by A W Hartoin
“Your seers should move you out of Paris immediately,” said Daiki.
“Marie’s in the Loire Valley with Sarah,” said Mom.
“We can get Judd to call her when he gets back,” I said.
Mom jumped to her feet and shook her finger at me. “No. We’re not calling her back because we’re not going anywhere.” She pointed out the window. “Have you seen the streets? They’re full of maniacs and murderers. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be stable.”
“Adele,” said Dad. “This was unforeseeable.”
“Unforeseeable? I don’t think so. Paris is a nightmare. It always has been. My mother was almost killed here a dozen times. We were lucky to get out alive.”
“That was then and this is now.”
“How’s it different, except maybe worse. We have multiple children, the commander’s egg, a dying woman, and a gargoyle, for goodness sake. A gargoyle!”
“Don’t forget about Rufus,” said Iris.
“And a fire lizard!”
Percy and Penelope snorted flames into the air and gave Mom the stink eye.
“And dragons. Obese dragons!”
“I admit we’re not light on our feet, my lady,” said Bentha. “But we must make a decision and fast.”
“The decision is made. We’ll hole up here until it calms down out there.” Mom flew up. “We’re not risking it.”
“The risk is staying,” said Lrag.
Mom went speechless. A fighting thing, if you knew my mother. She turned bright red, pointed at Lrag, and then flew away.
“I guess that’s that,” said Dad.
“I’m afraid it’s not. Your wife is clearly terrified, but we have to call Marie. We can hide in her hotel room until we get a flight out. Matilda has the cure. There’s no reason to stay,” said Daiki, his face smooth and calm compared to the rest of us.
“We can get to the airport on our own. We really shouldn’t involve Marie. They are attacking seers and she’s so old.”
“The airport is crawling with rebels. They’re watching departures, making sure the royal family doesn’t escape. Marie can smuggle us through. As long as she leaves the country with us, she should be fine.”
Dad put his face in his hands and then looked at me. He saw the yellow leg and my trembling hands. “We’ll do it, but we can’t involve Tess and Judd in any way. They’re more vulnerable. Marie can go wherever she wants.”
“Agreed,” said Bentha. “We will protect the children.”
“They’re home,” said Iris.
The Elliots walked in laden with bags and yawning.
I wondered what Judd would think about being considered a child. I wouldn’t want to be the one to tell him, although he did look like one with his sleepy face and yawning.
“Alright,” said Rebecca. “Straight to bed.”
“Aw, come on. It’s early,” said Judd.
“We’re getting up at the crack of dawn, so we can get to Versailles before the tourists.”
“We’re tourists, Mom,” said Tess, yawning quite a bit herself.
“Whatever. Go to bed.”
Tess and Judd trudged off.
Rebecca called after them. “Judd, give me your phone.”
“Why? I’m not going to call anyone,” said Judd slyly.
“I saw you exchange numbers with that French girl. Hand it over.”
Judd cursed under his breath, but put his cell phone on the table. That’s when he saw Daiki. He froze for a second and then yelled, “Hey, Tess. Let’s have a snack.”
“You just ate,” said Rebecca.
“I’m growing.”
Rebecca and Evan went to bed and Tess came back with her toothbrush in hand.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“We have a visitor.” Judd pointed at the table.
Tess ran over. “I’ve never met a katana before. Are you Daiki?
Daiki bowed.
Tess grinned at me. “He is cute.”
I don’t know what color I turned, but it wasn’t good.
“Can I see your sword?” asked Tess.
“Not right now,” said Daiki.
“Can I touch your ears?”
“Not right now.”
“Can I —”
Judd cut her off. “I think Daiki’s here for a reason.”
Lrag stood up and touched Tess’s forefinger with his hand. “Yes, he is.”
He told them about Gerald and his parents. Tess cried and asked to see Gerald.
“Take your sister,” said Bentha. “We will form a plan upon your return.”
Judd led Tess away with his arm around her and we waited until they were out of earshot.
“Quick! The phone,” I said.
