Fierce Creatures (Away From Whipplethorn Book Two)

by A W Hartoin

“Gerald!” I screamed.

  The katana tried to grab me, but I dodged him and flew over the fray to Gerald. I shot six fireballs, the hottest I could muster, at the hand holding Gerald. I didn’t think about missing and hitting Gerald by accident. I should’ve. I’d been known to miss on occasion, but in that moment I was lucky. Two connected, on the hand and the arm. The other four whizzed harmlessly overhead.

  The sluagh dropped Gerald and I swooped down to catch him. That time I missed. He hit the ground before I reached him. He lay limp and tangled at Iris’s feet. I landed beside her and dropped to my knees.

  “Gerald!”

  I clutched him to my chest and spread my wings. I couldn’t take off. As light as he was, he was too heavy for me. “Iris, help me!”

  But Iris wasn’t paying attention. She had her needle sword in both hands and stood ready against the female golden fairy heading toward us across the battlefield. Her cold cat eyes bored into mine. She swatted several wood fairies aside and formed a golden ball in her hand. She launched it. I dropped Gerald and jumped in front of Iris. I spread my hands and formed a flame shield in the air, hoping the ball would bounce off. It didn’t. It sailed right through and the golden fairy appeared in front of us. She grabbed me by the throat with both hands.

  “Got you,” she said in a soft voice that sent shivers down my spine.

  Iris hacked at her arms with her little sword, but the blade slid off, harmless. The golden fairy didn’t even look at Iris.

  “It’s time for us to have a little talk, Matilda,” the golden fairy said.

  My vision darkened and I tried to scratch at her face, but I couldn’t reach it. I don’t know where my fire was. For the first time, it failed me.

  Iris stabbed her sword at the golden fairy. She let go of my throat with one hand and grabbed Iris by hers. Iris flailed. She grabbed the fairy’s wrist and a tiny lizard ran out from Iris’s sleeve. It turned bright red, ran up the golden fairy’s arm, and bit her on the neck. She screamed and dropped us in a heap next to Gerald. The golden fairy clawed at her neck, but she couldn’t grab the lizard, which by now was smoking. She howled and staggered around until she fell over and went still.

  Then the lizard let go, shook itself like a dog, and returned to a normal green color. It ran back to Iris, zipped up her leg, and disappeared into her pocket.

  “Iris, that was amazing,” I said.

  “Sometimes all you need is Rufus.” Iris grinned.

  “You named the lizard?”

  “Of course. Pets have to be named.”

  I groaned. I’d never get rid of those lizards now.

  Gerald sat up and shook his head. “What happened?”

  Just then a sluagh crashed into one of the brown fairy’s shields. The shield wavered, and then disappeared. The sluagh swept the little brown fairy aside and lurched toward us.

  “Never mind,” said Gerald, scrambling to his feet. “I remember.”

  I formed a fire shield and stopped the sluagh. I shoved the shield and the sluagh tumbled backwards. “Come on!”

  We flew under the bed and stopped by the opposite leg, careful to stay in the shadows, but with a good view. There were skirmishes all around us, but I didn’t see Soren anywhere.

  Iris grabbed my arm. “What did you do?”

  “What makes you think I did something?”

  “You went into the council chamber, and everybody went crazy.”

  “They were already crazy. Did you see where Soren went?”

  Gerald pointed to a group of katana. “They took him out. That’s why we came out of the duct. We were trying to follow.”

  “Where did they take him?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. We lost them when all this happened.”

  “The commander,” said Iris. “I think I hear him. He’s talking about losing something. He sounds like he’s in terrible pain.”

  “Figure it out quick, Iris.” I pointed to the golden fairy, stirring on the ground. “I think she’s waking up and your lizard isn’t going to work twice.”

  “Quiet,” said Iris, closing her eyes. “I can’t get it. There’s too much going on.”

  “Maybe we should go to the Katana then,” said Gerald.

  I looked back at the other side of the bed. The golden fairy rose to her feet. Her fair hair was a jumble, somehow making her more beautiful. She formed another golden ball and looked for a place to launch it.

