by Peach, Hanna
She heard Tii’la curse behind her. “Wait up. I’m coming.”
As they got closer to the lava Raphael’s charm began to crackle. Blue sparks flew from the charm to the surface of the lava. The lava began to swirl into a vortex.
“Look!” Alyx cried.
The level of the lava began to fall as if it were being drained away until there was just a circular rock floor underneath and puddles of hot liquid. There was a pattern in the puddles as if the rock was depressed in a particular way. Before Alyx could figure out what the pattern was, the puddles steamed and evaporated into nothing.
“Am I the only one who thinks that was awesome?” said Tii’la.
But Alyx was barely listening as she looked at the ground with her Soulsight. From the rock, blue writing shimmered − writing that curved around the edge of the circular stone floor. “There’s writing here,” Alyx exclaimed with excitement. She read it out loud.
“You will find your treasure,
By solving riddles three,
But first to enter,
Your way here is the key.”
Oh goody. Riddles. Why was everything guarded by riddles?
Alyx frowned as she stared at the stone floor. She could have sworn that there was a pattern there. She flew down to the ground. Heat was still radiating from it, but it was cool enough to touch without being burned. She crouched down to study the patterns in the rock, running her fingertips over the rough surface. The pattern was familiar, the way the rock was depressed in this area…and in that area…in that shape…
“Alyx?” She could sense Tii’la beside her. “What are you looking at?”
“It’s a map!” Alyx stood up suddenly, causing Tii’la to take a step back.
“A map?”
Alyx knew she had part of a WaterBearer mark left on her ribs. She drew upon the magic and directed a pulse of water towards the ground. The water sprayed and splashed, then glided over the rock towards the lowest areas until puddles were formed. Alyx grabbed Tii’la’s hand and pulled her up so that they were hovering several meters from the floor. “Look!”
Below them the shapes of all the countries and continents rose out of the thin layer of water. “It’s a map of the world,” exclaimed Tii’la.
“Exactly.”
“What does it mean?” Tii’la asked.
“The answer is in the last two lines of the riddle.” Alyx read part of the riddle out loud again. “But first to enter, your way here is the key.”
Her way here was by the compass that Raphael had left her. It was obvious, Raphael’s compass was the key, but where was the lock?
Your way here is the key.
She stared at the engraving of the world in the floor again. There had to be a link from the riddle to this map of the world. There was a clue in this map. But what?
Your way here is the key.
What if…
What if the last line had a double meaning?
She flew down to land in the miniature Atlantic Ocean. The island of Atlantis was indicated by a small circular piece of rock that jutted forward. If she wasn’t mistaken, there was a slightly circular depression in the rock…about the size of her compass. Here was her lock. And she had the key.
“I think I figured it out,” Alyx said, lifting the charm hanging against her chest. She felt Tii’la’s eyes on her as she pushed the charm into the depression. There was a small click as it landed home. There was a moment’s silence. Then the ground began to rumble deep and low like a bass note.
The ground began to fall away like a ripple out from the lock. The charm fell against her again, its weight a small comfort. Tii’la’s hand gripped her arm, pulling her back from the widening hole. The sound of stone and grit pinging against something hard down in the void below. When the rumbling stopped and the air began to clear of dust, she could see the beginnings of a set of stone steps leading down into a bleak nothingness.
Alyx sighed as she stared into the darkness. “For once I’d love a well-lit path with a set of clear directions.”
She spotted a shadow moving on the ground. She looked up, squinting. Against the sunlight were two silhouetted figures falling towards them. “Tii’la, look out!”
Alyx unsheathed her sword just as a blade came for her. She met it with a clash. But the force of the falling body hit her and they both tumbled to the ground. She rolled away and leapt to her feet to face her attacker. It was Do’hann, a warrior in her rival flock when she had lived in Michaelea.
