croaked Thomas. His head was stuck pointing sideways.
Yorik considered. Then he reached out, grasped Thomas’s head in both hands, and gave it a tremendous
crank
. Now Thomas’s head was facing forward,though still tilted at an angle, making him look as though he were thinking about the answer to a question.
“Not perfect,” said Yorik. “But at least you won’t have to walk crabwise.”
Thomas floundered into a sitting position and bugged his eyes at Yorik. He swiveled to look at the courtyard, saw Hatch, and made a bleating noise.
“Wuff,” said Hatch. His ember eyes flared. Warm brimstone scent wafted over the boys.
“N—!” said Thomas.
“Listen,” said Yorik. “What’s happened is that you died.” He proceeded to explain as insects buzzed and chirped, a bat flew overhead, and Hatch patrolled the courtyard. He told Thomas about the Princess and Erde and the topiaries, and everything else that had happened since the day the Dark Ones had convinced Thomas to throw those rocks.
Thomas interrupted regularly, making thick, strangled noises. He quieted only when Yorik spoke of his encounter with Dark Doris.
Yorik finished solemnly. “And things have gotten worse since then. I’ve been leaving the glade everynight, haunting the whole Estate, trying to find a way to stop the Dark Ones.”
“Y—” said Thomas, then faltered. His gaze fell to the flagstones.
Yorik paused, looking at the other boy, remembering the rocks and the elm. At last he spoke. “I’ve forgiven you, Thomas. There was more to the story than I knew. I’m only here to take you to safety. The Princess said that once you’ve been possessed by the Dark Ones, you are forever vulnerable to their touch. We’ll speak more later, once I’ve gotten you back to her for repair.”
“G—” began Thomas, but Hatch interrupted. The hound went stiff and made an earth-rumbling growl, startling both boys.
“What is it?” asked Yorik.
Without another sound, Hatch raced away, his green glow shining.
“Come on,” said Yorik grimly. “Dark Ones must be trying to get in. The hounds can fight them. We must get you back to the glade.”
Yorik stood. Thomas just sat, his face scrunched.
“Look,” said Yorik. “There’s no use crying.You’re dead, and that’s that. You’ll get used to it soon.”
But the small, round figure was inconsolable. Thomas huddled on the flagstones, weeping. His burbling cries sounded like water gurgling down a drain.
Yorik groaned. “Weren’t you listening? You’re not safe outside the glade.”
Thomas’s sobs resolved into a single sound. “Fa—” he cried. “Fa!”
Yorik calmed himself. He knew he must be patient with Thomas, who had been tormented by the Dark Ones for so long. Yorik stared into the dark, where torch beams bobbed, voices shouted, and hounds barked. “Your father,” he said finally. “Lord Ravenby is strong. The Dark Ones have been unable to break him.”
But since your death, he has declined. I am afraid he will not resist much longer
. Yorik elected not to share this with Thomas.
“Fa—” said Thomas brokenly. He struggled to his feet.
Yorik eyed him. “It’s unwise for you to see him now. And it’s too dangerous for you here. I can outrun a few Dark Ones. You can’t.”
Thomas wobbled, as though trying to shake his head. “Fa.”
“It’s unwise,” repeated Yorik.
Thomas wobbled defiantly.
“Very well,” said Yorik. “But you must obey everything I say.”
Thomas dipped his whole upper body. “Ys.”
“Follow me, then.” Yorik led the way across the courtyard, aiming straight for a far wall. Thomas waddled behind.
Then the argument that Yorik had been ignoring came spilling into the courtyard. There was an eruption of howls and barks. Electric torchlight stabbed through a green spirit glow. Men in flight suits and caps ran around the corner, pursued by the hounds.
Yorik recognized Lord Ravenby’s dirigible crew. One of them, the pilot, had a
Yorik considered. Then he reached out, grasped Thomas’s head in both hands, and gave it a tremendous
crank
. Now Thomas’s head was facing forward,though still tilted at an angle, making him look as though he were thinking about the answer to a question.
“Not perfect,” said Yorik. “But at least you won’t have to walk crabwise.”
Thomas floundered into a sitting position and bugged his eyes at Yorik. He swiveled to look at the courtyard, saw Hatch, and made a bleating noise.
“Wuff,” said Hatch. His ember eyes flared. Warm brimstone scent wafted over the boys.
“N—!” said Thomas.
“Listen,” said Yorik. “What’s happened is that you died.” He proceeded to explain as insects buzzed and chirped, a bat flew overhead, and Hatch patrolled the courtyard. He told Thomas about the Princess and Erde and the topiaries, and everything else that had happened since the day the Dark Ones had convinced Thomas to throw those rocks.
Thomas interrupted regularly, making thick, strangled noises. He quieted only when Yorik spoke of his encounter with Dark Doris.
Yorik finished solemnly. “And things have gotten worse since then. I’ve been leaving the glade everynight, haunting the whole Estate, trying to find a way to stop the Dark Ones.”
“Y—” said Thomas, then faltered. His gaze fell to the flagstones.
Yorik paused, looking at the other boy, remembering the rocks and the elm. At last he spoke. “I’ve forgiven you, Thomas. There was more to the story than I knew. I’m only here to take you to safety. The Princess said that once you’ve been possessed by the Dark Ones, you are forever vulnerable to their touch. We’ll speak more later, once I’ve gotten you back to her for repair.”
“G—” began Thomas, but Hatch interrupted. The hound went stiff and made an earth-rumbling growl, startling both boys.
“What is it?” asked Yorik.
Without another sound, Hatch raced away, his green glow shining.
“Come on,” said Yorik grimly. “Dark Ones must be trying to get in. The hounds can fight them. We must get you back to the glade.”
Yorik stood. Thomas just sat, his face scrunched.
“Look,” said Yorik. “There’s no use crying.You’re dead, and that’s that. You’ll get used to it soon.”
But the small, round figure was inconsolable. Thomas huddled on the flagstones, weeping. His burbling cries sounded like water gurgling down a drain.
Yorik groaned. “Weren’t you listening? You’re not safe outside the glade.”
Thomas’s sobs resolved into a single sound. “Fa—” he cried. “Fa!”
Yorik calmed himself. He knew he must be patient with Thomas, who had been tormented by the Dark Ones for so long. Yorik stared into the dark, where torch beams bobbed, voices shouted, and hounds barked. “Your father,” he said finally. “Lord Ravenby is strong. The Dark Ones have been unable to break him.”
But since your death, he has declined. I am afraid he will not resist much longer
. Yorik elected not to share this with Thomas.
“Fa—” said Thomas brokenly. He struggled to his feet.
Yorik eyed him. “It’s unwise for you to see him now. And it’s too dangerous for you here. I can outrun a few Dark Ones. You can’t.”
Thomas wobbled, as though trying to shake his head. “Fa.”
“It’s unwise,” repeated Yorik.
Thomas wobbled defiantly.
“Very well,” said Yorik. “But you must obey everything I say.”
Thomas dipped his whole upper body. “Ys.”
“Follow me, then.” Yorik led the way across the courtyard, aiming straight for a far wall. Thomas waddled behind.
Then the argument that Yorik had been ignoring came spilling into the courtyard. There was an eruption of howls and barks. Electric torchlight stabbed through a green spirit glow. Men in flight suits and caps ran around the corner, pursued by the hounds.
Yorik recognized Lord Ravenby’s dirigible crew. One of them, the pilot, had a
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