The Eternity Key (16 page)

“Are those symbols?” Haden asks.

“Yep. The same symbols that are on the Compass. It’s the same shape, too. Like it would fit right into the knot if you lined up the impressions of the symbols just right. I think I know what the Oracle meant when she said I’d use the Compass to seek the Key. I didn’t need it to find its hiding place, but I do need it to get the Key out.” I sigh. “So, good news: we found the Key. Bad news: we still need the Compass. Any more thoughts on where we might find the Motorcycle Man? Do we need to stake out some biker bars or something?”

Haden bristles beside me. “About that,” he says. “Other good news: we know who the Motorcycle Man is.” He takes a deep breath. “Other bad news: he’s my psychotic twin brother and he has the Compass.”

“Um, what?”

Haden tells me about finding Rowan in my bedroom and the motorcycle helmet he left behind when he escaped.

“But how did he get here?” Dax asks.

“I think he’s been here all along. He called himself a Champion. I think the Court sent him through the gate soon after us.”

“But if he’s been here this whole time, why reveal himself now? He could have put the helmet on and escaped without you being the wiser,” I say.

“He wanted something,” Haden says, holding his hand to the side of his head as if it’s throbbing. I realize that he must have left out part of the story and feel a pang of sympathy over the idea of him being hurt. “He was pretending to be holding you captive in exchange for a communication talisman.”

I nod, feeling an additional ache of … 
something
 … when I realize why he had been so relieved to see me. But had he been worried about losing the Cypher, or was it the idea of losing
me
that had caused him anguish?

“He wants a communication talisman?” I ask instead of the question that is forefront in my mind. “You mean that medallion that you found next to Simon’s body that transported your soul from the hospital to the Underrealm?”

When Haden’s whole body had gone limp after grasping the talisman, Dax had explained to me that the device was used to make realm-to-realm calls by the Underlords—only it transported a person’s soul, not just their voice. Haden had to fry the talisman, along with himself, in order to break the connection to free himself from his father’s throne room.

“Did you tell Rowan that Simon’s talisman has been destroyed?” I ask, pointing to his scarred hand.

Haden shakes his head. “I am starting to question whether or not the talisman was Simon’s to begin with. It could have been either Simon or Rowan who dropped it at the hospital, and thinking back on it, I am not sure whom my father was expecting when I answered the call.”

“But it had to be Simon’s, right?” I look at Dax. “You said he made a call to the Skylords before he came into the hospital room. He would have needed a talisman for that, so it had to be the one we found on the floor.”

Dax shakes his head. “He made the call on an ordinary iPhone. That didn’t strike me as odd until now.”

“I have a feeling some Skylords enjoy posing as humans, so it’s not that strange,” Haden says. “Look at Mr. Bowman, for example. I doubt this is his first sojourn in the mortal world.…” It seems as though he’s about to say more but then trails off.

“But Simon had been in communication with your father while you were here, so that means he at least owned a talisman,” Dax says. “But if he didn’t have it with him at the hospital,
I wonder if he ditched it because he was planning on running off with the goods—namely Daphne and the Compass—and the talisman could be tracked somehow?”

“Or he didn’t want to accidentally answer a call like I did.” Haden shudders at the memory. “The room I caught Rowan in was Simon’s old bedroom.…”

I cringe at the idea of having slept in a dead man’s bed but let Haden go on.

“If Rowan lost his own talisman at the hospital, that means he either needs to find his or get a new one, so it makes sense that he would break into the house. He either thinks we still have his, or he was looking for Simon’s. And if he was willing to reveal himself in order to try to bargain for a talisman, that means he’s desperate.”

“But why?” Tobin asks.

“Because if he’s lost his talisman, he’s flying blind,” I say, putting it together. “He might have the Compass, but he has no idea what to do next without being able to communicate with King Ren.”

Haden nods. “Which means he has something we want, and we have something he wants—or at least he believes we do. Which means he’s going to show himself again.”

“And in the meantime,” I say, “we need to figure out how to get the Compass from him when he does.”

“Exactly,” Haden says.

“But more importantly, even if we get the Compass, how are we supposed to use it to get the Key?” I ask. “I doubt it’s as easy as plugging it into the tree, or else you wouldn’t need me. I’m not exactly looking forward to giving up my heart and soul for the thing.”

“We’ll worry about that later,” Haden says. “For now let’s focus on the Compass.”

Easy for him to say
, I think. The idea that I might need to give up my heart and soul to get the Key to the Underrealm doesn’t exactly make it easy to focus on anything else at the moment. And it doesn’t fill me with ease when I know that both the Skylords and Haden’s crazy-loyal-to-the-Underrealm brother are after it, too. Both parties would probably shove me right through the lock if they need to.

“I think we have company,” Dax whispers, and covers the light on my iPhone with his hand. He nods toward the path that leads into the grove from the footbridge. Two orbs of flashlight beams dance along the path. It’s either Olympus Hills Security or someone worse.…

Haden tries to take me by the wrist, but I wince and pull away.

He gives me a concerned look, but I just shake my head. Now is not the time to explain how I hurt it. Instead, I follow him and the others into the thick trees at the north end of the grove. We crouch down behind a few boulders and watch as Calix and Terresa enter the grove, swinging flashlights and surveying the damage we’ve caused with all of our digging.

