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PARKER HAD TRAVELED A good distance. If she remembered the path correctly, she should be near the portal. She peered over her shoulder one last time to view the Citadel, now far in the distance. Her body vibrated and her ears rang with the unpleasant hum of her adrenaline pumping like a fever eating up her insides. But mostly the sense of being alone in the midst of the horror was beginning to erode her earlier bravado.
She spotted a camouflaged fossil wrapped with feathers and twigs—the traveler’s warning she’d recognized from the Labyrinth. She touched the rock for good luck and silently thanked the traveler who had marked the way. The path narrowed quickly, and descended, becoming a tight and dank tunnel. Her mouth went dry and she swallowed hard to retrieve saliva. She bit her cheeks and called up her courage.
At the curve up ahead, she noticed another traveler’s stone marking the end of the tunnel. She had entered the first layer of the Underworld, still dark and murky. She had ventured into the Labyrinth that led to the Black Sea.
Breathless and thirsty, she kept to the path, the same one she followed with Cole and returned them to safety, but now in reverse. The waters of the Black Sea slapped up against the boulders lining its shores. The sound was close by. The light diminished and the air moistened with each step. She shuddered, wanting to forget the darkness and the mystery of the Underworld she had re-entered. She shoved away her fear of the strange sea creatures, the unnatural flowing movements, and her bizarre ability to breathe beneath the sea without an oxygen source.
Parker distinguished voices. Cole’s voice, and then someone else. It couldn’t have been the tongue-less Veto. A snapping, curling sound startled her, and she practically jumped out of her skin. The unmistakable voice of the Scavenger’s laugh reverberated through the tunnels. Nearing the black abyss that fell away into forever, she moved stealthily through the passage for a closer view. She hid behind a group of large boulders, still cautious though the Silver Helm protected her.
The scene before her caused her to gasp despite herself.
Up ahead, Cole, bound at the hands and feet, suspended from a rope, dangled over the waters of the Black Sea. A guard with a huge snake head and elongated dorsal fins stood beside Veto. The guard wore the uniform of the Underworld and held a barbed whip. He cracked the spiraling lash on Cole’s back. Scavenger scuttled around the guard, watching and smirking as each stripe appeared on Cole’s back.
The blood dripped from Cole’s body and trickled into the water, tantalizing several electric eels swirling through the black waters beneath him. Their eerie grins signaled their thirst for a bite of flesh, though Cole was just out of reach.
“They’re licking their choppers for you, Sky Man. They like a ration of bird seed now and then. I’d say you’ve gotten yourself into a fine mess, Lieutenant,” Scavenger called out. “You helped the earthling escape and you’ll pay the price.”
“Let me go. I am warning you. I will have your head if you don’t release me.”
“If I were a betting man, I would wager you have no way to negotiate your freedom this time around. Your pool of influence with the Empress is poisoned. Fool the Empress but once. Now you are the fool, Sky Man, for returning to the Underworld.”
Parker stared at Cole about to scream when she saw the silver eels circling beneath him. The creatures snapped their jagged teeth and swam impatiently, waiting their turn, lured by each drop of Cole’s blood.
Two more uniformed soldiers stood off to the water’s edge laughing. Both wore blades on their belts and carried swords. The Scavenger wore blades on each of his eight legs and twirled a sword in each hand. A crossbow with a pack of arrows slung over his shell. The large guard with the snake head continued curling the lash to the Scavenger’s orders, striking Cole without interruption.
Parker worried she hadn’t brought any weapons. How was she going to put an end to this?
“The Sky Man flies low tonight,” a guard without the lash chuckled. The other pranced about the boulders and flapped his arms like wings. The two joked heartily and walked right by Parker continuing their antics, less than a foot away.
The Scavenger called out to them, “Settle down, you two. Branson, you and Gibeon return to the Grotto and let the sentries know we’ll be on our way shortly. I want the gallows prepped for this fool. The Empress announced anyone who desires may shoot an arrow into his heart. Not that it will be beating,” he cackled. “Now—off with you. Veto and I will bring him back.”
She couldn’t let the torture continue. How much could Cole take? What if he passed out? They’d drop him into the water. Her heart pounded in her chest. She had to do something.
She took a deep breath and pulled herself together.
She aimed her finger at the Scavenger, but a noise startled her from behind. A massive, dark feathered creature lumbered toward her and edged near the waters of the Black Sea. Parker shook her head in disbelief as she made out the enormous figure of an Upperworlder not wearing the Silver Helm. But who could be walking the trail? A limited few knew the location of the access portal at the East Gate. The body came closer and Parker fell to her knees.
Vibius! He had paused beside the Scavenger to observe Cole’s torture.
