The Key (6 page)

I try to shut out the rest of his thoughts, but they're filled with so much passion that I find it impossible to do so. And then he is standing beside me.

‘Rochelle …'

My hands have started shaking. I clasp them together and turn slowly towards him. He sees me and takes a step backwards, his own thoughts suddenly thrown into turmoil. ‘Why are you crying?' he asks.

It's difficult to find the words, but I know I have to try. ‘I'm crying because I hurt you and keep doing it just by being near you.'

He makes a scoffing sound. ‘Don't get any ideas that I want you back!'

‘I know that. I just want you to know that I'm sorry. I
never loved you the way you deserved.'

He looks over the top of my head, then exhales a long breath. ‘It was a cruel thing you did – pretending to love me.'

I grip the crystal so tightly my hand begins to ache. ‘You need time to get over it.'

He swings a hand dismissively into the air. ‘Time? Did you say
time
? Yeah, that's what I need all right. Time will heal everything. Isn't that how the saying goes?'

His tone is so cynical it's hard to listen to. ‘Matt, please don't do this –'

‘Do what, Rochelle? Pour my heart out to you? Don't worry, I won't embarrass you like that.'

‘Don't say that!'

‘I was such an idiot. You took me for a ride.'

‘We were both taken for a ride.'

‘But you knew all along our relationship was a lie. You listened when I told you that I loved –' He gives a horrible sarcastic laugh and shakes his head. ‘You say I need time. Well, let me tell you what I really need. I need to go
back
in time.'

‘What?'

‘It's what we do, isn't it?'

‘I don't understand.'

‘I want Arkarian to send me back in time so I can choose not to have ever met you!'

He turns to leave and I go to run after him, but Arkarian suddenly appears. His eyes are full of compassion and I understand he's heard it all. He puts a staying hand on Matt's arm.

‘Easy, Matt. Slow down.'

Matt quietly calms, and I'm grateful for Arkarian's soothing touch.

Reassuring himself that Matt is all right, Arkarian turns to us both. ‘The key is gone. There's no point in looking any more. Turn off your light, Rochelle. We have to get out of here. There's movement on the other side of the lake.'

His words are like icy water trickling slowly down my spine. Without wasting any more time, we make our way back to the remains of the temple. As we climb higher, a reddish glow in the distance appears in our vision. Getting down on our haunches, Arkarian leads us over to a pile of boulders for a closer look.

‘What is it? Can anyone see?' I ask.

Arkarian holds a finger to his lips and now the thoughts of another penetrate my brain. It has me frozen to the spot. The memory of Marduke's hold over me is still too vivid.

Matt reaches up to peer over the boulder. For a moment he is completely silent, but his eyes have opened wide. ‘What are they doing down there?'

I reach up to see what has Matt in such a state of shock. But even Matt's reaction isn't enough of a warning. On the other side of the lake hundreds of torches are burning around an area so vast it must spread backwards for kilometres. There, within the frame of these torches, are thousands of strange creatures with human limbs, pig-like heads and awkward-looking wings. But it's not the look of these creatures that has the hairs on the back of my neck suddenly electrified. It's the way they're standing at attention, row after row of them, all in strict formation.

Finally I find my voice. It's merely a whisper. ‘What are they?'

‘They're called wren,' Matt says. ‘They answer to your
old Master. Just like you did.'

I try to ignore his cheap shot of sarcasm. ‘What are they doing, Arkarian?'

It takes Arkarian a moment to draw his eyes from them. Finally he turns to me.

‘They're preparing for war.'

As soon as we get back to the Citadel Arkarian instructs us not to tell anyone what we've seen. ‘Not until I've briefed the Tribunal. Decisions will have to be made. Plans brought forward. New ones set into place.'

‘Does “anyone” include Isabel?'

Arkarian hesitates, and for a moment I wonder if he is in the habit of keeping things from my sister. Just how much control does he have over her, now that the two of them are so close? And with Lathenia advancing her cause, will their relationship affect his judgement? I would kill Arkarian if he hurt Isabel as a result of putting his duties to the Guard first.

