Cloak (YA Fantasy) (36 page)

“Well, I’m not gonna believe any of it. My Rizz is no criminal.” She wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her leather jacket.

“You know he saved my life again, right? Just before he…ran.” Will tried to make her feel better, but it was no use. Rizz’s leaving had created a dark void.

The three of them tried to talk about other things. Berko filled Will in on how the effects of the gas had lasted for another hour.

Kaya and Manning had snapped out of it as the Builders that Will had sent were carrying them down the tunnels into the Builder catacombs. The agents almost fought the antchants until they heard Will’s voice.

Unfortunately, one of the Builders had also found Deputy Liska.

Mars frowned. “As soon as Liska shook off the gas she jumped in and pulled rank, putting herself in charge of the crime scene.

“Kaya was really mad about it. But she was more worried about getting you, Dean, and Dervis out of the catacombs and making sure that the Queen Builder was okay. So nobody really challenged nasty old fox-face.

“In that stupid press conference, Liska tried to take all the credit for stopping the plot to enslave everybody, for catching the hunter and for rescuing the hostages.”

Mars let a grin sneak into the corner of her mouth. “She might have gotten away with it too, but somebody slipped the press an anonymous package with a mirror phone, the letter from Dervis, a picture of Flores lying naked on the lobby floor, and a note explaining how Liska and her spy inside Special Branch knew about the gas attacks for two days and didn’t do anything to stop it.”

Berko and Mars smiled wide.

“You didn’t,” gasped Will.

“We had help. Sergeant Gnar took the picture of Flores.” Mars beamed. “Liska and Flores were arrested in front of cameras an hour ago. It was a thing of beauty.”

“I never thought a fox could get that red,” snorted Berko. They all smiled, but nobody was in the mood for laughter. Everyone lapsed into silence.

From behind the wall of roses, there was a burst of noise as the door swung open. A barrage of flashes strobed the room. Muffled voices overlapped, shouting out questions: “Dr. Noctua! Dr. Noctua! When will the Immune be naturalized?”

“Is it true he can control enchants’ minds?”

“What about the Council seat?”

“Is that Tuttle with three Ts?”

The door popped closed, muting the growl of the paparazzi.

“Oh yeah, I forgot,” whispered Mars. “We came to warn you.”

“About what?”

Mars motioned toward the door and mouthed,
I’m sorry.

“Well, I never,” complained Nurse Starr from somewhere behind the roses. “And where in the world did all these flowers come from?”

“It seems young Wilhelm has quite a few six-legged well-wishers who do not need doors.” Dr. Noctua’s voice came closer.

“Ah, yes.” He stepped out of a stand of roses taller than his head. “I’ve found him, Georgia. Just follow the sound of my voice.” He clicked his beak.

The doctor was dressed in a black tuxedo and bowtie, but his right eye was black and blue. There were scratches along his forehead and a bandage covered his right ear. “Good morning, Wilhelm. And Happy Sanctuary Day to you.”

Nurse Starr appeared, pulling her long white gown free of the thorns. “This place is becoming a zoo.” She flushed. “Sorry, poor choice of words after yesterday.”

She brushed rose petals from her elegantly styled hair. “Happy Sanctuary Day, Will.”

The nurse rushed over and grabbed his hands, then inspected him and checked his vitals. As she finished, she noticed Mars and Berko for the first time. “And what on earth are you two doing here? You are both supposed to be in your seats already, and you’re not even dressed yet.”

“But we needed to see Will.” Mars put her hands on her hips.

“There’ll be plenty of time for that later, now let’s go. It won’t hurt either of you to get a little gussied up. It’s a big day.”

Nurse Starr grabbed Mars and Berko by their elbows and steered them into the roses, then stopped and turned back. “Oh, and good luck, Will. I’m sure you’ll do wonderfully.” With that, they disappeared into the flowers, the two bats grumbling. The door opened. Flashes and shouts burst into the room and the door shut.

