All of the boys snickered, and the largest hefted a thick spear. Jonty stepped back and glanced at his friends. “Put your weapons down,” he said. “He’s not going to fight us.”
“You aren’t in charge here,” an older boy said. “Why shouldn’t we fight him?”
Jonty bent low and placed his knife against Honi’s throat.
“No. Jonty, please!” Ashandar vibrated in Jack’s hands.
“The Awakened care about their own,” Jonty said. “It’s their most glaring weakness.” He met Jack’s eyes as he pressed the blade deeper into Honi’s skin. “Drop your sword now.”
Jack hesitated only a moment before dropping Ashandar.
“That’s better.” Jonty’s eyes flicked to his friends. “See, I told you we wouldn’t need to fight him. Search his pockets and tie him up.”
The two boys lowered their weapons and stepped forward. The moment their backs were to Jonty, he leaped at them and kicked, punched, and bludgeoned both boys until they lay unconscious at his feet. Jack watched in confused horror as Jonty rose and stepped close. He had a mad look in his eyes, and spittle dripping from his chin.
“I didn’t kill them!” he said. “I promised I wouldn’t hurt anyone. But I had to stop them, or they would have taken you. You have to tell them I kept my promise!”
“What are you talking about? Who do I have to tell?”
Jonty wiped his chin with the back of his hand and dropped the knife. He placed Honi on his shoulder like a sack of grain. “We need to go before anyone sees.”
Jonty scurried to the edge of the woods, then turned and made a tsking sound. He nodded in the direction of the woods before disappearing into the darkness.
Jack followed. He didn’t have a choice. Jonty had taken Honi. When he caught up, Jonty began to whine. “They have to help me now. You all do. I saved you! They would have killed you for sure. So now you have to take me with you, right?”
“What’s going on?” Jack demanded.
Jonty squealed and dropped to the ground as a hulking figure stepped out from behind a tree a few paces in front of him. “Please don’t hurt me. Please! I saved them! You’ll see!”
Jack unsheathed Ashandar and raised the blade warily.
“That’s no way to greet a friend!”
Jack spun excitedly. He knew that voice. “Wild!”
His friend stood with an arrow half nocked. “Hello, Jack!”
“It be good to be seeing you again!” Andreal rumbled from behind him.
“Andreal! I can’t believe you’re both here!” Jack grinned. “How on earth are the two of you in Ballylesson?”
“Please don’t hurt me!” Jonty lay prostrate at their feet. “I didn’t want them to hurt the old man. They were going to kill him, but I told them to knock him unconscious. I saved his life! I haven’t failed you. You must see it!” Jonty began to sob.
“Quit yer snivelin.” Andreal let out a loud harrumph. “I do no like this boy.” He shook his head. “But Wild would no let me be knocking him out, no matter how nicely I be asking!”
Jonty whimpered as Wild chuckled.
Chapter 13
Where Shadows Live
The small band of Awakened stumbled away from the base of the mountain. Arthur was so weary, he could barely think. Attacks came from every direction. Thousands of bugs swarmed and bit as the earth rolled, trees swiped, and miniature tornadoes spun wildly past. Boulders crashed even as fearsome creatures attacked with razor claws, teeth, and beaks.
Arthur could no longer maintain the platform of light that flowed beneath them. It kept dissipating as they staggered over the slithering ground. All the Awakened were wounded and covered in stings and bites. Sage leaped about, swiping her claws, as Aliyah fluttered just above, sending arrows into the enemy. Arthur’s lungs burned as the air thinned even more.
King Edward led the charge. Every few seconds Arthur could see the king leap high from somewhere and smash some enemy aside. Arthur couldn’t look back to see if Mr. Staples was still with them. All his attention was given to moving forward.
Sage screamed, cut down by a monstrous cat, and when Arthur hurled a lightning bolt, it missed—he was far too exhausted to aim. With his attention on Sage, he didn’t see the vines until they’d wrapped around his waist.
