Dragons of the Watch - Donita K. Paul [109]
For now, he enjoyed the contrast of the clean colors against the drab background of old bricks while he listened to Maree’s report. The male dragon had been closely observing Yawn’s allies until they began to disappear.
Maree’s last statement made Bealomondore frown. “What do you mean by disappear?”
“What did he say?” asked Cinder.
“That the children go into buildings and don’t come out. Our friends fly into the buildings and can’t find them.”
Cinder shrugged. “They’re using the subter.”
“What’s a subter?”
Cinder rolled his eyes. “It has a longer name, but I don’t know it. Something like ‘subter-ran-he-in.’ We don’t usually go down there because it’s scary.”
Several of the children nodded their heads in agreement.
“More scary than the theater,” said Red Curls. “More dark places. More spooky noises.”
Grim pushed to the front. “And sometimes when you’re down there, you can’t find any doors unlocked so you can get out.” His eyes expressed remembered panic. “That’s the scariest thing of all. That never happens in the theater.”
Confusion pushed Bealomondore’s ordered thoughts aside. For a moment the sensation baffled him. He smiled after a moment of shock. The confusion was not his, but Ellie’s. This was something he’d have to get used to as they went on in life together. The intrusion of disorder had been disconcerting.
He turned to face his followers. “While Yawn’s forces are down in the subter, we shall make progress to the library. Come now. Be brave and quick.”
He headed toward the inner city, taking the shortest route to their safe haven. After several blocks of no interference, the children relaxed and added skips to their hurried pace. They turned the last corner and saw the library at the end of a long stretch of avenue. The large, white, columned building sat at the end of the street they were on, where it teed at a cross street. Everyone quickened their strides.
Bealomondore studied the windows of the stores they passed. Surely there would be one more attempt to stop them. He caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned his head, he saw nothing suspicious.
With his mind, he called to the dragons of the watch to close in on this area. Almost immediately, Kriss reported children on the only flat roof available to the ambushers. Airon reported evidence of a trap a block away.
“Hurry!” Bealomondore commanded.
He and his troops trotted.
Det sounded an alarm from above.
Bealomondore shouted, “Run!”
A barrage of rocks showered them from the flat roof. A swarm of children poured out from the alleys. Yawn’s thugs had wooden shipping crates over their heads. The wide slats in the sides allowed them to see.
The flying dragons could no longer pull hair nor spit in the faces of the army of six-year-olds. He hated to admit it, but the leader of the horde was quite clever.
Bealomondore separated himself from his band, his sword already in his hand. “Run!” he called again.
Bealomondore stayed behind, swinging his weapon with the determination to protect Ellie, her goat, and her children.
Ellie’s head whipped back and forth as she tried to keep an eye on what was happening to Bealomondore behind her and the children in front of her. Whimpering, the children dashed for the safety of the library. Some cried out as they were hit by the stones hurled from above.
Ellie held tight to the side of the cart. One rough spot in the pavement and the wagon would tilt. Too much of an upset would send it over. She knew she couldn’t hold it up, of course, but she’d try. As soon as she had the children, Tak, and the cart carrying Porky hidden at the back of the library, she’d return to Bealomondore and try to help.
A rock caught Tak on the hindquarters. He jerked and sprang forward. Ellie saw the cart tip away from her. The wheels on her side left the pavement. She