“Wise One might know the location of what you seek,” Tazanna said.
Jaden grimaced. The bat had an answer for everything. But she had a point. “Gran, we’re searching for a map. Remember Zareh?”
“That intriguing fellow who appeared to you at Kayla’s home, told you you were on some mission to save the world, then disappeared before you could ask him more questions?”
“That’s him! What I didn’t mention earlier was that he told us he entrusted our family with a map which would allegedly start us on the first part of our mission. You didn’t, by any chance, receive a map from your grandfather too?”
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t. And I have to confess I don’t recall him mentioning a map either. However, there was a third item . . .”
Jaden laughed when he realized his gran was teasing them by waiting to reveal the secret. “Gran, spit it out already!”
She chortled. “He gave me a key.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kayla stared at Ruby, trying to connect the map with a key.
“A key?” Jaden repeated.
“No map?” Kayla asked.
“Maybe the key is the map—or the map’s hidden on the key,” Jaden said. “May we see it?”
“Yes. But it’s inside.” Ruby motioned apologetically to the bats. “Do you mind waiting here?”
“Not at all, Wise One,” Ohanzee answered with a toothy grin.
Kayla and Jaden tailed Ruby to her bedroom. Throwing her closet doors open, Ruby reached up to the top shelf for a polished mahogany-paneled wooden crate, overflowing with assorted dusty hats.
“My hiding place,” Ruby chirped. “I doubt thieves would want to wade through, much less steal, these useless old things.”
When Jaden leaned over to help her, Ruby stepped aside. Their relationship had a sweetness Kayla found enchanting. Jaden obviously cared for his grandmother deeply, adeptly balancing the fine line between respecting her independence and offering his help. It showed a level of sensitivity that was as intriguing as it was alluring.
Unbidden, her mind went to the moment he had given her the relic stone. She’d noticed the way his hand had jerked back. Did he feel the same electrical shock I did? Kayla mulled the relevance. Maybe what I think I feel for him isn’t real. Perhaps we’re just linked because we’re both seekers. Kayla sighed. Pity there aren’t any other male seekers around for me to test that theory.
She continued monitoring Jaden’s interactions with his gran from under her lashes, envious of how close they were. Her own grammy had died before her ninth birthday, and she had always mourned not having had the opportunity to get to know her better. Charmed, Kayla watched as they each preferred the other, ever conscious of the other’s well-being.
Is this how Jaden treats his girlfriend? It was a tantalizing thought, tempting her to linger on the prospect. Then she slapped herself mentally. Resolutely, she pulled away from the trap before it ensnared her completely.
Once she went down that road, it would be too late—or was it already? How much of any relationship they built would be from this strange mission and how much because they were two people who felt a mutual attraction? And there I go assuming it’s mutual . . . not a good sign. But her thought process raised an interesting question: if they had been fated to share this mission as fellow seekers, were they also fated to have something other than friendship?
Kayla focused again as Ruby instructed Jaden to set the crate on her bed. Ruby rotated the crate on its smooth base until the back faced her. Then she pressed on a board toward the bottom of the box.
Kayla ooh-ed in astonishment as a sliver of the board glided open on silent hinges, revealing a secret compartment. A rectangular, spectacularly intricate, Chinese puzzle box tumbled out.
“Wow! It’s stunning!” Kayla exclaimed, catching the tiny, lacquered treasure keeper before it rolled off the bed.
“It is—and it serves doubly well acting as another little trap to prevent unauthorized people from getting their hands on what’s inside.” Ruby chuckled. “Try to open it.”
First Kayla, then Jaden struggled with the tiny box, their frustrations rising the longer they grappled with the impossibly minute bars that slid and spun. Ten minutes later, Jaden threw his hands up in the air.
“Taking a hammer to this box would be simpler and infinitely more satisfying,” Jaden snarled.
“Ah, but then you might smash what’s inside, and what use would it be to you then?” Ruby teased.
Jaden’s eyebrows shot up. “The key’s breakable?”
