The Water Queens (Keeper of the Water) (27 page)

Catherine visibly cowers, taking a step back from her leader before answering.

“We’ve stepped up our efforts to find the two traitorous Amazons lurking around out there,” Catherine says. “We need to stamp them out once and for all so there’ll be nobody left to get in the way of our plans. Our work has also proven vital in spotting Sacajawea’s arrival.”

“Seems inconsequential when it comes to the importance of saving your queen’s life; it’s a good thing Mary was here to use her
brain
and figure out a solution,” Cassie spits at her. “Unless, that is, you were
hoping
I’d die so you could try taking over the world on your own?”

Catherine’s mouth hangs open, unable to find the right works. She shakes her head, clearly frightened. Normally I’d be thrilled to see Catherine the Great put in her place, to see her quiver in fear. But a part of me – a very
tiny
part though it may be – actually feels bad for her. If Cassie is this willing to terrorize her closest allies, I fret about what the hell she’s doing to my daughter in the room at the end of the hallway.

“No, My Keeper, I would
never
consider that,” Catherine says.

Cassie shrugs and turns away from her second-in-command. She’s already forgotten any accusations she hinted at.

“Mary has already taken care of the problem of the little girl thinking for herself,” Cassie says.

“Catherine is right about one thing, My Keeper,” Mary adds. “If my mentor finds out we have her daughter, she will not stop until she gets her back or dies trying.”

Cassie laughs, loud and shrill, her level of cruelty reaching depths I never imagined possible. Suddenly she feels a stab of pain from her wound, which hasn’t yet completely healed.

“I’m sure the little brat’s father will be coming for her, too,” Cassie says, her voice oozing with bitterness.

“The man you once shared a past with?” Mary asks.

Cassie spins on the woman; I’m not sure who the question makes more jealous, me or Cassie.

“Ancient history, I merely used him to help achieve a goal I’m so close to finally reaching,” she says, convincing Mary and Catherine but certainly not me. “Even if he
does
show up, it will be more satisfying for me to kill his
wife
in front of him. That will teach him to choose anyone over me.”

Cassie proceeds to enter a large room and shut the other two out without another word. She walks over to a mirror and stares into her own eyes; I feel like she’s staring into
my
eyes. When she begins to whisper, I know that she’s talking to me and has felt my presence all along.

“And once I kill you and Ponce, I will be sure to bathe your daughter – who will then by
my
daughter – in both of your bloods!”

Cassie closes her eyes and I feel her push me out of her mind…

My eyes snap open and my two recruits stand over me; Amelia looks fascinated while Harriet is clearly disturbed. Though I’ve learned that Cassie knows about John and me coming after her, I wouldn’t say I learned much else. I close my eyes to try reconnecting but she won’t let me in. I’m more frustrated than ever and stand from the bed, ready to leave
now
.

“What did you learn, Mentor?” Amelia asks carefully.

“
Nothing!
” I snap.

But once I calm down enough to think straight, I tell them exactly what I saw. Amelia hurries over to the diagram of Generalife hanging on the wall. I remember that Janey’s room was at the end of a hallway, I remember how far Cassie walked before stopping to look out a window, I remember the angle from which she looked down at the fountain in the garden courtyard. The information seems basic to me but Amelia apparently reads architectural blueprints as well as she once read flight charts. Based on my limited memories, she finally points to one particular room inside Generalife.

“She’s being held here,” she says.

“Are you certain?”

Amelia nods resolutely.

“Then that’s where I’m going,” I say.

I sling my bow over my shoulder and carefully wrap the cloak around it and myself. I don’t exactly have a plan for
how
to infiltrate Generalife but at least I know
where
to go. The chances of surviving are slim, which is why I can’t ask my recruits to follow me into such a risky venture. But I don’t even reach the door to the small office before I see the other two following.

“You don’t have to do this,” I tell them. “Janey is my daughter; she’s not your problem. I don’t even know what I plan to do.”

“Our duty always been to stop Cassie takin’ too much power and get the water back to
real
Amazons controllin’ it,” Harriet says. “We ain’t had much success doin’ either job so far; hate to say it but we got no idea how to stop her. Sounds to me like your little girl the first one to slow her down; we gotta get her back if we hope to stop them queens.”

