Dare to Believe: Teen & Young Adult Epic Fantasy Bundle (Series Bundle Andy Smithson Bk 4, 5 & 6): Dragons, Serpents, Unicorns, Pegasus, Pixies, Trolls, Dwarfs, Knights and More!

by L. R. W. Lee

  Company members exhaled, then again found their bedrolls.

  Merodach loosed a loud yawn. “What’d I miss?”

  “You sure you’re okay, honey?” Mom stroked his arm.

  Andy nodded and swallowed hard, holding tight to Yara’s hand. It was a long while before he could coax himself to sleep again.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Hang On!

  Since you began the questioning yesterday, Apollis will do so today,” Sophocles intoned as the sun peeked over the encampment.

  “Only one color but not one size, stuck at the bottom yet easily flies, present in sun but not in rain, doing no harm and feeling no pain. What am I?” the griffin leader posed. Mom, Alden, and Yara gathered around and began puzzling out the riddle.

  “Have you sensed any foul play?” Andy asked Hannah as he joined her on a boulder at the perimeter of the clearing.

  She shook her head. “No, from everything I’ve seen and sensed, these griffins play fair; they’re actually pretty amazing. All I knew about them before is what Alden told me. I understand why he said what he did, but I see how griffins are misunderstood. It’s like how a lot of people treat Alden.”

  Andy bobbed his head.

  “They’re noble and honorable, like the unicorns,” Hannah continued. “Until yesterday I didn’t know the story of how Carta got its gold and silver mines. That the griffins gave them to Carta out of their abundance because they believe they are the caretakers of all beings...that’s unbelievable. But more, they’re also loyal. The griffins pledged to guard the mines even after giving them to the Cartesians. And they’ve persevered in that pledge, even though Abaddon hasn’t made it easy.”

  The pair fell silent. After several minutes, Hannah’s eyes wandered to Andy. “I think you and Yara make a cute couple. I just wanted you to know.”

  Andy felt his cheeks warm. “Thanks.” Conditioned by Madison, his mind zipped in every direction as if she’d loosed a balloon full of air before tying it. Weakness exposed! Weakness exposed! Deafening sirens pulsed in Andy’s brain and he struggled to invent a narrative to cover his weakness before it could be exploited.

  “Now that I’ve gotten to know her, I think she’s pretty great,” Hannah admitted.

  Andy let out a burst of shaky laughter. “Yeah, I think so too.” He glanced across the clearing to find Yara deep in thought.

  “My mom and dad think you two should get married someday,” Hannah tittered.

  “Wait, what all did you tell them about us?”

  “Oh, enough,” Hannah giggled.

  Andy felt his ears burn.

  Mom, Alden, and Yara rose from their huddle. “We have an answer,” Mom informed.

  Whew, saved by the bell. Andy heard his inneru chortle but chose to ignore it.

  “And it is,” Sophocles coached.

  “Only one color but not one size, stuck at the bottom yet easily flies, present in sun but not in rain, doing no harm and feeling no pain. It’s a shadow.”

  “Apollis?”

  “That is correct.”

  Mom threw Andy a wink while Yara raised crossed fingers. Hannah bit her fingernails as the officers rose and resumed pacing.

  Captain Baldric looked skyward and Andy could about read his thoughts: This is taking too long.

  “Queen Emmalee? Your next riddle,” Sophocles encouraged.

  “From the beginning of eternity to the end of time and space, to the beginning of every end and the end of every place. What am I?”

  Andy raised his eyebrows. Oh! I know this one! She changed the type of riddle. They’ll never get it.

  Mom caught Andy’s glance and nodded.

  Apollis, Leto, and Muse gathered and began discussing the conundrum.

  The sun grew high in the sky and stomachs began rumbling, but the griffins had no answer to offer.

  After a quick lunch—their rations were nearly depleted thanks to Merodach’s overindulgence—the company once more settled in to await an answer. After only a few minutes, Apollis announced, “We have a response.”

  Andy rose and felt his breathing intensify.

  “From the beginning of eternity to the end of time and space, to the beginning of every end and the end of every place. It’s faith or belief.”

  “Majesty?”

  “Wait! Don’t answer that!” Andy interrupted, striding forward.

