by Ally Condie
Aster went silent. No one else spoke, letting the older girl choose her own pace.
“And now the Eater has selected its next hunting ground,” she whispered finally. “Through the Stalker he has discovered a way to come here, to our world. We cannot stop him. I wish it were another way.”
“You’re describing an apocalypse,” Tyler said in a shaky voice, one hand worrying his cheek. “The end of the world.” He glanced across the circle. “How did Sylvain Nantes know?”
Logan tensed, but didn’t speak. He had no answer.
Aster shook her head. “I cannot say. I did not know any of these Torchbearers.” Her eyes flashed. “But it seems they visited the world on which I was trapped, yet made no effort to find me. These are not good people.”
Opal’s cheeks flushed scarlet. “It’s a complicated history. But remember—no one on this side of the Rift knew you’d survived the shipwreck, not even Yvette Dumont. For the entire time that Torchbearers have existed, you were thought to have gone down with the Dauphin. If anyone went to Thing’s world through the Rift, they wouldn’t have had a reason to look for you.”
Aster seemed to mull this over in her head. “Very well. But I do not trust this Order, one that would imprison another being and keep it in a jar.” She blushed suddenly. “Those members that are not you five, I mean.”
“What else did Thing tell you?” Emma asked. “We figured out where you got that list of all the Rifts. The hidden office under the Custom House, right? We could’ve just shared information, you know. We’re not your enemies.”
Aster shot an abashed glance at Emma, then her gaze traveled the group, as if she weighed what to say next. At last, Aster sighed. “I suppose my distrust of everything Torchbearer was … misplaced. But I did not know if you would let me undertake my quest, and I was not prepared to be told no.”
Logan barked a laugh. “That I can believe.”
Nico surprised himself by chuckling, too. “For someone who hates the Order, you sure know an awful lot about it. More than us,” he finished ruefully.
“Dax told me what to do,” Aster explained. “The little alien understood what I was seeking—a way to return home—and it sympathized. Dax was equally concerned that you all might try to prevent my entering any Rift, should I find the right one. So we agreed that I would conduct the search on my own terms.”
Logan tsked in annoyance. “So Thing told you where to find the list, and you matched those locations with Emma’s photos of the Yellowstone cavern to locate a Rift in France.” He frowned darkly. “I’m going to wring a certain scrawny green neck when I see it next.”
“You shall do no such thing,” Aster replied hotly. “Dax was a great help to me. It told me of a false-bottomed drawer in the desk of the Torchbearer office, which held a document detailing all known Rift locations. Even Dax was unaware of the full list, or so the tiny alien claimed. Dax never left the houseboat during its forced stay here on Earth. As an unofficial Torchbearer the Thing in a Jar was told much, and overheard more, but it was not trusted with the most sensitive information. More reason why I did not trust the Order in return.”
“I hope that’s no longer the case,” Emma said. “We need to work together now more than ever.”
Aster blinked several times, then rose and gave a small bow to the group. “Agreed.”
Nico rose and began pacing. “We stopped a force of Takers at our Rift last month. A swarm came through, but we blocked the passage and the Beast drove them all back into the Void. If we did it once, we … we can do it again.” He nodded curtly, as if to affirm his own statement.
“That was a small group,” Aster said. “Perhaps sent to scout. And the Eater has apparently heeded the lessons you gave him. He sent his top lieutenant, the Stalker, on a direct mission to sniff out weaknesses. Now the Eater seeks a different Rift, one that is not so well guarded as the portal near Timbers. Tell me, Nico—who will stop his army at Yellowstone? You said that post has been abandoned.”
Opal stood up and crossed her arms. “How long, Aster? When will the Eater come through?”
Aster seemed to consider. “Time moves much slower there, as you know. But we have no more than days.”
Nico felt his anxiety level spike. “Some of us will have to go to Yellowstone again. We’ll need to restore the balance somehow, and … and shut the Rifts down. Both of them. All of them. Forever.”
