“Psst,” someone hissed from below, and Jessicana glanced down to see Astro staring up at her, an expression of mild surprise frozen on his face. “What is that thing?” he breathed, and Jessicana dropped to the ground silently beside him.
“I’ll explain later,” she whispered back. “Where are the Darvonians?”
Astro put a finger to his lips and then motioned for her to follow him. They soon crept into a clump of bushes. When Astro silently parted a few branches, Jessicana peered through the vegetation.
Their enemies’ camp was so small that Jessicana was surprised they had found it at all. There was one large silver tent with two small black ones. A black boat was anchored to a wooden platform, and three hooded Darvonians crouched over a fireplace full of soot. The smell of burning wood drifted into the air.
“We go after the journal tomorrow,” a deep voice commanded.
“Do we even know where it is?” a second voice demanded. Jessicana bit her lip. She could have sworn it was female.
A cold voice that made goose bumps rise on her arms spoke. “Of course we do, Heltonine. The Aku Mountains. Haven’t you been attending the meetings?”
“Silence!” the man’s voice boomed. “Horsh’s Stones are very valuable. We must retrieve them before those twisted little younglings find out as well.”
“Yes, we would all hate to have them on our trail,” drawled the colder voice. Jessicana wondered why it seemed so familiar. She sensed a trace of sarcasm in the figure’s voice.
“Don’t underestimate them,” the masculine voice corrected. “Each of the brats are powerful in their own way. I thought you would have learned your lesson since the dungeon escapade. That was entirely your fault.”
“Agree to disagree,” the cold voice answered, and suddenly Jessicana recognized it. It was Sheklyth’s. Sheklyth was here. The woman who had thoughtlessly betrayed Roseabelle. Of course.
Jessicana glanced at Astro, who had a shocked expression on his face. Then it hit her. The book. The Stones of Horsh. Their theory that a Darvonian had read that specific chapter. It all made sense. Could the Stones of Horsh be real?
The Darvonians definitely seemed sure about what they were saying. What if the Stones were so powerful that their enemies could use them to take over Benotripia? One look at Astro, and Jessicana knew he was thinking the same thing.
Astro pointed to the jungle and Jessicana nodded. They needed to get out of here. As they inched out of their hiding place, Astro stepped on a dry twig, and Jessicana winced as a loud crack filled the entire jungle.
“What was that?” the cold voice questioned.
The man answered, “Over there. They’re over there!”
Jessicana seized Astro’s arm, and they burst out of their hiding spot, oblivious to the warning shouts of the Darvonians behind them. “Go!” Astro demanded. “Transform into a parrot. I’ll hold them off.”
Jessicana shook her head. “No. I’ll distract them. Run as quick as you can to Roseabelle’s.”
“But, Jessicana—”
“Go!” she ordered fiercely, and Astro ran. Jessicana quickly vaulted up onto a thick tree branch and pressed the gem on her ring. She could hear the Darvonians behind her. Aiming for an extremely high spot out of the Darvonian’s reach, Jessicana hurled the grappling hook and pictured in her mind where she wanted it to land. The hook obeyed her, and Jessicana jumped, swinging the second grappling hook toward the ground, throwing off her enemies.
Arrows whizzed past her, missing her by inches. Jessicana forced a lump down her throat and tried to concentrate on escaping. Jessicana kept grappling, and behind her she could hear the angry shouts of the dark ones. Her pale arms shook as she swung from tree to tree, her blonde hair flapping in the wind. From up ahead she heard an urgent call from Astro. “Jessicana, hurry!”
Spears were thrown at her, but the hook effortlessly knocked them away. The steel wire that connected the ring to the hook sliced the arrows in half without any strain. Jessicana grimaced. She only had yards to go before she would be clear. She could hear Astro’s anxious shouts ahead, which forced her to concentrate more.
Jessicana narrowed her eyes; she was so close. Only a few more swings. Two more swings. One more swing. She closed her eyes, waiting for the sunshine to enclose her, but instead she was greeted by a severe dose of pain. Jessicana gasped as she fell to the ground, dazed and unmoving.
Then an arm pulled her upright and almost dragged her into the sun. But, try as she might, Jessicana couldn’t focus. Stars danced before her eyes, and she tumbled to the ground.
