You must. Listen. You must. Sing.
Eva closed her eyes and allowed the frequency of the forest to speak to her. She could feel the connectivity of each member of the herd. She could even sense the other water bears far beyond, on the other side of the lake. The familiar low hum began, quickly diminishing any other sounds. Eva opened her eyes and stood. “I can’t do this, Otto. Every time I try, I hear this loud noise that drowns out everything.”
That is. The song.
“I can’t hear any singing. All I sense is—”
Listen. Little one. Sing.
Eva sat down on the shore and closed her eyes one more time. Immediately the hum filled her mind and overcame all senses. Somehow, in the frequency, she could discern Otto’s gentle warble.
Listen. To me.
Eva concentrated and listened. As before, she could hear that the hum was a chorus, composed of many sounds. She concentrated on each sound and realized they were voices—countless voices speaking out at the same time.
Listen. To others.
Otto’s voice was similar to others she heard—voices of his herd and other water bears. Then she recognized the cry of the turnfins. Next she picked out the creak of the wandering trees, followed by the chittering of knifejacks, the song of the air-whales, the clicking of sand-snipers, the swish of the spiderfish. Eva heard the voice of moss as it crept over rock, plankton as it wriggled through the sea, and insects as they buzzed through the sky. Then she heard the voice of the rocks themselves, the water . . . the air. Within those voices she heard yet another voice, both ancient and powerful. It called Eva’s spirit down through soil, stone, and ore.
As she descended, distant voices of her past echoed through her mind.
“How does such an insignificant plant survive in a big world?”
“Earth is entering a state of planetary hibernation.”
“The forest is alive. Here it has protected one of its own.”
The memories evaporated as Eva focused all attention on the ancient voice—the overwhelming hum.
The voice of Orbona.
Eva opened her eyes and heard, with clarity, the song the water bears sang. It was in harmony with everything surrounding them, just like the song of the mouls.
You are our herd.
You are their flock.
You are his family.
You are the forest.
You are the earth.
We are one.
Eva’s mind was clearer now than ever before. Like a tree, she could feel the vitality of the sunlight coursing through her body. She inhaled the cool mineral air off the lake. As they had done before, these elements soothed her aching heart. Eva opened her bright green eyes and looked at the gathered herd. “We are one, Otto,” said Eva, stroking his warm knobby hide. “Together. Safe. Strong.”
He nuzzled her and purred. We will help you. That is what a herd does.
“Thank you. Thank you all.”
Otto let out a long loud hoot of joy. It was answered by a pod of air-whales drifting over the lake. The herd closed in around Eva.
“We shall become one.” She repeated Loroc’s words. “Loroc sees it all the wrong way. He wants to devour everyone and everything that opposes him. All inhabitants of Orbona will be consumed under his rule. I have to stop him.”
You can stop him. We will help you.
A groan drew Eva’s attention from Otto. Down the shore several water bears were snapping at a large dark figure sprawled out on the sand—a Dorcean.
“Please don’t hurt him,” Eva said to the water bears, and jogged over to Redimus. “He will not harm our herd.” She bent over to inspect him.
“Eva Nine,” Redimus wheezed. “You are zafe. Dat is good.” He coughed. Violet blood ran from his nostrils and the corner of his jagged mouth.
“Are you okay? Can you stand?”
With great effort Redimus rolled onto his side and tried to lift himself up. His legs shook and flopped back down. A layer of white sand covered his matted hide.
Eva knelt close. “Redimus. I have to go back to Solas. I have to stop Loroc.”
“You are de most determined creature I have ever met,” he said, panting.
“We don’t have a lot of time. I’m going to ask some of my friends from the forest to help, but we could really use you. Can you do it?”
Redimus winced as he sat up. “Friendz? Your forest friendz? I know where some of your friendz are. And eet iz clozer than de Wandering Forest.” He reached out a clawed hand. “Help me up. I’ll take you dere.”
Eva scooted under his burly arm. With Otto’s help she got the Dorcean back on his feet. Redimus pointed out over the lake toward Solas. “If you can, get uz back dere and wheel find your friendz.”
