by Sarah Noffke
“You mean Mama Jamba?” Sophia asked.
Bermuda’s eyes lit up and she grabbed a pen and began scratching words on a piece of paper. “Mama Jamba. Her real name. What a gift. I guess the answer is yes, then. I want to hear all about her. Is she as willowy as I imagine? Her hair full of green leaves and her clothes made of vines?”
Sophia hesitated. “Not exactly. In this current form, she’s wearing velour tracksuits and looks like a retired Southern debutante. But she’s amazing, maybe even more so because she isn’t what you expect.”
Bermuda smiled, a rare sight on the giantess’s face. “I like it very much. One day, I hope to meet her and tell her how very much I enjoy her work.”
Sophia nodded. “In the meantime, I’m working on a mission where I need to help a country to excavate natural resources, and I heard the rapoo could help.”
“It’s a genius solution,” Bermuda stated. “You’ve got a good fairy godmother.”
“Are there bad ones?”
Bermuda tilted her head back and forth, considering this question. “There are some who aren’t as helpful. Maybe they are still training, and that’s the reason for their gaps in knowledge.”
Sophia laughed. “Wait, is there a fairy godmother college or something?”
When Bermuda didn’t join in, Sophia stopped.
“Of course, there is,” the giantess said quite seriously. “How else are they going to prepare for their role? I suspect you have training you have to complete before you can be a true dragonrider. Is that right?”
Sophia nodded, feeling disciplined.
“Well, why would it be any different for anyone else in a skilled position?” Bermuda questioned.
Sophia shrugged. “I guess I never thought about it.” She made a mental note that she needed to find the fairy godmother college and take a peek. The possibilities of what she would see there were intriguing.
“Anyway, your fairy godmother is absolutely correct,” Bermuda stated. “A rapoo would be ideal for mining gems. However, I’ve yet to actually find one.”
“Oh, well…”
Bermuda turned her attention to the book beside her and flipped the page to a map. “But it’s been on my list to study the creatures.” She pointed to the center of the page where a particularly mountainous area was depicted. “If we go to this location, I think we might find the rapoo.”
“Why was the map for that area on the next page?” Sophia asked.
Bermuda shook her head. “I was hoping you wouldn’t have your sister’s sense of humor. Oh, well, something to overlook, as long you don’t suffer from an overuse of sarcasm.”
Sophia nodded. “I’ll keep the comments to myself when I can.”
Bermuda took off her hat, looking around. “Well, then we’d better get off. The jungle will be getting dark soon, and this is the prime time to find a rapoo.”
“You’re going to go with me?” Sophia asked.
“Of course,” Bermuda answered. “How else are you going to carry those creatures back on your own?”
“Right,” Sophia said, feeling hopeful.
Bermuda’s eyes fell on the book she’d been studying. “Oh, I almost forgot. Do you have a sword?”
Sophia pulled Inexorabilis from its sheath. “Will this work?”
The giantess took the sword, appraising it appreciatively. “Why, yes, I think it will. An elfin-made sword of the highest quality.” She flicked her gaze to Sophia. “And you’ve already bonded with it. You make quick work of things that take old men much longer. I can already see that you’ll be good for the Dragon Elite.”
“Oh, well, thank you.”
“And thank you for the sword. I’ll be quick.” Bermuda thrust the blade of the sword straight through the book, sending a bright light radiating around the room, followed by a crackling sound.
Sophia shielded her face as a cloud of dust shot from the pages, covering everything nearby. When it had cleared, Bermuda yanked the sword from the pages and shook her head.
“That should just about do it,” the giantess said, handing the sword back.
“What was that about?” Sophia asked.
“Oh, isn’t it obvious?” Bermuda asked.
“Not really…”
“The book had a contagious disease,” Bermuda explained. “I extracted the information I could, and then it was time to end it before the plague spread to other books.”
“Okay,” Sophia said, her eyes large. It was odd when the bizarre world she’d known since birth surprised her.