CHAPTER 5
Aku Mountains
JESSICANA BLINKED AS WATER DRIPPED SLOWLY ONTO HER forehead, completely mesmerizing her. She lay still for a second and then couldn’t help it anymore. She sat up. She was in Roseabelle’s living room. Astro was kneeling beside her, and Roseabelle stood above her, pressing a cool cloth to her forehead. “You’re awake,” she commented softly.
“What happened?” Jessicana whispered.
“You got shot,” Astro replied. “An arrow went straight into your palm. You’re going to be all right though.” His voice was uneven, and Jessicana got the feeling he was a lot more shaken up than he let on.
“Did you use my potion kit?” Jessicana asked weakly. Roseabelle shook her head. “We didn’t want to risk it. For all we knew, we could be force-feeding you poison instead of a healing powder.”
Jessicana looked at both of her friends. “So is Astro officially grounded for dragging me out there?”
“Hey!” Astro protested. “It was for a good cause!”
A small smile played across Roseabelle’s lips. “Yes, definitely. No more spying on the Darvonians or getting into life-or-death experiences for a week, Astro.”
He pretended to pout. “Darn it! I was hoping to outdo Jessicana. Maybe get an arrow in my elbow or something.”
Jessicana gritted her teeth as pain surged through her hand. She realized it was wrapped in bandages that were slightly tinted red. “Believe me, you don’t want it to get any worse than this.”
Roseabelle’s fingers brushed Jessicana’s uninjured hand where the silver ring rested. “What’s that?” her friend asked curiously, and Jessicana quickly laid out the shorter version of how she had gained the ring. Roseabelle nodded thoughtfully. “Interesting,” she muttered.
“What?”
Astro’s face darkened. “You know what this means, right?”
Jessicana blinked. “Start over again?”
“The Stones of Horsh are real. And the Darvonians are looking for them. They must be powerful to catch their interest.”
Roseabelle tilted her head. “So how do we stop them, then?”
Astro tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Easy. Find the Stones first, destroy them before the Darvonians can get them, and then drive the Darvonians off the island. Simple and effective.”
Jessicana rolled her eyes. “Thanks for summing that up. But I don’t think it’s going to be as simple as that. We don’t even know where the Stones are.”
Astro stood up so suddenly that Roseabelle’s hair lifted a few inches. “Wait! Jessicana, didn’t the Darvonians mention something about the Aku Mountains?”
Jessicana nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah. And something about a journal.”
Astro’s face glowed with excitement. “What if that journal used to belong to someone who knows the location of the Stones? And it’s hidden in the Aku Mountains! We can find the journal, learn the location of the Stones, find them, and destroy them. You follow me?”
Roseabelle poured some ointment onto Jessicana’s wound. “Astro, are you sure the Darvonians weren’t just trying to distract us from the real reason why they’re here?”
“Positive,” Astro responded. “They didn’t even know we were listening until we tried to leave.”
“You don’t know that,” Roseabelle warned him. “The Darvonians can be crafty.”
Astro rolled his eyes. “Are we just going to ignore th
is, then? Come on, Roseabelle. First the ribbon in the book. Then we eavesdrop on them, and you say they’re just tricking us.”
Roseabelle glowered at him. “This is the Darvonians we’re talking about. They kidnapped my mother, betrayed me, invaded the island, and now they’ve driven out of our reach the only person on this island who could help us to Northern Benotripia.”
Jessicana frowned. “Can’t we reach her by mottel?”
Roseabelle sighed, sounding defeated. “She can’t help us now. If she returns, then the Darvonians might attack Northern Benotripia again.”
“Wait, so you think the Darvonians attacked Northern Benotripia?” Astro questioned.
Roseabelle snorted. “Who else?”
Jessicana bit her lip. “Roseabelle, I hate to say it, but I think Astro’s right. We have to go after those Stones.”
Astro frowned. “Excuse me? You hate to say it?”
Roseabelle sighed. “The Aku Mountains, huh?”
Jessicana nodded enthusiastically. “Please, Roseabelle.”
Her friend shrugged. “Well, I guess it can’t hurt to embark on another dangerous mission. You guys in?”
Astro pumped the air with his fist. “Oh yeah!”
