Through the Mirrah Page 12

  “The Turkeys hate going there,” Aideen said. “Because of the Ostrich. We should be okay.”

  “Your plan relies on a lot of shoulds and ifs.”

  “What’s your plan?”

  Sterling only stared.

  “Exactly.” Aideen stood and addressed the room. “Everyone who’s coming to Jay Ridge, let’s go.”

  “For the Ostrich!” one of them cried.

  “For the Ostrich!” others shouted in response.

  Aideen looked back at Sterling as her new accomplices crowded the door. He shook his head and turned to the bartender, and Aideen followed the Alks outside.

  “IS EVERYONE READY?” Aideen brushed off her uniform for the hundredth time, hoping she’d gotten all the ash from the desert off it.

  “Let’s do this!” a tenor called from the back of the group.

  Aideen didn’t know if anyone would buy the orderly group of Alks showing up with a single guard and no restraints, but this was what Aideen had. She had to make it work.

  “Go on. You all need to stay between me and the other guards, and the receptionist, as much as possible. I’ll be back for you as soon as I have Ash. Good luck.”

  They went inside. From the middle of the pack, Aideen couldn’t tell what the receptionist’s initial reaction was, but things got crazy pretty fast.

  Most of the Alks were shouting. A couple hopped onto the receptionist’s desk and were throwing papers and dancing. Others had converged with the lobby guards. Aideen tried to stay hidden in a small group dancing and shouting in the middle of the room. How could she stall until more guards arrived? The more there were here, the fewer she’d run into trying to find Ash. She waved her arms, pretending to corral the rowdy group.

  As more guards arrived, Aideen snuck through the mini-mob and down the hallway. She ran for solitary first. If they knew Ash had been with her, they wouldn’t have taken any chances.

  There were two guards there, who both jumped to their feet and put their hands to their guns as Aideen ran up.

  “There’s a mob of Alks in the lobby. We need all the help we can get!” Aideen tried to look authoritative while hiding her face from them.

  They both ran down the hall, away from her. Aideen checked the desk for keys or controls, immediately finding the buttons to open the doors. She pressed them all before she ran to each door, throwing them all open. Two other solitary inmates poked their heads into the hall, curious.

  “Go!” Aideen yelled at them. “There’s a mob in the lobby. Help them overpower the guards!”

  Ash was in the last cell.

  “I can’t believe you came back,” he said as he ran up to her. “How’d you get in?”

  “With help. Now we need to help them get back out.” Aideen waved for Ash to follow her as she ran back toward the lobby. She hoped things were still crazy enough that the other guards wouldn’t look past her uniform.

  They arrived at the Intake room, where muffled shouts came from behind the closed door.

  “Wait. In here.” Aideen pushed open the door to see two men struggling to subdue one of the Alks. She ran straight into the man holding the syringe before he could get it into the Alk’s arm. Ash followed and punched the other man in the face. The three Refuse ran from the room and joined the others in the Lobby.

  The guards—eight of them now—had corralled half of the Alks into a corner, with four guards pointing guns at them. There were still two Alks on the receptionist’s desk, jumping and kicking as two guards grabbed at them.

  The last two guards had their guns trained on the two Alks on the desk.

  How did I already forget about the guns? I didn’t want to get anyone killed.

  “Free the Alks in the corner,” Aideen told Ash and the Alk they had rescued from Intake. “Get the guards’ guns, if you can. I’ll try to distract these guys.”

  She ran toward the desk.

  “Hey! Did you guys miss me?”

  The guards holding their guns looked at her, then turned to train their weapons on her in unison.

  “That was lovely.” She grinned. “Did you practice that?”

  “Hands up.”

  Shouts came from behind Aideen as the Alks on the desk kicked the other two guards in the face. The Alks from the corner flooded reception, shoving Aideen, and the two on the desk hopped down. Guards shouted, then three gunshots rang out: one, then a pause, then two in succession.

  “I’m hit!” someone cried.

  Someone else tapped Aideen’s shoulder. She looked behind her to see Ash handing her a gun.

