And the votes are in! The new first chapter of HJ stays. Sorry to people who liked the old one better, but I think it'd be good if there's a little more detail. I know that if I left it the old way, it'd show how he had matured over the years (because of my own style getting better, probably) but the length of the chapters would show that anyway. Besides, the first few chapters didn't even look like it had a definitive story.
However, I am going to postpone reposting the chapters until the end of the – what do you call it? Let's say season – season 4 of HJ. That means the end of an HJ year—December. Thank you for people who checked out the poll!
I forgot to mention, Emerald is an Usul. I'm making another guide, this time about Uptown (suggested by Kyanite_Archer)…it'll probably be finished the same time as when I start reposting the chapters, so probably either the chapter after the next or the one after that.
The Month of Collecting (November) Age 10
Week 1
We were doomed.
Utterly, utterly doomed.
We were aware of the fact that Sam might – heck, was even likely to – lose. I mean, he's fourteen (or fifteen, I think his birthday passed already). But none of us never guessed, even in our despairing, that this would happen. Masila kidnapping Sam in the middle of the fight and threatening to kill him unless Marie doesn't give her the necklace? Crazy. But I should've seen it. Much as I hate to admit it, the plan was absolutely brilliant.
Kanrik didn't think so, though.
I'd never seen him so angry and desperate. I think Bridgette had a point when she said he could be scary sometimes. When they disappeared, he barked orders at his fastest scouts to find them, find them, FIND THEM! But Masila had obviously been planning this for months. The scouts scoured the whole kingdom, but there was no sign of them. Finally, they had to conclude that they had sailed away, though no one knew where they went.
Marie doesn't even know. But she wouldn't stop crying. I stopped by a few times in her house, and in every single visit she was still sobbing her heart out. I didn't do much but stare, really, though Mom would've said it was ride. To be really, really honest, the only reason why I went there in the first place was to check that the necklace was still there. I know that's kinda mean, but really, sad, crying girls are even more scary than the angry ones. You can never find the right thing to say.
Bet Kayley would beat me up if I voiced that thought out loud.
Speaking of Kayley, she's getting worse, no doubt about it. The whole class knows about what's happening to her now, but we haven't talked about it with her outright yet. Who knows how she'd react? Razor had been subtly trying to check up on her a few times, but she always told him to go away. Like she doesn't care if she's sick—like she's not afraid to die.
This isn't fair. She might be grouch and guard-hating, but she doesn't deserve this. At the Guild's main hall, waiting for my mom, I just kept glaring at the broken pebble. Stupid stone. I still don't understand how her life got tied to its twin. I don't think that Masila knew breaking it would kill Kayley – there might have been some truth that she liked kids, and destroying her wouldn't help her get any closer to murdering Kanrik. Yeah, she kills, but she kills for a reason.
I reached into my pocket again to look at her stone. Then I blinked, noticing something weird about it. Her obsidian, the one that supposedly matched mine, almost seemed a different color. A little brighter. Holding it to the sunlight, it flashed a deep gold; not the valuable kind, but I had a feeling this was much, much more powerful. Is this the effect of having a life tied down to a magical item? Somehow, I didn't think so. Still, it hummed with power.
She once told me that the stones did so much more than convey messages.
I frowned, thinking of the one time last year when I saw her going after Sasha in the gloom. That was last Christmas, I think. I remembered Kayley conjuring some sort of fire-orb; I never did figure out how she did it, or how it helped reveal that Sasha was the spy. Could that be one of the stone's powers?
"Gah," I muttered furiously to the rock. "What can you do? You're just a piece of garbage. I should've thrown you away when Kayley said so."
Suddenly, the shards of Kayley's stone warmed in my hand until it was almost burning it. My eyes widened. In my head, there were like a jumble of thoughts, broken, as if the stone was trying to reach for me. It wasn't very happy. I realized I was still holding the darn thing to the sunlight and tried to yank it back – no sense making it hotter – but my arm wouldn't budge.
My vision began going fuzzy, and for a moment I didn't see the Guild at was just a wave of images, flying through my mind. First I glimpsed of a hot, sandy desert. Then I was drowning, struggling to swim up on the top of the waves. Then I was on top of a huge burger, while near me a building called the Neolodge loomed in (huge burger? That was weird). Then I went to this lake, where a lot of Kikos were staring at me. And then….
"You shouldn't do that," a voice said. I snapped out of it, blinking rapidly and letting go of the stone. I looked up and saw Bridgette leaning against the wall, a disapproving frown on her face. "Using a broken magical item is unpredictable. Who knows how the thing can backfire? Uh oh…"
Oh, my stomach hurt…I fell onto my knees, holding on to a nearby chair. I moaned. "Gimme a bucket or something—I think I'm going to throw up."
"You're lucky you only did throw up," she said, after I finished my retching. "Do you know what could have happened? You might have died."
"Thanks for your concern," I said, rolling my eyes. "How many times have I met you again? Twice?"
"Sorry," she apologized. "Big sister habit. I love mothering little kids."
"Excuse me? Am I a little kid?" I said playfully.
"No, but you're certainly going through a tough time." She bit her lip. "Hanso, I know this might sound hard to believe, especially if you really like your friend, but she's a goner. There's no way we can fix that thing."
"Goner?" I snapped, suddenly angry. "I don't think so."
"Hanso-"
"She didn't believe I was a goner when I set out to Krawk Island alone in a very risky quest. She didn't believe that I'd die when Masila poisoned me. She didn't let me fail when we tried to rescue Kanrik when we were small. She always saved me." I glared at Bridgette. "And I intend to return the favor." I paused. "Besides, there's something you're not telling me."
"How did you-? Oh, forget it." She huffed.
"There is a way to save her?" I asked.
"There is," she agreed. "But you're not going to like it. See, Chi's about maintaining balance and all that stuff-"
"Yeah?"
"So, everything has to be equal. A queen for a queen. A coin for a coin. A life-"
"For a life," I finished.
"Right," she said sadly. "Which means that if you want to save her, someone has to sacrifice his life."
"Isn't there a better way?" I questioned.
"No," she sighed, and I could see she was being honest.
I frowned. There would be no one I knew who'd be willing to do that for Kayley, except maybe Juliet; and she's canceled out because I would never let her do it and her brother would kill me if I did. Probably literally. I've never met her family, but from the way she spoke of them I had a feeling that none of them would risk their necks to save hers.
If someone had to do it, it would have to be me.
"I do suggest one thing, though," she said hesitantly. "The power might be able to stay in a little longer if it was held in the presence of another strong aura. Like a mage or something. I would request Jordan, my eldest brother, but…." Her face darkened. "He's rarely in the mood for favors."
