 
### Table of Contents

Title Page

Forsaken Prince

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Ember Gods

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

August Fortress

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Eight

Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty-One

About the Author

Books by Andrea Pearson
Kilenya Chronicles Books 1-3

Andrea Pearson

Copyright © 2017 Andrea Pearson

Book design and layout copyright © 2017 Andrea Pearson

Cover copyright © 2019 Covers by Christian

Series by Andrea Pearson:

Kilenya Chronicles

Kilenya Stories

Mosaic Chronicles

Koven Chronicles

Ranch City Academy Series

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction, and the views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author. Likewise, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are represented fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

If clicking the button above doesn't work, go here: <http://andreapearsonbooks.com/myfreebooks.html>

# Forsaken Prince

**Kilenya Chronicles Book One**

# Dedication

**To Josh.**

This story was, is,

and always will be

for you

# Chapter One

The bell on the store's front door rang just as Jacob Clark finished stacking bags of mulch in the corner of the greenhouse. He stepped back, wiping sweat off his forehead, before surveying his work and giving a nod. Even Mr. Fulcher wouldn't disapprove. Jacob removed his work gloves, shoving them in the pocket of his Fulcher Mulches and Plants apron, then turned to help up front.

Most days during the summer were pretty frantic, but they were finally coming out of the busy season, and the customer who'd just made the bell ring was their first of the afternoon. Jacob relished the hard labor without interruption, but today, he was in the mood to help someone. He hoped this one would have a lot for him to do.

He rounded a corner of pillars and hanging vines, and his eyes landed on the teenage girl who'd entered the store. He hesitated. Most of their shoppers were older people, and only occasionally did someone around his age shop there. This girl had long dark hair, slightly tanned skin, and sparkly brown eyes. She smiled, and a dimple appeared in her cheek.

Jacob wiped his hands on his apron before coming to a stop near her. "Can I help you?"

The girl motioned to the counter, where she had placed a small potted plant. "Yes. I'd like to buy this."

Jacob stepped behind the counter and woke up the register, then scanned the plant's barcode and accepted her cash.

"Are you new here?" he asked. Mendon was small and well off the beaten path. Unfamiliar faces were even more rare than teenage customers.

She nodded. "Yes. Well, sort of--I'm just passing through. I'm actually looking for someone. Maybe you can help me find him."

Jacob handed her the receipt. "I'll do my best. What's the name?"

"I'm Aloren."

He held back a smile. "I meant the name of the person you're looking for."

Aloren flushed slightly. "Jacob. He's about your age and works at a greenhouse in Mendon."

"I'm Jacob. What can I do for you?"

"I was hired to bring you to the Makalos so you could help them get back the Key of Kilenya."

He raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" Was that even English? "Key of . . . colon? Uh . . . Who hired you?"

"The Makalos. Kenji, Ebony, Patriarch Brojan." She hesitated. "They said you'd be familiar with them . . . You're not, though, are you." It was more of a statement than a question.

He shook his head. "You've got the wrong guy--there aren't many Jacobs in town, but I can help you find the one you need." A Jacob who worked in a greenhouse?

Aloren folded her arms. "No, it's you. Dark hair, light blue eyes, works _here_." She jabbed the countertop.

Jacob nodded, wondering where Mr. Fulcher had gone. The man usually kept on the move, wandering the establishment, doing odd jobs. It would be nice to have some backup here. "Yes, but I have no idea what you're talking about. Makos--I don't even know the word you said."

"Your parents are Dmitri and Arien, right?"

Relief flowed over him. "No. They're not." Thank goodness. She _did_ have the wrong guy.

Aloren flushed. "Sorry, I forgot they go by other names here. Lee and Janna?"

Jacob blinked. Where was she getting her information?

Mr. Fulcher came to the front of the store just then. He looked at Aloren before sending a questioning glance to Jacob.

Jacob just shrugged. "Yes, that's them."

Aloren ignored Jacob's boss. "And you've got an older brother and a little sister, right?"

Jacob didn't respond, but she folded her arms in satisfaction when she evidently saw the answer on his face. How did this girl know so much about some things and be completely off on others? Was someone really looking for him?

"Jacob, they're in danger--you're all in danger. The Lorkon have been trying to find you for years. The Makalos were hoping they'd reach you first, but your parents wanted to keep you in the dark as long as possible so you could have a normal childhood. Well, the Makalos got attacked by the Lorkon, and they're desperate. They hired me to make contact with you, but I think it might be too late--the Lorkon are powerful and intelligent. They know what we're doing. I saw little signs on the way here that they've been watching you as well."

Seriously? She had to be joking. Jacob opened his mouth, about to ask what signs she'd seen, then realized he shouldn't encourage her. Insanity wasn't something to laugh about, and he didn't want to upset her. Instead, he walked to the door and opened it for her, making sure she had her potted plant. "I'll think it over. Thanks for the warning--I need to get back to work now."

Aloren followed reluctantly, a frown on her face. "They told me you would be easy to convince. That you should know everything by now. Your parents--"

"Are very busy people. Thank you again for the warning. I hope you have an excellent day. Good luck with those Lykons."

Aloren's mouth opened and closed several times before a frustrated expression crossed her face. "Fine," she spat. She turned, and with a huff, she stormed off down the street.

Jacob shut the door, then leaned against it. "Whoa. She's crazy."

Mr. Fulcher chuckled. "I was going to ask." He bent over the register, checking the tape. "I saw that you finished the mulch. Would you help me move the ceramic pots inside? It looks like it's going to rain, and I don't want them getting stained."

Jacob agreed, and the two of them got busy. He'd been working for Mr. Fulcher for over a year now. It was a great job--good hours, decent pay--and gave him something to do during the summer. His junior year of high school would be starting in a few days, and he'd saved up plenty for homecoming, prom, and all the clothes he'd need for the year.

Regardless how much he told himself that Aloren was crazy, he couldn't help but feel nervous the rest of his shift. A sense of foreboding wouldn't leave. That stupid girl, getting him on edge.

At the end of his shift at seven, he grabbed his phone from underneath the office table, surprised to see he had several missed calls. One from Dad and at least fifteen from Mom. Why hadn't they called his work phone directly?

On the way to his car, he dialed his mom's number. She didn't pick up. He called his dad. No answer there either, so he tried Matt, his older brother.

Matt answered, thank goodness.

"Hey, have Mom or Dad called?" Jacob asked.

"No. What's up?"

"Nothing . . . I don't know. Some crazy chick came in today, saying we were all in danger and a whole bunch of gibberish about all sorts of seriously insane stuff. I told her to go away, but . . . well . . . Mom called me fifteen times and Dad once while I've been at work. They didn't leave messages, and neither of them are answering their phones now."

"Wow. I get off in half an hour. I'll meet you at home as soon as I can."

Jacob ended the call, knowing it would be at least forty-five minutes before Matt got home, unless he left early. He worked for a grocery store in Logan, the nearest big city, and it was a fifteen-minute drive. Good commute under normal circumstances, but it seemed like forever today.

Jacob pulled up in front of his house, and his palms started sweating. Something felt off. Dad's car was there, and so was Mom's. Why hadn't they answered their phones? He parked and jumped out, jogging to the front door. It was cracked open, and he pushed it the rest of the way, his heart pounding.

The lights inside were off. That wasn't normal. The Clark residence was an old country home, built back when indoor heating and air conditioning hadn't been invented yet. As a result, the windows were small to help keep the house warm during the winter and cold during the summer. Mom _always_ kept lights on. She would rather pay an elevated electric bill than live in a dark house.

Jacob flipped the switch. Nothing happened. He stepped inside, and something crunched under foot. He looked down. He'd stepped on broken glass. Jacob glanced around the room. All the bulbs had been shattered--the lamp near the front door, the overhead light, and the lamps on the shelves near the piano. Nothing else was broken.

His heart did a little flip, and foreboding settled over him again. What had happened?

"Mom? Dad?"

No answer.

He stepped into the kitchen. Everything there was broken--not even the battery-operated clock on the wall was still ticking.

Jacob's breath caught when he spotted blood all along the edge of the counter.

"Dad! Mom! Amberly!"

In a rush, he searched the rest of the first floor, then bounded up the stairs. He didn't get far before stumbling to a halt. A huge body was sprawled across the top of the staircase. Jacob gasped, stepping back involuntarily, and nearly fell down the stairs before catching himself. _It wasn't human._ It couldn't be. No human looked like that.

Jacob clung to the railing, staring at the dead beast. What the crap was it? The thing was huge. Humanoid, with stubby, muscular legs, massive arms, and four fingers on each hand. The wall all around it was splattered with blood and marred with spray from a shotgun.

The creature wore dark leather pants. It wasn't wearing a shirt, and Jacob nearly wretched as he stepped up the stairs and saw a huge gaping hole in the thing's chest. More blood slicked down the stairs and pooled beneath the beast.

The entire thing was covered everywhere with very short hair. Spikes jutted out from the lower jaw, coming to sharp points about two inches from the chin. The eyes had rolled back in the head, the lids open.

Jacob stumbled up the stairs, trying not to touch the creature or its blood. Were there more of those things in the house? Was he in danger? And where were his parents?

# Chapter Two

Jacob's breathing came in pants and gasps. His dad's shotgun lay in the hall near the top of the stairs. Shells--some empty--were scattered across the floor. Jacob grabbed the gun and several of the shells, fumbling to load the weapon in case he needed to defend himself.

Someone whimpered, and Jacob rushed down the hallway. He passed another one of those beasts, this one missing a head. His stomach flipped. He refused to look at the gaping neck.

"Hello?" he called out, clenching the shotgun. "Mom?"

His parents' room was empty. He barely glanced into his and Matt's separate rooms before pausing in the doorway to Amberly's. A familiar figure huddled on the other side of her princess bed, and he gasped.

"Mom!" Jacob rushed to her side, dropping to his knees. He set down the gun and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She jumped, shrinking against the wall, her hair falling over her face.

"It's me! It's Jacob. Are you okay? What happened? What's going on?"

Mom slumped in relief and sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

He gently pushed her hair away from her face, then startled. She was covered in blood. Bruises were blossoming across her cheeks and neck.

"What's going on?" he repeated.

"We tried . . . to protect you . . ."

"Where are Amberly and Dad?"

"They . . . took them."

"They who?" Jacob asked. He pulled out his phone to call 911.

"The Lorkon." Her eyes cleared as she concentrated on her son's face. "They sent their servants. Your father and sister have been taken. You have to get them!"

Jacob couldn't move. Lorkon. He knew that word. Had Aloren been right about everything? "Who are the Lorkon? Is that what's in the hall?"

"No--Molg. In hall. I need Kaede sap."

Jacob blinked. Ka--what? "No, you need the ER."

She only protested a little as he helped get her better situated, propping her up with pillows and wrapping a blanket around her. He dialed 911 after making sure that the upstairs really was empty. How was he going to explain those bodies to the paramedics?

Jacob quickly told the dispatcher there was blood all over the place and he'd come home to find that his mom had been attacked and needed an ambulance. He didn't mention the bodies.

The dispatcher wanted him to stay on the line, but he told her he needed to call his brother. After making sure help was on the way, he hung up and called Matt.

His sentences came out in quick bursts. "Get home now. Dad and Amberly are gone--Mom says kidnapped. She's hurt really badly. An ambulance is on the way." _Please be okay, Dad and Amberly._

"Holy cow. Okay, I'm coming."

Jacob hung up and knelt on the floor next to his mom again. "Help is coming. What do I do about the bodies?"

She took a breath, obviously struggling to maintain focus. "Your brother will take care of them." She gripped his shirt, her expression very intense. "Jacob, you have to understand first. We should have told you years ago. Your dad was in line to become king of Gevkan when the Lorkon attacked. There were only three of them. We still don't know how it happened, but they killed millions. They were slaughtering our people, searching for us. With help from the Makalos, your father and I went into hiding here on earth when you were a baby."

Jacob froze, staring at her. "You know the Makalos?"

Mom nodded. "Yes. Many of them are our friends." Her grip tightened. "You have to go to them. You have to find your dad and sister. The Makalos will help. Don't worry about school or work--I'll tell Mr. Fulcher."

Jacob took a breath. He'd forgot about both.

Just then, a loud pop sounded through the air, and Jacob jumped to his feet, staring at a huge black beetle that was floating in the middle of the room.

"Jacob Clark?" The voice was deep, grating.

He stared at the thing. How was it not falling? "Yes?"

"Your sister is a poor substitute."

Jacob circled the beetle. Where was the voice coming from? The mouth wasn't moving. And what was he saying, his sister was a poor substitute?

"Come to the Maivoryl castle in Gevkan and she'll live. Your life for hers--a simple exchange. If you get here fast enough, we won't torture King Dmitri before we kill him."

"Maivoryl castle? Gevkan?"

"You have two days . . ."

The beetle burst into flames and burned up, ashes falling to the floor.

Mom started to sob, her shoulders shaking, putting her face in her hands. She wailed, her voice almost too weak to hear.

"What am I going to do?" Jacob asked. He wanted to comfort her but wasn't sure how. She was so broken. His heart clenched, thinking of the pain she was in--emotionally and physically.

Steps fell in the hall behind him. There was no way Matt had gotten there yet, and that couldn't be the paramedics--they'd announce their arrival with sirens and shouts.

He whirled and lashed out. All he saw was a blur of brown before he'd been grabbed on the arm, twisted, yanked around, then pinned on the floor.

Jacob blinked, recognizing his attacker. "Aloren?"

She glared at him. "Don't try to attack me again." She glanced at his mom. "Kenji and Ebony hired me to bring your son to them. They need his help to get the key."

"Key?" Jacob asked at the same time that Mom said, "What happened to the key?"

"It's been stolen. The Lorkon are doing everything they can to get Jacob in their control. They planned to use it as bait. Judging by how this place looks, they took things a step further." She frowned at Jacob. "I _told_ you your family was in danger. Why didn't you listen?"

Jacob scowled, shifting. "Get off me."

Aloren glared again, her eyes flashing. "Not until you swear you'll come with me. I have a job to do, and _I'm going to do it_."

Mom moaned. "Please tell Kenji and Ebony we're so sorry. We should've told him earlier."

A faint wailing of sirens filtered into the house, and Aloren scrambled up. "You're coming with me," she said, grabbing Jacob's arm and yanking him to his feet and toward the door. "I have to get to Maivoryl City."

Mom reached for Jacob, and Aloren released him. He stepped to her, taking her hand, feeling his heart and insides twist at what had happened--was happening.

"Go, son," she said. "Find Dmitri and your sister. Bring them back." She looked at Aloren. "Do you know who my son is? Who he _really_ is?"

Aloren nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Then take care of him. Your future lies in his hands."

# Chapter Three

The front door opened and slammed shut. "Hello?" Matt called out.

"We're up here," Jacob yelled.

He heard Matt dashing through the living room and heading up the stairs. Matt yelled as he passed the first dead body, then shrieked again as he passed the second one.

"What on earth is going on?" he asked, coming to a halt in the doorway to Amberly's room. "Are you okay, Mom? What happened? Where are Dad and Amberly? And what the freak are those things?"

Jacob grabbed his brother, trying to get his attention. "I have to go with Aloren to get Dad and Amberly back. Mom can explain everything--pretend you're the one who called 911." He turned to Mom, taking her hand. "I'll do my best. Take care of yourself."

She held on tightly. "Be careful, son. The Lorkon are dangerous and will stop at nothing to get what they want."

The sirens got louder outside, and flashing lights bounced through Amberly's window.

"Come on, Jacob, let's go," Aloren said.

Jacob said goodbye to Matt and Mom, wondering what they'd say to the paramedics about those bodies, then followed Aloren downstairs. She led them out back just as the paramedics came through the front door.

"The Makalos will be waiting for us," she said, running into the forest that bordered Jacob's backyard and heading to the small canyon behind the house. "They've been very anxious since the Lorkon stole the key."

Jacob grabbed her. "Hold on. Stop."

She pulled away. "We don't have time."

"Wait! Where are we going? I've been all over this canyon and forest. We're not going to find anything up here."

Aloren scowled at him, turning to run again. "Obviously, you don't know everything."

Jacob kept pace with her. "Please, at least tell me what's going on."

Aloren flipped her hair over her shoulder, sending him an irritated glance. "I've already told you everything I know."

"Then tell me again. I wasn't paying attention."

"That's evident." Aloren sighed in exasperation, slowing down. "Okay, so you're a prince. We call you the Forsaken Prince. Your parents are royalty. They've been in hiding--protecting you and themselves from the Lorkon--since you were a baby."

Jacob was a prince? "Why didn't my parents tell me anything?"

"Look, I don't know. I wasn't part of the decision-making process. I wasn't even alive when everything went down."

"Why are you so mad at me? Obviously, I wasn't part of that decision either."

"Because I don't have time to deal with this. I was hired to bring you to the Makalos and to help you get the key, not coddle you and make sure you're comfortable with the information no one knew you hadn't been given. Okay?"

Jacob's mouth opened and closed. He had no response for that.

Just then, a flash of light filled the forest, and a miniature woman, about two inches tall, with dark hair and wearing a white dress, appeared, floating in the air. She didn't have wings.

Jacob's jaw went slack. What the crap?

"Are you coming, Aloren?" the woman said. "Kenji says you must come faster."

"Yes, Early, I'm on my way. Tell them plans have changed. The Lorkon got there before I did--they kidnapped King Dmitri and his daughter. Also, if the Makalos want to send someone with us, they're going have to be ready the minute we arrive."

The little person nodded and disappeared in a flash of light, reappearing only seconds later. "They say okay. The way to Eklaron is open."

"Thank you."

The little person disappeared, and Jacob followed as Aloren took off at a jog.

"Eklaron?"

"It's a sister planet of earth," Aloren said.

"We don't have a sister planet."

Aloren sent him a glance that told him just what she thought of that.

The path became springy under Jacob's feet, the bushes on either side of him thickening. The rich smell of old wood assailed him, and he looked up in surprise. The aspens and evergreens had given way to maples and magnificent oaks--trees he'd never seen in this forest. Had he gone farther now than he'd ever been before? How was that possible? He and Matt had thoroughly explored these forests on numerous occasions. For a moment, hysteria nearly overcame him. He started to look for markers, familiar trees, other paths-- _anything_ so he could find his way back in case Aloren lost him.

She didn't lose him, though. She led him through the ancient forest and into a meadow. The sun was close to setting, its rays lighting the weirdest tree Jacob had ever seen. Its branches were old and twisted, circling each other in a haphazard race toward the sky. The trunk of the tree was massive--nearly as big around as Jacob's house.

His attention wasn't on the tree for long before he noticed it had a gaping hole in it near the ground. Short people were pouring in and out of that hole, and he realized with a start that it was a _door_. Then he noticed that the people weren't human. There was something off about them that he couldn't figure out.

He and Aloren were surrounded by chaos as the creatures noticed them and began clambering around them.

"Aloren, did you see them?"

"Molgs! Tons of them!"

"They attacked without warning."

"Couldn't have predicted it."

"Oh, you brought Jacob!"

"Jacob, help us! Help us!"

"We need you!"

"Stop it!" Aloren shouted. "Where's Brojan? Where are Kenji and Ebony?"

"Here, Aloren," a woman with blond hair said, striding through the group. "Patriarch Brojan was injured--like the rest of the wounded, he's sleeping it off." She motioned to the sides of the meadow where Jacob noticed for the first time that there were tons of the shorter people sleeping, bandaged up.

"Ebony, we've got to go," Aloren said. "Now. The Molgs took King Dmitri and the princess. Every minute we spend here is a minute they get closer to the Lorkon castle."

"Jacob, glad to meet you" a man said, joining Ebony. He interlaced his fingers through Ebony's. "Wish it could've been under different circumstances. Your father and I are close friends."

"Um . . . good to meet you too. I wish I'd known about you earlier."

"Yes, so do we. But your parents chose not to explain anything to you, and now we must live with the consequences."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. That was harsh. How did him not knowing lead to people being attacked? He seriously doubted he had anything to do with it.

"My name is Kenji. I'm a Makalo. We're a magical species that once ruled Eklaron. When the Lorkon attacked the first time seventeen years ago, they reduced our numbers drastically, and now, we hide here, in Taga Village." He motioned to the canyon walls around them.

Jacob glanced up, seeing a tall crevice in the stone walls on either side. More Makalos were in the crevices near squat buildings. The canyon reminded him of Mesa Verde in Colorado. He'd gone there a couple of times on vacations with his family.

Kenji turned to Aloren. "Seden will go with you--like you, he has a particular motivation for getting to Maivoryl City."

Jacob glanced at Aloren. "Particular motivation?"

She ignored him. "Good. Anyone else?"

"My son, Akeno."

Aloren nodded. "Are they ready?"

"Nearly." Kenji turned to Jacob. "We've packed everything we thought you might need--food, water, bedding. You can take Early to facilitate communication with us. Please keep us posted on your travels." He motioned to Aloren. "Make sure you and Seden warn him about everything. Answer all his questions." Kenji rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, whatever you have the answers to."

"We'll do our best," she said.

# Chapter Four

Aloren folded her arms. "With the increased danger and the Forsaken Prince's obvious lack of knowledge--which puts him in even more danger--my rate has doubled."

Kenji sighed. "I understand. We'll meet whatever extra demands you may have."

"Thank you."

Jacob stared at Aloren. What a mercenary. For the first time, he noticed what she was wearing--tight brown leather pants that laced up the legs, a leather top, and very durable shoes. A short sword was slung over her back, a knapsack hung over her neck and one arm, and she'd pulled her hair into a ponytail. Not a speck of makeup was on her face--not that she needed it. This girl was intense. He decided then and there not to cross her again if he could help it.

"If you see the witch, run," Kenji said.

Aloren half smiled. "Of course."

Kenji ran off to get Seden, and Aloren glanced at Jacob. "Everyone says that. It's a stupid myth, not something we need to worry about. She doesn't actually exist."

Jacob folded his arms across his chest. He didn't know if there was a witch or not, but Aloren's know-it-all attitude was getting on his nerves. "You don't know everything."

Aloren rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I know more than you do."

"Right. About this world." He couldn't help but wonder what her story was, though. What had the Makalos required of and promised her? And why was she so angry and intense?

A huge man with bronzed skin and dark hair and eyes strode up to them. "Aloren, Jacob, are you ready?" His voice was deep, booming.

"Yes, Seden," Aloren said.

Jacob noticed a Makalo with black hair and bright blue eyes hovering behind Seden. He glanced at Jacob, then quickly away. Seden ignored the Makalo, but Aloren motioned to him.

"Are you Akeno?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Good. We're all ready, then. Seden, lead the way."

Seden sent her an irritated expression--he obviously liked being bossed around as much as Jacob did--then strode across the meadow and into the forest on the opposite side from where Jacob and Aloren had come.

Not waiting for the others to catch up, Seden started up the trail. Jacob followed him, not wanting to walk near Aloren.

When he noticed that Jacob was just behind him, Seden said, "A witch lives in the forest just outside the entrance to Taga Village. If you see anything, run."

Aloren chuckled, making pace with Jacob. There was just enough room on the path for them to walk side by side with Akeno trailing behind. "It's all myths, you know."

The man shrugged. "Maybe so, but I don't live my life according to solid facts. There's a bit of truth in everything, and that belief has kept me alive for a long time." He glanced at Jacob. "I've been informed that you don't know much about this world."

Jacob nodded, half expecting Seden to chastise him. The man didn't, though, thank goodness.

"I'll do my best to fill you in on what I know. Have you heard about the war already?"

"A bit. I know the Lorkon came and killed a lot of people."

"Yes. It happened about sixteen years ago--right before you were born."

"Tell me more about them," Jacob said.

"They're disgusting and very dangerous. We'll have plenty of time to discuss them later. For now, though, we need to get through the basics."

Seden proceeded to tell Jacob about that war. The Lorkon had kidnapped Princess Arien--Jacob's mom. Jacob's dad had gathered a group of followers to go after the Lorkon, fighting through many traps the Lorkon had set. In the end, almost everyone had died, including Dad's best friend and half of his group. Kenji had been part of that group.

"One of the Lorkon traps has been neutralized, but the others have not. We'll need you, Jacob, to get us through them so we can rescue your family."

Jacob shook his head, stepping over a log that had fallen across the trail. "Are you serious? I've never been here . . . that I remember, anyway. What could I possibly do?"

"Your father led his group through those traps, and no one has been able to follow since. Because of that, people have great expectations of the Forsaken Prince. You can thank your father for that."

"Great. Just great." Jacob shifted the heavy knapsack Kenji had given him. "And why does everyone call me the Forsaken Prince?"

"Many reasons. The Lorkon had you in their possession and let you go. Now they seek you diligently, though we don't know why. Your parents took you to a strange land to hide you, practically giving up your rights. You've been forsaken, forgotten, and left alone for years by your own people. And now, when the Lorkon rule has gotten increasingly horrible, they are finally remembering you. They place a great deal of hope in you--hope that you'll dethrone the Lorkon and return your father to his rightful place. That you'll cleanse the land of the effect the Lorkon have had. And that you'll make their ways of life happy once more."

"Wow. Talk about pressure."

Seden sent him a smile. "Don't worry about it--your father is the one who should be feeling it. As king, he's technically in charge, and it was his choice to take you away from your subjects."

Jacob's thoughts went to his dad. How long had he and Amberly been gone? Were they hurt? And if so, how badly? Jacob fisted his hands. Those Lorkon would regret every injury they gave his family.

The group fell silent as the trail took a sharp turn upward. Jacob watched the sun finish setting, casting a rosy glow through the trees and canyon. Eventually, Seden stopped hiking and motioned to a relatively level section of canyon off the trail.

"We'll camp here. Akeno, would you set up some huts?"

Jacob had almost forgotten the Makalo was there, he was so quiet. He looked back and nearly jumped out of his skin. Akeno's left ring finger glowed a brilliant blue. The light from his finger increased exponentially as Akeno stepped off the path, holding up his hand.

"Whoa," Jacob whispered. "That's freakishly cool."

Akeno sent him a smile. "Thanks, I think."

As Jacob watched, the Makalo put his left hand on a tree trunk and closed his eyes. The branches of the tree and bushes started to move, encircling Akeno. Jacob stared, hardly believing his eyes, then jumped out of the way as a squirrel darted across the ground, followed closely by intertwining branches.

"What's going on?" Jacob asked.

"Makalos control living things," Aloren said, arms folded, watching as the branches started forming huts.

Moments later, two rounded little forts had been created. There were small openings in the roofs, and the walls were made of tightly woven branches. Jacob stepped inside the first one, joining Akeno and Seden. The floor of the hut was matted and springy--perfect for sleeping.

"This is amazing."

Akeno gave him a sheepish smile. "I don't technically control living things--I ask favors of them, and they agree."

"I've only been around Makalos for a few days, but I've never seen a living thing say no to one," Aloren muttered behind Jacob. "That's control, if you ask me."

Jacob resisted the urge to shake his head at her. That girl had issues.

Seden told everyone to eat up and go to sleep. They wouldn't be starting a fire--he didn't want to wait for it to die out before they hit the sack. They didn't have enough water on hand to douse it.

Jacob found beef jerky, cheese, bread, and nuts in his bag, and ate, listening as the others discussed plans for the next day. Apparently, they'd be going through an infected forest, stopping at the cabin of an old friend of the Makalos, and then encountering one of the traps the Lorkon set up for Dmitri several years ago. There were a lot more details, but Jacob's head began to whirl. He was too tired to take in much more. Instead, out of habit, he powered up his phone and tried to check his texts. He didn't have service--that wasn't surprising. It was ten, and Seden wanted to get an early start the next morning. Jacob turned off his phone, pulled a blanket from his knapsack, and fell asleep.

# Chapter Five

After what felt like only a few minutes, Seden was waking everyone.

"We've got a lot of ground to cover today," he said. "We'll eat as we travel."

The trail got steep again, and everyone had to use their hands to hike, pulling themselves up using roots, rocks, and vines.

Finally, about an hour later, they reached the entrance to Taga Village. It was a tunnel about ten feet long, cut through the stone face of the canyon wall. Bits and pieces of board were strewn all around it. Akeno surprised Jacob by talking. He said that the boards used to seal the entrance shut.

"The Lorkon blasted their way through," he said.

Aloren raised her eyebrow. "The Lorkon themselves? I was under the impression that they sent servants."

Akeno flushed, and Jacob felt like yelling at Aloren for being so critical when the Makalo obviously had a hard time talking in front of strangers.

"Same difference," Jacob said. "They're behind it either way."

Akeno sent him a grateful expression while Aloren turned her back. Jacob snorted inwardly. Whatever.

Before going through the tunnel, Seden gave them another warning about the witch. "Snakes serve her. If you see anything off or weird, get out of there."

Aloren didn't scoff this time. Jacob almost commented on the fact that he'd seen lots of things that were "off" or "weird," but held back.

The trees on the other side of the tunnel were dead, misshapen, and shriveled. They were almost painful to look at. The land around the trees also appeared to be dead, and there were animal carcasses all over the ground. The stench was so strong that Jacob's stomach lurched, and a sharp feeling of nausea hit him.

All of this, however, was not what caught him off guard the most.

Everything--including the sky and his companions--was completely devoid of color.

No one moved for a moment as they stared at the forest.

"Why is everything black and white?" Jacob asked.

"We don't know," Seden said. He glanced at Aloren. "Most say it's the witch's control over the landscape."

Aloren rolled her eyes, but didn't respond.

Jacob turned to her. "What's _your_ explanation for it?"

"I don't have one," she mumbled.

Seden grinned victoriously.

While he was taking everything in, Jacob had the slight sensation of being on a boat, rocking side to side. It took a moment to put his finger on why. He studied the forest around them, finally noticing that the trees were moving, shifting away from them. Then he noticed something else. There wasn't a trail on this side of the tunnel.

When Jacob commented on it, Akeno surprised him by being the one who answered.

"As Seden said, the forest is infected by the witch. She tries to trap people, and the forest helps. Not only that, but it does its best to remove any evidence that people have ever traveled here."

"Well, I don't know about you guys," Jacob said, "but I'm convinced that there's an actual witch here."

No one responded--not even Aloren--and Seden led the way into the forest. Jacob was grateful the trees weren't so thick that walking without a trail was impossible. Still, he wasn't comfortable with his surroundings. He felt watched, and that made the hairs on the back of his neck raise.

The farther into the forest they went, the more the trees moved. Seden eventually pulled out his sword and hacked at branches that crisscrossed in front of them.

"That's only going to make them mad," Aloren said, stepping across a huge log.

"So . . . be . . . it," Seden responded in between whacks of his sword. "We have to . . . get through . . . somehow."

Aloren was right, though. The trees began whipping around in a frenzy, almost as if they were freaking out.

Dodging branches, dead animals, and stumps, Jacob stumbled through the forest, doing his best to ignore the angry trees. He kept his eyes on Seden and Aloren, but it was difficult to keep up.

The air tasted stale and dirty, and each breath he took was agonizing. He tried to limit the amount of air that entered his lungs, but the stench of death was overwhelming.

The forest was growing thicker. Jacob's palms began sweating and his heartbeat hitched up even faster when he noticed that the distance between himself and the two ahead of him was growing. Were the trees letting them through while trying to stop him?

"Guys? Can you slow down?"

They didn't look back. Had they heard him over the sound of the thrashing trees?

"Stop!" Jacob yelled.

They still didn't hear him, and he froze, blinking in shock when the trees shifted and moved, putting them completely out of view.

Akeno gave a little shriek. "We can't lose them!" He started running, easily passing Jacob.

"You've got to be kidding me," Jacob said, jogging again, grabbing trunks and branches to catapult himself past the trees.

The forest grew even thicker, making it nearly impossible to see, and what little light there was danced around as the branches thrashed. After only a few minutes, Jacob could no longer see Akeno, and very soon he couldn't hear him, either.

He stopped running, not sure where to go since they hadn't exactly been following a straight line.

"Hello? Akeno? Aloren? Anyone?"

No one answered, and he wasn't surprised. He barely heard himself--the stupid trees were too loud.

Something cold and smooth brushed against Jacob's cheek. He frantically wiped it off his face, spinning to see what had touched him. Nothing was there but the moving branches.

He started forward again, cautiously peering ahead. He gasped as another cold, smooth thing ran through his hair. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the animal--or whatever it was.

Seconds later, an extra weight slid across his shoulders and over them, circling his neck. He reached up to grab it, recognizing the feel of the creature. It was a snake about two feet long. He yanked, flinging it off. Jacob stumbled backwards, nearly falling, as the pale-colored snake flattened and floated swiftly to a nearby tree.

The trees stopped moving.

# Chapter Six

With the stillness, the light no longer danced, and Jacob could see better. Nearly every surface was covered with snakes--the ground seemed to have come alive. Several of them floated through the air.

Jacob looked around, half expecting to see a witch. He didn't want to call out for his group--he didn't want to draw any more attention to himself.

Jacob peered through the darkness, gingerly treading forward. He tried not to step on any of the snakes and grimaced when he did, but they weren't reacting to him now that the trees were still.

As he walked cautiously, something large brushed against his leg. He looked down and made out the shape of a snake two feet in diameter as it slithered slowly past him, then stopped.

Jacob felt his heart do a double beat as his mind raced. What kind of snake was that? Was it poisonous? He couldn't remember ever having seen one on TV. He scrambled away, but with a quick jerk he almost didn't see, the snake re-coiled itself around his feet. In a split second, several loops of it encircled him, pinning his arms to his sides, and he couldn't move anymore.

The snake hissed, eye-to-eye with Jacob, its intelligent gaze piercing into him. Its tongue flicked out, barely touching Jacob's skin and hair, testing the air around him. Then its body tightened so much that it squeezed the breath out of him. The snake lifted him completely off the ground and started carrying him through the forest. Jacob gasped for air, his vision going red, and was finally able to pull in a breath.

After a few minutes, the forest ended as the snake reached the edge of a clearing. Toward the center was a hill with a very large manor sitting atop its crest. There was no sign of Akeno or the other two.

The manor must have been impressive in its day. Large granite columns graced the front of the building, and the windows, most of which had either been boarded over or smashed open, were massive and elegant. The wide concrete porch that circled the house was now cracked and disheveled, with vines growing through the cracks and up many of the columns. One corner of the foundation had begun to sink.

In front of the house, to the right, was a large pit. Jacob thought he could hear Akeno's voice coming from it, and he struggled to break free of the snake's tight grip. But the snake ignored his attempts and continued slithering across the ground, up the stairs, and through the open front door of the house.

It was musty and dirty inside. Dim light shone through several of the smashed windows. The front entryway was spacious--at least two stories high, maybe three. The floor was marble, and there were marble pillars lining the edges of the room. Stained-glass windows between the pillars let in muted light.

Jacob caught a glimpse of a side room with sheet-covered furniture before the snake carried him up the staircase. There was a hallway at the top of the stairs, the first half overlooking the front entry and the second half lined with doors. All the doors were shut, and many had a slight greenish glow coming through the cracks.

The snake stopped abruptly at the end of the hall. In place of the door was a silvery, translucent sheen that filled the entire doorway. The snake paused before entering. The moment its head passed the frame, there was a loud clap, and the sheen disappeared. The snake wriggled forward a few feet, then released its hold on Jacob. He stumbled and whirled, ready to defend himself, but the snake had already slithered back into the hallway and was biting the top, bottom, and sides of the doorframe. The translucent veil materialized again, sealing the room, and the snake slithered down the hall and stairs.

Jacob rushed to the nearest window, barely noticing junk and oddly placed rolls of thick cloth on the floor, and watched as the snake disappeared into the forest. He waited a few moments, but the snake didn't return.

The pit was beneath the window. It wasn't very deep--maybe two or three feet--and Akeno was there, thrashing around in the remains of charred furniture and other debris. Jacob pounded on the window, trying to get Akeno's attention, but the Makalo didn't seem to notice.

A cold wind blew on the back of Jacob's neck, making his hair rise. He turned and nearly yelled--about a foot or so away was a partially decomposed body sitting in a chair, on the verge of tumbling over.

Afraid it would fall at any moment, Jacob kept his hands up as he stepped to the side, barely missing another body that lay across the floor with arms stretched toward the door. He jumped away from it, realizing that what he'd assumed to be rolls of cloth were really bodies sprawled on the ground, reaching for the exit. He made his way to a clear spot and looked around.

The room was very large. There was a massive bed against one wall, a fireplace on another, and several chairs placed in random positions around bookcases, tables, and the fireplace. Nearly every chair held human remains, ranging from full skeletons to decomposing corpses that had been dead for only a few weeks at most. In one corner of the room was a table. On top were two stone jugs and bits of both fresh and moldy food.

The smell of death and decay became so overpowering, Jacob felt as though his lungs would burst. Desperate for fresh air, he steeled himself, then rushed past the dead bodies back to the window.

He grunted, pushing on the lever, trying to open the window. But it wouldn't budge.

Jacob's gaze landed on the jugs, and he grabbed one--it was heavy with water. He smashed it against the window as hard as he could. The result was water splashing all over himself and the nearest body, the jug shattering, and the window remaining undamaged. He grimaced.

Then he looked down and noticed several broken objects on the floor below the windows--byproducts of others' attempts to break the glass.

Jacob groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."

The sound of his own voice startled him, and he looked over his shoulder at the bodies. He felt stupid when he realized he was checking to see if they'd moved. He forced himself to take a breath to calm himself and studied them. What if, like them, his only way out was through the doorway? But why hadn't they gone through? They weren't tied up or anything. They weren't even near the door. None of them was closer than five or six feet.

Resolving to get out, Jacob crossed the room toward the shimmering doorway. He stopped about three feet away, peering at it. There was a slight movement, a few swirls in the silver. Light pink and blue mists emanated from it, and Jacob was distracted by the color for a moment--it was the first he'd seen since he got here. As he reached toward the portal, something passed over his skin as his hand went through the mist. It was cold--very cold--and a sharp pinpricking sensation started at his fingertips, moving up his wrist to where the mist stopped. Alarmed, Jacob pulled back his arm and examined his hand. No blood, no mark, nothing.

He looked up, took a step closer, and put his hand out again, this time determined to touch the shimmering barrier. The same cold, prickly feeling started at his fingertips and reached his elbow. He held his breath and plunged his arm forward. Nothing happened. But then he saw the sheen separate where he touched it.

Jacob stepped forward, pushing himself into the veil. The cold mist encompassed him, and the pinpricks covered him from head to foot. An enormous pressure enveloped his entire body, making movement difficult, and the air started to swirl around him. As the wind gained speed, his shirt got pulled up and his hair ruffled.

An intense pain hit him, starting in his chest and moving to his extremities. He felt electrocuted--he couldn't move, and his body shook. He couldn't even breathe. His fingers felt pulled from their joints, and there was no sensation in his feet. He tried to back out of the doorway, but it was as if some invisible force was holding him in one spot.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a few seconds, the feeling left him and he doubled over, gasping for breath. The pain in his muscles was replaced with numbness and he lost his balance, falling back into the room.

# Chapter Seven

Jacob lay awkwardly on his side, no feeling in his body whatsoever. Had he been hit by lightning? Zapped with a Taser? Even his brain seemed paralyzed.

Sensation slowly returned to his limbs and he rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. What on earth had happened? Or, more precisely, what on Eklaron had happened? _Had_ he been electrocuted? And why hadn't it killed him? Did the people in the room try the same thing with similar results? He flipped onto his stomach and gradually got to his knees, ignoring the dead body two feet away.

He stood and turned to face the barrier. It was the only way out of the room--he was sure of that. Did he dare try walking through again? He scowled at the thought, looking at the dead bodies. There was no way he was going to stay here and die like they did. He _had_ to find Dad and Amberly. Mom was relying on him.

With new resolve, Jacob held up his hand and took a step, frowning as the tingly sensation moved from his fingers and up his arm. This time, however, he steeled himself against the pressure of the swirling air and pushed as hard as he could. The same intense pain began, stopping his breathing once again, but he was already moving forward and continued pushing.

A loud pop made him jump, and the pressure, the mist, the pain, and the wind were gone. There was only the simple doorframe.

Relief coursed through his body, and he breathed deeply. Why had it worked this time and not the first? Deciding to think on it later, he took one last look into the room, then sprinted down the hallway and the stairs. He crossed the front entryway and exited the house, expecting something to jump out at him any moment, relieved when nothing did. Where was that witch, if she really did exist? And where had the huge snake gone?

Something odd about the trees caught his attention. They all appeared to be pulsing toward a point in the forest some distance away. And that spot seemed to be moving.

A sick feeling came over him as he realized that whatever was moving through the forest was coming toward him, and that the trees wanted to be close to it--trees that had been trying to attack him earlier. The witch, or something equally evil, was on the way.

Jacob ran to the edge of the pit and saw Akeno randomly digging through the junk. The furniture had been burned a while ago--how long, he couldn't tell.

He headed down the three-foot slope toward Akeno. "Come on, let's go."

Akeno ignored him.

Jacob looked back at the forest. "We don't have a lot of time."

Again, Akeno didn't respond. So, not asking for permission, Jacob pinned the Makalo's hands to his sides and swung the small creature over his shoulder.

Then he practically flew out of the pit. Ignoring Akeno's yelling, Jacob sprinted through the forest, praying he wouldn't run into the snake. It was difficult to keep Akeno on his shoulder--he was kicking and flailing with all his might and almost got away several times. What was his deal?

The trees weren't thrashing. Jacob figured they were distracted by whatever lay just ahead of them. He was running almost straight toward their focus point, but there wasn't anything else he could do. He had a rough idea of where he needed to go, and that was back the way he'd come. Hopefully, he'd find Aloren and Seden. Hopefully, the witch wouldn't find them first.

Jacob kept Akeno's wrists pinned together with one hand. He used the other to push branches out of the way. Veering right, he widened the space between the oncoming danger and themselves.

As he tore through the forest, a snake flew out of the air in front of him, and he almost lost Akeno. Something caught his attention, and he stole a sidelong glance. Completely unprepared for what he saw, Jacob lost his balance and tumbled headlong into the brush. The dark, piercing eyes of a beautiful woman had locked with his. He rose to his knees, still holding Akeno. She was about a hundred feet away, the trees leaning over, almost touching the ground as they bowed to her.

She was clad in flowing white robes that billowed in the breeze. Her long, dark hair mingled with the robes drifting around her. She smiled mockingly at him, and it appeared as if she found his situation humorous. Her walk was graceful, and though she moved toward the house, when their eyes met, she stopped to face him.

"Danilo," she said in a whisper. Her voice was haunting, carrying across the distance with ease.

Akeno whimpered, and Jacob, distracted by the woman's beauty, realized he was probably squishing his prisoner. Tearing his eyes away from her gaze, Jacob saw fear written all over the poor Makalo's face. He looked at the woman again and saw that she was still watching him, though now she reached toward him, beckoning him to come.

Feeling an odd yearning to do so, Jacob got to his feet, hefting Akeno and brushing himself off with the hand that wasn't holding the Makalo. What was a beautiful woman like that doing alone in the forest? There were dangerous things here, and . . . and she obviously needed him. He could take care of her. He'd clean and fix up the manor. Everyone was probably just being pessimistic about the Lorkon. He took a step in her direction, but Akeno struggled on his shoulder, seemingly aware of what Jacob was doing.

Jacob scowled, then glanced at the lady, and she again beckoned.

He smiled at her. The picture she created was one of serenity and elegance. He wanted to look into her eyes and say something intelligent to make her like him. He took a step forward, but jumped when Akeno bit him and tried to escape.

"Stupid Makalo!" Jacob said, scrambling to cover Akeno's mouth and hold him in place.

The pain made him hesitate, however, and he frowned, struggling with himself internally. Something made him long to be near the woman. But then again . . . what had Seden and Aloren been talking about earlier? He couldn't quite remember. A gross feeling started in the pit of his stomach and spread to his heart. He blinked, his mind clearing, somewhat confused by the feeling. Something so beautiful and perfect couldn't be bad, could it? But there was that feeling again. _Take a step back_ , it warned him. He grunted, frustrated with the persistence of the ridiculous thought that was ruining his peaceful moment.

Finally recognizing that he couldn't ignore the warning, he closed his eyes, willing his intuition to tell him why he shouldn't go to her.

Logic briefly touched his mind. Seden had warned them about a witch here. The trees wanted to be near her, and they had been attacking him earlier. He scowled and opened his eyes. She was still there, patiently waiting. He glanced down at his arms, mildly surprised to see that the skin was still scratched and scraped from being attacked by limbs.

Jacob looked at her again, noticing for the first time the hundreds of snakes swirling around her ankles. Yeah, snakes had taken him to a room full of dead people. This woman was evil.

He took a step back, trying to gauge how she'd handle rejection. A look of anger crossed the woman's face. Again she beckoned, imploring him to come.

Shaking his head, unable to speak, he took another step back.

This time, an unmistakable expression of anger marred her exotic features. With a quick movement, she spread her arms, raised her face to the sky, and emitted a shrill, piercing scream.

A thick black cloud of air poured out of her mouth, made up of thousands of flying bugs and beetles that congregated around her. Dropping her head, she directed her scream toward Jacob, and the cloud came shooting across the distance between them.

# Chapter Eight

No longer hesitating, Jacob took off in the opposite direction, running as fast as his legs would go.

"Faster!" Akeno yelled, still slung over Jacob's shoulder.

Jacob _couldn't_ go faster--the trees were fighting again, snagging him and the Makalo. He jumped over logs, animal carcasses, and rocks, trying to get away from the woman and those black bugs.

The trees kept fighting him, but with less intensity. They were now bending toward something almost directly behind them.

Akeno yelled in fright, and Jacob, who thought he was already running as fast as he could, put on even more speed, nearly losing his balance in the process.

He heard shouting ahead, and when he rounded a large tree, he nearly slammed into Seden and Aloren. The man took one look behind Jacob and shrieked. He and Aloren turned and ran alongside Jacob. The smell of dead animals was overwhelming, and Jacob's head spun from the stench.

He looked up and could see the end of the forest fast approaching. Relief coursed through him. Only that much farther to go. He could make it--he _had_ to make it.

With one final push, he sailed through the last bit of forest at what felt like breakneck speed. A few strides past the forest edge, the buzzing sound dissipated, and he looked backward. The cloud of black had stopped exactly where the forest ended. There was no sign of the woman.

Jacob and the others ran another ten seconds before they couldn't go any farther. He released his hold on Akeno, who tumbled out of sight, and Jacob collapsed on his back in the tall grass alongside a trail.

After catching his breath, Jacob realized the scent of decay was fading. And he could see color again! He breathed deeply the warm fragrance of sunbaked grass and wildflowers. Rolling to his side, he reached over and grabbed a handful of the nearest flowers, pulling them out at the roots. He shoved them up against his nose, hoping the sweet aroma would remove the smell of rot that seemed to be forever imprinted on his brain.

A few minutes later, when his breathing had returned to normal, when his heart had slowed, and when he could no longer taste or smell death, he set the flowers aside and sprawled out on his back again. He gazed at the deep blue sky, unable to remember a time when he was more grateful to see color.

They'd only been resting for a couple of minutes when Seden ordered them onward. Jacob moaned inside, but Seden was right--they didn't have much time to get to the Lorkon castle.

He got to his feet, ignoring his exhausted limbs. Good thing he played basketball and was used to physical exertion.

Jacob admired the view in front of them--a little orchard in the shadow of a large and beautiful mountain--as he wondered what was going on back at home. How was Mom? Was she okay? Was she healing? Had she explained everything to Matt yet? And how were Amberly and Dad? Jacob clenched his fists. Oh, if the Lorkon hurt his baby sister, he'd destroy them.

He'd destroy them anyway for what they'd already done.

"This should take us to Aldo's cabin," Seden said, stepping onto the trail.

" _Should?_ " Aloren asked.

Seden nodded. "I've seen the cabin from on top of the mountain, but haven't ever been there. And apparently, no one has been able to reach Aldo in years--since the Makalos sealed themselves off from the rest of Eklaron."

Jacob frowned. "Okay, back up. You didn't finish telling me everything yesterday. The Makalos sealed themselves off? To protect themselves from the Lorkon?"

"Yes, in part," Seden said, "but mostly to guard the way to earth, where _you_ would be raised." He shaded his eyes, looking ahead, possibly trying to spot the cabin. "There it is--let's pick up our speed."

The others didn't complain, and Jacob wasn't about to be bested by a girl and a Makalo. "Go on," he said. "Keep talking."

"The Makalos haven't had communication with anyone outside their village in years--since sealing themselves off. As a result, all their allies eventually faded away. Well, almost all of them. I only recently learned about Aldo, but I've known Gallus nearly my entire life." He looked at Jacob. "I'm from Macaria, the city where Gallus keeps his store."

Jacob nodded, acting like he knew who Gallus was. "Why did the Makalos open themselves up to the rest of Eklaron again?"

"They didn't. The Lorkon attacked, demolishing their barrier. Everyone knew the Lorkon were still searching for you and King Dmitri. If we'd known where the Makalos had gone--and that they hadn't been completely destroyed, as we'd assumed--you can bet we'd have done a better job acting as distractions."

Jacob wasn't sure how to respond. Half of him wished none of this had happened, that he could've gone on with his life without ever knowing about this other world. But the other half wished he'd known his whole life who he really was. That he didn't even come from earth. He still couldn't believe it. It was so ridiculous that his parents hadn't told him.

"I don't get it," he said, trying to control his frustration. "What were my parents trying to protect me from?"

Seden sighed as they approached the cabin. "I wish I had the answer to that. I suspect they worried about the intentions of the Lorkon. From what has happened recently, I think they may have been right. Though, if I'd been involved, you would have known about your heritage by now." He turned to Jacob. "Hopefully, when we leave Aldo's cabin, we'll have more information. Either way, I'll fill you in on the Lorkon--what to expect, how they act, all of that."

Jacob thanked him, then noticed smoke coming from the cabin's chimney. "Someone's home," he said. "What's our goal here? Why are we stopping by?"

"To learn as much about the Key of Kilenya as possible," Seden said. "Our mission is to get it." He held up his hands. "We'll rescue your father and sister too, but that has to happen after we find the key--we'll use it to get them out."

"Why is this key so important?" Jacob asked.

"Because it gives the user the power to open any door anywhere. Not only that, but it creates links between locations and worlds."

"And the Lorkon have it now? That's bad."

Seden nodded. "Yes, it is. Several years ago, spells were placed on it. The hope is that the Lorkon won't be able to use it. In order to understand how to strengthen those spells, we need to understand more about them, and since Aldo helped put the spells on the key, he should be able to tell us more." He motioned to the cabin. "Let's go see what he has to say."

# Chapter Nine

Akeno tapped Seden on the arm. "I'm here for a reason--let me check the surrounding area. We don't want to get trapped in the cabin if something comes to attack."

Seden raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You? Check the area?"

"I'm a Makalo," Akeno said, as if that would explain everything. When he was met with blank stares, he said, "Makalos have a connection to living things. I can ask the trees if there are any dangerous creatures nearby."

Seden blinked. "Oh, okay. Good idea. Go ahead."

Akeno stepped to one of the little fruit trees that surrounded the cabin. He reached his left hand to the tree, touching the bark with his ring finger, then visibly relaxed. "No danger here."

Seden thanked him and knocked on the door. After a moment, it opened. An old man with a large nose, a sparse, scraggly beard, and frizzy gray hair poked his head out. "Squirrels said the clock was today?"

Seden cleared his throat. "We're looking for Aldo. Is that you?"

The man straightened and put his hand on his chest. "Aldo is me? Of course it is! The smile was pretty today." He glanced at Jacob. "Why didn't you take it?"

"Take what?" Jacob exchanged a glance with the others. "I don't get it."

"Sometimes, when purple raspberries come, they win plates. And you're happy to be yesterday!" The old man's lips lifted in a huge grin, revealing crooked, dirty teeth. "Children, children, children. Why even try? Squirrels are so much more effective."

Everyone looked at each other again, and Jacob raised his eyebrow. This was weird.

Aldo beckoned them into the cabin, ushering them to chairs next to a table. The front room, which doubled as a dining room, was small and dingy.

Sitting down, the old man picked up a teapot and motioned toward some cups on the table. "Stop here with bottles? I wouldn't have gone to the store for a pixie if I were you."

"Uh, no thanks," Jacob said, wondering how long ago the man had lost his senses. No wonder everyone had forgotten about him--he really _was_ crazy.

"Oh, I forgot! Ladies! It means that they themselves once walked. Or maybe it was magic. Or perhaps it was that they couldn't leave home if they wanted it."

"Sure," Aloren said.

Jacob looked around the room, noticing that the walls were covered with knickknacks, pots, and a few old photographs. Photographs? Jacob wished he was sitting closer so he could inspect them. Trying to remain focused on the here and now, he turned his attention back to their host, but caught himself staring at the man's extremely large nose. He quickly looked away, realizing too late that he should have been more discreet.

Aldo nodded. "The same place I'd be without my dazzling smile."

Jacob noticed that Aldo was staring at him as well, but with an almost knowing expression. He avoided the old man's gaze and instead glanced at Akeno, who had a big grin on his face. Jacob bumped Akeno's leg under the table, hoping to discourage him from saying or doing anything to tease the old man. The expression on the Makalo's face looked like he was contemplating it.

Seden cleared his throat. "This is probably futile, but we were wondering what you can tell us about the Key of Kilenya."

"The sunset is really cool. But if the dispenser's broken--now, that's irreplaceable."

Jacob sighed. They were wasting their time.

The old man stood, knocking his chair over in the process, and left the room through a door in the back wall. Jacob heard him moving things around. Everyone jumped at the sound of a loud crash, followed by a yell and a stream of angry words.

Jacob snickered. "I understood _that_ ," he whispered.

When Aldo returned, he was carrying a bucket of nuts. He grabbed one of them, showed it to Jacob, and laughed, saying, "Squirrels don't come here. I'll show you why." Then he threw the nut at Jacob.

Jacob jumped out of his chair. "Hey! That hurt!"

"You too?" Aldo turned to Akeno, but Akeno was too fast for him and jumped out of the way.

Jacob couldn't help but laugh at the devastated look on the old man's face when he realized he hadn't hit his target.

Aldo's expression turned to one of anger. He put the bucket down, grabbed a handful of nuts, and chucked them at top speed, hitting everyone. Then he laughed gleefully and jumped up and down, clapping his hands.

"Let's get out of here," Jacob said. "He's insane."

# Chapter Ten

Jacob and the others ran outside, doing their best to dodge the nuts that were being flung at them. It only took a couple of seconds to reach the main trail. Looking over his shoulder, Jacob saw that the old man continued throwing nuts, even though the group had already gone a fair distance.

"I think it's safe to say the rumors about him are accurate," Jacob said as they headed toward switchbacks that led up the side of the mountain.

"Sadly, it would seem so," Seden said. "We should let Kenji and the other Makalos know." He glanced at Akeno.

Akeno nodded. While walking, he removed a metal container from his knapsack, opening it. Early, the miniature person Jacob had seen the day before, stepped out and smiled at Akeno.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Would you take a message back to my father, letting him know that we found Aldo but couldn't talk to him? He acted crazy. He's definitely not the same person my parents knew."

Early frowned. "Poor man. I'll be back."

With a bright flash of light, she disappeared.

"What is she?" Jacob asked Akeno, stepping over a large branch that had fallen across the path. "And why are you keeping her locked up in that thing?"

"She's a Minya," Aloren said, not waiting for Akeno to get over his bashfulness. "They're picky little creatures here who act as messengers. Not terribly reliable. Very ditsy. Not all are like that, but the vast majority are."

Akeno frowned. "Early has been helping my family for a very long time. She's a wonderful Minya." He glanced at Jacob, his face red. "I keep her in the container so I don't have to search for her all the time. Minyas get very distracted when they smell honey and berries, etc. Calling them back takes time, so it's easier to keep her in her container. Don't worry, she's basically a pet--not intelligent like a human or Makalo--so it doesn't make her feel imprisoned."

That made sense. Jacob was thinking of her like a real person, just smaller. "How does she fly without wings?"

"They use their magic as a way to maneuver," Aloren said, walking alongside Jacob and Akeno, "and choose what does and doesn't affect them. Gravity, resistance, laws of physics--things like that."

Seden glanced back at them. "They don't _choose_. Rather, the laws of physics don't apply to them. Their magic makes them invincible to anything that might cause a resistance. There are drawbacks to using their magic, though. In order to travel quickly, a Minya must have been to, or seen, the place where he or she is headed. The magic draws on their memories and propels them forward, taking them to their destination. If they don't know where the place is located, it can be very dangerous, since the magic will then take the shortest route, which is sometimes through solid objects."

Early returned with another flash of light. "They're saddened and upset to hear about Aldo. And they want an update on what has happened since you left."

Akeno gave her one, including the manor he and Jacob had encountered, the woman, and the snakes. Early thanked him and disappeared.

Jacob frowned. "Okay, so, her magic helps her come and go, and if she hasn't been somewhere, she can't go to it? How does that work? It sounds like Minyas wouldn't ever go anywhere, if that was the case."

"Only when traveling by magic. If she's flying without the aid of her powers, she can go wherever she wants. It just takes more time."

Early returned and looked at Jacob expectantly. "Ebony wants to know what the woman said to you."

"I . . ." Jacob thought back, almost stopping as the trail continued going upward. He could picture that woman--could see her mouthing the word, but nothing came to mind. Everything had happened so quickly. He frowned. "I can't remember."

Early relayed the message to the Makalos. "They said to let them know if and when you do remember," she said. "It could be very important."

Jacob agreed to do so, and Akeno helped Early back into her container, which he shut and put inside his knapsack. He saw Jacob watching him and gave a shy smile. "Minya containers are lined with Kaede sap, keeping the Minyas healthy and comfortable. She's not miserable in hers."

"Kaede sap!" Jacob said. "My mom said she needed some yesterday. What does it do?"

"It has healing properties," Seden said, leading the way up the first set of switchbacks. "A Makalo hundreds of years ago discovered it, and they've harvested it since. It comes from a type of maple tree. In fact, the first time you're around it, you'll notice a syrup smell. The taste is awful, so beware if you ever have to drink any. It has been hugely beneficial, and I'm glad the Makalos have allowed us to bring some."

Akeno sent an apologetic expression to Seden. "There aren't a lot of Kaede trees around Taga Village, and it takes a long time to harvest the sap. I'm sorry we weren't able to bring more."

"Oh, you don't need to apologize," Seden said. "I'm just grateful we have access to it."

The group fell silent for a few steps as they hiked. The trail wasn't too difficult. The mountainside sloped gently upward, and the path followed naturally.

Seden glanced back at Jacob. "I don't know what I've explained well enough. Do you have any questions?"

"Tell me about the Lorkon," Jacob said immediately.

# Chapter Eleven

"They're horrible and very powerful," Seden said. "They're taller than humans, nearing nine feet. Their teeth are stained black and yellow. They run fast and are extraordinarily strong, both physically and mentally. So strong, they don't have need for weapons."

He shook his head slowly. "This is bad, but the most disturbing feature of the Lorkon is their skin. It's blood red and is constantly chafing and peeling. They infect whatever they touch with horrendous diseases, and the blood that oozes from the cracks in their skin burns like acid."

Seden shuddered, rubbing his shoulder.

"That's awful," Jacob said. "And they have my dad and little sister?" His heart pounded, thinking about the nightmares Amberly was being put through. She was only nine. He resolved again to stop the Lorkon, regardless of how powerful they were. He _would_ put a stop to their tyranny.

"Yes. And you have to get the key from them. Without the key, the chances of you escaping are nearly zero. Remember, we can't attack them. We'll lose if we do. The Lorkon are immortal and invincible. We discovered this during the last war."

"Great," Jacob said. He refused to be discouraged by the information, though, and instead of dwelling more on the Lorkon, decided to change the subject. "What role did you play in that war?"

"I was an officer. All my men were destroyed. I was _lucky_ --I got injured before the Lorkon attacked my unit."

The sarcasm was heavy in his voice, and Jacob wondered just how "lucky" Seden really felt. "Do you have a family?"

Seden took a breath and let it out slowly. "I did. Before the Lorkon. You'll find that's common--millions were killed. Most who survived lost everyone dear to them."

Jacob concentrated on hiking for a moment, trying to figure out how to word his next question. He finally decided just to ask it. "Kenji mentioned you all had a motivation for taking me. What was yours?"

Seden didn't respond for a while, and Jacob worried he'd gone too far. Before he had a chance to take back his question, the man finally responded.

"There's some backstory to understand before I get to the motivation part. I hope you'll forgive me for sharing it."

"Go ahead--I need the info."

"As I said, the Makalos sealed themselves off for many years. They didn't even attempt to contact anyone outside their village for fear word would spread and the Lorkon would find them. When their spies realized the Lorkon were getting closer and closer to discovering their location, they sent a Minya to Gallus--first, to find out if their former ally was still alive, and second, to send word that they were looking to hire someone who was skilled enough to find you and bring you to them.

"It was a delicate balance they were hoping to strike. King Dmitri had refused to educate you, and the Makalos knew his decision was putting everyone in danger. They risked their king's ire by seeking to bring you to their village." Seden hesitated. "I'm getting off track from motivations."

"I really don't mind," Jacob said. "It's all good stuff to know." He wished the Makalos had tried to find him earlier.

"When the Makalos sent notice that they were wanting to hire someone, the Lorkon caught wind, figured out where the Makalos had hidden, and broke into the village to steal the key. The moment the Makalos found that the key was missing, they acted quickly and changed their original search for help. They knew they'd need a guide--"

"Or two," Aloren said.

"Or two," Seden repeated, "who had strong motivation to get to Maivoryl City--beyond just money. The Lorkon are persuasive, and the Makalos didn't want to risk their guides being swayed or chickening out. A wise decision."

Seden fell silent for a moment, then said, "Without the key, we can't defeat the Lorkon. And the Makalos didn't want the Lorkon to figure that out. Or the fact that they can't use the key, because things would get violent. Which they have." He paused, looking back at Jacob. "No one but you can use the key."

Jacob felt the blood drain from his face. "Why only me?"

"There are rumors that the spells placed on the key revolve around you, making it impossible for the key to function for anyone _but_ you."

"Why would Aldo and the Makalos do that? Did they _want_ me to die?"

Seden shook his head. "A lot of hope has been placed in you, our Forsaken Prince. King Dmitri wanted to raise you to be a warrior strong enough to destroy the Lorkon, and having you be the only one who could use the key helped protect it and helped your position of power. The people will be more willing to follow you if you have the key. I think Dmitri lost track of that goal, though. No offense to you, of course."

"None taken," Jacob grumbled. He remembered Dad trying to teach him to sword fight when he was younger, but Dad had gotten busy with work, and with all the frequent trips he and Mom went on, there were other things to stress about. Jacob wished that hadn't ended up being the case. He _definitely_ wished he'd known why Dad had wanted him to learn the sword. He would have taken it much more seriously.

Possibly sensing Jacob's frustration, Seden asked, "Shall we take a break?"

No one objected, and they sat and pulled out food. Jacob pushed aside his thoughts and tried to admire the view. Smoke rose from Aldo's chimney below, the sun was bright overhead, making the waving grasses extra green, and with the forests and gently rolling hills, he found himself wanting to take a picture. He powered up his phone and snapped a couple before shutting his phone down and putting it away.

If anyone thought the device was weird, they didn't say anything. And actually . . . "Why do you guys talk so much like people from earth?" he asked.

"Sister planet," Aloren said in a singsong voice probably meant to annoy Jacob.

It did. So Jacob refused to acknowledge her.

Akeno surprised him by speaking. "Yes, Eklaron is a sister planet to earth--English is the predominant language of Gevkan, and we've had connections to earth for hundreds of years. As you know, there's a link near Taga Village, so Makalos have gone there several times. We're not the only ones, though. I've been told that Aldo used to visit regularly. He'd bring back all sorts of gadgets, and Makalos would power those gadgets with their Rezend."

"Rezend?" Jacob asked.

"The Makalo magic," Akeno said, glancing at Seden and Aloren. He flushed when he saw they were paying attention.

Jacob realized for the first time that the Makalo wasn't familiar with either of them. He wasn't shy just because of Jacob, but because of _all_ of them.

"So . . ." Jacob said to Seden, trying to take the focus off Akeno. The Makalo probably wasn't going to say anything more. He'd have to ask him about his magic when there wasn't as much of an audience. "Motivation?"

"Oh, right," Seden responded. "My father's things are in Maivoryl City--everything he taught and learned and experimented with is there. He was an inventor. I've been trying to get back for nearly eighteen years. I know it sounds shallow, but I'm positive some of his inventions would be worth something now. Money aside, I simply want to have the items in my possession again because they belonged to him. I miss my father. He died when the Lorkon first attacked, before you were born."

"Okay, makes sense." Jacob glanced at Aloren. He was curious--he wanted to know what made his companions tick. "Am I allowed to ask what your motivation is?"

She rolled her eyes. "You can ask, but that doesn't mean I'll answer." She stood, putting her food away. "It's none of your business, okay?"

She started up the trail without a backward glance.

Seden sighed. "She'll come around eventually."

"One can only hope," Jacob muttered loud enough for Seden and Akeno to hear, but not Aloren.

They got to their feet and followed Aloren. Jacob munched on beef jerky as he went, wishing they'd had more of a break and vowing never to ask Aloren anything personal again.

# Chapter Twelve

They hadn't been hiking for long when the path began rising sharply, and the switchbacks cut deeply into the side of the mountain, causing a sheer drop on one side. In several sections, parts of the path had crumbled away, leaving only a few inches to stand on. In many places, Jacob and the others had to grab branches and bushes to pull themselves up, hugging the side of the cliff. Eventually, they reached the top where the path crested over the foothills and turned left, veering to the east.

"We'll be coming to the mud bubbles soon," Seden said. He glanced back at Jacob. "It'll take about half an hour to cross them. It can be dangerous, but I've traveled across them several times. As long as we're careful, we should be fine."

The trail curved a couple of times around huge rocks. There weren't many trees here, and the view was amazing. Jacob could even see the manor.

Strange-looking wildflowers grew in patches on both sides of the trail, and he picked one to examine it while walking. It was a type he'd never seen before, with bright blue petals and soft thistles on the stems and leaves. He noticed something odd and frowned at it. "That's weird. Are the petals moving?"

"Yes, they are," Seden said. "That's how they attract bees. The petals are edible, with a spicy-sweet flavor. They're a favorite in Macaria. It does take a bit to get over the feel of them wiggling in your mouth, though."

Jacob grimaced. "That's really gross."

"It's disconcerting, yes," Seden said, adjusting the strap on his knapsack. "Of course, if you're out on the road and don't have anything else to eat, you'll take what you can get, right?"

"I guess so," Jacob said.

He paused, staring at the trail ahead of them. The flowers and trees abruptly ended, and the ground was shiny and bubbly looking. It was a brown-gray color, with no inclines of any sort. As he continued walking closer, he noticed it looked as though someone had poured a layer of smooth cake mix over everything. He took a step onto it--the path was barely visible--and his foot crunched through an inch or so of dried mud. It felt like stepping on dead leaves.

"I present you with the mud bubbles," Seden said. "It's the last of four elemental traps that Dmitri went through, placed by the Lorkon to stop him. The castle the Lorkon now reside in was once the king's castle. The Lorkon stole the princess from that castle, then ran away, placing traps as they went. We're following their steps, but in reverse."

"What were the traps?" Jacob asked.

"One was a great waterfall, the second was scented air that people got stuck in forever, and the third was a Fire Pulser--a creature that, well, pulses fire. This is the last one. When Dmitri encountered it, it was boiling mud." He shifted his knapsack. "Be cautious. I'll do my best to guide everyone across, but there's no guarantee that we won't be injured." He glanced at Aloren. "Have you come this way before?"

She shook her head. "I took the long way from Macaria to the Makalo village. Didn't want to deal with the Lorkon traps."

"Probably a good idea."

Following Seden and walking carefully, Jacob soon got accustomed to the crunching sounds under his feet. The farther they walked, the bigger the bubbles got, and the path became impossible to distinguish. Eventually, Seden began kicking or pushing through the sides of the bigger bubbles, making way for the rest to follow. The going wasn't very difficult, and they made good progress for a while.

After ten minutes, the sides of the bubbles became more and more difficult to break through, and they took turns leading. Jacob's arms and legs soon tired from the exertion, and eventually they reached a bubble no one could break. It was about four feet tall and five or six feet wide.

"Each time I come, the groups I'm with are able to break through a little farther," Seden said. "We'll need to climb up and walk on the tops of them now."

"You're kidding," Aloren said.

Seden shook his head. "Akeno, as the lightest one here, you'll lead the way. Aloren next, then Jacob. I'll take up the rear and guide as best I can from there."

He put a hand on the Makalo's shoulder. "The most important thing to watch out for is holes. If a bubble has a hole or crack anywhere on it, avoid it. Choose a different one to walk on."

Akeno's face paled. "What happens if someone breaks through?"

Seden's mouth set in a thin line. "We pray for survival. The bubbles will get bigger and bigger, which means a longer fall if the shells break. They're not the only thing to fear here, though."

It looked like he wanted to say more, but he didn't. Jacob almost asked him to spill what he knew, but the expression on Seden's face stopped him. Maybe just knowing there were other dangers would be enough.

After hesitating a moment longer, Akeno turned to face the hardened mud, and with a boost from Seden, got on top. He started forward, moving out of the way, and Aloren hoisted herself up, followed by Jacob and Seden. Aloren stayed a full bubble behind Akeno, and Jacob gave her a good lead before also beginning to cross the stuff.

The sun was in the afternoon position, warming the breeze uncomfortably, and Jacob was glad his skin wasn't the kind that burned easily. Things would have been so miserable if it was.

Akeno stopped, holding up a hand. "There's a hole--no one move. I'm going to find another way around." He inched past the hole, peered down, and then stiffened. "Uh . . . guys?" He looked back. "The bubble we're standing on is at least thirty feet deep."

# Chapter Thirteen

Jacob straightened, his heart clenching. "It is?" Even with the warmth from the sun, his hands turned to ice and a cold sweat sent shivers down his back. He tried not to picture falling those thirty feet.

Akeno led them around, and Jacob was relieved when he saw there weren't any holes in the next bubble. He looked out over the shells in front of them, discouraged at just how much they still had to cover. "We're barely halfway."

"Yes," Seden said, "and it will probably take another hour to cross."

Resolving not to focus on how far they had to go, Jacob concentrated on maintaining a safe distance between himself and Aloren. The larger the bubbles got, the bigger that distance became, though, and he didn't like how spread apart their group was getting.

He was making his way over a very large bubble when a cracking sound came from under him. He stopped and watched in dismay as a line shot across the surface, starting at his foot.

Jacob didn't have time to react before the crust below him gave way. He gasped, eyes widening as he clutched at the air, trying to find something, _anything_ , to hold on to. He tipped backward and fell, the shell breaking as his body hit it. He was aware of Aloren's scream, the bright sun in his eyes, and the scent of mud.

Cold, damp air rushed past him, making a roar in his ears as he gained speed in his descent. With a thud, he landed on solid ground, and the wind whooshed out of his lungs. Everything threatened to go black. He forced his eyes open, and a dull ache built in his chest.

"Jacob!" someone screamed.

He tried to pull in the air he needed to breathe. It wouldn't come, and panic washed over him. How far had he fallen? Everything was dark except for a small shaft of light that came in through the hole above him.

His chest was on fire. The pressure built and built until finally, with a gasp, he drew in a ragged, painful breath.

"I'm okay," he called out weakly. Was he?

Jacob tested all of his limbs--they each responded, and without pain. But when he tried to sit up, fire raced across his chest again. He must have broken a rib. Or several, judging by how painful it was to move.

With difficulty, he rolled over and sat up, gasping for breath, working through the pain. His eyes widened when he saw a crumpled body near him. Aloren had fallen too--had her bubble broken when Jacob's did? The hole above didn't look that big.

Her eyes were shut, her body unmoving. Jacob crawled to her, doing his best to ignore the agony ripping across his torso. Dark liquid dripped from a wound on her forehead, and judging by the awkward position of her body, she'd broken several bones. Was she even alive?

Panic made Jacob's hand shake as he checked for a pulse. He'd never been around a dead person before, and though he didn't really like Aloren, he definitely didn't want her dead. "Please, please be alive," he whispered.

It took a moment to find the right spot in her neck, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a faint heartbeat.

Shuffling and grunting sounds reached Jacob's ears. He looked around and felt his insides twist into knots. Several huge forms moved in the shadows, circling them just outside the ring of light.

"Hello?" he yelled toward the hole above. "Is anyone there? We're not alone down here."

What did Seden know about these creatures? Why hadn't he warned them better?

The grunting grew louder, and Jacob stumbled to his feet, curling an arm around his side. He refused to face whatever was coming sitting down.

He kept his eye on the closest form and blinked when a man's hand became visible. What the . . .? The body it came from was definitely _not_ human. The creature stepped forward, and Jacob gasped. It was a bear--or something very similar to one--with human hands and feet. Thick brown fur covered it snout to ankles, and the eyes, ears, and nose definitely belonged to a bear.

It roared, and all similarities to a bear disappeared. The roar was like fingernails on a chalkboard times a thousand. The tongue was forked, and the teeth were green and long, like a saber-toothed tiger.

The bear-like beast pounced, its movement eerily similar to a cat's, and before Jacob could react, it had knocked him to the ground.

He gasped through the pain, doing everything he could to keep those teeth away from his face. Adrenaline shot through his system, pushing the pain away and giving him more strength than he could have found without it.

With a grunt, he rolled out from under the bear-thing, flinging it to the side away from Aloren. It was much lighter than a bear should have been, and he couldn't help but wonder why.

He growled when more of the creatures rushed him. He didn't have time to concentrate, to think, to wonder how best to defend himself and the unconscious girl. Jacob practically danced around her, keeping the beasts back, throwing stones and pieces of broken bubble at them and tossing them away when they got close. They formed a tight circle around him, coming closer and closer.

Sweat trickled down his face and into his eyes, blurring his vision.

A bear grabbed Jacob's arm, yanking him away from Aloren just as one of them jumped on top of her, teeth flashing.

A loud crack--like a rifle going off--echoed through the bubble, and all the monsters around Jacob crumpled. Ears ringing, he looked up, shielding his eyes from the bright light that hadn't been there before.

"Give me a minute, and I'll get you out of there," Akeno called down.

Jacob frowned. How was the little Makalo going to do anything from up there? Rope wouldn't attach to the bubbles, and he wasn't nearly strong enough to pull without help. Where was Seden?

Jacob jumped back when Aloren disappeared. "What the crap?"

"Sorry," Akeno said. "I'll explain when we get you somewhere safe."

Something from the shadows grabbed at Jacob's back, clinging to his shirt and yanking him off his feet. He slammed against the ground and yelled out at the daggers of pain stabbing into his chest. He twisted to grapple with the bear that held him. Not all of them had fallen unconscious, apparently.

Jacob struggled against the grip, struggled against the pain. The edges of his vision started turning black. It took him a moment to notice he was being dragged across the unmoving creatures. Where was the thing taking him?

A new level of pain washed over him when he was lifted from the ground. The bear made a confused sound, and Jacob forced his eyes open. They both were moving upward at an incredibly rapid pace.

The sunlight rushed nearer, and once again, Jacob was above the bubbles, the heat of the sun bearing down on him. He shut his eyes against the glare. Akeno's voice was loud and it surrounded him, hurting his ears. "Okay, I'm going to make you big again."

Jacob blinked. _Make me big again?_

He had a split second to notice his surroundings.

He and the bear were in Akeno's _hand_.

# Chapter Fourteen

With another rush of wind and light, Jacob was on solid ground again. He stumbled backward, falling to his butt just as Seden jumped forward, knives in hand.

Seden and the bear grappled for a minute, then the bear dropped to the ground.

"It's dead," Seden said, panting over the creature, his knives covered in blood. "That was much easier than it should have been. Surprise was definitely on my side." He glanced at Jacob. "Are you okay?"

"I think I've got some broken ribs--can barely breathe." The adrenaline was still pumping through his system, and he hoped it would stick around for a while. The pain was there, but nowhere near as strong as it had been earlier.

"Let's get some Kaede sap on you," Seden said, offering his hand to Jacob. "You're going to be very miserable soon."

Jacob accepted the older man's hand, letting him pull him up. He looked back across the bubbles, watching as Akeno gingerly made his way toward them.

"What happened?" Jacob circled the bear, inspecting it. By all accounts, it was a bear--apart from the mouth, hands, and feet.

"You fell in first, followed by Aloren and me. Our bubbles were weakened when yours collapsed. Akeno helped me first, then shrank Aloren and put her in Early's Minya container to heal before shrinking you and the Rog."

Jacob's head started spinning. "He shrank us?" He didn't need to ask what a Rog was--he'd had firsthand experience with one now.

"Yes. All part of being a Makalo. Their magic doesn't just allow them control over living things. It also includes the power to make things smaller and bigger. That ability is exceptionally rare in Makalos now, though it was quite common a couple hundred years ago. From what I've heard, Akeno is something of a legend amongst the Makalos. It's why they sent him--he's much, much more powerful than the others."

Jacob looked at Akeno in this new light. "You're pretty cool, you know that?" he said when Akeno joined them.

Akeno flushed. "Thanks." He smiled. "Should we continue?"

Seden pointed at Jacob. "He needs Kaede sap."

Akeno's blush deepened. "Oh, sorry, I should have asked. Where were you injured?"

"I think I broke a couple of ribs."

The Rogs awakened below, and Jacob breathed a sigh of relief when it became apparent that they couldn't reach him or the others. Now that he was out of danger, though, the pain was coming back in huge waves that made him feel like throwing up. With some difficulty, he removed his shirt, grateful he was wearing a button-up one. Pulling a tee shirt over his head would have been agony.

Seden tsked when he saw Jacob's side. "Bruising already. Too bad Minya containers can only hold one person at a time--you could definitely use some healing too." He glanced at Akeno. "Should we get off the bubbles first or take care of him now?"

Akeno bit his lip. "It would be safer to do it where we aren't running the risk of falling."

Jacob was afraid he'd say that. "Let's go, then. The faster we get off this stuff, the quicker we can get to my dad."

# Chapter Fifteen

It took another twenty minutes for them to reach the end of the bubbles. Jacob was grateful that nothing happened during that time--especially with his awful balance.

Akeno taught Jacob and Seden how to mix the Kaede sap in case either of them ever needed to know how. The syrup-smelling stuff was dried down to a powder that was reconstituted with water when needed. Apparently, if not dried, it went bad fairly quickly. After water was added, strips of cloth were saturated in the liquid and then wrapped around the injury.

While wrapping himself, Jacob asked where Early had gone, since Aloren was using her container.

"She's hanging out in my knapsack," Akeno said. "I have to be extra careful with it until Aloren is healed and Early can get back in her container."

Almost immediately after they'd applied the cloths to Jacob, a wave of exhaustion rolled over him. It was so severe, he could barely keep his eyes open.

Akeno noticed. "Kaede sap works best when the person is sleeping, so it makes him or her tired. It'll heal you while you're awake, just not as quickly."

"We don't have time for me to sleep." Jacob's words slurred from the tiredness.

"Nope," Seden said. "You're going to have to push through it and aim to sleep it off tonight."

The man started walking, and Akeno followed, Jacob stumbling after, clutching his chest when the familiar pain raced over him.

"I'm still hurting."

Akeno glanced back at him apologetically. "And you will until you're healed. Kaede sap doesn't numb pain."

"Great," Jacob said.

Not only was the pain nearly overwhelming, but he was practically drugged on top of it. How was he going to get to that stupid castle on time? Apparently, not easily.

After ten minutes of Jacob trying to walk without tripping, Seden ended up next to him with Akeno leading the way.

"I should have helped you walk from the start," the man said. "Sorry about that."

"Would it be faster if we stopped and slept and then caught up later?" Jacob asked.

Seden shook his head. "We don't know how many ribs you broke. The length of time you need to sleep in order to heal depends on the severity of your injury." He glanced at Akeno. "How long do you think he'd need?"

"One broken bone usually requires several hours," Akeno said. "Even if he only has the one, by the time he wakes up, it would be too dark to travel. Better to push through it."

"How long does it take to get to the Lorkon castle?" Jacob asked.

"About two days, if we don't take any breaks," Seden said. "The Lorkon knew what they were doing when they gave you that deadline."

Jacob grimaced. "We're not going to make it." Oh, his poor dad. He couldn't even think about what would happen if they didn't get there fast enough. "And there aren't any shortcuts? Nothing else we can do? Borrow horses? Find a hypogriff and fly?"

Akeno snorted. "Hypogriffs don't really exist."

"I know, but is there _anything_ else we can do?"

"Seden?" Akeno asked the man.

Seden frowned, concentrating on where his feet fell. He didn't respond for a moment. "Yes, there's a faster way. But it's dangerous under ideal circumstances and deadly otherwise."

Jacob stopped and turned to him. "Have you gone that way?"

Seden nodded. "Twice. We lost members of our party each time."

"How big were the parties?"

"Twenty men."

"And how many people died?"

"Two, both times."

Jacob frowned, thinking. "Could the three of us--and Aloren, when she wakes up--make it?"

An uneasy expression crossed Seden's face.

"Please, Seden. The Lorkon have my dad and baby sister. I've got to get to them." Jacob couldn't even think of his sister being there. Would the Lorkon make her watch their dad get tortured? Nausea rolled up the back of his throat.

Seden took a deep breath. "Yes . . . we could make it." He shook his head. "You have to understand, though, Jacob. It is exceptionally dangerous. It's a tunnel through Sonda Lake. Sonda Lake houses hundreds of deadly species, several of which have never been bested by a human. If we get through, it would be a sheer miracle." He closed his eyes. "I won't make this decision--as prince, it is yours." He opened his eyes, gazing at Jacob. "My judgment insists we take the safer, slower path, even with your father at risk. But we will do what you choose."

Jacob rubbed the back of his neck. "No pressure, huh?"

Seden half smiled, but didn't respond.

"If things start looking ugly, would we be able to turn around and go the long way?"

Seden shrugged. "That puts more time on our traveling."

Jacob nodded. "I think it's worth the risk."

With the decision made, the three of them continued down the trail. The pain in Jacob's chest made his eyes smart, especially when he stumbled from exhaustion. He couldn't help but wonder why they'd given him Kaede sap--why they couldn't have waited until it was nighttime.

When he asked, Seden said, "You wouldn't have had enough time to heal. It's best to give the process a head start."

Akeno agreed. "Waking someone who is sleeping with the help of Kaede sap is really difficult. If we did it before you were fully healed, you'd be in pain and _much_ groggier than you are now. So giving it to you ahead of time helps. It really does."

Realizing he was in the best situation he could be given the circumstances, Jacob resolved not to complain or show his companions the pain he was in. No use making things worse for all of them.

As they neared a turn in the path, though, he was startled when a negative feeling passed over him.

# Chapter Sixteen

A few steps later, Jacob felt it again. He looked around, sure it hadn't come from inside him. What was bothering him? Was it the valley they'd entered after leaving the mud bubbles?

Akeno and Seden seemed unaffected, but the feeling got stronger until Jacob paused, not sure if it was a warning to leave or a warning to get off the path. Akeno, who was walking behind them now, ran into Jacob, apparently caught off guard by the sudden stop.

"Sorry, I need to figure something out," Jacob said. "Do you guys feel that?"

"Feel what?" Seden asked.

"The--the negative stuff."

"No . . . I don't. You, Akeno?"

Akeno shook his head. "Nothing has changed."

After standing still for a moment or two longer, the discomfort increased. A gross feeling now came with it, making Jacob want to wash his hands, and all he could think about was getting out of the valley. He started walking again, almost grateful for the distraction, but wanting to move on anyway.

The path entered a narrow little canyon, and Jacob felt the negativity leave him. He breathed a sigh of relief, then focused all his attention on making his way down the canyon without further injury.

"Everything better now?" Seden asked.

"Yes," Jacob said. "That was weird." It reminded him of the way he felt whenever he did something wrong. Guilt, almost, as though he'd just finished swearing up a storm at his mom.

Once they got out of the canyon, it was too dark to travel anymore, so they decided to set up camp. That was when Jacob finally realized that he'd lost his knapsack when he fell. He'd been so tired and in so much pain he hadn't thought about it.

"That's bad," Seden said. "We need the food your bag held."

"Sorry--"

Seden hushed Jacob with a hand motion. "It's not your fault. We'll have to stop by Macaria and get more food, especially with Aloren's bag shrunk with her. It adds more time to our journey, but since the tunnels in Sonda Lake start in Macaria, not much."

"Doesn't Gallus live in Macaria?" Akeno asked. "My parents wanted us to see him anyway, if possible."

"So, it's decided," Seden said.

Once Akeno had the hut set up--just one this time--they all went to bed.

Jacob woke exhausted and groggy, but completely out of pain. He stretched, wondering at the fact that there wasn't even residual pain.

"Kaede sap is pretty amazing," he said.

"Glad you think so," Seden said. He glanced at Jacob. "I wasn't sure you were finished sleeping it off and let you go two hours longer than I should have. We're going to need to make up as much of the lost time as possible."

And with that, they headed down the trail. The farther they went, the more the view opened up, revealing a huge valley almost completely framed by large mountains. Near the middle was a lake with dark green water. The mountains on its left rose sharply with no gradual incline, making the scenery even more dramatic. Jacob remembered seeing pictures of the fjords in Norway, but they didn't compare to this. It was beautiful.

There were three cities visible--one on this end of the lake, one to the right of the lake, and one--difficult to see--on the far side.

Jacob studied that far city, noticing it had a weird look to it. It was dirty and smudged, as though there was a cloud hanging over it, even though the sky was cloudless. The outline of a large, dark castle was visible. A nervous feeling hit him in the pit of the stomach and he realized he was probably looking at the castle where the Lorkon lived. His palms started sweating when he thought about his dad and sister trapped there. Was he going to get there on time? And if he did, what happened next? He was supposed to be exchanged for Amberly. No one had even brought that up, and it made Jacob a bit nervous.

"What are we going to do when the Lorkon give my sister over, but expect me to stick around?"

"That's why we have to get the key first," Seden said. "As long as it's in your possession, we'll all be able to get out."

Jacob hoped the man was right. He looked back at the city closest to them. It also had a castle, but it seemed desolate and war-ravaged. So did the whole city, actually. He frowned as he started walking again, wondering what it had been like in its prime.

After a few minutes, they reached the road that led into town and turned to follow it. A faded wooden sign with _Macaria_ etched in it showed an arrow pointing ahead.

The city was small, and at one point might have been considered quaint. Everything was white. The buildings, the walks--even the dirt was white. It looked as though the whole town had been bleached by the sun, and it made the city beautiful, even with the war-ravaged look. The road was dusty, and each step they took caused a little cloud to billow up around their feet. The street was deserted, and the sun was bright as they walked down the center of the road, almost as if they were about to have a face-off with someone at the opposite end of the street. Jacob smiled, feeling like he was in his favorite James Garner Western.

He watched for something he'd recognize as Gallus's store. Nearly every place had its windows boarded up. The buildings ranged in size from one story to two and sometimes three stories high, with the remains of the castle being the tallest. The road led toward the castle, which seemed to be situated on the shores of the lake.

"That's Gallus's place," Seden said, pointing at a building that had a few people going in and out of it.

They continued following the road, which eventually widened and split, encircling the building. It was only a short distance from the castle, and its placement had Jacob wondering if it was the city center. When he asked, Seden nodded.

"Gallus is a sort of mayor."

"Are they humans?" Jacob whispered, motioning to the people.

"Most likely," Seden said. "We don't have many non-human visitors. The Lorkon haven't made things exactly easy for anyone, especially those they feel are beneath them."

"Like Makalos," Akeno said quietly.

"Like Makalos," Seden repeated. "Their loss."

# Chapter Seventeen

Seden led the way into the store. Only a couple of people turned at the sound of the door opening. Jacob saw shock register in their eyes as they looked at him and Akeno, and he wondered if they'd ever seen a Makalo before. A black man wearing an oily leather apron worked behind a counter.

There was an array of odd-looking equipment Jacob assumed was for farming. There were also saddles, bridles, and other things for horse riding. Even though he knew they wouldn't have been able to use horses on the mud bubbles, he still wished they could have had some. They'd probably be at the castle by now if they had.

The man behind the counter looked up. "Back already, Seden?" he asked.

Seden nodded. "I have some people for you to meet." He motioned to Jacob and Akeno.

"Your . . . Highness?" Gallus asked, looking at Jacob. His eyes flitted to Seden, who nodded.

"It's an honor, truly." Gallus came out from behind the counter and dropped to a knee in front of Jacob. "Anything in my store is yours."

Jacob's mouth opened and closed several times. "Please stand," he said, not sure what else to say. "And thank you."

Obviously embarrassed, though Jacob didn't know why, Gallus fumbled with a jar on the counter full of little brown squares that looked like caramel. "Would you like to try some Canush?"

"Um, no, thanks."

"Are you sure? They are quite excellent." He popped one into his mouth, closing his eyes and grinning.

Jacob looked at Akeno.

"We have them too," Akeno said. "Try one. They're good."

"What . . . exactly are they?"

The man flashed a smile, his teeth white in contrast to his dark skin. "A popular sweet here. It's made from the roots of the Canush tree."

Jacob looked into the jar. Not too scary, but he hated trying new foods. He hesitated a moment longer, then put one in his mouth, biting down on the corner. He was surprised when the entire thing dissolved as soon as he bit. A cool, sweet juice gushed over his tongue. He almost choked on the unexpected liquid, but it didn't disagree with his taste buds, and he felt the corners of his mouth lifting.

"That's really good," he said.

Gallus smiled in response. "Your eyes haven't darkened a bit since you were a baby," he said. "That shade of blue is so unique."

Jacob wasn't sure how to respond. Girls were always complimenting him on his light-blue eyes. It wasn't something he could control, so he had a hard time accepting the compliment.

Gallus turned to Seden. "I didn't think the job would involve traveling with royalty."

"Me neither. But if it helps us get back to where we were before, I'm willing to do it. And so far, it hasn't been any more dangerous than traveling with regular teenagers would be."

Gallus nodded, then looked at Jacob. "It has been a long time since we experienced true peace here. Dmitri would have been our king if the Lorkon hadn't taken over." He rubbed his forehead. "Hopefully, you, Forsaken Prince, will fix that for us."

Jacob did his best to keep a blank expression on his face, resting his hand casually on the top of the counter. Maybe his demeanor wouldn't show just how anxious the thought of "fixing" things made him. The only thing _he_ wanted was to save his dad and sister and to get back home before the first day of school and upcoming basketball tryouts. He didn't need any additional pressure right now, thank you very much.

Jacob absentmindedly traced the grains of wood in the countertop, listening as Seden and Gallus started discussing the weather--something that seemed trivial to Jacob, but the two men were so intense about it, he didn't dare interrupt them. For all he knew, the weather here was insane. He doubted it, though. Everything he'd seen so far had been mild.

He felt warmth in a few places on the countertop and stopped tracing, putting his whole hand over one of the spots. The heat increased considerably where his palm touched it and he recoiled, looking at his skin. What the . . .? Had there been a reaction between his skin and the wood of the counter?

It hadn't hurt, so he ran his hand along the wood again. After a moment, he noticed that the longer he held his hand in one spot, the warmer that place became. Holding still for several seconds, he closed his eyes, enjoying the heat.

The conversation around him stopped, and Jacob jumped, opening his eyes when someone chuckled.

"It looks like you've decided to leave your mark here," Gallus said with a slight smile.

Jacob looked down and felt himself blush when he saw there was now a deep handprint in the counter. He lowered his arm. "Oh, crap. I'm so sorry!" How embarrassing. "I was just feeling the warmth. How do you heat your counters here without electricity?"

Gallus gave him a thoughtful expression. "What warmth?"

"Right here."

The man felt the spot where Jacob's hand had been. "I can't feel anything. Has this happened before?"

"No, never." Jacob frowned, trying to think of something he could do to remove the print. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry about it--it's a nice addition to the décor of the room." Interest flitted across his eyes. "See if you can figure out why you felt heat. That is definitely fascinating."

He and Seden exchanged knowing glances.

"What? What do you know that I don't?" Jacob demanded.

"There are rumors that the Forsaken Prince has magical abilities."

Jacob shook his head. "Impossible. I'm human. Humans don't have magic."

Gallus snorted. "Whatever. Regardless, focus on it--see if it happens again. If it does, pay attention." He scrutinized Akeno. "So, apparently Makalos really aren't extinct. The last time we had one here was when Dmitri himself came by nearly seventeen years ago."

"Gallus, this is Akeno, Kenji and Ebony's oldest," Seden said.

"Kenji and Ebony? That's wonderful!" Gallus swooped forward and picked up Akeno in a huge bear hug, a big smile on his face. Akeno let out several small, fearful squeaks, his eyes wide. Jacob had to cough several times to control the urge to laugh at the Makalo's expression.

Gallus chuckled, putting Akeno down. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "Kenji was just as shy around strangers until he warmed up to me. Ebony never was a cautious one, though, was she?" He smiled at Akeno, waiting for a reaction.

Akeno gave a small shake of his head, terror still in his eyes. Jacob didn't hold back the laugh this time, and Gallus and Seden joined him. It felt good to laugh, but poor Akeno. Jacob resolved to get to know him better. He hadn't put much effort into it--there'd been way too much to learn--but he would now.

"We need supplies," Seden said. "And recent information."

Gallus started walking around the store, gathering up food, a blanket, and a new knapsack as he answered Seden's questions.

"When were the Lorkon last sighted?"

"One of them came through just yesterday. He didn't stop long, though. Just demanded his taxes and left."

"And the other two?" Seden asked.

Gallus shrugged, picking up a bag of crackers. "The 'king' never comes around. I can't keep tabs on him when he's in his city."

"Fair enough."

"As to the third Lorkon, I heard rumors that someone spotted him in Ridgewood, but that can't be trusted."

Seden nodded. He motioned for Akeno and Jacob to come closer, stopping Gallus in a more secluded corner of the store. He glanced around to be sure they were out of earshot of other customers, then quickly explained the situation where Dmitri and Amberly were concerned.

Gallus's expression was solemn. He shook his head when Seden finished. "This is bad news indeed. You won't make it in time."

"How is the Maivoryl-Macaria Tunnel? When was the last time you went down there?"

Gallus's eyes narrowed. "You can't possibly be thinking of trying it."

Jacob felt his cheeks redden. He expected Seden to throw him under the bus, but the man didn't.

"It's the most direct route. Our king's life is at stake."

"The future of our country lies in the Forsaken Prince, not King Dmitri. You can't put _his_ life at stake." He motioned to Jacob.

"King Dmitri is young. He has years of service ahead of him."

"It's not worth it, Seden. Not worth it at all."

"Nevertheless, we need to know the current state of the tunnel."

Gallus sighed. "Nearly the same--dark, dank. Never knowing who the water belongs to." He put a hand on Seden's shoulder. "Take care. Eklaron has rumbled a lot lately, and I worry about the magic holding those tunnels in place. God be with you, brother."

Jacob's hands became clammy as Gallus said the same thing to him and then Akeno. The man truly didn't believe they were making the right decision. Were they? Jacob closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, searching how he felt. When the answer didn't come immediately, he shook himself. He'd made the choice, and he was going to stick to it.

Thank goodness he was a basketball player--it forced him to be nimble and quick on his feet. It sounded like they'd need it.

# Chapter Eighteen

"Did Aloren get hired as well?" Gallus asked. "Where is she?

Seden pointed at Akeno's knapsack. "She was injured and is currently healing."

If that surprised Gallus, he didn't let on. "And her role in your group?"

"Guide. She retrieved Jacob from his town and brought him to the Makalo village."

Jacob snorted inwardly. Aloren didn't "retrieve him." _She_ hadn't done anything to convince him to go with her. That had all been the Lorkon. He held back his thoughts, though, not wanting to correct Seden.

Seden continued. "I don't know if we'll need her any further, though."

Gallus raised an eyebrow. "You'd be a fool to leave her behind, Seden, and you know it. She's been with you on many of your treks. She's traveled everywhere in this part of the kingdom except past Ridgewood. It would be good to have someone else who knows the land."

Seden chuckled quietly. "I think having the girl and her mother live in your store has addled your opinion of her. She's good, yes, but she's still a child."

Gallus bristled. "She did more than just _live_ here. She worked, and very hard. That girl has done everything Bezza and I have needed, and then some. Housecleaning, managing the store, laundry, cooking, stable cleaning, you name it. And she'll only be a _child_ for another year."

Aloren was Jacob's age? He blinked. She looked younger.

"She's practically my daughter, I know," Gallus said. "But she knows her stuff. I couldn't recommend her higher."

Seden put his hands up. "All right, all right. We'll take her with."

"You won't regret it. Just take care of her, okay? You know how much she's been through."

"We will."

After making sure they had everything they needed, Jacob's group left the store and started down the path toward the castle.

The road they followed turned a few times, leading them far away from the store. It was lined with old, intricately designed flag poles. A few of the flags remained, and they must have been magnificent once. They were royal blue with gold and silver designs.

As they walked, an impressive wall came into sight. Jacob whistled. Although the top of the wall was crumbled and breaking, the thing as a whole was awe-inspiring--obviously designed more for show than anything.

They walked over a crumbling bridge and past the wall. The castle courtyard was filled with flowering trees and overgrown ivy and bushes. Daisies pushed through in clumps.

Most of the castle walls had also crumbled except for the one farthest from them. It was the tallest, with a turret and tower still attached, and was closest to the lake.

Even though the front wall was nonexistent, the huge wooden doors stood intact. Jacob walked up to the door, pushing it open. "Looks like the castle is still trying to keep people out."

"Wait," Akeno said. "Let me see what's around us."

Seden nodded his approval, and Akeno walked to a tree, putting his left hand on it. He closed his eyes for a moment, a look of concentration on his face. "There's nothing here. We should be safe to go in." He glanced at Seden. "If this is the way we go for the tunnel?"

"It is. Nearly all the tunnels start in the castle. Not a very smart move, strategically speaking. That's what you get when you have centuries of royalty trying to escape their own lives."

The front room of the castle was huge--it must have been for receiving guests. It was very wide and tall, and the remains of second- and third-floor balconies were visible on a few of the walls. The ceiling was gone, except near the back.

"Where do we go?" Jacob asked Seden.

"Toward the back and down. Follow me."

He led them through a set of doors into a massive hallway with many doors leading off it. The walls went up six feet on either side and extended away from the hallway, forming a large shelf, one on each side, running the length of the corridor. On top of the high shelves stood life-sized statues of humans, Makalos, and many creatures Jacob hadn't yet encountered.

"Why haven't we run into any of these?" he asked, looking at them as he walked.

"Some are extinct," Seden said. "The rest are still in hiding. The Lorkon don't appreciate diversity."

Jacob found two statues next to each other that were identical right down to their extremely large, knobby hands. "Why are there two of these?" he asked, motioning to them as he passed.

"One is a Dust, and the other is a Wurby," Seden said. "They're very much alike, except Wurbies are good and Dusts are evil. The magic they possess is in their hands, literally. Their hands change into whatever their magic perceives they need at the time. Because they're so unintelligent, they don't recognize the benefit their magic is presenting them. It can be quite entertaining to watch them try to figure something out.

"The only way you can tell the difference between them, besides how they treat you, is the color of their eyes. Wurbies have light eyes and Dusts have dark eyes."

"So, dark eyes represent evil?" Jacob snickered. "My dad's eyes are brown." He immediately felt horrible for making a joke about his dad under the circumstances. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

Seden put a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think it would have offended your father. In either case, levity is good during times of stress."

Appreciating the calm way Seden handled his embarrassment, Jacob said, "When we get back, I want to learn more about the other races and species that lived in this world."

He saw the statue of a beautiful woman and paused, staring at it. He couldn't help it, even though they were in a hurry. She looked too angular to be human, although she had all the features of one. Her eyes had crumbled away, but the rest was in perfect condition. Robes draped her slender form, and she held one hand up, as if instructing someone.

"That's a Shiengol," Seden said. "There used to be diamonds in her eyes. Someone stole them years ago."

"Why did they put diamonds there?"

"The eyes of a Shiengol are the most beautiful part of him or her, and the thing least understood by anyone else. Diamonds were used to represent both the color of their eyes and the power that originated there."

"Power? As in magic? Like Rezend?"

"Kind of, but not in the way you're thinking. They had amazing eyesight, and in ways you'd never imagine."

"How so?"

"All I know is that a Shiengol could see more colors than we can, and in three dimensions. They could see all the senses, including sound waves, and they could even see and smell molecules. Other things about them were different too." Seden continued. "They're extinct now, unfortunately."

Akeno startled next to Jacob. "I hadn't heard that."

Seden glanced back at him. "I'm not surprised. Word doesn't travel to Taga Village much, I assume."

Jacob found himself transfixed by the statue of the Shiengol. There was something powerful about her--even in this form. She was commanding, intelligent. It made him want to meet one, but he knew that was no longer a possibility. Too bad.

Akeno jerked. "Oh!" He took the Minya container from his knapsack, pulling off the lid.

A very annoyed and very tiny Aloren stood there, a deep scowl on her face and her hands on her hips.

"What _happened_?"

"We'll explain," Akeno said. "Give me a minute to get you to the right size."

He reached his hand out, holding her between two fingers, then dropped her. She disappeared in midair, landing thirty or so feet down the long hallway, back to her usual size.

Akeno helped Early get back in her container, then put it away. Aloren joined them quickly, still scowling. When she again demanded to know what happened, Seden explained, with Jacob and Akeno filling in here and there.

"And where are we going now?" she asked. "Why are we in the Macaria castle?"

Seden's face went blank, and Jacob wondered if it was because the man knew Aloren would ridicule their decision to take the tunnel to Maivoryl City.

The man had taken too much heat for Jacob's decision. Before Seden could say anything, he interjected. "We're taking the Macaria-Maivoryl Tunnel. And yes, we know it's a horrible idea. And no, we don't have any other choice." He stared at her, holding her gaze. "Unless you think my dad getting tortured to death is a great idea."

Aloren didn't respond for a minute. "I see." Her jaw clenched, but miraculously, she didn't argue or complain. Instead, she motioned at Jacob. "After you."

Seden was still in the lead, and with a sigh of relief, Jacob followed him, passing Aloren. He couldn't wait for all of this to be over. Not only would it mean he was back with his family again, but then he'd also be away from this insane chick.

# Chapter Nineteen

Seden led them down a side hallway, taking a couple of turns until they reached a heavy door. He pulled it open, revealing a descending staircase. Once everyone had gone down, Seden shut the door behind them, plunging them into darkness.

It was quiet for several moments except for the echo of their feet on the stone. The staircase ended after about thirty steps, and Jacob stumbled onto a solid surface--either stone or hard-packed dirt, he couldn't tell which.

"I'd let Akeno turn on a light," Seden whispered to them, "but there are far too many things living down here. Don't want to alert them to our presence. Keep a hand on the wall to your left and follow my instructions. Let's go."

Jacob stepped forward into pitch-black darkness, trusting that Seden knew the way. He widened his eyes as much as he could, trying to see anything other than the faint blue glow around Akeno's left ring finger. The ground beneath them was smoothed from years of travel, and his sneakers didn't snag.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever.

"I'm stopping now," Seden whispered.

Jacob paused, and the others did too. The sound of their footsteps echoed away into nothing.

"We'll be taking a sharp turn to the right," Seden whispered. "Akeno, go ahead and give us a tiny bit of light."

Akeno's finger began glowing even more, revealing a three-way fork in their tunnel. The one to the right descended a few steps, then turned sharply. The other two extended for a long while, their ends not visible in the meager light.

Seden led the way down the stairs, stepping carefully. "Be as quiet as you can," he whispered, looking back at the others.

Jacob noticed Aloren's face for the first time--she was pale, her lips in a tight line, a worried expression on her face. Had he made the right decision? Nothing had happened so far, thank goodness, and hopefully it would stay that way.

They continued down the new tunnel for several feet. Seden paused when the floor beneath them rumbled.

"Earthquake," he whispered once all was quiet again. He glanced back at the others. "We're about to enter a very large room. We'll go through it as quickly as we can. The tunnel we need is on the other side, but we can't walk straight across. There's a lot of water in the middle--do _not_ touch or go near it. Stay as close to the wall as you can, and follow me."

The entrance to the room soon came into view. Akeno's light wasn't bright enough to show all of the space, but in the middle was a huge black puddle or lake or something-- Jacob couldn't see the other side to know exactly how big it was. He stared at it, unable to resist doing so. The surface was bumpy, like gently rolling hills. As he watched, taking care not to stumble, those hills gradually shifted and moved.

"What is it?" he whispered to Aloren, who was closest at that point.

"Living things. Ignore them, and they . . . they _should_ ignore us."

Her voice cracked on the "should," and Jacob realized she didn't believe it. His heart pounded in his ribs, making him glad he wasn't injured anymore. He hoped those living things couldn't sense his fear.

Seden lead them to the next corner of the room, following the wall to the right, giving more shape to the room. For the first time, Jacob was able to see the other side of the water. It _was_ a puddle.

The next section was longer than the first, and it took more time for them to reach the third corner where the tunnel started.

Just as Seden stepped inside, the ground trembled. Jacob and the others supported themselves against the tunnel wall, Jacob's hands nearly slipping from too much sweat.

The trembling only lasted five seconds, and they were able to continue onward. Jacob breathed a sigh of relief when the room and that puddle disappeared from view.

They'd only been in the second tunnel for maybe a minute when another earthquake struck. This one was much more violent, and rocks fell from above, striking Jacob and his party.

"Hold your bags above your heads!" Seden yelled over the din, coming to stand next to Jacob.

The quake finally stopped, but instead of moving forward, Seden froze in place. "Can you hear that?" he whispered.

Jacob tilted his head, trying to hear what Seden did.

Akeno's finger started glowing much more brightly, giving them a better view, but still, nothing appeared out of the ordinary, other than several rocks that now littered the ground.

And then, a faint rushing sound reached Jacob, like water in a river. Water? Water!

"The tunnel caved in!" Jacob shouted at the same time as Seden yelled, "The tunnel has been breached! Back the way we came!"

Seden turned, shoving Jacob into Aloren, pushing them to run.

They burst out of the tunnel and into the room, barely missing falling into the puddle. The rushing water got louder behind them, and spurred onward by his fear, Jacob sprang to the wall, keeping a hand on it, running as fast as he could, staying up with a surprisingly fast Akeno, who was in the lead now.

They reached--and passed--one corner. The rushing water got louder. It began spraying into the room from the tunnel mouth.

Right before they reached the entrance to the first tunnel, another earthquake struck. This one was very powerful, and Jacob was knocked to the ground, hitting his head against the hard stone wall.

Akeno grabbed him, helping him up. "Come on!"

Jacob shook himself, trying to force his brain to function and his feet to move. He'd barely reached the tunnel entrance when Aloren shrieked.

"Seden!" she screamed.

Jacob spun. The man had fallen into the water. He was splashing, sputtering, trying to get out as fast as he could. Jacob rushed to help him, but Aloren grabbed him from behind by both arms, yanking him back.

"What are you thinking?" she screamed. "Are you insane?"

"Go, Jacob!" Seden yelled. "Run!"

The gently rolling hills erupted in a frenzy of commotion. Loud roars echoed, waves splashed everywhere. Hundreds of things moved in the water, roiling and spinning around Seden, who shrieked and screamed.

# Chapter Twenty

"We have to help him!" Jacob yelled.

"We can't," Aloren said, dragging him backward. "Help me, Akeno!"

The Makalo grabbed Jacob's other arm, yanking him into the tunnel entrance, pulling him to where he couldn't see the puddle and Seden anymore.

He stumbled, trying to stay on his feet, as they yanked him down the long corridor.

Jacob blinked away tears as he heard the man screaming. He fought against Aloren and Akeno, trying to get them off him, trying to go back to Seden.

"Stop _fighting_ me, Jacob!" Aloren screamed. She grabbed him, forcing him to face her. Her eyes were wild, her hair a complete mess. "Do you _want_ to die? If you touch that water, you will die. None of us can save Seden now. He's touched the water! He's _covered_ in it. Think about your father, your little sister. They'll be tortured to death if you don't make it to them! You can't save Seden--you can only save your family now!"

Jacob shook his head, his breath coming rapidly.

The roaring behind them stopped, the shouting dying, echoing through the tunnel. Tears welled up in Jacob's eyes as he realized what it meant. Seden was dead. He looked away from Aloren, blinking. An eerie silence fell over everyone. Aloren put a finger to her lips, then indicated for Akeno to shut off his light.

Jacob felt her take his hand. He assumed she grabbed Akeno's as well. She tugged, and he followed as she led him down the tunnel, her steps urgent and quiet. His heart raced and his pulse beat loudly in his ears as he did his best to match her pace. Seden, Seden, Seden . . . the word echoed with each step he took. His mind was numb, his heart frozen. He couldn't believe, couldn't think, couldn't feel.

Jacob trailed his free hand against the tunnel wall. Aloren paused, and so did he.

"Stairs," she breathed, releasing his hand.

Jacob started up, grateful the steps were evenly cut. Once Aloren reached the top, she pushed the door open. Murky light filtered down below, and she motioned for Jacob to follow her. Akeno had his hand on her arm, where Jacob assumed Aloren had placed it so she could have a free hand while still leading him.

Aloren peered down the stairs, then quietly pushed the door shut. She leaned against it, her eyes wild, breathing heavily, waiting for who knew what.

After several moments, she released all her air in a huge sigh of relief.

"Did any of the water get on either of you?" Aloren asked.

Jacob inspected what he could see while Aloren circled him, also looking for wet spots. Neither he nor Akeno were wet, and they verified that Aloren was clear too.

Aloren put a hand to her heart. "Oh, thank goodness." She looked at Jacob, her eyes filling with tears. "Seden was a good man. I'm sorry we couldn't help him."

Jacob clenched his fists. "Why didn't you let me go to him?" he shouted. "I could have gotten him out of there!"

Aloren shook her head slowly. "We would have been devoured if you'd tried--it would have been impossible." She bit her lip, watching him with a concerned expression. "Jacob . . . I can explain everything later, but now that we don't have the tunnel option, we have a ton of ground to cover in a very short time. There isn't a fast way to Maivoryl City anymore. Every inch of that room will have been covered in water now, and that, along with the earthquakes . . . There's no way we can take that route anymore."

Jacob swallowed several times, trying to get past the lump in his throat. "I understand," he said finally. He blinked, looking up, trying to clear his eyes of the tears that were filling them again. "Let's go."

Aloren put a hand on his arm. "There's something else. Don't think that just because the other way is longer that it's safer. This entire valley is dangerous. The Lorkon have done everything in their power to make sure of that."

Jacob led the way, refusing to look back at either of his companions. His heart ached and his head hurt as he struggled not to break down crying.

He would miss the Lorkon deadline. His dad would get tortured to death. Amberly would be alone and would possibly witness their father's death. And just as bad, Seden was dead. Gone. Destroyed by whatever had been in that tunnel.

It all was too much for Jacob. He had to get away, had to leave--couldn't be around anyone anymore.

Not warning the others, Jacob started running as fast as he could. He dashed down the hall, sprinted across the huge front entry, and burst from the castle ruins. He ignored his screaming muscles--muscles that had been way overused the past day and a half. He tried to ignore the pain in his heart, but was unable to.

Tears leaked from his eyes, streaming into his hair. He wiped at them angrily, not slowing down even for the blurred vision.

Jacob heard as Aloren and Akeno came after him, but to his relief, they kept their distance and didn't ask him to slow down or stop.

The white buildings of Macaria were a blur. People stared, some tried to ask what was wrong, but he ignored them all.

He couldn't believe _he_ was the cause of Seden's death. His stupid--no, his desire to save his father from torture wasn't stupid. Not believing Aloren had been stupid. His parents lying to him about who he was and where he came from was stupid. Trying to save someone he loved and as a result being the cause of another person's death wasn't stupid.

The justification didn't do anything for the guilt he felt. If only he'd listened to Seden. To Gallus. Even to Aloren, though she hadn't said anything. All of them had known going through those tunnels was a bad idea. Adding even more guilt to everything, Jacob realized that he'd ignored the advice of the man hired to guide him.

A new wave of tears started as this thought hit Jacob. He _was_ stupid. He was arrogant and reckless and ignorant.

Eventually, when he reached the original trail and turned to follow it west, Jacob tired of running. No amount of self-deprecation could undo what had happened. He could either live with his choices--be a man--or he could wallow in self-pity.

He took several deep breaths as he slowed down and eventually slumped in the tall grass on the side of the trail, unable to run or move any longer. His heart still ached, and now he had a stitch in his side.

Akeno and Aloren caught up with him. Neither of them addressed him, though, as they began clearing a place to start a fire and preparing something to eat. Jacob caught a whiff of the food Akeno cooked--it smelled fantastic, and Jacob's stomach growled. He was tempted to punish himself by refusing to eat, but pushed that thought aside. Not giving himself fuel would only cause pain to those waiting for him. Besides, that sort of punishment wouldn't teach him anything. Not really.

They ate their meal in silence. Akeno sent a message to the Makalos about Seden. Early reported that Kenji and Ebony were saddened by his death, but grateful the entire group hadn't been destroyed. They didn't mention the fact that Jacob would miss his deadline. Jacob was grateful for that. When Akeno finished, Aloren borrowed Early to deliver a message to Gallus.

Once they had eaten their meal, they headed out again, this time with Aloren acting as the guide. After at least a half hour of no one saying anything, Jacob finally spoke. He needed more information. Needed to know what exactly had happened to Seden.

"Aloren?" he said, hating that his voice cracked from disuse. Stupid, traitorous voice. "What was that? What killed Seden?"

# Chapter Twenty-One

Aloren sighed. "Eetu fish live in that water. They live in almost all water that is dark and far from the surface of the lake. _They_ killed him."

He could have felt better that her voice cracked on the word "killed," but he didn't. Seden shouldn't have died. They should have prevented his death.

"Tell me more about them," he said quietly. "Everything you know."

Aloren agreed to do so, and her voice became formal, almost like a nature-show narrator. "The castle is built over Sonda Lake, one of the most dangerous parts of Gevkan. The water is really deep, but no one knows for sure how far down it goes because of the Eetu fish. They live only where the water is darkest--they can't stand the sun, and so they only come to the surface after it's set. That's why we had to be quiet until we got out of the tunnels and shut the door--they might have followed us.

"As you obviously know, Eetu fish are really dangerous. Their fins can act like feet, giving them the ability to move quickly whether they're on land or in water. They get to be huge--sometimes up to ten feet long. They have three rows of razor-sharp teeth and can make a full-grown man disappear in a matter of seconds."

Jacob raised his eyebrows. These fish sounded like piranhas on steroids.

Aloren looked at Jacob. "This isn't the only reason why they're so dangerous, though, and it's why I panicked and . . ." Her voice cracked again, and she started blinking quickly. "And it's why I didn't let you go back to help him."

She didn't say anything for a moment, and Jacob let her take all the time she needed to compose herself. "If a drop of water from their territory hits you, they will hunt you down until they've eaten or destroyed you. They're able to sense where that water went, whether it has evaporated or not. They know when someone has come in contact with it--even just one drop.

"Your only defense when you get wet is to hope you're able to outrun them. They only last above water for an hour or so, but most people make the mistake of thinking they'll die or retreat after that. This isn't true. An Eetu fish can replenish itself with any water source big enough to cover its gills. Once it's replenished, it continues the hunt. On average, it takes the Eetu fish around twenty-four hours to lose the scent of that bit of water."

"What about the water the Eetu uses to replenish itself while on the chase?" Jacob asked. "Does it become the fishes' territory?"

"No. Eetus have to live in the water for at least a full day to claim it as their own. Also, Sonda Lake is the only place where it's deep or dark enough for them. They don't survive very long in shallow water."

Jacob looked out to the left at the lake as they followed the path that ran parallel to it. "So touching the water right now would be a bad idea."

"Not necessarily. The only water the Eetus claim as their own is what's immediately around them." Aloren pushed her hair out of her face, then started combing through it with her fingers when she obviously sensed it was a mess. "There's a crack somewhere in that room, letting them inside, and hundreds of Eetus live there."

"Yeah, I saw," Jacob said. "It looked like the whole thing was moving. How do they live so closely? Wouldn't they constantly be killing one another for invading their water?"

"No. Eetu fish live in relative peace with their own species."

"Is it possible to kill one?" Akeno asked.

"Yes, but it's difficult. No average man or woman has been able to defeat them, mostly because Eetus are fast and intelligent. The only safe bet is to outrun them, if that'll even work."