With a keen eye on the sword, Bermuda said, “You’ll probably want to keep that out. Where we are headed isn’t a tame area and may be full of dangerous creatures.”
Chapter Seventy-Seven
When Sophia stepped through the portal, she was surprised to find the giantess wearing khakis pants and top and a safari hat, although she didn’t remember seeing her change before they left the British Museum.
The sounds of the jungle were deafening, full of the calls of the many creatures that resided there.
“Where are we?” Sophia asked, nearly having to yell to be heard over the birds squawking in the trees.
“China,” Bermuda answered, looking around, her hands on her hips.
“China is sort of big,” Sophia stated. “Anything specific?”
“The jungle portion,” Bermuda stated matter-of-factly.
“Thanks.” Sophia tightened her hand on the hilt of her sword, surveying the dense jungle around them. “What are we looking for?”
“Corns,” Bermuda answered. “They densely populate the area around where the rapoo can be found according to my research.”
“You mean corn? As in the vegetable?” Sophia asked.
Bermuda sighed. “No, corns. As in corns.” She set off at once, trudging through the jungle, easily negotiating the large roots buckling out of the ground and the low-hanging branches.
Sophia had to hike herself up over the trees and duck to avoid hitting leaves. “I get that you think that explains what you’re referring to, but I’m not following.”
“You’ll get it when you see them,” Bermuda said, her voice distant as she stared around the jungle. It was streaked with shadows, different creatures lurking in the trees and foliage.
“I can’t wait,” Sophia said dryly.
“You’re doing it,” Bermuda warned. “That was one of those sarcastic comments.”
“Sorry,” Sophia said, looking around even though she had no idea what she was searching for.
“We are close,” Bermuda said speculatively.
“To what?” Sophia asked. “The rapoo?”
“No, to the danger that protects their natural habitat,” Bermuda said, sliding to the side and waving Sophia forward.
“You want me to go first?”
“I want you to go forward, period,” Bermuda explained. “I’ll hang back while you fight the beasts. Try not to injure them, though. I’ll be here when you’re done.”
“Okay…” Sophia held her sword tentatively, wondering how she’d gotten herself into this predicament. She was grateful that Bermuda was leading her to the rapoo, but a little put off that she now had to fight mystery creatures.
She let out a deep breath, wondering if she should summon Lunis for help. Then a large pair of eyes peeked through the branches. They resembled the precious expression in a bunny rabbit’s round eyes.
When the creature stepped forward, Sophia nearly doubled over from cuteness overload. It was a small panda with a unicorn horn on its head. A unicorn!
Before she could scoop up the creature and hug it to her, a dozen more pairs of eyes popped up, all with the distinctively cute quality of the panda-corn.
“Corns!” Sophia exclaimed, realizing what Bermuda had been referring to.
“Stay focused!” the giantess warned from several yards behind Sophia.
“Why, because I’m about to be smothered by cuteness?” Sophia asked, as the animals stepped forward one by one. The
re was a monkey-corn, a mouse-corn, a squirrel-corn, and many other hybrid creatures.
After having to face the evil unicorn known as the Phantom, Sophia welcomed this experience.
She squatted, smiling at the animals as they approached, seemingly curious about her, their little noses sniffing.
Sophia extended a hand. “It’s okay, little ones. I won’t hurt you.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Bermuda sang at Sophia’s back.
She sighed. “Why? They are so sweet, with their shiny horns and eyes that make me melt.”
The panda-corn was the closest. When it was inches from Sophia’s fingers, its eyes flashed red, changing completely, and fangs shot out of its mouth, making it go from cute to incredibly dangerous in seconds.
Chapter Seventy-Eight
With a frantic jerk, Sophia launched herself back, holding Inexorabilis in front of her.
“Don’t hurt them,” Bermuda said casually from behind Sophia.
“Do you see the teeth on those furry demons?” Sophia scanned the jungle, watching as the cute hybrids bared their teeth, their eyes flashing red. “What if they tear into me? Then can I slaughter the monsters?”
