The Search for the Red Dragon - James A. Owen [94]
“Cross if ye be inclined,” said Pew, “but best be a’hurried, afore the tide return and cover the Devil’s Spine.”
The companions murmured their thanks and quickly moved down the dock. Charles stepped over first, and, finding the footing to be solid, helped the children, Aven, and Bert to the stone.
Only John paused on the dock.
“Might I ask a question?” he said to Pew, who shrugged.
John took that as assent. “How many of you are there on Hooloomooloo?”
“What, pirates?” Pew said, a note of surprise in his voice. “Why, not long ago, we be thousands. But now, only old Pew watches the ships. Old Pew, and his cats.”
“Where did the others go?” asked John.
“Take’d,” Pew replied. “Take’d, and used up, and kilt. The Crusade, men say. The Crusade of the King of Tears, takes a man and uses him up. They left on the ships with the eyes of fire, they did. Left old Pew, and none returned, nor will they.”
“Why not?”
“Because plunder and pillage, that’s what men do. And God permits. But a Crusade be like Babel, and an offense to God. And they be struck down, and lost.
“Seek those whom ye may, but do not pursue a Crusade—only death will follow after.”
The stones were evenly spaced, and they led the companions to the next district and the next island in little more than an hour.
The mist was thinning and the sky was brightening as they moved farther from Hooloomooloo. Not far from landfall, Bert noticed that the water level was rising against the stones—the tide was returning.
“It’s too early,” Charles said. “It shouldn’t be coming in again until tomorrow.”
“Different district, different rules,” said Bert. “I don’t think we can count on anything being as we expect it to be from here on in.”
They stepped off the last stone onto a granite shore just as the incoming waters covered it over with a rush of sea and foam.
“Just so,” said Aven. “Heaven is with us.”
“We can hope, daughter,” Bert called over his shoulder, as he followed Jack and Laura Glue, who began playing a game along the shore. They were skipping stones across the surface of the water, and in a moment Aven had joined them. John and Charles sat on the ground and took stock of their bundles.
“You’re so worried about something that I think your eyes are going to cross,” Charles said to John, squeezing his shoulder supportively. “What’s got you in such a bother, old friend?”
John rubbed at his temples and grinned wryly at Charles. “I’m not certain it’s anything at all. But some of the things Daedalus told us don’t ring true.”
“Really?” Charles exclaimed, surprised. “I thought he was very forthcoming.”
“That’s part of what worries me,” said John. “He was very prepared for us. He wasn’t surprised when we arrived, and he even knew which History we would need to take to traverse the different districts of the Underneath.”
“If I may interject,” said Bert, who had moved closer to the two men, “I’d thought the same thing. But wouldn’t he have been expecting, or at least hoping, that Laura Glue would return with Jamie? Or a Caretaker, as she did?”
“How would he have known to expect that?” said John. “He claimed he wasn’t nearby when the children were taken, and Laura Glue told us Peter sent her on the mission as the Clockwork Men were attacking. How would Daedalus have known?”
“This makes no sense,” Charles said flatly. “I think you’re worried about a dilemma that doesn’t exist.”
“Don’t be so sure,” said Bert, who had grown more and more worried as John talked. “I think he’s right.”
“So do I,” said John. And with that, he explained what he and the inventor had discussed in private before the companions had left Haven.
“So Daedalus isn’t Daedalus the younger after all?” said Charles.
“No,” said John. “Daedalus is the original Daedalus, not his son pretending to be Daedalus.”
“If he can’t leave Haven,” Bert pointed out, “then he had to have been present when the Clockworks attacked.”
“Which means he did know about Peter sending Laura Glue to find us,” said John. “So then when we came, why did he lie to us