“But why?” Tobin looked to Cadoc and then back to Koen. “It sounds like she is going to do everything we wanted, and more.”
“Fool!” Koen hissed, expression almost feral. “Shut up and let me think. Why don’t you do something useful. Bring me whiskey or wine. And not any cheap garbage, either.”
Tobin clamped his jaws shut and left.
He’d been enthralled throughout Koen’s amazing performance. How could someone with such a beautiful voice, such incredible talent, be such a despicable person? It was as if you had found a perfectly baked pie with a light and flaky crust. When you cut into it, however, what was inside was rotting meat and dog shit.
Had it all been a lie? Everything? He’d thought that at the very least Koen would bring the changes people needed, which was why he’d not told Fillion anything about the plan at the time. But if those changes were what Koen actually intended, there would be no need to continue with the plan. At least not the plan as it had been explained to him.
Maybe he was a fool. Shaking his head, Tobin looked up from the floor. He’d not really paid attention to where he was going, letting his feet lead the way. He stood at an intersection in the middle of a hallway. Behind, the way he’d come from, were the dressing rooms and, in Koen’s, whiskey. Ahead was the set preparation area and the large elevator that led down to the storage rooms. And on the right, the other hallway would eventually take him to the front of the building—to the lobby, the ticket booths, and the main doors that would lead him outside.
“What should I do, Astin?”
+ + + + +
Nantli looked over the city as they hovered. Night had fallen sometime during their comm set repair efforts. Aside from the baleful red blooms of fire here and there, street lamps along the thoroughfares provided most of the illumination. The area around the tenement where the last group labored below, however, was also lit by large sorcerous glows that she imagined a member of one of the fire brigades must have created. Some of those glows had been set within large curved mirrors, reflecting light up at the burning building to aid the crews in directing their thin streams of water.
She spied Zolin gliding along the roof of the ten story building to pick up one of those who’d sought refuge there. We are here to repair your comm gear.
The mighty black dragon grabbed the person in his forepaws and flew on. Apologies, but we must save these people first.
Nantli turned her head to look at Chanté. Zolin says they are too busy right now. They are rescuing people from the building.
“That’s certainly more important than repairing their gear,” Quillan yelled.
“Indeed.” Chanté stared down at the building through binocs. “There are a number of people down there, and I don’t like how quickly the fire’s spreading.”
Nantli felt the same. Flames licked out of many windows, and from the heat glows, it seemed fire was everywhere inside.
Determination washed over her from Quillan. “We should help them!”
A spike of concern came through the link.
Quillan is right. She turned her head to see Chanté. And from what we have seen all evening, it seems simple enough. I can do it.
He lowered the binocs and stared at her. Are you certain?
She barked. Of course!
Humor came through, tinged with worry. Alright, then. But stay focused, lovely.
She chirped and banked toward the building. Zolin, we will help with the people.
Good. Queue behind Xochi. As you fly in after her, have Chanté levitate one of those on the roof. After Xochi grabs hers, fly in and hover near yours. Grab them by placing your paws on either side of their torso, just under their arms. If they are uninjured, take yours to that pale red brick building to the north. It is the closest drop-off location. Land on the roof and set them down. Jessip has been telling them to take the stairs to the street as fast as they can. If yours is injured, however, take them down to the healer camp in the street below.
The two former Departed assisting them were nearly to the ground, paws gripping their people, and Zolin left the roof with his and headed to the red building. Coatl was grabbing a person, while Xochi waited her turn.
Nantli barked and banked downward to queue in. I will do that.
Thank you. With your help, rescuing people from the roof will go faster.
From the roof? Nantli glanced at the building. Were there others inside? It was their turn, however, so she shook off the thought and prepared to hover. Chanté, once Renata levitates hers, you need to levitate a person on the roof so that I can grab them.
Okay.
It was as simple as she’d thought it would be, but there were so many people to rescue! It was no wonder Zolin had not wanted to stop to repair the comm sets. Nantli lost count of the trips they made. Was it three? Or four? Whatever the case, it was finally almost over.
The last person that had been on the roof was now screaming in her paws, staring down at the ground. At least he was not flailing about as some had. A child who would not hold still almost slipped free earlier, giving her a fright. From the smell of things, it was also good that this man wore pants. Not all of them had time to grab a full set of clothing, apparently, and without the trousers absorbing his frightened release, it would have blown back onto her.
To the left and right, a little ahead and below her, Coatl banked sharply down toward the ground, and Xochi followed at a less steep angle. Nantli let out a worried rumble. So many were injured. The two former Departed, having already dropped off the last of their own rescued people, waited on the street below for further instructions.
The man was urinating from fear, but he was not injured, so Nantli landed on the roof of the nearby building. The scent was very noticeable. She set him down and stepped back quickly, twitching her nostrils.
“That will take you down to the street floor,” Chanté said, pointing at the stairwell door. “Be quick about it. There’s no telling where the wind will shift next, and cinders could set this building ablaze.”
“T–Thank you.” Trembling, the man nodded and ran for the stairs.
