Through the Mirrah Page 10

Imuhn cocked his head. “You must destroy the emerald necklace and return to your world.”

  “Out of the question.” Sterling’s grip tightened around her hand.

  “I have told you what I desire.” Imuhn crossed his arms. “What is your answer?”

  Aideen closed her eyes to hide tears as she put a hand to her neck. “Lost . . .”

  “She can’t leave, anyway,” Sterling said. “Not before she’s finished.”

  “She has one day.”

  “That’s not enough time,” Sterling said.

  “This is my only offer.”

  “Deal,” Aideen whispered.

  Imuhn looked at her. “Finish your business, destroy the necklace, and leave D’Nal Harrim by this time tomorrow. I will know if you haven’t and will return you to your current state.”

  Aideen nodded. Sterling’s grip neared bone-breaking intensity.

  Imuhn paused, regarding Aideen. “Returning to a dark place, you may find what you seek in an unexpected comfort.”

  “What does that mean?” Aideen asked, voice stronger.

  “Your Dark Man was right about you after all.” Imuhn smirked. “Three deals.” He disappeared.

  Sterling jumped to his feet. “What about—”

  “Sterling, I’m okay.” Aideen eased herself to sitting with her legs straight in front of her.

  “The color’s returned to your cheeks.” Julie kneeled, holding the lamp above Aideen’s head, and held her other hand against Aideen’s forehead. “And your fever’s gone.”

  Aideen pulled the bandage away from where the Dark Man had stabbed her to reveal untouched skin. She looked at her arm and hands, marveling at whole skin where seconds ago there were scabs and rotting flesh. “That’s not all that’s gone.”

  Sterling knelt and pulled her to him. She draped her arms around his shoulders.

  “I don’t believe it. You were . . .”

  “I’m fine,” Aideen said.

  “Thank the Ostrich for that,” Julie said. “I have no proper equipment down here. I feared . . .”

  “Aideen hasn’t properly met any of you yet,” Sterling said.

  He helped Aideen to her feet and motioned to each of his friends in turn. Muscles was Ash, and she had figured out who Julie was. A gaunt man sat alone, back against the far wall. He could have been Aideen's age or a little older. He looked at Aideen, then averted his eyes.

  “That’s Gideon.” There was another patient, on the sheet next to Aideen’s. “And Jesse.”

  “My brother.” Julie kneeled next to him and held his hand.

  “Is he . . .?” Aideen asked.

  “Sleeping. He was injured in the attack, but he’ll be fine.”

  “What did Imuhn mean by ‘three deals’?” Sterling asked.

  Aideen recounted how she had met Imuhn in the forest not once, but twice, and how the Dark Man had made a deal to occupy her.

  “You should have let me make the deal,” Sterling said. “You can’t leave now.”

  “And let you die? No way.”

  “You can’t lead the prophesied war if you’re not here,” Sterling said. “That was a selfish decision.”

  How could he say that? She was trying to protect him.

  “That prophecy could be about anybody,” she said. “‘The Creator Refuse from Away’? That’s anyone Jimmy sends over who makes things. I’m sure there are hundreds of people it could apply to.”

  “If taken at face value,” Sterling said. “Sure, it could be any number of people. But once those ‘hundreds of people’ get here, do you know how many are captured or killed by Trappers?”

  “I was captured by a Trapper.”

  “But you escaped. Twice, if I’m not mistaken.”

  He was not, so Aideen didn’t argue.

  “There may be a large pool of possibilities, but they’re eliminated, or they self-select out.”

  “‘Self-select out’? What does that mean?”

  Sterling glanced sideways at Gideon. “It means they don’t commit to their training and refuse to confront their demons.”

  “Give him a break,” Ash said. He lowered his voice. “Michael died in the attack.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. But this is war. People die in war, and those who remain carry on. Especially those who carry so much responsibility.”

  “I’m not sure I follow.” Aideen looked from Sterling to Ash.

  “Gideon,” Sterling said. “Where are you from?”

  “Providence.”

  “No way.” Finally, something familiar. “I’m from Boston.”

