The Paradox Page 7

  “What makes you think I am even going to say yes to this mission? I mean, I was told I could say no.”

  “Before midnight a horse will give you a rose.”

  “A horse will…okay, sure. That’s not insane at all.”

  I roll my eyes to the ceiling of the underground cave and really think on that. I mean, considering everything, I suppose a horse presenting me with a rose isn’t all that insane.

  “If you take the rose, you agree to take the mission. If you decline the rose, this will be the last days of civilization. I’m giving you this test so that you know going forward if you will have help or not. It may affect your decision.”

  I think about it. So, accept the horse’s rose, accept the mission. Whatever, I already made up my mind before crazy lady sucked me into the ground. If for nothing else, I want to make sure my dad survives to see his grandchildren one day. At least, I hope it plays out that way. Still, something is bothering me. Why is Nexus the one telling me about this?

  “Why didn’t the team tell me about this?”

  “They didn’t know about it. Now, shall we begin?”

  Huh. Seems like something they should have been included in but okay. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t get told what the hell is happening.

  “In what way can you help me?” I demand.

  “I can protect your home with strong spells that ward off evil. I can lead you to the location of the weapons you will need to kill each of the horsemen, and yes, each one requires a different weapon. So, are we doing this or what?”

  Her staff sparks again but doesn’t shoot off like the Fourth of July after-party. I’m curious about her magic, and having someone who can help me track down the weapons I’ll need while also protecting my father sounds pretty useful, but how do I know I can trust her?

  Nexus taps her nails against the wood, clearly impatient with me for stalling, which just annoys me more.

  “I’m sorry, you seem a bit annoyed. Is there something more important than helping me save the world?”

  Yes, poking the proverbial bear of the Immortal Avo is going to go down as one of the dumbest, but ballsiest, things I have done. What can I say? I’m a true New Yorker.

  “If you must know, Hamilton tickets.”

  I scoff. Seriously?

  “Are you freaking kidding me?”

  “The world will end, think about it. When will I get another chance?”

  I shake my head. Could this get any weirder?

  “If you are certain that it will end, why are you even helping me?”

  “My family swore an oath to be of service to the one who’s worthy. Now, personally, I don’t think the Paradox stands a chance against the horsemen. And here you are before me. I’d say our odds of survival are pretty damn slim. But an oath is an oath.”

  Ouch. Low blow, you old hag.

  “Well, I sure hope you have a better outfit before you go to your little concert that’s more important than people’s existence.”

  She looks down and back up at me through the scarf, and for a moment her eyes glow the same orange as the staff. I take a step back, uncertain of what to do if I just royally screwed up and pissed off the one chance we had at winning. But, instead of casting some crazy spell and burning me into ash, Nexus clears her throat and turns away from me.

  She taps her staff and words seem to crawl out from the staff to form on the cave wall. Cool, it’s like some underground celestial PowerPoint. Her voice echoes, thick and deep. It sounds almost melodic.

  “You, Sailor Monroe of New York, will be given three tasks to complete. Do so, and you will be deemed worthy.”

  The words scramble and I stare, fascinated. I mean, I’ve never watched magic like this that wasn’t complete CGI. It’s probably the coolest thing I’ve seen yet. The letters form into words I recognize: First, a task of the mind.

  “For your first task, I will give you…” Nexus pauses and I stare at her, hoping she will hurry up and stop with the theatrics already. “A riddle. Solve it, and it’s on to task two for you.”

  “You are some immortal entity, who has the power to drag my butt down through some secretly squirreled tunnel through the many layers of our Earth, and you are going to start these Hunger Games with a riddle?”

  May the odds be ever in my favor, because if this is the help I’m getting, I need something in my damn favor.

  Nexus doesn’t respond. She doesn’t even move. She steps forward, close enough that I can smell her. A musky vanilla scent with the very sharp smell of moss and wet dirt.

  “Yes. That is exactly how we are going to start your trials, smart ass.”

  “Okay.”

