Any Price (24 page)

“It’s time to get back. I’m afraid we need to cover the hearth floor, Landor. Try and leave it as we found it,” Lore directed as Boris stepped out.

Half an hour later they were headed back to the capital. This time Boris and Julianna were in the back of the limo with Lore and Kenna. They were all studying the pad where Boris had copied the inscriptions from the engraved sword.

Boris explained the hieroglyphics he could read immediately. “First symbol means
Warning death to the wrong type
. Do not enter symbol. It is the most serious threat that can be made. It indicates death on every level, even in the afterlife. Second symbol means gate or gatekeeper, guard coupled with the time symbol. Roughly,
The guardian of the afterlife is the only one who can pass here
. The third symbol translates as a ship to the afterlife coupled with shining hope or birth. It means
Death is not the end of life
. This concept is the cornerstone of the entire Egyptian belief that if proper care is taken of the body, it will rise again to live forever. I think it might mean that those who lie here have eternal life.

“The runes down the blade will take more time to decipher. We need to contrast them to the few samples of early runes that have been found and compare meanings.”

“Could the runes be linked to early Egyptian?” Kenna wanted to know.

“It’s a possibility. We still need the other data, but if I study them looking for links, perhaps the meanings will become more exact,” Boris agreed, sharing Kenna’s excitement in discovery.

“If those symbols are the ones put on graves, does that mean the castle is the northern equivalent of a pyramid? A structure over a grave meant to protect the entrance?” Kenna mused. “The advanced construction methods might make sense if we thought of the ones building it as having the same mathematic insights the pyramid builders had and coupling those with a will to conceal the real purpose for the castle.”

Boris glared down at his tablet. “What you’re saying makes a scary kind of sense. If that’s the case, we’ve just altered known history. The very fact that these markings are here says there was some contact between our peoples long before we thought it could be possible. I mean centuries earlier. The markings are in the oldest style known to exist. Perhaps these hieroglyphics are the Rosetta Stone for runic writing. But take into account the quality of the engraving. Could it possibly be old? The woman’s clothing is not period. It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before.”

Kenna leaned forward in the thrill of discovery as she followed his thought. “Look at the similarities though. The first daughter is the Guardian of the Treasure. Being that guard was considered the most important position possible. Didn’t worry about guarding the crypt and the treasure in it take up a great deal of space and importance in a pyramid? Guarding these places was a huge issue to folks around the Nile.”

“Yes,” Boris agreed. “Egyptians built their entire lives around provisions for the afterlife. It was the most important thing they did.”

“So, the Keepers were gifted to do the job of guarding the resting place of…what? Individuals who would never die? Doesn’t that sound like Julianna’s gods? But the concept is incomprehensible to humans.” Kenna’s eyes flashed in discovery. “Up here, the original guardians were not removed from the job ’til relatively recently if you consider their time doing it in relation to how long these concepts existed in Egyptian society. What if the destruction of your family in Egypt garbled the original purpose? You know, the ones who killed them didn’t understand the real purpose of whatever they saw the Keepers doing. They might think capturing eternal life was possible.”

Boris hissed in agreement, drawing a sharp breath between his teeth. “Capturing eternal life became the entire focus of Egyptian society. An obsession nurtured and then commanded by the ruling class of priests. Those priests were the Asp and his family. They were so consumed with it that they built civilization around it. Ruthlessly destroying any who would not worship it. Case in point, pharaohs who tried to turn the people to worship life instead of death. Worshiping the sun, Ra, was eventually crushed and the people went back to the dark deeds and practices required to worship death.”

Lore interjected, “Are you two saying you think that castle existed in the same time period as the pyramids? Not only that but the engraving is an entrance to a burial site?”

“The shape of the structure would not have reflected a castle at that time. Certainly not a dwelling that incorporated glass like we see in those windows,” Boris answered. “Almost every castle site is built over a predating structure. What we think is there is a connection to the same knowledge that made the pyramids possible. And even though the engraving has to be a much later addition, it still references the old knowledge.”

“And you think the entire Egyptian civilization was built on misinformation about what and who Keepers are?” Lore raised a brow.

“Yes,” both answered.

“Do you have any proof besides an engraving that could be recent?”

“Not so much,” Kenna conceded. “But I do have a strong feeling about it. You know how two people can witness the exact same event and have two very different stories about it? That’s what happened here. Then add the complication of someone seizing information and reading it without understanding it and no one is left to explain it.”

