The Lost Realm (42 page)

She truly does rule Celestis. Don't ever forget it, Gulph.

“I will deal with the crystalsmiths,” said Kalia when Lady Redina finally paused for breath. “I can instruct them on how to make the special blades we need to deal with the undead.”

“We're going to need a lot of them,” suggested Gulph.

“I know,” Kalia agreed. “As for you, take your friends to my house. Stay there, and stay out of trouble.” She lowered her voice. “You will be safe there, Gulph. I will see to it.”

Gulph nodded. Despite everything, warmth stole through him.
She cares about me. Maybe she'll never believe I'm her son, but she does care about me.

As they left the courtyard Gulph spotted a shriveled plant in a pot, its leaves black. It was the one he'd tipped his unwanted wine into.

Anxiety gnawed at him as he showed Pip and the others the winding path that led toward Kalia's house. If the poison had done that to a plant, what would it do to a human mind?

When they reached the lakeside, he stopped. “Kalia lives just beyond that rise,” he said. “See—it's not far.”

“But aren't you coming?” asked Pip.

“I'll catch up. There's just something I have to do first.”

While Pip led the others on, Gulph made his way back toward the crystal house Redina had given them. When he was near, Gulph spotted the person he was looking for, seated on the end of a jetty jutting out over the silver water. Ossilius.

Gulph took a deep breath. By the time they'd parted, Ossilius had turned into a shadow of his former self. What state would he be in now?

The jetty, like everything else in Celestis, was made of crystal. Gulph could see the silver waters of the lake through its transparent planks. It felt like walking on air.

“Ossilius?” he said when he reached his friend. “Are you all right?”

Ossilius looked up. He was swinging his legs over the water like a child. Beside him was a plate of small purple sweets, which he was cramming into his mouth one after the other.

“Who are you?” he said dully.

Gulph's stomach turned over. “Don't you know me?”

“I never saw you before. Do you want one of my sweets?”

He offered the plate. Gulph shook his head, dismayed to see his friend—a captain of the King's Legion—in such a state.

An idea came to him.

“Captain Ossilius!” he announced, standing to attention. “Battle is imminent! I await your orders!”

Something flickered in Ossilius's eyes, and hope rose in Gulph's heart. Then Ossilius's shoulders drooped, and he mumbled, “It sounds dangerous.” His eyes glazed over and he pressed another sweet between his lips.

There must be something you remember.

He brought out the crown from his pack. The gold shimmered in the constant purple twilight of Celestis, picking up the countless reflections of the surrounding crystal so that it seemed to glow with its own inner light.

“That's a pretty thing,” Ossilius said. “Did you bring it for me?”

He made a grab for it; Gulph held the crown just out of reach.

“Do you know what this is?”

“I'd like to have it.”

Gulph pressed on. “You must know what it is, Ossilius. You gave it to me yourself, when Nynus died. You said I was your king. You said you'd serve me. You said . . .”

“King? King of where? That's a very pretty thing.”

Ossilius snatched at the crown. Gulph stumbled backward, horrified.

First Sidebottom John. Now Ossilius. I'm losing my friends, one by one.

Dread came over him.

Will the same thing happen to the others? To Noddy and Simeon?

To Pip?

Ossilius was on his feet now. He reached for the crown again and Gulph twisted aside, grabbing a crystal mooring post to keep himself from toppling into the silver water.

The water!

Without stopping to question—without thinking at all—Gulph rolled the crown out of reach and launched himself at Ossilius. He planted both hands on the captain's shoulders and shoved him off the jetty and into the water.

Ossilius went under immediately, too surprised even to cry out. He sank rapidly, bubbles rising from his mouth, and for a moment Gulph was terrified his friend was too drugged even to swim. Then he saw Ossilius's arms and legs begin to thrash. Gulph held his breath and hoped his friend was doing the same.

When Ossilius's head broke the surface, Gulph waited just long enough for him to open his mouth and take in a lungful of air. Then, reaching down from the jetty, he pressed his hands on top of the man's head and pushed him under again.

“Forgive me, my friend,” he said, grunting with the effort. “The water healed us before—maybe it can save you now. . . .”

The second time Ossilius rose, Gulph saw that same brief flicker in his eyes. Was it recognition? Fury at being half drowned by someone he saw as a stranger?

Steeling himself, Gulph submerged him yet again.

This time when Ossilius surfaced, he was kicking and spluttering, reaching for the crystal planks of the jetty and throwing off Gulph's attempts to help him out of the lake.

“Let go of me, Gulph!” he cried. “I can do it myself!”

It took a moment for Gulph to register what he'd just heard. By the time he did, Ossilius had clawed his way up onto the jetty and was lying on his back with his chest heaving. He rolled onto his side, spat out a mouthful of water, then sat up and ran his hands through his sodden hair.

“Where am I? What's happening, Gulph?”

Gulph seized Ossilius's hand and gripped it tight. He could feel the grin spreading over his face, wide and warm. He couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled so broadly.

“It's good to have you back,” Gulph said.

Making their way to Kalia's house, they had to jump to the side of the path to avoid a whole regiment of armed soldiers, dressed in glistening crystal chain mail, hurrying in the opposite direction. As the soldiers marched past, a messenger ran up and spoke to the officer at the front of the column.

