Two Renegade Realms (Realm Walkers Book 2) (46 page)
Totobee-Rodolow had come up beside her.
“He kissed me, Totobee-Rodolow.”
“I saw, darling. Take your hand away.”
She turned to look at her constant and let her hand drift down to her side.
Totobee-Rodolow seriously examined Bixby’s face. “Well, darling, there’s no bruise. I think you shall live.”
Bixby’s eyes widened, then she burst into laughter. “If I survived what we did this morning, I’m sure I’ll survive a kiss.”
They settled down to wait for Chomountain, Cantor, and Bridger. Lyme Minor, being smaller, would pass more quickly over Zonvaner, which was smaller than Derson. The rigors of the day settled on them, and they dozed as they waited.
Bixby sat up abruptly when she heard Cantor holler. He ran through an open portal, scooped her up off the ground, and whirled around. Her feet flung out and her skirts billowed as he laughed. She joined his laughter. It was impossible not to. Before he put her down, he kissed both of her cheeks and the top of her head.
Bridger loped through the portal, with Chomountain making a more sober entrance behind him.
The dragon rushed to Bixby and his sister. “You should have seen him. He didn’t miss once, not once.”
Bridger pantomimed throwing something, waited a moment, then spread his arms wide, making an explosion noise with his mouth. “We were too far away to see the rocks hit the ground, but it was easy enough to see the flashes of light. And before Cantor was finished with that plane, the rim closest to us had tilted down. Chomountain says once it passes through the curtain, it’ll spin. I’d like to see that.”
Cantor strode over to Totobee-Rodolow and offered her a hand as she stood.
She patted his cheek. “I’m proud of you, dear boy.” She looked over her shoulder at the dark mass in the sky. “And
you’ve come in time to do the same rocky thing to Lyme Major.”
Cantor grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
Chomountain greeted Bixby, Totobee-Rodolow, and X’Onaire. He clapped a hand on Cantor’s shoulder. “It’ll be a couple of hours before the plane is in position. You need to relax that arm.” He held up a finger and patted the sides of his beautiful robes. He pulled out a jar. “Have Bixby rub this into your shoulder. The oil will keep your muscles from getting stiff while you rest. And you’ll smell nice. Always good to know you’re putting off a nice clean, fresh scent.”
Chomountain opened the bottle, put it under his nose, and took a huge sniff. He coughed and sputtered, his eyes watered, and he tried to recap the bottle but missed the opening each time he directed the stopper at the top.
Cantor took jar and top from his hands. Without smelling it, he secured the lid.
Through wheezes, Cho told him, “It’ll help — just don’t push it up your nose.”
Totobee-Rodolow put a pointy claw gently against Bixby’s back and gave an infinitesimal push. “Go.”
Bixby twisted her neck to look at her constant. “He —”
“I know, darling.” Her husky voice was just above a whisper. “He kissed you. As before, there are no bruises. So go on now, use your healing hands to keep him from pain.”
Cantor had taken his shirt off and sat on a large boulder. He handed her the jar as she came up to him. Without a word, he put his large hands around her waist and lifted her onto the smooth surface of the rock.
“The right shoulder?” she asked.
He nodded and tilted his head down and away from that
side. She poured oil in her hand, put the bottle down, and began to smooth the healing herb over his neck and shoulder.
Once she touched him and began to work the oil along the muscles, she lost her shyness. While she worked, he described the rock throwing and had her laughing at the description of Bridger’s enthusiastic cheering.
Later in the day, she watched as Bridger handed him the weapons, and Chomountain gave enthusiastic instructions on where to throw them. Lyme Major had passed over them, slid downward as it skimmed past the edge of Derson, and hung close.
At that point, Bixby thought they could have built a long bridge to cross over. That moment passed quickly, and the explosions urged the renegade plane away. She found herself cheering along with Bridger, Cho, and X’Onaire. After a bit, even sophisticated Totobee-Rodolow added her “Bravo!” to the shouting. Bridger held a rock in each hand, ready to pass them to Cantor. “You’ve only got two blasters left.”
