The Stone Key (The Novel Adventures of Nimrod Vale Book 2)

by Natasha Brown

  “Huh?”

  Pepper answered, “You know, awesome.”

  I stood up. “It’s not too late to go back.”

  “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” Pepper said and picked up a small glowing rock. “If this were my home, I wouldn’t want to be forced to move away from it.”

  In the dark I made out her frown in the shadow of her aviator hat. I took a deep breath and waited for her to stand beside me again.

  She looked up to face the sky and asked, “It’s bright enough that we don’t need the flashlight.”

  “I guess so.” Not entirely sure she was right. I remembered the first time I’d visited here and the guards that watched over the town’s water supply. “We should probably be quiet too—the lake’s watched.”

  “If you say so.”

  She stayed close as I turned from the reservoir and stepped in the direction I recalled going before. Thankfully, the forest floor wasn’t too dense with trees for the moonlight to reach it. I saw enough to make my way between the trunks. We walked in silence until we got to the slope that led to the road. I pointed to the left before making my way down to the avenue. The sound of Pepper’s footsteps echoed after mine.

  “Think you can handle jogging for a while? So we can make good time?” I asked.

  “I guess.”

  Together, Pepper and I moved at a steady pace across the gravel road. I can’t say I enjoyed the exercise, but it was kind of fun knowing people were sitting quietly in their homes while we were racing with the night. We got near the bridge before the stone wall when my heart began to hammer in my chest like it was trying to come loose. I slowed my pace and heard Pepper wheeze from somewhere behind me.

  “Can we walk now?” she pleaded.

  I matched her stride while our panting filled the air. Pepper lifted her hands to rest them on her hips, and she said in seriousness, “When I thought about having adventures, I never stopped long enough to think about how tiring it would be.”

  “Definitely one of the reasons why I biked to your house, so I can get in shape—because this sucks.”

  “Agreed,” Pepper said.

  In the quiet of the night, I heard the sound from the creek. As we walked across the bridge, I noticed that along the groove in the earth where water flowed more bioluminescent moss grew on the stones and rocks. It cast a soft green glow that felt almost magical.

  “This is such a special place. I can’t believe you didn’t want to come back here.”

  I knew that you had to be careful of even pretty things. A realistic amount of fear was good. Yes, it probably pushed me to do (or not do) more than it should have, but I didn’t think I was being foolish by being cautious.

  “Wow, is that the wall?” she whispered beside me.

  “Yeah, it’s even better in the daytime. It’s huge.”

  We walked through the gateway and under the wall, passing a number of guards who were sleeping upright against the stones. On the other side the land sloped downhill. When I’d been there previously, the view from the mountain down to the city was amazing, but in the cover of night it was very different. The top portion of the raised aqueduct that traveled alongside the road bloomed with light. Beside what I guessed was the citadel, a large circle glowed in the night. I wondered if it was the city’s water supply.

  “There’s the town of Crystal Springs. Let’s get down there so we can get this over with,” I said, picking up the pace to a fast walk.

  I half expected Pepper to ask questions all the way down to the city, but she didn’t. She didn’t harass me or talk about her latest drawing. There wasn’t the chatter that I’d grown used to. We weren’t jogging anymore, and she wasn’t out of breath as she’d been a few minutes ago. Our walk into the city was silent, which I may have enjoyed any other day, but I could tell there was something heavy on her mind.

  The streets were quiet and empty except for the rare man or woman walking along the sidewalk. Windows glowed with light as well as the stone aqueduct trough that swept across the rooftops toward the citadel. We walked by the shoe store I’d paused at during my first visit, and I noticed its door was boarded up.

  Every street we passed, I searched for Vale Court. Finally, I found it and led Pepper down the moonlit avenue. We were getting close to Bardrick’s home when I tripped over something.

  “Oh!” I exclaimed. Pepper caught my arm before I toppled onto the ground.

  Something fell onto the street and shattered. Water splashed over my shoes. A figure hunched on the ground in front of me swore. “Not again!”