“Let’s do this,” Jessicana said, and Roseabelle pulled out the magical trutan they had found last year. Roseabelle had inherited the trutan, which possessed magical qualities, from Danette. Whatever you drew on it came to life.
“All right. Astro, scout for animals we can ride and make sure that the Darvonians don’t go anywhere. Jessicana, go with him. I’ll draw what we need.”
Jessicana nodded. “C’mon, Astro!” she urged, standing up, wincing only slightly at the pain coming from her bandaged hand.
* * * * *
WITH HER POINTED PEN DIPPED IN CHERRY-RED INK, Roseabelle slowly drew three large backpacks on the trutan, careful to include lots of details. She added deep pockets in the front of the pack, bags of food and water, sleeping bags, and solar hand warmers. “We’re going to need something to defend ourselves with,” she muttered and climbed the stairs to her mother’s study.
This year, Danette had come up with two different and completely original weapons. One was a web of steel wires. At the head of each wire, a spearhead was attached, tilting to the right. All one had to do was twirl the contraption and all the spearheads would detach and fly straight at the enemy. Danette had called it a Spidegar, due to all the wires twirling in complicated patterns. A few minutes after, new spearheads would grow in.
The second weapon was a long-range device. It was a black cylinder shaped like a cannon, but much smaller. It spat out masses of iron, fire, earth, and electricity. One shot in the face with that could easily dispatch an enemy. It was commonly known as the Flame-hurler.
Roseabelle stepped inside her mother’s study and instantly spotted a Spidegar hanging on the wall, its polished wires gleaming brightly in the sunlight. Roseabelle gritted her teeth, stood on Danette’s desk, and wrenched the weapon to the ground. Now where would she find a Flame-hurler?
Roseabelle searched and searched but found nothing. A small cupboard finally caught her eye, and she quickly knelt down next to it and pulled the long, ornate golden handle open. But the thing wouldn’t budge. Roseabelle pulled harder and harder but then let go and sat back. It was locked.
Where could the key be? If Danette had it, then there was no way she could open it, but maybe if her mother had left the key sitting around here somewhere . . .
Roseabelle checked the desk drawers, frantically groping for a key, a hammer, or something that could smash the cupboard and let her in.
At last, her bare fingers closed over a cool piece of metal, and Roseabelle lifted it up triumphantly. It was a large silver key, the edges jagged and fitting the exact shape of the keyhole in the cupboard.
Roseabelle stood and walked over to the cupboard, then thrust the key inside. She heard a small clicking noise, and the door swung open. Just as she had thought, two Flame-hurlers rested inside. She heaved them out along with a whole package of ammo: medium-sized, ash-colored spheres that could fit easily inside.
She walked downstairs with the weapons in her arms and crouched down next to the backpacks. They were fully formed, and Roseabelle tossed them aside as she carefully copied the models of the weapons on the trutan, making multiple drawings.
The three friends were going to be fully armed, no doubt about that.
JESSICANA AND ASTRO RETURNED LATE IN THE EVENING, their faces flushed from sprinting back to the house. “The Darvonians didn’t leave their spot,” Astro panted. “But we’re pretty sure they plan to leave tomorrow.”
Roseabelle held up the three backpacks, the Flame-hurlers and Spidegars, and the other assortment of swords, shields, spears, daggers, bows and arrows, javelins, Thepgiles, Trapitas, and Dragocone Rays she had found underneath a hidden floorboard in her mother’s study. Danette was definitely prepared.
They all distributed the weapons. Astro took a broadsword along with a Spidegar, a shield, a spear, and a Flame-hurler. Jessicana stuffed a javelin, a couple of throwing knives, and a Thepgile inside her pack, and Roseabelle grabbed a Flame-hurler, a bow and a couple of quivers of arrows, a shield, a sword, a Trapita, and a Dragocone Ray. They pushed the rest of the weapons against the door and faced each other, their faces grim and determined.
“Are we walking, then?” Jessicana asked uncertainly.
“Yes,” Roseabelle confirmed. “If we hurry, we can be to the mountains before dawn. Jessicana, you’ll fly behind us to make sure the Darvonians don’t sneak up on us. I will go in front. Astro will be in the middle.”
