Elizabeth stroked Jennifer’s head. “Do what you must to get it out of your system, dear.” While Jennifer heaved bile and spittle, Elizabeth pivoted toward Makaidos. “As William said, hang the risk. At least give us your presence on the field as a distraction. That’s all I ask.”
Makaidos gave her a head bow. “Very well. If we die, we die. It will not be the first time for any of us.”
“Jennifer.” Elizabeth touched her shoulder. “You have no more time for vomiting. Get in position with the device.”
“The device?” Billy asked.
“Our hologram projector.” Elizabeth helped Jennifer rise and wiped the corners of her lips with a sleeve. “I assume the images and voiceprints are ready.”
Sniffling, Jennifer touched her pants pocket, her voice pitched high. “On my phone. I got some from Arramos and Walter, too. It’s easy to transfer them.”
“Perfect.” Elizabeth picked up the remaining rifle and pushed it into Billy’s hands. “It has fifteen rounds. Use them judiciously. Your role will be to make sure no one approaches Jennifer while she works her magic.”
“Where will she be?”
“In a helicopter, I hope.” Elizabeth clutched his arm. “After you hijack one.”
* * *
“This is what I was afraid of.” Merlin stared at the candlestone wedged at the top of his staff. Yellowish light streamed from the gem in a steady beam. “As tragic and callous as it sounds, the child provided very little energy. He was a brave lad, but he died unwillingly and has not known a life of loving sacrifice. And the two knights provided only a little more. We will need a much bigger infusion.” His eyes looked tired and sad. “I desperately hope the infusion does not come from a series of child murders.”
“I don’t think I could take it.” Standing several paces away from the reservoir, Bonnie looked into the ovulum, now cradled in her palm as she held Excalibur in her other hand. Although cold air bit into every inch of exposed skin, heat crawled across her body from head to toe. Seeing Arramos kill that child ignited a surge of rage. Such an evil beast! And that poor boy! How many more would Arramos kill?
She exhaled slowly. Just stay calm. She had to keep her wits about her. At any moment the spiders might attack. If she could quiet her heart and take the time to pray for Billy and Jennifer, that might help quell any anxiety. Scenes within the ovulum and some explanation from Merlin had introduced Jennifer and her mother as well as some of their plan to hijack a helicopter. It sounded like a long shot, so they needed all the prayer they could—
“Bonnie!” Merlin shouted. “They’re coming!”
She set the ovulum down and ran toward him. At least fifty fire-legged spiders the size of tarantulas had formed a semicircle around Merlin. Leading with the sword, she leaped over the line of spiders and swiped the blade through them as she passed. The sharp edge sliced through two bodies and removed their heads.
Bonnie landed, slid on the ice to Merlin, and spun toward the spiders. She held Excalibur in front, while Merlin wielded his staff. The spiders closed in slowly. Their fiery legs melted the ice underneath as they inched along, now within a foot of the edge of the reservoir.
“Hold steady,” Merlin whispered. “Our goal is not complicated. We must keep them at bay until the reservoir is filled.”
“I could disintegrate them all if I could call up the beam, but it’s still not working.”
“I think they realize that, which is why I tried to keep that news quiet earlier. Perhaps they feared Lauren while she was here. Now that she is gone, they perceive us to be weak, so their captain sounded the charge.”
“Their captain?”
Merlin pointed past the encroaching line. Illuminated by glowbats on the ceiling, a huge spider crawled toward them. Bearing a human head and dragon-like claws, it looked all too familiar.
Bonnie whispered, “The spider in the church.”
The spider raised a leg and shouted, “Attack!”
* * *
Lauren walked onward, still holding Sapphira’s wrist. Carried by Elam, she looked back from time to time, obviously worried about the events on Earth. The sanctum’s heart moved a foot or so in front of them, following a beam that painted a portal on the reflective wall and provided access to the tree of life. The curved wall to the left and right stretched beyond the portal as if reaching around to enfold the next room in its grasp.
When they reached the portal, Lauren looked at Elam. “Ready?”
Burn marks ravaged his face along with sooty smears across his scarred lips. “I am ready.”
