“Here, I can help,” Jane exclaimed. She leaned over his chest and began compressions.
“We need to push the drops into his blood,” Flying Cloud said.
They worked for almost five minutes straight before Running Wolf suddenly gasped loudly.
“Stop,” Running Wolf gasped. He struggled to sit up and looked around. “Is it gone?” He shuddered violently as he thought about the creature that had taken hold of him.
“Yes,” Flying Cloud replied tiredly.
“Thank you,” Running Wolf said weakly.
“We cannot stay here,” Jane said. She hated pointing out the fact but Jacob’s life was hanging in the balance and she desperately wanted to return.
“Go. I will be fine,” Running Wolf said. He waved them off. “I can feel my strength returning. Besides, I’m not returning to the village. Now that I ‘m free, I am going to see the world outside the village.”
Flying Cloud sagged to her knees as a great wave of weariness rolled over her. Fighting through the exhaustion, she carefully returned everything to her bag. Suddenly she wondered about the wisdom of volunteering to help, what if her strength and knowledge were not enough?
Jane hurried to where Tasker was struggling back to his feet. He dismissed her helping hand.
“I’m all right, girl,” Tasker muttered. “We need to get back to the mushroom circle before the Naga has us for lunch and return to Stockton Island.” The trip back up the hundreds of steps leading out of the Portsmouth Mine was much longer than Jane remembered the journey going down. When they finally arrived back at the surface, she sat down on the ground and wearily shook her head. Her legs shook with exertion, and beads of sweat dripped from her face.
Flying Cloud looked up at the sky in amazement. Suddenly a wave of fear passed over her. It was so open. The blue sky was empty of clouds, and the sun blazed brilliantly, bringing a wave of warmth over her that she found disconcerting.
The sun was high in the sky but beginning its downward track. Jane struggled back to her feet the moment her breath returned and her heart stopped racing. To the south where Serpent Lake lay an inarticulate roar came, and she shivered as the sound bore into her.
“How do we get past it?” Jane asked. She followed Tasker into the woods. Flying Cloud and Eriunia walked side by side behind them listening carefully to the dwarf as he spoke.
“I had hoped it would’ve returned to the water by now. The legends of the Nagas tell of them being fond of sacrifices. This creature will allow us passage if we can offer it something it wants,” Tasker said as he walked. As he talked the distant shores of Serpent Lake were visible through breaks in the trees.
“What do they demand?” Jane asked curiously.
“Normally human blood, but that is out of the question,” Tasker said with a dry smile. “He might be satisfied with a gem of great worth.” He rolled the stone he had taken from the bottom of the mine in his hand and hoped it would be enough.
They struggled up a small rise just south of them, and Jane found her strength waning again and gasped when they reached the top. The Naga had not only emerged from the lake to watch over the mushroom circle upon their return but his thirty-foot-long body was now coiled around the perimeter of the mushroom circle. As they stood watching its great hooded body, it turned to them and spoke.
Chapter 7
Ambushed
“I see you there,” the Naga hissed slowly. Despite its human looking face the eyes were those of a serpent and they flickered across the hillside watching them. “Why have you disturbed my home?”
“It was not our intention to disturb you,” Tasker replied. “We however needed to meet with the Lost Ojibwa and this was the closest method of travel. Will you allow us to leave in peace?”
“No!” the Naga hissed as its coils undulated around the circle and broke off several of the smaller trees. “You must pay a price.”
“What do you demand?” Jane asked suddenly. The sun was moving in the sky much too rapidly for comfort, and they had to move fast if they were going to save Jacob.
“Something of value to you …” suddenly the Naga stopped speaking as its eyes were drawn to a nearby stand of trees.
Jane and the others looked around, wondering what the creature would take that they could offer. She reached into her pockets, searching, but only the heart stone from the mine entrance was still there.
“There’s no way it would want that,” Jane muttered to herself. Still, she decided to try, and she pulled the stone out and held it up.
“What is that?” Flying Cloud asked.
“One of the stones from below in the mine,” Jane replied.
