Final Kingdom (9 page)

“Do the horses like . . . ‘bucking'?”

“I don't guess they have much say about it. You see, they belong to the men who use them for rodeos.”

“I would not like that.” Bendi shook his head. “If I could not be free, I would rather die.”

“Guess I'd feel the same way about it. But horses, they're—they're not like . . .”

“Not like us?” Bendi smiled. “How are they not like us?”

“Well, they're like the cattle you folks have. They
don't have minds like people, but they sure are nice. Some of them.”

“Tell me about this bucking.”

“Well, we put saddles on the bucking horses, then we get on, and the horse does all he can to throw us off, and we do all we can to stay on.”

“They must not be very strong if they couldn't throw a little thing like you off in ten seconds.”

Reb's pride was touched. “You don't know what you're talking about, Bendi!” he said. “Never was a hoss couldn't be rode.”

Bendi lifted his voice and spoke to the other centaurs. “Listen to this human. He thinks he can stay on my back even if I wanted to throw him off.”

Laughter went up.

Bendi said, “I would be a champion bucker back in your world. No human could stay on
my
back for ten seconds.”

“That's what you think,” Reb said. “You want to try it?”

Moonwise pulled up beside them just then. He said, “This is a good place for a camp. We will sleep here tonight and continue in the morning.”

Bendi said, “My small human thinks he wants to try to stay on my back for ten seconds while I try to throw him off. With your permission, Moonwise?”

Moonwise stared at the young Southerner, who glared back defiantly. “I do not think it would be a good idea. You might break your neck, Reb.”

“I don't intend to be tossed off. Just give me something to hang onto, and I'll show you.”

“Hang onto my belt.”

Indeed, Bendi did wear around his waist a belt with a knife stuck in it.

Reb took hold of the belt with his right hand. He
pulled his Stetson down firmly over his brow and said, “I'm ready. Let her buck.”

Instantly Bendi rose into the air and twisted. It was a mighty twist, and it sent Reb flying through the air like an arrow shot from a bow. He turned a complete somersault and landed on his back. The air was driven from his lungs with a
whoosh,
and he got up slowly, complaining, “I wasn't ready. Give me another chance.”

“Be careful. As I said, you might break your neck,” Moonwise warned.

“Not me.” He went back to the centaur and with one leap was on his back. Grasping the belt again, he pulled his hat down. “All right,” he said, gritting his teeth. “Let her go.”

Bendi began to buck, but this time Reb was prepared. He was tossed and thrown, and he almost slipped off, but somehow he managed to cling to the centaur's broad back. Loud calls sounded from the other centaurs, and Reb heard his friends whooping, “Ride ‘im, cowboy!”

Suddenly Bendi stopped bucking and stood still. He turned and said in a kindly fashion, “You are a fine rider. I didn't think anyone could have done that.”

Reb had been snapped and popped and jolted so fiercely that his vision was blurred. “Well,” he admitted, “you're a pretty good bucker too. Don't know as I ever sat on a better one.”

“Come now,” Moonwise said. “We will eat and then rest—if the foolishness is over.”

Later, after they had eaten and the centaurs were all bedded down, the Sleepers and their guides held a council.

“I'm glad the centaurs brought us this far,” Dave
said. “It would have been a hard journey on foot. I wonder how much farther it is?”

“Not more than a day's journey,” Glori said. “Over in that direction. It's dark, and you can't see now, but I know this country well.”

“What sort of people are these magicians, Glori?” Jake asked. “Somehow I just don't like the sound of that. When I think of a magician, I think of a fellow doing card tricks.”

“I do not know what a card trick is,” Glori said, “but the magicians are very powerful.”

“Strong,
you mean, like the centaurs?” Dave inquired.

“No, not physically strong but able to do strange things.”

“What kind of strange things? Tell us more about them,” Abbey urged.

“For example, I have seen one of them pick up a stone that weighed over five hundred pounds—and without touching it.”

“How could he do that?” Reb demanded. “That's impossible!”

“They do many things that seem to be impossible. I do not know how they do it, but we must be very careful. They are a rather eccentric group.”

