Chapter
Seven
Alton didn’t say anything while he carefully wrapped the blanket around the sword and scabbard. Finally, when it was covered once again, he turned and leaned against the counter. Exhaustion was evident in every move he made, in the deep lines etched beside his mouth and the dark circles under his eyes.
Rubbing his forehead with one hand, he
sighed. “Okay. Here’s where we stand. Roland said Taron’s almost
got the swords ready to go. We need to meet with him down in the
lower caves at some point so we can help deliver them to the
Forgotten Ones. Once that’s done, I have to return as soon as I can
and take up my position on the council. I’ve got to have a firm
grasp of things before the Forgotten Ones make their presence
known.”
He shook his head. “I’ve got the
chancellor’s role for now, but my hold is tenuous. Today Ginny and
I spotted a group of Lemurian guardsmen I’ve never seen before,
which tells me that some of the council are up to something. I
doubt it’s anything good.”
Ginny handed him a tall glass of
water. Alton took a few swallows and set it aside. “Thing is, I
can’t afford to be away for long, or what little hold I have on the
chancellor’s seat will be lost. While we’re here, though, Ginny and
I have to try to remove the demon from my father.”
He focused on Dawson. “I know you’re
not familiar with Lemuria, but I may have to ask you to go into the
mines with Selyn. Would you be willing to take this sword with you,
to take it to the prisoner Selyn speaks of? That needs to be done
as soon as possible. If my grandfather is still alive, his presence
could change everything—in a good way.”
Dawson almost laughed out loud. Go to
Lemuria? Was Alton kidding? He’d give anything for the chance to
see that fabled world. “I’ll do whatever you need, Alton. You know
that.”
Alton wrapped his arm around Ginny and
tugged her close against his side, but his focus was on Dawson.
“You’ve already done so much. You hardly know us, and yet you’ve
opened your home and your heart to a cause that’s not even
yours.”
Dawson shrugged. “But it is mine.
Every bit as much as it’s yours, don’t you think? If demons
threaten Earth, it had damned well better be my cause. I’ve got as
big a stake in the outcome as any of you.”
“He’s right, you know.” Ginny smiled
at Alton and snuggled close against his side. “This battle affects
every single one of us.” Then, in a melodramatic whisper, she
added, “Don’t scare the man off. He’s helping. We need him. He’s
giving us a free place to stay with a really comfortable bed.” She
kissed Alton’s cheek. “And he cooks. C’mon. Let’s go check on your
father before you fold up on me and fall asleep on the
floor.”
Alton yawned. Then he nodded to
Dawson. “Don’t let her kid you. We really do appreciate everything
you’re doing for us. I don’t know where we’d be without your
help.”
“I think you’d be doing fine, but I
mean what I say. Anything I can do, whatever I’ve got you can use;
it’s yours.”
Without another word Alton pushed
himself away from the counter as if it took every last bit of his
strength. Dawson snapped his fingers, and BumperWillow followed
them back to the suite of rooms where Artigos was being
held.
Dawson glanced through the window on
the door and saw Alton’s father stalking back and forth across the
room like an angry lion. “You might want to have your swords out,”
he said. “Your father’s pacing like he’s ready to kill
someone.”
Alton shrugged. “He probably is.
Probably a good thing we’re keeping his sword well away. I imagine
he and his demon are less than thrilled with their situation about
now.”
Dawson took the key from Selyn and
unlocked the door as both Ginny and Alton drew their swords.
Artigos stopped in mid-stride and glared at all of them as they
entered the large room.
“Is my assassination next on your
schedule, my beloved son?” Artigos wrapped his arms across his
broad chest and sneered at Alton. “Are you so afraid of your father
that you must approach him with your weapon drawn?”
“It’s pity more than fear I feel,
Father. If I appear cautious, it’s not because of you. It’s the
demon who rules your heart and mind that concerns me most. That
and, whether you choose to believe me or not, your
well-being.”
