The Secret of Ashona (35 page)

A lead on his memory? A mix of excitement and fear welled up in him. If anyone else found his memory, they would know about his missing siblings. Maybe they would find clues about where they were now. Erec needed to get it back first. He tried to look casual. “Where do you think it is?”

“We traced the Memory Mogul’s records. Unfortunately they’re messy and incomplete. But he took notes sometimes on the people he sold to. Yours went to a boy about your age. We don’t have an address or any other identification—the Memory Mogul just jotted down what interested him about certain sales—but it narrows the search a bit. We’re scouring high schools throughout the Kingdoms, as well as checking sporting teams, boys’ magic clubs, or anything
else that a kid might be involved in. Our team is checking everywhere to see if anyone heard of a kid who remembers things about Erec Rex. It’s amazing the ground we’ve covered. . . .”

Erec was stunned. How could he beat those efforts? “How many people are tracking my memory down?”

“There are about seventy detectives out there now. It’s going to take time, but we’re confident that we’ll find something.”

Rosco asked, “What about Bethany’s memory?”

“No luck at all with those sales records. We’re still asking around all of the high schools, just in case. But it could have gone to a boy or girl of any age—someone that might be in college or older now. It’s going to be a lot harder to track without a starting point.”

“I had a small piece of Bethany’s memory,” Erec said. “It was only a few hours long, after most of it was already taken out. Nothing much was in it.” He knew there was nothing in that memory that would be of importance.

“You have some of her memory?” Noj lit up, excited.

“Not anymore. The Nightmare King took it.”

Noj shuddered. “Is that guy for real? I thought that was just a story to scare kids.” He bit his lip. “Well, I hate to do it, but I guess we’ll have to send a few of our people out to talk to the Nightmare King. I’m sure the Shadow Prince can get us in.” He looked at Erec skeptically. “If the guy exists.”

“He does, but I wouldn’t send people there. It was just a tiny memory.”

Noj marked a few things on his paper, looking tired. Rosco appeared bored. “So, that’s the plan, Noj? Just keep searching high schools? Is there anywhere else that kids his age might have gone? Especially someone who remembers what it’s like being Erec Rex when he’s little?”

An alarm sounded in Erec’s head. He wanted to jump up, shout,
dance around. It was all clear to him at once. There
was
someplace where a lot of kids his age got together once. The contests, last summer in Alypium. Kids from all three Kingdoms were there. Only that wasn’t all. Something stood out to him now. He was amazed that he had not thought of it before. When he was there, he had not asked if any boy had his old memory. However . . . there was a kid who basically told him that he did. Someone who walked around telling everyone that he was the real Erec Rex, that he remembered everything. Erec, and everybody else, had thought that the boy was a crackpot. But now it made sense. This must be the kid who had his memory.

Rosco and Erec exchanged a glance. Erec signaled toward the door. He wanted to grab Rosco and run out of there, find this kid. What had the boy looked like? What was his name?

“Well.” Rosco stretched his arms, then yawned. “I’m going to grill this kid some more, see if I can get anything out of him.”

Noj laughed. “I’m sure the Shadow Prince read his mind already, so there won’t be much good to that.”

Rosco snapped his fingers. He and Erec appeared back in his apartment again. Erec fell back onto the same couch and spilled his thoughts to Rosco.

“I think I remember that guy, too, now that you mention him,” said Rosco. “The one who went around telling everyone he was Erec Rex. He was a strange one. His name was Connor, right? White hair and dark eyes?”

Connor! “That’s it! I saw him around a few times after the contest. He worked in a pet store for a while . . . and then I saw him at Paisley Park once.”

Rosco nodded. “He hung out around Alypium, too, when I was sneaking around as Oscar Felix. We better find him quick, before anyone else does.”

Spartacus flew through the wall of Rosco’s apartment. He
hung himself by his collar off of a hook on the fireplace mantle and crossed his arms. “Don’t bother taking me along when you go. I’m just supposed to protect and watch out for you, but it’s not worth your effort to actually be considerate or include me when you go somewhere.”

“I’m sorry—I’m sure Rosco just forgot you were there. But I’m glad you came.” Erec wondered if Spartacus was really annoyed at traveling by himself, or more jealous that he wasn’t involved in what was going on.

Rosco appeared confused, then a look of recognition and then fear crossed his face. He started to speak, but before words came out, he clutched his chest. His head bent, face squeezed into a knot. With a look of pain, his hands shot to his ears as if his head was about to burst. Then he leaned his head back, mouth open, and made a sound as if he was gargling liquid. Erec was terrified that something horrible was happening to him. Rosco’s eyes looked like they would pop out of his head, and the gargle noise turned into a scream and then finally a long, earsplitting howl.

When Rosco howled, Erec felt a tugging in his chest. He needed to move, to go see Baskania right away. It wasn’t clear why, but there seemed to be no choice. Something inside was calling him. . . .

“Sorry.” Rosco looked embarrassed. “I try to resist howling back when Baskania calls. I’ve been practicing, but so far I can’t stop it.” He looked intently at the floor, gathering himself together. “I have to see the Shadow Prince right now. He wants me.”

“I do too.” Erec stood. “He’s commanded me to come to him.”

Rosco looked confused. “I don’t understand. He hasn’t given you the howl—only his most trusted inner circle is that connected to him. And he can’t transport you to him if he can’t see you. He can’t make you want to come, either. I don’t get it. . . . Has he found some way to influence you?”

