by Nikki Frank
Strong hands were helping me sit and a long reptilian face pointed into mine.
“Congratulations, you’re one of the few who are allergic to blood bat saliva. A fairly rare allergy but for those who have it, it’s deadly. You’re going to feel off for a bit, which is unfortunate. But you’ll live.”
Ferika held a claw out for me and I pulled myself to my feet.
“Can you move?” she asked.
“Let’s go.” My voice echoed strangely. “I hate tunnels.”
She nodded and started back down the sewer tunnel. I wobbled and got a painful grip on my shoulder from Talon, who even in the orange glow from Ferika’s fire, was pale.
“Are you really okay?” he asked as we walked on.
“I have to be. I’d love to rest, but that’s not really an option right now, is it?”
“Ferika,” Talon called out. “Wait a minute. I’m going to carry Livy.”
I wanted to protest but Omri had already loaded me onto Talon’s back. Then we were moving again. I couldn’t help but blush, in part because of the embarrassment of having to be helped along like this. And partly because the proximity and the feel of his muscles thrilled me far too much.
“Okay, we’ve hit the end of the tunnel.” Ferika pulled up and examined a hatch above her. “They have to know we’re gone by now. Zaemon’s forces won’t take long to be on our tails. Omri, you’ve got Talon. The rest of you hop on as fast as you can. Our two biggest advantages are surprise and speed.”
I got deposited from Talon’s back onto Ferika’s. Then Omri and Talon lined up to exit, Omri’s hand on the latch. Fortunately, the walk had given the healing cream a full chance to work. I felt pretty much like myself again.
Omri threw the hatch and he and Talon scrambled out and into the air. Ferika went next with me clinging to her back. Emmett, Elita, and Yumiko rushed out and I helped them onto her back. I barely had them on when she took off.
Chapter 14
Elita grabbed my arm and helped steady me as Ferika rose above the glass palace. Dragons evidently flew incredibly fast because the palace already sat behind us, dollhouse sized.
“Thanks.” I groped at purple scales, trying to find a grip.
Elita nodded.
Something in the air off Ferika’s flank caught my eye. “We’ve got company.”
“Stymphalian birds,” she yelled over the rushing wind. “I can smell them. Watch the beaks and feathers.”
I glanced down at the ground rushing past. Big mistake. Trees like bushes blurred below me and my head whirled with the height. How were we going to take on the approaching birds without falling? Ferika’s scales were so slippery they made holding on hard enough, even without fighting. We’d have to divide the work.
“Yumiko, keep everyone on Ferika,” I ordered. “I’ll take out the birds.”
Yumiko nodded. As I readied my bow, Yumiko pulled out rope she’d gotten from who knows where and secured Emmett and Elita. Ferika snapped her teeth at the rope as it slipped around her body.
“Sorry, Ferika. You’re too slick to fight on,” I apologized for Yumiko. “Can you get closer and warn Omri?”
Ferika stretched out her neck to make up speed but the effort came too late. The first of the Stymphalian birds shot past us in a dive toward Omri and Talon. I let off an arrow and the bird went down in a puff of feathers. I hit the bird before it could touch Omri.
“How is Omri bleeding?” I asked.
“The feathers,” Ferika explained. “They’re razor sharp.”
Damn. I’d have to take them out before they got close enough to shed on anyone. The birds were huge, on top of being well armed. The one I’d shot near Omri had been almost half his size. Three more circled off our left and two on the right. I really hoped none of the birds hid behind us where I couldn’t see. I pulled back another arrow and took out another of the left three.
One of the remaining birds took a dive at the guys. My hands grew slick as Omri clutched Talon and rolled so Talon could hack the head off the bird with his sword. This incensed the rest of the birds and they dove in unison. Omri did a fantastic spin, covering both him and Talon with his wings. As he opened them out, his own feathers flew off and the birds fell, dead.
