by Brandon Mull
“Was it fair of the phantom to ask you to perform a perilous task?” Ronodin countered. “Especially when she didn’t provide the information you were seeking.”
“She told me what she knew,” Seth said.
“Did she?” Ronodin said. “Are you sure? The information she shared is of questionable value. I already assumed Savani knew the location of the Everbloom. And the volcano is a likely hiding place. In the absence of specifics, Dezia would be getting something for nothing. I can use the token to bind Dezia and ensure the phantom gave you the whole story.”
“You’re positive she won’t end up haunting me?” Seth asked.
“The phantom will learn that you are more formidable than you appear,” Ronodin said. “If she crosses you, she crosses your allies.”
Seth nodded, but inside he still felt like using the token to harass the phantom was a betrayal. How long before Ronodin did something similar to him?
The sun had fallen below the horizon when the little boat approached an island smaller than Timbuli, leaving the western clouds and sky smeared with pink, red, and purple. Seth watched the colors change and fade.
“Are sunsets typically this pretty?” Seth asked.
“It’s always a pleasure to watch light diminish,” Ronodin said. “Behold the island of Tiba Tiba. One of the lesser islands, but home to some interesting beasts and birds, along with the tribe we seek.”
Bare projections of rock interrupted the jungle on this island. The low, jagged mountains complemented the rocky coast. The boat had to weave between inhospitable reefs to get in close.
“An arch,” Seth pointed out, noticing a natural stone bridge ahead of them.
“The entrance to Bridge Cove,” Ronodin said. “I wouldn’t recommend coming here without an enchanted vessel. The currents in the cove are merciless.”
After threading between contorted rocks, the boat passed between stone walls beneath the natural arch. Hemmed in by steep sides, the cove was not spacious. The water level rose and fell dramatically with the ebb and flow of the waves.
“How do we land the boat?” Seth asked, looking up at the sheer walls of the cove.
“I’ll stay with the boat,” Ronodin said, indicating a wet, knotted rope hanging down the far wall of the cove. “You’re going to climb. Don’t slip.”
“I’m going alone?” Seth asked as the boat bobbed toward the rope.
“I don’t believe the Pinaki will deal with me,” Ronodin said. “As a mortal youth, you should be fine. Tell them of your need, and offer a royal kingfisher in the morning as payment.”
“Is that a bird?” Seth asked.
“A rare and magical bird,” Ronodin said.
“Where am I going to get one?”
“You won’t,” Ronodin said. “It’s what I’ll do tonight as you enjoy their hospitality.”
“Are they cannibals?” Seth asked.
“If they ate you, it wouldn’t be cannibalism,” Ronodin said. “You’re a different species.”
“What are they?” Seth asked.
“You’ll see,” Ronodin said. “Just be polite and explain your need for the ointment. Promise them the kingfisher.”
“Are you sure you’ll catch one?”
Ronodin grinned. “I’d bet your life on it.”
“How will I get the bird from you?” Seth asked.
“Come back to the cove in the morning,” Ronodin said. “You’ll see it.” He glanced upward. “Use the rope.”
The rope was now within reach, stretching down into the water near the bow. “How will I find you again?” Seth asked.
“Come back here,” Ronodin said. “The village isn’t far.”
“Where do I go after I climb the rope?” Seth asked.
“They’ll find you,” Ronodin said. “Off you go.”
Sighing, Seth placed one foot on the gunwale, then reached out and caught hold of the rope. Leaving the boat behind, he hauled himself up one knot at a time, waiting until his feet were secure on a knot before reaching his hands higher.
By the time he reached the top, the little boat was out of the cove. In the dusk, Seth saw three little figures approaching, not much taller than his knee, two males and a female. They had big eyes, spindly limbs, and large, flat feet. Each carried a spear and moved over the rocks with agile ease, more leaping than walking.
“Are you the Pinaki?” Seth inquired.
