Torn From Stone (The Phoenix Series Book 1)

by Sarah Rockwood

  The trees were heavier on this level, and they rose far above my head, breaking up the moonlight and sending strange shadows across my body. Their density also created deep pockets of shadow just a few feet from the path’s edge. Deep and dark enough to conceal the trunks of the trees and anything, or anyone, hiding amongst them.

  A shiver ran up my spine, and I pulled my jacket tighter, quickly returning my arms to my sides, as I looked left and right. Everything was quiet and still but I felt as I had when standing before the sphinxes, like there were eyes on me, lingering over my body as I walked. The only sound was that of my feet softly hitting the stone, but I could feel something there with me, keeping pace with me on the darkened path.

  I was at the base of the ramp when I heard it. A light crack. Like a foot gently stepping on a twig.

  I froze. I didn’t even breathe. The acoustics of the space made the direction of the sound hard to pinpoint. As my heart tried to beat an escape from my chest, I slowly turned my head to the left and scanned the trees. Nothing, only darkness and ugly tree branches ready to rip my hair out in chunks. Breathing again, although very rapidly, I started to turn back when the crack sounded again. Louder. Closer.

  Without conscious thought, I took off like a bullet up the ramp. It was long and uphill, but I ran it. I was panting like a dog and sweating in my fur when I reached the top. I threw myself down on the ground behind the stone half-wall of the third story. My heart pounding, I crawled right against it, trying to hide from anything coming up the ramp. Once in position, I forced myself to take even breaths as my ears strained against the night. I knew any second now I would hear footsteps.

  When my breathing had returned to a relatively normal state, I peered around the corner to watch the ramp. I stayed there kneeling on the cold stone until the sweat on my body had dried and I was once again cold. Nothing came up the ramp, and I didn’t hear another sound.

  I turned away from the ramp and stretched my aching legs in front of me.

  “Well, this is getting me nowhere,” I whispered. Staying crouched in a corner was not going to get me my wing, and getting it back was the only thing that mattered right now. Without it I couldn’t help Sid and Yeren, I couldn’t get back to Benyst, and I’d never know the truth about myself. I’d never know my wings. “Get up,” I said sternly and clambered stiffly to my feet. Brushing myself off, “Where is all this sand coming from? Right, desert!” I stared at the massive columns of the third level.

  From a distance, they had looked to be merely columns. Now that I was in front of them I could see that in front of every row was a massive statue. Enormous, easily four times my height, each one stretched the full height of the terrace. And they were all the same, a very feminine looking man with a tall hat and beard, his crossed arms holding a sceptre to his chest.

  This was the level where the wing was hidden. It was time to go hunting. I dug the map out of my jumpsuit. It had slid a little further down and required a bit of wiggling to free it. I spread the map over the shin of the closest statue and looked at Sid’s handy work. He had indicated the two ramps clearly and then followed them with an arrow forward. “Oh, very clear Sid,” I said dryly to the night. The place was huge, and he gives me an arrow. Nice. I folded the map up and tucked it inside my top. The only way forward was between the columns, so that’s where I went. As I stepped out of the moonlight, I was engulfed by the darkness between the columns caused by the roof above me, but I didn’t want to light my lamp yet. I held my arms out at my sides and followed the silvery patch of moonlight that lay ahead of me. My hands rubbed along the massive columns as I walked and their fluted edges felt both crisp and smooth under my fingertips. The roofed portion of columns wasn’t very big; maybe four deep, and soon I came to a large doorway that leads to a courtyard of more columns. I stepped out into the courtyard and looked up at the stars. They took my breath away. They were so much brighter and clearer than in the city. There was something so welcoming about them. I felt like I could leap off the pavement and swim amongst them. It took me a few breaths to bring my attention back to the task at hand.

