Chasing the Lantern (37 page)

She lay down now on soft grass beneath a thick fern, moving as little as possible. Behind her lay a jumbled ruin of the same cunningly worked stone as all of the older, larger structures. The lot around it was overgrown, spilling out into the street through the likewise-broken wall. Lina smelled jungle smells here, and something else. An overpowering and pungent scent that rankled her nose and made her breath through her mouth.

The two Draykin had appeared just as she was running through the brush. She'd caught sight of them quickly enough and had thrown herself prone. Unfortunately, they'd continued walking the grounds of the strangely verdant ruin until they were right above her.

Huh. They wear jewelry.
From where she lay, Lina spied the legs of the nearest. It wore anklets made of brass or gold, but was otherwise barefooted. She hadn't noticed at the time if the one she'd killed had worn anything special.

The lizard-creatures jabbered on.
Oh just get
on
with it
. Why were they even in here? As far as she could see, the grounds of the ruin was just that, of no value to anyone. Were they lovers? Or conspirators? Whatever their goal, they could have picked a better place to chat. This one
stank
.

Just as Lina was about to try something drastic, one of the Draykin left. She wanted to sigh, but the other didn't move to follow its friend. Instead it squatted down, pushing its tail back through the fern until the tip was above her head.

Then it relieved itself with a grunt.

The pungent stench assailed her. Lina gagged and rolled away, not caring if she was heard. She scrabbled through the grass and ran blindly until she reached the next wall. Lina was mortified.
No wonder this place stinks
. The ruin was a communal toilet.

From the grunts echoing up behind her, the Draykin hadn't even noticed her flight. As well, it was likely sick. Lina glared at the foliage around her head and brushed her hands on her pants. Then she peered out through the nearest crumbled section of the wall.

She'd made it closer to the center of the city. The ancient towers around her seemed to stop a short distance ahead. Unfortunately, she had lost the procession. That was all right, though. If she had to guess, they were heading straight for the large pyramid that dominated the city. That gave her a goal. Though, she was worried. Not about Fengel, though the thought of something happening to him made her stomach twist. No, she'd seen him being carried through the streets along with the others.

It was her friends on the airship she was worried about, and whatever had happened in the skies above. A short time ago she'd been scrambling after the procession when something up in the sky had exploded. She hadn't seen what, but the noise had been thunderous. The
Dawnhawk
she could still see now and again past the towers. But not the
Copper Queen
. Lina feared the worst.

Through the crumbled wall Lina spied another lot. Rather than by a tower or ancient ruin, it was occupied by one of the wide, low pyramids that were obviously of Draykin make. Small statues were clustered on its terraces. More foliage surrounded the building, but this was tended and well grown, a garden of sorts. A single, wide opening allowed access from the side facing the main thoroughfare to her right. There was no adjacent wall surrounding the space.

Five Draykin stood before the opening to the pyramid. All of them were armed with spears. They argued excitedly until one turned back to the opening and stood before it. The others jogged out from the garden and onto the main street, running toward the center of the city. The one left behind crouched down and hissed something into the interior of the pyramid behind.

Lina glanced to her right. The main thoroughfare was too wide, too open to sneak across. Irregularly, more Draykin came running up it toward the center of the city. To her left, the side street continued until it met another just like it, similarly busy. Her only way through was forward.

She took a breath, regretted it, and then darted out from behind the ruined wall and over the side street, taking refuge behind a fern just before the pyramid. It hid her from the lone sentry left to guard the squat structure, but from nowhere else. Lina felt horribly exposed.

The Draykin guard stayed where it was, squatting on its haunches, spear held in its claws. It looked toward the center of the city, only periodically turning to hiss threateningly back into the pyramid it sat before.

Two sounds caught at her attention. From somewhere near she heard an intermittent popping noise, like the echoed reports of gunfire. Much closer she heard more of the hissing, spitting Draykin language. Those noises came from the entrance to the pyramid, pitched higher than the voice of the guard out front.

Lina thought furiously. She couldn't stay hidden here for long. Sooner or later someone out in the street would notice her. But if she moved through the garden path, the guard would see her. What to do?

