Chapter 24
Come in, come in, please.” Seated on a towering throne, an imposing figure beckoned us from across the room as the door pulled wide. “I am Helgavinda, and you are welcome here.”
The firebright looked to be twice the size of Dungle and chiseled out of hardened magma. Fiery veins glowed across her body like lava, and she wore a silver crown atop her diamond-shaped head. Leaning across her knee, Helgavinda’s red, pupilless eyes twinkled with delight as she gestured toward us with her menacing trident.
“You are not to be strangers here,” Helgavinda said, and her mouth seemed to crack the surface of her face like a fissure. Instead of a fierce and frightening voice, however, she sounded friendly, speaking with a slight Latin accent. It was like listening to my seventh-grade Spanish teacher, Mrs. Tiburon. I had always liked Mrs. Tiburon, even though she constantly corrected my pronunciation.
“However, I regrettably must ask your companions to leave,” Helgavinda said, pointing at the door behind us.
“Leave?” I asked, glancing back at Nodring and Dungle. Peering in from the outside, the two of them had yet to take a step through the opening.
“Ah, come now, Helgavinda,” Nodring replied. “You mean to tell me you can’t bend the rules for old times’ sake? Don’t we go way back, you and I?”
“We do have a history, shadow elf, but you have never traded fairly with me in the past,” Helgavinda’s voice echoed through the hallway. “And filthy creatures are not welcome as guests, nor are they allowed inside my throne room. Unless you intend to offer your troltus as a gift for my Menagerie, Nodring, I must insist she departs at once.”
“Dungle’s not filthy,” Miles said, jutting out his chin.
“It is all right,” Dungle said, patting Miles on the shoulder. “She does not offend me. It is simply her way.”
There was no getting around it. Helgavinda wasn’t willing to budge, and Nodring and Dungle didn’t appear eager to go against the firebright’s wishes.
“Will you wait for us back up top?” Miles asked, sounding more than a little desperate.
“Nah, I sense we may have finally come to the end of our partnership,” Nodring said. “We need to get back to our Smoke Tree. There’s plenty of gold to be made.”
“Still think this is a good idea?” Jasmine muttered to me under her breath. “Are we willing to give up these two for the price of Sierra?”
No more Nodring and Dungle? I didn’t like the sound of that. Though there had been several times before when they had left us, they had always managed to pop back up at the right moment. I suppose we could have walked back through the door and followed them out of the cavern, but that didn’t feel like the right choice either. This felt like the end, as though Nodring and Dungle’s playing card had finally run its course.
“I guess this is goodbye,” I said, offering my hand to Nodring.
Nodring pulled me in close. “Listen closely, mate,” he whispered. “Helgavinda’s going to want to trade. That’s what she does here, and she won’t give in easily.”
“Trade for what?” Miles asked. “We don’t have anything.”
“Don’t be a fool,” Nodring replied. “You have plenty. But what she wants more than anything else is your time. That’s the most valuable item to her of all.”
Jasmine scowled at Nodring. “What do you mean by time?”
“You’ll see soon enough. Do try to be smarter with your negotiations. Don’t go zapping yourself on things that shouldn’t be touched. You hear me?” Though he smiled, I could hear the seriousness in Nodring’s tone. “Don’t offer your best right from the start, but don’t insult her either.”
“We won’t,” I assured him. “Thank you, guys. For everything.”
“Yeah, it’s been an absolute pleasure,” Nodring said. “Now, just remember what I told you and don’t do anything stupid.”
As the door began to close, sealing off the outside cavern from the hallway, we waved goodbye to Nodring and Dungle for the last time.
“Good luck, Wild Crows,” Dungle said, offering us a mournful smile. “I do hope you rescue your friend.”
The room plunged into darkness. Then dozens of pink stones embedded within the walls flickered to life, illuminating a marble pathway to where the monster sat, gazing down upon us like some wickedly animated stone monument.
“You have traveled far to get here,” Helgavinda said, after we had walked the pathway and stood at the base of her throne. “I do love company. I would be very interested to hear your story. What can you tell me about the world above?”
“Uh, no offense, but we’re kind of in a hurry,” I said. “I think we’d rather just get on with it, if that’s okay with you.”
Helgavinda fell silent. She began twirling her trident methodically, the echoing sound filling the throne room as it rolled against the marble floor. “I understand,” she said, loosening her grip on her weapon after several tense moments. “You are on a Quest, and you desire to gaze upon my Menagerie.”
