by Simone Pond
“Nils, I need you to hold this jar for me. Right here,” she said, pointing to a spot next to Benjamin’s head on the pillow.
I took out the scroll from my jacket and opened it up. “Should I read the instructions?”
“I know what to do,” said Lily.
I still didn’t trust her, so I monitored every move she made and went down the list of Chauncey’s instructions to make sure she was doing it right. Whatever “it” was. Either way, I’m glad she was there because I didn’t know if I would’ve been able to force-feed a giant’s appendage to my eagle-shifter friend. I had to turn away for that part.
“When did you turn into a wimp?” Nils asked, laughing.
“It’s a long story, but I was friends with a giant named Dandrek, so I’m a little sensitive about the finger portion of this treatment.”
Lily then took her hands and dipped them into the jar, cupping the liquid into her palms and pouring it into Benjamin’s mouth. She lifted his head so it would go down, then did this two more times.
“Can you get me some cloth or rags?” she asked me.
I nodded and ran to the bathroom, where I found a couple of towels and brought them back to Lily. She dipped them into the jar, making sure they were saturated with the orangish-brown goo, then proceeded to wrap Benjamin’s mangled arm. When she finished, she stepped away from the bed.
“We need to let him rest for three days,” she said.
I groaned. “Three days?”
Nils looked at me. “Where do you have to be?”
“My father. I want to get a meeting with the Ancient One. I have a few outstanding pieces of business to discuss.”
“Like why you didn’t make it through the portal?” asked Nils.
“Precisely. And why so many innocent children had to die on the river. And why—”
“Come on,” he said, ignoring my rant.
Nils took my arm and escorted me to the living room area and sat me down on one of the leather couches. Lily stayed behind with Benjamin, keeping a close watch on him. I figured if she wanted to do anything surreptitious, she would’ve done it by now. Besides, I had a clear view of her from the living room. I made a gesture to let her know I had my eyes on her. She nodded politely, which made me reflexively roll my eyes.
“I don’t get it,” I said.
“What?” Nils sat on one of the couches across from me.
“How suddenly that evil hag is on our side and wants to help save Benjamin’s life? There’s gotta be something in it for her.”
“Not everything is a conspiracy, Jordy. I know you’ve lived one most of your life, but things are changing now. We’re entering a new era.”
My partner’s strange behavior was starting to get to me. When did he become so trusting and open-minded? I shook my head, chuckling to myself. “You sound insane.”
“Of course I do. And I could say the same about you or anyone who might believe in an ancient prophecy, talk to an invisible force, or depend on a bright star for assistance. This whole thing isn’t just about getting the Ancients back home. It’s about redemption, Jordy. For everyone. The good, the bad … and the butt-ugly.”
At that I smiled, remembering Lily in her previous form before the transformation had taken place.
“How’d you survive that bridge collapsing?” I asked.
Nils stared off a moment, pondering how to answer my question. He returned his gaze to me and with a stone-cold serious tone said, “I didn’t.”
“So you are a ghost?”
“Not quite.”
“A zombie?”
“Something like that.”
“So you’re telling me you died and came back to life?”
Nils raised his brows as if to challenge me. But I knew from the look on his face there’d be no more discussion of what actually went down. Not in that moment anyway. Either he wasn’t ready to explain, or I wasn’t ready to hear. Or maybe a little of both.
“What’s with the rod?” I asked.
“The Ancient One gave it to me.”
“Were you given any instructions?” I asked.
“Not really. But what I needed to do started to become clear. And it’s becoming more and more clear.”
I leaned back on the couch and rested my head. “It’s been a long day. Actually, it’s been a long week.”
Nils nodded and stood. “Get plenty of rest these next three days, Jordy. After that, it’s gonna be nonstop fun and adventure.”
He grinned like the sly fox he was, then limped over and tossed me a blanket. He made sure to give my ponytail one last playful yank for the night.
I pried off my boots and stretched out on the couch. Within seconds of my head hitting the cushions, I was out. Not a single dream came to me that night. My rest came with utter and complete silence coupled with glorious stillness. Every cell in my body retreated into a cave of hibernation and when I awoke the next morning, I found out I’d been asleep for two nights. Benjamin was alive and well, his arm almost to full capacity.
I slogged my way to the kitchen, poured a mug of coffee, and headed to the back of the warehouse so we could start discussing our plan to get to my father in the Red Mountains.
CHAPTER FOUR
Sitting in the chair next to Benjamin’s bed, I gulped back the piping hot coffee to help me out of my fog.
“Good to see you alive, my friend,” I told him.
“Thanks for making that happen, boss,” he said.
I glanced at Lily, who stood a little farther away with her back against the wall. She had changed from her witchy rags into some more durable clothing. You’d never know from looking at the petite beauty that she had been a gruesome hag gallivanting through the streets of the Madlands. She had her honey-blond hair pulled to the side in a braid and her peach-colored cheeks had a healthy glow.
“It was Lily who saved your life,” I said.
“You were the one who got the concoction,” said Lily.
“Okay, you both saved me.” Benjamin laughed. “All I know is I’ll be able to fly again and that’s huge. So, thanks.”
I leaned forward. “How soon do you think you’ll be able to fly?”
From behind, Nils entered the area and cleared his throat. “He still needs another day.”
I jumped out of my chair, startled. “What’s up, lurker?”
Nils laughed. “You might want to work on your trust issues, Jordy. Nobody is lurking about. I know what you’re up to. And I don’t want you putting pressure on Benjamin to take you to your father. He needs another day.”
“But he looks strong enough.”
“Patience.” Nils turned and limped back to the main part of the warehouse.
What was I supposed to do cooped up for another day when I was itching to see my father? I couldn’t stand being in such close proximity and so out of reach. And why wasn’t my magic working? I’d rested and recharged so why couldn’t I teleport? I needed to get some answers to my questions, not sit around and wait for things to get worse. I just wanted to get to my father, and take us through the portal to rejoin our people before it closed for good. Or something worse happened … like Lily turning back into a witch and turning me over to Magnus. Yeah, I was getting out of that warehouse ASAP. Nils and Benjamin could meet up with me later.
Lily was busy helping Benjamin put back more of that disgusting concoction, and Nils was taking a nap on the couch as I hatched my escape plan. I tiptoed around the warehouse putting together a knapsack of essentials—packaged food, water, gun, extra bullets, knife, and a phone—and then slunk out the front door. The metal stairs would’ve given me away had the door to the warehouse not been a foot thick. I jumped down the second half of the staircase, landing in a puddle of something thick and gooey. But that didn’t slow me down. I got to the main entrance and slipped outside into the mid-afternoon sunlight, keeping close to the buildings as I scurried west toward the burnt red mountains in the distance.
The streets were barren except
for the smorgasbord of trash flitting about and a few random stragglers that were either too inebriated or mentally vacant to notice my presence. The farther away from the city’s hub I walked, the more calm the energy became. The paved streets morphed into dusty roads and there were far fewer buildings. A gritty film of sand replaced the ashy grime and soot that covered everything, including the air particles. I pulled the phone out of my back pocket to check the time and GPS. I had two hours until sunset.
When I reached the farthest outskirts of the Madlands and stepped into the dry, cracked landscape, the sun was sinking behind the Red Mountains. The dusty rose sky had streaks of orange and gold whipping across the horizon, making the scene appear almost picturesque. But scanning the desert valley, I spotted a few factories scattered about with black smoke billowing out of their chimneys. The thick air held a metallic and chemical smell. Drug factories. I grabbed a t-shirt from my knapsack and covered my face to keep the toxins from reaching my bloodstream. I needed all of my faculties on high alert mode. Night was falling and according to the GPS, I still had another ten miles.
My magical shield sparked to life and sent forth an iridescent glow around my body. This filled me with great confidence—and relief. With this remaining power I wouldn’t need to figure out a longer route around the factories. I could walk straight through and make better time. I took the golden star from my side pocket and the gun from my holster for good measure. If any of the factory workers happened to be taking a smoking break and noticed me wandering through the desert, they’d think twice before messing with me.
But the night remained still and I moved past the buildings without any interference.
Another hour ticked by, and I approached the part of the Madlands where cactus and brush started sporadically cropping up. Soon the terrain would blend into the beginnings of a forest, which would lead straight to the foothills of the Red Mountains. I was getting close. I stopped for a minute to drink some water and eat a packet of protein chips that had the aftertaste of sawdust. Another two hours to go. Everything was going like clockwork. And maybe that should’ve been a concern. But I just kept moving with fierce persistence. I was getting to the top of that mountain and to my father.
When I reached the perimeter of the forest, I paused as a chill swept over me. In the quiet of the cold desert night, I heard something that sounded like the wind coming off the river. It was coming right toward me. I ran and ducked behind a tree, wondering why my magical shield hadn’t come up. Had I exhausted my resources back by the factories? I kept my golden star hoisted and ready to pitch at the first sign of trouble. The noise buzzed overhead, passing by. I took the opportunity to make a run for it, deeper into the trees. If I could get to the mountain, I’d be safe. A lot safer than being in the woods in the middle of the night.
I used the phone to shine a path as I darted between the trees, jumping over fallen logs and giant rocks. During one of my jumps, the phone slipped out of my grip and thumped to the ground, but when I turned around to scan the ground, I couldn’t see it. I spent a minute crawling around, but the thing was gone, lost in the pool of pitch black. The whooshing sound from above returned. Something was tracking me. I didn’t want to waste more time or lose my bearings, so I got up and kept going. My eyes would have to adjust to the darkness. I clutched the golden star, aiming it in front of me just in case any creatures decided to leap out from the shadows. My knapsack got snagged on a tree branch. I tried wriggling it off, but it only seemed to get more stuck. The sound grew louder and a breeze brushed across my cheeks. My senses tingled, screaming for me to get out of there immediately. I had no choice but to slide out of the knapsack. Now my only defense was the golden star and the gun in my holster. I reached down to grab it, but somewhere along the way the snap had come undone and the gun had slipped out.
“Just me and you,” I said to the star.
I got to the edge of the forest, panting and sweating, my heart pounding a million beats a minute. Moonlight filled the area where the foothills sat. I calculated a path to the mountain where there was a crevice between some boulders. If I could get across the open space and to that spot, I’d be covered. I’d find my way up the mountain from the inside if I had to. Either way, I was getting to the top.
I pulled in a huge breath and took my chances, running out into the clearing and sprinting toward the boulders fifty or so feet away. The sound grew louder and though it was night, a long shadow hovered over me, crossing in front of my path. I could feel hot air on the back of my neck. The boulders were ten feet away. It’d take just one solid long jump …
The creature from above swept down in front of me and dropped something onto my path. I careened right into the cloaked figured with a hearty slam and we both dropped to the dirt. I jumped to my feet, ready to wing the golden star, but stopped and lowered it to my side.
“Really?” I asked, with incredible disdain dripping from each letter.
Nils sat shaking his head, pointing that damn black rod at me. “I told you we needed to wait one more day.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t think waiting was in our best interest.”
He lowered the rod. “Our best interest, or your best interest?”
Benjamin stalked over to us, rubbing his shoulder. “It’s okay, Nils. I’m feeling good.”
“It’s not only about the proper amount of healing, but there are greater things at work,” said Nils.
I stepped forward, eyeing my partner. “Maybe if you were a little less esoteric about everything, I’d feel more confident about these greater things at work. But I don’t have a clue what’s going on, and I don’t like not knowing things. I’m going up to the top of that mountain and getting my father to request a meeting with the Ancient One.”
Nils didn’t say anything. He just stared at me quietly, scanning my eyes like he was reading my soul. I turned away to face Benjamin.
“I’m sorry I left you behind, but I knew you’d catch up tomorrow when you had fully healed,” I said.
“You know how we all call you boss?” asked Benjamin.
I nodded, knowing some moral-of-a-story was soon to follow.
“There’s a reason for that,” he said.
“Yeah, I know …”
“You’re the Chosen One, sure, but that doesn’t mean you should be running around making rash decisions and expecting everyone to wait for you to save the day. We all have a role in this, Jordan.”
I couldn’t stop myself from hearing Matthias’s voice in my head about how I often tended to fly off the handle. This wasn’t the legacy I wanted to leave behind. But I didn’t fully trust that everyone had the same sense of urgency as me. It seemed like I was in a continual race to fix something and time was constantly running out.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say,” I said.
“You don’t need to say anything else,” said Nils. “But you do need to sit tight for the night. We’ll go to the top of the mountain in the morning. Benjamin won’t be able to carry both of us until he’s completely healed. You got it?”
“I can climb it,” I said.
Nils laughed and reached around my shoulder, pulling me in close. “I love you, Jordy, but you’re a pain in the ass. You’d never survive that climb. There are traps all along the mountain. You think your father would still be alive if he didn’t take severe precautions?”
I shrugged in defeat, then looked at both Nils and Benjamin. “Fine. But at the first sliver of sunrise we’re going up to the top.”
“Sure thing, boss,” said Benjamin.
I ignored the comment and climbed over a few boulders to a secluded nook where I decided we’d stay for the night.
CHAPTER FIVE
At the first light of dawn, I sat up in the nook where the three of us had made camp between some boulders. I nudged Benjamin, who grumbled and rolled to his other side. Nils shifted and sat up, rubbing his clear blue eyes.
“Let him sleep a little longer,” he said.
&n
bsp; “Early bird gets the worm,” I teased.
Nils grinned and grabbed my waist, pulling me closer to him and snuggling up against my back. His warm breath spread over my neck and shoulders as his strong arms kept me locked in tight. It felt nice nestling up against Nils. He was safe and familiar. Soon his breathing slowed down and he drifted back to sleep. But I stayed awake, listening to his beating heart and feeling the vibration through the back of my jacket. Being close to Nils made me wonder about Matthias. Was it bad that I was basically cuddling up against my former partner? I’d never had romantic feelings for Nils, but something deep inside moved inside of my belly as I watched the silvery dawn spread over the forest and shift into glorious shades of pinkish tangerine.
I slid out from under Nils’s arm and scooted away to the safety of a large rock, where I sat with their bag of supplies and helped myself to some water and a protein bar. I was itching to get to that mountaintop to see my father and ask the Ancient One how to get to the portal now that the Rankin Canal was sealed shut. I hoped it would be an easy fix, but deep down I knew it’d be an arduous journey chock full of trials and tribulations. That’s pretty much how the Ancient One handled business.
“Did you sleep at all?” Benjamin’s voice came up from behind me, giving me a start.
I glanced over my shoulder to see my friend, fully restored to his former glory. His green eyes gleamed with the light of morning and his light brown skin was radiant. Even his sculpted biceps seemed to glisten with a sheen of gold. He was truly majestic.
“A little bit,” I replied, chugging back the rest of the water.
“Excited to see your pops?”
“Yeah. And to figure out how we can get to the portal. I’d like to get all of us back with my people … and see Matthias.”
“You ever think maybe we weren’t meant to go to the portal?” he asked.
