| |
Porch lights lit up the street, even though it was three in the morning. People hovered in doorways or peered out of windows. A fleet of steamcars had parked anywhere they could all over the street. Papa and Mama had both been arrested, both dragged out of the orphanage in handcuffs.
Sara was carried out in a red and white sheet.
I’d collapsed on Whittaker’s front steps and hadn’t moved since. He stayed by my side, patting my shoulder or rubbing my back.
Sara was dead. Because of me. Because of all the choices I’d made.
A few guards came to talk to Whittaker, and they tried to talk to me. Words...didn’t really reach me, right then. None that made sense anyway.
She’d just wanted food. She was hungry. She was trying to survive. I’d stolen almost everything I’d ever eaten, so why was she dead?
An older guard leaned down on the steps below me. He had a scruffy white beard and round cheeks, and wrinkles around his eyes. “Rough night, huh?”
I glared weakly at him. That didn’t even begin to describe how this night had gone.
“What’s your name?”
“Ace.” The sound barely made it out of my mouth.
“That’s a good, strong, name. I’m Officer Jacoby. I’ve heard from a few of the other kids what they think happened, and it sounds like you were right in the middle of it all.”
“What will happen to them?”
“The other kids? They’ll stay here. We’re working out a rotation of guards to keep an eye on them for a day or two until new caretakers can be appointed. And once this story hits the papers, I’m sure many of them will be adopted.”
That was good. They deserved real homes, not this house of nightmares and death.
“Can you tell me what happened?” Jacoby asked.
“We just wanted food,” I whispered. In bits and pieces, I told him what happened. My arrival, my bag of food, my plan, my fault. Sara’s death.
He stayed quiet and let me talk at my own pace, until I said every last gory detail. He patted my knee. “I’m sorry you had to go through this. I hope you know it wasn’t your fault. George made his own choices. And the Guard should have been checking in more to make sure he and his wife weren’t abusing their power. But we’ll make it better now, I promise.”
Liar. Sara was dead. They couldn’t change that.
Officer Jacoby stood up and talked with a few other officers.
Whittaker, still next to me, let out a deep breath. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. I’ve got a spare couch you can sleep on if you want. I doubt you want to go back next door any time soon.”
Never would be too soon. But I didn’t want to stay with Whittaker, either.
I wanted my friends. I wanted Jade and Malik and Damon.
“Ace? Where are you going?”
My body moved on its own. Down the steps, up the street, shrugging off a few half-hearted attempts to grab me. My pace quickened when I rounded the corner.
By the next block, I was running.
By the one after that, I was blinking away tears.
It took me an hour, but I finally stumbled back to Base.
Malik and Jade both jumped up when I shouldered the door open, my feet shuffling over the floor, and Malik pulled a knife on me. It clattered to the ground when he got a good look at me.
“Ace!”
“You’re back!” Jade said.
They tackled me, and once Damon woke up and realized what was happening, he jumped on the pile, too.
I clutched all of them as tight as I could until exhaustion finally made me pass out. When I woke up hours later, sunlight poked through the crack over the door. My head was in Jade’s lap, with Malik beside me and Damon curled up on top of me.
“Not the return I was expecting,” Malik said.
“Especially when you still have a fever,” Jade added, pressing her hand against my forehead. “Did the doctor kick you out?”
“No, he was just weird.” After drinking some water, I explained everything to them. They prodded me until I told them about the orphanage, too. At least, I told them the bare details. I didn’t want to freak Damon out.
“I can’t believe you ended up back there.” Malik squeezed his fingers around a wrench.
“Or that you were there for less than a day and managed to flip the place on its head,” Jade said.
Even Damon had his own two cents to share. “I can’t believe you came back without shoes. You always tell me never to walk around barefoot.”
Blinking, I glanced down at my feet. I’d been in such a daze with everything going on, I’d never noticed I didn’t grab my boots.
Well, that was just great. I was lucky I hadn’t stepped on any broken glass.
“I’ll try and find some for you today,” Malik offered. “You should get some more rest.”
It felt like all I did anymore was sleep, but I couldn’t deny how drained I was, despite the nap I just had. And not going out and facing the world sounded like the best idea I’d heard in weeks. “Thanks.”
Jade asked Malik to bring back food, too, and with a quick salute he was off.
Damon started telling me everything I’d missed. The most exciting thing seemed to be his successful pickpocketing adventures and Jade slugging a handsy drunk across the face. But Damon went day by day, making sure I knew everything, and it wasn’t long before I nodded off.
