CHAPTER Twenty Five
I’d not fully appreciated how hot it would be inside Aubrey’s fluffy penguin suit. Or how bloody cumbersome the thing would be. I waddled towards the eagle enclosure, trying to keep my eyes open for any of my team or any sign of Endor. The reeking odour from within the costume was really rather remarkable. I was fairly certain there would be some scientists somewhere who could bottle the smell I was being enveloped in and use it to develop an entirely new species. Still, at least it meant when I passed by a small group of shifters, including Lucy, they didn’t get a single suspicious whiff it might be me inside the costume.
I flapped my wings and attempted to move faster. I’d lost a lot of time getting back to Clava Books to pick up the furry disguise, make the phone call I needed, then get myself to the theme park. It wasn’t as if I exactly had the power to open up my own portals after all. Still, it appeared as if I’d not missed much, judging by the amount of Otherworlders I saw milling around, looking not in the slightest bit inconspicuous. They could at least try to blend in, I thought irritably, as I watched a mage and a faerie accost a couple and demand to see some identification. Like that was going to work.
An itch was starting to bug me at the back of my neck. I twisted my head to try to relieve it, but failed miserably and wondered vaguely whether this was what it felt like to be an actual shifter: hot, sweaty and prickly all over. A small child ran up and hugged my rather enormous and bulging stomach. I patted him on the head and tried to side-step. Unfortunately his parents had already decided this would be an optimal shot for the family album, and I had to submit to several moments of posing before they moved on. I supposed at least I didn’t have to pretend to smile.
I quickly shuffled forward, in order to ward off any further photograph hunters, and wished I could see more out of the large penguin head. My peripheral vision was almost entirely obscured. How in the hell Aubrey had ever managed to follow me while wearing this, I had no idea. Considering how awkward the costume was, he hadn’t done such a bad job as I’d thought at the time. Right now I wasn’t even completely sure I was heading in the right direction.
Aiming for what seemed to be a signpost up ahead, I concentrated on moving as fast as I could. Thanks to the mesh blocking my vision, I pretty much had to shove my face an inch from it to work out that it was saying the eagles were just up ahead. Thank f*ck. I smiled grimly and plodded on, flapping my arms in order to make sure that people kept out of my way. Perhaps they’d just think I was trying to fly.
I hit a slight incline in the path and tried to propel myself upwards. It was fine for a few steps but, as the path got steeper, it started to seem impossible. My massive belly kept getting in the way until I was barely managing to inch my way up. I turned to my right and tried side-stepping instead. It wasn’t much better but at least I felt as if I was making some kind of progress. Unfortunately I was suddenly inundated with streams of people exiting from a door behind me – and all walking in the opposite direction. I was banged and shoved and lost my balance, slowly toppling over. I supposed that one good thing was the vast penguin suit cushioned my landing. In fact, I barely felt it. I was, however, now sliding slowly down the path, still surrounded by people, and entirely unable to bring myself back upright.
“Hahahaha! Look at the stupid penguin,” someone said.
Great. Yes, look and laugh. Don’t try to help the stupid penguin stand back up though. That would spoil all your fun, I thought, annoyance seething through me.
“Here, let me help you,” said a smooth and spine-chillingly familiar voice.
Oh, shit. It was Endor. Red began to seep across my eyes, and I felt the burning begin, tearing through my veins and squeezing my heart. He yanked hard on one of my wings, pulling me back to my feet. I stared at him through the penguin’s head. What was he going to do now? The one major drawback of this stupid costume was that there was no way I was going to able to either appropriately attack or even defend. He wouldn’t want to alert anyone to his presence so, whatever he’d do, it would be fast and silent. Transforming into a dragon in the middle of this throng of tourists would be an incredibly stupid move. But I’d do it if I had to.
