Richard frowned. Ever since his knighthood, creatures of varying sizes, shapes, intellects, and purposes had come through, an unbroken stream of dissent. It seemed he was the only knight having to deal with it.
“The calm before the storm,” Richard murmured. “Testing me.”
“Huh?” Sal asked.
“Lulling us into false security.”
“Smokin’ something, more the like, Rick,” Sal grunted.
“It is our role to keep this world safe, Sal,” Richard growled, suddenly angry. “It requires looking at all possibilities. Or perhaps you aren’t capable of doing that, eh?”
“Look,” the Chicago knight snapped. “If you had stopped the cu sith from coming through in the first place, none of this would be happening!”
“Sal!” Danica shouted.
“No. He’s right,” Richard said. “I am the weak link among us, no matter if I like it or agree with it.”
“That’s right,” Sal rumbled.
The other knights glared at Sal. He stared back unperturbed.
“If the Lord of Annwn moves against one of the portals, it makes sense for it to be against the weakest link,” James said. “No offense, Richard.”
“Not only that,” Arnaud added. “But how does this boy figure in?”
“He was attacked. That much is clear,” James said. “The question is who in Annwn wants him dead? Wants Richard possibly dead? And why?”
“Without the Heliwr, finding answers is difficult,” Danica noted.
“Only one of us may know more,” Alistair said, glancing at Ennio Rossi, the youngest of the knights.
“Well, pup? Got anything to add?” Sal asked.
“You’ve been quiet, Ennio,” Danica prodded.
Tall and handsome, Ennio shrank inwardly like a mouse confronted by cats.
“I know you have friends in the Vatican, Ennio,” Richard assured. “And I am sure even a few are good people. But Church leaders are like all in established hierarchies—they look for advantage and use it to gain more power. At our expense. You will not be betraying anyone by sharing what you know.”
“The Church has taken a keen interest in what happened,” Ennio said finally. The other knights nodded encouragement. “I know the Vigilo is aware of what took place in Seattle. The Cardinal Seer said as much when he warned me to watch the gateway with extra attention.”
“The Cardinal Seer,” Sal said. “If he knows, then the Cardinal Vicar knows…possibly even the Pope. O’Connor and the Seer are as thick as thieves.”
“The Vicar is a fair man,” Ennio blurted.
“No, Ennio,” Alastair said. “The Cardinal Vicar sees the position of Pontiff near his grasp and seeks any advantage to gain it. If he knows more about what is going on, he’s going to play the cards the best way to ensure he benefits from it. Have no doubt about that. It is important for us to know what he knows to better gauge our response.”
Ennio was quiet, unmoved.
“Come on!” Sal insisted “We don’t have all day.”
“The Cardinal Vicar knows,” Ennio said simply.
“Go on,” Richard pressed.
“Cardinal O’Conner entered the catacombs early yesterday morning,” Ennio added. “He spoke with the Cardinal Seer.”
“That is interesting,” James murmured. “A man who oversees the entire diocese of Rome with very little time making the time to walk amidst the dank caverns and bone-ridden catacombs of antiquity. Must have been quite a reason for him to do that.”
“He rarely visits the portal or the Seer,” Ennio conceded.
“He needed the Seer’s guidance,” Arnaud offered.
“Well?” Sal growled at Ennio.
“The Seer was greatly tired when I visited,” Ennio replied, clearly annoyed by the burly Chicago knight. “Donato napped for some time, but when he awoke he shared what transpired. The Vicar made him use the mirror.”
“He wanted to spy on something specific in Annwn then,” Richard said.
“They looked at Caer Llion as well as the woods around it.”
“The Vicar’s spooked,” Sal said. “Must think Philip is up to something.”
“And since our portals haven’t been attacked, this must be tied to Richard and the boy,” Alastair pointed out. “I agree the attack from Annwn cannot be happenstance. The interest of the Vicar might not be either.”
“The boy is the key to the puzzle,” James said.
“He is,” Danica agreed.
“The Church knows of him. Glenallen confessed as much,” Richard said. “Since they spied on me, it is probable the Vigilo knows Merle has a new apprentice. The boy is in danger. Simply because Merle can avoid capture by the Church doesn’t mean the boy can do it as well.”
“Richard, do you know who this kid is?” Sal asked. “Why has Merle taken him in?”
“You know Merle,” Richard said. “Could be anything.”
“Could he be near to knighting a new Heliwr?” Danica questioned. “Or perhaps he has seen one of our deaths and