by A W Hartoin
“Come with me and you’ll find out,” said Vom.
“Put him down, Lrag,” said Farue.
Lrag dropped Vom at the phalanx’s feet. “I need more details. Who has Iris and Gerald? You’re not in charge. What do they want from us?”
Vom rubbed his slimy green chin. “Fine. But I’d appreciate it if you’d attempt to believe me. All this distrust is insulting.”
“And to be expected. I do not believe this rotten toad. He wants to capture our Lady Matilda. I will stop him.” Bentha planted his sword tip between Vom’s legs, but the spriggan didn’t flinch.
“Very frightening. Do you want the wood fairies or not?” asked Vom with a yawn.
“Give us the details, and we’ll let you know how this is going to go,” I said.
“My cousin Krust has them in a safe place. Only his personal guard knows that he has them.”
“Why didn’t he tell your leaders? Iris and Gerald are a pretty big prize.”
Vom hopped in my direction, stopping just short of running into me. “He wants to talk to you.” He looked at Farue. “Alone.”
“That’s not happening,” said Daiki.
“Wait a minute,” I said. “Why alone?”
Vom shrugged. “Not for me to say, but I imagine it has something to do with a little spriggan you have in your possession. But that’s just between us.”
“Horc? You gave him away. He’s my brother now. You can’t have him back.”
Vom raised a lump that passed for an eyebrow. “Shall we go?”
“I will accompany her,” said Bentha, pointing his sword at Vom. “If we don’t return in thirty minutes, they’ll go for reinforcements.”
“Dial it back, Bentha,” said Farue. “You’re not in charge here, but I agree we can’t all go.”
“It should be me,” said Bentha. “I’m the best sword.”
“That’s debatable,” said Daiki.
“Sorry, Daiki,” said Farue. “It’s not. Bentha is our best sword and he’s even better in close quarters. We may need your cunning later. Bentha, you and Matilda go with the spriggan. We’ll wait at various points. If you don’t return...” He stuck his face in Vom’s. “It will be bad for you.”
Vom bowed. “Agreed.”
Bentha and I followed Vom through the antique mall, sliding past sentries and groups of spriggan allies. Occasionally, one would lift his nose to sniff, and Vom would glare at me as if I could help how I smelled. I couldn’t even tell that I did. And smelling like flowers was one thing, but happiness was another. How could someone smell like happiness? What did happiness even smell like? I made a note to ask Daiki when Vom hurried past the cash registers and led us into an area filled with glass cases containing multitudes of jewelry on velvet display stands.
“Is all this spriggan territory?” I asked.
Vom smiled. “It is now. There are several species that aren’t quite as pleased about it as we would’ve hoped.”
“I’m shocked,” said Bentha, pointing his sword at Vom’s throat. “Get going.”
Vom pointed to a hole in the side of one case. It looked like a mouse hole, only much too small. “There they are. Go and get them.”
Bentha took a long, hard sniff. “They’re in there and alive.”
I grabbed his arm. “Alive? You thought they might be dead?”
“We’re dealing with spriggans. Everything’s a possibility. But I’ll protect you. Have no fear.”
“Fear’s not a big problem for me. I’m pretty good at protecting myself.”
“My honor demands it.”
“Whatever,” I said. “Lead the way, Vom.”
Vom did his weird little hopping thing into the hole, and I followed him. Farue didn’t need to worry about me accidentally sparking a flame. My palms were so damp, I wasn’t sure I could.
Bentha was right behind me and darting to the left and right with sword drawn. We walked through a wooden tunnel. The only lighting was streaks of glowing slime smeared on the walls. Then the tunnel tilted down and we were walking on the linoleum of the mall floor. Ahead of Vom was another hole carved in the linoleum. The top of a ladder rested inside. My stomach tightened. Being inside the case was bad enough, going underground...I wasn’t sure I could do it.
Vom stepped on the ladder, facing me. He sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose with a smarmy smile. “What is it, Kindler? Afraid of things that go bump in the night? Because you should be, and we do.”
