Chapter 8

HELLO, FATHER

Six years, two months, and fourteen days earlier

 

Bruises covered Alexia’s body. Her hands were tied behind her back and every muscle burned. Petrus had been furious with Alexia for breaking his hand, and his Gang of Terror had punched and kicked her repeatedly until she’d fallen unconscious.

Alexia opened her eyes and groaned as she rolled onto her side. She was laying face-first and was sure at least two of her ribs were cracked.

No! Where are they? Alexia’s dress and sling were gone, and she wore only her shift. The thought was almost too much to bear. For the first time since she’d been captured, Alexia allowed herself to cry.

Alexia heard someone groan behind her. She rolled over and saw Josiah lying on his back. He had also been beaten. I should have left him there! she thought for the twentieth time since the fall.

Yet she knew it wasn’t true. It had been the right thing to help Josiah. In truth, she was furious with herself. Stepping on a gutter and losing her balance was such a stupid thing to do. Josiah groaned again.

“Boy,” Alexia whispered. “Boy, I’m here. Are you okay?”

He opened his eyes and smiled weakly. “Thanks”—he licked his lips—“for coming back for me.”

Alexia let out a small sigh. “You’re welcome. Though I didn’t do such a great job at rescuing you.”

“You tried,” he said. “That’s all that matters.”

“I may have made things worse, breaking Petrus’s hand like that.”

Josiah grinned. “Yeah, but did you see his face?”

Petrus had looked ridiculous, jumping up and down, screaming like a baby. Alexia giggled, then immediately regretted it when the pain in her ribs stabbed her. “We need to get out of here,” she whispered. “I don’t think they’ll ever let us go after what I did.”

“It’s not Petrus I’m afraid of,” Josiah said. “It’s their leader, Lord Korah. He doesn’t just hurt people. He’s killed people, lots of them.”

Alexia had also heard the stories, though no one knew for certain if this Lord Korah was even real. He was said to be the mastermind behind the Gang of Terror and other gangs in Belfast. But she didn’t care how terrible he was. All she cared about was getting her sling and dress back.

Her wrists had been tied tight with ropes, and she didn’t think she could wriggle out of them. Alexia rolled away again. There were a few stones lying about, but nothing looked sharp enough to cut the rope that bound her.

“Do you mind if I untie you?”

Alexia rolled to her back and was shocked to see Josiah standing above her, his hands free. He was grinning sheepishly.

“How did you … what did …?”

“I’ve always been good at getting out of things. I think it helps that I can do this.” Josiah twisted his arms in on themselves—he was double-jointed at the wrists and elbows.

Alexia grinned. “Why didn’t you say so, you ninny! Yes, untie me!”

Josiah snickered as he fiddled with the knot. Alexia stood and rubbed her wrists, looking around. They weren’t in a locked room but had been left in some sort of tunnel.

“This must be a part of their lair,” she said.

“Yeah, but which way will take us out of here?”

“I’m not going anywhere until I get my dress and sling back,” she said bitterly. “Petrus stole them!”

“You can get another dress and sling.” Josiah was incredulous. “Let’s just get out of here!”

Alexia rounded on him. “Go if you want, boy. I never asked for your help. But I’m not leaving without them.”

Josiah threw his hands in the air. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t help. If it’s that important to you, then of course I’ll help. Why do you have to be so prickly all the time?”

Alexia was confused. What did this boy really want? After a moment she realized she didn’t care. It would be nice to have someone nearby if she really was going to search for Petrus. “Fine,” she said. “You can come. But you had better not slow me down.”

Josiah grinned, rocking on his heels and looking as if he were about to embark on a grand adventure. Alexia rolled her eyes as she studied the tunnel, looking for any clue as to which way to go. When she found none, she decided to pick a direction and start walking. As they crept along the tunnel, Josiah whispered, “Is your name really Blade?”

“Yes,” Alexia said. “Why? What’s wrong with it?”

“I can’t imagine a better name. I wish my name was Blade.”

Alexia was beginning to like this boy. They hadn’t gone far before they heard screams. Someone was in trouble! They shared an uneasy look as they continued forward.

“Please stop! Please,” a boy shrieked, “I beg you!”

“I warned you what would happen if you failed me!” a man snarled.

“Please …”

Alexia and Josiah rounded a corner and stopped. They’d come to a section where six passages joined, forming a large chamber. A man in a black-and-silver hooded cloak held a leather strap and stood over Petrus, who lay whimpering on the ground.

A few older boys and girls stood nearby, looking as if they would rather be anywhere else. If Alexia had to guess, these were the members of the Gang of Terror. Which meant the man must be Lord Korah. I bet that’s why they left us alone, Alexia thought. They’re all here to watch Petrus get punished.

Alexia disliked Petrus; in fact, she hated him. But a small part of her felt bad for him. What had he done to make Korah so angry? The man’s face was shrouded in the deep hood, but there was something familiar about him.

“You are meant to bring this city to its knees,” Korah said. “You are to steal from everyone, rich and poor, to destroy property. You are to hurt those who are weaker and humiliate those who are stronger. Yet you allow a little girl to break your hand?” He sighed. “You are weak, boy! Perhaps I was mistaken to place you in command here?”

“She ambushed us, m’lord!” Petrus sniveled.

“You were ambushed by a little girl?” Korah sneered. “Pathetic!”

