“It’s the music,” he said, showing off a tiny bicep that had not been there before. “And playing a harp for hours every day. Builds definition.”
“I like. Go ahead, you all sing.” I twisted around to face the subdued crowd. “The rest of you, hum along as we go. Try to pick up the words. It’ll help. If we had instruments, it would be better…”
“But we do!” Delight, the sassy gal I’d met on my first day of Purity class, had a whole sack of something that clattered when she shook it. “I found these in the supply closet.” She pulled one out.
“Kazoos!” I whooped. “Best news ever. All right, everyone, grab a kazoo. Stick it in your mouth and it’ll amplify the hum—” I stopped talking, seeing Delight shaking her head.
“They’re not that kind of kazoo, Leader Feather. They’re…” She started lifting her toga.
I waved her to stop. “It doesn’t matter now. We’ll use what we have. Hand them out, Sassy!”
“It’s Delight,” she muttered. The hallways shook while she distributed them.
“Start walking!”
A bunch of protests rose. “Walk? Why walk?”
“We can stay closer and defend better, and… for glitter’s sake, are you all toddlers? Just do as you’re told! We don’t have time for this sort of insubordination. We can’t fly. We have to march, and sing, and play the danged kazoos. Stick them in your mouths or stick them in your butts. I don’t care. Start humming them and let’s get out of here!” I yelled, exhausted. My knees turned to jelly, but Arabella grabbed me before I went down.I really need a soulfire energy drink.
Ew. Stop thinking about giving head to your mates,Hope thought with a wink as she supported my other arm. “Everyone!” she shouted, holding one of the lap harps over her head. “The only weapon that works on these shadows is music, combined with a blade. Songs in High Angelic are best, but any music at all is somewhat effective as a deterrent. Next, if your leader tells you to put an actual piece of shit in your mouths, you will do so with a smile or you will beleft behind, do you understand me?”
A few shouted, “Sir! Yes, sir,” but one or two more complaints of “Thereissomething brown on mine” rang out.
Most of them got over their grump and stuck their kazoos in their mouths, making faces but joining in the tune as we traveled. It took longer than I’d hoped, my own fear and tension threatening to overwhelm me as each moment ticked by. Sanctuary sent small, reassuring licks of power my way now and then, though, and I knew my guys were still okay. And the shadow sandworm hadn’t made any further progress inside.
What took the most time was checking for stragglers. We had to make a pass down each hallway, visually inspecting the rooms, which meant Hope, Perception, Arabella, or I had to override the personal locks with an angelic word. We found a few where people had hidden, and one where some brave Guides had been unmade, shielding fallen Protectors. Hope pulled the survivors out, and everyone carried litters of the injured.
Percy took the soul knife and did a flight to the upper levels, returning with a lot more Guides. Obviously, that had been a popular place to cower.
At last, we reached the large space in front of the gate. And that’s where our luck ran out.
Chapter 17
Feather
The space in front of the Great Gate was almost as big as an American football field. When we left, it had been empty of shadows, but now it was at least half full of them. Hundreds of them floated between us and the gate.
Arabella and I watched them for a few minutes. She was glaring at the gate, and I allowed myself to feel my exhaustion and panic just a bit while the group caught up. Finally, Truth,Percy, and Hope were all standing by our sides. All equally stumped.
“Arabella, you have any idea how we can get around them?”
“I’ve got nothing,” she said. “Nothing good, that is.”
“Can you talk to Revel for us?” I asked. “He might have an idea. He was full of them when I grabbed his”—I shuddered—“his doorknob.”
She sighed. “No. I’d have to be much closer. On this side at least, his voice sounds like it’s miles away. I can barely make out the words unless I’m practically pressed against the surface.”
“If I may ask, Exalted One,” Perception said, bowing to Arabella. “What was your mission? You said you were a Celestial Messenger. But you haven’t completed your task, have you?”
She smiled. “Percy… Perception. You do credit to your name. No, I have not completed my task.” She tapped her chin with one finger. “Actually, I couldn’t talk Revel into it. He wouldn’t let me. I was sent here to relieve him.”
Percy’s jaw dropped. As usual, he understood more than she said. “The gate, Revel… wants to remain, even after we’re all gone?” he asked, incredulous.
“I wouldn’t go that far. We’re the youngest of all the First Children, and he’s very much like me.”
“Wait,” I said, feeling like I might throw up. “Relieve him. You were supposed to… take his place? Stay here?”
She nodded. “You’ll be happy to know that Revel turned me down. He said he had a vision of what may lie ahead, and is choosing to hold on for a while longer. To give you and the ones you love—and this realm—a chance to survive.”
