by S. E. Akers
The guesthouse was located towards the rear of the property, nestled beside a small pond. It was a miniature version of the main house — same brick, roof, and finishing touches, but only a fourth its size. I crept towards the gate to scope out the scene. There were no black SUV’s parked outside or vehicles of any kind for that matter. It appeared that no one was there, but I decided to maintain my stealth-like approach, just in case.
Climbing the wrought iron rails would be a huge mistake. With no time to waste, I hurried over to one of the brick columns that linked the sections and scaled the twelve-foot pillar. I jumped down and landed in a cluster of bushes on the other side.
With a watchful eye, I dashed over to the rear of the guesthouse. Cautiously, I peeked into all the windows as I made a sweep of the perimeter. I found myself doing a double-take when I passed by an electricity meter. From out of the corner of my eye, I’d noticed the numbers on the analog display spinning rapidly. I was fascinated, so I laid my hand on it. The numbers rotated even faster.
Weird. I guess it’s registering…ME? The whirling dial slowed back down as soon as I removed my hand, but I noticed that I’d accidently turned the thing over. I stared at the panel that now read: 000014 kWh. Ooops! Immediately, I felt kind of bad about the unforeseen mishap, but then again — I think the Riversides’ can afford it.
I hadn’t spied anyone stirring inside the house, so the coast seemed clear, at least for now. A shiny brass knob on the front door greeted my eyes when I arrived at the main entry. I allowed my hand to pause over the decorative oval-shaped knob, which had been engraved with the initial, “R”.
Let’s see if Tanner’s right. I clutched the brass knob and after a few seconds, I felt a subtle vibration, followed by a distinct “pop” that rang out. I grinned and thought, Cool, as I turned the knob of the now unlocked door. With utmost caution, I edged inside.
I didn’t have any time to waste. It was already pushing 4 o’clock, so a thorough but speedy search would be prudent. Immediately, I spotted several large suitcases and trunks stacked up in the corner of the foyer.
That’s as good a place as any to start. I went to rummaging through the bags (all 18 of them). Not here, I thought as I kicked the side of a large Louis Vuitton trunk.
Next, I headed into the front parlor. I’d wasted so much time on the luggage I thought, Screw it, and went to ransacking the pristine and posh room. I checked under the sofa and chairs, inside drawers, looked in every decorative container, and behind pictures that were hanging on the walls. Clearly desperate, I even rooted around in the dirt of a large planter that held a massive ficus tree. Still nothing.
I darted across the foyer to check the study. Swiftly, my eyes traveled around the room, scrutinizing every inch of it. I automatically honed in on a fancy mahogany desk that sat off to the side of the room. Lying on top of it was an unusual looking small chest, so I hurried over for a closer inspection.
Though the Riversides’ had decorated the house with numerous opulent accessories, this container didn’t strike me as something Elisa Riverside would pick out to go with the home’s décor. This has to be it. It was crafted from a strange wood and seemed ancient. The markings on the chest looked more like a hodgepodge of foreign symbols, rather than a patterned design. It was certainly a grandiose container but not overly gaudy like most of the other accessories I’d seen.
Always in last place you look…
I took a deep breath and slowly raised the lid. Empty! However, the interior of the chest had been lined with a soft, burgundy velvet fabric. A distinct impression was left behind by what had been stored inside. I ran my fingers along the velvety, cross-like outline. The shape and size of the indentation was identical to the object in my dream.
The hilt, I thought. It did lead him here. He must have it with him, I rationalized, empty-handed and crestfallen.
As I lowered the lid, my ears alerted me to the familiar and uneasy sound of a gun cocking. My head flew up instantly. There in the doorway of the study stood one of Lazarus Xcavare’s men, pointing a revolver at me.
“Well, well, well…We’ve been looking everywhere for you…Ms. Wallace, isn’t it?” the man asked.
I was more startled by his acknowledgement of who “I” was, than by the fact that he was pointing a gun at me (which I felt confident wouldn’t pose a problem).
I guess the cat’s officially out of the freaking bag now.
