Freewalker (27 page)

“Kordan and I are to aid you in the capture of an Eater. Darius believes that connecting our nervous systems will enhance the power of our ethereal forms, allowing Kordan and I to follow you into the Wall.”

“Will it work?”

“The Keeper's knowledge in this matter far supersedes my own. Regardless, the journey will be perilous. The Eaters will be waiting. I only pray we are able to serve you as we must.”

Without another word, Willum glides into the hallway. Following, she notices the stoop of his shoulders, the heaviness in his step. He fears for her safety, questions Darius's plan, and has taken no small risk to inform her of these doubts. But there was something more. Their nervous systems are to be connected. Does that mean their minds will intermingle too? Will Kordan have access to her innermost secrets, her plans for revenge, the strange murmuring in her head? Is that the real purpose behind this merging, to expose her? No. She can't allow it.

Think. Scar tissue disrupts the flow of energy in the
nervous system. You have a scar, an energy disruption, from
the wound you sealed in the Dreamfield.

Could she manipulate that disruption when she transforms? Use it to create a shield?

If you are quick enough.

“Stowe.” Willum's quiet assertion startles Stowe out of her reverie. “We're here.”

Ignoring his questioning stare, she draws strength from her breath as she allows it to radiate outwards to the soles of her feet, the tips of her fingers, behind her eyes. And when she is ready, she signals Willum to open the door.

The facility has three beds in it, and is filled with monitoring equipment. A handful of doctors are in attendance, led by the ubiquitous Dr. Arcanthas. Kordan's already sitting on one of the beds, awaiting them.

“You're late, so we must begin at once.” Kordan snarls, not bothering to conceal his irritation. “On your last incursion, you penetrated the Wall alone and entered Eater territory, but you destroyed your captive. Today you go there again, but this time we go with you.”

Ignoring the reprimand, Stowe replies, “What am I to do?”

Kordan waves disdainfully at Willum, who bows in acknowledgment before turning to Stowe.

“The resonance of the diamond can be used in many ways. You used it as armor, but it can also be formed into a net. It implements with the speed of thought.”

“The Eaters will be on guard, so it should be no problem to draw one out,” snaps Kordan. “The net should succeed as a stopgap until we are able to aid you in subduing it.”

Dr. Arcanthas, with great deference, shows Stowe the bed she'll be using. She and her fellow travelers are barely seated before electrodes are strategically attached to points ranging from their heads to their toes.

Darius chooses this moment to make his entrance. He fusses over the machinery like a doting parent. “Good, all the preparations have been executed precisely to my specifications.” His eyes, black and shiny as an insect's, settle on Kordan.

“As you well know, I have great hopes for this expedition.” He waits for Kordan to bow before moving on to address his greater audience. “Our medical staff shall be monitoring you constantly to ensure your connection is not broken. You are not to take any unnecessary risks.” Placing one finger under Stowe's chin, he lifts it until her eyes meet his. “Make me proud, daughter.”

Darius brings out his own precious bowl and, lifting the lid, presents the Dirt within to Willum and Kordan. They bow reverentially as each man permits himself a pinch. Stepping over to Stowe, Darius carefully scoops the violet powder with a golden spoon, but Stowe shakes her head. Lifting one tiny hand, she pinches as much Dirt as she dares between her thumb and index finger. Her other hand, as if holding hair back from her face, conceals the twitch in her cheek.

“I shall do my very best,” she promises, avoiding Darius's eyes. She rolls her tongue over the Dirt, coaxing each individual crystal from her damp fingers. It will be enough. It must.

Darius leans in so close that his cheek brushes against hers. He whispers in her ear. “Be careful, my Stowe. I won't rest easy until I see you again.” His voice extends a tendril that winds round the light spiraling up her spine. “Your Eater must be interrogated in the Dreamfield. The Scrutineers and I will be waiting.”

Stowe fears she will not reach the glimmer, it seems so far away. But before her anxiety can take hold, an ethereal hum pulses through her. She moves faster than light along its thread and the tendril that binds her to Darius is soon snapped.

Stowe is on her way.

A
BILLOWING CLOUD OF MOON JELLY FLOATS PAST VULTURE AND FALCON, AS
O
UR
T
ERRA-COTTA
S
TOWE PERCHES ON A BED OF BRILLIANT YELLOW CORAL.
T
AKING THE LEAD,
K
ORDAN UNFOLDS HIS MASSIVE WINGS AND HEADS TO THE SURFACE.

H
EAD BOBBING ALONG THE WAVES,
S
TOWE FEASTS HER EYES UPON THE SIGHT SHE'S CRAVED: THE UNDULATING CURTAIN OF THE
W
ALL.
S
HE IMMEDIATELY BEGINS TRANSFORMING.

“I
T MIGHT BE PRUDENT TO CAMOUFLAGE YOURSELF.
” W
ILLUM SOARS PAST HER AND DIPS ROUND
K
ORDAN.
“D
ON'T YOU AGREE,
M
ASTER
K
ORDAN
?”