“Help!” Within seconds the vines were so tight, he couldn’t breathe. Sage was pinned beneath the catlike creature and screamed again. Aliyah swept down and ripped the creature away, but then a tree branch swatted her aside.
Arthur’s breathing came in gasps. He tried to cut the vines away with a razor of light but couldn’t maintain his Soulprint. Every time he tried to hone the light into a sharp edge, it dulled and slipped away. This is it, he thought. We failed, and now we’re all going to die. The vines tensed and fell away without warning, sending Arthur tumbling to the ground. Mr. Staples stood above him with a sword in one hand and Sage thrown over his shoulder.
King Edward was also there with a gasping Aliyah on her knees beside him. The king was badly wounded, and the left side of his body had been burned, but he had a fierce look in his eyes. Mr. Staples knelt over Sage and poured a dark liquid over the wound in her shoulder. She gasped and promptly fainted.
“It has been an honor to fight by your side, Lightning Dancer,” King Edward said as he pulled Arthur to his feet. Arthur wanted to collapse again.
Mr. Staples retrieved the Poet’s Coffer from his cloak and quickly placed it inside Arthur’s coat pocket. “Tell Jack and Parker I love them,” he said. “Tell them not to mourn me, that we will see each other again on the other side of this life. Once you’re out of the Quagmire, go south. It should take you four days to reach the Valley of Elah. That’s where Jack and Alexia will be headed if they aren’t there already.”
Arthur didn’t understand what was happening. He was far too tired to find a coherent thought.
“We’re close to the border,” Mr. Staples said. “You are strong, Arthur. Stronger than I ever thought possible. Don’t give up,” he said as he cut down a charging, rhino-like beast. “Now”—he shared a look with King Edward—“let us run together one last time!”
The world trembled as the king and Mr. Staples leaped forward. Aliyah rose to her feet, lurching after them. James Staples still carried Sage over his shoulder as he fought one-handed. Strange silver slivers exploded from him in an otherworldly maelstrom.
The ground softened as Arthur stumbled after them. All of his attention was given to staying on his feet and following the two men. Trees moved to cut him off, but King Edward bounded into them, swinging his fists in a fury and pressing them back. Arthur managed to mold a clumsy shield of light around himself.
The king and Mr. Staples were no longer wasting any energy protecting themselves. They were human battering rams, and their only mission was to save Arthur, Sage, and Aliyah. But there were far too many monsters. Arthur ran past as evil creatures swarmed over Jack’s father. Trees overtook King Edward, who screamed as a branch wrapped around his shoulder and another snarled his leg. Arthur wept as he stumbled past—all of his energy was spent on maintaining his shield of light and putting one foot in front of the other. Between one step and the next, he shoved through a wall of slithering vines, broke free of the Quagmire, and collapsed onto the hard-packed dirt.
He turned to see the border of the Quagmire. It cut through the earth like a razor, and even as he watched, it moved steadily outward. Arthur scrambled back. “Come on!” he screamed. “You’re almost there!”
Aliyah burst through. The moment she crossed the border, she crashed to the ground, rolling onto her back. She was covered in cuts and bruises but was still alive.
“Is Sage here? Did she get out?”
“Not yet,” Arthur said. “It’s only the two of us so far.” His eyes scanned the border as Aliyah sat up beside him. “Please,” he whispered. “P
lease!”
Aliyah’s wings folded into her back as she stood beside him with fists clenched. Mr. Staples appeared. He was bloodied and burned but still carried an unconscious Sage over his shoulder. He thrust her out, then fought to break through the tangle of slithering vines. Aliyah pulled her sister to safety, and Arthur reached for Mr. Staples’s hands, but before he could get a firm grasp, James Staples was yanked back in.
Arthur screamed and scrambled back from the expanding corruption. For a long moment, he stood at the edge, trembling. Turning his back on the Quagmire was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he knew he was finished. He didn’t have the strength to go back in. He walked back to Sage and Aliyah and began to weep. James Staples and King Edward had given their lives to save them.
“We can’t stay here,” he said. “This whole valley will be part of the Quagmire soon.”