Protected by the flames, they walked through together. The surrounding walls reeled out and encircled the tree-of-life room except for a gap on the far side where the next portal led to Second Eden. Sir Barlow stood beside the tree. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and clasped his hands tightly at his waist.
“All is not well,” he said. “Tamiel used his strength to escape Mendallah, but Marilyn’s shooting skills discouraged him from attacking Clefspeare’s plant. Perhaps bullets cannot kill him, but they produced sufficient pain. He flew away and is probably lurking nearby waiting for an opportunity to strike.” He patted a sheathed sword at his hip. “I was able to retrieve this, so he has no weapons that I know of.”
“Thank you.” Lauren looked him over. He seemed as nervous as a cat. “Are you ready to carry out our plan?”
“I am ready, Miss. My only concern is Tamara. She and I declared our marital intentions to each other, so I hope her disappointment will not cause her too much heartache.”
“What plan?” Elam asked.
Lauren heaved a sigh. “I suppose I have to tell you, since you and Sapphira are part of it.”
“Hurry,” Sapphira said. “Arramos killed one child. He is sure to kill another soon.”
Lauren spoke with rapid-fire words. “When we carry the combined portals to the birthing garden, they will no longer be open, so someone has to give his life to open each one by inserting a finger into the hole that the beam comes out of. Since we have two portals, it will require two lives. I plan to provide the life energy for one, and Sir Barlow will provide for the other.”
“I volunteered,” Sir Barlow added. “I am ready to finish my course.”
Lauren gestured with her eyes toward Second Eden. “Go now, Sir Barlow. Thank you for the information.”
“My pleasure, Miss.” He skirted the tree and disappeared beyond the portal.
Elam whispered to Sapphira, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Without a doubt.” Sapphira intertwined her fingers with Elam’s. “Everyone has to finish the course eventually.”
Elam gave Lauren a firm nod. “Around the tree, or through it?”
“Through it.” Lauren lifted a foot. “Together.”
They marched onward. Elam struggled with each step. When the sanctum’s heart passed into the tree, the branches exploded in new flames—an inferno that enveloped Lauren, Elam, and Sapphira.
Intense heat surged across Lauren’s skin. Energy swept through her limbs. Elam walked with more vigor, but new marks scarred his face, deep grooves that looked like bleeding wrinkles. Cracks ran along Sapphira’s skin, as if the heat had absorbed moisture from her body.
As quickly as the flames had erupted, they died away, and the tree’s fire extinguished. A cool breeze drifted in from the Second Eden portal. Lauren lifted a hand to her cheek—still smooth. The tree’s flames hadn’t affected her as much … yet. “Keep going,” she called. “We’re almost there.”
* * *
Clutching a rifle, Billy peered around the corner of the bleachers. Behind him, Jennifer carried a video projector the size of a large book while Adam attached it to her phone with a short cable. As she looked at the phone’s screen, her fingers and thumb tapped buttons on each device.
On the field, one of the combat helicopters had parked about ten paces away from Billy’s hiding place. A single pilot sa
t inside with the glass windshield open. The gunner seat behind his was empty. Only a short fence stood as a barrier.
Billy imagined himself charging out and leaping over the fence. The thought brought a scalding sting to the claw marks on his back as well as painful throbs to his broken toes. Still, he could do it. He had to do it.
Adam peeked over Billy’s shoulder and whispered, “Do you know how to fly a chopper?”
“I flew a small one once. Nothing like this. Maybe I can get it off the ground, but Walter’s the guy who can maneuver it the way we need.”
“Then you’ll have to hop over everyone and pick him up. I’ll cover you when you land.”
“Yeah.” Billy swallowed. “Sure.” He scanned the field past the helicopters. Arramos stood near the center with more than a dozen children lying facedown on the turf. Many squirmed, and some cried, proving that they were still alive. Beyond Arramos, Elam carried Sapphira in the midst of a firestorm. Elam seemed to be walking in place—floating, as if he were marching in zero gravity, the details fuzzy because of the flames.
