“Is he … ?” Meilin said, unable to form the question.
“He’s alive,” Xanthe said, her voice shaking. “Kovo saved his life.”
Meilin sighed, swallowing down her worst fears. She was glad, but also heartbroken. All this destruction, and for what? They had failed in their mission. “We may be alive, but so is the Wyrm,” she said. “And I have a feeling it’s headed straight for Zerif.” She tried not to think of Rollan and Abeke having to face that creature. She met Kovo’s eyes. “Still. Thank you. Leaping out from the tower to save Takoda … I didn’t think you had it in you.”
The gorilla huffed, blinking.
“The snare was working, just like you said it would,” Meilin said. “But then it stopped. What happened?”
Kovo shook his head: I don’t know. He made several gestures with his hand. Before Meilin could explain that she didn’t understand his signs, Takoda stirred, turning toward her. “Kovo says … the snare is jammed.” He swallowed. “Something must have stopped it from turning … something on the other side.”
“So just like that, it’s over?” Meilin said. She could feel her eyes welling up. “All this death. All this pain. Just so we could lose by something getting jammed?”
The Great Beast made a series of angry gestures—he looked as frustrated as she did about the failure of the snare. “All is not lost,” Takoda said, struggling to translate. “There is a second bell, at the place where your friends are. If they can ring it, there may be a chance.… ”
“Do they know about the bell?” Meilin said, stepping closer. “Do the others know how the snare works?”
Kovo lowered his hand, shaking his head.
“I don’t know,” Takoda said.
Meilin released a long breath, exchanging a look with Xanthe. “Well then … let’s hope they figure it out fast … while there’s still an Erdas to save.”
BEING A LEADER IS OFTEN DIFFICULT. IT REQUIRES THAT you continually put the needs of others before your own desires.
When Shane was the king of Stetriol, his uncle Gar had once told him he should put his will first—rule with an iron fist. Even then—as he made some of the worst mistakes ever witnessed by the long history of Erdas—Shane had known better. It wasn’t a fist that had won him the Greencloaks’ talismans. Sacrifices had.
Sacrifices he now regretted.
Shane stood crouched in the icy chamber where, a moment before, he, Abeke, and Rollan had been communing with the Great Beast Kovo. The same Great Beast who had once manipulated him into collecting the talismans and conquering the world.
“Zerif’s found us?” he said, clutching Niri’s arm. “Are you sure?”
The girl, whose eyes had returned to a sea green color, nodded. “He’s got a fleet of ships with him and he’s heading this way.” Niri’s spirit animal, Mulop, had already withdrawn from the chamber and was now swimming in the cold open waters. She tilted her head to one side, as though hearing a voice. “They’ll be here by nightfall.”
“So soon!” Rollan muttered. “And here I was hoping we’d have a snowball fight!”
Shane stood and shot him an icy glare. “This is no time for jokes,” he said as he marched toward the main tunnel, his hand resting on the hilt of his saber.
“I disagree,” Rollan said, following after him. “This is the perfect time for jokes—then at least we can die with smiles on our faces!”
“Wouldn’t that require actually being funny?” Shane said, raising an eyebrow. He was gratified to see Abeke purse her lips in an attempt not to laugh at her friend. Shane turned toward the tunnel. “We have to get aboveground.”
“Wait!” Niri called after him. She was pulling herself upright at the edge of the water with her thin arms. By her strained expression, it was clear that the maneuver took all her strength. “There’s something … I can still hear them talking in Sadre.” She swallowed. “Mulop is too weak to speak with them, but he can still hear what they’re saying to Kovo.… ”
“You can hear Meilin?” Rollan said, stepping toward her. “Is she talking about me?” He swallowed. “Or, um, Abeke? Any of us really? Forget I asked.”
Niri shook her head, screwing up her face. “They’re arguing about something. It has to do with the snare and the Wyrm and … ” She winced and then sighed. “It’s hard to follow.”
“Keep trying,” Shane said, moving into the tunnel. “In the meantime, we need to prepare for war.”
“Um, maybe we should listen to her?” Rollan said, hanging back.
