All His Wrath

“But, why, Ita-Mudak?” Conomorg replied, tension constricting the tone of his voice. “Why would he not alert us to his arrival?”

Before Ita-Mudak could answer, Conomorg continued.

“Not only that! How could Lohxnahr have come without our knowing it? How?” Conomorg began pacing again, his chin almost touching his chest, looking at no one.

Ita-Mudak strode across the camp until he stood in Conomorg’s path. When Conomorg was forced to stop, he finally looked up.

Ita-Mudak laid his long-taloned hands on Conomorg’s broad shoulders. “I do not have an answer for any of your questions, my friend. Like you, I am very puzzled that Lohxnahr returned to our camp without a word and that he was able to take Danielle with him…without our awareness.”

Ita-Mudak turned so that he could include Amy and Peter in what he wished to say next.

“However, I am not ‘worried,’ as you humans say. For Lohxnahr is a High Priest of the Order of Ancients. He is, above all else, worthy of our enduring trust and complete obedience. That he came as he did—and left in the same manner, with Danielle—is something I accept, although I do not understand it.”

Peter looked at Amy, wanting to believe that Ita-Mudak was right. Or, at least, he desperately wanted to believe in Ita-Mudak’s faith in Lohxnahr. Amy stared hard at Conomorg, as if waiting for a more compelling opinion before coming to her own decision.

Slowly, Conomorg’s head rose up. He looked at Ita-Mudak intently, for what felt like an eternity to Amy. Finally, Conomorg nodded.