Cogling (17 page)

“Nothing really.” The strain in Ike’s voice made Edna shudder. “I just wanna be safe.”

She drew a deep breath of damp air and opened her eyes. Ike was already too far away from her for comfort. Clenching her fists, Edna trailed after him. The damp odor of moss stuck in her nostrils, so she breathed through her mouth.

He picked his way over uplifted roots and soggy spots, stepping on rocks. After falling twice into bog water, the dragon rode in Ike’s arms, hissing at clumps of mist, while Edna carried the bag. Her imagination conjured a picture of Charles bleeding beneath his airship.

“What’s going to happen to Polly and their children? Charles is gone, and so is their blimp business.” Tears pricked her eyes.

“We’ll help them after this is over,” Ike said.

“I can send them some of my pay every week. They deserve that, for helping with Harrison.”

Ike lived on the streets, so he knew how to survive. She hated being so dependent on someone else, but she needed him. Harrison needed him.

Light grew dimmer through the canopy of trees. Edna’s thighs ached. The boots Polly had given her rubbed against her ankles and the woolen socks provided little protection. How long before her body gave out?

The temperature dropped, her breath puffing in front of her lips. Edna wrapped her cape around her shoulders to keep it clear of the muck and provide more cover to the collar of her dress. Ike stepped toward a tree with a large trunk and set Silver down.

“We’ll rest.” He glanced at the naked branches overhead. “We’ve got cover and there’s some water there.”

Edna followed his gaze to a pool of murky liquid. “We’re going to drink that?” She hid a gag behind her hand.

“I have a filter.” Ike took the bag from her and pulled out a metal box with a tin cup fastened to the middle. Kneeling beside the water, he opened the top of the box and removed a second cup. Ike used it to pour water into the box. He shut the lid and flipped a switch. The box hummed.

“We should keep going. Harrison’s waiting.” Edna leaned against the tree, too tired and heartsick to care about the moss coating the trunk. She sank to her bottom, resting on a rock. Dampness soaked through her dress. “Any food in that bag?” Since the dragon stared at her, she stared back, neither of them blinking. Silver butted her with his head. The evil never rose to defend her.

“Some jerky.” Ike set the water purifier on a rock near Edna and handed her the cup. “This is clean.”

She took a sip. “Metallic, but delicious.” Edna hadn’t realized how parched her mouth felt until water brushed it. She could have gulped down a lake.

“Silver likes you.” Ike accepted the cup from her and carried the purifier back to the pool.

“Sure.” She rubbed the corners of her tired eyes. “What’s it matter if the dragon likes me?” Edna pictured herself back in the Waxman library. The ground might be harder than the window seat, but she could pretend she was surrounded by glass, sunshine warming her cheeks.

Ike shook her shoulder. “Edna?”

She jerked. Darkness seeped across the swamp, dispelled by the glowing tube Ike held. He shook it. Something inside the metal clicked and the instrument glowed brighter.

“Your turn,” he said.

“What?”

Silver curled in her lap, his head on her shoulder. “When did he get here?”

“You fell asleep. I took the first watch, but now I gotta sleep too.” Ike pressed the light tube into her hand. “If this fades, shake it. I’ll take Silver.” Ike removed the dragon from her arms and settled next to her against the trunk, closing his eyes. His body tipped sideways, his weight against her, comforting.

She might not know anything about keeping watch, but Ike had to be as exhausted as she was. “Right, we both need our strength.” Edna moved Ike’s head off her shoulder, careful not to disturb him.

Too tired to stand, she crawled to the pool of water. Her blue dress clung to her body, sticky with moisture and sweat, and she shivered as cold air bit through the fabric.

Despite holding the light over the pool, the water remained brown as it reflected the tube. Edna dipped her hand into the liquid, cringing at the coldness. She’d hoped it would make her feel cleaner, but it left a sticky coating on her skin.

An arrow pinged the ground beside her knee. Edna choked on a scream, falling backwards. The light tumbled from her hand, hit a rock, and rolled toward the pool; she snatched it before it fell in.

“Ike, wake up!” She waved the tube.

Something flashed across the pool. A light glowed, revealing a creature the size of a bobcat. It crouched across from her. Two curving horns protruded from the forehead, limbs long and gnarled like branches. Its snout appeared more animalistic than human. A quiver rested against the creature’s back, and it held a bow in its left hand. The other hand cupped a glowing orb.

The creature set the orb down, illuminating its attire. The sleeveless shirt was green, as was the loincloth. The material seemed to be sewn from leaves. Matching bands crossed its thighs and biceps.

