Force of Fire
Page 17
“What do you know about Alejandro aside from working with him?” She shook her head when Kendal looked at her as if she was going to join them. “From what you said, he’s affluent and dedicated to his cause, but what drives him?”
“I think he’s after some kind of power he believes is buried in that spot he sent me to. If there really are dragons, which I doubt, he thinks he can control them, I guess.”
“How did your father find us?” Alejandro might’ve found them through Ora, which she didn’t really believe just yet, but Sebastian had taken another route. “Was he able to tell you?”
Oscar reached down to his bag and handed over a small journal. “He put it all in here.”
She took it and flipped to the page he indicated. The most striking thing was the sketch of Kendal sitting on a horse with a cloak and what appeared to be facial hair. It was a copy of one of the pages from Lenore’s book. “Where did he get this?”
He flipped the page, and she read the short history included about the first men who were loyal to the Order of Fuego. It listed their purpose, which at that time was mostly to keep the dragons with the people, and it hinted at the members of their group who wanted more power by learning to control the beasts.
In the end it was that latter group that won out, and the others were driven away or killed, but not before they’d left some hint as to their existence. It was as if they wanted someone, no matter how far in the future, to know their intentions were pure in the beginning. To them the dragons were gods, and they worshipped and took care of them. In turn the dragons had begun to trust them by coming to them in greater numbers. The old history of Kendal was a shortened version of what Morgaine had in her archives, but it listed her as an enemy to the order and their mission. There was a question as to if there were more like her, but they seemed to have uncovered the information only recently.
“This is the group I believe my father belonged to, and why our family has worked for so long in whatever this search is for. Right now, if it’s to bring them back to life, I can’t imagine why they’d want that, but that might be what Alejandro wants.” Oscar took his book back. “Will you share with me how you know anything about this?”
They hadn’t really had time to do anything else but listen to Oscar share his story, but it wasn’t her place to tell him anything. “I’m sure that’ll happen eventually, but you have to earn trust. You showed up at the same time as Leonardo, so we’re not going to be too open too soon. That’s the truth as I see it, so I hope you can accept that.”
“I do,” he said, and gripped the leather of the book. “If only I’d done the same thing, my father might still be alive.”
“That wasn’t exactly a mistake,” Kendal said, having come close enough to hear that last part. “I know what it’s like to get caught up in the hunt for something and believe everyone around you is after the same goal but working against you. Whoever this Alejandro Garza is, he hasn’t given you even a hint of what he’s after. His search will benefit only him, and everyone he’s got looking will bring him the piece of the puzzle he’s entrusted them to find. Eventually he’ll have the whole picture.”
“So how did your father find the clan?” Kendal asked, and Piper was curious to hear Oscar’s answer since he really hadn’t given her one.
“The beginnings of the dragons in the Mayan territory came with two different groups: the first Mayans who worshipped them and the women who came after. One group splintered into the order, and the women represented the Genesis Clan.” Oscar handed the journal over to Kendal after opening it to the section Piper had read. “That was the only mention of the group, and my father tried to expand on it without alerting Alejandro. But he didn’t know Alejandro was watching him more closely than he thought, so whatever research he did was reported back to him. The sketch in his journal had to have come from someone within the clan.”
“That’s in the information your father had?” Kendal asked.
“It’s in the journal, along with the sketch I showed Piper. I don’t know much about the clan, and neither did my father, but the sketch seemed to give him hope that it did exist, and he was right. I’m sorry he died before he learned at least this part of his research was correct, because here you are, and your ancestor obviously fought on the right side of history.”
“This sketch is in only one book that I know of, and I trust the person who keeps it, so I’m not sure how your father found it.” Kendal glanced at the picture and shook her head. “Do you mind if I keep this for a little while? I’ll give it back before we land.”
“Sure,” Oscar said, and his face seemed to lose some of its tension. “Maybe you’ll see you can trust me enough to compare what we each have.”
“Baby steps, but we’ll get there,” Kendal said, holding her hand out for Piper. “We’ll be back, so get some sleep.”
They stepped into the next compartment of the plane, where Lenore was showing some documents to Molly. “I hate to interrupt,” Piper said, and Molly made room for her on the sofa. “Oscar’s father kept a journal of the information he thought he’d hidden from Garza, and this was one of the entries.”
Lenore stared at it like she couldn’t comprehend why it was in this book. “Asra, you have to know I’d never allow this to happen.”
“I’m not accusing you of anything,” Kendal said, placing her hand on Lenore’s cheek. “You know better than that, but is there a copy of my history anywhere but in the archives you’re responsible for?”
“No matter what we’re given, there’s a copy in the main complex. We have moved some to computers, but the elders are fanatical about having a backup that has nothing to do with technology.” Lenore rolled her eyes, but Piper knew of Lenore’s love for paper, so the argument was weak. “Histories like yours are always popular with the elders who’ve never held a sword. To share that with anyone outside the clan is punishable by sleep. You know that as well as anyone.”
