by Allie Burton
“How did your mom inherit the lapis lazuli jewel?” He trailed a finger down the back of her exposed neck.
She shivered under his touch, never taking her gaze off the road.
Good shiver or bad shiver? Doubts danced in his midsection. He’d never flirted for information before. Not only did he want to retrieve the trumpet for the Warriors, he wanted to find the jewel for her.
“I…I told you. My dad.” Her neck muscles tightened.
He ran a shaky finger to the edge of her hairline. “Your dad lives in Egypt?” Could her Egyptian heritage be relative to this quest? She had the dusky skin and cocoa eyes of most Egyptians.
She shivered again. “I don’t know. I’ve never met my dad. Don’t even know his name.”
Math’s fingers stilled surprised by the revelation. He’d want to know everything about his parents if it were possible. “You never asked?”
His curious mind would’ve demanded answers or researched the man’s background himself. The marvels of the modern computer, with the vast storage of data, contained all kinds of knowledge. Scientific theories had been proven, cures to diseases had been found, and men had walked on the moon.
“Mom didn’t talk about him.” Piper’s tone chilled.
“Is something wrong?” The dancing in his gut morphed into a quickstep.
“I don’t enjoy talking about my unknown father.” She took one hand off the wheel and planted it on his thigh. “Can you tell me more about the Magical Convergence Ceremony?”
He sucked in a sharp breath. Did she like him, or was she using her feminine wiles to make him talk just as he tried? It was working. Sweat formed on his palms and he snatched his hand from behind her neck. He wiped them on his black pants. “What do you want to know?”
He wanted to believe in Piper, believe she’d do the right thing. Believe she was interested in him. Stop the barge. Not because he was interested, but because he could use that attraction to his advantage.
Yeah, right.
Falcon or Antony always got the female attention when the Warriors were about town. The girls looked right past Math. They saw his thinner build, short hair, and glasses and pegged him a nerd. Because he was. But he was also strong and had superpowers. He just had to prove his worthiness to the Warriors.
“How does the vessel thing work?” Piper’s voice filled with tension, as if she had a personal connection. “You said they’d die.”
He’d die if he was wrong about her. Okay, not die. That was dramatic. But he’d be embarrassed. Small cracks fissured through his heart, making it ache. One of the more handsome Warriors would never fall for a girl’s tricks. His mind told him it was impossible for a beautiful girl to fall for someone like him. His reasoning told him he didn’t have time for a girl anyway. He had a quest. But he wanted to believe. Believe in her and believe in these strange and wonderful feelings. Believe he deserved his own romance, and maybe a connection.
He swallowed his doubt. “The vessel is prepared in advance, either through drinking strychnine or a hereditary trait.” He really didn’t want to talk about the ceremony. He wanted to talk about her, but for now he’d tell her a few more details. “On Pi day, Tut’s Trumpet of Peace is played by the vessel and she inherits the powers of the trumpet. If an Akh has been procured, then the vessel unites her powers with the Akh.”
She angled her head and sent him a curious glance. “What’s an Akh?”
If Piper didn’t know what an Akh was, she couldn’t be familiar with the Order’s secret ceremonies. Maybe she wasn’t involved with them. Maybe her only connection was through her uncle. His confidence in her built.
“An Akh is an effective being, or soul, with powers of a god. The vessel will have powers from the trumpet and the Akh.” And gods help us if the vessel or the vessel’s sacred leader is sinister.
“So the vessel controls the Akh’s powers and can use them in our world?” Her eyebrows scrunched, as if trying to figure out a scientific theory.
The ceremony, the connections, and the links were complicated physics. “And the vessel achieves immortality.”
He had immortality and hadn’t decided whether it was good or bad. He should prepare a spreadsheet with the pros and cons.
“Immortality would be cool.” The muscles of Piper’s face relaxed and an excited gleam appeared in her eyes.
