The Magical Flight of Dodie Rue (10 page)

Chapter 10

Dodie braked suddenly, causing Zinnia to ram into him from behind. For a moment, they sat on their hovering carpets, panting heavily. Dodie could feel Zinnia's heart thumping on his back as she leaned on him. He was sorry his back was sweaty, but he liked having her so close. She started laughing, her voice a little shaky, and she slowly sat up.

Dodie turned around to face her. “What's so funny?”

Zinnia pulled off her head mask, her face glistening with sweat. Dodie had almost forgotten what she looked like—he hadn't seen her without her mask since first crashing into her. She was prettier than he remembered, with large brown eyes and thick lashes.

“How in the world did you know there was a cave here?” She looked shocked.

Dodie gingerly peeled off his head mask and attempted a grin, but his face was too sore. “None of your business.”

Zinnia laughed again and scooted off her rug.
Amethyst
rolled up.

Dodie did the same and stretched his arms high. “Ouch.” His hands scraped the rocky ceiling of the cave.

With the foggy light from outside, he could just make out the ceiling, but could not see how deep the cave went. He joined Zinnia at the opening to watch the sand storm rage outside.

“How long d'ya think the storm will last?” he asked.

Zinnia shrugged. “Sand storms are unpredictable. Could be minutes or hours.” She sat down and leaned against the wall.

“How come you know so much?” Dodie asked as he plopped down across from her and leaned against the wall. “About ghouls and sand storms and potions.”

Zinnia smiled. “I used to live abroad. My father was a traveling alchemist.”

“Was?” Dodie prodded.

Zinnia gazed out at the storm. “A few months ago he disappeared. He went on a business trip to the Capital, but never made it there. I went looking for him along the route he had traveled, but I could find no sign of him.”

“Do you think .
 . .
your father's
. . .
”

“Dead?” Zinnia met his gaze. “I'm choosing to believe he's still alive. I've already lost my mother, I can't think about losing my father.”

Dodie nodded. “My mother died, too. It's always been just me and my dad and grandpapa and brother.”

Before he could stop himself, he rambled on about how his father was constantly stressed about the business and hardly there; and how his grandfather was crippled and did his best to hide his deep sadness over it; and how his brother always looked out for him and made him feel less bad about being afraid of flying. Here he bit his lip, but Zinnia immediately pried about this. He relented and told her about Binni's potion—which she found fascinating, being an alchemist's daughter and all. Dodie quickly turned the conversation back to Zinnia's father.

“My father was a very skilled alchemist, and he knew many secrets. He was always either in high demand or in danger.” Zinnia sighed. “I need him back.”

Dodie brightened with understanding. “That's
why
you're
racing. To wish for your father's return. But you can't wish for him to come back to life if he's .
 . .
”

“I know the genie's rules!” snapped Zinnia. “But he's
not
dead. He's too valuable alive.”

Dodie was quiet.

Zinnia's face softened. “I'm sorry about Taj, really. Losing family is the worst—especially when it's all you've got. Too bad the prize isn't two wishes so I could give you one to use when I win.”

Dodie was surprised by this thought of generosity on her part, even though it could never happen. An awkward silence filled the air between them.

“Listen,” Dodie spoke up. “One of us has got to win—no one else. We've got the best reasons to win that wish and treasure. I say we help each other out against the other competition—especially against Atallah and Nye.”

“No argument there,” snorted Zinnia.

“Then tomorrow when it comes down to us,” Dodie swallowed, “may the best man win. Waddaya say?”

“Deal.” Zinnia stuck out her hand.

Dodie gripped it, liking how small it was, yet it felt just as rough as his from gripping the braided loops on her carpet.

Zinnia dug in her waist pouch and tossed him the tiny jar of ointment. “Your face needs more.”

Dodie caught the ointment and dabbed his wounds with it. “Feels much better, thanks.” He dabbed a bit more on his chest where his good luck charm had seared him during the ghoul's attack.

“What's that you're carrying?” Zinnia pointed to the charm.

Dodie pulled it out from under his tunic and held it up by its thread. “A good luck charm. Taj bought it for me.” He slipped it back under his tunic, and added quickly, “I don't really believe in it.”

“But it's like having a little piece of your brother with you,” Zinnia said softly.

Dodie gave a small smile, then tossed the ointment back to her. “This ointment is one of your father's secrets, right?”

Zinnia nodded as she stowed the jar back in her pouch. “Have you thought any more about who poisoned Taj?”

“I've been thinking a lot about Nye,” Dodie shrugged. “I know Nye poisoned Axel. He must've destroyed the bottle so it couldn't be traced to him. He was at the Magistrate's Banquet, too.”

Zinnia raked her fingers through her short black hair. “There's always Atallah.”

“Why, because he's such a jerk?”

“He seems to really hate your guts and look down on your family.”

Dodie wasn't going to tell her about his family's debt to Lord Hadi, and the wager Gamal had made with him—both of which were good motives for Hadi to poison Taj. He'd considered Atallah, but wondered where he could have gotten Devil's Kiss from if it was as rare as Raz claimed. Yet Atallah was rich and could probably afford to go to great lengths to buy it from another alchemist. Or maybe he paid Raz to acquire it for him. After all, he would need an alchemist's input on which deadly poison to use. Quite convenient that he chose a poison with an equally hard-to-get antidote. Dodie yawned, starting to feel very comfortable in the cool cave.