Walter sat on the ground, a rifle in his lap. Blood streamed from his scalp to his chin and dripped to his legs. He looked around, obviously dazed. A helicopter sat near him, its propellers spinning down. It looked like Walter was on the losing end of the short gun battle they had heard earlier. A rifle against a Cobra wasn’t exactly a fair fight.
Billy turned back to Jennifer. “Are you ready?”
“Just … one … second.” She pressed a button on the projector. “There. That should do it.”
“Okay. Your mother’s had time to get in place with the speaker. Let’s start step one.”
Jennifer sneaked around the corner and climbed the bleachers. Gaps in the side rails kept her in view. When she stopped about halfway up, she aimed the projector at a point near the closer end of the fifty-yard line and pressed a button. An image of Walter appeared on the field near the sideline. His voice boomed from the image. “Dragons! Attack!”
Arramos looked that way. He shouted, “Helicopters! Take flight and find the dragons!”
Billy and Adam ran toward the nearest helicopter and vaulted the fence. Just as the pilot started the propellers, Billy grabbed his arm, jerked him out of the seat, and pulled him to the ground. Adam smacked the pilot in the face with a rifle butt and knocked him out.
“Jennifer! Now!” Billy climbed into the seat. As he had hoped, the three other combat choppers were busy lifting off and searching the sky for dragons, giving Jennifer cover to hustle down with the projector, jump over the fence, and crawl into the rear seat of their helicopter.
As Billy and Jennifer lifted off, Adam ran across the field toward Walter. While the other choppers hovered about a hundred feet above the ground, Billy stayed lower and glided to a point thirty feet over Walter.
Adam arrived at the spot under the chopper and began shooting at Arramos. The bullets pinged off his scales. He reared his head back and blew a blast of fire. Adam leaped and rolled out of the way. Walter lurched in the opposite direction. The fire missed them both and scorched the grass.
Jennifer aimed the video projector out the open windshield. Images of Makaidos, Thigocia, and Roxil appeared at the spot where Walter’s image had been. With their heads high and their wings outstretched, they roared, thanks to Elizabeth’s nearby speaker.
As the helicopters moved into position to fire at the images, Arramos shouted something that sounded like a command to hold off. Knowing that the dragons wouldn’t sit still for an attack, he likely had figured out the ploy, but the buzz of propellers batted his words away.
Two helicopters fired bullets while the third shot a missile. It blasted into the bleachers. A cloud of dust erupted, and debris flew, most of which rained back down over the remains of the bleachers.
Jennifer shut off the projector. “I hope Mother was far enough away.”
“She was.” Billy drifted lower. The control stick felt stiff, making the movements jerky. “Hang on. We’re landing.”
They descended and hit the ground with a thud. While Adam attacked Arramos with a new barrage of bullets, Billy leaped out, grabbed Walter, and hoisted him to his feet. Half dragging him, Billy hurried to the pilot’s seat. “Can you fly this bucket?”
Walter nodded. “Sure. But my leg took a slug of lead.”
Arramos blew a long stream of fire at Adam. The new blast hit him squarely as he tried to dive out of the way. He rolled on the grass, his clothes aflame.
“Up you go!” Billy heaved Walter toward the pilot’s seat. Jennifer leaned from the rear and hauled him in. Arramos turned his fiery maw toward the chopper. Billy ran toward Adam, waved his arms, and shouted, “Makaidos! Over here!”
When Arramos looked, Billy dove for Adam and helped him snuff the flames. Walter’s helicopter took off and zoomed upward. A missile launched from his chopper and slammed into one of the others. It exploded, sending fire, smoke, and shrapnel flying in every direction.
Billy leaped from Adam, threw himself over a little girl, and covered her as the debris fell. Something sharp slapped his back, but he stayed put and whispered in the girl’s ear as she whimpered. “It’s all right, sweetheart. I won’t let anything hurt you.” A few other children cried out, but they stayed put, apparently more frightened of Arramos than the raining debris.
Raising his head, Billy spotted Walter’s chopper in the sky. As it whirled into position to aim at Arramos, the other choppers fired their machine guns. Walter dodged the volleys but not before a few bullets clanked into his tail section. With smoke pouring from the tail, he took off toward the storm to the east, and the other choppers gave chase.
