Island of Dragons (Unwanteds #7)(81)

“No, I’m okay,” said Alex. He opened his eyes and stumbled to his feet, then tripped and fell to his hands and knees.

“I’ll cover you,” said Samheed. “But get moving, will you?”

Alex got up once more, ran a few steps, and fell again.

“That’s their leader!” shouted Captain Baldhead, fighting his way over. “He’s down. Kill him!”

Five pirates nearby stopped what they were doing and surrounded Alex. Sean and Lani came running and blasted two of them out of the way, and Samheed slammed his sword over the top of one’s head.

“There go the Warbler children!” shouted a pirate. “They’re escaping inside the mansion!”

More and more pirates rushed toward the running children. Alex pushed through the chaos and got to his feet, his fear for the children giving him the renewed strength he desperately needed. He ran toward Crow, who was falling behind carrying the twins, and tried stopping Captain Baldhead by shoving his shoulder into the man’s chest.

Captain Baldhead swung his sword, hitting Alex in the arm, but then tripped over a body on the ground.

Alex absorbed the pain and continued on.

Captain Baldhead regained his footing and pushed forward, cutting off Crow and the girls and grabbing Crow by the neck with his hook hand. He whirled the children around to check their eyes, and laughed viciously. “Three for the price of one. I’ll take these two little black-eyed ones in exchange for the orange-eyed ones we don’t get,” he said. “Black-eyed children sell for a premium in the market.” His laughter rumbled.

White-hot with fury, Alex swung his sword, but the captain blocked it. He held Crow in front of him as a human shield and began moving toward the boats with his prisoners.

“Stop!” yelled Alex, pushing through dizziness and pain. He doggedly ran after them, trying to get a clean shot at the captain without endangering his sisters or Crow.

“Drop the girls!” Alex called to Crow, knowing the boy was completely terrorized with the hook at his throat and unable to think clearly. “Crow! Drop them! They’ll be fine!” Alex stumbled again and fell to one knee, feeling about to faint and fighting it with everything he had.

Crow’s glassy eyes cleared for a moment, and he let the girls slide down to the ground. But they didn’t like what was happening and ran screaming after their favorite friend.

Captain Baldhead roared his displeasure at Crow and clutched him tighter, his hook digging deeper into Crow’s neck. Crow’s eyes bulged, and a trickle of blood rolled down to his collarbone. The captain switched directions, swatting at Fifer, who was closest. He reached her and yanked her up under his free arm.

“Mewmewmew!” Kitten howled, trying her best to assist Alex, but there was nothing she could do.

Fifer wailed. Thisbe screamed at the pirate. Crow’s eyes rolled back in his head and he went limp. Alex revived, pulled himself to his feet, and started running after the man again, but seconds later a Warbler enemy plowed into him, knocking him flat.

Thisbe, red faced and furious, pointed her finger at the captain. “Boom!” she shouted.

Captain Baldhead’s face turned gray. He shuddered and took an unexpected step back, his boot landing on top of Kitten and crushing her porcelain body to bits. Crow sank to the grass. Fifer tumbled to the ground. And with a loud boom, the captain’s body cracked from head to toe. His appendages separated, like broken pieces of a toy, and went flying in different directions.

Alex rolled and got to his hands and knees, then crawled over the dirt and grass to gather his sisters. He held them tightly, unable to believe what he’d just witnessed from Thisbe.

Scarlet, who’d seen everything from afar, came running. She saw Crow on the ground, knelt next to him, and helped him sit up.

“Are you okay, Crow?” she asked, her white-blond hair swishing close to his face.

Crow’s eyelids fluttered and opened. He stared at her, dazed.

Scarlet gently pressed her sleeve to the cut on Crow’s neck and wiped the blood away. “You’d better have that looked at,” she said.

“Hi,” said Crow.

Scarlet smiled. “Hi. I think you might be in shock. Come on, let’s help Alex and get you checked out.” She took Crow’s hand and helped him to his feet, then put his arm around her neck and led him to where Alex and the girls were. She picked up Thisbe and handed her to Crow.

“Can you hold her until we get inside?”

Crow nodded numbly and took the girl.

Scarlet picked up Fifer and gave Alex a hand so he could get to his feet. Together they limped and stumbled safely to the mansion.

Kitten’s crushed body lay still on the ground for a moment. Then all her porcelain pieces magically came back together. When she was in one perfect piece again, she jumped up and down, gingerly at first, and then less so, testing her body out. Everything felt as good as new.

“Mewmewmew,” she said before heading back into the fight. Seven lives left.





A Short Reprieve


What?” asked Henry as he stitched up the ugly gash in Alex’s side. “You’re saying Thisbe killed the pirate captain?”

“I’m not sure killed is the right word,” Alex said. “Dismantled. Scrambled and flung about, maybe.” He winced. “Ouch. Unless I’m delusional, which is entirely possible.”