She went to the edge and carefully turned around. She put her foot on a jagged spot, then found a round stone to place her hand.
She continued to her put her hands and feet in good positions. When she got down, she couldn’t believe her plan was working. Her back was to the Darvonians. They hadn’t even noticed she was there. Carefully she lifted the latch on the door and opened it.
It creaked.
Roseabelle hurled it open and charged down a narrow passageway, which led to a hall with seven doors.
Roseabelle threw open one door and ran through, not even caring to shut it. It led to another hall with six doors. She opened one of the doors and ran through, this time shutting it. It led to a room with five doors. She opened the nearest one and sprinted in. That led to a room with four doors. She pushed open one. It led to a hall with three doors. She tore through it. Inside was a room with two doors. She opened one. It led to a room with one door. Roseabelle reached for the knob and . . . it was locked.
Roseabelle gulped and then raced to a shadow in the corner of the room. She pictured the cave and then stomped her foot. She felt as light as air and whisked past drifts of cold and warm air.
Then she landed in the stony cave that she and her friends were staying in. Roseabelle sat down and desperately hoped Jessicana went along with the plan.
* * * * *
JESSICANA WAS CONFUSED. WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS Roseabelle aiming to do? It didn’t make sense. Then Jessicana remembered that Roseabelle was Meta-Mord. She was likely to use one of her special powers. The very thought made Jessicana feel better as Roseabelle climbed down the wall.
She was terribly brave to do that. Roseabelle was taking every risk to save Danette, Jessicana thought in admiration.
If Roseabelle wanted her to do something, then she would do it. When Roseabelle opened the door, Jessicana watched with bated breath.
She watched as her friend flung open the door and raced inside. The Darvonian guards whirled around and shouted something that sounded like Daronese, the secret Darvonian language. Jessicana had been learning the basics and she translated it:
“There’s a bee in my skirt!”
Jessicana was sure that that was not what he meant. As they chased after Roseabelle, shouts came from the building. “There’s a bee in my skirt. There’s a bee in my skirt!”
When the shouts diminished, Jessicana placed a hand on a rock and began her climb down. When she was on the ground, she cautiously went inside. She reached a hall with multiple doors.
Jessicana chose one on the far right and went through. It was empty except for a tall wooden cabinet and a small worktable. Jessicana opened the cabinet and prepared to step in when she realized that the cabinet had no floor.
She peered inside and saw that it was a long way drop. Jessicana turned into a parrot and descended.
Jessicana continued to fly down, all the while wondering if the tunnel ever stopped. Shortly after her feet brushed against stone, Jessicana turned back into a girl.
She looked up. Even at her present state, the usual floor line was several feet above her. Jessicana looked down. It was too dark to see anything. She brushed her hand against what seemed like a floor. It was smooth with the exception of a little notch sticking up. She pulled on the notch. Jessicana gasped. I have to tell Roseabelle. But how? she thought.
It was a hidden trapdoor. Jessicana’s mind was racing. What could it lead to? Another village? Where Kinetle lived? Perhaps a secret meeting place? Could it have something to do with Danette? Where was Roseabelle?
She wished she would get here right away. This was a truly important discovery.
* * * * *
ROSEABELLE WAS SITTING ON THE CAVE FLOOR, PONDERING her next action. She wanted to help Jessicana, but what if she ended up with the Darvonians? She had to wait, though she did not like it at all. Deciding to do something useful, she pulled the trutan out of her pack and started to draw.
Soon Roseabelle was standing in front of three black robes. She put one on. She found one with just the right fit. She saved the other two for her friends, putting them in Jessicana’s backpack.
She sat down and ventured to a shadow and thought hard of the hallway with seven doors. She stomped her foot.
Roseabelle landed in the hall. She passed the door that she had entered earlier and opened a different one. Empty.
Roseabelle tried another door. Dust and dirt but nothing else.
She opened another. It was filled with empty crates and boxes.
A different door had cans of a thick, creamy paste behind it. Roseabelle pocketed a small jar.