Eva gazed out at the city. “What animals could be in Solas? They’ve all fled.”
“Not all.”
“The menagerie?” asked Eva.
“Yez, de menagerie.”
“Otto, can you carry us across the lake?” Eva scratched the barbels on his chin.
Yes. We will join you. Otto thrust his head under Redimus and scooped him up onto his back. Eva climbed up next to him, and the water bear waded into the water.
“Eva Nine, your water bear friendz . . . dey may be eager, but dey are alzo slow. I thought you zaid we need to hurry?”
Otto uncurled his fan-shaped tail from under his belly. With a quick thrust he lurched forward at such a speed that Redimus nearly rolled off his back. The rest of the herd followed. All around, flocks of turnfins called out as they rode on the wind currents above.
Redimus gripped Otto’s thick scutes. “I never knew dey could move zo fast.”
Eva gave him a wide grin. “Wait until you see them leap.”
As they drew close to the city, it was clear that not all the warships had been dispatched to Faunas.
“I zee three of dem, hovering near de palace,” said Redimus. “Loroc iz zertainly not taking any chances with you.”
Eva squinted her eyes and stared at the waterfront. There was movement between the buildings, but it was hard to tell exactly what it was from this distance. Overhead she heard the call of air-whales.
“They are moving.” Redimus pointed at one of the warships drifting out toward the lake. “I think we have been spotted.”
Eva closed her eyes and focused on the entire pod of air-whales. Friends, I need you to fly over us as we enter the city so that no harm may come to my herd. Will you do this?
The air-whales sang out and floated toward Eva. Together. Safe. Strong. Their large shadows fell over the entire herd.
“What is dis, Eva Nine?” Redimus gazed up at the gigantic creatures.
“The warships have an anti-collision warning in their navigational programming.” She looked up. The air-whales were in a tight, wedge-shaped formation. It was perfect. “The ships will automatically avoid flying into anything larger than them that comes too close—like a pod of air-whales.”
The warship’s engines roared as it accelerated toward them.
Don’t move, Eva told the pod. The flying machine will turn away from you if you stay on course.
Together. Safe. Strong. As the pod approached the city, the warship veered away. It rumbled out over the lake to circle back. The remaining two warships barreled toward Eva. But they, too, turned away from the pod. The warships continued to circle wide around Otto’s herd but were unable to get within firing range because of the pod of air-whales.
“Dere are de humanz machinez waiting for uz,” Redimus said. On the high seawall that surrounded the city stood a line of warbots. All weapons were aimed at Eva.
She closed her eyes again. My herd. Do not be afraid. These machines will attack, but they cannot penetrate your tough armor. Aim for their heads, and they will fall.
The herd crawled out of the water onto the shores of Solas. Eva and Redimus slid down from Otto’s back onto the sandy beach. They stood in line along with the herd facing the army of warbots while the a
ir-whales circled overhead.
A warbot’s red laser flickered over Eva. “Physical identification of the human traitor known as Eva Nine is affirmative. You are to come with us immediately. Any deviation from our instructions will result in immobilization.”
“My herd,” Eva said. “Please help me.”
Snapping their fantails onto the sandy ground, the entire herd leaped up with astonishing speed. At this the warbots released a volley of SHOCdarts. At the apex of their jump, the water bears curled themselves into armored cannonballs. They rained down on top of the warbots, crushing most of the army in a single wave. The remaining warbots fired at the water bears, but their darts harmlessly ricocheted off the thick armored carapaces. The water bears struck the legs of the warbots with their tails, toppling them.
“Behind me, now!” Redimus yelled, and jumped in front of Eva as a warbot stormed through the melee toward them.
“Prepare for—”
The warbot did not finish its sentence. A water bear crashed down upon the machine, crushing its metallic body.
“Otto!” Eva crawled out from behind Redimus. Her companion crawled from the wrecked warbot with a visible limp. “Oh no! You’re hurt.”
I will live.
