“That might explain why some of the castles have stuff from my world,” Cole said.
“It could explain that and more,” Declan agreed. “But the issue is mostly academic. Here is the lesson you must learn—the Outskirts may feel dreamlike at times, but this is no dream. In a dream, if you get into trouble, you can eventually wake up. You will not wake from this, Cole. If you get hurt, you will suffer. If you get killed, you will die.”
“I believe it. I can tell the difference between being awake and being in a dream. I’ve slept and had dreams since I came here. I’ve been hungry and thirsty and tired and scared. None of that felt like a dream. Some things are unbelievably weird, but it’s all way too real.”
“That’s right,” Declan said.
“I’m worried about the other kids who came here from my world,” Cole explained. “Especially my two best friends.”
“The pair who went to the High King as slaves,” Declan said. “You’re certain of their destination?”
“Some woman tested us for shaping potential,” Cole said. “I had none. She called me the worst of the bunch. Kids with the most shaping ability were put into cages to go to the High King. That included my friends Jenna and Dalton.”
“When we met, you mentioned you came to the Outskirts voluntarily,” Declan said.
“Right,” Cole said. “I didn’t know where I was going, but nobody forced me. I was trying to help my friends.”
“The slavers didn’t know you came through on your own?”
Cole shook his head. “The Wayminder saw me after I came through and gave me a little help. I didn’t want him to get in trouble, so I pretended I arrived with the others but slipped away.”
Declan gave a frail chuckle. “That explains why you weren’t sent to the High Shaper.”
“What do you mean?”
“People who come to the Outskirts from your world tend to have more shaping potential than the average citizen born here, which explains why the slavers went to your world looking for slaves with shaping talent. People who come here voluntarily from your world, rather than by accident or compulsion, tend to have far greater ability than most.”
“Then why didn’t the woman see any shaping potential in me?” Cole asked. “When I came here, I didn’t really know where I was going. Maybe that counts as ending up here by accident.”
“No,” Declan said. “If you followed the slavers, you purposely entered. You didn’t blunder into it by happenstance. Unsure of where it would lead, you chose to follow them, and that is deliberate. The shaping power manifests differently for someone who chooses to come to the Outskirts. It’s a rare occurrence.”
“What makes it different?”
“You become much more likely to develop more than one kind of shaping talent, and those talents tend to be unusually strong. But the abilities take longer to show up. I don’t currently see shaping potential in you. Not any. That is rare. Almost everyone has at least a little shaping talent. Having absolutely none is less common than having a lot. I expect that one day, you’ll discover powerful skills.”
“Really?” Cole said, excited by the thought of having ways to help his friends besides flying through the air with a sword. “How long will it take?”
Declan shrugged. “That’s where it gets complicated. It could take years. Or it could never happen.”
Cole’s excitement dimmed. “Is there anything I can do to speed it up?”
“I’m unaware of any techniques that would hasten the process,” Declan said. “But I do know this: If the slavers were looking for slaves with shaping potential, and they knew you came through voluntarily, and they saw that you displayed zero potential, you would have been their top pick.”
“Even though I might be a dud?” Cole asked.
“They would gladly take that chance. According to the odds, your talents will show up eventually, and when they do, they’ll be strong.”
“But that potential doesn’t help me much right now,” Cole said.
“True,” Declan said. “Perhaps not for a long time.”
Straightening, Cole steeled himself. “With or without shaping powers, I need to help my friends. Do you know how I can find them?”
“If they went to Junction City, I could direct you there,” Declan said. “So could Mira. Many people you would meet could point you in the right direction. But stealing a slave is a serious crime. According to the laws of the land, your friends legally belong to the High King. I don’t expect you could free them on your own. Even if you managed it, I doubt you would remain free. You’d be caught and punished, as would they.”
“You’re saying there’s nothing I can do?” Cole asked in frustration. “I have to try. It’s my fault my friends are here in the first place. I took them to the place where they were kidnapped.”
