Chapter Eighteen: Escape

Evie felt quite sure that hours had passed since Master Oilreid locked them in their lightning prison. Bridget sat in one of the chairs, rubbing her black fingertips together. Despite continuous failures, the girl kept trying. Evie lost count of the number of times she’d grabbed hold of one of the sizzling bolts and immediately let go, shocked. They weren’t major shocks, not like what would happen if you actually got struck by lightning. But her palms and fingers looked stained black and she kept putting them in the pitcher of ice water as if they hurt her.

“Well, if we can’t get out, we might as well not waste our time in here,” Bridget announced as she stood and paced back and forth in the small space. She had said something similar each time she recovered from a shock. Evie hoped the frequent jolts weren’t harming her sister’s brain. But, for Bridget, her persistence in this situation only meant she acted just like she always did. Bridget would look for, and probably find, a way out if she stood on a falling platform over a lake of lava, surrounded by growling, hungry ogres.

She looked a sight. Her blond hair barely twisted in a few spots into weak semblance of a braid. The majority of the strands had escaped and poked out all over her head. Some of them stood strait up. Black streaks criss-crossed her face, where she’d rubbed it with her blackened fingers. Evie assumed that must be a good sign. If Bridget’s burns rubbed off so easily, they remained on top of the skin. She found comfort in that, but she still wished the girl would stop trying. Master Oilreid simply didn’t leave them a way out.

Still, her sister kept pacing and muttering, “When we get out of here the best thing to do would be to find Anna and Elder Banied. They might be willing to help us rescue Trevor. Of course neither of us has seen them since early yesterday. I think they must be among the refugees. Where else would they go?” Evie sighed, they’d been over all of this a dozen times. She wanted to shake Bridget and tell her to give up. They couldn’t do anything about their situation. Master Oilreid had them trapped and Trevor could be anywhere by now. She also wanted very much to feed on her sister’s strength and confidence. She wanted to have Bridget’s courage.

All thoughts flew right out of her head when the wall of books that lead outside shimmered and turned into a door. Evie jumped to her feet. Bridget turned to stare at the opening door. It had to be Master Oilreid. He said he had locked the door, so no one else could come in. Evie grimaced and looked away. She felt just angry enough to not want to deal with the man. She wasn’t sure she could control her temper and she knew she’d look silly throwing a tantrum from inside her cage.

At a gasp from Bridget, Evie looked up. Trina fluttered in, chattering happily to someone behind her. Evie felt sick. That sweet little sprite was in on this too? She really liked Trina. But the old teacher didn’t stalk in behind her. It was Devin. But how? Devin noticed the girls before Trina did. She flew turned around backward, talking. Devin’s eyes locked on Evie’s. She saw shock on his face. He didn’t know why they were caged. She felt sure of it. He looked as surprised to see her as she was to see him. This might be a good thing.

Trina seemed to notice Devin staring because she stopped chattering and turned around. Without missing a beat she squealed, “OH MY!” She fluttered over to Evie, crossing right between two bars of lightning. “What happened? How did you get trapped in here? I have never seen such a thing. Everyone is free within a spritested. Are you okay?”

Bridget took two steps to stand in front of Evie and demanded of Trina, “Can you get us out of here?”

Surprisingly, Trina hesitated, “Who caged you, and why? We don’t believe in locking people up, but we don’t meddle in other people’s affairs either. Tell me what’s really going on here and then we’ll take the next step.” Evie’s eyes widened. She had never heard this silly little sprite talk about anything seriously before. She prattled on for hours, but she had never expressed any personality besides flightiness and friendliness. For the first time, Evie thought she understood how seriously sprites look their rules.

She searched her mind frantically for a story that made sense and would convince the sprite to help them get out. But she didn’t have a chance to think it through because Bridget spoke right up, “Master Oilreid put us in here.” Evie’s mouth dropped open in shock. Surely they could have come up with something better than the truth. Trina idolized Master Oilreid. But her sister just kept on, “He sent Trevor to his father and we wanted to save him. He traded Trevor, actually. In exchange for getting rid of Jayson, who was the spy.”

