Everland

by Wendy Spinale

“Then we should go find her,” I say, standing. “Bella needs help now. And Joanna is somewhere inside the palace.”

  “We can’t do that,” Lily says, stripping her latex gloves from her hands and replacing them with black warrior gloves embellished in gold. “The door is locked from the inside of the lab and is covered by a cabinet. There is no way to get in there from this side without a key. Only the Professor can open the door.”

  Standing, I turn to Pickpocket. “Can you get us inside?”

  Pickpocket grins and pulls his lock-picking multitool from his pocket.

  A wrinkle of curiosity forms on Lily’s brow.

  “Show me the door,” Pickpocket says, extending a hand for her to lead the way.

  “Mole, you stay here with Bella,” Pete says.

  Doc continues to remove Bella’s bandages. “I’m staying here as well. I want to take a look at Bella’s hands.”

  Mole bites his lip, suddenly appearing younger than his twelve years. I wrap my arms around him and lean my cheek on his tousled brown hair. “We won’t be long,” I reassure him. He squeezes his arms around my waist.

  “Promise?” he whispers.

  “I promise,” I say, kissing the top of his head. Again I feel the sudden pang of loss. I miss Mikey. I miss Joanna.

  Lily motions for us to follow her and, with a gas lamp in her hand, she leads us to a walk-in closet on the far side of the room. Inside are metal shelves stacked with sheets, pillows, and other bedding. On the back side of the closet is a steel door much like the one at the entrance of the infirmary. Only this time there is a single slot for a key.

  Pickpocket manipulates the tool into the lock, and within seconds the latch releases. “You’d think for a secret door in the palace, they’d have a harder lock to pick,” he says.

  “Impressive,” Lily says. “Where did you learn to do that?”

  Pickpocket places the tool in his breast pocket. “Let’s just say I’ve seen more than my share in the clink. You learn a thing or two during your stay,” he says, winking.

  “Ah, I see. You’re one of those bad boys,” Lily says, winking back at him.

  Pickpocket smirks, watching her with a dreamy countenance. I roll my eyes. Her smooth, exotic accent grates on my nerves as I watch Pickpocket practically melt in front of her.

  Pete turns the knob. The door swings inward. A wooden wall blocks the entry into the room. Pete gives us an apprehensive glance before he places his hands on the wooden panel.

  “Wait!” Lily whispers, stepping between Pete and the back of the cabinet. Her hand rests on his chest. Their faces are close enough that it would take only the slightest of movements for them to kiss. A stupid grin flashes across Pete’s face. I look away, frustrated with Lily’s flirtations, first with Doc, then Pickpocket, and now Pete. Next to Lily, who is flawlessly beautiful, clever, and exuberantly confident, I feel plain. She is everything I admire in Pete: selfless and willing to put her own needs aside to rescue strangers. I, on the other hand, have turned others away, even fought them over supplies. I wouldn’t blame Pete for choosing Lily over me. Worse yet, I ought to be worried about rescuing my sister instead of fussing over a boy.

  “We need to be careful,” Lily continues. “The soldiers could walk in at any moment.”

  I shove myself between Lily and Pete, slide the cabinet open just a crack, and peek through the opening. “I don’t see anyone in there, and we’re not going to get anywhere standing out here.”

  Lily starts to protest, but I ignore her, heave the door open, and step through.

  “You do know what the Captain will do to you if he discovers you in the palace?” Lily says from the doorway. She folds her arms across her chest, defiance radiating from her stern expression.

  I mimic her stance, holding my ground. “No, but I don’t intend to find out,” I say a little too abrasively. “Pete, are you coming?”

  Lily places her hand on the bronze hilt of her sword and hesitates. “If the Professor returns to the lab, more than likely she will be escorted by the Captain’s guards. I’m coming with you.” She pulls the blade from her belt.

  Pete glances at the sword, its blade etched with intricate carvings. He whistles. “Now that is not a butter knife,” he says, pointing at Lily’s weapon.

  Lily smiles brightly.

  Another twinge of resentment prickles at me and my cheeks grow hot with jealousy.

  “It’s almost as fine as those daggers Blade gave to you,” he says, smirking at me.

  Reaching my hand out, I pull Pete into the room, feeling vindicated.

