Race to the Keep
Kendra heard Burelli exhale and saw the volatile glow of her flames brighten the cavern overhead, and then everything went momentarily dark. When she opened her eyes, Kendra was on the floor in the room where they had started. The green smoke was gone. Three bottles still sat on the table at one end of the room, two corked, one unstopped.
Seth lay beside her, his shirt and hair a little singed, smelling faintly of smoke. They were still holding hands. With a smile, he held up his other hand to display a golden scepter roughly three feet long. The top bulged into a knob crusted with jewels.
"You got it!" Kendra said, sitting up. "Were we really there? Was it a dream?"
"I'm not sure," Seth said. "It seemed real. I felt your hand the whole time."
"Maybe because we were really just lying here," Kendra said, giving his hand a squeeze.
"Wherever we were, it left marks," Seth said, showing her some circular bruises on his arm. "Those were from zombie fingertips. They barely touched me. Those creeps were worse than zombies. I'm not sure what they really were."
"Probably liches, if their touches bruised," Calvin said. "Zombies wouldn't leave a mark from a touch, and a revenant would have withered the area more."
"Calvin!" Kendra said happily. "You're back! We were worried about you!"
"He saved the day," Seth said. "He really is the Tiny Hero! He had already found the scepter and led me straight to it."
"I was about to tell Seth the story," Calvin said.
"Let's hear it," Kendra invited.
Calvin looked pleased to have an audience. He used his hands a lot as he spoke. "So, running into the smoke didn't turn out so well. I got dizzy really fast, and suddenly I was in a room with big people clomping around. Wizards never design places like this with tiny adventurers in mind. Since when do fairies hunt treasure? Or brownies? Or leprechauns? Doesn't happen."
"Leprechauns have treasure," Seth interrupted.
"Having and hunting are two different things," Calvin said. "Leprechauns get their gold through magic, inheritance, or trickery. Not adventuring. Anyhow, I ran for the door, squirmed underneath, and ended up in a really dark place. Then I was in the glittery dragon cave. That huge dragon with the big horns was in there, sitting on her nest. Climbing the dragon took some time."
"You climbed the dragon?" Seth exclaimed.
"No problem," Calvin said. "Very furry. Lots to grab onto. I was too small for her to notice."
"Why climb her?" Kendra asked.
"So I could get close to her ear," Calvin said. "I was following a hunch, because the cavern looked enormous. I kind of covered my mouth and tried to make a faraway voice. I'm sure my size helped."
"What did you say?" Seth asked.
Calvin covered his mouth and demonstrated how he spoke. "Hurry, grab the scepter. Let's go."
"What happened?" Kendra asked.
"The dragon's head jerked so fast I nearly fell off," Calvin said. "And I was holding on tight! What do you suppose the dragon did next?"
"Went to check!" Seth exclaimed.
"She flew up over the maze," Calvin said with a wink. "I made a mental map. I'm good with spatial thinking. Kind of a specialty. The dragon swooped down by the covered portion of the labyrinth and stuck her head inside. I slid down her head, hung from her lowest whiskers, and dropped. Amazing how well you can take a fall when you're tiny and fortified by magic. I didn't even twist an ankle."
"She took you right to the scepter?" Kendra asked.
"Straight to the main prize," Calvin agreed, barely containing a laugh. "Then she flew around investigating the maze, making sure there were no intruders."
"That must have been when we came in," Seth said. "The nest was unprotected."
"Probably," Calvin said. "The scepter was too high for me to reach. So I used the map in my head to run back toward the entrance. I went as fast as I could and was getting close when Seth found me."
"Then Calvin directed me back to the scepter," Seth said. "When I snagged it, I woke up here."
"It brought me back too," Kendra said. "Right after I saw fire brighten up the cavern."
"It was close," Seth said. "I got a little singed."
"At least we made it," Kendra said, standing.
Seth got up too. "Well, I wouldn't go that far. We got the scepter. I'll feel like we've made it when we get it back to Blackwell Keep."
"A correct sentiment," came the voice of Dromadus from well beyond the room.
"Do you hear everything we say?" Seth asked.
"If your voice carries, I'm going to listen," Dromadus said.
"He has good ears," Kendra whispered.
"No visible ears really," Dromadus replied from afar. "Unsightly things, if you ask me. But excellent hearing, yes."
Kendra gave Seth's hand a squeeze. "Let's go."
"Are you sure you don't want to try another bottle?" Seth asked.