"Even if it's to save someone's life?"
"You don't know my brother," she promised. "If you have one conversation with him, you'll see that he's-" She winced. "He's a little wrong in the head."
"Crazy?"
"You could say that." She shrugged. "Anyway, do you know any other person who you could give that to?"
A conversation instantly sprang up in my head.
"Hanso. That lady. There's something wrong about her."
"Who? Mrs. Daley?"
"Yeah."
"What? She's the nicest person I've ever met."
"Nevertheless, there's something wrong…I'm sensing a huge power source in her."
Looks like another visit to Uptown.
Week 2
"Why the sudden interest again?" Mom asked me after breakfast, when I told her I wanted to go with her. Ever since that day when Charlie's family found out that she was alive, she's been going back after work to argue with Grandmother. Stuff to do about the inheritance and all that. From what I can tell, their fights are very, very explosive and get nothing accomplished, and the only reason they haven't killed each other yet was that Mrs. Daley had interfered every time.
Not that I've seen any of it.
As well as Mom going to Uptown more often, I've also kept a lot more out of it. Charlie didn't need me that much—he had Emerald, though I wasn't completely sure that she was a friend. I didn't want to get dragged into that inheritance thing, knowing that all my family besides Charlie and Mom would view me as a terrible mistake. I guess I could stand the looks from the Guild, but from my own family? Kayley once said that blood was thicker than water. I don't really believe that anymore.
Also….I hate to admit it, but I've mistrusted Mom a teeny bit more afterwards. I know it was for my own good and all, but how could she have let me talk, help, and save the life of my cousin without even knowing who he is? Yes, she had her reasons. It was the once defense I had when everyone thought I was a traitor…I still remember that creepy trial in the dead of night, when the only thing that stopped them from kicking me out was the fact that I didn't know anything about my past. But still.
I didn't even know Mom's real name all those years.
How could anyone expect me to trust her completely again?
"I need to say something to someone in Uptown."
"Hm. Mind if I ask who that someone is or what you're telling him or her?"
Silence.
"I suppose I shouldn't ask for such things," she sighed. "You are growing up. And it's not like I haven't kept secrets from you."
"I'm sorry, Mom," I said honestly. I truly was. But if I told her what happened to Kayley, she would completely freak out and maybe tell Kanrik, who would then realize it was Masila's fault, and will become even more obsessed with finding her not to mention would probably pry into Kayley's background, which I knew is something she would definitely not want. I was at a stalemate, and I knew it.
"It's all right, honey. Just…don't grow up too soon, okay?" She went outside without a word, and I followed her. We are just at the center of the marketplace, when-
"I wouldn't visit now if I were you," said a voice. "Your mother is in a very, very foul temper right now."
"How bad?" Mom asked, not turning around.
"About as bad as when I visited in Christmas break when you and I ruined the family portrait, a grand piano, and a priceless vase."
"That is bad," Mom agreed. "Is that you, Grace?"
"It's Honey, now, remember? But yes," the lady answered. Surprisingly, her long hair was braided in two plaits, and she was wearing a servant's outfit. It made her looking strikingly different, not at all like the proper lady I remembered. "Shocking how a change of hairstyle can make you unrecognizable."
"What are you even doing here? And how the heck did you recognize me?"
"I'm buying things."
"I thought you had servants for that?" Mom said coldly.
She snorted. "Please. We aren't rich as we seem—I had given Violet quite a bit of money to enter the Guard. The fee was extraordinary. It's a wonder how people of the lower class can afford it."
"Probably saved every penny they owned."
"Probably," she agreed. "As to how I recognized you, well, I'm meek, but I'm not stupid. The same way you recognized me in servant's clothes. I know you."
"Then wouldn't you have been able to recognize me before I revealed myself?" Mom asked. Grace said nothing, but a smile played along her lips. "Sweet Fyora. You did recognize me before, haven't you?"
"Like I said: Meek, but not stupid." She leaned against the wall. "Figured you wouldn't want me to reveal that you were alive, what with being married and a thief and all. You seem happy enough."
Mom stared at her, completely shocked. So was I. Grace, Honey, or whoever she was, knew that I was a rich kid the entire time?
She sent away Hazel when she realized that Masila might come after her, thanks to a mysterious adviser.
I wonder how crafty she really is.
"W-what happened to my mother?" Mom stammered, trying to change the subject.
"She and her daughter-in-law had gotten in a very nasty agreement." She leaned over to whisper in Mom's ear. "The color of William's suit."
Mom burst out laughing. "Seriously?"
"I'm afraid so," Grace said, shaking her head. "No doubt it will end with tearful sentimentality." She sighed. "But that's what happens when you're in Uptown. May you rise above the rest." She said the last part in a mocking voice, and I realized that it was the Uptown motto, something Charlie and Hazel had quoted with distaste.
"Where's your husband?" Mom asked, with raised eyebrows. "You seem a lot more…scared around him."
"I'd rather not talk about it. Say, isn't that your friend Marie over there?"
We stared. How much did this lady know? She smiled at us sweetly and pointed. It was definitely Marie, and she was chasing some a creepy blue Mynci. "That's one of Masila's assassins," Mom realized. "We have to see what's happening. Care to join us, Grace?"
Now it was her turn to stare. "All right."
We all hurried after her – even Mom was surprised at how quick Grace was – and spied her in a corner, holding up a dagger to a blue Mynci. "Should we stop her?" I asked Mom.
She shook her head. "She wouldn't kill. She knows what she's doing. But maybe we should go to her-"
Suddenly, two guards ran near the alleyway. I didn't have to guess who it was—I have begun actually keeping track of the days of the week. "Mom, I can't. That's Brynn."
"Oh, so that's her," Mom said, looking at my friend. "There's Violet."
"What?" Grace straightened up. "Oh, if that lady threatens her in any way-"
"She's a guard," Mom reminded her. "She's probably threatened everyday."
"I won't allow it while I'm present," she said grimly. We all edged closer, but we made sure that we weren't seen. It seemed that Marie had yet to notice Brynn and Violet behind her.
"Tell me what you have done with my son!" Marie snapped, her voice angry and deadly.
"I didn't do nuffin, Miss," the Mynci pleaded. "The mistress said sumfin' about if the Guild won't help then she'd need bait and-" He broke off.
Marie looked murderous. "You're using him as bait?" She was hyperventilating.
"Oh, dear," Grace whispered. "She looks even angrier than your mother right now."
"It takes a lot to make me angry Jonathon," Marie continued. "But you've succeeded. He's all I have left in the world, Jon. I have nothing else, since-"
"You betrayed the Guild?" Jonathon suggested.
