Inked (The Ink Keepers Book 1)

by N. I. Rojas

  “Stop it, boys! They’ll take you to the big ship and make you slaves to clean the dungeons.” -Mackenzie flew to the kids again, trying to pull them, to have their attention back. It was useless, they kept yelling to be rescued.

  “Look, more lads! Enslave them!” -The crooked pirate ordered. The Lost Boys panicked while the pirates came closer and the water kept going up in the maze. Now they looked at Mackenzie waiting to be guided out of danger.

  “Stop there, Crook. These kids belong to my gang. They are under my protection. Don’t forget you cannot harm them.” -Mackenzie claimed.

  “We’re in the water. Your treaty is null in the water. Thar is my element. What I find in the water belongs to the water, and thus, to me, just as the five kids you have there.” -Crook answered back.

  “Three kids. Three. You'd know that if you had gone to school, Crook.” -Mackenzie flew a little closer to the Lost Boys. They needed a plan to put enough distance between them and the pirates. If Crook trapped the kids, Mackenzie won’t be strong enough to carry the three of them for a long haul. Now they could swim a little.

  A loud scream filled the place making the others’ ears ache so much they were about to explode. The little boy was being hauled with a long metal hook. His brothers tried to pull him back, but the hook was held by two huge pirates. Trapping the boy was just a distraction. Mackenzie didn’t saw it coming until it was too late. Another metal hook, shiny as the ocean’s shiniest pearl was already imbedded in his clothes. This was it. Soon, their end would come.

  *****

  Kyra gave the few steps the water allowed her. Water was high enough and suddenly her body floated without effort. Her mouth tasted the water and she felt revulsion. It was the saltiest thing she had ever tried. Her tummy felt cramps and contracted, wanting to vomit, but her body refused. She was hungry. Maybe that was the reason of the weakness she was feeling. Her hands trembled as fine twigs to the scourge of a powerful hurricane. She felt cold to the bones, even though adrenaline hadn’t allowed the sensation to reach to the surface of her body yet.

  It was difficult to swim carrying a pair of shoes in hands. It turned out to be harder than what she had expected. Wrestling with the salty waters, Kyra considered that her opportunities of survival were dwindling every inch she got closer to the exit, and that was praying for an exit to be real.

  She saw bubbles bursting against the agitated surface. She looked back fearing the critters Rouge was fighting were right behind her, but just Rouge’s red hoodie floated in the surface, dragged by the current. Without second thoughts, Kyra plunged under the water, reminding herself how little she knew about swimming, and what little she knew about Rouge to die drowned in the attempt to save her.

  If only she could be so graceful underwater as the mythological mermaid.

  Be careful what you ask for. You may not like the results.

  The Graphylux wasn’t just enchanted but also seemed to read her mind and listen to every one of her thoughts as well. How inconvenient.

  Books were moving with the swaying water, the pages dancing gracefully as fans in ladies' hands. A blurry image was perceived in the distance. An anemone? No. The rebellious coppery hair girl. Rouge was dragged by an undercurrent. She didn’t fight against it as she should be doing. In spite that her axe was like glued to her hand, Rouge seemed to be asleep with open eyes. Two or three last bubbles came out of the girl’s mouth before starting to sink in the waters. Her white petticoat obeyed the strength of the waters, and Rouge looked just like a replica of a beautiful porcelain doll. Her eyes, half opened, reminded Kyra of Cleopatra, the queen, the goddess, the mercenary. Reaching her at last, Kyra shook the girl. Rouge was unconscious, but alive. With luck, Kyra managed to reach the surface with the heavy load. A pair of shoes and one unconscious hoodless Rouge.

  To both her luck and surprise, a boat was coming ahead. Kyra knew that was the best chance to save Rouge. Take it or leave it. She would have to take the risk. Rouge hadn’t breathed yet, her skin turning purple. It wasn’t time to be picky about a helping hand. As soon as the boat was in front of them, Kyra managed to get Rouge inside. Her tiny body was deceiving. She was a lot heavier than what she seemed to be. That, without counting the axe’s weight. She gave Rouge some CPRs and after a long minute this girl opened her almond-shaped eyes. Funny and pretty yellow eyes, the color of a cornfield ready to harvest, found only in the imagination of such a grand writer.

