Anne Ursu - The Shadow Thieves

And then they were gone, they had flown off into the distance, and the cousins got up, trembling, and walked forward again. Soon all other sounds became drowned out by the rushing of the river- strong, fierce, and near.

They emerged to find themselves on flat land. In front of them stood a smaller white boulder, and up ahead in the distance flowed the waters of the Styx, which were-Charlotte's eyes had not been deceiving her-in fact, steaming. Well. They were certainly not going to swim across. Charlotte was eyeing the river nervously when suddenly she heard a strangled noise come from Zee.

"Charlotte! Look up!" He had turned around and was pointing to the top of the cliff they had just passed through.

A man was chained to the cliff, a shirtless man dangling against the rock face, with blood all over his stomach. Three Harpies were circling around his head. And even though she could not really see his face, Charlotte knew.

"Mr. Metos!" she exclaimed.

"Oh my god," said Zee.

"Oh my god," said Charlotte. She cupped her hands and shouted, "Mr. Metos? We're here! We came!"

The man started and looked down. His eyes popped. "What are you doing here?" he yelled fiercely.

Charlotte and Zee exchanged a glance. "We got your message!"

"I didn't send you a message! I told you the last thing we wanted was for you to be down here. Do you think I'd then send you a message telling you to come down here?"

Charlotte stumbled back. "You didn't send the message?"

"No," said a silky voice behind them. "I did."

THE COUSINS WHIRLED AROUND. A MAN WAS STRIDING toward them, or something like a man-really, he was too tall to be a man, and, frankly, too evil looking. He wore a black tuxedo topped with a white cravat and had a black cape. Black, spiky hair framed a thin, cruel gray face, and red eyes matched red lips that seemed to stretch on for miles. The lips smiled; large, bony hands clapped; and a voice oozed, "Hello, my sweets!"

Mr. Metos bellowed, "Run!"

No need to tell them twice. Charlotte and Zee turned and ran-in their minds they traveled back through the passage, back through the fog of Dead, back through the rocks and the cave, through the endless tunnel, through the very plain door, through the Mall, on the bus, and back home.

But in reality they made it about three steps. The man's voice sang out, "Oh, lads?" and just like that, the Footmen appeared from the shadows. Two, four, six… twelve of them surrounded Charlotte and Zee in a perfect circle. The cousins looked around wildly, but there was nowhere to go.

Oh, they were hideous. It was one thing to see two of them hovering over you in a neighborhood street-okay, that was a big thing, but still-it was quite another to see twelve of them surrounding you in the rocky plains of the Stygian banks, their lips cracking, their yellow eyes glowing, their white faces flickering in the strange, unsteady light of the Underworld. Charlotte and Zee drew toward each other and grabbed hands. Zee urgently whispered something to Charlotte, but she could not hear over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. She shook her head at him, and he whispered again, "If I can-"

But Philonecron loudly cleared his throat, then with a flourish of his cape the demon-like man glided into the circle next to Charlotte and Zee, and Charlotte could not catch the rest of Zee's words.

"I've been so rude! I haven't introduced myself," the demon-like man said. "I am Philonecron." He bowed deeply and then surveyed them, smiling strangely. "Oh my darlings, I'm so glad you are here!" he enthused. "It's been quite a challenge to get you down here, you know. I tried kidnapping, I tried seducing you through your dreams…" He clucked, staring at Zee. "Fortunately, when your meddling friend came down here"-he pointed up at Mr. Metos-"it gave me an idea."

From his unfortunate position on the cliff, Mr. Metos started yelling something at Philonecron in a language that Charlotte did not understand, but one thing she could tell: The words did not sound like nice words.

"Really, Metos, such language," Philonecron chided, looking up at him. "Why don't you be quiet so my Harpies can enjoy their dinner? Liver is their favorite."

From up in the air, where the Harpies circled around her English teacher, Charlotte could hear the very distinct sound of raspy nursery rhymes. She whirled toward Philonecron.

"You can't do that to him!" she yelled. Zee clenched her hand.

"Oh, can't I?" Philonecron smiled haughtily.

"He's mortal," she protested, ignoring Zee. "His liver won't regenerate… he'll die!" There were tears in her eyes, which she tried to will away. I will be brave, she thought. I will be brave.

"Ah, I see you know your history, my dear girl. Do not worry, I would not let Metos get out of his due punishment so easily. I've cast a spell-his liver will regenerate every night so my Harpies can feed on it anew in the morning." He clapped his hands together and smiled brightly. "Feel better? Now, what else… you've met my men. Lads?"

As one, the twelve Footmen bowed. Charlotte noticed that one of them was wearing a bandage around his ankle, and his pant leg was frayed. Philonecron followed her gaze.

"Yes, your little hellcat destroyed a perfectly good pair of tuxedo pants," he growled, shaking his head tragically, "not to mention an ankle. Poor Epsilon! Poor, beautiful trousers!" Philonecron sighed. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes. My children. Do you know how long I've waited to meet you? Not you so much"-he glared at Charlotte -"but you, my precious, my sweet, my little Zero."

Zee gasped involuntarily and took a step back.

"Oh, no, no, no… don't be scared! Don't be," Philonecron said softly, creeping closer to Zee. "Don't you see? You're home now!" He put his arms out and gazed lovingly at Zee. "My dear, I know. I know you've never felt comfortable anywhere. I know that." He nodded earnestly "I'm just like you. I never had a place in the world either, until now. But here"-he twirled, arms wide -"with me, my little Zero, you belong."

Charlotte moved in front of her cousin, stomping her foot on the ground. "Stay away from him!"

"My, aren't you saucy," Philonecron smirked, reaching down and patting her on the head. "Now, be quiet. Zero and I have much to discuss."

Charlotte opened her mouth, but Zee moved in front of her, as if she weren't even there. "Why are you calling me that?" he whispered urgently.

"Why," Philonecron wrapped his hands around Zee's cheeks, "that's who you are, my sweet. My Patient Zero. Brave and strong and handsome and clever. Oh so clever! You are going to start an army. A revolution!" He tapped Zee on the nose with one finger and smiled kindly.

That was the last straw. It was one thing to insult her, but another to abuse Zee. Zee was sensitive. Charlotte found herself starting toward Philonecron surprising even herself-and, in a blink, three of the Footmen moved to her, one grabbing her by the shoulders. She squirmed. From his perch Mr. Metos started yelling again.

"Why do you think I'm going to help you?" Zee asked dully. He looked so strange, Charlotte thought. Not struggling at all, not defiant, just staring up at Philonecron, sounding like he really wanted to know the answer to the question. She didn't understand. He'd been fighting all this time, the whole way-he was the brave one. Why was he stopping now?

"Because you are my precious Zero," Philonecron said. "And because you will see it's… for the best." He nodded menacingly toward Charlotte. She shuddered, and the Footman tightened his grip. "And if you do not, I can simply hypnotize you, make you say the spell, then leave you at the mercy of the Harpies." From above, the Harpies let out a little cheer.