Chapter Nineteen

A ringing noise jarred Magnor from deep slumber. With a groan, he tapped his wrist. No answering voice emitted from his comm unit. Cracking his eyes open, he rolled over and fumbled for the receiver on the nightstand. He’d been dreaming of home and felt momentarily disoriented. What was the proper cultural greeting on this planet?

“Hello?” he said into the unwieldy mechanism.

“Mr. Magnor? You have a visitor downstairs in the lobby.”

His cobwebs of sleep evaporated at the news. “A visitor? Who is it?”

“The lady wouldn’t give her name, sir. She insists you come down right away.”

Magnor glanced at Erika asleep beside him. She looked so vulnerable, her coils of hair spread out on the pillow, her face peaceful in repose. The rods would protect her if he left for a few minutes.

“Very well, I’ll be down shortly.” Maybe Edith, the Gatekeeper, had come by for some reason. That was the only female he could think of who might come to see him.

But when he arrived at the lobby, nobody stood by whom he might have recognized. A few businessmen sat about, reading newspapers or consulting their tablet devices. He glanced at a wall clock. It was nine o’clock on a typical weekday.

He approached the desk clerk. “I received a call that a woman was here to see me?”

The young man gave him a stony glare. “You’re Mr. Magnor?”

“Yes, that’s correct.” His gaze darted about, seeking exits and evaluating the occupants as he went into defense mode.

“Your visitor went to the restroom. She said for you to wait here.”

“Very well, thank you.” His inner alarm jingled. Something wasn’t right.

He paced the lobby, his nose sniffing coffee and toast from the adjacent café. His hackles rose when he walked behind one of the men sitting in an armchair. The fellow’s newspaper was upside down.

Then he noticed the blank stares of the other occupants.

Great Cosmos, these people were confounded!

His hand went to his side but came up empty. He’d left his sword upstairs along with his other equipment.

Erika. His heart slammed into his throat. They hadn’t come for him. They wanted her.

She’d be safe as long as she stayed in the room and didn’t open the door. But if she woke alone and heard a knock from outside, she might think it was him.

He sped toward the lift and pushed the button with frantic fingers. What was the room number? He should call in the meantime and warn her.

But when he punched the code into his comm unit, no one answered.

Desperation drove him to rock on his feet until the elevator reached the lobby and opened. He dashed into the lift and jabbed his floor number on the control panel. Up and up, the elevator creaked while his nerves strung taut and his fists curled with impatience.

As soon as the door opened, he sprinted down the hallway. He’d gotten out his key card when he rounded the corner and stopped abruptly. Outside their door stood two Trolleks, swiping the lock which kept reading red.

Relief washed through him. Thank the stars he had arrived before these two beasts forced open the door.

His flying kick hit the first one in the kidney and doubled him over.

The other fellow turned toward him with a snarl. Magnor’s uppercut punch caught the guy on the jaw. The impact hardly affected him. The Trollek bared his teeth in a sneer of contempt. His blow knocked Magnor into the opposite wall.

He rebounded quickly. Ducking to the side, he dodged the Trollek’s meaty fist and aimed a kick at the fellow’s thigh in a crucial spot where a hit would disable him. In a blur of speed, the Trollek lunged past, avoiding his blow but striking Magnor on the elbow along the way.

Pins and needles wove down his arm, useless until his nerves recovered. Resisting the urge to cradle his limb, Magnor feinted to one side and then came back with a fist to the beast’s gut. The Trollek grunted, but it felt like hitting a board. His eyes gleaming, the tall lout reached for him.

Meanwhile, the other fellow lurched to his feet. Soon the two would fight him in unison. His head throbbed where his wound might have reopened. He’d better end this fast.

He backed down the hall, preparing for a tactic he’d learned as a youngster. Hopefully, he could still pull it off.

As the two of them started after him, he squared his shoulders and took a couple of deep breaths.

With a screaming battle cry, he flipped onto his hands, righted himself, repeated the move, and ended up with a flying kick, both legs stretched out. His two feet landed on his opponents’ chests at the same time. The move shoved them against the wall and winded them.

Recovering swiftly, he jabbed the heel of his right hand under one fellow’s nose. Hearing a satisfactory crack, he whirled to the other guy and snapped his neck in a single move. They both went down.