Aliyah nodded.
“I’ll carry your sister,” Arthur said. “But we need to get somewhere safe as soon as possible. Every dark servant within one hundred leagues will be coming for us. They can feel the coffer.” He knelt and lifted Sage. He was sure he couldn’t walk more than a few minutes, but it would have to do. Aliyah stood by his side, and together the two children staggered up the steep canyon.
Jack glanced at Jonty Dobson as they stalked through the forest. The boy seemed frightened of his own shadow. Why? Jack wondered.
Andreal led the way, cradling a still unconscious Honi.
“That’s all her letter said?” Wild asked. “That she wanted you to retrieve the tin?”
“Yes,” Jack said. “I don’t know what’s in it or why she needs it. But we were to get the tin and meet her in the Valley of Elah, wherever that is.”
“And you’re sure Alexia’s okay?” Wild asked.
“That’s what my father said. I don’t know any more than I’ve already told you. She spent some time with my father and brother, and then she and Parker ran off to rescue her mother from the City of Shadows.”
“Why does she always have to be so brave?” Wild frowned. “I’m not going to be there to save her this time! Did she—” He stopped. “Did she tell your father anything about me?”
“No, I told you everything I know. And why would she …” Jack smiled. “You like her! You like Alexia!”
“No, I don’t. I just … I just care about her, that’s all. I mean I do like her, but not like that, or not entirely, at least. I mean—”
Jack erupted in laughter as Wild turned his attention to the surrounding woods.
“I’m not certain,” Jack finally said, “but I think she might like you as well.”
“Really?” Wild said.
He wore such a look of hope that Jack laughed all the harder. “The way you two are always going at each other, I thought maybe you hated her. But she treats you the same way, so maybe it is love.”
“I never said love! You can’t ever tell her about this, Jack!”
Jack was laughing so hard, he had to wipe away tears.
“It’s really not that funny,” Wild said irritably.
They walked in silence awhile before Jack changed the subject. “You still haven’t told me how you and Andreal came to be here.”
“We landed in a pile of hay at my uncle’s barn on the outskirts of Ballylesson,” Wild said. “We fell from the sky and crashed through the barn roof.”
“But why did you stay? Why didn’t you go to the Great Oasis, or somewhere?” Jack asked.
“Because every time we thought about leaving, it felt wrong. It’s as if the Author wanted us to be here.”
“I’ve heard Mrs. Dumphry say that kind of thing before,” Jack said, “but I’ve never understood it. How do you know the Author wanted you to stay?”
Wild shrugged. “It’s not like I hear him talking or anything; it’s more like a feeling I can’t shake or a voice inside my heart. Andreal felt it too. Once we even tried to leave, but after a few hours, we turned around and came back.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Four months.”
“But you didn’t even know why you were here. You could have waited forever.”
“But we didn’t,” Wild said. “Now that we’ve found you, it’s obvious why we’re here. Whatever happens next, you’re going to need our help.”
Jack shook his head; then his eyes landed on Jonty Dobson. “I still don’t understand what he’s doing here. Why is he helping us?”
“I found him a few nights ago,” Wild said. “He was crying behind the schoolhouse. I felt bad for him, so I told him he could join the Awakened and fight with us. But he thought I was trying to trick him. I told him if he changed his mind, he could find me in the western woods. But we would only take him in if he stopped hurting people.”
“Will you still let me join the Awakened?” Jonty asked. “If I hadn’t knocked the old man out, they would have killed him. So I had to hurt him. You must believe me!”
“I believe you,” Wild said. “And, yes, you can join us, if you wish.”
“But how do I do it? Do I need to hurt someone first?”
Jack and Wild shared a horrified look. “Of course not!” Wild said.
“I don’t want to hurt anybody.” Jonty’s voice raised an octave. “But I’ll do what I must. If you want me to prove myself, I will! Just take me with you. I can’t stay here any longer!”
“You don’t have to do anything to join the Awakened,” Jack said. “It’s not like that. You just have to believe. I mean, I guess that’s it.”
