Chapter 51 #2
Sebastian groaned, slumping against the wall.
Serena heaved a sigh. Amaya met Will’s eyes, and he could almost read her thoughts: this was taking too long.
A pang of empathy struck his chest when he imagined how desperate she must feel, but they couldn’t rush this.
Not when one miscalculation could cost their lives.
“You don’t know the constellations?” Amaya asked Edmund.
Even in the dim blue light of the Aether Storm, Will could see Edmund’s face darken to purple.
“Of course I do. But there are over a hundred constellations above Veridian alone—and I don’t know the name of every star.”
“Go get Grace,” Amaya suggested. “She’ll know.”
Everyone turned to look at Will. Grace had begged to come before they departed the Maelstrom, but they were crowded enough as it was, and honestly, Will found her know-it-all attitude irritating.
But, as Amaya had often reiterated, the girl was brilliant. Sighing, he raked a hand through his hair and nodded.
“Fine.”
Will sent Sebastian for Edmund’s star charts and Grace, who was thrilled to be needed.
Edmund explained the problem to her, comparing the constellations with the charts and marking off the ones he’d already identified. Grace leaned over the maps and listed with rapt attention, narrowing her dark eyes as they flicked between the charts and the engraved door.
“We need to identify either a constellation or a star with a connection to Pearce,” Edmund said. “Amaya is under the impression you can do this.”
“Sure. Let me see.” Grace didn’t look the slightest bit intimidated by the challenge. She stood before the door, scanning all fifteen constellations. “Each one is missing its brightest star.”
“Do you know the stars’ names?” Will asked, folding his arms.
“Of course, but there’s no need for all that. The answer is obvious.”
“Obvious?” Serena repeated.
“Knowing what we do, yes. Pearce was secretly in love with Lucretia Albright, correct?” Grace lifted a finger and pointed to a constellation on the upper right hand side of the door. “Lucerna.”
“What?” Edmund asked.
“That constellation is Vigilus, also known as the Maker’s Eye. The brightest star is called Lucerna.”
“That has to be it,” Amaya said. “Lucy.”
“Cory never knew about her,” Will said, recalling his fateful conversation with Graven a few days ago. “If Pearce was worried, she was the perfect person to keep his secrets.”
“Are we agreed?” Amaya held up the conductor. “Lucerna?”
“We should probably still explore the other—” Edmund said, but Sebastian cut him off with a shove.
“We’re not going to find a better connection than that, Ed.”
Amaya took a deep breath and nodded. “I say let’s do it.”
Will watched Amaya approach the door, furrowing his brow.
While he was sold on their solving of the puzzle, he didn’t trust the door would open up exactly how it was supposed to.
It was old, untouched for eighty years. The hinges might have rusted.
The mountain’s integrity might be compromised on account of their last attempt.
“Wait,” he said. “Everyone on the skiffs.”
Amaya turned, frowning. “Why?”
“Just . . . give the conductor to Malcolm. I don’t want us all standing here if the mountain crumbles.”
“Why Malcolm?”
Serena understood immediately. “He can extend his arms—probably far enough to reach the door from the skiffs.”
“Oh, excellent idea, Captain,” Malcolm said, his voice tinny. “I would be more than happy to assist.”
They mounted the windskiffs once more and flew several yards away, hovering in midair while Serena carefully steered toward the door.
“Don’t drop it!” Edmund said, at which Serena looked toward him and stuck out her middle finger.
Amaya wrapped her arms around Will, peering around him to watch as Malcolm stood and leaned over, his arm extending chink by metal chink. Her heart pounded against Will’s back as she curled and uncurled her fingers from the fabric of his shirt, betraying her anxiety.
“You know we’re gonna have to dive if he falls,” Sebastian joked to Will.
“I heard that!” Serena called. “Slow and steady, bud.”
Amaya pressed her forehead to Will’s back.
“I can’t watch.”
Will shifted his shoulder, nudging her. “He has those steam jets, remember? This is the least dangerous thing we’ve done all day.”
Malcolm pressed the orb into the wall, completing the Vigilus formation. For a moment, all was still. Then the mountain started shaking once more, and Will’s confidence plunged.
“Serena, pull back!” Sebastian said.
Serena wasted no time, yanking Malcolm back into his seat and speeding away to join them as the mountain trembled.
Will was grateful for his decision. He didn’t know if it was a result of disuse, their failed attempt, or if they’d chosen the wrong star this time as well, but the cliff they’d been standing on began to chip away. Boulders shook into freefall where they were eaten up by the circling storm.
“The door isn’t moving,” Amaya lamented.
Will grimaced but didn’t answer.
This had to work. They didn’t have any options if it didn’t.
The rest of the cliff fell away from the mountain, the quake not ceasing as it tore through the rock. Then, at last, a deafening creak emitted from the old vault door, sparking hope in Will’s chest.
The gear-lined circle on the top half twisted painfully, scraping away rust and debris as it turned. A bright blue seam split the door, illuminating each of the constellations one by one. The Maker’s Eye lit up last as the double door gaped inward, beckoning them into the belly of the mountain.
The Skyvault was open.