Fallen Thief Read online

  “Of course not.”

  Another pang of guilt. Mira didn’t need to see the incredulous look Kay gave her to know her words weren’t true. How could they search for the Grimmir in the depths of the ocean and take Peter with them?

  But how could I leave my best friend behind?

  Chapter Eight

  The Deadly Dare

  K

  ay was as unenthusiastic about school as he was about Appoline’s lessons. Still, Mira liked having her brother in her class. They could throw their thoughts to each other and their friends without the teacher being any the wiser. There was no more need for hastily scribbled notes on parchment, the loud scratching of her quill getting Mira into trouble before she was even finished writing about how silly Mr. Favian’s striped necktie looked as he fiddled with it during their lessons.

  Collin didn’t hide his unhappiness about having another merrow in the class. He sat in his usual spot at the front with his friends on either side of him. Wilbur North was the son of another councilor and held his chin even higher than Collin did. He wouldn’t even glance their way when Mira and Kay entered the room. Mira supposed it was because they weren’t important enough for him, which suited her just fine. Collin’s other friend, Garth Mendell, was a brutish boy who was nearly twice as large as the average eleven-year-old and half as bright. He glowered at anyone Collin disliked, which meant that he often gave threatening looks over his shoulder at the merrows.

  He looks like he swallowed a stinkbug, said Kay’s voice on one of those instances. Mr. Favian’s back was turned to the class as he wrote an arithmetic problem on the chalkboard, and Garth had taken the opportunity to throw a disgusted glance at Kay.

  Mira pressed her lips together, but as Lynette and Red shook with silent laughter by her side, Garth’s nostrils flared. He nudged Collin and said something in his ear.

  When they all returned from lunch that same day, Mira and Kay were about to sit down on their bench when Lynette held out her hand to stop them.

  “There’s something slimy on there!” she squealed, cringing as she pointed.

  Mira and Kay staggered aside and turned to see their bench glistening.

  “What else would you expect after a pair of toads sat on it?” Collin laughed from the front of the class. He, Wilbur, and Garth snickered and took their seats.

  Red tentatively leaned over to take a whiff. “Smells like some sort of fruit,” he said.

  “Hope it’s nothing I ever eat again,” Kay muttered.

  “Eating in the classroom, are we?”

  Mr. Favian had entered the room and was standing stiffly at the end of their long table, glaring at them with round, intimidating eyes.

  “We didn’t—” Mira began, but Mr. Favian raised a hand.

  “You will have time to clean it up after class. For now, to the back of the room, the both of you,” he snapped.

  Mira and Kay dragged their feet to the rickety bench reserved for the troublesome students of the class.

  How’s this fair? Kay asked. Collin’s the one who did it. It’s obvious!

  Mr. Favian never punishes the children of the councilors. You’d better get used to it.

  Being stuck at the back of the class was particularly unpleasant since Mira and Kay were already reluctant to be stuck in school studying such boring things as arithmetic or history or astronomy without being separated from their friends. They were desperate to find time to get to the bottom of the mystery they had just begun to unravel, and school was getting in the way.

  Mira had hidden the vial under her mattress. It was a small victory to have the key to setting the sorcerer free, but not much help in actually finding the Grimmir. Peter was busier than ever, preparing for the Day of Dreams: the festival of storytelling. After he insisted on continuing his homeschooling lessons with his mother on top of his work with his father, Mira could barely get him out of the house for a game of chase on most afternoons, let alone urging him to help find a way to locate the legendary monster that could save their friends. She couldn’t wait until the festival came in a couple of weeks, and only part of the reason was all the fun they were promised to have on the day of celebrations. Mostly she just wanted to have her friend back.

  In the meantime, Kay wasn’t ready to admit defeat with Collin. He quickly became reckless on his quest for vengeance after he and Mira had to stay after school to scrub the bench clean of the sticky, slimy gunk that was smeared all over it. He resorted to summoning drops of water to trickle down the back of Collin’s shirt during their grammar lessons the next day. Collin looked up at the ceiling, expecting a leak, but the next drop at the back of his neck made him spin around, furious.