  “Small world.” Gideon’s eyes darted to Aideen. His cheeks took on a slight flush and he looked at the dirt, stringy blond hair hiding his face.

  “And what did you do there?” Sterling asked.

  “I was a painter.”

  “A creator . . .” Aideen whispered. “He was your Prophesied One before I showed up?”

  “He was.” Sterling frowned at Gideon, who wasn’t showing any signs of hearing the rest of the conversation. Sterling raised his voice. “And he will be again if you leave.”

  “If he’s been here all along, why didn’t you help me get home instead of trying to turn me into a backup Prophesied One?”

  “Because when he gave up on his training, he broke with the prophecy.”

  Aideen paced. “By that logic, I broke with the prophecy when I made the deal with Imuhn, so I’m not the One either.”

  “The Ostrich believes you’re the One,” Sterling said.

  Aideen stopped and faced him, gesturing toward Gideon. “Then why are you keeping him here?”

  Sterling blinked and looked at Ash, who shook his head.

  “This isn’t about Gideon,” Sterling said.

  “Then what is this about?” Aideen raised her voice.

  “Take it outside,” Julie scolded. “Jesse’s trying to sleep.”

  “Sorry.”

  Sterling motioned to the door. Ash led Aideen outside. Sterling eased the door closed behind them, and they found a spot in the grass to sit in the sunlight.

  “I made a mistake, years ago,” Sterling said. “A little one—”

  Ash scoffed.

  “That turned into a big one,” Sterling continued. “A decision I made set off a chain of events. Things went sideways, and . . .”

  “You’re not making any sense,” Aideen said.

  Ash chimed in. “He sent his—”

  Sterling gave him a warning look.

  “He sent a boy to Jay Ridge,” Ash explained. “And that boy became a Trapper and started a war. People died, and those who survived blamed Sterling.”

  “I felt guilty, but that was no comfort to those who lost loved ones. They chased me out of D’Nal Harrim, and I went into hiding for years. I wanted to make amends, so I came back and have been trying to stop the Trappers ever since.”

  “And you’re scared you’ll fail again if you let a potential Prophesied One walk away without defeating the ‘greatest evil’.” Aideen finally understood. “And I hate to leave you guys hanging if there was any way I could help. But the matter still stands: I’ve made a deal to leave by tomorrow. I don’t know how much evil I can defeat before then and still find and destroy the Ostrich’s necklace.”

  Sterling took her hand.

  “I apologize. You’ve been through a great ordeal, on the brink of death not half an hour ago. And here I am, projecting my past failures onto you. The prophecy is the prophecy and will come to pass no matter who it speaks of. The Ostrich will provide. In the meantime, I will do everything in my power to help you fulfill your end of the bargain and get you home safe.”

  “Where do we even start?” Aideen asked.

  “What was it that Imuhn said before he left?” Ash asked. “‘Returning to a dark place, you may find what you seek in an unexpected comfort.’ That sounds like a clue.”

  “But what does it mean?” Sterling asked.

  “Jay Ridge must be the dark place.” Aideen shive
red. “It’s dark, and I’ve been there before.”

  “And ‘what you seek’ must be the necklace,” Sterling said.

  “‘In an unexpected comfort’ . . . what is that? The illusion where I thought I was back home?”

  Sterling shook his head. “The illusions aren’t constant. There’s no way to know what you’ll see. And no one has ever been in the position to see one more than once.”

  “The only way to know for sure what he means is to go to Jay Ridge and see for ourselves,” Ash said.

  “I can’t ask you to risk your life for me,” Aideen said.

  “It’s not just for you,” Ash said. “And you didn’t ask. I’m volunteering. What’s the plan?”

  “I could turn myself in,” Aideen suggested, to immediate protests from Sterling. “The guards will be glad to take me back, and I’ve escaped before.”

  “They’ll take precautions, though,” Sterling said. “Send nurses in twos to check on you, put you in solitary and put a guard on you. Anything to make sure you won’t escape again.”

  “What if I helped her get out?” Ash asked. “I know how to get in; I’ve heard of an unguarded entrance. And no one will notice me if I find a disguise . . . I’ve never been to Jay Ridge, and as far as I know, they’ve never had me in their system.”

