by John Corwin
Granddad Stan sighed wearily and dropped into a chair. "First we need to know how they found us again."
"Talbot said they tracked our trail through the woods." I burrowed into Max's bag and pulled out a plain white T-shirt.
Ambria watched me slip on the shirt. "What happened exactly?"
"That's what I want to know." Asha grimaced. "We need to lose them."
"Ivy and I were walking to town when a truck and car passed us. Talbot was in the car. Delilah sneaked up behind me." I tried to imagine how she'd gotten behind me. "I guess they must've been watching the road and saw us walking."
"What happened next?" Max asked.
I told them the story.
Stan stroked his chin. "They probably followed our trail through the woods to make sure the Fallen weren't still with us. Since we took the bus to town, they must not have seen us." He made a circle with his finger. "There are hills all around the village, so they could have spotted Ivy and Conrad on the road using one as a vantage point."
Ambria folded her arms. "Sounds like Conrad injured them pretty badly. Maybe they won't mess with us for a while."
"Or they'll just bring in the posse again." Percival mixed a paste together and put it on Ivy's healing wound. "I require a week of uninterrupted work to make the memory potion again. We need to get somewhere safe."
"Doesn't seem like anywhere is safe," Max grumbled. "Maybe we just need to circle the wagons and fight."
Ambria rolled her eyes. "Someone's been watching too many westerns."
"Do you have any better ideas?" Max shot back.
I was so tired I didn't want to think. I also didn't feel safe sleeping when the wandslingers and their posse could show up at any moment. I listened to Ambria and Max argue for a moment, then held up a hand. "We need a car. The carpets are too slow."
"I can get one," Asha said. "There's an SUV parked outside one of the other cabins."
Galfandor raised an eyebrow. "Surely you don't mean to steal it."
Stan tapped his chin. "An SUV won't be big enough for all of us. I noticed a tall white Mercedes vans parked near the vineyards. I don't know if it's a cargo van or filled with equipment."
"I'll go look." Natalia pulled on a blue dress and hurried outside, still barefooted.
Ambria counted on her fingers. "There are ten of us. Maybe we should get two cars."
"It won't take long for the nom police to search for one stolen vehicle, much less two," Stan said.
"I'll charm our stolen vehicle with dissuasion wards." Galfandor twirled his wand. "That should prevent all but the most observant people from looking too closely at the vehicle."
Natalia returned a moment later. "It's a cargo van. Two seats in the front, open space in the back. There are some wooden posts and materials inside, but we could dump them."
Asha tucked her wand into her waistband. "Get ready to move. I'll be back soon."
I touched her arm. "Be careful."
She nodded and left with Natalia.
Weariness wore wrinkles and worry lines into the faces of everyone in the room, even the youngest. Being on the run was already taking a serious toll on us. I just hoped we could find somewhere safe before the wandslingers found us again.
Chapter 15
Tires screeched in the parking lot outside.
Galfandor and Stan grabbed Ivy and carried her to the door. Nightliss opened it and the group piled outside. The back door of the van opened and Natalia jumped out, motioning us to hurry. The old men climbed in with Ivy. Ambria and Nightliss got in behind them. Percival ran from the cabin caressing a satchel with all his ingredients inside.
"Hurry up!" Natalia waved him in.
Percival huffed. "I don't know what the big hurry is."
"We saw some people poking around." Natalia's gaze flicked around, her eyes emitting a soft glow. "Might've been nothing, but—"
Magic bullets zinged through the air, leaving silvery ripples. The clomp of wooden hooves on asphalt echoed from the other end of the parking lot.
"It was something!" Max threw his armload of bags in the back of the van and dove in. I shoved Percival inside and climbed in after him.
Natalia slammed the back door shut, turned and shouted. "Go, Asha!"
My sister nailed the accelerator, throwing the human cargo backward.
"So much for warding the van." Galfandor clung to the wheel hump for dear life.
I clawed my way to the front and climbed into the passenger seat. Asha twisted the steering wheel and the van careened around a curve, out onto the main road leading to San Gimignano. A bullet shattered the rear window. I looked back and saw golem horses gallop beneath a street light.