She held it up for the naga to see. “What of this?” To her amazement the creature seemed fascinated in the colorful stone and slowly its great head lowered down.
“That is a special stone,” the naga said softly. “Not for its rarity, but that stone guards a great secret for the people who once called these woods home.”
“Will you take it and let us leave?” Jane asked. “My friend is dying and we have to hurry.”
“Very well,” the naga replied. It reached out carefully with the tip of its tail and wrapped it around the stone.
With one last look at them, the great snake turned and slithered back towards the lake.
“Take my hand quickly,” Tasker shouted as he reached out to each side. There was a rattle of stones and the snapping of small trees as the Naga slithered away.
Jane grabbed Eriunia’s hand and Tasker’s with her other hand. She held on tightly waiting for the dwarf to open the mushroom circle and take them away from the approaching creature. She looked over to where Flying Cloud should have been standing and realized that the girl was still a few feet away bent over something on the ground.
The tunnel flashed around them. Tasker guided them back to Stockton Island. Jane began to see the myriad paths that existed below the surface of the earth. Thousands of passages and pathways led to every corner of the world and to every land where mushroom circles exsisted, pulling power from the magnetic lines that surrounded the earth. It was a built-in transportation network. One simply needed to know how to operate it.
A few minutes later they emerged from the ring on Stockton Island, and Jane breathed a sigh of relief, it was late afternoon, but they were still in time. As the others emerged from the tunnel, she hurried them to their feet and towards the fort. Tasker ran as fast as his short legs could carry him followed by the three women. All were gasping for breath when they finally broke from the forest and came within sight of the fort. There was a scurry of activity as the gate swung open, and Tasker collapsed on the ground just inside the structure. “Go!” he shouted to them.
Jane led Flying Cloud across the compound. They threw open the door of the smaller building and rushed inside. Bella was floating over the thrashing form of Jacob, who still lay on the table, his face pale and his breathing labored. The fairy net she had woven around his body to hold him still had frayed in places, and the strain of holding it left the fairy pale. She fluttered weakly above his head.
“Quick,” Bella said. “I can’t hold him much longer, but if I release him the poison will run its course.”
Flying Cloud rushed to Jacob’s side and looked at the handsome boy with a worried expression. The poison was nearing his heart. She needed to move quickly. If it reached his heart, she could do little to save him. Her hands trembled as she removed the medicine bag from around her neck and held it over Jacob’s body. She prayed aloud a moment, asking the great spirit who fashioned the world for help. Finished, she placed the medicine bag on Jacob’s chest over his heart. Immediately the healing powers of the medicine bag began to flow into him. The poison stopped moving towards his heart and began slowly retreating. The battle was fierce though as the poison gave ground grudgingly. Soon sweat soaked Flying Clouds brow and she felt a great weariness coming over her.
When Flying Cloud thought the poison was pushed back to the init
ial wound, she dipped her hand into her Grandfather’s bandolier bag for what she had gathered from Serpent Lake—a small vial filled with Naga blood she had taken from a depression in a rock. Ever so carefully, she motioned for Jane to remove the bandage from Jacob’s wound. There was an sharp intake of breaths at the sight of the wound. His side was literally turning into stone. She allowed a single drop of the Naga’s blood to fall into the wound, hoping what she had sensed earlier would be true.
The effect was immediate. Jacob’s breathing slowed and his limbs stopped thrashing about. Between the Naga’s blood and the power of the medicine bag, the poison was driven from his body until it actually fell to the floor and soaked into the dirt.
“It’s done,” Flying Cloud said in utter exhaustion, collapsing.
Jane leapt forward and caught the native girl as she fell. With Eriunia’s help she arranged Flying Cloud carefully on the nearby cot and returned to Jacob’s side. He was breathing peacefully now and the wound on his side where the bullet had struck him was completely healed except for a small scar. The fairy net that Bella had spent the day holding in place dissolved slowly. Then the exhausted fairy fluttered over to the weapons rack on the wall and sat down on a cross beam.