  “Now would be a good time,” I said and we flew away before she could spot us.

  The katana were engaging five fairies, but I hesitated to call them that. They had dog heads and lithe black bodies. The katana hacked at their clubs, but weren’t making any headway. I shot fireballs at the clubs and set them ablaze. It didn’t stop them, but they did hesitate long enough for the katana to get the upper hand.

  The katana drove them back until they turned and fled into a mouse hole in the baseboard.

  We landed next to the katana and they sheathed their swords.

  “Matilda Whipplethorn, bringer of change,” said the one who’d brought me out of the council chambers.

  “Somehow I don’t think you mean that as a compliment,” I said.

  “I don’t.” He wiped his bloody hands on the red sash tied around his waist.

  “Will you take us to Soren anyway? I really need to talk to him.”

  “I will bring you to the commander. He will decide what to do with you. Follow me.”

  He turned and walked away, unsheathing his sword again.

  “I don’t like the sound of that,” said Gerald.

  “He works for the commander,” I said. “It’s fine.”

  The katana spun around and bent low. His long straight nose nearly touched mine. His breath smelled like balsamic vinegar, sweet, but pungent. “I do not work for the commander. We’re his allies.”

  “Glad to hear it,” I said, doing my best not to flinch.

  The katana stalked off and we followed, not too closely. He led us to a section of the antique mall I’d never seen before. It was hidden back in a corner and filled with black lacquered furniture and screens.

  He stopped in front of two red ants at the foot of a lacquered chest. These two ants weren’t on leashes. They rose up at our arrival, opening and closing the pincers on the front of their heads. My stomach twisted as they appeared to be sizing us up for snack potential. The katana glanced at me and saw Iris grab my hand. He held his hand out flat to the ants and lowered it. The ants sank down into a relaxed position, but it didn’t make me feel any better. Those ants looked hungry.

  The katana turned to us. “Sheath your swords.”

  Iris and Gerald looked down at the swords in their hands, surprised.

  “They don’t have sheaths,” I said. “One of the dryads gave the swords to them.”

  The katana nodded. “Ah, yes. The ponderosa. Their swords are quite valuable. He will want them back.”

  Gerald’s grip tightened. “I want to keep it. I need a sword in this place.”

  “I agree, but it is not up to me. Put both swords in your belt.”

  Gerald stuck his sword under his belt and then did the same with Iris’s.

  “What’s your name?” asked Iris, shaking a little.

  “Daiki. Follow and stay quiet.”

  Daiki walked under the chest and like the council chambers there was a staircase with glowing fungus lighting the way and another one far at the back. We followed him up the main stairs and emerged into a space lit with fungus. I’d never seen so many different types. They lined the walls, making the room bright as daylight. The room was segmented with fairy-sized screens painted with beautiful birds, katana, and flowers. Iris sucked in her breath. “Who painted these?”

  Daiki smiled for the first time and it softened his taut features. “That’s not quiet, but we painted them.”

  “I thought you were warriors,” said Gerald.

  “It’s possible to be both.”

  “They’re wonderful,” said Ir
is.

  “Thank you,” said Daiki. “Come this way.”

  He led us through a maze of screens, each more intricate than the last, to a wide open room filled with ten rows of chairs on the left and open space on the right. In the front were maps and charts propped up on easels.

  “Someone’s calling you,” said Iris.

  Daiki raised a thin black eyebrow.

  Iris blushed. “I thought you might like to know. I’m sorry. I’ll be quiet.”

  “Your hearing is as exceptional as the commander claimed. He’ll be glad you have finally answered his call.”

  “His call?” I asked.

  Daiki didn’t answer, but slipped out a side exit.

  Gerald sat on a chair and stretched. “I’m so tired I could go to sleep right here.”

  “Me, too,” said Iris. “And I’m so hungry.”

  “You’re always hungry,” said Gerald.

  “I am not. I just appreciate good food.” She stretched out on three chairs and closed her eyes.

