Chapter 12. Blindness
Jacob put his foot on the plank and looked up to find the rope. It was level with his head, which would make things more difficult. It was at that height for a reason, of course. Sweet Pea and Akeno wouldn’t be able to reach it if it was higher.
His hands were still sore from using the machete. He should’ve taken the time to fix them with Kaede Sap. No chance to do that now.
Jacob walked slowly, looking back occasionally to check on the progress of those behind him. The emotions emanating from them were surprising. Everything from nervousness to fear to excitement and even slight boredom—that one was Aloren, of course. But no, Matt’s emotions showed some indifference too, along with his excitement. Why was he bored? Then Jacob smiled when he remembered all the rope courses his brother had completed over the past few years. He wasn’t really afraid of these sorts of things.
He felt a tug in the rope around his waist when he was at least fifteen feet across and turned to see that Gallus was just getting on the plank. Jacob took a deep breath. The entire group was on the board now. If they fell, no one would be able to save them.
He continued onward, trying not to think about that.
A moment later, everything went black. He gasped, pausing. It was the weirdest thing ever—as if someone had turned off the sun or the lights, with no action on his part, and no residual vision. He’d never been in such complete blackness.
Jacob shuffled forward, feeling with his feet, making sure he knew what was under him before stepping.
Akeno practically freaked out when he went through the trap, and Jacob instinctively looked back to see what was wrong. He nearly stumbled in surprise at what he saw. “I can still see your emotions!”
“That’s wonderful!” Gallus said.
“Yeah! I’ll check on you guys every few steps.”
“Good. You’re about twenty feet from the wall.”
Jacob nodded, knowing Gallus was watching. He counted the steps in his head, listening as the others went through the trap one at a time.
He’d nearly reached twenty when he felt a strong lurch in the rope tied around his waist, causing it to dig sharply into his stomach. His sword shifted, its weight knocking him off balance, and he lost his footing, holding onto the line above as tightly as he could while his legs swung out from under him. The board banged sharply against his shins, and his hands burned from the sudden friction. He slid backward down the line by what felt like a couple of feet, bumping into Akeno, who cried out.
Everyone yelled in shock, and the line bounced Jacob up and down. He scrambled back onto the board, wishing he could see what he was doing.
“Quiet!” Gallus said. “Who fell off the board first?”
“I did,” Sweet Pea said. “Lost my grip. I’m holding on to the board. I . . . I think I can pull myself up.”
Jacob heard grunting, and the rope dug into the skin of his waist, making him wince from the pain.
“Careful, Sweet Pea,” Gallus said. “I’ve got you.”
The rope slackened and Jacob faced away from the others, toward the wall again. He held tight to the line above. “You guys ready? Or do you want to take a break?”
“Keep going,” Gallus said. “The sooner we get off this board, the better.”
“That was really close,” a tiny voice said near Jacob’s ear, making him jump.
Jacob looked and saw a tiny spot of green—her emotion, representing happiness. “Early! Where have you been?”
“Watching and visiting Aldo—I would’ve come to help if you needed it.”
Jacob rolled his eyes. “Okay, well, how far from the wall am I?”
“Close. Very close.”
“Glad someone can see,” he mumbled.
Jacob scooted forward, feeling the board with every step, making sure not to put his foot down without being confident he wouldn’t fall off the side. How would they do stuff like this without the sensation of touch? Hopefully Early would take it upon herself to help.
Then his foot found nothing. He shuffled to the side and felt solid stone. Great! “I’ve reached the wall!”
“Wonderful!” Gallus said.
Jacob found the lamp post and clung to it for support with one hand while helping Akeno get off the board. The wall seemed to be at least three feet wide on top.
“Gallus, now what?”
“Um . . .”
Jacob frowned, hoping Gallus had thought this far in advance.
“I need you to climb past the pole, then drop to the ground in the middle of the archway. Aldo said the wall is about ten feet tall. Don’t go into the city and don’t exit—stay right in the middle of the archway. From what Aldo mentioned, we’ll have around six feet of area under the arch to work with.”
