Chapter 16. Deformities and Eerie Lights
“Not again,” Jacob groaned.
The light was muted, the trees dark and shriveled.
“What is it?” Aloren whispered.
“The trees look the same here as they did in the infected forest.” Jacob surveyed the scene before leading them out of the tunnel. The air was heavy and dark, the sunlight barely visible, making it appear to be almost nighttime. “Are you still holding on to Akeno?”
“Yes, he’s here.”
“Grab on tight, just in case.”
After making sure no one waited for them in the trees, Jacob guided Akeno and Aloren out of the tunnel. The trees were so thick that getting through them would be next to impossible. There wasn’t a path, and the forest came right up next to the wall. Rock outcroppings were everywhere.
“Can you guys see yet?”
Aloren took several deep breaths. “Yes,” she said. “Why is it so dark?”
“I’m not sure. It wasn’t exactly like this in the infected forest.” Jacob turned to look at his friends. “Akeno, can you see?”
The Makalo didn’t answer for several seconds. “Yeah, I can,” he said finally.
“What’s the matter?” Jacob did his best to sound casual—hopefully Akeno was just being cautious.
“I’m waiting to see how I’ll handle this.”
“And?” Jacob mentally crossed his fingers. If Akeno flipped out here, it’d be nearly impossible to keep the group safe. The trees looked worse than the last forest—they were shorter, more gnarled, and because they grew so closely together, they almost appeared to be one huge, squat tree. With boulders everywhere, it would be dangerous enough without the Makalo running off.
Akeno slowly shook his head. “I can feel negative emotions, but they’re nowhere near as strong as before. I think I’ll be fine. Maybe the potion helped.”
“This place gives me the heebie-jeebies, so if you guys can see well enough, let’s keep moving,” Jacob said. “There isn’t a trail here, but I’ll bet if we stick close to the wall, we’ll come across some kind of path eventually.”
“We’ll follow you,” Aloren said.
Jacob looked down at her hand, still clutching his. “But I might need to use both my hands,” he said, almost wishing that wasn’t the case.
“Oh, sorry.” Aloren pulled away.
Jacob smiled, then noticed how worried both she and Akeno looked. He put his left hand on Aloren’s shoulder and his right on Akeno’s. “We’ll be fine. Things will work out.” He looked Aloren in the eyes. “No need to stress, okay?”
She nodded and gave him a weak smile.
Jacob opened his knapsack to talk to September and Early, noticing he still had Aloren’s bag around his neck. He decided not to give it back to her yet, though. The going would be hard enough.
“Are you guys okay to stay in there for a while?”
“Yes, we’re fine,” Early said. “Lots to do.”
“Good. It would be really, really bad if we got separated right now. You wouldn’t be able to get out of this place.”
The ground was rough and just as bad as he’d expected it to be. At least the trees weren’t as violent here as the ones in the infected forest. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the group was trying to go around the trees, not between. Jacob was quick to note, however, that anytime he brushed up against a tree, he received a swift reminder to stay away. But it was pretty difficult not to touch them, and after just a few minutes of climbing over rocks and clinging to the wall, he felt thrashed.
After half an hour of climbing, jumping down, crawling through, stepping over, and hiking up, they got to a place where the ground evened out and the dirt road appeared up ahead. “There’s the trail!”
“Oh, good,” Aloren said.
“I really wish I could use my Rezend to see what’s out there,” Akeno said.
Jacob nodded. “You could try it if you want to, but I doubt the trees will let you touch them.”
“I’ll leave Rezend as a last resort for now.”
The group followed the trail west and away from the wall. It led deeper into the forest, which was now the only thing that appeared to separate them from the castle. Jacob felt a small tightening sensation in his chest. He did his best not to imagine the possibilities the day might hold for them, opting instead to concentrate on each step he took.
The group neared a large tree with oddly shaped branches growing wild at the bottom, then coming to a point at the top. It stood out from the other trees—being several feet taller, and having lighter-colored bark. There was a spot where the branches parted, leaving what looked somewhat like an open-ended box.
“Is this a Kaith tree?” Jacob asked. “Dmitri mentioned one where he found a note from Aldo.”
“Yes, it is,” Akeno said. “Long ago, the people of this kingdom would leave things here for passing travelers. They’d put spells on the tree so only those who were meant to take the things would be able to get them. If I remember correctly, there used to be several similar trees throughout our land for this purpose. This is supposed to be the only one left—the rest died or were destroyed.”
