In no time, we were out of the gates and running towards Dr. McGrath’s office.
I was running as fast as I could with Kieran in tow. Hailey, who had longer legs and was accustomed to running fast, got into the building first.
“What the ...Oh no!” Hailey said in an agonized groan.
“We need to go faster, Kieran. Hailey may need our help,” I said as I ran faster and rounded the corner. I rushed over to the doctor’s office and stopped. I froze.
The door was blasted open and barely hanging from its hinges. It had singe marks and a large hole in the middle, evidently from where fireballs hit it.
“You stay here in front and let us know if anyone is coming,” I said to Kieran. “We’re going to check inside.” Kieran whimpered some kind of response but stayed.
Hailey pushed what was left of the broken door as quietly as she could to make room for our entrance. We stepped through the debris that was still smoking from the attack. The office was destroyed. Papers were everywhere, some still floating in the air. There was broken furniture tossed all over the place. We just missed whoever did it.
“Dr. McGrath! Dr. McGrath! Are you here? It’s Abi. “I saw a body lying prostrate on the ground. “Oh no!” I gasped and rushed over to the doctor’s body.
The doctor was lying face down on the ground behind the desk. I saw blood pooling around her head and her clothes were also spattered. I didn’t know whether to move her or not. I got down on my knees to see if I could wake her. When I noticed my knees and legs were wet and sticky, I jumped to my feet. I looked down and saw blood dripping from my uniform down to my feet. No, correction, I saw the doctor’s blood dripping all over me. My insides were about to come out of my mouth. I gagged. I thought I was going to be sick.
“Sweet mother of...what...the...hell happened?” Hailey said, stunned when she saw my blood-drenched uniform. I pointed at the doctor’s body.
“Oh no!” Hailey said as she turned her head away, holding her hand over her mouth.
I could hear the doctor moaning, so I got back on the floor again, setting aside everything else. I inspected the visible side of her face and body. She had newer scrapes and wounds added to the ones sustained from the initial attack. I cautiously checked for a pulse. She was alive. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
“The Kerberian Box. Where is it?” I demanded.
“It’s gone, Monty. It’s not here,” Hailey said, still averting her eyes from me and the doctor.
I already expected it given the state of the office. I told myself that the box could wait. I needed to make sure the doctor was alright.
I pulled my phone out and dialed 911. “Hello, my name is Abigail Montserratt. My doctor has been attacked. She’s unconscious and bleeding. Please send help to 1212 Montrose Ave,” I said mechanically, not wanting my emotions to take over.
I asked Hailey to help me with the doctor. I could tell she was having difficulties breathing in her position.
Hailey shook her head, recoiling from the idea at first. But after glancing at the doctor, she started to crack her knuckles, visibly fighting her nerves. Then bent down and helped me turn her over. I cradled the doctor’s injured head on my lap, waiting for the paramedics to arrive. Kieran joined us inside the office with his head still tilted from the nosebleed.
“What are we going to do now? She’s the only Xana we know,” I murmured.
“Feels like game over to me,” Hailey said.
Inwardly, I agreed with her but I couldn’t allow it to show. “No, there must be another way.”
Then we heard the doctor whispering something.
“What is it, Doctor? It’s Abigail, I’m here.” I leaned over towards the doctor’s mouth so I could hear her better.
Doctor McGrath said something again in a faint whisper.
I looked at Hailey to see if she heard what the doctor said but Hailey didn’t understand what she said either.
The doctor murmured something again before falling unconscious once again.
“What did she say?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I couldn’t hear her.”
From behind them, Kieran said, “What is this Black Rose?”
We couldn’t believe it. Kieran heard it right. Hailey jumped up and nearly hugged Kieran then thought better of it when she saw his bloody hands he was using to fend her off with.
She looked at me and said, “Why didn’t we think of that? The Black Rose! Remember that room on the third floor! Those are not standard-issue-Starbucks-café-inside-Barnes and Noble décor. Someone there knows magic and we need to find out who.”
“Again, what is this Black Rose?” Kieran repeated through his pinched nose.
“Oh, long story. I promise to tell you one day but not today,” answered Hailey.
“Ok,” answered Kieran in his signature whimper. Although, he made sure we heard the hurt in his voice.
The paramedics arrived and carefully placed the doctor on a gurney. I got up and shook my legs awake.
“I wonder what she means ‘go to the Black Rose?’ Are we supposed to go back in time? We need to figure out what that means. Exactly how do we get to the Black Rose?” Hailey said.
“I’m not supposed to leave school or Detective Dewitt will throw me in prison, remember?” I reminded Hailey.
“You’re right. Ok, you go back, Kieran and I will go,” Hailey said.
“Shure, I-I w-would but my nose is still bleedin’”.
After a few more minutes of asking us about the doctor’s state when we found her, the paramedics left with the doctor and Kieran both in the back of the ambulance as they wouldn’t release either one due to their apparent injuries. We stood in front of the office building and watched them depart.
“I know I’m not supposed to leave school grounds but I need to know who were in those cells. If they are really my parents and if they are still alive. Right now the only way I can think of to get to a magical cave is to find a person who can do magic.”
