by John Corwin
"I heard that!" Ambria shouted up at us. She raised a fist and shook it at him. "Mark my words, Maxwell Tiberius, I'll be better than you in no time."
He cupped a hand to his mouth and shouted back. "Yeah, we'll see about that!"
We spent the entire morning working with Ambria. I tried to explain how to perform maneuvers, but found it impossible to put into words. When Max described the mechanics, it made perfect sense. I discovered that, despite my innate ability, I still benefitted from Max's instructions.
"It's always been my dream to be a broom racer," he explained as we ate lunch. "I want to be one of the greats, like Kyle Korvani or Uta Melder."
As he spoke of racing, a fervor ignited inside of me. "What about Lulu Strazinski?"
His mouth stopped moving mid-sentence. "How do you know about her?"
I tried to answer, but couldn't think of a good reason why. "Maybe I overheard it somewhere."
Max shook his head. "She was one of the top racers back before the Overlord ruined everything."
"Can we stop with the racing talk and go clothes shopping, please?" Ambria gave Max a long look. "I'm sick of wearing these raggedy old clothes."
"I guess." Max didn't sound the least bit excited.
We spent much of the afternoon following Ambria as she went from shop to shop searching for the perfect dresses. I also made her try on black jeans, shirts, and hoodies since we'd need dark clothes for our assault on the orphanage. When we returned to the house, we each had a variety of new clothes, and bags of groceries.
"I want to meet the vampires," Max said. "They're usually too busy trying to suck your blood to be very nice."
"Only Desmond is nice." Ambria sniffed. "Sonia is insufferable."
Desmond emerged from the basement a little after sundown. He handed me my cleaned linens and clothes and greeted Max politely. "It's nice to meet you."
"What's it like being a vampire and drinking blood?" Max asked.
Ambria rolled her eyes. "Don't bother him with your foolish questions."
Desmond chuckled. "I guess it's like being normal and drinking hot tea, except it's red and salty."
"Oh." Max didn't seem to find the response very exciting, but didn't pester him further.
I made some eggs and toast for dinner, and then we went upstairs to my bedroom with our tea so we could make plans.
"I've given a lot of thought to Operation Orphans," Max said.
Ambria snorted. "Did you really give the rescue a name?"
"Every successful operation needs a name," he replied. He took my phone and projected an image of the orphanage and the farmland around it then drew arrows from the sheep pasture toward the rear of the house. "We'll fly in from this direction while everyone is eating, sneak in the back door, and throw one of the stun potions Galfandor gave us at the adults while they're pigging out."
"Wait a moment," Ambria said. "You want to attack the adults?"
"We need to put them out of commission so we can get the orphans," he said. "Trying to go in after everyone is in bed won't work because the house defenses will be active."
"Defenses?" I asked.
"Yeah, the hounds, and probably magic wards." He drew a circle around the house. "After you two escaped, I'm sure they upgraded their perimeter." He pointed at the dining hall. "Everyone will be in there at the same time. With the adults knocked out, the orphans can eat the mushrooms and escape all at once instead of us going door-to-door and waking them up."
Ambria looked as if she really wanted to disagree, but finally nodded. "I hate to say it, Max, but your idea is pretty good."
I held up a couple of the small stun potions. "How long do these last?"
"If they're anything like the ones my brothers have used on me, they should last at least ten minutes."
"Ten minutes is a short amount of time to give mushrooms to the orphans," I said.
"Not really. You told me there were only sixteen orphans left after you two left."
"Unless they added more," Ambria replied.
Max shrugged. "Feeding mushrooms to all of them won't take long, especially with three of us there to do it."
Ambria poked her chin with a finger. "How long do the mushrooms last?"
"It depends on the size of the person." He looked up as if calculating. "We should have at least an hour of free sailing."
Ambria looked at a towel where she'd placed the mushrooms. "We have enough mushrooms for two doses per person, and then a couple extra."
I posed another question. "How long is the flight from Queens Gate to the orphanage on these brooms?"