Asha veered hard right and into town. "Which way?"
"I don't know," Stan said. "Just follow the road!"
Asha slowed at a roundabout just enough to keep the van from toppling over and hooked a right on the opposite side. Stone walls rose to either side. We zipped past a street to our left and barreled straight ahead where the road narrowed.
That was when I spotted something in our path. Metal bars blocked our way. "Watch out!"
A wall on the right and a building on the left boxed us in.
"I'm going to ram them!" Asha shouted.
"We can't just run over metal bars!" I summoned all my remaining strength and leaned out the window, weaving Fireblade. Focusing my will, I sheared off one of the bars at the base. My vision wavered, but I fought back fatigue and sliced at the second bar. My body trembled. The spell fizzled out and the rest of my strength left me. I slumped back inside, unable to finish the job.
Asha gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. "Hold on!"
Iron rang like a bell. The bar snapped and bounced off the front bumper, rolling ahead of us.
"You must have weakened it, Conrad!" Asha steered around the corner.
Galfandor aimed his wand out of the broken rear window and blasted the base of a street lamp. It toppled across the road and came to rest on a brick wall, about chest high to the golem horses. I looked back and saw the posse skidding to a stop. With tall walls on all sides and the street lamp barring the path, they'd have to get off their steeds to go beneath it.
We reached downtown and Asha had to slow for pedestrians crossing the road. She honked the horn and received a flurry of insulting hand gestures in return.
Galfandor flicked his wand at a bus as it passed us. The front tire blew out and the vehicle swerved, blocking the road behind us. "That should hold them for a while."
Granddad Stan cleared his throat. "Asha, perhaps you should slow down so we don't draw too much attention."
"I'm not taking any chances." Asha sped up after we cleared the pedestrians and hurtled around the curve.
A siren wailed and lights flashed from an adjacent road. An instant later a police car appeared behind us.
"So much for not taking chances," Max said.
Galfandor nodded at Max's satchel. "I believe you have something useful in there."
Max's eyes brightened. "Oh, yeah." He took out a yellow potion bomb, blew on it three times and threw it out the back window.
I couldn't see the potion cover the road, but the police car's headlights spun in circles and intersected the trees lining the sidewalk.
"Now will you slow down?" Stan said.
Asha blew out a sigh and let off the accelerator. "Where to?"
I buckled on my seatbelt and fought the fatigue dragging down my limbs so I could pull out my arcphone. I looked at the map and came up with an idea. "Turn here." I pointed right.
Asha followed my instructions. We reached the outskirts of town and circled back the way we'd come, except on a different highway. A gravel road led us between vineyards for several miles until we reached the highway toward Florence.
After fifteen minutes with no signs of pursuit, I allowed myself to relax.
Shiny scales of the purest white coil around a pulsating blue star. A massive earth dragon looks down at me with g
lowing eyes. The ground trembles and fire rushes through my veins.
A figure in white robes steps from the star, hand outstretched. "Hurry, boy! Take my hand before—"
"Conrad, wake up."
My leaden eyelids cracked open to a sad-faced Ivy. I tried to speak, but my mouth felt full of cotton.
"You saved me." She kissed my cheek. "You're my hero, just like my bro."
"I told you to let him sleep!" Ambria sat against the wall of the van across from me, next to a slumbering Max. There was no sign of the others.
My muscles ached and a vice tightened around my temples. I'd used too much magic. Aether poisoning roiled in my guts.
Ivy frowned and looked down. "I'm so sorry I got knocked out, Conrad. I totally failed you. And then I got shot too." Tears brimmed in her eyes. "I'm such a loser!"
I shook my head despite protesting neck muscles. "It's not your fault. They've been a step ahead of us all this time."
"It's not like we were difficult to track." Ambria blew out a breath and glared at Ivy. "Maybe now we'll buy some time."