Every muscle in my body was tense. But the necromancer merely patted me on one of my wings and smiled. If you could call it a smile. Clearly he was as good at disguising himself and his true intentions as I currently was. He turned round and continued up the small hill towards the eagles while I watched, shrieking relief pouring from me, along with vast quantities of sweat. For a moment I was frozen to the spot, entirely immobile, then I hopped forward and hooked one wing round a nearby handrail to prevent myself from falling over again and used every ounce of energy I had to rush up after him. Or at least waddle up after him anyway.
When I finally reached what the park organisers had called the ‘Eagle’s Nest’ and squeezed myself through the entrance, I realised just how vast the enclosure was. There was some kind of netting, sure, preventing the birds from just up and flying away, but it was very high up and there were clearly acres of space for the eagles to roam around in. Rocks and scrub were dotted around everywhere to make the birds feel at home as possible. While I appreciated the space, I wondered why the phoenix bothered. A large cage was still a cage.
I slowly spun myself around to get a full view of the area so I could work out where the magical bird actually might be now that Endor had disappeared from view. Without the benefit of communication with anyone, I didn’t have a clue where to head. Then I had an idea. He wouldn’t like it when he found out the truth, but if it meant having the chance to save his sorry hide from Endor it’d be worth it.
I opened up my Voice to Corrigan.
Hey, I said, keeping it light. What’s happening? Has Endor shown up yet?
Hi kitten. His opening was soft, and made trippy little butterflies flap around in my tummy. There’s no sign of him yet.
Oh. Well, he was about to show his face any minute now. I could hardly tell Corrigan that though. Do you have enough people to cover the area?
We’ve got hundreds dotted throughout the park. We won’t miss him.
That’s what you think, I thought desperately. Where’s the phoenix?
I kept my fingers tightly crossed.
Safe.
Goddamn it, Corrigan, safe where? That’s good to know.
Yeah. I can see why it chooses to live here. It lords over all the other birds. The actual eagles seem to treat it as if it’s some kind of god.
Interesting. I swivelled all the way around again. Towards the middle of the enclosure was what appeared to be some kind of fake mountain, rising up out of the ground. There was nothing else around that was even remotely of the same size. If I were a god, that’s where I’d hang out. I began to waddle towards it, hoping that a penguin mascot wandering around the eagle enclosure wasn’t too weird.
So how are you? Are you still mad at me?
Um…I understand why you want me to stay away. Just like I hope you’ll understand why I didn’t, I thought.
A voice suddenly came over the Bird World tannoy. “Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, the falconry display is just about to begin. If you make your way over to the North end of the park, you’ll be wowed by the skill and mastery of these birds and their keepers.”
A surge of people abruptly headed for the Eagle’s Nest exit. There were going to be virtually no tourists left in this area. What better time was there than now for Endor to strike?
Kitten, I have to go.
Corrigan suddenly sounded strained and tense. I was relieved that he’d had the same thought as me and I wouldn’t have to find some way of letting him know that Endor was already there. I took a deep breath. We had to succeed this time. There was simply no other way out.
And then I saw him. He was striding out from behind a grassy outcrop. Or grassy knoll, I thought sardonically. He wasn’t trying to conceal himself, however. He walked right up to the mountain and outstretched his arms. F*ck. I began to waddle over in his direction; he was at least two hundred feet away, but I had to get there. I looked up and spotted Corrigan emerging from within the tower of rocks, along with many others.
“I don’t know how you knew I’d be here,” Endor boomed at them, “but you know it’s futile. You can’t beat me. Haven’t you learnt that by now?”
No-one bothered answering him. Instead several withdrew weapons, and the mages among them sparked up blue flames.
“Where’s the dragon?” Endor taunted. “Or has she worked out that it would be pointless to face me? You know you can’t break my wards without her.”
I shuffled forward faster, cursing my lack of mobility. Endor sent out huge thick streams of black towards the Otherworlders. I watched horrorstruck as they approached, then almost collapsed in relief as the black fire slammed into a ward. At least the mages had thought to construct one. It was obvious, however, it wouldn’t last for long. Already it was shimmering blue – an indication it was weakening. A few more hits like that and it would be broken.
