Chapter 32

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Nay, they grew stronger as Belmonte grasped his cane in both hands. Ben was yanked forward and off his feet where he landed hard on the ground. The blow knocked the air out of him and he didn't have time to react as he was dragged toward his foe. Ben's hands lengthened into claws, but he couldn't reach any of the tendrils.

Belmonte's eyes widened. "What have we here? The curse of the Dragon Thief?" His surprise turned to maniacal glee and he threw back his head and laughed as Ben thrashed in the hold of the magic. "So there is a magic the great Dragon Thief cannot break! The magic that comes from my dragon scale cane!"

That was it. That was the creepy vibe I'd gotten off the cane earlier. Ben reached Belmonte and was lifted off the ground to hang in front of his foe.

I rushed forward with my broom in hand and swung at Belmonte's face. The man stepped back and one of his tendrils shot out. The darkness wrapped around my broom and we grappled for it for a moment before my light burst out of the sacred object. My eyes widened as the broom transformed into the sacred staff I had picked up on that fateful night.

Belmonte took a step back and raised one arm in front of his face as he glared at me. "What devilry is this?"

I grasped the staff in both hands and snorted. "You're one to talk." I pointed one glowing end at him and stared the man down. "And if you don't let Ben down right now you won't be able to do even that."

Belmonte sneered at me as more shadows pulsed out of the cane. "You are nothing before my dragon cane! Nothing!"

At his shout, dozens of tendrils poured from the scales. I grasped my staff in both hands in front of me and focused on Ben. Light as bright as the sun burst out of me and crashed into the shadowed coils. Light and dark fought together, pushing back against one another in a game of tug-of-war.

I wasn't going to lose. Not to this lowlife. Not when Ben's life was on the line.

"You're not winning this!" I shouted as I swung my staff like a bat.

A wave of light flew out and shattered his cloud of darkness. The flood rammed into Belmonte's stomach and sent him flying into the rear of his wagon. The man slumped to the ground and the cane clattered to his side. The shadows around the scales dissipated.

I leaned heavily on my staff as my world became a little dizzying. Ben had landed on his feet and hurried over to me where he grasped my shoulders. I grinned up at him. "Don't ask. Even I don't want to know how I feel."

He chuckled. "However you feel, you look wonderful."

A terrible shriek came from one of the tents and I spun my head around in time to watch Dreda drag the Matriarch out by her hair. The Matriarch thrashed and struggled in Dreda's terrible grasp, but the woman would not be denied her revenge as she tossed her to the ground and clamped Cal's manacles on her.

"That'll teach you to mess with my Werd!" Dreda snapped.

I gently drew myself out of Ben's grasp and moved over to them. "Wait a sec." I stopped beside the Matriarch and rummaged through her attire.

"What are you doing?" the crone snapped as she struggled to squirm away. "Get away from me, you thief!"

I drew out my ribbon and grinned at her as I pocketed it. "I'm just taking back what's mine."

The Matriarch spat at me. I dodged and the spittle flew toward Belmonte.

"Catch that spit!" Dreda shouted.

Too late. The spittle landed on his cane and oozed over the scales. The Matriarch cackled as the cane began to levitate of its own free will. "Let's see you take care of that curse, fools!"

Shadows burst out of the cane, but this time they weren't tendrils. The darkness formed itself into the shape of a huge dragon.

"Watch out!" a voice shouted before a wagon barreled down the new road. Wesson was at the helm and Mrs. Gebur bounced along at his side.

Mrs. Gebur rummaged into her pouch and drew out a ragged doll. She stood up on the box as they neared the dragon and stretched her arm back. "Take this, cursed thing!"

She threw the doll at the dragon and the ragged toy struck its back. The shadows fizzled and the doll sank into the depths of the darkness before the whole thing exploded. The blast made us stumble backward and kicked up dust. The air cleared a moment later and revealed the shattered remains of Belmonte's cane.

The Matriarch's face drooped farther than her boobs. Dreda grinned down at the crone. "Looks like we took care of it mighty easily."

The wagon screeched to a stop not far from us and Mrs. Gebur was nearly catapulted off. Ben hurried up and caught her before she tipped over. She smiled at Ben as he helped her down in a safer fashion. "I should have known it was you when you visited the house. You were always getting into trouble."

Ben grinned. "It's good to see you again, Wynn."

"I wondered where this road would end up," Wesson spoke up as he hopped off the wagon and sauntered up to the heavy horse that pulled the vehicle. "Didn't think it'd be in the middle of a tussle."

"We were just finishing our duties," Deor spoke up as he sauntered over to Wesson and clapped a claw on the man's shoulder. "And thanks to your curiosity, the deed is done."

Wesson shrugged. "Truth be told, I saw the lights out this way and figured Ben would need some help from Mrs. Gebur."

Ben grinned. "I think everyone knows me far too well."

The large gray wolf I had seen earlier came into the center of our little group and his sharp yellow eyes fell on Cal. "Your Highness."

Cal bowed his head. "Your Majesty. I have arrived a little early, but I hope that will not ruin the signing."

Eall chuckled. "On the contrary, it makes it all the more important before your human companions bring more trouble with them."

Most of the werewolves departed with their captives, but that still left a sizeable group around us. I sidled up to Ben as the humans and Deor made their acquaintances.

I leaned against his chest and tilted my head back to grin up at him. "So if this is what the betrothal is like, what's the rest of our lives together going to be?"

He smiled. "I don't know, but I can't wait to see."

Neither could I, and as I snuggled into his chest and looked out on our friends I had no doubt it would be full of fun, friends, and more than a touch of adventure.