The Three Furies (Erec Rex) (28 page)

face. "Welcome back, Erec Rex. Have you had a nice birthday?"

"No." Erec pulled himself up, blinking the wetness out of his eye. "I'd say it was the worst one ever. But
this
is the best present."

"That's right, Erec Rex. Happy birthday."

The villagers told Erec how the Hermit had pulled each of them to safety into the Port-O-Door when they left the Nightmare Realm.

"--and he yanked me right off of the ice into this wonderful place like I've never seen."

"The food was amazing. I forgot how good it is to eat."

"I was the only one who ate in all those years. And it was all rat. Only rat. With a little blood, of course."

The thought made Erec shudder. It was so strange seeing the people who had populated his nightmare standing next to him in reality. They looked the same, but far more oddly out of place in the twenty-first century, on a sunny beach.

They were certainly happier than any lot Erec had ever seen. They swam in their clothing, dried out in the sun, and ate everything that they could find. The Serving Tray was working nonstop.

"Ice cream, you call this? I've never seen anything like this before. I shall never eat anything else again."

"Oh, you will once you taste this fancy concoction. It's called 'am-burn-ger.'"

"Where will all these people go?" Erec whispered to the Hermit. "They can't stay on this beach forever, can they?"

"I have just the place for them." He cleared his throat and stood. "I will take you all to wonderful lands to live. You will see new inventions that are so magical, like little boxes that let you talk to people who are far away; big boxes that show moving pictures inside." Eyes widened in awe as people gathered around to listen. "You will be paid money just to have fun and travel. From now on, you will call

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yourselves actors. You will go to places known as medieval festivals and fairs. They will love you. Follow me to your new lives!"

"Not me, matey." Griffin swiped his hand in a long line. "It's nae an actor's life fer me. I'm an adventurer, and I'll live and die by my wits." He bowed to Erec. "Cap'n, if ye'll have me, I'd be honored to travel with you awhile. I might be a little rusty in me navigational skills, but I've kept up me practice in throwing a mean saber."

Erec laughed. "I remember." He thought about how that would work. "I'm going to rescue a friend from an evil sorcerer who wants power over the whole world--and almost has it. This quest is going to be really dangerous."

Griffin set his hand on his saber. "I'm in, cap'n. Sounds perfect."

He settled in the sand next to Erec as the Hermit led the others to the Port-O-Door. Erec suddenly realized he was still gripping the red snail shell. He pulled a letter out of it.

Dear Erec,

I have to tell you, the Shadow Prince isn't as bad as we thought he was. I mean, I don't agree with him about what he's doing. Trying to get superpowers from the three Furies trapped in Tartarus is okay, I guess, but he shouldn't give them live people as a trade-off. And if the Furies do escape, I think it will be bad news. Baskania wants to control them, but I don't know if it will be that easy.

But, like I said, he's not so bad. He totally gets why I hate Rosco. Said I'm a smart kid, and he'd help me get even if I told him everything about Rosco that I knew. So, of course, I did. It's like he thinks there's some mystery about Rosco and me, and he wants to know what it is. He

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knows Rosco can read my mind, but he said it doesn't make sense. Rosco can't have that kind of power over me from far away. Even Baskania can't read minds from that far. Something is up, and he knows it just like I do.

I asked Baskania about Bethany, and he said that she's not trapped at all! She just agreed to stay with him awhile. He's paying her to do some research for him. So you don't have to worry about her. It turns out that story I overheard about her being a prisoner in Jakarta wasn't true--they knew that I was listening and were just trying to scare me. Baskania visits with her most of the time, anyway.

But anyway, he kind of understands me. It's just nice to have someone on my side after all this time.

He's decided to give the Clown Fairy to the Furies as soon as they agree to triple his powers. They'll probably do it too, because they're just drooling to get her. It's like a death sentence for her, so I feel bad. But, like Baskania says, better a fairy than another human, right?

Hope you're doing well.

