“What is this? What’shappening?” a villager shouted.
Children began to weep.
“Quick,” Sarah said,lifting Cyrus off of the corpse.
The prisoners shrieked andscreamed. Cyrus and Sarah ran to Edward. They found Fibianlifting the tiny white spider from a mound of armor and sand.
“It is done, young Master,” Fibiansaid, “Now to free the villagers.”
Cyrus cast aside his armoredtop and helmet, then ran to the front of the cage.
“Sarah, is that you?” awoman cried.
They reached the gates and pulled therickety doors open. Dr. and Mrs. Heiler burst forth throughthe crowd and hugged their daughter tightly.
“Oh, thankthe Angels,” her mother wept. “We were so worried.”
Cyrus spied the mayorand Llysa trying to hide within the mass of bodies.His anger rose. He looked to the frightened young and reminded himself of whyhe was there.
“Come, everybody, tothe starboard wall,” he demanded. “We must escape to the head fortress.”
The villagers stared atCyrus, at his bloody clothes, terrified and ashamed. He looked back, his anxietyrising. He searched the treetops for spies. Then he scanned the woods for enemies.
“This is no trick,” he cried.“Think of your children. Go!”
The villagers began to presstowards the exit. Then the flock of shabby blackbirds swooped down from above, squawking and shrieking overhead.
RUN! Gabriel said. The giant drove a visionof the Sea Zombie into Cyrus’ mind.
“No…” he breathed.
“Not ssso fast, Child Eater,” a raspy voice said.
The morning sky was growinglight, and the shadows were losing strength.To his left, Rorrohstepped forward through the trees. Her grey hair hung in two frayed braids frombeneath her tattered hood. Cyrus’ senses electrified. He spun like a viper anddrew a pistol, aiming it at the witch’s head.
“And what would that do?”the Sea Zombie asked, her torn face twisting into a savage grin.
Black oil dripped from onepitted eye.
Cyrus heard a feral hissing. He looked to Fibian.Edward stood on the froskman’s shoulder. Thespider’s fur was on end, and his eyes hadgrown milky white. Rorroh reached into her robes and withher withered, black hand produced a stitched leather orb. The grenade leaked gaseous green vapors.
“Behave, little blodbad,” Rorroh cooed, “or itwill be an early night again for you.”
Edward grew more angered. Rorrohraised her hand into the air. The woods came alive with nagen and rock klops soldiers. Cyrus countedthe enemy. He estimated their odds of survival. They were dead, three times over. Curses!
“One way or another,” Rorroh said, her teeth tiny and jagged, “it all endsss here, but you have a choice, Child Eater.It can end with your immortality or theirdeathsss.”
Cyrus glared at the SeaZombie, confused, his pistol still aimed at her spotted head.
“My offer still standsss,” Rorroh explained.“Join me. Claim your rightful position. Rule the seasss for all eternity at my side. All you must do is kill one of yourown, one of the Angel King’s pure creationsss.Any one of them, your stepmother, the mayor,it does not matter. It is either that, orI kill them all, the ssspider, the froskman, even your little girlfriend here. What choice doyou really have?”
Cyrus looked from Sarah to Fibian. Sarah looked lostand horrified. Fibian shook his head no. Cyrus turnedto Edward. The tiny white spider quivered with rage and terror. He staredat the villagers. There was no escape for any of them unless Cyrus killed one of them. He looked to Llysa cowering behind an old woman. Then he turned to Hoblkalf. The bald mayor was ducking through the crowd. Howwas this the end? How had Cyrus lost control so quickly?
“If I kill an alveling,” he asked, trying to buy time, “any alveling, you’ll let everyone else here live?”
“I will even gift themthe hune,” Rorroh said, herneck cracking as she leaned closer, “and you will become an Angel amongst men,immortal, destined to rule for all eternity.”
This was all a trick, Cyrus knew. Once hehad killed one of his own, Rorroh’s wager with the Angel King would be won, and their game of souls would be over. Cyrusguessed that the witch had orchestrated this trap from the very beginning, but what choice did he reallyhave? Someone had to die, or they were all doomed. She had painted him into a cornerwith only one way of escape. Could he do it? If only there was another way. Cyrus took a deep, shaking breath,then held out his hand.
“Don’t!” Sarah screamed.“Please.”
Rorroh stepped forward, stretching outher own spidery grasp. Her demon’s grin stretched even wider.
“No,” Hoblkalf shouted.
The mayor leaped forward.He grabbed Sarah around the neck and pressed a blade to her throat. Cyrus shiftedhis pistol’s aim from Rorroh to the mayor.
“I know what you’re planning,”Hoblkalf cried, hisface a sweaty scowl, “but it won’t be me. Take your witch of a stepmotherinstead!”
“No!” Llysa shrieked, still cowering behind the old woman. “It wasMayor Hoblkalf that killed Niels, remember? He wouldn’tlisten. He ordered your death. He organized the mutiny. Kill him.”
“She beat you your wholelife,” the mayor countered, “hated you, celebratedyour banishment. The mutiny was her idea.”
“He threatens the womanyou love,” Llysa cried.
Sarah’seyes grew wider.
“Don’t you understand,m’ boy,” Hoblkalf retorted, “I give you the veryexcuse you need to do what you’ve always wanted.”
Cyrus turned his gun onLlysa. His choice was made.
“Don’t do it,” Sarahwept, “she’s not worth it.”
He reached out and graspedRorroh’s offered hand. Her flesh felt cold, leathery,mere sinew and bone.
“Cyrus,” Fibian warned, “you will beenslaved.”
Cyrus’ heart banged inhis chest. He felt his knees grow numb. He shook her hand hard.
“Then it is a deal,” Rorroh said, cackling.
Her grey flesh flushed withglory. She drew back her dead, decaying limb, onlyshe could not pull it free. Cyrus clung dearly to the witch’s grip.
“What are you doing?” Rorroh said.
Again, she attempted topull free.
“Let go,” she demanded.
Cyrus squeezed tighter,the muscles in his forearm bulging.
“I said let go,” Rorroh snarled.
The sea slug mending herarm stretched and strained.
“This was not the deal,”Rorroh screamed.
“This is exactly what youbargained for,” Cyrus replied, his voice cold and distant.
Then the Dragon Eater cocked