Artigos laughed. “Demon? Controlling
me? I think not.” Without warning, he lunged at Alton, but Alton
and Ginny were ready. Dawson grabbed the dog’s collar as
BumperWillow leapt to their defense, but her enthusiastic barking
let him know she was more than willing to fight.
As one, Ginny and Alton pointed their
crystal blades at Artigos. Dark purple fire burst from Ginny’s
blade. A brilliant blue glow shot from Alton’s and intersected with
Ginny’s, catching Artigos in the crossfire of light.
He lurched to an immediate halt, held
mid-step in the shimmering fire. Eyes wide and angry, Artigos
struggled within the beam, but he couldn’t break free of the force
holding him almost a foot off the ground.
BumperWillow stopped barking. Dawson
let go of her collar, and she stepped away from him and stood in
front of Artigos. She glanced back once at the small group, and
then she concentrated on Artigos.
The man’s mouth was moving, and he was
obviously cursing, but no sound escaped the shimmering field of
swirling blue and purple light. With her head cocked to one side,
the curly dog studied him for long moments, while Ginny and Alton
held Artigos immobile with the power of their crystal
blades.
After a good five minutes,
BumperWillow stepped away and stood beside Dawson. He tangled his
fingers in her curly hair. The dog sighed. Willow’s voice slipped
into Dawson’s head, and he knew she spoke to all of
them.
The demon’s
possession is almost total. I fear it is beyond my ability to
remove. What do DarkFire and HellFire
think?
When DarkFire answered, Dawson
wondered if he’d ever grow used to a talking sword. “The demon is
too deeply entrenched. We could remove it, but Artigos the man
would not survive. Killing the demon will end his
life.”
Alton shook his head. “That’s not
acceptable.” He lowered his sword, as did Ginny. Artigos crumpled
to the ground, dazed but still conscious. Alton gently sheathed his
sword and lifted his father in his arms as if the large man were a
child. Carefully, he laid him on the bed.
Artigos stared up at his son. His
forehead was wrinkled in a confused frown, and he blinked his eyes
slowly. After a moment, his expression relaxed; he closed his eyes
and drifted gently into sleep.
Alton rubbed the back of his neck and
yawned. He looked absolutely discouraged. “We’ll need to try
something else. I just wish I knew what.”
Ginny took hold of Alton’s hand.
“Maybe your mother can help. I think it’s worth a try. Love is a
powerful motivator.”
Alton’s tired smile spoke volumes.
“You’ve proved that to me more than once.”
Ginny kissed him quickly. “I got some
sleep last night. You didn’t get any. I want you to go and lie down
while I go back to Lemuria for your mother.”
Alton rested both hands on her
shoulders and shook his head. He was smiling, but it was more than
obvious he didn’t like Ginny’s idea one bit. “I don’t want you
going alone. It’s too dangerous.”
“I’ll be fine.” She glanced over her
shoulder and caught Dawson’s eye. Hopefully, she said, “I’ll take
Dawson. You and Selyn stay here with BumperWillow and keep an eye
on your dad. You okay with that, Daws?”
He nodded. “Of course,” he said, but
he was thinking, now? Just up and go to Lemuria, sort of like
running down to the corner store? Hell,
yes!
The fact that Alton agreed so readily
was proof just how exhausted the man was, but before he had the
time to change his mind, Ginny had hustled them all out of
Artigos’s room. She grabbed Alton’s hand and dragged him toward the
guest room they’d moved into just down the hall, with BumperWillow
trotting along behind.
“I’ll be ready in just a few minutes,
Daws.” Laughing, she added, “I’m going to put my baby to bed,
first.” Grumbling, Alton followed, but he looked as if he could
barely put one foot in front of the next.
Dawson and Selyn were left standing
outside Artigos’s locked room. Selyn pocketed the key and studied
Daws with a soft smile on her lips. “You will get to see my world,
just as I’m seeing yours.”
