Threads of Blood and Silk: The stone Wielder's Legacy Trilogy Book 2

by Karelynn Spacek

  “I don’t understand your interest, but sure, knock yourself out.” I held up my phone for Maliya to see. Ruby eyes squinted, and then lit up in distaste.

  “A column will bleed˗˗˗how horrific. What kind of twisted mind would conjure up such a thing?” Upon discovery, a similar conclusion had crossed my mind. Symbols and metaphors meant to illustrate a specific point can present as weird or creepy, yet their true intent could hold an air of innocence. Adding a sinister flair invited readers to look past the ordinary, and seek new horizons.

  “Relax Maliya. I’m sure it’s a euphemism. Columns don’t bleed, so it can’t be literal.”

  “Gruesome as it is, combined with the other two lines, it sounds oddly familiar,” she remarked.

  This had to be some calculated attempt at redeeming herself. If that was the case, I prefer begging over false hope. Okay, I’ll bite. Let’s see what you got.

  “It’s familiar in what way?” I asked, still half convinced that she was making it up.

  A lead like this could very well land her back in our good graces, if that’s what she was doing. Should that not be the case, this could be a ploy to lure us into a trap. Maliya and her brethren did show up rather conveniently to as they put it, confront intruders of their forest. I wished I knew if she was being truthful.

  “Stories my ancestors passed down, spoke of a mountain that was said to possess vast amounts of spiritual energy and be inhabited by celestial beings.” If this was an act, I had to give her credit, it was a convincing tale.

  Until it was proven otherwise, I wasn’t going to fully buy into anything Maliya was spinning. All the lore I ever read depicted fairy type creatures as tricksters, who liked to skate around the truth with misdirection.

  If you wish to know if the nymph speaks the truth, use The Revealing Sight. And Ivyssa makes an appearance with more words of wisdom. I wasn’t expecting a reply, but I tried tapping into the telepathic link that seemed to be forged between us.

  Is that some kind of lie detector? I thought, hoping that she heard me.

  It’s more than that. If you so choose, you can look into her mind and soul to reveal her entire past, Ivyssa answered.

  I’ll stick with learning if she is being honest.

  As you wish. Invite the nymph to rest in your hand. Then place a finger on her forehead and speak these words: Open your mind to see the truth.

  This had better work. “Hey Maliya, come here for a moment.” She hovered in front of me like a wandering hummingbird.

  “What do you need Alex?”

  “Look, I know we have established a minor alliance, but I need to be reassured that our objectives are the same.” She caught my meaning.

  “I have no reason to lie to you or Jared.”

  “As true as that claim may be, I can’t risk not knowing for sure. Please stand in my hand.”

  “You’re not going to squash me are you?” Okay, one violent outburst does not make me dangerous. We weren’t friends by no stretch of the imagination, but it didn’t mean I wanted her dead.

  “I swear on my sister’s grave that I won’t.” The vow was somber, dejected, from the heart. My hand shook with emphasis.

  Tiny feet touched down in the center of my palm. A modest gust of air fanned across my face. The flow generated was on par with a turbine, only quieter.

  “What happens next Alex?”

  “I touch your forehead and learn if my lingering doubts can be eradicated.”

  Smooth and pronounced, the enchantment Ivyssa relayed slipped past my lips. Following her guidance, I skipped past treasured memories and focused on the tale of a mountain in the Mediterranean that held special historical significance.

  “It’s Mount Olympus.” I slurred, still under the influence of magic. I felt tipsy and enthralled all at once. Heat filled my veins.

  “We always called it Montagne de Foudre, because of the mighty lightning god that ruled from its apex.”

  I knew all about Zeus with his infamous light shows, and his many affairs with mortal women. Childhood bedtime stories mesmerized me with accounts of horses that could fly and epic battles. My mom spared no detail. “It is part of your heritage” she would say. Maybe it was the Greek in me that was enamored by the victories and misfortunes that befell the immortals in mythology.

