“Which way?” Theo asked.
“The map shows only one path. Not many people have traveled this way.” She pointed to the overgrown one. “But vultures live up high in rocky areas, so the other path might be the right one to find Lesh.”
Theo sighed. “If the vulture’s even at this location.”
“Let me check with my compass.” Pavel put the instrument in the middle of the map. The arrow spun wildly, finally stopping at a point between both trails. He shook it. “I guess it works about as well as GPS here.”
Theo raked his hands through his hair. “We could try the rocky path since it looks easier to climb. If we don’t find the vulture, we can check the other one.”
When they reached the top, Theo frowned. Nothing but boulders and dry shrubs. “I guess we picked the wrong one.”
They hiked back down the hill. Theo hesitated. Lesh could be at the top of the other path. He dug in his pocket and clutched Lamia’s golden scale. This was what it was about. Defeating a beast that hurt others.
“Are you ready, hero?” Diva grasped her bow tight.
“Not really.” He tensed, expecting to endure pain from the vulture’s talons the same as he’d experienced with the Harpy. Could he defeat a monster that guarded a dragon’s egg? He was better with the bow and arrow than he’d been before, but far from the expert Diva was. But, if Jabalaka could risk his life by telling him and Diva how to destroy Lamia, Theo could do this. Nia depended on him. Old Lady Witch depended on him. Everyone in Dragon Village depended on him.
He squeezed the golden scale once more as if it was his talisman. Time could be running out for Nia. He pushed away thoughts that Lamia had already done something terrible to her. He had to do his best. Nodding to Diva, he pulled his hand from his pocket. Time moved in slow motion as he forced his feet onto the path to meet his fate.
Chapter 10
Trapped by a Vulture
Shouting, “I’ll scout out the way,” Diva sprang up the steep incline to find the vulture before Theo could stop her. Boo flew after her, while Theo and Pavel hurried to catch up.
The magpie squawked from within the forest, off the path.
“Which way?” Pavel asked. “Up or off to the side?”
“I’ll check where Boo went, and you go up the path to see if Diva went that way.” Theo changed direction toward the magpie’s croaking. Branches struck his face and caught at his clothes as he tramped past trees and shrubs. “Boo, where are you?”
Shadows crept around him like dark souls. Branches swayed, and bushes rustled. In a tree behind him, a screech ripped through the air, like an animal’s death wail. Theo ran faster.
The magpie’s croaking grew louder. Hurrying toward it, Theo skidded on a pile of leaves and crashed to his knees. The dirt below him softened and gave way. Startled, he reached for roots to stop sliding, but they slipped from his grasp, and he plummeted into a pit. His face smashed into decomposed leaves, mud—and human bones, some still caked with dried flesh. Others had been picked clean.
The stench overpowering, he vomited, then covered his lower face with his hand as he scrambled to his feet. Skulls he had disturbed rolled past him.
He had to get out of the pit. Craning his neck, he looked up. The top of the ditch was beyond his reach, but roots poked out of the soil. He grasped one with both hands and planted his feet against the wall. The root slipped through his hands when he attempted to pull himself up. He lost his balance and tumbled to the bottom. He tried again, but failed, too weak from retching and sore from falling.
“Diiivaaa! Paaaveel!”
He listened for their arrival, but the forest had grown silent. A sound worse than the stillness screeched above him. The shadow of an enormous bird darkened the pit as the creature circled overhead. When the bird disappeared from his view, the light returned.
Where had it gone? Theo wrapped protective arms around himself.
Dirt at the edge of the pit tumbled into his hair. He twisted around, looking up. Foot-long claws clasped the side. A beak curved its way over next, then a snowy-white head with piercing predator eyes.
“Lesh,” Theo said with a hoarse whisper. Why hadn’t Jabalaka told him how huge the bird was? The vulture could easily pick him up and carry him away.
Hunched over like an old woman, Lesh perched on the edge of the pit. She untucked her head, grunted and hissed, and craned to view her prisoner. Theo hoped it was true that vultures preferred to eat dead things.
Fast-approaching footsteps crunched on sticks.
“Theo!” Diva yelled. “Where are you?”