“Looks like it.” He grabbed her hand
and tugged her toward the kitchen. “Will you be okay here while I’m
gone? You know how to work the remote, and there’s plenty on
TV.”
She laughed. “I will be fine. I love
watching that screen. Will you be okay, entering a strange
world?”
He grinned. He couldn’t help himself.
What they all treated as commonplace was something beyond his
wildest dreams. “You’re kidding, right? I can’t wait!”
“It’s dangerous. Humans are not
allowed in Lemuria, and if you are captured . . .”
He stopped and turned to face her. She
really did look worried. He thought that was pretty cool, that she
cared enough to at least worry a little. “I’ll be with Ginny, and
she’s already achieving rock star status in Lemuria, according to
Roland. The Lemurians love the fact she’s descended from
royalty.”
He heard Ginny coming down the hallway
with BumperWillow. “I need to go. You’re sure you’ll be
okay?”
Selyn nodded. Then she surprised him
by touching his beard with her fingertips. “Be very careful, Dawson
Buck. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
He stared at her lips, heard the
words, and yet it still took him a moment to absorb what she’d
said. Once he managed to wrap his stunned brain around the content,
there was only one way he could respond. Cupping Selyn’s face in
both hands, he leaned close and gently kissed her lips. She didn’t
pull away, though she didn’t kiss him back.
When he ended what was much too chaste
a kiss for his own peace of mind, Dawson stared first at Selyn’s
slightly parted, damp lips, and then at her sapphire blue
eyes.
Ginny stepped into the kitchen. “I
brought this for you, just in case. Ready to go, Daws. . . . Oops.
Sorry.”
He glanced over at Ginny, slowly
dropped his hands from Selyn’s face, and grinned. “Yeah, I’m ready.
What have you got?”
“Pepper spray.” With a quick, curious
glance at Selyn, she handed him a small can attached to a key
chain. “Granted, it’s not a crystal sword, but if we need to get
away from anyone in a hurry, it should help slow ’em
down.”
“I’ll take it.” He clipped it to his
belt loop. Like Ginny said, it wasn’t much, but it was better than
nothing. “How long do you think we’ll be?”
Ginny shrugged, grabbed the car keys
to her rented Yukon off the table, and tossed them to Dawson.
“Couple of hours, maybe. Hopefully less, definitely no longer.
Selyn, if anyone comes, wake Alton, okay? It’s probably best that
you not answer the door. BumperWillow will stay with you. Trust her
instincts.”
Selyn nodded, but her gaze was locked
on Dawson. It made it difficult for him to turn away, but he
followed Ginny out to the car, torn by his desire to remain with
Selyn, something he wanted as much as he wanted to see Lemuria for
the first time. When he glanced at the house, Selyn stood in the
doorway with BumperWillow beside her.
She waved. So did he, and then he got
in the car with Ginny, and the two of them headed for the
portal.
He’d watched as others disappeared
into the solid rock wall at Red Rock Crossing, but he’d never
imagined doing it himself. Now that he knew what to look for, how
it felt, he realized he could use this passage at any
time.
It was all dependent upon the way you
saw the rock. Perception, in this case, created
reality.
The concept totally boggled the mind.
They passed through what appeared to be solid rock and entered a
small cavern. Ginny stopped Dawson with a light touch to his
arm.
“This vortex only powers two portals.
The one we usually take moves us across Sedona to Bell Rock where
there’s a large portal that opens directly into the main entry to
Lemuria. This one.” She pointed to a glowing swirl of light on one
wall.
Dawson stared at the portal, almost
mesmerized by the sense of energy emanating from the light. Finally
he forced himself to look away. “Why do I hear a ‘but’ in that
statement?”
