Nicole rushed over to meet them. “Did you see me? I was a model, even if only for one gown. Did you know this gown is valued at nine and a half thousand dollars? My friends will never believe I did something like this. Will I be able to tell them? I can’t believe it’s time to go.”
Brigid drew her into a hug, knowing the spew of words was a cover for the fear bubbling beneath the surface.
“Keep strong,” said Brigid. “We’ll meet again.”
Quillon slipped a phone into her hand. “This is a throw-away phone that’s secure for a one-time emergency use. I’ll be tracking to make sure you get home okay, but if anything happens on your way, or after, call me. I’ll find you.”
Nicole threw herself into his arms, and then stepped back as Alessandro placed a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s time, Nicole.”
“Take good care of her.” Quillon slipped an arm around Brigid’s waist, offering comfort to both of them. “Have a safe journey.”
They watched Nicole and Alessandro walk to the side entrance where a limo was waiting for them. Two bodyguards trailed them as they exited and vanished from sight.
“Come on. Let’s blow this joint.”
“What?” said Brigid as she hurried along, trying to match Quillon’s stride.
Quillon slowed his pace a little. “Sorry. It’s an expression that means let’s get moving.”
“I’m moving as fast as I can in these high heels. They’re not my usual type of footwear. I’ll be glad to change once we’re back in the car.”
“Damn!”
“What now?” Brigid looked up at Quillon.
“Kyra, the blonde you noticed earlier, is making a beeline for us. If we get entangled with her, we might end up being late to meet the others.” Quillon grimaced.
They made it to the mall doors and Brigid could see the woman’s reflection in the glass. She had a very determined expression on her face. Outside, the parking attendants were chatting as they waited to be called upon. Brigid decided to give one a mental nudge as Quillon asked for their keys. As Kyra breezed out the door, that attendant moved to intercept her. She couldn’t get around him, which gave Brigid and Quillon time to dart around the corner and cross the street to the overflow lot.
Quickly, Quillon unlocked the Porsche and they got in. In seconds, they were on the road. In the rearview mirror, Quillon could see Kyra waving her hands at the attendant.
“Did you do that?” he asked.
“I may have placed an image of Kyra in his mind with an urge to flirt with her.”
“Good thinking!” Quillon paused and reflected, “I must admit, I’m a bit in awe of what you can do.”
“Yeah. I’ve had that response most of my life once people realize my abilities,” said Brigid. She turned her head and sadly looked out the window.
“Hey, I didn’t mean I felt threatened or anything. I meant I admire you. I value who you are. I trust you as a friend and as a healer. Believe me, I know it’s hard for people to see past certain parts of us—like me with my money,” Quillon shared.
After a pause, Brigid replied, “Thanks. Sometimes I can be super sensitive to what I think is judgement of me. I walk a very tricky ethical line every time I use my gift. I guess we all go around feeling judged by those around us.”
“I hope we’re friends enough to get by that.”
“Friends,” Brigid affirmed as she placed a hand on his. “Let’s hope Evander feels that way after hearing about your kiss!”
She could feel Quillon tense up.
“Relax,” she said. “I’m teasing you. He’ll understand.”
Quillon didn’t seem so sure. He decided to change the subject. He reached back behind Brigid’s seat and hauled her kitbag forward. “Here’s your bag if you want to switch your clothing and shoes. The windows are tinted, so no one can see in. I promise not to peek.”
Brigid reached down to pull off the high heels and rub her sore feet. She reached up under her dress to pull off the form-fitting nylons Symba had insisted she wear. She had to admit to herself that they were very flattering in helping the dress drape easily over her hips, but she was glad to give her legs a chance to breathe again. She shimmied into stretch jeans, socks, and sneakers, and then pulled the dress over her head. The shapewear camisole she wore covered her sufficiently, so she didn’t feel exposed as she switched to a sweatshirt and light jacket.
As she glanced out the window, she noticed that they were passing rows of houses.
