Erec had not thought about that. Once he was alive, getting here would be a whole different story. “I don’t know . . . you might not be able to free these souls by yourself. I’ll have to find another way. Or . . .
if I have to come back then I will, I guess. . . .” All of those souls had to be freed, there was no question about it. And Erec had the feeling that it was a part of his quest, and he had to do it. But how could he risk death again? Was that really what he was supposed to do? The thought made him shudder. . . .
Spartacus smiled. “You’re a good man, Erec Rex. Brave, too.”
“Not so much, really. We’ll just do what we have to do. I’m sure you feel the same.”
“I think so.” Spartacus smiled. “Let’s get out of here. I’ll stick around you for as long as I can. Hope I don’t get called into service by Baskania soon.”
They left the souls tied up, and knocked on the sparkly door. It levitated into the air, and Erec and Spartacus passed through. The two of them did not need directions to know the way back to the Furies.
“Clear your mind,” Erec said. “Don’t think about the souls at all. I don’t want the Furies to catch onto our ideas.”
“I’ll just pay attention to the details in the library. It’s so beautiful, that’s more than enough to fill my mind.”
Even though the birds’ nest that Erec was seeing was not what he would call beautiful, it was really cool. The passageways were built out of sticks and straw, making the whole thing look like a massive play hut. Up the long flight of stairs made of sticks, then around a few corners, and they were back with the Furies again.
Erec thought about his surroundings, like Spartacus was planning to. The branches were woven so tightly in the walls. And there were curtains made of spun leaves. . . .
Alecto preened her scarlet feathers. “I see you have your soul back, Erec Rex. Congratulations. Would you like to be restored into your body now?”
Think about the cushions made of sticks. Would those be comfortable?
he wondered. “Um . . . yes! I would like my body back. Thank you!”
Alecto began to raise a claw, and Erec shouted, “Wait! Could I also have the things that were mine again with it? Like my eyes—they were combined with Aoquesth’s dragon eyes. Baskania stole them from me after I died. And the Twrch Trwyth, and my Amulet of Virtues—he took those too. Oh, and my scepter!”
Erec waited, hopeful, trying to control his thoughts.
Cushions. Concentrate on the cushions.
“Of course you can have all of those things,” Alecto said. “It will be my additional pleasure to take them away from Baskania. What a selfish mortal.”
Erec jumped with glee. Everything would be fixed now! All of his horrible mistakes would be corrected! He looked at Spartacus with delight, and the ghost gave him a smile.
“That reminds me,” Tisiphone said. “We promised that you would have everything you could want. Money, fame, a palace. Would you like to be king, Erec? It’s the least that we could do.”
It was hard to turn down having everything handed to him. It all sounded so good. Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to do any more quests? He would rule right away and do everything that he wanted to do. Even use the scepter . . .
But that would not work. Erec wasn’t ready to use the scepter yet—that had been proven to him. And if the Fates hadn’t allowed it themselves yet, he must not be ready to rule.
Plus, how could he accept favors from the Furies who were living in freedom because of the souls in their basement . . .
Stop!
He froze his thoughts.
Cushions. Think about the cushions. They look so comfortable, even though spiky sticks are popping out of them.
Spartacus looked at him curiously when he didn’t answer.
Megaera, the white bird, asked, “Would you like one, then?”
One what?
Erec couldn’t figure it out. “A palace?”
“No.” She giggled. “One of the cushions you keep thinking about.
I read into your mind to see what you wanted to do about becoming king, but it seems you are much more interested in cushions!”
All three of the Furies laughed in the way adults would chuckle about a wayward toddler. Megaera said, “You do know, don’t you, that what you are looking at aren’t really cushions? Those are granite rocks, part of our cave here. But I can make you a cushion to keep that looks just like the one you keep thinking about.”
Erec nodded, trying to stay focused on the cushions. She had read his mind. He was nervous that she might probe deeper, or that he would slip and think the wrong thing. “That would be great. Those cushions look so . . . interesting. But I don’t know about being king. At least not yet. I have to do some other things first.”
Cushions. Cushions. Cushions.
