Luxor grabbed a couple out of the drawer and followed Ayla into the lounge-room. She paused at the entrance of a partially hidden hallway which Luxor had never ventured through. In all honesty, she hadn’t ever fully toured the gigantic interior of The Chalet.
Ayla held onto the knob of the first room on the left and paused as if gathering courage. She blew out a heavy breath and entered, standing aside.
Luxor ducked her head to enter, the doorframe too small to accommodate her, and she almost had to kneel. Not a speck of natural light shone in the room, and her senses shifted.
There was a pungent smell that she couldn’t quite put her finger on; dank interlaced with damp soil, like a forest or the musty smell of a room which hadn’t been used. She whirled the torch around the room and adjusted her eyesight. Maple wood panels covered all four walls, devoid of any shelving or frames, the only piece of furniture was a lone, single bed in the middle of the room.
Luxor shivered, and cradled herself, the room sending a chill as if it had a life of its own. "What are we doing here?"
"Answering more questions. I should have shown you this as soon as you moved in, it's the reason I chose this house for you."
Luxor flinched, her brain sent into a split-second shock mode.
Was there any part of my life which was real?
"You were the real estate agent?" Luxor remembered on the drive over asking how they could afford such a place, and Meredith telling her the real estate agent gave a good deal.
Ayla nodded solemnly and sat on the edge of the bed and lowered her eyes to the ground. "Everything was over the phone and through online correspondence. Rules had to be broken, and I recruited others, but when you Unveiled, I knew you needed an escape but I was mysteriously beaten to it." She joined her and anticipated more to this secret which would not only be enlightening but would result in the boom moment to knock her on her ass. "While you were in the hospital, I persuaded Mr. Carter to sell to me, it wasn't too hard. Some other Angels and I played the new family in town card, and besides he needed a downsize after his wife died a few years ago. I really don't think he had a clue about the beauty of this house," she explained unashamedly. All Luxor could do was shake her head and wonder how somebody so sweet looking could be so cunning. “Please remember everything I've ever done is for you."
“Even though I’m a Lost Soul.”
Ayla furrowed her brows. "You're not one of them, they are filthy abominations, you're a Demi-Goddess," she said vehemently.
Luxor snorted. “How do you figure?”
“Cane is the God of the underworld, and therefore being his offspring, that is your title.”
"Cane is deplorable and I am part of him." Every atom, cell, and blood. Nephilim she could accept, at least she would be part of a group, but as it was, she was in a group of her own. “Worse than a Lost Soul as you call them.”
Ayla let out a frustrated sigh as if she was teaching a monkey to juggle. "No, your essence is from Lucifer, the most glorious of them all. He made a choice to turn bad, but he was created glorious."
"My conception is from his bad seed," she counteracted.
The evilest of them all.
"No, from bad choices, his seed just like all the Archangels, never become tainted."
Luxor rubbed her temple not fully able to grasp the concept in its entirety. The Grigori were created good just like all the celestial beings so why were their offspring the abominations while she was being lauded?
Ayla pushed the door against the wall and kneeled on the floor, playing from the frayed strips of the burgundy Kashan rug. She suppressed a smile, and on the count of three flipped it over.
A faint line was carved out, enveloping the whole room, it could have been mistaken for scratches but they were too even and there was no mistaking the silver ringer on two corners.
Luxor swiped the thick film of dust, took the lead and eradicated any suspense by lifting both corners. It flipped back with a thud against the bedside table.
Holy shit on a cracker.
She grabbed the already lit torch and beamed downwards to the flight of concrete stairs. Shuffling down on her bottom she immediately stepped down without a care, her curiosity piqued at what laid beyond, and if she was honest, she needed some excitement. How could Ayla keep this from me? She witnessed Scarlett's hatred from the onset, and all she put her through afterwards, and not once did she allude to the fact The Chalet concealed hidden secrets.
