| |
Excited to be released from my duties for the day, I ran as fast as I could, worried that Master Adkins might change his mind and quarantine me in the library. I wanted to take this chance to push my worries aside and enjoy myself. I had more than enough time to sulk about it all later.
When I rounded the final corner, I saw Thena sitting on the stone floor. I hadn’t spent as much time with her as I had with Kya and was surprised to realize that I had missed her. For the first time in my life, I had actual friends.
Her hair looked as elegant as ever, tied up in an elaborate pattern and hanging over her shoulder. She wore a colorful top with bright green pants. I was happy to see her in something other than a dress. The smell of flowers wafted in the air, getting stronger with every step. When she saw me, she smiled. I don’t know why, but I blushed a little. She was pretty when she smiled.
“Hey,” I said with a wave.
“Hey,” she said back, pushing herself off the floor. “I came to see if you would be willing to help me with something since you are so good at carrying things.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Sure. What are we carrying this time? More food? Can we get those pastries again?”
Just thinking about them made my stomach rumble, even if I wasn’t hungry.
“Mother needs me to deliver something to my uncle. I thought I could take it alone but it's difficult. And boring. I know how sick you must be getting of it in here, so I thought I would free you.”
She wasn’t as bubbly and full of laughter as she usually was.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine. Now, let’s go, cave boy.”
“Are you sure? You don’t want to talk about it?”
“It’s nothing,” Thena said with a huff. “Kya has just been mean lately. I don’t know what’s going on with her.”
“I know,” I said, agreeing. “She’s been different. Master Adkins said she’s confused about something and that things are hard right now.”
Thena nodded as we started walking toward the main entrance. “I know her dad has been sick but she’s never acted like this before.”
“What did she do to you?”
“Can we not talk about that right now? I don’t want to think about it.”
“Yeah, sure,” I said, keeping pace with her. “What are we taking to your uncles?”
Picking up her pace, Thena rushed off down the hallway, glancing over her shoulder to make sure I was keeping up. Her braid bounced and swished back and forth as she ran. “I left it outside. Come on.”
When we reached the doors, I pulled one of them open. They were heavier than they looked. I struggled with the weight but managed to pull it open long enough for both of us to squeeze through. Outside, I noticed a large brown bag leaning against the wall.
“This is it,” Thena said, slapping it.
I flicked it with my finger. It was soft and didn’t seem heavy. It almost tipped over at my touch.
“Did you get it all the way here by yourself?”
“Is that so hard to believe?” Thena said, punching me in the arm. “I’m stronger than I looked.”
“That hurt,” I said, rubbing my bicep. She was strong.
Picking up the bag, I placed it on my shoulder. It was lighter than I expected, but one end was heavier than the other and I ended up dropping it. It bounced down the stairs and into the courtyard.
“What did you do that for?” Thena asked.
“I didn’t mean to.”
Thena laughed at my expression. “Now you see why I don’t want to carry it the rest of the way by myself.”
With a smile, I looked up into the sky. It was a perfect day for an outing. The sky was a deep blue, dotted with lazy white clouds, and a gentle breeze blew through the courtyard. It was cool, though.
“The weather must be changing,” I said. “Yesterday was hotter.”
“You’re weird,” Thena said. “It’ll be nice for months. Even then, it never gets very cold here. If you want cold weather, go to Campos.”
We walked down the stairs and retrieved the bag. Thena picked up the lighter end and waited for me to get the other end. It was much easier now that I only had to worry about one side.
“I’ll follow you then?” I asked.
“Do you know where my uncle lives?”
I shook my head.
“So yeah, follow me. I think Uncle Williams lives somewhere behind the Institute.”
The road Thena took led us away from the courtyard and meandered out of sight behind the building. It took us some time to get into a rhythm carrying the bag but we worked together as best we could. We dropped it several times before falling into a groove.
“How far now?” I asked, sweat starting to drip down my forehead.
“Not much farther,” she said with a huff.
“You said that before.”
