Call of the Raven (15 page)

“Bleach?” Ari shrugged. Nixon disagreed with
a shake of his head. “Look,” he said, “since I get the distinct
feeling you already know. Why don’t you just go ahead and tell us,
Nixon.”

“I wasn’t the best biology student but I do
recognize the scent of formaldehyde. The pup fetus was taken from a
lab somewhere, not from its mother.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Kennedy responded.
“However, I was a good student. Formaldehyde might explain the
chemical smell if it was preserved but not the blood. There should
be none.”

“Yeah, and you being the huntress should have
recognized the fact it was not only fresh, it was human. Those two
factors, the pup fetus with human blood tells me, the message most
definitely was for Asher.”

“Well maybe I could have had it not been
hidden behind chemical and smoke,” Kennedy argued, clearly not
understanding.

Nixon didn’t reply back which was the first
indication that something bothered him. Instead, he became
engrossed in washing the blood from his hands and avoiding eye
contact. Nixon was there in the room. He washed away the blood from
the book and got rid of the mess.

He understood the message.

Ari not being a member of the Pillar Council
wasn’t allowed to read anything from the archives, even though,
unlike Nixon and Kennedy, he knew about the room. Nixon, on the
other hand, who was a member of the Pillar Council could read the
page with the Keeper’s permission of course, but Asher had never
felt lead to do that.

“What is it Nixon,” Ari asked. “Did you
discover something in the book?”

Nixon nodded. “The page talked about Asher’s
lack of a protégé heir—a successor. Apparently if none is provided
he’s supposed to take a wife to produce one.”

“Well we both know that’s not going to
happen,” Ari said. “What else did it say, why would Ross and his
men leave that fetus behind as a warning?”

“That I’m not sure about but I do know this.
If Asher isn’t called and he doesn’t have an heir by the time he’s
thirty-five, the wolf’s reign falls to the tiger. I can’t see
my—Ross caring much if the wolf’s leadership comes to an end.”

When Ari’s eyes fell curiously on Nixon with
the near slipup of words, Nixon turned around and started washing
his hands again. Crossing the room, Ari gently pushed Kennedy out
the door and shut it behind her. He took a towel from the cabinet
and sat it next to Nixon. “When did you get your memory back?” he
asked.

“I found a badge, a Raven’s crest next to
your car.”

Ari smiled. “I pulled it off an Asian kid. I
hoped you would.”

“Then you’ve always known about my
father…that he’s in on this rebellion?”

“I wasn’t sure who was behind the rebellion
until he walked into the cabin, but the day Grant kicked Zareth
Ross out of the Union, I was in the room. As Guardian to all
Keepers it was my duty to protect Grant, even though technically I
was just there for moral support, and to act as a witness since I
was just fifteen at the time.”

“And Asher, you know about him?” Nixon
asked.

Ari shrugged, “I know he was extremely upset
by what he found.” He surveyed Nixon’s expression, and then shook
his head. “Is there something else I should know?”

“I guess not,” Nixon sniffed, wiped his hands
on the towel and headed for the door. “I guess it doesn’t
matter…not really.”

Ari remained behind to clean the blood from
the floor and sink top, and when he exited his room with intentions
of heading downstairs to make tea for Asher, he noticed Kennedy
sitting on his bed. He gestured her to follow.

“Don’t be angry with me.” He had seen her
hurt expression when he shoved her out the door.

“This is about Nixon. Something is bothering
him,” she surprised him by saying. Ari stopped on the stairs and
with a long exhale of breath, faced her. He had intended on
replying somewhat sarcastic, since that was a given fact, but when
he took in her serious expression, he gestured her to go on. “When
we were coming back Nixon stopped the snowmobile and acted all
panicky. He kept looking at the woods like he thought someone was
going to jump out at us. I’ve never seen him so afraid. And then at
the cabin, he ran and hid. When have you ever known Nixon to run
from a fight?”

“Not all that often,” Ari agreed, “not even
from Asher.”

“I didn’t know about that man—Ross being his
dad until he said so upstairs. Was it on the account of him that
Nixon acted that way?”

“You were too young to fully remember the
condition Nixon was in when he got here, but yes I believe his
behavior had a lot to do with that. Nixon hasn’t seen his dad since
he was younger, before Grant brought him here.”