“What brings a human to our shore?” said the little warrior in front, stouter than the other two.
“I need some fireproof ointment,” Seth said.
“These are dangerous times to voyage,” the stout one said. “Your need must be great.”
“Yes,” Seth said.
“You came alone?” the female asked.
“My friend dropped me off,” Seth said. “He left with the boat. He’ll be back.”
“Do you mean us any harm?” the stout one asked.
“No,” Seth said.
“We shall see,” the stout one said. “We will take you to the elder, and you will be tried.”
“Is that how you always greet guests?” Seth asked, not loving the idea of a trial.
“All strangers,” the stout one affirmed.
“Follow us,” the female said.
“I’m Seth, by the way.”
“Call me Foamrider,” the stout one said. “That is Stoneturner, and she is Starbreaker.”
They led him away from the cliffs over rocky terrain interspersed with sparse succulents. Ahead, at the edge of the jungle, Seth saw a wooden palisade just a little taller than he could reach. To the Pinaki people, the timber fencing must have seemed incredibly high.
“We have a human guest!” Foamrider called.
Small doors opened at the base of the palisade. The Pinaki could comfortably stroll through with room to spare, but Seth had to get down and crawl. On the far side, Seth stood up in a bustling village crisscrossed by cords strung from house to house. Some cords continued to the top of the palisade in places, and up into the trees beyond the wooden wall. Many of the Pinaki traveled along the cords like tightrope walkers, their feet partly wrapping around the slender lines. Framed with bamboo, the walls and roofs of the huts were composed of tightly woven leaves. Shin-high torches had been lit against the deepening dusk.
Foamrider guided Seth to a long hut on the left side of the village, forcing Seth to duck or step over a couple dozen lines to get there. It was by far the largest building in the community, the top of the roof almost reaching Seth’s chin. The front doors opened, and an old man came out, his clothes brightened with shells and feathers.
“Elder!” Foamrider called. “A human guest is here to be tried.”
The wizened elder looked up at Seth through squinted eyes framed by deep lines. “Hello up there. You’re young. What brings you here with the sanctuary fallen?”
“Not all of it has fallen,” Seth said.
“You should stay on protected ground,” the elder said. “These islands are not safe. Neither is the ocean.”
“I need your heat-proof ointment,” Seth said.
“You risked getting devoured by dragons for our renowned ointment?” the elder asked. “It will not stop dragon fire.”
“I still need it,” Seth said.
“So it seems,” the elder said. “Our village can shelter you for the night, but we cannot feed such a stomach as yours for long.”
“Thank you,” Seth said. “I don’t need to stay long. I just need the ointment.”
“You would need much ointment for a body as large as yours,” the elder said. “Our supply is low, and lately the ingredients are scarce.”
“I can give you a royal kingfisher for the ointment,” Seth said.
The elder whistled. “Where are you hiding the bird?”
Several of the villagers laughed.
“My friend will bring it in the morning,” Seth said.
“Your friend has a royal kingfisher?” the elder asked.
“He is retrieving it,” Seth said. “He will bring it in the morning.”
“If you supply such a bird, we can spare enough ointment for you,” the elder said. “Come inside the assembly hall so I can try you.”
The villagers murmured with interest.
The elder withdrew into the hall, and Seth dropped down and slithered through the doorway. Most of the inside was bare ground, the loose dirt swept away, so Seth had plenty of room to sit, if not a high enough roof to stand. Five colorful birds roosted in the rafters.
“Nice birds,” Seth said.
“We would be glad to add a royal kingfisher,” the elder said. “We cannot renew our ointment supply until we have one.”
“What do you use? The feathers?”
“Our methods are private,” the elder said. “But the song of a royal kingfisher is essential. Place your hand on the heartstone.” The elder tapped a large rock beside the hearth.
“Hearthstone?” Seth asked, thinking he might have heard wrong.
“Heartstone,” the elder said, tapping his chest.
