Perceive, Mosaic Chronicles Book Three

by Andrea Pearson

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Perceive

  Mosaic Chronicles Book Three

  Andrea Pearson

  Copyright © 2015 Andrea Pearson

  Book design and layout copyright © 2015 Andrea Pearson

  Cover copyright © 2015 Andrea Pearson, Pearson Photography, and James E. Curwen

  Series by Andrea Pearson:

  Kilenya

  Kilenya Romances

  Kilenya Adventures

  Mosaic Chronicles

  Ranch City Academy

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction, and the views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author. Likewise, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are represented fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Summary: Nicole Williams is determined to figure out how to Channel her magical abilities properly. In order to do so, she must travel to Moses Lake, WA, to work under the tutelage of Albert, an elderly man who owns a creepy manor and a cello that actually works for her.

  While visiting Albert, Nicole learns that a meteor has struck somewhere on his property, spreading a poison that infects the minds of anyone nearby, especially the family that lives closest to it.

  Hoping for answers, Nicole decides to read the possessed leather book that has called to her for several months. Through reading, she discovers that the meteor is not as random as once thought, and that her purpose for being at Moses Lake is much higher than just learning to Channel with the proper cello.

  Will Nicole be able to help the family and successfully complete the mission set out for her in the journal? Or will the poison destroy them all, including Nicole and her friends?

  http://katonuniversityseries.blogspot.com/

  Dedication

  To Roberta Hughes

  One of the toughest women I know.

  Your example uplifts me and your friendship gives me warm fuzzies. :-) I love you!

  Chapter One

  Nicole’s body ached from sitting in the same position for several hours. She’d never liked long car rides, and though this was nowhere near the longest she’d experienced, it still made her antsy and cranky. She couldn’t wait to get out and stretch her legs.

  At least the company had been good—her best friend, Lizzie, sat next to her on the backseat. Professor Coolidge was driving, with Austin, one of the best-looking guys she’d ever met, sitting up front with him. The two had conversed more with each other than they had with the girls, but every now and then, their conversation spilled over, and Nicole had the opportunity to learn something new about the world she’d grown up in.

  Nicole was an Arete—the fourth child born to her parents—and as such, she had magical abilities. All Fourths did. Because she had naturally blond hair, her powers originated from the element Wind, but she’d only been able to Channel her abilities a few times.

  Lizzie was a redhead and could manipulate Fire to a degree. Austin and Coolidge were both dark-headed and controlled Earth. Because most of the people on the planet had dark hair of some shade or another—Asians, blacks, Middle Easterners, and such—their abilities were a little more common than Lizzie’s and Nicole’s. This created a lot more competition for them, forcing the more powerful to branch into Wind and Fire and sometimes even Water, which was represented by dirty blond or light brown hair and was the second most-common ability.

  That was what the men were discussing up front while Nicole stared out the window, wishing their trip to Moses Lake, Washington would hurry up and end. They’d been in the car for two-and-a-half hours.

  She turned her thoughts from the conversation and let them stray to the manor on the far side of Moses Lake they would be visiting, and the old man who owned it. Coolidge had been quiet about the reason they were heading there, though he had let on that it would hugely impact Nicole’s ability to Channel. She figured it had to do with her focus—the cello—which meant Coolidge had most likely gotten his hands on one.

  Nicole sighed. She’d found a cello in Ohio that helped her Channel, but it—and the woman who owned it—had disappeared while she’d been studying there for three weeks.

  “Nicole,” Coolidge said, “I’ve already told you this trade was difficult to arrange, and Austin says you’ve guessed that it’s a cello. Well, Albert wants to see you play it before he’ll allow you to take it back with us. Just . . . be careful with this instrument, okay? He’s very attached to it.”

  “Of course.”

  Soon, they were driving through the streets of Moses Lake, then turning onto and following Wheeler Road. Nicole watched as acres and acres of farmland passed on either side of them. After twenty minutes, the landscape began to be dotted with trees.

  “We’re not far now,” Coolidge said, peering into the distance.

  Nicole watched as the trees turned into a heavy forest. It somehow seemed unnatural, though she couldn’t put her finger on why. A foreign feeling accompanied the massive, twisted trees that towered over the car and cast them all into dark shadows.

  Coolidge slowed, then turned onto a newly paved road. They pulled up to a large, ornate gate and he rolled down the window and punched in a code. The gates opened, admitting entrance, and the car continued onward.

  Five minutes after passing through the gates, Nicole caught glimpses of the manor, but it wasn’t until they entered a huge clearing that she saw everything in full. Her jaw dropped.

  She had grown up in a wealthy family with a large estate, but her house had nothing on this place. Turrets and towers pierced the sky. Gables and heavy beams seemed to go for a mile at least. The place must have been tens of thousands of square feet. It was large enough to house a village.

