Kosara stepped out of the mist, her presence more ethereal than it had been before. “The silver arrow you have was forged with dragon breath. It is the only way you can defeat Lamia.”
How did she know he had the arrow? From the vision in the pool? Kosara’s image faded before he could ask.
“Fear not.” Kosara’s melodic voice drifted around him. “Use your instincts and your special gift.”
Theo stood and lifted his gaze to the ghostly image. Her benevolent smile dissolved his fears. Was he under her spell, or was she sincere?
“Time is running out for Dragon Village. We need your help.” Kosara bowed slightly. “Diva will accompany you. She is a child of nature, and creatures will obey her. With good friends, you can achieve anything.”
Diva whispered, “Don’t be afraid. Believe in yourself, and you can save your sister and help Dragon Village, too.”
“Seek Jabalaka in the Cold Marsh.” Kosara’s last words were nothing more than a whisper, a gentle touch tickling his ears. They faded with the setting of the sun.
Theo stared at the mist until Diva nudged him. “We can sleep here. Kosara’s presence will protect us from the Harpies. We’ll head out at first light to find Jabalaka. But right now ...” She removed her pouch and dug inside. “Let me patch Boo’s wing.”
“Diva,” Theo said as he gently removed Boo from the inside of his shirt and placed the magpie on a soft patch of moss, “why did Kosara say Dragon Village needs my help? And why did you say Bendis would explain how I could beat Lamia? No one’s given me answers, just more questions.”
“I think that’s why Kosara is sending us to see Jabalaka.” Diva opened a jar and rubbed the yellow, spearmint-smelling ointment into the magpie’s wing while Boo croaked softly.
“But ... why can’t you defeat the dragon? You know how to fight, how to heal. You know all about Dragon Village.” He paused. “You could shoot the silver arrow. You don’t need me. I’ll only slow you down.”
She looked at him as if glancing into his soul. “I have my suspicions, but I don’t know all the answers. Jabalaka has ... special knowledge of these things. It’s best to let him tell you.”
“Fine, I’ll wait.” Theo sat on the moss beside her and stroked the magpie’s feathers, but the bird didn’t move. “Is Boo going to be okay?”
Diva nodded. “He’ll be fine by morning. The healing ointment works wonders, as you remember from your own wound.”
He touched his cheek. The cut had healed completely. “Did Kosara intend to hurt him?” Theo spoke softly.
“What?” Diva jerked her head back. “No. Of course not. Boo was in the wrong place. She respects nature. We all do ... or used to before Lamia ruled.”
Theo nodded, believing her. Kosara had only expected him to be brave and not run away when the cobra appeared. “Will you tell me about Dragon Village, what it was like before?”
Diva retrieved the leather-bound book from her pouch and opened it to a well-worn page. “This was Samodivi Fortress, where I met you. My sister told me how laughter rang down the streets like music.”
Light shone on a golden gate, adorned with winged horses, like the ones where he landed. A multitude of colors decorated houses lining the streets. In the yards, children swung on ivy hanging off gigantic trees. Adults gathered flowers from magnificent gardens, blooming with every conceivable hue.
Theo breathed in deep, imagining the wonderful fragrance. “It was beautiful, the way legends described it.”
“It was.” Diva sighed. “My sisters used to play in the river you saw when you arrived. It smelled of honeysuckle.” She turned a page, showing a golden river flowing past the fortress. “Whenever an animal had young, they bathed them in Samodivi Lake, where the river ends, to bring them health and protection.”
“Was the water magical all the time?” Theo asked. “The old people claim water in Selo has magic, but only certain days of the year.”
“Everything in Dragon Village has some kind of magic.” Diva hugged the book to her chest. “My sister said magpies used to visit every year to perform a ceremony at Samodivi Lake, but they haven’t been here since I’ve been alive. Well, except Boo now.”
She flipped through more pages, stopping to show Theo a picture of a field with magpies flying above thousands of flowers that looked like bright yellow suns. “If we ever defeat Lamia, we can hold the ceremony again. I’d love to see it.”
