Small mercies…
“Now, if you don’t mind, I think it’s past time you were on your way.” Etienne gestured to the mess of Hades on the floor. “Trouble clearly likes to follow you around. I would feel more comfortable if it followed you away. And if you never returned.”
I raised a hand. “One problem with that.”
“Oh, for Chaos’s sake, what now?” he moaned.
“I’d be out of your hair in a heartbeat, but you’ve got all your protective mumbo-jumbo,” I replied. I took my trusty stick of charmed chalk from my back pocket and waved it at him. At least Blanche hadn’t gone riffling through my pants for that. Ugh… I had to wonder what else she’d copped a feel of while I’d been out.
“Very well, I’ll lift the magical restrictions for a moment or two so you can leave as quickly as magically possible.” Etienne huffed an irritated sigh and raised his hands. Bronze light burst out of his palms.
“Wait! We’re coming with you!” Melody jumped up, apparently recovered.
I frowned. “You sure?” I had half expected Melody to change her mind after that last fight with Blanche and all the dangers surrounding Davin.
“I doubt Etienne wants us around, either. Isn’t that right, Etienne?” Melody smiled sweetly at him.
“You are precisely right. If I had my way, I’d evict every one of you from this island, but Mr. Abara has asked to remain awhile, to discuss some matters that do not relate to map-making, and he seems to be less trouble than you three. I imagine he may stay until next month, when the trials will begin again. As for the others… I’ll see how I feel about them in due course,” he said stiffly.
“They can take the trials again?” I hadn’t expected that, though I supposed there was no reason not to give second chances.
Etienne shook his head. “Ordinarily, no, but Mr. Abara was unfairly thwarted on this occasion, as Blanche utilized his body, and I do feel somewhat responsible. For that reason, I may offer a second attempt to him, though I will be altering the trials, for variety’s sake and to prevent advantage.”
I supposed this was Etienne’s way of dealing with the fallout. If he gave Mr. Abara a second try, then Mr. Abara wouldn’t be able to call him out for being unfair or suggest that Etienne’s failings were the reason he couldn’t complete the trials. After all, if Blanche hadn’t stuffed that Ephemera in Mr. Abara’s mouth and made him look like her, he might’ve had time to finish off the poison trial.
“Sounds like the right thing to do.” I looked at Melody, ignoring Luke’s stern gaze. They might be given that second chance, too, if they asked nicely. “Are you sure you want to come with me?”
“We’ve got plans, remember?” She flashed a wink.
I smiled, relieved. “That we do.”
“Fetch your belongings, then leave,” Etienne said firmly.
“On our way, mon capitan.” I had nothing to collect, so I waited for Melody and Luke to return with their things.
Two backpacks, and the rest of the challengers later, and we were good to go. The others weren’t coming with us—at least, I hoped not—but Melody had apparently fetched them, wanting to have some tearful farewell. Well, there wouldn’t be any tears here.
“Later, taters.” I gave the Basani twins and Oliver a cursory wave.
“Yeah, good—” Shailene replied, with Fay coming in to finish the job.
“—riddance.”
I smiled. “Cheaters never prosper.”
“Excuse me?” Shailene frowned.
I had to get one last jab in. “I’m just saying, maybe the two of you should brush up a bit more on your Morse code next time you feel like getting some outside help.”
Fay paled. “How do you—”
“Don’t say a word,” Shailene hissed at her sister.
“Morse code?” Etienne came into the conversation.
I nodded. “You might want to keep a closer eye on what happens outside your protective shield. Morse code, carrier pigeons, Davin Doncaster. It doesn’t do you justice, Etienne.”
“You little creep!” Shailene looked about ready to lunge, but Fay held her back.
“It doesn’t matter now,” she muttered.
Etienne scoffed. “I should say it does matter, and we will be having words when Finch has finally departed. So much rule-breaking. I will have to rethink everything!”
Oliver laughed at the anger of the Basani twins. “Take care of yourself, Finch. Looks like you’ll be leaving a legacy here, even if it’s just making these trials harder for everyone who comes after.”
