The Seal of Oblivion (12 page)

“I guess she is,” Aurian said to
the two when they appeared next to him.

“God.
You
three get on my nerve,” Laqiya snapped.

“Always pretty thing,” Aurian said.

Laqiya paused. “Always…”

Delsaream tilted his head to the
side a little and said, “You really don’t remember us, huh sweetheart?”

“In what
lifetime?”
Chasity Pearl asking finally making her way
over with Plainshield.

“This one,” Kailash said. “Don’t
you remember?”

“Stalking me?
Yeah.”

“No. From before,” Aurian said.

Laqiya went back in her memory. She
could remember Nightshield and her running away from these guys when she was
younger. But it was fun back then, when she was sure Nightshield would protect
her. She needed to go back to before that.

“Go back a little father, months
before we started playing hide and seek,” Kailash said.

It suddenly dawned on Laqiya and
she paled, going back six years, right before she met Nightshield. Red eyes and
something attacked her… She could never quite place what it was, at least, not
until the Anaxars said it. It was still blurry though. Something happened. She
couldn’t see what…

“Remember now,” Kailash said
putting a hand on her cheek to which Adria pulled Laqiya away.

“Leave her alone!” Adria yelled
shoving Kailash away.

Kailash only laughed.
“Feisty there.”

Adria groaned and turned to Laqiya.
“What’s wrong?”

“He saw me,” Laqiya whispered.
“They tried to kill me. There was a rip or a break in the seal and he said… He
said get her… after that…”

“What is she talking about?”
Chasity Pearl asked Adria and then a bow and arrow appeared in her hands.

“What did you do to her?” she
demanded from Kailash.

Kailash shrugged. “Ask her. My work
here is done,” he said teleporting away, followed by Delsaream.

“See you later pretty flower,”
Aurian said with a wink, following his comrades.

Laqiya stared where the Anaxars had
been and shivered. Now some things were starting to make some sense. At least
now she knew how they knew who she was, how come the identity of the White Rose
was no longer a secret.

“Laqiya!
Laqiya, what do you mean the tyrant saw you?
Where?”

Laqiya shook her head.

“Laqiya!”
Plainshield snapped.

“I don’t know!” Laqiya yelled
shaking her head. “I don’t know.”

Everyone was silent. Laqiya for the
most part had a cool, mellow attitude about herself. One of her best qualities
was the ability not to panic in a situation, get frustrated yes, but rarely did
she lose her cool. They stared at her, and when she seemed to get herself
together, she sighed.

“I just remember it was dark. There
were shadows and red eyes, not glowing, but the bloody kind. Someone screamed
and someone got out. Now I know it was the Tyrant, but he was trapped, so he
sent the Anaxars after me. Something happened. I don’t remember what and then
someone protected me. Someone made sure I was okay, and it wasn’t Nightshield.
Then this woman came and got me, and I met Katherine, Nightshield, days later.”

“This was a wonderful time to
remember that,” Chasity Pearl snapped. “You mean those Anaxars have been
chasing you since a time before you can remember.”

“It’s not that long. I just don’t
remember what happened that night,” Laqiya corrected. “The first time I
remember them clearly is when I was with Nightshield.”

“I’ll ask my sister about it then.
Still… You could have mentioned this before,” Plainshield said dryly

“I didn’t even remember it. It just
kind of came back to me,” Laqiya muttered. “And I don’t think it would have
helped anyway. They’ve known me all this time and haven’t really bothered me
yet, not with Nightshield around. Why should I have?”

Laqiya only said it to reassure
them, but somehow she knew otherwise.

Chapter
Nine

The
Third Piece

“Again?”
Sakura said aloud.

She had voiced the thoughts of
everyone in the class, and by the look on their teacher’s face, it wasn’t
appreciated. But Sakura wasn’t the most observant person.

“Miss Mahira, don’t we get a choice
in whether or not we go?” Sakura asked.

