The Wishing World by Todd Fahnestock

Author:Todd Fahnestock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

CHAPTER 13

A giant roach flattened me and I hit the ground hard. Its hooked feet poked into my back, and I screamed.

Then Gruffy’s strong talon was there, yanking me upright and batting the roach aside. He tucked me underneath his feathery, furry belly, unfurling his wings and settling them protectively on either side.

I could see the roaches through his front legs, circling again. They wanted me, the small one, not the giant griffon. I tried to still my chattering teeth and clutched the golden fruit even harder.

“I cannot fight them all and keep you safe.” Gruffy uncurled his talon. “We must flee.” He grabbed me around the middle and leapt straight up.

But the roaches were ready this time. Many of them had already climbed into the nearby trees and leapt onto Gruffy’s back. He screeched and fought them, but for every roach he snatched away with his beak, three more jumped on him.

He faltered, his wings straining. He canted sideways and hit a tree, struggling to flap, trying to catch the air, but he was tangled in branches and covered in roaches. He screeched, clawing against the trunk to shove himself upward. The roach nearest me opened its mouth, revealing two pointed pincers, and sank them into Gruffy’s arm. Gruffy’s talon spasmed and he dropped me.

I tumbled through the branches, smacking each harder than the last, and landed on the ground with a thud. The golden fruit rolled across the forest floor.

Gruffy hurtled sideways, trying to fight two dozen roaches that covered him. He crashed into the trees and was borne to the ground under the swarming attack. Gruffy fought them, but he was losing. They were biting him so many times!

“Gruffy!” I screamed.

Roaches dropped to the ground all around me. I spun about. Yellow eyes and pincers clicked everywhere I turned. They closed on me, hissing.

Doolivanti, I thought. I am a Doolivanti. I broke a wall. I can stop these bugs.

I could make a wall of my own, block them out. I could—

Behind me, undergrowth burst open and a flash of light charged into the clearing. It was the mirror knight from the edge of the forest! He was the tallest man I’d ever seen, with wide shoulders and a round shield on his arm.

The giant pug he rode churned the earth with its paws. Atop the pug’s wide head rode Squeak.

“Squeak squeak!” Squeak leapt to the ground.

The pug’s smooshed face opened and he gave a thunderous bark as he stepped on the nearest roach, squishing it with a loud snap. The knight leapt to the ground and charged the roaches on Gruffy, bashing three of them away with one sweep of his shield. He smacked another with his fist, sending it hurtling into the bushes.

The pug lunged at the roaches surrounding me, barking and snapping and scattering them in every direction.

Between the ferocious griffon, the giant pug, and the knight, the roaches had had enough. They fled, and the battle was over that quickly.

“Gruffy!” I shouted, running to the griffon and throwing my arms around his neck.

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