daggers.”
Activate breastplate. The pain softened.
McKenna landed and disarmed the blades. They fell to the ground and then kept falling.
“How many bloody blades do you have?” Grig said.
“Oh, one more.” She tugged a massive dagger from her boot. Then she reached beneath the helmet covering the side of her face and pulled down a thin tube. She jammed it into the blade launcher on her handless wrist and test fired. A splash of water hit the ground. “Maybe I could act as a healer?”
“Mother of Mercy, is that a hibisi Super Soaker?” Grig asked.
She sprayed him in the mouth, and his stats shot up.
“I’ve got about five gallons,” she said.
“Where did you keep it?” I asked. Her finely cut dress lay flat against her body.
Bluebird’s eyes were shaded in worry. “We’ve got to hurry.”
Right. I turned to Ryo. He had the boots. He sighed. “Please. Please don’t make me do math.”
“I’ll trade you for them…” The pain started pulsing again. Oh, this was going to be annoying, I could just tell. I let out a growl. “What do I have to trade?”
His eyes seemed concerned. “Here, let me carry your bag.”
I gave it to him gladly. The thing was starting to get heavy, or else, my legs seemed weaker. “So you’re saying you want everything?”
“They are very useful boots.”
Activate breastplate. The pain stepped back into hiding, and I managed a weak smile. I put on the boots while Bluebird and Grigfen raided the ballroom for loot.
When they were done and before the pain came back, I stood. “Everybody hold on to me.”
Grig rested his arm on my shoulder, and Bluebird tucked in, touching my lower arm. I stood between McKenna and Ryo, holding both of their hands.
On the way from the Kneult harbor to the Island of the Savak, I’d added up the percentages it had used to make it across the ocean, but the Kneult shore was about ten miles closer to the Island of the Savak than our kingdom. 35 percent.
Activate boots.
We transported back to the docks in one step. Nailed it. Yes. It just took the whole game to finally master the boots, but finally I did that.
“Whoa,” Bluebird said. “That’s like—”
“Incredible!” Grig finished her sentence. “But…” He pressed a fist to his mouth. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”
McKenna splashed his face with hibisi.
Ryo burst out laughing.
I scowled. The wound in my chest was acting up again. “Don’t waste it.”
From the slight smile on McKenna’s face, I think splashing Grig in the face was worth whatever hibisi it took.
The city seemed empty, frozen, like the Kneult city. Of course. There was no one here to play.
“Those boots would have been very useful,” McKenna said as she shook out her wings and we turned toward the castle. “Those flights back and forth were…” Her face darkened. “It’s probably for the best I couldn’t use them.”
I squeezed her hand, and then squeezed too tight because overwhelming pain had come back with a vengeance. Activate breastplate!
The city skyline flickered with static, like it had caught up to us being here. Flames erupted, buildings fell, and a dark green haze settled over the city. The drumming of battle music started.
I growled.
“Don’t look at me,” McKenna said. “This wasn’t the Savak.”
Bodies broke through the ground, skeleton arms reaching through the city, Lurchers floating above, swallowing Whirligigs with heads that spun.
“HORDES OF UNDEAD!” Grigfen shouted, both his hands held above his head.
“I’ll take point,” Bluebird said, grinning. “McKenna, you keep Grig’s healing up.”
He flexed his fingers. “It’s magic time.”
I growled under my breath and then grabbed my brother by his collar. “We don’t have time for this.”
“Wut?” he protested.
“Grab hold,” I said to everyone. “Let’s just get to the throne room and win this thing already.”
I measured the distance to the castle and fast traveled us to the steps.
“Fifth floor, center of the building,” Ryo said, his eyes measuring my expression.
A Lurcher swarmed at us, and Grigfen shot a wave of ghostlight to knock it over. Wasteful.
I stepped up and fast traveled toward the throne.
The throne room seemed larger than I remembered; the arched ceiling lifted nearly a story higher. The glistening room was cleared of every other piece of furniture. Mosaics glinted on the polished walls, while large arched windows opened to the damaged sky. In the back of the room, on a raised dais, light struck a large golden throne. We stepped inside, the hall doors slammed shut behind us, and the battle music played.
I flexed my fingers and muttered under