The Third Key (The Alaesha Legacy Book 1) (8 page)

"Are all Keepers female?"

Dana shook her head. "No. They don't have to be. It's just coincidence that so many are right now."

"What do we do once we find the keys?"

When Charles looked at Edith, his eyes were filled with an emotion she could not place. Was it annoyance at her constant questions? Fear for what would happen if they didn’t' find the keys? A mixture of both?

He stood up as Ollie brought the squirming stick back. "I'm exhausted. I'm sure you girls are, too. Let's all head to bed and we'll discuss this more in the morning."

He clicked his tongue and Ollie dropped the stick, which went dormant immediately. "Come boy," he said, patting his side as he headed into the house. The dog licked Edith's hand once then followed obediently.

A moment later, Mags appeared in the door. "Ready to go back to your room, ladies?"

Shortly afterward, they were settled into bed, having been tucked in lovingly by Mags, each given a kiss on the forehead and a "Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite." Edith lay awake in the dark, staring at the ceiling she couldn't see. Bare minutes had passed before she heard Dana's breathing change. She envied the ex-Keeper. The new girl would get no sleep tonight.

Chapter 8

"Rise and shine, ladies." Mags's sing-song voice rang out through the room as she drew open the enormous curtain. Light bathed the girls still bundled up under the thick comforters.

Edith groaned and rolled over, drawing a pillow over her head to block out the offending glare.

"Tsk tsk," Mags chided as she pulled the pillow away and tossed it to the end of the bed. "None of that now. The other advisers will be here within the hour and you need to be fed and presentable before then."

Like an annoying older sibling, the woman stood beside the bed and poked Edith in the arm until the teenager relented and crawled from the comfort of the down mattress. She groaned as she stood and wiped the goo from her eyes. Satisfied, Mags turned her attentions to the cheerleader as Edith stumbled to the bathroom.

The mirror was not kind to Edith that morning. Her eyes were puffy from lack of sleep, her hair a rat's nest from tossing and turning all night. She washed her face and brushed her teeth before returning to the bedroom. Dana stood outside the door, arms crossed, tapping her foot. She rolled her eyes and pushed past Edith, slamming the door behind her.

Mags was bustling around the room, humming as she worked. Edith's bed was already made, two dresses were hanging from a very elegant folding dressing screen, other garments had been laid on the bed, and a steaming breakfast was at the table.

Mags waved the lint brush she was holding toward the table. "Better eat before it gets cold. Coffee is in the carafe. The chef sent up both orange and cranberry juice. Drink what you like. I'll dump what you don't so that he doesn't throw one of his famous fits." She tossed a merry smile at Edith and went back to her humming.

The breakfast was standard fair. Bacon, toast, eggs with tiny yolks the size of grapes,  fruit and muffins. Edith picked up a muffin and sniffed it. "What kind are these?"

"Hmm?" Mags pulled her attention from dusting the windowsill. "Oh, bualdaberry. Very scrumptious. Like a mix between a blueberry, a grape and a pineapple. My favorite."

Edith smiled until Mags turned her back, then set the muffin back down. Safer to stick with what she knew. The breakfast was delicious and the coffee was the best she had ever had. She tore off a piece of toast and lifted it to her mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, her mind drifted to the events to led her to where she was. She thought about what had happened in the last day. None of it seemed real, but she couldn't deny it. Bad things were happening, and somehow she had ended up smack dab in the middle of them. A cloud started to settle over her until the chair across from her moved, pulling her out of the growing funk.

Dana plopped down at the table, face pressed into a scowl, and picked at a muffin. Before she was half done, Mags whisked the breakfast away and shuffled them over to the dresses.

"What do you think? I made them myself last night." She beamed with pride.

Edith examined the dresses. They were very detailed with intricate patterns stitched into the bodice and sleeves. The gowns looked like something out of a regency romance novel.

"You made these last night?"

Mags nodded emphatically. "I'm a very accomplished seamstress. My talents are praised throughout Alaesha. Come, come, let's get you lovely ladies dressed and ready."