  Dead vines crawled up most of the walls—Nicole guessed that if it had been summer, the vines would be green and lush. But at the beginning of November, they only made the place look dead and creepy.

  “Brings to mind Rose Red, doesn’t it?” Coolidge asked.

  Austin and Nicole nodded. That about summed up Nicole’s feelings.

  Lizzie hissed to Nicole, “What’s Rose Red?”

  “Stephen King,” Nicole said. “You wouldn’t like it.”

  “Well, I think this place is beautiful.” Lizzie sighed. “And romantic.”

  Coolidge chuckled. “Don’t read or watch Rose Red, and you can keep that opinion.”

  An older man—probably Albert—waited on the porch, a serene smile on his face, arms behind his back. He wore a Mr. Rogers sweater—the red, zip-up type—and faded slacks.

  Coolidge pulled the car to a stop, and the four of them exited, Nicole stretching her back, getting out a few pops.

  Albert app
roached Coolidge, and they shook hands and hugged. Nicole watched Albert closely, waiting for him to exhibit characteristics of someone who lived in a creepy old manor, but the man was kind, gentle, and warm.

  He invited them inside, and Nicole was surprised to find that the interior of the house was incredibly clean. No dust or cobwebs anywhere. It was in pristine condition. She smiled. Her mom would approve.

  The house had been upgraded a few times since having been built, and modern light fixtures graced the walls and ceilings. Albert kept the place well lit, and Nicole appreciated that.

  After passing several halls and rooms and taking many turns, they entered a room that had stringed instrument corpses and parts hanging on the walls—bridges, scrolls, necks, and other sections, along with whole instruments. It had never occurred to Nicole that instruments could be creepy, but here they were.

  “I’m surprised your car made it this far,” Albert said after they’d all been seated on worn, but clean brown couches.

  Coolidge frowned. “Why?”

  “Ever since the meteor hit, machines haven’t been working very well in this area. We’re fine in here, but cars have completely stalled in parts of the driveway.”

  Coolidge raised his eyebrows. “I haven’t heard anything about a meteor. How big was it?”

  “Five feet across. And it didn’t really fall from the sky, which is probably why you haven’t heard anything. It just sort of exploded into the middle of my property, right next to the home of a man who’s been employed by my family for years. We had people come out and test the metal, and the only conclusive thing they came up with is that it wasn’t from earth. But the fact that it didn’t fall from the sky says it has to be.” He leaned back in his seat. “It’s a complete mystery.”

  “I’d like to see it,” Coolidge said. “And I’m sure my students would as well.”

  Nicole, Austin, and Lizzie all nodded.

  “Can’t. It’s gone now.”

  Nicole frowned. Gone? Too bad. It would have been awesome to see.

  “How?” Coolidge asked. “Taken away by the ‘authorities’?”

  “Nope,” Albert said. “We had a severe rainstorm a few days ago. The meteor was struck multiple times by lightning, then disappeared completely.”

  No one said anything for a moment, then finally, Albert turned to Austin. “Professor Coolidge has told me about you. You’re quite accomplished.”

  Austin glanced at him briefly and nodded, then stared at a spot above Albert’s head. Nicole smiled to herself. She knew Austin well enough to recognize that he wasn’t enjoying the attention, especially from someone he wasn’t familiar with. She ached to join him on his couch and rub his hand, helping him get out of himself, but she resisted. The last time they’d talked, while flying home from Arches National Park, she’d gotten the impression that yes, he was interested in her, but that he was struggling with knowing whether to date her or to get back with his ex-girlfriend, Savannah.

  That didn’t make it easier to control her impulse, though. And for the first time in a while, she let her eyes explore his features, enjoying the curves and angles—the perfection—of his face.

  “How many of the four main elements can you control now?” Albert asked him.

  Austin glanced at him, then away. “All but one—Wind.”

  “Makes sense. You shouldn’t be far off from that one, though.”

  Nicole had recently learned that Arete abilities formed a sort of cycle, with the ability just above each Arete being the easiest to learn, while the one directly below was hardest. Earth, Water, Fire, Wind. Austin, as an Earth Arete, was struggling to learn Wind, but had quickly grasped Water. Nicole would learn the elements gradually too—Wind, Earth, Water, then finally, Fire, if she stuck with it. Which she planned on doing.

  “How do you like looking after the house on your own?” Coolidge asked after another moment of silence.

  Albert shrugged. “It’s nothing—I’m used to doing most everything by myself anyway. It saves a great deal of money.”

  Lizzie frowned. “But you’re a billionaire—Coolidge said so. Why do you need to save money?”

  Albert’s eyes twinkled. “You’re a very forthright young lady, Miss Lizzie.”