“Hello, Alyx,” Do’hann snarled, his sword clashing with hers again, knocking her back. Alyx ducked and rolled onto her side as his sword came down upon the ground with a huge crash. She leapt to her feet and swiped at his ankles. He flinched his feet away. But his size made him top heavy and he stumbled. Alyx lashed her blade at his hand and his sword clattered to the ground. She raised her point to his throat as he scowled at her.
“Give up, Do’hann.”
“You give up, traitor,” a familiar voice called out from behind her, “or your little friend gets her throat cut.”
Alyx glanced over in horror to see Varian, Do’hann’s flock leader, holding a blade to Tii’la’s back. Tii’la looked stricken. Dammit. How did Tii’la get overpowered so quickly? “If you kill her, I’ll kill Do’hann.”
Varian glared at her from over Tii’la’s shoulder before his face broke out into laughter. “You think I give a damn if you kill him? He’s just another foot soldier.”
“Sir!” Do’hann tensed against her blade and Alyx caught the flash of hurt quickly hidden.
Alyx eyed Varian. He was either bluffing or he really was a twisted bastard. She licked her lips slowly.
“You’re making me impatient, traitor.”
“Okay,” Alyx said, snatching her blade from Do’hann’s throat. “You win.”
Varian shoved Tii’la towards Do’hann. “You handle her. The Guardian and I have got a few things to sort out.” Varian faced Alyx and trained his sword at her. “Now, unsheathe all your weapons and kick them over.”
Alyx begrudgingly dropped her sword and kicked it to Varian’s feet. She removed her second sword from her back and the dagger at her hip before crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at Varian.
“And the rest of them,” said Varian.
“There’s no more.”
“Don’t lie to me, girl. If you’re a trained warrior, you’ll have at least one more in your boot, if not two. Let’s have them.”
Alyx kneeled slowly. Varian hadn’t yet noticed the small blade she kept strapped near her ribs. She removed both blades from her boots and threw them into the pile. She felt naked without them.
Varian grinned when he saw them. “Once a warrior, always a warrior.”
“Once an asshole,” Alyx muttered, “always an−” Varian stepped up towards her and smacked her across her face. Pain exploded across her cheek as her head snapped to one side. She tasted blood on the inside of her lip.
She watched bitterly as Varian tucked her weapons away on his person, her mind ticking over any escape options. Varian and Do’hann were smart. They were well-trained warriors. They wouldn’t be making too many mistakes.
Varian held a sword to her neck as Do’hann deweaponed Tii’la. “Were you really going to let her kill me?” Do’hann asked Varian as he took Tii’la’s weapons from her.
Varian snorted. “Come on, lad. I was bluffing for her benefit.”
Alyx could see a hint of doubt left on Do’hann’s face.
“You’re going to take us to the missing Amulet piece,” said Varian to her, “or you’ll die, painfully.”
Of course. They wanted the last piece of the Amulet for Michael. But how did they find her and Tii’la? How did they know that the third piece was hidden in Atlantis? Did they happen to be searching Atlantis when they spotted Alyx and Tii’la? Or…did someone back at the castle betray them?
Whatever happened, Alyx couldn’t let them get hold of that last Amulet piece.
“Oh, I think you will. You’ll take us to the Amulet to save your Rogue friend here.”
Tii’la.
A glance over to Tii’la showed the warrior keeping a defiant look on her face. But the fear was clear in her eyes.
“Even if I help you get the Amulet,” said Alyx, “you’ll just kill us both anyway.”
“How about, I promise to let you both go if you help us. Warrior’s honor.” Varian grinned and he eyed her body like a would-be lover. But the lust in his eyes wasn’t sexual, it was for violence.
Alyx felt a shudder go down her spine. She didn’t believe Varian for a second. But for now she had to play along with it until she could figure some way out of this mess. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
“Of course you will.”
“Alyx,” Tii’la gasped.
“It’ll be okay, Tii’la,” Alyx said. “I promise.”
Varian laughed. “It’s quite touching how you can maintain such optimism in the face of total defeat. “Now get inside. You first.”