“You can,” Bermuda sang. “But then the rapoo won’t cooperate. The corns protect them.”
“And they do an excellent job.” Sophia backed up as the creatures inched forward. “What’s up with evil unicorns and hybrids lately? Did the Phantom infect these guys?”
“The Phantom?” Bermuda’s voice rose an octave. “That’s been dead since your mother killed it.”
“I killed it again,” Sophia muttered, considering her options as the creatures crowded her.
“Fascinating,” Bermuda said, scribbling in her notebook. “I must spend more time with you, Sophia.”
“Cool. Let’s plan something when I don’t die from vampire hybrid unicorns.”
“And no, the Phantom didn’t infect these creatures,” Bermuda explained. “Like I said, their job is to protect the rapoo from danger.”
“Why?” Sophia questioned, feeling like she was missing something.
“I’m not entirely certain, which is why I’m here observing. Remember that I haven’t seen the rapoo yet, only heard rumors of them.”
“And others who have tried to fight these creatures have failed to find the rapoo?” Sophia asked.
“Yes,” Bermuda answered simply, continuing to scribble in her notebook. “From what I’ve read, they’re near extinction, which is why the corns protect them.”
“Weird partnership, but I like it.”
“Legend has it that the rapoo mined most of the gems in this area, and when they did, they released the unicorn hybrids buried in the rock,” Bermuda explained.
“So it’s payback,” Sophia mused.
“Yes, and now they protect the rapoo, who are nonaggressive, although they have very sharp teeth,” Bermuda stated.
“What if I didn’t fight the corns?” Sophia speculated, something working in her mind, although she was still uncertain.
When facing a dozen creatures with sharp fangs and evil red eyes, not being on the defensive felt wrong, but maybe that was the key.
She lowered her sword and all of the horned animals paused in their advance, eyeing her. Sticking Inexorabilis in the dirt, Sophia thrust her hands into the air.
All the creatures’ gaze darted to the blade sticking out of the ground.
“I’m not here to hurt you or the rapoo.” Sophia drew a breath as the animals blinked at her impassively. “The rapoo are dwindling because they are out of gems, aren’t they?”
The creatures looked around at each other, their red eyes dimming.
Sophia heard Bermuda’s pen scratch across the paper faster. “Oh, astute observation.”
“They need to mine to prosper, don’t they?” Sophia asked the animals, hoping this strategy paid off.
The creatures moved forward a few more inches, lining up to create a wall between Sophia and where she suspected the rapoo were located behind the dense brush.
“What if I had a safe place where they would be valued and could mine?” Sophia offered.
“Interesting…” Bermuda mused.
The corns’ sharp fangs began to retract and their eyes returned to normal.
Sophia sucked in a breath, feeling like she needed to keep talking. “And once they’ve mined the area I have in mind, we can move them to a new location where they can excavate and thrive.”
The creatures moved closer to one another, forming a solid line.
Sophia was missing something in this negotiation. The corns weren’t menacing her, but they weren’t relenting either.
“What if…” Sophia chewed on her lip, thinking. “What if you could accompany them?”
This created a stir among the animals. Sophia tensed, her eyes on her sword.
“You could protect them,” Sophia offered. “And my friend here will be in charge of monitoring and moving you and them when their mines are empty.”
“I don’t believe I signed on for that,” Bermuda said tersely.
“And I didn’t know you were going to leave me to deal with dangerous unicorn hybrids while you took notes,” Sophia said over her shoulder to the giantess.
“I’m a very busy woman and can’t commit to this.”
“Well, then I guess you can’t accompany me on trips, and I won’t be sharing the information I learned about the Phantom or other creatures…like dragons.”
A long breath slipped from the giantess’s mouth. “Well played, Sophia Beaufont. I think you might have gotten yourself a deal.”
Sophia smiled. “I am an adjudicator. We are fantastic at making deals.”
