He finally raised his face and spoke to her. “You need to understand where I’m coming from. I idolized my father as a teenager. I worshipped the ground he walked on. And . . . and my first instinct is almost always to protect him. I apologize for that.” He closed his eyes. “I’m completely ashamed of my lack of action that evening. I’d been coming around to my mother’s point of view and I should have done something. I might have been able to stop my father from throwing her in prison. Her death the following week could have been avoided.”
Nicole gasped. “He did toss her in the dungeon? Did he have her killed?”
“She died of pneumonia, from what I know now of the disease. She was already sick when he attacked her. But he may as well have signed off on her death.”
Nicole shook her head, trying to come to terms with how Keitus had treated his wife. “It makes me sick just thinking about it.”
No one responded. Then Jacob said, “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you before now how we’re all related. I honestly didn’t think you’d ever need to know. I hoped we’d have found the talismans long ago.” His voice dropped in volume. “It’s hard enough having a grandfather like that without it being public knowledge.”
Nicole sighed. She understood. “My parents aren’t exactly saints. I mean, my mom is serving time for trying to murder me and killing someone else instead, so I know why you’d want to keep that sort of thing hidden. Still, I would rather have not been surprised to see Dmitri in that castle too.”
“Speaking of the castle,” Dmitri said, leaning forward, obviously having pushed away his earlier feelings, “did you find the book?”
“Yes.” Nicole pulled her phone from her pocket and powered it up. She opened the image and glanced over the recipe—of course the recipe itself was in another language, even though the title wasn’t—then passed the device to the others.
“We need the Fat Lady and Aldo,” Dmitri murmured. He looked up at a servant waiting near the doors. “Get them, please.”
The servant disappeared, and Dmitri returned Nicole’s phone. “Let’s print that off and make several copies of it.”
“How? Where?” Nicole asked.
Jacob glanced at Nicole. “Your place. I’ll take you now.”
“Shouldn’t you rest first?” Nicole asked.
Jacob shook his head. “This is more important. I can sleep when we know what we’re dealing with here.”
He tipped his bowl back and finished off the last of his soup, then got to his feet, pulling the key from his pocket. Nicole followed him through the link he created to her apartment.
Lizzie was sleeping—it was pretty late—and Nicole decided not to wake her just yet. She printed off several copies of the picture after emailing it to herself, then she and Jacob returned to the castle. The Fat Lady and Aldo were already there.
“Give me,” the Fat Lady said, snatching the papers from Nicole’s hand, then scrutinizing the writing on the picture. “This is English.” She looked at Dmitri. “Why would you need our help in reading it?”
Dmitri grabbed the pages from her, handing them out and inspecting his own copy. Nicole frowned, studying hers as well. Sure enough, the writing was in English. The first ingredient was cotton.
“That’s weird,” Nicole said. “Only the title was legible before.”
“Magic,” Aldo said. “The book probably tries to prevent its recipes from being read.”
“Makes sense,” Jacob said, plopping into his seat by the table. “How long will it take to gather the ingredients?”
“Uh . . .” Aldo said, “a day. Maybe two. These are very common things.”
Nicole growled, looking at her copy. “Cotton, wood, steel—you guys have steel, right?” She was met by incredulous stares. “Of course you do. Sorry for asking.” She sank into her chair and placed her paper on the table. “Why does the recipe require such simple ingredients?”
The Fat Lady’s eyebrows drew together for a moment as she pondered Nicole’s question. “It’s the words. They must be what makes the amulet unique.”
She read them out loud. They were flowery and smooth, and Nicole didn’t understand one bit of them, even though she knew they were in English.
“It’s a charm,” the Fat Lady said. “Only the speaker knows what’s being said.”
The queen put her hand to her forehead. “With such common ingredients and the charm written where anyone could access it, Keitus probably already has the amulet.”
Arien joined Nicole and Dmitri at the table. “What now?”
