The Lost Relics Box Set

by LJ Andrews

  “Come in,” Egan said, his eyes following Owen into his room. Once the door was closed, Egan positioned himself in a large wing-back chair and interlaced his fingers.

  “You haven’t been around much after your talk with your brother,” Owen said, Killian thought in a rather accusatory tone.

  Egan scoffed. “Well, Owen, there have been a few things needing my attention. I didn’t realize I needed to report to you.”

  Owen frowned. “Come on Egan, that’s not what I meant. I just thought if Bant told you something helpful, you might share with the class.”

  Egan stroked his yellow beard as if considering his words. Finally, he stood and folded his arms over his chest. “Bant told me what he was sent to Glaciem to retrieve, and if Maurelle has it in her possession, I’m afraid we have some big problems.”

  “Does it have something to do with a gateway to another Hemisphere?” Owen said, his blue eyes brightening excitedly.

  Egan’s eyebrows furrowed. “Yes, as a matter-of-fact, it does. He was sent to fetch a scroll, an ancient scroll, and he believed the sorcerer Merlin was behind it.”

  “Is that all he told you?” Killian asked, feeling more confused than enlightened.

  Egan paused, and Killian couldn’t understand why the chief was so hesitant to share what Bant had kept secret.

  “Is there something you don’t want us to know, Egan?” Owen asked as if reading Killian’s mind.

  “The scroll was very protected, and I’m ashamed at what my brother did to get it.”

  “Bant has been involved with the Trinity longer than I’ve been alive. We expect he’s probably done some dark things; this isn’t any reflection on your family.”

  “I can’t expect you to understand, Owen. I was the reason he left Ignisia in the first place. He was angry with me and my choices. Oh, it seems so many years ago. Our disagreements pushed him into the Trinity.”

  Owen ran a hand through his hair impatiently. “You can’t honestly believe one argument threw Bant into the Trinity’s hands. Be honest with yourself, Egan. They most likely had been working on Bant long before your brother-tiff and they were there when he needed an excuse to leave. Egan, you don’t need to feel any sense of brotherly affection to the man; he’s not the man you knew, am I right?”

  The muscles in Egan’s jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth together.

  “As hard as it is, sir,” Killian began, understanding the deep cut betrayal can leave behind, “remember what he’s tried to do to you. Not so long ago he tried to kill Mercedes. He knew she was your daughter and it didn’t stop him.”

  “All right, I understand both your points. The scroll was hidden in a small village high in the glaciers, passed on from generation to generation. The community was small, but they were charged with the sole purpose of defending that scroll. Bant found the village and…” Egan cleared his throat and closed his eyes. “Well, they didn’t stand a chance against an Ignisian like him. He told me he didn’t know what the scroll was since he never read it, but he sensed an incredibly dark power when he held it.” Egan told them about the old hag and the promised curse if Bant took the scroll. Killian scrunched his eyebrows, feeling more confused the more Egan spoke. “I believe she was some kind of sorceress, so I’ve been trying to reach out to Aradia, our own sorceress in Ignisia, but no word yet.”

  “Why do you think Bant told you all this?” Killian asked.

  Egan shook his head. “As much as he won’t admit to it, the old woman’s warning frightened him, and for the smallest moment the Trinity’s mission seemed too dangerous. Bant tries to seem like he isn’t the same man I knew, but I can see deep inside he still is my brother. Things he’s done are unforgivable, but something about that scroll is shaking his devotion to Maurelle’s cause. If I’m right, that means the scroll is something incredibly powerful and dangerous.”

  “If Bant is telling the truth, Maurelle is enlisting powers we’ve never dealt with, powers outside of our Hemisphere. If Merlin sacrificed his power to this ruby,” Owen said, showing the picture of the gem to Egan. “then it may be the final piece to defend against whatever Maurelle is looking for. We’ll need all of Merlin’s magic, which means the four relics too. It explains Maurelle’s desperate need to kill all the relic guardians. Keep an eye on Mercedes, Egan. And, Killian, you better not rush anywhere trying to be a hero.”

