Inked (The Ink Keepers Book 1)

by N. I. Rojas

  If Kyra was to compare Mackenzie with Rouge’s wolf and woodcutter, she was having a bad time. But Kyra was sure of one thing, better devil you know than dark angel to meet.

  Chapter 21: Maze of Madness

  Funny howls bounced from wall to wall, scaring Mackenzie. It was useless to walk the maze, as Mackenzie was sure it was just another of the Graphylux’s tricks. If the noises were a hint that the giant wolf was inside the maze, then Mackenzie was sure they would all die. But the corridors inside the maze were narrow, as small as the rabbit's burrow or the fire ant's anthill tiny entry. For a perfect fit to this animal, they'll need the entrance of the troll's lair.

  The feelings battling in his interior had no name. Well, maybe it does have a name.

  A girl’s name.

  A witch’s name.

  A bad action called betrayal.

  It was so weird. As if just a few days ago he had been empty inside, and suddenly had been filled against his will with something unknown and mysterious to him. Something more powerful than his self-esteem, or his gigantic teen bravery. There was a force in his chest, and a pain too. The heartbeats were at their highest agitation level and Mackenzie felt fear for these strange sensations.

  It wasn’t adrenaline. He was certain of it. He was used to the loud buzzing in his ears, his chest savagely pounding, the constant hammering on his tummy, and the emotion of the moment. His temples jumping and dancing wildly as hyperactive child with chocolate overdose. None of these things he felt now. It was an excess and a punishment, a guilty conscience he hadn’t felt ever. He had never felt so full, not even when Sirina sang for him. Those moments when he saw happy pictures drawn in his memory, when within himself something told him that he was happy, Mackenzie knew he was compelled to believe.

  The howls continued closer. A shiver ran across his body, remembering Mackenzie he was never happy being the prey. A trail of smoke hovered in the air. Bright lights and shadows were created from within the books, entangled in an unheard melody, dancing over Mackenzie’s head. A thick cloak formed in the corridor, surrounding Mackenzie. His throat felt constricted, suffocated as if his head was tucked inside a plastic bag. He was sweating heavily, despite the fog of coldness in the castle. Mackenzie opened his mouth, trying to take a huge gulp of fresh, clean air, but he ended coughing hard.

  Trying to suppress the noise, he took his hands to his mouth, wishing to disguise the clatter, but he sounded like a dying animal. He opened his leather bag, finding Kyra’s party dress inside. Wrapping it around his head, Mackenzie managed to stop the cough attack, replacing the exterior smells with a sweet numbness caused by the flowery aroma still impregnated to the fabric. Despite the fear, Mackenzie felt fuller and a little safer; tucked in by Kyra’s sweet scent, he felt happier than ever.

  Mackenzie cleared the tears off his eyes while he still was enjoying the scent. He scolded himself for the thought. Kyra was a witch- he reminded himself- and she was forcing him to feel this way. But he was feeling so good at the moment that to imagine her hair moving with the wind, autumn leaves caressing her freckled skin and dangling in her beautiful rebel hair like ornaments was something glorious. He felt sick and feverish. Now that his eyes were clean, Mackenzie saw a group of books at the height of his knees that were turning a strange shade of red. Touching the books, he half expected to magically bring something to reality. A stinging pain made him aware that the books were burning. Pages crumbled at his feet like crunchy chips. Ashes still burning traveled with the soft breeze opening small holes in other books nearby. Mackenzie tried to placate the fire but, when he kicked the wall of burning books, a hole of three feet diameter appeared causing the singed books to fall and form a weird pyramid of coal.

  A torch entered through the improvised tunnel, followed by three pairs of curious eyes peering through the gap.

  “For all the bloody witches! What are you doing here?” -Mackenzie asked irritated, after having overcome the received fright. - “I told you to stay in my trunk.”

  The three Lost Boys looked from one to another.