She tapped the end of her trident against the floor, and a section of the wall behind her throne lit up with a translucent glow. The sound of grinding gears filled the chamber, as a series of containers, like small rooms, appeared within the crystal wall. One by one, the rooms rotated through as though carried along by a conveyor belt, and as each container rumbled past, we caught a glimpse of what was inside. We saw a weapons rack with swords and spears, a bookcase brimming with old leather tomes, and an eerie sarcophagus like the tomb of an ancient mummy. There were creatures on display as well. Goblins and horses, a wyvern . . .
“That’s not Wopper, is it?” Miles asked, looking horrified.
The rotating display came to a stop as the dwarf appeared, pounding his fists against the crystal wall, and though we could see he was shouting, his voice remained silent beyond the barrier.
“You wish to trade for the dwarf, then?” Helgavinda tilted her head with interest, gazing at the miserable creature.
Poor Wopper had been much better off eating hay back in the dungeon. Now, because of an unfortunate tumble through a trapdoor, he had become one of Helgavinda’s trophies. I felt a pang of guilt for the dwarf, but I shook my head. Once again, the firebright twisted her trident, sending the conveyor rumbling on, and Wopper’s mournful face disappeared into the wall.
When Sierra’s container finally came into view, she was sitting on a stool, staring out through the crystal, with her chin resting on her fists. She looked as though she had been crying, but when she saw the three of us standing in the throne room, she wiped her eyes and offered us a wave.
“An excellent choice,” Helgavinda said. “That one is a lovely creature. One of the most valued in my Menagerie.”
“Why did you take her?” I asked. “What has she done to deserve being locked up?”
Helgavinda’s lips stretched into an inquisitive grin. “I did not take her. I do not take any of them. As is custom with each of my possessions, this girl was delivered to me from above.”
“By accident,” Miles said. “Nodring didn’t mean for Sierra to go to you.”
Upon hearing this, Helgavinda’s eyes softened a bit. “Oh, how dreadful,” she said, gazing upon Sierra thoughtfully. “However, I take excellent care of my possessions, and, despite how it may appear, your friend does not suffer. She shall be fed and properly cared for.”
“Can you just let her go?” Jasmine asked.
Helgavinda casually tapped a finger against her chin. “Of course I can,” she replied, “if you are willing to offer me a fair trade.”
“But we told you it was an accident,” I said.
“And as accidents often happen, I assure you, those sent to me from above are rightfully mine to keep and showcase in my collection, or to trade and dispose of should I no longer fancy their existence. You cannot make demands of me in my castle. You can only make requests, and if I feel your price is equitable, then I shall agree.”
I had known this wasn’t going to be easy—nothing in Champion’s Quest ever was—and, though frustrated, I summoned the remaining gold from my Dispenser. Leaning forward, Helgavinda peered down at the few gold coins—the only money any of us had left.
“I’m afraid that would not be a suitable trade,” she said. “Have you anything else?”
“What about these?” I asked, pulling out the two rubies next.
Helgavinda’s eyes lit up with approval. “Those are certainly beautiful. Very well. I shall accept this offer, and I shall shave five years off the term of my possession.”
“Shave five years off what?” Jasmine asked.
“Every item in my collection has a time value placed upon it,” the firebright explained. “Some are more special, some are less, and some would fetch a handsome price from certain bidders. Because she is a Champion I have deemed Sierra’s value to be a fifty-year residency in my Menagerie. That is her worth and my price, but for your payment of gold and rubies, I shall reduce the term by five years. Now, do we agree upon the trade?”
“That’s not a fair trade,” I said, beginning to grow anxious. That still left forty-five years for Sierra to be locked up in the firebright’s twisted Menagerie. This must have been what Nodring had tried warning us about. Instead of items or treasure, Helgavinda bartered with years.
“We don’t want to reduce Sierra’s sentence,” Miles said. “We want her out.”
“Then you will have to offer a far greater price, I’m afraid.” Helgavinda said.
Lowering my voice, I turned to the others. “Okay, now what?” I asked.
“She can have all this.” Miles emptied the contents of his Dispenser.
It wasn’t much, mostly forks and berries he had collected along the way. After a stern look from Jasmine, he offered up his Compendium of Monsters as well as the bag of Smolder Powder he had purchased from Pugwit’s cart. Though she showed little interest in Miles’s offering, Helgavinda did make another suggestion.
“That Familiar of yours could fetch a hefty price,” she said.
“My Familiar?” I asked. I felt an uncomfortable squirming, as Goon angrily squeaked inside my robe.
Miles’s eyes widened. “He’s not giving you Goon, if that’s what you mean.”
“I would pay twenty-five years for that creature,” Helgavinda said.
“But that would still leave twenty to go,” I said, after silently adding the numbers.
