Parto 2: La Taglibro. 22: La Roko

“Maybe it’s inside a wall,” said Osiris.

They ran their fingers along the walls of Abrajm’s room, tapping and listening for a hollow spot.

“Or behind the desk,” I said, and shoved it away from the wall.

Abrajm looked at us while we turned their room upside down, their eyes wide. Then they smiled and went under their bed.

“It must be under there!” I said, dropping to my knees to look.

A single sock lay crumpled near the back leg of the bedframe. Nothing else.

“It had to be here, somewhere,” I mumbled.

“Maybe Arakil’s riddle didn’t mean that,” said Osiris. “This is the third empty location. How many more before we try a different approach?”

Our searches of the shed, a garden bench, and now even Arakil’s old room, all ended in disappointment.

“We check all of them. If this one’s not it, we go to the next one,” I said.

Osiris sat on their heels. Their brown eyes meeting mine.

“How many are there left?” they asked.

I didn’t want to be specific.

“A lot.”

“How many?” insisted Osiris.

“Thirty-three,” I mumbled.

“Kanako,” Osiris said, after a pause. “Checking thirty-three more locations will consume all our free time. Perhaps the riddle has a different meaning.”

Instead of replying, I moved the desk back against the wall.

“We check all of them,” I repeated.

They didn’t argue, but they didn’t stand either. I turned and left the room without waiting for them to follow.

Later, Medusa sat cross-legged on my bed, setting up what they called “Definitiva Konektu Ses.” Despite my best efforts to concentrate, Medusa’s skill was undeniable. They kept winning.

“Are you stalling?” asked Medusa, raising an eyebrow.

“No, I’m thinking,” I said, looking at the board.

“I see. You’re panicking,” they corrected me.

I huffed and placed my piece, scratching my head.

Medusa shifted, leaning forward to prop their weight on one arm. They looked at me, grinning, before sliding their next piece into place.

I stared at the grid. My next move wouldn’t matter. I had lost again.

“Medusa! How do you do this?” I asked. “Every time!”

“I set up decoys.” Medusa shrugged, still smirking.

“Decoys?”

“Yeah.” Medusa gestured at the board. “You think the threat’s over there, so you waste time blocking it. And when you notice the real threat…” They dropped another piece, sealing their victory. “It’s too late.”

I gawked at the board.

“Decoys…”

Medusa tilted their head, but I was already on my feet.

“Kanako?”

“You’re a genius!”

“I know,” they said, blinking.

I stormed out of my room, looking for Osiris. I found them in the common area, reading.

“Osiris! They’re decoys!” I said.

They looked up from their book.

“What?”

“Some X’s are decoys! We just need to find which is which!”

We went to the shed the next day, and it didn’t take us long to discover the secret. By running our fingers under the map, we felt some of the X's were raised, as if Arakil had pressed down harder while drawing them.

There were five of them.

We went to the forest behind Ĉelo Kvar and found the tree that was marked with the first of those X’s.

I looked up. There was a rock tied with a thread to one of the tallest branches.

“There it is!” I said. “Can you see it, Osiris?”

Excitement and relief washed over me. Arakil hadn’t lied. We were making progress. And maybe Gabino would rejoin us!

Osiris tried climbing several times, but the lowest branches were out of reach. Since our heights were the same, and Osiris was a much better climber, I didn’t even bother trying.

“Gabino could go up,” said Osiris, giving up.

I rushed back to La Kerno to get them. I found them slumped on a couch, staring at the ceiling.

“Gabino, we need your help,” I said.

They looked down, their expression weary.

“No,” said Gabino, crossing their arms.

“I haven’t even told you with what yet!”

“You don’t need to,” they said, tilting their head with an air of boredom. “You and Osiris have been digging up dirt all week and finding nothing. I’m not wasting my time.”

“This is different.”

“I told you, I’m out. I’ve seen you and Osiris come back from your treasure hunts empty-handed too many times.”

“Just come and see it!” I pleaded. “Just… just look at it. If it’s nothing, then I promise we’ll leave you alone.”

After a long moment of hesitation, Gabino sighed.

“Fine. But just for a second.”

I led them to the tree where Osiris was waiting. Gabino looked up at the dangling thread and the rock tied to the branch, their expression shifting from skepticism to surprise.

“Okay,” they admitted. “That is something.”

“We were wondering if you could help us get it,” I said.

Gabino looked up again, this time taking in the full scale of the tree.

“It’s so tall. I… I don’t think this is a good idea,” they mumbled.

“You just said it could be something!” I insisted.

“I don’t care, I’m not going up that tree!” Gabino’s gaze moved to me, then to Osiris. “Doesn’t Osiris love nature? They should be the one climbing up trees!”

“We can’t reach it,” I said. “You’re the tallest, Gabino!”

“Is that the problem? Then don’t worry!” They mimicked grabbing someone and picking them up. “I will use my tallness to help them up!”

“Yes, but I won’t be able to reach the second row of branches.”

Gabino looked up for the third time. They sulked, their expression darkening as they realized Osiris was right.

“I don’t care!” they repeated. “I don’t even know why I’m still hanging with you guys! Also, I need a detailed climbing manual. With diagrams. And safety regulations!”

“You just go up, take the treasure, and go back!” I said. “Please, for me?”

Gabino looked at me, their expression a mix of fear and resignation. They jabbed a finger at me.

“Okay, but you owe me for this.”

Branches creaked as Gabino climbed, their movements hesitant. We watched from below, nervous, as they reached the branch with the thread.

I saw them struggle to untie the knot, their hands trembling. A gust of wind rustled the leaves, and Gabino swayed.

We gasped as they lost their footing, but they grabbed onto a higher branch.

“I told you this was a bad idea! This is child endangerment!” screamed Gabino, hugging the trunk.

“Just try one more time!” I encouraged them.

“It’s right there,” said Osiris.

“I know it’s right there!” Gabino’s voice shook, but they reached anyway.

They pulled hard on the knot, and with a snap, it came undone… just as their foot slipped off the branch.

Gabino cried out, hitting several branches on the way down. Leaves filled swirled around them as they hit the ground and groaned.

“Gabino!” I rushed to their side. “Are you okay?”

“What do you think?” they said, rubbing their backside and showing us the rock. “At least I got it.”

Osiris took it and I helped Gabino up.

“It’s just a rock,” said Osiris, their voice flat.

I snatched it from their hand.

“Of course it’s not just a rock!” I said, turning it over. I searched for any markings, hidden messages, anything. Osiris shook their head.

“It’s a rock, Kanako.”

“What? That’s it?” asked Gabino.

“I thought…” my voice trailed off.

Gabino stood silent for a moment. They looked at the rock in my hands.

“Well, you thought wrong.” Gabino brushed dirt off their shorts. “Don’t ask me for help again.”

They walked out of the forest, limping. Osiris looked at me.

“What now?”.

I couldn’t find an answer.

I just stared at the rock, the thread swaying like a pendulum.