Aster spoke in a quiet voice. “There are not enough of you, Nico. This will not be a small attack. Invasion is coming. The Eater will personally clear the way this time. Nothing can stand against him.”
“We can’t even defend our own Rift right now,” Logan grumbled. “How are we supposed to handle double the work if both places are at half strength?”
“Like you care about keeping the group together,” Nico shot back.
Logan’s eyes smoldered. “I’ve had enough of you blaming me for your own problems, Holland.”
“My problems?” Nico felt his temper sizzle. “Is that how you sleep at night?”
“Both of you, just stop it!” Opal stood up and crossed her arms. “You’re acting like little kids. This has gone on long enough, and it’s killing our teamwork. We’ve gotten slack at the worst time possible.”
“Slack?” Tyler snapped. “I’ve been trying to get the Beast on our side for two weeks straight. Never saw you there, Opal. You’ve been wandering around with your head buried in a notebook.”
Opal spun on him, seemingly taken aback, and not at all happy about it. “I was trying to solve a mystery, Tyler. Which, by the way, I did.” She snapped a nod at Aster.
“Do not include me in your childish squabbling,” Aster said primly. “Dax and I gave you unmistakable clues. Even the silly movie girl could have solved them.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Emma replied, indignant. “I have eight hundred thousand followers, I’ll have you know. You think that just comes with signing up? No chance. You have to have quality content. Jeez, do you even know what YouTube is?”
Tyler rolled his eyes. “Can we please go one day without talking about your social media presence?”
Emma glared at her best friend. “Why? So we can wave algae sticks on the beach until the Beast feels sorry for you, and shows up to end your humiliation?”
Tyler popped up, jabbing his own chest. “I communed with the Beast, thank you very much. An ageless being from another dimension chose me to be its handler. Which might prove useful when an army of darkness descends on Skagit Sound!”
Suddenly, everyone was standing but Aster, who seemed indifferent to the group-wide meltdown. Nico struggled to control his emotions. Logan drove him crazy, but now really wasn’t the time.
“We have to focus on the problem at hand!” Nico ground a fist into his thigh, then took a deep, calming breath. “I want everyone to go home before our parents totally freak out. Summarize what you’ve learned in your area of expertise. Let’s see if we can pull a strategy together.” His finger shot out. “Tyler, look at how we can use the Beast to defend ourselves. Will he come when we need him?”
Still scowling, Tyler nodded curtly. It was the best Nico could hope for at the moment.
“Opal, you and Aster”—Nico eyed the older girl, who didn’t even appear to be listening—“compile what we know about Thing’s world and the Eater’s invasion army. Is there anything we can do to keep them away?”
“I’ll consult my research,” Opal said acidly, firing a dark look at Tyler. Then she glanced at Aster. “And her.”
“We must locate the Stalker.” Aster spoke grudgingly. “That creature is too dangerous to be allowed free movement.” She frowned for a moment before adding, “I have ideas.”
“Great.” Nico turned to Logan, and gritted his teeth. “Logan, find out what your father knows, and how. Don’t let him put you off. Maybe some Nantes family history can help us decide what to do. And find out if your grandfather ever went to Thing’s world. Someone in the Order learned about t
he Eater before Thing went home. The question is, how?”
Logan sneered. “Yes sir. Nico sir.” But he didn’t protest further, so Nico let it slide.
“What should I do?” Emma asked, chewing her bottom lip. Nico thought she was worried the group didn’t think she had anything to contribute.
“Can you help me?” Nico asked gently. “We need to comb through the Torchbearer records, and see if there was ever a situation like this before. I want to check for any mention of the Eater, or if similar natural-disaster patterns were ever reported in the past. Perhaps a former invasion like this one was thwarted. If so, maybe we can do it again now.”
Emma exhaled. Flashed an “okay” sign. Nico looked around the room, noted the hard stares and deep frowns.
They weren’t a team right now, but everyone had their tasks. Hopefully it would be enough.
Or maybe we’re just spinning our wheels until the Eater shows up.
