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He saw me looking at him and pointed at something in the yard. One of the tacky metal statues. The bear facing the driveway and holding a giant fish. What did he want me to do withit?
“Take your time, Thorvald,” the agentgrowled.
“I never take it off. It’s a toughknot.”
He pulled out a multi-tool, flicked open the pliers like a switchblade, then thumbed open an actualknife.
I should have let the dragon take me to dangle as bait.Hewouldn’t have made me take off my weapons andcharms.
“I’m also not sure I can trust you not to hawk it on eBay,” I added, stepping away from the knife, especially since he looked like he wanted to cut the leather thong for me, while it was around my throat. Noway.
“I’m sure your faux ivory trinkets would bring afortune.”
Dimitri was still watching me, his eyebrows raised. A question on his blunt face.What?
I nodded once, though I had no idea what he was asking. Hoping for the best, I tapped my cloaking charm to activate the stealthability.
The agent’s eyes bulged as I seemed to disappear. I ducked, anticipating a snatch, and yanked Chopper and Fezzik out of his hands before he reacted. Soundlessly, I dropped and rolled away, evading a lunge and an attempt to grabme.
If Dimitri really could help, I didn’t know, but I couldn’t go back with these guys, not if they were taking all my stuff and my ability to fight, my ability to escape. Once I found a way to save Willard’s life,thenthey could arrestme.
A buzz of magical energy ran up my spine as soft twangs reached my ears. Something whizzed over my head.Severalsomethings. Sharp hisses came from the cars in thedriveway.
Careful not to make noise and give away my position, I low-crawled across the grass and scattered pine needles. The men cursed and ran to theircars.
“What was that?” someone barked. “Is someoneshooting?”
More twangs sounded. This time, I glanced back quickly enough to see tiny metal darts shoot out of the bear’s fish as the statue rotated back and forth, like a gardener spraying down a bed. Several darts pierced the glass windows of the cars with the power and authority of bullets. Others slammed into the tires. The hissing of air grew louder as it escaped through dozens ofholes.
The roar of an engine sounded over the rush of the nearby river. The orange camper van, somehow spared the fate of the cars, spat gravel as it raced around them and turned toward the street. It paused, and Dimitri stuck his head out the window, peering into theyard.
Looking for me. I leaped up and checked to make sure Mom and Rocket had made it inside. They had, and she was peering out through the open frontwindow.
“Stay safe!” I called in Elvish, one of only three phrases I remembered that she’d taughtme.
I wanted to add for her to run out the back door and stay at a friend’s house, at least until I was out of the state, but I couldn’t say all that in Elvish. I had to trust that she would be able to take care ofherself.
She disappeared from the window as I raced toward Dimitri. One of the agents dropped to his knees behind his vehicle—three out of four tires were deflated, still hissing weakly—and aimed his gun at the back of the van. His buddy grabbed his arm and said, “No shootingcivilians.”
“But she’ll getaway.”
“She’s not in the van. I think she went that way.” He pointed toward the trees and theriver.
Yes, keep thinkingthat…
I ran as soundlessly as I could, not stepping onto the gravel until the last minute. As the agents darted off into the trees to look for me, I opened the passenger-side door and pulled myselfin.
“Go,” I whispered, closing it as quietly as Icould.
“That’screepy.”
“What?”
“The door opening and closing by itself. I can’t see you. It’s straight out ofGhostbusters.”
Dimitri peeled out. It was notquiet.
“You’re too young to know thatmovie.”