“Deliberately?” Declan asked.
“Not on purpose,” Cole said. “But my friends got grabbed. The slavers only missed me by accident.”
Declan pressed his fingertips together. “There may be ways for you to help your friends. However, if you go to Junction alone and try to free them, you will probably fail. Here is my advice: Stay close to Mira. If she defeats Carnag and reclaims her power, it will deal a major blow to the High King. Mira could become the focal point of a revolution. Before Stafford claimed the throne, it was unlawful to go beyond the Outskirts to hunt slaves. The best way to free your friends would be to topple his regime.”
“The High King made it legal to take slaves from Earth?” Cole asked.
“Before Stafford, that was always forbidden,” Declan said. “The Outskirts has a long and unfortunate history of slavery, but at least there were limits. Believe it or not, the High Shaper before Stafford wanted to abolish slavery entirely. But Stafford pushed everything in the opposite direction. Now slavery thrives more than ever.”
“My friends and I aren’t the first people taken from my world as slaves?”
Declan shook his head. “Far from it.”
“Then why haven’t I heard of mass kidnappings?” Cole asked. “When the slavers came after me and my friends, they took dozens of kids. It should be major news.”
“Ah,” Declan said. “The Wayminder didn’t explain it all to you.”
“We only talked a little.”
“Cole, when people travel from your world to ours, those who know and love them best remember them the least.”
Back at the slave caravan, the redheaded guard had claimed that their parents wouldn’t remember them. Cole had assumed the man had been exaggerating. It took him a moment to muster a reply. “My parents won’t remember me?”
“Those who should remember you most will have forgotten all about you,” Declan confirmed. “They no longer know you exist.”
“What about someone like my teacher?” Cole asked. “I’m on the class role. Won’t she notice I’m missing when she takes attendance? She’ll call my name. . . .”
“Your teacher won’t notice,” Declan said. “As people try to focus on you, they’ll end up ignoring you. Evidence of your absence may remain, but people won’t pay attention to it. Not your family. Not anyone.”
Cole chewed his bottom lip. He and his friends were even more alone than he had realized. Nobody missed them. Nobody was looking for them. Getting home really was all up to him. And if they got home, what then? “Can it be fixed? Will they ever remember us?”
“Save that question for a Wayminder,” Declan said. “I simply don’t know.”
Cole wanted to scream. What if he had permanently been wiped from the minds of his family? If he ever made it home, his life might never be the same. It was too awful to contemplate. He had to believe there was a way to repair the problem. “Why did the High Shaper expand slavery?”
“I can only guess, Cole,” Declan said. “Maybe he likes the economics. Slaves increase many opportunities for the ruling class. Also, slaves from Earth are more likely to be strong shapers. I know he adores power.”
??
?You’re right about one thing,” Cole said, anger smoldering inside. “The High King is my enemy. He ripped me and my friends from our lives. He’s holding my best friends captive. But he’s the king! How am I supposed to overthrow him?”
“You’re not alone,” Declan replied. “That’s my point. You need support. A rebellion has been brewing for some time. The four exiled Grand Shapers all want to see Stafford fall. During his rise, he made many enemies. The return of his lost daughters could be the key to his ruin. Help Mira, and the chance to truly free your friends could follow. Even a failed rebellion could provide you with the help and the distraction you would need to liberate your friends.”
Cole tried to sort through the pros and cons. Staying with Mira would mean delaying any rescue attempt. But if it improved his chances to succeed, it might be worth it. When he had tried to save his friends back at the caravan, he got caught in no time. He didn’t want to repeat that mistake. Jenna and Dalton would probably be much harder to free from the royal palace. Once free, where would they run? Cole wasn’t sure whether they could ever get home.
He looked over at the autocoach. He didn’t want to abandon Mira. This gave him a real reason to stay with her. It would also give him time to see if he developed any shaping powers. If he could help Mira weaken the High King before he charged in to save his friends, maybe Mira and some of her allies could assist him in return.