“No, silly,” Ruby laughed. “I was talking about potential thieves. If they got their conniving hands on the box, they wouldn’t know what was inside or if it was fragile. This logic would hopefully discourage them from smashing it open, keeping the key safe—or so I’ve always hoped.”
Reclaiming the box, Ruby nimbly twisted and pulled a few precise pieces. The box popped open. Bright and shiny as the day they made it, the key fell out. An inch high, it was a gleaming golden isosceles triangle. None of its smooth rims bore the usual ridges marking one or both sides of a conventional key.
Plucking the key off the bed, Ruby passed it to Jaden. He accepted it with awe.
“There are markings on it,” Jaden observed, running his fingers gently over the engraved surfaces of the front and back areas of the triangle.
“Yes, but what do they mean?” Kayla sighed, her irritation at having more questions than answers again creeping into her voice.
Jaden looked to Ruby. “Gran, do you have any idea?”
She shook her head apologetically. “No, dear, I’m afraid I don’t. The key was the last item my grandfather gave me, and he didn’t pass along any information other than warning me not to lose it and only pass it on to the chosen person in our family as revealed by the relic stone.”
Her talk of family reminded Kayla of her recent thoughts concerning Jaden’s mother. “In the kitchen earlier, you said that Mrs. Jameson should’ve told Jaden some things when she gave him the medallion. Does she know any more about the medallion or its history than you do?”
Jaden’s startled expression reminded Kayla she still hadn’t told him about his mom’s strange behavior or her own speculations. She sent him an apologetic shrug but noted he looked more mystified than upset. Had he already worked out his mother’s involvement?
“No, the only history Clara knows is what I passed on to her, and she should’ve given that to Jaden when she gave him the medallion. That way, at least, he—and you—wouldn’t have felt so isolated in this whole venture.” Ruby paused. “I recommend you two discuss this with her when you return. She may have insights that could prove useful.”
The odd way she had tacked those last two sentences on had Kayla’s senses humming. “What insights?”
“Nothing sinister. Just that a mother’s intuition can sometimes provide revelation where there might otherwise be none. However, if we’re talking facts, you already know far more than I ever did with what that Zareh character conveyed. He sounds intense! I should like to meet him someday,” Ruby said, taking another one of her abstract turns in conversation.
Jaden sniggered. “Good luck getting any information from him if you do.”
Kayla smiled, thinking a battle of wills between Ruby and Zareh would be entertaining.
“I’ll accept that challenge and pass along any information I glean as proof of my success.” Ruby grinned, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Then she sobered. “Unfortunately, it seems this is where my part in this ambitious journey ends. I’ve delivered the items entrusted to me and can’t give you any information you don’t already have. The rest of the quest is up to you two. I wish I was young enough to join you or that I could help more, but I’m not in a position to do either.”
“Don’t worry, Gran. You’ve done more than you know by just listening. It’s been liberating to discuss this with someone and not have them thinking we’re stark raving mad.”
“Y
es, Ruby,” Kayla said, reaching over and giving her hand a squeeze, “your input has been a breath of fresh air. This whole nightmare feels substantially more manageable now that we have some perspective. Thank you for listening.”
Ruby beamed. “Jaden, have I mentioned how delighted I am that Kayla’s your fellow voyager? You two make an excellent team. I tell you, that Gaptor’s in for more than he bargained for.”
Jaden laughed. “Gran, your confidence in us is inspiring. Thanks, it means a lot! And I’m in complete agreement with you—Kayla’s the best partner I could’ve asked for.” Jaden hugged Ruby fiercely. “Shall we go show the Gliders what we found?”
Kayla watched them, inordinately pleased Jaden was so sure of her. I must live up to his expectations and not wallow in the self-pity threatening to engulf me because that’s the only way he thinks of me. I’m to blame. Haven’t I been the one pulling away?
They clattered downstairs and onto the porch, their noisy approach making their appearance no surprise to the sharp-eared bats. Jaden held the key up for their inspection.
