The Adventures of Benjamin Skyhammer (16 page)

"So then what happened?" His voice was normal, thank the gods.

Her hands resumed their rhythmic pulling. "I never saw her again. I couldn't go back there, you know? And she was dismissed a couple days later." She hauled the boat around a mushroom trunk, heading in a new direction, following the silk rope.

"How did that make you feel?" Skyhammer dipped his fingertips in the murky water then yanked them up again when he remembered the eyes they'd seen.

Higgins considered for a moment. "Relieved."

He nodded.

"I didn't want to deal with her again. I felt betrayed. She was my friend and she tried to come on to me. I was young; she was ancient. Now I'm a little angry about it but then I was sad and confused."

Skyhammer tried to remember Higgins during that period. Had he even noticed that she was upset? She was good at hiding her feelings, that's for sure. Or was he just so wrapped up in Spark that he didn't even notice? He shifted on the hard seat. Spark was also sad when Counsellor Hanamun was dismissed. Upset and hurt that the counsellor hadn't said goodbye or told her she was leaving. He was so busy trying to comfort the woman who would leave him a few weeks later that he totally ignored the pain of the woman who'd stayed by his side since they met. He shook his head. The choices we make.

"What are we going to ask her?" He should talk to her, he thought. Spare Higgins the pain. But maybe she needed to talk about it with the counsellor. Get some closure. "Should we tell her the truth?"

"No!" Higgins said. "Don't mention anything about the Byndari or the Retrographs or any of that. Just say that we are trying to locate Spark on behalf of the King."

"Surely," Skyhammer protested, "she'll know that we were sent to figure out who's changing the Retrographs."

"She's so far out of the way here, she probably knows nothing about what's happening in the rest of the world," Higgins replied. "Let's find out first. If she does know, then we'll say we're looking for Spark because you'd like to get some closure with her. Maybe finding her and trying to start your life together again."

"But if Spark doesn't want to and she knows where Spark is, then she won't tell me, in order to protect Spark."

"Just don't worry about it, okay?" she said, a note of impatience in her voice. "I'll talk to her. You can wait outside in the boat or something."

"I don't feel comfortable with that, really," he announced. "What if she's dangerous? She'll probably have gotten crazier-"

Higgins waved an arm at him and he shushed. Another smaller silk platform was just ahead, surrounding one mushroom trunk and held taut by three others. A luminescent home gleamed at the top of the trunk. The silk rope led right to the platform's edge. They had arrived at Counsellor Hanamun's home.

* * *

"There's no one here!" From the base of the trunk, Skyhammer stared up at the amber dwelling. How the heck did the Katipo climb up there? "Wait. I saw movement! Hello?"

Higgins stood on the platform near the boat as though afraid to come closer. She had probably been thinking about meeting the counsellor again but never expected it would happen.

Although he saw the material of the dwelling expand and contract as though there was something walking on the floor, he heard no response.

"Hello?" he called again. The dwelling was shaped like a doughnut that had been slid up the mushroom trunk until it got stuck. He walked around the trunk but still couldn't see any way to get up to it. "Counsellor Hanamun?"

A slit opened in the bottom of the amber dwelling right above Skyhammer's head and a black shape hurtled through.

"Higgins, uh," he began, backing away .

The shape landed where he had been standing a few seconds before and swivelled to face him. An insect the size of a cow. Black armoured body. Sharp pincers snapped at him.

Skyhammer drew his sword. Insects were the most difficult opponents since their bodies were covered in armour. Where was Hanamun? Had this insect killed her?

The insect scuttled forward, its multifaceted eyes pinned on him. As it stretched a pincher towards him, he swiped at it but missed. The creature moved fast. He knew the edge of the silk platform was nearby so he began to circle back to where Higgins still was.

"Higgins?" he screamed. "An insect!"

He thought he heard a chuckle. She would know he meant a big scary insect, right? Not a small scary insect. He backed into one of the three mushroom trunks holding the silk taut.

The insect kept coming. Some type of killer beetle.

