The Three Furies (Erec Rex) (43 page)

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like blind people to do that work, because we can't read the documents we're filing, only the Braille headings someone stamps on. It's a nice job--better than a hot kitchen, eh?"

Erec had an idea. "What are the records about?"

"Oh, everything, I guess. I can't quite read them, so I don't fully know. But the headings are about things like security, Eye of the World, Baskania's peace army, stored treasures, future development plans, all the minutes of what's taking place inside the fortress. The list goes on and on. It all ends up to be just useless paperwork, if you ask me."

Erec and Griffin's eyes met. "Wow. I'd really like to see--I mean, visit that place. It sounds interesting."

Maestro chuckled. "Don't worry. I still catch myself saying that I'll 'see' things sometimes. It's a hard habit to break. But you're in luck. Unless you're expected elsewhere, you might as well join me, because I'm headed straight to the archives now. Want to come along?"

"Sure!"

Griffin raised his hands in question, and Erec shrugged back to say he had no idea what Griffin should do. They walked behind Maestro in tandem a while, trying to match steps.

"Who's your friend?"

Erec and Griffin's eyes widened. Griffin pointed at himself questioningly.

Erec said, "Do you mean--"

"The fellow with you, who's following us? Sounds like a fellow, anyway. He's got heavy footsteps."

"Oh. That's my . . . uncle, Griffin. He's new too. We came here together."

Maestro nodded. "Well, that's nice for you, to know someone here. Unusual, though, to let you stay together."

"Yeah. They'll probably split us up once they decide where to put us . . . you know."

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"Uh-huh. Turn right here now, and we're almost to the elevators." He pressed a button with Braille on it, and they filed in after him. "It's on six. Just keep a hand on a wall and follow my footsteps, you'll be fine."

Maestro punched a code into a box and the locked door clicked. "That's our sign. Follow me, then. There's good work to do in here. Let me introduce you to my friends."

"Hi, Maestro! Who you got with you today?"

"A few newbies. Boy named Rick and his uncle, Griffin. They might want to work here. I told him it beats the kitchens."

Erec noticed a video camera in the corner. He made sure his face was well covered, then picked up a paper and propped it in front, blocking its lens, in case it was recording them. While they made small talk with the archive workers, Erec and Griffin wandered the room looking at files.

The room was full of everything Erec wanted to know. If only he could bring this whole room back with him and give it to his father. But what he wanted the most were the records of what was going on inside the fortress. Maybe he could get a clue where Bethany was now.

She was so close!
The thought gave him a chill.

He ran a finger along the cases of files. Some sat out, and others filled cabinets and locked cases. Griffin was stuffing paper into his pocket--Erec hoped whatever he found was useful.

As he scanned the room, he saw a file that made him stop cold. It was marked "Furies." He ripped it open and saw pages about each of the three Furies, their temperaments, and things they most wanted and enjoyed. In the front was a list of gifts that had been given to them, and were planned. Wandabelle's name was on the list.

Erec's hands tightened on the paper.

"Rick . . . did you hear that?" Maestro said. "Douglas asked if you were hungry."

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"Um--yes." Erec realized he was quite hungry. "Do you have snacks in here?"

"No food's allowed in here, kid. But we're going to make a sandwich run. You sure you're not supposed to be somewhere?"

"Not right now. I'm starting a night shift tonight, so I have time off."

"You better rest, then! Let's go get some lunch now, okay?"

Erec scanned the page to see what it said about Wandabelle.

Clown Fairy: Wandabelle.

Stored in Nightmare Realm on April 1 for future trade.

Balor Stain to keep watch on situation with King Augeas.

Planned trade on May 1, for Tisiphone, in return for tripling Shadow Prince's power over the Substance. If Tisiphone and sisters refuse by this date to triple powers, the Clown Fairy is to be destroyed, and the Furies informed of such.