  “I’d say it’s time to get out of here.” He turned and shot a guard reaching for Aideen. The bullet pierced between the guard’s eyes and he went down.

  Aideen looked back at the corner. Two of the guards lay motionless. One was getting to his feet. The other was joining the crowd.

  “Retreat!” Aideen shouted. She put one hand on Ash’s arm and pointed toward the door with the gun. “To the woods. We’ll head for the craglands.”

  Ash nodded and ran. Some of the Alks were quick to follow. Some tried roughing up the guards one last time. Aideen hid in the middle of the exodus, feeling guilty at using innocent people as cover.

  Racing down the steps and jumping the last few, Aideen saw Ash at the edge of the woods, waving people into the cover of the trees. Turkeys squawked and several circled before swooping down into the fleeing Refuse. There were screams, and Aideen saw a few people carried back to the roof. She swallowed hard, focused on Ash, and ran for her life.

  AIDEEN WAS OUT OF BREATH, but besides the welts from running into tree branches, she was okay. She couldn’t say the same for everyone, though. One man had a gunshot wound in the leg. A woman had part of her arm torn off by a Turkey. Maybe the Ostrich could meet them and get the injured to the village for help.

  Ostrich?

  Yes, Young One? the Ostrich thought.

  I’m with some people who need medical attention. Can you meet us where the south woods meet the craglands and get them to the village?

  Of course, the Ostrich thought. I will be there soon.

  Thank you. Aideen thought of Sterling. He’d want to know she’s okay.

  Sterling. We have Ash. Most of the Alks made it out too.

  Where are you now? he thought.

  Meeting the Ostrich in the craglands. She’ll be bringing two injured people to the village for help. Ash and I will follow on foot.

  I’m glad you’re okay, he thought. I’ll send for Julie to help with the injured. See you there.

  Aideen passed through the last of the trees and slowed.

  “Careful! Don’t anyone twist an ankle on the rocks.”

  As the group gathered in the craglands, the man with the leg wound collapsed. The woman missing part of her arm seemed to be going into shock. There were murmurs, and someone was sniffling.

  “Now what?” Ash asked.

  “The Ostrich should be here any minute,” Aideen said.

  “The Ostrich?” someone asked.

  “The Ostrich is coming to see us?” others chimed in.

  “I called for the Ostrich to help get those with the worst injuries to the village.” Aideen looked up as a small spot in the sky to the east grew into the shape of a bird. “Here she comes.”

  Aideen pointed and the Alks looked. Some of them cheered, and the crying stopped.

  “Thank you, everyone,” Aideen said. “I appreciate this was a lot to ask of volunteers, and I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

  “Once we rebuild the Bo,” Ash said. “There is a place for every one of you if you want it. We’ll be training to face the Trappers as an army. I would be proud to fight by your side.”

  Mixed responses met this proclamation.

  Too soon?

  The Ostrich landed, and the Alks stared. Some bowed their heads, and others threw their hands up and said: “Praise the Ostrich!” The Ostrich looked at Aideen.

  What are they doing? the Ostrich thought.
/>   Showing reverence.

  They look ridiculous, the Ostrich thought.

  “All right,” Aideen said, trying not to smile. She turned to Ash. “Help me get these two on her back.”

  Once the pair were in place, the Ostrich took off toward the village.

  “What about us?” one of the Refuse asked.

  “It’s a couple of hours’ walk to the village.” Aideen pointed east. “But if you know of someplace closer . . .”

  “I believe there’s a train station to the south,” Ash said.

  “If we catch the train there, it’ll take us back to Jay Ridge,” one of the Alks said.

  “They won’t be checking the train,” another said. “They saw us go out the front.”

  “Yeah, and they may think we’re dumb enough to walk to the station to ride the train back.”

  “It beats walking all the way to the village.”

  Half of the Alks decided they’d prefer to take the train. They broke off from Aideen, Ash, and the remaining Alks a short way beyond the Chasm. Soon after that, the Ostrich appeared, landing just ahead of them.

