Basketball practice with Scott’s group after school that day took on new meaning, and they worked extra hard in preparation for Jacob’s big day.
After they finished, Jacob went with the group for ice cream. It felt nice, being a part of the team.
When Teegan dropped Jacob off after, Jacob knew right away something was wrong. Matt was pacing the porch. Relief crossed Matt’s face when Teegan pulled up, and he met Jacob on the driveway, barely pausing to wave goodbye to Teegan.
“Why didn’t he answer his phone?”
“Must not have hear—”
“The Makalos need you. They’ve been trying to get ahold of you for a while, but none of us knew where you’d gone.”
“Oh, no! What’s going on? Are they okay?”
“The girl gnat said they need you to Key them to the Fat Lady’s place as soon as possible. Something’s up with her and the potion. What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know—I hope it’s the bud! Maybe it’s ready!”
“Well, let’s go find out.”
Jacob and Matt Keyed through the front door to the tree.
Kenji was pacing inside the tree and turned with relief when Jacob and Matt stepped into the room. “Hurry, Jacob. She says it’s time now.”
“Awesome!” His thoughts raced to the basketball game tomorrow during lunch—would he be back in time? Who cared, if it meant getting Aloren!
“Here, you’ll need this.” Kenji pushed hand shovels into Matt and Jacob’s hands. “We’re all going—she’ll need everyone’s help.”
Jacob tilted his head, confused. Why shovels?
Ebony, Sweet Pea, Akeno, Jaegar, Kenji, and Brojan all followed Jacob through the door to the Fat Lady’s cabin. The Fat Lady sat on her couch, and Aldo was back in his corner again.
She jumped up—how did she move that fast? But when Jacob saw how agitated she was, he understood—she’d barely been sitting in the first place.
“We only have a few hours to find it,” she said. “Just one of the trees will have the bud. If we’re too late, it’ll bloom.”
She pushed her way through the group of people, rushing to her door.
“What about Aldo?” Ebony called to her.
“He’s fine,” the Fat Lady said over her shoulder as she exited the cabin. “He’ll stay put—he doesn’t ever try to leave.” She disappeared around the side of the small building.
It was difficult to keep up with the large woman as she strode across the meadow—her height gave her an advantage over everyone.
The group entered the forest, heading right, away from the tunnel entrance Jacob and Akeno had come through a couple of months ago.
An odd gleam filtered through the trees, and Jacob squinted, trying to find the light source.
As they continued forward, the radiation grew, becoming a bright silver shine. Jacob’s jaw dropped when he finally saw where it originated.
Four magnificent silver trees, tall and beautiful, grew in an overhanging of the mountain, which protected them from the eyes of people on the trail. They were glorious—long limbs stretching out, intertwining with each other, shining brilliantly, almost blinding him when he first looked at them. Even the ground beneath his feet shone, marking where the roots grew. The leaves had a greenish hue under the silver, and the bark was slightly brown. It was amazing.
The others in the group were just as awestruck as he was. Except the Fat Lady. She only gave the trees a passing glance.
“They’ll be like this for twenty-four hours total. They’ve already been shining for three, and possibly more. The bud, which grows on the roots of one of the four trees, will only be good so long as the trees are shining. We’ll split up and start digging—don’t worry about damaging anything. It takes special equipment to harm these things.”
“What do we do?” Jacob asked.
“Just dig through the earth to the roots. But hurry! The bud doesn’t glow until it blooms, which makes it difficult to find. By that time, though, it’s too late—the magical properties release themselves once the flower is mature. Concentrate near the surface first. That’s where the bud is usually found.”
She split them into teams with Ebony and Kenji at one tree, Jaegar and herself at the second, Sweet Pea and Brojan at another, and Jacob, Matt, and Akeno at the last.
The groups raced to their designated trees, Akeno hobbling alongside Jacob and Matt. Jacob sprawled on his hands and knees, Matt and Akeno doing the same, and hacked at the earth, glad to find it wasn’t hard. Following the shine from the root, he dug until his shovel hit something solid. He dropped the shovel and dug with his hands, feeling around the root, trying not to look at it directly. It was so bright!
Then he worked his way upward, baring the root as best he could, ignoring split-offs, until he got to the trunk of the tree.
Nothing there.
Next, he worked his way back down as far as he could, following each break-off from the root—there were hundreds, and the work was tedious.
The boys didn’t speak at first, and after a while, a system developed. Akeno did the surface digging, and Matt and Jacob took over when it got too deep for the Makalo.
Jacob found himself day-dreaming about his basketball opportunity the next day. He couldn’t believe Kevin had finally stepped out of the way! Even if it was just one lunch period. But Jacob was positive that was all the time he’d need—he’d show Coach and the players how good he was.