Breathing heavily, he shook out his arm that was still tingling from the nerve pinch.

He stepped past their bodies, swiped his key card, and let himself into the room. The television was blaring and the bathroom door was closed. A rush of water sounded from within. Erika must be washing. She wouldn’t have heard a thing.

With her safety secured, he turned his attention to removing the evidence of a fight. If only he’d recovered his phase pistol from the movie studio, he could have vaporized the riffs. Instead, he dragged them to a utility closet down the hall and stuffed them inside. Hopefully he and Erika would be long gone before the housekeeping staff discovered them.

He was buckling on his sword when Erika emerged from the lavatory. Clad in her underwear, she looked delectable. Too bad they couldn’t afford to linger.

“Why did I hear that buzzing sound in my head, Magnor? It lasted a few moments and disappeared.”

Not wishing to alarm her, he decided to keep the Trollek incident to himself. Instead he gave a casual shrug.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Let’s check out of this place and move on. I’d rather not stick around.”

She peered at him. “Are you bleeding again? I should change the bandage.”

He switched on the TV while she put on a smaller adhesive. Increased seismic activity around the globe concerned the newscasters.

“Hurry and get dressed,” he advised when she had finished. “It’s getting late.” He couldn’t help his curt tone. Natural disasters were rising in frequency, and he still hadn’t found the weapon to disable Loki’s allies.

Hopefully, he and Erika wouldn’t be accosted on their way to Jolheim Gardens, but this morning’s incident had proven the enemy was everywhere, waiting and watching.

****

Erika wondered what was wrong as they bought snacks in the gift shop for a makeshift breakfast and set off for Jolheim Gardens. Magnor wore his backpack, his cape folded inside. The sword bounced at his hip. He strode forward with his bearded chin lifted and a determined gleam in his eyes while ignoring the curious glances directed his way.

He’d added one new addition to his outfit, the gold medallion previously worn by the ogre, Balhogg. On its surface were angular markings similar to the ones on her watch. She wanted to ask him what it meant but not when he was such in a tense mood. Did it have to do with his stepping out earlier?

When she’d awakened to an empty space beside her, alarm had flared inside her chest. Spying his gear nearby, she realized he must have left the room to make a call without disturbing her. If he’d reported in to his team and received unpleasant news, it would account for his terse manner.

She bit her lower lip and scurried along the sidewalk toward the river and the theme park beyond. Business people hurried to their destinations, while joggers dodged past mothers pushing baby strollers. The morning sky appeared overcast, cloudy with a peculiar yellowish tint.

Having put on a clean shirt under her sweater, Erika shivered in the fifty-some degree temperature. Tiny white particles fluttered in the air like a swarm of insects.

She gestured upward. “Look at the sky. Wildfires back home often produce a haze like this, but I don’t smell smoke.”

Magnor glanced at her from beneath his thick brows. “Iceland had another volcanic eruption. The ash fallout has closed airports throughout Europe.”

“Oh, my. That’s what these things are floating in the air. We shouldn’t be outdoors.”

“Don’t worry. We won’t be sticking around here much longer.”

She let him pay for their park admission tickets in cash. Once through the turnstile, they veered around a marching band parading down the main street. The odd weather hadn’t diminished the crowds. Young couples sauntered along holding hands. A foursome of friends laughed and jostled each other. A group of tourists strolled by behind their leader, who held up a flag.

She and Magnor rushed toward the mine attraction. There wasn’t any line yet so they boarded easily. At the scene with the dragon, they slipped away same as before. Magnor gave a wary glance around, his hand on his hilt, once the tram had departed.

“What’s the matter?” She could tell something bothered him from his cautious expression. A twinge of anxiety struck her. Maybe he feared betrayal by the Grotes.

Shayna the dragon roared fire when she saw them. “You came back! I didn’t believe you would keep your word, humans.” She lowered her head and peered at Magnor with large, slitted eyes.

“I told you he’d return. He’s a Drift Lord,” Ribald said.

Chained to his post, the stout Grote had been chiseling away at the rock, sweat streaming down his face. His labor was real even though his job didn’t involve actual prospecting.