“Are you going to come quietly?” the man sneered. “Or am I going to have to use this on you.”
I knew this guy was human because he wasn’t putting out any sort of supernatural “vibe” like I’d sensed coming from Ferrol. Though realistically, if he were a Talisman — why would he need a gun? What I couldn’t understand was how he’d managed to sneak up on me like that.
In an insolent manner, I replied, “Go ahead,” and flashed a fearless grin.
“If that’s what the lady wants,” Lazarus’ henchman replied casually.
As I heard the shot ring out, I thought, I’ll take care of you in a second.
Suddenly, my eyes exploded when I felt the bullet pierce my shoulder, and then a horrible burning sensation coursed through my body like a flame racing along a line of gasoline. The fiery pain sent me stumbling backward. I crashed down into a chair sitting behind the desk and looked over at my shoulder.
Damn…I’m bleeding… I was blown away, literally. That bastard actually shot me! The bullet was lodged deep in my shoulder. Carving a diamond from my skin felt like a slight scratch compared to this savage agony. I struggled to prop myself up on the desk. My body was growing weaker by the second and my mind was racing, trying to stay ahead of the horrific pain.
How could this have happened?
Out of breath and grappling with bullet’s hellish sting, I looked over at my assailant, who was taking out his cell phone and laughing.
“Oh, I forgot to mention that these are special bullets. Iron bullets…with a diamond-powder coating. Very expensive to make, but I guess Lazarus was right when he said that, ‘you’d be worth their cost’. Only the best for you,” he announced with a devilish laugh.
I scowled at the man who seemed to find a sick kind of pleasure in watching me suffer. The sharp, burning ache from the diamond powder was starting to subside, but I was now left with feeling the grueling, power-draining effects of the wretched iron.
The man started punching keys on his phone. “Oh, I’m Karl. I should’ve introduced myself properly…before I shot you. That was rude. You’ll have to excuse me. I don’t have Lazarus’ manners.”
His call was short and sweet. Helplessly, I listened to Karl inform the party on the other end that, “he had found me”, made a few cracks about my current frail state, and then hung up the phone. He tucked his cell back inside his jacket and holstered his gun.
“Okay, time to go for a little ride,” Karl announced.
Just as he began to approach me, there was a knock at the door. Karl headed into the foyer. He reappeared and pointed to me.
“Not word!” Karl ordered with a stern glare and then charged back into the foyer to greet the unexpected visitor.
As I wrestled with the crippling pain, I prayed it was Tanner, though I seriously doubted that he would knock.
I knew who it was the second I heard their voice. Harper Riverside.
“WHERE is Lazarus?” Harper Riverside demanded, who I could tell had entered the house. “I know he’s backing out of the sale, and I need to speak with him TODAY! It’s awfully funny how he spent all day yesterday going over safety records that were almost impeccable, and then the mine has several explosions out of the blue…THIS MORNING! Hell, all the air level readings were normal! I demand to speak to him NOW!”
“He’s not here, Mr. Riverside,” Karl insisted, “and as you can see by our luggage, we’ll be departing today. Mr. Xcavare truly regrets that the mine didn’t meet his criteria. He’s a stickler when it comes to the safety of his mining operations. He values the live
s of his workers just as much as his own.”
I gripped the desk so hard my knuckles turned white. What a crock!
“My mine is SAFE!” Harper Riverside raged, clearly offended. “I don’t know what happened. I’m ready to retire, and I won’t allow this deal to fall through because of some freak explosion. I’ll hold him to it! I SWEAR! My attorney’s already told me to ‘say the word’ and we’ll hold his ass to the fire!”
Harper Riverside stepped into the doorway of the study. Karl grabbed his arm swiftly and attempted to pull him back.
“I think you had better wait for him up at your house, Sir,” Karl warned.
Harper Riverside jerked his arm away from him. “This is MY HOUSE!” he roared, “and don’t tell me where I’m going to wait for someone. I’ll wait for him wherever I DAMN WELL PLEASE! You’re a guest in my home…Don’t you forget THAT! Now, I suggest you call him and tell him that I’m here! I’m not leaving until I speak to him…and neither are YOU!” he added and poked Karl firmly with his finger.