“In the north, prior to the Dark Ages and the loss of the queen, there was no break in the flow of information. When all documents were destroyed because of the Inquisition, we lost what our sisters to the south had lost. But we lost it much, much later and look at the night-and-day difference in society. Here, life has been valued above all. These people refused to engage in the slaughter of religious objectors from the earliest records of those things.

“And then there is the genetics issue. The Keepers were the same kind of people, both here and in Egypt. Back then no one understood that connection.”

“Damn, woman. Just rewrite the entire development of civilization while you’re at it,” Lore teased but he wasn’t objecting to the theories. They were very reasonable in light of what they now knew. This was another example of the fact that the world they thought they knew had never existed.

“It’s like having a decoder ring,” Kenna agreed. “Everything is different.”

“I need that ring, my lady,” Boris said as he looked at the tablet in his hand. “The meaning of these runes could be surprising. If the fireplace is a crypt entrance, well, this could be amazing.”

“What if it’s not a crypt? Remember the reference to eternal life? If it is connected to the gods, it could be something else,” Kenna chewed over the facts. “We have to consider the fact that most of what we think we know could be wrong. Incredibly wrong.”

Lore watched her active mind rush through the new information. “Why do you think it might not be a crypt, little one?”

“Language. The words,” she explained absently. “Spoken words are constantly changing. Meanings shift with each generation. Language is a living thing that no one can control or predict. So using words for things a person does not fully understand is an excellent way to make sure the next generation has no idea what the real meaning is. We need to see the original words and try to remove all our preconceived interpretations of them.

“Julianna, do you think your knowledge of old Hungarian extends to the runic writing? If we tell you what we think the symbols mean, can you form the sentences as they would have said it back then?” Kenna pressed.

“Yes. There are many things I was taught in this language. Memorized actually.” Julianna nodded.

Lore raised a brow. “Like what?”

“Oh, almost everything known about Keepers is passed to us in the old language.” Julianna frowned. “I will speak the phrases but now I have no idea what they mean. We have changed everything this afternoon. Even the few things we thought were clear have become cloudy.”

“I understand,” Lore soothed her. “Looking at things differently than you’ve been taught makes them confusing. But if you were made to memorize information, it must be important.”

“Yes. That is clear. But first we see to my brother?” She was clutching her hands together in worry as she looked out the limo window, watching them enter the capital.

The private jet’s sole occupant was rushed to the medical team waiting to handle him. The benefit of modern medicine for a Keeper had suddenly become a luxury that could only be found here. Those who attended him were ones who knew what he was, what they all had become.

In a hastily converted section of the castle, medical members of the Keepers gathered to protect one of their own. Each knew their mission would expand in proportion to the conflict ahead. They were the only hope. Human medical personnel could not be trusted to see differences and remain silent. In fact, human scientists were probably the very people who would first take up the hunt for the new species.

Thomas insisted he felt fine but that didn’t mean a thing to those around him. Blood was taken, as was every other method of ascertaining if he’d ingested poison. They had no idea if the poison would show up in modern tests. Thomas possibly didn’t have the time it would take to get complete lab results. He chose to take the antidote Boris had prepared. Then all they could do was wait.

Thomas had not been able to retrieve the contents of the safe deposit box. The Chinese messenger sent to get it was one of the consulate’s most skilled employees. His skills were officially listed as grounds security, however, it was his unofficial knowledge that showed him the bank was under surveillance and there was almost no way he could gain the item and leave without a larger force being aware. He had been apologetic, explaining that if he had more time he could have disguised himself and completed the task. Regretfully, all he could return was the key.

More time was something none of them had. Most of all Thomas.

Lore and Kenna returned to the royal residence.

Kenna could not relax. Pacing their private apartments, she remained in close contact with Julianna as Thomas entered the painful hours the antidote required to do its work. Lore had asked her to disconnect from Thomas. He was afraid being the source of Keeper power meant the guard’s pain could invade Kenna.

None of them knew for sure, but as soon as Lore had asked this of her on the common communication link, every other Keeper agreed with him. Kenna realized his sneaky tactic was exactly what it would take to get her to agree. Lore had kept his word and asked instead of decreeing the thing, but he still found a way to ensure she couldn’t refuse.

Kenna felt personally responsible since she’d sent Thomas on the mission. She’d done it while withholding information from him that might have saved him from this. His complete acceptance with no resentment made the whole guilt thing worse. Being sorry for something none blamed her for made it impossible to apologize.