A different room held a few binders filled with folders. She tucked one in her robe. The last door she entered had a table and a tall cabinet. The cabinet door was ajar. Roseabelle walked over to it and peered inside. There was no floor.
She scuttled inside, keeping her hands on the wall. She was slipping but kept her grip tight. One arm slipped off the wall. Roseabelle clawed frantically at the stone.
She fell, screaming all the way down. Then shaky, skinny arms broke her fall. Kind aqua-blue eyes stared into hers. “Jessicana?” she asked weakly.
Then everything went black.
Roseabelle sat up. Where was she? What had happened? Then she remembered. Jessicana had saved her! Through the darkness Roseabelle saw Jessicana bending over her, pouring water on her forehead.
“Roseabelle,” Jessicana cried, “you’re awake. I need to show you something.” Jessicana pointed to the panel. “Look,” she said. “It’s a secret entrance.”
Roseabelle’s heart leaped. What if it led to her mother?
* * * * *
ASTRO WAS IN THE ROCK CAVITY, TRYING TO NAVIGATE where he was. He had seen a patch of rocky land close to both the cave and the village. Maybe that was where he was.
He hoped his desperate action had been enough for his friends to get to the building. The question was where would he go next? The cave would be too risky. The village was out of the question. But he couldn’t just stay put! He had to think of something. He sighed, wishing he could escape without a trace.
A FEW HOURS LATER, ASTRO WAS BORED. IT WAS DARK, AND he was hungry, thirsty, tired, and uncomfortable, and his throat was parched and sore.
He knew he should leave soon. The cloaksmen must have given up by now. They were most likely guarding the city. How would he get in? All these questions.
Just then, a few pairs of large, pounding footsteps went by him, and Astro curled up against the wall. He realized that two Darvonians were talking to each other, grins on their faces. “I’m the one who followed her daughter!”
“And what’s the significance of that? I actually captured her!”
“Don’t forget, I’m the one who put up the defenses in the castle. I had to construct the maze in front of the dungeon.”
Astro’s ears perked up. Could these two Darvonians be talking about Danette? He went through what they had mentioned; a castle, a dungeon, and a maze. His heart lifted. Could that be where Danette was being kept?
Mustering up his courage, he stepped out of the opening. The coast was clear. He set off for the village.
* * * * *
“I THINK WE SHOULD GO IN,” ROSEABELLE SAID EAGERLY.
“Wait a minute. We need to wait for Astro. He’ll help us.”
Roseabelle threw up her hands. “Astro. I forgot about him. Don’t worry. I’ll be back.”
She ran to a shadow in the corner and pictured the village wall. She stomped her foot, and flashes of sky and land passed by her.
When she opened her eyes a boy was coming to the wall. He stopped. Roseabelle tried to get a better look. The boy had spiky black hair and green eyes. Astro ran to Roseabelle.
“Come on,” she whispered. “Jessicana and I found something. Oh, yeah, one minute. Wait here.”
Roseabelle retreated into the shadows and pictured the cave and shadow tumbled. A few moments later she was standing next to Jessicana’s backpack. She hefted all
the blankets in her own pack and then pictured the wall and shadow tumbled. As she came out of the shadow next to the wall, and seeing Astro, she said, “Let’s go.”
The cloaksmen were still out looking for him so they weren’t back yet. They both scampered up the wall and then dropped down. They ran to the building. Voices were muttering inside.
Taking a deep breath, Roseabelle and Astro draped the robes over their shoulders and opened the door.
Heavy footsteps were coming their way. Roseabelle pulled Astro through the passage and to the hall. One of the doors was starting to open. Roseabelle opened a door and threw herself inside. Astro followed her. They had just closed it when they heard footsteps clomping out.
They waited until the footsteps were gone. “Here,” Roseabelle whispered. She turned around and pointed to the cabinet.
“Roseabelle, Astro, is that you?” a voice called from below.
“Yes,” Astro announced.
“Come on down,” came the reply. “Roseabelle, there is rope in my pack,” said Jessicana.
Roseabelle pulled it out and tossed one end down. It tightened as Jessicana grasped it. It slacked a bit as Jessicana tied a loop in her end and fastened it around a large stone protruding from the inside.
