Save Aether (The Trinity Key Trilogy Book 3) (16 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Valera

Valera needed to get to the village. With Victor acting as her mother’s pigheaded watchdog, she doubted she’d make it far. And he certainly wouldn’t renege on his duties. He may have gone along with their impromptu meeting, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t turn on her as some kind of payback. She had to get a feel for where his head was at – without him knowing it.

She strolled down the hall outside of Julia’s room, examining the old family portraits that hung on the walls. One of them caught her eye – a young woman in her early twenties with the same brown hair and green eyes. The girl’s smile was radiant. She stopped to look at it. Victor came up beside her and scratched his chin.

“Do you know who that is?” he asked.

“No, but she’s very pretty.”

Victor chuckled, “That’s Mother.”

Valera raised a brow. “I can’t imagine her ever being that happy.”

“I don’t think she was happy for long,” he murmured.

“Why?”

“She’d just had us. A month or so later, Juliet died. Mother lost her connection to aether. It’s been hard on her… you have what she never did.”

Valera felt tears form in her eyes. She’d never thought of her mother’s past, or how hard it must have been to lose the Trinity, not to mention losing a close friend. When Valera left, Victor must have felt like he’d lost her.

She turned to her twin and blurted, “I’m so sorry.”

He hugged her and patted her hair. “I know. Me too.”

After a few minutes, he released her and wiped her face with his hand. She smiled at him. He looked older than he had before she’d gone away. He looked tired.

“We should go find Nessie. I think she’s at the pub,” he said to her surprise. She’d been wrong about him. “We’ll stop by the town hall as well and collect the relics… and Gideon.”

“But what about Mother?”

Victor sighed, “I think I’m beginning to understand why you
need
to do what you’re doing. I thought you were corrupt like the Order, but it’s not that… It’s Danu. We have to end this, and if that means releasing her, so be it.”

Valera hugged her brother one more time before heading downstairs. Keeping an eye out for their mother, they snuck into the foyer. Out of the corner of her eye, Valera caught a glimpse into the library. Dr. Lawless and her mother were sitting close – too close – and whispering to each other. She’d already been through one evil step-father. She didn’t want another. Valera swallowed the urge to cause a scene. Victor harrumphed beside her, shaking his head. He nudged her toward the front door. Victor called for the mechanical horse, which clip-clopped out of the carriage house.

“I should warn you, Nessie’s in a bad state since the
Cornelius
has been dry docked,” Victor said on the way into the village.

“I really messed her up,” Valera muttered.

Victor shook his head. “I’ve been blaming you for a lot lately, and I was wrong. It wasn’t your fault. Besides, Nessie hardly needs your help getting into trouble. She is trouble.” He grinned.

Sure enough, they found their aunt in the pub – full up the knocker. She had a pint in one hand, a pitcher in the other, and her head on the bar. Her eyes popped open when they walked in.

“Hello, my little twinsisssies,” Nessie hooted.

“Hey, Auntie Nessie,” Valera began, but was promptly slapped on the back by her aunt so hard, she lost her breath.

“This one’s a fire ball. Go ‘head, Vlara, you show ‘um,” Nessie slurred to the other drunken patrons.

The men at the bar ignored her. Victor wrestled the pitcher out of her hand, during which Nessie spilled the contents of the pint all over Valera. A long string of nonsensical curse words poured out of Nessie’s lips. Finally, Victor won. He placed the pitcher on the other side of the bar and grabbed his aunt under her shoulder. Valera grabbed her other side, and together, they dragged her into the light of day. She screeched and cowered away as if she were allergic to sunlight. She slipped back under the protection of the awning.

“Why you draggin’ me away. I was ‘avin fun,” she blubbered.

“We need your help,” Victor grumbled. “Pull yourself together.”

Nessie’s bloodshot eyes took on a mischievous glint. “Whatcha planning?”

“First let’s get some tea into you. Then we’ll talk,” Valera suggested.

They went into the bakery. Valera ordered four cups of strong tea, while Victor took Nessie to a quiet table near the back of the room. Nessie downed the tea one right after the other. The caffeine perked her up and returned some of her wits. She leaned across the table, burped, and grinned.

“So, what trouble are we causing this time?”

Valera shook her head. Victor had been right. Nessie created plenty of her own problems even without Valera pulling her into dangerous situations. Victor put his fingers to his lips.

“We’re leaving,” Victor whispered.

Nessie guffawed. “Well it’s about darn time. Where are we going?”

“Shhh,” Valera hissed.

Nessie ducked her head and said with quiet but equal gusto, “Where are we going?”

“Danu’s tomb,” Valera said. “It’s in on an island in the far north Atlantic Ocean.”

“The
Cornelius
can’t take the winds up there. We’ll have to go by sea. I bet Ole’ Rust Bucket will help us.” Nessie grinned. “I’ll just tell him Adora’s going with us. He’s had a crush on her since our first trip in the
Blowfish
.”

Valera didn’t need to be on the
Blowfish
to already feel seasick. Their first voyage to Pacifica City had been a nightmare. She wanted to protest, but there was no other way to get to Danu’s Tomb.

She sighed, “Just don’t let anyone know what you’re up to. We need to speak with Gideon in the town hall.”

“Mum’s the word, gotcha! I’ll use the telecom on
the Cornelius
. No one will question me there. I’ll meet you back home when the deed is done.”