  “Excuse me?” Sophocles countered.

  “I want to make sure there’s no doubt that the response she gives is the truth. Read her thoughts.”

  The griffin raised a brow but complied. “The answer is incorrect.”

  Company members crouched, playing tug-of-war with eager anticipation.

  “Tell them what the correct response is,” Andy insisted.

  Sophocles hesitated only a moment. “It’s the letter e.”

  Murmuring erupted among the griffins until Mom held up her hands and slowly recited: “From the beginning of eternity to the end of time and space, to the beginning of every end and the end of every place.”

  “Very clever,” Apollis acknowledged with a nod.

  An explosion erupted from company members—jumping, laughter, hoots, hugging, and dancing—until Mom waved her hand, casting a spell of restraint despite her unquenchable smile.

  Merodach watched from his perch on the periphery among the winged furballs he so adored.

  “The fates have spoken,” Apollis acknowledged. “As with our forefathers, so it is this day. Despite your association with this one of ill repute, by your riddles you have won our respect; by your answers, your reward.”

  Aigis approached her mate, nuzzled his beak, and brushed down his side before rounding and sitting on his right.

  “And so I will fulfill my vow. Come forth and claim your prize.”

  Andy pulled Methuselah from his holster and the blade extended, launching a ripple of squeaks and grunts around the clearing. Apollis met Andy’s eyes. “May I examine your weapon?”

  Andy chuckled, knowing what would quickly follow. He caught Yara, Alden, and Hannah beaming.

  “By what manner do you hold this blade of renown?”

  Despite the number of times Methuselah had caused this reaction, Andy still loved to tell the tale. Somehow the burden it brought lightened in the face of such awe and respect.

  “This blade does not appear except at times of need. To you, the bearer of this burden, we offer our aid and loyalty.”

  Andy’s smile faded as he felt his burden reassert itself. “Thank you. Perhaps the fates orchestrated this encounter for more than just a claw.”

  “You speak wisely, young one. The fates have bound us together for a reason. Of that I am certain.”

  Andy nodded.

  “So then,” Apollis extended a front foot, spreading his talons on the ground. “I humbly offer a claw, the first act of my fidelity.”

  Andy took a deep breath as he moved into position. Flashbacks to the time he removed Jada and Naria’s horns flitted across his memory. Why does it always have to involve cutting something off? It feels so wrong, like I’m desecrating him.

  Apollis countered, “Perhaps it’s to have you recognize the true cost. Your quest is not common. To hope the price will be small is unbecoming of its worth.”

  Andy pulled his shoulders back and stood tall. “Ready?”

  Apollis bowed his head as Andy brought Methuselah over the griffin’s pinky claw. A quick slash was all it took. Andy stooped and retrieved the curved onyx spike. The three-inch barb tapered to a sharp point and looked as though it could slice through flesh like a knife through warm butter.

  “Why a griffin claw?”

  “I don’t know.”

  The griffin leader nodded.

  “Apollis!” one of the sentries interrupted. “Word’s on the whisper stream that Abaddon has just launched an attack on Castle Avalon!”

  Company members froze and exchanged stunned looks.

  “Gather your gear!” Captain Baldric commanded, launchin
g everyone but Merodach into motion. For his part, the three-fingered dragon trainer remained seated on his boulder and yawned.

  Apollis strode into the middle of the frenzy. “Allow us to offer a second act of fidelity.”

  Mom paused. “What do you mean?”

  “We offer ourselves. Let us deliver you back to your home. We would also count it an honor to fight alongside you.”

  “No claws!” Andy interrupted, drawing a nod from Sergeant Terric.

  Andy couldn’t be sure, but he thought he heard a guttural grunt and a chuckle. “We reserve claws for the enemy.”

  “Then we accept,” Mom intoned. “Thank you.”

  “For the troika!” The unified cry from the griffins reverberated in the minds of each company member as they grabbed weapons and packs.

  Like planes lined up for takeoff, the griffins formed a double line. Company members mounted, sitting just ahead of the wings at the intersection of feathers and furry shoulders.

  “Name’s Troilus. That’s Icarus. Hold on tight.” The griffin’s neck seemed like a massive tree trunk and Andy’s arms did not reach all the way around. He hugged the feathers and prayed his grip held.

