The Complete 8-Book Guardians Adventure Saga
Page 20
It read, Noah’s Ark: 1 of 20.
He heard the Sentinels enter the room and felt them surround him. Sam looked up with rage in his eyes.
“Why do you defend Itai?” he blurted out. “Can’t you see what he is doing? He’s trying to claim all of these Biblical artifacts for himself! Is this someone who you protect? You protect him because he is an Antiquarian. Isn’t that right?”
One of the warriors nodded.
Sam sighed. “I have one question for you, then. If you can answer it and still feel obligated to protect Itai, then I will surrender and offer no more resistance.”
The Sentinels of the Lord looked at Sam questioningly.
He took in a deep breath, then continued. “Have Itai’s actions corresponded with the rules, guidelines, laws, or whatever the Antiquarians go by?”
The Sentinels paused as they seemed surprised by the question.
“Did you ever stop to think that Itai is acting independently of the Antiquarians?” Sam asked in a pleading tone. “I believe that you focused on the job you had to do, instead of whether you were protecting the right people.”
The young women got in a huddle, like football players. They all chattered in another language. Then they lined up again.
One of the Sentinels approached Sam in a non-threatening manner. Then she did something that caused his mouth to drop open. She spoke with a voice as soft and sweet as any he had ever heard. “What you have said deserves merit. We may have been so preoccupied with our duties that we did not look carefully at Itai’s end game. We will cause you and Achava no more harm. We will also swear that when you need us in a time of absolute peril, we will be there. This, we swear an oath to.”
Sam wished that Achava was there to see what he accomplished without any assistance. Then he wondered why he wanted the praise. It was all part of being a part of a team. “Thank you. Thank you all. Now we can all go after Itai and…”
“No,” the Sentinel interrupted. “We will interfere no longer.”
Sam looked confused. ‘Wait a minute! Didn’t you just say that in times of absolute peril you would help us? I was standing right here when you said it!”
She nodded. “That is correct. We will be there when the peril is severe. You must not have thought that her peril was too severe, because you stand and converse with us, instead of trying to save Achava.”
“What? No!” he replied, frustrated. “So you won’t help then?”
For the first time since Sam had known of the Sentinels, he saw one smile. “No,” she said calmly. “It is not as perilous as you think. In fact, the key lies right before you. Or should I say, ‘the key lies in the hands of he who you call enemy.’”
The Sentinels walked toward the back of the large room, which led into several smaller rooms through an opening. “Good fate,” said one Sentinel.
Sam looked upset. “Why don’t you say good luck?”
“There is no such thing as luck,” she replied, as she followed the rest of the ladies out of the room.
Chapter the Twenty-fourth
ACHAVA WOKE UP tied onto two large poles that were crisscrossed, forming a large letter X. Her hands were tied securely with rope, with each hand tied at the top of the X. Her legs were also tied securely, with each tied at the bottom of the X.
There was a large hole in front of her with steam rising from it. Itai stood on the other side of the hole. He had an evil look in his eyes as he stared at her. She wondered if any of the Sentinels had ever noticed that he was not a good man, but a bad one.
Achava looked around as she tried to figure out where she was. The room reminded her somewhat of the room where she had awakened earlier. She could tell that this was a smaller room with only one opening on the side that led into a larger room.
Itai still had the sword. He waved it around to tantalize her. She looked away, praying God would help her deliver it.
Her head was not restrained in any way. She looked at the hole in the wall leading to the larger room and felt uneasy. Achava realized that Itai wasn’t there as a representative of the Antiquarians. “Itai,” she said, “who are you really working for?”
“None of your business,”
“Do the Antiquarians know what you are doing?”
Itai laughed. “Of course they don’t, my dear. If they did, I would probably be killed… or worse. Haha! Now make yourself comfortable, while I free someone you might know.”
Achava had been caught off guard before, but she had no idea who Itai was talking about. She decided not to inquire about the mysterious person. That’s exactly what Itai wanted her to do. She remained quiet.
“What’s the matter, Achava? Cat got your tongue?” He tried to push her into a conversation.
She shrugged her shoulders and said nothing.
“Aren’t you even the least bit curious of who I am talking about?”
Achava broke her silence. “I am far from stupid, Itai. I know it is not someone you freed from any prison. You are not even working with such a person. You are working for someone else. Someone who must be paying you well.”
Itai had a smug look on his face, as he announced to his assistant, “Open the door.”
The double doors flew open, and Sam ran into the room. He looked at Achava and ran around the hole to get to her. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, Sam,” she said. “I’m fine.”
Sam turned toward Itai. “Let her go!”
Itai glared at Sam. “I have no intention of letting her go. She is my prisoner.”
Without saying a word, Sam turned back to Achava and proceeded to break the poles with well-placed karate chops. Achava fell to the ground and slid the ropes off her arms. She gave Sam a surprised smile. “Thanks.”
