Joshua and the Lightning Road (26 page)

“Young Joshua, I don’t think this is your final victory. You have other battles to win—on Earth or here.”

I cleared my throat. “They were wrong about you. You’re not a broken arrow.”

He smiled at that, his eyes sparkling in the brightening sun. “Perhaps. Marks on the outside do not always make the man on the inside. Remember to believe in yourself and you will have the power to be whatever destiny drives you to be.”

“I’ll never see you again.” I didn’t want to believe my words. Our connection had grown fierce.

“Yes you will.” Leandro grasped my arms harder, then let go and put a fist to his chest. “I feel it.” From his satchel he pulled out the small bow he had made and handed it to me.

“But this is for your son.” I held it tight in my hands.

“I want you to have it.”

Thank you didn’t begin to cover it, but that’s all I could mumble.

“If I ever find my son, he will have outgrown it anyway.”

“Maybe he is the Oracle waiting to happen, Leandro.”

“Or maybe you are after all. Maybe there is more to the myth than we know.”

No one spoke. The idea of being the Oracle twisted uncomfortably up inside me.

Leandro turned and shook hands with Bo Chez and Sam, then walked into the Lightning Gate. It was a quiet moment with just us here, the sounds of battle gone, and a silent bronze giant that stood as a doorway between realms–and worlds.

“Wait, Leandro,” I said. “We have your gate key. How will you travel between lands to keep looking for your family and then take them to Earth?”

“I won’t need it to travel undercover now. I’m a pardoned man.” He drew out King Apollo’s letter. “Although, I’ll keep my traveling belt, just in case. And I now have hope that our world can change in time. Perhaps we can make a life here. Or perhaps someday we will be free to go to Earth if we choose.” He then nodded at Sam who pushed the key into the gate. The ancient metal glowed, and a golden halo radiated around Leandro.

I pulled out the orb, pressed it to my chest, and then held it up to him in goodbye. He lifted his hand, and with a flash of light was gone.

I slid the orb into my pocket with little enthusiasm for our own journey home, and looked over at Sam. He gave me that same little knowing smile he’d given me when first holding that clipboard. And now he’d be like a brother to me for a while, back on Earth, where we would help him find his mother. A new adventure was about to unfold.

I tapped Sam on the back. “Ready for Earth?” He hesitated, then punched in the code, placed the key in its place, and accompanied us into the Lightning Gate.

But before heading under its thick columns I needed to read its inscription aloud, to defy it. “Honor the fire of Zeus that sparks your journey. Adversity breeds true power. Bow to the gods.”

“You can read Greek?” Sam said with wide eyes.

Greek, huh.
“Doesn’t surprise me in this place,” I half-joked.

“Me either, especially with your evident power here,” Bo Chez said. “But no more bowing to the gods now, Joshua.”

Sam nodded in agreement. Then I stepped into the powerful machine beside him to go home.

I sucked in a whiff of electric fire. Sparks started to fly around my belly. The lightning filled me up with strength, not fear.

That’s when something unexpected happened.

Sam pulled out the key and stepped back from the gate.

“Light of Sol go with you, my friends,” he said.

“What?” I looked at Bo Chez and back at Sam. The sparks in my belly traveled out into my arms and buzzed through my hands, tugging on my nerves. “Sam, your mother. We can find her now. You can find a way back later.”

“Perhaps.” He fingered the royal ring on his thumb. “But my people here need me right now even more than I need a lost mother. That’s for certain. This is my home. I can help the people of the Lost Realm find a better energy solution and lead them into a better life.”

Sam may have looked like a kid again, but as he stood with his feet wide apart, his chest out, and his head held high he looked wise, courageous, and every bit a king. His mother was lost to him, his father now dead, and he’d been an outcast in his own family, but he was still willing to sacrifice to make a difference beyond his own needs. I had to follow my quest, now he chose his. I couldn’t argue with him. I wanted a brother, but he had a whole kingdom to save.

“Wherever you come from, Joshua, know this: you
are
a true light bringer,” Sam said in a strong voice. “Your getting stolen away to our world gave us the light of hope, the strongest light of all.”

The sky broke open, covering us in a jeweled violet, pushing the dark away. I blinked from the brightness and raised my hand. “Light of Sol go with you, too.”