After half an hour, he grew bored of his thoughts and searched for something to talk about with the others. He was relieved when Akeno spoke up.
The Makalo was staring at the branches above him. “I wonder if these are the same trees as the ones my people used to live in.”
Brojan heard the question from his tree. “Technically, yes, they’re the same.”
“Trees?” Matt asked.
“Akeno, why don’t you tell them some of our history where Rezend and these trees are concerned? And how we lost our magic?”
“Are you sure?” Akeno asked. “It’s a little long.”
“Yes, it’ll give those of us listening something else to focus on.”
Akeno nodded, and Jacob sighed in relief. The work was tedious, and the distraction would be great.
“Well, Jacob already knows most of this history. Matt would benefit from knowing it, though.” Akeno paused, then began. “Long ago, Makalos were non-magical creatures. Well, let me rephrase that. They didn’t have any special powers of which they were aware.
“One day, an important Makalo was nearly killed. The people became desperate for a way to heal him and started searching all through Eklaron. They found the studies of a human who had speculated on the Kaede tree. More specifically, its magical healing properties.
“The Makalos used the sap to heal their leader. He had been so gravely injured that it took several days for him to awaken from his near-death sleep. When he awoke, he sensed wellness in himself that he had never felt before. The sap and the blood in his veins had a reaction to each other, giving him magic that helped him sense other creatures. Eventually, he was able to read the minds of animals, and ask them to do things. He found he could control plants and where and when they would grow. He was able to build things from wood with little effort.
“Over time, whenever a Makalo was born, a tree was planted in his or her honor. The sap of that tree was put into a tiny prick in the baby’s left ring finger, thus helping the magic start to develop at an early age. As the Makalo and the tree grew older, the Makalo would eventually come to live in the tree, in a place where all the trees were physically and magically interlinked. The magic grew with each generation as more Makalos formed their own power, and the old magic was passed down through the blood of the parents to the children.
“The Makalo people became incredible. I’ve already told Jacob that their city isn’t far from here, and maybe someday we’ll visit it.”
Jacob nodded. “That would be awesome.”
“Well, the Makalos discovered that this way of life caused some problems. They’re social creatures who understand the importance of family, but in order for them to grow their magic, they had to live separately from each other, in trees.
“Remember how we told you the Keys were created to save a princess from an evil king? Well, the Keys were created by Onyev, a Makalo patriarch.”
Jacob stopped digging. “Really? Wow. That’s cool!”
Akeno nodded. “He was a great ruler—the greatest we’ve ever had.” The Makalo wiped sweat off his forehead. “Okay, I’m going to need a break.”
“From what?” Jacob asked, looking up from the root he worked on.
Akeno looked down, an embarrassed expression on his face. “Digging. My leg . . .”
“Oh, yeah,” Jacob said. “Get some rest.”
Akeno nodded. “I’ll finish telling you how we lost our magic, though.” He sat on a patch of grass not far from where Jacob and Matt were digging. “During his reign, Onyev saw how unhappy his people had become. They weren’t focused on family and were depressed and discouraged about their situation. They couldn’t figure out what was causing these negative feelings. Parents had so much to do to ensure their increase in magic and their position as rulers that their children were raised as an afterthought.”
He paused. “I want you to understand that Makalos aren’t power hungry. The ancient rulers were the most compassionate and just rulers this world has ever seen. Under them, there was almost always order and peace.”
“I don’t think it’s possible for a Makalo to do or think anything evil,” Jacob said, then chuckled. “Oh, except for a few times—like when you tried to claw out my eyeballs in the infected forest.” He put his hands up when he saw that Akeno was about to apologize. “I’m kidding!” He started on a new root. “Sorry for the interruption.”
Akeno smiled. “Onyev put a great deal of thought into their predicament. The Makalo people were powerful and magical, yes, but they were also unhappy. Onyev pondered on this for weeks. He understood that something was wrong in their lives and that it had to change in order for them to be truly happy. He told the people his thoughts, called for a meeting, and asked them to come with possible remedies to the situation. When they met, the people weren’t even close to a resolution. But they’d seen how their happiness had diminished and how they’d been denying themselves the true sources of joy. Their hearts were open to hear the message of their patriarch.
“The patriarch again presented his thoughts to the people, telling them they’d need to let go of the magic in order to be happy. He made sure they understood the consequences of either choice: stay and remain as rulers, ensuring peace in the world, but loneliness in their lives, or desert their magic to live in traditional Makalo dwellings—a husband and his wife together with their children, experiencing the source of complete joy and happiness.”