  “How’d you end up with the other Refuse, then?” Aideen asked.

  “We don’t have time for stories,” Sterling said. He turned to Ash. “You’re certain you can get her out of a cell, even solitary?”

  Ash nodded. “I can do it. I’ll get a uniform for you, too, Aideen, so we can both search the place unnoticed.”

  “What about you, Sterling?” Aideen asked.

  “I can’t go anywhere near the place. The Trappers never used to bother with me, but things have changed now. They won’t take kindly to my showing up in their house. The Turkeys will kill me on sight. But I can help with the getaway. As long as you two can get out of the building.”

  Ash nodded.

  “We should get going, then.” Sterling stood. “Ash, let them know where you’re going. Aideen and I will find the Painted Horses. Meet us by the Compass. What’s left of it.”

  Ash returned underground, and Aideen fell into stride with Sterling as they headed north through the field.

  “Why are we looking for horses?” she asked.

  “I don’t know about you, but the horses can run a hell of a lot faster than I can.”

  “Your limp. It has to do with what you said earlier, doesn’t it? You were injured in the last war.”

  “Something like that.”

  THREE MILES WEST of the Frog Pond, Aideen, Sterling, and Ash pulled their respective horses to a stop. Aideen and Ash slid to the ground.

  “I’ll be two miles north of Jay Ridge,” Sterling said. “That should be a safe enough distance. If I see Turkeys or Trappers before I see the train, I’ll have to run. I will try to leave your horses, but they may follow me.”

  Aideen looked at Sterling; her legs were stone. She didn’t want to go back to Jay Ridge. She wanted to jump on Sterling’s horse behind him and ride off into the sunset.

  Metaphorically. The sunset is west, where the Trappers are. She shook her head. Focus.

  Ash handed Sterling the makeshift reins for his and Aideen’s horses and stood next to Aideen.

  “Good luck.” Sterling’s gaze lingered on Aideen before he nudged his horse and continued west at a trot.

  “You ready?” Ash asked.

  “No.” Aideen laughed. “But let’s go.”

  They turned south and walked to Jay Ridge. Ash parted ways with Aideen at the north end of the building. She watched as he disappeared around the corner.

  If I’m turning back, now is the time. There’s no one here to stop me.

  But then Ash would be breaking into the prison for no reason. If they found him, they’d kill him or put him into solitary.

  Aideen took a deep breath and marched to the main entrance.

  Chapter Ten

  Inside Jay Ridge, Aideen approached the welcome desk. The receptionist peered up at her.

  “Yes?”

  Aideen wiped sweat from her brow and dried her hand on her pant leg. “I’d like to turn myself in.”

  The receptionist gawked. A clerk making copies in the corner dropped their papers. Two guards conversing nearby—her friends from her last visit, Guard One and Jerry—stopped and turned to stare.

  “Aideen Fitzpatrick. I’m an Alk.”

  “It’s her!” Guard One pulled his gun and started toward her. Aideen put her hands up. They trembled, so she dropped them.

  “I don’t want any trouble. It was a mistake, escaping. Take me back to my cell. I’ll go quietly.”

  “You think I’ve forgotten the poison you threw in my face?” Guard One laughed and grabbed her by the arm. “We’ve got some place better for you.” He swung his gun at her head and the world went dark.

  SHE SAT UP ON a bare cot and looked around her as her head pounded. She was in a small, concrete room that had once been white. After what must have been decades of occupants, most of the surface had been decorated in ways only the lonely incarcerated decorate. Such as the carving in the paint of a monkey doing something inappropriate to what was either a coconut or a bowling ball.

  She rose from the cot on shaking legs, nausea heavy in her stomach. How long has it been? She made a mental note to grab another gojoos at her first opportunity.

  A tiny window of reinforced glass was set into the solid steel door of the room, right above eye level. It mimicked a larger window on the wall across from the door. The difference was the panel which could be opened or closed from the outside. The window on the wall instead had bars which couldn’t be opened from either side.

  The hatch over the door window opened, revealing a pair of hard, brown eyes. It shut again and after some jangling of keys, the door opened. Ash tossed in a pile of clothes, a pair of boots, and a holstered gun.