Chapter Ten
In the Castle Speranza, Israel knocked on the door to Sparrow’s room. There was no answer. He knocked again before he tried the door and pushed it open.
“Sparrow?” The small bed was untouched and no one was in. The small swallow that Alyx had befriended was sitting on the sill and chirping. Israel also noticed the chair at the small table by the only window had been thrown in the corner. And was it missing a−
Something moved to his left behind the door. Israel ducked behind the door, narrowly missing getting a chair leg to the head. The leg smacked against the side of the door with a crack. That wasn’t a practice shot.
“Jesus Christ, Sparrow. What are you doing?” Israel grabbed the splintery wooden chair leg that Sparrow was brandishing at him like a sword. Somehow the kid had managed to break the leg off the only chair in his bare room.
Sparrow struggled with the end of his wooden weapon before Israel pulled it clean from his hands. Immediately Sparrow’s eyes glanced all around the room, searching for… either a way out or another weapon, Israel wasn’t sure. Either way, he had to get Sparrow calmed down before he hurt himself or someone else.
“I’m not here to hurt you. Alyx sent me. I’m Israel. I’m a good friend of hers. She asked me to take you around.”
Sparrow turned his narrowed eyes at Israel, studying him all over. “Where’s Alyx?”
“She had to go somewhere on a mission. She asked me to take care of you while she’s gone.”
“If you’re really a friend of hers, then you’ll be able to answer some questions.”
Israel almost laughed at how serious he was. “Okay, ask away.”
“What’s her racing name?”
“You mean for the night races? Bullet.”
“What’s our swallow friend’s name then?”
The swallow chirped and hopped along the sill. Israel wasn’t sure whether that was supposed to be encouragement or whether he was being heckled.
“It’s Piki, isn’t that right?” Israel took a step towards the boy, but he backed up.
“Okay, so you’re a friend of Alyx’s. Doesn’t make you a friend to me.”
This kid had some serious case of mistrust. But from the story Alyx had told him about the boy’s past, no wonder he was this way. Israel had also been this mistrusting when he was younger. The boy just needed a bit of understanding and some time to see that he was safe here.
“We don’t have to be friends for me to show you around the castle.”
Sparrow didn’t reply.
“Maybe you can let me show you around, and you can decide later if you want to be friends.”
“Maybe.”
“Or you can stay in this room all day. Up to you.” Israel watched Sparrow’s little face contort slightly. He was considering it; that was a start. “I’ll make my way down to the training fields where we can check out some weapons that’ll make your broken chair leg seem like child’s play.”
Sparrow’s eyes widened slightly. But just as quickly they narrowed.
“Then I’ll probably swing by the kitchen and grab myself something to eat,” Israel continued. “I’m sure they’ll have leftovers for you too.”
That did it. Sparrow’s little tongue poked out to lick quickly at his bottom lip. Israel swore he could hear his stomach rumble.
Israel took Sparrow down to the kitchen first. The cook told Sparrow he could take as much bread and cheese as he could carry. Israel watched, amused, as the boy stuffed his pockets and pants of his fill. He didn’t stop munching as they walked around the grounds. Good, Israel thought. He could use some meat on his bones.
“These are our training fields. We train everything here: magical training, hand-to-hand and weapons.”
Sparrow’s eyes widened at the rows of Seraphim who were training. Since the battle with Samyara, most of the usually peaceful FreeThinkers had taken it upon themselves to continue training. They had seen how useful it had been, and they knew the battle with Samyara was probably not going to be the last one.
“Do you want to have a go at a punching bag?” Israel asked as he stepped up to one and gave it a good smack. Their bags were made from mismatched leather pieces recycled from old jackets and furniture that some of the FreeThinkers had sourced. They had been cut and sown with thick string and stuffed with old couch stuffing and dried beans. “It won’t hit back, I promise.”
“No, I’m okay.”
