The Emerald Key (21 page)

But first, he needed rest. He was so tired. So very tired.

Cass saw the smoke curling from the top of the cabin. “It’s smoke from a chimney. What’s wrong with that?”

“We’ve been gone long enough for the fire to go out. Either someone’s here, or has been recently.”

“I don’t see anyone.” Cass chewed her lips. What if the thugs had returned? What if they had come back here for her again?

Nic grasped Cass’ hand, sending warmth through her. “I don’t see anyone on the outside. But there may be someone inside.”

As he spoke, the door opened and a woman who appeared to be as old as Minerva stepped out. Like Minerva, she barely topped five feet, but had a rounder frame. Her white hair hung in two braids down her back nearly to her hips. She wore well-worn jeans tucked into high boots, a coat that looked more like it would fit him, and a heavy plaid wool hat with long earflaps.

“Do you know her?” Nic asked. He bit back a chuckle at her outfit.

Cass nodded, her nerves slightly less on edge, but definitely not at ease. “That’s Alma, one of Aunt Minerva’s friends, and Dori and Phoebe’s grandmother. But I don’t know what she’s doing here now. She’s supposed to be in Florida. Phoebe is picking her up at the airport tomorrow.”

Nic pulled her back against the wall of the barn.

“She’s headed this way,” Cass said. “Something doesn’t feel right. What do we do?”

“There might be others watching from the house.” Nic glanced around. “Up to the loft. Hurry.” They scrambled up the ladder and ducked in behind boxes and bundles, settling as the door opened.

“Cassandra?” Alma looked up at their hiding place. “Minerva called me and convinced me to return early. She also told me you’d be here. You and your protector can come down. It is safe. The wards will alert us if anyone else comes.”

Cass glanced at Nic, who nodded. She rose and stepped to the top of the ladder. “Granny Alma? What are you doing here?”

“There’s trouble. All four of you are in danger. I am here to cleanse the cabin and set the protections in place.”

“A little late, isn’t it?” Nic stepped up next to Cass.

“No, Nicodemus, it is not. Everything is occurring as it must.”

Nic swung down to the floor while Cass took the ladder. “Cass was supposed to be kidnapped? Supposed to be nearly killed?”

“But she is fine and now you know of your own powers.”

“Powers? I don’t have any powers other than what’s in my two hands. And how did you know my name?” He turned to Cass. “Does everyone know that damned name? I’m Nic! Nicodemus was a kid found abandoned on some doorstep. He was a throwaway. I’m Nic.”

“You’re wrong, Nicodemus. Your name is a strong one, as are you, and you need to acknowledge and accept your powers soon.”

Cass stared at Nic. “He can send his thoughts and sense others, can’t he?”

“And more. Nicodemus, if you cannot accept your powers, then all will be lost. Each holder of the key, and each Protector, has powers that will help them in the battle to come. Yours complement the element of earth. To each element, a Keeper and a Protector, and to each Keeper and Protector, the power of their element.”

As she spoke, Nic studied her. He recognized her. “You. You were there with the first Cassandra.”

She ducked her head at him. “Yes.”

“But that would make you…” He stared at her.

“Yes?”

The idea of how old this woman might be boggled his mind. “Never mind. But there’s more. I saw you before. In a room. With Minerva and another woman. In front of a loom.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Did you? Interesting. Now, come inside. I brought fresh supplies, and have some corn chowder on the stove and fried chicken. Cassandra, I believe you are particularly fond of my chowder. Nicodemus, why don’t you go get your truck? You can park it here in the barn.”

Nic frowned as Alma bustled Cass off.
Was the image he had in his mind a memory? Or his imagination?
“Damn.” He punched the back wall of the barn—and his arm sank through the wood up to his shoulder.

“What the hell?” He pulled back and ran his hand along the wall. Solid from the corner to a spot a few inches left of center and the same from the other direction. He ran his hand lightly over the surface. The rough planks felt like wood. He even came away with a splinter. And yet, his hand sank through a space large enough for him to pass through. So he did.

Darkness enclosed him. Nic spread his hands out to the sides—solid rock walls. Nothing in front of him. “Okay, another tunnel. But I can’t do anything now.”

“Nic?”

He heard Cass’ voice, but muffled, as if from a great distance. He crossed his fingers and stepped back. Fortunately, the doorway or opening or whatever let him pass through.