"I did not!" Marie said indignantly. "It was better. Don't you see that?"
He snorted. "Your sister didn't." Frankly, I don't as well. Okay, so Masila's the Mistress of Double-cross and everything, and the thought of agreeing with her makes me sick, but I have to say that she might be right at this point. From what I saw in the crystal ball, she left everything behind to be with some bossy general. I guessed that maybe they had some happy moments – Marie wouldn't have done anything for him if that wasn't the case – but maybe she really was a bit too young.
"I'm nothing like her!" she yelled.
Jonathon spotted the guards. "Miss," he said, warning Marie.
Marie spun around, pulling her hood down. "Hello, girls," she said, forcing a smile. "I'm just sorting out some….personal matters."
"He's missing?" Violet said quietly. We all knew who she was referring to (except maybe Grace).
Marie's gaze softened. "He'll be all right, dear," she assured her. She wasn't very convincing. "This is Sam we're talking about. He's gotten out of worse."
Worse than the Mistress of Double Cross? I thought. Not likely.
"Daddy's not here to save 'im this time," the Mynci said gleefully.
Marie glared at him and went closer, whispering something in his ear that even the guard girls didn't hear. He paled and shrank back against the wall.
"Are they at Terror Mountain?" Violet said boldly, striding in front. "Because we were wondering…"
"Yeah, Masila and her guys are," he confirmed. He had a sly smile on his face, as if he accomplished a mission. Maybe he did.
Marie stumbled back, letting go of him, and the Mynci quickly ran away. She began muttering, as if thinking out loud. "Which means….And they're going to….No!" She began to walk away really quickly, but Violet grabbed her arm. The guard girl looked mystified, as if she couldn't believe someone would just walk away from her.
"You've just been caught threatening a man with a dagger. Explain yourself," she ordered. Her face said, Or else.
"I think it's your daughter who's doing the threatening," Mom said dryly.
"We've had past dealings," said Marie simply.
Violet arched an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Look," she said exasperatedly, "When guards have fallings out they deal with it legally, maybe take it to the king and resolve it with fines and prison sentences, that sort of thing. Correct?" Violet nodded. "In the Thieves' Guild, we don't deal with things that way. There are people in the Guild who would kill me if they got a chance. These people also have a rough idea where my son is." She glared at the Mynci, who was still hanging around. "And so I have to get that out of them. It's a mother thing. Wouldn't your mother search for you if something happened?"
Grace stiffened, dreading her answer.
Brynn nodded with utter conviction, and if Marie had been asking me I would've done the same. Dad had said that Mom had nearly driven Brightvale upside-down when I went to get Hannah. But Violet hesitated. "She'd want to," she said at last. "But she wouldn't."
Grace's face fell.
"Why not?" Marie asked.
"Because Father is in charge," Violet said, utterly convinced. There was no other possibility. Her voice was a mixture of sadness and contempt, like she hated that her mom let her dad walk all over her. "And he'd say it was my own fault. Same thing probably if Hazel ever got lost. Ebony's different. Father always liked Ebony more."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Marie said sincerely. "Though, I'll still need to go."
Violet glared at her suspiciously. "Violet," Brynn said, "If Marie doesn't go, Masila will keep hold of Sam. Do you want that?" Violet sighed and let go of her. Satisfied, Brynn turned to Marie. "Good luck."
"Or we'll come after him ourselves," Violet said darkly.
(Line)
"This is bad," Mom said, as soon as we got out of earshot.
"Yes," I agreed. "We can't just let the guards find Sam! They could get hurt!"
She blinked. "Uh, Hanso, I was referring to Marie giving in to Masila's demands and going on a wild goose chase to Terror Mountain. I doubt the guard girls can even find a boat."
"Oh." I turned red, embarrassed. Still, I doubted that if Brynn really wanted to get to Terror Mountain, nothing would stop her. She'd swim if she had to.
"Sorry, hon, we're going to have to postpone our little trip to Uptown. Not that I mind," she said, frowning. "We have to tell Kanrik about this. Um, Grace, are you going to be okay….?"
Grace was noticeably quieter after what Violet said. I couldn't help but pity her, even if I did think it was pathetic. I remembered when Violet was absolutely bursting to get Mom's autograph and chatting happily about Hannah and some girl called Theresa—but when it came down to her own mom, she didn't have a shred of pride. Even if she's in danger, she had no expectation that her mother would come and rescue her.
"W-what? Oh, yes. I'm used to it. I better go back, anyway. My husband would probably be expecting thing or something right now." She gave us a nod and went her own way.
"That's kinda sad," I commented.
"She wasn't always this way," Mom sighed. We made our way to the Guild pretty quickly.
"I know."
A flicker of suspicion crossed Mom's face. "Oh? And how did you come about this knowledge?"
"Uh…."
"Never mind. I don't think I want to know." She stopped. "On second thought, what else have you learned?"
"Oh, look, there's Kanrik!" I said frantically. It was enough to distract her, thank Fyora.
She ran to him and whispered happened in his ear. His eyes widened. He called for a thief to get a boat ready—and then Bridgette came inside looking frantic. "Marie's gone."
He sighed disgustedly. "I might have known. I'm going after them alone this time."
"What?" Morgana said, materializing. "Why? I do not suggest-"
"I have no need for suggestions," he snapped. "Yours especially. Look what came of it."
"You have no one to blame but yourself," she retorted. "I was the one who requested that we go through with it, but only you have the power to actually accept that decision."
He glared at her. "You will stay here. No one else is to come with me."
"Why?" she questioned.
"I don't want anyone else to be harmed with this mission." Even though he didn't say so, I knew he was talking about the people lost in the massacre. Bridgette visibly stiffened, but said nothing.
"What about Hannah?" I blurted out.
He frowned at me. "What about Hannah?"
"Well, shouldn't you ask her to help?"
"No," he said promptly. "She's a good explorer, but she does not want to get mixed up any of this thief business."
"But-"
"No buts," he told me. "I have to leave. Now. Is it ready?" He asked Bridgette.
"Yes, sir," she said quietly. She hesitated, and then added, "For what it's worth, sir…I don't blame you for what happened."
"Me neither," I called in. Mom echoed my statement, but there was a sad light in her eyes.
Then he was gone.
(Line)
A horrible thought had struck me.
I ran.
I raced all the way to Marie's house, praying that I was wrong. But I wasn't. The furniture was still all right, and everything was still in proper place. Except one thing…
The crystal ball was in shards. Broken.
