This place wasn’t what Eldon expected to find when they escaped. The sun’s early light crested a thick copse of trees in the East. Little huts and more than a few hovels dotted the ground throughout the area; some of them no more than blankets strung between trees. It looked like a homeless encampment, more than a military base. Here and there, doors in the ground gave evidence that there were more underground passages.
Lyden led the way through the thick forest and broken living spaces. Oberon’s magic kept them hidden. Multiple times, Eldon saw the little faerie prepare to cast something at a passing Knight, but Brock would hiss something at him, or in one case that Eldon was confident would end in someone’s death, Brock pulled the Faerie down to meet his gaze and whispered something in furious tones. Oberon glared for a moment, then burst into guffaws that they all cringed and feared would get them caught. No one came running, though, and Oberon didn’t try anything else.
They wound their way through the trees until Lyden stopped them before a large, camouflage tent. It looked like it was military-grade, and could hold at least a platoon of soldiers inside. Without waiting, his dad slipped through an opening. They followed after, and Eldon saw that it was a makeshift garage. The Orange Bubble was lifted onto a couple jacks, and mechanics swarmed around it, attempting to take her apart.
A wave of anger that he didn’t expect to feel for the car welled up in Eldon. He prepared to charge forward and hurt these bastards that would dare to harm the vehicle that protected and transported him since he was a baby. This wasn’t an ordinary vehicle, but a member of his family. It wasn’t a machine, but a living being! And yet, these Paladonic Knights were attempting to take her apart as though she had no feelings.
Before he managed two steps, however, the car let out one long, blaring horn, doors opened, smashing unexpecting heads, and the jacks gave out, crushing two other Knights. Three Knights, who weren’t within the Orange Bubbles attack range, slumped to the ground, the remains of their heads splattering the tent walls.
“What?” Oberon demanded as Brock glared at him. “She started it. I just helped!” the Faerie King pointed to where the battered-but-whole, old-style, orange Volkswagen Beetle rolled up to Lyden.
“Everyone get in,” Lyden ordered. “Unless I’m mistaken, the reason our execution was scheduled at noon was that the law the Paladonic Knights were trying to get passed was to be voted on at that time. We should still have enough time to get there and stop it.” Without waiting for a response, he Set Becky in the passenger seat and shut the door. “Don’t let her out, Girl. I’m glad you’re still here. I missed you too.”
Eldon waited as everyone else got in, then closed the door behind him. His dad was in the driver’s seat, talking in calm tones with his car as they started moving.
Brock and Oberon were in the back, by the bed, talking with animated gestures, but Oberon must have created some kind of barrier, as he couldn’t hear them.
Shlee and Megan sat on the couch, a spot empty between them. As though they rehearsed it, they patted the empty spot at the same time, indicating that it waited for him.
“I hope you don’t plan on talking to me, because I could really use a nap,” Eldon said as he more fell than sat in the spot. Despite only having been awake for a short period, after changing forms so rapidly and with such a significant size variance, he was exhausted. His stomach also rumbled, but remembering the last thing he ate, he held no interest in food right then.
“Oh, nothing important,” Shlee said in an off-hand tone that told him he needed to pay close attention to what she said next. “Just plans for our wedding. I’m thinking something sci-fi themed, or with a fantasy—”
The car rocked unexpectedly, lurching from side to side and throwing him to the ground.
“What the hell was that?” he asked, looking around to make sure no one was hurt. Everyone was either picking themselves up or hadn’t moved much. “I thought we’d be safe since we have Becky with us.”
“That wasn’t those motherfucking Knights,” Oberon said with a dark chuckle. “Or rather, it was them, but not them attacking us. However, those three MOAB bombs that they intended to blackmail governments and detonate across your planet won’t be of much use to them now. I may have stumbled across their plans, and set them to go boom as soon as we were safely away.”
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From the Author
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Chapter 26 was denied due to a scene where Shelly was breast-feeding her baby.
The story is complete, with 30 chapters including the epilogue. I will not be posting the epilogue, but it will be included in the published book. Don’t worry, though, as the story is complete without it.