“And you’re saying this is one of those places?”
Cass shrugged. “I don’t know for certain. But I do know when I come here, no matter how strongly I feel about something, nothing breaks unless I specifically focus on it. It could be because of the place, or because of Aunt Minerva. I tend to think it’s the former, though I used to think differently.”
“What changed your mind?”
“This is the first time I’ve been here without Aunt Minerva. And believe me, I was feeling some pretty deep emotions a bit ago.”
“You were?”
Cass shifted so she sat on Nic’s lap. “Uh-huh.” She trailed a finger down his bare chest to the waistband of his jeans. “And if you think I wasn’t, then you’re pretty dense.”
She leaned back, letting her robe fall open. Even in the dim light, she could see the reflection of the fire in his eyes—and it didn’t come exclusively from the stove. “I told you earlier, you are my past, my present, and my future. What I said is true. I don’t know if what is happening between us is because of us or because of this amulet, but I want to think this is real and not magic. I’ve known you less than a week, but I do know I love you, Nicodemus.”
Nic pulled her close. “You are my then, my now, my forever. We will face what is coming together. And you’re wrong. What we have is magic. Only magic can define what I feel.”
“Nothing will part us ever again.” Cass rose and led him back to their bed. Their lovemaking showed them both exactly what words could not convey.
* * * *
“Where is she?” William paced the length of his room. Though it comprised nearly half of the wing, he found it confining. He’d put a lot of money into the building of the hotel. Though the outside appeared unfinished, most of the inside had been completed under his direction months ago. The rooms for specially chosen people on the lower floors, the meeting areas, all those finished. But, though rich and comfortable, it still sat on this side of the doorway and not in Lemuria. Once he had the keys in his possession, he’d be able to return to his real home.
How he longed for the civility and order of the magic realm. The gentle breezes and pure land were the embodiment of Eden, Paradise, and Utopia all rolled into one. Though he wanted to return, he also wanted the notoriety that opening the door to the realm as a conqueror would bring him. And to restore the power of the Brotherhood. They’d been exiled once, but never again. Once he had the keys, the power to control the doorway would be his. He’d build the Brotherhood back up and they would once again rule.
William stopped pacing and stared out at the dark. Where had his Cassandra gone? The brothers had found her—then lost her. She’d led them a merry chase, then disappeared. He turned to his latest protégé, standing in the doorway with a blank stare on his face. At least this one had some intelligence. He passed his hand in front of the man’s face. “Awake,” William said. “Where did you lose them?”
The man blinked several times, shook his head, and then stared at William. “On Cruze Road.”
“You searched the entire road?” The man’s face showed his fear. Good. Let him and his kind know what power could do when held in the right hands.
“Yes sir.”
“Are there any side roads off that one?”
“Not that we saw, sir. But I’ll search again in the morning. Maybe we missed something.”
“Maybe? Maybe?” He got into the man’s face, enjoying the flinch and wide-eyed fear he saw. “Of course you missed something. You will pick me up at daylight, and take me out there.”
“Yes sir.”
“Go. Leave me.” William turned away from the idiot before he killed him. Maybe when he had the power of the keys behind him, he’d rid this world of idiots like this one. But first, he needed the power—before another one got it. He didn’t want a struggle for the rule of Lemuria, but if that’s what it came down to, so be it. He would prevail. How could he not? He stumbled, then dropped into his chair, exhaustion overcoming him.
Chapter 13
Cass lay next to Nic, her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Their lovemaking had been incredible. But something had happened in the final moments, and it had nothing to do with shattering windows. More like shattering boundaries.
As she reached her peak, Cass experienced a blinding flash that stopped time. She saw herself and Nic wandering through a land where magic lived every day. In addition to the faeries and pixies she already knew about, she saw other beings and beasts she’d thought only existed in children’s stories.
She and Nic spoke with them, with their leaders. They toured a place of peace and beauty, but one that also had a dark past. A past that included violence and hunger for power.
A horrible war had been fought with great losses on both sides, but finally, the traitors had been beaten. After weeks of discussions, the survivors decided to banish the rebels to a far world, one where magic didn’t exist. A spell would be placed on them to contain their powers. The doorway between the two realms could be accessed only through the use of four keys held in sacred trust by four Keepers.
At specific times, the door would be opened, and the fate of the traitors or their heirs would be reevaluated. If their outlook had changed, they would be welcomed back to the realm of magic. If not, the doorway would again be sealed.
The Keepers would be humans endowed with magic powers, but have normal human lifespans. No amount of magic could change the length of life. The original rebels had formed the Brotherhood of Ahmit, and vowed revenge and destruction of the magic realm.
Cass saw herself in all her lifetimes. And Nic. They’d been together before, but never for long and each time, they met death at the hands of the Brotherhood. She saw all this and more in less time than it took to blink. And she knew, finally, the weight of her task.
