by Kate O'Hearn
Tryn reappeared with Jake behind him. “I was checking to see if we could both fit back there. We can.”
“And?” Jake said. “Please don’t say what I think you are going to say.”
“I was going to suggest we hide in here tonight, and if we see the strangers return, we can discover what they are doing.”
Jake sighed. “He said it.”
By the time they finished exploring as much as they could of the labyrinth beneath Arcadia Two, the sun was setting. Instead of leaving the school by the front, Astraea and Zephyr carried their cleaning supplies with them back to Tryn’s dorm room.
Tryn’s room was small for one person, tight for two, and uncomfortable for three. But there was no way Zephyr could also fit in with them. She had to remain in the corridor outside with her head sticking in.
“We’d better get going,” Astraea said. “I’m already in so much trouble at home that if I’m late again, my parents won’t just ground me, they’ll kill me. Are you sure you want to go back down there tonight?”
“No,” Nesso hissed.
“Me neither,” Jake agreed. Then he had to tell the others what Nesso said.
“Well, I’m going back,” Tryn insisted. “I need to know for certain if they are using one of the gems.”
“Then what?” Zephyr asked. “Once we know, what do we do about it? Who do we tell?”
Tryn said, “For now, I suggest we don’t tell anyone. Not until we figure out who is doing this and why.”
Astraea nodded to Zephyr. “He’s right. We need to know more, and the only way is to find out what’s going on down there.” She looked back at Tryn. “I wish I could go with you.”
“I don’t!” Zephyr said. “That place makes my feathers curl. And we haven’t even seen all of it. What about the other buildings at Arcadia? Do they have labyrinths as well?”
Tryn shrugged. “I don’t know for sure, but it would seem logical that they do. I haven’t found the passage that connects them yet, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there.”
“But what’s it all for?”
“That we won’t know until we find out who is bringing strangers here,” Tryn said. “With luck, we should be able to get some answers tonight.”
19
ASTRAEA AND ZEPHYR LEFT JAKE in Tryn’s room. It was getting late, and Astraea was feeling the pressure to get home.
“I’m coming with you,” Zephyr said. “Your mom likes me and won’t yell if I’m there. Besides, I want to ask your dad a few simple questions.”
“Like what?”
“I want to know who designed Arcadia. Someone had to draw up the plans for that labyrinth. Maybe if we find out who it was, we can ask them why they built it.”
Astraea considered. “Good idea. Why don’t you stay for dinner? You can ask him then.”
They hurried back to Astraea’s home. When they walked through the door, Astraea called, “Mom, I’m home. I’m so sorry about yesterday. I—”
“Astraea, stop,” Zephyr said. “She’s not here. The house is empty.”
“But she’s always home when I get home. . . .”
They walked through to the kitchen and there was no sign of her mother. Dirty dishes in the sink suggested that at least one of her brothers had been in for a visit—but then left.
Astraea started to fill the sink. “If we do the dishes, and get dinner ready, Mom and Dad might not be so mad at me, and maybe we can go out tonight.”
“To do what?”
“Watch the front of Arcadia Two. I want to see if the strangers come back.”
Zephyr nodded. “We’ll let Jake and Tryn watch from the inside, and we’ll take the outside.”
“Exactly.”
The plan was set, but as the sun went down, there was still no word from Astraea’s parents, and they were starting to worry.
“This is getting strange,” Astraea said. “Mom’s never gone this late, and Dad really should be home by now.”
Food was forgotten as they sat outside and waited for Astraea’s parents to return. Others walked by and waved, and Astraea even asked a few passing friends if they had seen her parents, but the answer was always the same—not since the morning.
“Did they say they had somewhere to go tonight?” Zephyr asked. “Is Jupiter or Saturn having an event that they might be invited to?”
Astraea shook her head. “No—anything like that and I’m usually invited too.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Zephyr said lightly—though the alertness in her eyes told a different story.
