by Sarah Noffke
“Oh, dear, my son,” Mama Jamba said from her normal spot on the sofa. She was leafing through an issue of People. “I’ve really neglected your education. That is a dog.”
Hiker cut his eyes at the old woman. “I know that, but what’s it doing in the Castle, and what’s wrong with it?”
“Its name is NO10JO,” Evan said proudly, patting the dog on the head.
“That’s the worst name ever,” Ainsley declared, crossing her arms.
“I agree it’s not a standard dog name.” Mama Jamba peered over her magazine at the animal. “I didn’t make that creature. Well, not in its current form.”
Ainsley sighed. “Yeah, if it must have a name, why can’t it be a normal dog name like Cleveland or Duckland or Carl?”
Sophia blinked at the housekeeper, trying to decide if the statement deserved a reply. “We found the name on the collar. I think it’s just its barcode for classification purposes, but it likes it well enough.”
“What’s a barcode?” Hiker asked, irritation on his face.
Sophia shook her head. “We can brush up on your twenty-first-century education later. Right now, we have more important matters. We found NO10JO at Medford Research. He was apparently there with Trin Currante. My source—”
“Which is top secret, and you should insist she disclose,” Evan interrupted, trying to persuade Hiker to exert his influence.
He shook his head at the dragonrider. “I can’t make Sophia do a damn thing, and as long as her source pays off, I don’t really care.” Hiker returned his attention to Sophia. “What did your source tell you?”
“They said the way to get to the bottom of the magician disappearance business was to find Trin Currante,” she explained, and Hiker nodded.
“Yes, and you wanted to do that anyway,” he finished.
“That’s right,” she affirmed. “My sources didn’t know where to find the cyborg pirate.”
Evan threw up his hands. “Oh, now she has sources.”
Sophia rolled her eyes at him before continuing. “Anyway, I learned that if I went back to Medford Research, I’d find a super-smart dog who could lead us to Trin Currante.”
Hiker considered this. “Well, so far, it sounds like your sources have been correct.”
She nodded. “Yeah, we went there, and as they mentioned, we found NO10JO.”
Evan actually looked impressed. “Oh, and they told you about the traps, and there were all those land mines. So, they might be worth listening to.”
Sophia shook her head at him. “Of course, they are worth listening to. Anyway, I think the dog will be able to help us find Trin Currante.”
“How?” Hiker growled.
For a moment, Sophia thought through different options. “Well, I’m not sure.”
“After Wilfred tells us this information, he’ll be on his way, right?” Ainsley asked.
Evan’s mouth popped open. “We can’t kick it out. It was all alone at that airport hangar.” He bent down and hugged the animal, who snuggled into him. “It needs a home.”
Hiker lowered his chin regarding the pair. “Are you going to take care of it?”
With a hopeful expression, Evan’s eyes lightened. “Yes!”
“Are you going to be responsible for feeding it?” Ainsley demanded, sounding like his mother.
“Absolutely,” Evan confirmed. “I’ll brush it and walk it and do whatever it needs to be done.”
Hiker and Ainsley exchanged uncertain looks.
The housekeeper finally softened. “Well, I guess it’s okay, then. I won’t have it in my kitchen or sitting at the dining table or going through my sock drawer.”
“Why would it do that?” Sophia inquired and then shook her head. “Never mind. I think that’s fair.” She smiled widely at the dog. “You get to stay, buddy.”
The look in its eyes was one of pure happiness.
“It gets to stay, as soon as it proves its worth,” Hiker argued. “Get it to tell you where Trin Currante is, and then we’ll decide its fate.”
This was the tricky part Sophia hadn’t thought all the way through. She kneeled to be level with NO10JO. “Hey, buddy, can you tell us where Trin Currante is? You know, the lady cyborg who was in charge of Medford Research.”
The animal blinked at her with its normal eye, the other remaining a strange glowing shade of blue.
“You know,” Sophia went on, feeling the pressure of the moment as everyone watched, waiting for the dog to be of help. “The lady with the black hair made of wires? Can you understand me?”