“Okay.”
“And I’ll help you!” Early said.
“Thanks, Early. You totally rock.”
He felt his way around the pole, then paused. “How am I going to drop to the ground without pulling all of you with me?”
Silence. Then, “Good point. Untie yourself. The rest of us will stay together and undo ourselves one at a time. When we join you, we’ll do up the knots again.”
Jacob untied the rope and continued with Early guiding him.
“Just a little farther. Just a little farther. Stop. You’ve reached the arch.”
Jacob sat on the part of the wall closest to where the stone rose, then twisted and lowered himself until he was hanging by just his hands.
“How far is the ground from my feet, Early?”
“About as much as you are tall.”
Just wonderful. He pulled himself back up to talk with the others. “When you come around the pole, sit on the spot where the wall meets the arch—Early will help you—and lower yourself with your hands. I’ll be below, trying to guide you. The drop from the wall to the ground is more than ten feet. I’ll do my best to catch you. Luckily, I can still see your emotions, so I’ll know where you are.”
The others acknowledged that they understood, and he watched the colors of their emotions brighten, reflecting anticipation, panic, confidence, and fear. No boredom now.
Jacob took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty hands on his pants. After a moment, he lowered himself once again, took another deep breath, then let go. The wind rushed by him, tickling his ears.
Suddenly, the fall was over and he landed, stumbling a bit, then righted himself. He froze, waiting to see what happened. No pain! The tension he’d felt earlier dissipated—being an athlete had its perks. And he definitely still had the sensation of touch, thank goodness.
“I’m ready for you, Akeno.”
Akeno’s emotions showed he was about to go hysterical. “All right,” he squeaked.
“If you get hurt, we have plenty of Kaede Sap. You’ve got to calm down. It’s going to be okay. ”
“I’m fine.”
Jacob narrowed his eyes when Akeno’s colors didn’t change. “Seriously, Akeno. I can see your emotions, remember? You aren’t relaxing. Just breathe.”
Gallus chuckled. “He’s probably not going to feel better until he’s on solid ground again.”
Jacob agreed, and changed tactics. “Just take your time. You’re light enough—I’ll be able to catch you. Sack of potatoes, remember?”
Akeno laughed, a bit of yellow coloring the air around him. “Yeah, I remember.” He paused. “Okay, I’m coming.”
Jacob watched the emotion come closer. He was going to have to get used to this. There wasn’t a real shape, and the color faded in and out—stronger in some areas than others. It was interesting to see it without Akeno’s face. And it was even stranger to realize Jacob saw it without using his sight.
While waiting, Jacob glanced in the direction where he imagined the fortress to be, and sure enough, the strong emotions were still there. He detected slight movement and figured the Shiengols were restless. He would be too, after being trapped for over fourteen years.
Jacob
looked back and saw Akeno’s color lowering. He wasn’t sure if it was around Akeno’s head or his torso at that moment, but at least it gave Jacob an idea of the Makalo’s position.
He reached up on tippy toes, but didn’t feel anything. “Are you hanging by your hands yet?”
“Nope. Give me a minute.”
The deep yellow lowered even farther, then Akeno said, “Now I am.”
Jacob reached up again, swishing his hands through the air, and finally his fingertips brushed the bottom of the Makalo’s foot.
“Whoa,” Akeno said. “Was that you?”
“Yeah. I can’t really reach your feet.”
A pause. “I guess I’ll just let myself fall, then.”
“And I’ll do my best to catch you.”
“On the count of three. One, two—you’re still down there, right?”
“Yes, Akeno.”
Another hesitation, then, “Three.”
Suddenly the emotion rushed down to Jacob and he put his arms out, trying to keep them below Akeno. With a loud umph and a painful kick to his face, Jacob caught the Makalo.
“Sorry! I felt that! Was it your head?”
Jacob put Akeno down, his cheek smarting. “I’m fine.” He rubbed where he’d been kicked, hoping it wouldn’t bruise too badly. It sure hurt! His eyes watered. He blinked several times, then shook his head to clear it and called up. “All right, Aloren, we’re ready for you.”
