Quest Maker (21 page)

“I've an idea,” Caden said, and he sounded more confident than he felt. “It should work.”

Rosa called for Tito once more. She seemed impatient.

“I'll be right there!” Tito yelled down. He turned back to Caden and peered at the escape rope near Caden's boot. “You're going to bolt.”

“Bolt” was Ashevillian slang for “run.” And, yes, that was the exact thing Caden was going to do. “I'm going to the school. Look for me there.”

Tito shook his head. “Nah,” he said. “I'll come with you.”

“That's a bad idea.”

“You sure about that?”

Caden was sure. “Rosa will be beyond worried if you run away with me,” he said as he lowered the rope out the window.

“Bro, she's beyond worried already.”

“Then help me by distracting her.”

Tito grabbed his phone. He texted someone—Jane, it seemed. “I told her to stall Rosa, but that won't last long.” He frowned his lopsided frown. “Are you sure I shouldn't come with you?”

“For now,” Caden said, “it would raise suspicions. Trust me.”

As soon as he said it, Caden realized how much he wanted someone to actually trust him, for someone to believe he could handle himself. To believe in him.

Tito hesitated. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, weirdo, okay. I trust you.” Tito took a deep breath. “Look, meet me right after you get done doing this thing you can't tell me about. We'll come up with a plan. Rosa will be looking for you, and trust me, she won't let you out of her sight again.”

“Where?”

Tito took a breath. “Outside, behind the auditorium. I'll get there as soon as I can. And don't talk to anyone until you get there. Go immediately after you do the thing. Those are orders.”

And they were good ones. Truly, Tito would make a formidable Elite Paladin. Caden would have to leave as soon as he gave Rath Dunn the hair. He would be able to escape the tyrant's power.

“Then I'll go with you to talk to Ms. Primrose, bro.”

“There's a chance my evidence won't satisfy her.” Caden held Tito's gaze. “It will be dangerous.”

“Bro,” Tito said, “as future Elite Paladins, isn't danger our middle name?”

“My middle name is Axelochson. It means eighth son of Axel.” He made sure his compass, enchanted paper clips, and cell phone were secure. “But we do face danger with
courage.” There was, however, one thing Tito did fear more than all others. “What about Rosa?”

Tito stared down at his sneakers. “Maybe she'll understand one day?”

That was a big maybe. But there were terrible things afoot. Stopping them was more important than having a warm bed and loving mother. “You are a true friend, Sir Tito.”

“You've got that right,” Tito said.

Three minutes later, Caden scaled down the side of the house. It was early. The sun wasn't even over the mountains yet. As such, he used his compass to navigate through the woods to Sir Horace's horse prison. He crouched at the edge of the trees and whistled. Within moments, Sir Horace was leaping the fence, a magnificent gray-and-white athlete.

Caden reached the school before most other students. The blackened roses looked particularly ominous in the deserted early morning. This day, the school looked like a tomb. Sir Horace bucked as they approached, spooked by the dark magic and dead trees.

“It is important that you wait here for me,” Caden said. “If I don't return, take care of Brynne and the others. Continue to fight.”

Sir Horace nudged his cheek.

Soon after, Caden pushed the double doors at the entrance.

As expected, Rath Dunn was in the math room. He
had his back to Caden. In red marker, he'd written problem after problem on the whiteboard until it looked as if it was dripping blood. Obviously, he was preparing to torture his first-period class.

Caden aligned his posture. He focused on the back of Rath Dunn's head.

“And what might you want?” Rath Dunn said without turning.

Caden had to bring Rath Dunn the hair. The pull of compulsion was like an energy moving his body. He had to obey, and he had to do it this morning to satisfy the curse. No one would be able to stop him and save him now. He was here. He was going to give him the hair. But with the objective certain, Caden could speak before he handed Rath Dunn the hair. Rath Dunn hadn't said, “Bring me the hair immediately.” The other students wouldn't enter until the warning bell rang. Until then, until others found Caden, he could keep the hair.

Rath Dunn called the order a deal. Hair in exchange for his good favor. In exchange for not killing him.

