The Mapkeeper and the Rise of the Wardens (21 page)

“Right. This won’t take long,” Cadmus replied. “Rhys, several villagers reported seeing you whisper something to the lead Warden in Central Square just before they called off the attack. What did you say to him?” The clan leaders leaned forward in anticipation of his reply.

“I was, uh, I was…” Rhys fumbled. “It’s not what you think!” he shouted. “I’m not conspiring with the Wardens, okay? It was just business, that’s all. The king’s official business. I can’t tell you.” He sealed his lips and crossed his arms.

Lucy and Cadmus exchanged a glance.

“Rhys,” Cadmus began, “you saw the extent of the damage caused by the Wardens. It was
horrific
. Even
you
must have lost friends among those killed or taken by the Wardens. Please. Help us. We need to know why the Wardens retreated before storming the castle, and it seems like it may have had something to do with whatever you told them.”

Rhys shifted in his chair, uncomfortable. His eyes bounced from one clan leader to the next.

“Friends?” he burst out. “You say even I must have lost friends? Hah! I haven’t had a true friend in a long, long time.” Rhys’ eyes flashed. “It’s like you always say, Cadmus, I’m a dying breed! The last of my kind. The only satyr in Praxis. Who do I have to call a friend?

“As the king’s alchemist, I do what is required of me. But who among you would call me friend? Who among you has ever reached out to me except when you needed something from me?” he looked around the table, challenging them to meet his gaze. Lucy stared at her hands in her lap, guilt washing over her. Rhys had a point.

“That’s what I thought!” he jabbed the air in triumph when his question went unanswered. “And you should all be thanking me, because I
stopped
the bloodshed that day. I told the lead Warden that the one they were after—the Mapkeeper—wasn’t at the castle. So they turned back.” He sat back with a smug sneer. “You’re welcome.”

Lucy glanced up in alarm. “How did you know I wasn’t at the castle?” she asked. “I’d just been transported back to Algid without having a chance to tell anyone what was going on. Even Cadmus, who was with me at the time, had no idea where I went.”

Rhys glared at her, grinding his teeth. He had set himself up. He had to explain himself further now.

“All right!” he exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table. “I’m in too deep, I’ll admit it! But I never wanted anyone to get hurt!” His voice broke. “I had no idea it would come to this. No idea. I swear!”

“Tell us what happened, Rhys. It’s all right,” Zadok assured him from the opposite end of the table.

“It’s like I already told you—I’m alone here. Praxis isn’t a home to me. It hasn’t been for many years…” His expression was pained. “I needed something
more
. I needed a way to escape. And I found it, so I took it. It started out innocent enough! The previous Mapkeeper was ill, so I was tasked to create a concoction capable of generating a clone. With much tweaking and countless hours in the lab, I was able to get it right. The clone was almost perfect, except he didn’t have the memory of the original Mapkeeper. He would have to relearn everything from scratch.” He scratched his goatee. “A minor setback, if you think about the complexity of the operation.”

Lucy’s jaw dropped. “I met him in the castle dungeon!
You
created the cloning potion?” she asked, incredulous.

“That’s right. And like I said, it was with good intentions. With a clone in place, the map could be controlled using the clone as a puppet. My benefactor would get what he wants—map control, and I would get a second chance at life. I was promised a new beginning in another world: my benefactor’s world.”

“Who were you working for, Rhys?” Cadmus ventured, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“A man who goes by the name of Mr. Quincy,” the satyr replied.

Lucy’s jaw dropped again. She glanced at her brothers, who were also at a loss for words. “But… but how…” she stuttered, dumbfounded.

“Like I was saying,” Rhys continued, “the first clone was supposed to be my ticket to a new life. But the map ruined everything.” He sneered at Lucy. “Your name appeared at the bottom of the map when the previous Mapkeeper died, and just like that, our plan was in shambles. The map wouldn’t work for Aodhan’s clone. It had to be you.”

