Zanobius handed it over and Giacomo tucked it under his arm.
At the top of the palace steps, ten black-cloaked figures emerged from behind the rubble, their faces hidden by long hoods.
“The Council of Ten,” Milena said nervously.
“Baldassare’s with them?” Pietro asked.
“There are ten people,” Savino said. “One of them must be him.”
“Perhaps he has devised some way out of this,” Pietro said.
“Or we’ve walked right into his trap,” Giacomo said.
Milena looked confused. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You all need to cover me,” Giacomo said, without answering her question.
“What are you going to do?” Milena asked.
Giacomo scanned the piazza. “Find someplace a little more hidden while I figure out how to open the portal. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.” He whistled for his Genius and they bolted toward one of the destroyed buildings.
“Get the boy!” one of the cloaked figures hollered. “He has the Compass!”
But before the soldiers could pursue, Milena raised her brush, firing off a trail of green light that erupted in front of them. By the time the dust cleared, Giacomo was gone.
Zanobius charged the soldiers, still limping from his wounds. He crashed into the front line and punched with his two good arms, feeling metal slam against his fists. Two men went down, their swords clattering across the stones.
He dodged right, then left, avoiding jabbing spear tips. Soldiers swarmed. Black armor and metal blades filled his vision. With each punch he landed, another soldier was on top of him. Swords nicked his flesh, and a spear went straight through the back of his right leg. He roared and grabbed the soldier by the throat, hurling him into his fellow men.
Over the clanking swords and grunting, Zanobius made out the quick-tempo notes of a flute. The music was accompanied by a volley of yellow, green, and blue spirals of light that exploded around the soldiers, knocking them away. He couldn’t believe the children were helping him.
With a grunt, he wrenched the spear from his calf and hurled it into the throng. Picking an abandoned sword off the ground, Zanobius rejoined the assault, slashing at anyone who came near him.
Like shooting stars, the Genius-fueled attacks rained down, forcing the soldiers into a huddle. They raised their shields, forming a dome of metal around their group.
Zanobius heard the lyrical whistle of a bird. At first, he thought it was one of the Geniuses, but they were reacting too, turning away from the fight and toward the high-pitched sounds.
They flew toward the Council of Ten, who had descended the stairs during the battle and were marching into the piazza. One of the figures lowered his hood, revealing himself as Enzio’s father. He was blowing on a small whistle, luring the Geniuses to him.
He sprinkled the ground with tiny pieces of food and the Geniuses landed, eagerly gobbling up the bait. Soldiers quickly dropped round metal cages over them, locking them inside. The Geniuses screeched and violently thrashed at the bars, but it was too late. They were Baldassare’s prisoners.
It had all happened so suddenly that the children barely had time to react before they realized Baldassare’s intentions.
“Drop your weapons!” Baldassare ordered.
“What are you doing?” Milena yelled.
“Let Luna go!” Aaminah cried out.
“Drop them now, or your Geniuses perish.” Soldiers pointed their swords between the bars of the cages.
“All right!” Milena said, raising her hands in surrender.
Savino, Milena, and Pietro threw their brushes and pencils to the ground. Savino’s sculpting tools and Aaminah’s instruments followed.
“I’m sorry this is how it has to end,” Baldassare said. “I had hoped you could all return to the villa peacefully, but that seems impossible at this point.”
“Baldassare, how could you betray us like this?” Pietro asked bitterly.
“Coward!” Savino yelled.
The children’s expressions were a mix of hurt and anger. Aaminah looked ready to burst into tears.
“Giacomo, bring the Compass to me!” Baldassare called out, then gazed downward, smoothing his cloak. “This … It wasn’t personal, Pietro. I … I want you to know that.”
“Not personal? All these years, you’ve been lying to me. And to the children!” Pietro’s voice was filled with disgust. “I was a fool to believe that you cared about the future of this city and protecting Geniuses.”
“I do care,” Baldassare snapped back. “That’s why I had to keep the truth from you. In order to locate the Sacred Tools, we needed Geniuses, but no artist would willingly use theirs to help the Supreme Creator.”
“Maybe because she was killing them all!” Savino screamed.
