Something hissed and clicked across the floor in the room above. Pieces of rotten wood dropped from knotholes in the ceiling. Theo’s heart raced. He dashed outside and across the courtyard toward the watchtower, crouching behind one of the carved wooden pillars that stood like sentinels on either side.
Keeping his eyes locked on the fortress door, Theo breathed deep gulps of fresh air and shook his clothes, trying to get rid of the stench. Tapping sounded off to his side. He jumped and glanced toward the noise, expelling his breath. The magpie pecked at a rotten beam.
“Boo, hide,” Theo whispered.
The magpie bristled, but continued pecking. Theo turned back and steeled his eyes on the fortress door for several minutes. No shadows moved inside, and nothing came out.
He waited until a hazy moon rose, but still nothing appeared. Maybe the noise had been rodents. He still didn’t want to go back there. The stone staircase winding around the tower must lead to a room. He hoped the tower was safer than the fortress.
Boo squawked and zipped under the porch between broken slates on the fortress floor.
“What’s the ma—”
A sharp gust of wind brought with it a foul odor. A human-sized brown creature swooped from the top of the tower. The monster’s gore-caked wings flapped as it hovered in front of Theo. He froze, and the blood rushed from his face, making him weak.
Half-woman half-bird, the creature glowered at him with her black eyes. Wings sprouted off her sides, and a vulture’s talons grew where feet should have been. A torn black garment covered her squat body, and tangled hair darted in all directions.
The creature curled her pointed dog ears back and hissed, revealing a mouth full of long, jagged teeth. She shrieked like a pig being slaughtered, then darted toward him. The flapping of her wings brought with it the stench of death.
Theo backed into the tower, the quiver pressing into his back. Remembering the arrow, he reached over his shoulder, pulled out the weapon, and thrust it at the beast’s chest. She shrieked again and slashed his face with her claws. His cheek throbbed where she gouged him.
She lunged and dug her talons into his shoulders. Theo screamed at the searing pain and tugged at her claws, but they held fast. She dragged him into the courtyard as if he were a paper cutout. He kicked empty air, pain wracking his body. Each thrust of her wings dislodged pieces of filth that splattered on the cobblestones. His eyes watered when the reek of her breath gusted on his face. He hadn’t thought anything could smell worse than her body odor, but he was wrong. It was like being entombed with a thousand rotting zombies.
One more powerful thrust of her wings lifted him off the ground, wrenching his shoulder. Theo screamed. The creature rose higher, approaching the top of the tower. Her grasp loosened. A ravenous gleam in her eyes pierced him as she released her claws from his shoulders. He swung in the air, holding onto her leg.
He was going to die! Smashed against the ground. If only he could fly.
Tremors shook his body, tingling below his armpits. He clobbered her in the face again with the silver arrow. She snatched the weapon with her fangs and shook her head, tearing it from his grip. Snarling, she opened her jaw and let the weapon fall. It clinked on the stones, dashing his hope of survival.
The creature flapped her wings with a steady beat. The smell overpowered Theo, and nausea weakened him. Sweat coated his hand, and he slipped farther down the creature’s leg.
A hissing pierced the air, and an arrow penetrated the creature’s wing. An agonizing, shrill screech escaped the monster. Unbalanced, she spiraled downward. Theo lost his grasp. He screamed as he pounded against the tower. He slid down, landing on the stone stairs with a clunk. Everything around him swirled.
Clinging to the wall, he hobbled up the steps into a round room, slamming the door behind him. Outside, the creature screeched at narrow windows, flying from one arrow slit to the next. Her claws raked across the stone exterior. Little by little, the mortar crumbled. First her head, then her body squeezed through the hole. The half-woman, half-bird creature stretched her wings. Her eyes met his. She hopped closer, inches from him.
Theo’s mouth went dry as he backed against the wall.
Chapter 4
Wild Girl
The watchtower door flew open, slamming against the stone wall. An earthy scent, mixed with pine, drifted in as a girl around Theo’s age entered. She nocked an arrow in her bow and pointed it at the creature. “Get out of here if you want to live!”