Her cheeks flushed with anger. She felt a sense of possessiveness over the map—it was
hers
. She clenched her teeth and touched the map through her pocket.

“So Mr. Quincy gave you the map,” Rhys continued. “We were brainstorming a work-around, but by that time, the dark magic of the Wardens was already showing signs of returning. That changed the direction of Mr. Quincy’s plan. He figured if the Wardens were going to rise again, he could use that to his benefit. So we began to work with the Wardens, assisting them in the creation of clones of Praxian people and creatures. They were creating an army of clones to replace the real creatures and people of Praxis.”

Lucy’s head spun. She glanced at her brothers, whose mouths hung agape. She felt like the world she was just beginning to understand was being flipped inside out. Confusion and frustration welled up in her throat as she balled her hands into tight fists.

“The Wardens wanted map control,” Rhys continued with a sigh. “Their ultimate goal was to get to the castle, which was already infiltrated entirely by clones with the exception of the queen and king. Of course, you were their main target,” he added, gesturing toward Lucy.

Cadmus sat back in his chair, eyes agog. The rest of the clan leaders were in shock as well, mouths hanging open like slack-jawed marionettes.

“Cloning the Mapkeeper didn’t work before,” Rhys reiterated. “As always, the map named a new keeper when the previous keeper perished. So this time, they planned to keep you alive—to find other means of coercion to enable them to control you and the map.” A chill ran down Lucy’s spine as she considered what “other means of coercion” might mean. She shook her head in disbelief, shocked and disgusted with Rhys.

“Meanwhile,” he continued, “Mr. Quincy’s plan was to clone and kill the lead Warden. Once the Wardens achieved their goal of replacing the all creatures of Praxis with clones, Mr. Quincy would clone the lead Warden—and through it, control the map.” Rhys sighed again, pausing to glance around the circle. He swallowed hard. “But the Wardens did evil things. At the onset of it all, I had no idea it would come to this… no idea they would destroy and kill like that. I’m in over my head, and I am so sorry, so sorry to you all. This was never what I envisioned…” he took his head in his hands and wept. “I just wanted a fresh start, that’s all. But now I don’t deserve to live.”

Lucy was shocked to see the satyr reduced to tears.

“Rhys, how many creatures have been cloned?” Zadok asked calmly.

“I’ve lost count,” Rhys sniffed. “Dozens. Maybe hundreds.”

“Where are they keeping the real people and creatures that were cloned?” Cadmus asked through clenched teeth, the knuckles of his fists white. He leaned forward as though he wanted to pummel the satyr.

“The Wardens hold them prisoner somewhere in Doldrums Forest, I’m not sure where.” Rhys whispered. After spilling his secrets, he seemed to deflate as he shrank back from the table, gazing from face to face with sunken eyes.

“So you’re saying that hundreds of people and creatures in Praxis right now have been cloned? And that some of the clones could be living among us right now?” Auriel shook her head in disbelief, her cropped, light blonde hair swishing back and forth.

“That’s right.”

“So how do we know for sure who is real and who is a clone?” Mack asked.

“Well, there are certain distinguishing characteristics of a clone,” Rhys replied, wiping his face. “They lack emotion and possess no memories of anything prior to their creation. They have been put under a spell and they don’t know any better than to play along.”

Sudden realization hit Lucy like a freight train.
I should have seen it sooner!
she thought.

“That explains why Pip and Quinn didn’t recognize me,” she mused aloud. “And Prince Puck,” she added, looking at Cadmus. “I always assumed he was just a strange boy, but he fits that description too.”

Cadmus nodded gravely. “You’re right! In fact, the king and queen both voiced concerns about their son’s change in behavior on separate occasions. Rhys, did you
really
clone the prince?”

The satyr nodded, resting his head on his arms on the tabletop. “I’m not proud of what I helped them do,” he muttered, massaging his forehead with a thumb and two hairy fingers.

“The castle guards…” Cadmus wondered aloud.