  I can make another trip, she thought. If you are tired.

  Take two of the others. “She’ll take two more of you.”

  There was a brief squabble as they decided who would get the ride. Once they sorted it out, the Ostrich was off again, and the dwindling group continued to the village.

  REACHING THE MAIN STREET as the sun began to sink below the western horizon, the other Refuse parted ways with Ash and Aideen. Sterling hurried toward them from a light blue cottage with white trim.

  “You did it.” He clapped Ash on the back and pulled Aideen into a one-armed bear hug.

  “Your arm?” Aileen asked.

  “It’s fine. Julie should be here soon for the others.”

  “I’ll check on the injured.” Ash motioned to the crowd gathering around the Refuse the Ostrich had brought to the village.

  “Thank you, Ash.” Aideen hugged him. “For everything. And I’m sorry I wasn’t a bigger help.”

  “Are you kidding?” He squeezed her shoulders with one arm. “You saved my life. As far as the whole prophecy thing, we’ll manage. Sterling was right earlier, about the Prophecy coming true, no matter who it’s about. Maybe it is Gideon. Maybe it’s someone who hasn’t arrived yet. But we will defeat the greatest evil. There is still hope.”

  Aideen watched as Ash joined the crowd.

  “We should take care of the pendant.” Sterling held it out to her.

  She took it, running her finger over the inscription, and looked at him. “Let’s go.”

  They crossed the village to the mason’s barn set back from the street. Letting themselves in, Sterling called out. “Hello?”

  A burly, older man with massive arms and shoulders emerged from the back room as Sterling and Aideen made their way to him. He wiped his hands on his dark work pants, leaving a light dust behind. He adjusted his suspenders and ran one hand over the front of his waffle-weave undershirt.

  “Sterling, my friend,” Jonathan beamed. “I heard a rumor the Trappers got you. Glad to see you’re all right. More or less.” He pointed to Sterling’s bandaged shoulder.

  “Just a flesh wound.” Sterling returned the smile and nodded to Aideen. “I had some help. This is Aideen, from Away.”

  Jonathan’s eyebrows disappeared into the fringe of salt-and-pepper hair framing his forehead.

  She knew what he was thinking—the Prophesied One!—but ignored it and placed the emerald pendant on the counter.

  “I need your help to destroy this.”

  “Almighty Ostrich, that’s a real emerald! And it’s enormous. Why would you want me to destroy it?”

  “I made a promise. It could be dangerous in the wrong hands,” Aideen said.

  Jonathan looked confused for a moment before his eyes lit up.

  “This is from the necklace?” He looked at Sterling.

  Sterling nodded.

  “I can’t imagine the Ostrich would be happy about it.”

  “It’s beyond the Ostrich now, Jonathan,” Sterling said. “Aideen made a deal. If she doesn’t destroy the necklace, it could mean her life.”

  Jonathan’s eyes widened as he looked to Aideen for confirmation. She shrugged.

  “Keep the pieces if you want,” Sterling said. “But make sure no one can put the pendant back together. That’s the important thing.”

  Jonathan studied him and rubbed a hand over the top of his head.

  “All right, if you two are sure.”

  He rummaged behind the counter and pulled out a hammer and chisel. He held them over the pendant and looked at his visitors one last time as if waiting for them to change their minds.

  Sterling nodded once, and Jonathan looked at the stone heart.

  “Right, then.”

  He tapped on the chisel until the pendant split in two.

  “Wait. I changed my mind,” Sterling said.

  Jonathan glared at Sterling.

  “Kidding. Keep at it, until you can’t read the inscription anymore.”

  Jonathan worked as Sterling and Aideen watched. It was a pity to destroy such a large emerald (it must be worth a fortune), but Aideen wasn’t prepared to trade her life for it. She figured Jonathan could still get a decent price for all the smaller gems.

  “There,” Jonathan said when he had finished. “No one could put this back together well enough to read it.” He picked up the gems and let them fall back to the counter through his fingers. “You sure you don’t want this back?”