The mouth was magnified with Ayla's torch in front of her providing extra light. It was low set with a narrow passage fit for one person, but it gave ample opportunity for Luxor to inspect thoroughly. Sloppy mud squished under her sneakers, lathering the fallen leaves which had somehow made it down into the tunnel. Crumbs from the sandstone walls covered her fingers, and she inspected each inch; from the right, then to the left running her hands over the bumpy texture. A collection of scriptures and symbols with all different shapes were engraved on the walls alongside pictures of flames, wings, and crosses carved over time just like in the cavemen era. It was a piece of art which both intrigued, and was daunting to her. She didn't both to ask Ayla to decipher it. She hoped the secrets were only for the Nephilims to decode.
An engraving caught Luxor's attention causing her to stop. “Gen 6:4 must reign supreme.” She traced the lettering, and if she concentrated enough, she could imagine the urgency of the Nephilim. These tunnels were probably their safety net, being the underdogs in this otherworld, belonging in it, but not accepted. She tapped lightly on the wall with the handle of the torch to test its sturdiness.
Ayla jolted and whipped around. "Don't do that, who knows how strong the structure is."
Luxor held the torch between her knees and sniffed the air, the pungent odour magnified tenfold, being devoid of any outlets for air to excrete from. She took a step and kicked a lump to the side. At first, she assumed it was a rock, but it was too soft. Focusing the light onto the floor a rat the size of her fist was belly up.
She poked Ayla in the back. "Who else knows about this place?"
Ayla gave a half shrug and quickened her steps. "I can only guess it was well known, there are no new engravings on the wall though."
"And you've known I'm in a house where people can come in and out? I mean where does this even lead?"
"Of course, I modified the house, do you think I'm stupid?" Ayla puffed out her cheeks and jerked her head to the side to the direction of where speckles of light shone through.
“Is that a trick question?”
"You'll be safe here. Before you arrived, I cleaned underneath, sealed, and added locks." She pointed upwards and climbed up the stairs. Unfurling her fingers, she slotted the key into the lock, and with a simple click, she removed them and pushed open. She tilted her lips up into a wide smile, climbing upwards and disappearing.
Luxor wound her head around the sturdy structure of the supposed derelict barn, her eyes widening at the new fixtures. The inside was deceiving compared to the outside; an ironstone rendered interior with whitewash pine floorboards. She circled slowly, each wall showing the same thing. Plastic covered the chocolate leather couches that rounded the perimeter, a rectangular table in the middle.
"What is all this?"
"Somewhere when you can get away when life gets too much but you have to stay inside. I mean if you ever get grounded, technically, you're still at home." A satisfied grin adorned Ayla's face. She removed the plastic with a whoosh officially stating this was now Luxor's place. "I really am sorry for not being the proper guardian I was supposed to be, to supply the love and support you were neglected of." She slumped down on the couch and shuffled her flats against the floor, her voice dipping to a barely audible whisper. "I was supposed to be your saving grace from Meredith."
Luxor joined her and clasped her shoulder, temple to temple providing her with much needed strength. It took too much energy to hold grudges against those who had her best interests at heart. More questions came to the
forefront and swam in her mind.
"I have tried all your life to prevent harm from coming your way, even going to the extent of trying to sabotage your moments."
She shifted away. "What?"
Ayla covered her mouth and moved towards the hatch. "Nothing, I think it’s time to get back before somebody notices you’re missing.”
She yanked her back by the elbow. "No, don't you dare, tell me now what you've done?"
Ayla pursed her lips and shook her head violently until Luxor had no choice but to grab her fingers and squeeze the knuckles. "Ow, ow, ow," she squealed and whisked her hands away.
"Spill now or I'll hurt you. Harder." It was an idle threat but one way or another she would get her answer.
Ayla let out an exasperated sigh. "Do you notice when things progress physically with a guy, weird things happen?"
Luxor had conceded something out of the ordinary but could never put her finger on it. The way the walls and roof would tremble, lights would flicker on and off in a strobe fashion, items would be thrown about. Sometimes it enhanced the feeling but mostly it scared her, thinking it was a sign she shouldn't be indulging in a sinful act even though it was a norm for other people her age.
