Everlife (Everlife #3)

“And don’t forget, Clay is in one of these hills, too. So is my mother. So is Killian’s mother. I’m not going to rest until everyone is free of Many Ends.”

“Don’t forget we’ve got to pass through the creatures first.” Raanan unstraps the two branches that are hanging against his back, places one end in the ground, then lets the other end fall toward our foes. “I think I have an idea about how we can do it—and survive.”

The creatures squeal as they scramble out of the way to avoid any kind of contact with the wood.

Smiling now, Reed nods. “I get it. We walk across the branches. As we move forward, we drop another branch, then pick up the one behind us.”

Giving him a pat on the shoulder, Raanan says, “Exactly, my friend. Exactly.”

It could get us killed, but it could also maybe hopefully probably work. Really, what other choice do we have?

Find the doorway, save the day. If the hills have eyes, everyone dies. To win the fight, you’ll need Light.

“So how do we blind these fiends?” I ask.

Raanan pops the bones in his neck. “Whatever the answer, I call first kill.”

“We’re running low on Light,” Reed says. “We’ve got to have more.”

Understatement of the year. The weaker you are, the harder it is to draw on love. We’ve been eating leaves from the Tree of Life, but we want to save as many as possible for any spirits we find.

“We’re going to have to risk it,” Archer says, his tone firm. “I’ll go first. Ten and Reed will take the middle. Raanan will take the rear.”

“Nope. No way.” I shake my head, tendrils of hair slapping my cheeks. “Think about it. Weight has to be evenly dispersed across the branch. The two lightest take the ends, and the two heaviest take the middle, becoming our center of gravity and preventing us from tilting one way or the other. That puts me in the front, you and Rannan in the middle and Reed in the rear.”

There’s no reason to waste time debating my plan, and every reason to hurry. As my heart thumps against my ribs and sweat runs down my spine, I clutch my spear to use it for balance, draw in a breath and onto the “plank.”

Every single creature eyes me like I’m some kind of tasty treat. Several even step closer while sharpening mental forks and knives.

My friends go still, and I know they’re debating the wisest course of action.

“Wait,” I say. If the hills have eyes, everyone dies.

Eyes…eyes…

Perhaps Aunt Lina meant…

Well, why not? Pushing my weight into my heels, I stab one of the creatures directly in the eyes. Jab, jab, destroying one peeper after the other.

The land shark squeals a high-pitched sound of pain as black goo sprays from the injured sockets. Other creatures leap onto its back, devouring every inch of it, even its bones.

Steady, steady. During the frenzied feeding, I stab three more land sharks in the eyes, causing another frenzy.

“Be ready. I’m stepping forward now,” I say, fighting tremors.

As Archer steps up behind me and stabs two more creatures, I take my next step. The feeding continues. More goo sprays in every direction. The fetid scent of rot saturates the air. And the sucking, slurping, chomping sounds… I shudder.

“On three,” I say. “One, two, three.” Archer and I step forward, allowing Raanan to move on to the branch without tipping us over.

He stabs four of the creatures, and we motor forward a third time, allowing Reed to claim the rear of the branch.

Jab, jab. I blind another creature—and wobble. My thudding heart almost stops as Reed wobbles, too. Archer plants a hand on my shoulder, steadying me. He also plants a hand on Raanan’s shoulder, and Raanan plants a hand on Reed’s shoulder. We’re a unit. A team. Balanced by each other. And surrounded by monsters.

Must stay calm.

“All right,” I say. “We step forward, stab a land shark, then step again. I hope everyone’s ready, because we’re doing this on my count.” No time to waste. “Three, two, one.”

We step forward, stab the land sharks, then step again, as planned. For over an hour we repeat the action again and again. The only problem? We’re at a point of total exhaustion, and we’re only halfway to Killian’s hill.

Reed wobbles, and though Raanan tries, he is unable to steady him. Features contorted with panic, Reed places one foot on the ground beside the branch. Just for a second, only a second. The land sharks rip into his ankle, removing his foot.

Falling, he screams. Raanan reaches for him while Archer reaches for Raanan, and I reach for Archer, but we’re too late. Reed topples, and the land sharks instantly pounce.

His screams end as quickly as they began, his voice box gone—just like the rest of him.

I suck in a breath, and fight a wave of tears. My chin trembles. My heart aches, and bile burns my throat. I don’t… I can’t even process what… Such brutal, savage violence, rendered so quickly.

“We’ll save him,” I say, my mouth dry. This can’t be the end for him. “We’ll add him to our to-do list, and we’ll save him.” We must.

Archer scrubs a hand down his face. “How is he going to revive from that, Ten? Tell me. Please.”

“He’s a spirit. Spirits never die, and his Lifeblood wets the ground, even now. Blood is life. He’ll regenerate.” He must. This can’t be the end of Reed. It just can’t. “We’ll save him,” I repeat.

“If a spirit never dies, where is Reed now?” Archer spreads his arms to indicate the entire sub-realm.

“I don’t know, okay? I don’t know. But I don’t have to know how manna works, either, and yet it still heals me. Every time. So zip your mouth and get your butt in gear.” I wobble, and my stomach seems to drop into my ankles. When I steady, I clear the lump from my throat, and, with a gentler tone, I say, “I don’t have all the answers. I never have. I only know I have to do this. I can’t stop. I have to believe good will come from this or…or…” Or I will have no reason to motor on.

I’ve lost too much already.

“We gonna stand here debating something we can prove with action, or what?” Raanan demands in typical Raanan fashion.

He’s right. I will prove the spirits in Many Ends can be saved, even spirits like Reed.

“Let’s move.” Only fifty-five minutes to go. Our destination is ahead, still so close, still so far.

Time continues to tick, and tick fast. We move forward together and stab the eyes of the land sharks in unison. Again. Then again and again.

Forty-one minutes. Symphony No. 41 is the last symphony created by Mozart.

Twenty-nine. The atomic number of copper, like Archer’s eyes.

Thirteen. Apollo 13. Known by some as a successful failure. The rocket failed to land on the moon but much was learned in the rescuing of the crew.

Our mission will be a successful success.

Eight. Seven. Six. Five.

“How much time before everything resets?” Archer asks. Sweat pours from him.

“Four minutes, thirteen seconds.” Will the hills switch places? Zero! What will we do then? We must be on Killian’s hill.

“I don’t care how tired you are, pick up the pace,” Raanan commands.

I obey. Drawing from my love for Killian and all my friends, I find a reservoir of strength. At last we reach the desired hill, bypassing the land sharks completely. I’m trembling as I pick up the final lavender leaf.

What if everything we’re doing is for nothing? What if we’re stuck here?

Ugh! Doubts suck. I can’t let them lead me—they’ll take me down a dark path. Without hope, there is no Light. That means hope is a necessary weapon right now.

“What’s next?” Raanan asks. “Are we supposed to go through or over the hill?”

“There are no caves that I can see.” Archer wipes sweat from his brow. “So, we go up.”

Great. “Makes sense, since we’re dealing with birds.” My muscles burn and strain, my entire body trembling as we trudge up, up. My lungs feel as if they’re melting.

Four words keep me motivated. Save Killian. Save everyone.

“If we have to fight anything, we’re going to lose,” I rasp. “I’m almost tapped out.”

Two minutes.