“Your girlfriend can wait!” Shane shouted, drawing his sword. “I have fifty Redcloaks up there who are depending on me to lead them. Not to mention the other Great Beast summoners. Zerif is coming, and we need every hand we can get. That includes you. Now let’s move.”
Shane knew it was a mistake to give someone like Rollan direct orders, but that didn’t seem to be the problem at the moment. Rollan was concerned with something else that he had heard.
“G-g-girlfriend?” he stammered, his cheeks turning crimson. “Who said anything about that?”
Shane rolled his eyes and swept up the tunnel. Abeke followed close behind him, her bow drawn. “You really think we can fend off Zerif’s army?” she said. “They’re as fast as they are deadly. We both saw him take down the greatest fortress in Nilo in a matter of hours.”
“We’re not in Zourtzi anymore,” Shane said. “And Faisel was unprepared. The Hellans took more than a few precautions when building this place. We’ll be ready for them.” He slowed, fixing his eyes on her. “I promise.”
Abeke sighed, not meeting his gaze. “I’ve heard that before.”
Shane nodded, feeling the sting of her words. “You’re right,” he said, realizing that words—no matter how sincere—would never win her trust. He wondered how many times he would have to save her life before she began to believe that he was truly changed.
As many times as it takes, he silently promised himself.
The trip aboveground seemed to last forever. Shane’s Redcloaks hadn’t had a chance to map all the twisting tunnels in the base of the mountain, and it was difficult to navigate without Yumaris at his side. Soon, however, he found himself at an open ledge in the main chamber of the ruins, where the volcano’s cauldron had been blocked off with stone.
If Kovo was to be believed, beneath that stone floor was a tunnel that went straight to the Evertree. And somehow these two sets of ruins contained enough power to stop the Wyrm. If only they knew how.
The bleating trumpet of a conch shell sounded in the camp, signaling that the watchmen had spotted ships approaching.
Already Shane could hear the footsteps of his fellow Redcloaks as they rushed up and down the footpaths. The open pathways wound inside the volcano like a spool of thread.
His Redcloaks were preparing for battle. They had known this day was coming, and they were ready.
Stead met Shane halfway down the lower stairs. Shadow and Jolt were behind him. “How close are they?” Shane said, joining Stead’s side. “What are their numbers?”
Stead shook his head. “We’re not sure, King. Our lookouts spotted ships on the horizon, but we can’t see more than that.”
“I can tell you,” Rollan said, following a few feet behind. He put a hand to his temple. “Essix was flying out in that direction. I’ll take a peek.”
Rollan closed his eyes and tilted his head upward. “She’s flying better now,” he said. “I think she’s gotten over the pull of the poles enough to fly straight.” He drew in a sharp breath and his skin turned a slight greenish. “Sorry … a little motion sick.”
“Do you see Zerif’s ship?” Abeke said, taking Rollan’s hand.
Rollan nodded. “I do. Along with one … two … three … four … five others.”
“Half a dozen ships?” Stead said, looking to Shane. “That’s an entire fleet.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll be waiting for them,” Shane said, refusing to let his own concern cloud his face. “Good wor
k, Rollan,” he said. “Now tell Essix to get back here before she’s spotted by Zerif’s men.”
He knew from experience that Zerif and his army of enslaved Greencloaks wouldn’t hesitate to send their own flying spirit animals after the falcon.
“Oh, they saw her, all right,” Rollan said, opening his eyes. “She swooped over the deck and left a little, er, present for Zerif.” He broke into a devilish grin.
Shane shook his head. “I know you only saw them for a brief moment, but did you get a count of how many crewmen Zerif has?”
Rollan’s smile faltered. “Maybe a hundred Greencloaks—and that was just above deck.”
Shane nodded gravely. “There’s probably another hundred below. That means we’re outnumbered almost four to one.” He became aware of Abeke watching him.
“You don’t seem worried about those odds,” she said.
Shane gave her a smile that he could only hope looked herolike. “We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves.” He turned to Stead and the other Redcloaks. “Get to your stations. Don’t act until I give the signal.”
