by D P Rowell
“Don’t you hunters know how the council fuels their magic?”
Ace shook his head, then shrugged. “I guess I haven’t learned that far in training yet.”
The fae went to respond to him but stopped when a voice called from the distance.
“Ace!” Said the voice. “Where are you, kid?” It was Rio. Ace and the fae looked all about them, but there were only trees.
“I thought you said this place could only be found by elyrians,” Ace said.
“That’s true. Don’t worry, the drake can’t find you here. But we must part ways now. The longer we stay here the more suspicious he will become. I cannot risk being caught practicing the elyr. And if the elite find out what has happened between us here tonight, you might even be in more trouble than me.”
Ace nodded, still hearing Rio’s voice calling for him in the distance. The fae was right, and though he longed to stay with her, there was no time to argue.
“How do I get back?” He said.
She pointed where the trees split to a path ahead. “Just follow the path, and you will end up where you need to be.”
He didn’t understand, but he nodded and headed there regardless. He stopped before he got too close and turned to face her again.
“Wait,” he said, “Will I see you again? There’s more I want to learn from you.”
The fae nodded with a grin. “When time permits.”
Ace smiled back. “One more thing. . .” he said, “what’s your name?”
She smiled. “Kareena . . .Kareena Flare.” Then, in a swift motion, she waved her hand as if to snatch something from the air, and all the torches went out at once. Before Ace could tell what had happened she was nowhere to be found.
Kareena. He thought it was a nice name. His heart fluttered.
“Ace! Come back!” Yelled another voice, this time it was Cameron. Ace snapped back into the moment. He turned along the path, a wall of the stout pines and white fir on either side again. The needles prickled his arms as he made his way through, until he saw a faint light at the end of the path. As he reached the light, the voices of Cameron and Rio calling him grew louder. He peered from the end of the tree walls, surprised to find the courtyard, with the large tree in the middle, hiding behind a screen of staggered leaves. The path had taken him where he needed to be, like Kareena said.
Wow, thought Ace, Shywater is incredible. He already missed the fae and wanted to go back to the magical—or—elyrian place rather. He stepped free from the pines, but when he turned around, the path to Shywater had disappeared, and he found himself in the large shrub, where he had run to previously. Rio and Cameron stood in the courtyard, walking about with their hands cupped over their mouths shouting for him.
Ace stepped forward from the shrub. “I’m here, guys!”
They each turned quickly and ran to him.
“Where did you go? We were getting worried!” Cameron said as they ran to meet him.
“Don’t do that anymore, kid! I don’t care how upset you are!” Rio said, wagging his finger. “It could be dangerous.”
“I’m fine, Rio, calm down,” Ace said. “I was in the bush. I just needed time alone,”
Cameron gave a strange look to Ace. “But we checked, and you weren’t there.”
Ace’s eyes shot up. “Well, I—uh—I went for a walk too,” he said, rubbing his neck. “I just got back when I heard you guys talking.”
Rio’s eyes peered at the boy. “Where did you walk to?”
“Just—you know—” Ace pointed down the courtyard. “Around the corner, down the street a ways.”
Rio’s eyes squinted. “Well, don’t do that anymore. It may not be safe. If you want to see more of the city, have me or Marg go with you. Understand?”
Ace scoffed at the drake. “I’m not the Peppercorns you know. I’m not gonna try and and escape.”
Rio grabbed Ace by the arm. “C’mon, kid. I’m not putting up with your attitude.”
Ace yanked his arm free. “I can walk myself.” He walked to the house and opened the front door. Marg and the Peppercorns watched TV in the living room.
Julie shot from the couch as she saw him. “Ace!” She bolted to him and then did something he never would have expected. She wrapped him tightly in an embrace. Ace’s disgust with her told him he should push her away; pry himself free from her grasp, but he couldn’t due to his shock. He could feel her crying as she held him tightly.