His eyes swing to mine, and it feels as if they are scorching right through flesh, blood and spirit. Mine. ‘Know this, Matt: I would put a knife through my own heart before hurting Isabel.'

I nod. It is all I am capable of. My tongue feels like glue in my mouth.

‘But,' he goes on, ‘don't expect me to restrict her activities to “safe” duties.'

These words break the tension and I laugh. ‘You'd have a hell of a job trying.'

‘I would never insult her that way. The Guard is her life. It's in her blood. And her powers are vital to the cause. But you will have to trust me, because sometimes things are not what they seem. It's a strange double life we lead. But if it's any assurance, all of the Named will know of what we saw before noon tomorrow. Everyone will have to be prepared, especially those of us who have seen these creatures in the flesh and who will be able to identify them as soon as they start appearing in our world.'

‘Just how dangerous are they, Arkarian?' Rochelle asks.

‘Their mere presence in our world would be a great threat.'

‘What do you mean?'

‘The balance of good and evil would be disrupted.'

‘What could happen?'

‘The same thing that happened to the underworld. Waves of darkness will sweep across our lands, and the world will grow darker and darker. Eventually the moon, and then the sun, will be completely obliterated. No crops will grow. Oceans and rivers will have no tides and confusion will reign. Ultimately, all that is natural will die and evil will win.'

It's hard to believe
anyone
would want this to happen. ‘How can Lathenia want this?'

‘She is the Goddess of Chaos. Cold and darkness, fear, greed, and all that is evil, are the very things that make her stronger, the things that bring her contentment.'

We're quiet for a moment, absorbing Arkarian's disturbing words, when Rochelle asks, ‘How soon before they attack?'

Arkarian breathes in deeply. ‘By the looks of those troops, I would have to say
very
soon.'

Quietly Arkarian shifts the three of us back to the
mountain, delivering us directly into his main chamber. When we appear, Isabel and Ethan can't conceal their relief.

‘What's happened?' Arkarian is quick to ask.

Ethan points to the sphere. ‘A portal has opened.'

Arkarian stares into the sphere, adjusts its magnification several times, studying the past. ‘It's Plymouth on the 24th of August, 1768.' He looks up. ‘The night before Captain James Cook sailed the
Endeavour
in search of a great southern continent.'

‘Is that Cook down there among that rabble?' I can't help asking.

‘Yes,' Arkarian confirms. ‘A complement of ninety-four are preparing for the adventure of their lifetime. A journey that will last just under three years.'

‘Where is the danger going to come from, Arkarian?' Isabel asks.

He glances at her, and as usual when their eyes meet, his soften. ‘I need more time to study this, but by the looks of this narrow portal, it's not going to be open for long. This means the Order are planning a quick and decisive mission. My guess is that there will be two of them: one to distract us, while the other attempts to assassinate Cook.'

‘What are we waiting for?' Isabel asks.

Arkarian pulls back from the sphere and looks at each of us in turn. ‘I would send Jimmy, but his skills are needed on another mission tonight.'

‘Arkarian,' Isabel says in a tone devised to get his attention. ‘
I
will go.'

Without answering her directly, Arkarian looks at Ethan, then at me. ‘It will be Ethan and Matt.'

A wave of excitement and relief washes through me. The relief is that Isabel isn't going. Unlike Arkarian, I
don't care about insulting her. The excitement is at the prospect of my first mission into the past. And I haven't even got my powers yet! Suddenly that wave of excitement turns to slop in my stomach as nerves kick in.

Beside me, Isabel fidgets restlessly, then pulls on Arkarian's arm, tugging him to the side. ‘What are you doing?'

‘Just my job, Isabel. What I'm trained to do. Assessing the situation and making judgements based on those assessments.'

‘But why are you sending Matt?'

‘Hey!'

She glares at me. ‘Shut up, Matt. I just need to know why.'

Obviously these two are still finding their way. Working together and being together would have to strain anyone's relationship. I glance briefly at Rochelle. Well, at least I don't have to worry about that.

