by L. EE
“You said you’d dealt with the guy who stole Jada’s horn. Where is it Naria? Where’s his horn?” Andy questioned, his voice rising.
“Over there,” the she-unicorn indicated a place ten feet away from the body of the burly goon who’d grabbed the prize. Suddenly, a vulture-man stumbled out of the darkness, grabbed the horn, and fled.
“Don’t let him get away!” Andy yelled, giving chase.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Pets
Andy, Alden, and Hannah plunged into the forest in hot pursuit. The bird-man wasn’t very fast, but through the darkness they saw him begin to transform, sprouting wings and feathers where his arms had been.
“We’ve got to stop him before he can fly!” Andy yelled, bounding over a fallen log.
Within fifteen feet of the zolt, the trio prepared to pounce. As they closed the gap to ten feet, Andy felt certain they had him. Eight feet. Five feet. And then it happened. The bird-man took off, flapping its wings wildly to get lift, Jada’s horn clutched in its talons.
“No!” screamed Andy, grasping for the horn, but it was just beyond his reach. A stitch stabbed his side.
The vulture-man gained altitude and was nearly through the canopy of leaves when Hannah threw her dagger. Her aim was true, the thief let loose an ear-piercing caw, and one of its feet fell to the ground. Jada’s horn wavered precariously in the remaining clawed foot. Alden brought his dagger up and hurled it. His throw also found its mark, knocking the horn free just as the zolt disappeared through the treetops.
Andy raced to where he saw the prize fall and belly flopped on top of it before anything else could claim it. Alden and Hannah reached him seconds later, breathing heavily. Andy gasped for air as he cradled Jada’s horn in his arms.
Everything’s okay. I got it, Andy tried to calm himself.
Once he’d caught his breath, Andy sat up and exclaimed, “You guys are great shots!” Hannah and Alden grinned.
“Let’s check on the unicorns,” suggested Alden.
The trio found Jada and Naria where they had left them in the darkening glade.
“Are you okay?” Hannah queried.
“We need to eat to regain our strength,” Jada informed.
“Let’s get them some foliage,” Alden suggested. Hannah and Andy nodded and set to work. Gathering wood in daylight proved much easier than collecting leaves and grass in the dark. They chose not to use Methuselah’s light for fear of attracting unwanted company, so the trio stumbled over exposed roots and fallen debris.
Andy felled several leafy saplings and dragged them back to the unicorns. As he worked, his mind mulled over the problem of freeing Father, Mermin, and the others without being recaptured. I hope everyone’s okay. He refused to allow his thoughts to wander to possibilities he’d considered in dread. This is a rescue mission, he insisted to himself. We’ve only got three days left to make it back and save them. But how?
The three had been working in silence for over an hour in the dense foliage when Andy heard rustling and felt the ground shake as heavy footsteps approached. Aided by slivers of moonlight that snuck through the canopy, he motioned to Hannah and Alden and they froze. The stench that preceded it gave away the creature’s identity. The trio watched as a troll that was at least fifteen feet tall ambled toward them, a club slung over one shoulder. It was humming to itself. At least it’s in a good mood, thought Andy. It stopped and sniffed the breeze. Several tense moments elapsed before it passed their position.
“It’s headed toward the clearing!” Hannah whispered, her eyes wide.
Andy leapt from their hiding place and pursued, determined to redirect it before it found Jada and Naria. Hannah and Alden followed closely.
“What are you gonna do?” Hanna asked quietly.
“I don’t know yet.”
The giant paused and scratched its head, then ran a large finger up a nostril as it looked around.
“Gross!” Hannah objected in hushed tones.
“Shhh,” Alden cautioned.
Seconds later a thought occurred to Andy: Trolls like treasure. Remembering the pendant he’d pocketed earlier, he pulled it out of his pouch and bolted toward the unwelcome explorer.
“Alden, Hannah, go make sure Jada and Naria are okay. I’ll meet you back at the glade once I give this thing the slip,” Andy instructed as he headed for the troll.
