The Dragons Blood Key: Legend of the Dragon's Blood Key - Book 1

by Linda L Barton

  Steve looked in the backseat and wondered how Donna’s grandmother would ever be able to handle two sixteen-year-old girls and one rambunctious thirteen-year-old boy. “I hope so,” Steven grinned nervously.

  Mr. Saunders noticed the worried expression on Steve’s face. “You have nothing to fear. You two go have a lovely vacation and I will return the children to you next week.”

  Steve looked at Donna and saw the look of relief on her face. “Thank you, Mr. Saunders.”

  Before Mr. Saunders got in the backseat of the limousine with the children, Steve and Donna leaned down and looked inside. “Goodbye, and have a good time,” they said in unison.

  “Goodbye,” the children all said.

  Once Mr. Saunders got in the back, the driver closed the door then returned to the driver’s seat.

  As Steve and Donna stood on the sidewalk, watching the long, black limousine pull out on the street and drive away; they wondered what adventures lay ahead for them.

  Donna turned to Steve and said, “Well, we need to get to the port. We wouldn’t want to miss the ship.”

  Chapter 3

  The flight on the private jet was quite exciting for Melissa, Cassy, and Aaron. They had flown on an airplane once before, but it was not as lush as this one.

  Aaron was thrilled when Mr. Saunders had showed him the laptop computer with several games he could play during the flight. Melissa had spent most of the flight talking to her friends on the private telephone while Cassy spent her time in the cockpit having the pilot explain the purpose of each button and switch on the console.

  “Children, it’s time to take your seats and secure your seatbelts. We will be landing soon.” Mr. Saunders walked over to Aaron and took the laptop computer away from him, and returned it to the secure drawer for safe keeping.

  “Ah, man, I was almost done with that level,” Aaron whined.

  “I’m sure you will have the opportunity to complete that level on the flight home,” Mr. Saunders said as he locked the drawer holding the computer.

  “Wow, is that great-grandmother’s house?” Melissa said excitedly as she pointed out of the window at the large mansion overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

  “Yes, it is. Now, please sit, Miss Melissa,” Mr. Saunders said in a stern tone.

  “Dang, it’s big like a castle,” Cassy grinned. Cassy was amazed at the large stone mansion with what appeared to be a tall tower facing out over the ocean. She had always had faint memories of visiting her great-grandmother in the big castle years ago, but she had come to believe that it was nothing more than the memories of a small child.

  “This is really cool. She does live in a castle,” Cassy giggled softly.

  “Yes, it is, Miss Cassandra. Now, please sit,” Mr. Saunders said as he checked each child’s seatbelt, before taking his own seat.

  The Wilham estate overlooked the Atlantic Ocean, on one of the many small islands dotting the Maine coastline. The family had settled on the island nearly two-hundred years ago when the first of the Wilham’s decided to come to America. James Wilham had started the family business with one small fishing boat, but over the years, his business grew into one of the largest fleets in the area. He had built the sprawling mansion on the east side of the island so that his wife could always watch for him to return from his time at sea.

  The joys and pains of life had filled the house over the years, from the births of children to the death of loved ones. Abigail Wilham was born on a cold winter’s night in the old house. She had come into the world crying and ready to face whatever life had ahead of her. Her parents had loved her dearly and had plans for their lives, but on a warm summer’s eve, they both died in an automobile accident on their way home from an outing in the city.

  Of course, this had devastated Abigail, as her parents were her world, but with time and the love of her grandfather, she had learned to laugh again.

  Thomas Wilham traveled the world because of his business, so each time he would return home it was a grand affair. The house servants would always prepare a special meal with all the grandeur a little girl would desire. The table was set with the finest china and crystal, the soft glow of candles filled the room, and Abigail would dress in a beautiful gown while her Grandfather donned his best tuxedo with tails.

  On one of his trips, Abigail’s grandfather had returned with a special gift for her. It was an old book bound in leather and a large, red jewel placed in the center of the outer cover.