Furthermore, Dodie was still shocked that Raz was sponsoring Atallah. Binni was his best friend, and his father and Raz had been friends for years. He couldn't believe Raz didn't sponsor Taj! Why didn't he?

Dodie remembered what Binni had told him at the Magistrate's Banquet: Raz knew something about Taj that made him go with Atallah.

Dodie kicked off his sandals.

He
knew
something .
 . .

Like maybe a prophecy! Very likely, especially since Raz and Atallah had been waiting outside the Seer's tent and could have overheard the prophecy—she was so darn loud.

Then he shook his head. No, Raz wouldn't try to kill Taj, but maybe Raz knew someone else, like Atallah, was going to take out Taj because of the prophecy, so he didn't sponsor Taj. He knew Taj would never race. Dodie made a mental note to ask Raz if anyone came to him seeking Devil's Kiss, or if he knew about anyone's plan to kill off Taj.

“Do you think the sand storm caught up to Nye and Atallah?” Zinnia's voice broke through his thoughts.

Dodie snapped his eyes back to her. “I sure hope so. I wouldn't mind if it finished them off, too. Atallah's convinced he's better than anyone else and has every girl in Turah pining for him because of his blue eyes.”

Zinnia smirked. “I never noticed his eyes because he's so arrogant.”

Dodie wanted to ask if she had anyone she was pining for back in Alsta, but he didn't think he could bear it if her answer was yes. Not now anyway. He guessed there had to be someone pining for her since she was pretty and smart and brave, but for now he didn't want to know.

“Hey, I think the storm is passing,” he said as he looked out the opening. The sand was thinning so he could see the canyon outside.

“You're right.” Zinnia crawled on her hands and knees and popped her head out. “We better get going.”

They both mounted their carpets, pulled their head masks back on, and folded into the prostrate position. Dodie took the lead and sailed out of the cave, Zinnia right behind him. Behind them a few racers emerged from other caves bearing Qs. Dodie wondered how many had survived the storm.

“We better get a move on,” urged Dodie. “You wanna go first this time?”

“Thanks.” Zinnia moved in front of him. “Keep up.”

Dodie laughed. “I'll try.”

They took off before the other racers could get in front of them. A few yards up they passed one racer stranded on a boulder, his carpet nowhere in sight. He shook a fist up at them. They came up to Bae who had survived the storm. Blood seeped through his head mask and he was flying in a wobbly way. As they rode his tail, he turned back to them.

“Go ahead and pass me,” he said weakly. “I've gotta take it easy for a while. That storm almost finished me off.”

“Sorry,” said Dodie, and he meant it. He followed Zinnia over Bae's injured head.

“Dodie, look ahead!” said Zinnia.

Dodie craned his neck to look around her. A few yards ahead of them he saw Atallah and Nye flying close together.

“They must've gotten slowed down by the storm,” Zinnia said excitedly. “Let's see if we can get close enough to eavesdrop.”

They sailed up behind the two racers. Atallah was in the lead, flying casually, as Nye trailed him, not making any move to pass.

“I'm telling you,” Atallah's bawdy voice rang off the rocks, “he couldn't fly a foot and now he's racing. Something's up.”

“Maybe he's taking a tonic,” suggested Nye in his deep voice. “Alchemists can come up with anything.”

“Believe me, I know what alchemists are capable of,” Atallah said darkly.

“There's something going on with him and Zin,” grunted Nye. “They said Zin's from my village, but I'd don't think I know him. If he'd just take his mask off, maybe I could tell who he is!”

Zinnia smiled in satisfaction upon hearing this.

“Yeah, why won't he take off his mask?” Atallah wondered. “Something's up with him, too. I'm gonna get to the bottom of all this.”

“Maybe we'll get lucky and someone will poison them both,” said Nye in an amused voice.

Atallah chortled. “Yeah, maybe
someone
will.”

“Like you?” Dodie couldn't help hollering, his voice echoing off the high canyon walls.

Without looking back, Atallah called, “You survived, huh? You're cheating somehow. No one with no flying experience could possibly survive as long as you have.”

“There aren't too many ways to cheat in this race,” Dodie reminded him. “There aren't that many rules. Anything goes.”

Atallah snorted. “You're right, anything goes. Right, Nye?”

“Right.”

Atallah reached behind him and grabbed one of Nye's front tassels. Nye scooted completely around so he was riding backwards and facing Zinnia. Then he reached into his waist pouch, and chucked something tiny at Zinnia. It was too small to duck from. There was a loud
snap-crack
, then a small spark landed on Zinnia's arm and ignited. She shrieked and hastily patted her arm to put out the little flame. Nye eyed her suspiciously, obviously surprised by her girlish squeal. His wrist flicked at her again.

Snap-crack!

The spark landed on her carpet and caught her front tassel. She scrambled to put it out.

Nye chucked one over Zinnia's head at Dodie, but his aim was off and the spark extinguished on a passing boulder.

“Pull back!” Dodie yelled to Zinnia.

They both slowed, and watched Atallah and Nye zoom off amidst howls of laughter.

“What
was
that?” Zinnia gasped. “I thought magic carpets are fire-proof. The dragons couldn't burn us.”