Eva dropped to her hands and knees and crawled under Otto’s giant frame. Blood trickled from the joint where his front leg met his underside. Eva touched the wound, and he flinched. “It looks like you might have been stabbed by a piece of metal from the warbot.”
“There iz enough poking partz, thaz for zure.” Redimus examined the sparking remains of the warbot.
Move, little one, the leader of the herd said.
Eva did as she was told. The leader nudged at Otto with his head until he flipped Otto onto his side. A stream of emerald blood ran across Otto’s chest.
“Wait, what are you doing?” Panic rose in Eva’s voice.
Do not fret, the leader of the herd said. He began licking Otto’s wound.
He will heal me, Otto said.
With the last of the warbots destroyed, the herd shuffled back to the shore. As with Otto, they tended to their wounded and moved them to the center of a tightly formed circle.
You must go on, little one, Otto said. Rescue your father.
“Okay. You be careful.” Eva kissed Otto’s beak. She could feel the exhaustion in him and in many of the water bears, after they had exerted such energy.
“Let dem rezz here. No one will bother dem,” said Redimus.
Eva and Redimus scrambled up the beach to the waterfront. She looked back one more time at the herd—her herd. “Thank you,” she called out to Otto. The herd began to sing aloud, filling Eva’s heart with a flicker of hope. “Okay, Redimus. Show me where the menagerie is.”
CHAPTER 32: UNDERSTANDING
This place looks familiar.” Eva stood at the bombed-out entrance to the Royal Menagerie of Solas. She stepped onto a large ornate gate that had been rent from its hinges and now lay like a footbridge crossing over heaps of rubble.
“Az you can zee, we are very cloze to the palace.” Redimus pointed up at the queen’s home as he limped past the gates.
Eva looked up at the majestic ivory palace towering over them. I hope you are okay, Rovee. I’ll be there soon.
Redimus pointed. “Dat way is de royal gardens, and beyond iz de museum.”
Eva hopped off the gate. “That’s how I know this. We must have gone past it when Muthr and I were escaping from . . .”
Redimus looked over to see if Eva would finish her thought. “From my brozeel?”
“No. From Ojo,” said Eva.
“Sometimez thingz are not always az dey first appear, eh?”
Eva nodded and began down the walking path that circled the menagerie. Ornate enclosures lined the outside of the walkway, while a large round pavilion sat at the center. “I’m not sensing anything alive here, except some turnfins roosting in the central pavilion.” Eva sighed. “We’ve got to hurry. Redimus, you go that way. I’ll go the other way, and I’ll meet you on the other side. Give a shout if you find anything.”
“Wheel do.” Redimus hobbled off.
Eva searched through the ruined park, but found only empty open cages and a fallen warbot.
She rounded the scorched trunk of a wandering tree to discover a young water bear, half-buried under its collapsed enclosure.
Eva placed a hand on its plated sides. It was cold to the touch. “I am sorry, little one.”
“Eva Nine, come quick!” Redimus called.
Eva scrambled across the menagerie to Redimus. As she drew near him, she sensed the slightest bit of life from another large and familiar creature. An adult sand-sniper lay coiled on the floor of its enclosure. Its bioluminescent organs were dimmed and its color faded.
“Eet is alive.” Redimus peered through the glass membrane that contained it. “I zaw eet move.”
“Barely.” Eva knelt down to get a better look. “I’m sensing more than just this one, though. I sense . . . eggs.”
“Probably bezz to leave it be. Even with your zpecial powerz, dey are not to be trifled with.”
“Can we break the glass?” With both hands Eva picked up a large chunk of rubble and stepped back from the enclosure.
“Wait!” Redimus gasped. “De air-whalez, de water bearz, dey are peazeful creaturez, Eva Nine. Dis is not like dat—especially when protecting itz young.”
“We are running out of time.” She flung the rock at the glass.
On impact the sand-sniper snapped to life and reared up to her full height. Like other individuals that Eva had encountered, this one looked like a gigantic praying mantis. She raised both spiked graspers in a threat display and flexed them. The thick glass of the enclosure was cracked but not broken.
“Dat iz one beeg zniper. I don’t know how Bezteel nabbed dis.” Redimus’s mouth was agape as he looked up at it. He caught himself as Eva walked up. “Oh, zorry.”
Eva ignored the comment. “It is big. I don’t know how I couldn’t sense it.” She peered around the sniper’s pen. It probably hadn’t eaten for days.
“Dey can become dormant in dere borrows during de dry zeason.”
“It’s like she was going into hibernation. That would explain it.” Eva watched the sniper through the glass. “You are a mother with eggs, aren’t you?”
The sand-sniper’s bowl-shaped eyes moved independently of each other. Her long corded antennae quivered while her clawed mouthparts clicked in cadence.
“What iz eet zaying?” asked Redimus.
“Nothing,” Eva replied. “She’s just clicking with her mouth.” Eva moved near the enclosure. The sniper extended her paddle-shaped antennae and flashed her bioluminescent lights. Go away. Go away. Go away.
“We will not hurt you.” Eva placed her palm on the fractured glass. “Are your eggs still good?”
The lights flashed in a new pattern. I will strike. I am strong. I will strike. I am strong.
Eva closed her eyes. With her ability she focused on the frequency of the sand-sniper. “You and I are alike. We are both of this earth,” she whispered.
You are the soil. You grow to a hunter. Then you become prey, said the sniper. Then you become soil.
“I have been trapped in this place too. Captured.”
I will strike you and kill you and eat you alive.
“You need to eat because you have to protect your nymphs.”
My strength and my might and my cunning will prevail.
“Not in this cage. You will die in here, as will your offspring.”
The sniper did not reply.
“I can set you free. But I need your help in return.”
You will trick me and kill me and eat me alive.
“I would do none of these things. But time is of the essence.”
What of me? What of my nymphs? What of our freedom?
“The Dorcean will see that your eggs are hidden someplace safe. Tell me where you want them to go, and I will instruct him.”
To the sand. To the desert. To the edge of this land.
“That we can do. You will have to come with me. I need your protection.”
He will trick. He will slaughter. He will eat my young.
“Not this Dorcean. His promise is his bond.”
Eva opened her eyes. The sand-sniper raised herself higher still to reveal a cluster of eggs held tight by the secondary legs under her segmented abdomen.
“Well?” Redimus asked.
Eva lifted up the large rock and hurled it at the glass again. The entire front of the enclosure shattered down in great shards.
The gigantic sniper crawled from her enclosure, clicking loudly.
“Dey are a whole lot bigger when dey are aboveground.” Redimus backed away from the sniper. “I hope you know what you are doing, Eva Nine.”
“He will carry your eggs.” Eva pointed to Redimus. “And he will protect them.”
The sniper’s lights flashed. Eat. Eat. Eat. She shot off across the grounds of the menagerie.
“Sheesa!” said Eva, and she gave chase. Redimus followed.
They found the sniper at the water bear’s pen. She had yanked the carcass from the rubble and was now devouring it.
“I’m glad Otto is not here. I wouldn’t want him to see this.” Eva turned away.
“Eet has died, Eva Nine. She needz to live. Zo it goez.” Redimus shrugged. “Truzz me, your water bear herd understands thiz.”
The sniper finished consuming her meal and crawled back. Circling Eva and Redimus once, she released her clutch of eggs and carefully laid them on the walkway.
“Take these to the southern edge of the pollen fields and bury them.” Eva watched Redimus lift the mass of eggs and drape them over his wide shoulders. They looked like a gigantic cluster of orange grapes. Inside each egg, bubble-eyed nymphs wriggled about.
“Are you zure about dis? Dese are a lot of eggz. Doez thiz world need dis many zand-sniperz?”
“Just promise you’ll do this.”
“Eef dis helpz rectify my pazt actionz wiz you . . .”
With her fingers Eva gestured, Just a little bit.
“Very well. I promize.” Redimus gave a nod. “Good luck.”
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