“Maybe you’ll want to train with some magic? Do you know what powers you’ll grow into yet?”
Sparrow glanced away. “I don’t think I’ll get any powers.”
“Why do you say that?”
“My parents didn’t want me. I’m a nobody. I’m not going to get any powers.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Why else would they have thrown me away? It doesn’t matter anyway.”
Israel knew the boy was trying to be tough, but he recognized the hurt in Sparrow’s voice. “I know how you feel, Sparrow.”
“No you don’t.”
“I was an orphan as well. My mother died when I was born and I thought my father never wanted me.”
“Oh,” said Sparrow. “That sucks. Sorry.”
“Being an orphan does suck. And for the longest time I thought I was going to have to go through this life alone. But you learn some things as you get older.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Like…do you know what the coolest thing about being an orphan is?”
Sparrow stared at him strangely, as if he couldn’t believe that there was anything that Israel could say that was cool about being an orphan. “What?”
Israel glanced around at the castle and at the warriors training; he spotted Vix training with Xiang watching; he saw Tobias walking with Dianne on the far side of the field; he thought of Alyx and his heart filled close to bursting. Finally his gaze returned to Sparrow. “You get to pick your own family.”
The skin around Sparrow’s eyes tightened and his bottom lip pressed against his top. The boy was so used to keeping his emotions to himself.
Israel was about to speak again when he heard a cry of pain. Israel turned on his heel. A seraph, who Israel recognized as Tebo, was staring at his hands in horror.
“What’s wrong?” Israel asked as he stepped up to Tebo’s side.
“I was practicing,” Tebo said, staring at his shaking hands. “I was just practicing my aim. But now…it’s gone.”
“What’s gone?”
“M-My magic. My FireTwirler. I can’t raise it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Look at them.” Tebo thrust his shaking hands towards Israel. “There’s nothing. Nothing.” A crowd had started to form around them now, but a quick scan showed him that Sparrow was still there, standing back on the edge of it.
Israel turned back to Tebo. “Maybe you’re jus
t tired. Maybe−”
“No!” Tebo cried out so violently spit flew from his mouth. “I’m not just tired. My magic just stopped. I can’t even feel it anymore. Look, see.” Tebo cupped his hands in front of him as if he were holding an invisible ball. His fingers shook and his forehead creased with visible exertion. He let out the breath he had been holding. “It’s gone. My magic’s gone.”
A nervous chatter spread through the surrounding Seraphim. Israel stared around them. He needed to keep everyone calm. He turned to Tebo. “It’s probably nothing. There’s no need to panic. But you should go and tell Tobias. He’ll…. He’ll know what to do.” Israel turned to the closest Seraphim. “You go with him.”
The crowd dispersed as Tebo crossed the training area towards Tobias. Israel went over to where Sparrow was standing. The boy’s eyes were wide as an owl’s.
“Tebo will be fine,” Israel said. “His magic…he’s probably just overexerted himself.”
But it didn’t seem like Sparrow had heard him at all. He looked like he was a thousand miles away. Sparrow was worried by something. Israel wasn’t sure what. But he was sure was that Sparrow wasn’t going to tell him. Not yet anyway.
Chapter Eleven
Alyx ascended the stairs first, Varian behind her, Tii’la, then Do’hann brought up the rear. The stairs ended in a square room, probably only five or so meters in diameter. The floor was carved roughly from the bedrock of stone from which this chamber seemed to have been excavated.
Ahead were two large matching doors, lit only by the flames that flickered from iron torches. It didn’t seem like there was any way to distinguish between them.
“So,” Varian said, “which one do we go through?”
Alyx stood in front of the doors and studied each one. Both doors looked identical, both were large faded green wooden doors with steel reinforcing. Both had two brass knockers positioned in the center. There was no telling them apart.
“Stop stalling,” Varian commanded.
“I’m not,” Alyx said. “Give me some time.”
“You’ve got thirty seconds.”