Shortly after passing the Kaith tree, they came to a fork in the road. There was a sign with the words “Maivoryl City” etched into it, pointing to the right. Jacob assumed the left branch led to the castle. His heartbeat sped up, and he had to consciously change his thought process to keep from freaking out. He looked at Aloren. “Isn’t this where your brother should be?”
Aloren peered down the road. “Yes, that’s the theory,” she said. She made no move to walk that way, though.
Jacob hesitated, trying to decide what to do. “Maybe Akeno and I should go with you into the city . . . at least to help you get started.”
Aloren visibly relaxed. “Oh, would you?”
“Yeah, why not? We’ll stay with you until we’re sure it’s safe. If things don’t look right, you can come with us to the castle.”
“I really appreciate this. After the Molg and the tunnel . . . I don’t . . . I can’t . . .”
Jacob awkwardly patted her shoulder, hoping she wouldn’t start crying. He walked to the right, watching her from the corner of his eye. She looked more freaked out than emotional, though, and he relaxed. Nervousness and fright he could handle—but crying? Not a chance.
The trees grew thickly on either side, and it seemed as though they were reaching toward Jacob. He looked at them, but could see no movement. The thick, greenish air, the trees, the eerie quiet—he almost couldn’t take it. It made him feel as though he was about to suffocate. He realized Aloren was walking very close to him and he nearly stopped, recognizing how much she depended on him for protection. What had happened to the stubborn, independent girl he’d met two days ago?
After a few turns in the trail, buildings came into view, and Jacob kept his eyes on them as the group continued. With the light of the sun barely visible, the city felt dark and ominous. Most of the buildings were boarded up, but had muted light coming from inside. It wasn’t natural light, but a sickly mustard-green color. The feeling that came from the city wasn’t welcoming, and the air was now so heavy, Jacob felt a constant need to clear his throat.
As they passed the first house, Jacob saw a face press up against one of the windows. It disappeared, but then came back, accompanied by another. A moment later, the door opened a crack, and an old, withered hand appeared, reaching toward Jacob and his friends.
He almost stopped walking when he saw the tired-looking woman kneeling at the door. She had gray hair that was pulled into a loose bun. “Please, please help us,” she wheezed, her light-colored eyes begging.
Aloren looked at Jacob, a troubled expression on her face.
“I really don’t feel good about this place,” Jacob whispered. “I don’t think we should go near anyone.”
As soon as he’d said this, the woman’s expression turned to one of such hatred that Aloren gasped and ste
pped into Jacob, nearly knocking him over. She grabbed his arm, holding on to it tightly.
The woman’s eyes turned black and empty, glaring at them. “Yes, that’s right, children,” she said. “Keep walking away if it makes you feel better. You rats.” She moved forward into the muted light. “But I wouldn’t go that way if I were you.”
Suddenly her eyes changed from black to bright, fire red. She reached out, palm down, and flames shot from her hand, surrounded by black smoke. Her hair started growing, turning dark and pouring down her back.
Whoa—Jacob took a step back. Where had that come from?
The fire didn’t reach very far, though, and her hair stopped growing as quickly as it had started. The woman jerked forward in a coughing fit, curling up into a ball, her hair shrinking back to the bun and going white again. She shut her eyes and turned her face away from them.
“Please help us.” The whisper carried through the still air, the voice pitiful.
Jacob shook his head to get the sound of her voice out of his ears. He pulled Akeno and Aloren close to him, walking down the center of the winding road. He did his best to ignore the disfigured faces that watched them from almost every window. “Uh, Aloren, where do you want us to take you?” he said, trying to distract himself.
“I’m not sure,” Aloren said. “The town center? If there is one.”
A few moments later, the road opened into a large area with a building in the middle. Jacob paused to scrutinize it. The windows weren’t boarded up, and the light that came from inside was warm and welcoming. It was more likely than any of the other buildings to be a town hall. He still hesitated, though, wanting to be sure it was safe. He took a breath, then began to inch forward, step by step. Aloren and Akeno stayed close to his side and he kept his eyes open, watching for any sign of potential danger.