  Lizzie looked at her feet. “Sorry, I just . . . I’m just curious.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I don’t mind questions.” He leaned back in his chair. “People get rich by living within their means and not getting into debt. Yes, I inherited a lot of money and land, but the habits of my parents and grandparents who lived through the Great Depression aren’t easily shed, and I’ve nearly quadrupled my inheritance.” He pointed to an old lemonade stand in the corner. “I’ve had that since I was four and mature enough to understand the concept behind a product in exchange for money. My father built it for me.”

  His eyes clouded over, and he appeared to be deep in thought. Several silent moments passed, and Nicole met eyes with Lizzie, wondering how or if they should break the silence. It was awkward, like wool fabric against sensitive skin.

  “Albert?” Coolidge asked. “Are you all right?”

  Albert shook himself. “Yes, I’m fine. I . . . I’ve had two Aretes become deathly ill nearly the minute they enter the forest behind the manor. It’s presenting a problem, and I’m finding myself frequently distracted.” He glanced at the girls. “Lest you think my mind skips around a lot, there was a small connection. My father fell ill with pneumonia and died from complications. I’ve had a bit of a cold that just doesn’t seem to go away. It’s pretty much unrelated, but those two Aretes have had me thinking a lot about mortality lately.”

  He straightened. “Would anyone like a glass of lemonade?”

  All four of his visitors said yes, and he jumped to his feet, insisting on doing it himself.

  A moment later, when everyone had a glass in his or her hand, Albert glanced at Nicole. “It’s time to introduce you to Niko.”

  “Niko?” Lizzie asked.

  “My cello. Named after cellist and composer Nikolaus Kraft.”

  “You gave your cello a nickname?” Lizzie said. “That’s kind of cute.”

  Albert smiled. “Thank you, Miss Lizzie. I’ve always striven for ‘kind of cute.’ Maybe I should have made full cute my goal, but alas, I didn’t.” He turned to Nicole. “How long have you been playing?”

  “Since I was five.”

  Albert nodded. “Do you enjoy the cello?”

  “Oh, yes. Very much.”

  “Are you any good?”

  Nicole felt a flush cross her cheeks, and she glanced at Austin for a moment. He gave her a half smile, warming her insides, and she looked back at Albert. “Well . . . I . . .” She cleared her throat. “Yes, I believe I have a gift.”

  Albert nodded. “Before I make any decisions, I’d like to hear you play, if that’s all right.” He smiled, leaning forward. “But you need to understand something. I’ve been invited to several private concerts by both Yo-Yo Ma and Bernard Greenhouse.”

  Nicole wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She definitely wasn’t as talented as either man, but she wasn’t horrible, either. She hoped Albert would approve of her playing. “Um . . . okay.”

  “Well, I’ll get the instrument.” Albert stood and left the room.

  It didn’t take long for him to return. He set the case in front of Nicole, then opened it, showing her the cello. She reached for it, but he shook his head.

  “No, I’ll do that myself.” He undid a strap around the neck, then pulled out the cello, holding it for a moment, hesitating. Obviously, it meant a lot to him.

  After looking at it for a while, he finally handed it to Nicole.

  The instant the instrument was in Nicole’s hands, she felt an electrical charge run through her, lifting her hair, making her feel lighter than air for a moment. A floating sensation from the charge made her limbs raise unbidden. It was accompanied by a rush of warmth that enveloped her.

  She smiled, welcoming the feeling,
and glanced at the others. “Did anyone sense that?”

  Albert leaned back in his seat. “Even I did, and I’m not an Arete. Clearly, the cello calls to you.” He motioned to her. “Don’t Channel your powers. Just play.”

  Nicole did so, starting with a selection by Dvorak, then moving on to Camille Saint-Saens. At first, it was easy. The notes seemed to sing and breathe their way out of the cello. But after a moment, Nicole could sense a pull on the magical currents that quietly surrounded her. She felt them flowing toward the ocean of magic that had started to build again after her return from Ohio. She struggled to contain them. To prevent the dam from bursting.

  Her mouth popped open, realizing that for the first time, she was pushing her powers away rather than begging them to flow to her. Weird! And wonderful!

  She played for several minutes, casually noticing—but pretending not to notice—the expressions of those around her. Lizzie was grinning. Coolidge was nodding, a look of pride on his face. Albert’s eyes were closed, enjoying the melodies.

  And Austin . . . Austin. He watched her closely, enraptured. Their gazes met. Nicole felt a thrill at the intensity of his expression, at the possessiveness there, the pride, the sense of protection she felt in his gaze. Her heart warmed, the heat spreading to her stomach and into her legs and arms. How was it possible that this talented and powerful man was interested in and attracted to her?

  After several minutes, Albert motioned for her to stop and took the cello from her. “I don’t want you playing unless you are in the presence of at least one other Arete or myself. Never alone—not until you master your powers.” He put the cello back into the case, fastening the straps and zipper. “Your professor tells me you exhibit great strengths—that you have abilities waiting to be released. I don’t want you damaging my instrument.”

  “Especially since she already controls wood to an extent,” Austin said.