Third Earth, page 19
Iloress, heiress of the Foras na Gaeilge bloodline, are you aware of what’s happening? Kyprios asked.
I’ve been summoned as a draugr to testify in the matter of my death.
A desperate roar, with complex inflections, sounded from the spectator section where Iloress’s kin sat. Dragon-speech. Not even Ademic translated it for me. Iloress nodded once, and her family settled down, subdued and satisfied.
Dominath’s voice filled my head. They asked if she was at peace.
She was at peace? Well now, wasn’t that sunshine and rainbows? Dragon-mean-girl was at peace while I got emotionally tortured. That wasn’t fair. If I had died inside her stomach, then she’d be standing here unable to defend herself, and I’d be at peace.
Iloress, did you have hostile intents toward the arch mage of Second Earth?
Here it was. Now everyone would hear how she scared me, and how she ate me at the orders of the mastermind in order to cause this whole scenario. The silence lay on the room like a weighted blanket. Iloress made no move, even the delicate chains remained still.
Everything I held dear relied on this moment—my relationships, my friends’ lives and futures, even the inherent nature of truth itself. Iloress had to admit her part in this devious plot. Just like I was compelled to lie, now she’d be compelled to reveal the truth.
No.
What? Temnon and Claude lost their composure. Even Kyprios raised the spikes on his cheeks in surprise. Shadowed by Temnon, Thayn stared at the reanimated corpse as though he was trying to read her mind.
Kyprios spoke again. Did you swallow Arch Mage Agnes on the order of another?
That was a better question. She had to be honest this time.
No.
My legs buckled, and I sat hard on the ground. How could this be? How? My brain went foggy, completely paralyzed by the lunacy of her testimony. Desperate for help, I turned to Nemantia, but she was submerged in the difficult spell. Temnon and Claude stood in shock, and Thayn focused on Iloress, anger shadowing his face.
Tell the court why you swallowed the Arch Mage of Second Earth.
She came here to spread lies and disharmony. My actions were justified.
She was lying! That horrible, rotting corpse lied, and none of these brainless lizards could see it! I staggered to my feet and clenched my hands around my knees to hold them steady.
“That’s a llll…ttt…”
The interference seized my tongue and bent my words into a lie. I fought and struggled to speak the truth, but the harder I tried the more determined the lie became. It bulldozed its way to the front of my mouth.
QUIET!
The roaring command rattled my brain, and my shaking knees collapsed. I fell to the ground again, my legs twisted oddly. My muscles groaned in protest, but I was too weak to straighten them out.
Do not make this any worse. You are done here.
It was the regent. I felt his disappointment slicing through the raucous roars and jets of flame that filled the Hall of Ri Dauch. This was the end of Grimmal and Lumi. I had no hope of saving them now.
Dominath, I cried telepathically only to him. What happened?
I don’t know, child. I don’t know.
Kyprios beat his spade-tail flat on the ground several times and shot a flame into the chandelier above. Blue flame. I was unwelcomed on the dragon world. I’d somehow managed to offend an entire planet of dangerous, conniving killing machines. Crap! How did this happen? Who had it in for me and why?
The regent magically flew from his box to approach me.
Agnes Ann Cavanaugh of Second Earth, you are hereby banished forever from Third Earth on the command of Regent Menneth. Lumi of Fifth Earth, you are found guilty of the murder of Iloress and are sentenced, according to the Treaty of Dominath, to live your days in the Nia Nega Abyss. May your strength protect you.
“Regent Menneth,” King Odric bellowed in his official king voice. “Phar Sekmet has the right to plead for the lives of her citizens. You must delay the sentence until she delivers her address.”
We will honor that right, said Menneth, but in light of Iloress’s testimony, there is little doubt that the results of the trial will not be altered. Once again, those disappointed eye slits turned to me. Agnes, however, must leave at once, and never return.
“I’ll escort her home,” Temnon said.
Very well. Menneth scanned the room until he found his distant cousin lurking near the opening into the main floor of the arena. Bandlash, ensure she has no Aether Stone to Third Earth in her possession.
Bandlash scurried up to me, and with an apology in his blue eyes, his forked tongue searched my Aether pouch.
