I nodded at that, silently appreciating the irony. Talk about reaching across the table to spend time with a sinner. I had an Angel hanging out with a guy who had just made a deal with a Demon. Which he was bound to discover sooner or later if I stuck around.
“Right, well wish her luck. I have some things to take care of.”
“The witch,” he nodded.
“Among others.” I turned and began to walk away, not wanting to open a gateway or Shadow Walk so close to him. Nothing to spook him.
“Her Familiar…”
I halted, turning back around. “Know anything helpful about that one?”
He smiled at me. “Houses can burn…”
I couldn’t help that dark grin that split my face. I nodded my appreciation and turned away.
“Nate?” I turned, dreading his tone. He was watching my hip. “Why do you have a cane?”
I let out a weak smile. “I’m just not… able to survive without it…” I enunciated.
He growled back, instantly getting it. “Insolent worm. Disrespectful, filthy…” he continued on for a few moments. Then there was a rustle of fabric and feathers, and he was gone. I grinned in relief. Biblical jokes were great. “Kane and Abel,” I muttered under my breath as I walked an entire block before I dared open a gateway back home.
And I stepped into an alley first.
And behind a dumpster, glancing at the roofs above me before unleashing my spell. I studied my forearms before stepping through the flaming gateway that led to my study, and noticed that the veins on my arm were no longer as dark, and were rapidly fading. I broke out into a sweat as I realized that it could have been very possible that my face had been covered in the dark veins, but of course they hadn’t. Or Eae would have had to be blind not to notice. I signed nervously, marveling at the potential consequences that awaited me for my actions. I had a book to read.
Through the Looking-Glass…
Chapter 47
I sat with the book in my lap, breathing slowly. I had retrieved the copy of Through the Looking-Glass from my safe, but it had not been wobbling any longer, whatever the hell that had been about.
I had locked everything back up after a quick study of the remaining Grimm amulet, thoughtfully thumbing it and remembering my agreement with Silver Tongue. I had checked on Indie to find her sleeping peacefully, and her breathing was easier.
Not wanting to wake a sleeping Grimm – she had been deadly enough as a regular – I had left her alone and wandered back to the office.
I flipped open the book with a nervous breath and stared at the last page.
Were you really there, or are you just in my head?
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and scribbled back, I’m here.
The response was instantaneous, and the writing was not as neat as before, displaying my pen pal’s excitement.
Who is I , and where is here?
I chuckled to myself, and in a nod to the author, I muttered, “We’re all mad here…” before scribbling down my reply and getting comfortable in my chair. No more games, I replied honestly. “In for a penny, in for a pound…” I murmured, knowing Death would eviscerate me for doing this. But I had already made one poor decision tonight. What was one more? I quashed the argument that bubbled up instantaneously.
I didn’t want to share my name with the guy, so I was vague.
A Maker, sitting in my study.
What’s it like?
I smiled. Peaceful. Tranquil. Home.
Ah, I know these things well. What did you think of my home, and why haven’t you returned?
I carefully thought about my response. I didn’t mean to intrude the first time, let alone the second time. It was entirely unintentional, and I do not even know how it happened in the first place.
You sought answers to questions.
I stared at the page, my mind racing. Had I? I calmly reminded myself that this person was raving mad, judging by his past comments. Then again, perhaps he was just lonely.
We continued back and forth for some time, and I soon realized after a few pages of journaling, that the book was simply getting bigger, and that I wasn’t running out of pages. The same single blank page remained until the back cover, but I had already been forced to turn the page several times as we talked, filling the pages with small talk. Mainly about nothing. He seemed curious, eager for company, and genuinely content just to talk with someone. Anyone.
I let out a yawn, and realized that it must be getting very late. It had been hours since I had last seen Alucard. I scribbled a quick note to the Ginger. I had yet to ask anything too personal of him, and he had yet to press me on the issue either. I must go for a time.
But we’ve only just begun!
I’ll be back. I have some stuff to deal with and need some rest.