“Diva, watch out for Lesh!” Theo yelled back.
The vulture twisted her long neck to look behind. An arrow shot past her. Lesh grunted, then hopped away before taking flight.
“Where are you?” Diva called again.
“In a pit by a pile of leaves. Be careful you don’t fall in, too.”
White-blond curls toppled over the edge, followed by Diva’s pale face. Lying on her stomach, she reached down. “Are you okay? See if you can take hold of my hand.”
Theo stretched, but her grasp lay beyond his reach.
“Don’t worry. We’ll save you.” She pulled away. “I’m sure your friend with all the smart gadgets named after himself has something we can use when he gets here.”
“Where is he? Did something happen to Pavel?”
“No, he stopped to free Boo from a bush.”
Theo was glad they had found the magpie. He leaned against the wall. Something rustled by his pants. He slid his foot aside, and a searing pain shot up the back of his leg. “Ow!”
He leaned over and rolled up his cuff. A black rat clung to his ankle. Theo kicked the creature with his other foot until the rodent released its grip. It squeaked as it burrowed under a root.
“What happened?” Diva peered into the pit.
“A rat bit me.” He rubbed the broken skin.
Pavel arrived and lowered a short hemp rope tied with knots. “Sorry, this isn’t long enough for you to wrap around your waist. You’ll have to grab the end, and we’ll pull you up.”
Grasping the rope above the bottom knot with both hands, Theo said, “Ready when you are.”
The rope rose, and he dug his feet into the soft dirt to climb up the side. He lost his grip and slid to the bottom, wrenching his already throbbing ankle. His palms were too slick. He rubbed dirt into them and tugged the rope. “Let’s try again. I’m ready.”
Diva lay on the ground, looking down the pit wall. “Plant your heels on top of the roots, so they’ll support you better as we pull you up.”
After bracing one foot against a sturdy root, Theo grasped the rope again. The fibers bit into his palms as they pulled him closer to the top. His hands trembled, aching as much as his ankle.
The rope rubbed against the wall, dislodging a clump of dirt onto his face. Tears sprang up, and his nose itched. He sneezed, disturbing more debris.
“My eyes are stinging. Hurry. I have to get the dirt out.”
“You can do it, Theo,” Pavel said. “You’re almost there.”
“Lift your hand up,” Diva said. “I think I can reach you now.”
A firm hold grasped Theo’s outstretched fingers. He dangled in the air, then released the rope to raise his other arm. Two hands clasped it. Together, Diva and Pavel slid Theo over the top.
“Theo, I think you’re turning into a Vurkolak.” Pavel laughed. “Your eyes are bright red. Now all you need is to grow hair all over your body, and you’ll be a real wolf.”
“Not funny.” Theo dug for his water bottle, and squeezed the last few drops into his eyes, blinking rapidly until he dislodged the dirt.
“Sorry, you know I joke when I’m nervous.” Pavel pinched his fingers on his nose. “You smell awful.”
“It’s foul down there, like rotten meat.” Theo rubbed at his clothes. “Tons of bones, some with chunks of flesh on them.”
Diva scowled. “This is probably where they bring food for Lesh.”
“Food?” Theo shuddered.
“My sister told me Lamia brings the bodies of tortured children here so Lesh can tear them apart,” Diva said.
“Are you serious?” Pavel’s voice rose to a high pitch.
Diva wrinkled her nose. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Theo dry heaved. “Not Nia.”
“I’m sure she’s okay and not ... down there.” Diva squeezed his shoulder. “This is just one of the many terrible things Lamia does. All the more reason we have to destroy her.”
Everything was getting worse. What could a twelve-year-old boy do, even with the help of his best friend and a Samodiva? How could he find three souls—most likely all guarded by monsters—and defeat a dragon when even a vulture terrified him?
“Theo, did you hear me?” Diva spoke close to his ear.
He focused his eyes on her. “Sorry, what?”
“We should find a safe place to sleep.”
“What about getting Lamia’s soul? I have to save Nia!”
“It’s too risky now. The vulture’s seen us.” Diva walked back toward the path. “We should wait until morning.”
