The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2)

by Heidi Willard

  Fred shuddered when he recalled back to the earthquake; he nodded and slipped off into the city.

  CHAPTER 21

  Fred hurried through the streets and dodged several groups of guards. He took a few wrongs turns but found the stables and saw there were two guards at the front door. The boy slunk to the alley and found a stall window open. He hoisted himself inside and fell into a clean bed of hay. Before he could stand a wet tongue lapped over him, covering Fred in a thick slime of love. He wiped the drool off and glared up at Fluffy, who wiggled his butt and showed off a bright new collar around his neck.

  Fred patted the beast on the back and slunk around him to pop his head over the stall door. Canto stood only a few inches away and Fred's nose nearly collided with the dwarf's head. Fred jumped back against Fluffy, and Canto harrumphed. "Took you long enough, boy. The collar's been done for a good many days," he scolded.

  "S-sorry, I was in a coma for the last five days," Fred defended himself.

  "No excuses," Canto countered. He glanced behind the boy and raised an eyebrow. "Where's that old castor? He owes me for another wall."

  "He's, um, he's kind of busy right now," Fred replied. "He sent me to get Fluffy and, um, go back to the castle."

  Canto stared at the boy, who sweated under the gaze of those bushy eyebrows. The old dwarf chuckled and opened the stall door. "Yer a terrible liar, boy, but that shows honesty. Never get as good at lying as Ned and I." Canto pulled Fred out of the stall and led Fluffy out by the collar. "Now why isn't Ned with ya and what are ya really planning to do with Fluffy here?"

  Fred hung his head. "Ned's helping the gargoyles flee the city in exchange for getting us out, and I came here to get Fluffy so he could take me to Tramadore."

  Canto frowned. "Ah heard about that city's problems. So that's how it is, is it? Going off to fight a great battle without me, is he? Well, we'll just see about that." He marched over to a large wooden chest and opened the heavy lock. He spun up the lid and revealed a large battle ax with a thick grip and head. It weighed a hundred pounds, but Canto easily lifted it with one hand and strapped the ax to his back. "All right, boy, I'm ready ta go."

  Fred blinked. "What?"

  Canto rolled his eyes. "I'm going with ya, and no arguments. By what I've heard yer going to need all the help you can get against that infernal army that lord has dug up."

  The boy cringed and hesitated. "Well, um, I don't-"

  "Just say yes," Canto interrupted him.

  "Um, yes?" Fred agreed.

  "Good, so let's get ourselves going. The army left half a day ago riding hard and we'll need to catch up to 'em." Canto grabbed a small collar, about an inch wide and as thick as an armband, and tossed it to the boy. Fred juggled it and grasped it between both hands. "Try that on and see how it works."

  Fred cringed, but undid the clasp and wrapped it around his throat. He clasped the collar and stood waiting for something to happen. "What am I supposed to be-"

  Fred clutched his head with one hand when a sharp pain struck his brain, and stumbled against the nearest stall. Black and white moving pictures flashed through his eyes, and in the background he heard Fluffy howl. Canto quickly went to Fred's side and steadied the boy. "Easy there, don't go thinking too hard all at once," he advised Fred. "Just let the mind sort it out and you'll both be feeling better real quick."

  "What are these?" Fred asked through clenched teeth. The pain subsided, but he developed nausea from the dual images in his eyes. They were both of the stable, but from different angles.

  "Yer looking through the beast's eyes, and he through yers. It'll help with yer riding, just be mindful about the mind-" Fred cried out again when another stab of pain struck his head. "-connection," Canto finished.

  Soft, quiet thoughts floated into Fred's mind and mingled with his own. They were as scared and full of pain as his thoughts, and he heard a whimper. Fred squinted at Fluffy and saw the cantankus on the ground with his paws over his head. The poor creature was terrified. "Easy there, Fluffy. It'll be alright," Fred soothingly told him.

  Fred hoped it would be alright. Their thoughts mingled and floated up against one another. His thoughts focused on his friends and escaping the city while Fluffy wanted food and wondered what was happening to him. Slowly, bit by bit, the thoughts arranged themselves in two columns that stumbled along together. Fluffy whined, and Fred heard words in that noise. It wanted to know what was going on.