  “Zeus does like to throw lightning bolts around. It’s his thing.”

  “What did you do to me? I feel tingly all over.” She spoke with the same haziness I felt.

  “With some magical intervention, I skimmed over your thoughts and listened to your heart, both of which told me that you genuinely want to help us.” Damn I felt like a fool.

  “That’s what I have been trying to tell you.”

  “Well if you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly the trusting type on words alone. Actions have more merit. You bust onto the scene and dangle your revelation in front of us like bait. How else am I supposed to react? I worked in law enforcement for almost a decade, so if somewhere in that brain of yours understands anything about the human world˗˗˗you would see no fault in my leeriness.”

  “It’s more than that, but I won’t pry. There is a cloud of despair that follows you. I can sense it beneath all of your brawn.” Maliya said, ruby red eyes shining with compassion. She flew off to greet Jared as he emerged from our tent fully clothed. He had missed most of the sparks, preferring to leave the two of to face off.

  ֍ ֍ ֍

  Golden amber pools drifted shut, repulsed by the voracious display of flesh between Jared and his pet. An acid bath wouldn’t be able to erase the perversity. And they were lowering themselves to accept the aid of a forest nymph. Those pests were almost as bad as humans. Meddlesome they may be, but this one actually had something worthwhile to say.

  Right after I pulled whatever useful knowledge that was left in that pea brain of hers, she could die right along with that woman. Soon Jared, you’ll be free. I can have you back in my life.

  I’ll head to Greece and cut them off once the location of Lapisera’s Dagger has been determined. Our reunion was overdue.

  ֍ ֍ ֍

  “I’m coming with you,” Maliya said.

  “Suit yourself. Just don’t get in the way.” I gave in way too quickly, although it wasn’t like I could stop her. Part of me still felt like a jerk for the way I treated her. This makes us even. Mount Olympus was calling our name, and a column that bleeds. γεια ελλαδα as the Greeks say˗˗˗Hello Greece.

  26

  Having Jared’s complete trust and faith spurred me on to hone my sword wielding. Maliya was an extra obstacle that made it her goal to challenge my concentration, though eventually she became a distant hum, another part of the landscape.

  His attacks were ferocious˗˗˗with claws bared he didn’t hold back. If I could defend myself against a supernatural creature, my chances of survival increased. The unknown female assailant that tailed us would no doubt try to end my life again. She made it clear that I was expendable. Her agenda included getting to Lapisera’s Dagger before we did, or using our knowledge to get it for her. After that, all bets were off.

  Shallow nicks striped my forearms with lines of crimson. They weren’t anything to worry over. Jared had enough restraint to parry my blows without fatally injuring me. I still incurred wounds. He danced around me, each twist graceful, and took advantage of my slower reflexes.

  Confidence building in my ability to beat him, I took note of how he moved and where he struck. I was no match for his speed, but I could outsmart him. A pattern started to form, a rotation of strikes and footwork that left his left side open. Incorporating some basic hand to hand tactics could push me to victory.

  I waited for the oncoming arc of sharpened claws. Jared was within range of my defenses. My sword was poised to fend him off with a block. Instead of swinging, I sidestepped to the right, leaving my leg in his path.

  Limbs collided, throwing Jared off balance. His body started to pitch forward, presenting me with a clear sho
t of his back. He fell, twisting to land face up. The tip of my blade kissed his neck, daring him to fight back.

  A playful smirk blossomed. “You got me Alex.” That twinkling gleam made his ice blue eyes come alive.

  “You really shouldn’t favor one side over the other.”

  “I guess I’ll have to keep my guard up from now on. I can’t have you unleashing a sneak attack on me again.”

  “Sneaky, more like ingenious. I merely observed my opponent and took note of their weakness.” Aww, I think I insulted his pride. Get over it, I won fair and square.

  “Okay my astute warrior, I feel better heading off to Greece now that you are well versed in more than one weapon.”

  Of course Maliya had to add her two cents. “I think she could use more refining, but it’s your call Jared,” she said.

