22
A great murmur of excitement rose up from the phantoms, and Luca and I decided to leave them to their joy. Spalding’s morose voice, however, called us back one last time. “Yer Highness!” We paused near the doorway and half-turned to him and his group. He nodded at me. “Keep care of the things near and dear to ya. Ya never know when Death’s gonna take it all away.”
Luca nodded his head at his former foe. “I will.”
A sly smile slipped onto Spalding’s lips as he waved his hand at the entrance. “Now get on with ya!”
We left our newfound friends and found our old companion twenty yards away from the entrance. He stood beside a large bunch of coral and a few muffled words reached me.
“I can do no more.” Whatever reply came I didn’t hear, for Landry spoke again. “I have not for
