The Keeper

Quadraginta tres: Rubez

The land in the Fourth Circle was curious — flat in spots, rising in others. We could make out crags of rocks and spiny ridges leading into the sky. Overhead were no stars, no Noc. I led us by the light of my wand.

We walked as far as we could and then made camp near a stand of tall willow trees. I was on the lookout for the slender thread of the Obolus River, which I knew ran through here, but I never caught sight of it.

We ate and Lackland offered to take the first watch.

Petra and Delph quickly fell asleep but, as usual, I found I could not, at least not right away.

I reached in my tuck and pulled out the map of the Quag that Quentin Herms had left me at my tree back in Wormwood and that I had reproduced on parchment.

There were some points about it that were right, spot-on actually. But many more were absolutely wrong. I thought back to the sequence of events that had led up to this map being in my possession. I had been in my tree when I heard the baying of the attack canines. I had seen Quentin going into the Quag. I had then gone to work at Stacks only to find a message from Quentin telling me to go to my tree that night. There I found that an extra board had been nailed into the trunk, behind which I had found the map.

I sat up. But the extra board had not been on my tree when I saw Quentin fleeing into the Quag. So he had to have come back out of the Quag and nailed the board there sometime later, but before I returned to it that night.

Then I wondered something that I never had before. Why had the Council been hunting Quentin down? Something must have triggered it. We had been told later that Quentin had broken laws but we were never told which laws. And Morrigone and Thansius had never really spoken about the matter to me.

I reached in my pocket and pulled out my grandfather’s ring. It had been found in Quentin’s cottage, so presumably my grandfather had given it to him. But why had he not given it to my father, his only son?

What quality did Quentin possess that would have made my grandfather give him the ring instead? Was he simply a messenger, getting to me things that I would need? Was he doing my grandfather’s bidding somehow? If so, why?

I pulled out the parchment, tapped it with my wand and said, “Silenus?”

His image appeared instantly on the paper.

“Where are you now?” he asked somberly.

“The Fourth Circle.”

“The Obolus River.”

I nodded. “And Rubez the pilot. What can you tell me about him?”

“Nothing, I’m afraid.”

“Astrea said that he will demand payment to take us across the river, but she didn’t say what it would be.”

“I have of course never taken the journey, and have no scraps of knowledge from anyone who has.”

“Wonderful,” I muttered. “Does the river take us to the Fifth and last Circle?”

He shook his head again. “Alas, ’tis shrouded in mystery.”

“But there is a river, so I would imagine that there might be some water dwellers in it.”

“I would not be surprised if there were.”

“Hence the boat with Rubez to safely cross it,” I noted.

“I would imagine that safe passage across the Obolus would involve more than simply coin for a seat.”

“What, then?” I asked.

“It may very well cost more than you are willing to give, Vega. And then it will be up to you to decide. Such is the way of this place. It often demands more than one is either willing or able to give.”

And with that ominous comment Silenus was gone.

I slowly put the pages away in my cloak. What would I be unwilling to give up in order to cross the Obolus?

Petra had the last watch. I waited a few slivers after she left to take up her post, and, making sure that Delph and Lackland were asleep, I drew closer to Petra’s tuck. I knew what I was doing was in many ways wrong. But it was also what I needed to do right now.

I pointed my wand at it and muttered, “Crystilado magnifica.”

All the contents of her tuck were immediately magnified in front of me. I saw what I thought I would. My next incantation was spoken just as softly.

“Rejoinda, wand.”

The wand flew from the tuck and right into my hand. When it smacked against my skin, I realized — too late — that it might burn me. But it didn’t. Perhaps it would do so only if I tried to cast a spell with it.

“Illumina.”

With my own wand lighting Petra’s, I looked at it closely. It was made of wood far darker than mine. Technically, her uncle had not given this to Petra. Perhaps he would have, but he’d been killed before he could. She had simply taken it. But someone had given it to him. His father perhaps? I found what I was looking for on the base of the wand.

It was a part of a fingernail. I could make it out clearly against the wood.

Feeling a little guilty, I pocketed the wand, went back over to my bed and lay down. If Petra was my enemy, even though she had saved my life, I did not want her to possess a wand, a wand that could kill both me and Delph. But still, I did not feel good about it. There seemed to be no easy decisions in this place.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep, unsure if what I had just done was right or not.

Petra roused us when it was time to get up. This was a bit difficult to calculate since the sun didn’t rise here. I watched her closely as she gathered her tuck, but she never looked inside it. Thus, she was unaware her wand was gone.

When she did become aware, I knew she would immediately suspect me. How could she not? I was the only one who knew about her magical past with her uncle. But she had not told me that she had the wand. Thus, I doubted she would confront me about it, at least not in front of Delph and Lackland. I could tell she did not want them to know her secret. It was a foul tactic I was playing on her, but right now I could not afford any more surprises.