This time Trina looked as if she’d been slapped in the face. “Jayson? That’s simply not possible! A sprite would never spy. We don’t believe in spying. We don’t take sides.”

Devin nodded his head. He had moved close enough to stand just outside the cage. His voice startled Evie, she’d forgotten he was in the room. “It makes sense, Trina. He has not been very content with sprite ways. Perhaps he decided the side of the King was better than the boredom of the spritested.”

“Sprites don’t need progress! We’re happy the way we are. We have peace here. We have understanding. How many human civilizations have ever achieved either?” Trina seemed mad now. Somehow, Evie felt sure her anger wasn’t actually directed toward Devin. She suspected, she hoped, it was because the little sprite began to believe that Jayson had spied. The betrayal of everything her people believed in might encourage Trina to help her and Bridget.

Time ran short; argument really wasn’t an option. Bridget seemed to feel the same way because she shouted, “Listen to me! Evie discovered that Jayson was the one spying for the king.

Naturally she headed straight toward the library to tell Master Oilreid. I happened to meet her along the way. When we found him…” She retold the story about the same way Evie would have if she had decided truth was really necessary. It sounded accurate and as succinct as she could make it. When she finished the room sat in a suspenseful silence as Trina thought about her next move.

Evie took the opportunity to turn to Devin and ask, “Master Oilreid said he was locking us in. How did you guys manage to come here?”

Devin shrugged. “I have been wandering the woods since class. If he has gathered everyone together to make preparations for leaving, I was not there to be gathered. Master Oilreid promised he would give me some individual help with…” He hesitated, “…a problem I have been having. He must have forgotten. When I got here, the door was locked. I wondered if something was wrong, so I went to find him. Only humans can be locked out of this library, not sprites.” His tone became quiet and confidential and he grinned in amusement, “They do not believe in locks. So, when I ran into Trina, I asked her to let me in.”

He eyed Evie a minute more before asking, “Do you really want to risk your life to rescue this boy…the boy you shouted at during class today. You told him to ‘crawl back into whatever hole he crawled out of,” remember? Is he really worth being captured for? The king is not noted for being a kind man.”

She didn’t even have to consider her answer, “Yes, he’s worth it. Isn’t that what we’re here to learn: everyone is valuable? Isn’t that why Master Oilreid is starting this school?”
Devin nodded and, to her great surprise, added, “Then I will come with you.”

She didn’t have a chance to react, however, because Trina caught her eye. The little sprite swirled her hand in small circles in front of two of the lightning bars. Evie could almost see the circle of air, swirling and growing larger like a whirlpool. As it grew, the bars stretched to either side, bowing until they intercepted another bar that also bent. When Trina let her hands fall the swirling air remained, holding the bars far enough apart for Evie and Bridget to walk right out. Evie felt nothing as she passed through that circle of air. She expected to feel wind, but she supposed it wasn’t really there.

Bridget let out a yelp of triumph as her feet landed on the outside of their cage. Then she said, hurriedly, “Quick, we’ve got to find Elder Banied and Anna. Trina, do you know where they are staying?”

Trina shook her head. “I’m afraid they left yesterday. They stayed long enough to get cleaned up and rested. Before the festival last night, they announced that they were,” her voice went deep in imitation of Elder Banied, “‘Going back for Abby.’”

Bridget smiled. “That is great news! I hoped they would be here to help us, but that is great news.” Evie felt the same way. Of course they needed help, but she had tried to shove her worry about her aunt into the back of her mind. It made her sick to her stomach whenever she thought about it. Bridget’s face went serious again. “It looks like it is just you and I, Evie. Let’s go.”

