by Mary Fan
The hellhorn opened its mouth and spat a fireball at her. She dropped to the ground. The flaming sphere soared over her head and dissolved against a tree on the other side of the clearing.
Aurelia sprang up. “Missed, sucker!”
As the hellhorn opened its mouth again, Flynn aimed the rifle. “Over here!” He fired, and the bullet pierced the creature’s side. The hellhorn let out an earthshaking cry and turned its blazing face toward Flynn. A fireball shot out of its mouth, and the scorching heat of the projectile struck his shoulder and shot into his chest. But the pain faded in an instant, and a quick glance at his unscathed body told him that the fire had passed right through him. He pulled the trigger again and again, striking the monster over and over. Only one thought was in his head. He had to get the creature away from Aurelia.
“Flynn, stop!” Her voice rang in his ears, but he ignored it. All he could see was his target: the hellhorn. It charged at him with a roar.
Aurelia threw one of her swords at it. The blade embedded itself in the creature’s side, and the hellhorn stopped running with a cry so loud, the ground shook. It snapped its head from side to side, shooting fireballs at both of them. Aurelia dodged them nimbly, but Flynn, knowing they couldn’t hurt him, didn’t bother, instead letting them tear right through him. Though the pain was unlike anything he’d known before, digging into his skin and spreading like spiderwebs through his whole body, he told himself he could take a little heat. No actual injury was being done. It just hurt like hell.
Gritting his teeth, he dropped the rifle, pulled his sword out of its sheath, and ran at the creature. A second blade pierced the hellhorn’s side. The hellhorn faced Aurelia, turning away from Flynn.
Seeing his opening, Flynn reached up and jammed his sword into the side of the creature’s neck. The creature bellowed. He was sure his ears would explode from the noise. He pushed the blade across the beast’s throat. Hot yellowish-green blood spurted out all over him, and the flames leaping from the hellhorn’s chest, which he was inches from, engulfed him. The monster’s flesh was thick, and it took more strength than he’d expected to make it halfway across its throat with his blade. He forced his eyes to stay open despite the brightness and pushed harder.
The hellhorn let out one last cry. Then its flames vanished. It started falling, and Flynn released the sword and jumped back to avoid getting crushed.
The hellhorn crashed to the ground, dead.
Gotcha.
But he barely had a chance to acknowledge his victory before a sharp blow stung his back.
“Ow!” Wondering what it was, he turned.
Aurelia scowled at him, a handful of small rocks in her left hand.
He realized what that blow had been. “A rock? You threw a rock at me?”
“That’s what you get for not listening!” She threw another.
Flynn dodged, but not fast enough. The pebble hit him in the thigh. “Hey! What’s your problem? I got the thing, didn’t I?”
“You were only supposed to take on monsters I wanted you to face!” Rage filled Aurelia’s voice. “The worst you were supposed to have dealt with was a lone baby fleshsnake, not a huge honking hellhorn! You could’ve ended up with a hoof through your skull, and then what? Next time I tell you to run, you freaking run, got it?”
“I didn’t want you to get burned! I know you would’ve been fine but—I didn’t want to see you get hurt.”
Aurelia blinked, as if surprised by his answer. The moment only lasted for a split second. She dropped the rocks and stormed toward him. “If I tell you let me handle something, for freak’s sake, back off, got it? I can take a few burns.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.” Flynn crossed his arms. “Look, I’m not some fragile pansy who always needs protecting. The hellhorn’s dead. Isn’t that what matters?”
Aurelia held her glare for several seconds. Flynn stared right back, determined not to back down this time. He couldn’t let her see him as a newbie weakling anymore, and he sure wouldn’t apologize for killing a hellhorn.
Finally, Aurelia turned her gaze to the dead monster and huffed. “Not bad, Nighty. Maybe you’re not a goner after all.”
Knowing Aurelia, that was her way of admitting that he’d done something right for once. A slight smile crept onto the corner of Flynn’s mouth. “Thanks.”