She pulled him out of the room, though he pretended to be reluctant. They went up the long flight of stairs, then climbed out of the depression to find Dromadus waiting where they had left him.
"Impressive," Dromadus said. "I did not realistically expect to see you again. Perhaps Agad and Marat have better judgment than your ages suggest. I believe I underestimated your Tiny Hero as well."
"We still have to get the scepter back to Blackwell Keep," Seth said.
"A vulnerable predicament," Dromadus said. "You will either hasten your destruction by losing the scepter or else postpone it by succeeding. Either way, congratulations on taking decisive action. I wish you well in your efforts to promote peace."
"Thanks for your help," Kendra said.
She and Seth exited the cavern into the long tunnel. At the far end Henrick awaited with Mendigo and the two horses. A glowing stone held by Henrick provided illumination.
Kendra and Seth rushed to him.
"Is that what I think it might be?" Henrick asked, indicating the scepter.
"The scepter was hidden here," Seth said. "We got it!"
"That is . . . incredible," Henrick said. "To tell you the truth, I believed it was a long shot that we would ever find the scepter. Of course, now we have a new problem."
"I guess you brought the horses down those stairs for a reason," Kendra said. "Hi, Glory. Hi, Noble."
The horses stamped and tossed their heads.
"I confirmed that a dragon has been spying on us," Henrick said. "Mobando. A member of Celebrant's personal guard, and one of the most dangerous dragons in the sanctuary. He is strong, fast, stealthy, and intelligent. You were inside this lair for a long time. Eventually Mobando got curious and came too close. When I became aware of him, I led the horses down the stairs. Otherwise he may have tried to kill us or run us off. Though I do not believe Celebrant wants you dead yet, he would not hesitate to make your journey back to Blackwell Keep as miserable as possible."
"But now we have the scepter," Seth said.
"Which changes everything," Henrick said. "The Dragon King would gleefully kill us all for that scepter. He doesn't have to endure a co-caretaker anymore if Blackwell Keep falls."
"We're pinned down," Kendra said.
"Perhaps not as badly as it appears," Henrick said. "Nobody knows what you found here yet. Not for sure. I expect that Mobando will sense the scepter's powerful magic. It will be too potent for him to miss. But he may not know what it is at first."
"So what do we do?" Seth asked.
> "They probably assume you wanted to counsel with Dromadus," Henrick said. "I'm not sure if they will guess why. They could presume you just came for general advice. So we leave together as if our mission is accomplished. We don't rush. We head back toward the Winding Way. I'll carry the scepter."
"You?" Seth asked.
"I'll do my best to hide it," Henrick said. "Whoever carries the scepter is in great peril. I'm fast, and I have some evasive tricks. I know this sanctuary like nobody else. I have eluded dragons before, though I have never been hunted as I will be hunted if they figure out exactly what I have in my possession. If Mobando strikes before we get back to the Winding Way, you continue to the road and then return to Blackwell Keep through Terrabelle and along the High Road. Maybe I can make it to a road too. If not, I'll invent a route through the wild. If I have the scepter, Mobando will chase me and you'll have a reasonable chance of surviving."
"What if we let Mendigo transport the scepter?" Seth asked. "We could leave Mendigo behind. Leave without him. Then, after we leave, maybe he could sneak the scepter back to Blackwell Keep."
"Not a bad stratagem," Henrick said. "But Mobando is subtle and smart. He will probably notice if your wooden puppet suddenly disappears. It will raise suspicions. And if Mendigo is discovered by the dragons, he won't have a chance of evading them. I realistically could."
"I wish we could shrink it," Calvin said from Seth's pocket. "Dragons have a hard time tracking me. Burelli didn't even notice I was there."
"We're a long way from Blackwell Keep on fast horses," Henrick said. "That distance is a lot greater when your legs are an inch long."
"I've gone much farther," Calvin said. "Tiny people learn to travel in a variety of ways. Not just on foot. But wishing I could make the scepter smaller won't make it so."
"Your plan sounds good, Henrick," Kendra said.
"Should we go?" Seth proposed.
"How are you horses?" Henrick asked. "Was this enough of a rest? There could be a lot of running before you get back to your stalls."
Both horses reared up slightly, then gave single stamps.
Kendra and Seth followed Henrick and the horses up the long stairway. Even having already descended the stairway, Kendra was amazed how long it was. Her legs burned by the time they reached the cellar doors that led out to the sequoia grove.
