Authors: Unknown
"I need your help," Sky continued, ignoring his anger and pain as he turned back to Rauschtlot. "Crystal's hurt and-"
The whistling stopped. Sky glanced over and saw Winston standing right next to him. "How did you-"
"What happened?" Winston cut in, his voice stern, demanding an answer.
"Harrow Wights," Sky replied. "They threw this fiery molten ball and-"
"It's bad?" Winston asked, cutting him off again.
Sky nodded and wiped away a tear he didn't remember crying. "Very. She only has a few hours."
Winston appeared grief-stricken.
"That poor girl.
Rauschtlot, can you continue without me?"
Rauschtlot hesitated.
"Perhapsss."
"Do your best," Winston stated. "Send word to the manor if you locate Morton's allies and Bedlam's body."
"Yesss," Rauschtlot hissed. Then, turning, she dove into the wall as if it were water rather than hardened stone and earth. She filled the hole in behind her-dirt and gravel shooting out of mouths that suddenly appeared on her legs and feet. Idly, Sky wondered what the process would look like in reverse. He shivered and decided he really didn't want to know.
Winston stared after Rauschtlot, looking forlorn. "She was my ride...”
Winston spun and strode down the tunnel.
Sky scrambled to catch up. "Who are Morton's allies?"
"The Whisper and the Wargarou: Ambrosia and Gourmand," Winston replied. "They've been working with Morton since their failed attempt to open the prison last year. They haven't given
up,
though Morton has kept them ignorant as to who they'll find should they succeed."
"And yet somehow you know exactly who they'll find. How is that?" Sky asked, raising an eyebrow.
Winston glanced at him. "The Arkhon has been telling hunters that he was Solomon Rose for years; it's not my fault if no one else believed him."
Sky harrumphed. That was a bad answer, but he wasn't going to press. "So Ambrosia and Gourmand have Bedlam's body? I thought Bedlam's army had it."
"They did," said Winston, wading down into the water and the one-eyed fishes. "But Ambrosia and Gourmand stole it from them earlier today. Now they're hiding somewhere in Paragoth's domain while Bedlam's army rushes to the surface to destroy us. I suppose Morton figured that if he couldn't find Alexander's blade, Bedlam's body would do. Either way, Morton gains a bargaining chip he can use with Bedlam, and Exile is destroyed."
"So he's given up his search for the blade?" Sky
asked ,
his stomach sinking. If Morton wasn't looking for the blade anymore, then that meant he truly intended to bury him.
"I suspect Morton still wants Alexander's blade, not only as another bargaining chip, but for more sentimental reasons," Winston replied, his voice bitter.
"You mean because he used it to kill your son?" said Sky, guessing.
Winston glanced at him, but didn't say anything.
"It's true, isn't it?" said Sky, his mind racing as he connected the pieces together. "You said Morton killed your son and that you hate him for it. Alexander was killed with his own blade, but they never found the killer-you think it's Morton, and you think he wants the blade not just to stop Bedlam, but as a memento, or maybe as a symbol that he's beaten you-a sentimental reason. Alexander Drake was your son, wasn't he?"
A single tear fell down Winston's face, and Sky knew: It was time to end the game, whether Winston wanted him to know who he truly was or not. Sky couldn't take it anymore.
"Uncle Phineas ... why didn't you ever tell me?"
Winston looked at him sharply . . . and then he smiled, and Sky knew it was true.
"Phineas, it
is
you!" Sky threw his arms around Phineas, who hugged him back. Sky was still mad and he still wanted answers, but for now he was content to wait. Phineas was alive!
"You've always been far too clever for your own good," said Phineas, grinning.
"You weren't exactly subtle," Sky accused.
"'There Once Was a Flowering Botanist'?
Really?
You couldn't have picked a more obvious song to whistle."
"Ah, yes," said Phineas. "I sang that to you when you were small, until you figured out what the lyrics meant."
"It was horrible-worst song I ever heard," said Sky, smiling. "Limericks were never meant for music."
"Your mother was of the same opinion, as I recall, and explained her reasoning quite vigorously," said Phineas.
Sky laughed.
"Aren't you curious to know why I look like this, how it's possible?" Phineas asked.
"You're using Alexander's Slippery Wick Brew," said Sky. "I mean, it makes sense.... He really was your son, wasn't he?"
"Hunters like myself can't have children of our own, an unfortunate side effect of a prolonged life," Phineas said. "But Alexander was adopted, and yes, he was my son in every way that matters."
"And you believe Morton killed him?"
"Yes," Phineas replied. "I do."
"But ... that would make Morton the owner of the blade," said Sky, his stomach dropping. "If Morton is the owner of the blade, then we can't use it to free Bedlam unless Morton gives it to us willingly or...”
"He dies," said Phineas, finishing Sky's thought. "I am aware of the situation."
"But you can't kill him. Bedlam said that if someone with the Eye of Legend dies, dire consequences will follow," Sky pointed out. "Of course, that didn't stop Morton from hunting me, so maybe the consequences aren't so bad."
"They are bad," Phineas confirmed.
"Potentially catastrophic.
It's hard to predict, but it's always horrible, and fixing things is even worse; that is why we prefer to trap creatures with the Eye who turn evil. In your case, Morton convinced a majority of the Hunters that you were a big enough liability to be worth the risk."