Akeno paused for a minute again, and Jacob got lost in his own thoughts. What would he have chosen if he’d been there? The Makalo magic would have been seriously awesome—being able to tell things where and when to grow and to see life through the eyes of other living creatures. On the other hand, though, he’d really miss his family.
Akeno started talking again. “Onyev told them the choice was theirs to make, and that he’d decided, with his family, to find a new place to live. The people discussed it for a couple of days, and it was unanimous. They would follow their patriarch, understanding where he was leading them and why. Their love for him was so deep, and their trust and respect so complete, they knew he would lead them in safety and wisdom. They chose family.
“So, the Makalos left their Silver City and made a new home for themselves in a place two valleys southeast of this one. The new kingdom was massive and wonderful because their magic was still at its peak, and the Makalos continued to reign over the people of this world for many, many more years.
“Our magic has waned since Onyev’s decision, and in a few more generations, it’ll probably be gone completely.”
“But I don’t believe that,” Brojan said from the tree he worked on with Sweet Pea.
“Why not?” Jacob asked.
“Because we still use the Kaede trees’ sap.”
Akeno nodded. “We don’t put it into our blood the way they used to, but we still live close to it and use it to heal. My parents think Rezend will always remain with us, but residually.”
Jacob rocked back on his heels and watched Akeno. “Doesn’t it make you . . . I don’t know . . . sad to think of what the Makalos used to be, compared to now?”
“Yes, it does, a little. It would’ve been incredible to live when my people were so powerful. We really are happy, though, with the choice our ancestors made.”
Jacob was silent for a moment, but thought of another question. “Does it bother the Makalos that it was a human who discovered that Kaede trees can heal?”
“No, not at all. Out of the peoples of the ancient world, Makalos and humans have been closest and have assisted each other the most.” Akeno paused, deep in thought. “Back to the story of Onyev—it would be good to mention that Prince Ayunli approached Patriarch Onyev for help with his dilemma concerning King Broalt and Kilenya after the Makalos had left the Silver City.”
Jacob paused. “King Broalt? Ayunli?”
Brojan grunted. “It doesn’t sound like Jacob knows the story behind the Key of Kilenya. Why don’t you tell it?”
“Yeah!” Matt said. “I want to know.”
Akeno smiled in response to Matt’s enthusiasm. “Even though Makalos used to rule over everyone here, they always allowed the people to have kingdoms and their own government or royalty, as they desired. Several hundred years ago, during Onyev’s reign, a particularly evil human king, Broalt, took the throne of a large kingdom south of here. He was more evil than any other king had been. He was tyrannical to the extreme, and tortured his subjects.
“Broalt had many children, all of whom were just as evil as he. Except one, a son named Ayunli, who was the complete opposite of his father. One day, Ayunli was in a village of the kingdom and met a beautiful girl who was servant to a middle-class family. He introduced himself to her, and long story short, they fell in love. Her name was Kilenya.”
“Oh, how swee—” Matt began, but stopped when Jacob threw a dirt clod at him.
Akeno chuckled. “After spending a lot of time with Kilenya, Ayunli found out that his father had, months earlier, discovered the girl and decided she’d be the king’s next wife. Ayunli was upset, knowing King Broalt would be furious and would probably have them both put to death. Knowing he could not defeat his father, Ayunli approached Onyev.
“Onyev took pity on Ayunli and together they made two keys: the Key of Kilenya, and the Key of Ayunli. They also created two companion necklaces. The intention was that the necklaces and Keys would never part from their owners, unless they were no longer needed. Ayunli and Kilenya would be able to use the necklaces as a limited means of communication, and when they wanted to visit each other, they would use the Keys.
“The Keys and necklaces worked. After visiting each other secretly for a few months, Ayunli and Kilenya were married and quietly left the kingdom. Years of battle ensued while Broalt tried unsuccessfully to locate them and to kill Onyev for what he’d done. Finally, during one particularly bloody battle, Onyev took over human affairs long enough to enslave King Broalt, bring Ayunli out of hiding, and crown him king.
“As is the case with all ‘fairytales,’ the new king and queen reigned in peace and happiness, and the Keys were no longer needed. They were hidden in separate locations far from each other. No one has learned where the Key of Ayunli is, but the Key of Kilenya was put in a secret chamber in the castle. After many years, the Keys became things of myths and legends, with only the Makalo patriarchs and a few others knowing the truth of their existence. It wasn’t until several years ago that Aldo found the Key of Kilenya, and still, most people don’t know it really exists.”
Akeno joined them in the work again, and no one spoke anymore. Jacob figured it was because they hadn’t found the bud yet and wanted to conserve their energy.
He got into the work, forgetting everyone around him. His hands, feet, and legs were aching, but he had to keep going.