“I had my suspicions you were part of this, Vibius,” Cole said, exhausted, choking out the words with little breath. A deep, tortured breath later, he found his voice again. “But I didn’t want to believe even you could be capable of this.” Weak, his voice low, almost inaudible, he said, “You have shown me what you are. A traitor! You’ve betrayed our Sky King. And, all of us of the Upperworld.”
“I’d watch your mouth, if I were you,” Vibius said. “You have played both sides of our world. Neither of which belong to you. You are the last person on Spyridon who should call me a traitor.”
“I tried to save this planet. Not destroy it like you, but to keep peace. You’ll never be me. You don’t have an honorable bone in your body, or you wouldn’t be here. And you wouldn’t be doing this!”
The guard with the snake head hissed and cracked the whip against Cole’s leg, splitting open his pants. The blood pooled into the sea and the eels leapt out of the water, impatient for the promise of a meal.
“Sssssshall I finisssssh him off and drop him in, Captain?” The guard with the snake head asked the Scavenger.
“Not yet, Snakehead. The Empress has plans for this one. You can leave now. Catch up with Branson and Gibeon,” Scavenger said.
“There is still time to save yourself, Vibius. It is time for the truth,” Cole said. “You don’t have to do this. Vibius, it was you all along!” Cole said, “You poisoned the waters of the Upperworld. And orchestrated the attacks!”
Parker sprang into action and landed on top of the largest boulder. Her foot slid against several loose pebbles, tossing them up into the air, then splashing into the Black Sea, and back onto Parker’s legs. Veto and Scavenger spun around. At once, Vibius spotted Parker’s legs on the shoreline, free of the Helm.
Parker raised her hand and willed the fire to come again. She only had one chance at this. A burst of heat streamed out of her hand, but Vibius moved and missed the fire. Of course, he’d seen it coming; he was an old war veteran and had the soldier’s instincts Parker lacked. Her fire flashed against the cave wall where Vibius had been, and splattered Scavenger and Veto with hot shrapnel. The armless Veto opened his mouth in pain, but it was a pitiful, soundless attempt. He shuffled back behind the boulders, shielding himself from the stream of fiery blaze.
Scavenger rushed to help Vibius who had grabbed a rope from his belt. He unfurled the twine and lassoed Parker’s ankle, pulling her leg from under her. She tumbled and fell against the boulder. She neither heard nor felt the crack of her head against the rock until she was on the ground. Her eyes glazed over.
“What a pity! Your timing is a bit off, earthling! Or maybe, your timing is just right. Now you can join our imposter. The Empress will be delighted to display the two of you for the price of one.”
The old hawk motioned to Scavenger, “You can return to the Meridian. Sky Man’s blood belongs to my hand. I’ll have some of my own fun while I wait here with Veto for the sentries to help us lug the two bodies back.” The Scavenger retreated, following the path the guards had taken.
Vibius tugged the rope on Parker’s ankle and dragged her limp body to the edge of the water. Her head bounced against the loose gravel of the rocky path. Veto came closer. With one of the blades he wore on his leg, he kicked and punctured her ankles while Vibius bound both of Parker’s legs together with rope.
Her eyes flashed open. She screamed as Vibius dug his free claw into her cheek with his talon. The pain roared across her skin and the blood flowed from her face. She stared at his talons, now smeared with her blood. He fidgeted with something around his neck and smiled. Parker squinted to better eye what he held in his bloodied claw. Vibius twirled the leather braid of the medallion that belonged to Stefanos!
“What a fool the Ruling Great One is to think you were smart enough, or strong enough to help the Upperworld.” Vibius sputtered his words as he held the medallion.
“Let the girl be. This is between you and me.” Cole said. “She has nothing to do with us.”
“She wouldn’t have lived for long anyway. Better to put an end to her now.” Vibius said, then ordered, “Go join the guards, Veto. You should be able to improve your rank now with this capture. And make sure they’ve completed the work on the second display to showcase the earthling. We’ll string her up next to her friend. I want the eels to have some fun with her, too. You’ll be rewarded for this.”
Veto didn’t move. Vibius craned his neck and ordered, “Go on with you. And come back with some more help. I’m not touching this filth. Either one of them. There’s nothing they can do now.”
Vibius waited until Veto disappeared down the trail. He edged toward the shoreline and said, “Now, where were we, Cole?”
“You killed Pantione and the children, too. Didn’t you? I’ve held on to the poison samples from the water. It’s the same poison used to murder the royal family,” Cole said. “I presume the Empress doesn’t know.”
Vibius laughed and stroked his feathered neck. “Ah yes. Well, you’re almost correct. But unfortunately, Pantione isn’t dead. He carries a vial of protective serum with him at all times. It saved him from the poison. He’s in a coma and expected to live.”
Riveted by the news, perspiring, Parker’s thoughts raced, her pulse. Pantione was alive! Vibius the murderer of the children! What kind of monster was he? And she could have been killed for his crimes!
