I rested my hand atop Nan’s grip. “Please. Take me to Kila Kitu. Can he show me where to find part of the Sword?”
“If he decides that you’re worthy, then he’ll give you the Sword’s hilt.”
I scanned the night sky. The Martyr’s Comet was starting its slow arc toward the horizon once more. I had perhaps a day and a half left. “If I find the Sword, I’ll know how to heal the gateways. Let’s go.”
“You don’t understand. Kila Kitu is a mage like no other. It won’t be pleasant.” Nan lowered her voice to a plaintive tone. “Just leave and hide.”
“No. Take me to Kila Kitu, only...” I gestured toward the MAJE. “I want Jicho to go with me.” It wasn’t a great idea to take a young boy to see a strange mage, but leaving him alone in the jungle wasn’t ideal, either.
Mrefu grunted again and Nan translated. “Mrefu says that the boy must not join us. Kila Kitu won’t like it.” She tilted her head, sending her long braids swinging. “Mrefu’s role in the community is to act as liaison to Kila Kitu. If Mrefu says to leave the boy behind, then it’s for the best.”
I sighed. “I don’t like the idea of leaving Jicho alone.”
“The Zaidi will keep the boy safe.” Nan straightened her stance. “You can cast a truth spell on me, if you like.”
That settled it. If Nan was willing to subject herself to a spell, then I felt confident Jicho would be fine. “A truth spell won’t be necessary. I trust you.”
“Good.” Nan scanned the river. “We must move quickly. We need to return before anyone else arrives.”
The muscles of my back tightened with worry. “Who else is coming?”
“Someone.” Nan shrugged again. “We don’t know who is on your trail, though. They’re rather stealthy.”
Stealthy in the jungle? No doubt, Rowan and his Caster army were behind us. Not that I would share that theory with Nan. It had been hard enough to get her to take me to Kila Kitu. I didn’t need any distractions.
That said, my list of worries was growing quickly. Right now, I had a mysterious new mage to confront, a missing Sword to find, a Caster army to worry about, and my own neck to save. And I’d only get the Sword hilt if this Kila Kitu said I was worthy.
Whatever that meant.
“Follow us,” said Nan.
I cast a longing glance at the MAJE. Normally, I’d chat with Jicho before leaving. He was definitely hatching a plan when he scurried below deck. Sadly, there wasn’t time for any discussion right now. I needed to follow a hybrid man and my ex-friend deep into the jungle in order to meet a mysterious mage. And just to prove how risky my life had become, I thought this was a positive shift in my circumstances.
Chapter Sixteen
Leaving Jicho and the MAJE behind, I followed Mrefu and Nan past the dozen or so Zaidi who were standing outside the jungle proper. After that, the three of us stepped past the sheet of vines that marked the border into the deeper jungle. Once inside, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the lower light. Only a few beams of silver brightness cut through the heavy cover of trees, casting odd shadows on the muddy ground.
There were Zaidi everywhere.
If I’d been surprised to see Mrefu, I was outright shocked to discover that there were literally hundreds of his people waiting nearby. I spied men and women, tall and short, and all of them covered in varying shades of gray fur with heavy forms atop their heads. Every last one of them stared at me as I walked past.
Mrefu, Nan, and I soon passed the larger group of Zaidi. Around us, the jungle trees grew heavier with fern-like leaves. Within a few minutes, we reached a small clearing that centered around a raised stone disc. At one point, this circular rock had once been covered in Necromancer runes, but that pattern had long ago been worn away.
Crouching down, Mrefu gripped the huge disc and shoved it aside to reveal a stone walkway that led underground. He lifted his chin and made another growling sound.
“He wants us to get in,” said Nan.
“All right.” It was an effort to keep appearing calm. Stepping into an underground lair wasn’t exactly a smart endeavor.
With the massive rock moved away, a set of stone stairs was now clearly visible. The rough-hewn steps led directly into the jungle floor. I marched down them with Nan close behind. Once we were both inside, Mrefu hauled the massive stone slid closed.
It took another act of supreme focus not to yelp as darkness enveloped me.
Suddenly, Mrefu’s yellow eyes lit up more brightly than ever before. Thanks to that extra light, I could now make out the rough contours of space we had entered. We were standing in some kind of stone passageway that led off in a single direction. Condensation, moss, and black vines covered the rock walls. My feet were chilled in ankle-deep water.
Without any announcement, Mrefu marched off into the inky blackness. His eyes cast twin orbs of yellow light before us. Nan and I followed. The three of us walked down for a bit before the passage opened up into a great hall.
And what a space it was.
The chamber was round and incredibly tall with a small circular platform in the center. The walls here were covered in the same mixture of moss and dark vines as the outer hallway. Torches were set into the walls, casting the room in flickering light. The air was so still and quiet, my every breath felt deafeningly loud.
Mrefu let out another growl, and the sound echoed in odd ways around the tall and circular space.
“He wants us to follow him to the platform,” said Nan.
I opened my mouth, ready to ask where this Kila Kitu was, but I was able to stop myself first. Honestly, there was no point in posing the question. If there was one thing I’d learned about mages of all kinds, it was that they liked to make a big show about their entrances and exits. In fact, the ability to jump in out of nowhere was one of Jicho’s favorite pastimes.
The three of us stepped up to the round platform in the center of the room. As we crossed the stone floor, every step caused another slosh through the ankle-deep water. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
Someone was watching us.
I scanned the round room. The ceiling stayed hidden in darkness, so it was possible that people could be waiting up there. In truth, a small army could be hiding in that space. My skin prickled with awareness. Tiny sounds echoed in from the cavernous ceiling. I shivered.
Was someone lurking in the darkness above our heads?
I shook my head. Don’t think yourself into a tizzy, Elea. You’re in an underground lair with an incredibly powerful mage. No one is hiding above your head.
Closing my eyes, I practiced one of my old meditations for calm. By the time I’d reached the round platform, I felt in control once again.