The Search for the Red Dragon - James A. Owen [42]
“Why?” John wondered. “What can possibly connect Jamie and the two men Bacon wrote about? And why wouldn’t he tell us if he knew something more?”
Aven set her jaw and looked at John. “Olly Olly Oxen-Free was the game Peter and Jamie taught all the Lost Boys. They invented it. It’s not a coincidence that the game and its creators are mentioned in the same passage.
“The ship described in that book—the Red Dragon—has been seen firsthand only once in the history of the Archipelago. Everything else has been a story—the ‘friend of a friend whose cousin once saw it’ sort of stories. Even here in the archives, despite centuries of writing and record-keeping, there have hardly ever been any mentions of it at all.”
“Precisely four,” Bert interjected. “The first recorded sighting was when Ordo Maas built it from the wreck of the Argo. The second was during the first great battle between Arthur and Mordred. The accounting you just read would be the third.”
“When was the fourth?” Artus asked.
Aven glanced at her father and hesitated. “It’s in a book from Verne’s personal archive. A future history that may or may not happen. And that’s what concerns me—the Red Dragon seems lost not just in space, but also in time.
“The Morgaine said that the change that altered the course of history occurred seven centuries ago—but that the event that caused the change happened only nine years ago, because of something you did.”
“Really,” said John, “I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out what we did wrong, but I can’t think of anything we did that wasn’t necessary to defeat Mordred.”
“Jules would say that nothing you did was wrong, young John,” said Bert. “There are only choices that move us into the future—even if, at times, we seem to go back.
“It stands to reason that all of this is connected—and there was only one place you went to where Time itself could have been affected.”
“The Keep of Time,” said Charles. “Of course!”
“That’s it, then,” said John. “We’re going back to see the Cartographer of Lost Places.”
The companions each said good-bye to Artus, who already appeared apprehensive about the line of officials who had gathered outside the library with yet more documents and decrees that needed his attention, and began winding their way out of the Great Whatsit. As Jack turned to follow the others, Artus grasped his arm and pulled him over to a shallow alcove.
“I want to ask you something,” the king said, his voice soft. “I want to ask if you will look after Aven. As a personal favor to me. And I’m not asking as king or anything. Just…me. Artus.”
Jack started. He looked at the other man for a moment before answering. “Why are you asking me? Of course, all of us—”
“I know all of you will be looking out for one another,” Artus interrupted, “but that’s not what I’m talking about.
“I…I know how you felt about her, Jack. Before. I guess I’ve always known. So I hope you are not offended that I ask. To the others, she’s a companion and a friend. But of all of them, only you would understand this request from someone who truly loves her.”
Jack could see it in the young king’s face. He did love Aven, deeply. And it took more courage to ask this of Jack, his onetime rival for her affections, than Jack believed he could have mustered had their positions been reversed.
“Of course I will, Artus.”
“Thank you, Jack,” Artus said, offering his hand.
Jack didn’t hesitate to take Artus’s hand and grip it tightly with his own. “I’ll bring them back, Artus. Both of them.”
It wasn’t until he had walked out of the Great Whatsit toward where the others awaited him that Jack realized how much he meant the words he’d just spoken.
He did mean to bring back Aven and her son…
But not necessarily back to Paralon.
Aboard the Indigo Dragon once more, Aven instinctively slipped into command, as her father perceptively, subtly, stepped aside. The crew were accustomed to her, and indeed, seemed to step livelier to their tasks under her direction.
Bert nodded contentedly and leaned against the forward