Jack Staples and the Ring of Time (11 page)

As it slithered closer, another bolt of lightning fell, booming loudly and landing between Arthur and the Shadule. Though the creature glanced warily at the sky, it barely slowed its approach. More lightning fell, crashing all around them.

The Shadule rose fluidly into a standing position and continued forward, walking the final steps to stand over the boys. With a look of pure ecstasy, it bent low, and without so much as a glance at Arthur, the Shadule scooped Jack into its arms.

Arthur wanted to scream, to call out to Mrs. Dumphry, to do something to help Jack. But how could he stand against evil such as this?

Cradling Jack, the creature began walking away as the black wings unfurled from its body.

Alexia stood on the topmost branch of a birch tree, her sling ready in one hand as she idly thumbed a stone with the other. She’d been standing in the tree for more than an hour and was beginning to wonder if the old woman had tricked her. Maybe she’d just wanted to leave Alexia behind.

As they’d walked into the woods, Alexia had kept as close an eye on the old woman as she had on the surrounding forest. After ten minutes of walking, Mrs. Dumphry had stopped. There was nothing different about this part of the woods that Alexia could see, but the woman seemed to be able to hear, or perhaps sense something. Leaning close, she’d whispered, “The Oriax are hard to kill. But if you hit them squarely between the eyes, they will die quick enough. However, if your stone lands even an inch off center, the beasts will barely feel it.” Mrs. Dumphry’s eyes searched the forest as she spoke. “They are close now. At least one pack has been hunting us since Ballylesson.”

The old woman pointed to a nearby tree and asked Alexia if she thought she might be able to climb it. Alexia sneered and, without waiting for more instructions, she’d quietly taken four running steps and leaped for the closest branch, climbing silently. In a matter of seconds she was standing high in the tree. As she’d climbed, she’d pictured herself looking down to see Mrs. Dumphry staring up in wonder. But when she turned to look, the old woman was nowhere to be seen.

An hour later, Alexia was still standing on her branch and wishing she had stayed to hear more of Mrs. Dumphry’s plan before running off. Alexia’s anger began to grow. How long must she wait here? Although she didn’t trust the woman, she wasn’t at all excited about being alone in the woods with those Oriax nearby.

Alexia’s anger with Mrs. Dumphry wasn’t the only thing on her mind. The old woman had said she could save Megan. That was the only reason Alexia had decided to go with her. And now, here she was hiding in a tree in the middle of the forest! Her confusion and anger fed on one another until she was spitting mad. When she scanned the ground, her breath caught. A large number of Oriax were striding through the forest and would soon pass directly beneath her.

Some of the beasts moved with the fluidity of cats, while others plodded as steady as horses, jumped about like rabbits, or slithered along the ground. Yet whether they looked awkward or stealthy, they barely made a sound. Alexia counted thirty, but she was sure there were more, farther out in the darkness.

She once again wished she hadn’t left Mrs. Dumphry so early. Had she stayed, she might have learned how many Oriax were in a pack, or what the old woman expected her to do when they arrived.

As she shifted her footing to get a better view of the beasts below, something pulled at the corner of her vision. When she looked out into the trees, her jaw dropped. She hadn’t known the beasts could climb and fly!

At least another twenty Oriax were coming toward her, swinging, jumping, or flitting between the branches. They moved as silently as those on the ground. It was too dark to make out any of them clearly, but all were heading directly toward her. Though they had yet to see her, in a matter of seconds she would be surrounded. The beasts were obviously hunting something. Both the Oriax below and those in the trees stopped every now and then to smell the air before continuing on.

It was too late to move without being seen, but if Alexia stayed still, then what? She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think. Moving slowly, she stood on her toes and readied herself to spring. Silently slipping a stone into her sling, she let it drop to her side. Had the old hag placed her here so she could be eaten? The thought infuriated her.

Alexia had no more time to think. The first of the beasts had arrived. To her left was an Oriax with the arms and tail of a monkey and the body and head of a tiger. Before it moved to the next branch, another arrived on her right. This Oriax had the wings of an eagle and the body and head of a wolverine. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see even more of them arriving below.

This is the end
, she thought.

