I hadn’t thought it possible for the old captain to look worse.

  He was already missing his right leg and left eye, but he looked like he’d lost more weight than when I’d seen him almost a week ago. His clothes were grimy and his eyepatch was gone, leaving the blank space where his eye had been looking like a dimple in his skin. I tried not to shudder at the sight or gag from the smell, but I did both.

  “Ye cut Zambies inta quartars and ya cain’t handle the smell of me mournin’ breath?” The old man let out a belly laugh as he blew into his hands and sniffed them. “I guess I do smell like the inside of a Zambie’s fart.”

  “You do know him?” Fyga looked at me, disbelief etched on her face.

  “We met when we first got to Port Reggo. He offered to take us to the island if we could find a boat big enough, but when we came back, he was gone. I thought-”

  “Them cursed, whale-bloated, dolphin-lickin’, turtle-stealin’…” He punched the stone wall with his right hand hard enough for it to echo out of his cage. He closed his eye and took a deep breath. The veins on his bald head and neck were bulging. He let the breath out as he turned back to us. “Sawry, I lost ma head there far a spell.”

  “You were saying?” A grin tugged at Fyga’s lips as she tried to keep her face serious. “Turtles?”

  “Don’t mock ma lass.” He wagged his finger at her face. “I put more than one Touched over ma knee.”

  “She’s not-”

  “Don try to lie far her, boy.” He looked at me. “She fights like one of um, but that begs da question. Why are ya with her if yar really a Backer?”

  “That’s…” I tried to think about how to explain it, but my mind was drawing a blank.

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  “Port Reggo fell.” Fyga scowled. “I tried to help get as many humans here as I could for…” she grimaced. “Amnesty.”

  “Da Port fell? When?” The captain grabbed the bars. “How wur da walls broke?”

  “Theo helped a few Touched smuggle an experimental weapon in.” I shook my head. “It started turning people faster than I’ve ever seen. I was able to destroy the weapon, but it was too late. Over half the city had been turned. Bokor Val tried to take back the city, but there were too many.”

  “Ta many far a Backer?” He shook his head. “A thousand would. It sure would.” He sighed. “What about da Mayor, he make it out?”

  “The mayor stood with the guard to hold the Zombies and Touched back while we got as many people as we could to this island.” I motioned at the crates and barrels. “Fyga knew this place existed, but she didn’t know where it was.”

  “Really?” He raised his only eyebrow. “Not da first Backers ya worked with? Bah!” He pounded his hands on the bars. “Mind helpin’ ma out? One o’ da dead ones had a key.”

  “Sure.” I looked around. There were five bodies and I knew I didn’t have to search the newest one. I started with the closest one to the gate and found it on the third body.

  The gate creaked open with some effort, but nothing that my enhanced strength couldn’t handle with ease. The cell was not used very often and with all the moisture that trickled in, rust was a big problem.

  “Gareth! What are you boys doing down there?”

  Captain Jace grabbed a large stick off of the floor and walked over to the entrance as orange light began to mix with the soft blue in Fyga’s hand.

  “GARETH! BOY”S SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT! GET THE OTHERS!”

  Fyga dashed into the hall, the icicle in her hand blasting forward.

  “IT’S THE TOUCHED! TELL THE CAP- AH!!!”

  His scream didn’t die fast enough and I heard the sounds of fighting.

  “Wha ya waitin’ on?” Captain Jace motioned at the hall. “Help yar girl. Ya don’t want ta be downwind from ma til I’ve had a dip.”

  I started to correct him, especially since Fyga wouldn’t need help, but the way that the dead man had said ‘Touched’ was like they had been expecting a fight from them. A fight they were prepared for.

  My gut twisted as I ran into the hall. I hoped I was wrong.

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