  “Mr. Favian, the merrows are distracting me with their water tricks!” he whined.

  “To the back of the room with you two, and not a word about it!” Mr. Favian boomed, glaring at both Mira and Kay. “If I so much as see another drop of water in this classroom, I’ll be sending you to the Detention Room.”

  “But, Mr. Favian,” Mira began, outraged that she should be blamed for this.

  “I said not another word!”

  “Mira didn’t do anything!” Kay stood up. “I did it.”

  “I won’t tolerate your games in my classroom, not even if you two are the talks of the town,” Mr. Favian said, pacing over to their table. He peered down his nose at them in a manner that reminded Mira very much of the Strecks. Mira fought not to let her gaze fall on Collin, who was snickering with Wilbur and Garth behind the teacher. “I don’t care if you can put out a hundred fires with your tricks. You will not use them in my presence, is that understood? Not ever.”

  Mira and Kay nodded stiffly as Mr. Favian turned away.

  Mira bit her tongue and ignored Lynette’s gentle tug on her shirt as she passed by, fearing that her friend might notice the angry tears in her eyes. She watched absentmindedly from the back of the class as the grammar lessons went on in front of her, not really paying attention. It was only when Mr. Favian switched topics that Mira was shaken out of her stupor.

  “Now, we turn to our study of predation,” Mr. Favian said. “How predators hunt their prey. This lesson is of particular importance in the Old Towns at this time of year. Can anyone tell me why?”

  Lynette raised her hand.

  “The jewel bats are migrating down south from the Espyn Forest,” she said.

  “Correct. A few jewel bats have already been seen in the Mosswoods this week. What are their hunting habits?”

  Collin’s hand shot up. Mr. Favian nodded to him.

  “They eat insects that are drawn to the sparkling eye they have on their foreheads,” Collin said. “They only use their eye at night to trick their prey into getting closer.”

  “Very good. Their one glowing eye that gives them their name is not used to see but to attract. They take advantage of their other senses to find their prey. Once moths and other small insects get near enough, the bats use their keen sense of smell to snatch them out of the air with perfect aim. This is also what makes them so dangerous. If they feel threatened in any way, they attack even humans with their hook-like claws, and it’s nearly impossible to outrun them when they’ve caught your scent.”

  Mira shuddered. It was yet another reason she was excited for the Day of Dreams each year, since most of the bats would be well on their way to the southern forests by then, leaving the Mosswoods safe to play in again.

  I remember them passing over Rook in the fall, said Kay’s voice. Demetrius wouldn’t let me visit him at the docks the nights when they were around. Said he’d seen them hurt too many fishermen who tried to catch them for sport.

  They shouldn’t have made a game of catching them, then, Mira replied, shaking her head.

  “Now, these creatures may be vicious, but they are by no means at the top of their food chain. Local species of hawks can easily grab them before the bats can use their strong sense of smell to detect their predators. What
other kinds of animals do we find on top of the food chains?”

  Mr. Favian pointed at Thomas, who answered, “Ones that don’t get hunted.”

  “And some examples?”

  “Killer whales, griffons, dragons…”

  “Precisely,” Mr. Favian said with a stiff nod. “These creatures are widely believed to be top predators, which cannot be hunted or tamed, and—yes, Mira?”

  Mira lowered her hand and stood up tentatively as Kay jolted awake by her side.

  “Dragons can be tamed,” she said.

  Benches creaked as the students sitting in front of her twisted around to watch her with curious eyes.

  “And how is that?” Mr. Favian asked with a frown.

  Mira thought back to their days in Tonttu’s Den when they had studied anything they could find about the merrows in his books. Kay had once discovered an interesting passage about dragons.

  “Merrows can tame them with their summoning. Dragons can’t touch water, so merrows used to use their powers to train the dragons to fight in their wars on land. They still use dragons now,” she added, thinking of the fuming beast that had once guarded the entrance to the Shadowveils’ underwater prison.