Erec paced the room, antsy to see Baskania as he was commanded. As the feeling grew, he remembered the pill that he took in the Hinternom, and he told the story to Rosco. “He must be calling me to his service.”

“The Shadow Prince is playing with you,” Rosco said. “That’s his style. He asked me to bring you anyway—that would have been good enough. But he likes to remind people what power he wields over them, so he commanded you this way also. He’s probably testing, too, to see how well it works. . . .”

“I don’t want him to know that he had any effect on me at all. Then he’ll do it again and again.”

“Exactly.” Rosco thought a moment. “How bad is it? I mean, you’re still standing here. I admit, after the howl I’m going nuts needing to get to him. It gets worse the longer I wait—but I’m pretty good at resisting. I’ve timed myself and gone a full ten minutes once before I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“I have no idea how long I could last. It’s not as bad as a cloudy thought, though. With those I pretty much just do what I’m commanded without thinking about it. The Furies said the pill would only affect my spirit, but not my body or soul. I’m dying to do what he says, but I could fight it off—at least for now.”

“We can’t let him know he has any control at all over you.” Rosco rubbed his hands together. “I’ve got it. I’m going there now—alone. I’ll tell him that I was going to bring you, but you were resting, trying to remember things to help us. I’ll say that we agreed that I would come back and get you in a while.”

Erec nodded. “Make it quick, though. If I have to wait too long I just might start walking to Baskania from here.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on you,” Spartacus said. “Look.” He hopped down, pulled one of his eyes out, and rested it on Erec’s head.

“Ugh! I didn’t know you could do that. Put it back.”

Rosco looked at him strangely. “Do what?”

“Nothing. Just Spartacus.”

Rosco shuddered. “I’ll be back soon.”

It was hard for Erec to hold still. The craving to see Baskania was overwhelming, like resisting food if he was about to die of starvation.

“You’re doing great,” Spartacus said. “I get the feeling that if I was commanded by Baskania I would have no choice at all but to follow orders.”

Rosco appeared, midstride, and walked across the room as if he had been there all along. “Success. The Shadow Prince wasn’t happy that his pill didn’t work on you. You shouldn’t have had any choice at all.” Rosco clapped his hands together. “I bet he’s not going to bother using it now. But he wants us for a dinner meeting in the Inner Sanctum. Lucky you—you’re getting taken into the group.”

Erec rolled his eyes. “Just what I’ve always wanted. Should Spartacus come?”

At the same time, Rosco answered, “Probably not,” and Spartacus said, “You couldn’t keep me away if you tried.”

Erec decided to let Spartacus do as he chose and stay out of it.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The Spider Boy

G
LEAMING GOLD
plates and thick silver cutlery adorned the long, polished oak table. Gems in the table were inlayed in intricate designs, and its legs were carved into ornate scrolls and gargoyles. Heavy pewter mugs beaten into waffle patterns sat beside thick-cut crystal goblets that thinned to impossibly delicate tops.

Seated at the table, in a room lit by hundreds of candles, were generals, business executives, and politicians. Erec recognized Jesper Konungsson, the president of the United Nations, from a
news story about a horrible accident that his wife and daughter had gotten in. At the head of the table sat Baskania, King Pluto, and Washington Inkle—the president of Alypium. Two seats beside him were for Rosco and Erec.

Erec could not believe that he was in the Inner Sanctum, Baskania’s headquarters in the Green House in Alypium. Was it possible that Baskania truly trusted him now? Probably not completely. But Erec was getting the respect Baskania gave to his closest advisors. He knew it was this kind of attention from Baskania that turned his friend Oscar into the Rosco Kroc who ended up doing so many horrible things before realizing the truth.

Baskania waved them into the empty chairs. Instantly, blind servants rushed to each seat and placed more soups, salads, and appetizers on the table than could possibly be eaten.

“So glad you are joining us.” Baskania tilted his head to Erec cordially. “I have some good news. After thinking it over, I’ve decided to bring you in at a higher level than I originally planned. Although I admit it would be greatly pleasing to see the famous Erec Rex as one of my blind servants, it strikes me that you have more to offer. The courage and strength that you have shown so far in coming here is not to be taken lightly. No, you will be far more to me than just a trophy. I have offered you power before, and now I’m going to give it to you.

“First of all, you will keep your sight. It won’t be hard to remove the dragon eyes from the backs of your own. This way I will be able to give you back one of your eyes, for you to use. Of course, as with all of my followers, I will keep the other so that I can see what you are seeing and thinking if I need to.”

Erec bit his tongue, suddenly afraid. If Baskania had his eye and could read his mind he would be in immediate danger. But, then again, the Furies had made that impossible.

Baskania looked pleased. “Second—and you may like this even
better than keeping your eyesight—I plan to give you a scepter to use. It will be Queen Posey’s, not the one that you will be returning to me from the Furies. But I liked what I saw when you wielded it before. I believe that its power will make you become a stronger person. More like me.”

Erec nodded. He was sure that a scepter would make him more like Baskania—he would instantly be a selfish, power-hungry maniac. But still, Erec could not help feeling honored. Of all the people here,
he
was the one that Baskania chose to give Queen Posey’s scepter to? Not Balor Stain? Looking around, Erec realized that the Stain triplets had not even been invited here. They were just pawns, he realized. Erec was more than that, though. Baskania seemed to look up to him. Erec wondered if Baskania had Posey’s scepter already, or if it was still in Ashona and he was controlling it from here.