Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

P aige's heart hammered against her ribs as she stared at the large stone-like creature that stood in front of them. "What is that thing?"

"Graggle Golem," Dewey informed her.

"What? Like the Golem I befriended?"

"Yes, and no. It's a Golem. It's a lot meaner."

Devon morphed into his beast form again, grabbing Paige and beating his wings hard to fly away from the creature.

Paige glanced over her shoulder, getting glimpses of the stone-like monster as it stormed toward them.

Below them, Drucinda raced in a zigzag pattern, desperately trying to escape the beast.

"Wait, wait, maybe I can tame it," Paige said.

"I don't think Devon wants to chance it if you can't." Dewey clung to Paige as they sailed through the air.

Her eyes went wide as she glanced down at Drucinda. "Drucinda, look out!"

The Golem swiped at her, nearly catching hold of her, but she scurried behind a tree and changed directions .

Paige's lips tugged into a wince. "She's never going to make it.

"I knew it," Dewey shouted as the wind whistled past them during Devon's wild flight. "Drucinda is going to be the sacrifice here. We'll all cry over her body for an emotional catharsis before we finally rally and beat the evil that threatens us."

"No!" Paige shouted. "No, Drucinda can't die."

"Look, if someone has to go, she's the best one. I don't want to die, and you and Devon are safe, so I vote Drucinda," Dewey answered.

Paige shook her head at him before she flicked her gaze downward again. She scanned the ground, unable to find the woman. "Where is she?"

"Probably dead. We'll find her broken body later for our emotional moment."

"Stop saying that." Paige gripped Devon's arm and searched the ground again.

Her eyes rose to the monster racing behind them, expecting to see blood dripping from its stone mouth. Instead, her heart skipped a beat as she spotted Drucinda trapped inside the Golem's stone fingers.

"Let me down, you foul beast!" She pushed against the rocky fingers trapping her before she bit them.

"Wow, she totally just bit into his fingers," Paige said. "I bet that wasn't comfortable. Devon, stop, we have to help her."

He answered with a grunt which she couldn't understand, but he continued to fly away from the Golem.

"Devon, stop. We have to help Drucinda."

"Paige!" Dewey shouted. "Use your bracelet."

"Oh, right. I bet that'll work. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because the main character is never exceptionally bright. That's what the sidekick is for. "

Paige lifted her arm in the air, letting her bracelet catch the light. "Devon, slow down for a second, let's see if this will work."

Devon's wings eased a little despite his grunted response, and Paige twisted to wave the bracelet at the beast. "Stop, you foul beast!"

The Golem's legs continued to move but slowed until he finally froze. Drucinda scrambled to slip from his grip, falling onto the stone thigh below her before she slipped down to the ground. "Thanks."

"Anytime. Now, let's go back toward the portal," Paige said with a nod. "Down, boy."

Devon grunted again.

"Don't give me that," Drucinda said with a shake of her head. "Get down here and change back into your human form. I'm sick of this. I'm not trudging through the jungle alone while you carry her like some sort of princess."

Devon descended to the ground, setting Paige down before he morphed back into his usual form. "She is a princess."

"I don't care. In this jungle, we're all equal. Now, let's go. And keep that bracelet handy in case we need it again."

"Right," Paige said with a nod as she pushed it down her wrist.

Before they could continue their trek along the plane's path of destruction, a humming sounded.

"Oh, now what?" Paige asked, slapping her thighs with her hands. "What sort of creature is it now?"

"Uh, Paige…" Dewey patted her on the head before he poked a claw behind them.

Paige twisted to face a veritable wall of Graggles, all of them murmuring. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she spotted the army of them. "Oh, no. They're going to kill us."

Drucinda narrowed her eyes, taking a step forward. " Mmm, I don't think so. They'd have done so already. They're in some sort of trance."

"Yeah," Devon agreed. "I can't understand what they're saying."

"I don't speak Graggle either," Drucinda said, "but it seems as though they are…worshipping."

"Worshipping what?" Paige twisted to eye the frozen Golem before she thumbed at it. "Oh, him."

"No, definitely not," Drucinda answered. "He frightened them away."

Paige wrinkled her nose as she searched the area before taking a tentative step forward. The moment she moved toward them, they all bowed their heads.

"Oh, I see," Drucinda said. "It's Paige. Paige is who they are worshipping." She burst into laughter slapping her thighs. "If they only knew."

"Hey," Paige snapped.

"She stopped the Golem. They must think she's magical," Dewey answered.

"I am magical, technically." Paige faced the congregation of fuzzy creatures. "Okay, thanks a lot. I appreciate this. Could anyone point us in the direction of the portal thing?"

One Graggle, resembling Mokey, stepped forward. "No. You cannot leave. You stopped the monstie. You must stay. You will protect our village, and we will build you a temple where we can worship. We will feed you from the best meats, endless wine, tend to your every need."

"Sounds good to me," Dewey answered. "Come on, Paige, let's go back to the village."

"No, we can't go to the village. We have to leave this place and save my mom."