Dmitri began pacing. “Three things must happen. First, we have to find the last talisman. Second, we have to find Keitus. And third . . .” He looked at Nicole and said, “You must fight the Fire Pulser.”
Nicole took a deep breath. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
“It’s the only sure way to success. Keitus could be anywhere, and that last talisman could be anywhere. Without the help of Shonlin, we’re lost.”
“We do have one thing on our side,” Aldo said, watching Nicole. “You said he was pretty far from reaching it, right?”
She nodded. “It’s the only thing I remember—he’s months away from it. I’m not sure why or how—magically, physically. The only thing I know is about how long it’ll take for him to reach it.”
“In order to stop him, we’re going to need to get past that Fire Pulser before he reaches the talisman,” the Fat Lady said.
Nicole understood that when the Fat Lady said “we,” she really meant “Nicole.” She appreciated the gentle approach, but wouldn’t have been offended by an abrupt one either.
“How much fighting experience do you have?” Arien asked her.
Nicole bit her bottom lip. “Almost none. I took kung fu in junior high for a year or two, but stopped to focus on cello.”
“The first thing we need, then, is to teach you how to fight.” Arien looked at Dmitri. “Do you think Gallus would be up for it?”
Dmitri shrugged. “I would think so, but there’s only one way to find out.”
The king and queen looked at Jacob, and he chuckled. “I’ll key there now.” He glanced at Nicole. “Want to come?”
“Are you guys sure it’s not too late to be visiting him?” she asked. It was after eleven on earth, according to her phone, and from what she could tell, Eklaron’s time was the same.
Jacob shook his head. “Gallus owns a store—he’s always there late to stock the shelves and close up.”
“Okay, let’s go.” Nicole got to her feet, her tailbone and head complaining, and walked with Jacob to the door.
“Hello?” Jacob called out as he entered a small store full of food supplies and horse equipment. “Gallus? Bezza?”
“Jacob?” a deep voice responded. “What are you doing here?”
“We need your help,” Jacob said.
A huge black man with bulging biceps came into view as Nicole and Jacob turned down one of the aisles. “With what?”
“Nicole here needs to learn to fight.”
Gallus glanced at Nicole before looking back at Jacob. “She’s not likely to pick up swordplay any time soon.”
Nicole had to agree with that.
“She probably won’t be learning to fight with a sword anyway,” Jacob said. “This is going to be more hand-to-hand combat.”
“How much time do you have?” Gallus asked her.
Nicole and Jacob met eyes. “Not much,” she said. “A couple of months at most.”
Gallus shook his head. “I’ll give you pointers, but honestly, the sort of fighting I teach takes years and years to master.” He half smiled at Jacob. “As you should remember.”
Jacob rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah.” He looked at Nicole. “Gallus is really talented with swords. If I’d started a whole lot earlier, he would have been able to teach me pretty much any technique.”
“So, what then?”
“Why does she need to learn to fight?” Gallus asked.
“A Fir
e Pulser is guarding something we need. She can’t use her magic and will have to fight with her hands.”
Gallus turned his dark eyes back to Nicole. “Magic?”
“I’m an Arete. From another dimension of earth.”
“And you have to fight a Fire Pulser,” Gallus said. He started rubbing his chin. “I wonder . . .” He paused, glancing at Jacob. “Sanso has returned.”
Jacob gasped. “Are you serious? When? Where?”
“I haven’t seen him myself, but I heard from at least two reliable sources that he was seen wandering the streets here last week.”
“I thought he was gone for good,” Jacob said.
“Who’s Sanso?” Nicole asked.
“An Ember God,” Jacob said, looking at her. “Part human, part Fire Pulser.”
Nicole nodded, seeing where Gallus was going with the topic. “Being taught by someone who understands Fire Pulsers would be beneficial.”
“Hugely beneficial,” Gallus said.
“Can we trust him?” Jacob asked.
“No, definitely not.”
“What choice do we have?” Nicole asked Jacob, then turned to Gallus. “Will he kill me?”
Jacob and Gallus’s gazes met, then they both looked at Nicole. “No, he won’t,” Jacob said. “But he’s unpredictable.”
Nicole snorted. “I’ve been dealing with ‘unpredictable’ my entire life.”
“How do we find him?” Jacob asked Gallus.
“I’ll send out feelers. We should know in a couple of days.” Gallus motioned to Nicole. “I’ll make sure he hears about your special powers. That ought to intrigue him.”
Nicole thanked him. “Knowing he might be able to help is some of the best news I’ve heard in a while.”
Gallus put his hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “I’ll let you know when I hear something. In the meantime, get home and sleep—you look like you need it.”
Jacob chuckled. “Will do. And thanks.”
Gallus shook hands with Nicole, then turned back to a box on the floor that he’d been emptying onto his shelf.
Jacob keyed Nicole to her apartment, promising to tell his parents about the conversation with Gallus.
Nicole decided to shower in the morning—she needed the Kaede sap in the cloth over her burns to start working. Her hand was throbbing.
Chapter Five
Nicole was awakened several mornings later by Early, Jacob’s Minya. She patted Nicole’s nose. “Good, you’re awake. They’re ready for you.”
Nicole struggled to a sitting position, still groggy from her exhaustion-induced coma. She and Lizzie had stayed up late, planning a baby shower for Hayla. “Who’s ready?”
“Oh, you know. Jacob and his family. They sent me to warn you that Jacob will come pick you up in about thirty minutes.”
Nicole looked at her clock. It was seven in the morning. “Okay, thanks.”
The Minya disappeared with a flash of light, and Nicole quickly texted an update to Austin, then hopped in the shower. How long had it been since they’d seen each other? Austin was in the middle of catching up on tests in school, and since she’d gone back to the past, their only conversations had happened over the phone. She knew it hadn’t been that long ago, but it still felt like weeks.
Nicole was just finishing a quick bowl of cereal when Jacob entered the apartment, the Key of Kilenya in his hand. “Ready?” he asked.
She nodded, said goodbye to Lizzie, who was doing her hair, then followed Jacob through a link to Eklaron. She looked around, surprised that the usual throne room didn’t greet her. Jacob had taken her to what looked like an abandoned building.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“The outskirts of Maivoryl City. Gallus got in contact with Sanso and made arrangements for him to teach you, and Sanso wants to work with you in a forest, since that’s where you’ll be fighting Lasia.”
That seemed like a good idea. “Early said your family was waiting for me.”
Jacob shrugged. “Sanso changed his mind a couple of times about where he wanted to meet you.”
The two stepped out the door of the abandoned building. Jacob froze for a moment, his eyes on a man about twenty feet away, leaning up against a tree.
“Whoa,” he whispered. “Serious déjà vu.”
“What is?” Nicole asked.
Jacob glanced at her. “This is exactly how I met him for the first time. Same city, same tree . . .” He swallowed. “Let’s hope your introduction to him isn’t as . . . memorable as mine was.”
The man shifted his position when he saw them. He looked at Nicole, holding her gaze.
Nicole hesitated. She could tell there was something inhuman about him—something a little off. But other than that, he was extremely attractive. In a bad-boy way, of course. Black, chin-length hair, dark features, dark brown eyes, scruff on his jawline. He was dressed in black leather. His hands and feet were bare. Nicole tried not to smile at that—it was a little hippyish. A silver necklace with a flaming blue pendant hung from his neck.
“Sanso, this is Nicole. Nicole, Sanso.” Jacob stared hard at Sanso. “Don’t be a jerk to her. She needs your help, not your arrogance.”
Sanso raised an eyebrow. “Blunt little twerp today, aren’t you?”
Jacob rolled his eyes. “You don’t even know what ‘twerp’ means.”
“I heard your brother use it once. I liked it.”
Sanso turned his dark eyes to Nicole and she saw that they weren’t totally brown, but also had flecks of deep maroon in them. They appraised her, lingering on her light blond hair, then trailing down her body. “My, my, my.” He took her hand, lifting it to his mouth. “Aren’t you beautiful. Has anyone told you?”