I looked at my phone. “It’s almost four. Detention time. Oh boy, am I ever going to be in trouble now.”
“I don’t want you to get into more trouble, Monty,” Hailey said.
“Hailey, they’re my mom and dad. What would you do if you were in my shoes?”
“Okay, okay. We’re going to the Black Rose.” We walked out the ruined office door.
“Hold it right there!” Taylor appeared and blocked our path. “Did you think that I won’t find out about you two sneaking out of school with that weasel Kieran? Are you honestly taking his side against Blaise and me? Why would you even trust that guy?”
“Well, a) we found Blaise brutalizing that “weasel” under the bleachers trying to beat out of him what he knows about the knights b) that “weasel” got a broken nose thanks to your BF and is on his way to the hospital and c) if you haven’t noticed, we have bigger issues than your jock boyfriend’s inner feelings getting hurt.” Hailey used both hands to show Taylor what happened to the doctor’s office door.
“What happened here?” Taylor said with genuine shock in her voice.
“If you must know, the doctor had been attacked, beaten senseless, and the Kerberian Box stolen,” said Hailey, annoyed. “And pardon me for saying; I wouldn’t be surprised if Blaise had something to do with it.” Before Taylor could protest, Hailey continued, “Why else would he be beating on Kieran after we took all that trouble to save him from dying?”
Taylor was fuming, obviously wanting to defend Blaise but instead, she stood there staring at the ruined office door. She slowly walked through the debris and entered the office.
“Listen, we had a shared dream last night,” Hailey started as we followed her in.
Taylor stopped and looked at her. “A what?”
“Shared dreams, meaning we were all in the same dream. Monty, me, an
d Kieran.”
Taylor became visibly shaken by what Hailey said. “Sssshared dreams, all three of you?”
“Yes! I know what it sounds like but just listen. In the dream, there were these hooded men with purple orbs hanging from their belts. They were talking about finding the “knights” and to get the box from Monty. But we think there’s another group after the box because we saw a second group, they had daggers instead. In either case, they were both interested in finding the box but she no longer had the box. The doctor took it. I think one of them followed her here and well, did this. Listen, there was only Monty, Kieran, and I in the cave. For that person to know that the doctor had the box, he is either one of us or one of the hooded hoodlums,” Hailey said in her straight-shooter way.
“Wait, you think that Blaise is one of the hooded men?” Taylor said, indignant.
“Taylor, only the five of us knew that she doesn’t have the Kerberian Box and that the doctor had it. Kieran couldn’t have done this since he was with us. You and Blaise were the only other ones who had the knowledge but we saw you at gymnastics this morning, so...that leaves Blaise. He’s the only one with the knowledge and opportunity,” Hailey said.
“But we don’t think you had anything to do with this.” I added, for clarification. “If you were not in the dream, then you wouldn’t know to look for the box. And if you are not one of us five, you wouldn’t know that the doctor took it from me. Again, that leaves Blaise,” I concluded in an almost apologetic and imperceptible tone.
Taylor cleared her throat and pulled herself to her full height, which was a full head over Hailey and me.
“Shared dreams, magic boxes, this is craziness...I mean, how could you even think that Blaise would be one of the hooded figures when he was attacked by one at the library and nearly died twice! Or have you guys already forgotten?” thundered Taylor.
“Well, actually I was thinking about that. He was behind Kieran in the hallway when Kieran was hit. And Blaise, well, he got his sleeves burned and I know, I know, it looked like it hurt and everything. I’m just saying that other than the three hooded men, there’s only Blaise behind Kieran. Why would they hit a smaller target like Kieran perfectly and just graze Blaise’s shoulder?” I said.
“Honestly, you guys are ready for the loony bin! If you think that you guys are going to gang up on my boyfriend by coming up with all these silly explanations, I won’t let you. Blaise is a good guy! I’m going with you to this Black Rose thing and I will prove it to you.”
“But you’re going to miss detention,” I protested.
“Don’t worry about that. Someone put a stink bomb in the library bathrooms. Professor Andrews has canceled detention for another day. Let’s go.”
“You did not...” Hailey started to ask Taylor but she cut her off by swiping her finger over Hailey’s face. “Uhh uhh, and if I did, why on earth would I tell you! We’ll take my car.”
CHAPTER 14
Hailey’s Challenge
Taylor pulled over in front of an old Victorian house with a nice English garden in the front. I got out of the car after Taylor and Hailey. There it was: the Black Rose Antiquary and Bookstore
I looked at the old Victorian house from the top of its turret down to the nicely manicured garden. I found it strange there was a Victorian house here. It was an imposing structure and seemed to be precariously placed on a bluff overlooking a roaring lake. That said, it felt inviting but deeply mysterious at the same time. That was probably because the beautiful grounds and nicely updated bookstore with the café inside was a stark contrast to what we saw on the third floor. The contents of those vases and the frames of human-size butterfly wings were very gothic and disturbing. Regardless, we were here to find some answers and for all its worth, I was glad I had Taylor and Hailey with me.
Taylor went into the cafe first. It was bustling with customers. We were immediately greeted with a cheery, “Welcome to the Black Rose! Please come on in!”