“No way!” Miles barked. “You can’t give her Goon!”
“I know that, Miles.” I had no intention of selling Goon to Helgavinda, but it didn’t matter anyway. Even with our most valued possessions, we would still come up short.
Jasmine’s eyes narrowed as she sized up the massive firebright seated upon her throne. “What if we rolled dice instead?”
“You mean fight?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. We were almost empty on our Vitality Meters, and I had a bad feeling that fighting Helgavinda in her castle would put an end to our Quest for sure. “Let’s hold that thought,” I said. “What else could we give you?” I asked the monster, trying to stall Jasmine before she did something drastic.
“While gold and treasure are delightful, years and time are what I desire,” Helgavinda replied, casually twirling her trident. “I long for company and good conversation—and not the sort I’d get from fiendish goblins or dwarves. I do not wish to be stubborn, but I expect to be dealt with fairly. Now, if each of you were to offer me some of your years as payment, I would count that as just.”
“We can’t give you our years,” I groaned with frustration. How would that even work? We needed to break Sierra free, and we couldn’t do that by joining her on Helgavinda’s conveyor belt.
“We have a Quest to complete,” Miles said. “We have someone we need to rescue, and we wouldn’t be able to do that if we stayed here with you.”
Falling silent, Helgavinda’s eyes quivered like candle flames, and then she began to chuckle. “You are Champions to the end! Noble and valiant, and I commend you. We both desire time—time to share with me in my castle, and time for you to finish your Quest.” The firebright drummed her fingertips against the armrest. “What if I were to let you go . . . temporarily?”
“Temporarily?” I asked.
“Yes, that could work, couldn’t it? You could finish your Quest. I could even help you. I am powerful, as I’m sure you have perceived. I will show you the way out and return with you to the surface. Together, the five of us could easily rescue this friend of yours. And in exchange for rendering my services to your Quest, you would agree to return upon its conclusion and remain here with me. Not as prisoners, oh no, but as my honored guests. Shall we set the term for ten years each? Your time would pass quickly—you would hardly notice it, and it’s not so bad down here once you grow accustomed to the conditions.”
There was no need to ask the others what they thought about this new proposition. Even if Helgavinda somehow managed to help us defeat Raspaard and save Madge, it wouldn’t be worth having to spend ten years of our lives down in this dank cavern with a monster.
“This is getting us nowhere,” Jasmine said. “Either we roll the dice and fight, or we get out of here and take our chances on our own. Those are the only options we have.”
“What about the Torch of the Revealer’s Flame?” Miles asked. “We could offer that to her. The Compendium says that firebrights have an insatiable hunger for fire. Well, that torch has plenty of that to spare.”
“That’s a stupid idea,” Jasmine said. “We went through a ton to get that torch, and we’re going to lose this Quest if we don’t get out of here soon.”
“Gilner said we need to trust each other at all costs,” Miles said, facing Jasmine. “The torch may be valuable, but turning our back on Sierra would be wrong.”
“We’re not turning our back on anyone,” Jasmine huffed, folding her arms. “It’s not our fault she’s in there. And let’s not forget how Sierra kept a pretty big secret from us.”
“We all have secrets,” I said. “I wish I could’ve kept my Creepers hidden from everyone, but I couldn’t stop them. You’ve seen me at my worst, but no one has given up on me yet.” At least I hoped they hadn’t.
Jasmine lowered her arms, her fierce expression softening. “That’s not the same thing,” she said. “You can’t help the fact you have panic attacks.”
“And Sierra can’t help who she’s related to,” Miles countered. “She’s been on our side since the beginning, but you’ve never given her a chance.”
“Okay, maybe you’re right,” Jasmine said, balling her hands into fists. “Maybe I’ve been a little colder to Sierra, but that’s only because I’m trying to protect us. To protect our Band. We can’t let anyone come in and try to tear us apart.”
“Nobody’s trying to tear us apart,” Miles said.
“When we get out of here and make it on board the Runaway Drogue, we’re going to need a way to see Raspaard’s monsters,” Jasmine said. “Hob wanted us to have that torch so that we can know the truth when it matters most.”
From behind Helgavinda’s throne, Sierra pressed her palms against the crystal wall. We may not have been able to hear her, but I was pretty sure she could hear us negotiating for her freedom.
“You’re right, Jasmine,” I said. “If the torch really tells us the truth when it matters most, then I think it’s already done its job.”
“What are you saying?” Jasmine asked.
“I’ve seen you all through this, and I know who you really are,” I said. “You’re my friends. I’ve seen Sierra through the flames too. And if she really were a traitor, the torch would’ve shown me that as well.”