“To let that out is a good way to bring who we are into the light, but someone wasn’t worried about that since Sebastian Petchel had this.” Kendal tapped the book.
“As soon as we land I’ll call Rolla and find out who had access to that archive. The elders who seldom leave the main compound still have to be accountable for whatever they look at. It’s the only way we can prevent something like this.”
“If that rambling place has any reason to it, I sure didn’t figure it out while we were there,” Piper said, remembering the vast space that was like an incredibly cool maze. “Most of everything in there is stacks of papers, and no one seemed to be watching anything.”
“You may think that, but trust me, if you’d tried to walk out of there with something that wasn’t yours, someone would’ve slapped your hand. I’ll find out exactly who did it.” Lenore took the journal and studied the picture and explanation that went with it. “Why this one of all the lives you’ve lived?”
“I wondered the same thing,” Piper said. “I’ve seen the entire set of books about you, and not much happened in this one. At least, not that I can remember. What do you recall, baby? Is there something you didn’t put in there?”
“I spent most of my time pushing out to places the clan wanted me to explore. The world was changing, and Ora and her like weren’t sitting in one place, so it was important to find the far reaches before their numbers reached a point that would’ve been a problem.” Kendal glanced down at the page. “This was right before Erik Wolver and I moved more toward what’s modern-day Cambodia.”
“So nothing out of the ordinary?” Lenore asked, as if she understood where she was going with her questions. “Something that maybe you thought wasn’t important for the archive but might be important now.”
“That was a long time ago, but I’ll think about it.” Kendal’s expression was pensive, and Piper knew she’d started her on another hunt she would keep at until she found what would explain all this. “Did you find anything else?” Kendal pointed to the other documents they ha
d spread out on the small table.
“Aphrodite was right. There weren’t many elders alive back then, and people at the time weren’t exactly bound by the facts. The few accounts we’ve found sounded more along the embellishment than anything we can use,” Lenore said, and Molly nodded.
“The few archives we have from the clan members who actually witnessed the dragons before they were cleared from the skies don’t give any hint as to how they were put to sleep. From what these say, they tried to study them so they could educate the people to stay away from them, but once the knowledge spread that their eggs were gold, no one listened.” Molly slid a book toward her. “It was ancient times, but they were beginning to understand the importance of gold and wealth.”
“That’s interesting, but it won’t help us,” Kendal said and winced when Piper pinched her. “Good information, though.”
“Some of the places in our history were in the area you’re talking about,” Convel said from her spot in the big leather chairs with Lowe next to her. “Some of the people you keep an eye on moved in that direction. The books I read talked about the explorer nature of the weres and how they were accepted even after the natives found out what they truly were.”
“People had more imagination back then and accepted the differences in us all,” Kendal said, and Convel finally looked at her without a hateful expression. “In a way we’re all hiding now, but still trying to keep the balance.”
“What side of the scales are we on?” Lowe asked, making Convel smile.
“I’m sure you’ve heard the story of that scar.” Kendal pointed to Convel’s hand. “But I’ll tell you now what I told her then. Not everything deserves killing. Have you had any experience with vampires?”
“Not yet,” Lowe said, trying to keep eye contact, even though Piper could tell Kendal made her nervous.
“I’ve been friends with Tala and Lovell for years because they have a soul and they care about those they’re responsible for. That can’t always be said for vampires. Some retain an essence of their humanity, but I’ve seen the very worst in the most beautiful face.” The way Kendal said it made Piper think Kendal was thinking of her brother.
“I understand that, but where does it leave us?” Lowe asked.
“That you have nothing to fear from me, unless you do something to try to harm my family or the pack. I take my responsibility to your queen as seriously as I do the care of my family.” Kendal opened her fist when Piper took her hand. “We don’t have to be friends, but we don’t have to be enemies.”
“Thank you for saying that,” Lowe said, and she offered Kendal her hand and smiled when Kendal accepted it. “We don’t know why we’re here, and we’ve lost our family.”
“You haven’t lost anything,” Kendal said, and Convel lost her smile. “I might be wrong, but I think what happened was Lovell’s way of pushing you to a place where you’ve been missed.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” Convel said and began to stand, but Lowe kept a grip on her arm. “Tala and Lovell might trust you, but I’m never going to do that.”
“Fair enough, but don’t get in my way.” Kendal stepped away and headed to the very back of the plane, where the nannies were sitting with the children.
“Eventually you’ll stop lying about what happened to you and take responsibility for your bad choices,” Piper said, straightening her shoulders. “And before you open your mouth and make a bigger fool of yourself, I saw what happened, and I mean every second of it. Your pack might follow you, but they’re following a lie.”
“You know this because you listened to her side of the story?” Convel said with heat.