  "We're just thinking together," Fred told him. The cantankus lifted its ears and tilted its head. It understood the words. Fred smiled. "Yeah, I know, strange, isn't it?" The cantankus crawled over to the boy and dwarf. He pushed his large head against Fred, who leaned back for the support.

  Canto released Fred and let the boy sink down beside the beast. They sat their together getting accustomed to one another's thoughts and visions. Unfortunately, time was something they were short on. "All right, you two, ready for some riding or are ya going to sit there all night?" Fluffy growled and climbed to his feet. Fred did the same, growl and all. Fred's eyes widened and Canto smirked. "That's the way, just either of you don't lose yerselves in ta other. Two minds are better than one, and you both know your limits better than the other."

  Canto took a saddle from the wall, bright and as new as the collars, and fitted it to Fluffy's back while Fred patted the beast's head. When it was ready the dwarf hopped up and Fred aimed to take a back seat, but Canto stopped him and nodded to the space between him and the saddle horn. "You need practice driving this beast."

  Fred cringed, but took the driver's seat with Canto behind him. The boy patted Fluffy on the shoulder and glanced over his shoulder. "How are we going to get out of here? There are guards at the front door."

  "You've got two minds, think of a way," Canto challenged him.

  Fred scowled, but looked down at Fluffy. The cantankus didn't want to use the front door and deal with guards; he wanted his usual route. Fred smirked, and patted the beast's head. "Show him what our two minds can do, Fluffy."

  The cantankus raised its head and happily howled before it turned its tail to the door. Fluffy aimed for the open stall and the repaired wall at the rear. Canto's eyes widened and his head snapped to the boy. "Wait a minute, boy, that's not what I-"

  Fluffy jumped forward and bolted for the wall. It put his head down and slammed into the boards, cracking and breaking a large enough hole to fit his body and his riders. Fred and Canto ducked for safety's sake, and when Fluffy took off down the alley Canto glanced over his shoulder. The large hole destabilized the entire stable wall, and the building leaned into the alley before it collapsed against the neighboring structure.

  "That is not what I meant by using yer heads!" Canto shrieked at the pair.

  "But Fluffy did," Fred returned with a laugh.

  They raced through the streets but had a problem with the guards. The men heard the collapse of the building and the groups of guards stumbled into their escape path. The cantankus had two choices to make, left or right. Fred leaned left while Fluffy took the right. The boy nearly had his head decapitated by a hanging sign, but Canto pulled him back. "That's not the way to do it, boy! Think which way to turn and get yer cantankus to agree to it!" he scolded Fred.

  Fred scowled, but nodded. Fluffy's turn meant they headed west away from the southeastern part of the wall. They came to another intersection and Fred leaned in close to the beast's neck. He heard Fluffy's thoughts and interrupted them with his own. "We need to turn left," he whispered to him.

  Fluffy's eyes widened and he took a sharp left turn. Fred breathed a sigh of relief and Canto laughed. "That's the way! Be mindful ya don't have it all your way, sometimes these beasts know what's best," he advised the boy.

  They ran through the streets and into the square with the statue dedicated to King Stephen's father. As they passed Fred had his head down close to Fluffy's head, and the boy thought he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked back, but Canto blocked his line of sigh
t. "Pay attention!" the old dwarf ordered.

  Fred snapped his head back to the front just in time to order Fluffy along the southeasterly road. They weaved between buildings and flashed down the roads with the guardhouse at the front growing taller and taller. Their path led them to the wall, but Fluffy could neither climb nor scale the steep, tall, smooth stones. "Any ideas?" Fred asked the dwarf.

  "Nope, what's Fluffy say?" Canto countered. Fred focused and listened. Fluffy's beastly mind aimed to find a staircase or pile of boxes they could climb. That gave Fred a crazy idea and he spurred them on toward the guardhouse. Canto grew nervous. "What are you planning, boy?"

  "Just hold on!" Fred shouted back.

