“I would be honoured to drive for three such lovely ladies,” a man said, bowing. “I am Stefan.”
“Well, Stefan,” Heather cooed, linking his arm with his, “lead the way.”
Their black SUV rolled to a stop, a reddish dust dislodged by the tires. “Welcome to Sorcaterra,” Stefan said. “Here you will find all you need during your stay at the Drachen Villa.”
The three girls exchanged glances. “Is there a nightclub?” Heather asked. “A movie theatre, perhaps?”
Stefan chuckled. “No. I am afraid those things are a three or more hour drive from here. I am sure you will find the delights of Sorcaterra more than enough to fill your spare time, though.”
“All right,” Carla sighed. “I guess we’ll take a look around and meet you back here. How long do we have?”
“Take as much time as you like,” Stefan suggested. “It may be a while before you make it back again.”
“Perfect,” Carla grumbled, her brow arching and falling. “Let’s see the town, girls.”
“There isn’t much to see,” Heather complained, removing her sunglasses for a better look at the street.
“Is anyone else wondering why they have so many souvenir shops in the middle of nowhere?” Violet asked, glancing at each storefront they passed. “Who would come all this way to grab a trinket or two?”
“These aren’t just any trinkets,” a familiar voice argued.
“Marge?!” Violet exclaimed, spinning around. “What are you doing here?”
“This is my shop,” Marge admitted. “Come in and let me show you around. I normally only open for the busy season, of course.”
“There’s a busy season?” Carla grumbled, pushing her way through hanging scarves with an unusually large number of tassels attached to them.
“Most definitely,” Marge replied. “I know it doesn’t look like much right now, but in a few weeks this land will be packed with visitors from all over the globe.”
“Why?” Heather asked, her upper lip remaining raised after the word.
“For the festival, of course.” Marge raised a pitcher. “It’s cold and fresh.” She poured four glasses without hesitation. “In this heat, it’s important to stay hydrated. I have a wonderful line of moisturizers if you need some. Dry skin turns to wrinkles later on. We don’t want that, now do we?”
“What are those?” Violet questioned, pointing to a higher shelf of clay pots. “I’ve seen them displayed in every store.”
“Those are a local tradition,” Marge answered. “Around here it is believed bad things can carry on with us after death. These pots are made from a special clay. At night the owner removes the lid. While sleeping, all the negative feelings: regret, disappointment, failure, and even anger are drawn inside. In the morning, the lid is replaced trapping them.”
“What happens to them?” Violet asked, examining the different designs.
“The clay they are made of absorbs them,” Marge explained. “Then they can’t tie our spirits to past events—the ones we wish we could change.”
“See,” Heather blurted out, pointing at the shop owner. “That’s what I was telling you about reincarnation. If there is something we don’t accomplish in this life, we come back and live it again until we are satisfied with the outcome.”
Marge snapped her fingers. “That’s the philosophy of this town in a nutshell.” She fired off a wink.
“And people come from all over the world to get a clay pot?” Carla questioned, brow raised. “Forgive me if I find that hard to believe.”
“Goodness, no.” Marge patted the sides of her do. It was the only hair in town not affected by the weather. “They come for the Dragons and Mages Festival. There are campgrounds all around this area.” A mask of a green and purple dragon covered her own equally as colourful makeup. “Every visitor has to decide which team they want to join. On the final day there is a battle in the fields of Sorcaterra... to determine one clan as victor.”
“What?” Carla questioned. “The town believes in dragons?”
Marge chuckled. “What the people believe or don’t believe is irrelevant. Everyone actually wants a peek at Drachen Villa and its master.”
“I’m still not following this,” Carla complained, frown lines settling in on her face. “Why don’t people go visit the guy?”
“He’s a very private man,” Marge explained, shaking her head. “Three young girls who don’t know who Bordwell Drachen is. Tsk tsk.”
“Who is he?” Heather blurted out. “Some rich old coot? Is he as squirrely as a loon? He is, isn’t he?”