Clown Fairy to be released by Rosco Kroc using the alarm clock, which has been set. The Shadow Prince and King Augeas ensured that no other method of removal will succeed.

Clown society expected to fall into complete chaos. This will be advantageous, as surviving clowns can be reeducated to serve in Army of Peace.

Alarm clock is to be kept in the army security headquarters, Jakarta fortress, programmed, and at the ready.

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"
Rick!
Are you with us? Hello, kid!"

"Um, I'm sorry. I just keep thinking about home. What did you say?"

"We're going to get some lunch. Want to join us?"

"I guess. Can we come back here after?"

Maestro looked doubtful. "A short visit is okay, but they frown on our taking things into our own hands. You're supposed to get your rest for night duty. Is it guard duty, then?"

"Yes." Erec thought that was a great idea for tonight. "It is."

Griffin held up a finger as he was reading more papers. Then he stuffed a folder under his smock.

"Oh, excuse me," Erec said. "Could we wait just another few minutes before going to lunch? I'm . . . not really that hungry yet." He looked through files as fast as he could.

"Sorry, kid. We're going now. Come on." Maestro smiled as he held the door open. Luckily he didn't expect Erec and Griffin to get to the door quickly. But even then, nothing else of interest jumped out before they left.

The click of the lock behind them sounded very final. Erec felt like breaking the door down and tearing the entire room apart to find out more information. But that was a straight ticket to the wrong side of cell block ten, he figured, so he quietly followed Maestro to the food hall.

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN Special Delivery

HE ONLY THING that looked half-edible in the food hall was a ham sandwich. When Erec first took a bite, he choked so badly he wondered if it was poisoned--but then he realized it just tasted terrible. He really missed the Serving Tray. Griffin, though, didn't mind shoveling in the yellowish gruel that the others at the table ate. Then again, he had been stuck for hundreds of years with nightmarish rat stew, so anything tasted good to him.

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They excused themselves quickly and found that the room they had stayed in was still empty. Griffin shut the door and pulled the folder he had taken from under his smock. "I found something about yer girlfriend, cap'n. Her name is Bethany, right?"

Erec's heart nearly stopped. "What? Let me see." He threw the stack of papers on the desk and sat down. Most of it was transcriptions of Bethany's memories that had been projected from her mind. "This whole packet is age seven. It starts in January. Dead of winter and Earl Evirly has her chained all day to his newsstand. When she cleans and does work, he gives her candy. Otherwise, she goes hungry." He threw the papers down. "Makes me sick. That guy was posing as her uncle, because Baskania ordered him to keep watch over her after he killed her real parents." He shuddered. "At least when I get her out of here, she'll have a good life to go back to. That's one thing I'll be happy to think about."

"You'll be with her, right? Yer makin' it sound like you're not coming back."

Erec didn't respond. He flipped through pages of Bethany's memories. Reading them didn't feel right--it was too much like spying, like reading her diary. And they wouldn't help him find her either. "Wait! Here's something different in the back." He spread stacks of tests that Bethany had taken across the desk, from math to free association to personality tests.

"They're keeping 'er busy, looks like." Griffin shook his head. "What do they want with 'er, anyway?"

"She's supposed to know something important. A prophecy said 'the secret of the Final Magic is hidden in the mind of the smallest child of the greatest seer of the first king of Alypium.' That's her. My father, King Piter, is the first king of Alypium. His greatest seer was Bethany's mother, before she was killed. Her name was Ruth Cleary. Bethany has one sibling, Pi, and he's older.

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So somewhere in her mind is this secret that's supposed to show Baskania the way to rule the world. Which is pretty much what the Final Magic would let him do. My dad said that it would make him go mad and destroy everything, so let's hope he doesn't figure this out soon."

"And does Bethany know the secret, then?"

Erec shrugged. "She doesn't think so. But she's a math genius. No, that's not a strong enough word for it. She can speak math, if you know what I mean. So she probably does have it in her mind somewhere. . . ."