Ginny laughed. “Because you’re
obviously paying attention. We’re going to take this one.” She
pointed at a smaller swirling mass of light. Not as bright, not as
filled with energy. “Alton and I were told it led directly to the
council chambers for the Council of Nine. Once he was made
temporary chancellor, we discovered this portal’s Lemurian gateway
is actually in his father’s private office. It’s dangerous, because
someone could be in there who doesn’t belong, but so is trying to
sneak through the tunnels in Lemuria without getting caught. We
can’t count on Roland to get us through. His schedule has been a
mess lately.”
“Do you think anyone suspects he might
be helping us?”
“I don’t know.” Ginny shook her head.
“I hope that’s not it. He’s got a wife and child to worry about,
and we need him if we’re going to carry this off. Anyway, this
trip, we’re going to take the portal directly into Artigos’s
office.” She unsheathed her sword and held DarkFire ready.
“C’mon.”
Sword raised, Ginny slipped through
the portal. Dawson followed, pepper spray in hand.
The man inside the office jumped away
from the desk he was searching and raised his hands in the air. The
glowing point of Ginny’s sword ensured he wouldn’t attack. Dawson
held on to the can of pepper spray, just in case.
“What are you doing, besides searching
through the chancellor’s private papers?” Ginny stepped closer
until DarkFire practically touched the man’s chest.
He stammered and shook his head. “I .
. . I . . . I was told to retrieve records.”
“Told by whom? What
records?”
He focused on the point of the sword.
His eyes went wide as the blade flashed with dark purple
light.
“Maxl and Drago. They requested proof
of succession.” He swallowed loudly. “They want to make certain
your man”—his eyes flashed from Ginny to Dawson and back to the
sword—“that Alton has a right to succession after being disowned by
his father.”
“He was approved by the citizens. His
mother, Artigos’s lifetime mate, championed his position so that
her husband might be healed without fearing for the safety of
Lemuria. You have no need of any papers from Artigos’s desk. This
office is for the use of the chancellor, and it shall remain
private.”
Shaking from head to foot, obviously
terrified, the man bowed his head. “Should I relay that information
to Maxl and Drago?”
Ginny smiled, but it wasn’t a
particularly friendly expression. Dawson doubted it would give the
thief much confidence. “You do that,” she said. “Chancellor Alton
is resting for the moment. He’ll meet with members of the council
later this evening.”
“Yes. Of course. I will relay that
information to the others.” He gave one last, fearful glance at the
shimmering crystal blade and then turned away and slipped out
through the portal on the far side of the room.
“DarkFire? Can you secure the portal
to keep others out?”
The sword glowed, and a beam of dark
light shot across the room, flowed over the portal, and then
dissipated. “Only those of you in the fight against demonkind will
be able to pass through the portal.”
“Thank you.” Ginny sheathed the sword.
“Okay, Daws. Let’s hope he was more terrified of DarkFire than
curious about you. Lock up the pepper spray, and let’s go get Gaia.
You’re going to like Alton’s mom. She’s pretty nice, considering
she’s had to put up with Artigos for all these years.” She paused
for a moment as if considering what she should and couldn’t
say.
Finally, she sighed and fiddled with
the buckle on her scabbard. “Daws, there’s one thing you should
know, though. Gaia’s been aware of the Forgotten Ones all along.
She knew when Artigos arranged for the women warriors to be
enslaved, and yet she did nothing about it.”
Dawson’s chest actually ached thinking
of anyone living with that kind of knowledge. “Probably not a good
idea to tell Selyn that.”
Ginny nodded. “I imagine you’re right,
but I wanted you to know. You need to know what you’re involved
in.”
“A whole shitload of
trouble?”
Ginny laughed. “Exactly,” she said.
Then she slipped through the portal.
Dawson followed right behind her,
stepping through the swirling light as if he’d done it a hundred
times before. They moved quickly along a tunnel that appeared to be
lighted from within the rock. Before too long, they passed by a
large arch that opened onto a huge underground plaza. The walls
were lined with what looked like solid gold, decorated with gems
and precious stones of all kinds.
