How could this have happened?
“Is there anything we should do?” she whispered. “Offer a rooster to Asclepius?”
“Does sacrificing an animal help?” Valerie asked hurriedly, grabbing at the goose. “We Unwary don’t do things like that. My family has only ever given money or food to the temples.”
Rachel shook her head sadly. “Not that I have heard.”
“I could…” Xandra’s voice trailed off.
“What? You could…what?” Valerie seized Xandra’s arm, her nostrils flaring. “Look, Flops-Over-Dead Chick, three months ago, I didn’t even know about magic. Now the world’s gone crazy. My dad went missing this spring. It had something to do with that stupid Egg-bozo. Since coming to school I’ve been geased, raped, and someone tried to kill me! I’m not going to lose my boyfriend, too! Get away!” She kicked at the goose pecking her leg. “I’m sorry we’re on your nest or whatever, but chill! Or I will sacrifice you to…whomever!” She turned back. “Xandra! If you can do something, you do it!”
“You gotta! You gotta!” Lucky begged frantically. The dragon’s jade eyes were as large and weepy as a sick kitten’s.
“I’m…not supposed to,” murmured Xandra. She turned her hooded head to the right and left, as if checking to confirm that no one was watching. Rachel automatically glanced up toward the tower, but did not see any of the robed figures they had left behind.
“You’re not supposed to do something that could help Sigfried?” Rachel could feel her eyes growing wide as saucers. “Why?”
“Okay. Okay.” Xandra sounded annoyed yet resigned. “I’ll…” she tilted her head upward, as if talking to the gods, spreading her hands. “He’s alive, right? You all see that he’s alive. Hopefully, this’ll…be okay. Painful, but okay.”
“Just do it!” cried Valerie.
Xandra knelt and touched Siggy’s cheek. Her hood covered her face, but from the set of her shoulders, Rachel guessed she was concentrating hard. She stood. Her body went rigid.
“Can’t feel my body below the neck…Weird. Disturbing even,” murmured Xandra. “Still, it’s better than if he’d lost a limb or something.”
Sigfried sat up. He looked fine. The color had come back into his face.
“Hey,” he gave them all a blinding smile, “what happened?”
“Sigfried!” Valerie launched herself at him.
“Boss!” Lucky extended like furry elastic, wrapping around his master even more times.
Xandra was trying to look down at Sigfried, too, but she was doing it without moving anything except her head, which made it difficult. Also, her face was rapidly turning an ashen gray, and her chest was starting to rise and fall rapidly.
Rachel stepped forward. “Xandra, are you okay?”
“Hey,” beneath the hem of her hood, the other young woman wet her lips, “wanna know why they call me Flops-Over-Dead Chick?”
“Sure,” Zoë was standing by with her hands in her pockets, “I’ll bite. Why?”
“Here goes,” sighed Xandra.
Her body sagged. She flopped over bonelessly, her head snapping backwards. Her hood fell back from her face. She was a pretty girl with Levantine features, an olive complexion—which was currently grayish—shaggy chestnut hair, and lavender eyes, eyes that currently stared vacantly at the sky.
“I think…she’s dead.” Zoë took a step backward.
Valerie ran around to Xandra and put two fingers against her wrist. “Quick, Rachel, hold a mirror over her mouth. See if she’s breathing.”
“How?” Rachel pulled out her mirror and held it over Xandra’s face.
“If she’s breathing, the heat in her breath will mist up the glass,” Valerie instructed. “Yet another advantage of having a police detective for a father. You learn useful stuff like this.”
Rachel peeked at the mirror, which remained clear. “Not breathing.”
“No pulse,” Valerie said. “Okay, clear her airways, and we’ll start CPR.”
Siggy frowned. “Wait. What happened to her? She was fine a moment ago. Hey…she’s not burned by acid. She’s a hottie! Er…sorry, Goldilocks!”
“She took your wounds, I think. Then she flopped over dead.” Rachel’s brow narrowed. She cried hopefully, “Wait! If that’s what her nickname’s based on, doesn’t that imply she’s done this before? That she’s going to get better?”
“Maybe, but we still need to start CPR!” Valerie insisted. “Just in case. I’ll do the chest. You do the mouth.”