“Me too,” Astraea agreed, lying to herself. “I sure they’re fine and will be back soon.” She heard herself speaking the words that even she didn’t believe.
20
JAKE WAS GRATEFUL TO HAVE a shower and get cleaned up after the long night and day in the labyrinth. Before bathing, he tried to get Nesso to let go of her tail so he could put her down, but she refused. Jake finally had to shower with Nesso still wrapped around his neck.
This was the first time in her life Nesso had experienced hot water, and she loved the feel of it beating on her scales.
“I am warm!” she cried joyously.
“And I’m clean!” Jake said as he turned off the water and reached for a towel. He dressed in another of Tryn’s tunics and walked back into the bedroom. “I guess it’s too much to ask for a hair dryer?”
“A what?”
“Thought so,” Jake said. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled a comb out of his pack. “So what do you want to do now? Do you think I might pass for a Titan and we can look for my sister?”
Tryn shook his head. “I’m sorry, not yet. Dressed in my tunic you look like a Titan, but you still smell very human.” He pulled out a plate of ambrosia cakes and fruit. “The cleaners always leave more food for me than I need. Eat some more, it might help. I was also kind of wondering if you might teach me how to use your skateboard.”
“Really? You want to learn to skateboard? I mean right now, with all this going on?”
Tryn nodded. “Why not? The trouble will still be here whether we do or not. But we have time to spend before tonight. It might be a way to relax.”
Jake said. “But you said I still smell human. How can we go out?”
“We’re not going out.”
“Where are we going then?” Jake asked.
Tryn grinned. “The long corridors beneath Arcadia Two.”
Jake enjoyed a meal of fruit, ambrosia cakes, and nectar. He handed up small pieces of fruit and cake to Nesso and was surprised when she ate them.
“With those teeth, I thought you’d eat small animals or bugs.”
“I eat anything,” Nesso said. “Thisss isss ssso good.”
“And very messy,” Jake laughed as he looked at the snake’s face, covered in red fruit juice and cake crumbs.
Tryn remained silent through most of the meal. Finally he said, “I’m really sorry, but I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
“With what?”
“With you,” he said. “Astraea said she saw what the prisoners were fed in prison. It was fruit and baked breads. No ambrosia or nectar. I’ve only just realized what I’ve done. . . .”
“What’s that?” Jake stuffed another ambrosia cake into his mouth. The sweet yellow cake reminded him of pound cake, and nectar was like drinking thin honey.
“Well, um,” Tryn continued. “Remember I told you my father was human? Well, back in the war he was badly hurt, so Emily forced him to eat ambrosia so she could heal him. But he didn’t want to, because he knew ambrosia would make him, um”—his voice softened to a whisper—“immortal.”
“What!” Jake cried, spitting out crumbs. He looked at the remains of the cake. “Are you saying this stuff makes people immortal?”
Tryn nodded. “I’m really sorry, Jake! I was so focused on helping you not smell like a human that I didn’t even think about how it would change your physiology. Titans and Olympians are immortal—but they get
weak and sick if they don’t keep eating it. My mother is a scientist and says she’s never seen anything like it and that it’s changed us, too. I’m as immortal as you are. I’m sure that’s why they aren’t feeding it to the prisoners. I probably shouldn’t have given to you, either.”
“Well, it’s a little late now, isn’t it?” Jake cried, holding up a cake. “I’ve been eating these like potato chips! Immortal, really? Like living forever and not dying?”
Tryn nodded. “I don’t know how it works if someone were to kill you. Perhaps if they cut off your head, you would die and stay dead.”
“Hey, I’ve grown really attached to this head. It’s my favorite! No one is going to chop it off.”
“Of course not,” Tryn agreed. “I was just thinking that I shouldn’t have given you ambrosia or nectar.”
“I really can’t believe you’re telling me this now.”
“I’m really sorry,” Tryn said. “But at least you and Nesso can live together forever.”
“That pleasssesss me,” Nesso said.