A rumbling, crashing sound drew their gaze to the burning tenement.
“Good gods,” Quillan murmured. “We made it just in time. Fire is everywhere, now.”
Smoke and flames now rose from multitudes of windows. A portion of the wall facing them had collapsed, falling to the street below and revealing fire-filled rooms.
Relief came through the link. “It’s good that we were able to get everyone out of there.”
There is one person left.
Surprise and fear spiked through from Chanté. “What?” He glanced at her then looked back at the towering inferno. “Where?”
The person is either on one of the top floors, or on the roof. It is difficult to tell from this angle.
“That fool!” Chanté stood in the stirrups. “Why hadn’t they gotten to the roof already?”
The life pulse was small. Nantli tried to sense the person or their thoughts, but the distance was too great. All I can sense from the small person is fear.
“Small person?” Confusion swirled through the link.
“Oh gods,” Quillan said, “is it a child?”
Alarm shot through the link and Chanté sat. “Go, Nantli, go!”
She had leapt up before he finished speaking. Wings pounding, she made for the building, gaining altitude as she drew closer.
Where was this person? She circled around, trying to get a better idea from the angle she sensed the small life pulse from, but she could not get too close, yet, due to the columns of flame and smoke that rose everywhere from the building. She continued around the corner looking for a spot on the long side of the building that was free from flames to give her access to the roof.
A clear area began less than three wing-lengths ahead. Nantli could sense the boy’s thoughts now, so powerful was his terror and loneliness. Based on the angle, he was close to the other end of the building. There was a
stairwell to the roof in that area, so perhaps he was already up top. Nantli took them up above the height of the building, in order to fly over to where the boy was.
Shock came through the link from Chanté and surprise washed over her from Quillan.
“Almost half the roof is gone!” the machinist said.
Nantli stared, also in shock. They had only been away for a few minutes! Now, flames and smoke rose from out of the dark smoldering pit that was a large portion of the top of the building. In some places, one or more floors had also collapsed below the roof.
Jessip wonders what you three are doing. With the last rescued, the rest of us wait on the ground.
Nantli blinked. Please, Zolin, we are very busy at the moment, I will explain later.
The wind was from behind them, blowing the smoke and flames toward the other side of the roof, but they were so thick that her vision could not completely pierce them. Still, the angle of the boy’s life pulse placed him up top, not below in the burning floors. The boy is on the roof.
I can’t see anything in this mess, much less the boy to place an anchor to lift him. How are we going to do this?
Even with the smoke, I can tell where he is. I could fly over and grab him. The fire is spreading, however, and the rest of the roof may collapse at any moment.
Worry and fear came thought the link. His hesitation, however, was soon overwhelmed by determined resolve. This is insane, but go! We have to save him!
Pride surging in her breast, Nantli beat her wings and flew over the building.
Intense heat rose from the burning floors where portions of the roof had already collapsed. It was painful on her flight membranes, and coupled with exhaustion from flying around for the repairs, it slowed her.
Hovering over an undamaged portion of roof, she closed her first eyelids against the heat and fumes and tried to spot him. Where exactly was the boy?
There! Just visible now and again through the wavering smoke, Nantli saw him lying outside the stairwell door. He was very young, perhaps seven years old. Little boy, stand up and raise your arms. I am going to grab you in a moment.
What?
Stand up!
A deep groaning sound came from the boy’s direction. Roof timbers and supports about to give way?
Nantli beat her wings harder and made for him. Hurry!
The boy lifted one leg and placed his foot down. He then lifted the other leg, slowly getting to his feet, and feebly held his arms up. He was not facing her, but no matter. She could still grab him.
With a loud creaking and rumbling sound, part of the roof began to collapse. She was close enough, now, to see its frightful progress through the shifting smoke. Starting on the far right, the roof rumbled, shook, and collapsed toward the left, toward the boy. It fell in oddly shaped pieces, like lake ice cracking in early spring.
“Hold on tight, Quillan!” Through the link, she felt Chanté hunch down in the saddle and grip the handholds tighter. Go, go, go!
Wings beating desperately, Nantli raced for the boy, forelegs stretched out and paws reaching.
It was tempting to go for his arms, they were up high, easy targets to grab on to, but at this speed they would likely be pulled from their sockets. No, as before, she’d have to grab him by the torso, though he might suffer a cracked rib or two.
Little boy, brace yourself!
Somehow, he sensed her approach. Turning toward her, his eyes widened and a smile spread across his face.
His happy expression fell when the roof gave way under him. He screamed.
Horribly aware of how quickly the collapse was progressing, Nantli had known she would not reach the boy in time, so she had already begun angling downward.
Arms held out toward her, eyes wide and full of fear, the boy fell screaming amidst the debris.
Nantli growled. Almost there! With quick, strong beats of her wings, she dove for the boy, dodging sudden flames from below.
The screams ended in a muffled grunt when Nantli grabbed him and forward motion slammed the boy into her body.
Only one rib, it sounded like.