"I wish I'd had a rifle," Jacob said, clenching his fists. "I'm sure a gun would stop one." He knew he wouldn't have been able to save Seden on his own, but killing even one would have at least made him feel he'd done something for the man. Instead, he'd been forced to run away like a coward.

Jacob dug his fingernails into his palms, vowing never, ever to run again when he saw a person who needed saving. "What happens if someone takes Eetu water without touching it? If they dip a container into the water and then seal it? Would they be able to use it as a weapon? You know, throw it on someone and have the fish chase that person down?"

"It's possible, I guess, but it has never happened."

"Why not?"

"Because no one has been down that far into the lake without getting killed in the process," Aloren said. "And no one knows about the water in the tunnel except for a few people who live in Macaria, including myself, Gallus, and Seden."

"How do you know the castle so well?" Jacob asked.

"I live there."

"That's cool." Jacob didn't say anything else for a minute. He was glad to find that the pain in his heart had faded a bit. Discussing what had killed Seden helped. "Are you from Macaria, then?" he asked, keeping an eye on the water. Even though Aloren said the Eetu never came to the surface while the sun was out, he was still anxious.

"Yes."

"Do you have any relatives here?"

"No, none."

"Where are they?" Jacob glanced at her.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't have any, except my brother and my father--if they're still alive."

"What do you mean?"

Aloren bit her lip, a troubled expression crossing her face. Jacob glanced at Akeno, who shrugged.

"My mother has been dead for a couple of months," Aloren said. "She and my father were separated years ago by the war, and my older brother went with my father. I don't remember either of them."

"I'm sorry," Jacob said. A couple of months wasn't a lot of time to get over the death of a loved one. How horrible.

"It's fine." She took a deep breath. "Naturally, my mother wanted to be reunited with them. It just never happened. She was always in poor health and unable to travel. For the past few years, I've tried to find them by searching this and other valleys. The only place I've never been to is Maivoryl City. The groups I've gone with always run into trouble before getting there, and each time, we've had to abandon our quest."

"How many times have you tried to get there?" Jacob asked.

"Six times to Ridgewood, but never to Maivoryl City. No one ever makes it to Maivoryl City."

"Why not?"

"We don't really know. They never come back." She took a deep breath. "I know Gallus wants me to settle down, to work for him full time, but I can't. I just can't. I get this insane urge to search a different part of the kingdom regularly, and it's impossible to ignore for long. I miss my mom--I miss her so much. But it was even harder while she was alive. She was so, so sick. I couldn't leave her side the last year, and it made me feel like I was going insane. I was trapped, and then felt horrible for thinking of my mom as a captor. It was awful."

Aloren stopped fidgeting with her hair. "My mom is in a better place now--somewhere free of pain. And I vowed I'd find my dad and brother for her. And that, Jacob, is my 'right motivation.'" Her eyes flashed. "Nothing will stop me from doing it."

Jacob didn't doubt her. He'd seen enough of her stubborn side to know nothing _could_ stop her when she wanted something.

# Chapter Twenty-Two

"Should we go faster?" Jacob asked. "I know we just ran, but walking . . . it's way too slow."

Aloren shook her head. "We would only be able to maintain a run or jog for a short while. Walking will get us there faster."

"Like the tortoise and the hare."

"Um . . . sure."

Jacob smiled. He didn't feel like expounding on what was probably a cryptic response to her. Maybe later, when his head wasn't pounding so much.

The group fell into silence for a moment, and remembering his earlier vow to get to know Akeno better, Jacob began asking the Makalo questions.

His first was about the loud, gun-like noise he'd heard when the Rogs had been converging on him and Aloren. "What exactly was that?"

"I used Rezend to make a loud noise."

Jacob laughed quietly, grateful for the attempt at humor. It felt good to have a different emotion rushing through him. "I would never have guessed." He smiled. "Seriously. How did it knock the Rogs out?"

"Well, I concentrated on them while creating a sort of shockwave that targets ears. The shockwave was powerful enough to knock almost any living creature out. If used too frequently, it isn't as effective."

Jacob took a drink of water out of his canteen, then stared at it, really noticing it for the first time. Even though Gallus had given it to him, it seriously looked like something from Walmart. He smiled to himself. This planet was weird. No electricity--that he'd seen--no cars, technology, nothing like that, and yet, they had stuff from Walmart.

"What other things can you do with your Rezend?" he asked.

Akeno's face turned thoughtful, and he took a moment to answer. "You've seen that I can use it as a light. Rezend is centered in my left ring finger, which is why it's where the light comes from. My magic can also control electricity and particles to an extent. Water too. Plumbing, lighting, etc."

"Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

Akeno chuckled shyly. "I can't fly. And I can't turn invisible. There are a lot of rules to remember--like, it's dangerous to shrink people more than once or twice--but Makalo magic gives us control of things at the level of the atom."

"What happens when you touch the trees? How does it tell you when there's danger around?"

"When a Makalo comes in contact with something that's alive, we're given a sense of what's near us. Basically, we see what they see, but not in a visual way."

Interesting. "Why do you read trees? Why not me or Early? We're living things."

"Theoretically, you're similar, but not similar enough." Akeno paused, a slight frown on his face. "There's a lot of history behind it--I'll give you all of it someday, but for now, what you need to know is that hundreds of years ago, Makalos were completely tied to trees. We lived in them and through them--they fed our Rezend. A good Makalo leader took us from them, but then our magic started to wane with each generation. By doing that, the leader saved us, but he also doomed us so our children would be born with less magic than us. We still maintain a connection with the trees, but it's not the same."

Akeno sighed. "The Makalos were the most powerful people in this world, and their magic was not outdone by any, including Shiengols. I can't even imagine that--the stories I've heard of Shiengols . . . they're so powerful. But we're weaker than almost anyone now."

"You mean, Makalos in _general_ are weaker. I've been told you're more powerful than most."

Akeno flushed, but he didn't respond to Jacob's comment. "The greatest Makalo city was located not far from here. The Kaede trees, from what we know, are still standing. Seeing that city in its prime must have been amazing."

He turned to Jacob. "You've probably noticed that my finger is blue even when I'm not using my magic--the Rezend which flows through my body creates a brilliant silver-blue glow, and a Makalo's body shines when at his or her fullest magical ability. The Rezend flows through their veins, filling their blood. It's pretty cool."

"And a little weird," Jacob said.

Akeno frowned and took a minute to answer. "I guess I can see why you would feel that way. I've known about it my whole life, so it's normal to me."

"It wouldn't be weird to you to walk up to someone who was blue all over?"

"It's not a berry blue. You would barely notice the shade until you got close to the individual. It was more like a silvery blue glow around them."

They fell silent for a moment, and Jacob felt his heart warm at how much Akeno had opened up to him. The warmth felt good--it broke through some of the fog surrounding him.

If Aloren or Akeno missed Seden--and he suspected they did--they didn't let on. He knew they wanted to protect or prevent him from feeling guilt. Too late. Seden's death was his fault, and he'd never forgive himself for causing it _and_ whatever torture his father would experience. Jacob shuddered, forcing himself to put his dad from his mind. Thinking about it wouldn't help him get there any faster.

Akeno broke the silence by asking Jacob questions about his family. He was curious about their relationships, and it was a good distraction.

After several minutes of discussion, Jacob realized that Aloren was paying close attention to what he was saying. He looked at her, uncomfortable when he noticed there were tears in her eyes. She glanced at him, then away, but not before Jacob saw the tears spill over.

Jacob fidgeted with his hands, racking his brain, trying to figure out what his mom would do if she were here. Probably make Aloren a cup of hot chocolate. That wasn't possible . . . but there was food in the knapsack Gallus had given him. He swung it off his shoulder and pulled out some apples. He tossed one to Akeno, kept one for himself, and gave another to Aloren. She accepted and took a big bite, not meeting his eyes.

Jacob replaced his knapsack and ate his apple, looking at the countryside, surprised to see how far they had walked since leaving the city. The sun was getting very hot as it started heading west. Clouds were building in the sky to the south.

"It looks like a storm's coming," Akeno said.

"Storm?" Aloren glanced up with a dismayed expression.

"Yeah, see it?"

"Yes," she said. "Storms aren't good here. Lirone lives in them. And Lirone is dangerous. He's a sky-dwelling monster." She looked relieved after inspecting the clouds. "Doesn't look like it'll come for a couple of hours. Let's keep going." She glanced at Jacob. "Before you ask tons more questions, the myths surrounding Lirone say that when he's near, he can sense if people are thinking about him. I'm always skeptical about myths, but the witch one turned out to be correct, and I'd rather not push our luck."

Jacob nodded. He definitely agreed, but he hated not knowing what could be coming.

"Speaking of the witch," Akeno said, "she was really pretty."

Jacob couldn't help it. He laughed out loud at that. "Got a crush on her?"

Akeno blushed. "No, definitely not. But I remembered something my parents mentioned a long time ago. They said the Lorkon are almost always male, and that it's very rare to come across a female. Apparently, there are huge differences between the two genders."

"Like what?" Aloren asked, obviously as intrigued as Jacob.

"You both already know this, but the males are disfigured and hideous. What we never really talk about--because they're so rare--are the females. They're beautiful. They have talents and abilities that come with that beauty. They are captivating."

"You're saying the woman in the forest was a Lorkon?" Jacob asked.

Akeno paused and looked at him. "I believe so."

"It makes sense. She was all those things." Jacob picked up a fist-sized rock and started tossing it in the air as he walked. His feet were seriously aching after the day and a half of constant motion, and he needed a distraction.

Something grew hot in his palm, and he stumbled, nearly falling.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

Jacob looked at his hand. "Whoa!"

"What's wrong?" Akeno asked.

Jacob held out the rock, staring at it in wonder. "It got warm! Like at Gallus's place."

An expression of excitement spread across Akeno's face. "Really? Can you mold it? Isn't that what happened last time?"

"I don't know." He held the large stone between his thumb and forefinger and watched it. Nothing happened--it didn't change shape. Maybe it needed a little help.

Jacob began rolling it between his palms. After only a couple of passes, it increased in heat dramatically. Again, he nearly dropped the rock in surprise--it was so weird! Instead, he raised and inspected it.

"It's changing shape!" He held it to Akeno. "Check it out."

Akeno did so, then shrugged, handing it back. "I wouldn't notice a difference anyway." His eyes lit up. "Do something cool with it, if it lets you."

Jacob grinned and rolled the rock into a perfectly shaped ball. Then, with some work, he flattened it until it was nearly translucent and floppy. Finally, he tried to shape it into a box, but the stone began cooling and nothing he did got it to warm up again.

He shook his head. "I can't believe it. How is it possible that I've got magical abilities?"

"Easy. Magic might not exist on earth, but it does here. And you're from here."

Aloren took the rock from him, examining it. "Practice with it--see if you can figure out why and how it does that."

"Good idea."

Jacob picked up more rocks, filling his pockets with them, then worked on them one at a time as they walked. Some of them molded and some didn't. There didn't seem to be rhyme or reason to it. He tossed them aside as they continued.

"I think we need another cooked meal for dinner," Aloren said. "It's been a rough day."

Her voice hitched on the word "rough," and Jacob wished there was something he could do to help them all feel better. Half of him wanted to rest for several hours, but the other half--the side that he wanted to win--urged him not to stop, not to walk, but to run. He had to get to his dad and sister! He pushed that aside for the time being, though, knowing that what Aloren had said earlier was correct. If they pushed themselves too hard, they'd never make it. And getting there at all--getting Amberly out of the castle--was more important than pushing themselves to death.

"Good idea," Akeno said. "Any requests? I enjoy cooking and will take care of it."

"Steak and eggs," Jacob said promptly.

Akeno laughed. "Any requests for food we actually have?"

Jacob frowned. "What _do_ we have?"

The Makalo started pulling food from his pack as he walked, handing it to the others to hold. "Eggs, potatoes, bacon--salted and cured, doesn't need cooking--carrots, and hey! Even some dried beef." He grinned up at Jacob. "You might get what you want after all."

Jacob rubbed the back of his neck. "Man, if we'd known you still had that much food, we could've skipped going to Macaria."

Akeno shook his head. "This is all I have. It will last us maybe two meals. Unless we want to go on severe rations, which I don't recommend."

Everyone handed the food back, and Akeno packed it up, putting his knapsack over his shoulders again. Jacob found himself wishing they'd taken advantage of Akeno's cooking talent a lot earlier. He also wished they'd been given more time by the Lorkon.

Speaking of the Lorkon, would they let him know through one of those beetle things when he missed the deadline? Jacob had a few more hours to go. The Lorkon castle was still a long way away--he couldn't even see it anymore, due to the thick trees around them.

He sighed. Their detour into Macaria had cost so much precious time.

Jacob finished with the rocks and shoved his hands in his pockets, keeping pace with the other two. He wanted to ask Aloren about her parents, especially now that he knew what her "right motivation" was, but he didn't want to pry. How would she respond to personal questions? Probably not well, given how she'd reacted earlier.

Jacob rolled his eyes at himself, pushing aside his hesitations. Who cared if she snapped at him?

"Aloren, how did your parents get separated?" he asked.

"I don't really know. My mom had some memory problems that she got from an injury. I've always had the feeling it was a very traumatic experience for her."

"What were your parents like?"

"My father wasn't anyone really important, socially. I think he was one of many who worked in the stables at the castle. And I think my mother was a lady-in-waiting for a rich family in Maivoryl City. She spoke frequently about the woman she worked for, but was never clear about the details."

"What about your brother?" Jacob asked. "What do you know about him?"

"Only a few things my mother told me. He was a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy with dimples. He was a tease, even though he was only two or three."

Aloren had been so annoying from the beginning, but at least now he understood why. She was a girl on a mission hiding a broken heart. "Why do you believe he's in Maivoryl City?"

"Because it's the only place I haven't looked for him. No one has left or entered the city for so many years--it would make sense if he was there."

"If no one has been able to leave it, how do you know for sure that people are still there?"

"They were when my mother left."

"But how do you know any of them are still alive?"

Akeno shot a warning glance at Jacob, probably wanting him to back off with the questions.

"I guess I don't know," she said. "I just feel the need to go search the city. Please, Jacob, try to understand. If you were in my place, and your only sibling was lost, wouldn't you do everything in your power to find them?" She growled in exasperation. "I already know the answer to that, and so do you. You would do anything to protect someone you care about."

Her comment wasn't accusatory, but Jacob couldn't help but feel guilty anyway. He pushed aside the urge to defend himself, picking at some dirt stuck to his palm. "Sorry. I'm not trying to be a jerk. I totally understand what's driving you."

"I know I probably seem crazy--to have been obsessed with this for so long."

"No, just lonely. It's completely rational."

She didn't respond for a minute, and Jacob wondered if he'd said something wrong.

"I just wish my mother hadn't gotten sick," Aloren finally said. "She remembered a lot when I was little and told me stories about my father and brother, but as she got sicker, she forgot almost everything. I only vaguely remember the stories now. It's so frustrating."

Jacob felt a sudden need to comfort her, though he wasn't sure why or how. He hoped she wouldn't start to cry again, and he wished his mom was there. "It really does suck," he said.

She smiled at him, her dimple showing. "It's fine, Jacob. I've had a lot of time to deal with things."

Jacob was aware of how dirty his hair and clothes were. Feeling embarrassed, he looked away. His dad used to say something about society needing good women to keep men civilized--now he understood what that meant.

It began drizzling, and Aloren looked up in dismay. The sun wasn't even covered with clouds yet.

"We have to hurry," she said. "Akeno, your huts won't protect us from Lirone. We need to make sure it really is him, and then get to the caves in Dunsany Mountain as quickly as we can."

# Chapter Twenty-Four

"Dunsany Mountain?" Jacob asked, hoping it wasn't far.

"Yes. It's that one." She pointed at the mountain they'd hiked around. "The caves will provide us with protection. They're dangerous themselves--if you're not careful and go too deep into them, you'll never find your way out--but they're the only place where we might find safety from Lirone."

"How do your people survive here?" Akeno asked.

"He very rarely goes anywhere but north and south. He's been near my city a couple of times, and I've only heard of him going west once. The Lorkon got upset with him for doing that, and it hasn't happened since."

"How could a Lorkon possibly stand against Lirone?" Akeno said.

"You'd be surprised, actually. The rumor is that the Lorkon brought him to guard their city." Aloren turned. "You guys keep following the trail. I'm going to climb a little higher through the trees. Maybe I'll be able to see better from up there."

Jacob and Akeno continued as if nothing was going on as Aloren dashed through the trees. Jacob did his best not to think about the threat that might be coming their way. He knew he'd have plenty of time to ask questions later.

As they walked, he couldn't help but notice that weird pockmarks dotted the mountain. It was almost as if a war had occurred there, and he wondered if the holes were from the war with the Lorkon. Hadn't that happened years ago, though? Shouldn't the marks have leveled by now--from rain and the passage of time? Or maybe there was some weird animal that roamed the countryside, digging random holes everywhere.

Aloren emerged from the trees high above him, and he waved at her. She was staring up at the clouds, though, and didn't see him. The tension in the air rose considerably.

Jacob caught a slight movement from the corner of his eye and turned to face south. The waves on the lake were much bigger than they'd been earlier, as if there was a huge windstorm. No wind was blowing past him, though.

The clouds rolled grotesquely--forming weird, twisted shapes--and were a brown, almost gray-green color. Jacob shrieked when bright red lightning shot across the sky, but no sound came out. Surprised, he clamped his jaw shut and then opened it again, trying to talk. He could feel his lips forming words, but he couldn't hear anything.

Someone grabbed him by the arm and jerked him toward the trees. He ripped his hand out of the person's grasp before realizing it was Akeno.

Akeno said something to him, but Jacob shrugged, motioning to his ears. Akeno shook his head, apparently exasperated, and grabbed Jacob's arm. Pulling Jacob with one hand, he motioned to the sky with the other.

Jacob looked up again. His jaw dropped and he stumbled backward. Holy crap! __ A large section of clouds had rolled into the shape of a face. As it became closer, its eyes opened, glanced around for a moment, then focused on Jacob and Akeno.

The cloud was also forming massive hands and arms that appeared to be gathering something, but Jacob couldn't look away from its angry gaze.

"Jacob, run!" Aloren screamed. He ripped his eyes from the monster in the sky, surprised he was able to hear her. He hesitated for a split second before the adrenaline kicked in, then he tore up the hill toward Aloren's voice, Akeno running beside him.

His feet flew out from under him and he was soaring through the air, landing hard on his butt ten feet from where he'd been running.

Dazed, Jacob scrambled up and spotted Akeno about a yard away. He appeared to have been knocked unconscious. Jacob looked down the hill to see what had thrown them forward and was surprised that a hole now smoldered, three feet in diameter, where he and Akeno had just been.

Aloren stood at the edge of the trees, screaming. No sound carried to Jacob, though he wasn't more than forty feet away. She motioned for them to run. Jacob picked up Akeno and both of their bags and made a beeline for the trees. Another shock wave blew through the air, nearly knocking him over, but this time he didn't turn around.

He reached Aloren, tossed her the bags, and kept running. They raced up the hill through the trees. Continual shock waves hit them on all sides with explosions and blasts of fire.

Trusting that Aloren knew where they were going, he stayed as close to her as possible, following her far up the side of the mountain and away from the trail. He still couldn't hear anything, and shock waves rammed into his body, making any kind of movement difficult.

After what felt like an hour of solid running uphill, and with a stitch in his side that made breathing and moving almost impossible, Jacob saw several caves in the rock ahead of them. He followed Aloren into one, and they ran as far as they could until the cave stopped. Aloren mouthed something and darted out of the cave, unable to hear Jacob's shouts to come back. He wasn't surprised--he couldn't hear them either.

She was gone for a couple of seconds before returning. Racing back in, she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the cave. Confused, he chased after her into the entrance of another cave. They didn't stop running until they were almost completely enveloped in darkness. Dropping Jacob's hand, Aloren faced the entrance. The only thing visible was a glimpse of the mountains on the other side of the lake. She put the bag down, slumping by one of the walls.

# Chapter Twenty-Five

Jacob stood for a moment, letting his eyes adjust, and then set Akeno down next to Aloren. He ran his hand through his hair, raking out twigs, and leaned up against the wall near the others.

After a moment, he got tired of standing and sat next to Akeno, whose eyes were now wide open. Jacob still couldn't hear anything, and it occurred to him that his hearing might have been damaged by the shock waves.

It wasn't long, however, before the faint sound of an explosion reached his ears, making him jump. "Hey! I can hear again!" He turned to Akeno. "Are you okay? You blacked out for a minute there."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Akeno said, sitting up. "I think I'm doomed to be thrown over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes every time something bad happens."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Jacob smiled. "Okay, so now that Lirone knows we're here, can you tell me about him?"

She nodded. "He's one of the main reasons why most people don't make this trip."

Jacob frowned. "What is he? And why couldn't I hear anything? I mean, I know that shock waves and loud noises can mess up your hearing, but I wasn't able to hear even before the explosions started."

"It wasn't because of the explosions. Lirone has the ability to control particles and waves in the air. As soon as he spots someone, he takes away all sound before it reaches their ears or leaves their mouths. It's part of his way of trapping people before he blows them away."

Jacob's mind was reeling. What would've happened if Aloren hadn't been with them? They'd be dead, he was sure of it. "How'd you know about him, Akeno?"

"I'd heard stories and myths," Akeno said, resting his head against the cave's stone wall. "My father spoke of a creature big enough to cover the entire sky who existed in the form of clouds and used particles in the air to kill things. His magic is supposedly related to Makalo magic, though I don't know how."

Jacob looked at Aloren. "Why could I hear you scream?"

"Because he'd only seen you and Akeno. If he hasn't seen or heard something yet, it doesn't exist to him, and he can't take away its sound."

"And as soon as you yelled at me, he knew you were there?"

Aloren nodded. "We can hear each other now because he's given up trying to find us for the time being."

Jacob thought for a minute. "So, what's the purpose of doing that? Make it so people can't call out for help or something?"

Akeno shrugged. "I'd guess it's a cruel joke he likes to play. There's no purpose, really--he's too big and doesn't have natural predators."

"Calling out for help can't save you from Lirone," Aloren said. "And usually the people who know his tricks won't stand out in the open."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks for letting me know."

Aloren laughed. "Sorry, I just didn't want to run the risk by talking about him."

"I totally understand," Jacob said. "Aren't we running that risk now?"

"He can't reach us, and he gets bored easily if we're not where he can cause damage or death."

Jacob shifted to a more comfortable position. "So, next time Lirone comes around, all we'll need to do is remain hidden, and we'll be safe?"

"Not quite. He still throws bombs even if he can't see anyone. If there are living things in the area, throwing the bombs will either kill them or scare them out of their hiding places."

"Why does he do it?"

"He's always been a violent creature," Akeno said. "There are many theories and legends about why he's that way, but no one really knows for sure."

Aloren rummaged through her bag, pulling out a hair tie. "The first cave we went into was too shallow, and he'd know we were there. That's one of the many mistakes people make. They figure if they can't see his face, he can't see them. They don't know the clouds they're looking at are actually him. If they can see clouds, any part of them, then he can see them."

Jacob frowned. "So I wasn't really looking at his face?"

Aloren fastened her hair back with the tie. "Not in a conventional way. He doesn't have the same shape we do."

"Why could I see a face, then?"

"He was probably doing it for your benefit. To scare you. I've seen him do that before, though today was the first time I've seen him form arms."

"Okay, so he's made of clouds," Jacob said, still trying to get a grasp on this creature. He was both fascinated and freaked out by Lirone.

"Not really," Aloren said. "He _looks_ like clouds, and it's nearly impossible to distinguish between him and them unless he's moving a lot. Which he does when he sees someone. When he's waiting, he rarely moves except to shift a little or follow the wind."

Jacob grabbed his knapsack, feeling around inside it for the last apple. "All right, I'm tired of it being dark. Akeno, why not light up the place? Aloren, do you think that would be okay?"

Aloren nodded. "Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem. Besides, I'm starving, and we'll want to see what we're eating."

A second later, the cave filled with Akeno's bluish light, and Jacob resumed digging inside his bag. He found the apple and handed out some bread and jerky. "Where did Lirone come from?"

"No one knows," Akeno said. "He didn't originate here, though."

"He's existed for as long as there's been a history of Eklaron kept by my people," Aloren said.

Jacob leaned back against the cave wall, munching on his apple. "And how long do you think we'll need to hide out in this cave?" Too bad they didn't have a grill. And some steaks. Fresh, barbecued meat sounded really good.

Aloren inspected her bread. "Until the sun is shining again and there aren't any storm clouds in the sky. He only comes when there's already a storm."

"Are you serious?" Jacob felt the familiar panic return as he thought about his dad and sister. "That's going to take forever."

"Not necessarily. The weather can change fast, so it might only be an hour. Soon after we see sunlight, we should be fine to leave."

Jacob chucked his apple core as hard as he could toward the back of the cave. He couldn't believe it. Would every single thing go wrong?

He glanced toward where he'd thrown the core, then got to his feet. The cave opened into a medium-sized room a couple of feet from where they sat, then tunneled off to the left, out of sight. He stepped forward, wanting to know how far into the mountain the tunnel led. He was surprised to see a pile of junk on the side of the room just before the bend and headed toward it. Most of it was covered with thick, coarse material. Jacob lifted one edge, peeking underneath. He jumped back in surprise.

# Chapter Twenty-Six

"Whoa," Jacob said.

"What?" Akeno asked, leaping to his feet.

"Human bones." Jacob moved closer and kicked the cover aside, revealing torn and tattered clothing, broken dishes, a fork, and a smashed pocket watch, all of which had been strewn across skeletons.

"Bones?" Aloren asked.

"Yes. Skulls and femurs. And other junk."

Aloren came over and picked up one of the bigger bones, holding it with a corner of the material. Akeno moved his finger closer so they could see the bone, and Jacob gasped. Weird-looking marks were all along it. Aloren dropped the thing.

The marks had been made by teeth.

She looked at Jacob, then back at the bone, shaking her head with an expression of horror on her face. "No, no, no," she wailed. "Oh, I forgot. Lirone and Seden and the Eetu fish . . . I can't believe I forgot."

"Forgot what?" Jacob asked.

"This is bad, isn't it?" Akeno said, taking a step back.

"Shhh!" She waved her hand at Akeno's finger. "Turn off your light."

Blackness covered them as Akeno's finger stopped glowing.

Aloren's moan was barely audible. "I can't believe--stupid of me!" She grabbed Jacob's arm, making him jump, and whispered, "Back away as quietly as you can, both of you."

Jacob followed Aloren, stopping when he felt the wall behind him.

Aloren stood close to him, and Jacob could barely see Akeno's outline on the other side of her. "Be quiet, and no moving," she said.

Standing as still as he could, Jacob tried not to concentrate on his awkward position up against the cave wall as it curled into the ceiling. He blinked a couple of times, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the near-complete darkness.

After what felt like forever, long after his mind had wandered and the lighting outside had changed somewhat, he heard a slight shuffling sound coming from the back of the cave, around the bend. Images crossed his mind as he tried to imagine whatever it was that might eat humans and that prowled in dark caves. Wolves, bears, Bigfoot, ogres, and orcs--all from books he'd read and movies he'd watched. He remembered the white monster in the beginning of _Star Wars V_ and wondered if it would have eaten Luke if given the chance.

The sound got louder and Jacob glanced at Aloren, barely able to see her in the dark. He grabbed her hand.

She gave him a quizzical look. "What?" she whispered.

Jacob put a finger to his lips and nodded toward the back of the cave. An expression of understanding he could barely see crossed her face, quickly replaced by a scowl. She turned to her other side, and Jacob heard Akeno's small, quick intake of air.

A few moments later, there was another shuffling sound, and a massive body came into view. Jacob pressed back as hard as he could against the stone as he stared at the creature that had entered the room. He was surprised at how much of the monster he was able to see. It was almost as if a light were shining on it, though there was no source.

It wasn't as big as he'd expected it to be--only about five and a half feet tall--but it made up for its height in mass. The body was familiar, though Jacob wasn't sure why. Long, heavy arms hung from huge shoulders, and its legs were thick and powerful.

It had large eyes and very pale skin that covered only part of its face. The skin on the beast's huge chin was interrupted by spikes that curved out and downward from the roots of its teeth. These spikes came to a sharp point about an inch below its chin and turned slightly outward.

Jacob froze, knowing exactly why this thing was familiar. He'd seen two of them dead in his house just a couple of days before. He forced himself to stay calm, not to jump out and strangle something that was obviously much stronger than him. Especially when he didn't know if there were more just around the bend.

Without lips to hide the teeth, it was easy to see food stuck between the molars. Jacob's stomach turned as he tried not to think about the human bones he'd found.

As the three continued to press against the wall, Jacob risked a quick glance at Aloren. She faced the entrance of the cave, and her eyes were out of focus. She appeared lost in thought. Had she not noticed the beast yet? How was that possible, especially with him having warned her?

Relief spread through him when the creature didn't see them right away. It shuffled over to the pile of junk, bent over, and moved the coarse material.

It stopped, its back stiffening. It lifted its head as if to sniff the air, then turned until it faced the small group that cowered against the wall of the cave. Jacob's breath caught when the creature's eyes met his.

For what seemed like an eternity, they held each other's gaze, neither moving.

His breath caught again when he realized he was able to sense the creature's feelings. Did the beast have the ability to transfer its emotions to others? The glimpse of the monster's emotions was brief, but complete. The beast was confused at not having noticed right away that there were humans in its cave. It was angry at finding that its things had been touched, and surprised that the human could see him.

The last feelings Jacob sensed were determination, stubbornness, and then another wave of anger. These emotions were caused by the gaze Jacob held with the beast. It was not used to small, insignificant humans defying it as Jacob realized he was doing. He tried not to tremble or show fear, refusing to look away. But he'd never had a poker face--there was no chance the beast wouldn't recognize how terrified he was.

The creature opened its jaws, a hiss issued forth, and Aloren stiffened. This small movement caused the brute to lose its eye contact with Jacob and it looked at Aloren instead, surprised. The creature hadn't expected a female. Taking a small step forward, it stared at her.

Aloren's gaze was now directed toward the bend in the cave, still unable to see the beast. Was Jacob the only one who could see it? He bit his lip, trying to remain levelheaded. This was disturbing. It was an evil creature, and Jacob had recognized its emotions. What was wrong with him that he could connect with it?

He suppressed a growl, recognizing that if he didn't maintain his focus, they'd all be toast. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to put aside any speculation on the matter. He looked back into the creature's huge eyes. A sudden feeling of protectiveness came over him when he saw its plan to get rid of Akeno and Jacob first, leaving Aloren for last--like dessert.

Jacob put his hands on the wall behind him, bracing himself against the cold stone. The wall warmed under his palms, and an idea crossed his mind. He'd been able to mold the rock--why should the cave wall be any different?

Keeping his eye on the monster, Jacob dug his fingers into the now-soft rock. It gathered easily into his hand, and he pulled several sections of it from the wall. He started molding the lumps into a larger rock, but stopped himself when another idea hit him--wouldn't a sword be better? He, Dad, and Matt used to swordplay all the time. If he got the weight close enough to one of those practice swords, theoretically, he'd be just as good with it. He hoped he'd remember the things Dad had tried to teach him.

# Chapter Twenty-Seven

Squeezing and pulling, he tried to make a sword, but couldn't get the edges sharp enough. Instead, he twisted it into a club. Not as cool, but he could at least defend himself and the others. He hoped it would hold its shape long enough for him to distract the beast.

He was surprised that the rock seemed to know what he wanted and went cold, becoming solid once more. Wow--that was awesome.

Jacob focused his concentration back on the beast's feelings. Its anger had been replaced by determination. It hadn't noticed what Jacob had done and Jacob moved forward, realizing he was, in essence, challenging the feral creature. The monster sensed the challenge, and a deep rumble came from its chest. Jacob scowled, recognizing a laugh. He tried not to think too much about the extraordinary strength the beast most likely had, focusing instead on the fact that he now had a weapon.

The creature dropped into a crouched position, getting ready to attack. Jacob felt a burst of adrenaline shoot through his body, along with intense fear. He took a deep breath, doing his best to appear self-assured.

Using his right hand, Jacob grabbed Aloren and pulled her behind him, pushing her toward the entrance of the cave. "I guess it doesn't matter if we talk, since this ugly thing knows we're here," he said.

"It's in the cave with us, isn't it?" Akeno asked just as Jacob grabbed him as well, pushing him next to Aloren.

"Careful not to get too close to the entrance," Jacob said. "There's no sense in being attacked on both sides."

Holding the creature's gaze, Jacob strode--glad he didn't trip--to the center of the cave, keeping the weapon behind his back.

"Hdakr djksla bi skr!" Low, guttural words came from the creature's throat. Jacob took a step back--he didn't know the thing could talk. The words didn't make sense, but Jacob could sense their malicious intent. His body was tense, ready for an attack to come at any second.

The brute took a couple of small steps to the center of the cave as well, then stopped. A long pause--was the creature waiting for Jacob to do something first?

Jacob closed his eyes, trying to figure out what he _could_ do. Concentrate on what the beast was feeling--an obvious thing, but hard to do when he needed to figure out how to defend his companions.

A thought crossed his mind. _Touch its skin_.

Jacob opened his eyes. Touch the creature's skin? Where did that come from? He hesitated, appraising the beast. Nearly every inch was covered in needle-like hair. Only its cheekbones and forehead were clear.

He looked the monster in the eye, trying to gauge where the thought had come from. The monster was concentrating on its hungry stomach about to be appeased and was amused by Jacob's show of bravery. Jacob was able to see now that the monster's main source of protection was its ability to remain invisible to its prey, but for whatever reason, Jacob could see it.

The creature returned his gaze, shock registering in its huge black eyes.

Hadn't anyone else ever seen it? And why would touching it make a difference? Would that somehow lessen the creature's power?

Defending two helpless individuals from something they couldn't see would be next to impossible, much less finding a way to touch the creature's face, but if doing so allowed him power over the thing, he had to try.

Jacob was six feet away. He pulled the club from behind his back and held it in a defensive position in front of him.

The creature sauntered to one side of the cave, and Jacob got the feeling it wanted to play with him first. He had no desire to give the monster any sense of enjoyment and put all his concentration on what he had to do.

The monster cocked its head to the side. Another laugh came from inside its chest when it seemed to notice the weapon for the first time.

Jacob tossed the club from hand to hand, ignoring the brute's laughter. He leaped forward, swinging the blunt weapon. It connected with the monster's head with such force that Jacob almost dropped it. His bones jarring from the impact, he moaned when he saw that it didn't even stun the monster.

No longer laughing, the beast grabbed the weapon and tried to rip it from Jacob's grasp. Jacob, holding on to it, was swung into the air.

He kicked his legs, but couldn't get the weapon out of the beast's grip. Deciding instead to use it as leverage, he flung himself around the back of the monster, landing on its shoulders, the weapon falling to the ground. Aware of the sharp sting of thousands of needles piercing the skin on his shins and arms, he reached around and touched the monster's face. Aloren gasped, and he heard an exclamation of surprise from Akeno.

They could see it! His feeling had been right.

Visions of the beast's memories flashed into his mind--dark tunnels, fire, a huge city under a bright sky, a large, poorly lit cavern full of other beasts like this one, humans, animals. Then he saw one thing that would get them out of this situation.

"Lirone!" he shouted. "The beast is afraid of Lirone!"

The creature's loud, responding roar erupted in the cave. It reached back, grabbed Jacob, and threw him across the small enclosure. Hitting the wall hard, Jacob bounced off and knocked into Aloren and Akeno. He jumped to his feet as the beast charged them.

Jacob ducked under the creature's massive arm as it swung around to hit him. "Akeno, you have to shrink it!"

The creature swung again, this time at Aloren and Akeno, who tried to scramble out of the way. They were barely fast enough to avoid being hit, and the monster growled.

"Hurry, Akeno!" Jacob yelled, attempting to kick the monster in the stomach, doing his best to buy Akeno some time.

The beast grabbed Jacob by the leg and swung him across the cave. Jacob slammed hard against a wall and fell to the ground. Dazed, he couldn't get up for a second.

"Shrink it?" Akeno asked. "Now?"

Jacob shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Just do it!" He got to his feet as the monster came after him. He spotted the club lying where it had fallen and grabbed it, running to meet the creature. Swinging with his might, he brought the weapon across the monster's head.

# Chapter Twenty-Eight

The creature turned on Jacob and shoved him over, growling. Jacob jumped to his feet as Akeno rushed toward the entrance of the cave, attempting to put space between himself and the beast.

Jacob turned back, hesitating, unsure what his next move should be. Nothing seemed to affect the creature.

The monster reared on Aloren, grabbed her around the neck, and thrust her against a wall, holding her a foot above the ground.

Anger coursed through Jacob, and he screamed, charging. He slammed hard into the creature's side, surprised when the beast dropped Aloren and almost fell over. Without hesitation, Jacob grabbed Aloren's arm, pulling her up and away from the beast.

"Shrink it!" he yelled over his shoulder as he ran with Aloren to the back of the cave. Turning around to face the beast again, he swung Aloren behind him.

The creature roared, making Jacob's ears ring, and charged them. It smashed hard into Jacob, knocking him into Aloren. They both fell to the ground. Jacob threw his arms over her just as the monster reached for them. It jerked and disappeared.

"Got it!" Akeno yelled.

Jacob grabbed Aloren's arm, helping her up, wincing at the pain all through his body. "Run to the entrance!" he shouted to Akeno.

Akeno turned and ran. Aloren and Jacob followed, but Jacob's leg gave out, and he collapsed on the cave floor. With Aloren's help, he lurched to his feet. Pushing the pain aside, he continued on, reaching Akeno.

The Makalo yelled in surprise as Lirone's explosions erupted all around him. He turned back to Jacob and Aloren, a panicked expression on his face.

"Put him out in the storm!" Aloren yelled. "Put him out in the storm!"

Akeno spun around, holding the monster at arm's length, then threw it. The monster landed on its side in a small clearing about forty feet away from the cave, now large and fully visible to Lirone.

Aloren and Jacob grabbed Akeno, pulling him back into the cave entrance just as Lirone sent a ball of flame smashing toward the ground where Akeno had been standing.

Jacob looked over his shoulder as they turned and ran the length of the cave. The monster jumped to its feet and roared, starting to charge up the hill.

"Come on, Lirone, come on!" Jacob said.

The monster bellowed again, but the din was cut off. Jacob glanced back in time to see the aftereffects of an explosion. The monster was no longer there.

Once out of sight of Lirone, they stopped and collapsed to the floor of the cave, gasping for breath.

"Wow," Jacob said. "That . . . was close."

"Yes . . . it was," Aloren wheezed.

"What's it called? That's what was dead in my house, right?"

"Yes," Aloren said. "And it's a Molg. They're a race that . . . lives in the Dunsany Caves and . . . as you figured out, they eat humans."

Jacob shook his head, unable to believe that his dad and sister had been dragged from his house by them. Satisfaction cascaded over him, though, when he thought of his dad taking out two of the brutes.

Aloren continued. "Unless on the errand of the Lorkon, they never leave their caves. I've never seen one around here--usually, they follow a Lorkon into Macaria." She gasped. "There are probably more! We can't stay here!" She tried to jump to her feet, but Jacob grabbed her arm.

"No, no, we're fine," he said, holding her down.

Aloren stopped, and Jacob let go of her.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"The others aren't even near where we are."

"The other Molgs?"

"I'll explain--"

"And another thing," Aloren said. "Why could you see it, and we couldn't?"

Jacob scratched his head. "I'm not sure. When it first came into view, it didn't even notice us. I could clearly see it and was surprised you two couldn't."

"Of course we couldn't," Aloren said. "There wasn't any light."

"What changed?" Akeno asked, brushing the new dirt off his shoes.

It took Jacob several minutes to explain to Aloren and Akeno what had happened, from sensing the Molg's feelings to touching its skin, causing him to see that the Molg had just come from a meeting with other Molgs.

He tried to keep the worry he felt out of his voice. Being able to connect with something evil was disconcerting to him. He didn't want to let on that he was feeling that way--not until he figured things out.

"Since we can't go anywhere," Aloren said, "you two might as well rest. Heaven knows you need it."

Jacob didn't argue. Aloren was the only one who'd gotten plenty of sleep lately. He lay down, using his knapsack as a pillow, and shut his eyes.

***

Jacob wasn't sure if he slept or not. When he sat up, though, every inch of his body hurt from the fight with the Molg. If he'd chosen football instead of basketball, like Matt, he would've been used to getting knocked around. He tried not to let on that he was hurt--he didn't want to deal with exhaustion _and_ pain again. That had been brutal.

"You really took a beating," Aloren said. "Akeno, can you light up the room again?"

Akeno did so, and Aloren shuddered when she looked at Jacob. There were little holes all over in his clothes from the Molg's hair.

"Oh, wow," she said. "Jacob, you're stuck everywhere."

"I'm fine," he said. "Just bruised. I might be slow on the trail for a while." He turned to Akeno. "How are your hands? I'll bet you're even worse off than I am."

"Fine," Akeno said. "By the time I had him, the spikes were too small to break the skin. But it was hard to hold on to him. He really struggled to get away."

They were silent for a few minutes. Jacob wished he had his guitar with him. He almost laughed when he thought of it sitting in the corner of his room, dusty from lack of use. He'd bought it at a pawn shop several months before, hoping to impress a couple of girls, but had given up on the idea after a few hours of practice. It just wasn't his thing. Matt had always been the talented one at the guitar.

"How much longer until Lirone leaves?" Jacob asked.

"I don't know," Aloren said. "I'd rather wait and be absolutely sure he's gone, though."

"Yeah, me too." He lay down again, trying to relax. He smiled and closed his eyes, imagining he was in his own bed, pulling the blankets up under his chin. What he wouldn't give for that to be true.

"Jacob?" Aloren asked.

He rolled to face her. She was lying on her back, not making eye contact. "Yeah?"

"I, uh . . . I know this is all about you and you actually _have_ to be here, but I'm still really glad you came."

# Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jacob couldn't help the sheepish grin that crossed his face. "Thanks." He put his hands behind his head. "I only wish it had been under different circumstances."

"Same." She paused and sighed. "We wouldn't have made it if you hadn't been able to see the Molg."

She was right, but he didn't want to dwell on it. "What if you never find your brother?"

Aloren rolled onto her side, facing Jacob, and curled up into a ball. "I don't know. I guess I'd have to find somewhere else to put my focus."

"You could live in Taga with the Makalos," Akeno said. "I'm sure we'd have plenty of room for you, and besides, you could even get to know the humans from Jacob's world."

"I think I'd like that," she said. "If I can't find my brother."

Even though he heard the big "if" in her voice, Jacob still had to hide a smile. He agreed to show her around town, marveling at how differently he was coming to view her now compared to what he'd thought of her for the first day and a half.

Aloren turned over, and Jacob assumed she didn't want to talk anymore. No dad around, and a mom who'd constantly been sick, then died. How would it be? Both of Jacob's parents were very involved in his life. Sometimes _too_ involved--but at least he didn't often get lonely. Matt was almost always there when there was nothing to do.

His heart started aching again, thinking about the deadline he'd missed and the chance that he might never see his dad and sister again, and he had to force himself not to think about them anymore.

Instead, he thought of basketball tryouts and Kevin, Coach's annoying son who was also a junior and seemed determined to keep Jacob out of varsity.

***

The light entering the cave changed, and Jacob glanced toward the entrance. "Akeno, turn off your light for a minute," he said.

Akeno jerked awake. "What? Another Molg?"

"No," Jacob said. "I think Lirone's gone." He got up and took a few steps forward. Sure enough, the light outside was brighter and had a warm appearance.

"Looks like the clouds are leaving," Akeno said, jumping up and dashing toward the entrance.

"Finally!" Jacob said, following Akeno.

"Wait!" Aloren called out.

They both stopped and looked back at her.

"We need to be cautious. Sometimes he hovers above the southern mountains and watches from there."

"Aargh," Akeno said. "I don't want to be cautious."

They waited for Aloren to take the lead, then walked toward the exit of the cave, being careful to stay as close to the sides as possible. Aloren paused every couple of feet, peering into the sky.

The first step outside was a little unnerving. There were still a few clouds above the mountains to the south. However, after they had watched for a few long moments, nothing happened, and Jacob relaxed. Aloren smiled in relief.

Akeno pulled out the Minya container and released Early, giving her instructions to send an update to his parents. Rather than waiting for her to return, knowing she'd catch up easily, they started down the mountain toward the trail.

Jacob ached in a few spots where he'd hit the wall, but the pains were easily ignored, and as he walked, those pains started disappearing anyway. Being outside was so refreshing, he found it hard to focus on anything negative.

Early caught up with them. "Jacob's mother is in Taga Village!"

Jacob turned, his heart skipping a beat. "Really? She is? How's she feeling?"

"Great! One of the Makalos slipped her Kaede sap while she was in the hospital, and she's all better."

Jacob chewed the inside of his cheek, his emotions warring with each other. He was excited that his mom was feeling better, but a fresh wave of guilt rushed over him. He didn't want to ask how his mom felt about him missing his deadline. About his dad getting tortured, with his sister potentially there to watch.

"Kenji said you'd be traveling near the cottage of the Fat Lady," Early said. "You need to stop and talk to her. She'll help you prepare to meet the Lorkon."

"Where does she live?" Jacob asked.

"On the other side of Ridgewood. Kenji sent a warning--they haven't had contact with her because she has a lock on her cabin preventing magical visitors. He said to be careful because she might be like Aldo." Early floated to Akeno, ready to go back in her container.

Jacob started jogging down the trail. "We've got a lot of ground to cover," he called over his shoulder. "And we just got in a lot of rest. Time to push forward."

Aloren and Akeno caught up, and Aloren pointed ahead. "Ridgewood is around that bend. I should warn you--it's a really weird place, with some of the strangest people you'll ever come across."

Jacob frowned. "Strange? In what way?"

"They're superstitious about Maivoryl City. They do everything in their power to stop people from passing through their town. That's one of the reasons why I've never made it to Maivoryl City."

Jacob slowed to a walk, realizing they needed a plan. "How do they stop people?"

Aloren tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "By trying to kill them. Last time, they actually succeeded in killing a member of my group. They believe we're better off dead than continuing on and never returning."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. How did the members of this town possibly justify murder? "That's pretty extreme."

"Not to them," Aloren said, shaking her head. "They have a law that forbids anyone to go to the city, and the punishment for breaking it is death."

"That's ridiculous. How do their laws apply to people who don't live here? Or who have no say in the making of the law or how it's carried out? Or who don't even know about it?"

"I really don't think they thought about democracy when setting up their rules," Akeno said.

"That's pretty apparent," Jacob said. "All right. Let's figure out how to get past them." They reached the bend in the trail and he stared at the town, spread across a large area of land between the lake and the forest. A small river flowed through the place from the mountain.

"Whatever we decide to do, we need to figure it out fast, before they see us," Aloren said.

Jacob looked at the landscape surrounding the city. "Maybe we could go around? Through the trees on the hill?"

"No, they keep lookouts up there at all times. And before you ask, going through the water is also a really bad idea."

"Why?"

"There are many different varieties of fish in the lake, besides Eetu, and most will destroy you if given the chance. The Eetu fish start coming closer to the surface to feed in the evening, and you already know what will happen if we encounter one of them." Aloren looked at the lake. "We tried it once. A member of the group was attacked and severely injured before we realized what was happening. Three men tried to help her while the rest of us swam to shore as fast as we could. None of those four made it. When we got out of the water, the people of Ridgewood were waiting for us."

Jacob frowned, glad he hadn't been there. How horrible. "What happened next?"

"After interrogating us and keeping us in prison for more than a month, they made us promise never to try going to Maivoryl City again. Now they'll just kill anyone who attempts it."

"So, we can't go through the water on the south, and we can't go through the forest on the north," Jacob said. "And we can't very well go under the town. What else can we do?"

"Well," Akeno started, "I could shrink both of you and have Early transport you to the other side of the city."

"What about you?" Jacob said. "How would you get across?"

"Use the trees, of course," he said, pointing up at the forest.

Aloren gave Akeno an incredulous look. "I just said it isn't possible to go that way."

Akeno gave a mischievous smile. "But when was the last time a _Makalo_ attempted it?"

# Chapter Thirty

"I'll have the trees hide me," Akeno said, "and, if necessary, lift me and carry me across their branches. No one will see me, and it won't take any time at all."

Jacob watched Aloren as she thought it through. She bit her lip. "Okay, we'll try it," she said. "But let's get it done as soon as possible. I want to travel by sunlight as long as we can."

"Okay, ladies first," Akeno said.

He had Aloren stand a few dozen feet away, then took Early out of his knapsack and explained what she was going to do. Once both were ready, Akeno reached out, squinting one eye. Aloren disappeared, then reappeared on Akeno's palm.

After making sure she was okay, Akeno had Early pick her up. Aloren was a little smaller than the Minya, and it didn't look like Early struggled with the girl's weight.

"Fly her over the city," Jacob said. "Make sure you stay high."

Early flitted off and reappeared a few minutes later, and it was Jacob's turn. He ran down the trail to where Aloren had stopped, then turned to face Akeno. One second, he was being pinched around his waist, and the next, he stood in Akeno's hand. Early picked him up, and before he'd adjusted to being held by a Minya, they'd landed on a huge rock next to Aloren.

Jacob asked Early to make sure Akeno didn't need help, and to send word if anything went wrong. She left, and Jacob and Aloren sat on the rock to wait.

They were alone for the first time, and Jacob felt self-conscious. He racked his brain, trying to think of something to say, and grabbed the first thing that came to mind. "You have a dimple in your cheek," he said. He paused, then blurted out the rest. "Did you know that dimples are tissue defects?"

She gave him one of those looks only a girl can give.

"Um, not that you're defective or anything." He scrambled for words, and then gave up. A skeptical expression crossed Aloren's face, and he felt his cheeks redden. Idiot. He kicked himself mentally, wishing he'd just kept his trap shut. He breathed a sigh of relief when Akeno and Early arrived.

Akeno returned them to their normal size, and they started out again, reaching a small path that led through the tall grass a few minutes later. A cabin sat in a meadow about four hundred yards away from the main trail. A clothesline hung to the right, and they could see a paddock behind the cabin to the left.

"I'm guessing this is it," Jacob said.

"Do you think it's a good idea to call her 'fat'?" Aloren said as they approached the cabin. "I mean, who likes to be called fat?"

Jacob ran his fingers through his hair. "I say we just not use her name unless it's necessary."

They arrived at the cabin, and Jacob knocked.

No answer. He knocked again.

"Go away," a woman's gruff voice shouted.

"Can we talk to you?" Jacob yelled through the door. He heard someone moving around, but no one answered the door. "We were told to stop here!"

"I'm sure you were. Go away!"

"No," Jacob said. "Kenji sent us, and we're not leaving until you open this door."

"And why should I believe you?"

Jacob turned to Aloren and Akeno. "She's not going to open it."

"Let me try," Akeno said. "Kenji is my father," he yelled through the crack.

"Right. As if _that's_ the truth."

"No!" Jacob yelled. "He's serious! Kenji said we needed to stop by the Fat Lady's cabin, and she would tell us what we need to do to face the Lork--"

The door swung wide open. "Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

The group of travelers took a step back, looking up. The woman standing before them was _huge_ --at least six hundred pounds, maybe more, and well over six feet tall. Nothing like the Fat Lady in Harry Potter. She smiled at them, showing an odd assortment of teeth. The top, which were mostly missing, were blackened and crooked, while the bottom teeth were straight, smooth, and pearly white. She wore massive earrings, and the holes in her lobes were stretched out. Her hair was light brown, piled in a knotty-looking mess on top of her head. Her lids were puffy, making her eyes look tiny.

She reached out with a large hand and pulled the three inside, slamming the door shut and pushing them in front of her into the main room of the cabin. "So, tell me," she said. "What news do you bring from Taga Village?"

# Chapter Thirty-One

Jacob and his friends exchanged glances.

The Fat Lady let out a booming laugh. "Cat got your tongue, eh?" Plopping into a large, furry-looking chair, she propped her feet up on a table in the middle of the room. "Sit, sit," she said, motioning to a couch that was surrounded by piles of paper and junk.

Jacob was the first to move. He knew Akeno wouldn't sit on the end of the couch closest to the woman, so he did.

"Tell me who you are," the Fat Lady said. "Never seen anyone as big as me, have you?"

Aloren shook her head and glanced at Jacob, who wasn't sure what to say.

"Speak up, speak up!" The Fat Lady pointed her finger at Aloren. "You first. What's your name, where're you from." It came across more as a demand than a question.

"My name is Aloren. I'm from Macaria."

"Ah. It's been quite some time since I traveled that far. I usually only get ten feet in front of my cabin before giving up and going back home." She laughed again and pointed at Akeno. "I'm assuming you're the one who claims to be Kenji's son."

"Yes, ma'am," Akeno said, his voice shaking. "I'm his eldest. My name is Akeno."

"It has been several years since I last saw your parents." She picked up a vial from the table, put a drop of the contents on her finger, then rubbed her bottom teeth. She jerked her finger toward Jacob, who almost jumped up until he saw she was merely pointing. He'd thought she was going to smear some of the stuff on him. "And you? Who are you, and who do you belong to?"

"My name is Jacob. My parents are Lee and Janna--I mean, Dmitri and Arien--"

The Fat Lady squealed loudly, slamming her hands on the armrests. "Oh, I've been expecting you!" She laughed, wagging her finger at him. "Didn't think you were gonna hear me say something like that, did ya?"

He expected pretty much anything to happen here, but he decided not to say so and ruin her fun.

She jumped to her feet and strode to a cabinet on the other side of the room, dodging the junk and stacks of papers placed randomly on the floor.

"Oh, and call me Fat Lady," she said. "It's the password to enter my house, and I won't answer to anything else."

Walking back to the couch, she handed a vial to each member of the group. "Akeno and Aloren, drink this now. Jacob, wait to take yours. It won't do to have you seeing things you shouldn't see right now."

What was she talking about? And what would the potion do to him? Jacob looked at the corked vial in his hand. The glass was swirled brown and blue, full of a dark, runny liquid. Akeno and Aloren's potion was different, more of a rose color.

"I really didn't expect you to bring others, so it's a good thing I thought to make those up just in case," the Fat Lady said. "Can't say I blame ya, though. You know this trip will be extremely dangerous, I'm sure. All your lives are at risk. But who cares these days? As long as the job gets done, right?" She jerked her thumb over her shoulder toward the Lorkon castle. "Do you know anything about that city?"

Jacob met eyes with Akeno before looking at the woman again. "Not really, no." He knew hardly anything about Eklaron. Or the Lorkon, for that matter--besides what they looked like.

"Eh, it's probably better that way," she said, picking up a dirty towel that had been crumpled in the seat of her chair. She shook it out, causing a cloud of dust to fly in the air, then tossed it on the table and sat with a thump. "Knowing too much can cause a lot of problems, you know."

Was she crazy? "I disagree," Jacob said. "It's better to know as much as possible before doing anything that might be dangerous, since--"

"Yes, you would, wouldn't you?" the Fat Lady said, peering down at Jacob. "It is, after all, second nature to you." Her voice changed to a more businesslike tone. "Knowing as little as possible in this case is in your best interest, though."

How would she know what was second nature to him, and what was in his "best interest"? He'd never met her before in his life. Jacob scowled and looked at Akeno, who still fingered his vial.

The Fat Lady also glanced at the Makalo. "Boy, you'd better drink that! You'll wish you were dead if you don't!"

Akeno didn't move to drink it, instead looking at Aloren, who shrugged. "Bottoms up," she said, emptying the vial into her mouth and swallowing. "Wow, bitter!" she gasped.

The Fat Lady guffawed, slapping her knee. "What were you expecting? Fruit juice?"

Akeno also swallowed his, with much the same reaction as Aloren.

"Why do I have to wait to take mine?" Jacob asked.

"Because theirs were designed to _prevent_ reactions, and yours was designed to _control_ reactions. If you drink it too soon, we'd have problems. And if we were to prevent your reactions, we'd all be in trouble, wouldn't we?" She smiled her odd grin.

Jacob just stared at her, not sure what to think or say.

"Oh, come on--tell me you've noticed that some things affect your companions that don't affect you."

Jacob blinked. "Not really."

"Well, get this. They aren't going to be affected by those things any more now that they drank the potion." She put her legs on the table again.

He was so confused, he didn't even know where to start or what to say. Should he contradict her? "What about me?"

"What about you?"

"What does the potion do to me?"

"Well, you're a special case. If you take that potion now, you'll be really messed up, and the potion would be diluted by your blood, taking away its effectiveness. Then, when the thing happens that is supposed to cause your reaction, it'll most likely kill you. Either that, or turn you evil. So, thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather you take the potion when you need it. Oh, and the time to take it is when you feel you have no control over your body. Have them help you," she said, pointing at the other two.

"What--when I feel like I have no control?" Jacob asked. Was she purposely being vague, or would he really be in danger if he knew more?

"But of course!" she said. "You know, when your body goes haywire, and you don't know what's going on anymore? I have no idea when it will happen. Figure it out yourself."

Her demeanor changed again and she stood, looking intently at Jacob. "When you get the key, come straight back here. No detours, no stopping for breaks, and no trying to figure out how to use the key until you're here. The spells that allow only _you_ to activate the key aren't triggered unless you're close to my cabin. It won't even function until you're near here."

"I have to get my dad and little sister. That's my biggest goal. I'm not coming back until I have them."

The Fat Lady stared at him. "Your father is in Maivoryl City? Why would he do a stupid thing like that? And with a child, no less?"

Jacob scowled. "He's not stupid. The Lorkon kidnapped him and my sister."

"Not stupid? And he let himself get kidnapped? Heaven help us--our king is an idiot."

Jacob's jaw dropped. He was about to start yelling at her or throwing something, but she rode right over him.

"Get the key first--without it, chances of you getting home are zero." She gripped his face. "Do you understand? Get the key, get your dad and sister, and come here. Then you can activate the key and go home."

"Okay," he said, breathing a sigh of relief when she released him.

The Fat Lady turned to Akeno and Aloren. "Don't let the Lorkon touch you. The potion might prevent bad reactions, but it'll be worthless against their blood."

She glanced over them all. "There's a tunnel that leads to my house from the castle. I wish I had more time to tell you where it is. The entrance to it is down a side corridor on the third floor. It has a small window near it and an end table with candlesticks on it." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "What I wouldn't give to have a picture of that hall to show you."

Walking to the door, she opened it and motioned for them to exit. "I believe you have something to get done, and fast. The longer you take, the worse off everyone will be. Especially King Dmitri and his little princess."

Jacob, Akeno, and Aloren hurried through the open door. Jacob turned to ask another question, but the Fat Lady shut the door in his face.

He followed the others down the trail. He looked over his shoulder at the Fat Lady's cabin a couple of times, but gave up, realizing she wasn't going to open the door. Why'd she have to push them out of her house so fast? He'd wanted to ask more about the key and the Lorkon.

They continued down the trail quietly--all lost in their own thoughts. After a few minutes of walking, Aloren closed her eyes, raising her face to the sun.

"Oh, it smells so good here," she said. "Like the bread Gallus's wife makes!"

"No, it smells like trees and wildflowers." Akeno breathed deeply. "Aaaah . . ."

Jacob opened his mouth to reply, but Aloren grabbed his arm, interrupting him. "Look at that," she said, pointing.

# Chapter Thirty-Two

Jacob had to blink a couple of times. "What's he doing?"

A man stood not far away, staring at the lake, a vacant smile on his face. He was clean-cut and neatly dressed.

Jacob slowed down, unsure what to do. The trail was about to curve to the right around a very large tree, and he stopped behind that tree to watch.

The man didn't move. He didn't even blink--at least from what Jacob saw. What was going on?

Something that Seden said came back to him. Something about the Lorkon traps. "I . . . can't smell anything out of the ordinary," Jacob said. "But both of you can." He rubbed his chin, concentrating. "It's not doing anything to any of us."

Akeno frowned. "No . . . should it?"

"Don't you remember? Seden told us that Dmitri went through four elemental traps that were placed by the Lorkon to stop him. Well, one was scented air that trapped people." He glanced at them. "I can't smell anything out of the ordinary, but you both smell something completely different." Jacob motioned to the man. "He's obviously not going anywhere any time soon."

"It's not affecting us . . ." Aloren said. "Do you think that's because of the potions?"

"Probably."

"But what about you?"

Jacob slowly shook his head. "Not sure, though the Fat Lady did make the comment that things that affect my companions don't affect me. I hadn't noticed anything, but if this is what she was referring to, it would make sense." And while it made him feel almost invincible, it also freaked him out--which he did his best to keep hidden. Just like in the cave, when he'd been able to see the Molg. These things couldn't be normal.

"Shouldn't there be more people?" Akeno asked. "If the trap is still active, this guy can't be the only one."

Aloren took a few steps around the tree, then shrieked. "Whoa! There are definitely more people."

Jacob and Akeno joined her. She was right. There were people everywhere. Some lay on the grass, staring up into the sky. Some sat cross-legged, elbows on knees, resting their chins in their hands. Many were standing, as the man had been. All wore the same vacant smiles. Their attire varied from very nice to grubby and dirty.

"What are they doing?" Akeno asked.

Jacob frowned. "I think . . . I think they're living their lives in their minds. Sort of like an invisible prison. I'd bet a lot of people have disappeared to this place."

Aloren grabbed Jacob's arm, and he jumped. "Do you think my brother might be here?" she asked.

"I don't know--we can check. Let's separate and look for guys about his age. How old would he be?"

"Seventeen or eighteen--around a year older than me."

"What does he look like?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe like me, except with blue eyes and blond hair? He also had dimples."

Lucky guy. Matt had dimples, and it definitely made getting dates easier. 'Course, he was also a lot more outgoing than Jacob. "That's good--most of them are smiling. It'll help narrow things down."

The three of them separated, with Akeno heading to the left, Aloren going straight, and Jacob taking the right. He came across his first seventeen- or eighteen-year-old relatively quickly. The guy's eyes were shut, and though his expression pleasant, he wasn't smiling. Could Jacob get him to respond? Open his eyes? He hesitated, then reached out and prodded the guy on the shoulder.

The teen turned his face toward Jacob and smiled vacantly, his eyes slowly opening. "Hmmm?"

Jacob backed away, uncomfortable. Weird. The guy's eyes were brown, though, so it wasn't Aloren's brother.

From there, Jacob walked as quickly as he could through the people. He glanced at each face, trying to see someone who resembled Aloren even in the slightest. Only one other person was the right age, but he also had brown eyes. In five or ten minutes, Jacob met up with his friends on the other side of the large group of people.

"No luck?" Jacob asked.

Aloren shook her head. "It doesn't feel right for him to be here. I still feel like he's in Maivoryl City."

"Let's keep going, then. Maybe we'll have better luck there."

They continued forward, passing the last person. The trail soon turned left, heading toward the large mountains at the south of the valley. On the hills to the right, the forest thinned, and the path led the group close to the base of a very large hill that obstructed their view of both the castle and Maivoryl City.

"How much farther?" Akeno said. "The sun will be setting soon, and I don't think we want to enter the castle in the dark."

"I'd say at least another hour, if not longer," Aloren said. "I've never been this far, though, so I'm not exactly sure." She glanced at Jacob. "We still have the last trap to get through. We might want to set up camp soon and approach it in the morning."

"Good idea," he said. "As soon as the sun goes down, we'll do that."

They walked in silence until the sun set, and Akeno put together the usual huts. Everyone ate the meal he cooked, then they turned in.

***

Jacob woke up the next morning both excited and troubled by the dream he'd had. The lady in the forest nearly captured him, snakes had swarmed all over him, and his skin felt like ants were crawling on it. But what she'd said to him had _finally_ come back. "Danilo." He had no idea what it meant, but at least he could tell the Makalos he'd remembered.

As they walked, Jacob glanced at the foothill beside them. Doing a double take, he pointed up. "Check that out."

On top of the hill, a wall rose high above them. It was gray and looked like granite. The surface wasn't smooth, but had vertical ripples flowing through it, giving the appearance of gray curtains.

"That's really odd," Akeno said.

"Yes, it is. I wonder if it's the first element." Jacob continued to peer up while walking and noticed that even though the hill was getting smaller, the wall-like thing on top stayed the same height. "This is different, though. Seden said it was a waterfall."

As they followed the path, the foothill disappeared, and the trail ran flush with the wall. Jacob stared at it, trying to see the top. The glare of the sun was too bright, and he wasn't able to measure the height. He looked forward, surprised to see the path turn and disappear beneath the wall.

# Chapter Thirty-Three

"Is that really the end of the trail?" Akeno asked.

"Uh, I guess it is," Aloren said. "Now what?"

"No, it's not the end," Jacob said. "The wall was put on top of it. I'm sure it continues on the other side." He scratched his head. "Maybe Early can see over it."

Akeno pulled out his Minya container and told Early what he needed her to do. She returned seconds later.

"It was way too high--goes up several miles at least. I didn't want to keep going. Do you want me to try again?"

Jacob shook his head. "No, it's okay. I'm wondering why we didn't see it earlier. You'd think something this big and solid would've been visible."

Aloren turned and looked toward the lake. "I've got an idea," she said. "Let's have Early go halfway across the lake and see what the wall looks like from there."

The Minya flew off, returning moments later.

"The wall became transparent the farther away I got," she said.

"Weird." Jacob paused, thinking over the situation. "All right, the Lorkon have a way through it. Let's separate and see if we can find it."

Aloren and Akeno followed the wall to the south and Jacob followed it to the north, climbing up the foothill where it met with the wall. He ran his hand along every edge and crevice he could reach, searching for a hole or something similar. After several minutes, he came to a section where the hill changed into huge rock outcroppings that would be impossible to climb without ropes and harnesses. Turning around, he was surprised to see how far he had gone. Aloren and Akeno were little dots at the far end.

Jacob half-jogged his way back down, meeting up with them where the path disappeared. "Did you find anything?"

"No, nothing," Aloren said. "You?"

"Nothing."

Aloren looked up at the wall. "What do we do?"

"I know there's a way past this," Jacob said. "There has to be. The Molgs and Lorkon have been coming and going through it, for crying out loud."

Akeno slid his bag off his shoulder, helping Early back into her container. "Can we eat something while discussing this? I'm really hungry."

"Yeah," Jacob said. "It'll give us a few minutes to think about how to get through the used-to-be-waterfall."

They sat next to a small mound of dirt near the shore of Sonda Lake, stretching out their legs and pulling food from their bags.

"I wonder what happened to make the waterfall stone. And visible, for that matter."

"Do you think we can see it because of the potions the Fat Lady gave us?" Akeno asked.

"I'm not sure, but I don't think so," Jacob said. "She said the potions would make you avoid reactions. Seeing something invisible is not a reaction."

No one said anything for a moment. Jacob bit his lip, thinking. The Molgs and Lorkon couldn't climb over the wall, and couldn't have been going around it--it was too wide. The only way was to go through it. But how? And where?

Jacob got to his feet to pace. He loved puzzles, and this one was proving to be a difficult one. He walked back and forth several times between his friends and the wall, trying to keep everything clear in his mind. As he neared them for a fourth time, something by the mound of dirt they were sitting next to caught his eye. He paused, then circled the mound.

"Hey, come check this out," Jacob said. The mound was from dirt that had been dug up. "This has to be the tunnel."

"It could be, but it looks like it's only a pit," Aloren said. "And if it _is_ a tunnel, it's fallen in on itself. Not recently, though. That dirt's been there for a year at least. It's too dry and settled to be fresh. And I know for a fact that the Lorkon and Molgs have been out of Maivoryl several times during the past year."

"What is it, then?" Akeno asked. "It's not here naturally."

"An animal hole?" Jacob said. "Do animals this big live around here?"

"No, I don't think so," Aloren said, then paused. "Oh, I'll bet Dusts made it. They do things like this in the Macaria castle too--digging through things, making tunnels. We'd better move away just in case. They're stupid, but can cause a lot of damage. I have to reinvent the way into my tower in the castle regularly. It takes them forever to work out new problems."

The group circled back to their lunch spot and finished eating--facing the wall so they could continue to examine it.

After several moments, Jacob glanced up--did he just see a section of the wall shift? It was a spot twenty feet or so to the left of where the trail disappeared--the part Aloren and Akeno had inspected. He stood and walked closer, squinting in the bright light of the sun. He stopped in front of it--something flickered again.

"Wait," he said. "That's weird. The wall has a . . ." He reached out to touch it and jumped back when the stone dissolved around his hand. "Wow! What was that?"

The tunnel was now right in front of him--it was dark, and he couldn't see very far into it.

He turned to his friends. "Holy cow! Come see! I just found the tunnel!"

"I can't see anything," Akeno said.

Aloren shook her head. "Neither can I."

"Wait--what? You can't see the tunnel? It's right here." Jacob motioned to it.

"There's nothing there but wall," Aloren said.

Jacob frowned. "You . . . really can't see it?"

Aloren smiled, rolling her eyes, and Akeno gave him a look that said "Didn't I just tell you that?"

Jacob sighed. "Okay, come here then." He grabbed Akeno and pulled him over to stand right in front of the entrance. "Put your hand out. You'll feel the wall sorta dissolve around it."

Akeno put his hand out, but the wall didn't dissolve. His palm landed flat on stone. "Now what?"

"Oh, my gosh," Jacob said. "I know I'm not going crazy. Aloren, you try it."

"No, I believe _you_ can see it. There's probably a reason why we can't. I'd guess it's because we're not supposed to go with you."

"What are you talking about? Like crap I'm doing this alone."

"Then lead us. That's the only other alternative."

Jacob scowled at the wall. Was there any other option? He hated the idea of leading them blind, but he knew he'd never get out alive without their help. "Okay, fine. We'll do that."

Aloren took Akeno's hand with her left and Jacob's with her right. "Let's go," she said.

Jacob turned to the wall, trying not to think too much about Aloren's touch. He stepped forward, pulling Aloren and Akeno in with him as the wall dissolved, revealing the tunnel. The moment they were inside, they were plunged into complete darkness.

"Oh, wow," Aloren said, gasping. "We're in the wall now, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are."

"I feel it. It's pushing all around me. It feels like I'm standing in stone." Aloren gasped again. "Just . . . don't let go of my hand."

"I won't. I promise." Jacob looked over his shoulder. "Akeno, how are you holding up?"

"The same . . . as Aloren."

Resolving to get them through the wall as quickly as possible, Jacob started forward again. He could barely make out the walls on either side. Putting out his free hand, he used the side wall to guide him. It was bumpy and had an odd texture to it, making him stop again. He felt around, trying to figure out why it was so weird, but nothing came to mind.

# Chapter Thirty-Four

Taking a few more steps, he relied on the wall to guide him. Then it disappeared from under his hand, and it took him several minutes to find it again. The tunnel had taken a turn to the right. He started to follow it, looking over his shoulder out of habit to check on Aloren and Akeno. The blackness made it impossible to see them, though. He cleared his throat. "Uh, how're you guys doing?"

"My bag . . . take . . . my bag," Aloren said, gasping. "Can't feel . . . it . . . don't want . . . lose . . ."

"Okay." Jacob reached out and found the top of her head, then lowered his hand to the bag slung around her neck. He secured it around his own neck and one arm. "Akeno? Do you want me to take yours as well?"

"No, m'fine," Akeno said, also gasping now. "Hurry."

"Okay." Jacob took another deep breath, tracing the wall as he went. "Something tells me this isn't going to be a short tunnel."

The tunnel turned several more times--Jacob lost count of how many. He closed his eyes, realizing he didn't need them open anyway. "Hey, wait," he said. "Akeno, let's see if your finger will light up the place."

The walls were immediately swathed in the eerie blue light. Jacob yelled at what he saw, jumping backward into Aloren.

"Turn it off! Turn it off!" he shrieked.

The blue light faded, and he was again surrounded by darkness, but the images that had filled his view wouldn't go away. Hundreds and hundreds of faces, bodies, embedded in the walls of the tunnel. Fingers reaching forward, eyes unseeing, staring into nothing.

"What happened?" Aloren gasped.

"What's going on?" Akeno said. "I can't see anything!"

Jacob remained motionless, trying to calm his heart. Those couldn't have been real people. They couldn't have. He realized his hand was still on the wall and he jerked it off, wiping it on his pants. Wiping didn't take away the feeling of death that remained. He wiped harder, groaning in frustration.

"Jacob?" Aloren said, her voice pleading. "Tell us what you saw."

Jacob furrowed his brow. "No, no, it was nothing," he said. "Nothing." He couldn't seem to take in enough air--even it felt grimy now.

"If you won't tell us," Akeno said, his voice higher than normal, "then keep going."

Jacob braced himself. "Okay."

He shut his eyes once more, finding it easier to go that way than to try to find light, and used his feet to guide instead of his hand. He touched the wall as little as possible and cringed every time he brushed against it. They didn't make much progress this way, but he'd never touch that wall again if he could help it.

Jacob became aware that Aloren was holding his hand too tightly. "Aloren? I can't feel my fingers."

"Sorry." Aloren loosened her grip, but it wasn't long before she held on just as tight again. She pulled in a ragged breath of air. "How . . . much farther?"

"Don't know," Jacob said, concentrating on not letting his emotions flow into his words. "I hope not much." He wouldn't be able to take any more of this if it didn't end soon. He couldn't believe he'd actually been touching faces and hands . . . people. He wasn't sure if they were dead or trapped in the wall alive--he didn't know how to tell if they were breathing. He hoped they were alive and could be helped eventually. But finding out about the people that way had been awful.

After what felt like an eternity, a slight gust of wind brushed his face. He peeked through his eyelids, bracing himself for whatever had caused the air to move. A small shaft of light crossed the ground several feet ahead of them. Relief coursed through him as he realized what it meant. "I think we're almost at the end of the tunnel," he whispered. "No one talk until I make sure we're safe."

Aloren squeezed his hand, showing him she understood. After two more turns, the tunnel was lit well enough for Jacob to walk forward without using his feet to guide himself. He tried not to look at the walls, but couldn't help it. They were made completely of stone again. Oh, good.

Right before what he thought was the last turn, he stopped. He inched forward, paused, pressed up against the wall, then peered around the corner.

# Chapter Thirty-Five

"Not again," Jacob groaned.

The light was muted, the trees dark and shriveled.

"What is it?" Aloren whispered.

"The trees look the same here as they did in the infected forest." Jacob surveyed the scene before leading them out of the tunnel. At least he could still see color, though everything was tinted green. Weird. The air was heavy and dark, the sunlight barely visible, making it appear to be almost nighttime.

The trees looked worse than the last forest--they were shorter, more gnarled, and because they grew so closely together, they almost appeared to be one huge, squat tree.

After making sure no one waited for them in the trees, Jacob guided Akeno and Aloren out of the tunnel. The trees were so thick that getting through them would be next to impossible. There wasn't a path, and the forest came right up next to the wall. Rock outcroppings were everywhere.

"Can you guys see yet?"

Aloren took several deep breaths. "Yes," she said. "Why is it so dark?"

"I'm not sure. It wasn't exactly like this in the infected forest." Jacob turned to look at his friends. "Akeno, can you see?"

"Yeah, I can."

"This place gives me the heebie-jeebies, so if you guys can see well enough, let's keep moving," Jacob said. "There isn't a trail here, but I'll bet if we stick close to the wall, we'll come across some kind of path eventually."

"We'll follow you," Aloren said.

Jacob looked down at her hand, still clutching his. "But I might need to use both my hands," he said, almost wishing that wasn't the case.

"Oh, sorry." Aloren pulled away.

The ground was rough and just as bad as Jacob had expected it to be. At least the trees weren't as violent here as the ones in the infected forest. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the group was trying to go around the trees, not between. Jacob was quick to note, however, that anytime he brushed up against a tree, he received a swift reminder to stay away. It was pretty difficult not to touch them, and after just a few minutes of climbing over rocks and clinging to the wall, he felt thrashed.

After half an hour of climbing, jumping down, crawling through, stepping over, and hiking up, they got to a place where the ground evened out and the dirt road appeared up ahead.

"There's the trail!" Aloren said.

"I really wish I could use my Rezend to see what's out there," Akeno said.

Jacob nodded. "You could try it if you want to, but I doubt the trees will let you touch them."

"I'll leave Rezend as a last resort for now."

The group followed the trail west and away from the wall. It led deeper into the forest, which was now the only thing that appeared to separate them from the castle. Jacob felt a small tightening sensation in his chest. He did his best not to imagine what his dad and sister were going through, opting instead to concentrate on each step he took.

The group neared a large tree with oddly shaped branches growing wild at the bottom, then coming to a point at the top. It stood out from the other trees--being several feet taller, and having lighter-colored bark. There was a spot where the branches parted, leaving what looked somewhat like an open-ended box.

"That's a Kaith tree," Akeno said. "Long ago, the people of this kingdom would leave things here for passing travelers. They'd put spells on the tree so only those who were meant to take the things would be able to get them. If I remember correctly, there used to be several similar trees throughout our land for this purpose. This is supposed to be the only one left--the rest died or were destroyed."

Shortly after passing the Kaith tree, they came to a fork in the road. There was a sign with the words _Maivoryl City_ etched into it, pointing to the right. Jacob assumed the left branch led to the castle. His heartbeat sped up, and he had to consciously change his thought process to keep from freaking out. He looked at Aloren. "Isn't this where your brother should be?"

Aloren nodded. "Yes, it is. And this is as far as I'm supposed to go." She gave Jacob and Akeno quick hugs. "It's been nice traveling with you."

Jacob's mouth opened and closed as he tried to figure out what to say. "Wait a second. You're not coming with us to the castle?"

Aloren shook her head. "I was only hired to take you here. Seden was hired to get you through the traps. The deal was, once we got to this point, we were free to focus on our own goals."

Jacob hesitated, trying to decide what to do. "Maybe Akeno and I should go with you into the city . . . at least to help you get started."

"That won't be necessary. You need to find your family."

Jacob still hesitated, his emotions warring inside. He didn't feel good about letting her go off on her own. Who knew what was in that city? But now that he was this close to the Lorkon castle, he couldn't bear the thought of putting off his father and sister even a little longer.

He rubbed the back of his neck. The last time he'd placed his family above everything else, there had been serious consequences. His heart hadn't stopped aching since yesterday. Could he forgive himself if Aloren died too?

And another thing . . . what would his father say if he found out Jacob had let her go off on her own? Seden's death had been an accident, but now that he knew what could happen if he didn't consider the needs of the people around him, he refused to repeat that mistake. He'd already missed the deadline. What would another hour matter?

"We'll come with you," he said, "and stay until we're sure things are okay. If it doesn't look right, we'll all get out. Besides, I think your task will take less time than mine. There has to be a town center, a mayor--someone who knows everyone here--we can ask." He placed his hand on Aloren's shoulder, meeting her gaze. "And then come with us to the castle. You can't get out of Maivoryl City without me, and we could use your help finding the key."

Aloren agreed, and they started down the road to Maivoryl City.

# Chapter Thirty-Six

The trees grew thickly on either side, and it seemed as though they were reaching toward Jacob. He looked at them, but could see no movement. The thick, greenish air, the trees, the eerie quiet--it made him feel like he was close to suffocating.

After a few turns in the trail, buildings came into view, and Jacob kept his eyes on them as the group continued. With the light of the sun barely visible, the city felt dark and ominous. Most of the buildings were boarded up, but had muted light coming from inside. It wasn't natural light, but a sickly mustard-green color. The feeling that came from the city wasn't welcoming, and the air was now so heavy, Jacob felt a constant need to clear his throat.

As they passed the first house, Jacob saw a face press up against one of the windows. It disappeared, but then came back, accompanied by another. A moment later, the door opened a crack, and an old, withered hand appeared, reaching toward Jacob and his friends.

He almost stopped walking when he saw a tired-looking woman kneeling at the door. She had gray hair that was pulled into a loose bun. "Please, please help us," she wheezed, her light-colored eyes begging.

Aloren looked at Jacob, a troubled expression on her face.

"I really don't feel good about this place," Jacob whispered. "I don't think we should go near anyone."

As soon as he'd said this, the woman's expression turned to one of intense hatred. "Yes, that's right, children," she said. "Keep walking away if it makes you feel better. You rats." She slammed the door shut.

The group continued down the center of the winding road. Jacob did his best to ignore the disfigured faces that watched them from almost every window.

A few moments later, the road opened into a large area with a building in the middle. Jacob paused to scrutinize it. The windows weren't boarded up, and the light that came from inside was warm and welcoming. It was more likely to be a town hall than any of the other buildings. He continued forward.

They were almost to the porch when the front door opened, and a man stepped out carrying a rug. He was large, wearing a white shirt and a blue apron, and had a mustache that covered at least half his face. He shook the rug out, then noticed them and jumped, dropping the rug and putting his hand on his chest.

"Oh, you startled me!" he said, laughing. "Can I help you?"

"You might," Aloren said.

The man gave her a friendly smile, his eyes twinkling. "I might?" He laughed. "Well, let's hear what you have to say, and we'll see if I can."

"I'm looking for my brother."

"And who is your brother?"

"His name is Devlin."

"You believe you might find him in Maivoryl City?" The man stroked one side of his mustache. "Hmmm. You do know that no one has come or gone from this city in many years, right?"

"Yes, I know," Aloren said. "But he hasn't been seen for a very long time, and I've searched everywhere for him--except this city."

"Have you considered that he might be dead?"

Aloren faltered, but then a determined expression came into her eyes. "Yes, I have. But I don't think he is."

The man picked up the rug. "How can you be sure?"

"I can't explain it. I just know. I want to search the city, but I'm not sure where to start, or how."

A young woman came to the door and stood behind the man, her arms folded. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he brought her forward. "My name is Eachan," he said. "This is my eldest, Duana."

Duana's features relaxed, and she smiled at Aloren, who returned the smile.

Hope was starting to come into Aloren's eyes. "My name is Aloren, and these are my friends, Jacob and Akeno."

Eachan studied them, a curious expression on his face. He locked eyes with Jacob for a brief moment, and Jacob could sense an under-the-surface emotion, similar to heartache, coming from the man.

"Very pleased to meet you both." Eachan opened the door. "Please come in. We don't get many visitors to the town hall or Maivoryl City."

"Thank you," Aloren said.

He held the door for them. "In fact, you're the first visitors to come in a very long time."

"Can we have a minute alone to talk, please?" Jacob asked, motioning for Aloren and Akeno to come closer.

"Of course." Eachan went into the hall, shutting the door behind him.

Jacob pulled Aloren and Akeno several feet away from the porch. "I don't want to go in there until I know how you feel about this."

Akeno and Aloren looked at each other. Akeno was the first to speak. "I trust him."

"Same with me," Aloren said. "I'm usually an excellent judge of character, and I think he's a good man, doing the best he can with what he has around him."

"I don't trust this city," Jacob said, "or him." He frowned, thinking. "But he might have information on how to look for your brother."

Aloren nodded. "He'd have to know everyone who lives here, even if only by sight. And he'd at least know if there was someone here Devlin's age."

"We could use his help."

"You mean _I. I_ could use his help."

"No, you're not doing it alone. We're coming with you."

"Why? Your business is much more urgent than mine. The lives of your father and sister are on the line, for crying out loud. Not to mention one of the most powerful objects ever created." She put both hands on his shoulders. "Go. Get the key and your family as soon as possible."

Jacob shook his head. "No. I agreed to stay with you until things felt safe."

" _I_ feel comfortable."

"It doesn't matter."

"Are you discrediting how I feel?"

"Aloren, honestly." Jacob scowled. "It's a stupid idea for you to be left alone right now."

She raised an eyebrow. "You do know who you're talking to, right? I've been alone most of my life. Even while my mom was sick, I was alone because she couldn't leave her room. And she was sick almost my _entire life_. Go, Jacob!"

"After we find Devlin."

"No! Seriously. Think about it. There's a big chance the Lorkon don't know you're here. You have the opportunity to take them by surprise before they do something with the key. For all you know, they were bluffing about that deadline and there's still a chance to save your father."

Jacob looked into her eyes. "Then come with us to find the key, and we can look for Devlin afterward."

"And possibly lose my chance?" She shook her head. "Jacob, this is as far as I've ever gone. If things fall apart with the Lorkon, there's no way I'll be able to come back. If I don't take this opportunity right now, it'll never come again."

Jacob closed his eyes. "I can't leave you, Aloren."

"Her points are valid," Akeno said. "We're wasting time arguing."

Aloren put her hand on Jacob's arm. "And you can't make my decisions for me. I trust Eachan and his daughter. I'll be fine here."

As much as he hated to admit it, Jacob felt Aloren was right--they wouldn't stop by the city on their way back.

"Are you sure about this?" he said. "One hundred percent _positive_ this is what you really want to do?"

Aloren nodded. "Yes, I am. Besides, it'll only take a couple of hours to search the city. I'll have Eachan and Duana's help, so that should be enough. We can meet near the tunnel, and you can lead me back to the other side."

"All right. Let's make it two and a half hours, to be safe."

"Okay. Thank you, Jacob."

Jacob gave her shoulder a light squeeze and started toward the town hall.

# Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Jacob, wait," Aloren said, then threw her arms around him. "I really mean it. Thank you so much for believing me and for helping me come here. You, Akeno, and Gallus are the only ones who don't think I'm crazy."

She pulled back, and Jacob saw tears in her eyes. He cleared his throat. "Uh . . . you're welcome."

She wiped her tears away, gave Akeno a hug, then knocked on the door of the town hall.

The door swung open and Eachan stepped to the side, motioning for them to enter. "Would you like some food?"

"No, thanks," Aloren said. "But can you help me?"

"What can I do for you?"

"I need to find my brother," she said.

He nodded. "Of course we'll help--as long as you realize that the odds of his being here aren't good, which I think you do."

Aloren turned and gave Jacob another quick hug, then Akeno. "Thanks," she said. "Get going, you two, and I'll see you soon, okay?"

Jacob stepped up the porch and shook Eachan's hand. "Thank you for your help, Eachan. We appreciate it."

Aloren stayed on the porch, watching Akeno and Jacob as they left. Jacob met her eyes as he stepped away, already missing her company. Weird how the things they'd experienced together had warmed them to each other. He turned and hurried down the street, careful not to look at the buildings on either side.

They were a couple of blocks away from the town hall when they heard a girl scream. Jacob whipped around. The porch swarmed with townspeople who were grabbing at Aloren, trying to drag her away.

"Run, Aloren!" Jacob yelled. He was about to run back, but hesitated when Eachan jumped through the door and wrestled with several people, kicking and shoving them off the porch. Duana and Aloren were fighting as well.

Eachan punched one of the villagers full in the face, then grabbed Aloren and Duana, pulling them inside to safety and slamming the door shut. Maybe Eachan was used to the town hall getting attacked.

"Jacob! Look out!" Akeno yelled.

Jacob lurched out of the way just as a disfigured man with long, ratted hair slashed a large knife at him. He slashed again and Jacob dodged, swinging around with his fist and hitting the guy on the side of the head.

The man fell over near Akeno, who sprang away from the man's grasp.

Jacob felt something touch his back, and he jumped around to see a woman with greasy hands and hair trying to grab his shirt. He shoved her away, knocking her into a deformed man behind her. He glanced around. Hundreds of people with mangled bodies poured out of the buildings on both sides of the street, many carrying knives and sticks.

He fought the hands off him, finding that the people were weak. But their numbers . . . there were too many to fight. He and Akeno shoved their way through the group of people and sprinted as fast as they could toward the fork in the road.

Jacob glanced over his shoulder one more time before they turned a bend. The people didn't pursue them beyond the last house. It looked as though some invisible boundary kept them from leaving the city.

He stopped when they reached the main road, bent over, and put his hands on his knees. "They're not . . . following us," he panted. "Why?"

"Not sure," Akeno said, also gasping for breath.

Jacob straightened and motioned toward Maivoryl City. "Did you see how they swarmed all over Aloren? We have to go back for her--I knew we shouldn't have left her there!"

"There's nothing we can do. We aren't prepared to fight. We'll end up stuck there too." Akeno grabbed Jacob's arm, forcing him to look away from the city. "Listen to me. We can't do both. If we try to get her, we'll fail at getting your dad and sister _and_ the key." He paused, then resolution crossed his face. "Only a couple of hours. We'll meet her at the tunnel and . . . and help her then."

Jacob closed his eyes, focusing on the air rushing in and out of his lungs. He didn't want to contradict Akeno--Aloren _wouldn't_ be meeting them in two hours. "All right, let's go."

The road led them deep into the forest, and for a time, the castle was out of view. After following the winding trail for several minutes, the forest ended, and the castle loomed up before them, large and magnificent. An intense pang of fear clenched Jacob's heart, and he was almost overcome by a sudden urge to run away as fast as he could. He took a deep breath, trying in vain to calm his heart. He realized he could lose everything that was important to him--his family, his friends, his freedom, his life, if he did the wrong thing.

The surface of the dirt road blended into cobblestones and led under the castle's huge archway and into the spacious courtyard. There were no guards visible, and the place had an eerie quietness about it that unsettled Jacob. The air seemed to press down upon him, and the silence was almost deafening.

"There's no sense putting off the inevitable," he said, then started forward. He crept up to the left side of the archway, Akeno following. Leaning against the wall, he glanced around, again making sure no one was watching them.

"How do we get in?" Akeno asked.

"I'm not sure," Jacob whispered, then laughed a short, almost hysterical laugh. "Maybe we should knock on the door. They'd probably welcome us in with wide-open arms." Akeno frowned at him, and Jacob stopped smiling. "I'm kidding, Akeno. Let's go around the castle and see if there's another way in."

"Okay."

They crept along the stone wall, staying close to it. Coming to the corner, Jacob peered around it and saw nothing but a long wall with no windows or doors. For a second, he considered turning back to the front, but then something occurred to him, and he looked at Akeno.

"I've got an idea. Come on."

He went back to the start of the wall and put his hand on it, feeling around, searching for warmth. After a few seconds, he sprinted, keeping his hand on the wall the entire way. Akeno jogged behind him, keeping up.

Jacob paused when he felt warmth in the surface. It was tiny, though, so he continued running. "Wow," he panted. "The Lorkon really know how to build strong walls." A thought popped into his head, and he stopped. "Hey, maybe I have the ability to sense weakness in things!"

"Excuse me?"

"That has to be it. I think I've known it since we were in the cave. I'm looking for a weakness in the wall so I can make an opening for us."

Akeno frowned. "When you feel the heat, you mean?"

"Yeah," Jacob said. "And when I reshaped the rock from the cave wall, I somehow knew how to make it stronger. That's pretty cool."

"Okay, great," Akeno said. "Let's concentrate on getting inside."

Jacob focused again on the temperature. After running the entire length of the wall, he turned with it as it formed the back of the castle. Ten or fifteen feet later, he found what he was looking for--a spot warm enough to do what he needed to do. Holding his hands over the stone, he felt it heat up beneath his palms and fingertips and become soft. He made a hole in the stone, about waist high, then bent over to peer through it. He didn't see anyone on the other side, so he continued working with the stone until the hole was big enough to climb through. Akeno followed him.

They turned to survey what Jacob had thought would be the inner courtyard. It might have been a room in the castle, as it was walled off, and there was a roof overhead. Light streamed through a few windows near the ceiling, making it possible for Jacob to see a door on the opposite side. Crossing the room, Jacob put his hand on the doorknob, ready to open it.

# Chapter Thirty-Eight

Thinking better of the idea, Jacob pointed to Akeno's knapsack. Early could make sure there wasn't anything dangerous on the other side of the door before they walked through it.

Seeing Akeno's knapsack reminded Jacob of something. "Oh, no . . ." he groaned.

Akeno jumped. "What?"

"I still have Aloren's bag. I completely forgot to give it back to her."

"You can return it when we reach the tunnel. She probably won't need it before then anyway."

Jacob nodded in agreement. "Would you get Early out?"

Akeno did so, and when the Minya floated in front of Jacob, he said, "I need you. Keep to the shadows and see if you can go through the keyhole in this door. If you can, check out the other side, then come tell us if it's safe to open the door."

Early flitted to the keyhole, and after wriggling around, she was able to get through. Moments later, she returned to tell them there was a courtyard on the other side of the door, and no one was there. "There's also a servants' entrance to the castle. I checked the room where it leads, and there wasn't anyone in it, either."

Jacob thanked her, and Akeno returned her to her container. Jacob opened the door and poked his head through. As Early had said, the place was empty. Motioning for Akeno to follow, he crossed the courtyard and sneaked through the door.

Shutting the door behind them, Jacob inspected the room they'd just entered. It was a large kitchen and looked as though it hadn't been used for quite some time. He ran across the room to the door on the opposite side, and once again had Early go through the keyhole. She returned to inform them that the hallway on the other side was empty as well.

Jacob quietly opened the door, glancing through the crack. There were many doors leading off the hallway, and he turned to Akeno, thinking. The Fat Lady had been pretty forceful about his need to get the key before he searched for his dad and Amberly, and after everything she'd said, he agreed. "Where do we find the key?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I didn't really think about what we would do once we got inside."

Jacob folded his arms, looking around the room, trying to decide. A long search of the castle was a bad idea--it would draw attention to them. But what else could they do?

Just as he thought this, he was overcome with vertigo. He sank to the floor, feeling feverish, blood pounding hard in his head.

"What's wrong?" Akeno asked.

"I . . ." For a second, it felt as though he could see another person's thoughts, similar to what had happened in the cave except this time without the emotions. Pictures flowed into his mind, and he saw the way to the key. Realization dawned on him, and his headache began clearing as suddenly as it had come. He became aware of Akeno hovering over him, and he rubbed his temples. The headache was mostly gone now, and the dizziness had passed. He slowly got to his feet and took a deep breath. "Uh . . . I know how to get there."

Akeno startled. "You do? How?"

"I don't know how," Jacob said. "It just came to my mind. And we've really got to hurry. No one's around the key right now, but I doubt it'll stay that way for very long."

"How can we be sure it's not a trap?"

"I don't think we can be." Jacob closed his eyes and concentrated hard on the images, making sure he had them memorized.

"What other options do we have?" Akeno asked.

"We could send Early to find it."

"That might work."

Jacob thought this through. "Except if we got split up, she might be stuck here for the rest of her life. It's probably better if we stay together."

He opened the door again, peering both ways down the hall. It was still very quiet. He took a few cautious steps, being as silent as possible, then scurried down the hall and into another room. There was a set of stairs on the opposite side, which he took two at a time. It felt weird to be so sure of the way, as though he'd been there before, but he knew those memories weren't his. They belonged to someone else.

He pushed open a heavy door. Hearing someone coming, he hid behind a curtain, motioning for Akeno to follow. A dark figure strode past them, turning a corner. Jacob couldn't tell if it was human.

They waited a moment, then Jacob led the way past an alcove to a door behind another curtain. He put his hands against the rough wood. "This is where we'll find the key."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Jacob whispered. "Stick close to my side. Let's just run in, grab it, then get the heck out of here."

Jacob opened the door a couple of inches and glanced into the room, verifying that it was empty before pushing the door all the way open.

The room looked nothing like he'd anticipated--his vision had shown a magnificent white throne room lined with paintings and statues. The walls in this room were covered in thick drapery--there was no throne or artwork. There was, however, a simple table in the center with a beautiful box on top. Warmth struck Jacob in the chest, and he knew this was where the key was kept. The box was intricately designed in silver, and he could have sworn there was a slight glow around it. He'd never seen anything like it before. He walked to the table, Akeno close on his heels.

Jacob couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard a quiet strain of music. He looked around, trying to find the source. The heavy draperies made it obvious the sound hadn't come from outside. Focusing his attention back on the box, he could now see for sure that it was glowing, and there was light coming from under the lid.

He drew the box across the table. It wasn't very big, maybe four inches long and only two or three inches tall. The silver was shaped into ivy, roses, and flowers.

Jacob opened the box and got a brief glimpse of the key before he was nearly blinded by a beautiful radiance that filled the entire room--warm yellows, light pinks, greens and blues all together--the happiest and most peaceful colors he had ever seen.

Accompanying the glow was a beautiful melody. Joy and melancholy hit him simultaneously as he was reminded of all the happy times he'd had with his family--laughing with his little sister while playing dress-up, throwing a football or playing basketball with Matt, camping with his dad, talking to his mom. A pang of homesickness hit Jacob hard in the stomach, and he wished his family could feel the joy as well.

"Wow," Akeno whispered.

His eyes adjusted to the light, Jacob lifted the box and reached in. The moment his fingers brushed the key, warmth filled his entire body and he stood still, overcome by feelings of joy and happiness. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he tried to make the moisture go away while allowing himself to revel in the moment. He hadn't fully realized how much pressure he'd been under, or how stressed and frustrated he'd been, until now. It felt as though the sun had broken through the clouds of a storm that had stayed for several weeks. His heart no longer ached over Seden's death.

"We've got the key--let's find your dad and sister now," Akeno said.

"Okay. Just give me a second." After a moment, the wave of emotions subsided, and he pulled the key out to inspect it. The melody stopped as soon as the key was removed from the box, and the glimmer faded away. He put the key back to see if the music and the glow would return, and they did.

Jacob brought the box closer to his face. The key was silver, delicate, and several hundred years old, judging by the scratches and wear. It looked as if it would break with the least amount of applied pressure. The handle was intricate, and diamonds lined the shaft. Two of the diamonds were different from the others, giving off a rosier sparkle.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" a rough, deep voice said from the left side of the room.

# Chapter Thirty-Nine

Jacob stiffened and dropped the box, causing the key to fall onto the table. The glow and the melody ceased, and the room was once again bathed in eerie light from the windows. Jacob put the key into the box and shut the lid, then turned to the voice.

The heavy curtains that had covered that side of the room were now drawn back, showing the throne Jacob had seen in vision and a large, cloaked figure that now sat there.

"Though, I must say, it never gave off that light and music until you arrived."

Swallowing several times, Jacob couldn't respond. Finally, he asked, "Who are you?"

"Do you even need to ask? You know who stole the key."

"A Lorkon?" Jacob tried to keep his voice from cracking.

"Of course," the Lorkon said and then laughed.

Jacob's stomach churned in response to the sound, and he was aware of how close to him Akeno stood. On either side of the Lorkon, two bodies stirred. His heart lurched when he realized they were his sister and dad. Neither were chained, and he almost threw up when he thought of all the things the Lorkon would do to ensure they wouldn't try to escape. Oh, his poor, poor dad and sister.

"You may refer to me as Your Majesty," the Lorkon said. If he noticed Jacob's preoccupation, he didn't let on. "I am king here. Now activate the key."

Jacob had a hard time pulling his thoughts away from his family. Amberly was sitting up now, her big blue eyes on Jacob, fear and relief warring with each other on her face. She looked unhurt. Oh, thank goodness. But Dad . . . Oh, Dad. He was in horrible shape--bloodied, bruised, unmoving. Was he dead?

Totally ignoring the Lorkon, Jacob rushed to his father's side, dropping to his knees. His hand hovered over his father's shoulder, not sure if he should touch him. Dad's entire body was swollen and bruised. Not a section of skin was normal-colored anymore. His face was puffy, the features barely recognizable.

"Dad?" Jacob whispered.

Dad stirred, and tears sprang to Jacob's eyes. He was alive! Jacob wasn't too late.

"I haven't infected him yet," the Lorkon said. "We saved that for last, instead breaking every bone we could without killing him. It was . . . enjoyable." He laughed. "Look at the expression on your sister's face. You didn't know what was happening, did you, sweetheart?"

Jacob's entire body trembled with the effort not to lunge to his feet and tackle the Lorkon. Realizing he needed to distract the Lorkon from his father and sister, he got up, calmly walking back to the key.

"We didn't want to taint her mind in case you didn't come, so we have kept her in complete isolation." The Lorkon shifted his robes, leaning back in his throne. "Did you purposely ignore my earlier request? Come on, child. The key was deactivated, and only you can activate it."

"You don't even need it," Jacob said, "now that I'm here. So why ask me to do it?"

"Oh, we do need the key. Very much. We realize how powerful it can be and how much good it would do us." The king leaned forward, stopping just shy of the light streaming in from one of the windows. "Of course, it isn't anything without you."

"Get on with it!" a voice said from behind Jacob. "Enough chatter!"

Jacob whirled to see three Lorkon step forward from the curtains.

"You would do well to hold your tongue," said the king, almost standing from the throne. "How dare you speak out in my presence? This is none of your concern. I will deal with it."

"Forgive me." The voice was full of bitterness, and the three Lorkon stepped back again.

The king stood, and Amberly flinched. Jacob fisted his hands at his sides. Oh, he would destroy the Lorkon the first chance he got. But first, he needed to figure out how to get his family and Akeno out. Dad was obviously not in good shape. Aside from being scared out of her mind, Amberly looked fine, thank goodness.

"As you can see, Jacob, we have grown impatient in our wait for you." The Lorkon king paused, then strolled across the room.

Jacob straightened, keeping his hands at his sides. The Lorkon stopped right in front of him, towering over Jacob by three feet at least. Then he bent until his face was close to Jacob's.

"Do it," he whispered.

Jacob's stomach curled at the close-up sight of the Lorkon's crimson face. It was just as Seden had described--black hair, eyes the color of blood with bright green irises. He drew back when he saw the creature's chafed and peeling skin.

"You are disgusted by my appearance, are you not?"

"Yes. You're exceptionally ugly."

The king chuckled, straightening to his full height. "And yet, you control your fear well." He reached to Jacob, who took a step back. The hand was just as revolting as the Lorkon's face--scabby and peeling, with blood on the fingers. Jacob's stomach clenched as he looked at it.

The hand stopped short of touching Jacob's face, and the group behind them shuffled their feet.

"What do you want with us?" Jacob asked through clenched teeth.

"Nothing from the Makalo."

"What do you want from _me_?"

"Many things," the king said, then reached his hand out again. This time he didn't stop, and although Jacob shied away, the Lorkon's finger made contact with his forehead.

Jacob felt as though he'd been punched in the face and chest simultaneously. The wind was knocked out of him, and he fell to the floor. Bright flashes of light burst through the room and he closed his eyes, trying to block them out. His blood was on fire, burning every inch of him as it coursed through his veins. He rolled onto his side, his body convulsing in pain as he gagged, trying to get enough air. His muscles cramped, and tremors ran through his body.

He heard hundreds of sounds all at once and was no longer able to focus on just one. They were so loud, they pulsated in his brain like a migraine. Opening his eyes, he gasped as the bright lights flashed again, alternating with blackness. Thousands of people moved through the room at once. His body was on sensory overload. Even the temperature seemed to be fluctuating.

He tried to stand and right himself, but barely managed to lift his head. The walls around him would not stop spinning. He struggled to stay conscious, almost failing several times. The thought kept entering his mind that he had to remain alert--had to get his dad and sister out. Couldn't let the Lorkon win.

He heard a loud crack, and his head felt as though it was about to explode again.

Someone pulled him to his feet. He struggled against the person until he recognized Akeno's voice commanding him to walk. He slumped against the Makalo--he couldn't hold his own weight. Akeno nearly fell under the load, but struggled forward.

"Amberly . . . Dad . . ." Jacob could barely form the words.

He and Akeno staggered through a door, across another room, and into a hall. Jacob was so disoriented, he couldn't even tell which way was up. Pain was the only thing he knew. He longed to fall to the floor--to give in to the black, to stop the spinning. He brushed against a doorjamb and nearly fainted from the agony the contact caused. He opened his eyes. Hundreds of people streamed through the huge corridor--Lorkon, humans, Makalos, Molgs, and other creatures. The lights still flashed, and he had to close his eyes again. He felt himself losing his grasp on consciousness as Akeno yelled unintelligible things at him.

They stumbled down a hall, a door opened, and he was pushed inside a room. He slumped to the floor, trying not to give into the convulsions.

Akeno disappeared as Jacob writhed on the cold stone floor. An eternity later, the Makalo was next to Jacob again, and Amberly's concerned face floated into Jacob's vision.

"Jacob . . . Fat Lady . . . vial?" Akeno's words didn't make any sense.

He was aware of his bag being ripped off his arm, and moments later, a bitter fluid was poured into his mouth. He gagged, trying to spit it out.

"Stop it! Swallow . . . please, Jacob!"

Jacob felt his nose being plugged, and then his mouth was jammed shut, forcing him to swallow. The liquid burned its way down his throat, and he fought the urge to throw up as it hit his stomach. He convulsed on the floor, aware of his sister and Akeno at his side.

Just then, the potion entered his bloodstream. The sensation started at his heart, inching outward from there. It soothed the pain away, first in his chest, then his lower body, then his arms and neck, and finally his head.

The liquid was cold--cooling his burning blood. His muscles relaxed, and the sounds disappeared. The lights stopped flashing.

Then his brain relaxed, and he surrendered to the peaceful calm of sleep.

# Chapter Forty

Just as soon as the relief of rest came, however, Jacob was awakened.

"Jacob, you can't sleep!"

He moaned, not wanting to move.

"Please, Jacob. Come on."

Jacob moaned again and tried to clear his mind. He didn't open his eyes for fear the bright lights would flash again and make him want to throw up. "My dad and sister . . ."

"I'm right here, Jacob," Amberly said.

Tears sprang into Jacob's eyes, leaking down the side of his face. "Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, thank goodness. What about Dad?"

"I shrank him and put him in Early's container. I didn't even inspect him to make sure he was still alive," Akeno said.

"He was alive," Jacob said, relief pouring over him. Not only would Dad heal now, but he would be much easier to rescue while shrunken.

"He's not doing well," Amberly said. Her voice broke, and a little sob sneaked out.

Jacob still couldn't open his eyes. "It's okay, Amberly. Shhh. We'll get him taken care of." He took a breath. "Did you get the key, Akeno, and its box?"

"Yes, they're both here."

"Put them in my bag, please. I need to give the potion a minute to finish working."

"Okay. But then we've got to figure out how to get out of here. I stunned the Lorkon again, but it won't last as long as the first time, and they'll be waking up soon."

"I understand."

Jacob slowly opened his eyes, then sat up, immediately regretting it. "Whoa," he said, holding his head in his hands. It took a second for everything to stop spinning. He was aware of Amberly's hand on his leg, comforting him, and the urge to cry nearly overwhelmed him. His amazing sister. He'd never again think of her as a pest.

While waiting for the dizziness to pass, Jacob mentally examined himself. His body was sore all over, and his eyes ached a great deal. The ringing in his ears was gone, though. He glanced around the small, dark space.

"I had Early find us this closet," Akeno said. "We're only a couple of rooms away from where we found the key." He got to his feet. "There are Dusts and Molgs everywhere. As soon as you fell to the floor, several of them came in. I think they all knew we had entered the castle and were hiding from us."

"I saw hundreds of people going back and forth," Jacob said. "Were they chasing us?"

Akeno looked confused. "People? What people?"

"Makalos, Lorkon, humans--tons of them. Even some of those statues--Shiengols and Dusts. Or Wurbies. I couldn't tell which ones they were. And others . . . different creatures."

"I only saw Dusts, a couple of Molgs, and the four Lorkon. No one else."

Jacob scratched his head. "Are . . . are you sure?"

"Of course."

"There are a lot of the Molgs in the castle," Amberly said. "And Dusts too. But none of them were up here when Akeno helped us out of the room."

"Then why did I see them?"

Akeno gave him a worried look. "I don't know."

Jacob groaned in frustration, switching gears in his head. "Okay, let's just focus on finding a way out. I don't think going through the door would be the best choice right now." He stood. "Early, you keep a lookout. Let us know if anyone comes toward the door."

Early flew to the keyhole and positioned herself inside it while Jacob felt the walls, searching for warmth. He found several shelves on one side with rags, buckets, brooms, and mops, but no warmth.

"This ability I have is great and all, but it sure isn't the fastest," he said.

After checking the walls, he got to his hands and knees, feeling his way around the floor. "Here!" he said, finding a warm spot in a corner of the room. He held his hands over the stone, heating it up. Soon there was a hole about two feet across. The rest of the stone wouldn't give way. "Hope that's big enough," he whispered, then peered over the edge. "I can't see anything. Early, can you check?"

Akeno crawled to the hole, looking down, and the two of them watched as Early flew down. She came back a moment later, reporting that the room below was empty.

Jacob ducked his head into the hole to survey the room. "Okay, there's a bed mostly underneath us. If we swing a little, we'll be able to land on it." He turned to Akeno. "Ready?"

"Yes, ready. Early, you come too."

Jacob lowered himself until his arms were straight, then swung his body and let go. He barely made it to the bed, surprised at how far beneath him it turned out to be. Reaching up, he caught the bags Akeno dropped to him, slinging them over his shoulders.

Akeno lowered Amberly, and Jacob caught her, setting her on the floor next to him. Akeno then dropped down. Being smaller and more nimble than Jacob, he landed on the bed without difficulty. Jacob handed Akeno his bag, then looked around for Early. He sent her through the keyhole to inspect the place outside the room.

She returned. "It's busy in the hall."

Jacob nodded. "Let's wait a few minutes," he whispered. "Who was out there? Lorkon?"

"Yes, and Dusts."

Jacob sat on the bed. "Were they standing around guarding the doors, or were they going somewhere?"

"They were in a hurry, going somewhere."

"Which way?"

"Down the corridor to the left."

"All right," Jacob said. "Let's wait for a few minutes and go to the right. Hopefully we won't run into anyone." He turned to Akeno. "Where's the key?"

"I put it in your bag."

Jacob stood and paced for a while, then motioned to Early. "Okay, check again. Actually, just keep watch and let us know when the Lorkon and Dusts go away."

Early took a position halfway out the keyhole. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, she pulled back into the room. "It's clear."

"It probably won't stay that way for long," Jacob said. "Let's go."

He took a step down the hallway, but stopped, realizing he had no idea how to get out of the castle, or even where they were. Concentrating, he tried to oriented himself to which way was east--where the castle entrance was located--and started running again.

Early's warning made him stop, and he whirled. A little creature charged down the corridor at them, its hands formed into hooves.

"A Dust!" Amberly shrieked.

"Let's go!" Jacob yelled, and they raced the other direction.

The Dust had no trouble keeping up, though, and overtook them, grabbing Jacob and pulling him to the ground. Jacob was surprised at how quickly the beast's hands had changed from hooves to fingers.

So was the Dust, however, and it yelled at itself. "Stop! No! Where hooves?"

Jacob scrambled to his feet, but the Dust was too fast for him--it quickly recovered from its shock and pushed him down again.

Another warning from Early, and more Dusts poured into the hall. Judging by the intelligence of the first, one wouldn't be too difficult, but all these at once? Jacob scuffled with the first, knocked it aside, and got to his feet.

The creatures only paused briefly before they had him surrounded, ignoring Akeno and Early, who had rushed to Jacob's assistance while Amberly fretted from the side. Luckily, the little beasts completely ignored her.

For several seconds, the group struggled--Jacob wasn't able to see Akeno through the punches and kicks he was both receiving and blocking.

"What do I do?" Akeno asked. "Knock them out?"

Jacob shoved the nearest Dust into a couple of others, forcing them to the ground. "No loud noises." The crack would alert the Lorkon to their location--he was sure they'd recognize Akeno's ability and come running. He whipped around, grabbing a Dust by the throat and throwing it against the wall. The hallway filled with even more Dusts, and Jacob found himself overwhelmed.

# Chapter Forty-One

One of the beast's hands formed into a long rope, another's hands became knives, and Jacob was knocked to the ground again, his head cracking against the stone. Amberly screamed, and Jacob struggled hard, throwing several Dusts away.

A Dust's hands formed a blindfold, and it extended its arms around Jacob's neck from behind. Although he struggled, Jacob couldn't prevent the other creatures from tying the cloth over his eyes. He felt a sharp knifepoint at his neck, and he became motionless while the Dusts tied his hands and feet.

"We hurt sister," a Dust threatened. "No move."

He heard a muffled yell of pain--Akeno's--and realized they were all trapped. Jacob racked his brain. He wouldn't give in--especially not now that they had his family and the key!

Then he remembered what Aloren had said about Dusts taking forever to work their way through a new problem. He had to do something they wouldn't expect--something to surprise them. A new obstacle--but what?

He felt his body being lifted from the ground, and he'd been rushed several feet before an idea came to him. He moved his hand a fraction, the rope slipping to the edge of his palm, and begged it to heat up. It did.

The Dust whose hands had tied him yelped, and Jacob's arms were free again. He put his hands over the blindfold, warming it up as well. He blinked at the light when the cloth was whipped off his face. The Dust who'd tied his feet quickly backed away, and Jacob jumped out of the arms of the others.

"It burnded me!" the Dust who'd used the blindfold shrieked. "It hotted its hands and burnded me!"

The creatures swarmed around the Dust to see the evidence for themselves--Jacob momentarily forgotten, even though there were close to twenty Dusts in the corridor. He raced to Akeno's side and freed him from the little beasts there as well, which didn't seem to bother them. They all ran to the other group.

Jacob picked up Amberly, setting her on the other side of Akeno. He then placed one hand against the wall to warm the stone and pulled off his bag with the other, tossing it to Akeno. He knew the distraction of the Dusts' hands being burned wouldn't last long.

"Our food, Akeno--throw it at them when I give the go-ahead." He molded several rocks from the now-hot stone, filling his pockets with them.

"Ready?" he asked as the Dusts turned, angry glares on their faces. "Now!"

Apples, carrots, jerky, and rocks flew through the air, pelting the Dusts. Several of the creatures formed shields to block the missiles, crying in frustration at the change in their hands, but others caught the food and acted surprised when their hands stuffed it into their mouths. Jacob couldn't help but chuckle--what else were you supposed to do with food?

Early joined in the fun, zooming at the monsters, disappearing and reappearing in random places along the hall. It wasn't long before the entire group of Dusts swarmed to get away, frightened by the change of events.

Jacob picked up Amberly again, and he and Akeno turned and ran in the opposite direction. Jacob had no idea how to get out of the stupid castle. If only his dad were well and healthy! Hadn't this been the castle he'd lived in? Jacob thought hard, biting his lips and squinting in concentration, willing visions to enter his mind like earlier.

He wasn't surprised when nothing happened. "Come on," he whispered. "Help me!"

A bright, happy glow coming from a small corridor caught his attention and he paused, backtracking to check it out. Looking into the hallway, he saw warm sunlight pouring in, a stark contrast to the darkness of the rest of the castle. A well-dressed man walked down the corridor, his back to the group. He wore light-colored clothes and a weird hat. There was something very familiar about the man's walk.

"Dad?" he called. How could it be Dad, when he was shrunken and in Akeno's Minya container? The man turned to face the wall, and Jacob saw his profile. Oh! He figured it out. He was seeing a vision of a much-younger version of his dad. That was cool!

As Jacob watched, ignoring Akeno's tugging to keep going, Dad pushed against the wall with both hands. It shifted away from him, sliding to the side and revealing a set of stairs leading down. Dad didn't hesitate before descending out of view.

Glancing back at Akeno, Jacob was startled to see that the hall behind him was dark. Early flitted in the air above them, and Akeno watched Jacob with an impatient expression on his face. Jacob looked back to the spot where Dad had disappeared. The wall was shut, the corridor was just as dark as the rest of the castle, and there was no longer even a window to let in light. It had completely disappeared.

"What?" Akeno whispered.

"Over here." Jacob hurried down the corridor, Akeno and Early following.

A Lorkon leaped from the shadows of the hall, knocking Akeno down as he lunged for Jacob. Jacob jumped out of the way just in time, barely keeping Amberly in his arms, and the Lorkon fell to the ground where Jacob had been standing.

Jacob put down his sister and looked around for a weapon. He spotted a large metal candle holder on a table farther down the corridor, past the secret entrance. He ran and grabbed it, turning in time for the Lorkon to lurch at him again. Jacob swung the candle holder and hit the Lorkon in the face with it.

The Lorkon spun away, cupping his hand to his face, growling in pain.

"Hurry, Akeno!" Jacob took Amberly's hand and ran with her toward the secret passageway. "This way!"

As Akeno ran past the Lorkon, it reached out and grabbed him by the ankle, bringing him down with a crash. Akeno screamed, struggling to get out of the Lorkon's grasp.

"Use your Rezend!" Jacob yelled. Akeno complied, and Jacob didn't have enough time to plug his ears before the crack echoed through the corridor. The Lorkon went limp, allowing Akeno to jerk his leg free.

Ears ringing, Jacob helped Akeno to his feet, took his sister's hand, and sprinted down the corridor to the spot where the opening in the wall had been. "Here! We have to go here!" he yelled.

"It's just a wall, Jacob! We gotta go back to the other hall!"

"No, there are stairs behind it. I think it leads to a tunnel." Jacob pushed against the wall. It didn't budge. "Help me open it!"

Akeno made a frustrated sound, but jumped to Jacob's side to help. So did Amberly, terror all over her face. After a moment of exertion, the wall shuddered beneath their hands. Pushing a little harder, Jacob felt it start to give. He heard a few clicks, and then the wall fell back and slid to the side.