“Any idea how to do that?” I ask.

“We always come up with somethin’,” Harriet says. She slings her own bow over her shoulder. Despite the stress of the moment, I’m surprised to see that she has a weapon just like mine. But when she notices me staring, she shakes her head. “I ain’t bringin’ no club for this, might need to fight from a bit farther away this time.”

We don’t have time for much planning – nor the ideas – but Harriet is quick enough to assign us three different spots to head for. We leave the warehouse one at a time and take different routes to Alhambra; it’ll be hard enough avoiding detection so we can’t risk being spotted with each other. Since I’m newest to Granada and don’t know the lay of the land, I’m given the shortest, easiest way back to the palaces.

I immediately notice the crowds on high alert, much more attentive than the first time I walked these streets. It’s impossible to stay calm, impossible not to think that every glance in my direction will lead to someone recognizing me. I’ve left my cloak’s hood off – it seems too suspicious covering my head – but I let my hair down with the hope of shielding my face.

I constantly scan faces of those around me, looking for any signs of recognition from strangers or any queens accompanied by younger girls. I also keep close watch on the surrounding city, searching for any and all escape routes if I have to flee quickly. I can tell people are nervous but the city is abuzz with the news of Cassie’s recovery and impending announcement.

“We
must
camp out tonight to get a good spot for tomorrow’s speech; it must be about her coronation,” I overhear a woman with a British accent telling her friend. “And it’ll be well deserved; she’s a true inspiration to every strong woman.”

“She refuses to stay hidden away, even after she was nearly killed,” the friend says.

“And her husband’s body still isn’t even cold,” the other says. “I’d never say
our
queen was inferior to another country’s…
but
…”

The two women chuckle; it makes my skin crawl. I want to scream to these women – to the whole
world
for that matter – about Cassie’s evils. But I keep my cool for the sake of Janey, though the constant thought of my daughter makes it hard for me to concentrate on the streets around me. Enough people stream toward the scenic palace that it would be hard to get lost
going
there but I doubt I could find my way
back
to my recruits’ hideout.

Not that I plan on going back. One way or another, this situation
will
get resolved tonight before she ever gets the chance to make her speech.

A greater police presence appears at the end of the cobblestone street where the city ends and the rocky hills lead to the palace. Alhambra looms in the distance and beyond that is Generalife. Butterflies swarm within my chest as I look at the section of smaller palace where Janey is being held captive. For all I know, Cassie might be sitting in the room with her now, making up any number of lies to try gaining my daughter’s trust. Could Cassie be telling her I’m dead? That her father and I abandoned her? Promising her Amazonian powers if Janey stays with her? I like to consider Janey wise beyond her years – too smart to listen to her mommy’s worst enemy – but all I think about is the goat monster to remember how young and easily influenced she can be despite her incredible powers. If molded the wrong way… let’s just say it might be easier to think of Cassie being mean to her than nice…

I shake my head, refusing to think of that any longer. I notice a ruckus up ahead and several police officers push through the crowd, headed in my direction. I don’t know how they spotted me from so far away but I reach inside the cloak for my bow. I don’t
want
to hurt any civilians but if I have to choose between hurting the cops or losing my little girl, it’s an easy decision. I no sooner begin to take off my bow when a pair of teenage boys burst through the crowd, tightly clutching purses with broken straps as they run away. It would take me very little effort to stick a foot out to trip the thieves but I can’t take the chance of getting involved. I turn my head the other way and ease my way deeper into the crowd as a pair of officers run by.

The sky grows darker and there are lots more people here than a few hours earlier; those are the only two factors that make me feel a
little
better. I’m sure to keep a safe distance from the walls of Alhambra, where hundreds of guards are lined up, stopping the crowd from pushing too close. I’ve never met a group of men I was afraid to fight but the sheer number of them might make it difficult for me to bust through their ranks by myself.