And then the lightning came. Out of a clear night sky, bright bolts exploded all around her.

Chapter 16

WHERE THERE SHOULD ONLY BE ONE

Arthur watched in absolute terror as the Shadule carried Jack away. All around, lightning exploded, throwing debris high into the air. It was so close he could feel the electricity flowing along his skin.

Not allowing himself to think further, he stood and squeezed his eyes shut. Then, screaming at the top of his lungs, he ran and dove on the Shadule’s back. As he slammed into the creature, it stumbled to the ground, and Jack slipped from its arms. Arthur landed on top, with his face pressed against the Shadule’s clammy skin.

With a viper’s speed, the Shadule melted away and bonelessly whipped around, its mouth open wider than should have been possible as it readied for a deadly attack. Arthur was sure he was about to die when an arrow flew past his head and pierced the creature’s shoulder.

A moment later a bolt of lightning struck again. It was so close that both Arthur and the Shadule were flung high into the air before landing in a rainfall of dirt and debris.

Arthur’s ears rang loudly as he struggled to his feet.

“Run!” Arthur heard Wild scream.

Wild leaned heavily against the side of the wagon and was bleeding from multiple wounds. His right arm was badly burned, yet he had somehow managed to nock another arrow. Arthur didn’t wait to see what happened next. He knew their only hope was to find Mrs. Dumphry. Stumbling into the night, he screamed for help.

Jack opened his eyes groggily. He was lying on his back staring at a lightning-streaked sky. His leg throbbed from a wound he had no memory of receiving. As he rolled onto his side, he saw a strange black-winged creature. It was facing a wild-eyed boy holding a bow and arrow.
I know that boy
, Jack thought.
That’s Ethan Wild!

As Ethan loosed the arrow, the creature moved fluidly to the side, letting it fly past.

“Run!” Ethan yelled at Jack, loosing another arrow.

With fear and adrenaline surging through him, Jack struggled to his feet and ran. And though his leg burned like fire, he made himself keep going. Lightning struck all around, shattering earth and setting trees ablaze.

As Jack ran, a beast that looked to be part monkey and part hawk flew out of the trees above him. When it saw Jack, it screeched loudly, flapped its wings, and sped toward him.

This must be a nightmare
, Jack thought as he ran. But nightmare or not, Jack Staples still ran.

The tree shook violently as lightning struck the earth below. Alexia clung to the trunk, somehow managing to stay on her branch.
It’s not possible!
The thought pounded through her head.
How can lightning strike when there is no storm?

The two Oriax that had been on either side of Alexia were gone, each killed by one of the bolts. Yet many more creatures were arriving in the surrounding trees. One of them, part gorilla and part vulture, spotted Alexia, and leaped at her from a nearby branch.

Although fear surged inside her, she also felt bone-deep rage.
The old woman thinks she can kill me this easily?
I’ll show her!
Clearing her mind of all distractions, Alexia gave herself to the trees. This was her true home. She’d lived in the trees longer than she’d lived anywhere. If these beasts thought they could come into her home and kill her, she would show them just how wrong they were.

As the Oriax swung toward her, Alexia dropped a stone into the fold of her sling and ran down the length of the branch. As she reached the end, she turned and leaped outward, swinging the sling around even as she flew backward through the air. In one fluid motion, she loosed the stone and spun around to grab hold of the branch of a nearby elm.

Although her stone struck the Oriax in the face, she’d missed the center of its vulture head. The beast shrieked, then looped its gorilla arms around the branch and shuffled toward her. It dove at Alexia as she stepped off the branch and dropped. When the Oriax landed, it looked around in confusion, its blood-red eyes searching for the girl who had been there a moment earlier. Alexia was now hanging from the branch by one arm, her hand gripped just between the Oriax’s feet.

When the beast looked down, she swung the sling with all her might, and this time her stone struck true. As the Oriax fell from the branch, Alexia crawled back up, then turned and vomited out everything that was in her stomach.

Lightning continued to strike, and all around the forest, entire trees burst into flames. As Alexia searched the surrounding trees, she gasped, almost losing her balance. Mrs. Dumphry was standing in the forest, surrounded by Oriax. At least fifty of the beasts were running, hopping, slithering, and flying at her from every direction.