She started heading toward the exit before anyone else had a chance to add to the planning. Evie scurried after her, “Wait! Where are we going? We have no idea where this army is. Do you think that’s where they’ll head? Isn’t that where Trevor’s dad is? How will we catch up to them, even if we can figure out which way to go?” As long as they had been locked in the cage, you’d think they would have come up with a better plan. But Bridget had been so persistent in her escape attempts. The conversation never veered far beyond how to get out. They just assumed they would have Elder Banied and Anna to advise them on the next steps of the plan.

Bridget didn’t seem disturbed by their lack of planning though. She smiled triumphantly and said, “You’re the smart one, Evie, but this time I’m the hero.” She pulled a small white rock out of her pocket.

Evie gasped and then clapped her hands. She recognized it. It was the tracking stone that Trevor had used to find them in the forest what seemed like a year ago. “You still have that?” She couldn’t suppress sudden excitement. The might actually have a chance.

“He never asked for it back. I think he still has the other one, I watched it glow red while we were walking toward him this morning.” Evie had a hard time not jumping for joy. This might really work. At least they had a way of finding him. The problem of actually freeing him seemed distant and unimportant. Suddenly her mind went back to the way Trina had released them from the cage. The task wouldn’t be so easy after all.

“Trina,” she asked, cautiously, “Is there any way we can beat Jayson? I mean, he knows magic too, right. I don’t know how we can get Trevor away from him, if we can get to them before they meet the army?”

The little sprite had been staring off into space, probably still unhinged by the revelation that one of her people could have betrayed the humans. She jumped a little when she realized someone spoke to her. “What? Jayson? Oh no. He is a sprite, not a souray. He can’t use magic outside the spritested. The one you need to be worried about is Kendall. That man is a powerful souray. I don’t know if there is a way to defeat him. Not unless you know magic too, anyway. And you don’t. It’s too bad you can’t take Master Oilreid with you. I think he’d be a match for Kendall. Are you sure you really want to do this? I don’t know what good it’ll do anyone if you…”

“Trina!” Devin snapped. “We have got to go now. And unless one of these girls has the very rare talent of entering spritested on her own,” he looked briefly toward Evie and Bridget and got firm head shakes from both of them, “we need you to let us out, please.” He added the last word after a pause.

Bridget turned to him, shocked. “Who are you? Why do you think you’re going with us?”

Evie started to explain that she had met Devin in class, but faltered after only a few sentences. She really didn’t know very much about the boy and she certainly didn’t understand why he wanted to go with them. Taking her stumbling as an opportunity to speak, Bridget cut in, speaking to Devin, “I am sorry to be suspicious, but I don’t think I can handle being betrayed again. You’re going to have to give me a good reason to let you come along.”

Devin smiled in that mischievous way that seemed so like him and said, “Because who else have you got?”

Bridget opened her mouth to answer, but Evie spoke first, “He’s right, Bridget. Besides, how would you stop him? Now, let’s go!”

Her sister gave one last helpless look at the older boy and headed for the exit again. Devin motioned the door open without a hesitation and they all hurried out into the forest. As soon as they were outside, however, the sisters glanced around. Neither of them knew exactly what they planned to do next.”

Trina emerged from the doorway and fluttered ahead of the group. Waving an arm she said, “This way. There are only two places where you can enter or exit a spritested and the nearest one is where you came in yesterday.” Evie blinked in surprise. Yesterday? Surely it had been a week. Still, she didn’t waste time thinking about it. She ran after Trina, a step behind her sister and strange new friend.

Perhaps luck supported on their cause, or perhaps Master Oilreid did have everyone in the spritested gathered together somewhere. Whatever the reason, they made it to the clearing where Evie had almost been rapton food without meeting any other people. Trina flew strait into the middle of the clearing, heading for the familiar boulders on the other side. Evie hesitated a minute before running out into the open. She remembered all too well the fear of being exposed to swiping claws in that meadow. Once she started running, however, she wished she had walked. Her vision went black and she stumbled to the ground.