“Don’t let you parents sign the
permission slip then, although I advise you don’t do that,” Miss Mahira
replied.

Laqiya rolled her eyes at Sakura’s
pout. The girl complained worse than a seven year old. It was hard to believe
that after Isis, she was the oldest in the group with her birthday being in
March, Adria’s in June, and herself being the last in September.

“Isn’t there anything we can do?”
Sakura asked.

“Miss Zayd,” Sakura visibly made a
face at her last name, “This trip is mandatory for your grade.
Now no more complaints from you please.”

“How can we fail this class if we
don’t go on some dumb trip to the museum?” Sakura asked.

“Miss Zayd I said—”

“No more complaining. And I’m not.
I’m simply asking a question,” said Sakura.

Laqiya groaned. She wondered if
Sakura talked a lot when she was little.

Miss Mahira sighed. “I didn’t plan
on telling you this until after the trip, but since Miss Zayd asked, you will
do a report on one of the exhibits. There will also be a new exhibit on display
in the Egyptian exhibit when we go.”

“Aw man…”

Everyone in the class groaned except
for Isis. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

“Well, we can still do that without
going to the museum. Ever heard of the library?” one of the boys in the class
asked smartly.

“Or better yet, the internet,”
Sakura grumbled.

“The next person I hear object will
have detention for all of next week,” Miss Mahira decided and the class
reluctantly stopped protesting the trip. “Your report is due two weeks after
the trip, so if you can finish it in one week you’ll have time to yourself
afterwards. Miss Zayd, uncross your arms.”

Laqiya looked at her cousin. They
both rolled their eyes at their friend’s display of immaturity hoping she was
in a better mood later in the day…

However, Sakura was still upset
about being forced to go on a trip she didn’t want to go on when the school day
was over, not to mention that she had to pay attention if she wanted to turn in
a report.

“I hate field trips, especially
after last month’s catastrophe.” Sakura sighed.

 
“I’m sure we all do Sakura,” Adria said to
her.

“I can’t wait for high school next
year, when we can throw away most of those dumb fieldtrips.”

“‘Siris says we’ll be praying for
the day we leave high school when we get there. He said it’s the closest thing
to hell we’ll get to on earth,” Adria quoted.

“My sister said the same thing last
year,” Isis replied.

“I just hate junior high,” Sakura
grumbled.

“School isn’t that bad,” Laqiya
said, “Especially compared to running from Anaxars you didn’t know were chasing
you with your guardian.”

“I don’t know. I think I rather do
that than go to school. Sounds fun,” said Adria.

“It gets old,” Laqiya said dryly.
“Luckily my school was very understanding when my ‘nanny’ came to pick me up
from school.”

“Private schools are like that,”
Isis said. “You were a good student in their eyes. They didn’t mind when you
and your guardian up and disappeared every now and then.”

“You went to a private school? You
had to wear uniforms?” Sakura asked appalled.

“There was a dress code but no
uniforms,” Laqiya explained. “It’s a bit stricter than a public school and the
books are different, but pretty much the same.”

“Were you shocked when you came
here?”

Laqiya shrugged. “I’ve been to a
public school before with Isis and Nephthys when my break coincided with their
school days.

“How?”

“Her school was all year round,”
Isis replied.

“How did you live?” Sakura and
Adria asked.

“We went for four weeks and then
got two weeks out of school with homework for whatever we didn’t finish in
school,” Laqiya said shrugging. “It wasn’t that bad. Then there was the
Christmas and then there was a break on any other Christian holiday if it came
on a weekday.”

“Is that how you got a grade
ahead?” Adria asked.

“Huh?”

“Your birthday is in the second
half of September, Laqiya,” Isis explained.

“Yeah, eventually I got ahead. I
probably would be in the ninth grade by now if I were still there,” Laqiya
added and then said, “Brace
yourself
.”

“For whaahh!”
Sakura yelped, along with Isis and Adria when Nightshield appeared next to
them.

“Why do you always have to do that?”
Adria snapped.