  They both sat on the deck. Rouge was coughing while Kyra managed to hide the pair of shoes inside her backpack. Kyra thought about the concept of imagination. Which was the feeling, the sensation of having such gift? Inspiration, images taking life in someone’s brain to be drawn with words so beautiful, so perfect, that while read by others they could feel, see, smell exactly what the writer wanted them to.

  Some noises called her attention, breaking her away from the feelings of longing.

  “Look what th’ sea brought! Don’t ya be tellin’ me sailin’ bucko! Ye brought ‘nother human lass to our seven seas? Jim laddie wit’ predictable heart…! Tie them wit' th' others.” -Crook ordered and the other pirates tried to take them as prisoners.

  “Crook!” -One of the pirates called their leader. -“Tis' wee missy wears a weapon wit' her.”

  “'N she's nakkid.” - The other pirate pointed out.

  The pirate stood right in front of Rouge, just before trying to tie her. Rouge struggled not to blush, and although her petticoat was white, it concealed her body innocently. Kyra couldn’t believe her bad luck. Not a full hour had passed yet, and in that short period of time she had to run, escape, swim, help a gnome and rescue a drowning fairy tale girl to end up captured by pirates. Worst yet, being tied face to face with Mackenzie- the last person she wanted to see in the entire world.

  She was surprised, discovering how well behaved the three Lost Boys were at such terrible moment. The smiles on their faces confessed they were plotting to break free from the ropes that tied their hands. The water levels were high, their heads away from the ceiling by at the most fifteen feet. Angry at Mackenzie, Kyra just chose to look at Rouge who started wrestling with the giant jumbo pirate, and he wasn’t doing well against a helpless-looking girl. Rouge was jumping and twisting, throwing kicks and head-butting the man.

  Kyra felt proud of having saved Rouge from drowning just minutes ago, though had considered leaving her behind and continue without her. One by one, the few pirates tried to submit Rouge to obedience, failing in the attempt, falling unconscious at her feet.

  Shaking off her hands, Rogue took her axe from the deck of the boat and hurried to release Kyra and the three Lost Boys. She looked at Kyra before releasing Mackenzie, thinking that perhaps ought to leave the boy there.

  “So… this is him! Not bad… Not bad at all, Whisperer.” -Rouge said, making a gesture of acknowledgement with the head. Kyra turned her eyes at Rouge. - “Well, I’ll leave him to you, then.”

  Mackenzie’s face didn’t reflect either surprise or enthusiasm. His gestures belonged to a book- a closed book without dust jacket or a painting in the cover. He was a whole island, a deserted place yelling to be conquered. Soon, a smile sprouted from his thin lips, a smile so big Kyra couldn’t resist. She smiled too, but in that brief moment she noticed something absent in his grin.

  “Oh, no. Mackenzie!” -Kyra said covering her mouth with her hands.

  One of his beautiful baby teeth fell right before her eyes.

  Chapter 23: The mermaid’s song

  Lightning and thunders decorated the roof over their heads. One of the children peered over the edge of the boat, finding the red hoodie glued to the wooden boat. Rouge's squeezed the red fabric to take off the most water she could and put it on over her shaky body no matter how cold she felt already.

  A reflection coming through one of the tall windows showed them that in the distance the moon fattened considerably. Mackenzie feared for the upcoming consequences. If the moon decided to move away, if its brightness dec
reased, the ritual couldn't take place. But the moon never fails to do its work.

  His emotions clashed inside. He wondered what was the right thing to do in this situation, although he had never questioned himself about anything before. Should he hand over Kyra and proceed with the ritual? On one hand, he felt so anxious to be free. But he told himself that he didn't want his freedom that much compared to how he liked this tough “nerdy” girl, that girl who preferred to hide her beautiful face covered with fine freckles and lock herself to read books of wars and abolition rather than living an adventure on her own.