Ferika heaved a huge breath of fire and the feathers which should have hit us melted, falling to the ground in molten rain. The blazing heat must have disrupted the airflow because Omri was buffeted by something invisible. As he fought to right himself Talon slipped from his arms.
Time came nearly to a standstill. I screamed and Ferika’s back slipped away, my outstretched hands reaching for Talon’s. Then mine stopped moving but his did not. As tears took my vision, Omri dove for him. I had a fiery pain in my backside and another in my heart as the world spun below me.
“I’ve got him,” Omri called out. “Can you get her back up?”
“No. We’re nearly there. You can fix her tail later.”
I rubbed at my face, drying the tears. Omri flapped back to our side with a very pale Talon in his arms. I then registered why I still hurt, even though Talon was safe. I dangled from Ferika’s claw by my tail. Suddenly, my stomach lurched, and nausea set in. The world really was spinning below me as I hung upside down. Now that I’d regained my senses, the pain in my backside became nearly unbearable. I reached up, frantically trying to get a hold of her claws to take the pressure off my tail.
The world grew closer as we began descending. Ninety feet above the forest floor thick conifers closed around us shielding us from unwanted gazes. I found Ferika’s claws and held on to lessen the pain. She descended slowly now and dropped me into Talon’s waiting arms. He nearly crushed me in the hug.
“You really are a stupid girl! Why would you jump?”
“I didn’t mean to. I didn’t think. I just reached for you.”
He crushed me again and set me on my feet. The rest of the group had already moved off into the woods, Elita in front calling softly, “Lumarian.”
“Ferika, are there more of those birds?” Talon asked.
“Probably not. Zaemon keeps them as messengers. Those would have been a scouting parting. We killed six, which ought to be all of them. Hopefully they didn’t send anyone back before taking us on.”
“Lumarian?” Elita still called.
Something shifted in the undergrowth and I grabbed the hilt of my sword. Whatever stepped out of the bushes, blinded me. I blinked desperately and when my vision finally cleared, I gasped. A unicorn, so white its coat hurt the eyes, stood next to Elita.
“Why do you call me, young fairy?” he asked.
Elita quivered, but whether excitement or fear caused the trembling was indiscernible. Her voice, when she spoke, betrayed neither. “I beg of you to please bind me to this source, Emmett.”
“Does Emmett desire this as well?” Lumarian asked.
Emmett paled. “I want the bond.” His voice came out weak, but his answer satisfied Lumarian.
The unicorn tipped his head and sparkles of light from his pearly horn glinted off the trees. “You ask a favor of this magnitude after dragging danger to my door? You have mere minutes before your enemy’s attack.”
Elita dropped her head. “Yes. I want to stop the attacks on all my friends. I want to keep him safe from those who would use him.”
Lumarian tipped his head further, resting his horn on her shoulder. “You are a maiden of pure heart. I believe these are your intentions and I will grant your request.” He looked her in the eye. “Nothing in life is easy. You will pay in pain for your bond to the free magic.”
Elita shifted uneasily. “The pain will go away?”
“Eventually. This will not hurt the source. He is but a vessel for the magic. Yours is a part of you. Are you prepared to bear this pain alone?”
�
��Yes.” She tipped her head up and met his eye with a firm gaze. “I will do what I need to.”
“Then place your back against his and face your pain.”
Elita put her back against Emmett’s. He rubbed his palms against his pants out of nerves. Lumarian took a few steps back and directly faced Elita. Emmett would be blind to whatever the unicorn did. A moment later I wished I hadn’t seen either. Lumarian lowered his nearly three-foot pearl horn and charged.
I’ll give Elita credit. She never screamed as the horn pierced the center of her chest, going out her back and spearing Emmett as well. Emmett never made a move. I had to assume he couldn’t feel the piercing. Tears ran thick down Elita’s face and she groaned as Lumarian pulled his horn free. Shockingly, it stayed as clean as before the charge. Somehow, the unicorn used his horn to pierce only magic.