Nico pushed the ugly thought aside.
“Come on, guys. We all have work to do. Let’s give it everything we’ve got.”
There was no cheer in response. Each Torchbearer seemed locked inside their own bubble of anger.
One by one, they filed out of the showroom.
26
OPAL
“I know you’re lying.”
Opal spun in the crowded hallway to find a fidgeting Carson Brandt behind her. Other students flowed around them on their way to the lunchroom, chattering about what they’d done over Thanksgiving break. More than one kid had been caught staring fearfully at the shiny new cafeteria doors.
Carson looked like he hadn’t slept in days. His hair was more rumpled than the last time she’d seen him, but his eyes locked onto hers with a manic intensity.
He’s close to the edge.
“We’ve been over this.” Opal shifted her backpack farther up her shoulders. “Freakshow was responsible for the craziness on Dark Halloween.”
She didn’t feel guilty saying that, because it was pretty much true. If Colton Bridger hadn’t gathered everyone on the beach that night, things would’ve gone—well, not smoothly, exactly—but better.
Carson shook his head. “That’s not what I’m talking about. You’re lying about her.”
He jabbed a finger at Aster, standing with Emma a few lockers down. A knot of classmates eyed the new girl suspiciously, whispering about her accent and strange boots. Aster wore them paired with jeans, a wool sweater, and a long navy raincoat that belonged to Tyler’s sister.
“She’s not a foreign exchange student, or whatever.” Carson spoke so low that Opal had to lean in to hear him. “Those kids come in January.”
“Is that right? Then what is she, Carson?”
Carson fixed his jittery gaze on Aster. Opal noticed he wasn’t the only boy staring.
The group had decided it was safer to bring Aster to school than leave her alone with the Darkdeep, but the jury was still out on whether it was the right call. They’d cobbled together a reasonably good cover story explaining why no parent had checked her in at the main office, but that wouldn’t fool the school secretary forever.
Oh well. If the world lasted long enough for someone to expose their lie, Opal would happily face the music. Better that than the planet ending in an apocalyptic Eating.
“I think she’s a spy,” Carson said quietly, but with deadly conviction. “She looks like a spy.”
Opal glanced at Aster, and her lips twitched. The combination of knee-high boots and dark slicker was kind of espionage-y.
“What would she be spying on at Timbers Middle School?”
“You know what,” Carson said darkly.
Sighing, Opal took a step away from him. “Sorry, but I’ve got to go.”
“Conspiracy.” Carson said the word loud enough that a few heads turned.
Opal moved closer to him, attempting to put out a potential fire. He’ll draw everyone into his madness. She widened her eyes in sincerity. “Carson. Buddy. I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Carson tapped an index finger to his temple. “Foreign agents are attacking us by using extra-foreign agents. Aliens.”
Opal’s jaw dropped. Seriously?
Although … when she thought about it, he was kind of correct. The Eater was using the Stalker and other nightmare creatures to infiltrate Earth. Carson was closer to the truth than he knew.
He returned his frenzied gaze to Opal. “And you’re trying to cover it up. You and your weirdo necklace friends. I think someone threatened your families or something, and you have to go along with whatever that girl wants … or else.”
“Okay …” So Carson thought Aster was some sort of teenage assassin?
He shifted from foot to foot. “Now, I think you have good intentions. You’re scared, and hope that if no one makes waves, everything will just sorta be okay. But spoiler alert: it won’t.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Opal spotted the French teacher, Mr. Pogba, approaching Aster and Emma. Farther down the hallway, Nico and Logan were in some kind of argument. Again. Logan looked up and frowned.
This was a mistake. Why are we at school, pretending everything is normal?
Opal’s parents had hit the roof when she’d skulked into the house after dark last night, having been gone an entire day without checking in. She was on dinner dish duty for an entire month. Tyler got it worse—in addition to no TV, he had extra counseling sessions lined up to discuss his “sudden rebelliousness.” And poor Emma was grounded from the Internet for a week, which was basically the most devastating thing you could do to her.