“Woohoo! This I’ve gotta see,” grinned Siggy, staring eagerly at the young women.
“CPR?” Rachel frowned. “What’s that?”
“Griffin, you’re hopeless. I’ll do it.” Zoë pushed Rachel to one side and knelt by Xandra’s head. She stuck her fingers into the other girl’s mouth and made sure her tongue was lying flat. Then, she leaned over the prone young woman.
With a loud gasp, Xandra sucked in air. She sat up, nearly bumped heads with Zoë, who jumped backwards, shouting, “Whoa!”
“Ouch. Ouch. Lake of flame. Hate that! Ouch!” Xandra’s whole body shuddered. She yanked her hood back over her face. “Was I dreaming? Or did someone try to kiss me?”
“Not kissing. CPR,” Valerie said. “Um. What just happened?”
“CPR?” Xandra echoed, holding her head and rocking slightly. “What’s that?”
“Um…an Unwary medical thingy.”
Zoë murmured, “She can quote Princess Bride, but she doesn’t know what CPR is. Boy, sometimes our World of the Wise ain’t so wise after all.”
Caw. Caw.
A giant black Raven as big as an eagle with blood red eyes swooped at Xandra. She screamed and threw up her arms to shield her face.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she shouted.
It cawed one last time and vanished.
Rachel immediately remembered back a quarter-second, until she could see the Raven flying away in her memory. The illusion that hid the black bird from her senses popped. Rachel could now see the real Raven, as it flew away. It turned its head and looked at her.
Time froze.
Her friends stopped moving. Siggy’s arm was frozen mid-gesture. Lucky stood motionless, a statue of a dragon. Even the goose was frozen, mid-peck on Valerie’s leg. Only the Rachel and the Raven moved.
It flew back and circled Rachel’s head. This was the first time she had seen him since she had offered him her life in order to save the world, and he had given it back to her. Gratitude flooded her heart merely at the sight of him. She longed to find some way to be of service to him, to repay him for his extraordinary gift and trust in her, but she could think of nothing.
The Raven cawed, “She breached my walls, in direct defiance of my instructions.”
“But she saved Sigfried!” cried Rachel.
“Sigfried Smith is important.” The Raven’s rough caw seemed kinder, yet sad. “And yet, now I cannot block what comes, Rachel Griffin. I go to repair the hole in my Wall.”
Time restarted. This time the Raven was truly gone, even thinking back did not reveal his presence. Her friends were moving again. Valerie cried out in frustration and kicked at the goose.
“Why won’t this thing leave me alone?” she cried. “Let’s move. We must be on its nest.”
“I can take care of it for you!” Siggy grinned hugely and brandished his fulgurator’s wand, a length of oak and gold with a ruby tip. “Sigfried the Dragonslayer to the rescue! Too bad I don’t have any fireballs.” He paused. “Lucky?”
“I’m on it.” The dragon darted forward.
Xandra’s head snapped back. A loud voice boomed from her mouth. “Lucky the Dragon! Do not slay Kenneth Hunt!”
Lucky paused, staring googly-eyed at Xandra. Then he did a dragon shrugy thing with his whole body and turned back toward the honking bird, opening his mouth.
“Wait!” Rachel dived between Lucky and the goose. She threw her arms around the goose, catching it to her. Only this required that she
lunge out at a rather severe angle. Nor could she windmill her arms to keep her balance.
The two of them crashed into the pond. Frigid water splashed into her face. Her chest seized up from the cold. The smell of pond scum mixed with blood filled her nostrils.
A burst of red and orange dragon flame shot right over her shoulder, before Lucky caught himself. Rachel could feel the extreme heat. The acrid odor of dragon fire scorched the air.
“Geesh, Boss! I nearly roasted the short brainy one!” Lucky darted forward and stuck his head in Rachel’s face. “You should be more careful!”
Rachel sat up, dripping, still holding on tightly to the struggling goose. The cold wind blew through her wet garments, causing her teeth to chatter. “Didn’t you h-hear the Voice? This is Valerie’s d-dad!”
“Wha…?” Siggy blinked. Lucky blinked, simultaneously.
Valerie stared at the goose. “Are…you sure?”