Stead and the others saluted and ran off in different directions. He watched as Jolt leaped from rock to rock, until he had reached a platform with a window that looked out over the water. Already the Redcloaks had assembled javelins made of ice for throwing at the landing party.
“I was kidding when I said I wanted a snow fight,” Rollan said. “You really think icicles will stop Zerif’s army?”
“They don’t have to. All we need to do is slow down Zerif’s forces and cut them off with the lava flows.” So saying, he led them to a small platform cut into the side of the rock that overlooked the sea. Along one wall was an iron contraption made from ancient gears and levers that went straight down through the heart of the mountain. He didn’t know how they all worked, and the main set of gears had remained stubbornly in place even when his best tinkerer, a girl named Talon, had tried to release them. He suspected those ancient gears were somehow connected to the Sadrean city on the other side of the world.
“What do you want us to do?” Abeke said.
Shane nodded, pulling a lever in the wall. A small door opened and a stream of molten lava oozed out, running down a small channel that was dug into the floor. “Zerif’s still looking for the last of the Great Beasts—the smart thing would be for us to keep Rollan, Kirat, and Tasha out of the fight.”
“Yeah, but you know that’s not going to happen,” Rollan said, his hand on his dagger. “Besides, this is the end of the line. Either we fend off Zerif, or it’s over for good.”
“Much as it pains me to say it, I think you’ve got a point,” Shane said, pulling another lever to release more lava down another channel. “Especially now that we know his numbers. There’s a lava gate on the eastern end of the volcano that needs soldiers. One of my best Redcloaks, Howl, is already there, but he might need help to operate the mechanism.”
“We’ll do our best,” Abeke said.
“Good,” Shane said, nodding. “Warn Tasha and Kirat to be careful with their spirit animals—that’s why Zerif is here in the first place. They should keep Ninani and Cabaro passive, if possible. Only summon them if it’s a true emergency.”
“Speaking of Great Beasts,” Rollan said. “Right as we were leaving, Niri was trying to tell us something about Meilin and Takoda. They were saying something to Kovo—don’t you think one of us should check on her?”
“There isn’t time,” Shane snapped. Why did this kid have to question his every order? He was trying to keep them safe. “Niri is safe for now belowground. We’ll have to worry about Kovo and the Wyrm once we’ve taken care of Zerif. For now, I need you to watch after the others.”
“We’re about to dive into war and you want us babysitting,” Rollan said. “You sure this isn’t just a way to keep us out of your hair?”
Shane couldn’t resist a small grin. “Can’t it be both?” He turned on his heel and rushed into the tunnels, his red cloak flapping behind him.
ROLLAN AND ABEKE WERE LEFT TO FIND THEIR OWN way to the camp. Redcloaks ran all around them, shouting commands—some of them sounding more animal than human when they spoke. As soon as Rollan set foot outside of the warmth of the volcano, he was again struck by just how cold this place was. Icy wind swept past him, going straight through his threadbare cloak.
“You’d think the Hellans could have picked a warmer spot,” he said, rubbing his arms.
“They didn’t have a choice,” Abeke said, trudging forward through the snow. “They needed to build along the axis of Erdas. I’m guessing that the snare somehow manipulates the magnetic forces swirling around this point—the same forces that confuse compass needles and make it difficult for Essix to fly.”
Rollan wasn’t sure how magnetic forces could stop the Wyrm, but he chose not to argue the point. It was clear from the conversation with Kovo that there was more to these ruins than he could understand. Essix, for her part, seemed glad to see Rollan out in the open, and she allowed herself to be put into passive state—if for no other reason than to warm up before another flight.
The outer camp of the island was made up of a series of deep, icy trenches that stretched in every direction. Rollan recalled what Shane had said about the lava flues, and he wondered if these trenches were actually part of the mountain’s defenses.
They soon found their way to the shelter where the bereft had been staying. The room was empty but for Tasha, however, whose face and eyes were red. Rollan realized that she had been crying. Ninani the Swan sat next to her, trying to comfort her by rubbing her head against Tasha’s hand.
“What’s going on?” Abeke asked. “Where are the others?”
