Edgington was relentless in his defense of what made for proper weaponry. He probably had a point, but still, there had to be a different option.
“It doesn’t feel right taking a finely crafted blade like this into battle.”
“Save the sentimental praises for after you retrieve Lapisera’s Dagger, and survive to tell the tale.”
“Fine.” I gave in, taking the sword from his offered hand.
“Wise decision.” No need to gloat about it. I didn’t come here looking for a sword to begin with. In actuality he wasn’t. My stubborn streak just didn’t like giving in so easy. The main purpose of our visit resurfaced.
“Being from Azulyria, you must be acquainted with different methods for let’s say, delivering messages.” I studied his features, trying to gauge his reaction. He saw right through it.
“Let’s not play coy young lady. Just ask whatever is really on your mind. Befriending another Stone Walker was not what brought you here tonight, so get on with it.” Clever man.
“I uncovered the fact that we are going to have to solve a series of Haiku poems, in order to locate the dagger. The first one is pretty much solved.” He was smart enough to pick up on the subtle implication. I’m sure he could figure out what I was getting at.
“And I take it your mother referred you to me because of knowledge of weapons and ancient relics.”
“She did, and the whole finding out that you are a Stone Walker, that was just an added bonus. One I am very grateful for.” And I was.
“Well don’t leave me in the dark young lady. I want to hear every detail you can remember.” He exclaimed. There was a glimmer of hope in the hazel pools that focused on me expectantly.
“We were able to find the first Haiku thanks to a lantern that Serena had hidden in her home,” I began. Jared pulled up a photo on his phone for Edgington to see the lines of script.
“This lantern is normally kept in the archival library of each of the five Facets, and is only used when there was a security threat aimed at one of Lapisera’s Daggers or any of our other sacred relics.” He explained, his voice taking on a wistful quality.
“So, it’s part of some protection protocol?”
“Yes. In this instance, I am assuming that one of the daggers was removed from Azulyria during the escape.” I nodded. “Whoever was in possession of the dagger must have felt threatened in some way, or was on the brink of death to activate the Visulumina Directive.”
I turned to Jared. “Jared, you said that your great aunt smuggled one of the daggers off of the islands, and died while you were still very young, right?”
“That’s true, and I always thought that it was sold off along with the rest of her belongings. Instead, it would seem that she enacted this protective measure to keep the dagger safe.”
“Young man, if that is the case, she did her duty to our nation,” Edgington remarked.
I wondered how the protection procedure worked, so I expressed my interest. The use of such an arcane literary device was unique. Shifting the conversation should be enlightening.
“An incantation, known only to those in service to the Shards, is spoken while the lantern is lit. The dagger then disappears, being sent off to a random location that can only be determined by solving the poetic clues left behind.” So it could be anywhere in the world. That’s lovely.
“The Haikus are those clues. I wonder, how many of these poems are we going to have to solve? Edgington studied the configuration of the lantern more closely.
“The stories don’t do it any justice, it’s a beauty. I was always told that the spell requires three poems for it to take effect, so that is my belief.” That was a point in our favor. Three clues or not, we still may be on the cusp of a global scavenger hunt.
“Seems like a manageable objective to me. I’m almost certain that I have cracked the first poem using the red pane of the lantern like Serena’s note said,” I stated proudly. Relaying the same words to Edgington that Jared had already showed him, I asked for his opinion on my brilliant deduction. Or at least I thought it was. Yeah, I’m a hypocrite. This is me gloating, but only a tad bit.
“Your analysis looks to be spot on my dear. Did you happen to notice if one of the words was a different color than the rest?”
“We did actually, but didn’t know what to make of it.” I assumed that he knew. He was a Stone Walker, of course he did.
“That in itself is a clue as well. A different color in this context signifies emphasis. I would keep that in mind when you go to The Alamo.”
“You don’t know how the color is directing us?” He shook his head. Now I was frustrated. The word “cottonwood” was a turquoise blue color, and Edgington says that it is for emphasis. I hope there are trees nearby that have some sort of significance˗˗˗because that’s the best guess I have for the moment.
“Any other advice you’d like to share?”
“This goes without saying. Be careful, and catch the monster that trapped my beloved Ivyssa,” he implored with a sorrowful note.
“You knew her?”
“Not directly, but I knew who she was. I saw her venturing into the woods, and my curiosity convinced me to follow. That’s when I learned that she loved archery and was becoming quite good at it. Adoration became love from a far.” It seems like that love hasn’t gone away, even after several decades have passed. “She had no idea it was me, but I could tell that she knew that she had an audience.
“Spying on her? Naughty naughty.”
“It was more than that. Before she had been chosen to become the next Queen of Swords, I had planned on asking for permission to court her.
“I can see that she meant a lot to you.”
“So as you see, I very much want you to succeed in your quest.”
“We will, for all of our sakes.” We had to, because the alternative was too bleak to think about. This man deserved a chance to tell Ivyssa of his true feelings, and finally get to be more than a distant admirer.
12
Why did I insist we drive again? Ugh, me and my big mouth. Flying would have been way less problematic. Listening to reason might have saved me from having to change a flat tire on the side of the road. As they say, it was an avoidable complication.