Marge chuckled. “I really couldn’t say, but it isn’t what he’s known for. He developed a game. You can download it on your phone.”
“Dragons and Mages,” Violet huffed. “Of course. It all makes sense now. I heard there were fans who were into live action roleplaying the game. I didn’t realize it was quite this huge, though.”
“LARPing definitely is,” Marge said, eyes widening with the words. “Trust me. The streets are packed all day and all night during the festival. So which are you three, dragons or mages?”
“I’m a dragon all the way,” Carla snorted.
“Mage!” Heather exclaimed. “Do I get a sword and a staff?” Her fingers ran over the tops of walking sticks.
“And you?” Marge asked, turning to her attention to Violet.
“Hmm,” Violet responded, looking up from a glass cabinet filled with costume jewellery. “How much is this set?” She pointed at a necklace and headpiece on display in a wooden box.
“It’s yours,” Marge said, snapping the lid closed. “For putting up with me for the whole plane ride.”
“I couldn’t”, Violet argued. “Let me pay you for it.”
“Nonsense,” Marge scoffed. “It’s just a hunk of rock in a pretty setting. I think it’s been in this store for a few generations. You’re the first person to show even an inkling of interest in it. Think of it as a good luck charm.”
“Thank you,” Violet replied, taking a shopping bag from the woman.
“Where are you three staying?” Marge asked. “In one of the bed and breakfasts, I presume.”
“Actually, at Drachen Villa,” Carla answered. “We are guests there for at least the next few months, maybe longer.”
The smile on Marge’s face faltered. “You must be mistaken. No one ever visits there. I’m sure I mentioned the manor’s master is a recluse.” The cup in her hand shattered.
“Maybe we do have it wrong,” Heather suggested, tugging on her friend’s arm. “Carla’s parents made the arrangements.”
“Wait!” Marge called out to them before the three could make an exit. “If you are going into the mountains, beware. Bordwell Drachen may have developed a game, but the ideas for it came from somewhere. Not all legends need to be awoken.” The door shut behind them, a closed sign appearing in the window.
“That was strange,” Heather said. One by one the stores all closed as they stood on the road.
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Carla snickered. “It’s probably all a show. They rely on word of mouth to bring tourists in every year.”
“Yeah,” Violet muttered, glancing back. Two icy blue eyes stared back at her from the corner of one window. The curtains fell and they were gone.
Chapter 11
Spending hours in any vehicle was annoying. It was even worse with only flat fields, yellowed by the heat, to look at. Between being tired and bored, the three fell silent, eyelids threatening to close. They’d expected an adventure and ended up in a barren wasteland. The sight of trees popping up was the biggest excitement of the entire trip. As forest replaced grasslands, they too became monotonous.
“We are coming to the end of our journey,” Stefan announced. “Once we come through the forest, you’ll clearly see the mountains.”
“Great,” Carla replied, yawning. “Are there any animals on this tour?”
“Animals? No,” Stefan answered. “There is no wildl
ife to speak of in this area. Most of the land is quite treacherous.”
“No wildlife at all?” Violet shrieked. “How is that possible? Science has proven that animal life adapts, no matter how strenuous the environment.”
“Not here it didn’t,” Stefan replied. “That’s one of the mysteries of Drachen Villa. That’s one of the questions the master hopes you will be able to answer.”
“I think he needs an animal expert, rather than archaeologists,” Carla huffed. “We don’t deal with living creatures.”
“Unless this is about there being dinosaurs,” Heather blurted out. “Do you think there are prehistoric creatures roaming about?”
“Even if there were, we are only trained for recovering their bones,” Carla complained. “We don’t deal with monster hunting.”
Stefan chuckled. “No one has seen anything alive in this area as long as I’ve been employed here. I don’t think you need to worry about a T-Rex attack. Something that large I think someone might have noticed.”
