Jaden’s face brightened. “That’s an excellent suggestion. And it also makes me far more comfortable with staying up in the mountains while we train.”
Kayla smiled. She should’ve known his reluctance would’ve run deeper than just being wiped out. Those he loved meant everything to him. And he would do what he had to in order to protect them. “We’re agreed then? No telling the parents because if we stay away while training, the time freeze will keep them ignorant? And we get Pallaton here to keep an eye on our families while we’re away?”
The boys nodded their agreement.
“Perfect. Now let’s see if we can get some of these things cooked without burning them.”
Chapter Six
Jaden stirred his coffee absently, staring into space. Training had made it an exhausting week. Taz had been merciless. Their first day was rough, since, just as Kayla had predicted, none of the teens had slept well the night before. Taz’s own tiredness was a small mercy. Not that she would’ve admitted it. But after Kayla pointed out the anomalies in her behavior the previous day, Jaden had paid more attention and found Kayla was right. Taz was slower than usual, hadn’t been so quick to get them back to training after lunch, and had definitely dragged by early afternoon. Of course, Taz had made the excuse that the teens were tired, and that was why they cut the day short. Jaden suspected Taz would revoke her offer if he even hinted that she was equally tired, so he’d kept his mouth shut. That had been the only day with some respite. A day was all Taz needed to regain her strength, and it was all business after that.
Groaning, Jaden took a sip of coffee. Ah, heaven in a mug.
“You look like you needed that,” Atu piped up next to him.
Jaden almost fell off his chair. “Do you always have to sneak up on people?”
Atu grinned. “I wasn’t even trying. You were so absorbed I think a herd of elephants could’ve trampled through here and you wouldn’t have noticed. What’s on your mind?”
“That I’m glad we’re home. It was a tough week.”
“Yeah,” Atu agreed. “I think Taz was a drill sergeant in another life.”
Jaden smiled. “Isn’t that the truth! Want some coffee?”
“I’ll help myself, thanks.” Atu strolled to the counter and picked up the coffee pot. ‘Did you already have breakfast?”
“Not yet. I’m getting my caffeine fix before I attempt anything else.”
Atu chuckled. “I’ll let you wallow in your coffee then.”
The two of them sat in companionable silence as they drank. Jaden’s thoughts drifted to the map. Why hadn’t they deciphered it yet? Time was wasting away, and they were no closer to their next destination. Would Zareh make an appearance to give them some help? Jaden dismissed the idea. Zareh wouldn’t intervene without dire need.
Jaden tugged the cube from his pocket and flipped the bars, opening it and removing the disc. It glowed softly, backlit by the sunlight streaming through the kitchen window. Such a small thing, and yet it held the key to saving the world. Or at least one of the keys. Jaden sighed as he mindlessly rocked the disc back and forth along the counter between his fingertips.
Atu’s morose expression mirrored Jaden’s feelings. Sighing again, Jaden took another sip of coffee.
His mother marched into the kitchen, finding both boys staring into space and not saying a word. “You boys look like you didn’t have enough sleep.”
“I didn’t,” Jaden admitted, surreptitiously curling the disc into his fingers and hiding it.
“Maybe your body’s finally realizing it’s on holiday, and now it wants to catch up on all the sleep it lost while you were studying.”
Jaden assessed his mother. She knew he’d already had few months to recover, albeit while time in her world had been frozen. Her haggard expression was all the explanation he needed. “You don’t look much better yourself.”
“I didn’t sleep well last night,” his mother confessed.
“Can we do anything for you so you can catch a nap?”
“You could do the grocery check and authorize the order,” Clara replied hopefully. “The laundry needs to be loaded, and the kitchen needs cleaning.”
Jaden laughed. “Alright, you can stop there. You’ll come up with a lot more if I give you the chance.”
Clara giggled. “Too true. Would you be able to do those for me at least?”
“Sure.”
“Thank you. In that case, I’ll make you some breakfast before I head back to bed. A few more dishes won’t be a problem, will they?”
“Not at all.” Jaden grinned. “Especially if it means a cooked breakfast.”
“You!” Clara chuckled, swatting him with the dishtowel she was holding.
