The Golden Symbol (9 page)

“Azuriah?”

The Shiengol didn’t stop walking. In fact, he sped up. “What?”

Jacob stumbled, trying to stay even with his uncle. “I keep . . . I keep seeing people.”

“Same here,” Gallus said. “And I know I’m not imagining it.”

Azuriah climbed over a large stone that had fallen into the road. “You aren’t.”

Jacob waited for the Shiengol to expound, but he didn’t.

“So . . . who are they?”

“Shiengols.”

“Really?”

Azuriah didn’t answer, but Jacob didn’t need him to—the answer was obvious. They were probably cursed along with the city.

“Are they dangerous?” Gallus asked, crossing the stone. He jumped down, then dusted off his hands.

Azuriah glanced over his shoulder. “Just don’t anger them, and you won’t need to find out.”

Typical Azuriah response.

For a while, they focused on following the road. So many ruins had fallen onto it, Jacob wondered if the spirits had knocked them there on purpose. Or maybe Renforth had done it to keep visitors away.

He tried not to get distracted by how many spirits he was seeing. Hundreds of them. Distorted—diseased, in some cases. But almost always angry.

Jacob noticed one especially evil-looking Shiengol spirit. He had black eyes and almost no light anywhere on him. Jacob wasn’t sure how he could even see the being. Maybe the Lorkon blood in him was helping? And how did the Shiengol’s once pure, bright eyes turn so dark?

Apparently, Gallus also saw him. They hesitated, watching the spirit. Azuriah didn’t notice them pause, but kept walking.

“We should go,” Gallus whispered. He put his hand on Jacob’s shoulder, pushing him closer to the middle of the road, and stepped to the left, walking between the spirit and Jacob.

But suddenly, the dark Shiengol sprang from the ruin, screaming, shrieking. Gallus and Jacob stopped again. Gallus pulled out his sword. Jacob wasn’t sure it would do anything against the Shiengol, but it still made him feel better seeing the man holding it.

It only angered the Shiengol more. He jumped forward, and before either of them could do anything, he grabbed Gallus by the arm. He dragged Gallus backward, toward the wall of the ruin.

Gallus screamed, prying at the hand, trying to get the creature to let him go. But his hands went through the Shiengol’s flesh like it wasn’t there.

How could the Shiengol touch Gallus, but Gallus couldn’t touch him?

Azuriah dashed back, holding his pole. He thrust it at the Shiengol, pinning the creature to the wall.

“Release him.”

The Shiengol snarled.

Jacob gasped. Gallus was turning invisible! Not only that, but it looked like he was being sucked into the stone.

Azuriah pushed harder and the Shiengol screamed, thrashing, but still holding tightly to Gallus.

Azuriah jumped forward and punched the Shiengol. Jacob’s jaw dropped. So, Azuriah could touch the spirit, but Gallus couldn’t.

The Shiengol’s eyes bulged from his face and Jacob realized the beast was trying to hurt Azuriah by fighting with his eyes. But nothing came out—no light, no dark.

Azuriah punched the Shiengol again, then sliced at him with his pole. The spirit screamed, then he hissed, fading.

Finally, he disappeared completely, and Gallus slumped to the ground.

Jacob dropped to the man’s side, inspecting him. Gallus rolled over and threw up. He was barely conscious, and was still partially invisible.

“We’ll take a break here,” Azuriah said.

Jacob wrung his hands. “What do we do with him?”

“It has to run its course. He’ll be fine in a few minutes.”

Gallus threw up again and again. After several bouts, blood started coming up with the bile.

Jacob drew back, turning to Azuriah. “People shouldn’t throw up blood. Is he going to die?”

Azuriah shook his head. “No.”

“But this isn’t good—something’s seriously wrong with him!” Jacob pulled his backpack off his shoulders and dug through it, looking for his seeds. He needed help. Had to call Early. Ask Mom and Dad what to do.

But Azuriah grabbed his bag and held it away. “Do you want to anger them further? Why are you acting so foolishly?”

Jacob growled and lunged for his backpack. “Give it back! I have to do something!”

“Why?”

Jacob pointed at the black man. “Look at him! He’s dying!”

“No, he isn’t.”

Azuriah still held the bag out of Jacob’s reach, and Jacob fought a sudden desire to hit the Shiengol. He realized that would be a really stupid thing to do, since Azuriah could trash him in a fight. His hands shook with the urge, though. He couldn’t believe Azuriah was being so heartless. So
what
if it made the spirits angrier?