Baldassare smirked. “However, young minds are much easier to influence and control.”
“You used us!” Milena hollered.
No wonder Enzio had rebelled, Zanobius realized. His father seemed as manipulative as Ugalino had been.
Baldassare stepped forward, calling out again. “Giacomo, come out with the Compass immediately, or your friends’ Geniuses will be killed!”
“Enzio’s still alive,” Aaminah blurted out.
“He is?” Baldassare glanced angrily at Zanobius.
“But he’s hurt,” she said. “I might be able to save him, but the Compass is the only way to get to him now.”
“Then the sooner Giacomo hands it over, the sooner I can send a team to bring my son back.”
“Enzio doesn’t want to return home,” Zanobius said, following Aaminah’s lead. The longer they could keep Baldassare talking, the more time Giacomo would have to devise a way out of their predicament.
Baldassare’s puffy cheeks burned red. “And what would a Tulpa know about what my son needs? I am his father. Only I know what is best for him.”
Zanobius seethed. “No you don’t! How could you? You have no idea what he thinks or how he feels!”
Baldassare snarled, “Enough! I won’t be insulted by an abhorrent monster like you.”
Zanobius limped toward Baldassare, favoring his left legs. “I’m not a monster!” The soldiers leveled their weapons at him. But before another fight could break out, a bloodcurdling screech froze everyone in place. Zanobius looked up to see an enormous black Genius swooping down. Two long twisted horns sprouted from the top of its wedge-shaped head. Zanobius recalled the Genius well—Victoria was her name. He’d done battle with her many years ago. A hunched woman sat astride the Genius’s neck. The children stared up in dread. Their Geniuses rattled their cages.
“The Supreme Creator…” Aaminah said in hushed fear.
“I was wondering when Nerezza would show her face,” Pietro said. His mammoth Genius let out a growly hoot.
From Victoria’s crown, a bright violet light shot forth, directly at Zanobius. He jumped away, scampering on his hands and feet, but he didn’t act fast enough. The force of the blast sent him flying, along with a shower of rock. For a moment, he hovered weightlessly above the earth, then he crashed into a pile of stone.
His ears rang. His head pounded. Zanobius staggered to his feet and limped back to the children, who huddled near Pietro and his Genius.
“Any sign of Giacomo?” Savino whispered.
“Not yet,” Milena said, looking around. “But he’ll come through…”
Victoria landed in front of Zanobius, her talons clacking against the stones. The soldiers re-formed lines around their leader, blades raised like a jagged fence.
The Supreme Creator looked down with disdain. Since the last time Zanobius had faced her, Nerezza’s hair had grayed and her skin showed many more wrinkles. But she still wore the same gaudy headdress. Translucent fabric draped from its padded brim, framing her angled features. Two thin brows arched above her eyes. She wore black velvet robes trimmed with gold and topped with a high, stiff collar that appeared to be the only thing hold
ing up her ancient head. Her withered hand peeked out from an embroidered sleeve, clutching a thick wooden brush. Her piercing gaze stopped on Zanobius.
“Where’s that traitorous creator of yours?” she asked.
“He’s gone…” Zanobius said. “Killed by Giacomo. And if you don’t back down, you’ll be next!”
“That child is hardly a threat,” Nerezza scoffed.
“There he is!” Baldassare shouted. Everyone turned toward the palace. Zanobius spotted Giacomo striding along the top of the building’s fallen pediment, which now lay broken in two among the crumbled pillars. Nerezza and her Genius wheeled around to face him. Like a statue of a hero, Giacomo thrust up his arm, triumphantly raising the Compass. A few feet behind him his tiny Genius hovered, its gem aglow, bathing Giacomo in a red light.
Victoria craned her neck forward to give Nerezza a closer view of the defiant boy. “Baldassare told me of your ability to access the Wellspring,” she said. “But even a boy of your incredible talents can’t overpower me.”
Fearless, Giacomo stood his ground. “Maybe not. But I found the Compass when you couldn’t. However, I might be willing to give it to you and to help you find the Creator’s Straightedge and Pencil.”
