Zmey must have felt this overwrought when Zunitza had died. His father probably blamed himself for her death since she’d come back to help him. Lamia wouldn’t win. Theo couldn’t beat her on his own, but he had friends to help: Diva, Jega, Zima, and Pavel.
Where were Pavel and the Kukeri? They should help him now. He looked around.
Boo croaked in a tree without ceasing. The Kukeri stared at Theo as if he’d lost his mind. Pavel had curled into a ball, crying over and over, “No, no, no, she can’t be gone.”
“Stop whimpering and help!” Theo yelled at Pavel above the noise.
“It’s no use.” Pavel wiped his nose on a rumpled tissue and shuffled over, picking up and throwing rocks away from the entrance.
“We won’t know unless we try.” He looked at the Kukeri. “All of us.”
Zima gazed at the massive pile and shook his head. “I doubt she could have survived, but I’ll help.”
“As will I.” Jega bounded up the rock pile. “We must do what we can for the beautiful lady. Together Zima and I can blast this pile of rubble to pieces.”
Zima created a barrier of ice around a large boulder. Next, Jega hurled a stream of fire at it, heating the rock to extremely high temperatures like the desert sun. The boulder appeared to pulse as it expanded.
“Stand back,” Zima said as he blasted the heated boulder with frigid air.
Cracks formed as the stone contracted. The boulder gave one last groan before it exploded with a roar. Fragments hurtled against the barrier, embedding deep into the ice. Other chunks thudded as they hit the ground.
Theo and Pavel gawked at the brothers.
“Get the pieces out of the way,” Zima said, “so Jega and I can disintegrate another one.”
“We should help with that task, too.” Jega joined Theo and Pavel and hurled bits of rock from the entrance.
Clattering rocks competed with the magpie’s commotion.
Toward dusk, Pavel groaned. “I can’t move my arms anymore, and I can’t take that awful noise Boo keeps making.”
Theo gave a quick glance at the tree. “He’s probably missing Diva, too.”
“We should leave,” Zima said. “These woods are even more treacherous at night. And we don’t have much time left to save your sister.”
Jega wiped sweat from his brow. “Theo won’t leave. I see it in his eyes. Concern for his sister battles with determination to free his friend.”
“We can’t stop.” Theo wheezed, his own arms weary and his hands bloody. “I know she’s alive. She wouldn’t leave us, so we can’t desert her. We’ll ... still save Nia, too.”
Theo turned away to hide the tears streaming down his cheeks. He was the son of a Samodiva and a dragon, and yet he couldn’t do more than toss stones. He kicked a boulder. Pain shot up his leg. Despite his raw hands, he grabbed another rock and hurled it away from the cave entrance in the ever-growing pile.
The others returned to the rock-slinging fest. Only a spark of daylight remained when a hole opened in the rock pile, giving them a glimpse into the shadowy throat of the devil.
A few stones rolled into the abyss, sending a small cloud of dust upward. A furry white rodent poked its nose from the opening and crawled out.
“Something survived! Diva could have, too.” Theo coughed and scrambled to the top to peer in.
The mouse ran in a tight circle. A silvery-white cocoon swirled around the rodent, collecting debris until it grew as tall as Theo. When the swirling stopped, the rubble dropped. Diva stood where the mouse had been.
“You’re alive!” Theo opened his arms and held her tight. “I knew it!”
Pavel struggled up the pile, sliding back as rocks skidded downward. When he got to where Theo and Diva were, he wrapped his arms around her.
“Guys, let go!” Diva said. “You’re choking me.”
Pavel released her, but Theo held on a moment longer.
Her cheeks flushed, Diva smoothed out her clothes and shook her hair. “What’s the big deal? I’m a Samodiva. I’ve survived worse things.”
Jega bowed to her. “My lady, losing one as fine as you would have been a terrible disaster.”
“Yes, it’s good you’re back,” Zima said. “Now we can leave the forest.”
“What about Sitara?” Theo asked.
“I couldn’t carry him all the way, so I left him in a tunnel,” Diva said.