"I feel so honored," Sky said blandly. "You have an Eye, don't you? Like Morton'. Like me. You've lied to me all these years."
Phineas raised an eyebrow. "It's possible," he evaded.
"Have you talked to Bedlam, by chance?"
Sky nodded. "He's trapped in Cass, though somehow I suspect you already know that." Phineas smiled, but didn't expand.
"We have a deal," Sky continued. "Bedlam will save Crystal and take his army back to Skull Valley if we free him."
Phineas sighed in relief. "Excellent."
"Can we trust him?" Sky asked.
"Yes," said Phineas. "Bedlam is one of the most honorable creatures I have ever met. If he promised you that he would heal Crystal and leave, then that is precisely what he will do."
"Good," said Sky. "The only problem is that we don't have the blade or Bedlam's body, and even if we had both those things, we don't know how to use the blade to free Bedlam, not to mention that Morton owns the blade, so we couldn't use it even if we had it."
"That is one of the most confusing sentences I have ever heard," Phineas said appreciatively. "Congratulations,
Skywe
might make a hunter of you yet." Sky grinned.
They reached the ladder leading out of the catacombs.
Sky's grin faded. Their time was short. Once he climbed that ladder, he would have to leave Phineas again. It was time to ask the question that had bothered him more than any other.
"Why did you let me think you were dead?"
Phineas smiled sadly. "Many
reasons,
and none of them good, I'm afraid. Mostly it was to protect you and Exile. I've been undercover at the Academy of Legend for the past year trying to steer the events Bedlam has now set in motion. It's very dangerous. But I suspect it was also for the same reason you never told your parents about Errand: The longer you keep a secret, the harder it is to share."
"You've been with Errand for the last year, haven't you?
He was there with you, at the Academy, wasn't he?" The words came out sounding
more bitter
than he had intended. He knew it was stupid to feel jealous, but Sky couldn't help picturing the two of them traveling the world together, laughing about how they had really pulled one over on that fool Sky.
"Not for the full year, no, but enough," Phineas replied, his voice level and cautious. "It took me some time to find him, and even more to convince him to come with me. Errand was instrumental in getting the hunters to come to Exile-a backup plan should our efforts to free Bedlam fail, though I'm afraid they won't be enough."
"Especially since they're leaving," said Sky. "Morton has called a retreat."
"''m aware," Phineas replied. ''I've talked to Hagos. I suspect the retreat may not go as well as Morton has planned." "And Errand's here?
In Exile?"
Sky asked.
"That's not for me to say," Phineas replied. "Errand's secrets are his own to share, as yours are yours. Secrets are a hunter's currency, after all."
"Ah. I see," said Sky. "I think I can guess who he is."
"''m sure you can," said Phineas. "In fact, it would surprise me if you couldn't."
Sky thought for a moment. "So there really is a Winston Snavely?"
"One of the few friends I have left among the Hunters of Legend. He's currently taking a much needed vacation in the Caribbean with hopes of meeting a flowering botanist." Phineas smirked and Sky laughed.
Phineas grew serious again. "Sky, I know the last year has been hard. I'm sorry I arrived here too late to stop the hunt last night. I spent eleven years training you for these sorts of things; from the time you could crawl, I've watched over you. Don't begrudge Errand his time with me. He has a far harder road ahead than either of us, and he will need you before the end. He will need both of us."
"What end? You make it sound like something horrible is coming," said Sky.
Phineas smiled sadly. "Have I ever complimented you on your coat? It's quite fetching."
"You're evading," Sky pointed out.
"Did you know I once met a woman named Eva Ding? Lovely lady," said Phineas. "Though she had the strangest fascination with pudding tarts...”
Sky rolled his eyes and climbed up and out of the sarcophagus.
As
he reached the top, a thought occurred to him.
"Phineas, if Morton killed Alexander, then why did he leave the blade behind?
Why didn't he take it with him?"
Phineas frowned. "An astute question, one I've asked myself for years, but I've never given myself a satisfactory answer. It wasn't until recently that Morton learned the blade could be used to free Bedlam, so he didn't fully appreciate its value. But even so, shimmering blades are incredibly rare, and Alexander's holds more secrets than almost any other. Morton could have taken it and hidden it away, or come up with some story to explain how he got it. He's a powerful Hunter- few would have had the courage to doubt him. To be honest, I have no idea why he left it."
Sky thought about it and couldn't come up with a good answer, either, but the.
question
troubled him. Why wouldn't Morton take the blade?
They exited the tomb and Fred the Piebald swooped down and landed on the awning above them.
"Fred! Where have you been? Are the other Piebalds okay?" Sky asked.
"CAW!"
"Well, tell them to stay hidden," said Sky.
Phineas looked up and spotted Fred. "Fred, is it? I've never trusted Piebalds; their brains are smaller than peas, you know."
"CAW!"
Fred croaked.
"I've never heard such rude language in all my years," Phineas sputtered. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"
"CAW!"
"You've never kissed my mother in your life," Phineas retorted. "And I'm still of the opinion that butter pecan is the better flavor."
Sky guffawed, remembering Morton's story about Phineas arguing with a bird over ice cream flavors. "You know this bird?"