by Logan Byrne
“Let’s go,” Blake said, picking up his bag and strapping it on.
We hurried up the mountain, my powers acting like a compass, though I had to stop every couple minutes and tune myself in again to find the direction we needed to go in next. It led us to a small crack in the side of the mountain big enough for us to squeeze through, obscured by rocks and debris, though it was a clear path towards something at the end. We slipped inside.
“Candelae,” I said, holding my wand up. The hallway was illuminated from the tip of my wand. Blake let me squeeze by and go first. The hallway was about four feet wide, the rock smoothed over, definitely not naturally, etched with symbols and runes.
“This is beautiful,” Blake said. “I don’t know what any of it means, but it’s beautiful.”
“I can sense it near,” I said, before we hit our first snag. There were three options, openings, to hallways that led into different chambers. As intricate as a pharaoh’s tomb, the creators of this monument must have only wanted those who were worthy to find the talisman.
I closed my eyes, feeling it once again, before opening them and walking into the right-hand tunnel. We walked for a couple more minutes before entering another opening, this time with four options. The hallway behind us was the only way out. “What now?” Blake asked.
I looked down and saw my hands faintly glowing blue, so I raised my right hand and hovered it in front of each opening. It grew in intensity at the second option from the left, and I knew the talisman was leading me towards it. This happened two more times before we entered the main chamber, and boy was it grand.
The room must’ve been thirty or forty feet high, a massive chamber inside the mountain, with water flowing freely and waterfalls cascading from the top. “Where did this water come from? I didn’t see or hear any streams or rivers on the mountain,” Blake said.
“I think it’s best we don’t question these things,” I said.
“Well, there’s the talisman,” he said, pointing to an obelisk at the center of the room. We approached and saw the talisman sitting on a round stone pillar about four feet high just in front of it.
“Only those who are worthy may approach the altar,” a voice resonated in my head. The voice was female, that of an older woman, sounding like it was from a different world altogether.
“You have to stay here,” I said.
“What? Are you sure?” Blake asked.
“It said to. Trust me, it’ll be fine,” I replied, smiling.
I approached alone, walking over a thin stone bridge that separated the altar from the entrance. Water flowed around me, a humid mist filling the air, as my hands glowed a brighter blue the closer I got. “What is your purpose, young one?” a voice asked.
“I wish to save you from Kiren Nightstorm,” I replied.
“Ah, the one who wishes the beginning of the end,” it replied.
“Yes, I want to take you somewhere safe where he and his men cannot find you. I can keep you hidden,” I said.
“Many have tried to find me and pervert my powers. How do I know you will not do the same?” she asked.
“Look into my mind. I know you can see my heart, my soul, and you know that I will give you to the resistance. You will be kept safe, and your powers will be kept safe until Kiren is out of power. I promise to bring you back once he is finished,” I said.
“I have looked into your soul, and I find it to be pure. The mark has vouched for you as well,” she said.
“Wait, it talked to you?” I asked, confused.
“It has spoken highly,” she said.
“I don’t—”
“Lexa, they’re coming! We have to get the talisman and get out of here before they catch up. I can hear them,” Blake called, panicked.
“I have to ask more questions, I can’t—”
“Lexa! We don’t have time. You can ask it later,” he said, with a tone more serious than anything I’d ever heard from him before.
“There is an exit on the rear of this obelisk which will transport you to wherever you imagine in your mind. Use it, for they come,” she said.
“Blake, over here. She said we can leave from here,” I said.
Blake ran over, and I took out my wand and pointed it at the doorway we came in through. “Eruptico!” I said, blowing down rocks and caving in the entrance. I didn’t even want them to find this chamber, to be able to inspect it or ruin it in any way. I knew the talisman would understand.
Blake grabbed onto me and I touched the back of the obelisk, thinking of Chancellor Pote’s tent, and we were teleported there. We fell onto the ground in her tent and I opened my eyes and stood up, shaking my head. “Where did you two just come from?” the chancellor asked, in utter shock.
“The chamber for the talisman, it had some kind of magic, a way to teleport us back here. Kiren’s men were hot on our tail, and there was no other way out,” I said.
“Does that mean?” she asked, her mouth open.
I pulled out the talisman, a necklace, and set it down on her desk map. “Be careful with her,” I said.
“Get the box,” Pote said to a guard.
“What are you going to do with it?” I asked.
“We’re going to protect it, that’s what. Mirian and a few other senior mages made a special box of ash wood that should shield any method Kiren has of locating it. Now that it’s out of the chamber, it’s possible he will sense the magic within time. The only downside is the magic from the talisman cannot escape, though I believe that to be a good thing. It’s too powerful for anybody to possess,” she said.
“But I need it, I need to talk with it more,” I said.
“I’m sorry, but we cannot take any risks at the moment,” she said, as the men brought in the box. “Put it inside.”
“I, uh—” I said, unable to spit out the words.
Pote sealed the box and sighed with relief before putting her palms against the desk and smiling. “I am so proud of you both for your service to both myself and the resistance. I knew if anybody could find it and bring it back safely, it was you two. If Kiren’s men were close, like you said, then you might have just saved the entire world from succumbing to his darkness. Men and women will talk about this for generations.”