"Go down!" Jacob said, motioning to Early and Amberly, both of whom disappeared into the dark hole, Akeno following close behind.

Jacob looked to see if the Lorkon was still unconscious, then went down a couple of steps, turning back to shut the door. It closed much easier than it had opened. He passed his hands over the edges of the door where it met the wall, searching for any warmth, sealing what he could. Satisfied that the door would now keep anyone from coming through for a while, Jacob turned in the pitch black. "Akeno, can you light up the stairs?"

"Yeah . . . I can," the Makalo said after a moment. The familiar blue light filled the stone stairway, revealing Akeno down several steps from Jacob and Amberly a few steps below that. Akeno was rubbing his leg and grimacing.

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked.

Akeno moaned. "My leg . . ."

"Where the Lorkon grabbed you?"

"Yes."

"Do you need to rest?"

"No," Akeno said, then straightened. "We've gotta go before they figure out where the tunnel ends."

"Let me know if the pain gets worse, okay?"

Akeno didn't respond.

Jacob pulled his knapsack off his back, wanting to have one less person to protect. "Early, in my bag," he said. Early flew inside, then Jacob, Akeno, and Amberly started down the stairs.

# Chapter Forty-Two

After at least three flights, the stairs ended, and a long passageway opened in front of them. Several sections of the ground and walls were wet, but the tunnel appeared to be in good condition.

"Is this the Fat Lady's tunnel?" Jacob asked. "What if it leads us somewhere else?"

Akeno didn't answer. He appeared to be in pain, but was keeping up.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay? We can take a break."

"No," Akeno said, his voice shaking. "Keep going, keep going."

Jacob glanced over his shoulder every now and then while running. Akeno moved slower every minute, his limp becoming more definite with each step. Jacob tried to figure out how to help his friend.

He stopped running when Akeno stumbled. "Okay, this isn't going to work." He frowned, then took Akeno's bag and handed it to Amberly. "Do you think you can carry this?" he asked her.

Amberly's blue eyes were huge, and she looked super freaked out. But she nodded solemnly. "Yes. I can."

Jacob's heart warmed at her bravery. She was such an amazing girl.

"I have another idea," Jacob said. He picked up Akeno and started jogging again.

Akeno gave a weak laugh. "Sack of potatoes," he said.

Jacob laughed as well. "But this time you're not being thrown over my shoulder. Your job is to keep the tunnel well lit so I don't fall and drop you."

A few minutes later, Akeno began to shiver and mumble. He opened his eyes, staring straight above him, and gasped.

Jacob looked up, ready to see something falling from the ceiling, but nothing was there. He watched Akeno's facial expressions for a second, then turned his full attention back to the tunnel, his sister, and getting in as much distance as possible while Akeno was still conscious.

He paused a few times to catch his breath, surprised that Amberly was keeping up so well. She was a very active girl, but still--her legs had to be killing her.

"How are you doing?" he asked as they jogged.

"I can't wait to get home."

Neither could he. "We'll be there soon, I promise." He couldn't help but wonder if that was giving her energy--keeping her going. The thought of being with their mother again. Of not being around horrible, evil creatures.

The weight of Akeno's body was starting to make Jacob's already-tired arms ache, and his head began pounding again. How was he ever going to make it to the end of the tunnel? He did his best to push the pain away, but was only successful when he heard Akeno start moaning. He paused to raise his friend's pant leg. There were no breaks in the skin, but the spot was yellow, with angry pink edges.

Akeno's muscles clenched up and his pupils dilated, making his eyes look almost black with only a sliver of blue. He looked as though he was about to slip into unconsciousness.

"No, no, Akeno, stay with me!" Jacob yelled, running as fast as his legs would take him--the end _had_ to be near! Akeno's blue light only reached forty feet into the distance, and it was getting dimmer--the Makalo probably wouldn't be able to keep it lit much longer.

Finally, Jacob saw what looked like the end. Stairs led up--hopefully, the way wasn't blocked. Akeno's breathing was shallow. His left hand was limp, barely elevated above his chest, and his light had dimmed to the point where Jacob could only see four or five feet ahead of him.

"Hang on, Akeno, we're almost there," Jacob said, trying not to panic. His legs were burning from the exertion, and he was forced to slow to a walk. He shifted Akeno's position and took Amberly's hand, helping her up the stairs as quickly as he could. It was difficult to carry Akeno and help Amberly, and the stairs seemed endless. Amberly was depending on his strength nearly as much as Akeno by the time they got to the top. His entire body was on fire, his breaths coming in short gasps.

Jacob reached the top just as the blue light went out. Akeno must have fallen unconscious.

"Oh, no, Akeno, I'm hurrying as fast as I can!" Jacob put the Makalo down and started pushing frantically against the ceiling and the walls, trying to find the exit.

A stream of sunlight hit him in the face, nearly blinding him as he pushed against one section of the wall. He released the stone, letting it fall shut, enveloping them in darkness again. He pulled his bag off his shoulders and opened it. "Early?" he whispered.

"Yes, Jacob?"

"When I push the stone open, I need you to sneak around and tell me what's out there."

"Will do!"

Jacob pushed the door just far enough to let Early out. He held it open with his shoulders, waiting for the Minya to return. She took longer than usual to come back, but after what felt like forever, she zoomed in past him.

"The tunnel opens in the middle of a forest very close to the mountains," she said. "I wasn't able to see much. I did find some honey, though."

Jacob moaned in frustration. Was that what had taken her so long? "Were there any Lorkon?"

"Lorkon? Oh, yes, there were." Early spun around a couple of times, doing some sort of dance. She held up three little fingers.

Jacob realized Early was getting burned out and needed a break from running errands. _Please, hang on just a little bit more_ , he begged her inwardly. "And? Where were they?"

She pointed. "Farther south."

"What were they doing?"

She tapped the side of her head. "They looked like they were searching for something."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Of course they were searching for something." He knew sarcasm would be lost on Early. "Were there Dusts or anything else?"

"I couldn't see anything, no."

"Which side of the wall are we on?"

"I didn't check."

Jacob grimaced and decided he'd have to see for himself. He pushed the door open slowly, letting his eyes adjust, then poked his head out. Roots grew over the side of the hill above the exit, and in front of him were several trees. It looked as though the tunnel opened in the side of a small canyon, facing the mountain, since there was a slope going up on the other side of the trees. To the right was the forest, thicker here than anywhere else he'd seen so far. Judging by the light, he figured the tunnel had led them under the wall and to the other side, though it was hard to tell. Something about this bothered him, and he racked his brain, trying to figure out what.

Then it occurred to him. Aloren. He backed up and let the door fall shut. She had no way to leave Maivoryl City without him.

Jacob mentally kicked himself. He'd promised he'd help her get out of the city--that she would only have to be there for a couple of hours. Who knew what had happened to her after he and Akeno had run away? Who knew if Eachan had been successful in protecting her? Who knew if she was even still alive? He felt sick to his stomach when he thought he might never see her again. She'd trusted him! And he'd thought she could--that she'd be safe doing so.

He took a deep breath, struggling to control his emotions. There was no way he'd be able to save Amberly, Aloren, his dad, _and_ Akeno. He knew it, and he hated it.

Jacob forced himself to put her smile and sparkly brown eyes out of his mind, knowing there was nothing he could do but pray she'd be okay. He had to focus on getting Akeno to someone who could help him, and as soon as possible.

He made sure Early and Amberly were ready to go, swung his knapsack over his shoulders alongside Aloren's bag, then he picked up Akeno and pushed open the heavy door.

Jacob let his eyes adjust to the sunlight and stepped outside, feeling very exposed, even with the thick forest closing in on him. After Amberly came out, he lowered the door, then squeezed past a couple of large trees into a small, enclosed area to the left that would keep him hidden for a few minutes while he checked on Akeno.

The Makalo's skin was cold to the touch. He had huge, dark rings circling his eyes that made them look sunken, and he was breathing rapidly.

Lifting Akeno's pant leg again, Jacob drew back in horror at what he saw. The skin on his lower leg had broken and was blistered, oozing blood and pus.

"Oh, gosh, that's disgusting," Jacob whispered, pulling the fabric down to hide the sore, hoping Amberly hadn't seen too much of it.

He tried to pour a little water into Akeno's mouth, as he'd seen in the movies. But he couldn't get Akeno to part his lips, so he offered some to his sister, then drank the rest of it. Akeno was unresponsive to everything.

Deciding it would be a good idea to find out where they were before moving Akeno again, Jacob got up and squeezed through the small opening between the trees. He moved past the tunnel entrance, looking through the roots that hung over the door. At first, he didn't see anything, but then he was able to pick out a shape he hadn't noticed before. While he watched, the shape shifted, coming into better focus. It was a very tall figure, wearing a large black cloak. A Lorkon. Jacob watched as it bent over, digging through the brush. It was only thirty or so feet away from where they were. Why was it doing the dirty work, and where were the Dusts? And what about Molgs? He hadn't seen any in the castle.

Jacob crouched down and pushed through the underbrush to check the other side of the small canyon. He stayed still, trying to catch any movement through the thick trees, but didn't see anything. He crept back to the little hiding place, deciding Akeno wouldn't last long enough for the Lorkon to leave.

# Chapter Forty-Three

Jacob crouched down next to Akeno, putting himself closer to Early's level. She was sitting on Akeno's chest. "I need you to do something that could be very dangerous. You care about Akeno, right?"

"Yes, of course," Early said.

"I know you have no tie to me to keep you here right now, but Akeno needs you. Are you willing to help me get him back to Taga, where they'll take care of him?"

"Yes!" Early said.

"Oh, good. First, go find Kenji and ask if there's anything I can do for Akeno."

With a flash, Early disappeared. Upon returning, she reported that the only thing Jacob could do was get Akeno to the village as quickly as possible.

"Okay," Jacob said. "I'll need you to keep an eye on the Lorkon and let me know everything he and the others are doing. It's going to keep you very busy. There's one about thirty feet from here."

The Minya disappeared and returned a second later. "The Lorkon have split up. The one that was closest to us is now moving toward Sonda Lake. Another Lorkon is moving farther south, closer to the Dust mound. The last is heading up the mountain."

Jacob frowned. "Where is the lake compared to where we are now?"

"That way," Early said, pointing through the forest straight ahead of them. "The trail is there too."

"Okay. We'll go more to the left, then, away from the Lorkon."

Jacob grabbed the bags, swinging them over his shoulders, then picked up Akeno. He waited for Amberly to follow, then squeezed between the trees, trying to make as little noise as possible. Looking around and seeing no one, he took Amberly's hand and stepped to the left, keeping his eyes open for anything dangerous.

Every few minutes, Early flew to him, relaying a message. The Lorkon to the south kept moving in that direction, rummaging through the underbrush, probably looking for the tunnel entrance or them. The one that had moved up the mountain was now searching somewhere above them. Only the thick leaves and branches of the trees kept Jacob out of sight. The Lorkon moving toward the lake had raised his hands to the sky and yelled words into the wind. Jacob could think of only one reason for doing that. Lirone.

Jacob stayed as close to the trees as possible, noticing with panic when they began to thin, taking away their cover.

"Oh, no," he muttered, looking up constantly, checking if the Lorkon above could see him yet. A few yards later, the forest ended. Dang it--what now? Jacob struggled to stay in control and not give in to the fear.

He paused before stepping from behind the last tree, trying to figure out what to do and where to go. He wished Akeno or Aloren were able to help him decide, and he didn't want to freak Amberly out by letting her know he didn't have a plan.

The sky darkened with clouds, and the Lorkon near the lake was now closing in, as was the one on the mountain. Only the Lorkon to the south had maintained a large enough distance not to worry Jacob.

He glanced around the tree, hoping to figure out where they were. What he saw caused relief to spread over him. There was the paddock, the clothesline, and--Jacob moved to the left--the cabin!

"Oh, good, oh, good, oh, good," Jacob breathed. Only one problem remained--the cabin was a good two hundred yards from where he stood, and between here and there was nothing but meadow, with no cover except for a few small apple and pear trees.

He looked down at Akeno--the Makalo appeared nearly lifeless. Only a slight movement of his chest showed he was still breathing. And he looked so sick! A pasty-yellow color accentuated the rings around his eyes, and his hair was matted to his head.

Amberly was staring up at Jacob, her eyes huge, but a determined expression on her face. "We can do it," she whispered, seeming to know what he was thinking.

"I don't know if you'll be able to keep up with me," he whispered back.

Amberly looked offended. "Jacob," she said, stomping her foot. "I'm on two soccer teams. I run all the time! I score more goals than anyone on either team."

"Okay, okay," he said, realizing she was right. She might actually be able to go faster than him, since she wouldn't be carrying Akeno and hadn't been constantly traveling for the past several hours. Apart from looking freaked out and having very messy hair, she was in great condition. The Lorkon had obviously wanted to keep her healthy in case Jacob didn't show up and they had to work with her instead.

Thinking about what they'd planned to do with her made his heart clench. He wasn't about to let her fall into their hands again.

"Get ready to go," he said, adjusting his grip on her hand. If he had to, he'd swing her up on his back. He wondered if he should do that now, but decided against it--Akeno's weight was already dragging him down.

Early's next report was that the Lorkon to the south had turned around to head back their way. Jacob stopped her before she left. "Stick around. I need you here with me now. The Fat Lady's cabin is right over there. I'm going to make a run for it. But first, Early, fly ahead and let her know we're on our way."

Early disappeared with a flash of light, returning only moments later. "She said you need to have the key out, ready to use, and she'll tell you what to do."

Jacob shifted Akeno to one arm and pulled his bag off his shoulder, grabbing the beautiful box that contained the key. He opened it, jumping when its sweet melody poured out. He removed the key, then peeked around the tree to see if the music had caught the attention of the Lorkon. It hadn't. Thank goodness.

The clouds rolled, warning of Lirone's appearance. A dark spot moved by the shore, and without having to ask Early, Jacob knew it was a Lorkon.

"Okay, let's go," he said, putting the box and his bag away. He took a deep breath. "Early, change of plans. Keep me updated on those Lorkon as much as possible, but don't go far in case I need you. I have to know exactly where they are the entire time. Be careful they don't see you."

Taking another deep breath, Jacob stepped around the tree, taking Amberly's hand again and holding Akeno securely with his other arm, the key in that fist. Then, putting all his energy into his already tired legs, he took off as fast as he could toward the Fat Lady's cabin.

Amberly kept up with him very well. He was impressed--the girl could really run.

Only a few seconds passed before Lirone spotted him, making his presence known by taking away all sound. A sudden explosion to the right nearly knocked Jacob over, and he stumbled along, trying to stay on his feet, trying not to lose his grip on Akeno or Amberly. An explosion behind him was followed by one in front. Jacob lurched to the side, avoiding the huge hole that was created, nearly dropping Akeno in the process. Amberly's soccer skills really came in handy--she dodged the obstacles better than Jacob did.

The remaining distance grew shorter. Early flitted to his side, yelling in his ear. Jacob was surprised she could still speak, then realized she was too small for Lirone to see.

"The Lorkon by the lake just spotted you. He's on his way."

She then yelled at him that the Lorkon from the mountain was also in pursuit.

The ground all around them was pelted by several smaller explosions, many of which missed him and Amberly by a few feet.

"Hurry, Jacob!" Early yelled. "Hurry!"

Jacob watched as a large blast of fire bounced off the Fat Lady's cabin and fell into the brush out of sight. Her house wasn't harmed in any way. Another huge blast went off in front of him, and he veered to avoid the hole. The explosions were much bigger now and coming more rapidly, but something was odd. If Lirone wanted, he could easily hit Jacob, so why didn't he? There were no trees providing cover this time, just the wide-open meadow that Jacob and Amberly were running through. What was going on?

# Chapter Forty-Four

"You must go faster!" Early yelled. She paused. "I have an idea. Can I use it?"

Jacob nodded, nearly dropping Akeno when an explosion went off right behind him.

Early disappeared, and seconds later Jacob felt warmth spread through his body, originating from a spot on his head. He felt as though his calves had been given an immense supply of energy. He put on a burst of speed, feeling he was about to lift off the ground. Realizing Amberly couldn't possibly keep up, he swung her up on his back, grunting when her little arms tightened around his neck. Once she was securely on his back, she gripped him by the shoulders instead.

There were fewer than a hundred yards to go when Lirone's bombardment stopped.

The Fat Lady stood on the step of her cabin, waving her arms and yelling. He could only pick out one word-- _diamonds_. He looked at the key still clenched in his fists, then back up at her, confused.

"Diamonds!" she screamed.

"She said to slide the two diamonds!" Amberly said near Jacob's ear.

Jacob shook his head, not understanding.

"The diamonds move!" Amberly yelled.

Jacob adjusted Akeno's position, taking care not to knock Amberly off, grateful when the spot on his head stayed hot as Early continued to loan power to him. He used both hands to hold the key up to his face as he ran. He located the different diamonds and fiddled around with his thumbs. The pinkish diamonds slid until they were aligned with each other.

Jacob looked up at the Fat Lady, ready for her next instructions, running free without Lirone's shock waves ramming his body.

The Fat Lady yelled again. "Put the key in my door and turn it to the left! Go to Taga Village!"

Jacob still had about forty yards to go. The ground in front of him was level and hard, and he risked a quick glance over his shoulder, barely able to see past Amberly. He wished almost immediately he hadn't done so.

The nearest Lorkon was only a foot outside of grabbing distance. Nearly stumbling in fright, Jacob yelled, noticing he could hear his voice again. He willed his body to move even faster.

"Early . . . do something . . . Lorkon." he gasped, readjusting Akeno so he was easier to carry. The muscles in Jacob's arms and shoulders were burning. His skin where Amberly held on burned horribly.

"Okay." Early disappeared.

"Arrgh!"

Jacob looked back in time to see the Lorkon face-plant into the dirt. A second Lorkon ran only ten or so feet behind the first, with the third almost having caught up as well. Akeno started to convulse in Jacob's arms, nearly causing Jacob to drop him. Early returned to Jacob's head, giving him more energy.

"Are you ready?" the Fat Lady yelled.

"Yes!" Jacob gasped. His lungs were burning so badly, he was afraid he'd pass out from lack of air. They were down to fifteen yards.

"Do you know what to do?"

"To the left, Taga Village."

"Close the door behind you or they'll follow you." The Fat Lady went into her cottage and shut the door.

The third Lorkon caught up to him. "Early! Stop the Lorkon!" Jacob shouted just as he took the last few leaps toward the door.

Reaching out, he put the key in the hole.

"Taga Village!" he yelled, turning the key to the left. He swung the door open. Running through, he spun around, feeling as Amberly flew off his back, and tried to shut the door in the face of the Lorkon, but the door bounced open again. Jacob took an instinctive step back. The Lorkon had stopped the door from shutting with his foot. An evil, disgusting smile lifted the corners of his mouth.

Something small flitted through the air, and the Lorkon flew across the open space, blasted away from the cabin.

Before the other Lorkon got the chance to rush through the door, Jacob slammed it shut, making sure it clicked this time.

# Chapter Forty-Five

Jacob put Akeno on the floor and bent and gasped, hands on his knees. Where had he ended up? He turned around, noticing furniture and rounded wooden walls. Amberly was holding a hand to her head where a large bump was forming.

"Sorry, sis," Jacob said, dropping to his knees beside her. "We can get that taken care of."

"It's much better than being stuck with those horrible Lorkon." Amberly lurched to her feet, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you so much for coming, Jake."

Jacob felt tears prick his eyes. "There's no way I would have left you there."

"What about Mom? Where is she?"

"She's at home--she's safe." He hoped.

Jacob put the key in its box, picked up Akeno, then opened the door. They'd apparently ended up in that huge tree in the middle of the meadow in Taga Village. The sun had almost set, casting long shadows all over the canyon. He was grateful it was almost night. His eyes ached from a headache that had built up behind them, and he looked forward to having as little light around him as possible.

Forcing his legs to hold him up, he limped toward one of the crevices in the canyon. "Help! Is anyone there?"

"Jacob?" a voice called from the ledge. It was Ebony. "Oh, Jacob, you're back, you're back!" She began crying, calling out for Kenji and Patriarch Brojan. Kenji rushed to her side, then saw Jacob.

"Help him," he said to a few Makalo men who had gathered.

Jacob raised Akeno as high as his arms would let him, and one of the men climbed down a set of steps etched into the side of the stone wall and lifted him the rest of the way. Jacob helped Amberly up before him, then, climbing as carefully as he could, pulled himself over the top. One of the Makalo men supported him and another supported Amberly as they rushed with Kenji and Ebony to what Jacob assumed was Akeno's house.

Kenji laid Akeno on a table in the middle of the room, and he and Ebony went to work, acting as a team to cleanse Akeno's leg. Ebony soaked strips of cloth, then handed them to Kenji, who wiped the ooze from Akeno's leg. Pretty soon, the leg was as clean as they could get it. Kenji poured the rest of the liquid into the main part of the wound, which had expanded to cover Akeno's entire lower leg.

An older Makalo with long gray curly hair and a large beard burst into the room from outside. "I came as quickly as I could," he said, joining Ebony and Kenji at the table.

"Thank you, Brojan," Ebony said. "One of the Lorkon touched Akeno."

Kenji glanced at Ebony with a worried expression on his face. "If the fever doesn't break--"

"Wait!" Ebony gasped. "I think we might have--" She ran out of the room, still talking, her voice muffled by the wall. "Potion . . . you . . . last time . . ." She came back, carrying a very familiar vial. "I saved this."

Kenji relaxed. "Oh, thank goodness . . . here, let me." Using an extra cloth, he wiped up the liquid he'd poured in Akeno's sore, then put a couple of drops from the vial into the wound. He then forced Akeno's jaw open and poured the rest of the stuff into his mouth.

Ebony wrapped the sore with strips of cloth, then hurried out of the room, returning with her arms full of sheets. Kenji took a couple and handed them to Jacob. "Wrap him as tightly as you can from head to foot."

Jacob started at Akeno's head, leaving a space around his nose to breath. Ebony started at his midsection, and Kenji at his feet. Brojan held the sheets in place until they were secured, and Amberly watched from the side of the room, a worried expression on her face.

"The sheets hold in his body heat. The potion needs that heat in order to be activated." Kenji turned to Ebony once they'd finished. "How long did it take for me to heal?"

"Two minutes, maybe more. His situation is fairly similar to yours." She put her arm around her husband. "He'll be fine." She smiled at Jacob. "Last time, I was the one stressing about whether Kenji would live, but I didn't need to worry. The Fat Lady really knows her stuff."

After a few moments, Kenji pulled the sheet off Akeno's head. His face was pink again, the dark circles gone. "It's working!"

Ebony gave Kenji another hug. "Wonderful." She glanced at Jacob. "Oh, Jacob, I'll love you forever for what you've done for my son." Her eyes welled up with tears, and Jacob stared at his feet. He was grateful Akeno would be all right, but felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment.

She turned her attention to Amberly, then back to Jacob. "You both look exhausted." She sniffed, and her nose wrinkled. "And you definitely need to bathe."

A weary smile crossed Jacob's face. "Sorry." He pulled out the box with the Key of Kilenya inside and handed it to Ebony. "Here, take it."

Ebony held the container in her hands, her expression one of gratitude. "We knew you'd be able to do it."

"There was no doubt," Kenji said. He took the box and opened it. The familiar tune filled the room, and peaceful colors danced across the walls.

"Wow," Kenji said. The Makalos all looked at Jacob.

"What?" Jacob asked.

"You know it's only doing this because you're near it, right?" Kenji asked.

Jacob shrugged. "Okay." He was too tired to care. "Where's my mom? Early said she'd been here."

Ebony nodded. "She's at your house, waiting for Matt to get back from running an errand. He still doesn't know much about the village." If that bit of news bothered Ebony, she didn't let on.

Kenji cleared his throat, handing the box with the key in it to Brojan. "Where is Dmitri?"

Jacob reached for Akeno's knapsack, taking it from Amberly. "In here." He pulled out the Minya container, setting it on the table next to Akeno. "He was in really, really bad shape. Akeno shrank him, and he's healing now." He was grateful the container had kept his dad protected during all of the running and fighting they'd done.

"Oh, poor Jacob and Amberly," Ebony said, "you're exhausted. I imagine you want to go home soon, but do you want to eat and sleep here? Start for home in the morning?"

Jacob shook his head. "No, thank you. We really need to get to my mom."

"I understand. Would you like us to let her know you're on the way?"

Even though Jacob wanted to surprise her, he couldn't tolerate the thought of making her wait any longer than she had to. "Yes, that would be good. What do I do about my dad? I can't enlarge him again when he wakes up."

"Neither can we," Ebony said. "Not without Akeno's help."

She and Kenji glanced at each other, then turned to Brojan.

"Dmitri will stay here," Brojan said. "Jacob still has travels ahead of him, and the king will heal faster if he's not being moved."

Jacob nodded, seeing logic in the choice.

Brojan stepped to him, extending a hand. "I'm the Makalo patriarch. I look forward to getting to know you better."

"We'll let you know the minute Akeno or Dmitri awaken," Ebony said.

"Sounds good." Jacob had tons of questions--what had happened when the Lorkon touched him? What was going on with the Fat Lady, and was she safe? When could he go get Aloren? What would the Lorkon do now? How safe was he really? What other magical abilities would he have? Most of all, though, he wanted to see his mom. His body was still screaming at him, and he couldn't wait to get in his own bed.

Brojan must have sensed his need to leave. "I'll take you and your sister to the edge of the meadow." He motioned to the door. "There will be plenty of time for conversation later."

The older Makalo led the way out of the house. He looked at Jacob for a minute, then nodded. "Yes, you are exactly what we need."

Brojan was silent the rest of the way, and Jacob was fine with that. He'd had enough conversation lately to last him a lifetime. At least, it felt that way. And from how quiet Amberly was, Jacob knew she felt the same. He kept his hand tight around hers, unwilling to let go even for a minute.

They reached the forest quickly. Brojan left after making sure the siblings didn't need anything, and with the sun setting behind them, Jacob and his sister headed through the forest and on to their home, where an overjoyed mom and brother greeted them.

Through the tears, hugs, and exclamations of happiness--and letting Mom know that Dad was safe and healing--Jacob couldn't get one thing out of his mind.

Aloren was alone in Maivoryl City.

He would _not_ leave her there to rot. He would get her out, and as soon as possible. She was depending on him, and he wouldn't fail her.

###

**Note from the author:**

Hi, everyone! :-) I hope you enjoyed reading _Forsaken Prince_. I had a ton of fun writing it! In case you weren't already aware, _Forsaken Prince_ was originally released as _The Key of Kilenya_ , but with a much slower pace and a very different style of writing. It was geared unintentionally to a younger audience, and once I got the rights back to it, I spent a lot of time working it over, trying to make it more what I'd originally wanted. I wasn't ever quite happy with how it turned out, though, and seven years later, I decided to rewrite the entire thing almost completely from scratch. And that's how _Forsaken Prince_ came about. Big job!

I made changes to the other books in the series too--just to keep things flowing the same. :-) I hope you'll continue with the series. 'Cuz gosh darnit, Aloren needs to be rescued, and you need to come along for the ride! ;-) :-)

Much love!

Andrea

P.S. Every time a reader leaves a review, Jacob punches a Lorkon. Would you please consider posting one on Forsaken Prince? I'd so very much appreciate it. Even just one sentence would be wonderful. Thanks. :-)

# Ember Gods

**Kilenya Chronicles Book Two**

# Dedication

**To my parents**

For always being there

# Chapter One

Jacob Clark shut his bedroom door and kicked off his shoes, glad to finally be home. His first day of school had been rough. Mainly because he hadn't been ready to jump back into normal life so quickly after one of the most insane, difficult, and incredible "trips" he'd ever been on. He glanced at the knapsack he'd placed on his nightstand the evening before, and his heart twisted. Aloren.

A knock on his door startled him. Matt walked in, holding his old cell phone. He shut the door, grabbed the chair at Jacob's desk, and sat on it backwards.

He leaned over and pushed the phone into Jacob's hand. "Here."

"What do you want me to do with it?"

"You fixed the hole in the table--which was freakin' awesome--and I need you to fix the screen."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "It's cracked. I don't think I can do anything about that--plastic's way different."

"Oh, come on--at least try."

"All right." Jacob sat up. "But if I make it worse, don't blame me."

Having power was incredible. He'd fixed the table, the kitchen doorframe, and his mom's favorite vase she'd broken months ago but didn't have the heart to throw away. And to think Jacob hadn't even known about his ability to make weak things stronger until a couple days ago, when his dad and sister had been kidnapped and he'd been forced to travel--on foot--to a completely different planet and rescue them. Insane.

He held his thumb over the screen and felt the hard material warm. He did his best to smooth the blemish, but the plastic clouded over instead. Jacob growled and blew on the device until it had cooled, then put his thumb over it again, re-heating it. The surface became clear--oh, good. But the relief was short lived, because as the plastic cooled, it became wavy _and_ clouded.

He gave up, handing the phone back. "I've never done something so detailed before. I'm not sure how it works. Sorry."

"Oh, well, it was worth a try."

"How about I practice on other things for a while?" Why would a phone screen be different from the vase? Then Jacob realized Mom's vase was white already, so no clouding would have been visible anyway.

Matt shoved the device in his pocket and took a step toward the doorway, about to leave the room, when a knock sounded at Jacob's window.

Excitement flashed across Matt's face. He pointed. "Look! It's that gnat!"

Jacob jumped from his bed and opened the window. A small, wingless creature--a Minya--about two inches tall zoomed into the room. Early looked happy, her white dress and dark curls streaming as she flitted to Jacob.

"Early!" Jacob said. "It's great to see you. How are you? How's my dad and Akeno? Are they awake yet?"

"Kenji says your dad won't be better for a couple more days, but Akeno's awake. Come see him!"

"Awesome!" Jacob shoved his feet in his sneakers, glad he still had on his socks. He was anxious to see Akeno. The Makalo had been unconscious and near death last time Jacob had been with him.

"Now!" Early insisted, tugging on Jacob's shirt.

"I'm coming. But not through the window." He glanced at Matt. "Want to come with?"

"Sure. I don't work today."

Work. Jacob still needed to go talk to his boss. "Sounds good. Let's go."

The brothers headed down the stairs and ran into Jacob's mom as she came around the corner.

"I was just coming to talk to you," Mom said. "You were so tired last night and so stressed this morning about school that I didn't bring it up." She put a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "I know you love working for Mr. Fulcher, but I think you need to talk to him and see if he'd be okay with holding your job for a while. With everything going on where Eklaron is concerned, you won't have time to do the greenhouse, school, and help the Makalos find Aloren."

Jacob half smiled. "I _could_ drop out of school . . ."

"Not on your life," Mom said. She squeezed his shoulder, then dropped her hand. "Give it some thought."

Jacob promised he would. Thinking about quitting made his stomach turn. He'd loved working there and Mr. Fulcher really needed the help. But there was no way he could be a reliable employee with everything going on.

"Where are you two headed?" Mom asked.

"Taga Village," Jacob said. "Akeno's awake."

Mom's eyes lit up. "Any word on your dad?"

Jacob felt his stomach drop. "Didn't they tell you?"

Mom took in a deep breath and let it go. "Yes. It's hard not to hope, though."

Relief that Mom hadn't seen what Dad looked like flowed over Jacob. The Makalos had predicted it taking possibly a week, but most likely two before Dad woke up.

Jacob would never forget what his dad had looked like. He hadn't even been recognizable as human. The Lorkon king said they'd broken every bone they could reach without killing him. And knowing that one broken bone took several hours to heal, Jacob agreed with the Makalos--it would be at least two weeks before Dad woke up.

"You could always go hang out in the village until he wakes up, Mom. Matt and I would take care of everything here."

Mom shook her head. "There's nothing for me to do there. I'd go insane with worry and boredom. Besides, I need to maintain as much of a normal life for Amberly's sake as possible."

Jacob nodded. His poor sister. She'd been kidnapped alongside his dad, and though he knew she hadn't seen the Lorkon torture their dad, he was positive she'd still been scarred from it. "How's she doing?"

"It's so hard to tell. She's always been so quiet. I'm going to start taking her to a child counselor in Logan, though."

"That's a good idea." Jacob's heart ached for Amberly. "Where is she right now?"

"Soccer practice. I'm so glad she has soccer--it'll help get her through her trauma." Mom glanced at Matt, then back at Jacob, her worried expression disappearing. She folded her arms and tilted her head, her eyes narrowing.

And with that, Normal Mom was back.

"You two have chores to do. That lawn _still_ hasn't been mowed."

Jacob and Matt glanced at each other.

"We'll do our chores together," Jacob said, deciding not to bring up the fact that he'd been gone for several days. Mom was too stressed already. "I promise. The minute we return."

"Fine. Let me know if anything happens I should be aware of."

Jacob blinked. He'd totally forgotten. His mom was a queen . . . and he was a prince. He pointed at her. "We're going to be discussing that whole royalty thing, Mom, the minute Dad's awake. You have _so much_ to explain."

"I know, I know. We'll talk over everything."

Jacob gave her a quick hug, then he and Matt left through the back door. Early waited impatiently near the trees.

"Go tell them we're on our way," Jacob said.

"Okay." Early disappeared with a flash of light. She came back a moment later and sat on Jacob's shoulder as he headed down the trail. He felt weird for a moment, having her there, but adjusted quickly.

"And this path leads to some other world?" Matt asked. "How'd we not figure that out years ago?"

"Who knows, honestly."

Jacob kept his eyes on the trees, waiting for them to switch to the ancient, tall ones on Eklaron. The bushes and branches started growing much closer together, and the trail was nearly overgrown. Jacob looked back--Matt was struggling with the underbrush.

"You keeping up?"

"I'm coming as fast as I can. These bushes are murder."

The distance between Jacob and Matt grew until Jacob, not wanting to lose his brother, had to stop to wait. He wasn't sure Matt would find the way without help.

But he didn't catch up. Jacob waited for a moment longer, then backtracked and found his brother stuck in the brush. Working together, they were able to get him loose, but just as soon as he started forward, he got stuck again.

"What's going on?" Matt asked. "It's like the stuff doesn't want me to get anywhere."

"Huh." Jacob tilted his head. "Maybe _that's_ how they keep people from finding the link." He looked down at Early, still on his shoulder. "Hey, go tell the Makalos that Matt is coming too and to let him through."

Early flitted off again. Moments later, the brush around the brothers pulled away, leaving the trail clear. Relieved, they kept walking.

The trees around them changed from young to old maples. Soon, huge oaks and birch filled the forest, marking the passage from earth to Eklaron. The smell of rotting wood assailed Jacob, and his heartbeat sped up.

"We just entered Eklaron," he said.

# Chapter Two

The two brothers burst into a clearing where a huge, magnificent tree stretched skyward--leafless, with twisted branches. Canyon walls rose on either side of the clearing, and stone Makalo dwellings were built in crevices in those walls.

Jacob watched Matt, appreciating his reaction to their surroundings. Matt kept pointing out different things, his eyes lighting up at all the new stuff to see--things Jacob hadn't noticed either time he was in Taga Village. Like, the huge tree had windows and a lookout on top. And the Makalos had no eyelashes--how had Jacob not noticed that? And the fact that there were only older and young Makalos but no one in between. Jacob couldn't help but wonder if the huge Lorkon war had something to do with that.

But the coolest thing of all was how the Makalos lighted their rooms. When they first got to the village, Ebony, Akeno's mom, found them and took them to her house--a small red-and-blue sandstone dwelling. She strode to the door and opened it, waving the others to enter ahead of her.

The front room was dark, the only light coming from under one of the doors at the back. Ebony touched her left ring finger to the wall, and a strip of gold-silver lit up in the rock. The light raced upward, where it was soon one of many streaks that crisscrossed the ceiling, illuminating the entire room.

"Wow," Matt said.

"That was awesome," Jacob said.

Ebony grinned broadly. "Thanks. We like it."

The room was clean--stone floors with a few grass-type rugs here and there--but it smelled musty and old, like the home of the elderly lady who lived next door to Jacob's family. He wrinkled his nose. Ebony invited Matt and Jacob to have soup, and they gladly accepted, taking a seat at the large table in the middle of the room.

A door in the back opened, and Akeno entered the room and limped to the table. He grinned when he saw Jacob.

"You're awake," Jacob said, sitting next to the Makalo.

"And you got us out of the castle."

Jacob nodded. "Only because you kept your finger lit. I'm so glad you're okay."

He ate his soup slowly, his excitement giving way to contentment. Akeno was better, and Matt was with him. If Dad were awake and Aloren there, the scene would be perfect.

"Did they tell you?" he asked Akeno. "Aloren's still in Maivoryl City."

Akeno nearly dropped his spoon. "She is? No, they did _not_ tell me!" Akeno stared at his mom. "What's she doing there?"

"Who's Aloren again?" Matt asked, leaning forward. "Is she hot?"

Jacob rolled his eyes and turned back to Akeno. "I didn't have a way to bring her without leaving you and my sister somewhere. There just wasn't time. You would have died."

"Is she still with Eachan?"

Jacob shook his head. "Don't know. I hope so."

Akeno shut his eyes and didn't say anything for a moment. "What's being done to get her out?"

Ebony sat at the table. "We need to talk about that later. In the meantime, go ahead and show them your sore."

Akeno lifted his pant leg. "It's much better. Only hurts a little now."

Jacob frowned when he saw Akeno's leg. The wound was still clearly there, pinker than the skin around it, with yellow toward the center. "It's not completely healed?" He looked at Ebony. "Didn't you use a very powerful potion?"

"Yes, but Lorkon wounds aren't normal. We're lucky the Fat Lady found a potion which will even help. Kaede sap does next to nothing. It'll be a while before Akeno is completely ready for normal life."

"Just so long as he can help me get Aloren. I hope it won't take too long."

"He probably won't be able to go at all."

Akeno looked very disappointed, and Jacob frowned. How fair would it be if the Makalo had to stay behind?

Matt looked up from his soup. "I want to help. When are we going?"

"I hate to say this, but probably not soon," Ebony said. "We can't make any decisions until we've had a chance to discuss this as a group. We'll need to prepare so we don't rush in blindly. It would be terrible if any of you got stuck there, especially Jacob."

Jacob shook his head. He met eyes with Akeno--the Makalo looked just as concerned as Jacob felt. Leaving the decision of when to get Aloren up to a committee was an awful idea. It would take forever for everyone to agree on a plan. If only he knew Eklaron better, he'd sneak out on his own.

Matt finished his soup, his eyes drifting to the pot on the stove. Ebony chuckled and ladled more in his bowl, and Jacob, remembering his own soup, finished it.

The din of clanging alarm bells sounded through the air. Ebony put the bowl and ladle down and ran and opened the door, making the bells much louder. The noise from the bells was so loud, Jacob felt as if his head would split.

Men and women ran from building to building, and Kenji was racing down the path toward the house, waving at the people inside.

"There's an army coming." Kenji pointed to Matt and Jacob. "We need both of you to come help seal the entrance."

A harried-looking Makalo rushed into the house. "The reports are correct," he said to Kenji. "The army will be here in about twenty minutes."

"Twenty minutes?" Kenji asked. "How's that possible? They've barely left Fornchall!"

"Yes, but they have Sindons."

Kenji's eyes widened. "Oh, great."

"What's a Sindon?" Matt whispered.

Jacob shrugged, shaking his head. He'd never heard the word before.

Kenji straightened and motioned to the brothers. "Come quickly. We have much to do. I'll explain on the way."

He ran down the path and lowered himself over the ledge to the meadow. Jacob and Matt raced to catch up, hurrying down the stone steps. Early flitted through the air, talking to Matt, but he tried to shoo her away. A group was assembling near the path that led to the entrance to Taga. The loudest of the group was a Makalo around Akeno's age with a ton of facial hair. He was very animated, jumping up and down and waving his hands as he said something to the others in his group. He was the youngest one there. Kenji passed them, yelling at them to follow.

He spoke to Jacob as they ran. "We've kept a constant lookout from the tree since you left Taga Village, searching for any sign that the Lorkon were coming after you. Good thing we did. Not an hour ago, the guard noticed strange activity in Fornchall and alerted Brojan."

"Who's Brojan?" Matt asked.

"The head guy--patriarch--over the Makalos," Jacob said.

The trail wound upward through the thin forest. Kenji's words came in gasps now. "We feared an attack . . . The wood planks over the entrance . . . won't withstand much."

He stopped talking, probably to focus on hiking, his breathing heavy. After several feet, it looked like the Makalo wouldn't make it much farther--Jacob had forgotten Kenji's age. In fact, everyone struggled to continue, except for the Makalo with the beard, who Jacob began referring to in his mind as Butch. Butch looked extremely excited.

Finally, Kenji stopped and bent forward, hands on knees, taking deep breaths. He pointed at Butch. "You, go. Use . . . Early. Jacob, mold . . . wood."

Jacob, Matt, and Butch left the older people behind and raced up the trail in silence. They rounded a large boulder, and the forest ended, revealing the entrance.

"We've got about ten minutes," Butch said, pulling at the beams on the entrance. "We have to get rid of the old stuff first."

Matt and Jacob joined Butch, ripping the wood off the tunnel and tossing it over their shoulders.

The Makalo motioned to Jacob. "Do your thing. And hurry." He then scanned the skies, found Early, and had her report to Kenji and Brojan.

Jacob frowned. "Uh, what do I--"

Butch waved his hand. "Mold it together, mold it together! Make it into a sheet big enough to cover the entrance."

Jacob fell to his knees and grabbed the first two pieces of wood, noticing absentmindedly that the grains reflected the same gold-silver glow of the light in Akeno's walls. Holding his palm over the crack, he waited for the grain to heat. When that happened, he pushed the edges together. He nearly dropped the board, though, when a bright flash of light burst from the seam, almost blinding him. The entire board glowed brilliantly in gold and silver.

Butch dropped the wood he held and stared at Jacob. "What'd you do?"

"I--I don't know," Jacob said, and grimaced. Had he ruined things? Was that possible? Were his powers destructive? He hoped not.

"Well, you should keep going, I guess."

Sweat trickled down Jacob's back and on his face under the hot August sun. He wiped it off his forehead, glancing through the tunnel to the withered trees on the other side. He dropped his eyes, focusing instead on putting the panels together, while Matt and Butch gathered other bits for him to fuse to the large, growing sheet.

Early returned. "The army stopped. He doesn't know why. Brojan will tell us when they continue. He said to hurry." She disappeared.

Kenji and the other Makalos came around the bend, looking exhausted.

"Any. . . sign . . . of the army?" Kenji asked.

"No, sir," Butch said. "They stopped."

"Good." Kenji faced the Makalos behind him. "We need more wood. You three, gather what's left on the ground and take it to Jacob." He turned to Matt. "You any good with an ax?"

Matt nodded. "Yes."

Kenji pointed to one that was leaning against the canyon wall near the entrance. It looked like it hadn't been used in years. "Take that, chop up the large pieces--make them as flat and square as you can." He motioned to a group of Makalos. "You four help him." Kenji turned, rubbing his shoulder. "I'll keep watch for the Sindons. We can expect them to continue their advance soon."

Jacob grabbed another piece, heating it until the seam disappeared with a flash of light. He was used to it by now, but Kenji jumped, staring at him.

"Give me that," he said. He inspected a section, his expression turning thoughtful. Then surprise crossed his face. "That's . . . unexpected. Not only have you made it into one piece--as if it'd always been this way--but you've recharged the Rezend." He looked at Jacob. "How'd you do that?"

"I'm not sure," Jacob said. "It didn't feel any different from the other times I've molded something."

The ground trembled, and everyone paused to look toward the entrance.

Early reappeared. "The army is coming!"

"Don't stop--hurry, people, hurry!" Kenji called.

Jacob raced to put more wood together, but he struggled to keep up with the constant supply of broken boards. He was the only one doing this, and there were many people chopping.

He did his best not to pay attention to the others who urged him onward. How could he force himself to go faster when it took time for the wood to heat up before he could seal it together? His hands started to blister, and he bit his lip in frustration. Why'd he have to be the only one who could do this sort of thing?

He breathed a sigh of relief when Kenji told him to stop, but the frustration poured over him again like hot oil when the Makalo had him start another sheet so they could double up the covering for the entrance.

"We can't take any risks. Two will be better than one."

"I can't keep up," Jacob said, jerking his hand back when a large sliver pierced his skin.

"Do your best--and hurry."

The ground shook again. Harder this time.

A flurry of activity surrounded the entrance as everyone hurried to complete their tasks. Jacob darted around the growing slab, piecing it together, no longer able to feel the wood he molded. His speed at warming up the grain increased--perhaps because he was so focused on the task, or maybe he was imagining it.

Questions raced through his mind. What would happen if they were too late in covering the tunnel entrance? He didn't even want to think about that. He jumped up to grab several boards, tossing one away when part of it crumbled in his hands.

The ground quaked much more forcefully, and Jacob fell to his hands and knees. He glanced at the tunnel--the diseased forest again visible--and found himself enchanted by the motion of the trees. They were bending away from the entrance. Horrible memories jumped to his mind as he remembered the last time that happened. The trees had been trying to reach the female Lorkon. Was she on her way? Was she part of the attack? His hands became cold and clammy, despite the heat, as he thought about encountering her again. He doubted he'd get away this time.

Another tremble--this one violent and lasting several seconds--knocked everyone to the ground.

They all turned to face what was coming.

# Chapter Three

Nothing happened--at first. Then everyone gasped when hundreds of long, thick, snake-like arms started to appear--zipping quickly through the trees. The hands latched onto trunks and other solid objects. Seconds later, the trunks bent away, as if they were being pulled. Several were ripped from the ground and disappeared in the forest.

The sharp whip of leather reached Jacob's ears. The ground trembled again. With a roar, huge, magnificent beasts crashed through the trees, propelled forward by the strength of their grip on the trunks near the entrance. Their legs seemed to struggle to keep up. Hundreds of much smaller creatures clung to the scales on their sides. Molgs rode on top, bearing bull whips, which they flicked at the beasts, causing more ear-splitting roars and ground tremors as the beasts reared up on their hind legs and landed again.

"Sindons!" one of the Makalo men shouted. "Kenji, they're here!"

The Sindons pulled themselves to a location only twenty yards from the canyon wall. The beasts were amazing. Thirty feet tall, at least, they resembled hippos--their jaws stretching as they roared, with teeth at least four feet long flashing in the light. Their four thick legs were sturdy, and they each had at least ten of the long arms on their chests.

The army holding onto the sides of the Sindons jumped to the ground and formed around a Molg who appeared to be the leader.

This Molg was incredibly large--over six feet tall, maybe seven, with swords strapped to his back. He had six-inch-long teeth growing downward and out from his jawbone. His face had bright red paint in diagonal streaks across it. He pulled out a sword, lifted it in the air, and the army around him roared in excitement.

"There's no time to finish!" Kenji called. "Put the planks on top of each other. Jacob, seal them together!"

The group of Makalos ran to Kenji's side and lifted one slab on top of the other. Jacob jumped forward and sealed the edges of the wood, finishing right as the first line of the army charged, passing the huge Molg and the Sindons.

"Everyone, carry the wood over to the entrance!"

With much grunting, the group raised the boards, pulling them to the mouth and covering the tunnel just as several of the Molgs reached the other side of the tunnel. The creatures raced forward and pushed, trying to get through. The wood shuddered and shifted several inches.

"We can't hold them, Kenji!" one of the Makalos yelled.

"There's no choice. Use your Rezend!"

The Makalos' left ring fingers began glowing blue and the wood shook. Jacob prayed his work wouldn't be undone. Matt joined the Makalos in holding up the sheets of wood, and Jacob watched helplessly, not knowing what to do. The panel started to tremble violently as forces from both sides pushed against it.

With a grunt, a huge Molg, at least six feet tall and much, much bigger than the one Jacob had fought in the cave, squeezed through. He fell to the ground in his rush, and the Makalos slammed the wood back into place before more could come through.

Jacob's jaw dropped when the Molg got to its feet and stared him in the eye. It roared, lifted a huge ax, and rushed forward. Jumping back against the canyon wall, Jacob searched for something to defend himself with, finding only a stick. Right before the Molg could swing his ax, two Makalo men stepped into the path of the Molg, holding their own large sticks, joining the fight.

Kenji yelled through the noise, pointing at each Makalo as he commanded them: "You, stop the Molg! You, hold the board down. Jacob, get over here! Seal the panels!"

Jacob ran for the canyon entrance. He could hear Matt and the Makalos fighting the Molg behind him. He pressed his palms on the wood where people weren't already touching, willing the heat in his hands to go through both layers. The Makalos struggled to keep the thing in place.

The wood shook, knocking almost everyone to the ground, and Jacob realized something he wished he'd thought of earlier. The panels wouldn't be effective unless they were attached to the walls of the canyon!

But now only Jacob and two other Makalos were holding the wood in place. His legs started shaking, barely holding him up now. One, two more Makalos joined them.

Jacob yelled when his legs were whipped out from under him. He fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. The Molg started dragging him away from everyone. He fought for air, unable to do anything.

Matt jumped forward and hit the Molg across the head with a board. With one swipe of its hand, the Molg knocked Matt several yards away.

Jacob kicked and punched as hard as he could. He squirmed, trying to get away.

The Molg released Jacob and fell backward, revealing Matt, who was wielding the Molg's ax. He dropped to his knees, gasping. "It's not dead," he said. "I think I knocked it out."

Jacob jumped to his feet. Makalos were unconscious everywhere, and those who weren't struggled with the panel he had formed, trying to keep it in place.

Racing to the tunnel, Jacob pulled dirt and loose rocks away from the board, trying to find a solid surface on the canyon wall. His hands throbbed--he doubted they'd ever be normal again. The barrier shook so violently, some of the Makalos were forced to let go, and the wood slipped. Jacob helped lift it back up again, scrambling to continue pushing debris aside. Finally, he moved enough dirt out of the way and found solid stone.

He warmed up both surfaces, and jerked away when the wood flashed much more brightly than it had earlier. Like the snapping of a Lego, it suctioned onto the stone, stilling the vibrations.

Jacob, seeing spots from the bright flash, jumped forward and sealed as much of the rest of it to the tunnel wall as possible.

All the edges now in place, the group hesitantly pulled away. A roar of frustration on the other side let them know they'd been successful, and everyone cheered.

At Kenji's instructions, one of the men shrank the Molg. Jacob sighed in relief, so glad that the Makalos could shrink things. The man held the Molg--still unconscious--in his open palm.

Kenji had Early bring him a tiny wooden cage, and they put the Molg inside. Then he had four of the strongest men set up camp near the entrance, and called another Minya--this one a male named September--to come stay with them in case they needed to send for help.

Jacob's legs almost refused to carry him anymore, and Kenji ordered Butch and Matt to help him. They hurried back to the village. No one said anything. Even Matt had nothing to say, though Jacob was sure he had a lot of questions after seeing a Molg get shrunk.

Kenji thanked the group, asking them to go home to their families, then invited Jacob and Matt to the top floor of the tree. They found Brojan there, watching through a telescope.

Brojan sighed in relief, turning to Jacob and Matt. "That was . . . alarming. And a close call. Good work, boys. I doubt that is the last we'll see of this army, but at least the entrance will stay sealed this time." He passed a hand over his eyes. "All the creatures were united in the attack. Even the female Lorkon from the forest came. She's in her manor again, and it appears the rest have given up and are now heading back to Fornchall." He motioned to the telescope. "Would you like to see what you were dealing with?"

Jacob stepped forward. The height of the tree still amazed him. The fact that it was tall enough so he could use a telescope to look over the canyon wall was pretty awesome, and he found himself wondering at the strength of the spells that kept the tree invisible to Mendon.

He peered at the valley on the other side of the canyon wall. It took him a moment to focus the telescope, but when he did he shook his head in wonder. How'd they ever get the entrance sealed in time? The Sindons were the freakiest creatures he'd seen since entering Eklaron--their long arms zipped forward, through trees and across hills, and latched onto earth at least 200 yards away. The beasts propelled themselves forward so fast he had a hard time keeping the telescope on them. How did their legs keep up?

The Molgs' whips were just a blur, and he could see the Sindons' huge mouths open in perpetual roars. Occasionally, all the Sindons would rear up on their hind legs at the same time, and when they landed, Jacob felt the tremors, even from this far away. They were like dinosaurs! They barely noticed the army attached to their sides, clinging to their scales.

Matt jabbed Jacob's shoulder. "My turn."

Jacob moved away from the telescope, turning to Brojan and Kenji. "How long will the seal on the entrance last?"

"A lot longer than the original," Kenji said, and Brojan nodded. "With your abilities, it's most likely foolproof. The temporary seal we put up a few days ago didn't last even a minute against their spies."

"Wow--spies? What happened to them? Did you guys have to kill them?"

"They were Yoons. The Kaede trees took care of them."

"Yoons?"

"Creatures about a foot tall who have no use but to find their way into magically sealed locations. Their own magic breaks down barriers, allowing much larger creatures to enter. They were all but extinct twenty years ago. We think the Lorkon found them, though, and used the squirmy little things to get through the entrance when they stole the key." He sighed. "But, as I said, they won't be able to get past what you've done. I doubt anything can."

# Chapter Four

Matt pushed the telescope aside and put his arm around Jacob's shoulders. "It's going to take some getting used to--this whole business about my brother having superpowers and all."

Jacob shrugged off Matt's arm.

Matt laughed, holding his hands up defensively. "Besides basketball, of course."

Kenji smiled. "You have no idea. And we're almost certain more gifts will surface, especially after what happened at the castle, when the Lorkon touched him. We feel it will have brought his powers out, and that they'll start manifesting themselves. The ability to find weakness is a great power, but it isn't something the Lorkon would risk everything to get. There are other things still lurking in your brother."

"Like what?"

Kenji shrugged. "We're not sure."

Matt pushed Jacob playfully. "Well, get a move on!"

Jacob laughed, but didn't respond, and Brojan led them out of the tree and toward Kenji's place. Jacob was lost in thought, grateful his legs were able to hold him up now. The ability to make weak things strong was wonderful, but it exhausted him. He hoped his other powers wouldn't be so tiring.

They entered Kenji's house, and Brojan said goodbye. Jacob turned to Kenji and asked a question he'd been entertaining for a while.

"Why doesn't anyone just climb over the canyon walls? I mean, the tree is tall enough so you can see over them to the lands on the other side. It shouldn't be that difficult."

"Good question," Kenji said. "You heard of the enchantments on the Fat Lady's cabin? We put similar spells around the canyon. Nothing will ever be able to get through, not even a Yoon. We purposefully left the entrance exposed, knowing we'd eventually want to come and go."

Ebony handed out cups of water. When she got to Jacob, she took his hands and examined the blisters. "Nothing some sap won't cure." She left the room, returning moments later with a package, which she opened.

"We want you to keep the key for now," Kenji said. "You're the only one who can use it, so there's no point in us holding on to it."

He exited through one of the doors at the back of the room, and Jacob held out his hands for Ebony as she approached with the soaked strips of cloth. She quickly wrapped his wounds.

"You know it won't heal all the way until you've slept, right?" she asked.

He snorted. "Yes. Learned that the hard way."

She nodded. "That's right. Your exhaustion won't be as strong this time."

"Thank goodness."

Ebony finished up just as Kenji returned, carrying the ornate box Jacob had taken from the Lorkon castle. He stopped, his jaw dropping, and stared at the box. The container had begun to glow, and a faint strain of familiar music emanated from it.

Jacob smiled, glad to hear the melody again, and reluctant to admit it was nice to have the key back in his presence.

Kenji nodded. "Just as I'd hoped. It comes to life around you." He handed the box to Jacob. "You _are_ the only one who can use it."

Jacob opened the box and wasn't surprised by the burst of music and light, but Matt was. He yelled and jumped back, holding his hands in front of him defensively.

"Oh, geez," Jacob said, laughing. "It's just a harmless old key."

Matt smiled sheepishly, dropping his arms. "You never know. There are a lot of things here that are really crazy. And after what happened to you in that castle, I don't want to be bewitched or something."

Jacob snorted, but didn't respond. He looked at Kenji. "Does this mean I'll be running a lot of errands?"

Ebony nodded. "Starting tomorrow. We'll have a meeting around five o'clock your time. For now, I'm sure your mom wants you home."

"Yeah, we have chores. And I hate leaving her alone."

Jacob and Matt turned to leave.

"Should I use the key now?" Jacob asked.

Kenji motioned for Jacob to go ahead, and he pulled it out of the box, directing it toward the door. The prongs changed shape as they neared the keyhole, fitting perfectly.

"Um . . ." Jacob tried to remember what he'd said the day before. "My house." He glanced at the Makalos. Ebony motioned for him to continue, and he turned the key to the left, opening the door. His front room greeted him.

"Wow, that's cool," Matt said.

Jacob agreed.

# Chapter Five

Jacob's first class of the day was math--a subject he normally enjoyed. His teacher had arranged for a substitute for the last class period--who gets substitutes for the first class of the year?--and Jacob hadn't yet met the man.

He and his best friend, Tani, plopped down in the back of class. Mr. Coolidge--a tall, bushy-eyebrowed man who dressed and looked like a member of the Italian Mafia--wasn't ready to start class yet, so the room filled with chatter.

A girl with long, blond hair sat in front of Jacob and turned to talk to him. Her eyes were lined with electric blue makeup, and she had on a ton of bright pink lipstick. Jacob tried not to shudder when he thought about what it would be like to kiss her. Gross. If it weren't for all the makeup, she'd actually be sort of cute.

"Hi, Jacob," she said breathily. "You remember me, right? Shirley?" She winked at him.

Whoa. Did she really just pull that move? Jacob's jaw dropped. He didn't know girls did that in real life--in movies, yes, but in high school? He clamped his mouth shut.

Jacob looked at Tani with a questioning expression. She leaned over and whispered, "Shirley Christensen. She's had a crush on you since the third grade."

"Why didn't I ever know?"

"'Cause she only tells girls. Plus, you don't notice much of that sort of thing, and I've kept it from you--best friends do that. I know how much she annoyed you four years ago when you worked on that project together."

Jacob frowned in concentration. He couldn't remember having had a project with Shirley.

Tani must have noticed his confusion. "Science? She lied about her part? Got you both in trouble?"

Jacob nodded slowly, the memory coming back. "Oh, yeah, I remember."

Mr. Coolidge called the class to order before Jacob could respond. He'd written a bunch of stuff on the board, and his handwriting was almost impossible to read, especially from the back of the room. Jacob sighed in exasperation as he tried to take notes.

It took him nearly five minutes to figure out that Mr. Coolidge was lecturing about the order of operations. Jacob slumped in his seat and tuned everything out. He'd learned this well over two years ago. He stared out the window and contemplated taking a nap.

Shirley stretched, a piece of paper in her hand, which she discretely dropped on his desk at the end of her stretch. Jacob picked it up. It was a full-length letter.

Rolling his eyes, Jacob propped it up inside his tilted math book, facing it toward him where the teacher couldn't see. When he saw the massive wall of text, though, his eyes began to blur. He couldn't read it. Shirley would have to wait.

"Mr. Clark, I asked you a question."

Jacob jerked up in his seat, slamming the math book shut around the note. "Yes, sir?" He tried to remember what the teacher had just been lecturing about and grimaced when nothing came to mind.

"Your answer? What is it?" Mr. Coolidge paused, then stormed down the row and held out his hand. "Give me your textbook. Anyone _that_ absorbed in school literature isn't reading school literature."

Dang.

Jacob racked his brain, trying to think of a way to keep the note from falling into the hands of his algebra teacher. "I'll--I'll put it away now."

"No. You will give it to me."

Every eye in the room was on Jacob, and he felt his cheeks flush. He didn't know most of these students. He slumped in his seat and handed the textbook to Mr. Coolidge.

"Thank you." The teacher's dark eyes flashed with impatience, and he pulled open the math book. The sheet of paper fell into his hand. He rolled his eyes when he saw the pink writing all over the paper. "You'll get this back on Monday."

Jacob crossed his arms in front of him, scowling at the board. Mr. Coolidge watched him for a moment, probably waiting to see if Jacob would say anything more, then resumed the lesson, asking someone else to answer the question.

Jacob sighed. At least he didn't need to respond to the note. He hoped Shirley wouldn't write another one . . .

The guy sitting next to him leaned over. He was older--at least a senior--and had red hair and bad acne. "Coolidge's really not that bad. Just strict. You'll actually like this class. I've taken it twice. This is my third time."

"It's that fun?"

"Uh . . . Well, I've failed it twice," he whispered. "Mr. Coolidge is a great teacher, but really strict. Don't try messing around in here again--he doesn't like it and he'll openly punish you. But he's always scarier at the beginning of the semester than later. He does it to establish his authority as reigning king of all math classes."

The guy turned back to the lesson, so Jacob did too. Mr. Coolidge was still talking about the order of operations and Jacob folded his arms, deciding to pay attention. It was difficult, though. Shirley answered every question the teacher asked, regardless of how hard it was. This prevented any form of variety to enter the lecture.

Jacob contented himself with practicing his magical ability by searching out warm spots on his desk that represented weakness. Almost the entire top of it heated up fairly quickly, which didn't surprise him. The school probably couldn't afford high-quality desks. He started making the top of it stronger, which kept his attention so he didn't fall asleep.

He paused when he made a discovery, and leaned forward in excitement. With strong concentration, he could heat up the ink and graphite etched into the desk's surface, separate from each other and the wood. He was then able to remove the ink and graphite completely, leaving behind a clean desktop. His hands and mind hurt from the effort, but it was fun!

He was in the process of pulling the last of the ink and graphite off the wood--the guy next to him watching in fascination--when Mr. Coolidge stopped his lesson abruptly.

"Mr. Clark, what is it this time? Surely you weren't passed another note?"

"No, sir. I'm--I'm trying to . . . " What was he supposed to say? That he was trying to clean off his desk and make it indestructible?

Mr. Coolidge peered at Jacob with narrowed eyes, then looked at Jacob's hand, a wad of ink still in it. He stormed down the row again. "Jacob Clark!" he spat. "What have you done to your desk?"

"I . . . nothing, sir! I'm fixing it."

"Fixing it? Fixing it? Stand up this instant. You will not be sitting in the back anymore. Miss Sampson, gather your things and trade places with him. You, Mr. Clark, will be sitting in the front of the class from now on."

Jacob felt his cheeks redden again. The front of the class? He'd rather die!

One look at the teacher, though, and he knew any argument would be shot down, and fast. He slumped in his new seat, refusing to look anywhere but straight ahead. So much for enjoying Mr. Coolidge's class.

***

Jacob threw his backpack on the couch and walked into the kitchen, slumping onto a bar stool. He didn't have any homework, so he had time to kill before heading to Taga Village for the meeting.

Mom looked up from a card she was signing. She passed it across the counter to him. "Sign it please--it's for Ida Mae."

Jacob added his signature, noticing that the card said "get well" on it. "She's having problems with her diabetes again?"

"The poor woman," Mom said. "How was school?"

He shrugged. "Math's going to be a challenge--the teacher chose me to pick on--but everything else was fine."

"Did you get the chance to talk to Mr. Fulcher?"

He grabbed a pear from the fruit bowl on the counter and took a huge bite. "Yeah, I dropped by on the way home. He was pretty worried--made sure to let me know that anytime we need anything to let him know. I'm going to miss working with him."

"As soon as everything has calmed down, I'm sure he'll welcome you back."

"I hope so." Jacob stared out the window, watching the trees sway in the wind."

"Have you seen Coach Birmingham around school?"

Jacob shook his head. Birmingham taught drivers ed and coached basketball. Jacob's goal had been to make varsity since freshman year, but he hadn't made the cut yet. It was almost like the coach refused to acknowledge his abilities, even though Jacob and his son had played on the same teams all growing up. Jacob was at least as good as Kevin, if not better--or he had been, back before Coach had shipped Kevin off to some private school for the last couple of years.

"Well, he and Anne haven't been over since school ended. They heard about what happened to your dad and I, and they're bringing over dinner tonight." She folded the newspaper. "You can talk to him then."

"Okay. When will they be here?"

"Around seven."

Jacob hopped off the stool, picked up his backpack from the living room, then took the stairs two at a time to his bedroom where he sat on his bed. His eyes strayed to Aloren's bag on the desk across from him. He'd had to put it far from his mind because thinking about Aloren frustrated him too much. Even though he understood why the Makalos wouldn't let him go get her until they'd discussed it as a group, he still hated it. He especially hated that he'd let her down. And Seden too . . .

Jacob shook his head. It still hurt too much to think about the man whose death he'd caused.

He stared at the bag. Should he open it? He mused over that question for a moment. No, he shouldn't touch it. If Aloren was anything like other girls, she'd be furious with him if he did. Besides, opening a girl's bag could be dangerous. Who knew what was kept in it. Girly things, makeup, mirrors, brushes--with hair all over them. Disgusting.

But, if it had something in it--food, for instance--that would spoil, his room would start smelling gross soon. He didn't want to deal with that.

So, open it or not?

Jacob heard Matt return--Ida Mae didn't live far away--and decided to ask him for backup.

He was going to open the bag.

# Chapter Five

The brothers sat on Jacob's bed, facing Aloren's bag.

"I think you should open it," Jacob said.

"Heck, no! She's _your_ friend! You do it." Matt pulled out his pocket knife. "I'll stand guard in case something tries to attack you."

Jacob snorted. "It's been in my room for several days. Anything living in the bag would've escaped and killed me by now, if that's what it meant to do." He rubbed the back of his neck, studying the bag. "I just need to check for anything that needs to be thrown away."

"Yeah, right. You want to hold something that belongs to her. Admit it."

"Whatever." Jacob refused to engage in Matt's game. He leaned forward, his hands surrounding but not touching the bag. "Okay, here goes."

He lifted the flap, careful to stay a full arm's length away. With one quick motion, he dumped the contents on the desktop.

A moldy, half-eaten apple rolled onto the floor, and Jacob jerked away from it.

Matt doubled over, laughing. "You girl! You're scared of an _apple_?"

"Knock it off," Jacob said. He couldn't help but smile too, at his edginess.

He made sure nothing else was moving, then quickly glanced over the other things that had come out. A wooden comb--at least it didn't have any hair on it. A silver box. A few strings--probably to tie Aloren's hair back. An old skeleton key, and a piece of parchment with browned writing on it.

"Okay, nothing here that's going to rot," Jacob said, backing away from the items, not wanting to snoop.

"Except the apple."

"Yeah. I'm glad I opened the bag."

A rap at the window alerted them to Early's presence, and Jacob let her in. She fluttered inside, an agitated expression on her face, her hands and legs moving rapidly as.

"An emergency?" Jacob asked.

"Yes. Dusts and Molgs are approaching Aldo's cabin. You must come now to get him. Go to Kenji's house."

"Okay." Jacob glanced at Matt. "Coming?"

"Oh, yeah!"

Jacob briefly considered heading straight to Aldo's place, but decided against it--there must be special instructions if the Makalos wanted him to go to the village first. He made sure the key was in his pocket, then called out to their mom as they raced downstairs and to the front room. "Makalo emergency. We'll try to be back before Coach comes."

"Be careful!" his mom said from her study.

Jacob and Matt stepped onto the porch, closing the front door behind them. Jacob turned, fumbling in his pocket for the key.

Matt eyeballed the door. "This door has a lock. How does it work when there isn't one?"

"We'll mess around with it later--don't have time now." Jacob thrust the key into the lock and said, "Kenji's house."

They stepped through the jamb and entered the Makalo's front room.

"Madness" would've described what greeted them. Ebony and Kenji were arguing, a little girl Makalo was running between everyone, singing loudly, a baby was crying in a corner, Brojan was poring over books and maps, talking to an older Makalo man, a teenage boy Makalo was grabbing things and shoving them in a bag, and Akeno was digging through boxes, tossing stuff out of his way.

"Wow," Matt said.

"No kidding."

Ebony and Kenji turned when they heard Jacob's voice.

"Another army is on its way to attack Aldo," Kenji said. "At least that's what we're led to believe--they left Fornchall not long ago and are heading toward his cabin. We're trying to coordinate things and plan the best way to get him out of there alive, in case that's where they're going."

"Why are they attacking him?" Jacob asked. "What's the point of that?"

"They must have figured out who he is. I'm sure the Lorkon want to interrogate him. That, and they understand how important he is to us."

"Why not just grab him and run?" Jacob asked.

"See?" Ebony said. "I told you he'd feel that way."

"No, no, we cannot rush into this," Brojan said from the table. "There are too many variables, too many unanswered questions. If we could just find what he did to himself to lose his mind . . ." His voice dropped to a thoughtful whisper. "This simply can't be a permanent situation." He pulled a book out of a box and flipped through the pages, then handed it to the man with him. "We might be able to put things right and give him the opportunity to defend himself."

Ebony shook her head in short, abrupt movements. "Not now! Later--when he's here and safe!"

"If there are any Bald Henries, Jacob requires advance warning," Kenji said.

"What's a Bald Henry?" Matt asked.

Brojan nodded. "Besides, Aldo needs to be given the choice."

"No, he doesn't," Ebony said. "Not in this situation, where he can't even make those decisions!"

Kenji started arguing with Ebony again, Brojan giving his opinion loudly from the table, and they all forgot Jacob and Matt.

"Do you know what a Bald Henry is?" Matt asked Jacob, whispering.

Jacob shook his head. "No, And Makalos are not like this ever--usually they're very calm and rational."

"Let's just go. You know where he lives, right?"

"Yeah. Shouldn't be too hard with the key, if the army hasn't arrived yet."

Jacob put the key in the lock, whispering, "Aldo's cabin."

"I'm coming too," the teenage Makalo said, dropping the bag he'd been stuffing things into.

Jacob shut the door behind them.

# Chapter Six

"Ow!" Matt said, tripping over a chair near Aldo's front door.

The inside of the place was dark and dingy. Jacob choked on a bunch of dust, waving it away from his face. He turned to the Makalo. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jaegar, Akeno's younger brother."

Jacob nodded. "Can you light up your finger like he can?"

"Of course--just not as bright. Akeno's has always been the brightest."

Blue light shone across the walls and sparse furnishings. Aldo wasn't there, so the group tip-toed into the adjoining room. The sound of snoring came from a lump in the bed, and the boys stood in the doorway, watching the old man sleep.

Jacob frowned. "Maybe we should check outside--figure out how much time we have before the army comes."

He returned to the front room, Jaegar following. They stepped to a window, and Jacob used his shirt to clear enough of the grime to see out. There wasn't anything or anyone visible.

"How did we find out the Dusts are coming, anyway?"

Jaegar shook his head. "Don't know."

Jacob looked at Jaegar. "Can you use a tree to see what living things are there?"

The Makalo nodded. "I'll go do that now."

Jacob and Matt watched from the porch as Jaegar dashed to a nearby fruit tree, touched the bark, then ran back.

"Three Molgs and a ton of Dusts. No Sindons. They're still far away, so we probably have ten minutes before they get here."

"We'll be long gone by then," Jacob said. He pointed to a dirty burlap bag on the table. "How about you grab whatever you think Aldo will want with him in the village while Matt and I go get him?"

Jaegar snatched the bag off the table, and Jacob and Matt stepped into the other room.

"Who's going to wake him up?" Jacob asked. "You?"

"No way, man," Matt whispered, not crossing the threshold. "You've met him before--you do it."

Jacob grimaced, then stepped to the bed and shook Aldo's shoulder. Nothing happened. He shook it again, a little more forcefully. Still no response.

"Uh . . . did he just die?" Matt asked from the doorway.

Jacob leaned over Aldo. "No, he's breathing. Maybe he's a heavy sleeper?"

"Amberly's a heavy sleeper, but she still wakes up when you shake her."

"I know. Okay, you try."

Matt joined Jacob and grabbed Aldo's left arm, trying to pull him out of bed. Aldo grumbled something, jerking away from Matt, and curling up in a tight ball. He kept snoring loudly.

"This is ridiculous," Matt said.

"Aldo!" Jacob said loudly.

The man didn't do anything.

Jacob raised his voice to a yell. "There's an army coming to your cabin! You need to wake up!"

Aldo mumbled in his sleep and turned over.

Jacob and Matt met eyes. " _What About Bob_ style?" Matt asked, referring to the movie.

Jacob nodded. He put his knee on the edge of the bed, using his other leg for support, and grabbed the bed frame while Matt put his hands on Aldo's shoulder. On the count of three, they began yelling Aldo's name while shaking him and his bed.

The old man leaped up, grabbed Jacob's arms, and pinned them behind his back. Matt stumbled backward, knocking a picture off the wall.

"What was when?" Aldo asked. " _What was when?_ "

"Aldo, it's me, Jacob. Remember? I came a few days ago with Akeno--Kenji and Ebony's son."

"Why was the little blue bird whistling?"

"We've got to take you back to the Makalo village. There's a small army of Dusts and Molgs coming. It's not safe here anymore."

Aldo let go of Jacob. The old man was surprisingly strong for having such a wiry frame. Aldo then crossed to Matt, staring him in the eyes. "When did the green hills and grass sing?"

Matt raised his hands to defend himself in case Aldo attacked, but his face showed he was having a hard time not smiling. Jacob glared at Matt before responding to Aldo.

"That's my brother, Matt."

"When home's story is a butterfly, cats walk on flowers." Aldo glared at Matt, then picked up the picture that had fallen to the floor and tried to get it to stay on the wall. He giggled. "This parchment has met the sky too once!" It wouldn't stick to the wall, so Aldo attempted to attach it to Matt's shoulder. "Once was when they stood on toes. Is it not? Yes?" He frowned, peering at Matt, then tried to brush away the freckles on Matt's face.

Matt's smile grew as he nudged the old man away. "Hey, knock it off."

"Whenever you're here, I'm happy," Aldo said. He smiled broadly, his messed-up teeth very visible, and put the picture down. "Time to clear the smoke." He strode from the room, and Matt let out a laugh.

"Wow. He's _really_ crazy."

"Knock it off," Jacob said. "It's not funny."

Aldo called from the front room. "Try it out for a try. See how it spins. Upside down, side to side. Whee!"

Then Matt really lost it, and Jacob couldn't hide his grin anymore.

"Okay . . . okay . . ." Matt wiped his eyes. "Time to get him out of here."

The two brothers returned to the front room where Jaegar had just finished stuffing things in the bag.

Aldo snatched it from him. "Old women and old men love shoes." He put the bag under one arm, glaring at Jaegar. "Squirrels are here for the taking."

The house shook.

Jaegar ran to the window. "They're here!" he said, looking back at Jacob, a panicked expression on his face.

"How'd they get here so fast?" Jacob asked. "Jaegar, knock them out!"

"I can't--only Akeno can do that!"

Something banged hard on the door. It opened a crack, and Jaegar and Matt jumped to hold it shut. Another bang, and one of the hinges broke off.

"The woman has brown hair!" Aldo shouted. "Facts and non-facts! Now!"

Jacob hesitated, trying to decide whether to open a link immediately--and risk having the entire army follow if they couldn't shut the door fast enough--or make sure the beasts didn't get into the cabin in the first place. He decided on the latter. He ran to a tall bookshelf and tried to push it in front of the door, but it only budged a little. "Aldo!" he yelled. "Come help me!"

Surprisingly, the old man ran to obey. Together they pushed and pulled the shelf. It moved to cover half of the door. Was that enough? Jacob glanced frantically around the cabin. There wasn't anything else to help keep the door shut.

A deafening roar split through the air. Was that Lirone? Jacob didn't remember the sky monster roaring. If not, what in the world made a sound like that? Jacob looked to Jaegar, wishing Akeno were there. He'd know.

Every glass object in the room shattered--the windows, the cups, the glass in the picture frames. Everyone was pelted with shards. Aldo began howling and stomping his feet.

"A Bald Henry!" Jaegar screamed. "We have to get out of here _now_!"

Dusts started climbing through the window frames. Another deafening roar.

Seconds later, every metal object in the room pulverized, including the hinges on the door. Little fragments were all that remained. The air was full of metal dust.

"He'll target another material next!" Jaegar yelled. "We have to use the key before the door gets destroyed!" He and Matt pushed the Dusts and Molgs back out the windows while Jacob searched for a way to escape.

The shelf was partially blocking the door, and Jacob wasn't sure he could get everyone through before the group outside forced their way in. Dusts were already using their hands as knives, cutting through the wood.

Another roar as Jacob spun around, heading to the door to Aldo's room. Every brick was destroyed, showering them all with rocks and mortar. The boys called out in pain, and Aldo shrieked like he was being murdered.

Jacob and his friends were exposed to the army outside. The Molgs and Dusts froze, staring at them. Then they surged forward, climbing over the rubble that used to be Aldo's walls.

# Chapter Seven

Jacob whipped out the key, his hands shaking, while Jaegar and Matt beat off the Dusts and tried to keep the Molgs away. He stared at the door. There wasn't a keyhole.

He panicked. "There's no hole! There's no hole for the key!"

"Put it closer to the door!" Jaegar yelled, wrestling three Dusts who had knives for hands. "It'll come."

Jacob held the key near the door and shouted with excitement when a lock appeared. He shoved the key into it and yelled, "Kenji's house!" then popped the door open, grabbed Matt, Jaegar, and Aldo, and pushed them through. He kicked several Dusts away, shoved a Molg--it fell backward--and jumped into Kenji's front room. Another ear-splitting roar. He slammed the door shut, holding it tightly. It vibrated for a moment, then stopped.

Jacob slid to the floor, panting from the exertion. His ears rang, and he hurt all over.

The group of Makalos in front of them had frozen in shock. Ebony's mouth hung open, Brojan had a bunch of books in his lap, Kenji held a towel, and Akeno was mid-step, heading toward the back room.

Aldo broke the silence--apparently he recognized the Makalos. "Pearl!" he yelled, rushing to Ebony, grabbing her shoulders, petting her head. Then he saw Kenji and ran to him. "Apples and flies!"

He turned to face the room, an excited expression on his face. "Stars and moon?" He ran to a window, looking out. He paused, then hurried back to Kenji. "Stars and moon!"

"I think he recognizes us!" Ebony burst into tears. "Oh, he must recognize us. He's not gone."

"You might be right," Kenji said, watching Aldo. The man picked up a chair and looked at the underside of it, repeating his question. "But he doesn't seem to have all his faculties with him yet."

Aldo grinned, put the chair down, then stood on top of it. "Numbers were planting babies. Oh, what a way."

Matt and Jacob exchanged glances. Maybe Aldo recognized the adults, but he was still crazy.

Then Kenji turned to the boys, his face red. "What were you _thinking_ , trying to get to him on your own? I heard that roar. A Bald Henry was part of the army!"

"And they're bleeding!" Ebony said, rushing forward. She grabbed Jaegar's arm. "This is going to take some time to fix. All right, you four, to the table." She led them to seats, then pulled out a pair of tweezers from a drawer near the sink and began plucking debris out of their arms.

Kenji paced in front of them. "Bald Henries are extremely dangerous. If you hadn't gotten out of the cabin when you did, you wouldn't have made it. The next thing it would've targeted is flesh. They follow a pattern. Glass, metal, rock, wood, flesh."

Jacob winced as Ebony pulled a particularly large piece of glass from his wrist. "We only saw Dusts and Molgs."

Kenji sighed and sat down, rubbing his face. "Of course you didn't see one. They're invisible. No one even knows what they look like."

"Where did they get their name?" Matt asked.

"The legend says that several hundred years ago, a person traveled through a link to your world and encountered a king named Henry, who was particularly atrocious and bad-tempered. There isn't a specification anywhere as to whether or not he was bald, but everyone started referring to Bald Henries that way, and the name stuck."

"Why haven't they destroyed everything in sight?"

"They're usually peaceful creatures. They avoid other animals, stay in the same location. And their roar only has a range of perhaps five yards. The Lorkon brought them and used them a few times during the last war. We learned a lot."

Aldo had left his seat and was tracing the silver lines in the wall. He grinned at the group, and Jacob wondered if the old man had lost another tooth. There seemed to be a larger gap on top.

"What are we to do with you, Aldo?" Ebony asked. She'd mixed together Kaede sap to heal everyone's cuts, and was wrapping Jacob's arms.

Aldo beamed at her. "You're not here with that old bag. The disconcerting books hate Friday."

She looked at him thoughtfully, then wrapped Matt's arms. "We could have him stay in the tree until we find a permanent residence for him."

Kenji nodded. "That'll be perfect. He seemed fine alone in his cabin."

Brojan stood and excused himself, leaving the house.

Jacob had almost forgotten the patriarch was there, he'd been so quiet. And--Jacob noticed with surprise--Akeno had slipped out of the room too. He waited for Ebony to finish up with Aldo's wounds, then keyed the elderly man to the tree.

When he returned, Ebony looked up from where she was working on Jaegar's arms. "I wonder what Brojan thinks of the Molgs being part of the armies. This means they're out of their caves." She finished with Jaegar's bandages. "It's too dangerous to have them wandering around."

Jacob definitely understood why--they ate humans, for crying out loud. His mind returned to the experience in Aldo's cabin. "Why didn't the key get destroyed when all the other metal objects did?"

"Magic." Ebony peeked under one of his bandages. "Just as I suspected--the wounds weren't deep or serious enough to require sleep to heal." She pulled off his bandages and threw them in a box in the corner of the room.

"Are we still having the meeting tonight?"

Ebony hesitated, looking at Kenji. "Yes, we were," she said, then looked at Kenji. "We weren't sure if we'd need to put it off, though. Having Aldo get attacked complicated things."

"Not too much to put it off, though, right?" Matt asked.

Jacob loved that his brother had adopted his stance.

"No, we're good to go," Kenji said. "Jacob, you'll have to bring the Fat Lady, though."

He jumped to his feet. "On it."

"I'll send a Minya to tell her you're on the way," Kenji said.

# Chapter Eight

Jacob made sure the door behind him clicked loudly when he shut it. He didn't want to surprise the Fat Lady, even if she knew he was coming.

"Hello?" he called out.

"In here, Jacob, in here."

He walked down the narrow hallway, through the cluttered living room, and into a dark little kitchen. The Fat Lady filled the entire area, barely having enough room to move around.

She turned and grinned--her odd assortment of teeth shining at him. The top ones were nearly all gone; the bottoms were pearly white and straight. She fingered the piercing in one of her ear lobes--stretched out so far one of her pudgy fingers would have fit in the space--and Jacob tried not to cringe.

"Good to see you, good to see you," she said. "Give me a minute to finish." She turned to the sink, hand still on her ear lobe.

Jacob didn't want to know what she was doing. He stepped back into the living room, shoved papers off a section of the dusty orange couch, and sat down.

After a few moments, the Fat Lady shuffled through the room, beckoning him to follow. "Let's go get this shindig started."

***

It took several minutes for everyone to settle down enough for the meeting to begin. Jacob alternated clasping his hands, elbows resting on his knees, and jiggling his legs. His hands were sweaty and he was struggling to control his nerves. He couldn't wait to find out what the Makalos would say about getting Aloren.

The Fat Lady grinned at Matt when the introductions were made, and his jaw dropped--probably at the sight of her teeth.

Brojan started by giving general updates, then asking the Fat Lady about her potion.

"It's the same one Akeno and Aloren took on the way to Maivoryl. It's called Malono, and prevents people from experiencing the negative effects of the Lorkon magic."

"And you recommend that everyone who is going takes it before entering Maivoryl City?"

The Fat Lady nodded. "Definitely. We have no idea what would have happened to Akeno and Aloren if Malono hadn't been in their systems. That Lorkon air most definitely is polluted." She leaned forward. "I found an extra vial, enough for one person."

Jacob watched the adults conversing, feeling somewhat like a third wheel. "Okay, what's the plan, then? When can we go get Aloren?"

Brojan looked at Jacob. "As soon as everyone who's going has taken the Malono potion."

Jacob turned to the Fat Lady. "How long until more is ready?"

She shrugged. "I'd guess six to eight weeks."

Jacob stumbled to his feet. "Are you serious? No way am I waiting that long!"

Matt pulled his brother back into the chair. "Calm down, Jake."

"You _have_ to wait," Brojan said. "There isn't anything else we can do."

His beard masked half of his face, but Jacob could see displeasure in the Makalo's expression. Why was _he_ frustrated? He wasn't the one whose friend was stuck in some city in the middle of nowhere!

"Brojan is right," Ebony said, then motioned toward the Fat Lady. "Her potions are necessary. We can't help you without them."

"But she said there's an extra vial--Matt could take it. He and I could go together."

Matt nodded in agreement. "And this time, it'll be simple--we'll be careful."

Kenji shook his head. He looked exhausted. "No. You'll need more people. Bald Henries aren't the worst thing you could come across. Do you think the Lorkon wouldn't put up a guard after finding out how important this girl is to you? And don't think they haven't learned already--they have spies everywhere. If they're using Molgs, Dusts, and Bald Henries, they most definitely have other creatures working for them." He paused. "And think about what would happen if you failed to get her. You'd endanger her life by putting their guards on alert."

Jacob studied his hands. He couldn't meet eyes with anyone. What Kenji said made sense, and he hated to admit it. Finally he looked up again when Kenji spoke to the Fat Lady.

"How many potions will you be able to make?"

She shrugged and wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead. "Depends on many things. How quickly we can gather the ingredients, how fresh they are, and all that. Can't push things to grow faster. It don't work that way. Also, the older the ingredients are, the less potent they'll be, and the more of them I'll need.

"You know, we're lucky. One of the items, a flower bud from the Silver Trees, grows practically in my back yard." She sighed. "Two others I can't get until the bud has grown--otherwise, they'll go bad." She turned to Jacob. "Sorry, kiddo. And six weeks is if everything goes _extremely_ well. Sometimes the bud takes up to three months to fully mature."

"Three months?" Jacob slumped back, running his hand through his hair. How could Aloren possibly wait that long? It would almost be Christmas by then. "I promised her . . ." He stopped. He didn't want to say anything more. The Makalos already felt bad--he could tell.

Silence hung like a thick fog. The adults in the room looked at Jacob expectantly, waiting for him to agree.

"Okay, I'll wait for the potion. But just as soon as it's ready--the exact minute--we go get Aloren."

Kenji nodded. "Of course."

Someone knocked on the door and Jaegar got up to answer it. A female Makalo spoke with him, then stepped aside to let Aldo walk into the house.

"Aldo?" Ebony asked. "You're back?"

"Grass is broken non-surplussed." He bowed to Ebony several times in a row, then grabbed her hand, pulled her to her feet, and twirled her.

Ebony laughed, then looked at Jaegar. "What did Mara say?"

"Just that Aldo had been throwing things around in the tree, and he'd pulled everything out of the drawers. She doesn't think it's wise to have him stay alone in an unfamiliar place."

"We could have someone in the tree with him at all times," Kenji said.

"Who?" Ebony asked. "There aren't many who have that kind of time."

Kenji nodded. "We'd need to arrange shifts."

"He can stay at my place," the Fat Lady said. "I've got an extra room."

"But . . . is that appropriate?" Ebony asked.

The Fat Lady laughed. "Of course it is. I can hold my own, and I was going to request having him stay with me, anyway. Just so I can figure out what's going on with him."

Ebony nodded, then looked at her watch. "Jacob, does your mom know where you are?"

He looked at his watch as well--quarter to seven. "Dang it, we have to go. Coach is coming over in fifteen minutes. And yes, she does."

"How's basketball going, anyway?" Kenji asked. "Did you make your tryouts?"

"No," Jacob said, wondering how Kenji knew about all of that. He didn't think he'd mentioned anything. "I'm talking to Coach about it tonight."

Brojan sighed and got to his feet. "Let us know if there's anything we can do to help you in that endeavor of yours. We're indebted to you."

Jacob nodded, though he doubted the Makalos _could_ help. If anything, they'd distract Coach. He also stood.

"Be careful with that key," Kenji said.

Ebony nodded. "Don't use it unless you absolutely have to. It would be bad if you decided to take a trip to China and ended up getting stuck there--you never know what is on the other side of the door."

"They know where China is?" Matt whispered to Jacob.

Akeno laughed.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "They know everything you know about earth. Probably even more. They're smart that way."

"But how?"

"Books," Akeno said. "We read a lot of them."

"All right, you two," Ebony said. "Would you mind taking the Fat Lady and Aldo to her place on your way? Then go home before your mother has a panic attack."

# Chapter Nine

Jacob and Matt, using the key, dropped Aldo and the Fat Lady off at her cabin, and arrived home just in time to help set the table. The doorbell rang, and Jacob answered it.

Coach was all smiles. "Jacob!" he said, removing his fedora and patting Jacob on the shoulder as he walked past.

"Hey, when are tryouts for varsity this year?"

Coach Birmingham stopped. "Not for another few months. How about you wait until your sophomore or even junior year? Some of those seniors can be really rough."

Jacob's mouth popped open and he struggled to find an answer. He was already a junior. How had Coach not remembered his son was Jacob's age? Coach started toward the kitchen again, and Jacob caught up.

"Coach, I _am_ a junior. Besides, I've been playing against seniors since I was thirteen."

Coach only smiled at him, then shook hands with Jacob's mom. "Janna, how are you? Anne's sorry she couldn't make it tonight, and we're both especially sorry to hear about Lee. Which hospital is he in again? We'd love to visit him."

Jacob slumped in his chair, barely listening as Mom gave an elusive answer and changed the subject to dinner and Coach explained what he'd cooked and how to serve it.

He should've known. Coach always watched his son's games, but his attention never strayed to the other players. He'd probably never even seen Jacob play basketball before, especially now that Kevin was playing for private schools. Kevin had only played against Jacob a couple of times in the last few years.

After making sure the fondue would be heated perfectly and the toothpicks used correctly, Coach shook Mom's hand again, patted Jacob on the shoulder once more, then turned to go.

Jacob jumped to his feet. "Wait, Coach--let me shoot some hoops for you before you go."

Coach smiled, ruffling Jacob's hair. "Maybe next time, son."

"Are you serious? _Son?_ I'm almost seventeen years old!"

Coach laughed. "Good one, Jake."

Jacob scowled as Mom walked Coach to the front door. He hated being patronized.

He did his chores quickly, accidentally heating up the bag of chicken feed in the process because he was so frustrated. He couldn't concentrate on anything.

Finally, he decided the only thing he could do was make Coach watch him. A lot of students and faculty played basketball during lunch in the orange gym, and Coach was always there, from what Jacob had heard. He'd never done it before because he usually went out for lunch. But he'd be there Monday, and Coach would _have_ to recognize how good he was.

***

Jacob's classes before lunch on Monday seemed to inch by, and when the bell rang, his nerves were nearly shot. He couldn't believe how nervous he was--basketball was _his thing_. It wasn't like him to get nervous. But his future--college and beyond--depended on him getting on varsity, and he'd failed to do just that two years in a row. He hadn't yet even made junior varsity, and that was ridiculous.

He grabbed his backpack, ran to the locker room, changed into his gym clothes, then raced to the orange gym. He hesitated before entering and took a deep breath. Tani and her boyfriend, Josh, spotted him and waved for him to join them. He did, scarfing down the food he'd brought from home as quickly as possible.

Jacob looked around the room, getting an idea who was there. His pulse quickened when he saw Coach talking to Mr. Coolidge. The entire varsity team lounged against one of the walls. It looked like all the junior varsity guys were there as well. Oh, boy.

Tani followed his gaze. "Don't sweat it, Jacob. You'll be fine."

Josh, one of their friends, clapped Jacob on the back. "You're about to blow all their minds with your mad skills."

Jacob nodded, putting his things down. For just a moment, he entertained the thought of leaving, but quickly pushed the impulse away. He'd looked forward to this day for a long time. He grabbed a ball and stepped out to join the others in quick warm-ups.

He bounced his basketball, waiting for the admin-ref to assign him to a team. No one paid him any attention, until Kevin spotted him.

Jacob groaned when the tall blond came toward him, bouncing his ball, an incredulous expression on his face.

"Yo, Clark. Do you think you're actually going to play?"

Jacob looked straight into the eyes of the taller junior. He wasn't about to let Kevin push him around. "Yes, I do."

"Now, Jake, how 'bout we not repeat last year?" Kevin took several steps forward, forcing Jacob to back up.

"You mean, when you elbowed me, then said _I'd_ elbowed _you_?" Jacob got benched for the rest of the game because of that, and his team had lost.

Kevin snickered. "Yeah, something like that."

Jacob glared at him. "There won't be a repeat. You _know_ I'm the better player."

Kevin flushed, hands forming fists at his side, the ball forgotten near his feet. "Say it again, Clark, if you want to be dead meat."

"You can't push me around, Kevin. Just because you're Coach's son doesn't mean you walk on water." Even though Coach acted that way sometimes . . .

A few students noticed what was going on and watched curiously. Kevin glanced at them and laughed as if he and Jacob were sharing some joke. He put his arm around Jacob's shoulders and walked him to the corner near the drinking fountain. The kids looked away, bored. None of the admins were paying attention--they were talking to the players.

Jacob half wanted them to see what was going on, but then again, wanted to resolve this himself. Why hadn't they started the game yet? He shook Kevin's arm away. "Keep your hands off me."

Tani and Josh joined them. "What's going on, Kevin?" Tani asked. "Can't take competition from someone better than you?"

Kevin glared at her. "Keep your trap shut, Tani. No one wants you here." He spoke to Jacob. "Go back to the benches with your _friends_."

Tani folded her arms. "You can't tell Jake he's not playing. You don't have the authority, and he won't listen."

"Wanna bet?" Kevin shoved Jacob up against the wall, holding him there. "Stay out of this gym."

Jacob struggled out of Kevin's grasp. His back pinched uncomfortably against a light switch. "No."

Josh jumped to pull Kevin off, but without warning, Kevin's right foot hooked Jacob's ankle and Kevin pushed him, pulling with his foot at the same time. Jacob's face slammed into the drinking fountain and he fell to the ground. Ouch. That would bruise. He turned to get up, but Kevin grabbed his arm and swung him up, smiling at the few students who'd turned at the noise.

"He's clumsy," Kevin said. "Gotta always have someone around to help him to his feet."

The kids looked at Jacob, and he avoided eye contact. He felt his cheeks flushing. The desire to disappear flowed through him, along with the urge to hit Kevin as hard as he could. Jacob's arms trembled.

Kevin looked at Jacob again, shoving him hard against the wall. "Go. Now."

"What's going on over here?" Principal Williams asked, walking over.

"Nothing, sir. Jacob just wanted to wish me luck, and he tripped in the process. He's going back to the bleachers now."

"All right," Mr. Williams said. "Be more careful, Mr. Clark. Kevin, you're in the game, right? Would you mind playing forward?"

Kevin agreed and followed the principal.

"This isn't over, Kevin," Jacob hissed low enough for the principal not to hear. Kevin looked back and sneered.

Jacob's jaw stung from hitting the drinking fountain, but he refused to feel it for blood.

"I can't believe that jerk!" Josh said.

"You hit the fountain really hard. You okay?" Tani asked.

Jacob grunted in reply, turning away from her to scowl at the game. Mr. Coolidge looked at Jacob, his eyebrow raised, and Jacob focused his attention elsewhere, not wanting sympathy from a teacher who should've done something if he'd seen the exchange between the boys.

"We leaving?" Josh asked.

"No. I want to watch."

The game was short, since they'd started so late, but Jacob still gleaned useful information from it. Coach doted on his son so much, it was sickening. He practically ignored the other players, except the occasional student who kissed up to him. No wonder Coach had never paid attention to Jacob. With his son there, he'd never notice anyone else's talent.

Jacob sighed in exasperation and shifted his focus to Kevin instead, sizing him up, watching his playing habits, searching for a weakness. Unfortunately, Kevin really _was_ good, and everyone on the court knew it. Jacob scowled. Kevin made every shot he took and was one of the best forwards Jacob had ever seen play. Aside from NBA players, of course.

The bell rang, and Jacob and his friends grabbed their things and left the gym.

That night Jacob lay in bed, contemplating his two biggest dilemmas--basketball and Aloren. How was he ever going to get Coach's permission to join varsity now that Kevin was going to the same school? And about Aloren--it was difficult to take his promise to the Makalos seriously. He flipped the key back and forth in his hand.

The key would make things easy. In and out of the town hall.

He sighed and rolled over, determined to put the dilemma out of his mind for now.

***

Tuesday morning during history, Early zipped in through an open window. Luckily, Jacob 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. With a flash of light that no one noticed, she disappeared.

"Brojan will be here soon," Ebony said when Jacob and Matt got there. "He's dealing with something on his side of the canyon."

Jacob hadn't yet been to the other half of the village. He imagined it was similar to the side where Akeno lived--adobe buildings clustered around fire holes in the stone floor of the crevice.

Akeno hobbled into the room and sat. Guilt flowed over Jacob. With school having started and the stress over Aldo, Jacob hadn't kept in very good contact with his friend.

"Getting better?" he asked.

"Slowly." Akeno put his foot up to rest.

"How much longer until you can walk normally again?" Matt asked.

Jacob leaned forward, wanting to know the answer. 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 few 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 he'd like to share, once his shop closes today."

Kenji looked at Jacob. "As soon as he's ready--in about half an hour--we'll have you get him with the key. Then we'll discuss what's on his mind."

# Chapter Ten

Butch scratched his chin. "If he won't be here for another half hour, what're we all doing here now?"

Jacob rubbed his own chin. How did Butch get that much facial hair? Jacob's had been slow to come in, and was just barely getting thick. Butch had a ton of it.

"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.

What Brojan had 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 nearly fell out of 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 _Sweet Pea_?"

Akeno laughed. "Matt, we're not on earth."

Matt snorted. "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 should have a name like, well, Butch.

"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 the stupid Lorkon attacking and me getting injured, 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.

After a couple minutes more of lighthearted banter, Brojan finally gave the go-ahead for Jacob to get Gallus.

"Akeno, do you want to come with me?" Jacob asked.

"I . . . I'll be really slow," he paused, "but . . . if that doesn't bother you . . ."

"Of course it doesn't. 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 shoes."

Once he returned, Jacob opened a link to Gallus's store. There were only two customers in the store, and both 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 him. Seden was dead because of him. And 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. 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 emotions. 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 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 us 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 he heard the black man say something about how he'd expected Kenji to come, or Brojan at least, and _not_ Jacob.

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 that Lorkon grab me. If it hadn't happened, we'd have been able to get Aloren out."

"It wasn't your fault. I definitely don't blame you, and neither should he or you."

Akeno didn't respond, but Jacob could tell he was still 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 link. 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. Why won't your parents let me 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 help rescue her will do any good. 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--and 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 making his heart swell. "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, my sister, 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."

# Chapter Eleven

"You can't imagine how difficult the last few days have been," Gallus said.

Everyone was squashed around Kenji's table. Matt, Jaegar, and Akeno had been mostly silent--the discussion didn't directly affect them.

"As soon as . . ." Gallus paused. "Well, we guess it was as soon as Jacob escaped through the Fat Lady's door, the Lorkon stationed guards in all the cities. We're under surveillance and curfews have been placed. They seem to know Jacob had found help in one of the cities, and I'm sure they know it was Macaria."

"Aloren's not being held in the castle, is she?" Jacob blurted, forgetting that Gallus had been ignoring him for the past twenty minutes. He'd tried to give the man space, but he couldn't help it this time--he needed more information.

Gallus didn't look directly at Jacob. "I'm not sure. I don't have any details." He then stared at his cup. "What I wanted to tell you," he motioned to Kenji, "was that I saw someone walking around the lake on the other side of the scented air. And there's no way they would be there, unless they're from Maivoryl."

"How'd you see them?" Jacob asked. "Macaria is really far away from Maivoryl City."

"With a lens--it's like a telescope in your world."

Ebony frowned. "And you're sure it wasn't a Lorkon you saw?"

"Positive. Absolutely positive. Nowhere near tall enough."

"They didn't come from Ashay Hills?" she asked.

Gallus shook his head. "The mountains are impassible, which is the reason the royal castle was built there in the first place. They could only have come from Maivoryl itself. We already know the everlasting potion the Lorkon placed between Maivoryl City and Ridgewood traps people, and the residents of Ridgewood won't let others pass. The Lorkon must have allowed a few people to leave."

Jacob got chills when he thought of the scented air. It became an invisible prison for people who hadn't taken one of the Fat Lady's potions.

"So, what do you propose we do with this information?" Kenji asked.

Gallus shrugged. "I was hoping we'd all be able to figure that out."

"We go get Aloren. Before anything else weird happens," Jacob said. "Never mind the Fat Lady's potion."

Kenji shook his head. "Not a chance. That potion is necessary. You also need more than two people. Imagine if you met up with a Bald Henry, but couldn't get through a door in time."

"We didn't see any Bald Henries there last time."

"But you also didn't see Bald Henries when you went to Aldo's cabin, either. They're invisible. And maybe they _were_ in the city, but not around you."

"Regardless," Brojan said, cutting off Jacob's reply, "there are too many things that could go wrong. There are several species here, Jacob, that you haven't met. If the Lorkon brought Fire Pulsers to Maivoryl, there's no way you'd get out alive."

Jacob's fist hit the table. "She's going to _die_ there! I _can't_ wait for the potion to be made. It's killing me."

"I'm with him," Sweet Pea said. "We gotta get her out of there."

"But not without help from other people," Kenji said firmly.

The expression on Gallus's face made it look like he was experiencing an internal war--Jacob could only imagine what was going on in the black man's mind. He was probably on Jacob's side where rescuing Aloren was concerned, but, being an adult, he'd support Kenji.

Ebony covered her husband's hand with her own, meeting eyes with him--trying to calm him down, probably. She turned to Gallus. "Did you see where the person went?"

"Probably into the scented air, but I have no proof of that."

"Why were you watching Maivoryl City, anyway?" Sweet Pea asked.

"We've been keeping our eyes open for any activity whatsoever. I'm not the only one who's noticed things happening. Holg, actually, was the first to see a person wandering around on that side of Sonda Lake. We've been watching as much as we can since then."

"When did you see the person?" Kenji asked after taking a drink.

"This morning."

Ebony fiddled with her cup. "This brings us back to our original question. What do we do with this information?"

All eyes turned to Brojan. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before answering. The silence was awkward, but Jacob didn't dare break it.

The patriarch finally looked at the adult Makalos. "While waiting for the Fat Lady's potion, we need to focus on getting those people out of the scented air. As many of them as possible. They can't stay trapped there forever, and we'll need them in the coming months as we try to rid the land of the Lorkon."

Kenji nodded. "This will be a great thing for Jacob to focus on while waiting for the Malono potion."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. The Makalos sure loved scheduling his life.

Brojan acknowledged Kenji's comment, then continued. "We'll first pull those who are dressed the shabbiest. The people who've escaped from Maivoryl won't have had access to nice clothing in recent years." He looked to Jacob for confirmation.

"Yeah--their clothes were rags, basically."

"We'll ask them for all information on Maivoryl," Brojan said. "Now, then. Jacob, I know how passionate you feel about getting Aloren back, but even without the potion, you are not ready. How much training do you have in fighting?"

"Uh . . ." Jacob felt a blush crossing his cheeks. He'd not thought of this. "None."

"There you have it," Brojan said. "Sweet Pea, you will commence training Jacob in hand-to-hand and all other forms of combat you know."

Sweet Pea nodded, his eyes glinting. "I'll have him ready in a week!"

Kenji laughed. "Hardly."

"What? You doubt my abilities? Just wait and see." Sweet Pea jabbed Jacob in the side. "How much of that detainment facility can you skip?"

"Detainment facility?"

"Yes--where they teach you things."

"High school, you mean? None. My mom would kill me."

"Hmmm . . . that poses a problem. Oh, well, we'll work around it. I'll still get you up and fighting in a matter of days."

Brojan leaned forward. "And Jacob, we will need your help retrieving people from the scented air. The key only works for you, so you will be busy."

Jacob agreed. At least he'd be doing something.

Kenji stood. "As soon as you get out of school and finish your homework each day, meet us at the tree. We'll start tomorrow and will focus as many hours a day on these tasks as possible. The Fat Lady said we could use her cabin as the stopping point. Matt, you're welcome to come as well."

Matt nodded eagerly.

"I can be of assistance too," Gallus said.

Sweet Pea jumped to his feet. "And me!"

"Good. We'll all work together to wake up the people. Jacob, when you're not pulling them from the scented air, we expect you to be learning combat. And, if all goes well, we should be ready to head to Maivoryl very soon." Kenji looked to Brojan for agreement, and the patriarch inclined his head.

A thought occurred to Jacob. He hated having to mention it. "We're talking about the scented air without bringing up an important point."

"What's that?" Kenji asked.

"If it's everlasting, then how are any of _you_ supposed to pull people out of it? Only Akeno's taken the Fat Lady's potion."

Kenji shrugged. "You'll pull them out of the potion and hand them off to the rest of us. We'll take them to the Fat Lady's cabin and beyond."

"Okay."

"It's time for Jacob and Matt to get home," Ebony said. Why was she the only one who remembered those sorts of things? "Gallus is spending the night in the tree, so you don't need to worry about taking him back."

"See you all tomorrow," Sweet Pea said.

Jacob and Matt said their goodbyes, then keyed home.

A note on the kitchen counter said that Mom and Amberly had gone for a walk to Ida Mae's house and to let Mom know immediately if the Makalos had an update on Dad. Jacob shook his head to himself, heading up the stairs. No one had even mentioned Dad. Course, it had only been a few days, and it would likely take a week or two more. Jacob had looked it up--there were twenty-seven bones just in the hand. Assuming the Lorkon could break all of them, it would take four and a half days to heal from just that hand. Dad had a long, long way to go.

Jacob headed to bed, lying across the covers. He felt like his attention was being spread too thin--school, homework, basketball, learning combat, pulling people out of the scented air, and dealing with obstinate Makalos. How on earth was he supposed to get everything done?

# Chapter Twelve

Eachan checked that the bars were snug before lowering the shade. Already the villagers were wandering the streets, seeking escape from turmoil.

"Father, what should I do with her now?" Duana asked.

He sighed, turning to his daughter. The light cast her face in shadow, but the stress and worry were still evident.

"I'm not certain," he said. It'd been a while since he'd reported any activity to the Lorkon about the girl who'd come searching for her brother. They'd sent one of their Fire Turners--part human, part Fire Pulser--to inspect and question Aloren. But everything had been silent for a while.

Eachan still hadn't repaired the wooden floors of the town hall where Sanso had walked, burning the grain with flames that flickered from the soles of his feet. Eachan stared at the charred footprints leading to the room where Aloren cowered all day. He shuddered, remembering the turn the inquisition had taken. The girl would be scarred for life--and not just emotionally. She had survived, but hadn't spoken a word since. Six days had passed. How could someone go that long without uttering a sound?

Grabbing the soup Duana had prepared for the girl, he climbed the stairs to the section of the town hall where he and Duana lived, and where he'd assigned a room to the girl. He stopped in her doorway, peering at her. She scurried to the corner of the room, instinctively covered the burns on her upper arms.

"I'm not going to hurt you, girl. How many times do I need to tell you that?" He sighed in impatience, putting the container on the floor. "Here's your food."

Eachan strode down the hallway to his own quarters. He couldn't handle much more of this silence. It was awkward enough having her trapped in the town hall by the orders of the Lorkon. If she didn't start talking soon, he'd . . . he'd . . . Eachan paused. What _would_ he do? He didn't even know.

Reports to the Lorkon were expected as frequently as her condition changed. She hadn't spoken in so long, they were probably wondering if he slacked in his duties.

He sighed, leaning against his door. He hated working for the Lorkon. Hated it more than anything else. Even maintaining his and his daughter's sanity and health no longer seemed better than the price he constantly paid. But, as many of the people in Maivoryl City had discovered, there wasn't a way to go back on agreements made with the Lorkon. They'd made sure of that.

He walked to his desk. It was cluttered with unfinished projects--old digging plans, paperwork on the villagers the Lorkon asked him to complete every year, and other random items. He moved a stack of papers from the chair and sat to rest before planning dinner for the villagers.

Aloren's presence caused so many problems. It hardly seemed worth it. Before she came, the villagers ate at long tables in the great room of the town hall. Duana usually cooked, and Eachan served the food and cleaned up. Now, however, the people had become dangerous. They suspected Aloren was still in the hall, and had tried to get at her. They wouldn't allow her the privilege of inhabiting a healthy body without the Lorkon specifically giving it to her.

To protect Aloren, and, Eachan admitted, himself and Duana, they'd been forced to lock themselves in, carefully putting containers of food on the porch, only going outside a couple times a day to retrieve the dishes. They rotated duties so the same person didn't have to risk attack from the people twice in a row.

Eachan rubbed his eyes, trying to clear them from the ever-present grime. Things would be easier if Aloren weren't here.

He wished he had the courage to do something about it.

# Chapter Thirteen

Jacob was nearly finished with homework when Matt flung his door open and strode inside.

"Ready to go yet?" Matt tossed a bag at Jacob. "Here, eat."

Jacob sat up and opened the bag--string cheese, Pop-Tarts, a can of apple juice, a couple of Lunchables, and a yogurt smoothie. He pulled out the yogurt, drinking it in a few swallows.

"Pretty much." He stepped to his bedroom door. "Okay, let's see if this works the way it did at Aldo's." He held the key up to the door, and the hole for a lock appeared.

"That's so cool!" Matt said.

"Yeah."

Jacob put the key inside. It fit perfectly, as usual, and he keyed them to the Makalo village.

Kenji, Gallus, Akeno, and Sweet Pea were waiting in the tree. Gallus, not surprisingly, didn't look at the brothers. Sweet Pea half saluted the brothers--Jacob was having a hard time thinking of the Makalo by his real name rather than Butch. Akeno limped to the door, a smile on his face--he looked excited to be a part of this too. Ebony wasn't around, and Kenji reported they were to send a Minya when she was needed.

"Did you finish your chores and homework?" Kenji asked.

Jacob and Matt both said yes, and Kenji rubbed his hands together, eagerness crossing his face.

"Time to get to work!"

Jacob keyed the group to the Fat Lady's cabin, a blast of heat and the smell of rancid juice hitting his face when he stepped inside.

The Fat Lady sat on her dusty, dirty couch, playing with some sort of concoction on the short table in front of her. Aldo sat in the corner of the room, digging through what looked to be a garbage pile.

She turned to Kenji. "Who'd ya like to take the extra Malono Potion?"

"How about Gallus?" Kenji said.

Gallus shook his head. "No, you need someone who'll be able to help any time Jacob is here."

Kenji looked at all who were present. "Give it to Matt--he'd probably be able to help Jacob the most."

Sweet Pea's mouth popped open. "What about me?"

"You're not his brother. They'll work better together."

"But I'm stronger!"

Matt snorted. "Whatever. Dude, I'm like a foot taller than you. And check out these bad boys." He flexed his biceps.

Sweet Pea folded an arm across his chest, tapping his chin with a finger from his other hand. "I didn't see anything happen. Now, exactly _where_ are your muscles?"

Matt punched Sweet Pea on the shoulder, and Sweet Pea playfully shoved him back.

Jacob laughed at them, then chuckled at the reaction of everyone else--the adults were absolutely shocked at what was happening, and a determined expression crossed Kenji's face, like he thought he was going to have to break up a fight. Aldo jumped to his feet with a huge grin, and swung his fists like a 1930s boxer. He hopped around Sweet Pea and Matt, blabbering nonsensical words, fists moving like he was about to enter the ring.

Sweet Pea laughed at the tension the adults had created. "Come on, guys, it's how the earth people interact. Haven't you read any modern books?"

Kenji slowly shook his head. "None of them spoke of physical abuse."

Matt and Sweet Pea both laughed this time. "It's not abuse!" Matt said. "It's how guys mess around!"

The adults relaxed, a couple of them rolling their eyes. The Fat Lady, Gallus, and Kenji started talking to each other about the different ingredients she still had to get for her potion, and where they'd find them.

Matt turned to Jacob, keeping his eyes on the large woman. "So, what's this potion gonna taste like? Please tell me not like that sick smell in the air."

"It'll be worse," Akeno said, then laughed at the horror on Matt's face. "It does go down quickly, though."

"Can she at least put sugar in it or something?"

"Or maybe a sweet pea," Sweet Pea said, then chortled. "Get it?"

"All right, Matt, here you are." The Fat Lady brought a vial over, holding it out to him in one large, puffy hand.

Matt took it from her, eying it like he expected it to come alive and crawl up his arm. Jacob couldn't help but snicker--even though he was glad he hadn't ever had to take it himself.

"Oh, come on," the Fat Lady said. "Don't tell me Jacob's brother--his _older_ brother--is a wimp."

"Whatever." Matt lifted the vial to his lips, then in one quick motion, poured it in his mouth and swallowed. Everyone watched for his reaction, and they weren't disappointed. He gagged, his face turning bright red, and bent over, hands on his knees, coughing. He fell to the floor, still gagging, tears streaming down his face.

The Fat Lady laughed so loudly, the cabin windows shook. "Give me a break! It's not that bad." She pointed to Akeno. " _He_ didn't freak out like this."

Matt pulled himself to his knees, gasping. "That was awful--worst thing I've-- _disgusting_." He slumped against the couch, panting from the exertion of trying to talk.

After Matt recovered, the group discussed who would do what. They'd form a bucket brigade, with Jacob, Matt, and Akeno searching for people who wore shabby clothing and pulling them out to Sweet Pea, who would take them to Gallus, who, in turn, would take them to Kenji. The Fat Lady, at the end of the brigade, would dump water over the heads of the people and try to get them to talk. Early would act as lookout for any danger.

Jacob was surprised all it would take was some water. "Why can't we just take the water to them?"

"They need to be out of the scented air first," Sweet Pea said. "Otherwise we'll just have to keep pouring water over their faces. Over and over again. And nothing would happen."

"Okay, all right," Jacob said. "I get it."

The skies were darkening as Jacob, Akeno, and Sweet Pea took the long walk to where the scented air began. An involuntary shudder passed through Jacob when he looked up at the clouds. Last time he'd been in this part of Eklaron, he'd nearly been killed several times by Lirone, the cloud dweller.

Lirone used particles in the air to pepper explosions around helpless people below him. Even though the Fat Lady had reassured them these weren't "Lirone" clouds, Jacob was still nervous. What would they do if Lirone showed up? Or worse, if a Lorkon appeared?

At least the group was within half an hour's walk of the Fat Lady's cabin. Jacob watched Akeno from the corner of his eye--the Makalo's limp was still defined and painful looking. Jacob would probably have to pick him up if they needed to run.

Twenty or so minutes later, the group reached where the scented air began. Sweet Pea stopped, and Matt, Akeno, and Jacob continued.

Matt jumped. "It smells like fresh footballs!"

Jacob laughed, now knowing that the scented air made a person smell whatever was most important or familiar to them. "And not like Sammy? Boy, what would she say if she found out you value football over her?"

Matt flushed. "Oh, she already knows. I mean . . . uh . . . she has to. I, uh. It's all I talk about."

Jacob laughed again. "I still don't smell anything here."

They continued forward, approaching the man Jacob and Akeno had seen first. He was still staring vacantly off into the distance, a smile on his lips.

"That's all sorts of wrong," Matt said. "You said they didn't respond when you touched them?"

"Well, the one guy did sort of answer, but he didn't seem to care that I'd poked him."

"Hmmm . . . I'm going to take a look around." Matt wandered off and Jacob turned to Akeno, about to say something when a weird feeling--like they were being watched--came over him.

"Can you feel that?" He didn't wait for Akeno's response, but turned to the forest. "Something's in the trees."

Fear crossed Akeno's face. "What? What is it? A Lorkon? Please, oh, please no!"

"I hope not . . ." Jacob crouched and ran to a large tree near the edge of the scented air. He stared intently at the forest twenty feet away.

"See anything?"

"No--wait--there." He pointed.

"I see it!"

Dismay hit Jacob. "A Dust. Great."

There was a flash of blue eyes and a bright blue cloak, then the creature disappeared from view. 

# Chapter Fourteen

Akeno grabbed Jacob's arm, a huge smile spreading across his face as he stared into the forest. "Whoa!"

"Now it's going to alert the Lorkon," Jacob said. "We'd better get out of here."

"That wasn't a Dust! It was a Wurby!"

Jacob tilted his head. "Are you sure?"

"Positive! How awesome! I just saw a Wurby!" Akeno turned back to the forest, probably trying to catch another glimpse of the creature.

"I don't know, Akeno. You could be wrong."

"You saw the blue robes, right? And the blue eyes? Only Wurbies have eyes like that."

Jacob turned to Akeno. "But couldn't a Dust be dressed like a Wurby _and_ have blue eyes?"

Akeno shook his head. "If a Wurby turns evil, his eyes go dark. If a Dust turns good, his eyes become blue. That's just how their species works. And there's no way a Dust would wear blue. It goes against everything ingrained in them from birth." Akeno turned back to the forest. "I can't _believe_ we just saw a Wurby! How lucky!"