“I’m—I’m sorry,” Julie said through her sniffling. Ace’s mouth fell. Did she just apologize to him? Was such a thing even possible? He stood rigid and felt her warm embrace but didn’t return the favor. “I shouldn’t have said what I said,” Julie sniffed again, she pulled her head back to face him. “I took it too far.”
Ace didn’t understand what he felt, and it seemed as something took over his body and acted for him. Like auto-pilot, he pried her arms away, and looked at her rosy red face, stained with tears.
“Yeah,” he said, “you did.” His face emotionless, much like Kareena’s. Julie’s face scrunched as she sniffled and fought back more tears. Ace turned and walked up the stairs to his room, then closed the door behind him.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Rio and Keele’s Plan
At dawn the next day, Rio, Ace, and Cameron traveled nearly the whole trip in silence to Indie Castle. The entire walk, his mind circled through the previous night’s encounter with Kareena. Over and over again. He ached when he thought of the fae and Shywater. The way she spoke, how he understood fae language, her purple eyes like the ocean, her graceful skill with the elyr, her hair, silver like treasure, the school of freckles on her nose which may as well have been the stars of a cloudless night. He felt a stirring inside he couldn’t put to words. Had she put a spell on him? No. Couldn’t be. The elyr was a good practice and it only worked on sorcerers. Then, what was it? Why did he trust her so much?
“Why are you smiling?” Cameron said. Ace shook his head and looked at his brother walking next to him.
“What? I wasn’t smiling,” Ace said.
Cameron snickered. “Uh, yeah you were. You were flashing your teeth for all Yutara to see.”
Ace turned his cheek. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cameron laughed. “Sometimes, you’re weird, little bro.”
Rio led them through the castle to the hall of trainees. Young hunters traveled to their appropriate training rooms, and rumors spread through the castle. Groups of young and mature hunters alike gathered at the walls, whispering of what may happen next.
Who made Sebastian interim Halder?
Who killed Marty? He was the best! If the witches can get him, we have no hope.
Sebastian’s not fit for this role.
What’s going to happen to the Indies?
Rio stopped at Trainee Hall to send them off. “The elite have requested a meeting; this is where we part ways,” he said.
“How come you never train us, Rio?” Cameron asked
“I’m no trainer, kid. Ihana and George are the only elite that train,” Rio said. Cameron shrugged as he and Ace turned to head down the hall.
“Ace,” Rio said. Ace turned. “You’re coming with me.”
“What? Why?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
He shrugged. Cameron patted him on the back. “Good luck. . . or whatever, I guess.”
Ace and Rio walked the other way.
“Is everything okay?”
Rio nodded, his eyes still ahead. “I think so. But I’m not sure. They just told me to bring you.”
Ace faced in front of himself as they walked along the halls of the Indie castle. The boy still paid attention to the paranoia stirring the castle. During which, a familiar face walked by in the opposite direction. The fae he sat next to at the recall. The one who’s tattoos had been replaced by scars.
Having just met Kareena, his perception of the tattoo-less fae took a new direction. The fae had left behin
d the wonderful gift of the elyr. Who would do such a thing? Ace wished to know the secrets of the elyr. Even if it were considered dangerous by the Indies. And as he glanced around the Great Hall his heart played tug-of-war. Were the Indies actually on the right side of this war? What if they were wrong? If a sorcerer had taken hold of Headquarters, and especially if one were in the elite, how good could they be? What if the faes, the ones who still practiced the elyr, were the only real defense against the council?
“You Indies have let the council put fear in you. So much so, you’ve outlawed the only true weapon the council itself fears.”
Rio led him through the hall with the double doors next to the witch cellar entrance. They opened to another courtyard with a path leading to a cluster of towers behind another wall. While in the courtyard, one set of double doors swung open to their left and a young, female jag hunter came out, pushing a barrel on hover plates, filled with yellow liquid. The room behind her was a small factory of about ten hunters, manufacturing chrome rifles.
“Rio, what’s going on in there?” Ace said.
