The Silver Sphere (26 page)

"No, my father taught me. He said archery would be a good
trait to have for hunting and self-defense in case...." She sighed. "In
case something happened to him."

"It sounds like your father was a wise man. He will be avenged."

"I won't rest until he is," she hissed. Her tears were
gone now, fiery doggedness replacing the grief of the girl they had rescued.

After a few more minutes of jostling around and looking for items
of interest, Brodeur insisted they all clean the space. They finished, and the chamber
was organized and free of dust.

Zach wondered about the last time anyone
had used this armory. He watched as Morgana wiped down a carved etching in the middle
of the room that read, "The Spangenhelm."

"We will rest now for a couple of winks, make some tea,
and be off," said Throg as he pulled out the teapot from Brodeur's bag.

Zach withdrew a small dagger he had fancied and walked over to
the end of the stairwell. Underneath one of the torches, he tidily carved, "Zach
was here." He stepped back when done and grinned. Morgana approached, stood
next to him a moment, and inspected his carving. She accepted the dagger from him
and etched, "So was Morgana." She smiled again, a warm and pleasant simper,
and handed the knife back. Zach wished she would smile more. It fit her naturally.

"I didn't tell the others, but my father taught me to use
a bow because of a seer. She came into town and gave my father a reading for a meal.
She told him a battle was coming and training me was important. My uncle grunted
at the notion, and I thought my father agreed. But the next morning, he took me
down by the river and began teaching me. Every sunrise for the last several months,
I learned both archery and fencing. Spooky, huh?" She shot him a saddened glance.

"No, I don't think so. This seer had the ability to foresee
trouble. With your country at war, those skills are indispensable." He placed
his arm on her shoulder.

Suddenly, she hugged him. It was a surprising embrace, which
he returned, though his face reddened. They had been through the wringer, and it
felt good. When she released her grip, she gazed at him, her cheeks flushed.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'm comfortable
in your company, and I don't even know y-you. I, I...."

"No need to apologize. I needed a squeeze as much as you.
I could always use a good hug these days." He grinned.

Brodeur walked over with a wide smile, holding a large ham in
his right hand. "This ham is cured with salt. It can hold for a long time.
Be careful not to eat too much though. It will make you thirsty."

He pulled out a blade and sliced several layers off. He gave
them a few slices each and wrapped the rest up and placed it into his bag.

The Spangenhelm sparkled. The chamber still had an earthy yet
pleasant scent; they had wiped down all the chests and weapons, and Morgana even
swept the floor with a diamond-handled broom and a golden dustpan she had found.
Those, it seemed, were permanent residents to the Spangenhelm. Some gift from a
thief, no doubt, who wanted to repay his dues.

"All right," Throg said. "We picked up supplies,
weapons, fresh clothes, and we rested. Now, comfortable as the Spangenhelm is, we
must leave. Our breaks should be frequent but short." He slung his knapsack
over his shoulder.

They agreed and headed back up the stairs through the throat
of the phony tree. Brodeur doused the torches with a wet rag as he followed, and
they came out of the opening one by one. Brodeur swung the hinged trunk closed,
as they all marveled at how authentic the tree appeared. Even knocking on the trunk,
Zach couldn't tell it wasn't real. The wood was so thick it didn't sound hollow.

Afternoon light flooded the knoll as they continued their sojourn.
Morgana sidled over to walk beside Zach. Her elbow brushed against his arm.

Stuart and Max pulled out the extra clothes they carried to replace
Simon's tattered rags. The garments were a little baggy, but Simon seemed to appreciate
their dryness and comfort. After a few pieces of chud and some water, his pasty
green complexion turned rosy and stronger.

They allowed Simon to lead the way as they traveled. After two
hours of silence, he stopped.

"I need to rest a bit," he said. "I am weak, and
my throat is getting scratchy. Do you mind if I make a fire and boil water for broth?"

"Sure," Riley said. "We don't want you passing
out on us. I carry a small teakettle in my knapsack." She fished around for
it.

They all grabbed some dry wood and shrubs. Shelby took out her
flint and struck the two rocks together, which produced sparks and the pleasant
sight of flames.

Simon stepped back from the warmth and scanned the area. "Usually,
the woods are abundant with castor leaves and sander roots, both good for broth
and a sore throat. I should be able to find some here."

Shelby stepped toward him. "Okay, I'll go with you, but
stay within a few yards of the campfire. We need to remain close."

He nodded, and they walked in the vicinity counterclockwise as
Simon checked the leaves of small trees and knelt in front of some plants, inspecting
them.

"Do you know if they demanded my father to provide information
for ransom or anything?"

The straightforward question surprised Shelby, and she thought
through her words carefully. Simon was mature for his age and should be aware about
his father, but she hesitated and wondered if the others would care if she decided
to brief him on her own. She determined that lying to this boy would not be right.

"Simon, I do want to tell you some things. We held back
at first because of your condition. You're stronger now, and I'd want to know if
I were you. The Nightlanders held you as ransom and told your father to botch up
his duty on the mobile portal for his assigned Kin, and to report the whereabouts
of the current Kin, or they would behead you. He did what they asked and admitted
his fault after an ambush. He is in custody, and will be taken to Meracuse to be
tried fairly. We all feared greatly for your safety. I think Presage will put a
good word in. He seemed sympathetic."

"I wondered why only five Kin showed up. I figured they
held me to blackmail for information, and that my father gave whatever they asked
of him, since I was still alive. He has been loyal for many years, and considering
I am his only son, I believe he may receive a reasonable punishment. Presage will
make sure he isn't sentenced to death... if we emerge victorious in this war. Any
word from the missing Kin?" Simon knelt down beside a dry-looking plant and
began to dig out the root, which went fairly deep.