I touched it a little bit, and drew back, remembering Bridgette's warning against broken artifacts. I so did not want to take the risk. But I knew why Masila ordered her goons to break the orb—it was too powerful a thing, and she wanted us as weak as possible. And not only that…I had a feeling she used it before she crushed it.
What if she had went back to last Christmas, when she read the incantation?
She might have forgotten it, and Dad might have burnt the spell, but if she went back and heard it for herself, making absolutely sure she remembered it…This was bad. This was really, really bad.
If Masila gets her hands on that necklace, she would rule Neopia.
And there was nothing I could do about it.
Week 3
"NO!"
"YES!"
"Ladies, be reasonable," Mrs. Daley pleaded, but she was ignored.
"Why am I even considering a compromise?" Mom wondered out loud. "I refuse to inherit this stupid fortune…"
"Too bad, since it's already yours," Grandmother snapped. "Many people would give up their right arms to get that much money—and no, you cannot just give it away when you have it. The banker is under my strict others that you do not withdraw a specific number a day, and only if you provide an income."
"Then what's the point of inheriting it at all?" Mom asked in disbelief.
"Children," Mrs. Daley said smoothly, gently pushing me and Charlie away, "I think you should wait outside until this blows over."
"Does it ever blow over?" I asked.
"Well, usually it ends with Aunt Liz stomping away in frustration," Charlie replied.
You'd think that we'd have a lot more to worry about than the money—I mean, we had an evil murderess with Sam on the loose and Marie coming to give her what she wants, plus the Guild leader was trying to get to them and defeat her. But that's the thing. That would be all we'd ever do if we don't keep busy—worry. So Mom and I decided that we should at least make this time productive, even if we were scared out of our wits about what was going to happen.
Also, I needed to talk to Mrs. Daley, fast. Tyler was right: If I couldn't get Kayley's necklace fixed soon, she won't last till the New Year. If giving the stone to Mrs. Daley, someone I couldn't say I completely trusted anymore, is the only way to save her or at least buy some time, I have to do it. But someone is always present; either Mom or Grandmother or Charlie, and I doubted that I could ask to speak to her without arousing suspicions from them. Besides that, I have another reason to talk to my cousin's housekeeper.
She was hiding something.
Emerald had explicitly told me herself – but seriously, who was this mysterious guy who told her to give me the hint? – but I had already suspected it before. That scrapbook scared me a lot. Is it possible that that really was her? She had never mentioned her age, but then, neither did Mom or any other lady (they seemed to think it was rude, for some reason). Before I could trust her with the necklace, I intended to find out what was up.
"Neopia to Hanso?" Charlie asked.
"What? Oh, sorry, I just…"
"You have a lot to worry about. I know." He seemed a lot more relaxed than usual, and was chatting happily. "Hazel's having an…interesting time at the Academy. She'll be coming home for a brief visit at Christmas – for two whole weeks, actually, until the New Year – but the school's all right for her. Since her brother and father had practically already beaten the lessons to her, she's at the top of her class…a very big surprise to her teachers, she says." He grinned.
"Cool. How is she with friends?"
"Good enough. She does have a bit of family there—there's her cousin, Beauty-"
"From her mother's side?"
"Yes. All the traits of what a proper lady should be, remember? Grace, beauty, prudence, politeness, that sort of thing. Mind you, she doesn't agree with it…"
"Really?" a voice asked. Emerald's eyebrows were raised. "She doesn't seem like it."
"I doubt that anyone would like getting treated like a servant," Charlie pointed out. Then he smiled at her. "So, are you coming in the Christmas break, too? Hazel and you and I can get up some pretty interesting games…"
Her laugh was slightly forced. "Ah, no thank you," she said. "I might be leaving before then."
"What? But I thought you said you won't be going until next year so you could be here for Sapphire."
Drat, Emerald's face seemed to say. "Oh, yes…well, my family might not want me to go. It might be a private thing, and all, with Christmas being so important. Or we could get invited back to Richmond, if my Uncle's generosity allows it."
"I doubt it, Em," said someone behind her. "You know how he is."
A small smile played around her lips. "And why not, Ebony?"
"You know why," the black Usul sighed, going over to face her. He bowed low. Oddly enough, it seemed genuine—as if he really respected her, not just putting on a show. "Duchess Emerald."
"Lord Ebony," she said, giving a slight curtsy.
"I suppose it's no use asking you why you associate with them?"
"No use at all," she confirmed, "Unless you want me questioning you about the people you hang around with."
"There's nothing to tell. They're all a bunch of morons."
"A bunch of morons who convinced you to burn down Charlie's mansion?" Emerald asked, circling him. He turned red. I stared—he really was ashamed of himself. "A bunch of morons who chased little kids out of the neighborhood? Although perhaps the first shouldn't have surprised me. You've always loved playing with fire."
"Is that a problem?" he asked with a small, albeit nervous grin. "Remember that poem? An emerald as green as grass…"
"A ruby as red as blood," Emerald recited.
He smirked at her. "A sapphire shines as blue as Heaven-"
"A flint lies in the mud," she said dryly.
"A diamond is a brilliant stone," he continued. "To catch the world's desire."
She began saying the last lines. "An opal holds a fiery spark-"
"But a flint holds fire," he countered triumphantly. "I told you I'd come prepared this time. Took me awhile to find who C.G.R. is…in the end, she was in my book of nursery rhymes!"
"And who is she?"
"Christina Georgina Rosetti."
She groaned. "Fine. You win. Just don't let it happen again."
"What? Do you really think I'd let a lady like you in danger?"
"Without a second thought," she said matter-of-factly.
"I'm hurt," he said mockingly.
"I apologize for my callous tongue," she said, matching his tone. "Please forgive me if you could not handle such insults."
"Well excuse me, Dorothy," he said, grinning. "Is the Emerald City not to your liking?" She rolled her eyes at him. I stared. "What are you looking at?" he snapped at me.
"You don't get along with any of your siblings, or anyone in the neighborhood," I said, shocked. "But you get along with her?"
"So? She's only a little younger than me, and I can deem to associate with people over ten, if they're suitable."
"I'm eleven!"
"You're a peasant."
"Not exactly," Charlie supplied, nodding at his house. Even here we could hear the loud bickering.
"She also knows her place, besides getting ideas above her station." I saw Charlie smile slightly at this, and Emerald's eyes darken a little. "And besides," Ebony continued, "You know who she is, don't you?"
I frowned. "Uh….she's Emerald?"
He blinked. "Oh, Em, you cannot be serious. You didn't even tell him who you are?"
"I did not want to intimidate him," she said.
"I'll do it for you," he said happily, and before she could stop him he said, "Let me introduce you to Duchess Emerald of the Richmond Acres, third-in-line to the throne."
