A bolt of lightning shot through the sky, right toward Dane. It struck the rock and exploded with a loud crack. Gabriel slammed his eyes shut as shattering shards of rock sprinkled over his face.
Piper screamed. Gabriel opened his eyes, shaking away the dirt. Brent lunged toward Gabriel, but Prince Oliver held him back.
Gabriel coughed and hacked, brushing more debris from his face.
“What the—” Gabriel said, but quickly clamped his mouth shut. The rain stopped like someone had shut off a tap. The clouds zipped by in the sky like a movie set on fast forward, then the sun shone down again.
Silence.
“Gabe!” Piper squealed, finding her voice. She rushed over. “Are you okay?” She brushed dirt from his shoulders and turned her glare on Dane. “Estás loco!” she screamed. “You could have hurt him!”
Gabriel understood that she had called Dane ‘crazy’ in her native Spanish. Gabriel had heard Piper say that many times when she was freaked about something.
Piper widened her eyes when she looked back at Gabriel, then lifted a strand of his hair. She flipped her head around to Dane again. “What did you do to him? Now he has a bright streak of blond in his brown hair!”
“Dude!” Brent said, coming to take a closer look at Gabriel’s apparent neon-blond patch.
Gabriel ruffled his hair, then brushed Piper away. “I’m fine.” He didn’t like the idea of looking like some punk rocker, but he was more curious about what else had changed about him. Where was the new power he’d supposedly received? He definitely didn’t feel different.
Gabriel looked around to see if his eyesight or hearing was enhanced like the empress had empowered him with the last time. Nope. Nothing. Maybe whatever Dane did hadn’t worked.
Tahlita smirked, shifting out from under her mostly dry spot under a tree.
“What are you smiling about?” Brent asked her, looking annoyed.
She shrugged. “It’s kinda nice being the one who’s in the know for once.” She marched up to Gabriel with a scowl, then pulled her hand back like she was about to slap him across the face. “Stop me!” she screamed at Gabriel, eyes flaring in a dare.
“Tahlita!” Prince Oliver shouted, but it was too late. Her hand swung through the air with momentum.
Every nerve in Gabriel’s body tingled, electrified. Before he barely had the thought in his head to stop her, he’d already ducked his head and avoided her flinging hand. He grabbed it, and twisted her around, landing her in a headlock—all as quick as lightning.
Piper’s jaw dropped open.
Brent laughed. “You moved so fast, your body was like a blur, dude.”
Gabriel released Tahlita. “I knew you could do it,” she said with a smirk, stepping away. “I just wanted you to know.”
Gabriel grinned. “That was so sick. What—what am I?”
Dane’s eyes beamed from behind his bifocals. He puffed his chest out, looking proud of himself. “You, boy, have superhuman agility and speed—like lightning.”
“Are you serious?” Gabriel asked.
“He’s serious,” Prince Oliver said.
“That’s definitely cool and everything,” Piper said. “But you didn’t need to be so dramatic about it. Those rocks could’ve gotten into his eyes, you know. What if you blinded him?”
“Oh, Piper,” drawled Dane. “So wary, aren’t you?”
“Whatever,” she said. “The empress was way calmer about it all when she gave us powers. A little rhyme and wind and stuff, and bam it was done.” She folded her arms over her chest. “You? You’re all fire and brimstone.”
Dane twisted his lips and snickered. “Do I look like a fairy princess to you? Last I checked, I don’t cough out rose petals and sparkly dust,” he scoffed. “If you don’t like the way I do things, you’re welcome to go home.”
Gabriel tugged Piper’s arm back before his fiery friend said something she’d regret. He needed Piper to come to Valta with them, and she needed powers to go on the quest. “Relax, Piper. I’m okay, I swear.”
Dane narrowed his eyes on Piper. Even then his eyes looked like they were bulging from behind his thick lenses.
Piper squinted back at Dane. At first Gabriel thought she was giving Dane attitude, but when she pressed her fingers against her temples and winced, he knew something was up.
“What are you doing?” Gabriel asked Dane, frowning.
“Dane?” Prince Oliver stepped forward.
Piper fell to her knees with a loud yelp. “Stop it!” she cried, her face screwed up in pain.