Magnor’s posture relaxed. “Look, we only have a few minutes before the next tram arrives.” He withdrew the jar from his pocket. “Here’s the sweat from Balhogg the Ogre. Now fulfill your part of the bargain, and tell us where to find the Book of Odin.”

Shayna lashed her tail against a wall, sending rocks cascading to the ground. They bounced as though made from rubber. “Not yet, Drift Lord. We must prove its effectiveness.”

Ribald stretched out his hand. “She’s right. Give it here.”

“I don’t think so. Our deal was for you to provide the information in exchange for this sample.”

“For heaven’s sake, Magnor, we can wait a few more minutes,” Erika chided him. “How can we leave without seeing if the acid works?”

A vibration heralded the arrival of another tram. She and Magnor ducked behind a faux calcite column until it passed. The place looked so real that she had to keep reminding herself the scenes were fake.

“For all we know, you filled that vial with water.” Ribald glared at them after they showed themselves again. “Once we test the liquid, we’ll know for sure if you are the prophesied one for whom we’ve been waiting.”

Erika’s heart went out to the captives. They’d been here for years, with no way to break free until now. She and Magnor were their only hope.

She grabbed the jar from Magnor’s palm and dashed forward. “Here, take it.”

“Erika, stop! They could be tricking us,” Magnor called.

“No, I believe Ribald. Let me do this my way.” Didn’t the man possess an ounce of tact? Barging in here and making demands wouldn’t get them anywhere.

She handed the container to the Grote who flashed her a grateful grin. Grasping the prize in one hand, he twisted the cap open with pudgy fingers. His eyes scrunched in concentration as he gingerly dripped a single drop onto a critical juncture of his restraint. For a moment, nothing happened. Erika peered close to watch as the liquid sizzled through the metal links. The chain broke away with a clatter to the floor.

Ribald pumped his fist in the air with glee. “It works. I am free!”

A rumbling noise indicated the imminent arrival of another tram. “You’d better pretend otherwise,” Erika said before ducking for cover.

After the last car rounded a curve, the dragon thumped her tail, causing the ground to shake. “Use it on me. I must release my children from their bondage.”

“There are people on that ride. At least wait until they disembark,” Erika pleaded, not wanting any innocents to get hurt.

“Hold on.” Magnor drew his sword and strode forward, a stern look on his face. “Keep your end of the bargain, Ribald, or I’ll smash that jar into pieces.”

Damn the man. Subtlety wasn’t in his nature.

Ribald glanced at his companions who nodded to him in return. “Very well. You have acted with honor, Drift Lord. This test confirms you are our destined savior. Listen carefully, for we have been guarding these words for eons. What you seek is hidden in the splinters of time.”

“What? That’s it?” Magnor sheathed his sword, a puzzled frown on his face.

“Can you be more explicit?” Erika swiped her forehead. The steamy temperature made it hard to breathe. Firelight from sconces flickered against the stone walls.

“I have told you what you came to learn.” Ribald applied the acidic solution to his brothers, who rubbed their chafed skin after their chains fell away.

“You’d better use that stuff on Shayna,” Erika told him. “It’s getting hotter in here.”

The dragon curled her head down to Erika’s level, allowing Erika to note the details of her tawny irises and the fine scales around her mouth.

“You make a worthy mate for the Drift Lord, lady. Go now, while you can.” Shayna snorted, steam issuing from her nostrils. “Come, Ribald, it is my turn.”

Ribald waddled around to the dragon’s side. Her heavy chain strung taut to a pole disguised as a stalagmite. It took a few drops of the precious liquid to eat through the thicker metal.

Freed at last, Shayna stretched her neck to its full height and roared. The chamber shook from the reverberation.

Erika’s gaze zeroed in on a fissure off to their left. Had that been there before?

“Be careful, or you’ll bring the roof down upon us. How do you plan to get out of here? For that matter, how are we going to slip past the ride attendants?” she asked her husband, not having considered this aspect.

“I have an idea.” Ribald, his eyes gleaming, pointed to where the mine car ride curved around a bend and vanished from sight. “We’ll put a clog on the tracks so the tram will malfunction. The distraction will give us all time to escape.”

“But Shayna is so big,” Erika protested. “People will notice her, especially if she takes flight.”

“Leave it to me,” the Grote insisted. “You can use the emergency exit.”