I head toward the ravine separating Alhambra from Generalife. Mostly empty a few hours ago, so many people are awaiting Cassie’s speech that they begin to take up this space, too; some even head toward the smaller palace. This makes it easier for me to sneak toward Generalife but I notice several things that tell me Cassie and Janey must be inside there. First are the guards stationed atop the palace walls looking down, extra protection the larger Alhambra doesn’t have. And these aren’t just regular guards, either. I see the feminine outlines of at least three black-clad women up there, undoubtedly scanning the crowds for me, Harriet and Amelia.

But the queens aren’t just high above. I spot several more of them walking among the crowd with flashlights in hand; I’m sure they have much stronger weapons nearby, though that’s not a theory I want to test. I keep one eye on the queens – trying to move away from them while not looking suspicious – and keep another on Generalife, looking for the slightest crack in security that I can exploit. I know Harriet and Amelia are out there, somewhere, and should be arriving to help me soon. For all I know, they’re already nearby, waiting for me to take action before they follow suit.

Even as I get closer, I’m wracked by indecision. I feel myself getting closer to where Janey’s being held and I can’t wait any longer. I pick a section of large arches where no queens guard and decide to take my chance. I reach back for my bow and begin to sprint toward the unsuspecting male guards…

A blur of movement rushes at me from the side, grabbing me by the arm with surprising quickness. Worried that one of the queens has sneaked up on me, I spin and throw a punch. I expect to land the surprise strike and have a chance to either keep fighting or run away; neither is the case. This person knows my moves and easily dodges the punch, subduing my arm in the process.

I quickly figure out why.

“Relax, it’s me,” John says.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

I don’t have to ask John whether he’s found Janey; the look on his face is telling enough. He doesn’t waste time asking me either.

“She’s inside,” I say, gesturing toward Generalife without outright pointing at the smaller palace. “We have to get her.”

He nods. “I agree, just not
this
way.”

John takes me by the arm and begins to pull me away. I have no idea what his plans are – if he
has
any plans – but I can’t stand the idea of waiting any longer to attempt a rescue. I pull against his grip.

“She’s in trouble,” I hiss at him. “We have to go after her
now
. The two of us stand a much better chance at surviving than just one.”

“Trying to bombard them is suicide,” he says.

“There’s no other way,” I argue. “Cassie is up to something; I don’t trust her with Janey for another second.”

“That may be true but I know a better way inside,” John says. “One we might actually survive.”

He still doesn’t have me convinced but I stop trying to pull him the other way. I know he’s right, I know that trying to rush the guards and queens guarding Generalife will not end well. As if to confirm the foolishness of my plan, a bright spotlight suddenly clicks on high above the smaller palace. I try to look up to see who’s operating it but the light shines too brightly to give me a clear view. The spotlight slowly pans through the crowd and I don’t want to take the chance of the light – and hence the queens – spotting me.

John pulls me away before the light reaches us. We try not to run or look conspicuous. We avoid the spotlight and queens circulating the crowd but I can’t stop the tears falling from my eyes, emotional overload finally getting the better of me. John steers me away. As we circle the ravine separating the two palaces, we finally have a moment to talk.

“Tell me where you’ve been,” I say, hoping to gain my composure during his explanation.

“It took me nearly an hour of swimming to reach the first ferry,” he begins. “I was about to climb a ladder along the side but spotted plenty of sailors looking out over the railings; apparently, word of our break-in on the second ferry reached the first boat. Instead, I swam ahead and reached the port outside the city first. I was exhausted by the time the ferry showed up but I waited and watched the cars and people debark; no sign of Janey or your recruit.

“I spent the rest of the day questioning anyone and everyone at the port until finally concluding that they’d left a different way. I was conflicted about what to do next; I
hoped
you found Janey back on Andros but couldn’t take the risk of traveling back there. Instead, I’ve spent days crossing Europe to get here, hopping trains and stealing cars. The route I took wasn’t unlike our journey across Europe six years ago, though obviously not as relaxing or enjoyable.

“I was in such a panic to get here that when I finally arrived earlier today, I was too impatient and got too close to the palace entrance,” John continues. “A few guards tried restraining me and things got physical; I took care of them no problem but barely got away before the queens showed up. Since one of the
assassins
was spotted soon after your picture was shown, I’ve been looking for you. I’m just glad I found you before
they
did.”

