The Three Furies (Erec Rex) (15 page)

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Labor Society, somehow get through the locked side door, and draw another quest without any interference? But how could he get a quest if he couldn't get into the Labor Society? How would he ever save Bethany?

Jam cleared his throat. "Sir? I have an idea." His voice sounded weak. "I'll go through the Port-O-Door close to where we were, but a bit farther back. I'll distract the guards, shout that I'm Erec Rex. If I wear a cloak they won't see who I am, and they'll assume it's you. Then you can take the Port-O-Door to the back side of the lawn and sneak through the door when they're coming after me."

Erec's jaw dropped. "Jam, that's crazy. Those soldiers would shoot you on the spot." He realized from Jam's expression that Jam was fully aware of that. He was willing to sacrifice himself to help Erec get his quest and save Bethany.

Erec put a hand on Jam's trembling shoulder. "Jam, that's the craziest, most ridiculous idea I've ever heard in my life. I can't believe you would die to help me."

Jam looked like he couldn't believe it either, but he shook his head. "It's the only way I can think of. I'll go find a cloak, sir."

"No! Look, even if I did make it to that door, it would be locked, and I'd be dead a second after you were." He started to pace the hallway. "Is there a way to make the Port-O-Door go underground? Maybe I could dig my way up into the Labor Society."

"Not into the ground, no, sir. Only underground to Aorth."

"That won't help. Could it put me on the roof?"

"I don't believe so. The only options I've seen on the maps are at ground height." Jam frowned. "It's too bad that it won't put us high up in the tree."

"If we bring a ladder and climb up into a tree out of the guards' sight, we could swing from branch to branch, then drop onto the roof."

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"Like monkeys?" Jam looked skeptical. Erec almost laughed. Jam was right, it was another crazy idea. The trees were too far apart anyway, and probably none were close to the roof of the Labor Society building.

Erec paced some more, then stopped. "I know. A bomb. We could blast our way into the building."

Jam looked at him blankly, saying nothing.

Erec closed his eyes. "Yeah, I know. How would we even get a bomb? How would we get it close enough to blow up the Labor Society? And after we blew it up, we'd be arrested before I drew a quest."

"Should I go get the cloak, then, sir?"

"No! Jam, we'll find another way."
Think
. How could he get up high, or around the guards somehow? If only he could fly. . . .

That was it! He knew what he could do.

A smile lit up his face. "Jam, I just remembered some friends who might be able to help." He leaned against a windowsill that faced away from the gathering crowds from Alypium and looked across the fields where the castle gardens once stood. He could picture the entrance to the castle maze, the rows of perfect roses, the daisies with the huge spinning tops whirling into the air. He remembered running through the flagpoles that sported flags from more countries than he ever knew existed.

Erec hadn't done a Dragon Call in a while. He closed his eyes and turned them around in their sockets, bringing his dragon eyes forward. He could do it so easily now, accessing the right feelings he needed to make his eyes change. Thinking about Bethany in danger was more than enough. As usual, everything around him looked bright green once his dragon eyes were out. Big clumps of white hung in the air--the Substance that carried all the magic in the world. It looked beautiful beyond imagination.

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He gazed into the skies and sent a message with his eyes.
Dragons! I need your help to save Bethany. Please come quickly!
His thoughts beamed upward into the clouds, along with the pure ray of love that would send it through. He tried to focus on his Dragon Call, sending its message far and wide.

Within moments, two flecks appeared on the horizon. They bobbed up and down through the wind and grew into graceful creatures, long tails arcing behind them. Erec went out a side door, careful to keep his dragon eyes out so that the incoming dragons would recognize him right away. When dragons saw each other's eyes, they were able to read the other's mind and know immediately what was going on.

But when the two dragons landed, Erec let his regular eyes come back out again. The big dragon, Patchouli, would know him anywhere. Her bloodred spines glowed against her reddish scales, and her black jointed wings were massive. The other dragon was small and green, only about eight feet tall and fifteen feet long. It gave Patchouli a questioning look when they landed.