She held her head as she forced her eyes open after falling. The others had also fallen, close to her. Bridget lay on her back, sitting up slowly and Devin stared down at the ground from his hands and knees. “Geez, Trina,” he squawked, “Could ya warn a guy before you do that to him? I think I broke…something.”

Trina blushed. It looked odd. Her whole face turned bright red. It appeared especially strange on her because it contrasted with her blue hair. Evie had never seen anything like it. She shook her head in disgust at herself. This was no time to be thinking about such dumb things. They made it out of the spritested, but twilight blanketed the forest. She didn’t have time for silliness. “Sorry, Devin,” Trina squeaked. “I got caught up in the excitement. Besides, you said you were in a hurry.”

Bridget sprang to her feet and started purposefully northward. Evie noticed that she didn’t check the rock in her pocket before she moved. She acted like she knew exactly where she was going, though. So, Evie stood, brushed herself off and walked after her sister. The forest appeared darker and more frightening then ever after being in the spritested. Evie hurried her steps to catch. The darkness crept up on them and Evie felt sure something terrible would happen if they got separated.

They moved silently through the forest for a few minutes. Evie grew increasingly uncomfortable as they passed. She imagined monsters waiting around every sinister tree. It wasn’t that the darkness came quickly, she realized. She just felt as if she had walked out of a beautiful, well-lit garden into a half-dead wasteland when she left the spritested. She should have been prepared for it considering the change that happened when she first entered, but that seemed like so long ago. Except that the memory of the raptons still haunted her mind. She felt quite certain they lurked behind the cover of this forest. Something horrible did, anyway.

Bridget stopped, abruptly, poking her head out of the forest into a small clearing where the trees stretched back from a small, clear pond. Evie gasped when she saw what her sister was staring at. Two pegasus’ lounged near the water. At least that’s what she thought they were. Evie had never seen a pegasus before. Oh, she’d heard stories about them, but she thought those stories were just legends.

Bridget walked bravely from behind her tree. She held the gaze of one of the animals. It looked largely like a brown horse, except that it stretched two long feathered wings out to either side. In response to Bridget’s approach, the pegasus reared back onto its hind legs, kicking those in front. Her sister never broke eye contact. Evie wondered if the creature had Bridget caught in some sort of a trance. She started to panic, thinking that she needed to bring the girl back to reality or watch her be mauled by the ferocious animal.

Just as Evie braced herself to run from behind the tree and knock Bridget out of harm’s way, her sister spoke to the pegasus she approached. The other one still sat calmly, its head resting on its front paws. “Will you please speak so that my friends can understand?” She motioned backward. Evie glanced around and saw that Devin also stood, half hidden behind a tree. Trina fluttered just over Devin’s shoulder, looking like this wasn’t the least bit out of the ordinary.
Evie almost fainted outright when she saw what happened next. The pegasus lowered itself to all four legs and closed its huge wings around a muscular body. It walked over to Bridget and let her rub its snout before turning to face the others. Its mouth curved into an almost smile as it said in a deep, masculine voice, “Come out… Come out. We will not harm you. Trina, you know better. You’ll only make them more afraid by remaining behind that tree.”

When neither Devin nor Evie made to follow Trina out into the open, the pegasus still on the ground lifted its head and spoke in an almost musical woman’s voice, “Surely you’ve heard of the pegasus’? We are not dangerous. We do not hurt people.” It made a neighing sound that could have been a laugh. “If you have entered this forest tonight, you are braver then you are acting right now… or you are very foolish.” Somehow the pegasus on the ground made Evie feel better. It was pure white and more beautiful than any animal she had ever seen. It could have walked right out of a bedtime story. In part, the brown animal created the source of her fear. She’d never heard of a Pegasus that wasn’t white. She should have learned by now that reality usually differed quite a bit from what she thought she knew, especially when the source of her knowledge was legend.