“How can we dial it?” asked Daiki.
“I can do it.” Lrag hopped on the keyboard and jumped from key to key. He texted Marie. “Bad news. Earl has Marie’s phone. She’s run off with a seventy-year-old for the weekend.”
“Like as in a date?” asked Iris.
“Exactly.”
“She’s ninety-four.”
“And not dead. Earl and Stanley are coming. Earl says they’ll get it in gear. Whatever that means.”
“It means they’re coming for us. Fast,” I said.
“Their loyalty shall be rewarded,” said Bentha.
We all nodded, but I wasn’t so sure. This was Earl and Stanley. They couldn’t figure out how to get places in the United States.
“How long will it take?” asked Daiki.
“I have no idea,” said Dad.
The Home Depot fairies climbed onto the table and marched in their line to Dad.
“Two hundred and thirty-five kilometers,” said D.
“Huh,” said Dad.
“Two hours and thirty-one minutes.”
“What?”
“You asked a question,” said D. “I answered it. It is two hours and thirty-one minutes to the Loire Valley for a competent driver. I estimate four hours and eleven minutes for Earl and Stanley.”
“Who are you?” asked Daiki.
“We’re from the Home Depot.”
“That doesn’t really tell me who you are.”
“We’re from the Home Depot.”
“But —”
“Give it up,” I said. “That’s as much information as we ever got.”
Daiki eyed D’s blue overalls and I could tell he wanted to get more out of them. I was convinced there wasn’t any more. The Home Depot was it.
“An attack is imminent?” asked D.
Bentha drew his sword. “Yes. We will fight. Win.”
Dad rubbed his eyes. “We will leave as soon as Earl and Stanley get here.”
“We will prepare,” said D and the Home Depot fairies marched off the table.
“What can they do?” asked Daiki.
“Everything, but fight,” said Dad.
Penelope wrapped her tail around me and pushed me against her slick hide. I could feel her heart beating against my face and Ibn’s gargoyle curled up on my chest. Four hours. That wasn’t so long. We’d be gone before dawn.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
THE FIRST THING I saw was my hand on the curve of a purple tail. Then a red eye with a wide pupil. Daiki’s face edged in front of the eye, his long twisted hair falling over his shoulders.
“Matilda, it’s time to get up,” he said.
“Are they here?”
“Not yet, but they should be any minute. It’s been three hours and fifty-eight minutes. Your father says the Home Depot fairies are rarely wrong.”
“They’re never wrong.”
He helped me up and my leg ached so much I was nauseous. I drank from the flask he gave me and Lucrece’s concoction went to work easing the pain. He took the flask from me and I realized we were alone on the table with Penelope and Fidéle.
“Your mother and Lucrece have packed. They want you in the living room ready to go as soon as Earl and Stanley get here.” He st
ood at arm’s length with the dim light from the chandelier making his face full of shadows. Then he took a large amulet from around his neck and put it around mine. “It’s the antidote from Alesky.”
“Seriously? He hates me.”
“He knows that your defiance saved his life. He told me to tell you that he hopes it does the same for you.”
I held the bottle tight in my fist. “Daiki.”
“Yes, Matilda.”
Penelope’s sides bellowed out and her tail whipped around, narrowly missing us, as she hissed and her nostrils flamed bright.
“What’s wrong with her?” asked Daiki.
“I have no idea. Iris is the dragon girl.”
Penelope snapped out her wings, darted off the table and into the hall.
“Hey, where are you going?” I yelled after her.
Daiki drew his sword and wheeled me around. A hundred lights floated outside the window. Brown wings and a bunch of other winged species flew past. Each armed with a torch and a sword.
“Get into a dragon hole!” Daiki ran and somersaulted off the table.
I grabbed Fidéle and darted down behind and flew in the dragon hole in the cabinet’s latticework. Daiki ran in behind me.
“Stay concealed. Your family’s in the living room.”
