Aias stared at the man but didn’t answer.
“It’s just that … with everything that’s been happening, I … I thought …” The man trailed off.
“The Last Battle is not far off,” Aias said. “And it is not one child who was born, but two.”
The guard gasped, but before he could say anything, Aias continued. “Stand strong. We will need every last sword in the coming days. Continue to gather the Lambs.” Aias glanced at the unearthly fog. “We must go now. We’ve lingered too long already.” He raised his voice slightly. “Master Hampton, if you are done with your eavesdropping, would you kindly continue through the gate?”
Jack heard the coachman yelp as the carriage lurched forward. “What does he mean, ‘the Last Battle’?” Jack whispered. Mrs. Dumphry merely placed a finger to her lips to silence him.
Another minute passed and the group exited the carriage to a thick wall of white fog and heavy snow. Jack shivered as the fog touched his skin. Did it feel different or was he just imagining it?
“Halt. Who goes there?” Two sword-bearing guards appeared out of the fog, stalking toward Aias. “How did you get inside the palace grounds?”
Aias smiled. “My good sirs, I assure you everything is in order. We were given permission to enter by—”
Without warning, both men charged with swords bare. Aias moved like a snake, and before Jack knew what was happening, the men were on the ground. Aias hadn’t even bothered to unsheathe his sword. “It’s a trap!” he grunted. “It has to be. Miel should have been waiting for us, not these louts. All our planning has been for nothing!”
“We need to—” Mrs. Dumphry stopped as something rumbled from high above. “No!” She gasped.
“It can’t be,” Aias groaned.
Boom! A thunderclap exploded as a torrent of wind forced back the unnatural fog. Instantly, a perfect circle of clear air formed in the center of the courtyard. When his eyes landed on the monster, Jack began to scream.
Mrs. Dumphry raised her arms as she stepped forward. “We’ve been betrayed!” she screamed as a ball of fire exploded from her hands. “It’s a Drogule!”
Chapter 4
THE MONSTER IN THE COURTYARD
A particularly large flake of snow landed on Alexia’s nose and immediately melted. Yet Alexia didn’t notice the snow; all her attention was on the monster hulking on the other side of the square. Mrs. Dumphry had called it a Drogule, but it was a monster pure and simple. It was gigantic, standing almost as tall as the palace.
A vast horde of dark servants had gathered just behind the monster. There were two Shadule and at least three hundred Oriax. The Shadule were sleek, almost graceful creatures; the Oriax were a mixture of mammal and reptile, the size of a small pony. Yet it was the monster that most captured Alexia’s attention. The Drogule’s body was stone, and its mouth was ringed in metallic fangs.
Alexia groaned as the monster spoke in a voice like an avalanche. “Kill all but the child we seek.”
Without hesitation the mass of dark servants surged forward. The two Shadule dropped to the paving stones and slithered ahead as the Oriax leaped toward the small band of Awakened.
“Stay close!” Mrs. Dumphry screamed, sending fifty threads of fire exploding from her fingers. For a brief moment, Alexia shared a fearful look with Jack and Arthur. Hundreds of dark servants and a monster were charging at six Awakened, and yet Mrs. Dumphry wanted them to stand and fight. Had the old woman lost her mind?
“Follow me!” Jack screamed, and at the same time, Arthur shouted, “This way!” And just like that, both boys fled from the coming charge. Alexia watched them go, hesitating only a moment before deciding they had the right of it. She was always up for a fight, but these were impossible odds and only a fool would choose to stay.
Alexia made it only a few steps before skidding to a stop. One of the Shadule had slithered around the back of the courtyard and was now directly in front of her. It rose fluidly, and its milky white eyes fixed on Alexia. “Come with me, girl,” it said. “The master has great plans for you.” The Shadule extended a clawed hand and offered a sickly smile as wings unfurled from its body.
Alexia wanted to scream. She had killed one of these creatures a month earlier, but it had almost killed her in the process. I need to buy some time! she thought, then schooled her face and smiled, offering a quick curtsy. “Why, thank you, Mr. Shadule,” she said. “I would be ever so happy to accept your invitation to meet your master. Please, would you take me to him?”