She wasn’t sure what she was expecting. Maybe for NO10JO to nod or bark or give her some indication of understanding.
Sophia sighed. Her fairy godmother had told her she needed to find Trin Currante, and Mortimer had said the dog would know. She was used to her sources being reliable, but maybe this was a first when they steered her wrong.
Feeling like she was about to be marked a complete failure in front of the group, Sophia tried one more time. “NO10JO, can you show us where to find the cyborgs? If you can, you get to stay.”
“If you don’t,” Ainsley stated boldly, “we’re taking you to the pound.”
Sophia shot her an annoyed expression. “You can be a little more sensitive. It’s obviously been through a lot.”
Ainsley threw her nose in the air. “How is that mean? I’d go live at the pound if I could. At least it would get me out of this place and away from a certain someone.” Not discreetly, she indicated Hiker.
He let out an irritated sigh. “Well, Sophia, if your cyborg dog isn’t going to talk, then it's not of any use to us.”
Sophia wanted to do something else to encourage NO10JO. The animal was obviously intelligent, but she didn’t know how it was going to communicate with her. “Where on Earth is Trin Currante?”
This time, the question stirred something in the dog. He stood suddenly and trotted over to the window.
At first, Sophia thought it was curious to look out the bank of windows at the Expanse and Pond. Then it mechanically turned its attention to the Elite Globe in the corner. Standing up on its hind legs, it rotated the globe, searching.
Evan shot her a hopeful expression. The rest stood frozen, watching as the animal rotated the globe until it apparently found what it was looking for. Very deliberately, it stuck its paw on a spot before looking up at Sophia, a hopeful expression in its eyes.
Nervously, she strode over and looked at where its paw was. Feeling enormous relief, she glanced at Hiker.
“We’ve narrowed it down,” she exclaimed with excitement. “Trin Currante is in San Diego, California.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
“Long live NO10JO!” Evan exclaimed, rushing over and giving the dog a big hug before rubbing its head. “Such a good boy!” His voice was high and sounded like he was talking to a baby.
“Watch yourself, son,” Hiker warned, giving him a stern expression. “You are a dragonrider, not a nanny.”
Unaffected by the comment, Evan continued to pet the dog. “You saved my life and now Sophia’s butt. Good job!”
“San Diego is quite large,” Hiker said, worry in his voice. “How do you plan to find Trin Currante there?”
Their small victory was overshadowed by Hiker’s question. Sophia’s face scrunched with frustration.
“I’m not sure,” she grumbled.
“The thing is,” Mama Jamba began, licking her finger and flipping through the magazine, “a bunch of cyborgs at a location would give off a certain reading.”
Sophia gasped. “Magitech! It does register.”
“How are you going to pick up on it?” Hiker asked.
“Magic,” she explained. “I can create a spell that finds the collective energy of magitech. Mama Jamba is right that it registers differently and can be tracked down if we know where to look.”
“We’re looking in San Diego, thanks to the smartest doggie in the world,” Evan cooed in a baby voice, continuing to rub NO10JO’s head.<
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Sophia smiled at the two. “San Diego isn’t that big, so I don’t think it will take long.”
“You were calling Trin Currante a pirate earlier,” Ainsley said, swaying like she heard music. “If there’s music around San Diego, you might know where to start looking!”
“Ains!” Sophia exclaimed. “You’re a genius!”
“Finally.” Ainsley gave Hiker a rude expression, “someone sees my talents.”
“San Diego is on the coast of California,” Sophia mused, studying the globe.
“Oh, I wouldn’t know,” Ainsley stated. “I’ve been stuck here for centuries.” She gave Hiker a murderous expression.
“You’re still alive because of it,” he muttered, irritation heavy in his voice. “You’re welcome.”
“I didn’t say thank you,” she spat. “Seriously, sometimes I wished I were dead, having to deal with you day in and day out.” The housekeeper marched toward the exit, her fists by her sides as she stormed out of the office.
