God Stones: Books 1 - 3

by Otto Schafer

  “Can we invite David too?” Gabi asked.

  Breanne raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Sure, why not invite everyone? But after we all get cleaned up.” She looked at Garrett, then down at herself. “We could do with a bath too.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Garrett’s face turned a shade of red she didn’t know was possible. “Oh, I didn’t mean…”

  “Don’t be getting no ideas about taking baths to—”

  “Shut up, Paul! That’s not what I meant,” Breanne said, throwing her hands over her face. She wanted to run and jump off the platform.

  Paul, Lenny, and even Gabi were laughing.

  “Okay, but seriously, don’t even think about it, sis,” Paul said, giving Garrett a hard look.

  “It wasn’t my idea,” Garrett said, defensively. He pointed at Breanne. “Talk to your sister!”

  “Oh my god!” she said, punching him in the shoulder.

  After everyone had their turn with a warm bath, Gabi helped them learn to talk to one another with their minds. Surprisingly, and much to Gabi’s obvious disappointment, mind speak came easiest for David, which meant Gabi didn’t need to hold David’s hand as long as she would have clearly liked to.

  It didn’t seem obvious when Breanne learned how, but now, as she listened and watched, it was apparent Gabi was going into their minds and unlocking something she called “the door.” She had done this with Breanne too, but at the time Breanne thought she was opening “the door” herself, and that Gabi was only guiding her. Now she realized Gabi was telepathically unlocking something – and not only unlocking it but helping them open and shut “the door” a few times until they got the hang of it. It was when Gabi got to Paul that this became clear. His mind was the toughest to crack, and the frustration showed on Gabi’s face as she strained to get “the door” to unlock and open. Breanne puzzled about why for a while and then suddenly said out loud, “I think it’s because you are old.”

  “I’m not old, Bre! I’m in my twenties!” Paul said defensively, clearly frustrated.

  “Yeah, but you’re older than the rest of us and, after Gabi, David is the youngest at only fifteen. Don’t you see? For him it was the easiest, probably because he’s younger,” Breanne said.

  Paul rubbed his chin. “But how does that explain you being able to talk to Pops from thousands of miles away? He is old for real.”

  “Dad wasn’t doing it, Gabi was, and later I was, but we used an item that we had both touched. I don’t know though… maybe by doing it we were slowly making him capable too?”

  “Good point,” Garrett said.

  Pete nodded. “I’m paraphrasing, but I seem to remember Mr. B saying the third eye was like a muscle that needed to be exercised and old people’s brains might just explode if they were exposed directly to the Sound Eye. Maybe younger people’s minds are more pliable?”

  “Can it be that simple? Is ‘the door’ really the third eye?” Breanne asked.

  “That means Gabi is actual physically manipulating the pineal gland in our brains,” Pete said.

  “Cool!” David said.

  They all agreed that made as much sense as any of this did.

  Eventually, Gabi was able to get Paul’s “door” unlocked and, after oiling the hinges and working it back and forth, he could mind speak as easily as everyone else could. Now everyone could talk to one another as long as they were holding hands, which judging from the others’ facial expressions was a bit awkward. “You know, you guys might as well get comfortable holding hands – it took a lot of practice to get to the point we didn’t need to touch to talk,” Breanne said.

  “Well, that sucks for David, ’cuz no one is going to want touch his hygienically questionable digits,” Lenny said, pulling a face as if he’d just bit into a lemon.

  “David can practice with me,” Gabi said, holding out her hand.

  “Thanks, Gabi!” David said, flipping Lenny the bird.

  Gabi? When I want to talk to you, will everyone hear our conversation? Breanne asked.

  She looked at David. Can you hear me, David?

  David nodded, unable to answer telepathically since they weren’t holding hands.

  Gabi closed her eyes. Breanne, can you hear me?

  Yes, she answered.

  A moment passed, and then David nodded again.

  Could you hear what I said to David, Bre?

  No, I didn’t hear anything, Breanne said. Gabi, how did you do that?

  What they found was that with the right level of focus, thought could be directed to specific individuals and not shared with others. Sort of like whispering in someone else’s ear when you didn’t want others to hear. Right now, only Breanne and Gabi could do it, but they were also the only two who could use mind speak without touching one another.