“It’s beautiful,” Theo said. “I’m glad you’re coming with me, Diva. I don’t think I could fight Lamia by myself.”
“I want to defeat her as much as you do, so my home will be happy again.” She put the book back into her pouch. “We should rest. I’ll start a fire. You can help by getting dry moss and twigs.”
Theo pulled up clumps of moss and found a few sticks. He dumped them beside the pile Diva had gathered.
“Next time, you only need to get the dry parts,” she said as she tossed the dirt and roots aside. “Watch what I do, in case you have to make the next one.”
After breaking the branches into smaller pieces, she laid them out by size. She took a knife from the sheath at her side, then dug in her pouch for a piece of flint. She made a bird’s nest out of dried moss and built up kindling around it. When she had formed a teepee, she scraped pieces off the flat side of the flint into the bird’s nest with the knife. Then she turned it around and ran the knife down the rounded sides until sparks lit the mossy nest. As the flames grew, she added larger sticks. The twigs crackled, and soon the flames blazed.
Theo curled up next to the warmth with Boo beside him. Thoughts about what Jabalaka would tell him kept him awake late into the night.
Chapter 6
Whispers in the Dark
At sunrise, after eating nuts and berries, Theo slung his bow over one shoulder and set Boo on the other. The magpie hopped around, then finally settled down and snuggled close. Nerves wracked Theo’s brain as he wondered what Jabalaka would tell him.
Diva sat with her eyes closed as if deep in thought, her face tilted toward the sky. Small silver freckles sparkled on her cheeks. She blinked, stretching as she stood. “We should practice shooting before we leave.”
“Will you teach me? I’ve never used a bow and arrow.”
Diva sighed. “I should have known. Watch me and do the same.”
They walked to the edge of the forest, and she looked until she found a large, dead tree.
“One. Position arrow.” With the bow pointing down, Diva nocked an arrow.
“Two. Stretch bow.” She pulled the string back until the bow was an arch with the arrow feathers close to her eye.
“Three. Aim.” She raised the bow and pointed it at the dead tree.
“Release.”
Thwack. The arrow struck the tree in the dead center of the trunk.
“See? Simple. One, two, three, release.” Diva positioned another arrow and let it fly.
It soared through the air, hitting the tree trunk next to her first shot.
“Your turn.” Dancing like a butterfly around Theo, she grinned, her eyes like smoldering embers. “Come on. You can do it. It’s easy and fun.”
Theo removed the silver arrow from his quiver and strained to pull the bow string back. His hands trembled at the thought of fighting Lamia with this weapon.
“Wait!” Diva clasped her hand over his. “Practice with my arrows. Yours is special.”
He replaced the silver arrow and took the one Diva offered. Boo squawked in his ear and hopped on his shoulder.
“Not now, Boo.” He placed the magpie on the ground.
Theo bit his lower lip and took several quick breaths. His neck muscles bulged as he forced back the string. He stared at the arrow Diva had shot into the tree. Could he hit next to it? He squinted as he released the arrow.
Thunk. It landed in the moss a few feet in front of him.
“Not bad for your first try,” Diva said.
Not bad? That was terrible, but he appreciated her en
couragement.
“You’re too tense. Relax. Try along with me.” Diva fitted an arrow in her bow, raised it, and aimed at the dead tree.
Theo copied her movements.
Diva cast a quick glance at him. “Steady. Relax your body. Let out a deep breath.”
He breathed out, feeling his shoulders lighten.
“Slowly unwind your fingers and release the arrow.” Diva let hers fly with accuracy.
He focused on the targeted tree and loosened his hold. The arrow shot straight at it. Thunk.
“Great shot!” Diva clapped him on the back. “It’s low, but you hit the tree. Easy, isn’t it?”
Theo shrugged and prepared his next shot. It wasn’t easy, but he wasn’t going to give up. Nia needed him. He’d gotten her into this mess; he had to be able to get her out of it. “How did you learn to use the bow? You’re a master.”
“My sister taught me as part of my Samodiva training, so I could protect the forest animals.” She sighed. “I miss her laughter and even arguing with her.”