Aloren didn’t hesitate before coming. That wasn’t surprising—she’d had a lot more practice doing insane things.
Determination was the emotion that guided Jacob. The colors flowing around her were red and green—anger and happiness. He’d been surprised a couple of months ago to figure out that determination was closely related to anger, but a determined person would face their problems with a positive attitude.
The tinted air showed Jacob when she’d reached the edge and she’d lowered herself. He stretched up and felt her ankle.
A blush crossed his face, and he was very glad no one could see it. Except Early, who probably didn’t care. Speaking of the Minya . . . she was most likely observing and making sure no one got hurt. Jacob hoped so, anyway. He couldn’t see her emotions right then.
“Okay, I’m dropping now.”
Jacob caught her smoothly, enjoying the feeling of holding her in his arms, knowing his blush was spreading. He put her down quickly, then gasped when she kissed his cheek.
“Thanks,” she whispered. The red in the air around her dissipated, overpowered by green. Did she like him? Had she been hiding it all that time? No—she’d also had those feelings toward Kevin. Maybe the stress of the current situation made her like Jacob more?
Her emotions showed her moving away, and he brought a hand to his face. She’d kissed the same cheek Akeno had kicked. A huge smile split his face and he felt like his heart would soar away. She’d kissed him! And it was his little secret. He sighed, then realized Matt was trying to talk to him.
“Hello? Are you ready for me?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. I am.”
Matt’s typical emotions of excitement and happiness marked his progress, and Jacob guided him without a problem. Matt didn’t want to be caught when he dropped, and Jacob was grateful for that. Matt was heavy.
When Sweet Pea’s turn came up, Jacob had everyone lock hands, forming a sort of trampoline where Sweet Pea could land. It worked perfectly. They put him down and moved back when Gallus said he didn’t need any help. Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way he and the others would be able to support the man’s weight.
Jacob watched Gallus’s emotions descend as the man lowered himself. When he dropped, he stumbled, and Jacob reached out to steady him. His hands swept through empty air. The swish of cloth and a thud, followed by a sharp smacking sound, let Jacob know Gallus had fallen. The black man cried out in pain.
“My knee!”
“What happened?” Akeno asked.
“Everyone stay where you are.” Jacob got to his hands and knees and carefully approached Gallus’s colors. “Gallus fell. I’ll inspect him—we don’t want anyone to stand on him accidentally.”
Gallus moaned. It looked like he was trying to get to his feet.
“Don’t move.”
Gallus stopped and Jacob found the man’s foot, glad the man had the sense not to thrash around. “I need Kaede Sap, fast,” he called over his shoulder.
“I’ll get it!” Akeno said.
Jacob turned his attention back to Gallus, feeling around until he located the man’s shoulder. “Gallus? Are you okay?”
Gallus gasped. “My left knee. I think I cracked it.”
“Ouch. We’ll take care of you.” Jacob turned. “Akeno? The package?”
Akeno’s voice sounded very small. “Um . . . my bag’s open and mostly empty—no sap. I . . . I think it fell out while we were crossing the Argots.”
Jacob growled in frustration. “Anyone else have some? Check your bags, even if you don’t think you do.”
He was glad Mom and Ebony had packed the bags for the group. They’d come up with the idea to separate everything into different categories, using cloth for the food, paper packaging for the Kaede Sap, plastic for hygienic items. Of course, this would only work before the trap that removed the sensation of touch.
“I had a ton of it,” Sweet Pea said. “But we used it all on Matt and Akeno.”
The others reported they didn’t have any sap either. Gallus groaned, then gasped out a couple of words. “Pain” and “hurry.”
“How is it possible that Sweet Pea and Akeno were the only ones carrying it?” Jacob asked. He bit his lip, frustrated. They couldn’t continue without Gallus, and they couldn’t leave him here like this. That left only one other option. Jacob had to get more sap. “Aloren? Where are you?”
One of the emotions stepped forward. “Here.”
“Come watch over Gallus and make sure he’s comfortable. I’m going to Taga Village.”
