The chancellor starts twitching more furiously, a soft word escaping his mouth. “Tr… trap…”
“What?” Tucker asks.
Before they have time to put it together, a sharp something whizzes past me, striking the limestone wall behind the boys and sending pieces crumbling to the ground.
“No weapons!” Perio shrieks, grasping the bars.
I turn just as a fist of talons crashes into the side of my headgear, sending me flying. I hit the ground and roll until I smack into the wall and everything goes dark...
A loud ringing in my head forces my eyes open but all I can see are rocks. Pieces of the wall from the Traxpire’s release. Muddied sounds echo in the background. Fear races through me as I hear Perio laughing.
What’s happening?
I shift my head, finding Jace and Tucker a few feet away on the ground, both lying still. Reid is on his knees near them, gripped around his neck by a set of black talons. He’s clawing at the fierce green hold trying to choke him. I manage to lift myself and the Enidd in my right hand. But as I start to aim for the Vermix, something behind him catches my attention.
It’s Booker.
He has a Traxpire in his hands aimed at the back of the Dofinike’s head. Just as Reid is about to pass out, a brilliant blast of orange erupts between the Vermix’s eyes, splitting his head open with tiny fiery explosions.
“NO!” Perio screams, racing forward to clutch the bars.
Reid drops to his hands, gasping for air as Booker rushes forward, checking Jace and Tucker. Confirming they’re alive, he races for me, extending a massive hand.
“I’m fine,” I swat him away, slowly moving to my knees. “Help them.”
“Oh, no, Boss Lady,” he lifts me from the rubble with ease, “you first.”
“NO!” Perio screams again, his voice echoing so vehemently that Booker pauses with me in his arms. “Pieces of filth,” the Musko leader hisses, “worthless creatures—you do not deserve to live!”
Reid returns to a stand, his chest still heaving as he tries to obtain as much air as possible. He moves up the steps, as though making for Perio but instead, bends down to the chancellor. “You hanging in there? We’ll get you back to the FH real soon.”
“None of you!” Perio hisses again. “None of you are good enough!”
“What about him?” Reid exhales, standing again and looking in at the caged animal. “Should we take him back as well?”
“No…” It’s hard for Chancellor Keller to speak. His words come out with an exasperated effort, as if it’s taking all his might. “Queen… Queen wanted him dead…” another full gulp of air, “was going to execute…”
“What?” This stuns Perio.
“Leave…” he exhales. “Leave him to his fate.”
“You lie,” Perio grips the bars. “Queen Ravan would never allow….”
“Attempt…” the chancellor gulps. “Attempted murder…”
“Real murder,” I say, my head still dizzy. “Of your own people!”
“Deserve to die…” Keller inhales another large gulp of air, “by your own hand…”
“Booker,” Reid says as he picks up Jace and throws him over his shoulder, “let’s go. We’ll be right back, Chancellor.”
Carrying me in his arms, Booker heads back through the tunnel with Reid carrying Jace behind us. Reaching the main room, I’m shocked to see all seven Millix waiting, Lalu closest to the edge.
“Booker…” I gasp. “How…?”
“Followed the Vermix. There were two,” he places me gently on Lalu, “coming to ambush you. One stayed outside and the other went in. I snuck up on the first,” he says as he makes sure I’m secure and then backs up to the edge again. “Hit him from behind and took his Traxpire.”
“Nice work,” Reid positions Jace on his Millix, steadying him.
“Knew they were coming after you,” Booker shrugs, “couldn’t do nothing.”
“You did good,” Reid cups his shoulder, “real good, buddy.”
“Huh?” Jace sits up with a groggy start, surprised to find himself in the main room and on a Millix. He nearly falls off, grabbing onto the bairs before he does. “What happened?”
“Booker saved the day,” I smile.
“Just doing what any Rogue would.”
“Come on, we got to get the other two,” Reid races back down the tunnel, Booker on his heel. A couple minutes pass before they return with Tucker and the chancellor in their arms, Keller in the full body suit and headgear. Booker places him on a Millix as Reid tries to shake Tucker awake. “Come on, Rogue Leader. Need you awake for this.”
