The Corgi Chronicles

by Madsen, Laura

  Barrol and Nelathen both hobbled over.

  “He destroyed the Gem,” I said sadly. Nelathen slumped down and buried his face in his hands. Barrol leapt forward and swung his open jaws toward Angarath’s throat.

  “No,” Birgitte said, coming out from behind the computer monitor. “We shouldn’t kill him; he should be brought to justice.”

  “But he deserves to die,” Barrol growled.

  “We cannot say who deserves to live or to die,” Birgitte objected. “If we killed him, we would be no better than he.”

  “Birgitte is right,” Aliiana said weakly. “But we must bind him, and keep him unconscious until he can be brought to trial.”

  “Bind him with the necklaces,” I said. “Their good can defeat his evil.”

  Nelathen tied up Angarath with his strong elven rope, working with difficulty because of the deep cuts on his chest and arm. Aliiana gathered all our necklaces and looped them around Angarath’s arms and legs, making sure the emeralds touched his skin.

  “Wait,” said Birgitte. “I still sense the Gem.”

  The others looked up. Aliiana whispered a simple spell and a glowing yellow ball appeared in her hand. “The Gem!” she said breathlessly. “I can still channel its magic.”

  Nelathen tested his magic, too, and cast a healing spell over Gornak.

  Barrol approached the scientist and gently swiped at the ice block with his claws to free her. She stood up and brushed her hair back from her face. “Thank you,” she said. “By the way, my name is Amy.”

  “Amy,” said Aliiana, “where did he put the Gem?”

  “In one of the detectors that monitor the collisions between the protons and antiprotons.”

  “How do we get there?”

  “Quick, follow me.”

  Aliiana said, “Birgitte, Barrol, you two stay here and stand guard, and look after Gornak.” The rest of us followed Amy down a short hallway and through a door marked Restricted Access. The door opened into the inside of a large white tube. Smaller metal tubes ran inside the big tube.

  “It’s this way,” said Amy, jogging down the tunnel to the left. The detector was an enormous collection of machinery, with metal pieces as big as cars. “He made me put the Gem in here. I’ll see what’s left.” She climbed under some metal parts and disappeared.

  When she returned a few minutes later, her small body was bent under the weight of the Gem. It was just like the Prince had described—larger than me, oblong-shaped, and a brilliant reddish-purple color—and it seemed to be undamaged. It was faceted like a fancy diamond; there must have been thousands of facets, each sparkling in the overhead light.

  Nelathen took it from her, staggering a step or two as he shifted its weight. We all hurried back to the control room, where the others waited with the unconscious Angarath. Gornak had recovered somewhat. He still looked terrible but was on his feet.

  Birgitte rushed over and laid her tiny hands on the Gem. “It’s unharmed.”

  Gornak gestured weakly at the room around us. “Even this enormous contraption couldn’t destroy its good.”

  Aliiana and Birgitte wove a spell, creating a fuzzy halo of yellow light around Angarath’s head. “That will keep him unconscious for a week,” said Birgitte.

  “Wait,” Amy said. “You’re going to attract a lot of attention if you carry that thing outdoors. It’s sparkly enough down here. I’ve got a duffel bag in my car; it should fit.” She started through the door and up the stairs to the main level. “Follow me.”

  Gornak swung Angarath’s body up over his shoulder, grunting with the effort. We followed Amy up the stairs.

  When we left the building, Amy saw the body we had passed on our way in. “Karl!” she shouted, running to the man and bending to feel his neck. “I feel a pulse,” she said, “but he’s unconscious.”

  “A stunning spell, most likely,” said Aliiana. “It should wear off in a few hours.”

  Amy jogged to a silver compact car parked in front of the building and opened the trunk. She came back with a navy blue duffel bag and a white towel. “It’s my gym bag, and you can wrap it in this towel for padding.”

  The Gem sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight, each facet reflecting a tiny rainbow in reds, purples, pinks and blues. It was so beautiful that I touched it with my wet nose as Nelathen wrapped it in the towel. I felt a hum through my nose, and it seemed that the Gem was happy.