Aloren gasped. “But . . . you can’t go back!” she said. “What happens if you fall? The Key will be lost, you’ll die, and we’ll be stuck here forever!”
Jacob shook his head, not wanting to answer.
“I’ll come,” Akeno said. “It’s my fault we lost the sap.”
Jacob almost turned him down, then realized two would be better than one. “Okay, let’s get going.”
“Jacob, please,” Aloren said.
Jacob glowered. “What would you propose we do? What are our other options? Leave him, and continue onward? Stay here, hoping someone comes and finds us? There’s nothing else.” He hated talking to her like that, but she was usually tougher than this.
“I . . . I know. I just . . . I don’t want us all to die.” Her voice quavered. “I’m afraid.”
“Yeah, same. But I have to do something.”
“What about setting up a door here and going back that way?”
Jacob did his best not to sound exasperated. “Because Akeno can’t see to enlarge anything, and even if he could, there isn’t enough space under the arch to make the door big enough.”
Aloren’s voice was still a little shaky. “All right.”
“Go, Jacob,” Gallus gasped. “I’ll be fine . . . while you’re gone.”
Jacob turned to scan the skies before remembering he couldn’t see anything. “Early? Are you there?”
A spot of green flitted near him. “Here, Jacob!”
“Tell Aldo that Akeno and I are heading back, then please stick very close to me in case anything happens.”
Early agreed, and Jacob put his hand on Aloren’s arm before getting to his feet. “We’ll be careful, I promise. We’ll come back.”
She released a long breath of air. “Okay.”
Careful not to bump into Gallus, Jacob scooted a couple of feet away—clearing himself from the man’s legs—then got up. He unbuckled his sword, laying it down against the wall of the arch. He didn’t want it to knock him off balance w
hile crossing the board again.
“Early, would you be able to give us a boost? Like you did while I was fighting the Ember Gods? I don’t know if it would help or not to weigh less while climbing the wall, but it could be good.”
She didn’t answer for a moment, then, “This is different—I don’t know if I can do it.”
Akeno’s voice sounded close to Jacob. “She would have to exert a lot more energy to keep us moving in the same direction,” he said. “Gravity doesn’t affect her, but it affects us. And her energy boost might shoot us off into Argot territory.”
“But when I was fighting the Ember—”
“That was different. You were on your feet, and could somewhat control where you went. Honestly, I’d rather she didn’t help us.”
Jacob raised his eyebrows. Earlier, Akeno had been so afraid of falling, he’d taken a very long time getting off the wall, and now he was turning down assistance? “All right. I’ll go first.”
Early guided them back to the correct place near the arch, then Jacob climbed. The going was difficult—he had to feel around for hand and footholds without relying on sight, which was pretty hard. A moment later, however, he reached the top and turned to help Akeno.
After Akeno was up, Jacob stepped past the lamp post, then found the line and the board.
He felt like kicking himself when he realized he and Akeno hadn’t tied themselves together. “Akeno, is it possible for you to latch your arm through the strap of my bag so I can keep you from falling, or know if you do, at least?”
“Sure.”
Akeno did so and Jacob took a deep breath, holding tightly to the line above. “Here goes.”
They started forward, Jacob going as quickly as was safely possible. He’d always been afraid of heights, but thankfully, this was different. He couldn’t see how far they’d fall if that happened, and the dizzy attacks didn’t come. He felt Akeno’s movements behind him and was glad his friend held tightly to his bag.
As he moved forward, he looked at the ground instinctively, then nearly stopped in shock at something he hadn’t noticed before—there were faint white lines tracing patterns through the space below them. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Did the patterns mark where the ground was, or were they floating in the air? And what were they?
Jacob and Akeno were at least halfway when suddenly Akeno gasped, then yelled, and the line above jerked, followed immediately by a sudden weight on Jacob’s backpack. The increase in weight knocked him off balance, and his hands slipped off the rope. He spun to the side, the board scraping his leg, then smacking into his rib cage as he flipped over. He tried to grab it, but Akeno’s weight pulled him down farther, and he plunged, landing hard on the ground below, Akeno beneath him.
