“Be quiet,” Lamia warned, glaring at Dane with piercing, gray eyes. “He will soon hold all the power. Then I’m sure he will find her. Our goal must be to save our land and to make sure it’s under the duke’s rule. The one called Gabriel must connect the Divinities in such a way that … ” Lamia leaned in and lowering her voice, whispered in Dane’s ear. Dane nodded in agreement, and they left.
“What?” Dramel whispered.
“In such a way that Malgor’s hands cover mine to transfer the power to him,” Gabriel replied, wide eyed.
Dramel tilted his head and raised his eyebrows.
“The empress gifted me. I can hear really well.”
Dramel shrugged, and attempted to hook some scraps with his wire again.
Wonder if the power would go to me if they’re together in my hands? I can’t think about that. I have to bring them to the empress so she can connect them.
“We’d better get back, figure out a way to unchain Brent, and get outta here.” Gabriel and Dramel crawled back the way they’d come. They reached the open grate, hopped down, and found their way through the darkness to the others.
“Where’d he take you?” Piper asked.
Gabriel told them everything as Dramel fed Brent the scraps he’d managed to snag from the kitchen.
“What about the tunnel? Can we get out that way somehow?” Gabriel asked Dramel. The creature shook his head.
“Ya know, maybe if you just join those divinions for the duke, he’ll let us go home,” Cedric said. “Who really cares about this place, anyway?”
“I do, Morley. And they’re Divinities, you moron,” snapped Piper.
Cedric grunted. “Oh, that’s right. Piper Ramirez—mini-Mother Teresa,” Cedric mocked.
Gabriel grabbed Piper’s arm. “I hear something.”
Dramel scurried into the shadows. Heavy footsteps echoed in the distance, becoming louder. Angry growls and heavy panting loomed from outside the steel bars.
Gabriel faced the bars, heart hammering. He pulled on Piper’s arm and backed up, stopping in front of Brent.
Malgor sauntered around the corner, dressed in a hooded cloak. In each hand, he held a chain attached to the collar of a creature that looked like an enlarged wolf. Thick, red manes like a lion’s framed the wolf creatures’ fierce faces. Drawn-back lips revealed dripping fangs, and the claws on their enormous paws clicked against the cobblestones.
“Gruocks!” Piper shrieked.
The beasts lunged toward the bars. Malgor bellowed a command and yanked on the chains. The gruocks fell back, and sat at attention beside him like well-trained minions. Behind him, Dane and Lamia watched silently.
“You’ve had enough time to deliberate, so I’ve come for your decision,” Malgor hissed. Dane pulled a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the dungeon door. Swinging it open, he ushered Malgor to go ahead. As Malgor walked inside, a gruock snapped and snarled. Malgor kicked its hind leg, just above a bright red patch of fur, and it sat at attention. Saliva dripped from its lips, and its gaze glowed like green daggers.
“What will it be, Gabriel?” rasped Malgor.
Gabriel took a shaky step toward Malgor. The gruocks bared their teeth and snarled guttural, warning growls. Gabriel gulped but stood his ground, hoping he’d be safe as long as Malgor needed him.
“I’ll connect the Divinities, but only on certain conditions.”
Piper gasped. “Gabe!”
Malgor seemed pleased with Gabriel’s response. He even smiled a little. “What conditions, boy? I don’t have time for foolishness.”
“You have to unchain Brent right now,” Gabriel said. “Once I connect the Divinities, you have to show us the way home to Willow Creek and make sure we get there safely.”
As he spoke, the gruock with the red patch on its leg whimpered and pawed at the ground. Malgor tugged at its chain, but it seemed more interested in what Gabriel was saying than it did in sitting still.
“Shut up!” He gave its back leg a sharp kick. The gruock yelped and sat by Malgor’s side again, but it continued to whimper, staring right through Gabriel.
“So it shall be, then,” Malgor said, a smirk twisting his lips. “Did you hear that, councilors? Soon this will be over, and I will be emperor. Unchain the boy, Dane. Mind you, keep that one’s hands bound. He makes fire.”
Dane obeyed. As he unlocked the shackles, Brent fell to the ground. Dane grabbed Brent’s wrists and yanked his arms behind him, tying them together with rope that Lamia had thrown him. Brent moaned, struggling, but Dane tugged harder. “Stay still.”
