From his unfortunate position on the cliff, Mr. Metos started yelling something at Philonecron in a language that Charlotte did not understand, but one thing she could telclass="underline" The words did not sound like nice words.
"Really, Metos, such language," Philonecron chided, looking up at him. "Why don't you be quiet so my Harpies can enjoy their dinner? Liver is their favorite."
From up in the air, where the Harpies circled around her English teacher, Charlotte could hear the very distinct sound of raspy nursery rhymes. She whirled toward Philonecron.
"You can't do that to him!" she yelled. Zee clenched her hand.
"Oh, can't I?" Philonecron smiled haughtily.
"He's mortal," she protested, ignoring Zee. "His liver won't regenerate… he'll die!" There were tears in her eyes, which she tried to will away. I will be brave, she thought. I will be brave.
"Ah, I see you know your history, my dear girl. Do not worry, I would not let Metos get out of his due punishment so easily. I've cast a spell-his liver will regenerate every night so my Harpies can feed on it anew in the morning." He clapped his hands together and smiled brightly. "Feel better? Now, what else… you've met my men. Lads?"
As one, the twelve Footmen bowed. Charlotte noticed that one of them was wearing a bandage around his ankle, and his pant leg was frayed. Philonecron followed her gaze.
"Yes, your little hellcat destroyed a perfectly good pair of tuxedo pants," he growled, shaking his head tragically, "not to mention an ankle. Poor Epsilon! Poor, beautiful trousers!" Philonecron sighed. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes. My children. Do you know how long I've waited to meet you? Not you so much"-he glared at Charlotte -"but you, my precious, my sweet, my little Zero."
Zee gasped involuntarily and took a step back.
"Oh, no, no, no… don't be scared! Don't be," Philonecron said softly, creeping closer to Zee. "Don't you see? You're home now!" He put his arms out and gazed lovingly at Zee. "My dear, I know. I know you've never felt comfortable anywhere. I know that." He nodded earnestly "I'm just like you. I never had a place in the world either, until now. But here"-he twirled, arms wide -"with me, my little Zero, you belong."
Charlotte moved in front of her cousin, stomping her foot on the ground. "Stay away from him!"
"My, aren't you saucy," Philonecron smirked, reaching down and patting her on the head. "Now, be quiet. Zero and I have much to discuss."
Charlotte opened her mouth, but Zee moved in front of her, as if she weren't even there. "Why are you calling me that?" he whispered urgently.
"Why," Philonecron wrapped his hands around Zee's cheeks, "that's who you are, my sweet. My Patient Zero. Brave and strong and handsome and clever. Oh so clever! You are going to start an army. A revolution!" He tapped Zee on the nose with one finger and smiled kindly.
That was the last straw. It was one thing to insult her, but another to abuse Zee. Zee was sensitive. Charlotte found herself starting toward Philonecron surprising even herself-and, in a blink, three of the Footmen moved to her, one grabbing her by the shoulders. She squirmed. From his perch Mr. Metos started yelling again.
"Why do you think I'm going to help you?" Zee asked dully. He looked so strange, Charlotte thought. Not struggling at all, not defiant, just staring up at Philonecron, sounding like he really wanted to know the answer to the question. She didn't understand. He'd been fighting all this time, the whole way-he was the brave one. Why was he stopping now?
"Because you are my precious Zero," Philonecron said. "And because you will see it's… for the best." He nodded menacingly toward Charlotte. She shuddered, and the Footman tightened his grip. "And if you do not, I can simply hypnotize you, make you say the spell, then leave you at the mercy of the Harpies." From above, the Harpies let out a little cheer.
"I have your blood, my boy," he purred. "I know you. I know your blood. I know what makes it sing, what makes it flow, what makes it boil. Remember your little sleepwalking trip?" He leaned down to Zee and looked him in the eyes, his voice growing soft and dreamy. "Zachary," he sang, "lift up your left arm."
And before Charlotte's eyes Zee's left arm went up. Something inside Charlotte screamed.
Zee gasped and slammed his arm down at his side, then balled up his hands as if he were going to start punching Philonecron-who didn't seem at all concerned.
"Now, Zachary," he murmured, looking back and forth from Charlotte to Zee, "take those lovely fists and go punch your little cousin in the stomach."
"Hey!" Charlotte yelled.
But Zee said nothing. He just turned toward Charlotte. His face was contorted, his eyes burning, his every muscle clenching. Yet he began to move to her stiffly, slowly, painfully, looking like a very uncomfortable zombie. Mr. Metos kept shouting from above, and Philonecron let out a merry laugh. Charlotte could only stare as her cousin stopped right in front of her. He looked at her helplessly, then closed his eyes. Charlotte squirmed again, and the Footman held her tightly.
"Zee!" Charlotte screamed.
"No cheating!" Philonecron sang. "Punch her as hard as you can."
Well, maybe he was just pretending, Charlotte thought. Maybe Zee was pretending to be under Philonecron's control to trick him, and-
And then suddenly a truck ran into Charlotte's stomach, and everything went black for a moment. She tried to gasp, to take in air, but she couldn't breathe. She was completely empty, hollow, and her body sang with the pain of it. She tried to take in air again and again-she was going to die, right there, her ears were buzzing with death-and then finally her lungs filled. Breathe. Deep. Breathe. Her legs had given out and tears were streaming down her face.
Breathe. Breathe. Come on, Charlotte, you can breathe. Philonecron was laughing, and in front of her, tears dripped from her cousin's eyes. Charlotte stared at him plaintively.
"Charlotte, I'm so sorry" he whispered desperately, "I'm so, so, so sorry…"
"Come back, Zero," Philonecron said. And Zee turned and walked back, tears silently flowing. "Now, stay still. That's my boy. Yes, you see"-he smiled brightly to the whole group -"I can make Zero do whatever I want… but that's not as much fun, is it?" He turned to Zee and held his arms out to him. "Wouldn't it be better to do this together, my Zero? Yes, I really thought…" He looked down at the ground, shaking his head, gathering himself. "I really thought this would be something we could do together."
Zee's whole body was trembling with rage. The tears had stopped running, and now his face was twisted over with hatred. He stared at Philonecron as if he were the devil. One breath, two, three… something seemed to pass over Zee, and he closed his eyes and was still a few moments.
Charlotte stared, still gasping. Philonecron stroked Zee's face with a bone-like finger, and then Zee opened his eyes and turned to look at Charlotte. The Footman grinned, put his arm around Charlotte's waist, and lifted her in the air. Charlotte tried to kick, to fight back, but her muscles just wouldn't work. Zee shook his head and looked at the ground.
Charlotte knew that look by now. That was the this is all my fault look. That was Zee's my grandmother is dead look. That was his I don't want anyone else to suffer look. Charlotte gasped, "Zee!" The Footman clamped his other hand around her mouth. She bit down, but he did not let go. She got the worse end of that deal; his hand tasted like mold.
And then Zee spoke. "I'll do it," he said quietly, "if you let Charlotte and Mr. Metos go."