The Tower of Endless Worlds (19 page)

Simon blinked.

Katrina sat in Maura’s easy chair. “Let’s think about this, college boy. About an hour ago I walked into your backyard and saw a door appear out of thin air. The door opened up, I saw a place that looked like hell’s basement, and this girl and this toddler appear out of nowhere. And, for some reason I can’t figure out, you’re insistent that we keep the boy and the girl a secret. You have quite a bit to explain, I think.”

Simon scratched at his chin. “Yeah.” He thought for a bit. Where to begin? “Okay. You were right. I wasn’t completely honest about the van. It…I suppose it began the day we had our first date, actually. I had to park outside the warehouse complex because a bunch of trucks were coming in. This thin man with a weird accent came up to me…”

###

“And then Conmager said that someday two men, one old, and one young, would come through that door, along with a child.” It had gotten dark in the last hour. Simon turned on the lamp besides Maura’s chair. “Conmager asked me, begged me, really, to keep them safe until he could come. He…said the winged things would hunt them.”  He shrugged. “So that’s my story.”

Katrina stared at him. They sat in silence for a very long time. 

“You don’t believe me?” said Simon.

“Goddamn, Simon,” said Katrina. “Goddamn and holy shit. Please tell me you were drunk. Or that you were high off something. Or that you’re bullshitting me. Or that this is some overdone April Fools’ joke.”

“It’s the end of May,” said Simon. “And I really wish I was making this up. Or that it was a hallucination or something. But it’s not. I saw the winged thing by your apartment building. And I saw the door. I saw it open, and I saw the things inside. So did you. You know I’m not making this up.”

Katrina sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me? This must’ve eaten you up.”

“It did. I did my best to forget it,” said Simon. “When it started, I wasn’t that close to you. And…later, I didn’t want to tell anyone. If they caught Conmager, if they found out that I had helped him…”

“Goddamn,” said Katrina. She sat cross-legged on the floor, the muscles of her arms and legs clenching and unclenching. “That explains so much. All those secret warehouses and off-limits areas at work. All the trucks coming and going.”  She snorted. “I always thought Wycliffe was crooked, you know. Just not on such a scale. Why did you stay working for him?”

Simon blinked. “What?”

Katrina cracked her knuckles. “Christ, Simon. You knew those trucks were full of guns. Why did you keep working for him?”

Simon shook his head. “I didn’t really make the connection between the winged things and Wycliffe, even when Conmager flat-out told me. I guess I didn’t want to know. It’s a good job. I lied to myself. God. My mother was right. I should never have gone to work for him.” He looked at the children. Lithon had fallen asleep on the floor by the couch. “I suppose I’m going to pay for it now.”

“Simon.” Katrina got up and rubbed his shoulders. “Yeah. You were an idiot.”

Simon rolled his eyes. “Oh, thanks.”

“But it’s not all bad,” said Katrina, kneading his shoulders. “I mean, you did help that Conmager guy get away. And you helped him when he came back. And now you’re able to help these kids.”  She kissed his cheek. “And, think. If you hadn’t gone to work for Wycliffe, you wouldn’t have been able to meet me.”

“Well.” Simon put an arm around her waist. “I suppose it’s not all bad, then.” 

He tensed.

“What is it?” said Katrina. She frowned. “Besides the obvious?”

“Conmager said two men and the child,” said Simon. “We have a boy and a girl.”

“We know what happened to one of the men,” said Katrina, her voice dark.

“How?” 

Katrina looked at him. “The man with the fiery swords. Those shadow-things got him.”

Simon ran a hand over his eyes. “Yeah. Probably. I suppose you’re right. I wonder what happened to the other…”

The little girl moaned and sat up, putting a hand on the arm of the couch to steady herself. 

Simon knelt besides the couch. “How are you feeling?”

Strain and exhaustion marked the girl’s pale face, but her deep dark eyes never wavered. “Hungry.”

“Simon,” said Katrina. “There’s some pizza left. Why don’t you go grab it?”

“Right,” said Simon. He hurried to the kitchen, retrieved the pizza box, and poured a glass of milk

“What’s your name?” said Katrina as Simon pushed open the living room door.

The girl stared off into nothingness for a while, as if trying to remember. “Ally.” 

“Here,” said Simon. He put a slice of pizza on a paper plate and handed to her. “We have some food for you.”

Ally stared at the plate. “What is it?”

“Um…pizza,” said Simon. “It’s like…a pie, I guess, with cheese and meat on it.”