“We’re passing through the suburbs—a residential area on the outskirts of Greenberg, on the eastern side of the city. In ten minutes, we should be into the countryside. I’ll need your help to watch for the road leading to Matthias’ place,” Quillon said.
Brigid carefully rolled up the dress and placed it in the bag with the other items. She tossed it into the back seat. “What am I watching for?” she asked.
“A large stone with a carving of a nut, a house, and the number twenty-one etched into it,” Quillon stated. “It should be on your side of the road.”
Brigid watched intently as the miles flashed by. They passed the occasional side road and driveways to homes hidden from their sight. They crossed over a small brook, and then Brigid saw it.
“Slow down. There’s a large stone just ahead.”
Quillon slowed to a crawl as they came up to it.
“That’s it. The gravel driveway is just past it, like Matthias described.”
Quillon signaled and they turned in. Before they could drive any further, a figure leapt up from the ditch and waved them to stop. Quillon rolled his window down. It was Matthias.
“Glad you made it,” he said breathlessly. “Nicole got away okay?”
“Yes. No issues. What’s happening here?”
“We’ve encountered a few interesting things. When we arrived at the driveway entrance, I noticed something amiss with the etching on the stone. The number one was too dark. I went over to look at it, and there was a note wedged into that part of the etching.”
“What did it say?” Brigid leaned across Quillon to join the conversation.
“Beware the path, the die is cast.”
“Another riddle?” Brigid pondered it as she sat back in her seat.
“It was a warning. Treena sensed immediately that there were traps along the road. With Symba’s enhanced senses, we were able to find the electronic sensors that had been set up along the driveway. We left them armed because we didn’t want to signal our presence here. Instead, we drove along the ditch and up through the woods along an old logging road.”
“What does ‘the die is cast’ mean?” Brigid turned to Matthias as he climbed into the back seat.
“I think it means The Mind had already set up this meet, and it was too late to try to change it.” Matthias gestured for Quillon to go ahead.
Quillon grimaced at the thought of driving his Porsche through the rough terrain, but he didn’t want to leave it out in the open either. He gently eased it over bumps and strained to watch for rocks and roots as Matthias directed him along.
Matthias told them the parking area was strewn with broken glass and the path from it to the cabin had trip wires connected to nets. “Someone must have traced this place to me and set up the traps recently, perhaps after my rescue.”
Quillon grunted as the Porsche bounced along the rough route.
“I left the others to case the outside of the cabin for any further traps before we try to enter.”
Matthias indicated to Quillon it was time to stop. They could just make out the shadow of the jeep ahead of them.
They parked close to the parking area but not in it, to avoid the glass. Quillon executed an awkward three-point turn so the Porsche was ready for a quick getaway. He slipped off his suit coat and dress shirt, and pulled on the sweatshirt and jacket Brigid had ready for him. The dash light went off and they were plunged into darkness. Quillon switched on a penlight before they exited.
“Ready?” he w
hispered. “Let’s find the others.”
Again, Matthias led the way. Carefully, they followed in his footsteps to avoid the trip wires and nets. Five minutes later, the path curved, and they could see the dark shadow of a building ahead of them. A figure peeled away from the building and moved toward them.
It was Treena. “There are traps around the front door and windows. But I notice on the back part of the roof there’s a skylight. It’s open and there’s no screen. I flew up to check it, and it appears to be safe. We fairy folk can fly up, but we’ll need to find another way for the rest of you.”
Matthias indicated there was a small shed around the back. “I have a ladder in there we can use.”
Treena went to give him a hand, and in moments they returned. Flying and climbing, they got onto the roof and moved toward the skylight. It was narrow, so they would have to squeeze through it. Matthias recalled that it was about eight feet from the floor, so it would be a bit of a drop landing.
“I’ll go first to be sure everything’s safe inside,” Treena volunteered. She lay down and backed through the skylight as the guys held her arms and slowly eased her down to lessen the distance of the drop. She opened her wings and gently landed on the floor.