  “We’ve got about a minute and a half. Change and let’s get out of here.” He pulled the door shut. Aideen hoped it was for privacy, and that he hadn’t had to leave her here as a guard came to check on them or something. She traded her new inmate uniform for a guard’s, hesitant about strapping on the gun. She hoped she wouldn’t need it, but she’d look suspicious without it.

  Once dressed, she tapped on the door and it swung open.

  “Hurry,” Ash ushered her out. “We need to get to the next floor up before anyone notices you’re gone.”

  They headed for the stairs.

  AIDEEN PEERED THROUGH the window in the door leading from the stairwell. This floor appeared to be empty, or at least under-staffed; the guard station was deserted.

  Ash eased open the door and held it for Aideen. She followed him to the unmanned desk, eyes darting from the elevator, to the hallway, and back over her shoulder. She looked at Ash, who was looking at a floor plan laid out on the desk. A dozen cells, plus an office, and a small room marked ‘BR,’ occupied this floor.

  “What do you think it means?” Aideen pointed it out to Ash. “It can’t be a bedroom.”

  “I’m not sure, but there could be something useful there.” He snooped around the desk for another moment, then motioned for Aideen to follow him. They rounded a corner and came out into a hallway that stretched across the length of the building.

  “Check them.” Ash pointed to the left side of the hall.

  “It doesn’t sound like they keep prisoners on this floor. We’re probably safe for now.”

  “We don’t want anyone to catch us by surprise.” He peered into the cells on the right as he passed them.

  Aideen glanced into each cell on the left as she passed. Each was unoccupied, which eased her mind. They wouldn’t have to worry about guards appearing; no one would bother guarding empty cells.

  Ash stopped in front of a wooden door with a large window of Flemish glass. He was reaching to open it when the elevator dinged. Aideen froze.
<
br />   “Quick!” Ash waved her toward him, and they darted into the room. He closed the door and ducked under the window, tugging on Aideen’s arm.

  She dropped to a crouch and leaned against the door. She wiped her sleeve across her forehead. “What if they’re coming here?” she hissed. “To this room?”

  Ash drew his gun and pointed it at the ceiling. Aideen put a trembling hand over her own gun but decided she wouldn’t use it unless she had to. She’d never used one before and feared she’d hurt herself if she did, especially in this state.

  “Switch places with me,” Ash said. “If they come in, they’ll see whoever’s over there first.”

  As Aideen scrambled to the other side of the door, her heart pounded. She tried to quiet her breathing, so she could hear whether to be expecting company.

  There were two voices, conversational and relaxed, approaching at a pace that suggested they weren’t pursuing an escapee.

  That’s something. But what are they doing?

  The voices passed Ash and Aideen’s door. Aideen let out a slow breath and surveyed the room.

  It was, indeed, a bedroom. It reminded her of the guest room Grandad had left untouched after Gran passed away. A twin-sized bed protruded from the rear wall, flanked by nightstands and crowned by a floral watercolor. A short dresser and a writing desk huddled against the left wall. On the wall above the dresser was a large mirror.

  Not a room one would expect to find in a prison. Aideen considered reasons this room would exist when a glimpse of green on the dresser caught her eye. She stepped closer to investigate. It was the pendant from the emerald necklace.

  “Ash! It’s here!” Aideen picked up the pendant and contemplated the symbols etched on the front. “Mah ew alwus say wuht ihr hort dayzeers.”

  “What did you say?” Ash stared at her.

  “That’s what the pendant says.”

  “The pendant holds the key to opening the portal, according to legend. Try holding it to the mirror.”

  Aideen rolled her eyes but held up the pendant, inscription facing the mirror.

  “Open sesame.” She waved the pendant around for good measure.

  “Read the inscription again.” Ash cracked the door open an inch and peeked out.

  Aideen stared into the mirror. She flinched at her dark circles and dilated pupils. Add in the sweat beads dotting her face and her overall disheveled appearance . . . she looked like a junkie hurting for a fix. She didn’t care whether she could make it work. All she wanted was to get the heck out of Jay Ridge alive. And maybe another gojoos.