  I’m glad we can still talk privately without others hearing, Gabi.

  Me too. Gabi smiled.

  Practicing mind speak helped pass time, but there were other things weighing heavy on Breanne’s mind. Sarah still needed her, and before they got too far along, she had to have a conversation with Garrett and the others so she thought she would try a group mind speak chat. Guys, can you all hear me?

  Yes, I can, Gabi said.

  Paul and Pete nodded, as did Garrett and David. Lenny was in his bunk, and she couldn’t tell if he had heard her or not. We have to go back to the tiny village they took us from and backtrack to the cenote – to Sarah. She needs us! She was so sick, and now that we have David, we can save her.

  “We are with you, Bre. Right, guys?” Garrett asked.

  Again, everyone nodded except Lenny, but this time his fist shot up from his bunk, extending a thumbs-up.

  Thank you, Breanne said and smiled.

  “I’ll tell Governess,” Garrett said.

  Pete held up a hand. “I’ll tell her.”

  Lenny jolted up, nearly whacking his head on the ceiling, and shook his head back and forth. “When are you going to learn, Pete?”

  “Lenny, really?” Garrett asked.

  “Ahhh!” Lenny shouted, biting down on his lip. “Look, I just don’t want to see you get hurt, Pete. She is a tree, bro, and she hates you! She hates all of us!”

  “Let me worry about that!” Pete said, walking over to Lenny’s bunk, which reminded Breanne more of a souped-up hammock.

  Lenny pressed his lips watertight, as if trying to hold back a flood.

  Pete stopped and pointed a finger up at Lenny. “You’re acting weird! What the hell is going on? Earlier, why didn’t you finish what you were going to say about Janis?”

  “I don’t have anything to say about Janis, Pete,” Lenny mumbled quietly. “Just be careful with the tree.”

  “Nothing to say about Janis? Since when? You always have something to say, Len. What’s going on? By now you should have cracked ten jokes!”

  Everyone crowded around Lenny’s bunk, and even Breanne could see something was up.

  “Maybe it’s time, Lenny,” Garrett said.

  Lenny shook his head.

  Garrett shrugged. “You got to tell them sometime, Len, and who knows when we’ll all have a chance to really talk like this once we get to the portal.”

  “I’m not ready to deal with this,” Lenny breathed.

  Pete looked from Garrett to Lenny. “Len, I don’t know what’s going on, but since when do we keep shit from each other? All jokes aside, we’re your friends – your family.”

  “Yeah, whatever it is, Len, you got to tell us,” David said.

  Paul nodded. “We’re a team, kid. Spill it.”

  “Fine. But I swear if either of you” – he pointed two fingers toward Pete and David – “make one wisecrack, I’m going to roundhouse kick you both in the face!”

  “Jesus, just spill already!” David said.

  “Fine! Janis was my cousin!” Lenny shouted.

  Garrett whipped around and looked back at Governess. “Hey, maybe whisper this stuff, Len.”

  “Not sure why it would mat
ter to the trees, but—”

  “Wait! What? What does that even mean?” Pete asked, eyes blinking and face twitching.

  David looked like he had just been shown a blueprint for a rocket ship. “Huh? Cousin?”

  “You heard me,” Lenny said, pushing himself off the bunk and onto the wicker deck. “Janis was my cousin because her father was my uncle.”

  Breanne squinted and looked at the others. Clearly, Lenny didn’t want this to be easy to understand.

  David’s face continued to twist stupidly.

  “Uncle? Janis’s father was Apep. Wait… are you saying…” Pete stepped in close to Lenny and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Lenny? Are you saying Coach Dagrun was your father?”

  Lenny nodded.

  “No freaking way!” David said, an enormous smile spreading across his face and lifting his mustache. His next words confirmed his understanding. “Len, you’re half dark-elf?”

  “Thank you, captain obvious,” Lenny said.

  David was so excited he began bouncing on his toes. “But I don’t understand. How long have you known? Why don’t you look dökkálfar? Are you repressing your true form? Oh, that’s why you and Janis had the same golden eyes when using your ability and why you can see in the dark! Elves are incredibly nimble! I bet that’s why you have perfect balance, and I just bet that’s why you can run across water too! Hey! Can you make rats grow big like Janis? Or can you make vine—”

  “Shut the hell up!” Lenny shouted.

