Through the Mirrah Read online

  She pictured her body, cut in half, lying amid the trees. Still conscious, she’d scream as forest animals came to feed on her, drawn by her festering flesh. Meanwhile, Sterling would starve to death in the tower, alone.

  Thinking like that wouldn’t help, so she reined her thoughts back. There were two options: let the voice replace the ropes with something different (and worse, she was sure) or escape them herself.

  She took a small, careful step forward and reached out as far as her arms would go, wrists first.

  “What are you doing?” the voice demanded.

  Aideen’s wrists searched for the spike she had sliced herself on earlier. She found it, cutting into the bandage wrapped around her left arm. She adjusted her position and worked her hands back and forth, letting the spike cut through the rope.

  “I made this too easy for you.”

  Aideen’s ropes yanked tighter. She flinched and felt a spike pierce her arm above her wrist. “What did I ever do to you?”

  “Nothing,” the voice said. “But someone else made a deal with me to keep you occupied for a while. I pride myself on upholding my deals.”

  “I noticed,” Aideen said under her breath. “Well, mission accomplished. I’m occupied.”

  “I have plenty more for you.”

  “I bet you do.” Aideen found the spike again and freed one wrist. She yanked the blindfold off.

  A few yards ahead of her stood a man. Up to the neck, anyway. Above that, he was sporting a colorful, blue jay-style cranium.

  Aideen freed her other hand, then cut the rope before taking in the rest of her surroundings.

  “Costco having a sale on spikes this week?” At least two dozen three- or four-foot-long metal spikes encircled her.

  “Does anyone ever laugh at your jokes?”

  Aideen ignored the comment. “What’s the deal if I only want you to remove the spikes?”

  She didn’t want another deal, but how was she going to get out without turning into deli meat?

  “I will remove the spikes if you take off your shoes.”

  “So you can turn the forest floor into hot coals?” Aideen laughed.

  She tested one spike with her foot. It didn’t budge. She pressed harder and watched as the blade cut into the sole of her shoe.

  “It will seem less funny when you realize you have no choice.”

  “I always have a choice,” Aideen argued.

  She pivoted, searching for another option. Nothing in her pack would help, unless . . . She grabbed her sheathed knife.

  Jay Man smirked and crossed his arms. “You think you can cut the spike as it cut you?”

  Aideen returned to the one she had named, since it had gotten so familiar with her arm. Good ol’ Slicey.

  She held the knife, one hand on each end, and pressed its edge against Slicey. The spike dug into the sheath but left the knife inside unharmed. Slicey still wouldn’t budge.

  “How did you plant them so well? It’s as though they were here first, and the forest grew around them.”

  “How do you know that’s not the case?” Jay Man asked.

  “Because I would have noticed the spikes as I walked into the Circle of Insanity.”

  “You think they’re all planted so well?”

  Aideen narrowed her eyes at him. Was this a trick or a hint?

  “What?” Jay Man asked.

  “You want me to waste my time walking around, checking each one.”

  He shrugged.

  She considered him a moment longer. To seem a fool for checking was preferable to being a fool for not getting herself out, so she tried each one of the spikes. (Nineteen of them, it turned out).

  “You’re awfully annoying, do you know that?” Aideen returned the knife to her pack.

  “And you’re awfully gullible.”

  Aideen glared at him before looking up. Jay Man made a disapproving sound as Aideen took the rope from her pack, then tossed the pack over the spikes.

  “It would have been much more interesting if you had made the deal,” Jay Man said.

  “This is plenty interesting.”

  Aideen tied a loop and swung the rope like a lasso. With her eye on a broken stump from a branch, conveniently positioned over a large bough hanging over the circle of spikes, she let go. The rope smacked the ground and Aideen reeled it in to try again.

  Jay Man watched, smirk unmoving while he adjusted his sleeves, as she tried twice more before catching her target.