We had backtracked so many times, I was completely lost. I didn’t understand why Arden needed so many streets and alleyways. It was confusing. With all the twists and turns, it took us over an hour to get where we needed to go.
“Sorry,” Thena said for what felt like the hundredth time. “I don’t visit my uncle much.”
After a few more turns, the road deposited us into a small, empty square. Houses rose up all around it, blocking us in. It was also the only road leading in and out. But that didn’t interest me. What did was the oddest-looking thing I had ever seen before. The building in front of us towered above the rest and reminded me of a few shacks I’d seen in the wasteland. Built haphazardly out of random pieces of wood, metal, and stone, it was a jigsaw puzzle I would hate to get stuck putting together. It was expertly constructed with pieces that were all the wrong shapes. Circles connected to triangles, and squares found homes with odd, squiggly lines. When I looked at it for too long, my head hurt.
The door, or what I thought was the door, took up most of the front wall. A large iron animal head sat snuggly in the middle, just above eye level. A wide, golden ring hung from its mouth and a small bell swayed in the air below it.
“This is it,” Thena said.
“This is your uncle’s house?”
“I’ve only been here a few times, but how could you forget something like this?”
I looked away before I passed out. I was starting to get dizzy. Shrugging my shoulders, I dropped my end of the bag to the ground. Thena did as well and then walked to the door. Grabbing the dangling bell, she threw it, bouncing it off a bright orange metal oval. The ringing echoed around the square, gradually getting louder and louder.
“Uncle Williams is a bit stranger than most people,” Thena said as she stepped away from the door. “But I think you’ll like him.”
The bell slowed to a stop, once again hanging motionless from its chain, but the ringing continued. It got so loud I had to cover my ears. I glanced over at Thena but she acted like this was completely normal. Turning back to the house, I jumped when the sound changed. Instead of ringing now, it sounded like rumbling deep below me. The more I listened, the more it sounded like someone dropping large stone tablets on the floor. Without warning, a hiss erupted around us, but just as quickly, it faded away. I stepped back.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen this before. Mother said it could get interesting,” she replied with a hint of a smile creeping up on her cheeks.
Suddenly, a portion of the wall broke free from the rest of the building and swung open on rusty hinges. It demanded our attention. A small, withered man stood on a ledge halfway up the newly exposed wall. He was so tiny, he was likely to blow away if I sneezed.
“Hello,” Thena called out to him with a wave. “We’re here to see my uncle, Albish Williams.”
If the man heard her, he didn’t show it. He scanned the area, passing over us, then stepped back in through a thick, black curtain. I was dumbfounded.
“What was that all about?” I asked.
Thena smiled. “It’s definitely interesting, isn’t it?”
The square fell silent. Taking a tentative step forward, Thena screamed and rushed back when a new noise started again. This time it sounded like rusty gears grinding together. It sent shivers up my spine and I couldn’t tell if it was coming from behind us, under us, or in front of us. Spinning in circles, I searched every surface I could see.
“Maybe I should knock like a normal person?” Thena asked, shouting to be heard over the noise.
She inched her way to the door, pausing each time the noises changed, then slowly lifted her fist.
“Do not disturb the process!”
The voice shook my entire body. In her rush to get away, Thena tripped over her feet and crashed to the ground. I rushed over and dragged her back.
“I don’t like this,” I yelled.
The process ended mere seconds after the warning. The noises vanished and a smaller, regular-sized door creaked open. Inside the darkness, a tall, wiry man stood silhouetted. I held back a fit of laughter when he stepped into the light. He wore bright violet pants with a myriad of colorful patches sewn up and down them. His shoes, or socks, I couldn’t tell which, were dark green and were attached to his pants. A long red, yellow, and orange striped vest adorned his chest and a solid black tie hid behind it. Under that was a white shirt with pink buttons. I quickly looked away, afraid I might go blind.
“Uncle Williams,” Thena screamed as she ran towards him. She wrapped her arms around his seemingly fragile frame.
“Hello, my little goddess. To what do I owe this unexpected visit? Not that it isn’t a pleasure to see you,” he said with a theatrical bow.