Your friend,

Oscar

Erec was stunned. How could Oscar let Baskania trick him like that? He was vulnerable, of course, after being alone for so long and angry, his father dead. But switching over to Baskania's side was

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crazy. He would have to write back to Oscar as soon as he returned to King Piter's house.

Poor Wandabelle. He hoped she would be okay until he could help her. As soon as Bethany was safe.

Then thinking of the cheering villagers who escaped from their nightmares made him smile. They were okay. And he
would
rescue Bethany. Then he'd go back for Wandabelle. He was free, finally, and on his way.

The Hermit returned alone, dusting his hands together with a contented smile, like he had just dropped a box of donuts off at a police station. "They scooped the villagers right up. All of them got jobs on the spot."

Erec said, "It's strange. I realized how I could escape the Nightmare World from looking into my future. I wonder, if I hadn't seen into my future, would I have thought to have done the same thing? Did it just speed things up for me?"

The Hermit laughed. "That is what is so beautiful about the universe, Erec Rex. It's full of puzzles and poetry. Maybe it was a little loop. You told yourself what would happen, so it happened in your future, so you knew what to do when you were there. The whole event might have shaped the minute you looked through your dragon eyes." His eyes twinkled. "These things happen. Look at the Fates. Everything they tell you, all of your quests are like this. Just currents in the ocean. But sometimes currents can shift the whole tide of things to come."

"I thought tides shifted from the gravity of the moon."

"That makes you the Moon Prince, then." The Hermit lifted an eyebrow conspiratorially. "Reflecting the light of the Sun King, and held by the gravity of the Fates." He giggled to himself.

"Tha's it!" Griffin clapped Erec on the back. "You're the Prince of Light, you are. Going against the Shadow Prince. Tha's the feller that trapped Wandabelle, right?"

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Erec liked the sound of that. The Prince of Light. "You know what this means, don't you? Now that I'm free?"

"Of course," the Hermit said. Which was a totally unsatisfactory answer for Erec, who wanted to tell him what he had been thinking.

"It means that I can get Bethany now. Will you come with me?"

"I'll be there in spirit." The Hermit laughed. "Bring some of your friends with you. Just remember, nobody owns a cat."

"What does that mean?" Erec blinked. He was sure the Hermit had been sitting on the sand by him a minute ago, but now all that was left was a warm breeze.

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BOOK TWO Tisiphone the Vengeful

UMANS ARE FUNNY creatures, in a pathetic sort of way. You'll say almost anything when you know you are in trouble. Lies, excuses, promises, apologies ... I've heard it all.

As if anything you could possibly say would make me spare your lives. Ha.

I think about that a lot, now that I am locked away in Tartarus. Let me tell you, it is not easy for me here, being the only level-headed one. I'm stuck with one sister who is furious at life, and another who is so jealous of my intellect she can barely communicate with me. I sorely miss taking care of you human beings. Making sure you do
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what you are supposed to. Destroying those who don't obey.

My lovely Harpies--who in some countries now are respected enough to be made into police officers--keep me informed of the goings-on of humankind. A pathetic state of affairs it has become in my absence. From my calculations, your misdeeds are adding up much faster than new humans are being born.

You know what that means, don't you? Yes, I believe you do.

You are all slated to die.

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CHAPTER NINETEEN Doubts

Dear Oscar
,

If Baskania is listening to you, you have to try to talk him out of giving the Clown Fairy to the Furies. It's the worst thing he could do. Even giving one regular person to them is terrible. It's like killing people, you know that. But she is the only one keeping all of the clowns alive! Giving her to the Furies is like murdering ten thousand!

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Please, don't trust Baskania. I know he can act nice, but he is not. He might seem like he's your friend, but that's only because he wants something from you. He lied about Bethany. King Piter found out she's trapped there, chained to a desk. So don't believe what Baskania said. You were right about her being a prisoner in Jakarta.

