The Torchbearers

by Ally Condie

  “Come on.” He began climbing up the steep-sided gully.

  Even with a map, Nico was surprised Aster had actually managed to locate the tunnel at the bottom of this slope. She was resourceful, and headstrong to boot. Not one to take orders she didn’t agree with. Nico’s anxiety grew.

  They reached the top of the ridge, but fog as thick as soup covered the ground. Nico couldn’t see ten feet in front of him. Descending the other side quickly, they reached the field beside the pond. With every step, Nico felt an eerie tension ramping up around him. He was getting thoroughly freaked out.

  The mists abruptly parted halfway to the stepping stones, though the houseboat was still only a vague shadow out on the water.

  But Nico wasn’t looking at their clubhouse.

  He was staring at a host of figments meandering the beaten grass.

  Tyler’s jaw dropped. “What in the what?”

  “So many,” Emma murmured, eyes wide. “There should be only five!”

  “Three,” Nico countered. “Logan and Opal already dealt with two figments in town. But this … this is …”

  Opal swung her backpack around. “Daggers out!”

  Logan glanced at Nico, then back at the mob of imaginary creatures. “Do these ones look … different to anyone else?”

  Nico blinked. He focused on what he was seeing. Logan was right. These figments were all people.

  “Oh no.” Opal covered her mouth as she pointed to the water’s edge.

  Aster was perched on a small trunk, dripping wet and shivering under a sodden blanket. She was smiling.

  Tyler slapped a hand to his scalp. “Good gravy, she did it. She went into the Darkdeep!”

  Emma seemed to be counting in her head. “Quite a few times, by the looks of it. Incredible.”

  As they watched, Aster rose and opened the trunk, removing a tea kettle. She poured something into a chipped porcelain teacup and offered it to a nearby figment. To Nico’s complete astoundment, the shimmering gentleman—he was wearing some sort of old-timey doublet and leg hose—took the cup from her and put it to his lips.

  The man sipped. Steaming liquid poured through his ghostly body, forming a small puddle on the ground.

  Nico was gobsmacked. “What was that?”

  Aster began passing out tea to more figments, all of whom nodded in thanks and took the proffered cups. Nico’s stunned gaze shot to Opal, who stared back at him in astonishment. “They’re holding the cups,” she breathed. “Like it’s no big deal!”

  None of the figments noticed the Torchbearers as they huddled in a disbelieving mass, gaping at the impossible event taking place before them. Aster seemed as happy as a lark, though her lips were blue, and her teeth were chattering loud enough for Nico to hear them twenty yards away.

  “Is she crazy?” Tyler squawked. “She used the Darkdeep to … to … throw a tea party!”

  Aster finally glanced their way, and Nico saw her flinch. She rose unhurriedly and walked over to join them.

  “Hello,” she greeted coolly. “Good morning to you all.”

  “Good morning?!” Tyler exploded. “Is that all you have to say?”

  Aster affected a puzzled look, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Nico felt his temper slip a notch. She knows what she’s done. And she doesn’t care what we think about it.

  Logan took a step forward, a stone Torchbearer dagger gripped tightly in his fist. “Let’s deal with these figments first.”

  Aster raised a palm. “There is no need. We are finished.”

  She spun and rejoined the unearthly gathering, circulating among the figments and shaking hands with them. Each time she did, the figment bowed, curtsied, or doffed their hat. Then they disappeared.

  Nico put a hand to his nose and squeezed. “Am I awake? Is this really happening?”

  Aster finished dismissing her guests. She returned to the group, pulling the wet blanket tight around her shoulders. “If it is all right with you, I shall return to the house-ship. I am terribly cold. Besides, there are unfriendly beasties roaming the woods today.” She giggled. “Apparently, they do not like tea.”

  With that, she turned and made her way toward the stepping stones.

  “Okay,” Emma said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Aster is kind of clutch.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Nico growled. “Logan. Emma. Can you keep a lookout for those other figments? Sounds like they’re still on the island. I don’t want to leave anything wandering freely if we can help it.”

  Nico thought Logan was about to protest, but he nodded sharply instead. “Fine. Come on, Emma.”