“Use nothing to heal her,” Lumarian warned Omri. He’d started toward her with the healing cream. “Their magic must heal together to finish the bond, though it is already undoable. Your enemies are too late for their own ends. The speed at which your mistress will heal all depends on her. If her heart wavers healing will take longer. But she will be on her feet in a day or two and well inside a week. Now go, before you bring a demon lord down on my head.” Lumarian left as swiftly as he’d appeared.
“Come on. Through the gateway. Now.” Ferika had reared back and started growling. Crashing came through the trees behind us, snapping limbs and horrible animalistic calls, closing in swiftly.
Emmett grabbed Elita’s limp body, helped by Omri, and rushed through. Yumiko went next. Rough hands shoved me and I fell through.
I landed in a pile of random limbs. A heavy object landed on my legs and I bit back a cry. The whole pile bounced a foot into the air as Ferika landed. On the other side fur and teeth blurred as her gateway snapped shut. What if she hadn’t had the foresight to make the gateway while Lumarian was at work? I shook the thought off, letting gratitude replace it. We owed her our lives.
The limbs belonged to our whole group. Somehow, we’d become tangled into a human knot. We struggled on the ground, wrapped up like a Twister game gone very wrong. As we extricated ourselves I had a chance to survey our surroundings. We appeared to be in a parking lot, surrounded on two sides by a grimy chain-link fence. The lot belonged to a run-down gas station and convenience store. We’d arrived at twilight and the air was cool to the point of almost being cold. I gave a shiver.
“Where are we?” I asked Ferika. As I took her in my mouth hung open. “Holy shit.”
She’d taken human form and gorgeous didn’t even begin to describe her. Talon whistled. “Well done, Omri. Straight up jail bait, and hot as f―”
“Stop.” I covered my ears. “Please don’t drop that kind of language so casually. Especially not to describe a friend’s looks.”
Talon scowled at me. “You said ‘shit’ and I get in trouble?”
“Cussing’s like earthquakes.” I tipped my nose up at him. “What I said is like a 7.0. What you were going to say is like a 9.0. You’d think they’re close, but they’re worlds apart.”
Ferika had glossy black hair, dark eyes with impossible lashes, skin like polished teak and what had to be double D’s. Oh, and don’t forget the perfect hourglass figure. I bit back the urge to snarl at her. The feeling might have been petty, but I reveled in the fact even Elita looked plain next to Ferika.
On second thought, maybe Elita’s downgrading wasn’t such a good thing. The pair of them must make me look like a complete hag. No, I had no reason to worry. Elita and Ferika were both spoken for. Talon would . . . wait . . . I’d been so caught up in feeling sorry for my looks I’d missed the start of the conversation concerning where we would be staying on Earth.
“Hold up guys,” I cut in. “Since Emmett, Talon, and I are the only ones with experience living on Earth all ideas are to go through one of us. And I’ll tell you right now, the over the top princess parade we made on the way to the Borderlands isn’t low profile enough. No luxury suites, fancy cars, etc. Not to mention someone has to pay for that crap. Even if Elita’s father offered to foot the bill, who wants to go back and get the money?”
Thankfully, everyone nodded in agreement. “Good.” I continued. “For tonight, I’m calling my parents. Not only do we need money but we’re going to need help getting everyone to blend. We also need someone who can move between here and the Lord High Governor’s palace for us.”
Ferika gave what was supposed to be a growl and looked startled at how squeaky the noise came out of her human body.
“Yes, Ferika?” I asked, trying not to snicker.
“I need to hunt or I’m gonna pass out. Do you know how much magic making a gateway uses?”
“What do you need?” I asked.
“Human flesh.”
I tried not to flinch, after all her gateway had saved us.
“Maidens are best, but I’ll make do with anyone right now.”