“Yeah,” Jace rubs the back of his head, “that Vermix came out of nowhere. Saw Fallon go flying… he got me and Tucker before we knew what happened.”
“Tucker,” Reid places him on the Millix. “Come on, man. Need your help.”
“Hmm…” Tucker mumbles, his eyes slightly fluttering. He’s not fully awake, but not totally out of it either, like he’s trying to answer Reid and not having much luck. “What…”
“Need you to stay alert long enough to get back to the FH. Think you can do that?”
“What happened?” his eyes fully open, but close again.
“Tucker,” Reid holds his headgear on either side, forcing the Rogue Leader to look at him, “just make it to the FH.”
But as Tucker goes to nod, he falls forward, hitting his head on the back of the Millix’s neck and slumps over into the water.
“Shit!” Reid roars, diving after him.
Lalu, can a Millix carry two people?
It does not happen often.
Is it possible?
Yes.
Reid remerges with the Rogue Leader, and by the looks of it, he’s out. With Tucker lost in a deep sleep, Reid uses his remaining effort to push him on the Millix again. But as he’s positioned with one leg on either side of her, Tucker slumps to the opposite end, falling back into the water with a big splash. Reid dives after him for the second time.
Lalu, can you tell Palli to allow two riders?
Yes.
“Reid!” I call as he emerges with Tucker again, “put him on Palli. Have him ride with you.”
“It’ll be too much weight.”
“It won’t. Trust me. Booker,” my focus flies to him, “help Reid!”
“You got it, Boss Lady,” he yanks Tucker’s arms out of the water in one effort. He pulls the Rogue Leader across Palli, his stomach at the base of her long neck and back. Once Tucker is secure, Booker grabs Reid and with one hand, heaves him out of the water and onto the Millix behind the Rogue Leader.
“Thanks, Booker,” Reid pats him on the back. “Proving yourself…” he inhales another deep breath, “very useful. Now show us how to get out of here, please.”
Booker nods as he submerges, Jace and the chancellor right behind him.
Reid leans forward, grasping Palli’s bairs and securing Tucker in front of him. He dives into the dark water and Lalu and I are right behind them, following the line that leads into a tunnel opposite of the skinny one where we entered. This tunnel, still completely dark, sits much, much wider, and large enough for a Stancimis to fit through. Does Ariana know about this main entrance? Or is she only privy to the visitor’s way?
She must not have known because this route is way easier to navigate, as it only consists of one spacious tunnel that descends straight down. Emerging from it, we’re in the deep, murky openness once again and Booker and the others have already started moving up, back towards the FH’s docking station. Reid—and an unconscious Tucker—wait for me and once I’m right behind them again, we ascend together.
And then it’s back through the thick soup of gray, emaciated bodies.
“Heavens…” the chancellor exhales. “So… so many.”
“Somewhere around half,” Reid says. “The entire FH is filled up. All the way to the Queen’s chambers.”
“Is…” he’s still working for his air, “is the Queen…”
“She’s fine,” I assure him, “but Princess Sansa and Ariana were exposed.”
“Oh no…”
“They’ve been given Dilly, as you will be, but right now we have to focus on getting you back. Queen Ravan is convinced your presence will soothe the panic.”
“What…” another heavy gulp, “…ever I can do…”
We reach the Docking Station to the FH in a matter of minutes, all seven Millix rising simultaneously. It’s still swarming with Mybyncians, all the way to the pool’s edge, most not even realizing we’ve arrived. They’re too caught up with everything that’s happening, especially trying to flag down those administering the Dilly.
“We only received a little and that was hours ago!” someone cries. “Please! You must give us more!”
“We need more!” another voice rings out. “My mother is dying! She needs more Dilly!”
“Look!” a young miyon points in our direction. “It is Chancellor Keller!”
“The chancellor?” the title is thrown around with curiosity, hope. “Chancellor Keller? Where?”
The sight of him has caused its own panic to stir, everyone rushing forward.
