Blue Moon (Book One in The Blue Crystal Trilogy) (33 page)

“Light Beings,” I repeated,
trying to understand what she was saying. “I see. And your symbol
is the circle crossed by an infinity sign. I saw it on the Clock
Tower and on Theo’s arm. ”

I dared not admit I’d seen it
on the backs of the cloaks at the Blue Moon Ball or on the shoulder
of a guest.

“Yes, that is The Lunari’s
symbol,” said Viyesha. “The circle represents the full moon, and
the infinity sign, eternity. We greet each other thus.” She cupped
her hands in a circle in front of her, crossing her thumbs,
replicating the symbol.

“Is there anything else you
wish to know?”

“Theo told me how you
discovered the crystal’s power and kept it in Egypt, but why bring
it to Hartswell-on-the-Hill?”

“This site has long been known
to us as an energy centre of great power, a natural meridian where
ley lines cross,” answered Viyesha. “It was for this reason that
one of The Lunari built Hartswell Hall back in Victorian times. He
had intended to live here with his wife, but she took her life
before it was completed and he closed up the house, preferring to
travel the world alone. He returned in recent times to live as a
recluse, but ultimately chose to end his life. Without his wife, he
saw eternal youth as a curse. We keep the crystal in the Clock
Tower, where the energy is strongest.”

She paused for a moment before
continuing.

“We stayed in Egypt for many
years, but we have enemies and it was getting too dangerous. It was
agreed we would come first to prepare the hall, and that Joseph
would follow, bringing the crystal. We believed he journeyed in
secrecy, but it would appear that old enemies of ours, The Reptilia
or Dark Ones, desperate for the life form that the crystal would
grant them, have discovered our location. Believe me, Emily, it is
they rather than you, who presents the real threat. So far, we have
protected the location of the crystal with our mist shroud, which
the Dark Ones find impossible to penetrate, and Aquila and Pantera
were able to destroy all those who congregated beyond the mist. But
more will come, of that we are sure.”

”I see,” I said again, not
seeing at all, but aware of other questions I needed to ask.

“What about your family,
Viyesha? Is Leon as old as you? And are Violet and Theo your
natural children?” That was a key question. I had to know whether I
would be able to have my own children if I chose to join them.

“Leon and I have been together
since the early days,” she answered. “I was a High Priestess and he
was a Priest during the reigns of Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. After
the murder of Tutankhamun, I renounced my religious vocation and
went into hiding. Leon joined me later. Violet and Theo are our
natural children. Light from light. Although they were not ready to
bathe in the crystal’s rays until their teenage years.”

“And what about the others
around the world who bathe in its light? The rich and famous people
who’ve paid for the privilege? Where do they fit in?”

“Not all have paid, Emily. Some
are family, some friends of many years’ duration. In recent years,
The Lunari have allowed elite individuals to pay for the crystal’s
services… those with a need for eternal youth, and the funds to buy
it.”

“The mega-rich, you mean,” I
said, disparagingly. Viyesha shrugged.

“It is The Lunari’s decision.
They will only allow those whom they trust to join us. Any who
compromise our safety are eliminated immediately.”

Her words were cold and an
involuntary shudder ran down my spine.

“You must understand, Emily,
The Lunari have one loyalty only, and that is to the crystal. Our
survival is dependent upon it.” She paused. “Something else you
should understand. Only the young can bathe in the crystal’s rays.
Anyone older than mid thirties would not survive the process, their
body chemistry is simply too compromised. I know you wanted us to
save your grandfather, Theo pleaded with us, but believe me, it
wasn’t possible.”

“I understand that now,” I said
sadly. “But what about me, Viyesha? I’m not wealthy. I can’t pay.
Why should The Lunari accept me?”

“I will intercede on your
behalf, you can rest assured. My word carries much weight and these
are exceptional circumstances.”

In other words, my chances were
good, but there were no guarantees. Neither was there any guarantee
I would survive the initiation process.

“Do you have any more
questions?” she asked gently.

I paused. “What happened to the
estate agent who arranged the sale? Did she touch the crystal?”