The thing about Rath Dunn was he liked making deals. He liked talking and deceiving. He foolishly believed he couldn't be outwitted. That was his mistake. No one should be underestimated. Especially Caden.

“I've come for the deal,” Caden said, although he doubted Rath Dunn understood that he had actually completed his end of it.

Rath Dunn turned and looked suitably suspicious. The scar across his face pulled at his mouth as he peered at Caden. “This is unexpected. You want to join me?”

“I'd never join you.” Caden let some of his anger show. “But I don't want you hurting Brynne for her braid.” That was absolutely true. “And I need to know something.” Also true. “Tell me, and I'll give you the hair.”

Caden could feel the curse pressing down on him. The old clock on the wall was three ticks from the warning bell. When it reached it, when students entered, Caden knew he'd be compelled to hand over the hair.

Rath Dunn was unhurried. “You'll cut your little sorceress's hair in exchange for information? Really, boy?”

“It's only hair.”

Rath Dunn peered at him. Then he grinned like a wolf. When he spoke next, he sounded amused. Well, Rath Dunn did enjoy games. “What is it you want to know?”

A minute had passed. Two ticks left.

Caden reached into his coat. He didn't grab the hair—he could resist a bit longer—but squeezed his phone instead. He started the record app. “You and my second-born brother, Maden, are communicating. Why?”

Rath Dunn wore the slightly impressed look he had when Tito or Brynne or Derek answered a particularly difficult problem in class. But there was nothing in his reaction to Maden's name to suggest Caden was wrong.

So that was it. Maden was the traitor.

Caden's breath caught. Despite the evidence, he'd still expected to find out he was wrong, that it wasn't one of his brothers who had turned traitor. Rath Dunn's casual acceptance seemed to make it real.

“I tell you, and you cut her hair?” Rath Dunn said. He was definitely amused now.

Caden knew exactly what to say to that. “I cut her hair.” Matter of point, he had, and it was in his pocket.

Rath Dunn's eyes took on a greedy glint. His smile could have frightened a fear wraith. “Why not?” he said. “After all, it's too late to stop me, son of Axel.”

Rath Dunn leaned back against a front-row desk. Jane's desk. “I am communicating with Maden,” he said, “to shatter the boundary between worlds. Perhaps you'll get to see your homeland again before I burn it to ashes.”

Was this the purpose of the spell ingredients? Ritual magic required sacrifice. What type of destruction would a spell like that wreak? It would kill more than plants. That Caden didn't doubt. And maybe more. Caden didn't want to get home like that. “With ritual magic?”

“Well, I do have a ritual magic master in my sway, and a city of unwitting sacrifices for such a spell,” Rath Dunn said. “And Maden has an equivalent across the realm.”

He intended to destroy the city, to kill its inhabitants—to sacrifice Asheville—to get home. And Maden planned the same on the other side. Caden stood speechless.

“There are many who would follow Maden.”

Caden's fingers were beginning to tingle. The curse would demand he hand over the braid soon. “It is first-born Valon who is gifted in leadership.”

“Some follow charisma, others follow strength.” He gave Caden an appraising look. “Some will even follow charm.”

A second minute had passed. There was but a minute left. “But why destroy the science room? What does that have to do with spells and kings and realms?”

“Is that part of our deal?”

“You want the hair,” Caden said. “Tell me.”

Rath Dunn leaned into Caden's space. Caden leaned back. He felt his coat smear the red numbers and letters and grimaced at the thought of his coat's embroidered Winterbird pushed against the mess. “This city needs to see this school's poorly run.”

“Ms. Primrose won't like that.”

“Then she should control her school. Or be replaced with someone who can.”

Rath Dunn wanted Ms. Primrose replaced? If he caused it without breaking her rules, would she not be able to stop him or punish him?

Rath Dunn had collected complaints. He'd encouraged the feud between the teachers. He'd set up evidence that there was negligence. And he'd had Derek's lawyer mother look over his employee contract. These were the things that Caden knew about. No telling what else Rath Dunn had done.