Holding the boy against her chest, Nantli spread her wings a bit and banked to the left, to the nearest edge of the building, away from the flames licking up through the falling debris.
The pain in her wings lessened when she cleared the burning building, giving her a brief respite. The boy needed immediate medical attention for that cracked rib, however, so Nantli angled sharply down toward the street below.
Look out!
A glimpse of what Chanté saw above rushed through the link—flaming debris falling toward them, the starry sky behind. It wasn’t just parts of the roof! The entire top of the building had collapsed, and a great deal of it was falling right for them.
Nantli snapped her wings wider, catching loud air, and quickly veered to the left, closer to the building. An enormous section of wall tumbled past. She could not get farther from the building yet, however, as another piece of debris was dropping on that side again.
She barked in frustration. Keep looking up. I will dodge based on what we both see.
Okay!
The roof falling in seemed to have triggered more than one floor collapse. Through Chanté’s gaze, Nantli saw another floor covered in flames crumble and fall, adding more material to all that plummeting toward them.
Swooping left and right, Nantli flew clear of the larger bits as she made her way to an area that looked to have less debris falling. Smaller rubble still struck them, however, making hollow sounds when they bounced from her outstretched wings.
Another long section of wall fell, dropping pieces of the tenement’s brick and wood structure in a large swath toward them.
Damn! Dodge as you can!
I will try, but with the bright flames and dark shadows, it is difficult for even me to see these things in the darkness of night.
She banked and swooped as several large sections of brick wall and . . . a bathing tub fell past, but as she glanced around searching for a clear area, light from one of those reflected glows below blinded her a moment.
When she could see again, a huge piece of timber was about to hit them. She barked in surprise, moved her wing out of the way, and rotated her body slightly to take the hit on her side.
A pulse of magic came from her back, though not through the link, and the heavy wooden support bounced off something invisible, sending shivers of light through it. The thick timber fell safely past.
Nantli blinked in surprise but had no time to contemplate its sudden appearance—she had to dodge another large chunk of masonry.
“You’re fantastic!” Chanté yelled.
“Say that once we’re out of here!” Quillan sounded happy but also scared.
Nantli barely dodged right in time to avoid another large timber, and it plummeted past, its flames making a strange whipping and whooshing sound as it did so. Her tired flight muscles would not last much longer with the weight of the three. She needed to get free from this collapsing rubble, and soon.
There! Nantli saw a gap in the falling debris and quickly flew through it and away from the tenement.
She let out a roar of released fear and frustration.
Well done! Excitement and relief flooded through the link from Chanté.
“You’re the best dragon, ever!” Quillan crowed.
Nantli barked and angled down. The boy still required medical attention.
Through it all, pain had now and again washed over her from the boy. Each quick movement she had been forced to make to avoid being hit had sent a pulse of pain through him from his broken rib, but he had not said anything. He merely clung to her chest as best he could with both arms.
She flew quickly toward the Healing Craft camp that had been set up in a courtyard just east of the tenement.
As she set the boy on the ground, Chanté hopped down and looked at him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” the boy said, but his fac
e and a spike of pain proved the answer was a bit of a lie.
One of the nurses hurried over.
Nantli chirped at the man. He has a broken rib, but other than that, I think he will be fine.
The nurse nodded and turned to the boy. “This way.” He headed for a nearby cot.
The boy sat on it and grimaced, then turned to Nantli. “Thank you.” He grunted in pain, and glanced at Chanté and Quillan. “All of you.”
Nantli chirped at him.
“Don’t talk if you can avoid it, young man, or it will hurt.” The nursed grabbed a roll of bandages.
“Chanté!” Renata took quick, sure steps on her way over, with Jessip following at a slower pace.
Nantli glanced at her then over at Xochi. Nantli let out a quiet bark. We had to save him.
Xochi chirped. Of course.
Fear and nervousness surged through the link as Chanté watched Renata marching toward them.
She put her hands on her hips, glanced at the boy, then looked back at them. “You three,” she said, “were spectacular.”
“Nantli and Chanté did everything,” Quillan said, hopping down. “I was just along for the ride.”
“Not so.” Chanté stepped over and wrapped Quillan in a hug. “That barrier saved us.”
Happiness surged from the young man as he hugged Chanté back. Sudden embarrassment was followed by him releasing Chanté.
Cheeks red, Quillan said, “I couldn’t let us get hurt.”
“That was some damn fine wing-work, Nantli.” Jessip stopped next to Renata and smiled.
Coatl let out an excited roar as he practically ran over. You were so good!
Nantli felt heat in her face. T–Thank you.
“They’re right, Nantli, that was spectacular!” Fillion said. “The way you swooped around all that falling rubble was even more amazing than the ring of doom!”
A short laugh burst from Chanté. “That’s not why we did it.” He turned to the boy as the nurse wrapped his mid-section in bandages. “I just hope that he was the only one left in there.” Chanté looked up at the burning building. “If there were others, they’re likely dead.”
Nantli chirped. He was the only one I sensed.
Of Gods, Trees, and a Sapling: Dragonlinked Chronicles Volume 4 Page 90
