Twenty-Four

I followed Niriga down into the dark depths of the sea and my ears didn’t block, nor did it feel like my head was about to explode from the pressure. When I no longer saw the others, I pulled my knife from behind my back and squeezed the hilt, making me feel better. I didn’t know this Queen or what she was capable of, and I didn’t want to find out—

“Here,” she said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Open the door and Victor, your father, should be on the bed.” She stood on one side to let me through.

I narrowed my eyes at her. She said ‘your father’ in such a way as if it were a warning or a threat. Either way, I was wary of her.

“It’s safe, I promise you,” she said. “I want your father alive. He is of no use to any of us dead. Besides, even if he’s killed, his contracts remain. Nobody gets out of his contracts.”

I didn’t know that, and it was useful information. “Thanks,” I said, pushing the door open. Once through, the door slammed closed, making me flinch.

“Scout?” someone called from deep within the dimly lit room. “Is that you?” The figure stood up from the bed and approached.

“Father?” I closed the gap, almost slamming into him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and sighed. It was like coming home, but feeling his frail body against mine saddened me. “How are you feeling?” I asked, even though I could see how he battled.

“Strangely enough, I feel better down here,” Victor said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. His skin color was almost back but his hair remained white. “How did you get here?”

“Long story, but the short version is I landed in Os’s arms in his room, and he took me to his brother, Ossie, in the Library.”

Something flashed in Vic’s eyes that I couldn’t discern.

“Do you know them?”

“The demon brothers?” he said, glancing away. “I know them. They’re good demons.”

“I know. It’s so strange. Anyway, they’re helping me.”

“Good… good… you’re in excellent hands.”

“Do you know where River and Zenon are?” I asked. “I thought they would be with you?”

“No, Niriga fetched me a while ago. I don’t know where they are, but don’t worry, they can’t be far.”

“Unfortunately,” I glanced down, not wanting to look him in the eye when I said the next bit, “before we can help you, we need to free you from Niriga.” But I looked up at him when I asked him where the pearl was so she could free him.

“Of course. I should’ve known she’ll never do anything without wanting something in return.” He exhaled deeply and his knees buckled, no longer able to hold his weight. I helped him back onto the bed so he could sit. Once he caught his breath, he turned his dark blue eyes on me. There was something he wanted to say, but he hesitated.

“What is it?” I asked, sitting beside him.

“It’s…” he said, leaving his sentence hanging. He pulled me closer and kissing the top of my head. “Niriga’s pearl is next door to your chambers. I know he scares you, but you’re the only one who may enter. If anyone else goes inside, they’ll never find their way back. Only you can retrieve it and leave unharmed.”

“Are you referring to the door with the heavy lever?” I asked.

He nodded knowingly, as if sensing my fear. “He won’t harm you. I promise.” He sat up, coughing.

I flinched as if he slapped me. I knew the room near mine very well; when I had first arrived at my father’s place in the Underworld, I’d encountered the occupant by mistake. I’d stopped beside it to see if there was anyone inside, but let’s just say the thing living in that room scared the bejesus out of me.

“Is this another one of your tests?” I asked, standing up and pacing. “I mean, you’ve done this before. Is it so that I can get my wings to grow?” My wings chose that moment to pop out through my clothing and flapped. I quickly hid them again, mildly embarrassed they were still so small.

“Scout,” Vic said, patting the bed beside him, “it was only the one quest you had to go on. That was your initiation into the family, which you passed with flying colors. Whatever happens to you after that is just life. I no longer test you, but you pushing your own limits. And your wings will blossom when you stop thinking everything is a test.”

I pursed my lips and fell onto the bed beside him. He winced in pain but said nothing. I thought about what he said and rounded my shoulders. My wings popped out again.

“Yes, they are still small,” he stroked them, “but when you change the way you think about them, they will grow, and you’ll be able to use them.” He coughed and wiped the blood off his lips with his hand.

The back of my throat hurt, watching him die in front of me. “Ossie says we need to get you out of here in order to retrieve the Mask of Immortality. Please don’t die on me while I get the pearl.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he smiled thinly. His eyes held unshed tears. I hugged my dad, hesitating to let go when he patted my shoulder. “It’s time. Get the pearl so that we can find this mask.” He held onto my ponytail for a moment before letting go.

I stood, but before I left, I turned to him. “So, all I have to do is enter the room, and that creature inside won’t harm me?” He nodded. “And the pearl is there for me to see? It’s not hidden anywhere?”

He grinned. “It’s not hidden, but remember, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”

I grumbled to myself, but when I pecked his cheek, sadness and shame washed over me. I only had to do this one tiny thing to get the pearl back; it would ensure his release. He wasn’t asking for much, and I knew I could do this. Once we had the pearl, Niriga would release Father, and Ossie could locate the Mask of Immortality. Easy.

When I headed for the exit, I glanced over my shoulder to see if he was still sitting, but he was already lying on his side, facing the other way, and barely breathing. It pained me to see him so fragile. When I closed the door gently behind me, I almost walked into Niriga.

“It didn’t go well?” she asked, amused.

“No, it went swimmingly. It’s what I have to do now that I don’t like.”

“Do you need help?” she asked, grinning. Her eel swam around her, and a blue spark slapped my shoulder, sending a bolt of pain through my body.

“Ow,” I moaned, rubbing my arm, “that hurt.”

The eel opened its mouth in such a manner it looked like it was smiling. If only I could poke a finger in its eye.

“Let’s get you back. The sooner I get my pearl, the sooner we can help your father.”

“How will you do that?” I asked as I levitated up with Niriga and she swam us to the others. I glanced down at my feet, and it looked like I was standing on glass, in the ocean, with the dark depths below me. It was surreal.

“I know where the magician’s assistant is,” Niriga said, smiling.

“What? Where? Why didn’t you tell us sooner. We’ve been wasting time here when we could go after him.”

“Shush, the less everybody else knows, the better for them. And besides, Ossie knows how to bring the mask to us. Once that happens, only then can we go after the assistant. Besides, he isn’t a nice wizard, and we’ll need your father strong to help defeat him.”

The lines between my eyes deepened; I couldn’t believe she just shushed me like I was her child. Feeling annoyed, I said, “I thought the assistant was human.”

“That’s what he wants you to believe, but everyone knows who the true showman is—”

“The assistant?”

“That’s right. The magician is a brilliant performer, but without his assistant, there is no magic. There is no magician and there is no show.”

That would explain how the magician could do his tricks. It made sense. “But why is he doing this?”

“Someone commissioned him to do it. A higher supernatural is at play here, and everyone needs to be aware. If they destroy your father, there’s no holding them back from coming after the rest of us.”

“Do you know who it is?” I saw Caesar bounce up and down when he saw me, catching everybody’s attention. The demon brothers turned to look at me as one while Julia smiled.

“No, but whoever it is, he… he isn’t nice.”

No shit, Sherlock, I thought as we approached everyone. Niriga was as helpful as she was unhelpful.

“See, everybody is still alive,” Niriga said sarcastically. “Now let’s get this over and done with so I can get on with my life.” And with her parting words, she swam off into the distance with her eel swimming around and blue sparks shooting everywhere. When the eel swam around her and faced me, it smiled again. There was something wrong with that sea creature, but I would keep my thoughts to myself.

“Let’s get out of here,” Ossie said, heading for the exit. “Where do we have to go?”

“Dad’s chambers.” I sighed. I wasn’t looking forward to going inside that room. Whatever was in there scared me.