“What does
eccentric
mean?” Reb asked.

“It means crazy,” Jake said. “Not like everybody else.”

“Oh, I didn't understand that.” Reb nodded. “I sure hope they don't decide to turn us into cats or something.”

“I do not think they will do that,” Beorn said. As usual, he sat outside the circle and was grasping his knees with his arms. “They are faithful to Goél—I should say at least
most
of them are.”

Instantly Sarah asked, “What do you mean, ‘most of them'?”

“I suppose in every land we go to, some will have been taken in by the wiles of the Dark Lord,” Beorn said.

“I do not think that is so,” Glori said. “I think the magicians are
all
faithful servants of Goél. You're always finding fault with everything, Beorn.”

The dwarf did not answer her but gazed steadily across at the Sleepers.

For a while silence fell, and then Sarah said, “I miss Josh and Wash so much.”

“So do we all,” Dave said. “It's just not the same with them gone.”

At midafternoon the next day, Moonwise held up his hand, and the column stopped. He turned to Sarah and lifted her to the ground. “We must leave you here, lady,” he said. “I wish we could go all the way in, but those were the orders of Aramore.”

“I know. Thank you so much.” Sarah reached up and took the centaur's huge, muscular hands. “We couldn't have come this far without you.”

The farewells were made quickly. Then Moonwise raised his head and looked toward the city that lay ahead of the Sleepers. “Be careful. Be very wary. We will see you at the final battle. Afterward, come back to our country sometime.”

The Sleepers watched as the centaurs disappeared.

When they were out of sight, Dave shrugged uncomfortably. “It sure was a comfort to have them around. I don't mean just the ride, but they seem so wise and strong.”

“They
are
wise and strong,” Abbey said simply. “I wish they could stay with us all the way back to the Plains of Dothan. But I'm glad they're coming to the battle.”

“I wish they could come with us to the city of the magicians,” Jake said. “But I guess we have to get along without them.”

“Let us start,” Glori said. “We will go as far as we can today, but I think it will be tomorrow before we reach the city on foot.”

After they had traveled for some time, Beorn said, “I will go ahead. It's wise to have a scout.” Without asking permission of anyone, he slipped away.

Glori said, “I do not like that.”

“What's wrong?” Dave said with some surprise.

“I do not trust Beorn.”

“I do,” Abbey said forcefully. “He's been faithful all the way.”

Glori frowned. “I do not know why I feel this way, but I feel somehow that trouble lies ahead.”

Beorn rejoined the group before evening however. “All seems clear ahead,” he said. “I guess we're all right.”

“We'll camp here tonight,” Glori said. “Then we can make it easily into Celethorn tomorrow.”

They set up camp. Fortunately there was fresh water nearby. Reb went hunting and came back soon with a small antelope that he had managed to shoot.

“Fresh meat,” he announced. “Nothing like Mc-Antelope, is there? It's like a McDonald's back in the old days.”

“I wish—” Sarah started to say, but suddenly a wild cry sounded from the growing darkness.

“Ambush!” Glori screamed. “Quick, this way!”

It appeared the Sleepers were nearly surrounded. They stumbled away from the ambush as best they could.

Then Abbey heard Dave cry out, and she said, “Are you all right, Dave?”

“Got me with an arrow! Right here in the arm . . .”

“Hurry,” Glori said. “I think we can lose them!”

They floundered on through the deepening darkness. By the time they got clear, all were panting.

“Let me see that wound,” Abbey said to Dave.

“It feels like it's on fire,” he said when she had removed the dart.

“I think there was probably some kind of poison on the arrow,” Abbey said. “We've got to go back to camp and get that leaf antiseptic.”

“We can't go back,” Glori said. “We'd all be captured.” Suddenly she whirled and faced Beorn. “You're a traitor, Beorn.” Beorn stood silently staring at the woman.

“You left us, and you knew the enemies of the Dark Lord were out there. I recognized their battle cry,” she said. “You gave us away.”

“That is not true,” Beorn said.