Viyesha looked troubled. “No,
she didn’t. The whole incident was unintentional and most
regrettable. When we walked in that first time, the house came
alive and our energy levels were activated. As she shook Leon’s
hand, she absorbed some of the energy. It rejuvenated her for a few
weeks, then proved too much for her.”

“But I had that same energy
transference when I shook Theo’s hand,” I pointed out, “and I
didn’t shrivel up and die.”

“I cannot explain what you
experienced,” she admitted. “It is most unusual. Certainly Theo’s
energy would not have been as powerful as Leon’s on the day we
arrived here. But if you are truly Theo’s lost love, your energies
will be in tune and there will always be a powerful connection
between you.”

“How did Theo lose me, Viyesha?
I have to know.”

She looked into the distance,
deep in thought and I knew she was remembering. At last she spoke,
“I cannot speak of it, Emily. You must not ask me. Theo will tell
you when the time is right. And there is only one way to find out
if you truly are his lost love…”

“…bathe in the crystal’s
light,” I finished for her. “And if I survive, what are these
supernatural powers you mentioned?”

“Heightened sensitivity, a
greater appreciation of sight, sound, smell and touch, possibly
special powers. No one knows until they have been through the
process. Theo has the gift of speed, as you may have seen. I have
the gift of serenity, Leon strength, and Joseph abundance. Violet
has the gift of musicality and seeing auras.”

“I’d choose invisibility. Or
flying.”

She smiled. “This isn’t Harry
Potter, Emily. Who knows what your power may be? Now, time is
getting on and you have much to think about.”

“One last question, Viyesha,” I
said, plucking up courage. “Can I see the crystal?”

She gave a sharp intake of
breath. “The crystal is very powerful, Emily, and the Clock Tower
room has been attuned. It might not be safe for you. Should you
decide to join us, we would have to dissipate the power of the
crystal and the energy field.”

“So I wouldn’t have to wait for
a Blue Moon?” I asked.

“Absolutely not,” Viyesha
assured me. “The crystal’s power would be far too strong for a new
initiate. A full moon is all you require.”

She sat in silence for a
moment, considering her options, then made a decision.

“Come, I will take you to the
Clock Tower and let you see the crystal. But I cannot allow you to
enter the room. It is too risky.”

She led the way out of the
library and I followed, knowing I was closing forever the option of
living a normal life.

30. The Blue Crystal

Silently we climbed up the old
servants’ stairway and onto the upper landing, and once again, I
felt my feet sinking into the deep blue carpet.

Part of me was burning with
excitement, the other more than a little afraid. Was I safe? Was
this an elaborate ploy on Viyesha’s part to lure me to my death?
Would Aquila and Pantera be waiting for me in the upper room to
finish me off quickly and silently? Would the crystal be the cause
of my demise?

It was too late to go back, I
was committed to this course of action, whatever the consequences.
And I had to know what the crystal looked like and what the process
involved.

I looked along the corridor,
remembering my previous visit, wondering if Viyesha had any idea
I’d been present at the Blue Moon Ball. If she did, she said
nothing, and continued walking ahead. Then we were at the foot of
the stone spiral stairway leading up into the Clock Tower. Viyesha
turned.

“Are you sure, Emily? With
knowledge comes power, but also danger. You are stepping over a
threshold from which there is no return.”

“What do you mean?” I
faltered.

“Once you have seen the crystal
and know of its power, you will become a real and tangible threat
to The Lunari. At this moment in time, if you choose to walk away,
there is still a chance I can save you. But once you have looked
upon the crystal, you will have no choice. You must join us or The
Lunari will destroy you. I will not be able to save you.”

I swallowed. “I understand,
Viyesha, but I have to see it. I have to know.”

“Very well,” she said, and
turned to climb the stone stairs. Then she stopped, turned to me
and said, “Emily, I have to ask. Have you told anybody what is
going on here. Your school friends, your mother?”

“No,” I said instinctively, “of
course not.” I laughed nervously. “I don’t think they’d believe me
anyway, the whole thing is so…….” I was going to say preposterous,
but realised how insulting that would sound. “So unbelievable,” I
said.

