“That sounds good to me,” said James. “Owain, you're certain you saw no sign of anyone following us?”
“Not a soul...”
“You're absolutely sure? I've been having this odd feeling that she knows where we are...”
“Absolutely. And the Buwcharglwyddi even mistook me for a fellow wanting to find one of their knaves, so we'll be fine if we just stay alert enough to fight for our lives at any moment...”
“Out here and it's still like being married to her,” he said as an eerie shiver ran through him. “And the worst of it is, with those skinweler balls, there's nothing to keep her from watching us the whole time.”
***
“I don't know Mothers,” said Lance with a longing look at the last piece of apple pie on the platter. “You all have always made the best apple pie in the world, and that particular pie is the best one you've ever made. And here you are, squandering nearly all of it on me when my only contribution is the ability to recognize the world's single best pie. So since my efforts have been so minor, what am I to do with this remaining piece to meet my obligations?”
“Fedist thou hit to Abaddon, Ich sholde thynk,” said Alvita with a serious look, as Nacea and Celeste shared a giggle. “What weo haven thee yfed be for thou moore than fair paye for to with the last pece hise colde litel herte thowe.”
“Then it's a good idea that I take him this last piece.”
“Hit ybe,” said Alvita as she put the pie on a saucer for him.
“Wish me luck then,” he said as he rose from his seat.
“Ey, eke weo do, Lance,” said Nacea with a cheery twinkle in her eye.
Lance found Abaddon lying belly down on his bed. “What do you want, stupid?” he said, looking up suddenly from his scrying crystal. “Didn't your dumb Fairies ever teach you to knock to announce yourself to your betters when you enter their private quarters?”
“I learnt it as a courtesy for anyone, and I learnt that it wasn't the only courtesy one could use either...”
“Yea?”
“Yea. Like this pie. I could say, 'Hey Abby, here's the best pie in the world. Want some?'“ He gave a beckoning nod.
“That's vulgar clumsiness in place of proper respect for royals, but I've come to expect as much...”
“Well, better dig in while I'm being rude, so it won't get cold.”
Abaddon scowled as he took the saucer, but his first delicate whiff of the pie arrested every urge he had in mind until he had wolfed down every bit of it. Lance sat on the bed and waited, looking at the backs of his hands.
“That was pretty good,” said Abaddon, handing back the saucer. “Thanks.”
“Why, you're welcome,” he said, stumbling to recover from being completely thrown off by Abaddon's polite remark. “So, you were scrying when I came in. Did you see anything interesting?”
“Nay, not much. Just James and his idiot knaves on some old road out in the grass.”
“Gollmoor? It'd have to be Gollmoor, but they could be anywhere out on it. Did you watch long enough to see anything else?”
“I didn't get a chance to because of your clumsy entry.”
“Did you see a river...?”
“I just said I didn't, stupid.”
Lance studied him for a moment. “Abbey, would you do me a huge favor and scry your dad again, long enough for me to tell where he is?”
“Why? So you can run off and leave me here with your crazy Fairies and Ratman and be where he is?” he said with gravel in his throat. “That's really stupid, you know. Sooner or later Momma's going find him and his knaves and they're all going to die, screaming and kicking. No way she won't do it, either. And if you're with them, she'll really kill you, 'cause you're his friend and my kidnapper. She'll figure out ways to kill you for an extra, extra long time.”
“Oh, I don't doubt that for one moment, Abbey. That's why I need your help, and that's why your father needs it, too.”
“You and James need me?” he said, suddenly free of his sullen demeanor.
“'Way more than you might imagine. Only you can save us from being killed by your mother and Demonica.”
Abaddon went altogether wide eyed. “Lance my magic is still little,” he said. “It's not nearly big enough to stop my momma or Nana Demonica. They'd kill me, too!”
“Oh no Abbey. I'd never put you in that kind of danger. All I need is for you to scry your father again so I can figure out just where he is. I think I know of a way to protect him, if I can get to him quickly enough.”
Abaddon took on a sullen look at once.
“Look Abbey, you really wouldn't think much of me if I let a good friend of mine die when I might've been able to save him, would you?”
Abaddon picked at a piece of lint on his bedspread, his mouth set tightly.
