The Dragon's Lair (12 page)

"Saeli, this is Amariel," Ven said quickly. "She's my friend, and she's coming with us."

Saeli blinked, then nodded. She reached into the apple bushel and pulled out a twig. In her hand it stretched and opened into a stem of pink blossoms. Saeli held it out toward the trembling merrow.

When Amariel didn't move, Ven took the twig and gave it to her.

"Thanks," Amariel mumbled.

Saeli nodded again, then settled down next to the apples. Her head turned, and Ven saw the long, caramel-colored braid of her hair jiggle. Amariel's eyes opened wide as a tiny face peeped out. It looked like it belonged to a puffy brown monkey.

"Dear ocean, she's picked up a
barnacle
," she whispered to Ven.

"No—that's the keekee," Ven whispered back. "It's an odd little animal she rescued from the Gated City. It hides in her hair."

Amariel's hand went quickly over her mouth.

"Ambergris?" Ven inquired.

The merrow nodded.

"It won't hurt you—it's as shy as Saeli. But it can be brave and smart like her, too. They make a good pair."

Over the side of the wagon Clemency's voice could be heard.

"Nope—this is Ciara's. Is this yours? Are you sure? Now, I
know
this is Bridgette's,
this
is Emma's—Ida, for goodness sake, did you pack
anything
that actually belongs to
you
?"

He looked over the side of the wagon as Mrs. Snodgrass came out of the Inn, carrying a huge basket and a small plate. Clem was still rummaging in Ida's bundle, pulling out handkerchiefs and underwear, hair ribbons, combs, and other items that she tucked under her arm as she walked. Ida sauntered after her, a smirk on her face, her colorless hair desperately in need of brushing. The two girls climbed onto the back of the wagon and stopped. They stared at the merrow. Then Clemency looked at Ven.

"Who's that?" she asked.

"Ven's friend," Char said. "Name's Amariel. Get in."

Clemency looked at Ven. "What? What's—"

"Get in, Clem," Ven said tersely. "You too, Ida."

Ida's eyes narrowed but she obeyed. She picked her way around the supplies and sat down right next to Amariel, staring at her. She looked her up and down, and then a grimace of disgust came over her face.

"That's the strangest dress I've ever seen," she said. "Did you just come from the king's ball? And—Ven, she's
wet!
Ugh. She's not even housebroken. Eeeuww—the whole floor of the wagon around her is wet, too. Bleah. I'm moving."

"Shut up, Ida," Ven snapped. He looked at the merrow. Amariel's expression went from nervous to black with anger just as Mrs. Snodgrass's face appeared over the side right next to her.

"You children ready?" the innkeeper asked. She caught sight of the merrow, and her eyes opened wide in surprise. "Oh! Sorry, dearie, didn't know you were there." She looked more carefully, and a gentle look came over her face. "Ven, who's this, now?"

"Amariel," Ven said shortly, glaring at Ida. "My friend."

Mrs. Snodgrass's expression changed again to one of understanding. "Well, good day to you, Amariel. 'Tis a pretty name you have there. You're traveling with Ven and the others?" The merrow nodded timidly. "Very good. Do you have enough clothes for the journey?"

Amariel squeezed Ven's elbow so hard that it hurt. Ven touched the collar of his shirt to indicate what clothes were.

"No," the merrow said. "I don't have anything."

"Ah. Well, not a problem. Come with me, dearie, and I'll see if I can't roust you up some nice things," said Mrs. Snodgrass. "Ven, why don't you help her out of there? She looks like she's been sitting a while, and her legs are probably cramped." She pointed to the corner of the wagon. "You, Ida, move away."

Ven reached down and helped Amariel stand up. The tattered edges of what had once been her tail were still dripping slightly as he walked her through the wagon to the back gate. Mrs. Snodgrass handed the basket and plate to Char, then helped her down. She turned to the children in the wagon.

