Kelly wasn’t sure if a rowboat was really the best getaway vehicle, but it seemed they had done enough damage to the KG to avoid immediate pursuit.
‘What’s the next step?’ she said. ‘Minh, you know the area better than us. Is there anything you can suggest?’
Minh was staring back the way they had come, and it took him a moment to realise she had asked him a question.
‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘This is not how I was expecting to spend my day.’ He frowned. ‘But why are you asking me that? I thought you guys would have a plan?’
‘We sort of did,’ said Kelly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
‘Did?’ said Minh. ‘What happened?’
‘We found you,’ said Stanley.
Minh clearly didn’t think much of this. ‘So that’s as far ahead as you’d got? Man, you guys would suck at chess.’ He turned to survey the river ahead. ‘Well, the river leads to Sector Hub A, the central marketplace for the Agricultural Zone. It’s a lot busier than the other Hubs, so should be easier to avoid anyone watching. It’ll take us a few hours to get there. There’s a train station, buses as well. Might be a good way to lay down some dust.’
Stanley yawned. ‘An excellent suggestion, Minh.’
Kelly could tell he was bone-tired. ‘Hey Stanley,’ she said, ‘maybe I can’t drive, but I think I can row. How about you get some rest?’
Stanley agreed without protest, and the boat rocked as everyone shuffled positions.
‘Not exactly the most comfortable bed,’ Stanley said, as he lay down, ‘but maybe I … could …’
Kelly could sense worries niggling at him, which would make it hard for him to get to sleep. She reached out and smoothed them away, then coaxed forth his tiredness, like draping a blanket over his mind.
‘Wow,’ said Minh, with a chuckle. ‘Out like a light.’
‘We’ve been travelling awhile,’ said Kelly.
‘You guys must have been through a lot.’ Minh brightened. ‘You and I were pretty incredible together just now, weren’t we? Unicorn and Minotaur!’
Kelly couldn’t help but find his smile infectious. ‘Yeah, we really showed those Hornets.’
‘Showed a whole bunch of them. You were amazing – how fast can you run?’
‘I don’t know, I’ve never timed myself.’
‘We should time you, then. Hey, and I threw a tractor at a helicopter!
Threw a tractor at a helicopter.’
Kelly shared his incredulous delight. ‘And then you trampled flat a whole field of wheat!’
Minh’s grin faded. ‘Yeah, that wasn’t so flash. That crop took all year to grow. It’ll be a real hit to Mum and Dad’s margins.’
As his thoughts returned to his parents, it felt like clouds were gathering about him. Kelly decided to distract him.
‘So, we’ve got some time,’ she said, ‘and apparently you and I are meant to save the Kingdom together. Want to tell me your story?’
Minh shrugged. ‘Not much to tell. John and Margaret took me in when I was a toddler, way before I was any help on the farm. I hardly even remember that, of course, and nothing about the orphanage before. Don’t know who my real parents were, but the Armstrongs are my family in all ways that count.’
‘So you lived on the farm ever since?’
‘Yeah, although I want to be a doctor. Or did, until recently. My plan was to go to college in the city. Then this stuff started happening to me. At first I thought I was just strong from all the farm work, but soon I realised none of my friends could dig or plant anywhere near as fast as I could. Then, a few months ago, the real changes began.’
‘How did it happen?’
‘One of my little brothers didn’t come home at dinnertime. I went looking for him, and soon I heard wolves howling. I ran towards them, and found him stuck up a tree with a pack circling. I was so afraid at the thought of losing him, I could feel my heart banging in my chest. Then it happened. I got bigger, and stronger, and these weird lumps I’d had behind my ears – I hadn’t been sure what they were, or told anyone about them – they burst out of my head and – well, you know.’
Kelly nodded. ‘That’s sort of what it was like for me.’
‘It’s hard to remember exactly – my head goes a bit hazy when I change. It’s like I see red everywhere I look.’
‘Well, your eyes do turn red,’ said Kelly.
‘They do?’ Minh was genuinely surprised. ‘I didn’t know that.’ He chuckled. ‘Guess I haven’t looked in the bathroom mirror when I’m, you know, all beefed up.’
‘No pun intended?’ said Kelly.
