The Battle of Iron Gulch

by R. G. Thomas

  Her grip was strong around his throat, and he gasped for breath. The world grew gray around the edges and a wave of dizziness went through him. But suddenly Ruby gave a cry and the pressure around his throat released. She stumbled away, her hand now held up to her temple.

  “What was that?” Ruby shrieked.

  Thaddeus slid down the wall, coughing and sucking in deep, grateful breaths. He touched something hard and familiar when he put his hand down, and picked up the chunk of asphalt he’d first moved in the movie theater parking lot.

  “My pet rock,” Thaddeus replied in a raspy voice.

  “Thaddeus!”

  He looked toward the cavern and saw Teofil standing in the opening of the passage, a knife held in each hand. Sudden movement behind Teofil caught his attention.

  “Look out!” Thaddeus shouted, pointing.

  Teofil jumped aside as the dragon barreled past him and into the passage. Thaddeus pressed himself against the wall and turned his face away. Ruby did not move fast enough, however, and he heard her scream as the dragon thundered past. Once it was past, he let out his breath and looked to see the trampled remains of Ruby lying farther up the passage.

  “Isadora took her!” Teofil said as he hurried up to Thaddeus. “The chain around her wings snapped, and then Isadora got on her back and rode her out of here!”

  “We have to go,” Thaddeus said, each word hurting as it passed through his tender throat.

  “Are you okay?” Teofil asked. “Your neck—”

  “I’m okay,” Thaddeus said. “The others?”

  “We’re fine,” his father replied from where he stood just outside the passage, supporting Vivienne, who looked winded but not seriously injured. “Let’s go get your mother.”

  Chapter NINETEEN

  IT TOOK longer than Thaddeus hoped for them to reach the surface. All along the way they saw evidence of the dragon’s passage in trampled ghouls, strewn boulders, and even claw marks along the walls. With each sign they passed, Thaddeus grew more concerned over what they would find once they left the mine. But when they finally stepped outside and looked around the dark parking lot, the dragon was nowhere in sight.

  “Thaddeus!”

  It was Aisha, and she rushed up to throw her arms around him. Behind her, he could see half-a-dozen other townspeople hanging back from the mine entrance. Their hands were dirty, and he figured they had helped Aisha remove the nacht macabre.

  “You’re okay?” Thaddeus asked in a ragged voice.

  “What’s wrong with your voice?” Aisha stepped back, and then her eyes went wide. “Your throat!”

  “I’m okay,” Thaddeus replied. “Did you see…?” He had no idea how to ask about the dragon.

  “A dragon?” Aisha nodded, her eyes opening even wider. “Yep. I saw it. And so did a few other people. It flew off with a woman on its back, riding it like it was a horse. What the hell is going on?”

  “It’s kind of a long story,” Thaddeus said as he and the other members of his group craned their heads back to inspect the starry night sky. He saw nothing unusual and looked to his father, who met his gaze and shook his head. In the moonlight, the blood from the cut on his father’s forehead looked black, but something was different about the wound. Thaddeus stepped closer to his father and squinted.

  “What?” Nathan asked, and lifted a hand to gingerly touch his forehead. “Is it still bleeding?”

  Thaddeus shook his head. “No. It looks like… it looks like it’s healed.”

  “Healed?” Nathan pressed his fingers harder, feeling all around the place where he’d been injured. “It is healed. But, how?”

  They looked at each other and said at the same time, “The water.”

  “Fire!” a woman from town shouted, and pointed.

  Off in the distance, a bright yellow bloom of flame had erupted into the night sky.

  “No,” Thaddeus whispered and was running toward the SUV before he realized it, his stomach in knots and his fists clenched tight. “No, no, no, no!”

  His father was right behind him, and the others all followed. As they piled into the SUV, Thaddeus was surprised to see Aisha climbing in behind Astrid.

  “Aisha, no, it’s too dangerous,” Thaddeus said. “You should stay here.”

  “The hell with that,” Aisha said and slammed the door behind her. “Our neighbor’s watching my mom until ambulances arrive, and you need all the help you can get.”

