Fountain of Secrets (The Relic Seekers)

by Clenney, Anita

  “Arthur, we’re not going to the cellar. The manager warned you not to go prowling around again. Do you want them to ask us to leave? Then you’ll have to go back to your father in New Hampshire. Is that want you want?”

  “Yes. I’m bored.”

  “Well, I’m not. I deserve this vacation. So march yourself right back to the room.”

  “I’d pay for the flight if she’d send him back,” Jake said.

  The stairs leading to the basement were narrow. The chapel was small, with a stained glass window and a stone table holding several candles.

  Jake moved up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. “Ever made love in a cellar?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “Want to give it a try?”

  Kendall reached back and pinched his waist. “Behave. We’re in a chapel.”

  The stones on the wall looked just like the ones in the abbey ruins. Jake poked at one. “If walls could talk, I bet these have some stories to tell.”

  She smiled and touched the wall near the stained glass window. The room faded. A cold fear settled over her skin as the scene before her unfolded. Four monks hurried across the abbey grounds to the Lady Chapel. It looked different. The buildings weren’t ruins. One of the monks led the way and one brought up the rear, while the two in the middle carried a trunk between them. From their bowed backs, it appeared to be heavy. “Make haste,” the one in front whispered. “The hour grows near.” They hurried inside the church and made their way to the front. They set the trunk down and knelt on the floor. Were they praying? Then she saw a stone in the wall move, opening to a set of steps. The four monks carried the trunk to the steps. Kendall couldn’t move. It was as if she were watching from above. They were hiding the treasure in the secret tunnels. As one of the monks moved, a cross swung at his neck. Just like the Protettori’s crosses. Just like the one around her neck. He cast a worried glance over his shoulder, and Kendall recognized the angled cheekbones and the set of her father’s mouth.

  She let go of the wall with a gasp and the vision disappeared. “Oh my God.” She stumbled and Jake put his arms around her. “I know where the entrance to the tunnel is.”

  “Here? This house isn’t that old.”

  “No, it’s in the Lady Chapel.”

  “And the wall told you where the secret tunnel is?”

  “My father did.”

  There was a gasp from the stairs. Kendall and Jake looked over and saw a redhead with a freckled face staring back at them.

  “It’s that kid.” Jake started toward the stairs.

  Arthur yelped and ran away.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  IF WE DON’T stop him, he’ll tell everyone in the place,” Jake said, running after the kid.

  Kendall followed him up the stairs.

  “Where’d he go?” Jake looked around but didn’t see the kid anywhere. “He must have gone back to his room.”

  “Let’s just find the priest hole before he has a chance to tell anyone. We’ve got half an hour before the moonlight tour starts.”

  “You’d better wear your séance dress,” Jake said as they hurried to their room. He opened the door and Kendall stepped inside. She came to a dead stop, staring at their uninvited guest.

  Raphael sat in a chair, flipping through one of the books in the room. “Half this stuff is wrong,” he said, putting the book down.

  Jake pulled his knife from his boot and put Kendall behind him. “How did you get in here?”

  Raphael glanced at the knife and shrugged one shoulder. He wore jeans and a dark shirt, not his ninja monk outfit, but he still looked deadly. “Does Nathan know you’re sleeping together?”

  Kendall glanced at the bed.

  “It’s none of Nathan’s business where we sleep,” Jake said.

  “I doubt that Nathan would agree. Have you seen him? I need to find him.”

  “No, we’re looking for him too,” Jake said.

  “He didn’t mean to kidnap you, or at least not to hurt you,” Kendall said, stepping around Jake. “He needed answers. And we’ll return your cross. I’m sorry we took it, but we thought you were dead.”

  “You were dead,” Jake said, putting Kendall behind him again.

  “I already have my cross.”

  “You got it from Nathan?” Kendall’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. Did you hurt him?”

  “No. He’s in danger, but not from me. From the Reaper.”

  “The Reaper is here?” Jake asked.