He pressed closer to the wall. Was the girl talking to him or the beast?
The bird-woman hissed and grasped the arrow with her talons. She wrenched it from her wing, letting the weapon drop to the floor with a clatter. Screeching again, she hopped out the crumbled window and flew toward the dark forest.
A leather boot tapped Theo’s leg. He raised his head to look at the girl who had saved him. Curly tresses the color of moonlight draped over her pallid face. One green eye and a blue one stared at him. She wore a white tunic, tied by a green belt. An ivy wreath lay askew on her head, a quiver of arrows hung on her back, and a beaded necklace ornamented with feathers and claws swayed at her side.
“Where’d you get this?” She extended the silver arrow toward him.
“From an old woman. Friends asked her to protect it.”
The girl stared at him, then dropped the arrow by his side.
“Who are you?” he asked as he replaced it in his quiver.
“Who are you?” she echoed back.
“I’m Theo. Thanks for saving me.”
“What are you doing here?” The girl crossed her arms over her chest.
Tattoos inked her forearms, alternating rows of two horizontal lines, followed by zig-zagged lines. A deer image graced one shoulder, with what looked like stars around the moon above it and two lines below it. On the other shoulder, a sun shone over a snake with its tail coiled in a circle; a series of five dots hovered above and below the reptile. What did they mean?
Theo bit his lower lip. His face and shoulders throbbed. “I-I’m tired, sore, and hungry. I wanted to find a safe place to sleep.”
“Safe? Here?” the girl said. “The courtyard is a dangerous place after sunset. You can’t be from Dragon Village or you’d know that.”
So this terrible place was Dragon Village. What had destroyed it? Surely it couldn’t have always been like this.
The girl looked him up and down. “You’re wearing strange clothes. Where do you come from?”
“Selo.”
“Where’s that?”
“By the Black Sea.”
The girl grinned, and dimples deepened on her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled as she patted Theo’s arm. “Black Sea? Are you human?”
Theo swatted her hand away. “Of course I’m human. Aren’t you?”
“No.” She straightened her back, lifted her head high, and tossed her hair. “I’m Diva, a Samodiva.”
Diva? The name meant “wild.” Was she really a nymph? Would she harm him? Theo inched along the wall away from her. “M-my mother told me stories about how you make people go c-crazy and ... and ...”
The rest of his words came out gibberish. The gash in his cheek throbbed. He cupped his hand over the wound, removing it to find black speckles and green pus mixed with globs of blood.
“The creature’s poison will make you hallucinate.” Diva held out her hand. “Come with me, and I’ll put an ointment on it.”
Her words wavered in his ears. One moment, she appeared to dance in front of him, the next she pulled him from the floor, wrapped her arm under his shoulder, and guided him toward the stairs.
“Nooo.” His hands lacked the strength to push her away. Was she going to make him play his kaval until he dropped dead like the shepherd in Selo? Or would she tear out his eyes?
The room spun, and his body burned as if lava flowed through his blood. His feet refused to move, so she hoisted him over her shoulder as if he weighed nothing. She glided down the flight of stairs
and across the courtyard with the grace of a panther, her leather boots making no sound. Once inside the fortress, she traveled along a dark, musty corridor and stopped at a wooden door. The hinges squeaked when she opened it.
Flickering candles cast the room in a soft amber glow, creating shadows. Shelves stuffed with books lined the walls by a fireplace. Another pile lay on the small bed tucked inside a pale green tent, while others littered the floor.
“Welcome to my hollow.” She laid him against pillows along a wall. “Here, hold this.” She pressed a cool cloth against his forehead.
He held it in place, but flinched when Diva rubbed a spearmint-smelling ointment into his torn cheek and shoulders. Immediately, the pain eased and his mind began to clear. “Wh-what are you doing to me?” he whispered.
Diva narrowed her eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’ve always wanted to meet a human. To learn about your world.”
“Don’t you k-kill humans?”
“Never!”
“I’m sorry.” Theo lowered his eyes and mumbled, “I’ve never met a Samodiva.”