“Yes—my boyfriend. All the time.” Nicole pulled her hand out of his grasp, not letting her gaze stray from the Ember God’s. She wasn’t about to show weakness.
“Like I said, don’t be a jerk to her,” Jacob said. He pushed Sanso’s arm. “Teach her. Don’t do anything else.”
A slow smile spread across Sanso’s face. “You know she might end up getting the same treatment your girlfriend got, right?”
Jacob glowered. “Yes, but for completely different reasons. Don’t you dare torture her.” He turned to Nicole. “You’ll be safe . . . ish . . . with Sanso. I won’t be able to watch all the time, so if you need anything, I’m leaving Early’s container here. She’s sleeping now. Wake her and have her come get me when you’re done.”
Jacob took the metal container from his backpack and gave it to Nicole.
Nicole watched Jacob leave, feeling her heartbeat increase as her tie to sanity and safety left. She swallowed, feeling Sanso’s eyes on her. But it wasn’t until Jacob shut the door behind him that she turned to the Ember God.
He stared at her, an intense expression on his face. “Follow me.” Without waiting for her to respond, he turned and started into the forest behind the city.
Nicole struggled to keep up. She couldn’t tell if the gait Sanso set was his natural one, if he was showing off, or if he was making a point. Either way, she determined once more not to let him see weakness. She nearly stumbled a couple of times, but caught herself at the last moment without it seeming to have caught his attention.
Finally, the Ember God stopped and turned to Nicole. He motioned for her to set the metal container down. Once she had, he walked around her, inspecting her as she held perfectly still.
“You’re in excellent shape,” he said. “At least I won’t need to help with that.”
She shook her head. “No, you won’t. I exercise regularly. And I frequently go on little excursions that force me to push myself physically.”
Sanso stepped so close, Nicole could feel his body heat without him actually touching her. “I look forward to pushing you physically too.”
Nicole raised her eyebrows at him. “Are you serious?” Had he really just said that?
“I’m talking about fighting, of course. Unless you had something else i
n mind.”
“Didn’t you hear me earlier? I’m taken.”
Sanso shrugged. “Nothing’s permanent.”
“Whatever. Can we get started?”
“Sure.” He folded his arms. “What sorts of fighting techniques do you already know?”
“Not many. I took martial arts when I was thirteen, but nothing since then.”
“That’s definitely not going to help us.” Sanso tucked his black hair behind an ear. “We’ll start with some basic defense positions.”
He showed her how to hold her weight and where to put her legs and arms. Then he started attacking, very slowly, very carefully as she attempted to block his moves.
“Good, good,” he said. “Faster.”
He increased the speed of his attacks until Nicole’s limbs went numb. She misjudged several times where a fist or foot would land and gasped in pain whenever an attack hit its target.
By the time they’d finished their practice only an hour later, Nicole’s arms and shins were bruised and her hands and wrists throbbed. She picked up the Minya container, but couldn’t get her fingers to operate well enough to open the catch. She grunted in frustration.
Sanso grabbed her arm, stilling her. He enveloped her hand in both of his and stepped closer. Nicole held her breath, trying to ignore the affect his nearness had on her, trying not to show she was a little freaked out.
His body heat seemed to have doubled since they’d first met, and the smell of his sweat was strong. She was too surprised by his intensity to be offended by the smell. He gazed into her eyes, finally taking the container from her and opening it.
Nicole was grateful for the distraction. Early yawned, looking up at them.
“Would you tell Jacob I’m ready for him?” Nicole asked.
Early grinned. “Sure!” She disappeared with a flash of light.
Sanso hadn’t stepped back, so Nicole did, shutting the container again, aware of his eyes on her. She couldn’t wait to get away from him. He was so intense, so arrogant and powerful . . . Well, whatever he was, she needed a break.
Enshroud, Mosaic Chronicles Book Eight Page 7