There were some hurried voices to either side of me as the few remaining tourists were being ushered out due to what sounded like ‘preparations for a later show’. I nodded my head to myself. That was smart. A faerie began to head over in my direction, no doubt to tell me to do the same. I gave him a wave and continued forward. I was hardly inconspicuous dressed like this. With any luck, the faerie would think I was one of them and would leave me alone. Fortunately it seemed to work.
Someone broke away from the main group and began running towards the necromancer. It was Tom. My heart in my mouth, I tried to yell at him to get back, but my voice was muffled by the thick fabric of the penguin’s head. One thing the necromancer had been right about was his wards: without my blood, they were unbreakable. Tom was about to be slaughtered in front of my eyes. I was too far away to do anything. I watched helplessly as he sprinted forward. He was toast.
Several mages began throwing out blue fire towards Endor, distracting him. They may have been powerful streaks of Protection enhanced magic, but they bounced off him with barely a sizzle. I tried to run, but the costume just wouldn’t let me. Then, all of a sudden, when Tom was barely ten feet away, he threw something towards him. It was some kind of liquid, but I couldn’t make it out clearly. It slapped into Endor and his ward with a tremendous spitting hiss, instantly breaking it. Then Tom was running back to the relative safety of the mountain, dodging a spray of returning black fire as he did so. My blood. He’d thrown my blood. They must have somehow gotten it back from Tarn. I wondered what the UnSeelie Fae had demanded in return and hoped the price wasn’t too high. My relief was overwhelming, however.
With Endor’s wards broken, the mages were free to hit him with everything they had. Despite that fact, however, their streams of blue flame seemed to be doing little damage. Again and again, they smacked into Endor’s body. All he seemed to be doing in return was laughing. I was still more than a hundred feet away. I couldn’t move any faster without taking off the costume. The trouble was I couldn’t let Endor know I was there. Corrigan had been right about that: if the necromancer knew where I was I would simply provide too easy an alternative. If he didn’t turn round though, he wouldn’t see my fat penguin shape coming until it was too late.
Sweat was dripping off me as I pushed myself forward. Endor attacked the mages’ own ward again, this time with a stronger bolt. There was another sizzle, as it too was destroyed. Now it was a level playing field: no magical protection in either direction. With a roar, a group of shifters already in their were forms burst forward, fur and fangs flying. Endor took them down with one strike, as if he were simply at a bowling alley and leisurely knocking down some pins. I snarled deep within my costume.
The Fae were next. They swooped down, with speed and elegance. Several reached close enough to hit him, dancing away before he could take a shot. He produced something from within the folds of his cloak, however. Something long and sharp and pointy, and fended them off with ease.
Then, without warning, the sky darkened and there was a rumble of thunder. Nearby trees began to shake, their leaves rustling dramatically in the sudden heavy wind. Everyone looked surprised. A bolt of lightning shot out from the clouds above, landing scant inches away from Endor.
“Again,” I whispered, “again.”
Taking the opportunity, Corrigan leapt down. There was something small and brown clutched in his hand. I f*cking hoped he had some idea about how to use it. The sky boiled overhead, and ropes of harsh silver rain began to beat down mercilessly. There was another strike of lightning. Then another.
I was getting close. I pushed and pushed and pushed. The rain was making my costume wet and heavy. I shoved my wings up to the head and tried to get it off. It wouldn’t budge though. Without the traction my fingers offered, the stupid costume was stuck to me. But I was almost there, and so was the Lord Alpha.
Corrigan flung himself at Endor, swiping at him with the Palladium. A mage to the side sent out more blue flame, arcing it through the now dark sky. It hit him on the side of the face and, finally, the necromancer seemed pained. Solus, coming out of nowhere, leapt at him feet first, kicking him on the other side. We were winning.
