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"We've company," I say.
Felicity spies the men."Them?"
"Rakshana," I say."They'll try to stop us, control it all."
"Then let's give them the slip," Felicity says, boarding the train.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
"THEY'RE BOARDING THE TRAIN TOO!" ANN says, panicked.
"Then we shall have to get off," I say. We're almost to the doors when the train lurches into motion. The platform disappears behind us, the well-wishers waving through first one window, then the next and the next, until they cannot be seen at all.
"What do we do now?" Felicity says. "They'll surely discover us."
"Find a compartment," I say.
We search left and right until we find an unoccupied cabin and pull the door shut. "We shall have to work quickly," I say. "Take my hands."
What if I can't summon the door? What if I am too weak or the magic has been compromised in some way? Please, please let us in once more.
"Nothing's happening," Felicity says.
Down the corridor, I hear the opening of a door, Fowlson's voice saying,"Terribly sorry, not my cabin after all."
"I'm too weak. I need your help," I say. "We must try again. Try harder than you've ever tried at anything in your life."
We close our eyes again. I concentrate on breathing. I can feel the soft, fleshy warmth of Ann's hand beneath her glove. I can hear the brave thumping of Felicity's wounded heart, sense the heavy stain upon her soul. I can smell the earthy nearness of Fowlson in the corridor. I can sense a deep well of strength opening inside me. Every part of me is coming alive.
The door appears.
"Now," I say, and we step through into the realms once again.
The garden is wild. There are more toadstools. They've grown to nearly six feet or more. Deep black holes have been eaten away in their fat, doughy stems. An emerald green snake slithers from one of the holes, dropping into the grass. "Oh!" Ann screams as it narrowly misses her foot.
"What has happened here?" Felicity marvels at the change.
"The sooner we get to the Temple, the better."
"But where is it?" Ann asks.
"If I'm right, it has been under our noses the entire time," I say.
"What do you mean?" Felicity asks.
"Not here," I say, looking around."It's not safe."
"We should find Pip," Felicity says.
"No," I say, stopping her. "No one is to be trusted. We go alone."
I'm braced for an argument, but Felicity gives me none. "Fine. But I shall bring my arrows," she says, searching for the hiding place.
"You mean arrow," Ann corrects. Felicity has used all but one.
"It shall have to do," she says, pulling it from the quiver. She slings the bow over her shoulder."I'm ready."
We follow the path through the jungle growth till we reach the base of the mountain. "Why are we going this way?" Felicity asks.