"We'll be right back," she said. Her words were clipped, spoken in the tone she used in the Inn when she was not pleased. "Once you're underway, there's supper for you all in the basket. Don't you be eating those cookies, however—those are for the trolls at the bridge."

"Yes, ma'am," said Char.

"Make certain you're ready—I assume you've all been to the privy?" A chorus of bored voices answered
yeeessss
. "Good. You need to be on your way. Stay together, now, and behave yourselves."

"How—how did you know about our journey?" Ven stammered.

Mrs. Snodgrass looked surprised.

"Well, Saeli told me she was taking you to see her people past the river," she said. "Is there some reason I
shouldn't
know about that?"

Ven looked down at Saeli, who nodded quickly.

"No, not at all," he said, relieved.

"Just mind your manners while you're there," Mrs. Snodgrass said. "Now, I'm going to get young Amariel here a change of clothes, and we'll be right back."

When the innkeeper and the merrow had gone into the Inn, Ven turned to the others.

"Who told Mrs. Snodgrass?"

Shyly Saeli raised her hand.

"Actually, we all sorta did, Ven," said Char. "You don't think she deserves ta know when a lot of her kitchen staff and residents are just pickin' up and
leavin'
? Don't ya think she's had enough worry about us recently?"

"You're right, I'm sorry. What did you tell her?"

"Saeli offered to take us to visit her family in the Wide Meadows past the river," Clemency said. "She hasn't been home for a long time, and wants to see her aunts, uncles, and cousins. Char said we were headed that way anyway. As I understand it, we're supposed to be hiding from the Raven's Guild, yes?"

"Yes."

"Well, the Gwadd are especially good at hiding. People travel through their lands all the time and never even know the Gwadd are there. Saeli is still very frightened of the Thief Queen. So the Gwadd lands seemed to Char and me like a good place to start hiding, at least for a little while. We figured Saeli could see her family, and we could all hide out for a while. We told Mrs. Snodgrass truthfully that was where we are headed."

Ven scratched his head.

"That's actually a very good idea," he said. "I'm sorry I jumped down all of your throats. It's important to me that all my friends get along—you are very important to me, and so is Amariel. I don't like the way you are treating her, Ida."

Ida shrugged. "I'm being as friendly to her as I am to anyone."

"Well, that may be true, but I would appreciate it if you don't go out of your way to make her feel badly. She's new here, and a little bit nervous, so please try to make her feel welcome."

"It might have been nice to have told us up front that she was coming, Ven," said Clemency in a reproachful tone. "That way it wouldn't have been a surprise. You can't blame us for being rude if you don't give us fair warning."

"I don't get it, Ven," Char said, tucking his small pack inside a coil of rope and sitting down on it. "Here we are, tryin' to sneak away
in secret
before Felonia's spies find us, an' you're bringin' a stranger along with us. Do you really think that's wise, mate?"

Ven's hands grew clammy with sweat. The introduction of Amariel to the group was not going at all as he had expected. His friends were staring at her oddly, which only made the merrow more nervous. "I've told you already, she's not a stranger to me. I've actually known her longer than I've known any of you."

"How's that possible?" Char asked. "Is she from Vaarn?"

Ven swallowed. "Uh—no."

"Then how could you know her longer than
me
? I've been with you every minute since the
Serelinda
found you in the middle of the ocean—well, except when you were in the dungeon and we was in
jail
, right, Ida?" Char turned to the Thief Queen's daughter, and she smirked. "So what is goin' on here, Ven?"

"She's from a place
near
Vaarn," Ven said. "But that doesn't matter. Please just try to be friendly to her. For my sake."

"We've been doin' an awful lot of things for your sake lately, Polywog," said Ida.

"Well, the main thing we're about to do is for your sake as much as mine, Ida," Ven retorted. "It's your bloody
mother
who's looking for us. Especially for
you
."

Just as the words were spoken, a harsh caw was heard overhead.

The children looked up.

A score of ravens was circling above them, their black feathers glinting blue in the sun.

8
The Dash to the River

G
REAT," VEN SAID. "JUST WONDERFUL
."