“So could you?” said Lance, carefully.
“Maybe,” he said, looking up from his piece of lint. “But you can't leave me here with the old Fairies. You're going to need me along with my crystal. You don't think James and his knaves are going to just stay in one spot and wait for you to get there, do you?”
Lance drew a breath to speak but let it out. “Hmm...”
Abaddon's eyes lit up. “Then you'll do it?” he said with an excited bounce on the bed. “You'll take me with you?”
Lance nodded slowly, stunned at himself for agreeing to Abaddon's ruse. “Well then,” he said softly, “let's look at your crystal.”
Abaddon already had it out, staring at the shapes of James and his companions appearing amongst its swirling colors.
***
The wain tumbled away into the blackness of the shadows in the gully and James was quickly helped up behind Owain on his unicorn as Aeron mounted Ned behind Llewyrch. At once they were underway over the rolling swells and swags of new grass, dotted here and there with bushes, making straight for where the horizon became a line of deep darkness at the edge of the rising vault of starry sky. A lark tinkled overhead. Jigs broke into momentary trots, keeping up over the low spots.
“Is that line of trees along the horizon the Loxmere river?”
“'Tis for a fact, Your Majesty,” said Owain.
“Hey, did you see that light?” said Llewyrch. “'Way off yonder, in the trees...”
“Has to be the border guards, doesn't it?” said Aeron.
“I don't see who else hit could be,” said Llewyrch. “Makes a dandy beacon to steer by.”
Before long, they were greeted by a vast chorus of spring peepers and other tree frogs as the sea of grass stopped at a wall of briars at the feet of trees standing in the bottom, rank with knee-deep stinging nettle.
“Well, let's pick our way through it to the river,” said Llewyrch, as a nearby barred owl answered another on the far side of the trees.
“It may be all briars and nettles,” said James, “but at least it's a relief being under the trees.”
“I didn't think trees would make much difference if she was watching us in one of her spying balls.” said Owain.
“You're right,” said James with a shudder. “It wouldn't make one bit of difference that way, but if her soldiers were behind us without our knowing it, they'd be thrown off by following us through trees in the dark, and Spitemorta might not even see us from above...”
“Above?” said Owain. “Beging your pardon, sire, but I'm clean lost on what you might mean by 'from above' out here in the middle of all this flat country.”
“I've never been allowed to see it with my own eyes, but I know for certain that Spitemorta has gotten hold of a magical staff of enormous power which she can sit astride and ride through the air. Therefore we need to keep an eye out above as well as behind.”
“Dare we sleep tonight, sire?” said Owain.
“I'd hoped we could.”
“Well, wouldn't hit be best if we slept under the trees on the other side, after we get across the river?”
***
Herio raced along the garden path from the back of the ca
stle in the deepening shadows. “Those birds will be trying to roost if I don't hurry,” he thought. Presently he reached the garden door. “Hoy Elmer!” he called as he breezed by the guard. “See you in a little bit.”
“Fustus hire ye?” said Elmer, coming to with a jerk.
“No, I'm waiting on the queen.”
“You ones may wish Fustus did hire ye!” he hollered after.
Hubba Hubba and the sparrows were anything but ready to roost. Herio was barely half way across the inner ward when they swooped down to meet him.
“I got a job,” he said quietly as they landed on him, “and a place to stay into the bargain. Look up on the roof of the castle, 'way toward the back. See that row of dormers? Ours is the farthest one back. I've got the window standing open already. It's cramped, but it's big enough for a cot, a pitcher and basin, and not much else, but it's certainly big enough for the four of us and you all can use the window to come go as you please. So you all fly up there and I'll meet you inside.”
“Great,” said Hubba Hubba. “Let's go. Just one thing, though, Herio.”
“Yea?”
“It's an evil row to hoe, facing a witch day in and day out. Careful is hardly the word for what you'll need to be.”
“I know, Hubba,” he said with a shudder. “And I know that you really know what you're talking about because you used to live with that one's mother...”
“Yea, but you've got the grandmother up there, too...”
“Well, I'm a real good actor so I won't let on how revolting they are and how dead they need to be...”
“You aren't scared enough.”