  They broke out of the narrow streets and into the square behind the guardhouse. The warning had been raised and the gate was down, meaning they couldn't get under the archway. Guards rushed out of the other streets and behind them. They were surrounded. Fred focused Fluffy's mind on the door that led into the guardhouse, and the beast raised a howl of glee when he saw the stairs. The roar startled the guards and they barreled into them, knocking them aside like pins. Fluffy squeezed through the door and clambered up the narrow steps. Guards came down to meet them but the cantankus ran them over.

  They burst out of the top and rushed along the southeasterly wall. The drop was thirty feet, and Canto's eyes widened and he wrapped his arms around the boy. "Don't ya dare, boy! Don't do what Ah think yer-"

  Fluffy and Fred leaned over and they all sailed into the air. Canto screamed and cursed them as they dropped fast to the ground. The cantankus braced and angled his legs so when he hit dirt the momentum allowed him to skid a few yards. Fluffy caught ground and tore off down the southerly road toward Salaron and Tramadore. Fred lifted his arms in the air and whooped. "We did it! We did it!"

  Fluffy howled and Canto groaned.

  "That was really stupid, boy," the old dwarf muttered.

  "But we made it, didn't we?" Fred countered.

  Canto looked over his shoulder. "Aye, we did, and we're not ta only ones."

  Fred followed his gaze and against the bright silhouette of the city he saw dozens of shadows in the air. They flew as silent as owls, and many of them carried smaller ones of their kind. The gargoyles were free of their self-imposed prison, and at the head Sampson led his people with Ned in his arms. Sampson swooped down close to the ground and Ruth, who carried Pat, followed behind him. "Careful there, Sampson!" Ned complained. "These old legs can't run along the ground like you used to do to me."

  "You've gained weight since I last flew you," Sampson countered.

  Ruth and Pat flew down close to the cantankus. "That was really stupid!" Pat scolded to Fred. "Where did you get the idea to do something that dumb?"

  Fred grinned and patted Fluffy. "From Fluffy," he replied. Pat frowned, and Fred laughed. "I'll tell you about it later."

  Canto nodded. "Yes, save yer strength for the battle. Yer bound to need it."

  CHAPTER 22

  They traveled as the crow flies with Fluffy keeping up as best he could. When day approached they had traversed most of the distance to Tramadore, but the gargoyles needed to rest. Only Ruth had the ability to stay awake, so they settled on a steep ridge made from the same mountain range that wrapped around Tramadore. The steep climb and distance from the road would keep any curious travelers from finding them.

  Before the sun arose Sampson took his daughter aside. "Is your life-debt paid?" he asked his daughter.

  Ruth shook her head. "Only part of it. I still owe Pat my life." She clasped his hands in hers and smiled into his eyes. "But you know things have changed, Papa. These people are true and kind, and are in need of our help whenever and however we can offer it. Even if I fulfill my life-debt I will still offer myself as their companion and friend."

  Sampson gave her a sad smile and squeezed her hands. "I knew you would leave me one day because you are too kind, but I'm glad it's for a cause worthy of our family."

  Ruth wrapped him in a strong hug, and she sniffled. "Thank you, Papa."

  He pulled her away and looked her over. Behind her the light of the sun peaked over the horizon. "Be sure to take care of yourself. We will come when we can."

  "I will, Papa," she promised. His hands that grasped her own turned to stone, and soon all of him was a statue. She stood on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "If I don't see you again, know that I will always be with you," she whispered. She slipped her hands out of his and turned, but gave him one final glance over her shoulder. "Goodbye, Papa."

  With the gargoyles asleep, the remaining five adventurers and Fluffy stood at the edge of the ridge. Far off they could see the plains in front of Tramadore, and the hoof prints along the road left by Hawkins and the Galaron army. The encampment was some ten miles off close to the rock that stood out in the plain. The city itself lay quiet and unassuming against the great mountain, and Ned and Canto stood side by side assessing the situation.

  "What say you, old friend?" Ned asked the dwarf.

  Canto squinted his eyes. "Ah say we have a few miles to reach the encampment, but as for enemies Ah haven't any idea what to think."

  "We saw the army. They are some ten thousand strong," Ned told him.

  The dwarf shook his head in dismay. "Then unless ta men of Tramadore are made of tougher stuff than Galaron we haven't much chance."

