Fif15teen Read online

  Chapter 24

  Law 23

  Fifteen Must Not Be United

  “They’re gone. They’re headed to the River Femten, but then Thaniel’s gonna cut into the corn. They’re going to ambush the Angels. Javier scouted sixty girls strong; they outnumber us almost two to one,” Pudge moaned before climbing into the stinking hole that once belonged to Dregg’s dead bear, Ganock. Akeem wrinkled his nose in revulsion.

  “We’ve seen worse odds,” a boy named Ahanu said as he propped his broken leg up on bundles of grass and straw.

  “Thaniel should have taken the boats; we’re stronger on the water,” another boy commented.

  “Gideon’s head was spinning enough without having a boat rocking him loopy. So they’re sticking to the ground,” Pudge responded. Akeem held his face in his hands. He didn’t want to imagine the danger of fighting in the corn; how could they survive the booby traps. He tugged his hands through his dreads and looked around the cave at the small group of boys that Gideon had sent, most of them injured. Although Thaniel didn’t comment about them staying behind, Akeem knew he lost some of the hard-earned respect he had so recently gained, but he didn’t really care. The only thing that truly mattered was getting to the Tree of Laws tomorrow without anyone noticing him gone. He had to get there, and if Quinn didn’t show up, he was headed straight for Castle Haven. He was lost in thought when Doc brushed past him.

  “Walk with me,” the thin boy said. Akeem wearily got to his feet and followed Doc from the cave. Doc handed him a bowl of something hot and steaming, and he ate it ravenously.

  “Slow down before you bite off your own tongue,” Doc warned, but Akeem’s stomach wouldn’t allow him to stop until every morsel was gone.

  “Thanks,” Akeem mumbled. They stood looking at the sky for a long time before Doc finally spoke.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “What?”

  “Something troubles you, my friend. Come now, tell your doctor.” Akeem chuckled. He could always count on Doc to lighten any mood, but he wasn’t exactly sure he could trust him with what he planned to do. “You can trust me, after all I did save your life,” Doc said as if reading his mind.

  “Yeah, but I saved your life too, so that makes us even,” Akeem quipped back.

  “No, that makes us brothers,” Doc said sincerely. “Talk to me.”

  “Why didn’t you want me to tell the truth about Piper?” Akeem questioned, changing the subject.

  “There will be less pressure on you to kill now. And I wish to protect your soul.”

  “My soul?”

  “When one takes a life, a part of their soul dies. Most of these boys have very little soul left. Your soul must remain intact; there is purity in it. A purity that is much needed in this place,” Akeem looked at Doc sideways. He thought about Doc’s soul. Was it intact or were there a dozen small bloody holes in it? “So are you going to tell me what’s troubling you or do I have to wait for the truth serum I put in your stew to start working?” Doc asked.

  “You didn’t?” Akeem gasped, eyes as big as softballs. His fears eased when Doc doubled over, laughing so hard tears sprang from his eyes. Akeem chuckled too. “Oh, you’ve got jokes!” He smiled at the Indian boy and realized that Doc was a true friend, something he had never really experienced before. He trusted the thin boy with his life, and now it was time to trust him with his secrets as well. He told Doc everything. He started with his chase across Fifteen on the heels of Piper and about his hopes that Quinn would somehow meet him at the Tree of Laws tomorrow at sunset. It was a relief having someone to talk to and help him sort out his troubled mind. He ended the conversation by telling Doc what really happened to Piper and that Nishi was responsible.

  “Interesting, it’s almost a shame to keep that a secret. You’re very lucky your soul is more important to me than freeing Fifteen of that wicked girl. If anyone deserves a good fox hunt, it is Nishi.”

  “Fox hunt?”

  “Law Number Nineteen: Ye Shall Not Kill Your Own Kind. It is one of four cardinal laws. That law gets suspended for a brief time and the lawbreaker becomes the enemy of the collective. All fighting between Dogs and Angels ceases until the guilty party is dead.”

  “Harsh,” Akeem said.

  “Quite harsh. I have only witnessed it once. A Dog and an Angel were caught kissing near the River Femten. I never imagined what chaos a small kiss could bring until then. Fifteen was in an uproar, and there weren’t many alive that remembered what to do, not even Thaniel. It took months to work out. First, a tribunal of Dogs and Angels judged the two. The tribunal was a complete farce of course; we could never get the two sides, in a room together without someone getting stabbed or strangled,” Doc said, shaking his head. “It took weeks of questioning but finally they were found guilty.

  “What happened then?” Akeem asked, morbidly fascinated.

  “Then they were set free,” Doc said matter-of-factly.

  “Huh?”

  “They were given three days freedom. On the fourth day every occupant of Fifteen went hunting for them. They were dead within and hour.” Doc looked at Akeem steadfastly.

  “I know what you’re trying to do, Doc, but it won’t work. I have to tell her there’s a way out; I have to see her. She thinks I killed Nishi.”

  “You risk your life because you don’t want her to think badly of you, is that it?” Doc asked, looking at Akeem expectantly.

  How could he explain what he was feeling when he barely understood it himself? He didn’t have the words to express how important she was to him. He couldn’t fight the painful need to see her, a need so deep in his bones that they ached with the thought of her. Back home he used every excuse to see her, because the sight of her helped him get through the day, and now, not having her near was becoming unbearable. It had taken so long just to get that brief glance of her on the River Femten, and that brief glance wasn’t nearly enough. What would Doc say if he told him he understood those two kids? He knew exactly how it felt to need someone so desperately that you would break any rule to see them. Right now he would give an arm to see Quinn again, a leg for the briefest hug, and his life for just one kiss.

  “Yes, I would risk it,” Akeem whispered, lowering his head.

  “Well then, when are we leaving?”