“Isn’t Kenneth Hunt your dad?” asked Rachel.
“Yes. Yes it is.” She grabbed the goose away from Rachel, bringing her face close to its frenzied beak. “Dad! Can you hear me? Dad!”
“They aren’t intelligent in animal form,” said Zoë.
“Though he does seem to recognize you,” Rachel felt a slight pang of envy. Gaius had not recognized her when he was a sheep. Then, she scolded herself. Gaius had just met her. This was Valerie’s father.
Rachel sat in the cold pond, dripping. Now that the emergency was over, her limbs were shaking. The stress of recent events combined with her extreme fatigue made her lightheaded. She caught herself wondering if she could lie down in the water and sleep. Shaking her head in hopes that it would rouse her, she forced herself up onto her trembling legs.
The princess came across the lawns toward them, a vision of loveliness with her long curls floating around her like a golden cloud. She was followed by a panting Joy. Nastasia glanced from one to another, her gaze taking in Rachel’s dripping robes, as Rachel absentmindedly brushed pond weeds from her sleeve.
She squelched when she walked. Everything dripped.
“Silu varenga. Taflu.” She tried to copy the cantrip Gaius had used to remove the orange juice from her garments. Nothing happened. She sighed, shivering.
With a slight smile, Xandra performed the same cantrip. Water gathered from Rachel’s robes and formed into a large ball in mid-air. With a gesture, Xandra sent it splashing back into the pond. The robes were still damp in spots—not toasty dry, like when her mother cast this cantrip—but she felt much more comfortable. She threw Xandra a grateful smile.
“Everyone is well, then?” asked the princess.
“I found my dad! My dad!” Valerie held up the goose. Tears ran down her cheeks.
“Indeed?” The princess blinked in surprise. “That is…unexpected.” She eyed the bird warily. “What makes you believe this is your father?”
“Xandra’s voice said so,” Rachel said quickly.
“Perhaps, that is why Miss Black was sent to accompany us?” asked Nastasia.
“Will he be all right?” asked Sigfried, peering suspiciously at the goose.
“No worries. Everyone’s relatives get turned into animals now and then,” smirked Zoë. “Well, at least in my family.”
Rachel looked at Sigfried. He was so vibrant, so alive. It was difficult to believe he had been otherwise, though she only had to rewind her memory a little while to recall how ashen and ill he had been.
Suddenly, adventure did not seem so appealing.
She wanted to go home.
“Uh, oh!” muttered Lucky, looking over his shoulder. “That doesn’t look good!”
They all turned. In the spot where Xandra had been standing when she flopped over, a dark cloud coalesced.
Chapter Six:
Feasting Upon the Flesh of Innocents
The gathering darkness swirled and grew thicker. It coalesced into a ten-foot tall bull with huge horns and massive wings of smoke and flame. The fiendish creature had a human face. Its eyes burned like live coals.
The fiend moved its head from left to right. When its gaze fell over the young sorcerers, it gestured impatiently. An invisible force lifted Rachel and her friends and threw them.
“Varenga, Vroomie!” Rachel shouted, as she careened through the air. She reached out toward the broom, where it lay by the side of the duck pond. If she could catch it before she struck the ground, she could avoid more bruising.
The broom rose obediently and shot through the air toward her.
It did not reach her in time.
The ground rose rapidly and slapped her, knocking the air from her lungs. Only then did her broom arrive. Breathless, she grabbed at it and missed. The front of the polished haft thumped her in the forehead.
Rachel lay on her back, unable to breathe, the scope of the world reduced to the throbbing pain in her head. She blinked several times, fighting tears. Around her, the others stirred. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sigfried and Nastasia sit up, unharmed. Xandra and Joy were both moaning, and Zoë had grabbed her shoulder and was rocking back and forth. Valerie must have landed painfully, because Rachel could hear her whimpering.
Yet, somehow, she had kept her hold on the goose.
The fiend looked upward. It gestured with its horns. From the gaping hole in the tower, five figures in purple robes emerged. They floated though the air, coming to land on the ground before him. Three of them moved freely. Two were still frozen. Despite the throbbing in her head, Rachel could not help smiling.
The fiend snorted fire. The two paralyzed men began to move.
Rachel sighed.