Ally took a tentative bite. Her solemn face brightened. “That’s good.” She devoured the rest of the piece, eating like a starved thing, and ate all of a second slice. “Lithon needs some food, when he wakes up. But it has to be cut into small pieces so he can eat it.”

Katrina pulled out her pocketknife, a wicked-looking curved thing she had bought a hunters’ supply store. She began dicing a slice of pizza.

“Ally,” said Simon. “We need to ask you some questions.”

Ally titled her head, ragged hair brushing her pale neck. “Are you friends of Marugon?”

Simon blinked. “Who?” Conmager had mentioned a man named Marugon. 

“The Lord of the Warlocks,” said Ally. “The last and greatest of the Warlocks.”

“No,” said Katrina, making a little pile of pizza pieces. “We’ve never even met him.”

“Who are you, then?” said Ally. 

“Um…I’m Simon Wester.”  Simon pointed to Katrina. “This is Katrina Coldridge, my fiancée.”

“Fiancée?” said Ally.

“We’re engaged to be married,” said Simon. Ally’s expression didn’t change. “She’ll be my wife in a few months.”

“Oh.” Ally nodded. “She is your betrothed. You are pledged to wed.”

“Right,” said Simon. “Can you tell us what happened? How you came here?”

Ally stared into space. “I…don’t remember everything. I woke up on a dead plain. Some of Marugon’s gunmen found me. They were going to rape me.” Katrina’s eyes narrowed. “Then Sir Liam Mastere and Lithon came. Liam killed them.”

“Liam?” said Simon. “You mean the man we saw through the door? The man with the burning swords?”

Ally nodded. “The shadows killed him, I think.” Deep sadness crossed her face. “His swords were called Sacred Blades.” 

“What happened after Liam found you?” said Katrina.

“We went to the Tower,” said Ally. 

“You mean the Tower of Endless Worlds?” said Simon. Ally nodded. “Why did you go there?”

Ally thought for a while. “Liam said we had to. He said that an old Wizard named Alastarius had made a Prophecy. Lithon would grow up to defeat Marugon.” She looked at the toddler. “But only if he lived long enough to grow up.”

“You mean Marugon would hunt for Lithon?” said Simon.

Ally nodded. 

Katrina leaned forward. “That’s why Liam wanted to take him to…to Earth, I guess. To keep him safe, right?”

Ally nodded again. “The winged demons hunted for him. They would have found him, if we had stayed. But they won’t think to look for him on Earth.”

A chill went down Simon’s spine. “The winged demons? Do they look like large men with wings, and sooty black armor, and burning eyes…”

Ally nodded. Simon shuddered. 

“What happened in the Tower?” said Katrina.

“We walked through it. I don’t know how long it took. I guess time doesn’t work in the Tower. The shadow-things came. One pretended to be the Queen. We ran. They would have killed us, but Liam slowed them down. I jumped through the door, and we were here, on Earth.” Her thin shoulders sagged. “I wanted to open the door so he could get through, but I couldn’t. I don’t think you can open that door on this side.”

“I’m sorry,” said Simon.

“Do you have a latrine?” said Ally.

“Oh. A toilet?” said Simon. Ally frowned. “Um…Katrina. Can you show her the bathroom?”

Katrina nodded. “This way.”

“I’m tired,” said Ally.

“Do you want a bath first?” said Katrina.

Ally nodded. “That would be nice. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bath.”

###

“That is a spooky little kid,” whispered Katrina.

Simon and Katrina stood in the doorway to the living room. Ally lay on the couch, her arm around Lithon. She wore one of Simon’s shirts, the hem dangling around her knees. 

“I think she’s been through a lot,” said Simon.

“I don’t doubt that,” said Katrina. “God, Simon. When I helped her with the bath…you could see her spine and every one of her ribs. I don’t think she’s quite starved, but she’s close. But it’s not that, or anything else.”  She smacked her fist into her legs. “It’s…it’s…”

“Her eyes,” said Simon.

“Yeah.” Katrina licked her lips. “It’s like she’s looking right through you, and she knows everything about you. And she…knows…things. What are we going to do with them?”

“I can stay with them tomorrow,” said Simon. “I can take off work. And isn’t tomorrow your day off?”

“Yeah,” said Katrina. “But after that?”

“Wait for Conmager,” said Simon. 

“Do you really think he’ll come?” said Katrina.

“Oh, he’ll come,” said Simon. “Unless something happened to him. He’ll come.”

