Little

Chapter 24

The portal opened back at the main room in Kamar-Taj. Stephen and Peter walked through and saw Mordo standing there. Stephen had to break the news.

"She's dead," he said, grimly.

Mordo ignored it. "You were right," he said. "She wasn't who I thought she was."

"She was complicated," Stephen agreed.

"Complicated?" Mordo asked. "The Dark Dimension is volatile, dangerous. What if it overtook her? She taught us it was forbidden, while she drew on its power to steal centuries of life." He now clearly had a feeling of disdain for her.

"She did what she thought was right," Stephen said, defensive.

"The bill comes due," Mordo said. "Don't you see? Her transgressions led the Zealots to Dormammu. Kaecilius was her fault."

Both were good points, Stephen had to admit. Before he could say anything, Mordo continued.  "And here we are," he said. "In the consequence of her deception: a world on fire."

Stephen decided to get to the point. "Mordo, the London Sanctum has fallen," he said. "And New York has been attacked. Twice. You know where they're going next."

He knew he didn't have to say anything, for both of them knew, but he said it anyway. "Hong Kong," he said. "They're going to attack Hong Kong."

Mordo remained silent, so Stephen decided to continue. "You told me once to fight as if my life depended on it," Stephen recalled. "Because one day, it might. Well, today is that day. I can not defeat them alone."

Mordo finally looked up and Stephen knew that he silently agreed. Now he knew where they had to go next, but there was a problem.

He wasn't going to put Peter in the path of danger again. That meant keeping him here, all alone, which he knew wasn't ideal, but it was the only choice.

"Peter," he said, bending down to get eye-level with Peter. "I have to go. You have to stay, or else the bad guys will hurt you."

Peter started to cry. "Stay," he said. "Stay!"

"I will come back to you," Stephen said, giving him a hug. "I promise."

He hoped he could keep that promise, he thought, as he opened a portal to Hong Kong and went through with Mordo, leaving Peter alone.