  Killian glanced at Owen incredulously. “Since that’s what I do best is try to get myself killed.”

  “I’m just saying, be careful. We can’t lose even one relic. The Trinity doesn’t just want the relics to destroy Terrene; they need the relics to make sure they have complete power over this curse, and if I’m right, Maurelle will use this dark magic to end Terrene.”

  “Is it possible, I mean, that Maurelle isn’t powerful enough to control it?” Killian asked quietly after a long silence.

  Egan looked out the window, and Owen locked his eye fiercely. “If that’s true, then Terrene isn’t the only realm being threatened. Our entire way of life, every race in our entire Hemisphere, is at risk of dying to this dark magic. Everything will end.”

  Owen and Killian met each other’s eyes as the words settled like a dead weight sinking in their stomachs.

  “So Egan wants to take you to Ignisia?” Killian asked Mercedes as he pushed his food around on his plate.

  She nodded. “He feels the people should meet me just like the Glaciens did.”

  Her body shifted slightly as if she wanted to say more. “Anything else he wants to do there?” Killian pressed.

  Mercedes raised her emerald eyes and stared at him thoughtfully. “Gwyniera, my father, and I have had several conversations about joining the realms to fight with us; this isn’t just the Ponderi versus Trinity. Don’t you agree, it’s more the Trinity against the Hemisphere? My father told me people still living in the realms have become complacent and some believe the Ponderi will do all their fighting for them. It’s time to change that.”

  Killian took a bite of his meal and considered what she was saying. “I agree with that, but how would we join all the realms together? We’d be overrun with people, especially if the Deshuits join in.”

  “I don’t know exactly, but Gwyniera keeps mentioning raising the realms when she thinks I’m not listening, but no one seems to tell me what that means. It’s like it’s some radical idea that is a great secret. Anyway, my father wants me to meet the Ignisian people, but I also think he wants to go to Ignisia to motivate the people to fight with us.”

  “I’m coming with you when you go,” Killian said. “I can’t just sit here reading books with Owen about some ruby we can’t find.”

  “Yeah, since your last visit to Ignisia went so well,” Lucan teased after silently listening to them and stuffing his mouth full of black rice.

  Mercedes shrugged. “I have no problem with you coming, in fact I would feel better with you there, but, Killian, you have family here that you might want to run this by. We’re both guardians and they’ve already warned us why the Trinity wants us dead so badly.”

  “I don’t plan to be the cause of dark magic curse being unleashed on the realms.” He laughed. “I’ll keep me and my relic safe.”

  “Yeah, well, you better, because if you’re going, I’m going to keep you two out of trouble,” Dax said, slamming his silver bow on the table as he sat down.

  “You’re going to go home?” Mercedes said. “How long has it been since you left?”

  Dax paused as if he were figuring the days in his mind. “I left when I was old enough to be a Potential. My father felt it was the best place to train. It will be nice to see my parents again. After I left, we haven’t seen much of one another seeing as I’m not a Custodis.”

  “I hope the people join with us,” Mercedes said. “If they don’t I think the Trinity may have us outnumbered.”

  “The people will defend their homes,” Dax said confidently.

  Mercedes smiled and nodded as she returned her focus to h
er food.

  “Hey, isn’t that Tynan?” Killian asked, pointing to the tall Cimmerian boy walking with another small girl with long dark braids over her shoulders.

  “Tynan? As in Sophia’s cousin?” Dax asked choking on his bread.

  Killian nodded and waved to Tynan when he saw the boy point in their direction.

  “Hello again, Killian,” Tynan said, adjusting his protective glasses. Killian saw the faint shiny scars on his face from the brutal beating he’d taken. Slowly, Tynan looked at Dax. “Hello, Dax. I’ve been meaning to speak with you. I wish you’d let go of your anger. It’s not how Sophia would want you to live.”

  Dax’s jaw clenched and small clouds of steam spouted from the brim of his eyes as he held back emotion. “Good to see you Tynan,” he choked out. “We all just take each day at a time.”