You've been away from people who you care about for too long. You've been through so much, and you have nobody with you. I'm sure that's why you're even listening to him at all. I'd get away from him before he does something awful.

Your friend
,

Erec

Erec took the snail into the Port-O-Door and picked a spot in Munich, Germany, to toss it out, so it could not be traced back to King Piter's house. He had snuck in with Griffin, keeping away from the windows so nobody would see them. Within moments, Griffin fell fast asleep on the couch.

He tried to think of what he would need on this trip to Jakarta. Too bad he didn't have a tribe of ninja warriors to take along with him, just waiting in his basement. One of these days he would explore the catacombs under the house, the huge winding hallways and rooms that used to be under the Castle Alypium. Who knew what might be hidden in there? King Piter built his new house right over them to protect his most prized possession, the Novikov Time

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Bender. Erec had used it to travel back into his early childhood.

Wolfboy came up and nuzzled his hand, happy to see him. That set Erec to thinking. Wolfboy might be perfect to bring along. He wasn't exactly a guard dog, but he was a loyal friend. A dog that turned into a ferocious wenwolf during the full moon might come in handy.

If Erec took Wolfboy along, he would have to bring some wolfsbane to protect himself. Luckily, he knew where to find some. One other spot in the house led underground to Hecate Jekyll's old storerooms, which used to be below the Castle Alypium. She had kept not only wolfsbane down there but also more strange things than Erec had known existed.

A large iron plaque, round like a manhole cover, with a large closed eye carved into it, was set into the wood floor near a parlor that Erec rarely went into. The Castle Alypium kitchens used to be in this very spot, in what had been the east wing of the castle. Erec crouched by the cover and said, "One eye sees all."

The carved eye flicked wide open and looked around until it spotted Erec. It stared at him and winked. Then the thick metal circle rose and slid across the floor, revealing a hole with a ladder below. A light turned on in the storeroom below.

A shiver of excitement ran through Erec as he went down. This small room contained so much magic and mystery. It made him a little nervous to go in alone. If the plaque slammed shut above him, nobody would know where he was.

The room reminded him of Bethany, and one ingredient they had found there together. Maybe it could help him get out again if he got stuck inside: Nitrowisherine--a powerful explosive that granted a wish when it was set off. If even one drop fell to the floor it would cause a huge blast. He smiled. That would be the perfect potion to bring along.

In fact . . . could it be that there was an easier way to bring

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Bethany back home after all? What if he set off the Nitrowisherine now and wished her to be here? He had not even considered it before, as the Fates had said there was only one way to save Bethany. But could trying hurt?

The potions and powders lined the shelves in alphabetical order, and Erec found the small glass Nitrowisherine jar in the
N
section. He had learned to be careful of what exactly he said when the Nitrowisherine detonated. If he only wished for them to be together, no doubt he would end up a prisoner at her side. "Here goes nothing." Erec opened it and squeezed the dropper until a single drop tumbled to the floor.

The room rocked with an earsplitting bang, and Erec was thrown against the shelves. None of the ingredients in the room seemed disturbed--likely they had a magical protection. But his back was sore. He pried himself off the bottles and jars behind him, wondering if the noise had woken Griffin. Then he remembered that the storeroom locked in sound, so no noise would carry above. "I wish Bethany was right here with me now, safe in my father's house, and would never be a prisoner of Baskania again."

He bit his lip, waiting. Nitrowisherine had never failed him yet. Maybe he would see her right now. He would tell her how sorry he was, and they could go on together, best friends, and never look back to this horrible time.

A glow, and then shimmering movement, filled the air. There was a subtle noise, and Bethany appeared--at least it reminded him of Bethany. Something like her shape wavered in the air. Shadows of her eyes caught his, trying to hold on. Then, with a look of sadness and longing, she faded away.

Erec stared at the empty space where Bethany had almost been. He slumped over in disappointment, even though he hadn't really expected the rescue to be that easy. It made sense, anyway. The Fates had said there was only one way. And she would never escape