Up above, Astro tied the rope to his waist. “Here I go,” he said nervously. He pushed off from the cabinet and disappeared from view.
“Are you down?” Roseabelle called.
“Yep. That was cool, but remind me to never do that again. That must have been what, a sixty-foot drop? It was still a thriller though.”
“Whatever,” Roseabelle muttered.
The rope came back to her, and she caught it. She looped it around her waist and pushed off. She was plummeting straight down. Roseabelle seriously thought she was going to hit the floor. When she landed, she instantly tore the rope off her.
“You don’t need to remind me to never do that again,” she said shrilly. Jessicana stood up.
“I showed Astro the trapdoor,” she said.
Roseabelle nodded. “Good.”
“I think we should go,” Astro said excitedly.
“Quick, let’s find out where this leads.”
He was already lowering himself down. Roseabelle followed him, then Jessicana.
CHAPTER 10
Moformi
IT WAS A DARK PASSAGEWAY. THE FRIENDS HAD TO CRAWL low or hit their heads on the ceiling. It became wider with every step and soon it was a clearing.
They sat down to have lunch. Or dinner. Or breakfast. Roseabelle had no idea what time of day it was or how much time had passed.
As Astro and Jessicana ate their honey nuts, Roseabelle decided to creep ahead. The clearing led back to a passageway.
The passageway then split into two.
“Astro! Jessicana! Come here!” Roseabelle called. There was some rough scuttling, and then her friends appeared.
“What?” they asked.
“Which way should we go through?” Roseabelle asked.
“That way,” they said, pointing opposite directions.
Roseabelle sighed. The left-hand passage had a set of steps going down. Roseabelle shook her head. How many feet below were they?
The other passage went a few feet out and then came to a halt at an iron door.
“Split up,” she ordered. “Jessicana and I will go down the steps. Astro, you can go to the door.”
They trotted obediently to where they had been assigned. Roseabelle went to the stairs with Jessicana.
She stepped on one.
It became jellylike and squirmed around. Roseabelle quickly withdrew her foot. The red substance squirmed to the other step, which turned jellylike too. The substance combined and squirmed to another step. That turned into red jelly too. Roseabelle backed away.
Whatever it was, she was certain that it wasn’t Benotripia’s strawberry jam.
The jelly was on the tenth step now and almost to the bottom.
Squirm, swish. Squirm, swish.
Five steps left.
Swish, swish.
Three steps left.
Squirm, squirm.
Two steps.
Swish, squirm.
One step.
Soon all the steps were red jelly. The jelly started to bubble and hiss. It grew and grew.
“Run!” shouted Jessicana.
They tore out of the passage and to Astro. He was pounding the door. He turned to them. “Locked,” he said simply.
“Locked!” Roseabelle screamed. “Look what’s behind us!”
Astro swiveled around. His face paled. “Guys, let’s get out of here!” The jelly substance had formed into a monster. It had a wide forehead, squinty eyes, a large nose, and a huge, gaping mouth.
It started toward them, its mouth wide open. “Jessicana!” Roseabelle shouted. “Give me your backpack!”
Jessicana threw it at Roseabelle, too stunned to speak. Roseabelle ripped open the pack and pulled out silk gloves and the Dragocone Ray. She pulled on the gloves and took the ray.
“Astro,” she said, “blast open the door. Get to safety. Read Jessicana’s books and see if there’s anything that tells us how to fight a jelly monster. Go!”
Roseabelle swung the ray at the monster. It hit its enormous belly and the jelly broke apart for just a minute. Roseabelle took the opportunity to slash at the monster. Its mouth and eyes fell away from its body. They quickly squirmed back together, this time forming a slug with a huge mouth. The slug snapped at Roseabelle, but she dodged it and struck again with the ray.
It caused the shell of the snail to detach, but the monster rejoined itself, this time into a dragon. The dragon blew jelly fire at her.
Roseabelle sidestepped out of the way, but some of the curling red mass brushed her shoulder. It began to spread, causing searing pain.