“Fool!” Itai exclaimed. He was enraged with Sam. “You are a mere mortal! You cannot stop what has been started once it is in motion.”
Sam took a step forward to face Itai. “Oh really? Well, I single-handedly got the Sentinels to leave you.”
“That’s not possible.” He sneered. “How did you do that?”
“They finally figured out that you aren’t who they thought you were!”
“No one has that kind of power.”
“You give yourself too much credit.” He pointed to Achava. “I also just freed Achava, so that you have both of us to deal with now! Oh, one more thing. I have the Staff of Moses!”
“What?” Achava questioned. “Sam! Don’t!”
Itai sneered. “Yes, Sam. Don’t. Don’t lie. Your home has been searched. You are just jealous, because I possess more power…”
“Ho-hum,” Sam said, pretending to yawn. “You’re boring me, Itai! You can’t even do anything for yourself! That was why you needed all those young ladies. You’re a coward and afraid to get your own hands dirty!”
Achava gave Sam a questioning look. He smiled and winked. He told her with that look that he knew what he was doing. He continued to smile.
The face of Itai grew red with rage. His anger increased with each moment. Sam was getting to him and Achava liked it. She decided to trust Sam, so she backed off to watch.
Sam continued taunting his enemy. “Itai,” he said, “even the Sentinels agreed that you weren’t working with the Antiquarians, so I told them to deliver a message to your former group. I said to report everything that you have done or will do in the name of… well… you.”
“No!” Itai flared. “You are nothing to me! I could kill you with one stroke of the Sword of Peter!”
“I don’t believe you have the courage.” Sam egged him on. “You’re a coward. Nothing but a coward!”
Itai approached Sam and raised the Sword of Peter. “I am going to kill you!”
Sam smiled, as he got right in his face. He sneered, “Coward.”
“Enough!” Itai said loudly, as he ran the sword through Sam’s midsection, until the sword tip stuck out of Sam’s back. Sam gasped.
Itai laughed maniacally. “I warned you! I am now your master in every way! I am the one who will bring all of the Biblical artifacts together to form one major artifact! Who is the fool now, mortal?”
“Still you,” Sam squeaked out. “You forgot something… important about the sword… you’re holding.”
“What is that?” Itai said, smugly as he held the sword firmly in place.
Sam coughed once. “You just used the Sword of Peter… on an innocent.”
Itai turned pale as he removed the sword from Sam’s gut. He stepped back with the realization of what he had just done. Achava went to help Sam as he dropped to his knees. “I’ll be okay,” he said. “The sword is like a surgeon’s hand, bringing me strength.”
The Sword of Peter had a golden glow around it. Not around Itai, just the sword. An electrical energy snaked through every pore of Itai’s body as he relinquished his grasp on Peter’s sword.
The powerful force started to consume every part of Itai that it touched, leaving only a dried husk. He screamed so loud that his shriek would be remembered by both Sam and Achava for the rest of their lives.
After a few moments, there was nothing left of Itai, except a pile of black ashes. Achava picked up the Sword of Peter. When she did, she felt small tremors under her feet. She had full power once again. “Come Sam. We must hurry and get all of the artifacts back where they belong!”
“How do we do that?” Sam asked. “I hope that yacht hasn’t sunk recently.”
She laughed. “No worries.”
The tremors became stronger. Pieces of the ceiling started to break off and smash onto the floor. “I will go to each artifact and touch it with the sword,” she said, calmly. “The sword will activate each item, so it will be transported back wherever it belongs. Right now, I need you to stay here and make sure that the hole does not get blocked!”
Sam looked at the hole. “Why? What’s so special about that hole?”
She looked at him with the utmost trust. Emphasizing every word, she said, “That’s our only way out.”
“Good reason.”
Laughing, Achava ran from the room with the Sword of Peter grasped firmly in her hands.
Chapter the Twenty-fifth
SAM GUARDED THE HOLE. Meanwhile, he checked his midsection for puncture wounds from the sword.
There were none. “I’m okay,” he said, mumbling to himself.
He remembered reading about the sword. It was just ordinary when Saint Peter used it to defend Jesus. He tried to cut the guy’s head off, but missed and only got his ear. Just being his kind self, Jesus had picked up the ear and placed it back on the guy’s head. That is how Jesus was.
The tremors worsened, and he had trouble keeping his balance. Keeping debris out of the hole was not easy either. He wondered why every place he ventured with Achava felt the need to self-destruct.
“Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.” A female voice came from behind him.
He turned to see a woman. She had long blonde hair, black shorts, a black tank top, and was covered with tattoos wherever her skin showed. Her head and neck were the only places that didn’t seem to have any. She must have been a good foot taller than Achava, as well. Only one side of her mouth formed a smile as she glared at Sam.
“I was expecting someone more warrior-like,” she said sarcastically.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked while more chunks of the ceiling fell around their feet.