Dawson stopped, mesmerized by the vast
size of the cavern, the glitter of gold and gems, until Ginny had
to grab him by the arm and tug him along behind her. He could have
stared at the amazing room forever.
“That’s the great hall,” she said.
“Some call it the central or great plaza. It’s where all the
citizens of Lemuria gather for important events. It’s empty now
because it’s still early in the day, but it’s where I got my sword,
where Daria the Crone gave me immortality.”
“Wow.” What else could he say? Every
new thing they passed by was more mind-blowing than the last. Head
spinning as he tried to see everything, Dawson followed Ginny
through a series of narrow passages until she paused in front of
another portal.
“Gaia says to come in.”
He frowned. “How does she know we’re
here?”
Grinning, Ginny stepped through the
portal. “Telepathy. C’mon.”
The woman in the room they entered
waited with her hands clasped and an expression of hope on her
face. “Ginny? What word of Artigos?” Then she blinked in surprise.
“Who is this man?” She focused on Dawson.
“Gaia, Dawson Buck is the human who’s
helping us. He’s given Alton and me a place to stay, and he’s
keeping Artigos safe at his house. We’re hoping you can come with
us, maybe help keep Artigos calm while we try to remove this
blasted demon. It’s been part of him for a long time, and it
doesn’t want to leave. Alton and I are convinced you can help us,
but it means coming to Earth.”
“Anywhere. I’ll do whatever you need.”
She turned to Dawson. “Thank you, Dawson Buck. I imagine my husband
is not the easiest guest to have.”
Daws wasn’t sure what prompted him,
but he took Gaia’s hand and lightly squeezed her fingers. “We’ll do
whatever we can to help your husband. Thank you for sending the
sandals and robe for Selyn. They’re a perfect fit. She was really
excited to have such a nice gift from you.”
Gaia’s smile lit up the room. “I’m
pleased,” she said, but then she sobered. “I owe the Forgotten Ones
more than sandals. More than a simple robe. When this is over, I’ll
do whatever I can to help them join our society as full and free
citizens.”
“We need to hurry,” Ginny glanced
around the spacious room. “What do you need to take for a few days
away from Lemuria?”
Gaia stared at her. “I have no idea.”
She laughed. “I’ve not left for ten thousand years. I have an extra
robe, my personal items, but . . .”
“Good. I’ll help you pack.” Taking
control, Ginny led Gaia out of the room. “Roland just contacted
me,” she said to Dawson. “He should show up any minute
now.”
Dawson stared around him at what could
have been any home on Earth, except for the lack of windows. The
thought kept flitting through his mind, that he’d been left
standing alone in a Lemurian living room, awaiting a member of the
Lemurian Guard after fending off a thief in the chancellor’s
office. It all left him feeling as if he’d just dropped down the
rabbit’s hole.
Then Roland of Kronus popped through
the portal. “Hey, Dawson! How is Selyn doing?” He clapped Daws on
the shoulder as if they were old friends.
And damned if it didn’t feel as if
they were. “She’s doing well. BumperWillow completed her healing.
The bruises are gone; the bones entirely healed. You Lemurians are
tough.”
Roland chuckled. “That we are. We have
to be, to survive so many millennia of absolute boredom.” Drily, he
added, “Of course, that’s all drastically changed. Is Ginny
here?”
“She’s helping Gaia pack. We’re taking
her back to Sedona to see if her presence helps
Artigos.”
“Having trouble removing the
demon?”
Dawson nodded. “Even BumperWillow
couldn’t shake it loose.”
Ginny walked back into the room.
“Roland. Good to see you. How’s Taron coming with the
swords?”
“He should be finished this afternoon.
Any luck with the ruby sword?”
“Selyn believes she knows where the
owner is.”
Dawson noticed Ginny didn’t mention
the name of the missing leader.
“The one we thought lost?” Roland’s
smile disappeared beneath the focused stare of a
warrior.