“We’ll find your other sisters and mine, too.” Theo laid his hand on Diva’s shoulder. “Nia wasn’t always kind to me, but I miss her.”
Diva cleared her throat. “Tell me about her.”
“She’s my twin, but we’re not much alike,” Theo said. “Don’t even look similar. She has round chipmunk cheeks and dark hair.”
“But what’s she like?” Diva leaned closer. “Is she brave, and does she care for animals the way you do?”
Theo shook his head. “She’s never liked animals, but when we were younger, she would make sure I didn’t get hurt, especially when we went camping. I guess because my skin’s so pale and I bruise easily, she thought I was a China doll.”
“China doll?”
“Sorry. That just means I’m not so fragile that I’ll break easily.” Theo stretched his legs. “As we got older, Nia changed. She still protected me, but she started acting like she was a princess, always wanting the best of everything.” Theo scowled. “Mom had to wear old, torn dresses a lot so Nia could have whatever the other girls had—fancy shoes and clothes, the newest toys.”
Diva huffed. “Sounds bratty.”
“Kinda, but I think she missed not having a father around.” It had been difficult for him, too. He’d tried to be the man of the family, but craved the love of a father, someone to teach him how to fish, or swim, or play soccer with him. “I think she felt inferior to the other kids who had both parents.”
“What happened to your father?” Diva asked.
Theo looked off into the distance. “He drowned ... on the night I was born.”
“Well, you didn’t have a father either, and you’re not selfish.”
He pulled back the string and let another arrow fly. He groaned. This one missed the tree again.
“Let me tell you a Samodivi secret—or trick.” She handed him arrows and sprawled on the ground. “Set all your focus on the place you want to hit. Relax your muscles. Concentrate on that spot. Your mind will open to the possibility, and your vision will tunnel toward your target. When all you can see is what you want to shoot, let the arrow fly.”
Theo tried a few more shots. A couple got closer to the tree, but most landed in the moss in front of him. “This is impossible.”
“It’ll get easier in time,” Diva said. “You can practice later. Ready to go?”
He nodded. How would he ever be ready to save his sister from a three-headed monster?
***
Theo and Diva reached the Cold Marsh without encountering any of the glowing blue insects that ate people from the inside, or any other dangerous creatures. The only frightening thing was Theo’s aim with arrows. Every time they stopped to rest, he practiced, but he didn’t improve.
He shuddered at the edge of the marsh. Moss-covered trees held their broken limbs upward as if surrendering to a foe. A dead branch crackled and moaned before it splashed into the putrid water. With a glug, it released a burst of sulfuric fumes.
His gut tightened. “Who is Jabalaka?”
Diva smirked, as if at a personal joke. “He’s the Keeper of Secrets. Scary fellow.”
Theo pictured a wizard with wand and pointed hat, someone who could magically make everything better. He inspected a bridge crossing the marsh and pressed his lips tight. “Houston, we have a problem.”
“Who’s Houston?” Diva asked.
“It’s ... never mind.”
Theo pointed to the bridge. “This is our problem. The wood is rotten and missing slats. We’ll have to walk through the water to get to Jabalaka’s house.”
“I don’t want to walk through that.” Diva curled her lips and wrinkled her nose. “It smells like dead animals. I’ll never get the odor out of my leather boots.”
Theo laughed. He hadn’t thought anything bothered Diva. “After we destroy Lamia, you can make new boots from dragon skin.”
She crinkled her nose. “No, thank you.”
A splash echoed farther in the marsh. Closer to shore, moldering leaves and twigs slugged along the murky water that bubbled up and belched from time to time. Instead of the croaks and peeps Theo was used to back home, shrill shrieks and low murmurings gurgled throughout the wetland.
He rubbed goose bumps on his forearm and pointed. “It looks like a light’s flickering out there. Let’s see if there’s another way across.”
Their footwear slurped through the mud along the water’s edge. Boo nodded off to sleep inside Theo’s shirt as if lulled by the sound. Before long, they reached a place where a mossy path jutted into the water leading to the lights.
Diva looked back from where they had come. “I see why Jabalaka lives here. No one would be able to track us and find him. Our footprints have filled in already with a new layer of slime.”