“Baby, there was no way you could have known there was a threat when you sent Thomas,” Lore said firmly as he watched her pace. “Our only concern at the time was keeping the importance of those papers unknown. This isn’t your fault.”

Kenna laughed bitterly. “You’re a fine one to use that reasoning. As I recall, you’re unwilling to forgive the god entity for harming me. He was unaware of the danger he posed as well.”

“The god person has apparently had some time to explore his abilities. You have been shoved into this creature’s reality with no warning or choice. There is a huge difference between you,” Lore responded with icy control.

Discussing the unknown creature brought a suspicion to Kenna’s mind. The leap of logic removed her irritation. “You know, the god healed me,” she mused as possibilities bloomed in her consciousness. “Do you suppose he could do the same for Thomas?”

Kenna’s thoughts were now open to Yuri, Julianna and Boris, all in the hospital wing.

Lore raised a brow as he stared at her sincere face. She was lit up with excitement over her gigantic extrapolation. Going to telepathy to include those Kenna had shared her hope with, Lore disagreed.
“Kenna, even if he could, why would he? If he were a benevolent sort, wouldn’t he have been about the business of healing innocent sufferers long ago? How many children have died through the evil of men? How many horrendous events have claimed thousands of lives before their time? Your big pal was nowhere to be seen. He only intervened the one time we know of him causing unintended damage. Whatever or whoever he is, he’s not a handy reset button. He is exactly what he appears, a dangerous unknown.”

Cautiously, all agreed with Lore’s point. Kenna frowned in frustration.

“Well, what about all of us?”
Kenna asked Lore
. “You all felt the power at our command when we joined together to explore the passage. Is there any reason we couldn’t do that for another purpose, like to heal someone?”

“It might be possible,”
Yuri agreed in his calm way.
“But the risk is, we don’t know enough about wielding that power. We don’t know what damage we might do through ignorance. The fact that we can do that does not make it the right thing to do.

“We must learn from every piece of experience and history we can scrape together. Look at what happened when the god wielded power he did not control properly. Thomas is my brother. No one wants this to pass from him more than I, but he would agree that doing something foolish and desperate always creates more problems than it solves.”

Lore went to Kenna and gathered her into his arms. She was trying so hard to fix the mistake she thought she’d made. Her heart was breaking, knowing what Thomas was going through. Touching her, holding her gave them both a measure of relief. It seemed the nature of their union. Physical connection added a degree of peace for them.

“We can’t save every soul in the world, little one,”
he continued the conversation so Yuri, Julianna and Boris could hear him.
“Whatever it is we’ve been given, we know there is a battle before us. We did not choose it and the price of living will often be painful. Winning is the only way to stop paying that price. Many have gone before us and their choices did not win this war. We cannot afford to repeat those mistakes.”

Lore’s hands stroked down her back, trying to relax tight muscles, Kenna buried her face in his chest, absorbing the support he offered. Briefly she felt guilty for needing Lore so much. He was a drug to her system, she couldn’t fight that conviction. Yet he felt the same need to touch that she did. It wasn’t one sided.

“We know so little,”
she agreed with them.
“And yet a mistake is deadly. It’s not possible to be perfect when playing a new game. No one told us the rules. We don’t even know what the game is!”

“My lady,”
Boris answered her,
“we know the game. History shows it played out over and over again. Power. That is what we have so much of we don’t know what to do with it. That is always what an opposing force wants. Sometimes they call it riches or land but conquering others always comes down to the issue of power.

“We have been given power without seeking it. That’s why the battle was always lost in past generations. They did not seek power so they did not react like the ones who would take it from them.

“We know that previous generations barely survived. Look at our two families. We both suffered the same fate. The Egyptian and European families found each other and even joined together, we still managed to almost be destroyed seven hundred years ago. We are not violent by nature and that has crippled us in battle. Your One has seen this, my lady. That fact alone might save us.

“As my lord said, we are either wizards or dragons, it doesn’t matter which anymore. We must become the hunters, not the prey.”

Kenna shuddered as the truth the men had embraced became clear to her. There was no other choice but to fight. It was painfully evident past generations had not risen to the challenge fast enough. The enemy had made a mistake this time. It had given up stealth too early in the game. Every other time they knew of it, it had struck at the heart of power while power slept. Lore was the twist that had not been present before. One who was willing to be the aggressor.

