Swept Away

by Josepha Sherman

  When the first of the unicorns stepped out into the dock, and felt the hollowness under their hoofs, they stopped short, rearing in terror. The unicorns behind them screamed in sympathy and began fighting the ropes with all their strength. Guards were hurled off their feet, falling to the cobbles and wriggling frantically out of the way of flying hoofs. Some of those on the dock lost their footing on the wet, slippery wood and went plunging, splashing and cursing, into the sea.

  “More men!” shouted the guards. “Get more men up here! Hurry!”

  One by one they finally got the unicorns onto the ship and down into the storage area. Sheila, watching keenly, saw Illyria’s hand rise and suddenly drop. The signal!

  Okay, here we go!

  She pressed a button. All at once the air was split by Michael Jackson singing “Beat It” at the tape player’s full volume. Just as Sheila had hoped, the blaring music echoed off the walls. The twisted alleys and streets were like an echo chamber, bouncing the music back and forth along the narrow streets till it didn’t even sound like music anymore. It sounded just like the shouts of a whole mob of angry people!

  For a moment the guards froze in sheer shock. Then someone cried out, “We’re being attacked!” And they all erupted into wild movement, swords out, spears at the ready, searching this way and that.

  They can’t tell where the music’s coming from! Sheila realized.

  But the guards’ leader was barking out angry commands, and the men were splitting up into companies, each group starting grimly down a different street. One company was headed straight toward Sheila.

  Uh-oh. Time to leave!

  She climbed up to the roof as she had planned, ran to the end of it, and jumped down to rejoin the warrior-women.

  “Well done, Sheila!” whispered Illyria. “But your magic trick isn’t going to fool them for very long.”

  “They’ve left only a few men on board,” said Pelu. “Just as we hoped! All we have to do is reach the gangplank without attracting any attention.

  “Sure!” cut in Darian. “Then we can rush the ship and overpower them before they can fight back.”

  Nanine nodded. “The wind’s in our favor. We should be able to cast off and sail safely out to sea before anyone can stop us.”

  Illyria grinned. “Come on. We have a ship to catch!”

  It should have worked. It nearly did work. But just as the women were about to make their rush up the gangplank, there was a crash and a blinding flash of light behind them.

  Sheila whirled, blinking to clear her dazzled sight. “Mardock!” she gasped. “He’s found us! And-and he’s got a whole army of guards with him!”

  Even as Sheila shouted a warning, Kara drew her bow and loosed an arrow straight at Mardock. But the sorcerer merely raised his hand, murmured a word-and the arrow dissolved in a burst of flame!

  “Oh. Well, it was worth a try,” the archer muttered.

  “Take them!” Mardock shouted to the soldiers. “Alive—or dead!”

  With savage shouts the men charged. Quickly the warrior-women formed a circle, protecting their backs, and drew their swords. Blades flashed in an intricate dance, catching the enemy weapons, piercing leather armor and flesh.

  Sheila, caught in the middle of all the noise and dust and danger, suddenly found herself facing a fiercely snarling soldier. She stared in shock as he loomed over her like a giant, his sword raised. As the heavy blade came plunging down at her, Sheila parried desperately, feeling the impact surge painfully all the way up her arm to the shoulder. She staggered back a step, and the man gave a cruel laugh as he brought his sword up again. And this time Sheila didn’t have room to parry! Instead, she did the only thing she could: she kicked out with all her strength. The guard yelped as her foot connected with his shin, and A laughing voice in her ear said:

  “You’re getting good at kicking people, aren’t you?”

  “Darian!”

  “At your service, my lady!”

  Quickly he moved forward to block the furious guard’s attack. Even in the middle of danger, Sheila couldn’t help but watch in wonder as Darian, graceful as a dancer, laughing as he fought, beat back his foe. There, the guard was falling back, clutching a wounded arm. But there wasn’t any time for hero-worship, because now other foes were pushing forward to take the guard’s place.

  What about Mardock? Sheila wondered in sudden terror. Why isn’t he just wiping us all out with sorcery?

  She could see Mardock dancing angrily about behind the guards. Of course! He couldn’t use his sorcery in such close quarters, because if he did, the force of it would destroy Dynasian’s guards as well!

  It didn’t really matter. More and more of those guards were rushing forward. The unicorns, deep within the ship, hearing the sounds of battle, began screaming in alarm and fury, but they were trapped on board, helpless to come to the warriors’ defense, Kara’s arrows flew, each one striking down a foe, but all too soon her quiver was empty.

  There are just too many enemies! thought Sheila in despair. We haven’t got a chance!

  Was she going to die here, with the morning sun shining down so brightly and the sky so blue? Was she going to die so far from home?

  Suddenly a cloud seemed to pass overhead. Sheila glanced wildly up—and gasped.

  “The eagles! The eagles are here!”

  As the guards fell back in superstitious wonder, the huge birds came plummeting down to land beside the warrior-women. Their forms blurred and altered, faster than thought.

  Suddenly they were eagles no longer, but men, tall, stalwart warriors, led by a handsome, fierce-eyed young man whose red cloak blazed in the sunlight. His armor gleamed with gold, and a thin golden circlet held back his long dark hair.