At almost the same moment, Evie and Devin stepped cautiously toward the small pond and the creatures waiting beside it. Bridget glanced back to see that they came, but as soon as they moved, she addressed the pegasus again. “Have you noticed anyone else leaving the spritested today?”

The brown animal didn’t even need a second to think. He glanced down as he spoke, “You are looking for the boy. He arrived with you, if I am not mistaken. I do not think you can save him. He has been taken to a large camp to the East.” That large head indicated the direction with a nod

“He left the spritested with a sprite who we do not know a few hours ago,” the other Pegasus added. “As soon as they were outside, three ogres descended on them. They boy fought hard, poor thing. Why were they after him? It was too coincidental for us to think the ogres were just happening by.”

Evie let out a long breath and sat down next to a tree. Three ogres? Even if they caught up to them before they could join with the rest of the army, how could they free him? She had been hoping that, by some miracle, they would catch up to Jayson and Trevor alone. They could most certainly handle the little sprite if it was true that he could not use magic outside of the spritested. Evie had never seen an ogre before, but she had little hope that the stories she had heard involving them were great exaggerations.

This bit of bad news didn’t faze Bridget for a second. She continued trying to get information from her strange friends. “How far is the camp? Is there a chance we can get to them before they join the rest? If we can’t, what are our chances for helping Trevor escape? He is…” She paused and then sighed. “He is a friend of ours.”

“None.” The male Pegasus shook his head. “The camp has a few thousand Ogres and maybe twice that number of men. It is constantly patrolled by a pack of raptons. If we fly very high above this place, we can see them circling. They aren’t hunting, thank heaven, or we would have to flee this place too. They only circle the camp. They must be very well-trained. As for how far, you will never make it. They have been gone a very long time.”

“They could make it,” the other animal chimed, “if we carry them.” For a moment the two pegasus’ locked eyes. Finally, the first one nodded.
“We will take you.”

Evie expected a whoop of excitement from her sister, but the girl merely stared, thoughtfully. After a minute, she said, “I wouldn’t ask you too, except that I don’t think there is any other way to save him. Can you carry all three of us?”

Evie couldn’t believe what just happened, what they planned. The tactics formed without proper thought. They didn’t even know what they had to face. Maybe Pegasus fought ogres all the time, but she knew for a fact Bridget had never seen one before. They needed time. They needed to gather more information. They needed a plan of action. They didn’t have any of that.

Evie knew that she couldn’t argue with Bridget’s hastiness. Each moment that passed brought Trevor closer to that army. It was now or never. Besides, she was supposed to be practicing acting on instinct, right? She wanted to trust herself. To her irritation, she realized she had already missed all the planning that they were going to do, because Bridget and Devin climbed onto the backs of the two pegasus.

“Wait!” Evie shouted. “I don’t understand. Won’t circling raptons see us? Won’t they come after us? It can’t be safe to fly there.”

“Do not worry,” the male said, “We will fly low. If the raptons have not been specifically ordered to come after us, they will likely ignore our presence. We’ll simply have to trust that, if they see us, they won’t consider two Pegasus and three children to be a threat.”

Evie laughed suddenly. Of course they wouldn’t see them as a threat. She, herself, couldn’t reason out how they were going to be a threat. With one more laugh and a quick dismissal of creeping dread, she jumped up on the male animal’s back behind Bridget. Her skirt pushed up past her knees. She supposed you shouldn’t ride a horse in a dress. Bridget didn’t struggle at all in her trousers. Evie kept trying to force the dress down until she noticed Devin laughing at her. Indignantly, she stopped fiddling with her clothes and wrapped her arms around Bridget’s waist. With one last deep breath, Evie felt the pegasus leap into flight.

Trina shouted to them from the ground, “I cannot help you now, but remember, you set your own limits!” It sounded just like what Master Oilreid said to her during the failed magic lesson. Evie laughed at the irony.