Fountain of Secrets (The Relic Seekers)

by Clenney, Anita

Kendall’s thoughts started racing. “What kind of secret group?”

  “Not sure really, probably like Templars. There are all kinds of stories here. There’s some who say Arthur’s bones are buried in a cave, waiting for the time when the world needs him, then he’ll come back. I’m not sure if they’re talking about resurrection or reincarnation. I’d buy the reincarnation thing, maybe. Wouldn’t that be something if King Arthur and his knights were out there walking around? I wouldn’t be surprised after some of the things I’ve seen around here.”

  Kendall felt a chill brush over her skin. Inadvertently, she looked at Jake, who was making his way to the door. “What sort of things?”

  “Eerie things. Lights. Strange balls circling above the Tor.”

  “You’ve seen them?”

  “I have. Gave me the shivers, I can tell you.”

  Kendall had the shivers now. She was tempted to touch the woman to see if she could sense anything more. But she didn’t. “When was this?”

  “About a month ago. I was here late because I’d left the key to my flat in the shop. I was coming out the door when I felt something strange through my shoulders. You ever get that feeling?”

  Kendall nodded yes.

  “So I look up at the mountain and I see these colored balls circling around like… like something out of one of them sci-fi movies. The lights circled around for a minute, then disappeared. Would have thought I’d lost my mind, except other people have seen them too. Next morning I had the darnedest headache. So bad I had a lie-in and was late to work.”

  Jake was out the door now, so Kendall thanked the woman and left the gift shop as chilled as if she’d been skiing an avalanche. She glanced up toward the Tor as she walked toward Jake, who was watching her with an impatient look on his face.

  “Nice beer belly.”

  Jake had his arms over his stomach, trying to keep the clothes from sliding out. “I figured we might need extra clothes. It looks like it’s gonna rain.” Just as expertly as he had stuffed the things under his shirt, he removed them and put them under his arm.

  “Your deftness at shoplifting is disturbing.”

  “It’s survival. We’ll pay them back. Consider it like buying on credit.”

  “We’re going to owe Glastonbury a good bit of money,” Kendall said.

  “Nathan can afford it.” He handed her a power bar and a bottle of water.

  Kendall opened her power bar. “I can’t believe we’re eating stolen food.” He’d taken several power bars and two bottles of water.

  He pulled out a travel-sized package of tissues and presented them to her with a flourish.

  “Where did you learn that kind of skill?”

  “I hit a few rough patches in my life.”

  Kendall felt something simmering around him and she knew if she focused, she might see what kind of rough patches, but she didn’t. Partly because she was so hungry, all she could think about was the next bite. “Did you get Nathan something to eat?”

  “He’s not worried about food. All he cares about is the well.”

  “He has to eat.”

  “I can’t figure out if you’re in love with him or think you’re his mother.”

  “We work together, that’s all.”

  “It’s not like any working relationship I’ve seen.”

  “Does Nathan seem like the type to have a romantic relationship? He guards every part of his life, including his heart. So did you get him food?”

  “I got him some damned food.” Jake tensed, his body alert.

  “What’s wrong? You look like you saw a ghost.” Kendall spun around but didn’t see anything.

  “A redheaded one.”

  “What?”

  “She’s gone now, but I swear it was Brandi.”

  “How could she be here?”

  “Maybe she found the maze.”

  “We’ve got to find Nathan.”

  They didn’t have money for the entrance fee. Jake scouted the place while she tried to look inconspicuous. He motioned to her from several yards away.

  “I’ve found a place where we can slip inside.”

  “We’re turning into criminals.”

  “Like I said, it’s survival.”

  They climbed over a low fence and kept to the grassy areas to steer clear of people on the path. Kendall had never been here before, but she could immediately feel that there was something unusual about the place.

  “You hanging in there?” Jake asked.

  “This place is… unusual. I can feel some kind of energy here.”

  “I hope that’s a good sign,” Jake said.