  “He’s trying to come through the gateway. His men are probably already here.”

  “You mean a portal?”

  Raphael looked weary. “Our order has many secret places. There are gateways, or portals, between some of them.”

  “Is that what those lights on the Tor are, the Reaper coming through one of the gateways?” Kendall asked.

  Raphael nodded. “I must stop him, or there will be catastrophic results.”

  Kendall stepped closer to Raphael, and Jake put out an arm to stop her. “Is the fountain inside the Tor?”

  “I can’t tell you that.”

  “Can you tell us how we fell through a maze in Italy and landed in England?” Jake asked.

  “It’s not for outsiders to understand.”

  “Kendall isn’t an outsider. Her father was one of the Protettori,” Jake said.

  Raphael looked at Kendall. “How did you find out about your father?”

  “I saw a vision of my birth in the tower room.”

  “I shouldn’t have put you there,” Raphael said.

  “I didn’t see the vision until later. You knew who I was?”

  “Not at first. I started putting the pieces together after I saw the cross.”

  “Can you tell me anything about my father?”

  “He broke our rules. Women aren’t allowed. The order needs to be fully focused on their task. Women are distractions.” Raphael looked at Jake as if he understood just how distracting Kendall was to him. “So he was forced to leave the group.”

  “Is there anything else you can tell me about him?” she asked. Her voice was level, but her eyes were afraid.

  “Not now.”

  “What about the tunnel to the Tor. Is it in the abbey?”

  “How did you know about that?”

  “I had a vision,” Kendall said.

  “I can’t speak of it.”

  “Then can you tell me about the chalice?” she asked.

  His eyes narrowed, making him look almost reptilian. “What chalice?”

  “I don’t know. King Arthur told me to find the chalice.”

  Surprise replaced the harsh expression. “Arthur told you that?”

  “In a vision. Do you know Arthur?”

  “You have a lot of visions.”

  “Too many,” Jake said.

  Raphael stood, his relaxed demeanor gone. “Do you have your cross?”

  “We each have one,” Jake said.

  “Wear them. You have to protect her,” Raphael said to Jake. “I’ll try to find Nathan. If he comes here, don’t let him leave.”

  “You still haven’t explained how you’re not dead,” Jake said.

  “The fountain has restorative powers.”

  “Why didn’t you turn into a sentinel?” Kendall asked.

  Raphael frowned. “He told you that too? It’s time for a new Keeper. I must go.”

  “Wait,” Kendall said. “Did you know the treasure is missing?”

  “Yes,” Raphael said.

  “Did you take it?” Jake asked.

  “Yes.”

  “When?” Kendall said. “It was there when we left Italy. Nathan had you imprisoned in Virginia.”

  “I moved it after I left.”

  “How’d you get from Virginia to Italy and move a roomful of valuable treasure in a matter of hours? Nathan’s Mercedes is nice, but not a magic carpet,” Jake said.

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “You’re like Nathan in more ways than
one,” Jake said.

  “At least you talk a lot more now than you did at the castle,” Kendall said.

  “I didn’t expect to see you there,” Raphael said, and walked through the wall.

  Jake and Kendall stared after him. “Did he just go through that wall?” Kendall asked.

  “Either that or we’re having a bizarre dream. I guess that’s how he moved the treasure.” What the hell?

  “What do we do now?” Kendall asked.

  “Keep you safe and hope he finds Nathan.”

  “Did you see how he looked when I mentioned King Arthur and the chalice?”

  Jake nodded. “As if he knew him.”

  Kendall changed into the long dress for the coming séance. It was blue, fitted at the top, teasing with a hint of cleavage. She kept trying to pull it higher. The bottom was full, flowing. She looked like a queen. A sexy as hell queen. He’d known women who spent an hour getting ready for a date and didn’t come out looking as good as Kendall did with no makeup, no curlers, or the contraptions women used on their hair.