  She eyed the spikes between her and freedom. Would she clear them? But what’s another cut when otherwise she’d still be in that stupid circle while Sterling’s waiting out his death sentence?

  Aideen climbed the rope, swinging as she ascended, and sure enough, a spike caught her calf.

  “That must hurt.”

  “You’re not helping,” Aideen grunted. “Why don’t you go ‘occupy’ the Dark Man for a while?”

  “Who is this ‘Dark Man’?” Jay Man asked.

  “The Trapper who’s been chasing me the whole time I’ve been here.”

  She reached the bough and pulled herself up to straddle it as blood from the gash on her calf seeped through her pant leg. The growing stain on her sleeve indicated her scab had reopened, too.

  “What makes you think he’s the one I made the deal with?” Jay Man crossed his arms.

  “Who else would try to keep me occupied?”

  Jay Man shrugged before answering her first question. “He’s less amusing.”

  Aideen snorted as she freed and coiled the rope. “That’s for sure.”

  She dumped the rope coil on the ground near her pack and crawled along the branch until she was clear of the circle. She jumped down and peered at her leg.

  “I can heal that for you—”

  “If I do a cartwheel and quack like a duck.” Aideen spit snarkily as she mimed flapping wings.

  “There’s no need to mock me.” He thrust his fists onto his hips.

  “Come on, we were starting to get along.” Aideen dug through her pack, pulling out the gauze and medical tape. She bandaged her leg, then re-taped her arm and hand.

  “Are you trying to play for sympathy?”

  “No,” she said. “I don’t need them getting infected while I climb the mountain, come back down, and hike out of the forest again.”

  “You should have put some antiseptic on them.”

  “You should mind your own business.” Aideen returned the rope to her pack.

  “It appears your ‘Dark Man’ underestimated your intelligence.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He didn’t think you’d figure a way out of this one,” Jay Man said. “He had you pegged for two more deals.”

  “I’m happy to disappoint him.” She slung her pack over her shoulders and started past Jay Man.

  He tried engaging her one last time. “I can tell you the future.”

  “Why would I need that?”

  “If you know what will happen, you could save an extra day in the forest.”

  “Unless it includes Sterling appearing right in front of me, you’ve got the wrong future.”

  “I can tell you his past,” Jay Man said.

  “Why would I want to know that?”

  “There are things he won’t share which may interest you.”

  Aideen hesitated, curious, but shook her head. “Sorry, Jay Man. Find someone else to occupy.” She continued further from him, brushing a stray branch out of her path.

  “Suit yourself, Alk Girl.”

  She turned to glare at him, but he had vanished. So had the spikes.

  “That was weird.” She shrugged. “I guess the forest has gotta do better than that to stop the Prophesied One.”

  She felt guilty at her audacious use of the title. It felt strange, like when she was little and tried on her dad’s suit jacket as he was dressing for a job interview. The jacket had been longer than she was tall and dragged on the floor behind her when she walked. She pressed on, wond
ering what else the forest had in store for her.

  AFTER WANDERING FOR SOME TIME, Aideen came to a fork. She consulted her map.

  “No fork. Now what?”

  She looked at both paths ahead of her and after some hesitation, started down the left path. The farther she got along this path, the more undergrowth creeped out into the path. The canopy overhead grew thicker and it grew harder to see.

  Her imagination convinced her there were snakes or panthers or monsters she couldn’t conceive of waiting for her if she continued. She scurried back to the fork and took the path to the right.

  As she walked, she got the distinct feeling she was getting farther from the mountain. She kept going, not eager to try the other path again. When she came to a break in the trees and saw the mountain was farther away, she turned around to head back to the fork. After only a few steps, she stopped.

  What am I even doing?

  She slung her pack to the ground, plopped herself next to it and took out her napkin map.

  “That was the Frog Pond. Some letters resemble English letters, and the language seems to be phonetic.” She poured over the other labels. “I can figure this out.”