The pages didn't contain any more information. Erec pushed them aside and stood.

"Well, lookie here." Griffin placed a fat finger on one of the papers.

Erec grabbed the sheet. Right at the top of the page was written: "Bethany Cleary. Age 14. Prisoner #741-147. Contained unit, lab tower. High security."

"You did it!" Erec jumped for joy. "We found her. Now we just have to find the lab tower."

"It says 'high security,'" Griffin pointed out.

"I figured it would be. So we know where Bethany is, and where the others are. I'm going to put on the Seeing Eyeglasses and try to find Kyron."

Erec thought about his friend, Kyron, and how great it was to see him again. He hoped he was okay, and hadn't been captured yet. With Kyron on his mind, he put the Seeing Eyeglasses on.

He was marching in a corridor, moving alongside soldiers. Where was Kyron? Was he captured? But he could see no prisoner anywhere. Finally he noticed the face of the soldier marching next to him.

"Kyron?" he whispered.

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Kyron jumped in shock and looked around, then fell back into step with the other soldiers.

Now wasn't the right time to talk to him, but Erec was glad that he was okay.

"Why don't ya use those things to talk to that girlfriend of yers and just ask 'er where they're keepin' 'er at?"

"I doubt she knows what it's called, or directions to get there. I haven't told her we're here yet. I want to, but Baskania is a mind reader. If she knows, then he'll probably know too, as soon as he's back."

"Looks like ee's going to hear it anyways, from both the shadow demon and that Ajax Hunter fella."

True enough, Erec thought, forming his plan. He had three places he needed to go, as soon as possible. Cell block ten, the lab tower contained unit, and army security headquarters--to find the alarm clock that was somehow set to free Wandabelle.

If they only had a map of the fortress, the rescues would be so much easier. Erec had an idea where cell block ten was, from Jam's description, but even that might be hard to find. A few of the blind followers seemed kind and trusting enough to ask questions, but he didn't want to raise anyone's suspicions.

At one point a group of soldiers hurried through, checking in rooms, but nobody noticed them. "I bet they're looking for us."

"Aye."

They wandered into an area filled with magical instruments, from all kinds of remote controls to magical weapons, vanishing caps, and MagicLights, as well as things Erec had never seen before.

A tall, thin man in a long black cloak swept before them. "What are
you
two doing here? No servants are allowed in these quarters. Don't you know anything?"

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"Sorry, sir," Erec said. "We were just curious."

"Well, don't be." The man snickered. "Takes a brain to be curious. Now, off with you dunces, before I practice with one of these weapons on you." He wagged a finger at them, and dunce caps appeared on Erec and Griffin's heads, on top of their hoods.

He heard Griffin snarl, which worried him. If Griffin picked a fight, they'd be found out right away. Plus, they were supposed to be blind. "Shh." He winked at Griffin, getting a great idea. Under his smock Erec felt for the Doubler Charm that Wandabelle had given him. He waved it back and forth under the cloth, unsure if it would work.

A blast of wind puffed under Erec's smock, so he spun around to hide it. "Let's go," he said. "Sorry to bother you."

As he walked to the door a small bolt of lightning formed in the air and shot toward him. He couldn't see it enter the pendant, but was sure it did. Then two identical beams burst out again, zinging toward the people behind him.

Erec hoped he had blocked the light beams, and that nobody noticed. He glanced behind him to see the men talking together, paying no attention to the lowly servants who were leaving.

Suddenly four of them were wearing dunce caps on their heads. A fight arose among them, accusing one another of making them appear, as Erec and Griffin snuck out.

Erec almost giggled, but bit his tongue. He heard a small snort from Griffin.

"So tha's how that charm works?" Griffin said once they were in the hallway.

"Yeah. It's just for fun, really. You can't direct where it goes. But it's all I have from Wandabelle, so I'm holding onto it." He gave it a squeeze and hoped that someone would rescue her before it was too late.

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