Billy lifted himself from the girl and looked at Adam. He lay writhing on the grass, his body charred from the waist down. To the east, boiling clouds loomed, just minutes away. Closer in, the transport helicopter sat empty in the end zone. Perfect. An escape craft for the children. Now if the dragons could cause a distraction—
A roar sounded from the direction of the parking lot. Makaidos flew over the remains of the bleachers, landed on the sideline, and shouted, “Arramos! Hearken to me!”
Right on time! Billy scooped the girl into his arms. “Children! Run! Follow me!”
“Do not move!” Arramos blasted fire over the children. They stayed on their stomachs, trembling.
Billy hurried on. As he limped toward the remaining helicopter, his toes pulsed with pain. She was just one of maybe twenty. Better than none. He glanced back every few seconds to check on the others.
Arramos focused on Makaidos and laughed. “What do you want, former king of the dragons?”
“Cease your murderous ways. Release the children, or—”
“Or what?” Arramos spat a sizzling ball of flames that rolled across the ground, narrowly missing a boy. “You know you cannot defeat me in battle.”
“Perhaps not, but maybe the three of us can.” Just as Makaidos charged, Thigocia and Roxil flew over the debris and joined him.
Arramos launched toward them. He slammed shoulder to shoulder into Makaidos and whipped a tail at Thigocia in the same motion. Makaidos crashed to the field, nearly landing on Adam. Thigocia flailed her wings and flew backwards for a moment to a spot behind the portal where she fell, smacked her head hard on the ground, and lay motionless.
As Arramos flew a 180 turn, Roxil landed in the midst of the children. “Stay away,” she growled. “I will defend these little ones to the death.”
“Allow me to serve up that dish.” Arramos zoomed toward her. She blasted a ball of fire that glanced off his neck. Leading with claws and teeth, he bowled her over.
As they bit and clawed, Billy lifted the girl into the helicopter and ran toward the battling dragons. Adam crawled that way as well, and Elizabeth sprinted from around the bleachers. Before anyone could arrive, Arramos wrestled Roxil down and pinned her with a rear claw. He snatched a little girl from the turf and held her aloft with a clawed hand
around her waist. Her head flopped forward as she appeared to faint. “Stop! All of you! Or else this morsel will meet the same death the boy did!”
Adam collapsed to his stomach. Elizabeth halted and knelt next to him, a hand on his back. Makaidos and Thigocia lay unconscious with their wings splayed. Billy slowed his pace but kept moving with his head low.
The drone of a helicopter’s propellers drew near. A silvery blotch flew out of the storm bank and toward the field, free of smoke at its tail section. Billy searched for Walter’s chopper. No sign of it. He probably headed into the storm to try to shake off his pursuer. He couldn’t last long in that kind of weather, especially with a crippled aircraft.
The helicopter landed on the far sideline. As the props spun down, the pilot opened the windshield and removed his helmet. Open sores covered his cheeks and forehead. “I lost the enemy. He must’ve crashed. That storm is like a cat-five hurricane.”
While Roxil squirmed under Arramos’s weight, he turned to the portal and stared at it, as if perplexed. Sapphira stood with a glowing aura around her, deep wrinkles in her face. Her hair, although still white, looked scraggly and dull.
“Sapphira,” Arramos shouted, “I do not know what has happened to you, but if you do not report on the size of the portal immediately, I will kill all the children.”
* * *
Lauren stepped up into Second Eden. At her side, Elam carried Sapphira. As soon as they passed the portal plane, something crackled. To the rear, the tree of life shriveled and vanished, and the portal’s edges drew closer and closer to the center until the entire plane collapsed and disappeared. Retreat was now impossible.
The pulsing column hovered in front, and the sanctum’s walls stretched out around the birthing garden, both features nebulous, as if hazy images had been superimposed over a clear photograph of Second Eden.
Matt, Listener, Sir Barlow, and Mendallah stood around Marilyn as she knelt behind Clefspeare’s plant. Now about a foot tall, its pod looked like a head with triangular ears. Miniature teeth poked out from its tiny mouth, and little claws hung on the ends of its leaflets. Yet, it was still a long way from becoming a dragon who could do battle with Arramos.