Red Leaves and the Living Token (36 page)

“What responsibility?” Emret asked.

Bedic pointed to the small red bundle sitting in Emret’s lap. “It’s like an infant, helpless until it grows large enough to take care of itself. Until it does, you’re responsible to keep it safe.”

“I don’t understand. Why me?”

“Because you picked it up. Because it let you pick it up.” Bedic answered. “It chose you, and you chose it.”

-

Raj moaned in pain as he regained consciousness. He tried his legs and arms but was still unable to move. He could hear the storm still raging above so not too much time had passed.

A foot clanked down beside him, followed by a knee that was covered in clean polished armor. A hand gently lifted Raj’s head. He found himself looking up into a bright light. A figure was silhouetted. He squinted. Slowly, his eyes adjusted allowing him to see more detail.

The face above him was smooth, no fur. Shaped like a Botan but not green. Nor was it stone. It looked like the creatures he saw carved into the pillars in the temple. Not Zo. Not Petra. Not Botan. Who was this person? He remembered the temple guards. The faces hidden under masks.

“Be at ease my friend.” The figure spoke with a deep but quiet voice.

Raj felt a warm, calm wash over his body. The intense pain from his injuries subsided. The swelling in his black arm receded. Its constant throbbing stopped. Was he dying, he thought. Was this his escort to a new place?

“Great is the responsibility the boy carries. He will need his father to succeed.” The deep, melodic voice continued.

Questions raced through his mind. Great responsibility? What responsibility? Where was Emret? He had to get up, he had to get out of here. He had to find him.

He strained to move, but nothing responded.

Then something moved behind the man in armor. It was a woman in a red rob standing just beyond them, watching. She saw that Raj took notice of her and smiled back at him. Then the man holding him returned his head to rest on the ground, and he lost consciousness.