Nico had been spared, because his father had been out on his monthly owl-scouting rounds, and Logan’s household was so out of whack that no one had even noticed him being gone. Still, the group’s level of home surveillance was now at an all-time high, at the worst possible time. And here was Carson Brandt making everything more difficult.
Carson carried on like he’d decoded the Rosetta Stone. “The truth has to get out, Opal. That’s the important thing. Before it’s too late.” Someone bumped into his shoulder and he rubbed it distractedly, but his eyes didn’t blink.
As if sensing that Opal was cornered, Logan walked up and gave Carson a guarded nod. He gestured at her phone. “You’ve got messages.”
She glanced at the screen and read. Apparently Tyler was feeling the same way she was.
Guys, we should bail. Now. We’re wasting time.
From Emma: Won’t we get in trouble?
Nico: Doesn’t matter. Everyone is staring at Aster. Her story won’t hold up.
Logan: Let’s do it. I’ll rescue Opal.
Opal glanced up and saw Emma and Aster watching her. Tyler was farther down the hall, while Nico leaned against a nearby locker. They were all waiting. Acting like a team again. The group’s bond was never clearer than at school, where no one else knew their secrets, or what was really going on.
Opal turned back to Logan and Carson’s conversation.
“… too cool to hang out with me and Parker anymore,” Carson was saying, his face locked in a dreadful scowl. “Now that you’ve got new friends. We haven’t taken the ATVs out in weeks!”
Logan rolled his eyes. “It’s been storming nonstop for weeks, Carson. Not exactly outdoor sports weather, right?” He changed the subject quickly. “Opal, can I talk to you for a sec? Alone.” He avoided eye contact with his former friend.
But the skittish boy refused to let up. “Your family acts like it runs Timbers, but if you won’t help stop an alien invasion, what kind of people are you?”
Logan spun on Opal, eyes widening. “What have you been telling him?”
“Nothing! He thinks Aster is a secret agent working for extraterrestrials.”
Logan stifled a laugh. “Oh.” Then he grew pensive, muttering, “Well …”
“I’m standing right here!” Carson fumed.
Nico sidled up behind Logan, wearing an impatient frown. He pointed at his phone, mouthed:
Come on. Opal shrugged in apology. There was no shaking Carson at the moment. He was busy letting Logan have it.
“I bet you’ve got a secret deal in place to sell the aliens precious lumber,” Carson growled. “The Nantes family doesn’t care about anyone but themselves.”
Opal darted a look at Nico, worried he might pile on—he’d said similar things about Logan’s family literally the day before. But Nico was staring at Carson in total befuddlement.
“Why would aliens want our … wood?” Nico mumbled.
“On that note …” Logan gave Carson’s shoulder a hard squeeze, moving past him to stride down the hall. A moment later, Opal’s phone flashed once again.
Logan had messaged the group:
Meet behind the school. By the batting cage.
Opal sensed Carson trying to read the text over her shoulder and blanked her screen. The other Torchbearers were already melting away down the corridor.
“That was my mom,” she explained. “I have to go. But don’t worry, I hear what you’re saying. I’ll investigate the French spy personally, from the inside. In the meantime, act natural and keep your head down.”
Carson nodded seriously. “Understood. Thanks, Opal. I had a feeling I could count on you. Parker and I miss when you came four-wheeling, too.” Exhaling in relief, he wandered off, his back a little straighter.
Opal caught up with the others at the rear doors. They slipped outside and ducked into a dugout by the baseball diamond. Logan was waiting there, practically buzzing with an idea. “I thought of a hotspot we could search for more Torchbearer stuff.”
“Where?” Emma huffed. “We’ve already scoured the houseboat and the office.”
“Your father probably burned all the contingency plans,” Nico grumbled. “When he boxed up his Torchbearer responsibilities and dumped them under a floorboard.”
Logan didn’t rise to the bait, merely shaking his head. “I just asked myself, where would my dad hide something he didn’t want found, but couldn’t bring himself to throw away?”