Alexia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Petrus is being punished because I broke his hand? Josiah is right—Korah is evil!

“I am not known for giving second chances”—Korah shook his head disgustedly—“but I’m feeling … gracious today. You will remain the leader here, but I warn you, do not fail me again.” His voice was as cold as the grave.

Korah had been pacing, but he stopped suddenly. “What is that?”

Alexia couldn’t see what he was looking at.

Petrus groaned and held his ribs as he stood. “Just the girl’s things, m’lord—a dress and sling. Nothing important.” Alexia’s heart leaped—then sank. She’d found them, but now what?

“Give them to me.” Korah’s voice was tight.

Petrus scrambled over and handed them to Korah. He hissed the moment his fingers touched the dress. After a moment he began inspecting it, looking closely at the seams and running his fingers along the material. “I don’t believe it,” he whispered. “Could it be? After so long, to find her here?”

“I’m sorry, m’lord, are you speaking to me?” Petrus asked.

Korah ignored Petrus as he moved on to inspect the sling. After a moment he brought both sling and dress to his nose and inhaled deeply. After a moment, he screamed and tore Alexia’s dress, ripping it in two. But he didn’t stop there—he tore it over and over again until it was shredded beyond recognition. Alexia gasped, but Josiah grabbed her and placed a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming.

Alexia shoved Josiah off and glared at him. But she stayed put. Although she hated to admit it, he was right. To attack now would only ensure they were captured again.

“Take me to her!” Korah raged. “This child escaped me once. Tonight I will finish what was started years ago!” He turned to the others. “Come with me and I will teach you how to make someone truly suffer.”

“Yes, m’lord.” Petrus whimpered and darted toward the tunnel where Alexia and Josiah were hiding. Both children scrambled into one of the side tunnels, doing their best to stay hidden in the shadows. Korah dropped the sling and the ruined dress as he followed Petrus and the others out of the chamber. As he stalked past, Alexia once again had the nagging feeling that she knew the man from somewhere. And he acted like he knew me! It didn’t make a lick of sense. As they darted across the chamber to snatch the sling and shredded dress, Alexia began to weep. Her dress was ruined. It had been a present from her mother and now it was gone.

Present day

As Alexia crept along the dark caverns below Buckingham Palace, she took a stone from the inside pocket of her crimson cloak and dropped it into the fold of her sling. She still wore the Atherial Cloak and was sure the captain and his men had no idea she was following.

They were far enough from the Gang of Terror for Alexia to try to save Wild without being heard. She had to do it before he was taken to Korah. Whatever happened, she could not allow that! As she spun the sling, the captain stopped abruptly and knocked on a large steel door.

The door swung open and Alexia almost gasped when she saw Miel standing on the other side. Alexia had barely spoken to her in Agartha, but she had liked the woman. Could Miel be the betrayer Mrs. Dumphry had spoken of?

“Who is it now?” a harsh voice growled from somewhere inside the chamber.

Alexia felt something cold wrap around her heart. She recognized that voice from when she’d heard it in the tunnels more than six years earlier. Korah was on the other side of the steel door.

Miel looked from the captain to Wild. “They have brought the old woman’s pup. The boy, Wild.”

“Excellent,” Korah said. “Bring him to me.”

As the men carried Wild into the chamber, Alexia took a deep breath. It was too late to turn back now. She slung a stone against a nearby wall, and as Miel turned to look, Alexia darted through the door. Though her trick had worked on Petrus, as she passed Miel, the woman looked directly at her and gasped. “The witch has come!”

Alexia sent a stone flying at Miel, but the woman dove aside and it passed through empty space. The two frightened guards dropped Wild and scrambled out of the chamber with the captain.

As Alexia readied another stone, Wild rose from the ground and spun. In a heartbeat he’d reached inside his cloak and sent two daggers flying at Miel’s chest.

He must have been conscious the whole time! Alexia was outraged. He wanted to be brought here! If she’d known he was awake, she could have rescued him earlier!

The Atherial Cloak was affecting Alexia’s aim, so she shrugged out of it. As she loosed another stone, Korah extended his arms and sent a wall of black flame exploding across the chamber. Alexia somersaulted out of its path, and as she landed, both Korah and Alexia saw each other clearly for the first time. He was standing in front of a massive structure of interlocking steel rings.

“It’s not Elion!” Korah whispered hoarsely. “It’s the Child of Prophecy!”

“She wears the witch’s cloak.” Miel was just as shaken as Korah. Wild lay on the ground nearby, groaning and cradling a wounded arm.

“It’s you!” Alexia croaked, suddenly unable to fill her lungs. She couldn’t stop the tears as she stepped back. “I don’t understand …”

Wild somehow managed to rise and leap at Korah. “Leave her alone!” he screamed.

Korah didn’t even glance at him but pointed a finger and sent a stream of black flame to explode against Wild’s chest. Wild shot backward, crashed against the wall, and fell.

Alexia tried to breathe, but she couldn’t find air. Her chest felt tight as she crumpled to her knees. “Father?” Tears streamed from her eyes as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. “Father, I don’t understand! What’s happening?” Standing next to the steel rings was Alexia’s father. Her father was Lord Korah.

Just before she fainted, Alexia saw her father and Miel share a confused look. From somewhere outside the chamber, multiple explosions sounded, but Alexia barely heard them.