  “Take one piece,” Sterling said to Aideen. “As a keepsake.”

  Aideen shrugged and picked out a sliver that looked like the Ostrich’s head and neck if you squinted. She slipped it into her pocket.

  Jonathan swiped the remaining gems into his hand. He disappeared into the back room and returned empty-handed.

  “Anything else I can do for you? Fix that busted nose?” Jonathan looked at Aideen.

  “A mason who does noses?”

  “I’ve got three brothers. We were always dislocating things. We developed a knack for putting them right again.”

  Aideen looked at Sterling, who nodded. She shrugged.

  “Go ahead.” She closed her eyes and felt Jonathan’s fingers on her face, pressure, and horrible pain. She groaned through clenched teeth.

  “Good as new,” Jonathan said.

  Aideen opened her eyes and gingerly touched her nose. “Thank you.”

  “We should go,” Sterling said.

  Aideen waved to Jonathan, and she and Sterling left the barn.

  “We can go to my house and open the portal from there.” Sterling pointed toward the far end of the village. “You remember the incantation?”

  Aideen nodded.

  AIDEEN FOLLOWED STERLING into his study. He rounded the desk and pulled something out of the center drawer, holding it out to Aideen.

  “My phone! I thought it was gone forever! Where did you find it?” She grabbed it from him and hugged it to her chest.

  “You must have dropped it at the Compass before the tower fell. I found it on the island, amid the rubble.”

  “We need to take a picture.” Aideen unlocked the phone, scratched but miraculously functioning.

  “Of what?”

  “Us,” Aideen said. “If I can’t come back . . .”

  “Let’s do it.”

  They posed for a few silly selfies before taking a serious photo. Aideen stuffed the phone into her pocket and looked into Sterling’s eyes. They held each other’s gaze for a moment before she leaned forward and kissed Sterling. He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer. Aideen’s heart leaped, and she allowed herself to savor the moment before she pulled back.

  Leave it to me to leave a runner on first in the bottom of the ninth.

  “Will you be okay?” she asked. “You and the Refuse, I mean. Without me.”

  Sterling stroked her cheek as his smile quivered.
/>
  “We’ll manage.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “We can handle it.” Sterling smiled again and put his arms around Aideen. “Besides, we’ve narrowed down who the Prophesied One might be, with you out of the running. And Ash will be more than willing to do what needs to be done, after everything that’s happened.”

  “I still feel bad, leaving you after starting this whole mess.”

  “This whole mess started long before you arrived, and it will continue long after you leave. If anything, you made it easier for us, killing a Trapper and a bunch of Turkeys.”

  “They’ll recruit more Trappers, won’t they?”

  “Stop worrying. There’s nothing you can do. Even if you stayed, Mr. Let’s-Make-A-Deal, Im—”

  “Don’t say his name!” She put her hand over his mouth. “He’ll appear, remember?”

  He nodded and moved her hand. “If you stayed, he would collect on his deal, and you’d die.”

  Aideen glanced around the room and found a clock. “I’ve still got a few hours . . . Hold on. How literally does he make his deals?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I promised I would return to my world.”

  “Yes.”

  “I never said anything about not coming back.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Sterling lit up, then frowned at the implication that Aideen could return to D’Nal Harrim.

  “How will he know that you left before coming back? If he sees you again, he’ll assume you’ve been here the whole time.”

  “Not if he witnesses me leaving.” Aideen smiled. “Imuhn?”

  The dealmaker with the blue jay’s head appeared next to the pair who were still in a loose embrace. Sterling backed away.

  “What are you still doing here?” Imuhn asked Aideen. He held up a wrist without a watch. “Tick, tock.”

  “I was about to leave. I thought you’d like to watch, to be sure I’m gone.”

  “Thoughtful, but unnecessary. I honor my word and expect those I deal with to do the same.”

  “As long as you’re here, you might as well see me off.” She turned to Sterling. “Where’s the mirror we’re using?”

  “The bedroom.”

  Aideen led them to the full-length mirror hanging on the wall next to Sterling’s closet.