by D N Meinster
Rikki reached out and Doren grabbed hold of her hand.
“You can shift there, right Aros?”
“You bet!” Aros replied. Without waiting for them, he spun in place and shifted away.
“Let’s hope he made it there,” Doren sighed. Aros might’ve successfully shifted in front of a palm tree, but it’d taken him many times.
“Have faith,” Rikki said, and the broken beaches and clear weather began to fade away.
When Aros had finished spinning, there was no longer sand beneath his feet. Instead, he landed on a layer of sleet atop rickety wooden boards.
“Crap,” Aros said before slapping a hand to his mouth.
He hadn’t meant to shift onto the Cartographer. He was supposed to regroup with his friends prior to boarding, to make sure they were ready.
Rikki and Doren made shifting seem so easy. Why did it have to be so challenging for him? The cloak was supposed to take him where he wanted to go. Had he not been specific enough?
Aros slid his feet along the deck, trying not to make too much noise as he approached the side of the ship. The snow had picked up since their last visit, so visibility of the ground was poor. He couldn’t be sure if Rikki and Doren were down there. Should he try shifting? Maybe it was best to just get on with what he’d gone there to do.
Aros popped open the cylinder and shook a coin out onto his open palm. With the blizzard going, the Ligold would be buried in snow within minutes. His plan wouldn’t work. He needed Rikki to halt the storm.
He was about to try shifting again when the sleeting slowed. Less than a minute later, it was barely flurrying. Aros smiled to himself before dropping the coin at the edge of the ship. It sat idle in the white powder, awaiting the frost urchin that would eventually catch sight of it.
Aros took eight steps and then dropped another coin onto the deck. Then he dropped one right outside the captain’s cabin.
After entering the cabin, he moved to the center of the room and carefully placed a coin onto the floor. There was a good chance the urchins already knew he was there, but he didn’t want to make more noise than he had to.
The stairs to the lower decks were more foreboding than they’d been earlier. He was alone now, unarmed, and potentially vulnerable.
He took the stairs one at a time, and despite his cautiousness, every single one squeaked as he set a foot down. When he’d made it halfway down the staircase, he set a coin on a step. Then he continued the descent into the dark and cold bowels of the ship.
It felt like he was walking blind the further he moved away from the stairs. There was almost no light to guide him, and he counted on the memories of his first visit for navigation.
Aros didn’t hear the urchins. He didn’t see their red eyes in the darkness, but he had the overwhelming sensation that he was not alone. His skin crawled and his face numbed as the temperatures continued to drop. They were there with him. On the other side of a wall. Just beneath his feet. For the first time, he put the hood up on the enchanted cloak to protect from the chill as well as whatever might be lurking.
Every eight to fifteen steps, he would stop and plant a coin on the floor. Even in the dark, the Ligold seemed to sparkle. The creatures would see it. They’d follow it. He was certain.
When he made it to the next stairway, Aros froze at the top. It seemed to be pitch-black on the lower level, and he wasn’t sure how far he’d be able to make it. The urchins could come out of nowhere and pin him down. There was no shifting out of that.
Here he was, setting a trap for them, but they could be setting one for him as well. They were intelligent, not mindless like the rattipedes or stone spiders. They could plan and work together. He’d have to outthink them, and that was not something he could do easily
While he tried coming up with his next move, he bent down and set a coin at the top of the stairs. He stayed there, crouching and wondering what to do. He wanted the urchins to go after the Ligold, not him.
Aros drew the cylinder close to his eyes. “Of course,” he whispered. He needed the urchins to come to him so they would find the Ligold. Otherwise, he and his friends could be outside waiting for hours.
Taking a coin into his hand, he pulled his arm back and tossed it down to the lower deck. He listened as it bounced along the wood until finally settling. Then, he waited for a hint of the creatures, but no other sounds followed. So he took another coin and flung it downstairs as well. Then he did so with another. And then another.
Finally, he heard movement on the boards down below. The Ligold had probably drawn them from their hiding spot. Now, he just needed to make sure they came upstairs.
Aros started tipping the cylinder into his palm when a slight growl made him freeze. He slowly bent his neck up and saw two red eyes staring back from the ceiling.
With one swift motion, Aros catapulted all the remaining coins up from their case and into the air. As the urchin dove down toward them, Aros ran from his spot and back toward where he’d come. Without checking if the urchin was following him, he pictured the outside of the ship before jumping in the air and spinning.
When he landed, it was in the snowbanks he’d intended. Aros fell back into the soft white powder, expressing his relief with laughter.
Rikki watched as Doren removed his bronze armor piece-by-piece. She’d already halted the blizzard so her boyfriend wouldn’t freeze to death as he stripped down. The Bellish undergarments were warm, but they weren’t designed for weather like this. The cloak, however, seemed able to withstand the elements. Had her great-grandmother known what the Roamers would face? Or had she merely prepared for any eventuality?
Doren tossed the last piece of his armor into a pile, keeping only the boots, then shivered as he pulled the cloak over his head and down onto the rest of him. “Do you think I look like Slythe?” he asked once it was in place.