"Don't tell me that's you?"
"In a way, not fully though." Ayla paused and pursed her lips into a thin line. Luxor narrowed her eyes into slits, and let out a heavy huff through her nose. "I have to stop you, to stop everyone, your virtue must be preserved for somebody worthy," she justified.
"That's not your call to make." Her face flamed, and she could feel the undeniable stirring of anger. She willed herself to stay calm but it had jolted her system.
All those times and it came back to Ayla, it was always Ayla.
Didn't she realise I was condemned anyway?
"I stopped Aiden, he would have raped you if it wasn't for me. I wanted to do more damage, burn his house down after scorching his eyes and hands for even looking and touching you that way because I knew, I could see the type of boy he was, but I couldn't do it and the house damage had to seem realistic." Ayla seethed and gasped for air, her face turning an unusual shade of vermillion.
"Yeah, a power shortage in one house is believable.” She rolled her eyes.
“Believe me, the outcome would have been dire,” Ayla said with utmost seriousness. She hunched over and returned down the tunnel, not waiting for Luxor.
Night-time had fallen like a blanket, deathly still apart from the slight nip of breeze. Before Luxor could catch up, Ayla who’d become sullen and moody, had fled without a word since they had left the barn.
She stepped back into the safe enclosure of The Chalet since she had no one near to back her up. She hated the suffocation of constantly having to have a guard, but she hated not being able to know the true extent of her powers, and how to use them. In her alone time, on her trip away, she practised her power to move objects with her mind, just as she had done when she needed to burn the cloth that Cane wanted. No matter how much she concentrated, how many nose and ear bleeds she suffered, she failed in her efforts.
“What has her spooked?” Pandora said, appearing from the drive-way, sleek and quiet as if catching a mouse.
“She saw you coming.” She laughed and nudged her.
“Shut up, or you won’t get dinner.” Pandora held up a bundle of fish and chips wrapped in paper.
Luxor peered down at the hallway. After learning about the tunnel, the need to tour every corner of The Chalet became a top priority. She wondered about secret passages, other tunnel entrances, and what other hidden secrets were contained in the walls.
“Hurry up, I’m hungry,” Pandora yelled from the kitchen.
A ton of fried foods ranging from chips, potato cakes, and of course fish for Pandora was spread out on the counter. Pandora had already sandwiched her fish within two slices of bread and slathered it in tomato sauce.
Meredith gave a wan smile and tottered around and retrieved a couple of plates. Even though she was fresh from the shower, circles continued to sag from under her eyes, her robe loose on her bony frame.
“Luxor darling, where have you been?”
“Around, exploring,” she said and piled her plate up high.
“Such imagination as always.” Meredith nibbled on a chip, and paced around, mumbling under her breath.
As they ate, an uncomfortable cloud of silence hung in the air, thick and palpable, ready to burst. Luxor contemplated asking Meredith about the letter, but that would have outed her as a nosy sneak.
“Is everything okay?” she finally asked.
“Hmmm.”
“You’re distracted, what’s wrong?” Luxor asked. Meredith let out a hefty breath and placed a square cardboard box on the table, with a clear plastic window, flipping over the flap. She straightened up and eyed the box. “Where did you get that?”
“I would assume the answer is clear.” Meredith pointed to the Blazin’ Bakery logo. “I bought you some desserts. They recommended the flourless chocolate cake.”
“They?”
“The lady behind the counter. Oh, and a few customers about your age.”
Luxor scowled, and pushed the box away. “I don’t want it.” She could see the headlines now: Death by Chocolate. An easy way to get rid of her once and for all.
“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?” Her voice became stern. “Pandora can you please give us a moment?”
“Sure, I’ll go for a walk.” She shoved some battered fish in her mouth and quickly left, giving Luxor a solemn smile.
Luxor lowered her brows. “This must be serious if you’re buttering me up with sugar.”
