by A W Hartoin
“What are you waiting for? Drink it,” said Gilles.
“I think I’m okay.”
“What’s this? The famous kindler afraid of some tea?”
I rolled my eyes. Like I was going to drink just because he made fun of me. No way.
Gilles looked around at Daiki, Farue, the now-crying Esmee, and Soren, and then he drew me aside, carefully standing so their view was blocked and I could read his lips. “Drink it, Matilda. It will do you good. Esmee made a mistake and I imagine you know why. She and Soren...well, she’d do just about anything for him. I, on the other hand, am only here as a galen. Drink it and go save your family.”
I sucked down the liquid which was thicker than it looked and made me gag. Gilles whacked me on the back and pronounced me fighting fit. He crooked a finger at Esmee and she followed him out, her hair lifeless on her shoulders.
“Where would Iris and Gerald go first?” asked Farue.
“To the cash register like last time,” I said.
Soren stepped in front of me and took my face in his gentle hands. “So you are determined to do this?”
“Of course.” My stomach was flopping around, and I wished it would stop. Twenty-three was crazy old.
“I’m sorry you don’t see me as your leader.”
I grinned up at him. “I can be your equal.”
“And I shouldn’t aspire to be more.”
“Um...” I flushed and glanced at Daiki and Farue. Daiki glowered at his feet and Farue raised the part of his forehead where there should’ve been eyebrows, except that he was hairless.
“I don’t know,” I said, feeling a blush tinge my cheeks under his warm hands.
“I’ll prove myself worthy of leading you,” he said softly. If I hadn’t been watching his lips, I never would’ve heard him despite how close he was.
“I don’t think so.” I pulled his hands off my cheeks and held them.
“Because I’m not a warrior.”
“Because I have to do what’s right.”
“Did you ever consider that I might know what’s right?”
“I have to get that root and find Iris and Gerald. They wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t brought them.”
“Farue can lead the team.”
“He needs me. You know he does.”
He sighed and dropped his hands. “Farue, we cannot afford an incident. The spriggans are looking for an excuse to go to full-out war. Don’t provoke them in any way.”
Farue nodded. “We’ll find the children, retrieve them, and get out.”
“No unnecessary bloodshed.”
Farue grinned. “Define unnecessary.”
“If it isn’t necessary to protect Matilda or the children, don’t do it. I want them out of the mall as soon as you can achieve it,” said Soren.
“I’m not leaving without that root,” I said.
“It’s possible that the spriggans will declare war just to get to you.”
“I promise I’ll get it without causing any havoc.”
Farue laughed and even Soren smiled.
“Good luck,” he said and left with his steps slow and regretful.
“So what’s the plan?” I asked Farue.
“Plan? Plans are for sissies,” he said with a fierce grin on his face.
“Nevertheless,” said Daiki. “We have a plan. We’ll start at the apothecary cabinet.”
The teufel came in ducking his head, so he wouldn’t hit the ceiling. Up close I saw his skin had a diamond pattern and his horns were swirled and twisted. He carried no weapons, but his muscles bulged and he eyed me with small, hard eyes.
“I’m not a troll,” he said.
His low voice rumbled around the room. I swear the furniture quaked. Daiki and Farue covered their ears. I heard him clearly and it was a pleasure despite his fierce appearance that made me take a step back.
“I didn’t say anything,” I said.
Lrag growled and I suppressed a shiver. The urge to run from the room was pretty strong. He was much scarier close up.
Daiki punched him in the shoulder. “No one thinks you’re a troll. Stop being so sensitive.”
“I’m not sensitive.” Lrag swiped a vase off a side table and crushed it to bits in his massive hand.
“You’re going to pay for that,” said Farue. “I don’t know what your malfunction is. People take me for a bug all the dang time and it don’t bother me. I’m not a bug, so I don’t give a gnat’s fart.”
The teufel’s cheeks turned cream-colored and he said, “Aren’t the ponderosa coming?”
