The Silver Sphere (29 page)

Shelby stopped as Max glanced back at her. She nodded, and they
darted into the shop. The lady closed and locked the door. Aromas of sage, chamomile,
and patchouli hung in the air. A broad parchment lay on a desk with the words,
Kin
return
, written at the top. Five figures were painted in the image. It was them
running through a busy city.

"To the rear. They will check every store. Quickly now,"
the woman ushered, whipping back a curtain.

Shelby scurried past the channeller, the Kin in her wake. The
woman's glittering golden eyes followed her.

More vellum hung on the walls. One showed a picture of six children
holding hands. The caption read:
The Kin's identities breached; sent to Earth.

Shelby gasped. The Kin were
sent
to Earth as children?
Her jaw hung open.

"My name is Wintress. I have gifts as an augur, and am an
ally of the Assembly." She pulled up a carpet, revealing a wooden hatch. Lifting
the opening, she motioned them through.

"Th-those pictures...," said Shelby.

"No time, lass. These tunnels run underneath Vixen. Go now.
Seek out Blunderbuss. Listen to your soul guides and instincts. They will lead you
back to him."

Shelby wanted to ask more, but Riley pushed her through. Without
speaking, they entered the shaft and dropped to the bottom.

Wintress peered down at them. "The
Assembly will contact you soon. Godspeed," she whispered, and shut the lid.

They stood in the dim passageway, their foreheads glistening
with sweat. Rats scurried past them to the side of the walls. Glowing stones lined
the passage, lighting the halls. It smelled of moist earth and dust.

"Okay, which way? Because I'm not sensing anything,"
said Stuart.

Shelby turned north and then south, and pointed. "I think
this is the direction to the gate we came in through. What was the guard's name?"

"Torf," said Riley. Her braided blonde hair had some
loose strands. Dirt smudged her left cheek.

"Then let's make our way there. Wintress said these run
under Vixen. I'm sure we'll spot another hatch as we go."

The dark labyrinth coiled several times along the course. They
trudged forward for a few minutes, and noticed a hatch. Max reached for it, but
Shelby touched his arm.

"Not the right one. I sense this isn't the proper exit."

"Me too," said Riley. "In my gut. Remember what
Wintress told us."

Max nodded and continued down the tunnels. Stuart began to lag,
and Shelby fell back beside him.

"We should hurry," she said.

"I know. Was just making sure no one was following us."

"Good idea."

Before long, another wooden hatch appeared. The rock around the
edges had chipped and worn away.

"This one," Emily said.

Shelby glanced at her. She seemed stronger, bolder, as if she
had begun to escape her shell.

They stared at the latch, and each dipped their heads in acknowledgement.
A warm touch of reassurance spread through Shelby.

Max pulled on the lever and it popped open. "Boost me up."

Stuart clasped his hands, and Max placed his foot in them and
inched his head above the opening.

"All clear. An alleyway."

Max hoisted himself up and held his hand down. Shelby grabbed
it and he pulled her up, and the others followed suit. Trash was piled against a
warped wooden fence at one end. The alley gave a slight turn, and they peeked around
the corner. The square was ahead, the market still brimming with performers and
bystanders. A few men shouted, but most were back to business.

Shelby said, "I see the florist. We are near the entrance
we came through."

They stayed close to the wall and filed to the end. Shelby tried
to ignore the grime and mud on the ground, sidestepping a bundle of cloth that reeked
like sour food.

Max checked around. "Okay, left is the gate. Let's go."

The Kin turned and treaded to the exit. Shelby spotted one of
the boys with a bucketful of confetti, and an idea sprang to mind.

"We love confetti. How about a gold coogle if you can toss
some around us as we walk?"

"Sold," the boy stated, and rained confetti on them
as they strode.

A balladeer burst out of the crowd playing an accordion. He pranced
beside them, singing in a melodious tone.

