Glitch Kingdom - Sheena Boekweg Page 0,84

street market with no bustle except the clothing hanging from wires across alleys. The entire city seemed deserted.

Ryo scanned the street. “No welcoming committee?”

“It is only us.”

“We are incredibly impressive. There should be banners, ribbons, parades.”

I picked up a handful of the strange red dirt and threw it in the air. “Better, Your Highness?”

He didn’t smile. His eyes scrutinized the street. “No.” He took my hand and held me close to his side. “We should have allies here. The king, his council, General Franciv. This was supposed to be the last stand against the Savak.”

No shadows moved in the city. No footsteps sounded except our own. There was no movement except the water that seeped between the cracks on the cobbled streets. Constellations of mold speckled the base of all the buildings. The road led forward to an open area. At the center was a large dry marble fountain. Instead of a stream of water, a pair of axes balanced at the top.

I let go. “Well, that works for me,” I said as I crossed to the fountain edge in one step.

“Careful. It could be a trap.”

The streets were empty, and the soundtrack was incredibly generic. “There’s no one here.”

“Exactly. Where is everyone? Don’t touch it.”

“Why not?” I climbed over the stone lip into the dry basin. “We should grab them and go before the Savak catch up to us. This is why we came, Ryo. Have a little trust.” I stretched my arm and plucked the axes from the fountain’s base.

I froze as light struck my arms.

There was a soft rumble.

Items 3/6.

I took quick steps back and jumped over the lip. The fountain released a stream of water, and with the motion came the rumble of the city around us. The empty streets filled with Kneultians wearing bright colors and mucked boots that covered their knees. The women did not have the long beards that framed the faces of nearly every man, but they did wear gray aprons tucked right under their chins. They bartered in the markets and scolded children, and they barely gave Ryo and me a second look.

Why would retrieving the axes wake the city?

I held the axes in each hand. Their weight perfectly balanced and the workmanship seemed even finer than the axe I’d yielded as the King’s Executioner, and way better than the one I’d traded for the Traveling Boots. They felt natural in my grip. Solid. Better than any sword. Any dagger.

This was my character the way she was supposed to be, daughter of an Executioner, axe in both hands.

“Look at their expressions,” Ryo said. “Everyone seems so sad.”

I lowered my axes. He was right. Black mourning ribbons were tied around the necks of the villagers. At the end of every street, a man or woman carried a tin bucket to a door and slapped black paint on the door casings.

“What’s happening?” I asked a Kneult woman.

She covered her mouth with a lace handkerchief. “Down to the docks. It’s horrible. The Savak.” She blubbered on more words I couldn’t understand.

The arrow in my mind pointed to the docks.

Ryo took off at a full run. I struggled to match his pace. As I ran I could hear the names of those they mourned. Isabel, the daughter of the trading House Takkan, and Marcus, son of the trading House Biento.

Two of the names on the player guide.

We found their bodies struck through on spikes. A silver plaque hung heavy around both of their necks. The words Killed Personally by the Queen of the Savak were etched in fine calligraphy.

“We’re too late,” I whispered into Ryo’s chest.

While we’d kissed and talked and eaten lunch, the players we’d come here to save had died. That was why this area of the game was so quiet. It’d shut off.

There was no one here to play.

24

BLUEBIRD_OFDEATH

I threw myself back against the chair and ripped the VR screen from my eyes, like they were dollar store sunglasses and not the most advanced thing to come out of E3 since … well, anything.

I clutched my knees. I’m alive. I’m alive.

The neural net didn’t just catch me. I didn’t have to damage the source code in order to break out. I didn’t just make things so much more dangerous for Grig.

“You’re okay, Zoe. You’re okay.” A nurse checked my pupils. There were so many nurses on this floor it was hard to keep track of them. But I tried. I checked her name tag: April.

“Where’s Ms. T?” I asked.

April checked my pulse.

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