“Money? Power?” Tisiphone said. “Surely you want something.”
What did he want? Some new magical ability sounded good. But what? Trying hard to keep his mind off of the souls, he considered what would protect him if he ran into Baskania again. It had been annoying that Baskania had been able to read his mind so easily, even when Erec was a ghost. “Okay. I know. I’d like it if nobody was able to read my mind anymore—ever.”
The Furies considered that for a moment, and then Tisiphone said, suspiciously, “Anybody? Or just any human?”
Erec immediately realized that she was suspicious of him trying to hide things from them. “Just humans is fine! I mean, Spartacus should be able to read my mind. I’m thinking about Baskania in particular. He’s very powerful, and can read my mind even when I’m a spirit. Can you make it so that he cannot read my mind ever again?
“No problem.” Tisiphone smiled.
“Anything else?” Megaera asked.
The more help the better,
Erec thought. Spartacus would be helping him until he got called into service from Baskania. . . . “Spartacus
swallowed a pill that put him under the complete control of Baskania. Can you remove that spell so that he is free now?”
Spartacus gave Erec a smile and a nod.
Alecto said, “We can do that, of course. But Baskania will know. And there will be consequences. But we are not the Fates, and do not predict outcomes of events like they do.”
Megaera added, “Not that we couldn’t if we wanted to, of course. Their power does not surpass ours.”
Erec wondered if that was the case.
“Of course it’s true,” Tisiphone said with a smile. “But it’s not something we have chosen to develop. So I cannot tell you what will happen, only that something definitely will happen. If I remove Spartacus’s servitude pill—and if I remove yours—Baskania will know. This is the nature of the magic. And all I can say for sure is that you don’t want Baskania knowing that much about you and Spartacus right now. Something tells me that.”
Spartacus shrugged. “I won’t be around long anyway, so it doesn’t matter for me.”
Erec tried to change the subject quickly before either of them thought about the souls. “Well . . . I guess we won’t do that, then. Will the servitude pill that I took still affect me when I become human again?”
“I don’t see why not,” Tisiphone said. “It should not affect you in the same way, though. Your spirit might be under Baskania’s command, but your body and soul will not, as they were not there when you took the pill. So you’ll likely be able to fight it off.”
Erec had not thought about the pill still affecting him. He had hoped he would be returned completely to normal. It was bad news, but compared to all of the great news it really didn’t matter. He tried to think if there was anything else that he could ask the Furies for. Maybe if he was invisible he could get around easier. But then again,
the thing he wanted the most was to be completely normal, and enjoy being with his family, so that wouldn’t work.
What if Spartacus was invisible, though? That might help both of them. He turned to Spartacus. “What do you think about being invisible? You might be able to sneak out of Baskania’s assignments easier, or show up and not get told to do anything. And if you’re around me, you’ll have the element of surprise if you’re helping me.”
“That makes a lot of sense.” Spartacus frowned. “But wouldn’t it be hard if you couldn’t see me?”
“What if I’m the only one that can see or hear you? It’s not like—” Erec almost said that Spartacus did not have a long time left to live, but he quickly cut that thought out of his mind, in case it led somewhere else. “It’s not like you have a lot of friends around to talk to.”
Spartacus laughed. “Correct as well. Sounds like a plan.”
Alecto yawned. “Silly human ideas. Well, it’s fine with us. Of course, we will always be able to see and hear you, ourselves. There you go.”
Spartacus did not look any different to Erec at all. He wondered if his invisibility had already taken effect.
“Visit any time you like.” Alecto seemed bored. “And Spartacus? Would you like anything else? To be brought back to life, maybe?”
Erec looked at Spartacus, who seemed distracted.
Megaera laughed. “Look, he just wants all of those books that he thinks he is looking at. I can hear it in his head—
books, books, books.
Such simple creatures, really.”
“Would you like those books, Spartacus?”
He nodded. “Yes, thank you. I don’t need to be alive again. Sounds good, but without a soul . . .”
“Yes,” Megaera nodded absently. “You would get taken by Tarvos right away. I don’t blame you on that one.”