  The gardens were beautiful. Natural, not overly tended. There were several varieties of trees and plants, including yews and a Holy Thorn Tree. Some leaves had already turned beautiful shades of red and gold. There was a kind of serenity about the place that soothed her soul. “I could spend hours here,” she said.

  “Let’s find this fountain first. That’s where Nathan will be.”

  They walked along a serene path toward the Lion’s Head Fountain. Kendall was so enchanted that she almost forgot their reason for being there. Then a whining voice approached and pulled her out of the moment.

  “It was his fault. I just wanted to stick my head in the fountain like he did.”

  “Of course it was, darling, but you must be more careful.”

  “It’s that brat that hit me with a rock,” Jake said.

  The boy and his mother walked by, dressed this time in normal clothing, but the boy’s head was wet.

  “Excuse me,” Kendall said to the woman. “Did you say a man stuck his head in the fountain?”

  The woman looked as unpleasant as her son. “He did. Very poor behavior in front of impressionable, innocent children.”

  “He drank all the water up and then stuck his head under,” the boy said. “Hey, you’re the man who called me fat.”

  The woman scowled and pulled the boy toward her. “Let’s get you a dry shirt, Arthur, and then we’ll go see the abbey and Camelot.”

  “Did you see which way he went?” Jake called.

  The woman didn’t answer, but the boy looked over his shoulder and stuck out his tongue.

  Camelot. Kendall grabbed Jake’s arm. “Remember Marco said to find Arthur? Well, Glastonbury isn’t famous for just the Chalice Well. King Arthur was supposedly buried here.”

  “You think Marco meant King Arthur?” Jake asked. He sounded surprised. Almost hopeful. She sensed something coming from him, but his face went blank and she lost it. He’d blocked her. Just like Nathan. “Legend says he was buried at the abbey near here. I expected one of your sarcastic snorts, but you seem excited. Did you want to be a knight when you were young?”

  Jake shrugged. “What boy doesn’t dream of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table?”

  “Adam was fascinated with King Arthur. He spent hours telling me stories.” Some of them, so vivid she felt as if she were really there.

  When they reached the fountain, a small group was just leaving. Kendall walked closer to study the spot. A stream of water flowed from a lion’s head into a basin. The stone underneath had a reddish-orange tinge.

  “Looks like an ordinary fountain to me,” Jake said.

  “This might not be the fountain Marco was talking about, but this is anything but ordinary. This well has been flowing for over two thousand years.”

  “There’s no one here. Do your thing. See if it’s the real deal.”

  “Why are you so anxious? You worried about Nathan?”

  He scoffed but nudged her to the edge of the fountain. Kendall sat on the side. Jake put down the clothes he’d stolen and sat next to her, dipping his fingers in the stream of water. He touched his finger to his tongue. “Tastes like water. A little metallic. Come on, get your fingers wet.”

  Kendall touched the water, and she felt a rush of energy that jolted her so hard, she fell against Jake. He grabbed for her, but they both landed in the basin. Kendal
l gasped as the cold water ran over her head.

  Cursing, Jake scrambled to his feet and pulled them both out of the fountain.

  “That’s cold,” Kendall said, shivering.

  Jake swiped water from his face. “Your gift sucks sometimes, Legs.”

  He hadn’t called her Legs in a while. “I’m sorry.” Kendall wiped her face with her hands. The day was nice for October, but for anyone wet and without a jacket, it felt like December.

  “I think you have a gift of your own,” Kendall said, pointing at the stack of dry clothing. “Good intuition. We’re going to need those.”

  “Blimey, that’s the fourth person to fall in the fountain today,” a man exclaimed.

  “This place has a strange effect on people,” his female companion said.

  Kendall turned around and saw a man and woman watching them curiously.

  “Was one of the others a man?” Kendall asked.

  “Yes,” the man said.

  “What did he look like?”

  “Short hair, tall. Maybe thirty.”

  “Was he handsome?”

  She heard Jake snort behind her as the man shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Oh yeah,” the woman answered. “He was a hottie.”