The nightmares didn’t take long either. Only a couple hours later, I woke up gasping in a cold sweat. Jade’s lap had been replaced by a folded blanket, and another had been laid out over me. She and Damon were by the stove, fingers covered in ash, practicing Damon’s letters on the wall.
A pair of boots and a stale loaf of bread wrapped in paper sat next to my head. One of the boots didn’t have laces, and the other had a weird green stain on the side.
“Are you alright?” Jade asked.
I took a deep breath. “Yeah. Just a dream.” A horror featuring Dr. Carl and Sara and too much blood, but only a dream.
“Ace, look, I can write the alphabet!” Damon beamed. He rubbed more ash on his fingers and started writing in a blank space of wall.
“That’s great, Damon. You’re doing really well.” I sat up and tried on the boots. They were a little snug, and I’d have to find some way to lace up the one, but they’d work. Then I tore into the bread, and my stomach angrily reminded me I hadn’t eaten since dinner two days ago at Dr. Carl’s house.
My thoughts spiraled after that, thinking back on the bread I’d stolen, which had been brought to the orphanage, that Sara had wanted to steal, and everything that happened after.
The bread turned to dust in my mouth. Sara...
Damon finished the alphabet and beamed at me.
I tried to smile back, but my face wasn’t working. “Great job, buddy.”
Jade tilted her head at me, eyes narrowing. She knew something was wrong.
I couldn’t do this again. “I’m going for a walk.”
“Ace-”
“Alone,” I added, and all but ran out of Base. My hands shook, and I couldn’t take a full breath. The whip cracking down over and over echoed in my head.
I walked on instinct for a while, turning corners and sticking to the shadows. I slowed when I reached the bridge, bracing myself on the railing and trying to teach myself how to breathe again.
Normally I pay attention to my surroundings, and it’s pretty hard to sneak up on me. But the tap on my shoulder almost sent me over the side.
“Whoa, easy, it’s just me!” a kid said, raising both hands and taking a step back.
“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” I demanded. Who was he? He acted like we knew each other, but I’d never seen him befo...wait. “You’re the one who gave me his jacket.”
He smiled and held a hand out to shake. Behind him, the same servant from before kept a lookout. “Yep. My name is Jack.”
I glared at his hand. “You want it back or something?” I’d barely taken it off since he gave it to me. It was warm, and wearing something that wasn’t worn through was a nice change.
“What? No! Not at all, the exact opposite, actually.” Still smiling, he held out a bag for me. “This is for you, too.”
I eyed the bag and then him. What game was he playing?
“This stuff is all old, and I don’t need it, but I figured you would, or you would know someone who would, and it would be more useful to you than to me,” he said.
I slowly took it from him and looked inside. It was all clothes, but it was all as well made as the jacket I wore. I eyed Jack again. Had he sought me out just to give me more clothes? Didn’t he have anything better to do? And why me? There were plenty of other kids who needed this even more than I did. He must have passed some of them to find me.
“I know it’s not much.” Jack scratched his cheek. “I just...wanted to do more than I did last time. I’m glad your wrist is better.”
My wrist? There wasn’t anything...wrong...with...
There had been. I had broken it. I remembered Jade setting it.
I did not remember anyone taking the splint off. Even if I did, it wouldn’t have healed this fast. I glanced down at my wrist, turning it back and forth. Nothing hurt.
“Is it better? I thought it looked better. If it’s not I can give you money for a doctor?”
Seriously, what was up with this kid? Why was he so determined to help me?
“It’s fine,” I said.
“Oh, good. I’m glad.” And he smiled a genuine smile.
Was there something wrong with his head? Normal people didn’t act like this.
Movement behind Jack caught my eye, and I saw Dr. Carl striding up the bridge, hands clasped behind his back. The grin splitting his face made me back up a few steps. I’d seen that smile on Papa’s face more times than I could count. That smile said he’d already won, and someone was about to hurt.
The servant behind Jack shifted, fully facing Dr. Carl and keeping Jack behind him.
This wasn’t just a servant; he was a bodyguard. Who exactly was this kid?
“I’m glad I found you again, Ace,” Dr. Carl said. “You had me worried.”
“I bet.”
“And I see you’ve already met Jackson. You’ve done your part very well.”
“My part?” I repeated. Had I somehow done exactly what he’d wanted me to do, even without knowing what he wanted? And how did Jack figure into his plans?