“Wait!” Alden called, but Andy motioned them to go.
“Hey, you big baboon!” he yelled just twenty feet away from the giant.
The troll turned and looked at him, then took a step in his direction.
“Look what I’ve got.” Andy held up the pendant and it glistened in the moonlight.
Curious, the creature took another step toward him.
“That’s right, come and see.” Andy retreated several steps, coaxing it away from the unicorns.
The giant took more strides in Andy’s direction, but he matched it, keeping a safe distance. Where am I gonna take this thing? And what other creatures are out here? Andy tried to push his fears aside as he kept the troll moving.
He paused and tested the wind. He needed to lead it upwind from the unicorns. He adjusted course, moving into the light breeze. Several minutes later he heard movement ahead and quickly discerned another troll out hunting.
Great, I’m sandwiched between the two! Time to lose both of ‘em.
Andy waited until the second troll had come into view of the first. When the two brutes saw each other, the one following Andy became distracted and began grunting noises that sounded like an animal in pain. The other reciprocated in a slightly higher pitch.
I’m not waiting to find out what happens!
Andy slipped behind a nearby tree and waited. The two trolls approached each other and Andy snuck downwind. He crept close to the ground, staying as quiet as possible. When he could no longer hear the creatures, he stood up and pulled out Methuselah. The blade seemed to sense the situation and didn’t light up as it extended. Cool! Maybe it was alive.
Andy looked around and realized he had no idea where he was. Nothing looked familiar in the dark. He whispered, “Please show me the way to the clearing.”
As it had on previous occasions, Methuselah shifted in his hands and directed him to the right. He paused several times as telltale troll stench assaulted his nose, but the blade directed him around any confrontations.
I didn’t realize I’d come so far, he thought as he continued walking. Wonder how much farther?
His thoughts returned to the quandary about how he could free his father and the others without being captured. Then it dawned on him: I’ll bet a few trolls in Abaddon’s camp could create a disturbance long enough for us to free them. As he thought it through, a smile crept across his face. Oh, this is gonna be good.
He continued on and soon reached the clearing where Hannah, Alden, and the two unicorns kept watch. He still wore a grin as he approached, and Hannah questioned, “What’s so funny? We were getting worried.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Andy addressed the unicorns before answering Hannah.
“Thank you,” the pair replied in unison.
“I think I’ve figured out how we can free my father and the others.”
“Well, don’t keep us in suspense,” Alden replied, matching Andy’s expression.
Andy outlined his plan.
“I don’t know,” Hannah cautioned when he’d finished. “There’s a lot that could go wrong with trolls. We have no control of them.”
“Well, I like the idea,” Alden encouraged. “We haven’t come up with anything better. Andy and I can keep the trolls busy while you give Abaddon Naria’s horn and bargain for the release of the others. If you aren’t successful—which, no offense, I doubt you will be—we’ll bring on the trolls to shake things up a bit.”
“I don’t know,” Hannah mused, slowly shaking her head.
Andy yawned, setting off a chain reaction from Hannah and Alden. With no better ideas to consider, the trio grabbed bla
nkets from their packs and curled up next to the unicorns for warmth. In no time they were asleep.
The rising sun filtered through the fog and woke the group the next morning. After an insufficient breakfast that finished off their provisions and tearful goodbyes, the trio departed to Naria’s reassuring words, “If you need help, just think our names. We’ll hear you in the whisper stream.”
An hour later, as they hiked up a mountain with Methuselah leading the way, Andy reminded, “We’ve only got two days.” He felt the nearly empty backpack with his free hand and found Jada’s horn. His thoughts returned to the choice he faced: saving his mom or breaking the curse. The unicorn’s admonishment—“Don’t be greedy”—kept bumping through his thoughts, but saving Mom still seemed the more urgent matter. Every time he nearly resolved to use the horn to break the curse, his emotions would well up and make an impassioned argument to save Mom. He didn’t know what to do.
“How much farther do you think?” Alden wondered two days later.