“Smiths,” the drake replied quietly. “That’s where the AMRs and their ammo is made.” As he listened to Rio’s explanation, he watched the jag go to the courtyard and gather sap from one of the trees. She dumped it into the bucket and returned the other way. She was no longer in view when they reached one of the towers.
They entered through a small arched mouth, and climbed a winding staircase. After about the twentieth stair, Ace’s legs were weighed heavy and throbbed. How high was this place? The staircase wound to a small room of brick with a bed, a table, and a few chairs. Keele sat in one of the chairs.
“Welcome to my quarters, Ace,” Keele said with a smile.
“You’re sure we’re secure up here?” Rio said.
Keele nodded. “Quite. And I looped the security cameras, so no one will have any video evidence of you two being here.”
Rio nudged Ace to sit in one of the chairs and they sat at the table. “Well, let’s be quick then. We don’t have much time,” the drake said.
“What’s going on?” Ace said.
Keele folded her hands and placed them on the table, “I’ve received word of a possible parcel in Hillrun, beyond the mountains.”
“And you’re sure of this, Keele?” Rio said.
Keele nodded. “The deployed hunter was assigned to my leadership. I trust his discernment. If he says there’s one there, there’s one there. I’ve instructed him to not capture any more witches and ordered him back to Gathara. I told him I will be sending special undercover hunters to take care of the parcel.”
“Okay, so what?” Ace said. “There’s parcels all over Yutara right? Why doesn’t your hunter just take him down?”
“Ordinarily, I would agree with you, Ace,” Keele said, “but this is a special occasion.”
Rio leaned forward. “Parcels haven’t reached within one hundred miles of Gathara since the city was established. If there’s one in Hillrun, that can only mean one thing.”
Ace’s eyes widened. “It confirms your suspicions. There’s a sorcerer here, and they’re trying to close in on Gathara.”
Keele grinned and nodded. “Bright fellow.”
“Gathara is the last stand against the council left in Yutara,” Rio said. “If they’re closing in, this has to become a priority.”
“However,” Keele butted in, “we don’t want the other elite to know about this.”
Ace said, “Because if they’re one of the parcels, then they’re going to do something to compromise the mission.” Keele nodded. “Okay,” Ace said, “so have your hunter go and take care of the thing . . . problem solved.”
Rio and Keele chuckled. “I like this kid,” Keele said. She leaned over, elbows resting on her knees. “Again, I would normally agree with you. However, we have something a little different in mind.”
Rio said, “We don’t just want to get rid of the parcel in the suburbs. We want to find the mole in Gathara. Just getting rid of the Hillrun parcel would really be a band-aid solution.”
“What are you suggesting?” Ace said.
Keele and Rio looked at one another, then back at Ace with uncertain eyes. “The Indies have tried to capture parcels, but all attempts have failed. Their magic is typically powerful enough to break the anti-magic. They’ve casted horrible spells on hunters before. That’s why all hunters are instructed to kill parcels, and preferably with backup if they can. But we don’t want to kill this one, we want him to lead us to the mole. We need someone who can withstand his magic; someone who is—"
“Immune,” Ace said.
Rio nodded.
“Whatever happened to no snooping?” Ace said. “You specifically told me not to go looking for the sorcerer in the elite, now you want us to chase down a parcel in Hillrun?”
Rio stepped forward. “This is different. For one, the other elite won’t know about this, so whoever the mole is won’t get suspicious. Also, you and I are going together, and we won’t be snooping. It’s no different than any other field mission, and now’s a great time for you to get some practice. The only difference is after we catch the parcel.” Ace crossed his arms and turned away from them. Pondering what decision to make. Something uneasy moved back and forth in his stomach. “Understand, Ace, we would never ask you to do this without knowing the risks. We have to consider what’s at stake here.”
“If Gathara falls to the council, all of Yutara falls with it,” Keele said.
“What makes you think I won’t fall for his deception?” Ace said. “What if he tricks me? You guys are more trained than I am.”
“Not necessarily,” Keele said.
“Why not?”
“Because,” Rio clapped Ace’s shoulder and rattled his tongue, “you’re Marty’s blood. And we’ve seen what you can do. Imagine returning to Gathara and helping us take down the sorcerer in Gathara. There will be no question of your ability to lead the Indies. This is your mission. This is your chance to prove to the rest of the elite that you belong here.”
Ace stood, exchanging looks between Rio and Keele. Would Grandpa have done it? Had he known there was a parcel in the Indies, would Grandpa have risked it? There was no way to tell for sure; but if there truly was a mole in Gathara, and this was an opportunity to discover who it was, it seemed wrong to turn from it. What choice did the kid have?
“Alright,” Ace said. “I’ll do it.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
The Tree Goblin
Ace packed his things in his room; only what he needed. Who knew how long they would be in Hillrun looking for this parcel?
“I don’t understand,” Cameron said, sitting on the bed behind Ace, “how are you already being sent on a field mission?”
Ace shrugged, keeping his eyes focused on the back pack he stuffed with his clothes. “I don’t know, Cameron. I’m just doing what I’m told. Be sure you keep your promise to me and don’t tell the elite about this.”
Cameron stood and walked to him. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Keeping secrets from me.”
Ace stopped and looked in his brother’s eyes. He felt awful leaving Cameron out. It didn’t seem like the Halders were sticking together anymore. Just Ace and Rio. But what choice did he have? This was the life Grandpa chose for him. He might have been the only one who could help save Gathara. He had to go, but telling Cameron put them both at risk.
“I didn’t ask for this,” he said. “If it were up to me, Grandpa would still be here, and we’d be sailing across the Great Ocean back to Eveland. If it were up to me, Grandpa would have chosen you and I to do this together. But he didn’t, and I don’t know why.”
Cameron frowned. “I guess I understand.”
“But there’s still something only you and I share,” Ace said. He pulled the chest from his backpack and displayed it for his brother. “The stone and the map.” Cameron half smiled. “And when the time is right
, you and I can crack the code to Grandpa’s message together.”
“So, you’re still okay with trying to fight the seventh realm? Even if it means saving the Peppercorns?” Cameron said.
Ace’s smile wiped away. He finished packing and zipped his bag, then threw his arms through the shoulder straps. “First, we’ll have to see how we can uncover Grandpa’s message. I’ve tried hard to remember the poem in Grandpa’s story . . . but I just can’t. Once we do that, then we can talk about finding the seventh realm.”
There was silence for a moment. Cameron nodded and stepped forward. “Be careful, Ace,” he said, “Something feels strange about you wandering off with Rio to this weird town.”
Ace nodded. “I feel it too. But I have to do this.”
“Well, be safe.”
“I will,” Ace turned out his bedroom door. He continued down the hall and steps. Julie and Tamara sat on the sofa watching TV with Marg.
“How long will you be gone?” Tamara said.
Ace shrugged. “Don’t know for sure.”
“Isn’t that just great,” Tamara said, looking at Marg, “We’re trapped here like prisoners, and Ace gets to go on another vacation.”
“You don’t know what you talking about,” Marg said. “And if you two didn’t try escape every chance, we might trust you little more to go wandering around city. It like trying take care of pet.”
Ace chuckled. Julie sat quietly, a somber look on her face, staring at the TV. She turned her head slightly and her glossy eyes caught his for a moment. He turned away from her gaze abruptly and opened the front door.
Ace walked from the courtyard into the city, knowing Rio awaited him at Indie Castle. It was a beautiful day in Gathara. The gentle breeze at a perfect temperature complimented the smiling faces of families walking their children or heading to a park for a picnic. The businessmen even seemed happy. Business people in Eveland always seemed to have a serious look. Like you’d better not get in their way, but not Gathara.
The way the roads wove through the foothills mesmerized him. And as he looked ahead, the castle watched over the city in the distance, appearing just above the maze of buildings in the city it surrounded.