Jake stroked the snake but didn’t speak. He could hardly believe what Tryn had said. Immortal? Really, like forever? It was just too much to think about at the moment. Not with Molly missing and monsters running amok and abducting people. But when this was over, he had a lot to think about.
In the meantime, since the damage was done, Jake reached for another piece of ambrosia.
After they finished eating, they were ready to set off again. Jake carried his skateboard, while Tryn brought the bag of glowing moss.
“I want it on the record right now that I don’t think going back down there is a good idea,” Jake said. “When this goes south, and it probably will, you’d better hope I’m in a coma, because if this is real and we get killed, I’m really gonna get mad.”
“You won’t be killed. You’re immortal now, remember?”
“Well, if they chop my head off.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”
Jake laughed as they left Tryn’s room. “Seriously, dude, you’re half my size. I don’t think you could protect a dandelion if it was threatened by a caterpillar.”
“I am stronger than I look.”
“Yeah, right.”
Tryn stopped. “You don’t think I can protect you?”
“Nope,” Jake said.
Tryn lunged forward and grabbed Jake. With no effort at all, he hoisted him in the air and spun him around as though he weighed nothing.
“Hey, hey, put me down!” Jake cried.
“Not until you acknowledge that I am stronger than you.”
“Okay, okay, you’re stronger than me. I just ate! Put me down before I hurl!”
Tryn stopped spinning Jake and lowered him gently to the floor. “My people are very strong—stronger than Titans and Olympians. We just don’t like to show it.”
“Well, you showed it pretty good just then,” Jake said, running his hand through his hair and hoping his meal would stay down.
“That’s because it was necessary to prove a point. I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell Astraea or Zephyr what I did.”
“Why?”
“Because we do not like to draw attention to ourselves.”
Jake burst into more laughter. “Dude, have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re bright silver with speckled eyes. Trust me, you’re already drawing attention to yourself.”
“I have no control over that. But this I do. Please Jake, say nothing of this.”
“Sure, if that’s what you want. I have no idea why, but I won’t tell anyone.”
“Thank you.”
They traveled under the covered walkway toward the rear entrance to Arcadia Two. Just like the previous evening, Tryn used his lockpick to get inside. As they made their way to the stairs, Jake stopped. “This is a school, right? I mean, like, there are kids here during the day?”
Tryn nodded.
“Then why does it feel so creepy? I’ve been to lots of schools, and none of them ever felt like this.”
“Perhaps it’s the mystery of what’s happening beneath us that makes you feel like that.”
“Seriously, dude, don’t you feel it?”
Tryn paused and looked at Jake for several heartbeats. Finally he nodded. “Yes, I feel it too. Something is very wrong here.”
“Exactly,” Jake agreed.
They took the stairs down into the darkened corridors beneath the school. Even though Tryn opened the bag of moss to drive back the darkness, Jake shivered as he looked around.
“I don’t like it here,” Nesso complained.
“Me either,” Jake said. He put his skateboard down and automatically jumped on. It gave him a sense of normalcy in the midst of the insanity. He kicked his foot and felt the board glide like a hot knife through butter on the marble floor. “At least it’s great for boarding down here.”
Tryn jogged up to him. “May I try?”
“Sure.” Jake climbed off and reached into his backpack. He pulled out his helmet and handed it to Tryn. “Put this on. I usually don’t wear it, but my mom worries, so I keep it with me.”
Tryn frowned at the helmet.
“It’s in case you fall and smash your head.”
“Like you did,” Tryn said.
“Exactly. See, if you don’t wear it you could fall, hit your head, and end up in a weird world full of talking animals and cakes that make you immortal.”
“I doubt hitting your head has anything to do with that.”
“Maybe,” Jake agreed. “But put it on anyway.”
Tryn pulled on the helmet. “Is this right?”
Jake nodded. “Now, the first thing you need to work on is balance.” He moved the skateboard until it was sitting horizontally in front of Tryn. “Practice climbing on and off, using the leg you want to push with. . . .”