I choked. "You're third-in-line? Wouldn't that make you…a princess?"
"Technically," she said, glaring at Ebony, "I'm fourth-in-line-"
"Not if your uncle is as sick as I hear-" he crowed.
She shook her head at him, her dark curls falling gracefully. "You shouldn't speak of such things—it's treason. But yes, I might soon be third-in-line, and I'm not a princess because I wasn't born to the King of Richmond—rather, the duke, his brother."
Ebony continued. "He's childless, though, so if he dies…."
"I still won't be a princess unless my father is very, very generous," she snapped at him, suddenly angry. "Or have you forgotten?"
He paled. "I didn't mean it like that-"
"What?" I said, completely confused.
"We do not need to talk about this," Emerald said loudly. "Now, my father has both invited you for tea. I doubt that any of you can refuse except Hanso." They both nodded sullenly. Ebony's father would probably want him to make nice with a future princess (or whatever she'll be), and Charlie's parents and Grandmother would die if he would simply past this chance up. My mom, on the other hand, wouldn't care a bit if I refused.
Then I realized.
She was giving me a distraction. A way out.
"Uh, yeah, I better get going," I said. "Excuse me."
With that, I hurried back to the house. As luck would have it, Mrs. Daley was there in the living room. "Your relatives have taken their arguments up in the study," she told me. "I suppose it'll only be an hour or so when your mother comes back down. Why aren't you with Charlie and Emerald?"
"I wanted to ask you something."
"Really, dear? And what sort of something?"
I took a deep breath. Now was the time to say it. "You're hiding something."
"What?"
"You're really powerful. I know it," I said firmly.
"Ah." She put her sewing down. "And I suppose it was your little friend who told you? The black Acara?"
"Yes," I replied. "I mean, she said she sensed a lot of power in you."
"The same is true in reverse," she told me. "Now. Even if I am powerful, why would you need to know about it?"
"You work in my cousin's house," I said slowly. "If you're so powerful, then why didn't you prevent the fire? How come I saw you in photographs of hundreds of years ago? Who are you? I am not willing to let this go, especially if you're evil-"
She began to laugh. "Oh, my. You are paranoid."
I shrugged. "I have to be, to keep my family and friends safe. And even then it isn't enough," I added darkly, remembering Kayley.
She looked at me strangely. "Do you want me to tell you a story, dear?"
"What? But-"
"Stories have more truth to them than you might realize," she told me. "Besides, we might get overheard."
I took a deep breath. She was my cousin's and mom's housekeeper, and generally a nice lady whenever I came over. I must not scream. "Okay."
"Once upon a time," she said in a quiet voice. "There lived a lady who was the housekeeper of a Kacheek. She had a husband, and a daughter."
A what now?
"The boy she took care of fell in love with her daughter, and her parents granted her permission readily enough. His parents, though…were less enthusiastic. After all, they didn't want their only son betrothed to a servant girl. Especially of that son would one day be king of Brightvale."
"Say what?"
She gave me a sad little smile. "That got your interest, didn't it? Luckily, he had a cousin twice-removed which he abdicated to. Unfortunately, that wasn't what his parents had in mind when they ordered him to find a solution."
"So in short, they ordered him to dump her," I said flatly.
"Correct. The prince, rebellious, asked me—I mean, the housekeeper—for help, as she was known to be a wise woman. She advised him to…to form a law. Princes used to be able to do that, you know; and Meridell was really a tyranny then. He ruled that if the parents of the betrothed girl agreed, a couple were bound to marry."
It sunk in.
"You?" I said in disbelief. "YOU were responsible for the Tradition?"
"Shh, now," she whispered. "Let me continue. The boy's parents were so ashamed, they were forced to throw him out, though they couldn't bear to leave him penniless. Instead, they made him a lord of the Meridell Acres, a far cry from a prince though. But he wasn't the one they were angry of. They turned their sorrows to a…to someone else, instead."
"Who?"
"It's best that I don't tell you," she said. "I will tell you, though, that she was dark and beautiful and dangerous, and when she offered to help, the royal family couldn't resist. No one could against her, really. She's very persuasive."
A part of my mind leapt to Masila, but that simply wasn't possible. She wasn't hundreds of years old.
"But little did they know that every wish had a consequence. In punishing the housekeeper, they punished their own son as well. The lady and her husband were forced to serve the family forever until one of them said that they didn't need her anymore…and even then, she and her husband would not rest in peace, for the enchantress had cursed the daughter and son."
"Cursed?" Even Masila couldn't do that. "How the heck-"
"She had the power of a fallen Faerie, though how she obtained it is a different story," she murmured. "The extended royal family – this does not include the current one in Meridell, whom have all but forgotten their connection to the Windsors – were cursed with ill luck until the Tradition, the thing that had allowed them to exist in the first place, was broken."
"Wait a minute. The curse is just bad luck?"
"But how much does a thief depend on luck, my dear?" she pointed out mildly.
I deflated. "A lot." Sometimes, it could mean the difference between life and death. I remembered all the bad things that were happening to Charlie—the fire, almost losing his best friend, maybe losing his fortune (though I guess he counts that one as a blessing), and that kind of stuff. What could go wrong next? "But…the Tradition? It has to be removed or something?"
"Until it's broken," she corrected. "I had hoped that your mother would be able to do it. She was an amazing little girl, and always got her way. She did, in a way—her branch of the family is free, as far as I can tell. No ill luck for you."
"I wouldn't count on that," I muttered. I've been attacked far more often than just about any other Guild member, and there's what happened to Dad. "Anyway, couldn't we go to one of the kings or something and asked it to be removed?"
"Oh, how I wish it was that easy," Mrs. Daley sighed. "No, the kings will not do it, unless you can finish off the witch, thereby breaking the spell that forces them never to lift the law, and ask for it. But even without the spell, royalty rarely ever do anything the commons say anyway, and blue blood is precious to them, so you'd have to tread carefully."
"Royalty? What about Emerald?"
Mrs. Daley cocked her head. "It's…possible, if she could put enough pressure….but I'm warning you, Hanso, to not meddle with her affairs. You should have seen what happened to her m- Oh, never mind. But besides that, it is highly unlikely that she will ever have enough power to influence her own kingdom, must less the others'."
"Why?"
"I'm afraid," she said sadly, "You'll have to ask that yourself."
"Is that why you have an aura of power?" I questioned.
She shook her head. "I went to Queen Fyora about our problem. She was very sympathetic, but there wasn't much she could do."
Figures.
"She did, however, grant me powers. Small ones, to do with household duties. The Windsor family would forget my age. My husband and I would provide the very best services, so that they'd have to keep us."