No stone, Regent.
This trial is concluded until the arrival of Phar Sekmet.
Nemantia guided the body of Iloress back down to its tomb and Temnon replaced the floor. As the magic-coated spirit of the black dragon floated out of the tomb, she laughed at me, pointing and shaking with malicious glee. No one else saw it. Only I could see magic. Only I knew beyond a doubt that awful beast knowingly condemned my loyal friends to a fate worse than death.
“Grimmal, Lumi,” I tried to talk to them. “I…”
But I had to stop. Horrible, insulting, hateful lies plagued my tongue. I formed a heart shape with my hands. I hoped they understood my true message.
“First Earth,” Temnon called.
I rushed to the circle, anxious to depart before anything else went wrong. Nemantia and Jenz joined me.
“I’ll stay here and wait for Phar Sekmet’s arrival.” Claude backed out of the light.
Temnon nodded stiffly and waved to his grandfather as we fell into the Jent Path.
He didn’t say a word the entire trip. I couldn’t say a word. I still felt the lying spell tugging on me.
“I felt like I had control of her,” Nemantia muttered to herself.
“You did your best.” Jenz pulled her into a loving hug.
She snuggled into him, doubt and confusion contorting her beautiful face. She probably still wondered how the dragon lied while under her necromancer influence. Temnon had no doubt in his eyes. He had already decided. Iloress wasn’t lying. I was.
The Fulcrum brought me no relief or centering. Half of me remained with Lumi. For nearly an hour I regretted ever going to Third Earth and shrunk from Temnon’s harsh rejection. As the pressure built in my ears, I covered them with my hands, but they didn’t block the rush of the Jent Path hurling me toward First Earth or my memory shouting out my failures on the dragon world.
I closed my eyes until I felt the floor beneath my feet.
“Agnes.”
Temnon wasn’t the same. He kept finding things to look at other than me.
“What?”
“I can’t help you with your missions anymore. I’m going back to Third Earth to repair the damage to our alliance.”
“For how long?”
“Forever.”
“No, Temnon,” Nemantia gasped. “You’re leaving us?”
With quiet, immovable determination, he said, “It’s for the best, Nemmy. Third Earth is critical for universal peace. If it weren’t for the dragons, we’d have lost to Vi Lorina’s army.”
Nemantia’s tone grew low and intense. “Agnes defeated Vi Lorina. Not the dragons.”
“She was lucky. Everyone knows that. Even Grandpa Thayn knows that.”
Dread crawled through my scalp. Rein was right. Thayn expected Temnon to be the next ambassador and filled his head with nonsense to convince him to dump me.
“What else did he say?” I asked softly.
“Look.” Temnon threw out both hands defensively. “It’s not personal, but in a real war against evil, it’s the dragons who are going to win. Agnes, you’re just a Second Earth kid who doesn’t know what she’s doing. The radicals are still running loose on Third Earth, and Rein says Suelta is gathering an army. If war breaks out on Fourth Earth, we’ll need the dragons to fight her. I must do what is best for everyone, and that means saving face with the court and repairing your damage.”
“I don’t understand, Tem,” Nemantia breathed, stunned. “Is this because you think Agnes is lying to you?”
“I know she’s lying to me!” Temnon thundered, anger blotching his pale face. “It’s the only logical explanation. She was scared and tried to make a statement, but she’s got no sense and no control of her magic. Her rookie moves offended a popular dragon noble, and now my best friend is going to spend the rest of his life rotting in prison, thinking about his daughter in an abyss of death all because Agnes messed up.”
“Hey, now, Tem,” started Jenz, but Temnon glared at him so fiercely, he shut up.
Darkness fogged up my head. I couldn’t think. I had no argument and no excuse. I felt empty and worthless. I blew it. I sucked. I’d known from the beginning I didn’t deserve his love, and now I didn’t even deserve his courtesy.
In a monotone drone, Temnon said, “I want my Aether Stone back.”
With limbs as heavy as rock, I shifted the skirt of the coral dress and reached into my Aether pouch to retrieve it.
“Stop,” Nemantia whispered with her hand pressed against her mouth. “Temnon, don’t do this. Aggie, no.”
