by Kate O'Hearn
“What, a mimic?” Jake asked.
Tryn nodded. “Yes. It’s the only explanation, and I think that’s what we should call them. The Mimics.”
“All right,” Astraea said. “So how do we prove these Mimics exist? If they have really taken my parents, I need to get them back—and I need to warn my grandfather about them.”
Tryn shook his head. “We can’t tell anyone, at least not yet, because we don’t know who we can trust. Think about it. If this is really happening, it is more dangerous than any war. It’s insidious, silent, and maybe the greatest threat we have ever faced, because the takeover will happen without anyone realizing it until it’s too late.”
“That’s heavy duty,” Jake said.
Tryn nodded and looked at Zephyr. “Who else lives with you at this house?”
“Just me and my parents,” Zephyr said. “No one comes here but Astraea.”
“Good,” Tryn said. “Then Jake can stay here.”
“What?” Zephyr cried. “You want me to hide a human in my house?”
“That’s a great idea,” Astraea said. “Jake can’t stay beneath Arcadia Two, not after everything he and Tryn have seen down there, and he can’t stay in Tryn’s room either. This is the perfect place for him. He can take care of Hiddles, too. Please let him stay.”
Jake walked up to Zephyr and patted her on the muzzle. “Please, Zephyr. I can’t go back there—it’s too scary.”
Zephyr shot a withering look at Astraea. “All right, he can stay, just as long as he cleans out my parents’ stalls and feeds them.”
Astraea repeated the message.
“Clean the stalls?” Jake cried. “Are you nuts? You can’t expect me to go into Tornado Warning’s stall. He tried to kill me when we got here! That stallion is wild!”
“That’s because he doesn’t know you yet,” Astraea said. “Give him a few apples and he’ll be fine.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Jake said. “He seems to like you.”
“All right,” Zephyr said. “You don’t have to clean the stalls. Just don’t make a mess.”
Tryn told Jake what Zephyr had said, then turned back to her. “Actually, if it’s all right with you, Zephyr, I might spend some time here too. We are going to need a safe place to meet and figure out what’s happening.”
“Yes,” Astraea agreed. “Mom said I could spend the night here too.”
“Did she?” Zephyr asked.
Astraea nodded. “I don’t think she wants me home anymore. She said you and I were a distraction to my dad.”
Zephyr snorted. “That’s the proof right there. There is no way Aurora would ever call us a distraction.”
“Or not punish me for being out late . . .” Fear settled in Astraea’s eyes. “But if all this is true, we have to find my mother and father before they do what that man said and kill them.”
Jake nodded. “We’ll add them to the list of missing people: your parents and my sister, Molly.”
23
“I DON’T WANT TO GO back to that place,” Astraea said as she, Zephyr, and Tryn walked slowly to school. “Arcadia isn’t a school. It’s the birthplace of an invasion.”
“That is precisely why we must go back,” Tryn said. “We must behave like we don’t know anything. Besides, I need to go back and find something out.”
“What?” Zephyr asked.
“I need to be sure that this is really happening before we plan our next move.”
“So how do we do that?” Astraea asked.
“I have some ideas, but nothing solid at the moment. I’ll let you know when I come up with something.”
Astraea put her hand on Zephyr’s neck as they walked. “My parents have been abducted, and he says he’ll let us know. . . .”
“Great,” Zephyr said sarcastically. “I can’t wait.”
They arrived at the school, and even though the sun was shining brightly, the trees were in bloom, and students milled around chatting, Astraea felt it had changed completely. Arcadia was now a place of mystery, suspicion, and darkness. Who could they trust? Were people actually being replaced by Mimics? Was this really a silent invasion?
Astraea said good-bye to Zephyr as she and Tryn went into their first class, ancient history, together. Once again they were taken outside as Minerva explained in great detail how to use the various weapons.
As she listened, Astraea started to wonder why Minerva constantly talked about the war and was trying to teach them to use weapons to defend themselves. Did she suspect something and wasn’t saying? Was she trying to arm the students without them knowing it?