Nessie slunk off to the
Cornelius
, while Valera and Victor went on to find Gideon in the town hall, which seemed strangely quiet. Valera expected guards and officials with the precious objects that were inside, but apparently, her mother didn’t think the security was necessary.

The receptionist squinted at them. “Can I help you?”

“We’re looking for Gideon,” Valera stated.

The pinched-faced woman looked them up and down. She hitched her thumb to the right hall.

“Down there,” she said with a thin-lipped frown.

“Thanks,” Valera said, scampering down the hall.

She heard Gideon’s voice before she saw his face. He was in a back room, bent over the relics with a group of white robes. She recognized a few of them from Pacifica City. They recognized her as well. They bowed as she walked in. The Trinity’s
miracle
nonsense came in handy. Victor frowned at them in confusion. Valera just took his arm and pulled him into the room, giving him a don’t-ask look.

“Valera!” Gideon beamed. “Come in. Please.”

“I’m honored to have one of the saviors of Pacifica in my presence. If there is any way I can be of service, you have but to ask,” one of the white robes said.

“I’m fine thank you… but you’ve done excellent work here,” Valera said.

The man smiled and bobbed his head. His face turned five shades redder, and for a second, Valera thought he might pass out. Instead, he scuttled off to the side of the room with the other scientists. Victor grunted.

“What’s that all about?”

Gideon chuckled, “You haven’t heard about Pacifica, have you?”

“No, and I’m not sure I want to,” Victor grumbled.

“Forget about all of that. We’re here on important business.” Valera kissed Gideon’s cheek and whispered in his ear, “We need the relics and the key, Gideon. We’re leaving for Danu’s tomb.”

“What about Dr. Lawless? Does he know?” Gideon asked, taking his cue from Valera and keeping his voice low.

“No,” Victor rumbled. “He doesn’t know anything, and it’s going to stay that way.”

“Yes, of course. I won’t say anything.” Gideon replied. “Although, I have to ask why? I thought he was helping the girls. What changed?”

Valera shuddered. “
He
did. He’s… not stable.”

Gideon nodded. “It will be difficult to get the artifacts out of here with the archivists around, but I can bring them to the mansion tonight, if that works.”

“I knew you’d help!”

Valera wrapped her arms around him, noting that Victor’s frown grew exponentially. She released Gideon, whose face was now bright red. He straightened his coat and cleared his throat.

Valera smiled. “I’ll meet you at the garden pond at midnight.”

Gideon nodded. Everything was coming together, and Valera felt as if she were flying.

Victor touched his sister’s shoulder to get her attention. “We should return before anyone notices we’re gone.”

Bidding Gideon farewell, they quickly climbed into the waiting carriage and went back home.

Valera couldn’t believe they had gotten away with leaving. She had expected her mother to send out a platoon, or be waiting at the door for their return, but it seemed she hadn’t even noticed their departure. She was still in the library when they walked through the front door.

Valera and Victor went straight up to Julia’s room to share their success. Julia and Eli were on her bed reading Professor Scrod’s notebook and laughing.

“Who knew the Professor lives a secret life as a romance writer…
The fisherman’s tight muscular arms wrapped around Marina’s trim waist and pulled her against him.

‘No, I won’t, she cried.

‘Face it, Marina you are mine
,” Julia read aloud, falling into a fit of laughter.

“Are you sure you stole the right book,” Valera quipped.

“Positive. The map is the last entry,” Eli chuckled.

“Did you have any trouble?” Victor asked.

Julia grinned. “It wasn’t hard. Your mother kept Lawly busy in the library. Seems you might have a new daddy.”

Victor growled, “Watch it, Julia.”

Eli got off the bed and went face to face with Victor.
Boys
. Valera rolled her eyes and got in between them. They didn’t need a brawl to ruin their plans. They couldn’t risk drawing attention to themselves. Valera scowled at Julia.

A little help here?

Why? This is amusing. Who do you think would win?

“Come on, guys. Victor, it isn’t worth it,” Valera pleaded.

Julia finally sat up on the bed and droned, “I’m sorry, Victor.”

Sorry that Dr. Lawless might be your dad
, Julia added telepathically, drawing a glare from Valera.
Kidding… sheesh.

Although Victor eased off, Valera knew he was still fuming. Eli plopped back down on the bed as if nothing had happened. She was beginning to understand why his ever-present smirk annoyed Julia. He picked up the book and tossed it to Valera, who flipped through the pages and found the map.

“Here’s where we’re going, Victor. I discovered it with Aeda’s Sextant. You should have seen me,” she said, trying to diffuse the situation.

A brief smile touched Victor’s lips. He took the book and examined the pages. “I’ve got some nautical maps in my room. We may be able to pinpoint an exact location. Do you mind if I take this for a while?”

Julia stiffened up, but Eli patted her leg. “I’ll go with him.”

“I can handle it on my own,” Victor groaned.

“I grew up in Pacifica. I know nautical maps… besides have you ever been alone in a room with these two? You either freeze or boil… sometimes both at the same time.”

Julia threw him a nasty look, and he skipped out of the room, laughing.

“Men…” Valera bemoaned.

“Oh, well. What can you do?” Julia smiled. “You might want to go pack a few things.”

“Hmm, good idea. I wouldn’t want to leave with only the clothes on my back… again,” Valera sneered.