"At top speed, just under two hours unless the wind is in our face." Max looked at the brooms, a dreamy look in his eyes. "It's going to be a fun ride."
We went over the plan a few more times, looking for any holes, but couldn't find any. I wished I had an adult to consult, but as Galfandor had made it quite clear he wouldn't directly help, I decided not to bother asking him.
We spent the rest of the week training Ambria to fly and keeping an eye open for the Goodleighs in case they returned to investigate Levi's house. We didn't see them, but they could have easily come and gone while we were out practicing with the brooms.
The nightmare creatures in my dreams became more demanding with every passing night. I woke up in the mornings with headaches that took hours to fade. I didn't tell the others, fearful I'd worry them about my ability to perform. I was more than ready to start Operation Orphans. Finishing it put me closer to talking to Dr. Cumberbatch and removing this awful curse.
As we ate lunch that Saturday, I announced my readiness. "I think it's time for Operation Orphans."
Chapter 27
Max gave Ambria an uneasy look, but nodded. "I think she's ready enough. It's not like we'll need to do anything crazy."
We gathered our supplies, dividing the magic scrolls and various potions among us and storing them in the pouches of utility belts we'd purchased. Galfandor had included a large bottle of rot potion, clearly indicating what fate he thought the orphanage should suffer once we rescued everyone. I should stun the adults and bring the house down on them. I shivered with delight.
I stopped what I was doing and looked at my trembling hands. What's wrong with me? Why do I want to kill people?
"Are you okay?" Ambria asked.
I looked into her wide, concerned eyes. "I'm fine. Just the jitters."
"Me too," Max declared. "I'm excited and ready to leap into action, but my stomach feels like it's full of squirmy worms."
Ambria tucked a last potion into her utility belt. "I'm not scared one little bit." She shuddered and quickly stiffened her spine. "Well, maybe just a little."
I tightened a utility belt around my waist, using the very last notch. "It's okay to be scared. You'd have to be mental to think this is going to be easy."
"At least we don't have a lycan to worry about," Max said.
"What if the Goodleighs are magicians too?" Ambria said.
Max groaned. "Arcanes."
She pshawed. "Oh, whatever."
"Learn the proper words or you'll make people angry at you."
"I'm hardly worried about the Goodleighs being upset with me, silly." Ambria giggled. "If all goes well, they'll be furious with us."
I took a pair of goggles from the table and placed them on my head. The potions sloshed in their bottles as I walked to my broom, causing the belt to tug against my waist, but it stayed in place. I picked up the broom and turned to the others who were still debating Overworld terms and calmly announced, "I'm ready."
Max grabbed his broom and held it over his head. "Let's free some orphans!"
"To the rescue!" Ambria shouted.
I left a note for Desmond, telling him where we were going just in case we failed and never returned. At least they wouldn't wonder what had happened to us, though Sonia would probably be happy with us gone.
We went outside, mounted our brooms, and took off for the exit to Queens Gate. Once we were topside in rainy Lon
don, we had to search for a concealed area from where we could take flight. People scurried about, heads down beneath their umbrellas, though a few cast curious glances at the kids carrying odd brooms and wearing suspicious belts. I hoped they assumed we were janitors, though we probably looked too young to play the part.
A blind alley offered an excellent launching pad. After a quick look around to make sure there were no witnesses, we mounted our brooms and tugged the goggles over our eyes. Our brooms shot us upward into the blinding rain. Droplets stung my cheeks and chilled my fingers to the bone. Thunder rumbled and a shout of glee erupted from my throat. I felt free as a bird, leaving all life's worries shackled to the ground below.
When I burst above the clouds, the elation dissipated. More troubles lay ahead. I would eventually have to return to earth and face them. I wiped moisture from the goggles and took out the phone. After I selected "broom" as the mode of travel, the device indicated the straightest route back to the orphanage.
Max grinned and slashed his hand in a forward chop. "Onward to victory."
I nodded. "Onward."
