by Kate O'Hearn
“You awake?” Zephyr said softly.
“Yep,” Astraea said. “How about you?”
“No, I’m fast asleep!”
The two giggled like they used to before the word “Mimic” had entered their lives. Astraea reached out and stroked Zephyr’s neck. “Do you think Tryn is dead?”
“Aren’t you a little ray of sunshine,” Zephyr said. “No, he’s not dead. He’s too strong and clever to be caught by Lergo or the Mimics. He’s probably found Jake, and that crazy human has taken him on an adventure without us.”
Astraea so wished it were true. But as the days had passed, she’d started to fear the worst. Becoming restless, she rose, and together she and Zephyr made their way into the kitchen for a snack.
Astraea saw the two snakes from her bracelet waiting on the cushion she’d given them, set up in the middle of the counter.
“Hi, Frick and Frack,” she said, greeting them.
Zephyr snorted. “You know, I thought ‘Belis’ was a dumb name, but really? ‘Frick and Frack’?”
“I think they’re cute names, just like the snakes.” Astraea pulled pieces of ambrosia cake out of the container and offered some to them. Then she gave a larger piece to Zephyr and took one for herself. They ate in silence, gazing out the kitchen window into the darkness.
Before long, the centaurs rose and joined them. They still had a good supply of ambrosia because they were being careful. But it wouldn’t last forever.
Darek glanced at the window. “This is what I hate most about this world,” he said. “The endless days and nights.”
“Me too,” Triana agreed as she entered the kitchen. She yawned and reached for a small piece of ambrosia.
“I wonder how long we’ve been gone from Xanadu,” Cylus said. “And how the battle for Titus has gone.”
“What really bothers me,” Astraea said, “is that we told Arious what we were planning. She would have told Jupiter. I thought for sure some of them would have followed us.”
“I know,” Cylus said. “I was sure my mom would come for me.”
“Maybe they couldn’t,” Triana said. “Perhaps the Mimics attacked the temple again. Maybe they had to stay and fight.”
“Who’s fighting without us?” Tryn called.
Astraea gasped and turned around to see Tryn and Jake standing in the doorway of the kitchen.
“Tryn!” Triana squealed as she ran to her brother.
“Jake!” Astraea embraced him tightly. “We thought you were dead!”
“As if,” Jake said as he hugged Astraea again. “Boy, have I missed you guys! What took you so long?”
“We came as soon as we could,” Astraea said. While Tryn and his sister were still hugging, Astraea reached over and slapped Tryn lightly. “Why did you leave without me?”
“I had to find Jake and the others. I knew you were safe here with everyone. We couldn’t waste time.” He reached over and grabbed the container of ambrosia. “I’m starved. Come on upstairs to the roof; we have a surprise for you.” He looked at the small snakes. “Bring your two friends; they should hear this too.”
“Yeah,” Jake laughed excitedly. “You’re gonna love it!”
* * *
Astraea shouted in joy when she saw her brother standing at the top of the stairs to the roof. They embraced tightly, and both had tears in their eyes. “I was so scared,” Astraea cried. “When you weren’t in the prison on Titus, I thought for sure I’d never see you again.”
“It was only fear for you that kept me and Aquilo going in that terrible camp.”
“Hey,” Zephyr called. “It’s my turn!”
Astraea sniffed and laughed as Zephyr greeted her brother. Ever since they’d been young, Zephyr and Vulturnus had had a special friendship. He was always giving her treats and apples every time he saw her.
“I am all right,” he said softly, stroking her neck. “I am sorry I do not have any apples for you.”
“You can owe me,” Zephyr sniffed.
They walked farther onto the roof and stopped suddenly as they spied the immense creature standing with Angitia.
“Astraea!” Angie cried as she ran and threw her arms around Astraea. “Come here, you have to meet Melissa!” Angie took Astraea’s hand and drew her over to the mantis. “Melissa, this is…”
“Astraea,” Melissa said warmly. “It’s fab to meet you. I know all about you from Jake.” She then turned to Triana. “You look and smell just like Tryn. You must be Triana.”
Triana grinned. “I am.”