They were almost to the porch when the front door opened, and a man stepped out carrying a rug. He was large, wearing a white shirt and a blue apron, and had a mustache that covered at least half his face. He shook the rug out, then noticed them and jumped, dropping the rug and putting his hand on his chest. “Oh, you startled me!” he said, laughing.
Jacob noted the twinkle in his eyes.
“Can I help you?” the man asked.
“You might,” Aloren said.
The man gave her a friendly smile. “I might?” He laughed. “Well, let’s hear what you have to say, and we’ll see if I can.”
“I’m looking for my brother.”
“And who is your brother?”
“His name is Devlin.”
“You believe you might find him in Maivoryl City?” The man stroked one side of his mustache. “Hmmm. You do know that no one has come or gone from this city in many years, right?”
“Yes, I know,” Aloren said. “But he hasn’t been seen for a very long time, and I’ve searched everywhere for him—except this city.”
“Have you considered that he might be dead?”
Aloren faltered, but then a determined expression came into her eyes. “Yes, I have. But I don’t think he is.”
The man smiled again and picked up the rug. “How can you be sure?”
“I can’t explain it. I just know. I want to search the city, but I’m not sure where to start, or how.”
A young woman came to the door and stood behind the man, her arms folded. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he brought her forward. “My name is Eachan,” he said. “This is my eldest, Duana.”
Duana’s features relaxed, and she smiled at Aloren, who returned the smile.
Hope was starting to come into her eyes. “My name is Aloren, and these are my friends, Jacob and Akeno.”
Eachan studied them, a curious expression on his face. He locked eyes with Jacob for a brief moment, and Jacob could sense an under-the-surface emotion coming from Eachan. But he wasn’t able to discern what it was, just that it was somewhat akin to heartache.
“Very pleased to meet you both.” Eachan opened the door. “Please come in. We don’t get many visitors to the town hall or Maivoryl City.”
“Thank you,” Aloren said.
He held the door for them. “In fact, you’re the first visitors to come in a very long time.”
“Can we have a minute alone to talk, please?” Jacob asked, motioning for Aloren and Akeno to come closer.
“Of course.” Eachan went into the hall, shutting the door behind him.
Jacob pulled Aloren and Akeno several feet away from the porch. “I don’t want to go in there until I know how you feel about this.”
Akeno and Aloren looked at each other. Akeno was the first to speak. “I trust him.”
“Same with me,” Aloren said. “I think he’s a good man, doing the best he can with what he has around him.”
“I don’t trust this city,” Jacob said, “nor the situation.” He frowned, thinking. “But he might have information on how to look for your brother.”
Aloren nodded. “He’d have to know everyone who lives here, even if only by sight. And he’d at least know if there was someone here Devlin’s age.”
“We could use his help.”
“You mean I. I could use his help.”
“No, you don’t have to do it alone. We’ll come with you.”
“Why? Your business is much more urgent than mine. You need to focus on getting that Key, and as soon as possible. Besides, you’ve taken me as far as you promised you would.”
Jacob shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. Agreements and promises can change.”
“Not in this case, they can’t.”
“Aloren, honestly.” Jacob scowled. “It’s a stupid idea for you to be left alone right now.”
“You get the Key. Don’t worry—I’ll be fine.”
“After we find Devlin.”
“No. You have to go now. There’s a chance the Lorkon don’t know you’re here already, and you need to get to the castle before they find out. Otherwise, everything we’ve gone through will have been for nothing. They’d never let you take the Key and get out—you have to know that. What happens then? We all die? You fail to help the Makalos?”
Jacob looked into her eyes, trying to sense if she really believed what she was saying. “Then come with us to find the Key, and we can look for Devlin afterward.”
“And possibly lose my chance of being reunited with him?” She shook her head. “Jacob, this is as far as I’ve ever gone. If I don’t take this opportunity right now, it’ll never come again. You know I can’t get through that wall without you.”
Jacob closed his eyes. “I can’t do this, Aloren.”
“No, Jacob, listen to her,” Akeno said. “Her points are valid. She knows what she needs to do.”
Aloren put her hand on Jacob’s arm. “And you can’t make my decisions for me. I trust Eachan and his daughter. I’ll be fine here.”
As much as he hated to admit it, Jacob felt Aloren was right. They hadn’t come this far only to fail, and he didn’t want to let Kenji and Ebony down. He sighed. This felt like desertion, plain and simple. He put his hand on her shoulder.