  “Keep an eye out for strange animals, too!” Tyler warned.

  Emma nodded. “I’ve got an extra dagger up my sleeve with that wolf’s name on it.” She and Logan moved to the tree line and began scanning for threats.

  Nico led Opal and Tyler in pursuit of Aster. He’d chosen the two of them specifically for this confrontation. They’d be just as appalled by Aster’s foolishness as he was. Right?

  Inside the showroom, Aster had changed into dry clothes and was sitting on the floor, carefully cleaning the tea set. Nico wasn’t sure where the porcelain cups had come from—there were still a few trunks he’d never looked inside, an oversight he promised to rectify as soon as possible.

  Aster knew what was coming. “Before you say anything, please know that I was very careful.”

  “Careful?!” Tyler could barely contain his outrage. “You dove into a supernatural well we spent weeks getting under control, and we weren’t even here! Remember us? The only people who’ve done it before, and know how the Darkdeep works.”

  “Kind of know,” Opal muttered, though her glare didn’t falter.

  Aster’s expression went blank. “I did not know I needed permission to investigate my own surroundings.”

  “Well, you do!” Tyler snapped. “You very much do.”

  “You’re not a Torchbearer,” Nico said quietly, but with steel in his voice. “Only members of the Order are allowed to enter the Darkdeep. It’s simply too dangerous, and there’s too much at stake.”

  “Very well,” Aster replied, but with no hint of apology. “How do I become one of these Torchbearers?”

  Nico stared. No one else spoke. Aster had literally struck them all dumb.

  Aster crossed her slender arms. “You have asked me to stay on this ship, but did not tell me about the dangers I might face. There are strange, glowing animals roaming the island, but I have been given nothing to protect myself with. You have withheld information about the unnatural portal below our feet, yet expect me to twiddle my thumbs and wait until you deign to confide in me.”

  Nico swallowed. “Okay. Some of that is fair. But why’d you think it was smart to jump into an unstable space-time vortex?”

  Aster shrugged, resumed cleaning the kettle. She nodded at the Torchbearer logbook resting on Thing’s pedestal. “I read every word of your notes. Decided to see for myself. You see? I was not irresponsible. I was informed.”

  Tyler threw his hands up, but seemed at a loss for words. Opal strode over and gently removed the kettle from Aster’s fingers. She let it go without comment, but her eyes blazed.

  Nico tried to regain control of the confrontation. When explained calmly and efficiently, Aster’s actions didn’t seem as crazy as before. “How’d you make those figments so real?” was all he finally managed.

  “Pardon?” Aster replied, her brow furrowing.

  “The figments had tea with you,” Tyler blurted, his whole frame thrumming like a bowstring. “They saw you, took a cup, and swigged. How’d you make them so … interactive?”

  “I don’t understand,” Aster said slowly, glancing at the logbook. “I made a thought, held it hard in my mind, and went into the well. Just as you explained in the pages. My countrymen emerged as I swam out of the lake. That is what I did every time.”

  Opal glanced at Nico. Mouthed, She doesn’t know what she did is special.

  Nico
shrugged, then cut off the exchange with a chop of his hand. Aster was watching them closely.

  In spite of himself, Nico was impressed. In less than a day Aster had learned how to both conjure and dispel figments. Shaking hands to banish them had worked just like the daggers. Nico wondered if living on Thing’s world for a time had somehow given Aster an important perspective. She might see possibilities that we don’t. Or be in tune with something we aren’t?

  A commotion in the foyer pulled him back to the present. Logan and Emma had entered the showroom. At a glance from Nico, Logan shook his head. “Nothing in the woods nearby. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t still around.”

  Nico nodded unhappily. Returned his attention to Aster.

  “If everyone had been here yesterday,” Tyler grumbled, “we could’ve dealt with our figments already.”

  “Opal and I handled two of them just fine,” Logan shot back, giving him an irritated look. “Plus, we’re the ones who verified—” He darted a glance at Aster, who wore a deepening frown. “Er … learned more about Aster’s story. Why didn’t you three handle the others yourselves?”

  “The Beast showed up!” Emma spat. “That’s kind of distracting.”