"Yes, we received information from a Leshy. He found a man
named Throg, who was with a Kin. They were sent for when we were separated. Since
then, I haven't heard a thing. The Meridian soldiers knew of this Throg, and it
sounds like the final Kin will be all right."

"Throg. Yes, I am acquainted with him. He is a good man,
private, but fiercely loyal to the Assembly. The Kin is in excellent company, then."
He dug out the root with his hands.

"Okay, I found sander roots, and I see castor leaves up
ahead, so we are done." He motioned to some low-hanging leaves in front of
them, plucked a few and turned them over in his hand, and nodded.

They walked back into the campsite, and
he dropped the mix into the boiling liquid.

Simon sat quietly with his legs crossed, watching the kettle.
The rest of the Kin hunched around the fire. Most of them ate something or sipped
water. The journey had not been easy, physically or emotionally.

Shelby motioned Max and Stuart over. While she'd hoped they would
make the decision as a group, she had to tell the others. "I told him about
his father. He asked, and I didn't want to lie. He assumed the Nightlanders kidnapped
him for ransom."

"I don't blame you," said Max. "He may as well
be informed now, and if we waited, he might have held it against us."

Stuart asked as he stretched one of his ankles, "How did
he take the news?"

"Like I said, he suspected they captured him for a reason,
so he had an idea about it. He also thinks Presage will watch out for his father,
considering the situation. He took the news okay."

"Well, no harm done. He should be aware. We'll need to discuss
some plans while we rest." Max rubbed the back of his neck. "Simon mentioned
a manhole-type entrance, with archers guarding the access. Security has likely strengthened
since his escape. Depending on how Malefic judges the scenario, as Stuart pointed
out, they easily might have moved the Assembly in order to reduce risks. We can't
give in now. This is the final push—it sounds hard, but I know we can do it."

"I think moving them to another location is likely,"
said Stuart.

The sun sank low and the air turned chilly. Though they needed
rest, it wasn't practical to stay for long. They had maybe an hour of daylight left,
as a hint of yellow laced the blue horizon.

Night was the beast's time. Shelby shivered
and pushed the thought from her mind.

Max cracked his knuckles. "Well, Simon said he escaped a
couple of days ago. It's possible they moved the Assembly, but probably not quickly.
Simon is nowhere near a Meridian Army, and time would be needed for such information
to get out, especially with Meracuse surrounded. There's no Internet here. If they
transport the Assembly out of their cells, and we're nearby monitoring the situation,
then things may work in our favor."

"Sure," said Shelby. "Unless they're being moved
with an entire battalion. Not much the six of us can do on that front."

Max nodded. "True, but Malefic sounds arrogant and might
be reckless. He may call every able Nightlander to Meracuse, seeking a quick, decisive
victory. His haste and overconfidence could give us a good target. I don't think
Biskara can predict everyone's movements, especially ours. I overheard some things
about how Biskara seems to be able to channel certain information to Malefic regarding
military activity, but probably those are in large numbers. Otherwise, he would've
directed Malefic to where Simon was hiding. So the element of surprise should be
in our favor."

Stuart shook his head. "Your analysis assumes a lot. One
wrong move can kill us and doom these people... not to mention Earth. I think we
continue to travel with care and piece the puzzle together. One of us might make
contact with our link. Even a single message should shed light on what we need to
do."

They shifted to Shelby.

"Okay," she said. "You're both right, and some
elements don't really matter this second. I think we all concur to follow Simon
back to the underground jail and hatch a plan as we go. Let's check with the others
and keep going." She motioned them over to Riley and Emily, who had started
looking toward them.

After they explained their plans to the two girls, they agreed
to forge ahead and hope for the best. Discussion was fraught with anxiety. If they
arrived too late, the Assembly already moved, all they could do was wait for a link
to be established. Yet making the trip in such short time might be perilous, but
necessary if they wanted to help. Everything hung on the size of the force Malefic
had left behind to guard the Assembly.

Simon boiled a couple batches of broth, and they all poured some
in their teacups. It tasted like chicken soup, and raised their spirits and warmed
them. As the cold night closed in, Simon had two cups of broth and seemed to regain
more strength.

Shelby finished her last sip and Simon stood.

"I want you to understand what an
honor it is for me to be with you," he told the Kin. "I also want to tell
you that some months ago, an old seer passed through Meracuse. He declared I'd be
part of an important mission, one that would determine the fate of Meridia. My friends
laughed, and I did, too. But when you found me today, and after I regained some
strength, I realized that this has to be the mission. I cannot think of anything
more crucial. We must free the Assembly, summon the truth seekers, and get the Silver
Sphere to locate Biskara's coordinates, or Meracuse and Meridia will fall."

Shelby walked over to him and placed her arm around his shoulders.
"We'll do the best we can, Simon. We decided to follow you, and to make plans
when we have an idea about the number of men Malefic left to guard the Assembly.
Remember to tell us anything that could be useful."

"I shall."

They doused the flames and continued toward the Canopus Hills.
They decided to walk in pairs and throw some ideas out to each other, though they
spoke in hushed tones. They traveled at a hearty pace, but a little less frantic
than earlier, as arriving at the Canopus Hills exhausted would do no good.

Night had fallen, and they whispered through the forest. None
dared ask for rest. All shared the unspoken hope that they would reach the Canopus
Hills before dawn, and then hatch a plan.