The air knocked from his lungs, Jacob couldn’t move at all. His frantic mind only focused on one thing—the faint white lines were brighter and somehow attached to the dirt.
Early freaked out, squealing and shouting. “Get up, Jacob! Get up!”
Jacob gasped for air, finally raking in a breath and able to move again. He pulled Akeno out from under him. A deep rumble below made him freeze in panic. “Oh, no!” There was no way they could escape!
“Get up!” Early shrieked, the colors swirling around her showing hysteria.
Jacob felt a spot on his shoulder heat up—Early was giving him energy! His mind cleared and he remembered something very important. The Argots hadn’t done anything for several moments when Matt had started crossing them. Did they always take so long to react? And would it be enough for Jacob and Akeno to get to safety? It had to be! He held on to this hope as tightly as he could and grabbed Akeno, throwing the Makalo over his shoulder, then lurched to his feet.
“I’ll guide you!” Early squealed. “I can see them!”
Jacob dashed forward, realizing he would probably trip over rocks and bushes, but he wouldn’t allow himself to be devoured by monsters. It would be so much easier if he could see their emotions.
Early’s directions came fast. “Side-step to the left! Jump forward! Go back a foot! Side-step right! Run! Fast! Left! Back again!”
Jacob felt a pinch on his pant leg. He jerked free.
A moment later, sight suddenly returned. The light from the moon nearly blinded him and he shaded his eyes with his free hand. The edge of the Argots wasn’t far, but Early led him away from it.
“Early! The forest is right there!”
“Ignore it! Obey me!”
He took a deep breath and continued running, following her directions. She’d kept them alive this long and deserved his trust.
Akeno screamed, but Jacob didn’t risk looking back, preparing instead to follow his instincts and jump to safety in a spot between some pink shrubbery and yellow boulders.
“No, Jacob! It’s dangerous there! This way!”
Irritation flooded over him and he growled in frustration, but he continued following her anyway. After a moment, he saw the wisdom in Early’s choice. Several jaws opened in the crevice he’d been running toward, and it quickly became apparent that the Argots exploited the self-preservation instincts of their prey.
Then something else dawned on Jacob as he paid closer attention to Early’s directions. Yes, she took him much farther from the edge of the forest than was comfortable, but she wasn’t choosing the path arbitrarily. She was having him follow the brightest of the faint white lines. And as he watched, he quickly figured out they marked where each Argot started and ended, like boundary lines.
Panting in exhaustion, he said, “Brilliant!” And even though he’d been running for five minutes at least, if not longer, he smiled in excitement. “I see! I see where you’re leading us!”
“Good!” Early cried. “Keep running.”
A new burst of energy slammed into Jacob and he dashed forward, following the biggest of the lines, no longer needing Early’s directions.
“I’m going to warn the Makalos!” she said after making sure Jacob was really going the right way. She disappeared with a flash.
“No! Early!” Akeno screamed. “We need her!”
“It’s fine! I can see where to run!” Jacob dodged some rocks, then jumped around a little tree.
“How?”
“The lines!”
“What lines?”
“Never mind.” Jacob focused on running and skirting obstacles.
The line led him along a haphazard path—taking him in a ridiculous course around bushes and brambles and rocks. The springy ground under his feet continued rumbling and shifting, and except for a couple of times when his pant legs got snagged, he remained clear of the sharp teeth.
Finally, they reached the edge of the forest, and he stumbled to the ground when his feet met solid earth once more. He released Akeno, gasping, trying to catch his breath.
“Jacob? Jacob!” Aloren’s voice called through the megaphone.
Jacob got to his feet and yelled back as loudly as he could, “We’re fine! We made it! We made it!”
He heard faint cheering and grinned. He’d done it!
Early reappeared, reminding Jacob that they still had a mission to accomplish. “They’re waiting!”
“Let’s go! And help us find the door.”
“Yes! Yes!”
The two boys took off at a run, following Early through the forest.
They reached the door and Jacob Keyed them to Taga Village, where the Makalos waited anxiously on the other side.