  “Do I detect a hint of jealousy?” Pete asks in a quiet, mocking tone.

  “Don’t flatter yourself,” I retort.

  I hesitate, stealing a glance at Lily. Her eyes dart from Pete to me, and she gives me a slight knowing look. Pete chuckles but lets me lead him into the lab. Pickpocket and Lily follow behind us.

  The dimly lit room is empty other than a metal gurney and huge incinerator.

  “This is the crematorium,” Lily says, nodding to the oven. “Follow me.”

  She takes the lead, climbing two stairs at a time up a narrow concrete stairway. When we reach the top, we step into what looks like a doctor’s laboratory. It smells of disinfectant and something else, something floral and familiar. The white walls, tile, and counters give it a sterile appearance. Gadgets fill the room, each piece rigged with wheels, levers, gears, and pedals. Cabinets line the walls, revealing bottles, containers, bandages, and other medical supplies behind their glass doors. A gurney stands in the middle of the room, its sheets disheveled. Lying on the white pillow is a brass bracelet: buttons from a military uniform. My father’s uniform. Joanna’s bracelet.

  The metal buttons clink as I pick up the band. I rub my thumb over the military insignia, remembering how brightly they shone on my father’s jacket, carefully cleaned and polished. My heart leaps at the sight of the tarnished buttons.

  “Joanna’s been here,” I say, glancing around the room.

  Pete rests a hand on my shoulder. “At least we know for sure she’s in the palace.”

  “Or she was here,” Pickpocket says, peering into a glass cabinet.

  I smell the faint hint of the lavender wafting from the sheets. Its scent reminds me of the lotion Joanna took from my mother’s room the night we left our home. “It was recent,” I say, scanning the room.

  “Look at these supplies,” Pickpocket says. He pulls out his multitool and picks the cabinet lock with ease. Pete joins him, and together, they stash supplies in their rucksacks.

  “What do you think you are doing?” Lily says indignantly. “Those are the Professor’s supplies.”

  “Look,” Pete says, whirling around to her. “I have an entire city of kids I’m responsible for. We don’t have access to supplies like these.”

  I step away from the cot, noticing the floral scent isn’t just on the bedding. Feeling like Mole, I follow the smell. I open the cabinets near the bed. They are full of linens and bandages.

  “An entire city of children?” Lily says with surprise. “Why haven’t you mentioned this? We must bring them here.”

  The smell grows stronger as I search a metal rolling cabinet next to the sink. More gadgets and levered devices line the shelves.

  “I am not bringing them into Everland,” Pete says heatedly. “They’re better off in the Lost City.”

  “But you have to,” Lily argues. “I promise you, they will be safe with the other survivors. The Duchess will provide them with everything that Everland can’t: shelter, food, and medical care. You can’t stay here. It’s not safe.”

  Beneath one of the two steel sinks, something rumbles. Pete grabs his dagger from its sheath and places an arm up as if to protect the rest of us.

  “Who’s there?” he demands.

  Stepping in front of him, I stoop by the doors. The scent of lavender permeates the air. A tiny whimper escapes from below the sink. Slowly, I open the doors.

  A small girl hi
des her face as she wraps her arms tighter around her knees drawn up to her chest. Blisters dot her quivering fingertips.

  “Joanna!” I exclaim, pulling my sister from the cupboard and into my arms. My pulse beats against my collarbone, where Joanna’s face rests. Relief washes over me and I swallow the lump in my throat. I bury my nose in her hair and breathe in her floral scent.

  My sister’s surprised gaze meets mine. She wraps her arms around my neck. Fresh tears stream down her cheeks. She squeezes so tight I can barely breathe, but I don’t care. “I knew you’d come for me,” she whispers.

  With the back of my hand, I brush a tear from my own cheek. “I’m your sister. I’ll always come for you.”

  Lightning paints the black sky in streaks of gold, filling the air with the faint smell of electricity. The flames from the burning buildings cast eerie shadows on the palace walls. Chains rattle as the line of Lost Boys cough on the thick smoke, grumbling among themselves. The Marauders cackle through their masks, prodding them with the barrels of their guns through the palace’s gilded doors. The Professor whispers words to the children, squeezing the littlest ones to reassure them.