  “Well, you appreciate it twenty-four hours a day.”

  I slapped at Gerald’s hand. “What call is he talking about?”

  “How should I know? Maybe the commander was calling you during the battle. You are useful in a fight.”

  “Why don’t you just ask him?” Iris yawned.

  “I would if he was here,” I said.

  “Turn around,” said Iris.

  I did and found ten black shells scuttling across the room behind us. One was gliding around on the top of the others. I shuddered involuntarily. Practically anyone could creep up on me, but the phalanx gave me chills when they did it. Something about the shiny blackness of the shells and the weird noise they made when they got close. I could only just detect it when they were upon me and it was irritating.

  “Are you under there, Commander?” I asked.

  A shell popped up and revealed the commander’s first lieutenant. “Yes, and no.”

  My stomach dropped. I’d never seen Farue without the commander. “Where’s the commander, Farue?” I asked.

  The shells spread out and the one on top was lowered to the floor and flipped over. The commander lay curled up inside, covered in sopping wet bandages.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “DAIKI!” I YELLED. “Go find him, Gerald.”

  Gerald ran through the door Daiki had used.

  The rest of the phalanx stood up and gathered around the commander with solemn faces. They looked almost as bad as the commander with all their bandages and swaying.

  I dropped to my knees beside the commander’s shell and took his pulse. It wasn’t nearly as strong as a wood fairy pulse and had an odd rhythm, which could mean anything from nearly dead to fine.

  “Do you have a healer?” I asked Farue.

  “I’ve summoned the galen.”

  I held my hand up. Multiple colors were smeared across my palm and fingers.

  “Blood,” said Farue. “Not all the commander’s, obviously.”

  “Which one is his?”

  “Black.”

  “Black blood?” I asked.

  “Why not? The katana’s is blue,” said Farue.

  I wiped the blood on my dress. So much for impressing Soren. “Where’s that healer?”

  “Here’s Esmee,” said Farue.

  A lovely blond fairy glided through the door. Her long hair flowed around her head like she was underwater. She wore a white toga with dozens of gauzy scarves tied to her waist. I’d seen her species during my first battle with the spriggans when they treated all the combatants, but no one had told me the species were galen. She passed between the phalanx and examined the commander.

  She uncurled him from his fetal position and peeled the large bandage off his chest. The great slit underneath oozed with black blood. She reached inside one of the multitude of pouches tied at her waist and drew out a small blue vial. She poured several drops into the wound and the liquid formed into a blue line and glowed. Then she took a handful of spiderwebs out of a pouch and spread them across the commander’s chest. She murmured something I couldn’t make out and the webs tightened, closing up the wound.

  The galen took the commander’s pulse and then checked his gums, which weren’t their normal black but a sickly grey.

  Daiki rushed in, followed by five more katana and Gerald whose face was blotchy and red.

  “What’s the situation?” asked Daiki.

  “The spriggan forces have retreated for now,” said Farue.

  “This is when they get sneaky. Double the guards on all entrances,” said Daiki. “And bring in more ants.”

  The katana nodded to us and left, their hands on their scabbards.

  “How bad is it, Esmee?” asked Daiki.

  “He may recover.”

  “That’s not reassuring.”

  “It wasn’t meant to be. He’s lost a considerable amount of blood.”

  “Can’t you do anything?” I asked.

  Esmee looked at me with dark green eyes. Her hair started whipping around her face, snapping at me. “Why are you here?”

  I drew back, startled.

  “I brought her, Esmee,” said Daiki. “The commander wished to see her.”

  “So you were summoned,” said Esmee.

  “No,” I said, a little insulted as if I couldn’t have come without being called.

  “No matter,” said Esmee. “You’re here. How well can you control your fire?”

  “Very well. What do you need?”

  “Heat. Phalanx healing is known to improve with heat application.”

  I formed a red disk, just visible, and sent it to hover above the commander’s chest.

  “It won’t burn him?” asked Daiki.

  “Not as long as it doesn’t actually touch him,” I said.