“Most interesting,” Ohanzee responded.
“Are the markings the map?” Jaden asked.
Tazanna raised an eyebrow. “Does that look like a map to you?”
The teens shook their heads miserably. Kayla felt like the bats had popped their birthday balloons. Staring glumly at the key, Kayla said nothing, unsure what to do next. Despair overwhelmed her, making her aware of how absolutely shattered she was. “If you’ll all excuse me, it’s been a long day. I’m off to bed.”
“Me too,” Jaden said, giving Ruby a kiss on her cheek before following Kayla upstairs.
Ohanzee and Tazanna watched the humans leave and then flew circuitously back to the terraporter, taking the chance to stretch their wings. When they touched down again, they assumed their more traditional resting positions, hanging upside down from two of the terraporter’s support struts.
As they settled in, Ohanzee tilted his head toward Tazanna. “So, you’re really not going to tell them what the markings are?”
“No, they’ll find out in time. No point overloading them with information. Only make sure Jaden doesn’t lose that key,” Tazanna warned, before tucking her head under her wing and shutting her eyes in sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Jaden woke earlier than the previous day, stumbling into the kitchen just in time to help his gran with the final meal preparations. Kayla staggered in a few minutes later. One look told Jaden she’d slept about as well as he had.
“Do either of you know where the gliders are?” his gran asked.
“No,” Jaden said, “they do their own thing. Hopefully, they’ll be back in time to take us home.”
“Why? You have the terraporter.”
Jaden launched into a more detailed version of their first encounter with the bats compared to the abbreviated story Ruby had received the previous evening, this time elaborating on Zareh’s demonstration of the risks.
“Our transport shields are useless against whatever Zareh and the Gaptor can direct at them. Which is why the gliders need to be back before we can leave.”
“How wonderful—not the part about the shields being ineffective, but that I’ll see them again,” his gran explained when she realized how her first sentence must’ve sounded. “Do you think they’ll allow me to watch you flying with them?”
Jaden chuckled. His grandmother looked like a child eagerly bouncing before a wrapped birthday gift. “I don’t think they’ll object. But if they do, I’m sure you’ll convince them otherwise.”
The day passed in a blur. Jaden and Kayla helped his gran with chores and small repairs. By the time they retired to the porch, it was mid-afternoon. There, they lounged and sipped Ruby’s lemonade while she regaled them with her grandfather’s Gaptor and glider tales. Although they learned nothing new, a whole new world opened up to them, and they were just as enthralled with the stories as Ruby had been.
When the sun dipped to the horizon, they moved to the kitchen. Over dinner preparations and the meal itself, they discussed what Zareh could’ve meant by them having to “save the world” and ways they could locate the other seekers.
Enjoying another decadent dessert, Jaden said, “I have something to show you.”
He left the kitchen, returning with the precious book they had received so unconventionally from the mysterious Awena.
Rapt, his gran fingered the engraved cover before opening it, gasping when she spied the medallion on the inside cover. A few pages later, she recoiled at the Gaptor’s image. “This is what it looks like?”
“No, it’s worse in real life,” Kayla said.
“Yeah, it’s awful,” Jaden agreed.
His gran continued reading, fascinated by Gedrin’s story. They all commented as she thumbed her way through the book. When she finally closed it, they discussed the story at length, except for the part dealing with Gedrin’s death, which they all studiously avoided. They hypothesized on ways the teens might defeat the Gaptor and what the book could have meant when it warned them about the “Gate.”
Listening to Kayla and his grandmother debating interpretations for the word Gate, Jaden smiled. Time with Gran had been like this for as long as he could remember, the dinner table frequently the place for extensive discussions. Tonight was no exception. A fresh set of eyes and ears, as well as another opinion on the whole affair, was useful, not to mention therapeutic.