"Or we could stay and eat the best meats with endless wine," Dewey answered. "I mean…it feels just as fulfilling as sa ving your mom's life. Maybe even better because she's one life…but this…this is the lives of an entire village."

"Dewey, no. I don't care how many Graggles I can save, I want to save my mom."

Dewey tugged his lips into a taut frown. "I don't think you're really thinking straight."

She shook her head, her frustration building as she curled her fingers into fists. "Just…okay, that's a very nice offer, Graggles, but…I have to get home and save my mom. So, I can't stay. If you could– "

"We cannot let you leave," Mokey said. "The monsties are a large threat. You must stay and help us."

"Would that I could, but I can't," Paige said with a penitent smile. "I really need to go. I appreciate your offer, though. I've never had someone willing to build me a temple before."

"I could build you a temple," Devon said. "Would that make you happy?"

Paige shook her head at him. "That's a conversation for another time, hon. Let's just focus on getting out of here right now. Anyway, Graggles, thanks and good luck."

Paige took a step away from them when they swarmed her. "Ah! Hey! What the hell?!"

Paige's feet left the ground as several Graggles lifted her up. She toppled over onto her back. Small paws supported her as they carried her through the jungle. "Hey! Put me down. Devon! Drucinda! Help!"

She glanced behind her, noting her entire party being carried by the Graggles.

"Just go with it," Drucinda hissed.

"But– "

"Shut up before we're dead," she growled through clenched teeth.

Paige tugged her lips into a terrified wince as they continued their awkward trek through the jungle until a village came into sight.

The Graggles chattered in their native tongue as others came to greet them. Paige struggled to try to understand what they were saying but failed.

They were carried to a hut and thrown inside before a door swung shut, trapping them inside.

"When can we expect the food?" Dewey shouted.

They received no response, and Dewey slapped a hand against his forehead. "Seriously? I mean…they promised food. We all heard them, right?"

"Dewey, will you quit with the food?" Paige snapped. "This is serious."

"I know! We were promised wine and endless eats, yet we've been stuffed into a hut…not a temple as promised, a hut with no food."

"I'm a little worried that we're not going to be alive to eat the food," Drucinda said.

"Not if we starve to death before they bring it," Dewey answered with a huff.

Drucinda paced the mud floor, shaking her head. "No, not that."

"What is it?" Paige asked.

"They may believe you are a god among women," Drucinda said, poking a finger at Paige, "but we're not."

"Well, I'll just tell them you are my demi-god friends, and we'll be okay."

Drucinda narrowed her eyes. "Possibly not. Have you ever seen the type of behavior where…when they believe a god is inhabiting you, they will…kill you?"

Paige wrinkled her nose. "Why would they harm the person they think is a god?"

"They will probably kill you and try to preserve your body," Devon answered. "If you're a god, they'll think you'll be fine in spirit."

Paige screwed up her face. "What? Oh, great."

"I'm fairly certain that's what they meant by building you a temple. They will entomb you there."

"What about the food? Why did they offer food?" Paige cried.

Dewey landed on her shoulder bobbing his head. "Now, you're talking. This is the real crux of the matter."

"They will take the food to you and leave it…by your dead body."

Paige slapped a hand against her forehead. "OMG, this is awful. We have to get out of here."

"No kidding," Drucinda said as she eyed the walls. "It shouldn't be difficult. This hut looks fairly rudimentary."

"Right," Paige said with a nod. "Devon could go beast mode and knock it down. Actually, with those muscles, Devon could knock it down in human mode."

"Thanks, babe. I'm flattered you noticed." Devon grinned at her.

"The problem is…we can't make a break for it now. We should wait until dark," Drucinda answered. "Most of them will be asleep except the guards they will inevitably leave near this hut. I should be able to make quick work of them though." She waved the knife in the air.

"Ugh," Paige said with a wrinkled nose. "I just…can't get around killing off the things I loved as a kid."

"Well, get over it fast. I'd like to escape this realm, thank you."

"Yeah, of course. Hey, maybe we'll be able to see the rainbow-y thing better at night. Maybe this little detour is actually a positive thing."

Drucinda narrowed her eyes at Paige. "This is not in any way positive. I don't care if it's easier to see it at night. I'd rather have trudged through the jungle and searched it inch by inch than be stuck here another moment."

"Right," Paige said. "On the upside, at least we still have all our stuff. So, we'll just…wait it out, leave tonight, and be out of here."

She settled onto the floor, leaning against the hut's wall. "May as well relax. We've got a while to wait."

"I'll pace, thank you," Drucinda answered, resuming her back and forth ambling. "How can you be so calm."

"Easy," Dewey answered as he plopped onto the floor next to Paige, "we've been trapped lots of times. We're getting pretty good at it."

Drucinda shook her head at the response.

Time passed slowly as they waited for the sun to set. As twilight lingered, visible through the tiny window on the door, a commotion sounded outside of their hut.

Paige scrambled to her feet. "Uh-oh, what's that?"

