The Three Furies (Erec Rex) (64 page)

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CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

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CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT The Boy

HE CAT
(FELIS catus)
is a simple creature. Commonly known as house cats or domestic cats, these animals like to cuddle, rub against things, eat fresh fish, and play games with smaller creatures like mice.

But cats possess other qualities that people generally don't know. For one, they have amazing communication skills. At least, among each other. Some people believe that cats have nine

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lives, which is far from true. Cats actually have no less than ninety lives, although they notoriously lose count close to the end and get a nasty surprise when they run out. Having ninety lives is a big plus for cats, considering how clumsy and daring they are, and how often they chase and get into fights with dogs and other animals much larger and stronger than themselves. Some have been known to die as many as ten times in one day. This fortunate trick enables cats, as long as they are careful to keep count (which most, unfortunately, do not), to cross the Waters of Oblivion a good many times before having serious problems.

And there is one more thing about cats that you might not know: They are very loyal.

A particularly scrawny version of
Felis catus
had watched the events in the vast cavern of Tartarus with great interest. He saw the three huge bird people who had lived there forever grow bigger and bigger until finally the top of the rock cave burst outward and shattered into the open air. Their wings stretched out into what looked like infinity, at least to a cat, and then they had soared away.

Of course, not even a scrawny cat would be afraid of a bird. Even very big birds like these.

The boy who had entered the cavern had fallen, though, and didn't look right. His coloring was all wrong, and there was no breathing happening. He had died, the cat was sure, but the boy was not returning to life as a cat would have. What was wrong with humans, anyway, having only one measly life to live?

Well, he wasn't going to just let the boy sit here. Not
this
boy, anyway. This particular boy had saved him once. And not just one of his lives. No, the boy had saved all of them.

The cat had been trapped under a garbage can once, outside of a house. It was all a collision of mistakes and failures. Before he knew

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it, what had started as a simple evening meal had become deadly. The garbage can was so heavy that it pinned him once it tipped over. And it would not stop crushing him. He died, of course, came back to life, then died again, came back again, and kept on dying so many times that it was clear he would run through all of his lives before the next morning came.

But then this very boy appeared out of nowhere in his pajamas and lifted the can off him. Not only did he save him, but the boy dusted him off, petted him a bit, and offered him some of the very tuna the cat had been after in the first place. At last the boy walked away, grumbling about "cloudy thoughts."

One good turn deserved another, the cat thought, even if it
was
too late. He bit into the boy's sleeve and tugged, but the boy did not budge. Humans were far too heavy for their own good.

So he sent a silent message out into the room. The birds were all leaving through the hole in the roof, no longer interested in staying without those three big bird people who used to live here. And without the birds, what interest would this place hold for a cat? It was time for them to go. And, if they didn't mind lending a hand, could they please help drag this boy out of here on their way?

Cats slithered across the white floor, surrounding the boy. Biting into cloth, they pushed against his weight with their heads and paws. Soon he was slowly sliding across the cave and out of the door. Pulling, shifting, the cats dragged him straight into the shallow Waters of Oblivion. At many points the boy's face was underwater, but he wasn't breathing anyhow. The cats were able to keep their heads above water for the most part. The rapids were fast, which helped in spots and made the crossing harder in others. They ended crossing the shallow river a good thirty feet downstream from where they started.

The scrawny cat had noticed another man who was slumped

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against the cliff base when they had passed near to the cave entrance. For a moment he debated making another trip back again, not sure exactly how many lives he had left. Crossing the waters was sure to take another one away. But it seemed wrong to leave the man alone in such a desolate place, especially after they had done so well taking this one through.

He broadcast another call for help. The cats traveled back through the river again and found the man, who had not moved one bit. By the time they had dragged him across, though, the boy was gone.

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CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE Cookies and a Charm

ORDS . . . FLASHES OF LIGHT . . . music ... laughter ... memories ... flickers of thought ... Gone. Then back again. Then dark. How much time passed since that last bright spot?

Time played tricks. Was this real? What was he seeing? Was this his life playing back? Was it heaven?