Dane’s red, strained eyes nearly made Gabriel feel bad for him. He knew what it felt like to have a loved one disappear.
“What are you looking at?” Dane roared at Gabriel as he passed, stealing any pity Gabriel felt.
“You should be thanking me, human,” Malgor snickered to Brent. “If Gabriel here does not hold up to his end of the bargain, those chains will be the least of your worries.” The duke rattled the chain holding the whimpering gruock. It lunged toward Gabriel, then stopped, whimpering again, and pawed at the ground.
Just like Zigzag did …
“Zigzag?” Gabriel whispered.
But the gruock only growled, its eyes fixed on Gabriel.
“I see this one has taken quite a liking to you,” Malgor said with a laugh, then swung around and headed out of the dungeon, commanding the gruocks to follow. “See to it they are brought to my chambers by sunrise,” he instructed Dane and Lamia. “Come morning, we embark on a whole new way of life in Valta. I can hardly wait to see the look on my pathetic sister’s face.” His roars of laughter echoed off the walls.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Agreeing to connect the Divinities was the only way Gabriel could think to get Brent unchained. Gabriel stood in the darkness, losing hope, as Dane fiddled with the rope binding Brent’s hands.
“Lamia, for goodness’ sake, get some proper rope. This is useless,” Dane commanded.
“Where do you suppose I find more rope?” Lamia rolled her eyes. “I’m not your errand girl.”
“I don’t care where you get it, but get some or we will all be in flames shortly. Do you forget this one has been gifted with fire?”
Lamia grunted and stormed off, grumbling under her breath. With wide eyes and arched eyebrows, Brent looked back at Dane, who kneeled behind him.
“What are you doing?” Brent asked.
“Untying you,” Dane answered flatly.
“Untying me?” Brent asked in disbelief.
“I’m setting you free,” Dane said. “All of you.”
“Really? Why?” Piper’s eyes grew wide, then narrowed.
Cedric stood. “It’s a trick.”
“It’s not trickery, I assure you. You should take your chance—before I change my mind. Valta is lost. The only thing I care about is my daughter, Tahlita. I need to find her, whatever the cost.”
Gabriel looked to the bars of the dungeon, then back at Dane.
“Get out of here and back to wherever you came from,” growled Dane.
“We can’t just go back and let all of Valta, and its inhabitants, die,” Piper said. “Besides, we have no idea how to get back.”
“I know a way,” Dane said. “I am leaving to find my daughter, Tahlita. You’re welcome to follow, but beyond that, you’re on your own.”
Cedric beamed as he stepped forward. “I’ll go with you.”
Dane nodded once. “It’s near the north border. I will take you there myself.”
“It’s not true,” Gabriel said. “The empress would’ve told us about it.”
“The empress doesn’t know of it. If she did, it would have been closed long ago. It is a rift—much like the one you came through. This one, however, has gone unnoticed.” He sounded almost as wicked as Malgor.
“You mean Malgor can walk right into our world any time he wants?” Piper asked, growing pale.
“Well, we aren’t completely sure if our kind cou
ld survive in your world, and quite frankly, have not had the desire to risk it. But now that you seem all right having crossed into our world, who knows what Malgor will try next?”
Gabriel shivered.
Brent’s head shot up. “Dude, I’m not leaving until I help get the Divinities to the empress. I’ve been lost in this place for, like, ever. I’ve been scratched by a maniac eagle, swallowed by crazy shadows, and left for dead in this rotten dungeon. It can’t all have been for nothing. Besides, what will happen to Dramel if we leave Valta to Duke Malgor? And what about Prince Oliver?” He rubbed the bruises on his wrists with a groan. “Dramel didn’t abandon me, and I won’t leave him.”
“He’s right. We won’t go,” Gabriel said, eyes blazing. “We promised the empress. We can’t give up.”
“I’ll go.” Cedric waved. “I didn’t promise anyone anything. I just wanna go home.”
“Finally, someone with half a brain.” Dane nodded toward Cedric.
“You can’t trust him, Cedric. Haven’t you learned your lesson?” Gabriel asked.