“All of them,” Rhys confirmed, misery evident in his voice.

Lucy sat back, still stunned. They’d worried about a traitor within the castle, when all along they were completely infiltrated, surrounded by an army of clones controlled by the Wardens!

“How do we know that one of us here at this table wasn’t cloned?” Glump barked from across the table.

“I can’t prove it to you, but I’ve been honest thus far. I give you my word that you are all who you claim to be,” Rhys replied. “My word is about all I have left,” he added, more to himself than anyone else.

“What else have the Wardens done?” Adalia asked.

“They have also been cloning themselves. That is how they’ve been increasing their numbers.”

Lucy’s head was spinning. “How do I know you’re not here to trap me?” she blurted out. “I’m the one they’re after most of all.” Her heart raced and her palms began to sweat.
What have I gotten myself into?
she wondered.

“Now that I’ve come clean, I’m of no use to the Wardens. I’m with you, or I die.” He looked her in the eye. “They’ll kill me if I go back to them now. I am not here to trap you. I am ashamed of what I did, and I want nothing more than to turn my back on the past. I’m here to help you in any way possible, although you all have every right to hate me.”

“You lied to me!” Luke burst out suddenly. Everyone turned to stare. “You said we were working on a serum that would clone healthy genes to replace unhealthy genes in sick creatures!” His voice cracked with emotion. “You said I could help you! That we’d be partners in making Praxis a better place!” He pointed a trembling finger at Rhys.

“Luke…” Lucy touched his arm, confused but wanting to comfort her brother.

“No! It’s over, Lucy. I… I helped him do this! He let me work with him in his lab. That’s why I was always sneaking off—to help him with what I thought was a project for the greater good. He said to keep it a secret because he wasn’t supposed to be working on side projects in addition to his assignments from the king.” Lucy had never seen her youngest brother so hurt, his chest heaving as he sucked in uneven breaths. It wrenched her heart. “I am an accomplice to murder,” Luke whispered.

“The Wardens are coming! The Wardens are coming!” Axel, Lance, and four other centaurs burst into the dining hall.
Clang, clang, clang.
Someone in the main entrance to the cavern tolled a warning bell. Abodox exploded into chaos, with creatures shouting and scrambling over one another in a frenzy to prepare.

“Sir,” Axel reported to Zadok, “we just received word from one of our patrols. A whole army of Wardens is headed this way from the forest to the east. We are mobilizing the centaurs and will prepare to defend the cavern.”

“Very well, thank you Axel. Lock up the satyr before things get too chaotic.” Zadok dismissed his right hand man. Lance and another centaur lifted Rhys by the arms and carried him away as if he were a small child. He was a limp, miserable sight.

Zadok stood and pressing his hands against the table, leaned forward to address the clan leaders. “You heard Axel, the Wardens are coming! Assemble your clans by the main gate of the cavern and rally them to fight. Tonight we are not the centaurs, the gnomes, the humans, the elves, the Bellaux, and the goblins. Tonight we are Praxian and we fight as
one
army against the Wardens to defend our homeland!”

Goosebumps sprouted on Lucy’s arms as the clan leaders leapt to their feet and scattered to gather their clans. The thought of an army of Wardens approaching terrified her. She looked at Luke and saw that his eyes were rimmed with redness. Battling back against her own mounting fear, she stood and folded him in a hug.

“Luke, it’s not your fault. You thought you were doing something for good,” she assured him. “It’s okay. Please don’t beat yourself up over this…we
need
you now.” He was stiff, not returning her embrace. “
I
need you now.” She looked him in the eye and held him at arm’s length. He flinched and looked away. She let him go, turning to Mack. “Well, we said we were all in, didn’t we?” She knew she was trying to convince herself more than either of her brothers. Athletic, honorable Mack wouldn’t hesitate to fight for Praxis, and now that Luke felt as though he had to make amends for what he’d done, he would want to fight, too. “Let’s go. We’ll need swords, armor, and our bows and arrows.” She swallowed hard, putting on a brave face.

