“I’m sorry.”
We reach the Docking Station and wading in the water is an enormous gray Stancimis, its red eyes flickering about, watching our group approach.
“Here we are,” she bends down, rubbing beneath the massive fin. “This is my Mimi,” she continues stroking her until the Stancimis lowers its eyelids in pleasure as tunnels of steam escape the two slit nostrils.
“And she’ll know where to take us?” I ask. “She’ll go straight there?”
“She knows,” Princess Ariana confirms, pressing her hand between Mimi’s eyes. The Stancimis lets out a deep bellow. “Go ahead,” she motions us to board Mimi, “be careful with your Enidd’s.”
After we all apply our headgear, Werzo and Booker climb on first, then Jace and Reid. He extends his hand to me, pulling me up and securing me on Mimi’s back next to him. Tucker ascends last, keeping closest to Princess Ariana and Mae, who stand on the wet, rocky ground next to Mimi.
“Keep quiet and move swiftly. Perio will not expect you so it will buy you some time.”
“Will you be okay here?” I ask.
“We will be fine. Just save your friend. They will not keep her alive much longer… you need to go now.”
“We’ll be back soon,” Tucker gazes at her. I’ve never seen him look at anyone like that, and judging by Reid’s surprise, neither has he.
The princess blushes under the fierce gaze, forcing her focus to the Stancimis. “Mimi, go.”
Holding onto the carved handles, I clutch them with all my strength. I’m stretched out and my feet are secured in similar craters, hooked into place just as the Stancimis begins to lower. Reid is next to me with Tucker on his other side and Jace on mine. Werzo and Booker are higher up, near her fins.
Under the water in seconds, Mimi plunges deep into the city’s depths, exploring the thick blue universe. She steers us far from Pryncybia’s lights—and fast—my hands gripping her as if my life depended on it. Because it does. The other Stancimis, Gala, didn’t go this fast last time. But Mimi is racing, like she knows we need to hurry.
Just hold on with everything you’ve got.
I twist my head to look at Reid. He’s already watching me through his headgear, his eyes burning into mine with fear. Protection. It gives me the strength I need to hold on, to keep myself secure to Mimi, who’s left the glowing city far behind us. We’re going far. Farther than I’d thought, farther than I realized the Muskos could be hiding. How could Pratt have survived this journey? They must have put her in a suit. Either that or she’s dead. The thought brings bile to my throat and suddenly it’s hard to breathe.
I’m not sure how long we’ve been traveling when Mimi finally slows, approaching a dark silhouette in the distance. As we near it, it takes the shape of a misshapen tear drop formation, bulky and secluded at the bottom and growing independently tall into the black waters. Mimi sails low to the left side and comes to a full stop beneath the rock’s swollen bottom. We’re about ten feet below the solid structure.
I look up.
A large oval opening hangs above, just like the Holding and Docking Stations have. I turn to Reid but he’s already swimming up. Tucker follows and then it’s Jace and me, Booker and Werzo. Reid hovers below the oval opening, waiting for us and once we’re all gathered, he presses a finger over his lips on the outside of his helmet. He ascends, slowly popping past the water’s surface and Tucker and Jace follow.
I’m next.
Bringing the top of my head to the surface, I find Reid and the two others hiding beyond a great, dark rock to the left. Booker and Werzo pop up behind me and silently, we make our way toward them, Reid positioning me in the center of the Rogues. Through an opening between the rocks, we all peer out at the terrifying scene ahead.
Pratt is strapped between two boulders, her bloodied wrists bound with rope and her feet hanging far from the ground. Her head is collapsed to one shoulder, waves of light brown hair shielding her face from us. A miyon paces the island of smooth rock around her, commanding the room with fast, furious words.
Perio.
He’s built tall and strong like Kendal, who stands cross-armed behind Pratt as the purple haired leader calls out to the others—an audience of miyons sitting atop uneven slabs of stone that jet through the murky black waters in the globular cavern.
