“Arastas, do you know if an exorcism can be performed on the children? Abaddon is in their minds and is using them as his eyes. We need to exorcise him and free them from him.”
“I am sorry, my Queen, but as far as I know, there is not a way to do that. The only way is to lock Abaddon back inside his realm. Only then will he leave their minds.”
Liasare turned to Jurek. “We must go. Now. To see Themis.”
***
Jurek and Liasare entered the chamber of the Triumvirate together. Only Themis was there to receive them.
“How could you? You knew about this for how long? A thousand years? How many of us would have died before you would have told us?” Jurek asked.
“Quiet! How dare you speak to me this way! You know nothing of what you say.”
“I know enough. That you were willing to sacrifice every single one of us.”
“Silence! The next time you open your mouth, you will suffer grave consequences.”
Jurek moved forward but Liasare stopped him. Her hand gripped his wrist as her energy surged.
Themis’ lips slashed into an angry line across her face. “Heed what I tell you and pay close attention for these things are held tightly to my chest. Only a few of us know this.” She pointed a long, bony finger at Jurek and said, “Your hot-headed temper will be the death of me, yet. Because of it, I have not told you many things. You, who act so haughty and arrogant, know nothing,” she spat. “It is time now, but I speculate whether it is wise of me to include you in on this. Your mate, I trust. You, on the other hand, I do not.”
The incredulous look on his face told Themis everything she needed to know.
“You act surprised, King of the Praestani. Why is that?”
“I am a loyal subject and would do anything to protect the people of Praestan,” he replied.
She laughed. “Since when? A year? Since you met your queen. Does that make you special now?”
“I will fight to the death for her.”
“For her, yes. But what about for me?”
Jurek’s mouth hung open like a cave.
“I see. That is why I think you are a buffoon. Your actions prove my point, time and time again. For years I’ve watched you make a fool out of yourself and your people and now you ask yourself why I don’t trust you. Isn’t this so? This is the way of it. I trust her. She is by far, the greatest gift to this planet and universe and it is beyond me why she was given to you.”
“Enough! I will not stand here and listen to you berate him. He’s erred. We all know that, he above all. Are we going to stand here all day and listen to you pontificate and lecture us about him, or are we going to hear about the skeleton key?” Liasare fumed.
Themis half-smiled. “I like you more and more each time we meet. My most fervent hope is that you will have a positive influence on your mate. Now then, the skeleton key. We didn’t tell you because we couldn’t. Even if we had, it would have done you no good. Your powers were too weak then to even carry it. But not now. The time is right. So hear me out. As good as the skeleton key is, if it falls into the wrong hands, it can destroy the universe.”
“Oh, perfect. Just perfect. Another one of those, is it?”
“Queen, sarcasm does not suit you,” Themis scolded.
Liasare threw her hands up in the air. “Bloody hell. Every corner I turn, someone is trying to kill me and now this.”
“They can not kill you.”
Jurek and Liasare both said, “Huh?”
“Neither of you can be killed. But, that’s not to say you can not be injured to the point of wishing you were dead.”
“So wait,” Jurek called out. “What about when I was having my powers drained?”
“Oh, that. A mere inconvenience.”
Again, they both responded, “Inconvenience?”
“Yes, and quite debilitating I would imagine.”
Jurek and Liasare looked at each other and were speechless.
“My Queen, do not look so ... distressed. It’s quite simple. Without you, the Praestan race will cease to exist. You’re the key for our people’s survival. You’re the key to the light and now you’ll be the bearer of the skeleton key.”
Liasare ran her fingers through her tangled waves. “Anything else?”
“One thing. Teach him to become king. A proper king. He must if he is to lead us through the next millennia,” Themis explained.
“Yeah, sure, no worries on that.”
Themis slammed her hand on the table at which she was sitting.
“You think I am joking?”
“No. I think we have more pressing matters that need our attention than making Jurek into a suitable king with better manners right now. We have Abaddon at large who wants to take over the universe and the last time I saw him he was pissed off at me for stealing back my mate.” Now it was Liasare’s temper that flared. “And while we’re on this subject, I’m not so sure my mate wasn’t out of line with his anger toward you. You’re so cryptic all the time while we’re out there leading the charge against Oh Evil One, seeing people die, and then finding out information was withheld from us.”
“Enough! Telling you about this would have only put you at risk of losing it. You weren’t ready to carry it and had you lost it, the universe would surely have been lost.”
Liasare paced. Her long chestnut hair crackled with static energy as she moved to and fro. “One thing. Let’s revisit that thing about us not being able to die. Can you elaborate on that?”
“Certainly. You and your mate are immortal. Well, maybe not quite immortal. Only another Praestani much more powerful than either of you can take your life.”
“And who would that be?” Liasare asked.
“Most likely your son, since he was born of your power but that wouldn’t happen until he grows older. Other than Justus, truthfully, I am not aware of another.”
Jurek stepped forward. “What if Abaddon locks us into his realm?”
Themis pondered this for a moment. “That would be most unfortunate, but I’m not certain of what would happen since I’ve never known of this occurrence before.”