The old woman spun and leaped about like an acrobat, streams of white-hot flames exploding from her palms and crashing into the beasts. Dead Oriax lay scattered all around, yet for every Oriax that went down, two more came to take its place.

Alexia didn’t have time to continue watching—an Oriax with the head of a pig and the body of a squirrel climbed steadily toward her. As she scanned the surrounding trees, she spotted four more of the beasts hunting her. Alexia slipped another stone into her sling and ran through the trees.

Arthur ran blindly, screaming for Mrs. Dumphry, though his screams were lost among the crackling booms of lightning. When he finally saw his teacher, she was surrounded by Oriax.

Arthur watched in wonder as spiderwebs of flame exploded into the beasts. The fire was coming from Mrs. Dumphry! As she spun, for just a moment she spotted Arthur, and when their eyes met, her expression shifted from determination to shock.

The world suddenly flashed a brilliant white, and Arthur had the distinct sensation of flying, just before he slammed into something solid. Lying flat on his back, the sky spun around him as the rain of lightning ceased. Arthur blinked up at the night sky and felt a sticky wet substance dripping from his face. When he touched his left eye, he was surprised to find his hand covered in blood.

“Where is the Staples boy? I told you to stay with him!”

Arthur tried to focus his good eye on Mrs. Dumphry. Her hair was out of its bun and hanging wildly around her shoulders, and her face was streaked in grime. “The creature with the”—he cut off, trying to make his voice work—“with the white eyes. It’s got Jack!”

“Where?” A look of horror crossed his teacher’s face as she bounded to her feet.

“At the wagon,” Arthur croaked. Mrs. Dumphry picked up her skirts and ran.

Jack stumbled through the forest, running as fast as his wounded leg would allow. From high up in the trees, the strange creature that was a mixture of monkey and bird flew toward him.

“You cannot hide from me, child,” a voice rasped from behind. “I have known your smell since before Time was born!”

Jack turned to see the milk-eyed creature slithering behind him. His leg screamed at him to stop, but adrenaline and fear pushed him forward. The forest blazed as whole trees burned brightly. Between the flying beast above, the slithering creature behind, and the fire all around, Jack was quickly running out of options.

“You belong with us,” the creature called. Jack didn’t look back, but he could hear its voice close behind. “You cannot run from your destiny! You are the Child of Prophecy!”

Jack dropped to the ground as the monkey-headed beast swooped down and missed him by a hair. He tried to stand again, but his leg protested and he collapsed. As he struggled to rise, Jack knew it was too late.

A split second before the flying beast arrived again, the milk-eyed creature streaked through the air, knocking the beast aside. “Mine!” it screamed. “The Child of Prophecy is mine!”

Jack struggled to his feet as the creature picked up the flying beast and flung it against a nearby tree.

Rounding on Jack, the creature’s great wings unfurled from its body as it glided toward him. In the light of the blazing trees, Jack could see it clearly for the first time. Its skin was pale gray, its ears overly large and pointed, and its head more oval than round. The wings looked as though they were a second layer of skin, and as they grew, the creature turned from pale gray to ghostly white.

Exhausted and in immense pain, Jack stayed pressed to the ground. Whatever this creature wanted, Jack was simply too tired and in too much pain to try to stop it.

“Get away from him!” a voice screamed from somewhere high in the trees.

Jack looked up to see Alexia swing around a branch, her crimson cape billowing behind her. As she landed on a lower branch, she launched herself at the creature. Somersaulting in midair, she sent a stone flying at its head. The creature, moving almost lazily, swatted the stone aside and snatched Alexia out of the air with one arm, slamming her to the ground.

Dazed and winded, Alexia lay on her back, gasping for breath. Keeping its feet rooted, the creature bent its body low so it hovered over her. Its great wings were fully extended; it snarled in rage, opening its mouth wide.

As it was about to attack, the winged creature met Alexia’s eyes and suddenly shrieked in fear. All grace vanished as it flung itself away and scrambled to its feet. “No!” it cried, pointing an accusing finger at Alexia. “It can’t be! It’s not possible!” it rattled as it took another step back.