  They grabbed flashlights and hurried to the Abbey House’s private entrance to the grounds. Their lights weren’t necessary since lanterns had been set up for tonight’s event, their soft glow making the ruins look haunted. Perfect for a séance.

  “You think you can find it at night?”

  “I saw it clearly in the vision. There were four of them. They took the trunk inside the Lady Chapel and opened a priest hole in the wall. But the chapel was intact, so it must have been no later than the sixteenth century. That’s when the abbey was closed. The trunk is probably gone.”

  “But if there’s a tunnel, it’ll still be there. Did you see what was inside the trunk?”

  “No, but it must have been something important. They were frightened. I could feel their fear.”

  “You’re certain it was your father? Monks tend to look a lot alike.”

  “It was him. I saw the cross.” She touched the cross around her neck. “Now I know for sure he was part of the Protettori.”

  “If these monks were part of the Protettori, where are the statues guarding the abbey?”

  “It’s possible that this was before the Reaper became greedy for the relics. They may have moved the group to Italy and put the statues up to keep him out.”

  “I still don’t understand how the statues work,” Jake said, “or why the cross keeps the person protected. I felt like I was in a bubble when I passed through them. It was one heck of a rush. Not to mention scary as hell.”

  “I felt the same way. And I assume he can’t pass them even with a cross.”

  “That’s the part I don’t get,” Jake said. “It’s not logical.” Not that any of this was. “I guess they took his cross when they kicked him out.”

  “I think so,” Kendall said, touching her cross again. “I think I’m wearing it.”

  “Nathan’s cross? It’s crazy that he would end up with any of their crosses, but this one…”

  “I know, but this looks just like the one my father wore.”

  “If your father is the Reaper, then he’s probably long since stolen anything hidden near the abbey.”

  “Unless it’s hidden deeper inside the tunnel, and there are statues guarding it. OK, let’s hurry before the others get there.”

  But there were already a few people out. Lights flickered here and there as people walked the ruins. It was a beautiful night. The temperature was mild for October, the sky was clear, the stars brilliant—a perfect night for exploring ghostly ruins, which sucked when you were going on a covert mission. But most of the lights were nearer the house. The Lady Chapel was at the other end of the abbey.

  The ruins looked like skeletons. Jake wanted to believe that was the reason for the knot in his gut, but he didn’t think so. “Let’s get this done.”

  Kendall paused every now and then, and tilted her head, as if listening. Jake couldn’t hear anything but the sounds of night. It must be a burden to know things you shouldn’t.

  “I think it was here.” She pointed to a section in the front of the chapel.

  Jake grabbed a nearby lantern and placed it next to the wall. They searched the stones, but none seemed loose.

  Kendall worked beside him. “I think it’s here.”

  “You sensed something?”

  “No. I see a crack. Give me your knife.”

  He handed her the knife, and she scraped the edge of a stone. “Look. There’s a crack.”

  He held the lantern closer. “That could be one side of an entrance. Let me try.” He scraped at the edges of the large section of stone and found the outline of a door. “I don’t see any way to open it without tearing up the stones. We need tools.”

  “There has to be a way to open it. The monks did it, and they didn’t have tools. You work on clearing it, and I’ll keep looking for a latch.”

  “Look for a circle,” he said. He worked at the crevice. Centuries of dirt and footsteps had packed it tight. After a few minutes, he had it cleared.

  “I think I’ve found something,” Kendall said. “This stone feels different.”

  It was an ornate cornerstone. “It’s round,” Jake said. “That’s a good sign.”

  “Kendall! Jake!”

  “It’s the group,” Kendall said. They stood up as the others approached, each of them carrying a lantern.

  “You’re already here,” Halle said, looking relieved. “We were going to walk around for a while before the séance. I have a good feeling about tonight.”

  Jake wished he did. “Good idea. We’ll be here getting ready. I think with a little more meditation Kendall’s senses will be more open to the spirits.” He glanced at the stone behind Kendall. “Twenty minutes should have her in tiptop spiritual condition.”

  Everyone agreed, and the group hurried off.