I didn’t see anyone so I thought it might be an automated greeting but then from around the bar came a rotund man of about three and a half feet tall. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and apron with the Black Rose emblem on it. I jumped a bit in surprise when he showed up. I guess after all this magic stuff I had been a little jumpy. I felt my cheeks burn from embarrassment as the short barista addressed us.
“What can I get you girls? It’s a long ways from Thurgood Prep, ain’t it?”
“How did you know we’re from Thurgood?” Hailey asked, with unveiled suspicion.
“Your uniform of course,” he said, pointing the crest on our uniforms with the glass he’d been drying with a rag.
“Oh yes, of course. Yes, we...love the view here and yes, I would like some green tea and some of those blueberry scones,” said Taylor while glaring at Hailey.
“Yes, it is a wonderful view. I will take a diet cola with the lemon meringue pie, please,” I added.
“Just water please,” Hailey said rather tersely, surprising both Taylor and me.
“Coming up. You can sit wherever you want but there’s a nice table there by the window overlooking the bluff. Take it before someone else does. I’ll bring your food to your table,” the short man said jovially and left.
“What’s wrong with you?” Taylor asked Hailey.
“We’re not here to eat! We are here to find Xanas who can help us find out who attacked Dr. McDoom and how to get into the magic cave! If you ask me, this is a waste of time. I don’t think we will find anything here,” Hailey said under her breath.
“Hailey, we can’t just come in here, take over the paging system, and say ‘Xana help needed on aisle, Abi, could we?’” fired Taylor.
“Listen, I know I’ve seen that emblem on his apron before, I just can’t remember where,” I interjected to quell any brewing fight between the two. It seemed to work because both started to look for the emblem as we all sat at the table without any bickering from either one.
“You freaks! Of course we’ve seen that emblem before, we’ve been here before, remember?”
“Yes, but Hailey and I didn’t go to the café,” I said to Taylor who just harrumphed and looked away.
“Here you are: one lemon meringue, one blueberry sconce, and two teas. For you, miss, a complimentary green tea and apple pie. We grow our own apples. See the big tree out there? Yup, this straight from there,” the short gentleman said as he used the plate of pie to point at a tree outside the window. We followed his gaze to a great old apple tree to the side of the house. It was still full of apples. Next to it was a very old looking elm tree with a dark dirt mound in front of it. I got goosebumps looking at the dirt mound but I didn’t say anything.
“Umm, Mister...” Taylor started.
“Elwood. Just Elwood.”
“What kind of antiques do you sell here, Elwood?” Taylor asked.
“Ohhh all kinds! We’ve been here a very long time and my family came from the old world. So we have some very, very old and very rare items.”
“Would you happen to know something about an item called the Obsidian Crown?” Taylor asked.
“Now girls,” he said in a lowered tone, “I don’t know what they teach at that academy of yours but the only a very few people know about the Obsidian Crown. It’s just talks of legends and myth from the old world long past. I’m surprised such young ones like you would even have heard of it. Even then, you should be careful asking about such things.” He let his eyes wander around the room to emphasize we were in a public place.
“Oh...it just came up in, umm...world history class. And it sounded so fascinating. I heard that it has the power to make kings!” I made up, putting a little lilt in my voice to sound nonchalant.
“Well, you have been misled. The Crown is not to make kings. It is to punish kings. You see, in the old days, kings were above all because they are considered almost gods or
god-sent. So when the king misbehaves there’s not much anyone can do. So the powers-that-be decided to make this crown to punish a king that gets too greedy. But like I said, it’s just talk. No one has actually ever seen this crown. I think it was just a story they made up to scare little kids,” Elwood said, waving his dishrag nervously.
“Wow, that’s fascinating. So you don’t think the crown exists?” I asked, hoping that my voice still sounded casual.
“Oh I don’t know about that. But I should get on; I have a lot of other customers.”
“Thanks, Elwood!” I said.
“Sure, sure. I’m always good for a story or two.” He pulled the bill from his apron, looked it over, smoothed it with his palm, and then said, “Here you go. Don’t let this rush you. Take your time enjoying the view,” and left.
“Well that’s no help, whatsoever,” Hailey said.
“No actually I think we’re getting somewhere. We at least know that we’re not crazy. People do know about the Crown. I know if we dig deep enough, we will find a historical figure that triggered the legend,” I said, still trying to maintain an objective view of the situation.
“Yeah, that it is someone’s idea of a boogeyman,” Hailey answered sarcastically.
“We just need to dig deeper, that’s all,” I said.
I grabbed the bill to take my mind off the Hailey and Taylor show when I saw that on the back of the bill was a note. I turned it over and it said: “Third Floor. After closing. Don’t let anyone see you.”
I surreptitiously passed the note to the others, making sure they didn’t blurt out the message. Long after we finished our food, the café started to get less busy. Some of the customers stayed all the way until closing time and then they piled out of the café. We also got up and pretended to leave but instead, we hid in the bathroom. We stayed there until the place was completely quiet, then we headed up the third floor.
The Obsidian Crown of the Lost Dominion Page 12