  The courtyard was huge with more columns around the perimeter. I walked forward and could see that scattered amongst them were beautiful statues of what I assume was Queen Hatshepsut. In some, she was standing looking calm and serene. In others, she was sitting or kneeling with crossed arms. Some of them looked so life like in the blue moonlight that I had to run a hand over them to be sure they were stone. There were more sphinx statues here; they encircled an open area in the middle of the courtyard. I stepped into the space and felt uneasy. They were staring at me again. All those eyes, carved with such precision, seemed to track my movements.

  Trying not to meet their eyes, I hurried across the yard. Built-up walls formed a passageway that led to a very dark doorway. I swallowed audibly and dragged the lamp from my bag. I approached the entryway and could smell cool, stagnant air on the other side. I held the lamp in front of me and stepped into the darkness.

  Once through the door, darkness wrapped around me like a blanket, I whispered the lamp’s code. A circle of light grew from the centre of the lamp. I thought that it would fill the passage, but instead, it stayed contained in an orb that stopped about three feet above my head. It felt like I was in a womb of light. Everything beyond it was black. I could only see what my light touched. I moved the lamp with me as I turned left and right trying to get my bearings. I was in a hallway of some kind. I couldn’t see the ceiling from my bubble of light. As I moved the lamp back and forth, I found that the walls held large reliefs of a man with a tall hat, holding a staff. The ebony of his eyes and hair shone in the lamplight, and the terra cotta of his skin glowed. I had seen carvings like this so many times in museums but faded and chipped by the ravages of time. I felt so lucky at that moment that I almost forgot where I was. Almost.

  I kept walking forward. The passageway widened out as I went. Along the walls were more pictures of the regal man who had been at the mouth of the hall.

  The decorations coated every inch of the place. Each one was perfection, whether it was the sharp precision of a vulture’s eye or the gentle slope of a woman’s belly. And the colour! Alongside the deep terracotta and bottomless black were yellows, oranges and bright piercing blues. I touched as much as I could, running my fingers along each sharp edge and sliding my palms over the smooth expanse of the Pharaoh’s thigh. I sighed as my light played and sparkled over the reliefs. I was living out my museum fantasies, and there were no security guards around to ask me to step away.

  I was pulled from my merriment by a door. It was set back from the wall and the alcove surrounding it was again covered in carvings. I could clearly see the outline of the frame. I put the lamp down and rushed forward to push it open.

  I hit the stone with a smack that sent a vibration running up my arms, sticking both funny bones. For a few moments, all I could do was stand there shaking my arms and cursing whoever named said bone. When the sparks had stopped flying, I approached the door and gently pushed against it. Nothing happened, the stone refused to give under my hands. I put my back against it and, bracing with my feet, pushed as hard as I could but still it did not move.

  I picked up the lamp and brought it close so I could inspect the frame of the door. There was the problem, it was not a door. Just something carved to resemble one.

  “Damn it.”

  The lamp seemed to pulse, almost in response to my exclamation. I gave it a puzzled look. Lifting it higher, I headed further down the hall.

  As I walked, I encountered more false doors, each one a carving that lead to nowhere. There seemed to be no way out of this passage, and when I came to the end of the hall, a frightening thought hit me. I was lost.

  “Oh shit.” I hissed.

  I tried to keep myself from hyperventilating as I shoved a hand down my jumpsuit. I groped around like a bad date but no map. I put down the lamp and my bag and stripped off the fur. In the interest of modesty, I tur
ned my back to the passage entrance and then slipped out of the top half of my suit. I shook out the fabric and foolishly patted down my bare chest, but there was nothing there. Well something, just not the map. I looked down my pant legs. No map. Nothing. I stood there stunned and topless in the middle of a burial temple.

  “Double shit.” The lamp pulsed, clearly this time. “Okay, okay,” I said as I slithered back into my top and coat. I swung the bag over my shoulder and grab the lamp.

  “I guess I head back to the courtyard,” I whispered. For some reason, I suddenly felt like keeping my voice down.