The Shadule hissed, momentarily confused by Alexia’s pleasant agreement. It looked around as if expecting a trap, and in that moment, Alexia swung her sling with all her might. The Shadule howled as the stone struck it square on the forehead.
Alexia darted away, sprinting toward a small wooden door at the side of the courtyard. She knew a stone could never kill a Shadule, but if she was lucky, she’d gained a few precious seconds. I can’t believe that worked! As she ran, she loosed another stone at an Oriax that appeared in front of her.
The beast dropped, dead before it hit the ground. The only way to kill an Oriax is to strike it directly between the eyes. Mrs. Dumphry’s words from weeks earlier echoed in her mind. As she leaped over the beast, she spotted ten more galloping to intercept her. Her heart sank as she glanced back to see the Shadule slithering behind.
A thought struck Alexia like a fist to the face. The Atherial Cloak! How could I have forgotten? She’d stuffed the thin material into the inside pocket of her own cloak.
The beasts stampeded toward her, and Alexia shifted her direction so she was running straight at them. She screamed as she grabbed the Atherial Cloak and vaulted high into the air. Just pretend you’re in the circus, she thought as she twisted her body, wrapping the thin material around herself in midair.
The four closest beasts jumped at Alexia with teeth bared. As she disappeared, the Oriax screeched. Alexia navigated between them, missing them by a hair. When the beasts landed, they slammed into the Shadule that had been close on her heels.
Alexia rolled to her feet and continued her mad dash toward safety. “That was too close!” she said breathlessly as she darted past more Oriax. The Atherial Cloak seemed to be working. None of the beasts had noticed her passing. As she approached the door, she looked back in hopes of finding Jack or Arthur, yet all she saw was Mrs. Dumphry and Aias.
The old woman moved like a hurricane, leaping, spinning, and somersaulting continuously, each movement sending spiderwebs of fire into the attacking horde. Aias fought beside her, his sword wreathed in flames. When it connected with flesh, the dark servants crumbled to dust. The two Awakened stood their ground against the onslaught of hundreds of Shadow Souled.
The Drogule was on the opposite end of the courtyard, smashing fists through pillars and roaring angrily.
“Jack!” Alexia’s breath caught at the sight of her friend diving away from the Drogule’s huge fist. Another pillar crumbled and Jack dove behind some rubble in an attempt to hide.
Alexia scanned the square. It was filled to bursting with dark servants, and even with the Atherial Cloak, it would be impossible to cross. But Jack was backed into a corner with nowhere to hide. Alexia wanted to scream as the Drogule raised both fists high.
Suddenly, a piercing voice sounded from somewhere above. It was so pure and strong that it penetrated the chaos below. For a brief moment the fighting stopped and the courtyard became still. Man, creature, monster, and beast gazed toward the heavens.
A small figure hovered above the square. Her hair spread above her like a fan and glowed with a golden light. Her eyes were a thunderstorm, and as she sang, each word shattered the night. Alexia couldn’t understand the language, but it didn’t matter. The song was filled with such sorrow and loss that she wanted to weep.
“Elion!” Alexia whispered. The Sephari’s voice was beautiful and terrifying beyond words. Every eye st
ayed pasted to the sky. As Elion stretched out her arms, wisps of colored mist began rising from paving stones and walls.
The dark servants shied away from the mist as stones burst free and shot upward to spin slowly around Elion. Alexia didn’t move. It was mesmerizing. Stone and earth splintered from the ground, adding to the otherworldly tornado. Even the black lacquered coach bolted upward. Alexia saw the coachman, Master Hampton, lying flat on his back, clutching his eyes as if the light were too bright. The poor man must have been hiding under the coach!
Gradually the battle began again, and Alexia was about to flee when something grabbed her from behind and began hauling her backward.
She shrieked as she was dragged through an open doorway and dropped to the ground. Alexia scrambled to her feet and saw Wild closing the door. “What are you doing just standing there?” he shouted. “That cloak doesn’t make you totally invisible, you know!”