Why did the Katipo have such huge creepy crawlies in their country, he wondered. "Higgins!" He continued jabbing at it with his sword. Now he danced to the left, swinging and stabbing, until the beetle was backed up against the trunk. Finally, Higgins' rapier danced next to his.

Outnumbered, the beetle turned to climb up the mushroom, its carapace protecting its enormous back.

As the beetle ascended, Skyhammer saw an opening. He rushed forward, raising his sword for a death thrust. A second before his sword tip stabbed the beetle, it scuttled up the trunk. His swing missed the insect entirely. Instead, he chopped through the silk cloth attached to the trunk.

Higgins and Skyhammer dropped straight into the swamp, tangled in the woven cloth, which was rapidly disappearing into the foul water.

Skyhammer gripped his sword hilt, eyes squeezed shut. He'd never find his weapon again if he dropped it in the swamp. He didn't sink very deep so it was easy to swim to the surface then sheath the sword. Higgins had done the same thing. They dog-paddled for a minute, getting their breath back.

Skyhammer felt something brush by his leg. "Oh gods. I just felt something go by my leg."

"Let's get back in the boat." Higgins began swimming to where the boat was still attached to the silk rope.

Skyhammer followed close behind, trying to keep his body as close to the surface as possible. He kept glancing around and during one of these frantic glances, he noticed a pair of eyes and some teeth headed their way.

"Teeth at three o'clock," he shouted.

Higgins was close to the boat.

"You can make it!" he shouted. If she could get in then she would have a better chance of helping him.

The teeth and snout darted between Higgins and boat. She back-paddled furiously towards Skyhammer, the creature following.

"We'll have to fight it," she screamed to him.

A gentle movement brushed across Skyhammer's leg. His heart turned to jelly. He looked down, even though the water was so clouded he knew he couldn't see. Eyes glinted right next to him, just under the surface. A moment later, the long body of a fat snake coiled around him and squeezed.

"Higgins, help!" he yelled with his last breath.

He saw her turn toward him. The serpentine embrace crushed his arms in tight. He looked at Higgins; the world began to darken, like ink spreading across his eyeballs. The toothy creature reared up, sharp teeth and gaping mouth lunged towards Higgins - the world went mercifully black.

* * *

He didn't know if it was hours or seconds later. He opened his eyes and inhaled a huge breath. He was being towed on his back. "Higgins?" he croaked.

His body stopped moving. He twisted over and trod water. She was glaring at him, face streaked with dirty water and red with emotion.

"You scared me!" She shook his shoulder.

"What happened?"

She shrugged. "We were too big and scary for them?" Her voice shook a little. "I don't know. All I know is that they both disappeared and nothing has bothered us in the intervening ten minutes." She started swimming towards the boat again. "Makes me a little nervous. Maybe something bigger is coming."

Skyhammer splashed after her. He felt exhausted again; each of his limbs a bucket of lead. He hated this country. When he looked back where his slash had dumped them in the water, the insect clung to the mushroom trunk, watching them. Weird. It seemed so focused and intelligent.

Higgins helped him into the boat and then they both collapsed on the bottom.

He must have slept again. Or maybe he was dreaming. He thought he heard a voice.

"Higgins and Skyhammer."

His eyes sprang open and he was looking right at Hanamun. Same glossy red skin and kind smile. He sat up and nudged Higgins.

"Whazzat?" she mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

He gestured to the Katipo who was standing on a boat next to theirs.

"Where did you come from?" Higgins asked her.

"When I learned you were in trouble with the creatures, I came right away."

"You stopped them," Skyhammer said. It was a statement.

Hanamun turned her gaze to him. "I did."

His brain was fuzzy but, "They're not spiders."

She inclined her head. "Correct."

It meant something, he was sure, but he was so tired that he couldn't make the connection.

"My boat will tow you to my real home. You can just lay back and rest, both of you. I'll let you know when we arrive. Eat this first." She handed a mushroom to each of them, Higgins' blue, Skyhammer's pink.

His stomach growled as he stuffed the fungus in his mouth. It tasted like oats.

Higgins swallowed her mushroom then curled up and closed her eyes.

"I should stay up," Skyhammer mumbled as he lay back but his lids dropped of their own will.

