The Emerald Key (25 page)

At both men’s wry looks, Greg spoke up. “Trust me on this one. You should do what she says.”

Alex sat on the edge of the bed opposite Ryan. “Okay, what now?”

“Cass, what kind of power do you have?” Kyrie asked.

Cass glanced at a glass vase sitting on a shelf. “Kyrie, you always hated that vase, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but…” Before she could finish her sentence, the vase shattered, then the pieces floated back together and reformed into a bowl.

Kyrie, Dori, and Phoebe stared at the vase, then at Cass.

“I have the power of the earth. Phoebe?”

Phoebe glanced at the trash can in the corner and flames burst up. “Fire for me.”

“Well, you all know I’m wind,” Kyrie said.

Cass chuckled. “I guess now we all know why you talk so much.”

“I’m water,” Dori said. “I never knew you all could…”

“None of us did,” Cass said. “I think Aunt Minerva—or our guardians—kept us from being able to do things or know them about each other. Nor could I usually affect anything here in the cabin unless I was really focused on it.”

“Why now?” Dori asked. “And why do you know about them and not us?”

“Why now will wait. Why me is a good question, one we’ll have to ask Minerva and the others when we see them. Right now, I need you three to help me. I can do this, but it takes a lot out of me. Helping Greg gave me a beaut of a headache. And I haven’t gotten all my energy back.”

“Greg?” Dori turned to him but he waved her off.

“Later,” he said.

“Give me your amulets,” Cass said. When they did, she unstrung the chains and connected them together to form a pyramid. She crawled into the middle of the bed, the men on either side of her, the pyramid in her lap. “You three, join hands.”

“Now what?” Phoebe asked.

“Look, I know you guys aren’t into this stuff, or at least I don’t think you are. I’m not sure of anything anymore. But I’ll do the chant and it would help if you joined me, and thought about the guys being healed and whole.”

Phoebe shook her head. “I’m not sure about any of this, but if it will help Ryan, I’m in.”

“Go for it,” Dori said.

“I’m ready,” Kyrie said.

“Dori, maybe you’d better join us up here. We’ll see what we can do about your ankle.” She shifted to make room for Dori on the bed.

Cass said the prayer for healing. As she chanted, she closed her eyes and pictured Dori, Ryan, and Alex as healed and whole. Hands clasped her shoulders, and she sensed the flow of energy from the others and drew on it to help her.

“Cass?” She heard Nic’s whisper and opened her eyes. Nic and Greg grasped each of her shoulders, their other hands holding the women’s. Bright light filled the room. Like before, her hands glowed, but this time the radiance grew more intense. She picked up the pyramid and moved it over Ryan, then Alex, and finally Dori. When the glow faded, she nodded and everyone dropped their hands. Dori stepped off the bed, then grinned and skipped around the room.

“Alex? Ryan?”

Both men stretched and stared at her. Alex tugged off his tattered shirt and flexed his arm. “I know they broke my arm. In at least two places.”

“And I had a couple of broken ribs, along with the gash in my leg and arm,” Ryan said. “What the hell is going on?”

Greg peeled off his shirt and showed the group the thin white scar extending across his chest. “I’d say don’t ask questions, but I know I have about a thousand myself.”

Cass took the pyramid apart and handed the pieces back to her friends. “Since it’s a little crowded in here, I suggest we go out to the living room. I’ll see what I can do about some answers, although I don’t know it all myself yet.”

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starved,” Greg said. “Nic, did I smell cinnamon buns earlier?”

“Showers first,” Phoebe said. “I have a couple of days’ worth of grime to get out of my hair.”

“Me too,” Kyrie said. “I’ll head upstairs.”

“I’ll take the downstairs shower.”

“The rest of us will wait,” Dori said. “We’ll help Nic with breakfast. What’s on the menu?”

“If it isn’t ruined, I have Dutch oven pancakes with baked apples.” At Cass’ raised eyebrow, he shrugged. “Alma must have brought more supplies when she stopped by.”

“Granny Alma was here?” Dori asked. “Where is she?”

“She and Minerva have gone elsewhere,” Cass said. “I think all three of our guardians have.” She led the way to the living room.

“Dori, since you know my culinary talents,” Cass said, “you can help Nic with the food.”

“No problem,” Dori said as she joined Nic in the kitchen area.