“They like to have a troop,” said Farue. “And this is a stealth mission.”
“Bentha can do it. He’s the independent sort and he’s lost a few needles to the horen. He’d love the chance to take something back,” said Lrag.
Farue considered the addition, rubbing his smooth black chin. “Get him, but keep it quiet. We don’t need twenty ponderosa charging in here, swords at the ready.”
Lrag glanced at me as he left the room, his cheeks blooming to their regular red. I buttoned up my lip pretty fast. If Lrag decided to crush me, I wasn’t entirely sure I could burn my way out.
Daiki leaned over to me. “He is a troll, by the way.”
“Seriously?”
“Devil troll out of Germany.”
“What’s the big deal?” I asked.
“Would you want to be a troll of any kind?”
“No, I guess not.” I found myself blushing again. Daiki was so close that for a second I thought he might kiss me again and I wanted him to. At least, I thought I did. Or maybe I wanted Soren to kiss me instead. No. That couldn’t be right.
Daiki gave me a weird little smile and I got suspicious. “Katana don’t have mindbending traits, do they?”
“No. Why? What were you thinking?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
Lrag came back in with a fairy bouncing around behind him. He was the same height and build as Soren but had none of his slow, considered movements. His smooth skin was painted to resemble the rough bark of a ponderosa pine, instead of Soren’s bird’s-eye maple.
“Where are we going? Which lair? Bentha is ready,” he said with his eyes darting around the room.
“I’m going to regret this,” said Farue.
The ponderosa plucked one of the dozen spiky pine needles off his head and brandished it. “Which lair? Lead the way. Bentha can take on two spriggans with one supremely skilled arm tied behind his back.”
“Aren’t you Bentha?” I asked.
He sidled up to me and winked. “I am. You’ve heard of me. I’m gratified, but not surprised. My reputation precedes me.”
Daiki groaned. “Control yourself, Bentha.”
“Control is my middle name.” He slashed the air with his sword and bowed low to me. “So you’re the kindler. A pleasure.” He kissed my hand.
“Alright. Alright,” said Farue. “Break it up. Bentha, did Lrag brief you?”
“I’m aware of the mission. I will restore my honor and save the children.”
“We will save the children,” said Daiki. “Your honor is of no importance.”
“Honor is the most important thing. A ponderosa cannot live without honor!”
“Can he live without speaking?” asked Farue. “Pipe down and listen. We start at the apothecary cabinet. That’s where the spriggans usually store their merchandise. Agreed?”
We all nodded, except for Bentha who spun in a circle and bowed.
“Matilda, I’m going to have Lrag put a spell on you,” said Farue.
I looked at Lrag, whose lip was twitching. I didn’t know what kind of spell he could do, but I wasn’t crazy about the idea. “I don’t think so. I’m good.”
“You don’t trust my spells because you think I’m a troll?” asked Lrag, stomping across the room.
“No. No. I’m just, you know, very careful about spells in general.”
“Don’t worry. This is one of Lrag’s gifts. He can make ot
hers invisible,” said Daiki. “He can also burst eardrums, but we’re not so interested in that today.”
“You can make others invisible, but not yourself?” I asked.
Lrag cracked his knuckles and nodded.
“I don’t know how useful a gift that is.”
“Tell me about it,” he said. “Are you ready?”
I shrugged. “I guess.”
Lrag closed his eyes and I felt rather than heard a pop. I lurched around the room and bumped into Daiki. He grabbed me and held me steady. “It’s weird, isn’t it?”
I held my hand up and it looked as though it was under a thin grey veil. “Am I invisible?”
“Completely,” said Farue. “Now don’t be making any fire, not even a spark. It breaks the spell and anyone can see you.”
“Um, why is this a good idea then?” I asked, acutely aware that Daiki’s hands were still on my waist and it was kind of hard to concentrate.
“Your fire is a powerful weapon. I’d like to keep you in my hip pocket for now.”
