When I told her what had happened, her smile quickly fell. Her short moment of freedom from worry was over.
“The rain does not matter,” she said coldly. “Hatred cannot be washed away. I fear there will still be a war.”
“That’s what Loor’s trying to find out,” I said.
Ichecked on Alder and saw he was sleeping peacefully.
“Doctor Nazsha believes he will fully recover,” Saangi said. “What do we do now?”
Isat down on one of the hard, stone chairs and said, “We wait for Loor.”
Iclosed my eyes. Ididn’t want to talk anymore. If we had to wait, I figured I might as well take advantage and get some sleep. If there’s one thing that I learned as a Traveler, it was to steal naps when I could. It didn’t matter what time of the day it was, or how long I had. Even a few minutes helped. I closed my eyes and tried to shut down my mind. It worked. I have no idea how long I was out. It could have been a few minutes, or a couple of hours. It didn’t matter. However long I was out, my peaceful rest was instantly shattered when I opened my eyes to a sobering sight. Standing in the doorway was the answer to the question of whether or not the rainstorm was going to wash away the war. It was Loor. She didn’t have to say anything. She simply stood there. But seeing her, I knew.
She was back in her armor.
Gone was the beautiful red dress and open sandals. Gone too was her jewelry and decorative armbands. Her hair was tied back tight, and her wooden stave was lashed to her back. She was once again dressed to kill. Literally.
“Get ready,” she said to me, and held out a pile of black clothing. It was my Ghee armor. The party was officially over. I quickly dressed while we talked.
“What did you find out?” Saangi asked.
Loor looked troubled. “The rain has come from the north. Scouts have been tracking it for hours. It is a very big storm, big enough to begin the process of ending the drought.”
“Why do you say that like it’s bad news?” I asked.
“Because the water is disappearing,” Loor answered. “Yes, the troughs in the city are collecting a small amount, but that won’t last. There is still nothing coming from the rivers below. With all the rain that has fallen in the north, there should be some sign that the water is rising and the rivers are returning. There is not. They are as dry as they were yesterday.”
“So, you think that’s proof that the Rokador are holding it back?” I asked.
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Loor said. “It is what the Ghee commanders are saying. This is the justification they were looking for. And now that Pelle a Zinj is dead, there is no one to stop them.”
“Whoa, wait,” I said. “It’s one rainstorm! That’s not enough proof.”
“There is more,” Loor said. “The Rokador ambassador to Xhaxhu has disappeared. He was last seen heading underground, along with his staff. Why would he leave? Especially now, when the Batu are saying the assassination was a Rokador plot. It would be his duty to defend the Rokador against those charges.”
Saangi said, “Unless he has no defense.”
I said, “Okay, I admit, that looks bad. But the Ghee have to cool off. This rain might keep coming and-“
“You do not have to convince me, Pendragon,” Loor said. “I am not the one preparing to march into the underground.”
My mouth went dry. Saangi shot Loor a look.
“Say that again?” I said.
“The rebels have taken control. Ghees who were loyal to Pelle now believe that war is the only answer. They are preparing to launch their attack.”
We all stood there, letting that ominous concept sink in.
Those who wanted war because they blamed the Rokador for the drought now had their proof. Those who stood behind the royal family now had their reason as well. Revenge. The two sides had come together. There was going to be a war. “How much time?” I asked.
“I do not know,” Loor said. “Maybe a few suns. They are smart. They will not launch this war until they are fully prepared.”
“What about you?” I asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be with the Ghee?”
“I am now a deserter,” Loor said with no emotion. “If found, they will hang me.”
I felt dizzy. Things were happening a little too fast.
“Do you still think we should go to Kidik?” I asked.
“Now more than ever,” Loor said. “We need to know what Bokka found.”
“Do you think he discovered that the Rokador are holding back the water?” I asked.
Loor thought for a moment, and then said, “Since the beginning of the drought, I have held out hope that the Rokador would not deliberately try to harm the Batu. I still believe they would never do something so foolish, unless there were other forces at work.”
“Other forces like…Saint Dane?” I asked.
Loor nodded and said, “If it is true and the Rokador have been holding back the water, I believe that Saint Dane has somehow convinced them to do so.”
It was so simple. If the Rokador had the power to hold back the water, then it made all sorts of sense that somehow, some way Saint Dane had wormed his way into their confidence and convinced them to do it. That’s how he operated. He tricked people of the territories into making bad decisions. And unless Bokka’s dying words referred to somebody else named Saint Dane, then the evil demon was down there. It was now more clear than ever that if we had any hope of stopping this war, we had to go to Kidik. “What about my stave?” I asked.
Loor reached outside the doorway and retrieved my familiar, worn stave. Osa’s stave. She hadn’t forgotten to bring it. I felt its weight, flipped it over my shoulder and into the harness. I was ready to go.
“This is gonna be tough,” I said. “A Ghee and a half aren’t going to be welcomed by the Rokador with flowers and songs.”
“We will reach Kidik,” Loor said confidently. “Have faith. You have learned from the best.”
I had to smile. Loor’s confidence was infectious. It was starting to rub off on me a little too.
Saangi said, “I will say again, I should come with you.”
Loor actually softened and said, “Saangi, I wish you could. I truly do. But Alder is in danger here. As soon as he is able to move, you must get him back to the flume. The battle against Saint Dane is not about Zadaa. It is about Halla. Alder must be kept safe.”
Saangi nodded. She hated to, but she nodded.
“It has been an honor to serve you,” Saangi said to Loor.
“You have my eternal thanks,” Loor responded.
“Whoa, time out,” I said. “Don’t go saying that like you’re never gonna see each other again. We’ll be back.”
I thought I caught a small tear forming in Saangi’s eye. Truth was, she might not see Loor again. Not if we got caught in the middle of this war. My words didn’t comfort her in the slightest. They sounded kind of hollow to me, too.
“Pendragon,” Saangi said, “I may be short in my manner, but I want you to know that I believe in you. If there is a chance of stopping this war, you and Loor will find it.”
“Thanks for that, Saangi,” I said. “And for everything.”
I gave Alder a quick touch on the shoulder. I didn’t want to wake him. He needed the sleep. I wished he were coming with us.
“Let’s go,” I said.
We were soon jogging through the dark, rainy streets of Xhaxhu, headed for the building that would lead us down into the depths of the Rokador tunnel system, near the flume. It was a familiar route. Loor didn’t have to direct me. We found the building, entered the doorway, and descended down the spiraling ramp that brought us into the underground. Once we were below, the concept of day and night went away. The lighting was always the same. The domes embedded in the walls gave off the same, soft yellow light whether it was midday or midnight. We didn’t stop to talk until we had walked through the abandoned water-control station, and emerged into the vast chamber that used to hold the raging river. Even with all the rain, there was only a small bit of water trickling along the dry riverbed. I had to admit, this looked bad for the Rokador. I was now convinced that they really were playing games