  His father hit the gas, throwing Thaddeus back against the seat. He looked over the top of Astrid’s head at Aisha and asked, “You don’t want to stay with your mom?”

  Aisha shook her head and looked out the side window. “She’ll be okay. There’s not much I can do for her now.” She looked back at him. “Did you know about the dragon in the mine?”

  Thaddeus nodded. “We knew about the dragon, but we thought she was in a cave higher up on the mountain.”

  “She?” Aisha wrinkled her nose. “How do you know it’s a she?”

  He made a face. “It’s an even longer story, just believe me.”

  “Who was the woman on its—sorry, on her back?”

  “Isadora,” Thaddeus replied. “And she’s not a good person.”

  “Evil?” Aisha asked.

  “Very,” Thaddeus replied. “The rider, that is, not the dragon. At least she wasn’t before.” He let out a breath, the long day catching up to him in a rush of sudden exhaustion. What he wouldn’t have given for the chance to just be scraping paint or pulling weeds again.

  “You okay?” Teofil asked from his other side.

  Thaddeus nodded. “Just got really tired.”

  “Corral your energy,” Rudyard said from the third row of seats. “One battle’s done, but the war’s not yet won.”

  “There’s no need to frighten them,” Miriam chided gently. “They know good and well what we’re up against.”

  Thaddeus looked back at Aisha. “Thank you for pulling the nacht macabre out of the ground.”

  Aisha nodded. “That was okay, right?”

  “That was perfect. Thank you.”

  “I thought so. After what happened at the school gym….” Tears filled her eyes, and she looked away, unable to finish.

  Thaddeus reached around behind Astrid to touch Aisha’s shoulder. “I’m sure your mom will be okay. You did a really brave and good thing by pulling out those plants.”

  His father drove fast through the neighborhood where Aisha lived, across the river, and into the downtown area. Suddenly he slammed on the brakes, throwing them all forward as a long jet of flame tore through the stores along the left side of the street. A lamp pole fell across the road, the bulb erupting in a shower of sparks.

  “Everybody out!” Nathan shouted.

  They scrambled out of the SUV, and Thaddeus was shocked by the wave of heat coming off the fire. With his arm held up to protect his face and eyes, he ran along with the others down a side street. He could hear the flap of the dragon’s leathery wings overhead. Sweat broke out all over his body, and he worried he’d hear Isadora shout a command and then feel a blast of heat as his mother incinerated him.

  “Here!” Leopold shouted. “Inside and out of sight!”

  He led them to a house where the front door stood open and all the lights were off. They crowded into the small living room and stood looking at each other as they caught their breath.

  “Now what?” Astrid asked. “We’ve gone up against reaper grubs, water sprites, and insane vines, but a dragon seems to be a bit more to handle.”

  “Insane vines?” Aisha whispered to Thaddeus.

  “Later,” he whispered back. Then he said, “There’s not much water left in the canteen, but I’ve got an idea.”

  Teofil took his hand and squeezed it. “I’m sorry you had to use it on me.”

  Thaddeus smiled at him. “No apology needed. I’d do it again.” He noticed Aisha staring at their linked hands and knew he’d have even more explaining to do for her later. If there was
a later.

  He looked at his father. “The cut on your forehead has healed. When we were working on Hannah’s house and I twisted my ankle, it healed very quickly.”

  Vivienne frowned. “What are you saying?”

  “The magical properties of the water from the Well of Tears are also in our blood.”

  There was a pause as they all considered what Thaddeus had said, and then Miriam exclaimed, “You can’t bleed yourselves!”

  “Not too much,” Thaddeus said. “But enough that, if we mix it with the water that’s left, we may be able to change her back.”

  “Change who back?” Aisha asked.

  “The dragon,” Thaddeus replied.

  “That thing is actually a person?” Aisha blinked slowly, astonished.

  Thaddeus nodded. “My mother.”

  “Holy hell and toasted almonds,” Aisha whispered. “You’re all way crazier than I first thought.”