  “I can only live where there is light, but I die if the light shines on me. What am I?”

  Nexus moves back a pace and I sigh in relief. Her close proximity didn’t do wonders for my nerves.

  “Lives in light, but dies if the light touches it,” I mumble over and over.

  Nexus stands all statuesque and I can just feel her smug smile under that scarf. She taps the staff on the floor and the light grows a little brighter, but she’s made a very big mistake in doing so.

  “A shadow,” I finally say with a cocky grin, confident I am right.

  Nexus takes a quick intake of air, clearly surprised. When she tapped her magic pole, I saw a shadow grow behind her on the wall and then die when the light dimmed. She doesn’t even know she gave me the answer.

  “Now your turn,” Nexus states.

  “Wait, what?”

  “Oh yes, to move on you need to stump me. But let me warn you, it won’t be easy.”

  “I thought if I got the answer right, we could move on to the next task?”

  “That is only one part of this first task, dear.”

  I curse under my breath and think about it for a second. I finally come up with the perfect one. Last year, at my old school, Ms. Keegan taught us a slew of riddles and stumpers. There was one that has stuck with me since, even more so after my mom’s death.

  “She has a heartbeat but she’s not alive.

  “She’s drowning but stays dry.

  “She’s here but always gone. What is she?”

  Nexus twiddles those knobby fingers around her staff and shifts her weight again, alternating sides. Must be painful on the joints living for eternity. Every few minutes she lifts a hand away from the staff, then switches back with the opposite hand. I take a seat as this looks like it might be a while. After I hear a few long sighs and agitated growls, Nexus comes over to my spot and props one hand on a hip.

  “Fine. You win this round. What is she?”

  “Aw, giving up so soon?”

  I can pretty much hear her teeth grinding behind that silky mask. I know I shouldn’t taunt her—she might keep trying and guess the answer, but I have to have my fun somehow.

  “Yes,” Nexus practically snarls.

  “She’s depressed.”

  Nexus puts one hand to her heart and looks to the side, not saying anything. I am not sure if I have just blown her mind or made the old bag feel something for the first time this millennium, but she sure does seem to be thinking hard on this one.

  “Very well, task two.”

  She taps her staff and the words on the wall re-scramble to read: Test her strength.

  I want to ask her what that means, but the crack of her staff has me covering my ears again. Seriously, the amplification of this cave is deafening. Nexus has moved like some magician with a bunny in their hat to the corner, at least fifteen feet from where she stood two seconds before. I’m fairly certain she teleported. And, where she once stood? Well, honestly, I don’t even know what the hell I am looking at.

  “Uh, Nexus, what exactly is that?”

  I am pointing with my right hand but realize my left hand is suddenly weighted. Looking down, I have a curved dagger in my hand. Glowing orange symbols rest across its blade. The creature growls, but Nexus still hasn’t told me what I am looking a
t or what it is I am supposed to do.

  “Nexus, please stop,” I start.

  I am interrupted as the wind is knocked from me. Now on my back, the thing has me pinned to the ground. It looks like a werewolf and a bear-moose had a baby. Yes, a were-bear-moose. Sounds crazy, but seriously, that’s what it looks like.

  It has yellow eyes, and it’s dripping slobber from its mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. The legs on this thing are brutal, and cloven, but the most terrifying aspect is probably the large rack of antlers on its fur-covered hair.

  Okay, not a moose. No, this looks more like a were-bear-buffalo. Because that is so much better. But it’s got to be easier to beat than the Slip Demon, right? I mean Nexus must know I’ve had no training, and yet she’s sending this thing after me. I can do this. I can.

  I heave and punch it in the rib cage. My knuckles scream in pain after contact with the damn thing. Let’s just say, it’s built like a tank.

  It steps back and scrapes its hoof on the ground, dipping its head and thrusting it up again. Oh god, is it about to charge me? Yep.