“Please…”he places his hands up soothingly, “everything…” another gulp of air, “…will be alright.”
“He’s been exposed too!” someone cries, a new wave of fright rippling through the room.
“Fallon!” a familiar voice pierces through the commotion. It’s Pratt, flying through the crowd toward us. “You’re back!”
“Go tell Sampson and Clarence,” I motion her the other way. “We’ll need help getting through here.”
She nods, darting in the opposite direction and disappears in seconds.
“Please…” the chancellor tries again, “all will… be well…”
“What’s happening?” the question is tossed at him from several voices. “What do we do? How do we stop it?”
“Must… stay calm… all,” another heavy breath, “be well…”
“We need to get you to Sampson,” I search for the easiest path to the Great Hall. But with the amount of Mybyncians squeezed into the Docking Station, it’s too tight to leave any openings. There’s no space. We’ll have to make our own route through this crazed, panicked mob, which only seems to race forward with each passing second.
I climb off Lalu and immediately regret doing so. I’m pushed to the side and then to the ground, others rushing past me to get closer to the chancellor.
“Fallon!” Reid barks but his voice gets lost in the crying and questions.
I struggle to get up but they’re pushing past, walking over me and using my body as a stepping stool. But suddenly, one by one, the weight is lifted. A terrifying new scream erupts as the Mybyncians retreat, many being thrown backwards and into the pool. Just when I have air again, a pair of arms sweeps me up and I’m cradled into Reid’s chest, a look of feral, livid rage consuming him.
“I’ll take her,” Clarence emerges but Reid shakes his head, keeping me locked to him.
“Get Tucker,” he moves through the crowd, everyone instantly backing out of his way. He must’ve gone Rox on them, because that’s the only thing capable of parting a crowd like this. With his iron arms locked around me, we make it halfway through the room where Sampson meets us.
He looks down at me, then back to Reid. “You retrieved the chancellor?”
Reid nods behind us, “On the Millix. Sampson,” he leans in, “there’s got to be a place we can go. Tucker’s out cold, Keller needs Dilly and Fallon was nearly crushed to death.”
“We’ll put you with the princesses,” he leads us through a different tunnel, also teeming with Mybyncians. “They’re being kept in the attendant’s chamber. Relatively quiet. Did you have much trouble?” he tosses the question over his shoulder.
“Just the Vermix that attacked us.” I beat Reid to it.
Sampson stops, turning with surprise. “There were more?”
“Two,” Reid says quietly. “We left Booker to wait for us but he saw them. Took the first one out, grabbed his Traxpire and killed the second just as he would’ve killed me.”
“You don’t say?” Sampson seems genuinely surprised, spinning and moving down the tunnel again. “Lucky he couldn’t fit through the visitor’s entrance.”
“Very lucky,” I agree.
Sampson arrives at another coral door, and after pushing it open, we enter a small but cozy space and in the center, an enormous circular bed like the one in our quarters. Individual golden beds line the wall and at the other end of the room, Princess Sansa and Ariana each lay in the deep, coral structures, Queen Ravan between them, stroking their hair.
“You made it back?” the queen looks up with hope, frowning at the sight of me in Reid’s arms. “What has happened?”
“She nearly got crushed,” Reid snaps through tight lips, placing me near the princesses in another coral bed. It’s lined with warm pink linen and is so very soft that I could fall asleep. Unbuckling my headgear, I give it to Reid who places it at the foot of my bed with his.
“What?” Ariana tries to get up but her mother holds her down.
“Stay still, child. You need your strength… they will be bringing more Dilly soon,” she looks to Sampson, as though hoping he’d confirm her statement.
“We’ll need another bed for Tucker,” Reid scans the space, “and one for the chancellor.”
“Is he alright?” Queen Ravan asks.
“He’ll be fine,” Reid nods, “but the crowd’s demanding answers now. He’ll need rest and some Dilly first.”
“Then I will address them,” she rises to a stand, her hand out to Sampson, “Fychu, would you mind escorting me?”