For three more lights and nights we rambled over the darkened landscape. One time we saw an inficio flying overhead and had to take cover in a cave. Another time, it was a pack of freks doing battle with a herd of creatures for which I had no name. The freks eventually won and lingered over the corpses constituting their spoils of victory. As they ate, we ran for it and were soon safely away.

On the fourth night that I stood my watch on the edge of our campsite, I raised my wand and muttered, “Crystilado magnifica.” I had done this before with little result. This night was to be different.

Yet I never could have imagined that I would be seeing something like this.

It wasn’t some creature way out there.

It was Delph and Petra. For some reason my spell was showing me what was behind me rather than in front.

They were very close to each other and were talking in low voices, so I could not hear. Over the last two lights and nights, I had seen them lingering together, whether it was when we were walking or sitting around our meager fire. They tended to sleep near each other as well.

But this vision?

I whirled around and quickly made my way back nearer the dying fire.

I stopped and looked.

Delph was waving the Adder Stone over Petra’s damaged hand. I knew he was thinking wonderful thoughts. And then she smiled and touched his cheek.

I turned away and walked back to my original spot, my head lowered, my eyes on my dirty boots. Delph was my best friend. Friends did not act like that with anyone else. It wasn’t... it wasn’t...

It wasn’t what, Vega?

It wasn’t what you wanted to have happen?

Well, it’s not your life. It’s Delph’s. If he likes Petra better than you, so be it.

The next moment, I froze when I heard it.

The sound of lapping water.

I ran to tell the others.

We hurried along, following the sound of water until we reached a clearing, and there it was.

The Obolus River. It was long and snakelike, twisting and turning until it was out of sight at both ends. And it was wider than I would have thought. It was actually impossible to see to the other side. But I just knew on the other side was the Fifth, and last, Circle. The only thing between the last circle and us was this body of water.

“Look there,” hissed Lackland, pointing to one side.

To our left was an old wooden pier, listing back and forth on what I supposed were partially rotted support timbers sunken in the water.

The wooden sign hung on a leaning post swung slowly in the breeze. Though we were some yards from it, the words were clear enough, even in the dark. In fact, the words seemed to glow red.

“Blackroot Pier,” I read.

“Vega Jane,” said Delph in a tone I had never heard him use before.

“What?” I whispered back.

But I needn’t have asked. I could see what had prompted his words.

The small, black vessel had rounded the bend and was drawing closer to the pier. At the back of it, holding a long steering oar, was a dark-shrouded figure. The boat glided over the water as if it was riding on the air just above the surface of the Obolus.

The shrouded figure expertly guided the craft to a gentle stop at the warped boards of the pier.

There was a lantern attached to a bent rod affixed to the boat’s gunwale. It gave off enough of a glow for us to see the face of the gent piloting when he lowered his hood.

We all took a step back when we saw him. It appeared to me that Rubez was a skeleton, only someone had forgotten to tell him he was no longer alive. Everything about him was bony, hollow and dead.

Yet his eyes glowed fiercely in the lantern light. The glow seemed to be the same as the fiery red of the letters on the sign. He opened his mouth and spoke at the same time that one long, bony hand reached out and beckoned to us.

“Draw close, those who wish to cross the Obolus,” he said in a voice that sounded like the low throaty rumble of an attack canine. “And Rubez will oblige.”

We drew close, stepping up onto the fragile pier, which lurched sideways under our collective weight. I thought we were all going to go tumbling into the water, but the thing righted itself and we stood level a couple of feet from Rubez.

I started to step on the boat, when Rubez barred my way with his oar. It was dripping wet and slimy.

“Oi,” I called out as I jumped back. “You said to draw close and you’d oblige.”

“Rubez is needing his due,” he croaked.

I stared at him. “What sort of due?”

In answer, he looked at the planks of the small boat and then over at us.

“Got room for four and no more.”

I looked at the others and then turned back to him. “But we’ve got five.”

“Four and no more,” he repeated.

I pulled my wand. “And I said we’ve got five. Now, I know you want some sort of payment. And I’ll be glad to give it. But we’re all crossing this river.”

He smiled at me and his teeth were bloodred. And I noticed for the first time that his arm, exposed a bit as he wielded the oar, was covered in dark scales, like a fish. He raised his oar and then pointed it over my head.

The next moment, Delph screamed. I turned. He was on his knees, holding his head, his face contorted in agony. I grabbed him but he threw me off, fell onto his belly and started convulsing.

“Delph! Delph!”

Petra and Lackland tried to help, but they were thrown backward by some unseen force.

I pointed my wand at Delph to try to incant something that would make whatever was hurting him go away. But it was as if something was gripping my wand and pulling it away. I whirled around to stare at Rubez. He just stood there, his oar still held high, and I knew it was the source of Delph’s agony.

“Stop it!” I screamed. “Stop it, please.”

