The Time Hunters (Book 1 of the acclaimed series for children of all ages)

by carl ashmore

  ‘They must not find it,’ Edgar said desperately. ‘The Fleece is a powerful object. My Grandfather said that it should not be trifled with, particularly not by manfolk. That is why he hid it in the Red Caves, with the beast as its guardian.’

  Uncle Percy sighed. ‘I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. These men will find it, at whatever cost. That is why we are here. We intend to find it, and - ’

  Edgar’s nostrils flared the size of golf balls. ‘NO!’ he shouted. ‘You are good people. The Fleece is a bad thing! IT IS NOT FOR HUMANS! HUMANS CANNOT BE TRUSTED. HUMANS ARE CORRUPTIBLE. HUMANS ARE -’ His eyes shone with tears.

  ‘Please, lower your voice,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘What I’m going to tell you now must go no further, do you understand?’

  Edgar stared glumly ahead. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout.’

  ‘That’s quite all right,’ Uncle Percy said, glancing round to make sure he couldn’t be heard. Leaning forward, Uncle Percy told him everything - of the invention of time travel, of Bernard Preston’s murder, of the failed assassination attempt. He left nothing out.

  Considering the remarkable nature of this information, Becky thought Edgar took it very well. He listened intently and, save for the odd gasp, squeak, whoop and whimper, digested everything.

  ‘So you want to find the Fleece so you can hide it again?’ Edgar said.

  ‘That’s right,’ Uncle Percy said.

  ‘But will not the protection of the beast be enough?’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘You see, in our time we have many powerful weapons. Weapons you could not begin to comprehend.’

  ‘But the Hydra cannot be killed by the weapons of manfolk,’ Edgar said, sounding relieved. ‘They are akin to Minotaurs. Only a weapon forged by the Gods can kill it.’

  ‘We don’t know that for sure,’ Uncle Percy said skeptically.

  Edgar exhaled an enormous squall of air. ‘Lordy!’ His lopsided mouth broke into a wide smile. ‘This is a lot to take in.’

  Becky smiled too. ‘Yes, it is.’

  ‘Please, Edgar,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Where are these Red Caves?

  ‘They are on the Island of Kera, many leagues from here.’

  ‘Could you draw us a map?’ Uncle Percy said.

  ‘Indeed,’ Edgar replied. ‘But you are forgetting the true problem - the Great Gate. My Grandfather was the shrewdest of our kind and an extraordinary craftsman. It would be impossible to open without both pieces of the key.’ As the Minotaur scanned their faces, his mighty jaws fell open and he stopped breathing.

  ‘What is it?’ Uncle Percy said.

  No reply.

  Edgar’s gaze was fixed on Becky.

  ‘Edgar?’ Uncle Percy probed.

  ‘B-but y-you have it?’ Edgar stammered.

  ‘Have what?’ Uncle Percy replied.

  ‘The Eye of the Bull. You already have it. But how?’

  Uncle Percy’s eyes followed Edgar’s and settled on a confused Becky. ‘The g-girl,’ the Minotaur spluttered.

  Becky felt confused. What was Edgar talking about? ‘I’m the Eye of the Bull?’ she growled. ‘I don’t think so!’

  ‘Not you -’ He pointed at her lucky pendant. ‘- That is the Eye of the Bull. That is the Suman Stone.’

  Becky looked down. The pendant’s stone shed a soft green reflection across her neck. Suddenly, for each of them, a heavy mist lifted. All recent events clicked into place: The break-in at Bowen Hall; Jason’s orders to abduct her. Someone wanted her lucky pendant.

  A pendant she had owned since she was six years of age.

  A pendant given to her by her late father.

  Chapter 15

  The Suman Stone

  Becky’s fingers trembled as she traced the central stone. How could it be part of the search for the Golden Fleece? It was just a worthless trinket she’d received for coming last in a particularly aggressive egg and spoon race. ‘You’re mistaken.’

  Edgar stared intently at the necklace. ‘The Suman Stone is the stone of my ancestors. There is no mistake. Where did you get it?’

  ‘My dad gave it to me,’ Becky replied, her voice barely audible.

  Uncle Percy closed his eyes. ‘Edgar, may we go somewhere private?’

  A few minutes later they were huddled on the floor of a musty cave, far away from the crowded lagoon. Becky refused to look at anyone, her eyes locked on the far wall as she waited for someone to speak.