I thought back to what I’d told
Seth and Tash. Although I’d told them what was going on, I’d
recanted and made a joke of it. The question was whether they
believed me. They had their suspicions, I knew, but would they come
looking for answers, just as I had, or would I be able to convince
them that all was well and I’d just been paranoid?

“Please, Viyesha, you have
nothing to fear.”

“I hope so, because The Lunari
would not think twice about eliminating extraneous threats. It
would look like an accident, of course. They never leave a
trail.”

For a second, I wavered. If I
thought for a moment I was placing my friends or family in danger,
I could not go on. But what did they know? Nothing tangible. Just a
silly hocus-pocus story.

“Lead on, Viyesha, I need to
see the crystal.” I spoke clearly and confidently, my words
providing a cover for my beating heart and dry mouth.

We carried on climbing the
spiral stairway, higher and higher, up into the Clock Tower, until
an ornately carved, heavy oak door, with a huge iron keyhole,
blocked our way. Viyesha removed a loose brick to one side of the
doorway and took out a large iron key. She placed it in the lock,
slowly turned it and pushed the door open.

I don’t know what I was
expecting, but I was disappointed. It was an empty, hexagonal room,
with long thin windows on every alternate wall. The walls were made
from the same honey-coloured Cotswold stone as the rest of
Hartswell Hall and a vaulted ceiling rose above us, creating light
and space. Sunshine flooded in, giving the room a warm, bright,
welcoming feel and the only thing of any interest that I could see
was a series of strange blue and green markings etched into the
smooth, worn floorboards in the centre of the room.

“Oh,” I said, taken aback. “Is
this it?”

“This is it,” said Viyesha,
laughing at my confusion. “What were you expecting, Emily?”

“Well, the flames of eternal
youth, a big blue fire, I suppose.”

“It looks very different at the
time of the Blue Moon, I assure you, but for now, there isn’t a
great deal to see.”

“But the crystal, where is it?”
I asked.

“All in good time,” said
Viyesha. “Wait here.”

She walked to one side of the
hexagonal room, and loosened another brick in the wall, which she
placed on the floor. Behind it was a lever, which she turned. As
she did so, a portion of the wall slid to one side, revealing a
small stone alcove in which stood a silver casket, less than a foot
long and decorated with ancient symbols.

She carefully took it out,
warning me as she did so, “Remember not to step over the threshold,
Emily. The power in this room is still great and I cannot vouch for
its effects. Stay where you are and observe. If the light becomes
too bright for your eyes, look away and I will place the crystal
back in the casket.”

My heart was in my mouth as I
watched Viyesha place the casket on the floor to one side of the
hieroglyphics and open the lid. Immediately, the most brilliant
blue light filled the room. I leaned forward to see better and
there, nestling inside the casket was a large blue crystal, its
many facets glinting and shining so brightly, I could hardly look
at it.

“Avert your gaze if the light
is too strong,” advised Viyesha. “People have been blinded by
looking at the crystal too long.”

I did as she bid, looking to
one side of the casket, but still mesmerised by the blue dancing
light that shone around the room.

“It’s beautiful,” I gasped.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.” I felt the crystal around my
neck glowing, giving off warmth, as if in tune with the larger
crystal.

I watched Viyesha through half
lidded eyes, as she picked the crystal up. Brilliant blue light
engulfed her hands and her arms, running in rivulets of energy up
to her shoulders. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply,
absorbing the crystal’s energy into her being.

“Its power is waning,” said
Viyesha. “A residual energy remains, but not enough to reenergise
and rejuvenate us, although enough to do you serious harm, Emily.
You wouldn’t last two minutes.”

Gently, she placed the crystal
back into the casket and closed the lid.

“That’s enough, Emily, I cannot
risk you seeing more.”

At once the room seemed dark
and flat and I felt the most intense disappointment, as if my body
were being denied an essential nutrient, making me feel negative
and irritable.

“Once you’ve experienced the
power, you want more,” explained Viyesha, “but more would kill you.
It’s like the most powerful drug, overcoming rational thought and
possessing you with desire. What you are experiencing now are
withdrawal symptoms, which will fade as your etheric body
stabilises. Perhaps now you understand a little of the crystal’s
power. In the wrong hands, it would be destructive force, which is
why we guard it with our lives.”