Laughing, Jaden ducked, throwing his hand up to grab the dishtowel. But he’d forgotten he was holding the disc. It rolled free and skimmed merrily along the countertop until it slowed, curled in a circle, and dropped to a stop right in front of his mother.
Clara’s laughter died, and her face drained of color. Slowly, she took the disc off the counter. “Jaden, where did you get this?”
Her reaction was enough for Jaden to know she was familiar with it. And not in a positive way. “You know what it is?”
“I have no idea what it is, but I’ve seen it before. Where did you get it?”
There was no way around it. If Jaden was going to get answers from her, he had to give her some of his own. “We got it on our last journey.”
“Oh, I suppose that makes sense,” Clara croaked.
“Mom, where have you seen it before?”
She ignored his question and asked another. “What’s it for?”
Jaden glanced at Atu, who nodded his head. “It’s the map for the next part of our journey.”
His mother collapsed into the chair she had been standing next to. Suddenly, she looked very old. Alarm bells went off in Jaden’s head. “Mom, you’re worrying me. What’s going on?”
This time she put a finger up in the air, acknowledging she had heard his question but indicating she needed a moment to compose herself. When she spoke, it wasn’t to give an answer. “Would you please get me a glass of water?”
Jaden obliged, bringing the filled glass back and putting it into her trembling hands. Then he placed his hands on her shoulders, standing next to her. Tension rippled through her as she tried to order her emotions. After a few moments, she placed a hand over one of his.
Turning, Clara offered Jaden a shaky smile. “Thank you. I think I’ll be okay now.”
Jaden nodded but said nothing. He wasn’t so sure.
Clara gulped down the water. Then she pulled Jaden in front of her so she could see him and Atu at the same time. “Remember the dreams I told you about?”
Jaden’s heart sank. Her reactions made perfect sense now. “You saw this disc in your dreams?”
“Only in one of them.”
“Not all three?”
“No, just the second one.” His mother shuddered. “It was so out of place and in my face. I couldn’t ignore that it hadn’t been in the first dream, and it was obvious when it wasn’t in the last.”
Jaden glanced at Atu, noting how quiet his friend was. Atu gave a slight shake of his head, indicating they shouldn’t interrupt. Jaden would have to thank him later for giving Clara the space she needed. He returned his attention back to his mother. She sat perfectly still, her hands in front of her clutching the disc.
His mother sucked in a deep breath. “Remember the visions I got of what our future could look like?” Jaden nodded, and she continued. “Well, this time, when I found myself on the street with all the chaos around me, an image of this disc appeared in front of me, like an opaque wall blocking my way, filling the sky from top to bottom.”
“No wonder you didn’t forget it,” Jaden breathed.
“I could hardly ignore it! The disc in my dream had the same coloring, appearing as a thick curtain of mist. There were holes all over the curtain in the same pattern as t
his disc.” She fingered the disc pensively for a moment. “Although there, in the dream, of course, the holes showed black through the white. Here I can see sunlight through the holes. A much brighter perspective.”
Jaden squeezed her shoulders. “Yes, light is preferable to darkness.”
Her answering smile didn’t reach her eyes. Jaden debated whether to ask her more questions or give her a breather. But they needed to figure out where they were going. And she seemed to have regained her composure. “Mom, did anything in that particular dream give you an idea of the time and place you found yourself in?”
Clara frowned. “No, it was just the disc, taking up all the space in front of me. Except for the holes.”
“Could you see any details, any little thing through those holes?”
“No, I’m sorry. The holes were pure black. Black like I hope never to see again, but plain black nonetheless. No relief or breaks in the color at all.”
Black like a Gaptor’s face. I’m more familiar with that black than I’d like to be. Their current situation was almost as dark. They were still no closer to an answer. Jaden slumped onto his chair.
“I take it that wasn’t the answer you were looking for?” his mother said.
“We were hoping for something that might give us a time and place for when the map was created.”
Clara fingered her cheek thoughtfully. “This might not be relevant.” She shook her head. “Only it’s so odd, it’s probably exactly the sort of information you need.”
Atu finally spoke. The hint of hope had him running out of patience. “Yes?”
“Well, the second time I had the dream, the time when this disc appeared, we weren’t at home,” Clara revealed.
That doesn’t make sense. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you have the dreams when you’ve come into contact with the medallion? