Page 36 of Night's Reckoning
“I accept.” Ben watched Tenzin. “Tenzin and I will find the Laylat al Hisab, return it to you here in Penglai, and your long war with Arosh will be over.”
10
Taking the high-speed rail line south to Shanghai was about as different as you could get from flying into Beijing and taking a secret plane to a secret boat to a secret island in the Bohai Sea.
They’d spent one more night and day in Penglai, scouring the library and learning everything they could about Harun the sword maker and about Arab sea routes in the ninth century. Commerce across the Indian Ocean was thriving in those centuries, and sea trade was a vital artery.
Ben and Fabia left the island on the last ship before dawn. They spent much of the day in Andrew Leu’s hangar before they headed back to Beijing to catch the bullet train.
They left Beijing in the afternoon and arrived at Hongqiao Railway Station after dark. The entire trip had only taken four hours.
“Where are we staying?” Fabia asked.
“Tenzin said Cheng would send someone to meet us.”
“Didn’t you say Tenzin has a house in Shanghai?”
“Outside it, yes.”
Ben scanned the crowd for a familiar dark head of hair and a taciturn expression. If he had to guess, Cheng would send Jonathan, his right hand when it came to anything business related. Jonathan was British and his humor fittingly dry, though the man was a water vampire.
Fabia hooked her arm through his as they walked through the crowd. “I’m guessing from that chillyau revoiryou and Tenzin exchanged that things have not been settled in any way. Are you two going to be able to work together without violence?”
“That’s always the question, isn’t it?” He spotted a tall, pale figure in the distance. “There. I see him.”
Ben walked through the crowd and nodded at Jonathan, who spotted them and walked their way. His hands were in the pockets of his ever-present trench coat, and a thin red scarf hung around his neck.
“Good evening, Ben.” Jonathan didn’t extend a hand. His gaze fell on Fabia and immediately warmed. “You must be Miss Salvadori. I am Jonathan, Cheng’s manager. It’s my great pleasure to meet you. I hope your journey was pleasant.”
Fabia brightened. “It was, thank you. The train was very comfortable.”
“I’ve heard that it is.” Jonathan extended a hand. “May I help you with your bag?”
Ben said, “You never offered to help me with mine.”
The hooded eyes barely glanced at him. “You’re not a renowned marine archaeologist, are you, Ben?”
Ben loved poking the overly formal Englishman. “I’m also not as cute as Fabi, am I? That’s it, isn’t it? Are you discriminating against me because I’m not as pretty?”
“That goes without saying.” The corner of Jonathan’s mouth turned up in a barely perceptible smile. “Miss Salvadori—”
“You can call me Fabi.” The smile was in her voice.
“Fabi,” Jonathan said. “Is he as annoying in Rome as he is when he travels? Or is he one of those Americans who simply becomes irritable any time they leave Los Angeles?”
Jonathan pronounced it LosAngeleeez, which was just begging Ben’s fist to hit his mouth.
“Tenzin and I have been living in New York. Not Los Angeles.”
Jonathan glanced over his shoulder. “Not recently. She’s been here.”
Oh, Jonathan definitely needed to be punched.
Fabi put a hand on Ben’s arm. “Ben’s been so busy in Rome, I don’t think he’s had time to be irritable.”
Bless you, Fabi.
“Busy?” Jonathan walked out of the station and toward a black car that was waiting in the private car lot. “I trust we’ll be able to keep him occupied here as well. It might even keep him out of trouble.”