“They heard the conch shell and shouts of alarm.” Tasha shook her head. “I tried to tell them they had to stay, but … but he wouldn’t listen.” She stomped the snowy ground.
“Let me guess,” Rollan said, folding his arms. “Kirat?”
“We need them,” Abeke said. “Where did they go?”
Tasha and Ninani led them to the icy port where the Expiator was moored. Kirat and the other children were standing at the bottom of the gangplank, caught in an argument with Devin Trunswick—or Worthy or Wiggly—whatever he was calling himself.
“I command you to step aside!” Kirat shouted, one hand on the hilt of his rapier. “We are commandeering this vessel!”
The Redcloak folded his arms across his chest, laughing. “You’ll have to do better than that.” Rollan had to admit: Devin’s new catlike eyes truly complemented his smug, disinterested demeanor.
“Come on, Devin!” whined one of the other children, a curly-haired boy Rollan only now recognized as Dawson Trunswick. “Let us through.”
“No way, little brother,” said the Redcloak. “I’m not moving unless King says so. Besides, we need these cannons to fend off the incoming ships.”
“Wait,” Rollan said, stepping in front of Kirat. “You’re trying to take Shane’s ship?”
“It’s not Shane’s ship,” Kirat snapped. “It belongs to Cordalles’s family.” He nodded to one of the children huddled around him. “She loaned it to the Redcloaks, and now she wants it back.”
“And I wonder who gave her that idea?” Rollan muttered.
“Enough,” Abeke said, putting herself between the two boys. “Zerif’s found us. His ships will be here before sundown.”
Kirat rolled his eyes. “Obviously. The only question is whether or not you two are stupid enough to stick around and die with the rest of those red-cloaked freaks.” He gestured to the other children, who were all huddled around him. “Do what you want, but we’re getting out of here.”
“You cowardly little snot!” Tasha said, pushing toward him. “Rollan and Abeke risked their lives to rescue you from Zerif!”
“They brought a marauding army to my father’s doorstep!” Kirat shouted, his voice cracking with real emotion. “My life was perfect before they showed up! And make no mistake, they care nothing for
me or you. They only care about our precious spirit animals.”
Rollan peered around, looking for Cabaro. “Where is that big cat anyway?”
Kirat glared at him superciliously. “He’s in passive state, of course.” He pulled back his collar to reveal a lion-shaped tattoo on the back of his neck. “He finally accepted who his master is.” Even though Kirat’s fingers had touched the tattoo, Cabaro had still not appeared.
“Let me guess, master,” Rollan said, a grin playing at the edge of his mouth. “He went passive and now he won’t come back?”
Kirat’s dark cheeks turned darker. “I don’t need a spirit animal anyway—all he did was lie around and take up space.”
“Can we save the bickering for after the battle?” Abeke said. “The Redcloaks need help—from all of us. And they need this ship’s cannons to defend the shore. Zerif has eight Great Beasts at his command and a fleet of ships filled with Greencloaks. Do you really think you can evade that?”
“We don’t have to,” Kirat said, sniffing. “If Zerif wants Great Beasts, he can have mine. I’ll turn Cabaro over myself in exchange for my life.”
“You’d have to summon him first,” Rollan muttered.
Abeke shot him a glare that seemed to say that he wasn’t helping things. “Turning over the Great Beasts is not an option,” she said flatly.
“That’s easy for you to say!” said an Ardu girl named Anuqi. “You still have your spirit animals—you have something worth fighting for. Some of us have lost our families, our homes, everything. Why is it always fight with you Greencloaks?”
Rollan looked at Abeke, knowing how the girl’s words must have stung. “Actually, I don’t have a spirit animal,” Abeke said in a quiet voice. “Zerif took control of Uraza when we were in Nilo.” She lowered her head.
Rollan put a hand on Abeke’s shoulder, a pathetic attempt at consolation. “You’ll always be a Greencloak,” he said.
“Save your sob stories for someone who cares,” Kirat said, planting his hands on his hips. “We’re done being pawns in your little Greencloak spat.” The other children muttered in agreement.