by Kate O'Hearn
Tryn nodded. “And they shouldn’t be taken away. I want you to take me to him.”
“So you want to help?”
“If he’s human, I have to help. It’s my duty.”
Astraea wanted to ask what that meant, but Tryn was already rushing to the door. He looked back at her. “Are you coming?”
“Yes, of course,” Astraea said, joining him. “It’s getting dark out. The first thing we need to do is find him somewhere to stay.”
“I know where he can stay.”
“Here?” Astraea said.
Tryn opened his door. “Not really. I’m alone in the dorm, but it’s regularly patrolled. A human would be discovered. But I do know another place he can go—somewhere that no one ever goes.”
“Where’s that?”
For the first time ever, Tryn grinned, and his smile was stunning. It lit up his whole face. “In the labyrinth beneath Arcadia Two.”
9
BY THE TIME THEY CROSSED the playing field, night was falling. But Astraea could see exactly where they were going because Zephyr, just like her father and Pegasus, gave off a glow. “Over there,” Astraea said, pointing. “You can see Zephyr. That’s where Jake’s hiding.”
They ran the rest of the way, and when they stopped, Astraea looked around to ensure they were alone. “Is he still here?”
“No,” Zephyr teased. “I sold him to the Muses when they were walking by. Of course he’s still here!” She poked her head into the bushes and called, “Jake, it’s safe to come out now.”
But Jake stayed where he was.
Zephyr pulled her head out and sighed. “This language barrier is getting on my nerves.”
Astraea stepped closer and pushed into the bushes. Jake was hugging his backpack. “I’m back. Come out, I want you to meet someone.”
Jakes eyes were still fearful. “Are you sure it’s safe?”
Astraea nodded. “We’re alone.”
Slowly he rose and climbed out of the bushes. When he did, he gasped. “Zephyr, you’re glowing.”
“Yeah, I know, it kinda happens. You really notice it at night,” Zephyr said.
Jake looked back at Astraea, “What did she say?”
“She says it happens at night.” She caught him by the arm and led him forward. “Jake, this is Tryn. Tryn, this is Jake.”
As big as Jake’s eyes had been when he saw the glow around Zephyr, they were huge when they landed on Tryn. He gasped. “You’re the Silver Surfer!”
“I am what?” Tryn asked.
“The Silver Surfer, you know, from the Fantastic Four.” Jake leaned closer to Tryn’s face and ran his finger down his cheek. “Does it come off?”
Tryn frowned and backed up. “Of course not. It’s my skin. I don’t shed it like a lizard any more than you do.”
“Jake,” Astraea said quickly, “Tryn is half Rhean and half human. His father is from Earth.”
“Really?”
Tryn nodded. “He’s from Ohio. He fought for Olympus many years ago, and then he helped save my people and get them to Xanadu. He lives there with my mother. Where are you from?”
“I was born in Detroit, but we live in Los Angeles now.”
Tryn’s expression brightened. “LA? My father has told me all about it. He used to work there. He said the Pacific Ocean is beautiful.”
Jake nodded. “It is. I love to go down to the Santa Monica Pier and go skateboarding with my friends.”
Tryn gasped. “He told me about skateboarding too. It is wheels on a board, isn’t it?”
Jake pulled his skateboard out of the bushes. “Here’s my board. It came with me.” He handed it to Tryn.
“This is amazing!” Tryn started to inspect every inch of the highly decorated and polished board. “How do you use it?”
“Let me show you. . . .”
Jake had just put the board down on the grass when Astraea stepped forward.
“Ahem, have you forgotten the danger? We’re out in the open here. Look, there are others entering the field over there. What if they come this way? We just don’t have time for you two to play. We have to get Jake under cover before he’s discovered. Remember, humans aren’t allowed on Titus.”
“It will only take a moment,” Tryn said.
“We don’t have a moment to waste.”
Zephyr was shaking her head. “It must be a boy thing. Why anyone would be excited about a board with wheels is beyond me.”
