Guardians of the Akasha (24 page)

Chapter 26

Amber slept on a thin, scratchy woollen blanket, under the big oak kitchen table. It provided scant protection from the cold stone floor, but she didn’t complain. At least she got food once in a while, in return for hours and hours of scrubbing floors, polishing pots, and carrying tea to the Master. Her life was pure misery, and the nine-year-old girl didn’t understand why. Miss Victoria had always taken care of Amber and her family. They had a nice apartment in the castle and she went to school with some of the local children. Amber’s mother used to make wonderful dishes for Miss Victoria and her friends when they came to visit. Her father made sure that the grounds and rose garden always looked pretty. He had even created a special rose especially for Miss Victoria, in that red color that she had liked so much. She called it her ‘dragon rose,’ and it made Papa so proud.

But then the Master arrived and everything changed. They had tried to escape when the battle happened, but they were caught in the tunnels. As their punishment they have to work in the castle and they are not happy anymore. They are not allowed to go anywhere and the tunnels have been blocked.

She and her family have to sleep in the kitchen now, and her parents walk around with bent backs and sad faces the whole day. Mama had explained that she must be quiet as a mouse. Amber was so sad when she heard that Miss Victoria had died, but she is only allowed to cry very softly, where no one can hear her.

The Master brought his own servants with him and they now stayed in her family’s comfy apartment. They didn’t really work that much and left all the hard stuff to Amber and her family, like scrubbing the toilets. Amber hated that job, but she had promised Mama to be good and not complain. She missed her friends from the local village, but she wasn’t allowed to play with them anymore. Besides, Amber was scared that the Master would hurt them, so she didn’t dare slip out of the gate to go and play.

Most of all she missed Justin and the hours they spent running through the woods or playing with the wolves. Amber hoped he had gotten away and that he was with Keira. She was so nice, but needed Justin to look after her and help with her fear of heights.

The darkness in the kitchen started to lift a bit; she could see the outline of the big stove in the corner. It was time to get up and get the Master his tea.

Amber crept out from under the table, tied back her unruly red ringlets and splashed cold water over her face. She smoothed down the old brown dress she had slept in and put on her shoes. Then she filled the big kettle, heaved it onto the stove and switched on the gas. She tiptoed over to where her parents slept in a far corner and softly touched her mother’s shoulder. The older woman gave a start, fear in her eyes before she was even completely awake.

“Amber?” she whispered.

“It is okay, Mama,” Amber whispered back. “I’m making his tea. But it will be light soon, you have to get up.”

“Yes, I’m coming,” her mother replied and turned over to shake her husband awake. He coughed that wet cough Amber had come to dread more than anything. She knew it was because he had to sleep on the cold floor, but there was no medicine, and the Master’s Healer had said he won’t waste his energy on a servant.

Resentment coiled and writhed in Amber’s heart, but she had become very good at hiding her true feelings. Her mother would panic at the first sign of rebellion in her daughter, so Amber pretended to be meek and docile. Yet she never gave up on her belief that Justin would come back with the Draaken and kick the Master’s butt out of the castle, and she was determined to do anything she could to help make that happen.

Amber’s parents had no powers of their own, however, just one day before her death, Miss Victoria had caught the hint of magick within Amber and had promised the girl to oversee her training. It was the happiest day of Amber’s life. Her parents were so proud!

Then—
he
came—and everything fell apart.

The kettle whistled. Amber got the Master’s special cup from the cupboard and prepared a tray. Her mother came to stand beside her and gave her a little hug. No words were necessary; they were used to the routine. Amber liked this part of the day best. It would be at least another hour before the Master’s servants strolled into the kitchen.

Amber took out a second cup from the cupboard.

“What are you doing?” her mother asked; fear had a tight grip on her voice.

“If this tea makes the Master strong, it will help Daddy too,” she insisted and put the teabag, taken from the Master’s private stash, in the boiling water.

“No—Amber!” her mother panicked.

But Amber could be stubborn when she wanted and ignored her mother’s frantic entreaties. She carried the cup over to where her father still lay on the floor.

“Here Daddy, this will make you feel better,” and she carefully handed him the cup.

“Thank you my girl,” he said, his voice hoarse from the coughing.

