Henry Rider: Clown Hunter

Chapter Twenty Five

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Chapter Twenty Five

The gigantic maiam panted heavily, tasting Ethan's laughter in the air, but didn't move. The amulet's blood-red light was the only splash of color on its entire body. For a long, tense minute, we faced off on opposite sides of the road. I held Splatsy out in front of me, but compared to that monster she felt about as threatening as a marshmallow on a stick.

"Henry?" Ethan whispered urgently. With me facing the road, he was stuck staring out into the pitch black forest behind us. "What's happening? Why aren't you—"

"Have you asked them," the masked man said in his raspy, chain smoker voice, "about the farms?"

I swallowed hard. "What farms? Stop talking in riddles!"

He looked at me consideringly for a few seconds. "There is no time to explain. We need the boy alive. Leave your weapon here, and we will allow you to come with us. There, we will answer your questions."

I paused, cocking my head. "We? Are there more of you?"

"We have no time," the masked man insisted. He held out his hand. "The boy?"

"Is staying with me!" I raised Splatsy.

"Then we're afraid we will have to kill you."

He took a step back, and the maiam — to my utter disbelief — seemed to understand what he wanted. Licking its razor sharp jaws in anticipation, it lowered its head and charged at us!

"Oh, deep fried crocodile!" I yelled. "Ethan, jump!"

"Jump where?"

He couldn't see, and I didn't have time to explain, so I was forced to throw us both out of the maiam's way. We crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs, and a split second later the maiam thundered past, barely a foot away. It crashed into a tree, shattering it with its rock hard head.

"Ethan, I think we might be in trouble," I said, getting back up as quickly as we could.

I raised Splatsy, but with my arms wrapped around Ethan, swinging her was going to be hard. I'd be lucky if my attacks had even half of their normal power — not even enough to bruise this monstrosity.

And, I realized with a lurch, I was wearing Ethan like a human shield.

"Think, think!" I whispered. "I can do this. I just need a plan."

"I can help," Ethan said suddenly.

I shook my head. "Just stay out of my...okay, you can't stay out of the way. Try to follow my movements as best you can."

"No, I can help! I just need to—"

The maiam roared and it charged at us a second time.

"Jump to the left!" I yelled. "Now!"

I jumped to my left — and Ethan jumped to his. Our forces canceled each other out, and we fell to the ground again. Heavy footsteps shook the forest floor, each one more than enough to crush my skull like a grape. Thinking fast, I channeled magic into my shoes and slammed my feet against the ground, launching Ethan and me into the air. The maiam passed less than a foot below us. I sighed in relief...

And then we hit the tree.

Stars flashed in front of my eyes, and a faraway voice cried out in pain. I think it was mine. I could feel twigs scratching at me, but we weren't falling. Shaking my head to clear it, I realized we were lying on a thick branch twenty feet above the ground.