The morning passed in a blur as Astraea tried and failed to focus on learning. After lunch, she walked with Tryn and Zephyr to Vulcan’s workshop, as they all shared the same class. They entered the workshop and took their seats at the rear. Vulcan entered, looking just the same as he always did. His clothes were filthy and worn. His face was haggard and pockmarked with scars, while his hands were gnarled and black from working at his forge.
Vulcan took his place at the front of the room and held up a piece of metal. “Today we are going to learn to craft jewelry.”
Tryn leaned closer to Astraea. “See, he’s not wearing his bracelet. There isn’t even a mark on his arm where it was. But he never goes anywhere without it.”
“What does that prove?” Astraea asked.
“That he’s not the real Vulcan.”
“Tryn,” Astraea whispered, “if that’s all you are basing your theory on, we’re in trouble. Look at him. He looks just like Vulcan—dirty and messy as ever.”
“That is not Vulcan, and I’ll prove it.” Tryn stood up. “Vulcan, I need to get a drink of water.”
Vulcan’s pockmarked face screwed up in a scowl. “Not now, Trynulus.”
“But you know my problem. It’s urgent.”
Astraea touched his arm. “What problem?”
Tryn looked at her and gave a tiny shake of his head.
When Astraea understood, she called, “Yes, Vulcan, you know his problem. He needs a lot of water or—or he gets very dehydrated.”
Everyone turned to look at Tryn, including the centaur Cylus, who was across the room with his friends. He started to laugh. “Poor Tryn, he has a problem. . . .”
Vulcan stood still, watching Tryn for a moment longer. “All right. Go ahead, but come right back. We are going to be heating metal, and you will not want to miss this.”
“Thank you.” Tryn looked back at Astraea before walking away from their table. Instead of going straight up the aisle to the front, he went around the back and then up the aisle where Cylus and his herd were standing.
When he walked past Cylus, he poked the centaur’s rear flank with a sharpened pencil.
Cylus yelped and bucked. “You stabbed me!” He reared and kicked out his front hooves, striking Tryn in the chest. Tryn was knocked backward and started to stumble and fall. He tried to catch himself but overcompensated and spun around, staggering toward the front of the room. He finally lost his balance completely and fell onto Vulcan, knocking him down to the ground and landing on top of him.
“Get off me!” Vulcan howled as his arms flailed out.
The class erupted into laughter as Tryn rolled away from Vulcan and climbed to his feet.
“What do you think you are doing, boy?” Vulcan demanded.
“Cylus kicked me,” Tryn said softly.
“Not before you poked him with your pencil! Get out of my class this instant and go to the principal’s office. I will deal with you there shortly.”
“It was an accident,” Tryn insisted as he stole a look back to Astraea and Zephyr and left the room.
“What was that all about?” Zephyr asked Astraea softly.
“I really don’t know,” Astraea said. She knew Tryn was opposed to violence—so why had he stabbed Cylus?
They didn’t see Tryn again all afternoon. But when classes ended and Astraea and Zephyr had to report to the principal’s office f
or their afternoon detention, they saw Tryn sitting in the corner of the outer office. His head was down and he didn’t even look at them.
“Come in,” Themis called.
When they entered the inner office, they saw Themis standing at the window. Her back was to them when she asked, “Do you two wish to tell me something?”
“Like what?” Zephyr said.
“You tell me,” Themis countered.
“Well, we’ve had a good day at school and learned a lot . . . ,” Zephyr said.
“That is not what I am talking about.”
Astraea watched Themis closely. The tall woman’s shoulders were tight, and her calf muscles looked knotted. If there was ever a visual definition of stress, Themis was it.
“I’m sorry,” Astraea said. “What are you talking about?”
Themis turned, and her face was as tight as her calves. Her eyebrows were together in a deep frown. “Perhaps you wish to explain why you were both seen entering Arcadia Two late yesterday afternoon.”
Astraea remembered seeing the teachers hovering outside the school. They must have told Themis about her and Zephyr being there.
“Well?” Themis demanded.