“Greg, do you think you and Alex can get some wood in? Use the pile at the end of the porch. It’s sheltered so there shouldn’t be a problem with snow.

“Ryan, can you help me extend the table? The leaves are in the closet by the front door.” She strode to the closet, surprised when Ryan didn’t immediately join her there. She turned to find all four men staring at her. “Is something wrong?”

The other three women laughed. Phoebe spoke through her giggles. “You guys will get used to it. We all knew Cass had power, we just didn’t know it had to do with magic. Cass is an organizer and a whirlwind when she gets going. Trust me, it’s easier to just go along and do what she says.” She waved and headed into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, everyone worked at their assigned tasks. Outside, heavy snow still fell, cocooning them in the isolated cabin. As one person came out of the shower, another went in.

Nic and Dori set out slices of the oven pancake, topped with soft cinnamon apples and whipped cream. They also had a platter of sausages and another of breakfast ham. Dori set out mugs for tea, coffee, and cocoa to finish off their repast. As if by silent agreement, they didn’t talk about recent events, but spent the time getting to know each other better. Cass had only met Alex and Ryan once and only Greg and Dori knew Nic.

Finally sated, Cass directed the cleanup and they eventually settled into the living room, mugs in hand.

“Guess it’s time we figured out what’s going on,” Cass said as she sat in one of the oversized chairs with Nic. They explained what they could, getting a lot of incredulous looks and more than a few snorts of disbelief from the others.

Late in the afternoon, Cass sat back against Nic. They’d gone around and around in circles, getting nowhere. They needed to take matters into hand.

“Okay, you can’t deny all four of us are different, right?” Cass asked.

“Granted,” Kyrie said.

“Greg, you had a sword. Know anybody else besides Nic who carries one?”

Alex and Ryan both jerked. “Swords? You used swords?” Alex asked.

“Yeah,” Nic said.

“Long, double edge, silver hasp with a whonking big ruby in the handle?” Ryan asked.

“Mine’s an emerald,” Nic said.

“Sapphire,” Greg said.

“Diamond,” Alex said.

“To match our amulets,” Cass said. “Greg, do you have any, um, other skills?”

He paled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, what else can you do besides fight with a sword?”

Nic spoke up. “I can hear Cass’ thoughts and do an astral projection.”

Everybody stared at him.

“The image I saw in the room…that was real?” Phoebe said. “I thought they gave me some sort of weird drug.” She grinned at him and wiggled her eyebrows. “I really am impressed now.”

Nic felt his face heat. “No drugs. Somehow I managed to find you and get there, at least in spirit.”

“I seem to be able to move things around—levitation,” Alex said.

“My senses are enhanced,” Ryan said. “Extrasensitive hearing, night vision.”

“Not sure what I’ve got,” Greg said. “I can’t read minds or do any of that other stuff.”

“No, but you survived an attack that would have killed anyone else,” Nic said. “That gash was worse than anything we saw overseas, and we saw some bad stuff. And yet you not only got away, but made your way here.”

“But Cass had to heal me.”

“I think I just finished what you started,” Cass said.

“So what does all this mean?” Dori asked. “We have these strange powers, but why? And why did they all show up now?”

“Because we have a job to do,” Cass said. “There is a power out there, an evil power who wants to control the doorway to Lemuria. And if he gets control, he will also have ultimate power here. Our job is to stop him.”

“Who is he?”

“All I know is what he looks like, and that his name is William. I don’t know a location, or anything else.”

“Well, that makes our job a lot easier,” Phoebe intoned. “What about Minerva and the others? They have some pretty powerful strengths.”

“They do,” Cass said. “I’ve known about Minerva for a long time. But I think we’re on our own for this one.”

“We are,” Nic said. “They are not allowed to interfere more than they already have.”

“How have they interfered?” Kyrie asked.

“We’re all here. Now. And we have abilities that will help us. Greg, you’re the computer expert. Use my laptop to do some searching.”

“What are we looking for?” Greg asked.

“Cases where museums or jewelry stores had break-ins—”

“Don’t forget spiritual stores,” Cass interrupted.

“And spiritual stores where historical jewelry in the shape of a triangle has been stolen or the store vandalized.”

“Alex, Ryan, what do you do for a living?” Nic asked.

“I’m the Fight Master at the Ren Faire,” Alex said.