“We’re good in here.” She gave a thumbs up.
One by one, the others lowered themselves in to join her.
“Where to next?” she asked of Matthias.
“We need to get down to the basement and to the door in the floor. This way.” He gestured to a door.
There didn’t appear to be any indoor traps. Perhaps whoever had set the exterior ones was confident that was all they would require or they hadn’t been able to get inside.
In the basement, they rolled back the carpet. Matthias pushed on what seemed to be random knots in the wood; a door handle eased up from the floor. They pulled the door open and descended another set of stairs into a cave about six feet square. A shadowed opening in the wall facing them indicated the tunnel they would enter next. Matthias and Treena stepped to the front to lead. The darkness deepened as they moved forward. Their penlights offered a small amount of illumination. Symba prayed they wouldn’t see any rats or other rodents.
They had only gone a short distance when the tunnel split into three pathways. Matthias indicated the direction that was east. They continued onward and another intersection revealed itself. Matthias veered west, which led them to a small cave with no exit. They looked around in confusion. What next?
They played their penlights across the cave walls. Evander bent over and reach his fingers out. “Here,” he said. “Bend over, and you’re upside down. There’s an opening here, about a foot high. I can feel a draft.”
“You mean I have to crawl on the ground, in a small place, maybe with rats?” Symba groaned.
“I’ll go first,” Matthias said. “If the space is too small, I can shift form. No rodent worries then.” He grinned at Symba.
Matthias lay on his back on the floor beside the wall. The opening stretched beyond his height, so he edged his way through, upside down, as the riddle had directed. In less than a minute, they heard his voice calling back to them.
“It’s only six feet to get through to the next room. I think you can all make it.”
Symba grumbled but decided to get it over with right away before she could think about it anymore.
The inner cave was larger, extending high above them. Piles of books were stacked beside a sleeping bag in one area. A shelf with cans of food could be seen to their right. They looked around. No one appeared to be there.
Suddenly, a hooting sound echoed, and a whoosh of wings swept an owl into their line of vision. It landed in a dark recess at the back of the cave. Matthias clenched his hands.
“Athena!” he said.
***
The Mind
Moments later, a woman stepped forward. She was petite with a sturdy build. Her hair was a mix of black and brown with reddish tints. Brigid noticed that her eyes, when they caught the light, gleamed silver.
“Hey there, brother.” She threw Matthias a relieved smile and strode over to grab him in a hug. She held on for a long minute before stepping back and discreetly wiping her eyes. “You’re looking better than I thought you would. Are you going to introduce me to your friends?”
Matthias started. “This brat….” He adjusted as he saw the glare he was receiving. “This young woman is my sister, Athena.”
He named the others and they stepped over to shake hands in greeting.
“How did you know about us?” Quillon asked.
“Grab a seat. This may take a while.” Athena hauled out some camp stools and mats. She sat on her sleeping bag and drew one leg up, wrapping her arm around it before she continued.
“When you reached out to Luna about the convoy, Luna reached out to me. She knew I was actively trying to track you down, brother. She assured me a rescue attempt was underway, but indicated it was already planned and not to interfere. I watched from the trees and observed your success. I came back here and waited for more news. The next time I checked, her communication stated you’d asked about us and that she’d reported on our safety. Then, nothing.”
“Where’s Niall?” Matthias asked.
“He left shortly after your capture. He travelled from friend to friend, encouraging them to get to safety and not to wait. Now, he’s with Mom and Dad, working with them at resistance efforts.”
“You stayed here all that time?”
“It was safe enough, until your rescue. It took a few days, but a crew arrived and started poking around. They didn’t get inside, but they set up traps outside. By then, I’d already found out through Luna who had rescued you and had sent you the note.”
“Did you know we were looking for your sister?” Evander asked Matthias.