“We have to save him, too.” He’d already killed Lesh, the vulture, and he didn’t know if Morunduk had been killed or only injured. He couldn’t be responsible for someone else’s death. Theo picked up a rock to make the opening larger.
“No!” Zima pulled Theo down the pile. “We have to leave.”
Rocks skidded as Theo dug in his heels.
“We can’t, Theo,” Diva said. “Who’s going to guard him? He could still be dangerous. At least now, he’s not chained.”
“You’re right.” Theo sighed. “Maybe someone can return later. Right now, we have to defeat Lamia before she harms Nia.”
“First the final soul,” she said. “Did you destroy it?”
Theo ran his hands through his hair. “I didn’t even think about the dove. I was too worried about you. The bird was with me when I rolled out of the tunnel.”
“Is this what you’re looking for?” Pavel held an empty cage with a broken latch.
“Where’s the dove?” Theo looked all around.
The magpie still croaked from a tree.
“What’s wrong with Boo?” Diva asked.
“He’s trying to tell you something. Look.” Zima pointed at a lower branch.
Boo pecked at the white dove, which attacked back from a hole in the trunk.
Diva sprinted toward the tree and climbed until she reached the fighting birds. She grabbed the dove around the throat and shimmied down.
Thrusting it at Theo, she said, “Here, it’s time to destroy the bird.”
Jega covered his eyes. “What a pity to kill such an angelic and innocent creature.”
Theo took a step back. “I don’t know if I can.”
“Don’t you see it’s another of Lamia’s deceptions?” Diva said.
“Okay.” He gritted his teeth and reached for the dove.
Zima strode forward. “Oh, give it to me. I’ll do it.”
He snatched the bird from Diva. The dove jabbed its beak into his arm. Yelping, Zima opened his hand. Everyone grabbed for the dove, but it soared into the clouds, cooing, as if taunting them.
“Now what can we do?” Theo asked.
“We haven’t lost yet. None of you will have to worry about killing the innocent bird.” Diva twirled and shape-shifted into a white falcon, soaring into the air. With a screech and a hiss, she caught the dove with her talons.
Bright silver light flashed like lightning around her and her prey. Downy feathers floated toward Theo, followed by a soft patter of rain. At his feet, a pool of water formed around the plumes. They twisted and curled their way around each other, slowly gathering speed until they spun like a mini whirlwind.
Diva landed, twirling back into a girl.
“Did you kill the dove?” Pavel asked, his voice a whisper.
She nodded.
Theo kneeled where the feathers in the pool of water had been and picked up a round hand-mirror. Engraved, white features decorated its outer edge, along with words along the bottom. Handing it to Diva, he said, “Nature left us another clue. What does this one say?”
She read the words out loud, “ ‘Wherein power blazes, close the gateway to the soul.’ ”
Theo shook his head. “Of course, we can’t get something that makes sense. How’s that going to help us defeat Lamia?”
“You’ll figure it out, hero,” Diva said. “Let’s go finish the beast.”
As the rain continued to nourish the parched soil, tiny flowers bloomed, spreading over the moss, cleansing more poison from the land.
***
A clouded moon shone on them as Theo and his f
riends traveled through Tililei Forest. He kept a wary eye out for other dangerous creatures, but none attacked. Not a sound came from its depths, but the voices continued to plague his mind. Failure. Weak. You’re all going to die.
Since the demon Torbalan had failed to stop him from reaching Sitara, did the dragon have something more sinister waiting to attack them at the castle?
Theo stepped out of the forest, and the voices faded. He breathed a sigh of relief.
Pavel groaned. “How much longer until we get to Cherna Mountain?”
“We’re here.” Diva said.
“Where?” If they were near the castle, he’d have to fight Lamia soon. His insides shook. Even though the voices telling him he’d fail had ceased, he didn’t know how he could possible battle a dragon and win.
Theo lifted his gaze. An expansive lake, fed by a thundering waterfall, shimmered blue and silver. Enormous stone dragons perched on top of two pillars that towered over the waterfall. The creatures faced each other, their wings spread as if about to do battle. Beyond them, the mountain disappeared into the purple clouds.