“Unexpected? Mother said you were waiting for that,” she said, pointing back at the bag. “She was too busy to come herself.”
“No, I never requested anything from my sister. I haven’t spoken to her since... well, you know,” he said, the two of them sharing a silent memory.
I stood as still as a statue next to the bag and watched.
“And I certainly did not request another boy. But I could use another one for my experiments. The last one was just so squishy.”
Terror raced through my veins. I was about to run when I realized he was joking. Thena and her uncle were nearly on the ground with fits of laughter.
“Sometimes it is too easy,” Uncle Williams said as he extended a friendly hand, wiping away a tear with his other one.
I took it and received a lively, violent handshake that almost lifted me off the ground.
“Forgive me. I do live for the theatrical and mysterious. My name is Albish Williams, also known as uncle to present company. But you, my good sir, may call me sir. Or uncle. Or Uncle Williams. Oh heaves, call me whatever you like. Now,” he said, turning his attention to the bundle lying at my feet. “Let’s see what your mother has decided I must have.”
Uncle Williams scooped up the bag and carried it inside, leaving Thena and me to trail along behind him. The interior of the building was nothing like I was expecting. in fact, it wasn’t a house at all. Shelves crowded every wall while boxes and tables littered the space between. And between that, junk towered practically to the ceiling. Stacks of books stood taller than me. Heaps of rags, clothes, and blankets hid in every corner. Odd contraptions and sculptures stood like guardians, protecting the mess Uncle Williams had amassed over the years. I would have gotten lost in the maze had it not been for Uncle William’s prodding.
“Don’t touch anything. I just cleaned up in here and I know right where everything is.”
Clean? That was the last word I would have used for this. It looked like a sandstorm had rolled through. I would hate to see his idea of dirty.
After wandering through the aisles of knickknacks, garbage, and other relics, we arrived at our destination. A large sitting area hidden in the middle of the mess. Uncle Williams dropped the bundle to the floor in front of a hideous couch.
“Make yourselves at home,” he said before disappearing behind a large stack of cushions and pillows.
Two chairs and a long couch took up most of the space. The upholstery looked new but smelled of wet animals. And the colors? If Uncle Williams sat on any of them, he would become invisible. Between the chairs was an old, broken table. A dark red rug sat nestled under everything, lumps and wrinkles jutting up haphazardly, making it dangerous to walk across.
“Please, sit. If you are here, you’re family,” Uncle Williams said when he reappeared holding a large knife. “Let’s open this, shall we?”
Inspecting the nearest chair, I carefully sat down, though it did me no good. I sank into the soft cushions as a high-pitched squeal erupted from my lips. My feet flew over my head and my hind end dropped to the floor. When all was said and done, my knees were pressed against my face, leaving my feet dangling above me. Ignoring Thena’s howling laughter, I struggled in vain to release myself from this multi-colored prison, but the more I squirmed, the tighter I wedged myself into place.
“You had to go and sit in the one place you should not have,” Uncle Williams said as he took hold of my hands. With a firm tug, he yanked me free. “Sit on the couch next to Thena where no more harm can come to you.”
I tripped on the rug as I crossed it. Trying to regain my balance, I crashed into Uncle Williams as he tried to open the bag.
“Good heavens, boy. Are you blind?”
Thena couldn’t control herself. In fact, she was laughing so hard she began snorting.
“I’m sorry, sir,” I cried as I pulled myself up and crawled the rest of the way to the couch.
I was wary of the cushions as I sat, but I only sank a little, finding that even though the couch was ugly, it was quite comfortable. When I was settled, we watched Uncle Williams open the mystery bag. The old man talked to himself the whole time.
“What could this be?” he mumbled. “Old Lidia never talks, never visits, never writes. Now, out of the blue, this thing comes.”
When the bag was free of its restraints, Uncle Williams began pulling out nothing but rags, towels, and worn-out hand-me-downs that not even the most impoverished beggar would wear. Frustrated by the cruel joke, Uncle Williams began throwing the contents around the room. Thena and I had to dive out of the way to avoid being buried alive. Then, as he tossed the bag itself, a metallic clang echoed through the room. Something bounced through the warehouse of a home. Ears perked, Uncle Williams’ head shot up.