I sighed in boredom, hoping he’d buy it. “I’m afraid I’ll choke to death on your foul stench.”
Vom batted his lashless eyes. “Do go on—I don’t get compliments like that every day.”
Bentha thwacked him on the head with the flat of his sword. “Down the ladder, stink bomb.”
“They’re not very mannerly, Matilda Whipplethorn. Why are you on their side? Remind me again.”
“Because they don’t steal children and sell them to the highest bidder.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. It’s just business.”
Bentha thwacked Vom again, and he disappeared down the hole, leaving his foulness wafting in the air around us.
“Ready, sweet Matilda?” asked Bentha.
“Stop calling me sweet,” I said as I climbed onto the ladder.
“I must name as I find. You are sweet and I’m not the only one that thinks so.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
“Let’s just get Iris and Gerald.” I smiled in spite of myself.
I climbed down into the dark. Bentha stepped on my head three or four times, but other than that, it was an easy climb. Vom waited at the bottom, holding a potted fungus similar to my own foxfire fungus, Barbara. It looked well-cared for. At least the spriggans could do that right. Fungus could be very temperamental. Unhappy fungus gives off minimal light, but Vom’s pot was glowing happily.
“This way.” Vom hop-walked down a wide corridor carved out of concrete and knocked on a door made of a soda pull tab. The door swung to the side, and a spriggan much larger than Vom stuck his head out.
“Where have you been? We can’t keep this quiet much longer,” said the new spriggan.
“Then get out of the way, Krok,” said Vom.
Krok sniffed the air and then looked in my direction. “We have your sister.”
“She knows,” said Vom, pushing Krok back and gesturing us in.
“Did she swear an oath not to tell about being here?” asked Krok.
“Not necessary. These two have honor written all over them. They won’t tell the leadership. They didn’t even torture me.”
“Why not?” asked Krok.
“Because it’s wrong to torture prisoners,” I said.
“Since when?”
“Since forever.”
“I don’t think so. Torture is a time-honored tradition. An art form, if you will,” said Krok.
“You are out of your slimy, green mind. Where’s my sister?”
“Right this way,” said Vom.
We left Krok at the door, puzzling over the time-honored tradition of torture being wrong and went through another door.
Iris and Gerald stood together in the center of the room, looking confused.
“Where’s Matilda?” Gerald asked Bentha.
“I’m right here,” I said. “Lrag the teufel made me invisible.”
Gerald started across the room toward my voice, but Iris snatched him back. “No. It could be a trick.”
“It’s not a trick. I’m right here.”
“Let me see you then.” Tears formed in Iris’s eyes and her lip trembled.
“I’m supposed to stay invisible,” I said.
“I don’t care. We’ve been here for hours. It smells like dead dogs and they keep trying to feed me beetle eyeballs. I want to see my sister.”
“You’re the one who took off and went straight into spriggan territory. That’s June bug crazy.”
“I’m not crazy! We want to save Miss Penrose just like you do.” She stomped her foot and wailed.
“Fine,” I said.
“Don’t do it, Matilda,” said Bentha. “Farue’s orders.”
Iris wailed again and a tiny flame burst to life in my palm. I had a tingling sensation all over and suddenly I was visible.
“Matilda!” Iris ran across the room and threw herself into my arms. She wrapped her lovely wings around me and kissed my cheek. “What took you so long?”
“Well, you did drug me,” I said, sounding sterner than I felt.
Gerald stalked over. “I told you she’d figure it out.”
“Did you at least get the root?” I asked.
Bentha grabbed my arm and drew my attention to a corner where a small spriggan sat with his legs thrown over his chair arm. It was the one we’d seen confronting the phalanx when we’d first arrived.
“Not yet, they didn’t.” The small spriggan dangled a small sack from his hand. “Nor will they until I get what I want.”
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Krust Nuget, at your service.”