  At full speed, the creature races toward me and at the last second, I jump to the side, but I am not fast enough and one of those sharp, hard as hell antlers rips across my bicep. I don’t have to look to know I am bleeding; the pain is very clear. Still, I don’t have time to really take care of it, because the beast has turned and is charging me a second time.

  This time, I dodge it only to slam into rocks. Well, I will definitely be purple and blue after this.

  The creature is snorting like a bull, its beady eyes trained on me, but it doesn’t charge me right away. My chest rises and falls as I try to catch my breath and wince through the pain.

  “Okay, come on, baby. It’s go time, bitch. Whatever you are.”

  “It’s a Worgle, but that’s unimportant,” Nexus says unhelpfully.

  “Thanks for that. Any other bit of help you want to extend my way right now?” I call over my shoulder to where Nexus is watching as if she is binging her favorite show.

  She doesn’t say anything, so I assess the situation. I have to kill it before it kills me. This time, when it charges, I surprise it by also charging. This does it, as the creature doesn’t know what to think of the smaller prey coming back with full force. It bows its head, ready to impale me with its horns.

  I scream in fear and rage; I like to think it is a proud warrior cry. I slide on my hip at the last second and slam the blade as hard as I can into its left eye and scramble to the side out of the way, panting. It wobbles to the left and crashes hard to the floor, twitching before going completely still.

  Nexus steps forward and inspects the creature and taps her staff to the blade, which dissolves into a strange liquid that snakes up the staff to the glowing tip. The pain in my arm is now a very distinct burn. I groan and take a look at it.

  Thankfully, the wound is not as bad as I assumed, but still it burns like hell. Nexus taps that damn staff and those letters start to scramble again. It’s all just too much. I groan and let out my pent-up frustration on her.

  “You know what? Screw this! You don’t want to help me, fine. But I’m done with your testing BS. Got it?”

  “I’m impressed.”

  “I don’t give a damn what you are. Send me back up there.”

  “One more test. A test of endurance.”

  I start to shake my head, when the crazy witch poofs away. She doesn’t leave without leaving a gift of course. I hear the trickle of water before I see it. My eyes dart around in a panic. Water is filling up the cave at such a rapid rate that it’s already up to my knees.

  Trudging through it, I try to reach the walls, looking for any kind of escape. It’s to my chest now.

  “Nexus! This isn’t funny. Get back here and let me go dammit!” I cry out, but there is nobody here but me.

  I’m bobbing up as the water hits my chin and my feet are no longer touching bottom. My breath comes rapidly, like my heartbeat. I take a second to calm myself the best I can. They taught us in health class that the more you panic the more energy you burn, quickening your breathing and making your air run out faster.

  This is it. This is how I will die. Never mind the Four Horsemen, simple H two fucking O is enough to kill me off apparently. I’d cry if I wasn’t so damn pissed.

  I suck in as much air as possible just before the water envelops me. It takes a moment to adjust to looking through the blurry water. A soft blue light shines, cutting through the gloom a little. I wonder vaguely where it’s coming from and then I dismiss the thought. Who cares where it’s coming from? At least I can sort of see, though maybe being blind as I drown would be preferable.

  It’s really hard to explain the feeling of drowning. Actually, no, not really. My lungs are already pinching together as the last air bubble drifts away from me and my arms and legs are kicking and flopping around. I know I am just using up whatever energy I have left, but the calm has left me and I am terrified and I don’t want to die.

  Of all the things to think about right now, Rye really shouldn’t be at the top of my list, and yet there he is, looking devilishly handsome in an annoying way. My head grows heavy, deprived of oxygen. All the fight is fading in my legs and arms. Bubbles drift up around me and I snap my head down. There, a door is opening in the floor of the cave.

  That’s it, Sailor.

  Get your shit together and get out of here.

  With the last reserve of my will to live, I push myself to reach the door. My arms and legs, already sore from the fight, scrape the rock wall as I feel my way to the door and my hand wraps around the latch.