“. . . Undead seen in the upper tunnels,” Gulph could just hear her say. “They are coming. . . .”

The words chilled his heart.

“At least they are taking the threat from Brutan seriously,” said Ossilius. He pointed to a line of boats forming on the lake to create some kind of waterborne defense.

“They need to,” replied Gulph.

He watched as the soldiers disappeared along the path, unformed thoughts filling his head.
We have to take action too. Just like them. But what can we do?

They reached Kalia's house and went inside. What Gulph saw made him grin. With the entire complement of the Tangletree Players crammed around the cauldron on its hearth, the cottage felt packed. The air smelled of fire and magic and fellowship.

Pip ran straight up to Gulph and pulled him into a hug. Then the others swarmed around him, throwing their arms about him and each other, and laughing. Noddy even danced a little jig.

“Is this how you treat your king?” Ossilius laughed, clearly enjoying the reunion.

The room fell silent.

“King?” said Madrigal, taking a nervous step backward.

“What do you mean?” said Noddy.

Gulph glanced at Ossilius, who nodded.

“You've all heard of the prophecy, haven't you?” Gulph said. His friends murmured that they had. Gulph took a deep breath. “Well, it's a long story—too long to tell now—but I'm not really who you think I am. I'm one of the triplets.”

Silence fell again.

“Brutan's son?” said Noddy at last. “Is it true?”

“It is true,” said Ossilius. “Gulph, show them.”

Opening his pack, Gulph brought out the crown of Toronia. The Tangletree Players gaped first at the beaming band of gold, then at Gulph.

“By golly,” Noddy breathed.

“W-what should we call you?” stammered Madrigal.

“I should have thought that's obvious,” said Pip with a grin. “We call him Gulph.”

He grinned back, his heart swelling.

“You can't tell anyone,” he said, hiding the crown away again. “Especially Lady Redina. It's a secret. Nobody can know.”

“We understand,” said Pip solemnly. “Don't we?”

The others nodded their agreement.

Gulph squeezed her hand. “Thank you. Oh, I can't tell you how good it is to see you all again!”

“So, what do we do now?” said Noddy, clapping his hands together.

“We don't need to do anything,” countered Madrigal. “We're safe.”

“No, we're not,” Gulph responded. “Brutan's already on his way.”

There were cries of dismay all around, except from Pip. She stood with her hands on her narrow hips, studying Gulph. “You've got a plan. Haven't you, Gulph?”

Gulph considered this. The thoughts that had been drifting through his head during the walk from the jetty were beginning to gather together.

“Yes,” he said. “I think I might.”

“Do you want to go up against Brutan?” Ossilius asked warily.

“Better than that. I want to get rid of him, once and for all. We know the undead have been seen in the tunnels. The question is, how much time do we have before the actual invasion begins?”

“It is hard to say how the undead think,” said Ossilius. “Even if a few of them have found their way down here, it does not mean they all will.”

“Did Brutan know about Celestis?”

“Nobody knew about Celestis, Gulph.”

“But he was the king.”

Ossilius pondered this. “He knew the history of Toronia, better than most. If he has found his way inside . . . discovered the cracks that have opened up”—Ossilius's expression turned grim—“yes, I believe he will put the pieces of the puzzle together.”

“Then we're agreed,” said Gulph. “We have to do something. Right now.”

He turned to Noddy, who had been listening to the conversation with his bright, attentive eyes. Noddy might have played the clown in the Tangletree Players, but in reality he knew more tricks than all of them.

“Noddy,” Gulph said, “how would you like to make some fireworks?”

Outside Kalia's cottage, Gulph was saying good-bye to the Tangletree Players once more.
No sooner do I find you than I have to let you go.

“Look after them, Pip,” he whispered, hugging her tightly.

“Be careful, won't you?” She gave him a tearful smile.

“We must hurry, Gulph,” called Ossilius from the end of the path. He pointed toward a low hill that looked as if it were made of pure emerald. A small army was massing there. “The Celestian forces are everywhere. If you want to leave without drawing attention to yourself, it has to be now.”

“Good-bye, Pip,” said Gulph. “Good-bye, everyone. I'll see you soon. I promise.”

His heart heavy, Gulph turned from them and joined Ossilius, conscious of the extra weight in his pack. Once he'd explained his plan, Noddy had worked fast and hard. Now Gulph was carrying the fruits of his friend's labors.

Only these are the kinds of fruit that explode
, he thought with a tingle of anticipation.

“Will you find John for me?” Gulph asked as they set off toward the causeway that would take them out of Celestis. “He should be with the others.”

“Yes,” Ossilius replied. “But not before I have seen you safely on your way.”

“When you find him, dunk him in the lake, just like I did with you. You'll probably have to do it several times.”

Ossilius nodded. “Do not worry about your friends, Gulph. They have me to protect them now.”

“And my mother.” Gulph hesitated, overwhelmed by the implications of what he was about to ask. “Will you do the same for her, too?”

“I fear she may put up a stronger fight than John,” said Ossilius with a wry smile. “But yes, Gulph. I will see to it that Kalia is restored.”