Melissa lowered her head closer and winked. “Jake really, really likes you. You know what I mean?”
Astraea laughed as Triana’s cheeks turned dark silver and she looked back at Jake.
“Thanks, Melissa,” he said awkwardly.
“Anytime,” Melissa responded.
The three centaurs reached the roof and gasped when they saw Melissa. “What is that thing?” Cylus cried.
“Thing?” Melissa responded. “You’re the thing. What are you? Part horse, part boy? Make up your mind!”
“Hey, I’m no horse,” Cylus shot. “I’m a centaur!”
“Yeah, and I’m a Melissa!” the mantis responded.
Jake stepped cautiously forward, unable to see in the dark. “Hey, everyone, calm down. We’re all friends here.” He turned toward the sound of the centaurs. “Cylus, Render, Darek, this is Melissa.”
Tryn added, “She’s a Mimic queen and can control the Mimics.”
“Fallen Queen,” Melissa corrected.
“No, you are a wonderful queen,” Tryn said.
Melissa tilted her head to the side. “Ah, that’s so nice. I can deal with that.”
“A Mimic queen,” Cylus gasped. “We’re going up against that?”
“Not me, silly,” Melissa said. “My mother.”
“Oh, I feel so much better,” Cylus said, rolling his eyes.
After the introductions, the remaining ambrosia was brought up to the roof and handed out. While they ate, Jake repeated the story of his time on Tremenz, starting with the lab, finding Angie, and then freeing the prisoners and finding Melissa when she was still a grub. He finished with, “Some of the injured have gone back to Xanadu, while Diana, Chiron, and the others are headed to the queen. We’re going to meet them on the way.”
Astraea was seated beside Zephyr and was watching Jake and the others talking. Angie was right beside him and laughing at everything he said. Astraea was thrilled that the two had found each other, and by the looks of it, they were already very close. She worried about how hard it would be when the time came for Jake to go home.
“So now what?” Cylus asked.
“Now we get a bit of rest,” Tryn said. “Then we can head out and find the others to join the assault against the queen—”
The sound of shattering glass interrupted Tryn’s comment. Everyone rose as Astraea approached the edge of the roof and peered down. She screamed, “Lergo is climbing the building! Run!”
Astraea barely had time to take two steps toward Zephyr before the massive snake rose high above her and its head came smashing down onto the roof. Broken timbers and debris filled the air as the roof collapsed from Lergo’s weight.
There was no time to fly, no time to run as the roof broke apart. Astraea heard Zephyr screaming, but it was far away as they tumbled through the destruction.
24
ASTRAEA AWOKE WITH A POUNDING head and intense pressure on her chest. She tried to move but discovered that she was pinned down by a large beam. The air was thick and acrid from the dust and debris. At first disoriented, she soon remembered. Lergo. It had attacked and destroyed their building.
She opened her eyes but saw only the plumes of dust from the old broken beams. She tried to call out to the others, but rubble pressed down on her so hard, she couldn’t take in a deep breath to scream.
Astraea wasn’t sure how long she had been unconscious, but by the sounds of groaning beams and a strange rainfall of debr
is, some time had to have passed since the attack. As her eyes adjusted, she saw sunlight spattering through the mess. It was daylight!
“Zephyr!” she struggled to call. “Vulturnus? Tryn, Jake, anyone, can you hear me?”
“Astraea,” Tryn responded softly. “Where are you?”
“I don’t know,” Astraea said. “But I think I’m beneath you. I’m trapped. I can’t move because there’s a heavy beam across my chest.”
“I can’t move either,” Tryn said. “Triana is here, but she’s unconscious. I can hear her breathing, but I don’t know how badly she’s been hurt.”
“Zeph!” Astraea called as loudly as the beam and her breath would allow. “Zeph, answer me!”
“Jake!” Tryn called. “Angie? Is anyone out there? Cylus? Render? Darek?”
Astraea and Tryn fell silent as they listened for the sounds of others. But there was only the creaking of beams and rubble still falling.
“Can you dig yourself out?” Astraea called to Tryn.
“I’m trying. But my legs are caught.”
