeza lay on the cold metal with the stiletto deep in her throat.
“What did you do?” I screamed at Victory.
Percy set me down. I ran to her, dropping to my knees and pressing my fingers to her bloody neck. I concentrated, but I couldn’t stop the bleeding because she was already dead.
Chapter Twelve
SEA SERPENTS SWARMED over the top of the dining car. One stepped up. His fins were short and sharp looking. “We have your humans at the hotel.”
The train started to move. We were going. We had to go. I would have to trust Ursula to keep her word. “The new doge will take care of them and you.”
The sea serpents began to shift their feet and glance around as the car picked up speed. I looked into the distance where they kept glancing. Venice wasn’t very big and we’d be out of their realm in minutes.
The train passed onto a bridge over a wide body of water. Percy and Penelope set down my family and landed next to Maraleeza’s body. Iris saw her and clamped a hand over her mouth to suppress the sobs.
Leanna cradled Rickard’s limp form and yelled into the rising wind, “Where are we going?”
“I don’t know,” I yelled.
Gerald stood up straight next to Penelope’s left claw. “North!” he yelled and the bissabovas’ tails twitched.
North. North is bad. Of course.
“Want to visit The Reich’s Fae with us?” I asked them.
They shrank back, but still couldn’t decide whether they should abandon their plan or not.
“Hey, Gerald. You’re a genius. Hasn’t The Reich’s Fae recently invaded Switzerland? How long will it take to get there?”
He shrugged the way only a know-it-all can. “An hour at most.”
That was pushing it. But lucky for us the bissabova hadn’t done a lot of traveling and weren’t up on current events. The guard in Percy’s claw shook his head no, but Percy squashed that out of him. The soldiers weren’t paying attention to him anyway. They snarled at us and dove off the train into the sea below. You’d think the fall would’ve killed them, but sea serpents are weird that way. And a lot of other ways, come to think of it.
To the Eternal (Away From Whipplethorn Book Five) Page 17