I grumbled, but kept myself in check. Farue made more battle plans and I did try to listen, I really did, but my mind kept wandering to the commander somewhere in the stronghold. It felt weird to be going out without him. I wished I’d been able to see him before we went.
Farue finished his briefing and Daiki nudged me out the door with a warning to keep up a patter until we got outside so that they would know where I was. We left by a back exit without seeing anyone. Even Bentha was quiet, although I could tell it was tough for him. He bounced up and down on his toes, making his needles quiver. Lrag, in contrast, was a calm presence without any extra flash.
“Matilda, fly directly above Lrag, so talking won’t be necessary.” Farue disappeared under his shell and scuttled off into the shadows, followed by Bentha and Daiki. I thought it would be easy to fly above a big red not-a-troll, but I was mistaken. Despite being the largest of the group, Lrag was also the fastest. He zipped around corners and under furniture so quickly, I was afraid to blink, in case I lost him. Lrag might not have been able to make himself invisible but he did a good imitation of it.
I held my breath when I spotted two spriggan sentries standing guard with long pikes, but our group slipped right past them and into spriggan territory. We ran into several species I recognized from the council chambers, but none noticed any of us. We arrived at the apothecary cabinet and hid behind a woven basket. I landed next to Daiki and let my wings brush over his side.
“Nice to see you,” he said with a quiet chuckle.
Lrag held up his finger and we all listened. Well, I stood there and everyone else listened.
“Nothing,” said Farue. “Give it a shot, Bentha.”
“Where is sweet Matilda?” he asked.
“I’m here,” I said.
“Give me thy lady’s hand.” Bentha held out his painted one.
“Is this necessary?” asked Daiki.
“Immensely. Matilda, your hand.”
He sniffed my hand long and hard. Enjoying it a little too much, I thought. Then he took to sniffing the air and waving his sword so much it blew tendrils of my hair around.
“Nothing,” he announced. “We have the sentries and various species, but no wood fairies related to Matilda.”
“Are you sure?” asked Lrag.
“I am a ponderosa. How can it be doubted?”
“I can doubt it all day long,” muttered Daiki. No one else heard him, but I saw it on his lips.
“I’m going up top to see if there’s any trace of them.” Farue ran up the wall, weaving between framed portraits and an assortment of tools that were wired to the walls, all with price tags.
“Matilda, my dear, what shall we talk about in the interim?” asked Bentha. “What’s your favorite color? Are you a fan of swordplay? Or perhaps pine needles?” He ran his hand back over his needles and smiled a rakish smile in my general direction.
“Green’s my favorite color,” I said.
He brandished his sword. “Just as I thought. A lady of taste and judgment.”
“Quiet, Bentha,” said Lrag. “You’ll attract attention.”
“I’m good at that,” said Bentha. “It’s a gift. Comes with being incredibly skilled.”
“What exactly do you do?” I asked.
“I’m astonished that you need ask. I’m a fencing master. Champion of the mall. I also have a keen sense of smell. Though honestly all ponderosa possess it.”
“You can really smell if someone is related to me?”
“Absolutely. Every individual has a signature. I can smell your familial line. Iris isn’t here, and she hasn’t been in the recent past.”
“How recent?” asked Daiki.
“Not within two to three hours, I’d say.”
“Where is Farue?” asked Lrag. “I lost him.”
Bentha pointed at the ceiling as a tiny black dot ran to the safety of a hook holding an old wooden wheel. “Who’s our leader in Farue’s absence? I nominate me.”
“You would,” said Daiki. “But I believe Lrag is second. He ranks highest among his own species.”
Bentha bowed to Lrag. “Then I concur.”
Farue zipped back over the wall and came down so fast it was almost like he was falling. “Any change here?”
“No,” said Daiki. “Spot anything?”
“Not a thing. If they have Iris and Gerald, they’re not too worked up about it. The Nuget household is having a party, celebrating their so-called victory, I expect.”
“Nuget household?” I asked.
“The spriggan head family. The one’s that gave you Horc.”