“So why are the fences so big?” Violet asked, sitting forward. She turned her head, trying to get a glimpse of the top of the gate. It was too high to see from the back window. “Are they meant to keep something out or in?”
“Master Drachen is a private man,” Stefan replied. “He doesn’t like unannounced visitors. The press is always trying to sneak on to his property to snap a few photos.” The car came to a halt, engine revving.
“So why do you need a second gate?” Carla questioned.
Stefan offered a smile, but no explanation. An opening in the chain-link fence appeared, metal rattling. “Here we go. This is officially Drachen land. We’ll be taking a pass through the mountains. The scenery will change quickly now, so pay attention.”
“Will there be a test?” Carla asked, licking her lips.
“Someone just tell me our host isn’t a vampire,” Heather said, fanning herself. “I should have researched this better.”
Stefan chuckled, but remained silent. A tinted divider between driver and passengers slowly closed.
“He didn’t say no to the vampire theory,” Heather said. “Why didn’t he deny there being vampires?”
“He’s probably trying to scare us,” Carla replied. “Don’t worry about it. Once we find Mom and Dad, they’ll fill us in and everything will be okay.”
“Yeah, sure,” Heather huffed, crossing her arms over her chest in attempt to squeeze out the shivers trying to move in.
“Relax,” Carla ordered. “Remember when you wanted to be a paranormal investigator? Think of this as your chance.”
“Great,” Heather snapped, “now I have to worry about being haunted as well. We have no equipment to deal with ghosts.”
“Stop!” Violet exclaimed. “If the place was filled with spirits, they would have called a ghost hunting team. For vampires, it would have been slayers. If there were dinosaurs, I am sure there would be a cryptozoologist on scene. Instead, they hired archaeologists. I’m positive there is nothing supernatural... Whoa.”
“Whoa is right,” Carla agreed, staring at their first glimpse of the villa. “That place is huge.”
Heather chuckled. “That’s a castle. Do you think this guy lives alone in there? I wonder if he is single.”
“You can’t be serious,” Carla scoffed, rolling her eyes. “This isn’t a gold-digging expedition.”
“What?!” Heather complained. “I was just asking.”
Violet leaned back, eyes closed. Shallow breaths slowed the onslaught of nausea, but couldn’t remove the feeling completely.
“Are you okay?” Heather asked. “You look really pale. Are you going to be sick? It’s motion sickness, isn’t it?”
“It’s not motion sickness,” Carla argued. “If it was, she would have had it long before now.”
“I think it’s the heat,” Violet muttered. “Maybe I drank too fast back at Marge’s shop. I’ll be okay.”
“You drank that stuff?” Heather asked, nose scrunching up. “Yuck. That’s really nasty.”
“You didn’t?” Violet opened one eye to glance at her friend, then at the other. “Neither of you?”
“First rule of travel,” Carla said, shoulders shrugging. “Don’t drink the water. That includes ice.”
“Yeah,” Heather agreed. “We had no way of knowing what was in that pitcher. You can’t trust someone just because you sat beside them on a plane. You’re supposed to be the level-headed one.”
“This from the girl who was about to marry a vampire for his castle,” Violet scoffed, covering her face with a silk scarf.
“I was not,” Heather argued. “I was curious is all. Close your eyes before you barf. We’ll let you know when we get there.”
“Good plan,” Violet agreed, gulping back pooling saliva. Acid burned her throat, causing her to gag. Hopefully, the ride wasn’t going to take much longer.
Chapter 12
Violet fell out of the SUV, landing on her hands and knees. Nostrils flared, inhaling as much of the fresh air as they could, taking advantage of the much cooler temperature. Her vision fell on a pair of perfectly polished black pumps. Her vision slowly panned up, following legs to a below knee-length skirt, a grey sweater, and finally the stern, condescending glare of a middle-aged woman.
“Is there a problem?” the woman asked.
“No,” Carla replied, stepping over her friend. She grabbed one of Violet’s arms. “A bit of motion sickness. She’ll be fine.”