“Well,” Astraea started, “Zephyr and I finished here. But then I remembered seeing a mess on the third floor of Arcadia Two. It was outside Tom the sphinx’s class. So I suggested we go and clean it up, since we had the broom and all.”
“You saw a mess in another building and wanted to clean it up. Is that what you are telling me?”
“You said we shouldn’t assume the night dwellers would always do it, so we did it instead,” Astraea said.
Themis nodded, but the hardness never left her face. “So if you have energy enough to clean a mess in Arcadia Two as well as One, perhaps you should continue to do both buildings for the duration of your detention.”
“What?” Zephyr cried. “That’s not fair. We did that as a favor to the night dwellers, but now we’re being punished for our good deed.”
Themis’s eyes became stormy. “No, Zephyr, you and Astraea trespassed on property you were not authorized to enter. But if you are so set on doing it, then why shouldn’t you clean both buildings?”
“Because it’s not fair.”
“Making you do all the buildings of Arcadia would not be fair,” Themis said. “But it will happen if you do not stop arguing with me!”
“But—but no!” Zephyr cried.
Astraea slapped her hands on Zephyr’s muzzle. She loved her best friend like a sister, but if Zephyr didn’t stop soon, their detention would never end. She looked back at Themis. “We were wrong to go into Arcadia Two without permission, and we’re sorry. If you want us to do both buildings, we will.”
Zephyr was struggling to speak beneath Astraea’s hand as her head bobbed up and down. But Astraea wouldn’t let go and grasped Zephyr’s muzzle tighter with both hands. “She’s fine,” Astraea said to Themis. “She just wants to thank you for your understanding.”
“All right, but you won’t be working alone tonight. . . .” Themis called into the outer office. “Trynulus, get in here.”
Tryn entered the room with his head down. “Yes, Themis,” he said formally.
“You should be ashamed of yourself, attacking Cylus like that. What will your parents say when they find out?”
“I am truly sorry,” Tryn said.
“Sorry is not enough. Consider yourself on detention. Starting tonight, you are going to help Astraea and Zephyr sweep the floors of Arcadia One and Two.” Themis’s eyes settled firmly on Zephyr. “And only Arcadia One and Two—no more adventures. Do you understand?”
Tryn’s head remained bowed. “Yes. Again, I am sorry.”
Themis returned to her spot by the window and kept her back to them. “You may go now and get to work.”
They left the room together. Astraea started to speak, but Tryn shook his head tightly and looked around as if to say they were being watched.
Astraea nodded. “The brooms are this way.”
They remained silent the whole time they cleaned Arcadia One, moving from floor to floor until the marble shone. It was only when they walked outside and headed toward Arcadia Two that Tryn said his first words.
“Vulcan is a Mimic.”
Astraea stopped. “What?”
“How could you tell?” Zephyr said. “Apart from tackling him, which I must say was really impressive, I didn’t see anything to suggest it wasn’t really Vulcan.”
“How well do you know him?” Tryn asked.
“Not very,” Astraea said. “I’ve seen him a few times.”
“Did you know he has deformed legs?”
“Really?” Astraea said.
“Yes,” Tryn said. “When he was a boy, he made new legs for himself so he could walk as well as the other Olympians and be as tall as them.”
“All right,” Zephyr said. “Good to know. Thank you for sharing that with us.”
Tryn shook his head. “You don’t understand. When I tackled Vulcan today, I felt his legs through his long tunic and forge apron. They were soft flesh. But the Vulcan I know forged his legs from iron and gold. They are not flesh at all.”
Astraea’s mouth hung open. “So . . . so Vulcan is . . .”
“The real Vulcan is missing, and there is a Mimic who is pretending to be him. That’s the proof we’ve been waiting for.”
“So it’s really true. My mother and maybe my father . . . ,” Astraea mused.
“Have been replaced,” Tryn finished for her. “I’m sorry. But I knew it was your mother I saw being forced into the Solar Stream.”
“What do we do?” Zephyr said. “We have to get them back!”