“I’m sure you’ve never met a Harpy either. But, you act more afraid of me than you did of her.”
Theo’s voice rose. “That’s what that thing was?”
“Yes. You’re fortunate she let go of her prey so easily.”
That was an easy escape? “I-I thought Harpies lured prey to death with their songs.”
“Those who live in tribes do,” Diva said. “The one who attacked you is an outcast. She creates illusions to capture her victims because she can’t sing.”
Theo shook. “I’m glad she was alone then.”
“It might have been easier to get away from the tribe.”
“Why?”
Diva looked at him with serious eyes. “The solitary Harpies are much stronger than the others. You can tell which ones are the most successful huntresses because they smell the worst. They wear the gore of their victims with pride.”
“That was the worst thing I’ve ever smelled.”
“It’s a good thing I arrived when I did.” She peered at his face. “How do you feel now?”
He touched his cheek. It already felt less swollen. And the pain in his shoulders had subsided. “That’s some miracle drug. Thank you.”
“No need for thanks. It’s what I do.” Diva pointed to the tent. “You can sleep in there. I have to go out soon to patrol the forest.”
Theo stuttered. “Aren’t you afraid to go out by yourself with the Harpy around?”
“No. Sur and I take care of wounded animals.” She stood and filled her pockets with nuts. “Help yourself to the food.”
“Who’s Sur?”
“My deer companion.”
“A deer?”
“Sleep now. I’ll tell you about him later. I have questions for you, too.” She added more arrows to her quiver and closed the door behind her.
Theo crawled into the tent, laying his head on the pillow. What a crazy day. He’d encountered a dragon, a three-headed snake, a Harpy, and a Samodiva girl. What else lived in this strange place? How would he survive any more challenges? At least he wasn’t alone now. Would Diva help him?
It was foolish to think an ordinary boy like him could save his sister by himself. All he wanted was to find a way back to Selo. He’d tell adults how to get here so they could rescue Nia. Maybe Pavel had already brought them back to the Stone Forest, and they’d be on their way.
But how could they open the gate without his medallion?
***
Theo stirred on the bed. Something sharp poked into his side, and he bolted upright. He held his hand over his thumping heart. It was only Boo, not the Harpy. The magpie hopped onto the floor, tossing his head as he croaked.
“Boo, you’re okay.” Theo reached down to pat the bird’s feathers.
Sitting outside the tent, Diva cut palm-sized green fruit in half. “Boo’s a funny name.”
“I call him that because he seemed afraid of his reflection.”
“Waak, waak.” Boo shook his head.
Diva laughed, and Theo could only imagine the magpie was saying “Not true.”
Theo joined Diva on the floor. Would she help him find Nia if he asked? He had no idea where to start looking for his sister. Nia must be terrified—and maybe even hurt. He opened his mouth to ask for help when his stomach grumbled.
Diva pushed a bowl of nuts and berries toward him. “You must be thirsty, too,” she said as she handed him a piece of the green fruit she’d cut.
Tiny hairs on the shell tickled his hand. He smelled the fruit, then sucked on the pulpy red center. “I can’t taste or smell it.”
“Nope. It’s a water fruit. No taste. No smell.” A shadow crossed her face. “It’s all there is to drink around here because the river’s poisoned.”
“Where do you get fruit? I haven’t seen any live trees.”
“From the temple and a few other sacred places Lamia hasn’t ruined.”
“Lamia!” Theo quaked. “Why would she destroy Dragon Village? Isn’t Zmey, her brother, its ruler?”
“He was. Dragon Village gets its ancient name from him: Zmeykovo.” Staring hard at him, Diva narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips into a tight line. “Lamia stole it from him, then burned everything: our villages and library. My sisters were researching our history, so they had a few books here.”
Another question burned on Theo’s tongue. He held his breath, but the words slipped out in a whisper, “When did she do all this?” Had this happened yesterday?
“The worst of Lamia’s treachery started twelve years ago when I was a baby.”