“She is the enemy, my brothers,” Perio cries, “she, and all the foreigners who have disgraced us with their presence. Who thought to come to our homeland and lay harm to our mayans, our families. How dare they?” he spits at Pratt with rage-filled eyes. “Did they think they could get away with this?” he looks to the hissing crowd of miyons. “Did they think we would sit back and do nothing?”
Miyons roar in response.
“We are Mybyncia—the greatest of the Three Worlds! She,” he points at Pratt, “is bile! Excrement! A waste of life!” he spits on her again, jerking her hair back to reveal an unconscious face. “She is far from enough to wipe clean the blood that they have wasted, but I offer her to you tonight as a gift—the first of three.”
Perio nods to Kendal who retrieves something from the top hem of his cobalt loincloth. It’s a long dagger with a coral handle and a sleek black blade. As he makes his way towards Pratt’s hanging figure, Reid silently draws his Enidd. It breaks the surface of the water just as Kendal pauses for further instruction from Perio.
“Tomorrow you shall have the two other human females. Perhaps,” Perio shrugs to himself, “the Fychu and the rest will leave. Perhaps they will realize that though Queen Ravan is obligated to provide hospitality, they are not truly welcomed. This is Mybyncia,” he raises his arms as his voice echoes throughout the enormous cavern. “The greatest of the Three Worlds!”
The room erupts in thunderous cheers and shouts, demanding their gift from their leader. Perio appeases them with a smile, offering a nod to Kendal who raises the dagger. But before he’s able to bring it down, striking into Pratt’s limp form as intended, a loud crack sounds through the space, throwing him back to the ground, the dagger dropping to his side.
Reid cocks the Enidd again.
Chapter Five: Muskos
Perio’s furious eyes dart about.
Tucker, Jace, Werzo and Booker are already positioned the same as Reid, their eyes just above water level and their Enidds barely breaking the surface. With Kendal unmoving on the ground, Lolin leaps from his stone seat, grabbing for the dagger. He runs over to Pratt, attempting to complete the action but Jace pulls his trigger, sending Lolin flying.
The miyons suddenly scramble, pulling daggers free as they race toward our side of the cave. The boys let go, firing as the Muskos leap from stone slab to stone slab, dropping them by a ten foot radius. Even Perio has joined the raging fleet, abandoning the stage to come annihilate us.
At his change in goal, I inch farther down the right, away from the Rogues. None of the miyons see me as I swim to the very edge of the rocky stage down by Pratt. Climbing up quietly, I rush towards her, my heart racing at the sight.
We can’t be too late. We can’t be.
I try unknotting the rope around her wrists but they’re too tight, blood escaping from where it’s rubbed her skin raw.
“Oh God, Pratt, just hang on,” I try for the other wrist but it’s the same thing. There’s no undoing her restraints—not here at least. Offering a quick glance at the action on my left, I confirm that everyone is focused on the intruders and not us. Aiming my Enidd, I shoot through both ropes, catching her just before she hits the hard ground. A soft moan escapes and as I swipe back her hair, my breath catches in my throat. Her face is swollen and bloody, like she’d been hit a couple times. After a speedy examination, it looks like that’s all. No broken bones, no stabs or burns.
Thank God.
“Come on,” I throw her arm around my shoulder and grip her waist next to mine.
To the right, Mimi rises under the boys’ feet, pushing them higher, giving them an advantage as the Muskos attack. The Stancimis
has joined our cause, flapping her bus-length tail and sending waves of water crashing over the slabs of rock seats, deterring the rushing mob of raging miyons. From the top of her back, Reid, Tucker, Jace, Werzo and Booker pick off each of the impending Muskos, keeping their space safe.
I need to get Pratt over there. But she doesn’t have a suit—how will she breathe? We should have brought an extra one for her.
What were we thinking?
Maybe she can use mine and then—
Something hard slams into me, sending me into a solid wall for the second time tonight. Dizziness consumes me, but through the fog I can still see Pratt skidding across the stone stage and into the water. She’ll drown. If I don’t get to her now, she’s dead.
Something trickles down onto my suit.