  “Egael!” gasped Illyria in wonder.

  Egael! thought Sheila. That’s the name of the man lllyria loves. Gosh, he’s gorgeous!

  Dynasian’s guards, stunned by the sudden transformation, had fallen back, staring.

  “Go on!” Mardock prodded. “Fight them, you fools!”

  Reluctantly the guards raised their swords. But this time they were facing more than one small band of seven. This time they found themselves confronted by grim, skillful warriors who fought as swiftly with swords and daggers as they had flown as eagles.

  “Don’t stop!” yelled the sorcerer. “They’re only men, they can be slain! Fight them, curse you, fight them!”

  I’ve had just about enough of you! thought Sheila. Falling back for a moment behind the other warriors, she fumbled about in her backpack and pulled out her now-useless flashlight. She tried the switch one last time, then shrugged. Somehow I doubt I’ll be able to buy any new batteries in this world. So…

  She drew back her arm and threw the flashlight with all her strength, as hard as though she were hurling the softball to the plate with a runner on third trying to steal home.

  And she caught Mardock off guard! Before he could defend himself, the flashlight bonked the sorcerer hard, right on the forehead! Mardock staggered back, stunned, and there was a murmur of horror from the guards.

  “Magic . . eagles turning into men . . and now a mere girl strikes down a master sorcerer . . . Let Mardock handle all this! We’ll have none of it!”

  As one, the guards turned and fled, leaving the warrior-women and the eagle-men triumphant!

  “Oh, Sheila, that was wonderful!” said Illyria with a laugh. “Hurry, everybody! On board! We’ve got to set sail before Mardock recovers and the guards rally!”

  They raced up the gangplank, pulling it up with them. Behind, Mardock was staggering to his feet, muttering, trying to get his scattered senses gathered enough so he could work a spell. For a moment blue-white bolts of magic swirled about him. Then the bright cracklings sputtered and fizzled, and Mardock swore in frustration.

  “Cast off!” commanded Nanine. “You, eagle-men, do any of you know how to sail?”

  “We all do,” Egael told her, then, to his men, “Man the sails!”

/>   Dynasian’s guards had recovered their courage. Spears and arrows came clattering onto the deck. “Ammunition,” murmured Kara calmly, and went about gathering the arrows up, refilling her quiver. Sheila, peering warily over the side of the ship, gasped.

  “They’ve got boarding ladders! Oh, please, hurry, get us out of here!”

  Just as the ladders fell with solid thunks against the ship’s side, and guards began to swarm up, the sails caught the wind. The ship strained like a horse eager to run. But one last rope bound it to the dock. Illyria leaned boldly over the edge of the ship, ignoring arrows whizzing about her, and slashed at the thick rope with her sword. Once, twice, three times—The rope parted with a snap. The ship darted sharply away from the dock, and Nanine and Pelu grabbed at IIlyria, pulling her back onto the deck just in time.

  “Thanks!” she gasped.

  A series of loud splashes sounded behind them.

  “That,” said Myno, “must be the ladders falling into the water. Ah, and listen to those curses!” she added mildly. “That must be the guards falling into the water with them!”

  Far behind them they could hear angry shouts. A bolt of lightning blazed out from the land, flashing right toward the ship.

  Sheila drew in her breath in horror. Mardock’s sorcery was going to destroy them.

  But long before it reached the ship, the bolt arched down to hiss harmlessly out into the ocean.

  “Silly way to catch fish, isn’t it?” asked Myno with a grin. “Looks like we’re out of range.”

  And the ship sailed serenely out into the open sea, leaving the helplessly raging sorcerer and the guards far behind. Sheila hung over the rail, watching Campora growing smaller and smaller in the distance, and smiled.

  “And so,” she said with a sweep of her arm, imitating the syrupy voice of a travelogue narrator she had once heard on television, “we bid a fond farewell to beautiful, peaceful Campora, the gem of the empire.”

  It was night on the open sea. There wasn’t a sound save for the gentle slapping of water against the sides of the ship and the creaking of the rigging. Sheila leaned on the rail, bathed in moonlight, peacefully watching the silver light ripple on the gentle waves.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  Darian had come silently forward to lean on the rail beside her. He looked very handsome in the moonlight. “Uh… yes,” agreed Sheila She suddenly felt very nervous, and for a moment she couldn’t think of anything else to say. “I was afraid Dynasian was going to send warships after us. But it looks like our escape caught his navy off guard.”

  Darian grinned. “That’s what happens when you’ve got a commander like Dynasian, I guess, someone who’s so interested in his own pleasures he’s gotten lazy.”

  “Where are we sailing?”

  “South. There are rumors of rebel activities going on somewhere down there. If we can join up with these rebels, we’ll have us some important allies. But . . . let’s not talk about war and politics, not now. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Silence fell. Then Darian said shyly, “Uh, Sheila .

  He was looking right at her, the moonlight bright in his eyes. Sheila felt her heart skip a beat. “Yes, Darian?”

  “You . . . were very brave in the battle today.”

  “Oh. So were you.”

  They were silent once more, But Sheila thought suddenly, Why, he’s as nervous as I am! and smiled to herself.