“Thank goodness that’s over,” Bella murmured.
Jacob woke with a start and looked around, “What happened?”
“You came through the Divide with a poisoned bullet wound,” Jane explained. She smiled at him as he sat up and looked around. “We spent most of the day trying to track down someone to cure you.” She pointed over to where Flying Cloud was resting peacefully in the cot.
Jacob shook his head once to clear it. “It feels like I’ve been fighting against a cloud that filled my mind with cotton,” he said. The girl lying on the cot was nearly the same age as Jane and nearly as pretty, with jet black hair and tanned skin. Her clothes looked to be straight out of every picture he had ever seen of native American attire. Jacob swung slowly to his feet and walked to where she was sleeping.
“Thank you,” he whispered quietly not wanting to wake her up. He was rewarded with a sleepy smile and a flutter of her long black lashes as she looked up at him for a moment, then slipped back into sleep.
“We need to pack our things and move,” Tasker interrupted suddenly. The dwarf rushed through the door with a wild look in his eyes. “This is better than we could have hoped for.”
“What is?” Jane asked. She was tired and just wanted to sleep even if it was only for a few minutes.
“Commander Darkback has landed his troops on the southern half of Stockton Island,” Tasker explained. “Thankfully Puck took the initiative and prepared our forces to flee. Which we’re going to do but not in the direction everyone thinks we will’.”
“What?” Jane and Jacob asked in unison.
“Just get everything we can carry and head for the ships,” Tasker bellowed loudly.
“What’s going on,” Flying Cloud asked sleepily as she turned to look at the dwarf. Her eyes caught on Jacob and her heart fluttered. He was handsome. She felt immediately drawn towards him.
“If his troops are here, that means he doesn’t know we have ships, and he left their fortress unguarded,” Tasker replied. “This is our chance to appropriate his ships and take Madeline Island, while stranding him here.” Tasker chuckled while he scooped up the few things he had managed to salvage from the fort and turned towards the door. “Well, come on!”
Jacob gave a start, “Can I help you?” He reached to Flying Cloud and offered her his hand. He felt his face blushing as she smiled at him and reached out daintily with her own hand to accept his assistance.
“Time to go,” Jane muttered under her breath as she watched Flying Cloud stand slowly and wobble back and forth while Jacob tried to support her. “Sheesh.” She turned away and reached out her hand to Bella, who fluttered slowly into her palm and then accepted a spot on her shoulder.
They followed Tasker out the door and through the side gate. Along the path a steady stream of Puck’s goblins and freed slaves headed to the dock. When they arrived at the docks, the area was a hive of activity. All the ships had returned and were slipping into what space was available along the piers. Everyone was carrying supplies down the wooden planks and into the bellies of the waiting ships.
“Come on,” Tasker pointed to one of the larger ships. This one sported a pair of masts and a dozen oars on each side. A large contingent of fighters were already aboard, and more were loading. When they also went aboard, Tasker said, “We have a special duty tonight.” He smiled as they walked across the deck and entered the single door which led into an open cabin that seemed to also double as a chart room.
Jane looked around as the ship rocked gently around her. The movement of the waves made it difficult to focus, but she hoped she would get used to it quickly. They went to a long table bolted to the floor. Tasker crossed to a closed cabinet and pulled a long sea chart from the container.
“Don’t worry. This map doesn’t cross over to anything,” Tasker said as he saw Jane’s eyes widen. “We’re going to take two ships and swing south along the shore. Puck and a few of the best goblins are still ashore and are going to lead Commander Darkback on a merry chase before using the mushroom circle to escape. Once we get close to our goal, I have a special mission for each of you. If everything goes according to plan we’ll sail away with four Ironships.”
“I can’t go with you,” Jacob said suddenly, and immediately all eyes were drawn to him with a clamor of questioning voices.
“What do you mean, Jacob?” Jane said as she walked to where he was standing with his arms folded.