"THE KIN ARE SAID TO HAVE ARRIVED,

BE JOYFUL NOW HOPE IS ALIVE,

FOR ONCE THE SILVER SPHERE IS CALLED,

BISKARA WILL THEN SURELY FALL!"

Shelby nodded and smiled as they marched ahead. Max clasped her
hand amidst the falling paper, and a rush of heat filled her as her heart gave a
little dance.

As they approached the outlet, Blunderbuss's gangly form emerged
from a foyer. "I figured you'd be headed here."

"We have to leave," Shelby said, her eyes locked on
Blunderbuss. She released Max's hand and laid her palm on the hilt of her sword.
The cold metal felt almost alien after Max's tender fingers.

"Of course you do. We are all doomed if Biskara takes over.
Whatever you need of me, it's yours. First, let's get back to my camp—the crowd
here is buzzing about Kin. Bane won't be the only bounty hunter in Vixen."
The sly Centurion pushed his way to the gate with the Kin trailing behind, and shouted,
"Torf, time for me to leave."

Torf poked his head through the metal grate. "Sorry, boss.
Vixen has been ordered to lockdown."

Yells rose up from the masses to their rear. Shelby spotted Bane
and his heathens working around the herd. They looked like dogs sniffing for the
scent of their prey. A shiver sped down her spine.

"Laddie, you must trust me. If I don't get the Kin out of
here, Vixen won't last more than a few weeks once Malefic is in power."

Torf peeked over Blunderbuss's shoulder and to the Kin, fear
and confusion in his gaze. Behind them, the goons cried out and catapulted forward.
Torf nodded and pulled the lever. The iron grate lifted and they all ran under.
After Blunderbuss's men passed, Torf dropped the gate.

"Run," Blunderbuss shouted.

They scurried down the shaft as Bane
and his gang bellowed at Torf to open the door.

Shelby sucked in cold air. Her lungs burned from running. Even
the beast had never chased her so much back home. At last, they arrived at the hatch
and clambered up the wooden steps and out into the weald.

Once all were atop, Blunderbuss stared at them, kicking the dirt.
"The Kin. Glory be. I hope you have a plan in Canopus. Let's go." He dashed
off into the forest.

They arrived at the campsite and found the place well organized.
Several leather tents and fires formed three circles, and a few sets of transparent
wires wrapped around the trees spanned the whole site.

Blunderbuss led them through a section where he unhooked the
wire. "Welcome to our hideout."

After re-rigging the traps, Blunderbuss directed them to a small
campfire and motioned them to sit down. One of his men brought over a cask of ale
and mugs. Meat roasted over the flame. A crew of Blunderbuss's men had stayed behind
to tend and watch the headquarters. They'd been cooking for some time.

"Isn't the hour a little late to cook?" Shelby glanced
up at the full moon.

"With the hours we keep? Nah. We're always hungry."
He winked. "Now, please excuse me. Pour a drink. I will be back in a few minutes."
He placed his arm on the shoulders of one of his men and whispered as they strolled
off.

Max's expression contorted and he rolled to his side, holding
his crown. He gasped in agony.

Shelby rushed over while the rest of them formed a small circle
around him. "Don't fight it, Max. Let the message come. Soon, the sharp pain
will be over." She remembered Presage's words.

Blunderbuss returned and lurched into the circle, his eyebrows
raised.

Shelby watched her friend for a long time. She held her breath.

Finally, Max sat up, rubbed the back of his head, and groaned.
"They are being moved. Tomorrow... early evening."

Stuart poked his head closer. "What did he say?"

"Nothing. Different this time. I was looking through his
eyes, and I overheard two soldiers discussing the orders to transfer them. Something
about the Gida Path."

Blunderbuss moved forward, and they all stared at him. "Well
you are definitely Kin. I can't believe earlier I thought you needed an escort through
our territory."

"Did they say how they planned to move them?" said
Shelby.