"Well, so much for gettin' out of here unnoticed," Char added.

"Get down, children," Tuck said quietly.

Mrs. Snodgrass was returning to the wagon as the children took cover. She had her arm around Amariel's shoulders.

The merrow was now dressed in clean brown trousers and a flowing blue shirt. She was carrying a cloth bundle like those the other children had. Murphy was following her, rubbing at her ankles, and making her look very uncomfortable. Every now and then she would sneeze.

"Look," she said softly to Ven, opening the cloth bundle. "I think Mrs. Snodgrass is worried my tail is going to suddenly grow back—it has no leg holes."

Ven shook his head. "That's a dress. Girls wear those too sometimes."

"Ugh," said the merrow. "Humans are so complicated."

The innkeeper looked up into the sky, shielding her eyes with her hand.

"Shoo!" she called. "Nasty things! Get away from my Inn." She helped Amariel into the back of the wagon through the gate, then pulled Ven aside.

"Master Polypheme," she said under her breath, "what on earth do you think you're doing, bringing a merrow on land like that?"

Ven blinked in astonishment. "She told you?"

"She didn't have to tell me," Mrs. Snodgrass said in his ear. "I'm a sea captain's wife. You think I don't know a merrow when I see one? I hope you know what you're doing."

Ven could barely speak. "I—I—"

"There's no time to talk about it now. I assume you have her cap?" Ven nodded. "Well, make sure you keep it safe. Don't let anyone else get hold of it. Keep it on you at all times. She should be all right until you get back from the Wide Meadows as long as you keep the cap safe. I've known a few sailors who have married merrows. It's not usually 'til the husband buries the cap, hoping to keep the wife away from the sea, that she starts to lose her merrow nature. It happens very quickly, in about one turn of the moon. Once that happens, I'm not sure she can get it back. At least I've never seen it happen."

"Thank you," Ven said. "And thank you for not telling anyone."

"You're not planning to marry this girl, are you?"

"Of course not," said Ven, horrified. "She's a friend. And I'm only fifty years old."

"Good. Faith, I hope you know what you're doing." Mrs. Snodgrass shook her head. "Remember, Ven, when they get mad, merrows have a tendency to spit." She looked at the children crouching in the wagon. "Goodbye, dearies, and have a good time. Goodbye, Saeli. Give my best your family." The little Gwadd girl smiled.

"Goodbye, Clemency, Ida," the innkeeper continued. "Goodbye, Char."

From the grass at the roadway's edge, the sound of sniffing and sniffling could suddenly be heard.

"What the heck is
that
?" Char asked.

"The Spice Folk," Mrs. Snodgrass replied. "They're very sad to see you go, Char. They're going to miss you."

The sniffs turned into a chorus of wails.

"What is she talkin' about?" Char demanded of Clemency. "They won't miss me. The Spice Folk
hate
me."

"They do not," Clemency insisted. "They love to torture you. That's a sign that they like you. They only pick on you if they do."

"Good thing they don' love me, then," Char muttered. "I'd never survive."

Mrs. Snodgrass waved at the ravens again. "Shoo!" she shouted. The birds ignored her, continuing their dark circle. "Keep your heads covered, loves," the innkeeper said. She blew them all a kiss, then made her way back into the Inn and closed the griffin door.

"Let's get out of here," Ven said to Tuck. The forester nodded and clicked to the horses. The wagon lurched, then began rolling smoothly and quickly eastward toward the Great River.

The ravens above widened their circle and flew after them.

"Bloody spies," Char muttered. "I think we're sunk already, Ven. They're just gonna go right back to Felonia and tell her where we've gone."

So much for making her believe we've left the island on a ship
, Ven thought. "I don't know what else we can do," he said.

"Get down," ordered Tuck.

Ven turned to see the forester rise from the seat board and swing a crossbow to a shoulder.

"Duck!" Ven shouted to his friends. He looked up into the sky and watched in shock as the flock of ravens began diving for the wagon, shrieking.