He motions to the queens on the palace walls behind us. The tension in my chest eases as we move farther from them but that also means we’re getting farther from Janey. I finally refuse to take another step away from Generalife. John can’t understand my urgency since
he
doesn’t know what
I
know; I begin to tell him everything that’s happened to me since we separated. I tell him about Mary stealing one of the Greek boats and the wailing sound; I tell him about finding my other recruits and the connection with Cassie I just made; I tell him how Mary lied to me, how she’s helping the queens, how Catherine the Great insisted upon having Janey killed. Saying these words threatens to break the dam behind my eyes but the next part is even tougher to get out.

“Cassie is planning to brainwash Janey into thinking that
she’s
her mother,” I say. The thought has been tearing me up inside but I suddenly feel angry instead of upset; having John by my side makes me stronger.

“Janey is too smart for that, too strong,” he says. “And if Isabella wants her alive, that’s a
good
thing. It means we don’t have to rush into something
too
risky.”

I sigh. “But you didn’t hear the sound coming from her room in the palace,” I say. “I don’t know what they could’ve been doing to make her cry like
that…
I can’t stop thinking about it…”

I grind my teeth harder to stop tears from coming. I put my head into his chest and he hugs me tightly. But I don’t have the chance to feel comforted before I sense sudden movement rushing behind us.

“Get your hands off her unless you wanna arrow in the back of your head,” Harriet growls.

“It’s okay, Recruit, he’s with me,” I say.

I back away from John to see my two recruits now standing beside us. Even though I’ve told her that John isn’t one of the palace guards capturing me, Harriet still glares at him.

“We’re all in this together,” John tells her. “It’s
my
daughter that they’re captured, too. So unless you have a plan for rescue, I suggest you listen to what I have to say first. I have information that will allow
all
of us to be more discreet. And considering Amelia’s flying abilities and Harriet’s stealth and strength, we’ll have a much better chance to succeed if we wait one more night.”

A tiny gasp escapes my throat. As relieved as I’d been to see John minutes earlier, I feel equally appalled now.

“Let those
monsters
keep her for another night? Let Cassie get into Janey’s head another night?” I say, shaking my head. “No way.”

Harriet suddenly grabs my arm and begins to lead me back toward the city; I hadn’t noticed one of the flashlight queens getting so close. Amelia and John follow. We try not to make ourselves too big a target but that’s hard since moving
toward
the city streets is akin to swimming upstream. So many people flood in the opposite direction that it’s hard to get through them all. Luckily, the police gathered near the cobblestone streets are more focused on those coming
into
the fields than going out. It’s not until we duck into a nearby alley that we have a semblance of privacy.

“Isabella’s announcement isn’t until tomorrow night,” he says. “Several massive screens will be set up outside Alhambra for her big broadcast inside Generalife. The queens will be so focused on protecting the courtyard garden that we should have an easier time getting to Janey, as long as she’s not moved. And the number of people outside will only become greater. If there’s trouble – ”

“More like
when
,” Harriet interrupts.

“ – we will have an even bigger crowd to disappear into.”

I sigh. My two recruits look to me for a decision; I’m sure they’ll follow me whatever I choose.

“I’m sorry, Janey,” I whisper. “We’ll wait.”

“I promise, I know what’ll give us the best chance of getting inside the palace,” he says.

We follow my recruits through the maze of city streets and alleys until we end up back in front of the abandoned warehouse. Harriet stops twenty feet before the entrance and glares at John again.

“Are you
sure
we can trust him?” she asks.

I don’t hesitate to nod so Harriet leads us to their headquarters. Once inside, the waiting begins – the
agonizing
waiting. Every minute that passes feels like a lifetime, especially since I have trouble focusing on anything – or any
one
– except Janey. I barely pay attention as John begins telling Amelia and Harriet their extensive roles in what he’s planned. The few times I push away worries for my daughter, I notice the concern on Harriet’s face as she listens to John. His plan seems to be complicated, full of variables that don’t make success as certain as he seems to think.

“And that’s when
we
come in,” he says, turning to me after talking to them for what seems like a long time. “We’ll search for the least guarded area to enter Alhambra.”

Through the fog in my mind, one word he says registers above all others.

“Alhambra?” I ask. “Don’t you mean Generalife?”