The clouds thinned as we flew over the countryside, offering views of towns and rolling pastureland. We reached the outskirts of the farm within an hour and a half. Using a cloudbank as cover, we surveyed the orphanage below. I spotted boys working around the barns, trimming hedges, and maintaining the lawn. Though I couldn't see faces clearly from this vantage, I spotted a tall, thin figure who appeared to be Marcus Goodleigh himself overseeing the work. He apparently hadn't hired a replacement for Brickle.
Perhaps werewolves are hard to come by.
We still had another hour before dinner was served, so we flew away from the orphanage grounds to a neighboring pasture and set down near some rocks we used as seats. Ambria reached into Max's rucksack and unpacked corned beef sandwiches, sausages, and tea that was, sadly, cold. We ate in silence. The others cast furtive glances at our surroundings. The rattling bell of a sheep in the distance brought Max leaping to his feet. He blushed and sat back down.
"I'm on edge too," Ambria admitted. "My nerves feel tight as a drum."
He gave a grim-faced nod. "We just need to act quickly and decisively. Stun the adults, feed the orphans mushrooms, and Bob's your uncle."
"Let's hope it's that simple," I said.
After we finished our meal, the minutes ticked by slowly. We practiced our opening rescue routine: dashing, uncorking our potions, and pretending to throw them. Max would throw first. If he stunned all the adults, Ambria and I would quickly gather the orphans and lead them into the sheep pasture, feeding them mushrooms along the way. If he failed, Ambria would throw her potion. If disaster struck, I would use my stun potion.
I rubbed my thumb against the cork on the bottle of rot. I no longer felt the insane urge to bring down the manor on the adults, but I would destroy the house no matter what.
Finally, it was time.
We mounted our brooms and flew just high enough to clear the pasture walls. Sheep scattered beneath, bells ringing. I hoped the noise wouldn't alert anyone inside since there was still another hour or so of daylight left. Stopping just outside the stone wall around the pasture, I peered over it and made sure no one was outside. Aside from pigs, the barnyard looked clear.
Max went to the upstairs window I'd used to escape and looked through. He held up a thumb, went around the corner to look into the window to the study, and returned to our hiding spot behind the wall. "Nobody upstairs or in the study. They must all be in the dining hall."
We were just about to head for the backdoor when a snuffling noise drew our attention. Brickle's four hounds padded around the opposite corner of the house, nostrils up in the air.
Max's breath hissed between clenched teeth. "What now?"
"Stun potion," Ambria said.
Max shook his head. "That'll alert everyone inside." He groaned. "I thought the dogs wouldn't be out yet."
"I'd hoped the Goodleighs wouldn't release them until after dinner." My mind raced through alternatives. "I'll lure them away from the house and into the pasture. We can use a stun potion on them out here."
Ambria nodded. "That should keep them from alerting the house."
"I just hope the stun doesn't wear off before we're done." Max looked around. "We're bringing the orphans out here while we wait for the mushrooms to kick in, remember?"
His comment gave me a better idea. "How much corned beef do we have left?"
Ambria withdrew a plastic baggy. "Plenty. Don't tell me you're hungry again."
Max looked at the food. "Are you going to drug it and feed it to the dogs?"
A grin stretched my lips. "Something like that." I told them what to do and took a handful of beef with me. Flying just above the trees, I dropped a clump of beef on the dirt road behind the house. The hounds abruptly shifted their attention toward the noise and raced to investigate. The first one gobbled the meat and sniffed the ground for more.
I dropped another meatball and another, leading the pack to the open pasture gate. The hounds raced through and found four meatballs waiting for them. I watched to make sure each dog ate one and then dropped more meatballs to lead the hounds further into the pasture. Once they'd passed the grove of trees in the center, I dropped lower so the hounds could see me.
Growls rumbled deep in their throats. As one, the pack raced toward me, teeth flashing. One of them leapt at me. I swept my broom to the side. Instead of falling back to the ground, the dog tumbled through the air like an astronaut in space. A chorus of whines and yelps told me the other hounds had achieved liftoff. I ducked beneath a flailing canine somersaulting several feet off the ground.