  The man gave her a startled glance.

  “Well, you been looking at every pretty thing ye’ve seen. I’ve got eyes in me head too.”

  “Did you see which way he went when he left here?” Kendall asked.

  “That way,” he said. “Toward Little Saint Michael’s.”

  “What’s that?” Jake asked.

  “It’s lodging for people who support the well.”

  “What’s he doing going that way?” Kendall asked.

  “He probably made a phone call and bought the place.” Jake took Kendall’s arm and pulled her toward the entrance.

  “Is she wearing pajamas?” the woman asked quietly as they walked away.

  “Where are we going?” Kendall asked. “Nathan went this way.”

  “I don’t care where Nathan went. We’ve got to get out of these wet clothes. People are staring. Don’t give me that look. As much as I’d like to see you naked, I’m thinking about our well-being, not sex. We don’t want to end up sick. We’re a long way from home with nothing but the clothes on our back, my pocketknife, and your sixth sense until the car gets here. And your sixth sense is quirky to say the least.”

  He handed her some dry clothing, and they went to the restrooms and changed. Kendall would have paid a hundred pounds for clean underwear. Her sweats were gray with GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND, emblazoned across the front of her shirt. It wasn’t pretty, but it was better than pajamas and it was clean. She freshened up her face and finger-combed her hair. She got lucky and found a ponytail holder lying on the sink. She grimaced but pulled her hair back with it. “Ugh,” she said to herself in the mirror, and then rolled up her old clothes, stuck them under her arm, and walked outside to meet Jake. He was wearing a matching outfit. His clothes fit better than hers, which were a little too snug.

  “This getup does more for you than me,” he said, looking her over. His old clothes were balled up in his hand. She didn’t want to look twice, but she was pretty sure he was commando. Yep, there was his underwear sticking out from under his old jeans and shirt.

  “We have to find Nathan. The car should be here soon,” Jake said.

  “I’m not sure if you’re worried about Nathan or getting to a hotel for a warm meal.”

  “A steak sounds good.”

  “You’re just too stubborn to admit that you care about him too.”

  “Nathan’s all but holding me hostage. Work for him, or go back to prison. Does that sound like someone I should care about?”

  “That sounds like someone who’s desperate. And he has a good reason to be desperate. He needs you to help him get rid of this curse, what he thinks is a curse.” There were times when she felt cursed, but she’d used her talents for good. She had helped people, protected relics, shed light on history. Maybe Nathan was looking at this the wrong way. It still left the question, where had he gotten this ability?

  “You’re the relic hunter. I’m just a bodyguard.”

  “You’re more than that, and you know it. You’ve hunted plenty of treasure yourself. Where is he?”

  “Probably avoiding us,” Jake said. “He doesn’t trust himself around you.”

  “You don’t know that for sure.”

  “I know that’s how I’d feel if I thought I had a monster trapped inside me and I’d accidentally knocked you down.”

  “It wasn’t his fault. It was the ghosts playing tricks.”

  “As you keep reminding me. But if he had changed into whatever he changes into, he could have killed us both.”

  They found Nathan spying on a house near the entrance to the well. He was soaking wet, hiding in some trees. Kendall never would have spotted him, but Jake did.

  “Decide to take a swim?” Jake asked.

  Nathan turned around. He was shivering. “Why not?”

  “You’re turning blue. You’re going to get sick,” Kendall said.

  “Here you go, billionaire boy. How about some warm clothes? And I have power bars.” Jake tossed Nathan a set of sweats. “Money isn’t everything.”

  Nathan took the sweats. “Thanks.”

  “Sorry, I couldn’t find underwear.”

  Nathan went to the restroom to change.

  “Now you’re staring at the house,” Jake said. “What do you see?”

  “I don’t know. There’s something intriguing about it.”

  “You think it’s something inside, or someone?”

  “I don’t know. There’s some kind of energy there.”