“I don’t understand it either,” Astraea agreed.
“You’re right,” Tryn finally said. He reached for Jake’s backpack. “Come, I will take you to a safe place.”
They waited for others to leave the playing field before they crossed it and headed back to the dorm. When they approached the doors, Astraea stopped. “I thought you said he couldn’t stay in the dorm because it was patrolled.”
Zephyr snorted, “Why would they patrol a dorm if Tryn is the only resident?”
Tryn looked at her. “I never thought of that. I don’t know why. But they do.”
“So let’s just take him to the labyrinth beneath Arcadia Two,” Astraea suggested.
“It’s still too early. I have seen cleaners and sometimes teachers coming out of the school this time of night. It’s best if we wait in my room until later.” He looked over to Jake. “Are you hungry?”
Jake nodded. “I guess. But I’m more worried about my sister.”
“You go inside with Tryn,” Astraea suggested. “Zephyr and I will go back to the orchard and look for her.”
“But I should go with you. She’s going to be so scared.”
“I understand,” Astraea said. “But you can’t risk getting caught. Go with Tryn. I promise we’ll bring Molly to you if we find her.”
Jake hesitated but finally started to walk inside. At the doors he stopped and looked back. “Please find her. She may be a pain in the neck, but she’s the only sister I’ve got.”
Astraea nodded. “I have four brothers, and they drive me crazy. But I would do anything to protect them.”
Astraea and Zephyr watched Tryn lead Jake away. When he was gone, Zephyr said, “We’re not going to find her, are we?”
“I don’t know. Whoever is bringing humans here has to be very cruel—they’re all terrified. If they brought Molly to Titus, I doubt they would put her in the same orchard with her brother. If she is really here, that poor girl is lost and completely alone.”
10
AS THEY MADE THEIR WAY back to the orchard, Astraea frowned. “Did you get a good look at that thing we saw right before we met Jake?”
“Not really,” Zephyr said. “I flew right over its head. At first I thought it was the Minotaur, because it kind of looked like him. But it didn’t move like him at all.”
“I wonder if we’ll see it again.”
“Then what do we do?”
Astraea stopped. “I don’t know. All I do know is that by the look of it, it doesn’t belong here.”
When they reached the orchard, Astraea stayed on the ground while Zephyr took to the sky. But after an extensive search, they didn’t find any traces of Molly or the creature. All they did find were some damaged trees.
Zephyr landed and pawed at one of the broken branches lying on the ground. It was as thick as her front leg. “I knew that thing was big. Look, it broke this like it was a twig.”
They followed the trail of broken branches and damaged trees until it stopped abruptly.
Zephyr looked around. “The trail just stops. But I know it didn’t fly away. I would have seen it. How is that possible?”
“This is getting so strange. First humans here and now this creature. What does it mean?”
“I don’t know,” Zephyr said. She lifted her head high and looked around. “Maybe someone else caught it and took it away like they are doing to the humans.”
“Maybe. But who? We didn’t see anyone else in here but Jake.”
“Where are they taking the humans?” Zephyr mused.
“Where’s that?”
An idea suddenly popped into Astraea’s mind. “Of course, it makes perfect sense!” She looked excitedly at her friend. “Zeph, Dad has designed the new secure wing for the prison. It’s all very hush-hush. But Grandfather asked him to do it a few weeks ago. I wonder if that’s because they needed somewhere to house the humans they caught.”
“They’re putting them in prison?”
Astraea nodded excitedly. “It’s the perfect place. Tell me, how much crime happens here?”
“Not much . . .” Zephyr paused and then started to nod. “So why do they need another wing on a prison that’s hardly used?” She looked over to Astraea. “You’re right, it has to be.”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
Zephyr tilted her head to the side. “You want to go to the prison to look, don’t you?”
“We have to.”
Zephyr snorted. “How did I know you were going to say that?”
