Playing along, Faye replied, “My dear child, they’re very uncomfortable to dance in. Besides...” she added slyly. “I’m fairly certain your Prince Charming doesn’t need a glass slipper to find you. He already knows where you live.”
Chapter 23—Lame Excuses
Shortly after convincing Griffin to fly to Lijiang and search the vicinity of Lugu Lake, the Arkana group sprang into action. Although the actual flight time to their destination was only four hours, they were informed it could take a full day to get there. They would have to board a two-hour flight to Guangzhou that entailed an overnight layover. Since only four flights per week left from Anyang, they would have to hurry to catch a plane that very afternoon. They rushed off to pack and agreed to reconvene in the hotel lobby at noon.
Griffin and Cassie were the first to arrive. They went to the registration desk to complete their check-out. About five minutes later, Rou came downstairs and did the same. The three of them, trailing their luggage behind, took a seat on one of the lobby’s couches to await the trove keeper.
The scrivener checked his watch. “I do hope nothing’s amiss.”
All three of them kept their eyes trained on the elevators, but Jun never appeared. Just as they were all growing restive, one of the desk clerks called them over. The trove keeper had phoned downstairs to request them to come to his room. They crowded back into the elevator, luggage and all. A few minutes later, they were tapping at his door.
A muffled voice inside said, “It’s open.”
Griffin entered cautiously followed by the others. They were greeted by the sight of the old man lying in bed with his left leg propped up on a pillow, an elastic bandage wrapped around his foot.
“Grandfather!” Rou rushed to his side.
“Good grief, what’s happened to you?” the scrivener cried.
The old man chuckled ruefully. “A clumsy accident. I was hurrying to pack and had taken off my shoes. Before I could change to another pair, I accidentally struck the bottom of the dresser with my foot. When you get old, your bones become as thin as egg shells and just as easy to crack. I’ve had enough such injuries over the course of a lifetime to know that I fractured a metatarsal.” He winced, obviously in pain, as he shifted his weight.
“Have you seen a doctor?” Cassie asked.
Jun shrugged. “There’s little they can do for a hairline fracture. The doctor’s standard advice would be to apply ice to bring down the swelling, wrap the foot, keep pressure off the limb, and wait for it to heal. All these things I’ve already done.”
“You certainly can’t go with us in this condition,” the pythia objected. “You need to stay off your feet and rest.”
“I quite agree,” Jun said. “I’ll have to remain here for a few days until I can walk with a crutch. Then I’ll fly back to Liaoning. My granddaughter will take over as your guide.”
His proposal was met by a shocked silence.
“But she’s just a kid.” Cassie wanted to bite her tongue the second she uttered that phrase, remembering the number of times Erik had used those same insulting words about her when she first became pythia. “Uh... I mean... if she’s never been there before it would be...” she trailed off.
Jun gave an airy wave. “Rou has been to Lugu Lake many times. Her parents were the first Arkana scouts sent there to assess its suitability as a trove site. She knows the region quite well.”
“I’m sure she would be an asset to us,” Griffin parried tactfully. “However, you must realize that if the artifact is hidden there, our assignment could become quite dangerous. We wouldn’t wish to put a member of your family in harm’s way.”
The old man maintained his composure in the face of this additional objection. “I spoke to the chatelaine just before I called you all in here. She assures me that your adversary Daniel is still immersed in research at the library. She will inform you when he’s ready to depart. Maddie will also alert the operatives you used in Tibet. They will fly out to meet you and arrange to transport the artifact out of the country if you find it.”
Griffin and Cassie exchanged resigned looks. The pythia shrugged.
“It seems you’ve thought of everything,” the scrivener concluded.
Rou, who had remained silent during this interchange, spoke for the first time. “No, no, no!” She shook her head violently. Then she launched into a rapid stream of verbiage in Mandarin proving just how fluent Rou could be in a crisis. The torrent of chatter continued for a full two minutes without a break.
Jun regarded his granddaughter placidly as the pitch of her voice rose to a shrill squeak, and her hands gesticulated wildly. He was apparently waiting for her to take a breath.
When Rou’s verbal storm had spent itself, the trove keeper reached out and took the girl’s hand. “My child,” he murmured, “I know you.”
This comment brought her up short. She blinked in surprise.
He continued. “I have watched you grow from a tiny baby into a young woman. All that time I could see your clever and resourceful nature, even if you failed to notice it yourself.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Little sparrow, how will you ever know you can fly if you never trust your own wings?”
Jun turned his attention to the others. “Rou will be able to help you find your artifact. I’m only sorry I won’t be there to see her do so.”
The girl gave her grandfather a stricken look but remained silent.
The trove keeper shifted the pillow behind his back. “Might we have a few moments alone to say goodbye? Rou will meet you in the lobby. I wish you every success on the next stage of your journey.”
Cassie and Griffin awkwardly made their farewells and let themselves out.
As they traveled down the hotel hallway toward the elevator, the pythia grumbled, “This
