The Bones of Makaidos Read online

  “Well, my dear,” Rebekah said. “Your skin is as soft as a baby’s backside.”

  Sapphira rotated her shoulder. “It feels perfect.”

  Rebekah slid Sapphira’s shirt back in place. “I saved a few drops for Bonnie’s burns and scrapes, and then we should see if the four of us can clear a path to the outside.”

  “And then …” Sapphira closed the book and rubbed the cover lovingly. “Maybe we can see if there’s a king in that valley of souls.”

  Marilyn jogged across the grass. The edge of a deep pit was now in sight. After flying with Shelly on a commercial airline to Kalispell, she borrowed a small private plane from a friend of Jared’s and flew it to the hilltop where Ashley’s home once stood. With the bad weather and such a small ground strip, the landing had been rather harrowing, so feeling solid earth beneath her feet boosted her energy.

  She stopped at the edge of the pit and looked down. High winds whipped her hair, and the depth made her head swim. Thousands of feet below, people moved, looking more like animated toys than real humans. She checked the pistol in her shoulder holster. It was firmly in place.

  She pulled a phone from her pocket and read the signal meter. Nothing. Not a surprise, though. The static-filled call from Yereq had let her know that mobile phone service was lousy in this area and probably even worse at the bottom of the pit.

  “So,” she murmured, “we’ll execute plan B.”

  She withdrew a makeup compact from her jacket, opened it, and searched for sunlight. With clouds racing overhead, the sun peeked out intermittently, providing a bright ray for only a second or two at a time. She angled the mirror and caught the sun in the reflection. A shaky circle of light danced on the grass. As she turned the mirror, the circle dove into the pit and instantly reappeared on the floor.

  Another cloud blocked the sun. The circle vanished. Marilyn tapped her foot, keeping the mirror at the same angle as she waited. Soon, the sun flashed another beam. She guided the light toward the people and waved it across them, but it lasted for only a moment. Again the sun hid behind a cloud, this one larger and denser. There would be no more rays for a while.

  A flicker of light caught her eye. She looked at the people below, all now standing still. The light flashed again. They had seen her.

  Waving both arms, she shouted, “It’s Marilyn! I need transport!”

  She lowered her arms. Of course, her voice might not have carried that far, but the signal proved that they likely knew who she was. Gabriel would probably fly up, but with thousands of feet to ascend, it might take a while.

  Hugging her jacket close, she looked toward Kalispell and replayed Shelly’s recent phone call. Shelly had rushed to the hospital in a taxi, and Marilyn was getting the smaller plane ready for takeoff when Shelly’s call came in.

  * * *

  “Dad’s in critical condition. He took bullets in his chest and back, and he lost quite a bit of blood.”

  “Is he going to be all right?” Marilyn asked.

  “The doctor thinks so. I donated blood, and so did Mom. We’re all the same type.”

  “Then your mother must have recovered.”

  “She woke up when Yereq carried her out of the pit. Then he went back and hauled Dad out. That’s when Dad lost a lot of blood. It’s not an easy climb.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “Then he carried Dad to the highway, and Mom waved down a guy driving a flatbed truck. When he saw a ten-foot-tall man carrying a bloodied body, he wasn’t exactly keen on giving them a lift, but Mom talked him into letting them all ride in the back.”

  “It’s a good thing she was there.”

  “You bet. And Yereq, too. If not for him, Dad would be dead for sure. He’s not out of the woods, and he’s still unconscious, but his vitals are pretty strong. By the way, Yereq’s probably already back at the pit. He was pretty anxious to return and protect Sapphira.”

  Marilyn touched her cell phone, now in her jeans pocket. If only she could call for an update. Shelly had sounded fairly confident, but a hint of worry darkened her voice.

  Soon, Gabriel came into sight, his wings beating against the fierce wind. After a few more minutes, he rose above the rim, and with a final surge, he landed next to Marilyn.

  “Whew!” He laid a hand on the back of his head. “That knock on the noggin I took is still throbbing.”

  Marilyn touched his hand. “Are you sure you can carry me down?”

  “Yeah.” He brushed dirt from his jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt. “You’re a pilot, so you won’t puke if it gets bumpy, right?”

  Lifting her arms, she laughed. “Let’s go, flyboy. Don’t spare the speed.”