  Smeeth tips his face toward the sky. “A storm is coming, Captain. It could make traveling a bit dicey. Perhaps we should consider postponing until it passes?”

  “Storm or not, we leave tonight. I’m not staying one more day in this roach-infested country.”

  “Beg your pardon, sir,” Smeeth says, “but I don’t believe the zeppelins will be able to navigate through this weather as it is. Add all these Lost Kids, and our fleet is sure to be doomed.”

  I slap Smeeth on the shoulder. “Who says we’re bringing them?”

  His forehead wrinkles. “But, Captain, you promised Jack that you wouldn’t harm the children. If we leave them here, they will surely die. There is nothing left of Everland. We’ve burned it to the ground.”

  “I am a man of my word. I’ll keep my promise to my brother. I won’t lay a single finger on them,” I say, admiring the Professor’s stunned expression as she takes in the swarm of sniveling Lost Boys. It baffles me, this feeling for children that she seems to possess.

  Frown lines form on Smeeth’s brow, but he says nothing more.

  “Hook!” the Professor shouts, storming toward me. She wears a clear hazmat face mask. Behind the transparent shield I see her perfect ruby lips frown. Her eyes shimmer above her tear-streaked cheeks. “Where did you find these children? There are over a hundred of them.”

  “Let’s just say a little birdie let me know of a vast underground Lost City, brimming with boys who needed a mommy.” I jut out my lip in a sarcastic pout.

  “You know they don’t have the antibodies. They won’t give you the cure. Why are you taking them as your prisoners?” the Professor says.

  “You’re right, Professor. They, too, will succumb to the Horologia virus. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t be useful. Among these boys may just be the one who will get me what I need.”

  “What more do you need? You have my daughter,” the Professor shouts.

  “Incentive,” I say, waving a soldier over. “The final piece to entice Gwen to turn herself over to me: her entire family.”

  “Mum!” the little boy yells as he breaks free from the guard’s hold.

  The Professor’s eyes grow wide and I’m certain she recognizes that young voice. She spins, drops to her knees, and clutches the boy in her arms as he nearly bowls her over, running into her embrace. “Mikey, you’re alive!” She holds him at arm’s length and brushes his hair from his eyes. “Are you hurt?”

  His bottom lip quivers as he shakes his head.

  The Professor pulls him into her arms again. “Oh, Mikey, I missed you so much.”

  I nod to the guard, and before she has a chance to notice, Mikey is snatched from her.

  “No! No! Let him go!” she screams, racing after the guard as he pushes the boy through the palace doors. Guards block the way and the Professor attempts to chase after the Marauder. Mikey’s wails become faint as the door slams shut.

  The Professor whirls around and her eyes drill through me with fury. She marches up to me and shoves me, but she is smaller than I am, and I hardly budge. “Give me my son back now!” she screams.

  I half expect her anger to rekindle the fear I felt as a child, but I feel oddly numb. “Once Gwen surrenders and you give me the cure, I will release both your daughter and your son,” I assure her.

  “It could take years to find a cure!” she yells.

  “Perhaps,” I say smugly. “But I suspect you’ll hurry the process along. We’re leaving tonight, and the Darlings are coming with me.”

  She presses her lips together and steals a glance toward the other Lost Boys. “And what about them? What are your intentions with the other boys? They can’t help you.”

  “That is not your concern,” I say, smiling as widely as I can. I nod to Smeeth. “Take her back to the lab to get her supplies. I want it packed and ready to go within the hour. We’ll meet in the palace courtyard before our departure.”

  “Come along, Professor,” Smeeth says, gently taking her arm.

  “I’ll never come with you!” She glares at me but allows Smeeth to guide her back inside Buckingham Palace.

  “Captain, what do we do with the boys?” another Marauder asks.

  I can’t wipe the grin off of my face as I watch the kids peer at me with frightened eyes. “Lock them up in the ballroom! And make sure they’re comfortable—they’ll be staying in Everland for a while.”

  Joanna brushes away a stray tear from her face. “Gwen, I’m so sorry.”

  I look at her, puzzled. This has nothing to do with anything she’s done. I’m to blame. “Joanna, you did nothing wrong. This isn’t your fault.”

  “I didn’t mean what I said,” she says.