“The dragonriders I’ve known were fantastic at killing to make deals,” Bermuda imparted. “This talking business is new to the Dragon Elite.”
“Well, let’s hope it works in this case,” Sophia said, looking intently at the corns, who were peering at her tentatively. “Do we have a deal? We relocate you and the rapoo. You can protect them, and Bermuda will ensure you’re safe.”
Sophia wasn’t sure what she expected. Maybe for a representative for the corns to step up and answer her formally. Instead, a cloud of gold dust circled over the heads of the animals. A small tendril reached out for Sophia. She tensed but remained frozen, wondering what was happening.
Behind her, Bermuda sucked in a startled breath as the wisp of golden dust reached around Sophia, tethering her to the animals. It was very similar to the experience when she had made her first deal between the villagers and the government in Brazil.
“The mark of a Dragon Elite deal,” Bermuda said in a hushed voice, echoing Sophia’s thoughts.
“So they agreed,” Sophia realized as the giantess stepped even with her.
“Yes, and now it’s time that we transport.” She twirled her large hand and a huge crate materialized. “That will be for the rapoo.”
“What about the corns?” Sophia asked.
“I think we both know they can’t be caged,” Bermuda answered. “But the rapoo prefer small compartments.”
“Like caves,” Sophia added.
“Exactly.” The giantess snapped her fingers, and the door on the front of the crate opened.
Sophia ran her eyes over the corns, wondering what was supposed to happen next. On the heels of her thought, little creatures began to squirm across the jungle floor. They were the size of rats, but much cuter. The rapoo resembled honey badgers, with a long body and bear-like faces. They also had the badgers’ coloring, white on the top and black on the bottom. It was hard for Sophia to think of these little guys as expert miners, but it made sense when she studied their long-clawed paws and rows of sharp teeth.
“Simply incredible,” Bermuda whispered as the rapoo filed into the crate, making little squeaky noises, seemingly driven by an invisible force. When all of them were in the crate, Bermuda closed the door. There were only twenty, which was a low number. Hopefully, they would recover once th
ey were in their new home in the country of Reerca.
Sophia created a portal, realizing that she’d be early for the meeting with the leaders of the two nations. Under-promise and over-deliver, she thought as she watched the corns jump through the portal, headed to their new home.
Bermuda shook her head, amazement on her face. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
Sophia smiled, allowing herself to feel proud at that moment. “I’m just glad this is all going to work out.”
The giantess nodded. “You, as I suspected, will mark a new era of dragonriders. I have my worries about the future and this planet, but this gives me hope.”
Chapter Seventy-Nine
“I don’t think either Reerca or Thealth expected that resolution,” Lunis said to Sophia as they entered the Barrier, fresh from their adventures.
“But how thrilled did the leaders of Reerca look when we unveiled the rapoo?” Sophia asked, proudly.
“I couldn’t have considered a better solution,” Lunis stated.
“I can’t take credit, though,” Sophia admitted, having missed the cold of the Gullington and the way the winds swept across the Expanse. “It was Mae Ling who gave me the information.”
“Yes, but we should take credit for the partnerships that lead to our successes,” Lunis instructed sagely. “Those in our lives directly reflect on us. You are the type of person who has a fairy godmother. Never discount the importance of that.”
Sophia shrugged. “I’m not sure I understand the whole Mae Ling thing, but isn’t it possible that I was given a fairy godmother because I’m such a mess and need so much help?”
“It’s possible, but I suspect it’s because you’re destined for incredible things and are being given the resources to do them.”
Sophia pulled her cloak tighter as she walked beside Lunis, headed for the Cave. She needed rest and food, but for the time being, she needed to be on the Expanse, staring at the Castle she’d missed. Any amount of time away from the Gullington was too much. Sophia knew that the Castle replenished and healed the riders, as did the Cave for the dragons, but there was more to it. The Gullington filled up Sophia’s spirit, making her feel connected to the world in a way she’d never known before.