Loor was focused. Her jaw set. She had been hit with a lot over the past few hours. I had no idea how close to the edge she was. I figured the best thing to do was try and diffuse her anger.
“Yeah, it sucks,” I said. “Bokka is dead, and it looks like the Rokador have been hoarding water from the Batu. But we gotta stay focused. There’s more to come, I guarantee it. I need to know you’re with me.”
That was pretty harsh. Basically I’d just told Loor I was worried that she’d let her emotions take over to the point where she’d do something dumb. Spader had done that, more than once, and it cost us. I couldn’t allow Loor to do the same thing.
“This has become personal, Pendragon,” Loor said. “My best friend is dead, and my people are starving. If this is the work of Saint Dane, he will suffer for it.”
I felt the anger in her voice. We had reached a crossroads. I couldn’t blow this. It was my job.
“You’re not the only one who’s lost friends and family,” I said just as firmly. “Yours isn’t the only territory in trouble. We’ve come too far to let Saint Dane goad us into doing something stupid. We’ve all made mistakes. Big ones, and we’ve paid for them. I will not let you do it too. Not here. Take a breath and get your head back in the game!”
My eyes stayed locked on hers. I wasn’t about to blink. Loor was supremely confident in everything she did. That was her. But she wasn’t stupid. She gave me a slight nod. My words had struck home. I could feel the tension melt. “Do not worry, Pendragon. I have not lost sight.” Her voice was softer. I still felt the intensity, but she was now in control. She was with me.
“Good,” I said. “Now, where the heck are we going?”
Loor pointed ahead. I turned around and saw a single light glowing in the distance.
“That’s as good a choice as any,” I said.
Loor kept us headed for the light. I’d say we traveled for about half an hour. That’s how big this underwater ocean was. As we got closer, we could see that it wasn’t a single light at all-it was several. They were torches. Six of them. The flickering light illuminated enough of the surroundings that I could see we were approaching a shore. As we drew even closer, I saw that one torch wasn’t lit.
“Six flaming torches surrounding one dark torch,” I said. “I wonder if that’s some kind of symbol?”
“The dark one is not a torch,” Loor observed.
I squinted to try and see better, and sure enough, standing at the center of the ring of torches was a person. It was kind of creepy. The guy stood there, alone, stock-still, with the torches burning around him. Was it some kind of Rokador ceremony? He didn’t seem to be dressed in the classic white robes of a Rokador. He was wearing all black.
“Should I land the boat near him?” Loor asked.
“I guess,” I said. “I don’t think it would be a trap because nobody knows we’re-uh-oh.”
My mouth went dry.
“What?” Loor asked.
I wanted to be sure I was right, so I didn’t answer right away. As we drew closer and I saw the truth, I still couldn’t answer because my brain wouldn’t kick my tongue into gear.
“Pendragon?” Loor asked. “Could it be?”
I didn’t have to answer. Loor knew. Standing in the sand, surrounded by torches, was a tall man wearing a dark suit. He was completely bald. We were still too far away to see the angry red veins that slashed across his head from front to back, like bloody lightning bolts. But even from this distance, I could see his eyes. His blue-white eyes. They caught the light from the flames, dancing like he was possessed by some evil, inner glow. Because he was. As we drew closer to shore, he actually smiled and lifted his hand to give us a slight wave.
We were being welcomed… by Saint Dane.
JOURNAL#22
(CONTINUED)
ZADAA
Loorhad one hand on the tiller. With the other hand she went for her weapon. “Don’t,” I warned.
“I can end this here, Pendragon,” Loor said through clenched teeth.
“No, you can’t,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. It wasn’t easy since my adrenaline had just spiked too. “We gotta know what’s going on.”
Loor’s eyes were laser-locked on to Saint Dane. This was the guy who was responsible for killing her mother, and possibly her best friend, not to mention all the other mayhem he caused on his mad quest to control Halla. Loor wasn’t the type to negotiate with her enemies. She was more inclined to whack first, then not bother asking questions later.
“If he’s showing himself like this, he wants to talk,” I said. “We’ve got to listen. It’s the only way we can find out what’s been happening.”
I knew we had to play this Saint Dane’s way. There were bigger issues involved, not the least of which was the future of Halla. Picking a fight with Saint Dane wasn’t going to help.
Imagine that? Me trying to protect Saint Dane from Loor.
Loor tore her eyes from Saint Dane and looked at me. “I will listen to him, Pendragon,” she said, but it sounded like it physically hurt her to say it. I hoped she meant it. She guided the boat onto the sandy shore. I jumped out and pulled it up and out of the water. Saint Dane didn’t lend a hand, in case you were wondering. He stood in the center of the circle of torches, watching. Not moving. He wasn’t going to come to us. We had to go to him. Fine. Whatever.
“Be cool,” I whispered to Loor.
The two of us walked up the beach and stood on the outside of the circle of torches, only a few yards away from the demon Traveler. Nobody said anything for the longest time. Maybe it was because nobody wanted to make the first move. I’ve been told that’s not a good idea.
“I’m happy to see you are feeling better, Pendragon,” Saint Dane finally said.
“Really?” I asked, heaping as much sarcasm into that one word as I could. “Then why did you beat me up in the first place?”
Saint Dane chuckled. I amused him. Swell.
“And now you’re masquerading as a Ghee warrior,” he said with a smirk. “What is it you say on your territory? Trick or treat? I’m afraid I have no candy for you, little boy.”
He was trying to rile me. I didn’t take the bait.
“Speaking of masquerades, you surprised me,” I said. “Bokka knew your name. Your real name. That’s not like you. Usually you’re such a coward you have to hide behind other identities.”
Saint Dane flashed his fiery white eyes at me and smiled. It wasn’t a happy smile. The game was on.
“Ahh, yes. Bokka. The brave Tiggen guard,” Saint Dane said. “I believe he was a friend of yours, Loor? Such a shame he turned out to be a traitor to his people. I do hope his death was painful.”
Loor moved before I could react. She leaped at Saint Dane while pulling her weapon from its harness. Saint Dane didn’t budge. He didn’t have to. The instant Loor entered the ring of light, three Tiggen guards leaped from the shadows and tackled her. Two more Tiggen guards jumped me, holding my arms. Another stepped into the ring holding his crossbow full of steel arrows, ready to shoot. I recognized him. It was Bokka’s killer.
Saint Dane said, “My friend here is such a fine marksman. I believe it only took one arrow to serve justice to Bokka. Though he fired several more, just to be sure.”
Loor squirmed in anger, trying to get up, but the guards held her facedown in the sand. Saint Dane strolled over and leaned down to her.
“You want to kill me, don’t you? ” he said calmly. “And here I thought you and your friends were so righteous. You are just as capable of evil as anyone. Perhaps more so. Yet you believe your brand of evil is justified, so long as it serves your own misguided purposes.”