"I don't understand why this is so exciting."

"Gallus told my parents that all the Wurbies had been hunted down and killed. A Wurby hasn't been seen here since around the time Dmitri--well, since the Makalos hid in Taga." He turned back to Jacob. "This means they're not all gone like we'd thought. Which also means they'd be able to help us."

"We need all the help we can get." Jacob sighed. "We've got work to do for now. We should keep our eyes open for Dusts and the Lorkon, though, just in case."

He ran his hand through his hair, then turned toward the people in the scented air. A grin spread across his face when he saw what Matt had done. What he was _still_ doing. Jacob couldn't help but laugh even as he yelled, "Knock it off, Matt!"

Matt had gone around and rearranged the positions of many of the people.

The man closest to Jacob now looked like he was about to dive into a pool. A woman near him had her nose plugged and one arm stretched straight above her, fingers forming the "peace" sign. Another man stood like he was holding a rifle, his shoulders scrunched up, head slightly tilted as if looking down a barrel, which would've been pointing at a person not far away, if the gun existed. That person's hands were in the air, surrendering. The only thing that hadn't changed was their odd smiles--but that just added to the hilarity of the situation.

Jacob jogged toward Matt, laughing. "I'm serious! Stop!"

"Just one more? Please?" Matt's eyes were streaming tears of laughter. He jumped to a man, pulled his hands out, and made it look like he was dancing the Macarena.

Jacob laughed again, dragging Matt away. "They're alive--what if you're hurting them? And what if they remember? You need to have more respect!"

Matt wiped he laughter tears from his face. "Oh, come on. There's no way they'll remember this."

Jacob shook his head, then turned to gaze at the people, allowing another smile to cross his face. "Well, it _is_ funny."

"Seriously hilarious." Matt wiped his hands on his pants. "Some of them are pretty sweaty."

"That's because it's summer here."

"Oh, really?" Matt said with sarcasm. "I didn't notice."

"Okay, okay," Akeno said. "Let's get started."

They decided it would be easiest if they stuck together, going through the people. Whenever they found someone wearing ragged clothes, Akeno would stay in that spot, like a bookmark to show where they left off, while Matt and Jacob pulled the person to Sweet Pea.

The first person they found, a man with long, scraggly, dirty hair, looked like the scented air was the first happiness he'd experienced in a long while. Jacob almost regretted having to wake him up.

After trying to get the man to walk, the brothers finally grabbed an arm and dragged him backward through the people. The man's arms and legs started jerking as the scented air thinned. When they reached Sweet Pea, the straggler was able to steady himself, but the vacant smile remained on his face. He didn't respond when they spoke to him, but Sweet Pea was able to lead him along the path toward the Fat Lady's house. Jacob and Matt returned to Akeno, continuing the process.

After nearly an hour, they'd only managed to get three people out. The first man proved to be the easiest--he'd been fairly small, and his clothing wasn't heavy. The others, though, weren't dressed as sparsely, and the work was very difficult. Matt almost dropped one woman in disgust when she drooled on his arm.

"How are we supposed to get everyone?" he asked while they took a break.

Jacob wiped sweat off his face. "Don't know. Doesn't seem possible."

Just then Early zoomed to Jacob's side with a message. "Kenji says 'Hi!'" she said, doing a flip and waving at Matt, who grunted in response.

"That's all?" Jacob asked. He found it hard to believe Kenji would send a Minya just to say hi.

"Um . . . no. I didn't hear the rest of his message." She disappeared, then reappeared a moment later. "He's also afraid Lirone might be coming 'cause the storm is getting darker. You have time to get one more person, and then you need to return to the Fat Lady's cabin."

Matt scrambled to his feet when he saw the expressions on Jacob and Akeno's faces. "Who's Lirone? Sounds bad."

Jacob nodded and explained as they hurried to find the next person. This one was a teenager, maybe seventeen years old. They pulled him toward Sweet Pea, urgency in their steps this time. Jacob had no desire to deal with Lirone again. Luckily, the teenager wasn't difficult to haul off--he was shorter than Jacob by a couple of inches, and couldn't have weighed more than a hundred pounds. It was a wonder the kid was even alive, he was so skinny.

The brothers and Akeno reached Sweet Pea, who helped them get the guy to the Fat Lady's cabin and the others. Kenji dumped a bucket of water over the teen's face. He didn't sputter or try to wipe it off, but moaned, the smile disappearing.

"How long does it take?" Jacob asked.

"Oh, about five minutes," Kenji said. "But that's only until the light comes back into their eyes. The first man you brought to us still hasn't spoken, and it's been over an hour."

The teenager looked around, confused, and moaned again, slipping to the ground where Kenji let him stay.

"The Fat Lady thinks the length of time they spent in the scented air will affect how long it takes them to come out of the trance."

"Makes sense," Jacob said. "Now what?"

"We take them to Taga Village."

Jacob followed Gallus and Kenji inside as they pulled the teenager up the two steps to the Fat Lady's cabin. He keyed to the tree in the village, leaving the door open, then turned to help drag the people through the door. It took them a couple of minutes--the woman was the most alert, but she didn't want to be touched, and swatted at anyone who got close. Luckily the Fat Lady was there. Either the woman felt better about having another woman help her, or she was so scared by the Fat Lady that she was frightened into submission.

Ebony had cleared the shelves, tables, and chairs out of the way in the tree and laid blankets on the floor. Kenji decided it would be too difficult to carry everyone upstairs to the third floor where the beds were located.

"Only four?" Ebony asked.

"Yeah, and those four were dang hard to get," Matt said.

Gallus laid the teenager on one of the blankets, then straightened, wiping his brow. "Next time, why don't we completely skip taking the people into the Fat Lady's place and just leave her door open, linking to the village?"

"Oh, good idea," Kenji said. "Anything to skip a step or two would be good. And we'll have someone guard the link."

Ebony handed out glasses of water once everything was arranged, and the group sat at the table, discussing the events of the day. Jacob mentioned that he and Akeno had seen a Wurby.

Kenji frowned. "That's not possible--Wurbies are extinct."

Gallus shook his head. "A few have been spotted recently. I'm not sure why, but I think it has something to do with . . ." He glanced at Jacob. "The Lorkon aren't the only ones who have followed information about _him_ , you know."

Jacob shook his head. That whole Forsaken Prince business still bothered him a little. At least these people here didn't treat him like royalty.

Sweet Pea put his cup down and stretched. "All right, how about we start your training?"

"Now?" Jacob asked. "We just got back. And I'm exhausted."

"Oh, come on. Don't be a wimp." Sweet Pea got up and jumped back and forth in front of Jacob, playfully trying to punch him.

Jacob whacked the Makalo's hands away. "Stop that."

Sweet Pea turned to Kenji. "Where should we practice?"

"How about in the meadow? There's plen--"

"No!" Jacob said, then flushed when everyone looked at him. "Can we please go somewhere more . . . private?" This was going to be hard enough without every single Makalo turning his lessons into a spectator sport.

"Well, I suppose you could use the fourth floor of the tree--there's nothing up there but the telescope. Just move it aside."

"We'll do it," Jacob said, not waiting to see what Sweet Pea would say.

Sweet Pea laughed, shaking his head. "Whatever, Human Boy. We'll teach you not to be ashamed of your abilities."

# Chapter Fifteen

Jacob keyed home to change his clothes and drop Matt off so Matt could hang out with Sammy, then he returned to Taga Village. Back in the tree, Sweet Pea had Jacob face him, then he showed him a few defensive moves. They practiced those moves for almost an hour--over and over again until Jacob was sure he'd have permanent bruises on his arms and wrists. One of them he really struggled with, and they practiced that one the longest.

Finally, when Jacob was sure his body couldn't take anymore, Sweet Pea called it quits.

"Where'd you learn all this?" Jacob asked, panting, hands on knees.

Sweet Pea chuckled. "Ebony, actually."

Jacob straightened, shocked. "What? Are you serious?"

"Stretch out--I don't want you whining tomorrow because you're sore." Sweet Pea bent to touch his toes. Jacob was surprised the Makalo could actually reach them. "She's an amazing fighter--that was her specialty. And sneaking around."

"Wow. I never would've guessed it."

"She didn't want you to feel uncomfortable, so she had me do the teaching."

Jacob shook his head. "And here I thought Makalos were helpless, physically."

"We are--well, the older generation is, at least. Except Ebony. She joined the original group at the age of ten, so she's much younger than everyone, including Kenji."

"But if Ebony could've trained me herself, why didn't _she_ go get the key?"

"Well, duh. She has people here who need her. Like a baby. Plus, you're the hero now--the Forsaken Prince. It's your job."

Jacob still wasn't sure how he felt about all of that. He couldn't wait for his dad to wake up, though, so he could get answers. They finished stretching, and Jacob keyed home.

***

The next day after school, Jacob sat on his bed, massaging his feet. They were still sore from yesterday's adventures, and he wasn't looking forward to doing it all over again.

His eyes drifted to the stuff that had come out of Aloren's bag when he and Matt opened it. He hadn't touched anything since then. Acting on impulse, Jacob picked up the parchment. What would Aloren have written on it? He sat on his bed again.

_To you who is in possession of my bag,_

_Please return it to Gallus, the shop owner in Macaria. If it isn't with me, you can safely assume someone's life, under my care, may be at risk_

Oh, crap. Jacob jumped up. "Matt?" he called. No answer. He left his room and went into Matt's. "Read this."

Matt took the parchment and scanned it. "Did this come out of Aloren's bag?"

Jacob nodded. "Yeah. Why didn't she tell me anything about it?"

Matt shrugged. "Don't know. Get her stuff--we'd better go see Gallus."

Jacob agreed. He ran to his room, put Aloren's things back in the bag, then keyed himself and Matt to the shop in Macaria.

Gallus was helping someone at the counter when the brothers entered. They waited, browsing the aisles. When Gallus finished, Jacob handed him the note.

"Oh, no. Hazel." He raced to the door, then spun around. "Is there a key in that bag?"

"Yes," Jacob said, pulling it out. He handed it to Gallus.

The black man took the key and jumped to the door.

"Wait!" Jacob called. "Where are you going? Maybe I can use the Key of Kilenya to get us there."

Gallus looked mildly annoyed, then agreed. "To Aloren's tower."

Jacob put the key in Gallus's lock and said, "Aloren's tower." He opened the door, not sure what he'd see behind it.

What greeted them was definitely not what he was expecting. The room was large and circular, with many windows. It was bright and cheerful. Fabrics with playful patterns adorned the walls, drapes were at the windows, and Aloren's bed was nicely made. Not a thing appeared out of order.

Gallus strode to a desk and started going through the drawers. Obviously not finding what he searched for, he ran to look beneath the bed, pulled a loose stone up from under it, and dug around in the items there.

"Can we help?" Matt asked.

Gallus only grunted in reply. He stepped around a hole in the floor where stones had fallen through, and, mumbling to himself, went to a wardrobe against another wall. He flung it open, revealing scores and scores of dresses and other feminine clothes. Jacob wondered where Aloren got them, then wondered why she didn't wear them. He shook his head at himself--her leather clothes would offer much more protection against weather and danger than those dresses.

Finally, after digging through a few more things in Aloren's room, Gallus turned to Jacob, impatience and frustration filling his voice. "I'm looking for a silver box--a Minya box."

Realization dawned on Jacob. He dug through Aloren's bag and pulled out the silver container. "This?"

"Give it to me," Gallus said, hand extended. He snatched the box from Jacob and opened it, then sighed in relief. Jacob and Matt crowded around him.

A female Minya backed into the corner of the box. Her hair was black and slightly curly. Her skin was pale--paler than Early's. And she looked frightened.

"Aloren?" she asked.

Gallus shook his head. "I'm sorry, Hazel. She's not here."

"Why?"

Gallus's expression darkened. "Ask him." He handed the container to Jacob.

Hazel looked up at him expectantly.

"Uh . . ." How on earth was he supposed to explain things to her? "Well, Aloren, Akeno, and I went to get the Key of Kilenya, and Aloren asked me to carry her bag for her in a really dangerous place, and I forgot to give it back." He cleared his throat. "And she's stuck in Maivoryl City now."

She folded her arms and scowled. "I want to be with her."

Jacob hesitated again. "You can't--Maivoryl City won't let you enter, and I can't go back until the Makalos give me permission." He saw the disappointment on her face and rushed on. "But I promise that as soon as I do go, I'll take you with me, okay?"

A smile crept across her features. "I'd like that."

Gallus took the container from Jacob, but Hazel flitted back to Jacob.

"I want to stay with him. Until he gets Aloren."

Gallus frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Jacob shook his head when he saw the expression on Gallus's face. "No, Hazel, you should be with Gallus. He'll take good care of you and make sure Aloren gets you back."

"No. I'll go with you."

The black man handed the box to Jacob. "Minyas choose their company. I can't force her to stay with me." He glared at Jacob. "You take extremely good care of her. Make sure you give her everything she needs."

His jaw clenched and he swallowed several times before saying, "Don't fail me again."

Jacob nodded, his chest burning and an intense desire to prove himself overcoming him. "I won't."

# Chapter Sixteen

Jacob and Matt took Gallus back to the store, then went home. The Makalos needed time to work with the people who'd already been pulled from the potion, and opted to take the night off. Jacob's muscles needed to recuperate from working with Sweet Pea, so he was especially grateful.

He wanted to relax and play video games or watch a movie, but Tani called and told him the usual group was meeting at the local church to play basketball in the gym, and they wanted to know if he was up for it.

Knowing he needed to practice, to keep up on his skills, he said yes. He'd have the opportunity to impress Coach sooner or later and didn't want to get rusty.

"Great," Tani said. "We'll carpool--see you soon."

***

Teegan, Tani's older brother, honked out front. Jacob made sure Hazel would be comfortable in his room without him, then ran and hopped in the car. Five minutes later, they pulled up to the church and jogged inside, eager to get started. Teegan, now a college freshman and on the local university's team, divided everyone up. Tani was the only girl, as usual.

They played a twenty-minute game, then Teegan re-divided, playing opposite of Jacob. He said he wanted to challenge Jacob more. This game was fast and intense, with Jacob struggling to keep up. He wasn't used to going against someone with Teegan's training, even though he and the older teenager had played like this many times before Teegan went to college.

Teegan's team won both games, but the second game was close. Jacob tried not to feel discouraged. He'd done his best--he knew he had. But they still lost.

Afterward, several of the players went to an ice cream parlor in Logan. Teegan, Jacob, and Tani chose a booth away from the others. Jacob wasn't sure, but it seemed like Teegan had something on his mind. They were silent for a moment. Tani texted someone on her phone, letting her ice cream melt, and Jacob enjoyed the cool sweetness of his chocolate pecan shake.

Finally Teegan leaned back in his seat, staring at Jacob. "You've improved a lot since the last time we played together."

"So have you."

"Yeah, well, playing with college seniors forces you to really step it up."

"That, and his coach doesn't let him slack off," Tani said, putting her phone away.

"He still planning to have you sit on the bench most games?" Jacob asked Teegan.

Teegan waved a hand in dismissal. "Yeah, but it doesn't bother me."

Tani looked at her older brother disapprovingly--she obviously didn't believe him.

"Well, it does," Teegan said, "but I'm still really young on the team." He leaned forward. "Tani told me what happened with Kevin."

Jacob snorted. "So embarrassing."

"I've played with both of you--many times. Jake, you're much better than him. You're holding yourself back."

"I'm not holding back--basketball is the only place I feel really at home. Coach just hasn't given me a chance to prove myself."

"Stop trying the way you've been doing it. Talking to him won't do any good."

Tani nodded. "He's right. You've got to _show_ Coach."

"But how? Kevin's not letting me play during lunch."

Teegan raised an eyebrow. "What does Kevin, and what he wants you to do, have to do with anything? Seriously, Jacob, don't let him push you around like this."

Jacob scowled, feeling like he was in elementary school again. He'd realized that bullies back then were bullies in high school too. "Easier said than done."

Teegan was quiet for a while. Then his face lit up. "You know, I could talk to Coach Smith from Logan High. He'd probably be willing to let you practice with his team for a couple of weeks, at least until you get in at the orange gym."

Jacob grunted. "You make it sound like it's some sort of high-end club."

"That's basically what it is at this point, with Kevin acting as gatekeeper. He's always going to be a jerk about things."

"And why would Coach Smith let me play with them? That would ruin how they play together. It's not even technically legal."

"The season hasn't started yet--doesn't for a couple more months. So, you wouldn't _really_ be playing with them. Just practicing. And a few practices won't do any harm. It'll give you good experience, and you'll be using your skills while we figure out what to do with Kevin."

Jacob rubbed his face. "Practicing with you guys is plenty good for me. I don't need anything else."

"Dude, we're not challenging you enough. I'm not as good as you think I am. I probably won't go past college. You, on the other hand, could if you wanted. You've got to trust me on this one."

Jacob thought about it for a moment, then shrugged, letting himself relax. "Okay, just so long as Smith knows he doesn't have to let me if it disrupts his team."

"No worries there," Teegan said. "His wife works with my dad, and I did them a big favor last year helping their son with his Eagle project."

"Okay, that'd be great. Thanks." It would be better than great. Practicing with Logan High would give Jacob the experience he needed with more seasoned players. His friends were great, but Teegan was right--they weren't varsity level.

A huge smile crossed Teegan's face. "Dude, this is what we're going to do. You practice with Logan for a month or so, then when you're ready, you play in the orange gym. I'll help out--get rid of Kev for the day or something."

"How're you going to do that?"

Teegan shrugged. "I'll figure it out."

# Chapter Seventeen

The next two weeks passed in a whirl as Jacob waited to hear back from Teegan. He attended classes, turned in homework assignments, learned fighting techniques from Sweet Pea, and helped pull people from the scented air. He got home every night so exhausted, he could barely keep his eyes open while checking on Hazel. They rarely talked--she was even less of a "people Minya" than Early and September. Jacob gave her honey and she was content to stay in her box.

Nightmares about Aloren and Dad wouldn't leave him alone, so he didn't sleep well most of the time. They still hadn't found anyone who'd come from Maivoryl. The people they'd pulled out so far were staying in the Makalos' farm area, in small bungalows hastily created. Most were to the conversing point, but didn't know anything about Maivoryl City.

The worst day for Jacob was when he got in trouble in Mr. Coolidge's class again. He hadn't had much sleep the night before, he was sore from the fighting techniques he and Sweet Pea were now practicing, and he'd absentmindedly started curling the edges of his desk.

"Mr. Clark!" Coolidge yelled. "Your desk! What . . . what have you done?"

Jacob jerked his hand away from the wood, unable to believe he hadn't been more discreet. Or that he'd done it at all. "Sorry, sir . . . I--"

Coolidge slammed the eraser against the whiteboard, erasing vigorously. "See me after class."

The next forty-five minutes crept by so slowly, Jacob was sure time had stopped. He tried to fix his desk, but he'd strengthened it while molding it, so was only able to repair it a little. It would have permanently curled edges. The bell finally rang and everyone left the room. He looked at the clock longingly, realizing he'd be late for his next class.

The algebra teacher seemed to know what Jacob was thinking. "I'll give you a note to take to your teacher." He sat on the edge of his desk. "Jacob, you have potential. If you weren't so busy destroying school property--in . . . in really _weird_ ways--you'd be a much better student."

For a moment, an expression of curiosity crossed Mr. Coolidge's face, and Jacob cringed, waiting for the inevitable questions about his ability, but the teacher quickly hid it. "I'm not going to allow you to slack off in my class. From now on, I want you here, in this room, forty-five minutes early. You'll meet with me to do extra work."

"What?" Jacob stood. That was cutting into his sleep! There was no way he'd ever learn hand-to-hand combat if he wasn't letting his body recuperate. And pulling people out of the scented air was difficult! "You can't--I don't have--I swear I'll focus better in class. I . . . I'll do anything. Please, Mr. Coolidge, I really need my sleep!"

"Yes, I'm sure you do. Those video games are so important."

"That's not fair--I haven't played a game, besides basketball, since school started!"

Mr. Coolidge studied Jacob from over his glasses. "Then this isn't so much of a sacrifice, is it?"

"But--"

"You can go now." He sat at his desk, pulling a book toward him. "If you hurry, you'll still be on time for your next class--take this just in case." Mr. Coolidge held out a piece of paper.

Jacob took the paper, shoved it in his back pocket, picked up his bag, and stormed from the class. What else was he supposed to do? He couldn't continue to argue--he wouldn't win against a teacher.

He growled to himself. This was completely unfair.

***

The next day, Jacob wandered into class forty-five minutes early, still trying to keep his eyes open. Mr. Coolidge was sitting at the edge of a desk, shuffling through papers. He looked up. "Ah, Mr. Clark. Here--you may start with this."

Jacob took the piece of paper and looked at it incredulously. "A test? You want me to take a test?"

"Why, yes, I do. We need to find out why you're always so bored in my class."

Jacob rolled his eyes and sat at his desk, pulling a mechanical pencil from his bag. "Scatter Plots" was the title of the test. Fifteen minutes later, he handed it back to Mr. Coolidge, who graded it on the spot.

"One hundred percent." He handed Jacob another test. "You're not behind, at least."

Jacob looked down. Permutations. He finished it two minutes before the bell rang, folded it into a paper airplane, and threw it at Mr. Coolidge's desk.

Coolidge graded it right away, then glanced at Jacob, one eyebrow raised, ignoring the students who filed into the classroom.

Jacob leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. "I might've hated Mrs. Peterson's class, but I didn't fail it."

Mr. Coolidge set the paper aside and started class. When the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, he informed Jacob they'd be trying more difficult material the next morning.

***

Jacob and his group had been eating lunch in the cafeteria to avoid Kevin. Today, Teegan sneaked into the high school and joined them.

"Got ahold of Smith--he says he's seen you play before. His nephew's team got creamed by you guys last year. Anyway, he wants you to come to practice after school today."

"Really? Yes! I can't believe you pulled this off!"

Teegan laughed. "It was a cinch. Though, it's just for one practice. He doesn't want to take time away from his guys."

"Understandable."

When Jacob got home, he sent a message to the Makalos through Hazel--who was just as excited as Early to deliver messages--asking if they could take a night off. It took five minutes for them to respond, and Jacob was on pins and needles the whole time. Their answer was yes, it was fine.

Coach Smith smiled when Jacob and Teegan entered the gym.

"Good to meet you, Jacob." He shook Jacob's hand. "I'm not sure if Teegan mentioned it or not, but practice today isn't specifically varsity, but involves sophomore and JV too." He handed Jacob a basketball. "Warm up."

Jacob jogged to one of the unoccupied hoops in the room and did his best to loosen and relax. He couldn't concentrate fully on his regular moves, though, and instead spent a lot of time trying to blend in while watching the other players.

His muscles were still jerky and uncoordinated when Coach Smith called everyone over and introduced them to Jacob. "He'll be here just for today. Wants a taste of how a real basketball team works." He winked at Jacob.

Half the players laughed, the others looked at Jacob skeptically, some even sneering, and Jacob almost wished he hadn't come. If he wanted to be patronized, he would've gone to Coach Birmingham again.

Coach Smith divided the players up and assigned Jacob to play point guard, but made him sit on the bench first. After fifteen minutes, he was called up. The other side's guard looked like he was twenty-five years old and at least 6'5". Point guards weren't usually that tall. Staring up at him, Jacob felt the first sensation of panic in his chest. What was he thinking?

The whistle blew, and practice started up again. Jacob did his best to let the team know where to go and what to do, but he scrambled to make decisions fast enough.

Coach Smith stopped smiling after Jacob missed four shots in a row. What was wrong? Why was he playing so poorly today of all days? Then Jacob told the other guys to do something that made them lose the ball and foul the other team trying to get it back. Coach stopped them, gave specific instructions to several of the players, then took Jacob aside.

"Son, you're playing real well. How about we give you a couple more minutes, then call it quits? I'd like to concentrate on more advanced things. You're a good player, but maybe you're not ready for this."

Jacob nodded. He hated to admit it, but the coach might be right. He took a deep breath and ran back out on court with the rest of the players.

Waiting for Coach to finish extra instructions and blow his whistle, Jacob closed his eyes, concentrating on the logistics of the game. This was something he was used to--this pressure. He put himself back at home, playing ball in the church gym with his friends where he was most comfortable, or on the court of his high school.

He opened his eyes when the whistle blew, and the game started up again. Coach Smith's semi-threat at the back of his mind spurred him forward. His body was still sluggish, but after only a couple of seconds, it started to obey him the way it usually did. His feet went where they should go, his hands knew what to do without being told, and he was able to sense where to throw the ball, relying fully on his instincts.

He raced down the court with the ball, shot it from the three-point line, and pumped the air when it swished through the net. Before he knew it, the other team had flown to their side of the court. Trusting his judgment, he dashed down the court, leaped forward, and stole the ball from a surprised forward, then ran back to his side, handing the ball off to a teammate who made a perfect layup.

Sensing a challenge, the other team played rougher, and Jacob's team stepped up to match the increased energy. The game got so intense, the players didn't hear Coach Smith's whistle when he blew it.

Coach Smith called the boys over. "Well done, well done! Excellent playing!" He reassigned positions, but didn't bring up his earlier comment to Jacob, letting him play the rest of practice.

Finally time ran out, and Jacob ran to the bleachers where Teegan waited. Teegan clapped him on the back, congratulating him on his near 180-degree turnaround in playing. "You had me nervous there!"

"I had myself nervous!"

One of Logan High's players approached Jacob and Teegan after almost everyone had left. "Impressive moves, Jake," he said. "Why'd you come play with us, anyway?"

Jacob and Teegan explained the situation with Coach Birmingham and Kevin.

"Well, my name's Scott. If you're interested, a few of us get together to practice on the days Coach doesn't arrange stuff. We occasionally mentor less-experienced kids from the area, but we'd like to work with you for a couple of months. It's all unofficial, but hey, our practices are intense, and maybe it'd help you kick this kid to the curb."

They exchanged numbers, Scott told Jacob where they practiced, and Teegan and Jacob left the gym. 

# Chapter Eighteen

The next day, Dad finally awakened. Early was so excited to let Jacob know, she could barely get the words out of her mouth. As soon as the message had sunk in, though, Jacob jumped from his desk and raced around the house, making sure everyone knew. He keyed them all to Taga Village where a joyful reunion occurred with lots of smiles and tears.

Kenji and Ebony threw a feast to celebrate the return of their king-- _Lord of the Rings_ style, as Akeno noted--and a ton of people came, including Gallus, the Fat Lady, and Aldo.

After, once everything had calmed down, Jacob and his parents went for a quiet walk around the village so Jacob could have his questions answered.

"Why didn't you ever tell me who I was or who you were? Where we came from?"

Mom took Dad by the hand--she hadn't been able to let go of him for more than a minute or two. "We didn't want you to feel different from other children when you were younger. You already had an active imagination, but to add royalty, magical powers, and demons and monsters to it would have been cruel. They would have mocked you endlessly. Things became blurry the older you got, though, and we kept putting it off." She glanced at him. "Not on purpose, of course--I don't think we ever really had a conversation where we decided not to tell you. It just didn't come up."

"I got really busy at work," Dad said. "And it felt good to be needed by people who didn't expect me to do something just because I was royalty. It felt like I'd earned my position with the firm."

"And you have," Mom said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'm so proud of how much you've done."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Mushy, mushy," he said to remind them he was still there. "Okay, so tell me everything that happened, from the start."

Dad and Mom took turns filling him in on how they met and fell in love and how the Lorkon had come into their lives. Apparently, Dad hadn't exactly been a knight in shining armor, and it took some convincing for Mom to entertain a courtship with him. Sometime in his early twenties, he had a change of heart and deserted his father's kingdom for Arien's family, bringing Kelson, his stable-boy-turned-best-friend, with. Mom said it was the best thing that ever happened for him, since her father had a great influence on Dad during several impressionable years. Her best friend had married Kelson.

It had taken a while for Jacob's parents to conceive, and Mom had been pregnant with Jacob when the Lorkon came and attacked their castle.

Dad took a breath, releasing it slowly. "After getting through all the Lorkon traps and then hearing that your mother had given birth to you, we realized just how serious things with the Lorkon were. There was no way we'd be able to stop them on our own, not with how intelligent and powerful they were. We saw we needed help from the Shiengols."

Jacob leaned forward, eager to hear more about the Shiengols.

"The Lorkon somehow trapped them in their own fortress. Kelson, my best friend, headed up a large group to rescue them. Hoping Kelson's attack would provide enough of a divergent, Kenji, Aldo, and I went for you and your mother."

He fell silent, and Mom continued. "Unfortunately, every single member of Kelson's group was slaughtered."

Jacob's eyes widened. "Horrible. How many were in the group?"

"At least fifty," Dad said. "And they were skilled warriors--experienced and well-trained."

"How did they die?"

Mom answered. "Only Aldo knows." She swallowed. "Kelson was married to my best friend. The Lorkon killed her as well."

No one said anything for a moment, then Dad continued. "At first, we believed your mom being pregnant was a coincidence, but once we'd rescued you both, it became evident that the Lorkon had been after you all that time."

"Why do they want me so badly?"

Dad shook his head. "The best we can guess is that you're royalty, young, and impressionable. We believe they injected you with something that would allow them to control you better. It made you incredibly sick, and it took a long time to heal you."

"Without the help of the Shiengols, we really scrambled. And the Fat Lady and Ebony were instrumental in saving your life," Mom said. "Using Rezend and a potion the Fat Lady created, and hoping enough of my blood ran through your veins, we could only watch and wait, praying you would recover without any negative side effects."

Dad nodded. "We figured you'd have magical abilities, but didn't know which ones. The Lorkon tried to turn you into an instrument, and if it weren't for our friends, you would have died. The Lorkon were stupid and didn't recognize it. You were dying when we finally found you."

Mom put her hand on Dad's arm. "So much death already. It would have crushed us if we'd lost our son."

"Yes, it would have." Dad closed his eyes. "We'd both lost people very close to us--my best friend, your mother's ladies-in-waiting, and many, many others. Before sealing ourselves away, Kenji and I went to all the cities, trying to help with orphans, trying to keep people from fighting the Lorkon. We went to Maivoryl City last of all. It was awful there--so much bloodshed. So many separated families. We encouraged them to do whatever the Lorkon wanted. No sense having more people die at the hands of beings who were unstoppable."

"At Aldo's suggestion," Mom said, "we took you to earth to raise."

"Of course, it wasn't an easy or fast transition," Dad said. "We moved into Taga Village with the Makalos and watched and learned as much about the customs of the land we'd be living in as possible. I educated myself, devouring every book I could get my hands on. Your mother did the same.

"When you were about three years old, we moved to our current home to raise you. The Makalos sealed themselves away from the rest of Eklaron in an attempt to protect you, and, as you know, it was up to us to help you find your way to the truth when you were ready."

Dad turned to Jacob. "I'm sorry, son, that we put it off so long. I'm sorry we became distracted and didn't focus on you as much as we should have."

Jacob shrugged, unable to meet their eyes. His life would have been so very different if they'd kept their promise to the Makalos. Still, he couldn't exactly regret their decision to keep him in the dark. He'd had a good childhood. None of his friends had thought he was crazy growing up.

"When do you have to go back to work?" Mom asked Dad.

Dad groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "How long has it been again?"

"Four weeks. The CEO has called regularly to check up on you. He'll be overjoyed to know you're better."

Dad nodded. "I'll go back as soon as possible. I can't afford to lose my job now." He glanced at Jacob. "As much as I'd love to join you in your adventures, I can't. Your mother and sister depend on me, and we need to keep things as stable as possible for Amberly. At least until things on Eklaron calm down. Whenever that may happen."

Jacob nodded. He'd been proud of the progress Amberly was making, but she still seemed a little too quiet. Oh, he hoped she'd pull through!

The three of them walked back to Akeno's house in silence, and Jacob returned everyone to their homes.

***

The first practice with Scott and his friends set the tone for all that followed. They played hard, intensely, and didn't waste time. Jacob would rush home from Eklaron, throw on his gym clothes, then meet the guys for practice. He found himself almost wishing he lived in Logan High's boundaries so he could be on the same team with them. He made himself be happy with just the practices, though, recognizing how lucky he was for even this much. They helped him hone his skills and be a more valuable team player. After a while, when he was more comfortable, he showed them a few moves he'd taught himself over the last few years.

Not long after Dad woke up, his work sent him off on a business trip. He was able to convince them to let him take Mom and Amberly with. Jacob knew that being an upper executive at a financial firm, his dad wasn't in risk of losing his job, but he'd be absolutely swamped trying to get caught up.

Back on Eklaron, the Fat Lady said the potion was coming along nicely. At the last Makalo meeting, she'd reported the bud would be ready soon and everyone needed to be on alert. Finding it, apparently, wasn't something she could do on her own. Jacob started taking Hazel with him to school all the time, rather than leave her at home, just so he could check with the Makalos every hour. Hazel hated it at first, but eventually she got comfortable enough with the situation and even started opening up to him. He found he actually enjoyed her company--she wasn't nearly as ditsy as Early.

"Hey, Jake," Shirley said one day in math, "You're not moving, are you? 'Cause if you're practicing with Logan High . . . I don't want you to leave." The pouty expression on her face made Jacob want to hit someone.

He looked away, trying to focus on the assignment they were supposed to be completing.

"But you know, it's like, cool, 'cause, my parents are talking about moving there too, and I really didn't want to, but if you're doing it, I totally would. Just 'cause, you know, then we could see each other all the time still."

Jacob reached into his bag to pull out his folder for choir, wanting to make sure he had the take-home test due today. "Shirley, if I moved, I'd never tell you where."

She looked at him, her pout growing, then she smiled. "Oh, you're such a tease, Jake. I'm so glad we're close enough to joke around like this. Homecoming's next Saturday, you know. Have you asked anyone yet?"

Jacob mumbled a "no," still digging through his backpack. Where was that stupid test?

"What'cha lookin' for?"

"Nothing. Finish your assignment."

She scowled at him--her eyeshadow was purple this time--and turned forward. "Fine, Jake, fine."

Jacob gave up searching, panic hitting him when realized he must have left the test at home. He racked his brain, trying to remember. Then it came to him. He'd finished it while watching a movie with Matt and Sammy. It was still in the family room!

His hands started sweating. Miss J. wasn't easy-going when it came to missing assignments. And he hated turning things in late. He had to get it! But how? Maybe he could go now. Math had only been going for ten minutes. Would Mr. Coolidge let him leave? He had to try.

Then he growled, remembering he and Matt had driven together. Matt never let Jacob drive his truck. He sent his brother a quick text, hoping Matt would be able to get out. Then he approached the teacher's desk.

"I don't know what to do. I left a test for choir at home and it's due today. Miss J. drops a full grade for late assignments. Would it be possible for me to go get it?"

Mr. Coolidge leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. He surveyed Jacob for several awkward seconds. Finally, he gave a short nod. "Hurry back. I'll excuse you from the rest of my class, but not any of your others."

"Oh, thank you. I appreciate it." He bit his lip. "I carpooled with my brother. He won't let me drive his truck, and it's too far for me to walk." Mendon was twenty minutes away by car--Jacob would never make it on time. "Do you think you could get him excused from class too?"

Mr. Coolidge gave a curt nod, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Don't make me regret offering my trust to you."

Jacob promised he wouldn't, then grabbed his things and left the room, sending another text to his brother. He couldn't believe his luck--teachers weren't supposed to encourage sluffing or slacking off. He vowed not to let Mr. Coolidge down.

Matt agreed to drive Jacob home, but only if Jacob gave him a couple dollars for gas. They zipped from the parking lot and soon were rushing toward Mendon, windows down, music blasting on the radio. Matt slowed as his truck hit the dirt road that led to their house. It was still wet from a rainstorm that had come through. A BMW was stuck in the ditch on the side of the road. The brothers drove past it, and the person in the driver's seat ducked low.

"That looks like Coach's car," Jacob said.

Matt didn't comment--he was focused on avoiding the worst of the mud holes. They pulled up to their house, Jacob grabbed his test and was back in the truck only a moment later. This time as they passed the BMW, the driver was standing near the back of the car.

"It's _Kevin_!" Matt said, laughing. "He's sluffing school! With his dad's BMW!"

Jacob craned his neck to see. "Do you think he got permission to use it?"

"No way, man--there's only one reason people come up here. He snuck away from school with his dad's car!"

Jacob snorted a laugh. "And now it's stuck," he said. "Maybe we should stop and help him get it out."

"Are you crazy? After the way he's been treating you? No way, dude, we're leaving him there."

Jacob bit his lip. He didn't like Kevin. At all. But still, something told him he'd regret not helping. "We can't. He'd probably help us if we were in the same place."

"You know he wouldn't--he got himself there, let him deal with it."

"No. Stop the truck. I'm getting out."

"Fine." Matt slammed on the brakes, pushed the stick into reverse, and backed up until they were even with the BMW. He rolled his window down. "Kev! Joy-riding gone bad?"

Kevin scowled at him in response. "Get outta here, Clark."

Jacob threw the door open, jumped to the ground, and circled to stand near Kevin. He almost smiled when he saw the flush of embarrassment cross the basketball player's face. "Did the Beemer slide off the road?"

"Hit that patch over there." Kevin pointed. "Fell into the ditch."

"How were you planning to get it out?"

Kevin grunted. Matt threw a tow-rope to him, and Kevin watched it fall to the ground beside him. "Put it under the bumper in the back," Matt called.

Kevin stared at Jacob's brother for a second, then bent to pick up the rope. He squatted in the mud, feeling under the bumper, then looked up at Jacob. "How?"

"Here," Jacob said, "let me do it." He slid down the side of the ditch to the car, grabbed the cable from Kevin, and, getting on his hands and knees, peered up under the car. "Sometimes it's hard to find . . . should be . . . here it is." He hooked the cable, got to his feet, and sloshed around the car, Kevin following. "Oh, one more thing," Jacob said. "Got extra carpet somewhere?"

"No. Why?"

Jacob jogged to Matt's truck, pulling the carpet scraps from the back where they kept them for times like these, then returned to the BMW. "Front-wheel drive?"

Kevin nodded, and Jacob handed him one of the pieces of carpet. "Put it as close behind the wheel as you can. Gives the tire something to grab onto."

Jacob circled to the other side and pushed the rug under that front tire as far as it would go. "Someone needs to be at the wheel. You're cleaner than I am. I'm going to assume you don't want your dad to know you took his car."

Kevin shook his head. He stared at Jacob for a moment, then said, "I'll drive."

"Keep the wheel straight, and when I tell you to back up, back up. Don't spin the tires if you can help it. Matt's truck'll do the hard work."

Jacob walked to the front of the car, making sure he could see Kevin and Matt. He gave them both a thumbs-up, then bent to push the car, trying to find firm ground. The front tires spun for a second before catching the carpet. It took a few tries, but finally the truck pulled the car from the ditch and the brothers joined each other, giving each other high-fives while Kevin looked on awkwardly.

The boys turned to survey the car. Matt whistled. "Looks pretty bad."

"I'll bet it's just the mud," Jacob said. "Here, let's take it back home and hose it off. Kevin, you can clean up there. I'll need to change my clothes before going back to school, anyway."

Kevin gave him a weird look. "Why are you doing this?"

Jacob shrugged. "Why not? Come on, let's go."

He hopped in the truck after putting the carpet away. Kevin followed them back to the Clark residence where they sprayed off the car--it had only one tiny mark where it had bumped against the other side of the ditch, and that rubbed away. Jacob changed his clothes and met Matt and Kevin out front.

"Hey," Kevin said. "Uh . . . thanks for your help." He still looked uncomfortable with how things had gone. "Uh . . . is there any way you could keep this from my dad? Anything I can do to keep you from telling him? I know he comes here a lot."

Jacob frowned. He didn't like hiding things like this from other people. But . . . no real harm had been done, and Kevin looked so humbled that Jacob didn't want to lose the opportunity. "Let me play in the orange gym with everyone tomorrow. And no more treating me like crap."

Kevin sighed--probably with relief. "Yeah, you can do that. But tomorrow only. And--and this doesn't mean we're friends or anything."

# Chapter Nineteen

Basketball practice with Scott's group after school that day took on new energy, and they worked extra hard in preparation for Jacob's big day. After they finished, Jacob went with the group for ice cream. It felt nice, being a part of the team.

When Teegan dropped Jacob off after, Jacob knew right away something was wrong. Matt was pacing the porch. Relief crossed Matt's face when Teegan pulled up, and he met Jacob on the driveway, barely pausing to wave goodbye to Teegan.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" Matt asked.

"Must not have hear--"

"The Makalos need you. They've been trying to get ahold of you for a while, but none of us knew where you'd gone."

"Oh! What's going on? Are they okay?"

"The girl gnat said they need you to key them to the Fat Lady's place as soon as possible. Something's up with her and the potion. What do you think it is?"

"I don't know--I hope it's the bud! Maybe it's ready."

"Well, let's go find out."

Jacob and Matt keyed through the front door to the tree.

Kenji was pacing inside the tree and turned with relief when Jacob and Matt stepped into the room. "Hurry, Jacob. She says it's time now."

"Awesome!" His thoughts raced to the basketball game tomorrow during lunch--would he be back in time? Who cared, if it meant getting Aloren!

"Here, you'll need this." Kenji pushed shovels into Matt and Jacob's hands. "We're all going--she'll need everyone's help."

Jacob tilted his head, confused. Why shovels?

Ebony, Sweet Pea, Akeno, Jaegar, Kenji, and Brojan all followed Jacob through the door to the Fat Lady's cabin. The Fat Lady sat on her couch, and Aldo was back in his corner again.

She jumped up--how did she move that fast? But when Jacob saw how agitated she was, he understood--she'd barely been sitting in the first place.

"We only have a few hours to find it," she said. "Just one of the trees will have the bud. If we're too late, it'll bloom."

She pushed her way through the group of people, rushing to her door.

"What about Aldo?" Ebony called to her.

"He's fine," the Fat Lady said over her shoulder as she exited the cabin. "He'll stay put--he doesn't ever try to leave." She disappeared around the side of the small building.

It was difficult to keep up with the large woman as she strode across the meadow--her height gave her an advantage over everyone.

The group entered the forest, heading right, away from the tunnel entrance Jacob and Akeno had come through a couple of months ago.

An odd gleam filtered through the trees, and Jacob squinted, trying to find the light source. As they continued forward, the radiation grew, becoming a bright silver shine. Jacob's jaw dropped when he finally saw where it originated.

Four magnificent silver trees, tall and beautiful, grew in an overhanging of the mountain, protecting them from the eyes of people on the trail. They were glorious--long limbs stretching out, intertwining with each other, shining brilliantly, almost blinding him when he first looked at them. Even the ground beneath his feet shone, marking where the roots grew. The leaves had a greenish hue under the silver, and the bark was slightly brown. It was amazing.

The others in the group were just as awestruck as he was. Except the Fat Lady. She only gave the trees a passing glance.

"They'll be like this only for twenty-four hours. They've already been shining for three, and possibly more. The bud grows on the roots of one of the four trees, and it'll only be good so long as the trees are shining. We'll split up and start digging--don't worry about damaging anything. It takes special equipment to harm these things."

"What do we do?" Jacob asked.

"Just dig through the earth to the roots. But hurry! The bud doesn't glow until it blooms, which makes it difficult to find. By that time, though, it's too late--the magical properties release themselves once the flower is mature. Concentrate near the surface first. That's where the bud is usually found."

She split them into teams with Ebony and Kenji at one tree, Jaegar and herself at the second, Sweet Pea and Brojan at another, and Jacob, Matt, and Akeno at the last.

The groups raced to their designated trees, Akeno hobbling alongside Jacob and Matt. Jacob sprawled on his hands and knees, Matt and Akeno doing the same, and hacked at the earth, glad to find it wasn't hard. Following the shine from the root, he dug until his shovel hit something solid. He dropped the shovel and dug with his hands, feeling around the root, trying not to look at it directly. It was so bright!

Then he worked his way upward, baring the root as best he could, ignoring split-offs, until he got to the trunk of the tree.

Nothing there.

Next, he worked his way back down as far as he could, following each break-off from the root--there were hundreds, and the work was tedious.

The boys didn't speak at first, and after a while, a system developed. Akeno did the surface digging, and Matt and Jacob took over when it got too deep for the Makalo.

Jacob found himself day-dreaming about basketball the next day. He couldn't believe Kevin had finally stepped out of the way! Even if it was just one lunch period. But Jacob was positive that was all the time he'd need--he'd show Coach and the players how good he was.

After half an hour, he grew bored of his thoughts and searched for something to talk about with the others. He was relieved when Akeno spoke up.

The Makalo was staring at the branches above him. "I wonder if these are the same trees as the ones my people used to live in."

Brojan heard the question from his tree. "Technically, yes, they're the same."

"Trees?" Matt asked. "You used to live in trees?"

"Akeno," Brojan said, "why don't you tell them some of our history where Rezend and these trees are concerned? And how we lost our magic?"

"Are you sure?" Akeno asked. "It's a little long."

"Yes, it'll give those of us listening something else to focus on."

Akeno nodded, and Jacob sighed in relief. The work was tedious, and the distraction would be great.

"One day," Akeno started, "hundreds of years ago and before Makalos knew they had magic, an important Makalo was nearly killed. In desperation, his people used sap from a Kaede tree to heal him. The sap and blood in his veins had a reaction to each other, giving him the Makalo magic you've seen in use. Over time, whenever a Makalo was born, a tree was planted in his or her honor. The sap of that tree was put into the baby's left ring finger and an unbreakable bond formed.

"Makalos would live in their trees, connected to each other and all living things. The magic grew with each generation as more Makalos formed their own power, and the old magic was passed down through the blood of the parents to the children.

"Our people became incredible, but they discovered that this way of life caused problems. They're social creatures who understand the importance of family, but in order for them to grow their magic, they had to live separately from each other."

Akeno stopped digging to give his leg a break and went and sat on a nearby log. He continued. "Onyev, our greatest ruler, saw how unhappy his people had become. He realized it was because they were focusing too much on maintaining their power and were ignoring what made them happiest. He explained his discoveries to his people, and together, they chose to leave their Silver City and make a new home for themselves. The new kingdom was massive and wonderful because their magic was still at its peak, and the Makalos continued to reign over the people of this world for many, many more years.

"Our magic has waned since Onyev's decision, and in a few more generations, it'll probably be gone completely."

"Not all of us believe that," Brojan said from the tree he worked on with Sweet Pea.

"Why not?" Jacob asked.

"Because we still use the Kaede trees' sap."

Akeno nodded. "We don't put it into our blood the way they used to, but we still live close to it and use it to heal. My parents think Rezend will always remain with us, but residually."

Jacob rocked back on his heels and watched Akeno. "Doesn't it make you . . . I don't know . . . sad to think of what the Makalos used to be, compared to now?"

"Yes, it does, a little. It would've been incredible to live when my people were so powerful. We really are happy, though, with the choice our ancestors made."

Akeno paused, deep in thought. "Back to the story of Onyev--it would be good to mention that Prince Ayunli approached Patriarch Onyev for help with his dilemma concerning King Broalt _after_ the Makalos had left the Silver City."

Jacob paused. "King Broalt? Ayunli?"

Brojan grunted. "It doesn't sound like Jacob knows the story behind the Key of Kilenya."

Akeno said, "During Onyev's reign, a particularly evil human king, Broalt, took the throne of a large kingdom. He was worse than any other king had been--tyrannical to the extreme, torturing his subjects and murdering people who opposed him.

"Ayunli, one of Broalt's sons, was the complete opposite of his father. Well, Ayunli fell in love with a servant named Kilenya. He introduced himself to her, and long story short, she fell for him as well."

"Oh, how swee--" Matt began, but stopped when Jacob threw a dirt clod at him.

Akeno chuckled. "Unfortunately, Ayunli found out that his father had, months earlier, discovered the girl and decided she'd make a fantastic addition to his collection of wives. Knowing he could not defeat his father, Ayunli approached Onyev.

"Onyev took pity on the human, and together they made two keys: the Key of Kilenya, and the Key of Ayunli. The intention was that the keys would never part from their owners, unless they were no longer needed.

"The keys worked. After visiting each other secretly for a few months, Ayunli and Kilenya were married and quietly left the kingdom. Years of battle ensued while Broalt tried unsuccessfully to locate them and to kill Onyev for what he'd done.

"Finally, during one particularly bloody battle, Onyev took over human affairs long enough to enslave King Broalt, bring Ayunli out of hiding, and crown him king.

"As is the case with all 'fairytales,' the new king and queen reigned in peace and happiness, and the keys were no longer needed. They were hidden in separate locations far from each other. No one has learned where the Key of Ayunli is, but the Key of Kilenya was put in a secret chamber in the castle. After many years, the keys became things of myths and legends, with only the Makalo patriarchs and a few others knowing the truth of their existence. It wasn't until several years ago that Aldo found the Key of Kilenya. Still, most people don't know it really exists."

Akeno joined them in the work again, and no one spoke anymore. Jacob figured it was because they hadn't found the bud yet and wanted to conserve their energy.

He agreed and got into the work, forgetting everyone around him.

# Chapter Twenty

Jacob's hands, feet, and legs were aching, but he had to keep going. The sun went down--he wasn't sure when. The trees were brighter than it had been, anyway. He had the presence of mind to tell Hazel to deliver a message to his family who had gotten back from their trip that morning, letting them know he and Matt wouldn't be making it home for dinner. Then he spurred himself onward.

The roots and branches of the tree were bright enough that finding the bud wouldn't have been difficult, except for not knowing which offshoot it was on. The four trees' roots grew so far and long that Jacob wondered if they'd ever find the right one.

Sometime in the night, Akeno couldn't go any longer--his leg nearly gave out on him from all the crouching and getting up and down. He rested for a while, then took a walk to work out the kinks in his muscles. He left, returning nearly an hour later with food for the tired diggers from the Fat Lady's cabin.

Everyone took a break--Jacob almost collapsing from exhaustion. But thinking of Aloren gave him determination. He couldn't give up. He wouldn't. Not when she needed him so badly.

As soon as the Fat Lady gave the command, they returned to work.

Jacob longed for his phone--the battery had long died. For anything to break the silence. There wasn't a noise to interrupt them, and he was too exhausted to talk. He briefly considered the Lorkon. Would they show up while everyone was digging? Hopefully not.

The hours passed slowly and painfully--with no luck. The Fat Lady offered the occasional encouragement. According to her, it had never taken this long to find the bud before--every minute of digging brought them that much closer to it.

Hazel and Early flew back and forth between Jacob's house and the trees, delivering messages from his parents, who eventually went to bed, realizing they couldn't do anything to help.

He didn't even realize the sun was rising until Kenji pointed it out. How much longer? Surely they'd find the bud soon. How could four trees have so many roots?

The sun had fully risen when Ebony hoarsely yelled that she'd found it. Momentarily awakened by the excitement of seeing what they'd been searching for, Jacob stumbled to her side, looking down into the row she'd been digging.

The bud looked exactly like a rose bud--only bright blue, and larger than Jacob's fist. The seams where the petals met gleamed with a brilliant silver-blue light.

"Almost too late," the Fat Lady said when she shuffled over. "It's about to bloom on its own." She cut the bud from the root with a pair of scissors, then charged toward her house, the group straggling behind.

When they arrived at her cabin, she had already washed the bud and was putting it on the coffee table. Everyone gathered around, and Aldo jumped to his feet from where he'd been sleeping in the corner.

The Fat Lady leaned forward, biting her lips, and slowly, carefully, peeled the outer, dark petals off, placing them in a bowl. With each petal she plucked, the bud glowed brighter and brighter. Finally, only two outer peels remained, and she pulled them off simultaneously.

The bud burst open and everyone jumped back. The petals unfurled, and a pungent aroma filled the air--like apple juice and cedar wood. Light shot from the center of the rose in a huge beam, hitting the ceiling of the cabin, then swelling until it covered everything and everyone. The flower grew until it covered the entire table--the Fat Lady moving things out of its way.

The light faded, but the petals themselves began glowing so brightly, it was almost painful to watch. The petals were delicate and nearly translucent.

"That is _so_ beautiful," Ebony said.

Everyone nodded in agreement. The blossom was the prettiest Jacob had ever seen, and definitely the bluest.

"It'll stay like this for a month at least," the Fat Lady said.

"How do they survive underground?" Jacob asked. "Those petals look really thin."

"Touch them--they're not as fragile as they appear."

Jacob did so, his eyebrows raising at what he felt. The petals were as solid and strong as steel. "Wow. That's amazing."

Everyone else stepped forward, wanting to touch it. The Fat Lady grinned at their reactions.

"It's pretty awesome, isn't it?" she asked. "And you'd never believe how much it weighs. Jacob, go ahead and pick it up."

Jacob reached forward, putting his hands on the underside. He braced himself, using his legs as anchors, but almost dropped it in surprise when he lifted it. It was as light as a regular-sized rose. "How . . .?"

"Don't know. Everyone else, take your turn, then get going. I need to work."

"Which part did you need?"

"The outer petals--they're the ones with the most magic in them. Once the bud blooms, they fall off and wither, becoming useless."

"If those petals are so strong, how did you pull them off?"

She grinned at Jacob, wagging her finger at him. "You actually think I'm going to tell? Everyone has their secrets."

"What are you going to do with the rest of the flower?" Matt asked.

"Save it for use in other potions. Now leave! All of you. I have to get started right away--the petals need to sit in an acid solution for a while, and the window of opportunity is short."

"How long do they have to soak in the acid?" Jacob asked.

"A couple of weeks--maybe three."

Jacob sighed in frustration, too tired to voice his annoyance, and took everyone home, including Gallus. Then he and Matt returned to their house. His mom sent them to bed, excusing them from school for the rest of the day.

# Chapter Twenty-One

A pounding on his door woke Jacob after he'd barely fallen asleep. Something in the back of his mind told him he needed to answer the knock, and he pulled himself from the deep sleep he'd entered. Groaning, he sat up, rubbed his eyes, and looked at his clock--12:15 p.m. Hazel was pacing on his desk.

"Finally!" she said. "You're awake! Important day today!"

Matt slammed the door open and ran in the room.

"Basketball, Jacob! Basketball!"

Jacob bolted from his bed, horrified. Lunch would start soon, and along with it, his only chance to prove himself on the court.

He nearly bowled Matt over in his rush to get to the bathroom to wash the dirt off his face.

"You're still playing, right?" Matt's eyes were bloodshot--an hour or so of sleep just wasn't enough for either of them. "You have to!"

Jacob nodded, brushing his teeth.

"I'll be out in the truck," Matt said.

How could Jacob have forgotten to set his alarm? Even with the stress of the night before, today was one of the most important days of his life. He finished up in the bathroom, threw on gym clothes, yelled a goodbye to his mom, and jumped in the truck.

They sped to the high school, Jacob leaning against the dashboard, trying to make the truck go faster. Matt babbled advice and encouragement on the way. The grogginess fled out of Jacob's body as he thought of the upcoming game.

They pulled into the parking lot right as the bell rang for lunch--Matt dropped Jacob off at the door nearest the orange gym, and Jacob barged down the hallway, carrying his ball under one arm. His friends were waiting for him.

"You made it!" Tani said. "Where have you been?"

"In bed."

She frowned. "You sick?"

He shook his head and entered the gym. Kevin spotted him, and Jacob raised an eyebrow at the lanky junior. Kevin nodded once. Apparently Jacob still had permission to play.

"Dude, you've got mud in your hair," Tani said.

Jacob waved her hands away and ran out onto the court, bouncing his ball, shooting hoops. He missed a couple and panic hit him--what if he messed up? And what on earth was he doing? He'd only had one hour of sleep, after a strenuous night of hard physical labor! He faltered, missing another warm-up shot.

"Come on, Jacob, not chickening out now, are you?" Kevin asked, stealing the ball. Jacob swallowed--he couldn't find his voice to answer, but raced after Kevin, determined to get his ball back without looking like an idiot.

Mr. Coolidge separated the students into two teams, giving Jacob a disappointed look. Jacob groaned, realizing he'd missed math after Coolidge had gone out on a limb and excused him the day before. He'd have to make it up to the man later--really grovel and explain the situation. What he could of it anyway.

Kevin and Jacob both ended up on the home team. Jacob wiped his palms on his gym shorts, trying to control the shaking in his arms. Why was he nervous? There was no reason to be--he'd played basketball in front of groups a lot larger than this before.

Coolidge blew his whistle, and the game started. Jacob played forward--a position he didn't normally fill. The away team made the first score. He grabbed the ball and ran across the court, tossing it off to another teammate, then got jostled around by the more experienced seniors, who leered at him as they passed. Coolidge watched him again, but this time with concern.

Jacob closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and concentrated on one thing and one thing only--playing his heart out. Forgetting where he was and who he played with. Focusing on letting his body take over. Showing Birmingham he could do this. Showing everyone he was a valuable player.

Then Jacob put it all behind him and began playing.

Adrenaline shot through his system as he rushed to follow the other players. A clarity entered his mind he'd never felt before, and everything about him tuned in to the game only. The sounds of the students watching--the cheers, the jibes--faded away. Fear drained from his system, replaced by confidence and excitement.

Jacob was home.

This, he could handle. He'd been the star of his junior high team--by light-years. He was comfortable having eyes on him while on court. All his frustrations, his lack of control over the situation with Aloren, melted away. He shot the ball through the hoop. The away team scored and Jacob rebounded, passing the ball to a senior, who made an excellent layup.

The other team had the ball again, but Kevin stole it and raced down the court, then handed it off to Jacob, who tossed it up and in. Jacob heard a few cheers, and a familiar sensation of elation hit him.

The away team made a couple baskets in a row, tying the game. Jacob got the ball again and strode forward, dribbling it casually. He'd never been a show-off, but was tempted to do something cool--like running, flipping in the air, and slam-dunking the ball. He opted not to, focusing instead on winning. He passed the ball to Kevin, who made a three-point shot.

The students went wild, and the teams began playing in a frenzy--racing back and forth, shooting and making, shooting and missing, each team putting their all into the game.

What felt like seconds later, it ended, with Jacob's team winning by ten points. The members of the team gave each other high-fives, including Jacob in the celebration. None of them sneered at him now.

Tani bounced up to him, a wide grin on her face. "That was _so_ awesome," she said, handing Jacob a towel. "I swear, that's the best I've seen you play!"

An arm encased Jacob's shoulders. "You never told me you could actually _play_ basketball, Jake," Coach Birmingham said.

Tani rolled her eyes, but Jacob just smiled in response.

"You and Kev work really well together," Coach said.

At the sound of his name, Kevin turned around.

Coach continued. "I want you to try out in November. If all goes well, you'll end up on JV with Kevin. You had some stage fright there for a while--play in the gym every day from now on. That'll help."

Kevin appraised Jacob, his eyebrows up, but he didn't look too upset over what his dad had said.

Jacob turned to get his things, a huge grin nearly splitting his features. He and Matt headed home to clean up and get more sleep. After he finished his shower, Jacob sank into his blankets, the feeling of elation returning. He'd done it! He'd actually done it. He couldn't _wait_ to play in the orange gym tomorrow. It felt so good to be part of something like this again. And not only were his basketball opportunities finally falling into place, but they'd be able to get Aloren soon!

Life couldn't get any better.

# Chapter Twenty-Two

Duana appeared in the doorway behind Eachan, startling him. "Father, Aloren spoke. Finally." Her voice trembled with emotion. "She asked to see you."

Eachan raised himself to his feet, weary from the long day, and passed his daughter, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She'd been especially upset over how things were handled where Aloren was concerned.

Aloren sat on a chair in the kitchen--her arms bandaged, her hair clean and pulled away from her face. She'd bathed herself? He tightened his eyes, suspicion flowing through him. Was she trying to get on his good side? Trying to put on a show?

"Jacob . . ." Aloren paused, her eyes welling with tears. "Is he . . . is he dead?"

Eachan watched her, surprised at the emotion. She'd been so strong and stubborn when she'd first come to his town hall. Not only that, but he'd been under the impression she didn't care or know much about Jacob. At least, that's what she'd told Sanso when he interrogated her. The emotion on her face and in her voice now told Eachan otherwise.

He leaned against the door frame. "No, he's not dead."

"They didn't kill him?"

"Nor will they."

Aloren buried her face in her hands and sobbed, her shoulders shaking. Bile rose in the back of Eachan's throat, making him nearly gag. _Stupid_ girl--why would she _do_ this to herself? He'd be required to report her changed behavior to the Lorkon, and he'd be punished if he didn't. Surely she knew by now it was he who had gone to the Lorkon in the first place.

Finally, after several minutes, she looked up again. "How long will I be held here?"

Eachan cleared his throat. "Until the Lorkon choose to free you, or . . ." He paused, clearing his throat again. The Lorkon weren't concerned about her one way or the other--they wanted Jacob. And knowing how much this girl cared for that boy would only instill in them the desire to keep her here longer. "They want the boy."

Defiance raced across her features. "Then we must stop Jacob from coming."

Eachan took a step back in shock. He watched her face carefully. "But . . . if he can free you, don't you _want_ him here?"

Another expression crossed her face--one of frustration, impatience. "No!" she cried, then much softer, "No. He needs to stay away. Needs to be safe." Her eyes filled with tears again.

Eachan stepped forward, emotion coloring his own voice. "I . . ." He stopped and swore.

She stared at him in confusion. He turned from the room.

He had to stay away from her.

Had to do his job. Had to keep Duana safe.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

Jacob stared at his reflection in the mirror Wednesday morning. His skin, normally tan, was pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"Dude, you look really bad," Matt said, walking in and grabbing his deodorant.

"Just a headache." Hopefully nothing more than that. Getting the flu right now would be bad. Jacob did his hair, careful not to move his head too quickly--it would make the pounding worse. "I don't think staying up all night, then sleeping an hour, then playing a hard game of basketball really helped. I'm probably coming down with something."

"You stayin' home or coming to school?"

Jacob put the styling gel away. "Coming. Can't miss again." He made sure Hazel had some honey in her container before tucking her away in his backpack.

The ride to school was quiet--Matt turned his music down, which Jacob appreciated. He sighed with relief as the painkillers finally started working.

Tani met them in the school parking lot. Jacob stared at her, a weird sensation hitting him in the stomach. He felt a fleeting sensation of vertigo. Something was wrong with her. He peered at her, trying to figure out what was going on. Then he stepped back in shock when he realized the air around her face swirled red--puffing like steam, making bright red patterns. He watched as the brilliant color slowly got brighter.

She put her hands on her hips. "Stop staring at me like that."

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"There's this red . . ." He stopped. She'd only think he was crazy if he voiced his thoughts. "You just look different."

"Well, Teegan was a jerk this morning. I mean, he was a _complete_ jerk."

Tani went off on something about Teegan not letting her borrow one of his books or his phone or something. As she spoke, the colors swirling around her became even more vivid, and Jacob had a hard time keeping up with what she was saying.

"Where's Josh?" he asked, holding the door open for her.

"Already here. He had an assignment due before class."

She entered the school, and Jacob stepped in behind her. One look into the hall had him backing out, though.

"Hey, Jake--come on. The tardy bell is going to ring soon."

He couldn't believe it. Every single person had a different color swirling in the air around them--a girl with bright purple. Two guys laughing together, both a shade of green. Jacob swallowed and choked on his saliva, trying not to freak out. He looked at Matt and Sammy--holding hands, talking as they caught up with Tani and Jacob. The air around them both was green.

Jacob turned to Tani--the color around her wasn't red anymore, but now peach--close to her skin tone. She stared at him funny, like he was a disgusting bug.

"You can't see?" Jacob asked. "You can't see the colors around everyone?"

She shook her head slowly. "What's wrong with you?"

Jacob shook his head. He had no idea.

***

What _was_ wrong with him? That question circulated in Jacob's mind the rest of the day and starting into the following. And it didn't help that the Makalos had no clue, either. They asked him to start talking to his classmates to figure out what was going on. So, on Monday, he approached a girl whose air was deep blue.

"Hey . . ." he said. "Are you okay?"

She looked at him, her eyes welling up with tears. "N--no! My horse died last night. And--and she was only five years old!"

Jacob grimaced, then caught himself--hopefully she would take his expression as one of sympathy and not what it really represented--a dislike of tears. He couldn't handle them. And even though his brain wanted him to run away as fast as he could, his heart made him do something completely foreign to him where girls were concerned. He hugged her. She sobbed into his shirt, and he met eyes with Tani over the girl's head.

"What are you doing?" she mouthed at him.

He shrugged. "Don't know," he mouthed back.

The rest of the week was a sort of case study, with him casually asking people how their day was going and if they were doing okay.

He quickly found that most guys didn't appreciate the invasion of privacy, looked at him like he was a freak, then walked away. That wasn't a surprise. The girls, on the other hand, loved the attention and sought him out. He began making friends as he helped those who were sad to feel better, talked to the lonely ones, comforted those who were upset. After a couple of days, he started wondering if they were interested in him or more in how he made them feel. He supposed it didn't really matter either way.

Jacob learned all sorts of things about the people in his school. "Justin broke up with Chelsea and now she's heartbroken." "Trish cheated in algebra." "I got an 'A' on that test!"

The girl whose horse died told her friends about how he'd made her feel better, and a couple of them approached him and thanked him. They didn't leave his desk until the teacher started class. And then they all showed up at the gym to watch the basketball game. Tani teased him mercilessly about it.

This sort of thing happened every day that week.

At first, Jacob enjoyed the attention. Who wouldn't? But after a few days, he wished he hadn't ever asked anyone a question.

Wednesday morning as he walked from math to history, a girl stopped him, telling him how grateful she was that he'd helped her get over her breakup with a recent boyfriend. The color around her face was a bluish pink.

He smiled. "No--don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're feeling better now."

"Oh, I am! Thank you again, Jacob!" She grabbed his hand, slipping a piece of paper in it. He unfolded it and read as he walked to history--she'd left her name and number on it, with hearts all over the paper. He shook his head, tucking the paper in his back pocket. Nothing like a rebound relationship for her to feel better, right?

Then another girl stopped him. Her color was a slight purple. "Hey. Was that Kristin you were talking to? Did she give you her number? Because you know she just broke up with her boyfriend, right? She wasn't very nice to him. I don't think she knows how to treat a boyfriend."

Jacob tried to keep walking, but the girl trailed him, talking non-stop.

"I mean, if you call the guy every single day--sometimes up to three times--you're going to push him away, right? I would never, ever do that to a guy." She grabbed his arm, stopping him. "What are you doing this weekend? A group of us are going to Logan to watch a movie. Wanna come?"

The tardy bell rang and a panicked expression crossed her face, the swirling purple changing to a yellow-orange. She dashed down the hall. Jacob ran as well--she'd made him late for history. But seeing the change in colors on her face made him think. Could all this have to do with emotions?

The rest of the week, he was late to nearly every class. He hated feeling like he stood out, and he hated having people stop him in the halls. He especially hated how upset his teachers were becoming. He tried to explain what was going on, but they thought getting stopped in the hallway was a ridiculous reason to be late. He couldn't blame them.

Finally, school ended on Friday, and Jacob and Matt were heading home. The ride was silent--Jacob tried to ignore the light green color originating from Matt's skin, focusing instead on the trees.

Amberly opened the front door when Matt pulled onto the gravel driveway. She ran up to Jacob's side of the truck--her face emanating a deep blue--and as soon as the door was open, started sobbing. She threw herself into Jacob's arms.

"Amberly! What's wrong? Calm down."

"Tito's hurt! And he's going to die!"

Jacob set his mouth in a thin line. He'd do anything to keep their dog alive--Amberly had experienced enough. He knew, from talking to Mom, that his sister was responding well to counseling, but he didn't want her to regress. "All right, show me."

They found the dog in the back yard, whimpering. Jacob knelt to inspect him. At first, he couldn't find anything wrong, then he noticed some blood on Tito's paw. He pulled the paw closer and saw a thorn embedded in the flesh. "Oh, he's going to be fine," Jacob said. "It's just a thorn. I'll take it out."

He pulled it out, then showed the paw to Amberly. "See?"

Tears of relief sprang into Amberly's eyes, and she squealed with delight, watching the dog bound into the forest.

Jacob gave her a hug and wandered into the house, dropped his bag on the table before hiking the stairs to Matt's room. After knocking, he opened the door.

Matt scooted over on the floor. "Here," he said, handing a Wii controller to Jacob.

After they'd played for a while, Jacob put his controller down. "I think something's wrong with me."

"Yeah, I know. I meant to tell you years ago."

Jacob scowled. "No, seriously. When I look at people now, I see colors."

"That's a good thing--you recognize everyone's different. Some are Hispanic, some are white--"

"No, colors like blue. Red. And green. On the way back from school, you were green. Actually, you're still green. I'm not sure what it means. And it got me in trouble today--one of the girls I saw was bright, bright purple, and she about killed me when I asked her what was wrong."

Matt frowned. "Do you think it's an ability of yours or something?"

"Yes, and it has to do with emotions, because everyone who's been a different color was in a different mood."

"Really? Weird. Have you talked to the Makalos about it?"

"Yeah. They say to figure out what it means--that only I can. Frustrating. They never know what the answer is where my powers are concerned."

"Can you see a color in yourself when you look in the mirror?"

Jacob shook his head.

"Hmmm." Matt raised his Wii controller again. "You should write it all down and see what emotions go to what colors."

Jacob got off the floor. That wasn't a bad idea. He went to his room, grabbed a notepad from his backpack, and sprawled across the bed on his stomach to start writing. Hazel joined him, making comments that were mostly useless, such as, "You spelled that word wrong."

"Stop it. No, I didn't. And how would you know?"

She put her hands on her hips. The color swirling around her face changed from a light blue to a light purple. "I'm not stupid, Jacob."

He put his hands up in defense. "I know, I know. Sorry."

She patted his head, then flitted to her container to eat honey. He went back to his writing, then stared at what he'd written. He couldn't figure something out. Why emotions? What did they have to do with molding material? The two were so unrelated. Or was there a link between sensing weakness in something and seeing emotions in people? He didn't think so.

The latest from the Makalos was that this ability didn't surprise them. They refused to elaborate, insisting instead that he focus more on developing it . . . while practicing with Sweet Pea and pulling people from the scented air, of course.

He hoped this "talent" would somehow help him when they went to get Aloren.

# Chapter Twenty-Four

The next couple of weeks were a blur--Jacob diligently took notes, finding patterns. Red was anger--that made sense. The bright purple he'd seen was loathing, or hatred. He was glad it hadn't been directed toward him. Matt's usual color was varying shades of green--happiness. He'd seen a couple of people with the blue/green Amberly had shown when Tito got hurt. That was fear mixed with sadness.

The Makalos were never the strong, bright colors, since they rarely experienced the associated emotions, which were also strong. They were usually closer to pastels and medium-hued colors.

After he found the patterns, Jacob stopped approaching people. At first it was really hard--if there was something he could do to help, he wanted to do it. But he resisted because people were starting to treat him like there was something wrong, or something very special, about him. He couldn't stand either.

Most everyone figured out he could sense other people's emotions, and now girls--why was it always girls?--asked him for help with their relationships. "Is he still mad at me? Does he like me? What's he thinking now?"

The worst was when a girl approached him and asked what she was feeling toward him. He could only walk away, too embarrassed to respond. It had been many different colors--the ones that equaled infatuation.

It didn't matter that he'd stopped asking other students how they felt. Word spread, and he was constantly stopped by new people as he went to and from classes.

The one time when this ability helped Jacob was on the court during lunch. He could always tell when people were distracted by strong emotions--fear, anger, love. He didn't feel bad for zipping past players who weren't really into the game.

Tani and Josh spent a lot of time finding the fastest way from one room to another--sometimes even using the windows. The busier the hallway, the more difficult it was to get through.

Gradually, though, things went back to normal. As normal as possible, of course, since Jacob still had a large group of "fans" showing up for the lunchtime games.

The only breaks he got from all of this were while he was at home with his family, or with the Makalos, who seemed to think everything going on at school was incredibly funny. Sweet Pea, especially. Jacob got the feeling the Makalo was dying to leave Eklaron and go to Mountain Crest to egg the students on.

***

Jacob tossed the ball to Kevin, who threw it in from the three-point line. Those supporting Jacob and Kevin's team cheered. A smattering of boos came from the students for the other team.

He smiled with relief. He always felt his best when playing. Matt rebounded the ball and tossed it to Jacob, who grinned, remembering how everyone had reacted when Matt announced he was going to play. They had no problem with it--they were excited to see how the captain of the football team would do on the court.

Jacob tried to find an open teammate. Things looked blurry--he'd had nightmares about Aloren and hadn't gotten a lot of sleep last night. He blinked, trying to get his eyes to focus, and wiped his arm across his face.

The air around him smelled like dirt, and a gentle breeze caressed his face. He jerked his hand away from his eyes. Instead of the orange gym, acres and acres of green grass stretched in all directions around him.

What was going on? Was he dreaming? He looked down--he still held the basketball. The sound of rushing feet returned, and Kevin called to him to toss the ball. Glancing around, relief poured over him when he saw he was back in the gym. He must've been imagining things. He took a deep breath, ran down the court, and put the ball through the hoop.

Jacob paused, hesitating to follow the other team to their side. He was tired of his body doing unpredictable things. Maybe he should sit out the rest of lunch period. He watched his teammates, trying to decide what to do.

A bright flash of light flooded his eyes, and the room around him was replaced with a similar field to the one he'd seen earlier. This one, however, had a train track cutting through the grass, stretching as far as he could see in either direction. The strong smell of sun-warmed earth assailed him, and a pleasant breeze cooled the sweat on his head.

He shut his eyes hard and opened them. The field was still there. Was he in Eklaron? He didn't recognize this place. He stood near the tracks. The air felt fresh--like early morning--and the sun peeked over the edge of the world. He'd never been in such a flat place before.

Another flash and the gym returned. Coach Birmingham was jogging toward him, a concerned expression on his face.

A third flash. This time the sun was just setting. Jacob was again near the track. He heard a high-pitched whistle and whipped around in time to see a huge train barreling down the track toward him. Jacob tripped over the railroad ties and flung himself across the track closest to him. He rolled away as quickly as he could, and just in time. The train zoomed past him, faster than anything he'd ever seen before.

The gym surrounded him again. Several people were screaming, and Coach yelled for someone to call 911. Jacob lay on the gym floor, and when he tried to get up, Matt pushed him back down.

"Don't move."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You yelled and freaked out and flopped all over the floor."

Jacob flushed. Tani and Josh bent over him with worried expressions on their faces. Most everyone else looked embarrassed, uncomfortable, or nervous. What happened? His body felt weird--like he'd just run five miles, but without the muscle soreness. He was out of breath and tired. Really tired.

The school nurse arrived and started checking him. Soon after, the gym flooded with paramedics. Mr. Williams, the principal, ordered everyone to their classes. Despite his protests that he was fine, the paramedics strapped Jacob to a gurney and wheeled him out of the room, Matt following close.

Jacob had never ridden in an ambulance before. He didn't remember the whole ride, though, because the weariness kept hitting him really hard, and he dozed off several times. He couldn't control it. When they pulled up at the Logan hospital, his parents were there to meet him. Mom freaked out, and Dad started asking questions.

The doctor submitted him to a series of tests--an MRI, a CT scan, blood tests, everything. Finally, after hours of being poked and prodded, the doctor said Jacob was over-exhausted, had hallucinated, and that he needed to spend the night in the hospital to be sure nothing more was wrong. Apparently, he was under too much stress, and someone his age and health shouldn't be having episodes like this.

Jacob groaned and whined about it, but secretly was glad he would be watched by doctors and nurses. What if something was wrong? He _knew_ he hadn't been hallucinating. The wind and grass were as real as the bed he lay on now.

The night passed without incident. Hazel stayed with him to keep him company until he fell asleep--being careful not to let someone see her--and the doctor released him the next day.

***

Jacob's mom had him stay home from Eklaron and school for a couple of days, but all too soon he had to return to pulling people from the scented air, combat training, and classes. He dreaded the attention he would get in school. News had spread through the entire student body, no doubt.

The attention only lasted a couple of days, though, then things mostly went back to what they'd been before his "episode."

The Makalos gave him occasional updates on the Fat Lady's potion--there hadn't been a lot of progress lately. It really worried him, but he knew there wasn't anything he could do about it. His combat training with Sweet Pea was going well now, and he still helped pull people from the scented air. School was too pressing for Jacob to spend much time with the Makalos for pleasure. Plus, his nightmares were worse than ever, and always involved Aloren being murdered in a gruesome, upsetting way.

She'd been in Maivoryl City for over two months now--two months! Was she even still alive? He was going crazy, not having a way to get in touch with her.

"Jacob," Mr. Coolidge said, handing Jacob some papers before math one day. The color around his face was a light yellow-green--he was intrigued by something. "You have a unique ability to understand things just by looking at them. Are either of your parents like this?"

Jacob shrugged. He'd never noticed anything special about his "understanding" abilities. He looked at the paper--conics--and pulled out his pencil and leaned forward, working over the problems. He sensed his teacher's eyes on him throughout the rest of their time together and into first period. He refused to look at the man. When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of math, he sighed in relief, rubbing his face.

# Chapter Twenty-Five

Jacob got home after basketball practice--which had gone so well, he was still smiling--and fell onto the couch. For once, he didn't have anything to do that night with the Makalos--they'd decided to give him some time off. The Fat Lady's potion, according to Kenji, should be finished in another week.

Jacob rolled onto his stomach, trying to decide what to do. He really wished he could help Aloren. The dreams had gotten so bad lately. Were they somehow warning him of her condition?

The garage door opened and Matt entered the house, Sammy on his heels. They plopped onto the couch across from Jacob.

"Hey," Matt said. "Mom and Dad are at Amberly's dance rehearsal. Wanna come to Sammy's house and watch a movie?"

"Which one?"

"Probably _Wolverine_ or something."

Jacob shrugged--he'd just watched it a couple of weeks ago, and wasn't in the mood to see it again. "Nah, I think I'll hang out here."

Matt and Sammy grabbed a bunch of DVDs and left, and Jacob went to read in the living room. He really struggled with concentrating, though. Aloren's predicament kept crossing his mind. What if she died? How would he react to something like that? As soon as he'd thought it, he pushed it as far from his mind as possible. He couldn't dwell on it. Wouldn't.

He hated sitting around, not doing anything, while she was in Maivoryl. He rolled onto his back, hands behind his head, thinking. A plan would be good, just in case the Fat Lady's potion didn't work, or if something happened that prevented the Makalos from going with him.

He needed to focus, make sure he'd thought of every possible situation, make sure he was ready for anything that could happen. If they didn't get more potion, it would only be a two-person rescue team: Jacob and Matt. He couldn't ask Akeno to come, not with his leg the way it was now.

Jacob got to his feet and paced the living room. He could key them to the city--that would be the fastest way to get there and back. But how would they get in unnoticed, and where would they key to? He bit his lip, thinking. Not straight to the town hall. He didn't know if the Lorkon had placed traps for him or not, and he wasn't about to find out.

Then he remembered seeing several houses that looked vacant. One of those would be perfect! If he said, "Maivoryl City, vacant house," they'd be fine. Not having Akeno would make things a lot more difficult, since Akeno had that ability to sense other living creatures, but then again, the trees wouldn't let Akeno touch them anyway.

They'd first check the town hall, since that was where he'd last seen Aloren. After, they'd search around the city--keeping in the shadows. His excitement grew as he thought over the details of his plan.

The door behind him opened, and Jacob jumped.

Matt laughed. "Boy, someone's tense."

"Where's Sammy?"

Matt plopped on the couch, a can of soda in his hand. Jacob was used to Matt's characteristic green swirls, and barely noticed them. "She insisted on watching a 'bonnet' movie instead. Something about persuading. Then, she fell asleep after it had only been going for twenty minutes. I didn't want to sit there watching it, and I can't wake her up from naps--she's super grouchy. She'd bite my head off. So, I left. She'll be asleep for at _least_ two hours."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Wow. You're the perfect boyfriend."

"Hey, she'd do the same." He leaned forward. "So, what's on your mind? You're gonna wear a hole in Mom's carpet."

Jacob sat on the other couch. "Just stressing over Aloren's situation. What if the potions never get finished? What if they don't work? What if the 'team' never gets put together, and she ends up staying in Maivoryl City for the rest of her life?"

Matt shook his head. "We'll go get her if the Makalos can't fulfill their end of the deal."

"Exactly. And I've been planning how to do that. You and I would go, of course." Jacob jumped to his feet again, too antsy to sit. "We'd key there--to an empty house or something."

Matt nodded eagerly. "Then we could sneak to that town hall place where you left her, right?"

"Yeah. We'd have to be careful no one sees us, but I'm sure we could do it. The whole city is almost black, and if we dressed in dark colors, we'd blend right in. Plus, the people avoided the forest and stuck to the streets while we were there. We could hide in them."

"Except for the fact that they'll try to beat us up," Matt said. "Didn't you say that's what they do?"

"Oh, yeah." That wouldn't work. Jacob scratched his chin. "We could still stick close to them, though, just out of reach."

"Why do the people avoid the woods?"

"I don't know why exactly, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was because they've learned that the trees beat up anyone trying to enter."

"So . . ." Matt said, then paused. He cleared his throat. "Why do we have to wait until the Makalos tell you they don't have the potion?"

Jacob hesitated, turning to face Matt. "Because they asked me to wait. And they want to send a large group."

"But wouldn't it be better--quick and painless--if only two people go?" Matt got to his feet and started pacing too. "I mean, catch the people in Maivoryl City off guard, you know? Slip in and out before anyone notices we're there?"

Jacob ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know, Matt. I can't break my promise to the Makalos. And there's got to be a reason they're so adamant that a lot of us go at once."

"It wouldn't hurt to try, would it? What's the worst that could happen? You're practically invincible, and I'm fast and strong. If we get there, find Aloren, and bring her back, they'd be grateful, not mad. If we get there and can't find her, we come back. Simple as that. And listen--Mom and Dad are with Amberly at her dance rehearsal, Sammy's asleep, the Makalos don't need you tonight--right?--and we don't have anything else to do." Matt put his empty soda can on the end table. "Let's go now."

"Wait--I need to think through this first."

"Sure, whatever. I think you've put plenty of thought into it, though. The opportunity won't come again for a long time."

Jacob frowned. Matt was right--the open window fell perfectly onto tonight. And if they brought Aloren back safe and sound, the Makalos would most likely be grateful. They'd be mad, of course, which he'd deserve, but grateful.

He paced a couple of times. If they couldn't find Aloren, they wouldn't have to tell anyone. Could he live with a lie like that? He wasn't sure. "Man, Matt, I don't know. I don't feel good about it."

"That's only because you're nervous you'd end up disappointing the Makalos. Jake, I'm not going to push you into this. If you don't feel good about it, we shouldn't do it. On the other hand, I'm just as interested in getting her out of there as you are."

Jacob took a deep breath. His sick feeling dissipated with each breath--maybe it _was_ only because he was nervous. What if this really was the right decision? What if the Makalos were misguided, and every minute Aloren stayed there meant more damage to her? He sat on the couch, putting his head in his hands. He'd never considered whether the Makalos might actually be wrong. He'd been impatient with them, and frustrated, but hadn't ever truly doubted. If they were wrong, and waiting was the worst thing they could do, the _best_ thing--the correct thing--was to go get her. Now.

He stood quickly. "Okay, but we need to bring things with us. Our biggest pocket knives, flashlights, dark clothes, and hoodies. It's kind of cold there."

"We can even bring your gnat."

Jacob hesitated again. He'd promised Hazel she could go when they rescued Aloren. Another broken promise. He shook his head. "No, not this time. I don't want to tell her we're going if it just ends up being a disappointment."

Matt shrugged. "Fine."

Jacob took a deep breath, then smiled at his older brother. He was so glad Matt would be around this time. 

# Chapter Twenty-Six

The boys changed, hiding odds and ends in their pockets. Matt found a couple of old air pellet guns while Jacob grabbed some beef jerky. They wanted to be completely prepared.

They met outside Jacob's door. Both of them had on black baseball caps, though Jacob realized his hair was dark enough that he didn't need to wear one. But he felt better having the shade over his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jacob asked.

Matt raised an eyebrow. "It depends on how much this girl means to you."

"A lot."

Matt laughed. "You're not really having doubts, are you? 'Cause she's all you've talked about since coming back."

Jacob grunted in reply, the butterflies in his stomach returning. He made sure the key was securely attached to his chain and belt loop before putting it into the keyhole. "Vacant house, Maivoryl City," he said, turning the key in the lock.

He opened the door a little, pressed his face up against the crack, and looked through. The room was in shambles--broken furniture was strewn across the floor, papers everywhere, shredded clothing draped over some of the furniture. He waited for several moments, making sure the room was empty before pushing the door open farther and stepping through. Matt followed closely on his heels.

Jacob stepped onto a floorboard that groaned in response, and he jumped. When nothing happened, he let out a sigh of relief. They tiptoed through the rooms and halls, making sure the entire place was vacant before proceeding.

The brothers returned to the front room and glanced out the window. The streets were deserted--but who knew how long they would stay that way. A slight glint of sunlight forced its way through the green atmosphere.

"Do we split up or stick together?" Jacob asked.

"Stick together. You lead the way, watching in front of us, and I'll stay behind and keep an eye out for anything that tries to sneak up on us. Get your knife out--just in case." Matt pulled his pellet gun from a pocket, making sure the clip was securely attached.

After some discussion, they opted to use the back door.

The door creaked as it opened, making Jacob jump, and Matt choked back a hysterical laugh. "Wow--that freaked you out."

Jacob glared at his brother, but Matt only motioned him to go out.

They looked both ways, then jumped off the porch into the tall grass, dropping to their hands and knees. The grass was a blessing--if they stayed low enough, it would actually cover them fairly well.

Army crawling, they reached the forest edge. There were no lights, and the sun was barely visible, the houses dark. Jacob led the way toward the town hall. A noise behind them made Jacob's heart nearly stop, and they both froze.

A shadow passed by, but didn't pause.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Jacob scurried behind a shed, then--making sure the coast was clear--stood, dusting off his jeans.

"Now where?" Matt whispered.

Jacob crept to the corner of the shed, peering around it. A person wandered the street, looking lost--Jacob couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. The town hall was three buildings away. He waved to Matt and pointed toward it.

"Town hall," he breathed.

Matt nodded. Jacob waited, worried the person on the street might also be heading to the town hall. Once the individual had gone beyond the house, Jacob dropped to the ground again and rolled into the filtered green sunlight. He looked both directions, then rushed to the back of the house nearest them--twenty feet away.

So far, so good.

A movement in the window, and Jacob froze. He motioned Matt to stop as well. The person left, and Jacob prayed he'd been far enough away not to be seen. He waited a full minute, checking his watch, before doing anything.

Jacob motioned to Matt to follow. He edged to the corner, peering around it to make sure the person on the street hadn't changed course. He or she was still following the same path, straggly black hair more visible now that the brothers were closer. This house was situated nearer the street, making Jacob feel vulnerable.

Only a woodpile lay between the houses. The boys raced toward it, crouching as low as they could. As he ran, Jacob tripped over something in the grass and crashed down on top of the woodpile. Something stabbed his leg, and he cried out in pain before remembering to keep quiet.

"Dang it!" Matt said. He pulled Jacob up, and they ran away from the houses. Jacob tried not to limp, but his leg hurt pretty badly. A ruckus and voices sounded behind them. Slamming doors, things banging.

He and Matt fell into the tall grass close to the forest right as a mass of people poured out of the nearest house.

Jacob prayed as hard as he could that the people hadn't seen them. He felt blood tickling his leg hairs, and hoped the wound would stop bleeding.

"We saw you, kiddies," a feminine voice called.

Jacob and Matt looked at each other. What should they do?

"Come out--we won't hurt you." A man's voice this time.

Someone snickered.

"They went that way, I think."

The sounds of footsteps drifted to the left.

"No, they went around the house."

"Idiot! You didn't see! You were behind me."

"No matter."

"Oh, I bet they went into the forest."

Some of the people hissed.

"We can't find them there."

"We should let Keitus know."

"No, leave it to the traitor--that's _his_ job."

The boys heard the sound of swishing grass very near them, and they looked at each other. The fear racing across Matt's gray eyes was enough to make Jacob think they were doomed. They'd failed!

The footsteps stopped and there were several moments of silence. Then a voice said, "They're long gone."

And another. "I'm going back inside."

The footsteps receded, doors opened and closed, and the voices became muffled, then gradually went away. The brothers waited several moments.

Nothing.

Jacob breathed a sigh of relief.

Matt shook his head. "That was close," he whispered. "Too close. We should wait a few minutes more, just in case there are stragglers wandering around."

Jacob nodded. The cut on his leg must not have been very bad, because it only stung a little now. Either that, or the fear of being caught surpassed the pain.

After a few more minutes, Matt sneaked toward the town hall. Jacob followed him and looked back--he couldn't understand how the people hadn't found them. The indentation he and Matt had created in the tall grass was very obvious. He would've seen their hiding place right away. Maybe these people had poor eyesight? He shook his head--no, he couldn't count on that, even if it were true.

As soon as they'd reached the end of the grass, Matt and Jacob came to their feet and hid behind a large tree in the back yard of the town hall. Jacob looked around the side--there was a light on in one of the rooms, a warm, welcoming yellow. They decided to head to that window, ignoring the back door for now. Someone, at least, would hear them knocking there.

Jacob took a step forward, but stopped when a deep, gruff voice spoke behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Jacob turned. A tall, muscular man--nothing like the villagers--leaned against a tree not far from the brothers. His brooding expression and black, shoulder-length hair gave him an imposing appearance. He looked like he'd just stepped out of an action movie, and Tani would've fallen for him immediately. A light purple color, indicating boredom, surrounded him. Jacob's eyes strayed to an interesting necklace the man wore. It was oddly shaped metal, and appeared to be on fire with blue flames. How was it not burning him?

"Just keeping watch . . ." Matt said. "Like we're supposed to."

"On whose orders?" The man crossed his arms, and Jacob noticed he wore black leather clothes. Two swords were strapped cross-wise on his back. His hands and feet were bare.

"Eachan's," Jacob said. "We're . . . uh . . . watching the townspeople. Making sure they . . . don't do anything stupid."

The man raised his eyebrow and stared at Jacob, the light purple changing to a medium shade of purple. "I don't think I believe you." He put his arms behind him and strolled forward, stopping not far from the brothers. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I know just who you are."

Jacob expected the man to bring out his swords, but he didn't do anything, just stared at Jacob. A gust of wind brought a scent of smoke with it.

"And you shouldn't have come to this place--not if you are as intelligent as the Lorkon seem to believe you are."

"I have to. There's a per--there's something I need to get."

The man cocked his head and half smiled at Jacob. "Oh, really? Pray tell--what is it you are searching for?"

Jacob racked his brain, trying to decide what would sound the most legitimate. Matt was faster in his response.

"His lucky watch."

Jacob looked at Matt and frowned. Lucky watch?

The man laughed, the light from the muted sun glinting off his perfect teeth. "Yes, I'm sure that's exactly what he's searching for. A watch." His face grew serious. "You are to come with me now. The Lorkon very much want to see you."

Jacob shook his head. "No. I'm not going back to them. Ever."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." The man whipped his hands in front of him, and Jacob jumped back, expecting blades. Instead, the man's hands glowed bright red. Jacob's eyes widened, and the man smiled at his reaction. "And that's not the only unique thing about me."

A burst of flames shot from his feet, licking up around his legs. He reached out, and an eruption of light came from his hands, the flame rolling up his arms and dripping off his fingers.

# Chapter Twenty-Seven

"I'm a Fire Turner, Jacob." He shrugged in a mock-humble way. "An Ember God, as the villagers call me. You can call me that too--I'm sure you'll agree sooner rather than later that it's a fitting name. But remember, I am not to be toyed with. One touch of my hand will cause you more pain than you've ever felt in your life."

Jacob wasn't sure what made him say it. "I doubt _that_. Nothing could be worse than what I felt when the Lorkon touched me."

The man snorted. "Diseases aren't anything compared to the pain of burnt flesh, I assure you."

Matt fidgeted at Jacob's side, pulling things out of his pocket. "Well, it's been nice chatting with you," he said, "but we've got to go now."

The man laughed. "I don't think so."

Matt brought up his air pellet gun and a LED flashlight. He switched the light on, shining it in the man's eyes, and shot him in the face with the gun. The man roared, grabbing his eyes.

"Run!" Matt yelled, and he and Jacob tore around the tree, heading for the lit window as fast as they could. Voices came from the houses around the town hall as the brothers reached the back wall of the building and pounded on the window. The light went out. Someone grabbed Jacob from behind and he kicked backward, releasing himself. He whirled and gasped. Villagers surrounded the brothers. Hundreds, it seemed, still poured from the houses.

Jacob jumped to his brother's side, punching someone away from Matt. They fought back to back, Jacob using the techniques Sweet Pea had taught him. He expected a burst of flame to engulf both of them, but it never came. Where was the Ember God? He wasn't one of the attackers. Jacob looked back at the tree, trying not to be distracted, but wanting to know where the man had gone. There he was--leaning up against the tree, arms folded, watching. What was he doing? Waiting for them to be finished off?

Jacob returned to the fighting with renewed vigor. The people were so weak, he almost felt bad returning their punches. He couldn't count how many he'd knocked to the ground.

Finally he and Matt scared everyone away. He squinted, focusing on the tree. The man was no longer there. Where'd he go?

"Key," Matt breathed. "Front door."

They ran around the side of the town hall, jerking to a halt right before reaching the porch. A man was there, a large grin on his face. It wasn't the same guy as earlier--this one had shorter hair. No shoes, black leather clothes. Another Ember God.

"I can't let you enter this building."

"Oh, we're just leaving . . . so . . . don't worry about us," Jacob said.

The man sneered. "Really? Allow me to escort you."

"No, thanks, we're good," Matt said. He didn't wait to see what the guy's reaction would be. He turned and ran toward the nearest house, Jacob on his heels.

They almost got to the door when the first Ember God was on Jacob's right. He used the flat side of a sword to stop the boys. It hit them across the chest and they fell to the ground, gasping for air. The man smiled down on them as they struggled to their feet and tried to run away again.

"Time for this to end," he said.

Before Jacob knew what was happening, the man brought the handle of his sword down hard on Matt's thigh. With a snap, Matt's leg crumpled beneath him and he howled in pain, falling to the porch near the door. Jacob dropped to his knees by Matt, then glared up at the man, anger and hatred making his eyes sting.

"Jacob, you have two choices. Watch your friend die right now, or watch him die later, when the Lorkon take you both." He stepped closer--close enough for Jacob to feel the heat rising from his hands. The Ember God sneered again. "Personally, I'd choose now, since I'll be more merciful than the Lorkon."

Jacob shook his head, trying to think up a way out of the situation. He did his best to control his voice, coming to a decision quickly. "I'll take my chances with the Lorkon, thank you very much."

He acted as if he were surrendering, casually putting his hands in his pockets. His fingers closed around the pocket knife in one hand and the key in the other. He couldn't use an air gun--the Ember God would be expecting that. The knife was the next best thing.

"As you wish," the man said. He reached for Jacob's arm, but Jacob jerked away from him.

"Don't touch me!"

"I'll hurt you if need be."

"Just--just hold on, will you?" Jacob helped Matt up, trying to keep the items in his fists from the man's sight while also trying not to cause his brother too much discomfort. Matt's face was white and he gasped, using the door behind him to steady himself.

Jacob put Matt's arm over his shoulders, and put his own arm--the one with the key in it--around his brother's waist. "This is going to be slow. He's in a lot of pain, thanks to you."

The man smiled, but took a step back, gesturing for Jacob to go first.

Instead, Jacob flipped the knife open and flung it at the man. It went into his shoulder.

The Ember God grunted with anger. Not waiting to see what would happen, Jacob turned Matt around, pushed the key in the lock, and said, "Kenji's house."

He flung the door open and pushed Matt inside. Matt called out in agony when he landed on Kenji's floor. A burst of light illuminated the door in front of Jacob, fire surrounded him, and a searing pain rushed up and down his back and legs--the Turner had blasted him with flames.

Screaming, Jacob pushed through the door and slammed it shut, then fell to the floor next to Matt. The last thing he saw was Kenji's family staring at him from over dinner, light yellow with a hint of orange--the color of surprise--around their faces. Jacob heard someone say his name, then blackness closed in.

# Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what, Father?"

"Sanso's voice."

"No. I only heard pounding on the back window." Duana was scrubbing the already-clean tables in the large receiving room.

Eachan walked to the window and looked out. Nothing was there. But wait . . . "Oh, there he goes--he _is_ out there. Looks like he got into some trouble with the villagers. Serves him right." Eachan watched the Fire Turner for a few moments. Sanso walked with one shoulder lower than the other, and held a hand to it. His facial expression showed he was in pain.

Eachan turned when Aloren entered the room, carrying a basket of clean clothing, which she plopped on the table and started folding. She and Duana conversed, and Eachan leaned against the wall to watch them. It was good to see Duana this happy again. She hadn't had someone close to her age to talk to in such a long time.

His forehead creased as the argument he'd been going over and over again in his mind came back to him.

What was he to do with Aloren? He knew his job--turn her over to the Lorkon, now that he knew what she meant to Jacob. He needed to do it--he needed to keep his daughter safe. But by protecting Duana, he'd be taking away someone who was now becoming a sister to her.

He walked to the fireplace and leaned against the mantel. If he turned Aloren in, he knew the Lorkon would reward him. They always had. He'd be elevated in their eyes, especially if he could get important information out of the girl first. Knowing how much she cared for Jacob, they'd certainly want her now, to use as bait. And by handing her over, he wouldn't have to worry as much about the safety of the town hall--the villagers wouldn't try so hard to attack if they knew Aloren was gone.

On the other hand, if he presented her to the Lorkon, it would surely hurt Duana. He turned to watch her for a moment. Such happiness on her face. Could he really do that to her? She'd never forgive him.

But then again, if he didn't give them Aloren, the Lorkon would remove him from his status in the community, and would either order a public execution, or worse--turn him and his daughter over to the villagers.

He rubbed his face, recognizing the circular pattern his arguments were taking.

Duana laughed at something Aloren said, and Eachan was surprised to see a smile on Aloren's face--a first. She had a dimple in her cheek, and he frowned. There was something familiar about her--she brought to mind a woman he'd worked with years and years ago.

He walked to the window again. The Fire Turner was wandering the streets. Eachan watched him for several moments, wondering how much time he had until the Turners figured out he was withholding information from them.

A group of four or five villagers came out of one of the buildings, ignored the Fire Turner, and limped toward the town hall. They stopped several yards away, and Eachan let the curtain fall until there was just a slit to peer through. The villagers were arguing, passing something back and forth between them. An old woman caught up with the group and took the object, putting it in her pocket. The group turned to face the town hall and Eachan stepped back, quickly shutting the curtain. Something on their faces made him afraid--something had happened tonight, when he heard Sanso's voice. He was sure of it. Something bad.

He walked to the table where Duana and Aloren had finished folding the clothes.

"Let's go into the kitchen," he said. "We can do the dishes."

The girls walked ahead of him, talking animatedly about something. They didn't hear the bang on the door--a noise which frightened the wits out of Eachan.

The villagers had never, _ever_ hit the door of the town hall. And they rarely returned this soon after feeding time. What was going on? Eachan couldn't ignore this unpredictable behavior. He closed the door to the kitchen, putting his back against it.

The girls didn't notice his nervousness, and he ignored them, straining to listen through the door. Hoping the villagers would leave. Give up their objective.

Eachan found himself again thinking over what would happen if the Lorkon discovered his secret. He straightened. He would do his job--his duty--where his family was concerned.

But when it came to handing off innocent girls to be used as bait, then brutally tortured and killed--that wasn't something he could stomach.

He realized he'd have to make a decision eventually, or it would be made for him.

Another bang at the front door--much stronger this time. Eachan looked up at the ceiling, offering a prayer to keep his family safe.

# Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jacob opened his eyes and groaned, trying to clear his mind. Figures bustled around him, and he blinked several times.

"Be careful. Pull him over here," Ebony ordered.

There was a shuffling sound, then Matt screamed in pain. Jacob jerked to a sitting position, and gasped when a searing heat forked across his back and legs. He fell, trying to catch his breath.

"Jacob!" Ebony said from somewhere. "Do _not_ move!"

Jacob didn't want to disobey--he couldn't. The pain was too great. He hated not seeing where Matt was, though. Unfortunately, when he'd passed out he'd been facing the door, and he was unable to fix his position.

Ebony barked out more orders.

"Grab his arm. Don't let his head sag. All right, everyone--one, two, three--lift."

Grunting, then a thump. Matt cried out again.

"This leg is in very bad shape."

Akeno's voice. "Will it heal?"

No one responded.

Liquid sloshing into something, more shuffling. Someone started talking, but was shushed. The sound of a heavy bowl dragging across the wooden table. More sloshing. Jacob tried not to concentrate on the pain in his back. He wished he could pass out again. Finally, after five or so minutes, Ebony sighed with relief.

"That should do it," she said.

Approaching footsteps. "Jacob, I'm sorry," Ebony said. "We had to fix Matt's leg first. The bone had splintered through the skin on the back of his leg." Jacob felt her touch his hair. "We're going to roll you onto your stomach, then pull you away from the door."

Hands took Jacob's arms and legs. He groaned when they dragged him, laid him on his stomach, and turned his head toward the room. His back felt like it was on fire again and he moaned, tears springing to his eyes.

Ebony told Jacob what she was doing as she did it. Cutting away the remaining clothes and cleaning his back and legs, putting Kaede sap directly on him, no strips of cloth. He would have blushed as she did this if it weren't for the huge amount of pain she was causing.

"We don't want to cover it--Kaede sap heats up when wrapped, and that isn't good for burns." She clicked her tongue. "This is one of the worst I've ever seen."

Finally, after ten agonizing minutes, Ebony declared Jacob finished, then put a loose sheet over him and ordered him to sleep, which he gratefully did.

***

Bitter--that was Jacob's first thought. He rolled away from the smell, then stiffened when pain hit him. It wasn't as strong as earlier, though, so he relaxed a fraction. He heard movement in the room, but waited a while before opening his eyes. They didn't seem to want to cooperate. Finally, he peeked between his lids, taking time to adjust to the lighting. He was still in Kenji's house.

"He's awake now," Akeno called, then smiled at Jacob, who sat up. "How're you feeling?"

"A little sore," Jacob said. "Where's Matt?"

Akeno motioned to one of the wooden chairs on the side of the room. Matt was asleep there, and didn't look very comfortable. Jacob pointed this out.

"He didn't want to leave without you."

Great. "How long was I asleep this time?"

"Only a couple of hours. It's still nighttime, probably around ten. My mother woke you before you finished healing."

Ebony walked into the room. "Jacob, we've got to get you both home," she said. "The sap is still working on you--it won't finish until you've slept the whole night through, and a good night's rest won't happen here. Make sure Matt stays off his leg. You'll have to help him get to his room."

Jacob crawled to Matt, too tired to stand. His brother's pant leg had been cut, and a huge bandage was wrapped around his thigh. Jacob sat on the floor near Matt's chair, facing the Makalos.

Kenji sighed. "I suppose I don't have to ask what happened, do I? You got restless and decided you needed to get Aloren."

Jacob hung his head. "I'm sorry--Matt and I thought we'd be able to get in and out quickly. There are Ember Gods guarding the city, though, and the people were much more aggressive this time."

"Ember Gods?" Kenji asked. "I've never heard of them."

"They're really Fire Turners--he said to call them Ember Gods."

"I'm still not familiar with this race."

"They're not nice people."

"I know I should be angrier with you," Kenji said. "Brojan will be pretty upset when he finds out what you've done, and I'm sure your mother will have plenty to say when she sees you." He rubbed his shoulder, watching Jacob closely. "We've had too many close calls with you, young man. You are too valuable to lose. You need to regard your own life as highly as you do that of Aloren's, and especially your brother's. You are old enough to recognize the difference between foolish and wise behavior." He sat in the chair next to Jacob. "Wisdom is being able to see the consequences of your actions, and tonight's exploit showed very little wisdom on your part."

Jacob avoided making eye contact with Kenji. His face flushed in shame.

After a long silence, Kenji sighed. "Maybe this experience taught you something important." He stood and motioned to Matt. "Wake him and get yourselves home."

Jacob woke Matt and keyed them home to a frantic mother, who needed some calming down before she'd let them go to bed.

# Chapter Thirty

Jacob had no idea just how much trouble he was in until he arrived at the village the next day for his fighting lessons with Sweet Pea. Kenji waited near the tree.

"Brojan canceled your lessons and called a meeting. Go get the Fat Lady and Gallus. We'll meet at Brojan's place." Kenji put his hand on Jacob's arm. "He's pretty upset. Things will be all right, though, if you cooperate."

Twenty-pound butterflies hit Jacob in the stomach. He wished now more than ever that he had listened to his initial feelings. He picked up everyone, then took them to Brojan's house on the other side of the village, taking a seat at the table. Sinking low in his chair, he was aware of the stares of those in the room. Now would be the perfect time to disappear.

Brojan began the meeting by giving a rundown of what Jacob and Matt had done the night before. He turned to Jacob. "We must deal with your impatience. We have no idea if you and Matt ruined things, but we will be acting as if you did." He paused. "Do you understand why we asked you to wait until the Fat Lady finished the potion?"

Jacob nodded, finding his mouth too dry to speak.

"And did you understand when we told you it would take time, and that you _had_ to be patient?"

Jacob again nodded, not meeting the patriarch's eyes. He should've chosen not to go through with the plan, regardless of how badly he wanted to get Aloren out of the city.

Brojan stared at Jacob until Jacob looked up. Instead of the bright red of anger he expected to see, there was only a light orange--concern. Tenderness was on the patriarch's face as well. He remembered learning from Akeno that Makalos weren't accustomed to negative emotions. This made Jacob feel even worse.

"Please understand me when I say we empathize with your situation," Brojan said. "We want to help, Jacob, else we would not be willing to work with you. The Fat Lady wouldn't be making more potions--instead, she'd be concentrating on getting Aldo out of his current predicament." He paused. "We will do everything in our power to get Aloren out of that city. But, Jacob, you _cannot_ do it alone. Whatever the Ember Gods may be, they are obviously dangerous."

Brojan rested his head against the back of his chair and stared at the ceiling for several moments. Then he motioned to Ebony. "Please give us a report on the people brought out of the everlasting potion."

Ebony nodded. "Those who have spoken are from Ridgewood, Macaria, and other neighboring cities. One is even from Fornchall." She turned to Kenji and Brojan. "I assume you want to interview her as soon as possible."

"Yes, of course," Kenji said.

Ebony continued. "None of the people so far are from Maivoryl City."

Jacob ran a hand through his hair. He felt timid bringing anything up, especially when he was in such big trouble, but he felt his point was worth making. "We're pulling them from the part of the scented air closest to Ridgewood. It would make sense that none of them are from Maivoryl. They'll be on the other side."

"Yes, we've considered this," Brojan said.

"Nothing we can do," the Fat Lady said. "Not until my potions are complete. Unless, of course, you plan to drag people two miles before getting them to Sweet Pea."

Jacob shook his head. They wouldn't be doing that any time soon. He sighed in frustration, still irritated. "It seems a waste of time to pull these people out when we could be working on something or someone else."

"It's not a waste," Kenji said. "Every life is worth saving. They'll be a blessing to us, you'll see. And these are actual people we're pulling out, not just empty bodies. When they come around, they'll be as grateful to be alive as those who've exited Maivoryl City."

"Now, then," Brojan said, turning to the Fat Lady. "How much longer until the potion is ready? And how many doses will it make?"

"Another week, no more. And probably five." She squealed, the color around her face rapidly changing to a very bright green--excitement. She bounced up and down in her chair. "And I almost forgot! I've found a way to permanently fix Lorkon wounds!"

Everyone around the table sat up straighter in their chairs and became animated. A cure would be really incredible! Akeno wouldn't have a limp for the rest of his life, and Kenji's shoulder wouldn't bother him anymore!

Kenji cleared his throat. It looked to Jacob like he was trying not to get too eager about the possibilities. "What have you found?"

"An old recipe I used several years ago after you'd sealed off the entrance. It's one I'd lost and didn't want to mention unless I found it again. It's the Muteki Potion--the one I used on your shoulder injury, Kenji--times four. I made up some more this morning, and brought it with." She reached into her bag and pulled out a purple vial. "Either you or Akeno can try it."

"How does one _try_ it?" Kenji asked.

"That's the tricky part." She put the vial in the center of the table. "I'd need Ebony's help. And anyone else experienced with medical things. We'd have to cut to the center of the wound and pour the potion in directly. Some by mouth, as well." She turned to Jacob. "Also, your world has needles that will actually put liquid in a person's blood."

"You mean, a syringe?" Jacob asked.

She nodded eagerly. "Yes. I'll need a few of those." She addressed the entire group again. "The majority of the potion works directly at the site of the wound, but a little needs to be swallowed and a few drops have to be put into the bloodstream to cleanse the entire body."

"What are the possible side effects?" Kenji asked.

The Fat Lady squirmed before answering. "Intense pain. For several hours." She hesitated. Obviously, she had more to say and wasn't comfortable saying it. "Also, the person can't be on any medications and has to be fully awake during the entire process--including the healing. For some reason, sleep negates the effects, and medicines dim the potion."

No one said anything.

Jacob was really glad he hadn't been negatively affected by the Lorkon touch--aside from the awakening of his abilities. He didn't think the pain was worth the healing.

Ebony shook her head. "No--we won't do it. Several hours of intense pain? Without a numbing agent?"

Kenji sighed. "Ebony's right. My shoulder hurts, and I can't use it much, but other than that, I'm fine. It's manageable."

The Fat Lady looked crushed, and Jacob felt bad for her. She'd been so excited.

"I'll do it," Akeno said quietly.

Every head turned to him.

"It's worth it to me." The colors surrounding his face were many--deep yellow, a bit of dark blue, even some light green. His emotions were conflicted. "In my current condition, I'll have a really bad limp for the rest of my life. It'll prevent me from doing _anything_. I don't want to live that way. I want to be normal again."

"Son, are you sure?" Ebony asked.

Akeno nodded.

Everyone looked back to the Fat Lady, who had a hard time keeping a grin from spreading across her face. "Excellent," she said. "I'm ready whenever you are. Oh, but I do need those syringes." She looked at Jacob. "Can you get some for me?"

"Sure," Jacob said, though he had no idea where to find any. "I'll ask my mom and dad."

"Wonderful!" she said. "We'll be ready to go as soon as you come back."

Brojan nodded at Jacob. "Find some and return here in two hours. We'll talk then about your privileges with the key. Go."

The finality in the patriarch's voice left no doubt in Jacob's mind. He jumped to his feet, not sure how he was supposed to locate syringes in only a couple of hours.

Jacob keyed home, deciding to ask his mom first. He felt a little timid approaching her about the Makalos' request, and she was very hesitant at first, but then even offered to ask Ida Mae, their neighbor who was diabetic, if they could buy some of hers.

Ida Mae agreed. Apparently she had a whole box of them--they came in packages of ten, and her insurance paid for a large portion. Jacob's mom didn't tell her what they'd be used for, which came as a relief to Jacob. He still hadn't even told his best friends about Eklaron, and wasn't sure he would. He felt different enough as it was.

She answered the door, a smile on her face. Ida Mae was an elderly British woman with plenty of zest and energy left over from years of raising ten children. She reached for Jacob and pulled him in for a tight hug, her old-lady perfume burning his nose.

The box of syringes waited on the counter in the kitchen and she pulled several out, put them in a bag, and gave them to him.

"Would you like some gum while you're here?" she asked in her strong English accent.

Jacob smiled--she'd been known as "the gum lady" for as long as he could remember, always giving out gum and candy to the neighbor kids.

"Sure," he said.

Ida Mae brought down the gumball machine from the top of the fridge. She put a penny in, held the lever down, and Jacob put his hand under the spout, watching as several multi-colored balls fell out.

"Give my regards to your mum," she said as Jacob left.

Once home, he passed Ida Mae's message on to his mom, made sure Hazel was safe in his room--the operation might upset her--then he keyed back to Kenji's place.

"Wow," Ebony said, jumping when he entered the room. "That was much faster than we thought it would be."

Jacob nodded. "Our neighbor has tons of syringes. She's diabetic."

"All right, the Fat Lady and I will be working on Akeno. You're welcome to stay to help."

Jacob hesitated--he didn't want to see Akeno in any more pain, but he felt it was partially his fault the Makalo had ended up this way. "I'm staying."

# Chapter Thirty-One

The Fat Lady requested that Akeno be strapped to the table. Ebony made sure there were plenty of blankets and sheets under him to help him stay comfortable. She and the Fat Lady quickly had their instruments around Akeno's feet, ready to go.

The entire Makalo counsel came to wish Akeno luck--Brojan, Gallus, Sweet Pea, and a few olders Jacob hadn't met yet. The whole room was very light yellow mixed with light orange--the colors for apprehension and nervousness. Jaegar brought Kaiya and the baby, Echo, to give Akeno hugs before taking them to a neighbor's house, where he'd tend them. Brojan and Sweet Pea left, but Kenji sat near the door, wanting to be in the room, but not close enough to see everything.

"I'm going to need Matt and Jacob's help for the operation," the Fat Lady said. "They'll need to hold Akeno down, in case the straps aren't enough."

Matt sat on one side of Akeno, and Jacob on the other.

"All right, we're ready," the Fat Lady said. "First, by mouth." She held the purple potion out to Akeno. "Only drink a tiny bit. It shouldn't taste too bad."

He lifted his head, tilting the vial to his lips, and swallowed a little. His shoulders relaxed. "That was _much_ better than I expected," he said, giving the vial back to the Fat Lady.

"Next, by blood." She took out one of the syringes, dipped the end into the potion, and drew with the plunger until a few drops entered the barrel.

She approached Akeno with a slight frown on her face. "I'm actually not sure . . ."

Matt stood, and Jacob wasn't surprised. His older brother was obsessed with doctor-type TV shows. "You can't just poke it in him. You have to find a vein. Here, on the inside of his elbow." He pointed to the little blue vein visible there. "And you have to strap his upper arm, though I don't know why."

He took a piece of cloth and tied it around Akeno's arm tightly.

"Next, you have to make sure there aren't any air bubbles in the potion. Give me the syringe." He held out his hand. The Fat Lady gave it to him and he tapped it on the table, the way they do in the movies, then held it needle-side-up and squirted just a tiny bit of the potion out.

"Okay, it's ready."

He showed the Fat Lady how to find the vein. "I'm not going to do that part--you have to," he said.

Akeno shut his eyes and turned away. Jacob found himself so fascinated, he had to watch.

The Fat Lady poked the needle into the inside of Akeno's elbow and looked at Matt.

"Uh . . ." Matt said. "That should be good."

She pushed the plunger, injecting the potion into Akeno, then pulled out the needle.

Akeno opened his eyes. "Done?"

The Fat Lady nodded. Sweat dripped off her forehead.

"Oh, good," Akeno said. "I barely felt anything."

"That has to mean something, right?" Jacob asked.

Matt nodded. "I think so."

The Fat Lady sat for a moment, wiping her face, and motioned to Jacob and Matt. "We need to bind Akeno's arms down now."

Jacob grabbed one of the straps and tied Akeno's right arm while Matt did the left. They looked up at her expectantly.

"And that's it. Everything's almost ready." She rested for a moment longer, making sure Ebony had Kaede sap nearby, then the two women started cutting strips of clean cloth.

Jacob sat near Akeno's head, unsure if he wanted to watch the operation or not. He was afraid he'd be unable to look away, like with the needle. Would the procedure give him nightmares?

Akeno stared at the ceiling. Sweat was building up on his forehead, but his face was calm.

"You going to be okay?" Jacob asked, realizing it was a stupid question right as it came out.

Akeno shrugged. "Never done this before." He laughed. "It hasn't even started yet, and I already hope I won't have to do it again."

"I won't let it happen again, if I have any control."

Akeno sighed. "I know. Thanks for that."

"No, thank you--"

"Oh, stop it!" Matt said, laughing. "You guys should go into the Hallmark-card-making business."

Jacob playfully punched his brother's shoulder. "Whatever, dude."

"Seriously, though," Matt said, addressing Akeno. "Do you want anything to help keep you distracted?"

"I'd love a movie right now," Akeno said.

"Anything you'd like!" Matt paused. "Uh . . . how do you watch movies here?"

"We use that outlet over there," Akeno pointed, "and the TV in the back room can be rolled here."

Jacob stared at the outlet in wonder. How'd he never noticed it before? He'd been here tons of times! "Where do you get the power?"

