Dawn of the Dragons by James A. Owen

Author:James A. Owen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery / Saga Press
Published: 2015-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THREE

THE LOST BOYS

TRUE TO HIS WORD, back at Jamie’s home he had an ample supply of Leprechaun crackers, as well as an assortment of other biscuits, teas, jams, jellies, and chocolate.

“I find it useful to be prepared,” Jamie said as he settled into an overstuffed chair with a cup of tea, “for even the most unexpected of visitors. Particularly the youthful ones.”

“Thif if wuderful,” mumbled Laura Glue through a mouthful of crackers and chocolate. “Fank hu.”

“You’re quite welcome, my dear,” he said as he placed a saucer of cream and crackers on the floor for the great Saint Bernard, who was lounging comfortably before the fire.

“Aramis likes treats as well, but that’s more often than not just an excuse to indulge in a nibble myself. And now,” Jamie continued, turning to the three men, “can you tell me what’s brought three gentlemen and a child of the Archipelago to Kensington Gardens, just to have tea with an old playwright?”

When they had finished eating to everyone’s satisfaction, Laura Glue repeated the message she had been sent to deliver, and, her mission accomplished, promptly busied herself with grooming the dog while the Caretakers talked. It took more than an hour for John, Jack, and Charles to recount the events that had brought them together years earlier as the new Caretakers, during which time Laura Glue fell fast asleep on the cushions in one of the town house’s deep bay windows. They continued with a brief accounting of the war with the Winter King, concluding with the afternoon’s events and the sudden appearance of the girl with wings.

When they had finished, Jamie stared into the fire, considering, for several minutes.

“I was terribly sorry about Stellan,” he finally said. “I read about his death in the papers, of course. But it never crossed my mind that it had been the work of the Winter King. In the next couple of years, as the war wound down, I suspected that Bert and Jules had taken some sort of action with regard to the Archipelago, but I tried to put it out of my mind. When I left, I vowed to be done with it—and for better or worse, I’ve kept that vow. Until tonight, that is.”

“You were Arthur Conan Doyle’s replacement, weren’t you?” Charles asked.

“In a manner of speaking,” said Jamie. “There have always been three Caretakers, more or less, although once called to the task, those who previously served as Caretakers never seem to be completely removed from the responsibilities it entails, as you may have noticed,” he said, smiling broadly.

“Before Jules Verne, I believe it was three Americans who answered the Call. Then Jules, then Bert, who was to become the new Caretaker Principia. Harry Houdini and Doyle were recruited at the same time by Jules,” he said. “But they both had the same problem—neither of them wished to keep the secrets of the Archipelago. Houdini, in fact, wished to expose them to the world, and did his best to do so.”

“Whoo.” Charles whistled.

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