I barely had the energy to give it to him. This was so much worse than blocking someone on social media. I gave him my only access to First Earth. I’d never be able to visit him again. I’d never see Nemantia, Dame Maudine, or Chiri. Worst of all, I’d never earn his forgiveness. Never.
“Second Earth,” I muttered, my hand on my thigh. The golden light spread under me. “Goodbye, Nemmy.”
Tears erupted in her eyes, and she buried her face into Jenz.
“Goodbye, Temnon,” I said. “I’ve always hated you.”
The color drained from Temnon’s face, and his eyes clouded with despair. I let that horrible phrase out without thinking. I’d grown too tired to fight the lies pushing on me. Now my favorite person in the universe not only hated me, but thought I hated him too. I weakly shook my head against the awful words I’d said, but it wasn’t enough. I fell into the Jent Path knowing it wasn’t enough.
20
Agnes.exe Has Ceased Functioning
I hardly remembered arriving in my Apex. I dropped my phone and watch and shuffled like a zombie to the surface of the island. I crawled on the white sand to a flat stone at the edge of the ocean. Soaking my feet in the tide pools usually made me feel better. Not this time. My favorite fish nibbled my toes, but I didn’t feel it. Or the water. Or the cool, night breeze.
I felt nothing other than my own useless, failed, unworthy misery.
My friends that saved me from a life of freakish loneliness were gone forever, and it was all my own stupid fault. They’d be far better off if I’d let myself be digested like a good girl. I was no arch mage, just a scarred freak too afraid to ride a train. I might as well walk straight into the ocean and let Fido eat me. My life was over anyway.
All the panic I’d felt over the last few days fizzed to the surface. The tremble in my hands spread into my lungs, and my breathing shuddered and raced out of control. I slumped over on the bench and burst into uncontrollable sobs. Tears glued sand to my cheek and rubbed them raw against the stone, but I didn’t care. I’d stifled my tears enough. I cried until I forgot how to inhale, and the beach spun in dizzying circles.
I woke to a bizarre whirring. Sand dislodged from my lashes and fell into my eyes, but I lacked the strength to wipe them away. My brain was mush. My motivation to live was zero. Something black buzzed around my face, but I didn’t care.
“Agnes! Agnes, are you okay?”
Oh. A drone. But who cared? Tiny speakers projected Kymm’s worried voice into my throbbing head.
“Are you sick? Or injured?”
My throat was dry and raw. “Worse,” I croaked, mostly to myself.
“Oh my gosh,” she cried. “Oh my gosh! Agnes needs help!” That time was muffled, like she turned away from her microphone. She got loud again. “Can you make it to your mage door? Lord Chevlin is here for the test. He’ll fix you.”
I didn’t recognize the words. I heard them, but they didn’t register. “Test?”
“We’re all here—me, Colucci, Maudine and Lord Chevlin. We’ve been setting up for days already. Remember?”
My brain didn’t understand for the longest time. Then a beautiful ribbon of hope weaved between the waves of dark anguish. With shaking arms, I pushed myself to a sitting position.
Maudine and Lord Chevlin were with Kymm. I gave up Temnon’s Aether Stone to First Earth, but they still had one of mine. In fact, I exchanged Stones with Nemantia too. Maybe it wasn’t too late. I’d write Temnon a letter and apologize for that awful lie that came out of my mouth. And for being arrogant enough to try to think for myself.
I dragged myself back into my Apex and found my phone on the floor. I called Mom and put it on speaker. It rang on the desk while I dug through my magic stuff and found Nemantia’s Aether Stone. It was still its original size, as big as a paperback romance novel.
“Hello?”
“Mom. I’m back.”
“Oh, good. How was the mission?”
“I blew it.” I hauled up the fluffy skirt and shoved the Stone into the straps of my Aether pouch. “Grimmal’s going to prison. Lumi’s guilty of murder. All my fault.”
“What?” she shrieked.
“Come to D.C. and I’ll tell you all at the same time.”
“D.C.? I’ll find Dr. B and Sadie and wait at your bedroom door.”
“’Kay.”
I hung up and slipped my cell into my pouch. Barely able to move, I opened my mage door to Kymm’s laboratory. Colucci and Chevlin were waiting. Spots swam, and I felt myself tilting forward.