  ‘Becky, please, pass me the pendant,’ Uncle Percy said.

  Her fingers tightened around it. ‘No.’

  ‘Please, Becky,’ Uncle Percy urged.

  ‘Give it to him,’ Joe snapped.

  Becky’s eyes dampened. She knew she had no choice. Slowly, delicately, she passed it over.

  ‘When this is over, I swear I will fix this.’ Uncle Percy took the pendant and pulled a penknife from his pocket. As he sliced the stone from its cluster, Becky squeezed her eyes shut. He cupped the Theseus Disk in his right hand and inserted it into the disk’s central groove. Then she heard Joe gasp. Forcing her eyes open, she saw thin feathery shards of misty green light pulsating into the disk. It seemed alive. And then the light was everywhere, shooting out like lightning, illuminating the far reaches of the cave.

  ‘Whoa!’ Joe yelled as bolts of lightning coiled round his uncle’s outstretched hand like blazing tentacles. Uncle Percy removed the Suman Stone and the cave fell into darkness.

  ‘The key is complete,’ Edgar breathed.

  ‘That was excellent!’ Joe said. ‘Do it again.’

  ‘No, Joe,’ Uncle Percy said solemnly, holding the Suman Stone between his fingers. ‘I’m afraid, Becky, I’m going to have to keep this.’

  ‘You can’t. It’s mine.’

  ‘I know,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘And I’ll keep it safe. I swear I will.’

  Becky swallowed. She looked to Will, but his face offered sympathy not support. She folded her arms and turned away.

  Moments passed. All the while, Joe couldn’t take his eyes off the Suman Stone. ‘Where would dad get something like that?’

  Uncle Percy paused. ‘I have absolutely no idea.’

  As the words lingered in the air, Becky felt anger welling inside. Was it really possible Uncle Percy had no idea about where it came from? Had he truly never heard of the Suman Stone?

  Uncle Percy looked at Edgar. ‘We need your help. We need you to tell us how to find the island of Kera. Unless I’m very much mistaken, we’re running out of time.’

  Edgar took an enormous gulp of air. ‘I will take you.’

  ‘You will?’

  ‘I give you my word.’ Edgar forced a smile. ‘My family’s home is on a neighboring island. Perhaps it is time I paid my brothers a visit.’

  ‘Thank you, Edgar,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘We’ll need a boat. I shall return to the Palace and talk to the King.’

  ‘No!’ Edgar said at once. ‘If you return he will believe I am dead, the community will be doomed. We will take my boat. We will leave at first light. With the wind on our side the journey should take three days.’ He sighed heavily. ‘But you will arrive at Kera. And may the Gods protect you from what you find there.’

  *

  That night Becky lay under a blanket, staring at the inky lagoon. She felt tired - exhausted even - but her mind ached with questions. Her thoughts were disturbed by a groggy voice.

  ‘Becky,’ Joe said. ‘Are you awake?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘It’s weird, innit?’

  ‘What is?’

  ‘You having that stone.’

  ‘I guess.’

  ‘How do you think dad got it?’

  ‘How the hell should I know?’

  ‘Do you think he knew what it was when he gave it to you?’

  ‘How the hell should I know?’

  ‘Well, I suppose we’ll never know.’ Joe yawned.

  ‘I suppose not.’

  But Becky did know, at least she thought she
did. And tomorrow she would confront her uncle about it. She knew her suspicions were unbelievable, but surely there could be no other explanation? But just how much did he know? Certainly, if what she now believed were true, then he was a manipulative liar. And if that was the case, she never wanted to see him again.

  *

  ‘Oi, get up,’ Joe said, pushing his sister. ‘We’re going!’

  Becky’s eyes sprung open to see Joe stood above her. ‘You touch me again and I’ll tear your head off.’

  ‘Lordy. Look who’s been bitten by Mr Grumples?’ Edgar said.

  ‘Sorry, I didn’t sleep well.’ Then Becky heard another voice, a voice she no longer trusted.

  ‘Good Morning, Becky,’ Uncle Percy shouted over.

  ‘Morning,’ Becky mumbled, refusing to look at him. Casting her blanket aside, she watched four figures emerge from a nearby cave. The Argonauts gathered in line before Uncle Percy, sad but resigned smiles on their faces.