“What did she mean, ‘good luck’?” Will faced Dr. Noctua.

The doctor adjusted his spectacles and sat next to Will on the bed. He hung his cane on the bedpost and cleared his throat. “Well, there are a few enchants, including Wik Council members, who want to thank you for what you did in the catacombs.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

Dr. Noctua eyed him. “Wilhelm, Dean gave us a detailed account. Freeing those Builders at the risk of losing your own life was a heroic deed. That kind of selfless sacrifice should never be dismissed. You, Wilhelm, are a hero.”

“I don’t feel very heroic.”

Dr. Noctua stared toward the glowing window. “Wilhelm, you asked me once about my wife. Do you know how she was killed?”

Will nodded.

“She gave her life to save a single child. It’s easy to fight to save yourself. But someone willing to deny their fighting instinct for the sake of others is a true hero. Every time I look at Margarit, I think of my heroic wife.” Dr. Noctua dabbed the corner of his eye with a feather. “And now when I look at Margarit, I will always think of another hero who was willing to die to save us all. You, Wilhelm.”

Will started to protest, but the doctor held up a wing.

“You have done something wonderful, Wilhelm. Whether you agree or not, you will always be a hero in the eyes of all those you saved. Including me.”

Will dropped his head. “I just didn’t want him to hurt anyone else.”

Dr. Noctua patted Will’s arm. “I know and I am sorry. We were all fooled by Josef Grimm, perhaps nobody more than I. In all these years, I never even suspected.”

“Is he dead?”

“We’re not sure. The Queen Builder just said that justice has been served.”

“Oh.” Will wondered what that meant. Justice? Josef Grimm has caused years of pain. He’d enslaved a culture and destroyed the Immunes. Will thought of all the enchants affected by the gas. “What happened to everybody else?”

Dr. Noctua lifted the corner of his beak. “Remarkably, there were no fatalities yesterday. Granted, after the gas wore off, the ER was inundated and still is. Everyone looks as though they’ve been through a battle. But as a whole, I think we proved something during the crisis. Even after their human sides had been suppressed, something inside enchants resisted giving in to their most base instincts. It seems many misconceptions were redefined. Dean informed us that your striped Builder friend discovered some time ago that rose pollen was a natural antidote to Josef Grimm’s gas. We’ve been using roses to cure side effects all morning.”

Will remembered Berko saying he had been eating something in rosewater when the gas was released. “That’s why Berko wasn’t changed. It was the rosewater.”

Dr. Noctua nodded and patted Will’s shoulder. He seemed to be searching for the right words. “Wilhelm. No one should have to go through such a horrific ordeal. And with all that has transpired, I realize that I may be asking too much of you.” The doctor focused his huge yellow eyes. “But, it would mean a lot to enchants everywhere if you would allow us to show our appreciation. Just a little presentation in front of the Council of Wik.”

“Do I have to make a speech or anything?”

“Not if you don’t want to.”

“Just some Council members?”

“And a few spectators”

Will shrugged. “I guess so. When?”

“As soon as you’re ready. The Council will wait until then.”

“What? They’re waiting for me? Right now?” Will jumped to his feet.

“Take your time. It will do the Council members good to practice a bit of patience. I took the liberty of having my tailor make you a suit. It’s hanging in your closet.”

“But…”

“Why don’t I leave you alone and let you get dressed?” Dr. Noctua retrieved his cane, slipped to the floor and waddled toward the door. “Just knock when you’re ready.” He disappeared into the roses.

The door opened. Cameras flashed, reporters called out, and for the briefest moment, Will missed being chased by the wolf.

The Council of Wik was huge. It had hundreds of members, all staring at Will from rows of raised seats just in front of the stage in the center of the Gathering Hall. But the Council’s numbers were nothing compared to the hundreds of thousands of spectators crowded into the enormous chamber.

The damage from the day before had been repaired overnight by Builders—the same Builders that now applauded as they clung to the ceiling in neat rows, joining enchant society for the first time in eleven years. Their queen sat near the stage, smiling at Will and clapping regally.

