"Look Tungsten!” The happier twin’s eyes flashed blue as they shook Willow’s hand. “Mercury was right! One of them is a Strawhead!"
"Teal, please,” the grey-eyed Tungsten scolded, lip curled in disgust. “He’s obviously a mountain nomad.”
Undaunted, Willow donned a smarmy smile. "That’s correct. Nice to meet you Teal and Tungsten. You might want to go back to the drawing board with your insults, Ash-head."
Teal laughed heartily, ignoring his brother’s mortified face. “Yeah, you're not Of-the-Wind. Those guys can’t take a joke."
An imposing figure in a dress of burgundy leather descended the stairs, dull black hair tied down his shoulder in a braid. He had eight earrings, including a jeweled book charm dangling from his left earlobe. The eyes told me who he was, as each was a distinctly different color.
Gold-and-Silver.
“Doctor!” Sharp exhaled a breath like she’d been holding it for days. "It’s great to see you! You have no idea.”
“Little Sharp! It’s been too long!” He firmly shook her hand and addressed the rest of us with a giddy smile. “Now I hate to cut right to the chase, but Mercury has told me something interesting. Apparently, Pyrite’s son is here to see me?”
I held up a hand. “Yessir.”
“This is unexpected.” He looked at each of us with increased confusion. “What are all your names?"
“Willow!”
“Call me Pir.”
Oh no. This again. I had to force it out. “I’m… Badger.”
"Badger.” For the second time today, my name sounded heavy. His eyes glowed, flitting around like he was reading words on a page. “What has brought you to the Dark at such a dire time?”
I explained the events that brought us to the Wilds, and the result of our encounter with the Sapphires. As I did, Marrow’s cratered face grew cold with anger.
“I told you we shouldn’t have run,” he muttered, spit flying from his mouth. “I told you Pyrite was still in danger.”
"For now,” the doctor said gravely. “But things have changed. I’ll get these kids some food and a check-up. We’re having an emergency conference in one hour.”
Willow’s eyes emitted an icy light. “Emergency? Look doc, we want to save Pyrite, but we don’t want to be involved in any Divine conflict.”
Ivory’s voice twinkled, “You’re quite at liberty to leave now if you want, but I hope you’ll stay to listen. You're more involved than you think.”
Marrow's voice was deep like a well. “Saving Pyrite is key. He’s under the thumb of Melodia’s power, and if we don't stop her soon, she'll lead an entire army to their doom against the Kingdom of the Wind."
Sharp ran a finger over the sun on her chest. “If what you say is true, then I have a duty to help.” She looked at Willow sympathetically. “We can at least hear them out.”
Gold-and-Silver looked at me like a jewel for sale in a case. “Do you know much about Pyrite? Are you close?”
I shook my head. “I only just met him two days ago.”
“Do you know who your paternal grandfather is?”
I blinked in surprise. That was not the question I expected. “No… Does it matter?”
“It matters alright.” He smiled, full of drama. “Your grandfather is King Obsidian.”
Chapter Nine
Creation and Death
Everyone responded with stunned silence, except Willow, who was too expressive for his own good. “What? No way! Get out… You’re saying little Badger here is a prince!?” He twirled to my side and started poking me in the stomach.
“Do you want to keep your teeth?” I snapped, heart racing. “I’m not a prince, it doesn’t work that way but—"
Sharp interrupted, with the exact questions I was thinking. “The king is Pyrite’s father? We had no idea. Why would his parents keep this from him?”
“Maybe they thought it was of no consequence.” Ivory pushed back her hair, revealing an ear with seven white hoops. “Prince is a meaningless title. Only the Pantheon have rights to the throne.”
I started to say something, but my words jumbled up in my mouth and refused to come out.
Ivory softened. “It looks like you’re getting a lot of information at once, but there’s more to this story. After your exam, there are some things you ought to see. Will you stay to hear us out?”
Willow held his wind scarf close to his chest. “We didn’t come here to join your little brigade. I need to know for certain: Can you help us save Pyrite or not?”
Ivory offered a curious look. The orange thickness whispered to us, not with words, but something else. There was no doubt in my mind she wanted Pyrite to be safe, but Willow didn’t feel it.
“Certainly,” she said. “You have my word.”
His mouth formed a straight line, and he nodded with reluctance.
Gold-and-Silver led us up a narrow staircase that twisted all the way to the top, an intricate vine of green leaves and golden flowers painted along the spiral railing. The interior of the Ghost Tree smelled of damp wood and dead leaves.