Theo walked to the edge of the marsh. A tiny, green creature jumped out of its hiding spot and leapt deeper into the water. Theo placed one foot on the floating moss. “Let’s hope it’ll hold us.” Grinning at Diva, he added, “I don’t care if my shoes get smelly.”
She lifted her foot and grimaced. “These are already ruined. I’ll have to make another pair once I get home.”
Theo stepped on the moss and stumbled forward. “Come on. It’s squishy like a sponge, but solid enough.”
Walking single file, they trekked along the path. Eerie green lights flared from time to time over the water’s surface. At least they weren’t the blue insect ones.
Diva spun around, holding her bow ready to release an arrow. “Vodni.”
Theo groaned. “Not something else!”
“Vodni are malicious water beings. Watch where you step. They grab—”
A large branch crashed into the water beside them, gurgling as it sank. Theo jumped back, and his foot snagged in a hole in the slippery moss. Losing his balance, he landed on his back in the muck, making the path ripple like waves. Slime splashed over his face.
He wiped it off, streaking the mess like war paint. “Nasty!”
Boo croaked inside Theo’s shirt and pecked at his chest.
“Sorry, Boo. Are you okay?”
The magpie hopped out and tossed his head back and forth.
“Theo, quick! Get up!” Diva shouted.
Two green, webbed hands burst from the water, and sticky claws grasped Theo’s hair and poked his face. More hands clutched his ankles like leeches and dragged him into the murky water. Diva reached for him, but his wet hand slipped out of her grasp.
“Let go!” Theo kicked and slapped at the creatures.
He held his breath before the hands pulled him under. The water thickened like glue, a heavy weight against his chest. Theo kicked and forced himself upward through the mire. Sharp nails continued to poke and pinch him. He struck the creatures, but they darted out of his reach. Bubbles escaped into the goop as he released his breath. He couldn’t hold it much longer. Only seconds of air left.
Something pulled at his quiver. Theo reached over his shoulder and gr
abbed the creature. The captured one shrieked, and the rest scattered. More bubbles seeped into the mire. Clinging tight to the squirming creature, Theo kicked through the sludge and poked his head above the surface. He spat the filth from his lips and breathed deeply while holding the wiggling creature at arm’s length. Bulbous green eyes in an old man’s wrinkled face stared back at him.
“Theo!” Diva kneeled and held out a hand. “Grab on, and I’ll help you out.”
“Take this thing instead.” He thrust the child-sized creature upward toward her. “And hold him tight.”
Tendrils of moss hung from the Vodnik’s chin, entwining with its scraggly, green beard and hair. Water dripped off algae covering the creature. The webbed-clawed old man struggled as his black-scaled body dangled above the path in Diva’s grasp.
“Stop moving.” Diva glared at the creature as she shook him.
The old man drew back his long pointed ears and hissed, exposing sharp teeth along his broad mouth. The other slimy creatures scampered into trees where their glowing eyes protruded from the hollows. A dirge of hissing voices joined the captured Vodnik’s screeches.
Theo extracted himself from the slime with a slurp. The semi-solid mass that had trapped him slowly dissolved, filling in the hole he had left.
“What is this gunk?” He brushed off the remaining residue from his soaked clothing.
“Suffocating water,” the creature hissed. “You trespassing. I drown you and take you soul. Save it in cup to make me powerful.”
Several Vodni crept out of a hollow and twittered, bouncing on their feet.
Theo removed his quiver and peered inside. “My silver arrow’s gone! These creatures stole it.”
With one hand wrapped around the Vodnik’s waist, Diva bounded to the old tree. The creatures screeched and disappeared. She reached inside, but withdrew her hand almost immediately. “Ouch, they scratch like wild cats.” She returned to where Theo was and shook the Vodnik. “Tell them to give us back the arrow.”
“No no no! Mine. No soul. I keep arrow. Only trade for soul!” The Vodnik leered at Boo. “I take bird’s if no can have other one’s.”
Diva shook the creature more. “You’re. Not. Having. Any. Souls!”
The Unborn Hero of Dragon Village Page 7