We ran through the cabinet, dodging random pieces of dried pasta and going through the wall. The dragon hole on that side was smaller, but we had a good view. My family was running under the sofa toward a dragon hole on the other wall. Dad was carrying Gerald and Lrag had Miss Penrose. The big bank of windows beyond the sofa was covered in lights.
“There has to be over hundred,” I said. “But they can’t get in.”
Just then a fairy turned his sword around and banged on the window with his pommel. They all did it, smashing their pommels into the glass. It shuddered, but nothing more.
“What is that?” Daiki yelled.
A body slithered over the glass, long and tubular. It cocked its head to the side and peered in with a glowing green eye.
“A sea serpent.”
“Great. Anything else in this city I should know about?”
“Plenty.” I grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry you’re here for this.”
“I’m never sorry to be where you are.” Daiki bent down and kissed me. My arm went around his neck. For a second there weren’t sea serpents at the windows. There wasn’t a painful leg or any kind of pain or fear. Then my mom flew in the dragon hole and cracked Daiki upside the head.
“What do you think you’re doing? I will kill you myself,” she said.
“I…I…” said Daiki.
“Quiet, you. Matilda, get in our dragon hole.” Mom crossed the way and I followed with Daiki running below my feet.
Everyone was inside the dragon hole, including the Marfisis. They were dressed like they were going to a ball instead of a battle.
“Iris, what about that sea serpent?” asked Dad. “Oh no, there’s two now.”
My sister knelt on the floor with Rufus on her shoulder glowing bright above the Speciesapedia. “They can’t do anything.”
“No magical powers?” asked Lrag. “That can’t be.”
“It doesn’t name any,” said Iris.
Bentha gave me my sword. “I believe the book to be wrong.”
“It isn’t wrong,” said Iris.
“Incomplete then,” said Bentha, pointing at the window.
One of the sea serpents filled up like a water balloon and sprayed something on the glass. It got wavy.
“It’s melting the glass!” yelled Dad.
Mr. Marfisi grabbed me. “You must get her out. You must. They’ll take one look at her and know.”
“Know what?” asked Mom.
He ignored her. “I’ll distract them.” He pointed to Lrag. “You make her invisible and get out.”
Miss Penrose held her thin white hand out to Lrag. “That’s crazy. I’m so ill. You have a better chance of making it alone.”
“I’d never let you die,” said Lrag, his horned head bent over her.
She held his face in her hands. “Lrag, please. You mean so much to me.”
“I’d do anything for you.”
Dad put Gerald on his feet and the small boy leaned heavily against Lrag’s broad hip.
“I’ll distract them,” said Dad. “They don’t want me.”
“They’ll kill you,” said Mom.
“I don’t think so.”
“You’re gambling with your life,” said Bentha.
“I’m gambling with the only thing I have,” said Dad.
The sea serpent filled up and sprayed the glass again. A tiny hole opened in the center.
“What are you going to do? You’re not a warrior,” I said.
He touched my cheek. “But I’m the father of one. It’s got to be in there somewhere.”
Mr. Marfisi stepped between us. “It’s me they want and it’s me they’ll get.”
“Us,” said Mrs. Marfisi, shaking so bad her teeth were chattering.
“No. You have to get them out of the city. You’re the only one who can,” said Mr. Marfisi.
“They’re coming through!” yelled Iris.
“The best chance is out the front door,” said Bentha.
I pushed Mr. Marfisi’s shaking body back. “Our best chance is me. I’m not running away.”
Mom shook me by the shoulders. “You have to get the kids out.”
“I won’t leave you. I’m the one with the fire.”
“Nothing is more important to me than you. Not my life. Nothing. Get them out.”
“Mom!”
“Do as I ask. It might be your last chance,” said Mom.
“I’ll get them out,” I said.
“Without fire.”
I nodded though it pained me to do it.
A swarm of brown wings came through the hole followed by group of phalanx that leapt off the window and fell onto the carpet like drops of black rain. A brown wing spotted us in the hole and they charged. Mr. Marfisi took one of Bentha’s swords and stepped outside the hole.