  The voice was familiar, so I looked down to study his darkened face. He was about my size and build and sounded just like—“Bardrick, is that you?”

  He stood up and squinted at me through the dark. The remaining water jugs that hung around his neck settled against his chest. “Nimrod?”

  “Er, yeah.”

  “I thought you had to get back to your aunt’s?”

  “Yeah, well, my plans changed,” I said, staring at the wet spot on the ground. “What were you doing?”

  “The rope was loose on one of the jugs, so I was retying it.” Bardrick shook his head and said, “Just wish I hadn’t broken that one. Father won’t be happy with me…especially since the reason I had to get more tonight was because I accidentally knocked over the jugs Mother got earlier.”

  He rubbed his jaw and looked at us. It was then he noticed Pepper.

  I pointed to her and said, “This is my friend, Pepper.”

  “Oh, hello.” Bardrick smiled in welcome. “Nice to meet you.”

  From under her aviator hat she looked at him and blinked. She didn’t waste a minute. “Ask him.”

  “Pepper!” I whispered. She was as subtle as an elephant wearing a tutu.

  “What?” she asked. “I can tell by the look on his face he doesn’t want to leave his home. He’ll help, just ask him.”

  Bardrick was busy looking between the two of us, probably deciding if he even wanted to know what she was talking about. His eyebrows pulled together and he leaned in. “What’s this about?”

  I sighed and tried to figure out the best way to ask, but Pepper beat me to it. “We’re going to break into the Hall of Records to borrow your grandfather’s journal, but we need to know how to get in unnoticed.”

  I could see Bardrick was trying to digest all of the information Pepper just threw at him. He rubbed his jaw and asked, “Borrow, eh?”

  “You don’t want to move away, right?” Pepper questioned him.

  “No, I don’t.” He lifted the jugs of water from around his neck, walked them over to the side of the street and set them down behind some bushes. When he returned, he said, “I know how to get in unnoticed, but if we find the journal, I’m keeping it. It belongs to my family.”

  It was my turn to look between Bardrick and Pepper. “Fine, but we’re doing this fast. We need to get home before our families know we’re gone.”

  Bardrick nodded. “Agreed.”

  He led us back up to the main street and turned right, toward the center of town. Over his shoulder he asked under his breath, “Do you have the key or something?”

  Before Pepper could stretch the truth about my lock picking skills, I answered, “Maybe. We’re just checking it out. Seeing if there’s a safe way inside without getting caught.”

  We passed the empty fountain, and I imagined what it would have looked like with water running at night. The moss that appeared to grow near water may have covered its contours and edges and would have illuminated the whole square.

  The citadel was close. I’d found the Hall of Records through the main entrance, but I guessed it was either closed or too conspicuous to try at this time of night. I hoped Bardrick knew a better way in.

  All I could hear was the sound of our footsteps while we moved down the avenue toward a green glow ahead. I asked in undertones, “Is there a way to get into the Hall of Records without going through the castle?”

  An
aqueduct wall paralleled the path. It sloped gradually toward the citadel and water supply. Bardrick wandered to the side of the avenue and looked up.

  Pepper and I did the same. All I could see was the dark blanket of night overlaid with brilliant sparkling stars in unfamiliar constellations. The moon, which hadn’t been visible from the reservoir, was three quarters full and high in the sky.

  “What are we looking at?” Pepper leaned in to ask.

  I shrugged, waiting to see if everything would begin to make sense. I can’t say I was happy when Bardrick grasped horizontal ledges in the stone scaffolding built into the aqueduct system that rose above our heads. His grunts were soft and echoed off the structure. After witnessing a number of clumsy episodes with Bardrick, I wondered if climbing was a wise choice for him. I mean, if he wanted to keep all of his limbs. And why was I, the unluckiest person alive, traveling with him?

  He reached the top and I heard water splash, then felt drops hit my head. His deep voice whispered down to us, “Sorry! Come on—let’s go.”

  “After you,” I said to Pepper who was gawking at the teen with her mouth open.