  It didn’t take much time to get back to the courtyard. I kept my eyes flitting around the floor as I walked but the map didn’t turn up. When I could see the opening to the courtyard, I doused the lamp. I stood in the doorway for a moment trying to remember the map. The burial chamber was supposed to be on the left side of the complex. Since I was now coming from the other side, I needed to head to my right and check every room I came across. I slipped out the entryway and hugged the stone wall. I worked my way along the wall, running my hands across it as I went. The moon shone brightly overhead, but the columns in the courtyard cut up the light, making ugly shadows. It was dim, but I didn’t dare light the lamp. Something didn’t feel quite right.

  I came to another passageway and quickly slipped down it. I lit the lamp and discovered a small empty room. I felt along the walls in wide sweeping circles. When I was satisfied there was nothing to the room I doused the lamp and was on my way. The next wall was at a right angle to the back wall of the courtyard. “I must be getting close.” I thought to myself. I didn’t dare say the words out loud. I caught glimpses of the sphinxes in the courtyard; I could feel their eyes on me.

  It wasn’t long before I came to another opening. Again I slipped inside a few feet and lit the lamp. What I could see from my circle of light took my breath away. The carvings here were even more beautiful than in the hall. I walked along the chamber taking in as much as the lamp would allow. It was definitely a story. There were images of a queen in all sorts of scenes. Some featured the man with the large hat I’d seen earlier, and some had bright green snakes weaving through them and beautiful yellow orbs that had to be the sun. I stood there wishing I knew more about Ancient Egypt.

  Again the lamp pulsed and I was reminded of my task. “Thanks,” I whispered. I walked back to the beginning of the chamber and started looking for rooms. I found one almost immediately. It looked like a storage locker. A gilded storage locker. There were shelves and shelves of tiny mummified cats and birds, mini pharaohs in their tiny sarcophagi, furniture, clothing, shoes, and beautiful brushes and combs. I took a closer look at some of the intricate jewellery, touching the tips of my fingers to the delicate gems. They were beautiful, and I wanted them, but I wanted my wing more. I left the room. I continued deeper into the chamber and found another opening. I stepped through.

  This had to be it. Apparently, the lamp thought so too because it suddenly abandoned its tiny circle and flooded the room with light. The sanctuary was huge; easily four times the size of the last room. In the middle was a large stone plinth the size of a coffin. Nearby were a table and chairs, home to what appeared to be a board game, ready to be played. There was also a large chaise dressed in clean white linen. Another table held more jewellery and cosmetics, and there was another, near the plinth, that was empty. I put the lamp down on this table and began looking for the vase in which Sid had hidden my wing.

  There were only two that matched his description. The first was filled grain, a snack for the afterlife. I walked towards the second vase with excitement growing in my belly. A trickle of power moved through my body. I put my hands on the lid, hoisted it off and placed it on the ground. I leant over the vase. It was empty. I was about to let out a curse when a sharp hiss filled the room.

  “Poor Phoenixsssssss.”

  18

  I spun around to see Mastyx standing on the other side of the plinth, blocking the doorway. Without thinking, I drew the bat.

  “What the fuck do you want?” My voice was way more in control than my heart, which was currently trying to chisel its way out of my chest.

  “Ooo! Phoenix, when did your beautiful mouth learn such distasteful things?” He had sashayed up to the plinth while he talked. With outstanding fluidity, he hopped onto it and sat, crossing his legs with flare. “Please don’t be alarmed, I‘m only here to talk.” He leant back on his hands revealing the smooth pale scales of his belly.

  “Then talk.” I did not lower the bat.

  “Oh please, Phoenix, don’t be so mean.” He pulled his legs up, going to his hands and knees on the plinth. “It has been so long. How have you been keeping?” He started a masculine crawl towards me. “You still look magical. A little rough, but still magical.”

  I lowered the bat slightly and took a step towards him. His eyes flashed with triumph, and his sinuous crawl sped up. He got to the end of the plinth and stretched his torso out towards me.

  “Greet me,” he whispered.

  I don’t know what he was expecting, but I smiled sweetly and took a step in. He closed his eyes. This made hitting him with the bat even easier. I put my whole body into it and visualised the wood going through his scales as I swung. He screamed as he flew into the table the lamp was resting on. I ran for the entrance leaving the lamp behind as it spun on the floor, strobing on and off in distress. The light stopped once I was through the entryway, and I ran headlong into the wall. I peeled myself from it and scrambled for the courtyard. I caught my shoulder on the doorway as I made it to the open air.