  "Ready to quit?" the old castor teased his friend.

  Canto straightened and glared at Ned. He pulled his ax from his back and tapped it in one hand. "A dwarf never runs from a challenge, no matter how impossible. The men of Galaron and Tramadore will have use of my ax in this battle whether they want it or not."

  Ned chuckled and glanced at the youngsters; they were pale and quiet. "What will you do, Captain Pat?" he asked the girl.

  Pat sighed and leaned over one knee to get a better view of the plains. "I can't say without a closer look, so what are we waiting for?" She didn't wait for a reply, but slid down the mountain to the Tramadore road. The others followed and they didn't stop until they reached the encampment at midday. A guard stopped them at the outskirts, and Pat glared at the men. "Let me pass, by order of your captain," she demanded.

  The men glanced uneasily at one another until a voice spoke up. "Stand down, men. She is your captain." The voice belonged to Hawkins, and with him was Captain Spalding of Tramadore. Hawkins glared at the young girl and her group. "What are you doing here, Lady Lamikan?" he questioned her.

  Pat straightened and put her hand on the hilt of her sword. "I have come to lead my army. Will you order back able soldiers when you face such odds?" she countered.

  Hawkins pursed his lips, but shook his head. "No, we can't spare anyone, even an old dwarf." He looked over to Ned and Fred. "But I fear even the power of a hundred castors wouldn't win us this fight."

  "What are we up against?" she asked him.

  Hawkins led them to his tent where they left Fluffy outside, and he directed them to a table where sat a map of Tramadore. "They have the high ground and more men, if you can call them that. We have calvary and a few bowmen. Even if we were to get past the undead warriors, the town itself is defended by those guards loyal to Sturgeon."

  "How many of Tramadore's men do you have?" Ned wondered.

  Captain Spalding stepped forward. "Less than a thousand made it out of the city and onto the plains. There are few of us without injuries, but most can fight."

  "And what is the estimate of their army?" Pat questioned.

  Spalding shook his head. "At fewest, twelve thousand, but we can't be sure of even that number. The undead came from the castle and their numbers never ceased until we retreated out into the plains. Then they retreated back into the city and the traitors barred the gates. We didn't have word from anyone on the inside until Percy came to us with that assassin at his side."

  "And I am still at your side," a voice called from the tent flap. Everyone turned to see Percy flanked by Deadly Sins. He stepped inside and sm
iled at the group. "We have ourselves a commendable group here. A battle-hardened dwarf, a swordswoman, two castors, two fine captains, and a gargoyle transformed into a girl." Ruth bowed her head. During the day she couldn't transform without falling into stone, but she would be sure to keep herself useful even in her human form. "This gives us a better chance at retaking the city."

  "Not while your father holds the whole city as a hostage," Spalding countered. His eyes narrowed as he looked at young man. "Unless you happen to have the same blood thirst as your father."

  "If I did I wouldn't be here among you, and from your faces I can see there doesn't seem to be any other choice but to storm the city," Percy countered.

  None from the group protested his assessment. Fred furrowed his brow and thought about their previous stay at the city. His eyes lit up and he tugged on Ned's sleeve. The old man turned to him with raised eyebrows. "What about the cavern?" Fred whispered to him.

  Percy overheard the question. "The cavern is known by my father, and he will have placed guards and other manner of traps along the entire route. He may have even lined the entire tunnel way with mines. It would be a suicide mission to attempt infiltration, and besides that we don't have the key."

  "Then that would be the best route of attack, at least for a small force," Ned spoke up. "As for the key-" He dug into his cloak and pulled out the gate key Tramadore had given him. "That will not be a problem."

  "What are you thinking?" Hawkins asked Ned.

  The old castor furrowed his brow, and glanced to Spalding. "You said the undead army retreated. Has it been seen since?"

  "Not at all," he replied.

  "Then that may give us hope. By Percy's own account his father keeps the army in a ring on his hand," Ned told them.

  Hawkins frowned. "I don't follow you."

  Ned tapped his finger over the castle on the map. "A small group of, say, six people would infiltrate the castle through the tunnel, free Tramadore and lead Sturgeon out through the tunnel."