Someone shouted a warning, and as the man with the water spun around, he knocked the stalactite from Dads hand. Eureka saw another raider pick it up.
She was old, with bushy white eyebrows and a dirty apron. She held the stalactite like a dart and faced Eurekas dad. She swatted a moth from her face and bared a mouthful of small, crooked teeth.
What happened next happened quickly. The woman plunged the sharp rock into Dads stomach. He sputtered in shock and doubled over.
Eureka screamed as the woman kicked Dad onto his back, withdrew the stalactite, and raised it over Dads chest. Eureka ran toward them, batting wings out of her way. They could have the food and water, but they could not take her father.
She was too late. The stalactite plunged deeply into her fathers chest. Blood spread over his rib cage. Dad lifted his hand toward Eureka, but it stilled in the air, an interrupted wave. She fell upon her father.
No, she whispered as blood soaked her fingers and her shirt. No, no.
Reka, Dads voice strained.
Dad.
He fell silent. She laid her good ear against his chest. The maelstrom of the raid grew distant. She imagined the twins wailing, the cacophony of beating wings, the shattering of more glass, but she couldnt hear anything.
Her eyes fixed on the dirty apron hem of the woman whod stabbed her father. She looked up and saw her face. The woman muttered something at Eureka, then shouted something at Filiz, who drew closer. After a moment, she repeated her words to Filiz.
My grandmother says you are the worlds worst dream come true, Filiz whispered.
Eureka rose from Dads bloody chest. Something inside her snapped. She leapt onto the old woman. Her fingers clenched white hair and yanked. Her fists rained down on the woman. Eureka kept her thumbs outside her fists, like Dad had taught her, so she wouldnt hit like a girl.
Filiz screamed and tried to drag her off, but Eureka kicked Filiz away. She didnt know what she was going to do, but nothing was going to stop her from doing it. She felt the old woman buckle underneath her. Wings clouded her vision. The image of Dads still hand waving goodbye flooded her mind. She had stopped thinking; she had stopped feeling. She had become her rage.
Blood spurted from someplace on the womans face, splattered across Eurekas chest, into her mouth. She spat, and hit harder, shattering the brittle bone that formed the womans temple. She felt the squish of an eye socket caving in.
She begs for mercy! she heard Filiz shout behind her, but Eureka didnt know how to stop. She didnt know how shed gotten there. Her knee was against the womans windpipe. Her bloody fist was in the air. She had not even thought to use the spear.
Eureka, stop!Cats voice was horrified.
Eureka stopped. She was panting. She studied her bloody hands and the body beneath her. What had she done?
A crowd of raiders drew near, some horrified, some with murderous expressions on their faces. They shouted words she didnt understand.
Ander moved toward her. The shock in his blue eyes made her want to flee and never be seen by anyone she loved again. She forced herself to see her bloody hands and the womans caved-in cheekbone, her vacant, blood-filled eyes.
When one of the raiders tried to grab Eureka the cave filled with the strange whistle of wind. Everyone ducked and shielded their eyes. Ander was exhaling a great stream of breath. It flew around the cave like a helicopter landing. It drew every winged creature into its realm, like a lantern in a dark sky. The birds and insects still flew, but they flew in place, manipulated by Anders breath.
Anders Zephyr had constructed a transparent wall of wind and wings that split the cave in two. On one side, close to the caves entrance, stood the stunned intruders. On the other side, near the waterfall at the back of the salon, stood Cat, the twins, Ander, and, hunched over the old womans body, Eureka.
Anders breath protected her from the Celans revenge. They couldnt reach her on the other side of the beating, winged wall. They couldnt do to her what she had done to Filizs grandmother, what Filizs grandmother had done to Dad. Anders breath had forged a temporary truce. Maybe he was the dealer in hope.
But how long would it take for what shed done to sink into Ander, into the hearts and minds of everyone she loved? How long until everyone turned away?
Eureka hadnt had a choice. She saw her father die and she reacted without thinking. It was instinctual. But what would happen now? Were there still laws in this drowning world?
Take the food, Eureka heard herself tell Filiz. She gestured at the cans and packages scattered on the other side of the cave.
This murder was a rift in Eurekas identity. She no longer belonged in the world she was trying to fix. She no longer recognized the girl who had come from there. She could never return home. The best she could hope for was that other people could return there.
A shadow fell across her body. If it was Cat or the twins, Eureka would lose it. They would need consoling, and how could she console anyone after what shed done?
Eureka. It was Solon.
If you want me to go, Ill understand.
Of course I want you to go.
Eureka nodded. She had ruined everything, again.
