leader is waiting outside should you wish to meet her.”
Judith stood up from the map and stretched to try to get the kinks out of
her back. “Yeah. There are a couple of things we need to go over.” And
it’ll give me an excuse to sit down. She was still studying the map when
she heard the door open.
“Reporting as ordered, my Ladies.”
Judith looked up at the sound of the voice and gaped.
The squadron leader was a fresh-faced brunette with a fine dusting of
freckles and one of those complexions that no one over the age of twenty
can ever have.
“Have they explained your mission to you?” Moira asked, apparently
oblivious of the effect the squadron leader was having on Judith.
“Yes, Lady. We have been running training exercises every day for as long
as our dragons can fly.”
“And the weapons?”
The dragon rider grinned. “Amazing, Lady. The dragons do not like them,
but . . .” She shrugged.
“Okay,” Judith put in. “Remember those things are most effective against
metal-robots or flying machines. Don’t use them against biologicals unless
you have to. Also keep in mind there is a maximum and a minimum range.
Also, the closer they get before you shoot the better your chances of
hitting, but the fewer shots you can get off before they are too close.”
“We have been practicing these things, Lady.”
“Good. Now if we’re lucky they won’t detect the communications platform at
all and you won’t have to fight.” The expression that flashed across the
squadron leader’s face showed she wouldn’t consider that lucky at all. “If
you do have to fight, you’ll probably be in-ah-a target-rich environment.
Keep in mind your job is to protect the relay, not shoot down attackers.”
The girl nodded gravely. “I understand, Lady.”
“Okay. Anything else? Then you’re dismissed. I’ll try to talk to you later
about last minute details.”
The squadron leader bowed and closed the door gently behind her as she
left.
“Our apprentice squadron,” Moira explained as Judith scowled at the closed
door.
“Hell, she can’t be more than fourteen!”
“Closer to sixteen summers.”
“A goddamn kid!”
“What would you? The alternative is to send them into the thick of the
battle. Besides, young riders and dragons are adaptable in ways that older
ones are not. Believe me, my Lady, if they must use those weapons of
yours, the dragons had better be the most adaptable ones we have.”
Forty-three: YOU BASH THE BALROG, I’LL CLIMB THE TREE
The four frozen statues stood in a neat row, like the pieces in some
gigantic game.
In truth, Craig’s trophy room was only a storeroom off in one wing of the
castle. Wiz and his friends were dumped there and left to gather dust
against the day when Craig would have a proper trophy room to display
them.
Once or twice in the succeeding days Craig came down to look at them and
gloat. But mostly they were left alone to stare sightlessly at the stone
wall across the room.
“Hhsst,” a tiny voice squeaked. “Hhsst! my Lord.”
But Wiz flicked not so much as an eyelid.
Lannach tiptoed into the room, keeping his back to the wall. He reached
out to touch the hem of June’s dress, he tugged on Wiz’s pant leg. There
was no response.
The protection spell! Of course. They were still in danger in this place
so the protection spell still held them fast.
The brownie danced up and down in frustration. He and his companions had
spent days searching for their friends and now they could do nothing for
them. The castle was constantly patrolled by warbots and other strange
creatures and Lannach knew it would only be a matter of minutes before he
was discovered. Danger of discovery aside, any one of the four was far too
large for even all of the brownies together to move.
Then he remembered the rings and what Wiz had said when he gave them out.
Lannach had been busy with the gremlins then and hadn’t paid much
attention, but he did remember that the spell could be turned off.
If he could get to the rings.