“More than just someone,” I said. “A group of people. A civilization.”
“Exactly.” His eyes grew dark. “The problem is, our island oasis was thought to be uninhabitable before we came here.”
Yeah. I’d heard the same thing about Champ Island on my side of reality, so where did the supposed green dragon come from?
Was it a green alien dragon, maybe? Seriously. I’d been watching too much Star Trek.
“Keep in mind,” Cade said. “This is the theory of yours truly. Not a very popular one, especially with the queen and other nobles, who don’t like to question the existence of the green dragon. But...” he leaned closer, speaking quietly. “I have proof.”
“What kind of proof?”
“This.” He pulled at a chain around his neck, untucking a pendant from beneath his shirt. A black, pyramid-shaped stone hung from the bottom of a silver necklace. Golden ribbons danced through it, moving like wisps of smoke.
I caught my breath. “What’s that?”
“Da found it in the mines, along with other things that don’t belong here. Super-advanced tools, things like that.”
I held out my hand. “May I look at your pendant?”
“Sure.” He took off the necklace and handed it to me. His fingers brushed my open palm, and my heart fluttered. Was I attracted to him?
The weight of the pyramid pendant distracted me from reading too much into his touch. I held the stone in my hand. Under the streetlamp, the golden ribbons shimmered with crystal flecks.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.” I looked up at him. “Where do you think it comes from?”
A knowing smile tugged the corners of his mouth. He placed his hand over mine, trapping the pyramid inside. “It’s a mystery, Sabine.” He said my name softly, his gaze lingering on my lips.
Calloused fingertips covered my fisted hand, the pyramid pendant pressed between our palms. With a stuttered breath, I pushed the pendant toward him, then unthreaded my fingers from his.
Swallowing, I crossed my arms over my chest, glancing away, needing to look at anything but him and his devilish sapphire eyes.
Without speaking, he put the chain over his head and tucked the pendant under his shirt.
He placed his hand at the curve of my back. “We’ll have to get back to the palace soon,” he spoke quietly, his breath tickling my ear. “I’m sorry we couldn’t stay out longer. Hopefully, this business with the miners will get cleared up, and we can stay out dancing all night.”
He flashed his charming smile, bringing out the dimples around his shapely lips.
I held his arm as he escorted me back through the city, walking nonchalantly, not commenting when we passed by the vehicles glowing with blue lights, the domed carriages, and the ornate architecture, a stark contrast to my rundown farmhouse and Vortech’s lifeless, sterile facility.
By the time we made it back to the palace, darkness veiled the courtyard. An eeriness came with the silence of the night—a hushed, mysteriousness that rested in the stone steps and towering pillars.
Cade’s words came back to me, as if whispered on the wind. Vortech hadn’t mentioned anything about a civilization living here before the immigrant ship crashed. If it was true, then who was it?
The vestibule and palace doors rose before us, glowing white in the moonlight. Cade stopped me.
“My room is in the outer building near the gardens. I’ll have to say goodbye for now. I enjoyed our visit.”
“So did I.”
He smiled. “I hope we can do this again.”
“Yes, me too.”
“Good. Then I’ll leave you with this.” He held up his hand, his pointer finger and thumb pressed together, and moved it down through the air, until a flower appeared—a lavender-colored rose.
I cocked my head, unable to hide my smile. “You didn’t tell me you were a magician.”
“I prefer the term illusionist.” He handed the rose to me, and I took it from him. Its soft floral fragrance tickled my nose.
“Goodnight, Sabine.”
“Goodnight to you, too.”
He turned away and left me alone on the veranda. When his body blended in with the shadows until he disappeared, I opened the doors and entered the palace. None of the guards questioned me as I passed by them on my way up. Snooping wasn’t my first choice, but I didn’t want to waste time before finding the second object.
There were things going on in this place that I didn’t understand, and I needed to find the answers.
A warning niggled at the back of my mind.
Rosa had also looked for answers, and she’d never been seen again. But I had to find the seven pieces of cerecite, and if I happened to stumble upon solving the mysteries of this place while I did it, then so be it.
Chapter 11
My footsteps echoed through the empty hallway as I made my way to the prince’s bedroom. I tiptoed over the rug-strewn hallway, my gaze darting as I searched for guards. Lights burned behind glass sconces, their glows pooling on the floor.
The door to the prince’s room loomed ahead.
My training kicked in, and I tucked my fear away in a remote corner of my brain, thinking only of the mission. Recovering the watch. Nothing else mattered.
I grabbed the doorknob and turned it slowly, then snuck a glance inside. Silence shrouded the room, and the moonlight shone over an empty bed with rumpled sheets.
I tiptoed to Morven’s bed, listening for his breathing, searching for his form hidden under his covers, but only an empty mattress greeted me.
Either I was incredibly lucky, or the complete opposite. If he happened to walk in while I was searching, I was screwed.
As I spun around, the cavernous room surrounded me.
My mind went into overdrive as I started looking.
An armoire, desk, and a nightstand...
I paced to his nightstand, running my fingers over the marble top. A yellowed, tatty copy of From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne sat beside a lamp. I flipped it open. The copyright date read 1865.