“I’ve decided to sell The Chalet.”
“What?” She choked, and spat out the chip. “Why?”
“To put it simply, the expenses are becoming too much.”
“The house is paid for, isn’t it? Selling the beach house in Hampton Cove covered it.”
“But not for daily living. Gas, electricity, water.” She flicked down each envelope. “Then there’s the upkeep of the grounds and don’t get me started on your schooling and needs.”
“I’ll get a job.” Or drop out of school. Her future had already been signed, sealed and delivered to the God of Darkness.
“It won’t matter.” She rubbed her forehead and slumped down into a chair. “We will need a miracle just to survive. I’ve started talks with Mayor Kingsley who has offered an amount which will set us up for a long time.”
“No.”
“It’s not up for discussion. I’ll be signing the papers tomorrow, and in a few days, we will be in our new home.”
“You can’t do this. Uproot me again.”
Meredith slammed a hand on the table. “Uproot you? Do you need a recap?” She flared her nostrils and rose from the table. “I thought you’d be happy to leave here, you’ve made it clear of your disgust.”
Tremors entered Luxor’s system and she waited until she heard the distinct click of Meredith’s bedroom before stomping outside and slamming the door. She circled around kicking rocks and throwing them at trees. She refused to give The Chalet up, especially after she had learnt of the underground tunnel and the extent Ayla had gone to acquire it. She needed distance, and to focus on how she could delay the inevitable.
A shadow expanded from behind followed by a flash of orange. Pandora stretched out and wiggled into her dress. “Bad news?”
“Oooh, the greatest,” she deadpanned. “But I’m guessing your perky little ears already know.”
“It’s my job to be knowledgeable,” Pandora shrugged, unabashedly.
“You sound like Ayla.”
“Except I won’t condemn,” Pandora said. “What are you going to do? The wheels are already in motion.”
“I won’t let Scarlett win.” She raked her fingers through her hair. “If I can’t stop the sale, maybe I can postpone until I figure something out.”
“How’s your impersonation voice? You could call upon Meredi
th’s behalf.”
Luxor laughed. “Oh sure, it’ll sound something like this,” she cleared her throat to imitate and held a hand on her chest. “Good morning Mayor Kingsley, Meredith Lockhart here. I’ve had a change of heart and would like to decline your offer. Sorry for any inconvenience.”
“That’s horrible, you sounded like a demented pom.”
Luxor shrugged. “Next idea?”
“Tie her up, then she wouldn’t be able to leave?”
“Something a tad less drastic,” she said and mulled. “But we can still keep her home.”
Luxor gave a short laugh and hurried back inside of The Chalet and grabbed the tin of sugar off the bench. She swiped the keys from the hook beside the door and returned to Pandora. “You’re a genius.”
“You’re going to lock her into the house?”
“Nope, something better.” She unlocked the car and pulled a lever, popping the bonnet. She unscrewed the petrol tank and leaning in poured the sugar into the ignition until no sugar remained.
“What are you doing?” Pandora hissed. “This isn’t going to help the money situation. If anything, it’ll make things worse.”
“Better than your suggestion.” She screwed the cap back on.
“It was a joke!”
“Sure, it was.”
Luxor dusted any excess sugar from her hands on the back of her shorts, and crossed her fingers, hoping this little stunt would work. She would worry about fixing her mess later, but for now, this was her only plan of action.
Luxor was relieved for some normalcy and school offered the perfect trick distraction. She jogged to school, her backpack empty, but the weight of the world laid heavy on her shoulders. She arrived early to work off her anxiety, before she could find out if the sugar in the petrol tank worked. Pandora stayed behind in her feline form to keep her updated on any developments.
“Morning Evie,” she said, and joined her on the curb.
“Morning Snow,” Evie said briefly lifting her head.
Luxor darted her eyes about and cracked her knuckles on the lookout for Scarlett, ready to confront her in a civil manner now her true motivations for her hate had come to light.
Betrayed: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Book Two Page 7