Less than fifteen minutes later, they were both stuffed into their respective gowns and had their hair done up. "There now, don't you both just look so beautiful?" Mags propped her hands on her rounded hips and smiled.

Edith stepped in front of the full length mirror. She barely recognized herself. Her hair was done up in several small braids that twined intricately around her head. Little golden flowers were tucked into the strands. She gently stroked one. They seemed to glow of their own accord, though she knew that couldn't be possible. She ran a hand down her bodice, feeling the silky gold fabric. Small silver flowers were stitched into the waist and down the long lacy arms that ended in points at each wrist. Twirling around caused the skirt to lift and flow regally. It made her feel like a princess and brought tears to her eyes.

The expression on Dana's face mimicked how Edith felt. "I feel so..." The cheerleader was at a loss for words and couldn't stop touching her own baby blue gown with lavender trim. Her eyes glowed, the first real smile Edith had seen stretching across the girl's face.

Mags let the girls admire themselves for another minute or so before she clapped her hands together twice. "All right then, let's get going. Best not to make them wait."

She shooed the ladies out the door and down the stairs. She took them in the opposite direction from the patio. The door she stopped in front of was carved with a series of pictures. Edith recognized a dragon, but the other beasts were unfamiliar. She didn't have time to study the carving though because the door opened wide into a large meeting room. Fourteen chairs were arranged around a circular table. The table itself looked like a slab from a huge tree. The design of the chairs varied. Some looked to be carved directly from a chunk of wood. Others were twigs teased and intertwined until they formed a suitable shape. A couple were simply stumps with part of the tree left in place to form a back.

Charles was already seated, along with six others who took alternate spots around the table. He waved a hand at the seat to his right, smiling at Edith, his eyes glowing warmly. As the dress shifted around her, she felt like she floated across the room.

Charles leaned over as she sat. "You look lovely, my dear."

She blushed and returned his smile. "Thank you."

He winked before turning his attention to Dana, who remained standing at the door, shifting uncomfortably. "We're not used to having former Keepers in this room. You may sit next to Edlaner." He pointed to a short man who very much resembled a hobbit from Middle Earth. The man grunted and raised a hand in the air.

With a pinched face, Dana crossed the room and took her seat. From the look on her face, Edith guessed he probably hadn't washed anytime soon.

"Can we get started now that the princesses have arrived, fashionably late?" Edlaner's gruff manner fit his appearance. He narrowed his already slitted eyes at Edith. They glowed with a strange orange light momentarily, but when she blinked, it was gone.

"Yes, let's get started," Charles said. "First, I would like to introduce the new Keeper of the Third Key. This is Edith Myers."

There were grumbles and a few waves from around the table as well as more than one glare directed at Dana.

"She'll remain here until this all gets sorted. Now we need to decide what to do about the other missing keys." Charles's gaze settled on three individuals at various points around the table. Each in turn blushed, if they were capable and bowed his or her head. "Before we get started, Boxy, how are Elizabeth and Philip? Any sign of improvement?"

A tall, willowy woman two seats to Edith's left shook her head in dismay, her long flaxen hair floating nearly horizontal with the movement. "No," she said. Her voice drifted lazily from her lips, seeming to ripple across the room in a smooth melody. "My Keeper and her mate are still unresponsive. None of our remedies have worked so far. I fear whatever vile magic was used will be the end of them."

Though her voice expressed apathy, her large, walnut eyes glistened with unshed tears and the strain of the last few days was evident on her dark face.

"We will not give up." Charles kept his voice soft as he spoke. "With any luck, when we retrieve the key, it will break whatever curse is upon them. Until then, keep trying and keep them guarded at all times. There are certain members of that family that I would not trust."

The adviser to the First Key nodded. "I agree."

He turned his attention to the man seated to Boxy's left. "Veth, any luck finding a route into their camp?" Edith had been trying desperately to not stare at the being, and the shift in attention gave her an excuse to examine him. He was about Edlaner's height, maybe slightly shorter. His facial features were very human, right down to the pointed nose and blood-red lips, but his eyes were pure white, though he was obviously not blind, and in place of hair he had a mane of dark fur. He had a very shaggy beard that covered most of his face, but where it was visible, his skin was nearly as pale as his eyes. She could see more fur poking out from under his sleeves.