“Nic?” Cass came into the barn, her hair bound up in a towel, clean clothes replacing her dirty ones. “There you are! What’s taking so long? Is everything okay? Where’s your truck?”

“Cass, did you know there’s a tunnel behind this wall?”

Cass walked over to him and studied the weathered wood. “A what?”

“A tunnel. Here, let me show you.” Nic shoved at the spot he’d just emerged from, and came up short as he met solid wall. He ran his hands over the wood, pushing at the boards. “I know it was here a minute ago.”

“How far in did you go?”

“You believe me?”

“Of course. It’s the same thing that happened at my place and at Aunt Minerva’s.”

“I couldn’t go very far. I didn’t have any light.” He pushed again at the wall. Nothing.

“I’d say the fates added another piece to our puzzle,” Cass said.

Nic grimaced and took Cass’ hand. “Have I ever told you how much I hate puzzles?”

“Go get your truck. We’ll figure this out eventually.”

“I believe Alma said something about chowder?”

“Yeah. She makes the best southwestern corn chowder. Hope you like spicy.”

Nic left Cass at the cabin and went after his truck. He maneuvered up the long lane and parked in the barn. When he got out, he tested the back wall again. Solid. As solid as a wall should be. Shaking his head, he strode back to the cabin.

Inside smelled like frying chicken, onion, hot peppers, and wood smoke.

“Alma? He’s back.”

Nic grinned as Cass’ stomach grumbled. By his reckoning, the last meal they’d eaten had been the can of soup Cass had opened for them the night before. “Smells delicious, Alma.”

They sat at the table and Cass and Nic dug into the tasty fare. Once their initial hunger had been assuaged, Nic got out a pad of paper and started drawing.

“What are you doing?” Cass asked.

“I know you and Alma trust your wards and all your magic, but I trust my hardware. I’m going to set up an alarm perimeter. Are we expecting anyone else tonight?”

“No. Alma told me the others have been delayed, and she’s not sure where her girls are. If I know Phoebe, she’s out with her new boyfriend. And Dori’s probably shopping for supplies for here. She always brings decorations up the night before, and we spend the night getting everything ready.”

“Does Greg come along?”

“No.” Cass frowned. “Although, technically, this is the first year we’ve done this since they got married. Last year, he had an out-of-town workshop during solstice, and they just celebrated their first anniversary in October.” She stared at him. “Something I don’t understand. If you and Greg are such good friends, why weren’t you at the wedding?”

Nic pointed at his scars. “I had other matters to deal with. Greg invited me to be his best man, but I refused.”

“Your scars.”

He nodded. “I didn’t want him having some deformed freak standing up there with him.”

“Nic—”

He touched her face. “I know. I didn’t then. Back to the matter at hand. I thought all this nonsense had to go down on the solstice.”

“That’s the optimal time for the pathway to be opened,” Alma said. “But it’s not the only time. As long as the four are together, they have the power to open the way.”

“To Lemuria,” Nic said.

“Yes.”

“Lemuria doesn’t exist,” Nic said. “Even if it was real, it sank a long time ago. There’s nothing there. Besides, if I remember, it had seven-foot-tall lizard people or something like that.”

Alma smiled. “Read your mythology, did you? You young people see everything in black-and-white. Sometimes, what is under your hand isn’t real, and the reality is what lies behind.”

Nic stared at her. Did she know about the tunnel? “Alma?”

The ringing of the phone interrupted him. Cass answered it, then handed the receiver to Alma, who replied to the caller in a language Nic didn’t recognize. One of the paintings caught his eye—the one showing Minerva’s place. He could swear he saw something move in the window. He shook his head. Next, he’d be imagining Lemuria rising from the ocean.

“Cass? What language is she speaking? It sounds a little like Greek with a mixture of some Middle East dialect.”

“I don’t know,” she whispered back. “I’ve never heard it before. But I do know she’s talking to Granny Cleo, Kyrie’s godmother.” She paused as Alma hung up the phone.

“I’m sorry, my dears, but I must go. Stay here and stay safe. We’ll all be together soon.”

“You and the others won’t be back tonight?” Nic asked.

“No. We’ll contact you when the time is right.” She grabbed a long cape off the hook by the door. “Have fun, my dears.”

