Coldmaker(97)

Leroi stopped just before the exit, turning to us with an odd look on his face. ‘I just want you all to know—’

‘What are you doing?’ Cam asked. ‘I thought we have to keep moving.’

Leroi set down his Rope Shoes so he could hold up a hand. ‘Just give me a moment. I want to thank you all. I never thought I’d know hope again. It’s good to know that it’s been there all along, even though I couldn’t feel it.’

Then he turned and kicked open the door, the Sunlight striking us as we all spilled out into a garden.

Everything afterwards happened in a flash.

Before us stood the Vicaress, with an army of taskmasters at her back. ‘Get the slaves!’ she yelled. Lord Tavor was standing by her side, a huge smile plastered on his face. ‘The Crier says they have the Frost!’

I stumbled back in shock, but Leroi was prepared for this. Moving fast, he reached into his purse and pulled out a round device, whose glass centre was filled with something dark and menacing.

‘Run!’ Leroi said, hurling the little device. ‘To the gate! Go!’

The sphere landed in front of the taskmasters, and the ground exploded, sending grass, plants and fruit flying in every direction. Vicious fire burst from the heart of the explosion, and began to spread. The taskmasters were tossed backwards by a violent wind, nearly colliding with the Vicaress.

The Vicaress snarled. ‘Forward!’

A dozen more taskmasters hopped through the wreckage, but Leroi was ready. He hurled another explosive, which landed closer to the oncomers this time. Bodies flew into the air, the Vicaress and Lord Tavor both stumbled backwards.

Leroi turned and pushed me in the direction of the gate. ‘Go! I’ll keep them off. Leave! Now!’

Numb with shock, I did as Leroi commanded. Cam and Shilah ran by my sides, our bags colliding in messy thuds, slowing us down. Panicked, I dropped everything except the Coldmaker, which I pressed tightly against my chest.

There were more bangs, a flurry of shouting but I couldn’t bear to look back. The thump of bodies hitting the dirt seemed to be coming from every direction, and I could feel each explosion in my chest.

The Vicaress’s screams pierced the air.

Cam looked petrified, but only fierce determination shone in Shilah’s eyes as she led us through the garden. She pushed open the gate, and we raced behind her.

I looked back with horror. Leroi was the only barrier keeping all the taskmasters at bay. He hurled sphere after sphere, the land itself opening under his wrath. Fire was now consuming the garden, moving through the green as easily as wind moving across the dunes, and the flames were growing higher and higher. The big tree in the centre of the garden had fallen, the Vicaress and Lord Tavor nowhere to be seen, but more taskmasters were spilling out from other parts of the Manor every second, charging through the garden towards Leroi.

‘Shivers and Frosts, Spout! Come on,’ Cam yelled over the blasts. ‘We need to go.’

‘Spout,’ Shilah said, a hand finding my shoulder. ‘There’s too many of them. We have to run. We need to keep the Coldmaker safe!’

She was right. There was only one way to free the Jadan people, and that meant staying alive.

I squeezed the bars of the gate, taking one last look at the brave Inventor.

I silently thanked him.

Then the three of us ran into the sands.