“It’d be easier to tell if I turned your hair silver.” She reached for his face.
Doren pushed her hand back down. “Don’t.”
Rikki lightly giggled as she dropped her arm to her side. She looked him up and down, not seeing much familial resemblance beyond the cloak. “Did you ever think you looked like Aergo?” she asked, recalling the photograph that hung in Castle Tornis.
“I got more of my mother’s features,” Doren replied.
“Well, Slythe looked like Aergo.”
“So I should’ve guessed we were related?”
“I’m not saying that,” Rikki replied. It would’ve been absurd to think the Roamers were survivors from the time of King Aergo. Not only was their youthful appearance in stark contrast to the last mage that had lived through that time, but there had been no clue left by Amelia or in the history books that such a group existed. It wasn’t even mentioned that King Shine’s brother had disappeared.
Doren bent down and dug through the discarded armor until he found the compartment containing his sling. As he shook it out, he said, “I’m going to miss those magnets.”
“You can have Aros make you a sling to match his when we get back.” If this plan worked, and they retrieved the map, they were going to be that much closer to going home.
Doren stared at her midway through putting on his sling, as if it just struck him how close they were to returning to Kytheras. “We finally make it to the Twilight Islands, and we won’t even get to enjoy the weather?”
Rikki didn’t much appreciate the islands even when they were warmer, probably since she’d nearly drowned here. But the Goddess had been clear that they had no time to waste, and Hatswick was still out there, free to act in any manner he chose. Why exactly they hadn’t encountered him since Belliore was a mystery. Was he waiting to attack once they’d gathered the rest of the Keys? They had to be ready for him, meaning they couldn’t relax on the Twilean beaches until he was no longer a threat.
“You can always shift back in the future,” Rikki replied.
“As long as we get rid of the urchins,” Doren stated. He pulled at th
e slings on his shoulders. “Not very fashionable.”
Rikki was about to tell him how he still looked good to her when a noticeable thud caught their attention. Aros had plummeted into a pile of snow nearby.
“Get Aros and hide!” Rikki demanded. Once she flicked the tip of her finger against her necklace, she became completely invisible.
Doren was already rushing toward their friend when she began to shift to the crow’s nest of the ship.
From her vantage point, she was able to make out Doren and Aros spinning and disappearing below. Moments later, a throng of frost urchins emerged from the captain’s quarters. They snapped and rammed at each other as they went for the discarded Ligold coins.
Rikki directed her unseen arm at the pile of bronze armor at the base of the ship. Each section floated up from the others and slid into place like it was coating an invisible man. When she was finished with it, it had the appearance of a headless bronze statue.
Now, she only needed the urchins to spot it.
Rikki acted as a puppeteer, compelling the armor to walk forward, then back, then in circles. But the urchins were still fighting over the remaining coins on the deck and failed to notice it. She needed more armor to draw their attention.
The snow around the armor began to pile up and take shape. When it became a near duplicate of the armor, its white façade was replaced by one of metal. She repeated the process multiple times, creating several sets of freestanding armor.
When that still failed to draw them off the Cartographer, she flung the armor into the air and at the ship itself.
As it soared toward them, a segment of urchins finally seemed to notice. They watched as it descended, smacking into several urchins before bursting into snow.
That’s when they all looked to the empty armor suits waiting below. Rikki made sure they walked around as if they were alive, and the urchins took the bait.
The spikes on their backs went vertical, and the flock charged to the side of the ship and climbed their way down. Hundreds of them went after the apparent interlopers, abandoning their home in order to defend it. What would they do when they found out they were merely empty suits?
There was not going to be much time to search. The trio would need to split up and search every level before the urchins returned.
Rikki sent balls of light down into the ship to illuminate the way as Doren and Aros shifted onto the top deck.
“Hurry,” she urged after joining them. They entered the captain’s cabin at a breakneck pace but paused just atop the stairwell.
“Second level,” she said, pointing at Aros. “Third level.” She pointed at Doren. “I’ll take the fourth and below.”
There was no time to argue. She shifted away before either of them could even acknowledge her instructions.
Chapter Eleven
Nest
“Go!” Doren screeched at Aros once Rikki had faded away. Aros flashed him a thumbs up and hopped down the stairs.
Doren wasn’t going to be taking the long way. With a spin, he shifted himself to the third level of the Cartographer. Balls of light hung across the ceiling, creating visibility amongst the dank wood but also casting eerie shadows on the path head.
Aros’ plan had seemingly worked, but they couldn’t know for sure if every single urchin had left the ship. Doren warily plodded onward, his every step causing the wood to creak.
He unintentionally froze after every sound, expecting the vile creatures to emerge due to the noise. But as he went, there was no sign of them. Each door he pushed open and each room he peeked into was entirely empty. Yet that was how it had appeared when they’d stumbled into the urchins’ trap.
As he went on, he couldn’t decide if he was shaking because of the cold or because he feared what might lie ahead. Despite any reluctance, he inspected every dark corner for some sign of the Mayor or the map.
