Jack Staples and the City of Shadows Read online

  Alexia couldn’t stop crying. The last flicker of warmth faded inside her. “What did you used to call me, Father?” Her voice trembled.

  “What?”

  “You had a nickname for me when I was little. I used to sit on your lap and pull on your beard and you held me close and called me something. What was it?”

  “This is not the time,” he said. “Everyone is waiting. We can talk of this later!”

  “Tell me!” Alexia cried. “What did you call me?”

  “It was a very long time ago. What does it matter now?” Her father grabbed her shoulders roughly and stood her up. “You have been nothing but a disappointment to me. Now do as I command!” Rage shone in his eyes.

  “Yes, Father.” Alexia bit her lip, feeling the block of ice grow inside her chest. You can do this! she told herself. Stop acting like a child and bow!

  Except for the expectant whispers from the crowd, relative quiet had fallen. Belial smiled in anticipation, and this time the smile did reach his eyes.

  As she stepped forward, Alexia felt something hard and cold between her fingers. She hadn’t realized she’d placed her hand in her cloak pocket. It’s Father’s Memory Stone! She’d forgotten all about the small blue-veined stone she’d taken from his bedchamber. As she stepped toward Belial, she closed her hand around it and whispered, “Show me the memory of my parents.”

  Belial gave Alexia a curious look. And as Alexia took another step toward the throne, the world shifted.

  Chapter 22

  THE CHILD BOWS

  When Alexia opened her eyes, she was no longer in the arena. The Memory Stone had taken her to the kitchen of the house she’d grown up in. Her breath caught when she saw her mother standing at the kitchen table, spreading frosting on a strawberry cake. Her father stood behind, wrapping her in a loving embrace.

  Tears sprang to Alexia’s eyes. They were not tears of sadness but joy. These were her parents. These were the people she belonged to. The man who held her mother may have looked like Korah, but it was not him; she was sure of it. This man was loving and kind, and Alexia could never imagine him screaming at her.

  Alexia began looking around the kitchen. If this was Korah’s memory, surely he must be here somewhere. There! She spotted him. He was standing outside the kitchen window staring in.

  The kitchen door shattered, a Shadule standing in the entry.

  Her father grabbed a knife from the kitchen counter. “Go!” he yelled. “I’ll find you both as soon as I can.”

  Alexia screamed as the Shadule struck. Her mother ran from the room as her father wrestled the creature to the ground.

  Alexia blinked. Now she was standing outside the house by the front door. Korah must have left the window. She could still hear the sounds of the battle coming from the kitchen, but Korah wasn’t interested in her father. He snarled as he slammed his boot into the front door, splintering it off the hinges to reveal Alexia’s mother darting down the stairs.

  “You!” she cried.

  Black fire shot from Korah’s hands to explode against her mother’s chest.

  “No!” Alexia shrieked as Korah grabbed her mother roughly, pulling her to her feet.

  A bloodcurdling scream sounded from the kitchen, and her father stormed through the door and spotted Korah holding his wife hostage.

  “You!” he raged. “You are behind this?”

  “Hello, Brother,” Korah snarled. His pale blade was pressed hard against her mother’s neck.

  “You dare come here? You bring the Shadow Souled into my house?”

  Alexia watched numbly. She knew what would happen. This was only a memory and she could not change it.

  “The great darkness is coming and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Yet you will not live to see the Last Battle.” Korah smiled coldly. “Your time has come, Brother!”

  “You came here to … to kill me?” Her father seemed confused.

  “Don’t act so surprised. You must have known this day would come.” Korah pressed the blade deeper into Madeleine Dreager’s neck as a slow trickle of blood dripped down. “I’ve been hunting the Awakened for years now, killing you off one by one. But I will enjoy this day more than most.”

  “Where does your hatred come from?” Her father shook his head sadly. “Did I wrong you without knowing? Did I do something so unforgiveable?”

  “I have hated you since the day we were born.” Korah seethed. “I’ve dreamed of this day for longer than you could imagine.”