Veth dropped his head and a lock of fur flopped down into his eyes. Edith held back a giggle. He looked so much like the cowardly lion at that moment, her heart went out to the dejected adviser.

"Not yet, Charles." His voice came out as a growl, harsh and angry. "We are trying our best, but they are always one step ahead of us. No matter how quietly we plan our next move, they're there, waiting." Sharp nails dug into the surface of the table, leaving huge gouges in the wood. They were not the first. The area in front of Veth's chair was riddled with grooves and pits. "I cannot trust my own men."

A snarl erupted from the creature and he smashed an open palm into the edge of the tree slab. The entire thing shook violently, the edge furthest from him rising up momentarily before slamming back to the ground. Edith jumped and her eyes went wide. She glanced to Charles, unsure how to react to such a violent action in this formal setting.

Charles narrowed his eyes at the man, his face stern. "We will offer any help we can in flushing out the traitor. We must find a way in or all may be lost."

The meeting continued for hours with Edith and Dana being effectively ignored the entire time. Mags entered at various intervals, bringing sandwiches and snacks, coffee and tea. Edith's attention drifted, but from what bits and snippets she gathered, she learned that the other absent key belonged to an elder Guruba, a shaman, in Nepal. The Guruba was missing as well with no signs of struggle as they had expected. A pack was missing from her home, along with many supplies. Her adviser, the hobbit-like being called Edlaner, clung to the small hope that she had heard the rumors of other Keepers being attacked and simply went into hiding, though he could not figure out why she would not just take refuge in Alaesha at the adviser's home.

The full weight of the situation began to settle on the young woman. As she listened to the seven people around her discussing things far beyond anything she had ever encountered, her chest constricted. She clenched the arms of her seat until her fingers hurt, taking deep breaths with her eyes pressed tightly together. A hand touched her leg and scared her out of her gloomy thoughts. Charles didn't look her way, but he squeezed gently. She watched him sitting there, strong and confident, and his strength flowed through to her. She pushed the encroaching fears from her mind and tried to focus on the meeting.

As time dragged on, the room grew warm. Edith found herself dozing and she was thankful that the twig chair she sat in had a rounded headrest. She was just drifting off after a brief start when the door slammed open, causing her to jump in her seat and squeak. Several advisers were on their feet instantly, most of them taking a battle stance, including Charles. Alex stumbled in, tripping over his feet and landing in a pile behind the adviser for the Keeper of the Sixth Key.

Mags stormed in behind him, her face beet red with rage as she kicked at him, howling in a language Edith did not understand. Charles raced across the room, throwing an arm around his sister as he tried to calm her. "It's all right, Mags. Calm down."

"It's not all right," the woman shouted. Her eyes were wide and crazy, a look of murderous intent sitting in the angry snarl on her face. "This little wretch somehow got out of his room and was sneaking around, spying. For what purpose, I do not know. I tracked his movements as best I could. I grabbed him when he tried to creep into Charles's room. The sneaky little blighter."

She kicked at him until Charles dragged her away. "Thank you, Maggie," he said, kissing her forehead. "You are my savior, as always. Now if you'd be so kind, we could use some more coffee." He gave her a smile. She returned it with a deadly glare, but turned and stomped out of the room without another word.

Charles's face dropped as she as she closed the door. His normally calm visage gained a few shades of red and his nostrils flared. He grabbed Alex by his collar and hauled him to his feet. One of the other advisers pulled a twig chair away from the table and set it on the floor in front of the boys. Charles threw Alex into it, nearly knocking the boy and the chair over together with his forcefulness.

"Actonatha," Charles cried, raising a finger to point directly at Alex's chest. Edith and Dana both gasped as the chair began to move, twisting and reforming. Branches snaked out from behind, wrapping themselves tightly around Alex as he flailed against them. When Charles finally lowered his hand, Alex was bound hand and foot, unable to move. Twigs had even wrapped around his forehead and chin, leaving only his face free of branches.

Charles leaned in close, his nose a bare inch from Alex's, his lips curled into a snarl. "Who are you?"