"Oh." I really didn't know what to do. This was a completely new set of problems…well, no, not really, I'd been wanting to get rid of the Tradition anyway. But this makes it even more urgent. I don't think I'd want to live forever…it'd be too sad. I wondered how many of her great-great-great-grandchildren Mrs. Daley had seen pass away, knowing that she'd never be able to follow them. Charlie's family didn't even know.
Wow. Looks like I've found another long-lost relative.
I decided I couldn't focus on this, not now with the threat of Masila still looming over us. This could wait another time. There was one problem, though, that couldn't wait…
"Could you fix these?" I asked her, giving her the two Obsidian stones while in my head praying please don't let her be evil, please don't let her be evil, if she is I had just given Kayley's life over to her….
"I'm afraid not," she replied, albeit with a touch of sympathy. "It would use up my entire life force, and like I said, I can't rest in peace. It would be better to stay here for the whole family." Personally, I thought she was right, but I couldn't help but also think she was being selfish.
Still, I managed to control my emotions a little. "Could you keep it? To slow down what's happening a little and buy me some time?"
"I don't think that would be the best idea," she said gently. "That would just make her death long and agonizing and-" She saw my face. "All right, dear." She took them and placed it carefully in her pocket. "But truly, it might be more merciful if she died quickly."
"It might be more merciful if she didn't die, period!" I couldn't help but snap. Then I realized what I said.
She shook her head. "Trust me, dear. That wouldn't be a mercy at all."
Week 4
I was supposed to leave well enough alone.
I mean, seriously, haven't I already done enough? Or you can look at it in a different point of view and say that I did too little. I mean, I did bring Hannah hear. But that's about it. Go tell a grown-up and let her save you. Even if that grown-up was in Krawk Island, it's still asking for a rescue. I never really did anything—and when it counted, when someone had to protest to Kanrik that letting Sam, a teenager, fight for the Thieves' Guild was a stupid idea, who did it?
Kayley, who is dying.
But I'm not really one for the heroics. In fact, I would've actually followed orders, biting my nails and praying that Kanrik made it, if it weren't for the bird.
I woke up uncharacteristically early that day, like I had the week before. Like something was terribly, terribly wrong. Weird thing was that I was having that feeling ever since Brynn's birthday. But that couldn't be right. What's the matter with a guard girl turning eleven? Besides, you know, getting a step closer to when the real rivalry of thieves and guards sunk in when we were grown-ups…still, I wasn't worried about that before.
Something else had gone bad.
And so I had gone to school early, hoping that maybe I could consult Jacques's books or something (he does have an extensive library in there, almost as much as the public library). Doing so, I ran into the twins in the hall. They were whispering about something.
"—Move back, that's impossible! Our parents would-"
"Would do what, Juliet? You know we can't risk another fight-"
"Neither can they, at least, that's one good thing-"
"And at least they won't come here-"
"But what if we meet in lunch? What will I say when people see that I-"
"The truth, maybe?"
"No way!"
"You know Hanso's going to figure it out one way or another-"
"NO! Julius, I absolutely REFUSE to say anything to him, and if you-"
"Hi," I said loudly. They both turned around.
Julius frowned. "Aw, crap. I thought my detecting skills were working fine."
"Guess you've gotten too caught up with your conversation?" I suggested.
He grinned sheepishly. "How much did you hear?"
"Not much," I said honestly. Juliet breathed out. "Although," I couldn't help but add, "I did hear the part about 'I refuse to tell Hanso'…..something you're not telling me, guys?"
Juliet blushed a deep red. "It's nothing important."
"But-"
"At least, compared to our current situation. Kayley's dying!" she said desperately. "We need to find some cure-"
"You're really good at distracting me," I grumbled. "Tell ya what. Promise that this isn't life-threatening?" The twins glanced at each other, which isn't really a good sign. But after a slight hesitation, they both nodded. "Okay. I won't talk about this until we get Kayley healed. Which we will." I frowned at Juliet for a moment. "Though really, I'd be interested in anything you wouldn't want to say to me."
She just gave me a nervous smile and opened the door to the classroom….
…..Then promptly shut it back again. "Uh-oh" was all she said. That was enough to get me and Julius race to the doorway, ignore her protests and warnings, and open the way ourselves to see what happened.
It was chaos. Desks were in ruins. Papers were scattered in the floor. The bookcase had toppled over, and the habitation was in shatters with bugs crawling over the floor. The only thing that wasn't ripped apart was the map on the wall, for some strange reason. It looked like that sandstorm Masila unleash had kept going to our classroom. Only, I knew it wasn't Masila. If she knew how to get in here, Kanrik would have been dead years ago. Besides, the culprit was still in that very room.
Flynn was pecking at everything crazily, scratching anything that was scratch-able and ripping anything plush with his sharp beak. His eyes were wild. As if that wasn't enough to cause alarm, he kept shouting, "DANGER! DANGER! FRIENDS IN DANGER! GO! NOW! HELP! DANGER! DEATH! DANGER!"
And with a sinking feeling, I knew he was talking about Brynn.
"Dear Fyora," said a voice. "What the heck happened here?" Master Jacques stood, open-mouthed at the damage. He dropped the pile of books he was holding. His eyes darted around the room, and then settled at the Wocky twins. "What did you two do?"
"We didn't do anything!" Juliet said desperately.
"And if I might add," Julius seethed, "That was mean, to assume we did it."
"You always do it," said Jacques exasperatedly, scanning the mess.
"No, we don't," Juliet protested, as I piped up, "That's extremely unfair!"
"I'm sorry, Hanso, you didn't have to teach two flaming balls of energy-"
"Now that's being really unfair," said Juliet indignantly. "We're finally controlling ourselves."
"Are you?" he said with mock surprise. As he turned away, I couldn't help but notice the hurt expressions on the twins' faces.
"DANGER!" Flynn shrieked when he saw Jacques. "DANGER! FRIENDS!"
He stared at him. "Oh. You're the one who's causing the damage…" He shrugged slightly. "So, what friends? This better not be one of your pranks, Flynn, and I know for certain my crew is safe, they sent me a message not one hour ago-"
Flynn shrieked again. "DANGER! MUST GO! NOW! DANGER!"
"What happened in here?" Kayley asked, entering the classroom. After a few minutes, Razor went inside as well, gaping at what happened. I briefly explained. Unlike the rest of the people, however, she seemed to take Flynn seriously. She looked at him with her sharp grey eyes. "We know that our friends are in danger, Flynn," she stated. "Sam is in Terror Mountain. But Kanrik's going to get him."
He squawked even louder.