It felt like a dream.

Dr. Noctua said Will’s name into a microphone.

Will stood to a deafening roar, his legs like spaghetti.

Dr. Noctua said that Will’s actions proved him worthy of being naturalized, even without an exam.

The entire Council agreed.

Will was awarded his official certificate of naturalization in a storm of camera flashes. Afterward, Dr. Noctua’s wing wrapped around his elbow and led him off stage. It was a relief to hide in the VIP box with Mars, Berko, and a fidgety Dervis.

Members of the Council took turns standing and raving about how wonderful it was to have an Immune again. Even De la Vega grudgingly spoke about the great things he expected from Will. During De la Vega’s speech, Mars, Will, and Berko kept glancing at each other and trying not to burst out laughing. The councilman looked like he was about to gag every time he said something nice.

It was funny seeing Berko in a tie, but Mars looked kind of pretty without her baggy jeans and leather jacket. Will would have complimented her, but he knew she would punch him in the face, so he let it go.

Halfway through a long speech by an Egyptian lion enchant that looked like the sphinx, Mars took a straw from her drink and shot a spit wad into the next balcony over.

She ducked to the floor as Will turned to face Cylus, sitting in De la Vega’s box with a ball of wet paper dripping off his cheek.

Cylus flashed two silver fangs. According to Dervis, Cylus had lost the other one when he sank it into the wood. Will tried to return the intimidating look while Berko and Mars clutched their sides with laughter.

After the speeches, a multi-species enchant choir performed, followed by a parade of nations and a live reenactment of the discovery of the Silent Sanctuary. The ceremony ended with aerial acrobatics by a team of falconchants and a fireworks display that shook the entire chamber.

The moment it was over, Mars and Berko flew away to get changed before anyone could recognize them in formalwear. Dr. Dervis retreated to the safety of his lab, but Dr. Noctua held Will back.

“There were quite a few enchants who would like to thank you personally.”

As Dr. Noctua led Will out of the box, Kaya and Manning joined them, looking crisp and alert, like perfect secret service agents in their all-black suits. Their faces showed signs of the previous day—scrapes, bumps, and cuts. They seemed serious about the job they were doing, so Will didn’t try to talk to them, although he did get a stunner of a smile from Kaya and a slap on the back from Manning.

Will was shuffled from one reception to another, meeting enchants whose names he would never remember and tapping hands with every wing, claw, or flipper extended to him.

The fourth reception was in the herbivore cafeteria where the new Immune was surrounded by well-wishers grazing on imported grasses and aged algae. Dr. Noctua was in deep conversation with an African giraffe enchant. Will noticed he was standing next to the door that led to the cliff-side tables. Fresh air would be nice. He pushed the button and slipped out into the warm evening.

The sun bobbed above the far-off hills and the prairie below teemed with enchants frolicking in the last yellow glow of twilight.

Will wandered under the waterfall and up to the highest terrace, Rizz’s terrace. The smell of pine washed over him as he sat down.

He noticed a single lumpy envelope on the center of the table. Will looked around to see who might have left it, but he was the only one still outside.

His hand slid to the envelope and picked it up. The word IMMUNE was scrawled across the front. As Will opened the envelope, its contents fell onto the table with a soft clink.

He picked up the fang on the silver chain and unfolded a small slip of paper with Rizz’s sloppy handwriting:
Never believe what you see, kid.

Emptiness filled his chest. Even though everything Rizz said was most likely a lie, Will still couldn’t help but miss his friend. He fastened the chain around his neck, tucked the note in his pocket and gazed out of the canyon.

“Rizz really did care, you know.” Kaya sat down next to Will.

“I’m not so sure.”

“I am.” Kaya put her hand on Will’s. “He just let his instincts take him down the wrong road.”

“His instincts? He’s a ram. An herbivore. Isn’t he supposed to be all about the herd and loyalty and stuff? What instinct makes a ram enchant turn against his friends and family?”