Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [108]
The beast roared and charged Kale. She and Librettowit fell back as one of the monster’s heads abruptly stopped outside their hiding place. The thing prodded at the boulders with its snout, but the small opening prevented it from thrusting any closer.
Kale sucked air into her mouth with a hiss as she tried to pull herself into a shadow as far from the opening as she could get. A long, skinny black tongue flicked out of the head’s mouth and explored the crevice. The wizard, the tumanhofer, and the o’rant girl cowered, pressing their backs against the rock wall. In desperation, Kale jabbed with her sword and nicked it. The tongue jerked back with a slurping sound, and the head moved away from their shelter.
“One should never,” said Fenworth, sternly, “transport any monster in the confines of an egg shell. Being cramped like that makes it cranky.”
Another head hovered over the opening in the rocks near Kale and Librettowit. Kale braced her feet apart in a fighting stance, took a firm grip on her sword, and sliced deliberately as the tongue snaked in. The end of the monster’s tongue fell at her feet and writhed there. With a squeal that did not sound a bit like a soldier, Kale backed away from it as if it were a serpent. Librettowit grabbed the ugly thing and threw it out of their hiding hole.
“This is not a librarian’s job,” he complained. “This has nothing to do with books and research.”
While Fenworth muttered about spells—wet, dry, cold, hot—Kale peered over the boulders, trying to locate the other members of their quest. One monster head moved close to a ledge littered with small boulders. A sudden flash of light sent it snapping back.
At least one kimen is in there.
Kale saw the third head plunge downward. She screeched as Lee Ark darted from one rock to another. Hideous teeth snatched at his back. Dar’s trumpet blasted the air. At that precise moment, Brunstetter jumped out and drove his long sword into the monster’s neck beneath the jawbone. All three beast heads howled. The wounded one continued to bellow. Then that head and neck fell limply to the ground. Now as the monster moved, it had to drag the lifeless portion along.
Fenworth had risen and crouched beside Kale.
“No more heroics.” She heard him mindspeak to them all. “Just be patient a minute. I’ve almost got a handle on this calcification spell.”
It’s about time! The thought sprang up in her mind, and she jerked around to see if it had been heard by the old wizard. His frown seemed to be for his concentration on the deed at hand. He didn’t seem to notice her at all. Kale breathed a sigh of relief, but none of the tension left her body.
The beast still trudged back and forth, and it knew where each of the members of the quest hid. Frustrated, it growled and made passes at the rocks with the two remaining heads. One head came at Kale again, and she backed up, raising her sword. Instead of flicking its tongue in the space above the boulders, it rammed its massive head against the rocks. The blow shook their little stronghold. Dirt and grit showered down on them, covering their clothing and hair with dust.
Kale looked over to see Librettowit and Fenworth whispering to each other and casually brushing dust off their heads. She gritted her teeth.
Will he have that spell ready in time?
The creature moved off toward Lee Ark’s sheltering rocks. Kale watched. The third head dragged the ground. The beast stumbled and struggled. His movements seemed more encumbered than just from the fallen head.
“His tail is turning gray,” she reported to the men behind her.
Librettowit rose to spy over the boulders.
“It’s turning to rock. Good job, Fen, but how about starting at the other end. It would be nice to have those disgusting heads turn to stone first.”
Fenworth ran his hand over the top of his head. Kale noticed for the first time a bald spot right on the crown, surrounded by the long fringe of gray hair. The wizard’s fingertips made a circular motion on the exposed scalp.
“Let’s see, that would require a number of adjustments…Yes, it could