“Is it possible?” Jurek asked.
“Oh, everything is possible, to some degree,” Themis replied.
“So how does the key work?” Liasare wanted to know.
“It is my understanding that once Abaddon is in his realm, you use it to close the gates and seal them. The key activates the wards that are placed on the gates and they cannot be removed by anyone other than you. I would suggest that if you plan to lure him in, only one of you go inside, so only one needs to get back out. Trying to get two people out may prove to be impossible,” Themis explained.
“Agreed,” Jurek said. “If we’re inside, will our ability to convert to energy work?”
“Only if the gate isn’t locked. Once locked, whatever is inside, will remain there until it is unlocked again. But beware; if you unlock it, everything inside will be free to leave. Because of that, you must consider whoever is locked inside a casualty. That’s why only one of you should enter.” She stared directly at Liasare.
“Point well made,” Jurek said. He cast a glum look toward Liasare. It did nothing to assuage her mounting anxiety.
“So, where can we find this skeleton key?” Liasare asked.
“Follow me.”
For the second time that day, Jurek’s mouth fell open. In all his years, he had never seen Themis rise from her seat at the table.
Her long flowing gown billowed around her thin frame like a golden cloud as she glided across the floor. “Don’t act so surprised. You were never worthy of me rising to my feet. But your queen is another matter.”
“Are you ever going to cease insulting me?” he asked.
“When I see that you have become the Praestani you were born to be. Until then, no.”
Liasare bristled. “As both your queen, I would ask the two of you to end this bickering of yours. It serves no purpose and we need to be united i
n our fight against Abaddon. It is tiring to hear your insults against my mate, Themis. You must understand this, do you not?”
Themis stopped and turned to face them. “He must learn ...”
“He has learned. But you never give him the chance. He does nothing but defend me and his people, yet you refuse to see this.”
Themis grunted. “I must learn this for myself.”
“You are every bit as obstinate and hard-headed as he is. I’d like to shake the two of you. Maybe if would knock some sense into you. Don’t you see? If you don’t work together, Abaddon can use this against us?” Liasare’s placed her hands together and held them in front of her, pleading.
Themis turned and continued walking. “Perhaps you are right. Maybe he has atoned for his errant ways.”
Liasare grabbed Jurek’s hand and squeezed it, making sure he didn’t say anything.
“Themis, if you can’t see what he’s done for me and his people, you are a blind woman.”
Themis stopped again. “And you are very brave to speak to me this way.”
Liasare held her ground and now it was Jurek squeezing her hand. “I only speak the truth and you are well aware of that.”
Neither of them spoke, but only focused on each other’s eyes.
Themis spoke first. “Very well. I will grant him my forgiveness. And as your mate, he will have my respect.”
“Thank you,” Liasare said. Jurek bowed to her.
“Now, come,” Themis said.
They walked down a long corridor and she took them into a small room. On the opposing wall was a small wooden door, but there was no knob or handle.
“The skeleton key lies within there,” Themis said, as she pointed toward the door.
Liasare looked at it. “What is it?”
“It is a small chamber that houses it. Only the one true keeper of the key may access it. If you are not the true keeper, you will not be able to open it.”
Liasare looked at Jurek and he said, “It’s a puzzle. You must solve it.”
They approached the door, and Themis warned them, “Alaricus, do not touch it. Only Liasare.”
Jurek reached his hand toward it and the door glowed. When Liasare did the same, nothing happened. She ran her hand across the carved wood and it felt smooth to her touch. The carvings appeared to be some type of glyphs, an ancient language perhaps. As her fingers lingered, the glyphs began to move.
“Jurek, stay back. I don’t know what this is going to do.”
Jurek moved to Themis’ side and Themis murmured, “We’ve waited thousands of years for her. I heard the tales but I never thought I would see the day.”
“So, you didn’t know if this would actually work?”
“No,” Themis said in amazement.
Liasare watched the glyphs. They morphed into shapes that formed a series of lines. Once they were properly aligned everything halted.
“Now what? Nothing’s happening!”
“Touch it again,” Themis suggested.
When Liasare did, the door took on a golden hue, and it was like a series of tumblers in a lock clicking. Once done, the door opened and inside was a small wooden box. She reached inside and picked it up. Her energy flared, as did the energy of the box.
“Like recognizes like,” Jurek muttered.
“Yes,” Themis said, fascinated.
Liasare held the box in her hands like a precious crystal. “Now what?”
“Open it,” Themis said.
She lifted the lid and inside was a necklace. I was a crescent suspended on a heavy silver chain with two silver filigreed circles above and below it. When she touched it, it glowed blue green, ignited by her powers.
“It doesn’t look like any kind of key I’ve ever seen,” Jurek said.
“That’s what I was thinking,” Liasare said.
“It’s a skeleton key, or a passing key. It will place wards over the gates of Abaddon’s realm. It’s not a key as you envision one to be,” Themis explained.
“How do I use it?” Liasare asked.