After the door shut, Nic bit into a piece of succulent chicken, then gasped and choked on the bite. Cass slapped him on the back. “What’s wrong?”

He swallowed. “Alma! Where did she go?”

He rushed for the door, and ran outside, searching the grounds for signs of Alma. Finding none, he dashed for the barn, and ran his hands along the back wall. Solid. Nothing.

He shoved at and yanked on every lever he could find, and even pried a couple of boards loose. All he found was solid rock and dirt behind the wood.

“Nic, what is going on? What are you doing?”

“How did she get here? We didn’t see any vehicles. And where did she go?”

“Huh? What do you mean? She had to have a car. Didn’t she?”

Nic shook his head. “Remember when we came in? We checked everywhere. We didn’t find any other vehicles. Our puzzle seems to be gaining pieces—and none of them are fitting together. I’m getting damned tired of this.”

He removed several bags from the back of his truck, and laid the contents out on the workbench.

“What is all that stuff?”

“Basic wiring, cameras, and other odds and ends. I’m going to turn this into a security and surveillance system. Do you want to help?”

“Would you feel abandoned if I said no?”

Nic put down the camera and turned to her. “Are you all right? Should I have taken you to the hospital? Do I need to call your aunt?”

“Nic, relax. I’m fine. You’re going to set alarms your way. I’m going to do some things my way.”

“I thought Alma had wards already up all over the place.”

“She does. I’m going to enhance them.”

“If you’re sure you’re okay…”

“I am. Go on. Do your kind of magic, while I do mine. But we really should finish eating first. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

“Agreed.” Nic followed Cass inside, and they managed to make a deep dent in the platter of chicken and kettle of chowder. Finally full of a good meal, they got down to business.

While Nic worked outside, Cass stayed inside. She went to her room and pulled a small chest out from under the bed, and opened the lid. After selecting several items from the trays within, she went back to the front room and cleared a space in the center of the floor. She set out her altar, candles, and other accoutrements, then knelt in front of the altar, closed her eyes, and breathed deeply.

“I call upon the angels of the east.” Cass began the ritual that would call the angels of protection to her. She prayed for strength to face the coming challenges, and for security for both her and Nic. As Cass recited the ritual words, a sense of peace descended on her.

Cass closed the circle and put away her things, more at ease than she’d been in days. Nic entered as she snapped the lid on her case.

“Finished?” She reached up to pluck a leaf from his hair. He wrapped his arms around her.

“Just about. I need to set up my laptop and tie the feeds into it. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine.” Even though her heart beat like crazy and her lungs refused to work. She reached up to caress his face, surprised when he backed away.

“Not now, Cass. Wait until I finish.”

She refused to let him see how his words hurt her. Didn’t he want her anymore?

“I want you more than you know.” Nic stared at her from across the room. “I want you so much, it hurts. But I failed you once. That will not happen again.”

Cass stared at him. “You heard my thoughts? You know what I’m thinking?”

“Yes. I don’t know how or why, but I can hear your thoughts. Ever since we made love, and the doorway or whatever it was opened, I’ve sensed you in me. You are a part of me.”

Cass gripped the table, happier than she’d been in forever. “I thought I imagined it. That only I could sense the connection.”

“You can read minds?”

“No. I can sense strong emotions, but I can’t read others. Not like I can read you. So, when I thought I heard your voice in the hotel, it really was you? My imagination didn’t run away with me?”

“No. It was me.” He grimaced and Cass wondered what bothered him. She didn’t have long to wonder.

“Just before the building blew up, you said you couldn’t contain something. What did you mean?”

“Your emotions.” Cass chewed her lip as she saw his frown deepen, and heard his thoughts jumping from one idea to another. “You were angry and anxious and upset. Very upset.”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

“Well, so was I. And since we’re linked, the emotions combined.”

Nic’s eyes widened. “You couldn’t control it all. Couldn’t focus it all.”

“Let’s just say it was a shattering experience.”

Nic’s head hung and she longed to go to him, to hug him, but knew from his thoughts he didn’t want that. He wanted her, but his sense of duty was stronger. She gripped the table until her knuckles turned white. “Nic, you can’t blame yourself for the collapse of the hotel. I could have focused the power if they hadn’t drugged me. Their drugs did this, not you.”