On quiet feet, I went to his armoire and rifled through his suits, which all smelled faintly of a woodsy, cedar scent. Not something I’d expect from someone who spent all his days indoors. Glass knobs of a drawer gleamed in the faint light coming from the hallway. I knelt and opened it, blindly feeling the contents. Leather shoes, lined up in a neat row, smelling of polish.
After closing the drawer, I stood. Through the half-opened door, I listened for rolling wheels or sounds of any kind.
A faint tick-tick-tick came from the full-length mirror on the wall. Curious, I stepped to the mirror, and the ticking grew louder. I ran my fingers over the ornate frame, then grasped one edge and tugged on it.
It opened on hinges, like a door, revealing a row of shallow shelves. In the light shining through the door glinted a pocket watch. With a sigh of relief, I grabbed it and tried inspecting it, but the dimness made it impossible. Instead, I stuffed the watch into my vest, carefully closed the mirror, and walked back to the door, thankful for the thick carpet muffling my footsteps.
I glanced back at the empty bed before closing the door behind me. Adrenaline fueled my blood, demanding I run, though I slowed my pace. Now was no time to cause suspicion, and I couldn’t risk anyone finding me with the prince’s watch.
As soon as I locked myself inside my own room, I sank against the door, the wood cool behind my back, and took a moment to exhale.
Nice work back there, I could hear Logan saying. I pulled out the scanner, sat on the bed, and repeated the process I’d done with the shell.
When I pushed the button, the beam moved from top to bottom, scanning the watch. I held my breath as I waited for the light to turn green.
“Please work,” I whispered as the seconds ticked by, and then, the light changed to green. The pocket watch morphed, opalescent colors shining from a smooth, spherical surface.
Relief washed through me, and I slumped on my bed. Without wasting ti
me, I pushed the disc on my bracelet.
“Fifteen?” I asked.
“Agent Harper,” he answered in his robotic tone. “It’s good to hear from you. Have you found the second object?”
“Yes, I stole the prince’s pocket watch. I’m becoming a regular thief. You know, I might become a professional burglar and drop this Vortech gig. What do you think?”
“I would advise against such a lifestyle.”
“Well, it was worth a shot.”
“Be sure to store it in your bag,” he said. “Just like the first object.”
“I will.” The sphere painted refracted rainbows on my walls. “Fifteen, I need to ask you a serious question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Okay.” I folded my legs under me, the mattress springs creaking. “What if I were to tell you there’s evidence this island was inhabited before the immigrants built the shield?”
“What sort of evidence?” he asked.
“A triangular shaped stone that has bands of gold moving through it.”
“May I ask where you encountered such an object?”
I picked at the lint on the blanket. “From one of the palace staff. The gardener. He was wearing it, and he said his father found it in a mine.”
“A mine, you say?” he questioned.
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s possible the object is a form of cerecite. The mineral is known to combine to create unusual colorings.”
“So, you think it was made of cerecite?” I asked.
“Quite possible.”
“The gardener seemed to think it came from another civilization entirely. Is there any evidence for that?”
“No. But I have heard the rumors before. The locals hold superstitious beliefs. You must question anything they tell you. Keep in mind that the island was uninhabited until they arrived. Without the dome, the island is inhospitable. There’s no way anyone could survive, especially an entire civilization.”
“But you’re thinking of our side of the dimension. On this side, couldn’t it be possible if such a civilization used the cerecite to help them?”
“No, Agent Harper. I’m afraid it just isn’t possible. Imagine terraforming Mars with technology from the middle ages.”
“Then how do you explain the dome? The immigrants couldn’t have built that by themselves. They say a green dragon helped them.”
“Yes, I know the story.”
“But what was the green dragon really?”
“I don’t know, Harper. What do you suppose it was?”
I rubbed the tension knot in my neck. It was late and thinking at this hour was like slogging through wet sand. “An alien. That’s all I’ve got.” I sighed. “I know, there’s no evidence for that either. Maybe I’m overthinking this. Cade’s pendant probably was made of cerecite. Sorry to have bothered you, Fifteen.”
“It’s not a bother, Harper. Helping you is what I’m programmed to do.”
The sphere refracted rainbows on the ceiling, as if taunting me with the secrets of this reality.
“Do you have any other questions?” he asked.
“Yes, what do I do when the prince finds out his pocket watch is missing?”
“I wouldn’t worry too much.”
“Why?”
“Because you didn’t steal the actual watch. You stole a cerecite mimicry of it. The real watch will appear back in the last place it was removed from.”
“How does that work?”
“Do you have the cerecite handy? I’ll show you.”
“Yes, it’s sitting on my bed.”
“Good. Now find something in your room that represents time.”
I glanced at the nightstand and grabbed the clock. “I’ve got a clock.”
“Good, perfect. Place it beside the orb, then use the scanner on the cerecite. Scan it as you did earlier to reverse the process.”
I picked up the clock and placed it on the bed. With a click, I opened the scanner, and held it over the glowing orb. After I pressed the button, the laser scanner slid from top to bottom.