“Lamia’s castle is up there?” Theo bit his lower lip.
Diva nodded.
“How will we get across the lake?” Pavel asked.
“Watch.” Zima took a deep breath and expelled a blast of cold air. The water crackled as a tempest flew across the lake like a great white hawk. A thick layer of ice formed a path.
They hurried toward the base of the thunderous waterfall. Theo squeezed through a niche carved into the rock and entered a cavern. A stone stairway curved along the far wall, disappearing near the ceiling. Hundreds of tunnels dotted the walls like a moth-eaten cloth. A rush of foul-smelling water spurted from one.
“The stairs must lead into the castle,” Theo said.
“I’m sure they’re guarded at the top,” Diva replied. “We’ll have to go through one of the tunnels.”
“Which one?” Jega asked.
“Everyone scout out a few to see where they lead,” Zima said.
The Kukeri climbed the steps. Each brother entered a different tunnel. Diva darted into a lower-level one.
Theo walked toward one, but stopped and turned back to Pavel. “Are you coming?”
“In a bit. I’m checking out a theory.” His phone in his hand, Pavel stared at the tunnels.
Theo shrugged and entered a passageway. It narrowed the farther he walked, until it was only crawlspace. That didn’t look promising. He backtracked and chose another one.
Torches lined the sides, showing moldy growth seeping out of cracks in the rocks. He walked until the path ended at a sharp drop-off. An iron ladder led down. From far below came a steady ting, ting, ting. It must lead into the mines—not where he wanted to go—at least not now.
He tried a few more, with similar results. Finally giving up, he returned to the main cavern, where the others had gathered.
He held his palms open. “No luck. Anyone else find anything?”
Everyone shook their heads.
“It’s impossible to know what tunnel will get us into the castle,” Zima said.
“How about that one?” Pavel asked, pointing to the one with water gushing out. “I’ve been timing it. Every fifteen minutes, the water pours out, then stops. It could be a sewer line from inside.”
Diva raised her eyebrows. “It’s worth a try.”
Zima eyed Jega. “If we’re trying to sneak in, you should take those bells off. They’re noisier than the bird.”
“I’m keeping them on. I’m sure there’s evil in the tunnel we need protection from,” Jega replied.
“Like they’ve helped protect any of us so far.” Zima scoffed.
“I’ll hold them so they don’t ring.”
Zima shook his head and walked to the stairs. When they reached the tunnel entrance, they waited until the water subsided.
Theo entered the narrow passageway and stepped on the slippery stone. “Pavel, stay in the middle and let us know when the water’s going to return.”
“Bat guano.” Pavel held his nose. “It smells like a badger in here.”
The smell was awful, but Theo smiled at Pavel’s new saying after getting the bat poop on his head. “An entire family of them.”
Theo, like the others, clung to whatever handholds he could find on the walls as he crept through the steep, musty tunnel. His feet slipped with each step on the slick stones. He fell to his knees several times, making it difficult to stand again since his slimy hands slipped off the stone wall. His friends fared no better. He breathed a sigh of relief when the tunnel leveled off.
“How much longer before the water returns?” Zima asked Pavel.
“Right about—”
A rumbling ahead of them shook the tunnel.
“Now.” Theo finished Pavel’s sentence and squeezed into a crevice next to Diva, who had already secured herself. “Everyone, hold onto something!”
Boo flew away and landed on a ledge high above them. Jega and Zima sprinted toward a tunnel a short distance ahead, disappearing into its enclosure.
Pavel shoved his phone into his pocket and glanced around with frantic eyes. “Nothing’s wide enough to hold me!”
“Grab on.” Theo wrapped his fingers around Pavel’s hand, pulling him as close as he could.
The torrent rushed past with a terrible force, waves of rank-smelling water pounding him and the walls. Every second felt like minutes. Water seeped through his fingers. Pavel’s hand slipped.
“Don’t let go!” Pavel screamed.
Theo grasped as tight as possible, but the deluge ripped Pavel’s hand out of his own. “No!”