  “We were hungry and tired, and we knew you were in trouble. The trees whispered us to come.” -The Lost Boys said, each one telling one part of the sentence.

  “The trees? You’ll mean the Enchanted Forest. Right now, it’s full of tricks to end with us. The Wizard put a spell on it to kill us. And what’s this?” -Mackenzie growled. He snatched the torch and threw it to the floor, working to end the fire from a few kicks.

  “That’s fire.” -Answered the little one. - “Something to light the way. Or to cook. Or to warm the body when the night is cold.”

  “Duh. I know what it is. You need to be respectful. These are books, not dry leaves to cook your food. If only Kyra were here. She’ll die for your fault. She’ll be mad at me for this.” -Mackenzie confessed softly.

  “I think you like this girl too much. Is she your girlfriend?” -The oldest boy asked.

  “Did you just say the word with g?” -Mackenzie asked full of incredulity.

  “Don’t be shy. I’m old enough to understand.” -The older boy said, making Mackenzie uncomfortable.

  “I’m the one who make the questions here. I’m the leader. Show a little respect.”

  “Ok, leader. Now what? How you’ll lead us?” -The other boy asked. He wasn’t the shyest boy Mackenzie had seen, but he was better behaved than the others. Thinking that he could escape through the same hole the boys came, Mackenzie ducked to look outside. The moon was almost reaching the point in the sky that the Wizard had said. Soon they’ll sacrifice Kyra for nothing. What he had wanted for so long wasn’t important now. Returning to be a normal boy didn’t have the same meaning. What only mattered was to rescue Kyra and send her home. If he was lucky, he could find Kyra before the Wizard does and he would be capable of sending her back.

  With or without her father.

  That was a risk he was willing to take. The Lost Boys pulled Mackenzie, making him fall to his back. He looked at the boys with mad face.

  “Careful. The old man is out there.” -One of the boys said.

  “Who? The Wizard?” -Mackenzie asked, trying to peer to the outside.

  “He was petting the giant dog.” -Another said.

  “So, he escaped the maze.” -Mackenzie said, convinced. - “Troll droppings he is.”

  Fast, Mackenzie re-stacked the books that were in the floor, trying his best to cover the hole with them. When he was satisfied with his job, they resumed the walking.

  Kyra couldn’t understand how easy it was to talk to this red hooded girl. In just a few minutes she had told Rouge everything about how she had gotten there. Without too much science, Rouge explained Kyra how it all worked in the world of fairy tales. Kyra didn’t understand how the inspiration to write was concentrated in Alter Land exclusively, but Rouge said that this place of mystery was the source of every word turned into magic, the sensation of each verse transformed into a beautiful waltz.

  “How you know about this?” -Kyra wanted to know.

  “I spend my time studying the origins of fairy tales. This information is something the writer left slip somewhere I don’t remember, but I’m quite sure I read about it somewhere.”

  Hurried steps approached Kyra and Rouge. They walked desperately, running away from strange creatures following them. At safe distance, Kyra could still smell the terrible mix of sour and sulfur. The creatures laughed wildly and both Kyra and Rouge could see the faces of the pack chasing them, snarling with bare teeth while thick slobber fell into fat drops until their bodies were covered with the nasty fluid.

  Right in front, books were scattered, forming a small hill. They tried to pass over the pile of books but a whimper that came from underneath alerted them of someone injured. Kyra stopped completely, checking the source of the cry.

  “We have to keep going. The “things” are hot on our heels.” -Rouge urged Kyra to continue running.

  “We can’t just jump over him and left him here. He’
s hurt. The creatures will eat him.” -Kyra said with pity.

  “Well. Hurry then. I’ll take charge of the critters… Wolfings… Whatever gremlins those things are.” -Rouge informed while swung her axe. - “But don’t take too long.”

