The Shadow Box: Paranormal Suspense and Dark Fantasy Thriller Novels

by Travis Luedke

  Wisdom looked around the room. His eyes rested on the spot where the Edimmu had entered the room. “I’m sorry. I don’t think that’s an option anymore.”

  Chapter Six

  August 1st

  Thessaloniki had grown into the second largest city in Greece. Like most large cities it had great theatres, booming tourism, and wild dance clubs where people tried to forget how civilized humanity had become. Old women shopped at corner fruit markets and the police did their best to keep crime off the streets.

  Unlike most modern cities, Thessaloniki’s history reached back thousands of years. Many of its ancient buildings stood side by side with newer structures. Aside from the largest church in Greece, there was the famed White Tower: a this former fortification that later served as a prison. Not far from the White Tower was an apartment complex in a constant state of reconstruction. From the outside, it was nondescript, consisting of three eight-story buildings clumped together. Wood scaffolding covered most of the external concrete walls, obscuring the windows and balconies. Inside, cans of paint cluttered narrow hallways. Drywall dust hung thick in the air. Over the years, many tenants had left in a defiant protest to the incessant construction. With each departure, a member of the Council of Peacocks moved in.

  By the time Wisdom rescued Josh Wilkinson, over 80% of the men and women in the complex were devoted to Propates. Beneath the complex was the real headquarters. Propates chose the complex solely for its proximity to an underground network of tunnels dug in the fourteenth century. Few outside the Council knew about their existence.

  ***

  Propates sat behind a mahogany desk in a stone room. Across from him, Echo sat, legs crossed. Her gray suit was covered in dust and ash. Her hair lay loose around her face.

  “I told you already, I was just doing him a favor.” Echo pulled her hair back off her cheek. Using an elastic, she tied it in a ponytail. “I don’t care about Council politics.”

  “I know you don’t. That’s why I’m so intrigued. Why were you sneaking around the ritual room?”

  Echo rolled her eyes. “Spying, of course. Then you followed me back to Prague and destroyed my home. I think that made us equal. Then you dragged me to this ant-hill.”

  “You can’t actually approve of the way Wisdom is collecting these little monsters. You know how he is. Wisdom and his toys. That’s all they are to him. It’s all we ever were.”

  Echo leaned forward. “They’re not monsters. They’re children. And I don’t care what he’s doing with them. Let it go. Whatever you’re planning, Wisdom’s onto it. Have you seen him lately?”

  “Thankfully, no.” The phone beside Propates buzzed. He picked up the receiver. “I’m busy. I don’t care what Lucius said. Deal with it. Now hold the rest of my calls.” He hung up and turned back to Echo. “I haven’t crossed paths with Wisdom in years.”

  “I’ve never seen him so focused. He’s going to stop you. You know that, right?”

  “He can try.” Propates leaned back. The smile disappeared from his eyes. The light in the room faded. Shadows slunk in the corner of the room like water breaching a sinking ship. “Times change, Echo. I’ve changed. We were together for a long time.”

  “Centuries, but that doesn’t count.”

  “After everything he’s done to you, to us, how can you choose him over me?”

  Echo turned away. “Not this again. We had our moment. It’s gone. And I’m not choosing Wisdom. I’m choosing me. Let me go and I’ll disappear. Tell me, how exactly are you blocking my abilities?”

  Propates put a finger to his lips. “It’s a secret. I’ve learned so much from my time with the Council of Peacocks. Things you couldn’t even imagine. Why don’t you stay? I can arrange rooms for you.”

  “Please,” Echo waved her hand before her face. “Why would I stay in a dung pile like this? I told you. I want nothing to do with you or your Council. Just let me go.”

  Propates sighed. “Fine. I’ve released the barrier. Get out of here. But don’t get involved in Council business again. I don’t want to hurt you, Echo, but things are moving quickly. I can’t let you jeopardize our plans.”

  Echo sighed as her powers rushed back to her. She stood and clenched her fists. A portal of light appeared beside her.

  “We both know what Wisdom is,” she said. “Whatever secrets you’ve learned, you can’t hope to think you’re as powerful as him.”

