by C J Benjamin
I was on my feet in an instant, moving toward the rhythmic pulse when something stopped me in my tracks. It was a second heartbeat, this one was weaker, and irregular. Who else or what else was down here? I listened closer to try to get a bearing on where the beating was coming from. One was to my right and the other was straight ahead. I focused all my energy on listening to each heartbeat trying to identify who or what they belonged to. The steady familiar beat was louder, stronger, closer. All at once it hit me and relief washed over me, it was Remi, I was sure of it. It was the same humdrum beating that gave him away in the forest. He must have kept with the plan after all and followed us down here. I wanted to run to him, to tell him we were going to be okay, to tell him so many things, but my feet were cemented, resisting my urge to go to Remi, telling me to keep moving toward the other heartbeat. The one that was harder for me to place.
I was hesitant as I took a few steps closer so I could hear better. The heart was racing and in distress. I felt lured toward it, with a longing to help quiet its fear. It was the same way my heart often sounded when I reacted with panic in our training sessions in the forest. I made my decision to move toward the weak sound. Remi’s heart sounded strong and steady. He didn’t need me right now, but this other heart was aching and pulling me toward it. I half-heartedly hoped it was Nova I was moving toward, but I shuddered at my last memory of his beautiful face, marred by one of Greeley’s tarcats. The frantic heartbeat ahead of me was so distressed that I almost didn’t want it to be him, I didn’t want to see Nova hurt or frightened. I swallowed the lump in my throat and pushed forward.
Nova was the one we looked to. I didn’t like thinking of him as helpless or frightened. That was a role I was used to serving myself. If Nova was really attached to the feeble heartbeat I was following, I knew I would find myself with a heavy weight upon my shoulders. After a few more cautious steps I stopped abruptly, covering my mouth with both hands to stifle a gasp that caught me off guard. Before me lay a heap of dirty, shivering fabric. I held my breath as I took another anxious step closer. I could see that the quivering mass was actually a human, and it was more than dirty, it was laying in a pool of dark, tacky fluid, that smelled of putrid rust so strongly that my eyes began to water. I followed the puddle back to its source and didn’t like what I saw at all. I hadn’t realized I was still holding my breath until I released it in a gush of horror as I saw the unmistakable shock of blond hair that parted to give way to a fresh supply of blood that was pooling below it.
“Nova!” I whispered, more to myself than to him.
I rushed to him, skidding to a stop on my knees. I knelt, hands trembling near him, not knowing what to do first. He looked so damaged I was afraid to touch him. I carelessly lobbed an orb above us so that I could better assess the seriousness of his wounds. I struggled for breath when I saw the slashes across his blood-stained face. Still worse was the gaping flesh on his chest that flapped vulnerably with each rattling breath he took. It took everything in me not to vomit as my stomach flip-flopped at the sight of his ghastly injuries. I buried my face into the crook of my arm and looked away until I could regain my composure. I took a few quick deep breaths and wiped away the tears that were streaming down my face. It was up to me now. I needed to pull it together to help Nova. I could heal him. Sparrow taught me how. I just needed to focus. Nova needed me and nothing else mattered.
I leaned close to his ear as whispered to him.“Nova, it’s me, Tippy. You’re going to be okay.”
I didn’t expect it when his eyes fluttered open, but the usual sparkle that greeted me was missing. They were dull and listless, but he did show signs of recognition as I spoke to him.
“It’s me, Tippy. You’re in the locker and you’re hurt but don’t worry, I’m going to help you. Just be still,” I murmured as I stroked a safe looking spot on his forehead.
“Ti..pp…”
“Shhh, don’t try to speak, okay? I can do this. You trust me and believe in me. I can do this.”
I think I was saying it to comfort myself more than Nova, but it seemed to work. I rubbed my hands together over him and closed my eyes as I lowered them toward his chest.
“Please, let me do this,” I whispered to myself right before I felt his bare flesh on my palms.
There was a sudden buzzing of energy vibrating through me. The room grew brighter as my orb glowed boldly above us as if cheering me on. I drew every bit of power and energy I had through my soul and channeled it to Nova. I opened my eyes, slowly, one at a time, almost scared to see if I was doing anything to better his injuries. I watched in horror as nothing happened. The bleeding had stopped and the slashes on his face seemed fainter, but the gaping hole in his heaving chest still looked threatening. I could feel my powers dim as I fought off flashbacks of Niv’s mother dying in my arms. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t breathe as the strangling thoughts of losing Nova took hold of me. But then I felt something squeeze my hand and I looked down to see Nova staring back at me, with a look that could inspire anyone to move mountains. In the slight twinkle that had returned to his eyes I could see his confidence in me. His hope and faith stirred me deeper than I knew possible. He gave me a slight nod and I refocused all my energy on healing him and this time I pulled forth a new emotion, so powerful it scared me. It seemed to take over and squash all my fears. I felt a love for Nova pulsing through every vein in my body, breathing new life into him, healing his flesh, quieting his pain, making him whole again. This new energy was contagious, as it swelled inside me.
