Warrior Genius

  Forced to start over, Pietro opened a small studio that he operated in secret. For years Nerezza seemed to have forgotten about him, and he was able to teach undisturbed. Then one day a young sculptor named Ugalino became one of his students.

  After Ugalino created Zanobius, Nerezza took notice of Pietro again. She was convinced that Pietro had encouraged Ugalino’s rebelliousness, and from then on, she viewed all artists and their Geniuses as threats to her power.

  “I tried to escape the city,” Pietro said. “But before I could, she found me. Victoria clawed Tito’s eyes out, and then my own world went dark…”

  “But she let you go,” Milena said. “Why?”

  “That’s a question that’s haunted me for years,” Pietro said.

  “It sounds like she took pity on you,” Giacomo said. “Part of her still had feelings for you.”

  “Maybe,” Pietro said. “Perhaps there was a shred of kindness left somewhere in her cold heart.”

  “If someone cares about you, they don’t make you go blind,” Savino said.

  Milena fumed. She hadn’t thought it was possible to despise Nerezza any more than she already did, but after hearing how horribly she had treated Pietro, Milena discovered new, deeper depths to her hate.

  “It’s my greatest regret in life that I didn’t do more to stop her in those early years,” Pietro said. “I saw the warning signs, but I was too afraid to confront her. Instead, I walked away like a coward and told myself she wasn’t my problem anymore. By the time she became everyone’s problem, it was too late to stop her.”

  Milena finally understood why it had been so difficult for Pietro to open up about his past. “You’re not a coward.” She leaned over and put her head on her teacher’s shoulder. “And I’m so sorry you had to go through all that.”

  Pietro squeezed her hand in silent thanks.

  “Excuse me, may I interrupt?” Yaday approached.

  Milena snapped upright. “Is it good news?” she asked.

  A slight smile formed on Yaday’s lips. “Yes, Aaminah is awake now. You can all go see her.”

  * * *

  Milena barreled into Aaminah’s room, relieved to find her sitting up in bed with Luna nestled in her hair. Milena wrapped her arms around Aaminah, careful to avoid her bandaged shoulder, and held her tight.

  Aaminah didn’t return the hug.

  Milena pulled away and looked into her friend’s eyes. She was met with a vacant stare. “Aaminah?”

  Aaminah didn’t reply. She didn’t so much as blink.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Giacomo asked as he, Savino, and Pietro came into the room.

  “I don’t know,” Milena said, fighting back her sadness. She turned to Yaday. “I thought you said she was all right.”

  “I said she was awake,” Yaday corrected. “We were able to extract the bit of Vrama’s soul that had lodged in her, so she’s out of immediate danger.”

  “But she won’t even look at me,” Milena protested.

  “To hold that kind of darkness in your body … It’s more than most can withstand. Aaminah is quite a spiritual warrior, but it will take some time for her to return to her normal self.”

  30

  CHANGE OF PLANS

  Giacomo was relieved that Aaminah had regained consciousness, but it took a couple of days before she was up on her feet again and talking. Even then, it was clear she still had a long way to go to make a full recovery.

  Once Aaminah was well enough to leave the palace, Giacomo, his friends, and Pietro gathered around the table in the gazebo for a celebration dinner. But Aaminah wasn’t enjoying herself. She sat in her chair, head hanging, petting Luna in her lap. Milena tried to get them both to eat, but neither Aaminah nor her Genius would take a bite.

  Because Vrama’s soul had invaded his own body, Giacomo understood how painful it felt to have that kind of darkness weighing you down. He felt guilty that, as a Tulpa, he had easily shaken off any lasting effects from the encounter while his friend had paid so dearly. He leaned over to Aaminah and put his hand on hers. “I want you to know, if you hadn’t been there to save me, Vrama would be controlling me now. I owe you my life.”

  “You would have done the same for me,” Aaminah said quietly, staring at her food.

  “Come on,” Milena said, helping her out of her chair. “Let’s all take a walk in the gardens.”

  “Sure,” Aaminah said, shuffling out of the gazebo.

  Giacomo turned back. “Pietro, aren’t you coming?”