Then out again.

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When brightness returned as two long slits in his eyes he gasped. He was breathing. But how?

Where was he?
Who
was he? And
how
?

He felt something soft against his face. A hand. And a voice--just as soft. "You need to drink more of this, Erec. Look, it's working!"

A warm taste of liquid metal and hot peppers spread through his mouth. When it hit the back of his throat he swallowed reflexively, and instantly felt better. Strength surged through his body, letting him lift his head slightly. He could see now as well. People gathered over him. Bethany was holding a glass of purple liquid. And a dragon looked over her shoulder. Was that Little Erec?

Another mouthful of the purple stuff went in and Erec almost choked. But then he started breathing well, and looking around, eyes open. "Where . . . am I? I must be dreaming. Or . . ." His face clenched. His whole family was with him. Were they dead too? Were they all in heaven together?

June appeared. "We're in a safe house in Smoolie, Otherness. Well, we're outside now, so Patchouli and Little Erec could be with you. King Derby and Queen Shalimar are keeping an eye on us. Your friend Rosco showed up early this morning at Aunt Salsa's house. He had tracked us down to tell us the news that we needed to get somewhere safe right away, and the Furies would be released soon. But you were gone. Bethany figured out where you went, and told us about your quest." She shuddered.

"We couldn't find the Hermit," Bethany said. Her eyes looked misty. "And none of us had any idea how to get to you and stop you." She sniffed, and a tear ran down her cheek.

Jack poked his head over Trevor's shoulder. "I told Oscar--I mean Rosco--about Kyron, Artie, and Griffin over at Spartacus's ranch, so he went there to get them. Spartacus was already gone by then. Baskania took him to give to the Furies."

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Zoey snuck through the crowd and cuddled on Erec's chest. "I was worried about you," she said.

Erec tried to answer, but he did not have the strength. Bethany saw his lips moving, and reached over with more of the purple liquid. "Your turn to drink this stuff, Erec. It's dragon blood, and it's really working on you."

The burning metallic-tasting liquid felt good going down. With each sip more energy returned to him. Now he could speak. "Did Patchouli . . . ?"

"No." Patchouli looked down from what seemed like high in the sky. "Little Erec insisted. You saved him with your blood once."

Erec's voice was a hoarse whisper. "I think we're more than even. You know, I was sure I had died." He rested for a few breaths, and nobody answered him. "I don't know how I made it out of there."

A few people looked at each other, unsure what to say. Then Bethany brushed his hair from his face. "Erec, you
did
die. I don't know what happened, if the Furies saw you or not.

"But the Hermit was waiting for you on the other side of that river. He said a huge crowd of cats started coming across the water. A lot of them were together in one spot, going really slowly, like they were carrying something. When he saw it was you . . . Well, you know the Hermit. He shouted something like, 'Look what the cats dragged in!' A bunch more brought Spartacus Kilroy across the water, and he pulled you both into the Port-O-Door. Luckily, he took you here first, and then went to get us. That way he had time to warn us. If I had just seen you lying there dead . . ."

June's face wrinkled in pain and she hugged him. "All I know is you're back. The Hermit wasn't sure he could do it. I was so scared." She cried into his shoulder, Zoey patting his hair.

"I still don't get it," he said. "The dragon blood gave me my life back?"

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"No," June said. She held up a cracked piece of gleaming yellow crystal. "It was this."

Erec had no idea what it was. "Huh?"

Bethany forced another sip of dragon blood into Erec's mouth, and then he found himself able to sit up. He took the cracked yellow rock from his mother. "What is it?"

"Amber," Bethany said. "It had a bee in it. The Hermit found it clutched in your fist. It had been preserved alive from one of the three Furies--probably that one we read about in the library that collected living specimens. I remember you said you found this in Baskania's fortress, right? Well, the Hermit told us that each of these things held a small breath of life inside. This one had only a tiny bit--just enough life to support a bee. It couldn't have brought a normal person back." She bit her lip. "But you are part dragon now, with Aoquesth's eyes. So you only needed a tiny jump start."

