Tahmi frowned. Teri was right. She was sending him to his death. “Okay, I won’t wake him up. Let’s get out of here.”
Sandy flicked her tail, “That’s not very kind, Tahmi.”
“Teri is right. He could die.”
“As you wish.”
“Alina,” Tahmi whispered. “Will you make sure Jerry gets home safe?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Princess Tahmelia.” Alina trembled.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, you see, I was wondering something. Will you promise not to get upset with me?”
“Yes, what’s wrong?”
“Why are you going to see Lark? Why aren’t you searching for Mary? And when do you plan to save us from her darkness?”
Tahmi sighed. “I can’t save you. I’m sorry. Lark has my sisters. The queen says that Lark can’t harm me. So, that’s why I’m going to see him. Hopefully he’ll just give them back and then Andy and I will be sent home.”
“That’s horrible!” Alina flew away, disappearing inside a darkened cave. Whimpers echoed inside Tahmi’s ears. What did the star expect from her exactly?
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what it is you guys want from me.”
“I’ll be your guide. Alina is a little under the weather right now.” A male star with brown hair and silver interior wings said.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Ziv.” His green eyes danced. “You’re the future queen.”
“No.” Tahmi shook her head, “I’m not.”
“We’ll see about that.” Ziv snickered, lighting a narrow tunnel, “This way!”
Sandy snorted, ducking. She barely fit. Her sides brushed against the wall in some places.
Ziv was loud. He hummed warrior songs and skittered about.
Teri squinted. “Light bug! Stop that. You’re giving me a headache.”
He hummed louder. “And the ‘king of kings’ will make her our queen!”
“Are you deaf?” Teri growled, oil seeping from her fingers. “I said shut up!”
“Leave him alone.” Tahmi smacked her sister in the back. “You’re too grouchy.”
“Does anyone besides me feel guilty for leaving Jerry all alone?” Sandy kept her eyes forward. “How would you feel if it were you left alone?”
“Mary shall fall. Fall stupid Mary. Mary, Mary, goodbye! Cause the ‘king of kings’ is making Tahmi our queen!”
“Okay now that is getting annoying,” Tahmi said, stomping ahead of Sandy.
Teri patted the war horse. “He’ll be fine. Jerry doesn’t belong on this journey.”
“Your sister is less deserving.”
“Sandy! Remember your place!”
“I don’t care anymore,” the horse said. “We’ve let Trusty and Andy go on a doomed mission, and now, you’ve left my boy behind!”
“Sandy.” Teri sighed. “I forgot how close the two of you are. I’m sorry. I just don’t want anyone to hurt him. The light bugs will take him to our world without trouble and if we survive he’ll be waiting safely for us.”
“We’re not bugs. Tahmi calls us stars.” Ziv clapped his wings, dropping like a lead ball onto the horse’s back. “The palace is right above us.”
“Thanks, Ziv.” Tahmi peered up at the long, steep metal ladder. It climbed at least twenty more feet above them. “Sandy, can you fly us up?”
“Sure, hop on.”
Ziv glowed brightly.
Teri and Tahmi sat on Sandy and she stretched her wings. “Here goes nothing.”
She flapped, sending dust swirling around them. Tahmi coughed and Teri covered her eyes. Her hooves left the ground and Ziv disappeared.
There was a large wooden stump covering their exit. Roots hung in midair. Tahmi tugged on the roots while Teri pushed the stump with all her might. “How do we get this thing to open?”
“Beats me.”
Ziv glowed brightly. “The carrots.”
Tahmi smiled. There were a dozen of them leaning against the old wood. She grabbed them with her hands and pulled. The stump flipped open and Sandy barely made it out. Her feet sunk deep in mud.
“I forgot how ugly this place is.” Teri rolled her eyes. “I feel gross already.”
“There’s the castle!” Tahmi pointed.
“Shhh!” Teri covered her sister’s mouth. “There could be spies.”
Sandy’s eyes widened. A muddy edifice loomed over them. “That must be the Muddy Palace.”
“What gave it away?” Tahmi smacked the war horse on her rear end. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Um, Tahmi.” Teri trembled. “I hope I’ve rested enough.”
