Land of Verne (25 page)

Grim fell to his knees. The pain of the Changeling’s scratch emanated throughout his whole body. He dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. Then a dirigible soared overhead, dropping a basket. Its symbols looked familiar to Grim, but blackness took him.

The last thing he heard was his sister calling his name.

Chapter 26

The sun shone through the Infirmary window, practically stabbing Grim in the eyes. His head throbbed with pain and he rolled over. Standing beside him was Sam, smiling.

“Sam,” he whispered, his voice still failing him. “You’re all right.”

“You saved us,” his little brother said and put his arms around him. Despite the pain in his head, Grim pulled him close. Toby leapt up on the bed.

“What happened?” he asked.

“You saved us,” said Treena’s voice. She appeared behind Sam. Rudy and Quinn were right beside her, with Ellen and the twins bringing up the rear.

“You did it,” boomed Rudy.

Grim grabbed his head and groaned.

“Not without all of you,” he muttered, “especially Rudy and Quinn. They figured it out.”

The twins jumped on the bed. “You rock!” yelled Benny and Barny, flicking switches on their little watches. They cast images of themselves jumping on the other beds. Ellen smiled. In her hand she clutched the head of her doll. And Rudy leaned over and kissed Grim on the forehead.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“A bit of a risky venture,” said the voice of Aunt Patrice. Grim craned his neck to see his Aunt standing behind Treena. She was in the form Grim knew from before they came to this world. White hair, and all.

“What happened to everyone? Are they all right?” he asked.

His Aunt nodded. “Thanks to all of you,” she said. “Galan had us fooled. I never thought the one person I trusted most in this world would betray me. But he sold his soul to darkness.”

Grim pulled himself up in the bed.

Aunt Patrice smiled. “I’m glad to know that there are some shrewd minds here. I will have few regrets when I depart.”

“What?” Grim said. “Where are you going? Are you going to re-open the Tower?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. I need some time to think. I jeopardized the lives of innocent children trying to hide here. It was a grave mistake. I will take my business elsewhere for now.”

“But everyone will know we’re back.”

“They already do,” she said. “Galan and Adelaide escaped on an airship.”

Grim remembered seeing it. “Was that Festrel’s ship?”

She nodded. “And Lord Victor and his son are quite aware of who you are. There is no point in pretending any longer.”

“So are we staying here at the orphanage? Or can we rejoin Dad and Pop?” Grim asked.

“I am afraid it isn’t that simple,” said his Aunt. “It is not safe with them yet. I am sending you south, to the City of Sanctum.”

Grim moaned.

“It is for the best, for there is nowhere else for you to go. Your parents are going to be battling openly with your uncle and his minions. And you are still too young to help.”

Grim shook his head to correct his Aunt. “But I’m a Mystic now. We all are. We can help.”

“There is far more to being a Mystic than simply calling upon a Jinn. You need training. Until the Tower is re-opened, you will remain in Sanctum.”  She nodded towards the bedside. “And I believe you have a book to study.”

Grim closed his eyes. He felt exhausted. “How long have I been out?”

Rudy put her hand on his shoulder. “Three days.”

“What?”

“Adelaide’s claws were dipped in Marmorite Blue with fish liver,” said Aunt Patrice. “It’s poisonous, but you’re cured now. You just need rest.”

“What about Veerasin?” he asked.

“Fortunately she is stronger than her frail appearance. Barny brought her out of the catacombs and she is back in the kitchens having fully recovered. It appears that the blood of a Changeling has immunity to some conditions, even though it might create some others.” She winked at Quinn, who blushed.

“What about Valeria? Is Eevenellin all right?”

“Eevenellin has chosen to leave the orphanage. She feels responsible for not saving her friend. Unfortunately Valeria’s stone form was destroyed by Galan. There will be a funeral for her once you have recovered.”

“Oh,” Grim said. “And what about Dorian?”

“It seems he has found himself in a good position among friends,” said his Aunt. “I hear that a certain young man made a very thoughtful gesture. He was received warmly by the Resistance.”

“And our parents?” he asked.

“Happy that you are all alive, though their lives have changed now. Your uncle will pursue them harder, determined to remove any threat to his power.”

Her Aunt looked to everyone around the bed. “I think that’s enough questions for now. Everyone out and leave Grim to his rest.”

Each of them gave Grim a hug or squeezed his hand, leaving Aunt Patrice alone with him. Rudy was the last to depart.

“Festrel was trying to get to Earth with the stones,” he said, once everyone had left.

His Aunt looked troubled. “So Rudolpha told me. It would seem that both Galan and Festrel are too ambitious to work together. That may prove well for us in the end, for they may destroy themselves while trying to destroy us.”

“I don’t want you to leave,” Grim muttered. Despite his annoyance at his Aunt, it was comforting that she was there with them. She was home.

Grim heard a twittering sound beside him. It was Scarlet. He held out a hand to her.

“Scarlet.”