The sudden increase of sensation nearly knocked Jacob over. The smell of roast beef and potatoes assailed him, and his mouth instantly watered. The light burned his eyes and he covered his face. Ebony shoved Kaede Sap packages into their bags, which, thankfully, hadn’t gotten lost when the boys fell.
“You’re ready,” Ebony said a moment later. “Did you set up a door near the arch?”
“No,” Jacob said. “Akeno can’t see, so he wouldn’t be able to enlarge anything.”
Ebony nodded, then turned to Akeno. ??
?Do you still have your potted plant?”
He shook his head. “I think I lost it when we fell off the board.”
“I’ll get him another one,” Kenji said, stepping into the back room. A moment later he returned, holding a bright blue pot with a scraggly plant in it, around four inches tall.
“Are you sure that’s going to make it through the entire trip?” Jacob asked. “It looks like it’s about to die.”
Ebony chuckled. “It’ll be fine. It’s a type of evergreen—though it doesn’t look it. They’re hardy little things.” She put it in Akeno’s bag.
Jacob nodded, putting his arms through the straps of his backpack. “We’ll send Early later when we’ve finished working on Gallus.”
They said goodbye, then Keyed back to the door and crossed the board with no problems. They dropped to the ground under the arch and Jacob pulled a package out of his backpack, giving it to Akeno to put together.
Jacob got to his knees. “Can we use Gallus’s pant leg instead of the cloth in the package?”
“No,” Akeno said. “It has to be completely clean.”
“Well, we can’t afford to cut his pants.” Jacob carefully inched up to Gallus, making sure not to bump the man. “It’s too cold for him to walk around in shorts. And it’ll be too painful to take them off.”
“Let’s roll up his pant leg as far as it’ll go,” Aloren said. “Then reach up the rest of the way.”
Jacob agreed, and he and Aloren soaked the cloth strips in the mixture while Akeno and Matt readied Gallus. It was oddly comforting, being this near the people he cared for most. His hand brushed against Aloren’s several times and he thought over the kiss she’d given him on the cheek earlier. He sighed—she’d obviously done it as a way to say thanks and nothing more. She wasn’t the type of person to cheat, and he knew she really cared for Kevin.
Jacob turned his thoughts back to the task at hand, finding it required more concentration when he couldn’t see what he was doing.
Within a couple of minutes, Gallus’s knee was covered, and the man’s moans had stopped.
“Thanks, Jacob,” Gallus murmured.
“We need to get you to shelter. It’s too cold for us to be out in the open.”
“Tent. In my bag.”
Jacob pulled the bag out from under Gallus and rummaged through it, trying to figure out what everything was. “Gallus, I don’t know—”
Someone took the bag from him. Either Aloren or Akeno—he couldn’t tell.
“Here,” Aloren said.
Something heavy was placed in Jacob’s hands. “Push this button when you’re ready to open the tent.”
Gallus sighed. “It’s large—you’ll need space.” He took a deep breath. “Put it closer to the fortress than to the Argots.” .”
Jacob got to his feet and helped everyone move to the other side of Gallus. After they were safely out of the way, Jacob put the folded fabric on the ground, making sure the opening was nearest him. He pushed the button and jumped back.
A whoosh rushed through the air, followed by several clicks and the sounds of cloth being tightened quickly. When everything was quiet again, Jacob stepped forward and found the door of the tent.
“Okay. Aloren, you first. We’ll give you the far corner.”
He grabbed her hand, leading her around Gallus, then helped her into the tent. Good—her emotions were visible through the thick material. This meant that others’ emotions would also be visible through the tent, which would come in handy in case they had visitors during the night. Jacob shuddered at the thought.
“Matt, Sweet Pea, Akeno—I’ll need all of you to help me pull Gallus inside.” He guided them to Gallus’s shoulders and feet, then on the count of three, they half lifted, half dragged the nearly unconscious man into the tent.
After she was finished delivering messages, Early said she’d spend the night at the foot of Jacob’s sleeping bag, which was fine with him. He found his sword, pulled it into the tent with him, then closed the flap.