Tryn followed Jake’s instructions and climbed easily on and off the skateboard. Next he learned to keep one foot on and push with the other. Soon he was gliding short distances.
As the time passed, Jake was so engrossed in teaching Tryn how to skateboard that he forgot to be afraid. “Yes!” he cheered, punching the air as Tryn managed his first, simple trick. “You’re a natural! We could have you competing in no time. I bet you would win loads.”
Tryn jumped off the board and handed it back to Jake. He was beaming and his silver skin shimmered with excitement. It was the first time Jake had seen him looking genuinely happy.
“That was wonderful,” Tryn said. “I must make myself a board. Perhaps Vulcan can help. There is nothing he can’t build.”
“Tell you what—you can have my board if you help me find Molly and get us home.”
A flash of regret crossed Tryn’s face, but he hid it quickly. “Of course, you must both get home.”
Jake nodded. “But what’s to stop you from coming back with me for a visit?”
Tryn shook his head. “I don’t look human. I’d be captured.”
“Not if we put makeup on you,” Jake offered. He reached for Tryn’s hand and looked closely at the skin on the back of it. “Obviously the silver doesn’t come off. But my mom has terrible skin and she uses loads of stuff to cover it up. You could do the same.”
“Really?” Tryn said. “You think we could? I would love to see Earth. My father has told me so many stories.”
“Sure we could. So when I go back, you can come for a visit.”
“Thank you,” Tryn said sincerely. “I would like that. But first we have to find out how.”
They continued deeper into the labyrinth, toward the corridor where the blood trail ended. Tryn used his pick to get into the storeroom with the smelly flattened animals.
“I was dreading this,” Jake said as they squeezed in behind the stacks of containers.
“I wasn’t looking forward to it either,” Tryn admitted. “The stench is foul, but it’s the best place we could be if the others return. Especially since the blood trail ended at the wall just outside this r
oom.”
“I hope it doesn’t take too long,” Jake said. “I don’t want to spend a minute longer down here than we have to!”
21
JAKE AND TRYN SAT IN the darkness of the tight space behind the crates. The door was closed and locked again, so they had to remain silent to hear anything happening outside it. As though sensing Jake’s fear, Nesso slid down from his neck and curled herself in his hands.
“She’s very sweet,” Tryn noted. He reached over and gently stroked the snake.
“You can see her?”
“Yes,” Tryn said. “Not as good as in daylight, but I can see well enough.”
Jake started to stroke the snake. “I wish I had your eyes. All I see is black.”
“All I sssee isss you glowing with heat,” Nesso said. “You both are warm, but Jake isss much hotter than Tryn.”
“Really?” Jake asked.
“Yesss.”
“What did she say?”
When Jake repeated what Nesso had said, Tryn nodded. “My mother’s world was very hot because our sun was going to supernova. Over generations, our silver skin developed to reflect the sun’s heat away from us. Of course, this now means we feel the cold a lot more intensely.”
“Me too,” Nesso agreed.
“Then you’ll really like LA. It’s hot—especially in the summer.”
“Is it summer now?”
“Yes, it’s just—”
Tryn’s cool hand slapped over Jake’s mouth. “I heard something,” he whispered tightly. “Voices. Coming this way.”
Jake nodded to let Tryn know he could remove his hand. His breathing quickened, and suddenly he needed to go to the toilet. But he couldn’t move. Terror rooted him to the spot.
“They’re coming,” Tryn said in barely a whisper. “Don’t make a sound.”
Jake wanted to say that it was Tryn making all the noise, but he didn’t. He was too scared. Instead he sat still and hoped he didn’t scream. In that instant, Jake realized he wasn’t built for this type of suspense. Skateboarding? No problem at all. Dangerous tricks? A piece of cake! But this was enough to make him cry.
Before long, he too could hear the same soft voices he’d heard the previous evening. But this time they were much closer, just outside the door. Then the voices stopped, and they heard the sound of a key being fitted into the lock.