by Moira Murphy
“Do I have to choose?” she finally answered.
“No.” Tuck smiled. He was still wearing his suit pants and white shirt from the ball.
“You’re different here,” she said.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, you’re more… you.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” he joked.
“I mean you let all of us know you, but now… it’s like you’re unashamedly you… all the time.”
“I’m sorry?” He laughed.
“No… No! It’s good. I like it.” She squinted, looking up at him.
“You’re different, too.”
“How so?”
“You’re… happy,” he tried to explain.
“I’m always happy,” she countered.
“You’re not…comfortable at home to be who you want to be. But, here, you like yourself.” Tuck thought of the cave and grinned. “In the cave, you were—I don’t know—happy.”
He kissed her mouth, gentle and quick.
“I am happy.” She kissed him back.
Footsteps interrupted their moment; and they were not coming from within the wall. Tucker slid Tessa behind him, and eyed the forest.
“Lennox?” Tessa put her hand to her eyes, shielding the sun. The green haired servant girl from the castle came out of the trees.
“I knew you’d be here.” She smiled.
“What are you doing here?” Tucker asked, still on the defense.
“I thought you might need this.”
She took the brown side bag from her shoulder and sat it on the ground. She opened it and rifled inside. She laid something beside the bag, wrapped in a blood stained cloth napkin. She unwrapped it; revealing the King’s severed arm.
Chapter 25
“Holy crap,” Niko was impressed with Lennox. “you just picked that up and came here?”
“Yes,” Lennox answered, timidly.
“And thank God she did.” Palmer held the arm awkwardly with both hands.
“How did you know we’d need it?” Tessa asked.
“I hear many things at the castle. I am—was an invisible person to Nathayre. He never saw me. He never cared what I heard or who I saw.”
“Impressive,” Niko nodded, vigorously.
“Well, let’s try it!” Cami said excitedly. Sully lifted the arm from Palmer’s hands, holding it by the elbow end.
“Here we go,” he said hesitantly. He leaned the fingers down toward the vine. It did not move. The entire group stood around the blue door. The pirates were antsy to find their ship; shifting their weight from side to side, rubbing their hands together,
“Tis a dead arm! T’won’t work.” Theo said, impatiently.
“Just give it a moment.” Palmer whispered. The vine still didn’t move. Sully nudged it with Nathayre’s fingers.
“Crap,” he said, pulling it away.
“Wait… wait.” Bindy stepped in front. “It’s sleeping.”
Of course, no one else was familiar with vine locks. Tessa, Tuck, Sully Niko and Palmer were humans and the pirates didn’t need locks on the sea. She bent down and breathed hot air onto the vine, and it immediately sat straight up. Sully offered it Nathayre’s arm; it took it hungrily. The vine was confused; this arm was cold and stiff, but it was still the correct arm, so it unlocked the door.
“We’re in!” Sully shouted. “We’re in!” He pushed on the blue door; it creaked as it swung open. “Let’s not all go, okay?”
“Why not?” asked Tucker.
“I don’t know… boobie traps?” Sully shrugged.
“What are we in, the Goonies?”
“I’m serious,” Sully said protectively. “Just me, Palmer, and Niko… just to be sure.”
“You protect the women folk, Tuck.” Niko smiled. Tuck put two fingers up to his forehead and thrust them out horizontally in a salute.
“I—I…” Lennox stumbled with her words. “I want to go with you.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary.” Palmer tried to calm the girl who he assumed had post traumatic stress disorder. “We can take care of it.”
“No, I think—I think—“, she took a deep breath to compose herself, “I think I can help.”
“If something goes wrong, it would not be good for more people to be caught down there.” Palmer reasoned. Lennox opened her mouth to retort, but held back her comment and nodded her head in agreement.
