“The windows open from worlds across the entire universe,” White Feather said.
“I want to go home,” she squeaked.
The voice sang some more, Why do you want to stay with a family that doesn’t love you?
Glory said out loud, “They do love me.”
“Come again?” said Bone, scratching his head.
Why go through the star riders for a wish, when the magic of the Elboni is at your fingertips? All beings are One in the Elboni, and the Elboni is One with all beings. That makes us gods—you and I. So, dear girl, bow down before me, and I will bow down to your heart’s most intimate desires.
She licked her dry lips because the words tasted like candy.
Bone shook her by the arm and the voice went away. “There be nothing to smile about here, Tullahn. So wipe that grin off your silly face. It’s disturbing.”
“Aye,” said White Feather. “Disturbing.”
Bone was right. Glory fought the fuzz clouding her brain and took note one of the windows in the sky. A man through the glass appeared to be Tullahn. Holy Schmoly, he looked just like Jason Belway, the most famous pop star in all of Tullah.
Glory pointed Jason’s way. “He’s from my world. We gotta help him!”
“His fate be set in stone,” Bone said. “Nothing we do can save him now.”
Jason wedged his legs and arms between the window frame, fighting the inevitable. Limbs flailing, he fell through the air. As he tumbled toward the lake, the glow of the fire illuminated his porcelain skin and wavy brown hair. Glory picked out his screams among thousands. He landed with a tremendous splash into the sea of fire.
Glory stood on the cliff where the hot wind blew, a lump of sorrow in her throat, listening as the voice that had sang so beautifully grew hoarse, wailing in pain. Trying to shut out the sound, Glory covered her ears and turned away.
But Bone pried her hands away, forcing her to listen and watch, saying, “His fate will be your fate if ye don’t return what ye’ve stolen.”
The singer splashed about in a frenzy as lava roasted his once gorgeous body. Glory wanted to jump in and save Jason, but no flesh could survive the boiling sea, so she trembled for him instead, watching him morph into a hideous creature. The singer began to curse in ways Glory had never known possible, outdoing Dad by a long shot. His limbs shriveled into lumpy fins. His body turned into a blackened misshapen lump of coal. How he continued to live, to exist in any form at all, Glory didn’t know.
Jason Belway is no prize compared to you, Glory Alley, the Weinling sang for her ears only. But he’ll do for now. Her eyes darted to the curling waves of orange. The Weinling was out there. Under the sea. Watching. Waiting. Hungry.
The feeling of dread became heavier as she glanced all around, seeing nothing. “We gotta get of here.” But the Wybbils seemed unconcerned.
A huge whirlpool began to form across the tide. The circling lava moved toward the shore. With a tremendous splash, a mountain of a monster rose up out of the fiery sea. A great wave washed over the shore. If Glory hadn’t been high on a cliff, she’d have been carried away. The monster’s head was that of a dragon and its body was coiled like a snake. Hundreds of other sea creatures were trying to swim away from it.
Glory’s teeth clenched as fear tightened in her chest. Indeed, the Weinling was worse than a hundred Hoogulas. Like the sea, the dragon was made of fire. When it opened its mouth, steam came out. Rows of crystal teeth glistened like frozen icicles—impossible. Its tongue was a spiked whip, which it used to wrap around the famous singer from the indigo world.
The Weinling lifted Jason into its mouth and began to chew. The sound of breaking bones rent the air.
Glory could no longer see the star from her indigo world, but she heard his cries. “Misery! Misery!” he wailed. “Put me back into the fire!”
The Weinling’s laughter shook the land. Glory thought sanity might slip away and slowly became aware she was standing on the cliff...alone. Her head jerked from side to side, but there was no sign of anybody, except the terrible Weinling.
The Wybbils wre gone. So was Needle’s reassuring light. She hadn’t realized how much she’d come to rely on them. She screamed, “Come back!”
The monster’s head swiveled and looked directly at her. “Oh, crap.”