“They have my mom,” Jacob said quietly. “If they were willing to try to kill me, they’ll kill her. I have to make sure my mom’s safe.” He hung his head, “I know you all went through a horrible time to save my life, but I have to make sure my mom’s safe before I do anything else. Think about it, Jane. What if they targeted your grandparents?”
Jane stumbled to a halt and stared at him. Her eyes got wide suddenly, and she turned to Tasker.“I have to make sure my grandparents are safe,” she said, her voice filled with panic. “I’ve been gone all day. What if they tried to take my grandparents while I was gone.”
“Go. Make sure they’re safe,” Tasker said. “We’ll see to the castle here. Be careful. The Adherents are taking this further than they ever have before. Trying to kill people across the Divide is a sign of how confident they’re becoming.”
“We’ll be back as soon as we know everyone’s safe,” Jacob promised as he nodded to Jane. “Your house or mine?”
“Mine,” Jane replied. “Your house is most likely still being watched. We can sneak into Grandpa’s house from the back. No one will see us.”
* * * * *
She stepped through the Divide. A moment later the trees and privacy fence of her grandparent’s backyard came into view. Jacob appeared beside her a second later, and they both looked around, but the yard was dead quiet. The small gazebo her grandpa had built two years ago was sitting empty, and the night sky was filled with lights.
“What do you think?” Jacob whispered. There was only one small light on inside the house and no sign of movement. The night was silent.
“Let’s go see if Grandpa Able’s there,” Jane replied. “Considering how we vanished from the police station, he’s probably pretty worried.”
They crept up to the back of the house. Jane slid the patio door open. All was silent. The house seemed empty. Then she heard a muffled sound from the bedroom on the main floor. Jane dropped all pretense of stealth and bolted for the bedroom door. She flipped lights on as she ran and threw the door open, calling for her grandmother and grandfather. Her heart pounded, praying that they were safe.
“Jany?”
She breathed a sigh of relief as Grandma Kay looked towards her and shaded her eyes against the sudden burst of light. “Where have you been, girl?” she asked. She was sitting up in bed with her rea
ding glasses perched precariously on the end of her nose. The iPad Jane and Jacob had spent time setting up was in her lap, and she looked down at it and smiled to whoever was on the screen.
“Yes, she just ran into the house,” Grandma Kay said. “I don’t know where she was. I can ask her.” She looked up at Jane, “Your mom wants to know where you were all day?”
“She wouldn’t believe me even if I told her,” Jane muttered. She crossed to the bed and sat down on the end of it with a grimace. Fully knowing what was about to happen, she picked up the iPad and turned it around so the built in camera was facing her. There on the screen, was her mom’s worried face staring back at her.
“Where were you?” her mother said. “Your grandfather called here this afternoon and said you disappeared from a police station with some boy.”
Jane shook her head, “It’s all right, Mom. It was a misunderstanding. They let us go when they found out the drugs weren’t his …” Jane stopped as another wave of shock passed over her mother’s face followed by an eruption of tears.
“DRUGS!”
“Mom, we had nothing to do with it!” Jane nearly shouted back. “I promise you, we had nothing to do with any of it. Someone’s trying to set Jacob up.” Jane stopped, it was obvious her mother was beyond reasoning. Her face disappeared from the camera, and Jane heard sobbing and the sound of her mother blowing her nose loudly.
“Where’s Grandpa?” Jane asked her grandmother finally. “He can help explain this.”
“He’s out looking for you two,” Grandma Kay explained. “He came home with some wild story about how you disappeared from the police station and told me to stay in the house while he went looking.”
“I’ll call him,” Jane muttered. “Jacob, can you grab my phone?”
Jacob heard the request and trotted over to where the stairs led up to Jane’s room. His sense of apprehension grew as he mounted the stairs, and his mind told him something was wrong. This is too easy. The Adherents know where they live. Why have they left Jane’s grandmother here by herself? He slid the door open. Suddenly a dark shape slammed into him and knocked him back towards the stairs. In an effort to stop his backward momentum, Jacob grabbed the railing and managed to pull himself back up the stairs before he fell, even though a piece of banister came away in his hands.
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