“In exchange for what?” Nerezza said, sounding intrigued.
“What is he doing?” Milena whispered.
“Guess he didn’t come through after all,” Savino grumbled.
Zanobius didn’t understand it either. When Giacomo had appeared on top of the rubble, it looked like he was going to use the Compass against the Supreme Creator, not turn it over to her.
“I realize my parents made a mistake by not helping you all those years ago,” Giacomo continued. “I want to fix that. Let my friends and their Geniuses go, and I’ll serve you.”
Aaminah gasped. “Giacomo, no!”
“And the Tulpa?” Nerezza asked, glancing at Zanobius.
“He goes with them,” Giacomo said.
So that was Giacomo’s plan. He was going to sacrifice himself, allowing them all to go free. Zanobius had never seen such an act of selflessness from a human before.
Nerezza considered Giacomo’s demands, then nodded to Baldassare. “Release the Geniuses,” she commanded.
Baldassare begrudgingly unlocked the cages, and the three Geniuses flew back to Savino, Milena, and Aaminah, who were flushed with relief.
Giacomo looked down and waved them away. “Go,” he said. “Trust me.”
The Supreme Creator watched Zanobius, Pietro, and the children back away from the army, then she returned her gaze to Giacomo. “Now, hand over the Compass.”
Giacomo took a step toward her, and for a split second, he vanished. It reminded Zanobius of the way Giacomo had appeared, then disappeared, during their first encounter.
Zanobius ushered the children in the direction Giacomo had fled earlier. “This way,” Zanobius whispered, leading them behind a half-ruined wall, then circling around toward the side of the palace. The whole time, he kept an eye on Giacomo. Zanobius noticed Giacomo’s form flicker again, but it happened so fast, no one else seemed to see it. “I think there’s more to Giacomo’s plan.”
“Before I turn myself over,” Giacomo said, “there is one thing I need to ask you.”
“And what is that?” Nerezza asked.
“Do you know why my parents refused to help you?”
“They were too proud to share their Geniuses for the good of the empire. They were prideful and arrogant.”
“That’s not the reason,” Giacomo said.
“Then please, enlighten me.”
“Because they knew you would want to kill me if you knew the truth.”
“The truth about what?” Nerezza snarled.
“They created me,” Giacomo proclaimed. “I’m a Tulpa.”
Nerezza jerked forward and her Genius lunged at Giacomo, its giant jaws opening to reveal a mouthful of fangs.
“No! We need him!” Baldassare protested.
Mico dodged out of the way as Victoria swallowed Giacomo in one bite.
The children shrieked and gasped, believing Giacomo had been killed. “He’s all right,” Zanobius quietly assured them.
When Victoria withdrew and opened her jaws, only rocks and dirt fell out. Giacomo remained atop the debris, unscathed.
“How … how did you know?” Aaminah asked.
Zanobius led them behind the pile of broken stones and marble. Inside a small alcove, they found the real Giacomo, holding the real Compass, the circular pattern on its handle aglow.
Milena looked on in disbelief. “Giacomo…?” she whispered.
“No way…” Savino uttered.
Aaminah excitedly grabbed Pietro’s arm. “He’s all right, Master Pietro!”
Giacomo whistled and his Genius swooped down. Without the beam, the projection of Giacomo flickered, then broke apart into tiny bits of light. The illuminated pattern on the Compass’s handle went dark. Zanobius was confounded—how had Giacomo used the Compass and his Genius to project himself?
“It’s not the boy!” Zanobius heard the Supreme Creator shriek. “Find him!” Clomping boots headed their way.
But Giacomo was already a step ahead. He held the Compass out in front of him, its lower leg horizontal to the ground, its upper leg angled upward.
“Ready to get Enzio?” Giacomo asked.
“But you’ve never been to the Cave of Alessio!” Savino said, sounding panicked.
“When I was in the duke’s camera obscura, I saw it,” Giacomo said. “Well enough to picture it, at least.” He closed his eyes and inhaled.
Soldiers climbed over the piles of stones. Tito lunged at them, letting out an earsplitting shriek. The soldiers scattered.