The Weinling’s eerie song grew louder and lovlier. Do not be deceived by appearances. I am your best last best hope for happiness. Never want for anything again. Money will be an obstacle no more. Designer clothes, the Sliver and all the accessories that go with it are yours for the taking. Want for nothing. You’ll grow strong and beautiful in mind and body. All the girls will want to be your friend. My wit and charm, I lend to you freely. The boys will hang on your every word, falling at your feet. The whole world will admire you and all I ask for in return is one small thing—a small token of your affection.
Maybe the Weinling wasn’t as bad as he looked. To have nice clothes, and the respect of her siblings and classmates, plus looks on top of all that.
“Name it, Weinling.”
Kneel before me and I will rescue you from this place.
That sounded easy enough and Glory was about to do it, but something at her core stubbornly resisted. The Weinling’s song got louder.
The Wybbils don’t care about you or your problems. Their planet hangs in your hands, yet they treat you like a dog, leading you about on a leash, beating you like a bad puppy. Don’t you realize the power you wield over them? They fear you, but foolishly cling to their rule book instead of giving you what you want. One little wish—how hard can that be? Stingy, greedy, murderous Wybbils have the nerve to call you such when they’re the ones who’d let your whole family die rather than give you what you want—what you need. Imagine the sweet taste of revenge when their planet turns into a cold rock in the middle of space.
“That’s not what I want,” Glory said, her voice barely a whisper. “I just want to help my family stay together.”
The Weinling’s song shifted from harmonic strains to screams and thumping, like it was the lead singer of an angry heavy metal band. It will cost you very little; just a bend of the knee, Glory Alley, and you will discover revenge is the sweetest taste in the universe.
“I don’t know if I want that kind of guilt.”
Guilt isn’t real, only an illusion. What is real is the fact that your brothers and sister despise you and your father wishes you were never born. They’re not worth dying for. They don’t even like you, let alone love you.
“George loves me!”
I will love you.
“Can you bring back the dead?”
Don’t be a fool, nobody can do that, so I offer you a piece of advice instead—hold onto the Elboni Stone no matter the cost. Then, and only then, will you gain the world.
“I don’t want the world; I just want my mother back! I want Dad to be safe and to be a good person again! I want my brothers and sister to get along and be happy!”
Denounce them all and turn to me.
“I won’t!”
So be it, Glory Alley, abandon all hope and prepare to die!
The Weinling’s eyes burned like two exploding suns.
Glory’s legs felt like anvils and she suddenly realized her feet had sunk into the land itself and were now encased in rock. The Weinling coiled its body to strike.
With a great heave, Glory pulled her ankles free and jumped out of the way just before the Weinling’s giant head struck the place where she’d stood only a moment ago. Rocks shattered everywhere.
Glory ran away from the orange ocean.
The mountains groaned as the Weinling used its flippers like hands, climbing up the side of the cliff after her. It slithered over the rocks, getting closer and closer. Then propelled itself like a bouncing spring to land in front of her. Glory screamed.
It lunged down at her, but she log rolled forward, making it miss its mark. Letting out an angry hiss, it spewed out stones, pelting her face and body.
<
br /> Glory ran over the crazy molten landscape, looking for a place to hide, but it was flat and lifeless far into the horizon. The Weinling’s tongue whipped to the right of her head.
Glory zigged to the left.
Its tale whipped to the left.
She zagged to the right.
Its tale slashed at her feet.
“Yowch!” The tongue sliced through the back of her calf, knocking her to the ground, scraping her knees. Pebbles pushed into her bare hands. When she scrambled to her feat, searing pain ripped up her right leg, but she dashed ahead.
Shouting came from behind.
She stole a glance to see three stout shadows.
The Wybbils had come after back!
The Weinling turned around to hiss at the them. “Star riders! I’ve been waiting for this one a long time. She belongs to me!”
“Get out of there, Rock Collector!” one of them warned.
“I’m trying! But where do I go!”
“Battan!” Bone said, and with a flick of his wrist a white sword made of bone sailed through the air toward the Weinling, striking it between the eyes.