  Mr. Favian stared at her in surprise for a moment. Then, seeming to gather his wits, he said, “Interesting. It sounds to me that you are suggesting that merrows are top predators.”

  “No,” Mira said quickly. “But maybe if dragons can be beaten using their weakness, other top predators can be, too.”

  Mr. Favian nodded slowly.

  “Very perceptive. Nevertheless, it would be unwise to cross a top predator…”

  Mira beamed as she sat down, and Mr. Favian continued his lesson. She rarely got any approval from their strict teacher, and being called perceptive by him was a first. Collin wasn’t pleased. He looked daggers at her from the front. Meanwhile, Lynette and Red were smiling triumphantly back at her from their seats.

  When they finally got up to leave class for the day, it was all Mira could do to keep herself from running out the door. Kay rubbed his bottom as he stood, glaring at the bench.

  “I swear that thing’s given me a splinter,” he grumbled.

  “I reckon it might actually collapse if you two keep using it,” said a familiar voice. Red had made his way past the students filing out of the room to walk with Mira and Kay. A moment later, Lynette joined them with Thomas and Elyse.

  “Mr. Favian might as well put your names on that bench,” Lynette said.

  Mira shook her head. “I want to get as far away from that thing as I can,” she said darkly, grabbing her bag and following the others out of the room. “Mr. Favian’s got it out for us, I tell you.”

  “Maybe that genius comment you made about the dragons changed his mind about you,” Red said happily once they were outside.

  Before Mira could respond, Collin bumped shoulders with Kay as he passed by with his friends. They all stopped and faced each other, the air tense between them.

  “Looks like our spotted toad’s got a bigger head than we thought,” Collin jeered at Mira. “I didn’t know you had it in you to show off like that.”

  “That’s what you usually try to do, isn’t it?” Mira retorted. “Come on,” she muttered to the others, “let’s go. We’ve got better things to do than stick around talking to him.”

  “We’re not done with you merrows,” Garth drawled.

  “Yeah?” Kay said. “What have you got in store for us?”

  “A proposition,” Collin said pompously. “I’m quite sick of you hogging the Mosswoods to play your games every day.”

  “We can’t go in there without hearing your childish screams when you play your silly games,” Wilbur said.

  “Didn’t you pay attention to what Mr. Favian said?” Red asked. “With the jewel bats around, no one can use the Mosswoods to play. Or mope around, or whatever it is you like to do.”

  “Well, we think it’s the perfect time to make an arrangement,” Collin said. “A challenge to decide who gets first pick of the Mosswoods each day. The losing group has to stay away.”

  “The Mosswoods are huge.” Mira rolled her eyes. “There’s enough space for the whole town to play in there.”

  “Not quite enough for your big head, I think,” Collin said. “Since you merrows are brave enough to battle a dragon, we figured you’d be up for a simple test of courage.”

  “What, then?” Kay spat.

  “We meet at the Mosswoods at midnight tonight. Whichever group manages to make it through the jewel bat territory and all the way to the creek wins.”

  “Stars, you’re insane,” Lynette breathed.

  “Fine,” Kay said through his teeth.

  “You, too?” Lynette stared at Kay.

  “You can’t be serious,” Mira muttered, tugging his sleeve.

  “I’ll do it alone if I have to,” Kay said, still staring at Collin.

  “Good,” Collin said with a smirk. “See you at sundown.”

  Mira groaned. “He won’t be alone.” She forced herself to stand tall, though she felt like shrinking into the cracks in the pavement at the thought of facing the jewel bats in the dark of the night.

  Lynette and the others badgered them about it the whole way to the puppet shop, but Kay brushed them off. He and Mira left their friends hissing outraged warnings at them in the street as they hurried inside to tell Peter the plan.

  Peter wasn’t impressed.

  “A midnight challenge right through jewel bat territory?” he said incredulously. He tossed his paintbrush onto the workshop table and crossed his arms. “Have you both gone mad?”

