banished as we searched for the source of the
sound.
A necklace snake slithered past my legs. It aimed for the female guard and
wrapped around her with amazing speed. All my preconceptions about a
slow-moving creature dissipated.
The other guard looked at his partner and bolted. Another snake slid after him.
The vibrations of the necklace snakes and Chestnut’s drum thrummed in my chest.
I projected into Chestnut’s mind for an update. He kept the creatures from going
after us, but he didn’t know how long he could maintain control.
Faster is better, he said.
Right. I switched my awareness to Moon Man. He and Leif had marked the other
four guards. They waited with Marrok and Tauno for my signal.
Running toward the campfire, I avoided snakes, terrified guards and broke
through the null shield. I stumbled for a moment as an array of thoughts and
emotions washed over me. The air was charged with magic and fear. My panic
pressed on my back, but I forced myself to slow down.
When I reached the edge of the Vermin camp, my blood turned to ice. Three men
pulled out the stomach of one of the prone forms on the ground. The Vermin turned
their attention to me, their surprise evident in their openmouthed gapes. I had moved
without realizing it and stood in the middle of their camp, screaming at them to stop.
10
WE BLINKED AT EACH OTHER for a stunned moment. Blood and gore
dripped from the Vermin’s hands. The three men then returned to their macabre
task, ignoring me. Astonished, I moved toward them, raising my bow to strike when
a blistering force slammed into me from behind as if I’d been struck with a red-hot
iron pan.
I hit the ground hard. My bow flew from my grasp. My breath whooshed out.
Searing pain clung to my back; I rolled over, convinced my clothes were on fire.
Gasping for air, I thrashed on the ground until I spotted what had attacked me. I
froze in horror. The Vermin’s campfire had grown to three times its previous size. A
man stood in the midst of the roaring bonfire.
The man stepped from the burning wood. Scorched black from head to toe,
small flames clung to him like feathers. He advanced toward me. I broke my
paralysis and scrambled away from him. He stopped. A trail of fire linked him with
the campfire.
“Did I surprise you, my little bat?” the man asked. “Counted nine when there
really were ten. Hot little trick.”
He knew my consciousness had flown with the bats. But who was he?
I scanned the surrounding jungle, looking for my backup. Leif and my friends
were at the edge of the clearing. Their arms and hands were raised as if they
protected their faces from a searing wind. Sweat and soot stained their clothes and
they averted their gazes from the man.
“No help from them, my little bat. They will burn if they come any closer.”
I tried to project into the flaming man’s mind, but his mental defenses proved
impenetrable, a Warper of incredible strength. Running out of options, I glanced
behind me and caught sight of my bow.
The blazing Warper pointed and a line of fire appeared between me and my
weapon. I jumped to my feet. The heat singed the hair in my nose. The moisture
evaporated from my mouth. I tasted ashes. A wall of hot air pushed against me and
the Warper was before me. Yet his connection with the burning wood remained.
“Fire is your downfall, little bat. Can not call it. Can not control it.”
My body roasted as if I had been staked to a spit over a giant campfire. I cast my
awareness into the jungle, hoping to find help. Nothing but the panicked thoughts of
my friends and one curious necklace snake nearby.
Just when I thought I would faint, he extended his hands and a bubble of cool air
caressed my skin. The break from the heat was an intoxicating relief. I swayed.
“Take my hands. I will not burn you. Travel with me through the fire.”
“Why?”
“Because you belong to me.”
“Not good enough. Many others have made that
sound.
A necklace snake slithered past my legs. It aimed for the female guard and
wrapped around her with amazing speed. All my preconceptions about a
slow-moving creature dissipated.
The other guard looked at his partner and bolted. Another snake slid after him.
The vibrations of the necklace snakes and Chestnut’s drum thrummed in my chest.
I projected into Chestnut’s mind for an update. He kept the creatures from going
after us, but he didn’t know how long he could maintain control.
Faster is better, he said.
Right. I switched my awareness to Moon Man. He and Leif had marked the other
four guards. They waited with Marrok and Tauno for my signal.
Running toward the campfire, I avoided snakes, terrified guards and broke
through the null shield. I stumbled for a moment as an array of thoughts and
emotions washed over me. The air was charged with magic and fear. My panic
pressed on my back, but I forced myself to slow down.
When I reached the edge of the Vermin camp, my blood turned to ice. Three men
pulled out the stomach of one of the prone forms on the ground. The Vermin turned
their attention to me, their surprise evident in their openmouthed gapes. I had moved
without realizing it and stood in the middle of their camp, screaming at them to stop.
10
WE BLINKED AT EACH OTHER for a stunned moment. Blood and gore
dripped from the Vermin’s hands. The three men then returned to their macabre
task, ignoring me. Astonished, I moved toward them, raising my bow to strike when
a blistering force slammed into me from behind as if I’d been struck with a red-hot
iron pan.
I hit the ground hard. My bow flew from my grasp. My breath whooshed out.
Searing pain clung to my back; I rolled over, convinced my clothes were on fire.
Gasping for air, I thrashed on the ground until I spotted what had attacked me. I
froze in horror. The Vermin’s campfire had grown to three times its previous size. A
man stood in the midst of the roaring bonfire.
The man stepped from the burning wood. Scorched black from head to toe,
small flames clung to him like feathers. He advanced toward me. I broke my
paralysis and scrambled away from him. He stopped. A trail of fire linked him with
the campfire.
“Did I surprise you, my little bat?” the man asked. “Counted nine when there
really were ten. Hot little trick.”
He knew my consciousness had flown with the bats. But who was he?
I scanned the surrounding jungle, looking for my backup. Leif and my friends
were at the edge of the clearing. Their arms and hands were raised as if they
protected their faces from a searing wind. Sweat and soot stained their clothes and
they averted their gazes from the man.
“No help from them, my little bat. They will burn if they come any closer.”
I tried to project into the flaming man’s mind, but his mental defenses proved
impenetrable, a Warper of incredible strength. Running out of options, I glanced
behind me and caught sight of my bow.
The blazing Warper pointed and a line of fire appeared between me and my
weapon. I jumped to my feet. The heat singed the hair in my nose. The moisture
evaporated from my mouth. I tasted ashes. A wall of hot air pushed against me and
the Warper was before me. Yet his connection with the burning wood remained.
“Fire is your downfall, little bat. Can not call it. Can not control it.”
My body roasted as if I had been staked to a spit over a giant campfire. I cast my
awareness into the jungle, hoping to find help. Nothing but the panicked thoughts of
my friends and one curious necklace snake nearby.
Just when I thought I would faint, he extended his hands and a bubble of cool air
caressed my skin. The break from the heat was an intoxicating relief. I swayed.
“Take my hands. I will not burn you. Travel with me through the fire.”
“Why?”
“Because you belong to me.”
“Not good enough. Many others have made that
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