‘Isabel,' Arkarian says patiently while pointing to the sphere. ‘There are ninety-four
men
down there.'

She starts to get it. ‘Oh.'

‘If I sent you, or any female for that matter, you would attract a lot of attention. Look at those men.' His head tilts towards the sphere. ‘I don't need to tell you how that would put the entire mission in jeopardy.'

Ethan can't help himself. He bursts out laughing.

Isabel whacks him hard. He rubs his arm.

‘I didn't realise they would all be men,' she mutters. ‘I just don't want you overprotecting me, that's all.' She glances at me. ‘I get enough of that from my brother, thank you very much.'

Arkarian folds Isabel into his arms, and holds her there as he asks Rochelle to go and inform Mr Carter,
Jimmy, and Ethan's father Shaun that there will be a meeting here first thing in the morning, when everyone has returned from their missions. ‘And don't use a phone. Their signals are too easy to overhear.'

Rochelle leaves and Arkarian turns to Ethan and me. ‘You two had better go home and get some rest. I'll meet you in the Citadel before you leap, and give you final instructions. And remember, Matt, you will be transported through your sleep. So just relax and go to bed as usual. When you arrive at the Citadel your soul and your eyes will be housed in bodies that resemble your own until you are given secret identities. Do you understand?'

I nod. ‘Ethan has explained the details of transportation to me in our training sessions. Except, that room we were in today looked different to how Ethan described the rooms of the Citadel.'

‘That's because we were in a different part of the Citadel today. The Citadel is split into two distinct sections. Transportation takes place in the labyrinth, where the rooms and staircases are always changing to suit the requirements of the travellers and to keep their identities intact. Where we were today serves a thousand other purposes, but mostly it houses the living and working quarters. The labyrinth wouldn't work without the machinery and the co-ordinating that originates from this other half. Anything else?'

I can't think of anything off-hand.

‘Good, now go. It's nearly evening already out there. Your mother will be wondering what's keeping you so long.'

Ethan tugs on my arm and I make to leave, but notice Isabel is still glued within Arkarian's embrace. ‘Are you coming?' I ask her.

She lifts her head to Arkarian and they hold eye contact for a moment, then Arkarian says, ‘Soon. You two go ahead.'

Ethan nudges me again. I follow him at a slower pace, giving my sister a lingering look on the way out. I wish I could get used to seeing those two together.

Outside, the evening air is chilly and I shrug deeper into my jacket.

Ethan says, ‘You just can't stop worrying, can you?'

‘Huh?'

‘About Isabel.'

‘I promised our dad I would look after her. That's all I'm trying to do.'

‘Isabel's my best friend. Trust me, I wouldn't walk away from her if I thought she was in any harm.' He thumps my shoulder. ‘Now come on. You have to concentrate on tonight's mission. You don't want to blow it, do you?'

‘Of course not!'

Ethan starts to explain about the Citadel. It's stuff he's gone over before, but since my earlier question to Arkarian, he must think it needs repeating. ‘It's where we learn the language, accents and other details we need to know so that we don't stick out …'

Listening carefully, I start walking with him down the mountain. We don't get far when a voice calls out from behind. ‘Hey, wait up!'

It's Isabel. I can't help but grin when I see her. She reads my look of intense relief. ‘You jerk. When are you going to realise I don't need looking after any more? We just wanted a few minutes alone. There's nothing wrong with that!'

Unable to keep doubt from my voice, I bite back
words and simply mutter, ‘Hmm.'

With a few more instructions, Ethan leaves us at my front door. All I can think is that I want to take a quick shower and jump straight into bed. But Mum is waiting on the other side of the door.

‘Where have you two been?'

Her voice is tight and anxious. I guess after what happened at school this morning, she would be. I called her earlier to see if she was all right and to let her know Isabel and I were unharmed; and then, since school was cancelled for rest of the day, I had told her we were going up to the national park for a hike.

‘Are you sure you're both all right? Why do you insist on taking off like that? Just as well Jimmy said he bumped into you and assured me you were safe. You know I don't like you hiking in the park any more. It's dangerous. Do you want to get lost again?'