  “The plan is bigger than me. I couldn’t stop it if I wanted to.” Propates picked up a cigar. It turned to ice at his touch. He tossed it over his shoulder where it shattered into a dozen pieces.

  Echo put one foot in the portal. “Then it’s been nice knowing you.” She stepped through the circle of light and was gone.

  For several minutes Propates stared at the space she’d occupied. Then, a knock at the door interrupted his trance.

  “Come in, Ferris.”

  Paeder Ferris walked in the room. He was dressed in white robes and carried a thick manila folder in his hands. He was in his mid-twenties with strawberry-blond hair and ice-blue eyes.

  “Please tell me the tracker is working,” Propates asked, even though he saw the answer in Paeder’s eyes.

  “He’s difficult to track with all the teleporting, but we have the maggot.” Paeder opened the folder and took out a satellite photo. “The signal’s coming off the coast of Argentina. When can I kill him?”

  Propates reached for a new cigar. “You can’t. You know that. Josh’s crucial to the plan. Wait until he’s back on the mainland. Then bring him here.”

  “He killed me mumsy. Slaughtered my brothers. I watched him stab my twin. You can’t expect me to just let that go.”

  Propates stood. “Yes, I can. We don’t have time for vendettas. Not yet. When you retrieve him, bring him to me unharmed. Understand?”

  Paeder nodded tersely but would not meet his eyes. Then he left the room.

  Propates smoothed the front of his shirt and stretched his shoulders. He returned to his paperwork, humming happily. Everything was going according to schedule.

  ***

  Echo stepped out of the portal and stood in the bedroom of her summer home. The island off the coast of Argentina was beautiful, a welcome retreat from the hectic city life in Prague. She had bought it from the French 150 years ago. She’d never been able to rightfully determine if the island had a name before she had arrived. At the time, it was uninhabited. She’d brought over a dozen locals from the mainland. They had built her home, cultivated the land, and tended her crops. Over the years, those dozen had become several hundred. A village had sprung up on the other side of the island. They called it Port Echo, which amused her to no end.

  She sat on the edge of her bed and slipped out of her jacket. The heat was palpable, almost sentient. A cool breeze blew in through open windows, gently tousling the curtains. It sank into her bones, dissolving the tension from her shoulders. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back.

  “Annisa? Roma?” She called out to the two servants who cared for the house in her absence. No response. She glanced at the alarm clock beside her bed. It was mid-afternoon. Perhaps they were in town getting supplies.

  “Whatever. I need a shower anyway.” She pulled her hair free of the elastic and slipped out of the rest of her clothes. In the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom was an extravagant shower: concrete and stone came together to create an artificial cliff. When she turned on the taps it became a waterfall. To each side of the shower, tropical plants in terracotta pots rose to the ceiling. They reinforced the illusion of bathing in the jungle. She kept the water cool as she washed the dirt and oil from her skin.

  She toweled dry and walked back to her bedroom. As she dressed, she admired the room. In every direction, windows offered stunning views of the ocean. The water seemed to take over the rest of the world. From here, there was no sign of any other piece of land. It made it easy to believe she was on a completely different planet. Planes rarely flew overhead and, being so
far from a major port, few ships dotted the horizon. Of all the homes she maintained, she chose this one now because of its isolation. For the moment, she wanted nothing more than to be alone.

  “I’m sorry, miss. I must not have heard you come in.”

  “It’s been too long,” Echo turned to find Annisa in the doorway. She embraced her warmly. “It’s good to see you. Unfortunately, I’m only here for the night. Can you get my blue suit ready? I’m heading to Toronto tomorrow to see Wisdom.”

  “Begging your pardon, ma’am, but Mr. Wisdom is not in Toronto. He’s here.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, ma’am. He arrived last night with a young man.”

  “That bastard. Where was he when the Edimmu torched my home? Tell him I’ll be down in a minute.”

  “Yes, ma'am. Would you like me to prepare something for you?”

  “No. Wait…yes. I’d love a mimosa. Several mimosas actually. And a quiche. What is he wearing?”

  Annisa giggled, hiding her smile behind her fingers.