Removing an arrow from the quiver and setting it to the bow, the creature’s lipless mouth curved into a smile as it aimed for Edna. Her heart stilled within her chest.

“
Ike
.” The cry exploded from her lungs.

The paths that we will follow.

dna whirled as the evil burst along her limbs. Mud sprayed from beneath her boots and droplets soared into the air, splattering the pool. Ripples shot across the surface, obscuring the murkiness. She reached toward Ike. Mist whirled past, kissing her cheeks. A word from the evil brushed across her conscience.

Run.

Behind her, a second arrow pinged free from the bow. Fire exploded between her shoulder blades. The arrow sank in clean, smooth. Fast.

Her feet stumbled. She fell, closing her eyes.
I tried, Harrison. I’m sorry.
Her parents would never forgive her. She tried to clasp her prayer beads, but her limbs wouldn’t move. Darkness crept closer from the corners of her vision to overwhelm her senses. No, she couldn’t surrender to the pain, the shock…

As if from another time, she watched the dragon sidle closer. Silver brushed his head against her cheek and keened before the darkness claimed her.

“Edna!”

She gasped and opened her eyes.

Ike held her shoulders as he forced her to kneel. Dark circles hung beneath his too-bright eyes.

“I’m shot,” she sputtered.

“You tripped. I saw it when I woke.” Ike glanced at the pool. She followed his gaze. The creature knelt on the rocks, facing them. An arrow rested on his bow.

“He
shot
me.” Edna ran her hands over her back, but couldn’t find a protruding arrow. “Impossible. I felt it pierce me.”

“He’s a Nix,” Ike muttered.

“A what?” There had to be an arrow somewhere on her body. “We have to run. It shot me!”

“You wouldn’t have heard of them. They stay in the swamp to avoid humans. They were always native here, so they have no reason to leave.” He stood, keeping Edna clasped to him. She tried to push him behind her to protect him, but he held her at his side. Silver leaned against her legs, his long neck wound around her shin. “He didn’t shoot you. It must’ve been a trick of the swamp gases.”

The creature lowered his bow. In a voice that croaked like a frog’s, he called, “What do you want here?”

“We seek the hags,” Ike said.

Edna grimaced. “It can’t be safe to tell everyone our plan.”

The Nix stepped around the edge of the pool, hooves touching only rocks. They made soft slapping sounds as he moved, protruding from his horse-like legs. “Hags do not like to be disturbed.”

Ike nudged Edna behind him. “Her brother was kidnapped.”

The Nix gazed at Edna where she peeked around Ike’s shoulder. “What does it matter?”

“We’re getting him back.” Ike pushed his hair off his forehead. “The hags have him at the factory.”

The Nix snorted. “That’s a foolhardy mission, and you”—he narrowed his purple eyes at Ike—“know better than to attempt such a thing. Everyone at the factory is best left there.”

“How do the Nix know so much about the factory?” Her body ached with hunger and weariness; the evil a constant burn. Edna shivered and picked up Silver for something to occupy her arms. He didn’t weigh much more than a large cat. She’d always wanted a pet—just not a dragon, and definitely not this one who’d killed Charles.

The evil faded back into her heart.

“Follow.” The Nix motioned to the left with his weapon. He stood at about five feet high, shorter than Edna. Before, he’d seemed so imposing, with his twisted humanistic features. His tiny nose stuck out over his puffy lips, and his long chin curved upward.

Ike hefted their bag. He couldn’t mean to… Edna gasped, grabbing his shoulder. Silver hissed at the sudden movement.

“You aren’t going to follow that thing, are you?” Edna snapped. “We need to reach the hags, not take a detour. The Nix might not have tried to shoot me, but we don’t need to go visiting.”

“He’s taking us to his village. We can rest until morning.”

“He might trap us.” Her voice squeaked. A Nix village couldn’t be more than dugouts. She pictured a wet hole that might cave in around her.

“I know a lot about the Nix.” He pressed his lips against the top of her head. “Don’t worry.”

She tightened her grip on him. “What’s going on?”

He shrugged off her hold; a muscle leapt in his temple. “Nix. What is your name?”

“Graymer,” it said.

“He is Graymer.” Ike shrugged it again. Right; knowing it had a name made everything better.

“Looks like we gotta make a decision now,” Edna whispered to Silver, while Ike trailed the Nix. “We go with them, or try to find a way to Harrison, and I still need Ike for that.”

Silver stared into her eyes and blinked.

She sighed. Charles had helped. Maybe the Nix could, too. Edna took a step and sunk into mud. She yanked her leg free, scowling at the sucking sound. “After this, I’m never returning to the swamp.
Never
.”