Astraea tried to push away the beam across her, but it was supported by other timber. “If I move, the beam on my chest shifts and I can’t breathe. I’m lying on my wings and they really hurt.”
“Do not move, Astraea,” Vulturnus warned. “It could crush you. Just stay still.”
He sounded closer than Tryn. “Vulturnus, where are you?”
“I am directly beneath you,” he said. “I can see your foot.”
Astraea felt her brother touching her foot. She tried to move her head but found she couldn’t. “Can anyone see Zephyr?”
“No,” Vulturnus answered. “I cannot see anything but dust and your foot. I am on my wings too and fear they are broken. But I cannot move to check.”
“Zeph! Zeph!” Astraea called. But there was no response.
Astraea was growing close to panic. Had Lergo gotten Zephyr and the others? Had they been eaten, or were they lying buried somewhere in the collapsed building?
With only one hand that could move, Astraea tried to pull debris away from herself. But each time she moved, it destabilized the beam, and more of its weight dropped onto her chest.
She could hear Tryn above her, and Vulturnus beneath her trying to dig themselves out, but it was difficult. They were all well and truly stuck.
As Astraea followed a small pinprick of sunlight drifting over the heavy beam, she realized the day was passing. When it faded from her view, she became aware of the sounds of digging and movement.
“Vulturnus, is that you?”
“No,” he answered. “Tryn, are you moving?”
“It’s not me…,” Tryn said softly. “It’s coming from above us. Maybe it’s Zephyr or the centaurs.”
“Zeph!” Astraea called again. “Cylus, Render, Darek, is that you?”
“No,” Melissa called. “It’s me. I’ve brought help. We’ll get you all out of there in no time.”
“Help from who?” Tryn called. “Is Jake with you?”
“Yes,” Melissa said. “He’s safe on another building.”
“Where is Lergo?” Astraea called. “Did it get Zephyr?”
“No, she is buried here as well.” Then Melissa’s voice dropped. “Lergo took Render and Angie. I tried to stop it, but it was bigger than me and tried to eat me.”
Astraea gasped. Render and Angitia were gone…? She felt her throat constrict. Deep sobs soon started, but they caused the beam to shift. It creaked, and then there was another collapse as the debris supporting the beam gave way. Its full weight came crashing down onto Astraea’s chest.
“Can’t… can’t breathe,” she choked.
“Astraea!” Vulturnus called. “Astraea!”
Astraea fought to take a breath, but the pressure on her chest was too great. She started to panic and thrash, but it only made things worse as more of the building collapsed around her. In the past, she and Zephyr used to play a game of who could hold their breath the longest. Zephyr always won. But Astraea wasn’t too far behind her. She tried to calm herself and remember the game. She couldn’t allow herself to panic, as she’d use up what little air she had. But as the minutes passed, her strength was ebbing.
With the sound of blood rushing in her ears and her heart pounding like thunder, the need to breathe became unbearable. Astraea couldn’t hear the tearing around her. She wasn’t aware of more debris raining down. All she knew was she couldn’t breathe.
Then, she could.
Astraea gulped air gratefully and coughed out the thick dust that had settled in her throat. After several deep breaths, she looked up and saw Tryn’s frightened face above her. His hair was white with dust and his skin was dull gray. His wonderful, speckled eyes sparkled with concern.
“Try…”
“Don’t speak,” Tryn said. “Just breathe.”
Astraea focused on each breath. She could hear Vulturnus calling and Tryn responding, saying he’d reached her and that she was breathing again.
As she calmed, she noticed that Tryn’s hands were bleeding and there was a deep cut on his face. His shirt was torn, and he was breathing hard because he was bending down at an awkward angle from above. Somehow he had managed to shift the big beam and all the debris off her from that twisted, bent position.
Just how strong was he?
“Thank you, Tryn,” Astraea said softly. “I thought it was over.”
“Not quite,” Tryn said. He smiled at her. “But I’d sure appreciate it if you’d stop getting into trouble.”
Astraea smiled back at him. “I’ll try. I can’t make any promises.”
“Astraea, talk to me. Are you all right?” Vulturnus called.