“Gold,” he exclaimed, crawling across the ground in search of his prey. “I would know that sound anywhere. And not just any gold. A coin.”
I glanced at Thena. She smiled at me as her uncle pulled his body across the floor.
“There you are,” he yelled, standing straight to examine the small piece in his hand.
His eyes glistened in the dying sunlight filtering through the windows. The look of excitement playing across his face changed instantly. It turned from joy to confusion to anger and finally to fear.
“Thena,” he shouted. “Who gave you this bag?”
“Mother did,” she replied, startled by his sudden outburst.
“No. Your mother would never have anything like this. Too many secrets.”
He ran back to where we were sitting and stood tall on the rug, towering over us.
“Listen to me very carefully. Whoever gave this to your mother has ill intentions. I fear for my sister and her family. I fear for you and your friend. Good heavens, I even fear for myself. This is a bad omen. Evil is coming.”
“What is it, uncle?” Thena asked.
“I can’t. No, that is not for you to know. And who, may I ask, is your young friend here? Now that I think about it, I do not recognize him or his heritage.”
“His name is Jaxon and he’s not from here.”
“Where are you from, boy?” Uncle Williams shouted. “Do you come from Campos as a spy? Or worse, a memory from Mathos?” His eyes held an intensity that demanded an answer. They demanded the truth.
“Neither, sir.” It was the only answer I could stammer out.
“Then where?” Uncle Williams cried, grabbing my arms.
The shock of being attacked so suddenly scared the truth out of me.
“I’m from the Knolls,” I said.
At the word, I was released from his crushing grip. The old man stepped back and fell into a chair.
“The Knolls? That is not a place I am familiar with. Is it in Odrana? An outlying settlement, perhaps?”
“I don’t think it is in either,” I said, wanting to tell him the truth but unsure if I should. But I didn’t get the chance to decide. Thena did it for me.
“He came through the cave, uncle.”
“Cave? Cave? What cave?”
“The cave.”
The man’s eyes widened with understanding. He stared at Thena and then at me. He covered his face with his hands as he thought.
“He says he is from another world. A dead world. Kya and I found him naked near the forbidden cave.”
“I was washing my clothes,” I cried.
“Why would that matter?” Uncle Williams asked.
“It’s why I was naked,” I replied shyly. “I don’t make it a habit of running around naked.”
“How did you come to find this cave? Tell me everything.”
Since Thena had broken the secret, I didn’t see any harm in telling him more and told him the same story I had recited to Master Adkins on at least a dozen occasions already. Uncle Williams never interrupted me, letting me finish before asking questions.
“This man,” he said when I was done. “He told you there was a point in the cave he could not pass? He told you never to return? Interesting. Had your father ever mentioned meeting this man before, even in passing?”
“No.”
“How did the man speak? Did he sound educated, like Councilman Adkins?”
I thought about it. I hadn’t paid too much attention to that when I was with him. “I guess so. He was smart. He knew things I never dreamed of knowing.”
Uncle Williams held up the coin again. Turning it in his hand, he studied each side. I could see the pictures imprinted on it. On one side, I could see a door with an intricate frame around it. Carved into the door was a picture of a key.”
“Why a key?” Thena asked.
“What?” Uncle Williams murmured.
“There is a picture of a key on the coin,” she said, pointing at it. “Why?”
“I’m not sure. What I am sure of is what this is. It is a summoner. I have no idea why it would have been sent to me, but I don’t think it made its way here by accident. It is a very old and powerful artifact. I must learn more. Tell your mother I thank her for the package. You must go now. There is much work to do. Much to learn.”
He ushered us through the clutter again and out the door. Slamming it behind us, he disappeared.
“What was all that about?” I asked.
“As long as I’ve known him, he’s been odd. But I think today takes the cake,” Thena said. “Come on. I want to get home before dark.”