  Esmee slid her hand between my disk and the commander’s chest. “Perfect. How long can you maintain it?” Her hair relaxed and floated down on her shoulders.

  “I kept one over my mother’s chest for an hour when she had a cold.”

  “That will do for now,” said Esmee. “He must be moved to a bed, so I can examine his other wounds.”

  The commander’s hand moved and grasped my wrist. “Got a light?” His eyes were barely open, but they were focused and clear. “I could use a smoke.”

  “Kukri,” said Esmee. “That is out of the question in your condition.”

  “Matilda, light my stick.” His voice weakened.

  Esmee’s mouth tightened around the edges. Her lovely hair coiled into angry springs. I looked at Daiki. His dark eyes said nothing. Iris knelt beside me, her face wet with tears.

  The commander watched me. “It ain’t smoke that’s done this to me.”

  I felt around his abdomen and found a pocket. Inside was a smoking stick, so wet with blood it made my stomach flip.

  “Do not light that stick,” said Esmee.

  I lit it, despite what she said. I never was much for following orders. The stick sputtered and fought my fire, but I managed to get it going. If the commander was dying, I’d give him what he wanted. Heck, I’d give him what he wanted if he wasn’t dying, just to do it. That’s how it was between us.

  I put the stick to his lips and he took a slow drag. “You were always my girl.” Then he closed his eyes.

  Esmee took his pulse and heaved a sigh.

  “Is he worse?” I asked.

  Esmee ignored me.

  I’d like to say there was fear in my question, fear that I’d done the wrong thing, but there wasn’t. I’d done what he wanted. That was the right thing as far as I was concerned.

  “Esmee,” said Daiki. “Is he worse?”

  “No. He’s improved.” She glared at me. I didn’t know if she was angry because she’d been wrong or because I’d disobeyed, but I felt a little guilty. I was always disobeying somebody, and it got them so upset no matter how it turned out.

  I snuffed the commander’s smoking stick in my palm and laid it beside him in his she
ll. “He’s the commander. I did as he asked. I always will.”

  Daiki nodded. “Loyalty is the most important thing to the commander.”

  “It’s not more important than his health.” Esmee stood up and crossed her arms.

  “I won’t argue the point.” Daiki lifted the commander out of his shell. He was small and skinny. It was hard to believe what power he wielded.

  Iris and I picked up the commander’s shell, but it slid around in our hands and sliced holes in our dresses.

  “I’ll take that.” Farue handed the shell to one of the other phalanx. “You don’t have the right hands.”

  We started to follow Daiki out of the room, but Farue stopped us. “We’ve got a lot to talk about.”

  “Yes, we do,” I said, watching the room clear.

  Farue stalked to the front and examined the charts and maps. Then he popped off his shell and sat on it just the way the commander usually did. Gerald, Iris, and I pulled up chairs and waited. I knew I should bring up Miss Penrose, but she seemed so far away. Everything did. Battles had that effect on me.

  “What took you so long?” asked Farue.

  “What do you mean?” asked Gerald. “We didn’t wait to fight.”

  “No, but you took your sweet time getting here.”

  The three of us exchanged glances.

  “We got here as soon as we could,” I said. “We only found out about Miss Penrose yesterday.”

  “Who’s Miss Penrose?”

  “Our teacher,” said Iris. “She’s really sick. We have to get some weird medicine for her.”

  Farue jumped up. “You mean you came for her, not the commander?”

  “Why else?” I asked.

  “You were summoned!” he shouted. “I thought you were loyal.”

  “I am loyal!” I stood up, towering over the phalanx.

  “A loyal troop comes when she’s called.”

  “Nobody called me.”

  Soren entered the room from the door on the end, flanked by two katana. He walked in his deliberate steps, keeping his eyes on Farue. Now that I was closer I saw his face was thin and drawn. His steps seemed slow, even for a dryad.

  “Matilda was never summoned,” he said. “I made sure of it.”

  Farue gasped. “You intercepted the commander’s messages?”

  “Yes. He had no right to send them. No right to involve her. Matilda is a child.”