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Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

Kidah nods, closes his eyes, and rocks back and forth. “Yes, I’ve known Mira since she was a young orphan. She entered the priesthood, and the Caretakers became her cause, her education, and her family, just as they did for your friend Eko. I remember first seeing her as a girl of seven or eight, dressed in the white robes of a novitiate. Even then she stood out. Not just for her beauty. She was such a serious child. And she had the most angelic voice.”

“I think I’ve heard her sing,” I tell him in a whisper. “It was in the Andes, when we were trapped. She saved us. Sometimes, in moments of great danger, I get the feeling that she and my dad are looking out for me.”

“A thousand years is a formidable barrier, but love often finds a way,” Kidah says. “I’ll be honest with you, Jair, I mean Jack. Mira never recovered from having to part with you. Perhaps you can understand how an orphan, denied her own family when she was a child, would find it especially hard to give up her baby.”

I remember the excruciating sadness of the song I heard high up in the Andes, and nod slowly. “Where is she now? What’s happened to my mom?”

“When your father was captured by the Dark Army, she took over the resistance. She’s fought very bravely, but it hasn’t gone well.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“You’re her last best hope.”

“No,” I say, “I did my job and found you. Now you’re the man with the plan.”

“We’ll do it together,” Kidah says. “But we’d better get some shut-eye first.” He stands. “Coming?”

I hesitate and then take his hand. “Okay, Uncle.”

81

81

We leave at dawn, and a dozen warriors of the tribe go with us. They’ve aware that by venturing beyond their borders they will be revealing their existence and inviting trouble. Kidah has explained to them that the entire rain forest is threatened, and told them why he’s risking his life now to try to stop the damage.

We hike through the forest to the river where Eko and I first encountered the tribesmen. There we find the remains of our dugout, destroyed by rocks and set on fire for good measure. The warriors expertly begin assembling small bark canoes, and soon have six of them ready to go.

The shaman decides not to go with us—he explains that he must stay behind and care for his people. He says an emotional farewell to Kidah, and the two men embrace. Watching the great wizard of the future and the medicine man of the People of the Forest standing next to each other, you would find it easy to mistake them for brothers.