“Are you sure about this?” he said. “One hundred percent positive this is what you really want to do?”
Aloren nodded. “Yes, I am. Besides, I’ll only take a couple of hours to search the city. I’ll have Eachan and Duana’s help, so that should be enough. We can meet near the tunnel, and you can lead me back to the other side.”
“All right. Let’s make it two and a half hours, to be safe. By that time, the sun’ll be setting, and Akeno and I will have to leave anyway. If we don’t find the Key today, we’ll probably camp out near the Fat Lady’s cabin and try again tomorrow. You’ll either be with your brother or not, and can choose to come with us or head back to Macaria.”
“Thank you, Jacob.”
Jacob gave her shoulder a light squeeze and started toward the town hall.
“Jacob, wait,” Aloren said, then threw her arms around him. “I really mean it. Th
ank you so much for believing me and for helping me come here. You, Akeno, and Gallus are the only ones who don’t think I’m crazy.”
She pulled back, and Jacob saw tears in her eyes. He cleared his throat. “Uh . . . you’re welcome.”
She wiped her tears away, gave Akeno a hug, then said, “I’m ready.”
Jacob knocked on the door of the town hall, unsure if he should just walk in.
The door swung open and Eachan appeared, carrying what looked like a bowl of mashed potatoes. “Would you like some food?” he asked.
“No, thanks,” Jacob said. “But can you help Aloren?”
Eachan turned to face her. “What can I do for you?”
“Help me find my brother,” she said.
He nodded. “Of course we’ll help—as long as you realize that the odds of his being here aren’t good, which I think you do.”
Aloren turned and gave Jacob another quick hug, then Akeno. “Thanks,” she said. “Get going, you two, and I’ll see you soon, okay?”
Jacob shook Eachan’s hand. “Thank you for your help, Eachan. It’s appreciated.”
Aloren stayed on the porch to watch Akeno and Jacob as they left. Jacob met her eyes as he stepped off the porch, already missing her company. He turned and hurried down the street, careful not to look at the buildings on either side.
They were a couple of blocks away from the town hall when they heard a girl scream. Jacob whipped around. The porch swarmed with townspeople who were grabbing at Aloren, trying to drag her away.
“Run, Aloren!” Jacob yelled. He almost raced back, but hesitated when Eachan jumped through the door and wrestled with several people, kicking and shoving them off the porch. Duana and Aloren were fighting as well.
Eachan punched one of the leaders full in the face, then grabbed Aloren and Duana, pulling them inside to safety and slamming the door shut. He then put metal bars over the glass.
“Jacob! Look out!” Akeno yelled.
Jacob lurched out of the way just as a disfigured man with long, ratted hair slashed a large knife at him. He slashed again and Jacob dodged, swinging around with his fist and hitting the guy on the side of the head.
The man fell over near Akeno, who sprung away from the man’s grasp.
Jacob felt something touch his back, and he jumped around to see a woman with greasy hands and hair trying to grab his shirt. He shoved her away, knocking her into a deformed man behind her. He glanced around. Hundreds of people with mangled bodies poured out of the buildings on both sides of the street, many carrying knives and sticks.
He fought the hands off him, finding that the people were weak. But their numbers . . . there were too many to fight. He and Akeno shoved their way through the group of people and sprinted as fast as they could toward the fork in the road.
Jacob glanced over his shoulder one more time before they turned a bend. The people didn’t pursue beyond the last house. It looked as though some invisible boundary kept them from leaving the city.
He stopped when they reached the main road, bent over and put his hands on his knees. “They’re not . . . following us,” he panted. “Why?”
“Not sure,” Akeno said, also gasping for breath.
Jacob straightened and motioned toward Maivoryl City. “Did you see how they swarmed all over Aloren? We have to go back for her—I knew we shouldn’t have left her there!”
“There’s nothing we can do. We aren’t prepared to fight. We’ll end up stuck there, too.” Akeno reached up and grabbed Jacob’s shoulders, forcing him to look away from the city. “Listen to me. We can’t do both. If we try to get her, we’ll fail at getting the Key.” He paused, then resolution crossed his face. “Only a couple of hours. We’ll meet her at the tunnel and . . . and help her then.”
Jacob closed his eyes, focusing on the air rushing in and out of his lungs. “Okay.” He turned to look down the path that led to the castle and hesitated, trying to get the courage to continue. He released a breath and put his hand on Akeno’s shoulder. “All right, let’s go.”
The road led them deep into the forest, and for a time the castle was out of view. Jacob glanced at Akeno. “She . . . she’ll be okay,” he whispered.
“Eachan’ll make sure of it,” Akeno said.
After following the winding trail for several minutes, the forest ended, and the castle loomed up before them, large and magnificent. An intense pang of fear clenched Jacob’s heart, and he was almost overcome by a sudden urge to run away as fast as he could. He took a deep breath, trying in vain to calm his heart. He realized he could lose everything that was important to him—his family, his friends, his freedom, his life.
The surface of the dirt road blended into cobblestones and led under the castle’s huge archway and into the spacious courtyard. There were no guards visible, and the place had an eerie quietness about it that unsettled Jacob. The air seemed to press down upon him, and the silence was almost deafening.
“There’s no sense putting off the inevitable,” he said, then started forward. He crept up to the left side of the archway, Akeno following. Leaning against the wall, he glanced around, again making sure no one was watching them.
“How do we get in?”
“I’m not sure,” Jacob whispered, then laughed a short, almost hysterical laugh. “Maybe we should knock on the door. They’d probably welcome us in with wide-open arms.” Akeno frowned at him, and Jacob stopped smiling. “Okay, just kidding. Let’s go around to the side of the castle and see if there’s another way in.”
“Okay.”
They crept along the stone wall, staying close to it. Coming to the corner, Jacob peered around it and saw nothing but a long wall with no windows or doors. For a second he considered turning around and going back to the front, but then something occurred to him, and he looked at Akeno.
“I’ve got an idea. Come on.”
Putting his hand on the wall, he felt around, searching for warmth. After a few seconds, he sprinted along, keeping his hand on the wall the entire way. Akeno jogged behind him, keeping up.
Jacob paused, having felt warmth in the surface. It wasn’t substantial, though, so he continued running. “Wow,” he panted. “The Lorkon really know how to build strong walls.” A thought popped into his head, and he stopped. “Hey, maybe I have the ability to sense weakness in things!”
“Excuse me?”
“That has to be it. I think I’ve known since we were in the cave. I’m looking for a weakness in the wall right now so I can make an opening for us.”
Akeno frowned. “When you feel the heat, you mean?”
“Yeah,” Jacob said. “And then when I reshaped the rock from the cave wall, I somehow knew how to make it stronger. That’s pretty cool. Imagine what I could do with it! I could build an indestructible car!”
“Okay, great,” Akeno said. “Let’s concentrate on getting the Key for now. You can play later.”
Jacob laughed, focusing again on temperature. After running the entire length of the wall, he turned with it as it formed the back of the castle. Ten or fifteen feet later, he found what he was looking for—a spot warm enough to do what he needed to do. Holding his hands over the stone, he felt it heat up beneath his palms and fingertips and become soft. He made a hole in the stone, about waist high, then bent over to peek through it. He didn’t see anyone on the other side, so he continued working with the stone until the hole was big enough to climb through. Akeno followed him, then Jacob turned around to reheat the stone and close up the hole behind them.
“Why did you do that?” Akeno whispered. “Wouldn’t we want to leave it open?”
“Uh . . . I didn’t think that far ahead. I just didn’t want the Lorkon to know which way we’d come in.”
They turned to survey what Jacob had thought would be the inner courtyard but might be a room in the castle, as it was walled off, and there was a roof overhead. Light streamed through a few windows near the ceiling, making it possible for Jacob to see a door o
n the opposite side. Crossing the room, Jacob put his hand on the doorknob, ready to open it. Thinking better of the idea, though, he reached to pull his bag down from off his back. One of the Minyas could make sure there wasn’t anything dangerous on the other side of the door before he walked through it.
“Oh, no . . .” he groaned.
Akeno jumped. “What?”
“I still have Aloren’s bag! I completely forgot to give it back to her!”
“You can give it back when we reach the tunnel. She probably won't need it before then.”
Jacob nodded in agreement, then frowned, looking around the room. “What was I doing? Oh, yeah.” He opened his bag and whispered into it. “September, I need you. Keep to the shadows and see if you can go through the keyhole in this door. If you can, inspect the area on the other side, then come tell us if it’s safe to open the door.”
