The First Dragon(63)

Madoc reddened. “You are.”

Telemachus shrugged. “So why couldn’t you?”

“It had to be destroyed by the one who created it,” Madoc replied, “and none other. No one else could even do so much as singe the pages, unless he permitted it.”

“It is one of the first principles of Deep Magic,” Telemachus said gravely. “The Imaginarium Geographica could not be destroyed save by he who had created it . . .

“. . . and neither could the Keep of Time.”

The understanding struck Laura Glue and Fred first, and they stared at the others in shock and amazement. Charles suddenly looked as if he had swallowed an oyster that was too large to choke down, and Rose simply gripped her father’s hand more tightly. Of all of them, only Edmund beamed with delight at having an answer to the unanswerable question.

“Do I really need to clarify it for you?” asked Telemachus. He pointed at Charles. “You may have created the circumstances that led to its destruction, but you didn’t destroy the keep.” He continued, swinging his arm around to point at Madoc, “You did.

“You, Madoc. You are the Architect of the Keep of Time.”





Chapter NINETEEN


The Keystone



“Now, Grimalkin,” said Dee.

Without another word, the Chronographer of Lost Times, the cat, and the two strange men called Mr. Kirke and Mr. Bangs vanished.

Before any of the Caretakers could react, two tremendous explosions rocked Tamerlane House and threw them all to the ground.

“What in Hades’s name?” Verne exclaimed.

They clambered to their feet in time to see a small boat pulling up to the docks below. It was motorized but silent, so they had not heard it approach, and had in any regard been completely distracted by Dee.

In the boat were William Hope Hodgson, Aleister Crowley, and Nikola Tesla, who was wearing a device that resembled two massive engines strapped to his back. The engines were pointed forward, and Tesla smiled and pressed a contact. Immediately another explosion rocked the island, and one of the minarets crumpled in on itself.

“Sonic energy,” said Shakespeare. “I’d bet my life on it.”

“Oh, that is just not bloody fair,” said Dumas. “Tesla always has all the best toys.”





The shipbuilder had already completed the work . . .



“Split up!” Verne called out. “Our weapons won’t be very effective against Tesla for long!”

The Caretakers scattered around the island as Tesla advanced, still firing at the house. As he fled to the north side of the island, John glanced up at the window where Poe had been watching. It was empty.

♦ ♦ ♦

Madoc stared dumbfounded at the old man, too stunned to speak, but Rose found her words more easily.

“It makes sense,” she said, still unsure of what this revelation meant, “but how could no one have known? No one in history?”

“Because,” Telemachus said, “the only ones who were present are here now. We’re witnessing it as it’s happening. And history will move forward from this point, and no other.”

“I know the structure well enough,” Madoc said slowly, “but it’s made of cavorite. Where am I meant to get the blocks to build it?”

“You brought them with you,” Telemachus answered, pointing at the Zanzibar Gate. “They are precisely what you need, in the right size and shape. All you have to do is assemble them.”

“That’s not going to make a very big tower,” Uncas observed.

“Many great things start small,” said Telemachus, “and any seed planted properly can grow and flower into what it is meant to become.”

Rose looked at her father. “What do you think?”

Madoc shrugged. “I think we have nothing to lose if we try,” he said. “Let’s get started, and see what happens.”

♦ ♦ ♦

“Tell me again what we’re doing down here?” Shakespeare whispered. “I like to dabble in espionage, but I’m not very good at it.”

He, Houdini, and Conan Doyle had taken a page from their adversaries’ playbook—while Tesla, Crowley, and Hodgson were distracted by the other Caretakers, they had stolen the boat from the dock and launched their own assault on the Cabal’s own headquarters.

“Haven’t you studied warfare?” Houdini whispered to Shakespeare. “The single biggest advantage of being completely surrounded is that it gives you the opportunity to attack the enemy in any direction you choose.”

“All right, fair point,” Shakespeare whispered back. “So how do we go about breaking in?”

“This,” Houdini said, “is the moment when I prove my worth to the Caretakers at large. Give me three minutes.” He stopped, reconsidering. “No, make that two,” he added as he scrambled up the embankment toward the house.