Larkspur Mittel: The Lark & Owl Trilogy

16 - Beast of a Man

Hero felt for the grate, and after digging desperately with nothing but her hands and scooping out piles of dirt with Ivan's help, they finally hit metal.

The voices of the soldiers grew louder as they had broken through the other half of the floor panel. A new flush of fear passed between the children though they said nothing and tried to concentrate on the task at hand.

"How does it open?" Ivan whispered.

"I'm not sure."

Hero had forgotten this one important detail. Ogdin had shown her that some kind of sorcery was needed to open the grate, and she had nothing of the kind at hand.

She sat back on her heels, helpless, and chewed on her bottom lip.

Ivan didn't wait for her to reply. He pulled out his small tool kit, laid it on the ground, and got to work. Aggie handed him a pair of compact pliers while he felt around the grate with his hands, searching for any kind of hinge or handle. But without much light, he had to rely upon his sense of touch and sound, and it was difficult. His hands were sweating and the pliers suddenly slipped from his grasp and clanged against the metal.

His head shot up and he looked at Aggie and Hero, worried that the sound would immediately summon the soldiers.

But it was Boer Mam's voice that they heard instead, rising above the din.

"There's nothing down below but a few rats is all!" She called out.

They knew she must have heard the clattering of the pliers, as no sound in Wobash Cynders escaped her large ears.

She was trying to distract the soldiers.

The dragonfly meanwhile flew in circles around Hero's satchel. Aggie tugged on Hero's tunic sleeve, and pointed to the small creature which had landed on the bag, and flashed its eyes.

It dawned on Hero that she might have a way to open the grate after all.

She shooed the dragonfly away, and opened her satchel, and removed the globe from its pouch. It looked ordinary enough again, though it was dark and very heavy in her hands.

"What's that?" Ivan whispered, as she motioned for him to move out of the way.

She didn't respond, as she was wondering what to do next. Looking down into the trench, she lowered the globe and carefully set it on the grate.

The lines etched in gold that mapped the globe suddenly lit up in shocking brightness and cast a golden hue upon their faces. They shielded their eyes at first, and then watched as the painted seas rolled, and then darkened into a deep blue cerulean. The mysterious, strange text shimmered and sparkled in red and orange points while the object vibrated and pulsed like the sun itself.

Ivan's mouth fell open wide in wonder, while Aggie's face darkened.

The globe began to turn on its axis, by itself. The lined etchings shimmered and flashed, and Hero was delighted when the grate finally moved, and turned like a wheel to open.

All the while, Aggie reached her hands towards the globe. Her face was hardened and contorted as if in pain. Her eyes were no longer the light, beautiful summer blue of before, but had transformed into the color of blood, red and wicked, and she was not at all herself anymore. She appeared to be in some kind of a trance, brought on by the shimmering object.

"Aggie!" Hero whispered, snatching the globe away from her hands just in time.

Ivan had seen the change in Aggie's face and was taken aback.

"Aggie! Aggie!" He whispered and shook her by the shoulders.

The light in the globe faded as Hero put it away. Aggie's eyes followed Hero's movements and then abruptly lost their strange red hue and returned to a dull blue. The stupor she was in ended as suddenly as it had appeared, and she slumped over onto the ground.

"Oh no!" Hero shook her more to try to wake her.

"Quick, we've got to get her in the tunnel!"

Ivan opened the grate fully and jumped down. Hero tried to lift Aggie, but ended up rolling her hurriedly into the ditch and Ivan's arms, as she heard the soldiers growing impatient again above.

A new deeper voice they hadn't heard before carried down into the cellar.

"What are you men doing here?"

"Sir! We thought we 'eard somewhat down under, and wanted to check is all, sir! We found us this door, a hidden cellar door!"

"So? Why do you delay so?" The deeper voice responded.

Hero recognized the voice from the marketplace. It was the more senior soldier in charge, the one on the horse. The same one that had questioned Marcus as she hid in his peat basket. Probably the big fella, that Boer Mam had mentioned.

She draped her satchel across her shoulders again, and tied the sling-shot to her wrist.

"Is old, hard wood floors is what, sir!"

"Move out of my way," he replied brusquely.

Hero was about to jump down into the tunnel when a large figure came crashing through the trap door in the cellar ceiling, and landed on the ground a few paces away from her.

She was too frightened to move, and watched as the dirt flew and pieces of splintering wood rained down. As the dust settled, a soldier stood up, wiped his hands together and glanced around. He was huge, a beast of a man, and gave the impression of being way too big to occupy the cellar which now felt small and bounded by his presence.

Hero was terrified and stood on the edge of the trench. She gasped involuntarily, and covered her mouth quickly, but it was too late.

Their eyes met in the murky light. Hero felt a cold shiver down her neck and spine, and her throat contracted as though the soldier already held his hand tightly around her neck.

She noticed the ring on his finger, a serpent ring of the Hummerlads which flashed mutely in the moonlight, and the thick girth of his waist where his hand now rested on his sword. He also wore a strange, gold medallion around his neck, but Hero could not make out the figure engraved upon it.

He stepped towards her. In a flash, Hero had loaded the sling shot and launched a small, sharp arrow which by some great luck flew straight into the man's cheek where it pierced the skin cleanly.

He flinched, and the look of surprise on his face lasted only a moment before he ripped the arrow out, tearing the skin more. The blood flowed down his cheek and onto his neck and the medallion.

"You little runt!" He moved towards Hero, but she was too quick for him.

She jumped into the deep trench and tunnel entrance, and pulled the grate closed before he could reach her. The dense, metal panel turned and clicked by itself, locking securely behind her.

For the second time in one day, she'd gotten away, she thought as she tried to catch her breath. She knew better than to tempt fate a third time.

She squeezed through the fissure in the wall, and ran down the tunnel to where Ivan waited. They could hear the pounding on the grate as they fled, following the dragonfly, and carrying Aggie's limp body between them as best they could.

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So what do you think, is Hero pressing her luck? How much longer can she evade capture? And what about Aggie's weird behavior and the slimy creature that still covers Adelmus?! 

Let me know what you think, and please press the button to vote!:)

This chapter is dedicated to Voyageavecmoi a really fantastic travel writer who has also been a great supporter/reader! If you like fantasy, and would like to visit other worldly places, I highly recommend her story, TRAVEL DABBLES, where she takes you on a trip through Asia, Southeast Asia, and more. Her beautiful prose and amazing photos make you feel as though you are with her in real time. Made for the consummate armchair traveler, go and read her stuff and vote!