Twig hastily unrolled the map. She scanned it, then found the spot they’d entered—Fire Lagoon. “I think I know where—”
“Ahh!”
Flames shot up, bright blue, just off the starboard side of the pirogue. Fire crawled along Ben’s cloak. Twig helped him tear it off and smother the flames. The side of the pirogue was singed. Wonder and Indy neighed wildly and moved to the opposite side of the boat. It tipped dangerously low in the water.
Twig and Ben struggled to keep the unicorns calm and the pirogue balanced as they paddled through the minefield of bursting flame. Finally they reached the end of the lagoon and a narrow passage of water that led them in the right direction. Ben put down his paddle with a sigh of relief. He grimaced at his blackened cloak, then put it back on.
Twig hugged Wonder and said a prayer of thanks. She’d almost lost her. They’d almost lost everything.
Twig consulted the map again. “The good news, aside from the fact that we made it through there alive, is that little detour through Fire Lagoon was actually a shortcut. We never would’ve gone through there on purpose, but I think it saved us some of that time we lost with Wonder being stuck. Look.”
She pointed out the swamp life, beginning to look more like life instead of death again—green instead of black and rotting, the mud brown instead of tarlike. As long as they stayed on course, the worst was over. They headed toward the boardwalk. Soon they’d be on solid ground, they’d have that flag, and everyone could go home in peace.
“There’s the boardwalk,” Ben said.
“I think we’re close to the Eastland entrance. Pull up to the boardwalk, and I’ll check.”
Ben pushed the pirogue to the boardwalk and used his paddle to hold it steady while Twig climbed out. She peered through the binoculars Taylor had loaned her, down the rickety path, into the fog of swamp fumes. At first she couldn’t make anything out, but then the haze shifted, and she glimpsed something bright green, trimmed in gold.
“There! There it is! Eastland’s flag.”
They got their unicorns out of the pirogue and onto the boardwalk, then lifted the boat out of the water and set it down.
Twig mounted Wonder, then turned back to look at the flag. Though it hung limp in the gloom of the Death Swamp, it was the most beautiful thing she’d seen in a long time. But this time Twig spotted something under the flag. She lowered the binoculars with a shaky hand.
“Oh no. Oh, Ben. He’s here.”
“What?” Ben took the binoculars and looked for himself. His frown of worry turned to fury. “Reynald! He’s brought that soldier, Ackley, with him as his companion.”
The figures walked slowly back and forth on a little section of boardwalk. Pacing. Waiting—for them.
Reynald didn’t seem to notice them yet. He and Ackley had no binoculars, and the swamp smells must be keeping the unicorns from catching one another’s scents. They were hundreds of yards away, but Twig talked to Wonder, urging her to be still, not to cause any vibrations on the boardwalk.
“How did he know?” Twig whispered just in case.
“That bird! Just when we entered the swamp, I thought I heard Emmie cooing to another pigeon. The Eastlanders sent Reynald a message as soon as they saw our boats. He’s been here the whole time, waiting for us.”
“But he’d never get our flag first by waiting here.”
“He’d keep us from getting his. Reynald wasn’t willing to bet that the swamp would kill us. Besides, he wants a fight. He thinks he’ll take care of us, and then take his time riding through the swamp to get my flag.”
“What are we going to do?”
“Fight for that flag. Get ready, Twig.”
The boardwalk groaned under the unicorns’ hooves as they advanced. Soon Reynald and his companion would know they were coming. Dear God, Twig prayed, don’t let us die. Don’t let me have to kill anyone. Not a unicorn or a person.
The unicorns neighed. All heads turned toward the sound. Another rider was coming from the south side of the swamp. He glanced quickly at them, then plunged forward, toward Reynald. As he rode, he fired at Reynald. Though he was covered in swamp muck, Twig recognized those movements. They were so much like Ben’s. There was only one person it could be.
Griffin.
He was headed for the boardwalk. To cut off the Boy King’s charge. To stop the duel.
Where did he come from? But as his mud-spattered mount plowed through the swamp, Twig knew the answer. He’d entered from the north side of the swamp. He hadn’t used the boardwalk at all; he’d just ridden right through.
“Griffin! No!” Ben plunged off the boardwalk, headed for Griffin, shouting, “She sent you, didn’t she? To stop me. I should’ve known she’d never really agree!”
“Get back on the boardwalk! I’m not doing this for her! I’m doing it because I cannot lose you, Ben.”
The boardwalk shook. In the distance, Stone Heart and Ackley’s unicorn howled for battle. They charged toward Twig while Ben and Griffin splashed and argued in the murky water.