  “You have no idea,” Nathan said to her, then looked back at Thaddeus. “Your idea has merit. But we need to hurry up before Isadora has her burn the entire town.”

  As if on cue, a bright yellow glow burst into life just outside the windows. The glass in the frames rattled and several pictures fell off the walls.

  “What is that?” Aisha screamed.

  “The dragon flew over the house,” Leopold explained. “Wait here.”

  He crossed the room and entered the kitchen, where they heard him opening cupboards and tossing dishes aside. In a few moments, he returned holding a plastic bowl and a roll of Saran Wrap that he placed on the low coffee table.

  “It’s not much, but it will do the trick,” Leopold said, and held out his hand. “Teofil, your knife, please.”

  Teofil handed over the knife, and Leopold took hold of his arm and pulled him closer to the table. He positioned Teofil so his hand extended just above the bowl.

  “I’m going to cut your palm,” Leopold said. “Don’t pull away. Since you’re the most recent drinker of the water, it’s important that we get as much of your blood as possible in the mix.”

  Leopold drew the blade over Teofil’s palm, and Thaddeus flinched as he watched. Blood welled up along the cut, and Leopold turned Teofil’s hand so it ran into the bowl.

  “Ugh, I can’t watch this,” Aisha said and, crossing her arms, moved to the other side of the room.

  When Leopold was satisfied with the amount of blood he’d gathered, he closed Teofil’s fingers and ushered him toward Miriam. “See to his wound, will you, Miriam?”

  Thaddeus stepped up next and held out his hand. He drew in a hissing breath as Leopold cut his palm, then watched as his blood dribbled into the bowl and mixed with Teofil’s. He remembered a time years ago when he and his father had lived in one of the flatter midwestern plain states and he’d made friends with a young boy who lived down the street. They’d been so close they’d cut their thumbs and held them together to become blood brothers. Now, as his blood combined with Teofil’s, Thaddeus figured they were even more closely bonded.

  When he was finished, he turned toward Miriam, who was ready with a cloth bandage covered in her sticky healing concoction he was so familiar with from the beginning of their quest. How long ago that seemed—years instead of weeks. And what a different person he had been back then.

  When Leopold had collected blood from Nathan as well, he looked at Thaddeus with a solemn expression. “And now, Thaddeus, I’ll need the water you’ve been protecting so valiantly all this time.”

  Thaddeus nodded and removed the canteen from his belt. He looked down at it for a moment. If this did not work, they had no other options.

  With a heavy exhalation, he handed it over to Leopold and took a step back. The hand with the cut fell automatically to his hip, but there was no longer a canteen to rest it on, and it left him feeling odd and out of sorts.

  Teofil took his uninjured hand and squeezed it. “This is going to work. I know it.”

  “I hope so,” Thaddeus said.

  Leopold poured the remaining bit of water into the mixing bowl, tapping the bottom to make sure he got every drop. He capped the canteen and handed it back to Thaddeus, then produced a lid for the bowl and snapped it on. After making sure it was sealed tight, he pulled the tube of Saran Wrap from its box and wrapped the bowl in several layers.

  When he had finished, Leopold flashed a tight smile and held up the bowl. “That should do it. And now, we must confront the dragon. Where should we do that?”

  “Away from town,” Vivienne said as the dragon released another blast of flame just a few blocks away. “There won’t be anything left if we don’t get her out of here.”

  “The hot springs,” Thaddeus said without hesitation. “It’s away from the town, and it’s flat up there.”

  Leopold nodded. “A good idea. Let’s go.”

  They left the house in a single file and hurried along the street toward the mountain. The houses across the street were ablaze, and the heat coming off the fires was tremendous. Aisha took the lead and guided them through backyards and along alleys until they stood before the Iron Gulch Inn. The flames from all around the town reflected off the red walls Thaddeus and his father had spent so much time painting.

  “Stop right there.” A woman’s voice followed by the cocking of a gun made them all turn.

  Hannah Woodhouse stood in the middle of the street with a shotgun leveled at them.

  “Hannah,” Nathan said in a calm, quiet voice. “We’re not the enemy.”