  David’s mouth snapped shut, pulling into a pained grimace.

  Lenny sighed. “Sorry, David.”

  “Coach’s journal?” Pete asked.

  “Yeah, there’s a lot in there, including my entire history. It even tells me who my mom was.”

  “Was?” Breanne asked.

  “She died when I was little. It’s a long story, but it’s all in there.”

  “Sorry to hear that, kid,” Paul said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

  “Thanks. Look, this is all a lot for me right now, and I’m still trying to process it.”

  “Well, thanks for sharing it with us,” Breanne said.

  “You may be different, but you aren’t alone. We’re all different, Len. And come to think of it, we’re all the same too,” Pete said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “He means we’ve all lost family,” Breanne said.

  Pete nodded toward Garrett. “Garrett lost his dad. Breanne and Paul lost their mom. Little Gabi lost both her parents, and I lost… I lost my mom too.”

  Gabi looked down at her feet.

  “My mom abandoned me and my dad,” David offered. “I guess she’s still alive, but I haven’t seen her since I was little.”

  Garrett nodded. “The point is we got you, Len. We all have each other, no matter what.”

  Lenny forced a smile. “Thanks, guys.”

  Pete took a step back and said, “So once you come to terms with this, Len, you let me know, because I already got like five jokes I can’t wait to try!”

  “Yeah, and I got like seven,” David said.

  “I hate you both,” Lenny said, but then he smiled.

  David started laughing, and it turned out to be contagious. Breanne laughed too, and it felt good to have a moment where she felt like a kid hanging with her friends and cutting up.

  After the laughter and encouraging fist bumps, shoulder slaps, and hugs, Garrett said, “But seriously, guys, we shouldn’t be talking about this too loud.”

  “I don’t get it. Why all the secrecy now?” David asked.

  Garrett’s face was somber. “Think about what this means.”

  Breanne looked around. Whatever she was supposed to get, she wasn’t getting it. Then, just as she watched Pete’s eyes light up with understanding, hers did too, and they both blurted it at the same time. “You’re a prince, Lenny!”

  “Of course!” David said.

  “Huh? What the hell are you guys talking about?” Lenny asked.

  Garrett was nodding. “Think about it, Len, you are the son of the heir to the throne of Osonian. Coach, your father, died, which means—”

  “Which means you’re going to be the king of a… of a kingdom!” David said.

  “Not if Apep has his way about it,” Paul said.

  Lenny leaned back heavily against the bunk, shaking his head. “No. For one thing, my grandfather is probably still alive, and he is king. Let’s not forget Apep is taking an army there to overthrow the kingdom and kill his father. So even if he is alive, Apep is going to take it.”

  “Not if we stop him first,” Garrett said.

  “Hold on a minute, Garrett. You have followers who will be waiting at the portal for you to lead them through. Once we get through, we need to get them safe, and then we have to find this magical item you promised that psychopathic tree queen. Now you want to stop Apep and his army from overthrowing a kingdom?” Lenny asked.

  “Garrett, you realize we are on a six-month timeline from the day we step through the portal?” Pete asked.

  “Garrett, how are we supposed to fight an army with just the seven of us once we cross through the portal?” Breanne asked.

  “I don’t like those odds,” Paul said.

  Garrett held up his hands for quiet. “Lenny, you will remember this.” Garrett looked over at his friend. “Mr. B once said you don’t defeat a giant python by attacking its belly or its tail.”

  “He was talking about a bigger opponent, not an army!” Lenny argued.

  “It’s the same principle. Apep’s army is a massive python.” He turned to face Breanne. “And you’re right, Bre, we can’t fight his entire army, but we don’t need to. We just need to lop off the head.”

  “Kill Apep,” Paul said.

  “Yes! We take out Apep and his army will fall apart,” Garrett said.

  Breanne’s heart pounded. She’d never wanted to kill any living thing before… before she met Apep. But the thought of killing him felt one hundred percent right.

  “Suppose we can get close enough to kill him, how can you be sure his army won’t carry out his plans anyway?” Paul said.