“Of course, your Majesty,” Sampson takes Queen Ravan by her arm and leads her to the door. On their way out, they pass Clarence and Booker who are carrying the chancellor and Tucker, Jace trailing behind with a slight limp.
“Chancellor Keller,” the queen gasps at the sight of him.
“M-Majesty…” he attempts to free himself of Booker’s hold, as though wanting to stand up and bow.
“Please do not…” she lingers a moment longer, her saddened eyes pouring over him as an aching need to console appears. But she swallows it, resuming her regal impassiveness. “We shall speak when I return,” she nods to Sampson and the two continue out.
“Be careful with that crowd,” Jace warns as the solid coral door closes behind him. Favoring his uninjured leg, he makes his way in the room, taking off his helmet. “Nearly took me out.”
“Yeah, well, they nearly took Fallon out,” Reid’s pacing, arms crossed as he motions Clarence and Booker to a few of the open beds near the princesses. Ariana struggles to sit up, her face a light ashy gray and her cheeks just starting to sink in.
“Princess…” Clarence whispers to himself, placing an unconscious Tucker in a coral bed next to her. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay…” she watches as Booker places the chancellor in the bed opposite Sansa.
“Princess…” he exhales, holding his hand out, “princess… so sorry…”
“You need to rest, Chancellor,” Clarence stands over him. “We’ll bring you some Dilly but you need to rest,” he crosses towards Ariana. “You too, princess.”
“How is…” she exhales, “…Fallon? How are…” a large gulp, “… the others?”
“We’re fine,” I push myself up, though my entire body is aching to stay still. “A little beat up… but okay.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Reid paces the room. “You were nearly trampled.”
“I saw…” Jace hobbles over. He takes a seat nearby, on the edge of the large, central bed and holds his leg. “Got tripped myself. Once they saw Booker leaving with the chancellor, they about swarmed me trying to get to him,” he rubs his leg again. “Almost didn’t make it back.”
“Oh no…” Ariana exhales deeply. “So…” another gulp, “so sorry….”
“We need to do som
ething quick,” Reid grates. “So everyone can calm the fuck down out there,” he walks the room, throwing his arms out, gesturing to me and Jace. “We brought them the chancellor and they about killed Fallon. Jace wasn’t limping half as bad before.”
“Speaking of,” Clarence turns to him, “need me to take a look?”
Jace puts his hand up, declining. “I’m good.”
“But you’re right,” Clarence agrees with a look to Reid. “Things do need to calm down. But we have to wait for the queen and Sampson to return. Once they get back… we’ll sort this thing out,” he steps towards Reid, “but no one will be in any danger here. I promise.”
Pratt and Mae fly through the door at his comment, bowls overflowing with Dilly in their hands. With a quick scan of the room they find Ariana, Sansa and the chancellor in the corner, darting over without really seeing the rest of us. Both pause at his bedside, Mae dipping into the bowl to fish out the long green mush.
“Here,” she starts feeding him. “Pratt, help the princesses.”
“Here, Ariana,” she kneels beside her, “um… I mean, Princess Ariana. Brought you some Dilly,” she starts spooning the noodle-like mush into Ariana’s darkened mouth before assisting Sansa. By the time both princesses and the chancellor have been fed, Queen Ravan and Sampson return.
“I have addressed them,” the queen advises, a solemn expression exuding. “They should be calm for awhile, but it will not last. My people understand the direness of the situation so they will only remain compliant for so long. We need to do something. We need…” she exhales heavily, this next part difficult to stay. “We need your help.”
Sampson smiles, “Then let’s put a plan together, shall we?”.
Chapter Twelve: Retrieval
“A plan is good,” Jace nods, rubbing his leg again, “but—uh—can we strategize in here, though?”
“It’s better than out there,” Clarence crosses the room.
“Who’s watching out there?” I glance to the coral door at the other end of the small bunker. With the queen, the Fychu and the chancellor all bundled together in here, it could be utter chaos out there, even if they’ve already had a visit from their highness. But she said it herself—their restraint won’t last long. I gulp, nervous at the answer. “Who’s keeping order?”
Plague of Mybyncia Page 17