  He liked their exchange of words, when she forced him to think harder every time to find out if it was a compliment or an insult what had just emerged from her pretty pink lips. He tried not to give importance to what had just happened. A small white tooth now resting on his opened hand meant nothing, he tried to assure himself, but deep within he knew something on him had changed. This was just not normal. For a boy who cannot grow or change at all, this meant something wrong. His teeth had always been intact, its bright always there. But one of them had fallen, and he felt a pain that was coming from his insides.

  Dark spots appeared there too, staining the walls of books and the salty waters. The tiny fluorescent creatures began to fade away, like fireflies undetectable at the light of day. The shine was dying, leaving them in the most profound darkness. A single light was moving inside the water. Kyra recognized it as the light she was trying to see when Rouge hit her head. Rouge recognized it too.

  “This is trouble!” -Rouge yelled at everyone, her eyes almost jumping out of her face. The Lost Boys were enthralled already, hypnotized by the only remaining light in the maze. - “We better hurry to find an exit, unless we want to die thanks to the psycho mermaid.”

  “Die?” -One of the kids asked, finally leaving the trance in which he was. The other two kids accompanied him with the same question.

  “Mermaid?” –Overly excited, Mackenzie asked. - “She’ll help us, I’m sure.” -He sounded so confident that he started yelling his mermaid friend’s name. - “Sirina! Sirina!”

  “I really doubt so.” -Rouge said at Mackenzie, but he was already crouched in the edge of the deck calling Sirina’s name despite the fear in everyone’s faces. The waters were rising faster now. Water was bubbling, as if boiling, and Kyra had a pricking sensation in her skin, her body felt ripped apart. Mackenzie stood there waiting for an answer he never received. The boat continued its way up as the water level kept increasing. Rouge joined Kyra trying to think on an exit. They looked everywhere except to the water. Then, Kyra noticed tiny holes in the upper row of books. In the beginning she thought that the water could leak through those holes leaving maybe two or three feet available for them to continue breathing. But she remembered what the little gnome had done. He opened a small book-made door and escaped through it. He just said that a door didn’t work twice, but he didn’t say if one could work for her. Maybe she should give it a try now that their lives were at the mercy of a mermaid.

  Breaking Mackenzie’s trance was the hardest part, because he was hypnotized with the water and the light, but as soon as he looked into Kyra’s eyes and smelled her flowery scent, he agreed to her plan. He offered to lift her on his shoulders in the search for a door to leave the maze. He just hoped she was right.

  With difficulty Kyra climbed over Mackenzie’s shoulders and examined the closest hole. It was a lock. Kyra tried to force it to open, but it didn’t give away. Almost falling, Kyra managed to take the backpack off her back. Rummaging inside, she kept searching until touching the key they found in the trembling tree. She tried to insert it in the lock, but it didn’t fit. They repeated the procedure a few times. Sometimes they both fell into the boat, other times they tripped and stumbled as circus performers.

  They started smiling and laughing without understanding why. Mackenzie felt tickles that made him writhe. All of a sudden, Kyra fell to the water. Instantly she noticed a big presence underwater. Scared, she swam to reach the boat. It wasn’t the mermaid though, because the light was still far. She managed to take a hold on the boat, but something grabbed her by a leg.

  Being pulled underwater wasn’t fun. Kyra hadn’t the certainty of what had taken hold of her. Imitating Rouge’s launching kicks, she managed to hit something… a head… hair… a face maybe. The strong creature made Kyra sank again and again. Approaching at full speed, a gigantic mouth with sharp fangs seemed to call her, but what she was hearing was just the voice of death claiming her.

  Kyra kept kicking until she felt someone grabbing her hands from above. Mackenzie was holding her with both hands and Rouge grabbed her too. The Lost Boys joined the duo to rescue Kyra. The mast of the boat was touching the castle’s roof, making the boat to start filling with water.