  “You should’ve seen the way those brats were talking,” Kay said as he paced around and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I bet I can run through the woods before any of the bats even notice—but even if they did attack me, it’d be worth it if only I could wipe that smug smile off Collin’s face.”

  “It’s probably a trap,” Peter said. “Collin’s going to do something to mess with you while you’re in there—just like he always does!”

  “Don’t care. I’m going.”

  “You’re not doing it by yourself,” Mira said firmly. “I said I’m coming. We’ll beat those snobs together, and we’ll get out of those woods together.”

  Peter was silent for a moment, then sighed.

  “I’m coming, too. Someone has to make sure you two don’t just run willy-nilly through the woods with the bats there. They may be blind, but it means all their other senses are stronger. If we want to make it out in one piece, we have to move quietly. Besides, I’d love to see the look on Collin’s face when we beat him.”

  A few minutes before midnight, Mira and Kay tiptoed past Appoline’s closed bedroom door and down the stairs. Mira was thrilled that the floorboards on their new staircase weren’t nearly as creaky as their old ones, and they made it silently out the front door.

  Mira had never been outside in Crispin when it was this dark. The faint moonlight illuminated the streets enough so that they didn’t trip over anything as they hurried to Peter’s house first. Peter saw them through the shop’s display window and came outside, shutting the door behind him with care.

  “Think you’ll need those?” Kay asked, pointing at Peter’s bow and arrows.

  “I don’t know about you,” Peter hissed, clearly uncomfortable as they walked the deserted streets, “but if things turn sour, I’m not going down without a fight.”

  They saw the first jewel bat flit through the air before they even turned the corner around the last house on the edge of the Mosswoods. Its glowing eye was a mesmerizing green. Mira had never quite paid much attention to the jewel bats before, and now that she got a good look at one, she pitied the insects that were sure to fall under its deadly spell. It flapped its leathery wings and flew into the dense trees, where Mira could make out a few more of the glowing eyes peeking through the leaves.

  Coll
in and Garth were already standing on the edge of the woods.

  “Thought you chickened out,” Collin whispered with a coy smile.

  “Looks like your buddy did,” Kay said, stopping a few feet away from them.

  “Oh, Wil couldn’t be bothered by this sort of thing. Besides, we didn’t know you’d bring your puppet along. No matter. It’s still an even match.”

  Mira inhaled sharply to retort, but Peter grabbed her arm.

  “Don’t,” he murmured. “We can’t risk disturbing the bats.”

  Collin’s eyes sparkled joyously under the moonlight.

  “Right,” Collin continued. “Whoever’s first to make it to the creek wins. If anyone runs out of the woods before making it to the creek, they forfeit their group’s first pick of playing in the Mosswoods. That’s the deal.”

  “Let’s get on with it,” Kay hissed, turning to face the trees.

  “All right. Ready—go.”

  Collin and Garth bounded forward through the path, dry leaves crunching loudly beneath their feet. Peter held out his arm to stop Mira and Kay, pressing his finger to his lips.

  “We’d better watch where we step. Got to be as quiet as we can.”

  They stepped into the woods. Collin and Garth were still within sight, but they soon slowed down and started cowering under the swooping dives of the bats. It seemed Peter was right: the only way to get across in peace would be to stay completely silent.

  Mira followed close behind her friend. He led the way off the path to avoid the racket Garth was making as he clambered over the thick roots of the trees with Collin close behind him. As Mira watched, another jewel bat darted down for Garth’s head and made a sharp turn right before ramming straight into his temple.

  Think they’ll get hurt? Mira thought nervously.

  Peter shook his head. “Not if they don’t try to fight back,” he whispered over his shoulder. “As long as we don’t seem like a threat to the bats, we’ll be fine.”

  Mira still cringed with each crunch of the leaves below their feet, but she was soon relieved to hear the gentle trickling of the creek in the distance. Collin and Garth had fallen behind, as they took to zigzagging between the trees in their attempt to avoid the bats.