The Search for the Red Dragon - James A. Owen [13]
“Resigned, quit—whatever you call it, you abandoned your duties,” Jack shot back.
“Duties I never asked for!” Jamie protested. “I didn’t want any of that! I wasn’t prepared! Arthur wanted it, and had it—and then they took it from him and made me take his place. And it terrified me to have that kind of responsibility suddenly thrust upon me. Do you have any idea what that was like?”
“I have every idea of what that was like,” said John coolly. “That’s precisely what happened to me after you gave it up. But because of what had happened with you, Professor Sigurdsson never told me what I was being trained for, or even mentioned the Geographica, until events were in motion. I only got to speak to him that much by stepping into the past, through a door in the Keep of Time—because by then, he’d already been murdered.”
“Are you saying that’s my fault?” said Jamie. “My fault he died? Bad form, John.”
“Maybe,” answered John. “Maybe things would have progressed differently if the professor and Bert felt they could be more open and honest with the new Caretaker. And maybe he wouldn’t have died protecting the Geographica—because it would already have been passed to me.”
“But wouldn’t the Winter King have simply pursued you then, John?” Charles asked reasonably. “Instead of the professor?”
“There’s no way to know what ‘might’ have happened,” said Jack. “All we know is what did happen. And we know that when the time came to stand up like a man, Sir James Barrie turned and ran.”
Jamie’s face reddened, and his fist trembled as he rose from his seat.
“Take back that remark, sir. Or I shall be obliged on my honor as a gentleman to call you out.”
Jack also stood and stepped close. “I’m right here. Say what you have to say. If you want to take a swing at me, feel free to do so.”
“Now, now,” Charles said placatingly as he rose and smoothly edged between the two men. “This isn’t resolving anything. And you two are not going to help Aven by engaging in fisticuffs.”
The mention of that name stunned both men into dropping their fists and retaking their seats.
“Aven,” Jamie said, his voice low. “What does any of this have to do with Aven? Is she all right?”
“I can’t say for certain,” said Charles, looking askance at Jack. “There are a number of pieces I’m trying to put together, and I don’t think any of them are before us by happenstance.”
Beginning with Charles’s account, and with frequent interruptions from John and Jack, they told Jamie about Aven’s role in their great adventure—and about her closeness to both Jack and the young man they called Bug, who eventually became the new High King, Artus.
“So she’s become queen of Paralon then, eh?” Jamie said with a wan smile. “This Artus must be quite a fellow to have wooed her away from the sea. I imagine Nemo had quite a bit to say about that.”
At the mention of the former captain of the Yellow Dragon, Jack shifted uncomfortably in his chair, and John quickly leaned in. “Where Aven enters into this is the reason we’ve come together. It seems we’ve all been dreaming of the Archipelago—about strange creatures and events—and Jack summoned us together to discuss their import.”
“Dreams are curious things,” said Jamie, “but Jack did well to take heed of his. There is always meaning behind them, and it cannot be coincidence that you’ve had the same dreams. Laura Glue’s appearance confirms this.”
“Agreed,” Charles said. “Laura Glue’s claim that the Archipelago is in trouble and Jack’s feeling that Aven may be in peril could be one and the same occurrence.”
“And what of the message?” asked John. “What does it mean?”
“‘The Crusade has begun,’” said Jamie. “It really doesn’t say much at all, does it? I must confess I have no idea what it means. But…” He paused, then stood and moved to the fire, stoking the embers.
“There’s an old myth in the Archipelago,” he went on softly, shaking his head. “A legend, really…I recall it mentioned a Crusade, but those events happened seven centuries ago. We always thought it was only a story….”
“I don’t think this is going to be as easily resolved