  A cry of war was Rouge’s advice of raged attack while she disappeared in a corner. Kyra got close to the one that was in the floor, and she was scared for the face of the person lying there. It was a young man, but his face looked dangerous. A wide scar ran from his forehead to the left side of the lips. Kyra knew that to free the man she had to touch the books but touching them was something bad to do because that would mean more dangers. The man was out of air already, so Kyra ignored the voice telling her to continue her path now that Rouge was busy and to leave this man right where she found him.

  Her hands started moving the books long before her brain had sent the command. There weren’t too many books after all. The man sat, resting his back in the wall. Kyra noticed he was very short, not a human after all, but a gnome.

  “You saved me?” -He asked, obviously faking. - “Why you did this?”

  Kyra looked back and forward. Rouge would be back at any second. She must hurry if she still wanted to escape.

  “It’s nothing. You seemed uncomfortable there, so I dared to bother you with this.” -Kyra said, standing fast and returning the irony tone. The gnome stood up too.

  “Water… I hate water.” -The gnome said. Kyra was confused, but soon saw that a book she had touched was lying open in the floor and water was coming out as a torrent. She hurried to close the book, but by touching it she just worsened the situation. Now, the water was increasing rapidly.

  “Oh, no. What have I done?” -Kyra asked herself.

  “You? Ruining everything.” -The gnome answered.

  “What? All this happened just to save you. Ungrateful creature!” -Kyra claimed. The gnome searched into his pockets, taking out two sharp claw-like knifes. He tried to climb in the wall, but he didn’t reach the books that were easy to stab with his knifes. - “I can’t believe I’m going to help you again.”

  Kyra grabbed the gnome as a small baby. He was heavier than he looked. She helped him to reach the place he wanted, and soon he was climbing the wall of books with his knifes.

  “You’re welcome.” -Kyra muttered, tired of the creature’s ungratefulness. She felt a finger pressing her shoulder and she dared to look back although she was afraid of who can be.

  “Take this as reward. Is the only thing of value I have.” -The gnome was hanging from one hand while in his free one held a beautiful pair of slippers made of ruby. - “I don’t need them anyway.”

  “I can’t take this. It’s valuable.” -Kyra protested, walking back several steps. She noticed the water was reaching her hips now. And she was a very bad swimmer.

  “It’s nothing, Whisperer, or Keeper, or however you should be called. These are fireproof, they’ll come in handy someday. I hope you never need to crossfire anyway.” -The gnome offered, placing the ruby slippers into Kyra’s hand and skillfully climbing the wall of books until opening a secret door through which he entered. He looked back at Kyra before disappearing through the door. - “Don’t try this door, they just open one time. Luck, luck.”

  Chapter 22: To drown or to be eaten

  When the stream of water reached Mackenzie, he didn’t find anything else to do other than curse. Everything turned worst when he saw little particles that appeared dancing in the water. He panicked completely. Sirina had told him about these minuscule specimens. They were like glue that attached to the body, and feed from it merciless.

  He rose his feet from the floor, avoiding being in contact with such nasty creatures. While he continued flying, he would be safe. He feared those fluorescent tiny particles would eat him until death.

  The Lost Boys perceived Mackenzie’s fear and started telling him to take them out of the water too. He found no other option than to try to carry the three boys in his back, accommodating them as best as they could. After a few minutes they were a load too heavy to resist. All the pressure they were doing while wrestled not to fall was causing harm on Mackenzie’s back. The water was higher now, high enough to dive and swim. The fluorescent particles mastered the waters, being as numerous as the sands of the beaches. They all cried, but Mackenzie held back his wail, proud to keep the leader status. Finally, the smallest boy slipped and fell to the water.

  The brothers yelled at Mackenzie, asking him to rescue their baby brother. Mackenzie and the other two boys watched in terror as thousands of the tiny greenish fluorescent particles adhered to the small boy’s body.

  “Ahhh, help!” -The little boy yelled while writhed hard. Seconds of tension passed by as the other two kids yelled at Mackenzie, mad at him because he didn’t move. The small boy burst into laughter, calling his brothers. - “Come, it’s funny!”

