Secret of Gloomwood Forest Page 12

  He steered Norwick after the wyvern carrying Aleks and his rider. They were still following Aleks’ innate navigational sense. Not for the first time, Zaria wondered how he did it.

  She almost asked Hector, but decided not to as it was a very personal matter for Aleks. Maybe he didn’t want to know where he came from. Maybe knowing his grandmother was a changeling too was enough for him.

  A part of Zaria agreed with that thinking. She wanted to know her birth mother. But she wanted to know the story behind Helena more than she wanted to meet her. It was answers Zaria sought now, not a face-to-face.

  For instance, how did one become the ruler of the Under Realm? Helena was a sorceress, did that mean Zaria was too? Hector mentioned something about Zaria coming into her powers. What kind of powers would she have? Who was her birth father? Were her birth parents still together? And, finally, why did Helena (and her birth father) give her up for adoption?

  Aleks’ wyvern banked again and they followed, with Filip and Geirr right behind. Together they spiraled down and landed in the street in front of Filip’s house. Not even the wind moved down here. The trees and branches were still.

  “I can’t believe we were here just six days ago,” Aleks said, sliding off his wyvern, a big gray beast.

  “Me neither,” Geirr said, stretching his limbs. “I can’t wait to get inside and take a hot shower.”

  “Ladies first,” Zaria joked, accepting Hector’s hand in getting down.

  He walked them to the front door of the building. Filip grabbed the key from its hiding place and unlocked the door. As they were walking inside, Hector caught Zaria’s arm and held her back.

  “Remember who you are, Princess,” he told her.

  Zaria’s forehead puckered. She stared at him in confusion. “What?”

  “Remember dragons will seek to muddle you. Their power lies in deceit, fabrication, and lies.”

  “But you said they’re all captured.”

  “And Olaf seeks to free the darkest and most vile one from captivity. Protect yourself and your friends. Do not trust strangers.”

  “Will you send word if you rescue, Hart?”

  Hector nodded. “I will send word. Be safe, Princess.”

  Zaria watched as Hector rejoined the others. They climbed onto the winter-wyverns and launched themselves into the air. She waited, watching until she couldn’t see them anymore in the gleam of the early morning dawn. Then she turned and raced indoors. The boys had waited at the bottom of the stairs for her.

  “I think I could sleep for a week,” Filip said, cracking a yawn.

  “Well first we should shower and undo the stargazer,” Aleks said. “Then call at Christoffer’s and see if he made it home.”

  They agreed that this was the best plan and hurried the rest of the way up the stairs. Zaria plowed into the back of Filip and would have nearly tumbled back down the stairs, except for his quick reflexes. There leaning against the door jamb to Filip’s room was Christoffer.

  “What took you so long?” Christoffer asked.

  They stared at him agog. He looked fine. His hair was freshly showered, his clothes a bit large as they were borrowed from Filip’s closet.

  “Jeez,” Christoffer complained. “Stop staring at me like you’ve seen the Ghost of Christmas Past.”

  “You’re all right!” Geirr shouted, recovering first. He launched himself at Christoffer and tackled him to the ground.

  Aleks and Filip ran over and joined the roughhousing. They were laughing and joking and talking all over one another. Zaria smiled watching them. If she was honest with herself, she was feeling a little left out.

  “Get over here,” Filip called to her, waving an arm.

  A real smile lit her features, and she ran to the boys, accepting the group hug and returning it. They were her best friends.

  “Glad you’re home,” Zaria said, bumping shoulders with Christoffer.

  “You’re never going to believe what we went through to rescue you,” Geirr started.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Christoffer said mildly. “A river-troll named Olaf held me captive in a bubble room underwater without any visible exits until about six hours ago. I might have a few stories of my own. Try me.”

  Aleks laughed. “Well, it started when Zaria told you about a troll you refused to believe existed. Come on man, what were you thinking? I’m a changeling.”

  Christoffer ducked his head. At his sheepish expression, Aleks rolled his eyes.

  “Never mind. Don’t tell us. You’re an idiot.”

  Christoffer nodded. “Yes, idiot. When I saw him I thought I could bargain with him, but he wouldn’t bite.”

  “That’s because you weren’t what he wanted,” Zaria said kindly. “He wanted me to steal something he couldn’t get close to.”

  “What was it?”

  Zaria told him. The others filled in as she went. Christoffer was incredulous and serious by turns as the story developed. He whistled at their meeting with Norwick, groaned when they were captured by the mountain-trolls, and whooped at the story of their escape from underground.

  “Oh man,” he complained. “I missed everything. I would kill to see Norwick up close.”

  “That’s only the half of it,” Zaria informed him.

  “There’s more?”

  “Lots.”

  They talked through the night. Conversation was grim at the news of Hart and what Olaf planned to do to release Koll. Filip was gung-ho to join the rescue mission. Zaria was too for that matter. But the practicality of it was impossible. Besides Hector had told her to stay and not do anything foolish.