Hiker shook his head, sighing. “You don’t mean that.”
Ainsley pivoted at the door. “Oh, no, I don’t. I wish you were dead.”
Evan glanced up. “Let’s just hope the voices in her head don’t tell her to kill you.”
“They do every single day,” Ainsley said with a mischievous giggle before striding out of the office.
Hiker, exasperated, shook his head, rippling his long blond hair. “That one and her drama.”
“I’ll remind you that you’re the reason she has any drama,” Mama Jamba offered matter-of-factly, turning the page of the magazine. “Would you just look at what Jennifer Aniston is wearing? I must have it.”
“Who is…what…” Hiker shook this off, returning his attention to Sophia. “Do you think you can track down Trin Currante and the other cyborgs?”
She thought for a moment. “San Diego has a large port. I think that’s where I could start. I can cast a spell that registers magitech. As long as they are giving off the greatest amount of it, the spell will lead to them.”
“Evan, you’re going with Sophia,” Hiker ordered.
He glanced up and smiled. “And NO10JO. It can help us when we need to get into secret pirate ships or whatever.”
“Fine.” Hiker took a seat in his chair. “Find Trin Currante, and let’s figure out how to get the bottom of the magicians disappearing.” He pointed to a stack of newspapers filled with headlines on the subject. “The House of Fourteen is losing traction with mortals by the day. Not to mention the problem is having effects on all the other magical races. We need to find out who is behind it and stop them.”
Sophia nodded. “You can count on us, sir.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
The world on the other side of the Barrier was so different than the Gullington. Sophia needed a moment to soak it in before setting off for another adventure that took her away from her home. It was like her time in the Castle reset her. It probably did since there were many restorative and healing spells inside the walls of the Castle.
Sophia had gone to bed early and risen at dawn, charged and ready for the adventure that awaited her in San Diego. She didn’t even mind that Evan was ordered to tag along. Although she’d never admit it to him, they worked together well. He’d gotten the dog to come out of its hiding place by nearly killing himself. Sophia was hopeful he’d be of use on this mission. Or at least he’d do something dumb that turned into a happy accident. That’s when she realized she had lost her end of the bet and would have to make good…unless Evan didn’t remember.
Standing next to Lunis, she peered across the Expanse, enjoying the morning sunlight as things were illuminated on another gorgeous day in the Gullington. Her dragon was devouring a sheep, not using proper table manners as he tore into the animal. Thankfully Sophia wasn’t squeamish about watching the bloody scene.
Can I get a dog? Lunis asked, talking with his mouth full.
She shook her head. “No.”
Why not? he argued. You got Evan a dog.
“I didn’t get Evan a dog,” she refuted. “We found one, and he’s going to keep it.”
It was no surprise to anyone that NO10JO slept in Evan’s room the night before and had been trotting beside him through the Castle since entering. Every time the cyborg dog came face to face with Ainsley, it turned into a water heater or an air conditioning unit. It had been quite funny the night before when the dog shifted back to its normal appearance next to the dining room table and scared Hiker, who hadn’t known the animal had that skill.
The leader of the Dragon Elite was visibly uncomfortable about having a shapeshifting cyborg dog in the Castle, yet he couldn’t refute how helpful and well-meaning the creature was. It appeared NO10JO was going to stick around.
As Lunis finished the last of his breakfast, Evan and his new dog strode down the steps of the Castle, a wide smile on both their faces.
Evan’s dragon Coral didn’t appear excited about the new friendship as she flew down from the Cave, a grimace on her face.
Evan was nearly in front of Sophia when he held out his hand. “Pony up, dollface. I want my phone.”
He hadn’t forgotten, Sophia realized, pulling out her smartphone.
“No, I want a brand new shiny one,” he argued. “Not something with your dead skin cells all over it.”
“I’m not giving you my phone,” she said, scowling at him. “I’m ordering you one right now.”
“The newest model,” he demanded. “Whatever that is, that’s what I want.”