“E
XCELLENT IDEA, IF YOU CAN BE SWIFT ABOUT IT,
” K
ORDAN CONCEDES GRUDGINGLY.

T
HIS PROVIDES EXACTLY THE OPPORTUNITY
S
TOWE NEEDS TO CREATE A SHIELD.
C
ASTING HER EYES UPON THE WATER, SHE FOCUSES ON ITS COLOR.
T
HEN, WHILE
K
ORDAN IMPATIENTLY WAITS, SHE TAKES ON AN IDENTICAL AQUAMARINE, BEGINNING WITH HER SPINE.
A
ROUND THIS, SHE LAYERS THE SCAR TISSUE FROM HER WOUND LIKE AN INVISIBLE SCABBARD, THEN CONTINUES OUTWARD.
S
OON SHE'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH FROM HER SURROUNDINGS.

“R
EADY
?”
SAYS
K
ORDAN.
“W
E MUST MOVE QUICKLY.
”

D
ESPERATE TO DISTANCE HERSELF FROM THE
V
ULTURE,
S
TOWE SKIMS THE WAVES AND PROPELS HERSELF TOWARD A LOW POINT IN THE CURTAIN.

M
ESMERIZED BY THE EXTRAORDINARY ARCHITECTURE OF THE
W
ALL, SHE COULD ALMOST FORGET WHO SHE IS AND THE DANGER SHE FACES, ALMOST NOT WONDER WHY SHE RISKS SO MUCH FOR SO LITTLE OR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HER IF SHE WERE CAPTURED BY THE
E
ATERS—OR IF
K
ORDAN SAW INTO HER MIND.
H
OW SHE WOULD LOVE TO FORGET IT ALL.
A
N INTENSE THRUMMING REMINDS HER THAT SHE'S ABOUT TO PIERCE THE BARRIER.
W
ILL HER SHIELD DENY HER COMPANIONS ENTRY
?

If they are unable to follow, it will arouse Darius's sus
picions.

S
ENSING THE FLOW OF THE ENERGY, SHE SHIFTS HER FACETS TO DEFLECT IT, CREATING A PATHWAY FOR
K
ORDAN AND
W
ILLUM.
I
N DOING SO, HER FORM IS REVEALED, RENDERING THE CAMOUFLAGE USELESS.
B
UT WHAT DOES SHE CARE
? T
HE SHIMMERING HAZE INSIDE THE
W
ALL IS EVEN MORE DAZZLING THAN SHE REMEMBERS IT.
T
HIS IS THE POWER SHE'S WAITED FOR.

“W
HERE ARE YOU
?”
HISSES
K
ORDAN.
H
E'S FLAILING, FLYING AIMLESSLY THIS WAY AND THAT, DAZED BY THE WALL'S INTERIOR.

W
ILLUM, SEEMINGLY UNIMPEDED, FINDS HER.
“S
OMETHING IS BLOCKING OUR CONNECTION.
”

I
GNORING HIM,
S
TOWE CALLS OUT TO
K
ORDAN.
“R
IGHT NEXT TO YOU
!”

“G
UIDE ME
!”
HE ORDERS, CLUTCHING AT
S
TOWE.
“T
AKE ME OUT OF HERE
!” H
E'S COMPLETELY BLIND.
T
HE FEAR IN HIS VOICE IS PALPABLE.
T
HIS IS NOT GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN.

W
ITH A FLASH AND A SHATTERING CRACK, FIVE GLEAMING DISKS MATERIALIZE.

“W
HAT IS IT
?” K
ORDAN SHRIEKS.

“D
ON'T MOVE,
” S
TOWE WARNS, AS EACH DISK SNAPS OPEN, REVEALING—
“E
ATERS
!”

B
EAR AND MOUNTAIN LION ARE NOW JOINED BY A WEASEL, A WOLVERINE, AND AN OLD WOMAN WITH THE LEGS AND TAIL OF A GOAT.

“F
IVE OF THEM.
”

T
HE GOAT-WOMAN MOVES FORWARD.
“Y
OU DON'T BELONG IN THIS PLACE.
”

“I
DON'T UNDERSTAND, OLD WOMAN.
C
OME CLOSER AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF,
”
SAYS
S
TOWE.

B
UT THE GOAT-WOMAN REMAINS STILL, EYES LATCHED ON
S
TOWE.

“I
AM A FRIEND OF YOUR BROTHER'S.
I
AM ASKING THAT YOU WITHDRAW.
F
AILURE TO DO SO WILL BE TREATED AS AN ACT OF AGGRESSION.
”

“G
ET HER
!”
SCREAMS THE VULTURE.
N
EGOTIATIONS CLOSED, THE GOAT-WOMAN VANISHES AND THE OTHER FOUR
E
ATERS ARE UPON THEM.
T
HE LION SWIPES AT
K
ORDAN'S BACK.
O
OZING BRACKISH FLUID, THE VULTURE FLAILS, PANICKED, ENDANGERING THEM
ALL.
S
TOWE, TRYING TO GET SOME DISTANCE FROM
K
ORDAN'S LUNGING TALONS, KICKS AT THE BEAR.
W
ILLUM LAUNCHES HIMSELF AT THE WOLVERINE'S JUGULAR, HIS CLAWS RIPPING OUT ITS THROAT.
T
HEN HE LODGES HIMSELF FIRMLY ON THE LION'S HEAD AND TEARS AT ITS EYES WITH HIS BEAK.