September flitted to the keyhole, and, after wriggling around, was able to get through. Moments later he returned to tell them there was a courtyard on the other side of the door, and no one was there. “There’s also a servants’ entrance to the castle. I checked the room where it leads, and there wasn’t anyone in it, either.”
Jacob opened the door and poked his head through. As September had said, the place was empty. Motioning for Akeno and September to follow, Jacob crossed the courtyard and sneaked through the door.
Shutting the door behind them, Jacob inspected the room they’d just entered. It was a large kitchen and looked as though it hadn’t been used for quite some time. He ran across the room to the door on the opposite side, and once again had September go through the keyhole. September returned to inform them that the hallway on the other side was empty as well.
Jacob quietly opened the door, glancing through the crack. There were many doors leading off the hallway, and he turned to Akeno. “Where do we go to find the Key?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. I didn’t really think about what we would do once we got inside.”
Jacob folded his arms, looking around the room, trying to decide what to do. “We could always just start trying doors to see where they lead.” He shook his head. “No, that’s a dumb idea and would definitely draw attention to us. Better to get in and out as quickly as possible.”
Just as he said this, he was suddenly overcome with vertigo. He sank to the floor, feeling feverish, and blood pounded hard in his head.
“What’s wrong?” Akeno asked.
“I . . .” For a second, it felt as though he could see another person’s thoughts, similar to what had happened in the cave, except this time without the emotions. Pictures flowed into his mind, and he saw the way to the Key. Realization dawned on him, and his headache began clearing as suddenly as it had come. He became aware of Akeno hovering over him, and he rubbed his temples. The headache was mostly gone now, and the dizziness had passed. He slowly got to his feet and took a deep breath. “Uh . . . I know how to get there.”
Akeno startled. “You do? How?”
“I don’t know how,” Jacob said. “It just entered my mind. And we’ve really got to hurry. No one’s around the Key right now, but I doubt it’ll stay that way for very long.”
“How can we be sure it’s not a trap?”
“I don’t think we can be.” Jacob closed his eyes and concentrated hard on the images, making sure he had them memorized.
“What other options do we have?” Akeno asked.
“We could send the Minyas to find it.”
“That might work.”
Jacob thought this through. “Except, if we got split up, they might be stuck here for the rest of their existence. It’s probably better if we stay together.” He frowned. “We could always just search the whole castle.”
“I don’t want to dig through every corner of the castle when you already know where to find the Key. That would be pointless.”
“And there’s no way we’d find it by searching. This place is huge.”
“So we follow what you saw, then?”
Jacob nodded. “I guess so. It’s our only choice.”
He opened the door again, peering both ways down the hall. It was still very quiet. He took a few cautious steps, being as silent as possible, then scurried down the hall and into another room. There was a set of stairs on the opposite side, which he took two at a time. It felt weird to be so sure of the way, as though he’d been there before, but he knew these memories weren’t his. They belonged to someone else.
He pushed open a heavy door and, hearing someone coming, hid behind a curtain, motioning to Akeno to follow. A dark figure strode past them, turning a corner. Jacob couldn’t tell if it was human or not.
He waited a moment, finger to his lips, then walked past an alcove to a door behind another curtain. He put his hands against the rough wood. “This is where we’ll find the Key.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” Jacob said. “Stick close to my side. Let’s just run in, grab the Key, then get the heck out of here.” He looked up. “September, get in my bag again, just in case. I don’t want anything to happen to you guys. If we die, you’ll need to get back to Aloren somehow.” September flew down and joined Early in Jacob’s knapsack. After securing his bag over his shoulders, Jacob opened the door a couple of inches and glanced into the room, verifying it was empty before pushing the door all the way open.
The room looked nothing like he’d anticipated—his vision had shown a magnificent white throne room lined with paintings and statues. The walls in this room were covered in thick drapery—there was no throne or artwork. There was, however, a simple table in the center with a beautiful box on top. Warmth struck Jacob in the chest, and he knew this was where the Key was kept. The box was intricately designed in silver, and he could have sworn there was a slight glow around it. He’d never seen anything like it before. He walked to the table, motioning for Akeno to follow him.
Jacob couldn’t be sure, but he thought he heard a quiet strain of music. He looked around, trying to find the source. The heavy draperies made it obvious the sound hadn’t come from outside. Focusing his attention back on the box, he could now see for sure that it was glowing, and there was light coming from under the lid.