Themis chuckled. “When the time comes, you won’t need to ask. It will let you know.”
“How?”
“Oh, trust me. You’ll know. One thing. Guard it with your life and the lives of many. Do you understand this? Everyone is expendable where this key is concerned. Alaricus? Am I clear?”
“Very.”
Jurek stared inside the box and thought about how the bloody hell they were going to get that thing to Abaddon’s realm, wherever that was, and lock Abaddon inside. He blew out his breath and said, “I guess we need to get out of here and go to work.”
Liasare closed the lid on the box. She looked at Jurek and nodded. Then she turned to Themis and said, “Hopefully, the next time we meet, things will be set straight where the universe is concerned.”
“One final piece of advice. Take a shield forged with Praestani power to repel any of Abaddon’s lures. Godspeed, my queen.”
Jurek and Liasare vanished.
Then Themis said out loud to no one, “You both are going to need it.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“We take an army,” Tak suggested.
“No. That will only call attention to us. We go with as few as possible.”
Jurek paced as Liasare sat and watched the scene unfolding before her.
“We take an army to remain outside, but go in with ten,” Naroo suggested.
Rayn added, “We can be your distraction outside.”
“Yes!” Rykerian, Tesslar, and Xarrid said.
“An army of Praestani then on the inside and the Guardians on the out,” Marik added.
“You all are forgetting something. How do we get down there, or wherever the hell it is, in the first place?” Jurek asked.
Liasare stood and announced, “I go alone.”
Seven pairs of eyes turned to her. Then mayhem broke out. They shouted and yelled, but it was Jurek who surprised her the most.
“She’s right.” His voice was firm but deadly. “Except for one thing. I’m going with her. I’ll stay on the outside. Then she won’t have to worry about getting me out.”
The two of them locked gazes and she nodded.
“But ...” Tak began.
“It’s the only way. None of you can do a thing. I’m the only one. I’ll go armed and I’ll have my powers. Jurek will have his. Combined, we provide the greatest force. That is undeniable. Tak, I need you to produce me a steel and silver shield and I need to forge it with my powers. Themis said I would need it to ward off Abaddon’s lures, whatever they may be.”
“I can do that.”
“Good. And I’ll need a larger sword than the one I have.”
“I’ll get right on that.”
“Thank you. As for the Guardians, I think it’s more important for you to stay here. We need you to handle whatever will be taking place here on Earth. I have a feeling all hell will be breaking loose with the Dark Creatures. Make sure your weapons are secure. All Praestani forged ones, I mean. You’ll be needing those,” Liasare said.
“When will you go?” Naroo asked.
“As soon as everything is ready.”
Jurek asked, “How will you get Abaddon to come out of his realm?”
“I don’t think we need to worry about that. He’ll come to us. Remember, he wants me.”
Jurek shuddered. “How can I forget? How will I be able to accompany you? He’ll never allow it.”
“Jurek, you’ll have to follow in your energy form somehow. That’s the only way.”
“Love, do you think he’ll detect the key?”
“I don’t know. But I can’t let that cloud my mind. My mission is clear.”
“Yes, it is that.”
Liasare looked out at the people before her. “Thank you. For all you have done here. I must go and rest. Tak, let me know when my weapon and shield are ready.”
“Yes, my queen.”
Liasare looked at him, for he never called her his qu
een. He dropped to his knee and soon the others followed.
“Please, don’t do this. While I appreciate your respect, I need you working with me as my peers, now more than ever.”
She reached for Tak’s hand as he stood. He nodded and then she and Jurek left for their quarters.
As soon as they were alone, Jurek pulled Liasare into his arms. “Thank you.” He touched his cheek to hers.
“For what?”
“Defending me. To Themis. You championed me. To my recollection, no one has ever done that for me.”
“I will. Always. She doesn’t know you as I do. She doesn’t see the things you have done.”
His face bore a wry expression as his hands wove into her hair. “No, but she has heard of my exploits ... how I single handedly destroyed Earth and wiped out its population. How can she think highly of me?”
“That was the old Jurek. You’ve changed. You’re not him anymore. Even I would have hated you then.”
“I’m glad you never knew that Jurek.”
“Oh, I would have knocked some sense into you.”
“Liasare ...”
“Don’t say it. I know what you’re thinking. Let’s not talk about it.”
“I have to tell you these things. We are not going to die, you know. We can’t. Themis told us.”
“Jurek, what if she told us that to give us confidence?”
“So you don’t believe that?”
“I don’t know what I believe anymore. I do know that we are up against a mighty thing here and neither of us knows what will happen. I’d like to think she was right.”
“I think she is. A Praestani can have his power drained and die, but why didn’t I when Abaddon had me? I should have, by all counts. I wondered about that, but never voiced it.”
“Maybe so, but I don’t want to dwell on it.”
“I must tell you this. Our son. He will be more powerful than we are. And if we’re not careful, he can be a danger.”
“What do you mean?” Liasare asked.
“Others may try to get to him, to use him. We must make sure his path is the correct one. Do you understand? And if we have other children, we must guard them as well.”
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