I want you to go to the Marais, Solon whispered in her good ear. Suddenly I think you might actually pull this off.
She was old, with bushy white eyebrows and a dirty apron. She held the stalactite like a dart and faced Eurekas dad. She swatted a moth from her face and bared a mouthful of small, crooked teeth.
What happened next happened quickly. The woman plunged the sharp rock into Dads stomach. He sputtered in shock and doubled over.
Eureka screamed as the woman kicked Dad onto his back, withdrew the stalactite, and raised it over Dads chest. Eureka ran toward them, batting wings out of her way. They could have the food and water, but they could not take her father.
She was too late. The stalactite plunged deeply into her fathers chest. Blood spread over his rib cage. Dad lifted his hand toward Eureka, but it stilled in the air, an interrupted wave. She fell upon her father.
No, she whispered as blood soaked her fingers and her shirt. No, no.
Reka, Dads voice strained.
Dad.
He fell silent. She laid her good ear against his chest. The maelstrom of the raid grew distant. She imagined the twins wailing, the cacophony of beating wings, the shattering of more glass, but she couldnt hear anything.
Her eyes fixed on the dirty apron hem of the woman whod stabbed her father. She looked up and saw her face. The woman muttered something at Eureka, then shouted something at Filiz, who drew closer. After a moment, she repeated her words to Filiz.
My grandmother says you are the worlds worst dream come true, Filiz whispered.
Eureka rose from Dads bloody chest. Something inside her snapped. She leapt onto the old woman. Her fingers clenched white hair and yanked. Her fists rained down on the woman. Eureka kept her thumbs outside her fists, like Dad had taught her, so she wouldnt hit like a girl.
Filiz screamed and tried to drag her off, but Eureka kicked Filiz away. She didnt know what she was going to do, but nothing was going to stop her from doing it. She felt the old woman buckle underneath her. Wings clouded her vision. The image of Dads still hand waving goodbye flooded her mind. She had stopped thinking; she had stopped feeling. She had become her rage.
Blood spurted from someplace on the womans face, splattered across Eurekas chest, into her mouth. She spat, and hit harder, shattering the brittle bone that formed the womans temple. She felt the squish of an eye socket caving in.
She begs for mercy! she heard Filiz shout behind her, but Eureka didnt know how to stop. She didnt know how shed gotten there. Her knee was against the womans windpipe. Her bloody fist was in the air. She had not even thought to use the spear.
Eureka, stop!Cats voice was horrified.
Eureka stopped. She was panting. She studied her bloody hands and the body beneath her. What had she done?
A crowd of raiders drew near, some horrified, some with murderous expressions on their faces. They shouted words she didnt understand.
Ander moved toward her. The shock in his blue eyes made her want to flee and never be seen by anyone she loved again. She forced herself to see her bloody hands and the womans caved-in cheekbone, her vacant, blood-filled eyes.
When one of the raiders tried to grab Eureka the cave filled with the strange whistle of wind. Everyone ducked and shielded their eyes. Ander was exhaling a great stream of breath. It flew around the cave like a helicopter landing. It drew every winged creature into its realm, like a lantern in a dark sky. The birds and insects still flew, but they flew in place, manipulated by Anders breath.
Anders Zephyr had constructed a transparent wall of wind and wings that split the cave in two. On one side, close to the caves entrance, stood the stunned intruders. On the other side, near the waterfall at the back of the salon, stood Cat, the twins, Ander, and, hunched over the old womans body, Eureka.
Anders breath protected her from the Celans revenge. They couldnt reach her on the other side of the beating, winged wall. They couldnt do to her what she had done to Filizs grandmother, what Filizs grandmother had done to Dad. Anders breath had forged a temporary truce. Maybe he was the dealer in hope.
But how long would it take for what shed done to sink into Ander, into the hearts and minds of everyone she loved? How long until everyone turned away?
Eureka hadnt had a choice. She saw her father die and she reacted without thinking. It was instinctual. But what would happen now? Were there still laws in this drowning world?
Take the food, Eureka heard herself tell Filiz. She gestured at the cans and packages scattered on the other side of the cave.
This murder was a rift in Eurekas identity. She no longer belonged in the world she was trying to fix. She no longer recognized the girl who had come from there. She could never return home. The best she could hope for was that other people could return there.
A shadow fell across her body. If it was Cat or the twins, Eureka would lose it. They would need consoling, and how could she console anyone after what shed done?
Eureka. It was Solon.
If you want me to go, Ill understand.
Of course I want you to go.
Eureka nodded. She had ruined everything, again.
I want you to go to the Marais, Solon whispered in her good ear. Suddenly I think you might actually pull this off.