  “Wedge your legs under my wings. That’ll keep you seated.”

  Andy had barely complied when his mount lurched upward, lifting off after Apollis and Sophocles who carried Mom and Yara, respectively. Hannah clung to Icarus to his right. He dared not glance back to see the rest of the company.

  They rose above the encampment and Andy chanced a quick look down. Through watering eyes and wisps of wind-tossed hair, he caught sight of Merodach’s curly black locks scampering out of the clearing. From his hunched posture, he appeared to be cradling something in his arms.

  Merodach! You never change…

  “Your friend’s not joining you?” his mount queried.

  He’s not my friend.

  Icarus and Troilus beat their wings in unison—evidence of extensive training or just the natural way griffins hunted? Andy didn’t know. At this altitude his fingers felt frozen in a matter of minutes, but changing his grip could mean disaster so he held tight. Up and up Troilus and the others climbed.

  Without warning, onyx-feathered beings with long slender beaks and bulging eyes appeared, surrounding the procession. A quick estimation told Andy at least ten zolt boxed in the front of the cortege. He dreaded to think how many followed.

  Hannah shrieked and raucous squawks echoed down the line.

  Skreeeeeaghh! Troilus whistled, and Andy’s world turned upside down. He lost all sense of right-side-up as his mount dove and twisted. Icarus darted past with a howling Hannah holding on for dear life. Right-side up again, Andy spied Mom astride Apollis in his periphery. The next second he was upside down once more, and Sophocles streaked past with Yara pressing her body into her mount’s neck.

  Muse and another griffin carried Alden and Sergeant Hammond. The two banked sharply, five zolt on each of their tails. Unable to shake their pursuers, they dove into a tandem barrel roll.

  I pray they can hold on!

  Fulk and Gavin’s griffins sliced through three pursuers as Apollis and Sophocles maneuvered past. Limp forms plummeted from the sky. Another roll and Sergeant Terric, a venomous look plastered across his face, dove past astride his mount.

  Andy felt the top flap of Methuselah’s holster brush his arm as Troilus banked sharply. The hilt flew free and nearly hit him in the face before falling harmlessly toward the ground.

  I’ll call it later.

  Two zolt struck. One sunk claws into Andy’s backpack and the other dug its hooks into his shoulder. Icarus peeled them off in one move as he sliced talons through their midsections. Their grip vanished and what remained of their bodies fell free.

  Three more black-feathered carcasses dropped past as Troilus and Icarus went into another twin barrel roll. Another pair of griffins swept past carrying Sergeants Hammond and Albin, intercepting four more leaches as they pulled out of their spin.

  Skreeeeeaghh!

  Apollis reappeared from nowhere and slashed through one zolt, then another, and Sophocles dismembered three more seconds later.

  How many more?

  Two more mangled zolt corpses dropped like boulders. Andy shifted as much as he dared and successfully avoided their path of descent. Another zolt zooming past was less fortunate as the falling pair collided with it, dragging it along to their rocky graves.

  All around zolt and griffins swooped and plunged. The eagle-lions showed no mercy on their attackers, and the scene that unfolded reminded Andy of a pillow fight he had been in, only the cloud of feathers was black instead of white. Zolt corpses and body parts rained down, falling toward the rocky ground below.

  Ahhhhhh! Yara’s shriek pierced Andy’s heart as he watched her drop past, arms flailing. But Sophocles dove a second later, reseating the princess on his back. Andy closed his eyes and exhaled loudly.

  Hannah and Icarus leveled out next to Andy just in time for the next wave. Muse and her wingman eliminated two of their pursuers. Andy tightened his frozen grip as much as he could as Troilus went into a three-sixty forward roll. Icarus mirrored and seconds later their attackers flapped wildly in front of them, easy pickings for sharp talons.

  Andy’s teeth began chattering and he could not feel his toes. How many more?

  “They’re thinning,” Troilus encouraged as he and Icarus swooped into another double barrel roll, quickly eliminating three more pursuers. Turning upright once more, Troilus flew upward and sliced through five zolt attacking Muse, then continued back to fell a dozen more tailing Captain Baldric and Sergeant Fulk.