“Good job,” one guard said.
“Thank you for saving us,” another quipped.
I smiled, nodding, unsure what to do with the praise. “We’ll get you back into the precinct within the hour. Until then, feel free to go to the mess tent and fill yourselves up. I imagine you’re hungry after being out in the cold last night,” Pote said, before we left her tent.
“So it talked to you?” Blake asked quietly as we walked away.
“Just like you are now, except only in my head I guess. You didn’t hear anything?” I asked.
“No, just you talking. I thought you were going insane for a minute,” he said, nudging me.
“Shut up,” I said, laughing. “She said something weird, though. She said my mark talked to her, or something like that anyway. You don’t think…?” I asked.
“That it’s alive? That would be pretty insane, but then again I am a werewolf and we just passed a goblin riding a unicorn, so who’s to say what’s insane and what’s not?” he asked.
When we got to the mess tent I pushed my food around my plate, taking a few bites here and there, as I tried to make sense of what the talisman said. I wanted to talk to her, to hear more and see what I could do, but that box was sealed and there was no opening it until Kiren and his administration fell. I guess that was just even more motivation sent my way.
10
Mirian had sent for Blake and me the second we got back to the precinct. We’d gotten in undetected. The resistance thought it unwise to teleport us back into the building, so we were taken to a nearby alleyway. Pote had told us before we left about Mirian, and we were encouraged to make him our first stop once we got back inside.
As funny as it was, given my horrid experience in nature
, I kind of missed it once I entered the sterile, hectic walls of the precinct. There were papers flying everywhere, brooms floating about, and cuffed criminals who would ring my neck if they had the chance. Ah, so great to be home.
“Enter,” Mirian said, when we knocked on his door. “Ah, you’re back, close the door.”
“I trust you’ve heard?” I asked, as Blake shut the door behind us.
“I did, and I must say I’m very impressed with you both,” he said, brimming from ear to ear.
“It was mostly Lexa who did the work. I was just there to look pretty,” Blake said.
“Nonsense, he was just as important as I was. Don’t let him be so modest,” I said.
“I know you both played your own roles in the discovery and securing of the object. Tell me, what was it like? I’ve read stories about this for years, but nothing ever really described it,” he said, crossing his arms and looking intrigued by what I was about to say.
“It was golden, a necklace—“
“Oh wow, a necklace? I thought it would be a totem of some kind. Sorry, go on, please,” he said, interrupting me.
“It spoke to me,” I said.
“It did? Like actual words, or the presence of it spoke to you poetically?” he asked.
“Actual words, like a person, like you’re speaking to me now,” I said.
“Fascinating. What did it say?” he asked.
“It knew that others were coming for it, and it said I was pure, I think? I’m sure it didn’t say that exactly, I forget, but it knew that I wasn’t going to hurt it or wreck it. It knew it could trust me, mainly because of what I have in me,” I said, in case anybody could hear me. I was still paranoid I would give myself away in some fashion.
“I knew it could sense it. Did it say anything else of interest?” he asked.
“Something about my thing being alive?” I said.
“Alive?” Mirian asked, looking shocked and intrigued. “I must say I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
“It said my thing spoke to it, like a spirit or person or something. I didn’t get to ask it more, we were being pursued, but it kind of freaked me out. You don’t think it’s alive in me, do you?” I asked.
“I’m not sure, Lexa, I’m not sure. This is news to me, but it wouldn’t be a crazy notion, and if something that ancient said it to you as clear as day, it wouldn’t be lying to you or deceiving you. Perhaps it is alive in you,” Mirian said.
“This is all too much, even for me, and I have something living in me,” Blake said.
“What if it chose me? Like when I was born, what if it knew somehow of what was to come? It’s ancient, isn’t it?” I asked.
“Well, yes, it’s very ancient, but what you’re implying is that it is a spirit that what, transcends life itself, finding a new host whenever its current one dies?” he asked.
“Maybe, I don’t know. The whole business is new to me, but I can’t shake what the talisman said. It’s all too crazy to be coincidental,” I said.
“Whatever it is, I’ll try to look into it more. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a reference in any of my books or texts that said it was a spirit of some kind, but with the way things are going, I wouldn’t be shocked. I’ll try to find more information but for now, you two should go and get ready for the day. You both still have work here, you know. Thank you again for your hard work and dedication. It won’t go unnoticed with us,” Mirian said, patting Blake and me on the back literally and figuratively.
“Excited to get back into it?” Blake asked as we left Mirian’s office.
“Back to the grind of this case? Yes, but also no. I’d really just love to pursue my thing a bit more, but I suppose work never stops in this profession, does it?” I asked.
“Lexa! Blake! You’re back!” Charlie said, running up and hugging both of us, a smile on his face. “I’ve missed you guys, and Lexa, we have some catching up to do. Xelia and I found out some more information during your absence.”
“I’m going to get cleaned up and dressed, but I’m excited to hear whatever it is you guys found out. We need all the information we can get,” I said, smiling.