Rushing forward, Erec threw his arms around Patchouli's long neck. She lifted her head and he dangled for a moment in the air before he slid back down along her scales.

"Thank you so much for coming," he cried. "Bethany has been captured by Baskania. The only way I can save her is by doing my next quest, and the Labor Society building is guarded by an army. I can't get in. Can you fly me over the building, straight to Al's Well in back?"

"Of course, Erec. As I've said, I'm at your service. You once rescued my babies. Here I have someone I'd like you to meet." She nodded toward the smaller dragon, who looked away shyly. "This is my son, Little Erec. I named him after you, since you saved his life."

Erec could not believe his eyes. This could not possibly be the

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tiny dragon who once had fit in the palm of his hand. It had been injured, with a bent neck, and Erec had pulled it out from where it was trapped and fed it until its mother returned. "But he was so tiny. . . ."

"Dragons grow fast." Patchouli snorted a gust of steam into the air. "All of my children owe you their lives, but Little Erec does the most. He insisted on coming with me to help you."

The small green dragon blinked its large eyes. Erec came closer to pet its smooth scales and then it smiled.

"Why don't you climb on Little Erec's back and we'll fly you over Alypium? We can find the best spot to land from the air." Patchouli sighed a blast of heat. "It's still dangerous for us to be here, though. The army is on alert for dragons, by order of Baskania. As soon as they see us, they'll try to shoot us down."

"That won't give us much time." Erec climbed his namesake's green spines up its tail and onto its back. He frowned. "Maybe you shouldn't come, Little Erec." He petted its snout. "One dragon will be enough to fly me there. It doesn't make sense to put you both in danger."

Patchouli hesitated. "I would rather go by myself and keep Little Erec safe. But on the other hand, he owes you a blood debt. It is his destiny to be at your side when you need him."

Little Erec looked around at him and nodded, not a trace of fear in his eyes. Erec put an arm around his neck. "Wow, thanks, guy. We better be careful, then. I have to return you back here safely."

Patchouli agreed. "I'll wait for you both here."

Erec looked around for the Alypium crowd. They were out of sight, but they had probably seen the dragons landing. Patchouli might not be safe here for long. "All right. Let's go, then, Little Erec."

He stepped onto the green spikes that stuck from the dragon's back and wedged himself between two of them. Little Erec soared

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straight upward into the sky. Cold wind blasted Erec's hair back, and blue sky surrounded him. Erec squeezed his arms around its neck, holding on for dear life. The small spines around him weren't enough to hold him, and the one in front of him wagged dangerously from one side to the other. Without warning, Little Erec turned sharply in the air, and Erec slid off its back, dangling from the dragon's green scaly neck. He grabbed as hard as he could as they shot straight into a fluffy white cloud.

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CHAPTER ELEVEN Paper Can't Be Fooled

WIRLS OF CLOUD spun around Erec as he held on tight to the young dragon's neck. As soon as he caught his breath, he screamed, then finally was able to shout, "I'm falling! I'm falling off! Help!"

In one curling motion, little Erec dipped down and up again to catch Erec on his back. He floated evenly in the air until Erec was able to adjust himself between the spines again. "That's good. Thanks."

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They soared lower until Alypium grew from a tiny patch into a village. Erec pointed out the looming silver spires and flags of the Labor Society to Little Erec. From high up, Erec could see the walled-in back gardens and the hill where Al's Well sat. He smiled at the ease of flying. Why bother trying to break into his usual side entrance when he could go straight to the well itself?

The guards shouted and fired off a few gunshots as Little Erec soared over the turrets and into the field behind the building. Yet there was no passageway for the guards to get through to them here. Little Erec landed at the top of the small hill, outside the large round stone wall.