“Aldo said we wouldn’t be bothered by animals, right?” he asked.
Early didn’t respond, and Gallus only sighed. Jacob didn’t press either of them. They both needed sleep after the busy day.
Sometime in the middle of the night, or what Jacob assumed to be the middle of the night, he was awakened by something shuffling outside the tent.
He bolted upright in his sleeping bag and grabbed the tent zipper, holding it down.
The shuffling stopped. Jacob couldn’t see any emotions through the fabric, so whatever it was must not have been intelligent. He didn’t know if this made him feel better or worse.
A moment later, the shuffling started up again and gradually got quieter until it disappeared.
Jacob waited several minutes longer, still holding the zipper. No one else had been disturbed by the sound, so why had it awakened him? He finally snuggled back into his sleeping bag, completely exhausted, but so wired he doubted he’d be able to fall asleep.
Sure enough, after what seemed like an hour of trying, he gave up. He decided to use the opportunity to practice Time-Seeing into August Township. Maybe his ability would allow him to see through the Lorkon traps.
He’d found a while ago that it worked best when he unfocused his eyes and told his body where to go and when. He did that now.
At first, he couldn’t see anything, so he concentrated, ignoring the chest pains that started. It seemed like he was standing near a tall wall, but he couldn’t be sure. A bit of light appeared to the side of him. He focused on that—it looked like the sun was rising. Excited, he turned back to the city, eager for the light to brighten the mass in front of him. But everything was so smudged and incredibly, unnaturally hazy, he couldn’t make out any shapes. Nothing at all. He wasn’t even sure if the mess of rock and wall in front of him was part of the actual city. He frowned, perplexed. Had the Lorkon figured out his ability? Did they do something to make him unable to Time-See? Or were the traps powerful enough that he couldn’t pierce them?
The pain in his chest increased until he couldn’t ignore it anymore, and his body jerked him back to the present like a rubber band.
He fell asleep quickly after that.
Aloren’s voice pulled Jacob out of his dreamless sleep.
“All right, everyone. Get up. I’m tired of waiting.” A smile tainted her rushed words, and the emotions surrounding her were impatience and excitement. Jacob also thought he detected a bit of gratitude, then realized she probably didn’t think they’d make it through the night. “It’s morning now,” she said. “Let’s go.”
“How can you tell it’s morning?” The question came from Matt, his usual color of happiness, which was green, was tinged with a slight yellow—suspicion.
“My body says it is. We need to eat and get our things together.”
Matt sighed in exasperation, his green turning to a light pink. “Who died and made you queen?”
Jacob laughed, then jerked to a sitting position when the word “died” entered his brain. “Gallus? Are you awake?”
Gallus chuckled, probably at the panic in Jacob’s voice. “I am.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Much better—completely back to normal.”
Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, good.”
“Yes, I’m pretty relieved myself. Thank you for what you did last night.”
Jacob felt his cheeks flush and he turned to roll up his sleeping bag, nearly forgetting that Gallus couldn’t see his face anyway. He smiled at himself—those habits wouldn’t go away so easily.
He shoved his bag into the largest pocket of his backpack, hearing the others cleaning up as well. His thoughts turned to the upcoming traps. Loss of hearing and loss of touch. How long would the traps last, and would they be all-encompassing?
Jacob decided to voice what was on his mind. “I can’t help but wonder how much losing our sense of touch will affect us. I mean, the more I think about it, the m
ore I realize I depend a lot on what I can feel. I know I’m kneeling now because my shins feel the ground beneath me, and the skin on the back of my knees is pinched. I know what my hands and arms are doing—also thanks to the sense of touch.”
Silence for a moment. The colors swirling around the others changed to an orange-yellow for concern, and for a moment, Jacob felt bad for having brought up something that would potentially worry or depress them. But he recognized it was important to consider these things.
Gallus let out a long breath. “Yes, I’ve been pondering similar points.” His color moved to the tent door, and Jacob backed away. “And I don’t have an answer. The best we can do is be ready for anything. We’ll have to figure things out as they come.” He paused. “Luckily, the sense of hearing will be last to go. We’ll be able to communicate even after we’ve lost the sensation of touch.”