  “This line around the edge is ‘tryn trehrs’? I don’t know what that is. ‘Mowntin’: that’s easy enough to guess. ‘Lyr’? It looks like a lake or something. Oh, if that’s a lake, then ‘tryn trehrs’ could be train tracks! The path, and . . . what’s this?” The label on a scribble to the east of the path made no sense, even translated. “‘Imuhn’?”

  Jay Man appeared.

  “I thought you left.”

  “You called me.”

  “No, I—” Aideen glanced from the napkin to Jay Man. “You’re Imuhn?”

  Imuhn bowed. “At your service.”

  “You’re not here to give me a hard time?”

  “I don’t give hard times. I make deals.”

  “All right.” She stuffed the napkin into her pocket. “What kind of deal would I need to make for you to bring me to that stupid mountain?”

  Imuhn turned as Aideen pointed, and chuckled as he faced her again.

  “You don’t need a deal for that. You’re on the right path.”

  “But I’m tired, I’m bleeding through my bandages, and I don’t have the energy to go another . . .” She waved her hand, unable to even guess at the distance.

  “Six miles, from here to the mountain.”

  “Six miles? Not gonna happen. I still need to climb the mountain too.”

  “I could take you to the top of the mountain.”

  “What would it cost me?”

  “I would need all the food in your pack.”

  Aideen shook her head. “What if you took me to the foot of the mountain?”

  “I can take you to the base of the mountain if you drink from the river once you’re there.”

  “Deal. I need to fill my canteen anyway.” She stood and gathered her things.

  Imuhn took her hand and they were standing on the bank of a clear, shallow river. Ahead of Aideen, thirty yards away, the ground rose to form the base of the elusive mountain.

  “Thank you.” She stepped onto a flat stone jutting out into the river.

  “You must drink, remember.” Imuhn motioned to the water.

  Aideen kneeled and filled her canteen. She raised it to Imuhn in a silent toast, then tilted it back and gulped down its contents. As she lowered the empty vessel and wiped a drip from her chin, she turned, smiling, back to Imuhn.

  Imuhn nodded. “If you need anything else, just call.”

  “Who are you?” Aideen asked.

  “I will tell you that if you tell me who you are.” The man with the blue jay’s head crossed his arms.

  Aideen frowned, looking at herself then at Jay Man. “I don’t know who I am.” How is it possible I remember nothing before this moment?

  “Then all I can tell you is this: if you continue ahead, you will risk your life, but for love. If you turn back, you will risk your life, but for fear. Choose wisely.”

  With that, Jay Man vanished.

  Chapter Seven

  The strangeness of Aideen's surroundings quickened her pulse as she surveyed the imposing landscape. Each direction was as unfamiliar as the last. Which was ‘ahead’ and which was ‘back’? Had she been going to the mountain, or was she leaving it? Or had she been following the river?

  The weight of the pack on her shoulders caught her attention and she shrugged it off. She rummaged for a clue. Food, knife, rope . . . “Where was I going?”

  She considered her options. Go up the mountain, which may offer nothing useful. Go west through the woods, as east was yet more forest. Though, to the south, a path cut through the trees.

  That’s probably ‘back.’ I don’t want to risk my life at all, so maybe I should go east or west.

  She stood, and a weight thumped against her collarbone. She pulled a necklace from under her shirt and held it up.

  “Gibberish. How can I not even read?” She tucked the necklace away and turned west.

  AIDEEN WANDERED FOR SOME time before she encountered another path heading deeper into the forest. Someone had to have made it. Was she close to an answer? She followed the path, deep in thought. In fact, she was so absorbed in trying to remember, she didn’t notice the man in ragged clothing until she had nearly plowed into him.

  “Thank God, another person,” Aideen said. “Do you recognize me?”

  “Of course I do, Aideen.” Rag Man tilted his head. “Is something wrong?”

  “Can you tell me what I’m doing in the middle of a forest? I seem to have forgotten.”