She moved her hands to touch her legs. They were completely numb. She couldn’t feel anything! The blood oozed down the left side of her shredded face. Her arms and hands tingled and throbbed.
“The Empress knew he had the serum,” Vibius said. “But she wasn’t sure he would make it. Foiled my plans a bit. But I’ll get to him. After I finish you off. I’ll take care of the other earthlings too, and then the Empress. Stefanos is already on his way out. I am destined to rule Spyridon.”
Parker heard enough. Her fingers twitched and electric currents of energy surged to the tips. She targeted Vibius' eyes and unleashed a flare of fire at him. He screamed. His feathers burned and his eyes smoldered. He flew into the air and dove into the water, emerging immediately from the Black Sea, his eyes unseeing and ruined.
“Speak now or I will kill you instantly. My eyes may be blinded, Parker. But I know your scent,” Vibius said. “You can’t hide from me. I will track you wherever you go. You think you have powers because you can shoot fire from your fingers. You will never be one of us! You will never rule the Upperworld. I will make certain of that.”
Parker remained quiet and untied her legs, gathering the bloody rope to free Cole. She pulled Cole into her arms and the weight of his body dropped on top of her and they rolled onto a bed of sand and moss, Parker flung on top of him. In spite of her pain, his warmth spread through her again, sending a renewed source of strength. She untied his hands and feet and her body poured into his. She covered his lips with her mouth. The blood on her face merged with his sweat.
Vibius swooped down to Parker, grabbed her hair in his talons, and pulled her up into the air. As Vibius ascended, Cole yanked the blade from Vibius’ ankle strap and sliced the giant hawk, clipping off one of his wings. Vibius lost his balance. His injured wing weakened, he dropped Parker to the ground. Cole circled his rope around Vibius, pulling it tightly so the hawk couldn’t move.
Veto reappeared from behind the boulders and thrust two of his blades into Parker’s leg with a kick from his foot.
She held Cole’s gaze. His thoughts were written on his face: the concern for her safety, the knowledge that she had the power to undo Veto with a thought.
Veto quivered, and must have guessed what was about to happen, because his blade sent a quick flash. He sliced Parker again with his foot, this time a shallower cut, because he was already halfway down the passage, running away. She tried to call up the fire, but between the shock of being slashed again, the pain of it, and Veto’s cowardice, she couldn’t make it in time. The fire bashed into the cavern wall just as the armless guard disappeared around a large boulder.
Cole let out a shaky breath. Close call, his thoughts told her. Then he turned his attention back to the betrayer.
“Now, it’s time for a little chat, Vibius,” Cole said. “Admit it to me. Tell me, was it your idea to attack the Upperworld when the earthlings arrived? Tell me, you poisoned our waters and the Underworld royals. We wondered if it could have been an Upperworlder behind this. But only Upperworld royals and earthlings can survive here. We never considered a royal would do this.”
Vibius spit in Cole’s direction.
“You’ll talk. Or say goodbye to your other wing.” Cole demanded.
“I have nothing to say to you. Go ahead, take it off.”
Parker watched Cole in horror. “Stop, Cole. He’s wearing Stefanos' medallion. Stefanos would never give it to him.”
Communicating telepathically with Cole, Parker sent a message she was worried about Stefanos. We have to return to the Upperworld and make sure the Sky King is not in danger, Parker told him.
“Not yet.” Cole said. “Lose your other wing, Vibius, or tell me did you plan the attacks on the Upperworld? The destruction of the mangrove? Was it you?”
“I owe you nothing, Cole. You’ll get no answers from me. I was the better leader. Better than Stefanos. And certainly, far better than Parker who will never be what I could have been. Let her take on the Empress now.”
Cole picked up Vibius' bloodied sword and thrust it into the hawk’s heart as he lifted the bronze medallion from around Vibius’ neck.
“He didn’t deserve an easy death,” Cole said.
“We both could have died, Cole. I’ve never felt fear like that. Fear for you. And fear for me.”
He pulled her toward him and kissed her, this time harder. She felt the desperate need in his kiss and responded by kissing him deeper. Cole’s fingers fluttered over the skin on her cheeks, hardly daring to touch her, what with the blood still seeping out. He tore the hem of his vest and wrapped it tightly around her head, to try to control the bleeding.
“That’ll have to do for now. We have a way to go until we reach the tunnel. Guess we’ll be leaving a nice bloody trail.”
They limped over the boulders, putting distance between them and the Black Sea.
“The Underworlders won’t follow us inside the tunnel though,” Cole said. “This close to the Upperworld means the Spirits of the Sky can aid us. The Underworlders fear them. We’ll be safe —we just have to make it there.”
They disappeared silently into the darkness of the entry to the portal.