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Ikawa forced a smile and shook his head as he looked over at the drawn features of his old friend and
lord.
Allic smiled to show that he was interested in the conversation, but his exhaustion was evident.
Jartan and the attack contingent had returned that morning. The reunion had been a painful one as both
sides, now fully aware of what had happened, eagerly sought the faces of loved ones, and in more than
one case had retreated to a private room to hide their grief at the terrible price that had been paid.
Minar had lost a beloved son. Chosen had left as silently and mysteriously as he had arrived, his only
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living granddaughter gone. Several of Jartan's grandchildren were dead as well, and many of the party
had suffered some injury, either physically or worse yet, to their inner senses from the horrors they had
fought.
Whether or not Gorgon had survived the destruction of the portal was not known. Jartan's attack had
reached to the final gate into the nightmare world which was Gorgon's home, and had pressed no
further--for that was a place no one of Haven could endure. They had started back, leaving a wake of
destruction behind them, laying down barriers and traps, sealing Gorgon off.
The rescue of Allic had been a near thing as well. The relief force, led by Storm, had arrived to find Allic
and eight survivors cornered in a cave and fighting off repeated attacks. It would take time, Ikawa
realized, for Allic to heal--not just physically, but also from the nightmare of what he had endured.
"The druid and the portal?" Allic asked. "What happened?"
The group looked over at Kochanski, who stood in the corner with Sara beside him holding a
possessive arm around his waist.
"It won't work. I'm trying to create a replica from a hazy memory of seeing Stonehenge years back while
in England, but the druid's version is a model of how it appeared two thousand years ago. I guess I just
never realized how precise the reproduction would have to be here on Haven. Besides, the druid told me
he tried countless times to go back, always without success."
"So there's no going back, then?" Storm asked.
Kochanski shook his head, and a smile that almost looked like relief crossed his features.
"I guess not."
"That's too bad," Storm replied, and Mark chuckled at the obvious lie.
Ikawa looked around the group. He could sense the tension leaving most of them, the burden of the
decision having been lifted. Only two of his men, and Smithie, looked crestfallen, though he could only
hope that with time they would come to accept their new world.
He bid a silent farewell to his parents and the world he had left. He would always regret that they could
never know that he was safe, that his world had not ended in an unnamed skirmish in China, but in fact
had barely begun.
"I think it's time you got some sleep, Allic," Storm said affectionately, kissing her brother on the
forehead.
He looked at the circle of friends around him and nodded.
"You've got the best of worlds right here," he whispered. "Believe me, I know."
Ikawa nodded and came up to take Leti's hand.
"Of course, Mark and Ikawa need their sleep now as well," Allic said, a mischievous grin lighting his
face.
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"You've got to be kidding," Storm laughed. Taking Mark's hand, she left the room, the rest of the group
following.
"Come on, Kochanski, let's go for a swim. There's a beautiful spot--a secret place only I know about,"
Sara said as they stepped into the hallway.
"Are you crazy? The last thing I want to see is water," Kochanski replied, looking nervously at his
friends, who filed past him. "I was thinking of going with the guys for a drink."
"Well, I'll come along then," she announced.
Going down the hallway, they passed through Jartan's audience chamber, again aswarm with activity as
the god set about bringing order back to his realm.
Kochanski looked over at the column of light as he passed through.
"Sorry about the portal, Kochanski," the god whispered in his mind.
"Actually, I'm glad it turned out the way it did," Kochanski thought in reply. "We all thank you, though,
for making the offer to us."
"You deserved it. But I must say I'm glad you'll be staying. Once things settle down we'll have a talk."
"With pleasure, my lord."
"Take care of that granddaughter of mine. Give her a couple of more years and you might find her a
wonderful lady to be with. And for all our sakes, don't get her angry, or we'll never hear the end of it."
As Jartan's thoughts pulled away, Kochanski felt as if he heard booming laughter.
"Did he say something?"
"Nothing, kid."
"I'm not a kid," Sara replied, pressing close to him. "I'm damn near eighteen."
"In my book you are, at least for the next year or so. After that, we'll talk."
"You promise?" She looked up at him, beaming.
"Sure." He couldn't help feeling a growing warmth for her, even though she did drive him crazy.
Leaving the chamber, they turned down a hallway that led past the workshops. A door swung open, and
Kochanski felt Sara's grip tighten.
"Hi, Kochanski." Deidre, her eyes warm and seductive, looked straight into his. "Going any place
special?"
"Well, I was going to join my friends for a drink to celebrate," Kochanski replied, unable to drop his
gaze.
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"We were planning to go therealone, " Sara interrupted, her voice dripping with venom.
"Oh, I'd love to join you, though," Deidre replied.
She looked back through the doorway.
"Grandfather, I'll be back later," she called, and closed the door behind her.
She came up on Kochanski's other side even as Sara pulled him along.
"It's Sara, isn't it?" Deidre said sweetly. "Tell me, are you still enjoying school?"
Kochanski gulped, wondering if, after all that had happened, he'd live to see the end of the day.
The druid looked up and saw the door closing.
Damn girl. She'd kept him out of a good fight, hovering over him and not giving him a moment of peace. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]