“The Marfisis,” screamed a red-winged fairy and he darted down, sword raised.
Judd jumped in front of our hole. He had a can of roach spray in one hand and a bat in the other. He sprayed a swathe of poison through the air. The rebels tumbled backwards, clutching their throats. He sprayed the phalanx, who were scuttling across the carpet at full speed with the rest of the can. As soon as the poison hit them, their shells started vibrating so fast they were blurred. They turned a poisonous green color, screamed, and ran forward faster and totally crazed.
“Oh crap!” Judd threw the can at them and assumed a batter’s stance. He swung at the flying rebels, but they overwhelmed him immediately.
The dogs barreled in and leapt up, snatching fairies out of the air and swallowing them whole. Brown wings stabbed at their eyes, but since they were so tiny and covered by flappy skin, they couldn’t find them. Nora and Ellie were fierce, every inch of them showing their fighting dog bloodlines. They’d protect Judd to the last breath, but even their snapping jaws couldn’t stop the onslaught. A group of fairies with gold feathers charged and went straight for Judd’s eyes. He staggered backwards and crashed into the wall above us.
Tess ran in with a tennis racket and swung wildly. She shot fairies all over the living room, but they weren’t hurt and kept coming at her. One red-winged fairy got past her racket. He slashed at her face with a sword. A long cut opened up just under her eye.
“Tess!” I screamed. Flames erupted in my palms. I drew my arm back, but Dad grabbed it.
“No. The horen is here.” He pointed to the window. The horen from Notre Dame slid down the glass to land on the window frame. He surveyed the anarchy with pleasure. My flames grew higher.
Daiki took my other arm. “You cannot reveal yourself. What do you think they’re fighting for? You must escape. Save Miss Penrose and the kids.” He turned to Lrag. “Do it now. As many as yo
u can.”
I extinguished my flames.
Lrag set Miss Penrose on her feet and Mom put Horc in my arms. I felt a pop and the gray veil went over my body. Lrag had managed to conceal us all, even Rufus on Iris’s shoulder.
Bentha raised his sword. “For family!”
He led the charge. Dad, Mr. Marfisi, and Lrag followed, running across the carpet and dodging Tess’s feet to engage the phalanx. A spray of red went over their heads, thwacking against the rebel fliers and driving them to the ground. I’d never seen anything like it. Big splashes of red that once they hit, they couldn’t get up. I couldn’t see where they were coming from.
“We have to go!” I yelled. “Grab my hand, Gerald.”
He didn’t.
“Gerald! Your Mom died for you. Come on and live!”
I felt his small hand in mine. “Iris, help Miss Penrose!”
Since I couldn’t see her, I didn’t know if she was doing it. “Mom! Does she have her?”
“Yes,” said Mom with tears running down her face. “Please go. I love you all.”
Lucrece stepped out of the shadows. “I’ll block for you.”
“With what?” I asked.
“I know a few nasty spells.” She ran past us into the open. Two brown wings swooped down, swords back to strike. Lucrece raised her hands and boils erupted all over their faces. They fell to the carpet, writhing and screaming.
“Go!” Lucrece screamed.
I ran out of the dragon hole, dragging Gerald behind me. I didn’t know if Iris followed. I just ran for the front door. We passed under a hail of the red stuff and I looked back. The Home Depot fairies were on a side table with a line of makeshift catapults made of utensils. They loaded strawberry jam into the spoons and launched it. The rebels were getting fruited.
I ran faster and felt Gerald trip. I yanked him to his feet and he jerked back. The phalanx charged from under the sofa, got around Judd with his bat, and were heading straight for us.
“Run!” I screamed.
The phalanx heard and charged straight for my voice. Bentha jumped in front of them and slashed through their glowing green shells. Sprays of black blood hit me. Lrag ran over, picked up Bentha like a twig, and thrust him back. Lrag’s side billowed out. He opened his mouth and great waves of sound rippled through the air. The phalanx screamed and sank to their knees, blood coming out of their ears. Lrag turned and yelled at us. “Go quick!”