It’s blood from Kendal’s wound. He’s standing over me, a black dagger in his free hand, his livid orange eyes narrowed into blazing slits. I reach for my Enidd, but it’s been kicked away, far out of reach. Fury boils in my blood at what they did to Pratt. I want to kill him. But I’m at a disadvantage. Trying to think clearly, my mind races with the dire situation—Kendal is about to kill me and Pratt is drowning.
What do I do?
He lifts the dagger but before he can bring it down, I roll to my other side, dodging it. The blade hits the wet rock and he tries again. I roll out of reach again, and he misses for the second time. Enraged, he goes for his third attempt but grips my neck with his free hand, holding me in place. I’m trapped. Pratt is drowning and this is it. This is when I’m going to die. Kendal lifts the dagger and just when I expect to feel the sharp sting, his gut-wrenching cry fills my ears instead.
What?
Reid is behind him, knocking into him over and over and finally flipping Kendal by his wounded shoulder, Reid slams the miyon to the hard, solid ground. Another bellowing cry erupts as the Musko reaches for the black blade, aiming to bury it into Reid’s leg, but he knocks it to the side, stomping on Kendal’s shoulder instead. Kendal roars again until Reid kicks him across the face, silencing the Musko for good. He comes for me but I point to the water.
“Get Pratt!”
Just as he’s about to dive for her, Sampson rises from the black water with Pratt secured in his arms. Behind him, Clarence, Qippert, Chancellor Keller and Salva arrive, a fleet of miyon guards spilling over the stone slabs and towards the attacking Muskos. Tucker, Jace, Werzo and Booker manage to pick off any who come close, but some have dodged, making their way up Mimi’s back. One launches himself at Jace and the two go tumbling back into the water.
It all happens so quickly—Salva leaping onto a pair of dagger-drawn Muskos while Qippert launches himself behind her, initiating strike after strike and immobilizing all impending opponents. Clarence stands at the top of the Stancimis’s back, clearing the way for the boys to reload before diving into the dark waters after Jace. He reappears moments later with Jace just as Salva gets knocked into the waters.
“ENOUGH!” Chancellor Keller roars, his deep voice echoing along the rounded walls. Everything halts as the chancellor surveys the room with blazing orange eyes, settling on Perio in the audience of stone slabs. “Muskos of Mybyncia, you are under arrest for violating her majesty’s interests. Guards!”
The fleet of miyons surround the Muskos who look between them and the chancellor. This has never happened before. Surely, he’s lying? But Salva reemerges and climbs atop the stone slabs, quick to bind the befuddled Muskos who glance around at each other, and then at their leader.
“It is for Mybyncia,” Perio hisses as one of the guards moves for him, “you must know this.”
“You have done us a great disservice, Perio,” Chancellor Keller shakes his head. “More than you realize.”
I’m still on the ground, watching through the fog as the guards disappear into the murky waters with the bound Muskos. I blink and lightning strikes my head, ripping it awake with an intense split. Thank God I had my headgear on. I would’ve been dead from the impact without it. But I’m alive. And Pratt is alive.
Reid kneels at my side, his face etched in worry. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” I try to stand.
But before I make it to my feet, Reid sweeps me into his arms. I’m tempted to stay like this, secured in his scent and comfort. But I can’t right now. There’s too much going on. After a minute of quick protest, he places me on my feet next to him but wraps an arm around my side, pinning it to his.
We make our way towards Sampson who’s cradling Pratt in his arms like a baby. She’s awake, but really out of it, her swollen eyes half open and her lips busted with red.
“Hey…” I smile down at her. “You alright, kiddo?”
She nods once with a crooked smile. “I’ve survived worse.”
It sends a sharp stab through me, her past words ringing in my head again.
Turns out I didn’t have much of a life to return to…
“Do you have a suit for her?” I ask Sampson, who’s masking a lot of anger.
“We brought one, yes.”
I want to thank him, but the look in his eye says it’s not the time.
“Is there any Vilbrees left?” Reid asks.
“At the headquarters—yes,” Sampson exhales. “We have a lot to discuss when we get back.”
Reid nods. He knows like I do that this won’t be good.
Pratt coughs, drawing our attention back to her. “Thanks for coming for me.”