"Remember," Henrick whispered, "stay calm until I run. There is always a chance the dragons will just watch us. If we make it to the Winding Way, we should reach Blackwell Keep with no problem. If I have to run off, ignore me and get to the Winding Way as soon as you can."
"Got it," Seth whispered.
Henrick held out a hand, and Seth passed him the scepter. The alcetaur wrapped the scepter in some material he took from one of the pouches he wore like saddlebags. Then he opened the doors and led the horses out into the grove. Dawn warmed the horizon. The stars were fading. A light wind ruffled the sequoias.
"Let's all hope for more wind," Henrick muttered. "Dragons find high winds inconvenient."
"I didn't know we pulled an all-nighter," Seth said.
"Time flies when you're running for your life," Kendra replied.
Kendra swung onto Glory and patted the horse. They trotted out of the grove and into a field.
And then a huge green dragon swooped down and landed in front of them, blocking their path. The spines on its neck and back looked almost like fins, and it had a narrower build than most dragons Kendra had seen, with a more serpentine neck and head. Yellow eyes glared with malevolent interest, and a long, purple tongue tested the air.
"What errand takes you so far from the road?" the dragon inquired in a whispery but penetrating voice.
Kendra found that she could not move. Seth was too far away on Noble for her to try to take his hand. Her thoughts remained clear, but she was paralyzed, as if she had almost stepped on a rattlesnake and somehow become trapped in that first instant of frozen surprise.
"Greetings, Mobando," Henrick answered. "We consulted with Dromadus. I am with the new caretakers. I am Henrick the gamekeeper. We have a right to be here."
"I see," Mobando replied. "I am interested in what our illustrious new caretakers have to say. What news from Dromadus?"
Kendra wanted to speak. She had words ready. But her lips would not function. It was so easy when holding Seth's hand, she had almost forgotten how impossible it was without him.
"Do not trouble the children," Henrick said. "They were up all night and are weary."
The head swung closer to the alcetaur. "One last query. It appears Dromadus may have entrusted a valuable object to your care. That dragon is a known scoundrel and craven. Show me what he gave you."
"Ride!" Henrick cried, splitting into five different identical versions of himself and racing off in five different directions.
Kendra had no time to contemplate the bizarre sight before Glory was off and running. Noble came alongside, hooves hammering the ground. Her paralysis ebbing, Kendra craned to look back and saw the five identical Henricks each divide into five more identical Henricks, for a total of twenty-five.
Mobando gave a hiss that grew into a roar. Snakelike head swaying, the dragon expelled a dark mist at the fleeing Henricks. The cloud enveloped some, but they kept running, heads down, hands protecting their mouths. The mist couldn't reach all of them—too many were bolting in too many directions.
"Poison gas!" Calvin cried.
Mobando looked their way, then returned his attention to the alcetaurs. Each Henrick held an identical bundle. The dragon took flight, chasing one of the nearest Henrick duplicates.
"I don't think he's going to chase us," Kendra called.
Seth glanced back. "He might if he gets you know what."
Kendra realized her brother had a point. They might not presently be at the top of the priority list, but that could change.
Glory and Noble raced back the way they had come last night as the sky brightened and the sun came up. Kendra kept an eye out for dragons but saw none. She wondered how Henrick was doing. She had no idea how his replication magic worked, but she hoped it had provided enough distraction for him to get away. If he managed to return the scepter to Blackwell Keep, the mission would be a success and they might have a realistic chance of saving Wyrmroost. If not, there might not be a Blackwell Keep by the time they returned.
The horses stayed under the cover of trees as much as possible, sometimes skirting open fields to stay beneath leaves and branches. It slowed their pace a little, but Kendra figured the cover was worthwhile if a dragon might be looking for them. Whether thanks to the skill of the horses or simply due to good luck, they not only avoided dragons but didn't see any other threats for a long time. As far as Kendra could tell, the sanctuary might be deserted.
At length they reached the slope that descended to the bridge over the ravine where the troll had summoned the dire bears. Before the horses could fully emerge from the trees, Kendra asked them to stop. They immediately complied.
"That troll is probably still down there," Kendra reminded everyone. "And we don't have Henrick this time."
"We can't bargain," Seth said. "And we can't waste time. Let's rush him. Maybe throw Mendigo at him."
Kendra glanced at the limberjack. "Mendigo, if that troll tries to stop us, attack him. Don't let him call for bears. Keep him busy. Then follow us once we're clear."
"Good enough," Seth said. "Let's go."