“Why?”
She didn’t need Teri to answer. Thousands of war pigs gathered round them.
Teri lifted her arms sideways. She screeched. A gust of wind blew from her finger, flipping hundreds of war pigs onto their backs. “Leave! We’re here to see Lark!”
Many marched forward. Standing on leafless branches, war pigs pointed arrows at them. “I don’t want to die again!” Tahmi cried.
“You haven’t died yet,” Teri said. “I won’t let that happen.”
Sandy hovered over the youngest princess. Arrows flew through the sky. Teri screeched louder, blowing the arrows back at the monsters. Some squealed, retreating.
“You’re outnumbered,” they chanted.
Outnumbered.
We win, you lose. You die.
“Teri,” Tahmi whimpered. “We should get back inside the tunnel.”
“No, I can do this.”
“I don’t want to die.”
Sandy nodded. “Yes, let’s go.”
“NO!” Teri screamed. Small twisters spun war pigs. They flew through the air like large ugly hail stones.
“Ever hear the expression ‘when pigs fly’?” Tahmi’s voice cracked.
“Never serious,” Teri said. “Tell them you want to speak to Lark; hurry.”
Tahmi’s legs shook. She stood, exposed to the dangerous animals.
VEGETATION
Andy chased after Ot’tai with Trusty close behind. Eliora lit the tunnels. They moved fast, with the scorpions marching inches away. Sometimes one would knock into Trusty’s backside.
They took sharp turns and slid down steep hills and then climbed up high rock masses. Sweat dripped down Andy’s face and his legs shook. He was ready to collapse. “I think this is the right one.”
“That’s what you said last time, Eliora.” Trusty snorted. “Are you certain?”
“I’ve never left my cave! I’m doing the best I can.”
“I’ll check.” Andy wheezed. “Trusty, lift me up.”
“Sure thing.” He grunted under the weight. Andy’s arms weren’t strong like Jerry’s. He struggled, barely holding on.
“War pigs; Ot’tai, we need to prepare. There’s six of ‘em. I think they’re guarding the golden bridge.”
“What should we do?” Eliora whispered.
“First, you need to stop glowing.” The room blackened. “Ot’tai, tell your scorpion friends to follow me.”
“Andy?” Trusty whinnied. “What shall I do?”
“Guard Eliora; we need her for the way back.”
“Who shall protect you?”
Ot’tai hissed.
“Got it; right.”
The scorpions stepped cautiously, climbing the walls. Andy held tightly to Ot’tai’s tail. When they surfaced, three war pigs stood with their backs to them. “Attack!”
Five black beasts flew through the air screeching. They landed on the war pigs. With one quick flick of their tails, the pigs dropped. The others pointed their spears and one readied his bow.
“See, I told you they’d be back. They’ve brought new friends.”
“Ot’tai.” Andy smiled. “That ugly one is mine.”
“Foolish boy.” The war pig held an axe in one hand and a spear in the other. “When I was human, I was the best soldier on the commanding team.”
“A human; you were human once?”
“Some of us were. But Mary and her tricks got the better of us. She betrayed us! Her most loyal subjects! …And turned us into loathsome creatures.”
“Are all war pigs humans?”
“No,” the horned war pig said. “But the humans do lead the others.”
“What’s your name?”
The pig tossed the spear to Andy. “You’ll need this.” Scorpions pinned the other pigs, knocking them out with their tails.
“I asked you a question, ugly.”
“Why? It’s not like you’ll be around long enough to use it.”
“It’s nice to know a person’s name.”
“Sable.”
“Sable?” Andy dropped his spear. “You’re a girl!”
“So? Pick your weapon up.”
“No, I can’t hit girls.”
“I’m not a girl anymore!” Sable squealed. The scorpions buried themselves in the mud. Andy covered his ears. “I’m a hideous beast!”
She lifted her axe high above her head. “Stop!” Andy begged, “Don’t do it!”
Sable’s mutilated face glanced down. He was just a boy. “I’m a murderer. There’s no other life for me. This is what I do. You should’ve stayed away from this place.”
