The shriek was cut off when Jacob closed the portal, but he propped himself against the door just in case the link was still live. Nothing happened.
He slid to the floor, breathing so heavily he felt his lungs would burst. Ebony rushed over from where she and Kenji had been sitting at the table, Kenji following. They were both shaking.
Ebony pulled Jacob to his feet, throwing her arms around him. “We didn’t know which door you’d go through, so we’ve been waiting near all those we thought you’d try. Your mom is at your house, Jaegar is waiting by the tree, and the Fat Lady at her place. Gallus and the others will be fine in the tunnel, so long as they don’t touch water.” She quieted long enough to notice the shape the boys were in. “And look at your hands! Thank goodness you came here—let’s get you fixed up.”
“I’ll grab a Kaede sap package,” Kenji said, leaving his wife’s side.
Ebony got to work instantly, assessing the damage. “Broken fingers. You all have at least one broken finger. How’d you manage that?”
“Ladder,” Matt said, still gasping for air. “My back—scratched up. Can you fix it?”
“Yes, of course. We’ll get you all in good health.”
Jacob inspected his arms while Ebony and Kenji mixed the sap. The index and ring fingers on his right hand were bent at weird angles. How’d he not notice the pain? ‘Course, he was completely numb from the elbow down. His fingers were purple and blue with blood oozing everywhere. They’d never been this bad before.
Ebony had them sit at the table then started on Akeno first, working quickly. “Lucky for all of you, we won’t have to set the bones. Kaede sap puts everything back into its proper form without much assistance.”
Jacob relaxed against the chair when she worked on him.
“Hands first, then everything else later. Matt and Jacob, I’ll have you go into a private room. Inspect each other and let me know what needs to be healed.”
Jacob nodded. Ebony went on to Matt, and Jacob looked at the white cloth strapped to his hands, glad to have the bruises and scratches covered. They’d been so gross.
Kenji looked out the window. “If they find more water to replenish themselves, Eetu fish can track the scent of their water for twenty-four hours.” He turned back to the room. “I’ll have Early keep an eye on it. She can alert us if it gets close.”
Jacob didn’t want to hold on to the hope that the Eetu wouldn’t find water on its way to him.
Ebony showed Jacob and Matt to a room. Luckily, only their backs were really bad, but they had a couple of minor scratches and bruises on their knees and shins, too. She insisted on fixing everything.
After half an hour, all three boys were at the table, attempting to eat soup. Their bandaged hands made it interesting. Jacob fought the severe exhaustion, focusing on getting the soup in his mouth one spoonful at a time.
Hazel flitted into the room, heading straight to Jacob. “Gallus says to send Akeno. The Eetu fish returned to the tunnel and jumped into the water, so we will be safe to continue, but we need Akeno to help set up doors.”
Jacob nodded. It would only take a couple of seconds to key Akeno back. And perhaps doing so would confuse the Eetu fish, buying Jacob more time. He and the other two packed up their things and Jacob created the link.
Gallus waited on the other end. He stepped to the side to let Matt and Akeno through, then spoke to Jacob. “Taga Village isn’t far enough away. The Eetu fish won’t take very long to get there. Their magic is related to that of the Minyas—it finds the shortest, fastest distance to their prey as possible, and they run much faster than hu—”
With a flash, Early appeared next to Jacob. “It’s coming! Now! It’s coming!”
Jacob slammed the door to Gallus shut right as warning bells sounded over Taga Village. He looked at Ebony in shock—it had only been thirty minutes! How on earth did the fish get there that fast?
Kenji burst through the front door, making Jacob jump.
“The Eetu is almost to the entrance! It’ll be able to break through your magic, Jacob! Go, quickly! To the Fat Lady’s!”
Jacob grabbed his coat and bag and keyed himself to her cabin. He slammed the door behind him, the sound of the bells in Taga cutting off as he did.
“Is that you, Jacob?” the Fat Lady called. She rambled into view from down the hall. “Good. Figured it was you. You’re the only one who has access without my password.”
“Got a fish on my tail.”
She nodded. “Those things are fast. Where are you headed next?”
“I’m thinking somewhere in my country.”
“Be careful—there are many, many links between the different worlds accessible only to Eetus. Don’t get comfortable in one spot for too long.”
Jacob sighed in exasperation. How was he supposed to do that when he was absolutely exhausted? “That’s not encouraging.”
Early flashed next to him. “It’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”
“You’ve got Early—good. Keep her with you.”
Jacob still held the key in his bandaged hands. The numbness was wearing off and they were throbbing. He needed sleep, but wasn’t sure when or how he’d get it. The sap wouldn’t fully heal him until he had some. He put the key into the Fat Lady’s lock, glad it was attached to his pants with a chain.
“Guess I’d better get going.”
“Guess so.”
He said goodbye, then keyed himself to the first place that entered his mind—New York City.