The seer smiled. “There isn't. That's the beauty of it, you see?”
“This isn't more of that jacket and bread business, is it? I can't handle that.”
“They're working awfully fast,” Letitia said. “They're halfway up the wall.”
“Oberbyght, isn't there a cover, a plank, something we can put over this hole?”
The seer shrugged. “I used to put a pail under the thing when it rained. Never thought about keeping Badgies out.”
“You haven't answered Finn's question,” Letitia said, her dark opal eyes larger than ever. “I'd like to hear what you have in mind too.”
At that very moment, the deep, solemn peal of the bell resounded from somewhere, or nowhere at all. The tower shook precariously, and several large stones plummeted down the long wall.
Below, in the seer's former chamber, chaos was the order of the day. Badgies howled, and raged in fear. Bricks, plaster, and rotten timbers rattled about their heads.
Finn wondered how Maddigern had managed to bully his Guardsmen this far. The King's Third Sentient Guards were stout and valiant warriors, but they greatly feared the magician and his spells. Only a creature as fierce as Maddigern, Finn decided, could have held them under his sway.
“Finn,” Letitia said, close so no one would hear, “we've found each other again and I'm grateful for that, but I fear we've followed a madman to the same dire end we faced below.”
“We'll think of something,” Finn said, aware that such bravado did not fool Letitia Louise. Still, he refused to admit they were doomed, for that would not bolster her courage at all.
“Yes, I'm certain we will,” Letitia said, looping her arm tightly in his. “Though at the moment, I cannot see how.”
“It is a peculiarity of Newlies and humankind,” said Julia, who had mostly kept her silence during the recent dread events, “one I can somewhat understand, since I, too, possess an animal brain. When the situation is totally hopeless, as it clearly is now, reason says ‘quit, give up, yield, resign one's self to one's fate.’
“Yet, does that foolish gray organ in our heads desist, surrender, throw in the trowel-whatever that means- does it submit, capitulate, bend? Does it-”
“Stop that thing from squawking, or by damn I'll toss it over the side!”
Oberbyght, the princess flailing about in his iron grip, was kicking at a Badgie who had suddenly appeared at the entry hole. The seer stomped on his hand and the Badgie cried out and let go.
“I don't suppose you could give me a hand over here, Finn. As you can possibly see, I don't have one free.”
“Sorry, be right with you.” Finn left Letitia and joined the seer, whose chubby features had now turned a startling shade of red. As another green-robed warrior scrambled for a hold, Finn kicked him squarely in the face, where the white streak of hair angled sharply at his brow. The soldier howled, and tumbled back below.
Still, it was only a matter of minutes before another, then another, surged up through the hole.
“I don't see how we can keep this up,” Finn said. “I think Maddigern has an endless supply of these brutes.”
“Won't have to,” said the seer. “We can stop this nonsense soon.”
“Wait, now,” Finn protested, “I never said I'd quit. I certainly don't intend to give in.”
“Didn't say you would. Said you wouldn't have to.”
Oberbyght glanced over his shoulder with a grin.
“You think I'm an idiot, boy? That I climbed up here for the view?”
Finn turned, then, just as Letitia Louise cried out, leaping for joy, and waving at the sky.
“Hooks and Crooks!” Finn could scarcely believe his eyes, but it was clearly no illusion floating majestically overhead, blotting out the afternoon sky.
“Bucerius!” Finn shouted, cupping his hands about his face. “I never saw a sight more pleasing to the eye!”
“I told you one has to do business with all sorts of rogues in my trade,” said the seer. “You've got to learn to listen to your betters, Master Finn…”
FIFTY-FIVE
Finn and Letitia dashed about the top of the tower, chasing the tangle of ropes that dangled from the bloated craft overhead. The ropes snapped and whipped in the wind, close at hand one instant, hanging over nothing the next.
Bucerius cursed and shouted, bringing the worst of seven languages to bear, as he struggled to keep the balloon from drifting away or plummeting down to crush the creatures scurrying about below.
Obern Oberbyght did all he could, kicking angry Badgies down the hole, keeping the screaming princess intact.
The balloon dipped low, the wicker basket knocking loose stones off the wall. Letitia leaped, caught a rope and held on. Finn heard her triumphant shout, then heard it turn to a fearsome wail, as the rope yanked her off the tower and over the abyss.
Finn's heart nearly stopped. Letitia swung back, past the tower wall, just out of Finn's reach. He could see her hands slipping, quickly losing their grip. Her Mycer eyes mirrored her fear for she was clearly terrified.
Finn didn't dare stop to think. He scrambled up the wall, jumped, caught the rope just above Letitia's grip, scissored his legs about her and swung back from the dizzying heights below.
The balloon sagged beneath their weight and began to tip dangerously to one side. Bucerius bellowed, and yanked frantically on his cords. The swollen craft surged up again, and this time the Bullie's skill dropped the pair safely on the tower floor again.
Finn struggled with the rope and tied it securely through a hole in the stony wall. Bucerius tossed down two more lines, and, in a moment, the craft was riding balanced and secure, straining against the wind.
Finn lifted Letitia up, and the Bullie pulled her aboard. Finn handed Julia up next, then went to help the seer.
DeFloraine-Marie knew exactly what was coming. She screamed like a banshee, and managed to sink her teeth into Oberbyght's arm. She kicked out with her legs and struck Finn in the head.
“Enough of that, Princess, I'm losing my patience with you.” Oberbyght slung her over his shoulder, stomped over to the balloon, gripped her like a sack of meal, and tossed her to Bucerius waiting there.
The Bullie caught her and dumped her to the wicker floor. In her sheltered life, DeFloraine-Marie had had little to do with Bullies. Bullies were merely Newlies who carried heavy things about. At the sight of this great, powerful creature she backed away into a corner of the basket and loosed a pitiful wail.
“Go on, get aboard,” Finn shouted at the seer. “I'll finish up here.”
Oberbyght paused, then nodded, and made his way up to the balloon. Bucerius flipped a short-bladed knife to Finn, and Finn began to slice the restraining ropes, one by one.
Left unchecked, the Badgies swarmed like angry hornets onto the tower floor, a blur of broad shoulders, stumpy legs and bristling jaws, silver mail and flashing blades.
With a fierce battle cry, Maddigern swept his Guards men aside and came at Finn, his sword cutting deadly arcs at Finn's heels, forcing him back against the tower wall.
Letitia shouted a warning, but Finn didn't hear. He knew he was but a breath away from losing it all, that everything he'd been through, everything he'd dared, could come to naught if the Badgie caught him here with nothing but the Bullie's short blade.
If he turned, and made a leap for the balloon, Maddigern would surely plunge his weapon into his back. If he stood his ground another moment, though, he could slice the final rope and let the others go.
“Don't, Finn, you cannot!” Letitia knew full well the path he would choose, knew what he had to do.
Finn didn't hesitate. He sawed frantically at the rope, slicing one layer then the next. The rope creaked and strained as each strand sprang free.
Maddigern's dark eyes glowed, for he saw his triumph near. With a growl of victory he raised his blade shoulder high and slammed one boot against the ground.