Blake walked me to my room and gave me one of his sly kisses that were way too quick before leaving me alone. Britta wasn’t around, probably looking for Blake the same way Charlie was for me. I flung myself on my bed for a two-minute lie-down while I looked up at the ceiling. It was so much more comfortable than the ground or a tree branch, and I could feel my spine shifting back into place after sitting on the dirt for so long. This room might be cold and damp sometimes, but it was home, and it was damn sure better than that fleabag motel I’d been staying in before Mirian recruited me.
“So what’s going on?” I asked, walking into Xelia’s office. She and Charlie were sitting around her desk, looking at papers and photographs that it looked like they’d taken.
“How did your side mission go?” Xelia asked.
“It went well, we got what we needed to. Charlie said something about you guys finding stuff out?” I asked, changing the topic so people walking outside wouldn’t find out about the talisman.
“We did some reconnaissance work, which we have the photos of here,” she said, sliding some of the pictures over to me. “It looks like they’re transporting, or have been transporting, some of the people they’ve been changing, including the babies. Also, it looks like they might be a front in the club for drugs.”
“You guys found all this out in that short amount of time?” I asked, shocked.
“I think we just got lucky,” Charlie said, leaning back in his chair. “They happened to be doing this stuff while we were tracking them. Faus helped with the equipment, and we were able to go from there. We’re pretty solid on the drug charges. They’re possibly manufacturing them there, we wouldn’t know without a search and warrant, but they’re definitely distributing them inside the building to the club’s patrons.”
“Why aren’t we pursuing it, then?” I asked.
“We only have one shot at this, remember? If we go in there and raid the place, we can never go back. They’ll move everything out, all their activities, and we won’t be able to find out where they go next. Either that, or it would take a lot of time, resources, and nights on reconnaissance to find out. We need to make sure we’re ready to go first,” Xelia said.
“What more do you think we need to get?” I asked.
“Maybe better proof of the shiftings they’re doing inside. We can’t go by your spell, so we’re going to need hard evidence for a judge to give us a warrant. What we have now isn’t even circumstantial, given it was illegally obtained,” she said.
“How should we go about getting proof? It isn’t going to be easy to just walk in the front door, go in back, and get pictures of what’s going on, is it?” I asked.
“Charlie and I have already come up with a plan. First, it’s going to involve getting Britta and Blake on board, if you think they’ll help,” she said.
“Of course, I know they’d love to be a part of this,” I replied.
“Good. Blake, Charlie, and I will keep their guards preoccupied. We found out they have a door around the back where they do most of their transports. We’ll take care of the guards, and you and Britta will go inside and navigate to one of the rooms where they’re shifting people or holding them in incubation. We only need one picture for proof, and the judge will sign that warrant so fast it will make your head spin,” Xelia said.
“How are we going to avoid being seen, though?” I asked.
“You’re going to have to use an Obscurio spell, I reckon. It should provide enough of a shroud in the dark hallways to hide you from any vampires inside,” she said.
“If things go south, we can always stun them. It’s better than being seen,” I said.
“When is this going down?” Charlie asked.
“Tonight, if you guys are ready. Tuesday nights are their busiest nights, two-for-one drinks, and I’m guessing they’ll put th
eir men mostly inside and not at the back entrance. That will leave only two guards out back,” she said.
“I’ll go fill in Britta and Blake on the mission and get their consent. You guys work on a plan. I’d rather catch these guys when we have the least resistance,” I said.
“We sure are helping you guys with a lot of cases,” Britta said, as she and Blake sat in the cafeteria for lunch.
“Oh come on, this is a bust that will carry on for you guys as well,” I said. “Imagine your names being attached to a bust this huge. Vampires are kidnapping mortals and transforming them against their will, and they’re impregnating them and harvesting vampire babies. Xelia said the consequences are huge, and that an army of those guys running around would be enough to overpower us all.”
“Fine. That sounds too good to pass up. I’m in,” Britta said, smiling. I had a feeling she was in from the start but just wanted to make me sweat a bit. Whatever, I had her consent and that was all that mattered.
“What’s the plan?” Blake asked.
“Well, it’s tonight, and Xelia is coming up with an exact plan now. It involves you, Charlie, and Xelia taking out the guards and keeping watch while Britta and I go in and get proof of their operations,” I said.
“I don’t like it,” Blake said.
“What, why not? It’s a good plan,” I said.
“You two alone against a club full of sadistic vampires? What if you get caught, or you’re seen? Then what?” he asked.
“We’ll be fine,” Britta said.
“And what if you’re not? I want to go in with you,” he said.
“We can’t hide you. We have our Obscurio spell for ourselves, but tracking it on you while we’re moving would be too difficult. Besides, if things go bad outside, we need you to fight them off,” I said.
“I’m not happy about this, Lexa. I’m really not,” he said, crossing his arms.
I winced a little, rolling my eyes, not sure what to make of him. I got that he was being protective, but he wasn’t my father. I was a big girl, I had the mark, and I knew I could handle myself, especially with my best friend by my side. Britta and I were powerful witches, even if we were young, and we could read each other’s minds in combat. We would be fine. I just sometimes wished he didn’t act like I was some fragile princess who couldn’t fight.
