Chapter 39
CHAPTER
CHARLEY
Thad was a man possessed.
Rives’s news had made him furious. Maybe because there might be a traitor in the City’s midst, maybe because the thefts happened despite all the efforts he’d made to prevent them, but either way, Thad had been on a tear ever since he’d spoken with Rives.
He and Rives searched the area around the Shack, making it known exactly what they were hunting for.
While they stomped around the woods, I spotted Jason slipping into Bart’s hut, no doubt on a covert knife-recovery mission.
But Jason came up empty, like Thad and Rives. The knives were gone.
Like today’s noon.
It passed quietly, without a gate. The lack of a gate meant nothing, at least as far as my theory and charts went. All it meant for sure was that no one around the City caught one.
After noon, a group of us went surfing. I managed to actually stand up for more than two seconds without falling off.
Talla and Rives cheered; so did Jason and Natalie.
Thad just smiled, like he’d known I could do it.
But my favorite part was simply floating on the open water.
It was a nice contrast to the stress of noon.
And now it was night.
A Nil Night, to be precise. My second, only this one was very different from the first. Now Dex was the newcomer, not me, and veteran Li was dead, buried in black rock.
And rather than Thad, tonight my escort was Natalie, or maybe I was hers, because ever since the mystery girl’s burial, Talla and I had made sure Natalie was never alone.
Natalie had agreed to bunk with Talla, which was a huge relief since she hadn’t stepped foot inside her A-frame since Rives had carried out the dead girl, and I knew Natalie wouldn’t catch a wink of sleep there if she tried.
Good sleep meant a good Search, or so I’d heard.
Maybe it was some wacky island version of an old wives’ tale, but if it could help Natalie, I was all for it.
And after last night’s midnight burial, Natalie definitely needed some good sleep.
So Talla and I had struck a deal. I’d promised Talla I’d look out for Nat on Search if Talla looked out for Nat tonight.
She’ll have her own personal watch, Talla promised.
I’ll pull an all-nighter if it makes her feel safe.
As usual, Talla’s response was extreme, but it made me feel better.
Looking over at Natalie, the sweet girl who’d watched over me on my first night in the City, and whose time was running out, I sure hoped I kept my end of the bargain.
As we broke through the trees, twilight was falling.
The sun hung low, brilliant and orange; torches in the sand flickered with firelight, less brilliant than the setting sun but powerful enough to cast shadows on the sand.
The beach scene looked exactly how I remembered it from my first Nil Night, and the strange déjà-vu took me back.
Recalling Rory hanging in the shadows, observant and wary, I glanced toward the trees, half expecting to see his ghost. Instead I spotted Rives making out with a girl I didn’t know.
Her blond hair trailed down her back, and with a start, I realized it was Talla.
Dang, I thought with surprise. I hadn’t seen that twosome coming.
Then again, maybe it was just a casual hookup.
Near the food table, Thad was talking intensely to Miguel.
Behind them, an island band of homemade strings, reed pipes, and gourd shakers cranked up, and they didn’t sound half bad.
The two large drums sat silent. It took me a minute, then I remembered the missing drummer was Samuel.
Samuel, who’d caught a gate, giving us something to celebrate.
Only there were fewer flower leis worn tonight, because Li was gone.
By the fire, Jillian sat stiffly, her ankle wrapped in white cloth. Dex sat beside her, his skin as pale as Jillian’s ankle, except for his tattoos. He reminded me of a lost puppy. Granted, one that was over six feet tall and skinny, but despite the pierced zombie look, he seemed oddly vulnerable.
When she saw us, Jillian waved.
“Hey, Jillian.” I gave her a hug. “Sorry about your ankle.”
“Me too. I’m just glad I didn’t break it.” She shuddered, and our eyes caught. Because then you can’t run, I thought.
“Hey, Dex,” I said. “How’s it going?”
“Fine, I guess.” His disinterest didn’t feel rude; it was like talking to a shock victim. Only now he stared at the drums, rather than the fire.
“Do you play?” I asked, pointing to the drums.
“Yeah. Me and my mates have a band. The Dead Reapers.”
The name sounded a little redundant, but I wasn’t about to debate his band’s name. “Well, if you want to play, go ahead. It’s a free for all around here.”
Confusion flickered across Dex’s face. “Really? I thought there were rules. The big bloke mentioned a contract?”