Jack said, "The Hermit cracked the amber open with a little marble statue of Anubis--this man with a jackal head. He said the ancient Egyptians believed Anubis took care of the dead. But the Hermit didn't know if it would work. We were all really upset, Erec. I mean, there you were. And the Hermit was saying that maybe too much time had gone by, or there might not be enough life in the amber to spark anything."

Erec sat up, rubbing his arms. How amazing it was to feel his arms! "But it
did
work. That and the dragon blood. But I thought the Furies took my soul. . . ."

June looked concerned. "I suppose they did use it to escape, but it looks like you got it back, kiddo."

Jack was petting and talking to a scrawny cat.

"Hey!" Erec did a double-take. "That cat was with me in Tartarus."

"Yeah." Jack nodded. "He said you saved his life once, and he paid you back."

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The cat blinked at Erec, then darted into the woods. "Wait!" Erec called. "Come back!"

"I already asked if he wanted to stay with us," Jack said. "He likes to wander, though."

Erec shook his head. "That's crazy. I don't remember saving his life." He shrugged. "Well, I won't argue, I guess. I'm alive."

Bethany joined June and Zoey giving Erec a hug, and he thought he might die again. But this time of happiness.

Not until Erec had been up and walking around for a while did he think about Spartacus Kilroy. Smoolie was so spectacular, and Erec appreciated everything a hundred times more now that he had almost lost it all, so he found himself staring in awe at leaves and blades of grass for minutes at a time.

He took a walk alone to clear his mind, and bits of what he had gone through filtered back to him. He remembered that Spartacus had been dragged by cats across the Waters of Oblivion as well. Was he okay? Had he made it across that river and still lived?

Erec sat by a brook in the woods. Water bounded over some rocks and splashed into others, causing little white waves to break up the sparkles from the sun. It was so beautiful. But was Spartacus able to enjoy it anymore? It was strange that nobody had mentioned him. . . .

Who was it, anyway, that said that anyone crossing the Waters of Oblivion would die soon after? They could have been wrong. Maybe Spartacus had not been across it long enough, and he still could be saved. Erec had died because of the Furies--Spartacus had not even gone into Tartarus. He might be fine, Erec told himself. . . .

A shadow loomed silently by his side. Erec turned, then jumped with surprise. Spartacus Kilroy, looking perfectly fine, although a bit pale, sat next to him on a rock.

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Erec almost fell over with relief. "You're okay! I was just thinking about you. What happened over there? Did those cats save you? I heard a bunch of them pulled both of us across the river."

Spartacus did not answer. Instead he picked up a rock and skipped it across the water. The small stone bounced perfectly on the stream surface, then hit a rock and catapulted to the dirt on the other side. He looked around him in wonder, just as Erec had. "It's all so . . . spectacular."

"Yeah, I know. I guess I never really
looked
at everything before." He laughed. "But Smoolie is extra pretty, anyway."

Spartacus nodded, and they sat in silence awhile. "I see your amulet has another slice lit up now. Guess that means you finished your sixth quest? Not bad--half done."

Erec looked down at his chest. His Amulet of Virtues was now half lit with glowing colors. The newest segment was sky blue, with a black symbol in the middle. "I can't imagine what this virtue will be. Complete stupidity? That seems to best describe what I did." He spun his dragon eyes forward so he could read what it said. "
Compassion
. Hmm. I think stupidity makes more sense."

Erec understood, however. He had felt compassionate toward the three Furies, even though they were using him like a pawn and taking his life away. That was the only reason he had chosen to use the red ball--the Awen of Harmony--for their benefit. And it had done a lot of good.

"So, are you planning to take a break now?"

Erec laughed. He hadn't thought there were any other options. "A break? That implies I'm going to start doing quests again someday. I don't know, that last one kind of knocked me out."

"That's an understatement." Humor twinkled in Spartacus's eyes. "But I bet you will do more. I get that feeling."

"I don't have that feeling. You know, I have a missing brother and