Brimstone and Lily (Legacy Stone Adventures) by Terry Kroenung Page A
Authors: Terry Kroenung
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shush the cheering bunch. It took a lot of grabbing, poking, and nagging, but I got them to be quiet. “We’re not outta the woods yet,” I reminded them.
“What do we do, then?” asked Eddie. “Stay at the river and wait for the ship or find some other way to cross?”
“Longer we sits here, mo’ likely the Merchantry send more Bullies,” said Romulus.
Ernie shook his furry head. “Can’t believe I’m sayin’ this, but we should wait for that low-life Pitcairn. Romulus told the truth. He’s never stranded us before.”
“He’s too late,” I said, looking around. “We’re out of time. They know we’re here. More trouble will come.” I stared up at the Monument. It loomed up about 150 feet tall, of white marble. Temporary wooden stairs led up to an iron door in the base. When finished it would be a jaw-dropping 500 feet, folks said. The war and stupid grown-up arguments over donors had stopped construction. For more than four years it’d stood silent, no work being done. My magicked eyes could see all the way to the top, to the raw edge where rusty frames and derricks jutted into the summer night air. I could make out something else, too, something that made me catch my breath.
Venoma plummeted toward us.
The toothy drooling thing shook the ground when she landed, flat-footed, twenty feet behind Romulus. Taller and broader than him, she seemed to have grown since I’d seen her at Ford’s. This might’ve been her true form, freed of the need to pass as Mad Molly. She bounded forward with a mighty leap and batted Romulus aside before he knew she was there. I watched him roll across the grass and lie still. No sign of Ernie, but I could hear him cussing a blue streak, so I knew he must’ve been all right. Ignoring Eddie, who had dove to the ground, still clutching his crowbar, Venoma bared her triple row of fangs and leapt straight at me.
But she hit empty air. The instant she’d smacked Romulus a wish had flashed through my mind, that I could jump as far as her. Jasper’s cheery “No problem, girlie!” was followed by the Morphageus flowing down my body like quicksilver. Metal coiled into huge shiny steel springs around my feet. As Venoma jumped at me, I boinged a good twelve feet into the air, coming to earth behind her. Those springs gave me a soft landing, changed back into the sword, and flipped into my hands. My leathery attacker turned with cobra-like speed to see where I’d gone. That saved her head, for the mighty cut I aimed at her neck missed, zinging through empty air.
I barely remember our battle. Just a blur. She proved to be every bit as quick as Jasper and the Legacy Stone made me. All my thrusts and cuts bit into nothing. Her every counter-attack with tooth and claw either got parried by the blade or blocked by the small shield that Morphageus would become in an eye’s blink. What kept me in the fight, despite every muscle crying in pain and fatigue, was knowing that my friends were doomed if I failed. That and the magick power of the Stone. Jasper giggled like the little kid he’d once been . At least somebody’s havin’ fun. While he did that he also showed me visions of several possible strikes that Venoma might make next, guiding me to defend the most likely. My parry arrived each and every time.
The demon, or whatever it was, broke off and squatted just out of sword range. Cocking her head, she croaked, “Surrender yon Stone, and thy valiant self, man-spawn. I must needs take thee to the Proprietor. If thou dost this, thy companions shalt live.”
Those companions now stood behind me. Romulus woozy but upright, Ernie back on his shoulder. Eddie stood tall beside them, ready to start swinging his crowbar if I gave the word. “I don’t know who this Proprietor is,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt, “but if you work for him, I’ll have to pass on the honor. As for my companions, you’ll have to earn their lives.” Ooh, Verity the Valiant,
“What do we do, then?” asked Eddie. “Stay at the river and wait for the ship or find some other way to cross?”
“Longer we sits here, mo’ likely the Merchantry send more Bullies,” said Romulus.
Ernie shook his furry head. “Can’t believe I’m sayin’ this, but we should wait for that low-life Pitcairn. Romulus told the truth. He’s never stranded us before.”
“He’s too late,” I said, looking around. “We’re out of time. They know we’re here. More trouble will come.” I stared up at the Monument. It loomed up about 150 feet tall, of white marble. Temporary wooden stairs led up to an iron door in the base. When finished it would be a jaw-dropping 500 feet, folks said. The war and stupid grown-up arguments over donors had stopped construction. For more than four years it’d stood silent, no work being done. My magicked eyes could see all the way to the top, to the raw edge where rusty frames and derricks jutted into the summer night air. I could make out something else, too, something that made me catch my breath.
Venoma plummeted toward us.
The toothy drooling thing shook the ground when she landed, flat-footed, twenty feet behind Romulus. Taller and broader than him, she seemed to have grown since I’d seen her at Ford’s. This might’ve been her true form, freed of the need to pass as Mad Molly. She bounded forward with a mighty leap and batted Romulus aside before he knew she was there. I watched him roll across the grass and lie still. No sign of Ernie, but I could hear him cussing a blue streak, so I knew he must’ve been all right. Ignoring Eddie, who had dove to the ground, still clutching his crowbar, Venoma bared her triple row of fangs and leapt straight at me.
But she hit empty air. The instant she’d smacked Romulus a wish had flashed through my mind, that I could jump as far as her. Jasper’s cheery “No problem, girlie!” was followed by the Morphageus flowing down my body like quicksilver. Metal coiled into huge shiny steel springs around my feet. As Venoma jumped at me, I boinged a good twelve feet into the air, coming to earth behind her. Those springs gave me a soft landing, changed back into the sword, and flipped into my hands. My leathery attacker turned with cobra-like speed to see where I’d gone. That saved her head, for the mighty cut I aimed at her neck missed, zinging through empty air.
I barely remember our battle. Just a blur. She proved to be every bit as quick as Jasper and the Legacy Stone made me. All my thrusts and cuts bit into nothing. Her every counter-attack with tooth and claw either got parried by the blade or blocked by the small shield that Morphageus would become in an eye’s blink. What kept me in the fight, despite every muscle crying in pain and fatigue, was knowing that my friends were doomed if I failed. That and the magick power of the Stone. Jasper giggled like the little kid he’d once been . At least somebody’s havin’ fun. While he did that he also showed me visions of several possible strikes that Venoma might make next, guiding me to defend the most likely. My parry arrived each and every time.
The demon, or whatever it was, broke off and squatted just out of sword range. Cocking her head, she croaked, “Surrender yon Stone, and thy valiant self, man-spawn. I must needs take thee to the Proprietor. If thou dost this, thy companions shalt live.”
Those companions now stood behind me. Romulus woozy but upright, Ernie back on his shoulder. Eddie stood tall beside them, ready to start swinging his crowbar if I gave the word. “I don’t know who this Proprietor is,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt, “but if you work for him, I’ll have to pass on the honor. As for my companions, you’ll have to earn their lives.” Ooh, Verity the Valiant,
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