  I could hear Mastyx behind me, so I slid into the mass of columns. I zigzagged through them as I crossed the courtyard, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. Once on the other side, I hid behind a statue of the queen.

  “My, my, Phoenix, you’re much feistier than I remember!” Mastyx laughed: a hissing, sliding kind of sound. “Perhaps your Time with the humans has done you good!”

  His voice was coming from the other side of the courtyard but was getting closer. I dashed to another statue.

  “Oh please come out. It will make things so much easier.”

  Something moved in my peripheral vision. I hurried to another statue.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Phoenix.”

  His voice sounded closer. I thought I saw something moving on the other side of me. I could see the clearing of sphinxes in front of me.

  “Phoenix…”

  I ran for the centre as two shadowy shapes darted at me from either side. I had just cleared the stone forms when a body hit me from the left. I fell to the ground, the bat clattering across the stone, as another came at my right. I felt strong, scaled hands grab my arms. The memory of my wings being torn from me came flooding back. I began to thrash and scream. I was kicking and snarling, my head down when Mastyx appeared in front of me.

  “Truly, Phoenix,” He spoke softly. “I am not here to hurt you.” He held an open palm up to me, and a soothing warm breeze emanated from it, caressing me. I sagged in my captor’s arms. “Release her.”

  They lowered me to the ground. On my knees, I bent over and placed my hot forehead on the cold stone floor. I took a few deep breaths and willed the nightmare away. When I was confident I was back in control, I sat up and wiped the tears from my face. I grabbed hold of the sphinx next to me and used its strength to help me up. I sat sidesaddle on the statue’s back, placing my bag at my feet, and looked at Mastyx. He looked exactly like he had in my vision; even the darting action of his tongue was familiar. He stood away from me, to the side of the exit, giving me no reason to run. He had gotten smarter. Behind him were the guys who grabbed me. The two of them looked just like him, except Mastyx’s neck was thicker.

  “Well...” I let the weight of my weariness fill the word and then let it hang there.

  “My apologies, Phoenix.” He bowed, ornamenting it with a flare of his arm. “I did not realise you would be so afraid of me
.” He smiled at his polite dig.

  “I am not afraid of you, Mastyx.”

  “No?”

  “No.” He walked closer and leant in, his face inches from mine.

  “Why not?” I looked straight into his eyes, holding his gaze.

  “If you wanted me dead you would have killed me by now.” He stood up quickly and laughed. The slithering and hissing irritated my flesh.

  “True.” He swung himself onto the Sphinx beside mine like he was about to ride it away. “Actually, I’m here to help you.” His tongue darted across his lips.

  “Help me?” It was my turn to laugh. The cynicism of the sound seemed to annoy him.

  “Yessssss. I know that your quest for your wings and that the one that was supposed to be here…” He gestured to the temple at large. “..is not.”

  “And why would you want me to have them back?” Anger bubble in my gut, a red glow began to form visibly around me.

  “Peace, Phoenix, peace!” Mastyx held up his hands but did not try to counter with his own power. I knew it was a gesture of goodwill so I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. Soon the red mist had faded away.

  “Thank you, Phoenix.” He ran a smooth hand over his skull, his tongue flicked wildly.

  I heard his two lackeys exhale forcefully and could feel their fear recede. Although I had only seen snippets of my life in The Void, these little moments were beginning to paint an interesting picture of my previous life. Everyone seemed pretty surprised when I swore or got aggressive, yet they all tensed at the very smallest displays of my power. So far the flare-ups were involuntary. Sid had told me I would gain control with my wings, but maybe he was the only one who knew that. Maybe everyone thought I would come back to this world with as much control as I had when I left it. This coupled with the assertiveness I’d gained ‘with the humans’ was making quite an impression. If only I knew how to use it in my favour.