Wild nodded. Jonty’s eyes narrowed as he stepped back and ran into Andreal.
“Watch where yer going!” the giant boomed.
Jonty cowered. “I’m sorry, master. I didn’t mean to fail you. Do you wish to punish me?”
“This boy be making me sick to me stomach!” Andreal said.
“Stand up!” Jack felt sick too. Is this what it means to be a follower of the Assassin? Why would anyone choose to stay? “There’s no bowing or scraping among the Awakened. We don’t call each other master, and we definitely don’t hurt people for no reason. If you want to be one of us, you’re in. That’s it. I’ll teach you all I know of the Author as we find time, but for now I just need your help, all right?”
Jonty bowed and nodded in agreement. “As you command. What do you need me to do?”
Jack rolled his eyes. “I need to find out if Arthur Greaves’s parents are still here. I promised him I would.”
“Who’s Arthur Greaves?” Jonty scrunched his forehead.
Jack sighed. “You know him as little piggy. I need to find out if little piggy’s parents are still here.”
Jonty flushed, then bowed again. “No, they left months ago when the Masters first came to town.”
Jack nodded. “And what of my house? Has it also been taken over by the Shadow Souled?”
Jonty nodded. “All the houses have been taken by the Owners and Masters. The Slaves and Pawns are made to sleep in the streets or beneath the trees. We ran out of beds weeks ago, and food’s been scarce for ages. Nothing seems to grow anymore, and most of the animals have become Oriax, or worse, so there’s no meat to be found. I’ve had nothing but roots and leaves for the past week.”
Jack’s anger grew as he dug into his satchel to find some bread and cheese for Jonty. This was his home. Almost all of his memories came from Ballylesson. He turned to Wild and Andreal. “I’m not leaving until I’ve chased every dark servant out of Ballylesson. And we’ve got to get rid of the Assassin’s blood, too.” He offered both boy and giant a level look. “Will you stay and help me fight?”
Andreal let out a low whistle as Jonty began to whimper. “It’s no going to be easy.” The giant scratched his chin through his thick beard. “But I suppose so long as we be fighting the Shadow, it no matter where we be fighting. Aye, I will fight by yer si
de.”
“I don’t know how wise it is,” Wild said, “but I’ll stay. Ballylesson is my home, too.”
“And so will I,” Honi said. He was still cradled in Andreal’s arms.
“You’re awake!” Jack ran over.
“Yes, I’ve been awake for a few minutes now, but I was rather enjoying the ride.” He winked at Andreal, who chuckled and set Honi down, propping him against a tree.
“How are you feeling?” Jack asked.
“I have been better, but I will be well soon enough.” Honi rubbed his temples with the tips of his fingers. “If we are going to stay and fight this darkness, we will need an army at our backs or a brilliant plan. Which will it be?”
“I don’t think we have time to raise an army,” Jack said.
“Does this mean we’re not leaving? You won’t be taking me with you?” Jonty paled.
“Not yet.” Jack placed a hand on Jonty’s shoulder. “But I promise, things will be better. All we need to do is rid our home of every last bit of evil, and then we can go.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying!” Jonty had a feverish look in his eyes. “It’s not just the monsters you’ll be fighting. It’s the shadows. They’re alive! You can’t beat the Shadow Lord. Nothing can. Please, we need to leave before we’re all dead, or worse!”
“This is our fight, Jonty. And now that you’re one of us, his name is no longer the Shadow Lord. We call him Assassin, and we’ll fight him with everything we have. This is where we’ll make our stand. If we can’t beat him here, we can’t win anywhere.”
Chapter 14
A Bully Is a Bully Is a Bully
Alexia rocked on her heels. She’d been sitting with Parker inside the cell for hours. Josiah, Juno, Summer, Benaiah, and Adeline all lay sleeping on the dungeon floor. With every passing hour, Alexia began to question her plan. How could they possibly get everyone out when Elion had been able to rescue only a handful? And what if Mrs. Dumphry was wrong? Was Alexia’s mother here?
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