Percival's face appeared in the broken rear window. "Ah, the boy's awake." He opened the door and rummaged in his satchel. Pulled out a blue pill. "Take this and it should help with the aether poisoning."
I put it in my mouth. It dissolved, leaving behind a slightly sweet taste. "Thanks," I groaned. "Where's everyone else?"
"Making breakfast." Percival produced two glass containers, one with a white substance, the other with dark flakes.
"What is that?" I asked.
"Salt and pepper." He took out a container of red liquid. "And a little bit of hot sauce for the eggs."
Thanks to the medicine, my muscles relaxed and the headache faded. I pushed myself into a sitting position and leaned against the side.
"Is it working?" Ivy stroked my hair.
A pleasant chill worked from my scalp and down my back. "Y-yes. I feel much better."
"Good." Ivy bit her lower lip, blue eyes big and sad. She leaned toward me and pressed her lips to mine. A broad smile lit her face. "You're my hero, Conrad." She scooted out of the back of the van and left.
Ambria stared at me, mouth hanging open. Max, awake now, wore a nearly identical expression on his face.
"She kissed you?" Max's voice squeaked. "But—but…" He blinked rapidly.
"Congratulations," Ambria said in a scathing tone. "You know Max likes her." She got out of the side door and slammed it behind her.
"I'm sorry, Max. I didn't know she was going to do that." I reached over and grabbed his arm. "I promise."
Max shook his head slowly. "I'm not even mad, Conrad. I knew I never had a chance with her, but it was fun to pretend." He swallowed hard. "I wish I could be like you. I wish I could be brave enough to win the heart of a girl like Ivy."
"You are brave, Max." I put my hands on his shoulders. "You've saved me more times than I can list. Ivy would be lucky to have a guy like you."
He managed a smile. "She's lucky to have you." Max shrugged. "You're like my brother, Conrad. I'm happy for you, but"—he pressed a hand to his stomach—"I'm starving. I'm gonna get something to eat." He patted my hand and left.
I sat by myself in the van for a moment, trying to come to grips with what had just happened. Ivy kissed me. Ambria had been furious at me, and not because of Max. She has feelings for me. Or maybe she was just overprotective, like a sister to a brother. I really wasn't sure what it was, but I didn't want her mad at me. I also knew Max was only pretending to be okay. It had to hurt seeing his heroine kiss me.
I stepped out of the van and into a campground filled with recreational vehicles of all sizes and shapes lined up and down a gravel road. The sun peeked over the treetops of a hill in the distance.
Galfandor chatted with a tall, lanky man at a large RV next door. The man turned sausages on a wide grill. Two little boys played with toy trucks while the mother watched from a lawn chair, a magazine in her hand.
I turned and looked at the van. The window didn't look broken from the outside. The surface wasn't pockmarked with bullet holes. Galfandor had apparently cast an illusion on it.
"Ah, there's the boy." Galfandor motioned me over.
I waved my hand timidly. "Hi."
"A pleasure to finally meet you, Conrad." The man extended a hand and shook mine. I must have looked confused, because he smiled. "I'm Geron, an old friend of Galfandor's."
"You're not noms?" I asked.
He blinked, looked back at the mother and boys. "Those are illusions." He winked. "Just for show."
"Oh." My stomach grumbled at the odor of the sausages. "I hope those aren't illusions."
Geron chuckled. "No, the sausages are real." He plucked one from a plate and gave it to me. "I have a large shower inside the RV if you'd like to clean up." He sighed and looked at the bus-sized vehicle. "Isn't she lovely?"
"Very," Galfandor said. "Thank you for coming to meet us."
"It sounded like an emergency." Geron took in a deep breath and looked out at the view. "You'd never know the world is in crisis from all the happy faces here."
Galfandor stroked his beard. "Have you been in touch with the others?"
"I have." Geron looked at me. "We're gathering everyone. Using the arches is too risky these days, so most resort to nom transportation."
"Like RVs?" I asked.
He chuckled. "This particular RV flies. That's how I arrived so quickly. Unfortunately, Victus probably controls the Overworld Transportation Authority by now." Geron looked up. "Thousands of all-seeing eyes tracking magical flight are up there. If they see me travelling extensively it might raise red flags."