“Well, I’m not waiting around to see what happens next. You can tell me what I missed if you ever make it home,” Cedric answered.
“Now there’s a shocker,” Piper mumbled.
Dane stood, brushing himself off. “Let’s go, Cedric. I will take you to the portal. As for the rest of you, what I tell you next, I do for sheer revenge against Duke Malgor. He keeps the Divinities in a cabinet beside his bed. His chamber is up three flights of stairs, at the end of the hall. Good luck. You’ll need it.” Then he turned to Cedric. “Let’s go.”
Cedric followed Dane out of the dungeon without looking back.
Gabriel, Brent, and Piper followed them out, intent on another path. Brent stopped and turned back toward the dungeon. “What about Dramel? We can’t just leave him. Dramel,” he called.
“He can’t come with us, Brent,” Gabriel whispered. “It’s too dangerous. But at least he can escape.”
“But he has nowhere to go.”
Soon, Dramel stood beside Brent, holding his hand. “He has nobody.” Brent pulled Dramel to his side, wrapping a protective arm around him.
“I have an idea.” Piper beamed. She told Dramel about Jasra and Parma, and how awesome it was. Gabriel showed Dramel the location on the map, and asked if he could find his way. Dramel nodded like a bobblehead.
“Tell Jasra we sent you. You’ll be okay.” Brent patted Dramel’s head. “Hurry, and stay away from the stupid shadows.”
Dramel scurried up the stairs, quick as a mouse. When he reached the top, he motioned the coast was clear.
They snuck up, Brent huffing and puffing as he went. When they reached the top of the spiral staircase, they scanned the dark, mostly empty boardroom that led to the foyer. The smell of fresh meat filled the room, making Gabriel’s mouth water. Dramel scooted across the floor and under the councilors’ table. He hopped onto the table with a grin, snatched some meat, and dashed to the front door. He jumped on it like a monkey, fiddling with the knob.
A large gust of wind flung the door open, banging it against the inside wall. Dramel barely managed to jump off in time to avoid being squashed. He ran outside into the frosty air, wearing a big smile as he waved his final goodbye.
“Who’s there?” Lamia’s voice cackled from down the hall. She rushed into the room to close the door against the blustery wind. The friends eased down the stairs, ducking into the shadows as she hobbled past them.
“Moronic death-mongers,” she muttered under her breath as she shut the door. She waddled to a set of stairs at the far side of the room, mumbling about stupid rope and dumb humans.
Gabriel waited until she disappeared up the stairs, then whispered, “I have an idea. Wait here a second.” He crept to the councilors’ table and grabbed mounds of fresh meat. He rushed back with enough for everyone, and doled it out as he led the way up the darkened staircase.
“The Divinities are in Malgor’s room, three flights up,” Piper whispered.
“I don’t think I can make it,” Brent huffed, finishing his last bite. “I’m pretty weak.”
“You can do it, Brent. We’ll help you.” Piper lifted one of his arms over her shoulder.
The stairs seemed never-ending. As they climbed, rows of pictures of Malgor lined the walls. Brent grimaced. “Arrogant jerk.”
They finally reached the landing at the top of the second staircase. Gabriel’s eyes darted down a long hallway, lined with tons of doors on both sides.
“Dane said it was up three flights of stairs … but where’s the third staircase? I only see doors,” Piper said in a low, serious voice.
A deep, menacing growl snuck out of the darkness behind them. Gabriel’s heart leapt against his ribs. At the bottom of the stairs, gleaming, green eyes zoned in on them, then the beast bounded up the stairs after them.
“Gruock!” Piper screamed. “Run!”
Gabriel grabbed Brent’s free arm, slung it across his shoulder, and lurched forward into the hallway—but Brent’s shoulders slumped, his body like dead weight. Gabriel stumbled until they slammed into the wall. Gabriel gasped for air and Piper’s face turned ashen. Silent tears streamed down her face as they willed Brent forward. Goose bumps rose across Gabriel’s skin, as the beast’s threatening growls grew closer.
Gabriel slipped out from Brent’s arm, yanked one of Duke Malgor’s portraits off the wall, and threw it at the animal. The creature snarled and scrambled over the painting, its nails shredding the portrait’s canvas.