Watching the two women bandy ideas back and forth, the camaraderie and affection they already exhibited toward one another delighted Jaden. He’d really wanted them to like each other. And everything about Kayla’s mannerisms and attitude indicated she was just as gratified to have Ruby as an ally. No, not just an ally, Jaden amended, grinning. Gran was more like a cheerleader, urging them on, believing in them.
It was another late night. But Jaden wouldn’t have spent it any other way. Their eyes were drooping when they finally succumbed to the need for sleep. Their last morning with Ruby, when they eventually roused themselves, was leisurely and enjoyable.
They played more games, went for a long walk in the fields surrounding Ruby’s home, and ate up a storm. Not laying eyes on the Gaptor even once while at Ruby’s home, combined with the excellent food, downtime, and sensible input his gran provided, gave Jaden a tranquility he had not felt in weeks.
Accepting that they couldn’t stay forever was a shock.
“I don’t want to leave,” Kayla admitted while they made tea.
“Neither do I,” Jaden said.
“Your gran’s home feels like a haven, a place we can rest. Do we really have to go?”
Jaden wanted to touch her, reassure her. But after the way she had pulled away from him when he’d tried shielding her, he didn’t. Instead, he said as gently as he could, “You know we do.”
Kayla sighed. “So what time are we planning to leave?”
“How about two-thirty?”
Kayla grunted agreement, her less than enthusiastic response making Jaden smile. She wasn’t the only one who wished they could stay.
After lunch, they dallied while packing their gear. Ruby hovered to make sure they didn’t leave any of the precious artifacts. Jaden already wore the ring his gran had given him on his index finger, and he had stowed the key with his medallion in his wrist wallet. The book was padded with clothes and secured in his bag.
His belongings packed, Jaden said, “Should we use the terraporter if the bats don’t show up?”
“I’d rather stay here until they do,” Kayla said.
“Using the terraporter isn’t safe,” Ruby pointed out.
“No, it’s not,” Jaden agreed, “but if we must do this thing, it’s better we start sooner rather than later.”
Still undecided, the teens stepped onto the porch with Ruby. As if they had been waiting for just this, the gliders appeared out of nowhere.
“Where have you been?” Jaden demanded.
“And how did you know w
e were leaving?” Kayla asked.
Tazanna answered both questions. “We left you so we didn’t interfere with time. While you two are immune to the effect we have on you regarding time’s progression, we’re not sure of our effect on Wise One. It was prudent to retreat until you needed us again. As to how we knew you were leaving, we form integral connections with our voyager the first time we fly together. Amongst other things, the connection warns us when you require our presence.”
“That’s how you knew that Ruby asking about my involvement worried us!” Kayla exclaimed.
“Another weird thing you should’ve told us but forgot to mention?” Jaden asked, his tone teasing, secretly pleased the bats had surfaced when they did.
“Something like that.” Ohanzee grinned, showcasing his flawlessly white teeth.
Their farewells with his gran were emotional. Ruby stressed her need for them to return safely, imploring them to take every precaution on their journey.
Jaden debated how they might extricate themselves from her concerned clutches. Remembering her recent, oft-mentioned wish, he hinted at the chance of making it a reality. Ruby released them, her worry temporarily replaced by an enormous, expectant grin.
The gliders, miraculously sensing Jaden’s intentions, murmured their farewells and took to the air for the aerial connections they all preferred. Jaden grinned as Gran’s eyes greedily tracked the gliders’ every movement. Showing off for her, they ducked and dived overhead, enthralling his gran with their grace and speed, allowing her to observe them while airborne sans their voyagers. Finally, they curved back and swooped lower. Recognizing their cue, Jaden and Kayla each gave Ruby one last hug before leaping onto their passing bats.
Jaden studied Gran’s face as they did a few passes, smiling when he saw peace. Their abilities with their gliders had apparently given her some confidence. Buzzing past Gran again a few minutes later in a final farewell, she whooped and pumped her fist in the air. Jaden would miss her. And if his last glimpse of her face was anything to go by, she would miss them too.
Destiny Series Boxed Set Page 25