I took in the graffiti covered wall of the convenience store. “There’s got to be some punks around here. Eat a couple of them. Less people will miss them anyway. Not to mention, we don’t know if we’ll be staying in the area. Human police will blame the disappearance of punks on other punks. Less questions asked.”
She nodded and focused on transforming back. Luckily for her evening had turned to night. A broken street lamp left the parking lot in darkness. She slunk off unseen, the ultimate predator. I took my necklace and used it to send a message to my parents. Hopefully, even if they were still in the Borderlands, my message would reach them.
“While we wait for my parents, does anyone else need to feed?”
Unsurprisingly everyone except Elita raised their hand. She was still passed out. I waved a hand to shoo them off.
“You guys go now. I’ll stay to guard Emmett and Elita and meet my parents.”
Omri put a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll find a geyser and bring you some.”
“Thanks. But hurry, I’m sure my parents will be here soon.”
Once the three of us were alone, Emmett sat on the sidewalk and put Elita’s head in his lap.
“Are you okay?” I asked, standing next to him. “You’re basically married.”
“She and I can worry about our relationship later. For now, I’m relieved we only have to dodge retribution until her father can quell everything.”
“Emmett, you’re talking about retribution from a demon lord. This isn’t a little case of revenge.”
“I know, but somehow things seem to be getting better. Like maybe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”
I sighed and rubbed my head. “You’re crazier than I am.”
“I doubt that.”
“As long as you’re happy.” I set my hand on top of his head.
He took my hand and snuggled it. “Someday I’ll think of a good way to thank you for everything.”
I squeezed his hand back. “Just don’t let Elita spoil our friendship and we’ll be good.”
The small click of a gun cocking made my stomach sink. How had I missed the evil aura? I was so tuned into dark magic right now.
“I want all your money.”
I rolled my eyes. You had to be kidding. A human mugger? Really?
“I’m getting it,” I said as I turned toward him.
The man had a ski mask on. I could tell he stood a good six inches taller than me and probably weighed twice what I did. At least his extra padding didn’t hide more muscle than I could deal with, as long as he didn’t get a hold of me. Though catching me would be impossible for a human, since I still had my Hermes shoes on. Not that they made me faster than a bullet, so I’d still have to play carefully.
I reached behind me, pretending to get my wallet. Instead I grabbed the hilt of my dagger. I spun and drove the blade t
hrough the hand holding the gun. The weapon fell and fired, making an echoing bang as the bullet hit the dumpster and put a hole in the side. I’d already kicked the man to the ground and had my other dagger to his throat.
“You picked the wrong girl to mess with, jerk-off.”
I crossed my fingers and hoped I could scare the thug off. I really didn’t want to start my time back at home by having to kill a guy. I trained to assassinate other magic folk. Turning my skill on a human seemed about as fair as killing squirrels in the backyard. Then again, this squirrel had a gun. He used his size to free a hand and I knew I’d have to finish him. I leaned as he made a grab for my neck.
“Oh, good. You saved me desert.”
I got pushed away by a dark purple claw with gleaming black talons. Knowing what was coming, I launched myself at Emmett and curled around his head, so he couldn’t see. At the same time, I ducked and hid my own face. Screams echoed around the parking lot, followed by horrific crunching noises, and then eerie silence.
“You can look up. I’m done.”
When I peeked, Ferika had turned back into a human and was tiptoeing away from a stain on the pavement.
“So you know, I’m usually more merciful to my victims. But seeing as how he’d pulled a gun on you . . .” She held up her hands and shrugged, then covered a burp and giggled. “Sorry. Thugs give me heartburn.”
I squinted around at the yuck on the sidewalk. “What happened to his gun?”
She patted her tiny stomach. “Ate that, too.”
Emmett turned a little green. “Do you digest metal or does it―”
“Don’t answer, Ferika. He’s in shock, he doesn’t really want to know.”
“No, actually, I kinda do.” Emmett opened his mouth like he might continue to pry but a gateway appeared, and my parents hopped to the ground.