  “Go ahead without me,” Pietro said. “The four of you should spend some time together. Besides, someone needs to eat all this food!” He slurped up a spoonful of soup.

  Milena held Aaminah’s arm as they ambled through the gardens. Birds sang and flitted through the sky, the frogs croaked with life, and the wind smelled like lavender. Normally, any of those things would have delighted Aaminah, but not today. Instead, she stared at the ground.

  Milena picked a bright yellow flower and handed it to Aaminah. “It’s your favorite color.”

  Aaminah glanced at the flower, then looked away without a word.

  Giacomo stopped and pulled a flute from his belt. “What about playing some music? That always cheers you up.” Gently, he took Luna from Aaminah’s cupped hands and passed her the instrument.

  “I’m not sure I ever want to play again,” Aaminah said softly.

  Milena and Savino stared at her, incredulous. Giacomo was so shocked by Aaminah’s words, he didn’t quite know how to respond at first. She still wasn’t feeling like herself, Giacomo reasoned. “You don’t really mean that. Music is who you are. It would be like one of us giving up art.”

  Aaminah opened her fingers and let the flute roll out of her hand. It clattered onto the stones.

  Giacomo’s heart sank. He retrieved the flute and put it back in his belt. “Maybe later…”

  Milena guided them to a secluded area ringed by manicured bushes, where she found a bench beneath a tree with white bark. The four of them sat peacefully for a while, until finally Aaminah spoke. “Do you ever think the Creator is up there having a big laugh at our expense?”

  “What do you mean?” Milena asked.

  “We’ve been running around the world chasing after the Sacred Tools, and for what?”

  “We have to defeat Nerezza,” Savino said.

  “And if we do? The world keeps going on, people keep suffering, wars keep breaking out…” Aaminah let out a heavy sigh.

  “But with Nerezza gone, there will be hope again,” Giacomo said, as much for his own benefit as for Aaminah’s. “Hope for a better future.”

  “The future doesn’t feel too hopeful right now,” Aaminah said, stroking Luna’s feathers.

  “Speaking of what lies ahead,” Savino said, “once Ajeet gets back with the Compass and the Straightedge, Giacomo can use them to track down the Creator’s Pencil.”

  Giacomo had been so worried about Aaminah’s condition, he hadn’t given much thought to the final Sacred Tool. But Savino was right, they had to start preparing for the last part of their mission. “My hunch is we’ll find the Creator’s Pencil somewhere in Katunga next.”

  “I still have Garrulous’s journals,” Milena said. “I’ll start reading about his travels there and see if I can find any clues about where to start looking.”

  Aaminah perked up. “Katunga? Are you sure?” For the first time, her voice sparked with life.

  Giacomo smiled at Aaminah. “Don’t worry, we won’t go anywhere until you’re feeling better.”

  “I wonder if…” Aaminah stopped herself.

  “What is it?” Milena asked.

  Aaminah shook her head. “It’s stupid. Never mind.”

  “Tell us,” Milena insisted.

  “I just thought … If we’re going to Katunga, maybe I could try to find my father.”

  Giacomo recalled that Aaminah’s Katungan father had left for his homeland when she was only a baby, shortly after Luna arrived. He ha
d promised Aaminah’s mother he would return once he found a safe place to take Aaminah and her new Genius. But he was never heard from again.

  “I have a feeling he’s still out there,” Aaminah said. “During our training, when Lavanthi had us picture the one person who could get us through anything, I thought of him—or what I imagine he might look like.”

  “We’ll do whatever it takes to help you find him, I promise,” Giacomo said.

  Luna stirred. Aaminah pushed herself off the bench, standing tall, some of her old strength returning. “So when do we leave?”

  They were interrupted by the blare of horns. The palace bells tolled. Horses brayed.

  “What’s that all about?” Savino said.

  Giacomo peered through the trees and saw a portal glowing in front of the palace. “Samraat Ajeet’s back!”

  * * *

  Everyone gathered on the palace steps to welcome the samraat and his warriors home. Ajeet was happy to report that the Geniuses throughout Rachana had all made a complete recovery, and true to his word, he returned the Sacred Tools to Giacomo.

  “The Compass and Straightedge are now yours to wield,” Ajeet said. “Don’t let them corrupt you the way they did Vrama.”