“I don’t know, but we’re running out of time,” Hannah fretted. “If we’re not back tonight, who knows what Abaddon will do.”
Andy tried not to listen. Concern had morphed into urgency several hours before and was gnawing at his stomach. Thus far he’d held off panic, but he didn’t know how much longer he could.
Several minutes later they passed a rock formation and Hannah observed, “Isn’t that the cave we stayed in the first night? It looks familiar.”
Andy looked around, trying to place it. The angle of the cave opening and the protruding rocks just to the right of the door triggered a memory, but daylight made everything look different.
“It might be,” Andy replied.
Alden stuck his head in the black opening, then went in several steps. “Yep, this is it. That treasure hoard is here,” he called. “Looks like there are three trolls,” Alden reported, his voice echoing off the hard walls.
“Good. Then we wait until dark and coax the brutes into following us,” Andy declared.
Hannah raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure this is a good idea?”
“Best one we’ve got. Look, I don’t know how this’ll turn out, but we agree we’ve got to do something.”
“I know,” Hannah nodded. “I just don’t like it.”
Alden grabbed several trinkets from the treasure chest and rejoined the others. “This ought to make a tantalizing enough prize. Nothing like having them come after the booty they’ve already claimed.” He handed Andy half of what he’d helped himself to.
“Do you know what you’re going to say to Abaddon?” Andy asked Hannah.
“Well, I plan to be firm and tell him if he wants the horn he needs to let everyone go.”
“And if he laughs at you?” Andy probed.
Hannah shook her head.
“It’s okay, Hannah,” Alden encouraged. “I don’t see how you can convince him, and unfortunately, we don’t have any leverage. It’s not your fault.”
“Still, I wish I could do more.”
Alden’s stomach rumbled and Andy suggested, “I saw a moonberry bush not far from here. We should probably eat before it gets dark and we have company.”
Foggy twilight faded into blackness as Andy, Alden, and Hannah waited outside the cave entrance. Soon they heard yawning, scratching, and thumping. Then a large silhouette emerged. Andy greeted it with Methuselah illuminated.
“Here, Lumpy!” Andy called, shaking a handful of booty.
“Lumpy?” Alden queried.
“A pet name,” Andy joked.
“Pet? Are you kidding me?”
Andy laughed, then coughed at the repugnant stench.
“Your pet needs a bath,” Hannah chimed in, fanning the smell away with her hand.
A second troll exited and Alden engaged it. “Hey…uh…Thumpy!”
“Thumpy?” Andy questioned, taking several steps with his oversize follower in tow.
“If you can call that troll Lumpy, I’m naming this one Thumpy. It’s got a club and would probably love to use it on me,” Alden joked, attracting Thumpy’s attention. It followed.
“Here comes one more!” Hannah called after them. “Call it Slumpy. It fits.”
“Got it!” Andy replied, guiding Lumpy around in a wide circle and adding Slumpy to their recruits. He whirled Methuselah about and shook the treasure. The creatures lumbered after, curious but silent.
Hannah darted ahead of the boys to scout out any obstacles they might need to avoid.
Lumpy and Slumpy started exchanging low grunts. Andy shook the treasure more loudly, trying to keep their attention. The communication between the two brutes grew louder and before he knew it, Andy’s pets made enough noise to wake anything from a sound slumber. Between that and their ground-shaking steps, Andy wondered what unexpected surprises they might be stirring up.
Hannah darted back several minutes later to report, “There are three more trolls heading in our direction. I was afraid things could go terribly wrong with these beasts.”
“The more the merrier!” Alden clowned.
“How can you joke at a time like this?” Hannah scolded. He just laughed.
Several minutes later, one of the new trolls joined the procession. Alden decided to name it Bumpy because its bald head looked as though it had tangled with a club or two.
The trio made as much noise as possible to keep their followers moving, and soon the other two trolls joined the throng.
“Just call them Thing One and Thing Two,” Andy shouted over the din.