“Hey birdo, I'm trying to be brave, here...”
“Yea?” rattled Hubba Hubba quietly as he eyed passers-by. “Well, you daren't let on to a single soul either. Nobody can be trusted around this kind of power. They'll sell your hide to protect theirs, every time. We'll see you up there.” And with that, they shot into the darkening sky.
“Hey!” cried Elmer, as Herio whisked by. “Cheezo and Spink at the big door are takin' bets on how long you ones live...”
Herio shook his head and waved. He didn't have time. He rushed to the back, through the scullery door and up to the top of the cramped stairway, stumbling here and there in the blackness. He opened the first door he came to, to see the silhouettes of Hubba Hubba and the sparrows perched on the window sill of the dark room. He took out his striker at once and began struggling to light a candle. Eventually he had a light, sending shadows dancing and waving along the walls. “This be our room,” he said. “Welcome home. No fireplace. I don't know what we'll do for tea. I can't imagine winter, either.”
“We're not going to be here that long,” said Hubba Hubba, snapping first one wing then another. “besides, there's nothing anyone could do to make this place home.” He gave himself a thorough shake.
“You got that right Hubba,” he said as he opened his bag. “This is definitely not home. And these aren't my kind o' clothes, either.” He took out a pair of breeches and a shirt in Spitemorta's royal black and red colors.
“Cawk!” cried Hubba Hubba. “You've got to wear those? The inside of this Castle must look like a nest of black widow spiders if everyone dresses like that.”
“Oh they do... Say! Did any of you hear talk about those skinweler balls while you were waiting out there?”
“Actually, tweeted Squeak, “Chirp, Tweet and I overheard a couple of young whelps in fancy clothes crowing about their family buying the first skinweler ever sold. They just kept going on and on about all the different things in Spitemorta's recent addresses. They wouldn't shut up. The raggedy kids finally walked off with them still a-yappin' and a-braggin', but you could see the envy in their eyes. Why would anybody give up a big fat purse for the privilege of having the queen tell lies to them in their own home every day?”
“I can't imagine,” said Herio, hanging his head to scratch his scalp with both hands. “But what sorts of things is she telling people? Did you catch much of what the boys said?”
“Well, it was hard to do with only one tree in the inner ward,” tweeted Squeak. “We had to keep flying by low and landing just beyond them, pecking at the ground and taking off, over and over...”
“We actually missed most of it,” chirped Tweet.
“I kept hearing this and that about different bad things which have fallen on Goll being Niarg's fault...” squeaked Chirp.
“Yea!” chirped Tweet. “And Niarg needs to be dealt with accordingly, what ever that means.”
“That means she's telling them that they ought to attack us,” tweeted Squeak.
“That means nothing good for Niarg,” rattled Hubba Hubba.
“Anything else?” said Herio.
“Nay...” chirped Tweet. “Well, she's also telling everyone that there are spies and traitors showing up everywhere, so she wants everyone to turn in anyone they suspect in the teensiest least...”
“For everyone's safety,” tweeted Squeak.
“Haw!” scoffed Hubba Hubba.
“I'd say this place just got a whole lot more dangerous,” said Herio, staring off into the candle flame. “Keep sharp boys.”
Each feathered head nodded.
Chapter 128
Shickity-shick-shick, shickity-shick-shick...went Dyr-jinyr-yy's terrapin rattles.
“Mmp...” said Demonica as she took a moment to remember that she had slept the day away amongst the trolls.
Shicka-shick, shicka-shick, shicka-shick, shicka-shick...
She sat up in the leaves, stretched her neck and snapped her fingers to make her halo reappear over her head. “What the blazes is he doing?” she mumbled as she rolled forward onto her good hand to peer between the trees. She stood up, settled her bodhran across her back and went to see.
“Just what is he doing?” she thought, as she paused to watch his antics, which he was performing before a raptly appreciative Fnayooph, with Veyf-na-ryr cooing happily in her lap as she sat with her back to an ancient elm. “Why, he's pantomiming different animals for the newborn godbrute.”
Presently he was on all fours, running his face through the leaves, making woofing and snuffling sounds.
“Oh brother!” she thought, at the sight of him coming her way. “He's performing hog for His Supernatural Power.”