  “I’m too late.” Rag Man shook his head. “The forest is glitching. The Ostrich sent me to fix it, but I only just got back from the swamp. I haven’t fixed anything yet.” He held up some dripping plants.

  “You lost me at ‘the forest is glitching.’ How is that relevant?” Do forests even glitch? How much has she forgotten?

  “Hang on.” Rag Man closed his eyes, straining as if listening for something. Aideen heard nothing but the ambient bird chirps and insect buzzes. She stood in silence until Rag Man opened his eyes again.

  “The Ostrich says Sterling is in the tower on Crowned Eagle Mountain. You were on your way to rescue him.”

  Aideen looked around, then scrunched her face at Rag Man.

  “You’re hearing a talking Ostrich?”

  Rag Man smiled. “You met the Ostrich. She communicates telepathically. Don’t worry. I’ll fix the root, which should stop the glitching. Then you should get your memory back.”

  “But why did I lose it in the first place?”

  “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  Aideen closed her eyes, willing her mind to give her something before the strange exchange at the river, but got nothing. She shook her head. “I was kneeling by a river, and a man with a bird’s head told me I’d be risking my life, whether I went forward or back.”

  “Imuhn.” Rag Man frowned. “Either you made a deal with him, where it cost you your memory, or you drank from the river.”

  “I think I did.” She looked at her canteen. “How would that erase my memory?”

  “When the forest glitches, weird stuff happens. Let’s go take care of that.” Rag Man took her hand and they started along the path again.

  Aideen followed him, replaying their conversation in her head.

  “Assuming I believe you about the Ostrich, who is Sterling? And why would I be rescuing him? I may not remember who I am, but I don’t look the type to be running rescue missions. Look at me, my clothes don’t even fit.” She held up her arms to prove how baggy her sweatshirt was.

  “Sterling helps Refuse. Especially when they’re from Away.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Sorry.” Rag Man smiled and shrugged. “Sterling helps addicts who have ended up here from other places. He was prepared to help you, but a Turkey—a large, flying monster—took him to the prison tower.” He turned
and pointed to the mountain looming to the north. “The Ostrich heard about it after you had set out after him. She reached out to you, to tell you to continue to the Brown Ostrich, but you must not have heard her.”

  “How many Ostriches are there? Are they all telepaths?”

  “There’s only the one. Here we are.”

  Rag Man jogged into a clearing that looked constructed rather than natural. Trees stood in rows along each side, with mounds dotting the center of the open, oblong space. He walked past the first five, which someone had dug into, and stood at the top of the sixth, also crowned with a handmade hole. Untouched grass carpeted the following seven. He kneeled and brushed something in the hole with his hand.

  “What are you doing?” Aideen crouched across the mound from him, setting her pack aside. She looked down at a control panel fused into a giant tree root.

  Rag Man pressed buttons, but nothing happened. He pried open the face of the panel with his fingers.

  “Bugs.”

  Dozens of them swarmed over a bundle of wires running through the control panel. It looked like the bugs were eating the wires. Aideen wasn’t familiar with electric systems, but she assumed that eating wires would cause a power outage, not just a glitch.

  “What do we do?” Aideen peered into the mess.

  “Kill the bugs, fix the wires.”

  “How do we do that?” Aideen asked.

  Rag Man held up his plants again. “Welwitch leaves and swamp mellow root. We’ll have to grind these down into a paste, but it’ll kill the bugs. Then we can patch the wires, and everything should be as good as new.”

  He scanned the clearing.

  “Over there.” He pointed but didn’t wait for Aideen to get up before he hurried to a boulder across the clearing. “See if you can find two rocks we can use.”

  Aideen scouted the ground, grabbed two stones, and joined Rag Man at the boulder. He took one stone and kneeled to grind the dripping roots against the hard surface.

  “Do those.” He motioned to the leaves.

  Aideen squatted next to him and they worked in silence.

  “Perfect. Grab a leaf from that tree.” Rag Man pointed. “A big one.”