Raspaard had changed. So had Madge, while Sierra had remained the same. Not that I should have needed the torch to know the truth about Sierra. I thought back about what she had told me at Pugwit’s cart, about how she had been forced to leave her Band of Champions to take care of her sick mom. That alone had spoken volumes about Sierra’s true character. The only member of the Band the torch had yet to reveal to anyone was me. If I hadn’t purchased the vampiric trinket from Pugwit and hand-delivered it to Raspaard, we wouldn’t have been faced with this difficult decision. If anyone was at fault, it was me, and I was long overdue for making the right choice. Without any further discussion on the matter, I summoned the Torch of the Revealer’s Flame and the fire ignited, brightening the dimly lit throne room.
“What is this now?” Helgavinda asked, her eyes glowing frighteningly. Heaving a gushing breath of air, she sucked back through her mouth, and I felt a sharp tug against my hand as the torch went out. The firebright smacked her lips as though savoring each bite. “That was very delicious. Fire is my absolute favorite, but I don’t find it down here often.”
Miles looked appalled. “Did she just eat it?”
“What have you decided about my offer? Can we agree upon the . . .” Helgavinda’s next words sputtered out as the torch reignited.
“What is this wonder?” she asked, pointing her finger at me.
“This is the Torch of the Revealer’s Flame,” I said. “As long as I hold it, it’ll never burn out.”
Curiously cocking her head to one side, Helgavinda rose to her feet, causing the marble staircase to tremble. “Very well, for that, I shall modify my terms. You may take Sierra in exchange for a five-year commitment from each of you once you have completed your Quest.” She tapped the end of her trident against the floor. “That is a fair deal.”
“No deal.” I took a step back from the staircase. “We want Sierra freed, and we want you to show us the way out of here.”
Helgavinda once again siphoned the flame from the torch, slurping it down as though it were nothing more than a spicy bite of food. When the fire returned for a third time, her initial intrigue all at once turned hungry.
“Don’t be a fool,” Helgavinda growled, the veins of lava pulsing through her body. “You are trying my patience, and this is my final offer. Upon the conclusion of your Quest, you will each spend one year in my possession, but I shall not grant you my services for aid. That would not be equal, and I shall forbid it. Now, do we agree upon the trade?”
“We don’t agree,” I said, tightening my grip on the torch. “The only way you get this torch is if you give us Sierra with no strings attached. You don’t have to help us, but we don’t ever have to come back to your Menagerie.”
“That is not a bargain!” she hissed. Pointing the fork-shaped prongs of her trident, she began descending the staircase toward us.
From out of the corner of my eye, I watched Jasmine pull out her Spark, readying herself for the attack. Jasmine may not have been much of a pro when it came to playing the instrument, but she could use anything as a club.
“Wait!” I shouted, holding up my hand. I still had one trick left up my sleeve, and I had to try it before we were thrust into battle. Helgavinda paused upon the last step, her eyes narrowing.
“I’ve changed my mind,” I said. “I think this torch is far too valuable to trade. We’re sorry for wasting your time. You can go ahead and keep Sierra as your prisoner. I guess we’ll be on our way.”
“Lucas, we can’t do that!” Miles said.
“It’s okay, Miles. I just realized something.” I glanced sideways at him. “When we finally finish our Quest by defeating Raspaard and saving Madge, we all get to go home. All of us, including Sierra. She’s a part of our Band, remember?” My eyes flashed back to Helgavinda. “So if you don’t decide to trade with us now, according to our terms, you’ll be left with nothing. How’s that for fair?”
“Oh, yeah, you’re right,” Miles said. “She couldn’t keep Sierra even if she wanted to!”
“Impossible!” Helgavinda howled. “Sierra was delivered to me from above. She is my possession!”
“But she’s also our friend,” I fired back. “And if you give her to us now and let us all go free, at least you’ll get something.”
“One more thing, too,” Miles added.
I had been holding my gaze on Helgavinda, but Miles’s outburst made me stare at him.
“Miles, what are you doing?” I asked.
“We would like you to set Wopper free too,” Miles said.
Helgavinda’s face contorted with rage. “You want the dwarf as well?”
“Maybe we shouldn’t press our luck, Miles,” Jasmine warned.
I blinked for a moment, processing Miles’s suggestion, and then I laughed. Right then, we had this creepy underworld queen backed into a corner, and there was nothing she could do about it. Freeing Wopper was the icing on the cake.
“Miles is right,” I said, looking up at Helgavinda. “Give us the dwarf too! So what’s it going to be? Do we agree upon the trade?”