Students were waiting outside the door now. Hapless souls who didn't know their instructor intended to torture them with math and, later, sacrifice them for dark magic. Caden had mere seconds left and still had no confession of guilt. He held Rath Dunn's gaze.

“That's why you conspired with the others to sabotage the science room? Just to make her look bad?”

For a second, Rath Dunn didn't speak. Then he grinned. “That's right. Someone needs to bring her house down.” He seemed particularly amused with that. “She won't be a villain keeper for long. Now, go get me the hair.”

With a shaky hand, Caden took Brynne's braid from his pocket and handed it to him.

“Already?” Rath Dunn said, and thoughtfully turned the hair over in his hand.

Caden didn't answer. He turned and dashed from the room. Several people said hello to him in the halls, but he was a flash of speed on the dirty tiles. Rude though it was, he acknowledged no one. In his pocket, he clutched his phone. “That's right,” Rath Dunn had said. Certainly that would count as a confession. He had the evidence he needed.

C
aden only stopped running when he was safe and hidden behind the auditorium. There was a crack meandering up and around the stacked stones. Lately, there seemed to be cracks in everything. Despite Ms. Primrose's care, the school seemed to be falling apart. Maybe her hunger distracted her from its upkeep. Maybe some of the complaints had merit.

Downslope, Sir Horace peeked out from behind a dead tree. Sir Horace sniffed at the ground as if uneasy. Caden motioned for him to stay hidden. If Ms. Primrose didn't accept Caden's evidence, he and Jasan might need to try to outrun her. Likely, it would be a futile attempt, but neither Caden nor Jasan would simply stand and be devoured. Better they die while running and fighting.

In his pocket, Caden felt his phone buzz. It was tangled
in the enchanted chain of paper clips again. Five missed calls: all from Rosa. He also had five new messages. She didn't deserve the worry he was causing her. She'd treated him well. Then again, if she'd believed him, he wouldn't have had to sneak away.

If Caden survived this day, he would have to one day repay Rosa's kindness. First, though, he had to find Ms. Primrose. He had to play her the recording and show her the pictures of the cafeteria to save Jasan, to save himself. Today was a day of unknown fate. Caden hoped to live to see tomorrow.

He took a deep breath. The air smelled of ash and rotted grass. He prepared the photos and files on his phone the way Tito had taught him. Caden paced back and forth. The class-changing bell rang. He was getting impatient, but Tito had ordered him to wait. Wait he did. Finally, Tito ran around the corner with a blue bathroom pass in his hand. “Hey,” he said, and breathed in and out, in and out.

“Time is running out,” Caden said.

“Mrs. Belle wouldn't give me a pass until the class was seated for the ceremony. Hurry up. I'd like to be back in time for the awards. Let's go find your Elderdragon before it starts.”

“She's not my Elderdragon,” Caden said.

From within the auditorium, he heard music start to play. It was muffled but loud. With each beat, the stacked stone walls vibrated. Fine dust of plaster puffed from the
cracks. The sun's rays illuminated it and made it look like smoke from a summer chimney.

Tito flapped his hands to disperse it.

Caden reached out and touched the wall. It was damp from the humidity. The stones were warm but not from the spring sun. It was a strange warmth. It was like the warmth of the counters in the cafeteria kitchen.

“Bro,” Tito said, and grabbed Caden's sleeve to pull him along. “If you want to talk to Ms. Primrose, we've got to go find her now.”

Caden looked at the walls for a moment longer. “Something's wrong here.”

“Well, yeah,” Tito said. “The math teacher wants to kill you, and the vice principal wants to eat you.”

“More than that.” Caden traced his hand along the crack. “Rath Dunn said he'd bring down Ms. Primrose's house. And he's already been involved in one not-accident.”

Tito looked at the crack and frowned. “Yeah? What are you thinking?”

“Maybe he's going to cause another.” Caden took out his phone and shone the flash against the stone wall. Behind him, Tito gasped.

“Whoa.”

Caden clicked the flash again. Runes were scribbled across the stones. The wall looked like a filled scroll. As soon as the bright light went out, they weren't visible. A ritual spell had been cast. With the next beat of music, a
piece of stone tumbled from the wall. Then another.