A door opened and Al, the keeper of the well, appeared. He looked like a plumber, with a rubber plunger in his hands and a tool belt weighing down his sagging overalls. al was embroidered on the front pocket. "Heeey, yer back again. Clever," he said, nodding at the dragon. He ran a hand through his hair, a big grin on his face. "Now you've got dis guy to take you around. Nice. I was wondering if I'd ever see ya out here again. Dey got this place locked down pretty tight." He rubbed his hands together. "Da Fates have been ready ta give ya your next quest for a while now, but I had no way ta get the message to ya."

"Yeah, I'm just glad I got here in one piece. It's good to see you, too. I better hurry and get the quest before Baskania shows up. He'll probably find out that I'm here soon from the guards out there."

"Or dose Harpies will tell 'im when dey come back. Dey're always flying around looking for you." Al looked up at the sky. "One problem, though. You're supposed ta sign Janus's paper pad inside before ya draw yer quest, or the Labor Society will say it don't count. Not dat it matters, I say. The Fates are giving you your quests, not them. Up to you, though."

"I'll just get the quest, thanks."

Al led Erec and Little Erec through the door into the small

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grassy enclosure where several of the well's servants were polishing gleaming wrenches and pliers. The stench of the place hit Erec immediately. Al took a deep whiff. "Ahh. Ya can never get enough of the smell of life. No?"

In the center of the enclosure hung a round shower curtain. Al pulled the cord and it slid open to reveal Al's Well, which looked like a large white toilet. Green smoke wafted from its bowl.

At once the servants around Erec fell to their knees and bowed repeatedly toward the toilet. Erec kneeled in front of it. The water looked black, going down into what seemed like a bottomless pit. He took a breath and stuck his hand deep inside. The water was freezing and hot at the same time. What would this quest make him do? It better not keep him away from Bethany too long.

A thick paper was in the water and he pulled it out. For a moment he was afraid to look at it, but then he read, "No quest will be given until Janus's pad is signed."

A flash of feathers flapped in front of his face and Erec gasped. The dripping note was snatched from his fingers by a claw. He looked up with shock as a Harpy sailed away with it. A few more were coming toward him--sharp, sneering, beaklike women's faces on vulture bodies.

Erec climbed Little Erec's scales onto his back. "Hurry. Down the hill there's a back door into the building. I know how to find Janus from there."

Several more Harpies circled in the sky as Erec and the dragon flew over the stone wall to the bottom of the hill. Erec shook and jiggled the door but it was locked. "Ugh! What are we going to do?" He gave the dragon a long look. "Can you breathe fire yet? Maybe you can blow the door down."

Little Erec took a breath and blew hot steam onto the doorknob. Other than making Erec feel like he was visiting the equator,

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though, the smoke had no effect at all. The dragon turned its head and looked at Erec sheepishly.

"Come on, guy. You can do it! Haven't you breathed fire before?"

It shook its head.

"Try again, okay?"

Erec looked up nervously. Some of the Harpies were flying closer. Once enough of them gathered together to lift him, they would grab him with their claws and fly him to Baskania.

Little Erec panted in and out deeply and then took a big breath. He held it a while, then blew at the door as hard as he could. A thin flame, like a blowtorch, burned a small hole above the doorknob.

"Good job, little guy!" It felt funny calling a creature much bigger than he was "little." Erec stuck his arm through the hole and unlocked the door, and they ran inside. "This way!" They ran to the elevators up in the building lobby. Little Erec could barely fit inside the elevator. It had to wind around so that his body lined the walls.

Just a few steps out of the elevator, Erec froze. Armed guards filled the lobby.

"Hey, there he is!" Guns were pointed at him from all over the room.

Erec's head spun in a blind spasm of rage. He started to fall, and for a moment he thought he had been shot. His shirt started to tear. Dragon spines rose from his back, ripping through the cloth. He was growing, stretching. Claws popped from his fingertips. Green scales rose on his skin, and everything around him turned green.

A cloudy thought vision filled his head: