Tuesday morning during history, Early zipped in through a window which had been shut. She opened it so quickly, only Jacob noticed. Luckily, he was sitting in the back, so no one saw her flitting by his ear with the message that the Makalos wanted to meet with him after school. She flashed out the window—again, no one noticed.
He and Matt walked to the Makalo village—Jacob opted not to use the Key—and Ebony met them at her door.
“Brojan will be here soon. He’s dealing with something on his side of the canyon.”
Akeno hobbled into the room and sat. Guilt flowed over Jacob. With school having started and the stress over Aldo and the journal, Jacob hadn’t kept in very good contact with his friend.
“Getting better?” he asked.
“Slowly.” Akeno put his foot up to rest.
Jacob stared at the Makalo’s shoe. Something was different. “Hey. There aren’t any leaves on your shoe.”
Akeno laughed. “Well, I spend all my time indoors now. Plus, I’m trying to get over that.”
“What were the leaves for?” Matt asked, eating a chunk of bread Ebony had given him.
Jacob smiled. “Akeno has this thing with dirt. He hates having it on him. The leaves would keep it off.”
Matt snorted. “I can think of much better ways to keep dirt off shoes. Like bags, for example.”
Akeno shrugged. “Yeah, well, leaves work just as well. So long as I give them the correct instructions.”
Matt nodded. Jacob had explained to him how Rezend worked.
“How much longer until you can walk normally again?” Matt asked.
Jacob leaned forward, wanting to know the answer himself. He couldn’t help but wonder if Ebony and Kenji would’ve let Akeno get the Key if they’d known he’d end up like this.
“We’re not sure. My father’s shoulder still bothers him, and it’s been almost fifteen years since Lorkon blood touched him.”
Matt raised his eyebrows. “Dang.”
The door opened, and Butch, the Makalo who’d helped Jacob seal the entrance, strode in, along with Brojan and Kenji. Everyone took a seat at the table, with Brojan at the head. He looked at Kenji, who folded his hands on the table in front of him.
“The potion is coming along nicely,” Kenji said. “The Fat Lady has all but four of the ingredients in place. She’s still waiting on the most important one—the bud—and instructs us to be ready for a call from her at any time to help get it. It probably won’t be for another five and a half weeks, though.” He paused. “In the meantime, we’ve been trying to locate the notes Aldo took while studying the Lorkon several years ago. We haven’t been successful, and from what the Fat Lady has said, Aldo still isn’t able to remember much of anything.”
“Even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to tell us,” Butch said. “The man is as crazy as a loon.”
Ebony shot him a disapproving look, and Butch shrugged. “Well, he is.”
Kenji continued as if Butch hadn’t said anything. “We need to talk to Gallus. He says he has important information for us, which he’d like to share before we do anything. His shop closes in half an hour, and he’d like to talk to us in person.”
Kenji looked at Jacob. “Once he’s ready, we’ll have you get him with the Key. Then we’ll discuss what’s on his mind.”
“If he won’t be here for another half hour, what’re we all doing here now?” Butch asked, scratching his chin.
How did Butch get that much facial hair? Jacob rubbed his own chin. He only had a few stragglers.
“We want you boys to get to know each other, since you’ll be working together a great deal in the next while.”
Butch glanced at Jacob. “I already know Human Boy. He’s cool.” He leaned back in his chair, then patted his stomach. “My mom would kill me if she knew I was asking, but do you have any food?”
Ebony laughed, but Brojan scowled at the teenager. “Sweet Pea, please take things seriously.”
Jacob’s stomach rumbled, reminding him it’d been a while since he’d last eaten. Then what Brojan said sank in. Apparently it hit Matt at the same time.
“Wait—what’d he just call you?” Matt asked.
“Sweet Pea—my name.”
Matt snorted, nearly falling off his chair. “That’s your name?”
“Sure is. Pretty, isn’t it? Fits me just fine.”
“Yeah, like sunshine fits emo. No offense, but why on earth did your parents name you that?”
Akeno laughed. “Matt, we’re not on Earth.”
Matt joined him in laughing. “Yeah, well, I’ve seen sweet peas before, and he’s definitely not one of them.”
Jacob chuckled too—Matt had a point. A Makalo that burly and farmer-like shouldn’t have a name like Sweet Pea.
“Well, see, in our culture, moms name the kids. Apparently, when I was born, Mom took one look at me and thought I was the cutest, sweetest little thing she’d ever seen. She couldn’t possibly know I’d be the hairiest, strongest, bravest, and most best-looking Makalo here. Sweet Pea fits me. Gets the girls every time.”
“Yeah, it does,” Akeno said. “All three of them.”
Sweet Pea jabbed him in the ribs. “Leaving none for you, eh?”
The two Makalos grinned at each other, and Jacob and Matt laughed. The adults looked as if they were enjoying the conversation—probably relieved “the boys” were getting along so well.
Sweet Pea stretched, popping his back. “If it hadn’t been for those stupid wolves attacking me, I would’ve gone with you, Jacob, instead of Akeno.”
“Not instead of,” Ebony said. “But yes, you would have gone too.”
“Really?” Jacob asked. He couldn’t imagine how different things might have been if Sweet Pea had accompanied them. He probably would have hit on Aloren from day one.
Brojan finally gave the go-ahead for Jacob to get Gallus.
“Akeno, you want to come with me?”
“I . . . I’ll be really slow,” he paused, “but . . . if that doesn’t bother you . . .”
“‘Course not—I want you there. Plus, I’ve got the Key, so speed doesn’t even matter.”
Akeno got up from his seat, a large grin spreading across his face. “Let me get my top hat.”
Jacob smiled. He’d forgotten Akeno liked wearing top hats. It was still weird to him how much the people here knew of his world—even if they were several generations off, in some cases—where styles were concerned.
Akeno returned, plopping the worn hat on his head, and Jacob put the Key through the lock and pulled the door open, entering Gallus’s store with a jingle of bells.
There were only two customers in the store, and they jumped when the door opened. Jacob was surprised at how dark it was inside. He looked around—the windows had been covered.
The people ignored Jacob, moving away from him when he asked where Gallus was.
“What’s going on here?” Akeno whispered. “Why’s it so dark?”
The customers left, and footsteps sounded above. A moment later, Gallus came down the stairs in the corner of the room. He paused when he saw Jacob and Akeno, myriad emotions flitting across his face before he had the chance to mask them.
Jacob immediately understood why, and he felt like his heart had stopped.
Aloren should be with Jacob. She was stuck in Maivoryl City because of Jacob. Akeno was alive because Jacob had chosen to leave Aloren behind. Grief, guilt, anger, and frustration hit Jacob square in the chest, nearly knocking the breath from him. It’s not my fault! he felt like screaming. Gallus was sure to argue, though—Jacob shouldn’t have left Aloren behind when he went to get the Key, no matter her arguments. He shouldn’t have left her in Eachan’s care. He shouldn’t have even allowed her to enter Maivoryl City. And what was he doing here, not trying to get her out of the city? Why was he wasting time, waiting for the potion to be made?
Akeno nudged Jacob. Gallus was staring at him—it appeared he’d chosen a polite expression to cover his emo
tions. Jacob took a step forward.
“Um . . .”
“I see you’re in . . . good health, Jacob.” The black man paused, fidgeting with his apron. “And Akeno—how’s your leg? Kenji told me about what happened in the Lorkon castle.”
“It’s healing. Slowly.”
Jacob knew he should apologize, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, especially in front of Akeno. What would he say? “I’m sorry I left the girl you think of as your own daughter in a city full of dangerous, disfigured people who interact with the vilest species in the universe so I could save the life of someone you’d only met once.” Somehow it didn’t seem adequate. Jacob sighed inwardly. Apologies almost never sufficed for the act they were excusing—at least, not to him. It would’ve been better if the act had never been committed.
“Good, good. Canush?” Gallus offered them the jar of sweets and Jacob and Akeno each took one.
A long silence.
“Uh . . .” Jacob cleared his throat. “Kenji and Brojan sent me to get you.”
“Yes, I see.” Gallus took off his apron, hanging it on a hook behind him. “Let me close shop.” He wandered off, mumbling, and Jacob thought the black man said something about how he’d expected Kenji to come, or Brojan at least.
Jacob blew out a breath of air. “Wow. He’s upset with me.”
Akeno bit his lip, looking worried. “I know. I can tell. Jacob, I’m so sorry I let the Lorkon grab me. If that hadn’t happened, we’d have been able to get Aloren out.”
“No, don’t say that. It wasn’t your fault.”
Akeno didn’t respond, but Jacob could tell he was upset.
After several moments, Gallus returned. He placed bars in front of the covered windows, then locked the door in three different places, a grim expression on his face.
Finally, he motioned Jacob to the door.
“Kenji’s house,” Jacob said, marveling when the locks undid themselves as he opened the door. He waved the tall man through. “We’ll come in a minute.” He didn’t want to be there for the reunion between Gallus and the Makalo adults. If anything, his presence would subdue Gallus’s joy.
Jacob watched the locks re-fasten themselves before turning to Akeno. “I don’t know how to make things better.” He ran his hand through his hair. “He’s going to hate me for the rest of my life, especially if something bad happens to Aloren. Oh, why won’t your parents let me go get her?”
Akeno shook his head. “Jacob, I’m sorry,” he said. “I really am. I . . . don’t know what’s going to happen, or even if having more people on the rescue team will help. My parents seem to understand more than we do, though.”
“But I’ve seen what’s in the city—you too! I’m familiar with what I’d be up against. I know I’d be able to get her!”
Akeno didn’t respond, and Jacob slid down against the door.
Finally, the Makalo said, “You’re a good person. I waited my whole life to meet you—all of us did—”
Jacob’s expression must have stopped Akeno. “What?” the Makalo asked.
“You waited your whole life to meet me?”
“Yeah. Didn’t we already tell you that? You’re special, Jacob. We always knew you would be.”
“Special? Well, I do have that ability to find weakness in things. But how’d you all know?”
Akeno shook his head. “It’s not my place to fill you in on all the details.”
Jacob didn’t know if he believed that or not, but he wasn’t in the mood to press Akeno for more answers.
“We waited forever to meet you, but I didn’t know who you’d be. It’s such a relief to know that all of this is in the hands of someone who genuinely cares for other people.”
Jacob smiled at Akeno, gratitude for his friend swelling within him. “Thanks. That means a lot.”
Akeno returned the smile. “Wanna see the scar? It’s changed colors again.” He lowered himself to the floor and lit his finger to give more light to the gloomy store, then lifted his pant leg. The pink scar had changed to an ugly yellow smudge which wrapped around Akeno’s shin to his calf. It was about the size of a handprint.
“Pretty impressive.”
Akeno laughed. “Kaiya says it’s gross. Don’t blame her—we’re not sure if it’ll ever go away.”
They sat in companionable silence for a while, then Jacob stood, helping Akeno up. “We should get back. They’re probably ready for us.”
Kilenya Series Books 1, 2, and 3 Page 61