  Chords of Nessun Dorma broke the tension. It was the dramatic ringtone that I had programmed for my mom. She loved going to the opera.

  “Hey mom, what’s going on?” My speech was strained, breathless.

  “Alex, you sound like you just ran a marathon. You’re not in trouble are you?

  “It’s nothing to worry about mom.” She might buy it.

  “I haven’t heard from you in weeks, and then you answer the phone breathing haphazardly telling me not to worry. Unlikely that’s going to happen.”

  “Really mom, Jared and I were practicing sword fighting.” She didn’t need to know that I had been shot at and kidnapped, which were the reasons for these lessons.

  “Honey, did you say sword fighting?” There was a note of seriousness.

  “Yeah, why do you ask?”

  “I was reminded of my pregnancy with you, and the crazy dream I had right before going into labor.” It wasn’t like her to be rattled easily.

  “What kind of dream?”

  “I saw boats fleeing a sinking island and a woman wielding a sword. Now that you’ve grown up, I’ve come to realize she looks just like you.”

  She was describing the fate that had befallen Azulyria, Jared’s widened stare confirmed as much. He had given me an overall summary, but not specific details. They were mostly accounts from family. At the time of the sinking, he had only been three, and didn’t remember much on his own.

  I didn’t think these images she described were a dream. They seemed more like a vision similar to the one I had about Erika. Serena ended up being the victim in that scenario, but the parallels were uncanny.

  “Was that the only one you had?”

  “I haven’t told your father this. Over the years, I would get flashes of events in motion, and then read about them in the newspaper. Or see them on T.V. With the first, I had thought it was a coincidence and nothing more. After the fourth and fifth, I almost dreaded going to sleep, never knowing what awaited me.”

  “Mom, you’re not alone. Right before Erika was killed, I dreamt of a bloody scene that I had chalked up as being nerves from a stressful workload. Someone did meet a violent, and it left me shaken.”

  “Alex, it’s not just you and me. I spoke with your grandmother Dimitra shortly after your birth about the dreams I had. She told me that our maternal line could be traced back to the great Oracle of Delphi.” There was no way.

  “You mean that crazy hallucinating broad that was high on volcanic fumes? She was a money swindling con-artist.”

  “No Alex, she wasn’t. Pythia held immense power in the classical world. Her methods may have been unorthodox, yet the predictions she cast, were rarely wrong.” Whoop-di-do. She had power. And obviously took advantage of it.

  “Wow, grandma got you good. You know she liked to spin wild stories. This was no different.” The rapt dismissal left a bitter taste in my mouth. I didn’t want to believe that I was descended from a crackpot psychic.

  “Alex! Don’t speak about her like that. Have some respect for the deceased.”

  “Did she have any kind of proof or was her word good enough for you?” Words alone had no value to me, unless they were correlated with hard evidence.

  “You know that ring I have on display in my study, the one with the green stone sealed in resin?”

  “What I remember is you yelling at me every time I got too close to it.”

  “I had good reason. Your grandmother gave it to me on my 40th birthday, with a warning to never put it on.”

  “Some gift that was˗˗˗a ring that you weren’t supposed to wear. That kind of defeats the purpose.” The whole point of giving someone jewelry as a gift is for them to wear it.

  “Accompanying the ring was a radiocarbon dating report that said that it originated from the eighth century B.C., right around the time the Oracle of Delphi was active.” Okay, so it was super old. Still doesn’t prove anything.

  “It was found during an archeological expedition she went on near Baiae Italy.” Grandma Dimitra had also been an archeologist. She must have smuggled it out, because if the discovery had been reported, it would be locked away in a museum.

  “So she found an old ring buried somewhere in Italy. I still don’t see how that means it belonged to Pythia.”

  “Her name was inscribed on the band.” I had no rebuttal for that. My ancestor was the renowned Oracle of Delphi˗˗˗seer extraordinaire and advisor to the wealthy Roman upper class.