And with that, Sam pushed the key back into the gate.

Light exploded everywhere, and Bo Chez held my hand so tight it hurt. The wind roared and lightning whipped around us in the black tunnel. We shot through the darkness, faster and faster. Then Finn stood before us in the attic in a T-shirt and jeans again. A smile spread across his freckled face.

It was over. We were home. We were alive.

Finn piled on me in one leap. “Joshua! That was like a minute. I just had time to change.”

“But it’s been longer than that since we last saw you.” I peeked out the window. The rain had stopped. The yellow sun shone bright from a clear, pale blue sky, and the creek roared past the house, full from the recent rain.

Finn plucked at Leandro’s bow, and I placed it on a nearby chair. It looked so out of place in our world. Then Finn ran to the attic stairs. “Where’s Sam?”

“He decided to stay,” I said.

He nodded as if he understood.

Bo Chez put his watch to his ear and shook it. “If this thing still works, just the night has passed. It’s morning now.”

“But we’ve been gone for days,” I said.

“Different world, different time,” Bo Chez said.

“And now we have our own time again,” I said.

“So let’s make the most of it, boys.”

Finn and I nodded at each other. I felt in my back pocket for my mother’s photo. We had both been stolen away to the Lost Realm and traveled back home again. I remembered Sam’s flute and drew it out, put it to my lips, and blew. A horrible squeal burst out and a bird squawked outside my window in response. I had no idea what it said. It was the end of musical powers and malumpus-tongue for me back on Earth. About time.

I looked down at the dark sun brand on my arm and tried to once again read the words encircling it. The Greek letters made no sense to me now, but it reminded me to appreciate all the freedoms in my life. More permanent were the brands on my heart. Leandro. Sam. Charlie. I wondered if I’d meet any of them again.

Deep tiredness sank in, but more than a nap, I was desperate to be normal again.

“Still wanna play hide-n-seek, Finn?” I said.

He laughed. “Nah. How about we go outside and build our fort?”

“Can we?” I tugged on Bo Chez’s shirt.

He acted like we’d insulted him. “What, you don’t want to hear one of my stories instead?”

“Bo Chez, we’ve
lived
the story.”

“Then get out of here before it starts raining again.” He put his hands on his hips. “I’ll make us all some pancakes and ice cream sodas. Then we all need hot showers. And a good long sleep. Want to stay another night, Finn?”

“As long as we don’t go anywhere!” And with that, Finn took off down the stairs. “Race ya to the yard!”

But I still had one thing left to do. I pulled the lightning orb out of my pocket and handed it to Bo Chez. He put his big hand around it. We held it together, our connection between worlds and history. The orb’s blue glowed between our fingers, then dimmed, but I knew what kind of power lay hidden within it—and within me. Knowing it would still be there whenever I needed it, I let go.

I took off down the attic stairs, after Finn, and burst into the yard. Something made me stop and turn back to look up at the attic window. Bo Chez stood there, arms crossed, looking down at us through the shattered glass. Watching over me.

He broke into a grin. I waved at him and dashed after Finn under the safe, sunny sky.

The lightning was gone. For now.

So many wonderful and supportive people helped get this book published. Kathryn Craft, my dear friend and editor, who guided me in shaping this tale – and who helped me shape myself as an author. My understanding husband Michael, the greatest provider of alone time there is! My first reader and cosmic sister, Lisa Green, who inspired me to find the power in the details. So many more moved this book along the road to publication including the dedicated staff of Month9Books, my literary agent, Bill Contardi, who took a chance on a new author, and my wonderful Weggie Writers group of gals who trudged alongside me as this book came to life. And to the person who began this book, the real Joshua Cooper Galanti. I wrote this for you. May you never grow too old for bedtime stories and may you always seek just one more adventure.

Donna Galanti wanted to be a writer ever since she wrote a murder mystery screenplay at seven and acted it out with the neighborhood kids. She attended an English school housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!). There she fell in love with the worlds of C.S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, and wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship (and has been writing fantasy ever since). She’s lived in other exotic locations, including her family-owned campground in New Hampshire and in Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives with her family and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse and dreams of returning one day to a castle. Donna is the author of the JOSHUA AND THE LIGHTNING ROAD series (Month9Books). Visit her at
donnagalanti.com
.

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