“Covenant.” Natalie spoke up. “It just means that if you stay in the City, you agree to support the Search teams and pitch in. You can hunt gates by yourself, but it’s easier with a team as support.”
“Totally,” Jillian said. “What if I’d fallen when I was out by myself? Sy practically carried me the whole way back. It can get crazy here.”
Dex studied the fire. “Yeah. About that. Uh, I’m not quite sure, because I was still bent, but …
the day I landed, I saw a big cat, with spots.
Like a leopard.” He seemed bewildered. “I don’t know if it was real, but if it was, how bloody scary is that?
I mean, there’re bloody leopards out there?
” He pointed toward the island’s interior.
“No idea,” I said, “and even if there was, there’s no guarantee it’s still here. Animals come and go just like people. But to make you feel better, there’re no snakes.”
Dex looked stunned, like he’d never thought about reptiles.
Thad whistled, drawing everyone’s attention. He raised his cup. “First, to Li. In her honor, let’s have a moment of silence.”
Heads bowed, and for a long minute, only the ocean made a sound.
“Now, to Samuel.” Hoots and hollers split the air. “You made it, man. Cheers.” Thad raised his cup. Everyone did the same, except Dex.
“And we’ve got a rookie.” Thad turned toward us. “Dex, welcome to Nil. We’re glad you’re here, even though we’re sorry you’re here.” Dex managed a wobbly wave, his empty hands shaking.
“To business,” Thad said. “First up, Search. Three teams leave at dawn. Elia’s heading out with Johan as Spotter, Raj as support. Miguel’s heading out with Bart as Spotter, Talla and Heesham as support. And Nat’s heading out with Jason as Spotter, Charley and me as support.”
Looking supremely confident, Bart high-fived Sy.
Thad’s face darkened, a change evident despite the black Nil night.
“Second. The Shack was hit last night, and the metal knives are gone. All of them.” His eyes roamed the group.
“Animals don’t steal weapons; people do.
If it’s one of us, stop. Put the knives back; that’s all that matters.
And if it’s not one of us, then whoever takes watch at the Shack, stay awake.
” He glanced at Bart, who didn’t flinch.
“We can’t afford to lose any more supplies. ”
Thad took a deep breath. “Last thing. I’m stepping down as Leader. I nominate Rives to Lead. He’s been a great Second. Any other nominations?”
Bart’s hand shot up. “Sy.”
Thad nodded. “Anyone else?”
The fire popped in the silence.
“Okay,” Thad said, “All in favor of Rives as Leader, raise your hand.”
Over a dozen hands filled the air.
“Hands down.” Thad said. “All in favor of Sy, raise your hand.”
Bart’s hand flew up. Sy’s weakly followed. No other hands moved.
“Hands down. That’s it.” Thad tipped his cup to Rives. “It’s all yours, bro. Who do you pick as your Seconds?”
Rives stood. “Heesham and Talla. And Sy.” Sy looked shocked; Bart looked confused.
Thad nodded. “Okay, that’s it. Take care of each other. Focus on the good, live in the moment. To now.” As Thad raised his cup, so did the crowd, and the echo of “to now” was deafening.
As the City cheered, I realized Thad hadn’t mentioned the nameless girl, the one Rives and Natalie buried in the night. The omission made her even more lost. No recognition here, and no going home. Despite the fire, I shivered.
“Speaking of now, Macy’s cooked up a little something, just for tonight.” Thad nodded to her. “When you’re ready.”
“Thanks!” Macy beamed. “Okay, people, I’m gonna try something here. If I were you, I’d back up.” As everyone stepped back, I felt Thad’s arms slide around my waist.
Macy nodded to Heesham, who threw her a stick about three feet long.
Each end was wrapped in something thick, like twine or vine.
She dipped each end in the fire and then twirled the stick like a baton.
Flames swirled in the darkness, forming a circle of light.
Macy tossed the stick in the air, caught it, and twirled it until the flames crawled toward her hands.
When the flames kissed her fingers, Macy tossed the stick into the fire.
As everyone hooted and clapped, she bowed, laughing.
Later, as Thad and I left the beach, Macy’s act played in my head: a ring of fire swirling against the charcoal night. The flaming circle reminded me of a gate, a moving target full of heat, one that everyone was dying to catch.
Like Thad, who had seventy-two days—to catch a gate, to save himself.
And like Natalie, who had even less.
If I was going to help them, time was running out. My charts were full of gaps and guesses, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something. That we were all missing something.
And I’d no clue how to find it, or if I even could.