She nodded, scrolling through the options and clicking on an item. “I got you a flip phone with real buttons and a one-inch screen.”
He smiled with satisfaction. “Sounds great. Welcome to the twenty-first century, Evan.”
“More like the twentieth century, but whatever,” Sophia joked.
“What’s that?” he asked.
Sophia shook her head. “It will be delivered via Amazon Prime in a day or so.”
“A whole day?” he asked, sounding disappointed.
“Seriously, you don’t even know what Amazon Prime is or how to use your phone,” she stated. “Chill out.”
“True, but one does get used to immediate gratification in this day and age,” he said with a laugh. “You’re going to have to teach me how to use it.”
She shook her head. “Nope. You’re going to have to win another bet first.”
He rubbed his hands together. “Oh, no problem there. We have a mission where you will present me with many ways to best you. I’m certain of it.”
Sophia’s eyes fluttered with annoyance as she regarded Coral, tearing up the grass beside them, seeming to act out from the presence of the dog.
“So, NO10JO is going to ride on Coral?” she asked Evan, eyeing the dragon who didn’t appear happy about the idea.
“Oh, yeah,” Evan agreed with satisfaction. “It’s going to be great. Just a boy and his dragon and his dog. How much better can it get?”
According to the look on the purple dragon’s face, it could get measurably better. Sophia was concerned NO10JO might get dumped into the Pond during takeoff. She was going to leave the getting along of the dragon and the cyborg dog to Evan to deal with. She did think bringing NO10JO along was a good idea. He could hopefully help if there was something specific to the cyborgs they couldn’t figure out.
Evan started for Coral, the dog at his side before he paused, hesitation in his movements. “What if NO10JO wants to stay with Trin Currante when we get there? What if it was left behind by mistake, and I’m taking it to be reunited with its old owner?”
Sophia gave Evan a sensitive expression. “I get that concern, but if that’s the case, you have to let it stay there. That’s its owner, and NO10JO deserves to be with the right one.”
“But it’s my dog now,” Evan complained.
“I know, but you don’t want it to be with you if it wants Trin Currante or one of the other cyborgs.”
He gawked at her.
“Of course I do. I’m not one of those people who wants what’s better for my loved ones. I want them to be with me, even if that’s not what is best for them. That’s love.”
“Selfish love,” Sophia corrected. “It’s just a risk you’re going to have to take because NO10JO does need to go with us.”
Evan shrugged that off. “That’s fine. I know it will choose me. We’re bonded. If they give me trouble about it, I’ll just slice them in two.” He patted the ax on his back.
Sophia shook her head. “There will be no slicing any steampunk pirate cyborgs in two. We aren’t going there for war. We need Trin Currante, and we’re not getting her cooperation if we take out her men or hurt or destroy her property.”
“You’re telling me we have to storm this ship or whatever it is and be nice?”
She nodded. “This is a goodwill mission, Evan. We have to refrain from using deadly force. Think of using stunning and paralyzing spells. Do things to block the cyborgs but not kill them. We have to get to Trin Currante. Then we can figure out what’s going on and how she can help.”
Evan sighed dramatically, like a three-year-old on the verge of a tantrum. “Fine, but this mission seems really boring now.”
“Yes, we’re going after a cyborg pirate on the back of two ancient dragons with a shapeshifting dog,” Sophia said dryly. “So very boring.”
Evan nodded. “I’m glad you see it my way.”
Chapter Fifty
I did something bad, Lunis admitted when they were in the air, riding out over the Expanse and headed for the Barrier of the Gullington.
Sophia tightened her grip on the reins and lowered her chin. What did you do? she asked her dragon.
I told Coral she had been replaced by the cyborg dog, and I think she sort of believes it, he said with an evil laugh.
How can she believe that? Sophia questioned. She’s a three-hundred-year-old dragon who has been bonded to her rider for two hundred years.
She’s super sensitive and takes herself entirely too seriously, Lunis admitted. It was pretty easy to plant the information in her head.