Cole folded his arms. Did he want to go after his friends on his own? Or would he rather face Carnag with Mira? Either option could lead to failure. Either could get him killed. Neither path would be easy, but staying with Mira felt right.
“Sticking with Mira makes sense,” Cole finally said.
“I agree,” Declan said. “Your interests are aligned. You need each other. Help her succeed, and you’ll triumph as well.”
Cole was almost too scared to ask his next question. “What are our chances? Can we beat Carnag? Could we win a revolution?”
“Your chances are small,” Declan said. “But great movements have started small before. Take it one step at a time. You have more power than you know. So does Mira.”
Cole nodded pensively. He felt like he should keep Declan talking. There had to be more questions he could answer. Cole knew so little about the Outskirts, and Declan knew so much. But his friends were waiting in the autocoach, and the questions refused to form. “The Wayminders are in Creon?”
“And elsewhere,” Declan said. “But they come from Creon. The least of them knows more about traveling beyond the five kingdoms than I do.”
Cole searched his mind for anything else he should ask. He knew he would kick himself later. Nothing was coming, and they needed to hurry.
“I can see your anxiety,” Declan said kindly. “Relax, my boy. You’re here. You can’t change that all at once. Take it one day at a time. Learn as you go. You have many knots to untie, but you won’t unravel them all today. How well did you understand your old world? How it originated? Its deepest mysteries and secrets? I know the Outskirts feels foreign, but you don’t need to understand everything about a world to live in it. Stay close to Mira. I wish you well.”
“Thanks for the advice,” Cole said. “Watch out for the bad guys.”
Declan gave a small wave. “We always keep watch.”
“Enjoy your quest,” Lyrus said, placing a large hand on Cole’s shoulder. “I envy you.”
“Thanks, Lyrus. I’ll try to be brave.”
“I have no doubt,” the warrior approved.
Feeling he had kept his friends waiting too long, Cole ran to the autocoach and jumped inside. He sat on the bench beside Twitch and Jace, opposite Mira and Bertram.
“Go,” Mira said as she leaned forward and closed the door. Smoothly, the autocoach began to move.
CHAPTER
24
THE QUIET WOOD
“That was quite a talk with Declan,” Jace said. “Have you decided when you’re ditching us?”
Mira looked unsettled by the blunt question. Cole could tell she didn’t want him to go. He wasn’t eager to leave. But she had Jace and Twitch, while Dalton and Jenna had nobody.
“I’m with you guys at least until Carnag,” Cole said. “My best chance to help Jenna and Dalton is to weaken the High King. And that means helping Mira. Let’s get her powers back. We’ll figure out our next move after that.”
“There’s no guarantee we’ll defeat Carnag,” Mira warned.
“I know,” Cole said. “But I don’t think I’ll have much chance trying to take a couple of slaves from the High King on my own.”
“That’s true,” Mira said.
“Your father made the laws that allowed those people to come for us,” Cole said, trying not to let his tone get too heated. He was mad at her father, not Mira. The High King had wrecked her life too. “He owns my friends according to those laws. Declan wants us to overthrow him. I like that idea.”
“It’s hard to imagine,” Mira said. “He’s clever and brutal. Still, this could be the first step in that direction. When my mother sent us away, she promised that one day we would return and inherit all we lost.”
“First things first,” Jace said. “Let’s try to escape in one piece.”
When they reached the edge of Declan’s sanctuary, Liam appeared in the window and asked Mira to halt the autocoach. The vehicle came to an even stop, and the kids climbed out. Ahead, the path disappeared into a mossy forest. Cole was surprised to see two other autocoaches behind them.
“What’s with those?” Cole asked, nodding at the carriages.