“We will!” Astraea said. “We just need to figure out where they’ve been taken.”
Tryn sighed. “I just wish I could talk to my dad. You know he was an agent with the CRU on Earth. He would know what to do.”
“Yes,” Astraea agreed. “He could help us. Maybe Emily can too!”
Tryn started to shake his head. “They can’t. Emily, Pegasus, and Riza returned to Xanadu right after the opening ceremonies and we can’t get there.”
“Why not?” Astraea asked. “If they can come here, we should be able to go there.”
“Not anymore. After the first day at school, I went to Jupiter and told him this wasn’t going to work for me. I asked him if I could use the Solar Stream arch to go home, but he said no.”
“Really?” Astraea said. “You wanted to go home?”
“I know I don’t fit in here,” Tryn admitted. “I felt it was better for me to just go home. But Jupiter wouldn’t let me.”
Astraea felt terrible that Tryn was so unhappy he wanted to go home. She never imagined how difficult it would be for him to fit in. “Um, did Jupiter tell you why?”
“He said I had to grow up and learn to be independent and not run home whenever I had a problem. He said it was time Titus became fully independent, so he was going to declare that no one could use the Solar Stream anymore.”
Astraea frowned. “What? That doesn’t sound like Jupiter at all.”
“I know. When he first said it, I didn’t understand it. But now I think I do.”
“Understand what?”
Tryn looked at both of them. “Jupiter is a Mimic too.”
24
ASTRAEA COULD HARDLY SPEAK AS she, Zephyr, and Tryn cleaned Arcadia Two as quickly as they could. Knowing what lay beneath them, none of them wanted to linger in the school a moment longer than necessary.
When they finished, they returned the cleaning supplies to Arcadia One. Just as they left the school grounds, they heard voices shouting and hooves pounding the ground, charging right at them.
“Get him!” Cylus cried.
They were quickly encircled by Cylus and his herd of centaur friends. Zephyr reared and kicked out her hooves, driving some of the boys back, but there was no escape.
Cylus charged forward. His face was filled with rage and his
arms were crossed over his chest. “If you think it was funny stabbing me today, freak, you have made a big mistake.”
Tryn didn’t seem that bothered as he faced Cylus. “I am sorry that I had to do that to you, Cylus. But I needed you to strike me.”
Cylus frowned. “Wait. Is this some kind of trick? You wanted me to hit you?”
“I didn’t want it, but I needed it,” Tryn said. “I needed to learn something, and you helped me. Thank you.”
“You planned that?”
“Of course,” Tryn said. “You did exactly what I expected you to do.”
That comment seemed to make Cylus angrier. “All right, freak, if you want me to hit you, fine. I’ll hit you again!”
“Cylus, wait,” Astraea called. “I know your mother—she’s on the same council as my mom. What do you think she’d say if she knew you were threatening us?”
“She wouldn’t care. These days she doesn’t care what I do or say as long as I leave her alone and don’t distract her.”
Astraea gasped. “Cylus, did your mother say you were a distraction? Is she acting differently?”
“Don’t you talk about my mother!” Cylus said. “I don’t care who you are, Astraea. No one talks about my mother.”
“No, no, that’s not what I mean!” Astraea said urgently. “Please, Cylus, I’m begging you to tell me. Has your mother changed? Does she prefer you out of the house and doesn’t care where you go as long as you stay away? Because my mother doesn’t want me around either.”
Some of Cylus’s gang were nodding their heads. “My mom has changed,” one said. “Both my parents have,” said another.
Cylus paused and raised a fist. “If you’re trying to worm you way out of this, it won’t work.”
Zephyr reared high and then slammed back down to the ground. She moved in on Cylus. “Turn off your anger and listen to us! Something is happening here, and it’s really dangerous for all of us.”
Astraea joined Zephyr. “Cylus, we really need your help.” She looked at all the large, powerful centaurs. “We need all of your help. Titus is in genuine danger, and we don’t know who we can trust anymore.”
“You think you can trust us?” Cylus laughed. “You’re stupider than I thought.”