by Kate O'Hearn
“Cylus is dying!” Astraea called. “He needs ambrosia and nectar—but it might be too late. Render’s been badly hurt too!”
While Jake and Tryn checked on the centaurs, Pegasus examined Zephyr.
“How is she?” Astraea asked fearfully. “That Mimic got her good. She’s so weak from Lergo’s bite and lack of food.…”
“She is alive,” Pegasus said. “Though I doubt she will be feeling very well when she wakes.”
The stallion sniffed the puddle of Mimic goo.
“Be careful. Don’t touch it!” Astraea warned. “That’s what’s left of the Mimics when they’re melted by the snakes. That stuff is just as dangerous now as when they’re alive.”
Tryn and Jake were examining Cylus. “Oh, this is bad,” Jake said.
Tryn pressed his head to Cylus’s chest. “He’s barely breathing.” He reached into the bag he carried and pulled out a bottle of nectar. “We might be too late. He might not be able to drink it.”
Pegasus trotted over. “Hold his head back and pour it slowly into his mouth. Even unconscious, we usually react to nectar and swallow. If he doesn’t choke, we might still be able to save him.”
Astraea dragged herself over and watched Tryn struggle to hold Cylus up and his head back. “Now,” he said to Jake. “Nice and slow, start to pour.”
After almost half the bottle of nectar was gone, Pegasus said, “That should suffice. If he doesn’t wake soon, I’m so sorry to say, he never will.”
22
TRYN AND JAKE STOKED THE campfire as they all waited for the nectar to save Cylus’s life. Each minute dragged on into an eternity, but still there was no change. Render responded quickly to the ambrosia and nectar treatment and was recovering.
Tryn and Jake set Astraea’s leg again, and with the help of the ambrosia, she felt the bones knitting together. It wouldn’t be long before she could walk again.
Tryn placed more logs on the fire and shook his head. “I never imagined two entrances to the Solar Stream could be opened in the same place at the same time. It must have been magnificent.”
“Not the word I would use,” Zephyr said.
“It was terrifying,” Astraea added. Belis was still with her. He had returned to his normal colors and, after being cleaned off from the Mimic goo, wanted more attention.
“And noisy,” Darek added. “Really, really noisy. Kind of like Jupiter’s thunder bolts when he’s really angry, but even louder.”
“I just wonder what happened to the other Mimics and Shadow Titans that were sucked back into it,” Darek mused aloud. “Were they destroyed when the two entrances collided, or were they sent back to where they came from?”
“There is one more option that I don’t like to think about, but we must consider,” Tryn said. “Since the two Solar Streams were open and you had already set your destination as Earth, it is not impossible to consider that they might have slipped into our Solar Stream and not theirs.”
“You mean to Westward Junction?” Jake cried.
“That’s exactly what I mean. But we won’t know till we get back there,” Tryn said. “We’ll just get these snakes, Shadow Titans, and you guys to Xanadu and then Jake and I can check.”
Zephyr looked at everyone. “What do you mean you and Jake can check? What about us?”
“Yes,” Astraea agreed. “We’re all going back to Earth.”
“That is not a good idea,” Tryn said. “First, you must take care of Cylus. So far he hasn’t responded to the nectar. If anyone can save him, it will be Arious. And second, Earth is dangerous for you. It would be best for you all to go to Xanadu and let Jake and me collect Jupiter and the others from Earth and then meet you there.”
“I don’t like that idea one bit,” Astraea said. “We’ve gone this far together. We should finish together.”
Pegasus snorted. “I believe Trynulus has the right idea. It would not be wise for all of us to return to Earth to collect the others. We will be needed on Xanadu to work with the snakes and prepare for battle.”
“But I wanted to see Earth again,” Astraea said.
“And you will,” Pegasus promised. “When this is over, I will ensure that Jupiter allows you all to visit there. Jake must return to his home, and I am sure you will want to go with him to make certain he gets there safely.”
Jake leaned closer to Astraea. “What did he just say?”
Astraea crossed her arms over her chest. “He agrees with Tryn and you. We can’t go back to Earth until we take you home.”