She inched towards him, seemingly unsure if he was still upset.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know why you did it. You saved my life.”

She settled onto the pillow next to him and purred.

“I am so very proud of you, Grimwald. And I think you will do well on your own. You have proven to be more than the young gentleman I expected you to be. You have friends and you have your siblings. You’ll do well.”

“How will I learn to summon?”

His Aunt stroked his hair. “The book will teach you the basics, but you must keep it a secret.”

Grim nodded. “I understand.”

“Now,” she said. “It’s time you got some rest. And when you wake, you should be able to get back to living among these walls until it’s time to leave. If I’m not mistaken, it’s your turn to scrub the pots. I believe Orlanda Kennelworth is looking forward to your return.”

His Aunt’s eyes shone with mirth and Grim laughed.

Grim laid back down and let the sun warm his face. He fell into a deep sleep.

He did not dream of Changelings or black-cloaked Jinns. Nor did he dream of cleaning sewers, scouring pots covered in boiled octopus, or cold nights in a decrepit orphanage. No, instead Grimwald Doyle dreamt of seeing his dads sometime soon, of his brothers and sisters safe and sound, of a grand shining manor, and a leather-bound book filled with unknown secrets.

SIMIAN'S LAIR: A TALE FROM THE LAND OF VERNE

This 'Tale From the Land of Verne' is a children's short story that takes place in the world of the Grim Doyle Adventures. Enjoy reading about some of the characters you know from Scourge!
Four orphans from the land of Verne are lured into Simian's Lair - a dark abode whose purpose has been lost to the ravages of time. In it dwells an evil that must be cleansed, and from it, they must retrieve a secret that's been locked away for centuries. Join them, along with Madam Patrice and Master Rickett, on a journey where courage is found in the darkest of places.

Copyright ©2011 David H. Burton
Published by Stonehenge Press

Into the Lair

Into the Lair

Spring, a time of renewal and rebirth – when
winter’s frozen grip upon the world is loosened. And, as it
is in our world, it is also true for another one called Verne; a
world of magic, marvel, and mayhem.

Four orphans stood about on this spring morning; a fine morning
by most standards, with the singular exception that a Dragon had
swooped over the city. And Dragons, as most people knew, were an
ill omen.

At least, such things had been told to Sari, the ten-year old
whose mother was a Sylph. She floated along the ground in a
shimmering dress, as was the nature of her kind. In her wake was
Widget, a lad of mixed heritage, half-Gargoyle, half-Human. He,
too, was bored of watching Mount Simeon in the distance, to where
the Dragon had flown.

At his side walked Roden, or Roe as most called her. She also
wore ten summers upon her head, and a bow across her shoulder. She
was Widget’s distant cousin, and as pure a Gargoyle as there
could be. Like Widget, spiky, black hair adorned her head and she
had a set of wings that spread when she was afraid or angered.

Rounding out the quartet was Maddock, a headstrong lad of
eleven. And no one, not even Maddock himself, knew his true
heritage. Yet something about him, especially his oversized feet
and bulbous nose, made most think that Troll’s blood flowed
through his veins.

He followed, after one last look to the skies.

The four children made their way through the newly cobbled
streets, avoiding the strange contraptions that rolled past them
– horseless carriages that used something called absinth to
drive them. It was an invention from the Southlands; one of many
that was beginning to show up throughout the lands.

They ambled towards a building with charred walls, a sad
imitation of a manor. Perched along the ramparts were stone
Dragons, much like other manors, but these were far too lifelike
— the details in their scales and claws a little too close to
the real thing. The building had many names, depending on the land
of one’s birth. It was sometimes called the Unknown Manor,
because its centuries-year-old origins could only be speculated.
But mostly it was referred to as Simian’s Lair.

Not all was gloom here. The City of Harkness was starting to
grow once more, building on top of an old city that had lain in
ruins for centuries. And newcomers from all over were migrating in,
bringing with them their newfangled gadgets and carefree
demeanor.

The four orphans had found a few items among the refuse that the
new inhabitants had tossed into the gutters. Widget had found
himself a pair of goggles that gave him night vision. Sari had a
rod that let her summon fire and Roe possessed a mechanical
crossbow that never missed. Maddock didn’t trust the
contraptions from the Southlands. He would have nothing to do with
them. Even his one mechanical eye he tried not to rely upon. It was
an implant. One that he never remembered receiving. It was like
that for the others as well, none of them remembered receiving
their mechanical parts: Sari’s hand, Roe’s wing, and
Widget’s ear. Those parts were also the reason Humans could
see them now. Normally they could remain invisible to the Human
eye, as most of the Unseen could choose to do, but the absinth
parts made that now impossible. That part made Maddock wish even
harder that he could rid himself of his unnatural eye.

He studied the manor with his real one. There was nothing
obvious. Then, despite his reservations, he employed his mechanical
one. It showed him that the building was generating heat, far more
than the others in the city. He wasn’t sure what to make of
it, but he knew it did not bode well.