  Tyler wheeled on her, scoffing. “Like you could be more distracted, Spielberg. You wanted to film it all!”

  “The nerve!” Emma turned away. “I’m the only one thinking big picture here.”

  Nico felt his patience snap. “Is that what you call it?”

  Logan grunted loudly. “Can we please focus on Furiosa over here? We have to figure out what to do about Aster.”

  “What to do about me?” Aster’s voice was a block of ice. “You could stop treating me like a little child, for one.”

  “She has a point,” Opal said, looking troubled. “We haven’t told her enough.”

  “Hey everyone, Opal’s taking the new girl’s side!” Logan called out sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “Shocker.”

  Voices erupted in anger, with everyone shouting at once. Nico felt his pulse spike. This was going nowhere. Tensions were bubbling up from deep places and spilling out of control. He was about to add his own spice to the mix when a roar echoed across the pond. The argument died as everyone went still.

  The deafening shriek sounded again.

  Closer.

  Right outside.

  22

  OPAL

  The houseboat groaned and shook.

  Opal ran out onto the porch, nearly knocking Nico into the pond in her rush to see what was happening. She pushed up against the railing. “What’s out there? Emma, tell me you didn’t imagine a kraken or something.”

  “I was trying to think about bunnies when we dove in,” Emma promised. She moved to stand beside Opal, squinting into the rolling mists. “But I have been watching a lot of monster movies lately.”

  “You’re always watching monster movies!” Tyler scolded. “Whose figments are still unaccounted for?”

  “Nico, Emma, and me,” Opal said, ticking names off on her fingers. “Logan had to be Money Man, and the Dog Beast was you, right?”

  Tyler shrugged. “Probably. Are we sure the leftover ones are especially bad?”

  Logan gave him a look. “Do you hear that?”

  Thunderous steps shook the island. Trees quaked.

  Something silvery gray, like coalescing fog, was moving through the forest.

  Nico nervously rubbed his temple. “I wasn’t thinking about figments at all when I jumped in. Mine could be anything. Let’s get to shore and take a look.”

  “Watch out for a yeti,” Emma warned, as the group crossed the stepping stones. “I’ve been reading about yetis for my show. They’re, um, big.”

  A voice sounded right in Opal’s ear. “How can I assist?” Aster had joined her on the last rock. Opal leaped to dry land, then turned to the older girl. Aster’s tone had been wary, but not fearful.

  At least she has some sense of self-preservation.

  “These figments resulted from our trip through the Darkdeep to rescue you,” Opal said, hoping her point wasn’t lost on Aster. “Unless you created more than just tea party friends?”

  Aster shook her head. “Nonetheless, I will help.”

  Opal gave her a searching look, which Aster ignored. The group cautiously approached the woods, eyes roving for signs of danger.

  A low, squat creature emerged from the trees—smallish in size, with mothlike wings folded against its back. The figment’s mouth took up almost its entire head, and it didn’t seem to have any eyes. Every step the monster took was heavy. It was the same dull color as the fog swirling the island. In each paw it gripped another figment, dragging them by the scruffs of their necks.

  “Oh wait, that’s me.” Emma pointed to the monster’s right fist, where a smiling, koala-faced figment dangled, its shiny pink fur streaked with grime and mud. A golden horn protruded from its forehead.

  “I’m pretty sure the other captive’s mine,” Opal said, her face heating up. It was a giant turkey with pencils sticking out of its rump instead of tail feathers. She heard Logan stifle a laugh. “Still thinking about Thanksgiving, Opal? And, um, office supplies?”

  “Shut it.”

  Opal lifted her Torchbearer dagger. The others did the same.

  Aster pointed at Emma’s weapon. “Where can I obtain such a poignard?”

  “Sorry,” Tyler snapped. “We didn’t bring extras.”

  “You can just shake hands with them anyway, right?” Logan said sarcastically.

  Opal noticed that Nico hadn’t moved. He licked his lips, seemed to hesitate. Opal frowned. The gray creature holding the other two was likely his creation. She eyed the figment again, and felt a shiver travel her spine. It certainly was ugly—and looked more solid than earlier ones—but they’d dealt with similar things before.