  The pirates woke up from Rouge’s beating, yelling their captain Crook to search for safety. A crocodile’s mouth was wide open in front of them. Easier this time, Mackenzie grabbed Kyra by the waist, helping her to get over his shoulders to try the key in the keyholes left. The Lost Boys were with Rouge, almost sinking and drowning when one of the doors finally gave away to the small key. Kyra entered without hesitation, pulling the three kids first. Axe in hand, Rouge followed them with an agile jump.

  When long seconds passed by, Kyra looked to the ship, where something had delayed Mack. Mackenzie didn’t manage to enter through the door.

  “Mack! Where are you! Come on!” -She called him again and again. Kyra jumped back to the waters searching for him.

  She took hold of him while he was following a mermaid to the depths of the maze. Mackenzie resisted against Kyra, but she slapped him, waking him from numbness. He panicked when seeing his body covered in the few fluorescent creatures still alive.

  After noticing he was swallowing big gulps of salty water and he wasn’t breathing at all, he chose to obey Kyra. When in the surface, Rouge helped them, stretching the hand with the axe on it. They both grabbed the big weapon and Rouge dragged them close to the door. After going inside and locking them inside, Kyra remembered the pirates were out there without many opportunities apart from being devoured by the crocodile.

  “We need to rescue the pirates…” -Kyra said while her company stood there looking at her perplexed face.

  “It’s too late for that.” -Rouge confessed.

  “The crocodile… ate them?” -Kyra asked in horror. The little color she had left her face immediately.

  “Yes!” -Mackenzie cheered.

  “Not yet. Don’t count your honey breads yet.” -Rouge informed, emphasizing this to Mackenzie. - “But that will happen sooner or later.”

  “I’m just saying. They’re always mean to kids. Always trying to make them prisoners.” -Mackenzie tried to defend his previous words.

  “Mackenzie, you shouldn’t celebrate the pain of others.” -Kyra scolded him.

  “He’s not celebrating… I think. He’s just claiming for poetic justice.” -Said the second of the Lost Boys.

  “Yes. What he said.” -Mackenzie said while wallowing the boy’s hair. - “I’m starting to like you, boy! I’m calling you… Smarty Pants!”

  None of them dared to look back or even open the door to help the sinking pirates. The door wasn’t big enough for the crocodile to pass by, so just for that instant they were safe. The mermaid was another story.

  Some steps forward, one crunching under their feet was their only warning before the floor broke, making them fall. Only the yells of the three boys could be heard. When they mercifully ran out of air, Rouge’s cheers of wonder echoed, bouncing back and forth. One by one, they started falling in a slide and Rouge’s cries of amazement grew so hard that the vibrations of her voice traveled in the slide as they fell at high speed.

  They stopped suddenly, held in place by Rouge, who was almost hanging in a breach in the wall. Her axe had saved her, and all of them, staying crossed in the opening of the wall. Underneath awaited a painfully unavoidable pit of dancing shards. Looking
upwards they could see the open sky. The moon, the birds, the clouds.

  Kyra pointed to the pit and Mackenzie recognized the trail Incantatrix had left for them to follow.

  “I didn’t tell you, but I’ll do it now.” -Mackenzie said harshly. - “That woman is cray-cray. She’s trying to kill us all.”

  “What a coincidence! She said the same about you.” -Kyra said turning around and giving him her back. Mackenzie took the offense, as it was intended.

  “Then we’re all even, right? Because you tried to kill me too, or you forgot it already?” -Mackenzie refuted back. - “The giant animal waiting for us outside… Remember?”

  A light filled the tunnel and they, except Mackenzie of course, knew it wasn’t a good sign to see that light again.

  “The Fairy Girl is here.” -Said a melodic voice Kyra had never listened before. She looked around but they were alone. - “What a terrific surprise you have brought me from human’s land, Mack. Another human girl, another pet you took out of the crate.”