“We should sleep down here,” said Katrina. “In case one of them wakes up and freaks out.”

“Yeah,” said Simon. “I’ll take the floor. You can have Mom’s recliner.” He sighed. “This wasn’t quite what I had in mind when I asked you to spend the night.”

Katrina chuckled. “Well, duh.” She kissed him. “We’ll have time for that later.”

“I’ll go get some blankets,” said Simon.

He didn’t sleep well, and spent most of the night wandering the house, checking the locks and peering out the windows.

###

“I’m going to have to go out again,” said Katrina the next morning.

“Oh?” said Simon, yawning and scratching his chin. 

Katrina looked at the sleeping children. “We’ve got to get those kids some decent clothes. And shoes, for that matter.”

Simon nodded. 

“Give me some money.”

Simon blinked. “Why?”

Katrina gave him a look. “Because I spent all my cash yesterday. And if someone is looking for these kids, I don’t want to use my credit card.”

Simon pulled his wallet off the coffee table. “Well, we are getting married. I suppose I should get used to you asking me for money.”

“Wise ass college boy,” said Katrina, tucking the bills into her pocket. 

“How long will you be?” said Simon.

“Not more than a couple of hours, I hope.”  Katrina walked to the door and began doing some stretches. “I just want to get in and out of the store. I also have to stop by my apartment. I left my mom a message on the machine, but she sometimes forgets to check it.” She leaned against the doorframe and lifted her left leg past her head.

“That looks painful.”

Katrina smirked and rolled her shoulders. “You weren’t complaining when I did it yesterday afternoon.”

Despite himself, Simon blushed. “Hurry back.”

“I will.” Katrina scooped up her purse. “When do you think this Conmager will show up?”

“I don’t know.”  

Katrina pulled out her car keys. “Do you have a way of contacting him?” 

“No,” said Simon. “But he’ll show up.”  He shrugged. “I’m…just sure of it.”

“Great. So we’re running on intuition. I’ll be back soon.” Katrina opened the living room door.

“Be careful,” said Simon.

Katrina turned, a sarcastic look on her face. She looked at the children and fell silent in mid-sentence. “Yeah. You too.” She turned and left.

Simon blew out a long sigh and watched as Katrina’s car drove away. Katrina could take care of herself. She could likely take batter care of herself than he could. But what if the winged things were about? What if one of the creatures, with its burning eyes and iron-clawed hands, found Katrina?

The thought of losing Katrina sent a wave of utter dread through him. He could no longer imagine life without her. He wanted to live with her, and talk with her, and sleep with her, for the rest of his life. He paced away from the window and froze.

Ally sat up on the couch, watching him with her deep eyes. 

Simon grunted and sat in Maura’s chair. “How long have you been up?”

“Not long,” said Ally. She titled her head. “Do you have more food? More…pizza?”

“Are you hungry?” said Simon. 

“Not really. But Lithon will be, when he wakes up. Where’s Katrina?”

“She went to get some clothes and shoes for you two,” said Simon.

“I’ve never worn shoes before,” said Ally. 

“Well…it’ll be a first, then,” said Simon.

They lapsed into silence. Ally stared at him and through him. Simon could not understand how the gaze of a little girl made him feel so discomforted. 

“What will you do with us?” said Ally. 

“Do?” Simon shrugged. “We haven’t figured it out yet. There…are bad things after you, aren’t there?”

Ally nodded.

Simon frowned. “Do you know why?”

Ally shook her head. “Lithon is important, I guess.”

“Did…ah, did Sir Liam say what he was going to do once you got to Earth?” said Simon.

Ally shook her head. “No.” She stared off into space. “I don’t think he knew himself.” 

“I have a…friend, you could say, I guess,” said Simon. “He knew you were coming.” Or did he? Conmager had said that two men and a child would appear. He had said nothing about Ally. “He’ll come soon. I hope he’ll know what to do.” 

Ally got to her feet. “I have to use your white latrine.”

“Okay,” said Simon. “Do you want me to get you some fruit? A banana, or maybe an apple?”

Ally froze. “An…apple?”  She smiled, and her face lost its solemn look. “I had an apple once…I think. I might have. I can’t really remember. I think I liked it. But I would like an apple.” 

Simon smiled. “Okay. I’ll get one.” Ally went out the living room door and up the stairs. Simon went to the kitchen got three apples, one for himself, one for Ally, and another one for her, in case she was still hungry.