Nightshield ignored her, turning to
Laqiya. “I’m losing my touch if I can’t scare you,” she said.

“The longer you’re around, the more
time it gives me to pick up on your presence,” Laqiya said. “You’ve been here
for a minute. Why?”

“It’s my job,” Nightshield said
simply and then continued, “I’m surprised you all are still here. Where’s your
limo Sakura?”

“It’s late again.” Sakura looked at
the watch on Laqiya’s left arm. “He’s ten minutes late. He should have—
Why
do you have on two watches?”

Laqiya shrugged. “I have around ten
and can never decide between two which one to wear so I usually end up wearing
two.”

“And always a pair of boots,” Adria
said lifting the leg of Laqiya’s baggy black jeans to reveal a pair of white
ankle boots with silver buckles. “I wish I had your wardrobe. You always look
so stylish.”

“She ought to,” Isis said. “It
takes her long enough to get ready in the morning.”

“It’s because her sense of style
was repressed by a dress code in her old school. Now she just lets it all out,”
Adria replied.

“Getting ready for school in the
morning is the only normal part of my day. So don’t you dare talk about it,”
Laqiya said, crossing her arms as Sakura’s limo pulled up.

“Finally, my ride’s here,” Sakura
said opening the door before her driver could get out and open it for her. She
ushered her three friends and Nightshield in before getting in herself.

“Where’s Chasity Pearl?” Laqiya
asked. Usually Chasity Pearl would accompany Nightshield.

“She’s at the castle with Plainshield
looking for that last staff piece… Well actually since she can fly, and she
admittedly has a sharp eye, she’s scanning the city for any signs of it,”
Nightshield added.

“Any idea’s yet?” Laqiya asked
absently as her hand began to move across the page of her drawing pad.

“No,” Nightshield said leaning over
to look at the paper. “But I think we’ll be encountering it soon.”

“What makes you say that?” Adria
had to ask.

Nightshield took the sketchpad
right out of Laqiya’s hand.

“Hey, I was just about done with
that!” Laqiya tried to snatch it back but Nightshield pulled it away and showed
the picture to every occupant in the back seat of the limo.

“She’s drawing it.”

“That’s a nice display,” Adria said
as Laqiya continued to draw the staff piece, sitting on a large pedestal as
they walked to school.

“It ought to be,” Isis muttered.
“She’s been working on it all week.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not exactly sure,” Laqiya said
as she tilted her head and then tilted the paper to look at it from another
angle. “It’s the staff piece at least…”

“Speaking of that,” Adria said.
“Have they found it yet?”

“Nightshield insists that it’s
close by,” said Laqiya. “I’ve been working on this all week.
Can’t
focus on much else.”

Adria pulled Laqiya back from the
street before a car passed the intersection.

“It shows,” Chasity Pearl said
landing next to them, wings disappearing as her feet touched the ground.

“Where did you come from?” Adria
asked. “You’ve been gone the whole week.”

Chasity Pearl groaned. “I was on
sky patrol.”

“Sky Patrol?”
Laqiya asked, as it occurred to her that she wasn’t sure how Plainshield could
track the staff pieces anyway. There couldn’t be a tracking device on something
that old, could it? When she said as much to Chasity Pearl, the woman sighed as
if just thinking about the process tired her.

“It’s travelled through a lot of
hands,” Chasity Pearl began, “and tracking it is a series of complicated
tracking of family names, name changes, land ownership and possessions, wars
and empires. It’s almost like solving a mystery.”

“That much?
It’s a wonder they can’t find it,” Isis replied.

“And according to Plainshield, the
last family to guard it died out in Egypt,” Chasity Pearl said. “It could be
anywhere.”

“As if it wasn’t hard enough,” said
Adria. “We might never find it.”

“Fine with me,” Laqiya said
managing to sidestep one of their classmates running past them as they
approached the school where Sakura was waiting for them.