"Rezend--we can control electricity, to an extent."

Jacob nodded. He remembered Akeno saying this. "All right, where are the movies?"

"I'll grab them," Kenji said, jumping to his feet and rushing out of the room. Jacob had nearly forgotten he was there. A moment later, Kenji returned, pushing an old, ugly TV on a cart. "I wasn't sure which movie you wanted to--"

"Any of the _X-Men_ ," Akeno said quickly. "They're my favorites." He smiled sheepishly at Matt and Jacob.

Kenji got everything hooked up.

The movie began and the Fat Lady and Ebony finished the cloth strips, then started the surgery.

# Chapter Thirty-Two

Jacob slumped into a chair. The operation hadn't been nearly as long as he'd expected, but it definitely hadn't been easy. Akeno had screamed through most of it, and everyone in the room had needed a break at one point or another. Jacob felt like pulling his hair out or crying for the Makalo. Luckily, he'd been able to control his emotions and be the support Akeno needed.

He pushed his fists into his eyes, trying to wipe away the exhaustion he felt. Akeno had been put in his room to continue the healing process, with Ebony and the Fat Lady taking turns watching over him. Frequent cries of pain came from him. The Fat Lady said this was normal and would last a few hours.

Brojan returned to see how things had gone. After he visited with Akeno for a moment, he approached Kenji, Matt, the Fat Lady, Sweet Pea--who'd also come back--and Jacob. They were seated at the table, which had been cleaned and sterilized.

Brojan turned to the Fat Lady. "How many potions did you say you'd be able to make?"

"Which potion?"

"Malono. The one to help get Aloren."

"Five. I didn't think you'd be using them all, though."

Brojan shook his head. "We still haven't decided who will be going. He looked at Jacob. "We'll be taking the key from you as punishment for what happened last night."

Jacob nodded. He pulled the key from his pocket and put it on the table in front of the patriarch. He'd expected this. "The box is in my room."

"We don't need it." Brojan put the key in his pocket.

"Get going--both of you," Kenji said.

Jacob dragged himself from his chair, motioned to the door with his head, and he and Matt left the room. No goodbyes were exchanged--everyone was far too exhausted.

He shut the door behind them, not looking forward to the long walk ahead. Jacob had gotten accustomed to keying himself all over the place. Discouragement flowed over him. He wished he'd followed his feelings last night.

"Man, I'm sorry I got us in so much trouble," Matt said.

Jacob shrugged in response. He was glad Matt's leg had healed. But still, he was upset with himself over what had happened--and not just because the consequences stank. He'd put his brother _and_ Taga Village in danger. What would've happened if the Ember God had followed him through the door?

They were silent almost the entire way home--past the tree, through the forest. Once home, Jacob stayed in his room for several hours, working on odd projects and homework. Mom excused him from dinner--Dad was working late again. He had been a lot lately, trying to get caught up. Jacob felt bad for the man. He wanted to be back on Eklaron, but couldn't afford to lose his job and not have a way to provide for his family before he took over his kingdom again.

The Makalos had offered to let the Clarks stay in Taga Village, but Dad refused. The Makalos had enough mouths to feed, what with all the people from the scented air living there now. For the time being, it was decided that Jacob would continue representing the family on Eklaron, and Dad would focus on not losing his job.

A rapping at his window let him know a Minya was there. He opened it, letting Early in.

"Akeno is improving," she said, staring at Hazel. "Who's she?" Early folded her arms and glared at the other Minya, bright purple swirling around her.

"Don't be jealous. She's not mine--she's Aloren's Minya."

"Oh, good." Early relaxed, her purple changing to light blue. "He says hi."

"Tell Akeno I said hi back. Thanks for bringing the message."

Early flitted away, and Jacob returned to his homework.

# Chapter Thirty-Three

Eachan leaned over the counter, squeezing his eyes shut. The thumping on the front door hadn't stopped, and villagers now banged on the back door as well. Sanso had probably done something to the people. Hurt them, attacked them. _Something_. But he and the other Ember Gods had pressured the villagers before without this sort of a reaction. Why was this time different?

Duana and Aloren ignored it--they didn't realize the ramifications of what was going on. Eachan turned from the counter. The girls were putting food together to pass to the villagers. He hadn't seen Duana this happy for so long--years.

He swung around, grabbing a glass to wash. Another thump on the door, and he dropped the cup. It shattered on the floor.

"Father, are you all right?"

"I'm fine--just fine." He stooped to pick up the large bits of glass while Duana retrieved a broom and swept up the rest.

"You've been very preoccupied lately. Are you sure there isn't anything I can do to help?"

"No, nothing. I--I just need to work things through in my mind."

As far as Duana was concerned, Aloren was there to stay permanently.

Hadn't he chosen long ago what to do in situations like this? Anyone else, and it would've been as easy as throwing a rock. He'd turned people over to the Lorkon again and again. The villagers hadn't even realized who the traitor was at first.

Why was the soul of one young girl causing him so much trouble now? Was it because his own daughter had grown so close to her? Was it Aloren's purity of heart? Her guilt-free conscience? Surely she didn't have other people's blood on her hands.

He sighed, returning to the dishes at the counter, pushing thoughts of her away, thinking back over his years of treachery. He hated having all this on his mind again, especially since it had been such a long time since he'd last considered the deal he'd made.

His main instructions had been to spy on the villagers and report anyone who turned their backs on the Lorkon. A swift and public execution would then be dealt out. This went very well for some time, but then the unexpected happened-- _everyone_ turned against the Lorkon, and Keitus stopped caring so much.

It had been years since Keitus, the Lorkon king, had checked on Eachan himself. Usually he sent his messengers: fire beetles--pets of the Turners--or the Turners themselves with the occasional bit of instruction. Eachan had known when the human boy was about to arrive--Keitus himself had come with special instructions: assist the boy with anything he needed. Help him feel welcome. Offer him food. Don't stop him, don't act suspicious of anything.

The village nearly fell apart when Jacob escaped because the Lorkon were so upset. Several villagers disappeared. The Lorkon, knowing about the girl, sent their messengers on a daily basis to "work" with Aloren. That had lasted nearly a week, and by then, the Lorkon had Turners guarding Maivoryl.

Maybe Keitus no longer trusted Eachan.

This thought caused Eachan's heart to speed. What would happen if that were the case? His hands started shaking and he nearly dropped another dish. He had to regain the Lorkon's confidence. Had to let them know, somehow, that he was just as reliable. Couldn't let his daughter become like the people of the village. Couldn't.

His breaths came in gasps and he forced himself to calm down. His heart had caused him great amounts of pain before. He knew it would probably kill him someday. But not today--he wouldn't allow it.

Eachan turned from the sink, dried his hands, and smiled at his daughter. She looked so much like him, but her smile was her mother's. He encouraged her to use it often.

She did so now and he felt the warmth spread through his limbs, the pain in his chest nearly forgotten.

Duana motioned to her companion. "Aloren wants to take a turn at putting the food on the porch."

Eachan frowned. "Are you sure, Aloren?"

She nodded. "Yes--I've watched you two do it enough. And it's not fair that I'm here, eating your food and not doing anything to help."

"Oh, but you are helping!" Duana said.

Aloren shook her head. "But not with the hardest job."

Such a good girl. Such a pity. Eachan nodded. "Yes, if it pleases you, go ahead. Duana would appreciate it, I'm sure."

Duana and Aloren set to work, the elder showing Aloren how to organize the plates and dishes just so, making it easier to put them on the porch more quickly and safely.

It didn't take them long to get everything in place, and when they had, Duana brought Aloren up to the door.

"There will be one or two people watching and waiting--and they're not stupid. Don't do anything to startle them, don't show your back to them. Don't smile at them, don't acknowledge them. They're normal people, but diseased."

Aloren's face saddened. "What an awful situation to be in."

Duana sighed. "Yes. But be sure not to show them pity."

Aloren waited in front of the door, ready to open it, and Eachan moved forward to watch through the window.

The young girl took a deep breath, then cracked the door. Eachan parted the curtain--there were only two humans visible, and they didn't pay any attention to the girl. She stepped onto the porch, carrying the first batch of plates loaded with food, which she then set down.

One of the villagers turned to the town hall. "Food!" he yelled.

Doors and windows opened along the road, and people poured onto the street. Aloren backed into the building, filled her arms with more dishes, and started putting them next to the others.

A large crowd gathered in front of Aloren.

Something wasn't right.

Eachan squinted, trying to figure out what was different. Then he saw it and gasped. Every eye in the group was on Aloren. He watched as they all stopped advancing to the food. The air grew silent--Aloren hadn't noticed yet. What were the people doing? He'd never seen them _not_ go berserk when food was placed before them.

The villagers trembled, and Eachan yelled to Aloren. He ran to the door--she was putting the last dish on the porch. He grabbed her around the waist right as the entire group went into a frenzy, worse than he'd ever seen before. The taller, stronger humans plowed over the weaker in an attempt to get to the porch first, and the weaker villagers were just as desperate.

But not for the food--for Aloren.

Eachan saw the hatred in their eyes. Saw the clenched fists, the desire for destruction. He swung Aloren into the building and slammed the door shut right as a townsperson raised his fist to attack.

# Chapter Thirty-Four

Math passed slowly. Jacob struggled with paying attention, and Mr. Coolidge noticed. It obviously irritated him. Class finally ended and Jacob jumped from his seat, eager to get to history where he'd be able to melt into the back of the room. Except there was a substitute.

Jacob groaned. What made him groan even more was when he found out who it was. Shirley's mom. And Shirley had gotten dismissed from whatever class she usually had at this hour so she could come to her mom's class--which, of course, was Jacob's class.

"Jacob Clark! What an honor to meet you!" Shirley's mom was plump, a little shorter than Jacob, and had the same hair as her daughter, only a short version. An olive green surrounded her--something Jacob had never seen before. He wasn't sure which emotion it was. "Please call me Manda." She said her name with an interesting inflection, as if she were trying to be professional while coming across as Jacob's "best friend." He hid a desire to roll his eyes.

Shirley bounced into the class, straight to Jacob's side. "Mom gave me permission to sit next to you. This is going to be so much fun!"

Great. It would be impossible to get lost in thought with that girl sitting by him. He rolled his eyes. Josh snickered, and Jacob glared at him, sitting in his usual spot, Shirley close behind.

Manda started the class with a review of what they'd learned last time, and Jacob slumped in his chair, brushing Shirley's hand off his arm, not even caring what she'd been asking him. Something about eating lunch at her table? He shook his head at her, then looked pointedly at the substitute. Shirley turned forward, a disappointed expression on her face. Yes, Shirley, you'll have to pay attention, even if it is your mom teaching.

The minutes dragged by, and every time Jacob's mind wandered, Shirley did something to pull him back. Or Josh would toss paper bits at him.

Jacob spaced out again, and a random thought occurred to him. Why was _he_ the one in charge when it was Matt who was older? And why hadn't that question occurred to him a while ago? Jacob sat up straighter. If he was his parents' first born, where had Matt come from? Had he been adopted? That had to be it. Jacob shook his head. He couldn't believe how many secrets his parents had hidden from him.

About halfway through class, he spotted Early on the other side of the window, waving at him frantically. Why didn't she just come in like usual? He guessed she didn't want Manda to notice her.

"Man--er, Mrs. Christensen? May I be excused?"

She looked at him suspiciously, her color changing to a shade of purple. "Do you need to use the restroom?"

"No, but I . . ." He wasn't sure what to say, and didn't want to lie.

"Then it can wait." She smiled at him, as if that would make him feel better.

Finally the bell rang. Jacob shot from his seat, ignoring Shirley's requests to wait for her. He raced from the room, down the hall, and outside, to where Early waited impatiently.

"The Makalos say to get your brother and come now. And hurry! The potions are ready!"

Jacob jumped in excitement. He got Hazel out of his bag and had her search the halls of the school for Matt. She'd never be seen, and he didn't have time to search everywhere. She returned quickly.

"He's in a big room with food."

The cafeteria. Jacob raced there. Matt was just getting in line to buy his pizza when Jacob grabbed his arm, put the plate back on the counter, and pulled Matt from the room and down the hall.

"Stop it--man, that was pepperoni!"

"Doesn't matter. Potion's ready."

Excitement crossed Matt's features. "Really? Yes!" He punched the air, then sprinted down the hall alongside Jacob.

Early and Hazel met them outside--Hazel looked like she was about to die from an excitement heart attack. Jacob couldn't blame her--it'd been so long since she'd last seen Aloren. He bit his lip, hopping into the passenger seat of Matt's truck. Would Aloren still be normal? Would she even be alive?

Matt spun his tires as he pulled onto the 101. "What's the plan?" he asked, turning the radio down.

Jacob shook his head. "Haven't talked to them. Only know the potion's ready."

Countryside blurred past and Jacob kept looking behind them, making sure there were no cops.

"We're in a hurry, Matt, but if you get pulled over, it'd be worse than us getting there a few minutes late."

Matt only laughed. They reached Route 23 and zipped through Wellsville. Jacob gripped the seats of the truck--not from fear, but excitement. He was glad Matt was driving--if it'd been anyone else, Jacob was sure they wouldn't have gone so fast, and they'd never get to Mendon.

They pulled onto their road, slowing only a little when the pavement turned into dirt. Dust billowed around them, entering the windows. Matt turned the music back up for the short drive up the hill to their home. He skidded the tires when they reached the driveway, slamming on the brakes, and he and Jacob hopped out.

Mom called to them from the kitchen. "What're you doing home?"

"Get a hold of the school and release us from the rest of our classes, please," Jacob yelled to her. "Potion's ready. Gotta go."

She put her hands on her cheeks, her eyes sparkling. "Really? It's ready? Oh . . ." She ran to the phone, presumably to call Dad who'd left for another business trip the day before.

Jacob took the stairs two at a time up to his room and dumped his books out of his backpack. He put Hazel's container into Aloren's bag, swung it over his head and one arm, then grabbed the journal, just in case he'd need it. He also snatched his first aid kit, matches, flashlight, and a couple of pocket knives and threw everything into his backpack.

Matt met him in the hallway. "Oh, man, I forgot. We have to walk the whole way, don't we?"

Jacob's shoulders slumped. "Dang it. Yeah, we do."

"Well, let's get going!"

# Chapter Thirty-Five

Eachan dropped a heavy metal bar across the frame of the door, then leaned against it, breathing heavily.

Duana helped Aloren to her feet--the poor girl had been flung to the floor--and looked at her father with concern.

"What is it?"

"The villagers. Something is wrong." He stepped away from the door, thinking. "We need to fortify the town hall. I've got the feeling this attack will escalate and we'll need all the protection we can get." He turned to look out the window through the bars, but jumped back when the people rushed the porch and pounded on the glass.

"Father?" Duana moved to open the drape.

"Step back at once. Grab that table, both of you. Bring it over here and put it against the window."

Eachan strode to another table, then, grunting, dragged it in front of the door. He barked orders as he ran into the kitchen, verifying that the entryway there was closed. "Check every window and door--make sure there isn't an accessible opening." He pushed a heavy shelf in front of the kitchen door, then turned to survey the room. Thank goodness they'd stocked up on enough food to last them at least two years. He didn't know where the Lorkon got it, but it didn't matter.

He met Duana and Aloren in the front room again.

"How will we feed them?" Duana asked.

Eachan shook his head. "I don't know. But they're dangerous now."

Fear crossed Duana's face. "Why? They've never acted like this before!"

Eachan glanced at Aloren, frowning in concentration. "Things will be all right. We just have to take extra precautions."

Which would be more cruel? Allowing the villagers to tear Aloren's soul and body apart, forcing her to live as they did? Or giving her to the Lorkon?

He didn't listen to Duana's response to his comment. He needed privacy--time to himself to think and figure out what to do. He strode from the front room and upstairs into his quarters, where he sat at his desk. He stared at the wall in front of him, then put his head in his hands, groaning in misery and indecision.

He had to do something about Aloren, and fast. Before the villagers got in, which they most certainly would.

Eachan rubbed his eyes. What to do?

His wife's beautiful face flashed through his mind, followed by the unspeakable things she'd experienced at the hands of the townspeople. Duana hadn't turned away in time. She'd seen it all.

Tears leaked from his eyes at the memory. It was nearly more than he could handle. He wept for his wife, for the pain she'd endured. He wept for Duana and her loneliness. And he even wept for Aloren.

Then he sat up as realization hit. The Lorkon wouldn't kill Aloren. They wouldn't--he was sure of it. And if he told them how Aloren felt about Jacob, they wouldn't torture her either. They'd keep her in their castle and wait for Jacob to come rescue her.

Why hadn't he thought of this earlier? He shook his head, frustrated with himself. He'd allowed Duana's friendship with the girl to cloud his judgment. But no more.

Eachan dried the tears from his face and grabbed a container he hadn't touched in a long time. Resolve removed any regret or remorse he felt.

The time to take charge of his situation had arrived.

# Chapter Thirty-Six

Taga Village was in upheaval when Jacob and Matt got there. Makalos ran everywhere, toting things to and from the tree.

"Finally!" Kenji said when he saw the brothers. "Here's the key. Run, get Gallus, then come back here so we can regroup before heading to the Fat Lady's."

Jacob took it from Kenji, then keyed to Gallus's shop. The store was dark, and Gallus waited by the window. He wore intricately designed metal armor and looked ready for battle.

"Ready to go?" Jacob asked.

Gallus looked at him. The expression on his face was unreadable. "If . . . if Dmitri doesn't return, then you are the rightful ruler of this kingdom."

Jacob cleared his throat. "He'll return--he's . . . he misses this place. Almost as much as my mom does."

Gallus glanced at Jacob and smiled. It was the first time Jacob had seen him do so in a very long time. "Good. Then we'll have our leader again." He picked up a bag, swung it over his shoulders, then gestured to the door. "Let's go."

Jacob keyed them back to the village, where the usual group waited near the tree.

Ebony and Sweet Pea wore armor of a sort. Ebony's was made of leaves, moss, bark, and hardened leather.

"She didn't realize she'd be able to go until today," Kenji said, "when I decided to stay behind to watch the kids. She spent all morning fixing her armor and will be invaluable to you."

"Who else is coming?" Jacob asked.

"I am," Sweet Pea said. "They can't keep me here this time."

He stood next to Gallus, and Jacob almost laughed at the difference between the two. Gallus was tall and a little overweight, but he'd been preparing himself during the past few months and his muscles popped under the metal he wore. His black skin shone in the sun, and he looked happier and more excited than Jacob had ever seen him. Sweet Pea was short, hairy, and dressed in a fancy suit of armor made from leaves. Jacob nearly choked, looking at him.

"What's wrong?" Sweet Pea asked.

"You look like a pansy," Matt said, voicing Jacob's thoughts. "That's girl armor."

"It's all we had," Ebony said.

Sweet Pea snorted. "At least I'll be protected." He pulled a mace from behind his back. "Plus, I've got this bad boy to help me."

Ebony tightened a strap on her armor. She nodded to the brothers. "You two will outfit at the Fat Lady's. She has some leftover things from the last war."

Jacob turned to Akeno. "Are they going to let you come?"

"Not this time, but the Fat Lady says I'll be ready soon."

Jacob nodded, realizing it probably hadn't been long enough since the operation.

"All right, let's go," Ebony said.

Jacob opened the door, letting everyone go through ahead of him. Gallus, Sweet Pea, Matt, and Ebony. Not a big group. Would they be enough? He hoped so.

"Jacob, get over here," the Fat Lady said when he stepped into her cabin. She held out clothing and armor to him. "You get to wear Dmitri's old stuff."

Ebony gave Jacob a wistful expression. "It'll be nice to see you dressed up like your father. We only wish he could be here."

"So does he, trust me."

"Enough chit-chat," the Fat Lady said. "We've got a damsel to rescue." She handed Matt his things, then pushed the brothers down the hall. "Through that door. Aldo's in there, but he won't mind."

Jacob shut the door behind him and his brother. Aldo was sitting at a desk and looked up in surprise.

"Tomorrow you come with hair!"

Matt only smiled briefly at the old man before turning to Jacob. "It's kinda creepy with him here."

"Oh, well," Jacob said. "Just hurry."

They changed quickly. Jacob had a hard time not stopping to admire the armor his father had worn. It was surreal--a senior executive for a financial firm who used to fight in battles and lead armies. How crazy was that?

The things fit him almost perfectly--his father must have had more muscle back then, and Jacob, having just gone through a growth spurt, wasn't far behind in mass and height. He smiled, looking down at what he'd just put on.

"Dude, these are freakin' awesome!" Matt said, looking at his own clothing.

They were dressed nearly the same--black clothes covered them from neck to ankle and wrist. The armor they'd put on wasn't bulky--it was designed to fit snugly, and was black with subtle accents and designs. Matt's accents were dark blue, and Jacob's were blood red. Black leather gloves and hardened leather boots completed the getup.

"We look like _ninjas_!" Matt said, and Jacob had to agree.

They strode into the front room to a silent group. Jacob felt his cheeks redden when he realized all eyes were on him.

"Wow," Ebony said. "Wow. You really look like your father. He always was a very handsome man."

Matt snorted. "Have you seen him lately? He's going bald and thick around the waist."

"Doesn't matter--I'm sure he's just as commanding now as he was seventeen years ago." She held out some black cloth to Jacob. "Would you like to wear the cape?"

Jacob flushed and shook his head. Wearing the armor was enough to make him feel like he stood out--a cape would just add to that discomfort.

"Catch," the Fat Lady said, tossing something long to Jacob. He caught it, and nearly fell under the weight of one of the coolest swords he'd ever seen.

He held it up to the light, admiring the gems and jewels embedded in it. Then disappointment flowed over him. "I won't even be able to use it," he said. "Haven't learned."

"That's right," Ebony said. "Only Dmitri can instruct him sufficiently on the sword." She paused. "Another reason we hoped he would have taught you earlier." She smiled to show she wasn't upset.

"He tried--none of us took it very seriously."

"How good are you with a knife?" the Fat Lady said.

"Pretty good, though I've never actually fought with one."

She strode forward, knocking over a large stack of papers in the process. "Put this there." She handed him a six-inch blade and pointed to a slot inside Jacob's boot. She then handed him a twelve-inch knife. "And this here." There was a spot where he could strap a knife on his thigh. "At least you'll be prepared, in case this group can't protect you."

"Ha," Sweet Pea said. "With me and Ebony there, no one'll get to him." Gallus cleared his throat, and Sweet Pea cast him a glance. "Oh, and him too."

"I've got the extra protections here," the Fat Lady said. "Put them on." She motioned for Matt and Jacob to come to her, then handed them huge, thick leaves. "They're from the four trees that produced the flower bud. They're chock-full of Kaede sap, and will help protect you. Hopefully."

She had them loosen their armor and showed them pockets they hadn't noticed while dressing--big, flat ones on the front and backs of the shirts, and lining the pants. Jacob and Matt pushed the leaves into the openings.

Nearly everyone gasped when Jacob's were in place. The leaves began to glow wherever they touched him, shining through the edges of the pockets. He felt his body energize--as if he'd been zapped with a powerful current. It tickled, but made him feel much stronger.

"Why are they doing that?" he asked. "Matt's aren't glowing."

"It's a good sign," the Fat Lady said. "It means the Kaede sap Kenji put in your blood when you were a baby still courses through your veins. You are one lucky guy and practically invincible now." She stepped toward him, forcing him to back against a wall. Leaning over, close enough for him to see the pores on her face, she wagged a finger at him. The swirling colors around her face changed to an orange-red. "Don't let it go to your head. You aren't immortal, and if you do something stupid or don't pay attention, you'll still die."

"Okay," Jacob squeaked.

The Fat Lady stood over him a moment longer, making sure he knew she was serious, then moved away, her intense colors changing to light blue.

Jacob motioned to Matt. "What about him, though?"

The Fat Lady raised an eyebrow as she scrutinized Matt. "Oh, there's enough Kaede sap in his leaves to protect him. Just make sure he doesn't do anything to put himself in danger. Same as you." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the others. "Let _them_ do the fighting."

"Wait a second, wait a second," Matt said. "My younger brother has to protect _me_?" He laughed. "I'm captain of the football team--it'll be the other way around!"

The Fat Lady also laughed, slapping her leg. "Oh, what a funny boy you are," she said. Matt glared. "Yes, Jacob has abilities that you don't have--and vice versa--but he's naturally more protected than you. Remember, however, it's not you the Lorkon want, but him. You'll probably end up having to save his skin, more likely than not."

She gave some of the leaves to Gallus, who put them between his armor and skin. Ebony and Sweet Pea already had theirs.

"All right, you're ready to go," the Fat Lady said. "Oh, but wait. Some of you still need to take the potion, don't you?"

Ebony nodded, and she, Gallus, and Sweet Pea stepped forward. Matt looked disappointed when none of them had as strong a reaction as he'd had to the stuff.

The Fat Lady and Ebony embraced. It was a weird thing to see, a woman well over six feet tall hugging a lady who was just over four feet. He was surprised to see tears in the Fat Lady's eyes.

After discussing it over with Hazel, and promising to let her see Aloren as soon as possible, Jacob left the Minya with the Fat Lady--he didn't want to risk leaving her in Maivoryl City. He pulled the key out and reached to put it into the lock, but Gallus stopped him.

"That's not part of the plan." He looked at Ebony.

Ebony shook her head. "Jacob, we can't enter the city with the key. It's too much of a risk. We have no idea what's going on in the village--in the buildings themselves--and it was decided we'd go through the wall instead. With you leading us, of course."

"But that's ten times as long!"

"But safer, and gives us more of a chance to make sure nothing is waiting for us when we get to Maivoryl City. With the key, we go in blind."

Jacob growled. "All right." He pocketed it.

The Fat Lady gave them dried fruit and beef jerky--bags of it--instructing Matt and Jacob to eat on the way.

Then they set out.

# Chapter Thirty-Seven

It didn't take them long to get to the scented air--Jacob wanted to run the whole way, but Ebony was insistent they conserve their energy. He could see the wisdom in this, but it drove him nuts just the same.

Nearly an hour after leaving the Fat Lady's place, they reached the wall. The hill near which Jacob, Akeno, and Aloren had eaten last time had a fresh pile of dirt next to it. He ran to inspect it, the others following.

"It _is_ a tunnel!" he said, motioning to the dark hole. "Great! We can go into the city this way."

"No, we can't," Gallus said.

Ebony agreed. "We have no idea where it leads, or why it's here."

Jacob sighed in frustration. He didn't look forward to going through the wall again.

Gallus motioned to everyone to come closer. He turned to Ebony. "What now?" he asked.

"Oh, I know this," Sweet Pea said. "Jacob leads us through the tunnel and to Maivoryl City. We keep a lookout for the Lorkon. Then we sneak to the town hall, grab the girl, and key back to the Fat Lady's place."

Would it actually work? It seemed too simple.

Gallus frowned. "That's it?" Apparently he, too, was expecting something a little more complex.

Ebony smiled. "Basically, yes. That's the plan. Sometimes simple is the best way to go."

***

The group entered the tunnel in the wall, everyone holding hands. Jacob steeled himself when the sunlight disappeared.

"Ebony and Sweet Pea, would you light up the tunnel?" He knew what he'd see. At least this time he was prepared for it.

Blue light shone on the walls around him, revealing the bodies--faces, hands--frozen forever in stone. He came to a halt, clamping his eyes shut, trying to control the panic. He _had_ to get over this. Aloren--she needed him. She needed Gallus, and needed to be removed from that horrible city.

He looked forward, ignoring the feeling of lifeless eyes watching him, determination forcing him to take a step, then another. He could do this.

It was odd that even though two Makalos were shining light, the glow still wasn't as bright as when Akeno did it. Akeno's abilities were so much stronger than the other Makalos'. The dimness wasn't as bad as it could have been, though. Instead of creeping Jacob out more, it made it easier to focus on where he was going.

After several minutes, he paused. "How're you guys doing?"

"Not good," Ebony said.

He turned to watch them--she was right. They were really fighting to keep moving forward.

"You're all doing great," he said, trying to lift their spirits.

"Yeah . . . right," Matt said, breathless.

Jacob struggled onward. He found himself adjusting to the feeling that people were staring at him, and he started to make good headway. Finally, he felt a draft of air on his face, signifying the end of the tunnel.

"Turn off your lights," he whispered. "We're at the end now."

Jacob approached the last corner of the tunnel. He looked out the exit into the forest, and breathed a sigh of relief that no one was there. The others in the group stepped out of the tunnel, happy to be out of the dark. As Jacob turned to check on them, however, movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention.

A male turkey stepped out of the forest and strutted toward him.

"Uh . . . you guys have turkeys here?"

"Turkey?" Matt asked. "Where?"

Jacob pointed. "Right over there."

Everyone stared where he had pointed, but they looked back at him in doubt.

"This isn't good," Jacob said. "If you guys . . ."

His suspicions as to why they couldn't see it were confirmed when the turkey opened its mouth and roared so loudly his ears rang.

Gallus gasped. "A Bald Henry! Jacob, back into the tunnel--now!"

Jacob didn't hesitate. "Grab my arms again! Hurry!"

He pulled the group into the darkness, almost tripping in his rush. He caught one last look at the forest in time to see at least five other turkeys step out of the trees. This made him run even faster, and the others had a hard time keeping up.

Jacob bumped into a wall and asked Ebony and Sweet Pea to light up the tunnel. He didn't know if the Bald Henries could follow, but the more distance he put between them, the better.

"Now what?" Jacob asked once they'd reached the other side.

"We have to use the key," Ebony said, trying to catch her breath. "We have no other choice."

Jacob frowned. "Which means back to the Fat Lady's, since that's the nearest door."

"Exactly."

"Why could I see the Bald Henry this time, but not last?"

"Maybe there's something about the air in that city," Ebony said. "It disgusted me, and we were only there for a few moments."

"Whatever the Lorkon did to me when I was born really messed me up." He couldn't help it--a chuckle broke through his concentration.

"What's so funny?" Sweet Pea asked.

"Nothing, really." Then Jacob shrugged. "Bald Henries are turkeys! How ridiculous is that? Something so deadly is one of the silliest-looking creatures in the world. Or, in both worlds."

Matt was the only one who laughed--the others didn't seem to find this remotely entertaining, and Gallus even gave Jacob a disapproving glance.

"It doesn't matter what they look like," he said. "Only that they exist and are dangerous."

Jacob turned to walk forward again. "I know, I know." He allowed himself a quiet chuckle, though, still enjoying his little joke.

# Chapter Thirty-Eight

"Thank you . . . Eachan." The voice was gravelly and deep. "We will come soon. Can we trust you to hold her there?"

"Yes, of course." Eachan twisted one side of his mustache.

"Then we shall see you shortly."

"H--how long?"

"Oh, I don't know," Keitus drawled. "Two or so hours, perhaps." He laughed, causing Eachan to cringe. "Why? Do you have somewhere you'd like to go?" More laughter, then the fire beetle in front of Eachan burst into flames, ending the conversation.

Eachan leaned back in his chair, resting his trembling arms on the surface in front of him. What had he done?

He pounded his fist on the desk, angry at himself for his moment of weakness. He'd done his job, that's all.

But moments later, the doubt returned, and he didn't want to be alone anymore. Eachan returned to the main room and leaned over the table where Duana and Aloren sat, conversing in hushed tones. The girls ignored the angry yells from outside. A pain in Eachan's chest made him catch his breath. Was it from the guilt? Or was this a real pain? He wasn't sure.

"Father?" Duana said, looking up at him. "Father, what is it?"

He shook his head. He couldn't meet her eyes--what would she say if she knew he'd practically thrown her new friend to the Lorkon? And what would she say when he explained he had done it for her? Would she believe him? He turned away.

"Nothing . . . It's nothing."

She pulled him back. "Have you been crying?"

He took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm fine. Just--just thinking about your mother again."

She nodded. "Let me get you a bowl of soup--there's some left." She disappeared.

Eachan avoided looking at Aloren. She'd most likely see the betrayal in his eyes. And why was he thinking of it that way? He hadn't betrayed her--he'd done his duty. Protected his family.

Aloren stood, staring at the door. "The pounding . . . it stopped."

He cocked his head to the side, listening. She was right. Not one sound came from outside.

"Why?" she asked.

He didn't answer. He wasn't sure he cared.

Duana finally returned and made him sit at the table. She placed a steaming bowl of carrot and potato soup in front of him, and his mouth watered at the smell.

"Eat."

He grabbed her hand, bringing it to him, then pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for being my daughter, Duana. I love you."

She laughed. "Why so serious?" She patted his back when he didn't answer, probably sensing his melancholy. "I love you too." She paused. "Please eat your soup."

He smiled at her insistence and focused on the bowl in front of him, not listening to the girls' conversation. The soup was perfection itself--Duana had quickly exceeded her mother's talents at cooking. He savored each bite, willing the clock to speed up until the Lorkon arrived to get Aloren.

He'd nearly finished eating when Duana sat next to him. "I'm bringing the dishes in from the porch."

His back stiffened. "No, absolutely not. You saw what happened last time."

"We'll need something to put the food on later--we can't let them starve."

"I'd rather they starve than you come in harm's way."

She patted his arm, trying to calm him. "It's our job here--to take care of them." She stood. "Come see. They're perfectly fine now."

He dragged himself to his feet, following her to the window. She parted the curtain for him, and he looked through the glass. She was right. Only a few women were outside, and they weren't even close to the porch.

He watched his daughter's face. She was eager, awaiting his permission. Saying no to her had always been so difficult for him. He sighed. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I am, but I will do what you think is best." She looked up at him with such an expression of trust that his heart softened.

"All right, you may get the plates. But the door will stay open, and I must be right next to you."

"Okay. You block the way to make sure no one tries to get in."

He agreed, helping her pull the table back. Aloren stayed near the entry to the kitchen.

The way no longer blocked, Eachan inched the door open, watching through the widening crack. So far, so good. He stepped onto the porch and checked the area. The women ignored him as they usually did. It felt okay, so he moved over to make room for Duana, then backed up to stand in the frame. He kept his eyes on the women in front of them, watching for any sudden movements.

He noticed a short creature walk around the side of a building down the street. What was it? Then another quickly followed, and another. Pretty soon there were close to fifty of the creatures. Eachan grunted in frustration when he recognized the little beasts--Dusts! He hadn't seen one in years! Why would the Lorkon bring them to Maivoryl City?

Duana was on her second trip to the porch when one of the women screamed. Eachan startled, trying to see what had made her cry out. He looked where she was staring and saw the reason for her fear. At least twenty men were rushing at the town hall from the side, where he hadn't seen them. They were holding knives, sticks, and pitchforks. They jumped the porch and fell onto Duana before Eachan even had a chance to react.

He roared, jumping into the middle of the men, flinging them off his daughter with a strength he didn't know he still possessed. He punched, kicked, and clawed his way through the people until he finally reached his daughter's motionless form.

With a yell that would burst an eardrum, he pulled her from the ground. The villagers scattered in fright. He swung around, punching and kicking them even farther away, roaring again. He jumped through the door, still holding Duana, and slammed the door shut.

Eachan fell to the floor, cradling his daughter in his arms. Blood--blood was everywhere. He couldn't focus on it, could only watch Duana's face. He barely noticed Aloren rushing around him, checking the wounds.

Duana's eyes fluttered open. "Papa . . ."

Then her body became limp in his arms.

He pulled his daughter close and wept.

***

Eachan held Duana for as long as he could--brushing her hair from her face, trying to massage the life into her hands, calling her to come back. Tears fell from his eyes, blurring his vision. He brushed them impatiently from his cheeks. What he didn't wipe away soaked into his mustache.

Regret filled his heart, adding to the intense pain he already felt. Why had he allowed her to step onto the porch? Why hadn't he been more careful? If only he'd followed his instincts!

The banging on the doors and windows increased to a violent level. It didn't matter what happened. His daughter had left--had joined her mother. He wailed, rocking back and forth.

The years of loneliness filled his body, making him ache everywhere. Guilt from his choices made him moan. If he'd only stayed with the villagers instead of choosing to obey the Lorkon, he'd still have his beloved daughter. He'd been so worried about physical corruption that he'd never considered spiritual, emotional, and mental depravity.

He buried his face in Duana's hair, fresh tears surfacing. This time they were tears of shame, mingled with the pain. The price he'd paid to keep his family physically healthy had been high. Too high. He'd allowed himself to become truly horrendous.

Finally, when the tears had subsided, Eachan gently placed Duana on the wooden floor. He wished he could've done more for her--more to make her happy. Oh, how he would miss her smile.

He stood, his limbs protesting from being cramped for so long.

"I'm really, really sorry, Eachan."

He whirled. He'd forgotten Aloren. His face lit up when an idea hit him--gave him hope that maybe things weren't too late. There was one last thing he could do for Duana. Something which he knew would make her happy.

"They'll be here to get you soon," he said.

Excitement crossed her face. "Jacob?"

Eachan shook his head. "No. The Lorkon." He spoke rapidly when she started panicking. "Aloren, I had to do it. There was no other choice. There are consequences to disobeying them. They don't look lightly upon betrayal. They would've killed Duana . . ." His voice cracked and he looked down at his daughter. "If I hadn't done it. If I hadn't turned you in."

"How much longer?"

"Any minute now."

Aloren visibly shook. "I'll do anything, Eachan. Please--"

"We have to act fast," he said. "They don't have to get you . . . You must hide!" Aloren jumped at the urgency in his voice. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the kitchen, then pushed her into a large cabinet, shutting the door.

"Eachan!" Her voice was muffled through the thin wood. "How will this work?"

He paused. "I don't know." He turned his head, listening to noises outside. Things had stilled. He ran to the front room and looked through the curtain. Two Lorkon were only a block away. Eachan raced back to the kitchen. "Quiet! They're almost here."

He returned to the main room, making sure to leave the door to the kitchen wide open so as to avoid suspicion. He left Duana on the floor, refusing to look at her.

The noise outside the town hall changed. The villagers moaned, pleaded, begged. Eachan parted the curtain. The tall figures were nearly at his door. They were surrounded by men and women who'd prostrated themselves on the ground, grabbing the feet and ankles of their masters. Eachan let the curtain fall shut when one of the Lorkon kicked a man away. He felt sick to his stomach just watching it.

He stood in front of the body of his daughter, facing the door when it swung open.

"Where is she?" the first Lorkon said.

"You can't keep the villagers in this condition. They're dangerous. They want their freedom and the lives of those who are strong and healthy. You have to allow them to--"

"Shut your mouth!" The Lorkon stepped forward. "We don't care what they want--only what His Majesty desires. Where _is_ she?"

"They killed her." He stepped away from Duana's body. "When she went out to get the dishes, the villagers attacked her. It was a trap. They saw her once, a couple of months ago, and--and killed her."

The Lorkon glared down at Eachan. "Why didn't you send a message?"

Eachan faltered and looked at the girl on the floor, thinking fast. "I thought maybe you'd want to retrieve her body either way. She only died a little bit ago, after you were already on your way here."

"What would we do with a dead body?"

"I--I don't know. Use it to get the boy?"

"He'll come. He can't possibly know she's dead." The Lorkon looked at Duana again. "Dispose of it properly," he said to Eachan.

Eachan nodded. "Yes, yes. I'll do that." He frowned. "You have to give the villagers more light. They can't live this way much longer."

The Lorkon who'd been speaking sneered. "I'll be sure to bring your petition up with Keitus."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

"Anything to make your life more . . . enjoyable." The Lorkon stepped closer to Eachan. "If we learn you are lying, fool, we'll kill everyone here. You included."

Eachan maintained eye contact, not wavering this time. "I understand." He couldn't believe the Lorkon had accepted his lie about Aloren. It _had_ been several years since he'd received a visit from any of them, aside from Keitus. They wouldn't have recognized Duana anyway.

"Good. Let us know if anything more happens. You've been an excellent servant."

The Lorkon stormed out of the town hall, slamming the door behind them. Eachan rushed to the curtain, making sure the disgusting beings were actually leaving. He watched in satisfaction as villagers swarmed all over the Lorkon, forcing them to take a smaller street to avoid the majority of the people.

They might not live in Maivoryl City itself, but they weren't completely free of its inhabitants.

# Chapter Thirty-Nine

When Jacob and his group arrived at the Fat Lady's cabin, they held a quick council, trying to figure out what to do. Gallus, Sweet Pea, and Matt all wanted to key into the city, but Ebony still didn't like the idea.

"What if we hiked over the mountains behind the cabin?" she asked.

The Fat Lady shook her head. "Can't. The wall prohibits any entrance from this side of the hills."

"That's stupid," Matt said.

"We could use your tunnel and head back to the castle," Jacob said. "Though, I wouldn't know how to get out once we've gotten in."

"Plus, there'd be Lorkon." Matt said.

"Using the Key of Kilenya is the only thing that will work," Gallus said to Ebony.

The Fat Lady rubbed potion on her bottom teeth. She did that a lot, and Jacob figured it was what made them sparkly and nice. "No other option."

Ebony sighed. "I . . . I guess so," she said. "We'll need to hurry. It's already much later than we'd planned."

Jacob agreed. But at least they were all on the same page.

The Fat Lady said she'd inform Brojan and Kenji of everything that had happened, and she and Ebony hugged again, this time laughing about another goodbye.

Jacob put the key in the lock. "Maivoryl City, vacant house." He stepped through, crouching. It was a different place from last time. The floor had a layer of dust nearly an inch thick. It hadn't been disturbed in some time--perhaps years.

After they made sure the house really was vacant, they tried to figure out where they were. Jacob didn't recognize the street and wasn't sure he'd be able to find his way to the town hall.

Gallus stared out the window. "It's been years since I was here, but I believe I remember the way." He opened the door. "Follow me," he whispered.

They filed out onto the street, everyone wary. Jacob was extra alert, especially after the last time he'd been here, but there wasn't anything around. The place was like a ghost town. They walked several blocks and didn't see anyone.

After five minutes, Gallus breathed a sigh of relief. "No one's here. I wonder where they've all gone."

"Does it matter?" Sweet Pea asked. "Just so long as they're not bothering us."

Ebony scowled at him. "Of course it does. Did I neglect that part of your studies? Never trust a false promise."

"A what?"

She shook her head and strode forward to walk next to Gallus. Sweet Pea caught up with her, and Jacob and Matt glanced at each other. Jacob didn't want to walk in the back, and it looked like Matt felt the same. They caught up to the others.

Jacob felt a sense of security being so close to Gallus, Sweet Pea, and Ebony, though he knew it would most likely be short-lived. If only these people had been with him and Matt the last time they'd come to Maivoryl City. Perhaps they would've escaped with Aloren, and not just a burned back and a broken leg.

After passing several more streets, Gallus paused. "I really don't know where we are," he said. "This part of town has changed."

"It all has," said a voice from a building to the right. An Ember God stood in the doorway. The colors swirling around him alternated between light blue, light pink, and light purple--calm, bored, and distracted. "You didn't expect it to stay the same, did you? Cities change when the people inhabiting them change." He stepped off the porch and peered at them. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Ebony said. "You can take us to the human girl."

"That can be arranged," the man said. He pulled two swords from his back, where they'd been strapped. "As long as you are dead first." He pointed a blade at Jacob. "Except the boy, of course."

Ebony, Gallus, and Sweet Pea formed a barrier in front of Matt and Jacob.

"Oh, come now. Don't play games with me. I might even allow the other boy to live."

Gallus pulled out his sword. It wasn't nearly as long as Jacob would have liked, but then Gallus flicked his wrist, and the single blade separated into three, attached to the same handle. Definitely cool, but Jacob wasn't sure how much good it would do against the Ember God.

He just laughed. "Two can play that game." Flames burst from his hands and trailed down his swords, dropping into the dust of the street. He swung his swords around his head a few times. The blades became blazes of red and orange, fire flying off and all around.

A second Ember God stepped from the shadows, lighting up his twin blades, his feet flaming. Jacob felt a cold sweat pass over his body.

Ebony pulled out two daggers, and Sweet Pea his mace. Gallus pushed Jacob and Matt against a wall.

"Stay here." He then faced the first Ember God.

And the fighting began.

Jacob's jaw dropped as he watched. Gallus actually _knew_ how to fight. There was no doubt about it. His three-bladed sword flashed in the dim sunlight, becoming an instrument of death against anyone less formidable than the Ember God. The leather-clad man was quick, darting around Gallus's sword, jabbing and swiping expertly. Gallus whipped around, blocking the attacks and making his own. They parried like this--neither gaining advantage over the other--while everyone watched. Then they started fighting so fast that Jacob got dizzy and had to look away.

Apparently Ebony, Sweet Pea, and the other Ember God felt the same. They turned to face each other. The man grinned.

"Let's see what you little ones can do," he said.

Sweet Pea growled and jumped for the Ember God, who met him, his swords clanging against the mace.

Ebony joined Sweet Pea, and they fought together as if they were one--blocking attacks, striking, their daggers and mace whipping in and out. Jacob had thought Gallus was quick, but he was nothing compared to Ebony. She followed a complex pattern of footwork--almost like dancing--taking her close to the Ember God, then out of reach, than close again. Sweet Pea followed a similar pattern, but he wasn't nearly as graceful.

The first blast of flame actually directed at someone showed why leaves had been such an important part of everyone's armor. The fire engulfed Ebony and Sweet Pea.

Jacob jumped forward, but Matt stopped him.

"Hold on a minute."

A _whoosh_ came from where the Makalos stood, and Jacob's mouth popped open when the fire dissipated--blowing straight away from them. The leaves glowed bright blue, and light shone on his friends' faces, hands, and everywhere the leaves didn't actually cover. They were unburned.

"Wow," Matt whispered.

The fighting continued, more fiercely than before, if possible. Jacob's amazement grew as he watched Gallus's ability with his sword. It seemed to know exactly what he wanted and needed, right when he needed it. Three blades became one as he knocked a particularly deadly blow away, then became three again as Gallus spun, the blades barely missing the Ember God's face.

Jacob's heart nearly stopped when Ebony's opponent broke through her defense, his sword aimed straight for her stomach. The sword just bounced away from her, though, rebounded by the leaves protecting her.

It became evident this fight wasn't going to end any time soon.

Ebony and Sweet Pea seemed to be powered by their Rezend, and didn't tire. The Ember Gods drew upon their fire for energy. Jacob couldn't figure out where Gallus's came from. He simply did not stop fighting. Any time one of the Ember Gods came close to the boys, they were stopped in their path by one of Jacob's friends.

Matt turned to Jacob. "Let's go find Aloren," he whispered.

Jacob nodded. He and Matt dashed around the corner of the wall they'd been leaning against.

The sounds of battle grew fainter as the brothers scurried through the city, crossing small canals and ducking under bridges. Jacob didn't have a clue as to where they were going, only that they seemed to be headed farther into town--where the hall was.

Jacob ran in front with Matt close behind, but he stopped abruptly, his arm pushing Matt back. Hundreds of turkeys strutted the area before them.

"Bald Henries," Jacob said. "Everywhere."

"What do we do?"

"Not go this way."

Jacob backed up, then ran the opposite direction when he was sure the turkeys weren't following. He and his brother turned a few corners, winding in between buildings. He was shocked there were no people. Where were the villagers?

They ran down an alley, but Jacob again had them back up when they came across more turkeys. Just how many of these things were there?

He finally saw the town hall and discovered where the villagers had gone. They were attacking the walls and doors of the building with axes and clubs. Bald Henries and Dusts wandered the courtyard between the brothers and the hall.

Jacob and Matt backed up into a small stairwell to plan.

"What were those ugly things?"

Jacob frowned. "The turkeys? You saw them?"

"No. The short creatures with gross hands."

"Those are Dusts."

"Oh. Okay, let's figure out what to do."

Jacob rubbed his face, thinking. He looked around the corner to the town hall. The villagers hadn't made any progress on getting in, but they hadn't given up, either, and the Bald Henries followed the Dusts around the courtyard. Jacob backed up to sit next to Matt.

"What if I attacked the Dusts and you went after the Bald Henries?" Matt asked.

Jacob shook his head. "No. The turkeys would destroy everything before I could get to them all."

Matt frowned in concentration and Jacob waited--his older brother had always been good at these sorts of things.

"Why not just key in?"

Jacob hesitated, considering Matt's question. "No--Ebony was right. We need to make sure we don't head into a trap."

Matt nodded. "Well, we could always make a mad dash for it--run past the Dusts and Bald Henries, push through the villagers, and use the key to get in the town hall."

Jacob thought about this plan. "It might work . . ." He hesitated. "I don't know, Matt. I just don't feel good about it. If something happened--one of us tripping, or a Dust figuring it out, or the villagers turning on us, we'd be completely stuck."

He turned to watch the creatures and an idea occurred to him. "You know what?" He faced Matt, feeling a smile cross his face. "The Bald Henries are following the Dusts around. We could draw them away from the town hall."

"Like, trick them away?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. It might be our best bet."

"It's worth a try," Jacob said. "What about the villagers, though?"

Matt shrugged. "They might just follow as we're leading everyone else away." He stood. "We'll have to make sure to do it perfectly the first time. I doubt we'll get more than one shot. I'll run--take those little beasts on the adventure of their life--and you get to the town hall."

"You don't want me to lead them away? I can see the Bald Henries--you can't."

"No--if the turkeys are following the Dusts around, they should chase after me, too. And the girl knows you--she doesn't know me. I'd freak her out."

"What if the turkeys attack you?"

"Don't worry about that. I'm fast enough--they won't be able to keep up with me."

Jacob took a deep breath, thinking it over, then agreed. There were probably a ton of flaws in this plan, but he didn't want to take the time to come up with a different one.

Jacob stood too. "On the count of three?"

"Yes." Matt said. "One. Two--"

Right as they were about to jump forward, shadows appeared on the ground in front of them, and they scrambled to hide in time.

Jacob gasped when two Lorkon passed by, coming from the direction of the town hall. He clamped his hand over his mouth, and Matt glared at him. The Lorkon paused, but when they didn't see anything, they probably brushed it off as a villager and continued on.

That was _way_ too close. Who knew how long the Lorkon had been inside the hall?

"What _are_ those?"

"Lorkon," Jacob whispered.

Matt exhaled--his eyes as round as oranges. "Wow. They're _huge_."

Jacob shook his head in astonishment. "Good thing we didn't use the key. Without Akeno, we wouldn't have gotten away." His heartbeat refused to slow. Everything had come so close to falling apart. How had the Lorkon missed them? "And there might be more of them in the town hall."

A loud bang startled the brothers, and Jacob peeked around the corner. One of the villagers had somehow gotten his hands on a huge ax--much bigger than the others--and was pounding on the door to the town hall.

The brothers waited a few more minutes, making sure more Lorkon didn't come out.

Then Matt dashed off, waving his arms and jumping around like a lunatic. The Dusts and Bald Henries went berserk and Matt took off down the street, the creatures on his heels.

Jacob turned to face the town hall. Now, to deal with the villagers.

# Chapter Forty

Eachan ran into the kitchen to help Aloren out of the cupboard. She was shaking with fear, tears running down her cheeks. She started pounding him on the chest, anger and panic making her words come out in a jumble. "How--how _dare_ --you put me in this situation? I _trusted_ you!"

He let her continue hitting him--he deserved much worse than this. "I know, Aloren. I know."

She crumpled to the ground, sobbing. He didn't know how to make things better. "Had to protect my family," was the only thing he could say in his defense. His argument was weak--especially now that Duana was gone. Dead. The word hit him hard and tears sprang to his eyes.

"It's not too late, Aloren, I can still help you. Please, let me."

She watched him quietly for several moments, and he waited patiently.

Finally, she nodded and sat up, wiping her face. A calm expression replaced the panic. "I watched--could see through the crack. They didn't even look at the body! Why do they think it was me?"

"They've never seen you before, and haven't seen my daughter in years." He helped her to her feet, then into the front room. "But I don't think they believed me. I need to get you out of this place."

Aloren stared at him, her lip quivering. "I just don't understand. Why turn me in, then try to help me?"

He sighed, not meeting her eyes. "I've been a coward far too long--could've saved her life--selfish." He stepped away from her.

A crash on the door made them both jump--the tip of an ax appeared in the thick wood. The villagers had found a better way to attack the town hall.

Aloren shied away. "What do we do?"

"If I can get you out of the city, will you know where to go?"

"Yes--but I can't get through the wall without--"

"Don't worry about that." Eachan grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the stairs leading up.

"Where are we going?"

"Trust me."

She jerked her arm out of his hand. "How can you _say_ that?"

He turned to her, feeling shame spread through him. He grabbed her shoulders, looking her in the eye. "If I swear on the body of my daughter--on her memory--that I will do everything I can to get you out, will you believe me?"

She watched him--didn't let him look away--and took a deep breath, exhaling in a rush. "Yes."

"Then come with me."

He pulled her up the stairs, down a hall, and into his quarters, shutting the door behind them. She only hesitated for a moment before allowing him to lead her across the room, past the bed, and to a poorly fashioned door. He flung it open, revealing another set of stairs, these leading down.

A great crash and a cheer from the front of the building made them both jump.

"They've broken in!" Eachan said. "Down, now!"

She started down the stairs and Eachan followed, closing the door. The only sound for a few moments was their feet on the wooden stairs. Aloren gasped, and Eachan heard her stumble. He couldn't stop quickly enough and tripped over her, landing roughly at the bottom of the stairs.

He pulled himself up, his joints groaning in protest, then he fumbled in the dark, reaching everywhere, trying to find her.

"Aloren?" he whispered. "Aloren!"

"Here." Her voice was just a breath.

"How badly are you hurt?"

"Don't know." She took his hand, letting him help her up.

"Can you walk?"

He felt her moving forward.

"Yes."

"Then let's go."

The air streamed past them as they ran blindly onward, Eachan trailing a hand against the wall. Relief poured over him that he'd constructed the tunnel so smoothly. There wouldn't be anything to trip them along the way. Last he'd checked, a day ago, animals hadn't found it yet.

Noises behind them--he looked back. A light at the end--the villagers had found the tunnel. He wasn't surprised, since many of them had helped dig it. They hadn't known what it was for, though, and couldn't figure that out on their own. The few who'd helped toward the end, Eachan had released as a test, making them promise to return. When they never came back, he didn't send more.

A pulsing across his entire torso made him stumble, then fall to the ground. Aloren screamed. He forced himself to his feet and lurched forward a foot or so more before collapsing again.

"Come on, Eachan, come on!" Aloren tugged on his arms.

"Something's wrong," he said, out of breath. Why was it so difficult to move? "Go, girl. Run!"

The dim light revealed the confusion in her eyes. She looked down the tunnel first one way then the other, and back at him, indecision and panic on her face.

# Chapter Forty-One

Jacob sneaked forward, keeping tight to the wall as he neared the town hall.

The villager with the big ax struck the door again, then kicked his way through the hole. All the villagers poured inside the building.

Jacob waited several seconds--no one stayed outside--then dashed forward, eyes wide open, looking for any sign of more Bald Henries. He had to go fast, before Matt returned. They'd planned it so Matt would race around the town for ten or so minutes, hopefully giving Jacob enough time to run in and out with Aloren. Doubt crept into his mind. How was he supposed to go into the town hall, grab her, and get out with people all over inside the building?

He pushed those thoughts aside and trotted up to the front door, peering inside. The room was empty. He paused. Except for a girl lying on the ground. What if it was Aloren? Jacob ran to her and rolled her over, then jumped back in fear. It was Duana. Dead, bruised, barely recognizable. His breath caught in his throat and he stepped away from her, wiping his hands on his jeans. No colors swirled around her at all. He'd gotten so used to seeing varying shades of the rainbow on people's faces that it disturbed him to see someone without it.

Noise upstairs made him jump and he stepped against a wall, flattening himself. The sounds dissipated. After giving the rooms on the first floor a cursory glance, he decided to go upstairs to find the source of the noise.

Nothing in the first few rooms. Then he turned a corner and saw the back of a villager as she disappeared into a room at the end of the hall. He scurried forward and looked into that room. Remembering the knife in his boot, he pulled it out, holding it close to him.

The woman disappeared down a set of stairs opposite Jacob. He crept across the room and glanced down. It was dark, but not so dark that he couldn't safely follow. The stairs had seen quite a bit of use in the last several minutes. There was fresh mud on the steps, and a lot of it.

He reached the bottom, where a long, tall passage opened up before him--man, Eklaron loved tunnels. At least he could plainly see everything in it. A whole ton of villagers were crowding, pushing forward, carrying torches. And there, way ahead of them, barely visible, a hunched-over figure--no, two--running toward the opposite end.

Jacob's heart felt like it was trying to exit his body. One of the figures was a girl, he was sure of it. Aloren! And the other, a larger person. Possibly Eachan?

But how was he to get to them before the villagers did? He'd have to push through the people, and somehow he knew they wouldn't be okay with that.

Then he remembered something. The freshly dug tunnel on the other side of the wall! That _had_ to be where this passage led! From what he could tell, the direction was right. If he hurried, he might make it there to meet Aloren and Eachan!

Jacob sprinted back up the steps, down those at the other side of the town hall, then dashed out the front door, only checking briefly that no one was outside.

Back at the stairwell where he and Matt had arranged to meet, he waited a couple of seconds for Matt before getting too impatient. Then he raced down the street, not caring who or what saw him. He heard footsteps above him and looked up--Matt jumped across the roof of the building next to Jacob.

"Matt!" Jacob called up to him, again not caring who heard him.

His older brother darted to the edge of the building, jumped onto the roof of a porch, and shinnied down the support pillar.

"Where are the Dusts and Bald Henries?" Jacob asked.

"Back there," Matt said, motioning. "Where's the chick?"

"Almost to the main wall now. The villagers are chasing her through a tunnel. We've gotta get to the other end to help her."

Jacob and Matt tore off down the street, nearing the location where they'd left the others. They halted at the sound of running feet, hiding behind an old outhouse. Jacob looked around the side of it. The Ember Gods were coming down the street, heading in the direction of the town hall. Jacob and Matt fled the other way, around the back of a building, and watched as the men went past, swords still in hand.

Jacob's breath caught in his throat. There was only one reason the Ember Gods would have left the fight. His friends had been killed!

"Hurry!" he whispered.

They darted down the street, ducked into an alley, and collided with someone rushing in their direction. Jacob looked up, relief making him forget his panic momentarily.

"Did you see the Ember Gods?" Gallus asked. "They took off at a run--don't know why."

"Ebony and Sweet Pea?"

"Are fine, just a little tired. Where's Aloren?"

"Being chased by the villagers. We have to go. Now."

Gallus nodded, and the three of them dashed back to where Sweet Pea and Ebony waited.

Jacob pulled the key out, shoved it into the lock of the nearest building, yelled, "The Fat Lady's house," and swept them all through to her cabin.

She looked up in shock from her dirty couch where she was talking to Hazel. "Did you get--"

She didn't even have the chance to finish before the group had exited through her door.

Hazel flitted close to Jacob as he pounded down the trail, exertion making his side hurt. "Where's Early?" he gasped.

"Here!" Early's impish voice said from somewhere near his right.

"Make us go faster--Matt and me."

Seconds later, Jacob felt warmth spread across his legs and back, giving him what felt like limitless energy, and he and Matt left the others in the dust.

They tore through the scented air, barely keeping from plowing the people down, and raced to the hole in the ground.

Jacob jumped into it first, Matt close behind. They stopped, waiting for their eyes to adjust to the darkness. There, a couple hundred feet ahead of them, were Aloren and Eachan. Aloren's back was to the brothers, and Eachan was on the ground. They were backlit by the torches the villagers carried. The people were thirty or forty feet behind, and no longer running. It looked like they were struggling to move.

"Aloren!" Jacob called.

"Jacob!" Her voice was distant, but it was hers.

That was enough motivation for Jacob to run again. He reached her in record time, Matt struggling to keep up.

Aloren burst into tears, myriad colors dancing around her face. She dropped Eachan's hand and threw her arms around Jacob. He held her tightly, too happy to see her alive to care that his older brother was watching.

Matt pushed around the two of them and reached for Eachan. He called over his shoulder, "Lover Boy, get over here and help me."

Jacob let go of Aloren and grabbed one of Eachan's hands while Matt took the other. They tried to pull the large man to his feet, but he barely moved a fraction of an inch.

"What's going on?" Matt asked.

"The barrier," Eachan groaned breathlessly. A very deep shade of purplish-blue swirled around him--despair. "The Lorkon must know--stopped me." He reached for Aloren, looking her in the eye. "Please, Aloren. Go!"

"I can't just leave you here!"

"Yes . . . you can. I'll be fine."

"They'll kill you!"

"I'm dead already," he said.

Jacob was shocked to see tears flow from the man's eyes. "Are you sure, Eachan? We can figure something out."

A whooshing sound came from behind the villagers and they screamed, falling to the ground. Fire flowed along the ceiling over their heads. It dissipated and the Ember Gods stepped through, their hands and feet glowing, striding toward Jacob and the others.

"Oh, dang it," Matt said, voicing Jacob's thoughts.

"Hurry!" Eachan yelled.

A blast of flame shot down the length of the tunnel. Jacob dropped to the ground, covering Aloren with his body, Matt alongside them. Jacob felt the flames above him and tried not to breathe in the smoke. The heat wasn't as bad as he'd expected, and he looked at his arms. His skin was glowing blue, and the leaves were so bright, he had to shut his eyes.

Laughter floated toward them. "Turn yourself in, Jacob, and we'll let your friends go. Put up a fight, and none of them will survive."

When the flames died down, Jacob, Matt, and Aloren jumped to their feet and started running as fast as they could away from the deranged men.

Jacob felt the blast before he heard it. There was no way they'd make it in time. Eachan yelled out in pain, and something in Jacob snapped. He let go of Aloren's hand and spun around.

No more. The Ember Gods would no longer terrorize the people of this city.

"Leave him alone!" Jacob yelled.

The flames stopped, and Jacob saw Eachan slump in relief.

"Come with us, and we will."

Jacob glared. He grabbed Matt's knife from where it was attached at Matt's outer thigh, pulled out his own, and ran down the tunnel, yelling.

"Jacob!" Aloren screamed.

"No!" Matt yelled.

The Ember Gods laughed, each of them pulling out their swords.

"How darling," one of the men said, then turned to his companion. "Sanso, the human wishes to fight us."

Sanso grinned, beckoning for Jacob to come forward. 

# Chapter Forty-Two

Jacob jumped over Eachan and met the swords with a clash of metal. He swung violently, dodging the attacks. The Ember Gods barely did anything, though, and he recognized they were just playing with him.

"Stop messing around!" He pushed Sanso as hard as he could, nearly knocking him to the ground. "You wimps! Cowards!"

Sanso's color flickered between boredom--the purplish pink--and irritation--a dark pink--like he was trying to maintain control of his emotions. Jacob pushed him again. "Coward!"

The air around Sanso's face flared bright red, and Jacob knew he'd gotten what he wanted. Sanso glowered. "You really want us to fight? You think we're afraid of you? We could smash you like a fire beetle right now--never mind what's intended for you."

"You couldn't hurt me if you tried. And you're just a puppet of the Lorkon! They tell you what to do, and you do it!"

The other leather-clad man growled, his color changing to match Sanso's. "Let's show him the true power of an Ember God."

Sanso nodded in agreement and they jumped forward, a new energy behind their strikes. Jacob wasn't able to block everything, and he felt the Kaede leaves heating up. He trusted they'd do their job and keep him safe.

Every time the swords struck, a flash of blue light burst from his skin or armor. He blocked as many attacks as he could, doing his best to keep pushing the Ember Gods away from Eachan and the others.

Sanso roared with frustration, becoming even more ferocious in his advances.

After several minutes, Jacob felt his armor begin to wear out. The strikes started to hurt and he couldn't tell if they were piercing through. Sweat dribbled into his eyes, making them sting and get blurry.

The scenery around Jacob changed drastically. He froze, still holding his knives. The Ember Gods, the tunnel, the darkness--all of it had disappeared. Instead, he was surrounded by mountains so tall, he couldn't see the sun.

"No, no, no!"

Jacob shook himself, punched out, kicked, tried to get over whatever his body was doing to him. The mountains didn't disappear. " _No!_ I can't hallucinate now!"

A gust of wind brought snow flurries with it, and Jacob realized he was shivering. He spun and ran up the side of the mountain nearest him. He threw rocks, viciously stabbed snow banks. Nothing he did jolted him back to his own reality.

He'd failed. Sanso would take Aloren and Matt to the Lorkon. Devastation hit him and he fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands, squinting to keep the tears from dropping from his eyes. What was wrong with him? Why, during the most important fight of his life, had this happened?

"Jacob!"

The shriek made him raise his face. A flash of light replaced by blackness, then a burst of flame as an Ember God blasted him with fire. He was back in the tunnel. Relief poured over him even as he realized he didn't have much time left. How long would the armor last?

Sanso was still attacking, though he was starting to favor his left shoulder--the one Jacob had stabbed when they first met. Had he and his companion even noticed Jacob's episode? Matt and Aloren were screaming at him from behind.

Jacob jumped to his feet, thrusting forward with his knife. It nicked Sanso in the left shoulder, and he screamed in rage.

"Pile of beetle dung!" he shrieked. "Worthless human!"

If things hadn't been so insane, Jacob might have laughed at the pathetic insults.

The Ember God grabbed Jacob and flung him over Eachan, at least twenty feet down the tunnel, toward Matt and Aloren. Jacob slammed against the side of the passage before falling to the ground. The power of the leaves dimmed to a nearly imperceptible level. He only had a few moments of protection left.

The Ember Gods sent a blast of flame and Jacob jumped to his feet, bright fire roaring past him on either side. His armor barely held the heat back.

"Early!" Jacob called. "Hazel!"

The Minyas appeared next to him.

"Give me strength, both of you, and help me push forward!"

The Minyas nodded and disappeared.

Two spots on his shoulders warmed where the Minyas touched him and he broke into a sprint, then a fast lope. The blaze stopped and he raced toward the Ember Gods, his mind clearer than it had been since entering Eklaron. He put his hands in front of him, wondering what would happen if he tried to mold the air. Was it possible?

The flames were just erupting for a second time when Jacob leaped over Eachan. The air in front of his hands started to ripple and bounce. There was a flash of light as the fire touched Jacob's palms, and his hands started glowing such a bright blue that he couldn't look at them. The inferno flared around him, not burning him.

He continued running, letting the Minyas' energy help him push forward. The strength behind the Ember Gods' power grew as Jacob neared, but he didn't stop.

Taking advantage of their surprise, Jacob jumped through the last of the flames and landed in front of the Ember Gods, letting loose a wild roar.

The men looked up in surprise. Blinded by the searing light, they hadn't seen him coming. Instinctively, they raised their hands to blast him, but Jacob was ready.

He concentrated as hard as he could, sensing power originating from the Minyas. He drew on this and held the intensity inside himself. Then he released it at the same time the fire exploded from the Ember God's hands.

Jacob's power was stronger.

The Ember Gods cried out, and the force behind Jacob's attack blasted them back. He heard his brother and Aloren calling him to come, but he ignored them. He wasn't done.

Drawing from the Minyas' power again, he reached into the sides of the tunnel, using the air shield he'd created as spatulas to pull out huge chunks of earth, then he dug into the dirt above him.

The sides and top of the passage collapsed, filling in the tunnel, and Jacob jumped back.

He concentrated one last time, sucking power once more from the Minyas, and molded the entire mound of dirt into a huge stone, barring the way.

His arms fell to his side, the job finished.

Matt and Aloren reached him at the same time. Both were panicked and screaming. Jacob searched the air, looking for the Minyas, but couldn't see where they'd gone. He looked down and gasped.

Early and Hazel lay on the ground. _Oh, please don't be dead_. He gently picked them up and carried them out of the tunnel.

# Chapter Forty-Three

The group caught up right when Jacob exited the tunnel. After a joyful reunion between Gallus and Aloren, Ebony ordered the teenagers and the Minyas to go to the Fat Lady's cabin while she, Gallus, and Sweet Pea stayed behind to see to Eachan.

Jacob couldn't remember a time when he'd been happier to see the Fat Lady's messy interior. He was exhausted, but couldn't help smile at what had happened. He'd _sensed_ the Minyas' power and had been able to draw from it! Was it a new ability? It had to be--he could now feel the magical skills of those around him. The Fat Lady actually had a gift when it came to potions. That was why they worked so well. Her gift was the final ingredient. He wondered if she knew that.

Matt and Aloren had the same feeling, and Jacob understood why. They were non-magical humans, but had taken the same potion. Matt recently, and Aloren several months ago.

And the Minyas--the poor, sweet Minyas. They'd survived, though they'd been unconscious most of the time while Jacob had carried them back. He watched over them as Matt helped Aloren clean up the cuts she'd sustained during a fall in her escape. When she was ready, Jacob returned her bag. She smiled at him gratefully and pulled out Hazel's container, gently placing the Minya inside.

The Fat Lady dug through her cabin for several minutes, trying to find a box for Early. She finally emerged, her bun coming loose, a metal tin in her hand.

"This should do the trick," she said. "Haven't used it in years, but that doesn't matter." She handed the silver container to Jacob.

Jacob gently slid his fingers under Early's still form, placed her on the cushioned material in the box, and closed the lid.

"Don't touch those for at least half an hour," the Fat Lady said. "Any movement will set the Minyas back, and being so close to death, it'll most likely kill them."

Jacob pulled his hand away from the container. He'd feel awful if Early died because he knocked her box accidentally.

Ebony, Gallus, and Sweet Pea arrived, out of breath, and slammed the cabin door shut, deep yellow swirling around their faces.

"Phew!" Sweet Pea said. "That was close!"

"What happened?" Jacob asked.

"The Lorkon showed up right as we were leaving the tunnel. We barely beat them here."

The Fat Lady looked out the window near the front door. "Yup. They look ticked. Good thing the spells on my cabin are stronger than they are."

Aloren stood. "Eachan?"

"We had to leave him behind," Ebony said. "We couldn't move him. Not even an inch."

Jacob nodded. "The Lorkon barrier," he said. He hesitated, glancing at Aloren, then back to Ebony. "Is he alive?"

"Yes," Ebony said. "He should be fine in a few hours. His injuries were mostly minimal--exhaustion and burns, which we treated with Kaede sap." She sat down, wiping sweat off her forehead. "I just don't know what to do, though. He's stuck there. Can't go forward, can't go back. He'll die unless someone checks on him regularly. Gives him food and so forth."

"Wow. That's gonna be awful for him," Matt said.

Ebony nodded. "We'll make him as comfortable as possible."

Gallus looked around. "How are all of you doing?"

"Matt and I are fine," Jacob said. He nodded to Aloren. "She could use some Kaede sap, though. She's got cuts that don't look good."

The Fat Lady and Ebony worked together to mend Aloren's wounds, and Jacob rested his forearms on his knees. He looked up when Ebony gasped.

"Oh, wow," Ebony said, holding Aloren's arm. "How'd this happen?"

"Sanso, the Ember God, burned me, trying to get me to talk."

"Let me see," Jacob said, his voice tight.

Aloren approached him, a hesitant expression on her face. She lifted her sleeves, revealing white-patterned skin on her upper and lower arms.

Jacob stared at them in horror. "It's like he . . . he tattooed you! How'd you _handle_ that?"

She shrugged. "Same as how I lived through watching my mother die--there wasn't anything else I could do. And I wasn't going to tell them about you."

A strong emotion flowed through Jacob--he wasn't sure what it was. Pride? She'd defended him! He felt his cheeks redden.

"She's got some pretty tender bruises and other wounds," the Fat Lady said. "But we've fixed her up the best we can for the time being. She'll be fine. No broken bones. What she really needs is a good, long night's rest."

The Fat Lady pointed at Gallus. "You're next."

"I'm fine--didn't get hurt. Just tired."

"Same here," Sweet Pea said.

"Well, shoot," the Fat Lady said, looking disappointed. "How'd you guys get off so easily?"

Gallus smiled. "We were evenly matched against the Ember Gods. They couldn't get an upper hand on us, nor we on them." He paused. "We'll need more on our side if we fight them again."

"When, more likely," Ebony said.

The Fat Lady inclined her head. "We need Shiengols." She motioned to Jacob. " _He_ needs them."

Jacob frowned. "Why would I need Shiengols? And aren't they extinct?" It'd been a long time since he'd last heard them even mentioned.

Gallus leaned back in his chair. "They're wise, powerful beings, and will better be able to help you develop your abilities." He sighed. "And no, they're not extinct. They're stuck in August Fortress where the Lorkon imprisoned them so many years ago."

Jacob's eyebrows shot up. "Have they been there this whole time? Since I was a baby?"

"Yes." Gallus rubbed his face.

"There wasn't any way to release them," Ebony said. "We tried, but the Lorkon stopped us each time. Realizing we were worth more to the Shiengols alive than dead, we gave up."

Jacob felt himself flush. "Gave up?"

"Yes," Gallus said. "Not forever, of course. We need to get them out soon."

"Are they even still alive?" Matt asked.

Gallus snorted. "Of course they are."

Matt frowned. "How do you know?"

"They're Shiengols."

Matt rolled his eyes. "That doesn't mean anything to me."

Gallus sat down, leaning back in the chair, eyes closed. "You can't just kill a Shiengol. It takes special weapons to get rid of them permanently. They're not immortal, but they do live for a very, very long time."

The group was silent for several moments while the Fat Lady brought out drinks.

Matt took his cup and sniffed it. "Please tell me this won't taste anything like that disgusting stuff you made me drink last time."

The Fat Lady laughed. "Worse. It's made from the juice of apples."

"Oh, okay." Matt downed the entire glass and asked for more.

Jacob turned to Gallus. "What made the Ember Gods run away from you guys back in Maivoryl City?"

"I'm not sure, really. We'd stopped fighting for a moment, and there was a pop and a small burst of flame in front of the Ember Gods. The flame went away and a black object floated in front of them. Couldn't hear what was happening, but it looked like they were talking to the thing. Then another pop, a burst of flame, and the thing disappeared. The Ember Gods ignored us and raced down the street."

"Fire Beetles," the Fat Lady said. "They're new--come from a different planet."

" _Another_ planet?" Jacob asked.

"Yup. The same planet where Pulsers and Turners originate. I've done my research since you and Matt tried to get Aloren last time. Fire Turner, by the way, is the correct name for these Ember Gods--from what I've heard, they enjoy their nickname, but we don't need to be building up their egos. Beetles are the equivalent of a Minya on that planet, though they're only good for one conversation. They appear, the people talk back and forth through them, then the beetles burst into flames and die."

"They die?" Matt asked. "Seems kinda extreme."

"Sure is." The Fat Lady sat on the couch. "The Lorkon have discovered many things that are foreign to us. I've done my best here, researching and trying to figure it all out, but with only a little luck."

"Wait," Aloren said, turning to Jacob. "You tried to get me once already?"

Jacob nodded. "Yeah. We weren't very successful, though. The Fire Turners burned my back and broke Matt's leg. Ebony was able to heal us."

Gallus stretched, then got to his feet. "I'm ready to head home. We should report to Brojan and Kenji, and Jacob, I'm sure your parents want to hear from you too."

# Chapter Forty-Four

Jacob took Gallus home after they'd met with Brojan and Kenji. Once they were inside the shop, the taller man turned and offered his hand to Jacob.

"I owe you an apology for how I've treated you."

Jacob shook his head. "No, you were right to be upset."

"It was out of your control. I couldn't have done any better than you did." He paused to take off his armor. When he looked at Jacob again, his eyes were glistening. "Thank you for getting Aloren back."

"No problem." Jacob smiled. It felt good to be on the man's good side again.

They exchanged goodbyes, then Jacob returned to Taga. He and Matt went with Aloren to her tower to get her things. She'd decided to take Akeno up on the offer to live with the Makalos.

After dropping Aloren off at the tree, Jacob and Matt keyed home. Brojan decided Jacob could keep the key, since Aloren had been rescued, but he made the brothers swear up and down not to do anything stupid and to talk to him before going anywhere.

Jacob was just fine with that.

***

"What happens now?" Aloren asked Jacob, pulling the coat she wore closer around her. "Any big plans?"

They leaned against the ledge of one side of the canyon in Taga, watching the first snowflakes fall. Makalos bustled around them, readying the village for winter.

"Basketball tryouts are coming up soon," Jacob said. "I need to get ready for those. And I'll be helping to get the Shiengols out of August Fortress. Gallus is organizing that." He paused, then glanced at her. "You?"

She sighed. "Explore your world, eventually. Forget about the past. And . . . and my brother. Live a normal life." She turned to him. "I want to help Eachan somehow. I know he didn't do very many good things, but he did save my life--more than once."

Jacob nodded. The Fat Lady had gone to the tunnel to check on the man, but he wasn't there. She guessed the Lorkon had taken him back to Maivoryl City.

"Tell me about the town hall. I . . ." Jacob paused. He wanted to tell Aloren how happy he was that she was back now, but he wasn't sure how to say it. "I'm really glad you made it. Gallus was _so_ angry with me for a long time."

Aloren laughed. "Oh, I can imagine how he responded. He can get pretty intense sometimes." She faced the canyon floor below them again. "It's really good to be with you again. And Jacob, I missed you. A lot. It was weird to me how much. I mean, my mom has been dead for nearly six months now and I miss her too, but it's different from how I felt while being in the town hall. I knew you were still alive--prayed you were--and held onto that more than anything else. I even wondered what you were doing more than I wondered about my brother."

They fell silent for a while. Jacob mulled over what she'd just said. She'd thought about him! Probably as much as he'd thought about her. He sneaked a few glances in her direction--wondering what she was thinking now. A half-smile slowly crossed her face, showing her dimple, and a warmth flowed through him. He remembered how irritated that smile had made him when he first met her. But now he knew it would never annoy him again.

Her hand rested on the cement barrier near him. He looked at it, then glanced at her again. He almost--almost--put his hand next to hers, but hesitated, not sure how she would react. She pulled away when excited voices drifted toward them, her eyes lighting up. Jacob turned to see where she was looking.

"Jacob!" Matt called. "You've got to see this!"

Akeno was running toward them without a limp! Matt ran next to him, and they were followed by Jaegar and Sweet Pea.

Aloren laughed, then a solemn expression crossed her features. "About my brother and mom . . . I'll always love them. I'll always hope to find my brother someday. But there's so much to enjoy in the present. Why stress over what's been done in the past--the things I can't control? And maybe he'll find his way to me if I stop running all over the place searching for him."

Jacob agreed, but then looked over the canyon again. How different his situation was from hers. Nearly everything depended on learning from what had happened in the past.

He smiled, put his serious thoughts away, and turned back to the approaching group. For now, he was content with simply enjoying the friendships he'd forged.

###

Note from the author:

Hello, everyone! :-) I had a lot of fun doing the research for this book. I like basing my magic in real-life stuff, and I used two different websites for the emotion colors Jacob sees. Here's the image from the one that came most in handy:

In case it's not big enough, you can find it, and the information behind it on this website. The credit they use on their site for the image is this: "Thanks to do2learn.com for creating this fun Emotions Color Wheel."

I wanted to use a real town and a real high school for this series--it made it more fun for me, especially since Mendon is only an hour or so away. If you ever get the chance, you should visit this beautiful little city. The valley it's in is one of the most gorgeous I've ever seen.

Anyway, students there who aren't in Logan's district are sent to Mountain Crest High School. My husband and I visited the high school and walked all over it so I could get a feel for the place. It's a HUGE high school - has a pool, several gyms, and wings. A math wing, an English wing, etc. During lunch, teachers and other "official" people would go to the orange gym to ref/watch the students play basketball, which is where the idea for those scenes came from.

If you're interested in getting a free box set, click here, and I'll see you in the next author note! :-)

Much love. :-)

Andrea

P.S. Every time a reader leaves a review, a Silver Tree bud blooms. Please help this author out by posting a review on Ember Gods. Even just one sentence will do! It doesn't need to be complicated or wordy. Thank you so much!

# August Fortress

**Kilenya Chronicles Book Three**

Andrea Pearson

# Dedication

**To my husband**

As always

For his love and support

# Chapter One

Jacob rolled out of bed. It was well past midnight, and he was thirsty. He slowly pulled his door open, hoping the squeak wouldn't wake anyone, then crept downstairs to the kitchen. He filled a glass with water and leaned against the bay window near the table, looking outside as he drank.

The moon was bright enough to see nearly anything, and Jacob studied the trees, thinking over the past two days since he'd returned from getting Aloren out of Maivoryl City. It was so awesome to have her back. She was smiling a lot more now, and even laughed at Matt's jokes.

Speaking of Matt--he'd been careful not to tread on Jacob's toes where Aloren was concerned, assuring Jacob that Sammy, his girlfriend, was the only girl for him. Jacob really appreciated that. He frowned--he still hadn't had the opportunity to ask his parents how Matt had come to be in the family.

He brought the cup to his lips one last time, staring out the window, then nearly dropped it when several shadows passed near the brush about twenty feet away.

He set the glass on the counter and peered out the window. Was it Kevin and his friends? Probably not--they hadn't played pranks on the Clarks for a while now.

Was it the Lorkon? Jacob felt his pulse quicken.

Only one way to find out.

He got on his knees and crawled past the window to the mud room. Grabbing his darkest hoodie, he put it on as he scrambled to the back door, then slipped outside.

Jacob squinted through the darkness, trying to see where the shadows had gone. There! Men--not boys. It wasn't Kevin after all. The last of them looked back in his direction, then entered the forest. Jacob crept forward, following. He had to know who they were, and if they were from Eklaron.

He straightened behind a tree when he entered the woods, looking around. He'd lost the group. Where did they go?

Jacob shaded his eyes from the bright moon, trying to see through the branches. A _ping_ sounded in the air, and wind brushed his cheek. He put his hand there and looked to the side to see what had passed him. He saw nothing.

Another _ping_ , and this time he instinctively dropped to the ground. There was a loud _thwack_ right next to his head and he shied away, then stared.

An arrow was embedded in the tree right where his head had just been.

A third _ping_ , then the loudest human howl Jacob had ever heard sounded through the air--made even louder by the cool of the night.

Jacob's heart nearly leaped from his chest, and he scrambled away from the arrow and the source of the scream, burrowing deep into a large bush.

Everything went still.

Then the forest erupted into a frenzy--several pings from either side of Jacob--and arrows flew everywhere. A set of legs appeared near him, and he looked up in shock at a man dressed like a Native American. Dark-colored war paint was smeared across his face, and he held a dagger in one hand and a bow in the other. Bright red colors swirled in the air around him--anger. He put the dagger into a strap on his leather leggings, then pulled an arrow from his quiver, peering through the night.

What was going on? As far as Jacob knew, there weren't any Indians on Eklaron, and this definitely was still earth. He held his breath, trying to be as quiet as he could.

The man got on one knee near the bush, but somehow didn't see Jacob. He raised his bow, the arrow already nocked in place. He glared through the trees, ignoring the arrows flying around him.

He let his arrow go, and raised his chin when someone nearby screamed, then fell to the ground with a thud. Jacob gasped--that person hadn't been far away at all. Had Jacob somehow jumped into the middle of a war reenactment? And what would the Indian do if he saw Jacob? What was going on? And if it was a reenactment, why did he see anger earlier?

Another Native American strode up to the one near Jacob and spoke a language that seemed to be only garbled words, helping the first to his feet. They laughed like the funniest thing ever had just happened, then the first turned and called in the strange language, and there were hoots and hollers. The forest around Jacob was swarming with more Natives.

Jacob had to get away. But how? They'd most definitely see him. He leaned forward, keeping his eyes on the Native American who'd been closest to him. The man strode to a crumpled form, grabbed the figure by the hair, pulled his knife out, and before Jacob could look away, scalped him.

Jacob nearly retched into the bush, fighting to keep the bile down. He'd seen a lot of things, but none of them were as sickening as what he just witnessed. Barbaric!

Soon, the group of men, still hollering and shouting happily, moved far enough away to give Jacob an opening to escape through.

He scrambled to his knees and slipped out of his bush, then, without looking backward, crawled as fast as he could through the forest toward his house. He held his breath, waiting for the Native Americans to see him.

They didn't.

Jacob blew out a small breath in relief that no one seemed to be paying any attention to him. But he couldn't figure out what was going on. They'd spoken a different language--were there enough people nearby to put together a reenactment that thorough? Or was there an Indian reservation close to Mendon that Jacob didn't know about?

His pulse sped when he heard feet rushing toward him. He was being chased--they must've seen him after all. Would they kill him? Kidnap him? What about his family?

He curled up in a ball, protecting his head, when the runners reached him.

And passed by.

Peeking through his arms, he watched as several pairs of brown legs zoomed through the trees on either side of him. They were racing toward his house--his family was in danger!

Jacob lurched to his feet, tuning out the tingling sensation in his legs as blood rushed back into them. He stumbled forward and pushed himself into a fast jog, then a run. He rounded the last tree in the forest, then stumbled again, falling to the ground.

His home was gone. Completely. Nothing was there except . . . except for an Indian camp. Devastation and panic flowed through him--he was too late. The Native Americans had already destroyed his home!

But . . . logically, they couldn't have done so in such a short amount of time. And he would've heard it. This had to be a nightmare. There was no way any of this could be happening. He squeezed his eyes shut as tight as possible and pinched himself. The house was going to be there when he opened his eyes. This was all just a dream! It wasn't real.

Except, he couldn't shake the feeling that said it _was_ real.

Jacob jumped when feet rushed toward him, then jerked away when a strong hand grabbed his arm, trying to pull him to his feet.

"Son!"

Jacob squinted, opening his eyes. Dad! How did he get here?

"Did you see the Indians?"

"Jacob. Jacob!" Dad said, fear in his voice. "Come on, you've got to shake yourself out of this."

Jacob tried to get out of his dad's grip. "No, Dad, no! We're not safe. Indians are attacking--they scalped a man, Dad. We've got to go!"

Matt stepped into view, rubbing his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Mom joined them and Jacob's body tensed up. Then he looked at the house behind her. It was there! But where did the Indian camp go?

"Jacob honey, what's wrong?"

"He's hallucinating again," Dad said.

"Not a hallucination. There's no way--they were real, Mom!" What he'd witnessed couldn't possibly be fake. Not at all.

She put her arms around him. "Who was real?"

He didn't realize tears were streaming down his face until just then, and he quickly wiped them away. "The Indians--attacking. Their camp is right here--was--where the house is now!"

"That's not possible, son," Dad said. "Let's get back inside. We'll figure this out together."

Jacob ignored the expressions of concern his parents shared. He couldn't shake the fear from his system--the sense of danger and urgency. What had happened? If none of it was real, was it a sign? A warning that something was coming? Or was he going completely crazy?

His legs shook really badly, and his mom helped him sit on the couch when they got in the living room. "Start at the top. What did you see?"

Jacob swallowed a few times, trying to collect his thoughts. "I couldn't sleep. Got a drink. A bunch of people were outside, and I went out to see who--in case they were the Lorkon or something."

"You should've woken me up," Matt said. "I'd have gone with you."

"I followed them into the forest. They were crouching--trying to be quiet. Then arrows started flying through the air, and I saw Indians! All over the place--and--and they scalped someone! Then they raced toward the house and I thought they were going to attack all of you."

Jacob's parents exchanged a glance. Mom looked panicked.

"It couldn't have been real, Janna," Dad said. He turned to Jacob. "You're sure it wasn't a dream?"

"I'm positive it wasn't." Then he hesitated. "But . . . something weird--they didn't see or hear me or anything."

Dad frowned. "It had to have been a night terror."

"Isn't sixteen a bit old for night terrors?" Mom asked.

Dad paced the carpet in front of Jacob. "Don't know."

"But it felt so real," Jacob said. "Not like a dream at all. And I actually felt wind from one of the arrows passing by."

"Night terrors can be like that."

Matt grunted, leaning up against the doorway to the kitchen. "I still think you should've come and got me."

Mom glanced at him, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "Get in bed, Matt. You have school in the morning."

"So does he."

"He's not going."

Matt grumbled, practically dragging his feet on the way out of the room.

Jacob accepted a blanket from his mom, putting it around his shoulders. He sank back into the couch, still trying to calm down. What was he going to do? He couldn't keep doing these sorts of things.

# Chapter Two

Dad sat on the couch opposite him and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "What can we do to help?"

Jacob shook his head. "I don't know, Dad. I don't understand most of what's going on around me anymore." He looked up. "I wish _you_ did, though. I wish you could figure all this out."

Dad nodded. "I know. We could take you to a doctor again, but I really don't think that'll help."

Mom sat next to Dad, a blanket for the two of them to share in her hands. "No, it didn't last time. These must be night terrors. But why? He's never had this problem before."

No one responded. Jacob snuggled further into his blanket, feeling the panic finally leave him. His parents were smart and had access to smart people--they were royalty, after all. They'd figure things out.

His mom left to make three cups of hot chocolate. He and Dad didn't speak, and he was fine with that. He wanted to relax and stop thinking about his hallucination. Or night terror. Whatever it was.

A few minutes later, Mom returned, handing out mugs. Jacob sipped his hot chocolate, enjoying the warmth as it flowed down his throat and into his stomach. After a moment, he put the cup down, ready to ask something he'd wanted to know for a while.

"Where did Matt come from?"

Mom looked up, surprised. "You don't know already?" She turned to Dad. "You didn't tell him?"

"No--haven't had the chance." Dad's eyes glowed and he rubbed his hands together. "You already know that when I came to Arien's kingdom, I brought my best friend, Kelson, with me."

Jacob nodded. "And he helped distract the Lorkon when you got Mom and me."

"Yes. He fought alongside me--faithful as always. He wanted to rescue his queen, even though he didn't have to. His wife, your mother's best friend, had been badly abused and left to die. We found her and made sure she was comfortable. I gave Kelson the choice to remain with her or to continue with me, and he chose to continue."

"And was killed trying to get the Shiengols." Jacob thought he could see where this was going. "He left a son behind, didn't he?"

Mom nodded, rubbing her eyes. "Yes. There was no way we were going to leave a one-year-old boy in Maivoryl City with the Lorkon coming to power--especially the child of parents who were so important to us, and loyal." She looked at Jacob. "His mom had been my biggest help in the castle--my best friend. She and I were inseparable. And when your father and Kelson came from Troosinal, Midian fell in love with Kelson while I fell more in love with your father."

His parents beamed at each other, Mom's cheeks glowing. Green swirled in the air around them and Jacob looked away, embarrassed by their obvious affection. They'd always been so . . . so _mushy_.

"When we found out Midian had passed away, we brought the boy with us, intending to raise him as our own."

"Does he know he'd been adopted?"

"Of course. But we've never treated him like he wasn't one of ours."

Jacob thought over this new information. Matt wasn't from earth either! Did he remember living in Eklaron? How would he have forgotten it? "How'd you explain to him the whole being-from-another-world thing?"

"Didn't have to. He'd been very traumatized when the Lorkon attacked the castle, and his memories of that time have always been vague. He didn't know the difference between the two worlds."

"But now he knows the truth, right?"

Mom folded up the blanket she and Dad had been using. "Yes. I told him the night your father and Amberly were kidnapped. He wasn't as shocked as we'd expected."

Dad laughed. "Quite the opposite. He thought being from another planet was great." He leaned forward, a serious expression on his face. "Kenji told me Gallus wants to get a group together to find the Shiengols."

"Yeah. And they'll need my help." Jacob hesitated. "That's okay, right?"

"Of course. And I've been thinking a lot . . . I've decided I'm coming too."

Jacob sat up. "Really? Awesome!"

A half smile crossed Dad's face. "And it's about time we taught you how to fight with a sword."

"Great."

Dad nodded. "The Makalos want to go during Thanksgiving break."

"That's this month--good."

"All right," Mom said. "I'm tired. It's time to get back in bed." She brushed Jacob's hair off his forehead, feeling his temperature, then took his mug. "Will you be okay now?"

"Yeah, I think so." Jacob didn't mind his mom fawning over him--it would probably never stop, regardless of how old he got.

Jacob climbed the stairs to his room, excited at the thought of learning how to fight from his dad.

He pulled the blankets up and sighed contentedly. This would be the best month ever. As long as he didn't hallucinate--or have a night terror--again.

***

Jacob didn't wake up until nearly noon--he was surprised Mom let him sleep that long. After showering, he went downstairs to the kitchen, where Mom was eating a tomato sandwich.

"The Makalos have been asking about you all morning--everyone over there is worried, especially Aloren."

Aloren? Jacob's mouth went dry. "What did you tell them?"

"That I'd send you as soon as you got up."

Jacob hesitated. "I can go visit them?"

Mom laughed. "Of course--you're not a prisoner, and you're not sick. Just overly exhausted. I excused you from classes all day."

"Thank you." Jacob hugged her.

She patted his arm, then pulled away, looking him over. "You've been really stressed. I don't want it to ruin your feelings toward Eklaron."

Jacob rolled his eyes. It didn't surprise him that she'd want him to fall in love with her--their--world. "It won't, Mom. I promise."

"Okay. Get going--they're anxious to see you."

Jacob grabbed an apple and dashed upstairs to get the key and his shoes. After he'd swallowed the last bite of apple, nearly choking on it in his hurry, he keyed himself to Taga Village. He couldn't wait to see Aloren.

The dark interior of Kenji's place let him know no one was home. Rather than key over to the tree, he decided to walk there.

Jacob started down the path that wound between the Makalo dwellings. He put his hands in his jacket pockets and nodded at people as he passed, picking up speed. It was cold.

When he got to the ledge, he saw that Kenji and Ebony were down by the tree, talking to Aloren.

"Hey," he called, waving, then quickly descended the wall, using the holes etched into the stone.

He turned as Aloren threw her arms around him. "You're here. And you're alive!"

He laughed. "'Course I am."

She flushed and stepped away, tucking her hair behind her ear. Jacob's heart thudded in his chest--she liked him! Right?

Ebony and Kenji caught up. "Your mom told us what happened last night," Ebony said, "and we've been very worried about your hallucination. Especially after what took place when you were in the tunnel with the Ember Gods."

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty frustrating, not knowing what's going on."

"We'll figure it out soon," Kenji said, clapping his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Or, you will. We really won't be much help here."

Jacob chuckled. "Good to know."

Ebony grabbed Kenji's arm, pulling him away. "We were on our way to visit some friends when we saw Aloren. Dear, let's keep going. We can leave these two to catch up."

Aloren's face split in a grin as she turned to Jacob, and he marveled at the change in her from the first time they'd met. Where had this enthusiastic, happy person been back then?

"You've got to see what I've done with the tree!" she said.

Jacob followed her, wondering if she'd added a secret room or something. The idea of being alone with her was definitely appealing.

She opened the door and waved for Jacob to go in first.

He stepped into the slightly darker interior and raised an eyebrow. 

# Chapter Three

Aloren had hung blue polka-dot curtains, used a matching tablecloth and a huge, brightly-colored rug, and put random things on the bookshelves. Vases or statues or something--Jacob didn't go close enough to see what they were.

"Isn't it awesome?" she said, spreading her arms wide. "I love it. And what's even better--there aren't holes in the ground like at the tower."

"It's, uh . . . it's great." Jacob grinned, putting his hands in his pockets. They'd started sweating the moment he and Aloren had walked into the tree. They were alone. Alone. He crossed his fingers that things would go well--that he wouldn't embarrass himself by saying something stupid.

How would she feel if he tried to hold her hand again? Would it be better to wait? Or should he just reach out and grab it? He chewed the inside of his cheek. No, he'd wait--he needed to figure out how not to be nervous around her first. The last time he'd tried, it had taken him several minutes to get up the courage, and just as he had, she pulled away.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked, walking to the refrigerator. "This thing keeps food cold. It's pretty awesome."

"Yeah, I love them too."

Jacob shook his head at himself. He loved fridges? He hadn't ever even thought about them before--aside from being something that was in the kitchen. "And yes--I'd like a drink. What've you got?"

"Water. And soda. Do you like soda?"

"Definitely."

She pulled out a two-liter bottle of root beer and poured him a glass. After putting the soda away, she sat across from him at the table, tracing patterns on the tablecloth. The colors in the air around her changed from bright green to a light orange--nervousness.

She took a deep breath. "I've been thinking . . ."

He put his cup down. "About what?"

"And I've talked to the Makalos and they think it's okay if . . . I . . . I'd like to attend your school, so I can meet humans my age and learn more about your world."

She'd told Jacob a couple days before that there weren't a lot of teenagers in Macaria. He was constantly amazed at how many people were killed by the Lorkon. After Jacob and his parents had escaped, the Lorkon went around killing infants and children, trying to find him. Guilt flooded over him. He'd caused so much destruction to Eklaron, simply by existing.

Then what she'd said hit him. "Wait. You want to come to school? That's a great idea!" It made him excited to think he'd see her on earth too. He paused. "We'd have to ask my parents, though. Make sure it would be okay."

She nodded. "Can we do that right now?"

"Why not? Mom's home, and she'll call my dad at work."

"Great. Let's go." Aloren got up from the table, stepped to the door, and turned, smiling at Jacob.

His heart skipped around inside his chest--her smile was so pretty--and he felt his ears redden. He looked down, fumbling with the key in his hands. Finally, he got it in the lock the right way and took them to his house.

"Mom?" he called out. "You here?"

"In the office, honey."

Jacob started across the living room, heading to the doorway of his parents' study, but paused when he noticed that Aloren wasn't following. She stood at the front door, staring as if she'd never seen it before. He looked around, seeing things through her eyes. The piano, fireplace, couches, pictures on tables and walls would all be foreign to her. He couldn't wait to show her the TV and sound system in the family room!

"Wow," she said, running a hand across the worn couch, fingering an old blanket, then crossing to the fireplace. "I love it--it's so . . ." She turned to him, and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "So much like a real home. Where people who care for each other live."

He raised an eyebrow, then quickly hid his surprise. That wasn't what he'd expected--she didn't even comment on the things that wouldn't be in her own world. He cleared his throat, determined to ignore her emotions. "Yup." He motioned her to follow him to the study.

"Um . . . Mom, you remember Aloren, right?"

"Your Majesty," Aloren said, sinking to one knee.

Jacob's mouth popped open, and his mom blushed.

"Oh. Oh, dear," Mom said, walking around the desk. "Thank you--very much." She pulled Aloren up.

"It's such an honor to finally meet you--Gallus spoke of you and King Dmitri all the time."

Mom's cheeks flushed even redder. "It's been many years since I was anywhere other than Taga Village."

Aloren nodded. Then she looked at Jacob, her expression reminding him why they were there.

"Oh," Jacob said. She wanted _him_ to ask. He quickly explained Aloren's idea to Mom.

"Well, I think it'll work--it's an excellent opportunity for you to increase your experience." She walked around the desk. "But I need to talk it over with Dmitri first. Step out for a moment, please, and shut the door. I'll call him."

They left the room and Jacob sat next to Aloren on the couch--his mom had just called Dad Dmitri! Weird.

Neither said anything. Jacob folded his arms and looked at the wall in front of him, careful not to inadvertently touch Aloren. She leaned back and gazed at the ceiling, staring at the light fixture, twirling a strand of hair in her fingers. Mom's muffled voice came through the door, but Jacob couldn't understand what she was saying. Finally, she put the phone down and came out.

"King Dmitri and I would like to talk it over with both of you before giving our go-ahead. Come on in." She held the door for Jacob and Aloren.

"Aloren?" Dad's voice came out of the speakerphone.

Aloren jumped, then leaned forward, looking at the device on the desk. "It's really a phone. Wow."

"Yes. We want to make sure you're absolutely clear on something before we allow you to attend school here."

Aloren nodded. "Whatever you think is necessary."

"No one--not one person--knows anything about another world and the link to it near our house. You must be extremely careful in your communications with others--both students and teachers."

"I will. I promise."

"And we'd rather you not get involved in any after-school activities. Once the final class lets out, you'll return to Eklaron right away."

Aloren folded her hands in her lap. "That won't be a problem."

"Last, have you spoken with Gallus about this? He's the one who needs to give permission."

Aloren blushed. "I haven't--it didn't occur to me."

"Do you have your Minya with you?"

Aloren lifted the knapsack she always carried. "Yes--Hazel is here. I'm getting her out now."

"Good."

No one said anything while Aloren opened Hazel's container. Hazel's eyes sparkled as she looked up at Aloren, then she waved to Jacob, who grinned back at the little creature.

"Okay, she's ready."

"Hazel, can you hear me?"

Hazel nodded. "Yes."

Dad asked the Minya to deliver a message to Gallus, telling the man about Aloren's desire to attend school on earth with Jacob.

Jacob leaned forward in his chair, paying close attention to the conversation between Gallus, his parents, and Aloren as Hazel flitted back and forth, delivering messages. He crossed his fingers, hoping everyone would agree that having Aloren attend school would be a good idea.

Hazel flashed back with Gallus's final message, giving his permission just so long as Aloren made sure to follow the king and queen's instructions closely.

"All right, Aloren," Dad said from the phone. "It looks like you're going to be Mountain Crest High School's newest student."

Aloren grinned broadly, getting to her feet. "Wonderful!"

Mom smiled. "I'll take you to the school in a minute to meet with a counselor and set up classes--we'll say you're an exchange student." She looked over Aloren's clothes. "Those should work for now--the leather pants aren't too different, and people here occasionally wear cotton tops like that. You won't stand out too much, and I'll take you shopping later." She paused, thinking. "But we want to make sure your first day isn't awkward. Jacob, how about you take her over to Tani's after school lets out?"

Jacob knit his eyebrows. "Why?"

"It would be nice if she already knew someone outside of our family."

"Oh, yeah. Tani's great."

Mom and Aloren left right away. Jacob shot hoops in the driveway until it started snowing, then he stood looking up at the sky, enjoying the feel of the falling snowflakes. They didn't stick to the ground, and nothing would for probably another month.

He waited outside for a long time, then finally gave up when it got too cold and went to read in his bedroom.

# Chapter Four

An hour later, he heard the front door open and went to investigate. Dad was carrying several pizza boxes. He handed them to Jacob. "Matt'll be home soon, and your mother took Aloren shopping. We'll eat when they're all back." He went into his study and sat at the desk, opening up the laptop.

Jacob put the pizza on the counter, then sat in the living room, occasionally looking out the window. He jumped to his feet when a car pulled up, then sank back down with disappointment. It was just Matt.

"What'cha doin'?" Matt asked, plopping on the couch next to Jacob.

"Mom took Aloren to the school and signed her up for classes, and they've--"

"Wait, what? Really? That's freakin' awesome!"

Jacob bounced his feet up and down rapidly. "Yeah, I know. Anyway, they're out shopping now or something. I'm waiting for them to come back so I can take her over to meet Tani."

Matt raised his eyebrows. "Why? You think they'll fight over you and you want to be there to break it up?"

Jacob snorted. "Right. Tani has a boyfriend."

Matt snickered, punching Jacob's shoulder. "Two girls who'll follow you everywhere."

"Whatever." Jacob shoved his brother, and Matt chuckled again.

"So . . . does she like you?"

"Who, Tani?"

"No, doofus. Aloren. Obviously."

Jacob felt his cheeks flush. "Don't know--and I'm not going to ask her."

"I can, if you'd like. Give her a nudge in the right direction."

Jacob's jaw dropped. "Don't, Matt. Please, please don't."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Dude, you've got to get over this phase you're in. Be the man--ask her out."

Dad entered the living room. He sat on the couch opposite the brothers. "What's this I hear? Jacob, you're looking for advice on girls? I've got plenty of experience--you know, wealthy, handsome prince. I courted a lot."

"'Court?' Are you serious, Dad? We're not in Eklaron, and I'm not _courting_ anyone." Jacob shook his head, and his dad and brother laughed.

The garage door opened, signaling Mom's return, and Dad jumped up to meet her by the car.

Matt turned to Jacob. "Your car is still in the shop, right? I assume you want me to drive you and Aloren to Tani's house."

Jacob nodded. "If you could."

Matt shrugged. "Shouldn't be a problem. Let me put my stuff away." He went up the stairs, lugging his backpack and gym bag with him, then returned just as Aloren and Mom came in, followed by Dad.

Aloren stepped to Jacob, carrying all sorts of bags. "Check this out." She glanced at Mom, an admiring expression on her face, and whispered, "You're so lucky. The queen understands fashion."

Jacob didn't know how to answer that. He was still adjusting to the fact that his parents were-- _he_ was--royalty. And he'd never noticed his mom's fashion sense.

"How'd it go? With the school?"

Aloren held up a sheet of paper. "My classes."

Mom turned, smiling. "She'll be with you for most of the day, minus your third and fourth periods."

Jacob nodded. "What classes is she taking during those times?"

Aloren read from her schedule. "Art while you're in history, and science while you're in the woodworking class."

"Art, huh? That's cool."

Aloren nodded. "I love drawing and painting." She sat on the couch, going through her bags.

Mom looked Jacob right in the eye, lowering her voice. "Honey, the counselors wanted to put her in remedial courses. I wouldn't have any of that--she's here to experience things as an ordinary teenager. You're really going to have to help her catch up. Her grades might not matter so much, but I don't want her to be completely miserable when she doesn't do well. Plus, if she decides to attend college here, it would be good if she figured things out in high school."

Jacob nodded. "Shouldn't be too difficult. It's not like my classes are super hard." And it was true. Math had been his most difficult subject, but Mr. Coolidge no longer required him to attend early, and had stopped giving him a ton of extra work to do.

She laughed. "Don't get complacent."

"I won't," Jacob said. Helping Aloren catch up meant more time with her. This semester was going to be amazing--they'd be spending a lot of time together.

Mom looked at her watch. "Let's eat dinner, then you can head to Tani's."

***

The ride to Tani's house after dinner went quickly--Jacob was very aware of Aloren sitting next to him, between the brothers. Aloren's colors were so bright, it was difficult to see past them. She was seriously excited about meeting Tani and going to Mountain Crest High School. He smirked to himself--she'd probably get over her excitement once she saw how much homework she'd need to do to catch up.

"What's this vehicle called?" she asked.

"It's a Toyota--a truck," Matt said. "Isn't it amazing?"

"Yes! I love these things." She hesitated. "They're . . . so fast, though."

Jacob sighed in disappointment. He'd missed Aloren's first car ride when she went to the school with Mom--it would've been really great to see how she reacted.

Tani opened the door when they rang the bell. "Jake!" she squealed. Her smile grew when she saw Aloren and Matt. "Hey!" She turned, yelling to the back of the house. "Mom, the Clarks are here. Can we hang out for a while?"

Kim, Tani's mom, stepped into the front room, drying her hands on a towel. "Only for a few minutes--you've got too much homework." Her eyes sparkled when she looked at the brothers. "Jacob and Matt. We haven't had you around for some time. And who's your friend?"

Jacob introduced Aloren as their exchange student, and Aloren shook hands with Tani and Kim.

He turned to Tani. "We're hoping you could help her in school when she's not with me. Mom thought you two would get along well."

Tani nodded. "Yeah! It'll totally be awesomesauce. I'll introduce her to Sheena and Jen and everyone."

"So, Aloren, where are you from?" Kim asked. She must have noticed Aloren's leather pants. Definitely not American.

"Eklaron," Aloren said. "More specifically, the land of Gevkan." She gasped, realizing what she'd just said. Her face turned white and she turned to Jacob and Matt.

"Huh?" Tani said. "Where's that?"

Jacob mentally kicked himself. They hadn't decided which country she'd be from!

Kim looked just as confused, and Jacob's mind raced. Aloren wouldn't know enough about earth to come up with an appropriate answer. "It's, uh . . . near Hungary. It's a really small English-speaking province-region-place."

Kim looked confused, but Tani accepted the explanation immediately. "That's why you don't have an accent. Cool!"

Aloren nodded, clearly still panicked.

"Exactly." Jacob rushed to change the subject. He already felt bad enough for leading them on. "So, Tani, if you could help her feel welcome in school, that would be cool."

"Sure." She grabbed Aloren's arm. "Just hang with me and Jacob and you'll be fine!"

Jacob blew out a breath in relief. "Thank you, Tani."

"You're welcome."

Everyone said goodbye, and Jacob, Matt, and Aloren returned to the truck.

"That was close," Aloren said, doing up her seatbelt. "We've got to find a better story than that."

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, especially since Kim is probably going to Google Eklaron now. Hopefully she'll get distracted on her way to the computer."

# Chapter Five

Jacob looked forward to taking Aloren to school with him. He keyed to the tree to get her, but she wasn't ready yet, so he waited by the door. When she came downstairs a couple of moments later, he sucked in a breath of air. Something was different about her face--her eyes were even prettier than usual. It took him a second to figure out why. She was wearing makeup. Wow. She looked so . . . so . . . _hot_.

"Is this going to be okay?" She waved at what she was wearing. "Queen Arien picked it out."

Jacob nodded. She was wearing jeans and a bright pink T-shirt. He'd seen clothes like that at school before. "I think so. Girls wear jeans all the time."

She laughed. "You probably don't know much about fashion."

He shook his head.

"I kept up with it very well in Macaria. I was sad when your mom told me that Macarian fashion wouldn't be helpful while attending school at Mountain Crest."

"She's right. 'Course, there are dances throughout the year where you'd probably be fine wearing one of the more fancy dresses."

Her face lit up. "Really? Great!" She motioned to the door. "Let's get going."

Aloren peppered Jacob and Matt with questions the entire ride into town. Math was interesting. Shirley nearly freaked out when Mr. Coolidge made her move to an empty chair two seats behind Jacob and Aloren took Shirley's spot.

"This is stupid!" Shirley said, throwing her bag on her new chair. "I've sat there the entire semester! Why do _I_ have to move? Why can't _she_ sit _here_?"

"I'm truly sorry," Aloren said. "I'm fine with going back there."

Mr. Coolidge shook his head. "No. The note from the front office is very specific. She's to stay near Jacob."

Shirley pouted, pushed her bag off the chair, and plopped down. "Ridiculous."

Instead of continuing to make Jacob come early, Mr. Coolidge simply gave him other material to study during the period. Jacob had given up trying to convince Mr. Coolidge to let him just transfer to a different class.

Luckily, things weren't frustrating anymore--his relationship with Mr. Coolidge had changed. They had an understanding that worked for both of them. Jacob helped out in the class whenever needed, and Mr. Coolidge didn't ask him about anything odd he'd noticed--including Jacob molding wood and metal with his bare hands.

Math ended and Jacob walked Aloren to English, and the teacher rearranged the seating so Aloren could sit next to him. Being an attractive "exchange student" who wasn't shy and spoke perfect English really helped her fit in with the others.

Jacob reluctantly left her as he headed to history and she to art. When the period finally ended, he ran to the locker room to get his gym clothes, excited for Aloren to see him play basketball.

Kevin was in there too. "Hey, no more ball during lunch."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Dad told me this morning--the principal decided it was time to end the tradition. He thinks more work will get done if the admins aren't reffing games."

"That's ridiculous."

"Totally."

Jacob's stomach churned at the thought of no longer being able to play basketball, but he set the feeling aside, determined to find out for himself if what Kevin had said was true. He wouldn't put it past the guy to lie just to prevent Jacob from playing.

Jacob grabbed his clothes anyway and jogged to the orange gym. Tani, Josh, and Aloren waited near the doors. Jacob stopped when he saw their expressions.

"Is it true? No more ball?"

Tani nodded. "Stupid principal."

Jacob dropped his stuff. "Why, though?"

"Oh, the usual. They want to be 'more efficient.'" She flipped her hair back. "It's dumb, I know."

"Now what?" He wasn't sure where to eat lunch if it wasn't in the gym. He'd only eaten in the cafeteria once since starting his junior year. It felt weird, thinking about eating there again.

"We could try the commons area," Josh said.

"Yeah--that's where Matt and his girlfriend usually eat, right?" Tani asked.

"And the rest of the football team." Jacob wasn't sure he wanted to eat with all the football players, but he and his friends turned and walked there anyway. Matt scooted over when Jacob, Aloren, and the others sat near him and Sammy.

"Heard about basketball," Matt said. "Sorry 'bout that, dude."

Jacob rubbed the back of his neck and didn't respond. He didn't feel like talking about it anymore.

While they ate, Aloren and Tani got on the topic of guys. Jacob rolled his eyes, but his heart froze when Aloren mentioned seeing a cute one.

"What did he look like?" Tani asked.

"Tall. Very pretty eyes. We don't have a lot of blue-eyed people where I'm from."

Was she talking about him? But then she continued, and his heart fell.

"And his hair was blond."

Jacob's hair was dark brown. Really dark brown.

Tani nodded. "I'd have to see him to know who he was. Did he talk to you?"

"Oh, yes. Quite a lot. We sit next to each other. He's an athlete--he spoke of some sort of sport. I think Jacob plays it as well." She turned to Jacob. "What's the name of the sport you play?"

"Basketball," Tani said before he could answer.

"Yes! That's it."

Jacob tried to control the feelings of jealousy that hit him in the pit of the stomach. He'd never once considered that Aloren would crush on someone else. He felt like kicking himself. What had he been expecting? That he'd save her life and she'd melt all over him? He sighed in frustration. None of that gave him a claim on her.

No one seemed to notice him withdraw from the conversation. That irked him, which, in turn, bothered him even more. He'd never been the type to get worked up like that.

Everyone cleaned up and Jacob walked Aloren to class, neither saying anything.

***

The ride back to Mendon went quickly--Aloren babbled about her first day of school, Jacob stared out the window, and Matt sang along with the radio.

Dad was home when they got there, waiting on the front porch. "Jacob, take Aloren to the tree, then come back."

He looked upset. Had something happened? Jacob did as he was asked, then found his dad. He was already speaking with Matt, but filled Jacob in on what they'd discussed.

"Someone left the chicken run and coop open last night, and the chickens wandered away this morning. Since they usually come back on their own, and haven't, I was just telling Matt they're either dead or stolen by now." He glared at Matt and Jacob, daring one of them to deny what he'd just said.

The brothers exchanged glances. Matt looked extra guilty. "Sorry, Dad, it was probably me--I put them away last night."

Dad nodded. "Thank you for your honesty." He sighed and didn't say anything for a moment. Then, "You won't do anything else until every chicken is found--alive or dead."

Matt looked at his feet, but didn't say anything.

Dad turned to Jacob. "I'm home early because we were planning to have a meeting in Eklaron today. That's still going to happen. I need you to round everyone up and take them to Kenji's place. When you're done, return here to help your brother."

Jacob's mouth popped open. He'd never been left out of a meeting before! "But--"

Dad put a hand on his shoulder, addressing both him and Matt. "Come as soon as you've found all the chickens."

Jacob nodded, and took Mom, Dad, and Amberly to Taga Village. Amberly surprised him by rushing up to Kaiya, Akeno's little sister, as soon as she stepped through the door. They giggled, jumping up and down, then ran off to play. Jacob looked at his parents.

"She knows Kaiya really well."

His mom laughed. "Yes. We figured it would only be a matter of time before we were able to come here as a family, and I started taking Amberly for walks a couple of months ago while you were at school and Dad at work. We wanted her to get used to the Makalos, and have a good experience on Eklaron."

"Good idea."

Jacob keyed to Macaria and the Fat Lady's cabin. After he'd dropped her and Gallus off at Kenji's place, he returned home and found Matt.

It took the brothers an hour to locate the chickens and get them back to the coop. Luckily, none were injured, but it was dirty, frustrating, and annoying work. Matt apologized several times.

When they were done, they cleaned up and keyed to Kenji's.

"We're nearly finished here," Dad said. "But come--have a seat."

"Where's Aloren?" Jacob asked, looking around. He ignored the slight pang that hit him when he remembered what had happened in school that day.

Kenji motioned out the window. "In the tree."

Jacob frowned. "Why isn't she here?"

"Are we positive she should be a part of these meetings?" Brojan asked.

"Of _course_ ," Jacob said. He couldn't believe the patriarch would even ask something so . . . _stupid_. "She already knows everything that's going on--plus she'd be able to help a lot."

"All right. Go get her."

Jacob got to his feet and opened a link to the tree, inviting Aloren to join them.

# Chapter Six

Kenji had to bring another table and more chairs from a back room so there would be space for all in attendance. The two tables together nearly filled the entire place.

Jacob was glad everyone had been able to come. He looked around, smiling at the people he'd grown to love so much. Sweet Pea was by Aloren, and Jacob hid a grin when he watched the Makalo fail to get Aloren's attention. He was obviously enthralled that such a cute girl was near him. He clenched his jaw when he remembered she had a crush on someone else.

Ebony gave cups of water to Matt, Aloren, and Jacob, and put the pitcher on the table.

Dad turned to Jacob, his voice taking on a tone of authority Jacob had never heard before.

"We've gone over many things--we'll review in a moment--but so you know, our main focus, of course, is to get the Shiengols out of August Fortress."

"August?" Matt asked. "Is it some sort of summer retreat?"

Jacob's parents laughed. "No, son," Dad said. "August is an adjective--it means majestic, supreme, grand. Don't they teach you anything in school?"