  “Oh Grandfather, it’s beautiful.” Abigail reached for the book, wanting to look more closely at it.

  “My dear, this is not a book that you read like the others in our library. It’s ancient and extremely valuable. Do you see the red stone?”

  Abigail shook her head with her eyes transfixed on the jewel.

  “I was told that it’s called The Blood Key. It’s a perfectly cut ruby stone, so you must be careful with it. I have a man making a glass case to keep the book in for safe keeping, but that way we will still be able to see it.” Her grandfather was saddened when he saw the disappointed look on her face.

  “But Grandfather, can’t I read it just once? I promise not to damage it,” Abigail pleaded.

  Her grandfather reached out and gently touched her cheek. “I’m sorry, my dear, but I need you to promise me that you will not touch the book. It’s very fragile, so touching the pages may cause damage that cannot be repaired.”

  Abigail looked down at the deep red stone and could not help but wonder why it seemed to draw her to it. She wanted to protest again, but she knew her grandfather would not change his mind.

  “Yes, Grandfather, I promise,” she said with sadness in her eyes.

  Several weeks passed and Abigail would sneak into the library to stare at the strange book for hours. She wanted to open the glass case, but she had promised her grandfather that she would leave it alone. For some strange reason, just having the book nearby seemed to ease her loneliness whenever her grandfather was away on his business trips.

  Yet, sometimes life gives us an unforeseen twist. One afternoon, the tragic news arrived that her grandfather’s airplane was missing. He was on his way home but had flown into a storm and no one had heard from him since. Abigail had paced the halls of the old house, waiting for news of her grandfather’s return, but with each passing day, his chance for a safe return grew evermore slim.

  Everyone had tried to convince her that he was gone, but in her heart, she knew he would return to her as he had always promised. He was the center of her world, so she was not prepared to accept his death.

  She had tried to be brave, but as the days progressed, she felt more alone. One afternoon, while wandering through the large house she ended up in the library, gazing at the strange book in the glass case. She had looked around the room as though her grandfather would walk through the door at any instant and remind her to leave the book alone.

  “Grandfather, why did you leave me? I live in this house full of servants, yet I still feel alone. Please come back to me,” Abigail cried as she rested her hand on top of the glass case.

  As she cried, a strange sensation moved through her hand. It was a soft tingling, like the wings of butterflies fluttering against your skin.

  Abigail pulled her hand away and the tingling stopped. She then looked at her hand and returned it to the glass box.

  “How strange, I don’t remember it doing that before,” Abigail giggled softly.

  “I wonder…” she held her breath and slowly opened the glass case.

  Suddenly, bright-colored lights shot from the glass box like fireworks filling the night sky. The vibrant lights filled the room, dancing in the air. Abigail jumped back, unsure of what was happening until she heard a soft voice come from inside the box.

  “Come to me, Abigail.”

  “What? Who are you?” Abigail stepped forward and looked down at the book.

  “Come to me, Abigail,” the voice said again, but Abigail now noticed the ruby stone attached to th
e book began to glow.

  “Please Abigail, we need your help,” the voice pleaded.

  Abigail did not know what to do. Was this actually happening, or was it a strange dream? More of the brightly colored lights shot from the box, but this time they wrapped around Abigail; spinning so quickly that she began to feel dizzy.

  “Please help us, Abigail. All you need to do is touch the Blood Key,” the voice cried out with urgency.

  Abigail’s mind spun wildly as she reached out and touched the red stone, and in a flash, she was gone.

  Chapter 4

  Melissa, Cassy, and Aaron stood looking up at the large mansion with its stone steps leading up to the large wrap-around porch.

  “Wow, great-grandmother has a huge house,” Melissa said.

  “Yeah, it’s nice, but check out the ocean. It goes on forever,” Cassy smiled as she pointed out over the water.

  “This is going to be so cool,” Aaron said as he looked around the grounds.

  “Come children, your great-grandmother is waiting for you,” Mr. Saunders said as he walked up the stone steps.

  The children all looked at each other then turned and followed Mr. Saunders, each wondering what their time here would bring.

  Once inside, the children were amazed how it looked like the museum they went to on their school field trip. There were paintings on the walls, and other fancy things sitting around the large entryway.

  “Follow me.” Mr. Saunders walked toward a large wooden door on the right side of the entryway. He reached for the brass doorknob and then opened the door.

  “She’s waiting for you inside,” Mr. Saunders stepped aside, allowing the children to pass.

  The children entered the large room, each wondering what was about to happen. The beautifully decorated room took Cassy’s breath away. There was a large grandfather’s clock sitting in the corner and a painting of a man above the large stone fireplace. Cassy assumed the man in the painting was someone of importance.

  Next, the children saw a white sofa with carved wooden legs, and two matching chairs. Cassy was surprised to see an elegant older woman sitting in one of the chairs.

  “Come closer so I may see you better,” she said in a gentle tone.

  The children slowly walked toward her. Once they stood in front of her, she smiled, which helped to ease their nerves.

  “Please, sit on the sofa, so we may get to know each other better. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, and you’ve all grown so much.”

  The children each took their place on the sofa and sat quietly, waiting to see what would happen next.

  “Are you thirsty?”

  “Yes, and I’m hungry too,” Aaron spoke up with enthusiasm.

  “Oh my, well we need to get you something to eat then. Are you ladies hungry as well?”

  Both girls nodded their heads.

  “Great-grandmother?” Cassy began to ask then she changed her mind.

  “Yes, my dear, but you don’t need to refer to me as great-grandmother, you may call me by my name if you wish.” She then smiled when she saw the surprised looks appear on their faces. “You may call me Abigail. Here let me have the kitchen staff make us all a snack.”

  Abigail reached down and pushed a button on the small box on the table next to her chair. She then told the cook to prepare a snack fit for two lovely princesses and a handsome prince.

  “If we are princesses and a prince then that makes you our Queen. I think we should call you Queen Abigail.” Melissa loved the idea of being royalty, and she had to admit that Abigail had the elegance of a Queen in the way she spoke and her mannerisms. Yes, the title of Queen Abigail suited her perfectly.

  Cassy and Aaron agreed, and from that moment on, they all knew this visit was going to be special.

  Once they had all finished their snack, the children asked for a tour of the house. Abigail was thrilled to have them there, as the house had seemed so empty the last few years after the death of her husband. They had lived many happy years on the large estate, but after several months of failing health, he had died and left Abigail alone.

  Their son, who was Donna’s father, had traveled the world for the family business. Unfortunately, on one of the trips when he had taken her mother along, they both had died in a tragic boating accident. This had brought Donna to live on the island, until the day she went off to college, never to return except for an occasional visit.

  “Why is your house so big, Queen Abigail? You could fit our whole house in your living room and dining room,” Melissa teased.

  “Yeah, this is bigger than the fancy hotel we stayed in when we went on vacation last time,” Cassy said as she looked around the large room.

  Abigail looked into the faces of her sweet great-grandchildren and realized they were correct. “You know something, it is rather large. I’ve lived here so long that I no longer notice.”

  “How long have you lived here?” Aaron asked.

  “Let me think for a moment. I would say that I have lived here for over seventy years. Oh my, have the years flown by so quickly.” Abigail laughed to herself at realizing how long she had lived in this house.

  “Wow, seventy years; you must be really old,” Aaron shook his head, trying to understand how old she must be.

  “Aaron, that’s not nice to say,” Melissa scolded him.

  “That’s quite alright. As a matter of fact, my handsome Prince, I am old. I turned eight-four-years-old just last month,” Abigail saw the shocked look on Aaron’s face and could not help but feel love in her heart. “On the other hand, I must admit that having you children here with me makes me feel much younger.”