“I told you no one was here,” Calix says. “We should go back. I don’t like being out at night.”

“Stop being a suckling,” Terresa hisses at him. “It’s obvious someone has been here.” She swings her light across the trees, the beam barely over our heads. “Ethan is an idiot if he thinks those Underlords aren’t looking for the Key on their own. We know they have the Cypher. If he’d let us tail them, then they’d probably lead us to its location.”

Its?
I think.
Does Terresa think the Cypher is an object like the Compass? Or does she mean
it
as in she doesn’t know if the Cypher is male or female?

“Do not speak of Ethan that way,” Calix says to her. “He is your commanding officer—”

“Only because his grandfather granted him back his position after he came crawling home from his walkabout in the mortal realm. He’s been gone for six years, while I’ve been the loyal lord. I should be the commanding officer, not him.”

“I wouldn’t call what he did crawling back. More like sweeping into a room and announcing his return.”

“And just like that, he’s back in charge,” she says, bitter notes mixing with her already chaotic tone.

“I guess being a prince has its perks.” Calix turns around with his flashlight aimed at the tuning fork–shaped tree. I hold my breath as he steps toward it. He stumbles into one of the holes we’d left in the ground and falls forward on his knees, muttering what I suppose are Skylord curses. He picks himself up and brushes off the dirt. “If you think I’m going to keep stumbling around in the dark against Ethan’s orders, you’re mistaken. I’m heading back.”

“Suit yourself, suckling,” she says as he picks his way back to the path. She shines her light again in our direction.

“We’ll see how Ethan feels about your insolence.”

Her shoulders drop, and she almost loses her grip on her flashlight. “Calix, wait.” She follows after him up the path. “Don’t tell Ethan.”

“Come on,” Haden whispers, once they’re out of sight. “Let’s get out of here before she decides to come back.”

chapter twenty-three

After we leave the grove, Dax drives us back to the house in the Model X, taking a longer route with several unnecessary turns and side streets just in case Terresa and Calix’s leaving the grove was a feint. The conversation between the two Skylords makes me quiet with contemplation. Either what they said meant that Ethan had told me the truth—that he was attempting to keep his two lackeys off our scent—or the conversation was staged to make me think that is the case.

Either way, Terresa is getting far too close for comfort. And knowing now that Rowan is the one who has been tailing me for the last few months makes me shiver with paranoia. How are we to continue researching the Key with more than one adversary watching our every move?

It was a mistake for us all to have been in the same house tonight. What little cover we’d been keeping may have already been blown.

Daphne’s head lolls as she sits next to me, reminding me how late it is. I can see her fighting to keep her eyes open. I wish I could tell her that she is welcome to rest her head on my shoulder if she wants to sleep. Instead, I shake her awake.

“Hmmm?” she breathes.

“Daphne,” I say. “I need you to do me a favor. However, you are not going to like it.”

Her drooping eyes open wider. “As in?”

“I need you to go home tonight. Back to Joe’s, I mean.”

She starts to shake her head.

“I also need you to ask him to give you back your part in the play.”

“I don’t want—”

“I know you don’t, but it’s important. We can’t be seen together like this. That was a pretty close call back there in the grove with the Skylords, and letting you stay at my house nearly put you in the same room as Rowan. I also know that we aren’t going to be able to solve the Key and Compass quandary if we cannot get together.…” Plus, I can’t stand the idea of staying away from her. “Which means we need a
reason
to all be together where no one will question what we’re doing. We need to bring Joe in on this. He hasn’t made all of his final casting decisions yet, right? Do you think he might be willing to give me a part?”

“You want to be in the opera?” Tobin asks.

“We’re all going to be in it,” I say.

“What?” Garrick balks. “I am not going to be singing or dancing or any such thing.”

“Then tech crew,” I say to him, and then meet Dax’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “I’m sure Mr. Morgan will take on a new faculty advisor and a tech hand if Joe puts in a request. Rehearsals start in earnest next week, which means we’ll have two hours after school each day with a plausible reason to be together.”

“Good thinking,” Dax says.

“But it will only work if we’re
all
involved.” I place my hand
tentatively over Daphne’s. “You’re going to have to talk to your father.”

“Fine,” she says, pulling away from me.
For the second time tonight
.

“Circle the lake a couple of times,” I instruct Dax, “and then take us to Joe’s.”

chapter twenty-four

It’s nearly one thirty in the morning when we pull into the driveway at Joe’s, but all the lights on the main floor shine through the windows. Dax and the others pull away, leaving Haden and me on the front porch. Haden stays without my asking, as if he thinks Joe and I need an intermediary.

“You might want to zip that up,” I say, pointing at Haden’s hoodie, which has come open almost all the way to his navel. It’s not an unpleasant sight, but I don’t think showing up in the middle of the night with a half-naked companion is going to get my conversation with my father off on the right foot.

“Oh yes,” Haden says, his voice sounding garbled, as he zips his jacket up to his collarbone.

I pull out my house key and let the two of us in through the front door.

“Joe?” I call tentatively, my voice echoing in the white marble foyer. “I’m home.”

“I don’t care what you have to say. I’m done with you!” Joe’s shout echoes from somewhere up the grand staircase.