“I’m sorry,” Jake said. “But it really will be safer this time.”
“That’s easy for you to say—you live there,” Astraea said. “I never get to go anywhere!”
Zephyr was eating a large slice of ambrosia and nearly choked. “Wh-what? What do you mean you never go anywhere? This horrible world is somewhere. Tartarus was somewhere, and you’ve already been to Earth. Now were going to Xanadu. How can you say you never go anywhere?”
“All right,” Astraea said. “I’ve been a few places. I want to see more.”
“And you will,” Tryn said as he climbed to his feet. “Just not this time.” He walked over to the Shadow Titans, which were now encircling the camp. The intact shadows had managed to repair the damage done to the others, so they were all intact again. He knocked on the chest of the nearest one. “They really do sound hollow.” He tried to pull off a helmet, but it wouldn’t move. “You’re certain they won’t come back to life?”
Astraea held up one of the controllers. “Not without this. But it seems that each controller works only four Shadows at a time.”
Jake joined Tryn and inspected a large, dragon-like Shadow Titan. “I wonder if your mother will be able to figure them out. Maybe she can make some more for us to use.”
“If we can control them, that would be good,” said Tryn.
“No, it would not!” Pegasus snorted. “I have had more than my share of those monstrosities. The last thing we need is to create more. I am not overly comfortable having these ones here, let alone others.”
“Pegasus doesn’t like the idea,” Tryn said to Jake as they returned to the fire.
Jake reached for another slice of ambrosia cake and handed a small piece up to Nesso, and they ate it together. “So,” Jake started. “Nesso didn’t have to bite me to be poisonous to the Mimics?”
Astraea nodded. “That’s right. The snakes’ venom is deadly without it.”
Jake looked over to Tryn. “So your dad didn’t have to be bitten.”
“I guess not,” Tryn said. “But at least he’ll be able to talk to them the way you talk to Nesso.”
“That issss the best part,” Nesso hissed. “Jussst like you and me, they have found a family with Tryn’sss father.”
“Very true,” Jake agreed.
“Ugh… I think I ate too much,” Zephyr moaned. “I feel sick.”
“You can never have too much ambrosia,” Pegasus said. “Especially after everything you have been through. You are all very lucky to be alive.”
“Look who’s talking,” Zephyr shot back. “You were left for dead and buried on Xanadu!”
“I was buried by Brue, the Mother of the Jungle. She did it to protect me after those Mimics attacked us. Had she not pulled me away after I was touched, I am certain they would have killed me.” He turned his white head to Jake and Tryn. “And if you had not found me, I might well have succumbed to my injuries.”
“It was Brue who led us to you,” Tryn said.
“Then I owe her much gratitude,” Pegasus said.
Astraea listened to what happened on Xanadu in complete shock. She couldn’t believe that the Mimics would have ever attacked there first and been able to defeat Emily and Riza.
“This is so much bigger than I ever imagined,” she finally said. “The Mimics attacking Titus was bad enough. But to hear that they’ve taken Emily and Riza too…”
“We will get them back,” Pegasus insisted. “They will not keep Emily
or the others for long.” The stallion rose to his hooves. “I appreciate that you are all tired and recovering, as am I, but time is not a friend to us. Cylus needs Arious. We can’t wait for him to recover. Without her, he may not recover at all.”
Jake and Tryn burst to their feet. Darek and Render were much slower, and Zephyr didn’t move at all.
Pegasus stepped up to her. “If you are still feeling unwell, perhaps you should stay here a bit longer and rest. We can come back for you.”
“Stay here!” Zephyr jumped to her hooves. “No way. I want to be the first to leave.”
Pegasus winked at Astraea but said to Zephyr, “If you are certain. I would not want you to stress yourself.”
“Stress? What stress? I’m feeling fine. Perfect, in fact. I could fly around this world!”
Astraea had never spent any time with Pegasus and didn’t really know him. But when he winked at her, she realized he was teasing Zephyr. “He’s right, Zeph. You could stay for a bit longer. I know how much you love it here.”
“Don’t you start!” Zephyr cried. She said to Darek, “Put Astraea on my back and let’s get out of here.”