“So—”
Bentha stuck his sword between me and Farue. “Spriggan coming. Not a sentry.”
Lrag disappeared in between a pair of crockery jugs. Bentha pointed to a cluster of tall bottles on the floor. He, Daiki, and Farue gestured to each other with complicated finger movements and moved out. I started to follow, but Farue hissed, “Stay put.”
Daiki and Bentha edged around some bottles and Farue popped his shell on and ran up the wall. They vanished from view and I waited, feeling helpless as when Miss Penrose was struggling for breath and I wasn’t allowed to help her.
The bottles rattled. I expected one to fall over, but they teetered to a stop and Daiki emerged, dangling a small spriggan in the air. It was limp, but its moist eyes darted around, looking for escape. Bentha danced out and pointed a sword at the creature.
“I have him,” said Daiki.
“I’m making sure. Honor demands it,” said Bentha.
Lrag and Farue came out and surrounded the spriggan. I tugged on Daiki’s vest to show him I was next to him and he nodded. Farue’s sharp eyes spotted the movement, and he nodded to Daiki’s right where I was standing invisible.
The spriggan stopped looking around and patiently waited, crossing his arms. “Well?”
“Well, what?” asked Bentha, poking the spriggan in the butt with his sword. “Say something for yourself, you little fungus.”
“You first, as you are in our territory and not under a flag of truce, I might add,” said the spriggan.
“Flags of truce mean nothing to you,” said Daiki.
“No, but they mean something to you, and yet you are here without one.”
“Why are you sneaking around?” asked Farue, his sword tip at the spriggan’s chin.
“I’m not sneaking around in my own territory. As a matter of fact, I was looking for you,” said the spriggan with quite a bit of dignity, considering he smelled like dead toads and his paper bag suit must’ve been wrapped around a moldy sandwich at one time.
Daiki dropped him at Farue’s feet. “Really?”
“Quite.” The spriggan brushed at the wrinkles in his suit. It was hopeless and gross.
Bentha sniffed. “A Nuget unless I miss my guess. You don’t usually run your own errands.”
“Not usually, but tonight is an exception. Vom Nuget at your service.”
“At our service,” said Lrag. “That’s a joke.”
“Usually, but not this time. You’ll quite like what I have to say. I have the sister and her know-it-all little friend.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“YOU HAVE IRIS?” I asked without thinking.
Vom smiled and turned to me. “How nice of you to finally speak. It’s not polite to be invisible in mixed company.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“Ponderosa aren’t the only ones with a good sense of smell. The area reeks of Whipplethorn, all flowers and happiness. Disgusting.”
“I smell like flowers?”
“Bluebells, I’d say,” said Bentha.
Lrag shook his head. “No. It’s more like lilies of the valley.”
“You’re both wrong,” said Daiki. “Matilda smells like apple blossoms.”
“Enough,” said Farue. “Where are you keeping Iris and Gerald.”
“They’re quite safe. I assure you,” said Vom.
Lrag grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him to eye level. “I never take the word of a spriggan.”
“This time you’ll have to. You’re hardly in the power position.”
“Neither are you.” Lrag shook him so that his grimy, yellow toenails swung under my nose. They were the worst smelling part of him and there was some stiff competition for the distinction.
“It’s hardly the same.” Vom crossed his arms. “You want something from me, not vice versa.”
I felt a tingle go down my arms and I had to fight back a spark that wanted to ignite in my palms. It was so tempting. A little flame under those crusty toes with their long filthy nails and Vom would tell me what I wanted to know. Of course it was wrong. Mom would’ve been horrified that I even considered it. But I did consider it and was forced to reject my natural inclination. This wasn’t a battle. Vom was, in effect, our prisoner. It was the kind of thing a spriggan might do, and that alone was enough to get me to think of another plan.
“That’s not the complete truth though, is it?” I asked. “You want something or you wouldn’t be here.”
“Spill it, frog filth.” Bentha poked him in the butt again and Vom yipped.