  “Never mind. I’ll be down in a minute.”

  Annisa curtseyed and left without another word.

  ***

  Josh stared at his cell phone and chewed on an ice cube. He knew he should call his parents, but what could he say? Everything about yesterday seemed impossible. Still, every drop of sweat forced him to admit where he was.

  ‘Barely slept last night,’ he thought. ‘That and this heat is making it very hard to stay awake. Every time I close my eyes all I see is blood and darkness. And wings.’

  ***

  Back in the Laurentians, Josh wanted to chase down the remaining kidnappers. Wisdom stopped him.

  “Bad idea,” Wisdom said.

  “We can’t leave them,” Josh countered. “You never leave guys like this alive. They always come back.”

  Wisdom narrowed his eyes, studying Josh. It was like he was truly seeing Josh for the first time. “Normally I’d agree with you. However, we have no idea what they are doing. They could be setting explosives or getting reinforcements.”

  “All the more reason to act quickly.” Jan grabbed Josh by the chin and pulled him closer, making sure he only focused on her. “There are other people down there, people who need help. We cannot leave them.”

  “We can,” Wisdom said. He looked Jan squarely in the eyes. “And we are. Call the police when you get home if you want. There are more important things at stake.”

  Jan grunted in frustration. “What kind of monster are you?”

  Wisdom glared at her impassively. Finally, Josh looked away.

  Wisdom created a disk of light.

  “What is that thing?” Matt asked.

  “Localized low-gravity wormhole,” Wisdom said. “You can think of it as a teleportation disk. We can use this to get you home.”

  After a little coaxing, everyone stepped through the portal. Jan and Josh worked together to carry Matt since his shattered kneecaps made it impossible for him to walk. Rebecca moved stoically, as if walking through a passive dream. On the other side of the portal was the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital. As soon as Josh and Jan placed Matt on the ground, Wisdom closed the first portal and opened a second one.

  Josh looked at Wisdom and nodded, understanding the ramification. He turned to Jan, kissing her on the lips.

  “You can’t go with him,” she pleaded.

  “If I stay, you won’t be safe.” With a look of apology, Josh turned away as Wisdom opened a second portal. “The Edimmu are after me. You saw that.

  ***

  Josh glanced over at Wisdom. He stood on the veranda staring out at the ocean. Still dressed in the same red suit, Wisdom hadn’t moved since breakfast. Then, Wisdom motioned to Annisa and whispered something in her ear. They both looked at the ceiling. The servant nodded and then headed toward the stairs that lead to the second floor.

  When Annisa returned, she wasn’t alone. Beside her was one of the most beautiful women Josh had ever seen. Long brown hair fell down over her shoulders in waves and curled around her face. It was hard to determine her nationality. She had high cheekbones and a delicate chin with large amber eyes. She wore a tight, white jacket buttoned over a cream-colored bustier. Along with loose white slacks, she wore matching white pumps.

  “Found yourself another stray, I see,” she said. She crossed her arms over her chest and fought the urge to scream at him.

  “Something like that.” Wisdom smiled but kept looking out at the ocean. “I’m sorry about your condo, Echo. You must be thrilled to see me.”

  “Well, somebody’s having delusions of grandeur.”

  “I know you’ve been to see Propates.” Wisdom stopped smiling.

  “How?”

  “You know me. I have my ways. We don’t have much time. Events will move quickly now. I’ve tried to slow them down but nothing I do works. I could explain more to you but it would only make things harder.”

  “Christ, is it your father again? Did you have another dream?”

  Wisdom frowned. “Didn’t I just say ‘no questions’? I’m fairly certain I just said that?”

  “Zip it.” Echo walked over to Wisdom and put a hand on his shoulder. “Cut the tough guy act. You’re scared. I can see it in your eyes. What is going on?”

  Wisdom turned and brushed a curl of hair out of Echo’s face. “Just the thought of losing...” He stopped and pulled his hand away. “I can’t stand losing, you know that. It is bigger than I expected. The Council made a deal with the Djinn. I know, I know. No need to hyperventilate. I have a few tricks up my sleeve yet. The boy over there is Joshua Wilkinson. He’s an Anomaly, like the others but somehow different. I did not find out about him the first time. As far as I know, neither did Propates. He’s a wild card, and I hope it’s enough.”