Slam! Alexia’s fist connected solidly with Wild’s jaw. “Don’t ever do that again!” she growled. “I was coming if you had just waited a second, you sheep-head!”
Wild rose to his feet, probing his jaw tenderly. “You punched me! What’s wrong with you?”
“Maybe I don’t like being dragged about and thrown to the ground!”
“Whatever Elion is doing,” Wild said, “it’s not some fireworks show on Guy Fawkes Day. You can’t just sit and watch like a country bumpkin!”
Alexia balled her fists. Of anyone she’d met, Wild knew the quickest way to get under her skin. The boy was infuriating. She was about to hit him again when the wooden door burst open. Both children leaped back as four Oriax tried to enter the passageway at the same time, momentarily becoming stuck in the doorway. The beasts squealed and brayed as they tried to flee whatever was happening outside.
“I know you want to punch me again”—Wild offered a half grin—“but it might be best if we run now.” He darted down the darkened passageway without another word.
Alexia was furious. Had he really just grinned at her? As the two children rounded a corner, they skidded to a stop. “Get down!” Wild screamed. Alexia shrieked when she saw the cannon aimed directly at them.
Boom!
Alexia dropped and threw her body back as the cannonball whizzed overhead. The noise was deafening and the air instantly filled with dust and debris. For a long moment, she didn’t move but stared upward, catching her breath. Her ears rang and she was dizzy. When she finally struggled to her feet, Alexia was exceedingly woozy.
The cannonball had burst through the back wall, shot across the courtyard, and exploded through a wall on the opposite side. Alexia leaned heavily against the ruined wall and rubbed at her temples. Inside the square the battle still raged. Mrs. Dumphry and Aias stood back-to-back, fighting impossible odds. Alexia could no longer see the Drogule or hear Elion’s electrifying song. She closed her eyes and tried to regain her senses. As her hearing slowly returned, she realized someone was screaming.
“You nearly killed us all, you blooming fool!” Whoever was talking was obviously angry. “Lieutenant Greyfield gave strict instructions: you were not to fire unless we knew the child would not be harmed!” Alexia turned to see a leather-faced man yelling at a much younger man. Both wore the uniform of the King’s Guard.
“I’m sorry, Captain,” the man said. He raised his arms defensively. “I thought they were—”
The captain slugged the man hard in the stomach. “I didn’t give you permission to speak.”
Alexia suddenly remembered she hadn’t been alone when the cannon went off. She scanned the rubble and barely suppressed a scream. Wild was lying on his back, covered in debris. His forehead was smeared with blood, and she couldn’t tell if he was breathing.
“There!” The captain pointed at Wild. “Bring the boy to me, and find his companion!”
Alexia froze, confused. Two of the guards walked directly past. What’s happening? She held her breath as she waited for the men to attack, but they merely carried Wild back to the captain.
You’re wearing the Atherial Cloak, you goat-headed ninny! Alexia flushed. This was the second time she’d forgotten about the cloak. More of the guards passed within inches as they searched the rubble. Alexia was careful not to move.
“There’s no one here, sir,” one of the guards called.
“Impossible!” the captain snarled. “The boy was speaking to someone. Keep looking!” As the leather-faced captain walked toward the rubble, Alexia almost screamed. The man walked with a heavy limp. What on earth is he doing here? Alexia could barely believe it. She knew the man—he’d tried to kidnap her when she was just seven years old!
Six years and three months earlier
The endless, hypnotic sound of hooves plodding on dirt changed suddenly. And with the change, new smells filled the air and a steady clamor began to rise. With every passing second, the world grew louder and more vibrant.
From beneath the pile of straw, Alexia Dreager opened her eyes. She’d awoken from the same dream she had every night. But for once, she didn’t care about the dream. “I made it!” she whispered, hardly able to believe it. Alexia grinned. Although she couldn’t see a thing, the sounds and smells were mesmerizing. Cautiously, she began wriggling out from beneath the straw.
“Are you going to leave without saying good-bye, then?”
Alexia froze. Is he talking to me?