Pavel followed. Boo croaked at Theo’s feet, as if apologizing for getting him into trouble. He picked up the magpie and grimaced when he took a step, hoping he could walk, despite his throbbing ankle where the rat had bit him.
***
Bits of pink-violet sky crept through the canopy of branches as Theo and Diva settled on a mossy patch of ground. Pavel lagged behind, untangling his pant cuffs from blackberry thorns. The bushes surrounded gnarled trees that resembled a horde of giants fighting each other for supremacy.
Pavel plopped down next to Theo. “These trees are creepy.”
“They can’t hurt you—at least not now.” Diva turned away and rummaged through her pouch.
“What do you mean, ‘not now’?” Pavel inched away from the trunk.
Diva said, “Haven’t you ever heard of the Ispolini?”
Pavel’s jaw dropped. “Giants? No way!”
“Look around you. What do you see?” she asked.
Pavel scanned the forest. “Huge trees that look like giants. Tons of blackberry bushes. Scorch marks.”
“The Ispolini are natural enemies of dragons,” she said. “Legends say that when Zmey and Lamia’s mother was alive, the Ispolini fought against her. She lured them here, where they got tangled in the blackberry thorns. They turned to stone, and over time, trees grew around them.”
Pavel gulped. “Don’t you think we should find another spot?”
“No,” she replied. “Even though the Ispolini have turned to stone, their magic prevents dragons from entering the glen. We’ll be safe if Lamia comes.”
“Besides,” Theo said, “I can’t walk any longer.”
His leg throbbed, so he pulled up his pant cuff and twisted to see his wound. Blood trickled down, coating his sock.
“Let me look.” Diva kneeled next to him and removed his shoe and sock.
“It’s not bad,” he said through clenched teeth. “The rat only bit through the surface.”
“Remember, I have a healing salve that works wonders.” She removed a glass jar of yellow ointment from her pouch. “Unless you want to fake it like Boo to get more attention.” She smirked.
The magpie croaked and shook his head from side to side as if denying the accusation. Everyone laughed.
“I don’t,” Theo said. “I’ve had enough attention already.”
He hurt and was exhausted. He’d much rather go home and back to his quiet life. What could he accomplish here? Diva was stronger than him, a better fighter, and always had to fix his wounds. Pavel was smarter and could create all kinds of gadgets to protect them. All Theo could do was get hurt and slow them down. They didn’t need him to survive, but he needed them.
He jerked when Diva smeared the minty-smelling salve on his leg, rubbing it into the wound with light pressure. A tingling heat radiated from the wound, easing his pain, but not his frustration.
Theo laughed through tears. “It hurts and tickles at the same time.”
Diva grabbed her bow and turned to Pavel. “We need firewood. Will you help me collect some?”
With a big grin, Pavel said, “Absolutely!”
“I can help, too.” Theo groaned when he moved his leg.
“You need to rest. Diva and I will be fine.” Pavel scrambled to his feet. “Get better so we can fight Lesh tomorrow.”
Theo heaved himself from the ground. “I’m okay. I’m coming.” He couldn’t sit here while his friends did everything. Even if he ached, he could still carry moss and wood.
Diva reached out to steady him. “Can you walk?”
“Yes,” Theo said. “It’s starting to feel better already.”
Diva and Pavel walked on either side of Theo. They gathered dry wood and moss as they crept along the rocky path that twisted through the forest. It led them to the edge of a precipice.
Diva spread her hands wide toward a distant valley. “The Forest of Souls,” she said in a hushed voice. “The resting place of those who died in Dragon Village.”
Theo’s heart pounded. He couldn’t speak.
Soft amber specks, like thousands of fireflies, haloed the inky sky below. He relaxed his shoulders, closed his eyes, and tipped his head back, breathing in the earthy scents of the forest. A cool breeze brushed his cheeks. Was his father’s spirit resting in a peaceful place like that somewhere in Selo?
A rumble grew in the distance. Theo opened his eyes. Lights streaked over the valley like flaming arrows. An eerie stillness followed, permeating the night and marring the idyllic moment.
He recalled the storm Lamia had stirred up in Selo. Was that the dragon? He turned to Diva and mouthed, “Lamia?”