“Wait a second,” Astro interrupted. “Why don’t you draw some kind of land animal on the trutan so we can ride to the mountains instead of walk? The Aku Mountain Range is far from Royalton City.”
Roseabelle nodded. “Good idea. I drew some food and water inside our packs, but stocking up a bit more won’t hurt. Would you two do that for me?”
“Sure,” they agreed. Roseabelle then ascended the stairway where the trutan was waiting.
* * * * *
ASTRO STOOD ON ROSEABELLE’S FRONT PORCH, GAZING AT the stars. Here they were, ready to go on another dangerous adventure while their parents stayed behind, worried sick. Of course they wouldn’t know they were gone for a while. As usual, his father wasn’t home and his mother had just gone for a four-day trip to Northern Benotripia so she could help out with all the wounded people. He knew that Jessicana’s parents and older siblings had done the same, so it would be four days before anyone realized they were gone.
But who knew how long this would take?
Roseabelle walked around from her backyard with a broad grin on her face. She waved her arm in a flourish to a dark shape behind her. “So, what do you think?”
The creatures stepped into the light, and Astro nodded in instant approval. Their gleaming coats were speckled in gold and brown and their heads were a peculiar shape. The animals had four legs, feathery wings, with glittering golden and purple scales on their lower parts.
Basically the creatures were flying, underwater-breathing horses. Besides their legs being scaly, their heads were a bit too pointed, and their necks were about the length of a giraffe’s. “What are those?” Astro asked.
Roseabelle shrugged. “Well, I meant for them to be horses, but then I added wings and gills, and I’m not exactly the best artist ever. I call them Persopians!”
She patted the shorter one. “This is the female. Astro, you can ride her. Jessicana and I will take the males.”
Jessicana appeared out of the darkness. “Are we going to fly, then?”
Roseabelle shook her head. “I think we should save that for climbing the mountains. These things are wicked fast on land, fairly swift in the air, and pretty slow underwater, but, hey, they can still do it all. Everyone get your packs. We’re leaving right now.”
Astro reached for his pack, slung it over his shoulder, and hopped onto the speckl
ed Persopian. He waited for his friends to mount and then shouted, “Let’s go!” The Persopians cantered off into the night.
The ride was exhilarating. The wind whistled through Astro’s hair, and he gripped the animal’s mane tightly, willing that he wouldn’t fall off.
This was going to be a long ride.
DAWN CAME, AND ASTRO BLINKED AS THE SUN’S RAYS CREPT through his eyelids. He rubbed his eyes and sat up in his saddle. They had been riding for hours, and Astro had eventually fallen asleep. He looked up, and his smile widened as the jagged Aku Mountains came into view. “Roseabelle! Jessicana!” he shouted. Their Persopians pulled up beside him, and he saw his friends’ limp forms hanging over the sides of their animals.
They instantly sat up, rubbing their eyes. “W-what’s going on?” Roseabelle muttered.
“We’re here!” Astro told them. “The Aku Mountains.”
Jessicana’s eyes lit up as well. “Hurry! Let’s go!”
The three Persopians galloped to the foothills below the range, and Astro hopped off his steed, jumped onto a rocky ridge, and opened his backpack. “Come on,” he urged, and Jessicana and Roseabelle soon joined him. He then furrowed his brows as the Persopians cantered away.
“Where are they going?” Astro asked.
“I talked to them,” Jessicana told him in a normal tone. “They said they’d come back.”
“Uh, how?” Astro asked.
Jessicana rolled her eyes. “Winged creatures can communicate with one another, genius.”
It took a moment for Astro to figure it out. He blinked and then dug out his spear and shield from his backpack. “Arm yourselves,” he announced. “We’re going to need our weapons.”
A cold voice laughed icily and sent chills down Astro’s arms. “Oh, yes, you will.”
The three friends whipped their heads around to see Sheklyth, her dark hair spilling out of her cloak, perched in a tree.
Roseabelle snarled and stepped forward, brandishing her sword and shield. “What do you want, traitor?” she demanded.
Sheklyth nimbly dropped from a branch as Roseabelle lunged for her. The Darvonian swiftly drew a knife from beneath the folds of her cloak and blocked Roseabelle’s strikes, finally flinging the young Benotripian against the rocky ridge.
Benotripia- The Complete Trilogy Page 11