For some reason, he was relieved that neither had yet to be discovered. It wasn’t because he wanted them to end up in the possession of Hatswick. In fact, it wasn’t a great mystery at all.
Doren had mixed feelings about returning home. And the sooner they retrieved the fifth Key, the sooner he’d have to face everything he’d left behind.
He’d had no problems introducing himself as a prince as they’d visited the other kingdoms, but that was because such responsibilities the title inferred were distant hypotheticals. As soon as he was back in Kytheras, all those questions and doubts he had would invade the forefront of his mind. That reality would be inescapable.
So, too, would his relationship with King Halstrom once again become unavoidable. Their last days together had been more civil than they’d ever been since the Queen had died, but many decks had passed already. How likely was it that those days would be forgotten and his father would revert to the distant and cruel man he’d known for most of his life?
Doren didn’t want to deal with a king like that again. Instead, he’d rather stay on the Twilight Islands, once they were free of the frost urchins.
With his cloak, he was no longer bound to his father’s kingdom. Kytheras was a place he could be free of with a single spin. Every day could be one with sapphire seas and warm beaches.
Rikki didn’t seem too fond of staying, though. And she had responsibilities in Kytheras, too, now that she was the Grand Mage. The Grand Mage had a permanent position on the High Council and was required to nurture and teach any new mages born in Ghumai. Hatswick had held that title for several lifetimes, while all Rikki had desired was leaving Castle Tornis. But she was not one to forsake her duties, and he was not going to leave her.
Only complications awaited him back home, so of course he was the one content with staying away. Doren could only hope his father had truly transformed into a different person in the time he’d been away. If he could be a better man, life in Kytheras wouldn’t just be improved for his son but for every Kytheran in the land.
He’d be willing to bet gems that little had changed, though.
Doren sighed, sending a mist into the air that spread out and disbursed. His thoughts had wandered as he wandered the second level, but he had not seen anything they were searching for.
After reaching the stairs that led ever further below, he considered whether he should join up with Rikki or wait outside like they’d originally planned. She had said she was going to search the third level and below. Perhaps it was best to let her be.
As he planted a foot down and readied to spin, he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming up behind him.
Doren looked back the way he’d come and saw Aros was making a beeline toward him.
“They’re coming!” he shouted, not slowing down as he neared his friend.
Doren could foresee a collision, and he spun in place, shifting to the bottom of the stairwell.
“Rikki!” he called out, glancing back to see Aros bouncing down the steps.
There was no response. She had probably made it to the level below already.
“Shift!” he cried to Aros, but his friend either wasn’t confident enough to try or had forgotten he could.
“I think they realized what we did,” Aros said as he reached Doren.
Aros was probably right. These urchins were no mindless animals. They had near-human intelligence, which made them incredibly dangerous.
“We need to shift to Rikki,” Doren said as the sound of creaking wood and claws dragging on boards grew louder. “She’s probably one level below. Can you do that?”
Aros looked uncertain, but he said, “Yes.”
“Then spin!” Doren spun in place and shifted from the fourth level to the fifth. Unlike the floors above, this one had no separate rooms which would need checking. It was one open space, decorated from wall-to-wall with a variety of metal objects. There were ancient weapons, old piping, and even shards of glass amidst the shiny jumble. As he inspected it, he realized that it had all be laid out in a circular formation. This was their nest.
“Rikki!”
Doren called out, a tingling fear keeping his feet planted at the position he’d shifted to.
When she didn’t respond, he worried she’d already left the ship. Did that mean she’d found the map? If it was anywhere, it was likely to be in this collection of junk.
“Rikki?”
Still no answer. He’d have to wait for Aros before he could shift away. He didn’t want his friend stumbling in here by himself.
“We’re not supposed to bring attention to ourselves yet,” Rikki scolded him.
Doren searched but couldn’t locate her.
A moment later, Rikki became visible, standing just feet away. “Or did you find it?”
“They found us,” Doren warned. “They’re on their way back here.”
“Great,” Rikki said, glancing around the room. “I haven’t even gotten through a quarter of what’s in here.”
A nascent clanging reached their ears, and both turned towards a part of the nest that appeared to be shuddering. Rusty candelabras and silver poles were bouncing into each other before a hand shot out of the clutter.
Doren suspected Aros had accidently shifted himself into the nest, but it was an unfamiliar face that poked out from the shiny heap.
His graying beard was patchy and unkempt, and his bloodshot eyes were encircled by dark bags. He shook as he emerged and even after, creating quite the clatter in the quiet chamber. The upper half of his body was nude and covered in blotches and scratches, while the bottom half was only partially concealed by torn pants. “Have you come to rescue me?” he asked, his voice dry and harsh.
Both Rikki and Doren stared, speechless in their discovery. The Mayor, though in a poor state, was still alive.
Doren wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask first. How did he survive? Where was the map? And if he was alive, did that mean Zeniri might have lived too?
Rikki got out her question first, however. “You’re the Mayor?”
“Yes,” he said, sounding unsure. “Who are you?”
Rikki ignored the question. “Do you have the map?”