  “Darian? Did-did you want to ask me anything?”

  “I just wanted to say . . . Sheila, I’ve never met any girl like you. And I hope we can get a chance to-to-“

  “Darian!” snapped a sudden voice.

  Sheila jumped. Then she saw who had spoken, and sighed. “Hello, Dian.”

  The girl ignored her completely. “Darian, you promised to help me groom the unicorns!”

  Darian sighed, too. “I did. Sheila, I’m sorry. Will you excuse me?”

  “Go on.”

  Left alone at the rail, Sheila yawned and stretched her stiff muscles. It felt funny, not having anything to do after all the excitement of the day.

  But I’m not complaining, really I’m not!

  The ship, according to Nanine, wallowed like an old cow. It was too-what had she called it?-too broad of beam to cut through the water gracefully. But between Nanine’s knowledge and the skill of those mysterious eagle-men, it was sailing smoothly under full canvas.

  The unicorns weren’t very happy about being stuck aboard a ship. Sheila had spent a long time trying to soothe Morning Star and the others. But at least they were finally tolerating the indignity of being cooped up in tight quarters.

  And as soon as we’re far enough from Campora, we’ll be letting them go again.

  She sighed, leaning on the rail again, resting her chin on her hands, wondering. Who were those eagle-men, anyhow? Maybe they could do something as amazing as turn into eagles, but they certainly didn’t look very happy about it. They all had such sad, sad eyes. And their leader, Egael . . . he really was wonderful. Sheila couldn’t blame Illyria at all for falling in love with him.

  But—who is he?

  Quiet voices caught her attention. She turned. There up on the raised platform of the stern stood Illyria and Egael, his red cloak whipping about them in the wind.

  Sheila hesitated, wondering if she was eavesdropping. Maybe she should just steal quietly away to the bow of the ship, where the other women were settling down for the night. But Egael’s voice was so clear that she couldn’t help but overhear.

  “…and so I had to leave you,” he was saying.

  “Why?”

  The man paused, looking out over the ocean as though trying desperately to make up his mind about something.

  He turned to stare intently into Illyria’s eyes. “Forgive me for not telling you the truth about myself from the beginning. You must understand, I-I didn’t trust you-

  “What?”

  “Not at first, anyhow.” Egael sighed. “I had just been beaten by Dynasian’s men. They had thought me only a fool of a beggar. But if they had known my true identity, I would have died, or been carried off in chains to Campora.

  “But-“

  “Illyria, love, for all I knew you might have been loyal to Dynasian.”

  “Never that!”

  “Well, I didn’t know. But then, once I . . . realized I loved you… how could I tell you the truth? I didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “I’m not a silly little girl,” said Illyria dryly.

  The man bowed. “Indeed you are not. So. Love, my name isn’t Egael. It’s Laric, Prince of Perian. My father died fighting Dynasian’s troops. When I and my own men tried to fight on, we were captured. And Mardock placed a terrible curse on us all.

  “We must roam the sky as eagles, never able to transform to our rightful human shapes save for the five days and nights of the full moon.” He glanced up at the radiant sky. “I’m only thankful the timing was tight for me and my men to help you.”

  “Then that flock of giant eagles that seemed to follow us . . . that was you.”

  He nodded. “It was the only way I could be close to you.”

  “But isn’t there any way to break the spell?”

  “There must be! Illyria, right now my land and my poor people lie under Dynasian’s tyranny, and I-I can do nothing to help them. But I have sworn an oath: I will force Mardock to lift his curse! And I will win back my throne and free my people!”

  Prince Laric looked so noble and splendid there in the moonlight, his eyes blazing with determination, that Sheila shivered. But then he slumped.

  “Till that day,” he added sadly, “my men and I must take to the sky as eagles every time the phase of the full moon passes. Soon I must leave you again. But I will return to you, I promise.”

  “And I, my love, shall be waiting.”

  Prince Laric swept Illyria into his arms. As their lips met in a passionate kiss, Sheila sighed. The romance of it all!

  Quietly she sl
ipped away and settled down beside the other women, wrapping herself in her cloak. But for a long time she couldn’t sleep. She lay staring up at the moon, thinking of all that had happened to her since that day—how long ago?—that she had first fallen into this world. Would she ever get out of it? Sheila sighed, homesick again. Would she ever see her family and friends again?

  And yet . . . Sheila realized she wasn’t quite ready to go home, not yet. Dynasian still ruled. Half the unicorns were still captive. And-and poor Laric and Illyria couldn’t live happily ever after, not till Mardock’s cruel spell was lifted.

  I don’t want to go home, not till I find out how this all comes out!

  At least she knew one thing for sure: tomorrow would bring new and wondrous adventures. Smiling, rocked by the gentle motion of the ship, Sheila curled up in her cloak and fell asleep.

  Table of Contents

  1 Swept Away

  2 Arrival

  3 Captured

  4 Questions

  5 The Quest

  6 Sheila Enlists

  7 Warrior-in-Training

  8 Rivalries

  9 The Rescue

  10 Illyria's Story

  11 Campora at Last

  12 Trapped!

  13 The Ghost

  14 Outnumbered