Lucy and Mack joined the chaos, running to their chamber to gather the armor and weapons the boys had brought from the castle armory. As she’d hoped, Luke fell into step behind them. Lucy’s heart raced and the map glowed in her front pocket. She could sense the enormity of an impending battle. Soon, the opportunity to prove herself would be upon her.
Nothing will stop me this time
, she decided.

As they exited the dining hall, Odessa ran past them, her elbow brushing Lucy’s shoulder. Lucy glanced up as the tall, slender Bellaux rushed past.

“…Nothing left for me now, I have nothing to lose anyway,” Odessa murmured. “I’ve got to save him!”

“Hold on a second, guys.” Lucy reached out and stopped her brothers, watching as Odessa sprinted toward the locked and bolted gate sealing the centaur cavern. There were four centaurs guarding the entrance.

“Odessa! Stop! What are you doing?” Auriel ran after her sister. Mack took an instinctive step toward the Bellaux.

As if from thin air, Enzo appeared beside Lucy. “Don’t do it, Odessa! It’s not worth it!” the little gnome shouted, cupping a hand beside his mouth.

The armed centaur guards squared off facing Odessa as she approached the gate. If she heard Auriel and Enzo’s cries, she didn’t show it. Instead, she continued to run toward the centaurs.

“You can’t leave,” one of the guards announced.

“The gate is locked, and it’s staying that way,” shouted another.

Odessa, a head taller than the tallest centaur, tucked her chin as if to brace herself as she ran toward the gate, ignoring them.

“Stop!” yelled the first guard. She was almost upon them.

Odessa threw her hands out in front of her, and in a blast of white light, the four centaurs were tossed aside like rag dolls. The blast blew a gaping hole in the iron bars of the main gate and she charged into the tunnel leading to the forest. She did not pause or glance back, but charged ahead, fading from view into the darkness of the tunnel. Auriel hopped through the hole and followed her sister, calling to Odessa as she ran.

Lucy stared in shock.

“Bellaux magic,” Zadok said from behind her. “It hasn’t been seen in decades. They are only allowed to use in the gravest of circumstances—although more and more it seems as though what were steadfast rules are now mere guidelines in Praxis.” His smile was grim. “We will have to fix the gate quickly.” He started to move to assign a team to repair the gate.

“Wait!” Lucy grabbed his arm. “I can fix it.” He paused, eyebrows arched.

She pulled out the map and located Abodox. Closing her senses to her surroundings and focusing her mind, she rubbed a finger over the main gate, which separated the tunnel from the cavern. Behind closed eyes, she willed the iron to repair itself. With a resounding groan, the warped iron bars untwisted and the strewn pieces rose from the dirt, straightened, and fused with the broken bars. Lucy opened her eyes to see the last iron bar smoothing into solid form. She smiled and let out her breath. The map glowed and was hot to the touch.

A small crowd of creatures preparing for battle had stopped, captivated, to watch the Mapkeeper do her work. Zadok clapped her shoulder with a broad smile.

“You are a wonder,” Zadok uttered. The creatures began to disperse, chattering in awe.

“Come on, we have to get ready.” Lucy turned to her brothers, whose mouths hung open. They shook their heads and followed their sister to their chamber to strap on armor.

“What was that all about with the Bellaux?” Mack wondered aloud as they fastened the buckles of their sword belts. “Don’t they know it’s not safe out there? We have to go after them!”

“I have no idea,” Lucy replied. “I heard Odessa say something about having nothing left to lose, and that she had to save him. Who ‘he’ is, I don’t know.” She shivered with a terrible sense of foreboding.

They helped each other buckle the straps of their leather and steel armor, slung bows and arrows over their shoulders, and pulled on reinforced leather gloves. Lucy had selected one of Prince Puck’s forged steel swords. It was lightweight but its sharpness was lethal. She sheathed it in its scabbard and buckled the thigh strap to prevent it from swinging when she ran. She looked her brothers over, tugging on one of Luke’s chest plate straps to tighten it. They were ready.