"Yes, in a large stagecoach. They are headed to an old house
near the Canopus Hills village." Max rose to his feet with her assistance.

Blunderbuss walked directly up to him. "So your communication
means the Assembly is alive, I take it?"

"We need to leave...
now
," said Max.

"Whatever you desire from me, I already told you, I will
give it—on one condition."

"The condition is...?" Shelby cast a hardened glare.

"We get through this all right, and you need to put a good
word in for us with Achernar and the Assembly. I'm not a pig, but a reward wouldn't
hurt, either. That's if we deserve one. Mostly, I want the government off our backs."

Shelby glanced at the other Kin, and they all nodded. "I
think the Assembly would be gracious to all those who assisted in the welfare of
Meridia, but we will certainly put in a good word."

Blunderbuss rubbed his palms together. "Okay... much to
do. You say the Assembly is being moved from one prison to another location, riding
a stagecoach with a large contingent on the Gida Path?" He placed his tin mug
down and glanced up at Max.

"That is correct."

Shelby remembered how drained she'd been after her last link.

"He's sharp as a shiv," Stuart whispered in her ear.

Blunderbuss clapped his hands together. "We're in luck.
I have an idea. On the Gida Path is a tunnel that we've rigged. Let me meet with
the boys and check on some things."

"How many are in your gang?" said Max.

"Fifty-five. I'll have to leave a portion behind to guard
our camp and valuables." His gaze spanned the encampment.

Riley stepped forward. "This is a critical time for everyone.
We'll need every resource."

"Listen here, I said I would help, but I must protect what
we own. We will close up two circles of the camp and bury our valuables, and station
ten men behind. We can't travel with all our haul, and I'll have a mutiny if I leave
our things unprotected."

"Those valuables will be worth scrap metal if the Nightlanders
win this war," said Stuart.

Blunderbuss peered off into the distance, contemplating. "I'll
call a quick meeting and have a poll. I suppose if we hide our better pieces, I
can get away with leaving five behind, but it has to go to a vote." He trudged
off.

After Blunderbuss was out of earshot, Emily spoke. "We shouldn't
push that much. I was worried they were going to lock us up and steal everything
we owned when we first met him. We should be grateful he's helping us at all."

Shelby nodded. "Yes, but we owe it to the Assembly to gather
as many resources as possible. The five of us can only get so much done against
a battalion."

"Six of us," said Simon. "And don't underestimate
your own prowess. The history books are rich with the Kin and their abilities."

As they awaited the results of Blunderbuss's meeting, a twitch
tickled Shelby's head. Bianca was reaching out to her, and little pain came with
this linkage. Presage was accurate in his assessment of the throbbing. The ache
lessened with each contact. She heard Bianca's low voice and made out her words.

"We leave at dusk tomorrow... Gida Path. You must travel...
less than fifty if you possess no mentor to shield you. Biskara... senses the movements
of fifty... more if... move... and... no shields...."
Bianca's voice tailed
off.

"Shelby, are you okay?" Riley asked.

"Yes, I had a brief contact." She massaged her temples.

Riley tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "The
pain?"

"Not bad, and the communication has gotten easier. She said
they leave at sundown tomorrow on the Gida Path, and for us to travel in groups
less than fifty if we do not have a mentor with us, or Biskara may detect our movement.
So that solves Blunderbuss's problem. Six of us and, to stay on the safe side, our
group should be no larger than forty-five. He can leave seventeen behind."

"That doesn't make sense, if you think things through,"
said Riley, stroking her chin.

"What?"

"I was just thinking. If Biskara can discover certain movements
and report them, then why did Presage not know this? It explains the second ambush...
and, uh, well, he put us in danger, no?"

And Mr. Dempsey,
Shelby thought. She tried to keep back
the tears, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hands. Now that she had time to
rest, he kept jumping to mind. "This must be new. Otherwise he would've known.
I should believe what Bianca tells me, don't you think?"