  On Monday morning, Aleks pulled out the stargazer and held it aloft. The egg had a reddish glow. With his finger he reached into the littlest star and grimaced. When he withdrew his hand, he shook it out.

  “That was freaking hot,” he muttered.

  “We had it going a long time,” Filip said unconcerned. “Probably meant to get that hot.”

  “Did it work?” Zaria asked. “Or er… stop working?”

  Aleks went to Filip’s window and thrust it open. He looked outside and nodded. Through the window a loud argument could be heard.

  “You’re so lazy, Dan, you didn’t get anything done at all this weekend.”

  “This whole week has gone by really quickly. There just wasn’t time.”

  “Oh yeah? Where does the time go?” the unnamed woman demanded.

  A knock sounded on the door of Filip’s bedroom, startling the group. Aleks shut the window.

  “How’s everyone doing in there?” asked Mrs. Storstrand. “School is in an hour. It’s time to get up.”

  Her eyes went wide at seeing Christoffer and she flung the door open. “Christoffer Johansen!”

  Christoffer waved. “Hi, Mrs. Storstrand.”

  “Your mother is worried sick about you. Where have you been?” she hustled over and gave him a bear hug. She pulled back to look at him. “Come with me, mister, we’re going to go call your parents.”

  As she shuffled off with him, Christoffer turned back and waved. The smile on his face was wide and big. He did not mind the fuss Filip’s mother was causing at all. He even hugged her back.

  Epilogue: Where a Mouse Becomes a Lion

  For a week Zaria was listless and edgy. She was relieved to have rescued Christoffer and that he was unharmed. At times she marveled that Olaf had kept his word. Despite the successful rescue, Zaria felt dreadful.

  She’d traded one person for another and in the process had started a series of events that if left unchecked would release a dragon back into the world. She didn’t know how bad it could get, but it would certainly be bad if people would be influenced against their will to do horrible things. She wondered what Olaf’s and Koll’s eventual game plan really was.

  As for the rest of the friends, Aleks, Geirr, and Filip were fine. Their parents’ hadn’t noticed anything. Zaria’s hadn’t either. She tried not to look guilty when her mother shook her head over ev
ents that happened last week. Apparently the adults knew they did stuff, but couldn’t remember any of it.

  Christoffer wasn’t grounded per se, but he certainly wasn’t allowed out anywhere without his mom or dad. Zhuang and Emma Johansen were happy to have his friends over, but they wouldn’t let Christoffer go to his friends’ homes. They were focused on family bonding times. What hurt the most was to see the vulnerability in his parents’ eyes Christoffer admitted one day at school.

  “I hate it, but what can I tell them? That I was kidnapped by a troll? Get real.”

  “My parents didn’t believe me when I told them about Olaf.”

  Christoffer slung an arm around her shoulder. “Just promise me one thing,” he said.

  Zaria looked at him. “Anything.”

  “Take me with you on the next adventure.”

  “The next adventure?”

  “Oh come on,” he teased. “We got a bad guy working to release an even bigger bad guy. There’s going to be another adventure. I want in and this time around I don’t want to be held for ransom.”

  “Can’t make any promises,” Zaria said, kicking at her feet. “I don’t know when or if I’ll be needed.”

  “You’re a part of this fairy tale,” Christoffer said with all seriousness. “You’re the daughter of the Queen of the Under Realm. And you got powers.” He raised his fingers and waggled them at her. “Ooooooo.”

  Zaria laughed and shoved him away. “Okay. Yes, the next adventure you can be the number one sidekick. Happy?”

  Christoffer relaxed. “No, but I’ll get there.”

  Zaria laid a comforting hand on his arm. “We all will.”

  “I thought you weren’t going to make promises?”

  A look of steel entered Zaria’s eyes. She stood a little straighter and flipped her braids behind her shoulder. “All fairy tales have to have a happy ending. I may not be one yet, but I am going to be a dragon slayer before this is all over.”

  The Adventure Continues

  Zaria Fierce and the

  Enchanted Drakeland Sword

  Get a sneak peek of the next book in the Zaria Fierce Trilogy at http://keiragillett.com/drakeland-sword

  About the Author: Keira Gillett

  Keira Gillett is a technical publications librarian, book blogger, world traveler, artist, and now author. She graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Drawing and Painting. From an early age her mother instilled a love of the written word, as such she has always been an avid reader. She’s excited to share her love of reading and Zaria Fierce with the world.

  Find her at http://keiragillett.com/

  About the Artist: Eoghan Kerrigan

  Eoghan Kerrigan is an illustrator from Kildare, Ireland who draws primarily fantasy characters and creatures. He studied illustration in Ballyfermot College of Further Education and has produced work for various independent projects. He has two cats and a soft spot for trolls.

  Find him at http://eoghankerrigan.blogspot.ie/