The cerecite disappeared. Only the ticking clock remained on my bed cover.
I gasped. “Where did it go?”
“You restored its normal levels of radiation. It’s what usually happens in nature when the cerecite is left untouched, so it took the appearance of the clock. Scan it again.”
I pressed the button, squinting my eyes against the light. When the brightness dimmed, an orb replaced the clock.
The actual clock sat on my nightstand once again, tick-tick-ticking, as if it had never been interrupted.
“That’s so weird.” I placed the scanner aside and cupped the orb, the feel of curving glass warm in my hands. “So, the prince’s watch—his real watch—will have appeared back in his dresser by now.”
“That’s right,” Agent Fifteen said. “I doubt he’ll realize it was ever missing.”
“So weird,” I repeated. “What is this stuff?”
“Good question. Once you bring our scientists a sample, we may be able to answer it.”
I held the orb a moment longer, its warmth glowing around me. Was it a new undiscovered element? If so, why didn’t it exist in our reality?
Sighing, I placed it in my bag. So many questions.
“Excellent work on finding the second object,” Fifteen said. “I dare say you’ve located the first two in record time. I don’t believe any other agent has found the first two as quickly as you. Keep it up.”
“I’ll do my best. Right now, all I want to do is sleep.”
“That’s reasonable.”
“I’ll be in contact,” I said with a yawn, then disconnected our conversation and laid on the bed. Questions nagged me. Cade’s pendant. The cerecite. The green dragon. How did they connect?
Shaking my head, I stood and washed up, then settled in for the night.
Scratchy fabric against my skin, I closed my eyes. An image of Morven’s empty bed formed in my imagination as my conversation with Fifteen echoed.
What is the green dragon really?
What do you believe it is?
Chapter 12
I carried the tray of porridge to Morven’s room, my head pounding with a dull ache, and my eyes bleary. Nagging thoughts had kept me awake most of the night. At some point during my restlessness, I’d decided I was stuck in a giant virtual reality dome created by Vortech who was sending me through a series of experiments for nefarious purposes.
When I’d woken this morning, I’d decided I may’ve gone too far with my theory, and I’d decided to stick to finding cerecite.
I reached Morven’s room, and I rapped on the door. A quiet “Come in” came from the other side.
Balancing the tray on one hand, I entered the room. Morven sat on the edge of his mattress, fully dressed, his bed made.
“You’re awake?” I asked.
He clasped his hands. “Does that surprise you?”
“Yes, I thought you’d still be asleep.” Especially after he’d been gone last night. I placed the tray on his nightstand.
He eyed the porridge and frowned. “I won’t eat that.”
“Sorry, but you don’t have a choice.”
He crossed his arms. “Says who?”
“Says me. My job is to tutor you, and I won’t do it unless you’re mentally fit, which means you need to eat a healthy breakfast.”
“That is not healthy. It tastes like dirt or mold. Sewage, perhaps.”
“I have trouble believing it tastes that bad. I think you’re not being grateful for what you’ve got. There are some people who have no food whatsoever. Now, please eat.”
He motioned to the bowl. “You eat it, then.”
“I’ve already eaten my breakfast in the kitchen. I ate the same thing, and it tastes fine.”
He clenched his jaw but still didn’t move. Had I actually thought of this person as attractive? A strong jaw line and feathery lashes could only get a person so far.
“You.
First,” he enunciated.
“Fine,” I muttered, grabbing the spoon, and shoving a bite in my mouth. It tasted no different from the food I’d eaten in the kitchen, except when I swallowed, it had a gritty aftertaste, like swallowing grains of sand with the flavor of dirt. I did my best to make a pleasant face.
“It tastes fine,” I lied.
“No, it doesn’t.” He knit his dark eyebrows. “I saw you grimace.”
I eyed the bowl. Hadn’t it come from the same cooking pot?
My stomach churned, and I felt I might be sick. I placed my hand on my abdomen, pretending to smooth my vest, hoping the food stayed down.
It bothered me that Price Morven was right. But what caused it to taste so horrible? I had an idea, and it wasn’t good.
“Morven, how long has the porridge tasted like this?”
He shook his head. “As long as I can remember.”
“Have you always eaten it?” I questioned.
“Not all the time.” He sniffed. “Only when Aunt Tremayne demands I eat it before I can leave my room.”
I narrowed my eyes with suspicion. “Your aunt demands it?”
He nodded, then fixed his gaze on the window. “She thinks it’ll help with my strength. Better for my health.”
“I see,” I answered to myself, wheels spinning in my head as the word poison teased me.
He looked at me with shrewd, dark eyes. “Are we getting started with my lessons or what?”
“Ready so soon?” I smiled. “That’s wonderful, Morven. I see you’ll be a model pupil after all.”
He gave me a bemused laugh. “Don’t push it that far, Miss Harper. Anything beats being locked in this room, even studying things I can recite in my sleep.” His gaze went to the window again, the look of an animal longing to break free of its cage.
Pity tugged at me. I didn’t wish imprisonment on anyone, not even someone as bad-mannered as Morven.
The 7th Lie Page 10