As the new brutes joined Andy’s followers, Lumpy raised his club and brought it down on Thing One’s head. Thing One stood dazed for a second and then retaliated, whacking Lumpy. The two beasts thumped and pounded each other until Thing One relented, rubbing its head and bowing submissively.
The rest of their “pets” had stopped to watch the brawl. When the altercation ended, Andy joked, “Think we can move on now that you’ve shown you’re the mightiest?” He jingled the loot and waved Methuselah to regain the trolls’ attention. The noise level quieted and the group of three humans and six trolls progressed once more.
“How much farther?” Alden asked an hour later.
Hannah ran ahead and returned shortly, reporting, “Abaddon’s camp is just ahead. You need to keep your pets busy while I go talk to him.”
“No problem,” Andy replied. “They’re behaving themselves…for now.”
“I hope Abaddon and his goons don’t smell them and come check us out,” Alden thought aloud.
Hannah gave him a look.
“What?”
“Hey, can you signal and let us know how my father and the others are?” Andy asked.
His request was met with silence, telling Andy they had all been thinking it but hadn’t dared speak their concerns.
“How about two coughs for ‘they’re alive’ and three for ‘we’ve got big problems’?”
Hannah nodded.
“You’ve got Naria’s horn?” Andy continued.
“Right here.” Hannah patted her backpack. With a deep breath she added, “Okay, here goes.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Party Time
Through the trees Andy could see Hannah approaching the camp. He glanced back and saw Lumpy and Slumpy getting too close for comfort and moved ahead. Alden mimicked his movements with Thumpy and Bumpy. Thing One and Thing Two had stopped for a drink in the small brook trickling through the area and appeared content for the moment. When Andy was again satisfied with the trolls’ positions, he paused to listen for Hannah’s signal. The silence proved deafening and unbearable.
At last, off in the distance, Andy heard two coughs. He held his breath, praying not to hear another. When no third cough came he gave a thumbs-up to Alden who moved his pets again. Andy mirrored him.
Keeping track of the trolls made it difficult to watch Hannah and judge her progress, but he persevered. Andy knew the instant she entered the clearing, for Imogenia boomed her dissati
sfaction to the entire forest.
“Where’s the boy? I knew your plan would fail, King Abaddon! The boy is gone.” She emphasized the word king with a decidedly mocking tone.
We may need Daisy to help, Andy thought as he considered the possible outcomes of Hannah’s conversation. Daisy, wherever you are, can you come and help us?
I’m on my way, came a familiar voice in Andy’s head.
Thanks, Daisy.
Andy chanced peeking through the trees and saw Gozler, Maladoca, and two other zolt warriors standing guard around the clearing. Hannah waved her arms animatedly as she addressed their adversary. He couldn’t see Abaddon, but based on the direction she faced, Andy knew his nemesis remained where he’d last seen him.
You tell him, Hannah! Andy cheered silently, then noticed his trolls getting a bit too close again. The boys increased their distance.
When Andy next looked, he saw Dagon remove the gag and help Captain Ladilas to his feet. Judging by the captain’s stiffness, he probably hadn’t walked the entire time they’d been gone. Abaddon’s chief bird-man then untied Sergeants Albin and Gavin. No sign of Father or Mermin.
Lumpy and Bumpy lumbered toward the boys, forcing them to take evasive measures to regain the advantage.
Resettled temporarily, Andy and Alden watched Hannah pull Naria’s horn from her backpack. No! What’s gonna happen if this horn cures Abaddon while Father and Mermin are still held captive?
Alden sensed Andy’s growing panic and whispered, “I’m sure Hannah’s doing everything she can to keep them safe.”
Andy forced a smile.
The calm broke several minutes later with Abaddon’s booming announcement, “I will rule the world and live forever!” Through the fog and trees, Andy could see the dragon standing with arms outstretched as if he was Moses parting the waters.
The trolls jumped at the unexpected outburst and looked to where the noise originated. They began grunting and pounding their clubs on the ground. Their grunts morphed into roars, and soon all six of them lumbered toward the disturbance, abandoning any interest in the boys or the treasure.