Part 15 (1/2)
”Our man says it's an evil place inhabited by living shadows.”
Leonard was staring at Bakari. ”Living shadows,” he said.
”Yes,” said Bakari. ”Like the one that attacked my group in Egypt, and you in England. Our man said one of these shadow creatures came to the palace to speak with Zarboff.”
”What did they talk about?”
”Our man couldn't hear their conversation. But he did hear Zarboff address the shadow creature as Lord Ombra.”
Leonard looked stunned. ”He's the one who followed us to England,” he said. ”I thought he'd been destroyed at Stonehenge.”
”Evidently not,” said Bakari. ”According to our informant, it was this...o...b..a who brought the boy and the others from the island, ona”this sounds odd, but our man insists it's truea”some kind of underwater s.h.i.+p.”
Leonard nodded. ”I'm aware of that s.h.i.+p,” he said. ”We reached the island not long after it left.”
”Do you have any idea why the Others and these shadow creatures have gone to so much trouble to get the boy?” said Bakari.
”I'm afraid I do,” said Leonard. ”I think they're going to use him to locate the next starstuff Fall.”
It was Bakari's turn to look stunned. ”How would he do that?”
”I believe Peter has an unusual ability,” said Leonard. ”I don't know how it works, and I suspect he doesn't know, either. But I believe it's the same ability that his parents, or at least his father, had.” He told Bakari what Molly and George had learned in Oxford about the mysterious Mr. Pan, who had used newspaper notices to alert the Starcatchers about falling starstuff, until he and his wife had disappeared, leaving a son named Peter.
”What do you think happened to them?” said Bakari.
”I believe the Others got them and brought them here to Rundoon,” Leonard said. ”I believe the Others used them to locate starstuff Falls. That's why we stopped getting the warnings. That's how the Others got to the Scotland Fall ahead of us.”
”But you got that starstuff back,” said Bakari.
”Precisely,” said Leonard. ”It was a huge amount, and the Others wanted it very badly. Now, I believe, they intend to use Peter to get more.”
”Why can't they use his parents again?”
”Something must have happened to them. In fact, it probably happened not long after the Scotland Fall, because the Others arranged to have Peter put on the boat that was supposed to bring that batch of starstuff to Rundoon. But that boat never got herea”thanks to Peter and Molly. And now the Others are after more starstuff. They have something in mind, something big, something to do with these shadow creatures. Whatever it is, it's why they brought Peter here, I'm sure of it. And it's why we must get him out of there before the next starstuff Fall.”
”It won't be easy,” said Bakari. ”The dungeon is deep inside the palace complex and heavily guarded.”
”What about your inside man?”
”He can get us through the main palace gate,” said Bakari. ”But beyond that we're on our own. It won't be easya”Zarboff has guards everywhere.”
I can get past the guards.
”What did she say?” said Bakari.
”Tink says she can get past the guards. I have no doubt she can. The trick will be for us to get past them and somehow get Peter out. We must find a way to do that. We can't let him stay in there.”
The two men rode on in silence, their thoughts on the difficult task facing them and their eyes on the desert road ahead.
Neither of them noticed that what had been two camel riders behind them was now only one. And that the one was drawing steadily closer.
CHAPTER 28.
JAMES'S PROMISE THE CLINK OF THE LOCK and the creak of the iron cell door woke James. He watched with half-open eyes as two guards shoved Peter into the dark cell. Peter slumped to the floor, his back against the wall. The other boys remained asleep.
”Are you all right?” whispered James.
”Yes,” whispered Peter. ”I'm fine.”
He didn't sound fine to James. ”Where did they take you?”
”To that tomb thing Slightly talked about,” whispered Peter. ”The Jackal.”
”Why?”
Peter started to answer, then stopped himself. He had more questions in his mind than answers. The one thing he did know was that if he didn't help the Others find the starstuff, they said they would kill his friends. But he didn't want to tell James that.
”I don't really know,” he said finally.
”But what dida”
”James,” said Peter, cutting his friend off, ”I'm too tired to talk right now.”
”All right,” said James, although it clearly wasn't all right. ”Good night, then.” He rolled sideways away from Peter, wrapping himself in his blanket.
Peter lay down and pulled his own rough blanket around him. The two boys were just a few feet apart in the darkness. Minutes pa.s.sed.
”James,” whispered Peter.
”What?”
”I won't let anything happen to you and the boys.”
”I know you won't, Peter. But can't I help? Can't I do something?”
”Yes,” said Peter. ”You can help by comforting the others ifa”
”If what? Peter, what's going to happen?”
”I don't know. But promise me you'll be the leader, if you have to. You'll watch after the others.”