It was dark on the other side of the door. A long hallway greeted them; no lights to guide them. Palmer took the first step in. He could see nothing. He moved his hand along the side of the wall and found a small wooden lever. He gently pushed it down and the area lit up. Small circular lights hung from the ceiling, one placed every few feet. The hallway was more than a mile long. Its walls were stark white with white floors and ceilings to match. It vaguely resembled a hospital.
“Looks like a morgue.” Niko pointed out. He joined Palmer in the hallway and Sully stepped in behind him. The door snapped shut behind them. Tuck and the others pounded on the door from the other side, terrified they’d lost their friends.
“We’re fine! We’re fine!” Niko shouted to them on the other side. “We will be back within an hour!” The pounding stopped.
They were alone.
“An hour?” Sully asked him.
“ Yeah. Walk down there, fix it. Come back.” Niko shrugged.
“Niko… walking down there is going to be at least half an hour.” Sully pointed out. “And then we have to actually figure out how to stop the electromagnetic thing. And then walk back.”
“Right.” Niko thought to himself.
“And,” Sully continued, “If we can release the water, then this door will be under water. So, we better pray that there’s a second way out down there… or a miracle.”
“Right.” Niko was shell-shocked. He hadn’t thought any of this through. He had only been thinking about fixing the problem, not what could happen after. “Right.” He repeated.
“Then we better get going,” Palmer encouraged.
“I think we should jog, if not run,” Sullivan stated. “To save time.”
While they were reluctant to run after being in stifling heat for days and very little sleep; they jogged. The original assumption of a mile long hallway was correct. They were exhausted as they reached the end. Oboes, violins, and cellos thickened the air with soothing melodies. They came to two large French doors; vibrating with sound. The doors made of crystal allowed them to see into a large room beyond. Niko put his hand around the ornate golden doorknob, and looked behind him to Palmer who nodded his head in agreement that he should open them. The door was unlocked; which meant that either the King had never been down this far or didn’t want to be down this far. Neither explanation was comforting.
The doors swung open to an extravagant circular room; crimson carpet, stark white walls, lavish furniture. A gramophone at the center of the room was the source of the obnoxiously loud music. Sullivan shouted something over the music, but it was not heard. He tried again. It was still not heard. Palmer made his way to the gramophone and removed the needle from the vinyl.
“What?” he asked calmly.
“I said, I don’t think anyone is home,” Sullivan repeated.
“No. I don’t think so either,” Palmer agreed. He looked about the room and up to the ceiling. A pale blue, light emanating roof was the only source of light in the room. He squinted.
“What is this place?” Niko asked.
“I don’t know,” Sully said, running his hands along the white sofa in front of the gramophone. Palmer stepped up onto the small table at the center of the room, and slowly reached toward the ceiling. “What are you doing?”
“The ceiling… there’s something…” Palmer’s hand sunk into the ceiling. He yanked his arm back out. “I think it’s water.” He timidly put his hand to the ceiling again and dragged his fingers along it. It was cold.
“What?” Niko asked, as he too stepped up onto the table and
inserted his entire arm into the ceiling. “It is water,” he said amazed.
“We are at the bottom of the Alerden.” Palmer said in a defeated voice.
“Why did you say that so depressed...?” Niko put his arm to his side.
“Well, if I am right, and this is the bottom of Alerden.” Palmer began. “That means whatever is holding up the water outside is holding it up in here.”
“I don’t follow,” Niko said exasperated.
“If we figure out how to release the water… we’re all going to be under the ocean.” Sullivan finished Palmer’s thoughts.
“Hello?” An unfamiliar voice came from a doorway at the back of the room. Niko jumped down ready to fight anything, when he was greeted by a small boy. He must have been no older than ten, and even that was a generous assumption. His hair was the color of the sky, his cheekbones jutted out violently from his face, he was not in good health. Below his loosely hung white shirt a silver tube attached to a silver cart. “Has the King sent you? Is my work done?” The boy hunched over his cart, presumably too weak to walk on his own.
“Who are you, boy?” Palmer stepped toward him gently.