“I know that he was abused. I’ve seen his
scars,” Kennedy said. “I think Nixon’s afraid he’ll come for
him.”

“That’s a possibility,” Ari agreed. “But I’m
sure realizing his old man’s behind my kidnapping is more than he
can deal with right now.”

“Then you think he’ll be all right?”

Ari gave her a nod. “I’ll see to Asher and
then I’ll go find him, but until then maybe you can keep him busy.
Search the grounds and make sure everything’s as it should be.”
Reaching out he touched Kennedy’s soft cheek and grinned.
“Everything is going to be okay. I’ll see to that. I always
have.”

Chapter Nine

Hidden Truth

What was left
of the mouth was open in
a silent scream of horror. Flesh, decomposed or pecked away by
birds exposed bone and teeth. Bits of rotted cloth adhered to the
skull with dried blood and matted hair clung to the forehead. The
hair was long and black and looked just like his.

Asher fought to clear the image from his
mind.

He fought for breath and reason.

He tried not to see the name or accept the
fact the ghastly remains—the rotting body leaning up against the
stone was him. Forcing himself to wake up, Asher instantly noticed
the silhouette of his brother standing before the window across the
room.

“Playing vigil again Ari?” Asher took a deep
breath and pushed his sweat damp hair out of his eyes.

“You were having another nightmare. I brought
you some of your tea. It should still be warm,” Ari said.

Asher sat up and placed a pillow behind his
back while Ari crossed the room. He removed the mug of tea from the
nightstand and handed it to him. He had changed into jeans and a
sweatshirt and was sporting a white bandage on his forehead. Asher
could tell by his sleepy eyes that Ari had yet to go to bed.

He began to picture his brother with the rope
around his neck and wasn’t even aware of his breathing or the fact
he was growing angry until he felt Ari watching him.

“They didn’t hurt me Asher,” he said. “I hit
my head when I wrecked, and I can’t even blame anyone but me. The
roads were pretty bad.”

“And you just happened to be followed by a
band of outcasts in a truck with a winch on the front, Ari?” Asher
asked skeptically. He paused long enough for Ari to respond, but he
merely shook his head, exhaled loudly and sat back in the chair.
“The only clear fact I see is they didn’t have to cause your
accident. You did that for them by driving too fast.”

“But I wouldn’t have been driving too fast
had you—” stopping midsentence Ari took another deep breath and let
it out slowly. “Look, I know about the phones and I know you
cancelled the meeting. I know they took me to draw you away from
here, so they could get inside, and I know you feel bad about that,
but I wasn’t hurt and nothing was taken. So, let’s move on to
something else. Let’s talk about Zareth Ross. What did he
want?”

Reaching over, Asher took the mint tin from
the nightstand and took out two. He handed one to Ari and put the
other in his mouth. The tea relaxed him just as the mints did.
“You’ve studied the rebellion, what do you think Ross wanted?”

“I don’t know Asher, what do most tyrants
want, power, recognition, revenge. Your guess is as good as
mine.”

“What else do you know?”

Ari stretched, “Not much other than the list
of names Vince compiled of Ross’s known followers and supporters.
He’s got a couple multi-million dollar corporations behind him. Who
knew sponsors weren’t just for racecar drivers and basketball
players these days.”

“Multi-million dollar companies huh?” Asher
pondered. “What do you think they do with the money?”

“Afford the finest silk for those robes?” Ari
exhaled. “Come on Asher, they buy condos and have their toes
painted. Who knows? Who cares?” He looked sideways at him.
“Honestly ever since you put me to work auditing the accounts
department, I haven’t had a chance to go over the information much.
Vince Donavan came here at Linn’s request with my approval. He
knows more about them. I figured I would invite him to lunch and
compare notes.”

“Did you tell me that Vince Donavan was
coming?”

“Yes, you didn’t listen,” Ari said. “But
that’s old news. We went through this at the cabin. I tried to warn
you about the uprising, and now it’s here. Let’s proceed, Ross
wanted something here at Lake Manor, and whatever that was must
have been pretty important to risk facing your wrath. Everyone in
the Union fears your powers.”

“I’ve looked over the documents about the
uprising. We can talk about them further if you like.”