No time to be clever
. Small stones surrounded the lot, remnants of a low wall that had once stood there. She picked up the nearest one she could without moving too much, then threw it off into the brush toward the wide main street. It landed with a rustling of leaves and branches.

The guardian Draykin perked up at the noise. It peered at the brush toward the main street, obviously wondering if it had misheard. Lina picked up another stone and threw it in the same general area.

The Draykin guard called out. "
Randache?
" It sat up, peering at the greenery ahead of it. Lina threw another stone. The creature hissed and stood. It gripped the spear in its hands more threateningly. Cautiously, it crept forward.

Lina stood and sidled over to the front of the pyramid. There was no covering brush here, and the guard had only taken half a dozen steps or so. It peered back and forth, took another step. Lina snuck along the wall, hoping, praying that it didn't turn around and see her.

The guard pushed forward into a bush where she'd thrown her stones. It jabbed about with its spear. Lina took the opportunity move up to the opening and then past it. As she stood in the threshold she spied movement within, out of the corner of her eye. Half-panicked, Lina turned.

The low pyramid was hollow. Its entrance opened into a wide, open room, similar to the ruin she'd crept in on the outskirts of the strange city. This one was not dark, however. Nor was it empty.

Torches glowed from little nooks cut into the interior wall. Carpets of woven hemp covered the floor, along with bowls, baskets, and other minutiae. Small, diminutive Draykin clustered around the interior entrance. They were obviously children, the source of the high-pitched noises she had heard.

All of them were staring at Lina.

One of them pointed a finger at her. "
Hristala!
" it squealed in excitement.

Lina glanced back. The guard turned at the noise, saw her, stared. It opened its mouth to bellow a warning. Lina didn't bother staying around long enough to listen.

She fled. Across the front of the pyramid, out through some fruiting bushes, into the street beyond. A low wall appeared before her. She vaulted it. Beyond she found a small pen, filled with small, squealing, pig-like creatures. They oinked and hooted in alarm at her appearance. Lina danced, pushed, and kicked her way through them until she reached the other side. A hissing cry and more alarm from the pigs told her that the guard was chasing after her, hot on her heels. She didn't bother looking back, and vaulted the next wall.

The street beyond was empty of other Draykin, thankfully. But the irregular gunfire sounded louder now. Up ahead lay another ruin, toppled and tangled, yet still bearing something of its original form. The foliage grew over it thickly, but not thick enough to hide its doors and windows. Tall, spiraling towers framed it at either side. Beyond, she saw no more structures; she had likely almost reached the plaza at the center of the city.

Lina dashed across the street and into the foliage. The cries of the Draykin guard grew closer, and she was only halfway across the street when she heard claws scrabbling on stone and the muffled thump of two feet landing on the street. Her back itched, and she wondered if she'd feel the jab of a thrown spear at any moment. The ferns and vines of the overgrowth pushed at her, impeding her progress. Cold, desperate fear welled in Lina's belly.

"
Astarche!
"

Claws grabbed at her shoulder and at her shirt. Lina yelped and struggled. The creature was smaller than her, but stronger. She half-turned as she was yanked back. Lina grabbed desperately for her dagger. Grinning jaws in a long, fierce muzzle filled her vision. The breath of the creature stank like overripe fruit.

Something screamed overhead. Lurid red light illuminated the face of the Draykin who held her. It blinked in startlement just before a long, serpentine form landed on it, a wide hood covering its head and muffling its cries. The guard let go of Lina.

She didn't pause to wonder or give thanks at the reprieve. Lina shot off for the nearest opening in the ruin, a half-collapsed entryway at the ground level. She pushed through the fern that mostly covered it and into the dark space beyond. After a short tunnel it widened into a low room with a stairwell leading downward.

Lina scrabbled around the interior entryway, taking cover behind it and peering back outside. Inhuman screams and guttural, hissing cries echoed. The scryn that saved her flashed into view, flying into the entryway tunnel and past her head. Lina froze.