The ground jerked sideways, and the crack in the floor widened. Erika gulped. She hadn’t caused that movement, had she?

“I think we’re about to get the diversion we need.” She grabbed Magnor’s arm. “Let’s not linger.”

They fled to the street. Outside, pandemonium ruled when a genuine quake shook the park. People screamed as buildings swayed.

After the tremor stopped, guides warned everyone that rides would have to be tested before anyone was allowed back on. Erika and Magnor lost themselves in the milling crowd. Many people streamed toward the main exit but others stood around, waiting to resume their activities as though earthquakes happened every day.

“Where do we look for your clue?” Erika stopped by the lakeside. She wasn’t convinced the quake hadn’t been her fault. Her power was still a mystery, and despite her theories, she had no idea how to control it.

Magnor gazed into the distance, his jaw resolute. He looked every inch the stoic warrior. “What we want is hidden in the splinters of time. What does that mean?”

Erika’s brow wrinkled. She felt exposed out in the open. At any moment, guests could turn against them. This place that had appeared so pleasant at their first arrival now creeped her out. And they hadn’t even investigated the tunnels beneath the complex where the Trolleks kept their portal, or that machinery Shayna had mentioned. Hopefully, Magnor’s team could follow up in that regard.

So what had Ribald meant? The fragrant aroma of pastries wafted in the air from a nearby vendor as she considered his words.

Over by a rotunda where concerts were held, a heavy tree branch had fallen. As she watched staff members work to remove it, an idea formed.

She turned to Magnor, enthusiasm in her tone. “Listen, splinters of time could refer to wood. Look at all the trees around here. See their thick trunks? I’ll bet they’ve been here for years.”

“What’s your point?”

“The clue may be hidden among the trees. We might be able to spot it from an overview.”

He caught on and indicated a ride by the rear boundary. “That tower is the highest location in the park. It’s operational again. Let’s go.”

Erika balked when she saw it was a bungee-jumping attraction. Riders rode an elevator to the top where they were strapped into harnesses. Then they free-fell toward the ground, stopping short right before a safety net.

“Oh, no. I am not riding on that thing.”

“It won’t be necessary.” He urged her to join the line of people waiting their turn. “All we need to do is access the top to gain a view.”

“Fine, you go. I’ll wait here.”

“It is not safe for you to be alone.” He hesitated as though meaning to tell her something else, but then he pressed his lips together. “You’ll come with me.” His tight grip on her elbow steered her along.

Her heart thumped as they rode the lift and emerged onto an elevated landing. The height made bile rise from her gut, until she recalled how they’d survived a leap off the roof in Vegas.

Magnor, his feet on the solid platform, rested his hands on the guard rail. “All I see is greenery everywhere. It’s nothing unusual.”

She joined him and studied the park’s perimeter, the city beyond, and the winding river. Then her gaze returned to the gardens and the pattern of trees.

“Look, the trees are laid out in a certain way.” She rummaged in her purse for a notebook and pen and then drew a diagram.

If she hadn’t lost her cell phone, she could have snapped a photo. She’d forgotten all about replacing the device. She ought to get one and notify her family she was okay, although they probably assumed she was still on vacation.

Magnor snatched the notebook from her hands. “Great Cosmos, you’ve drawn a map. I recognize these geographical features. We need to go north. I’ll summon the shuttle so we don’t have to use the portal again.”

“Good idea. I have no desire to encounter Trollek soldiers, and they’ll have patrols down below.”

He glanced at her, his expression chagrined. “I didn’t want to mention this before, but they made an attempt at the hotel to grab you. Since Algie didn’t launch an attack at Jolheim Gardens during our last visit, I assumed she wanted to wait and see what we found. She must have gotten impatient.”

Erika’s heart accelerated at his mention of the Trollek scientist. “Don’t keep secrets from me, Magnor. I’d rather be warned than taken by surprise.”

“I didn’t want to worry you. I’ll feel better when we’re gone from here.”

“Me, too. Go ahead and call for transport.”

Before Magnor could tap his comm unit, a flap of wings stirred the air. Shayna banked into view, her children following in her wake. The dragons, flying free, made a beautiful sight.

“Hop on my back, humans. I’ll take you where you want to go.”