“Drink it all up, Daddy; I’ll be back soon,” she said and turned to collect the Master’s tray.

“Be careful!” her mother said, hand to her throat.

“Yes, Mama.”

“And remember, don’t talk to him!”

“Yes, Mama. I know what to do.”

She slowly walked down dimly lit passages that seemed to stretch endlessly ahead of her. Gone were the light and carefree chatter that used to fill the air. Now there were only feelings of dread and the endless silence.

Amber balanced the tray carefully, making sure not to spill even one drop of tea in the saucer, as that would mean she had to go back to the kitchen and start all over. That would make her late in delivering the tea, which would surely incur the Master’s wrath. And
that
she had to avoid at all cost.

Her heartbeat sped up as she got closer to the library. He was always there these days. Miss Victoria would never have left it so messy. He didn’t care where he threw papers and books lay open on the floor. Sometimes he would be pacing up and down, and other times he would be sitting behind a table, intently studying something from a scroll. He never spoke to her.

Amber stopped outside Library’s big double doors. She could hear his voice from the other side; it sounded as if he was reading something out loud. As she slowly set the tray on the floor so she could knock on the door, she caught a few words:

“The gate….” Then loud swearing. “The keeper shall open….”

She knocked timidly and waited.

“Enter!”

Amber opened the door, picked up the tray, and walked inside. She put the tray down on the only table that wasn’t covered in papers and books and turned to get out as quickly as possible.

“Wait!”

Her heart stopped; she froze.

“Yes, sir?” she asked, keeping her gaze on the floor.

“Come here.”

Amber crossed to where Daemon stood by the window. She waited, her hands clenched behind her back.

“You are from the nearby village, right?” Daemon asked.

“Yes, sir,” Amber answered.

“Do you speak the local dialect—can you read it?” he snapped, impatient for an answer.

“Yes, sir. I was taught it in school.”

“Read this,” he pushed a yellowed scroll under her nose.

Amber carefully took the document from him and squinted at the faint, spidery writing.

“I am sorry, sir—it is difficult—” she stuttered in fear.

“Read!” He bent towards the little girl and raised his hand as if wanting to slap her.

“It says, ‘Within the Gatekeeper lies the secret to the Book of—I’m sorry, sir. I cannot make out the word.”

“Could it be, ‘the Book of Knowledge?’” he asked, eager and impatient.

“Yes, sir, that is it, ‘the Book of Knowledge.’ It also says, ‘The Gatekeeper will reveal itself only to the Chosen One and only at the edge of the Void.’”

“Yes!” he exulted. “I knew it! Now where was it…the Void…the Void—” and he began manically throwing papers around and sweeping books from tables. “Here!” he shouted and read from another scroll. “‘The entrance to the Void lies within the ‘
Hrad
.’ What does that mean?”

“It means ‘castle’, sir,” Amber answered.

“It lies within the castle?” he asked softly, not expecting a response from the girl.

“Yes, sir. That is what it says,” she answered.

He glared at her as if seeing her for the first time. “Get out!” he screamed, pointing to the door.

Amber turned and ran, fleeing from the room as fast as her legs could carry her, all the way down the passages to the kitchen and into her mother’s arms.

Chapter 27

Keira stood by the back door, looking out over the ranch. To the North, low-lying hills glinted in shades of ochre and copper in the sharp sunlight. Behind the hills, majestic mountains reached toward the sky in misty blues and greys. Fleecy clouds drifted lazily in the cool air.

She’d borrowed some clothes from Zina and wore a warm parka over a soft, long-sleeved shirt and jeans tucked into her knee-high riding boots. She didn’t have any weapons and felt slightly nervous about that. The knowledge that her powers were more than enough to defend herself took some getting used to.

Justin had left the two horses by a water trough next to the back door. Keira walked to them and stroked their velvet noses. “I will call you Yin and Yang,” she said. They tossed their heads and whinnied softly, as eager to go as she was.

“Those are good names,” someone said behind her. She turned and smiled at Mr Harigaya. He wore a loose, grey shirt and pants and had a katana in its sheath strapped to his back; broad leather straps crisscrossed his chest. Silver throwing stars glinted from the leather. He looked much younger—and more relaxed—out of his usual formal suit.