Even though his willingness surprised Ari he
shook his head. “We’ll get to that, your evading my question. Tell
me about that book in the archives closet. Nixon told me what was
on the page.” Ari held up a hand when Asher opened his mouth to
answer. “I know he didn’t have your permission but he is a member
of the Pillar Council. But I’m not letting you sidetrack me. I want
an answer. Why didn’t you feel the need to mention to me that you
had a deadline to produce a child?”

“I’m trying to answer you,” Asher glared at
him, “if you would shut up long enough so I can.”

“Fine, tell me.”

“I didn’t see the point of taking a wife just
to have an heir when I vowed not to love.” Asher angrily spoke.
“Besides, I always thought an heir would be provided for me.”

Asher contemplated his brother’s somber mood.
He couldn’t tell what he was thinking, even with the link open. He
just sat staring straight ahead. The only time Asher knew his
brother to be quiet was when it came to his beliefs of the curse or
his vows. That however was an argument best saved for another
time.

“Truth is, Ari, I don’t know why Ross left
that warning. I can’t see that he would care if the wolf should
fall—not when the Gothi feel they should be the leaders of us
all.”

“Oh who knows? That guy is certifiably
insane. You should have heard him talking about epiphanies and
purpose. He’s nuts.” Rubbing at his eyes, Ari let out a weary sigh.
“On a less significant note, I’ve been thinking about something.
During the first break in when you were hit, your magic protected
the manor. Why would Ross go through the trouble of taking me to
draw you away from here, if he could get past your magic?”

“Because someone other than Ross was
responsible for the first intrusion, but that is the key Ari, and
speaking of keys,” Asher explained his trip to the old mans while
Ari closely listened. “I believe someone with access to the manor
stole the key to keep it from Ross. They hit me because they didn’t
want me to identify them,” he finally said.

Ari leaned back in the chair and pondered his
words before asking. “So someone other than Doc Garret knows about
the key. And you didn’t know about the key hidden in the bookends
until he told you?”

“I knew about a particular solution key to a
spell, but I didn’t know where it was hidden.” Asher took notice of
his brother’s thoughtful expression. “What are you thinking
Arimus?”

“I think that both Doc and Ross know things
we don’t and the fact you’re the Keeper is a little disconcerting,”
Ari said.

“Yes it is,” Asher agreed. “It seems I need
to pay another visit to the old man.”

“You mean we should.” After a long drawn out
sigh, still clearly confused, Ari shook his head. “Okay, so Ross
wanted the key to a spell, what did it go to?”

Asher nervously chewed on his lower lip. The
time had come for him to reveal his secrets, but Asher feared the
outcome. “I need to show you something first, something important
that I should have told you about a long time ago.”

Rolling over, Asher pushed Ari’s leg aside so
that he could run his hand along the edge of the antique bed. He
felt for the notch and pulled open the small door. Reaching inside,
he removed the treasure chest that usually sat on the dresser.
Lying back Asher sat it on his stomach. He removed the medallion
from his neck and, with his index finger, pushed on the center.
When a small key appeared on bottom, he put it in the lock. Once
the chest was unlocked, he reached inside and took out the leather
spell book, and placed it on the bed. Taking out a second book, he
handed that one to Ari.

“What is it?” Ari flipped open the first page
and saw the name penned neatly at the top, and a reflective
expression crossed his brow. Asher had no need to answer. “It’s
Grant’s journal,” Ari murmured, “but how did you get it?’

“He left it for me the night he was called,”
Asher answered. He handed the other book to Ari as well, “along
with this one, which until this night, I kept in the hidden vault
along with the archives. It’s a spell book that contains the spells
used by those who practice death magic. I think Ross was searching
for it along with the solution key.”

“What exactly is a solution key?” Ari
questioned.

“Actually to clarify matters there is a
solution which is an encryption or algorithm, and a solution key,
and both of those two things are needed to reverse or unlock a
spell. Most mages preferred to use cryptography or ciphertext to
write their solutions, but there are a variety of ways to write
them. A solution key, however, is a piece of information which can
be anything from words to a song, a quote or a particular number
pattern such as an address. But whatever the key is, it’s something
memorable and possibly unique to the person who wrote it. I believe
the solution key was what was taken in that first break in.”