  The dragon soared past overhead, and Hannah crouched down in fear as she stared at it.

  “What is that?” Hannah asked.

  “A dragon,” Aisha said and stepped between Hannah and Thaddeus’s group. “And these folks are here to help.”

  “It’s burning the town,” Hannah said. “And there are other… things in town. Taking people. Trying to take me. There’s a dead one in my basement right now.”

  “It’s a big, bloody mess,” Aisha said. “And you’re right to be freaked out. I’m freaked out myself. But you gotta let these folks go. They know what they’re doing.”

  Hannah looked at Aisha, flicked her gaze over the rest of them, and then looked back at her. “I know you. You lost your dad and brother in the mine.”

  “Two brothers,” Aisha said. “My name’s Aisha Hutchins.”

  “You’re sure they’re okay?” Hannah asked, looking past Aisha at Nathan.

  “I’m really sure,” Aisha said. “Let ’em be on their way and they can stop all of this before it gets even worse.”

  Hannah hesitated just a moment, then nodded and took the gun off them. “Go, then. Stop all of this.”

  “You’re doing the right thing, Ms. Woodhouse,” Aisha said. She looked up and down the street at the burning houses, then turned to Thaddeus and the rest of the group. “There are people in trouble. With the attack in the gym and now the fires, people need help.”

  “She’s right,” Miriam said.

  “Ghouls and goblins could still be in town,” Vivienne added. “Taking people without anyone noticing because of the fires.”

  “We split up,” Leopold said. “The town needs the bulk of the help, it would appear.”

  “Leopold and I will go to the hot springs,” Nathan said. “The rest of you help out in the town where you can.”

  “No,” Thaddeus said and stepped up to his father. “I should go to the springs as well. The dragon knows my scent. I can calm her, you know I can. I’ve done it before.”

  “He has a point, Nathan,” Leopold said in a low voice.

  “I don’t want you near Isadora,” Nathan said.

  The words came out before Thaddeus could stop them. “Why? Are there more secrets you haven’t told me?”

  Thaddeus hated the small part of himself that felt a cold satisfaction at the flinch that flashed across his father’s face. He regretted the words but was determined to finish this once and for all, so he planted his feet and crossed his arms.

  “
You know I’m right,” he said. “You need me up there. I’m your best chance at getting her out from under Isadora’s control.”

  Another flaming blast from the dragon took out a group of buildings a few blocks away, making them all jump.

  “It’s decided, then,” Astrid said. “Nathan, Leopold, and Thaddeus go to the springs. The rest of us do what we can here. Come on!”

  Astrid sprinted off, followed by Dulindir, Miriam, and Rudyard. Leopold called after them, “Split up. Look for the Bearagon and help as many people as you can. Try to keep the fires from spreading.” He looked to Aisha. “You seem to be a brave girl. Can you catch up with them and get them around town?”

  Aisha gave a single nod. “Okay.” She looked to Thaddeus, started to say something, but settled for a small smile before running off after the others.

  “My dear,” Leopold said to Vivienne, “would you and Teofil accompany Hannah through the town and assist where you can? Be careful of ghouls in disguise, though.”

  “Ghouls?” Hannah asked.

  “They’ll explain on the way,” Nathan replied.

  Thaddeus looked at Teofil and a knot of fear tightened low in his belly. He was afraid he’d lose Teofil now just as they were about to finish their quest. There was so much he wanted to experience with him, so much he needed to say. The words seemed to jumble together in his throat, blocking his ability to speak, and he was surprised to find he was crying.

  “Be careful,” Thaddeus managed.

  Teofil grinned and held up his hand. The cut Leopold had inflicted earlier had already healed. “Don’t worry about me. You be careful.”

  Thaddeus looked at the cut he’d received, felt the mild throb of it, and knew it wasn’t going to heal as quickly. He’d only drunk a little bit of the water, and that had been weeks ago. For all he knew, his latest blood loss had drained his body of the magical healing ability entirely. He looked back at Teofil and managed a smile.

  “I love you.”