As they headed out of the orchard, the working night dwellers nodded and offered friendly greetings. Their dark eyes were shining, and their white hair almost glowed in the moonlight as they gathered the nectar from the flowers. Now that the stars were out, the flowers didn’t need to be coaxed to open. In the darkness, they opened freely and released their nectar into the waiting jugs.
Two young night dwellers girls ran up to them. “Wait, please,” they called softly. “You left these in the orchard.”
Astraea was surprised to see the two urns that they were supposed to fill for detention. “Thank you so much. I forgot all about them. How did you know they were ours?”
The youngest night dweller grinned, showing all her sharp teeth. “We heard you were told to fill them for detention. I hope you do not mind, but we finished filling them for you.”
“Really?” Astraea said, accepting the two urns. “Thank you. But who told you about us getting detention?”
The night dweller smiled again. “Everyone is talking about it. You both got in trouble for fighting a centaur. We do not like Cylus or his herd. They are always making trouble for us.”
Astraea shrugged. “They make trouble for everyone.” She looked over to Zephyr. “Word sure does travel fast around here.”
The night dwellers laughed and darted away.
“That was so nice of them,” Astraea said, watching the two young girls run back. “And these give us an excuse for being out tonight. Let’s drop them at home first and then go to the prison.”
Judging by the moon’s height, it was getting late. They hurried back to Astraea’s home and hid the two urns of nectar at the back.
“You sure you want to go to the prison tonight?” Zephyr asked. “You’re already in a lot of trouble after missing the ceremony this morning. How much more do you want to get in?”
“I don’t think I could get in any more trouble,” Astraea admitted. “So I might just as well stay out until after my parents have gone to bed. That way they won’t know exactly when I got home.”
Zephyr shook her head. “You realize that doesn’t make any sense.”
Astraea grinned. “I know. Come on, let’s go.”
Walking through the empty streets, they saw very few people out except for the quiet night dwellers. Closer to the prison, they didn’t see anyone.
“Have you ever wondered why darkness makes a place look creepy?” Zephyr asked.
Astraea stopped. “Are you frightened?”
“No,” Zephyr said quickly. “I just don’t like being out this late. Look around, there’s no one here.”
“That’s good for us,” Astraea said. “Look, there’s the prison.”
They reached the prison and stopped before the two-story building. What it lacked in height, it made up for in length. “Why did they make it so big?” Zephyr asked.
Astraea shrugged. “I don’t know. Dad didn’t design this part—it’s been around since before we were born. Maybe it was meant to hold Olympians. The part Dad is working on is around the side.”
They made their way along the length of the building. When it was finished, the prison would form a large L shape, but it was obviously still under construction. There was a complicated spiderweb of scaffolding built up around the area, and a tall stack of huge, rough-cut blocks of marble lay nearby along with chisels and cutting tools.
“Remind me never to commit a crime,” Zephyr said, gazing up at the imposing structure. “I don’t want to end up in here.”
Astraea paused. “Technically, we’re about to commit a crime. We’re going to break in there.”
“What? You said you wanted to see it, not go in!”
“How else are we going to know who’s inside?” Astraea stopped. “Zephyr, we both know something strange is happening here, but no one is saying anything. If Titus is in danger, I need to know. You don’t have to come with me, but I’m going in.”
“I hate it when you turn all detective on me.”
Astraea grinned. “But you’re going to come anyway, aren’t you?”
Zephyr snorted. “Just shut up and lead on.”
Astraea laughed lightly as they entered the construction area. “When Dad started working here late at night, I brought him his meals. There’s a temporary door that the builders use to get in. It’s never locked.”
“Is it guarded?”
“I don’t think so. It wasn’t last time I came here.”
Astraea’s senses were on high alert as she crept closer to the construction entrance. However, as she got nearer, her heart sank—a large, complicated lock had been installed on the door.
“You said it wasn’t locked,” Zephyr said.