“The very one. That’s why I’ve asked
you to meet us here.” Ginny glanced over her shoulder, as if to
make certain Gaia was still busy packing. “We’re changing plans by
the minute. Can you get Dawson and Selyn into the slaves’ level
without detection? The person we’re looking for is held prisoner
below.”
Roland nodded and turned to Dawson.
“When do you want to meet, and where?”
“Ginny? Will the portal allow Roland
entrance into the chancellor’s office? That’s the only place I know
how to find.”
“DarkFire?” Ginny withdrew the
sword.
The blade shimmered. “Roland is a
DemonSlayer. He will be granted access.”
Dawson shook his head. The sense of
the rabbit hole was growing stronger. “Roland?” he asked. “Can
Selyn communicate with you telepathically?” When Roland nodded in
the affirmative, he added, “Then why don’t we wait and contact you
when we get to the chancellor’s office? Would that
work?”
“It would. I’m going to be off duty in
another hour. Contact me, and we’ll use the security route to get
below.”
Just then, Gaia walked back into the
room, carrying a small satchel. “Roland of Kronus.” She nodded
formally. “It’s good to see you. I thank you for standing beside my
son during these difficult times.”
Roland bowed from the waist. “Gaia of
Artigos. I wish you well, and health to your husband.”
Tears sparkled in Gaia’s eyes. “Thank
you, Roland. I just wish I could be certain we can remove the demon
from his soul. It’s a very frightening time for both of
us.”
“Yes, Gaia. It is. For all of us.”
Roland frowned. Then he folded his arms across his chest. “Much has
happened since I brought Selyn to Earth’s dimension. The gateway to
Abyss from the vortex here in Mount Shasta continues to reopen.
I’ve shut it now more than a dozen times, but whenever I must be
away, it opens again. Even now, I imagine it’s being repaired. I’m
beginning to think it’s someone here, inside Lemuria, who is
responsible.”
“Crap.” Ginny glanced at Dawson. “I’m
thinking Maxl and Drago. What do you think?”
Dawson nodded, thinking of the two
who’d ordered the search of Artigos’s office. “Do you think they’re
demon-possessed as well, sort of like Artigos?”
“It stands to reason.” Roland sighed.
“Our problems appear to be growing faster than we can control them,
but I have a bit of good news. I’ve heard of a woman who might be
able to help remove the demon from Artigos. Three of my men were
involved in a fierce battle with demons at a shop called Crystal
Dreams in the Earth town of Evergreen. A young woman there, Mari .
. .”
Ginny interrupted. “Mari Schwartz? I
know Mari, and I know the shop. Her mom owns it. What’s going
on?”
“It appears Mari has been running her
mother’s shop while her father is ill. One of my soldiers—Darius,
who was one of the young men who received his crystal sword from
DarkFire—followed demons into town. For some reason they were
targeting the shop. Darius ended up staying on to protect Mari.
There was a terrible battle, one that only ended when Mari invoked
powerful magic and cast a spell that stopped the demons. Darius
said that Mari was killed in the battle, but his sword not only
helped restore her life, but also granted her
immortality.”
“Mari Schwartz? Wow! She’s okay now,
though, right?” Ginny laughed. “I love it! Mari’s an investment
banker—she’s been working in San Francisco since college. She hated
the fact her mom claimed to be a witch. The whole time we were
growing up, she was in total denial. I can’t wait to see her. Mari
as an immortal witch will take some getting used to.”
Roland chuckled. “According to Darius,
she appears to be a powerful witch with abilities she is only now
beginning to understand. And yes, her mother is also a witch. I’m
wondering if their magic might help Artigos.”
Gaia reached for Roland and wrapped
her fingers around his arm. “I’m willing to try anything,” she
said, “whatever we have to do to save my husband’s life and his
soul.” She turned to Ginny. “Take me to Artigos now, please. I
don’t care if it takes a witch or a talking dog, or the spirit
within your amazing sword. I want my husband back.”