But he didn’t feel as triumphant as he’d thought he would. Instead, he was simply relieved the hellhorn was dead. He regarded the fallen creature with a mixture of satisfaction and disbelief. Its two sharp horns glinted under the sunlight, and it hit him how easily he could have been impaled. Thinking back, if he’d been a moment off with his timing, the hellhorn could have turned back to him before he had a chance to stab it, and he could have been gored. He wondered whether it was a good or bad thing that he never seemed to realize just how much danger he was in until after it was over.
He leaned down, grabbed the grip of the sword still embedded in the hellhorn’s neck, and yanked it out.
Aurelia seized the blades sticking out of the hellhorn’s side. “Let’s head back before anything else decides to jump out at us.”
“Good idea.” Flynn went to retrieve his rifle, squinting from the light of the sun. A thought occurred to him. “Hey, aren’t hellhorns only supposed to come out at night?”
“Yeah, add it to the list of weird.” Aurelia stuck her swords into their sheaths. “I mean, sunlight doesn’t hurt them so much as bug them, but still, it’s not normal for them to be out when it’s so bright. I’m beginning to wonder if Tamerlane’s onto something with this whole Underworld thing.”
“Shouldn’t we do something about it?”
“Like what?” Aurelia picked up the bow she’d dropped earlier. “Keeping an eye on the Underworld is what the Sentinels are supposed to do, instead of spending their days locking up citizens. Once the Triumvirs are gone and the Rising takes command of the nation, they can get back to that.” She retrieved her quiver and slung it on her shoulder. “So, now that you’ve ganked a hellhorn, I guess I don’t have to waste so much time dealing with you. Calhoun’ll want me back on mission duty.”
“Yeah, makes sense.” It occurred to Flynn that since he’d passed his test, Aurelia would no longer be training him day in and day out, and he’d see a lot less of her. The thought left him with a sinking feeling of disappointment.
Aurelia looked disappointed too. Her shoulders sank into a sulky slump, and her mouth tilted down into something of a pout. “It’ll be weird going back to normal Riser stuff after three whole months of playing coach. Dunno what Calhoun’ll have you do now.”
“I guess my life will be a lot easier without you whacking me all the time.” Flynn gave a joking smile. “I swear, even after facing the actual monsters, I’m still more scared of you.”
Aurelia giggled. “I’ll still whack you if I get the chance. Gotta keep you sharp! And hey, maybe now we can hang out like, you know, normal people—or as close to normal as you can get at the Citadel. Well, not training and stuff.”
“Yeah, that’d be nice.” Flynn wondered if her invitation meant that she actually liked him… as a friend, of course. Even the notion of anything more was laughable. Why would a girl like her want anything to do with him, especially after all the times he’d made an idiot of himself in front of her?
The Citadel came into view between the trees. Hard to believe he’d spent three whole months in that building. The clearing had been the farthest he’d ventured from the Citadel since he’d joined the Rising. But now, there would be no more hiding. He’d passed the test, and it was time for him to take an active role in the rebellion. Whatever they asked of him, he’d do it. The Rising was a bullet that couldn’t be stopped, and soon, it would strike the heart of the Triumvirate.
But he got the uncanny feeling that before victory could come, things would get much, much worse.
Chapter 17
Teaming Up
“Calhoun!” Aurelia threw open the door to Calhoun’s office and marched up to his desk, where he sat looking over a report written in heavy black letters. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you.”
Calhoun looked up and sighed, as though already weary of what she had to say. “Fine, kiddo. Let’s hear it.”
“Sending Flynn out into the woods this morning was the worst idea you’ve ever had, and I can’t believe I went along with it!” She banged the desk for emphasis.
Calhoun stood and closed the office door. “What’s gotten into you? Yesterday, you were on board with the whole thing.”
“That was before Flynn was attacked by a shifterskin and a hellhorn!” Thoughts of what could have happened had been buzzing around her head since she’d led Flynn back to the Citadel. Though she was glad that she’d seen for herself that he could handle a monster, the mental image of him lying dead with a shifterskin’s hands around his throat haunted her. “Are you trying to get him killed? I can’t believe I let you talk me into thinking this test thing was a good idea!”