  Aliiana turned to Amy. “Thank you so much for your help. Don’t go into the main administrative building—he released a poisonous potion or spell in there.”

  “Give us five minutes to get away,” I said, “and then call 9-1-1.” Amy nodded.

  “And we’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about us, or the Gem,” Aliiana said.

  Amy laughed. “Like anyone would believe me, anyway.”

  Nelathen hefted the duffel bag. Gornak still carried Angarath over his shoulder.

  “We’re even more noticeable now,” I said.

  Birgitte nodded, and wove a fresh illusion spell. She transformed Barrol back into a dog and Gornak into a human. The illusion included Angarath, too, disguising him as a cardboard box on Gornak’s shoulder. The fey shimmered to invisibility, along with the duffel bag on Nelathen’s back. I barked a final thanks to Amy, and turned to lead the others back to the main entrance.

  When we were half a mile away, we heard the sirens.

  Chapter 15

  Several ambulances and police cars sped past us. I hoped the humans had survived Angarath’s attack.

  “We need to get out of the area fast,” I said. The sirens were all behind us, but it was only a matter of time before the human police closed off the area. I knew from watching television news that if a lot of humans were injured, the roads would all be blocked and federal authorities would be called in.

  “Where are we going?” Gornak asked.

  “I think the safest place to take the Gem would be the Queen’s land in Washington,” said Aliiana.

  “Aye,” said Nelathen. “It’s the most strongly warded area in the world.”

  I knew of the Queen of course—she had assigned me to Aliiana—but I had never met her, and didn’t know where she lived. “Washington State?” I asked.

  “Yes,” said Aliiana. “In the ancient temperate rain forest of the Olympic peninsula. There’s been an elven community there for over three millennia.”

  “How are we supposed to get from Illinois to Washington?” I asked.

  “Not to mention while lugging the Gem and Angarath,” said Gornak.

  “We’ll have to take a tree portal again,” said Aliiana.

  “I know a haste spell,” said Gornak. “We’ll be able to run very fast, but we’ll be in terrible need of rest when we reach our destination.”

  “But if any humans see us running superfast,” I said, “they might become suspicious.”

  “I think it’s a risk we’ll have to take,” said Aliiana.

  We ducked into an alley for privacy. Gornak put down Angarath’s body—not very gently—and kneeled on the dirty pavement to scratch a rune. A pale blue light swirled up from the ground, surrounding us. He stood up blindingly fast and said, “Let’s go.”

  We kept to alleys and back roads, and were quickly out of the populated area. The trek from the white pine portal to Fermilab had taken a day and a half, but our return trip only took three or four hours.

  By the time we reached the forest, I was absolutely exhausted. I felt like I had been running without stop for days. It was evening, and we all slumped into the depression at the base of the portal tree. I don’t think the dryad even noticed us as we all fell into a deep sleep.

  We had all been too tired to post a guard, but fortunately we were undisturbed overnight. Barrol was the first awake and snarled, waking the rest of us. “We could have been attacked!” he growled at Gornak. “The Gem was in danger!”

  Gornak frowned at the cougar. “I warned of the side effect of the spell.”

 
; “It’s all right, Barrol,” said Nelathen. “We need to summon the dryad now.” He performed the same spell as he had in South Dakota, making green streamers of light wind around the trunk and branches of the pine.

  The dryad screamed and chattered at us from fifty feet up the trunk. I got the picture that dryads didn’t like company. Aliiana calmly spoke to her, introducing herself and Nelathen, but instead of cooperating, the dryad scurried higher up the tree.

  Nelathen performed the spell two more times before the exasperated dryad finally came down to speak with us. Aliiana explained the situation to the dryad, and mentioned that Pen, daughter of Ponl, daughter of Pefr, had sent us through the portal previously. Perhaps Pen had a higher standing in dryad society, because the white pine dryad suddenly acted friendlier, although she still wouldn’t give her name.

  “Very well,” she said. “Where do you need to go?”

  “The Queen’s land,” said Aliiana.

  The dryad nodded. “The golden maelathier—such a tragedy.”