Gabriel threw another painting at the gruock and screamed, “Piper, see if you can open one of those doors. Quick!”
She dashed toward the first door and jiggled the handle. Locked. With a few solid kicks, it burst open. Gabriel dragged Brent inside, but before they could fully close the door behind them, the gruock banged against it, snarling and snapping.
Gabriel, Piper, and Brent rammed all of their weight against the door, but the gruock’s every thrust bounced their bodies away from it.
“I can’t hold it,” Brent huffed.
Gabriel pressed his back against the door and dug his heels in, while his gaze whipped around the room. A grand, four-poster bed stood beneath an enormous window that looked out into the snowy night. Red velvet drapes covered in dust and cobwebs hung open on either side. A full moon drooped low in the sky.
Gabriel winced as he bounced against the door in time with the gruock’s thumps. “On my count, let the door go and stand behind it as it opens.”
“We can’t hold it off without you,” Brent rasped.
“Just one sec!” Gabriel dashed across the room, grabbed a chair, and wedged it under the door handle. Then he leapt onto the bed, facing Brent and Piper.
“What are you doing?” Piper yelled. Her heels dug into the old wood floors as she pressed her body against the shuddering door.
“Bait.” Gabriel grinned, remembering Eric and their previous encounter with the gruock in Ericville. “Now!” He crouched down, arms held wide.
Piper pulled the chair away, and she and Brent pressed their bodies against the wall behind the door.
The gruock tumbled forward into the room, then pounced back to its feet, snarling. It fixed fierce eyes on Gabriel, who inched backward, raising his arms in the air.
“Come on, you big fur ball! Come and get me,” he bellowed.
With a roar, the gruock leapt through the air, its bared fangs aimed at Gabriel’s neck. Gabriel ducked and rolled off the bed, barely escaping its attack. The sound of shattering glass filled the room as the gruock crashed through the window, plummeting to the ground below.
Brent and Piper emerged from behind the door, speechless.
“How cool was that?” Gabriel said with a laugh.
“Unbelievable! But watch out, there’s glass all over you,” Piper warned.
Gabriel slowly stood, shaking off bits of glass. The wind blew through the shattered window, sending the red velvet drapes flapping like an angry
bird’s wings. It brought with it a flurry of snowflakes.
“Dude, this is bad—really bad.” Brent glanced over his shoulder, then slid to the floor beside the bed. “Somebody must have heard that mangy mutt and the shattering glass.”
“Um, what the heck? How is it snowing all of a sudden?” Piper asked, holding her hands around her elbows as she gazed out the window.
“That is weird, right?” asked Brent. “I mean it was cold in the Tandem Wood when we got here which was strange since it’s like summer in the rest of Valta, but snow?” Brent gave Piper a sleepy smile. “Oh well,” he said. “Stranger things have happened here, right?”
Piper lifted one shoulder. “I guess.”
Gabriel shook glass out of his hair and picked it out of his pockets. His fingers brushed something round, and he froze, his lips twisting into a grin.
“What?” Piper asked.
Gabriel’s smile grew as he drew his hand from his pocket and held up a vial, full of turquoise liquid. He rubbed it between his hands, causing the liquid to twirl. “I’d forgotten all about it.”
“The invisibility potion from Leejor!” Brent laughed.
Piper and Brent retrieved their own vials, grinning.
Something scuffled in the hallway.
“Quick, the closet,” Piper whispered. They hurried across the room, jumped inside, and hid behind some musty old clothes.
“What in all of Valta?” Lamia screamed into the room. “Dane!” she screeched as she bolted away.
“We have to take the potion now, before we get caught,” Gabriel whispered.
“Cheers,” Brent said.
“Check the time first,” Piper whispered. “We have to know when it’ll wear off. It’s 4:05 a.m. Leejor said it would only last for ten minutes. Here, I’ll keep track.” She pointed to the digital watch on her wrist.
“Better take it off before you drink the potion, so it doesn’t go invisible, too,” suggested Brent. “Maybe it’s like whatever is on you while you take the potion turns invisible, too, right?”
“Who knows, but that’s a good idea, just in case.” Piper pulled it off.
Gabriel Stone and the Divinity of Valta Page 14