"Does he really control the OTA?" Galfandor sighed. "That seriously limits our transportation options."
"And that's precisely why we need to root Xander Tiberius and his infernus minions from the Overworld by force." Geron returned his gaze to earth. "Our dithering has given him too much time to gain strength."
"I still think stealth is our best option," Galfandor said.
"The time for stealth is over, friend." Geron patted the other man's shoulder. "Even Victus can't stand against us now. If we wait any longer, it will be too late."
Galfandor nodded. "I hope you're right."
"In the meantime, relax and recuperate." He motioned to the lawn chairs. "I've contacted the others to set up a safe house for you in Florence."
Galfandor's brow furrowed. "When does the council plan to take action?"
"Soon." Geron removed the last of the sausages from the grill. "The final preparations are underway. We didn't plan to meet for another week, but now that I've found you, perhaps I should move up the date."
Galfandor frowned. "Why wasn't I informed of another gathering?"
"Because the usual lines of communication might have been compromised." He waved at the RV. "This is why we've started contacting everyone in person."
"Perhaps you're right." Galfandor stared into the distance. "We don't have a choice."
"Are you part of the group that was watching me?" I asked. "Are you the ones who thought I might turn out like my father?"
Geron glanced at Galfandor with a raised eyebrow. "You told the boy?"
"He deserved to know." Galfandor gave him a stony look. "I think he's proven himself."
The other man sighed. "Yes, I believe he has."
Ivy walked from between two campers parked on the row behind us, a delighted smile on her face. "This place is wonderful!" She gripped my hand and pulled me after her. "Have you ever been to a campground?"
"No." I lost my grip on the sausage and it fell in the dirt. My stomach growled mournfully.
"We'll talk later, Conrad." Geron stepped inside the RV with Galfandor, leaving me no choice but to follow Ivy.
She led me down the gravel road, eyes wide with wonder at the families cooking meals on grills, or playing croquet and other lawn games near their RVs. "This place is magical. No worries, just families and love." She stopped, eyes brimming
with emotion. "I really miss my family."
I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I miss my mom and Cora."
"Where are they, Conrad?"
"It's kind of a long story, and I'm really hungry."
Ivy giggled. "I'd like to hear about them, but I'll let you eat first." She pulled me toward a large group of people at picnic benches. "Hey, everyone, this is my friend I told you about."
"Hello, Conrad. I'm Linda." A middle-aged woman with a cheery smile pointed to a vacant spot at the bench. "We saved a spot for you two."
"Oh, hi." I put on an uncertain smile. "Thanks." I turned to Ivy and whispered, "Who are these people?"
"Nice ones," Ivy said. "This is why we fight the bad guys, Conrad. It's for good people like them. My brother taught me that just because they're noms doesn't make them any less valuable than anyone else."
"Conrad, good to meet you. I'm Roger." A thick man with an equally thick beard gripped my hand and shook it. "Help yourself to some bacon and pancakes."
I sat down next to him and Ivy slid onto the bench to my right. A young boy and two little girls waved at me. Another older couple introduced themselves. Linda put a paper plate piled with pancakes in front of me. "You eat as much as you want." She patted Roger's belly. "Roger's had enough."
Roger belted out a laugh. "That's your fault, honey."
My stomach rumbled at the delicious aroma from the pancakes. While Ivy chatted, I stuffed my face.
"Worcester is rather dull, so we enjoy taking our holiday on the mainland," Linda said. "We've come to Italy three times and can't get enough of it."
"Italy is so pretty." Ivy sipped on orange juice and bit into a piece of bacon. "This big breakfast with pancakes and bacon reminds me of someone, but I can't put my finger on it." She sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder. "I have visions of this guy with a cowboy hat. He says weird things like 'Holy farting fairies' a lot."
"Hopefully Percival can get your memories back." My right side felt oddly warm with her touching it. I wasn't sure if I should put my arm on her shoulder or remain still.