  “I won’t,” Giacomo said.

  But everyone’s good mood was short-lived. Shortly after Ajeet’s arrival, a horse-Genius flew over the battlement and glided to a landing in front of the palace. Its rider jumped from the saddle and rushed up the stairs, calling to Samraat Ajeet with an urgent tone.

  Giacomo turned to Yaday. “What’s going on?”

  Yaday’s eyes were wide with shock. “This warrior flew in from the east. He says that a few days after Ajeet visited their city, Zizzolan ships were spotted heading this way.”

  Giacomo’s heart thumped. “Flying ships?”

  Yaday listened in, translating bits and pieces of Ajeet’s conversation with the warrior. “Yes. Three of them. Along with an enormous bird-Genius.”

  “Nerezza,” Giacomo said, dread creeping over him.

  Yaday also looked unsettled. “He says he flew here to warn us as quickly as he could, but the ships were moving at a steady clip. He thinks they’ll be here by dawn.”

  “I bet she finally got Enzio to talk,” Savino said. “I knew he would break.”

  “Don’t blame him,” Giacomo shot back. “I’m sure he did everything he could to protect us.” He prayed for Enzio’s well-being.

  It didn’t matter how she had found him, Giacomo thought. Deep down, he’d known it would only be a matter of time before she tracked him down again. Giacomo had foolishly believed that Rachana was out of Nerezza’s reach, but the truth was, there was nowhere in the world he could escape her grasp.

  War was coming to Rachana. And it was all Giacomo’s fault.

  31

  FIRST STRIKE

  Before first light, Giacomo and his friends headed to the palace, anxious about the impending battle. Pietro glided overhead on Tito.

  “Does this feel wrong to anyone else?” Savino said, keeping his voice low.

  “Does what feel wrong?” Giacomo asked.

  “We’re Zizzolan. We’re not supposed to fight with Rachanans, we’re supposed to fight against them.”

  Giacomo stopped and glared at Savino. “After everything we’ve been through in Rachana, you still see Ajeet and his people as your enemy?”

  “No,” Savino said, growing defensive. “I’m just saying … historically, that’s been the case.”

  “Then today, we change history,” Giacomo said, and marched off.

  On the palace steps, he found Ajeet conferring with Yaday, Lavanthi, Ozo, and several other warriors. Soraya stood with her mother, crying and stomping her foot.

  When Ajeet noticed the children approaching, he waved them over. “Join us. We’re going over our strategy. We think Nerezza’s ships will come from the east, so we’re going to concentrate our forces along that battlement.” He pointed to the wall in the distance, where archers and other warriors were already lining up. “Giacomo, you and the Sacred Tools will be with me. Savino and Milena, you’re with Lavanthi and Ozo.”

  Pietro and Tito landed with a heavy whoosh. “We’ll patrol the skies,” Pietro said. “Tito will alert everyone the moment he senses Nerezza and her Genius getting close.”

  “Excellent,” Ajeet said.

  “What about me?” Aaminah asked.

  Milena put an arm around her shoulder. “Maybe it’s better if you sit out this fight?”

  “I can handle it,” Aaminah insisted.

  Giacomo wasn’t so sure. Her energy had perked up a lot since yesterday, but he worried she might get hurt again.

  “I’d feel a lot better if you stayed somewhere safe,” Milena said, echoing Giacomo’s thoughts.

  Yaday stepped forward. “The healers and I set up a recovery area inside the palace. We could really use your help tending to any injured.”

  “That’s perfect,” Milena said. “What do you say, Aaminah?”

  Aaminah grumbled her disappointment and reluctantly agreed to the assignment.

  “And take my granddaughter inside with you,” Ajeet said. “She thinks she’s ready to see battle today, despite what her mother tells her.”

  Lavanthi ushered a pouty-faced Soraya over to Aaminah and gave her a nod of thanks. Aaminah took the girl’s hand, and they followed Yaday into the palace.

  Giacomo flew to the battlement with Ajeet on his horse-Genius, Kavi. Bronze-armored archers and silver-armored swordspeople lined the walls. A horse-Genius and its warrior stood at attention every twenty feet. Down in the palace grounds, more warriors wielding swords and spears were at the ready in case Nerezza’s ships sailed over the fortress and Zizzolan soldiers dropped in.