“It wasn’t really a test for Nightsider.” Calhoun returned to his desk. “It was a test for you, to see if you could keep him safe. Williams cast a tracking spell on you before you took off this morning, letting us see whatever you saw. He and Brooks, along with three others, were on standby to goldlight in if things got ugly.”
Aurelia’s jaw dropped. “Williams cast a tracker spell on me?”
“Yes.” Calhoun placed his elbows on his desk. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but the whole point was to see how you would fare on your own.”
Aurelia’s mind reeled. All that time she’d thought she was alone in the woods, six people had been watching her. “What the hell, Calhoun? Tracking people without them knowing—that’s what the Triumvirate does!”
Calhoun’s expression darkened. “Watch your mouth. I was just looking out for Nightsider, same as you.”
Realizing that comparing Calhoun to the Triumvirate might have been a bit harsh, Aurelia almost wanted to apologize. However, whatever Calhoun’s reasons had been, she still didn’t like that he’d had her enchanted without her knowledge. “You should’ve told me.”
“Listen, kiddo, I know you don’t like that I keep secrets. But remember why that’s become a habit of mine. I trusted Storm, and look what happened there.”
“I can’t. You won’t tell anyone what happened.”
Calhoun let out a cynical laugh. “You’ve got a point there. What can I say? There’s not much to tell. Dark magic does strange things to a person’s mind. Even I don’t know what Storm’s really after.” He met her gaze. “Fact is, Nightsider took down a hellhorn, and not many people can say that. I think he’s ready for a mission.”
“No, he’s not! What’re we supposed to do if he gets himself killed?” She glared down at Calhoun.
To her surprise, Calhoun chuckled. “I’ve never seen you get so worked up over one person before. You really care about him, don’t you?”
Aurelia scowled. “I care about keeping the Untouchable One safe!”
“So do I.” The amusement left Calhoun’s eyes. “Believe me, whatever concerns you have about him, mine are far greater. But I’ve thought and thought, and the fact is, we’ve tried every other option for getting the map of the Palace. He’s our only hope for success, but before I could send him out, I had to know that you could protect him.”
Aurelia held her scowl but saw the reasoning behind his actions. Irritation at Calhoun’s actions still sparked in her, but he was right about one thing—the Rising needed Flynn. Stealing the Palace map would take the Rising one step closer to bringing down the Triumvirs, and that was more important than anything. She wouldn’t hesitate to put her own life in danger for the sake of the rebellion—or that of any other Riser—so why should Flynn be any different? Besides, what was the point of having the Untouchable One around if they weren’t going to use him?
Protests knocked around in her mind, clamoring to say that Flynn should be kept as far from danger as possible, even if it meant holding back the Rising, but she bit them back. After all, it was freedom she cared about, not any one person, and most certainly not Flynn—at least not more than anyone else.
The eager look on Flynn’s face made Aurelia want to smack him—well, more so than usual. She also wanted to smack herself. Why did the thought of him doing anything but sitting safely in the Citadel bother her so much? The Untouchable One was a useful asset when the Triumvirate guarded everything with magic. She should have been confronting Calhoun about not deploying him. And making fun of him for being the only lazybones Riser who didn’t do anything for the cause other than exist.
“Aw, look at you, all excited for your first mission,” she said mockingly.
Flynn elbowed her. “Shut up. You’d be excited, too, if you’d been cooped up in the Citadel for three months.”
“I have, basically. And it’s all your fault.” She quickened her pace. “Hurry up, slowpoke!”
By the time she reached the assembly room, Calhoun was already there. He crouched beside a large paper blueprint spread across the platform, his brow creased with concentration. She looked behind her for Flynn, but he wasn’t in the room with her. Wondering where he’d gone, she peered back out into the hallway.