Jacob drew the box across the table. It wasn’t very big, maybe four inches long and only two or three inches tall. The silver was shaped into ivy, roses, and flowers.
Jacob opened the box and got a brief glimpse of the Key before he was nearly blinded by a beautiful radiance that filled the entire room—warm yellows, light pinks, greens and blues all together—the happiest and most peaceful colors he had ever seen.
Accompanying the glow was a beautiful melody. Joy and melancholy hit him simultaneously as he was reminded of all the happy times he’d had with his family—laughing with his little sister while playing dress-up, throwing a football or playing basketball with Matt, camping with his dad, talking to his mom. A pang of homesickness hit Jacob hard in the stomach, and he wished his family were there to feel the joy as well.
“Wow,” Akeno whispered.
His eyes adjusted to the sudden light, Jacob lifted the box and reached in. The moment his fingers brushed the Key, warmth filled his entire body and he stood still, overcome by feelings of joy and happiness. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he tried to make the moisture go away while allowing himself to revel in the moment. He hadn’t realized how much pressure he’d been under, or how stressed and frustrated he’d been, until now. It felt as though the sun had broken through the clouds of a storm that had stayed for several weeks.
“We’ve got the Key—let’s go now,” Akeno said.
Jacob held up his finger. “Just wait.” After a moment, the wave of emotions subsided, and he pulled the Key out to inspect it. The melody stopped as soon as the Key was removed from the box, and the glimmer faded away. He put the Key back to see if the music and the glow would return, and they did.
Jacob brought the box closer to his face. The Key was si
lver, delicate, and several hundred years old, judging by the scratches and wear. It looked as if it would break with the least amount of applied pressure. The handle was intricate, and diamonds lined the shaft. Two of the diamonds were different from the others, giving off a rosier sparkle.
“It is beautiful, isn’t it?” a rough, deep voice said from the left side of the room.
Jacob stiffened and dropped the box, causing the Key to fall onto the table. The glow and the melody ceased, and the room was once again bathed in eerie light from the windows. Jacob put the Key into the box and shut the lid, then turned to the voice.
The heavy curtains that had covered that side of the room were now drawn back, showing the throne Jacob had seen in vision and a large, cloaked figure that now sat there.
“Though, I must say, it never gave off that light and music until you arrived.”
Swallowing several times, Jacob couldn’t respond. Finally, he asked, “Who are you?”
“Do you even need to ask? You know who stole the Key.”
“A Lorkon?” Jacob tried to keep his voice from cracking.
“Of course,” the Lorkon said, and then laughed. Jacob’s stomach churned in response to the sound, and he was aware of how close to him Akeno stood. On either side of the Lorkon, two huge black shapes moved, and then two pairs of green eyes fixed on him. With a start, Jacob realized these were the wolves that had been following them for most of the trip. “You may refer to me as Your Majesty,” the Lorkon said. “I am king here. Now activate the Key.”
“W—what?”
“Come on, child. It was deactivated, and only you can activate it.”
“Me?”
The king laughed. “Did they not tell you? You don’t know any of it? What a delightful surprise! We were starting to wonder why you hadn’t come yet. It never occurred to me you weren’t even aware of our presence!”
Jacob stiffened. “What are you talking about?”
“‘Jacob,’ they call you, right?” The Lorkon shifted on his throne. “We got tired of waiting for you to come, and so we devised a means to get you here. Het and Isan, of course, were able to chase you to the Makalo village, but stealing the Key of Kilenya seemed the best way to make the Makalos want you to enter Eklaron. Their prize possession couldn’t be gone for long before they would want it back.”
Akeno trembled at Jacob’s side. “You know we kept it to prevent it from falling into your hands,” he spat. His voice quivered—whether from panic or anger, Jacob couldn’t tell, but he grabbed the Makalo’s arm, trying to keep him from doing anything they’d regret.
“Besides,” Jacob said, “I already knew you were using the Key as bait. You don’t even need it, so why ask me to activate it?”
“Oh, we do need the Key. Very much. We realize how powerful it can be and how much good it would do us.” The king leaned forward, stopping just shy of the light streaming in from one of the windows. “Of course it isn’t anything without you.”
“Get on with it!” a voice said from behind Jacob. “Enough chatter!”
Jacob whirled to see three Lorkon step forward from the curtains behind him. They were just as shrouded in shade as the first.