A
TTACKING FROM BEHIND, THE WEASEL SINKS ITS TEETH IN
S
TOWE'S ARM, CHEWING INTO HER, DIGGING
. R
EMEMBERING
W
ILLUM'S INSTRUCTION,
S
TOWE UNLEASHES A WEB OF CRYSTAL, SECURING THE WEASEL'S HEAD TO HER ARM WHILE THE FRENZIED ANIMAL SCRATCHES AND SQUIRMS
. A
S SHE FRANTICALLY KICKS AWAY RELENTLESS ATTACKS BY THE BEAR,
S
TOWE'S ATTEMPTS TO LAYER MORE CRYSTAL ON THE STRUGGLING WEASEL ARE CONSTANTLY THWARTED
. B
UT FINALLY SHE'S ABLE TO BRACE HER FEET AROUND THE BEAR'S NECK AND, TWISTING WITH ALL HER FORCE, IS REWARDED BY A CRISP SNAP OF BONE.

B
EFORE THE
E
ATERS CAN REGROUP,
S
TOWE GRABS
K
ORDAN BY A WING, HOPING TO DRAG HIM AND HER CAPTIVE TO SAFETY
. T
HE MOUNTAIN LION'S ANGUISHED SCREAMS LEAVE LITTLE DOUBT THAT
W
ILLUM WILL SOON FOLLOW.

T
HE INSTANT
S
TOWE BURSTS OUT OF THE WALL AND BACK INTO THE
M
ASTERS' DOMAIN,
K
ORDAN SHRUGS HER OFF
. S
POTTING THE WEASEL THRASHING WILDLY ON
S
TOWE'S ARM, HE HOOKS HIS TALONS DEEP INTO ITS FLESH AND RIPS IT OFF.
“Y
OU'RE MINE,
L
ANIA!”

L
URCHING ERRATICALLY TO FREE HERSELF FROM
K
ORDAN, THE WEASEL FORCES THEM CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE
S
PIRACAL.
S
TOWE KNOWS THAT IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO SLOW DOWN THEY WILL SOON COME WITHIN ITS LETHAL RANGE
. K
ORDAN WHIPS
L
ANIA VIOLENTLY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, BUT THE WEASEL SNAPS AT HIM, BITING OFF A TALON
. T
HE VULTURE SCREECHES IN PAIN AS HE BATS AT THE WEASEL WITH HIS WING.
“D
O SOMETHING
!”
HE CRIES.

B
UT
S
TOWE'S APPROACH IS HAMPERED BY HER BULK
. S
HE CANNOT REACH PAST
K
ORDAN'S POUNDING WINGS TO DISLODGE
L
ANIA, AND AS THE WEASEL SINKS HER TEETH INTO YET ANOTHER TALON, THE VULTURE'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN HIS HOLD IS GRIEVOUSLY IMPAIRED.

J
UST THEN,
W
ILLUM EMERGES FROM THE
W
ALL AND DIVES TOWARD THEM
. I
T SEEMS TO
S
TOWE—OR IS SHE IMAGINING IT
?
—THAT
W
ILLUM HAS LINKED WITH
L
ANIA, ALMOST AS IF ISSUING A SILENT COMMAND
. B
UT BEFORE HE CAN REACH HER, SHE PLUMMETS, BURSTS INTO FLAME, AND IS SWALLOWED BY THE
S
PIRACAL'S HUNGRILY CHURNING MAW.

A
N OVERPOWERING GRIEF DETONATES INSIDE
S
TOWE
. B
LIND WITH DESPAIR, SHE TUMBLES.

W
ILLUM SOARS BESIDE HER.
“A
RE YOU HURT
?”

“I
DON'T KNOW...
”
HER VOICE TRAILS OFF
. I
T'S TOO HARD TO TALK; HER THROAT'S CONSTRICTED IN ANGUISH
. S
HE'S AWARE OF
W
ILLUM BENEATH HER, BUOYING HER UP AND AWAY, BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERS, AS SHE IS DROWNING IN A WELL OF SORROW.

T
HE BEACH IS SMOOTH, THE ROCK CURVED IN FROZEN WAVES, THE CREST OF EACH A PERFECT PERCH FOR THE FLOCK OF NINE RAPTORS THAT AWAITS THEM
. L
ED BY AN ENORMOUS RED EAGLE, THE
S
CRUTINEERS' ANGRY SCREECHES GUARANTEE NO QUARTER WILL BE GIVEN
. T
HE EAGLE'S EYES LOCK ON THE VULTURE AND, RAISING A TALON, HE RIPS THE SIDE OFF THE VULTURE'S FACE.