“So it’s the museum today, right?”
Chasity Pearl asked

“Yeah,” Laqiya said absently, still
drawing.

“They’re opening a new exhibit
today,” Sakura added

“A new exhibit?”
Chasity Pearl asked.

“Yeah, in the Egyptian section. We
don’t know what it is though?” Sakura replied. “It’s supposed to be really big
though. I overheard my parents say something about it being believed to belong
to an ancient queen.”

“Really?”
Chasity Pearl said stopping behind them as they headed to where the buses were
boarding.

“Yeah,” Laqiya said and then put
her pad down for the first time since leaving the house. “What’s wrong
Chasity?”

The other girls turned to where the
bird woman was staring with a thoughtful look on her face.

“Chasity?”
Laqiya said again, snapping the woman out her thoughts. “Are you okay?”

Chasity Pearl blinked.
“Yeah.
I’m fine. I just… I’ll catch up with you later.”

With that said Chasity Pearl turned
around and made her way in the direction they had just come from.

“What happened to her?” Sakura
asked.

Adria shrugged. “She’s kind of
peculiar at times. Always has been... So are Nightshield and Plainshield.”

“You don’t know peculiar until
you’ve cleaned up with my mother,” Laqiya said rolling her eyes.

“Your mother isn’t—” Isis started.

“Live with us long enough, and
you’ll see what I mean,” Laqiya said as they got in the line to board the bus. Sakura
immediately began ruffling through her large purse as they waited.

“What are you looking for?” Adria
asked.

“My mp3 player.
I’m completely prepared for any boring situation I may have to face, from
lectures, to staring at paintings that makes no sense…”

“It’s not an art museum Sakura.
It’s artifacts from different cultures,” Isis pointed out.

Sakura shrugged.

“You’re never going to get the
report done if you don’t pay attention to something,” Isis added, but Sakura
ignored her.

The four finally made it to the
doors of the bus to board, finding two rows behind each other to sit in near
the front, away from all the chaos and trouble in the back.

They came upon the museum thirty
minutes later. It was bigger than most museums, and judging by the fact that
they had to get clearance to get past the gate, the security was high tech.
Plainshield would love to play around in there, Laqiya thought.

They paired off in groups of two,
and their groups ended up becoming one group of four when they came together.
The smell of wet paint from last minute preparations for the new exhibit
invaded the nostrils of everyone present. Employees bustled around carrying
boxes and stands, careful to stay out the way of the visitors. But Laqiya was
hardly aware of her surroundings, because by the time they were in the
building, she was already trying to finish her picture again.

“Laqiya?
Really?”
Isis asked when they came upon the Ancient Greek
exhibit.

“Tell me when we get to the
Japanese exhibit,” Laqiya replied simply and went back to the drawing.

When they got to it, the Japanese
exhibit, particularly the
Geisha
exhibit, proved to catch all their attention. Sakura was enthralled by it
though and promptly decided that her report would be on the
Geisha
.

“You seem rather eager,” Adria said
to her.

“Because this is
going to be such an easy report!”
Sakura said as she touched the silk
kimono on display.

“Really?”
Laqiya asked.

“Yeah,” Sakura said. “My
grandmother was a
geisha
… Well, she
won’t admit it, but she knows a lot about it, and I found her kimono collection
in the attic.”

Adria went to stand beside Sakura
and put an arm around her shoulder.

“In that case, do you mind doing a
joint project?” Adria asked.

Since Sakura and Adria had their
topic in mind, they let Isis and Laqiya lead the way to where they would go
next. Now Laqiya was certainly paying attention, for their next stop was the
Egyptian exhibit. Some of the artifacts were fake replicas, but they certainly
captured the likeness of their original inspirations.

“So what do you think?” Sakura
asked as she tried on one of the royal wigs.

“Sakura!
Put that down,” Isis said looking out for an employee.

Sakura rolled her eyes, but put it
back on the wig stand anyway. Isis then turned back to the exhibit she was
looking at with Laqiya.