  This was a revelation I couldn’t have guessed even if I had tried. The dreams I had as a teen came flooding back to me, followed by the emotional torture I received from classmates when I told them their pet was about to die or that a teacher’s husband was involved with another woman. Everyone refused to look me in the eye, in fear that I would deliver some horrible news that they really didn’t want to hear. I became the weird loner unworthy of attention, the freaky girl no one liked hanging around.

  “Alex. Alex, you still there honey?”

  “Yeah I’m still here, sorry mom. I zoned out. This whole being the descendant of a figure from history is a lot to take in. Some unpleasant memories from the past have resurfaced.”

  “You mean your classmate’s mockery of the visions? I had hoped that they wouldn’t affect you. Turns out, you were susceptible to them like most of the women in our family.”

  “After a rough day at school, you would tell me that I was special and hold me.”

  “That I did. The truth never came out, because I didn’t want to add another burden to your shoulders. I still should have told you sooner.” I could hear her regret. She really thought that she was doing what was best, like any good parent should. My unexplained affinity never portrayed me as a monster in her eyes.

  “Is that why you wanted me to stay away from the ring? You thought it would make the visions worse?”

  “I wasn’t for certain. Given its previous owner, the possibility was there, so I kept it out of your reach by having it sealed in a block of resin. And even then, that may not have been enough, given the strength and frequency of your visions.”

  Made me wonder if she had it under surveillance, because every attempt I made at touching the cube was thwarted by my mom catching me in the act. That or her seer blood was still going strong. Potent and unpredictable, the same mystical blood ran through my veins at top speed. I bet it was my enriched essence that called to Ivyssa’s elemental magic, making me a suitable vessel.

  “You were successful mom. I never got my hands on it.” As I got older the allure faded, and I gave up.

  “Speaking of getting your hands on ancient relics, I don’t suppose you have found that dagger your sister was after?”

  “Not yet. We’re heading to Greece next. The last clue we solved is pointing us in that direction.”

  “Isn’t that ironic? I tell you that the Oracle of Delphi was one of your ancestors, and you’re heading off to my homeland.” Yeah, our heritage was the topic of the day.

  “The lines in the poem are leading us to Mt. Olympus, where we have to find a column that bleeds.”

  “A column that bleeds˗˗˗I am fairly positive that I know of the place that you are s
peaking of.” Damn it. I didn’t want to entangle her further into this, but we were so close. Her historical knowledge was on par with her archeological expertise. She should have been my first call after solving the poem.

  I’m guessing that she was in her study. The thud of a large book being tossed onto a hard surface resonated through the phone. Light melodic humming grew erratic. She was in research mode˗˗˗focused and intent on finding an answer to this latest quandary. The thrill of the hunt enlightened her intellect.

  “Alex, I put you on speaker so that I can talk while I flip through this volume on Greek temples.” She sounded miles away, the distinct faraway pithiness adding a brassy echo.

  “Okay. Let me know when you find anything.” Her humming didn’t skip a beat, nor did she seem to hear what I said. She was too engrossed with the search. Like mother, like daughter. We both could be stubborn to a fault, persistent to the bitter end.

  “Aha! There it is,” she exclaimed.

  “Mom, what is it?”

  “The Temple of Thanatos, just as I suspected.”

  “Thana who?”

  “Thanatos honey, he is the Greek personification of non-violet death and son of the night Goddess Nyx. Halfway to the summit of Mt. Olympus, there is a temple carved into the rock face. Guess what’s inside?”

  She was bouncing with delight. Knowing that you were the smartest woman in the room always made her a tad on the giddy side. Technically she was the only woman in the room, but you get the point.

  “What mom?”

  “Oh, you know, a ceremonial column that served as an alter for worshipper offerings. Decorating the surface in wavy patterns, there are garnets and rubies that when the sun hits them, it looks like flowing blood. You probably won’t find any left, looters made off with the precious stones centuries ago.” I wasn’t after the gemstones, but what they represented. Ecstatic would be an understatement, I was beyond euphoric.