Prince Oliver took two more long strides until he reached Dane. “Cease this at once. This was not part of the plan!”
Piper rolled around on the ground, grasping her hands around her head screaming in agony.
Gabriel and Brent dropped to either side of Piper.
“Knock it off,” Gabriel yelled.
Just as Prince Oliver drew his sword, a huge pool of water suddenly drew together from the river and hurled through the air. It landed on Dane with a splash of such force that his glasses knocked to the ground.
He choked for air. “What in all of Valta!” he shouted, shoving his soaked, black hair away from his face.
“Sorry, father,” Tahlita said. “But Piper is my—friend.”
Dane grunted, then sighed. Holding his hands palm-up, he said, “I’m sorry. I got carried away.”
“Ya think?” Brent snapped, giving Dane a dirty look. Brent and Gabriel helped Piper to her feet.
“She shouldn’t have questioned me,” Dane said with scorn. “All the same, what I did to her is called a brain blast.” He picked up his glasses, wiped them off on his shirt, then slipped them back on. He looked at Piper. “You now have that power, young lady. Just think about inflicting pain on someone and it’ll be like a giant worm invaded their brain. It will incapacitate them.” When his statement was met with silence, he said, “You’re welcome.”
“You are not to hurt them,” Prince Oliver said sternly, putting his sword away. “Do not make me your enemy once again.”
Dane nodded.
Piper stood and grunted as she passed Dane. She hugged Tahlita. “Thanks. I know that must have been hard going against your father.”
She hugged Piper back, shooting a glance at her father.
“Brent,” Dane called. “Your turn.”
Brent whispered in Gabriel’s ear, “Bro, like I’m seriously not sure I wanna do this.”
“It’s cool now. Prince Oliver told him not to hurt us anymore,” Gabriel said, trying to sound encouraging.
“Yeah, well, he doesn’t seem like the type who listens,” Brent replied before dragging his feet toward Dane.
When he reached Dane, Brent shook, a tiny movement like he was shaking away his fears. “Do it.”
“Roll up your sleeves to the elbows,” Dane instructed.
Brent made a face, but pushed back the sleeves on his blue shirt.
“Now take off your shoes and socks and roll your jeans up to the knees.”
Brent raised both eyebrows. “What?”
Dane quirked a brow that said, “Don’t dare even ask.”
Brent paled, but obeyed.
Dane pulled a clear container of something black from his pocket. After slipping a pair of gloves on, he opened the jar and stuck his fingers deep into the tar-like substance. First he slathered it on Brent’s arms to the elbows.
“It’s cold,” Brent said. “Freezing.”
“Don’t be weak,” Dane said. Then he bent and applied the substance to Brent’s feet and legs all the way up to his knees. “It’s nothing that can kill you.”
“That’s good to know,” Piper hissed. “I might have had to use it on you—”
“Piper … ” Prince Oliver warned. “I know his ways are unconventional, but we need him right now.”
“That’s right.” Dane smirked. “You need me.”
“Um, hello?” Brent said. “It’s about me right now, and my limbs are kinda numb.
Can you take this crap off?”
“Just another minute,” Dane said. “It needs to set.”
“Set? You mean it won’t come off?” Brent asked. “Ah!” he hollered, shaking his hands. “Seriously, my hands and legs feel like they have frostbite.”
“Perfect,” Dane said, looking satisfied.
“Perfect?” Gabriel echoed, thinking Dane had definitely crossed the line into insanity.
“Yes,” Dane replied. “That frost bite feeling means it has set.” He nodded toward Brent. “You may go rinse off in the river now.”
Brent hobbled to the river with Gabriel, Piper, and Tahlita’s help. He sat on the bank and sank his feet in the water with a sigh. “The water seriously feels like a hot tub right now.”
“I’m sorry about my father,” Tahlita said as she made water lift in the air and drop on Brent’s hands and arms. No matter how many times she manipulated objects, Gabriel couldn’t seem to get used to it. Flying fruit and water suspended in the air was just freaky.