Nova’s voice finally broke my concentration, and I slumped back onto my heels in relief when I saw him smiling back at me. He was breathtaking. Even in the dimness of the locker, he seemed to have a slight glow to him. I couldn’t help myself, I leaped forward and hugged him, finally breaking down and sobbing into his perfectly formed chest.
“I… I thought… Nova… I was so scared!”
“Shhh…I know, I’m so sorry,” he said while squeezing me tight.
Then he pulled away a bit and I tilted my head back, hypnotized by his eyes. He smoothed my hair back from my face and whispered to me, “Tippy… Thank you.”
And then he kissed me.
38
I felt like I was floating, like I had momentarily left the planet. I had never experienced a proper kiss before. And as kisses go, I really didn’t think there could be one better than this. But my bliss was short lived. Nova dragged me back to reality as he pulled me to my feet.
“There’s someone coming. Listen.”
“Oh, it’s Remi. I heard him before I found you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive, here I’ll light the way,” I said producing more orbs.
“Remi, we’re over here! Are you okay?”
“65? Nova?” came Remi’s shaky voice from the darkness.
“Right here,” I called to him.
Remi emerged from the darkness looking paler than ever. Once he saw us, he ran toward us and gave me a powerful hug. Then he seemed to become self-conscious and released me, stepping back a few paces to take in Nova’s appearance.
“You’re okay?” he said referring to Nova skeptically. “You were a mess. I was worried you weren’t going to make it.”
“I probably wouldn’t have if Tippy didn’t save me.”
“What do you mean?” Remi asked.
“She healed me,” Nova boasted, beaming like a fool.
It made me blush, but I confirmed Remi’s questioning glance with a nod. Remi stepped closer to Nova, circling him cautiously.
“That’s incredible. You look impeccable,” Remi mused.
Nova bristled up proudly as Remi inspected him, looking as though he was staring at a ghost.
“Remi, did you see what happened? I mean it’s kind of foggy. I remember running toward Nova to stop him, and then I fell or tripped and…” I trailed off, shaking, as the last clear memory of Nova’s attack flashed before me.
“Yeah, that wasn’t part
of the plan. You weren’t supposed to chase me,” Nova scolded.
“Well, I told you it was a stupid plan and you should have known better and called it off yourself when you saw Greeley had Khan and Ria with her!” I shouted. “What were you thinking?”
“Tippy, it could have been our only chance to get the information we need. I had to do it.”
“What were both of you thinking?” cut in Remi.
Startled we both stopped our bickering and looked at him.
“You didn’t trip. I tackled you,” he hurled his voice at me. “I had to stop you from ending up like Nova. You’re too valuable to be doing stupid things like that.”
“He’s right,” added Nova gently.
“And I did see what happened to you, to both of you,” Remi continued angrily, turning on Nova. “You barely reached Greeley before Khan took you out. Lucky for you Greeley was screaming and shouting so many orders that in the confusion I don’t think she saw how badly you were injured. She called off the tarcats and had the Grifts escort her to Lux, but not before she ordered you both be sent to the locker.”
“Both of us?” I asked.
“Yes, both of you. She thought you were the main culprit, and I’m sure that’s how it looked to everyone. You were chasing Nova, raving like a lunatic. It looked like he was trying to get away from you. I was invisible during the whole incident so no one saw me trip you or follow you both to the locker, so I can go when I want, but you two are stuck down here.”
I swallowed hard at the news that I had also been sentenced to the locker. As mad as I was when I first heard that Remi was the one who tripped me and held me down, I knew he was right to do it. If he hadn’t I may have ended up as injured as Nova, or worse. Remi was so brave and smart, thinking fast in all that chaos.
“Well, at least Greeley doesn’t know how badly you were injured,” I said trying to find the silver lining.
“No, but Jest does, and so does half of our year. Everyone in the fields saw the tarcats nearly tear you to pieces and then Jest took you both to the locker and left you down here to die. He had to have known you wouldn’t survive with those injuries,” Remi said wide-eyed.
I shivered at the thought of it. But Remi was right, and I began to fear we would have a whole new set of problems once we got out of the locker. Tapping into my thoughts, Nova chimed in.
“He’s right, Tippy. He’ll probably think I’m dead. There’s no way we can explain how I miraculously healed. Maybe we can use this to our advantage. But let’s not worry about that right now. We have to get to work. We came down here for a reason and I’m going to make sure we get what we came for after all that we’ve been through.”
“Okay,” I sighed. “Where do we start?”
“Follow me.” Nova snapped and his flame jumped to life in the palm of his hand lighting our way. Remi and I followed closely behind him to the far wall. “Here’s where it starts,” he said gesturing to the stone wall in front of us.
“It’s just a wall,” Remi said sounding confused.
“Look closer,” Nova replied.
“I see it,” I whispered.