  Alexia’s mother met her father’s eyes and gave an almost imperceptible glance toward the window.

  Her father’s eyes flicked over and back again so quickly Alexia wondered if she’d imagined it. The tiniest smile spread his lips. There was a child stalking through the woods. The much younger Alexia wore her brand-new red dress and was creeping into the forest, stopping every few steps to examine a stone.

  Alexia remembered the moment. She’d been searching for the perfect stones to use in her new sling.

  “How could we be so different, you and I?” Her father took one step forward. “The only thing you have ever loved was power. You sat on the Council of Seven, and still it wasn’t enough. But when you turned your back on us, I never dreamed you would join the Shadow Souled.”

  “The Council of Seven!” Korah scoffed. “Fools, all of them. And I was a fool to want to be one of them. I—” Korah’s eyes landed on Alexia’s coat lying crumpled on the floor. A cold smile crept onto his lips. “Tell me, Brother, do I have a niece or a nephew?”

  Korah didn’t know I existed!

  “You can threaten me,” her father said coldly, “but if you speak of my child again, I will end you.”

  Alexia almost stepped back from the dangerous look in her father’s eyes.

  “You haven’t changed a bit. You are not in command here; I am!” Korah snarled.

  Korah barked a command at the wounded Shadule. “Find the child and bring it to me.”

  The Shadule hissed excitedly and darted up the stairs. Alexia watched her younger self disappear into the woods.

  “I love you, Madeleine Dreager,” her father said sadly. “Look after our little goat.”

  Her mother nodded as a thin sliver of light flashed between them. In the blink of an eye, her mother had disappeared and her father stood in her place.

  Korah screamed when he found himself holding the sword against his brother’s neck. Alexia’s father used the confusion to slam the back of his head into Korah’s face. Korah stumbled back as blood burst from his nose. Yet even as her father turned to fight, Korah pierced him with the blade.

  “No,” her father groaned as he dropped to the floor.

  “No!” Alexia gasped in unison.

  Just then the Shadule arrived at the bottom of the stairs. “There is no child here,” the creature rasped.

  Korah grimaced as he looked at his dying brother. “I promise you this, I will find Madeleine, and I will find your child. And I will kill them.”

  “You have always been blind.” Her father groaned. “And you will lose this war.” As his eyes began to glaze over, he turned and looked directly at Alexia. “I love you, my little goat.” Thick blood dripped from his chin. “I love you with all my heart.”

  Alexia gasped. She didn’t know if he was truly looking at her or was merely seeing things as he died, but his words were like life to her soul.

  “Pathetic.” Korah grimaced. As he stalked from the house, he kicked over a lampstand; oil and fire exploded along the wall.

  “Make sure he’s dead,” Korah commanded the Shadule.

  Alexia heard the creature’s excited hiss as the world shifted once again.

  Alexia blinked. Although minutes had passed in the memory, no time at all seemed to have passed in the real world. She took the final step toward the Assassin’s throne and stop
ped. She was standing before him with her head bowed. Alexia hesitated only a moment before dropping to her knees at the feet of the Assassin. The mob howled.

  She didn’t feel like crying, and she didn’t want to scream at Korah for deceiving her. She didn’t even want to yell at the Assassin. She’d bowed so they wouldn’t see her smile. After a moment, quiet fell once again as the assembly eagerly awaited what would come next. As she knelt before the creature Belial, warmth exploded in Alexia’s chest. She was happier now than she’d been in ages. Korah is not my father, she thought. The Assassin is pure evil.

  Alexia didn’t understand what had happened with the poet and what she’d seen in the Assassin’s memory, but none of that mattered. Right now all she wanted to do was laugh.

  My father was a good man! The thought broadened her smile. And if she understood what she’d seen, there was a chance her mother was still alive!

  “Child!” Korah knelt by her side. “Why are you waiting? You must say the words! Do you hear me? You must swear fealty to your new master!”