“And we’re sure there won’t be any creatures or animals out there? Aside from the Cerpire?” Jacob wondered if he should mention what he’d heard last night. He decided not to—either they’d get attacked or they wouldn’t. Being paranoid would only make things much, much more difficult.
“Not entirely. We’re going off what Aldo said, of course. He doesn’t think big creatures would be able to cross the Argots. Small creatures are rarely dangerous.”
“And do the Argots surround the city?”
“Probably not. The fortress is right up against the mountains. The volcano eruption from a hundred years ago made the land impossible not only to live in, but to traverse. The Shiengols never had animal problems before. I assume it’s still the same.”
Jacob thought over this for a moment. “I’ve noticed something. The inhabitants of this world like to have only one point of entry for their castles. Even Macaria Castle is up against the lake.”
“Your world is the same,” Gallus said. His voice was muffled because he’d just stepped outside the tent. “Moats and walls and mountains and lakes. It’s a defensive tactic.”
Jacob nodded, then realized Gallus couldn’t see it, and laughed at himself. Of course, this made the others ask why he was laughing, so he told them what he’d done. “It’s frustrating, not being able to see.”
“I’m almost used to it,” Matt said, “but I can’t wait to get my taste back. I’m starving, and the food I’ve eaten isn’t doing anything for me. It’s like eating cardboard!” He paused. “I think.”
“Speaking of food,” Gallus said, “come out of the tent so I can pack it away. When I’m done, I want each of you to eat as much as you can handle. When we next get hungry, we probably won’t be able to feel our teeth and tongues, which could be quite dangerous. You never know if you’re biting your tongue off or not.”
Jacob and the others filed out, and Gallus somehow packed the tent up without seeing what he was doing. They sat in a circle and Gallus had Jacob divvy up the food, since he knew where everyone was sitting.
“I wish I had a Braille watch,” Matt said. “And I wish I could read Braille.”
Sweet Pea laughed at him, but Jacob could see his brother’s point. It sure would’ve made things more convenient.
“So, what’s the plan?” Akeno asked.
Gallus’s deep voice reverberated in the small space between the walls. “Akeno, make sure you keep your plant in your hands at all times. And we’ll need to be attached to each other again—in a row, with Jacob in the lead. Jacob, you remember the footstep sequence for how to get to the fortress, right?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Good.” Gallus’s emotion colors rose, showing he’d gotten to his feet. “Let’s get going.”
As soon as everyone else was ready, Jacob put them in the same order as before, then he and Gallus tied them all together.
“Whatever happens,” Gallus said, “Keep moving and keep talking, if you can.”
Jacob agreed. How they would make it out of this, he didn’t know. He raised his face to search for their Minya, again out of habit. “Early? Are you there?”
A flicker of green—her emotion for happiness—flitted next to him. “Yup!”
“Does Aldo have any last-minute instructions?”
“Let me check.” A minute passed, then her tiny voice returned. “He hasn’t seen the Cerpire for a long time, but doesn’t think that means it’s not here anymore. He also says you’ve done very well so far, and he’ll be giving me orders every now and then to help, but that you probably won’t know it once you’re in all the traps.”
Jacob nodded. “Okay, well, stay close. I might need you and Aldo to help me find the way if I get disoriented. Remember this: straight for thirty, turn right then walk seven, right and fifteen, left and twenty-seven, left and one hundred thirty.”
“Will do!”
Warmth radiated through him at the tone in her voice. She was a great messenger. “Is everyone ready?” he asked.
A chorus of “yes” returned to him and he faced forward, glad he had a good internal sense of direction. “Oh, and Akeno—are there any living creatures out there?”
No response for a moment, then, “Nope. Just the Argots. The area in front of us is empty of anything living.”
“Okay, then. Let’s go. Straight for thirty.”
Jacob started forward, making sure he took normal-sized steps.
At five feet, the next trap made its presence known.