Caw!
The harsh cry of a raven sounded nearby. Or perhaps it was the Raven, for a cut appeared across the fiend’s shoulder. Black ichor flowed from the wound. It bellowed. Rachel and the others grabbed their ears in pain. Snorting, the fiend pawed the ground with one foot. The earth shook. Sniffing the robed figures, it indicated one of them with its long horns. “You! Come forward. I must clothe myself in living flesh, else my brother will evict me from his world.”
The man stepped forward nervously. The bull dissolved into darkness, which swarmed through the air and down the man’s throat. The man in purple gasped and gargled, his eyes bulging. Then he straightened, looking suddenly larger. His eye sockets held burning coals.
“Great Moloch!” The tallest man knelt before his possessed comrade. “We thank you for answering our call. Our master, Azrael, has been captured. We ask that you come to our aid and free him. Or, if it should please you, help us to destroy this world!”
“Destroy the world?” The fiend regarded him with his burning eyes. “It does no good for my kind to destroy a world. Calamities are but breeding grounds for martyrs. Opportunities for victims to turn to the Enemy in their last hour.”
“B-but…” The man faltered. “Are you not one of the demons who serv…,” he cleared his throat quickly, “…who lead Veltdammerung?”
“I am not Moloch. He sleeps. I am his servant Morax. My lord hungers after the destruction of worlds—but those dwelling within must be the engines of their own downfall.” Morax lifted the head of the man he now wore like a coat, scenting the air with breathy sniffs. “Too much innocence and hope still clings to this place. But soon…soon, with our help, it will be ready for harvesting.” He looked left and right. “Where is the sacrifice prepared for my coming? The tender morsel?”
“Lord Morax, we furnished the sacrifice as was due, but…,” the tall man’s voice shook, “these meddlesome children stole it from us. Eat them instead!”
Valerie’s voice also trembled, but that did not keep her from quoting under her breath: “If it wasn’t for those meddling kids and their dragon…”
Morax glanced toward where the Roanoke students lay sprawled across the ground and dismissed them with scowl. “They are too old. Too impure.”
“We are not impure!” the princess murmured indignantly.
Xandra, her hood askew, so that
it revealed one lavender eye, leaned over and lay a hand on Nastasia’s shoulder, whispering, “Princess, this is one you just might want to let go.”
“Come on, Lucky!” Siggy rolled onto the balls of his feet, crouching with his trumpet in hand. “I think we can take him.”
“No!” Valerie rammed into him, bowling him over and falling on top of him, miraculously still holding tight to the goose. “Are you crazy! He’s letting us live. Let’s go!”
Siggy lay on the ground, his expression fraught with conflict, as if torn between his desire to attack the fiend and the assault on his senses from the sheer cuteness and feminine warmth of his girlfriend, who lay on top of him.
“Ub! Glab!” he cried, waving his arms and legs.
The goose honked raucously.
Rachel regarded the possessed man intently. She replayed the portion of her memory of when the Bull stood outside his fleshly vessel. This was not the one. This fiend was not the thing that had started to appear in the tower chamber. That thing must have been the master, Moloch. Rachel shivered at the memory.
“I thirst. Bring me the blood of innocents to drink,” called Morax. “I hunger, bring me the flesh of suckling babes.”
“Eew,” murmured Zoë.
“Ditto,” Xandra muttered. Rising to her feet, she pulled her hood down over her eyes. “What is that thing?”
“A demon,” Rachel whispered back. “A creature of malice that desires to do as much harm as possible.”
Xandra tugged her hood lower over her nose.
“Yes. Lord,” cried the tall man in purple. “Of course, your wickedness. Immediately.”
“I go now to my place of power. There to prepare all that is necessary to wake my lord. We shall call him upon his name day. He shall rise again and wrap all the world in his ruthlessness. Men shall slay their wives for favors. Women shall sell their children for trinkets. Thus the whole world shall rush willingly to its destruction.”
“Of course, Great One.”
“Call me when my feast is prepared.” The fiend gestured toward Rachel and her friends, without even bothering to glance their way. “And kill them.”
Rachel and the Many-Splendored Dreamland (The Books of Unexpected Enlightenment Book 3) Page 7