“Did Lark tell you to kill us?”
“Lark? No! He never leaves his stupid castle.”
“Who makes you kill?”
“Someone tells us—forces us to do it. I don’t know who it is. She whispers to us and it’s as if we’ve no control of ourselves.”
“Sable.” Andy lowered his hands. “I’m sorry Mary did this to you. But you don’t have to do what she says anymore.”
“Before Zupo ran off into exile, he said the youngest princess could change us back. Is this true?”
“I don’t know.”
Sable’s axe raised higher now. “Then what’s the point of changing?” She screamed dropping her blade.
Andy rolled sideways. The blade slapped the mud next to him. His heart pounded. Ot’tai and the scorpions circled them, clanking their pinchers. He thought of twenty scissors snipping through pages and pages of paper until they were nothing but bits of confetti.
“Stop it, Sable!”
“Don’t call me that! I’m not Sable anymore!” She picked up her axe and aimed for the boy.
Ot’tai’s tail whipped her in the neck. She dropped her axe. Andy screamed. It fell, landing in between his legs. He breathed hard.
Sable’s immense body fell forwards.
“Ot’tai!” Andy yelled scrambling. She landed hard, splashing mud all around them. “How long do we have?”
“The scorpions say the tranquilizers last about five hours—sometimes longer.”
“Thanks, Eliora.” Andy smiled. “Wait inside the tunnel where it’s safe. Trusty, let’s go.”
Trusty and Andy raced across the golden bridge. The brown horse studied the branches of the weeping willow tree. Last time he’d been attacked. He wasn’t making that mistake again. “What’s that?” Trusty’s eye sight was keener than the others.
“I’m not sure.” Andy jogged, jumping off the bridge. The goo never covered over the area where the war pigs pierced it with fire. Instead, a small funny shaped garden grew.
Andy inched closer with Trusty and Ot’tai by his side. “Isn’t this where Tahmi was standing?”
“The garden is in the shape of a human body.” Trusty sniffed the ground. “It smells like Tahmi—the vegetables; isn’t that odd?”
“Very.” Andy’s lip trembled. Was his best friend really capable of this? “Let’s worry about the black ones now. They need food.”
“Right,” Trusty bent low. “Hop on.”
JERRY
Tahmi trembled. Her skin itched and she couldn’t see. “Lark!”
“That’s not very good,” Teri shouted. “Do you even know how a princess addresses a king?”
“Lark’s a king?”
“Why else would he live in a castle?”
“Just get rid of the war pigs. Sandy, can I ride on your back?”
“Yes.” she knelt.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting closer; standing here in the middle of a war pig stampede isn’t going to help me get Andy home.”
Sandy’s wings stretched. “Hold on.”
“I’ve been dying to take you for a spin.”
“That’s my horse,” Teri yelled, spraying oil underneath oncoming pigs. They slipped, knocking the second line down.
“How much longer do you think you can hold them off?” Tahmi asked.
“Get out of here,” Teri said. “Now!”
Sandy zipped through the air. Tahmi’s hair flew behind her. “Faster!”
The war horse barrel rolled through soaring spears. Arrows ablaze with fire whizzed by them and Tahmi got a good look at Sandy wings. They were similar to a microchip. There were circuits and pathways leading to various hubs. “Look out!”
A large rock grazed the war horse’s tail. She waivered then landed, nearly tumbling, on top of a rock mass. Tahmi glanced down at her sister. Teri was tired. The war pigs were relentless. “What’s she doing?”
“Teri!” Sandy neighed. “No!”
Tahmi froze.
Teri’s hands dropped to her sides. She’d done all she could. “You creatures win.” She snarled. “Claim your prize.”
The pigs grunted, racing forward.
“TERI!” Tahmi shouted, “Stop! Sandy, go save her!”
“Look.” Sandy whinnied. “The “black ones”.”
Thousands of black bugs appeared. They marched forward, hissing, “The stars! Everyone is helping.”
“Tahmi!”
Jerry? He stood on a rock covered in bat like stars. “Jerry!” Tahmi cried. Tears streamed down her cheeks. He’d come anyway.
