“Thank you,” he said.
“Now we’re even,” she replied.
Cyrus looked into her eyes, unsure what to do or say next. Sarah droppedher gaze.
“You have to go, Cyrus.”
He looked to his feet, feeling afamiliar sense of rejection.
“Thanks again.”
He paused a moment, his pointed ears burning, then turned towards theDead Fence. He began to make his way across the cracked earth.
“Wait,” Sarah said.
Cyrus stopped and looked back. She came over and stood in front of him.She had the strangest glint in her eyesas if she was about to cry. She reached up and touched his blackened brow.Cyrus looked away, ashamed. Sarah seized him and hugged him hard, pressing herhead to his chest. Cyrus froze like a petrified tree. Then slowly he raised hisarms and hugged her back.
“Take care of yourself and be safe,” she said.
Cyrus did not want this moment to end. He smelled her hair and held thelight warmth of her body.
“I will.”
He heard voices off in the bushes. The two separated as if caught insome unthinkable act. Sarah looked toCyrus.
“Run!”
Then she sped off into the woods, away from the nearing cries. Cyrussearched the tree line. Nothing. With a charging jump, he began to climb the ten-foot-highfence.
“There he is!” the burly guard shouted.
By the sounds of the racket, there were several men on his trail. An ax struck the fence to Cyrus’ left. The bladehit the wood like stone and fell to the earth. Cyrus clambered to the top ofthe wall. Several rocks passed near his head, hitting trees and bushes farbeyond. Cyrus looked back. Eight or nine men broke into the clearing, furiousand armed. One heaved a pitchfork. Another threw a sharpened stick. Cyrus half jumped,half fell off the fence, landing on the forbidden side of the forest. The projectileshit the top of the wall and came clattering to the ground around him.
“Run back to your Sea Witch, traitor!” one man yelled.
“She’ll do worse than hang you,” another shouted.
The men hit the fence like wild beasts, yelling curses and poking sticksthrough knotholes in the pickets. Cyrus scurried away from the wall on allfours. What if one of the men grew bold and followed him over? Cyrus rose tohis feet and began to sprint for the shoreline. He had to find Edward.
Chapter 15
SUPPLIES
CYRUS CRASHED THROUGH THE WOODSas if on fire, leaping over poisonous creepers and dashing through puddles ofmud. He cleared the forest and rushed down the seaside path, heading forEdward’s tree.
“Over here,” a familiar voice shouted.
The fuzzy spider was dangling from a grey leafed bush. Cyrus made hisway over.
“The Mayor’s ordered my death,” he said, his breath labored, “They’retrying to kill me. I have to escape.”
“What do you mean?” Edward asked.
Cyrus’ senses were electric.
“He says I’m a traitor and wants me executed. My only chance is to takethe boat and run.”
Edward seemed anxious.
“Well, I’m coming with you.”
“You don’t understand,” Cyrus said, “I can’t stay here, and with thecave-ins and that creature, Myrkur’s not safe either.I have to sail away, find somewhere else to live; a new island, a new home. I have to leave this place and never comeback.”
“But you can’t do it yourself,” Edward said, “You don’t know north fromyour nose. You’ll get lost the minute you lose sight of land.”
Edward was right. The little spider did seem to have an uncanny sixthsense when it came to direction.
“There’s no guarantee we’ll even make it through the night,” Cyrusreplied.
“But if I stay, I’m guaranteed to drown withthis place. With the two of us together, at least we stand a chance.”
Cyrus felt tears well up in his eyes and the weight on his shouldersgrew lighter.
“We’d better hurry,” he said, picking Edward up and putting him in hisshirt pocket.
Twenty minutes later the two runaways were adrift. Cyrus paddled throughthe shore break and searched the tree line for danger. It seemed that no onehad dared cross the Dead Fence in pursuit. Were the old legends true? Was theretruly some ancient evil beyond the wall? His stomach twisted. He did not sharehis apprehension with Edward.
The grey sky grew dim with the coming evening, and the sea foamed andchopped amidst the rising tide.
“We’re going to need food and water,” Cyrus said, shivering in his wetdenim.
“And some warm clothes,” Edward added, “You’re going to freeze.”
The small spider began to crawl out of Cyrus’ pocket and up his shirt.
“What should we do?” Cyrus asked, picking Edward off his shoulder andplacing him on the mast.
“Myrkur Island,” Edward said, skittering upthe crow’s nest, “Old Jim has lots of stuff in that place.”
“I was afraid you’d say that.”
Cyrus’ heart sank further.
They arrived at the southern tip of the island and moored the boat atthe edge of the seaside cave. The land seemed to have withered since their lastvisit, for the trees appeared bone-like and bare.
They climbed up into the eye socket of the massive skull. Cyrus felt asif he was seeing the caverns for the first time. He studied the arching andsomber forms. The twin pools in the fossilized rock reminded him of theblue-eyed phantom. There was no time to waste.
“Ready?” he asked Edward, who wascrouched on his shoulder.
The frightened spider nodded, his two eyes wide. Cyrus lit the lanternwith a shaky hand, then crept into old Jim OddFoot’sdwelling. He peered about the room for danger. Nothing had been shifted since their first visit. He madehis way towards the skeleton on the bed.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he whispered.
“You have no choice,” Edward replied, “Be quick.”
Steadying his nerves, Cyrus pulled the sealskin boots off the skeleton’sfeet. He knocked the dust out. The air became musty and stale. Coughing, hekicked off his wet, tattered shoes, held his breath, and pulled on the blackboots. To his surprise, they were fleecy, warm and felt tailor fit. Finally,some luck, he thought. Next, he pulled a leather belt and sheathed knifefrom the dead man’s waist. The dagger was a little longer than Cyrus’ hand andits fang-shaped blade sharp as broken glass. He buckled