Its screech shook the land as the Weinling swung its massive head from side to side to dislodge the blade.
“This shouldn’t be happening!” White Feather yelled in confusion. “The theologians say the Weinling only dines from the sea, not from the shore!”
“Perhaps the Weinling doesn’t listen to theologians!” Bone said. “Quickly, raise the Nightburner! Raise the Nightburner!”
A crack appeared in the ground. Orange flames spewed from deep within it, separating Glory from the Wybbils. The creature slithered over the crack, unaffected by the flames shooting out of it, toward Glory with its mouth open. Needle ran to the crack, taking a flying leap, barely making the jump. Without hesitation, he ran between Glory and the Weinling with the Nightburner raised high.
“Nonru! Nonru! Nonru!”
Glory shielded her head with forearms, bracing for a horrific bite.
Seconds away from being devoured, a vision of the exquisite indigo stone filled her with unexpected peace. It was so smooth and unblemished, just thinking of its perfection made everything else fade away. The rock spoke like a gentle rain. Sacrifice begets gain, humility— glory, defeat—triumph, death—life, poverty—treasure. Although she didn’t understand, the words filled her with peace. Do not be afraid, I am with you always.
“I am not afraid,” she whispered.
Needle curled one arm around her in a protective embrace. The Nighburner was held high in the other. “Nonru, you filthy serpent! Nonru!”
One word was on Glory lips as the gigantic mouth of the Weinling came down over her and Needle. “Elboni,” she whispered with reverence, steeling herself for the burn of fire and ice.
She saw Jason’s body inside the serpent’s mouth—torn, but looking human again. Somehow, the Nightburner preserved Needle and herself from the Weinling’s bite, now they stood on its mushy tongue. Poor Jason hadn’t fared so well. His limbs were weaved around the Weinling’s teeth, torso skewered with a spiny tooth taller than her entire body. Through some gruesome miracle, he was still alive.
“Little girl,” Jason said, face contorted in a mixture of pain and hope. “Help me.”
That was the last thing she expected Jason Belway to say.
“If only I could.”
“You can, I know it, because when the Weinling said your name its mouth went dry and its body shivered.” Jason reached for her. “It fears you.”
“Don’t touch him,” Needle warned, pulling her away from Jason. “When I turn on the Nightburner to full power, the Weinling will spit us out, so hang on.”
Jason’s muscles and bones protruded from his wounds. Yellow bile covered his body. Glory gagged at his appearance, but took his outstretched hand anyway, giving a yank in an attempt to dislodge him from the spears of teeth.
Needle hollered. “We can’t leave until ye let go!”
“Please, don’t leave me,” Jason pleaded.
“I won’t,” Glory said.
“If the Weinling swallows, life as we know it will change forever, and not for the better.”
“Please, little girl,” Jason pleaded, his grip crushing Glory’s fingers in a death grip. “Give me another chance!”
“It’s not up to her,” Needle scolded Jason. “Release her and face the consequences of your wasted life alone.”
“Ow, you’re breaking my hand!” she cried out. “Loosen your grip, but I promise not to let go!”
White Feather’s muffled voice yelled from outside the mouth.
“I’m opening the dimension now. Get out of thar!”
“Sorry, Rock Collector, ye give me no choice!”
Intense pain came from Glory’s bicep. It took a second to realize Needle had bit her wrist, trying to make her let go of Jason Belway.
“Bad Wybbil, bad, bad.”
Chapter 27
The last thing Glory remembered was Needle’s painful bite. Expecting to wake inside the belly of the Weinling, she was relieved to gaze up at undulating lines of green emeralds flowing tranquilly over a high vaulted ceiling. Somehow she was back in North Star Cathedral. The star riders had saved her, at least for the time being, but poor Jason was nowhere to be seen.
Lady Gost leaned over her, long white hair brushing Glory’s cheeks. Her red lips were moving, but the words sounded like gibberish. The guards and sky riders circled around.