“How is she?” Princess Ariana jets over. The princess is dressed similarly to Salva and her guard, with a tangle of thick green seaweed covering her breasts, lining her hips and dipping to cover the junction between her thighs.
“Princess Ariana, wait!” Salva calls. “You must be careful! If your mother knew you were here…”
Mae rushes over behind them, in her own black suit. We all peer down at Pratt, just as the rest of the boys arrive.
“Everyone okay?” Tucker asks.
“You are bleeding!” Princess Ariana exclaims, examining a deep red gash across his chest. She presses her hand to his suit and he turns rigid.
“It’s not bad…” Tucker watches her with wide eyes.
“We can fix that,” she looks up, her own breath catching under his gaze.
“Yes, back at headquarters,” Sampson interrupts. He turns to Chancellor Keller who’s joining us again. “My apologies again, Chancellor. I’m sorry it had to come to this.”
“Sampson,” Clarence clears his throat, throwing his old friend a look. “It seems we arrived just in time.”
“I’ll say that,” Werzo laughs, rubbing his arm where a thin red line drips. “We were about to get slaughtered!”
“Yes, well, I could have told you that would have happened,” Chancellor Keller snaps, redirecting his focus on the princess. “Except by the time we returned, Princess Ariana advised us you had left.”
“Pratt would be dead by now if we hadn’t.”
“Fallon,” Sampson shakes his head.
“I know we disobeyed your request to stay,” I look at the chancellor, “but we had to do what we did. We have to protect our own.”
“I can see that,” he looks around at the wounded Muskos still being escorted out. “And what about mine?”
“We just wanted her back. Everything else was incidental.”
“And how am I to explain that to the queen?”
“Just as it sounds,” Reid says. “The last thing we wanted was animosity between us. Had Pratt been killed, it would have ignited a war between the Arizals and Mybyncia,” he’s bluffing, but keeps his voice believable. “The Vermix wouldn’t be your only enemy.”
“We did this to protect our friend,” I motion to Pratt in Sampson’s arms, “and our ties with your nation.”
“I hope the queen sees it that way,” the chancellor exhales.
“I will speak with my mother,” Princess Ariana pushes her shoulders back with a regal air. “It is my fault as much as theirs. I told them where the M
usko lair was and helped get them here.”
“Yes,” the chancellor sighs with disappointment. “I am very surprised you withheld this information from us all this time, Princess, yet you tell our guests as soon as it works in their favor.”
“Surprised?” she glowers. “You never bothered asking before. It was never your concern until tonight.”
“They were never our concern until tonight,” he motions to the Muskos still being escorted out. “You could have come directly to us, to me. The Fychu and I were working out a plan to…”
“…to explain to my mother how you did everything you could. Yes, I am aware. If I am not mistaken, I believe it is still our policy to honor the Way.” She gestures to Pratt. “Please explain why she is any less important than me?” the chancellor starts but she cuts him off again. “At the first knowledge of her abduction, you should have ordered an immediate counterstrike to retrieve her.”
“We were attacked earlier,” he’s clenching his teeth. “You barely escaped with your life—how am I to strike against a domestic enemy without knowledge of their whereabouts when they have only taken a single human girl?”
I cross my arms. “Why bother coming to get us if we’re so insignificant?”
“That’s enough, Fallon,” Sampson snaps. “We will discuss this when we get back.”
“Princess…” Chancellor Keller grumbles. “It is time you return to the palace.”
“Ariana!” Perio calls, squirming in his restraints as he’s led away. “Ariana! Wait!”
She holds up her hand and the guard pauses, grasping Perio and facing him towards the princess.
“I did this for you!” he yells. “This is for you!”
“I do not want this. This is murder. This is more innocent blood spilt.”
“They came to our waters. Chancellor Keller said it himself—you barely escaped! I needed to avenge you!”
“I do not need to be avenged. Nothing was done to me.”
“But I love you! I love you! This is all for—”
“You may take him with the others,” she nods to the guard. “My mother will deal with them in the morning.”
Plague of Mybyncia Page 7