What is ‘stuff’?
I smiled to myself. Things to take care of. A Demon to be precise.
What is his name? I froze. Did he know about Demons? I scribbled back my answer.
Silver Tongue.
That is no Demon, that is-
And the door to the office creaked open. I jumped to my feet, clutching the book in my hand as my heart raced.
But nothing was there. I carefully placed the book down, magic at the ready, and began to stalk closer on the balls of my feet. I had an intruder. Anyone else would have announced themselves. One of the immortals, perhaps?
I readied myself for a scrap, unsure why the Guardians hadn’t picked up on the unwelcome guest. I stepped closer, glancing behind chairs, but still saw nothing. I took one more step, and an ear-splitting yowl erupted from beneath my feet as my foot landed behind one of the chairs. A blur of fur tore out of the office, hissing and spitting. My heart was palpitating as I let out a nervous chuckle. I set the book down on a table.
“Stupid cat,” I growled, stepping out of the office to see where it had gone. I locked the office behind me, not wanting to risk anyone reading the book, and entered the hall, searching for the feral feline. I began walking down the hall, shaking my arms to relieve the pent-up energy at my sudden adrenaline boost.
As I rounded the corner, I found the cat scratching at the trim near the floor underneath a tall table. The cat sat between the legs of the furniture, and turned to me, back arched as it recognized me as the one who had tried to kill it a few moments ago. A lamp sat on the table.
But… I frowned. A massive floor to ceiling woodland portrait adorned the entire six-foot-wide section of wall. Halls ran parallel on either side where the wall ended, leading off into the rest of the sprawling mansion. I took a step back, studying the arrangement in silence. The cat began cleaning its paws, watching me through lidded eyes. Was it the painting itself that had caught my eye? A quick perusal of the art took me a few seconds, but nothing jumped out at me as odd.
I tapped my lip in thought, then I realized what it was. The table.
It was off-center by about two feet, and who would place a table here so that it blocked off such a large painting? I stepped closer and moved the table, causing the cat to bolt away. Satisfied, I flicked on the lamp. But nothing happened. I frowned, took out the bulb, inspected it, but found nothing wrong with it. I screwed it back in place and got down on all fours to check the outlet. The cat instantly approached, tail lashing as it offered me the chance to worship its beauty. I shoved it away gently and turned back to the wall.
There was no outlet.
Outlets were typically placed in areas where they were deemed necessary by the builder, and tables such as this were typically arranged in an area where there was a purpose. For example, directly over an outlet. As far back as I could remember, this table had sat here, undisturbed, with a lamp and a book displayed for decoration. It was a convenient spot to toss down some mail, or your keys, or whatever was on your person that you might randomly want to get rid of.
I was kind of surprised that Dean hadn’t noticed that the lamp was entirely useless.
Duh, it must be
behind the picture. I tried to lift up the base of the frame but it wouldn’t budge. The cat was instantly beside me again, pawing at the frame insistently. I began to shove it away, but froze as a light draft brushed my fingers.
I reached past the cat, and found that the draft was strongest just near the bottom of the painting, near the trim. I stood and took a few steps back. The painting stretched from ceiling to trim, and the cat had in fact been pawing at the elaborately carved wooden frame of the painting, not the wall.
As I studied the painting from a few paces back, I realized that the left side had a break in the pattern that wasn’t obvious, but upon close scrutiny stood out. I stepped closer and touched it with a finger. A Fleur De Lis was worn on this side, as opposed to the rest of the frame. As my finger settled on it, I felt a slight give.
So I pushed.
And the entire wall swung inwards on dusty hinges, emitting a slight groan.
I stood completely still with disbelief for a few moments, the cool draft rushing over me to reveal stone steps and darkness on the other side. And I suddenly realized I was no longer tired and that I fancied another walk. The cat bolted inside, disappearing from view. Well, no help for it now. I had to go after the beast.