“I do what I can.” I smiled back at him. “Right then, I’d say it’s go time. It’s been wild, guys. All the best, and all that.”
“That is not how we say goodbye where I come from,” Mr. Abara boomed. He pushed through the insipid trio and walked to me, pulling me into a bear hug so tight my rib almost popped.
“It was nice knowing you, Mr. A,” I wheezed, as I hugged him back. “I mean it.”
“Maybe one day, if I fail again next month, you’ll draw a map for me?” He pulled away, eyes glinting with tears.
I nodded. “I’ll find you when I’m finished with my stuff.”
“Thank you.” He scooped me in for another squeeze before inflicting the same love on Melody and Luke. Luke tried to wriggle free, squirming with all his might.
“Don’t fight it.” Mr. Abara chuckled. “Embrace it.”
With our goodbyes over, and Etienne getting more impatient by the second, I walked to the nearest wall and sketched a doorway, whispering the Aperi Si Ostium spell to Kenzie’s apartment.
The lines fizzed and crackled as they sank into the wall. Turning the handle, I opened it into Kenzie’s apartment and ushered Melody and Luke through. With a quick tip of the proverbial cap to Etienne and the others, I followed, shutting the door behind us. Despite the crapstorm that had gone on at the monastery, I was going to miss that view… and that food.
I’d been ready to shower Kenzie with a truckload of gratitude, but that faded as I stepped into a very weird scene. Kenzie sat on the couch, her shoulders hunched, holding a blue bottle with glowing lights inside. They looked like trapped fireflies.
She jumped in fright, then settled down when she saw I wasn’t a robber or worse. “Finch!”
“In the flesh,” I replied, trying to be funny. I didn’t like seeing her so sad.
“You’re back… you’re actually back.” She looked conflicted, like she wanted to run and hug me or burst into uncharacteristic tears. A few already trickled down her cheeks, but not because I’d scared her. She also looked pretty tired, like she was on her last legs. I glanced at the bottle in her hands.
“Did you Purge?” I blurted. She’d been through a lot, passing messages to me and guiding me through lava-filled underworlds. Was that why she looked exhausted?
“No… it’s not a monster.” She brushed her fingertips over the bottle, fresh tears brimming in her eyes.
“Then what is it?” I came closer to get a better look. The lights were so beautiful.
“My mom and sister,” she said quietly.
“What did you just say?” I stared at the bottle, watching the lights swirl in growing horror.
Ryann stepped through the far doorway, looking pale and awkward. And behind her… Erebus himself. I should’ve been terrified, but that seemed like a waste of energy. What else had I expected?
Thirty-Six
Finch
“I have to give you credit for promptness.” Erebus sauntered across the apartment, while Ryann made a break for the couch. Our eyes met for a fleeting moment, but I saw only fear. I wondered what she and Kenzie had been through in my absence. Was Ryann part of some deal with Erebus? I’d already come to the sickening conclusion that Kenzie was… but Ryann? It broke my heart to think she might already be in danger.
“You called, I answered. Isn’t that how we roll?” I put on a bit of bravado. I didn’t want to give him ammunition by showing weakness in Ryann’s presenc
e. Maybe she was just helping out. Maybe she wasn’t trapped in a deal. And that meant I had to pretend I didn’t care.
Erebus grinned eerily. “I suppose it is. What do you have for me? Kenzie returned and said something had occurred, but she didn’t know what. Pathetic, mortal fatigue brought her back before she could observe. Humans have a woeful lack of stamina, I must say.”
“Nothing wrong with my stamina, thank you very much.” I stepped forward, sandwiching Melody between Luke and me. I really hoped she and I had been right about her ability to fly under his radar. “As for what happened… it’s not all good. Let me just slap that preface on what I’m going to tell you.”
Erebus stiffened. “Start talking.”
“We thought we caught Davin’s spy, after this blazing fight. She was craftier than expected, though, and she tricked us.” I rattled the info off as quick as I could. “She managed to get the map to Atlantis, which I’d gone to all that effort to draw, and took the oranges that helped me draw it. She delivered them to Davin before we could stop her, and Davin did his usual disappearing act.”