“Who is this?” Jack asked.
“Doesn’t matter, we’re leaving,” the bodyguard said. He steered Jack around me, but Jack twisted back and broke out of his grip.
Dr. Carl waved his hand.
The bodyguard went flying off the bridge, splashing into the river.
“Lucas!” Jack yelled. He peered over the edge of the bridge.
I stepped back, eyes locked on Dr. Carl. “How did you do that?”
“I’m one of four magicians on this continent,” Dr. Carl said.
“What?” Jack demanded, whirling on him.
“Oh, yes, Jack. Your mummy didn’t tell you about me?”
So now Dr. Carl knew Jack and his family? And magicians? Magic? Magic wasn’t real, no one could wave their hand and cast real spells.
But Lucas had been blasted off the bridge with only a hand wave. No one touched him.
My head had never hurt so much in my life.
Dr. Carl took slow steps towards us. Jack and I backed up together.
Jack looked as confused as I felt, at least. “She knows about you? But wait, who’s the fourth magician?”
Dr. Carl smiled at me.
Okay, this guy was insane. It was a miracle he hadn’t killed me when I was sick.
Jack looked at me, too, and then glanced at my hair. His mouth fell open. “No...”
“Indeed,” Dr. Carl said. “It surprised me, too. And with both of you, I’ll be able to bring this kingdom back to its former glory.”
I was missing something important, some key to understanding this conversation. I also had the feeling that we needed to get out of here, now, which Jack seemed to agree with because we both turned and started running, turning downstream to follow his bodyguard.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“It’s complicated,” Jack panted. “There!” He spotted his bodyguard hauling himself up out of the river, soaking wet but otherwise alright. “Lucas!”
“Your Highness!” Lucas exclaimed. “Are you unharmed?”
I tripped. Did he say what I thought he said?
“I’m fine,” Jack said. “What about you?” He helped Lucas to his feet.
“Fine, but we need to get out of here.”
“You’re not going anywhere.” Dr. Carl reappeared in front of us in a swirl of shadows.
I swore and stumbled back until I fell. He really was using magic.
Lucas pushed Jack behind him again and pulled a dagger. “Jack, get out of here. Use that transportation spell.”
“All the way back to the palace?” he asked.
Palace? Oh, no.
Lucas swiped at Dr. Carl, but Dr. Carl vanished and reappeared behind him. He flicked his wrist, and Lucas’s shadow went taught. Lucas froze with it.
“Shadow magic,” Jack breathed, backing up next to me.
“Jack, go,” Lucas grunted.
“Not without you,” Jack insisted.
Dr. Carl turned to us.
“He wants you. Go.”
“I’m willing to bargain,” Dr. Carl said. “You two come with me, and I let him live.”
“So, if we don’t, you’ll kill him?” Jack asked.
“Jack,” Lucas growled.
“What will it be?” Dr. Carl asked.
It was the same bargain Papa had tried to make me. Go with him, and he wouldn’t hurt Sara.
“Live, Jack, for Wingomia!” Lucas said.
Jack inhaled sharply.
Oh hell, he was the Crown Prince, wasn’t he? I was in so far over my head.
“I won’t ask again.” Dr. Carl twisted his hand, and Lucas twisted with it, grimacing.
The whip echoed in my head. I launched myself at Dr. Carl. We almost went into the river, but he’d lost his grip on the spell holding Lucas and Lucas grabbed my arm.
Dr. Carl went into the water with a splash.
Lucas hauled me back to safety, practically throwing me to the ground.
“Ace, are you okay?” Jack asked.
“He won’t be for long if we don’t move.” Lucas strode to Jack’s side. “Jack, the spell! Anywhere is fine.”
“He has to come with us,” Jack said, pulling out a pocket watch.
How in the world was a pocket watch useful right now?
“Whoa, wait, what?” I backed up a step.
“That guy wants him, too. We can’t leave him,” Jack said.
Lucas frowned and nodded, then reached out to grab my arm again.
A dripping Dr. Carl reappeared in front of us.
Lucas pushed both of us behind him and flashed his dagger again. “Jack, do it now.”
“You’re coming, too,” Jack insisted. He grabbed my hand tightly and held out his other for Lucas.
“What is happening?” I asked.
“Alright.” Lucas reached his hand back, wrapping it around Jack’s fingers and the watch.
My vision blurred on the edges, and I felt lightheaded.
Lucas pulled out of Jack’s reach.
Jack screamed “No!”
And then we were falling.