When Darek reached for Astraea, she took his hand but started to rise on her own. “I never realized how powerful ambrosia and nectar are. I feel a lot better, and my leg is almost healed.”
“Maybe,” Zephyr said. “But you’re not back to normal yet. Let me carry you for a bit longer.”
Pegasus raised his brows as Astraea was settled on Zephyr’s back. He walked up to Zephyr. “I thought you believed it was demoralizing to be ridden—that it lowered us to the level of horses. I know that’s how you feel when Emily is with me.”
Zephyr pawed the ground and looked down. “This is different.”
“Is it?” Pegasus teased. “Please, do tell me how.”
“It just is,” Zephyr snapped. She looked at Tryn. “Can we go now, please!”
Tryn nodded, trying to suppress a smile. “Sure. We’ll just get Cylus organized.…” Once the Shadow Titans lifted the fallen centaur, Tryn held up the ring Arious had given to him on Xanadu.
“Trynulus, wait,” Pegasus called. “May I suggest that you have it deliver us to the glass lake on Xanadu? I am sure we will terrify the Rheans at the Temple of Arious if we appear there with all these Shadow Titans.”
“You want us to land in a lake?” Darek said.
“It is not a real lake,” Pegasus said. “It is not made of water. It is a very large piece of black glass that looks like a lake. It is, in fact, the remnants of the ancient Xan when they released themselves to the universe. The glass lake is large, so it will be good for an easy landing.”
“What did he say?” Jake asked Astraea. When she told him, he went, “Yeesh, we’re landing on bodies?”
Pegasus looked back at him and nodded.
“That I understood,” Jake said. “I’m freaked out, but I understood.”
Tryn held up the ring and called back, “Get your warriors ready to move.”
Astraea, Darek, and Jake had their controllers ready. Darek was responsible for the Shadow Titans carrying Cylus, while Astraea and Jake carried containers of snakes. They all commanded their Shadows to follow them.
Tryn called out to the ring, “Take us to the black glass lake on Xanadu.”
The Solar Stream opened before them. Pegasus was the first to walk through, followed by everyone else. Just as she entered, Astraea looked back and gasped. All the other snakes that were to be left behind were following them into the Solar Stream, including Belis.
23
IT SEEMED AN ETERNITY AS they journeyed to Xanadu. As the time passed, Astraea grew weary. Leaning forward on Zephyr’s neck, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
She awoke with a jolt and felt the ground beneath her moving. When she opened her eyes, Astraea discovered that it wasn’t the ground that was moving; it was Zephyr. She was slipping and sliding as she flapped her wings to keep her balance.
“Whoa, whoa!” Zephyr cried, trying to stay upright. “What’s happening here?”
Jake fell to the ground and was trying to stand up while Tryn was sliding across the black surface on his backside. The two centaurs were also struggling to stay on their hooves. Render finally fell and slid into Darek, knocking him to the ground beside him.
Pegasus was standing still and watching them with a mirthful twinkle in his eye. “Everyone, be careful; the glass lake can be a bit slippery.…”
“A bit slippery!” Darek cried. “I’ve never felt anything like it!”
“Just stand still and do not fight it. If you must fall, then let yourself fall,” Pegasus called.
Zephyr finally regained her balance and stood still with her four legs splayed. Her wings quivered as she tried to keep her balance. “What is this?”
“I told you, it is the remnants of the Xan when they released themselves to the universe. This is very fine glass, but it can be as slippery as ice.”
“What’s ice?” Astraea asked.
“It’s frozen water,” Tryn called as he carefully climbed to his feet. “My dad told me about it, but I’ve never seen it before.”
“Yeah,” Jake called, still trying to stand up. “This is exactly like ice. I’d be better if I had my skates. Ice and shoes never mix.”
Behind them the Shadow Titans were also sprawled on the ground. Cylus was down among them. When he hit the black glass, they all heard him grunt. As Darek made his way over, Cylus opened his eyes. “What’s happening?”
“He’s awake!” Darek cheered. “Everyone, Cylus is awake!”
There were loud cheers from everyone on the slippery glass. Cylus raised his head. “Where are we?”