John shakes his head. “Trust me, if we want to get to Janey while raising the least suspicion, we have to go through Alhambra.”

“I don’t understand how you plan on getting from Alhambra on one side of the ravine to Generalife at the other,” I say.

“Because I know something about these palaces that you don’t,” John says.

Harriet snorts. “And how you know so much ‘bout this place?”

“Because it’s not the first time I’ve been here, though it’s been
many
years. I should probably start from the beginning.”

“In 1492 – the same year I convinced Queen Isabella of Castille to fund Christopher Columbus’ journey to the west – Spain defeated Muslim forces in
this
part of the country and expelled them from Alhambra. I sent my men with Columbus and while I awaited word from them, the queen summoned me to this palace to help oversee Spain’s takeover of it. Unbeknownst to me, Isabella met me here for… to spend time together.”

“Uh huh,” I mutter disgustedly.

This time I’m grateful when Harriet’s eyes narrow while looking at John. He doesn’t acknowledge my noise and continues with the story.

“I spent several months here, much of that time with Isabella,” he says. “After the palace was cleared out, she assigned her guards to Alhambra’s exterior so they wouldn’t see the two of us together. The palace was large and magnificent enough so there was plenty to explore – and plenty to do to keep Isabella off me.”

I roll my eyes, not that John notices. I’m sure he added this last part for my benefit though I wonder if it’s actually true.

“When we made a sweep of Alhambra’s lower levels, we were surprised by a Muslim warrior who hid in the palace and avoided detection by the Spanish guards. I was foolish enough to walk around without a weapon and the man was huge. Luckily, he must’ve been hiding without food or water for several days because he was weak enough for us to escape. He chased us through the lower levels and we finally hid near the back of the palace. Unfortunately, we were on the wrong side of the palace’s spiral staircase and thought we were cornered. But that’s when we stumbled upon a hidden passageway.

“Alhambra used to be connected to Generalife by a covered walkway that crossed the ravine outside. But apparently, the Muslims also built a passage
underground
that connected the two palaces. With the Muslim warrior descending upon us, Isabella and I had no choice but to take this passage. I tripped and dropped my torch soon after entering the tunnel, casting us into total blackness. The only pinprick of light came from the warrior’s torch behind us and we certainly didn’t want to wait for that. We ran on and on for what felt like forever, tripping over debris in the tunnel and even each other. But the warrior kept us moving, especially when he started to gain on us. I thought I may have to stop and fight him with my bare hands but then we finally reached the end.

“More men with swords waited at the other end of the tunnel and I thought we were dead to rights. But the men saw Isabella and bowed to their queen; they were Spanish guards exploring Generalife,” John says. “Needless to say, the weakened Muslim warrior was also surprised when he emerged from the tunnel; he didn’t have time to drop his torch before the guards cut him down.”

“Too bad you protected
Isabella
so well,” I tell him.

Harriet grunts in agreement; John finally shoots me a sideways glance.

“Now that the covered walkway on the surface has been gone for centuries, most people don’t know about the hidden tunnel,” he says. “Hopefully that includes the queens
and
Isabella. For that matter, I hope the passageway is still intact. Using that tunnel will be our best shot.”

I hope he’s right. Once plans are set, we return to waiting in silence. There’s little to do but pace; we’re like four hungry, captured tigers that can only think about hunting. Amelia turns on the TV for background noise. Not surprisingly, the coverage focuses completely on Cassie’s
amazing
recovery. The only tiny reason to smile is when Catherine the Great gives only the briefest update; she obviously keeps it short in the wake of Cassie insinuating that she’s a camera hog. But Catherine’s message is clear: Countess Isabella’s announcement will bring further stability to Spain’s royal family.

The news report then covers the recent royal killings, as well as expert predictions about what the
countess
might say. As darkness turns to early morning, the crowds become even greater. Apparently, recent sightings of the three ‘suspected’ killers aren’t keeping people from flooding the south of Spain. From the end of our alley, we hear the sound of crowds passing by. As if we don’t have enough to worry about, we aren’t as secluded in our hiding spot as we once thought;
no
place in Granada is secluded anymore with all these people arriving.