Journey - Book II of the Five Worlds Trilogy (26 page)

Erik, still holding the king’s hand in a firm grip, said, “We’re bloodied but not beaten, Sire. The vermin Cornelian has desiccated most of the cities and many of our camps in the Lost Lands. We had to move farther in to avoid his bombs. He’s destroyed his own puppet government in hopes of neutralizing Earth entirely.” He let go of Dalin’s hand and reached out to brush the king’s eyes. “We have people who can do something about your eyes, make them whole again. It’s clear you haven’t escaped your own troubles, Sire.”

“They’re little enough compared to what your people must have gone through.”

“Your
people, King Dalin.”

Shatz Abel made his way toward the duo and stood regarding Erik as if measuring him up.

Dalin introduced the pirate.

Taking Shatz Abel’s grip, Erik said, “We know plenty about the legendary Shatz Abel. I hope he’ll let us find room in our army for a leader like him.”

Putting a beefy arm around the king’s shoulder, the pirate said, “I’d be honored.”

Overhead in the night there was a sliver of pockmarked Moon. Nearby, in the ecliptic, was an impossibly bright star, and below it, in the hazy, poisoned sky near the horizon, another of reddish cast.

“There they are,” Erik said.

“Yes,”
Dalin said, and Shatz Abel’s gaze, as well as that of Enry and Ralf and all of the thousands of others in the camp rose to the two beacons, so tiny in a sky full of stars, so large in their importance. Dalin looked at Mars, where his true love Tabrel Kris waited; and then he looked at Venus, the shining prize, a second Earth that would determine all their fates.

He looked at Shatz Abel—though his gaze took in all his people, all the people of Earth.

“That is where it ends,” the king said.

Table of Contents

JOURNEY: THE FIVE WORLDS SAGA, BOOK 2