“All right, then.” Alecto swished her wings. “Erec, I’ll put you right where you were when you lost your life, and you’ll have everything back again. As well as the power to see and speak to Spartacus. And nobody will be able to read your mind anymore—except for us, if we choose. Anything else?”
Cushions. Cushions.
“Cushions?” It popped out of Erec’s mouth by accident.
Megaera laughed. “You shall have the cushions, too. And books for you.”
“Oh—can you put my scepter near me, but not touching me? Thanks.”
Alecto nodded lightly. “Here you go.”
In a flash, Erec’s surroundings narrowed tightly around him. It happened so fast that it took a minute for him to realize that he was in another place entirely. Sitting on a dirt floor, steep walls of earth around him. Nearby were several of the intricately woven stick cushions that he had seen when he was with the Furies, just like they promised him.
The pit. He was in the pit of the Diamond Mind. Where he had died.
Things were definitely different now. This was a feeling that Erec recognized as if it was from a distant memory. Movement. He could feel his body as it moved. Things were happening inside of him—and they felt so wonderful! Breathing . . . and a heartbeat. Because he had not experienced those for so long they seemed breathtaking . . . overwhelming. It was all so beautiful.
Other things, too. When he closed his eyes, he stopped seeing. And when he opened them light came in again. As a spirit he had sight even with missing eyes. And his skin felt pressure where it rested back against the wall. He was alive!
Erec rubbed his hands over himself to make sure, and he could feel
warmth, and touch. Nothing was missing inside of him at all! There was no aching for a missing soul. He was back, completely in one piece!
How lucky. Erec was overwhelmed with happiness. He would be able to go home again, live a normal life. Do quests! Even difficult quests seemed like nothing after what he just went through—as long as they didn’t involve dying again. He was so overcome that he stood and jumped in the air, arms up like a prizefighter who had won the world championship.
But all at once he sat back down. Spartacus would be suffering for him. And the souls were still locked away in Alsatia. His life could not be truly his until he did his best to help them.
“Erec Rex?” a gleeful voice echoed in the pit, making him jump. “You’re back. I can’t believe it! I was keeping your body for you, as you asked. But then it disappeared and I figured that things had gone badly. I was sure that we would never meet again. And now here you are!”
It was the Diamond Mind. Erec had almost forgotten he would be here. “I made it. I can’t believe it either.”
“I saved the last bit of your soul. Would you like that back?”
“Yes.” Erec had forgotten about it completely. It was such a small piece he had not even noticed that it was missing. That had been all he was living with before?
“Take it. I told you I keep my word.”
Something sparkled before him, and then Erec could feel it enter his chest. He felt no different from before. “Thanks.”
“Wonderful. Now I want to hear everything.”
Erec smiled at the creature. First he felt on his neck for the Twrch Trwyth. It hung there, all three remaining Awen untouched. Baskania must have been saving them—Erec was thankful that they were still intact. He looked at the Amulet of Virtues that was once again around his neck. Only six segments were lit with colors.
That meant that his current quest was not finished yet.
Which did not surprise him. How could he be done when all of those souls were still prisoners? One thing he had learned from doing quests was that there was a greater goal to accomplish beyond just following the simple orders. Now he knew that saving the souls was what he was meant to do all along. If only he could figure out how . . .
“Tell me,” the Diamond Mind insisted. “I must know what happened to you.”
Erec wanted nothing more than to leave and see his family again. But he spent a few minutes recounting his adventures for the Diamond Mind. As he was talking, however, he felt something strange, as if there was a kind of energy in the air. It bothered him, made him itch in a way, feel uncomfortable. But it wasn’t until he reached the part of his story when Baskania took his scepter that he remembered to look—
And there it was behind him, against the wall of the pit, surrounded by some cushions made out of sticks. He had not even noticed that it was there, but could definitely feel its presence. The Furies had done as he asked and placed it away from him.
But now that he saw it, he felt desperate to touch it one more time. Holding back, he stared at it with a possessive fear. More than anything, he never wanted to part from it again, he wanted to use it more than ever . . . but he also wanted it to be gone. It horrified him to think of what he had done with it before. And he was sure that given the chance, he would do that again, or worse.