“Get the Compass, you cowards!” Baldassare ordered. More soldiers clambered up the rubble. Victoria rose from behind the pile, wings heaving.
Everyone gathered near the entrance to Giacomo’s hiding spot. As he turned the Compass, the pattern on its handle lit up again and a line of light trailed from its spinning leg.
Victoria landed and scrambled past the soldiers, knocking them aside. Zanobius shoved Savino out of the way and thrust out his two good arms. The Genius’s massive jaws slammed into his hands. Zanobius dug his feet into the ground, his legs trembling. Saliva dripped from Victoria’s fanged mouth, slathering Zanobius’s arms in a thick goo; her breath stank of rotten meat. It took all of his withering strength to keep the creature at bay.
“The portal’s open! Everyone through!” Milena ordered.
A glimmering white circle hung next to Giacomo in the mouth of the alcove.
Aaminah jumped through first, followed by Milena and Savino and their Geniuses.
“Pietro, come on!” Giacomo shouted.
Pietro led his Genius toward the portal, but Tito pulled back, hesitant.
“Get in there!” Pietro hollered, giving his Genius a little kick in its side. It stuck its giant head into the circle of light, then tucked its wings, wriggling through.
“You’re next, Zanobius!” Giacomo said urgently.
“No…” he said, straining. “You go. I’ll be right behind you.”
Zanobius’s arms and legs felt like they were about to explode. The gem on Victoria’s crown bathed him in a violet light that was growing brighter by the second. “You’ve been a scourge upon my empire, Tulpa!” Nerezza screamed.
But as her arm swung down, a red triangle struck her hand, snapping it back. Nerezza’s brush flew from her grasp.
“Zanobius warned you, I am a threat!” Giacomo proclaimed.
“Get out of here, Giacomo!” Zanobius urged. Victoria bore down with all her power. His knees buckled. He didn’t know how much longer he could hold the Genius back.
Giacomo dove into the portal and vanished. Zanobius jumped to the side, releasing his grip on the creature’s jaw. Victoria’s head pitched forward, her beak smashing into the stones. The momentum threw the Supreme Creator from her Genius’s neck, sending her c
rashing into Baldassare.
Zanobius looked out to the piazza, surprised to see Ozo lurching toward him, eyes fixed, dragging his sword across the stones. Zanobius was impressed by the man’s persistence. He had no doubt they’d cross paths again.
“I’m sorry,” Zanobius called out. “I truly am.” Then he stepped into the light.
24
CONSTELLATIONS
Giacomo jetted out of the portal and tumbled across the ground, smacking into a tree. Its gnarled branches shook above him. A waterfall showered him with a cool mist. On either side of him, Savino, Milena, and Aaminah slowly rose to their feet, while Pietro climbed off Tito. The Genius shook like a giant wet dog, scattering feathers everywhere, creating some new bald spots. Giacomo collapsed with relief. By the Creator’s good graces—and his Compass—they’d made it to the Cave of Alessio.
The portal ejected Zanobius, who slid face-first across the grass. He spat out a mouthful of dirt. “Close it now!” He limped up the path and disappeared into the cave behind the falls.
Giacomo grabbed the Compass and lined up its leg with the outer edge of the portal. He spun it counterclockwise and the portal shrank to a tiny dot and vanished.
Aaminah fell into him with a huge hug. “How did you project yourself like that?”
Giacomo relaxed his grip on the Compass, still reeling from the shock of everything that had happened. “I wasn’t sure it would work,” he began to explain as he and Aaminah separated. “I was about to open the portal when I heard Baldassare’s bird whistle. Once he captured your Geniuses, I knew I had to come up with another plan. I thought about how the Compass had projected itself into Alessio’s Cave and I figured I might be able to combine its power with Mico’s gem to do something similar to myself.”
“You made your own version of a camera obscura,” Milena said. “Brilliant!”
Savino patted Giacomo’s shoulder. “Thanks for getting us out of there. For a second, I really thought you were going to join Nerezza’s side.”
“Never,” Giacomo said. “I just had to figure out a way to trick her into freeing your Geniuses. There was no way I was about to let you all become Lost Souls.”