  I plant my feet on either side of the door and pull. My lungs burn, my arms scream in pain, and the door sucks me through just as I feel like giving up. I hit something hard, sputtering and gasping for air. I clutch at my throat and savor the breath filling my lungs.

  That was a close call. Too close.

  But before I have time to react or yell for Nexus to get her butt out here so I can beat it, I look around in horror.

  The door planted me right in the middle of my new school and all eyes are on me...

  RYE

  A loud thud and a crash like a waterfall sound in the hallway. It’s when everyone starts laughing that I know I have to investigate. And who else would be the cause?

  Sailor.

  She’s soaked, her hair covering her face like she just climbed out of a lake, and she’s all muddy too. More importantly, she’s bleeding and clearly distressed. She faced a lot of unnatural shit without really flinching, but right now I can see the whites of her eyes, and the color difference between them and her skin isn’t all that much.

  So, it takes a major social embarrassment to unhinge her? Wow. Teenagers!

  “Sailor?”

  I push my way through the crowd of idiots and kneel beside her.

  “Come on, let’s get you out of here. Move,” I tell Conrad and Jacob, two of Whisper Prep’s biggest jerks.

  I’m in good with them, but only because it made the most sense. Make friends with the biggest douche bags, ingratiate myself, and sail under the radar for the most part.

  When my hand touches Sailor’s hand, just before the cold from her fingers hits me, a small spark of blue lights up. She doesn’t notice. Neither do the idiots still laughing like circling vultures.

  Ignoring this, I help her up. The rest of the gang runs down the hallway, and I wave for them to follow us as I guide Sailor into an empty classroom. Sunday is the first to join us.

  “What the hell, Sailor? Where were you?” he demands.

  I turn on him, annoyed with his tone. She’s clearly been through something and he doesn’t have to be a dick.

  “How about we make sure she isn’t too injured before we start an inquisition?”

  Grace, Jinx, Mel, Ya-Ya, and Aziza file into the quickly cramping space, and I regret waving them in. But we are a team, so they have to be present.

  I start examining Sailor. Cuts and scratch
es mark her arms, some bruising is beginning to blossom around one particularly nasty cut on her bicep, and her perky lips are a few too many shades lighter than I would like them to be. Just looking at her lips, I want to taste them.

  If I get my hands on whoever or whatever has done this, I am going to kill them. Facing Sunday, I cross my arms to avoid reaching out and beating him senseless.

  “Care to tell me what the hell happened?”

  “It would appear that Nex—” Sunday starts, but I am seeing red.

  Not able to stop it, I grab him by the collar and pull him up, his feet dangling several inches from the ground.

  “You had a simple job. Watch out for her as she walked to school. How is that so hard?”

  “Hey Brutus, how about you take a step back and let poor Sun-man down. Beating him won’t get us the answers we need. But, if you are going to beat him stupid anyways, at least let me boomerang it!” Jinx chuckles.

  I ignore him. Ya-Ya slugs Jinx in the shoulder and he grunts, touching the sore spot. Aziza doesn’t seem to want to take the bait, and Mel is staring at Sailor, eyes large with concern. Maybe she is deciding if she needs to lay hands on her or not.

  A soft groan escapes Sailor’s lips and I drop Sunday, rushing back to her side. Nothing appears too serious, but what if she has internal bleeding? I mean, I don’t know the specifics of what happened to her, so I can’t really tell.

  “God, can you guys just chill?” Sailor says through a harsh breath and chattering teeth.

  She sounds okay, like her snarky little self. I think we can safely hold off on portaling her back to the cabin so she can be healed. I have a feeling she wouldn’t go willingly anyway.

  “Someone was supposed to be watching you.” I glare at Sunday.

  “Hey, how was I supposed to know that Nexus was going to call on her so soon?”

  “You should be on alert at all times. It doesn’t fucking matter how soon she called on her. What matters is that you were too damn busy, probably swiping on Tinder, to pay any damn attention.”

  “Okay, man, you know what? I have had enough of your all high and mighty bullshit,” Sunday throws back.