“I don’t mind you napping in my wagon, but it would be rude to leave without at least giving me your name.”
Alexia had been sure the leathery old farmer hadn’t seen her sneak into his wagon. With a sigh, she climbed upward and readied herself to flee in case he tried to capture her. But she promptly forgot all about the farmer. With hay sticking to hair and clothes, her jaw dropped as she tried to look in every direction at once. It was magnificent!
The farmer chuckled. “I take it this is your first time to Belfast?”
Alexia ignored him. She had never imagined anything so grand. So many people! The sight took her breath away. The sun had only begun to rise, but even so, there were at least one hundred people walking or riding along the cobblestone street.
The surrounding buildings were monstrous, rising seven stories and making Alexia feel as small as an ant. It was grander than anything she’d imagined. She had dreamed of going to Belfast for years now. She was only seven, but her father told her all about the majestic city when she was just four years old.
“Belfast is the grandest city in all Ireland,” he’d said. “Ah, my Alley Goat, you will love it!”
Alexia frowned at the memory, pushing back tears. She’d been sitting in her father’s lap. She remembered it perfectly. His beard brushed against the top of her head and his arms were wrapped tightly around her.
“I want to go now!” she’d demanded.
“Patience, my little goat. I will take you there someday, I promise.”
Alexia grimaced at the memory. He would never be able to keep that promise. Less than a year later, he and Alexia’s mother had died in a fire. You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep, she thought bitterly.
“Are you all right, child? You don’t look well.”
Alexia abruptly realized the old farmer had been talking to her. Flustered, she yelped and ducked beneath the hay. The man let out a great guffaw. “It’s okay. I am glad you’re here. Even if we didn’t talk last night, it’s always nice to know someone is nearby. It makes the darkness far less lonely.”
Alexia surfaced again. “How did you know I was here?” she asked as she scanned the city.
“That red dress makes you easy to spot,” the farmer said, smiling. “And even if I hadn’t seen the dress, I’d have heard the snoring. You were as loud as a pig digging for truffles.”
“I don’t snore!” Alexia glared at the man as she fingered the hem of her dress. Her mother had made it for her and she hadn’t tak
en it off since the first day she’d tried it on. She even bathed in the thing. It had been given to her on her fifth birthday, which was the same day her parents had died. Somehow, the dress still fit perfectly. Alexia assumed it must have stretched out. Though it should have been worn through and filled with holes, it still looked as good as new.
The wrinkled old farmer chuckled as he reached into his satchel. “I suppose I must have been mistaken about the snoring. A wee girl like you could never have made such a thunderous noise!” The man offered a large loaf of bread. “My wife baked it yesterday; would you like it?”
Alexia’s stomach rumbled as she eyed the loaf. She’d had very little to eat in the past few days, and never in her life had she been offered an entire loaf all to herself. “It’s all right. You can have it, if you like. I’m not feeling all that hungry, and you look like you could do with a little fattening up.” As Alexia reached for the loaf, she looked up at the farmer and smiled.
The farmer jerked back. “No!” he gasped and looked around feverishly. “It’s not possible!” He lurched forward and seized her by the wrist, twisting it at an awkward angle. Alexia cried out as his leathery fingers lifted her chin so he could clearly see her eyes. “It’s you!”
Alexia tried to scream, but her voice caught as the farmer twisted her arm back even farther. He licked his lips hungrily. “My reward will be beyond measure,” he muttered and then looked around as if expecting a trap. “Where are your protectors, girl? Where are the Awakened?”
Alexia was sure her arm was about to snap. “Please let go.” She sobbed. “I didn’t do anything!”
The man abruptly seemed to remember they were in the middle of a crowded street. “Be quiet! Answer me truthfully or I’ll do far worse than break your arm. Where are your protectors?”
Alexia shook her head. She had no idea what the man was talking about. She shifted painfully.
“Scream, and it will be the last thing you do,” the farmer whispered as he released her arm and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. “The Shadow Souled have searched through the ages.” He trembled as spittle dripped from his chin. “And here you are! You came to me, to my wagon!”
Jack Staples and the City of Shadows Page 3