“I am now,” Astraea responded. “Tryn saved me.” She looked up at Tryn again. “Do you think you could help me get out of this?”
He shook his head. “There’s no way up from here yet; they’ve got to get us from above. Not to mention, that beam that nearly killed you is all that’s stopping this whole area from collapsing. I’ll go and see if I can find out where Melissa and the others are.”
Tryn kissed Astraea lightly on the forehead. “Don’t go anywhere.…” Then he disappeared back up the way he’d come.
A few minutes later, they heard him scream.
“Tryn,” Astraea shouted. “Tryn, are you all right?”
“He is,” Triana called. “He was just frightened.”
“I wasn’t frightened,” Tryn responded. “I was surprised.”
“What’s happening?” Vulturnus called.
Triana called, “When Melissa said she got us help, she meant it. She’s brought Shadow Titans with torches. They’re here digging us free.”
“Shadow Titans!” Astraea cried.
“Yes,” Tryn said. “They’re like ants; they’re swarming all over the place.”
Astraea gasped. “If there are Shadow Titans, that means there are…”
“Mimics, yes,” Melissa said. “They’re down on the street. I made them come to rescue you. I thought, with all the trouble they’ve caused us, they should be the ones to help.”
Astraea settled back to wait for the rescue teams. She was still in a lot of discomfort, but at least she could breathe. But nothing could compare to the pain of losing Render and Angitia to Lergo. Angitia was so young and filled with life. And Render, sweet Render, was alive with curiosity and dreamed of flying. That dream was gone. He didn’t deserve this. They both didn’t.
They’d all known this was a dangerous mission, but somehow Astraea had hoped that they would all make it home alive.
Zephyr was still missing, and Astraea was terrified. Where was Zephyr? Was she badly hurt? After what seemed half the night, Astraea heard a scream, and it brought pure joy to her grieving heart. Zephyr was whinnying in fear.
“Zeph, can you hear me?” Astraea shouted.
“Yes! There are Shadow Titans here!”
“I know, they’re helping us—calm down. You’re safe!”
“But they’re Shadow Titans!”
“They are controlled by Melissa,” Tryn called. “Don’t fight them.”
Astraea could do nothing to dig herself out of the rubble. Every time she moved, more debris rained down on her. Considering what had happened earlier, she knew she would have to be patient and wait for the Shadow Titans to free her.
It finally happened sometime during the long night. The Shadows said nothing as they carefully picked away the pieces of roof and supporting beams. Tryn was with them, directing them. But the Shadows did all the work.
When the large beam was finally supported higher above her, Tryn was able to crawl down and pull Astraea free. She threw her arms around him tightly.
“It’s all right,” Tryn reassured. “You’re safe now. Go with this turtle Shadow Titan; it will help you get above.”
Astraea shook her head. “Vulturnus is down here, and I’m going to help get him free.”
“Astraea, go,” her brother called.
“We’ll go together,” Astraea said. “That’s final.”
It seemed to take an age to reach Vulturnus. He wasn’t that far beneath her, but he was buried in a spider’s web of old pipework and roof debris. His legs were locked under large pieces of roof beams, and his wings were open and twisted at odd angles beneath him. When he was finally free, they found that his wings weren’t broken, but they were badly sprained.
With the help of the Shadow Titans, he, Tryn, and Astraea were assisted to the top of the rubble. Astraea hadn’t realized it, but she and her brother had fallen through three floors and been trapped in the middle of the remains of the building. There was nothing left of their hiding place. It had all been destroyed by Lergo.
Standing at the top of the destruction, Astraea saw that Zephyr and the others had found refuge on the roof of the building directly across the street. Even in the dark, Astraea could see that her best friend was a mess. Zephyr was filthy, but more than that, there were cuts and gouges all over her body that were still bleeding.
Cylus and Darek were also on the opposite roof. Like Zephyr, they were covered in cuts and bruises, but they were alive.
Jake flew over on his skateboard. In the torchlight she could see the trails of his tears in the dirt on his face. Losing Angie was hardest on him, and his chin was still quivering. He reached his hand out to Astraea. “I’ll fly you over to Zephyr.”