  Jason stepped forward. ‘So you will not stay?’

  Uncle Percy placed his hand on the small man’s shoulder. ‘I’m afraid we can’t, Jason. We have a Fleece to find. But I think you will all be very happy here.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Jason said.

  ‘We would accompany you, but would be of no use,’ Theseus said guiltily. ‘We are not warriors.’

  ‘But you are great men,’ Uncle Percy said kindly. ‘And history will remember you as such. I promise you that.’

  Phineus leant over and whispered in Uncle Percy’s ear. ‘And I am sad I never witnessed the Bunny horses.’

  Uncle Percy turned a dull shade of pink. ‘Next time,’ he whispered back. The next few minutes were filled with hugs and warm exchanges of good luck. After their goodbyes, Uncle Percy, Will, Becky and Joe collected their possessions and turned to Edgar who stared sadly at his sleeping friends.

  ‘Let us depart…’ Edgar said, and holding a torch in one hand, a sack in the other and with two water urns dangling from his horns, he lumbered towards the tunnel.

  *

  For ten minutes, they followed the bobbing flame of Edgar’s torch along a narrow, sandy path flanked by a saltwater river and the damp tunnel wall. The sound of the ocean grew louder all the time.

  ‘Nearly there,’ the Minotaur said, his spirits improving with each step. Then, as the path curved, Becky glimpsed a most welcome sight. Daylight.

  Gathering pace, the group emerged into a cove. Water lashed against rock giving the impression the sea was much rougher than it was. Then Edgar came to a halt, pointing below. ‘There...’

  Becky looked down and saw a boat, painted gold and maroon, bobbing on the water. Two giant wooden oars were raised on its helm. In no time at all, the ship was loaded with provisions. Edgar had lifted the stone anchor, settled his mighty frame into a huge wooden seat in the centre of the deck and seized the oars.

  ‘Can we help, Edgar?’ Uncle Percy said. ‘Will and I could take an oar and -’

  Edgar laughed. ‘Thank you for the offer, Perce, but I’m rather looking forward to the exercise. It’s difficult enough to attract the ladies when you have a bull’s head - the last thing I want is a sagging tummy rump.’

  With a splash, Edgar launched the oars into water and the ship creaked to life. Before long, Edgar was powering them out of the cove, towards the open sea. Within the hour, Bertha had been loaded onto the boat.

  Edgar stared in wonder at the strange looking vehicle. Unfortunately, when he climbed inside his horns became stuck in the upholstery and it took twenty minutes to set him free.

  By the time they set off to sea again everyone was in good spirits. Everyone, that was, except Becky. The novelty of the boat trip had worn off and all she could think about were the events of the previous day - that, and a series of increasingly bizarre theories about Uncle Percy. Isolating herself as best she could from the others, she watched as Edgar broke into song.

  Becky gave a half-smile. It was such an extraordinary sight to see this man-monster singing what sounded like a gentle lullaby. Indeed, Edgar’s singing made her eyes heavy, and within minutes she fell asleep. When she awoke, she saw a sail had been raised, inflated by a keen sea breeze. Edgar stood at the rear of the ship, Joe hanging from his horns, as he completed dozens of squats. Then she heard a voice she had no desire to hear.

  ‘Sleep well?’ Uncle Percy said.

  ‘Yes, thank you,’ she replied curtly.

  ‘Perhaps, Becky, it’s time you and I had a little chat?’

  ‘I’ll get Joe,’ Becky said. ‘What I’ve got to say concerns him, too.’

  ‘That’s as maybe,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘But why don’t we talk first, just the two of us. Perhaps, then, you can decide if he’s ready to know what I’ve got to say.’

  Becky thought for a moment then nodded.

  A few seconds later, they were standing at the brow, staring out at the bare horizon.

  ‘Now, I know that you are angry with me,’ Uncle Percy said, ‘that perhaps I’ve kept things from you. And, to some extent that’s true. But I believe you’ll understand why. Now, why don’t you ask me what I know you’re longing to ask?’

  ‘You’ve used us, haven’t you?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You’ve used us,’ Becky repeated. ‘Joe and me. You knew I had this Suman Stone. You knew that when you invited me and Joe to stay for the summer?’ Her voice cracked. ‘You acted like you cared about us, like you wanted to get to know us, but it was all a lie. You just wanted the stone…’

  Uncle Percy paused to digest her words. ‘Is that what you think? That’s why you’re angry with me?’ He let out a relieved laugh.