  “And we’re glad to be here with you, Queen Abigail,” Melissa said as she stepped forward and gave Abigail a hug.

  “You are such a sweet little Princess, Melissa,” Abigail said as she returned the hug.

  Seeing the joy on their great-grandmother’s face, Cassy, and Aaron both stepped forward and joined in on the hugs.

  “Oh my, I am such a lucky Queen to have my special little Prince and Princesses here with me.”

  Once they finished sharing hugs, they had decided to continue their tour of the house.

  “What’s in this room?” Cassy asked as she ran toward the large oak door with the shiny brass doorknob.

  “This is my favorite room in the house,” her eyes lit up with joy, as she walked to the door and opened it. She then stepped aside, allowing the children to enter.

  “Wow, you have your own library,” Cassy cried out.

  “Look at all these books,” Melissa said as she walked over to the long shelf, filled with books.

  Aaron though was not as impressed. He stood in place and just looked around the room with the look of someone who wanted to be anywhere else but there.

  “What’s wrong, my Prince? Don’t you like books?” Abigail asked as she rested her hand on his shoulder.

  “No, not really,” Aaron whispered not wanting to upset her.

  “Maybe we can find one in here that you would enjoy. Let’s see, do you like pirates?” Abigail laughed when she saw the excited look appear on Aaron’s face.

  “I may know just the book for you, my Prince.” She offered him her hand.

  Aaron took Abigail by the hand. “Will it have sword fights and buried treasure?”

  “Oh yes, and much more.” Abigail had read his book many times over the years and had enjoyed it greatly.

  “Queen Abigail, what’s this book?” Cassy asked as she looked at the strange looking book locked inside of a glass case.

  Abigail walked toward the table in the center of the library with the glass case holding the unusual looking book. “My grandfather brought that to me from a far off land when I was about your age. It’s old and very fragile, so it must stay in that glass case for its protection.”

  “But can’t we read it?” Melissa asked.

  “No, it must never be taken from that case. There are hundreds of other books for you to enjoy, b
ut I’m sorry, that book is not one of them.” Abigail could see the look of disappointment in the girl’s eyes, but she held firm. “Now, let’s continue on our tour of the house.”

  They all turned and walked toward the large oak door and as Abigail held the door open, Cassy glanced back at the strange book locked inside of the glass case.

  What mysteries do you hold, Cassy thought to herself as the image of the book burned in her mind.

  The remainder of the afternoon, they had spent exploring the rest of the house and the grounds. Once they returned to the house, the children went to their rooms and found that the maid had put their belongings away and laid out their clothes for dinner.

  “I could get used to this.” Melissa pointed to the other door in her room. “Look we have a bathroom between our rooms.”

  “I know, isn’t that cool? Hey, I wonder if Mom and Dad would get us a maid,” Cassy said playfully.

  “Children, you need to get cleaned up and change into the clean clothes I laid out for you. Dinner will be served in a half an hour,” Pricilla, the upstairs maid said as she glanced in Melissa’s room.

  Melissa was about to ask why they needed to change clothes when Aaron came running into her room.

  “I have the coolest room. It has pictures of ships and one of those old-time periscopes you see pirates using on their ships on the old pictures. I looked through it and I could see way out over the ocean.”

  Pricilla looked at Aaron and could not help but laugh. “I’m glad that you approve of your room, but you need to go get ready for dinner. I have left a washcloth and towel in your bathroom and clean clothes on your bed. Now hurry, because we don’t want to make your great-grandmother wait on you.”

  Pricilla turned and looked at Melissa and Cassy. “Please get yourselves ready and downstairs. The cook has prepared a grand feast.”

  Chapter 5

  When the children entered the dining room, they were surprised to see the formal setting. Fine china dishes sat on a crisply ironed tablecloth, with delicate crystal goblets and silver flatware all awaiting the grand feast.