“Stars, attack!” His arm pointed. “This is for Gadaie!”
“Gadaie!” Stars sang, swooping down, pecking pigs in their heads.
Bugs hissed, smothering the dropping pigs.
“Retreat! Retreat!”
“Sandy, take me to the drawbridge, please.”
They soared through the clouds. “Right there, at the drawbridge.”
Sandy stopped short, dropping ten feet. Tahmi screamed.
The horse whinnied. “That was fun.”
“There was nothing fun about that.” Tahmi yanked her friend’s mane. “What do I do now?”
“Talk to the guards, I guess.”
Tahmi slid down Sandy’s side. She was covered in mud. Her blonde bangs stuck to her forehead and her blue shirt was full of holes.
Two horned war pigs with javelins stood guard at the Iron Gate. “What do you want?”
“I’ve come a long way,” Tahmi said.
“Looks that way.” They laughed. “This ain’t a place for little girls.”
“I’m Princess Tahmelia and I request an audience with the king.”
The largest pig motioned her forward. “You don’t look like much.”
“Looks can be deceiving.”
“Somebody’s got spunk!” The other snorted. “I get to kill her, ‘kay boss?”
“Let’s let the baby child talk to Lark first.”
Tahmi forced herself to not stare at their warts or decaying skin. Their noses oozed snot and their mouths emitted a foul odor.
“Right this way.” One bowed. The other poked her with his javelin. She jumped, entering the castle gates. She turned around. Sandy was nowhere in sight.
“Lark stays right up above those steps.”
“How will I know where to go?”
“Follow the staircase.”
“Thank you.”
They laughed. More snot dripped down their faces.
“That’s our biggest threat?”
“I know! She’s a pipsqueak!”
What’s a pipsqueak? Tahmi placed her foot on the first slimy step. Her feet grew cold. What was under the mud? She brushed some away.
The steps were made of gold! Large blocks of gold piled right on top of one another. Who would destroy such a beautiful castle?
Tahmi reached out for the handrail. When she did, the burned wood crumbled in her hand. Great. She’d have to tread slowly.
At the top of the stairs, a stone door opened, scraping itself along the ground. Tahmi cringed. Gray fog escaped, burning her eyes.
“Lark?” She peeked inside.
The throne room was empty. The walls were tarnished silver and a lone throne lay smashed. “What happened in here?”
“Who are you?” A deep voice ricocheted off the walls.
Tahmi ducked. Fog filled the room, sucking the air from her lungs.
“I’m Tahmi.”
“What do you want?”
She surveyed the ceiling. There were painted humans. Someone had tried to erase them with white paint. The images still filtered through.
“I’m not sure, exactly.”
The voice laughed.
“Are you Lark?” Tahmi covered her head. The voice felt like bullets against her skin. She grabbed her stomach. The pain was back. This time she couldn’t think it away. “Queen Maryanne asked me to come to you.”
“Did she?”
“Yes, she wants her daughters back.”
“Look out the window.”
Tahmi obeyed.
“Do you see those creatures?”
Ten war pigs surrounded Sandy and Teri.
“Yeah, Teri can handle ten war pigs easy. Plus, the black ones and stars will help her if she needs it.”
“Maybe Teri can handle the war pigs, yes. What about her?”
Tahmi squinted. Who was that girl pointing? She looked just like Teri. Except she wore a sequined gown and sparkling crown—much like Teri had prior to their journey. “Is that one of my sisters?”
“Diane. She’s Teri’s twin.”
“Well, good, where are my other sisters? Once we get them then I’ll be gone and out of your hair.”
Lark laughed loudly. His voice boomed, shaking the walls. Tahmi fell to her knees. “You think I keep them here?”
“They’re your prisoners.”
“Look out the window again.”
DIANE
“You look like an ugly version of me.” Diane giggled. Her ten war pigs stood at attention. “How could you walk around like that?”
Teri frowned. “I’m Princess Teri. We’ve come a long way in search of Queen Maryanne’s daughters. I’m your twin sister.”
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