The sun went down—Jacob wasn’t sure when. The trees were brighter than it had been, anyway. He had the presence of mind to tell Hazel to deliver a message to his family, telling them he and Matt wouldn’t make it back on time for dinner. They continued working.
The roots and branches of the tree were bright enough that finding the bud wouldn’t have been difficult, except for not knowing which offshoot it was on. The four trees’ roots grew so far and long that Jacob wondered if they’d ever find the right one.
Sometime in the night, Akeno couldn’t go any longer—his leg nearly gave out on him from all the crouching and getting up and down. He rested for a while, then took a walk to work out the kinks in his muscles. He left, returning nearly an hour later with food for the tired diggers from the Fat Lady’s cabin.
Everyone took a break—Jacob almost collapsing from exhaustion. But thinking of Aloren gave him determination. He couldn’t give up. He wouldn’t. Not when she needed him so badly.
As soon as the Fat Lady gave the command, they returned to work.
Jacob longed for his MP3 player. For anything to break the silence. There wasn’t a noise to interrupt them, and he was too exhausted to talk. He briefly considered the Lorkon. Would they show up while everyone was digging? Hopefully not.
The hours passed slowly and painfully—with no luck. The Fat Lady offered the occasional encouragement. According to her, it had never taken this long to find the bud before—every minute of digging brought them that much closer to it.
Hazel and Early flew back and forth between Jacob’s house and the trees, delivering messages from his parents, who eventually went to bed, realizing they couldn’t do anything to help. Jacob wondered how much trouble he’d be in for running off like this.
He didn’t even realize the sun was rising until Kenji pointed it out. How much longer? Surely they’d find the bud soon. How could four trees have so many roots?
The sun had fully risen when Ebony hoarsely yelled that she’d found it. Momentarily awakened by the excitement of seeing what they’d been searching for, Jacob hobbled to her side, looking down into the row she’d been digging.
The bud looked exactly like a rose bud—only bright blue, and larger than Jacob’s fist. The seams where the petals met gleamed with a brilliant silver-blue light.
“Almost too late,” the Fat Lady said when she shuffled over. “It’s about to bloom on its own.” She cut the bud from the root with a pair of scissors, then charged toward her house, the group straggling behind.
When they arrived at her cabin, she had already washed the bud and was putting it on the table. Everyone gathered around, and Aldo jumped to his feet from where he’d been sleeping in the corner.
The Fat Lady leaned forward, biting her lips, and slowly, carefully, peeled the outer, dark petals off, placing them in a bowl. With each petal she plucked, the bud glowed brighter and brighter. Finally, only two outer peels remained, and she pulled them off simultaneously.
Suddenly the bud burst open and everyone jumped back. The petals unfurled by two feet at least, and a pungent aroma filled the air—like apple juice and cedar wood. Light shot from the center of the rose in a huge beam, hitting the ceiling of the cabin, then swelling until it covered everything and everyone.
The light faded, but the petals themselves began glowing so brightly, it was almost painful to watch. The petals were delicate and nearly translucent. The flower grew until it covered the entire table—the Fat Lady moving things out of its way.
“That is so beautiful,” Ebony said. Everyone nodded in agreement. The blossom was the prettiest Jacob had ever seen, and definitely the bluest.
“It’ll stay like this for a month at least,” the Fat Lady said.
“How do they survive underground?” Jacob asked. “Those petals look really thin.”
“Touch them—they’re not as fragile as they appear.”
Jacob did so, his eyebrows raising at what he felt. The petals were as solid and strong as metal. “Wow. That’s amazing.”
Everyone else stepped forward, wanting to touch it. The Fat Lady grinned at their reactions.
“It’s pretty awesome, isn’t it?” she asked. “And you’d never believe how much it weighs. Jacob, go ahead and pick it up.”
Jacob reached forward, putting his hands on the underside. He braced himself, using his legs as anchors, but almost dropped it in surprise when he lifted it. It was as light as a regular-sized rose. “How . . .?”
“Don’t know. Everyone else, take your turn, then get going. I need to work.”
“Which part did you need?”
“The outer petals—they’re the ones with the most magic in them. Once the bud blooms, they fall off and wither, becoming useless.”
“If those petals are so strong, how did you pull them off?”
She grinned at Jacob, wagging her finger at him. “You actually think I’m going to tell? Everyone has their secrets.”
“What’cha going to do with the rest of the flower?” Matt asked.
“Save it for use in other potions. Now leave! All of you. I have to get started right away—the petals need to sit in an acid solution for a while.”
“How long?” Jacob asked.
“A couple of weeks—maybe three.”
Jacob sighed in frustration, too tired to voice his annoyance, and took everyone home, including Gallus, then he and Matt returned to their house. His mom sent them to bed, excusing them from school for the rest of the day.
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