“We’re on Xanadu,” Tryn said as he slid over to Cylus. He knelt down beside him. “You’ve been badly wounded. I have some ambrosia. I need you to eat it.”
“I—I don’t remember…” When his eyes landed on the Shadow Titans, he screamed and flailed his hooves, trying to get away.
“Cylus, calm yourself,” Pegasus called as he treaded over. “I do not care for the Shadow Titans, either, but these are under our control. Calm yourself or you will reopen your wounds.”
Cylus looked from Pegasus over to Zephyr and back to Pegasus again. “Wow, you two really do look alike!”
Astraea felt Zephyr tense at the comment. She leaned forward and stroked her neck. “It’s all right.”
Pegasus turned and looked at them. There was a twinkle of mirth in his eyes, but he said nothing about it. Instead, he said to Cylus, “We are taking you to Arious to be cared for.”
“I’m fine,” Cylus said, though there was no strength in it. “We have to go to Earth to get my mother and the others.”
“We will,” Tryn said. “But you’re staying here. You’re too weak to travel.”
“Who are you calling weak?” Cylus challenged.
“He’ll live,” Astraea said to Zephyr. “The old Cylus is back.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Cylus demanded. Then he softened. “I’m sorry. I’m just not feeling very well.”
“You will recover faster if you keep eating ambrosia,” Pegasus offered.
The containers of snakes were scattered around them, and the loose snakes were trying to move on the black glass. Belis was also struggling to slide on the unfamiliar surface.
“What’s that thing doing here?” Zephyr cried when she spied the large snake.
“I couldn’t tell you in the Solar Stream,” Astraea said. “But all the snakes that didn’t get into the containers followed us.”
“They’re all here?” Zephyr cried.
“Not all,” Nesso said to Jake. “Jussst the onesss that had gathered together in the camp.”
“Nesso says it’s not all the snakes from Zomos. Just the ones you all gathered together.” Jake looked warily at Belis. “That really is one big snake!”
“We’ve seen bigger,” Cylus said softly. “In fact…”
“Cylus, do
n’t,” Astraea warned. This wasn’t the time to tell Jake there was a chance that Nesso was the same kind of snake as Lergo and that one day she could be as big. “Yes, Belis is big, but he seems very sweet. And I still don’t understand how, but he’s immune to Mimic goo. It was all over him, but he was fine.”
“It could be his age,” Tryn suggested. “Whatever it is, it’s a real advantage.”
Nesso hissed a bit, and Belis slid closer and rose up to Jake’s face height to hiss back at her. “Um, Nesso,” Jake said nervously “He’s a bit close. He’s not dangerous, is he?”
“No, he’sss not dangerousss. He wantsss usss to tell Assstraea that he likesss the name she gave him and that he likesss her very much.”
When Jake repeated the message, Astraea patted Zephyr’s neck. “See? I told you he was sweet.”
“Oh yes, he’s a real darling,” Zephyr said.
“Tryn…!”
Everyone turned and saw a figure trying to run on the slippery glass surface. Tryn frowned and called, “Triana, is that you?”
“Tryn!” Triana called again.
“Who’s that?” Astraea asked Jake.
“That’s Tryn’s little sister, Triana,” Jake said.
Triana was half running and half sliding as she approached them and moved fearfully around the line of fallen Shadow Titans. When she made it to them, her face showed several black bruises and a cut on her arm that bled deep silver blood. Her clothes were torn, and she looked terrified.
“Triana, what’s happened to you?” Tryn cried as he embraced her.
“They’re back!” Triana gasped. “The Mimics came back. There are so many of them here. Not long after you left, we went to the Temple of Arious to prepare for your return and they attacked us. There were Shadow Titans with them. Mom and Dad were in with Arious, but everyone else was outside. We couldn’t fight them. Everyone who tried was touched and they collapsed.”
“Did they do this to you?” Jake asked, inspecting the cut on her arm.
She shook her head. “No, a Shadow Titan did. It tried to grab me, but Brue attacked it. Then they tried to attack her. She brought me here to the glass lake and then went back for the others, but I haven’t seen her since. I’m so scared they’ve killed her.”