  ‘Don’t you dare laugh at me!’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Uncle Percy said sincerely. ‘Becky, now you must believe me. I swear I had no idea you possessed the Suman Stone. No idea at all.’

  She searched his eyes, looking for the truth. Her voice softened. ‘Then why did you invite us this summer, of all summers? You’ve had plenty of time to see me, yet you never have. Me, who just happens to own the one item that you need to get that stupid Fleece.’

  Uncle Percy sighed. ‘I never wanted you to become involved in any of this. I certainly had no idea about the Suman Stone. Don’t forget, it was you who discovered I was a traveller. I didn’t tell you. I was never going to tell you. Well, not yet anyway.’

  ‘What do you mean, not yet?’

  ‘Because -’ Uncle Percy fell silent ‘- Because I won’t be around forever. And no matter how much I can manipulate time, time is also manipulating me. Now, you and Joe are the only family I have. And furthermore, you are such extraordinary people and both possess the qualities that are needed …’ He hesitated.

  ‘Needed for what?’ Becky pressed.

  ‘To run Bowen Hall,’ Uncle Percy said.

  A look of shock crossed Becky’s face.

  Uncle Percy continued. ‘You see, I want you and Joe to one day inherit all I have: Bowen Hall, the other properties, the inventions, the patents. I want you to have everything. That is why I invited you this summer: to get to know you, and for you to know my world.’

  ‘But you’re not…’ Becky couldn’t finish the sentence.

  ‘Dying?’ Uncle Percy said. ‘We’re all dying, Becky. That’s the one thing in life that is certain. But that’s not the point. The point is I want to make contingencies for the future. And I want to give Bowen Hall to the two people I know would cherish it as I do.’ He threw her a warm smile. ‘That’s if you both want it, of course?’

  Becky felt moved to silence.

  ‘You see,’ Uncle Percy sighed, ‘the running of Bowen Hall may be a responsibility you’re not willing to bear. To run Bowen Hall, you must recognise what it stands for, and preserve it as best you can. Now that is asking a lot of anyone. However, all I wanted to do this summer was to introduce you to it. Then we could have taken it from there…’

  A tear trickled down Becky’s face. So this was why he had invited them to
stay for the summer. His legacy.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘I just - I just never understood.’

  ‘How could you?’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘But it is I who should apologise. And I do. However, the story does not end there, and I think you know it.’ His expression grew serious again. ‘I have lied to you. Well, at least, I haven’t told you the whole truth. And I think this is also what you need to talk to me about isn’t it?’

  ‘There is something else, yes...’ Becky replied nervously.

  ‘Then, please, ask. I’ll be as truthful as I can.’

  ‘It’s about my dad.’

  ‘I know.’

  Becky felt her body tremble. ‘He was a time traveller too, wasn’t he?’

  Uncle Percy paused. ‘One of the finest...’

  Chapter 16

  Bird’s Eye View

  To her surprise, the confirmation her father had been a traveller didn’t have the devastating effect she thought it might. It had been the only answer from the moment Edgar had recognised the Suman Stone. ‘Did you know he had the stone?’

  ‘No,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘Don’t forget, he and I hadn’t talked in years.’

  ‘D’you think he knew what it was when he gave it to me?’

  ‘Absolutely not,’ Uncle Percy said assuredly. ‘I’m sure he thought it was just a very unusual necklace. That’s all.’

  ‘So how did he get it?’ Becky said.

  ‘I’m afraid I have no answer to that.’

  Becky gulped. Then something else occurred to her that sent a chill through her bones. ‘Did mum know he was a traveller?’

  ‘No. I don’t think so,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘I’m certain she didn’t. You see, when your father first met your mother he was the happiest I’d ever seen him, so content in his own time that his journeys became less frequent. He just wanted to spend as much time with her as he could. The more their relationship grew the less incentive he had to travel. In fact, although your father was a very brave man, I believe for the first time in his life he was scared.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I think he found something in your mother he couldn’t find in a lifetime of exploration. He was scared of losing it. He wasn’t prepared to risk the dangers of travelling anymore. It was several years after they were married before he started travelling again.’