"Sounds like a group of them headed our way," Drucinda answered.

Devon peered out the window. "Yep."

"I hope they have food," Dewey added.

The door to the hut burst open and several Graggles entered, their heads bowed and carrying trays heaped with meats, cheeses, and fruits.

"Yesssss," Dewey hissed, pumping his fist.

They left the offerings on the floor in front of Paige, backing away, hunched over in a bow before they slammed the door closed behind them.

"Oh, I'm starving," Paige said as she snagged a slice of cheese and bit into it. "And this is perfect timing because we should fuel up before we head out."

"Dibs on the jerky," Dewey shouted as he buzzed over to peruse the trays.

"We can't eat that," Drucinda said. "It could be poisoned. "

Paige grimaced, spitting the cheese into her hand and staring at it.

"It's not poisoned, Dru," Dewey said with a dismissing wave of his hand. "It's fine. Look, the Graggles worked all day to prepare this meal. It would be rude of us not to eat it."

"Would it? It would be rude of us not to die, too, but I'd prefer not to, if it's all the same to you, little man."

Dewey grabbed a grape and sniffed it. "Honestly, it smells fine to me."

"Can you smell all types of poison?"

"No," he admitted with a shrug, "but still…I'm just really hungry, and I'm trying to make the case to eat."

"For you two having been trapped so many times before, you'd think you would learn not to eat the food given to you. It's like standard practice."

Paige stared at the feast, her stomach growling. "I really want to eat it. I'm hungry."

"Go ahead. Eat your last meal, friend," Drucinda said with a wave at the food.

Dewey popped a piece of jerky into his mouth. "I'm eating it. It seems fine. And if it's poisoned, I'm going to die almost immediately due to my small size. All we have to do is wait a few minutes to see if I make it."

Dewey swallowed the jerky and grabbed a piece of cheese and some grapes.

Paige narrowed her eyes at him as he munched on the food. Her stomach rumbled as she watched him bite into another piece of a crumbly cheese.

"I am so hungry," she murmured.

"You know, if I'd have already turned you into a vampire, you wouldn't be that hungry," Devon said.

She wrinkled her nose as she glanced at him. "I think I'll pass. "

"Just eat, Paige. They're not going to poison us yet." Dewey waved a dismissive hand at her before he popped another grape into his mouth.

"I really hope you're not wrong," Paige said before she bit into a piece of cheese. "Oh, wow, this is good."

"Told you. These Graggles have some good eats. Honestly, if your mom wasn't dying, I'd consider staying here for a while."

"You two are idiots," Drucinda answered as she stalked closer and snatched a few items from the trays, sniffing them before she bit into a piece of jerky.

"But we're not hungry idiots," Dewey said, shooting a finger gun at her. "And look who is joining the idiot brigade."

"I'm hungry," she answered. "And if you two are going to die, I may as well."

"We're not going to die," Dewey assured her. "We maybe too stuffed to move, but we'll be alive."

Drucinda side-eyed him, a frown forming on her lips. "How much are you planning on eating?"

Dewey stared down at the heaping trays before he shot her another glance, his implication that he planned to eat everything clear.

"You're kidding," Drucinda answered with a click of her tongue.

"He isn't," Paige answered, "so grab what you want now because he will literally eat all of this."

Drucinda snagged a few more pieces of the jerky, cheese, and some of the fruit as she shot Dewey a wrinkled-nosed glance.

"Devon? Better get in on this if you want any because Dewey will scarf it all down," Paige said.

Devon stared at the trays. "Do you think the cheese is high in calories? "

"Seriously?" Paige asked. "I mean…it's cheese. It's dairy. It's healthy."

"It's so not. And I'm really watching my weight. I've heard that getting married can lead to weight gain."

Paige chewed the crumbly cheese as she stared up at him. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"The jerky's a little salty, so you'll have to up your fluid intake once we're home, but it should be fine," Drucinda said as she glanced out the tiny window at the disappearing sun.

"Right. I'll stick with that, maybe a few pieces of fruit."

"Wow, hubby's judgy," Dewey whispered to Paige. "May want to step away from the cheese."

Paige shot him a glance. "Seriously? We were just in a plane crash. We're eating intermittently as it is and trekking through the jungle. I'll burn it off."

They ate their fill of the food as they waited for the waning light to disappear entirely, plunging the encampment into darkness before they could sneak out.

"All right," Drucinda said when they could barely see their own hands in front of their faces, "let's go."

Paige rose, her knees wobbling underneath her. "Whoa, that walk earlier must have taken it all out of me. I can barely move."

Dewey smacked into her, his wing slapping her in the face.

"Ouch, watch it, Dewey."

"Sorry, my flying is all off. I can't seem to fly straight. Must be the darkness."

Across the room, a loud bang sounded. "Ouch," Devon grumbled.

"What is it?" Drucinda asked.

"I can't walk. "

"Me either," Paige answered. "We must have been sitting too long or something."

Drucinda groaned from across the room. "No, that's not it. We've been drugged."