Matt snorted. "Yeah. That August is a month."

He had a point. Jacob chuckled. He'd never heard the word used in any way except when speaking of the calendar.

"All right," Dad said. He stood and paced. "Kenji and Ebony are building as many doors as possible. We'll place them everywhere we feel we'll need quick access. The first we're installing will be at Aldo's cabin to replace the one that was destroyed. Jacob, you'll key Sweet Pea, Jaegar, and Akeno to Macaria today so they can head there."

Matt's face clouded. "Jaegar's really young, isn't he? Only eleven or something? Wouldn't it be better if someone else went?"

Kenji chuckled. "I'm sure you've heard by now that Makalos age differently than humans. Jaegar isn't a child, even though by your standards, he would be. In earth terms, he's around fourteen. And since Sweet Pea and Akeno are basically adults, he'll have plenty of supervision."

Matt slowly shook his head. "Akeno is an adult?"

"Yes. We reach adulthood at fifteen, so Jaegar isn't far from that."

"Weird."

Dad raised his hand and everyone went quiet. "Jacob, tomorrow after Aldo's new door is in place, you and the Fat Lady will go through Aldo's things there. She's looking for a remedy for what he's done--"

"Yes, yes! I'm positive it's reversible," the Fat Lady said excitedly. "Only a matter of finding out what he did--he had to have left a clue in his cabin. And Jacob, this isn't going to be easy work--the place is in ruins, from what I've heard." She looked at Jacob's dad. "Oh. Sorry, Your Majesty. Continue."

"Friday after school, a scouting group will head to the fortress, camp there overnight, and put up doors in a few locations around the area so we'll have easy access through Jacob and the key, should anything go wrong. They'll get a feel for the valley, then come back Saturday morning."

Dad grabbed his glass and took a drink, then resumed pacing. "We'll need time to prepare before we attempt to free the Shiengols--find out everything we can about what we're facing. For all we know, the Lorkon traps are still active. We should expect it to still be exceptionally difficult to break in. You all know that every member of the group who tried it before died."

Dad sat again, then drummed his fingers on the table. "Ebony, Gallus, Akeno, and Jacob, of course, with the key, will make up that scouting group."

Matt started. "What about me?"

"And me?" Sweet Pea asked.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty," Gallus said, "but I won't be able to spend this much time away from the shop. I need to focus on providing a living for my family."

Dad nodded. "That's fine, Gallus. Take care of your store and family. We appreciate everything you already do."

"I'll help wherever," Aloren said. "Gallus has trained me in many areas--including scouting and tracking."

"I'm like Aloren," Sweet Pea said. "Well, not like her, obviously, 'cause she's taller, but--"

" _That's_ the only difference you can think of?" Matt asked.

"Well, no--"

"'Cause I haven't seen a beard on her yet." Matt looked at Aloren. "Maybe she shaves her face."

Aloren looked confused. "Shave my face? Why would I do that?"

Sweet Pea growled, then mock-glared at Matt. "The point is, I can help wherever I'm needed."

Akeno nodded. "Same."

"Send Aloren," Gallus said. "She's got a brain on her. She'll find anything I would."

"Then it's settled," Dad said, ignoring Matt's "No fair!" and Sweet Pea's "Whatever!" "You'll leave as soon as Jacob returns from school." He waved his hand toward Jacob and Matt. "That concludes what we'd gone over before you came. Now we'll discuss the people in the scented air. We need to pull them out. All of them." He looked over the group. "How many of you have taken the Malono potion?"

Matt, Sweet Pea, Gallus, Ebony, Aloren, the Fat Lady, and Akeno raised their hands. Jacob hadn't taken it--as far as anyone knew, he was immune to the traps of the Lorkon.

"Good. That's enough. This Saturday after the August Fortress scouting group returns, we're going to do a mass rescue. Those of us who haven't taken the potion will wake the people outside the scented air. The rest of you will pull them."

Jacob lifted his hand. "If the people stuck there aren't marking where the scented air begins, how will everyone know it's there? Won't more people get stuck?"

"Good point," Dad said. "Kenji, will you and Ebony put warning signs together before Saturday?"

Kenji nodded.

Dad took a deep breath. "There's one other thing we need to discuss, and that's recruiting Wurbies."

"That's going to be very difficult," Gallus said. "They live in Ashay Hills--the most impassible mountains in this part of the land. We don't even know if the tunnels are still open. Especially . . . especially after what happened to Jacob's group."

Jacob's throat tightened just thinking about what had happened to Seden, and how powerless he'd felt.

"True, but it's necessary. They're the only ones who can actually help fight against the Dusts."

Aloren raised her eyebrows. "You've been having problems with Dusts? They're really easy to deal with."

"In small groups, yes," Brojan said, "but the Lorkon have gathered a huge army of them. In the war nearly fifteen years ago, they'd been trained quite efficiently and caused a lot of destruction."

"Why are the ones I've come across so stupid, then?" Jacob asked.

"The Lorkon haven't spent as much time on tactical things lately," Brojan said. "And Dusts have really short memories. They forget nearly everything they've been taught after five or six months and have to be re-trained. Plus, they only live around five years."

Dad nodded. "My guess is that the Lorkon will work directly with them again." He paused. "The point is, we must have the Wurbies. It's time to recruit." He looked at his watch. "We'll end now. Jacob needs to take Akeno, Jaegar, and Sweet Pea to Macaria, and he and I must begin his sword-fighting lessons."

Jacob felt his chest expanding. His dad was going to teach him how to fight! He got up and stretched, enjoying the pops in his back. Most of the others didn't stand right away--they looked somewhat overwhelmed, the colors swirling in the air around them switching between excitement, nervousness, and a little fear. He certainly felt the same. It was going to be a busy week.

# Chapter Seven

Jacob keyed the three Makalos to Macaria after returning everyone else to their proper homes, then he met Dad in their back yard in Mendon.

"We'll use wooden swords while we catch up to what you remember," Dad said. He tossed one to Jacob. "After you're comfortable with a few of the moves, we'll switch to metal. I'll teach you as many of the basics as possible, but you must recognize something--good sword fighters practice hours every day for years. The chances you'll pick any of this up within the next month--year, even--are pretty slim."

"Why are we doing this at all, then?"

"Because you're a prince. And princes become kings. And people don't respect a king who can't defend himself, even if he never has to."

With that, Dad jumped forward, swinging his weapon at Jacob's head. Jacob barely blocked the blow in time and fell to his knees under the force.

"Hold on! You didn't tell me we were starting."

"Rule number one," Dad said. "Real fighting isn't like the movies. Your opponent won't wait for anything. If they're going for the kill, they'll take the first opening they see, regardless of how ready you are."

He attacked again, this time swinging at Jacob's midsection. Jacob was only partially able to block the attack and he was knocked to the ground again, gasping for air.

Dad circled around him. "All right, get up. Let me teach you a few defensive moves."

"Shouldn't that have been the first thing we went over?"

"I wanted to see if you remembered anything."

" _Right_."

Jacob took his time getting up--his side really hurt. When he finally got to his feet, his dad showed him several defensive tactics, each more painful on the hands, wrists, and arms than the one before. Then, as if that wasn't enough, Dad wanted to teach him offensive moves.

"I thought this was going to be fun," Jacob choked out. He grimaced when he saw the grin on his dad's face.

"It _is_ fun!"

Jacob snorted. "Whatever."

"Trust me--when you've been doing it for a long time and are evenly matched with your opponent, it can be quite enjoyable."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "I'm sure."

Dad told Jacob to attack, and attack he did. He'd show his father a thing or two! But Dad stopped him only a couple of moments later.

"You're breaking two more rules. First, go for the opponent's _body_ , not their _weapon_. Striking their sword will alert anyone watching to the fact that you're . . . what do you kids call it? A noob?"

Jacob laughed. "Okay, Dad."

"Next, you've got a lot of energy, but if you stream it the wrong direction--flailing around like you just were--you'll burn out really quickly, giving your opponent the perfect opportunity to strike you down. We'll focus a lot of time on ensuring you're channeling your energy into the correct movements. I want to make sure you're learning this completely."

They practiced for an hour more--Jacob was positive he'd never regain feeling in his hands and arms again. This was worse than fighting with Sweet Pea! Though, maybe enough time had passed to where Jacob didn't remember the pain from that anymore.

Finally, Dad called it quits. "We'll go at it again tomorrow after you finish working with the Fat Lady."

Jacob groaned, pulling himself inside and up the stairs to his room. He collapsed on his bed and fell asleep before remembering to change his clothes.

***

After school the next day, Jacob keyed himself, Aloren, and the Fat Lady to Aldo's cabin, using the door Jaegar, Akeno, and Sweet Pea put in place. Jacob had keyed them to Macaria the day before, and they'd made the trek to Aldo's cabin overnight. The group was there waiting when they arrived.

"'Bout time," Sweet Pea said lightly, hands on his hips. "Can we go home now?"

Jacob keyed the three Makalos back to Taga Village. He was glad Aloren had volunteered earlier to help. The Fat Lady put them to task immediately, and it was hard, messy work. Most everything was covered with debris left over from the Bald Henry's attack--bits of brick and mortar, wood shavings, glass, etc. Jacob looked around the place, then made a quick decision and keyed home to get a broom and dustpan, along with several garbage bags.

The Fat Lady insisted on cleaning up the entire cabin. Jacob held in a chuckle--why she wanted Aldo's place clean when hers was always a wreck, he didn't understand. She collected everything that looked remotely important--papers, books, pictures, random objects Jacob didn't recognize, and even plants and leaves.

Finally, after Jacob didn't think he could get sweatier or dirtier, she said they were done. She seemed very excited about a book she'd found. Jacob looked at it curiously--it had plant pictures on the front and was full of illustrations.

Jacob keyed them to her house, and she had the two teenagers go through the salvaged stuff while she went through the papers.

Aldo perked up when they entered the cabin, sitting cross-legged in his usual corner of the room. He grinned at Aloren and held up something he'd made--from where Jacob stood, it looked like several handfuls of grass tied around a bunch of paper.

"I'm free dogs!" Aldo said. He jumped up, knocking over a stack of papers in his excitement to get to the group.

When he reached Aloren, he shoved the thing into her hands. She looked at him skeptically, obviously trying to figure out what he wanted her to do.

He clapped. "This is what happens to shoes in springtime! Sometimes they dance and sing!"

Aloren looked to Jacob for help. "What's he talking about?"

Jacob sat on the couch, thoroughly enjoying Aloren's discomfort. "Who knows. Just talk to him."

"Okay. Uh, Aldo, tell me about this." She motioned to the paper and grass mess.

"I asked to her dad about it."

"You asked to her . . . her dad?"

"Sure did not. Winter is true. It's true!"

"Yes, winter is very t--true." She turned the thing over. "What is it called?"

"It's my frustrating break!"

Jacob chuckled. "That's a great name. 'Frustrating Break.'"

The Fat Lady took Aldo's toy from Aloren, shoved it in Aldo's hands, and motioned for Aloren to sit next to Jacob. "Okay, we've got work to do."

Aldo returned to his corner, sitting cross-legged again, and the others started sorting books and papers.

Some of the books Jacob looked through were written in a form of English not hard to understand. Many of them, however, were in a different language. Aloren was able to read it, so Jacob gave those to her, and he read over the English books.

"I don't even know what I'm looking for," Aloren whispered.

"Anything that might make someone go crazy on purpose." He wasn't entirely sure either.

After nearly an hour of searching, the Fat Lady squealed. "I think I've found it!" She held out a book Jacob had already discarded as useless. "The mushrooms that grow near Kaith trees are poisonous!"

"Yeah, I saw that." Jacob remembered learning about Kaith trees a couple months earlier. They were magical and let people leave messages for other people in their trunks.

"Taken in very small amounts, the poison doesn't kill the person, but renders their brains nearly useless! And where there's a poison, there's a cure!"

"Um . . . I'm not sure how that works," Jacob said, "and it doesn't prove that's what happened to Aldo."

"No, not the book alone, but when you see what I've found here, it does!" She showed them a piece of paper. She'd circled something on it, and Jacob had to hold it up close to his eyes to decipher the scraggly writing.

_Fat Lady - remember to stir twice before administering._

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"First, it was written by Aldo--I know his handwriting. Next, it's for me, obviously. Third, it's a remedy. He and I used to discuss the differences in potions and cures. Cures nearly always require an exact number of stirrings. Even numbers, usually."

"But--"

"Look what it's written on."

Jacob inspected the paper, knitting his eyebrows. At first he didn't notice anything, but then he held the paper up and realized it had a very large, elementary depiction of a mushroom on it--faint enough not to be noticed with a cursory glance. Almost like a watermark. "So . . . this means he poisoned himself with a mushroom?" He still didn't see how she'd made the connection.

"Yup!" she said. "We can get to work on the cure immediately." She bent over her papers again. "Keep looking--books that deal with remedies are what we want now."

"Oh, I've got several here," Aloren said. She handed over a stack.

The Fat Lady fluttered through pages quickly--Jacob wasn't sure how she was taking anything in at all. She squealed again, much louder this time. "This is it! Lots easier to find than I'd expected. And look! I own this one! I wonder why it never occurred to me to go through my own collection."

She frowned, staring at the shelf opposite her, then glanced at the first page of the book in her hands. "This _is_ my book. How'd he get it? And why didn't I notice it was gone?" She scowled at Aldo. "That wasn't very smart of you. You know better than to borrow something from me and not return it."

Jacob laughed. "You didn't even notice it was gone."

"Don't matter."

Aldo snickered, watching the Fat Lady. Jacob couldn't tell if the old man laughed at what she'd said, or how she'd done her hair that day. Thin locks were wrapped around her head, not in a braid this time. They looked plastered to her scalp. Not attractive at all.

"Time for you to go home--" She stopped. "I need some of the mushrooms first, though. Take me to Taga Village."

"Didn't you say the mushrooms grow around Kaith trees?"

The Fat Lady looked at Jacob like he'd just said the stupidest thing ever. "What do you think that tree in the village _is_?"

He looked down. "Oh." How was _he_ supposed to know what kind it was?

He keyed there, and he and Aloren followed the Fat Lady around as she inspected the bark.

"Ah-hah!" she said. "Here they are."

"Those aren't mushrooms," Jacob said, recoiling from the huge beetles the Fat Lady stood near.

"Of course they are!"

Jacob bent as close to them as he could without getting within bug-jumping distance. "Are you sure? Looks like a beetle to me."

"It's not. See how it attaches itself to the tree?" She pointed.

"Oh, yeah. I see." It looked like one half--in this case, the left half--of the beetle had been stuck into the wood. The creature-plant-thing didn't appear to be a living insect. That brought a little relief to him.

"They grow that way. See, over here." She motioned to a much smaller one.

"Why's it always growing with the left side of the beetle sucked into the tree?"

"Mushroom, not beetle. And don't ask dumb questions--"

"That's not a dumb quest--"

"I need two--no, three of them." She plucked the ugly mushrooms from the bark, putting them in a cloth bag she'd brought.

Jacob cringed when the "mushrooms" moved inside the bag.

"That's so _disgusting_ ," Aloren said. "I can't believe he'd willingly eat one."

Jacob agreed.

The Fat Lady circled to the door. "He just ate the legs, I think."

Jacob grimaced, not wanting to imagine eating a mushroom with legs. Sick.

***

Sword-fighting lessons went better that evening than they had the day before. Jacob wasn't sure why, but he felt like he was better able to concentrate, even though his entire body still ached.

Dad congratulated him, then helped him gain perspective by saying he only had a few more years to go before he'd successfully be able to fight someone who really wanted to kill him.

"I'm sure that when we finally win this war, there won't be anyone like that left."

Dad chuckled, gathering the swords, and the two walked to the garage. "We had enemies before the Lorkon came, you know."

"I haven't heard about anyone else."

"That's because the worst was my father. And other people feel awkward reminding me of that."

"What happened to him?"

"Last I heard, he killed himself."

Wow. "Really? That's awful."

Dad nodded, pausing by the kitchen door. A dark expression crossed his face. "Yes, well, at least he's no longer a threat to my people."

Jacob pondered over this for a while. How would it be to have a father like that? One so evil, you're relieved he's not alive anymore? He shook his head, not wanting to follow that train of thought. 

# Chapter Eight

During lunch on Friday, Jacob groaned inwardly when Tani and Aloren started another conversation about the blond guy from her math class.

"Oh!" Aloren exclaimed. "He's coming! What do I do?"

Jacob turned to see who Aloren had been crushing on for the past few days. He nearly spit out the food in his mouth. _Kevin_ was walking toward them.

Apparently it shocked Tani too. "Kevin?" she hissed. "Kevin's the guy?" She looked at Jacob, possibly trying to gauge his reaction. He put on his best poker face.

"Hey, Aloren," Kevin said. He paused when he saw she was with Jacob. "So . . . are Jacob and Matt your host family?"

Aloren blushed, looking down. She actually blushed! "Sort of. Jacob and I are in many classes together. He's helping me with my homework."

"Hmm." The two guys eyed each other. Jacob tried to mask his frustration and jealousy. He could tell by the swirling colors that Kevin felt the same way, but it didn't show on his face--apparently he was good at hiding his emotions.

"Mind if I join you?"

Aloren scooted closer to Jacob, patting the spot on the other side of her, before Jacob could tell him to get lost. "Sure. There's plenty of room."

Jacob's mouth popped open and he felt red creep across his face. How could she do that?

Kevin sat on the other side of Aloren, and she turned toward him. They flirted and talked. Josh was busy chatting with one of the football players, and Tani looked like a third wheel, though she tried to join the conversations around her wherever possible.

Matt elbowed Jacob. "Competition, huh?" he whispered. "What are you going to do about this?"

Jacob shook his head. "Nothing I can do," he whispered back, making sure Aloren and Kevin couldn't hear. They were obviously in their own world. "She's been talking about him non-stop."

"Oh, don't I know it."

Sammy leaned forward and whispered, "You like Aloren, Jacob?"

Jacob flushed again and was about to answer when Matt cut him off. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Actually, no, it isn't," Sammy said. "I wouldn't have guessed if you hadn't said something."

"Great, Matt. Thanks." Jacob glared at his brother. "Don't say anything to anyone else, okay? It's no one's business."

Matt put his hands up. "No worries. I won't."

Jacob relaxed--Matt could be trusted, as long as he knew the boundaries.

"So, what are you going to do?" Sammy asked. "You can't just let Kevin have her."

"There's nothing I _can_ do," Jacob said. "She makes her own choices."

No one said anything, and Jacob tried to focus on finishing his lunch.

***

Ebony and Akeno were ready and waiting when Jacob, Aloren, and Dad arrived at the tree.

"I'm on a late lunch," Dad said, "so I'm only here for a moment." He motioned for everyone to sit. "How many doors did Kenji make?"

"Twenty. They're all here." Ebony lifted a knapsack. "Shrunk and ready to go."

"Okay. I've got a map of August Township." Dad pulled it out and indicated things as he spoke. "First, place doors here, here, and here. Make sure they're well hidden. After that, place one every half mile or so. We'll want to have as many escape routes as possible."

Ebony nodded. "We numbered them so Jacob won't have a problem figuring out which door to use."

"Good," Dad said. "Next, you have to go through the forest before you can get into the city itself. Be extremely careful--the Lorkon don't use ordinary traps, as we know. I hoped Aldo could give you more instructions. He's very familiar with the area. Unfortunately, the remedy won't be ready until tomorrow, so in the meantime, we're going to learn as much about the place as we can." He folded the map. "We'll need one of you to keep a detailed journal of what you find." Dad held up a small leather book.

"I'll do that," Aloren said. "Gallus has me make notes of my trips all the time."

"Excellent." Dad handed her the book and the map. "Mark the placement of the doors on the map, and keep it with the journal." He sighed, running his hand through his hair--what remained of it. "You'll leave now, or as soon as possible. Check back with us frequently. Oh, and also, which Minya are you taking?"

"Mine," Aloren said. "And Kenji will use Early, should he need to get in touch with us."

Dad nodded. "Be safe." He looked out the window of the tree. "I wish I could go."

Kenji and Brojan had insisted Dad stay behind--he was too important to Gevkan to put himself in potentially dangerous situations. "Maybe when we get the Shiengols." He put his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Be careful, son. Take care of the group. And the rest of you," he motioned to the others, "watch over my son."

# Chapter Nine

Jacob couldn't believe they were out on another trek. He, Akeno, and Aloren--the only difference this time was the presence of Ebony.

It only took a couple of seconds to key to Aldo's ruined cabin. It looked a bit silly, having a fully intact door when the walls were broken down. At least Kenji had tried to make the door look old, so no one would suspect the cabin was still being used.

Ebony and Aloren chattered a great deal about parties and clothes as the group left the cabin. It didn't bother Jacob--he was still so relieved to have Aloren out of Maivoryl City, safe and sound, that even this kind of conversation was refreshing.

Right then, the women were discussing clothing fashion in Macaria versus Taga. Jacob hadn't even been aware there _was_ a fashion in the village.

Akeno playfully nudged Jacob. "Let's hope this trip through the infected forest won't be as . . . _fun_ as the last."

Jacob stared at Akeno, then laughed. Makalos so seldom used sarcasm in their speech that it always caught him off guard when they did. "Yeah, seriously. I'd rather not deal with that _and_ the two of them." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward Aloren and Ebony.

Akeno chuckled.

The trail led them to the outskirts of the woods, and Jacob looked at Ebony. "Which way to August Township?"

"Just follow the trail," Ebony said. "Luckily, the forest doesn't remove this part of it. When we get to the intersection, we'll go straight."

"How close will it lead us to the female Lorkon's manor?"

"Not very. You'll see--we should be okay."

Jacob couldn't help the shudder that hit him when he saw the trees shift slightly away from the intruders. He knew it would happen, but it still unnerved him.

The group rounded a corner and came to the intersection. A weathered sign, partially covered with vines, pointed straight ahead for August Township. Jacob hadn't noticed it last time he was in that forest, and probably because he'd been so distracted by the swarm of bugs chasing him.

He couldn't help the excitement that crossed over him, mingled with nervousness. He could very well meet his first Shiengol that night! These were creatures he'd heard a ton about--they had to be amazing!

"Let's put a door here," Ebony said, pulling one out of her knapsack. Jacob noticed that the Makalos had put legs on the back of it--probably to support it without a wall. She handed it to Akeno.

Akeno held his arm out straight, squinted, and dropped the door. It appeared about twenty feet away, and Jacob and Aloren rushed forward to drag it into the undergrowth. The trees freaked out, but the two of them were quick at getting it into place, so no real harm was done. Aloren marked the location and number of the door on her map.

They continued on. Ebony was right--the trail didn't lead them anywhere near the manor, and Jacob was relieved that they didn't see any snakes.

Two hours later, they stopped for a break at the end of the forest, sitting on top of a big hill which overlooked a small valley. A thin forest blanketed a large part of it, and on the other side, the walls of what must have been August Fortress rose between the trees.

Jacob couldn't stop gawking at the fortress. It was magnificent--tall, without adornments, and very demanding. Imposing, actually, compared to the land. If he'd been involved in its design, he would have chosen something that graced the countryside, rather than dominated it.

"So, that's August Fortress?" He looked at Ebony for confirmation.

"Sure is."

How were they going to break in? Winding walls of brick and stone merged with rock outcroppings all over the other end of the valley. It looked like a maze, and Jacob couldn't tell if the outcroppings were put there by the Shiengols or by nature. Ebony answered his unasked question.

"Most of the walls are natural. A few hundred years ago, that mountain behind the fortress," she pointed to a large, craggy hill with a dip in the top, "was a volcano. The top of the mountain burst off when the volcano erupted, and rocks landed everywhere. The Shiengols incorporated them into their defense." She folded her arms. "'Course, they didn't really need defense. Nothing could beat a Shiengol."

Jacob had to say it. "Until the Lorkon."

No one responded.

He sighed. "Where should we begin?"

"We'll put another door here," Ebony said, handing one to Akeno.

After it was set into the forest, out of sight, Ebony started down the hill, followed by the others.

The group waded through nearly waist-high grass. Jacob held his hands out, feeling the tops of the grass hit his palms as he passed. He jumped when something large at his feet moved, but relaxed when he saw bright blue petals. It was a flower Akeno had introduced him to when they'd gone to get the Key of Kilenya. According to Akeno, the petals--which the Makalos used to season foods--continued to wiggle in your mouth when you ate them. So disgusting.

Akeno laughed. "It's just a reca flower."

"What did you call it?"

"Reca. That's their name."

"This one is huge." Jacob knelt beside it, examining the vivid petals. It was shaped somewhat like a pansy from earth.

Ebony got down by him. "I've never seen a reca get this big. And yes--they're really quite tasty." She motioned for Jacob to go ahead and try one.

He hesitated, then decided it probably wouldn't kill him. He reached for the plant and tore off a corner of one of the petals--smaller than bite-size. He let it fall into his palm and watched it wiggle. "That's so gross."

"Creepy, as Matt would say," Aloren said, watching over Jacob's shoulder.

Jacob laughed. "Yes, creepy." He inspected the petal, then popped it in his mouth, chewing. Nothing happened. "I can't taste it."

"Are you positive?" Ebony bent to examine the plant. "That's interesting."

"Maybe I should try a bigger piece?"

She didn't answer his question. "It's possible this plant is too old--maybe the flavor has left."

Aloren shook her head. "They don't lose flavor as they get older."

"I didn't think so." Ebony crossed her arms, contemplating the plant. "Have they been changed somehow?"

A sensation of vertigo hit Jacob so strongly it made him fall, knocking the wind out of him, the world spinning.

"I think I'm going to be sick." The cold sweat that hit him confirmed this. He rolled away from the others just before his stomach emptied itself. He was vaguely aware of Ebony patting him on the back and Akeno and Aloren standing together, watching. Awkward.

He coughed a few times, clearing his throat. Akeno gave him water, and he rinsed his mouth and sat up. The dizziness slowly dissipated. "Wow. Sorry 'bout that."

Ebony was inspecting the reca flower. "Why would it make you become ill? And why couldn't you taste it?"

"Maybe it's not really a reca," Akeno suggested.

Aloren shook her head again. "It is. I see them this big near Macaria all the time. And they've never made me sick before."

Jacob took a few deep breaths, waiting for his heart to slow and his stomach to calm down. After a moment, he realized with surprise that he felt completely fine.

"Weird." He slowly got to his feet. "I feel great now." As if nothing had happened. He took a few more swallows of water, then held his hand out to Akeno. "And I'm starving. Can I have some jerky?"

Akeno gazed at Jacob like he was crazy, then handed over the knapsack. Jacob rummaged through it, insisting he was fine and they needed to keep going. He found the bag with beef in it and popped a good-sized chunk in his mouth, then knit his eyebrows.

"I can't taste this, either."

Aloren knit her eyebrows. "Is something wrong with you?"

Jacob sighed with exaggeration. "Of course there isn't. Here, you try." He handed the bag to Aloren.

She fished out a piece and ate it. "It doesn't have any flavor."

Ebony glowered. "It does _too_ have flavor--I made it." She snatched the knapsack from Aloren and sniffed. "Smells fine." She sampled a chunk, then frowned. "Odd."

She lowered the bag, her expression changing from irritation to frustration, then shock. "The Lorkon. I wonder if they're behind this. They must be!"

"But how?" Akeno asked.

"It's the area. Maybe it's one of the traps? If so . . ." She gasped. "Those reca plants are probably poisoned!" She turned to Jacob, grabbing his arm. "What was your first instinct when you couldn't taste the petal?"

"To eat a bigger piece."

She nodded. "What you _did_ have was very small, and you got sick--imagine what would've happened with a much larger section."

"It would've killed him, probably," Aloren said.

"That is so brilliant," Akeno said. Ebony scowled at him, and he ducked his head. "Sorry."

Jacob motioned to Aloren. "Maybe we should put it in the journal."

She nodded, pulling the book out of her bag, then hesitated. "How do we know where the trap starts?"

"Just mark the general area," Ebony said.

Jacob looked over the meadow around them. "Include a note not to eat anything from the land here. We need to assume that everything edible is poisoned."

Ebony tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear as she gazed at Jacob. "If this really is a Lorkon trap . . ." She paused. "Jacob, you aren't immune to it. And you probably won't be safe from the rest around the fortress either."

Jacob raised his eyebrows. He hadn't thought of that. He'd relied heavily on his resistance to Lorkon traps in the past, but if Ebony was right, he'd struggle just as much as the others in their group.

After a few more minutes of walking, they came across many, many more recas. Jacob shook his head, wondering how many people had died here, eating these things. He couldn't help but wonder how the Lorkon had poisoned them. Was it genetic modification? Or could it have been like the scented air and more of a blanket potion that covered the area?

Soon, the meadow of flowing grasses ended and the group entered the thin forest, placing doors every hundred feet around the edge of the forest--making sure there were plenty of ways to escape. Jacob kept his eyes open for potential problems--Lorkon, Molgs, Dusts, and other dangerous creatures--occasionally looking at the fortress through breaks in the trees to judge how far they'd come in relation to it.

As he stared at it, he noticed something odd and paused, the rest stopping as well.

# Chapter Ten

"Can you see the glow around the fortress?"

Ebony squinted, shading her eyes. "No." The color swirling in the air around her changed to a light yellow-green--interest. "Describe it."

Jacob frowned in concentration. "It's not really a glow. There are a ton of different colors, swirling together. Very bright colors. It's like . . . emotions! I can see emotions coming through the walls! I've never had that happen before." How cool! He beamed, meeting eyes with Ebony.

"The Shiengols!" Ebony said. "It has to be them."

Jacob nodded. "Awesome! I can't believe I can see them this far away!" The group was at least two miles from the fortress.

Ebony snorted. "Doesn't surprise me. They're rather . . . exuberant in the way they feel about things." She looked at the fortress. "What are the colors you see?"

"Red--angry."

"Makes sense."

"Green--excited. That's odd. Why would they be excited? They've been in the same place for a long time--I hardly think that's worth getting excited about."

Ebony shrugged and Akeno and Aloren exchanged glances, looking as intrigued as Jacob felt.

"Also, they're sad. And disgusted. There's some fear, too--that's the bright yellow." He rubbed his chin as he tried to make out the rest of the colors. "There are some very deep colors, too. Harder to make out. Depressed, bitter, and a little thrilled."

Aloren chuckled. "You're like a palm reader." She grabbed his arm, getting his full attention. "What emotions am I feeling right now?"

Jacob flushed at her touch, but recognized she wasn't flirting with him. He wished she were. "You're a little nervous and slightly bored."

"No, I'm not!" She swatted at him and he jumped away, laughing.

"All right," Ebony said. "Let's keep going. I think we've set up enough doors around the perimeter. We'll see if we can get in closer."

After a few minutes of walking, Jacob started feeling restless. Jumpy, even. It took him a moment to figure out why. It was like they were being watched, and not just by one person or creature, but by hundreds. He couldn't help the shudder that came over him.

A few times, he swore he saw eyes on either side of them, marking their progress, but when he looked, all he saw were thorny bushes.

Even the bushes were somewhat different. Not their height, which was knee to thigh high, but their branches, circling in on themselves, surrounding a center mass. Nearly perfect spheres. And the strangest thing--all of them had a slight green glow. Was it because of the leaves? Jacob didn't think so. It reminded him too much of the emotions he saw coming from people and intelligent creatures. But undergrowth didn't have emotions, right?

"I think I've seen this kind of bush before," Aloren said.

Ebony nodded. "Yes, I've been thinking the same."

Jacob paused, peering at one. He decided to voice what he'd discovered. "They're glowing." The others looked at him. "They are. A green color--excited, or happy."

"Emotions?"

"I don't know. Why would plants have emotions?"

"I can't see anything but their natural colors," Aloren said.

Akeno stopped walking. "That's it. I can't stand it anymore. I have to know what's around us." He stepped to a tree, putting his left ring finger on it. A shocked expression crossed his face.

"What is it, son?"

"We're surrounded. Completely surrounded!"

Jacob started, his heart pounding, and looked into the bushes. "By what?"

"Tarri!" Aloren yelled, jumping to Ebony's side. Akeno did the same and Jacob followed suit, not sure what was going on, but wanting to stick to the others.

Ebony drew her sword. "Get your weapons out."

Aloren pulled two long knives from sheaths on her thighs, and Jacob found himself wishing he was wearing his father's armor. At least he had his sword. Though, with only two lessons, he wasn't sure how effective it would be. "What are tarri?"

"There's one." Aloren pointed.

Jacob turned. The thigh-high bush moved, and he gasped.

It rolled, unfolding tons of branches that surrounded a dense circle in the center. A face with two sets of eyes and sharp teeth appeared in the middle of it. A moment later, the branches finished unfolding, and Jacob's mouth popped open. Arms! They were arms! How many did it have? At least fifteen, maybe more, coming out on all sides.

The creature paused and glared at Jacob and his friends. It spoke something unintelligible and the entire forest around them shivered, then stirred. Jacob squeezed in closer to the others as hundreds, if not thousands, of bushes moved.

He _knew_ he'd felt eyes watching!

The first tarri spoke a few more garbled words, and Jacob shifted his grasp on the hilt of his sword.

"Everyone, backs to each other!" Ebony yelled. "They're extremely dangerous and fast. Make sure to use your water!" She pulled out her canteen with the hand not holding her sword.

Water?

All at once the tarri attacked, rushing forward and surrounding the group. Jacob yelped when a branch--an arm--whipped him across the knees, and he knocked the creature away. It was surprisingly light, even with all the branches. As soon as it was gone, two more jumped at him. He tried kicking them too, but one of the little beasts grabbed his ankle, making hime stumble into Aloren. He struggled, finally getting out of the thing's grasp.

Jacob swung his sword back and forth, swiping at the tarri. He found himself wishing he had daggers like Aloren's--his sword was too long, and he almost hit his friends several times.

"Your water--use it!" Ebony called.

He heard splashes and Ebony yelled in rage, her sword making swishing sounds through the air. Tarri all around them hollered in pain, more garbled screams issuing from their mouths.

Jacob pulled out his water bottle, then knocked a tarri away from Aloren, who was busy with her daggers. "How?"

"Pour it on them," Ebony said.

Akeno growled, scrambling to get away from one of the tarri. "I thought plants like water!"

"Not these!" Ebony shrieked.

Jacob undid the top of his bottle, then shook water on the nearest tarri. It hissed, two of its brown eyes turning black, and backed off. Several more took its place, and Jacob sprinkled them as well. They dashed off.

The rest of the group did the same, Jacob noticed, with similar results. But it didn't seem to matter how many creatures got wet--there were hundreds more streaming in.

"I'm out of water!" Aloren called.

Jacob used the rest of his on some of the beasts near her, then yelled that his was gone too.

Aloren stabbed at one of the tarri, then swung around, attacking several near Jacob. "We can't hold them off any longer!"

Jacob yelled when one of the creatures bit him on the arm. He shook it off, then drop-kicked it away. "This isn't possible! There are too many of them!"

"To the fortress!" Ebony shouted. "Fast!"

The group rushed forward, kicking tarri out of the way, prying the things off each other's backs. Akeno tripped and fell and Jacob turned back to grab him, throwing the Makalo over his shoulder. Several tarri clung to the boys, whipping both of them with their long, branch-like arms, getting in bites wherever possible.

Akeno called out in pain and swung his legs and arms wildly, beating the creatures off as best he could.

Jacob caught up to Aloren and Ebony and helped them force a path through the beasts. He swung Akeno from his shoulder, using the leverage to fling off the rest of the tarri.

Then, just as quickly as the attack started, it stopped.

The group fell to the ground panting, watching. The creatures were behind them, speaking angrily, trying to rush forward. But something was stopping them.

"Why aren't they coming?" Jacob asked.

Ebony got to her feet, pulling out a cloth. "Looks like that's the end of the trap--that's as far as the Lorkon want them to go." She wiped her face with the rag and cleaned her blade. Then she got out a Kaede sap package and treated everyone's wounds.

After she finished, she put her blade and the leftover sap away. "Why didn't we smell them? I would've known they were near if I'd smelled them."

Aloren nodded, glancing up from the journal where she'd been taking notes. "Good point."

"They stink?" Jacob asked.

"You wouldn't miss their stench. It's incredibly overpowering. Like sewage mixed with the smell of old socks and rotten eggs."

Jacob stopped watching the tarri and wiped off his sword, then re-sheathed it. "I'm betting it's another trap of the Lorkon."

"It would seem so," Ebony said. "In fact, I still can't smell anything." She rolled back on her heels, an intense expression on her face when the rest mentioned they couldn't, either. "Jacob, the fact that you can't smell them shows for certain you aren't immune to these Lorkon traps."

Jacob thought over that, then considered what else the traps meant. He got to his feet and paced. "I'm not sure if you guys realize it, but this is important. Five senses. Two gone: taste and scent. Three remain." He counted them off on his fingers. "Sight, sound, touch." He looked at Ebony. "Should we continue? We have to recognize that losing one of the other senses would be extremely dangerous."

Ebony's face clouded up as she apparently thought through the matter. "We would probably be fine without touch, assuming it's next."

Jacob shook his head. "No. Imagine if we got attacked by something. You wouldn't feel the pain. You wouldn't even know that something had touched you--you'd just keep going until you bled to death. And if you can't feel your sword, or pain, or anything else, you're as good as dead."

"Good point," Ebony said. "Taste and smell aren't as strong as the others, yet the Lorkon exploited them well. We can expect the rest of the traps to be just as dangerous--if not more so."

As if in reply, Jacob heard a roar, loud and ferocious enough to challenge any living creature.

Akeno looked at him, and Jacob saw fear in the Makalo's eyes. "That sounded like a T. rex," he said.

Jacob couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. "How would you know what a Tyrannosaurus rex sounds like?"

"I've watched the movie _Jurassic Park_ too, you know."

Jacob laughed. "That's fiction. People were guessing how they'd sound." A chill went up his spine, even as he chuckled at Akeno's reaction. A dinosaur? Here? Was it possible? And would they have to face it to get the Shiengols?

Ebony took a deep breath. "We've gone far enough. Let's put a door here. Akeno, set up a couple of huts for us to sleep in. Make sure nothing can get through them, even yoons. In the morning, we'll do as much scouting as we can to the left and right--without advancing--then go back home."

Akeno nodded, pulled a door out of his bag, and enlarged it. Jacob and Aloren went to work disguising it with branches and vines in a section of underbrush. Jacob could tell Aloren was watching the foliage closely--he didn't blame her. As long as eyes didn't appear, though, they'd be fine, right?

As soon as the huts were complete, the group entered them, saying goodnight to each other.

The sun hadn't even set yet, but Jacob didn't want to be out in the open anymore. He thought over a conversation he'd had with his dad the night before regarding Kelson's death. Aldo had witnessed it. He'd been overcome with despair sixteen years when he told Dmitri what had happened.

What were Jacob and the rest up against?

# Chapter Eleven

After breakfast the next morning, the group returned to Taga Village, somewhat somber. Matt, Amberly, and Jacob's parents were just arriving, entering the meadow when Jacob and his group stepped through the door of the tree.

"How did it go?" Jacob's dad asked.

Ebony's lips tightened. "Not good," she said. "The Lorkon traps are just as strong. We think there are five, possibly more. We came across two: poisoned reca flowers exploiting our loss of taste, and tarri you can't smell. Dmitri, we need people who are experienced with the area."

He sighed. "That would be Aldo."

"What about Mom?" Jacob asked. "She was there too."

Mom shook her head. "They kept me blindfolded and tied the entire time."

Kenji joined the group, carrying a bunch of knapsacks. "Is everyone ready? I just sent Early to the Fat Lady, letting her know we'll be coming soon." He observed the group. "Doesn't look like things went very well. Is everyone okay?"

Ebony put her arms around her husband, looking like she needed a hug. "No, we're fine. It's just going to be very difficult to get to the fortress."

Early appeared next to Kenji. "The Fat Lady needs assistance at once. Aldo is going crazy."

"'Crazi _er_ ,' she means," Matt whispered.

Kenji slung his bags over his shoulder. "We're on our way."

Jacob keyed the group to the Fat Lady's place. As soon as he opened the door, he could tell things were out of control. He could hear Aldo and the Fat Lady down the hall, screaming at each other.

Dad dashed forward, his sons on his heels. They entered the living area, and Jacob nearly bust up laughing. The Fat Lady had Aldo in a headlock, and the old man was trying to run away--his legs were moving while his upper body stayed put. Dad grabbed Aldo by the wrists, pulling him away from the Fat Lady.

The Fat Lady rubbed her arms. "He just freaked out."

As soon as Aldo saw the group, he relaxed. He grabbed Jacob's cheeks, his eyes glowing.

Jacob chuckled, trying to get the man's hands off him. "Hi to you too, Aldo."

The old man let go, then pushed past Matt to fling his arms around Dad. "Damitini!"

Jacob and Matt met eyes. Damitini? Must be trying to say Dmitri.

Aldo rushed to Jacob's mom, nearly knocking her over in his excitement to hug her. "Arla!"

Jacob was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"He remembers me!" she said. "He has to."

Aldo sighed happily. "Time taking time!"

The old man hugged Ebony as well, then sat on the couch, crossing his legs and arms, smiling up at the group. He patted the seat next to him and then pointed at Jacob's parents. They joined him, Mom still wiping away tears. Aldo then pointed at Jacob, motioning to his other side. Jacob sat reluctantly. He didn't have the relationship with the man that his parents had.

"I can't believe it," the Fat Lady said. "He was all over the place just a moment ago, nearly trying to kill me to get out."

"When did you administer the remedy?" Dad asked.

"About half an hour ago." She picked up an empty vial. "He was calm for at least twenty minutes afterwards. Hadn't really said anything. I tried to get him to open up--telling him what we were doing and how a group went to scout out August Fortress. That's when he started freaking out."

Aldo growled when she said August Fortress. "No good. No good."

Dad appraised his friend. "It seems he was trying to warn the group not to go there."

Aldo jumped to his feet. "Yes! No good!"

Matt frowned. "Does he mean, it's no good to try to rescue the Shiengols, or the fortress itself is no good?"

Aldo made some motions with his hands and arms, but they didn't make sense. He slumped to the couch, exhausted.

"He needs to sleep," the Fat Lady said. "We don't want to kill him while trying to get him better."

She helped Aldo to his feet. He resisted at first, then calmed when Mom promised they'd still be there when he woke up.

When the Fat Lady returned, Dad indicated it was time to pull people out of the scented air.

He divided everyone into teams of two. Jacob ended up with Akeno, and Aloren and Matt were paired with each other. Jacob sighed in resignation. He was glad to spend time with Akeno, but he . . . Aloren . . . He stopped that train of thought. No sense pining for someone who wasn't interested in him.

They walked to the scented air and got to work. It was long and hard, and the group pulled out person after person. Jacob and Akeno went through their section quickly, pulling out the younger, lighter people first. Then they teamed up with Aloren and Matt to get the heavier individuals in the two sections combined.

Jacob knew Jaegar was standing guard, watching the forest and the sky, but he decided this area would always make him jumpy--he still thought about Lirone almost the whole time. The sunlight only partially comforted him, especially since the sun was about to set.

The sun set, and it gradually got darker and darker. Still, they continued. Hazel and Early flitted around, delivering messages.

After a while, Akeno volunteered to stand and hold his finger up, lighting the area considerably. Jacob hadn't realized it, but the previous times he'd seen Akeno use his finger as a light, the Makalo hadn't put all of his energy into it. The light he cast now was so bright, it hurt Jacob's eyes.

Jacob and Matt paused to take a break, Matt wiping sweat off his face. He motioned to Akeno. "He's freakin' awesome."

Jacob nodded. Akeno and Aloren were talking--they were just far enough away to where Jacob couldn't understand what they were saying. "Yeah. He's got some really neat abilities."

"But why?"

Jacob looked at his brother, squinting to see his expression. It didn't show anything, but the colors around him--which Jacob could see, even though the sun had long since set--showed curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Hasn't it ever occurred to you to ask why he can do so much more than the other Makalos?"

Jacob shook his head. "No--not really. I just assumed he . . . he had more magic in him than the rest of them."

Matt nodded, as if Jacob had just hit on something very important. "Exactly. And how did he get that extra magic?"

Jacob didn't answer. He pushed his hair from his forehead, trying to let the breeze cool his sweat away. He considered taking off his coat, but decided not to--he didn't want to get too cold. Matt made a good point--why _did_ Akeno have more magic than the rest? It didn't make sense--not when his parents could hardly do anything, and the Makalo magic was inherited.

He decided to ask Akeno about it later. But no matter how Akeno got his magic, Jacob was glad he had it.

The adults worked close to Akeno to take advantage of the extra light. Jacob couldn't help but notice the Fat Lady. She picked up adult men, slung them over her shoulder, and carried them through the door, then on to Taga Village. Obviously, she had no difficulty doing so, regardless of their size. Jacob and Matt watched her, their mouths open, until Aloren laughed.

"She's going to think you're romantically interested in her if you keep acting like that."

"Okay, Aloren," Matt said, turning to her. "We've got to work on your vocab. Especially if you plan to hang out with us on earth."

She nodded. "I'll accept any help you can give." She motioned to a nearby man. "Help me get him out, and we can work on how I say things."

Matt and Jacob jumped to the guy, each grabbing one of his arms.

"Good," Matt said. "'Cause you've got to speak American." He pointed at Akeno. "Listen to how he talks. And Sweet Pea, too. They both sound like they're from my country." He sighed in exaggeration, readjusting the man's arm over his shoulder. "But first things first. 'Romantically interested' just _doesn't_ work. You gotta say 'likes.'"

"Oh, I say that all the time."

"Yes, I know, but you have to get the context right. Instead of saying 'The Fat Lady might think you're romantically interested in her,' you say, 'The Fat Lady might think you _like_ her.'"

Aloren paused, still holding the man's elbow. "I don't understand the difference."

Matt chuckled. "You will. Just pay close attention, okay? And we'll let you know when you could say something better."

# Chapter Twelve

It took a couple more hours to get everyone out. Jacob's arms felt like they'd been ripped from their sockets over and over again. But they did it! He folded his arms, leaning against the tree in Taga Village, looking at the people. They were lying all over the meadow, with the Makalos bustling around them, taking care of their needs.

A brisk wind came, chilling to the bone. Jacob was about to shut the door, cutting off the link to the Fat Lady's cabin, when she squealed from inside.

"It worked! It worked! Come! Now!"

Jacob's family jumped to their feet, and they all rushed through the door and into the Fat Lady's front room. Aldo was lying on the couch, eyes shut.

"He's out of it still," Matt said. "Just like when we left."

Aldo raised a hand. "I'm awake."

Matt jumped back. "Whoa! That made sense!"

"Well, of course it did!" the Fat Lady said, laughing.

Mom clapped, an expression of glee on her face. "Wonderful!"

"Arien?" Aldo's eyes opened. "Oh, Arien, my dear."

She rushed forward, kneeling, wrapping her arms around his frail body. "I'm right here, Aldo." A sob choked in her throat, and Aldo tried to get up, probably to comfort her. "No, no," she said. "Stay down."

Dad sat on the short table in the middle of the room, facing Aldo. "How do you feel?"

"A little discombobulated, but otherwise fine." He grinned at the others in the room. "Birds were flying down, but the rain . . . came . . ." An expression of horror crossed his face. "Oops. Sorry about that."

The Fat Lady waggled her eyebrows at him. "I think it'll take some time before everything wears off completely."

Dad pulled Jacob forward. "This is our son, Danilo. He goes by Jacob now. He's the child Arien was carrying while at August Township."

Jacob blinked. _He_ was Danilo? That was the name the female Lorkon had used in the forest. How hadn't he known before that his name was Danilo?

Aldo nodded. "Yes, yes. I remember him well." Jacob thought he saw a twinkle in the man's eye, then it disappeared, replaced by an "I'm about to lecture you" face. "Do you like nuts, Jacob?"

Jacob's mouth popped open. "Uh . . . I'm . . . I . . . No?"

A smile broke through Aldo's stern expression, and he chuckled weakly.

Jacob tilted his head, unsure how to respond. "You remember all that?"

"Oh, yes." He took a breath. "I was quite aware of what was going on around me." Another pause as he struggled to concentrate. "The fly--mushroom caused minor problems for me--it messed up my speech . . ." He wiped sweat off his face. "Made it impossible to communicate, but I almost always knew what was happening."

Matt looked confused. "But . . . but you seemed so . . . _loony_."

Aldo laughed again, more strength behind it this time. "What's the fun of being a crazy . . . crazy old man without getting to act like it, too?"

"Oh, Aldo, I'm just so excited you're feeling better now!" Mom's eyes were still shining with happy tears. "And when you're completely well, I'm going to throw a party to celebrate! Maybe next Saturday!"

Aldo lay back down on the couch, closing his eyes. "I would love that. Your parties were excellent."

Jacob's parents stood. "We'll leave now so you can rest more," Dad said. "We're having a meeting tomorrow to catch you--and everyone else--up on what's going on."

Aldo said good-bye, and Jacob keyed everyone home.

***

Sunday after church, Jacob went to Eklaron to get Gallus, Aldo, the Fat Lady, Aloren, and the Makalos. They were having the meeting in his living room on earth. He was so excited to have everyone in _his_ territory!

When he returned, Mom had set up extra chairs and pushed the couches against the walls to make room. It wasn't as tight a squeeze as the table in Kenji's place, but still, pretty cozy.

Like the previous meeting, Dad was in charge. It was much less formal than last time, and Jacob sighed, leaning back against the couch. It was so nice to have everyone here.

The first part of the meeting was spent discussing those pulled from the scented air. Ebony reported that it would take time for them to come to themselves--the first group had taken a couple of months, at least.

Next, they discussed how school was going for Aloren.

"Wait--she's going to school? No fair!" Sweet Pea glared at the adults. "Why does she get to go, and I don't?"

"Well, she _is_ human," Mom said. "Sorry, Sweet Pea, but you'd stand out way too much."

"No, I wouldn't!" He paused when everyone stared at him skeptically. "Okay, so maybe my exceptionally . . . exceptionally good _looks_ would get attention," Matt snickered at this, "but I'm close enough to a human!"

Mom nodded. "Yes . . . but your eyes--"

"And your skin," Jacob said.

"What's wrong with them?"

Mom's tone of voice was sympathetic. "Humans have eyelashes."

Jacob nodded. "And human skin isn't blue."

Sweet Pea snorted. "It took _you_ several months to see it."

Jacob laughed. It was true--he hadn't noticed that Makalos had a slightly blue tint to them until Matt pointed it out. "Yeah, well, most humans notice more things than I do."

Aloren rolled her eyes. "It's true." She glanced at Jacob, then smiled at Sweet Pea. "Sorry, Sweet Pea. I'll take notes for you."

He grunted, folding his arms.

The conversation then drifted to something else, but Jacob had a hard time following. What had Aloren meant? Was she trying to hint at something? Or was he imagining things?

"Jacob," Dad said. "Are you there?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. What?"

"Please give a report on what happened on the scouting trip to August Fortress."

"Ebony was pretty much in charge--"

"You're the reigning prince," Dad said.

Ebony nodded. "Go ahead."

Jacob put his frustrated thoughts of Aloren away. "Well, you already know about the poisoned reca plants. We got past those and put up a ton of doors throughout the forest. Then we headed toward August Fortress and ran into a gazillion tarri--"

Just then, Aldo jumped from his chair, flapping his hands. "No good! Butterflies briskly run!" He paused, arms held out from him. A sheepish grin crossed his face. "Oh, oops." He sat down. "I, uh . . . . My brain works faster than my mouth. I have to speak slower, otherwise random things pop out." He grimaced at everyone. "Stop being so serious. It's okay to get a good laugh in every now and then. Go ahead--it won't offend me."

A few chuckles broke the silence, and Aldo grinned before continuing. "What I was trying to say is: August Fortress is surrounded by horrible traps. I watched the whole thing with Kelson's group and was powerless to do anything." He motioned to Jacob. "I assume you suspect this already, but the Lorkon traps eliminate your senses one at a time. How did you get past the tarri?"

"It was hard--we gave up on fighting and rushed toward the fortress instead."

Aldo leaned back, putting his hands behind his head and rubbed his sparse hair. "Yes. If you'd stayed behind, as part of Kelson's group did, you would have been slaughtered. There's no stopping them."

Jacob frowned. "Not even with water?"

"You couldn't possibly carry all the water you'd need." Aldo paused. "No, the only way to get through that trap is to push forward, getting away from them as quickly as possible."

Ebony nodded. "And they didn't follow."

"No. They won't." A grave expression crossed his face. "Judging by how Kelson's group acted, the next trap would have been the loss of sight."

"Whoa, really?" Matt asked. "You guys would've been dead."

Jacob nodded. He could imagine them stumbling around, blindly feeling their way. "No wonder they didn't make it out alive."

Aldo shook his head. "That's not how they died. Yes, a few did, but not the entire group. No, they made it much farther than that, even with Argots."

Ebony gasped. "Argots?"

"Yes."

"What are those?" Aloren asked.

"They live in the dirt," Ebony explained. "Actually, they technically _are_ the dirt. They make up the ground. And when you've gone far enough across them--when they sense the right amount of weight--they open up all around--"

Aloren put up her hand, her face white. "Please, no more--I can't handle it right now."

Ebony smiled sympathetically at the girl, but Jacob was surprised to find he agreed with Aloren. He didn't care about the creatures either--a first for him.

Dad looked at Aldo. "How does one get through this trap?"

"They don't have ears or eyes, so they have no idea you're there except by the weight change above them. So, you have to find a way to get across without touching the ground."

Dad looked gloomy and blew out a long breath of air. "Okay, that's going to be difficult."

Matt rubbed his eyes. "Why can't Jacob just key us into the city? Or even the fortress?"

Aldo, Ebony, and Dad shook their heads.

"The Lorkon destroyed all the doors in the entire city," Aldo said. "In the fortress, they filled the holes with concrete."

"But didn't you use the key to get in and out before?"

He nodded. "Yes, but they didn't know we had the key. They destroyed the doors of the fortress to prevent the Shiengols from coming and going, but at that point, they had left the doors in the city intact."

Jacob leaned back against the couch again. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be stuck for so long--he'd have felt incredibly claustrophobic if it were him. "How did you know they destroyed them all?"

"I tried one last trip to the city to see if I could find Kelson's remains. I couldn't get in. Everything had been shut off."

Dad turned to Ebony. "Now we have a way past the first two traps, correct?"

"Yes."

"Are you coming when we get the Shiengols?" Jacob asked Dad.

"Yes--"

" _No_ , he's _not_ ," Gallus said. Everyone turned to him. "Your Majesty, I know how much you want to be involved, but having Jacob go is bad enough. We still have you if he doesn't make it. But if you both go, and both of you are destroyed? We need a leader here to take us through the revolution."

Dad rubbed his forehead, looking disappointed. "Yes, I know. I . . . never mind." He put on a mask of determination, then closed the meeting shortly thereafter. The only assignments he'd given were for the Makalos to work with the people now pulled from the scented air, and for Jacob and Matt to focus on their sports. Everyone else was to continue what they'd been doing already.

# Chapter Thirteen

The day and time for basketball tryouts were finally posted the next morning--Wednesday, right after school. During lunch, Jacob called up Scott--the older teen he used to practice with--and arranged to get together with the guys both Monday and Tuesday as soon as class got out.

The Makalos were busy with the people pulled from the scented air, and since Dad had told Jacob to focus on basketball, he didn't feel guilty practicing.

They played for three hours on Monday--Scott making sure Jacob knew the ins and outs of tryouts, what would happen and how things would go--then finally called it quits.

That evening, Mom helped him ice his shoulders and upper arms so they wouldn't get sore. Tuesday wasn't nearly as grueling, though, and Jacob had time leftover to do homework with Aloren.

***

"Uh, Jacob . . ." Aloren tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Mom was curled up on the couch, reading a book, and Jacob and Aloren had just finished working on assignments for history and science.

"Yeah?" He grabbed her math book, glad she was a level or two below him--made it easier to check her work.

"Kevin's going to help me with my math homework. Also, he wants to come pick me up for school. And take me home. You don't need to key me from the tree anymore."

Jacob dropped the book, gawking at her. "That's . . . that's _ridiculous_."

"Why?" She paused. "You don't like him very much, do you?"

"No, and for good reason. He's a bully and a complete jerk." Jacob had been about to say something about Kevin smashing him against the drinking fountain a couple of months ago, but decided against it.

"But he lets you play _now_ , so what's the problem?" She took a deep breath. "Never mind. It's just that I'm . . . roma--I really like him, Jacob."

What? What was she talking about? There was no way! "It's only been a week! How's that possible?"

She didn't answer for a moment, instead opening her backpack and pulling out her art stuff. "I don't know. He's kind to me, and I find him very attractive."

Jacob blew out his breath in exasperation. "Well, that's just _great_. Most girls _do_." Most girls thought Jacob was good looking, too. Why didn't Aloren? And wasn't _he_ nice to her? He'd rescued her, after all. Didn't that count for anything?

No one spoke for a while. Jacob leaned against the couch, staring at the ceiling. He didn't feel like doing homework anymore. Aloren shuffled through her art papers, but he could tell she wasn't concentrating on them.

Mom must have sensed the tension. She set her book aside. "Aloren, why don't you tell us about your family? I haven't heard a lot about your mom."

Aloren fiddled with her backpack. "I . . ."

"That is, if you're comfortable with it. I've been meaning to ask, but didn't want to upset you."

"Oh, Your Majesty, you could _never_ upset me. And you're free to ask anything you wish to know."

"Come on, Aloren," Jacob said, trying to keep the irritation from his voice. "Just treat her like she's a normal person. Mom's not a queen here."

Aloren looked at Jacob, horrified. "I couldn't possibly! She's . . . she's . . ."

"You don't treat _me_ like royalty."

"That's different."

"How? Technically--"

"That's enough," Mom said. "Aloren, he's right. Here, I'm his mother, and that's perfectly fine. In Eklaron, it's different. I would expect you to wash my feet, mend my clothes, watch over my horses, and serve me food."

Aloren's mouth popped open, then she must have seen the twinkle in Mom's eyes because they both laughed. Jacob jerked the zipper down on his hoodie and yanked his arms out of the sleeves. Aloren took things way too seriously sometimes.

"I'm okay talking about my mother. It doesn't bother me. What would you like to know?"

"How did she die?"

"She slipped away quietly. Gallus thinks she went into a coma."

"What caused it? Do you know?"

Aloren rested against the arm chair behind her. "She'd sustained many injuries before I was born--possibly while she was pregnant with me--and her mind was never quite right after that. Her health was pretty bad, too."

"That's too bad." Mom leaned forward. "Did she ever talk to you about your family? Where you came from?"

"Yes, but by the time I was old enough to understand, she'd already forgotten my father's name and who her parents were. I'll probably never know if half of the stories she told were even true. Her energy to talk left soon after she got really sick, and by the time she passed, she hadn't spoken or moved for several months."

Aloren looked at the art papers in her hands. Jacob peered at her from the corner of his eye--no tears. Oh, good.

"What did she look like?" Mom asked.

"She was very lovely. Brown hair--a little darker than mine. And the prettiest, brightest smile you'd ever see. She was quiet--always said my father was the outgoing one. She missed him a great deal and spoke of him all the time."

The front door opened, and Dad stepped through, coming home from work. He put his briefcase down, hung up his coat, then kissed Mom and said hello to Jacob and Aloren.

"Dinner's in the Crock-Pot," Mom said. "We'll be eating in an hour."

He nodded, loosening his tie, and went to the family room, probably to unwind from work.

Mom turned back to Aloren. "Did your mother always live in Macaria?"

Jacob frowned. "So many questions. Aloren, you don't have to answer if you don't want."

Aloren shook her head. "Honestly, Jacob, I don't mind. It helps to talk about her." She turned back to Mom. "She was from Maivoryl City--lived there her whole life."

"Hmmm." Mom picked up her book again and fingered the pages, a contemplative expression crossing her face. "What did she do there? Was she employed?"

"Yes. As a lady-in-waiting, I think, for someone fairly high up--a noble woman, perhaps. She didn't quite remember everything."

Mom nodded slowly. "I should remember her, then. Brown hair. Most everyone had brown hair." She looked blankly at the wall opposite her, concentrating. Finally, she shook her head and looked back at Aloren. "I'm assuming your father also worked in Maivoryl. What did he do?"

"If what she said was true, he worked in stables somewhere."

"Really? That's . . . that's very interesting." She put the book down, scooting to the edge of the couch. "What did he look like?" she asked, urgency in her voice.

Jacob perked up--the expression on his mom's face told him this wasn't a random question.

"I don't know. She never told me."

"What are you getting at, Mom?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing, dear. Only . . ." She paused. The colors for nervousness and excitement flowed in the air around her. "Aloren, what was your mother's name?"

"She called herself Mide. Gallus said her name was technically Midian of the North, but she never used--"

Mom gasped, surprise and excitement flooding her features. "Oh, my . . ." She sprang to her feet, dropping the book on the couch. "Dmitri! Dmitri, come here!"

Jacob jumped up too, eager to find out why his mom was so excited.

Dad rushed into the room, panic on his face. "What's going on?"

Mom grabbed his hand, her face shining. Jacob was astonished to see tears in her eyes.

"Dear, guess who Aloren's mother was? Guess?" She practically bounced up and down.

"I don't know . . ."

"Midian!"

"Of the North? Are you sure?" Excitement crossed his features. "That would mean . . . Her dad was Kelson!"

# Chapter Fourteen

Mom squealed and Dad laughed, throwing his arms around her, holding her tight. The brightest shade of green Jacob had yet seen flowed through the air around them. They were _really_ excited about this.

Then what they'd said hit Jacob, and he stumbled closer to them. "Kelson? As in--you mean-- _Dad's best friend_?" And then Jacob realized something else. Was it possible? Were Aloren and Matt siblings?

"Wait," Aloren said, obviously very confused. "I don't understand. You know my parents?"

Mom and Dad nodded. Both were crying now. Mom helped Aloren to her feet, and she and Dad hugged her tightly.

"They were very close to us," Dad said.

Mom laughed. "I would never have dreamed Aloren was their daughter! Not in a million years!"

"Kelson's girl!" Dad shook his head in amazement. "Midian must've been pregnant when we gave her to Gallus for care--"

"Had to have been--"

"It's the only explanation."

Aloren still looked shell-shocked. "Kelson--you mean the man who died when he tried to release the Shiengols?"

Mom nodded. She looked at Dad. "But why didn't Gallus tell us?"

"He wouldn't have known. When Kenji and I went back to Macaria, Midian had run off. Gallus assumed she'd died, since it had been a week." Dad shook his head. "Obviously, she returned after we left, and we'd have sealed off the entrance to Taga Village by then. And Gallus didn't know that we were still alive."

Aloren nodded. "She ran away several times when I was little. Gallus always found her again, though, and after a while, she got too sick to do that anymore."

Jacob held up his hands. "Okay, so let me get this straight. Kelson and his wife were Aloren's parents? And Gallus was Kenji's friend who took her in?"

"That's right, son," Dad said. "And think it through a little harder. When Kenji and I went to Maivoryl City after getting you and your mother, what were we doing there?"

Jacob scratched his cheek. "Cleaning up after the Lorkon? Taking care of people? Fixing broken buildings?"

"Yes, and we helped the orphans. Made sure there was someone to take care of as many of them as possible. And we took one of the orphans to raise as our own--Kelson's son."

Jacob nodded, a huge smile crossing his face. He'd been right! "Yeah, I remember now. That _would_ mean Matt--"

Aloren gasped. "Matt . . . Matt is . . ." She put her hand over her mouth. "He's my brother?"

Mom nodded. "His name used to be Devlin. We changed it to Matt when we moved here."

Aloren laughed. "He's my brother! I've found my brother!" She grabbed Jacob and flung him around her, dancing with him, squealing. Jacob chuckled, trying to keep up with her.

Then abruptly she let go and fell to the ground, bursting into tears. Mom dropped next to her, throwing her arms around the girl's shaking shoulders.

Wow. Jacob hadn't been expecting that. Dad didn't look shocked, though, and Jacob folded his arms, making sure his stance was casual. "This is so crazy," he said. "And it means that when Aloren went to Maivoryl City, all that time her brother was here, safe and sound."

Aloren sobbed louder.

Jacob couldn't believe it. Matt was Aloren's brother! He never would have guessed it.

Just then, Matt walked through the front door.

Dad chuckled. "Speak of the devil . . ."

Matt dropped his backpack and gym bag. "Whoa. What's going on here?"

"Would you like to tell him?" Mom asked.

Aloren shook her head.

Matt focused on Aloren, orange-yellow--the color for concern--flowing around him. "What did you guys do to her?" He grabbed a box of tissues from an end table, holding them out to Aloren.

"Oh, nothing," Dad said, a huge grin on his face. "Just told her the most important information she's ever heard. And it involves you."

Matt's face went white. "What's going on? Who died? Am I being sent to prison?"

"No, of co--" Dad paused, the expression on his face and colors swirling around him showing his suspicion. "Why would you be sent to prison?"

Matt laughed. "No reason. It was the first thing that popped out of my mouth."

"I'll tell him--if you'd like," Mom said.

Aloren nodded, keeping her face in Mom's shoulder.

Mom took a deep breath. "Son, you know you're adopted from Eklaron, correct?"

"Of course."

"Well, when we brought you back, we had no idea your mother was still alive. Alive and pregnant."

Matt's face blanched even more. "She was? Where is she now?"

"I'm sorry, honey, but she passed away several months ago."

Matt looked confused, as if this was too much to digest. "She's de--dead?"

"Yes. A lot to hear right now, I know. But, the point is, she wasn't having just any old baby."

"She was pregnant with me." Aloren finally pulled her face away from Mom's shoulder and took a deep breath. "Matt, you're my older brother."

Matt fell onto the couch. "No way! Are you serious?"

Everyone nodded.

"Oh." He expelled a big breath of air, the colors around him showing he was shocked. Very shocked. "Wow."

Mom put a hand over her heart, her eyes bright. "We just now figured it out."

Matt bounced to his feet. "It's freakin' awesome! So cool! I've got _another_ sister! Does Amberly know?"

"She's playing with Ida Mae's grandkids." Mom picked up her book and closed it.

Matt rubbed the side of his face. "Wow. It's a good thing I was dating Sammy. 'Cause things might've turned into a Luke-and-Leia relationship. You know, before they knew they were siblings and Leia was trying to make Han Solo mad--"

Dad laughed. "That's enough, son. We get the picture."

Matt sat back down on the couch, staring at Aloren. "We look nothing alike! I mean, I've got blond hair and blue eyes, and hers are all brown."

"There's always the smile," Mom said. "You both have Kelson's smile."

***

Jacob had grown up with Aloren's brother! It just wouldn't compute.

Wednesday, he'd gone to math and history, completely in a daze, and was now walking to woods class, still trying to digest this new piece of information. It was weird--really weird. And almost made her his sister. That thought made him stop completely, several students calling out to him in impatience when they ran into him.

Did she think of him as a brother? He definitely didn't think of _her_ that way. She'd fallen for Kevin, so it didn't matter either way.

Finally, as school neared an end, Jacob's thoughts turned to tryouts that afternoon. He was nervous, but surprised at how calm he felt, too. He'd practiced his hardest. He'd been working toward this for years. He was as good as any of the seniors on varsity, and definitely as good, if not better, than Kevin, Coach's son.

Right when the bell rang after choir, Jacob sprang from his seat and rushed to the locker room. He changed into his basketball clothes as quickly as possible, then raced to the gym where tryouts were taking place.

Fear hit him when he saw how many people were there. Where had they all come from? He only recognized a handful of them--a couple of which he knew for a fact had _never_ played a game in their lives. He jogged onto the court with his ball and shot baskets, warming up.

After a couple of minutes, the assistant coach blew his whistle, and Coach Birmingham stepped away from the bleachers, calling everyone over.

"Many of you have tried out for varsity before and so you know what we'll be doing. For the rest of you, we start by shooting drills, and then we'll practice lay-ups. Next, we'll test your endurance and strength. We finish off with a few timed games."

The students lined up in front of the different hoops, and Coach and his assistant meandered through the players, watching closely and taking notes. Jacob kept his eyes on the others too, making sure to play harder and faster than they did. He mostly paid attention to how Kevin was doing. Excellently, of course. Kevin waved at him before slam-dunking the ball. Jacob rolled his eyes, but smiled just the same. He'd spent more time with Kevin in the past week--through Aloren--than he had since third grade. And . . . he hated to admit it, but Kevin wasn't all that bad.

Jacob growled at himself when that thought crossed his mind. Kevin and Aloren . . . Okay, that was it. He had to focus on basketball, not the problems in his social life. He put everything else behind him, and pressed forward as hard as he could.

Sweat poured down his face, and his limbs burned from exertion. Coach was having them run across court in a complicated way, dodging cones borrowed from the driving range. The guys had to step over and around the cones, going both forward and backward.

Gratitude for Scott and their team rushed over Jacob--they'd practiced something similar to this during the past two days, and he knew he was doing well. He felt the assistant coach's eyes on him several times and made sure to be at the front of the line every time. If he wanted to make the team, especially as a point guard, showing leadership was essential.

Finally, everything was over. Coach congratulated the players on how well they'd all done. Jacob looked around--a few of the applicants had fallen out, but he wasn't sure when. Maybe twenty had made it all the way through, and out of those, only three were point guards. Jacob was much better than the others.

"First cuts will go up tomorrow morning. After school, we'll have the next--also last--round of tryouts. Final cuts will be posted Friday morning."

The students filed toward the locker room to shower and change. Jacob's heart swelled inside him--he'd done exceptionally well. Possibly the best he'd ever done.

***

As soon as Jacob got home, Mom had him run an errand to Taga Village--taking a huge box of Walmart stuff to Ebony. It looked like Mom was planning her party with a lot of energy and excitement, and Ebony would be helping. He sighed in relief about the errand--he'd wanted an excuse not to be around when Kevin brought Aloren back from school, and using the key to get to Taga Village meant not running into her as she walked past his house. She'd attended tryouts, and Jacob was grateful he hadn't seen her there until it was all over. She would have made him too nervous.

After he dropped off the box to Ebony, he spent some time with Akeno until dinner was ready back on earth. He'd missed hanging out with the Makalo.

The next morning, Jacob, Matt, and Tani rushed to see the list of who'd made first cuts. Jacob's name was second from the top. He nearly dropped his bag in excitement. He'd made it! His first response was to look for Aloren, but she wasn't anywhere to be seen. Tani threw her arms around him, saying over and over again that she knew he'd do well.

Jacob laughed. "I'm not on the team yet."

"Yeah," Matt said. "For all you know, he's going to fail miserably this afternoon."

"Oh, be quiet," Tani said, elbowing Matt in the side.

***

When the assistant coach blew his whistle during tryouts that afternoon, Jacob knew things would go well. He was alert and energetic--definitely in the mood to play. He was ready for this. Nothing could stop him.

An hour and a half later, he dropped his ball near Tani and Josh, completely satisfied with how he'd done. If that performance didn't get him in, he didn't know what would.

"Congrats on making varsity," Tani said.

Jacob waved her off, looking around to see if anyone had heard her. "We won't find out until tomorrow morning."

"Oh, I know. But you're definitely on the team. They'd be complete idiots if they didn't let you."

Jacob hoped she wouldn't jinx him by saying that.

# Chapter Fifteen

When Jacob and Matt got home, Jacob was surprised to see Brojan there. Had he walked the entire way? He was sitting on the couch, looking very uncomfortable. He got to his feet after Jacob burst through the door.

"How are you?"

"Good. You?" Jacob dropped his backpack and took off his coat.

"I'm well."

"Are you waiting for my mom or dad? Are they around?"

Brojan shook his head. "No, I'm here to see you."

Jacob pushed his bag into the closet by the front door, then joined Brojan near the couch. "Okay. Did you want to talk about something?" The colors swirling around the Makalo said he was nervous.

"Yes. Would you mind taking us somewhere private--not Taga Village? I don't want to run into anyone."

Jacob nodded, his thoughts racing. What could the Makalo patriarch have to say that he didn't want others to hear? And where was Jacob going to take them that would be guaranteed private? "How about Aldo's cabin?"

Brojan shook his head. "No--there aren't any walls."

Jacob looked at his watch. Six o'clock. Tryouts had gone longer than he'd thought they had. "Well, we could always go back to my school and find an empty classroom. The cleaners were just finishing up when Matt and I left. As long as no teachers are hanging around, we should be fine there."

"Yes, that would be excellent."

Jacob keyed them to the school, but went through the door near the pool, just in case someone was in the offices near the main entrance. The hallway was dark, and Jacob found himself wishing Akeno was there to light it up. He'd asked Brojan once to do it, but the Makalo had said no. Jacob didn't want to ask again. He quickly walked them to the math section of the school and breathed a sigh of relief when he found it empty.

"We should be fine here," he said, opening Mr. Coolidge's classroom with the key.

Brojan motioned for Jacob to sit, and the Makalo chose a student desk. Jacob stared. It was so weird to see a Makalo--especially this one--sitting at a desk. In his school.

After a moment, Brojan got to his feet and paced. Then he turned and faced Jacob, bright orange swirling around him, showing he was even more nervous now.

"I've been meaning to talk to you for a while. Tell you something--confess--what I did years ago."

Jacob frowned. "Confess?"

Brojan sat again. "Do you remember the story of Onyev? How he and his people left the trees to live together as families?"

"Yes . . ."

"Do you remember why they did this?"

"They'd been focusing too much on power and their own abilities, and had forgotten the important things in life."

Brojan nodded. "Yes, exactly. I'm not sure if Akeno told you, but they entered into an agreement that Makalos would never again introduce Kaede sap into the finger of an infant."

Jacob realized he'd been absentmindedly molding his desk. Mr. Coolidge would kill him if he saw that, so Jacob worked to fix it while it was still warm, concentrating on what Brojan was saying.

"And that agreement wasn't broken," the patriarch continued, "until fourteen years ago."

"By who? You?"

Brojan folded his hands, looking at them. He flushed, his colors changing to show embarrassment. "Yes--I did it. To one of the Makalo children." He looked up. "Jacob, you must understand my reasons for doing so before you judge me."

Judge him?

"I couldn't stand how helpless we were against the Lorkon. So many Makalos were slaughtered--it was horrendous. Absolutely terrifying and heart-wrenching. And, what's worse--my beloved Sabelle . . ." His voice faltered, and the pain written on his face shocked Jacob.

"What happened?"

He sniffed. "She . . . and our children decided . . . They turned themselves over to the Lorkon."

Jacob gasped. "Why? That's insane!"

Brojan shook his head. "She hadn't seen everything I had. They thought they could help the Lorkon get better. Our children were adults--they made their own decisions, and wouldn't listen to me."

"It doesn't make any sense. Why would they even try, after what the Lorkon had done to the kingdom?"

Brojan buried his face in his hands. "I might have led her to . . . believe that things would work out . . . that they would end up helping us in the end." He rubbed his eyes. "I was what your country might call an opportunist. I saw the Lorkon as powerful beings who desired control. I felt if we talked to them, channeled that desire, they'd come to see our side of things and we could help each other."

Jacob nearly scoffed, then remembered his manners, softening his voice. "I'll bet I can figure out what happened."

"The Lorkon refused to acknowledge us, and I realized I'd been foolish. Sabelle wasn't sure. She thought that if they were exposed to even more Makalos, they'd see our potential to create a more dynamic world."

Jacob bit his lip. Why would anyone think that? "And the Lorkon killed her?"

Brojan nodded. "Didn't even let her speak. Slaughtered my entire family." He closed his eyes, turning his face from Jacob.

Goodness. No wonder Brojan acted the way he did--gruff, never personal with people. He'd been hurt really badly by what happened.

Finally, he spoke again. "After we moved into Taga Village and sealed the entrance, I had plenty of time to think about how things had gone. I recognized how weak the Makalos had become. We all did. But _I_ decided to do something about it."

He stood again. "What I'm going to tell you, you cannot repeat to anyone." He turned and looked Jacob in the eye. "No one! Not even your brother."

"I promise I won't." Jacob was nearly positive he could see where this was leading.

"Akeno . . . Akeno was the firstborn Makalo in Taga. During the Welcome Ceremony, it is customary for the Makalo patriarch to place a shield on the left ring finger of the baby--symbolic of the early Makalos' decision to protect that finger from Kaede sap. While I was doing it, I pretended to put it on wrong, injuring him in the process. He cried, as was to be expected, but quickly calmed when Ebony held him. The shield covered the wound he'd received when I put a little sap in his finger."

Brojan looked up quickly, probably to analyze Jacob's reaction.

Jacob realized too late that his mouth was hanging open. And even though he'd heard nearly exactly what he'd expected, it was still kind of brutal. Brojan had actually stabbed Akeno's finger. "Okay, well . . . wow."

"I understand your shock. I also understand what you quite possibly do not: I have broken a very serious Makalo law. And it's incredibly wrong that Akeno and his parents don't know about it."

"What would happen to you if they found out?"

Brojan shook his head. "I don't know--we don't have a consequence in place for this sort of action. It was unthinkable that anyone would ever do it."

Jacob scratched at some pen markings on the desk, trying to figure out what to say. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"So that someone knows the real reason behind Akeno's abilities. Why he's more powerful than the others. So that person can help him progress more quickly than he would otherwise."

That made sense. "My brother already asked me why--he'll figure it out."

Brojan shrugged, looking worried even though his body language said otherwise. "Just . . . just do your best."

"Okay."

"Akeno shouldn't know for several more years what's happened to him. At least, not until after I've gone."

Jacob scowled. "Why, so you don't have to face all of this yourself?" He immediately felt bad for his disrespect, and quickly said, "I'm sorry. It's just . . . I'm just trying to understand."

Brojan held his hands palms up. "It's been difficult living with this lie for the past thirteen, nearly fourteen years."

"Wouldn't telling them help get rid of the guilt?"

"I've told _you_. Why would I need to tell anyone else?"

Jacob blinked in surprise. He decided to keep his thoughts to himself, but it was very much unlike a Makalo to act so selfishly. "How am I supposed to keep this a secret? What if you live another twenty years?"

"You've become very adept at hiding things. How many of your schoolmates know what's going on in your life?"

Jacob didn't answer. He didn't have to--Brojan was right. Some of the biggest things he'd ever experienced couldn't be shared with anyone aside from his family and the Makalos.

"It's time for me to return. If you wouldn't mind taking me home, I'd appreciate it."

Jacob did so, his thoughts jumbled. 

# Chapter Sixteen

Jacob rushed to the locker room Friday morning, so excited and nervous, he felt like his insides were about to jump into his throat. A group of people already clustered around the list, and Jacob had to push his way through.

"Sorry, man," a guy said, putting his hand on Jacob's shoulder.

Jacob ignored him, determined to see where he'd ended up. He quickly scanned the sheet for varsity, a sick feeling dropping his insides back into place when he didn't find his name.

What? No way. He scanned again, making sure he hadn't missed anything. How did he _not_ make it? Wait--Kevin's name was on the list. Kevin? He got in and Jacob didn't? Jacob was much better!

He looked at the paper for JV and found his name there. What a . . . a . . . He couldn't find an appropriate word to fit his thoughts. It had to have been rigged. Or--and Jacob's heart nearly stopped when this new thought hit him--Kevin's dad was still favoring his son. Of _course_ he was. Hadn't they gotten past that?

He backed away from the list, oblivious to the people around him, and left the locker room in a daze. He barely acknowledged a couple of girls saying hi to him as he wandered the halls. What a piece of junk tryouts had turned out to be. He'd played so well! So much better than anyone else. Why hadn't he made it? He and Kevin played different positions--there was room enough for both of them!

Jacob didn't notice Tani and Aloren until Aloren touched his arm, making him jump.

"You didn't make it, did you?"

He shook his head.

Tani's mouth popped open. "Not any team? Not even sophomore again?"

"I made JV."

"What's that?" Aloren asked.

"Junior varsity," Tani said. "It's a step below varsity. Jacob, you were robbed!"

"Where did they put Kevin?" Aloren asked, her voice too nonchalant.

Jacob fisted his hands, too frustrated to answer at first. Why was she even asking? She probably knew already. "Varsity, of course. His dad wouldn't have him anywhere else."

Not wanting their words of sympathy, he left, heading to math early. Aloren and Kevin. Kevin on varsity. This was the worst day--no, the worst _week_ --of his life.

Math, woods, and lunch crawled by--Jacob ate in his car, wanting to distance himself from Aloren and Kevin--but history and science were especially painful. Not only did Aloren keep trying to comfort him, but Shirley tried, too. He could barely handle Aloren's awkward attempts--knowing that she was keeping her excitement for Kevin well hidden--but Shirley put him over the edge. She did everything she could to get the attention of the entire class, and by the end of the period, Jacob had heard "Dude, I'm sorry" so many times, he couldn't stand it.

Anytime he saw Kevin in the hall, he turned and walked the other way. Even when Kevin called to him to stop.

There wasn't a thing he could possibly have to say to Jacob.

***

That night was the last game of the football season. Jacob sat with his family, Tani, and Josh to watch Matt in all his glory. Jacob glowered nearly the entire game, barely able to keep up with what was happening on the field.

His parents had been disappointed that Jacob didn't make varsity, but said maybe Coach thought he'd still been too young. Until he told them Kevin was on the team. Neither said anything, but Mom's lips tightened, and she and Dad shared an annoyed expression.

During half-time, Jacob was listening to Tani and didn't notice Kevin and Aloren coming until they sat right in front of him. He didn't have the opportunity to escape.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said before either could say anything.

"Dude, knock it off," Kevin said. "Stop being petty. I'm not trying to gloat--I want to tell you how mad I am that you didn't make it too."

"Yeah, well, that's good and all, but . . ." Jacob paused. "What?"

"You heard me. Dad knows varsity needs you, but he says you don't have enough experience."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I'm just as experienced as you are, and you know it!"

"That's what I told him. He's being an idiot."

Aloren nodded, the expression on her face showing how badly she wanted Jacob to understand.

Jacob sighed in frustration. He believed them. Kevin had been a lot nicer since he and Aloren had hit it off. It didn't make Jacob any happier. At that moment, he'd rather be talking to the Lorkon.

"Okay, well, thanks for saying something. The game's about to start again." He turned back to Tani and Josh. He knew it was rude, but he didn't care anymore. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kevin and Aloren leave.

Tani acted like she wanted to say something. Finally she blurted, "How do you feel about those two going out?"

"It doesn't matter--they can do what they want," Jacob mumbled under his breath.

Tani blushed. "Oh, sorry--bad timing." She turned back to watch the game.

Jacob had a hard time paying attention to the last quarter. He was glad it was the weekend--he didn't think he could handle going to school in the morning and facing more disappointment and "I'm sorry"s.

Matt led Mountain Crest to victory. Jacob didn't realize it until Tani pulled him to his feet, jumping up and down, screaming, "We won! We won!"

# Chapter Seventeen

Saturday morning, Jacob's mom burst through his door, making him jump up in bed. "Whoa, Mom. Everything okay?"

She nodded excitedly. "We're having a ball!"

"The ball?" The first thing that popped into Jacob's mind was that she was really enjoying herself. "Did you want me to join you? Oh, wait. You mean one of those big dances."

"Yes!" She hesitated. "Well, no. Much smaller. No carriages or big dresses. More like a party. Remember? We're celebrating Aldo's recovery!" She pulled his hand. "Get up! I need your help--we're going to make this place shine."

"It's going to be here?"

She scowled at him. "Of course. Where else would it be?"

"Somewhere bigger? Maybe in Eklaron?"

She folded her arms. "And where in Eklaron would be big enough? Everything in Maivoryl City is off limits."

She had a point. He knitted his brows, thinking. "The castle in Macaria?"

"Oh, Sondalane? That's a great idea. It's completely falling apart, and we couldn't get it ready in time for tonight."

Jacob jumped out of bed, glad he always slept in a T-shirt and pajama pants. "It's tonight? Why didn't you say so? The yard's a mess!"

"I know! I'll get Matt up. Could you guys rake the leaves? The weather is going to be nice enough for us to BBQ and to have a couple games of football or basketball or whatever you want--so the yard needs to look good."

He agreed to help, and she bounced out of the room. Jacob hadn't seen her so hyper since she'd found out she was pregnant with Amberly, and that had been a really long time ago. Nine and a half years, at least.

He changed quickly, putting on warm clothes before going outside with Matt.

The brothers took turns raking the leaves into a pile, then jumping into it, scattering the leaves everywhere. Amberly joined them, and they tossed her into the pile a few times before getting serious and cleaning everything up.

After a couple of hours, the place was perfect. Mom came out and looked the yard over--made sure the BBQ grill was ready and the yard presentable. She reported that Gallus was bringing his wife and kids.

Dad came back from running errands. He and Mom had decided to have a full-out feast, including steak, ribs, hamburgers, chicken, and hot dogs.

Jacob picked up Aloren, who'd volunteered to help Mom make sure things were ready.

Matt watched her enter the house with Mom. He shook his head. "I can't believe she's my sister."

Jacob chuckled. "Yeah, I've been having a hard time adjusting to it too."

"I'll bet!" Matt elbowed him in the side. "You having a crush on your brother's sister is definitely weird."

Jacob pushed Matt away, laughing. "Stop it. I don't want to think about that."

The brothers pulled stuff up from the crawlspace under the house--old Thanksgiving decorations that Mom hadn't used in years, folding tables and chairs, and boxes of cloth napkins and tablecloths.

Eventually, everything was ready. Jacob, Aloren, and Matt followed Mom around the house and yard as she inspected things. Tables were set up in the back yard so they could take advantage of the unusually warm weather. The grill was heating up, with Dad watching over it. The house was absolutely perfect. Mom approved.

She had Jacob, Matt, and Aloren change into clean clothes, then she sent Jacob off to pick up everyone. Even Early was coming.

Meeting Gallus's family for the first time was entertaining. His wife was very attractive--taller than Matt and Jacob, with dark skin and hair. Not as dark as Gallus's, though. Her eyes were a brilliant honey color--Jacob couldn't stop staring at them, and Gallus laughed when he noticed.

"She's from the same country as Aloren's mom. They have darker hair and skin, but very light eyes."

Gallus's children were fun--they were really excited to meet Jacob, but didn't jump all over him like little kids usually did. Instead, they followed him around the yard until Gallus called them back.

Finally, everyone was at Jacob's house and in their places.

Jacob ended up next to Matt. He wondered briefly where Aloren had gone, but decided to try to get over it and move on. Maybe she'd gone to the bathroom or something.

Dad welcomed them all and explained how the evening would go. They'd start out by eating a small snack, just to make sure no one was absolutely starving, then they'd break for various things--games and activities, etc.,--and would end with dinner, dessert, and a movie. Matt and Jacob were really excited about this since most of the people from Eklaron hadn't ever seen movies. Aldo and the Makalos were the exceptions.

The snack was a sort of food Jacob had never seen his mom prepare before. She said it was a delicacy from Gevkan. It was made with creamed chicken and cheese sauces, and was sucked out of small bowls with straws that were actually a vegetable growing in Eklaron. You would then eat the straw. Disgusting.

"What _is_ this stuff?" Matt asked.

Jacob shook his head. "No idea. It looks gross."

Matt leaned over his bowl and sniffed. "Smells okay. Should we try it?"

"You first."

"No--let's go at the same time."

Jacob agreed and pulled the green straw toward him and sucked on it. The stuff came faster than he expected, and he nearly breathed it in. He coughed, trying to clear his airways. Matt had the same reaction. "Is Mom trying to kill us?" Jacob asked.

Matt didn't answer. He was staring wide-eyed across the table toward the path between the forest and the garage. He nodded his head in that direction, and Jacob looked.

Kevin and Aloren were approaching, holding hands.

"What's he doing here?" Jacob asked.

Matt's mouth popped open. "Holy cow. I have no idea. Does he know about Eklaron?"

Jacob knitted his eyebrows and looked away when Aloren glanced in their direction. "He shouldn't, but how could he not? I mean, look at half the people here. They aren't normal. Unless she's about to tell him."

"So, that's Aloren's boyfriend?" Akeno whispered. He sat across from Jacob, putting his bowl and cup down. "He's here to meet Gallus. It seems he wants to date Aloren, but your parents told her it wasn't appropriate. Not unless Kevin got permission from her guardian. Gallus is the closest thing to a guardian Aloren has. He practically raised her." Akeno motioned to Jacob's parents. "I'm sure if they'd known she was Matt's sister--which, by the way, is absolutely insane--"

"Tell me about it," Matt muttered.

"They would've taken her in as well."

Jacob watched as Aloren and Kevin sat down near Gallus, disappearing from sight behind the heads of other people. He turned back to his food, trying it again, with better results this time. It wasn't bad, actually, if he thought of it as a cheesy-chicken soup.

A moment later, Gallus stood. "I'd like to take the opportunity to say a few things." He waited until every eye was on him--it didn't take long, since his voice resonated so well. "As is the custom in Gevkan, whenever young people wish to declare their engagement, the parents announce it first to all the loved ones and friends."

He motioned to where Jacob assumed Aloren and Kevin were sitting. "Aloren's parents aren't living, so they're not here to make the announcement themselves."

Jacob twisted, straining to see them. Aloren flushed and Kevin looked just as shocked as Jacob felt. The blood had drained from his face, and a greenish yellow--a color Jacob didn't see often, representing near hysteria--swirled around him. Jacob snickered. It seemed Kevin didn't know that by meeting Gallus, he was committing to a whole lot more than he thought.

"I'd like to let everyone know that I'll be conversing with Kevin throughout the party and, at the end, shall decide if I approve of Aloren's choice in marrying him."

# Chapter Eighteen

Murmurs spread through the yard. Jacob's parents looked especially confused, and even the Makalos didn't seem to know what to do.

Aloren tugged on Gallus's shirt, pulled him down, and whispered something to him. He looked confused, gazing at Kevin. He said something back to the two of them, and they shook their heads emphatically. Aloren said something else to Gallus, and he righted himself, clearing his throat. The yard went quiet again.

"Excuse me, but I have misunderstood. It seems they aren't preparing for marriage, but are preparing for . . . for . . ." He turned to Aloren again, but it was Kevin who responded.

"We're dating."

A confused expression crossed Gallus's face, and loud enough for everyone to hear, he said, "What do you mean by 'dating?' You aren't planning on marrying Aloren? Why are you claiming her as your own, then?"

Kevin raised his palms, looking bewildered and embarrassed. Aloren, apparently having given up on the situation, put her head in one hand.

Gallus sat down. Jacob felt bad for him, and surprised himself when he realized he felt bad for Kevin, too. He pushed that away. Kevin had Aloren _and_ varsity. That definitely made up for anything.

"Wow." Matt eyeballed the couple. "This, my friends, is an excellent example of cultures clashing."

"You're not kidding," Sweet Pea said. "Her boyfriend should've known better. _Aloren_ should've known better."

Matt nodded. "Insane."

A short time later, everyone finished with the delicacy, and the adults disappeared to the kitchen and the grills to work on dinner. Amberly took the kids from Eklaron to the swing set in the back yard, and Jacob and Matt rounded the teenagers up for a game of basketball.

Jacob got his ball and took charge of the game--he wasn't about to let Kevin bowl everyone over at his own home. Kevin had also brought his ball. Jacob watched him carefully--he didn't seem surprised at all about the people around him. Or maybe he was hiding it, and Aloren still hadn't told him about Eklaron? No--that couldn't be the case. He'd be freaking out, trying to figure out who or what everyone was. But that meant she'd told him, and Jacob didn't want to believe she'd jeopardize everyone's trust like that.

He shook his head, putting the thoughts behind him for the time being. He could think about it later. For now, it was time to play.

They started with a couple games of eternal lightning, just to get the people from Eklaron used to how things felt. Jacob won both rounds of the game, with Kevin coming in second. That didn't seem to shock Kevin, and Jacob felt a ton of satisfaction.

Then Jacob split everyone into teams. Team Blue had Jacob, Matt, and Jaegar on it, and Team Red had Kevin, Sweet Pea, Akeno, and Aloren. The teams were evenly matched--Aloren did well, but she wasn't athletic. Akeno had no coordination, but Sweet Pea was surprisingly good. Matt had played basketball plenty of times, so he made up for the lack of players on Team Blue and for Jaegar's youth.

The entire game was frustrating to Jacob. He tried not to show off for Aloren, but he couldn't help it. And, of course, he was disappointed when she didn't pay him any attention. She only had eyes for Kevin.

The first round ended surprisingly fast. Jacob's team lost. They lost! He glared at his ball, then called for a re-match with the same team members. This time he ignored Aloren, putting everything into it.

And they won. Jacob bent, hands on his legs, catching his breath. He straightened to high-five Jaegar and Matt, and squinted when sweat got in his eyes. He tried to wipe it away, but everything was too blurry. He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again.

The light around him changed, and he felt like the ground had been yanked out from under his feet. The sun raced backwards across the sky, followed by nightfall, then by daylight and nightfall again. He closed his eyes, willing things to go back to the way they were. A sensation of vertigo hit him. Jacob fell to the ground, palms over his face, trying to force the lights to return to normal. He looked up and watched stars appear and disappear each time the sun flew past. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people went by him, wandering in every direction. And animals, too.

What was going on?

Finally, the sun stopped at the midday position. Someone he couldn't see screamed, and he jumped up, yelling that he was okay.

Except, he stood next to his house alone. He walked forward, head tilted. Had everyone gone inside when he fell? The place looked different--very different. Fresh. New. His front door slammed open and Jacob jumped back, pressing against the side of the house. Then he realized one of the biggest differences--there wasn't a garage. Where was it?

A man stepped onto the porch, followed by a woman, and Jacob's jaw dropped. They were dressed like pioneers--she wore a long, faded red dress and a bonnet, and he wore brown pants and a loose button-up shirt. Kids poured onto the porch--at least five, dressed like their parents.

Jacob squinted at them, noticing the fear on their faces. He jerked around to see what they were looking at.

A man rode up the hill on horseback, waving his gun, hollering. The dad pushed his wife and children inside the house, reached above the door, and pulled down a rifle, then shut the front door behind him.

"Jimmy, what's going on?" he asked, his voice cracking.

Then the sun flashed across the sky several times, nearly making Jacob vomit. He wished he could go back to see what would happen with the pioneer man. The world stopped spinning with sunlight peeking across the mountains to the east, and he fell to his knees, trying to maintain consciousness. He looked around. A deer ran across the field near him, making him jump. He got to his feet again when he realized the house was gone.

The lights flashed, and the house was back. Only this time, it appeared to be sometime in the late afternoon. Dad pulled up in his silver car and got out wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase.

"Dad!" Jacob called.

He didn't answer. How could he not have heard? He was only a few feet away!

Except, Dad looked different. Younger--not so bald. And Mom came to the door to meet him, holding Amberly, who looked like she was only a year old.

Whoa. This wasn't happening--couldn't be.

The lights flashed across the sky again, and Jacob, falling to the ground, nearly throwing up again, called out, "Stop! _Stop_!"

And things obeyed him.

He tried to rub sense back into his eyes and heard familiar voices. Calling. Shouting. He could pick out Matt's and Aloren's. Aloren!

Jacob looked up. He couldn't see anyone. But he heard them--he heard them! How? That weird feeling in his heart hit him again, making it feel like he was having a heart murmur, and instead of shunning it, he concentrated on it.

Aloren's face appeared above him, concerned. He focused on her brown eyes, willing everything around him to calm down.

"I'm fine," he said, then turned to the side, coughing, his whole body shuddering.

Aloren pulled away, then walked to stand next to Kevin. He put his arm around her waist. Matt, Mom, Dad, and Ebony swarmed in, hovering over Jacob.

"Should we call 911?" Matt asked.

Dad shook his head. "No. It won't help."

Jacob had to agree. "I'm not sick."

"I know, honey," Mom said, "but we've still got to figure this out."

"I think," Jacob started, then paused, coughing again. "I think it's an ability. A power. I could almost control it this time."

"That's wonderful, son!" Dad said. "What did you do? What did you figure out? Can you try it again?"

Mom raised her eyebrows at Dad and he quieted down. She turned to Jacob. "You aren't to play around with this power--it's far too dangerous."

Jacob started. "Mom, I have to--things are getting out of hand."

"I agree with the child," Aldo said. "If he doesn't learn to control the hallucinations, they'll control him."

The Fat Lady nodded. "And it might help in our fight against the Lorkon."

Jacob slowly sat up. "Exactly. It's time for me to know more about this skill. And they're not night terrors. How long was I out of it?"

"About two or three minutes," Mom said. "Which was way too long. You really, really had us worried!"

"Three minutes? There's no way! It felt like fifteen, at least!"

Dad shook his head. "Mom's right. We'd barely come through the doors when you stopped shaking."

Jacob got to his feet, brushing himself off. "This is so weird. I don't know what to think."

"Don't stress over it," Ebony said.

The Fat Lady smirked, her eyes sparkling. "But figure it out, just the same."

Matt snorted. "He's going to freak out over it--that's how Jacob is. If he doesn't know what's going on, he focuses on it until he does."

With a sinking feeling, Jacob remembered that Kevin had witnessed the entire thing. He turned to see how the basketball player was reacting. He looked like he was trying not to run away.

"Sorry you had to see that," Jacob said.

"Nah, it's cool." The color around Kevin's face told Jacob it was anything _but_ cool.

Jacob laughed. Then a thought hit him really hard. He looked at Aloren. "How much does Kevin know?"

The colors that made up the emotion of guilt flowed through the air around her. "Well . . . he knows I'm not from earth."

Jacob's mouth popped open. "So, you _did_ tell him. Why?"

If the murmurs around Jacob didn't show the surprise of the adults present, the colors emanating from their faces definitely did. Most of them were shocked. The rest were upset. Really upset. Jacob understood--he was upset, too--but he couldn't figure out why they felt so strongly. Hadn't they gotten over it earlier, when Aloren and Kevin first showed up? Was it possible they'd hoped Aloren hadn't said anything to him?

Aloren rushed to explain herself. "I'd made way too many mistakes. Things didn't add up--he asked me all sorts of questions I couldn't possibly answer. Like, where my parents were, who I'd grown up with, my favorite things to do, favorite foods, who's my best friend. How could I tell him that Hazel is only two inches tall? And then he saw her! I tried to cover it--"

"She doesn't need to explain herself," Kevin said. "I believe her, and I won't spill what's going on and where she's from." The expression on his face, not to mention the colors, showed he was serious.

Jacob's parents looked at their son for confirmation. "He's telling the truth," Jacob said. "Or, at least, he thinks he is."

"When did you find out?" Ebony asked Kevin.

"This morning, when she invited me to come." He laughed. "She'd told me I was going to meet some pretty interesting people." He put his arm around her. "After the things she'd said, and after seeing Hazel, I knew she was being honest."

Matt snickered. "Yeah, well, did she tell you that none of our family, except for Amberly, are from earth? Not even our parents."

Kevin's jaw dropped. "What? Are you serious?"

"And what's more," Matt said, ignoring his parents' facial expressions, "my parents are royalty. My dad is the king of Gevkan, where Aloren is from, and my mom is the queen there. Oh, and Jacob and I aren't brothers. And Jacob has magical--"

"That's enough," Mom said. "You're saying way more than you've been given permission to tell."

Matt blushed slightly. "Sorry."

Kevin's mouth hadn't shut yet, and the bright yellow around his face showed he might not recover from his surprise for a long time. "I . . . I . . ." He looked at Jacob.

Jacob shrugged. "Yeah, it came as a complete shock to me, too. I've only known about all of this for a few months."

Kevin shook his head. He chuckled, apparently putting his disbelief away for the time being. "Clark, I always knew there was something wrong with you."

Jacob laced his fingers behind his neck. "You have no idea." It felt weird to joke with the guy.

Kevin laughed, then kissed Aloren on the forehead, and Jacob turned away to find his basketball.

"Okay, enough serious stuff," Mom said. "Time for dinner!"

Everyone cheered and returned to their seats to get their plates.

# Chapter Nineteen

After dinner, Mom ushered everyone except the kids--who went to Amberly's room to play--into the large family room. Dad had insisted on adding it to the house several years back, wanting the extra space for watching movies and basketball games. It made Jacob smile now to think of how exciting America would have been to someone like Dad, who'd never seen an NBA game.

The movie started. After nearly ten minutes of blankly staring at the TV screen, the only thing Jacob knew was that it was an action film of some sort, shot in New York City.

He couldn't stop thinking about his "episode." Why hallucinations? Or were they closer to visions? Obviously, they weren't night terrors, as his mom had originally believed. And the fact that he'd seen his family in the _past_ had to mean something.

He thought back on all the times he could remember it happening--whatever _it_ was. The first instance had been while playing basketball in the orange gym. What had been unique about that situation? He remembered being tired--not having gotten much sleep the night before. Then there was the time when he'd woken up in the middle of the night to get a drink of water--maybe the episodes had something to do with sleep. Maybe his body was kicking him into a freakish sort of REM cycle.

But what about in the tunnel, when he was fighting the Ember Gods? He hadn't been sleepy then. Exhausted, yes, but not sleepy. And playing basketball earlier--he'd had plenty of rest the night before.

Jacob thought everything over. Was it the time of day? His temperature? Was he sick?

What if it had to do with the amount of danger he was in? Or, more concisely, the intensity of the moment? Fighting the Ember Gods was pretty freaky. And he was always super focused while playing basketball. But no--that time when he'd seen the Indians, he was staring out the window, and it didn't fit.

It wasn't due to location, or what he was wearing, or who he was with. Every episode was different from the others. Jacob sighed in frustration.

Then he decided to single in on the exact moment when the episodes started. Was there something smaller--much smaller--triggering them? He started with earlier that day, while playing basketball in the driveway with everyone. He'd had sweat in his eyes. He'd blinked to clear them, but couldn't, so he'd just squinted through the haze.

Jacob sat up in his chair, feeling like he'd just hit on something important. Was it possible? The episodes had something to do with his eyes? With squinting? Before the first hallucination, he'd been tired--tired eyes don't operate normally. And while in the tunnel with the Ember Gods, he'd been surrounded by fire and smoke, along with having sweat in his eyes. He had squinted in all of those situations. Then . . . while at the window. No squinting. But his eyes had been out of--

Jacob jumped from the couch when it hit him. His eyes had been out of focus! He'd been staring through the window, not really seeing what was out there, thinking about something else.

"Hey! Sit down!"

He didn't know who'd said it, but he popped back onto the couch, elation pouring over him. That had to be the trigger! Squinting was only a symptom, or a side effect of trying to get his eyes to focus. He'd figured it out. _Yes_!

He took several deep breaths, clearing his mind so he could put the theory to the test, then unfocused his eyes, gazing blankly at the TV. _Hallucinate_ , he thought to himself.

Nothing happened.

Something wasn't right. What, though?

Jacob chuckled and nearly smacked himself on the forehead when he realized what it was. They weren't hallucinations, and his body wasn't going to obey an order it didn't understand.

He stared at the TV again, recognizing that the main characters were still in New York City, and unfocused his eyes, this time picturing the location where the movie had been filmed.

He stood on that exact same street. The sun was down already, but the road was still full of people. Everyone was wearing coats, but he didn't feel the cold.

"Yeah, I heard," said a sleek-looking woman with tall boots as she walked past Jacob.

A plump woman nodded emphatically. "And she's suing him!"

The two didn't even notice him.

Jacob felt a tight pain in his chest and he gasped, losing concentration. The pain dissipated and the scene changed back to the family room.

It worked! He'd done it!

He jumped to his feet. "I've figured it out! Turn off the movie! I gotta tell everyone something!"

Mom switched the lights on.

"What is it, son?" Dad asked after he'd paused the show.

Jacob felt himself flushing when every eye turned to him. He put his embarrassment aside. "I'm not hallucinating! I'm seeing other places and people! They're real, living people! I was sitting here, on the couch, practicing, and I ended up on that street in New York City!" He pointed at the TV.

Mom raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, honey?"

"Of course! Here, let me tell you what's going on." He proceeded to explain his theories, along with the questions he'd considered, finally telling them about putting it to the test.

"Wow," the Fat Lady said. She turned to Aldo, who was sitting next to her on the last row of couches. "I suppose we shouldn't be surprised."

Aldo shook his head. "No, but I am, just the same."

"What are you talking about?" Jacob asked.

"What you've experienced is Time-Seeing," the Fat Lady said. "And it's incredibly rare for humans, which is probably why none of us considered it."

Dad nodded, putting his cup down. He was sitting in his usual spot--center row, center of the room. "And this is yet another reason you need to work with the Shiengols as soon as possible. They're also Time-Seers."

Jacob grinned. "Great! I can't wait!"

"Okay, so now that you've got this really super-freakin' cool ability," Matt said, "why don't you do something awesome with it?"

"Like what?" Jacob asked.

"Go see the pyramids!"

A few heads in the room nodded, and he was surprised to see that even the adults looked interested in hearing the outcome.

"Okay, I can try." He cleared his thoughts and took a deep breath, then pictured Egypt in his mind. He looked ahead, unfocused his eyes, and concentrated specifically on the Great Pyramid.

The family room disappeared, replaced by a night-time glimpse of the pyramids. The scene was brief, and just as fast as it had come, left. Jacob found himself slumped on the couch.

"Dude, you totally fell."

"I know. That didn't last long. Let me go again."

He stood, trying to focus harder. This time he felt like he was actually standing there, in front of the huge pyramid. Wow. The pain in his chest returned, he lost concentration, and zipped back home, falling down again.

"I'm not very good at it."

"That's fine," Aldo said. "You'll have plenty of time to practice."

"No, he won't," Gallus said from the couch on the left side of the room. "This new ability is an extremely powerful one." He leaned forward. "Don't you all see? He could use it to spy on the Lorkon to figure out what their next plan will be. He needs to gain control of it, and fast."

Jacob glanced at his mom. How would she respond to that? She bit her lip, grimacing, then took a deep breath. "He's right." She pressed her hands against her cheeks, glancing apologetically at Jacob. "Honey, don't stress yourself, but continue practicing."

Jacob nodded, trying to keep from smiling. He couldn't believe Mom had actually agreed--she was always so overprotective! Being something more than an errand boy with a magical key was going to be great. Not only that, but this ability really did have some cool advantages--if he could figure out how to use them.

He glanced at Kevin and Aloren. He'd nearly forgotten they were there, sitting next to Aldo and the Fat Lady on the last row. Aloren was leaning back in her chair, hands behind her head. She gave Jacob an encouraging smile. Kevin gawked at him as if he'd turned into a new video game--awe, excitement, and a little nervousness flowing in the air around him. Jacob couldn't help but chuckle, wondering how long it would take for Kevin to adjust to this new knowledge.

Long after everyone had left, Jacob stayed in the family room, trying to Time-See. The best he did was to get brief glimpses at places around the world, but he had a lot of fun doing even just that. He could travel without going anywhere! It didn't take long for him to discover, though, that he felt sick if he didn't wait at least two minutes between tries. He took advantage of that extra time by pulling out some old encyclopedias and reading up on the places he was visiting.

During one of his breaks, a question popped into his mind. Before he'd known what this ability was, his body had sent him to some really random places. Why? And what had chosen those locations? Maybe nerve firings in his brain? The tunnel while fighting the Ember Gods had been really hot, and he'd gone to a snowy mountainside--perhaps to cool off? 'Course, that didn't really explain all the other places he'd been, but there might not be an answer for those occurrences.

Around one in the morning, his mom came downstairs and told him to get to bed. "You won't improve if you over-tire yourself."

"That might actually make it easier--"

Mom shook her head and pointed at the door. She waited for him to leave the room first before turning off the light and shutting the door behind them.

Jacob pulled himself up the stairs to his room. He'd been so excited to practice that he'd ignored his body, and he was surprised to find that he really _was_ tired. As he fell asleep, he smiled to himself. Today, he'd seen some of the coolest places in the world. Turkey, the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids, the Mediterranean, Hawaii, and he'd even visited ruins from the Incas, Aztecs, and Mayas. It was like using the key to get anywhere, only it wasn't illegal or off-limits.

This was going to be great.

# Chapter Twenty

Jacob's parents decided that he, Matt, and Aloren would stay home from school Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the following week to help recruit Wurbies. Jacob couldn't believe they were actually in favor of that, but, after hearing Gallus's argument that there weren't many other people who could help in recruiting, it made sense why they'd say yes. Jacob was the only one who could use the key, Matt was as strong as an adult--none of the Makalos could keep up in that area--and Aloren knew Dusts really well. Apparently they were very similar to Wurbies.

Gallus was in charge of the trip, so naturally he was also going, along with Sweet Pea and Akeno. Sweet Pea because he was an experienced fighter, and Akeno because he could knock out creatures, light areas up, and sense living things.

At a meeting right before leaving, Gallus explained they'd be using Aloren's Minya, Hazel, to keep them in contact with Taga Village. He went on to say there would be a lot of dangers--getting to Ashay Hills wasn't an easy thing. "And we'll most definitely run into Eetu fish."

"Really?" Matt asked. "They live out of water, too?"

Gallus shook his head. "No, but to get to the mountains, we have to go through tunnels that run beneath Sonda Lake."

Jacob almost threw up, just thinking about going there again. His palms started sweating, and dizziness made it hard to see and hear. He breathed deeply, refusing to let himself think about the tunnels under Sonda Lake and all the things that could possibly happen.

"Why can't we just walk around?"

"The water is right up against the mountains, and since there isn't a gradual slope, it's impossible to get to the canyons of Ashay Hills by doing that. Onyev and the earlier humans and Makalos built tunnels a very long time ago to provide safe passage."

Aloren nodded. "They're not very safe anymore, as we've discovered. They'll be . . . let's just say, _interesting_. I've only been to the mouths of them--too creepy."

Gallus turned to Akeno. "Your father made more doors, correct?"

Akeno lifted his bag. "Thirty, at least. We'll be very well prepared."

"Good. Let's get going. Make sure you have everything you need. We'll stop by my shop to pick up extra supplies, then head to the castle."

Jacob and Matt had already packed their backpacks full of jerky, bread, a couple types of cheese, bacon, flashlights with extra batteries, matches, and anything else they thought they'd need.

They hefted their bags to their shoulders and Jacob keyed everyone to the shop in Macaria. Gallus gathered things from shop shelves, and Jacob assumed they had something to do with bribing the Wurbies.

When they got to the castle, Aloren led them to a different section, away from where Jacob had been last time. Thank goodness. As Aloren crept around corners, keeping a lookout for Dusts and other dangerous creatures, Gallus explained that sometime in the last month or so, the earthquakes had stopped happening. That made Jacob even more relieved.

Aloren led them to a large door. It was locked, and Jacob used the key to open it. On the other side was a set of dark, rickety stairs. Aloren went first, leading the way, and Gallus took up the rear.

"My sister is freakin' cool," Matt whispered to Jacob.

Jacob chuckled. "Yeah, she is."

"It's 'cause we're related, you know."

"Whatever."

The group descended several stairs--at least 200. Jacob counted them until Sweet Pea broke through one of the steps and nearly fell. It was so dark, Jacob could barely see the hole the Makalo had created, and he stopped counting so he could concentrate better.

They finally reached the bottom. The air was musty, damp, and stale, and smelled of something Jacob didn't recognize. Something almost animal.

Gallus lit a torch and instructed Akeno and Sweet Pea to light their fingers. Jacob and Matt turned on their flashlights. Jacob strained to see ahead of Gallus, expecting a long expanse of passageway, but frowned when he saw that the way was rough-hewn and rocky--nothing like any of the tunnels he'd been in previously.

Gallus turned to face everyone. "From here on, things will be very dangerous. We're under the lake now, so don't touch the water or walls--even with your shoes--and do your best not to touch the ceiling. Most everything is moist, and we won't know which water belongs to an Eetu fish without finding out the hard way."

The group nodded.

"We'll be fine as long as we're careful." He turned to go, then looked back. "Eetu fish aren't the only pests that live around these tunnels. Keep that in mind."

"What else is here?" Matt asked.

Gallus tilted his head to the side and pursed his lips. "Critters--rats and such."

"Great," Matt grumbled.

They started slowly, then gradually picked up speed as the individual members of the group adjusted to the rough passage. Parts of the tunnel had broken away, revealing incredible depths of water--sometimes clear, sometimes dark and murky. Even in the clear waters, Jacob couldn't see the bottom.

"How deep in the lake are we?" he asked.

"Several hundred feet by now," Gallus called back.

Jacob pulled himself past a big rock in the middle of the way. "How is the tunnel not overflowing with water?"

"Magic," Gallus said. "It was built to be a passage, and a passage it will be."

Jacob nodded to himself. Makalo magic certainly was strong. How much of this sort of thing would Akeno be able to do, once he figured out his abilities?

He paused while Sweet Pea clambered up a huge rock, then grabbed the Makalo's offered hand and pulled himself up. His shoes slipped on the mucky rock beneath him, and he nearly fell against the wet stone.

The boys froze.

Nothing happened.

"That was close," Sweet Pea said.

Jacob nodded and turned to help Matt up.

During a particularly difficult section, Matt started muttering. Jacob chuckled, listening to his older brother.

"They call this a tunnel? Ridiculous. I've seen much better ones before. Heck, _I've_ made 'em better than this. And how did the rock get here, anyway?"

"The rock isn't suspended, you know," Gallus said. Apparently, Jacob wasn't the only one listening to Matt. "Yes, there's water below us, but this entire thing is attached to an overhang on the left. Above and to the right is water."

Matt sighed in frustration. "How much longer until the end?"

"No idea." Gallus grunted in exertion. "Don't expect it to be soon."

The group fell silent again. Jacob's hands got raw from grabbing the rougher sections of rock.

He jumped when Aloren's scream slashed the air, followed by a splash of water. He and Matt scrambled to catch up to her. She'd fallen into a puddle about a foot deep. Gallus and Matt pulled her up, then the group ran forward--climbing and crawling over the rock.

"Hurry, everyone!" Gallus called back. "If there was Eetu in that water, we need to increase the distance as much as possible."

But after a while it became apparent that nothing was chasing them, and they eventually slowed down. Gallus decided they needed to take a break, and he wrapped a blanket around Aloren's shoulders. Her face was white and she trembled, her teeth chattering. The air around her showed she was afraid--very afraid. Jacob didn't blame her. Matt approached and offered her his hoodie. She accepted it, and Matt put his arm around her once she'd put it on.

Jacob watched, helpless, wishing he could also do something to comfort her. He patted her on the shoulder.

It wasn't as cold down here as he'd expected. Maybe the Makalos had also set up a magical heating system. When Aloren had calmed down and everyone had the opportunity to eat, Gallus said it was time to start up again.

The next person who touched water was Jacob, and the group went through the same thing again, rushing forward as fast as possible, then taking a break when it was apparent nothing was following.

Matt flicked his flashlight on and off several times. "How do we know Aloren and Jacob didn't actually touch Eetu water? What if the Eetu are underneath us right now, waiting to attack?"

"If that were the case, we'd know. Eetu are incredibly fast and strong, and aren't conniving. They don't wait for the perfect moment to attack--they go in for the easy kill. Their strength and immunity protect them while they do it."

"Can we please not talk about this?" Aloren asked.

Jacob put his hands in his pockets. He thought it was fascinating, but could see why she wouldn't.

Something to the left of him scurried and he sprang from the ground, backing up against the other side of the tunnel. "What was that?"

"Where?" Matt asked.

Jacob pointed. "It was white and a foot long."

A movement at his side caught his attention. The biggest rat he'd ever seen clung to the wall right by his head. Where did it come from?

Its eyes were milky white, its body slimy, sleek, and hairless. Completely hairless. Jacob backed slowly away, then jumped when the rat leaped for him, landing on his chest. He freaked out, wiping at his shirt, trying to brush the thing off. The little beast clung tight, then squirmed, attempting to burrow itself in his jacket.

"Get off me!"

Finally, he grabbed the rat around the midsection. He almost dropped it when his brain registered the texture of the rat's skin--like a wet mushroom. He ripped its claws free and threw it away from him. He couldn't help the impulse to wipe his hands off. The feeling of a squirmy, hairless rat was too much.

Jacob turned to ask why no one had helped him and saw that they were all fighting to get rats off of themselves. The rodents were everywhere--jumping onto the group, climbing up legs, and scurrying around.

# Chapter Twenty-One

"Get moving, everyone!" Gallus called.

They bolted forward, shaking off rats as they went. It didn't take much to discourage the beasts from following, and after a moment, the group reached another wet section. The rats didn't pursue.

"Why did they attack us?" Matt asked.

"I suspect they were going for our clothing," Gallus said. "They don't find much material for nesting down here."

Aloren grimaced, curling her lip. "They're disgusting."

Jacob had to agree.

"Why couldn't Jacob just key us into the Wurby village?" Matt asked.