  “What do you mean ‘the first time’?”

  “Just trust me, okay? It’s for the best that you don’t know any more. I need a favor.”

  Echo exhaled slowly and stepped away from him. “Of course you do. Not enough you get me to spy on Edimmu. Now you show up, tell me the end is nigh and not to ask questions. This isn’t my thing, Wisdom. I gave up all this Illuminati nonsense nearly 200 years ago. I like my nice quiet life.”

  “I never stopped loving you. You know that.”

  She stopped, bit her lip and crossed her arms again.

  Wisdom cleared his throat and looked back out at the sea. “I just wanted to tell you at least once before things get hectic.”

  Echo bit harder into her lips. “Bastard,” she said as tears built up in her eyes. Then she walked back into the house.

  ***

  Echo did not reappear until supper. Josh looked up occasionally from his seven-layer lasagna, unable to fully concentrate on eating with the tension in the room. Wisdom kept his eyes averted from everyone and barely touched his meal. Echo ate slowly, each forkful a statement louder than words.

  Echo turned to Josh. “What are you staring at?”

  “Umm...” Josh looked away.

  “Echo,” Wisdom said. “This is childish.”

  “Excuse me?” Echo’s eyes flashed bright blue. Behind her a vase exploded. Her face went red and she placed her fork back on the plate.

  “Thank you for proving my point.” Wisdom stared at the space where the vase had been. “I need a favor and I can’t wait any longer for you to calm down.”

  “I am perfectly calm. If I wasn’t, it wouldn’t have been a vase that exploded.”

  Wisdom shook his head. “Always the same. Such a drama queen. You know…”

  Echo jumped up. “You did not just call me a drama queen!”

  “Sit!”

  Echo flinched as if struck. Tears fell down her cheek.

  ‘Has he abused her?’ Josh thought. ‘The way she’s looking at him, she looks terrified.’

  “What do you want?” Echo glared at Wisdom. Each word she said was measured and overly precise.

  Wisdom sighed and sat down. “You know what I
want, Echo. I want to stop hurting you. It’s why I left years ago and it’s why I’m leaving right after dinner. But what I need is for you to take this boy to my London offices. The Council has seen him with me. They may be able to track my movements. Propates won’t be expecting anything from you. Not so soon after he’s caught you playing spy. Unless I’m mistaken, they plan to use Josh for something, some purpose I have yet to work out. Somehow his existence has been kept a secret from me. That’s a story in itself. I’m heading to Toronto to meet a new arrival. I know you have questions. I would in your shoes. But believe me, I can’t tell you. No good would come from telling you.”

  Echo seemed calmer now. Her eyes were dry.

  “Is that it?”

  Wisdom shook his head. “One more little thing. Another delivery I’ll tell you about later.” He looked around the room. “Just in case the shadows here have ears.”

  After a deep breath, Echo continued eating her lasagna. “Fine. But when this is over I don’t want to see you for at least a hundred years.”

  Wisdom flinched and stared at his plate. “I pray you get the chance to stay angry at me.”

  Chapter Seven

  August 2nd

  David stared out the window of the Greyhound bus at the streets of Toronto. The view overwhelmed him. There were piles of garbage and throngs of prostitutes in one neighborhood followed by mansions hidden behind high walls and security cameras in another. Restaurants, their names written out in Chinese characters, cluttered entire neighborhoods.

  ‘So many people,’ he thought. ‘It’s like a zombie invasion. It was never like this back in Dartmouth.’

  It was also much hotter than anything he had experienced before. He overheard other people on the bus saying it was the hottest summer on record in Ontario. The windows kept fogging over because the bus’ air conditioning was on high. David cleared the window with the palm of his hand so he could watch the city slide by him. He tried to do the tourist thing, to keep his eyes on the busy and well-lit areas, but that was not who he was. At his core was something else. Again and again, he was drawn to the dark alleys, the vague hostility in the eyes of the homeless. In a city like this, it was easy for him to believe the world was filled with evil.