  Opal told herself that as she took a step forward. No problem.

  The gray monster screeched suddenly, a sound so piercing that Opal nearly dropped her knife to cover her ears. Then it lifted the fluffy pink figment and stuffed it in its mouth.

  “No!” Emma cried in horror. “Don’t eat Koalicorn!”

  Opal sucked in a breath. She heard Nico do the same. They’d never seen a figment harm another of its kind before.

  The gray creature chomped down once, its neck moving in a huge swallow.

  “Gahhhhhh,” Emma moaned, stamping a foot in distress. “That’s not okay, dude!”

  Tyler snorted. “If No-Eyes wants to ace the other nightmares for us, let it do whatever!”

  “Can they really consume each other?” Opal wondered aloud.

  Before anyone could answer, the figment howled a second time. The terrible mouth stretched wide again, expanding almost endlessly as the creature raised its other arm and dropped Opal’s pencil-turkey between its gaping jaws.

  Logan rubbed sweat from his forehead. “Let’s get rid of this guy. He’s giving me indigestion.”

  They moved in. The howler stood rock-still as the circle tightened. Then it bellowed another horrid scream, the teeth-rattling blast stopping them all in their tracks.

  Except Nico. Pale and trembling, he shot forward, diving and rolling close to the monster’s webbed feet. Then he popped up and swung his dagger in a tight arc under the creature’s chin. The figment disappeared with a shriek, leaving the forest silent and empty again, as if the three conjurings had never existed at all.

  “Good riddance.” Logan wiped his dagger’s blade on his pant leg, even though he hadn’t used it. “That one was awful. What have you been dreaming about, Nico?”

  “My business, not yours,” Nico growled.

  Logan persisted. “Tyler’s was the Dog Beast. Emma made a stupid koalicorn. Opal imagined a fancy writing turkey. Which means that screeching, stomping, other-figment-swallower was yours, Holland. So what gives?”

  “You brought us a humming, bouncing dollar sign,” Opal slid in acidly.

  Logan ignored her, eyes on Nico.

&nb
sp; Nico shook his head in disgust. “Does anyone in your family ever not think about money? Or themselves?”

  “Way to change the subject,” Logan fired back.

  “Keep running your mouth, and I’ll change it, too.”

  Opal leaped in between them to diffuse the situation. “Done is done, okay? We’ve all created a wild figment or two, so no one should be mocking any of them.”

  Tyler snapped his fingers. Once. Twice. Having got their attention, he brought a finger close to his eyes and pointed it at the pond. “The ice just cracked,” he whispered. “Big time.”

  Everyone turned to face the water. Then Opal heard what Tyler had—a series of high-pitched pops and snaps. Sheets of ice began bobbing on the surface. As she watched, a long fissure in the ice grew closer to shore, shattering into thin shards not far from where they stood. Fog slid in to cover the break.

  Logan was squinting into the gloom. “I think I see …”

  Something long and dark slithered from the pond.

  “Oh dear,” Emma breathed.

  “Watch out,” Nico hissed. “Whatever this is, it can move on land.”

  A grunt-like cough echoed from the mists. Opal took a step back, accidentally bumping into Aster. The older girl steadied her without looking. Aster’s whole focus was on the fog, and whatever it might conceal.

  “This lake,” she said quietly. “It is home to natural woodland predators?”

  Opal shook her head. “None that we’ve ever seen.”

  “I see. So this is not likely a normal animal, then. Make ready with your dagger.”

  Opal’s back stiffened. She swung her blade up. Aster was right. Whatever it was, they’d have to handle it.

  A low, guttering rumble trickled from the broken reeds where the shadow lurked. Then two glowing yellow circles appeared.

  Nico blanched. “Those eyes, again,” Opal heard him mutter.

  The silhouette crept along like a whisper, sliding into a shaft of moonlight that revealed a long green snout and protruding teeth. The ghost of a breeze swept over the pond, pushing back the fog. The creature’s narrow head appeared, golden eyes pulsing like twin lighthouses. A fiery pepper scent filled Opal’s nostrils.