“All right,” Seth said. The surface felt a little warm from its proximity to the fire, but otherwise the stone seemed ordinary.
“Keep your hand upon the stone,” the elder said. “Do you intend to harm us?”
“No,” Seth said, glancing at the heartstone. Would it work like a lie detector?
“Are you a shadow charmer?” the elder asked.
Seth hesitated. Would admitting to that disqualify him? He decided getting caught in a lie would be much worse. “Yes. How can you tell?”
“Do you mean to cause mischief on our island with your shadow charming?”
“No.”
The elder gave a nod. “You will pay for the ointment with a royal kingfisher?”
“Yes,” Seth said.
“Given the life you have lived up until this point, are you a trustworthy person?” the elder asked.
Seth considered Ronodin’s plot to use the token against the phantom. It hadn’t been his plan, and it hadn’t happened yet. He thought about releasing the undead at Blackwell Keep. If he had betrayed people who trusted him, he hadn’t done it deliberately.
“I’m not perfect,” Seth said. “But I do my best to be trustworthy.”
The elder studied him for a moment. “You can remove your hand,” he finally said.
Seth took his hand off the heartstone.
“You have a good heart,” the elder said. “Not perfectly pure, but a pristine heart is so rare, I have never seen it. You will receive your ointment in the morning. Tonight, this room is yours. It is the only space large enough to contain you. Are you hungry?”
“Yeah,” Seth admitted.
“Thirsty?”
“A little,” Seth said. He had sipped a lot from the sweet bucket.
“We will serve you food and drink,” the elder said. “I hope you like fruit and fish. Then you may rest here in peace. Our village remains secure.”
“Thank you,” Seth said.
“You realize the sanctuary is compromised? Nearly all protections and boundaries are down?”
“Yes,” Seth said.
“Enjoy our hospitality tonight. But tomorrow, we ask that you depart at first light.”
Seth nodded.
The elder smiled. “Provide a royal kingfisher, and we will celebrate the trade.”
Seth hoped Ronodin wouldn’t try to trick them. Was the heartstone why Ronodin had sent Seth in alone? Would the dark unicorn have failed the trial? Or did he already have a bad reputation among the Pinaki for some reason?
These little villagers seemed good and fair and hospitable. The evening meal they brought was fresh and flavorful even though the portions were small. After they left, Seth reclined on his back and gazed into the rafters, watching the movement of the birds.
Why had Ronodin avoided a village where the citizens seemed harmless and kind? Was breaking the deal with Dezia a smart idea? Ronodin had no problem with the betrayal. But it wasn’t Ronodin’s promise. Seth knew he was the person in danger if things went wrong, not the dark unicorn. Questions without clear answers kept Seth awake until long after the birds grew still.
The pale color in the sky hinted at the coming dawn. Kendra approached the north side of Crescent Lagoon, where the Himalayan cyclopses had gathered. The ocean was the calmest Kendra had seen it, the lagoon a silver pond in the predawn twilight.
Inside, Kendra was not calm. Last night, after planning a treasure hunt to Desperation Beach with Savani and Tanu, Kendra had realized that Calvin was no longer with her. She had searched her clothes, called his name, rummaged through her room, and backtracked down to the seashore. Warren had taken her to the clearing where she had first met the cyclopses, but the Tiny Hero was nowhere to be seen and did not answer her cries.
Warren had sent her to bed with a promise that he would return to the corrupted pool. This morning he had informed her that he, Vanessa, and Hako had gone back there in the night, but the search yielded no success. He also told her that Savani had sent her trained parrot, Piharro, to look for him. Supposedly the bird was quite intelligent and had a knack for finding lost things. But Kendra still wanted to do more.
The cyclopses had wandered away from the Monkey Maze last night before the meeting with Savani. Kendra had looked for them in vain, hoping they could help her locate Calvin. This morning, as she and the others prepared to depart, she noticed them up on the high point to the north of the lagoon.