“Give me my bag!”

“Jacob,” Azuriah said. “Look at your friend.”

Jacob tore his eyes from his backpack and glanced at Gallus. Then his jaw dropped. The man was sitting up, rubbing his neck and chest. He was completely visible.

“Water—I need water,” Gallus said. He seemed oblivious to the fight Azuriah and Jacob were having.

Jacob held out his hand to Azuriah. “Come on—I’ve got water in my bag.”

Azuriah dropped the backpack and walked a few paces away.

Jacob pulled out his canteen and handed it to Gallus. The man chugged water for several seconds, then handed the canteen back to Jacob.

“Why did we stop?” Gallus said. “We need to keep going.”

Jacob frowned. “Because you were attacked. The Shiengol tried to drag you into the wall. You need to rest.”

Gallus stared at Jacob for several moments, eyebrows raised. “Azuriah wouldn’t attack me.”

Jacob turned, looking at Azuriah with exasperation. “What’s going on?”

“Cursed Shiengols are both evil and merciful. When they attack, they poison their victims. Gallus won’t remember the experience.”

Jacob rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I always poison people when I’m trying to be merciful.”

Azuriah folded his arms and glared at Jacob. “Watch your sarcasm, boy.”

“Can we go now?” Gallus asked.

“Yes.” Azuriah pulled Gallus to his feet. “From now on, only walk where I walk.”

“Why didn’t you tell us that in the first place?” Jacob asked.

“I did.”

Jacob clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. Whatever.

They continued deeper into the city. The hairs on his neck and arms rose more than once as he felt the spirits of the Shiengols watching. More and more of them congregated along the street, mocking quietly, their eyes empty.

“Tainted blood,” one of them said, pointing at Jacob.

Jacob turned to that Shiengol. “At least I’m not cursed,” he whispered, half hoping the Shiengol would hear him, but also realizing he’d be in a lot of trouble if he did.

The Shiengol didn’t respond, and Jacob rushed to catch up with the others.

The city got darker and darker. Was the sun going down already? Wasn’t it too soon? Or was it because of the curse? Jacob couldn’t tell.

After a while, Azuriah led them off the main road and into the ruins themselves. Jacob walked through cobweb after cobweb, wiping the sticky strings off his face and arms. He flicked spiders off himself several times, wondering how these creatures could live in a city where everything else was dead.

Then Azuriah took a sharp right turn and they almost doubled back. Jacob rolled his eyes. Seriously? Why all the traipsing around? This was getting ridiculous. But then he saw that Azuriah was actually following a trail. It was nearly invisible, but at least a few others had gone this way at one point. Dead branches were broken away. The ground was soft and springy, but nothing had grown in it for a while.

Jacob realized he was hungry. He was about to ask Azuriah if they could take a break when suddenly, the tiny path opened up into a large road. It turned to the left and went all the way around a huge hole that was at least a hundred feet across, if not more. From the looks of it, the hole was the center of the city. Ruins rose on all sides.

Azuriah pointed at the hole. “That’s our destination. The link to Renforth’s world.”

Of course it would be. Jacob’s heart fell, leaving a hollow feeling in his throat. How were they supposed to get down there? And why did the link have to be at the bottom of a gigantic pit? Stupid fear of heights! And stupid Renforth for making things so impossible.

They followed the road as it circled inward, gradually going down into the hole.

After a few circuits, the path turned into stone steps that also rounded down the side of the pit. They were steep, decaying, and more than once, Jacob was grateful for his athletic background.

At first, he tried to prevent himself from losing his footing by clinging to the side of the hole. The dirt was too soft, though, and crumbled easily. How did the place not cave in on itself?

Would it collapse on Jacob and the others? Would they even make it to Renforth’s world?

The circular motion was almost hypnotic, and Jacob’s thoughts drifted to Aloren. She’d stayed in Tadrys without complaining, without fear even tinting her emotions. How? How could she do things like that so easily? Compared to her, Jacob was such a wimp. He freaked out when confronted with heights and monsters and even his own family background.

Then he remembered. She’d already been through pretty much everything. Her mom dying. Being alone all the time growing up. Watching friends get killed by Eetu fish while trying to find her brother. Getting stuck in Maivoryl City where Sanso, the stupid Ember God, burned her repeatedly, and zombie-like villagers tried to kill her.

