Bane heard the man banging doors in the back part of the dwelling. Haplo was going outside to look for Xar’s ship. Bane grinned, wriggled in delight, then quickly sobered, continued to pretend to study his runes. The child cast a surreptitious glance beneath his long lashes at the dog, who had flopped down on its belly and was watching him with friendly interest.
“You’d like to be my dog, wouldn’t you?” Bane asked softly. “We’d play together all day and I’ll give you a name—”
Haplo returned, walking slowly. “I can’t believe he left. Without saying . . . anything to me.”
Bane looked at the runes, heard Xar’s voice.
It is clear to me that Haplo has betrayed me. He is in league with my enemies. I think it best that I do not meet him again, face to face. I am not certain I could control my anger.
“Grandfather had to leave in a hurry,” said Bane. “Something came up. New information.”
“What new information?”
Was it wishful thinking on Bane’s part, or did Haplo look guilt-ridden, uneasy? Bane buried his chin in his hands again, to keep his grin from showing.
“I don’t know,” he mumbled, shrugging again. “It’s grown-up stuff. I didn’t pay any attention.”
I must allow Haplo to live awhile longer. An unfortunate necessity, but I need him and so do you, child. Don’t argue with me. Haplo is the only one among our people who has been to Arianus. This Geg, Limbeck, who is in control of the great machine, knows Haplo and trusts him You will need the dwarves’ trust, Bane, if you are to gain control of them, the Kicksey-winsey, and, eventually, the world.
“Grandfather said he gave you your orders already. You’re supposed to take me to Arianus—”
“I know,” Haplo interrupted impatiently. “I know.”
Bane risked a glance. The man was not looking at the child, not paying him any attention. Haplo, dark, brooding, was staring at nothing.
Bane felt a twinge of alarm. What if Haplo refused to go? What if he’d made up his mind to enter the Labyrinth, search for Alfred? Xar had said Haplo wouldn’t, that Haplo would obey his command. But Xar himself had proclaimed Haplo a traitor.
Bane didn’t want to lose him. Haplo was his. The child decided to take action on his own. Jumping to his feet, eager and excited, Bane came over to stand in front of Haplo.
“I’m ready to go. Anytime you say. Won’t it be fun? To see Limbeck again. And the Kicksey-winsey. I know how to make it work. I’ve studied the Sartan runes. It will be glorious!” Bane waved his arms with calculated childish abandon. “Grandfather says that the effects of the machine will be felt on all the worlds, now that Death’s Gate is open. He says that every structure the Sartan built will likely come alive. He says that he’ll feel the effects, even as far away as Abarrach.”
Bane watched Haplo closely, tried to guess what the man was thinking. It was difficult, practically impossible. The man’s face was impassive, expressionless; he might not have been listening. But he had been. Bane knew.
Haplo hears everything, says little. That is what makes him good. That is what makes him dangerous.
And Bane had seen the man’s eyelids flicker, ever so slightly, when the child mentioned Abarrach. Was it the idea of the Kicksey-winsey affecting something on Abarrach that had caught the man’s interest? Or was it the reminder that, even on Abarrach, Xar would be aware of what his servant was —or was not—doing? Xar would know when the Kicksey-winsey came to life. And if it didn’t, he would start to wonder what had gone wrong.
Bane flung his arms around Haplo’s waist. “Grandfather said to give you his embrace. He said to tell you he trusted you, relied on you completely. He knows you won’t fail him. Or me.”
Haplo put his hands on Bane’s arms, pulled the boy loose as the man might have pulled loose a leech.
“Ouch, you’re hurting me,” Bane whimpered.
“Listen, kid,” said Haplo grimly, not relaxing his hold. “Let’s get one thing straight. I know you. Remember? I know you for the scheming, conniving, manipulative little bastard that you are. I’ll obey my lord’s command. I’ll take you to Arianus. I’ll see to it that you have a chance to do whatever it is you need to do to that damn machine. But don’t think you’re going to blind me with the light from your halo, kid, because I’ve seen that halo, close-up.”