Endor shot out more black fire, catching both Solus and Corrigan. Each of them was clearly in pain, but it didn’t stop them and they continued their attack. Then he began to mutter something. An indigo dark cloud was rising, enveloping all four of them and concealing them from sight. What it was I had no idea. With only a few feet between me and where Endor had been, I flung myself through the cloud and into the heart of it. I kicked out with my penguin feet, and rolled, trying to connect with the necromancer and knock him off balance. But whatever he was conjuring up, it was making the air difficult to breathe.
I continued rolling until I was clear of the choking haze. The rain was making it difficult to see, but I just caught a glimpse of Endor striding out from the dark haze. Where Corrigan and Solus were, I couldn’t tell. Hearing a shout from up ahead, I looked back at the mountain to where Endor was obviously heading. Someone up there was pointing out at the sides. I twisted over from where I was lying and realised what Endor had done. He’d conjured up some kind of dead army out of nowhere. We were hemmed in on every side by the shapes of rotting skeletons. Okaydokey then.
Streams of Otherworlders ran up and engaged them. The dark sky was being lit up by the force of the mages’ magic and, everywhere, shifters and faeries were getting up and close to the dead. But Endor was at the foot of the mountain and already beginning to climb. His cloud of darkness continued to hang where he’d been. I’d have to go back in and get Corrigan, Solus and the f*cking Palladium.
Twisting in the other direction, I rolled myself again, this time into the cloud. I held my breath, forcing my body round and round until I hit something. It felt like a body – and it was complete inert. Every single good intention I had completely broke as a furnace of bloodfire lit inside me and roared. The penguin costume split open as I transformed. A mini hurricane spun through the cloud, forcing it to dissipate. Solus was at my feet. I scooped him with one clawed arm, and looked around for Corrigan. He was unconscious, lying face down. Roaring, I sprang forward and picked him up in my other hand. Then I looked upwards and jumped. And this time I flew.
It was beyond anything I’d experienced before. Exhilaration sipped through me and I felt as light as a feather. I didn’t have time to appreciate it, however: I had to get them to safety. In a flash, I was by the Eagle’s nest exit where I carefully laid down their inert bodies and then twisted back. A skeletal shape ran towards me but I flicked my tail round, easily catching its midsection. The thing collapsed in a pile of bones. Then I lifted up, stretching out my neck and flew back to the dark cloud.
Lying there, on its own in the driving rain, was the Palladium. I stared up at the mountain for a second. Endor was almost at its summit. I scooped the statue up in my talons and, without pausing, sprang upwards. I roared, just as another bolt of lightning struck in front of Endor, forcing him to find another path. Breathing in deeply, I took as much oxygen into my lungs as I could. Then I spat it out in huge wall of flame that engulfed the necromancer. I pulled back slightly to watch the results of my labour. Shit. It didn’t seem to be affecting him. He laughed and shouted up at me in the air.
“Did you not think I’d come prepared?”
His lips began moving, then there was an almighty shudder. I looked behind, my mouth dropping as I realised there was another dragon right behind me. Except this one was all bones. He’d called up a f*cking dead Draco Wyr to beat me. Endor laughed again. There was a flicker of golden fire and I could suddenly see the phoenix, rippling with magnificent plumes of red and gold and silver. Endor was stretching out his hand to catch it. Behind me the skeleton dragon screamed. Screw that. I dropped down, flapping my wings, and concentrated on my match and my grip on the Palladium.
My bones snapped and my flesh shifted and then I was naked, in the middle of a thunderstorm with only a wooden statue in my hand. I sprang forward and tapped Endor on the shoulder. His head turned, and an irritated scowl lit his face. The dragon above us screamed again and swooped down, but I didn’t pay it any attention. I just gripped the base of the Palladium, and rammed it down Endor’s throat.
He choked, eyes bulging and tiny veins popping. His fingers clawed at his throat and his mouth. I used the base of my hand to shove it in further. I felt the roar of the dragon behind me as its jaws opened, and then Endor was on his knees with the fight completely drawn out of him. He collapsed on the stones thudding down as every flicker of life left him. The hollow sound of bones crashing onto stone came from behind me, and, in front, a large golden bird blinked. I could have sworn it was smiling.