“Astro,” she cried, “is there anything on it?”
“Hold on, Roseabelle. Hold on.” The pain had spread down to her hand and now was inching its way up to her neck. Roseabelle gritted her teeth and swung again.
The dragon hissed another spurt of the flame, but Roseabelle batted it away with her ray. The dragon pounced on Roseabelle, and she leaped out of the way.
“Astro,” she called, “I need info on this now!”
“I have some,” he replied. “This is a creature called ‘Moformi,’ or a jelly creature. You might find it as a harmless metal shape but once touched it will turn to its true form. It can morph into any shape. The jelly it is made out of can be poisonous. After a while, it will start to harden and become metallic. If it hardens in a shape of a monster it will be invulnerable. To defeat it will require us to morph it to an everyday shape such as a small toy or a tool. If done, it will only awaken again if a living hand touches it,” Astro read.
“Uh-oh,” Roseabelle said, glancing down at the red fluid flowing on her body. “I’d better defeat this guy quick.” She looked up and saw the dragon’s head turn gray and hard. She gulped. “Let’s do this thing,” she said.
She charged the Moformi raising her Dragocone Ray and then bringing it back down again. The monster swiped a claw at her but not before separating its body from its head. She slashed at its body again and again. She chopped with all her strength, and soon curvy pieces of jelly were squirming around.
Every time one tried to rejoin, Roseabelle slashed it up into tinier pieces. Soon one piece was pure metal. Then another. And another. Roseabelle worked hard until every last strip of jelly was metal once again.
She sighed with relief. But then she looked down at her body. The jelly was nearly down to her heart. She ran to Astro. She pointed at it. “The slime won’t turn back into metal until it is off my body. It’s poison.”
Astro gulped and jostled Jessicana who had been emotionally petrified by the sight of the Moformi. She blinked then said. “W-what?” she asked shakily.
“You’re the medicine girl,” Astro said. “Roseabelle has poison coursing through her veins. You have to help.”
Roseabelle was feeling woozy. She swayed on her feet. She couldn’t hear what Astro was saying. She saw Jessicana reach over and pull something out.
She frantically went over to Roseabelle and shoved something that tasted like sour syrup in her mouth. Roseabelle gagged and spit it out, but Jessicana shoved some more in. Roseabelle let herself swallow it.
Her focus got a little better. Jessicana gave her more of the stuff. Soon Roseabelle was back to normal.
“Jessicana,” she coughed. “What was that medicine? Only expert healers can get their hands on that kind of medicine. Wait . . . are you a healer? I thought you could only become a healer once you were old enough to do the training.”
“Well, you know when you’re twelve and you graduate from Power Training Academy, you go to an ESOK Academy.”
“Yes, Jessicana, I know that,” Roseabelle said impatiently. “It stands for ‘Expert Schools for Older Kids.’ But why are you a healer?”
“Because my mom was. I wanted to be her apprentice by helping her with her tasks. I did them so well that she let me try a simple concoction. It worked perfectly. I performed greater tasks until Mom decided to talk to your mom, and she confirmed me a healer. When Danette saw my talents, we had a proper ceremony, and I got my certificate. My dream has always been to be the Head Healer in Benotripia,” Jessicana explained.
Roseabelle shook her head. “And I never knew.” She nodded at Astro. “How’d you find out?”
Astro shrugged sheepishly. “I walked in on her while she was preparing a mixture for delirium. She had no choice but to explain.”
“And when was it that you found out?” Roseabelle asked.
“When we were all eight, thirty days after I received my certificate,” Jessicana said. “Anyway that isn’t important. You know the truth, so let’s move on.”
They all looked at the dark way forward. They pulled on their backpacks and trooped on.
The passage got thinner until it stopped. Above was a blank wall. Instinctively Roseabelle pushed on it.
CHAPTER 11
Cart Ride
THERE WAS A RUMBLING NOISE AND THE WALL MOVED. The way was now clear, up to ground level. Roseabelle gave them a “stay put” sign and climbed up.
Benotripia- The Complete Trilogy Page 5