* * * * *

Several hours earlier, across the castle in Gregory’s office, Simon Dahshur froze in his chair. The charming smile he’d pasted on his face as he listened to the first advisor of Kersonov expound on his own importance remained unchanged.

Simon felt power sweep into the building. It was hardly necessary to have developed sensitivity to these things to know the first daughter and her bedmate had returned. He’d been told they were not in the city when he’d flown in this morning. The Keeper signature floated around the capital in almost suffocating waves and he’d been expecting to find them in residence. Hearing they were off on a day trip had been slightly confusing ’til this moment. Now he understood.

Nowhere in the meticulous records his ancestors had kept was there mention of what he felt now. Aggressive and sharp, the ripple of what they embodied was painful to him. Instantly he drew every shred of magic deep within himself, not even reaching out to influence the fool in front of him. He couldn’t afford the chance of discovery like this. He had to get out of the building.

Why hadn’t anyone told him they were fucking paranormal elephants? How could that have been missed in the past? Damn it. He needed to know where they’d been, he realized. He couldn’t investigate anything here while they were present. Using his powers would alert them.

Even though surveillance was made easy by his ancestors who’d been the architects of the addition to this castle, he was hesitant to use the passages now. Constrained to only human observation, he’d be crippled in those tunnels.

But he could find where they’d been today and get some answers there. The power roiling down the corridors had a hard edge of excitement to it. They were actively engaged in something and he was damn sure he needed to know what it was. It would have been exceedingly easy to use facilities left here by his architect ancestor as he’d planned, but nothing could make him give up another advantage. If they discovered his access to the seat of their home, he’d lose stealth again. He was still livid over sacrificing stealth in New York and gaining nothing. His servants had failed him.

Simon had come to collect his prize himself and be done with it. He had twice wasted time sending others to do the job. This second blow, the surprise of the strength the witch wielded, was difficult to assimilate. Perhaps he’d been hasty. Knowing what they were was now his advantage, but being in the building was a mistake. If he didn’t succeed, they would know too much. Have his identity. Frustrated fury boiled low in his gut.

The only good thing about it was the pleasure he’d have taking all that lovely power from her. Stripping her of it would include endless opportunities to indulge some of his deepest desires. She presented so much more than the pitiful woman he’d enjoyed before. Now he knew those insignificant carcasses were the preparation he needed to fully enjoy this woman as he took her secrets. Yes, perfecting her pain would be art.

Simon’s body suddenly responded in a fashion it hadn’t since he was thirteen. It had to be the intoxicating power floating around the building. Strength was an aphrodisiac and this was primal as the dawn of a new age. Perhaps it wasn’t such a bad idea to have come here. He never made mistakes. No, no, it had not been a mistake. He needed to know what he was gleaning now.

The woman was ripe for his pleasure, but not just yet. He intended to be well armed before he plucked his new prize. Learning her weaknesses was all that was required. He was confident his magic was a match for what he felt here. He simply hadn’t expected to use that much of it.

So now he’d have to settle for following in their footsteps and picking up the pattern of their behavior that way. He hated following anybody, much less being forced to creep around to accomplish his aims. He’d be sure and make the witch pay for this when the time was right.

Gregory’s secretary buzzed to let the first advisor know the king had returned.

Simon smiled blandly as Gregory acknowledged the information. Before the self-important ass could open his mouth to continue the pointless babble, Simon interjected. “My Lord Leionoff, since the person you want me to investigate has returned, perhaps I should go. We have made a good show of touring different sites this afternoon. It is natural that I would retire. I need one more piece of information if you want full detail on both the past and her present activities. Where did they go today? Did they lie to you about this?” Simon raised a brow and smiled the conspirator smile that said he suspected they had and he fully believed Gregory would know the truth.

“Of course they lied,” Gregory confided in hushed tones that dripped with distain. “They actually went to the Kersonovian ancestral home. A property I own. I believe they broke into it as well. There is no telling what the twat wanted, but there is nothing for her to steal. The event will serve as proof of her criminal activities when I’m ready to use it.”

“A wise plan, as always,” Simon stroked the fool. “Now I must be off so we may complete our business with all speed.”

Finally in his car after the protracted good-byes, Simon ordered his driver to take him directly to the Kersonovian ancestral home. The driver was a native of Covia but a man whose family had been in Dahshur employ for hundreds of years.

“It will be night by the time we get there.”

“Good,” Simon responded.