  “Yes,” said Nelathen, “a horrible tragedy.”

  The rest of us murmured agreement, although I had no idea what they were talking about. I turned to look at Aliiana questioningly. “Later,” she whispered.

  We took our places in the depression at the base of the pine. Nelathen still carried the Gem in Amy’s duffel bag. Gornak propped up the unconscious Angarath and wrapped his limp arm around one root. I felt the squishing travel sensation again, and was suddenly aware of life.

  I looked up at our destination tree. It was enormous and magnificent. The trunk was easily twenty feet across and covered with mosses and ferns. Everything around us was green, vibrant and alive. Mosses dripped from the branches and covered old logs on the ground like a carpet. I was entranced, having grown up in a desert.

  The depression at the base of this tree was huge and lined with a soft bed of moss. “Let’s rest a moment,” said Nelathen, “and I’ll explain some things.” He squatted and lovingly brushed the moss with his hand. “I haven’t been here in years…” He looked up. “As Aliiana mentioned, the elves have had a community here for over three thousand years. The Queen has lived here for two thousand, and the area has always been heavily warded for her safety. This kind of tree”—he gestured to the huge spruce above us—“is called the Sitka spruce by the humans. There are a few Sitka spruces with golden foliage, and they are sentient—the maelathier. One such tree was revered by the people of the human Haida tribe, and was a gentle and wise spirit. An ignorant, foolish human murdered that tree two decades ago. There are several other maelathier that the humans are unaware of, within the Queen’s land. Because of the threat to them, Baern cast wards to protect this land—the most powerful wards ever cast.”

  “Are the wards still intact after Angarath stole Baern’s magic?” Aliiana asked.

  Nelathen nodded. “Yes, and they will persist until the end of the world.” He stood up and looked around as if expecting someone. “The wards can only be passed by fey, and common animals.” He looked at me and Barrol. “Because you two are familiars, you wouldn’t be able to pass, and of course Gornak and Angarath can’t pass. There’s a gate through the wards which you’ll have to use.”

  A petite female elf dropped soundlessly into the depression, a short sword in her hand. She spun around, flipping the tip of the sword up to Nelathen’s throat.

  Chapter 16

  Everyone reacted immediately. Gornak swung his axe out, Barrol growled, and Aliiana and Birgitte started casting spells.

  “Wait,” Nelathen said. Curiously, he chuckled. “It’s okay.” He turned to the female elf and smiled at her. “I was hoping you’d be the one to find us,” he said. He grabbed her in a hug and said to the rest of us, “This is Belara—my sister."

  She smiled at all of us. “It’s so nice to meet you all. Has my little brother been getting into trouble again?”

  Gornak laughed. “No, ma’am, he’s been getting us out of trouble.”

  “We need to see the Queen immediately,” said Aliiana.

  “Come then,” Belara said. She raised an eyebrow as Gornak picked up the unconscious Angarath and swung him over his shoulder.

  The gate was actually a tunnel that passed underneath another giant Sitka spruce, between its massive roots. We were instructed to walk through one at a time, although Gornak would have to drag Angarath behind him.

  When it was my turn, I hesitantly walked forward, passing between roots larger than my body. I felt my fur prickling with magic power from my nose to my tail. A voice from nowhere asked my name and purpose.

  “I’m Pippin the Corgi,” I answered. “I’m accompanying my mistress and the Ruseol Gem.” My brain felt like someone or something was picking though it, ruffling through my thoughts and memories to see if I spoke the truth.

  “You may pass,” the voice said.

  I trotted out the other side as fast as I could, before the voice could change its mind.

  The fey were already waiting, having simply walked around the tree. Aliiana and Birgitte climbed onto my saddle. “Welcome to the center of the fey civilization,” said Aliiana.

  Barrol emerged from the tree gate, looking anxious, and a few minutes later Gornak appeared, dragging Angarath by a foot.

  “Let’s go,” said Belara. She and Nelathen walked in front, chatting happily in Elvish.

  We hiked several miles deeper into the rainforest. The travel was slow, because we had to climb over fallen logs and duck under hanging curtains of moss.