She waited until Nic’s deep breathing told her he slept soundly. As quietly as possible, she rose from the bed, grabbed her robe, and slipped out to the living room. She stared into the fire and what she saw there bothered her. She now knew exactly what she wore around her neck, what it opened, and how important it was that they keep the door shut to the Brotherhood. Their vengeance continued to this day; her e-mails showed proof of that—and of their violence.
“Cass?” She jumped as Nic sat down beside her.
“This isn’t just about me, is it, Nic?”
“No. I’m assuming you had the same dream I had?”
“Is that what it was?” Cass chewed her lip. What had happened to her? To them?
“What else could it be?” Nic asked.
“It felt as if a door opened in my mind.”
“And mine. Though we have each gone by different names, you are my lady,” Nic said. “Though I’ve seen portions of this dream before.”
“When?”
“Minerva took me there.”
“I belonged to that man, William.” She shuddered. “He’s horrible.”
“You saw another lifetime and another place. He may have purchased your body, but he did not have your heart.”
“Never!” Cass shook her head to emphasize her denial.
“And I would have slain him myself, had I been able.” He rose from the futon and puttered in the kitchen.
Cass continued to stare into the fire. “I know what Aunt Minerva told us, but half the time, I never know if what she’s talking about is real or not.”
“I thought I was the skeptic here.”
“Come on, Nic. We’re talking about a realm where magic is the rule, not the exception. Like Atlantis, it’s a myth.” She heard the microwave and briefly wondered what Nic had made.
“And shattering windows and healing with a thought is real?” He set two cups of hot cocoa on the coffee table, and sat next to her, gathering her into his arms. “Cass, I can’t say I believe in everything that’s happened, but I do know this—whatever the next day brings, I will be with you.”
“Because you have to?”
“No. Because I
want to.”
“Nic, are we going into this too fast?”
“How can you say that after what we’ve just seen? We may have only known each other a few days here and now, but I’ve known you far longer.”
“Do you think William is still the leader of the Brotherhood?”
“It seems likely. At least we know what he looks like. We know we can fight him. And we know we can win. He’s never been able to open the doorway.”
“But at what cost, Nic? Our lives? Our love?”
“A small price to pay to save a world or two, don’t you think?”
Cass laid her head against Nic’s shoulder, and together they watched the fire in silence until the sun rose.
Nic fixed breakfast while Cass stoked the fire. They didn’t have much in the way of fresh produce, but Nic had no problems with what they had in storage. And they only had to make it one more day. The others would be here tomorrow, and they would have the security of numbers, and the power of the keys.
One more day.
“Nic? I’m going out to get some more wood.”
“Do you want me to get it?”
“Nah. I’ll just be a minute. But those pancakes better be ready by the time I get back. I’m famished.”
Her heart fluttered at the sight of his smile. She grabbed the wood sling and went out to the barn. And walked right into the arms of William’s thugs.
Before she could utter a sound, a heavy hand holding a cloth covered her mouth. Thick arms imprisoned hers. She struggled, but with each gasp, she inhaled more of the sickeningly sweet smell. Her vision grew blurry and faded.
* * * *
Nic flipped the last of the pancakes onto a warm platter and set it on the table. What was taking Cass so long? He stepped out onto the back porch. “Cass?”
The wind blew flurries at him and he shivered—but not from the cold. He sensed something—something evil.
“Cass?” He stepped from the porch, and studied the light dusting of snow covering the ground. Her tracks headed for the woodpile on the side of the barn. But other tracks joined, then covered hers.
Nic reached for his gun and followed her path, cursing himself for his stupidity. He’d let his guard down—again. And now Cass was in trouble. He reached the woodpile and stopped. Multiple prints muddied the snow but one thing shone out—a symbol had been burned into the wall. A triangle with a jewel in the shape of an eye in the center. The Brotherhood had Cass.
Nic’s blood chilled, then heated as anger took over, before cold logic finally settled into his veins. He wouldn’t get anywhere running off unprepared. He went into the barn and pulled a large leather case from behind the seat of his truck. He hauled the case into the house, sat it on the table, and spun the coded locks. When they popped, Nic opened the flaps revealing a long saber, leather arm protectors, a heavy leather vest, and knee-high boots—Minerva’s gift to him.
He tugged on the gauntlets and the boots and strapped on the scabbard, then took the sword out and swiped the blade through the air a few times. The balance was perfect. He also checked the load on his gun. Just because he knew how to use a sword didn’t mean a gun wouldn’t come in handy.
Outside, he tracked the footprints through the woods to the end of the lane and saw fresh tracks from an SUV.
He went back to his truck and took off. He’d not be able to find them now, but he knew who could.
A short time later, he pounded on the door of Minerva’s apartment. “Minerva! If you’re in there, answer the damned door! Cass is gone!”
The door flew open and Nic stepped inside. “Minerva?”
He walked through the empty rooms, his footsteps echoing. Two days ago, these rooms had been filled with furniture and the stuff of life. Now, nothing—not even a dust bunny.
Except for four pictures on the wall. He studied them. He’d seen exactly the same ones in Cass’ apartment and in the cabin, except these showed snow on the ground so realistic he reached out to touch one just to see if it was wet and cold.