Diva nodded.
Had Baba Yaga decided to tell the dragon he and Diva were here? Was Lamia coming this way to check on her soul that Lesh protected? But the witch didn’t know he was looking for it, did she? Only Diva and Pavel knew.
And Jabalaka.
If Baba Yaga hadn’t betrayed them, had the toad-man made a deal with Lamia to save himself?
***
All through the night, the sky rumbled with the roar of the beast searching for her prey. Him! Theo shuddered. Unable to sleep beneath the giant trees, he sat thinking about Nia. Was she being tortured, or would Lamia make sure nothing happened to his sister—until the dragon sank her claws into him? Every day that passed made him less certain he’d be able to save Nia. If he did rescue her, would she ever forgive him for wishing a dragon would capture her?
As the last twinkling star put out its light, Diva joined him, laying a hand on his arm. “Nervous?”
“Of course.” He clutched his stomach. “I’ve never harmed anything. Lamia makes me so angry because she kidnapped my sister, so I hate the dragon enough to want her dead. But Lesh hasn’t done anything to me, my family, or my friends. Let’s get the egg—Lamia’s soul—without hurting the vulture.”
“We’ll try. If we get there early enough, she might be back at the pit to see if you died, so she can eat your remains.”
Theo curled his lips. “Nasty. I don’t think I can eat anything until this is over.”
“I think we should leave Pavel here with Boo,” Diva whispered. “We have to be quick and, well, the bird will get in the way ... and I don’t think your friend can help, even with his gadgets.”
“I’m coming, too,” Pavel said from behind them.
Diva sighed and looked at Theo. “What do you say?”
Theo glanced at Pavel. His pinched lips and the glow in Pavel’s eyes gave Theo no doubt his friend would follow if they left without him. “He can come. We always do everything together.”
Diva scowled at Pavel. “Fine. Don’t mess up. Eat first.”
“I don’t think I can,” Pavel said. “Let’s go now.”
Diva stood and gathered her bow, quiver, and pouch. “Before Theo got stuck in the pit, I found a path I thin
k leads to the nest.”
As soon as they arrived at the path, Diva raced up the rocky incline and disappeared like a wisp of smoke. Boo croaked on Pavel’s shoulder.
“Diva, wait!” Theo walked as fast as his aching leg allowed.
Pavel looked up the path. “She’s so fast.”
“Did you forget she’s a Samodiva?”
“And so beautiful.” Pavel sighed.
“Focus,” Theo said. “This is more serious than your crush.”
Pavel’s face reddened. “It’s not a crush. Although ... you could let me get the soul to impress her.”
“You need to stop thinking about a girl before you get hurt.”
The trees thinned the farther they walked. Theo stopped and pointed through the branches. “Look.”
Ahead of them loomed a gigantic gray rock shaped like a screeching winged monster. Moss hung over its huge eyes, which had been gouged out of the stone.
“Diva, where are you?” Theo whispered.
“Here.” She stepped out from behind the statue. “Lesh is still in her nest. We can either wait until she leaves or try to distract her.”
“Let’s wait,” Pavel said.
“Distract her,” Theo said at the same time.
A shadow eclipsed them as the giant vulture swept overhead.
“Lesh is leaving her nest,” Diva said. “There’s a cave behind the statue. We can hide there until she’s gone.”
They rushed through the opening. Inside, they stood crammed together in the tight space, with barely room to turn around.
“I can’t move,” Pavel whined, “and someone’s stepping on my feet.”
Diva elbowed him. “Quiet!”
“Hey, you two, stop. We have a problem.” Theo pointed outside.
Pebbles scattered down the path.
Lesh grunted and hissed outside the narrow cave entrance, watching them with yellow eyes.
Pavel groaned. “I guess she decided not to go to the pit. Now what?”
“Make her uncomfortable.” Theo withdrew an arrow and poked the vulture.
Lesh hissed and extended her curvy neck toward the arrow.
“Once again, you’re attacking a monster with an arrow,” Diva said.
Theo shuddered, remembering the Harpy attack. “I have to do something. There’s no room in here to pull the string on the bow.”
The Unborn Hero of Dragon Village Page 11