  At last we reached a small clearing. In the center stood two trees that I immediately knew must be maelathier. They resembled the ordinary Sitka spruces, but their needles were golden yellow instead of bluish-green. Magic waves rolled off the trees, and I felt a deep sense of peace.

  A few elves in white and gold clothing approached us. “Welcome, travelers,” said a female elf with dark braided hair. They fell into step around us as we followed Belara. Between the two golden trees stood a large building made of polished wood. It extended high into the air, and was decorated with carved filigree and leaf patterns inlayed with gold and green enamel.

  As we got closer, I realized that although the structure was built very close to the maelathier trees, it didn’t actually touch their trunks. We passed through an arched doorway into a circular room. A staircase spiraled up along the wall to the right, and a large round table stood in the middle of the room.

  “This way,” said Belara, leading us up the stairs to the next level. Many elves were gathered in this room. Sunlight streamed through arched windows, and an elaborately carved wood and gold throne stood in the center of the room.

  I had never met my Queen, but recognized her immediately from her bearing. She was beautiful, with long golden hair and a light green robe. Her eyes were wise and her face ageless.

  She rose gracefully from the throne, approached us, and addressed Aliiana. “I hope you have good news for us about the Ruseol?”

  Aliiana smiled widely. “We do, Majesty.” She nodded to Nelathen, who swung the duffel bag down from his shoulder, kneeled, and gently extracted the Gem from the towel wrappings.

  The Gem pulsed slowly, a bright reddish light radiating from its center.

  The Queen smiled. “Marvelous.” She bent and placed an elegant hand on its surface. She closed her eyes and the rhythm of the light pulses quickened. Opening her eyes again, she said, “It is unharmed, and grateful for your rescue.”

  Gornak cleared his throat politely. “Here’s the thief, Majesty,” he said and unceremoniously dumped Angarath on the floor.

  “A human?” asked the Queen. “However could a human have stolen the Ruseol?”

  “Majesty,” said Aliiana, “he appears to have studied dark magic, and with his dark knowledge he stole the magic abilities of the elf Baern and an unknown dwarf.”

  The Queen shook her head sadly. “We will arrange a trial, and justice will be done.” She turned to another elf. “I must contact King Latrak.” The
other elf nodded, sprinted up the stairs, and returned with a golden bowl and pitcher, which he set on a small table.

  The Queen poured a pale yellow liquid from the pitcher into the bowl, and waved her hands above the surface. The bowl rang with a metallic hum, and a dwarf’s face appeared. The dwarf was older than Gornak, with grey hair and beard. He looked annoyed.

  “What did you wake me up for?” he grumbled.

  The Queen laughed lightly. “Latrak, I thought you might be interested to learn that the Ruseol has been recovered.”

  The dwarf sat up straight and leaned forward. “Thank goodness,” he said. “May I see it?”

  The Queen looked at Gornak. He picked up the Gem with gentle hands and held it in front of the bowl. “Majesty, the Ruseol is safe,” he said. The King said something in Dwarvish, and Gornak bowed.

  The Queen stepped up to the bowl again. “Latrak, the dwarves have guarded the Ruseol for four thousand years. Now the guard returns to the elves.”

  The King nodded gravely. “Where will you keep it?”

  The Queen turned to address our group and the collected elves. “Down through the millennia, the elves and dwarves have taken turns in guarding the Ruseol Gem. It has been hidden on every continent, and has been moved whenever threatened—sometimes as often as every decade. I think we will keep it here, with the maelathier. No place is safer.”

  “Excellent decision, Elspeth,” said the King. “Now, I need to get back to my nap.” He winked, and the image in the bowl went dark.

  The Queen turned back to Gornak. “Would you please bring the thief forward,” she said in a sad voice.

  Gornak nodded and lifted Angarath from the floor, propping him up straight.

  The Queen approached to stand close to Angarath. She reached out, not quite touching him, but holding her hands an inch away from his skin. “I sense the evil in his soul,” she said. “The emeralds have suppressed the evil, but it still lurks underneath. We need to perform a ritual to pull the evil from him, and then we can proceed with a trial.”