A literal black cloud collected, swirling over Erebus’s head. His eyes glinted furiously.
“But before you start flinging El Niño about, there’s one bit of good news.” I held up my hands. “I can redraw the map without the oranges, but it just takes a bit longer. Etienne said it’d be a few days instead of an hour or so. If I’m guessing right, the oranges were just a way to open up my mind, and now it’s so open, my brain might fall out.”
The black cloud evaporated. “Hmm… that doesn’t solve everything, though, does it?”
“You mean Davin?” My anger flared again at the mention of his name. “Yeah, he’s still a massive problem. He has the map now, as well, which means we’re racing the clock. And it’s going to be tight.”
“Do you have a silver lining for me regarding that?” Erebus glared at me.
“Maybe. The map gave the names of places, but it didn’t actually define the way into Atlantis. It’s more of a suggestion. Davin is still going to have to figure that out.” I tried to remember how it had felt when I drew it. “Being the creator of the map, I got the feeling that the overall directions were… I don’t know, linked to me somehow. If that’s true, that gives us an edge. An overarching sense of the place that isn’t on the paper itself.”
Erebus pursed his lips. “You’d better hope you’re right.”
“It was also written in a rare language which Davin will have to decode. It made sense to me while I was writing it, but I don’t know what it was.” I offered him another silver lining, to try and placate him further.
“It will be Atlantean, I imagine,” Erebus replied.
“Right… Atlantean. Of course.” I held my nerve. “Can I ask something?”
“As if anything I said would stop you.” Erebus sighed. “Go on.”
“What’s Ryann doing here?” Kenzie had mentioned her while she was parroting around, but she hadn’t had the voice-box to give me the details. I didn’t want to show Erebus I cared for Ryann, but he’d have smelled a major rat if I’d underreacted about her part in all of this. I hoped I was giving friendly, platonic, “I don’t want humans getting hurt” vibes instead of “I’m totally lovestruck and trying to be a hero” vibes.
Erebus shrugged. “That has nothing to do with me. Ask your pet thief.”
“I’m nobody’s pet anything,” Kenzie shot back. Her eyes were rimmed red, as if she’d been crying. That alone made terror pulse through me. Kenzie never cried. At least, I couldn’t remember ever seeing it. She was tough as old leather.
“Kenzie?” I prompted, trying to keep cool. I could see she was having a hard time, due to that blue bottle in her hands. Her mom and sister… were they part of her deal?
“I needed help,” Kenzie said simply. “Ryann came by, and she wanted to be involved in bringing you home. Being human, she was a good choice. She’s already agreed to have her mind wiped after, so no harm done.”
I stared at Ryann in disbelief. “You agreed to have your mind wiped?”
“It’s the only solution,” she replied, eyes shimmering. “Anyone else would’ve been too risky. Don’t worry, though. Nobody knows I’m here, or what we’ve been up to. They’re all at the SDC, freaking out about your disappearance from the Jubilee mine.”
I shot a hard look at Erebus. “Yeah, thanks for that. You could’ve at least let me tell everyone I was okay.”
“Why would I have done that?” Erebus cocked his head, genuinely baffled. “You’re alive, aren’t you? That should be enough. Telling them you were okay would have piqued their curiosity and invited them to track you down. That is not conducive to my needs. You will have time for weepy reunions once your work for me is done. A prolonged absence will simply make your return all the sweeter.”
“So you haven’t pulled these two into a deal?” I pressed.
Erebus’s dark eyes glinted. “Kenzie, yes. Ryann, no. Although I could, if you wanted me to.”
“No!” The word came slightly too quickly. “Getting Kenzie involved is bad enough. I wouldn’t want you accidentally backpedaling on your sentiments about human enslavement.”
Ryann managed a very subtle smile in my direction—so subtle it might’ve been my imagination—though it vanished a split second later. I realized she was mirroring my actions, trying to show nothing on her face in case Erebus picked up on it. But seeing her again and seeing that ghost of a smile… not showing how I felt might’ve been the hardest task I’d been given thus far. All I wanted to do was vault the couch and hug her. I wanted to kiss her, as well, but that was a no-fly zone. A hug would’ve been enough.
