The Key of Kilenya

Author's Note:

The video associated with this chapter is actually me giving a short tour of my home. Enjoy! :-)

Happy reading!

- Andrea

17. Breakneck Speeds

Just as soon as the relief of rest came, however, Jacob was awakened.

“Jacob, you can’t sleep!”

He moaned, not wanting to move.

“Please, Jacob. Come on.”

Jacob moaned again and tried to clear his mind. He didn’t open his eyes for fear the bright lights would flash again and make him want to throw up. “The Key . . . did you get it?”

“Yes, it’s here.”

Jacob took a deep breath. “And the box?”

“Here as well.”

“Put . . . put them in my bag. I just need . . . a minute.”

“We’ve really got to go, Jacob—now. The Lorkon, wolves, and Dusts are stunned, but won’t be for much longer.”

Reality entered Jacob’s mind, and his eyes snapped open. He jerked to a sitting position, immediately regretting it. “Whoa,” he said, holding his head in his hands. It took a second for everything to stop spinning.

While waiting for the dizziness to pass, Jacob mentally examined himself. His body was sore all over, and his eyes ached a great deal. The ringing in his ears was gone, though. He glanced around the small, dark space. “Where are we?”

“I had September find us a place to hide. We’re only a couple of rooms away from where we found the Key.” Akeno got to his feet. “There are Dusts everywhere. As soon as you fell to the floor, several of them came in. I think they all knew we’d entered the castle and were hiding from us.”

“I saw hundreds of people going back and forth,” Jacob said. “Were they chasing us?”

Akeno looked confused. “People? What people?”

“Makalos, Lorkon, humans—tons of them. Even Shiengols and Dusts. Or Wurbies. I couldn’t tell which ones they were. And others . . . different creatures.”

“I only saw Dusts and the four Lorkon. No one else.”

Jacob scratched his head. “Are . . . are you sure?”

“Of course.”

“Then why did I see them?”

Akeno gave him a worried look. “I don’t know,” he said.

Jacob sighed in frustration, switching gears in his head. “Okay, let’s just focus on finding a way out. I don’t think going through the door would be the best choice right now.” He stood up. “September, you keep a lookout. Let us know if anyone comes toward the door.”

September flew to the keyhole and positioned himself inside it while Jacob felt the walls, searching for warmth. He found several shelves on one side with rags, buckets, brooms, and mops, but no warmth. He sighed in exasperation.

“This ability I have is great and all, but it sure isn’t the fastest,” he said.

After checking the walls, he got to his hands and knees, feeling his way around the floor. “Here!” he said, finding a warm spot in a corner of the room. He held his hands over the stone, heating it up. Soon there was a hole about two feet across. The rest of the stone wouldn’t give way. “Hope that’s big enough,” he whispered, then peered over the edge. “I can’t see anything. Akeno, can you?”

Akeno crawled to the hole, looking down. “Can I use my Rezend? It’s too dark.”

Jacob went to the door, shoving rags underneath it. “Don’t use too much light. Oh, and we should have Early check, instead of us.”

A blue glow emanated from Akeno’s finger, not bright enough to make Jacob squint, but giving enough light for him to see Early as she flew down. She came back a moment later, reporting that the room below was empty.

Jacob ducked his head into the hole to survey the room. “Okay, there’s a bed kinda underneath us. If we swing a little, we’ll be able to land on it.” He turned to Akeno. “Ready?”

“Yes, ready. September, you come, too.”
            Jacob lowered himself until his arms were straight, then swung his body and let go. He barely made it to the bed, surprised at how far beneath him it turned out to be, but it cushioned his fall. Reaching up, he caught the bags Akeno dropped to him, slinging them over his shoulders.

Akeno then dropped down. Being smaller and more nimble than Jacob, he landed on the bed without difficulty. Jacob handed Akeno his bag, then looked around for Early. He sent her through the keyhole to inspect the area outside of the room.