"MISSION! THE MISSION! STILL UNDER GO! DANGER! FRIENDS! DANGER!"
Jacques looked stunned. Kayley's eyes widened. "Sweet Fyora…"
"What? What's happened?"
"There's someone else in that Mountain," she murmured. "Alive. You remember a certain mission which got destroyed soon afterwards, don't you?"
I paled. "My…dad?"
"We don't know that yet," she said swiftly. "But it's possible. Or it could be…" Her face darkened. "Well, whoever survived is still there. At least, that what Flynn says. I think."
"GO!" He shrieked. "NOW! GO! FRIENDS! HELP!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," protested Jacques. "I'm not about to let my students go gallivanting off without permission-"
"We won't go without permission," I said, suddenly struck with inspiration. "We'll ask our parents."
Everyone stared at me like I was crazy.
"Like they'd ever say yes to that!" Razor pointed out, and the rest of the class agreed.
"Say that we'll go, even without permission," I said solemnly. "Under that threat, I think they'll all say yes anyway."
"How about you?" said Juliet, concerned. "You can't lie."
I shrugged, trying to disguise the fact that I was worried about this as well. "I'll figure it out."
"You're all mad," Kayley supplemented.
"Hey! You're the one who found out what Flynn was saying and then told us-"
"I should've thought of that," she sighed. "I should have never said anything out loud."
"But you did," I said smugly. "Which is why I now really have to save the people—and rescue Sam and Kanrik," I said, it finally dawning on me. "Kanrik's plan, whatever it is, isn't going to work, right, Flynn!"
"YES! SQUAWK! GO! NOW!"
"Now hold on a minute-" Jacques was saying.
"We don't have a minute!" I cried. "Someone, go for Hannah, we'll ask her if-"
Julius and Juliet had already left when I finished the sentence. Kayley was looking at me oddly. "You're really going to go through with this, are you?"
"Yes," I said firmly.
Her eyes seemed worried, but she looked away. "You do know that once you get there, you'll have no idea where to start. Terror Mountain isn't just a mountain, Hanso, despite the name. It's a whole different country, with its own problems and hiding places. It would be ultimately stupid if you go there without knowing where to go." I opened my mouth to say I didn't care, or maybe I'd ask Master Jacques (though really, based on what happened with Garin's crew, I didn't have that much faith in pirates), when she continued, "However, if you really do want to go, I…"
"You'll come with me?"
"No! I mean, yes, of course I'm going, who can question that? What I meant was that you might know someone who knows at least one place to hide there."
"Really?" I said eagerly. "Who?"
She rolled her eyes. "Must I spell it out?"
"Please do."
"Does the name Tyler Shuriken ring a bell?"
I blinked. "Yes…."
"His father might have mentioned the hiding place once," she told me.
"I know that," I said. "My dad told me the hiding place, too. But that's been months ago. Nobody can possibly remember what someone said for that long, unless he wrote it down or something."
"Oh, believe me," she said grimly. "He can."
I studied her. "Any reason why you can't come and ask with me?"
"Yes."
"Can you tell me that reason?"
"No."
"Didn't think so."
(Line)
I really had no idea how Kayley knew Tyler's address, and I didn't want to know. I did have my suspicions, of course. She had been searching around for spies—my guess is that she suspected him and followed him around until it became apparent that he wasn't it, and then moved on. But while she was doing it, I guess I did something pretty bad. Or she simply didn't like him because he was an Assassin. Or…I don't know.
With my luck, all the guesses I have are wrong.
But Kayley herself told me to ask him, so I went along to his house. It was a little bit secluded – no, a lot secluded – taking me about two hours to get there. And even then, it was hard to find; they lived closer to the Haunted Woods than to Brightvale, it seemed, though I guess I'm just exaggerating. That meant that their home was camouflaged in the forest darkness, and I had to scan around several times before I even saw the outline of the cottage.
I gotta admit, it as pretty neat. They were really more Shenkuuan than Brightvalean. There was a pond in front of the house, with a bridge that you'll have to cross over to get inside. It was filled with water lilies and reeds, obviously thriving. The roof's tips were slightly slanted upwards, and you had to slide the doors instead of opening them the normal way. All in all, it was cool.
"Can I help you?" said a lady. She was a pretty blue Nimmo, with waist-length black hair lined with grey. She had a tired expression on her face.
"Um…is your son there?" I asked.
She smiled. "Which one, dear? I have four."
"Tyler."
"Ah, my only sane one," she said with a slight tease in her voice. "Is he your friend? He truly does need some, you know," she added before I could say anything. "He's old ones are shunning him since we went to the Assassins…and it was our fault, not his. I think he gets lonely at times, though he never shows it. Just meditates all day."
"Yeah, I guess you can say he's my friend," I said neutrally.
"Good. What's your name again, dear?"
"Hanso Laron."
She nearly stumbled over. "Hanso Laron?"
"…Yeah," I said, thinking that it might've been a mistake to reveal my name, even to thieves. Especially if they were former Assassins.
"Oh, my," she said softly. A suspicious look crossed over her face. "You're not involving him in anything dangerous, are you?"
"No," I promised. "I just want to ask him something."
"All right. He's in the back garden." She pointed to a gate near her. I crossed the bridge quickly and entered.
Tyler was the picture of peacefulness, surrounded my candles in the garden. He was sitting cross-legged on a carpet, murmuring something other his breath. His eyes were closed. At least, they were until he heard a twig snap. Then he opened one eye. Seeing it was just me, he closed it again and kept on doing whatever he was doing.
"Uh, what are you doing?"
"Regulating my Chi," he said calmly. "Wait, I'm almost done, just one more minute…" He went back to chanting for awhile, and then opened his eyes properly. He stood up. "So, what brings you here? I take it that it's not good?"
"Not at all," I admitted.
"Is this about your friend?" He looked around. "Bridgette isn't here, so if you want me to do something…"
"No, it's not really about her," I said.
"Oh. Did you find a way to help her, then?" he asked curiously.
"Sort of. I gave it to this lady who your sister said had a powerful aura-"
"The hypocrite!" he said, smiling slightly. "She said that we weren't supposed to help at all. But that's good, I guess. You do know it'll only buy you some time."
"How much?"
"The most optimistic view is the end of the first month next year," he said gravely.
I bit my lip. That didn't seem nearly enough time to find a cure. "Is there anything I can do? Any solution?"
"The only thing I can think of is sacrificing yourself." He arched an eyebrow. "You're not going to do that." There was no option of an argument in his voice. "Oh, and I might also suggest not to let her use her powers. If she does, it'll speed up the dying process a lot faster, since she's actually using her life force to-"
"Wait a minute. She has powers?"