“Well met, Kendra,” Tal said.
“Fair weather today,” Hobar noted.
“You are glum,” Baroi said.
“Hi, guys,” Kendra said. “I was carrying a tiny person with me yesterday. A nipsie. His name is Calvin. I somehow lost him.”
“You had no tiny person with you when we met yesterday,” Tal said.
“We would have noticed,” Hobar said.
“Really?” Kendra said. “I guess that narrows things down. I must have lost him when we were traveling to the corrupted pool. Or while running from Mombatu. He was with me when we set out.”
“Our apologies for any inconvenience we caused in our other form,” Baroi said.
“He’s so little,” Kendra said. “I have to find him. I looked for you three last night. Did you ever come inside the Monkey Maze? Hide out in one of the bigger tree houses?”
“We do not go indoors voluntarily,” Tal said.
“Confined spaces cloud our vision,” Hobar said.
“From inside, how would we chronicle the seasons?” Baroi asked.
“Or monitor the shapes of the clouds?” Tal said.
“Or read the dance of the stars?” Hobar said.
“We prefer the caress of the wind, the kisses of the rain, the reassurance of the earth,” Baroi said.
“Here we stand now, to greet a new day dawning,” Tal said.
“Can you see a nipsie anywhere?” Kendra asked. “With your special sight? He’s a little bigger than normal. His people put a spell on him to make him tall. He’s still miniature compared to us. About the size of my pinky.”
“We’re always looking,” Hobar said. “We do not see a nipsie.”
“We will watch for him,” Baroi promised.
“Thanks,” Kendra said, still worried about Calvin. Was it possible she had squashed him during the chase yesterday? She had fallen several times. Calvin had always seemed surprisingly durable. Might he simply have fallen out and gotten lost? That sounded plausible.
“If you wish to cross to Shipwreck Key before low tide, the hour to depart is at hand,” Tal said.
“Travel swiftly and safely,” Hobar said.
“The fate of these islands rests upon your shoulders,” Baroi said.
“No pressure, right?” Kendra said.
“Vast amounts of pressure,” Tal said.
“Like a congested volcano,” Hobar added.
“Adapt and survive,” Baroi said. “Command the situation.”
“Thanks,” Kendra said, hurrying to the seaside trail where Tanu, Warren, Vanessa, Knox, Newel, Doren, and Hako awaited. Tess was staying behind again, with Grady and Savani.
“How did it go?” Warren asked. “Had they seen him? In a vision or anything?”
“No,” Kendra said. “I’m really worried.”
“He’ll turn up,” Tanu said. “Calvin is very independent. He probably lassoed a bat and is touring the other islands.”
“I bet those nonclopses are faking blindness,” Knox said.
“Nonclopses?” Doren asked.
“No eyes,” Knox said. “Why should imaginary eyes in their minds count?”
“Because they can see with them,” Kendra said.
“No way,” Knox said. “You know their eyes are hidden somewhere, sneaking peeks. Maybe on their palms. Or under their ponytails.”
“They seem legitimate to me,” Vanessa said.
“I bet they remember being Mombatu just fine,” Knox said. “They play dumb to seem innocent. Avoid consequences.”
“Just because you would do that,” Kendra said.
“What if they combine and come at us from behind?” Knox asked.
“You have the wrong worries, young one,” Hako said. “Look ahead for today’s trouble, not behind. The triclops is gone, but there are many dangers at this sanctuary, and away from the Monkey Maze we’ll be in fallen areas, where all protections have collapsed.”
“Other dangers don’t erase the problem of a triclops sneak attack,” Knox said. “If it happens, I called it.”
“We should hurry,” Hako said. “Reaching Desperation Beach precisely at low tide gives us the best chance to succeed.”
He established a brisk pace. Kendra walked beside Warren. “Should we have brought Knox?” she whispered.
“It wasn’t my first choice,” Warren whispered back. “He won’t be denied. He wants to help find his cousin.”