“Oh no, Agnes,” Kymm yelled from behind them.
Colucci grabbed me and set me into a reclining chair that reminded me of cavities and root canals.
“You’re pale as chalk,” he said.
My sweet, eccentric Dame Maudine pushed Colucci aside and leaned over me, gravity pulling her wrinkles even deeper. “He’s right, my dear, you look positively quanked.”
I thought I’d never see her again. A tragic gasp escaped my lips.
“Deary me, darling child. Whatever happened?”
“Everything that’s baaaaad,” I sobbed.
Lord Chevlin’s rose-gold magic scanned me. “Your vitals are barely registering, and you used my circlet.”
Dame Maudine clucked her tongue and patted my hand. “I had a feeling,” she said. “An achy, nervous feeling that tickled the inside of my sternum. What happened, dearest?”
“Door,” I blurted to Kymm, weakly pointing.
She got the idea and closed it. I wished for my bedroom in the New York mansion. When Kymm opened the door, Mom, Dr. Buchanan, and Sadie rushed into the crowded lab. Mom slid her arms under my shoulders to hold me. Behind her, Sadie’s empathetic sadness made me lose it even more. I buried my head into Mom’s shoulder.
“Agnes, you aren’t responding to my spells,” Lord Chevlin said with concern. “To properly treat you, I must know what’s happened.”
I told them about the secrets, the conspiracy, and getting eaten. I tried telling them about my hijacked truth and how Iloress doomed Lumi, but the lies prying my mouth got so bad I shut up and grabbed a pen from Colucci’s jacket pocket. He snatched an old envelope from Kymm’s desk and gave it to me. I wrote furiously.
She lied! Even her corpse lied! Every time I try to tell what really happened, I say the opposite. I feel like I've been drugged, and my brain forgot how to think. How can I help Grimmal and Lumi when my magic is broken?
They all stood still, shoulders hunched, eyes tracking my scribbles. Mom interpreted my handwriting first, knowing it best.
“Oh, honey,” she comforted me, “none of your friends believe you intentionally offended that dragon. No one blames you.”
She was wrong. Temnon blamed me. I blamed me too. Everyone should blame me.
“This is clearly not the time for frivolous experiments,” Maudine said. “Chevlin, you treat Agnes as best you can, then disassemble the equipment. I’ll go help with Grimmal and Lumi. Perhaps my status as the Warrior Queen will influence the dragon court.”
Kymm sprang to her feet, sending her office chair wheeling into the mainframe.
“No!” she yelled. “This is the perfect time for experiments. Agnes’s gift doesn’t work right. Maybe science can find out why.”
“I don’t think so, Miss Kymm,” placated Maudine. “Whatever is interfering with Agnes is almost certainly of a magical nature.”
Kymm didn’t give up. “My equipment is the most advanced on the planet. And if they don’t find anything, then Lord Chevlin’s instruments should, right? I mean, it’s better than doing nothing.”
Maudine paused. Kymm took that as permission to proceed with the experiment and dug into a duffle bag sitting on her desk.
“All we need to do is take new readings and find inconsistencies,” she said, grinning like a nerd at a comic convention.
“And compare it to what?” Dr. Buchanan said. “You have no control data.”
“Wrong!” Kymm spun around and pointed a bottle of rubbing alcohol at him. “I gave Agnes a polygraph test for the FBI, remember? I made copies of my results.”
Kymm wiped my forehead with a cotton ball dampened with alcohol and slapped on a sticky pad connected to a wire. I leaned back. There was no stopping her now. She hummed and “ba-dap-ba-da-ed” the theme song to her favorite forensic detective TV show as she pasted a dozen sticky pad leads under the coral dress.
Dame Maudine and Lord Chevlin scurried about, finetuning their own equipment. Waves of sparkling alchemist magic mingled with the blinking lights of the computer towers, and the soft clicking of brass cogs percussed in harmony with Kymm’s keyboard. The thin ribbon of hope inside me thickened, just a bit.
Colucci grunted as he hauled in an old-fashioned polygraph machine. “Isn’t this antique a little old school for you, Kymm?”