More water flooded the tunnel. As the water trickled to a flow, Boo croaked and flew around the tunnel, followed by a crow with ruffled feathers.
Theo crawled out of his hole. “Pavel, where are you?” he yelled, but received no reply.
“Forget about him,” Zima said. “We’re wasting time. The water probably dropped him back into the cavern.”
“No! He’s my friend.” Theo sprinted down the slippery tunnel before anyone stopped him.
“Help!” Pavel’s voice came from near the entrance.
“I’m coming.” Theo looked out the opening. “Where are you?”
“Up there.” Diva said from behind him.
Theo spun around. “Thank you for coming.”
She shrugged. “Can’t leave you boys alone; you get into too much trouble.”
“Hey, you two, help me,” Pavel shouted, his eyes closed. “My shirt’s stuck on a beam, and I can’t get it off.”
“How’d you get up there?” Theo asked.
Pavel squirmed mid-air. “I’ll tell you after you get me down. Hurry.”
Theo clambered up the slick rock, wedging his feet and hands into every opening he could find.
The water rumbled again. Diva plastered herself to the wall.
“Everyone, hold on until the next rush is over.” Theo’s hands ached and started to slip from the crevice. He shoved his fingers back in, scraping them against the sharp edges.
The water rushed past, then slowed.
Diva stepped into the tunnel under Pavel. “I think your timing was off. That wasn’t fifteen minutes.”
“Guess I didn’t get to time it enough,” Pavel said. “Hurry, get me down.”
Theo climbed closer to the beam and grasped Pavel’s shirt. “When I say, ‘Now,’ get ready to hit the ground.”
“Okay.”
Theo lifted the end of Pavel’s shirt stuck on the spike. “Now!”
Pavel dropped with Theo right behind him.
“Thanks for returning for me, both of you.”
“We can’t leave a friend in trouble.” Theo stood. “Let’s hurry back before the water comes again.”
Pavel groaned. “I think I twisted my ankle.”
“Lean on me and Theo.” Diva helped him up and wrapped her arm around one side of Pavel, while Theo got on the other.
“It w
as scary, especially being stuck up there.” Pavel pointed to his earlier prison. “But now that it’s over, it was rather a fun adventure, like riding a giant water slide.”
The water rumbled again.
“Definitely not fifteen minutes,” Diva said.
“Someone’s flushing an awful lot.” Pavel coughed, spitting out foul water. “Must have the runs.”
“Not funny.” Theo looked for a place to hide. “You could have died.”
“Sorry. Nerves.”
“There.” Diva pointed as the rumbling drew closer.
They ducked into a dark hole, clinging to the damp walls. The surge of water swept past, dropping over the edge and into the cavern. By the time the three of them reached Jega and Zima, they had hidden in tunnels twice more, Pavel’s injured ankle slowing their progress.
“Let’s get out of here before the water sweeps your friend away—again.” Zima sprinted down the tunnel.
They hadn’t gone far before fast-approaching footsteps sounded down a dark side tunnel.
Everyone slipped off the main passageway into a smaller one. Jega tripped over rocks and reached for the wall. His bells clanged. Someone shouted, and the footsteps turned in their direction.
Zima smacked his brother. “This is why I said not to wear those bells.”
Jega whispered to Pavel, “At least now he’s mad at someone other than you.”
Two figures wearing iron helmets passed their tunnel, peering inside. Boo squawked, and the men thrust swords into the darkness.
Jega gave his brother a smirk and put his finger on his lips to beckon everyone to keep quiet. He put on his Kuker mask, blew on a torch to light it, and jumped in front of the approaching men. Jega breathed on the torch, making the flames dance to the ceiling. He looked like a giant again.
The men gasped at first, then drew their swords a moment too late. Zima spewed a cold blast on both soldiers, turning them into ice statues.
Diva grabbed a ring of keys from one man’s belt. “Hurry. Let’s go before someone comes looking for them.”
She raced down the short passageway and stopped at a wooden door, trying several keys until she unlocked the iron padlock. The door creaked open, and they entered a dark room.
The Unborn Hero of Dragon Village Page 20