The guard appeared in the light of the tunnel. It peered inward, then up, then past the entrance toward the plaza. Blood oozed from numerous small scratches and bites. It quested, sniffing, peering, hunting for Lina still, or the creature that had attacked it. After staring into the dark for a moment, it grunted and moved past. Lina closed her eyes and relaxed, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

Something slithered over the rubble and cold stone floor behind her. Lina twitched back, hands going for the dagger she'd never had time to draw. The scryn reared up, spreading its hood. Mad light danced from its pale belly.

"Chirr!" it cried.

Lina paused. "Runt?"

"Chirr," said the serpentine monster. It leapt onto her arm and writhed up over her shoulders to its accustomed place.

Lina was beside herself. She almost wanted to cry. In all the excitement, the strangeness and all the near-misses, she'd almost forgotten about her new pet. "What are you doing here?" she whispered.

The creature nuzzled at her cheek, then went questing for the flask she usually held at her hip. It froze suddenly, rearing up. The shift in weight threw Lina off-balance.

"What?" grunted Lina. "Runt, don't—" It hissed, threatening at something in the room behind her, illuminating its belly in warning. Lina glanced over her shoulder.

A long muzzle filled with needle-teeth filled her vision, the eyes above it black and beady in the hellish glow of the scryn.

She cried out and picked up the nearest rock at hand. Lina lashed out at the Draykin behind her. The angle was awkward, but the blow still connected, cracking the creature across the mouth.

It fell back with a hiss. Lina followed through. She turned and leapt onto the creature, raising the rock up high for a two-handed blow.

The Draykin held up its hands. "No!" it said in Perinese. "Wait, human!"

Lina paused. Runt still hissed and spit and writhed. His weight pulled her back and off balance. "Rastalak?" she asked. "Is that you?" In the dark she couldn't tell. She could barely remember what the semi-civilized Draykin looked like, just the green eye-scales. It
was
the only one to speak Perinese, at least so far.

The creature nodded. "Yes. It is I. Stay your hand, and quiet your voice. The matron is still outside, hunting."

Lina moved off of it. She lowered the rock, but kept a grip on it. Runt still hissed. She reached up absentmindedly and scratched him where he liked, on the plates behind his head, until he calmed. Without the bioluminescence of her pet, the interior of the ruin was dark again, ambient light from cracks above and the entryway casting everything into hard-edged shadows.

"But what are you doing here?" she asked. "Where have you been? Did you see what's happened?" Lina narrowed her eyes. "Did you lure everyone into a trap?"

Rastalak sat up. "No," it said, holding up its hands again, as if to stay her wrath. "No trap. But your kind make noise, too much noise! I had thought you like the hunter, the Silas Thorn. But your Fengel and his people, they trudge through jungle like razor-boars in heat! Even still, I had thought to avoid the sentries, but alas, I was wrong."

"Well, we have to get them free."

The Draykin nodded. "The High Priest has ordered all outsiders, Draykin or not, to be held for sacrifice. My people believe that such offerings given directly to the accursed gemstone bring them directly to our gods, the Great Ones."

Lina stared. "What? They're going to be sacrificed? We've got to do something!"

Rastalak made a kind of shrug. "Yes. That is the desire. With your people dead, my hope dies as well, the Burning Eye will tighten its hold upon my people. I, outcast that I am, have hidden here to try to devise a rescue. But the city is alarmed. Many of my people of gather in the Plaza of the Great Ones. They watch the wonder of your sky-vessel, and await the sacrifice before the Eye, that they may give up their prayers. Also, they watch the swarms of scryn native to the city as they attack your sky-vessel. I should have mentioned that first, perhaps."

"Chirr!" said Runt eagerly.

Lina blinked. "What? That's what's going on? Show me!"

The Draykin shrugged again. It turned and moved deeper into the ruin. Lina followed it around a collapsed chunk of the ceiling, which led upward to another story. Here shafts of sunlight illuminated a space through cracks in the four wide walls.

Butterflies churned her stomach. She had seen hundreds, thousands of Runt's kin flitting about the towers outside. If her friends were up on the
Dawnhawk,
and not on the
Queen
, they could be in deep trouble. And Fengel and the others were apparently going to be executed by the natives.