Dankle must have nodded, because suddenly Kingaree walked out of the gazebo and set out along the path at the edge of the park, his coat billowing like the wings of some great black bird. He strode past the seated families just as the first fireworks burst in the sky overhead, great, glittering, spark-dripping flowers of gold and red. People shouted in pleasure. Nobody except Tyler and Lucinda saw the tall man go-they were all too busy watching the fire in the sky.
Chapter 16
Hot sun. Chores to do. Animals to feed. Maybe a nap before dinner if she was lucky and got her work done early. Lucinda wouldn’t have gone so far as to say things were back to normal, but as she and Tyler hiked across the fields toward the Reptile Barn she realized that for the first time in several days she didn’t feel frightened.
Their great-uncle Gideon was still in the hospital but he’d be coming home today. The doctors at Liberty Medical Center still didn’t know what was wrong with him, but Ragnar said Gideon was almost himself again, even though the time of his disappearance remained a blank.
“Okay, so what’s he doing?” Tyler said. “I still don’t get it.”
Lucinda had been admiring her new bracelet, the gift from Carmen, which made a very nice companion for the unicorn-hair bracelet the Three Amigos had given her. She shook her head. “Who? Doing what?”
“Kingaree! What’s he up to with that Dankle guy, that lawyer?”
“How should I know? And what makes you think it has anything to do with us?”
Tyler stared at her. “Duh! He’s a really bad guy and he came out of the Fault Line. Anything he does has something to do with us, or at least with the farm.”
Lucinda frowned. The only problem with the new bracelet was that when she lowered her arm it slid all the way to her hand and the charms interfered with picking things up. She pushed it up her forearm until it felt snug. “That doesn’t mean it’s anything to do with all the other stuff going on-Gideon and everything else you’re obsessed with-Alamu and the fire and Octavio’s Crazy-o-scope.”
“ Continuascope. Yeah, that’s the other thing.” Tyler frowned, trying to get his thoughts in order. “Okay, so Gideon disappears, and just at the same time Kingaree comes back after all these years. Meanwhile, Colin’s all “I’m researching the Continuascope” “-he did a terrible imitation of Colin’s careful speech-“which has been missing since the night of the laboratory fire. Which is also the night Kingaree disappeared. And you’re telling me it’s all coincidence?”
“I’m not saying it’s all coincidence… ” she began.
“So shut up, then.” But he smiled to show her he was mostly kidding. For a moment she remembered both why she loved her little brother and why she often wanted to kill him. “See, it would make sense that Kingaree stole the Continuascope and set the fire to cover up. But Mr. Walkwell says no-he says it was Alamu the dragon who burned the lab down.” He grabbed his head like it hurt. “Man! Am I missing anything?”
Lucinda smiled. “Just your sanity.” She could see the Reptile Barn in the distance now and her heart rose a little. I’m coming! she thought, trying to send the idea ahead like a beam of light. I’m bringing carrots! A moment later she realized what she was doing-accusing her brother of being crazy while she tried to talk to a dragon with her mind.
“What are you laughing about?” Tyler didn’t wait long for an answer. “ Anyway, something’s missing here. I don’t know what it is, but there’s totally something missing. Why would Alamu be hanging around the lab? Why would he burn the place down?”
“Maybe it was the only way he could get somebody to shut up.”
For a moment Tyler actually looked puzzled, trying to make sense of what she’d said. Then he stuck his tongue out at her-something he hadn’t done for a few years. “Oh, yeah, thanks, Luce. You’re a fat lot of help.”
Desta knuckle-walked on her folded wings and rear legs toward the front of the pen, head turned sideways as she slyly watched the bag of carrots in Lucinda’s hand.
I know you see them, Lucinda told her-or at least thought at her. It was hard to tell sometimes how much of Lucinda’s meaning Desta was receiving. Yes, they’re for you, greedy girl! ! It was scarcely more than a wordless impulse, but it had meaning and Lucinda understood it clearly: I want!
Haneb trundled past with a wagon full of sheep carcasses for Meseret, who was sleeping underneath the banks of sun lamps that helped to keep the Reptile Barn even warmer than the California summer outside. “She wait for you, the young one,” he said. “She know what time you here.”
“But I don’t come here the same time every day,” Lucinda said.
Haneb shrugged. “She know when you come, still. Very smart, the illujankan.” The strange word sounded like he was getting ready to spit. He smiled a little, embarrassed again, and translated. “Dragons.”
“How do you know so much about them?” she asked, and held out the first carrot for Desta. The blue tongue curled, gently tugged, and the carrot disappeared from Lucinda’s hand. Good, she thought. Good girl!
“I… I come with them. From where I was.”
What Ragnar had said was true, then. “Will you tell me about it?”
He gaped at her, his one visible eye wide, the other hidden by his curtain of hair. “I have work. Sorry, Miss Lucinda. The big one must be fed.” He gestured to the wagon and the sheep carcasses that were already drawing flies on this hot day. “I have work.”
Which, Lucinda could tell, really meant: “Please don’t make me talk about it.” Ragnar had said he was already scarred when he came to Ordinary Farm as a child. “Of course, Haneb, I’m sorry… ”
“Oh, man,” Tyler said loudly. “What are you doing here?”
She turned to see Colin Needle, who had stopped many yards away from Lucinda and the others, as if a deadly swamp lay between him and them.
“Don’t start with me, Jenkins.”
“No, really, every time I turn around, there you are. You spying on us?” Tyler walked toward Colin, his hands dangling down at his sides, shoulders back, chest out.
“Stop it, Tyler.” Boys, thought Lucinda. Always posturing.
Yes-males. So foolish, so fierce.
For a moment Lucinda thought someone had said it out loud-a deep, resonant voice with a bass hum like a church organ. Then she realized it was in her head, and only in her head, and that it hadn’t been words but only ideas. Meseret? Lucinda asked. Is that you? It was the first time she’d had a real communication from the big dragon since the night they had flown together.
Well, you flew, Lucinda corrected herself. I mostly screamed and hung on. Do you remember?
A faint impression of amusement touched her, then was followed by something much more harsh-an angry thought that scalded like acid. Night they stole my egg. Night that creature stole my egg. Meseret clearly knew who Colin was. The massive dragon stretched, suddenly restless in her harness, and the heavy industrial fabric creaked.
But she’s here now, Lucinda thought hurriedly-she didn’t want to see Colin Needle burned to ashes. Your baby, your egg, she’s alive and safe. See?
Carrots. This nudging thought drifted over from Desta. Have more. Give!
Tyler and Colin were still staring each other down. “What are you babbling about now, Jenkins?” the older boy said. “Do you think I want to be here? With these monsters?” He cast a quick, fearful look toward Meseret. “I was sent to get you. Personally, I’d be happy to leave you to your little games and your… ” he looked from Lucinda to the baby dragon, “… animal friends.”
He could be nice if he wanted to, Lucinda thought. Every now and then he showed it. Why did Colin Needle always turn back into such a creep?
Angry. It was feelings that came to her, not words, and they came from Desta. Frightened. Tangled.