  “You asked for it.” Standing behind her, Gabriel slid his arms around her waist and leaped into the hole. As they dropped, Marilyn’s stomach pushed into her throat, taking her breath away. The wall of rock zoomed upward, and the floor rushed toward her so fast, the objects below blurred.

  Soon, Gabriel unfurled his wings, slowing the plunge. His hands pushed into Marilyn’s abdomen and squeezed out her last gulp of air. As he glided to the ground, the pressure eased, allowing her to take in a breath as well as the sight below. Several women stood with hands on hips peering into a hole in the wall, some dressed in jeans and others in long skirts, all covered with dirt.

  Gabriel landed in a trot, releasing Marilyn as he slowed. “Is Yereq ready?” he asked.

  “Almost,” one of the women said. “It’s the last of the dynamite, so he’s making sure it’s placed perfectly.”

  As the woman pushed back her tangled hair, Marilyn recognized her smudged face—Dorian, once called Yellinia. These former dragons had all gathered in Castlewood before traveling to Montana and had spent enough time in Marilyn’s home for everyone to become acquainted.

  Marilyn quickly scanned the others—Elise, Kaylee, Jordan, and Tamara. “I take it Rebekah and Dallas are still inside with Bonnie and Sapphira,” she said.

  Gabriel nodded. “It looks like the collapse was pretty massive, so we might not be able to blast through it, but Yereq says he’ll dig it out eventually. We’re just trying to give him a head start.”

  “What is that?” Dorian asked, pointing toward the sky.

  Marilyn looked up. A gleam reflected one of the sun’s passing rays, blinding her for a moment, but when another cloud blocked the light, the object became clear—a helicopter.

  “Chopper,” Gabriel said. “And it’s heading this way.”

  “Shall I find Yereq?” Tamara asked as she leaned toward the tunnel entrance.

  Dorian touched Tamara’s hand. “Call his name as you feel your way along the wall and watch for his lantern.”

  Tamara nodded, ducked under the low arch, and disappeared.

  As the helicopter, a large transport unit, descended, Gabriel waved toward the tunnel. “Take cover in the dark. Out in the open, we’re fish in a barrel.”

  The other four dragon women skulked into the cave while Marilyn stayed at Gabriel’s side. “I’m packing a Glock inside my jacket,” she said.

  Gabriel stared at the chopper. “How many rounds?”

  “If that helicopter’s full of bad guys, not enough.”

  “Got a plan of action?”

  Marilyn touched one of Gabriel’s wings. “I think you’d better stay out of sight and be ready to fly out of here with one of the women.”

  “But I should stay and—”

  “What are you going to do, slap them with your wings?” She gripped his taut bicep. “Save the heroism for the escape flight.”

  Folding his wings tightly, Gabriel backed toward the tunnel. “I’ll watch. If you get in trouble, I’m flying you outta here first. Yereq can protect the others.”

  As he faded in the tunnel’s darkness, the helicopter settled to the ground, raising a cloud of sand. A muscular man stepped out from the pilot’s seat, and a tall sinewy woman emerged from the back passenger door, both dressed in army camouflage, complete with high boots and caps that
shadowed their eyes. Each carried an automatic rifle tucked under an arm.

  Marilyn patted the outside of her jacket and felt the shape of her weapon. With that kind of firepower approaching, her pistol seemed no more than a toy.

  The man stopped within ten paces of Marilyn, set his feet, and spoke in a commanding tone. “If you surrender peacefully, no one will get hurt. Tell your company to come out of the cave and file quietly to the helicopter.”

  Shouting over the din of the beating chopper blades, the woman waved at someone inside the passenger compartment. “Get out before I use you for target practice!”

  A hairy little man hopped out and looked all around, confused and scared. Another followed, then a third. Soon, at least ten of the creatures had gathered, the whipping wind tossing the hair on their bodies about. One of them dragged an old backpack on the ground. Dressed only in ragged gray loincloths, they looked more like diapered chimps than men.

  Marilyn tensed her jaw. The Caitiff. Why had the soldiers brought those foul beasts here?

  The man waved his gun toward the helicopter. “Get on board. If no one comes out from that hole, I will count to five and start shooting into it.”