Suspicion threaded through him, widening the cracks. He didn’t like the change in her demeanor. Did she crave immortality? Maybe power, too? But for what use? She only believed him because he’d demonstrated his powers. His doubts kicked him in his gluteus maximus.
“Only if the vessel controls their own destiny.” The information was meant to warn her.
“What do you mean?”
“Just as people can take precautions before hearing the trumpet so they are not affected, a person can control the vessel and their powers if they know the correct ceremony and incantations.” He continued studying her face trying to figure out her true thoughts. “The Akh lives a miserable half existence. Not alive, but not dead, either.”
Her cheeks paled and the light in her eyes dimmed. She shivered, appearing upset.
Was her uncle the person lined up to become the Akh? Who was the vessel? He studied Piper, trying to read her expression. She’d lied to him about falling asleep during the theft of the trumpet. At the time he didn’t consider it a big deal. People in modern times lied and he’d barely known her. Except now, now, they were getting closer. She’d kissed him. He wanted to believe in her. Maybe it was time she answered a few questions.
“Piper, are you meant to be the vessel?” That would explain these inklings of his that she was magical.
She stared straight ahead at the road. Her cheeks paled, and her mouth pursed. “What? No.”
“Nothing good comes from being a vessel.” He watched for a reaction. “The Order and the Society plan to use whatever power they can converge for immoral actions.”
She repositioned her hands on the steering wheel. “What do the Order and Society say about your kind?”
His kind?
Ignoring her unexpected question, he scooted closer. He wanted to feel if her body stiffened, or if she leaned away. “What really happened at the pawn shop the day the Trumpet of Peace was stolen?”
“I showed you the recording.” Defensive.
Annoyance frizzled his skin. An achiness slid inside his chest, radiating from his center. He thought they were being honest with each other and she’d tell him the truth. He thought they’d connected. He thought she cared about him.
“Analyzing the angle from your phone, you didn’t fall down and go to sleep.” His hard voice accused. And he was okay with that. He wanted her to know he didn’t believe her. That he wasn’t easy prey for her charm. That he wasn’t affected by her kisses, or the heat of her hand on his thigh. Except he was. “Once the angle changed from the ground, the camera followed the thieves down the short hallway. It moved.” He punctuated his words with anger.
Anger that she kept up the pretense.
Pulling her hand from his leg, she squeezed the steering wheel so tight her knuckles whitened. Her expression showed a battle inside. Her mouth dropped open and then closed. She smushed her lips back and forth, one against the other.
He braced himself for having the lips he’d kissed give a lying explanation.
“I didn’t fall asleep.”
Her words entered his ears and he took a moment to process and calculate the meaning. He jolted because she spoke the truth, rejoicing in her honesty, but not understanding how her not falling asleep was possible. Unless his hunch was right about hereditary magic. “The man was playing the trumpet. I heard it on the video.”
“Yes.” She squirmed, uncomfortable with her admission.
His confused thoughts ran rampant in his mind, making him lightheaded. He wasn’t used to being confused. He was used to organizing the facts and understanding. Piper messed with his mind and his emotions. The dawning unders
tanding scared and exhilarated.
“The Trumpet of Peace makes everyone who hears its music fall asleep unless they’ve taken precautions.” His thoughts marched into columns in his brain, trying to add up the truths and the deceptions. Nothing calculated. “Why didn’t you?”
Her eyes widened. Fear reflected on her face. “I. Don’t. Know.”
His heart tugged him toward believing. His mind resisted. What she said didn’t add up. Logically, it couldn’t be the truth. “Were you prepared against the trumpet’s effects by your uncle?”
“Prepared?” She didn’t seem to know what he was talking about.
“There’s a special antidote you can take.” Not many laymen knew about the precautions. The ancient recipe was difficult to prepare, with elements hard to find in this time and place. What were the chances her uncle could procure them?
She shook her head. “No.”