Tahlita splashed more water on Brent’s hands. “He means well, but he’s angry about everything that happened. And—and well, I guess he’s taking it out on the world.” She glanced away a second and then looked back at them. “I also want to thank you guys for helping me get my memories back—for, you know, not giving up on me. And I’ve some stuff to tell you that I remembered.”
“Ugh. I wish I was a fish right now,” Brent said. “I’d jump in and stay under the water for like an hour until this mud stuff washed off. Maybe then I’d stop feeling like a corpse.”
Piper laughed at Brent’s comment, then hugged Tahlita. “You’re welcome. And I can’t wait to hear what you remembered.”
“Call me Tally. My mother used to call me that.”
“Where is your mother anyway?” Piper asked.
“Guys … ” Brent said, just as he splashed the water with his feet, spraying them all.
“Watch it,” Gabriel said, wiping his face. Except … when Gabriel looked at the water, Brent’s feet weren’t feet anymore. They were … a huge fish tail!
“I’m a freaking girly mermaid?” Brent screeched.
Gabriel could barely hold it together. Even Piper clasped a hand over her mouth behind Brent’s back trying not to laugh.
“It’s called body part substitution,” Dane said, tramping up beside them. “You wished you were a fish just now. Looks like you got your wish … sort of. It works on your limbs only.”
“So I get to be a stupid fish?” Brent moaned, swishing his golden, scaly tail up and down in the water. “For real?”
“Or a sword, a hammer, a knife.” Dane lifted his pointer finger. “You can turn your limbs into weapons if you want. Or what about claws for your feet or an electric saw? You get the idea. You can fight, Brent.” Dane winked, then grew serious. “Now wish your feet back so we can cross the portal and get out of this boring world of yours.” He sighed. “However do you cope with such a mundane life?”
“The portal awaits,” Prince Oliver called loudly from the distance.
When Gabriel looked up, his eyes grew wide. Prince Oliver stood at the base of the falls—except he stood on solid ground. The water under his feet had shifted to the sides, and behind him the falls had parted down the middle.
Gabriel would recognize the scenery through the gaping hole behind the falls anywhere. Tall bushes with multi-colored branches and berries in shades of orange, yellow, and green, spread out in front of soaring mountains. Orange and golden leaves scattered across the ground, fluttering in the breeze. The mountains glistened in an unnaturally bright, golden, and glittery substance, and dragonflies as big as birds whizzed by.
Valta.
CHAPTER NINE
Brent jogged ahead, laughing like he was on some sugar high. Gabriel had to admit, it was pretty awesome—and freaky—to walk through Beachy Cove Falls with the water parting like they were Moses or Neptune or something.
Gabriel’s gaze wandered left to right, up and down. Funnels of water circulated all around, but didn’t touch them. The pounding of the water as it crashed on the sides of the riverbank echoed as their shoes crunched against the gravel riverbed.
As they walked through the archway, Gabriel lifted his hand in awe toward the rainbow that curved around the top of the portal. “It’s like all that’s missing is an old pirate ship filled with gold,” Gabriel joked.
“Or filled with pizza,” Brent added. Gabriel looked at him questioningly, and Brent shrugged. “I’m hungry, dude.”
“And you’re sure there’s no more gruocks?” Piper yelled out from behind them. Gabriel’s step faltered. He’d almost forgotten that Valta wasn’t as safe as it looked—gruocks or not.
“Completely sure,” Prince Oliver called over his shoulder to her. “But we have to be on the watch for the Solarians and their curse.”
Ice shot down Gabriel’s spine at the word curse. It made it even worse that they still didn’t know what the Solarians looked like. But before he had a chance to ask, Dane’s voice rose from behind them.
“Let’s go, Tahlita!” he said, his voice urgent.
Gabriel whipped his head around. Tahlita had stopped walking. Even though Dane and Piper were tugging on her arms and trying to convince her to keep moving, she wouldn’t budge. She stood trance-like beneath the archway separating the two worlds.
She widened her eyes, moving her head side to side, looking like she was deep in thought.
“We have to hurry,” Prince Oliver warned, waving them forward. “The portal is about to close!”
Dane grunted, scooped Tahlita up, slung her over one shoulder, and rushed through the portal. Piper snapped to attention and ran beside them. Dane sat Tahlita on the Valtan side of the riverbank, then climbed out with the rest of them just before the water came crashing down with a thundering splash.
