“We have to swing the end with the claw to Matt and get the claw to hook on to the other side of the wall so it’s lying on top of the stone. If it’s close enough to the lamp post, Matt will be able to tie it in place.”
Aloren looked at Gallus with doubt. “How are we going to do that?”
The black man pulled out ropes and pulleys. “With these, and all of us helping.” He gave a pulley and some of the rope to Sweet Pea. “Tie this to the board and climb that tree,” he pointed to a very tall maple, “then hook the pulley over the largest, highest branch you can find and thread the rope through.”
“Why didn’t we just have Akeno send a door over with Matt?” Aloren asked.
“I’d thought of doing that originally,” Gallus said, “but opening and closing the door on top of a wall would have been dangerous—there’s nothing to secure it to there.”
After Aloren showed she understood, Gallus motioned for Sweet Pea to proceed.
Sweet Pea scampered up the tree. When he got down, Gallus had him tie another rope to the board and climb up a tree on the other side, doing the same thing.
Gallus had Ebony and Aloren stand at the foot of the board to steady it, and he pulled on one of the ropes while Jacob and Sweet Pea took the other. They practiced for a while, trying to figure out who had to pull the hardest and at what time. It got tangled in branches, and the group slowly maneuvered it just right to get it untangled. Luckily, the foliage where the Argots lived was short and stubby.
Gallus called to Matt to be ready as the board neared him. Matt reached out, feeling blindly, and grabbed the board, pulling it toward himself, then hooked the claw in place so the board went all the way across the wall. He tied the leather straps to the lamp post.
Everyone cheered when he called out, saying he was done. They now had a plank of wood that completely crossed the Argots.
A businesslike expression crossed Gallus’s face and he addressed the group. “One last thing. Remember, we’ll be losing our sight halfway across. We need a rope to hold on to.” He turned to Aloren. “I’m sorry, dear, but you’re the most nimble.”
Ebony cleared her throat. “Actually, Gallus, it would be better if I went—I’m smaller, and it’ll be easier for me.”
Gallus nodded. “Oh, yes, of course. I hadn’t thought of having you here to help.”
He tied one end of another rope about six feet up a tree, then handed the rest to Ebony. “Take this across and have Matt tie it to the pole as high as he can.”
Ebony wrapped the rope several times around her arm, then started across the board. Like when he’d first seen her fighting, Jacob was surprised at how quickly and gracefully she moved—like a dancer.
About halfway, she paused, her legs wobbling. “Whoa. My eyesight just left.”
“Hold on to the board and use it to guide you,” Gallus called.
Ebony lowered herself, then crawled forward. Everyone waited, watching. Finally, she made it to the wall. Matt helped her to her feet and took the rope from her, tying it well above her head. With Gallus guiding him, he tightened it so it would be firm enough to provide support, but loose enough for everyone to hold on to at the same time.
Then Gallus had Ebony untie the ropes Sweet Pea had attached to the board for the pulleys. When she finished, Akeno picked her up, momentarily shrinking her before enlarging her on this side of the Argots. She returned, giving the ropes to Gallus while Akeno put Matt back to his normal size.
“Let’s eat, then set up a door near here,” Gallus said.
The group sank to the ground, eager for a break. Jacob wished he could taste the beef jerky, fruits, and veggies, but his stomach loved the food, and after a moment, he felt mostly satisfied.
Ten minutes later, Gallus got to his feet and had Akeno enlarge a door. Matt and Jacob put it in place.
“Time for us to cross.” Gallus held up the rope. “But we need to tie ourselves together first.”
“You’ve only got probably half an hour left until it’s dark,” Ebony said, motioning to the setting sun.
Matt laughed. “We’ll be blind anyway, so it doesn’t even matter.”
Ebony chuckled. “Good point.”
“We’ll set up camp just inside the arch,” Gallus said, making sure everyone tied their knots securely. “Hopefully we’ll find a spot before we lose the sensation of touch.” He turned to Ebony. “Jacob will need to take you back now rather than later.”
Ebony nodded. She turned to her son, holding him close for several moments, then gave everyone else hugs and last-minute advice, including not to die or get hurt. Jacob opened the door to Taga, let her step through, then shut it.
Gallus lined everyone up—Jacob first, then Akeno, Aloren, Matt, Sweet Pea, and finally himself. He had Early let Aldo know they were about to start across the Argots.
Jacob could just picture the old man—he’d probably keep his face glued to the telescope the entire time the group was on the board. Even though Aldo couldn’t do anything to help, just knowing he was watching brought Jacob a sense of calm.
Gallus looked Jacob in the eye, blue—the color for peace—swirling in the air around him. “It’s up to you now. You and Akeno are the only ones who’ll be able to help us, and I’ve got a feeling you’ll be better at this next part than I will. Maybe one of your gifts will surprise us.”
Jacob took a deep breath. He hated having pressure placed on him like that, but he agreed with Gallus. He was still adjusting to the fact that he could do things other people couldn’t.
He faced the fortress, squinting against the bright emotions emanating through the stone walls, concentrating on picking out individual sources. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed something.
“One of the Shiengol’s emotions is brighter than the rest.”
Gallus shrugged. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”
Jacob turned to him. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t tell you without causing offense.”
“To whom? The Shiengols?”
“This particular Shiengol, yes.”
Jacob found himself wishing he were on a different mission. “Great. We’re about to rescue temperamental, powerful beings with lots of emotional baggage. Just what we need.”
He looked up in shock when the emotions of the brightest Shiengol flashed from anticipation to annoyance. Whoa. Had it heard him? How was that possible? He hesitated, watching. When nothing happened, he turned to Gallus. “Are we ready?”
Gallus nodded. “Yes.”