From the sound of the music and noise within, the auditorium was full. Likely, Tonya and Ward were in there. As were Jane and Jasan. And Brynne. Caden felt a cold chill and he knew. He just knew.

“He's going to collapse the building.”

Then he reconsidered. Rath Dunn wouldn't dirty his hands; he wouldn't risk blame if his plotting failed. “I take that back,” Caden said. “He's going to get Ms. Jackson to make it collapse.”

“Now? He's in there.”

Quickly, Caden took pictures of the stone walls. “Where was he seated?”

“Left front?”

Caden looked over the pictures he'd snapped on his phone. “Near the exit? He could easily escape if the walls were to collapse.”

“But why would he want to destroy the building?” Tito said. “For his spell? I didn't think he had everything. I mean he doesn't have your brother's blood or Ms. Primrose's perfume.”

“I don't believe so,” Caden said. “This is a different spell. He needs to do this one in order to begin the next one.”

Caden pounded and yanked on the door nearest them. It didn't budge. The exits only had to be open to those on the inside. He yelled for someone from inside to open it,
but the music seemed to drown out his warnings.

Another stone tumbled from the top of the wall. “Crap,” Tito said. “I think you're right. Warn the girls.”

Caden called Brynne. She didn't answer. Tito texted Jane. She didn't reply either. If the teachers were watching, they wouldn't answer their phones. “Try Ward and Tonya,” Caden said as they hurried to the main building and the hall's side entrance.

No one was in the corridor or the classrooms. It seemed all were at the awards ceremony. Before Caden found the Elderdragon, he and Tito had to warn those inside. The fire alarm was on the wall near the English room. Caden lifted the cover and pulled the lever. He braced for screeching bells and bright flashing lights. Nothing happened.

Tito frowned. “You did it wrong,” he said.

“I did not.”

Tito tried pushing and pulling the lever. “It's not working.”

Caden understood how to flip the alarm. “My point exactly.” He pulled out his phone again. This time he called Officer Levine. He answered immediately.

“Caden.” Truly, he sounded worried. “Where are you, son? Rosa is worried sick.”

“The auditorium is going to collapse. Get help.”

“Are you at school?”

He hung up and turned to Tito. “Call Rosa, too. She'll be more likely to believe you.” Maybe they'd believe them,
maybe not. Tito called Rosa. “She's at the horse rescue looking for you.”

“Did she believe you?”

“Don't know,” Tito said. Then he dialed nine-one-one on his cell phone.

Caden doubted anyone would get to them in time. He and Tito ran into the auditorium from the back hall entrance. They needed to evacuate it.

Almost every seat in the auditorium was filled. Parents occupied the back rows. Students sat in front with their morning classes. Two empty rows separated them. The potential victims were many.

“Evacuate. Now!” Caden yelled from the doorway. “The building is going to fall!”

No one heard him over the music.

Tito nudged him and pointed to the stage. There were three chairs set up. One was occupied by an overly tanned man in a wrinkled shirt, another by an older woman with medium brown skin and a green pants suit. Mr. Creedly stood center stage, setting up the microphone.

If he or Tito could get to the stage, they could warn everyone. Caden looked at Tito. He was thinking the same thing.

“Go!” Caden said. “I'll warn our friends.”

Tito darted toward the stage. Mr. Bellows tried to grab him from a front aisle seat, but Tito dodged and climbed up to the stage. The man in the wrinkled shirt stood up and
tried to block him, but Tito was too quick.

Brynne and Jane were seated in the middle with Mrs. Belle. Already, Brynne seemed to sense something. Her short dark hair hung loose to her neck and tickled the top of her purple high-collared shirt. She was looking up at the ceiling. Tonya and Ward sat on the other side, but Mr. McDonald wasn't there. Ward's father was, however. He, too, looked at the ceiling. Those from the Greater Realm knew how to spot magic and danger.