"Because that isn't polite," Gallus said. "You don't just barge into people's homes without getting permission from them first, especially when no one has talked to them in years and you want them on your side."

The group fell silent. They were passing over a part that had many holes, and they had to be careful. At one point, Jacob's heart nearly stopped beating when, while he hung over a huge gash in the stone, he saw a large, dark creature pass directly under him. He could've sworn it looked up at him and smiled. Could fish smile?

"We shouldn't be far from the end now," Gallus said.

Somewhere along the way, Matt had passed Jacob, and Jacob ended up in the back of the group. He didn't mind--he just made sure to be extra cautious. The idea that they were almost to the end of the tunnel gave him goosebumps. He couldn't wait to feel the sun again. It had been at least two hours since they'd last been out in the open.

He rushed forward, going as quickly as he could, shimmying underneath a large overhang of rock. Once on the other side, he pulled himself up, catching up with Matt.

Jacob was crawling across another hole when he misjudged his foot placement and slipped. Crying out, he grabbed at the rock all around him, attempting to stop his fall. He hit his head against the stone, scraped his hands and elbows, and knocked his knee really hard.

With a splash, he plunged into the dark water below him, wind whooshing out of his lungs. It was so cold! He panicked, flinging himself around. Which way was up? His foot kicked something in the water--something that wasn't rock. Something fleshy. He splashed around even harder, his fingers finally brushing the stone above him.

Hands grabbed him, pulling him out of the water. Matt and Sweet Pea.

He spluttered, coughing and gagging for air, doing his best to increase the distance between himself and the water. His lungs felt like they were on fire, and it was all he could do to control the spasms as his body expelled liquid from his airways.

"Hurry, Jacob!" Gallus called. "That may have been Eetu water!"

Jacob nodded, jumping to his feet.

Then Matt screamed, and without thinking, Jacob looked back.

The most awful, frightening thing he'd ever seen peered at him from the water. Spikes protruded from the sides of its pale face. Gills lined a thick neck. A webbed hand flashed forward and gripped his leg. Beady eyes intelligently bore into his, and the colors for determination flowed in the air around the creature.

Jacob tried to jerk away, but the grip was too tight. The Eetu fish shrieked. It opened its fleshy jaws wide and lunged toward him, holding his leg in place. Thousands of teeth lined three rows inside its mouth. Jacob screamed, yanking his leg as hard as he could, scrambling to get away.

Just then, Gallus jumped down, swung his sword, and struck the fish's arm. It shrilled loudly and dropped Jacob's leg, but didn't appear damaged. It jumped forward again. Gallus was ready. He struck the creature over and over again with his sword, but the fish ignored him.

Oh, crap.

Gallus pulled Jacob to his feet and flung him up toward Akeno and Aloren. Matt scrambled to help, and he and Jacob managed to get over a ledge to stand near the Makalos and Aloren.

Sweet Pea, Aloren, and Akeno pulled out their weapons, joining Gallus in the fight against the Eetu fish.

Jacob and Matt watched, their mouths open. The Eetu moved so quickly, Jacob could barely focus on it. It lunged through openings, trying to get to him, completely ignoring the people who were battering it. Its scales must've been made from something indestructible.

Jacob caught a brief glimpse of the eyes again. They were cold and green, staring into his with an amazing intelligence. It knew what it wanted. Almost mesmerized, Jacob didn't hear Gallus until Matt shook him.

"Jacob!"

He blinked, looking at Gallus.

"Run!" the black man hollered. "Matt, Akeno, go with him!"

"But--" Jacob started.

"We're not in danger. Jacob, it only wants you! Go! I'll alert the Makalos you're on your way."

Jacob's mind cleared, and just as if he were back on the court at school, he jumped into action.

"Come on!" he called to Matt and Akeno.

They dashed forward, guided only by the light of Akeno's finger. Matt and Jacob had both lost their flashlights--Jacob's was probably somewhere at the bottom of Sonda Lake.

They raced down the tunnel--scrambling past boulders and cracks in the rock like someone competing in the Olympics. Jacob winced when his wet clothes started chaffing. He forced the discomfort out of his mind, concentrating only on avoiding the water. No sense in having more than one Eetu try to kill him.

They hadn't been far from the end, and Jacob nearly collided with a metal ladder when he got there. He skidded to a halt and started climbing.

Inhuman shrieking and the sound of clanging swords from behind sent Jacob's hands and feet into frantic motion, and he climbed even more quickly. Akeno and Matt followed him.

His hands had been bruised and scraped from the rocks before, but now the pain tripled as he clung to coarse metal. The space around the ladder hadn't been chopped away very well, and several times Jacob scraped against the walls. He'd probably have scars.

A distant screaming reached his ears, and he recognized Gallus's voice. "Hurry, boys! It's heading your way!"

Oh, no! Jacob's legs cramped up and he lost his footing, swinging into Akeno. The Makalo nearly fell off the ladder, but Jacob saw Matt grab him and pull him up.

Must climb faster. Jacob got back on the ladder and started counting rungs. He stopped somewhere around 448. They had to have gone up fourteen or fifteen stories by then.

He felt it when the Eetu fish reached the ladder. A clang vibrated painfully in his hands and he almost slipped again. The fish shrieked beneath them, and the ladder vibrated even more when the thing started climbing. Jacob pushed himself harder, wishing Hazel could come give him extra strength.

Finally, long after his hands had begun bleeding, Jacob reached the top. He pushed on the ceiling above him, sliding a slab of stone out of the way. Why couldn't it have been a door? He would have used the key to get them out of there faster.

He jumped through, then pulled out Akeno and Matt. He and Matt dragged the stone back into place, realizing it wouldn't do much good, but needing something to focus on while Akeno enlarged a door.

"Ready," Akeno said.

The door was barely three feet tall, but that was plenty for Jacob. He dashed forward, pulled the key from his pocket with some difficulty, and thrust it into the lock that appeared. Turning it to the left, he said, "Akeno's house."

Jacob pushed Akeno and Matt through ahead of him, then stepped across the threshold, turning in time to see the stone barrier fly away from the hole and the Eetu fish jump out. Jacob slammed the door shut right when the Eetu lunged for him, landing just two feet away. It screamed--an awful mix of a human scream and the sound an animal makes when it is in a great deal of pain.

# Chapter Twenty-Two

The shriek was cut off when Jacob closed the portal, but he propped himself against the door just in case the link was still live. Nothing happened.

He slid to the floor, breathing so heavily he felt his lungs would burst. Ebony rushed over from where she and Kenji had been sitting at the table, Kenji following. They were both shaking.

Ebony pulled Jacob to his feet, throwing her arms around him. "We didn't know which door you'd go through, so we've been waiting near all those we thought you'd try. Your mom is at your house, Jaegar is waiting by the tree, and the Fat Lady at her place. Gallus and the others will be fine in the tunnel, so long as they don't touch water." She quieted long enough to notice the shape the boys were in. "And look at your hands! Thank goodness you came here--let's get you fixed up."

"I'll grab a Kaede sap package," Kenji said, leaving his wife's side.

Ebony got to work instantly, assessing the damage. "Broken fingers. You all have at least one broken finger. How'd you manage that?"

"Ladder," Matt said, still gasping for air. "My back--scratched up. Can you fix it?"

"Yes, of course. We'll get you all in good health."

Jacob inspected his arms while Ebony and Kenji mixed the sap. The index and ring fingers on his right hand were bent at weird angles. How'd he not notice the pain? 'Course, he was completely numb from the elbow down. His fingers were purple and blue with blood oozing everywhere. They'd never been this bad before.

Ebony had them sit at the table then started on Akeno first, working quickly. "Lucky for all of you, we won't have to set the bones. Kaede sap puts everything back into its proper form without much assistance."

Jacob relaxed against the chair when she worked on him.

"Hands first, then everything else later. Matt and Jacob, I'll have you go into a private room. Inspect each other and let me know what needs to be healed."

Jacob nodded. Ebony went on to Matt, and Jacob looked at the white cloth strapped to his hands, glad to have the bruises and scratches covered. They'd been so gross.

Kenji looked out the window. "If they find more water to replenish themselves, Eetu fish can track the scent of their water for twenty-four hours." He turned back to the room. "I'll have Early keep an eye on it. She can alert us if it gets close."

Jacob didn't want to hold on to the hope that the Eetu wouldn't find water on its way to him.

Ebony showed Jacob and Matt to a room. Luckily, only their backs were really bad, but they had a couple of minor scratches and bruises on their knees and shins, too. She insisted on fixing everything.

After half an hour, all three boys were at the table, attempting to eat soup. Their bandaged hands made it interesting. Jacob fought the severe exhaustion, focusing on getting the soup in his mouth one spoonful at a time.

Hazel flitted into the room, heading straight to Jacob. "Gallus says to send Akeno. The Eetu fish returned to the tunnel and jumped into the water, so we will be safe to continue, but we need Akeno to help set up doors."

Jacob nodded. It would only take a couple of seconds to key Akeno back. And perhaps doing so would confuse the Eetu fish, buying Jacob more time. He and the other two packed up their things and Jacob created the link.

Gallus waited on the other end. He stepped to the side to let Matt and Akeno through, then spoke to Jacob. "Taga Village isn't far enough away. The Eetu fish won't take very long to get there. Their magic is related to that of the Minyas--it finds the shortest, fastest distance to their prey as possible, and they run much faster than hu--"

With a flash, Early appeared next to Jacob. "It's coming! Now! It's coming!"

Jacob slammed the door to Gallus shut right as warning bells sounded over Taga Village. He looked at Ebony in shock--it had only been thirty minutes! How on earth did the fish get there that fast?

Kenji burst through the front door, making Jacob jump.

"The Eetu is almost to the entrance! It'll be able to break through your magic, Jacob! Go, quickly! To the Fat Lady's!"

Jacob grabbed his coat and bag and keyed himself to her cabin. He slammed the door behind him, the sound of the bells in Taga cutting off as he did.

"Is that you, Jacob?" the Fat Lady called. She rambled into view from down the hall. "Good. Figured it was you. You're the only one who has access without my password."

"Got a fish on my tail."

She nodded. "Those things are fast. Where are you headed next?"

"I'm thinking somewhere in my country."

"Be careful--there are many, many links between the different worlds accessible only to Eetus. Don't get comfortable in one spot for too long."

Jacob sighed in exasperation. How was he supposed to do that when he was absolutely exhausted? "That's not encouraging."

Early flashed next to him. "It'll be here in fifteen minutes."

"You've got Early--good. Keep her with you."

Jacob still held the key in his bandaged hands. The numbness was wearing off and they were throbbing. He needed sleep, but wasn't sure when or how he'd get it. The sap wouldn't fully heal him until he had some. He put the key into the Fat Lady's lock, glad it was attached to his pants with a chain.

"Guess I'd better get going."

"Guess so."

He said goodbye, then keyed himself to the first place that entered his mind--New York City.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

The next several hours were long, exhausting, painful, cold, and tedious. It took hours for Jacob's clothes to dry, and when they did, they were stiff and uncomfortable. He keyed to many different locations around the world, only able to stay in each spot for a couple of hours at a time. He took naps where he could, and the pain in his hands gradually lessened.

He was so glad he had the key. Without it, there was no way he would have been able to stay away from the Eetu. It wasn't any wonder that no one had survived an attack. The fish found links in the most random and illogical places--through stone and small holes where its body couldn't possibly fit.

While in New York, he purchased several postcards depicting places around the globe and showed them to Early so she would know where to find him, in case they ever got separated.

The first time she gave him a report on the Eetu fish's whereabouts, she'd also thrown in a question regarding how he was feeling. That surprised him. He looked at her, eyebrow raised, wondering if she had ulterior motives. But then he realized she did it because she actually cared. From then on, she asked him all the time how he was feeling--if he was tired or hungry.

"Thanks, Early," Jacob said when she gave him the latest update.

She brushed his hand with her fingertips. "You're welcome. Do you need anything?"

A warm feeling started at the center of his chest and spread across him. He couldn't believe how much she'd changed over the last several hours. She was loyal and attentive now--constantly proving her value. It was completely different from the last time he'd spent time with her, and he was so grateful for the change. He wouldn't have been able to survive without her.

"I think I'm good. Thanks for asking."

"No problem!" She patted him again, then flitted away, staying within sight--a new development, considering how much food had been around them to tempt her. The only time he couldn't see her was when she was checking on the fish.

At her insistence, Jacob stopped by his house to eat and catch up with Mom and Dad. He was thankful for that--it felt good to relax, even if for only a couple of minutes. They reported that everyone was doing well and there hadn't been any more run-ins with Eetu fish. He breathed a sigh of relief, hugged them goodbye, then keyed himself to his next location.

***

Thirty minutes before the twenty-four hours were up, Jacob decided to visit one of his favorite places on earth --Arches National Park. He keyed to a bathroom near one of the trails, holding the door open for Early. She zoomed past him, squealing in excitement, then did a few somersaults in the air. Jacob smiled at her enthusiasm. He couldn't figure out why she was so excited to go through links created by the Key of Kilenya--she'd acted this way after every one they'd gone through together.

Jacob wandered aimlessly. He made sure to stay within running distance of the bathroom door, in case the Eetu was lucky enough to find a link in time. Pausing on a bridge, he looked into the water below him, then absentmindedly picked at some fuzzies on the sleeve of his jacket. It was great to have the bandages gone from his hands--he'd removed them a few hours earlier when he got tired of getting strange looks from people. Residual bruises and a little tenderness were all that remained of the broken bones. The blisters and cuts were mostly gone.

He left the bridge and walked down the trail, following it as it led up a couple of short switchbacks and past a really large rock where tourists gathered to take pictures. He stepped to the side of them, not wanting to be part of their groups, and gazed at Delicate Arch, admiring the rugged beauty of the landscape.

Just then, someone screamed. Jacob whipped around to see why. The tourists were pointing into a gulch, yelling, panicking, some pulling out cameras.

Jacob climbed on top of the huge boulder and shaded his eyes. It only took him a split second to find where they were pointing. His stomach fell.

A huge fish was running on four legs through the gulch far below him, fins and tail flapping. Why hadn't Early warned him?

Just as soon as Jacob saw it, it saw him.

The Eetu went into a frenzy, scrambling up the side of the gulch. No way it could make it--the cliff was completely sheer. Jacob backed up anyhow, then jumped off the boulder and ran for his life. Literally. Maybe he could make it to the bathroom in time to key away.

Early appeared next to him and started crying. "I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm sorry!"

"No worries," Jacob said, pushing his shock away. "Where is it?"

She disappeared, then came back. "Almost to the top!"

More screams from behind, and Jacob heard footfalls as other people finally started running. Maybe they'd distract the Eetu?

He wouldn't count on that.

The switchbacks slowed him down. He took shortcuts wherever possible.

A moment later, as he crossed the bridge, he realized something: the fish wouldn't follow the trail. It would go straight down the hill. Jacob looked over his shoulder, trying to see where it was.

Just then, the Eetu jumped out of the water to the right of him. Jacob skidded to a stop so he could run the other way, but the creature tackled him, hissing loudly.

With a hard _thud_ , he landed on his back on the wooden planks, people scattering and screaming around him.

The wind knocked out of him, he shoved and kicked, trying to get away from the fish, trying to push it away. Green, the color for excitement, flowed in the air around it.

The Eetu was incredibly strong. It repelled all Jacob's attacks. Faster than Jacob thought possible, the beast picked him up. It sung him into the air, mouth open, ready for a bite.

The fish went limp.

Its intelligent eyes appraised Jacob.

Then it dropped him hard on the bridge and jumped over the side.

Jacob gasped when the cold water splashed him. He watched the fish swim leisurely away, then spring out of the water and run off the way it had come.

"Early? Early!"

"Here, Jacob!"

He rolled into a sitting position until he saw her floating above him. "It's gone? Did it . . ."

"It gave up! It lost scent of the water. You're okay! You're fine!"

Jacob slumped in relief, holding his knees to his chest. "Oh, man, oh, man, oh, man."

She patted him on the head. "I'll go watch it." She disappeared.

"Hey, dude, you okay?"

Jacob turned--a man in his thirties was staring at him. "Yeah, I think so. That was really close!"

"What on earth was it?"

Jacob shook his head, not sure how to answer, and the man pulled him to his feet.

"That was insane!"

"You have no idea."

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" The guy reached into his bag. "Here--my name's Jared." He handed Jacob a business card. Jacob looked at it. He was a photographer--that explained the huge camera hanging around his neck. "Please--call if that thing comes again or you need help in some other way." He peered down at Jacob. "Where are your parents?"

Jacob shook his head. "I'm not--I mean, they're waiting at another trail."

"I'll give you a ride."

"I think I'm going to be sick. I'll walk back when I can--when I . . ." He turned and stumbled to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Luckily, no one was inside. He took a few deep breaths, then keyed home.

***

Jacob's parents were understandably relieved at his return. Dad insisted he fill them in on all the details, then Mom insisted he sleep. He was glad for that.

When he woke, his mom said he'd been in the news and showed him the article. Jared, the photographer, had been taking pictures of the Eetu as it ran down the hill. The last shot was of the fish right as it jumped for Jacob. Only Jacob's back was visible, but the picture of the Eetu was pretty awesome. With all the eyewitness reports, authorities were looking into the event, though they doubted anything would come of it.

Jacob agreed.

He finished his breakfast, then pushed away from the table. "Okay, time to go recruit Wurbies!" He ran upstairs to grab his spare backpack, since the usual one was probably at the bottom of Sonda Lake by then, and dashed to the kitchen to stock supplies.

Mom was waiting by the counter. "Sorry, honey, but the meeting has already taken place."

"What? They didn't wait?" Disappointment flooded over him. "Why?"

"Apparently, the Wurbies found _them_ and forced them to enter the village to talk. They had to negotiate terms for their release before the Wurbies would consider untying them."

Even though he was really disappointed to have missed it, Jacob couldn't help but smile at the thought of his friends being tied up by the Wurbies. He'd been in a similar situation once, but with Dusts. "What happens now?"

"They're waiting for you. The Wurbies wouldn't release anyone until they were promised you'd go meet them. And even though they've already discussed the upcoming war, they want you to make things official." She put her arm around him. "Go--make us proud. This is your first official act as prince."

Jacob felt a blush cross his face. He wondered if Aloren had been impressed. He could see himself striding into the village, commanding attention. But underneath the excitement was a nagging worry that they expected something from him he couldn't give. He'd never met Wurbies, after all. What would they want?

# Chapter Twenty-Four

Jacob keyed to the door number Early gave him. Gallus was waiting on the other side and led Jacob back to the makeshift camp they'd set up.

"I wish you'd been here when we first arrived," he said, motioning to Jacob to enter a stick hut--obviously Akeno's handiwork. "It would've been much easier, actually, to get ourselves out of jeopardy."

Jacob stepped into the hut and found Aloren, Matt, Sweet Pea, and Akeno there, sitting around a small fire in the center of the space. He joined them, holding his fingers to the heat. "Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun."

Matt laughed. "Yeah, after everything you'd said about Dusts, I figured Wurbies would be easy." He shook his head. "They weren't."

Jacob sighed in disappointment. "Man, I hate missing out on things like this."

Gallus pulled up a log and sat. "From what we heard, you had just as much excitement as we did--probably even more."

Jacob nodded, then filled them in on what had happened. After he finished, Gallus told him more about the Wurbies' desire to meet him.

"Fubble, the leader of the Wurbies, begged to meet you." Gallus shifted forward. "They'll recruit as many Wurbies as they can. They'll gather in their main village--the one we'll take you to--and in a year, will let us know they're ready. At that point, you'll key them to Taga, where they'll receive further training."

"So . . . we have at _least_ a year before the war starts?" Jacob asked.

Gallus rubbed his forehead, then dropped his hand. "I hope we have more time than that, so we're better prepared."

"Sometimes it feels like it's on the verge of happening."

"I know. And either way, we can't count on anything, really." He got to his feet. "Let's get going."

Aloren rolled her eyes. "At least this time we'll have Jacob--they can fall to the ground in excitement instead of tying us up."

Gallus snorted--a half laugh--then got back to business and motioned for the others to gather their things. "Fubble has been waiting near the entrance to their village since we told him you were coming. It's farther up the canyon. I'll lead you there before coming back here."

"You're not coming?"

Gallus shook his head briefly. "No--I need to take note of everything that has happened. Besides, they don't see me as a leader, so it won't matter if I'm there or not."

Jacob watched the man carefully, waiting to see if he was disappointed or annoyed at all by this turn of events. If he was, he covered it very well--including masking his emotions, even the colors in the air. Maybe he really didn't care.

Jacob stepped out of the hut, taking a look around. The canyon had received a lot of snow since the last time he'd been there--everything was pristine. And the view of Sonda Lake and Gevkan was astounding. The water was an intense shade of blue. Maivoryl City had the typical smudge over it, and Macaria was just as white and bleached as ever. Dunsany Mountain was covered with snow and looked very dramatic.

Just then, Jacob noticed that the forest surrounding him appeared to have burned recently. He glanced up at the sky. "What about Lirone? Has he come? Will he?"

Gallus shook his head. "We've been watching. According to the Wurbies, he attacks every three or four days. This one happened two days ago--right before we got here. The Wurbies have a warning system in place and we'll know when he's on his way. Frankly, I don't understand how they can live here, with him going on the rampage all the time." He reached into the hut and pulled his bag out. "The skies are really clear right now--the Wurbies say he's sleeping."

"So, you're telling me not to worry?"

"Exactly. Unless clouds form and you hear alarms going off."

Good to know. Jacob stamped his feet on the trail, trying to stay warm, while Akeno finished unfolding the hut, letting the branches go back to their normal position. Gallus looked at Jacob, who nodded.

"Okay, let's go see this Fub guy."

"Fubble," Aloren said.

"Your Highness, would you like to lead the way?"

It took Jacob a moment to realize Gallus was talking to him--the man had never referred to Jacob in that way before. He didn't know how to answer. "Uh . . . why?"

"Because you are the future king of this land. You need to get used to people following you."

Jacob felt his cheeks flush. He really didn't want to walk in front of Gallus. "How about I go in the back, and the rest of you act like you're escorting me or something?"

Gallus half-smiled. "As you wish. Though, let's have Matt walk behind you. Let him get attacked by random creatures instead of you."

"Hey!" Matt said. "I'm his brother--doesn't that mean I should be treated better?"

Aloren jumped to Matt's side, linking her arm with his. "And I'm Matt's sister!"

Gallus only laughed, then turned and followed the trail in the snow. Aloren, Sweet Pea, and Akeno walked in line behind him. Jacob tried to see the expression on Aloren's face, but couldn't. He followed Akeno, with Matt bringing up the rear.

After five minutes of walking, Jacob heard a high-pitched voice up ahead.

"He coming? Coming? Where?"

Everyone stopped, and Jacob stepped into view. "Hi."

He saw a bright flash of blue cloth, then felt something pelt him in the legs, knocking him into the snow. "Whoa! Hello."

The short creature released him, then stepped back and pointed to himself. "Fubble the Wurby." He shook his hands in the air, an expression of intense excitement on his face. "So glad! So glad you here!"

Jacob swallowed his laughter. "Nice to meet you, Fubble."

"Sorry, sorry. Not Fubble. Fubble the _Wurby_."

"Oh, I apologize. Nice to meet you, Fubble the Wurby."

"Eeep!" Fubble's hands turned into a blanket, which he put over his head.

Jacob felt red creep across his cheeks and his ears burned. He smiled sheepishly at Gallus. The black man shrugged. Jacob would really need to get used to this treatment.

Fubble removed the blanket and jumped away, his hands returning to normal. "Come! See Wurb!"

"Wurb?" Jacob asked, but Fubble had already dashed off.

"A baby Wurby," Aloren said.

Gallus sighed. "They'll only help us if you see Fubble's baby. It's ridiculous."

Aloren frowned. "It's a sign of respect and mutual agreement to Wurbies and Dusts alike. The Wurbies show you their most beloved possession--something that symbolizes the future--and depending on how you respond, it seals whatever deal was made. It's a thing of trust."

"Sounds more like a way for them to go extinct," Matt said. "I mean, listen. How many babies have died after being shown to strangers who weren't really the good guys?"

Aloren's frown deepened, but Jacob could see his brother's point.

"Anyway," Gallus said, "the more support we show the Wurbies, the more support we'll receive. Go ahead."

He and Sweet Pea stayed behind while Jacob, Aloren, Akeno, and Matt rushed to catch up with Fubble. He waited near some stone ruins.

Jacob followed Fubble as he dashed under a half-crumbling arch, then stopped on a snow-packed road. Fubble motioned to the village around him, pride on his face, and Jacob's eyes nearly popped out as he took in everything that surrounded them.

The buildings were . . . _different_. That was the first word that entered Jacob's mind. Their construction was incredibly haphazard--nearly every kind of material he knew had been used. Stone, brick, wood, branches, rugs, tile, dirt, even plastic. How did they get plastic?

Everything was thrown together without an apparent plan, and many of the buildings had multiple items holding them together. Jacob laughed when he realized what must've happened--the Wurbies probably changed design a hundred times while working on the same project. It looked like they did the best they could, but he guessed their hands were like Dust hands--adapting to situations without the owner's permission, and thereby shifting the focus.

The result was a village that was visually pleasing while also somewhat disorienting. Jacob wished he had his phone--he'd have to come back and take a picture sometime. He could stand there for hours, just looking at it all. One building was brick on one side, rope and branches in the middle, and what looked like a slippery slide on the other side. The brick was red and the slide bright blue. Another house looked like it had been built completely of leaves and banana peels.

Jacob jumped with fright when a Wurby rushed out to meet him, hands shaped like a spoon and a fork. He relaxed when he realized it must've been eating.

The next Wurby's hands were normal, but the third's were stuck in the hair of another Wurby . . . Jacob couldn't figure out why. All of their faces were flushed. Some touched their mouths, lowering their eyes when he looked at him. Then they bowed.

Fubble started forward again, and the other Wurbies fell into line behind the humans and Makalo.

Finally, Fubble stopped in front of an edifice that had been created out of old statues, some tarp, and carpet. The tarp looked suspiciously like something from Walmart, but Jacob didn't ask.

A female Wurby came out the door, one hand forming a blanket which was wrapped around a baby, the other tucked somewhere inside the cloth folds.

"My woman Wurby!" Fubble said, gesturing to her. "Her name are Tast!"

Tast bowed low. "Highness."

Jacob nodded at her, not sure what else to do. "And the baby? Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Boy!" Fubble said, jumping up and down with excitement. "He are Pug!"

"Like the dog," Matt whispered to Jacob.

Jacob waved his brother off, wondering what he needed to do to show his respect and desire to "seal the deal." "Can I hold him?" he asked, reaching for Pug.

Fubble looked like his most favorite dreams were about to come true. "Oh, yes!" He motioned to Tast, and she handed the baby over. Jacob's face flushed when he saw that one of her hands formed the baby's diaper. His stomach flopped when he realized how much easier it would be to change the baby--she just had to wash her hand when the diaper was full. Disgusting.

Jacob gawked down at the ugliest baby he'd ever seen. Weathered-looking skin that was wrinkly and slightly browned; large, hairy ears; a nose similar to a pig's. It did have one redeeming quality, though--eyes that were the biggest and bluest he'd ever seen, lined by dark, long eyelashes.

Pug returned his stare, sucking a thumb that had swollen slightly to fit his mouth. Jacob almost gagged at the sight of the large thumb, but smiled instead, handing the baby back to Tast. He noticed that Aloren didn't seem as thrilled about the baby as he thought a girl would be. She probably thought it was ugly too. "He's a nice little baby."

"He are!" Fubble said, an expression of love on his face as he watched Tast and Pug go back into the home. He turned to Jacob, an expectant expression on his face. "You want something? Highness? What want?"

Jacob stammered when he realized this was the most important part of his visit to the village. "We . . . uh . . ." How was he supposed to sound official? He decided that being straight-forward was the best route. "Fubble the Wurby, we'd like your assistance in a war. Would you recruit Wurbies to help us?"

All joviality left Fubble's face. "Sir, yes. We will." He bowed low, swinging his arms to the side.

"Thank you. We . . . I look forward to our future communications."

Fubble grinned, nodding his head emphatically. Then he lightly pushed Jacob. "You are go to home now!" His grin disappeared. "You are _go_ to _home_ now. _Now_."

Jacob blinked. That was abrupt.

"Whoa," Matt said. "Not one to beat around the bush, is he?"

Jacob opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "Guess not." He shook Fubble's hand and said goodbye, then led the others away.

The Wurbies followed them to the city wall, cheering. Jacob glanced over his shoulder and waved back as he and the rest of the group trudged away through the snow.

After a few minutes, they caught up with Gallus and Sweet Pea, who were waiting near a door. The black man smiled at Jacob, and Jacob assumed it was because of the expression on his face, which was probably a mixture of shock, confusion, and surprise.

"So . . . what did you think?"

Jacob shook his head in disbelief. "That was interesting."

Gallus nodded crisply. "Yup. But they'll be a huge help in the upcoming months, possibly years."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "How? You saw their city. It's awesome, but shows they lack concentration. They have almost no control over what their hands do, and they're practically incoherent."

Gallus glowered at Jacob. "Your Highness, you've got a lot to learn. A creature may not appear to be useful, but that doesn't mean you turn them down when they're excited and willing to be of assistance. Even the littlest, most _incoherent_ creature can turn the tide against the Lorkon."

Jacob looked at his feet, feeling smaller at that moment then he'd remembered ever feeling before. He wanted to disappear. "You're right. Sorry."

Gallus clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll teach you to be a leader yet."

"Can we go home now?" Matt asked. "I'm absolutely starving. Not to mention freezing."

Gallus nodded. "Yes, we're done."

Jacob keyed Gallus back to his shop, where the black man's family was really happy to see him. He then took Aloren and the two Makalos to Taga, dropping them off at the tree, then he and Matt returned home. Jacob went straight to his room and shut the door, wanting some time alone.

Gallus was right. He had a lot to learn.

# Chapter Twenty-Five

Dad called a meeting with everyone a few hours after the Wurby recruitment group returned. He started it off by having Gallus and Jacob report. He then changed the topic, a serious expression crossing his face.

"It's time to get the Shiengols out of August Fortress. Those who will be going are Jacob, Matt, Gallus, Aloren, Akeno, and Sweet Pea."

"Already?" Mom asked. "But they just got back!"

Dad nodded. "This is the best time to go. It's Thanksgiving weekend, which means the kids won't be missed in school." He ran his fingers through his thinning hair. "Now then. Before we get into logistics, I need you all to understand something. Your safety is more important than getting the Shiengols. They've been there for several years--a few more weeks won't make a difference. So, if anything happens, Jacob will key everyone home."

Jacob nodded. Hopefully that wouldn't be necessary.

"Your next priority is to ensure that Jacob gets to the fortress. I've got a feeling he'll be the only one able to open it up--he's gotten through other traps set by the Lorkon. Guard him, then help him in."

He looked Jacob squarely in the eye. "There's something you need to know about Shiengols. They're dangerous, and they have varied and hard-to-predict emotions. They'll be rude one minute, then nice the next. Expect it."

Kenji laughed. "I remember my first encounter with a Shiengol. He slapped me when I asked his name."

Dad chuckled. "Yes--didn't he say it was none of your business?"

"That was his excuse. Who knows the actual reason."

Dad turned back to Jacob. "Just be polite and you should be fine."

Jacob bit the inside of his cheek. "And don't ask them what their names are, right?"

"Right." Dad leaned back. "Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. We'll eat dinner around eleven in the morning. I'll send Jacob and Matt to Taga Village at one."

Everyone stood to go, but Dad put his hand up. "One last thing." He motioned to Aldo. "Will you take the group to your lookout point and show them what they'll be up against?"

***

"This way," Aldo said, gesturing to the left of the door they had all just come through. The door overlooked August Fortress and the valley, and was one of the ones the scouting group had placed right after exiting the infected forest. "It's a bit of a walk, but nothing you can't handle."

Aldo led the group along the top of the hill. They were careful to stay away from the branches of the infected forest and were mostly successful. After walking for twenty minutes, he took them around some dense bushes near the edge of a sharp drop-off, then hiked up when the hill rose steeply in front of them. After nearly ten minutes, he had them stop. They'd reached the pinnacle of the hill.

Aldo then pointed out where their sense of sight would be taken away, also showing them the location of the Argots. He continued, pointing at the outer wall of the fortress. "You'll lose your next sensation there--feeling."

Gallus stepped up between Jacob and Aldo. "We plan to bring a potted plant. Akeno will use it to see living creatures, since that ability doesn't have anything to do with physical senses."

Aldo nodded. "Good. Once you enter the township, you'll need to remember the following: walk thirty paces. Turn right. Walk seven. Right. Walk fifteen. Left. Walk twenty-seven. Left. Walk one hundred and thirty."

A roar echoed through the valley, originating from somewhere near the fortress. Jacob looked out, but didn't see where exactly it had come from. He gnawed on his lip and turned back to Aldo. "Uh . . . could you repeat that?"

"Yes," Aldo said, and he gave them the numbers again. "And I'll write it down for you, too. These are according to my footsteps."

Matt frowned. "Why'd you memorize them?"

"I figured the Lorkon would do something to prevent people from entering the area, and I wanted to know how to get to the fortress from the entrance, just in case."

"Impressive," Sweet Pea said. "I wouldn't have thought of that."

"It's what I'm paid to do." Aldo turned to Jacob. "I'll expect a bag of cash from your father as soon as possible." The twinkle in his eye let Jacob know he was kidding, and they chuckled together.

Aldo then compared the length of his stride to the others, finding that Jacob and Matt were the closest. Jacob sighed--he should've seen that coming. Gallus was too tall, and Aloren and the Makalos were too short. Because of Jacob's abilities, Aldo and Gallus decided he would take the lead. But that just meant Jacob would be in the most danger. As he'd thought earlier, he should've seen that coming.

Aldo put his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Remember to walk naturally. Don't run, don't make your steps bigger than usual, and you'll be fine."

"What if we get chased?"

"You won't be--not while you've still got your hearing. After your hearing leaves, you'll be dealing with something else entirely." He looked back at the city. "And I hoped we'd see it from here. We might not."

"What is it?"

"A Cerpire. Similar to a dinosaur."

Matt raised his eyebrows. "You're kidding."

Aloren looked confused. "What's a dinosaur?"

Matt cleared his throat, putting on a comical, professor expression. "Prehistoric creatures, which have been extinct for tons of years and roamed the lands of my world until they were destroyed by a meteor or something."

"Most of them were dangerous," Akeno said.

Jacob looked at Aldo. "How on earth did the Lorkon get one here? And how will we know where it is if we can't hear, see, or smell it?"

Aldo folded his arms, grimacing at the fortress. "Cabins eat breakfast foods on Wednesdays," he started. "Oh, excuse me." He took a deep breath. "I would assume they brought the creature here from another world. And you'll have to count on other senses--yours and Akeno's, to be exact."

Another roar echoed across the valley, and recognition showed on Aldo's weathered face. "He's still there."

Matt held up his hands. "Wait. That sound was it?"

Aldo motioned to the forest. "Maybe he'll show himself."

The group waited, but nothing happened.

Aldo sighed. "Either way, I'd better describe him to you. He's about as tall as a Sindon--maybe taller, with a large tail. Walks on two feet and has long arms lined with spikes. He might be hungry. It's possibly been quite some time since he last ate."

"This is insane!" Matt said. "There's no way. We can't possibly fight a dinosaur without any of our senses!"

Gallus nodded. "I agree. How are we to defeat a creature that large and dangerous without being able to protect ourselves?"

"Well, you won't be completely alone," Aldo said. "I'll camp out here and keep an eye on you with my telescope while you're traveling. I'll pay special attention to you once you're inside the fortress walls. Early will deliver frequent messages to me, and I'll tell her how to help you. We've hired another Minya named September. He has agreed to be with me for the duration of your trip. He'll take frequent updates to the village and your families." He paused--his forehead creased--obviously thinking. "Oh, and also, Early will be able to increase Jacob and Akeno's magical abilities."

Jacob looked out at the valley. "And she could help us run faster."

"Exactly." Aldo said. "She'll help you, even when you don't know what's happening, and your abilities will be hugely beneficial to the entire group. Akeno will be able to sense where the creature is, and Jacob, you can see emotions. You should be able to see the Cerpire's."

"But sometimes I can't see them when they're coming from animals."

"Could you see the Eetu's?"

Jacob nodded.

"Then it will work out. The Cerpire is as intelligent as an Eetu fish--"

Aloren gasped. "You've got to be kidding!"

"--but not as advanced. It has magic, but can only use it to benefit others. Like to give power to other, dangerous creatures. And remember, Cerpires, like Eetu fish, go for the obvious, easy kill. When Kelson and his group were there, the Cerpire didn't sneak around, but jumped out right in front of them. Also, its size is against it--they're not fast." Aldo put his hands behind his back. "You'll be fine. You've got things Kelson didn't have. And don't forget your abilities-- _all_ of them."

"I hate to be a downer," Matt said, "but this is a death trap, regardless of our abilities. The chances of survival are zero, and I don't know about any of you, but I want to live. I just found out I have a sister. _Another_ sister. I want to keep getting to know her before we die."

Aloren nodded, sending a grateful expression to Matt.

Aldo put his hand on Matt's shoulder, looking concerned. "What other choice do we have? The Lorkon will win unless we release the Shiengols. Without the training they'll provide Jacob, we can't do anything. Besides that, they're incredibly powerful, and if the Lorkon hadn't caught them by surprise, they wouldn't be trapped now. You can bet they'll never let it happen again. Having them on our side will most definitely turn the tide against the Lorkon."

"What if we don't care about the Lorkon?" Matt asked. "I'm sorry--I don't want to offend anyone, but what if Jacob and I go back home and forget about all this? Aloren, you come too. Don't get me wrong, Aldo--I'm usually up for a challenge, and I think you all know that. But this isn't a challenge, it's suicide."

"We'd allow you to do that, if that's what you choose. Not having grown up here, you're not emotionally attached to this world, not really. But what about earth? As soon as the Lorkon realize Jacob can Time-See, they'll be doubling their efforts to get their hands on him. They want him! They want the other key--the Key of Ayunli. And I promise you, they will succeed. They'll find Jacob, enslave him, and eventually destroy your world as they are trying to do here."

Matt's shoulders slumped, and Jacob felt bad for him. Heck, he felt bad for himself. They were basically sacrificing themselves for every living person on both planets. Jacob looked at the others in the group. Aldo was the only one who didn't look devastated.

Jacob shook his head, realizing he had to say something. They couldn't leave the next day feeling like this about their mission. He took a deep breath.

"All right, everyone. We know what we're up against--at least partially. And it isn't going to be easy, but Aldo is right. It has to be done. Think about it this way--even if something terrible happens, even if we die, we did it trying. Sacrificing ourselves for innocent people, and that's not so bad, is it?" He paused, staring at the fortress. "It's a noble thing to do. I know I've got royal blood--I'm a prince. But in my eyes, you're all nobility. You've proven yourselves over and over again. You're loyal, hard-working, charitable people. I'm not saying Kelson wasn't, but Aldo is right--there are a lot of things we have that Kelson didn't. We _will_ succeed."

Jacob looked each person in the eye until they nodded. Gallus held his gaze the longest--finally, the black man inclined his head.

Aldo smiled affectionately at Jacob. "Yes, you will succeed. And you won't be as alone as you think you are now. Kelson didn't have a Minya--you do. Possibly two, if Aloren brings Hazel. They aren't affected by Lorkon magic." He pointed back over the landscape. "After you've defeated the Cerpire, you'll head to the fortress. Your senses will return once you get there. Then Jacob will find a way in while the rest of you set up a door for your escape."

Aldo motioned for everyone to follow him, and they headed back. They were quiet the entire way. And no wonder, considering what lay ahead of them.

# Chapter Twenty-Six

Jacob returned everyone to their homes, experiencing feelings of dread and despair, but also determination. He believed what he'd said earlier--they _could_ do this. He just wasn't sure they would succeed on their first try.

He had strange dreams that night of blind dinosaurs trying to sell him reca flowers. When he finally woke the next morning, he had a headache and sore joints from tossing and turning. He took his time showering and dressing, then finally headed downstairs to see if he could help Mom.

She was making gravy while Dad carved the turkey, separating the white and dark meats onto two platters. Neither looked up when he entered, and they didn't respond when he asked if they wanted help. He sat on a barstool and watched instead.

Mom kept her back to him, busy at the stove. Jacob frowned when he heard sniffling noises coming from her direction.

"Mom? You okay?"

She didn't answer, but after a moment, she came over and hugged him. He patted her arm, not sure what to say. Then she pulled away, clearing her throat.

"You'll be fine, Jacob. I can feel it."

"I hope so." He kicked himself mentally. He was supposed to be encouraging and uplifting his mom, and here he wanted comfort from her, when she was clearly suffering. She might be losing two of her children over the next few days, not to mention some very close friends.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly, not wanting to let go. He felt like a little boy again, running to his mom after falling off his bike.

Dad came over and hugged them both. Jacob enjoyed the feel of having his parents close. It didn't happen a lot, since they were all so busy. Matt came downstairs, looking for Jacob, and Mom pulled him into the embrace too.

She finally extracted herself, sniffling and laughing. "We're all such babies!"

"With good reason, honey," Dad said. He put his arm around her and she snuggled up to him.

Thanksgiving dinner was much more relaxed than Jacob had thought it would be, considering the trip he and Matt would be taking soon. Matt and Amberly teased and joked with each other, and Jacob found himself following their conversation closely, enjoying it more than he normally would.

Mom beamed at her kids. "I have one thing to say." Everyone looked at her. "I'm so very proud of our family--of our children. Jacob and Matt, you are growing into fine young men, and Amberly, you're a sweetheart--an example to all of us."

The color flowing around her face was a very light blue-green, the one for peace, and Jacob felt his mood shift to match hers. She knew the danger of the next few days, but she chose not to dwell on it, instead focusing on the love their family shared.

"Yeah, Mom, we love you and Dad too," Matt said. "Even though you never told us you were a king and a queen."

"And I'm a princess!" Amberly said, her face rosy.

She'd always said it--since she could talk. Jacob half smiled. She'd been right.

***

Jacob wished he could rewind the day and spend time with his family over and over again. That wasn't possible, though, and he before he knew it, it was time to go. He and Matt got their things together before meeting in Jacob's room.

"Matt, I'm so glad you're coming. I . . ."

Matt laughed, clapping Jacob on the shoulder. "Yeah, man, I know. You'd all die if I stayed home."

Jacob snorted, deciding not to disagree. They walked downstairs together, giving Dad, Mom, and Amberly goodbye hugs. Mom made them promise to send a Minya back with messages as often as they were able.

After Jacob could no longer stand Amberly's pleas for them to stay, or Mom's tears, he opened the connection between his home and Macaria.

Dad poked his head through the door, calling to Gallus and offering last-minute advice. "Use the Minyas! Don't touch the ground near the Argots!"

Gallus laughed. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I've got things covered."

After one last goodbye, Jacob shut the door to his home and keyed himself, Gallus, and Matt to Taga Village, where Aloren and Sweet Pea waited.

# Chapter Twenty-Seven

Gallus didn't want to spend a lot of time in Taga, so after everyone there had said goodbye, Jacob keyed Aldo to the door near the infected forest, where Aldo would oversee everything. Then he turned around and keyed the group to door number twenty-four. It was the last one he and the others had placed while scouting out the area around the fortress.

"How are we going to get across the Argots?" Matt asked after they'd closed the link behind them.

"Don't worry," Gallus said. "I've got a plan. Let's talk about it for a minute before getting started." He dug through his bag, pulling out bananas. "Is anyone hungry?"

Matt and Sweet Pea each took one, commenting on how weird it was not to be able to taste them, and Gallus continued, putting his food knapsack away and opening his utility bag. "The plan involves Minyas and Akeno and lots of other things." He held up a megaphone and a ton of rope, then motioned to Sweet Pea's bag, which was full of more rope, wood, leather straps, and nails.

"What are you going to make?" Aloren asked.

"Well, first we need to figure out where the Argots start." Gallus shaded his eyes, looking in the direction of August Fortress. "My theory is that you won't lose your eyesight until you're a good way across them already. Otherwise the trap wouldn't work. You'd just back up quickly and be out of danger."

"They won't chase us?" Jacob asked.

He shook his head. "Argots are pretty much stuck where they're planted."

"What if we run fast?"

"If what Aldo said is correct, the area they inhabit is big enough where that wouldn't be possible. And once you've lost your eyesight, you won't have any idea how much farther you've got to go. Not only that, but their backs are very rough. You'd feel like you were running through brush and big boulders, and it'd be very easy to trip and fall."

Aloren knit her eyebrows. "If we can't see anything, how are we going to know when we've made it all the way across?"

Gallus put his hand on her shoulder. "Aldo said the land they live in ends near the fortress wall. And don't worry. My plan takes all of this into account--we'll be fine."

Matt snorted. "That doesn't make me feel very safe. Plans can fail."

Gallus nodded. "True. We'll have to be extremely careful as it is. And the risks are high--very high."

Sweet Pea tossed his banana peel aside. "What do they look like?"

"Nothing you can imagine," Gallus said. "No arms or eyes or legs. Just one huge mouth--and a torso, which you wouldn't normally see." He slung his utility bag over his shoulder. "I was a member of an exploratory group several years ago--we pulled an Argot out of the ground. It was disgusting. Not pleasant. Not pleasant at all. Their innards are visible through their skin. They live underground, tightly packed together to protect their organs."

Jacob turned to look ahead. Aside from the emotions coming from the fortress, he couldn't see anything. "Are they intelligent?"

"Nope. Not at all. They live to eat and eat to live. Just like chickens."

Sweet Pea laughed. "Minus the eggs and delicious meat, though, right?"

Gallus looped his thumbs in the front pockets of his pants. "No, nothing about them is edible. The only muscles they have are used in the digestive--"

"Disgusting," Aloren said.

"--and eating process. Their mouths are incredibly large and strong."

Matt shook his head, an expression of displeasure on his face. "You know, normally I'd ask to see one . . . but I think I'll pass this time."

Gallus chuckled. "You wouldn't see it anyway--your sight will be gone."

Matt nodded.

"Any more questions?" No one responded, and Gallus grinned. "Good. Let's get going!"

He told them what to look for--smaller, oddly-colored bushes, stones that didn't really look like stones, and other such things.

The group spread apart by five feet and started forward through the forest, walking slowly, watching where they placed each step. Occasionally, they called back and forth, checking up on one another when the undergrowth got too thick to see each other.

They didn't make much progress. Jacob assumed everyone felt the way he did--terrified to be trapped by the creatures. What would it be like to step on them? _Springy_ , Gallus had said.

After around fifty feet--nearly long enough for him to have forgotten they were in danger--he noticed a bush that had leaves on it. Leaves--green, and natural-looking--but leaves nonetheless. It was November, and all the other plants had already lost their foliage.

"Got something here!" He wasn't worried about the Argots hearing, since Gallus had said the creatures didn't have ears.

"Same!" Aloren responded.

"I've also found signs of them," Gallus called. "Let's regroup."

Jacob backtracked a few feet, staying away from the edge of the creatures, and joined the others. He looked around. "Where's Matt?"

"Here! I need some help," Matt called from somewhere up ahead. "I think I might have gone too far. Oh, whoa! Something's moving under me!"

Jacob and Gallus rushed together through the brush toward the sound of Matt's voice. Gallus put his arm out and stopped Jacob from going onto the Argots when they saw Matt. He stood frozen, one foot ready to take another step, several feet past the line where the Argots started. He was just outside of grasp.

"Don't panic!" Gallus yelled to him.

Jacob figured he meant well, but how was that supposed to keep Matt from freaking out?

"And don't put your foot down. Hold still. They know you're there, but they might be waiting for you to do something."

"How do I go back?"

Gallus looked around the group. "Give me a second."

Just then, the ground around Matt rippled. Aloren screamed, catching up with Gallus and Jacob.

"I didn't do anything! I swear!" Matt shouted, struggling to hold his balance and keep his foot in the air. "Tell me what to do!"

The brush and boulders moved and huge pits appeared around him, razor-sharp teeth growing from the edges.

Jacob's jaw dropped. The teeth were growing? How was that possible? "We've gotta get him out!" He spun. "Where's Akeno?"

Akeno pushed through the group, rushing forward. He held his arm out and picked Matt up.

Matt disappeared just as one of the huge mouths closed around his leg. He reappeared with Akeno, a little smaller than his normal height. They fell into the grass, both screaming in pain.

Everyone dashed to them--Aloren got there first. She dropped to the ground next to Matt. "His leg! It's bleeding and cut all over!"

"Kaede sap!" Sweet Pea yelled, ripping off his backpack. He pulled out a package and a bowl. "Fast! Help me!"

"I need a package too!" Gallus called, pulling Akeno away from the feet rushing around Matt.

Sweet Pea handed one to Jacob, who tossed it to Gallus, then fell at Matt's side, helping separate the cloth while Aloren pulled Matt's shoe and sock off and Sweet Pea mixed the sap.

It wasn't until Jacob was putting strips of sap-saturated cloth on Matt's foot that he realized the implications of Gallus _also_ needing a Kaede sap package. Had Akeno been injured too? He put the last strip on Matt, then jumped to join Gallus.

# Chapter Twenty-Eight

"What's going on?" Jacob asked.

"My arm . . ." Akeno gasped. "My chest--it hurts. Everything hurts."

Akeno's bag was open near them and Gallus was mixing a second package of Kaede sap, the first near him, ready to be used. "I don't know what happened--maybe Matt was too close? Too heavy?" He looked up at Jacob. "Go back to the door and get Ebony--she's the only one who can diagnose this."

Jacob rushed through the forest, trying to remember where the door was. He nearly ran into the tarri, but saw the door just in time, veered for it, and keyed to Kenji's house.

Ebony jumped up from the table. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Akeno--come!"

Ebony raced through the door and followed Jacob. She fell to her knees, and her panic was replaced with urgency and determination. No wonder she was good at this sort of thing. She poked and prodded at Akeno through his shirt, checking his skin first, then the bones.

"Several broken ribs, a broken collarbone, shoulder, and his arm bones," she said. "There are probably other things broken--in his legs. Too bad he can't shrink himself to be put in a Minya container."

Akeno moaned. "Sorry, Mom . . ."

She brushed his hair off his forehead, a tender expression crossing her face. "Rest, love. We'll do our best not to cause you any more pain." She turned to Jacob and Gallus. "Help me take his shirt and pants off. Jacob, tell Aloren that she might want to stay away since he'll be nearly naked."

Jacob relayed the message to Aloren, then he, Gallus, and Ebony quickly removed Akeno's outerwear. Jacob couldn't help but notice that Akeno was wearing Batman boxers. He did his best to put that fact out of his mind, helping Ebony mix three more packages of Kaede sap.

They got to work covering his entire body with the strips, being careful to put them under him as well. It took ten minutes, at least, and they used five Kaede sap packages--everything Sweet Pea had in his knapsack.

When they finished, Ebony got to her feet and helped Gallus spread a blanket over her son. "He'll be fine now." She wiped moisture off her face. "What happened?"

Gallus explained, and Jacob looked at the Argots. They were back to bushes and boulders, as if nothing had taken place.

Ebony shook her head. "This is why we've always warned Makalos about shrinking big things, and then enlarging them again. Akeno hasn't had a problem with it for a while--he must've been completely panicked."

Jacob tilted his head. "He was panicked when Aloren and I fell into the mud bubbles, and he didn't get injured _that_ time."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Makalos have to be completely in control of their emotions--they struggle with it at first, and most struggle their entire lives." She looked at her son. "But he doesn't normally have those problems."

Jacob looked at Akeno as well. He didn't know the Makalo could even make a mistake in that area. "Why did his bones break?"

"Akeno's arm and body couldn't hold your brother's weight. But the magic is stronger than bones--Matt would've come to him, regardless." She walked to Jacob's brother. "How _is_ Matt?"

"Asleep," Aloren said.

"Good. He'll need the rest." She lifted a piece of cloth to inspect his ankle. "How bad was his leg?"

"Not terrible--just a few cuts from the teeth."

Sweet Pea joined them. "Did you see how the Argots' fangs grew when their mouths opened?"

Gallus nodded. "The teeth are kept inside the jaws until they're needed, and then they extend like cat claws. They can be several feet long, depending on the age of the Argot."

Jacob shook his head. "We barely got Matt out in time."

"He wouldn't have lasted another few seconds. Oh, and another thing about these creatures is that they share their meals--what one of them eats gets spread through them all."

"Okay, I've learned enough about them," Aloren said.

Sweet Pea laughed and started to say something, but Ebony glared at him. His mouth slammed shut.

"I don't know, Gallus," Ebony said, turning to the black man. "Should I come along?"

They'd gone over this a lot during the last meeting. Ebony had opted to stay home since Echo, her baby, still needed her. But she was the only one who really knew medical things inside and out.

Gallus blew out a breath. "It's up to you. However, as we'd already said, we won't be able to see or feel or hear anything. We won't know if we're injured, and neither will you--you won't be able to help us." He put his hand on her shoulder. "You can come, or we can stick to the original plan."

She sighed. "We shouldn't change course now. I . . . I just hate feeling helpless."

"I know it sounds abrupt, but you'll be helpless anyway. How about you stay until we're ready to cross? Make sure Akeno really is okay?"

She nodded. "I'd feel much better about that."

"Okay, good." Gallus motioned to Matt and Akeno. "How long until they wake?"

Ebony shook her head. "An hour for Matt, possibly several hours for Akeno. It depends on how much damage there is. Luckily, Akeno is a Makalo and will heal much, much faster than a human would. Kaede sap works best on Makalos."

Gallus sighed. "Okay, let's get to work while waiting." He separated everyone into groups, leaving Ebony to watch over the injured people. Gallus and Aloren went one direction, and Jacob and Sweet Pea the other. Gallus had them work on clearing a long strip of land that ran parallel to where the Argots lived.

Clearing the underbrush wasn't easy. Jacob and Sweet Pea talked while they worked, using machetes Gallus had given them from his duffel bag.

Jacob and Sweet Pea first talked about school, then basketball, movies, and music. Jacob's machete got dull, and he was tempted to pull out his sword to chop with instead. He knew better than to use it on weeds, however. Having it in its scabbard, by his side, was oddly comforting. He wasn't used to fighting with it, but at least he felt like he could seriously injure . . . a defenseless evil creature. He smiled. He still needed a lot of practice.

After nearly an hour, Gallus called everyone over for a rest. Jacob was happy to see that Matt was waking up, and that he felt well enough to get to work. Gallus soon ended the break.

Jacob teased Matt about being shorter than him. "You're the little guy now!"

Matt rolled his eyes, snorting. "My muscles still work fine, and it's only by a few inches. I could still beat you at football."

Jacob grinned at his brother, then got back to work.

After another thirty minutes, Gallus declared everything good and had them all return to where Akeno slept.

"Now what?" Jacob asked.

"We wait until Akeno wakes. There isn't anything else we can do until he's better."

"It shouldn't be much longer," Ebony said. "Assuming he didn't have internal injuries, that is."

The group settled themselves in for a long wait. Three hours later, when the sun was ready to set, Akeno woke up. Ebony checked him out, declared him healthy, then had him get dressed and eat.

When he was finished, he jumped to his feet. "All right, I'm ready to put Matt back to his normal size."

Gallus held his hand up. "Don't--let's figure out the next step first. You're going to need to shrink someone. Preferably one of the stronger guys who can tie knots."

"Me!" Sweet Pea and Matt said at the same time.

Gallus looked at them. "Matt. You're taller than Sweet Pea."

Sweet Pea scowled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Because he's taller, he'll ultimately be bigger than you."

Matt laughed at Sweet Pea's disappointment. "Maybe next time, dude."

Gallus addressed Akeno. "Shrink Matt, then enlarge him on top of the wall." He pointed to the stone wall dividing the forest from the city. It wasn't very close--perhaps a hundred feet away. Parts of it were crumbling, but it was in good shape otherwise. A large arch was flanked by ornately embellished lamp posts with old, ragged flags attached to them. The flags were really big, deep red, and had a design on them that looked like a trident spear with a sun on it.

Akeno's mouth popped open. "He'll be huge if I do that--like, really, _really_ huge."

"Exactly," Gallus said. "And make sure you put him nearer to the entrance, by the lamp posts."

A panicked expression crossed Akeno's face. "But enlarging him that big might cause damage--it could kill him."

Ebony put her hand on Akeno's shoulder. "We'll make sure you're able to concentrate."

"It has to be done," Gallus said. "Otherwise we won't make it across the Argots."

Uncertainty remained on Akeno's face. "You're sure?"

Gallus nodded. "We need him on the other side to tie ropes to support the plank. Take a few deep breaths, then go when you're ready."

Akeno hesitated, then finally turned to Matt. "All right. Walk over there." He pointed to the place Sweet Pea and Jacob had cleared. "It might hurt a little when I pick you up. It's hard for me to tell if I'm holding too tightly."

Matt ran to where Akeno had pointed and turned, a huge smile on his face.

"For Narnia!" he yelled, fist in the air.

Jacob snorted--his brother was so ridiculous.

Akeno reached out and Matt disappeared, reappearing in the Makalo's palm. "Did I hurt you?"

"Not at all! Wow! You guys are _huge_!"

"Matt--listen closely," Gallus said.

Matt stopped grinning and straightened. "Listening."

"Akeno is going to put you on the wall. Don't squirm or step backward--it would be disastrous if you fell off."

"Okay."

"You won't be able to see anything, but you'll still have your hearing, which is why I brought this." Gallus pulled the megaphone from his bag. "I'll be calling instructions to you, and we'll have Early come back to help if it doesn't work."

Jacob scanned the air--he hadn't seen the Minya in a while. She was probably exploring.

Gallus motioned for Akeno to proceed. "Remember--next to the pole."

Akeno nodded, reached out, and gently released Matt. Matt disappeared, reappearing on the wall. He nearly lost his footing and swung his arms out, yelling. His left hand struck the lamp post, though, and he grabbed it, steadying himself.

"I can't see anything!"

Using the megaphone, Gallus called to Matt, "Get comfortable--sit down, if you can. This next part will take some time."

Matt nodded and Gallus turned to Akeno, handing him a long, very thin piece of wood with a small claw attached at the top. There were little metal loops drilled into the wood on both ends, each with leather straps tied through them.

"Keeping the claw facing down and away from you, enlarge the board, making it as long as you can--at least a foot wide, preferably more. If my measurements are correct, once it's that big, it should be long enough to go from here to the wall."

Akeno walked to one end of the clearing, and Gallus had everyone step back so they wouldn't get hit when the wood fell. The Makalo reached out, squinting an eye shut. He released the board, and it appeared in front of the group, filling the entire length of the clearing.

"Now then," Gallus said. "The hard part."

# Chapter Twenty-Nine

"We have to swing the end with the claw to Matt and get the claw to hook on to the other side of the wall so it's lying on top of the stone. If it's close enough to the lamp post, Matt will be able to tie it in place."

Aloren looked at Gallus with doubt. "How are we going to do that?"

The black man pulled out ropes and pulleys. "With these, and all of us helping." He gave a pulley and some of the rope to Sweet Pea. "Tie this to the board and climb that tree," he pointed to a very tall maple, "then hook the pulley over the largest, highest branch you can find and thread the rope through."

"Why didn't we just have Akeno send a door over with Matt?" Aloren asked.

"I'd thought of doing that originally," Gallus said, "but opening and closing the door on top of a wall would have been dangerous--there's nothing to secure it to there."

After Aloren showed she understood, Gallus motioned for Sweet Pea to proceed.

Sweet Pea scampered up the tree. When he got down, Gallus had him tie another rope to the board and climb up a tree on the other side, doing the same thing.

Gallus had Ebony and Aloren stand at the foot of the board to steady it, and he pulled on one of the ropes while Jacob and Sweet Pea took the other. They practiced for a while, trying to figure out who had to pull the hardest and at what time. It got tangled in branches, and the group slowly maneuvered it just right to get it untangled. Luckily, the foliage where the Argots lived was short and stubby.

Gallus called to Matt to be ready as the board neared him. Matt reached out, feeling blindly, and grabbed the board, pulling it toward himself, then hooked the claw in place so the board went all the way across the wall. He tied the leather straps to the lamp post.

Everyone cheered when he called out, saying he was done. They now had a plank of wood that completely crossed the Argots.

A businesslike expression crossed Gallus's face and he addressed the group. "One last thing. Remember, we'll be losing our sight halfway across. We need a rope to hold on to." He turned to Aloren. "I'm sorry, dear, but you're the most nimble."

Ebony cleared her throat. "Actually, Gallus, it would be better if I went--I'm smaller, and it'll be easier for me."

Gallus nodded. "Oh, yes, of course. I hadn't thought of having you here to help."

He tied one end of another rope about six feet up a tree, then handed the rest to Ebony. "Take this across and have Matt tie it to the pole as high as he can."

Ebony wrapped the rope several times around her arm, then started across the board. Like when he'd first seen her fighting, Jacob was surprised at how quickly and gracefully she moved--like a dancer.

About halfway, she paused, her legs wobbling. "Whoa. My eyesight just left."

"Hold on to the board and use it to guide you," Gallus called.

Ebony lowered herself, then crawled forward. Everyone waited, watching. Finally, she made it to the wall. Matt helped her to her feet and took the rope from her, tying it well above her head. With Gallus guiding him, he tightened it so it would be firm enough to provide support, but loose enough for everyone to hold on to at the same time.

Then Gallus had Ebony untie the ropes Sweet Pea had attached to the board for the pulleys. When she finished, Akeno picked her up, momentarily shrinking her before enlarging her on this side of the Argots. She returned, giving the ropes to Gallus while Akeno put Matt back to his normal size.

"Let's eat, then set up a door near here," Gallus said.

The group sank to the ground, eager for a break. Jacob wished he could taste the beef jerky, fruits, and veggies, but his stomach loved the food, and after a moment, he felt mostly satisfied.

Ten minutes later, Gallus got to his feet and had Akeno enlarge a door. Matt and Jacob put it in place.

"Time for us to cross." Gallus held up the rope. "But we need to tie ourselves together first."

"You've only got probably half an hour left until it's dark," Ebony said, motioning to the setting sun.

Matt laughed. "We'll be blind anyway, so it doesn't even matter."

Ebony chuckled. "Good point."

"We'll set up camp just inside the arch," Gallus said, making sure everyone tied their knots securely. "Hopefully we'll find a spot before we lose the sensation of touch." He turned to Ebony. "Jacob will need to take you back now rather than later."

Ebony nodded. She turned to her son, holding him close for several moments, then gave everyone else hugs and last-minute advice, including not to die or get hurt. Jacob opened the door to Taga, let her step through, then shut it.

Gallus lined everyone up--Jacob first, then Akeno, Aloren, Matt, Sweet Pea, and finally himself. He had Early let Aldo know they were about to start across the Argots.

Jacob could just picture the old man--he'd probably keep his face glued to the telescope the entire time the group was on the board. Even though Aldo couldn't do anything to help, just knowing he was watching brought Jacob a sense of calm.

Gallus looked Jacob in the eye, blue--the color for peace--swirling in the air around him. "It's up to you now. You and Akeno are the only ones who'll be able to help us, and I've got a feeling you'll be better at this next part than I will. Maybe one of your gifts will surprise us."

Jacob took a deep breath. He hated having pressure placed on him like that, but he agreed with Gallus. He was still adjusting to the fact that he could do things other people couldn't.

He faced the fortress, squinting against the bright emotions emanating through the stone walls, concentrating on picking out individual sources. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed something.

"One of the Shiengol's emotions is brighter than the rest."

Gallus shrugged. "Wouldn't surprise me."

Jacob turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"I can't tell you without causing offense."

"To whom? The Shiengols?"

"This particular Shiengol, yes."

Jacob found himself wishing he were on a different mission. "Great. We're about to rescue temperamental, powerful beings with lots of emotional baggage. Just what we need."

He looked up in shock when the emotions of the brightest Shiengol flashed from anticipation to annoyance. Whoa. Had it heard him? How was that possible? He hesitated, watching. When nothing happened, he turned to Gallus. "Are we ready?"

Gallus nodded. "Yes."

# Chapter Thirty

Jacob put his foot on the plank and looked up to find the rope. It was level with his head, which would make things more difficult. It was at that height for a reason, of course. Sweet Pea and Akeno wouldn't be able to reach it if it was higher.

His hands were still sore from using the machete. He should've taken the time to fix them with Kaede sap. No chance to do that now.

Jacob walked slowly, looking back occasionally to check on the progress of those behind him. The emotions emanating from them were surprising. Everything from nervousness to fear to excitement and even slight boredom--that one was Aloren, of course. But no, Matt's emotions showed some indifference too, along with his excitement. Why was he bored? Then Jacob smiled when he remembered all the rope courses his brother had completed over the past few years. He wasn't really afraid of these sorts of things.

He felt a tug in the rope around his waist when he was at least fifteen feet across and turned to see that Gallus was just getting on the plank. Jacob took a deep breath. The entire group was on the board now. If they fell, no one would be able to save them.

He continued onward, trying not to think about that.

A moment later, everything went black. He gasped, pausing. It was the weirdest thing ever--as if someone had turned off the sun and the lights, with no action on his part, and no residual vision. He'd never been in such complete blackness.

Jacob shuffled forward, feeling with his feet, making sure he knew what was under him before stepping.

Akeno practically freaked out when he went through the trap, and Jacob instinctively looked back to see what was wrong. He nearly stumbled in surprise at what he saw. "I can still see your emotions!"

"That's wonderful!" Gallus said.

"Yeah! I'll check on you guys every few steps."

"Good. You're about twenty feet from the wall."

Jacob nodded, knowing Gallus was watching. He counted the steps in his head, listening as the others went through the trap one at a time.

He'd nearly reached twenty when he felt a strong lurch in the rope tied around his waist, causing it to dig sharply into his stomach. His sword shifted, its weight knocking him off balance, and he lost his footing, holding onto the line above as tightly as he could while his legs swung out from under him. The board banged sharply against his shins, and his hands burned from the friction. He slid backward down the line by what felt like a couple of feet, bumping into Akeno, who cried out.

Everyone yelled in shock, and the line bounced Jacob up and down. He scrambled back onto the board, wishing he could see what he was doing.

"Quiet!" Gallus said. "Who fell off the board first?"

"I did," Sweet Pea said. "Lost my grip. I'm holding on to the board. I . . . I think I can pull myself up."

Jacob heard grunting, and the rope dug into the skin of his waist, making him wince from the pain.

"Careful, Sweet Pea," Gallus said. "I've got you."

The rope slackened and Jacob faced away from the others, toward the wall again. He held tight to the line above. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yes, we're all on the board again," Gallus said. "Keep going."

"That was really close," a little voice said near Jacob's ear, making him jump.

Jacob looked and saw a tiny spot of green--her emotion, representing happiness. "Early! Where have you been?"

"Watching and visiting Aldo--I would've come to help if you needed it."

"Okay. How far from the wall am I?"

"Close. Very close."

Jacob scooted forward, feeling the board with every step, making sure not to put his foot down without being confident he wouldn't fall off the side. How would they do stuff like this without the sensation of touch?

Then his foot found nothing. He shuffled to the side and felt solid stone. Great! "I've reached the wall!"

"Wonderful!" Gallus said.

Jacob found the lamp post and clung to it for support with one hand while helping Akeno off the board. The wall was fairly wide on top.

"Gallus, now what?"

"Um . . ."

Jacob frowned, hoping Gallus had thought this far in advance.

"I need you to climb past the pole, then drop to the ground in the middle of the archway. Aldo said the wall is about ten feet tall. Don't go into the city and don't exit--stay right in the middle of the archway. From what Aldo mentioned, we'll have around six feet of area under the arch to work with."

"Okay."

"And I'll help you!" Early said.

"Thanks, Early. You totally rock."

He felt his way around the pole, then paused. "How am I going to drop to the ground without pulling all of you with me?"

Silence. Then, "Good point. Untie yourself. The rest of us will stay together and undo ourselves one at a time. When we join you, we'll do up the knots again."

Jacob untied the rope and continued with Early guiding him.

"Just a little farther," she said. "Just a little farther. Stop. You've reached the arch."

Jacob sat on the part of the wall closest to where the stone rose, then twisted and lowered himself until he was hanging by just his hands.

"How far is the ground from my feet, Early?"

"A little less than you are tall."

Just wonderful. He pulled himself back up to talk with the others. "When you come around the pole, find the spot where the wall meets the arch--Early will help you--and lower yourself with your hands. I'll be below, trying to guide you. The drop from the wall to the ground is more than ten feet. I'll do my best to catch you. Luckily, I can still see your emotions, so I'll know where you are."

The others acknowledged that they understood, and he watched the colors of their emotions brighten, reflecting anticipation, panic, confidence, and fear. No boredom now.

Jacob took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty hands on his pants. After a moment, he lowered himself once again, took another deep breath, then let go. The wind rushed by him, tickling his ears.

The fall was over and he landed, stumbling a bit, then righted himself. He froze, waiting to see what happened. No pain! The tension he'd felt earlier dissipated--being an athlete had its perks. And he definitely still had the sensation of touch, thank goodness.

"I'm ready for you, Akeno."

Akeno's emotions showed he was about to go hysterical. "All right," he squeaked.

"If you get hurt, we have plenty of Kaede sap. You've got to calm down. It's going to be okay. "

"I'm fine."

Jacob narrowed his eyes when Akeno's colors didn't change. "Seriously, Akeno. I can see your emotions, remember? You aren't relaxing. Just breathe."

Gallus chuckled. "He's probably not going to feel better until he's on solid ground again."

Jacob agreed, and changed tactics. "Just take your time. You're light enough--I'll be able to catch you. Sack of potatoes, remember?"

Akeno laughed, a bit of yellow coloring the air around him. "Yeah, I remember." He paused. "Okay, I'm coming."

Jacob watched the emotion come closer. He was going to have to get used to this. There wasn't a real shape, and the color faded in and out--stronger in some areas than others. It was interesting to see it without Akeno's face. And it was even stranger to realize Jacob saw it without using his eyes.

While waiting, Jacob glanced in the direction where he imagined the fortress to be, and sure enough, the strong emotions were still there. He detected slight movement and figured the Shiengols were restless. He would be too, after being trapped for over sixteen years.

Jacob looked back and saw Akeno's color lowering. He wasn't sure if it was around Akeno's head or his torso at that moment, but at least it gave Jacob an idea of the Makalo's position.

He reached up on tippy toes, but didn't feel anything. "Are you hanging by your hands yet?"

"Nope. Give me a minute."

The deep yellow lowered even farther, then Akeno said, "Now I am."

Jacob reached up again, swishing his hands through the air, and finally his fingertips brushed the bottom of the Makalo's shoe.

"Whoa," Akeno said. "Was that you?"

"Yeah. I can't really reach your feet."

A pause. "I guess I'll just let myself fall, then."

"And I'll do my best to catch you."

"On the count of three. One, two--you're still down there, right?"

"Yes, Akeno."

Another hesitation, then, "Three."

The emotion rushed down to Jacob and he put his arms out, trying to keep them below Akeno.

# Chapter Thirty-One

With a loud _umph_ and a painful kick to his face, Jacob caught the Makalo.

"Sorry! I felt that! Was it your head?"

Jacob put Akeno down, his cheek smarting. "I'm fine." He rubbed where he'd been kicked, hoping it wouldn't bruise too badly. It sure hurt! His eyes watered. He blinked several times, then shook his head to clear it and called up. "All right, Aloren, we're ready for you."

Aloren didn't hesitate before coming. That wasn't surprising--she'd had a lot more practice doing insane things.

Determination was the emotion that guided Jacob. The colors flowing around her were red and green--anger and happiness. He'd been surprised a couple of months ago to figure out that determination was closely related to anger, but a determined person would face their problems with a positive attitude.

The tinted air showed Jacob when she'd reached the edge and had lowered herself. He stretched up and felt her ankle.

A blush crossed his face, and he was very glad no one could see it. Except Early, who probably didn't care. Speaking of the Minya . . . she was most likely observing and making sure no one got hurt. Jacob hoped so, anyway. He couldn't see her emotions right then.

"Okay, I'm dropping now."

Jacob caught her smoothly, enjoying the feeling of holding her in his arms, knowing his blush was spreading. He put her down quickly, then froze when she kissed his cheek.

"Thanks," she whispered. The red in the air around her dissipated, overpowered by green. Did she like him? Had she been hiding it all that time? No--she'd also had those feelings toward Kevin. Maybe the stress of the current situation made her like Jacob more?

Her emotions showed her moving away, and he brought a hand to his face. She'd kissed the same cheek Akeno had kicked. He sighed, then realized Matt was trying to talk to him.

"Hello? Are you ready for me?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I am."

Matt's typical emotions of excitement and happiness marked his progress, and Jacob guided him without a problem. Matt didn't want to be caught when he dropped, and Jacob was grateful for that. His brother was heavy.

When Sweet Pea's turn came up, Jacob had everyone lock hands, forming a sort of trampoline where Sweet Pea could land. It worked perfectly. They put him down and moved back when Gallus said he didn't need any help. Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way he and the others would be able to support the man's weight. He was much taller than anyone there.

Jacob watched Gallus's emotions descend as the man lowered himself. When he dropped, he stumbled, and Jacob reached out to steady him. His hands swept through empty air. The swish of cloth and a thud, followed by a sharp smacking sound, let Jacob know Gallus had fallen. The black man cried out in pain.

"What happened?" Akeno asked.

Gallus only gasped in response.

"Everyone stay where you are." Jacob got to his hands and knees and carefully approached Gallus's colors. "Gallus fell. I'll inspect him--we don't want anyone to stand on him accidentally."

Gallus moaned. It looked like he was trying to get to his feet.

"Don't move."

Gallus stopped and Jacob found the man's foot, glad the man wasn't thrashing. "I need Kaede sap," he called over his shoulder.

"I'll get it!" Akeno said.

Jacob turned his attention back to Gallus, feeling around until he located the man's shoulder. "Gallus? Are you okay?"

Gallus gasped. "My knee . . . my knee . . ."

"Ouch. We'll take care of you." Jacob turned. "Akeno? The package?"

Akeno's voice sounded very small. "Um . . . my bag's open and mostly empty--no sap. I . . . I think it fell out while we were crossing the Argots."

Jacob growled in frustration. "Anyone else have some? Check your bags, even if you don't think you do."

He was glad Mom and Ebony had packed the bags for the group. They'd come up with the idea to separate everything into different categories, using cloth for the food, paper packaging for the Kaede sap, plastic for hygienic items. Of course, this would only work before the trap that removed the sensation of touch.

"I _had_ a ton of it," Sweet Pea said. "But we used it all on Matt and Akeno."

The others reported they didn't have any sap either. Gallus groaned, then gasped out a couple of words. "Pain" and "hurry."

"How is it possible that Sweet Pea and Akeno were the only ones carrying it?" Jacob asked. He bit his lip, frustrated. They couldn't continue without Gallus, and they couldn't leave him here like this. That left only one other option. Jacob had to get more sap. "Aloren? Where are you?"

One of the emotions stepped forward. "Here."

"Come watch over Gallus and make sure he's comfortable. I'm going to Taga Village."

Aloren gasped. "You can't go back!" she said. "What happens if you fall? The key will be lost, you'll die, and we'll be stuck here forever."

Jacob shook his head, not wanting to answer.

"I'll go," Akeno said. "It's my fault we lost the sap."

"Let's both go," Jacob said. Two would be better than one. "Okay, let's get going."

"Jacob," Aloren started.

Jacob glowered. "What else can we do? What are our other options? Leave him, and continue onward? Stay here, hoping someone comes and finds us? There's nothing else." He hated talking to her like that, but she was usually tougher than this.

"This is insane."

"Yeah, I know. But I have to do something."

"What about setting up a door here and going back that way?"

Jacob did his best not to sound exasperated. "Because Akeno can't see to enlarge anything, and even if he could, there isn't enough space under the arch to make the door big enough."

"Go, Jacob," Gallus gasped. "I'll be fine . . . while you're gone."

Jacob turned to scan the skies before remembering he couldn't see anything. "Early? Are you there?"

A spot of green flitted near him. "Here, Jacob!"

"Tell Aldo that Akeno and I are heading back, then please stick very close to me in case anything happens."

Early agreed, and Jacob put his hand on Aloren's arm before getting to his feet. "We'll be careful, I promise. We'll come back."

She released a long breath of air. "Okay."

Careful not to bump into Gallus, Jacob scooted a couple of feet away--clearing himself from the man's legs--then got up. He unbuckled his sword, laying it down against the wall of the arch. He didn't want it to knock him off balance while crossing the board.

"Early, would you be able to give us a boost? Like you did while I was fighting the Ember Gods? I don't know if it would help or not to weigh less while climbing the wall, but it could be good."

She didn't answer for a moment, then, "This is different--I don't know if I can do it."

Akeno's voice sounded close to Jacob. "She would have to exert a lot more energy to keep us moving in the same direction," he said. "Gravity doesn't affect her, but it affects us. And her energy boost might shoot us off into Argot territory."

"But when I was fighting the Ember--"

"That was different. You were on your feet, and could somewhat control where you went. Honestly, I'd rather she didn't help us."

Jacob raised his eyebrows. Earlier, Akeno had been so afraid of falling, he'd taken a very long time getting off the wall, and now he was turning down assistance? "All right. I'll go first."

Early guided them back to the correct place near the arch, then Jacob climbed. The going was difficult--he had to feel around for hand and footholds without relying on sight. A moment later, however, he reached the top and turned to help Akeno.

After Akeno was up, Jacob stepped past the lamp post, then found the line and the board.

He felt like kicking himself when he realized he and Akeno hadn't tied themselves together. "Akeno, is it possible for you to latch your arm through the strap of my bag so I can keep you from falling? It'll help me know if you do fall."

"Sure."

Akeno did so and Jacob took a deep breath, holding tightly to the line above. "Here goes."

They started forward, Jacob going as quickly as was safely possible. He'd always been afraid of heights, but thankfully, this was different. He couldn't see how far they'd fall if that happened, and the dizzy attacks didn't come. He felt Akeno's movements behind him and was glad his friend held tightly to his bag.

As he moved forward, he looked at the ground instinctively, then nearly stopped in shock at something he hadn't noticed before--there were faint white lines tracing patterns through the space below them. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Did the patterns mark where the ground was, or were they floating in the air? And what were they?

Jacob and Akeno were at least halfway when Akeno gasped, then yelled, and the line above jerked, followed immediately by weight on Jacob's backpack. The increase in weight knocked him off balance, and his hands slipped off the rope. He spun to the side, the board scraping his leg, then smacking into his rib cage as he flipped over. He tried to grab it, but Akeno's weight pulled him down farther, and he plunged, landing hard on the ground below, Akeno beneath him.

# Chapter Thirty-Two

The air knocked from his lungs, Jacob couldn't move at all. His frantic mind only focused on one thing--the faint white lines were brighter and somehow attached to the dirt.

Early freaked out, squealing and shouting. "Get up, Jacob! Get up!"

Jacob gasped for air, finally raking in a breath and able to move again. He pulled Akeno out from under him. A deep rumble below made him freeze. "Oh, no!" There was no way they could escape!

" _Get up_!" Early shrieked, the colors swirling around her showing hysteria.

Jacob felt a spot on his shoulder heat up--Early was giving him energy! His mind cleared and he remembered something very important. The Argots hadn't done anything for several moments when Matt had started crossing them. Did they always take so long to react? And would it be enough for Jacob and Akeno to get to safety? It had to be! He held on to this hope as tightly as he could and grabbed Akeno, throwing the Makalo over his shoulder, then lurched to his feet.

"I'll guide you!" Early squealed. "I can see them!"

Jacob dashed forward, realizing he would probably trip over rocks and bushes, but he wouldn't allow himself to be devoured by monsters. It would be so much easier if he could see their emotions.

Early's directions came fast. "Side-step to the left! Jump forward! Go back a foot! Side-step right! _Run_! _Fast_! Left! Back again!"

Jacob felt a pinch on his pant leg. He jerked free.

A moment later, sight returned. The light from the moon nearly blinded him and he shaded his eyes with his free hand. The edge of the Argots wasn't far, but Early led him away from it.

"Early! The forest is right there!"

"Ignore it! Obey me!"

He took a deep breath and continued running, following her directions. She'd kept them alive this long and deserved his trust.

Akeno screamed, but Jacob didn't risk looking back, preparing instead to follow his instincts and jump to safety in a spot between some pink shrubbery and yellow boulders.

"No, Jacob! It's dangerous there! This way!"

Irritation flooded over him and he growled in frustration, but he continued following her anyway. After a moment, he saw the wisdom in Early's choice. Several jaws opened in the crevice he'd been running toward, and it quickly became apparent that the Argots exploited the self-preservation instincts of their prey.

Then something else dawned on Jacob as he paid closer attention to Early's directions. Yes, she took him much farther from the edge of the forest than was comfortable, but she wasn't choosing the path arbitrarily. She was having him follow the brightest of the faint white lines. And as he watched, he quickly figured out they marked where each Argot started and ended, like boundary lines.

Panting in exhaustion, he said, "Brilliant!" He smiled in excitement. "I see! I see where you're leading us!"

"Good!" Early cried. "Keep running."

A new burst of energy slammed into Jacob and he dashed forward, following the biggest of the lines, no longer needing Early's directions.

"I'm going to warn the Makalos!" she said after making sure Jacob was really going the right way. She disappeared with a flash.

"No! Early!" Akeno screamed. "We need her!"

"It's fine! I can see where to run!" Jacob dodged some rocks, then jumped around a little tree.

"How?"

"The lines!"

"What lines?"

"Never mind." Jacob focused on running and skirting obstacles.

The line led him along a haphazard path--taking him in a ridiculous course around bushes and brambles and rocks. The springy ground under his feet continued rumbling and shifting, and except for a couple of times when his pant legs got snagged, he remained clear of the sharp teeth.

Finally, they reached the edge of the forest, and he stumbled to the ground when his feet met solid earth once more. He released Akeno, gasping, trying to catch his breath.

"Jacob? Jacob!" Aloren's voice called through the megaphone.

Jacob got to his feet and yelled back as loudly as he could, "We're fine! We made it! We made it!"

He heard faint cheering and grinned. He'd done it!

Early reappeared, reminding Jacob that they still had a mission to accomplish. "They're waiting!"

"Let's go! And help us find the door."

"Yes! Yes!"

The two boys took off at a run, following Early through the forest.

They reached the door and Jacob keyed them to Taga Village, where the Makalos waited anxiously on the other side.

The increase of sensation nearly knocked Jacob over. The smell of roast beef and potatoes assailed him, and his mouth instantly watered. The light burned his eyes and he covered his face. Ebony shoved Kaede sap packages into their bags, which, thankfully, hadn't gotten lost when the boys fell.

"You're ready," Ebony said a moment later. "Did you set up a door near the arch?"

"No," Jacob said. "Akeno can't see, so he wouldn't be able to enlarge anything."

Ebony nodded, then turned to Akeno. "Do you still have your potted plant?"

He shook his head. "I think I lost it when we fell off the board."

"I'll get him another one," Kenji said, stepping into the back room. A moment later he returned, holding a bright blue pot with a scraggly plant in it, around four inches tall.

"Are you sure that's going to make it through the entire trip?" Jacob asked. "It looks like it's about to die."

Ebony chuckled. "It'll be fine. It's a type of evergreen--though it doesn't look it. They're hardy little things." She put it in Akeno's bag.

Jacob nodded, swinging the backpack over his shoulders. "We'll send Early later when we've finished working on Gallus."

They said goodbye, then keyed back to the door and crossed the board with no problems. They dropped to the ground under the arch and Jacob pulled a package out of his backpack, giving it to Akeno to put together.

Jacob got to his knees. "Can we use Gallus's pant leg instead of the cloth in the package?"

"No," Akeno said. "It has to be completely clean."

"Well, we can't afford to cut his pants." Jacob carefully inched up to Gallus, making sure not to bump the man. "It's too cold for him to walk around in shorts. And it'll be too painful to take them off."

"Let's roll up his pant leg as far as it'll go," Aloren said. "Then reach up the rest of the way."

Jacob agreed, and he and Aloren soaked the cloth strips in the mixture while Akeno and Matt readied Gallus. It was oddly comforting, being this near the people he cared for most. His hand brushed against Aloren's several times and he thought over the kiss she'd given him on the cheek earlier. He sighed inwardly--she'd obviously done it as a way to say thanks and nothing more. She wasn't the type of person to cheat, and he knew she really cared for Kevin.

Jacob turned his thoughts back to the task at hand, finding it required more concentration when he couldn't see what he was doing.

Within a couple of minutes, Gallus's knee was covered, and the man's moans had stopped.

"Thanks, Jacob," Gallus murmured.

"We need to get you to shelter. It's too cold for us to be out in the open."

"Tent. In my bag."

Jacob pulled the bag out from under Gallus and rummaged through it, trying to figure out what everything was. "Gallus, I don't know--"

Someone took the bag from him. Either Aloren or Akeno--he couldn't tell.

"Here," Aloren said.

Something heavy was placed in Jacob's hands. "Push this button when you're ready to open the tent."

Gallus sighed. "It's large--you'll need space." He took a deep breath. "Put it closer to the fortress than to the Argots."

Jacob got to his feet and helped everyone move to the other side of Gallus. After they were safely out of the way, Jacob put the folded fabric on the ground, making sure the opening was nearest him. He pushed the button and jumped back.

A _whoosh_ rushed through the air, followed by several clicks and the sounds of cloth being tightened quickly. When everything was quiet again, Jacob stepped forward and found the door of the tent.

"Okay. Aloren, you first. We'll give you the far corner."

He grabbed her hand, leading her around Gallus, then helped her into the tent. Good--her emotions were visible through the thick material. This meant that others' emotions would also be visible through the tent, which would come in handy in case they had visitors during the night. Jacob shuddered at the thought.

"Matt, Sweet Pea, Akeno--I'll need all of you to help me pull Gallus inside." He guided them to Gallus's shoulders and feet, then on the count of three, they half lifted, half dragged the nearly unconscious man into the tent.

After she was finished delivering messages, Early said she'd spend the night at the foot of Jacob's sleeping bag, which was fine with him. He found his sword, pulled it into the tent with him, then closed the flap.

"Aldo said we wouldn't be bothered by animals, right?" he asked.

Early didn't respond, and Gallus only sighed. Jacob didn't press either of them. They both needed sleep after the busy day. 

# Chapter Thirty-Three

Sometime in the middle of the night, or what Jacob assumed to be the middle of the night, he was awakened by something shuffling outside the tent.

He bolted upright in his sleeping bag and grabbed the tent zipper, holding it down.

The shuffling stopped. Jacob couldn't see any emotions through the fabric, so whatever it was must not have been intelligent. He didn't know if this made him feel better or worse.

A moment later, the shuffling started up again and gradually got quieter until it disappeared.

Jacob waited several minutes longer, still holding the zipper. No one else had been disturbed by the sound, so why had it awakened him? He finally snuggled back into his sleeping bag, completely exhausted, but so wired he doubted he'd be able to fall asleep.

Sure enough, after what seemed like an hour of trying, he gave up. He decided to use the opportunity to practice Time-Seeing into August Township. Maybe his ability would allow him to see through the Lorkon traps.

He'd found a while ago that it worked best when he unfocused his eyes and told his body where to go and when. He did that now.

At first, he couldn't see anything, so he concentrated, ignoring the chest pains that started. It seemed like he was standing near a tall wall, but he couldn't be sure. A bit of light appeared to the side of him. He focused on that--it looked like the sun was rising. Excited, he turned back to the city, eager for the light to brighten the mass in front of him. But everything was so smudged and unnaturally hazy, he couldn't make out any shapes. Nothing at all. He wasn't even sure if the mess of rock and wall in front of him was part of the actual city. He frowned, perplexed. Had the Lorkon figured out his ability? Did they do something to make him unable to Time-See? Or were the traps powerful enough that he couldn't pierce them?

The pain in his chest increased until he couldn't ignore it anymore, and his body jerked him back to the present like a rubber band.

He fell asleep quickly after that.

***

Aloren's voice pulled Jacob out of his dreamless sleep.

"All right, everyone. _Get up_. I'm tired of waiting." A smile tainted her rushed words, and the emotions surrounding her were impatience and excitement. Jacob also thought he detected a bit of gratitude, then realized she probably didn't think they'd make it through the night. "It's morning now," she said. "Let's go."

"How can you tell it's morning?" The question came from Matt, his usual color of happiness, which was green, was tinged with a slight yellow--suspicion.

"My body says it is. We need to eat and get our things together."

Matt sighed in exasperation, his green turning to a light pink. "Who died and made _you_ queen?"

Jacob laughed, then jerked to a sitting position when the word "died" entered his brain. "Gallus? Are you awake?"

Gallus chuckled, probably at the panic in Jacob's voice. "I am."

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better--completely back to normal."

Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, good."

"Yes, I'm pretty relieved myself. Thank you for what you did last night."

Jacob felt his cheeks flush and he turned to roll up his sleeping bag, nearly forgetting that Gallus couldn't see his face anyway. He smiled at himself--those habits wouldn't go away so easily.

He shoved his bag into the largest pocket of his backpack, hearing the others cleaning up as well. His thoughts turned to the upcoming traps. Loss of hearing and loss of touch. How long would the traps last, and would they be all-encompassing?

Jacob decided to voice what was on his mind. "I can't help but wonder how much losing our sense of touch will affect us. I mean, the more I think about it, the more I realize I depend a lot on what I can feel. I know I'm kneeling now because my shins feel the ground beneath me, and the skin on the back of my knees is pinched. I know what my hands and arms are doing--also thanks to the sense of touch."

Silence for a moment. The colors swirling around the others changed to an orange-yellow for concern, and for a moment, Jacob felt bad for having brought up something that would potentially worry or depress them. But he recognized it was important to consider these things.

Gallus let out a long breath. "Yes, I've been pondering similar points." His color moved to the tent door, and Jacob backed away. "And I don't have an answer. The best we can do is be ready for anything. We'll have to figure things out as they come." He paused. "Luckily, the sense of hearing will be last to go. We'll be able to communicate even after we've lost the sensation of touch."

"And we're sure there won't be any creatures or animals out there? Aside from the Cerpire?" Jacob wondered if he should mention what he'd heard last night. He decided not to--either they'd get attacked or they wouldn't. Being paranoid would only make things much, much more difficult.

"Not entirely. We're going off what Aldo said, of course. He doesn't think big creatures would be able to cross the Argots. Small creatures are rarely dangerous."

"And do the Argots surround the city?"

"Probably not. The fortress is right up against the mountains. The volcano eruption from a hundred years ago made the land impassible. The Shiengols never had animal problems before. I assume it's still the same."

Jacob thought over this for a moment. "I've noticed something. The inhabitants of this world like to have only one point of entry for their castles. Even Macaria Castle is up against the lake."

"Your world is the same," Gallus said. His voice was muffled because he'd just stepped outside the tent. "Moats and walls and mountains and lakes. It's a defensive tactic."

Jacob nodded, then realized Gallus couldn't see it, and laughed at himself. Of course, this made the others ask why he was laughing, so he told them what he'd done. "It's frustrating, not being able to see."

"I'm almost used to it," Matt said, "but I can't wait to get my taste back. I'm starving, and the food I've eaten isn't doing anything for me. It's like eating cardboard!" He paused. "I think."

"Speaking of food," Gallus said, "come out of the tent so I can pack it away. When I'm done, I want each of you to eat as much as you can handle. When we next get hungry, we probably won't be able to feel our teeth and tongues, which could be quite dangerous. You never know if you're biting your tongue off or not."

Jacob and the others filed out, and Gallus somehow packed the tent up without seeing what he was doing. They sat in a circle and Gallus had Jacob divvy up the food, since he knew where everyone was sitting.

"I wish I had a Braille watch," Matt said. "Oh, and I wish I could read Braille."

Sweet Pea laughed at him, but Jacob could see his brother's point. It sure would've made things more convenient.

"So, what's the plan?" Akeno asked.

Gallus's deep voice reverberated in the small space between the walls. "Akeno, make sure you keep your plant in your hands at all times. And we'll need to be attached to each other again--in a row, with Jacob in the lead. Jacob, you remember the footstep sequence for how to get to the fortress, right?"

Jacob ran through it in his mind. "Yes, I do."

"Good." Gallus's emotion colors rose, showing he'd gotten to his feet. "Let's get going."

As soon as everyone else was ready, Jacob put them in the same order as before, then he and Gallus tied them all together.

"Whatever happens," Gallus said, "Keep moving and keep talking, if you can."

Jacob agreed. How they would make it out of this, he didn't know. He raised his face to search for their Minya, again out of habit. "Early? Are you there?"

A flicker of green--the color for happiness--flitted next to him. "Yup!"

"Does Aldo have any last-minute instructions?"

"Let me check." A minute passed, then her tiny voice returned. "He hasn't seen the Cerpire for a long time, but doesn't think that means it's not here anymore. He also says you've done very well so far, and he'll be giving me orders every now and then to help, but that you probably won't know it once you're in all the traps."

Jacob nodded. "Okay, well, stay close. I might need you and Aldo to help me find the way if I get disoriented. Remember this: straight for thirty, turn right then walk seven, right and fifteen, left and twenty-seven, left and one hundred thirty."

"Will do!"

Warmth radiated through him at the tone in her voice. She was a great messenger. "Is everyone ready?" he asked.

A chorus of yeses surrounded him and he faced forward, glad he had a good internal sense of direction. "Oh, and Akeno--are there any living creatures out there?"

No response for a moment, then, "Nope. Just the Argots. The area in front of us is empty of anything living."

"Okay, then. Let's go. Straight for thirty."

Jacob started forward, making sure he took normal-sized steps.

At five feet, the next trap made its presence known.

# Chapter Thirty-Four

Jacob stopped. He couldn't feel the ground beneath his feet. He couldn't feel himself swallowing. He couldn't feel the rope around him any longer, and it was almost as if he were naked because he couldn't feel his clothes. It was like he'd spent the day at the dentist's, and that numb sensation had enveloped him completely.

He could, however, sense his movement. He lifted his hand, and knew his arm was rising. He could tell which way was up, and that he was standing. His body still knew its directions.

"Just entered the next trap," he said.

"How is it?" Gallus asked.

"I can't feel anything. But I know I'm standing, and I know when I'm moving."

"Excellent." There was a pause. "Can you sense the rope?"

"No. Or my clothes."

Matt snickered.

"Wait until you're here," Jacob said. "You won't be laughing anymore."

"Yeah, I'm sure. But it's funny. What if you _aren't_ dressed anymore?"

Jacob snorted in response, but an insane desire to back up and check nearly overwhelmed him. He didn't want to lose his place, though. "Going forward. Each of you say something when you enter the trap."

Jacob continued, counting out loud. His legs knew how far to go--at least, he trusted they did. "Six. Seven. Eight."

After Akeno had gone through the trap, Jacob asked him to check again if there was anything living around them.

Akeno didn't respond for a moment, then he said, "Oh, weird. It's hard to find the plant when I can't feel it. I know I'm touching it by the visions that enter my mind. And no--there's still nothing."

Jacob breathed in relief. "Good." He continued walking forward.

One at a time, the rest of the group announced when they'd entered the trap. By the sound of the others' voices, they were keeping up with Jacob just fine.

"Coming to the first turn," he said. "We're going right. The rest of you count your steps so you know when to turn."

Jacob didn't pause, trusting the others to follow his instructions. He kept an eye on the Shiengols' emotions, making sure they were in sight as much as possible. They helped him know where he was in relation to the fortress. He announced the next turn, then followed it.

So far, so good.

Forward fifteen feet. Jacob wasn't able to move any longer. He turned, putting a mental bookmark in his place in the footstep sequence. "I've stopped."

"Me too," Matt responded.

"Is it because of me?" Gallus asked, his voice sounding muffled. "It feels like it might be me."

"Aldo says Gallus is stuck behind a broken door," Early said, her green emotions floating near Jacob's head.

Jacob nodded. "Gallus? Did you hear that?"

"Yes. Early, can you guide me?"

"Yep!" Early said. "Step to the right. One more step. There."

Jacob noticed that Gallus's colors got brighter, probably because the door had partially blocked them from view.

"Everyone ready?" he asked. "Gallus, you should be able to continue." Jacob faced forward again, glad when he felt himself moving. "Okay, we're turning left now. Follow me, same as before. One, two . . ."

He kept track of the numbers as closely as he could, concentrating on their shapes in his mind--picturing them--and giving them colors just to help make them different from each other.

"Wait," Early said. "Gallus--you're off track again."

"Oops. I apologize."

Early guided the man back in line with the rest, and Jacob smiled at her emotion. "Thanks, Early." He resumed walking. "Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three--"

He paused when the emotions of the Shiengols appeared to his left, much brighter than before. His heartbeat doubled before he remembered it was them. He hadn't noticed their colors disappear. It must have been very gradual, because their abrupt reappearance freaked him out.

He took a deep breath. "We're coming up to our last turn. And the path leads directly to the fortress--the emotions of the Shiengols are especially strong right now."

"That's excellent," Gallus said.

Jacob got to the corner, then paused. "Early, does Aldo have any last-minute advice? Pretty soon, we won't be able to hear anything, so he should give it now."

No response. Then, "He says you're doing fine and that he'll have me help you with a boost of magic if you need one. Your families all send their love."

Jacob nodded. "Thanks. Akeno, would you check the area?"

"Yes." The Makalo didn't say anything for a moment. Then, "Jacob? I can sense the Cerpire. Not to scare you or anything, but it's . . ." His voice cracked. "It's really, really, _really_ big."

The others in the group moaned in dismay, and Jacob looked back. He wasn't surprised at the fear and panic flowing in the air behind him. He nearly gave in to the panic himself, but he felt the weight of the responsibility he held. It was up to _him_ to make sure they made it out safely. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before addressing the others.

"Guys, we'll be fine."

"You don't know that," Sweet Pea said.

"At least we won't feel pain when we die," Matt said, his voice strong.

"Hey!" Jacob said. "No one's going to die!"

"Again, you don't know that," Sweet Pea said, his negativity surprising Jacob. "And you can't say anything to make us feel better. Either we'll make it or we won't."

Gallus sighed loudly. "Sweet Pea is right. Honestly, we just have to keep going."

Jacob nodded, taking a deep breath. "I'm going to need everyone's help to remember what number I'm on--one hundred and thirty is too large to track, especially if anything distracts me. If you count with me, that would be great."

"Do we know when the Cerpire will attack?" Akeno asked.

"No, we don't," Gallus said. "But the fortress is one hundred and thirty feet in front of us now, so we can assume it will come sometime before then."

Jacob checked that everyone was still in line. "I can see your emotions--I'll make sure you're not going off to the side. And it's a pretty straight shot--the Shiengols are directly in front of me. As long as I can see them, we should be okay."

"Let's go, then," Matt said. "Take us to safety, fearless leader!"

Aloren giggled and Jacob shook his head, smiling. "One, two, three . . ."

The others chanted with him. Then, when he reached fourteen, they stopped counting. The silence was very unnerving. "Uh . . . guys, are--" He slammed his mouth shut. He couldn't hear himself! He might not even have said anything, since he couldn't tell what his mouth was doing. He still felt like he'd spent the day at the dentist's, and not being able to hear himself made it worse.

He took a breath. "Okay," he said, hoping his mouth was obeying his brain, "I've entered the last trap. Um . . . I'm just going to keep walking. I'll keep track of the numbers in my head. Do the same, so you know where we are."

The strong sensation that he was going mad filled his chest. He was talking to himself, but couldn't hear it; walking forward, but couldn't feel it, and leading people he couldn't see. An appreciation for what Kelson and the others had gone through flooded over him, along with the need to say thanks to Aldo for the information he'd given Jacob and the others before they left.

There wasn't a pause behind him, so he continued forward, counting out loud even though he couldn't hear himself.

"One hundred one. One hundred two. One hundred three." Almost there! Where was the Cerpire? "One hundred four. One hundred five."

Jacob paused when he sensed something he hadn't felt in weeks--the ability to discern others' magical powers. He hadn't even realized this gift disappeared after he fought the Ember Gods a few weeks ago.

But now he felt it. And something was nearby. Something with a very strong, very large, very old magical pulse. He hesitated. The magic felt . . . distracted. Like it was being used up. Worn out. Exhausted.

Jacob realized what this meant. The Cerpire was nearby. And it was tired. Could that help him win the fight? It felt like the hair on the back of his neck rose, but he couldn't be sure.

The emotions of the Shiengols disappeared. Jacob stopped in surprise, unsure what to think. Had they turned their feelings off? If so, how? He blinked several times, trying to clear his eyes, then looked up and nearly fell backward in shock.

The brightest red he'd ever seen hovered about twenty feet in the air above him.

The Cerpire had made its presence known. And it was _very_ angry.

# Chapter Thirty-Five

Jacob felt himself slide backward and couldn't tell what had caused it. The Cerpire? Akeno?

There was a flicker of movement in front of him, and he blinked. It was almost as if something had pierced his blindness, returning his sight for just a moment. But only in fragments. He squinted, trying to see.

Another flicker.

A third flicker and the entire Cerpire shifted into view, though very hazy. Jacob could see it! He froze, completely unable to believe his luck. Was this like in the cave, when he'd fought the Molg? Akeno and Aloren hadn't been able to see it until Jacob touched it. The Molg's features had been easier to see, but at least Jacob wouldn't lose track of the Cerpire.

Faint--very faint--details appeared. It had scales, as Jacob had expected, but fur as well. That was weird. The image flickered, and Jacob caught the color of the scales--bright blue-green.

Jacob stared up at the beast, at its emotion, its indistinct shape, wishing he could see the dinosaur's face.

It didn't move. Had it lost sight of Jacob and the others? He itched to turn to see the emotions of the rest of his group, but he knew that doing so would be disastrous.

He waited longer. The Cerpire still didn't do anything. It could probably smell its visitors, though, right? If it was hungry, why didn't it attack? Or . . . maybe its only job was to keep people from going to the fortress. Did that mean if they turned around now, they would be safe?

Jacob pushed that idea away and frowned, concentrating. He needed to come up with a plan, and fast. His first priority was to live--for all of them to make it. And he wasn't completely helpless like he'd thought he'd be. He was able to sense the magic of the dinosaur. He could see its outline. He could see its emotions. And Early would help wherever possible--he knew it.

Turning back was pointless. They'd just have to make the entire trip again. No, he had to get them all to the fortress. They'd also have their senses returned and would be able to fight with him against the Cerpire. They only had twenty-five feet to go, and the traps ended _before_ the fortress started.

But how to do it safely?

Jacob watched the dinosaur, sifting through his memory of every movie and book he'd read, trying to think of something that would help. He wished Aldo and Early could communicate with him.

Then he remembered another ability he'd recently discovered--the ability to mold air, like he'd done in the tunnel with the Ember Gods. Would that work now? Could he do that and create a shield to protect himself and his friends long enough to get to the fortress?

Moving slowly, keeping his eyes on the beast and hoping the others wouldn't do something stupid, he faced his hands forward, raised them a few inches, and concentrated on molding the air in front of him. He nearly jumped in surprise when he felt his palms heat up. Of course he'd feel it! It was magical warmth, after all.

But nothing else happened. At least, he didn't think so.

A spot on his back heated up. Early and Aldo must have figured out what he was doing! He sensed Early's energy rush through his hands and felt the heat bursting from his fingertips.

A sheen appeared in front of him--sparkly and milky white. He could see it! He couldn't help but smile in excitement. This would work!

Jacob concentrated all his energy into the sheen, watching it start to grow, turning into a shield that stretched farther and farther.

When it was tall enough to protect him if the Cerpire attacked, he glanced back to judge how far it would need to go to cover the rest of the group. Only a few feet longer. He exerted as much energetic pressure as he could until the sheen had grown to completely cover everyone's emotions.

Okay. Ready.

Trusting Early, his instincts, and his abilities, he raised the shield higher, careful to keep the others and the Cerpire in sight. He stepped to the right.

Nothing happened.

Then the dinosaur attacked fast and hard, knocking Jacob to the ground, momentarily exposing the rest of the group. Jacob jumped up, putting the sheen over his friends again. Had they been injured? No way to know. He continued walking, bracing himself for the next attack.

It came swiftly, followed by several shorter, smaller attacks. Jacob fell to the ground again, doing his best to keep the sheen in place as the dinosaur repeatedly hit the shield, biting, then swiping it with what appeared to be its forearms.

Jacob shook his head. The slow-and-sure method wasn't working. He needed to get himself and the others to the fortress as quickly as possible.

He sprang to his feet, then lurched hard toward the fortress, straining against what he assumed was the rope, holding the shield between his group and the dinosaur. He kept his legs bent and crouched over so that when the next burst of attacks came, he would be ready.

The attack didn't come, though, and like a pop of electricity, Jacob burst through the end of the trap, his body flooded with sensation--light, sound, touch. The sun burned his eyes, and he instinctively raised his hand to block the brightness. His shield disappeared.

Remembering the group, he whirled in time to see Gallus fall. The Cerpire was no longer in view. Had it left? Putting aside his surprise that he could see into the traps, Jacob pulled hard on the rope, yanking Akeno forward.

The Makalo gasped as he came through the end of the traps, then turned to help Jacob pull the rest of the group through. The others stumbled out, crying with surprise when the sunlight hit them. Gallus was the hardest to pull, and Jacob felt bad about dragging the man on his knees--his poor knees.

The group took stock of themselves. Miraculously, only Gallus had been injured. Akeno and Aloren jumped to help him.

Jacob hesitated, though. Where had the dinosaur gone? He couldn't even see its emotions anymore.

A slight movement to the right alerted him to a creature there, stepping out of the trap. Jacob shook his head. How could this be the Cerpire? It was much, much smaller than he'd seen in the traps--barely five feet tall. It looked like a miniature Allosaurus--one of Jacob's favorite dinosaurs--only, its forearms were much longer and were lined with spikes. Like the Allosaurus, it stood on its hind legs. Fur and scales covered its body in randomly placed patches.

The creature didn't let its size deter it. It burst forward, incredibly fast, roaring the roar of a huge monster. He stared at it in shock. It sounded like something forty feet tall. But it wasn't.

" _That's_ the Cerpire?" Sweet Pea said. "I could crush that tiny thing with just my beard!"

The creature jumped forward to attack Gallus, Aloren, and Akeno. Sweet Pea lunged at it, sword in hand, shrieking.

Momentarily distracted, the dinosaur turned to Sweet Pea, who danced away, dodging attacks, leading the creature to the side of the fortress.

Jacob dropped his bag near Gallus. "How's he doing?" he asked Aloren. He jumped in surprise when Sweet Pea screamed.

"Something's wrong! I stab it and it keeps going!"

"We're coming!" Matt yelled. He, Jacob, and Akeno pulled their swords out and dashed to join the fight.

Then Sweet Pea fell silently to the ground, even though the dinosaur hadn't made a visible movement.

_Lure it back into the traps._

Jacob stopped, almost dropping his sword, confused by the sensation of foreign thoughts invading his mind. The last time this had happened was in the Lorkon castle, when he hadn't known where to go to find the key.

Shaking his head to clear his thinking, he jumped forward, swinging his sword at the dinosaur. Just like Sweet Pea said, though, it didn't feel right when his weapon connected with the dinosaur's side. It felt off, but he couldn't figure out why.

_Lure it back into the traps!_

The idea hit him so strongly, he was absolutely positive it hadn't come from himself. But no way was he going to obey the thought! He'd stay out here where he could see, thank you very much. He kept fighting and cried out when Akeno fell to the ground. He and Matt jumped together, ready to defend each other to the death, if need be.

_Trust your abilities._

Who was talking to him? He looked up at the fortress. The emotions were so close, he felt he could reach up and touch them. The Shiengols had to be just on the other side of the wall.

_Go_.

Were the thoughts coming from the Shiengols? Were they somehow able to communicate with him? Should he obey?

Jacob parried with the beast, frustrated when it didn't seem to get hurt. The creature roared again, and he had to resist the urge to cover his ears. He should obey the thoughts--he hadn't been led astray before.

_Trust_.

So he did. "Matt, help Gallus--I have to fight this thing by myself!"

"No! I'm with you!"

Scanning the air, Jacob searched for Early as he dodged the Cerpire, running around it in circles, trying to avoid being struck himself. "Early! Come to me now!"

She flitted to his side, her colors showing she was both hysterical and excited.

"Help me like last time--give me power!"

She disappeared, and he felt the familiar sense of warmth spread through him from behind.

"No, Jacob! You can't!"

He ignored his older brother and jumped away from the dinosaur, entering the traps.

# Chapter Thirty-Six

Jacob's world fell down around him. The feeling of numbness was just as powerful as the return of sensation, if not more so. His body now sluggish, he almost froze in a stupor of thought. Another burst of warmth flooded over him--Early must have given him extra juice--and his thoughts became crisp again.

The outline of the dinosaur reappeared--much, _much_ larger than what he and his friends had been fighting. Jacob looked up. The bright red emotion was twenty feet, at least, in the air. Why had it looked so short and weak before?

Then it dawned on him--there were six traps, not five. The very last trap wasn't the loss of hearing. It was their senses being distorted. Everything they felt and saw was a lie. They'd been given a false sense of superiority and in turn, it made them much more vulnerable.

The dinosaur advanced on him and he backed up quickly. The sensation of falling hit him--he must have walked into a pit of some sort. He felt it when he landed--he was no longer standing. Jumping to his feet again, he hefted his arms--his right was heavier than the left. Good. He still had his sword. He drew a little power from Early--not too much--and molded the air around him with his left hand, creating another shield.

The dinosaur pounced at him, pushing him to the ground with the force of the strike.

"How do I defeat it?" he yelled, getting to his feet and dodging the next attack.

The emotions of the Shiengols in the fortress didn't change, and there was no response.

Jacob swung his sword at the Cerpire's leg. As expected, it didn't do anything to the beast. "Come on, Shiengols! I know it was you!"

One of the colors burned redder.

"Oh, sure! You're angry about this? Me demanding help instead of you offering it? Ridiculous!"

Several of the other emotions changed to a bright red.

He backed away from the Cerpire, holding the shield in place, repairing the damage the beast had done to it. He was careful with the amount of power he pulled from Early. He couldn't have her go unconscious--that would be really bad.

The dinosaur lunged, and Jacob barely got out of the way. It was so tall, it hurt his neck to look up at it, and he had to keep an eye on the long forearms as well as the huge jaws.

The Cerpire bit at the shield again. Jacob repaired it. He couldn't do this forever. He ran between the creature's legs, banged into something hard--probably a wall--and fell to the ground, then rolled to avoid being hit by the long tail he could barely see.

Jacob jumped up, whirling to face the Cerpire.

He decided to try a different tactic with the Shiengols.

"You obviously want out of the fortress--otherwise, you wouldn't have helped me earlier. I'm the _only one_ who can get you out. So, I ask again. How do I defeat the Cerpire?"

No response, then finally, _The side, below the arm, is the soft place_.

Relief--along with some irritation at how petty the Shiengols were--flooded over Jacob. "Thank you!"

He realized this would probably be the only help he'd receive from the temperamental creatures, so he put them out of his mind and concentrated on the task at hand. The spot they'd mentioned was fifteen feet high. How would he get up there, especially without his vision and the sense of touch?

The Cerpire batted him with its long arms, and Jacob again dodged the attacks.

He raised his sword and charged the dinosaur, running between its legs at the last minute. Knowing it wouldn't work again if he failed, he let the shield flick away and grabbed the creature's tail, then pulled himself up. He hung on as the beast whipped around, trying to find him. He couldn't feel his sword in his hand, but knew it was still there by the weight on his arm.

Jacob climbed, making sure he kept the fingers of his right hand tight, hopefully around the sword's handle.

The Cerpire figured out where he'd gone and flipped its tail back and forth, but by then, Jacob had already reached the beast's mid-section. He held on as tightly as possible, inching farther whenever he could.

Finally, he made it high enough. His first attempt to stab the Cerpire failed, and he nearly dropped the sword. The creature tried to knock him away, but he held on. The dinosaur's emotions were so bright, Jacob would have shut his eyes if he'd had his normal vision. The red swirled around, confusing him.

A spot on his shoulder heated up--Early! Yes! He didn't even realize she'd released her magic from earlier.

A violent tremor passed through the creature. Had it just roared? Jacob didn't know, but he was glad he couldn't hear.

He told his left fingers to hold on to whatever they could find. It was impossible to know if they'd grabbed anything, but he didn't fall, so they probably had. He swung the sword as hard as he could with his other arm. It met some resistance at first, then a sucking sensation reverberated through the handle to Jacob's arm, and the sword drove faster for a moment before abruptly stopping. Jacob knew he'd reached his mark, and he cringed at the idea.

Nothing happened.

Then Jacob felt himself falling. The Cerpire flickered in and out of view underneath him. An immense jolt shocked him through--they'd hit the ground. He tried to move, but didn't feel his limbs obey. Had he been trapped somehow? But the Cerpire was under him!

Panic flooded through his mind--he'd be stuck there forever! No one would be able to find him! He pushed the hysteria away when he noticed something about the Cerpire below. With fascination, he watched as its emotions faded slowly. The creature's outline dissolved along with the bright red, then both disappeared completely. It was dead! It was dead! _Yes_!

He struggled even harder to move, but something about his position wouldn't allow him to do so.

All of his sensations were returned with a rush--sight, sound, smell, touch.

Jacob screamed when the pain hit him. It flooded over his whole body, enveloping him like scalding bath water.

He looked down--he'd been slashed across the stomach. And his leg. It was broken. No wonder he couldn't move! There were gashes on his arms, too. He watched the blood seeping through the fabric of his clothes. He was losing too much blood. He needed help now!

"Hello!" he cried out. "Early? Someone! Help me! I can't move--I'm hurt! Bad!"

A dizzy spell hit him and everything turned black.

# Chapter Thirty-Seven

Jacob woke up, surrounded completely by darkness. Not again. He groaned in frustration, realizing the traps must have been sprung once more. But did that mean the dinosaur was alive? Looking for any visible emotion, he sat up in terror and cracked his head against something solid above him. He fell back. That hurt.

But wait. It shouldn't have--not if the traps were in place.

Hesitantly, he reached out. His hands met a hard, smooth surface above him, and below was a soft, cushy fabric. He could feel!

Then it dawned on him that he must have been in a Minya container. He'd been saved!

Preparing for the rush of light, he reached up to push the top open, squinting against the brightness.

"Jacob!" Aloren said, her head--much larger than normal--appearing next to him. "You're awake!"

Jacob laughed. "Yeah, and please don't yell. It hurts."

"Oh, oops. Sorry." She jumped to her feet. "He's up!"

Jacob heard a chorus of exclamations of joy and was surrounded by giants. He could only see their knees.

"Akeno? Are you there? Can you enlarge me?"

"Sure!"

One of the giants--Akeno--reached over and picked up Jacob, held him out, and dropped him.

Relief rushed over him when he saw that his hands and arms were back to normal. He stretched, enjoying the pops in his joints, breathing deeply, the smell of the nearby forest rushing through his nostrils. The clouds above were fluffy, partially covering the sun. Rays of light streamed across the sky, and a slight breeze lifted the hair off his forehead. He'd never, ever take these things for granted again.

Before returning to the others, he took stock of the area around the group. August Fortress was to his left, with the emotions of the Shiengols showing impatience, happiness, and of course, annoyance. He smiled, shaking his head. Thank goodness they'd helped him.

Only a part of August Township was close to the fortress. Huge, towering walls and volcanic rock marked the boundaries between most of the city and the Shiengol stronghold.

Early flitted to his side, tumbling and doing somersaults in the air. "You're alive, Jacob! You're alive!"

He laughed with her. "Yes, I am."

They headed back to the group, more relief washing over him when he saw that everyone looked healthy, safe, and happy.

Gallus stepped forward and shook Jacob's hand. "Well done, Your Highness. Well done." He grinned broadly. "Thanks to you, and of course, Aloren, we all made it out okay."

"What happened?"

Gallus motioned to a bunch of logs set up around a campfire. The tent was situated a few feet away.

"Let's have a seat." He nodded to Akeno and Sweet Pea. "Would you grab us something to eat? I'm sure Jacob is starving." Then he pointed to Aloren. "She can tell you everything that happened--she's the only one who didn't get injured."

Guilt crossed Aloren's face. "I'm really sorry about that. I--"

Jacob shook his head. "Someone had to stay in charge of the situation."

She thought about that for a moment, then nodded. "You're right." She sat down.

There were two free seats, and Jacob summoned the courage to take the one nearest her. It felt good to be that close.