I shook my head, an excited smile building. “Freaking cats…” and I took a step into the unknown, igniting a ball of fire to hover before me like a torch.
Chapter 48
Again, Indie found me in the office frantically flipping through the blueprints, an empty coffee pot lying sideways on the corner of the desk. A half-empty box of crackers and a cutting board with remnants of cheese crumbs and summer sausage wrappers sat on one of the couches. My caffeine-fueled eyes took note of her entrance for the briefest of seconds before jumping back to the blueprints. She was petting the cat as she entered, staring at the mess.
“Morning,” I said.
“Have you even gone to sleep yet?”
“What?” I asked, checking another section of the blueprints. I traced the lines with my finger as Indie said something else to me. I checked a few more lines, verifying my location, and then slammed my palm down on the table with a triumphant shout. “Yes! I knew it!”
“Nate!”
I jumped at the tone in her voice, coming back out of my thoughts. “Yes?” I asked, looking up at her. She had set the cat down, and the mangy beast was pawing at the cutting board, nibbling on a piece of cheese. She was standing directly opposite me, frowning. And she looked… amazing. She had been healed! Then I remembered my forearms and froze for a second, almost forgetting I had thrown on a light long sleeve shirt. I let out a nervous sigh of relief that I hoped she took for guilt.
I dropped my pen and raced around the table to wrap her in a tight hug. I kissed her cheek and stepped back, admiring her as I gripped her biceps. “You look wonderful,” I smiled.
She blushed at the abrupt change in my demeanor, smiling brightly. “Did you hear a single thing I just said?”
“Um… no. I’m sorry.” I pointed down at the blueprints. “I found evidence that the blueprints are incomplete. Or wrong. Or something. I found…” the cat let out a meow of protest at no more food being available. “Well, the cat over there found-”
“Sir Muffle Paws,” Indie corrected adamantly.
“Right. Sir Muffle Paws found a secret passage last night. So I checked it out.” Her eyes grew suddenly worried. I waved her off. “Listen,” I leaned forward, excitement overwhelming me as I was finally able to share my find. “It’s not on the map.”
“Show me,” she stepped up to the blueprints, looking suddenly interested. I pointed and she shook her head in wonder. “Incredible…” she whispered. Then she tensed, suddenly looking up at me.
“I know!” I laughed. “My house is infested with even more sneaky passages than I already knew of! Think about it, Indie! What else is lying around h-”
She clapped her hands. “Nate! Achilles is downstairs.”
I blinked, losing my train of thought. Then I cursed, having forgotten all about our meet with Pandora. My frantic search for more secrets had burned away all other thoughts.
“Shit. Okay, tell him,” I hesitated, plucking up the empty coffee pot and shoving it towards Indie. “Get him some coffee or something and tell him-”
“Tell me what, Maker?”
Indie jumped, and the cat disappeared under the couch. Achilles stood in the doorway, watching us curiously.
“Tell him I was just putting some things away and I’ll be ready in a minute. Since you’re already here, you can just grab a seat.”
“I’ll stand.” He looked uncomfortable, stiff, as if he had other things on his mind.
“Right. Okay.” I glanced down at the mess in front of me. I moved a few pens around, feeling his eyes watching me. I shuffled some papers around for appearances, then nodded. “Okay. I’m ready. You?” Indie nodded. “Well, follow me, I guess.
* * *
Achilles wasn’t impressed by the secret passageway, nor the means to access it. I had been hoping to see a look of surprise on his face as we were sucked into a fireplace, but he came out cool, calm, and collected. He followed me in silence.
“Well, why the long face?” I asked over my shoulder. “I thought you were excited about seeing her…”
There was a pause, and then he cleared his throat. “It’s been a long time.” Indie shot me a knowing grin, and I finally got it. Achilles was nervous!
Not wanting him to kill me, I didn’t give him a hard time about it. He wasn’t the most forgiving when it came to stomping on his personal life, if history was any judge.