I became increasingly alarmed as I listened to Mr. Riverside bossing around a man who had just SHOT ME. The next thing I knew, Harper Riverside had entered the study with Karl right on his heels.
Still oblivious to the fact that I was in the room, let alone hunched over the desk and bleeding all over it, Harper Riverside continued to rant.
“Personally, I think there’s more going on here than meets the eye, so you’d better lawyer-up or get him on the phone now!” Harper Riverside demanded. “As far as I’m concerned, the sale’s a done deal! The only way he’ll break it is OVER MY DEAD BODY!”
After firing off his ultimatum, Harper Riverside finally noticed me.
“Shiloh Wallace? What on earth are you doing here?” he asked, puzzled by my presence. Mr. Riverside became more than rattled when he noticed the blood pooling on top of the desk. “Are you…blee—bleeding?” he stammered. Harper Riverside turned to Karl. “WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?”
Karl said nothing. The next thing I knew, he was pulling something out of his jacket — and I was pretty sure it wasn’t his cell phone. As soon as Karl’s hand reappeared, he pointed his gun at Harper Riverside.
“Wh—What do you think you’re doing?” Harper Riverside gasped.
“Breaking the deal,” Karl insisted with a shrug of his shoulders and a blasé grin, “in the manner that you specified.” Within less than a second, a loud shot rang out and a stream of smoke rolled off the tip of the gun.
Wide-eyed, I watched Harper Riverside fall to his death on the spot from one fatal shot, right between the eyes. The appalling image triggered all the same emotions I felt on the night that I’d found Daddy in the bed of his truck. In spite of all the clashes I’d ever had with the cocky quarterback, my heart instantly ached for Mike.
Karl burst into laughter and looked at my shoulder. “And you think you’ve got it bad,” he guffawed. “At least he went quick. I can’t say the same about your father.”
My feeble frame trembled with rage as I tried desperately to compel him to let me go. Oddly, none of my attempts worked, which they should have. After all, he was a stranger who meant absolutely nothing to me.
“When Lazarus found out your father held the title to Shiloh Ridge, he figured he could buy him off with a couple of million…But when your father refused, repeatedly, Lazarus suspected something,” Karl revealed. “We went out to the mine and offered your father ten million in cold-hard cash and he still said ‘no’. Lazarus was tired of wasting time and tried to compel him…Oh, you’re familiar with that, aren’t you?”
My glare intensified while I listened intently to him rattle off the details about the night of my father’s death.
Karl continued snidely, “Sure you are. Well, anyway… Your father couldn’t be compelled. No matter how hard Lazarus tried.” He shook his head and sat down on the edge of the desk. “That is, until we discovered why,” Karl added as he pulled my father’s diamond necklace out from underneath his shirt.
My eyes exploded with fury. I wanted to string the cold-hearted bastard up with it. My fists clinched as a tear rolled down my cheek. I could feel the sky outside churning, and the thunder’s formidable roar mimicked my emotions.
“That infuriated Lazarus. He knew the diamond was protecting his mind…So he poisoned him. Your father left him with no other choice.” Karl shuddered and added, “That powder from his lapis lazuli is some wicked stuff. You’ll see. Lazarus has concocted a special brew just for you. I think it’s fitting you leave this earth…the same way your daddy did.”
I knew I was weak, and my mobility was limited, but as soon at that Son-of-a-Bitch said “daddy”, every ounce of what little energy remained in me started to swell. It was evident that the storm brewing in the sky outside was fueling my willpower. Desperately, I attempted to summon a bolt of lightning straight through the roof. It shook the house when it hit, and a loud “boom” pounded the room. Karl jumped, but he was only startled by the sound. The lightning hadn’t penetrated the house. I tried it again, and again, feeling the surge of power taking a toll on my frail body. Nothing! Every attempt failed. No matter how hard I tried! I couldn’t understand why the lightning wouldn’t break through the daggone roof!
