The cyclops collapsed beneath him, landing on its back. Cole kept hold of the sword through the jolting impact. Stunned, he lay atop the fallen giant, watching thick blood well from the ruined eye. He was alive. The cyclops was not.

Chapter 13

FLOATSTONES

The sword did not come out easily, but with effort, Cole wrenched it free. Rattled, he slid off the cyclops and stumbled away from the fallen brute, arm and sword red and dripping.

He found Mira on her feet, soaked in black gore, sword in hand, her expression a mask of disbelief. “Cole?”

Beyond her, the Okie Dokie had flown past the edge of Parona, diving now instead of climbing as another barrage of flaming pitch flared toward it. Their ride sank out of view.

Cole turned away from her, eyes scouring the empty lane. “There’s a snake.”

“Snake?” Durny moaned.

“Durny?” Mira called.

“Are you all right?” Cole asked in surprise.

“What snake?” Durny demanded.

“A gigantic one,” Cole said. “Last I saw, it was killing Lyrus.”

Mira crouched beside Durny. “Are you hurt? Can you get up?”

Biting his lower lip, he gave his head a little shake. “I doubt it. Give me a moment.” He closed his eyes and began rubbing his torso while muttering quietly.

“What’s he doing?” Cole whispered.

“Trying to heal himself with shaping,” Mira said. “Not usually smart. It must be bad.”

Cole looked down the lane both ways. “The snake is big. And fast. We can’t fight it.” He glanced up. “It could come at us from a roof.”

“Durny?” Mira asked.

“I won’t make it,” he panted. “Use me as bait. Cole, when it consumes me, strike at it from hiding. Take off the head.”

“No,” Mira insisted. “If you die, we’ll die. They left us.”

“They may return,” Durny said.

“Not unless the catapults run out of ammo,” Cole said. “I saw one lifeboat go down. The Domingo was on fire.”

Durny looked at the sky. Only a strip of partly clouded blue was visible because of the buildings on either side. The Domingo and the lifeboats were out of sight. “You’re probably right. We’re on our own. And we’re too vulnerable here. We should get indoors. You’ll have to drag me.”

“Aaaargh!” yelled a voice from down the lane. Armor scraped and dented, Lyrus had stumbled into view. He staggered toward them. “Who killed Gromar?”

“What about the snake?” Cole called.

“I dispatched Nimbia,” Lyrus declared, “though she did herself proud.”

“The snake is dead?” Mira asked.

“Headless and squirming.”

“Is that the last of the guardians?” Cole asked.

“The catapults will continue to defend Parona until the end,” Lyrus said. “I did not activate them. When your ship fired upon Skelock, the response was unavoidable. You had permission to come here and remove treasure, not to attack from the sky.”

“Can you shut down the catapults?” Durny wondered.

“They’re beyond my control.”

“Will the catapults shoot at us?” Cole asked.

“Only if you’re airborne.”

As the warrior neared them, Cole saw large wide-spaced punctures in his breastplate. Blood flowed from the holes. “You’re injured,” Cole said.

“I’m dying,” Lyrus gasped. “I won’t last much longer.” He lifted his chin. “But I vowed to protect you until the end.” When he reached the cyclops, the soldier kicked its head. “I wanted to measure myself against Gromar. Who slew him?”

“Cole,” Mira said.

“You?” Lyrus shouted.

Cole held up the gory sword.

“With that tiny blade?”

Cole nodded.

“I misjudged you,” Lyrus said. “I’m most impressed.”

“Come here,” Durny said.

“I obey Cole,” Lyrus said.

“Do it,” Cole said.

Lyrus went and knelt beside Durny. The warrior eyed the two mangled halves of the tarantula. “How was this accomplished?”

“I’m a shaper,” Durny said. “Semblances are somewhat vulnerable to me. With the spider on top of me, I put everything I had into parting it. I’ve never accomplished such a feat before. It took a lot out of me.”

“How badly are you hurt?” Cole asked.

“It landed right on me,” Durny said. “My spine is broken. I have crushed organs. It also bit me twice. I neutralized the toxin and reshaped my insides to buy some time. I succeeded, but the actions I took guaranteed that my injuries will be fatal.”

“I don’t have much longer myself,” Lyrus said.

“Cole,” Durny spat. “Ask him if he harbors any other plans that could directly or indirectly harm you or Mira in any way.”

Cole wished he had used that question earlier. “Do you?”

“I have no such plans,” Lyrus said. “My duty as protector of Parona is complete. All defenses have already been engaged, and of course I will honor my pledge to personally do you no harm.”

“You won’t send any more tests our way?” Cole pressed.

“None,” the soldier answered.

“Give me your hand,” Durny said. After a nod from Cole, Lyrus complied. Durny closed his eyes, and beads of sweat appeared on his brow. His lips moved without sound.

The soldier’s eyes widened. “What have you done?”

“I quelled the venom, closed some wounds, and patched some damaged bones,” Durny said, releasing his hand. “It’s much easier to tinker with a semblance than a living being. Parona will not outlast you.”

“What now?” Mira asked.

“The catapults are no longer firing,” Durny said, eyes on Lyrus.

“They cease operating when no targets are within range,” the soldier said.

“Will they start again if a skycraft approaches?” Durny asked.

“They’re active now. They’ll target all newcomers.”

“How much ammunition do the catapults have?”

“Enough to fire continually until Parona disappears.”

“Is there any chance of Captain Post trying to rescue us?” Cole asked.

Durny closed his eyes. “Not under these circumstances. Few castles resist airborne intruders. This one resists them staunchly. The Sky Raiders don’t want to lose their most skilled shaper, but they wouldn’t send rescuers against defenses like this, not for anyone, not even for Adam.”