“I- I don’t think I can keep the spell up much longer—s—sir.” The boy avoided eye contact with them. “M-my food has been empty for weeks.” He tapped the silver cart.
“What spell, son?” Palmer helped the boy to the sofa, holding him under his arms.
“How is my mother?” The boy seemed to be in a sort of daze.
“Get something for him.” Palmer pointed to Niko’s pack. Palmer knew this boy was close to death, he would be surprised if he made it one more day. Niko brought a bottle of water to Palmer, who fed a few droplets to the boy.
“How long has it been?” the boy asked, smacking his lips.
“What are you doing down here?” Palmer asked, running a palm across the boy’s forehead; scorching. “He’s dying.” Palmer mouthed to Sully and Niko. Niko knelt down next to the boy.
“I am Niko. We are here to help get you out of here,” Niko knelt down, his voice kind.
“Has the King sent you?” the boy looked into Niko’s eyes.
“No.” Niko smiled. “The king is dead.” He assumed this would be exciting news to the poor boy, but the boy’s eyes became wild with fear.
“You’re lying!” He gained strength suddenly. “You’re lying!” he shouted.
“Shhh, Shhh. Calm down. It’s okay. You’re safe now.” Niko attempted to calm him.
“He can’t be dead! Where is my family? I want to see my father!” The boy thrashed. Niko put his hands on his shoulder, holding him still.
“Shhh, we will take you to your family. It’s all over.”
“You don’t understand!” The boy continued thrashing.
“Then help us to!” Niko urged him to calm himself. Slowly, the boy took a breath.
“If the King is dead that means my family is dead.”
“Why would your family be dead?” Palmer asked him.
“He said if I did my job then my family would be safe.” The boy grew weak again, and laid back.
“What job?” Palmer asked.
“My name is Conway.” The boy offered as an explanation.
“Conway, what did the King tell you to do?”
“Don’t you understand? I’m a Conway,” the boy said again. Palmer inhaled slowly, preparing to ask the question again.
“Conway, we need to –“
“Wait.” Niko interjected. “Conway. I know that name.”
“Not now, Niko.” Sullivan tried to stop him.
“No. Conway was the name of that Ward… the Ward in the Stone City. He could—he could” Niko searched his memory. “He could control water.” Palmer quickly understood who and what Niko was talking about.
“Conway.” He nodded.
“Could someone please explain this to me?” Sullivan was frustrated.
“There’s no time. Long story short, he is holding up the water.” Niko pointed to the boy.
“Okay,” Palmer stood up “Let’s get him out of here.”
“No!” The boy shouted furiously. “I’m not leaving!”
“We will take you to your family.” Niko attempted to soothe the boy again.
“No. No. No!” The boy sat up. “He said if I leave, they die. I am not leaving.”
“Conway, the King is dead. Your family is safe. We will take you to them.”
“I am not leaving.” The boy stated flatly.
Sullivan looked at his watch. “We have to go,” he said.
“I’m not going!” the boy shrieked.
“Conway!” Niko shouted. “The King is dead. Your family is safe, and now is the time to return the water to your people.”
“No.” The boy held his ground.
“Just pick him up.” Sullivan flung his arm outward. “We have to go.”
“Don’t touch me,” the boy warned. “Do not touch me.”
“We have to go.” Sullivan repeated. “Now.”
While Niko was reluctant to forcefully remove the boy from the room, he knew that it had to be done. He leaned down and picked up the boy in a cradling position. The boy shut his eyes. A great circular blob of water came down from the ceiling and wrapped itself around Sullivan’s body. He was completely engulfed in water. His eyes widened and he clawed at the water, praying to find just one gulp of air. The water lifted him off the ground and tossed him slowly around.
“Stop it!” Palmer shouted, reaching into the water. “Stop it!” He scrambled through the water holding onto Sullivan’s hand, trying to pull him out of the globe.
“Put me down!” The boy threatened, “I’ll drown him!”