“No more road trips. After this, we’re sticking with air travel,” I announced. Actually it was more of a whine, but that was splitting hairs.
“I second that.” Jared replied, handing me the jack. This was my fault, so I volunteered to repair the damage. Now I needed to add a new tire to my “to do” list before the rental was returned.
Eight minutes˗˗˗had to be a new record for me, not that anyone was counting. I could raise a chassis and tighten lug nuts without breaking a sweat. Ok, my stint of bragging was over, I promise (fingers crossed).
We made it to The Alamo with forty five minutes to spare before visiting hours ended. A streak of panic rose when the first glimpse of yellowed stone came into sight. I didn’t see any trees. Had Edgington and I been wrong? Traversing around the side of the monument renewed my eager pace.
Beautifully landscaped, a lush garden bloomed all around me. There was a covered well that stood like a mighty sentry, keeping watch as proof of those long since gone. Along one side, an arched stone wall ran parallel to the street, its cut-out alcoves set with iron gates.
Arboreal specimens were plentiful. Any one of them could fit within our clue’s specifications. Except that I was pretty sure that the more sizable trees were all oaks. Cottonwood could have been symbolic. Only additional browsing would answer that. It was highlighted in the poem for a reason, yet the meaning was evading us thus far.
I walked a tight circle, scanning a full 360 degree panoramic. Come on˗˗˗please give me a sign, anything. The clock was ticking.
Over in the far corner of the garden, a splash of light blue shimmered in a patch of sunlight.
“Let’s go this way,” I beckoned. Keeping my eyes locked onto the blue mass, I weaved through s
hrub-lined paths, darting past a straggling tourist.
A stone fountain greeted us, its basin square with scalloped corners. The interior was an off white color, allowing for the water to appear as a lovely shade of turquoise. It was turquoise blue to be more precise, which happened to be the same hue as the word in the Haiku. And guess what stood only a few feet from the fountain˗˗˗a massive tree.
Branches spread and curled in all directions. This had to be the place. It was the only spot that met the criteria. I pulled the lantern from my leather backpack.
“Quick, is anyone watching,” I asked.
“Alex, I think we’re the last two visitors remaining, but I would make it fast.” He handed me a lit candle.
“Here goes nothing.” I opened the door of the lantern and placed the candle inside. Like last time, I pointed the red-tinted pane towards the presumed viewing surface. Nothing happened.
“Are you sure that you’re close enough?” Jared commented, keeping a watch for onlookers.
“Yes I’m sure. Maybe if I turn this damn thing around, we’ll get lucky. I spun the lantern so that the pinkish pane now faced in the direction of the tree. Still, nothing happened. Next came the blue pane. Jackpot. The role of the different colored word now had a dual purpose. We surmised that it indicated that a nearby object would share the same hue as the pane, and tell us which of the lantern’s glass windows to use.
I examined the words that shone on the rigid bark of the tree.
Blushing stone beacon
Guiding light golden couleur
The portal is key
Okay brain let’s try not to over exert ourselves with trying to crack this one. We still had one more poem to find and decipher after this. Jared snapped a photo for later study. Closing time was upon us. I blew out the candle with haste.
Emphasis fell on the word “key”, a rosy color acting as our compass. Back at the hotel would be a much suitable setting for riddle solving, and for putting up my feet.
A sharp resounding pop aimed at our six, penetrated the stillness. Oh shit. Look what bickering about a sword got me: an enemy literally breathing down my neck with gunfire as their source of pressure. And they weren’t shy about it either.
֍ ֍ ֍
Thank you Blake, you were most helpful. He had whimpered from beneath his cloth gag. I couldn’t have him yelling out, so what was I supposed to have done? Tying him to a wooden beam was just an added measure. Blakey-poo should count his blessings. Had he been a human, not another breath would pass from his lips.
I did give him a preview of what could happen if news of my visit was revealed. For a tough Fegrusiad, he caved under the duress of elemental magic exposure. We had an understanding.
I had that little bitch right in my sights. Look at her, latching onto Jared like a lost puppy. It ended now. I would free him from her seductress charm, and take the Visulumina. With its aid, I’ll track down Lapisera’s Dagger and see that Azulyria remains in its watery grave. My revenge would stay intact, and no one will ever know I was responsible.
13
Persuasion alone will only get you so far. Threat of bodily harm, that loosened lips quite adequately. It truly had been a shame that I had to resort to such drastic measures and on a fellow Stone Walker no less. The look of fatigue on his face made it all the more painful for the both of us.
I had followed the trail left behind from Ivyssa’s magic. It was like chasing after a sparkling contrail that only I could see. Tracking down another Stone Walker was simple as identifying their unique wavelength and concentrating on its path. Panicked mothers could easily locate a lost child in no time at all that way.
A dojo, hmm, I doubt they had stopped by for an elaborate lesson in defense. Of course not, their scents had long since dissipated. Although dark, the front entrance was unlocked. Perhaps it was a careless mistake, or there was an occupant still inside collecting a little overtime off the clock.
Hate to break it to them, we were going to have a chat whether they were feeling socially inclined or not. I had thought, letting the glass door slam behind me. That ought to announce my presence.