  The stench from the wound in the Assassin’s belly made Alexia want to retch, but she forced the feeling down. Instead, she turned to Korah and smiled as she dropped the Memory Stone onto the marble dais. Korah seemed confused by it; but after a moment his eyes widened.

  “Alley Goat,” Alexia said quietly as she looked down at her red cloak and sling. “My father called me Alley Goat.” She couldn’t help but laugh as a look of horror crossed Korah’s face.

  “My name is Alexia Dreager,” she said in a loud voice. “And I am one of the two Children of Prophecy.” The horde of humans, monsters, and beasts roared their approval. When Alexia met the Assassin’s eyes, she offered a knowing smile. “I came here today to swear allegiance to your master.”

  The Assassin watched her with uncertain eyes. He’d seen the Memory Stone and the look on Korah’s face.

  Alexia stood and began to laugh. The sound was so foreign that the throngs of Shadow Souled went abruptly silent. Her laughter pierced the arena like a ray of sunshine in an underground cavern.

  “But I know now that this creature sitting before me is not worthy of my allegiance or yours.” When Alexia pointed at the Assassin, she raised her voice ever louder. “He is a liar and a murderer. He is the Assassin, and though it may be hard, we must stand against him. We must resist! Join me!” she shouted. “Join the Awakened!”

  Silence engulfed the arena. Alexia turned to look at her friends, who still stood stiffly bound by the cables of electrified light. Wild raised his eyebrows as if to say, “Nice speech. Now what?”

  Alexia turned to face the Assassin and took an involuntary step back. Darkness radiated from him, and his eyes were fiery. He stood before his throne with the Shadowfog boiling at his feet. It was a terrifying sight.

  “Forget the games,” the Assassin screamed as he raised his arms to the gathered mob. “The Last Battle begins now! Kill them all!”

  The tens of thousands of Shadow Souled suddenly became an army of darkness as beast, monster, and human swarmed the arena. In the sky above, the winged creatures plummeted downward in an attempt to be the first to tear the Awakened to pieces.

  Alexia didn’t waste a second. Even as Korah drew his sword, she leaped from the dais and sprinted toward the Drogule holding the cord of electrified light. At best she’d have a few seconds to defeat the Drogule and free her friends. There was no chance of escape. That had never been a possibility. But if she didn’t free them from the Drogule, every one of her friends would be torn to shreds without even having a chance to fight back.

  Even above the roar of the mob, the demonic laughter of the Assassin echoed.

  Chapter 23

  A MOUNTAIN OF DARKNESS

  Jack ran toward the mammoth coliseum. He’d been following the roars of a screaming crowd ever since he’d entered the City of Shadows. The gates had been left unguarded, and every street was as still and quiet as the grave.

  When he’d been with Time in the garden, he’d seen a vision of this place. He knew this is where he would find Alexia, Arthur, and the others. Even as he ran toward the sounds of bloodthirsty cries, there was peace inside him. Jack didn’t know what he was meant to do, but he knew he was meant to be here, and that was enough. It wouldn’t be possible to stop what was happening. He was just a boy. Yet this is where the poet had sent him.

  He wasn’t just the poet! Jack thought. He was the Author! His heart still pounded at the memory. And as he ran toward a fight he knew he could not win, Jack smiled.

  Arthur wanted to cry as he stared at his burned hand. He’d tried multiple times to grab the small box from its dark prison. His fingers were blistered, and the smell of seared flesh made bile rise in the back of his throat.

  He circled the box that hovered above the enormous throne. He wanted to leave it. But he could not. He felt foolish as he reread the words on it. “ARTHUR GREAVES: LOYAL. COURAGEOUS. WARRIOR.” They seemed to mock him.

  Arthur squeezed his eyes shut. What am I doing here? I’m just a boy. I don’t even know why I’m trying to get this stupid box! He wiped a tear from his eye and remembered the last thing Elion had said to him. “Arthur Greaves, you are powerful and courageous.” Her eyes had blazed with a golden light. They had been standing in the chamber below Buckingham Palace as the World Portal spun behind her. “And something tells me that if this mission has any chance of success, it will be because you were there.”