“Unless you’ve blown the trumpet.” Horror streaked through his body. He’d seen the effect of blowing the war trumpet on Falcon and wouldn’t wish it on his worst enemy. The Trumpet of Peace had a different effect, but still…. Grabbing her hand, Math squeezed tight. “Have you blown the trumpet?”
“No!”
He relaxed, letting the horror seep from his skin. “I asked because people who have blown the trumpet are immune to its sleeping powers.”
“That second thief. He was talking with Uncle Louie. He didn’t fall asleep.” Her hopeful voice reached out and he wanted to give her an answer that made her feel better.
He couldn’t. “Since we know the thieves were from the Society of Aten, they’d know to take precautions and prepare themselves.”
“That doesn’t explain me.” She clung to his hand like he was her lifeline.
He kept a tight hold, wanting to be that lifeline for her. At the same time, he probably shouldn’t get involved. Olivia was their leader and Aria, had been the key to curing Falcon. But Piper was an anomaly, and possibly an enemy of the Warriors. “No, it doesn’t.”
Math ran various scenarios and possibilities in his head as they parked the car several blocks away, stole a couple of blue work shirts from the backseat, and plodded down the street toward the Society’s mansion. The fog rolled in off the coast, creating a ghostly environment.
The only way to combat the effects of the trumpet were if you had blown the trumpet, carried the DNA of someone who had blown it, or took special preparations. Which one was Piper?
“How much farther to the Society’s mansion?” Her worried tone interrupted his thoughts.
Unsolvable thoughts. “A couple of blocks.”
She fiddled with the collar of the stiff work shirt, then ran trembling fingers through her hair. “Tell me about you.”
“What do you want to know?”
They had so many more important things to discuss. He wasn’t that interesting. Or important.
“Since we can’t solve the question about why the trumpet didn’t affect me,” her babbling proved her nervousness, “and we’re about to break into a house together, I thought I should know more about you, Matthew.”
The name was another lie between them. One that could easily be cleared up. “My full name isn’t Matthew. It’s just Math.”
“Why…would your parents name you Math?”
“My parents didn’t.” He huffed. “My brothers did.”
“Your parents let your brothers name you? You’re lucky you didn’t get named fart or poop.” Her teasing smile healed some of his internal wounds.
“They named me Math because I’m a natural at math and science.” The unfairness grumbled in his gut. The other brothers had cool names: Xander, Falcon, Antony, and Ash. Math had suggested other names, but the descriptor had stuck.
“How did they know you’d be good at math when you were born?” The angle of Piper’s head showed befuddlement, except the angle was over-pronounced and the confusion wasn’t quite sincere.
Was she not interested, or was there something else? He swung his tongue back and forth, touching the inside of both of his cheeks, trying to decide what to say, how much to say, which truths to share.
“They’re not my biological brothers. They’re brothers of the soul.” He kept his pace steady, trying not to show his misgivings.
“And they changed your name?” The angle of her head became less steep. True confusion, not the fake confusion he’d seen earlier.
His tongue continued to wiggle back and forth, a pendulum ticking out his indecision. Telling Piper this truth was a big step. He was trusting her with his history. He sucked in a large breath. “I’m from the twenty-seventh century B.C. I belonged to the Society of Aten during that time and was picked to be the Chosen One and to inherit the soul of King Tut.”
“Say what?” Her feet stumbled.
He ignored her shock and kept confessing so he could get it all out. “Because they couldn’t predict if a full lunar eclipse would happen on the year of my sixteenth birthday during the summer solstice, the Society read the secret chant.” He rushed on, knowing she’d never believe him. “Instead of inheriting the soul of King Tut, I changed into a stone shabti Warrior meant to serve in the Afterlife.”
“Really?” She sounded as if she half-believed him. She’d been more surprised by other things he’d said.
“I know it sounds pretty incredible.” Math kept shuffling forward, making physical progress, knowing he was headed backward in her estimation. “My master was Imhotep. He was a scholar, mathematician, architect, doctor.”