“Totally,” Heather agreed, taking the opposite arm.
“Sorry,” Violet muttered, being pulled to her feet. “First the plane and then the long ride here...”
The woman held up one hand palm first. “I’m Connie Straust. You can call me Ms. Straust. Come.” She turned, heading back up the front steps. “Stefan will see to your things.”
“I can walk,” Violet said, taking the initiative to follow their guide. “Do you think she’s the lady of the house?” Eyes darted to take in the storybook castle, complete with stone towers and a courtyard worthy of knights and kings. The lack of the normal wear and tear of time meant it had been restored to its current state of greatness.
“I am not!” Ms. Straust exclaimed, facing the three inside the foyer. “I am Master Drachen’s personal assistant.
“This is amazing,” Heather blurted out, observing every bit of the authentic decor. Her eyes settled on the oversized chandelier hanging directly above. “If this was a movie that would end up crashing to the ground.”
“It’s a good thing it’s not, then,” Ms. Straust said, holding on to the bottom of the railing. “It’s worth one point eight million dollars. I’ll show you your rooms.” On the fourth step, she glanced at her watch. “Come along. Someone can give you a tour another time.”
The grand staircase wound upward, leading to six different floors, each one boasting a different fantasy theme. “Are those wizards?” Heather asked, stopping on the third landing.
“That floor is not being used,” Ms. Straust replied. “Your rooms are located in the dragon wing. They were selected especially for you.”
“Let me guess, on the sixth floor?” Carla huffed, glancing over the railing at the marble floor they’d come in on. “I don’t suppose there is an elevator.”
Laughter wasn’t meant to be awkward, but hearing Ms. Straust’s chuckle left them all feeling a bit nervous. “This is a castle not a hotel.”
“Mr. Drachen might have had one put in when the renovations were carried out,” Violet argued. “It would make sense.”
“How do you know what work the master had done to his home?” Ms. Straust questioned, squaring her stance to the guests, eyes slanting. “Such things are not common knowledge.”
“It’s our job to be able to find and date things,” Violet replied on shaky breath. A cough cleared her throat. “The weather alone should have left its mark on the walls. I saw no evidence of any damage. It only makes sense that repairs had at some point been carried out.”
The three girls stood side by side staring, jaws open. The circular landing had two walls on either side of the staircase. Painted on each was the head of a dragon, their bodies extending down the hall. Fire exploded from their mouths, accentuated by candles for teeth and red carpeting.
“There are three rooms on this floor; one for each of you,” Ms. Straust announced, opening a door on the right. “Violet, this will be your room. Carla and Heather, across the hall.”
The room was as fairy tale as they came. A four-poster bed, draped with a white veil, took up half the space with double French doors leading to a balcony overseeing the grounds. Even the closet came with a full bathroom, dressing room, and vanity table.
“Are you sure this is my room?” Violet asked. “It’s huge. Are all the rooms here this big?”
“The bedchambers are all similar in size and layout,” Ms. Straust replied, glancing again at her watch. “You have some spare time. If you are still feeling under the weather, I suggest taking a nap. Dinner is served at exactly four o’clock.” She nodded at a large old-fashioned bell on the wall. “The cook will ring fifteen minutes before serving.”
“Isn’t that a bit early?” Carla asked.
“Not for Drachen Villa,” Ms. Straust replied. “Dinner needs to be served and finished before the staff leaves.”
“The staff doesn’t stay in the castle?” Heather asked. “That’s a little odd, don’t you think? What if someone needs something during the night? Can we call you if something comes up?”
“I suggest you take all you will need to your room with you after the evening’s activities,” Ms. Straust commented. “I am the last to leave and lock the premises securely. The moat bridge raises after I leave.”
“There’s a moat?! “Violet exclaimed.
“You were busy keeping your eyes closed,” Heather whispered in her ear. “There was one, though. I thought it was just for show.”
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