“Stop with the ‘at your service’, scum bucket. Your service is to yourself alone.” Bentha pointed his sword at the spriggan who smiled, showing jagged, brown teeth.
“Is that any way to talk to your new friend?”
Bentha pushed me toward the door. “You don’t know the meaning of friend.”
Krust picked up a shiny black beetle leg off a table and scraped his front tooth with it. “Perhaps not. But since you’re here, courtesy of the lovely Iris and that chigger she calls Gerald, I do believe we should have a talk.”
“What do you want, spriggan?” I asked.
He stood up and sauntered toward me. I’d never seen a spriggan walk without hopping. He circled, his tongue flicking out between his smooth green lips. “Call me Krust.”
“Your name is Crust? Seriously?”
“Not Crust. Krust. You have to roll the r.” He leaned in and rolled his name into my ear. He smelled bad from across the room. Up close he made me gag and my nose started to run.
“Fine. Krust. What do you want?”
“To have a civilized conversation. Just a few words between...” he grinned “family.”
“Family? We are definitely not family.”
Krust snapped his fingers and spriggans I hadn’t noticed before slunk out of the shadows. “Take our guests next door and give them some refreshments.”
“Never,” said Bentha, placing the tip of his sword under Krust’s chin.
“Tsk-tsk. Must you see everything as a threat? You’re welcome to search the room. It will be only Matilda and I alone here. And she’s hardly defenseless, as she’s proved most recently. You will be with the lovely Iris and that.” He pointed to Gerald.
Gerald glared at Krust. “Your effluvium reminds me of rotting rats, you malodorous twerp.”
“Big words make you pedantic, not impressive,” said Krust.
“Then I’ll use small ones, so you can understand. I’m not leaving Matilda.” Gerald rocked up on his toes and spread his wings.
“Might I remind you that you’re deep in my territory? No one knows you’re here, except my little band, but that can change. I want a word with Matilda in exchange for the root and your freedom. Is that so much to ask?”
“No.” I stepped in front of Gerald. “Stand outside the door. If I need you, I’ll call.”
“Are you sure?” asked Iris.
“Did he mistreat you in any way?”
Iris and Gerald shook their heads. Rufus climbed out of Iris’s pocket and made like he was going to jump onto my shoulder. I pointed a finger at him. “Stay where you are. I know you were in on drugging me, you little vermin.”
Rufus stuck out his tongue at me and disappeared back into Iris’s pocket.
“You’re sure, my lady?” asked Bentha.
I nodded, but I wasn’t sure. Being alone with a spriggan seemed like a bad idea, but I admit I was curious. What did he have to say that couldn’t be said in front of other spriggans?
Bentha herded Iris and Gerald out the door. Krust closed it behind them and leered at me. “Alone at last.”
“Get to the point.”
“I like your sister. She’s a little hysterical, but I find the plumpness unexpectedly attractive.”
Two flames erupted in my palms. “If you ever touch my sister, I’ll turn you into burnt toast.”
“Don’t worry. Spriggans can’t breed with other species,” said Krust. “It’s been tried.”
I shuddered. “Who would try?”
“You might be surprised. A spriggan like me has a lot to offer.” He held up the bag of kaki persimmon root.
“And what do I have to do to get it?”
“Promise me something.”
I raised an eyebrow. Of all the stuff running through my mind, a promise seemed the least likely. “What kind of promise?”
Krust dug in his pocket and pulled out a roll of brown crumpled paper. “I want you to give this to my brother, Horc.”
“Horc’s your brother?”
He turned, showing me his profile. “Don’t you see the resemblance?”
“Not really. You’re all kind of lumpy.”
“But we have the same lumps. We take after our mother.”
“Hand it over. I’ll give it to Horc.”
Krust gave me the roll and grabbed my wrist. “How many sets of teeth does Horc have?”
“He’s still teething. Why?”
“He must be getting his second set by now,” said Krust, staring at me intently.
“He’s got about half the second set.”