She walked up to him and tried to intimidate him. It worked. He stepped backward, almost falling into the hole. “You’ll see more of me soon,” she said. “I owe you for killing my lackey.”
“What? Itai was your lackey?!” Sam was shocked.
She smiled again as she jumped into the hole he was protecting. She was gone.
“The job is done.” Achava ran back to Sam with the sword glowing. “Thankfully, Itai didn’t have that many artifacts yet.” She grabbed his hand and said, “Close your eyes and hold your breath.” They both jumped into the hole, hitting water about twenty feet down. They disappeared into the raging water, still holding their lungs full of air.
They reappeared at The Old Market, which was the central point of the city, as it had been since 1254.
“Aw, this is beautiful,” said Achava.
“Want to walk this sword back to its safe museum.”
“Certainly.”
She slid the blade down the back of her pants and pulled her shirt over the top. “That will do it.”
They walked by the freshly painted tenement houses, a couple faded old castles and stopped at a Bamberka Bistro for dinner. There were several baroque figures and a fountain at the Bistro. “The Persephene carvings are so beautiful,” he said.
“This is such a romantic evening,” she said.
He smiled and pointed across the street to a hotel. “Should we get a couple rooms for the night?”
“Yes,” she said. “I could use a hot shower.”
“Let’s deliver the sword first.”
Epilogue
Holding hands, Sam and Achava stood looking up at the Sword of Peter in its place in the Poznan Archdiocesan Museum. Achava said, “I looked around to see if anyone caught us returning it.”
“I think you are right. No one seemed to have seen us.”
He squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back. They looked in each other’s eyes and smiled. She motioned with her head toward the hotel. “Want to come up to my room?”
“Look, Achava. First, I have to tell you something.”
“Anything,” she said, cooing.
“I want to say this without sounding stupid.” He tightened his lips. “When we were underwater and you went searching for artifacts to return, someone came up to me and started talking.”
Achava lost her smile, stopped walking, and glared at Sam. “Why did you not tell me this before?”
“I… didn’t know how to bring it up,” Sam stuttered. “I mean, I’m okay, but it was weird. She was… blond and pretty.”
“She?” Achava abruptly interrupted him.
“Yes, she,” he continued. “She’s taller than you by about a foot, but looked a lot like you; it was as if you could be related. Especially since you are both warriors. She was covered in tattoos.”
Achava’s mouth dropped as her eyes widened. She looked as pale as Itai was when he realized what he did was wrong.
Sam didn’t mean to startle Achava.
He did not like the look on her face, and was sorry he mentioned it. Her eyes teared up. “I thought I killed her the last time I saw her. I’m sure Itai was working for her and not with her.”
“Who is she?”
“That, my dear Samuel Godfrey… was my half-sister.”
“I’m sorry!” he said. “I should have told you about her when we first hit dry land.”
“No,” she said quietly. “It’s not your fault. I just thought she was dead. That’s all.”
“I wonder how many more secrets you have hidden in your little brain.”
“Things happen too fast to sit down and discuss all the ramifications.”
“I guess you are right. We’ll have to know each other a lot better before we can discuss marriage.”
“You’ve got that one right.”
The End
To be continued in:
The Fleece of Gideon
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THE FLEECE OF GIDEON
by
SUMMER LEE
A Guardians Adventure #3
The Fleece of Gideon
Published by Summer Lee
Copyright © 2014 by Summer Lee
All rights reserved.
Ebook Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook
may not be re-sold. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Dedication
To John, always.
The Fleece of Gideon
Chapter the First
ACHAVA SAW THE FEROCITY of the lion.
The roar reminded her of when she had to take on an entire pride once. She did everything in her power to subdue the beasts, because unlike humans, she knew that they were just protecting their family. Once the alpha male was stopped, the female was the only one she had to deal with to satiate the situation. She smiled as she remembered. She ended up not killing any of them. She just turned their attention to a herd of elk that miraculously appeared. She never stopped thanking God for that distraction.
She watched Sam’s apparent pleasure over the entire situation. That animal was being tortured! She stood up while feeling anger wash over her.
She felt Sam’s hand gently grab her arm. “It’s okay Achava. He’s not being hurt.”
Achava tilted her head toward him. “Do you know what the different cries of the lion mean, Sam? Do you know how to tell the difference between the cry of a wounded animal and the cry for its mate?”
She saw his hesitation as he looked for the least offensive words he could say. “No,” he finally answered. “I can honestly say that I don’t know what that lion is feeling. Maybe I made a mistake. I’m sorry.”
“Blame is a thing that cannot be yours this time,” she said, without turning her anger toward him. Achava had become more in control over her emotions since the mishaps with her two Soul Merges. Every time she felt her feelings coming to the surface, she taught herself to catch them, before she expressed them. She quickly analyzed the necessity to use each emotion on a case-by-case basis. Her mind was as swift and powerful as her body and soul, and she felt that it was about time she added it to her arsenal of natural abilities she possessed.