“Nicodemus?”
He pulled his hand back as Minerva emerged from a room he’d just searched—and found empty.
“She’s gone, Minerva. I’ve lost her. Again.”
“Not yet, Nicodemus, but you may if you don’t act soon. The Brotherhood has her.”
“Do you know where?”
Minerva closed her eyes. “I cannot see them, but she is safe for the moment.” Minerva chuckled. “She is angry. I can almost feel sorry for them.”
“How angry?”
“I’d start looking for places without windows, wood doors, or anything else of the earth.”
Nic pulled a local map out of his coat pocket. “They left the cabin less than an hour ago. That’s still a lot of territory to cover. Can you give me anything else?”
“No. But you have a connection with her. You will find her.”
“Me? I’m a fighter. I don’t have any power.”
Minerva stared at him, and he got a brief impression of her standing in a dark room in front of a large loom. The image disappeared as soon as it hit him.
“You…I know you.”
“Yes, Nicodemus. But you know Cassandra better. Use your senses. Use your gift. You will find her if you believe.”
A loud bang outside had Nic drawing his sword and spinning around. By the time he realized the noise had been nothing more than a car backfiring, Minerva had disappeared.
“Minerva?” He searched each room—each closet and even banged on the walls looking for hidden doors. Nothing. And the pictures had disappeared as well.
“What the hell is going on? And now what do I do?” he asked the room. Silence echoed back at him.
He sighed. “She told me to use my gift. What gift? How am I supposed to find her? Cass! Where are you?”
“Nic?”
Nic spun around. Nothing. “Cass? Where are you?”
“Nic? I’m here. With you.”
Nic closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. He heard her in his mind. How? “Cass? Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?” He bounded down the steps and got in his truck.
“I don’t know. It looks kind of like a hotel room. But I don’t know which one. They all look the same. I do know it’s not the one where we stayed or the inn. And it must be a recent building. It still has that ‘new’ smell.”
“How upset are you?”
“Mad enough. Why?”
“Mad enough to break a window or two?”
He could sense her humor. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Nic pulled out his local map. Two chain hotels in town—on opposite ends. Several others a little farther out. Plus all the ones in the nearby towns. But no new ones. “Cass, can you see anything in the hotel that gives you a name? Or anything that will tell me which one you’re at?”
“There’s not really anything I can see from my position. I’m tied up.”
“With rope?”
“With nylon rope and plastic binders and tied to plastic pipes. Nothing I can do to get loose.”
Nic played a hunch and headed north. “Start bursting windows. I’ll find you, Cass. I promise.”
“I’m counting on it.”
“Is anyone there?”
“Not at the moment. But he was. His name is William. He had the nerve to apologize for binding me in this room, claiming his room wouldn’t do. Too many breakables.”
Nic sensed the waves of revulsion coming from her. If that bastard had touched her…there would be no remorse for what Nic would do. “Keep breaking what you can. I’ll be there.”
Nic pounded the steering wheel. There were six traffic lights on the main street in town, and he managed to catch every single one of them red. Plus holiday traffic added to the usual congestion. He kept in contact with Cass as he drove.
“Nic? The windows are broken. And my guards took off. Guess the breaking glass scared them.”
“That’
s good.” He pulled into a hotel parking lot and circled the building. All the windows were intact. “Damn. Cass? Is there an easier way to get across this blasted town?”
With Cass directing him, he managed to make the return trip in half the time it had taken him to get out. He drove around the second hotel. All intact. Nothing. He pounded the steering wheel again.
“Cass!”
“Nic! I am here! You…you have to calm down. Please. I can’t—I can’t contain…”
Nic halted in midpound as an explosion rocked his truck. There. Across the road, hidden behind a screen of trees and a low construction fence. A large sign announcing extensive renovations to an older hotel and new building. He tore out of the parking lot and drove as close to the construction site as he could. Two black SUVs sat to one side of a partially constructed building. Nic had a feeling the structure had been a lot more constructed a few minutes ago. He parked his truck in the shelter of the trees and scaled the fence.
“Cass?” he yelled in his head, but kept his voice silent. He didn’t know who else would be around, and didn’t want to risk getting her in more trouble.
Using what cover he could, Nic dashed to where the destruction looked the worst. Her lack of answer scared him. What had happened? What had she meant? What couldn’t she contain?
“Cass?”
Two men sat on the bumper of the front vehicle. One held his arm close to his chest while the other held a bloody cloth to his head. Nic crept close to listen to them.
“William will have our heads for this.”
“What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know, but this is getting too weird for me.”
“Yeah. The money’s okay, but when he started talking altars and sacrifices—”
“Think we should get out?”
“Think we can?”
“We’ve got the car and he won’t be back for a while. We can get pretty far.”
Nic heard enough. He stepped out, his gun in one hand, sword in the other. Both thugs just stared at him, their faces as white as the snow on the trees.
The Emerald Key Page 15
