Island of Dragons (Unwanteds #7)(76)

Chaos Returns


Just before dawn, Alex was having a weird dream about the chef slapping him in the face with a salmon. It was slimy and wet, and try as he might, Alex couldn’t get away from it. He shook his head and brushed his cheek with his hand.

“Ax,” said a little voice. “Ax!”

Alex vaulted from the tumultuous depths of sleep and opened his eyes.

“Hi, Ax,” said Fifer. She was sitting on the step next to his head, slapping her jammy hand on his face.

Alex sat up, dazed. “Hey there, little Fife.” He wiped his face on his robe, trying to make sense of what was happening. “What are you doing here?”

She held up her fig-jam toast and grinned. “Toes,” she said.

“Toast,” said Alex automatically, emphasizing the t at the end of the word.

“Tote!” said Fifer.

“Close enough,” said Alex. He gathered her onto his lap and looked around. Crow was nowhere to be seen. “How did you get here? You need to stay in the lounge.”

“She came up thrrrough the tube,” said Simber, whose head was completely outside the front window.

“All by herself?”

“Indeed,” said the cheetah. “Made a beeline for the kitchen. I’ve had my eye on herrr.”

“I didn’t realize she could reach the buttons in the tube,” said Alex, worried.

Simber backed up and swung his head around inside the mansion. He nodded at the nearest tube. “She had a little help.”

On the floor of the tube was a small step stool that Kitten often sat on when playing her triangle in the lounge band.

“You’re pretty tricky,” Alex said to Fifer, shaking his head admiringly. He knew he should get her back down to the lounge for safety, but her presence was somehow comforting, so he held her a moment more.

Fifer munched happily on her toast.

“Has anything changed?” Alex asked Simber after a bit.

“Somewhat,” said Simber. “All the ships that werrre stationed on the norrrth and west sides of the island have moved to this side. They eitherrr don’t carrre about the Quillens, orrr they don’t want them. They know we’rrre all herrre.”

“They also know we’re all that’s left for them to kill,” Alex said bitterly. He drew in a sharp breath, acknowledging the fact that the war would inevitably continue. He shook his head and absently smoothed Fifer’s staticky hair. “I suppose I’d better get you back,” he said to her. “Sunrise isn’t far off.”

Before Alex could get up, someone else arrived in one of the tubes. It was Crow, carrying Thisbe and looking fearful. “Simber,” he said even before he stepped out of the tube, “have you seen—”

“She’s with Alex,” said Simber. “On the stairrrs.”

Crow dashed over to the stairs, relief clear on his face. “I’m really sorry,” he said to Alex, keeping his voice hushed because of the ones sleeping. “We were all asleep, and then I woke up and Fig was gone. How did she get here?”

“She used Kitten’s stool to reach the tube buttons,” said Alex. “I’m not sure if she pushed buttons randomly until she found the right place, or if she knew which one to push to get to her beloved jam and bread, but she found it.”

Crow blew out a breath. “She’s very clever. I’m afraid I taught her which one gets her closest to the kitchen, as I let them take turns pushing the buttons themselves. They love it so much.” He smiled apologetically. “Sorry again. I’ll take her down now.”

“It’s no problem,” said Alex, reaching out and tickling Thisbe under the chin. “It’s really nice to see them, actually.” He considered telling Crow about Mr. Appleblossom’s death, but he couldn’t bear to. The news would travel soon enough once daybreak hit. He wanted to savor this moment—it would help him get through whatever was coming, he was sure of it.

Crow looked around. “Wow. This place is a mess,” he said. “How did all of this happen?”

Alex gave him a rundown of the events of the previous day. Before he could finish, Sky awoke. She sat up and stretched, and then added a few details that Alex had missed.

Crow stared, wide-eyed. “So is Ol’ Tater still out there stomping around on that ship?”

“He is,” said Simber from the window, “and enjoying himself immensely. I’m about to go out and do a flyoverrr to see what’s going on. I expect something will happen since the pirrrates and Warrrblerrrans rrrefuse to leave.”

“Go and check it out,” Alex agreed. “They probably just needed sleep like we did.”

Simber left, and soon Lani sat up, sleepy-eyed. After a moment she stood. “I’m getting food,” she announced, and made her way down the steps. “I’ll get some for everyone.”

“Me too?” asked Crow.

“Of course,” said Lani. “And Thisbe. Toast with jam all around.”

A moment later, as the group talked quietly and Samheed woke up, Alex paused mid-sentence and listened. “Did you hear something?” he asked.

Everyone was quiet. From outside, they heard a low growl.

Sky grabbed her sword and stood up. “What was that?”

“It sounded like Simber,” said Alex. He reached automatically for spell components, but his pockets hung loose and empty. He shifted Fifer to his other arm and picked up his sword, then went cautiously to the window.