“It wasn’t the last time I was here, and it wasn’t that long ago. But look, that’s no simple lock. Whoever put it here really doesn’t want anyone to get in.”
“Does this mean we can go home now?”
“You can, but I’m staying. This lock tells me that something special is inside—”
“Or something dangerous,” Zephyr cut in.
“—that they don’t want others to find,” Astraea continued, ignoring her friend’s interruption.
“And that includes us,” Zephyr said.
Astraea’s eyes twinkled. “Yes, but I know another way in.”
“Would you please tell me how you know these things?”
“Well,” Astraea said sheepishly, “I might have accidentally peeked at the plans when Dad wasn’t working on them.”
“You spied on your own father?”
“No, I peeked. You know how I am. The moment someone says something is secret, I have to know what it is. Are you coming?”
“Of course I am,” Zephyr said. “I don’t want to, every nerve in my body says not to, but still, I’m coming.”
Astraea walked away from the construction site. “I noticed that they were building a secret access tunnel into the prison in case of emergencies.”
“Emergencies to get prisoners in or out?”
“Both, I guess,” Astraea answered. “It should be just ahead. On Dad’s plans, it looked like a monument dedicated to those who fell when Olympus was attacked by the mutant Titans. It’s in some kind of small park and didn’t look very far away.”
Relying on her memory, Astraea led Zephyr away from the prison and through the quiet, empty streets. Then she stopped suddenly. “This is it. The entrance tunnel should be in the center of the monument.”
They left the pavement and crossed the grass. On the far side of the park, night dwellers were working on the garden, trimming the bushes and planting more flowers. They moved like shadows, making no sounds at all.
“There it is.” Astraea pointed to a small building with tall marble pillars out front. “The door down to the tunnel is inside at the back.”
When they reached the monument, Astraea looked around. They were out of the sight line of the nig
ht dwellers, and she couldn’t see anyone else around. “Let’s go in.”
The front doors were unlocked. Inside, an eternal flame burned on a tall plinth. A bronze plaque announced that the building was dedicated to the fallen in the “War to End All Wars” on Olympus.
“Hey, it’s tight in here,” Zephyr complained as she tried to maneuver around the plinth without knocking it over with her folded wings. “Next time I see your dad, I’m going to tell him how inconsiderate he is. He didn’t think of those of us with four legs or wings when he designed it.”
Astraea looked back at Zephyr and wondered if her friend would fit through the small door at the back. That question was quickly answered when they reached it, found the hidden handle, and pulled it open.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Zephyr complained, staring at the tiny opening. “Seriously? You could hardly fit through there—there’s no way I can. Look at it. It was built for starving satyrs.”
“It is a hidden door. It’s supposed to be small,” Astraea said. “But you’re right. You’re not going to fit in there.” She looked from the door back to Zephyr and to the door again, feeling very conflicted.
Zephyr sighed. “All right, go on. I’ll keep watch out here. If anyone comes, I’ll tell them I’m contemplating the tragedy of war.”
“Zeph, you’re the best!” Astraea threw her arms around Zephyr’s neck. “I won’t be long, promise.”
“Yeah, yeah, you always say that. Just don’t be too long. Remember, you will have to face your parents at some point.”
“I’ll just go look and see what they’re hiding and then be right back.” Astraea smiled at her friend and ducked down through the small entrance.
11
JAKE SAT IN TRYN’S ROOM, gazing around. The room itself wasn’t that different from his bedroom in LA. There was the same kind of mess—clothes, shoes, and books thrown everywhere. But there was no television, no gaming console, and no computer. There were, however, amazing 3-D-type photographs in gold frames. He picked up one that showed more silver-skinned people. Another 3-D photo showed Tryn standing next to a man with dark curly hair and a beaming smile. Beside Tryn was an animal of some kind, but Jake had never seen anything like it. It was the size of a large dog with what looked like the head of a hippo and the fine legs of a giraffe, and it was covered in mottled gray fur, almost like a hyena.