  “That’s true,” Tynan gravely said. “I needed to speak with you, Killian. I appreciate the concern you both showed me when I was injured.” He looked at both Mercedes and Killian. “But there is more that is happening as we speak and I fear for the ramifications if we don’t stop it.”

  “What are you talking about, Tynan? What’s happening?”

  “I have to extract it from Violet.” He motioned toward the small girl. “She was witness to exactly what happened.”

  Without waiting for permission, Tynan placed both palms on the side of Violet’s temples. Bright, white light glowed from beneath his skin and Violet’s face scrunched in concentration. Finally, Tynan released her head and swiped his palms in the air. Images appeared as if painted on an invisible canvas. Killian watched intently as the blurry images focused into clear, sharp faces.

  He saw Speron huddled with a large group of recruits and beasties. Their voices became clearer with every moment.

  “The engineer has the technology to do this, you’re certain?” Speron asked a blond engineer.

  “Yes. He opened a wormhole and brought a prisoner through it. Living beings can pass through unharmed.”

  “Can you work it?” Speron asked.

  “Yes, I can control it from here while you go through.”

  “We should go now, Speron.” Killian recognized he young beastie as Brandon, from the earlier confrontation with the Cimmerian girl.

  “They need to pay,” he continued.

  “Everyone needs to commit before we go,” Speron said. “Without the numbers we’ll be overpowered.”

  The crowd murmured their desire to go wherever it was they were planning.

  “All right, go and get the tech, Phil,” Speron said to the blond engineer. “If anyone sees a silver, don’t do anything. After today we won’t have to worry about the ones here.”

  The images fizzled into the surrounding room as the extracted memory ended.

  They all stared at Tynan with confused expressions.

  “What are they talking about?” Lucan finally said.

  “They want Connor’s technology?” Killian said.

  Tynan nodded. “They already have it. Because Connor is under a supervisory order, Phil, the engineer you saw, knows when he is out of his office. They already have his machine to open the wormhole.”

  “Where are they going, Tynan?” Dax demanded, clutching his bow.

  Tynan looked at him sadly. “I think you know. They call us ‘silvers’ now. We aren’t fellow Ponderi members, but simply a shunned race whose queen murdered their friends, family, and co-workers.”

  “Tynan, you don’t mean they’re going to Cimmerian?” Mercedes said covering her mouth.

  “I know that’s where they’re going,” Violet said in a small poetic voice which reminded Killian of Maurelle. “I saw them use it and I recognize my realm.”

  Dax stood quickly and loaded his bow.

  “Dax what are you doing?” Mercedes cried.

  “I’m not going to sit here while a realm falls under attack. You saw how big that group was and did you see one black haired person in there? That idiot Speron is turning every race against the Cimmerians and I’m not waiting to see what happens. I’m going to stop them now.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Lucan said twirling his daggers.

  “Would you two just wait,” Killian said.

  “Killian, we aren’t waiting,” Dax snarled. “You’re very excited to go on a pleasure trip to Ignisia with Mercedes, but when a realm really needs your help you hesitate?”

  Killian glared at Dax. “I’m going to ignore that, Dax, since your anger is making you act like an extra-large jerk. What I was going to say is let’s go together. Only Lucan and I are Custodis. I’ll open a portal and take us since we can’t use the tracks. Let’s go to the garden and make sure you’re all holding on to one another or you’ll get left behind.”

  Dax swallowed and looked at Killian sheepishly. “Sorry.”

  “Forget it. Now let’s go.”

  They rushed from the dining hall, with Violet and Tynan following close behind.

  “You two should stay back,” Killian warned once they reached the large garden.

  “I’m coming,” Tynan declared with a strength Killian hadn’t recognized before. “It’s my home they’re attacking. Violet you should stay, though. Tell the director what you witnessed.”

  Violet nodded and rushed back inside the Praetorium.

  “Are you sure you can do this? Should we go through the royal track system instead? I could take us that way,” Mercedes said softly when Killian closed his eyes tight.

  “We don’t have time to go through all the security checks making sure it isn’t compromised. I just need to focus. Everyone make sure you’re holding on. It isn’t the smoothest ride.”