  “I’m so glad I didn’t bother wearing a stupid costume this time,” she muttered, then adjusted her hat before following Bardrick to the top of the aqueduct.

  I tightened my bag’s straps so it wouldn’t jostle around during my ascent. It seems like climbing is a short person’s skill. At least, I never felt comfortable scaling trees as a little kid. My legs and arms always seemed to get in the way. Maybe that’s just an excuse from an out-of-shape geek, but I had to give myself a pep talk before starting up.

  Pepper had already joined Bardrick at the top of the scaffolding. I found that it was easier to climb than I’d expected. It must have been built that way for a reason. Porous moss grew along the crest, which cast a soft glow. My fingers gripped around it and the top ledge. I pulled myself up with a little struggle.

  “Careful—”

  Too late. I, like Bardrick, tumbled into the stone trough that was carrying a slow trickle of water downhill. My knee and arms fell inside. Cool liquid soaked my pants, and I couldn’t help but groan. The light from the bioluminescent lichen growing on the stone was pretty, but it didn’t make the moment any more pleasant. Hands grabbed under my arms, and I was lifted upright. My feet stumbled to rest on either side of the wide canal, out of the water.

  “That was fun,” I said sarcastically, which earned me a swat on the shoulder from Pepper.

  She turned toward Bardrick and asked, “You’ve done this before?”

  His response took a minute. “Maybe.”

  Pepper looked over at me, and somehow I wasn’t surprised that I was standing fifteen feet off the ground on a Thursday night. Where else would I be with my best friend?

  Our guide pointed ahead of us. “This leads to the basin, but it branches off to supply the citadel and its gardens. It’s a quieter way past the entrance.”

  “That’ll work,” I muttered, ready to get this evening over with.

  We began to move along the top lip of the canal walls. It turned into a strange lopsided walk: all of us following each other as quietly as we could above the avenue. Three citizens passed below us on the street, never noticing the shadows traveling along the aqueduct. It didn’t take long before the soft glowing light ahead of us was revealed.

  The large circular reservoir in front of the citadel had been nice for what it was—a big bowl of water—when I’d passed by a few days ago, but now it reminded me of the moon. Its edges radiated an aquamarine light, which made the water glow like a precious gem.

  “This way,” Pepper whispered over to me.

  She walked to the left, following the canal that branched away from the enormous water basin. I forced my gaze forward, so I wouldn’t be distracted by all of the new sights. It was me, after all, who wanted to get this done quickly.

  We moved past the entrance of the citadel and continued along the route that created the outer boundary of the castle walls. The glowing moss illuminated the way until we reached the gardens, and Bardrick stopped to point at the ground. He turned around, scaled down the wall, and Pepper immediately followed. I could make out the dark shape of the Hall of Records in the moonlight. A deep sigh stirred in my chest, and I let it out with a hiss.

  Back on the ground, we walked up to the building. A window high above the door glowed dimly. Did that mean Obo, the records keeper, was still there and awake? Bardrick saw me frowning at the opening and said, “Everyone knows that the old man can’t stay awake after the sun goes down. Plus, his bed’s in the castle.”

  I thought I heard a rock fall and turned around. My eyes squinted to take in the strange bluish forms veiled with moonlight. Everything was still. All I could make out were shrubs, trees and the large shape of the citadel.

  “Are there guards around?” I asked under my breath.

  “No,” Bardrick answered. “I wouldn’t imagine we’ll find anyone back here now. So much of the city’s packing up, they’re busy trying to get out of here.”

  Pepper went up the steps to the door and placed her fingers on the handle. A soft metallic click sounded when she squeezed the latch. Her shoulders tightened. “It’s locked.”

  “Where’s that key?” Bardrick asked.

  I slipped off my backpack, setting it on the ground. Then, I reached inside for the ring of keys. I tried to keep them from jangling together as I pulled them out. Pepper backed away from the door to give me room. A range of shapes, lengths and metals gave me plenty to choose from. I knew that none of the smaller modern styles would work, so I selected a dark skeleton key and tried inserting it into the lock. It didn’t fit.