* * *

Skyhammer felt himself being lifted from the boat and carried. He tried to open his eyes. Everything was black. Voices drifted as if through a fog.

"Will he be safe here?"

"They'll keep an eye on him. We'll just sit over here."

"How have you been?"

"Lonely. But safe."

One of the voices was Higgins'. Why was he so tired? His limbs felt heavy but his mind was alert. He tried to speak but couldn't move his jaw.

"Why are you here?"

A long pause.

"What have you heard from the outside world recently?"

"I know the Byndari found a Relic." Derisive laughter. "And I know about the humans' changed Retrographs. That's why you're here, of course."

Silence.

"I'm glad you're doing well here. And are safe."

"My traps work well, I learned today. At your expense. I'm sorry about that."

"We want to contact Spark."

Rustling, like someone shifted.

"Why?"

"Skyhammer wants closure."

"What about the Retrographs?"

"She may be able to help us find the Retrograph Sorcerer."

"How would she do that?"

Higgins sighed. "It's a long story."

Water slapped against something, a mushroom trunk perhaps. His ear must be against the silk platform. The water sounded close.

"I have time."

"We don't."

"I don't know where she is."

Skyhammer felt a hand brush across his forehead and hair.

Higgins spoke in a firm, quiet voice. "Hanamun. You trusted me with a secret once. And the other thing was, difficult. But we were friends. Of a sort. You trusted me. Please. Trust me again."

Skyhammer's body bounced as someone walked a few paces on the silk platform.

"I need to know why. You can trust me. I promise. I've gotten better. Now that I'm here. Away from, them. They won't come here, I don't think."

Higgins inhaled a deep breath. "You do appear to be more relaxed." A pause, then, "We think Spark is the Retrograph Sorcerer and is changing the Retrographs to warn us about something." She described Skyhammer' changed Retrographs. "It's something to do with the ceremony or the Byndari-"

"The Byndari?" Hanamun interrupted.

Higgins snorted. "Maybe you were right about them. But we need to talk to Spark to know for sure."

Skyhammer heard a skittering noise above him, like claws on rock. He felt anxious but still couldn't move or make a noise.

"I'm a bit worried about him," Higgins said.

"He'll be fine."

Waiting, anticipation filled the air.

"You owe me." Higgins voice was curt. "For what you, for
that
." Her voice had a slight edge of anger. Of pain.

"That's not fair."

If his ears could prick, they would. They were talking about that secret that Higgins had never shared with him. A whisper of jealousy, then guilt. It didn't sound like a pleasant secret.

"I don't care. I, we, need to know where Spark is."

"If she can see your Retrographs," said Hanamun, "then she has great power now."

"Yes. But Skyhammer's paying for it. They believe since he's the Keeper, he must've changed the Retrographs. And that he wants to sabotage the ceremony because he doesn't have magic power. They're trying to kill him. We have to find her. I promise," Higgins' voice cracked. "We won't let any harm come to her."

Hanamun whispered a word.

Skyhammer couldn't quite hear it. He felt sleepy again. And then his brain was falling away, off a precipice into darkness.

* * *

"How could you do that?"

Higgins sounded indignant, Skyhammer decided. Angry too. Although reluctant to open his eyes, he figured some poor person must need protecting from the wrath of Higgins. He sat up, thankful his head was clear again.

They were still at Counsellor Hanamun's real home in the Fungal Forest. Higgins faced Hanamun, her hands on her hips.

Hanamun raised her chin. "It was for his own good. He didn't need to hear our conversation and he was half-asleep already. The fungus simply made his sleep deeper and the nutrients in it restored him." The counsellor shrugged.

It was time to intervene. "What happened?" Best if Higgins and Hanamun didn't know quite yet that he had heard them speaking.

Higgins turned around and in an instant was down on her knees next to him. "Are you okay? Do you feel alright?"

"I'm fine. I was just sleeping, right?" He stood up, then stretched his hands high above his head.

Hanamun stepped forward and Higgins put a hand out in warning. "Don't come near us. Just take us out of here."

"I was trying to help." Hanamun spread her hands out, palms up.