“Stop it!” Niko desperately cried, tossing the boy back onto the sofa. His head bounced off the back cushion.
“You’ll leave?” the boy asked.
“Yes. Yes, we’ll leave!” Niko pleaded. Sullivan’s eyes were closing and his movements were slowing. “Let him out!”
The water broke out and Sullivan fell to the ground, soaking wet. He gasped and coughed. Palmer and Niko jumped to his side.
“Are you okay?” Niko asked, slapping his back repeatedly.
“I’m fine. I’m fine.” Sully coughed.
“Leave,” the boy directed. This boy was unmoving in his love for his family. There would be no removing him from this room without it being his decision. And if they were to try to remove him while he was unconscious, they would all drown.
“Niko.” Sullivan whispered, before coughing up water again. “You have to blind him.”
“I can’t. I don’t know how to control it, yet.” Niko answered quietly.
“It’s the only way,” Sully urged.
“If I blind him, he’ll let go of the spell…we will all drown,” Niko stated.
Palmer pursed his lips, unsure of the right answer, but sure that the others would soon begin barreling down the hall, weapons drawn.
“We have to try,” Sully said, standing up.
“What are you whispering about?” the boy asked. He was weak again.
“He doesn’t have much longer, either.” Palmer said. “He’s dying.”
Conway laid his head back and gasped for another breath.
“My guess is the King stuck him down here with some food and told him his family would die if he dropped the spell.” Palmer looked at the boy. “He probably hasn’t slept in weeks, if not months, he’s past delusional. He probably thinks he is hallucinating us even being here.”
“What’re you doing?” the boy coughed. No one answered his question. “What’re you doing?” He coughed again, harshly.
“Niko, can you do it?” Sully asked.
“I could try.” Niko was not confident. “But, what do I show him?” The boy laid his head back on the couch cushion and shut his eyes.
“The King?” Sullivan suggested.
“If he’s about to die do we really want his last thoughts to be of Nathayre?” Niko didn’t like that idea.
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“No, but I think that’s the only way he will drop the spell…” Sullivan stated. “Show him the King and we pick him up and take him out of here, then he drops the spell.”
“Can he make it that far?” Niko gestured to the boy, whose breathing was almost gasping.
“I honestly don’t know,” Palmer answered. “But if it is, we have to go now. He doesn’t have long.”
Niko and Sullivan nodded in agreement. Palmer went to the couch and put his arm under the boy’s head. “Conway… Conway…” he whispered, gently. “The King is here. Wake up.” Conway’s eyes opened with as much energy as he could muster.
“King?” He asked weakly.
Niko focused on the boy, what he was seeing, what he was hearing, what he was feeling. His eyelids were heavy, but he held them up. He saw himself, standing next to Sullivan, and felt Palmer’s arm around his neck. He saw Nathayre step through the doorway; heavy footed and grinning. He wore a white button up shirt and brown trousers with suspenders attached at the hip.
“Conway.” He spoke kindly, Niko thought this would be best for the frightened young boy. “You have done well, you have done as I asked. It is time now to let down the spell and go home.”
“Home?” the boy replied.
“To your family.” Nathayre walked toward the center of the room. Conway smiled at the thought of seeing his mother again.
“Can we go now?” The boy tried to stand, but fell back onto the sofa.
“Yes, boy.” The King nodded. “This man will carry you. We will get you fed and nursed back to health to see your family.” The boy looked up at Palmer and smiled. “Conway…”
“Yes?” The boy began to fall asleep.
“You must wait to drop the spell until we are out of the way of the water, Conway.”
“Yes, King.” The boy dragged his eyelids open once again.
Niko nodded to Palmer to pick up the boy, Palmer tenderly slid his hands under the boy’s arms and legs and lifted him. The boy smiled. Niko and Sullivan turned toward the doors and started out the tunnel, with Palmer behind them. As Niko and Sully passed over the threshold, they heard a click. The two crystal doors slammed shut, separating them from Palmer and the boy.