  Marilyn walked as slowly as she dared. Would Gabriel swoop out and jerk her off the ground? Or was he thinking they’d both get shot out of the sky?

  The female soldier marched toward her, gesturing for the Caitiff to follow. She patted down Marilyn’s jacket and pulled the Glock from the inner holster. “You got any other surprises in there, honey?” she asked as she slid the gun behind her belt.

  Marilyn shook her head. “Where are you taking me?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough.” She looked at the male soldier. “Jackson, let’s clear them out.”

  Jackson raised the rifle to his shoulder and fired a round into the cave. A muffled shriek erupted from near the entry, then silence ensued.

  “Wait!” Gabriel called. “Hold your fire.” He emerged, cradling a woman. As blood trickled down her dangling arm, he scowled at Jackson. “What kind of idiot would shoot into a dark cave?”

  Jackson pointed the rifle at Gabriel. “A soldier who wouldn’t mind putting a hole through your head, freak.”

  Gabriel didn’t flinch. “If I wasn’t carrying an innocent woman you just shot, I’d salute you for your courage.”

  “Cut the bravado.” He aimed toward the cave again. “How many more dragon-kind are in there?”

  “Just one.” Gabriel turned that way. “Might as well give it up, Dorian.”

  As he set the wounded woman on the ground, Marilyn peeked at her. It was Tamara. Her eyes closed, she breathed through her mouth, her chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow bursts. Keeping her eyes on Jackson, Marilyn began edging closer to Tamara, hoping to offer some help, but how could she do anything with armed thugs around?

  Dorian emerged from the tunnel, her head low and her hands in the pockets of her denim jumper.

  “Any others?” Jackson asked.

  Keeping her stare low, Dorian shook her head.

  “We’ll see about that.” Jackson fired at least a dozen more rounds into the tunnel, spraying them from side to side. Then, pulling a flashlight from a belt clip, he nodded at the female soldier. “I’m going in, Olsen.”

  As he waved the beam, Jackson kept the rifle at his hip, a finger on the trigger. When he disappeared inside, Olsen barked at the Caitiff. “Take another sniff to remind yourselves of the dragon scent.”

  The one carrying the backpack lifted it to his nose and sniffed. Then, like a pack of anxious dogs, the others gathered around and did the same, each one fidgeting and scratching himself after his turn. With every second, their agitation grew. As they jumped in place, they looked more like monkeys than ever.

  “When I give you the signal,” Olsen said, “go in there and find the dragons.”

  “Dragons,” they echoed, jumping even higher now. “Dragons!”

  Olsen called into the tunnel. “Jackson! Is it clear?”

  A shrill whistle sounded from within. Olsen furrowed her brow and stalked toward the entrance. “What’s going on?”

  Dorian withdrew a clenched fist from her pocket and pressed something with her thumb. An explosion boomed from the cave, sending out a shock wave that knocked Olsen to her seat.

  In a flash of wings, Gabriel zoomed to her, snatched the rifle, and kicked her in the face, knocking her flat. One of the Caitiff grabbed his wing and jerked him to the ground, and two jumped on his back. The others rushed into the cave, whooping, the lead one carrying a flashlight.

  Marilyn tackled one of the brutes and beat his hairy body with her fists. Dorian wrestled the one clutching Gabriel’s wing and slung him away. As Gabriel fought off the third, a loud voice boomed from the cave. “Gabriel! Marilyn! Dorian! Let them go and stay down!”

  Marilyn flattened her body. Shots rang out, and the three Caitiff flopped to the ground. As soon as the gunshot echoes died away, she jumped up and looked at the tunnel. Yereq stood at the entrance, Jackson’s rifle at his shoulder, ready to fire. The Caitiff writhed in pools of dark blood, and Olsen lay on her back, apparently unconscious.

  Tamara rose to her knees and pushed her hair back, smiling. “My acting good?”

  “You certainly fooled me,” Marilyn said. “The blood looked real.”

  “Blood real.” Tamara pointed at her arm. “Cut on stone.”

  “The tunnel is open,” Yereq said, “and some of the Caitiff went through. I was unable to stop them.”

  Gabriel brushed sand from his clothes. “Let’s go. If Sapphira set the trap, maybe we can help the Caitiff fall in.” He handed Olsen’s rifle to Dorian. “Keep an eye on her.”