Nic laughed. “I don’t believe this. You’re a weapons master?”

“He’s why I’m alive,” Ryan said. “We didn’t have our swords, but he used some fancy moves to keep us from getting hurt worse than we could have been. I’m guessing if he’d had his sword, we wouldn’t have lost the girls or gotten hurt.”

“I think it needed to happen,” Cass said. “We needed everything to happen as it did or we wouldn’t be here together.”

“How ’bout you?” Nic asked Ryan.

Phoebe laughed. “You want to tell them, or can I?”

He shrugged and she tried to calm her hilarity. “He’s a former fireman turned arson inspector.”

“You’re what?” Cass’ hoot of laughter filled the room. Soon all of them were laughing.

“Not sure what kind of help I can be,” Ryan said. “But I’ll do what I can.”

“Actually, you and I are going to do some work out in the barn,” Nic said. “You’re going to use your skills of observation to help me find something.”

“Nic?” Cass said. “Do you really think it’s there?”

“I do. It may not be obvious, but I think I found the door for a reason.” He glanced at the pictures on the wall, his lips pursed. “Cass, I know Minerva had these same pictures in her place. Do any of the rest of you have them?”

“We all do,” Phoebe said. “Minerva presented a set to each of us when we got the amulets.”

“Have any of you noticed anything strange about them?” Nic asked.

Cass stared at him as the others shook their heads. “Why?”

Nic studied the paintings. “Call it a hunch, but I’m guessing there’s more to those paintings than just art.” He stared at the pieces until his eyes burned, but nothing twitched. Finally, he turned away.

“You’re not wrong, Nic,” Cass said. “The pictures are different.” She waved her hand and the images blurred, then changed, especially the one of the cabin and barn. Smoke curled from the chimney on the cabin and heavy snow fell on the forest. Everyone stared at them, then at Cass. “They are enchanted pictures. Aunt Minerva told me about them last year.” She crossed the room to the one of the cabin. “You can come out now.”

Nothing emerged, but light giggling filled the room. Cass shook her head. “Okay, stay where you are. I know you don’t like the cold.” She turned to the others. “The tree faeries have been tasked with watching over this property. When we were younger, they also watched over us, but that job went away when we became adults. You’ll almost never see them, but they are there.”

“I’ve seen them,” Nic said. “Or I think I have.”

Cass stared at him. “If you think you have, then you have. That surprises me. They don’t generally let themselves be discovered.” More giggling filled the room.

Nic shook his head. “I think I’m going to need a long session with a shrink when we’re done with this. Back to the barn. We’re going to use the door I discovered there. But you, Kyrie, Dori, and Phoebe need to be ready. You’re the ones he wants. You’re the ones he will be after.”

“From what you told us, we fought him before,” Kyrie said. “And we’ll fight him again. But this time, we’re better prepared.”

“So what do we do?” Phoebe asked while Nic and Ryan donned heavy coats.

“We learn. And we get ready,” Cass said. “We invoke the powers of the solstice, and the powers of the keys, and we find this bastard and put him where he belongs.”

All four women clasped hands and intoned, “So mote I say. So mote it be.”

Then the lights went out.

“Nic?” Cass jumped as Nic swore. He yanked on his boots and tossed a coat at Greg.

“Alex, you and Ryan guard the women. Greg, you’re with me.” He wanted someone he knew at his back. Cass would be safe with the others. He didn’t distrust the other men, but he didn’t know them.

He and Greg headed out. They slogged through the heavy snow, checking the lane for tracks and found nothing. They made a complete circuit around the cabin.

“Nothing,” Greg said as he blew on his hands. “Could just be the storm.”

“Could be. We might as well go back.”

When they returned, Nic noted that someone had gone to both cars. One set of tracks led from the house to both cars and back to the house. He grinned. “I’d say our compatriots got hold of their swords. We’d better let them know who we are.”

He pounded on the door and called out. Cass cracked the door open, then pulled it all the way. Nic grinned as he saw two swords, a rifle, a shotgun, and two pistols aimed at the door.

“Glad you guys are on my side.” He shook off the snow and stepped into the candlelit room.

“What’d you find?”

“Nothing. No tracks anywhere. I’d say it’s the storm.”

“Not unusual around here,” Cass said as they all gathered in the living room. They heated dinner on the wood stove, and planned what their next moves should be.