The Immortal Fire by Anne Ursu

Author:Anne Ursu [Ursu, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781416995036
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 2009-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

The Great Escape

TIMON HAD AGREED NOT TO THROW THEM OUT ON two conditions—that they stayed in their rooms, and that he could place a guard outside their doors. Timon was apparently very big on imprisoning kids. The best thing to do, Charlotte and Zee decided, would be to lie low for a couple of days. They did not want to risk trouble, because they could not leave—not without Steve. The Prometheans were going to bring him to his death, but what was the point of protecting humanity if you’d forgotten everything it was to be human?

Their guard, a young Promethean named Leo, sat in the hallway outside their rooms, reading. And whenever Charlotte or Zee needed to go to the kitchen or to the other’s room, they had to knock on their door and Leo would unlock it and let them out.

Sometimes they saw one or another of the Prometheans in the kitchen, and they all seemed to have the same expression on their faces—shock and resignation. Every time Charlotte felt sorry for them, she thought of what they were prepared to do. She had thought they were so noble, fighting the good fight.

They did not see Mr. Metos, and Charlotte could not help but wonder if he was avoiding them, or if he’d already left. She didn’t really mind; whenever she thought about him, her throat tightened and her stomach began to burn.

And then there was Hector. The door to his office was closed, locked. Was he across the Styx now? Was he fading already, or was there still some Hector left?

They spent their time in near silence, Charlotte sitting on the bed while Zee worked on translating the book about the Promethean Flame. But it was not going well—it took him hours just to do a few pages, and there were lots of blanks for words he did not know. The book, so far, was not that illuminating—it was the story of the author’s quest for the Flame, and he seemed more interested in the details of his journey than anyone really should be. So the first chapter was all about the things he was packing. And on the second afternoon of their confinement, Zee was sitting on the floor, working, when he swore and slammed the book shut.

“This is rubbish! This stupid git is telling me what he had for breakfast. Who gives a—”

“Maybe you should skip ahead?”

“I don’t know why I’m bothering. We know he doesn’t find it. All this book will tell us is where not to look.”

“Well, that’s more than we know now.”

“Right,” Zee grumbled. “Whoever this dream-girl is, she sure is stingy with her information.” He sighed and began to flip through the book aimlessly. “I mean—”

And then he stopped, sucking in his breath.

“Char, look!”

With round eyes, he handed her the book. Charlotte looked down. On the page was a sketched-out map. Frowning, she studied it carefully. There was an ocean, a town, some mountains with a kind of structure on them—

She gasped.

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