  My chest aches to see her like this.

  “You’re a great sister. The closest thing I have to a mother since, well, since Mum disappeared. I shouldn’t have been so cruel to you.” She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.

  Hugging her as tight as my arms possibly can, I hold back the flood of tears that threaten to spill over. “You are the best sister, too,” I say. I wipe a tear from her cheek.

  “Where’s Mikey?” she asks.

  I rub my thumb over her cheek, wishing I could wipe away all evidence of the toll Everland and the war have taken on her. “He’s safe,” I say brightly, trying to hide the doubt brewing in my gut. I shouldn’t have left him. He should be here with Joanna and me. “Mikey’s fine!” I say again, more for myself than for my sister.

  She sighs and the tension in her shoulders slips. “I was sure the Marauders were going to find him. I should have blown the candle out after you left. It’s my fault they came. I’m sorry, Gwen. I should’ve listened to you.”

  My heart clenches and I avert my gaze from her. I am the one who was supposed to protect my sister, and yet she was kidnapped on my watch. If it wasn’t for Joanna’s quick thinking, Mikey would’ve been taken, too. “No, it’s my fault. You and Mikey were my responsibility, and I left you alone.”

  Joanna frowns and wraps her arms around my waist. “Don’t blame yourself, Gwen. Without you, who knows where Mikey and I might have ended up? We could have been caught by Hook a long time ago.”

  Her words do little to soothe the sick feeling in my stomach.

  “Your hands look better,” I say, changing the subject. Taking Joanna’s hand in mine, I inspect her fingers. Although her nails are still black with decay, the sores are not as angry-looking as they were when I last saw her. They have been carefully cleaned and a thick ointment has been applied to them. “Who did this?” I ask, slipping her button bracelet onto her wrist.

  “I don’t know,” Joanna says, shaking her head. “When I woke up, my hands already looked like this.”

  Turning to Lily, I ask, “Did the Professor ever tell you her name?”

  Fidgeting with the chain around her n
eck, Lily shakes her head. “I’ve always just called her Professor.”

  “Not to interrupt you, guys,” Pickpocket says, leaning up against a counter with his arms folded, “but as noble as this Professor sounds, we are in Hook’s lab. That codfish could walk in at any time now. We have Bella and Joanna. I don’t care where these safer lands are, but I think we should gather the rest of the Lost Boys and head that way now before we get caught.”

  “What about the Professor?” I say, my voice shaking. “We can’t just leave her here. She was waiting for me. We have to bring her with us!”

  “Look, Gwen, we’ve done what we came here to do,” Pickpocket says. “And Doc seems to believe that antidote he gave Bella is the cure. We don’t need her.”

  “But look at the children she has helped. And what about Jack?” I ask. “He could be here, too.”

  Pete drops his gaze to the floor and bites his bottom lip. He hesitates before responding. “We don’t know that Jack is here, and we can’t risk our lives trying to find out,” Pete says. “As for the Professor, Lily can let her know she’s found you, and she can flee the first chance she has.”

  Lily’s brows draw together as she looks at her watch again. Her gaze shoots back toward the lab door. “Something must be wrong. She’s never this late. The Professor usually meets me by now to sneak the kids out of the lab.”

  Standing, I place my hands on the hilts of my daggers. “I’m staying. The Professor deserves the chance to be rescued after all she’s done. The rest of you go, and take Joanna with you.”

  Shouts erupt beyond the lab door.

  “Back to your cage,” a harsh voice says, chortling. “Ahem, I mean lab. Captain’s orders are to bring you and your supplies to the courtyard when you’re done.”

  A woman protests loudly as keys jingle in the door lock.

  “Get back to the basement!” I whisper, pushing Joanna toward the staircase. We hurry down the steps and through the sliding cabinet. Pete moves the cupboard in place, plunging us into darkness. Next to me, Joanna shakes in a fit of tremors. I wrap an arm around her. Muffled shouts rise from behind the wood panel and after a minute, the room goes quiet. Listening intently, I hear nothing at first, but then the cabinet shudders. I push Joanna behind me and grab both of my daggers. In the blackness, Pete’s daggers let out a metallic scraping sound as he releases them from their sheaths. The click of a gun being cocked to my left assures me that Pickpocket is nearby.