  Arthur straightened his back and stepped toward the box once again. “I am not here by accident,” he whispered. “I am Arthur Greaves, and I am one of the Awakened.” After a moment he smiled and added, “And I am the Lightning Dancer.” Without thinking, Arthur began to move his feet in a way he had never moved them before, though it felt perfectly natural. Before long, a tornado of electricity had formed around him, and where he moved, liquid light moved with him.

  The electricity called to him, wrapping him in its embrace. Again he reached for the box, and this time the darkness imprisoning it shrieked and exploded away. And just like that, the box dropped and tumbled down the golden stairs.

  Arthur stopped his dancing and began to laugh as he ran down the stairs and picked up the wooden box.

  As Alexia ran toward her friends, the Drogule roared and yanked the cord of electrified light. All nine Awakened groaned as the cable tightened around them. They watched her helplessly.

  Alexia took the last steps and hurled her body into the light that bound her friends. The moment she touched it, electricity blasted through her body, causing her to stiffen and jerk uncontrollably. Yet as the cable wrapped itself around her, it ceased to bind the Awakened.

  Andreal dove at the Drogule, wrestling it to the ground and ripping the sizzling cable from its hands, freeing Alexia. She lay flat on her back, trying to catch her breath.

  Wild stood with his arm outstretched. “There’s no time to nap.” He smiled. “Now is the time to fight.” He pulled Alexia to her feet just in time to turn and face the swarm of tens of thousands of Shadow Souled.

  Alexia wanted to talk to her friends, to apologize for not standing with them sooner, but she didn’t even have time to meet their eyes. The horde of dark servants was upon them. A moment before the flood crashed into the Awakened from every direction, a shield of blue light sprang up around them. The shield was the only thing between the Awakened and a crushing death.

  The dark servants howled as they slammed into the shield. From every side the Shadow Souled pressed against the wall of thin blue light. The snarling faces of monster, beast, and human were everywhere. The sky was no longer visible as winged creatures pummeled the shield from above.

  “I can’t hold it any longer!” Mrs. Dumphry shouted. Her shield buckled inward, splintering into a thousand pieces, and the mountain of dark servants was on them.

  It wasn’t fighting—there was no room to fight or to move at a
ll. The dark servants were consumed with bloodlust. Both Awakened and dark servants began to scream as the pressure built, those in the center being crushed to death in a melee of bodies pushing in from behind and above.

  Alexia couldn’t find the breath to scream. There was too little room to draw breath. This is it, she thought. This is where we die. It was a cold thought. The pressure became unbearable, squeezing from every direction. She looked at the crazed beasts, humans, and monsters, gritted her teeth, then closed her eyes, trying to stay conscious through the pain.

  Suddenly, a burst of wind exploded from somewhere nearby and ripped through the crush of bodies. And the immense pressure stopped growing. Alexia opened her eyes—at least five out of every seven dark servants looked as if they’d fallen unconscious. They hadn’t dropped to the ground because there was no room for them to fall. Alexia still couldn’t draw a breath, but at least the pressure wasn’t growing.

  “What just happened?” Josiah groaned.

  “They’re sleeping!” Juno gasped.

  “It canna be possible!” Andreal rumbled from somewhere beneath the mountain of flesh. Alexia could hear him shoving against the bodies, yet even Andreal wasn’t strong enough to shift the mammoth heap.

  The dark servants who hadn’t fallen unconscious still snarled and howled, but they, too, were trapped in the crush of bodies.

  “What’s that?” Wild said.

  Alexia also heard it. A crackling and snapping sound, growing louder by the second. The air became electric; her skin pricked and her hair began to rise.

  The mountain of dark servants was being shoved aside by a wall of liquid electricity, clearing a path to the small band of Awakened. Alexia dropped to her knees and gasped for breath. Spinning round in the clearing path was Arthur Greaves, electricity flowing from his outstretched hands.