  Nathan exited the restroom wearing his sweats. Kendall purposely didn’t look to see if he was wearing underwear. “I think that’s our ride,” Nathan said, pointing to a shuttle van waiting on the street.

  “No limo?” Jake asked.

  “Too noticeable,” Nathan said. “I’ll make sure it’s ours.” He jogged across the street to the waiting van. After a conversation with the driver, Nathan motioned to Kendall and Jake to follow. Nathan opened the door for Kendall. “I told Fergus to send something that wouldn’t draw attention. I don’t want anyone to know we’re here.”

  “I agree,” Jake said. “I’m just surprised you thought of it.”

  Kendall nodded to the driver and took the seat all the way in the back, leaving the men the middle row. Nathan got in next. His hair was still wet. The red-haired kid and his mom walked past as Jake got in. The kid looked over and made a pig face.

  “I’m going to scare the shit out of that kid if he’s still here when we get back,” Jake said, getting in.

  “Ignore him,” Kendall said. “All kids can be brats. I’m sure you were too. I bet you drove your mom crazy.”

  He didn’t say anything.

  “Where did you grow up?” Kendall asked.

  “Here and there,” Jake said.

  “Army brat?”

  “Orphanage. Foster care.”

  “Oh. I didn’t realize. What happened to your parents?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You didn’t know them?”

  “No.” His face was tight.

  “But you have a grandmother,” Kendall said.

  “She didn’t know about me until I was older.”

  Kendall’s curiosity was ramped. How could his grandmother not know about him? But she saw the set of his jaw and knew he wouldn’t say more. Nathan was watching Jake with a thoughtful look on his face. Both Nathan and Jake had mysterious pasts. That was a bizarre coincidence. Both men had been there each time Marco mentioned Adam. Was it possible that Jake was the one Marco was referring to and not Nathan? She wouldn’t use her abilities to pry. Not yet. But she was determined to find out if one of them was Adam.

  “What happened at the well?” she asked Nathan.

  He shrugged. “Nothing. At least not yet. I d
on’t know what to expect.”

  “If Kendall wasn’t here, I’d hit you and see if it worked,” Jake said.

  “Jackass. Give me a power bar.”

  Jake handed him a power bar and a bottle of water. “I borrowed them from the gift shop. We’ll have to reimburse them.” He glanced back at Kendall. “Are you cold? Your hair’s still wet.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “How’d your hair get wet?” Nathan asked.

  Jake gave a short laugh. “You’re not the only one who went swimming. Kendall knocked both of us in the water.”

  Nathan stopped eating. “You touched the water?” He angled his body toward her. “Did you sense anything?”

  “It shocked me.”

  “The water?”

  She nodded. “There’s something powerful about the fountain, but I don’t know if it’s just because it’s so old or if there’s something else there.”

  “There’s no way in hell the Fountain of Youth is going to be right out there in the open,” Jake said.

  “He’s right,” Nathan said. “It doesn’t make sense.”

  “Unless there’s another part to it,” Kendall said.

  “What do you mean?” Nathan asked.

  “Maybe you have to do something besides just drink from it.”

  “Bloody hell, I dunked my whole body,” Nathan said, looking oddly vulnerable.

  “I don’t know, but I need to go back and study the place,” Kendall said. “We only saw the fountain, not the actual well.”

  “Take a towel next time,” Jake said.

  Kendall thumped him on the head. “How’s Marco?”

  “Fergus said he’s much better. They’re in Italy.”

  “Marco is feeling well enough to travel?” Kendall asked.

  Nathan nodded. “They wanted to come, but I said no. I don’t want them in danger.”

  Jake pulled out the last two power bars and scowled.

  “If you don’t like them, why didn’t you steal something else?” Kendall asked.

  “They’re practical, nutritious, and easy to swipe.” He handed her one.

  “No thanks. I’ll wait until we get to the hotel and have a filet mignon.” She leaned closer. “And maybe a cold beer or nice glass of wine.” She smiled sweetly when she heard his stomach growl and then leaned back in her seat. She turned to Nathan. “You look tired.”