  “This stone moves,” Kendall said, touching the ornate stone. “Should we give it a try?”

  “We should probably wait until later tonight when no one is here. I doubt the hole has been disturbed in a few centuries. It might be noisy.” And rigged with a booby trap.

  “What if Art tells someone? He heard me say the secret tunnel was in the Lady Chapel.”

  Jake didn’t think it was wise, but she was right about the kid. He checked to see if the area was clear. The closest group was near the abbot’s kitchen. “Let’s see what happens.”

  “I hope light doesn’t shoot out like it did in the catacombs.”

  “I’ll do it.” Jake pushed the round stone and heard a soft rumbling sound.

  “Something’s happening,” Kendall whispered.

  “Move back in case it’s a trap,” Jake said. They both stepped back, and the wall started to slide. The creaking sounded loud in the quiet of night. “Damn. That’s loud.”

  The wall slowed. “It’s stuck,” Kendall said.

  “It’s old.” Jake pushed against the door, and it opened a little farther.

  “I see steps,” Kendall said, holding the lantern near the opening.

  “Someone’s coming,” Jake said. They scrambled to close the wall. “Sit down and pretend we’re meditating.”

  They dropped to the ground just as the group appeared.

  “Is everything all right?” Sandy asked. “We heard the strangest groaning coming from over here.”

  “Kendall was meditating,” Jake said. “Sometimes she’s loud.”

  “Well, are we ready then?” Halle asked.

  There would be no getting rid of them until they’d had their séance. He and Kendall would have to come back later tonight to check the priest hole anyway. It was too noisy to attempt with people around. “We’re ready.”

  “Do we want to have the séance by King Arthur’s grave?” Halle asked.

  “Yes,” Alice said, and Larry, Rhonda, and Sandy agreed.

  Kendall seemed distracted as they walked to King Arthur’s grave. Jake couldn’t blame her. He wanted to know what was inside that priest hole too. Was it
possible that they’d found something no one else had? If anyone knew about it, there would be some record.

  The group got into position, sitting close to the gravesite. Once again, Jake sat next to Kendall and held her hand. Rhonda managed to get on his other side. Larry sat beside her, then Halle, and Alice sat on Kendall’s left. “Join hands, everyone,” Kendall said. “Close your eyes. Clear your minds of everything but King Arthur.”

  Jake closed his eyes this time. After that last séance he couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more to his childhood dreams of King Arthur than just a kid’s daydreams and wanting to feel like he was special. Most boys wanted to be superheroes or soldiers or knights, but there had been times when his dreams felt real. He hadn’t told anyone except Lilly. She hadn’t made fun of him. She understood. She was the one who woke him if the dream got too intense. Hell of a coincidence, he thought. He’d been obsessed with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table as a kid, and now he was on a real quest.

  They sat in silence for a while, and then Kendall spoke. Jake had seen psychics on TV and movies, but there was something about Kendall’s voice that was different. “King Arthur,” she said so softly it was a whisper. “We’re here.”

  Jake felt a shiver, and Rhonda squeezed his hand. He thought he felt a breeze at his ear. Kendall called softly again, and he felt as if he were leaving his body. Like he had when he had made love to Kendall the first time. He still didn’t know if he’d imagined or sensed that couple making love in a forest, or if it was a spillover from Kendall’s visions. Maybe everyone had some kind of sixth sense. People like Kendall were just more developed.

  The feeling intensified. He couldn’t hear anything except the sound of horses and men shouting. Then he was on a battlefield. A tall knight on horseback motioned to him, and they rode down the embankment toward the enemy. He felt a kinship with the man, as if they were brothers. And he felt a dreadful sense of betrayal, as if he had done him a great wrong.

  A woman cried out, and Jake opened his eyes. He was back at the séance. His head felt thick. He saw Alice pointing at a ghostly figure near the ruins. “Merlin.”

  A white-haired old man stood near one wall a couple hundred yards away, staring at them. Everyone gasped.