فصل 61

CHAPTER 61

THE CELL DOOR

THE BLAST OF BRILLIANT LIGHT sent Peter tumbling through the desert air like seaweed tossed by a giant wave. There was no sound and no sensation of wind; it was as if the light itself swept him along.

The brightness disappeared as suddenly as it had come, leaving Peter lying on his back on the sand, temporarily unable to see. He felt something clinging to his chest, and he realized that he was still holding the whimpering form of Franklin the monkey. He sat up, blinking. “Tink!” he called.

I’m here, came the chimed response, and he felt wings fluttering against his cheek. Tink said something in Monkey to the frightened Franklin, who relaxed his grip. As Peter’s eyes readjusted to the night, he stood, slipped out of the golden suit, and checked himself for injury. He was unhurt, but he felt quite strange—different, although he didn’t know exactly how. He looked up; the moon hung high in a sky still alight with meteor streaks. In the distance he saw the spires of Zarboff’s palace rising over Maknar. He turned around and scanned the desert—once, twice, then a third time to be sure.

The Jackal was gone. He studied the spot where it had once stood; there was nothing, not even a hole in the sand. Just desert.

Tink saw this too.

Good riddance, she chimed.

“We’ve got to get back to the palace,” said Peter.

Wait, said Tink.

“Wait for what?” said Peter.

For you, said Tink.

“What do you mean, ‘for me’?” Peter said. “I’m right here.”

Not all of you, said Tink. She pointed out at the desert. Peter looked, and at first saw nothing. But Tink kept pointing, and then he saw it, sliding swiftly across the white, moonlit desert sand—a shadow.

Peter tensed, as the first thought in his mind was Ombra.

No, said Tink. It’s you.

The shadow slid to his feet and as it touched Peter, he instantly felt right again. He looked down at his attached shadow for a moment. Then he said to Tink, “Let’s go.”

Don’t forget Franklin, said Tink.

Peter sighed and scooped up the monkey, which shrieked—from delight or fear, Peter couldn’t tell which—as Peter launched himself from the sand. With Tink at his side, he swooped across the desert, his moonlit-cast shadow keeping pace on the sand below. Within minutes they reached the palace compound. Peter alit gently on a shadowy section of the massive outer wall. The torch circle was still burning around the rocket-launch site; dozens of figures milled about. Most of them were soldiers, but in the middle of the throng Peter saw Viktor Glotz and King Zarboff engaged in an angry exchange, both of them shouting. Peter looked toward the dungeon but saw nobody near it.

“Come on, Tink,” he whispered. Keeping low in the shadows, they flew along the wall to the dungeon, landing by the big wooden door. Peter released Franklin, who, recognizing the building where he and his fellow monkeys lived, scampered inside. Peter and Tink followed more cautiously, alert for guards. Seeing none, Peter ran down the corridor.

“Molly!” he called as he neared her jail cell.

“Peter!” she cried, rushing to the cell door. “You’re all right!” She reached through the bars and touched Peter’s arm.

“Yes, I’m all right,” he said, putting his hand over hers for a moment, then pulling it back, blushing.

“What happened to the rocket?” said Leonard.

“It flew into the Jackal,” said Peter.

“Was that what caused the flash of light?” asked Bakari.

“I think so,” said Peter. “I’m not sure what happened. But the Jackal isn’t there anymore.”

Now it was Leonard’s hand reaching through the bars, resting on Peter’s shoulder. “You stopped Ombra,” he said. “It seems grossly inadequate to say this to a person who just saved the world—but thank you, Peter.”

Peter blushed.

He had help, noted Tink.

“Thank you, too, Tink,” said Leonard.

“We need to get you out of here before the guards return,” said Peter. He rattled the door lock, to no avail. “Do you have any starstuff left, Molly?”

“I’m afraid not,” she said.

There was shouting from the courtyard.

“I’ll go find the guard with the keys,” said Peter. “He’s got to be around somewhere.”

“No,” said Leonard, his voice grave. “You could be caught, and then we’d all be stuck here. You must leave immediately and get back to England, so you can tell the rest of the Starcatchers about Glotz’s rocket and the Others’ plans.”

He’s right, said Tink.

“I’m sorry, sir,” said Peter, “but I won’t leave without you.” He shot a glance at Molly. “All of you.”

“I appreciate that,” said Leonard, “and I expected you to say it. But this is not a time for heroism. You cannot risk being caught. It is absolutely vital that this information be passed along to the Starcatchers before the Others can mount another threat. This is far more important than our lives, or anyone’s. Please, Peter, go.”

“He’s right, Peter,” said Molly. “You must go.”

Even she’s right, for once, said Tink.

Peter looked from Molly to Leonard, then shook his head. “No,” he said. “I’ll get you out somehow.”

The shouting in the courtyard grew louder. There was a gunshot, then another. Bakari went to the cell window and peered out.

“Peter, listen,” said Leonard, his voice desperate. “Even if you do manage to get us out of here, we’ve no way to get out of Rundoon.”

“Yes, you do,” said Peter. “George and the others went to the harbor to get a ship.”

Leonard shook his head. “I’m sure they’ll try,” he said. “But I seriously doubt that a group of boys will be able to commandeer a ship.”

“You are mistaken, Lord Aster,” said Bakari. “It seems that the boys have, indeed, obtained a ship.”

“How could you possibly know that?” said Leonard, turning to his friend.

“Because,” said Bakari, pointing out the window, “it’s just now coming over the palace wall.”