Krust blew out a breath. “He has time then. You have to start feeding him meat before he starts teething his third set.”
I grimaced. “We’re vegetarians.”
“If you keep him a vegetarian, he’ll die. He has to start eating meat before his third set starts coming in or his bones won’t form properly. They’ll become weak and start shattering for no reason and he’ll die. Promise me you’ll feed him meat.”
“You...care about him?” I asked.
Krust glanced at the door. “He’s my brother. I don’t want him to die.”
“But you gave him away.”
“My uncle did that. It’s the spriggan way. I don’t think he really thought you’d keep Horc. Most of our babies end up back with us.”
“But not all of them.”
“No. Not all. Will you feed my brother meat or not?”
“I’ll feed my brother meat, if it will save his life.”
Krust pressed the bag of kaki persimmon root into my hand. I opened it and sniffed. “Thank you. Is that all?”
“Is he happy, my brother? Are you good to him? Do you keep up his stench?”
“He’s happy, but he doesn’t stink much anymore. My mom washes him all the time.”
Krust recoiled. “With water?”
“Of course. What else?”
“Poor thing. He was so lovely and rotten when they took him away.”
“Tell me about it. So you kind of love him, huh?”
“Spriggans are capable of love, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention that to my band. They think I’m going to torture some katana secrets out of you.”
“They think you’re going to torture me?”
“I can’t be in here telling you I love my brother. They may not be the brightest of spriggans, but they are loyal. It was a stroke of luck coming across your sister. I’d been trying to think of a way to get to you and there she was. The key to saving Horc. If I’d been with any other band, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Iris and Gerald would be my uncle’s prisoners. I had to come up with an excuse.”
I tucked the bag and Horc’s letter in my pockets. Then I mussed up my hair and put a tragic look on my face. “How’s this? I’ve just been tortured.”
Krust smiled, and, for once, I didn’t wince. “Excellent. Try to look wounded. I have a reputation to uphold.”
“No problem.” I went for the
door and Krust grabbed my arm again.
“I nearly forgot. It’s bad news, I’m afraid. The root won’t save your teacher, only treat her symptoms.”
“What? Are you sure?”
“Quite sure. But there is a cure. You’ll have to find the great healer of the galen fairies. She’ll be able to help you. Quick now. They’re pounding on the door.”
Krust grabbed the doorknob and this time I held him back. “I’ll give our brother your love.”
He nodded and swung the door open. Bentha charged in and nearly ran Krust through.
“What did he do to you?” he bellowed.
I launched myself into his arms and sobbed. “Just get me out of here.”
Bentha backed out of the room, holding me with one arm and pointing his sword at Krust with the other. “You and me, spriggan. No one harms my lady. Next time we meet on the battlefield expect to be sliced and diced.”
“Consider me duly terrified,” said Krust. “Vom, take our guests to the southwest border. Careful not to be seen.”
Vom licked his lips. “Are you sure? We could keep them. Uncle would be quite pleased.”
“I got what I wanted. Sending Matilda back in this condition will send a message. A message I very much want received.”
Vom smiled, showing every one of his grimy teeth. “Even the kindler bows before us.”
“Indeed. Away with them.”
I let out another sob, and Bentha carried me down the gloomy hall. I snuck a peek over his shoulder at Krust. He inclined his head toward me and stepped back into the darkness.
When we got out of Krust’s cabinet and stepped into the open, I told Bentha to put me down. He shook his head and carried me through the warren of display cabinets behind Vom. Dryad strength always amazed me. Soren once carried me up the side of a drinking fountain in one arm. He didn’t even break a sweat.
Iris and Gerald walked behind us, huddled together with their eyes wide and darting around. I was amazed they had the courage to go into spriggan territory on their own.
Vom led us between two racks of vintage clothing. He pushed the crumbling lace and velvet aside until we reached the other side. He stopped and grimaced. I could only imagine how much it pained him to let us go.
“Here we are,” he said.
His foul breath washed over me and my eyes started watering all over again.