Minh looked confused, then laughed. ‘That’s terrible!’
‘Hey, it was your joke,’ she said.
‘Unintentional!’
His smile faded again, and he cast another look behind.
‘I owe John and Margaret everything. It kills me to just run away when there are still Hornets around.’
Minh’s mind was no longer boiling and impenetrable to Kelly’s perceptions, but more like a swirl of different emotions. She could sense his doubts fighting against something else – a sense of purpose, maybe? Of knowing things were not right with the world?
Almost reflexively, she pushed his doubts into the background, to ease his internal conflict.
Minh sighed. ‘I guess they’ll be okay. If the Hornets ask, they’ll just say I’m another useless orphan they’re glad to be rid of. And fighting the Collector may be the best way I can help them. Plus, I mightn’t make a very good surgeon anymore. What if something goes wrong, and I grow too big to hold a scalpel?’
‘Maybe one day,’ Kelly said, ‘after we defeat William James, you can reclaim your dream.’
Minh looked at her seriously. ‘You really think so?’
Kelly smiled. ‘I do.’
The water gently rocked the boat, little waves lapping at the sides. Birds twittered in the trees, and for a moment the world seemed peaceful.
Gosh, she’s pretty, thought Minh.
The thought caught Kelly by surprise, and she blushed deeply. Minh caught her reaction, and frowned.
‘What is it?’
Kelly decided that, if they were going to be teammates, she couldn’t really start by hiding important things from him. Especially after he had opened up to her, and even if admitting her power came at a slightly awkward moment.
‘This,’ she tapped her horn, ‘gives me a kind of telepathy.’
‘Really?’ Minh stared at her horn. ‘Whoa.’ He suddenly realised the implications, and it was his turn to blush. ‘Ah … I mean, I didn’t … I wasn’t … um …’
‘It’s okay,’ said Kelly. ‘And anyway, thank you for the compliment. I, er …’ She found herself getting a bit tongue-tied too. ‘Anyway, I’m only just learning to use it. At first I could just hear thoughts, but now I … well, I think I can affect people a bit.’
‘Like how?’ Minh was suddenly wary.
‘Nothing big!’ Kelly said. ‘Just to help them. If they’re angry or upset, or …’
‘Like I was just now?’ said Minh.
Kelly hadn’t meant for him to find out this way.
‘It’s a new thing for me,’ she tried. ‘I’m still learning to control it. Please, I didn’t mean to overstep.’
Minh stared at her hard. She withdrew completely from his head, lest she somehow make things worse. After a moment, he seemed to reach some kind of conclusion.
‘I guess we’re both learning how to deal with what we’re becoming,’ he said. ‘But I need to know you won’t read my thoughts, and whatever else you can do, without my permission. Otherwise, how can I trust you?’
‘Of course,’ said Kelly quickly. ‘That’s fair enough. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you straight up. I’ll do my best to respect your wishes.’
Minh nodded, seemingly satisfied.
They talked for a couple more hours as they drifted along, exchanging stories about their lives. Eventually, when Kelly was laughing at a goofy story about Minh chasing chickens around with a broom, Stanley woke up.
‘Hmm,’ he said, sitting up as he rubbed his face, a pattern of wooden planks imprinted on his cheek. ‘Guess I needed it. How long have I been asleep?’
‘A while,’ said Minh. ‘We’re getting close.’
‘Just in time, then,’ said Stanley. ‘Minh, will you row for a bit? Kelly, now that we’ve found our Minotaur, I think we better try to retrieve the Griffin part of the prophecy.’
‘Oh, is this what you did to find me?’ said Minh, excited. ‘Telepathy tricks! Amazing.’
He took the oars, watching curiously as Kelly took Stanley’s wrist.
As before, she reached into Stanley’s mind, and sought to draw out his memory of the book. It was easier than the first time, because each of them better understood what was happening. Stanley’s eyes went slightly bleary, and then the page formed in the front of his thoughts …
‘I have it!’ he announced.
Kelly considered the words for a moment. ‘Doesn’t seem that useful.’
Stanley frowned, but remained silent.
‘Maybe you guys can think about it on the walk,’ said Minh, as he steered the boat towards the shore. ‘We’re almost at Sector Hub A.’