He titled his head. "She could have. It's an assumption most of us think, if you have more Chi then you can strike out more, not just in a physical sense. I have a feeling that if she was in her normal state, she'd be able to cast…something." He frowned. "Or she might not. Maybe she'd just have a more powerful constitution or whatever. She could even be resistant to magic and certain talents. I've seen types of people like that. In any case, she isn't the most powerful person I've ever seen." For a moment, his eyes turned sad, but he shook his head as if to clear it.
"Thanks. But really, I'm not here to talk about Kayley-"
"Oh, that's her name-"
I am so doomed.
"Don't worry," he said, smirking. "She's one of the suspicious ones? I won't tell."
"All right," I said. "Just wondering, but do you remember where your dad said his hiding place would be on Terror Mountain?"
He looked at me suspiciously. "How do you know if I'd remember it? How would you know if he'd even say that to me?"
"As for the latter question, I knew because my dad told it to me, though I couldn't remember. How you could is kind of confusing even to me-"
"Did Bridgette or any of my family tell you?"
"What?"
He frowned. "You don't know. But somebody else does. Who's been spying on me?" He wondered out loud. "I think I can guess. The suspicious one..." He sighed. "I guess I am pretty suspicious, aren't I? This girl really is dangerous, with or without powers."
"Tyler, what are you talking about?"
"I'm saying that for the first time ever, someone has figured out that I-" He smiled slightly. "Never mind. Maybe I'll tell you another time."
"Tyler," I groaned.
He just laughed at me. "Dad said the hiding place would be somewhere near Salsom—anyone who knows the Mountain can take you there. He didn't dare tell me anything else, though, in case someone would blackmail me or something."
"That's good," I commented. "Thanks."
"No problem." He turned back to his ritual thingy, then hesitated. He glanced at me. "Look, Hanso, I know it's none of my business really, but be real careful with your friend, okay? From what I heard, you really wouldn't want to lose her, whether she's a friend or only an ally."
"All right. One more thing, Tyler…what happened to the most powerful person you were talking about?"
He flinched. "I really shouldn't have told you about that…seriously, it was only once that I used Soft Sight on that person when I was really little, I couldn't be sure…"
"What happened?"
"Died," he said flatly, and that was that.
(Line)
"Bad news, Hanso," Juliet said to me as soon as I got back. She had a worried look on her face. "Hannah's gone."
"What?"
"Brynn, Violet, and the rest of the Rebellion…they, kinda…asked Hannah to help them get to Terror Mountain…."
"Let me get this straight. Brynn took my explorer. Brynn."
"Yep."
"She took Hannah as her ride to Terror Mountain."
"Yes."
"Is she out of her mind?" I cried. Juliet chuckled. "This isn't fair! Now how are we supposed to get to-"
"A teeny bit of persuasion, perhaps," said Mom behind me. I blinked and turned around. "Before you say anything, hon, yes, you can go."
I stared at her.
"Really," she continued, "I didn't think I can stop you from going anyway. Just promise me to…to come back for Christmas, okay?" She took a deep breath. "Last year your dad promised will be together-"
"And I promise I'll do the best that I can to make that happen," I pledged. I don't think that Mom knows that Dad might still be alive. I didn't tell her—it might get her hopes up. It was scary, this thinking, and suddenly I realized why Mom kept her mouth shut about herself. But if Dad was alive, I'm going to find him.
"Of course, I am going as well," said Morgana. "What? Stop looking so horrified. Masila is my niece, and if anyone has a chance of talking sense into her-"
"You wanted her to kill Sam!"
"To make it quick. I didn't want the poor boy to suffer," she countered. I wasn't sure she was being honest or dishonest. Maybe it was just a partial truth
"Don't I get a say in this?" Jacques asked. We all turned to him. "Because, y'know, without the Guild Leader's permission I'm the only one who has access to a boat. Unless you'd rather rent one, of course," he nodded at Mom, "But in which case you'd either need to hire a crew – and you don't want to trust your kids with some random adults, especially sailors, believe me – or you want to let your kids sail themselves, which, I assure you, is a very, very bad idea."
"Master Jacques," said Mom tightly, "All of your students' parents have given permission. Right, kids?"
The twins nodded, and Razor muttered, "My mom actually said 'It's nice that you're actually doing something important for once.'" Kayley just shrugged, which I guess was a yes.
"So," Mom continued, "I don't see why-"
"Because it's mad," Jacques interrupted. "My old friends haven't been this reckless, and that is saying something."
"Please, Master Jacques," I begged. I don't usually like groveling, but now seemed like a good time to try it. "Isn't there any way we could convince you otherwise?"
He stared at me for a long time. Then he sighed, went to his desk, and took out a compass. "Hanso," he ordered, "I want you to look straight at the arrow. Nothing else, at all. You will follow it wherever it leads until it tells you to stop."
"Until it tells me to stop?" I repeated.
"Yes."
Mom stared at him. "But that's ridic-"
"Don't tell me what's ridiculous, Lizzie Laron," he snapped. "If the kids want a ride, he'll do it."
"It's okay, Mom," I said as I took the compass. As soon as I touched it, I knew it was magic. It just hummed with enchantment. The arrow instantly whirled around, spinning in all directions. Look at the arrow. Nothing else. I focused all my concentration in it. Point where I have to go.
The arrow stopped. And then suddenly, it began jerking rapidly in different directions, and it took all my thief instincts to keep up with it. I tell you, the experience was really, really strange. It almost seemed like the darn thing was ordering my brain around through my eyes. I don't even know how that's possible.
Right.
Left.
Down.
Backwards.
A little more to the right.
No! The other right!
More to the front.
Skip two steps.
Zig-zag.
Around.
Stop.
Left.
Go front. One step, two steps, three steps. We reached a wall, I could tell, and I sincerely hoped that it wouldn't ask me to bang my head into it for fun. Instead, I sensed it wanted to be pointed upwards, for some reason. I tilted it, and came moving it up, up, up….
"Oh, my," said Mom's voice behind me.
The compass released me from whatever spell it made. I nearly stumbled backwards. I tore my eyes away from the compass…right onto the map, the only thing left undamaged in the classroom. The arrow was pointing straight at Terror Mountain.
Jacques sighed. "Well, I suppose that settles it. It's a good thing they're only at the coast of Meridell," he muttered. "It'll only take a few days for them to get here."
"Who?" Mom asked.
"Some old friends of mine."
Kyanite_Archer had this interesting idea—a challenge with authors writing something together. I don't know that many details, but I'm definitely willing to join. I suggest you PM her if you're interested. :) By the way, the poem above was not mine. I put in the author's real name.