Nevva took a breath. She was trying to control her emotions. “I know you don’t feel that a guided future is right. You believe that people should be free to choose their own destiny. But time and again the people of Halla have chosen poorly. And not just where Saint Dane was involved. The people of Halla were flawed, and I have no doubt that if Saint Dane never intervened, their destruction would have occurred anyway. This way, we have separated those who are worthy of rebuilding Halla and protected them from those who are not. I know, the worlds of Halla are in shambles, but it was necessary. This is only the beginning. We are going to make it right this time, Pendragon. We are going to create Utopia.”
I stood up. My head hurt and my legs weren’t working that well, but I didn’t want to be sitting on the floor to have this discussion. I wanted to be on Nevva’s level.
“What about the dado attack on Ibara?” I asked. “Did the people of Ibara bring that on themselves?”
Nevva blinked. She didn’t answer right away. I had struck a chord.
“They created the situation that allowed for it to happen,” she finally answered.
“No, they didn’t!” I shot right back. “They saw that their society was in trouble, looked ahead, and did exactly the kind of thing that you’re talking about. They created Ibara as a way to save Veelox. And they were going to succeed, until Saint Dane convinced the Flighters to attack and destroy the pilgrim ships, and then invaded the island with dados. Where was his grand vision there? The dado attack was sent as a conquering army. Plain and simple. It wasn’t the people of Veelox who let that happen. It was all Saint Dane. How do you explain that?”
For the first time since I’d known her, Nevva looked unsure of herself. “It… it was about you, Pendragon. It was intended to put you to the test, and you failed.”
“So what if I did? I’m not even from Halla! What was I being tested for?”
“The ends justified the means,” she complained.
“No!” I shouted back at her. “You can’t tell me this is all about doing what is best for Halla. Maybe at one time that’s what Saint Dane thought. Maybe on some philosophical level he was right. Who knows? But it’s not about that anymore. It’s about his own selfish goals. He wants to be king, Nevva. No, he wants to be a god. He wants to create his own Halla. It’s the ultimate power play. He’s living in a palace. He likes being human. Look how he’s changed himself. He’s developed vanity. He wants to look good. Don’t you see that? That’s why he sent conquering armies, and that’s why he’s built another army of dados to do it again. Whatever noble thoughts he may have had at one time have been corrupted. If you think he’s got any other goal than to be a god, you’re kidding yourself.”
Nevva looked stunned. I couldn’t believe that my words had hit her that strongly. No way. She was too firmly committed to her mission to let a little argument like this change her mind. But something I had said got through, and shook her.
“What do you mean, ‘he’s built another army’?” she asked tentatively.
“Oh, please,” I shot back. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know.”
“Don’t know what?”
“We saw the factory, Nevva. Where do you think we got shot by the dados?”
“You were found in the helicopter plant.”
“Yeah, the helicopter plant that also happens to be building about eighty thousand dados. What do you think they’re for? Washing windows and doing all the little chores you Ravinians think are beneath you? I’m not an idiot.”
Nevva was shaken. Really shaken. I didn’t think she was a good enough actor to fake that. And why would she want to? As far as she was concerned, the battle was over.
“Are you serious?” I asked without sarcasm. “You didn’t know about the new army of dados out there, all polished up and ready to go?”
Nevva’s eyes told the story. She really didn’t know. It was a total surprise to her. She was about to get another one.
“Nevva,” came a thin voice.
Nevva didn’t look at first. She kept looking at me, but I saw the change in her eyes. She had heard a voice from the past. One I’m sure she never expected to hear again, and certainly not in a dim room on Third Earth. She held my gaze, silently asking if what she had heard was real. I motioned for her to look. Nevva had trouble turning away from me. It was as if she were fighting the pull of a magnet that wouldn’t let her turn. But she had to.
Slowly Nevva turned to face her mother.
Elli was on her feet. She stood across from Nevva, tall and straight. Mother and daughter. It was like looking at the same person, though one was several years older. They locked eyes. Nevva opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Elli looked strong. Stronger than I’d ever seen her. As tough as it must have been to be reunited with her daughter this way, Elli was up to it. I was proud of her. My fears about her not being able to handle the situation were gone. Elli didn’t say another word. I think she wanted Nevva to speak first.
Nevva was finally able to croak out, “Why are you here, Mother?”
Elli’s answer was to haul off and slap her daughter across the face.
It was totally unexpected. And totally awesome.
I wanted to bottle the moment to remember it forever. Unfortunately, something happened that made the sweetness short-lived. We heard a voice come from the doorway. A tall man with long dark hair stood in the frame.
“My,” Saint Dane said with mock dismay. “Not exactly a touching reunion.”
Chapter 23
The demon strolled into the room as if he owned it. Which he did, I guess. He wore the same deep red, princely costume I had seen him in earlier. It still threw me to see his new look, complete with long black hair and the elegant suit. His eyes hadn’t changed though. They still cut right through me.
“I feel sorry for you, Pendragon,” he said with an air of superiority that made my blood boil. I guess I should have been used to it. “You’ve made such a valiant effort for so long, it pains me to see you unable to let go.”
“Let go of what?” I snarled.
“Your coming back here smacks of denial. It’s a pathetic attempt to prolong a battle that has long been over. And who do you bring along to help you on this desperate mission? A feeble woman. Is this what the mighty Travelers have come to?”
Elli ignored him. Her eyes were still fixed on Nevva. Nevva held her hand to her stinging cheek and looked to the floor. It was the first time I had seen Nevva Winter cowed. Instead of lashing back, she’d taken the slap as if she knew she deserved it. Her reaction to seeing her mother was what I hoped it would be. So far.
When Saint Dane reached Elli, he leaned down to her and whispered, “Did that make you feel better? Did it take away the pain of knowing the daughter you abandoned grew up to be one of the bad guys?”
It was a vicious thing to say. I wanted to hit him myself. I expected Elli to whirl and land one on him. Instead, she did something I never would have expected. She stepped forward and took Nevva into her arms. She closed her eyes and hugged her daughter.
“I miss you,” she whispered.
Nevva didn’t hug back, but she didn’t pull away, either. There were tears in her eyes, though I couldn’t tell if they were tears of emotion, or from getting whacked in the face.
“That’s more like it!” Saint Dane exclaimed with sarcastic joy. “Together again! The woman who turned her back on her own destiny and the girl who never should have been.” He smiled, as if realizing something for the first time. “Never been. Is that the origin of the name Nevva? How appropriate.”
Elli held on to Nevva, but answered Saint Dane. “I do not regret having given birth to my daughter.”