Before he could reply, Athena snorted and said, “Of course he did! Who else would send him a riddle like that?”
She looked at Matthias. “You knew it was me, right?”
“She’s ‘The Mind’?” Treena could see another piece of the prophecy coming together before them.
“I’ve been ‘The Mind’ at the casino for four years, since I graduated with my business degree. That was my nickname there. Why? Matthias, what’s going on?”
“I thought it might be you, but I wasn’t sure, because there’s more going on than just me being rescued. There’s a prophecy that mentions The Mind and I didn’t know if that was someone else or you. I didn’t want you dragged into more danger.”
“A prophecy?” asked Athena.
“We can get into that later, back at my place. Even though we avoided the traps, I don’t feel it’s safe to linger here,” said Quillon.
Brigid was focused on her earlier observation. “You’re a shapeshifter—an owl?”
Athena nodded her agreement.
“But your eyes are silver,” Brigid pointed out.
“That’s more conversation for back at the house,” said Matthias, standing up. “I agree with Quillon. We need to move on.”
“There’s an opening at the top of the cave. I’ll fly out and scout ahead while you guys make your way back to your vehicles,” Athena said. “Just take a change of clothes for me, so I can shift back.”
Brigid placed a hand on her arm. “I can sense emotions in people and creatures around me. If you send out a feeling of distress, I can warn the others that danger is near.”
Athena shrugged her shoulders. “Sure, I can also hoot loudly.”
She slipped to the back of the cave and soon an owl soared upward and out of sight.
“Time to move out,” said Treena.
Brigid grabbed Athena’s clothing as the others began sliding through the opening. They moved up each level as quickly as possible with Treena monitoring for any safety issues. They climbed out onto the roof using a chair to boost them up to the skylight. After the ladder was placed back in the shed, they hurried down the path to the clearing.
“Wait!”
Brigid called out in a loud whisper.
Then, they heard loud hooting sounds—Athena warning them. They hauled out their weapons and slid back into the trees for shelter. The owl swooped down, and Athena appeared behind Brigid, who handed over Athena’s clothing.
Athena rapidly described what she’d seen. “It’s a military vehicle. One man stopped to examine the sensors set up along the road. He looked confused.”
She looked at their parked vehicles.
“A Porsche! No hiding that. We’ve got about two minutes before he’s here.”
Quillon turned to Brigid. “Can you get back into your dress and shoes really fast? Just follow my lead. Let’s see if we can get us out of this without having to resort to weapons.”
He dashed to the car and threw on his dress shirt and suit coat. Treena rushed forward to help Brigid, hauling her dress out of the kitbag as Brigid kicked off her sneakers, drew off her sweatshirt, and pulled down her jeans. Brigid held her arms up and Treena slid the dress on, handing her the shoes to put on once inside the car. Brigid hopped in and Quillon started the engine. He guided the Porsche onto the driveway. They headed toward the turn and down the road, to discover the military vehicle right in front of them. Quillon slammed on the brakes.
He stepped out of the car, shielding his eyes from the car lights. “Hello there, can I help you?”
An officer stepped out and walked toward him. “Sir, what are you doing out here? This is private property.”
“I know. It belongs to the owner of Player’s Choice. He told me about this retreat months ago,” said Quillon, making up his story on the spot. “I challenged him to a game of poker. If I won, I’d get a free stay out here. If he won, he’d get my Porsche for a week. Needless to say, I won.”
Quillon stepped toward the officer and winked. “I have a very sexy date in that car, and we’ve been enjoying a pleasant interlude here, if you know what I mean.”
The officer didn’t appear convinced. “May I see your license, please.”
Quillon reached into his back pocket for his wallet and produced his license. The officer strolled back to the military vehicle and slid into his seat. A few minutes passed and Quillon heard the rumble of conversation as if the officer was speaking to someone, but he couldn’t hear the exact words. The officer returned with his license.
The Prophecy Page 25