“Let’s do this.” Mack’s voice was firm and steady. Lucy wished she felt the same level of confidence that her older brother exuded.

They hurried back to the main gate, where groups of creatures had begun to gather. The centaurs wore simple helmets and chain mail armor, but their haunches and legs went unprotected. They carried bows and arrows, shields, and spears. The four Bellaux stood in a tight circle in one corner, their height making them easy to pick out of the crowd. They were grim and silent, clutching bows and arrows at their sides. Their two leaders had left them, and based on their disturbed expressions, it seemed even the Bellaux didn’t know why.

Despite their squat stature, Enzo and his pack of gnomes were nothing short of menacing. All manner of pointed metallic objects protruded from their throng—spike-dappled chest plates, maces, swords, and iron helmets with long, forehead-mounted barbs. The gnomes were strong, gripping heavy shields that were longer than they were tall.

“They’re big on spikes,” Lucy commented to her brothers, pointing to the gnomes. Mack and Luke nodded with nervous smiles.

The goblins looked fierce with heavy helmets, maces, long spears, and steel swords. Their armor was fortified with large, dense sheets of steel mined from the Dour Mountains. They growled and paced, eager for a fight. Glump stood at the head of the group beside Gnurt, his chief adviser. They shifted their weight back and forth, impatient for the gate to swing open and release them. Their pointed green ears poked out from beneath polished steel helmets. Compared to the rest of the clans, the goblins seemed to crave a fight.

Adalia gathered her clan in a tight circle and offered the elves words of encouragement. The fervor of the thin, lovely creatures was palpable. They were eager to avenge their fallen brothers and sisters. They raised their weapons in a rally cry that filled the cavern, echoing throughout the vast network of stone walls.

A shiver slithered down Lucy’s spine. She didn’t know what to expect from the Wardens. She searched for Cadmus, spotting him through the crowd of creatures talking to a group of villagers. That the villagers were not warriors was apparent. They were clothed in the simple attire of a farmer, a baker, or a housewife. Lucy recognized Rolf and Bernie Shuman among the group, their arms around one other, expressions grim. Tall, curly-haired Fritz Brawne, the butcher’s son, appeared focused and ready to fight. Lucy searched for his father Arnold, but couldn’t find him among the crowd of villagers.

Zadok appeared by her side. “You’re ready,” he stated, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She smiled, confident that he was right. A surge of tenderness for the leader of the centaur clan welled up in her chest. She was sure they could not lose with Zadok on their side. He stepped toward the main gate to address the crowd.

“Creatures of Praxis, the time has come to defend our homeland against the atrocities of the Wardens. They threaten our very existence and our way of life. They hope to wipe us out, establishing a new order using clones controlled by dark magic.”

Several gasps of astonishment escaped from the crowd.
The majority of the creatures still didn’t know about the clones
, Lucy realized.
Could there be clones among us in this room?
She envisioned Aodhan Orman, Quinn, and Pip, all emotionless in their interactions. They were like mindless machines. Pawns of the head Warden. Distracted, she shook the image from her head and refocused on Zadok.

“The Wardens have invaded our homes and killed our brothers and sisters. Together, we will unite and stand against their dark brand of magic. We will exit the tunnel and form a line in the clearing beyond to wait for the enemy.” He drew a line in the air with one arm, illustrating his plan. “These are historic times. Your children’s children will tell tales of your bravery! Now, stand together, and hold fast for Praxis!” He pumped the air with a fist.

The cavern erupted with whoops, screams, and shouts, the clanging of sword butts on shields, and the thumping of hooves and feet. Only the Bellaux remained somber and silent. Lucy’s heart raced as the centaur guards unlocked and unlatched the gate she had mended. With a gentle push, it swung open and the roaring creatures spilled out through the tunnel and into the forest.