“I am glad you decided to join us, Mr Harigaya,” Keira said.

He acknowledged her thanks with a small bow. “My friends call me Yoshi,” he said.

“Thank you, Yoshi,” Keira smiled.

“You have a way with animals,” he said.

“Yes, I suppose I do,” she acknowledged and continued stroking the horses’ noses. She sensed that they already knew where they were going and were looking forward to the trip.

Just then, Marco and Adam came out of the house. Marco didn’t have any weapons either—at least none Keira could see—but Adam had a massive hammer slung over his shoulder. She was sure it must have weighed a ton, but he carried it as if it was a plastic toy.

“All set?” Marco asked.

“Yes,” Keira replied, her voice calm and steady.

“Let’s go over the plan again,” Marco said. “We’ll emerge in the grove behind the hanger, eliminate obstacles, take over the plane, and leave as quickly and quietly as possible. Any questions?”

“Short and sweet, just the way I like it,” Adam grinned.

“Good. One more thing to do before we leave—” Marco turned back towards the house, knelt down and placed both hands in the red dust. He closed his eyes and chanted softly under his breath.

A loud rumble filled the air as a wide crack opened in the ground around the house. White hot flames shot out of the soil and reared up in the air to surround the house. In the distance, the same was happening in front of the wrought-iron gates at the entrance to the estate.

After a few moments Marco stopped chanting and got up, dusting off his knees. “Just an added precaution,” he replied to the questioning look Keira gave him. “The ranch is protected by shields, but the flames will serve as an additional incentive to the Watchers to stay away.”

“So,” Keira said. “You like playing with fire.”

“Among other things,” Marco smiled and jumped onto Yin’s back.

Keira returned his smile and got on the white horse. There was an awkward moment when both Adam and Yoshi headed for her and Yang, but Adam got there first and jumped up behind Keira. Yang didn’t even shift his feet when the heavy man and his weapon got on. Marco held out his hand to Yoshi and swung him up behind him.

Adam held onto Keira a bit tighter than was strictly necessary, but she let it go as the horses moved forward at an almost leisurely pace, setting course for the hills.

“Sure they know where we’re going?” Adam asked in Keira’s ear.

“Yes, we’ve done this before,” Keira reassured him.

“Just checking,” he answered, trying to sound nonchalant.

After a while, the hills slowly came into sharper focus as they neared. The landscape was an awe-inspiring palette of colours. Deep reds, terracotta browns, and white layered the exposed ridges and rocks. Here and there, cacti and low shrubs added shades of green.

Keira took the lead as they started up one of the footpaths snaking up the slope. Soon, they crested a ridge and descended on the other side into a narrow valley. Rows of grape vines lay spread out before them.

“Our vineyards,” Marco pointed.

“You make wine, here?” Yoshi asked.

“Yes, we make a respectable Merlot and Tannat,” Marco answered.

“That is not something I would have expected in this environment,” Yoshi said.

“We can get into the technicalities another time, but this area is actually ideal. We’re mainly a cattle ranch—my father started the winery as a hobby, but it’s doing well. I’ll arrange a tasting, when all of this is done,” Marco offered.

“You’re on!” Adam said. “I’m more of a beer guy myself, but for free wine, I’ll be there.”

Keira smiled and shook her head.
He makes wine?
Her dad would keep him busy for hours on that topic alone.

They skirted the vineyard and followed the path into a gully, where it widened into a two-track dirt road and Marco steered Yin to ride next to Keira.

“It’s a relief to be out of the sun,” she said and nodded to ridges shielding them from the glare.

“In certain areas here it can get up to forty degrees. Celsius, that is,” Marco said.

“Wow, that’s very different from Britain,” Keira said.

Damn, did I just talk about the weather? How lame!
Keira thought and mentally slapped her forehead.

They rode on in silence and soon Keira’s head started nodding as she was lulled by the rhythmic clip-clopping of the horses’ hooves on the packed earth. Through her hooded eyes she noticed the familiar tendrils of mist rising from the ground, higher and higher until it obscured the way ahead. Adam’s arms loosened around her waist as he too nodded off.