Aloren took a deep breath. "While you and the others attacked the Cerpire, I worked on Gallus. He was really badly injured, but Akeno helped fix him up after you went back into the traps." She frowned at Jacob. "Which was absolutely insane, by the way."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry."

She continued. "Anyway. Akeno had a concussion and a cut on his head. He worked through it all, helping me keep Sweet Pea alive while you were fighting. Sweet Pea ended up getting shrunk too, and put in Hazel's container. I left him in Akeno's care so Matt and I could find you."

Jacob held up his hand, swallowed, then asked, "How _were_ you, Matt?" He couldn't imagine what life would be like if Matt had been killed.

Matt shrugged. "All of my sores were superficial and easily treated. They could've been much worse."

Aloren nodded. "Yeah. And Jacob, when we found you, we weren't even sure you were still alive. It was insane! You'd fallen into a tunnel-type thing--Matt said it probably used to be a main line for sewage--and the Cerpire was dead underneath you. At first, it looked like you'd stabbed yourself with your sword." She pointed at Matt. "He sprained his ankle jumping down to get you."

"It's still sprained, actually," Matt said, holding up his wrapped ankle. "We ran out of Kaede sap trying to keep you and Sweet Pea alive."

Aloren gave Matt a glance of pity. "I do feel bad about that, you know."

Matt snorted. "Whatever. You're just glad Jacob didn't die."

Aloren flushed slightly, and Jacob didn't need to see the colors around her to tell him she was embarrassed. She apparently chose to ignore Matt's comment.

"I hated leaving you there on top of that disgusting thing, but we worried it would kill you to be moved, even just to put you in a Minya container. So, I cleaned you up there, and Jacob, it was awful. Absolutely awful."

Jacob finished his apple and peeled the banana. "I can imagine. I must've lost a ton of blood."

"You did. Aldo helped a lot."

Jacob perked up. "Aldo? He's here?"

He looked around, then jumped to his feet when the old man stepped out from the tent, a big grin on his face.

"Surprise!"

Jacob quickly stepped to Aldo and they embraced.

Aldo grabbed Jacob's cheeks with both hands. "You scared me, boy."

Gallus chuckled. "Apparently, when you went back into the traps, Aldo figured you'd lost your mind. He deserted his post and charged down the hill, deciding he was willing to risk the tarri, blindness, and loss of sensation and hearing to help."

Aldo turned to Gallus and pushed a bit of wild gray hair away. "Yes, but by the time I got off the hill and into the forest, you must've killed the Cerpire because the tarri were running around, trying to get away. Sick of being stuck there, I'm sure."

Jacob raised his eyebrows, munching on his banana. "So it's true--all the traps are undone?"

"We think so," Gallus said. "You probably noticed that your senses returned when you killed the Cerpire."

Jacob nodded.

"We're thinking the beast was the magical source for everything. Once it died, everything else did too."

"That makes sense, actually," Jacob said. "'Cause I could feel its magic, and it was spent. Tired. Like it had been used too much."

Aloren cleared her throat. "I'm not done telling what happened."

Everyone turned back to her, amused, and Matt snorted, muttering something about her being a drama queen who wanted all the attention.

She playfully narrowed her eyes at him, then continued. "Luckily, Aldo had no problem crossing the board and getting down the wall. Early helped him. He arrived while we were cleaning you up. He had you drink an entire package of Kaede sap. Said it would completely burn your mouth up, but it was the only way to keep you from dying. He was right. It worked on you from the inside while we focused on your external wounds."

Jacob's mouth had a slightly rubbery taste and was a little numb, but other than that, it was fine. He ate the last of his banana, and started on the beef jerky next.

"We decided it was safe to shrink you and put you in a Minya container. And then we hung out, waiting for you to get better."

Jacob looked at Matt. "Did you let Mom and Dad know what happened?"

"Yeah. Early sent messages all over for us. She's really been great."

Early hovered down and stood on Jacob's knee. "Your family was worried, but they're fine now that you're awake and okay."

Jacob felt an urge to pet her in appreciation, like he would Tito, his dog. He refrained, figuring she wouldn't respond well to it. But she'd definitely earned his respect all over again with everything she'd done over the past few days. He looked back at Aldo. "I'm assuming it was your idea to have Early help me form the shield when we first got to the Cerpire?"

Aldo laughed. "Was that what you were doing? I couldn't tell. I saw you hold your hands out and concentrate really hard. I figured it would only make things easier if Early pitched in."

"Yeah, it did. The shield didn't come until I drew on her magic." He took a drink of water. "What did it look like from far away?"

"What?"

"The shield."

Aldo shook his head. "Couldn't see it."

"Really? I could."

"You weren't using your normal vision--you were seeing it in a magical sense."

Jacob nodded. "I guess so." He turned to Aloren. "How did you know the traps had been sprung?"

Aloren's face lit up. "It was really awesome! All of a sudden, everything went up in flames. Not real flames, I don't think, but bright blue and green ones, with a whooshing sound. Matt figured something had happened and went to find you."

Matt raised his chin and thrust his shoulders back. "What can I say? It pretty much made me the hero of the day." He laughed, dodging Aloren's hand as she tried to slap him. "After Aloren, of course."

Aloren leaned back in her chair, and Jacob felt her eyes on him. He glanced her way and she smiled. "It's great to have everyone healthy again," she said. She bent forward, scrutinizing Jacob. "Hey. Has anyone told you that you have very pretty eyes? I've never seen eyes that light blue before."

He blushed, looking away. Yes, many people had said so. He didn't understand what the big deal was.

Gallus chuckled, shaking his head. "Aloren, how many pairs of eyes, other than brown, have you seen in your life?"

She knitted her eyebrows, tapping her cheek. "One or two." Her face lit up. "But Jacob's mom has blue eyes too--not as light as his, though."

"Amberly's got them too," Jacob said.

Matt groaned in exasperation. "No offense, but things have been seriously boring over the last couple of days. And now that Jacob is better, can we do something exciting? Like get the Shiengols out of the fortress?"

Gallus stood. "Yes, it's time to work, and quickly. You kids missed school today."

Jacob did the math in his head. He'd fought the dinosaur on Friday, so it was now Monday afternoon. He'd been unconscious for three days. Matt and Gallus were right. The group couldn't afford to hang around anymore.

He looked up at the wall above him, sending another mental thanks and a sorry-for-the-wait to the Shiengols. He half expected a response, and a small twinge of disappointment hit him when he didn't receive one. Oh, well.

"But before we leave," Gallus said, "It wouldn't be fair to our families if we didn't allow them to talk to us in person. They've been begging to see for themselves that we're all safe." Gallus nodded at Jacob. "We'll make it fast. You've got the key still?"

Jacob nodded. "Where's the door?" He spotted it, leaning up against the wall of the fortress. "Let's set it up. I'll go right now."

Gallus and Matt propped the door between two large rocks and Jacob pulled the key out, noticing with dismay that the chain had been broken sometime earlier, possibly while he'd fought the dinosaur. He'd have to get that fixed when they returned. Luckily, the key hadn't fallen out of his pocket.

As soon as he created the link to Ebony's door, Mom and Ebony rushed through.

Mom flung her arms around Jacob, holding him tight. "Oh, my son, my son."

"I'm fine, Mom."

She reached out for Matt, grabbed his shirt, and pulled him into the hug as well, then buried her face into Jacob's neck. He patted her shoulder, feeling the blush cross his face when he realized Aloren watched him with a smile.

Finally, Mom released them. Ebony had just finished fawning over Akeno, and an older woman Jacob hadn't noticed let go of Sweet Pea.

Ebony restocked their Kaede sap supplies, then the mothers left, and Jacob shut the door behind them. He created a link to Gallus's house, and after Gallus had hugged his wife and kids, Jacob looked at Aloren. "Want to see Kevin?"

She held her hands loosely behind her back. "It doesn't matter. We've been talking through Hazel nearly non-stop for the past three days."

Jacob nodded, pushing his feelings of disappointment away. What did he expect? That she'd ditch Kevin that quickly?

He squared his shoulders and looked up at the fortress. "All right, everyone." He glanced at the group. "Are we ready?"

"Definitely," Gallus said.

# Chapter Thirty-Eight

Jacob sighed in exasperation. "What if we don't find a weak spot? I won't be able to get us in."

Gallus wiped sweat off his forehead. "I don't know. Maybe we could break through one of the walls. Use explosives."

Jacob nodded. They'd need to do something. He'd been searching all over the fortress, trying to find a way into it for several hours. And the thing was _huge_. Lots of bends and corners and a ton of rock and stone, covered with the symbol he'd seen on the flags outside--the trident with the sun on it.

His throbbing, blistered hands would be scarred for life. They already would have been scarred if it weren't for the sap.

He paused, a thought occurring to him. He spun, nearly running into Matt and Sweet Pea, who were still trailing him long after the others had wandered away.

"I need something to stand on so I can check the stone above, too."

The guys nodded, and Jacob followed them. So far, he'd only checked everything within his own reach. They found a couple of old wooden crates--still in fairly good condition--in an abandoned building and hauled them back to the fortress. Jacob got on top of one of them, feeling around as far as he could.

It didn't take long for him to find the point of his searching. "Aha!" he said, putting his hand on the warmth. "Got it!"

Sweet Pea, Gallus, and Matt cheered, causing Aloren and Akeno to come running from the tent to join them. Aldo had gone off to explore the town.

The group watched as Jacob warmed, molded, and peeled away the stone like putty. It was hard work. The rock was very thick--much more so than Jacob had thought it would be--and after three feet, he still hadn't made it all the way. Also, he'd expected to go straight through, but he ended up forming a somewhat winding tunnel as he encountered stone that wouldn't mold.

After fifteen minutes, Aloren and Gallus left to find Aldo, wanting to see what he'd been doing. Jacob figured they were bored and didn't want to say so.

Forty-five minutes later, Jacob was pulling out some loose and still-warm rock when he noticed a pear-shaped burst of flame that lasted only a second or two. It was about ten feet away from him and five feet above ground.

"Did you guys see that?"

"See what?" Matt asked.

"Something small on fire over there." He pointed.

Sweet Pea and Akeno shook their heads and left to investigate while Jacob thought it over as he continued working. The last time he'd seen a fire hovering in the middle of the air had been when he'd seen a fire beetle. But the flames weren't the same--they were a different color and shape.

The others returned, and Aloren insisted Jacob take a break to wrap his nearly-mangled hands with Kaede-Sap saturated cloth. Grateful, he climbed off the crate.

While resting, he ate roast beef that Akeno had put on the fire several hours earlier. It was delicious, and Jacob found, to his delight, that Akeno had also prepared potatoes just the way Jacob liked them. He thanked the Makalo over and over again, savoring the rich flavor of the gravy and spices. After a while, he decided his hands were fine, then resumed the work.

Only a few minutes later, he felt the last layer of stone give way, and a draft of musty, gross-smelling air--like rotten cucumbers, dead wood, and melted plastic--rushed past at the same time a very bright light from inside nearly blinded him. Did the Shiengols have electricity in there? He squinted, trying not to look directly into the beam, and worked harder, enlarging the hole enough for someone Gallus's size.

Strong arms yanked him through the tunnel into the fortress, and Jacob yelled in alarm. He heard Aloren and Matt freak out, then his attention was taken away by the very full room in front of him. The person who grabbed him stepped back while others moved behind him, forcing him to roll away from the tunnel.

The light was much more blinding inside, and he raised his arm to shield his face.

"Shut your eyes!" a man's voice said.

Jacob's were already shut, but he noticed that the light disappeared. He peeked through his lashes, only to discover that the command had been for everyone else in the room. All the Shiengols stood motionless, eyes shut, hands behind their backs.

At first glance, using the filtered light through the high windows, they looked like humans--especially from his peripheral vision. But when he looked at them directly, it was obvious, in a not-so-obvious way, that they weren't. They were skinny--almost too skinny. Or maybe they were too tall? They were taller than him, at least, and proportioned differently from a human--fewer curves, more straight from the shoulders to the feet. Jacob slitted his eyes, still trying to figure out why they looked so slender compared to humans. Maybe it was their long robes, in bright shades of red, blue, purple, and green.

He started when he realized all of them had markings on their faces that looked like the trident with the sun on it. These markings purposely drew attention to their eyes, and he could tell the Shiengols were proud of this feature. He found himself impatient for them to look at him so he could examine their faces more fully. Similar trident and sun markings were on their robes.

"Uh . . ." Jacob started. He clamped his mouth shut, though, when several of the Shiengols shifted positions a few times.

They moved gracefully. Like Ebony, when she was fighting, only more fluid. It was like a dance--one movement leading naturally to the next.

Remembering how temperamental they were, he honed in on their emotions. What he saw surprised him--they were irritated. Very irritated. At what, though? Was it because of him? How could it be?

Anger, frustration, the pains and stress of the past few days--all of it--boiled inside Jacob. He jumped to his feet, not caring anymore what these creatures thought of him. He'd just risked his life again and again for them! "Why are you all so annoyed? Is it with me? And if so, why? That doesn't make any sense!"

Their emotions flickered quickly to red--anger--and the Shiengols opened their eyes, gazing at him. He gasped in shock at the light of their diamond-like eyes. It felt like he was staring into a billion LED flashlights. He raised his arm and looked down, surprised to see that his whole body was glowing.

One of the Shiengols stepped forward. Jacob assumed it was a man, though he couldn't tell. His hair was long, dark brown, with part of it braided on one side.

"Who are you?" the person demanded in a deep voice--definitely male.

"I'm Jacob."

The Shiengol grabbed Jacob's arm, flinging him against a wall, the others parting to make room. "You are _lying_." He scrutinized Jacob.

Lying? How could he be lying? And ouch! "Let go of me! I'm telling the truth! My name is--"

"I know what _they_ call you," he motioned to the hole, still blocked by several Shiengols, "but who are you _really_?"

Realization hit Jacob. "Oh . . ." He squared his shoulders and raised his chin. "I am Danilo Leontii. Prince of Gevkan, son of Dmitri and Arien, king and queen of Gevkan." He frowned. "But you knew that."

"Prince Danilo?"

"Yes."

" _Good_." The Shiengol released his hold on Jacob and folded his arms. "I am Azuriah, leader of the Shiengol people." He peered into Jacob's face, but didn't say anything more.

Jacob blinked a couple of times, expecting the brightness of Azuriah's eyes to burn his own eyes, surprised when it didn't. He raised an eyebrow in suspicion. How had he adjusted so quickly? Moments ago, he couldn't even look in the faces of the Shiengols, but now, doing so didn't bother him at all. He stared back at Azuriah, holding the Shiengol's gaze without flinching.

Azuriah's emotions were stronger and brighter than the others. He felt determined. Jacob knew this Shiengol meant business.

Apparently satisfied, Azuriah pulled back. "How have you broken into the stronghold?"

"The fortress? Are you asking how we got through the traps, or how I got through the stone itself?"

"Yes."

"Uh . . ." Jacob looked back at the hole, hoping that at any instant Gallus or Matt would push the Shiengols aside. He couldn't figure out why Azuriah was asking questions he already knew the answers for. Maybe the Shiengol was just messing around.

Azuriah noticed where his attention had gone. "You'll see your friends again. But not now." He snapped his fingers and said something in a different language. Jacob rolled back on his heels. He'd only heard English since coming to Eklaron, except when the Molg and tarri had spoken. Hearing the Shiengols speak in their native tongue was cool. It sounded like German mixed with Japanese and Latin--or, how Jacob assumed Latin sounded. Kind of Spanishy and Italiany.

Azuriah said something else and the Shiengols broke into a cheer and rushed around the room, gathering things. Swords, poles, clothing. At first, Jacob had a hard time distinguishing the females from the males since they all had long, dark hair, but once he got past their emotional state of extreme excitement, he could see that the females were exceptionally exquisite. They had medium-toned skin, like someone from an eastern European country. Beautiful. They reminded him of a person he'd seen or met before, possibly an actress from a movie, though he couldn't remember which.

The Shiengols escaped the fortress through the hole, and soon only Jacob, Azuriah, and a female Shiengol remained.

She put her hand on Azuriah's arm and Azuriah smiled--smiled!--at her. She said something in that strange language, then followed the rest.

Azuriah turned back to Jacob. "We have much to do."

"We . . . we do?"

Azuriah motioned to the hole. "They just left to seek the Shiengols in other parts of Eklaron. Danilo, you have mere months until you must defeat the Lorkon."

Jacob was stuck on the idea that there were more Shiengols out there, and it took a moment for his mind to switch to the other thing Azuriah had said. "I thought I was only supposed to _help_ do that."

Azuriah gaped. "You're the only one who _can_ do it. Why do you insist on saying so many ridiculous things?"

Jacob's mouth popped open. This Shiengol wasn't nice. He tried to control the disappointment that rushed through him, but he couldn't. He'd heard so much about Shiengols and had looked forward to meeting them for a very long time. And they were jerks! He thought of many retorts, but held them back, realizing this being in front of him was powerful. Very powerful.

# Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Explain to me the talents you've uncovered so far. In your own words and your own understanding."

Jacob pushed his negative thoughts away, figuring he'd get answers to his questions eventually. "I can sense weakness in things--that's how I got into the fortress."

"Do you know how this works?"

Jacob shook his head. "I just hold my hand over the spot that feels warmest and encourage it to get warmer. Then it becomes moldable."

"You are exhibiting a partial response to the Rezend that was put in your body."

"How do you know--you were stuck here when that happened."

Azuriah raised his eyebrow and stared at Jacob. "Do you _have_ to ask?"

Jacob shrugged.

"I see the Rezend in your body. Do you not see it?"

Jacob shook his head.

"You will someday. _If_ you learn to control your abilities." Azuriah walked to an alcove, beckoning Jacob to follow, and they sat on a window seat. Awkward--sitting so casually next to the very touchy, grouchy leader of the Shiengols. "The Rezend would have given you control over living things. However, due to the Lorkon blood in you, and the fact that you aren't a Makalo, it had an opposite effect. You are able to sense weakness in things that are dead."

Whoa. That was insane. "Really? Cool." Sensing weakness in dead things. He couldn't wait to tell Matt.

"What other abilities have you learned to control?"

"Well, I can see emotions--I can see yours, and it's . . ." He paused at the expression on Azuriah's face, and decided against saying which emotion it was. This guy was super intense! And scary. Jacob hoped he'd adjust to the mood swings. "I, uh, know the creature or person has to be intelligent--meaning, able to think on their own or something. I can't see the emotions of rats. But I could see the emotions of the dinosaur and the Minyas and the Eetu fish."

"Dinosaur?"

"The thing we just had to fight--the one outside the walls."

"Cerpire."

"Yeah, that's what I meant."

"The evil and good inside you are constantly working against each other to achieve separate purposes." Azuriah motioned to the wall Jacob had come through. "You could see the Cerpire and the Molg because of the evil inside you."

"Evil inside me?" Jacob choked on the words. "I can see evil things, but that doesn't make me evil."

Azuriah rolled his eyes. "I didn't say you were _evil_ --I said evil was _inside_ you. They're completely different."

Jacob hesitated, thinking that over, then nodded. Then something Azuriah said earlier sank in. "Wait. How'd you know about the Molg?"

Azuriah glared at Jacob.

"Never mind." Jacob bit his lip, deciding then and there never to ask Azuriah another question. This guy was ridiculous.

Azuriah watched Jacob for a moment, his emotions changing, and Jacob did his best to ignore them. Obviously, the man didn't believe his feelings were Jacob's business.

Azuriah closed his eyes, making darkness fall upon them. "Do you understand what I've explained so far?"

"Yes." Jacob had known for a while now that the Lorkon tried to change him into a tool--it would make sense they'd also tried to turn him evil.

Azuriah got up and paced. "And do you know why you can see emotions?"

Jacob shook his head. "Not a clue. Because the Lorkon gave me the ability?"

" _No_ , they did _not_. For now, just know that some of your abilities--the purer, more intelligent ones--were inherited, not administered via Rezend or Lorkon."

Shocked, Jacob stood. "Inherited? From whom?" And why hadn't he been told? He crossed his arms. This secret-keeping was really getting on his nerves.

Azuriah grunted in annoyance. "Never mind that."

Jacob almost clenched his fists. Instead, he ran his fingers through his hair. At least he was getting information--he figured it was better not to press his luck. He glanced over, realizing no one was guarding the hole. Why hadn't his friends come in? "My brother . . ."

Azuriah seemed to know what Jacob was thinking. "Is fine. We'll join them shortly."

Jacob nodded.

"What else?"

"You mean, about my gifts?"

The Shiengol didn't answer.

"Well, sometimes I can sense the abilities of other people. Though that seems to come and go."

Azuriah nodded. "It isn't necessary at all times, and will fade until it needs to be used again. Of course, it would be ridiculous to expect to tap into it whenever you feel like it."

Jacob couldn't see why such an expectation would be so ridiculous--all his other talents were available whenever he wanted them. He brushed that aside. "Okay. I can also Time-See."

"Time-See?" Azuriah sat down. "You mean, you can 'gussam?'"

"Huh?"

Azuriah waved his hand dismissively, an impatient expression on his face. "Time-See is fine. Describe it to me."

Jacob stood to pace, hoping Azuriah wouldn't get mad about him doing that too. The Shiengol didn't say anything, so Jacob continued. He took a breath. "It's my newest thing. I used to think I was hallucinating, but then I discovered I could control it. I have to concentrate really hard, but I'm able to see different places."

Azuriah cocked his head, an expression of pleasure on his face. "How far have you developed this ability?"

"I've tried to see one place for longer than a couple of seconds, but I haven't been successful. It's pretty painful to do it."

Azuriah jumped to his feet. "We shall practice now."

"Wait, what? You're going to practice with me?"

"Yes. Come."

Jacob followed and stopped in the middle of the room when Azuriah turned to face him.

"Show me."

"All right." Jacob paused. "How?"

Azuriah tapped his fingertips together. "Just Time-See, and I'll watch what you do."

Jacob closed his eyes, trying to think of a place he hadn't gone yet. He decided to Time-See his high school.

He stared ahead, unfocused his eyes, and concentrated on a mental picture of the school. The room around him changed, and he was in the orange gym. Kevin was there with Coach, shooting basketballs.

The pain in Jacob's chest pulled him back to the somewhat dark interior of the fortress.

Azuriah was still watching him. "Well, that was interesting. Have you no control _whatsoever_ over your body?"

Jacob held back his response because he was sure it would make the Shiengol upset. How was he supposed to focus on controlling his body while he was trying to see a different place?

"You went somewhere in the present. Have you tried seeing in the past?"

"Only a little. Time-Seeing hurts."

"Well, of course it does." Azuriah's tone sounded like he was talking to a child. "Do it again. Time-See to when your mother was kidnapped by the Lorkon."

Jacob nodded. He concentrated on the event, not sure how to tell his body to take him back that far. Things around him flashed over and over again, then stopped, and he saw a younger Princess Arien with a large belly. A feeling of nostalgia flooded over him--he missed his mom!

The pain in his chest stung, but he wanted to see what happened next, especially when someone--a Lorkon--stepped up behind her. He was hit by an overwhelming desire to cry out and warn her, but he couldn't stand the sharp burning any longer, and lost focus. He was whipped back to the present.

"That was . . . disappointing. Danilo, you _must_ try harder."

Jacob bit his tongue. Danilo might be his name, but it was really starting to annoy him. He'd much rather be called Jacob. And he was tired of being pushed around by this Shiengol. "Fine."

He concentrated more. The room around him vanished, replaced again by the one where his mother had been. It looked like her personal quarters. There was the Lorkon, reaching a gloved hand around Arien's face--

The pain in his chest was just too great. It felt like his heart was going to explode. With a rush, things popped back to normal and he fell to the ground.

# Chapter Forty

"Get up. Now."

Jacob scrambled to his feet.

"That was _pathetic_. Is this how it has always been?"

Jacob nodded. "Before, when I wasn't in control, it lasted a lot longer and there wasn't pain. Why does it hurt now?"

"Because your body is feeble when you're in control. It's using a muscle you've not exercised." Azuriah strolled around Jacob, hands behind his back. "You must focus on the pain. Concentrate on it. Force it to expand and envelop you."

"That's crazy! Why would I do that? It'll kill me!"

Azuriah stopped in front of Jacob. "No, it won't. It'll make you stronger. Do it now."

Jacob's shoulders slumped. Practicing with Azuriah was the last thing he wanted to do, but it seemed he had no choice. He doubted he'd be able to escape, and he didn't want to argue or fight the Shiengol. There was no way he'd win. Azuriah's presence was commanding, and he could really whip someone verbally. And even though he was skinny, he didn't look weak.

"Get on with it."

Jacob nodded. He took a deep breath and concentrated again on the place he wanted to see, but now he focused on the pain in his chest, willing it to grow.

With a jerk he was in his mother's quarters, but only momentarily before flipping back to the present. Jacob held up his hand, not wanting Azuriah to say anything, and tried once more. He concentrated on the burning and felt a corner of it sliding to his lungs. Jacob tried to hold it there, but something snapped him back. He scowled, annoyed at his inability to do something which, to Azuriah, was so simple.

"This is ridiculous," he said.

Azuriah frowned. "You _must_ master this!"

Jacob realized he'd forgotten his earlier vow not to ask any more questions. He didn't care anymore. "But right this second? Before we can even go home and eat?"

" _Yes_!" Azuriah shouted.

Jacob clapped his hands over his ears. Azuriah's response had been so loud--almost like a gunshot--it made Jacob's ears ring. How did he have so much volume?

"All right. I'll try again."

And he did, going from a different angle. Instead of focusing on the pain first, he Time-Saw to his mother's quarters, held himself there, closed his eyes, and _then_ honed in on the pain. Instead of forcing it to grow, however, he willed it. He poked and prodded at it gently, requesting it to grow. He felt it start to spread, ignoring the pain. It reached across his torso, up his neck and over his head, then down his arms and legs.

The agony was so bad he felt like he was on fire, as if he was being covered head to toe with hot oil.

But then . . . it dissipated. With a gasp he opened his eyes, and things were different. His body tingled, but no longer hurt. The residual soreness in his chest went away.

He watched as the Lorkon put a handkerchief around Arien's face. She screamed, almost staring right at Jacob, then collapsed. He rushed forward and tried to beat the Lorkon off his mother, but was powerless. His swings hit empty air. The Lorkon hoisted Arien, carrying her from the room. Jacob followed, unable to believe he was still there. He hadn't been whisked away yet!

The Lorkon strode through several rooms and halls, then down a series of stairs. He entered a huge room with ornately carved doors on the opposite end.

Where was everyone? The place was completely empty.

The creature swung the doors wide open, revealing a group of Dusts, a Sindon, and two other Lorkon practically on the front porch of the castle. All three Lorkon conversed for a moment in hushed tones, then together raised Arien to the back of the Sindon, where she was placed inside a coach-type thing. It was then that Jacob noticed each Lorkon wore gloves and was careful not to touch her skin. What would have happened if their blood had gotten on her? She probably would have died.

The three Lorkon took hold of the Sindon, and with a loud command from the one who had kidnapped Arien, the huge, four-legged beast got up and rambled away from the castle. Jacob followed on foot, but at the sound of a whip, the Sindon unrolled its long arms, reached forward through the trees, and zoomed away, leaving Jacob in the dust.

He growled in frustration. He couldn't possibly keep up! Then he realized something, and felt like slapping his forehead--he wasn't really there. He didn't have a body and shouldn't need to walk or run to Time-See. Right when he figured this out, his sight zipped forward, making it seem like he was floating in the air alongside the Sindon.

He glanced around, surprised at what Maivoryl City looked like before the Lorkon took up permanent residence. It was magnificent. Tall stone buildings, flagpoles, rich draperies in nearly every window, ornately carved bas reliefs on the walls. Definitely worthy of a king's city.

After only thirty seconds of charging, the beast stopped near the shores of Sonda Lake, and Jacob realized that the stone wall wasn't there. He quickly looked back at the Lorkon and watched as one of them pulled a strange-looking creature with many arms and legs from a bag. He set it on the ground and said something in a different language.

With a rush, the thing scurried off, up over the hill.

" _Jacob Clark!_ "

The sound of his name freaked him out and he gasped for air, feeling like the oxygen had been ripped from his lungs. Everything around him flashed and he returned to the present and the musty fortress.

Azuriah stood before him, the colors around him showing he was annoyed, but also pleased. "Very well done."

"Why'd you bring me back? That was interesting! I was about to--"

"Yes, you were learning things, but they are things you don't need to know right now. There will be opportunities in the future to figure it all out. If I'd let you stay longer, it would have killed you."

"What? How?"

Azuriah motioned with his hands. "As I said before, you're employing muscles you've never used before, which are being forced to facilitate the magic they were designed to use. Just like learning to fight with a sword, you must allow your body to heal between each practice."

Azuriah looked expectant, but Jacob didn't say anything. This made sense, even though it was disappointing that he hadn't been able to watch the wall get constructed.

"Did it hurt this time?"

"Only a little--at the beginning." He checked to see how his body felt. Exhaustion fell over him. "Whoa. I'm so tired!"

Azuriah nodded. "That will eventually go away with practice." He sighed. "You don't respond to the name Danilo." He looked at Jacob disapprovingly. "That needs to change. And you must have someone near you when you practice to keep track of how long you've Time-Seen. You went for five minutes, which is way too long. Have that someone clock you for two minutes, and then gradually add ten seconds every following instance. Have them call your name to bring you back."

"Why can't I just keep track myself while I'm doing it?"

Azuriah watched Jacob for a moment. "With practice, you'll be able to do that." A glint of happiness colored his emotions.

Jacob felt his legs turn to jelly underneath him. The exhaustion seemed to keep piling on him. It was so overwhelming, he felt like he was about to faint or something. Azuriah put his hand out to steady him.

"It will get better."

Jacob nodded.

"With practice, you'll learn to master this ability, and then you'll be able to take your Time-Seeing to the next level: Gussar. I suspect you'll refer to it as Time-Travel."

"Wait--did you just say time travel?"

"Of course. I'll teach you how. Don't try to figure it out on your own--there are many, many rules you must follow that will keep you from killing yourself." Azuriah strode away, sweeping his robes behind him. "We'll go now." He paused near the hole, motioning for Jacob to go first.

Relief flooded through Jacob at the idea of going back to his house. The new information he'd received in the past half hour had turned his brain to mush, and he couldn't wait to get home and into his warm, comfortable bed.

# Chapter Forty-One

The sunlight burned Jacob's eyes as he wriggled out the other side of the tunnel. He had to be careful that his sword didn't get caught on the rock.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Gallus said. He reached to help Jacob down to the crate. Matt, Sweet Pea, and Aloren watched, worry written on their faces.

"Jacob, what on _earth_ were you doing in there?" Matt asked. "We were freaking out--we couldn't follow you into the hole, and then the Shiengols came out, but you still didn't come, and they were seriously the biggest jerks I've ever met--wouldn't let us go in after you--and . . . whoa. Who's that?"

Azuriah had just climbed through the hole. "None of your _business_ , human."

Matt's eyebrows raised. "Oh, uh . . . Okay." He looked at Jacob, who shrugged.

Aloren gave Jacob a quick hug, then stepped back. "We were really worried about you. What took so long?"

Jacob wasn't sure how to answer, and when Azuriah spoke, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"We were practicing. But now we must go to Taga Village to speak with the king and queen and the Makalos." He turned to Aldo and shook his hand. "Thank you for sending Danilo."

Aldo inclined his head slightly. "Don't thank me--thank Arien. She was the most adamant about getting you out."

Azuriah nodded, and his eyes sparkled. "Of course." He turned to Jacob, his emotions changing to show intense excitement. "Take us to Taga."

Jacob started, then fumbled in his pocket, grabbing the key. Everyone followed him to the door and he opened it to Kenji's house, unsure if that was what Azuriah wanted. He pulled back, letting the others go ahead of him.

He heard Aloren say something about being really excited to see Kevin again. Jacob rolled his eyes. He hated to admit it, but that hurt. How many times did he need to save her life before she actually decided to like him?

Azuriah was last. As he reached the threshold, he turned to Jacob. "Don't forget what you've learned and what we practiced."

Jacob sighed in exasperation. "Okay, I won't. Let's go."

Azuriah gave Jacob a nod, then turned and walked through the door. Jacob stepped to follow him, but an arm reached through a crevice between the frame and the supporting rock and grabbed him. He struggled to get out of the grip and through the door, but it slammed shut. In his scramble to get away, he dropped the key.

No!

He saw a shadow as someone came up behind him, and everything went black.

***

Jacob jerked to a sitting position, groaning when pain split across his skull. He rubbed his temples, trying to make the throbbing go away, then remembered what had happened. He'd been knocked out!

He looked around, automatically feeling for his sword, which wasn't there. He was in a stone room with a window and door. Was he back in the fortress? He got off the cot, being careful not to make his headache worse by moving too fast, and tried to open the door. It was locked. He fished in his pants for the key, then, with a sinking feeling, remembered he'd dropped it.

"Let me out!" He pounded on the door.

Jacob pressed his ear up against the wood, listening for any sign of someone approaching. Nothing. He jumped on the cot and looked out the window. Relief rushed over him when he recognized the township below--he _was_ still in the fortress--but he must've been put in the tallest tower. He was several stories above ground.

He had to get out. Obviously, it was the Lorkon who'd trapped him. Who else would?

Gratitude for his talents flooded over him. He could mold a hole in the wall, then sneak away.

He started by the door, but jerked away when he felt a slimy texture on the stone. Disgusting! A brownish-green film covered his skin. What was it? He shivered when possible answers flew through his mind, and wiped his hands off on his pants.

But then he set his mind to the task. He had to get out--he'd touched many disgusting things before, including the faces of dead people, and there wasn't any way he'd allow himself to be trapped there.

Jacob took a deep breath, put his palms on the walls once more, and worked on finding warmth in the stone. His headache slowly left as he worked. Possible solutions to his entrapment crossed his mind, and he quickly realized that if he were to escape, it would all be up to him. His family wouldn't be able to help without use of the key to get them. 'Course, they could always ask the Fat Lady to come . . . but she lived several days' travel away.

He'd finished checking all the walls except the one with the window in it when he heard tapping at the glass. Jacob jumped back onto the cot. "Early!"

She waved at him to open it, but he couldn't find a lever anywhere. It wasn't the opening kind, so he hit the frame and glass several times with his fists, but nothing budged.

"I can't open it!" he mouthed to her, then motioned for her to come into the room through the door. She shook her head. Had she tried already? Was someone standing guard? That seemed likely.

Stepping off the cot, Jacob searched the room for something to break the window, but stopped when he heard footsteps coming down the hall. He motioned frantically at Early to go away and lay on his cot, trying to look innocent.

Voices sounded outside the door, then it swung open, and Jacob sat up.

A Lorkon stepped through the door, but it wasn't Keitus. Obviously, visiting a prisoner was below Keitus's "station."

"Come with me," the Lorkon said, light purple-blue--the colors for boredom--floating in the air around him.

"Why?"

Bright red immediately replaced the more calm colors, and the Lorkon lurched toward Jacob, slapping him across the face. Jacob collapsed on the cot. He brought his hand to his cheek, gasping at the pain that pulsed through his head. His eyes smarted, and he glared at the Lorkon and the two Molgs behind him.

"Save your questions for Keitus," the Lorkon said, growling. He grabbed Jacob's arm and dragged him to his feet, pulling him through the door.

Jacob struggled to stand on his own, but the Lorkon continued to drag him. "Okay, it's not like I'm going to run away. Let me walk."

The Lorkon released his grip, allowing Jacob a second to get to his feet, then continued down the hall. The Molgs prodded Jacob from behind with something sharp and he yelped, jumping to follow the Lorkon.

The group walked through several rooms and corridors and down a few flights of stairs. Something about the place felt off--different. It took Jacob a moment to put his finger on what. There were no doors anywhere, which made sense. The Lorkon had removed them to prevent anyone from keying into the fortress.

They finally entered a large room. Jacob almost snickered when he saw the makeshift throne in the middle, along with thick curtains on the walls. What was Keitus's deal? Was he seriously that ridiculous? Couldn't feel like he was in charge without a stupid chair and some curtains?

Speaking of Keitus, he sat on the throne, watching Jacob. A flash of green--excitement--swirled in the air around him, but it was quickly replaced by a light pink. Keitus was cranky, albeit somewhat excited to see Jacob.

Jacob's sword leaned against the throne, and his hands ached to hold its comforting weight. He wasn't very good with it, but at least he'd feel less exposed.

The Lorkon shoved Jacob to the center of the room, near a table and chairs. Jacob straightened, ignoring the urge to sneer at Keitus.

Keitus said nothing, and Jacob waited. He wasn't about to break the silence.

While waiting, he took the opportunity to glance around. Bright sunlight filtered through several windows, and Jacob wondered why Keitus hadn't used the curtains to cover the glass. Didn't he dislike the sun?

The Lorkon who'd brought him there joined the other two, standing in a line behind Keitus. Molgs guarded the corners and doorways, watching him with their large eyes. They looked like they were in pain--the colors definitely showed how irritated they were--and Jacob wondered if it was from the sun, since they usually lived in caves.

Keitus cleared his throat. "Danilo, is it?"

"I go by Jacob. You already know that."

"Drop your insolent attitude, boy. I have no patience for stupidity." Keitus glared, his face nearly completely masked in shadow. 

# Chapter Forty-Two

Jacob stared at the Lorkon's mouth in disgust--the teeth were dark--and he opted not to respond. It wouldn't matter anyhow. Everything he said would come out as "insolent."

Keitus beckoned for Jacob to come closer, and Jacob took one step. The Lorkon blew out a breath in exasperation.

"Come on, Jacob, let's not play games. We have things to discuss."

"Why would I want to talk with you?"

"Because I hold the key to your freedom."

Jacob looked closely at Keitus's hands. He couldn't see the Key of Kilenya there. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? One word from me and you're dead."

Jacob held back his retort. That was one of the most over-used threats in movies and books. He didn't think Keitus would respond well to the remark, though, and his head still hurt from the earlier punishment. "What do you want from me?"

"You ask ignorant questions, son. You already know what I want--I can see it in your eyes. I seek the power I gave you. It's rightfully mine. And _you're_ rightfully mine."

"I don't belong to anyone."

"I created you."

Jacob scoffed. "No, you didn't--you tried to destroy me."

Keitus took a deep breath. The colors swirling around him flickered from red to blue, showing that he was trying to stay calm.

The Lorkon didn't speak for a moment. Then, "Sit down; eat," he said in a much more conciliatory tone. "I insist."

He waved to a table loaded with food. Jacob approached cautiously, expecting an attack at any moment. When one didn't come, he sat at the table and regarded the food. He hadn't realized how starving he was until the smell of rotisserie chicken and warm bread flooded into his nose. "Did you poison it?"

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be that way already."

Jacob grunted impatiently. "Yes, I know. But did you put something in it that'll make me talk? Like a truth serum?" He knew Keitus hadn't read modern earth fiction, so the _Harry Potter_ reference would be lost on him.

"Oh, no. I expect we'll have a very open, honest conversation."

"Fine." Jacob decided to eat. He was so hungry he didn't think he could wait any longer. And if Keitus had done something to the food, he'd find out sooner than later.

The food was wonderful. Breads and soups and salads of every kind. Fruits and vegetables and meats. Jacob ate the rotisserie chicken first. He couldn't tell what kind of meat most of the rest were, but he opted to eat the fish and chicken, because he knew what they were. He didn't want to eat something disgusting. Like human. Gross.

When he'd finished drinking everything down with a tall glass of fruit juice, he leaned back in his seat, sighing contentedly.

"Better already." Keitus said. "Walk with me, Jacob."

"Uh . . . okay." Jacob got to his feet and followed Keitus down the hall. They entered a longer hallway lined with paintings of many different kinds of Shiengols.

"How did you get in the fortress?" Jacob asked.

"You do know I am the one who sealed it before, right? Don't you think I could unseal it?" Keitus motioned to a painting of Azuriah. "You've met him now." A statement, not a question. "He trained you to see into the past." Keitus turned to Jacob. "I know he did--you can't deny it." He bent over, looking into Jacob's eyes.

Jacob backed up against the wall. His stomach turned, having Keitus that close. The Lorkon reeked of mold and blood and sweat.

"And you will now use that ability to help me achieve my ends."

Jacob scowled. "You think I'm going to help you? After everything you've done to me and my family?"

Keitus sighed. "You are an impertinent little cub." He walked several paces, then paused again, examining another painting. "I expected more of you."

Jacob clenched his jaw. How much longer until the guy actually got to the point? Keitus glanced at Jacob, then indicated the painting with his eyes. Apparently Jacob was supposed to look at it. He took a breath to calm himself, then did as was expected.

It was a woman. A beautiful woman, and breathtakingly so. Dark hair like the rest of the Shiengols, a partial smile that was familiar, mocking. In fact, _she_ was familiar, and he looked at her with his brows knit, trying to remember where he'd seen her before. She wasn't the woman who'd earlier put her hand on Azuriah's arm--he was sure of it. And he was sure Keitus wanted to be asked who she was. Well, Jacob wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd piqued Jacob's curiosity.

Finally, Keitus turned to Jacob. "Your parents were meant to marry each other."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Are you taking credit for that, too?"

"Of course. And I'll even take credit for your grandparents' marriage. None of it would've happened without me."

Jacob snorted. " _You_ planned it? How's that possible?"

Keitus's hands twitched. Red flashed in the air around him. "I've been alive for a very long time, Jacob."

"Oh, yes. Lorkon are immortal. How'd I forget?"

"The point is, I _bred_ you. Your abilities are because of _me_."

Jacob gawked at Keitus, not wanting to believe him. It was too great a stretch of the imagination to think that Keitus had actually arranged for his parents and grandparents to meet each other. And even if he had, why go to all the trouble? Jacob deflected the comment by saying, "I already know you poisoned me when I was little."

"I didn't poison you." Keitus paused, as if to think before he spoke. "I tried to make you into a Lorkon. My own blood went into you."

"Wha--" Jacob's mouth popped open. A Lorkon? Jacob almost became a _Lorkon_?

"Yes. You're surprised? Hadn't heard that before?" Keitus laughed. "Don't think for a moment that your parents and your precious little _Makalos_ actually know what I was intending to do with you. They can't possibly see that clearly."

Jacob couldn't help himself, even though he'd vowed not to show curiosity. "Why didn't it work?"

Keitus turned from Jacob. "All my experimentation with babies proved useless once I got my hands on you. You weren't like any of them. You were stronger. More resilient. And I'm sure Azuriah informed you that you inherited certain . . . traits . . . which prevented you from turning Lorkon when I expected. In my haste to figure out why, _they_ were able to take you away."

He stopped talking, his hands forming fists at his side. Jacob watched as a drop of blood fell to the floor. Keitus resumed walking. "My research suggested I'd be able to unlock your gifts and assume complete control over you once you'd reached the age of maturity. A simple touch was all that was required. But your parents ruined that opportunity by introducing foreign agents to your blood. That attempt to heal you has proven a challenge to overcome." He scowled at Jacob. "I'm forced to resort to other . . . methods. More persuasive, you might call them."

"Why are you telling me all this? Aren't I the enemy?" Jacob hesitated before going on. "I'm just going to tell them everything you've told me. You know that, right?"

Keitus paused, looking away. Then he turned and towered over Jacob. He grabbed Jacob's shoulders and squeezed very tightly, making him gasp as fingernails pierced his skin. An intense expression of greed crossed the Lorkon's face and he pushed Jacob against the stone wall.

# Chapter Forty-Three

"Join me. Help me unlock the secrets of the universe. Your life will improve greatly. Anything you want, you'll have. We can rule together."

"Secrets of the universe? Are you serious?" Then the other part of what Keitus had said entered Jacob's mind. He snorted. "Dude, look. I'm not Luke and you aren't Darth Vader. I'm not going to ' _join_ ' you." Jacob smiled. Usually it was Matt who had the quick tongue.

Confusion clouded Keitus's face. "What are you talking about?"

Jacob sighed in exhaustion. "Never mind. Okay, I want to go home. Can we just say we had the conversation, you asked me to come with you, I said no, and call it good?"

Keitus released his hold on Jacob and growled, the color in the air around him changing to bright--very bright--red. He raised his fist to attack, slamming it into the wall near Jacob's head instead. Rock and bits of mortar fell to the floor.

He took a deep breath, speaking through clenched teeth. "I _created_ you so we could work _together_. Do I need to repeat myself? I'll give you _everything_ you want."

Jacob's mouth popped open. Did Keitus actually think he could convince him? "You can't give me my family. Or friendship. Or love. Or happiness."

Keitus held his breath, then released it slowly. "Is it happiness you want? I can give it to you. I can provide anything."

"I don't want counterfeit happiness. I want the real thing." Jacob stepped out from under Keitus's arm. "And I can't live my life in dishonesty. You're a living lie. You think you're happy, but it's obvious you aren't."

"I--"

"I can see emotions. The truth is coloring the air around you."

Keitus frowned, hesitating for several seconds, then he pushed Jacob to the wall, pinning him there. "You _will_ help me. You'll die if you don't."

Jacob tried to look brave, even though he definitely didn't feel that way. "If I die, that means you'll never get what you want."

The Lorkon swung Jacob around, dragging him back down the hall and into the room where the other Lorkon waited. "I've tried to reason with you," he said as he stormed. "You are an impertinent, insolent brat." He motioned to the other Lorkon. "We'll do things the old-fashioned way."

One of the Lorkon laughed gleefully, his excitement evident in the colors around him. He strode to a curtain and pulled out a chair with chains and leather straps attached to it. Another Lorkon dragged a table to the center of the room. It was covered with sharp instruments.

Panic hit Jacob. He wasn't an idiot--he knew right away what they intended to do.

"Wait, wait, wait! Okay, I'll do whatever you want!"

Keitus threw him to the ground. "I know that voice--you're lying. You're going to try to find a way out of here." He motioned to the other Lorkon. "Strap him in the chair."

"No!" Jacob said, ignoring the pain in his hip where he'd hit the floor. "I promise! I'll help!"

Spittle built up at the corner of Keitus's mouth. "I can only tolerate being the _good guy_ for so long, Jacob." His sneer grew broader. "See into the past. Seek out and find the Key of Ayunli."

"Okay, I'll try!" Jacob took a deep breath. "But I only just started learning this ability."

Keitus growled in anger and Jacob rolled to the side, trying to dodge the Lorkon's foot. He didn't go far enough, and the tip of Keitus's boot struck him in the side. Jacob gasped at the sharp pain.

"Find it. Now!"

Jacob held his arms over his ribs. He couldn't help the tears that streamed down his face. He coughed, dragging himself to his knees, holding a hand up in a gesture of surrender.

"Finally," Keitus said. "We're getting somewhere."

Jacob dragged in a breath. "I . . . I need time. Takes time."

Keitus motioned to the table that had the food on it. "Make yourself at home. We'll wait."

Jacob pulled himself up and got into the chair. His body still tense, he massaged his forehead, trying to get the headache to leave. How was he supposed to concentrate well enough to see into the past? And why did they want the Key of Ayunli, anyway? Wouldn't the Key of Kilenya be enough? Then it dawned on Jacob--Keitus wanted _him_ for the Key of Kilenya. It only worked when _he_ used it.

He took a deep breath. "If you want this key, I'm going to need information. When was the last time it was seen? Who had it? How many years ago?"

Keitus motioned to one of the Lorkon, who pulled a roll of parchment from his robes.

The Lorkon glanced over the parchment. "It has been four hundred years since it was carried from the castle by a hooded man." He looked up. "That is all we know."

Jacob's heart fell, disappointment flooding through him. "That doesn't give me _anything_." He put his face in his hands. "It's going to take forever to get to a spot four hundred years in the past!"

Keitus leaned forward in his chair. "Then you'd better start, hadn't you?"

"You need to understand something," Jacob said. "Doing this is very dangerous, and I have to build up my endurance. Azuriah told me it could kill me."

"I'm losing my patience with you, Danilo." Keitus glared at him, the bright red and green of his eyes boring into Jacob's. " _Get started!_ "

Jacob nodded. He couldn't afford to make Keitus any angrier than he already was. No telling what the Lorkon would do. Jacob put his elbows on the table in front of him, resting his head in his hands, then focused on the wall in front of him, concentrating on the time period he wanted to See.

Everything around him broke into commotion as his reality shifted. He tried to grasp onto something--anything--that would give him a clue to the whereabouts of the Key of Ayunli. He strained into the past--further and further away from the current time. The pain in his chest amplified with each hundred years he scanned until he felt his body would explode.

Finally, he caught a brief glimpse of the hooded man. Then, it was as if the curtains had fallen on Jacob's vision, and he slammed back to the current time.

He opened his eyes and gasped. He must have flopped out of his chair. Keitus held him up by the collar of his shirt.

"Did you find it?"

Jacob shook his head.

In disgust, Keitus dropped him and walked back to the throne, his cloak swirling behind him. "Then keep going."

Jacob gasped for breath, his bones aching from all the times he'd been flung to the ground. He used the chair to pull himself up again, then sat, wishing now more than ever that he was at home. Why hadn't he gone through the door _before_ everyone else?

Nearly whimpering, he tried Time-Seeing again. The pain in his chest began as he glared ahead and he focused on it, willing it to spread to his entire body. Slowly, the intensity crawled from his heart and to his lungs, then it finally made that familiar pop as it pulsated over him.

A thousand flashes. Jacob felt his body being pulled in every direction. It took him what seemed forever to grasp on to the image of the hooded man. He finally did, but nothing else worked. His ears roared, he felt a constant sensation of vertigo--as if he were about to fall off a cliff--and his eyes burned.

Whipping around, Jacob flew back to the present time. He found himself on the floor once more and tasted bile in his mouth. Keitus had risen from the throne, his hand reaching toward Jacob, an intense expression on his face.

"Success? Did you see where it is?"

Jacob shook his head. "Only the man. He's holding a small leather package. It all happened too long ago. I have to build up to it. It could take days--weeks, even."

Keitus growled in anger and jumped to the table, flinging it on its side. Food scattered across the floor. "Get it! Now!" He hovered over Jacob. "I'm in no mood to wait!"

"I know, but Keitus--"

"You foolish, naive, useless boy!" Keitus stormed from the room, calling over his shoulder. "Return him to his cell. He'll practice there."

# Chapter Forty-Four

With a nod from one of the Lorkon, the Molg nearest Jacob picked him up and carried him through the fortress. One Lorkon trailed behind.

"Put him down," the Lorkon said when they got to the cell.

The Molg flung Jacob onto the cot. Jacob bounced off and cracked his knee on the stone floor. He called out in pain, and the Lorkon grabbed the Molg by the throat.

"I didn't say throw him!"

The Molg grunted in response and he and the Lorkon left, slamming the door behind them. Jacob heard the Lorkon give muffled orders to the Molg, having the beast stand guard near Jacob's door.

He got up and wiped off the floor slime as best he could. He couldn't wait to get home and to a shower. He bit his lip in fear, wondering what would happen if he never got out. No--he couldn't think that way. He had to remain positive.

Jacob lay on the cot gingerly, trying not to cause himself any extra pain. This just wasn't fair. He shut his eyes tightly. Crying wasn't going to happen, no matter how exhausted he was and no matter how much he hurt.

It seemed like everything bad in the world happened to him. In _both_ worlds. Getting kidnapped. Not making varsity. Nearly being turned into a Lorkon. And Aloren dating _Kevin_ , of all people. Sure, he'd had plenty of time to adjust to it. But that did little to make him feel better, especially now, in his current predicament.

He sat up. Enough self-pity. He needed to concentrate on how to get out of the room.

Starting near the door, Jacob felt his way around the walls again, going up as high as possible, pulling his cot around the room to stand on so he could inspect every possible inch, dealing with the slime on his hands.

Nothing.

He searched the entire floor with no luck. The ceiling was a couple of inches too high. But he couldn't skip it--he had to do everything possible.

An idea popped into his head. He flipped the cot up against the wall, then climbed the underside like a ladder. He smiled--that was perfect.

It took an hour at least to feel every bit of the stone above him. But just like the walls and floor, there wasn't even a fraction of an inch that emitted heat. How was it possible that the Shiengols had constructed this place so incredibly well?

Jacob righted the cot and sat on it, fully discouraged now. Early rapped on the window and he scooted the cot under the glass to be near her. He waved, giving her a little smile. She sat on the window sill and waved back. It was good to have her company, even if talking to each other wasn't possible.

He sighed, turning his mind back to the dilemma at hand--escaping. It was obvious to him now that he couldn't mold his way out of the room. Maybe he'd be able to bribe the Molgs?

But when a Molg brought him dinner, the expression on the beast's face told him he'd have more luck convincing the fortress to open itself up for him than he would getting the creature on his side.

The sun set while Jacob watched, face pressed against the window. Hours had passed since Keitus had him locked up again.

A while after the last rays of light had disappeared, Jacob finally lay down. The pain and exhaustion from the day caught up to him, and he fell asleep.

***

Sunlight through the window woke him the next morning and Jacob jerked up, looking around in panic. It took a couple of moments before he remembered where he was and what had happened.

He fell back onto the cot, sighing in frustration. He hated being in such complete solitude. Yes, he knew others had experienced worse--being stuck in rooms that were so small they couldn't stand or fully lay out, and bathroom facilities lowered through the ceiling by way of a bucket. 'Course, the bucket idea wasn't new to him. He sent a withering glance to his own bucket in the corner of the room.

Jacob ran his hand through his hair, almost immediately wishing he hadn't. He desperately needed a shower. And breakfast. His stomach growled. Hopefully, it wouldn't be long before someone brought him something to eat. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, feeling grateful for yet another thing--good food that hadn't been poisoned.

His mind wandered as he gazed at the ceiling. How did the Lorkon get Molgs all the way out here?

He rolled over, then jumped when a Molg opened the door, putting a tray of food on the floor. The Molg sneered at him and slammed the door shut.

Jacob bounced off the cot and grabbed the tray. It only took a minute to down breakfast, satisfying his empty stomach.

When he'd finished eating, he thought about home, wondering how his family was doing. They had to be completely panicked. He'd never disappeared like this before. 'Course, he was positive they'd figured everything out, especially with Early's messages.

And another thing was bothering him--how much school had he missed? Today was . . . Tuesday. Or maybe Wednesday. That meant he'd missed five days. Last Monday and Tuesday, and the first half of this week.

Jacob spent the next couple of hours in boredom, scratching designs in the slime on the nearest wall. Sometime around ten or maybe eleven--he couldn't tell--he decided he should probably be practicing his Time-Seeing ability. Maybe he'd be able to find the Key of Ayunli, and then not tell Keitus he'd seen it. Jacob seriously doubted he'd be able to accomplish the goal that day. But if the Lorkon kept him there for the rest of his life, he'd definitely be able to do it with practice.

He sat on the cot, facing the door, and concentrated on the Key of Ayunli. He unfocused his eyes and centered on the pain in his chest, willing it to grow and envelop him.

With a pop, it did. And things were different this time--easier. Everything around him changed, and he was in a much different castle from any he'd ever seen before. All the walls were covered with ornate tapestries, the floors with rugs. Not one inch of stone was visible. He only knew it was a castle because of the spaciousness, and the fact that he could see towers through the many windows.

He turned his attention to the hooded man who stood in front of him, holding the key in one hand, gaping at it. He held the leather package with his other.

This was the most detail Jacob had been able to see yet. He looked around in wonder, taking in the entire room. Beautiful tapestries and swords hung decoratively on the wall. Gold and marble statues graced the hall, and the carpet underfoot appeared to be plush, though Jacob couldn't feel it. There was a hallway behind him lined with stained-glass windows. Sunlight filtered in, making colored patterns on the floor.

With a start, Jacob realized the man had left. Dang it! How had he missed that? He tried Time-Seeing to find the man, but everything went black.

Jacob found himself waking up on the floor of his cell. The light from the window was different--it was late afternoon, almost twilight. Several hours had passed. Had he blacked out? How long had he been Time-Seeing? He tried to get up, but his body freaked out with spasms of pain and he was barely able to roll onto his side. What was wrong? He'd been sore that morning when he woke up, but not _that_ sore.

He rolled to a sitting position, groaning. The food tray had been replaced with a full one, and something dawned on Jacob. The Lorkon must have returned. Horror washed over him. Would they attack him while he was unconscious? They must have done something--his entire body ached.

He pulled up his shirt--sure enough, his stomach was black and blue. He felt like retching. Why would the Lorkon do that? Were they the reason he blacked out? Or had he blacked out because he'd been Time-Seeing too long, making the Lorkon frustrated when they couldn't wake him?

An urgency to get out of his situation flooded over him, replacing the horror he'd felt earlier. He had to get home! He had to get away!

But how?

Jacob eased himself off the floor and onto the cot. He slumped in exhaustion, noticing he was covered with slime again. So much for keeping it off--nothing he could do about it anyway.

Early rapped on the window, and he scooted over to where he could see her. They kept each other company. She danced on the window sill, smiling at him, mouthing things he didn't understand.

He couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't able to break through the window. Maybe her magic had a rule that prevented her from breaking things? He didn't know. 'Course, it wouldn't do him any good for her to get the glass open. He was way too high above the ground to jump. But it really would be nice to talk to her. Even though her conversation was trivial, it was still conversation. And they'd done a lot together in the past month--he'd really grown to care for and appreciate her.

The sun was about to set, and he watched the rays fly across the sky. A moment of stupor hit him--he hadn't allowed himself to relax or take a mental vacation for a long time. He invited it in, enjoying its simple calmness.

But then, a few minutes later, Jacob shook his head to clear it. He'd wasted precious time and energy trying to find the key when he should've been focusing on Seeing how the Lorkon had trapped him. There had to be something special about the fortress or this room that hadn't been the case earlier. If he found out what it was, perhaps it would give him the needed information to escape.

# Chapter Forty-Five

Jacob Time-Saw to the castle in Maivoryl city, "rewinding" until he reached the point before the Lorkon left to come to August Fortress. An involuntary shudder crossed him when he saw Keitus on his throne with the other Lorkon around him. He remembered how it had felt to be in that room the first time--the awe at seeing the Key of Kilenya, followed by the fear and pain from his encounter with that disgusting individual. That had happened only five months ago, but it felt like ages had passed.

A small burst of flame near Keitus startled Jacob--luckily none of the Lorkon could see him. That flame had been familiar, though, and in surprise, Jacob nearly lost control of his Time-Seeing. He grimaced. He'd seen that flame as he'd been about to go into August Fortress. Apparently, it _was_ a fire beetle--they must all have different colors and sizes.

A crackly voice addressed Keitus. "The boy and his group are on their way to release the Shiengols."

Keitus jumped to his feet. "We leave now," he said to the other Lorkon in the room with him.

"You were right, Your Majesty," one of the Lorkon said, grabbing things from behind a curtain, "about having beetles spy on the boy."

Keitus glared at the Lorkon. "And if you were doing your job, _you_ would've thought of the idea."

"Yes, but they can't get into the Makalo village, so it would've been pointless."

Keitus ignored him. "Send for Sindons. And we'll need as many Molgs as possible."

"What about Dusts?"

Keitus's disgusted grunt said enough. Jacob figured he was probably sick of the nearly useless creatures. Maybe training them was too difficult? Jacob felt little hope that was the case.

"You were right about that too, Keitus. You think of everything!"

The Lorkon continued to praise Keitus, and Jacob felt sick at how he received the compliments. Such arrogance! If anyone treated Jacob like that, he'd avoid them.

He fast-forwarded through time, wanting to see what the Lorkon did rather than hear their annoying conversation. They mounted the Sindons--Keitus, of course, sitting on top of one in a rather silly-looking caravan-type thing--embellished with gold and silver and dark blues and purples.

Jacob watched as the group rounded up several Molgs and passed through Maivoryl City and the tunnel in the wall. The Sindon barely fit inside it.

A moment later, when the Lorkon reached the scented air, Jacob slowed down time, watching in interest as the Molgs got stuck. The Lorkon had a hard time pulling the large creatures out. He laughed when he saw Keitus throw a fit from the top of his Sindon, screaming at the other Lorkon to get the Molgs. Then he stopped laughing when Keitus ordered one of the Lorkon to rip Kenji's warning signs out of the ground and throw them into the lake.

Stupid Lorkon.

The three Lorkon in the scented air bickered like little kids, and out of curiosity, Jacob drew near to hear them.

"This is ridiculous," one said.

"If I'd known when I accepted his challenge that I would become a slave . . ."

"Shut your mouth!" the third Lorkon said. "You aren't a slave. If I'm ever in charge, you will be, though."

The first and second Lorkon responded, and it looked like things would escalate. Jacob watched with interest. The Lorkon certainly were childlike sometimes.

Keitus called orders from the top of the carriage, but the other three weren't paying attention. Finally, he stepped down.

" _Enough!_ "

The Lorkon stopped and stared at him. At a flick of his hand, they fell to the ground, terror on their faces, groveling before him, begging for forgiveness.

Jacob raised an eyebrow. How had Keitus gotten them to change their attitudes so quickly? Did he have them under a spell?

"My own flesh and blood! How _dare_ you act like this? You're worse than Dusts!"

"Father, please--"

" _Shut your mouth!_ " Keitus spat. "You _will not_ speak until I command it!"

Flesh and blood? Father?

The Lorkon pressed his face into the ground, and Keitus paced. "The next who speaks out of line will become meat for the Molgs!"

Jacob thought that sounded like a dumb threat until he noticed the affect it had on the Lorkon. They were trembling with fear. Why? And it didn't seem like the Molgs had any desire to eat a Lorkon. Speaking of the Molgs, they'd wandered back into the scented air and had stupid grins on their faces. Jacob laughed--they looked even more ridiculous than any human he'd seen there before.

Keitus finally stopped pacing. "I'm undoing this Counter. I'm tired of dealing with it every time we pass through with inferior beings."

Counter?

Keitus lifted his arms waist high and chanted something. He raised his hands higher, still chanting, staring ahead, until his arms were pointed to the sky. The ground shook, every blade of grass, including the dead ones, straightening, pointing up. The brush in the area nearly uprooted itself. A bluish substance, not quite liquid, not quite gas, flowed from the earth all around the group. It rolled along the ground, floating upward, then swirled around Keitus, faster and faster. Like an explosion, the substance burst and then dissipated into air.

After a moment of silence, Keitus lowered his hands and pointed to the Lorkon. "Get up. Now. We have work to do."

The Lorkon and Molgs got back on the Sindons, which had appeared to be unaffected by the scented air. They moved quickly and Jacob zoomed to keep up, finding himself fast-forwarding through time to skip the boring parts.

He was somewhat surprised when the group took a shortcut through Dunsany Mountain, then came out in the city Kenji had called Fornchall. If only Jacob had known that shortcut before. It would have been easier than going around the mountain, and perhaps Seden would still be alive. Then he decided that wouldn't have been good--the Lorkon passed several areas thick with Molgs. If Seden had taken them that way, they would never have made it out.

Jacob fast-forwarded even more, realizing his body would be getting tired soon. Azuriah's warning sounded in his ears--he needed to get to the point quickly, before his body gave out on him.

The group finally stopped near the fortress, on the opposite side from where Jacob and his friends had been.

Another burst of flame near Keitus, and again, a crackly voice reported. "They've found a way into the fortress."

Keitus said something curt in another language--Jacob could tell it was a swear word, due to the tone of the Lorkon's voice and the expression on his face. He motioned for the others to follow him on foot.

They left the Sindons behind and slunk around the huge building to the front, followed by several Molgs. They moved into the trees, and Jacob caught a glimpse of Aldo and Aloren looking up at the fortress wall. Things blacked over for a moment and Jacob worried he was slipping out of consciousness again, but then the scenery returned with usual clarity. The Lorkon were watching Jacob's friends, who were gawking at a hole in the fortress. Jacob realized he must have just gone through that hole.

Two of the Lorkon tried to go forward to attack, but Keitus held them back. A moment later, the Shiengols emerged, and Jacob watched the Lorkon's reaction with surprise. Their emotions went so quickly from eagerness to fear that he nearly jumped in shock. They were afraid of the Shiengols! No wonder they'd trapped the creatures! Could he use that to his advantage?

A few of the Shiengols stared at the Lorkon as they passed, and anger flashed through Jacob. They'd known the Lorkon were there! Why hadn't they done anything about it?

Had Azuriah known?

Jacob gasped when he realized that of course the Shiengol leader knew about the Lorkon. He'd insisted on having Jacob practice his new ability before leaving the fortress. He must have known Jacob would be kidnapped, but how? And why hadn't he done something to stop it? Why hadn't he warned Jacob?

Jacob realized that Keitus and two or three Molgs had gone around a corner, and he opted not to follow them for the time being. He wanted to see what the three Lorkon did. A couple of the Molgs hid behind the door Jacob and his friends had set up. He shook his head, making a mental note to check behind every makeshift door just to be sure nothing was there.

Azuriah came out of the hole in the fortress, followed by . . . then everything got muddled again and Jacob couldn't see details well enough. He tried everything he could--going around the haze, below, above. Nothing worked. He sighed in frustration, realizing there wasn't anything he could do but go See where the Lorkon leader had gone.

But then he felt an odd sensation flooding through him--originating at his heart--and he hesitated. What was wrong? His body--exhaustion crept into his mind. Oh! He was about to black out again! Time for a break.

Lights flashed around him, and he found himself back in his cell. It was nighttime--he'd been Time-Seeing for half an hour at least, if not more. No wonder it'd almost knocked him out.

He rolled to a sitting position on the floor, then jumped when a shape on the other side of the room shifted too.

A Lorkon was with him in the cell.

"Keitus?"

"No. He sent me to check on you. You were Time-Seeing, were you not?"

"Yes."

"What have you to report?"

"Not much. I . . . I still need more time. I mean, I've been trying, but--"

Jacob jerked into the corner when the Lorkon jumped forward, looming over him. Any feelings of smugness Jacob had felt earlier at the ineptitude of the Lorkon fled when he saw the expression on this one's face. Keitus might have been much, much more powerful than the other three, but that didn't mean this guy couldn't inflict a whole lot of damage. "I swear! I'm doing my best! And I have made progress--I saw the entire room the hooded man was in this time! And he went through a hallway. I'm going back to see where he--"

"I don't care about the trivialities. You _will_ find what Keitus desires."

The Lorkon rapped on the door, it swung open, and he stepped out.

# Chapter Forty-Six

Jacob clutched his chest as soon as he was alone again. Another fright like that--first, nearly going unconscious, then the Lorkon freaking him out--and he'd probably not make it. His heart hurt so badly. What would happen if his body gave out on him while Time-Seeing? Would he be stuck halfway between two places? He hoped not.

In the dim moonlight, he saw a tray of food on the floor and picked it up, then scarfed everything. Why were they feeding him so well? The food was still warm.

His hunger appeased, he lay on the cot, gazing out the window. Early was there--she waved at him and he lifted a hand in response, glad to have her company.

The next morning, he woke before the sun had risen, deciding to start Time-Seeing as soon as possible.

He Saw back into the past and searched through the fortress until he found where Keitus had gone when he left the other Lorkon. He had a couple of Molgs with him, and they were walking down the hall toward Jacob's cell.

Keitus pointed at one of the Molgs. "Go get a door. Our guest will need something to keep him in place."

Jacob wondered where they'd find a door. Hadn't Keitus removed all of them long ago? Maybe they'd brought some with, and Jacob hadn't noticed. The creature ran off, and Keitus and the other Molg entered the cell. Jacob nearly panicked before realizing that in the time line he was seeing, he wouldn't be in the cell yet. He was still outside with his friends.

Keitus stood to the side, allowing the second Molg to bring in a couple of large buckets full of--Jacob looked closer--sludge. Was that what he thought it was? He looked around the cell to verify. Yup. The stone was completely clean.

"Spread it on every inch of rock."

The first Molg returned, hung the door, then the two of them got to work, pulling out gobs of the grease at a time, rubbing it all over the floor, ceiling, and walls. Keitus watched from the doorway for a couple of minutes, an evil smile on his face, then turned to go. "We'll bring the boy soon."

A few moments later, the Molgs finished smearing the stuff everywhere and took the buckets away. Jacob heard grunting in the hallway, then everything went foggy and he couldn't see any longer. He allowed himself to return to the present time, many questions running through his mind.

Why did Keitus put the slime everywhere? Was it to intimidate Jacob? To gross him out? Make him feel dirty and miserable? Or did it have a bigger purpose?

Jacob inspected the wall closest to him. He swiped a finger across it, then looked at the slime up close. "Why did Keitus put you all over my cell?" he whispered.

What if . . . Jacob stared at the door in wonder. Would the stuff counter his ability? Make it useless? But how? And how would Keitus know to concoct something like that?

Jacob used his sleeve to wipe off as much of the gunk on a spot as he could. Then he put his hand on the stone, trying to warm it. Nothing happened. He shook his head, knitting his eyebrows. The stuff would leave a residue--he wouldn't be able to clean that off without water and lots and lots of rags. And what if everything it touched was permanently immune? It had been all over his hands--had Keitus removed Jacob's ability to mold things?

He felt claustrophobic and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He'd find a way out--he had to. If not, he'd be stuck there forever. He kept breathing deeply and glanced out the window, past Early. The sky was clouded over--it'd been snowing.

He had to concentrate. It wouldn't do him any good to panic and stress over things he couldn't control. After several moments of focusing on calming down, Jacob decided he needed to go through his options.

He could wait for the Fat Lady. That is, if she was coming at all, of course. Maybe she'd gotten hold of Gallus's family and they'd send someone. Was there a town closer to the fortress than Macaria? He wasn't sure. He didn't know much about Eklaron, aside from where he'd been already.

He could accept Keitus's offer. He snorted, thinking about that. Yeah, right.

Maybe his family would find another link that would lead them here. His experience with the Eetu fish showed him there were far more links between the two worlds than they'd all originally thought. Perhaps one of them would work. If that were the case, they might be close!

Jacob jumped to his knees, staring out the window. Early flitted up next to him, a hopeful expression on her face. He scanned the forest toward the link to Taga Village and saw nothing, then looked the other way as far as he could--no sign.

He sighed, lowering his head, and pressed his face on the glass.

Wait. "The glass!" he whispered. It didn't have slime all over it! As if in response to this idea, the sun broke through the clouds, lighting his cell.

He was about to touch the surface to warm it when he realized his hands had grease on them. He couldn't afford to infect the glass, too. The fact that the Molgs hadn't touched it, or the frame around it, made him nearly giggle in hysteria--just like Shirley at school. But seriously, how would Keitus react if Jacob were able to escape that way? He'd be furious!

Just then, he heard voices down the hall. Someone was coming! Jacob had always been an awful liar. They'd sense the hope in him--they'd know he was planning something.

He quickly dropped to the floor and closed his eyes, pretending to be Time-Seeing. No--just lying there wouldn't do it. He had to make it believable.

Just as the door opened, he started convulsing.

Would they buy it?

Two Lorkon voices. One laughed. "Stupid human."

Jacob heard the rush of a cloak before the Lorkon's foot connected with his side. His already very bruised side.

A groan of pain slipped out before he could stop it and an involuntary shudder passed through him. One of the Lorkon laughed.

"This boy is idiotic. Why does Keitus want him so badly?"

"Flesh and blood--you know how it is with him."

Jacob heard a smirk in the first Lorkon's voice. "Yeah, well, that didn't help us, did it?"

What were they talking about? Flesh and blood? Then Jacob remembered--Keitus had mentioned blood. His own blood had gone into Jacob, trying to change him into a Lorkon. Was that all they meant?

He realized he'd stopped shaking and hadn't heard anything from the Lorkon for several seconds. He groaned again and rolled to the other side, hoping--hoping!--the Lorkon would think he was still Time-Seeing.

Silence.

Finally, one of the Lorkon spoke. "We could kill him now."

No response. Jacob held his breath, convulsing occasionally, waiting to hear what the other said.

A grunt. "We could, but . . ." The Lorkon took a deep breath, then let out a watery-sounding cough. "Keitus would never forgive it."

The first Lorkon snorted. "He never forgives anything." Someone nudged Jacob with a foot. "We'd be free from hearing about _Danilo_."

Another pause. "We'll think on it. Leave the food. Let's go."

Something scraped across the floor, then the door shut and Jacob heard footsteps receding down the hall.

He waited for a moment, making sure he was alone, then peeked through his lashes. No one was with him. He got to his knees, a huge sigh of relief expelling itself from his lungs. "Oh, wow, oh, wow," he whispered over and over again. That was way too close!

Jacob pulled the tray of food to himself, not forgetting his decision from earlier to get out through the window. He ate quickly, then looked at the water, wishing he had soap. The water alone would have to do.

But first, he jumped up and looked out the window to the ground below. No one was there. He watched for a moment, waiting to see if anyone would come. When no one did, he got down and poured a trickle of the water on his hands, wiping them off on the underside of his cot--the only place clean enough in the cell.

Thinking better of using all the water, he put the half-empty cup under his cot, behind one of the legs where it wouldn't be immediately visible from the doorway. Just in case.

Then, with clean hands, he jumped up and put his palms against the glass, willing it to heat up.

Nothing happened.

He moaned in despair. The Molgs hadn't put slime on it--he'd been so sure!

He nearly smacked himself in the forehead when he remembered that if something was well built, it _wouldn't_ warm up. He felt around the edges of the window and nearly jumped off the bed with excitement when he felt warmth--warmth! He kept going. The frame itself had a few potentially good spots, but the caulking--was that what they called it?--heated up really quickly. He could pull it out, then remove the window!

Jacob got to work, pulling the caulking out, wadding it up, and sticking it to the underside of his cot. He felt like he was six again, with all the stuff he was putting there.

Every time he heard one of his guards moving outside, he dropped to a sitting position, careful not to touch anything. He didn't even have to ask himself what would happen if he got caught removing the sealant. And while he wasn't sure this plan would work, he was positive the Lorkon would either move him or slather the window with sludge.

He had barely a second to fall to a lying position on the cot and pretend to be staring out the window when he heard voices right outside his cell. The door swung open and he turned.

It was Keitus.

# Chapter Forty-Seven

"Danilo, I'm disappointed."

Jacob sat up, not sure how to read Keitus's emotions. He had multiple colors swirling around him, blending into each other.

"What--what do you mean?"

"You aren't being honest. You haven't tried hard enough. I need to remind you what will happen if you don't find that key."

Jacob's mouth popped open. "But . . . but I _have_ tried! It's almost killed me--I fall unconscious all the time and my heart is going to pop with everything I'm putting it through. And I've been working hard! I can see all the way back to where the hooded man leaves the castle. Just give me more time. I'll be able to follow him, I promise!" Most of what he said was true--he really did worry that his body was going to break down. And he really did think he'd be able to follow the man if he tried again.

Keitus looked Jacob in the eye. "Boy, you are a terrible liar. The hooded man _used_ the key to go somewhere. Why would he just walk out of the castle when he's got a powerful instrument in his hands?"

Jacob stared at his hands, annoyed with himself and the fact that he hadn't thought of that.

"And it doesn't matter anyway."

Jacob looked up. "It doesn't? Why?"

Keitus strode across the room and looked out the window. Jacob held his breath, praying with every ounce of his body that the Lorkon wouldn't notice what he'd been doing.

"We've decided to kill you."

"What? No!" That wasn't possible. Not after everything Keitus had said!

Keitus turned to face Jacob. "The other Lorkon presented me with a very good argument. They seem to think you'll never join or help me, and if that's the case, I can't have you somehow escaping and making it back to your family.

"I spent years setting things up so you'd be born. You are, shall I say, my pet project. To see you dead would bring me much disappointment." He glared at Jacob. "But if you helped my enemies, it could be my downfall. And I _won't allow that_."

He grabbed Jacob by the face, pulling him several feet up. Jacob's eyes smarted from the pain in his jaw. "Your death will not be easy for you, nor fast. I will make you cry for mercy, but there will be none to give. And when I'm through with you, I'll move to everyone you love, starting with your little sister."

He dropped Jacob. "Unless, of course, you decide to bind yourself to me." He turned away. "Remember this, boy. Remember it with every part of you. I created you. You belong to me. And if I can't have your powers, _no one_ can."

Jacob remained where he'd fallen, motionless. He believed Keitus. The Lorkon really would kill him. And, after Jacob's death, it would only be a matter of time before Keitus found a way to Mendon. A part of his heart shriveled when he thought of what would happen to his baby sister if Keitus ever made it that far. And to Matt. And his parents. And Aloren. Jacob couldn't allow that to happen. He wouldn't. He'd do anything . . . the thought that crossed his mind made him gasp in shock. Was he really considering accepting Keitus's offer?

If it meant saving his family, maybe? Possibly?

He sat up, dropping his eyes to his hands. "I . . ." He hesitated, looking up at the Lorkon, creasing his forehead. "Keitus, I--"

Keitus's cheeks lifted, showing his dirty teeth in what Jacob could only assume was a smile. He must've sensed Jacob's indecision. "I'll return in thirty minutes. Have your decision ready for me. If it's yes, I have many things to teach you. If it's no, you know what to expect."

The door shut behind the Lorkon king, and Jacob slumped on the cot. What was he doing? Was he really considering this? Joining the person who'd made his life incredibly difficult and painful the past several months? How was it possible?

He shook his head. If he did join Keitus, he might actually have more power to help his family.

He got to his feet and paced, making a path in the slime. Was joining Keitus the right thing to do? He searched himself, trying to understand his feelings, and felt shock when he found an element of peace there. Was that because it was right? Was he "meant" to be with Keitus? Would things fall into place for him?

He sat on the cot again. He couldn't think. Things kept slipping from his mental grasp. Okay, a more logical, straightforward reasoning was required. What were the pros and cons?

Pros--he wouldn't die. And he might be able to prevent the deaths of those he loved. He shook his head. He wasn't so naive as to believe Keitus would allow his enemies to live. But maybe, maybe he'd be able to convince Keitus to transport them somewhere far away--somewhere safe, where they'd have no control or influence. Would that be enough?

Other pros. He wracked his brain, concentrating. He could be a spy. He could feed the good guys information. Act as a double agent.

And the cons?

He'd be selling his soul, basically. And he felt strongly that was true. But if it saved the lives of his loved ones, would it be worth it?

Also, he hated the Lorkon. He felt dirty and gross around them. He doubted that would ever go away. He naturally shied away from bad things. Always had. Plus, he knew the Lorkon would probably treat him very poorly. They'd abuse him mentally, emotionally, physically.

Jacob got up to pace again. What could he do? Join the Lorkon, save his loved ones, and lose himself. Or deny Keitus and be killed, knowing his loved ones would follow.

There _was_ one more con to joining Keitus.

If he sided with the Lorkon, it would destroy his mother. And he couldn't live with that. He couldn't.

Jacob felt peace then--true peace--and he held on to it as hard as he could. He closed his eyes, picturing his mother's face. He pictured Amberly's sweet smile and Aloren's beautiful eyes. Then he jumped to his feet. He'd wasted five minutes with his moment of weakness. That left him with only twenty-five to escape.

Concentrating, he Time-Saw the fortress, wanting to know where everyone was before he did anything. The Molgs stood guard outside his door still, looking bored. Keitus paced in the throne room. The three Lorkon were at the table there, playing some sort of game with rocks.

Then he looked outside. Molgs were stationed randomly around the fortress, some pacing, others staring into the forest.

There was the makeshift door where it had been before. Jacob "looked" behind it, making sure no Molgs were there, and then his eyes caught a gleam in the trees behind the door.

The key! The Lorkon hadn't found it! But how did it get way over there? He wondered if Early had moved it. Wasn't it too heavy for her? He zoomed in closer, wanting to be sure that's what it was. It was barely visible--only a sparkle of one of the diamonds and a little metal catching the sunlight--but definitely the key. Relief flooded through him.

He pulled back, seeing the fortress from farther away, counting how many Molgs were outside. Ten, one of which was near the makeshift door, but the rest were placed across the grounds.

He could do this!

Jacob jerked to his cell, making sure he was still alone, then quickly knelt on the cot and resumed warming the caulking. Hurry! Faster! Faster! Early was on the other side, cheering him on. He could see her excitement--it flowed in the air around her.

When he was down to the last bit, he put his hand on the window to steady it, hoping that by yanking hard enough on the caulking, the glass would fall inward, rather than outward.

He tugged on the stuff. The window creaked. He tugged harder, and it shifted visibly. Then he pulled with all his might and the window flipped out of the seal, landing on him. He got knocked to the floor with a thud, and the sheet of glass slid with him. _Ouch_.

But it didn't break.

He breathed a sigh of relief and leaned the glass up against the wall. The floor was too slippery, though, and the pane started sliding. He jumped forward, caught it just in time, and froze, waiting to see if the Molgs outside his door had heard it scraping.

Early flitted to his side, doing somersaults in the air, but Jacob waited.

When nothing happened, he lowered the glass to the floor, where it wouldn't break unless someone stepped on it.

Jacob jumped back up on the cot and looked out the hole he'd just created. His eyes blurred and he pulled himself back in quickly, clutching his chest. The ground was so far below! His head spun and he began hyperventilating. How was he going to do this? He'd always been afraid of heights, and when they were this bad, he had no hope.

"Jacob!" Early said. "You must come now! You've got a way out of the fortress!"

He steadied himself against the wall. He sucked in one deep breath after another, trying to clear his mind. When he felt more ready, more determined, he pulled the last of the water from below his cot and washed his hands. He _would_ save himself.

Realizing he wouldn't be able to concentrate well enough to Time-See while he was escaping, he turned to Early. "Go find out where everyone is, then give me updates every couple of seconds. Make sure no one is coming."

She nodded and zoomed back and forth quickly, giving him reports. The Molgs below hadn't noticed anything, and she could see the Lorkon through a window--they were still in the throne room.

Jacob sat on the ledge, legs outside, careful not to look down. "Just like on the wall of the fortress," he muttered. "Just like on the wall of the fortress."

Holding on to the ledge, he turned around, lowering himself. His feet swung wildly in the air as he tried to find somewhere to put them. Nothing.

He paused, breathing deeply, calming his heart.

"Don't look down," Early whispered. "There's a Molg directly below you."

Great. Just great.

His breath came in quick bursts and he closed his eyes as tight as he could. The tower felt like it was falling--his senses were completely messed up.

Finally, when he was sure he could control his panic, he swung his left arm over the ledge, careful not to the touch the slimy interior of the cell, and used the crook of his elbow to hold on, freeing up his right hand.

Jacob heated a deep handhold into the stone, then another one next to it. He made sure there was plenty of stone to grip, fitting it perfectly to himself.

This was easy. He could do it. He pretended the ground was only a foot below. If he fell, it would be like stepping off a curb. Nothing more to it.

# Chapter Forty-Eight

Jacob reached down as far as he could and molded another spot. Then taking a deep breath, he put his right hand in one of the upper holes, letting go of the sill with his elbow. For a moment, his body swung as he tried to put his left hand in the other hole. He nearly slipped.

A warming sensation started on his rear end and he felt lighter, his mind clearing. He would have blushed, but instead felt intense gratitude. Early was helping him. He wondered how she was doing it without sending him shooting into the air.

Finally, Jacob got his fingertips into the other hole. They inched in, and his grip there strengthened. Once he knew he wouldn't slip out, he hung for a moment, letting himself relax as much as possible. He didn't have a lot of experience with rock climbing, but at least basketball and learning sword play had strengthened his upper body considerably.

"Early," he whispered, "can you help me find places to put my feet?"

With Early's guidance, he warmed more holes in the stone and slowly lowered himself, making sure to go to the right from the window, just in case someone looked down. Which he was sure they would. Early gave him frequent updates on Molg and Lorkon activity so he'd know how much time he had.

Several moments later, he neared a corner. After Early checked that no one was watching, he reached around and molded holes, then pulled himself past. He breathed a sigh of relief. He would no longer be visible from the window. So far, so good.

Jacob continued like this--working through shaking muscles, warming up handholds, slowly lowering himself, avoiding windows, and having Early keep watch. It felt like hours had passed, though he knew it had only been maybe ten or fifteen minutes. How much more time did he have? Five minutes? Would Keitus actually wait a full half hour? Jacob doubted it.

He rested for a moment, taking stock of how far he'd gone and how much farther he had left. He was relieved to see that the ground was much closer now. He'd made progress! But the wall ended a couple of feet below. The drop to the next roof was at least ten feet down. That would be difficult to manage.

He made two handholds just above the edge where the wall ended, then lowered himself, closing the distance to the roof below. He shook his head, wondering at the Shiengols' thought process when they'd built this place. Random walls and roofs and ledges everywhere.

With Early encouraging him, he released his grip, landing with a clatter.

Jacob scrambled to find something to hold on to, but couldn't. He started sliding down, gaining speed. Just in time, he caught himself. His legs slid off the edge of the roof, but he held on tight, hanging over the side.

He nearly cried in relief. He'd made it!

Early hovered next to him. "You can't go down this way!" she said. "Too many windows!"

Jacob pulled himself up, got to his hands and feet, and scurried across the large roof, trying to remain out of sight of the Molgs on the ground.

It took him a moment, but he found a side of the fortress where there weren't many windows. Luckily, it wasn't very far from the makeshift door and the key. But how was he going to get down this time? The roof had a ledge that took him too far from the wall. He wouldn't be able to get close enough to mold any holes.

Deciding it was time to figure out where everyone was, he Time-Saw the surrounding area. Molgs were still pacing--none of them had seen him. How was that possible? He Saw the throne room and panicked when he found it empty. He pulled back, searching for Keitus. The Lorkon was just entering the cell.

The anger on Keitus's face was evident, yes, but Jacob could hear the Lorkon's scream, even while Time-Seeing. He jerked back to his surroundings. The Molgs below went berserk, rushing to see what was going on, and Jacob sprawled to his stomach, barely lifting his head a fraction--enough to see that the Molgs were all staring up in the direction of Jacob's former cell.

"Find him!" Keitus bellowed. " _Find him!_ He's out there somewhere!"

The Molgs reacted instantly, unsheathing swords and maces. They split up, some going to the right and away from the window, some going into the forest in front of it, and others rushing to the left, closing the distance between themselves and Jacob.

Jacob lowered his head. "What do I do?" he whispered frantically to Early. "How do I get down?"

She shrugged, shaking her head, and wrung her hands frantically.

Then her face lit up. "I'll help you! You drop from here to the ground. I'll be careful--reduce your weight again. It won't hurt as badly if you're lighter."

Jacob nodded, breathing rapidly. The risk of having her shoot him off in some random direction was huge. But this was his only choice. "We'll need to wait for the right moment--there's no way I'm going to make it to the door now without someone seeing me."

Early nodded. "And you can go into the forest and sneak around to the door that way!"

Jacob raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's a good idea, actually. Thanks, Early!" And if they _did_ see him? Without his sword, he had no way to defend himself.

Remembering his sword made him groan. His dad had given it to him. He'd killed a dinosaur with it--he couldn't leave it behind. He didn't care how stupid others would think that was--if at all possible, he wanted to get it.

An idea popped into his mind, and he Time-Saw to see if he could do it. Keitus was pacing in Jacob's cell, his color red so bright it was nearly impossible to see his actual facial expression.

The other Lorkon were searching the halls and rooms nearby.

"He's outside!" Keitus yelled at them. "Go out there and find him!"

The three Lorkon disappeared down some stairs. Jacob quickly Time-Saw to the throne room. Relief hit him. Oh, good. His sword was still there.

The idea continued to formulate, and he quickly figured out how far away the room was from his current position. After a moment of searching, he scanned around and found a stairway leading up near the throne room. He pulled himself back. Now would be his only chance.

"Change of plans," he said. "I'm going after my sword."

"No, Jacob!" Early said. "Bad idea!"

Jacob shook his head. "They think I'm outside. If I go in, I'll avoid them longer, and will be able to get my sword. I'm not leaving without it."

"It's just a sword!"

The room was on the other side of the roof. If he hurried, he might be able to mold his way through the roof and to the staircase while Keitus was still in the cell.

"Keep a lookout--let me know if anyone's coming."

Jacob scurried across the roof, being as careful as he could not to be seen or make a lot of noise.

He was lucky--the Molgs were plenty noisy down on the ground, yelling at each other in their language.

It didn't take long for Jacob to feel his way to a weak spot above the staircase. He Time-Saw one last time--Keitus was just leaving his cell--and molded as quickly as he could. A moment later, he had a hole large enough. Early slowed his decent and he softly fell to the top landing of the steps, then crouched in the shadows of the stairwell. It must have been for servants--it was small and scuffed up, not glamorous like the other staircases he'd seen.

After making sure no one was there, he zipped around a corner and peeked into the throne room. Empty still.

"Keitus is coming!"

Jacob hesitated for a moment, growled, and dashed inside the room anyway, racing for the throne. He fell to the ground, sliding the last couple of feet, and whipped behind the back of the large chair, grabbing his sword and pulling it close to him. Then he tucked his legs in and prayed the back of the chair was big enough to keep him hidden. He heard approaching footsteps.

Keitus entered the room, swearing to himself. Jacob held his breath.

Afraid to close his eyes, he stared at the curtain-covered wall in front of him. The throne shifted when Keitus sat in it, and Jacob was bumped away from the chair a fraction of an inch. He scrambled backward and shut his eyes when he heard the grunting sounds of a Molg echo in the room. Keitus and the creature started a heated discussion.

Jacob saw Early up in the corner of the room and motioned for her to come closer. She did--moving so quickly the other two hopefully wouldn't see her. "Go to the forest on the other side of the fortress from the makeshift door," he whispered to her, trusting Keitus's argument would cover his breathy words. "Do something, anything to make the Molgs think I'm there. Hurry!"

She disappeared and Jacob was alone with Keitus and the Molg. How would he get out? Early had told him that Keitus had only arranged for one exit--the main entrance of the fortress. A lot of attention would be focused there. He bit his lip, concentrating. Would he be able to sneak out that way?

Then he remembered something else--he'd molded a hole in the wall where the Sheingols had been staying. Was it still there? It seemed unlikely--Keitus would have had it filled up as soon as possible.

Could Jacob take the chance? Run that way and see if it still existed? Then he shook his head at himself. He could Time-See. He focused at the wall across from him and held on to the legs of the chair, hoping he wouldn't be gone long enough for his body to convulse or anything.

It didn't take long to find the room, since he started outside. The crates had been moved. Dang it! The hole was covered up. But he zoomed in closer anyway. What he saw made him nearly laugh with happiness. It had been covered with a type of cardboard--enough to make it look like the hole had been patched up, but easy enough for Jacob to get through. He Time-Saw to the other side of the hole. The same thing there. Just so long as the tunnel hadn't been filled with anything, this plan would work.

He returned to his present location and nearly jumped when Keitus screamed.

"He _is not_ in the fortress!" Keitus shrieked. "Search the entire forest and the town!"

Footsteps retreating--the Molg left. It was silent for several moments. Was Keitus still there?

# Chapter Forty-Nine

Jacob was about to peek around the corner of the throne when he felt it shift as Keitus changed positions.

The Lorkon muttered something Jacob couldn't understand--maybe he was speaking in a different language--but he stopped when a loud clamor sounded from outside. "What now?" Keitus said.

A Molg's guttural response came from across the room, and Jacob felt the throne move. Footsteps clapped quickly across the floor. Jacob chanced a look beyond the chair and saw Keitus's robes disappearing through the doorway.

Not wanting to lose this chance, Jacob jumped to his feet and dashed across the floor, trying to be quiet. This would be his only opportunity.

He reached the doorway in time to see Keitus stride around a corner at the end of the hall. Unfortunately, that was the only way to get to the room with the hole in the wall. He tiptoed as quickly as he could, following the Lorkon.

Keitus stopped near the entrance to the Shiengols' room to talk to another Lorkon, and Jacob hid behind a corner from them, pressing himself against the wall. He watched the shadows the Lorkon made on the floor.

"Lord, he's in the forest with the volcanic rock. We can't reach--"

"You're sure it's him?"

The shadows moved, indicating the Lorkon were walking toward the front entrance of the fortress.

"Yes--he's . . ."

The voices became a murmur, then died out, and Jacob peeked past the corner. The Lorkon were gone.

Jacob dashed down the hall and through the doorway, gripping his sword tight.

And ran smack into a Molg.

It was the smallest Molg he'd ever seen, but it still freaked Jacob out. And if he hadn't been so afraid, he would have laughed at the expression of shock that crossed the Molg's face.

Instinctively, he swung his sword. The blade connected with the Molg's right arm, cutting it, and surprising the creature even more.

Not waiting to see what the Molg would do, Jacob raced around it into the darkened interior of the Shiengols' room. He sprinted across the floor to the hole, dodging a couple of tables and chairs along the way.

He fell to his knees, skidding the last few feet, then ripped at the cardboard with one hand, holding his sword tightly in the other. He was sure he'd need it.

The Molg roared behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder. It had pulled out its short sword and was charging.

He wouldn't make it through the tunnel in time.

Jacob jumped to his feet, whirled, and barely blocked the Molg's attack. The blow vibrated through Jacob's sword to his arms, and he nearly dropped it, grimacing at the pain in his hands.

The Molg glared and attacked again. Jacob defended himself, but not before the Molg's sword caught his left sleeve, slicing his arm. Jacob barely felt the pain, but was sure it would register later. He stabbed at the Molg, but the beast easily stepped to the side, avoiding Jacob's blade.

The two continued to fight--Jacob attacking in anger and frustration, and the Molg easily getting out of the way.

After only a few parries, Jacob recognized that the beast was enjoying itself. It was toying with him, which meant it knew Jacob wouldn't win--the creature had probably been using a sword its entire life.

What could he do? He needed to get through that hole, and fast. No telling how long the Lorkon would take.

Making a quick decision, Jacob backed away, then ran to the right, skirting the perimeter of the room. He glanced over his shoulder. The Molg glared at him, the colors for annoyance swirling in his air, then raced after Jacob. Good.

They zigzagged between pillars, Jacob every now and then turning to throw in a quick jab. He led the Molg away from the hole to the other side of the darkened room.

Jacob ducked under a table and turned to attack when the creature tried to do the same. He got in another blow, injuring the Molg again, and its colors flashed bright red.

Early returned just then, excitedly babbling about the Lorkon searching the forest for Jacob and how she'd dropped heavy branches.

"Kinda busy right now," Jacob said.

"Oh! Can I help?"

"I need more time before the Lorkon come."

With a flash, Early disappeared, and Jacob, figuring she'd left to make more distractions, ran to a huge table in the center of the room. Why did the Shiengols need a table that big? It was as high as Jacob's shoulders. Sure, the Shiengols were tall, but not _that_ tall.

Jacob swung on top of it, then whirled, attacking the Molg's hands when it grabbed the table to hoist itself up. After a couple of seconds, Jacob's hands trembled with relief when he found it was easy to maintain his position there. He gripped his sword tighter.

Jacob wracked his brain, trying to come up with a plan. The Molg looked like it had figured out it wouldn't be able to get on top too. It stepped back, surveying the room with its big, intelligent eyes. It dashed under the table.

Jacob gasped in shock when the table shifted under his feet. He crouched, steadying himself. The Molg attempted to tip the table over, but Jacob counterbalanced from on top, barely staying upright.

Then an idea popped into his brain. It would work--it had to! He only needed Early's help to get things going.

He nearly fell off when the Molg pitched the table hard to his right, but he was able to jump to the left, pushing the surface back down.

Early returned just then, and Jacob told her what to do. She nodded in agreement.

Jacob was finally distracted enough for the Molg to knock the table over, and he spilled to the ground. He jumped to his feet and ran toward the hole, stopping several yards away, then turned in time to block an attack.

The Molg raised its sword again, but Early blasted the creature and it banged off the wall opposite Jacob, landing roughly. Jacob dropped his sword, falling to his knees.

He searched the floor for warmth as quickly as he could. The Molg returned, and Early zapped it again. Jacob continued searching.

Finally, he found a spot where the stone emitted warmth.

Early pushed the Molg away a third time, and Jacob warmed the floor. Rather than pulling the stone up, however, he worked as deeply as he could, creating a section that was at least two feet square. He smoothed the top over, grabbed his sword, and jumped to his feet right as the Molg neared.

Jacob carefully parried with the creature, leading it toward the warmed section.

Right as the stone started to harden, the Molg stepped into it. Jacob distracted the creature by swinging his sword a few times, pretending to be attacking. He backed up. The Molg tried to follow, but couldn't. Its foot stayed in place!

"Early! It worked!"

Early giggled, then disappeared with a flash, reappearing seconds later. "It's clear outside! Go!"

Jacob re-sheathed his sword and wormed his way through the hole. He fell to the ground outside with a thump, his breath getting knocked out of him. Early poked and prodded, trying to get him up, but it wasn't until he dragged in a huge breath that he was able to stand again.

He spotted the makeshift door and ran. He'd nearly reached it when a Molg stepped out from behind. No! He should've checked to make sure no one was there!

The Molg grabbed him around the neck, throwing him to the ground, pinning him. Lights danced across his eyes.

"Fjd arwes aried!" the Molg yelled.

Jacob brought his leg up, kneeing the creature between the legs. Nothing happened. The Molg maintained his grip, preventing Jacob from drawing another breath.

Early flitted through the air nearby, panicked and screaming at the Molg. Jacob wanted to tell her to blast the creature away, but couldn't get the words out. He couldn't hear anything but the pounding in his ears. Everything went bright white as he struggled for air.

Remembering his sword, he stopped trying to push the Molg away, instead focusing on getting the sword out. But then he forgot what he was doing. Blackness caved in on him.

The Molg released him, and Jacob sucked in air, coughing. His throat seared with pain. He sat up, gasping, clutching his neck.

The Molg had fallen to the ground near him. Early rose, an expression of intensity on her face that Jacob had never seen before.

The Molg stirred right as four more Molgs came running around the corner only a hundred yards away.

"You shall not touch my Jacob!" Early screamed at the Molg. She zapped it again, and the creature flew through the air.

Jacob jumped for the ground behind the door, searching in the grass. Where was it? Where was it? "Early! Help me find the key!"

She zipped past him and pointed. "Over there! I dragged it there--I hid it!"

The key! He saw the glint in the trampled grass and loosened it, pulling it out. Jacob closed it in his fist right as the Molg returned and kicked him, knocking him to the ground. The beast jumped for him, but this time, Jacob rolled away, to the front of the door, before he got pinned down. He pulled out his sword and swung wildly at the beast, lessons forgot, the need for survival the only thing on his mind.

Early blasted the Molg away again, but it didn't go as far as before. She looked exhausted, and the other Molgs were coming closer.

Jacob didn't waste time. He shoved the key into the lock and yelled, "Kenji's house!"

Right as he turned the knob, the door flung open and Azuriah dashed through, a spear in one hand, a sword in the other, robes flashing in the sunlight. Jacob got knocked to the side.

Azuriah screamed something in the Shiengols' language. Jacob's mouth popped open. The Molg--at least a foot taller than Azuriah--parried the blow with his crudely fashioned sword. The other Molgs arrived.

Then came the most extreme, awesome sword fight Jacob had ever seen. Azuriah twirled around the Molgs, advancing, attacking. The beasts were very fast, keeping up. They blocked almost all of Azuriah's attacks, but some of them got through.

One by one, the creatures fell to the ground. The Lorkon came around the corner, saw Jacob and Azuriah, and hurtled themselves across the distance. They were incredibly fast.

Azuriah threw his sword and spear into Kenji's house--someone jumped out of the way just in time--and then he did something with his fingers. A whoosh sounded through the air, like incredibly low bass, rattling Jacob's ribs. A wave rippled through the grass away from Azuriah, and the Molgs and Lorkon were smashed back. They fell to the ground, dazed.

Gallus grabbed Jacob's arm, yanking him through the door.

The last thing Jacob saw of the Lorkon was bright red--their favorite emotion--before Azuriah jumped through, slamming the door behind him.

# Chapter Fifty

Jacob leaned back from the table and patted his stomach, completely satisfied for the first time in days. And not only because he'd just eaten a delicious meal, but also because he was back home, with all the people he loved most. He sighed. Everyone--the entire group--was waiting in the next room.

"Ready, son?" Dad asked from the kitchen doorway.

Jacob nodded.

"All right. Let's get the meeting started."

After Jacob escaped the fortress, Mom and Ebony insisted that Akeno shrink Jacob and put him in a Minya container. It took him a little over a day to heal. He'd only been awake for an hour, and everyone had been hanging around, impatiently waiting to hear what had happened.

Apparently, Early was unable to deliver messages once Jacob got the window worked out of its frame. He'd kept her too busy. Jacob felt bad--his family must've gone completely crazy with worry. He could only imagine how stressful it had been for them--unable to do anything, not knowing what was going on.

And speaking of Early--he hadn't seen her since coming back. How was she? Where had she gone? Probably off to take a break from being ordered around. He smiled to himself. The poor Minya.

He got up from the table and entered the living room, aware of all eyes on him. He felt a flush race across his cheeks and took his seat next to Dad and Mom.

"Start from where you were separated from the group," Dad said.

Jacob explained being knocked unconscious and Keitus trying to force him to find the Key of Ayunli. He briefly described escaping. Aloren interrupted to say he was crazy for going back to get his sword, but Dad laughed. He'd have done the same thing. Jacob then filled them in on everything he'd learned, deciding not to tell them he'd almost joined Keitus.

Mom gasped when she heard about Keitus trying to turn Jacob into a Lorkon. "We would never have known!"

The Fat Lady, who had been quiet up until this point, nodded. "The process is very painful and takes a long time." She looked at Kenji and Brojan. "It's a good thing both of you had the idea to put Rezend in him. Sounds like that really fouled Keitus's plans."

Brojan nodded. "Yes, it's a huge relief to know this, actually."

Jacob glanced at his dad. "Is it all right if I ask a bunch of questions?"

"Of course. And we'll answer the ones we can."

"Azuriah said I inherited things that didn't come from Rezend or the Lorkon. What did he mean?"

Dad laughed. "You ask the question we can't answer without permission from Azuriah." He settled into his chair. "What did he tell you?"

"That the abilities were more pure, more intelligent or something."

Dad nodded. "And he's right. We can't expand beyond that, however. You'll have to wait until Azuriah deems it appropriate for you to know."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Which means I might not ever find out. He's super, super temperamental."

"Yes, he can be difficult--but you'll get used to that. I'm sure he plans to teach you everything eventually. Next question?"

"What happens now with the Shiengols?"

Aldo motioned out the window with his hand. "They've already left to recruit more of their kind from the other parts of Eklaron. They plan to come back and help us fix things here."

"Not Azuriah, though," Mom said to Jacob. "He's going to be training you when he returns."

Jacob wrinkled his nose. He wasn't sure he'd enjoy those training sessions. "Oh, speaking of recruiting, have we heard from the Wurbies yet?"

Gallus shook his head. "No, not yet. We'll touch bases with Fubble over the next few days."

"And what happens now? With the Lorkon?" Jacob hesitated. "Do you think they'll keep trying to get at me?"

Mom took a long breath. "We've been worried about this."

"The short answer is yes," Ebony said. "We feel Keitus was bluffing about destroying you."

Jacob snorted. "He sure made it believable."

"Well, of course he would. He needed you to think he was telling the truth."

"The point is," the Fat Lady said, "until Keitus gets his hands on the Key of Ayunli or Key of Kilenya--both of which require your help--he's pretty much stuck."

"Unless he finds a way to get the Key of Ayunli without Jacob," Aloren said quietly.

Jacob shivered at that thought. "Is that a possibility?"

Aldo nodded. "Of course. I was unsuccessful at finding the key, but that doesn't mean Keitus will be. For all we know, he has access to a lot more information than we do."

Jacob rubbed his face. "Okay, what happens now?"

"We prepare to defend ourselves--the Lorkon are on the offense, and they're not going to wait for us. They'll do everything they can to move forward with their plans."

Dad made a steeple with his fingers, tapping them on each other. "We need to figure out what _our_ plan will be."

Aldo nodded. "Azuriah's instructions were explicit. Jacob must finish learning his abilities. He'll have to act as spy for us, and if he isn't in complete control, he'll put all of us in unnecessary danger." He smiled apologetically at Jacob, then continued. "Also, we need to find out what's going on in Fornchall. We can save that topic for a later time." He turned to Dad. "Have we discussed everything on the agenda?"

"Yes, we're about finished here."

"Good. 'Cause it's about time I got home."

Dad chuckled. "What's left of your home, you mean?"

"Oh, no. I've moved into the Makalos' farming area to oversee the humans there. Many of them will be ready soon for the upcoming war."

Aloren wrinkled her nose. "And we're sure there has to be one?"

Gallus knitted his eyebrows, looking at Aloren. "Not unless you can see another way to get rid of the Lorkon."

She shook her head. "No, not really."

"The Lorkon won't go away peacefully. I'm afraid things will be ugly."

Dad took a deep breath. "Well, this meeting is adjourned. Jacob, go ahead and take everyone home."

Jacob stood up, motioning for the rest to follow. He took Gallus and the Fat Lady back first, then Aldo and the Makalos. He was about to return home when Kenji stopped him.

"Ebony and I need to talk to you about something."

"Oh? Okay."

Jacob looked at Kenji, but couldn't tell by the Makalo's emotion colors what he was thinking. He keyed them from the tree to their house. It was dark inside and Kenji touched the wall, lighting up the stream of silver in the stone. The Makalos motioned for Jacob to have a seat at the table. They joined him, colors finally starting to swirl around them. They were nervous. Why?

Kenji leaned forward, clasping his hands. "We've spent a great deal of time over the past little while discussing something with Early."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"We were hesitant to bring it up with you at first, knowing how your father feels about Minyas, but Early was very insistent."

Ebony laughed. "And persuasive."

"How does my father feel about Minyas?"

"He doesn't like them," Ebony said, "and they don't like him. Anyway, she doesn't want to belong to the Makalos anymore. She wants you to be her owner now."

Jacob's mouth popped open. "Really?"

Kenji nodded. "And once a Minya has chosen an owner, you can't change their mind."

Ebony hurriedly put her hand on Jacob's arm, and her words rushed out. "Do you want to keep her? You don't have to if you don't want to. We told her not to expect anything. And she won't be too much of a bother--we made her promise not to annoy you--"

"Of _course_ I want to keep her! It would be so awesome! How cool!"

Ebony's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah! I mean, she's been like my best friend for the past several days and all. I wouldn't have survived if it hadn't been for her."

"So, that settles it, then," Kenji said. A grin spread across his face. "She's yours to keep."

Just then, something zipped through the air so fast, Jacob wasn't sure what it was until it hit him in the side of the head. Early, of course.

"Oh, Jacob!" she said. "Thank you, thank you! I have a new owner! I get to stay with you forever!"

Jacob beamed at her exuberance. He could see her extreme colors of happiness out of the corner of his eye as the Minya hugged his face.

She stopped. "I'm gonna go tell September. He didn't think you'd want me!" With a flash, she disappeared.

Jacob laughed. "Wow."

He couldn't believe his luck--he had his very own Minya!

Kenji and Ebony grinned.

Jacob stopped smiling, realizing something. He couldn't take care of another pet--Tito and the chickens were hard enough as it was. "What does this mean, though?" he asked. "How do I take care of her?"

Kenji shrugged. "It's not hard. She'll feed and entertain herself. It just means she most likely won't answer so quickly when we call for her, but that she'll check up on you all the time--it might even get annoying with how frequently." He stood. "Like Aloren's Hazel, Early may choose to have a permanent Minya container placed in your room for her to sleep in. She'll go everywhere with you, unless she wants to do something else."

Jacob nodded, his smile broadening again.

Early flitted back to him and nestled in his hair. Kenji chuckled, and Ebony gave Jacob a hug goodbye. Jacob let himself out, deciding to walk to the tree and key home from there. 

# Chapter Fifty-One

When he got back, Mom and Dad were waiting for him in the living room. The expressions on their faces said they had something serious to talk about, and Jacob quickly put thoughts of Early out of his mind.

"Honey," Mom said, motioning for Jacob to have a seat next to her, "your dad and I have been discussing a few things. Well, one in particular."

Jacob didn't like her tone of voice. Not only that, but the colors swirling around her indicated discomfort. His heart beat sped up. "Yeah? About?"

"You--your future. You've got a lot of work ahead of you. Azuriah made it clear that he expects to train with you for several hours a day."

Jacob thought he could see where this was going. "I'll be really stressed, I know. I've been thinking about it, and I know I can't overdo things. I figured out really quickly while in the fortress that pressure and Time-Seeing don't go together."

"Not only that," Dad said. He looked uncomfortable. "But . . ."

Jacob swallowed. "Okay, just spit it out. You're making me really nervous."

Dad took a deep breath. "We've been thinking about pulling you out of school and hiring a tutor."

Jacob's jaw dropped. "But . . . that means . . . basketball . . ."

"You'd have to quit JV," Dad said, nodding. "Which is important to you. This, however, is more important."

"I don't understand--I did everything fine before, when we were getting ready to rescue Aloren."

"Honey, we know," Mom said. "But it's much different--this time, almost everything depends on how you handle things. We don't want to over-stress you, and your dad and I feel that if you had one-on-one time with a teacher a few times a week, it would be better than having you gone several hours a day."

Jacob felt his eyes smart--he wasn't about to cry. Not in front of his parents. "But I've worked so hard!"

Mom put her arms around him. "You have. You really have. Think about it this way--if things go smoothly, you'll be able to register again your senior year. You'll make it on varsity easily."

"I can't just drop out! I've never _not_ been on a team! And everyone will think it's because I didn't make varsity."

"Think it over," Dad said. "We'll give you some time to adjust to the idea."

Jacob stood. "I--"

He couldn't continue the conversation. He had to be alone. He quickly walked out of the room and ran up the stairs to his bedroom, shut his door, then fell on the bed. Without basketball, he wasn't sure where he'd be. He needed it! It helped him concentrate and feel good and . . . and . . . it wasn't fair! Why didn't anyone else have to sacrifice like this? Why weren't they telling Aloren she couldn't go to school? Or Matt?

Jacob jerked to his side, answering his own question. Because they didn't have "special abilities." Well, curse his gifts! He didn't ask for them and he didn't want them!

He scowled at the wall, feeling the bitterness creep across him. A part of him recognized that maybe, if he threw a big enough fit, he'd be able to continue playing basketball at the school. He let those emotions rush over him--getting his way. Pushing other people around.

Then he took a deep breath--that wasn't how he was, and he didn't want to hurt his family.

He rolled to his back again. But then . . . the only thing he _could_ do was to go along with his parents.

Jacob covered his face with his pillow.

***

An hour later, someone knocked on his door. Matt didn't wait for the go-ahead to come in. He grabbed Jacob's desk chair, spun it around, and straddled it.

Neither said anything for several moments.

Finally, Matt cleared his throat. "Mom just told me what's going on."

Jacob nodded, putting the pillow aside.

"I'm sorry--I know how much it sucks."

Jacob nodded again. He didn't need to respond.

"I've been thinking, though." Matt paused. "You're working toward getting on varsity, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you don't have to stop playing ball just because you can't be on the team anymore, right?"

Jacob took a deep breath, then sat up. He hadn't thought of that. "I guess so."

"Well, look at it this way. We'll all help you keep up on your skills. You won't fall behind--you were already way ahead anyway. And not only that, but I really do believe what Aldo said about the Lorkon intending to come and destroy everything. We can't just stay here, ignoring them. It will happen eventually." He paused again. "So . . . by dropping out for a while to work on your abilities and figure things out in Eklaron, you're actually working toward making varsity. 'Cause if we don't stop the Lorkon, there won't be a varsity team in a couple of years anyway."

Jacob thought on that for several moments, then nodded. "Maybe you're right." When put that way, it made sense. There wasn't any way the Lorkon would let Jacob continue playing basketball if they took over his life.

"Cheer up, Jake. This isn't the worst thing ever. Other people have had to make bigger sacrifices."

Jacob looked his brother in the eye for a moment. "I know. But it's still really dumb."

Matt agreed and leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. He played with the rungs in the back of the chair, possibly giving Jacob time to think.

Jacob ran his hand through his hair. What Matt said really hit him--sacrificing. If it meant saving his family and loved ones and even basketball, he could sacrifice his biggest goals for a season. It was a noble thing to do--putting the needs of other people ahead of his own. He'd already had a lot of practice doing that, and had even considered joining Keitus to save his family.

He took a few deep breaths. "I've got so much to do. I don't know how I'll get everything done."

Matt sagged in the chair. "Yeah, I'm glad I'm not in your spot."

Jacob reached over and playfully slugged his brother on the shoulder. "It would've been better if you were--you could've figured everything out by now."

Matt shook his head. "Nah. You've done a really good job."

Jacob looked at his hands. "Thanks."

"Wanna play a game of one-on-one?"

Jacob looked up and snorted. "Why? So you can lose?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I practiced while you were gone. I'm even better than before."

Jacob laughed. "I doubt that."

"Oh! A challenge! Game's on!"

The brothers jumped up to leave the room, Matt's colors switching from concerned to cheerful. He paused before they headed down the stairs. "I've only got one request."

"What's that?"

"Hurry up and save the world so I can still be captain of the football team."

###

_Rise of Keitus, Kilenya Chronicles Book Four_ , is now ready to read! Find it here. Conversely, you can also download the Kilenya Chronicles Books 4-6 box set here. Enjoy!

Read the full story behind Dmitri and Arien's escape from the Lorkon with their baby. Join Andrea's Readers Group to gain access not only to _Stolen Princess_ but the rest of the stories in the Exclusive Reader Stories box set:

If clicking the button above doesn't work, go here: <http://andreapearsonbooks.com/myfreebooks.html>

Note from the author:

Hey, everyone! :-) So, I worried a little it would bother my readers that Jacob acted like a teenager and/or is treated like one occasionally. Usually, in books written about sixteen-year-olds, family and parents aren't heavily involved. In fact, they tend not to really be a part of the story at all. That's always bothered me a bit. Just because Jacob is magical and powerful, doesn't mean his family and responsibilities would disappear. So yes, he still has chores. :-) I hope you're okay with the "real" life in my fantasy stories. :-)

As usual, if you want some free books, click the link above and come join us where the grass grows greener and the sun shines brighter. AKA, my readers group. ;-) :-) As usual, I've included a fun little teaser for the next book below. I hope you enjoy it. :-)

Much love!

Andrea

P.S. Every time a reader leaves a review, a Minya takes flight. Please consider posting one for me on August Fortress. I'll love you forever and ever if you do!

Rise of Keitus Sneak Peek

About an hour after the attack started, Gallus stopped at a run-down place that looked like an old saloon. The back and left side of it had been blown away by one of Lirone's bombs.

A gust of wind pushed hot air from the building past Jacob's face, making his eyes sting again from the acrid smell of the wreckage. He watched the smoke curl and twist, then disappear into the night sky. The idea of innocent people being attacked, combined with the strong smell of burning wood, made his stomach turn.

Gallus knocked, and a man with a close-cropped brown beard opened the door. "Good evening, Morton," Gallus said.

"Come in." The man stepped back, allowing them all to enter.

Somewhere a baby was bawling. Morton shut the door and then peeked out a window, barely moving the curtain. Jacob was about to ask if the baby was okay, but stopped when he noticed the colors swirling around the man--a mix of red, orange, and purple. Anger, nervousness, and distraction. That didn't sit right with Jacob. Everyone else had exhibited fear, panic, and in some cases, excitement.

Not only that, but Morton's actions were jerky, abrupt. Jacob didn't know why, but a feeling of distrust flowed through him. This man wasn't being honest, but what did he have to lie about?

Jacob's silent question was answered when Morton grabbed him, yanking him away from the others. Something sharp pricked Jacob's neck. The man's breath came in fast, short bursts. He stank like something that had dragged itself out of the sewers.

Gallus raised his hands and stepped carefully toward Jacob, but Morton growled at him to stop.

"My wife is dead, Gallus. Lirone killed her. I've got a newborn and a two-year-old. How am I supposed to take care of them without her?" He paused for a moment. No one responded. " _How am I to care for them?_ " Jacob felt Morton's arms shake, and the blade poked him even deeper. "None of this would have happened if it weren't for this boy. _They're_ looking for him. And I'm tired of standing by, doing nothing."

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# About the Author

_USA Today_ bestselling author Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.

Andrea graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya, Mosaic, and Koven Chronicles) and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life - it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her family and close friends is where she's happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

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# Books by Andrea Pearson

Mosaic Chronicles:

Discern

Praxis

Perceive

Observe

Reclaim

Conceal

Obscure

Enshroud  
Withhold

Forsake

The Kilenya Chronicles:

Forsaken Prince

Ember Gods

August Fortress

Rise of Keitus

Eyes of the Sun

Golden Symbol

Kilenya Romances:

Samara

Midian

Koven Chronicles:

The Shade Amulet

The Black Masquerade

Temple of Flames

Crimson Hollow

Forbidden Knowledge

Demon of Darkness