"Fairy mushrooms sure are handy," Ambria said as she and Max emerged from the tree grove.
Max laughed at a hound flying over the heads of startled sheep. "I'm glad we had those extra mushrooms."
"Me too." I motioned the others to follow me. "We don't have time to waste."
They quickly sobered.
Max nodded. "Let's go."
We flew behind the house and left the brooms hovering a few feet outside the backdoor. I eased open the door and peered into the hallway. Dirty boots lined the floor next to the mud bench. I listened and heard the clinking of silverware emanating from the direction of the dining hall. We crept down the hall toward the open double doors, keeping our backs to the wall so we stayed out of sight. My throat felt too tight to draw a breath and my heart rammed against my chest as if it wanted to burst free.
I felt a hand grip my forearm. I looked back into Ambria's large, worried eyes and managed what I hoped was a reassuring smile. Peeking around the doorframe, I saw the Goodleighs, Oadby, and the other three staff members eating a large roast and drinking red wine. Oadby stood to cut himself another generous portion of beef.
The fear and anxiety melted into a low simmering anger. Their good life is about to come to an end. The thought made me happy.
I looked back and motioned to Max. He gulped, nodded, and uncorked his stun potion. He took a faltering step and stopped, seemingly frozen in place, right in plain view of anyone who looked through the open doors. I frantically waved him on, but fear had taken control.
Ambria grabbed the bottle from him, dashed into the open door and threw the potion. "Get stunned, you evil rotters!"
The people at the table barely had time to register what was happening when the potion landed in the middle of the table. It detonated with a brilliant flash and resounding clap of thunder. People flipped over backward in their chairs. Oadby let out a loud cry and stumbled backward, dragging the tablecloth and with it, several plates of food on top of him. The Goodleighs went limp face-first onto their plates.
Pandemonium erupted.
Children ran screaming, many cowering beneath tables, while others seemed too shocked to move.
I ran into the room and jumped on a table, waving my hands and shouting. "Calm down, everyone, we're here to free you!"
I saw William and Stephan hold
ing spoons in their hands as if they might use them to fight. Their eyes went huge at the sight of me prancing around on the table.
"Killer Conrad?" Stephan shouted. "He kidnapped Ambria and murdered her."
"He's come to kill us all!" William screamed.
The children's cries intensified. Someone threw their oatmeal at me. I ducked as a spoon whizzed past my head.
I held up a hand. "We're here to save you, not kill you."
Ambria leapt atop the table. "Quiet!" she screeched at the top of her lungs.
Everyone froze in place.
"Wait, how is she still alive?" William said. "The Goodleighs said you'd killed and eaten her."
"He saved me you little fools." Ambria pointed toward the exit. "Now, let us save you before the adults wake up and chop us to bits."
"Save us?" Stephan snorted. "We have a home and food. What are you saving us from?"
Ambria kicked a bowl toward him. "Because, stupid, the Goodleighs were going to sell me on the black market."
William chortled. "You're mental."
Ambria picked up a spoon and threw it at him. "Believe what you want. If you want to come live in a place where magic works, follow us."
"Magic?" asked a little girl named Beth. "Like unicorns and fairies?"
"Beautiful magic," Ambria said.
The younger boys and girls gravitated toward her.
"She's lying," Stephan said. "There's no such thing as magic."
William put a hand out to stop them from coming to us. "Don't listen to her."
Some of the adults groaned and began to stir.
Ambria whipped out a scroll and unrolled it. "I don't have time for this." She chanted the words and cast a hand at William. In a flash of green light, he turned into a frog.
Stephan yelped and tripped backwards over his own shoes in his haste to get away.
Little Mary squealed and clapped her hands. "A frog prince!"
Catherine, a girl a little younger than Ambria, grimaced. "Just don't make me kiss him."
Another girl her age stepped forward. "We believe you, Ambria. Lead the way."
Ambria smiled. "Thanks, Alice."
William croaked once more and flashed back into a very frightened looking boy. He scrambled to his feet and stared with horror at Ambria. "You're a witch."