  Marilyn retrieved her own gun from Olsen and pointed it at one of the wounded Caitiff, but she didn’t have the heart to shoot the struggling beast again. “Bullets only slow them down,” she said to Dorian, “so be careful.”

  “We should go now.” Yereq picked up a lantern at the entrance and led the way through a haze of swirling dust. Soon, he stopped at a deep cleft in the wall. “While we hid in this alcove, the gunman walked into our trap, and he is now no more.”

  Kaylee and Elise stepped out from the recess, followed by Jordan. “Was anyone hurt?” Kaylee asked.

  “Yes.” Marilyn pointed toward the exit. “Take Jordan and Elise, and see what you can do out there.”

  “The Caitiff,” Gabriel said. “Did you see them?”

  Kaylee nodded toward the tunnel’s down slope. “They passed us by. One paused for a second and sniffed around, but he took off again.”

  Marilyn pushed her gun back to her holster. What could that mean? If Bonnie and Shiloh exchanged clothes and backpacks, maybe those beasts had Bonnie’s scent in their nostrils and had picked up her trail.

  She patted Yereq on the arm. “Let’s get back to the mines. There’s no telling what damage those little devils might do before we can get there.”

  Chapter 7

  The River Portal

  Well, so much for that.” Rebekah tossed a splintered pick handle to the ground. “Save your hands, ladies. We’ll have to come up with another plan.”

  Bonnie sat on a boulder and looked at her palms. Dirty and blistered, they weren’t tough enough, nor was any of her party strong enough to dig through the tons of stone in the collapsed tunnel. Although she could have healed her hands with the two or three drops she saved in Elam’s vial, it wasn’t worth it. Better to keep it for an emergency. “Gabriel knows we’re here,” she said. “He and Yereq will figure out a way to get in.”

  “And what if they try to blast through?” Dallas asked. “Another collapse?”

  Rebekah kicked a rock across the floor. “My guess is they won’t risk it for a while. They know we have food and water, and now we’re safe from outside interference. But they might try to communicate, maybe with tapping noises.”

  “I agree.” Sapphira picked up a lantern. “May I suggest that you and Dallas stay here while Bonnie and I
look for the portal Elam wrote about?”

  Rebekah took the lantern and extinguished the flame. “After a water break, sure. We can come back here and listen.”

  “And we’ll relieve you when we come back.” Sapphira snatched up the pick handle, set it ablaze, and led the way as the four walked to the end of the escape passageway. She stopped at the mouth of the larger tunnel and used her bare foot to sweep dirt over an exposed corner of the blanket that concealed the hole in the floor.

  Dimming her flame, she turned to the others. “It looks pretty natural, don’t you think?”

  Bonnie stooped and touched the covering with a finger. “Only if it stays this dark. Someone with a bright lantern might notice and—”

  An ear-splitting bang shot through the tunnel, and the ground shook violently.

  Bonnie jumped away from the trap. “What was that?”

  As grit rained down from the ceiling, coating their heads and shoulders, Rebekah held up her lantern. “Sapphira, give me some light.”

  Sapphira pointed at the wick. “Ignite!”

  As a lively flame erupted, Rebekah extended her arm into the escape passage, creating an orange halo in the dusty air. “Maybe someone is blasting their way in.”

  “That’s fine if it’s Gabriel,” Dallas said. “But how can we safely find out?”

  Rebekah lifted a finger to her lips. “Shhh. Let’s listen for a minute.”

  Folding her wings in tightly, Bonnie eased into the tunnel. Echoes of tapping sounds reached her ears, small rocks falling to the floor, then the clinking of metal—picks or shovels striking stone.

  Rebekah pointed at Bonnie. “Your wings are exposed, so you and Sapphira stay here. Dallas and I will check it out.”

  “You don’t have a weapon,” Bonnie called as they marched up the dim tunnel’s incline.

  “If it’s Gabriel, we don’t need one. If it’s someone else, we’ll be back in a hurry.” Soon, the light faded away.

  Sapphira handed Bonnie the pick handle, now burning with a small flame. “This will give us a chance to look at Elam’s journal.” She pulled it from behind her jeans waistband and opened it to a page she had marked with an old lantern wick. The ovulum, now back in its pouch, bobbed with her movements.