“Declan had some extras on hand,” Liam said. “He decided it might confuse your pursuers to send a pair of empty autocoaches in different directions. If you ever cross paths with one again, they will answer to Mira. Otherwise they’ll loop through a long preset course.”
“Smart,” Twitch said, nodding in approval.
“He does have centuries of experience,” Liam said. “I’ve sent Mango ahead. She will report back to you periodically, but especially if danger approaches.”
“Any trick to these woods?” Jace asked.
“Not getting out,” Liam said. “The autocoach will do the work. Don’t let the easy exit fool you. If you try to backtrack to this place, with or without the autocoach, it’ll just lead to frustration. You’d have a better chance braving the cloudwall again.”
“Once was plenty,” Mira said.
“After you’re through, you’ll notice the trees get bigger,” Liam said. “That’s the Quiet Wood. Don’t speak until the trees get small. You might hear some strange sounds. Say nothing. Not to one another, not to any creatures you see, not to yourselves. The semblances who prowl the Quiet Wood are attracted to speech from nonsemblances. Talk, and they will hunt you down.”
“You tell us this now?” Cole exclaimed.
“Now is when you need to know it,” Liam replied calmly. “Why do you think I came to see you off? For a second farewell? In the direction you’re heading, it’ll take an hour or more to pass through the Quiet Wood. When the trees return to normal size, you’re clear. You shouldn’t have trouble if you keep silent. Most people stay well away for obvious reasons.”
“What kind of semblances would attack?” Jace asked.
“Imagine giant bears that hunt in packs, and you’ll have the basic idea,” Liam replied.
“Are you serious?” Cole cried. “What’s with this place?”
Liam looked taken aback. “Sambria is the result of centuries of shapers tampering with the environment. Some in big ways, others in small ones. Certain big changes fade, and some of the minor ones have greater impact over time. It’s hard to predict. The Quiet Wood is neither the strangest nor the most perilous region of Sambria. Bertram will guide you around the worst areas. He’ll take you on safe roads to Middlebranch. If something gets in your way, he’ll improvise. Won’t you, Bertram?”
“Not bad weather for an outing,” the old man remarked from the autocoach. “It’s not every day
I go for a ride with my young relatives.”
“Not much personality,” Liam whispered conspiratorially. “Declan tends to be more about function than ornamentation.” He stopped whispering. “Bertram knows the geography. One perk of Sambria is that over the years, shapers have laid down many roads and paths, even through wild and otherwise inaccessible country.”
“Any other hazards we should know about?” Twitch asked.
“Mountains of them,” Liam said. “But who knows which ones you’ll encounter? We don’t have the weeks it would take to list them all. You have handy renderings and your common sense. Use them well.” He elevated upon his disk. “I can’t emphasize enough, no talking in the Quiet Wood. Remember that, and your trek should start out fine. Forget it, and you won’t get a second chance.”
“Thanks for everything,” Mira said earnestly. “We came here expecting to die. We leave with a fighting chance.”
“Good luck on your journey,” Liam said, raising a hand in farewell. “Remember, if you get into horrible trouble and desperately need me, I’ll be much too busy with my own problems!”
With that he sped off.
The four kids looked at one another. Jace and Cole burst out laughing.
“It may not be funny before long,” Twitch mumbled.
Jace rubbed away his smile. “We might get into trouble, but it’ll still be funny.”
“We should go,” Mira said, climbing back into the autocoach. “Think you three can keep your lips sealed?”
“We’ll see,” Cole said. “Sometimes when it’s really quiet, like during a test, or in the library, I get this urge to shout something just to break the silence and surprise everyone.”
Mira assumed a patient expression. “Um, Cole, you’re going to have to control that urge.”
“I’ve never given in and shouted,” Cole assured her. “And for the record, getting eaten by giant bears is the best reason I’ve ever had to keep my mouth shut.”
“Should we stop talking now, you know, to be safe?” Twitch asked.
“We’re not moving yet,” Jace pointed out.