Chapter Six

"Did they catch the guy who shot me at Dragon Rock?" Teela asked Prince Adam. They were both standing in the Royal Garden. Teela was on crutches, her muscles weakened by atrophy as a result of her coma.

"You … might say that," Adam replied hesitantly.

"Where is he? Is he in jail?" Teela asked. "Can I see him?"

"He's … dead," Adam replied, fidgeting.

"I'm REALLY not in the mood to play Twenty Questions," Teela snapped. "How did he die? Do you know?"

"Officially, he died as the result of a broken neck," Adam replied. "As a result of falling off the fourth floor of the Royal Apartment building."

"What made him fall?"

"Here's where it gets weird," Adam replied. "A bird slashed his throat," he said as he splayed and raked his fingers across his neck, showing how the attack took place.

"Slashed his throat?"

"According to the Royal Physician's report, he was attacked by … and I quote … 'a large, aggressive bird of prey, talon marks consistent with those made by a species of falcon'."

"That IS weird…"

Adam smiled, closed his eyes, and shook his head. "Teela, THINK…" he said. " 'A large, aggressive falcon'. Who do you know fits that description?"

Teela gasped, clasped her hand over her mouth in horror, and mouthed the word, "Zoar?"

Adam nodded and said, "I wouldn't put it past her."

It may well have BEEN her, Teela thought. The Sorceress was with me when I woke up. She was probably with me THAT night, too.

"It gets better," said Adam. "The guards found a grappling hook and rope ladder draped over your balcony. Not only that, Shadow was carrying a wire garrote in his backpack." Adam paused. "If it hadn't been for Zoar, you probably would've died that night."

All of the air suddenly left Teela's body. I could've been killed, she thought. She saved my life! "I think I need to see my father," she said finally.

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"She's a warrior … a soldier … like you," said Man-At-Arms. He and Teela were in his workshop, hovering over the engine of a Wind Raider. "A warrior whose primary mission is to protect and defend Castle Grayskull. She couldn't do her job if she wasn't." Man-At-Arms looked up from the Wind Raider. "Granted, her weapons of choice may be different from yours … but that doesn't make her any less effective."

"It's a side of her I've never seen before," said Teela. "Will she get in trouble for this?"

Man-At-Arms grabbed a rag from a nearby cart and wiped his hands. "There's first the practical problem … of prosecuting a bird," he said. "Even if we WERE to trace it back to Zoar … and ultimately, The Sorceress … I think a case can be made that she did what she did because she was protecting you."

"CAN she kill? I mean, is she ALLOWED to kill?"

"I don't know what rules she's operating under," said Man-At-Arms. "I would think that, at a minimum, she's permitted to kill in defense of Grayskull … such being the Nature of the Beast. I would also think she's permitted to kill for the same reasons that any other person is … self-defense and/or to protect someone else."

"What do I do about all this?"

"My advice to you, Teela … is just to let it go," said Man-At-Arms. "Let it go … and be grateful that she was there."

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Later that night, Teela was on her balcony, staring out into the starry Eternian night. If you're listening, Teela thought, hoping that The Sorceress of Grayskull would hear. Thanks … for everything.

THE END