“Oh my… that is powerful.” Melody poked her head around my arm. “Such worry, confusion, guilt, and… affection? Hmm, no, that’s not it. It feels a bit like love, but love is so complex, and the emotions are so conflicted. Dearie me, they’re all fighting for superiority. It’s like a battleground of feeling. Ryann, was it? Is that your name?”
Ryann froze. “Uh… yeah. That’s me.”
“Not now, Melody,” I whispered back. Any other moment, I’d have punched the air and beat my chest like a gorilla at the news that Ryann had conflicted emotions about me, and something that felt a bit like love. But with Erebus here, I couldn’t enjoy it. It made her vulnerable. I didn’t want that.
Melody’s cheeks reddened. “Sorry, I did it again.”
“It seems you’ve found a sweet little Empath on your travels.” Erebus leered at our party of three. “How charming.”
I waited for the Librarian penny to drop, but Erebus didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.
“An Empath?” Ryann choked. “So, she was… reading my emotions?”
“She does that, but it’s rusty, so she doesn’t always get it spot on. Right, Melody?” I gave her a pointed stare.
She nodded effusively. “Yes, that’s true. Sometimes I get people’s emotions all mixed up, and they sort of tumble out of my mouth in a jumble of collective feeling. I imagine I got a bit of Kenzie’s worry in there, and a bit of Luke. He cares about me, so the affection probably came from him.”
Luke’s jaw dropped. “Melody…”
“Sorry, Luke.” She gave a hopeless shrug. Someone had to be the scapegoat.
“Actually, Erebus, I wanted to ask you something else.” I switched the subject before an awkward silence settled in.
He smirked. “Color me intrigued.”
I tugged the pendant out of my shirt collar. “I wanted to know why you had me traipse through a literal hell to get this? Don’t get me wrong, it came in handy. We wouldn’t have known Blanche escaped without it. But why’s it so important to you?”
“It’s mine,” he said with a shrug.
“And?” I already knew most of the story from Melody, but I wanted Erebus to fill in the gaps.
“Etienne acquired it many moons ago, and I knew where he kept it stashed. I wanted it back so it might assist you in
your task, though it’s good Etienne doesn’t know it’s missing. He would be beyond livid. It’s one of his prized possessions, though he had no right to it.” A note of irritation bristled in Erebus’s voice. “Although, if you have already used it, you cannot use it again.”
I frowned. “How come?”
“It contains the right eye of Hephaestus, plucked by my own fair hands. When detached from the living body, the organism lies dormant—dead, for all intents and purposes. To use it again, it must be imbued with rare ingredients that will resurrect the eye and its properties. It must be ‘refilled’ each time. A nuisance, I agree, but that is the truth of it.” Erebus scanned his nails absently, as if he’d just asked me to pick up some groceries.
“But the Eye belongs to you, right? Don’t you have those ingredients?” I replied, annoyed.
“Why would I? I haven’t seen that pendant in a long time. I would hardly have the ingredients lying around to resurrect the Eye. If you want to use it again, you will have to find the ingredients yourself. They won’t be easy to come by, by any stretch of the imagination, but you are a resourceful and determined creature. I’m sure, if you are eager enough, you will find the means.”
You mean you want me to do all the hard work… again.
“Then take it back, if it’s just going to be useless.” I started to take it off, but Erebus stopped me.
“No, keep it. It is a special item, and you may discover the wherewithal to make it work again, if you are desperate enough.” He smiled strangely. “Chaos has a way of putting things in the right places for those curious and willing enough to locate them. Perhaps the ingredients will fall under that category, as Chaos positioned the pendant for you to find. Perhaps Chaos wants you to have it.”
Or a Child of Chaos. But why? If it was now just a piece of jewelry, why was it so important that I held on to it? I didn’t bother to argue—I just didn’t understand his logic.
“Let’s not get sidetracked.” Erebus straightened, though his posture was as rigid as steel. “For your next endeavor, Finch, you will need all the tricks you can tuck up your sleeve.”
Harley Merlin 11: Finch Merlin and the Lost Map Page 28