  Breanne shook her head. “No. He’s right, Paul. Apep’s army will implode if we kill him. Back in the temple, I could tell Sylanth hated him.”

  “And didn’t the giant in the tunnel try to kill him?” David asked.

  Garrett nodded. “Yeah, they had a brief fight for the God Stones.”

  “Garrett, even if we somehow save Osonian, do you really think my grandfather will accept what I am?” Lenny asked.

  “I don’t know, Lenny. But I know this – I don’t want to lead our Keepers to a world where Apep rules with the Sound Eye,” Garrett said. “And no matter if the dökkálfar accept you or not, you always have a place with us.”

  After that, no one spoke for a long moment.

  Finally, David said, “So, elf, when do I get to see the pointed ears?”

  Lenny shot daggers at David, stepping toward him.

  David put his hands up defensively, backpedaling. “Too soon? Okay, sorry! Lenny… Stop… Don’t…”

  “Listen, chickenshit, you crack another joke about my dökkálfar heritage and I am going to bust you in that nasty snot mop of yours!” Lenny said, cracking his knuckles.

  “Heritage! No, Len, what? I didn’t… I would never…”

  “Oh shit! That’s right, David! Those jokes are racist. You can’t crack jokes to do with Len being part elf!” Pete said, shaking his head disapprovingly.

  “I’m sorry! Honest…” David’s bottom lip quivered, causing his mustache to shake like a caterpillar with the chills.

  Lenny smiled and slapped David’s shoulder. “Come on, D, I’m just giving you a hard time.”

  David blinked and brightened a little.

  “But seriously, do that again and I will rip that lip-leech off your face while you sleep.”

  David’s shoulders sagged. “So I still got nothing.”

  “Afraid not,”
Garrett said. “You’re still shorter and hairier.”

  He’s still way cuter, Gabi thought to Bre.

  Gabi!

  Well! He is, Bre! She laughed and Breanne laughed too.

  “What are you guys laughing about?” David asked. Not waiting for an answer, he said, “Okay, fine, but I would appreciate if you stopped making fun of my upper lipholstery.”

  Lenny smiled. “Sorry, but that cookie duster is fair game!”

  “I’m afraid he’s right, David,” said Pete. “Unless you can claim that nose skirt of yours is a product of your cultural heritage, you’re out of luck.”

  “Nose skirt!” Lenny said, barking out a laugh. “Good one, Petey.” The two boys fist bumped as David threw them the double bird – one for each.

  Lenny looked over at Breanne. “You want in on this, Bre?”

  Suddenly everyone was looking at her. Well, I better not disappoint them, Gabi. “Sorry, boys, I don’t engage in mental combat with the unarmed.”

  Pete busted out in laughter and held up a hand.

  Breanne did not leave him hanging as she reached up and slapped his palm. She never felt more like she belonged.

  46

  Clash of the Titans

  Tuesday, May 3 – God Stones Day 27

  Panama City, Panama

  Standing on the shoreline, Jack tipped his head back to look up at the giants. Looking up at them was a completely different perspective than when Jack was riding on Cerb, flying high overhead. Who would have imagined anything like these big things could have come from the center of the earth?

  The boss guy was a little shorter than the others, maybe nine or ten feet tall, but the one who had just been pointing a spear at his face must have been twelve feet tall at least. All of them were ripped, with muscles stacked atop muscles and inked in these cool-looking black tattoos. Thick black bands and dots that stood out on their pale skin. What were they? There was a word he’d learned in art class for when something really didn’t look like what it was, but he couldn’t remember. The boss guy had more ink than the others, and Jack thought he might have more of his skin tattooed than not.

  Jack’s eyes shifted back to the big guy with the spear. The monster had shards of bone sticking through its ears, nose, and nipples. But what really drew his eyes were a dozen shoes and boots laced together to form a necklace around the tree trunk of a neck. Why would it make a necklace of human shoes? Then Jack saw something sticking out of a blood-stained sneaker and his stomach turned. There were still feet in those shoes. Fucking feet! Jack understood then he was looking at a giant cannibal’s version of a candy necklace. Jack looked away, as if he had caught a glimpse of something he shouldn’t have.