Rubez slowly lowered his oar, and Delph instantly ceased convulsing. He lay there panting.

I knelt next to him and gripped his hand. “Delph?”

“O... okay, Vega Jane,” he mumbled. “Pain’s gone. O-kay.”

I turned back to Rubez venomously. “Why the Hel did you do that?”

“Four in me boat, no more.”

I looked over his vessel. “Okay, then we can make two trips. Three and two. That meets your bloody rule!”

His smile vanished and he held up a solitary finger. “One trip, not two.”

I stood, faced him and squared my shoulders. “So what is your due, then, eh?” I truly didn’t understand what the bloke wanted.

He glanced down at the dark waters and then back up at me.

“One of you must swim for it if you want to get to the other side. That’s me due. If you don’t want to swim for it, you can stay here, the lot of you. And you won’t be alive in a few slivers.” He looked over my shoulder as he said this. “They’re coming.”

“Who’s coming?” I asked sharply.

He lowered his gaze to me and his eyes were like fists of fiery blood. “Death,” he hissed. And that sound filled me with a dread that not even the shriek of a jabbit could inspire.

I looked down at the gently lapping waters and then across toward the river’s other side, which I still couldn’t see from here.

I turned back to Rubez. “Is there truly no other way?”

“Only one.”

“What?” I said eagerly.

“I can turn five into four. Then the remainders can ride in me boat!” he ended savagely and raised his oar threateningly. “Which one, eh? EH!”

I held up my hands and cried out, “No. I’ll swim for it.”

Delph rose on shaky legs. “Vega Jane, you’re not that good of a swimmer.”

Harry Two danced around my feet and moved his forelegs as if to show how powerful a swimmer he was.

“No,” I said. “I’ll go.”

“No,” snapped Delph. “You can’t always be the one to go it alone.”

Lackland said, “How ’bout the canine, eh?”

“Shut up, Lackland,” I barked.

Delph pulled me aside and whispered, “Let’s have a go at him and take his blasted boat.”

“You saw what he just did to you. And his oar apparently is more than a match for my wand.”

Delph said in a normal voice, “Then how do we choose, eh?”

Petra said, “I vote for Lack to go in.”

Lackland swore under his breath. “Why me?”

“Well, we need Vega’s wand to get through, don’t we?”

“That’s bloody ruthless of you,” snapped Lackland. “What about Delph? Or are you too wonky over the bloke?”

Delph and Petra both looked like they had been walloped by a colossal.

Before Petra could answer, Delph said, “I’ll go. I’m a strong swimmer.” He added in an embarrassed tone, “And like Petra said, we need Vega’s wand to go on.”

“No, Delph,” snapped Petra. “You’re not going in there. Bloody Hel, I’ll go.”

Lackland interjected, “Look, why not the ruddy canine, eh? Will somebody tell me that? It’s a bloody beast.”

Delph shoved him. “Harry Two is worth five-a you.”

“Enough,” I shouted. “I’m going in.”

“But we need you to—” began Petra.

I pointed my wand at them.

“No, Vega Jane,” screamed Delph. He knew what I was about to do.

Harry Two barked and lunged at me, his mismatched eyes wide with distress.

I said, “Subservio.”

Instantly, their eyes became unfocused and they stood rigidly before me. I pointed my wand at the vessel and they all climbed in, Harry Two included.

I drew a deep breath as I looked at them one by one, my gaze holding finally on Delph. Would the last impression I have of him be one of stark betrayal? And there sat Harry Two, frozen, but inside I knew he could see what I had done. I felt deep shame all around. But I had no time to dwell upon it.

I turned back to Rubez, who was waiting expectantly.

“Anything you can tell me before I dive in?” I asked coolly.

He appraised me for a few long moments. Then he glanced overboard. “What’s down there needs sorting out, don’t it? Whether you’re the one to do it?” He shrugged. “Only you can answer that.” He gave me a wicked grin, which made my blood boil. I told myself that I would survive this if only so I could face this bloke again and turn him to dust!

Rubez used his oar to push off from the pier. I watched them drift away. It had occurred to me that this might be the last time I would see Delph or Harry Two. I should have felt teary. I should have felt something. And truth be known, I did. A terrible, terrible emptiness. As though all I had or had ever felt was gone.

Then they disappeared in the mist that had sprung up over the water. All I could hear was the splash of the oar against the water’s surface as Rubez carried all of my companions away.

The Subservio spell would only continue to work while I was in relatively close proximity to them. But by the time the effects wore off, it would be too late to stop me.

I held up a solitary hand and said, “Good-bye.”

Then I stepped to the edge of the pier and looked down at the Obolus River. Delph was right. I was not a very experienced swimmer. There simply wasn’t that much water in Wormwood. I had no idea what awaited me in the foul depths, but standing here thinking about it was not doing me any good.

So, gripping my wand, I took a deep breath and dove in.