فصل 46

CHAPTER 46

TINK’S MESSAGE

LEONARD ASTER SAT SLUMPED against the cell wall, staring at nothing. Next to him, Bakari, equally downhearted, rose to stretch his legs. He glanced out the small barred window, then moved closer for a better look.

“They are working on the rocket,” he said.

Leonard rose quickly and stood next to Bakari. The blazing bright afternoon was yielding, slowly, to the softer light of evening. Across the courtyard, the rocket thrust its dark, tapering silhouette into the sky above the palace wall. A tall, thin man—Viktor Glotz, Leonard assumed—was supervising a crew of boys, who appeared to be about Peter’s age. The boys were carrying buckets from a wagon to the rocket. Stationed around the rocket were a dozen soldiers armed with rifles; at least fifty more armed men were positioned around the courtyard. Many of the men were shading their eyes with their hands, scanning the sky.

“They’re watching for Peter,” said Leonard.

Bakari nodded. “Do you think he’ll try to return?”

Leonard allowed himself a thin smile. “If I know Peter,” he said, “he will indeed try to return.” The smile faded. “But I don’t see how he can get past all those rifles.”

“Perhaps when it gets darker,” said Bakari.

“Perhaps,” said Leonard. “If it’s not too late.”

They stood in silence for another minute, watching the rocket preparations. Leonard was about to turn away when he thought he saw movement at the left edge of his vision. He pressed his face against the bars, straining to see in that direction, and saw it again: a darting glimmer against the sky.

“Tink,” he whispered.

The tiny shape zigzagged closer as Leonard and Bakari watched anxiously, fearing that she would be spotted. But the soldiers were watching for something far larger. In a moment she had shot through the bars and was hovering in front of the men in their dim cell. She glanced at the corridor, and, seeing no guards within earshot, chimed quietly.

Peter sent me to you.

“Is he all right?” said Leonard.

Yes.

“And Molly?”

She’s with Peter, chimed Tink, with a disapproving expression. They’re hiding. They’re going to fly over the wall when it gets dark and the men can’t see them. They’re going to rescue you.

Leonard shook his head. “No,” he said. “Listen, Tinker Bell, this is very important. Tell Peter and Molly that rescuing us will have to wait. The important thing is that they must stop the rocket from going up. Do you understand?”

Tink nodded. Don’t rescue you. Stop the rocket from going up.

“That’s right. Good.”

How?

“What?”

How do they stop the rocket?

Leonard rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know,” he said. “But they must stop it, somehow. If they don’t, the world will be…there will be no world.”

Tink had no response, which was unusual for her.

“Hurry, Tink,” said Leonard, glancing out the cell window. “Tell them there isn’t much time.”

I’ll tell them, said Tink. She shot through the bars, a streak of golden light. Bakari and Leonard watched her disappear over the palace wall. The sky was getting darker; soldiers were lighting torches in the courtyard.

“There isn’t much time,” repeated Leonard.