  One after the other, I went through them, but none worked. Bardrick stood at the base of the steps watching me mouth breathe at the stoop while I tried to let myself inside without success. He pointed at the tree growing beside the building. “Maybe I can reach the window from one of the upper branches.”

  “Sounds good.” I nodded, eager for him to leave. I didn’t like being in the spotlight, especially when I was failing at my mission.

  Pepper moved closer to me and whispered, “Try the lock picks now.”

  Great. Something new for me to fail at. I sighed as I thrust the large key ring back into my backpack and pulled out the small leather satchel. After opening it, I stared at the long silver tools in the moonlight. I had no idea what Pepper expected me to do with them—I was no criminal. Well, considering the circumstances, maybe I was.

  I struggled to read the instructions, but wasn’t able to catch every word, so I studied the diagrams instead, hoping it would reveal the secret behind lock picking. Beside me, Pepper’s rhythmic breathing made me anxious. I slipped out two of the long picks from their sleeve and handed the directions to her. There was no way this was going to work.

  Grunts came from the nearby tree. Its branches shook and leaves scratched onto the ground. I eased the picks into the dark lock and turned the crooked one to the right, hoping I’d feel something move. Instead, something very different happened.

  From behind us, a girl’s voice said, “What are you doing?”

  Just then, the shaking tree swore and something very large fell onto the ground with a solid thump.

  The Book of Secrets

  Bardrick groaned from ten feet away. “Ow.”

  My heartbeat thundered in my ears. I swallowed as I turned around to face the person who’d caught us. A teenaged girl with a braid hanging over her shoulder was hunched over, staring at the picks dangling from the lock.

  “Kyrah?” I asked, caught off guard. “What are you doing here?”

  She straightened up and said, “Well, I live here. What’s your excuse?”

  Pepper anchored her fists onto her hips and stepped between the two of us. “You’re the duchess?”

  Kyrah pinched up her face in response. “I hate being called that. Just call me Kyrah.”

  “I’m Pepper,” she said and held out her h
and with a smile.

  I struggled to pull out the picks from the lock. Finally, they were free, and I shoved them back into their pouch. This was clearly where our night ended. If we could just get out of there and return home, that was our best option. I realized both of the girls were looking at me expectantly. I got the feeling I was missing something.

  “Well, I guess we’ll be leaving. Nice to see you again, Kyrah,” I said and threw my backpack over my shoulder.

  “Seriously?” Kyrah asked with a laugh. When I didn’t answer, she folded her arms across her chest and said, “You walked in on the aqueducts, tried all those keys and whatever else you were just doing, and you’re going to just walk away—empty handed?”

  “Wait, you were watching us the whole time?” I asked, feeling a chill run down my spine.

  Bardrick limped over to us, his hand holding his low back. When he saw the duchess, he straightened up, his eyes wide. “Duchess Kyrah, I uh…”

  Her brow wrinkled as she pointed to his head. “You’ve got leaves in your hair.”

  He brushed them away quickly, looking sheepish.

  “Mother and Father hate how unladylike I am. I thought I was the only one who ran the aqueducts. I see I was wrong,” Kyrah said in wonder of Bardrick, then returned her attention to me. “I’m here to find answers. That’s why you’re here, I assume? That’s why anyone comes to the Hall of Records.”

  I didn’t need to answer, because Pepper started in like a lawyer arguing her case. “I don’t understand why everyone’s so ready to leave this amazing place without doing everything they can to solve the problem first. Why do adults always think they know what’s best—what if they don’t?”

  Her voice wavered at the end of her speech, and I suspected the only reason she stopped talking was because she couldn’t get the words out. I stood awkwardly beside her, not knowing how to make her feel better. Patting her shoulder might have worked if the thought of it didn’t make me feel so weird. So, I looked between the others, noticing how upset they all appeared.

  “We came here to find my grandfather’s building records—his journal from when he helped build the aqueducts. Yes, we’re looking for answers,” Bardrick said in Kyrah’s direction without actually looking her in the eye.