I reached the door, an intricately carved stone piece depicting a woodland scene around a small pond. It was easily ten-feet-tall and filled with creatures that even now darted about playfully. A wolf sat before the pond, gazing at the fish, as did a pair of owls on a tree branch. I was careful not to reveal my skin, lest the dark veins show. I hadn’t lifted up my sleeves to look down at them this morning, so obsessed with the blueprints, but it was possible they were still present. Hell, I hadn’t even picked up the book to check the Ginger’s last response, and now it was lying out in the open for anyone to find. I would just have to make this trip as quick as possible.
Indie knelt down, smiling at the tiny fish darting to and fro in the pool. Achilles studied it thoughtfully, and finding no immediate threat, his eyes glazed over again, growing harder as we neared Pandora. I used a small pocket knife to slice the pad of my thumb, and placed it on the wolf. It whined appreciatively under my touch and the door immediately began to open on silent hinges, despite its age. Achilles rubbed his forearm idly, a nervous gesture, perhaps?
Indie skipped back excitedly, no doubt eager to speak with my mother about dresses and such for our upcoming wedding. We hadn’t picked a date or anything, but that could change with them having their heads together for too long. But most importantly, I could see that Indie just wanted a break. Something normal. And she looked healthy, so I could deny her nothing.
Indie danced forward. “I’m going to go speak to your parents. You boys okay without me?” She called, not turning back. I grumbled a response, but Achilles was silent.
Then she rounded a corner, leaving us standing before the door in an awkward silence. I began walking forward, and he followed me. “Hey, Heel,” I started conversationally.
He grunted.
“I think I’m having a bad idea… Want to hear it?” He responded with an amused, but distant grin, nodding absently. I told him my plan. About Indie getting sicker, weaker, or whatever it was that was happening to her. Although I didn’t mention that she was suddenly better, or how. But I reminded him of the immortals relentlessly tailing us. And my no doubt ridiculously stupid plan to get to the bottom of the situation. I let the silence build after finishing, and added, “Gunnar usually talks me out of these.”
“No, you should definitely do that.” His face was animated for the first time today. “Just toss me an alley-oop at som
e point.” I grinned back, nodding at his wolfish smile.
Chapter 49
We had reached the room with the open balconies that unfolded onto a harsh desert. Where I had first met my librarian. Hope, as I had called her, not learning until later that she was in fact the infamous Pandora. I still wasn’t quite sure if she was Pandora’s Box, or if the Armory she guarded for me was Pandora’s Box. Either was dangerous. But if she was Pandora’s Box, whatever was floating around in that brain of hers was infinitely more dangerous than the plethora of magical weapons and artifacts stored here.
Achilles stood frozen, staring out at the barren landscape. As I thought about it, it looked much like that scenery in the movie, Troy, with Brad Pitt. I wondered how accurate it was. Then I remembered that Pandora had showed me, well, had let me relive the infamous battle between Achilles and Hector. And this was spot on. As I gazed out at the scenery, I again wondered where exactly we were. If this was some sort of replica of ancient Greece, or if we were literally in a section of present-day Greece. I had always limited my time here at the Armory in an effort to not tempt myself into taking something.
But after sharing my idea with Achilles…
Well, I might just have to break my code.
Something Pandora had mentioned had made me reconsider things.
As if on cue, Pandora softly stepped into the room, out of Achilles’ view. She nodded politely in my direction, noticing my attention, but she had eyes only for Achilles. And the look on her face was all pain. Not for a memory, but for what she saw before her.
Achilles’ face never changed, but he slowly turned to face her, somehow knowing she was present. He kept his eyes downcast as he finally stood facing her. He slowly lifted his gaze, millimeter by millimeter, taking in her bare – horribly-painted toenails and all – feet, her ankles, the hem of her light toga, up to her slender hips, her nervously fidgeting hands, her shoulders, and finally her eyes.
Silver Tongue: A Novel in The Nate Temple Supernatural Thriller Series (The Temple Chronicles Book 4) Page 26