He stopped oinking and huffing and raised his chin above the muddy leaves to look up at her.
“I didn't realize Fnayooph was that kind of sow, Dyr-jinyr-yy...” she said, as Fnayooph knitted her beetling brow and thrust out her chin.
“Demonica come-see-how Veyf-na-ryr hungry-suck and poop-big?” he said, sitting up on his haunches.
“Absolutely,” she said. “Fnadi-yaphn and I must be pleased that Fnayooph is enough of a milk sow to be foster mother to your exalted god-brute.”
“Look-see!” said Dyrjinyryy, dashing forth to scoop up something dark in the leaves. “Vef-na-ryr already squirt-poop like big goose. All-that come-from Fnayooph's big-breasts. All-that! I jump when he squirt, but Fnayooph warm and steady-calm. She rocky-arms and big-giggle and leave muddy-kiss-tracks all up-and-down his-belly.”
Demonica studied Fnayooph quietly for a moment.
“Duda!” rumbled Fnayooph, glowering from under her snarled bush of hair as she backed closer to the trunk of the elm, cradling Veyf-na-ryr.
“Don't worry dear,” said Demonica. “I can see by your protectiveness and by his contentment that you're giving him the best possible care. Keep doing it and he will always be your son. Fail and you shall die.” She turned airily away, leaving poor Fnayooph gaping.
“Now then, Dyr-jinyr-yy. Go find Fnadi-phnig-nyd and the captains and meet me by the big white rock,” she said, pointing through the trees to where she had spent the day sleeping. “And be quick. I've other things to do besides spend all night here.”
The full moon had by now risen into the trees in the east. She had hardly found her way through its shadows back to the rock, when here came Dyr-jinyr-yy and Fnad
i-phnig-nyd with Ni-oowfn, Ganf and Snuph, still gnawing on an Elven shin bone.
“Only three left besides Fnadi-phnig-nyd,” she thought.
“Demonica!” cried Fnadi-phnig-nyd, bringing all of them to a halt before her as he smacked the earth with the heel of his staff and began chanting: “Ay-ooo, ay-ooo, ay-ooo, ay-ooo...”
At once Ni-oowfn, Ganf and Snuph threw themselves flat upon the ground before her, as Dyr-jinyr-yy circled everyone with his terrapin rattles, shicka-shick, shicka-shick, shicka-shick, shicka-shick... When he had gone 'round exactly once, Fnadi-phnig-nyd pecked the ground with his staff and everyone went dead silent, staring at her like so many owls.
“So.” she said at last, as she looked from face to face. “Still enjoying the feast, are we?”
Great nods and enthused cries of: “Aoofn!” broke out all 'round. Snuph grabbed up his shin bone out of the leaves and heaved a great champ.
“Well, you might want to be careful with how you go about hunting the few Elves which escaped. You don't want them getting hard to find...”
“Duda!” bellowed out Fnadi-phnig-nyd, taking her by surprise. “Fnadi-yaphn give stink-promise! Fnadi-yaphn make all Dyrney crawl-animal! Does she sneak-think Veyf-na-ryr replace plenty-to-eat in Gnyr-jan ntu Afajoy? Does she...?”
“Silence!” roared Demonica, flinging wide her arms, as every hair on Fnadi-phnig-nyd's body flared brilliantly, turning to smoking ash.
He fell face down before her, whimpering beneath his crumbling hair.
She walked around the others, who stood trembling like wide-eyed statues, eyeing each one of them up and down. She returned to where she had been standing and quietly resumed: “My word. I've never understood how Fnadi-yaphn tolerates this endless Dyrney faithlessness. I have serious news for the lot of you. One of your 'metalheads' escaped the Pink-stone Hut-cave and ran squeaking to the Human metal-heads of Goll...”
“Human metal...?” croaked Fnadi-phnig-nyd into the leaves pressed against his face.
“You're listening, but you're also talking,” she said soothingly, as an acorn lying in the leaves next to his face burst into flame before exploding like a firecracker, making him squeal and throw his arms over his head. “So the very next word you say will be the last one you ever, ever utter.
Heart of the Staff - Complete Series Page 139