Chapter 3

Pluto ran down the long hall, wondering what her mentor would say. True, he’d been upset before, but this time, he was bound to blow his top. Whoever stole the ancient Time Staff was either a fool, a madman, or both. They would surely feel his wrath, and hers, if she ever found out who the thief was.

The guards at the door recognized her and let her pass immediately. Father Chronos was seated in his large throne, listening to the song of a little bluebird. Pluto opened her mouth to speak, but the old man raised his hand for silence. The bluebird finished his song and chirped. Chronos tossed him a tiny bag of birdseed. The bluebird caught the bag in its beak and flew out of a nearby window.

Chronos turned to Pluto and nodded. “Father Chronos, the Time Staff has been stolen!” she cried.

The old man sighed and asked, “When and who, my dear?”

“Just last night. I used it just before bed, and in the morning when I awoke, it was gone! But I don’t know who took it.”

Chronos mumbled something and said, “Very well. The thief shall be caught. Explain your situation to Nivek, and he will aid you in your search.”

Pluto frowned. “Do I have to, Father? You know how I despise him.”

The old man coughed and said, “Nivek is the only Hunter available at the moment. Besides, he’s the best we have. He is reserved for matters of the highest importance, and his expertise fits the urgency of the matter. I suggest you put your hatred of Nivek aside and find the thief, or forget about ever taking my place as Lord of Time.”

Pluto sighed. “Yes, Father.” She slowly left the room and walked down the winding stairway to the pens.

The pens were a series of large cages. Though the Hunters were the best trackers around, they were all wild and hardly to be trusted. Each Hunter was assigned to a cage and kept there until his services were needed. True to Chronos’s word, all the cages were empty except for one. The vile creature inside it looked like a cross between a dog and a wolf. Coarse black fur coated his entire body, and his sharp claws sprang from his paws. Saliva dripped from his fangs as he stared at Pluto, a smile forming on his brown lips.

“What can Nivek do for you, my pretty?” he asked, his yellow eyes glowing with delight. “Perhaps you need Nivek’s help, yes?”

Pluto sighed and fished out the keys to his cage. “I’m afraid so. The Time Staff has been stolen. It’s your job to find the thief. Think you can handle that?”

Nivek grinned. “Oh, Nivek can do that. But Nivek wants something in return.”

Pluto laughed. “In return? If you do it, you keep your life. You know what happens to Hunters that can’t complete their missions.”

“Yes, but Nivek wants more than that.”

“Well, what do you want?” Pluto asked as she pushed the key into the lock.

Nivek grinned wider and replied, “Nivek wants you, my pretty.”

Pluto stopped unlocking the cage. “It’s nice that you have dreams, Hunter, but I belong to no one. Especially not you.”

Nivek jumped up and down. “Feisty one you are, my pretty. Nivek likes that.”

Pluto leaned close to the cage and said, “You’re a disgusting creature, and I’d never have anything to do with you if it weren’t for Father Chronos. As much as I hate to admit it, I need you now. But if you lay one finger on me, I’ll turn you into an ugly old toad and crush you. Do you understand?”

Nivek shrank back from the cage door and nodded. Pluto unlocked the cage and pulled the door open. Nivek slowly crawled out, then made a bolt for the main doors. Pluto slammed a thick collar onto his neck, and a thousand volts ran through the creature’s body. Nivek fell to the floor in a sobbing heap. “Try that again and you die at sunrise,” Pluto vowed. Nivek whimpered and covered his face.

“Is threatening the poor creature really necessary?” Chronos asked as he entered the hall.

“It is when all he wants to do is ogle my body. I can’t imagine why you insist on keeping him around, Father.”

The old man’s eyebrows arched as he looked at Nivek. The miserable creature’s fur was singed at the ends, and his burned flesh was still smoking a little. “He may be a Hunter, but he still deserves fair treatment. Take that collar off him at once!” Pluto scowled, but did as she was told.

“Now, go and find this thief. I will oversee his trial myself.”

Pluto nodded and walked out of the hall, followed by a drooling Nivek. “You and Nivek will be good friends, yes, my pretty?” he asked when they were out of earshot.

“No, we won’t,” replied Pluto. “Keep your distance from me, unless you want to crawl with a limp.”