“Hold off while I think.” Chomountain stood between Cantor and Bridger, his hand on his beard as he thought.
“Can you throw two at once, young man?”
Cantor only contemplated the distance for a second. “No sir, not with any accuracy.”
“All right, then. Here is the alternative. You and your constant will toss the last rocks simultaneously. Bridger, you’re to release your control over the throw. Cantor, you are to be as one with Bridger. The two of you will forge a bond much like the V of Force, but Cantor will determine the trajectories of the missiles. He will control your muscles as well as his own.”
The right hand of Primen didn’t wait for them to agree. He stepped back and nudged Bridger to a position beside Cantor.
A look of doubt crossed Cantor’s face, but the fleeting emotion disappeared as a grin took control.
Bixby clutched Totobee-Rodolow’s hand. “Look at them. They’re beaming at each other like mindless clowns.”
Totobee-Rodolow squeezed her hand. “I think my brother has finally convinced his constant they work well together.”
Chomountain pointed out the location at which he wanted the explosives to land. The constant pair took up their stances.
Bixby held her breath. “Oh, what are they waiting for?”
Totobee-Rodolow answered with a gentle squeeze and a hissing, “Shh!”
The two pulled back in unison. Aimed. And threw.
“Duck!” yelled Chomountain.
Bixby didn’t have the presence of mind she needed. She stood watching as the others fell facedown and covered their heads. From behind, someone tackled her frozen form and pushed her down, covering her body with his own.
The blast reverberated through the air, and it seemed the plane trembled beneath her. Rock and dirt debris showered around them. When all was still, the weight of her rescuer shifted and rolled to the side. She found herself smiling at Dukmee.
They stood. Even as they checked with one another to make sure there were no injuries, Bixby and the others laughed and congratulated themselves. In the distance, half of the renegade realm had entered the curtain. But the plane was tilting. For a moment, it stood straight up and down within the curtain. Then the top edge moved down and the plane was completely
upside down and still turning. Bridger gave a final flip in the air and a cheer. The dreaded encounter with two renegade realms had passed. Together they had risen to the need and met the challenge.
Bixby breathed in the evening air, just a trace of smell from the explosive clay clung to the breeze. Tomorrow that would be gone. Maybe tomorrow they’d enter into that comfortable zone between exhilaration and panic. After the last few weeks, she, for one, was ready.
I
have disturbing news.” Dukmee’s words forced themselves into the calm.
Every
eye turned to him.
“There was an explosion in the tent cluster housing the councilmen.”
“Of course,” muttered Chomountain, shaking his head. “Leave them alone for an hour, and they begin destroying each other.”
“A dozen survived.”
Bixby gasped. “That means fifty-four perished.”
“More than that, I’m afraid.” Dukmee clasped his hands together in front of him at waist level. “Those near the tents were also killed or injured.”
Cantor’s solemn face told his concern. “We’ll return and aid the healers. I wonder if our three loyal members are among the dozen who survived.”
“There’s more.” Dukmee shrugged as if to get rid of the
stigma clinging to his news. “Not all of the pods that carried the last invaders were destroyed.”
Chomountain let out a groan. “They must be demolished. The order came from Primen.”
“They’ve disappeared.”
“Of course,” Chomountain said again. “Everything seems to be all right, and then you discover a fly in the ointment.”
Bridger leaned forward. “The pods are flies in the ointment?”
“No, the people who absconded with the pods are the flies.”
The dragon bobbed his head knowingly. “The councilmen are flies.”
Chomountain gave a snort. “An apt description.”
Bixby felt despair rise up and take her by the throat. For a moment, she’d allowed herself to believe that only good would come of this tremendous struggle.
Totobee-Rodolow must have felt the direction of her thoughts. Her mor dragon friend rubbed a soothing hand across her back. “Fear not. Primen is with us. Do not lose hope, for we are alive and can serve Him.”
Chomountain added his voice. “Primen is ready to guide us into the next adventure.”
Cantor crooked a smile in her direction. “As Ahma says, ‘Life marches on . . .’ ”
Bixby knew the rest of the saying. “Should we not put on our shoes and go with it?”