“We’re closed. Please leave,” a male voice called out.
“Are you in charge? If so, I would very much like to speak with you,” I replied with a commanding bravado.
“Ma’am, I said we were clo˗˗˗.” His nose twitched in annoyance. The genetic rarity of my blood gave me away.
“First a Hedarian, now I’ve got an arrogant Arbourothian on my doorstep demanding an audience. Well, what do you want?”
I ignored his rant in favor of picking his brain for answers. “Was this Hedarian in the company of a human woman?”
“Yes.” His reply was hesitant. Disgusting, he was protecting that wretch.
“Could you reveal to me the nature of their visit?”
“It was a private matter that you don’t need to worry about.” Wrong answer my good sir.
“I beg to differ. You’re going to tell me what I want to know, or there will be severe consequences,” my threat was cold.
Several refusals later, more agonizing methods came into play. All of which could have been avoided had he been more forthcoming. I’ll spare you the details. My interactive approach satiated my curiosity. Doctor Edgington’s account had been most illuminating, or as he was called back in Azulyria, Bladen.
֍ ֍ ֍
“Who the hell would be so brazen as to shoot at us in a public place?” I wondered. Jared and I ran around the side of the building, exiting the garden. Our rental car sat parked across the street. All we had to do was avoid getting gunned down before we reached it.
“Edgington warned us, I guess I didn’t expect for this unknown enemy to catch up to us so quickly.” He wondered.
Another round of shots nipped at our heels. Toying with your prey was not an effective means of elimination, yet the trajectory of their aim was purposeful.
“Well they did. So we better hope they don’t go for the kill shot before we can get the hell out of here,” my voice coming out in pants.
By the skin of our teeth were we able to yank the doors of the car shut. The metallic plink of a bullet puncturing a passenger side panel rang out as we sped away. Damn, Enterprise is going to be pissed when they see the condition of the vehicle when we return it. We’d be put at the top of the “don’t rent to again” list.
The Toyota whipped around the corner on two wheels. A nauseating stench rose. We were burning rubber to gain as much distance as we could. It was time to pull evasion tactics into the mix. I had to lose a tail on numerous occasions while working a case, so this was a cake walk. Usually though, they weren’t trying to blow my head off either. That’s fine, I could adapt.
A gold Mercedes mirrored our hasty maneuvers. Surrounding motorists showed their displeasure with the honk of a horn or the shouting of several explicit insults. Crap, we haven’t lost them yet.
Good thing I wasn’t behind the wheel, Plan B could commence. I came on this trip with some fire power of my own.
“Try and keep the car steady would ya. I’m going on the offensive.”
“I’ll do the best I can. Please be careful.”
“You know I will,” I replied with a smirk.
Okay, let’s see if you like a taste of your own medicine. I lowered the window, unbuckling my seatbelt to get into a better position. Clip filled, gun loaded, and safety off, I was ready to take aim.
I fired off four rounds, only two of them making contact. The windshield cracked in a spider web pattern. Ah success, that should slow them down a bit. I still had six more shots if Goldie wanted to continue their pursuit.
My accurate shooting greatly compromised their visibility. It would be reckless to further give chase, which is exactly what the fool tried to do. Even with the damage, the Mercedes managed to skate a crooked path further down the street. That was, until an unfortunate parked car derailed their efforts at catching up to us.
The gap between us grew
as our Corolla vaulted down the street. A figure emerged from the Mercedes with their arm raised. Another plinking ring of a fired shot hitting the car forced Jared to drive faster. From this range I couldn’t make out any discernible details, other than a thin build and a height fairly close to my own. Based on how much of their body extended past the roof of the car, I could roughly guess. It was a start anyway.
I instructed Jared to maintain his speed, on the chance that the gunman had a backup plan. To avoid leading our gun-toting assailant back to our hotel, we circled the block. With each pass, scanning every face and the lay of the land became our priority.
Once the area had been cleared, stopping was next on the checklist. Thankfully our room didn’t face the street, so getting spotted would be less of a worry.
I showered while Jared ventured out to get us a pizza. This was the closest to being relaxed as I could get. Warm streams of water flowed across my achy body, washing away the grime and panic from a rollercoaster of a day.
The sooner we figured out the next poem, the sooner we could be on our way. Identifying the shooter became just as crucial, but surviving trumped treasure hunting.
My brain, although still half asleep, recognized the feeling of being shook. And kind of roughly I might add.
“Come on Alex, wake up. We need to go.” There was a tense urgency in his features.
“What’s going on? Why the sudden rush?” I was groggy, but I managed to sit up to better understand my rude wake up call.
“I figured out how that shooter was able to find us so fast. Remember when I told you how I could feel the magic coming off of your necklace.”
“Of course I do.” That was an uncomfortable memory. I had thought that Jared had only slept with me so that he could steal it.
“That same magic leaves a trail, and that trail can be followed. We were so busy worrying about those poems, that the possibility had escaped me.” So as long as this magic was inside of me, we weren’t safe.
Threads of Blood and Silk: The stone Wielder's Legacy Trilogy Book 2 Page 4