  The roiling mass began to thin after several more minutes as the remaining zolt bugged out. Andy counted heads—to his relief he located every company member.

  “Abaddon succeeded in delaying our progress,” Apollis growled.

  “Let’s move! Double time!” Sophocles commanded.

  While the acrobatics had filled Andy with the fear of falling off, the swiftness with which they now flew filled him with terror, for he could no longer feel his fingers or arms, and his ears began aching from the cold. He felt like the guy he had seen in a TV commercial, holding on for dear life to the arms of a chair, hair flying straight back, tears streaming from the wind.

  The second they entered Oomaldee thick fog consumed them, and Andy could no longer make out Hannah and Icarus flying a few feet away. Only the sounds of flapping wings told him they were not alone.

  “D-d-d-do y-y-you know w-w-where you’re h-head-ed?” Andy queried through chattering teeth.

  “No, but Apollis does.”

  Ahhhhhh! The alarm brought Andy’s stomach to the back of his throat.

  “We need to set down,” Troilus informed.

  “B-b-but w-why?”

  “Your friend fell off because she was too cold to hang on.”

  “Isss sh-she o-k-kay-ay?” Andy felt like a snake as he spoke.

  “Yes, but you all need to warm up.”

  “O-k-k-kay.”

  As they drew closer to the ground, the fog thinned enough for Andy to make out mammoth trees. Mom and Yara came into focus ahead. Andy tried to smile at the warming temperatures, but his face felt as though it might shatter.

  Once on the ground, Andy’s stiff appendages protested as he dismounted.

  “Do whatever you need to warm up quickly. We won’t stay long,” Sophocles warned.

  Andy shook his arms and envisioned himself as a melting snowman, then started walking back and forth as briskly as he could. Yara hopped up and down, Mom jogged in place, and Hannah blew on her frozen fingers while leaping like a kangaroo. For his part, Alden rummaged in his pack and located a clear vial. A drop on his tongue and he coughed hard, but seconds later his stiff posture relaxed.

  “Try this,” the boy-medic encouraged Hannah.

  It took no convincing. She too sputtered and wiped away tears streaming down her face, but her smile returned.

  Andy stepped for
ward. It felt like the hottest chili pepper he had ever tasted. He coughed and his eyes watered, but heat spread through his body like ripples in a pond. His nose and ears stopped aching. Feeling returned to his arms and fingers. His legs began prickling as they warmed and finally he could feel his toes.

  “That’s amazing! What is that stuff?”

  “Calidus. Good, huh?” Alden chuckled.

  “I’ll say!”

  “Alden, you’re brilliant,” Captain Baldric and several of his men praised.

  Before the celebration bloomed fully, Apollis interrupted. “Shall we move on then?” The company sobered and remounted as if someone had thrown cold water into a hot shower. Minutes later fog again occluded all view of their surroundings.

  Only the sound of beating wings and an occasional squawk filled the air for the next hour. Alden’s elixir continued to warm even as they flew high and fast, and Andy spotted landmarks whenever the clouds thinned.

  He spotted wattle and daub homes and knew they had reached the city of Oops. Several minutes later the white fog gave way to patches of gray, and the smell of smoke assaulted his nose. Thuds, clangs, and screams raced after as they hit another host of zolt.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Waterbender

  “Set us down on the terrace behind the castle!” Mom shouted, ducking to avoid the clutches of a black-feathered menace.

  Methuselah!

  Shiny white stones from the castle’s exterior littered the landing strip and flames leapt from the firewood piles standing outside the back door. At least ten more zolt swooped down as they landed.

  “Andy, I’m coming with you!” Yara declared, falling sideways off Sophocles to avoid another zolt.

  Captain Baldric barked orders as he bounded from his mount. “Alden, you and Fulk pair up. Hannah and Hammond, you’re together. My queen, I’ll join you. Everyone else buddy up. And good luck.”

  Everyone raced for the open back door. But before they reached it, a pair of zolt nabbed Alden and lifted him off the ground ahead of Andy and Yara. Hannah screeched. Sophocles leapt and made quick work of the enemy. Alden landed and raced after the company, barreling inside as another set of claws reached for him.