CHAPTER 42
Breaking Point
Day 40
This . . . is . . . not . . . good,” Manuel said.
Throughout the night, Xavier, Evan, and Manuel had been under assault by Ents, which had been released as the skypod had started breaking apart. The boys had climbed on top of Tannyn with their shields to protect him from the fireballs and to give him as much comfort as they could. Tannyn continued to moan, the sound echoing mournfully in the darkness.
Now it was nearly dawn, and yet the swarming Ents created a cloud so dense it blocked the rising sun. There were now more holes in the skypod than there was actual skypod. Only the spot on which Tannyn rested remained intact. They knew it was only a matter of time before the entire pod collapsed.
None of them had been able to get any sleep, between the constant buzzing of the Ents and the crashing fireballs. Evan could hear Xavier breathing heavily, fighting against the pain in his burned arm. Manuel was now the only one who was able to raise his shield. He kept his arm outstretched, resting on Evan’s shoulder, with his fist closed. Evan often heard him counting during the night. He was up to four hundred twenty-nine. When he needed to rest, Xavier would take a turn, raising his seed-shield in his good arm for a time, with Evan’s help.
They needed to get off the skypod before it collapsed. But Tannyn’s eyes were badly damaged and his wing was broken, so there was no way he could fly them out. Evan couldn’t see any other way they could be rescued.
Manuel was right. This was not good.
Evan closed his eyes and rested his head against one of Tannyn’s spikes. He reached into his pocket for the hundredth time, hoping to feel the seed there, as if it would miraculously reappear. Instead, he felt the rock. It was warm from being in his pocket for so long. He wrapped his fingers around it.
Remember.
The voice seemed to come from inside his head. Remember . . . what? Something Ru had said. I am with you. You have everything you need.
Ruwach was here, somewhere, even if Evan couldn’t see him.
“Okay Ru,” Evan said to himself. “Give me what we need.”
Put your hand on your brother’s arm.
Evan’s eyes flew open. He was certain Ruwach was right in front of him, speaking to him. He looked around but didn’t see the little guide anywhere.
Put your hand on your brother’s arm.
Evan hesitated, glancing at his brother, who was leaning forward on one of Tannyn’s spikes with his eyes closed. He’s going to freak out.
Just do it.
Evan reached toward his brother and carefully laid his hand on the wounded arm. Xavier jerked upright, gasping.
“Hey!”
“Sorry,” Evan said out loud.
Xavier tried to jerk away, but he didn’t have the strength. “What are you—?”
“Just hold it.”
Xavier went still, staring at his arm. Evan closed his eyes and focused on the words Ru had spoken to him. You have everything you need. When he opened his eyes again, Xavier had twisted around to stare at him. His face was filled with surprise, but Evan could tell that he felt better. The reddened skin of Xavier’s arm looked less angry, and the swelling in his fingers had gone down. Xavier raised his arm to stare at it, then wiggled his fingers.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” he said. “How did you—?”
“Not me,” said Evan. “Ru did it.”
“But he’s not even here.”
“Yes he is.” Evan felt calmer. Even though they were still under intense attack, he knew that Ru was with them.
“It’s a . . . miracle,” Manuel said.
“Thanks, little brother.” Xavier looked at Evan and smiled. Evan beamed back. Finally, Xavier really saw him. Even though the Ents were still swarming and the fireballs were still falling, Evan was happy.
Levi and Brianna sprinted over the bridge until they could touch the side of the pyramid. The bridge ended several feet below the very top of the pyramid. Levi stood on tiptoes, but he couldn’t reach the opening above him.
“We’re still too low,” he said. The pinnacle was smooth as glass and very narrow.
“I’ll climb up,” Brianna said. “There’s only room for one anyway. Give me your pot.” Levi handed over his water pot. She stuck it in her belt with the other one. “So, hopefully once I do this, we can escape down the bridge before . . .”
“Yeah,” said Levi. He glanced down at the shimmering bridge they stood upon. That would be their escape route.
Brianna nodded and set her foot on the glass wall. Her boot stuck to it like a suction cup. She took another step, holding her hands out for balance. When she was as close to the top as she could get, she grabbed one of the pots from her belt and stretched her arm toward the opening. When the pot was in the right spot, she took a breath and dropped it.
The Bone Breakers started to caw loudly. They’d spotted her.
“Hurry!” Levi said. “Drop it!”
“I did,” Brianna said, puzzled. “But nothing happened. Maybe I missed.”
“Throw the other one!” Levi shouted. He could hear the birds sending signals to each other all around them.
Brianna took the second pot from her pocket and threw it down into the opening.
Still nothing.
“I don’t get it,” said Brianna. “Why isn’t there an explosion?”
The cawing of the Bone Breakers filled Levi’s ears. “Come down! We need to get out of here!”
Brianna turned to climb back down. Levi put one foot on the pyramid to help her. Just then two huge Bone Breakers swooped upon them. Levi went for his shield, but it was too late. Brianna screamed. The birds snatched the two Warriors in their talons as if they were nothing more than a pile of bones.