Not yet, he transmitted. All is not lost yet.
He must’ve sent Dex and Fitz the same message, because they both straightened, neither looking particularly reassured.
“We knew you would use Miss Foster to rescue your associate,” Councillor Emery told them, “and we knew we could leak enough information to draw them here today. But I must say, we never imagined you’d be foolish enough to come along.”
“I could say the same for you,” Granite told him. “All twelve Councillors out on a mission—and without their goblins?”
“Our bodyguards exist to make our opponents underestimate us. But you do not look properly intimidated.” Councillor Emery glanced over his shoulder. “Would you mind, Clarette?”
A bronze-skinned Councillor stepped forward, her silky black hair swaying with each swish of her hips. She reminded Sophie of a volcano goddess, and the comparison made Sophie brace for some sort of earthquake. But all Clarette did was part her lips.
The sound that came out wasn’t elvin or human. Sophie wasn’t entirely sure it was earthly. The clicks and chatters and flutters sounded like a dolphin crying as a million dragonflies attacked.
“That’s it?” Dex asked. “That’s . . .”
His voice trailed off as the ceiling rumbled.
Mr. Forkle pulled Sophie to his side while Granite grabbed Dex and Fitz. The five of them barely got out of the way before a dozen massive boulders crashed into the room.
No—not boulders.
Boulders couldn’t uncoil, or stretch eight feet tall, towering over them with hundreds of writhing legs.
“Arthropleura,” Councillor Emery said. “Remarkable, aren’t they?”
Sophie remembered learning about the giant, supposedly extinct arthropods in her human science classes. “I think they’re plant eaters,” she told her friends.
“True,” Councillor Emery agreed. “But that doesn’t mean they’re defenseless.”
He pointed to the long antennae jutting off the creatures’ heads. The ends had forked points, glistening with some sort of clear slime.
Councillor Clarette clicked again, making all the arthropleura drop to a ready-to-pounce position.
“Polyglots,” Mr. Forkle grumbled.
Sophie met his eyes.
No, you cannot control these creatures, he transmitted. Clarette is arguably the most powerful Polyglot our world has known—and has hundreds of years of practice.
“And this is merely one of our defenses,” Councillor Emery warned.
Sophie studied each of the Councillors, realizing how little she knew about many of them. She didn’t even know most of their names, much less their special abilities. But it seemed safe to assume they were all absurdly powerful.
It’s time for you to use your emergency pendant, Mr. Forkle told her.
I’m not going to abandon you—
Yes, you are! I have no intention of surrendering, but I can’t have you here for the fight. I’m ordering Dex and Fitz to do the same.
What about Keefe, Biana, and Della? she asked.
Almost on cue, Councillor Emery turned toward the doorway. “It looks like the rest of your group has arrived.”
The line of Councillors parted to allow Squall, Blur, Wraith, Della, Biana, and Keefe to march into the room, followed by a group of dwarves. Keefe’s eyes went right to Sophie, and she could see the panic he was trying to hide. Even more troubling was the state of his cloak. Huge chunks of fabric were missing, along with one of the sleeves. Sophie doubted there was enough left to protect him in a leap. Worse still: Della and Biana no longer had their escape pendants.
I’ll find a way to spare them, Mr. Forkle transmitted. You must leave—now!
I’m not leaving my friends!
Biana screamed as one of the arthropleura hissed at her.
Keefe pulled Biana behind him. “Yo guys, I hate to break it to you, but giant bugs are so last year. All the cool villains are threatening with ogres now.”
“We are not the villains,” Emery snapped.
“Are you sure?” Granite asked. “Threatening children seems rather villainous to me. As does leaving a damaged prisoner in a cell without so much as a bed.”
“Brave words coming from a talking rock,” Councillor Alina said. “Do you honestly expect us to take you seriously in those disguises?”
“We do indeed,” Squall said, tilting her frozen head.
All twelve Councillors’ circlets crusted with hoarfrost.
“We can do tricks too,” a female Councillor said, holding out her hands. Electricity sparked from the edges of her fingertips, tiny lightning bolts filling the air with static.
“You’re not honestly going to electrocute us, are you, Zarina?” Mr. Forkle asked.
“There are different levels of shock.” She made the air crackle until their hair stood on end.
LEAP AWAY NOW! Mr. Forkle screamed in Sophie’s mind.
But Sophie wasn’t going anywhere.