CHAPTER 4
Norris paced up anddown the sidewalk outside of the Defenders office.
This is all very simple,said his inner Dunkleosteus.First, become a Dunkleosteus. That will serve the dual purpose of delighting her and demonstrating the existence of shifters. Then, tell her about the curse and how it must be broken. She will set aside her dislike of winter holidays once she understands the importance of attending the party.
Norris ground his teeth as he silently replied,You’re right, but—
“Are you all right?” came a familiar voice.
He looked up and saw Fen eyeing him with some concern. He realized that he was clutching his hair in both hands. He dropped his arms. “Yes. I mean no. My mate hates Christmas! And not just Christmas. Hanukkah too!”
Presumably also winter Solstice,added his Dunkleosteus.And Diwali. Eid al-Fitr. Kwanzaa. Hogmaney. Burning of the Clavie. Night of the Radishes. Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Norris burst out, “Now you’re just making things up!”
Fingers snapped in front of his face. He blinked and saw Carter waving his hand in front of Norris’s face. “Focus, Norris. If you’re going to talk out loud to your inner Dunkleosteus—” Carter rolled his eyes. “—you’d better do it inside.”
Fen and Carter hustled him into the elevator as Norris poured out his heart to them. It was such a relief to have a pair of sympathetic listeners who already knew about Annabeth and shifters and the curse and how to break it.
“I don’t want to drag her to a party she’ll hate,” Norris moaned. “Even if it is for a good cause.”
The elevator doors opened, and Fen and Carter stepped out. The Defenders were again busy decorating the lobby, and had made some progress since the day before. Fen’s Winter Solstice stained glass picture had been hung on the wall beside an enormous holly wreath. A silver star decorated the top of the Christmas tree. A beautifully decorated menorah sat on a table draped in blue and white cloth, with several wooden dreidels and a bowl of chocolate coins beside it. Batcat balanced precariously atop the menorah.
Norris took a step forward, then paused in the elevator doorway as a wonderful thought occurred to him. “Hey! I haven’t shifted since I had to jump in the lake. Maybe the curse reactivating was just a one-time thing, and I don’t actually need to bring Annabeth to—”
The floor lurched and wobbled beneath his feet. His body felt like it was swelling up and about to burst into flames.
I believe your hypothesis is about to be proved incorrect,said his Dunkleosteus.
“Help!” Norris gasped. “I’m about to turn into a Dunkleosteus!”
The Defenders sprang into action.
Merlin shouted, “Bucket brigade!” and bolted out of the lobby, the door to the inner offices slamming behind him. Carter, Fen, Natalie, and Ransom followed him.
Roland, who was too far from the door to join the bucket brigade, flung his arms around the Christmas tree. Dali shoved Blue under the front desk. Pete lifted Tirzah out of her wheelchair, shielding her with his body.
“Save the menorah!” Tirzah shouted.
Dali snatched up the candelabra. Batcat clung to it, flapping her wings and hissing. The other flying kittens and Carter’s golden dragonette took to the air, while the husky puppies disappeared.
They were just in time. Norris became a Dunkleosteus. His tail filled the elevator, while the rest of him filled the lobby. His side pushed uncomfortably up against Roland’s back, though it was probably even more uncomfortable for Roland. Norris tried to pull his fins in to make more room. That turned out to be a bad idea. Various things crashed and shattered.
Apologies,came the ponderous voice of his inner Dunkleosteus.
Not your fault, buddy.Norris tried to shift back. Nothing happened. As a Dunkleosteus, he could hold his breath for several minutes, but much longer than that...
The door to the inner offices was flung open, banging into his head. As he was armored, it didn’t hurt. But the door bounced back into someone who was clearly not armored, as Norris heard a yelp and a splash. Merlin edged through the partially blocked door and upended a water cooler over Norris’s gills.
Much better,remarked his Dunkleosteus.Though that is only one breath...
Merlin was followed by Carter, who dumped a bucket of water over his gills, then Fen with a pair of thermoses. Ransom followed with another bucket, and Natalie held a sloshing mixing bowl. As soon as each was finished, they ran back into the office to refill their containers.
Norris was relieved that he was in no danger of suffocating, but he hoped he wouldn’t be stuck like this for much longer. He tried again to shift back, and succeeded in time for Carter to hurl a bucket of water into his face.
“Oops,” said Carter.