“You would do well to hold your tongue,” said the king, almost standing from the throne. “How dare you speak out in my presence? This is none of your concern. I will deal with it!” The two large wolves arose and lumbered past Jacob to encircle the Lorkon on the opposite side of the room.
“Forgive me.” The voice was full of bitterness, and the three Lorkon stepped back again.
The king stood. “As you can see, Jacob, we have grown impatient in our wait for you.” He paused, then strolled across the room.
Jacob straightened, his hands forming fists at his sides. The Lorkon king stopped right in front of him, towering over Jacob by three feet, at least. Then he bent until his face was close to Jacob’s.
Jacob’s stomach curled at the close-up sight of the Lorkon’s crimson face. It was just as Kenji had described—black hair, eyes the color of blood with bright green irises. He drew back when he saw the creature’s chafed and peeling skin.
“You are disgusted by my appearance, are you not?”
“Yes, I am.”
The king straightened to his full height. “And yet, you control your fear well.” He reached to Jacob, who took a step back. The hand was just as revolting as the Lorkon’s face—scabby and peeling, with blood on the fingers. Jacob’s stomach clenched, looking at it.
The hand stopped short of touching Jacob’s face, and Jacob wondered why the Lorkon ignored Akeno. The group behind them shuffled their feet.
“What do you want with us?” Jacob asked through clenched teeth.
“Nothing from the Makalo.”
“What do you want from me?”
“Many things,” the king said, then reached his hand out again. This time he didn’t stop, and all though Jacob shied away, the Lorkon’s finger made contact with his forehead.
Jacob felt as though he’d been punched in the face and chest simultaneously. The wind was knocked out of him, and he fell to the floor. Bright flashes of light burst through the room and he closed his eyes, trying to block them out. His blood was on fire, burning every inch of him as it coursed through his veins. He rolled onto his side, his body convulsing in pain as he gagged, trying to get enough air. His muscles cramped, and tremors ran through his body.
He heard hundreds of sounds all at once and was no longer able to focus on just one. They were so loud, they pulsated in his brain like a migraine. Opening his eyes, he gasped as the bright lights flashed again, alternating with blackness. Thousands of people moved through the room at once. His body was on sensory overload. Even the temperature seemed to be fluctuating.
He tried to stand and right himself, but barely managed to lift his head. The walls around him would not stop spinning. He struggled to stay conscious, almost failing several times. The thought kept entering his mind that he had to remain alert—he couldn’t let the Lorkon win.
He heard a loud crack, and his head felt as though it was about to explode again.
Someone pulled him to his feet. He struggled against the person until he recognized Akeno’s voice commanding him to walk. He slumped against the Makalo—he couldn’t hold his own weight. Akeno nearly fell under the load, but struggled forward.
They staggered through a door, across another room, and into a hall. Jacob was so disoriented he couldn’t even tell which way was up. Pain was the only thing he knew. He longed to fall to the floor—to give in to the black, to stop the spinning. He brushed against a doorjamb and nearly fainted from the agony the contact caused. He opened his eyes. Hundreds of people streamed through the huge corridor—Lorkon, humans, Makalos, and other creatures. The lights still flashed, and he had to close his eyes again. He felt himself losing his grasp on consciousness as Akeno yelled unintelligible things at him.
They stumbled down a hall, a door opened, and he was pushed inside a room. He slumped to the ground, trying not to give into the convulsions.
“Jacob . . . vial? . . .” Akeno’s words didn’t make any sense.
He was aware of his bag being ripped off his arm, and moments later a bitter fluid was poured into his mouth. He gagged, trying to spit it out.
“Stop it! Swallow . . . please, Jacob!”
Jacob felt his nose being plugged, and then his mouth was jammed shut, forcing him to swallow. The liquid burned its way down his throat and he fought the urge to throw up as it hit his stomach. Writhing on the floor for what felt like an eternity, he was aware of Akeno at his side.
Suddenly, the potion entered his bloodstream. The sensation started at his heart, inching outward from there. It soothed the pain away, first in his chest, then his lower body, then his arms and neck, and finally his head.
The liquid was cold—cooling his burning blood. His muscles relaxed, and the sounds disappeared. The lights stopped flashing.
Then his brain relaxed,
and he surrendered to the peaceful calm of sleep.