Glory and Noble charged out into the open, hooves thumping against the turf. The area looked so different and innocent bathed in the golden light of the rising sun. Kendra enjoyed the rush of the speed, and hoped that perhaps Grimp would stay out of sight.
As they approached the bridge, the troll came out from underneath, ax in hand, leering confidently. The horses slowed, allowing Mendigo to leap down and run ahead. The limberjack seemed faster than Kendra remembered. Had Agad upgraded him?
Grimp glared at the oncoming puppet and readied his ax. He swung as Mendigo arrived, but the limberjack dove low, pulling the troll's ankles together and yanking his feet into the air. Grimp fell hard.
Glory and Noble sped up, pounding past the troll as he struggled to rise. Mendigo wrestled vigorously, his wooden body in constant motion. As she crossed the bridge, Kendra glanced back and saw Grimp flat on the ground a second time.
The horses charged hard up the slope. Kendra never heard a call for bears. Just before going back under the trees, Kendra looked back and saw Grimp and Mendigo still grappling.
The pace slowed again under the trees, but they still saw no other signs of life, including dragons. Kendra could hardly believe it when the horses trotted onto the Winding Way with no interference.
"We made it!" Kendra exclaimed.
"The dragons don't care about us," Seth said. "They want what Henrick has."
"Right, but I'm still glad we didn't get eaten," Kendra said.
Seth leaned down and patted Noble. "We have to get back to Blackwell Keep and make sure Henrick is all right. You've gone a long way. If you want, you can take us to Terrabelle and maybe we can borrow fresh horses."
Noble shook his head and stamped twice. Glory stamped twice as well.
"They don't like that idea," Kendra said. "Think you can run back to Blackwell Keep?"
In response, the horses took off, quickly accelerating to a gallop. The speed made Kendra momentarily breathless.
"Go at a speed you can maintain," Kendra said.
Glory answered with a single toss of her head.
As the ground rose and fell, the horses never slowed to less than a canter. They spent a lot of time at a full gallop. Kendra watched the sky but observed no dragons. Were they being watched secretly? Or were they irrelevant compared to the importance of getting the scepter?
Her desire to get home in a hurry made the road to Terrabelle seem to last forever. Kendra knew from looking at Seth's maps that the roads did not represent the most direct route back to Blackwell Keep, but of course cutting through the wilderness was unthinkable with dragons on the prowl. They rushed across the valley without nearing the town, and exited on the High Road.
On the way down from the pass, the horses kicked into an even higher gear. Kendra held on tight. She watched for dragons but saw none. The pace slowed a little as the ground levelled out, but less than Kendra expected. These mounts had remarkable endurance.
When Blackwell Keep finally came into view, so did the dragons. Lots of them. Soaring in the sky beyond the walls of the keep. Flanking the High Road near the gate. And roughly a dozen clustered around the dome of the safe hut visible on a nearby ridge, Celebrant among them.
There must have been at least fifty dragons of different shades, sizes, and textures. Some had smooth, small scales. Others had scales so rough and weathered they looked like shingles on an old roof. Some were metallic. A few were furry. Most of the heads looked reptilian, but a minority bore more resemblance to wolves or oxen or lions.
"I don't think Henrick made it yet," Seth shouted. "I hoped that a more direct path through the wilderness might get him here ahead of us. It looks like they're here to head him off."
"He might be in the safe hut," Kendra said, indicating the dome atop a ridge within view of the keep. "A bunch of dragons are gathered there, including Celebrant."
"Or they're blocking it off," Seth said. "We'll find out soon."
The gate opened as they approached. Kendra and Seth rode through to find Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson waiting in the courtyard with Marat. Kendra dismounted and Grandpa engulfed her in a big hug. Grandma came next. Then Kendra turned and patted Glory, thanking her. The horse bobbed her head in reply.
"We were so worried," Grandpa said. "Are you all right?"
"We found the scepter," Seth reported.
"What?" Grandpa asked.
"The medallion works because it's connected to a hidden scepter," Kendra said. "We found it."
"Amazing," Marat said. "That unravels the mystery. Henrick has the scepter?"
"Yeah," Seth said.
"He is trapped in the nearest safe hut," Marat said. "We heard roaring in the distance, then watched as Henrick barely made it there ahead of several dragons. He must have led them on a mighty chase. A host of others arrived soon thereafter. I could not fathom what need would drive Celebrant to trap him there. Now it makes perfect sense."
"Can we free him?" Kendra asked.
Marat smiled sadly. "With this many dragons standing guard? My dear, it would take a miracle."