Karl laughed. “I see why Lazarus wants that wand so bad. You’re a lively little thing,” he remarked and then yanked me out of the chair.
Karl’s face hardened into a scowl right before he backhanded me. I felt every bit of it, too. He used enough force to send my weakened body sideways, causing me to smash down hard onto the top of the desk. Dazed, I caught a glimpse of a lamp that had been accidentally turned on when I’d knocked it onto the floor. Then it hit me.
The copper roof…It’s drawing the lightning and carrying the electricity away. As I focused on the illuminated light lying on the floor, suddenly a “bulb” turned on of my own.
Karl jerked me up by my hair. “Got any other tricks up your sleeve? Huh?” he growled into my ear. Then he slammed my face down against the hard mahogany desktop and raised his gun. “I think I’d better plug you with a few more bullets before we leave to meet Lazarus…just to be safe.”
Without delay, I mustered all of my remaining energy and summoned one more bolt. However this time, I concentrated on the electrical meter located on the side of the house. As soon as the bolt struck my mental target, all the lights in the room intensified and flickered. I quickly extended my arm towards the illuminated light on the floor. The lightning jumped from the lamp and landed in my eager hand. Swiftly, I grabbed Karl and shoved all the bolt’s voltage into his chest. The force of the blast blew him straight across the room and right through the side of the brick house. A cloud of dust was all that was left in the now, dimly lit room. I’d blown the power. The only light streaming into the study was from the hole in the side of the house, left by Karl. I was extremely weak, but safe — for now.
I reached down to close Mr. Riverside’s eyes on my way out, respectfully. Karl was lying on the ground outside, reeking of burnt flesh. I stared at the charred hole in his chest while I thought about how I’d struggled with the notion of taking someone’s life. The idea that being a Talisman and knowing the Wand of Adamas was a weapon I’d be forced to use would ultimately turn me into a killer. But at that moment, I realized that the gift I was given didn’t make me a killer — they did. Karl, Lazarus, whomever wanted me dead, or coveted the wand. Something that I felt was more a part of who I was than anything I’d ever known before. I waited for the inevitable pang of guilt to strike like it always would, causing my nerves to twinge restlessly, my head to cloud, and my heart to weigh me down. But to my surprise and sheer relief…it never came. As I gazed into Karl’s lifeless eyes, I realized — without a shadow of doubt in my mind — Yeah, I can do this.
I reached down and snatched my father’s diamond pendant off his neck. A small tear formed in my eye as I held it up to the sun. I looked back down at the man on the ground. Still extremely pissed, I took my foot and kicke
d him in his face. I struggled to regain my footing. I was really too weak to have done it, but I just couldn’t resist. I tucked my father’s necklace securely in the pocket of my jacket as I staggered towards the dreaded iron fence.
Breaking in was a heck of a lot easier than breaking out of the Riverside estate. The iron bullet lodged in my shoulder had taken a gruesome toll on my body. My exit was far less graceful than my entry. Once I’d managed to get back over the daggone thing, I rose to my feet thinking, Somehow I have to get back to the cave. Tanner’s going to be sooo PISSED!
My speed was markedly slower, and I struggled every step of the way. Any attempt to rally some extra strength was met with more harrowing pain. My endurance was fading with every passing second. I had to stop several times to curb some of my exhaustion. By the time I’d reached downtown Welch, I knew there wasn’t any way I could make it back to the cave in my present condition or at my current pace. With two supernatural stalkers hunting me, I had to find some place to hide so I could contact Tanner and hopefully find something to use to dig out the bullet. I didn’t know which one I was dreading more — removing it or calling him.
As I staggered down Welch’s main street, I pulled the hood of my jacket over my head for some much-needed concealment. I walked close to the buildings, ready to dart inside one of them if I happened to run into Lazarus or Ferrol. With my head aimed at my feet, I used my peripheral vision to scan the street for any approaching threats. Just as I lifted my head to check my location at the corner of McDowell and Wyoming Street, I ran into someone (injured shoulder first, of course) coming out of Rosemary’s Market & Pantry.