  Lucan, Dax, and Tynan formed a long chain to Mercedes while she grabbed Killian’s hand. Killian focused hard on everything he knew about Cimmerian. He remembered the spectacular images he’d seen of the two moons, the silver eyed people, the dark rolling hills and the rainbow stars.

  “Ugh, what is that?” Dax coughed.

  The invisible robe wrapped around Killian’s midsection and pulled hard against his insides.

  “It’s opening,” he said through clenched teeth. “Hold on.”

  “Killian, it…feels like it’s tearing through me,” Mercedes cried. The wind blew furiously around them, tearing the spiky petals off the strange green and yellow stems and lifting the earth around their feet.

  “Hang on,” Killian demanded.

  A vortex surrounded them, whipping dirt and grass against their faces as the rope tugged harder. Killian felt someone stumble, but didn’t open his eyes to see who’d lost their footing. Instead he kept the image of two moons and Speron’s brigade marching on the unsuspecting Cimmerian people.

  It’s time, a strange, calm voice filled his mind. Infinium was ready, and the stinging power filled his veins, giving him the confidence it would take them where they needed to go.

  “Ready?” he shouted against the swirl of earth and plants. No one answered, but no one protested either. Opening his eyes and staring at the lavender sky above them, he bellowed as loud as possible. “GO!”

  Chapter 10

  Cimmerian Siege

  The rope ripped against his stomach and his feet blasted from the ground. He gripped Mercedes’ hand so tight he feared he may break it, but he couldn’t let go as the vortex tugged and bounced them roughly through the barriers.

  The texture of the portal was rough, with occasional sharp objects sticking them, a few even drawing blood. Finally, Killian felt his cheek crash against damp grass and the earth grew silent as if the turbulent whirlwind had never existed.

  Lucan groaned and rolled from his stomach to his back. “Killian, I’m going to hurt you. You thought that way was the best way to travel?”

  “Get up, wimp,” Dax said, helping Lucan from the ground. Lucan shoved him in jest, but Dax actually laughed.

  Killian raised his head and took in the land. It was much lovelier than his last experience when Maurelle threw him into the grasp of the horrifyi
ng wraiths. The sky was littered with brilliant stars twinkling in purple, blue, red, pink and white. The sky seemed filled with millions of sparkling diamonds waiting to be plucked. The two moons lit the hill they’d landed on. The smaller blue moon reminded Killian of Terrene’s moon, but the enormous pink moon seemed as if it was its own planet casting the dark land in a soft rose color amidst the dimness.

  “Tynan, do you have any idea where Speron was heading first?”

  Tynan shook his head. “No, but I know there are smaller communities on the way to the palace. If I wanted to limit the backlash forces I’d start by attacking there first, since the palace and surrounding areas will be loaded with guards.”

  Killian nodded. “All right, everyone stay together. We need to try and get the Cimmerians ready to defend themselves.”

  Each one of them grabbed their weapons except Tynan, who ran in the front leading the way.

  “Here,” Tynan said after jogging along the base of the hill for a long while. “We should cut through the Emerald Orchards; it will take us to the village faster.”

  Tynan led them on a winding road made of gray, glittering dirt. Ahead, endless rows of tall unusual trees came into view. The leaves were thick like elephant ears, and they were the richest green Killian had seen. Underneath the thick leaves, strange fruit in the shape of large pears glowed beneath the moonlight in a pale green. When the moonlight hit the skin of the fruit just so, it seemed translucent, like a polished emerald.

  “It’s beautiful,” Mercedes said next to him. “They smell amazing. I bet they’re delicious.”

  “It is beautiful, but we need to hurry,” Tynan said. “The Orchards aren’t safe. You must beware of−ˮ

  “Can you help me?” A soft girlish voice stopped them in their tracks.

  A young girl with pale purple hair sat in between two rows of trees, her thin ankle entangled in stray vines. Her eyes had wisps of silvery-blue, very different from other Cimmerians Killian had met.

  “Oh my,” Mercedes said in disgust.

  “Nerezza,” Tynan snapped.

  “Here, miss,” Dax began, reaching his hand toward her. “Let me help you.”