The Indigo King - James A. Owen [32]
In seconds it was as if a reverse thunderstorm had exploded out of the dry earth, filling the sky with water, which fell back to ground and began pooling in greater and greater volume.
As the flood gushed up, rain clouds began to form, and almost immediately a downpour started. The water met in the middle with such force that the winds nearly swept the small group off the dock. And then, as quickly as it had started, the storm subsided, and the clouds began to settle, and the companions found themselves looking out upon an ocean restored.
That was not the end of the surprises: In the distance, perhaps a few miles out, they saw a ship.
A Dragonship.
“I thought Mordred would have destroyed them all,” said John, “all the Dragonships, along with all the lands in the Archipelago.”
“Not this ship, and not this island,” said Bert. “There were no other Dragonships when this timeline changed. And there were reasons this island was never included in the original Geographica. This is one of them.”
And so it was with mingled wonder and awe, and no small surprise, that the companions watched as the Red Dragon glided smoothly through the water and alongside the dock.
“But why, Bert?” John asked as the companions climbed aboard the ship. “If you had the brooch and could do this at any time, why did you wait so long?”
“For you,” Bert said simply. “We had faith in you. Jules trusted in your destiny, and so did I. It was hard, terribly so at times. And I regret to say I am not the same, in many ways. I’m worn thin, John. But I’m heartened by your arrival. And overall, considering what Jules sacrificed, I really shouldn’t complain.”
“Well, you waited long enough,” said Jack, offering a hand. “Step aboard, and let’s get the hell away from here.”
But Bert didn’t move. Instead he simply looked at them all with sorrowful eyes, then patted the Red Dragon’s hull. “I’m sorry, lads. I won’t be going.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” Chaz called from the far side of the deck, “someone’s got t’ stay behind, t’ make sure we in’t followed.”
“I nominate you, traitor,” said Jack. “Better you than Bert.”
“No,” Bert said. “My time is past. This is your destiny to fulfill, the three of you—not mine.”
“But he’s not Charles!” exclaimed Jack. “Don’t do this, Bert!”
The old man was not swayed. “Whatever’s going on, Jack, is for you to work through. All things happen for a reason. You have to find out what the reason is, and fix what’s been broken.”
He tapped the hull again, and, as if a signal had been given, the Red Dragon came about and headed for open waters.
Sadly, the companions gathered at the aft railing to wave good-bye to their friend and mentor, but he had already left the dock and returned to the shack, closing the door behind him.
For the first few hours, John and Jack had kept watch, fearing pursuit.
Chaz sat at the fore of the ship, sulking. The badgers busied themselves with examining the ship itself and basically trying not to get in the way.
“That’s really some book you have, that Little Whatsit,” John said to Fred. “It’s been pretty handy so far, anyway.”
“Sure,” said Jack, “except we had only the one silver coin. What happens when we need more?”
“Not everything in th’ Whatsit involves silver,” Uncas explained. “Some got t’ do with gold, f’r instance.”
“Hey,” Jack said brightly. “We might have a use for your watch, John.”
“Funny scowler,” said John. “Here now, let’s have a look at this map, shall we?”
The map had been drawn on the same parchment and was of the same dimensions as most of the maps they were accustomed to seeing in the Imaginarium Geographica, and it had been created by the familiar hand of the Cartographer of Lost Places.
“‘Noble’s Isle,’ it says it’s called,” said John. “It’s a volcanic island, and looks to be in the south. The markings are clear, though, and in classical Latin, so we