“Where
did
you go, Beorn?” Jake demanded. “You would have seen those soldiers . . .”

“I saw no one.”

“He is a traitor,” Glori said, “and he must die!”

“Wait, wait! We can't kill anybody!” Abbey said. She went to Beorn and looked down into his face. “Did you betray us, Beorn?”

Beorn refused to answer. He stood silent, waiting.

Sarah said, “We can't execute anyone. Only Goél can give that command.”

Glori scowled. “He will betray us again. I think he's done it before. How many times have we run into ambushes and traps—and always he's been the one out in front! I say execute him now.” She slipped an arrow from her quiver and nocked it expertly, then drew the bow to full pull, with the arrow tip aimed at the dwarf.

Abbey leaped forward and pushed the bow aside. The arrow was knocked out of its path. It hissed
through the air, passing not a foot from Beorn's body.

“There's no proof,” Abbey said, facing Glori.

Glori said, “I am your leader. That was the command of Goél.”

“No, you were just a guide, and you have guided us to the city. Your job is done.”

Abbey was usually soft-spoken, but there was fire in her eyes now, and she put her hands on her hips. “If you want to do something helpful, go back and see if you can find that antiseptic.”

“Say,” Jake said. “I'd forgotten, but I believe some of the centaurs' special leaves got put in my pack.” He pulled off his backpack and found the small packet of leaves. “Make a fire,” he said. “We'll make a poultice out of these. It'll draw out that poison.”

There was a bustle of activity, and soon Dave was feeling the coolness of the medicine on his arm. “That feels good,” he whispered. He had grown very pale, and sweat had broken out on his face.

“Breathe some of the fumes too,” Abbey said, helping him to sit up.

Dave inhaled deeply of the fragrant leaves. “That's good,” he whispered, then seemed to drop off to sleep.

“He'll be all right soon. Maybe tomorrow,” Jake said hopefully.

But Glori was frowning. “I tell you that dwarf will lead us all to our destruction!” That she was furious at being set aside was obvious. “Goél will not be pleased that you have allowed yourselves to be deceived by a traitor.” Swiftly she walked several yards away and stood with her back to the group.

“I'm sorry, Glori,” Abbey called after her, “but we can't take a life just because you're suspicious.” Then she began stroking Dave's hair. “You'll be all right, Dave,” she whispered. “You've got to be all right!”

T
he Sleepers quickly discovered they had made another mistake. They were much farther from the city of Celethorn than they had thought. Glori determined this the next day after going on a scouting expedition. She came back with a worried expression on her face. “I was wrong. It is the ridge beyond the one you see where the Land of the Magicians lies.”

Abbey was sitting beside Dave, who was lying flat on his back. He was still pale, and he had not recovered from the effect of the poison dart as fully as she had hoped. “Dave can't travel,” Abbey said quietly. “He'll have to be a lot better than this before he can walk.”

“We can't stay here,” Glori said. She knelt beside him, putting a hand on his forehead. “I can see he's very ill. Why don't I go on ahead to Celethorn? I can make fast time, and when I get there I can return with a horse and wagon. The magicians can help him, I'm sure of that.”

The Sleepers looked at each other.

Abbey said uncertainly, “That may be best. I don't think he'll be able to move for a few days.” In her heart she was wondering if he would get well at all. He had been groggy, and his mind had wandered during the night.

“All right, then,” Glori said. “You have a little food left. It shouldn't take me more than two days to get there, going as fast as I can—maybe less. And on the
way back I'll have the horse and wagon. Say altogether three days at the most.” She stripped off all her gear, saying, “I must travel lightly. Don't fear—I will bring back help.”

The Sleepers stood watching as she loped lightly away, moving like a practiced runner.

Jake said hopefully, “Maybe she'll make it even quicker than she thinks.” Then, looking down at Dave, he muttered, “He doesn't look good to me.”

“He's not good,” Abbey said, “and I don't know anything else to do for him.”

Beorn said, “There are some herbs that my people use. I do not know if any grow around here, but I will look. They may help.” He strode away.