  Ajeet guided Kavi back and forth in front of his troops, spurring them on. Giacomo didn’t understand a word of what he was saying, but Ajeet’s passion and motivation came through in his booming voice. The warriors called back to him with a resounding roar, and their Geniuses whinnied.

  Kavi glided down, and Ajeet joined his troops on the battlement. Giacomo dismounted, then looked back up at Ajeet. “Any words of encouragement for me?”

  “I’ll tell you what I told my warriors,” Ajeet said. “Zizzola has tried to invade our lands countless times in the past, with one aim: to force the Rachanan people into servitude. But time and again, we fought back, refusing to give up our freedoms to a foreign empire. And as long as we don’t cower today, no one will be able to control us.” Ajeet pointed at Giacomo. “And no one will control you.”

  Ajeet’s words quieted Giacomo’s anxiety like a cooling salve on a burn. “Thank you,” Giacomo said.

  As the sun peeked over the faraway mountains, silence fell over the fortress. Everyone stood motionless, waiting for the fleet’s arrival. Giacomo became aware of the wind rushing in his ears and the chirping of birds in the gardens, knowing that in only a few minutes such a moment of peace would be impossible to find.

  Farther down the battlement, Milena and Savino stood with Lavanthi. Gaia and Nero were perched on the triangular merlons in front of them. Giacomo caught Milena’s eye and gave her a nod. She smiled back, but the rest of her face was etched with worry. He wished he could relay some of Ajeet’s confidence and convince her they’d be victorious.

  Then, out of the quiet came a low, ominous hoot, followed by the heavy whooshing of wings. Tito glided over the fortress with Pietro on his back. Two warrior scouts and their horse-Geniuses flanked them. “Nerezza is close!” Pietro shouted.

  It wasn’t long before a warning bell began clanging from one of the towers.

  Giacomo focused his eyes on the distant part of the sky where the silhouette of a bird appeared, wings flapping. At first he thought it was Victoria, but its movements were too even and mechanical to be a Genius.

  It had to be Nerezza’s ship.

  But Giacomo had been expecting three of them. Where are the others? he wondered.

  He gripped
the crook of the Straightedge tightly—one side ran the length of his arm, the other angled toward the ground. The ship sailed closer. From Giacomo’s shoulder, Mico trilled warily.

  Kavi trotted up to Giacomo. “Wait until the ship is in range, then fire a warning shot,” Ajeet said. “Once Nerezza witnesses the Straightedge’s power, she’ll have second thoughts about continuing the assault.”

  Giacomo readied himself to strike, though he suspected that once Nerezza realized he had the Straightedge, her hostility would only intensify.

  One of the warriors, Azad, ran up to Ajeet, speaking in a rushed and worried voice. Ajeet called out to his army, and in an instant, the orderly group turned chaotic as warriors, archers, and soldiers scattered and sprinted to opposite ends of the fortress. A modest force remained with the samraat on the eastern battlement.

  “What’s going on?” Milena said as she and Savino rejoined Giacomo.

  “I think Nerezza might have outsmarted Ajeet.” Giacomo turned southward and pointed into the distance, where a second flying vessel emerged from the morning haze. A similar vision appeared to the north.

  “I hate to give Nerezza credit, but a three-pronged attack is pretty good strategy,” Savino said.

  The wind gusted, carrying a terrifying screech with it. Giacomo looked to the west, where Victoria dove out of the sky. “Make that a four-pronged attack!” he shouted.

  Nerezza fired off a violet whorl from Victoria’s gem, cutting a swath of destruction through the center of the gardens and taking out several warriors in the process. Bushes and trees burst into flame.

  Victoria swooped low, strafing the ground. A cadre of warriors charged, futilely hacking with their swords at the creature as she sped past. The archers to either side of Giacomo fired a volley of arrows, but Victoria batted them away with her giant wing.

  “Take out that beast!” Ajeet commanded.

  Giacomo raised the Straightedge and aimed at Victoria. The patterns on the handle glowed. Mico flew out in front of him, his gem blazing red. Nerezza closed in.