  The two remaining Lost Boys jumped into the water, without even doubting of the word of the youngest brother. Their bodies were instantly covered in fluorescent too. Swimming and dancing in the water, the three boys seemed to be content, but Mackenzie wasn’t happy at all. The water was coming up fast and soon they all would drown.

  “Leader, come to the water!” -The Lost Boys called. - “It’s fun!”

  Mackenzie considered the invitation for a minute. He really was up to some fun, this has distinguished him as the leader of the Lost Boys for a lifetime. Fun and adventure were his signature marks after all, and he felt very tempted to let himself fall into the water to experience the joy the three boys were having, but he feared. He wouldn’t say it aloud, anyway, but he had never, ever, entered in a water body. Sirina had sown panic in him, telling him about deadly and poisonous creatures lurking among the waters, hiding behind seaweeds, waiting for someone just like him, so naïve, to give his confidence to such treacherous wonder as water. He wouldn’t see it coming, but the creatures would open their maws and devour him in just a single bite.

  Mackenzie was confused. These fluorescent particles were causing no harm to the Lost Boys, yet Sirina had told him to fear them and stay away, as far as possible, because the second they touch your body, they would start nibbling until reaching the core of the bones.

  “We should go looking for Kyra. She’s in danger.” -Mackenzie told the Lost Boys.

  “You are a boring leader!” -The little boy said.

  “Yeah! You are a party pooper! We want to play.” -The older boy stated.

  “And we’re hungry!” -The middle child yelled, convincing Mackenzie he had been wrong by thinking that this boy was the cleverest of the three brothers.

  “I’m your leader. You do as I say or you can be on your own. We fed you already, but you have guts even in the fingers! I see why your mommy left you.” -Mackenzie snapped back. A second after he said those words, he regretted it, but he wasn’t in the mood to take it back.

  “And why your mother left you? Because you’re a crap talker?” -The older boy said back, evidently furious. - “Come on, brothers. We can be on our own. We’ll find the girl before he does, and she’ll take us home. Mom will be worried of discovering we escaped.”

  Rubbing his forehead as if by it he could get an awesome idea to fix it all, Mackenzie flew closer to the Lost Boys.

  “You can’t stay alone here. It’s dangerous.” -Mackenzie tried to convince them. - “You better follow me than stay here on your own.”

  “Don’t boss us around! We walked the creepy forest just to follow you, and you treat us like we’re nothing. You don’t know us! You’re not our leader.” -The older boy hissed. - “You’re just an old man wearing a boy’s body.” -Mackenzie was impressed by the audacity of the boy. On another occasion he would have considered this boy offensive and would have given him a well-deserved punishment. Maybe collecting heavy fallen logs to improve the house, or to clean the orchard and get rid of the dry leaves, or to search for honeycombs and extract the sweet honey despite the stinging bees. He would think of something for later
, but now the three Lost Boys seemed to be a hilarious team of brothers who have no other fault than to eat like termites and having escaped home to visit the grandmother. Oh, faultless boys! Innocent creatures that have fallen in the wrong world, in the wrong story. The best was to take them with him- he was sure of it- and send them to the real world with Kyra.

  “Thar he be!” -Someone shouted at distance. - “Don't let him escape, pirates.”

  “Oh, no! The sea hoodlums!” -Mackenzie regretted. - “Boys, I hope you can swim faster than how you eat…” -The kids looked at each other, wondering what the flying boy meant. The kids looked at an upcoming boat, thinking that they would be safe in that small ship. - “You better start swimming in the wrong direction.”

  “Stop thar, sailin' monster! Ye life be comin' to an end now. Dirty crew, trap him!” -The crooked pirate ordered his men.

  “Help us. Here!” -The Lost Boys cried, waving their hands wildly so the crew noticed them, glowing in the water.