“Twelve?” Theo let out a deep sigh. If it was that long ago, it couldn’t be because he’d wished a dragon would capture Nia. It must have been when Lamia stole Old Lady Witch’s daughter. But why? “What happened?”
“Lamia’s terrorized Dragon Village for centuries. She and Zmey battle constantly, like fire and water, but Zmey used to be able to keep her in check because she was terrified of him. Twelve years ago, they fought for control of the kingdom. Even though almost everyone in Dragon Village, including my sisters, was on Zmey’s side, Lamia still won.” Diva paused, clenching her hands. “As her dark magic grew stronger, she released evil creatures like the Harpies from Zandan, the castle prison.”
Theo leaned closer. “Wh-what did she do to them? Zmey? Your sisters?”
“She turned Zmey into stone and hid him where no one could find him.”
“Stone?” Could the statue at the Stone Forest be the real dragon? “I found a dragon statue of Zmey.”
Diva’s eyes lit up. “In the human world?”
“Yes, and I-I think Zmey spoke in my mind after I touched his statue,” Theo added. “He must have magic left if he can do that.”
“What did he say?”
“He gave me a message that the magpie could help me find the key. That’s how I ended up in Dragon Village.”
“Interesting.” Diva scrutinized him, making Theo twitch.
“What about your sisters?”
Diva sighed. “Lamia imprisoned them and other survivors in Zandan, making them extract gems from the mines.”
“Are all your sisters there?” he asked, his gut wrenching. Was Nia there, too? How was he going to rescue her?
“Yes ... no. One had stayed here to take care of me.” Diva got up, pacing the room as she sucked on a piece of water fruit.
“Where is she now?”
“She’s gone.” Her voice cracked.
“Where? Out protecting animals?”
Diva stopped walking and wiped away an escaped tear. “No. Dead. Yesterday, on Eniovden.”
Theo pressed his hands to his spinning head. Eniovden, the name old people called Midsummer’s Day. “D-did Lamia kill her?” He held his breath. Please don’t let Nia be dead.
“Not directly.” Diva slid to the floor next to him and brought her knees up to her chest. “My sister and her deer were patrolling the forest w
hen Harpies attacked and killed her.”
“Why didn’t you kill the Harpy in the watchtower, then?”
“She wasn’t the one, and, anyway, Samodivi don’t kill for revenge,” Diva said. “Harpies usually never bothered us. I’m sure Lamia told them to do it.”
“Can’t anyone stop the dragon?”
“I’ve been looking in the books to see if there’s a way to defeat her.” She sighed. “I’d do anything to save my sisters.”
Anger and fear bubbled up inside Theo. Anger at the cruel Lamia. Anger at his helplessness. And fear that he was too late. It would destroy his mother to lose a child, after she’d already lost her husband. He couldn’t let Lamia ruin his family.
He gripped the medallion beneath his shirt until his knuckles turned white. Seeming to pulse with life, the metal grew warm beneath his fingertips, beating as one with his own heartbeat, feeding his fury and giving him strength.
Between gritted teeth, Theo muttered, “I’m going to kill the dragon.”
“You?” Diva looked him up and down. “What makes you think you can kill Lamia when her own brother failed? Why do you even want to?”
“She kidnapped my sister!” he shouted.
“How do you know it was Lamia?”
“I felt her hot breath and scales. And ...” Theo pulled the golden scale from his pocket. “I found this on the ground.”
Diva examined it, nodding, her face grim. “Could be. It looks like one of Lamia’s.” She handed the scale back to Theo, went into the tent, and returned holding a leather-bound book with a frayed, purple cover. She sat next to him and leafed through the pages.
“This is Lamia.” Diva jabbed her finger on a black ink drawing.
Theo’s heart raced. The dragon’s cold eyes screamed of evil. Three snarling dog heads spit fire, and row after row of scales covered the enormous flying reptile and her spiked tail.
“Each of her heads can swallow a person whole,” Diva continued. “How will you kill that?”
“I don’t know,” Theo whispered. “But I have to rescue Nia.”
The Unborn Hero of Dragon Village Page 5