“Can you hear me?” Lady Gost’s mouth formed the words. As Glory’s hearing returned, she slowly acknowledged the question with a nod. “You have seen the Wein,” Lady Gost said. “What do you have to say?”
The guards pulled Glory to a standing position. The storm outside the windows had grown. The waves were higher and the lightning now came in rapid succession. Is the storm my doing? Glory wondered. Choosing my family over an entire planet—what’s more wicked than me? She stifled the thought.
“Are you ready to confess the whereabouts of the Elboni?” Lady Gost demanded to know, dark eyes seeming to bore deep hole into Glory’s brain. Unbelievably tired, Glory lacked the strength to carry on the charade anymore. Might as well admit the truth, at least some of it anyway. She took a deep breath. “All right, all right, I took your precious stone. But I swear I didn’t know what it was at the time. I didn’t think it belonged to anybody. The Elboni was just sitting there like it wanted to be taken. Honest.”
“Where is it so that we may retrieve it?”
“I can’t return it to you.” After holding onto the secret so long, it was much harder to let go of than she had anticipated. Just return it! Glory’s own good sense was screaming at her, but she recklessly held on.
“After all of this you cannot return it? I do not understand.”
“Then I would be a thief and a liar, because it’s no longer mine to give away.”
“You are talking nonsense.” Lady Gost’s face crinkled in confusion. “Tullahn, I have never met a more exasperating creature than you.”
The star riders vigorously nodded in agreement.
“I’m sorry,” Glory said. “My intention isn’t to hurt your world—it’s to help my family.”
“And I am sorry too, before the sun rises tomorrow, you will be turned over to the extractors.”
Needle blew his nose on his sleeve and flicked away a tear. “Lady Gost, this Tullahn be stubborn, that cannot be denied, but she shows promise, I can feel it in my blood. I implore ye, lift the decree.”
“I cannot lift the decree, dear emissary,” Lady Gost said. “So ask me not again. But the Law states that before the sentence be carried out, the condemned must be offered a final request.”
Glory’s head jerked up. A request—yes! This was what she had been hoping for from the beginning. To think a moment ago she had almost given up the Elboni, whew, that was close!
"Finally!” she blurted out with breathless enthusiasm. “I wish my Mom to be alive again!" That’s not what Gl
ory had meant to say. She wanted endless credits—didn’t she? So why had that come out?
Lady Gost blinked rapidly.
“We don’t use that word here!” Bone reminded.
“Shush,” Lady Gost said, reprimanding Bone. Her delicate fingertips reached out to stroke Glory’s cheek tenderly. "Ye misunderstand, child. I’m offering ye a banal request only."
"Come again?"
“All this time the restoration of your mother’s life is what you hoped to gain with the magic?”
“Not at first,” Glory admitted. “My original plan was to wish for an endless supply of credits.”
“What made ye change your mind?”
“A lot of people make money without the help of magic, but then it hit me that I need to think bigger than that. Great big!. Here I have this awesome rock that has the power to make any dream come true, so why not ask for the impossible? You see, my mother died when I was little and I miss her every single day. I figured if there’s any way to get her back, the Elboni was my last best hope.”
“Aw,” White Feather said quietly. “I’d rather have not known that.” He looked at Glory, then turned away with a sniffle. Bone crossed his arms and refused to look at her, preferring to focus on a piece of lint on his suit jacket instead. A lot of whispering was coming from the council.
Lady Gost held up her palm.
“Everyone, silence, please.” She gently brushed a loose strand of hair from Glory’s face and tucked it behind her ear. Her voice was very soft this time, like a mother reading a bedtime story to her little ones. "Tullahn, a banal request is one that can be fulfilled by ordinary means. Is there a special food we can offer you? Would you like to write out a last will and testament to be delivered to your attorney? Is there a special person you would like to see one last time?”
“One last time?” The finality of the words hit hard. “I’m just a kid. I’m not ready for anything to be my one last time.”
Glory Alley and the Star Riders (The Glory Alley Series) Page 24