Flynn approached at a stroll. Apparently, he hadn’t even tried to keep up with her. She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot, giving him a disdainful look. “What took you so long?”
Flynn shrugged. “No one in the world’s as fast as you.”
Aurelia smacked his arm.
Calhoun looked up from the blueprint. “Come up here, you two.”
Aurelia glanced around the room and noticed that no one sat in the assembly room’s chairs. Are we early?
Hearing a sound from the hallway, she looked at the door. Tamerlane rushed into the room, his red hair sticking up as though he’d just rolled out of bed.
“And Brooks makes three.” Calhoun twitched his fingers in a beckoning motion. “Come.”
Aurelia looked Tamerlane up and down. His clothes were rumpled, and he had bags under his eyes. “You’re a hot mess. What happened?”
“Passed out while reading.” Tamerlane’s words rushed out.
“Reading what?”
“Boring history stuff you don’t care about.”
Is something bugging him, or is he just sleepy?
Flynn walked up to Calhoun. “Who else is joining us?”
“No one.” Calhoun stood. “It’s just you three.”
“What?” Flynn looked surprised.
Aurelia stepped onto the platform. Looking down, she recognized the blueprint as being for the Archive the Risers had failed to break into so many times. And now, he expects the three of us to do what entire teams couldn’t? She raised her eyebrows. “Are you serious?”
Calhoun nodded. “The last few attempts all involved large groups, which got confused and disorganized when things didn’t go according to plan. Besides, with Flynn around, we won’t need a bunch of people with spellbreaker devices. He can open the doors, and Aurelia, I know you don’t need any help taking down guards. No need for extra bodies cluttering things up, especially when more people means attracting more monsters.” He glanced at Flynn. “The Triumvirate stuck the Archive in a middle-of-nowhere town with no perimeter except around the Archive itself. One of the problems we’ve run into in the past is that our teams kept getting attacked before they could even reach the building.”
Aurelia regarded the blueprint, soaking in Calhoun’s words. She had to admit—it was a good plan. Large teams hadn’t exactly spelled success in the past, so maybe it was time to switch things up. “Let me guess: big diversion, small operation? Flynn and I go in while Tamerlane cooks up some hocus-pocus to distract the Sentinels?”
“Exactly.” Calh
oun glanced at Tamerlane. “What do you think? Can you handle a diversion all by your lonesome?”
Tamerlane held up his wand. “I have a few tricks that should get their attention,” he said with a glint in his eye.
Calhoun grinned. “Go nuts, kid.” He crouched by the blueprint. “All right, I want you three to memorize the layout of this place. But as always, at the first sign of trouble, get the hell out. I don’t want any of you getting caught.”
Aurelia crouched beside him. She studied the lines of the blueprints, taking in the details. This looks like fun.
Her previous doubts about Flynn’s role in all this poked at her, but she swatted them away. The Rising needed the map of the Palace. Calhoun’s plan was a good one, and she was kind of glad that she wouldn’t have to work with that many people. She didn’t play well with others. In her experience, they mostly just got in her way.
The Rising had failed to get the map several times before, but things would be different this time. They would succeed. She’d make sure of it. And once they did, they’d be one step closer to freedom.
Chapter 18
The Archive
The day had come: his first Riser mission. Flynn smiled at the thought. But before he could begin, he had to get to the mission’s location. And since he couldn’t be goldlighted anywhere, that meant driving one of the Rising’s black motor vehicles. Good thing he’d paid attention during the driving classes back at the Academy. They’d been preparing him and the other Secondstringers in case they were assigned to chauffeur jobs, but now, he was using those skills to undermine the Triumvirate.
Flynn steered the vehicle around a bend in the wide, cracked road. He glanced at Tamerlane, who sat in the passenger’s seat, watching an enchanted map that lay across his lap. A red star represented Augustine—the abandoned university town the Archive lay in—and a blue dot represented their vehicle. Less than an inch separated the two. We must be getting close.
Aurelia, meanwhile, sat sideways across the back seat, leaning against the window with her eyes closed.