The prince checked his pocket watch, then tucked it away. He looked around, his face serious.
As Gabriel scanned the area, his gaze landed on a large bush a few feet away. His mind drifted to memories of the last time they’d been sucked into Valta. There had been a seeker picking berries from that same bush when they’d showed up. The few fall leaves littering the ground in a mix of colors was the only thing that looked different this time. A cool breeze rushed past Gabriel’s face. Autumn was slamming down on Valta, but in Willow Creek, it was spring. Things were backward like that here—the first time they came, it had been the end of summer in Valta and winter back home. Just like before, Valta was the polar opposite of Willow Creek.
Gabriel pointed to the bush with the multi-colored branches and berries. “Stay away from the berries,” he reminded Piper and Brent. Piper scrunched her nose and Brent jumped away from the nearest bush like it was electric. Last time they’d both puked after eating the Valtan fruit. Gabriel hadn’t gotten sick, but only because he’d been wearing one of the crystal Divinities around his neck. Now that he didn’t have one, he’d be staying away from those toxic things, too.
“I’d never be hungry enough to eat those,” Brent said, mock-gagging.
Then a weird sound zapped through the air, buzzing up the sky in the distance. Something the color of straw swarmed the sky, heading their way. The zapping, static-like sound seemed to magnify as it got closer. Gabriel jerked his head up.
Poisonous locusts, Gabriel thought, remembering the Solarian curse.
“We need to move,” Prince Oliver said, in a low but urgent voice. “The locusts are mechanical and deadly. Move fast, but quietly. They’re attracted to noise.”
Mechanical locusts? Gabriel’s mind raced, but he didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go,” he said to Brent. Remembering his new super power, Gabriel hoisted Piper onto his back piggyback-style, then rushed into the tall grass, running hard. His legs moved at lightning speed, the grass and the cool wind skating past his face with each stride. He couldn’t believe the agility of his body with his new super power. His human speed had been like a legless turtle compared to the new lig
htning swiftness.
When the grass towered higher than their heads, Gabriel stopped and looked back, worried about Brent. Piper slid off his back and began pacing, mumbling in Spanish.
The others trickled in a few minutes later, all out of breath. “Duck.” Dane dropped to his knees, pulled Tahlita beside him, then lay flat on the ground. “Blast,” he said with a groan. “What have the Solarians done?”
They sank down, the soaring, thick grass their only shelter. Prince Oliver pressed a finger to his lips, warning them to be quiet. The buzzing got louder, echoing off the mountains that surrounded them. Gabriel covered his ears and stuck his face into the blades of grass. He concentrated on its earthy smell and on not being stung, bitten, or whatever the stupid, poisonous locusts did. He wanted to keep running, to get away as fast as he could, but leaving his friends behind wouldn’t work either.
Piper squeezed Gabriel’s arm and he tilted his face up. Thanks, she mouthed.
Gabriel smiled at her, then rolled onto his back so he could watch for the locusts.
Prince Oliver unsheathed his sword and held it flat against his body. He watched the sky with a scowl. Gabriel wasn’t sure what a sword could do against thousands of bionic locusts. A few small stones lying in the grass lifted into the air and flung toward some locusts. Gabriel was sure Tahlita was responsible for that, but there were too many locusts for the few little rocks.
The buzzing intensified and the sky above them grew dark. There were so many insects it seemed like they almost blocked the whole freaking sun. Gabriel pushed his panic down and thought about his choices. He could grab Piper and run, but what about Brent and the others? He didn’t wanna ditch them. Maybe if he ran and made noise, he could distract the locusts and draw them away.
He stood, prepared to race away when the swarm of locusts dive-bombed the field. The bugs, as big as sparrows, swooped down on all sides.
Gabriel jumped into a runner’s stance ready to take off, when Brent kicked his feet out from under him. He landed with a hard thud.
“What’d you do that for?” Gabriel snapped.
Brent’s face darkened, then suddenly his limbs shifted, changing … clicking.
Gabriel Stone and the Wrath of the Solarians Page 5