My face was inches from the wall but I could see the distinct pattern of dark letters etched into the stone. I produced an orb of light to get a better look and leaned forward to rest my hand against the cool surface of the wall. Suddenly the wall lit up, glowing the same soft blue color of my orb. The light traced the letters, racing around the locker, lighting it up all around us. We instinctively backed closely together.
“Well, that’s new,” Nova said.
“Doesn’t that always happen when you’re down here?” I asked hoping his answer would be yes.
He shook his head and smiled at me. “Nope, but I’m not surprised by you anymore.”
“I did that?” I asked.
Nova shrugged. “It makes reading a heck of a lot easier,” he said as he moved closer to the wall again. “Some of this I haven’t even seen before. Let’s move down this way more,” he said taking swift strides.
“But what about this part?” called Remi, still standing at the beginning of the glowing writing.
“It’s mostly just the legend of Lux, the stuff we already know, but if you want to read it knock yourself out.”
I looked after Nova, who was striding away from me, and then back at Remi.
“Why don’t you start at the beginning in case we missed something. I’m going to catch up to Nova and see what he finds.”
The tortured look on Remi’s face made it hard for me to leave him, so I made another orb and bounced it in his direction.
“Here, to light your way,” I said as I turned, jogging off to catch up with Nova.
39
It felt like we had been reading for days. I was bleary eyed as I tried to focus on the glowing blue letters before me.
“Anything?” asked Remi, joining us.
“Not yet. You?” I asked.
“Just more about the legend,” he sighed. “I need to go back. Sparrow and Journey are probably worried sick and I want to check on Niv.”
“I’m sure they’re taking care of Niv,” I said. “But, yes, you should let them know Nova’s okay.”
“I won’t be gone long and I’ll bring you back some food. Is there anything else you need?”
I was about to shake my head, but Nova rattled off a well researched list of supplies that would help us down here, and once again I was grateful for his expertise. After Remi left, Nova told me to take a break and rest a while. For once I didn’t fight him. I let myself slide down against the cool stone wall and I shut my eyes, blocking out the eerie blue glow of the illuminated letters and drifted off to sleep.
40
I remember being angry that something was shaking me awake, pulling me from the happiness and comfort of my dreams. I wasn’t ready to leave yet, but when I opened my eyes only to be greeted with the beaming face of Nova staring straight back at me I decided that real life actually wasn’t half bad. After all, wasn’t it Nova I was dreaming about? It was fuzzy, but I was sure of one thing, I was relishing the moment that Nova had kissed me over again in my dreams. Just the thought of it filled me with the tingling lightness I felt in the moment his lips touched mine. I think I murmured a little sigh, but then quickly pulled myself together not wanting to be a total sap.
“Hey, Tippy, sorry to wake you, but I think I found something,” Nova said softly.
I let him help me to my feet and I stretched my aching muscles and rubbed my eyes until the dreariness of the locker came back into full focus again. I yawned a little and then obediently followed behind Nova and his dancing firelight as he led me to a portion of the wall I hadn’t been to before.
“Here,” he said, pointing eagerly to the glowing paragraph before me. “I think this is what we’ve been looking for.”
I stepped forward and read it aloud.
“Only the Book of Secrets can unlock the truth of the chosen ones.
It will never betray the truth to the seeker under the reign of the suns.
Locked away, high and safe, behind the one sworn to protect its secrets, who wishes to enslave the truths of the island, valuing self and greed over the greater good.
To gain what you seek, you must display bravery and strength where one hundred and forty warriors once stood.”
“There’s that 140 number again. Doesn’t that number seem to be coming up a little too often to you?” Nova asked.
“Yeah, now that you mention it. Do you know what it means?” I asked.
“No, not yet, but I’m working on it. Anyway, that’s not why I woke you up. Does anything else jump out at you?”
“Yeah, the Book of Secrets. This is the first time I’ve seen it mentioned. It’s what Eja told us we need to find, right?”
“Exactly, and I think this tells us precisely where to find it!” Nova announced excitedly.
“Well, I’m glad you know where it is because I have no idea how to decipher this clue.”
“Yes, you do. Read it again,and think of someone it might be describing to us.”
I started from the beginning again, and this time read it more slowly, concentrating on each line, one at a time. Not during the sun’s reign, so during the night then? And locked away, locked away. Where did things get locked away? In the locker? In a drawer? Behind a door? A door! Greeley’s tall wooden door. That was high, and always locked and always guarded during the day.
“Oh my gods!” I gasped. “It’s Greeley!”
“Yes!” breathed Nova, “It has to be! All these clues point to her! Her office is the only room in the Center that is always locked and always guarded by the tarcats during the day. The only time it’s empty is at night. And she’s tall, so it will be hidden high and she thinks of us as slaves, that’s how we’re all treated here at the Center. It has to be her.”
“But what about that 140 warriors part?”
“I don’t know how that fits in. Maybe it’s from another part of the legend, during the war or something?”