Near the front middle, Caden saw Jasan. He was flanked by villainous teachers: Mr. Bellows and Rath Dunn on one side, and the sixth- and eighth-grade math teachers—solemn-faced Mr. Faunt and stocky Ms. Grady—on the other. For a split second, Caden didn't know whether to warn Brynne and Jane, Tonya and Ward, or Jasan first.

He ran to Brynne and Jane. They were the closest. When he got to their row, he reached across Mrs. Belle. “Brynne! Jane!”

The loud music came to an abrupt stop. The room went silent. On stage, Tito held the cords to the speakers. Everyone looked toward him.

Ms. Primrose appeared at the curtain's edge. Her dress was the color of thick ice. Even from afar, her skin seemed to shimmer with blue scales. She and Tito stared at each other. When she licked her lips, her teeth gleamed. Tito, however, was brave.

And, apparently, a bit of a liar, for he said, “There's a
bomb threat! Everyone out!”

In the fleeting quiet that followed, the ceiling groaned. The middle rafter dropped several feet and debris showered down from it. That convinced everyone to get out.

Students scrambled for the exits. Parents scrambled for their kids. Manglor pulled Ward and Tonya from their seats. The two well-dressed people on the stage hurried to the door. From somewhere outside and farther away, sirens wailed.

Ms. Primrose looked mortified. She eyed Tito for one long, horrible moment, then scanned the crowd, her icy gaze looking from one of her villains to the next. Then the ground shook. In a flash of blue, Ms. Primrose disappeared.

Mrs. Belle directed her class toward the back exit. Before they could all get free from the middle section, the drooping rafter crashed down. Twenty would be crushed, a quarter of the seventh grade. Caden braced himself. Brynne reached up. The beam stopped a thumb's length from her hand and even closer to their classmate Olivia's head.

Telekinesis magic.

Derek pulled Olivia out from under the beam. It hovered eerily in the air. Brynne was strong, but she couldn't hold it there for much longer. The class surged from the row. Caden fought against the flow of people.

Soon, only Brynne and Jane remained. “Brynne! Jane!” Caden said. “Get out from under it!”

Jane tried to pull Brynne away, but Brynne didn't move.
Instead, she flicked her wrist. The rafter flew straight up, burst through the ceiling, and tumbled out of sight. It left a large hole. The sun shone in and onto the dirty seats, the aisle, and the screaming students running out the exits.

Caden heard someone calling him. “Caden!” It was Tito. He ran across the stage. “Look!” Frantically, he motioned toward the front, toward Jasan. “Your brother!”

Jasan, of course, hadn't run away. He was a trained Elite Paladin. He would help others first. But he wasn't the only teacher who remained. Those around him did as well.

With the auditorium almost empty and Ms. Primrose gone, they blocked him from all sides. Rath Dunn had his blood dagger drawn. Mr. Bellows had his arm outstretched. The black aura of necromancy emanated from his fingers, and a large bag sat by his feet. Ms. Grady had a spiked bone club. The solemn-faced Mr. Faunt raised his hands and flexed his fingers. His fingernails looked like long, sharp knives.

Toward the back, a rear beam started to fall. Brynne's eyes turned so silver they glowed. She reached up. Power emanated from her. The rafter flew up, twirling madly like the blade of a helicopter, and disappeared into the sky. She wobbled from the effort.

Jane held her up. “We've got this,” Jane said. The walls all around them crumbled. “I'll get Brynne out. Hurry, help your brother.”

Dainty termites fluttered past them in the dust. What
was going on? Caden was certain attacking Jasan with daggers, nails, and clubs was against even Ashevillian rules. Where was Ms. Primrose? Caden dashed to the front.

Jasan grabbed Mr. Faunt by the wrist and flung him to the stage. The top of the stage, it seemed, had fallen in when the second rafter fell. Mr. Faunt crashed amid the splinters and termites.

The other three villains pounced on Jasan. Ms. Grady swung the club. It cut through the air with force. Rath Dunn slashed with the dagger. Mr. Bellows waved his hand. Something dead rose up from his bag. Bone by bone, it clicked together. Patchy muscle and flesh knitted together. Within a second, a corpse-like Ashevillian bear roared beside him.