“I know because my gift allowed me to see it. You can believe me or not, but I can also tell you exactly when and how you found Lowe and came to love her.” She glanced at the smaller woman who seemed so devoted to Convel. “If you need that proof I’ll take you back to that night when she first saw you and rolled to her back and submitted.”
“How?” Lowe asked.
“Sometimes I don’t mean to see something so personal, but I guess whatever or whoever gave me this sight deems it necessary so I can prove that I’m not telling you something so vague you won’t believe me.” Piper didn’t let go of her anger at this immature, infuriating woman. “So give Lowe the same respect and kindness she’s shown you by telling her the truth. It won’t change the way she sees you, of that I’m sure of.”
“You can’t know that.” Convel seemed to lose all the steam she’d built up.
“My visions aren’t only of the past. When it’s important I can see far into the future as well.” She smiled and glanced in the direction Kendal had walked off in. “It’s a wonderful thing, especially when we see those we love still standing right beside us where they belong.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
“You don’t, but I’m not the one living with the mountain of boulders on my shoulders. The only way to lighten your load is to share it with someone who loves you. You don’t have to, but then you’ll never really know if the love is real or something you imagine it to be.”
She walked to where Kendal stood watching Hali sleep alongside Anastasia. The sight made her wonder if in twenty years, their daughter would be as tall and strong as Kendal. If she was, some lucky person out there would be fortunate to have Hali love them like she did Kendal.
“Can I talk to you?”
“Any time about anything,” Kendal said as she put her arm around her waist.
“It’s nothing important, and since we’re on a plane with a bunch of other people, it can’t get too personal,” she said and smiled, enjoying the way their bodies fit together perfectly.
“I’m sure we can find a quiet spot if you want a private conversation.” Kendal kissed her temple and tugged her closer.
“Come on, trouble,” she said, pulling Kendal with her to the big chair next to the double bed. “I realize we don’t know much about what we’re getting into, but can you tell me what’s going to happen when we land?”
“We have another short flight to get closer to where the dig site is, but I have a house close to there, and plenty of security for everyone and the babies. I want to go see what exactly is on the ground where these Fuego people have concentrated so much of their effort. With any luck we’ll run into a few of them while we’re searching and get our next clue.”
“Do you think this is like the sword and we’re on a timeline?” She rested her head on Kendal’s shoulder and stared at Hali as she stretched before going back to a little ball to sleep. “We’ll need so many more answers if that’s the case.”
“I did do one thing before we left the house, and I wanted to run it by you before we land.” The way Kendal said it made her sit up to look at her better.
“What?”
“I sent word to Vadoma through the contact she gave me. It’s not easy for them to travel such long distances, so I’m not sure when she’ll get here, but she might make an appearance. If she does, I didn’t want it to be a surprise.”
“What do you think she’ll have to do with all this?” She still couldn’t accept the fact that Vadoma had held her grandparents with the intent to kill them.
“I’m not sure, but you heard that we need to pool our resources.”
“Ha. That bitch—” she said too loud, before snapping her mouth closed.
“I don’t disagree with you, but that bitch saved me and Morgaine. At least she thinks she did.”
“So now she probably thinks you owe her,” she said, not ready to back down. “I don’t want to think we’re in debt to her.”
“If you’re really against it, I’ll tell her to forget it. This is going to be hard enough without making you uncomfortable.”
“Wait,” she said, realizing that no matter what they faced, it was better with an army than with their small group. “Don’t do that yet, but if she lays a hand on anyone I love, I don’t care what you promised her.”
“She knows the rules of that game,” Kendal said, cupping her cheek. “She comes anywhere near any of us, especially your family or the baby, and I’ll kill her.”
“Do you promise?” she said, needing Kendal to say it.
“You have my word as well as my heart.”
Chapter Eighteen
Aishe was almost to the top of the steep mountainside, and the farther she climbed, the more pissed she got. These assholes had blindsided her, but she was also pissed they’d taken her phone. A call to Rawney would put her out of the miserable worrying she must be doing. Waking up in the middle of a thick forest covered in blood with numerous broken bones was somewhat embarrassing, since she’d insisted she was ready for fieldwork on her own.
“A fucking monkey, of all things,” she muttered as she saw the edge right above her head.
She was sweating, but the higher she got, the cooler the temperatures grew, so she slowed down and tried to hear any kind of movement or sound from above. The area was quiet, and she’d tried to angle to the right of the platform she saw when she was about five hundred yards below. She didn’t remember anything after the monkey startling her, but if she had to wager, that’s where she’d taken the trip down the mountain.
The last thing she wanted was to wait until the sun went down, but that’s what she was going to do so she could move around the property and try to see what she could. Whoever the Order of Fuego was, they didn’t mind taking out anyone they saw as a threat, and she wasn’t the only one they’d disposed of that night, since not far from where she’d landed she’d seen the body of a man dressed like the security Alejandro Garza had brought with him.