Jacob began reliving the fear, stress, and worry he’d experienced when she was back in Maivoryl City. He’d broken his promise to her, which had nearly resulted in her death. It took so long to get her back—that whole ordeal had been so frustrating. The Makalos had taken forever to get their part of the deal finished, and as a result, those months had been some of the longest he’d ever endured.

His heart clenched as he remembered, and his palms started sweating. The negative emotions washed over him now and he felt his eyes sting. He
had
to make it back from Renforth’s. He
had
to talk to her. Tell her how he felt. Even if it meant she would reject him or laugh at him. Or worse, pity him.

He followed Azuriah down, down, down, and the sunlight gradually left. But the only thing he really saw were Aloren’s eyes. Her smile with that dimple. Her hair, face.

The hole slowly swallowed up every speck of light, and after a while, the steps weren’t even visible. Jacob climbed down blindly, his feet having memorized the distance between each step. His hands tingled, almost numb. He couldn’t feel his toes. The only sound was Azuriah’s breathing in front of him, and Gallus’s grunting behind.

His thoughts returned to Aloren. What would happen if he never saw her again? Never saw his parents? Matt and Akeno and Aldo and the Fat Lady? What if he got stuck on Renforth’s world? Was it even possible? It had better not be! That would be so horrible!

“Jacob,” Azuriah said, “I can barely see where I’m going because of your emotions. They’re controlling you and surrounding me.”

Jacob didn’t respond—he couldn’t. His tongue wouldn’t move—his mind felt sluggish.

Azuriah started singing.

“What’s wrong with Jacob?” Gallus asked, interrupting the song.

“His mind isn’t used to these emotions.”

“Emotions?”

Azuriah chuckled. “I forgot. They only affect Shiengols—Renforth almost never allows anyone else to visit. But don’t worry—you’ll have your turn.”

“If I didn’t have it already,” Gallus muttered.

Jacob agreed. The man had almost been killed by a dead Shiengol.

Whoa. Jacob could control his thoughts again.

“That’s right, Jacob,” Azuriah said. “Hold on to the control. Exert your influence—you are stronger than this.”

And he was—he knew he was. If he could handle being in the presence of Keitus, watching Keitus turn his son into a Lorkon, Keitus trying to turn
him
into a Lorkon, he could do this.

He chose to concentrate again on Aloren, but this time, on his favorite memories of her. And as he watched her in those memories, smiling, laughing, he felt warmth spread through him, finally reaching his toes and hands, loosening his tongue.

“Who is it?” Azuriah asked. “The girl you’re in love with?”

Jacob’s mouth popped open. A blush crossed his face, making his ears burn and his neck itch. “I . . .”

“You can’t hide those emotions from me.”

Jacob couldn’t believe Azuriah had actually done that. The Shiengol had an unspoken rule: never voice another Shiengol’s emotions. He had never done it before. Now Jacob’s embarrassment practically doubled, tripled. Which, of course, Azuriah could see. And that made things even worse.

“Who is she?” Gallus asked quietly.

Jacob opened his mouth to respond, but he didn’t even know which words to use. If only he could totally deck Azuriah for bringing this up . . .

Gallus cleared his throat. “Not Onaly. That’s apparent. And not Tani.” He didn’t say anything for several moments.

But then he took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I’m okay with it, Jacob. You’re turning into an excellent young man. You’ll take good care of her. She’ll be happy with you.”

Excitement and happiness hit Jacob at the same time. It wasn’t too long ago that Gallus blamed Jacob for Aloren being trapped in Maivoryl City. What a relief! Gallus had gotten over all that. Thank goodness.

But then, an enormous amount of pressure settled on him. Gallus was okay with Jacob dating Aloren . . . but Jacob knew it was more than that, since Gallus wasn’t familiar with this “Let’s date” stuff. Which could only mean one thing. Gallus had just given Jacob permission to marry Aloren.
Marry
. Marry! No way! He was only fourteen. Way too fast. Too soon. Jacob had to live still. He had to get on varsity and beat Kevin at basketball . . . but then, that one wasn’t as important anymore, Jacob realized. No—he and Kevin weren’t at odds with each other anymore. But anyway, Jacob had to get through high school and go to college and learn to be a prince.

He couldn’t think about marriage. Couldn’t. He was only fourteen! Well, almost fifteen. In a couple of months. But anyway, anything more than a casual crush was way too much.