But now that I was here, what did I have to be afraid of? If the worst was going to happen, at this point there’d be no stopping it.
As Grim had said, in for a penny, in for a pound.
“I think that descriptioncouldfit him,” I allowed. “But I also think that, as would be true with anyone, it doesn’t have to.”
“That you know that,” said Sir Black, peering at me through that mask embellished only by those two downward-aimed slits of glowing crimson, “underscores what I said before. That you do not belong here.”
“But he does?”
“His darkness binds him. For him, there is no hope.”
I shook my head. “What if I don’t believe you?”
“That matters little,” said Sir Black. “It only matters thathedoes.”
“I… I want to see him,” I said.
“Then you must go through me.”
Well, that sounded iffy. Not to mention impossible.
He didn’t exactly look ticklish.
Shoot. IknewI should have stayed in tae kwon do.
I might have even gone on to earn my orange belt if that oneoverly aggressive purple-belt lady hadn’t kicked me in the boob so hard.
Maybe, if I was lucky, I could dart around him or even hit the dirt and scramble between his legs. And I might have even tried either one of those techniques if there’d only been an exit I could runto.
“Don’t suppose you could be tempted to settle this with a game of rock, paper, scissors?” I asked.
“You must answer my riddle.”
I released the ethereal breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding and braced a hand on my chest.
“That’sall?” I asked. “Oh, this is just like Oedipus and the Sphinx, or Bilbo Baggins and Gollum.Notthat I’m comparing you to Gollum. I have to say, though, riddle answering ismuchbetter than hand-to-claw combat. I’ve totally got this. Hold my beer.” I gave a nervous laugh that tapered off when he just kept standing there, staring at me. “Um… I have to ask, though. What happens if I get it wrong?”
“I will hold you in my darkness forever.”
I blinked, eyes bugging. “Sounds fair… Um. If I answer correctly?”
“You will be free to pass.”
I frowned but nodded, ready. And if anyone could solve a riddle, wouldn’t it be me? Was there one I hadn’t heard before?
“Okay,” I said, “hit me.” Quickly, I held up a halting palm. “Figuratively, I mean. With… the riddle.”
Sir Black didn’t waste time.
“I am your dearest friend and your most ardent foe. Though you flee, I still will be wherever you go. I live in your shadow and dwell in glass. Armed with fear, I will never let you pass. If I am against you, you cannot prevail. But if I be for you, you ne’er shall fail. What… am… I?”
I gritted my teeth, my mind reeling anew with panic even as the cogs turned, working to produce an answer. The right answer.
I sort of forgot to ask how many guesses I got. Usually, this kind of test allowed for three, but Sir Black didn’t seem like the generous sort.
So, one it was.
Except, I couldn’t think of the answer.