“So you’re a stone Warrior?” Her teasing tone caused Math’s skin to flare. Why wasn’t she shocked or disbelieving? “You don’t appear to be made of stone.”
Flames exploded inside him, remembering her lips against his, her body pressed against him. She was flirting and had kissed him earlier. She must have feelings for him. Feelings he returned and wouldn’t share until only the truth lay between them.
He tripped on his words in a rush to get them out. “I was. Until Xander and Olivia freed Tut’s soul and broke the curse of the amulet. Seven stone shabtis came to life. Me, and my brothers.”
Her expression gave nothing away. “Let’s say I believed this entire ridiculous scenario. What is the Warriors’ purpose?”
The first part she phrased in a way that made him feel stupid—and he never felt stupid—but the second part of the question dug deep, searching for truth.
“We serve for goodness and light and love.” With pride resounding, he recited his oath.
Her laughter taunted his ears and crushed his heart. His shoulders scrunched, trying to block the disbelieving giggle. He’d wanted to impress her, not be the butt of her jokes.
Offended, he bristled. He wanted her to believe.
His feet thundered on the pavement in front of the large homes they passed. “We do serve. Olivia and Xander saved the world from ecological disaster by the Society of Aten.” Math stomped his foot harder to emphasize his point. “Falcon and Aria beat the curse of the Trumpet of War and saved the world from destruction.” Math stomped again. “I plan to reunite the Trumpet of Peace with the Trumpet of War to bring peace and harmony. While the Order of Crucis and the Society of Aten are battling over the instrument to use its powers to rule the world.”
Piper wasn’t laughing now. “Not possible.” She sounded winded.
He cleared his head and watched her analytically. Not through the eyes of someone smitten, but as a scientist. Her skin paled and she measured her steps as she scanned the ground. She was thinking. Why wasn’t she shocked by the news? She’d taken the information of how he’d risen to life from a stone statue well. Even teased him about it. And yet, she’d been astounded and appalled when he’d told her about the Order’s Magical Convergence Ceremony.
She knew more about the Warriors than she’d let on. She must be more deeply ingrained with the Order than she admitted. She must’ve kept secrets and told lies and even kissed him to gain his trust.
Shame frosted hi
s body, cooling his ardor and attraction. He wanted to disappear into the fog. He’d played a complete fool. He’d spilled his entire secret to impress a girl, risking not only his existence, but his Warrior brothers.
Chapter Eleven
Piper
One minute we were walking and talking and sharing, and then Math clammed up like a password protected computer. His sullen expression matched his droopy shoulders. He’d continued to move forward, not saying a single word. His heavy footsteps echoed on the street.
Confusion rattled through me, causing my feet to stutter. I didn’t know what to say. I felt his anxiety like the thick fog.
“Stay here.” He pushed me behind a bush bordering the mansion’s lawns.
“No way.” I pushed the bushes aside showing my frustration in the force of the movement. We were partners. “I’m coming with you.”
“It could be dangerous.” Did he say that because he cared or was he trying to cut me out?
“Everything has been dangerous since we met. Why stop now?” The rough blue work shirt I wore rubbed against my skin as we trekked around the building.
The ocean scent tickled my nose reminding me of how close the mansion was to the water. The ornate structure didn’t shout creepy Egyptian sect like the Order’s museum. It appeared normal. Well, wealthy and normal.
“House is empty.” Breaking into the mansion should be easy with his powers.
“That’s good, right?” My hands heated. It would give us time to search for the trumpet.
“Let’s go.” He wrapped his arms around me.
I felt the warmth from his body and the coldness from his glance. His stiff arms had to be anger, but I didn’t understand what he was angry about. “Why do we need to jump?”
“House is locked. Window on the balcony is open.” He leapt into the air, carrying me along for the ride.
And it was a great ride. Prepared, I kept my eyes open. We sailed up and over the mansion’s garden. I enjoyed the rush of flying and the thrilling charge of being in his arms. I trusted him with my life.
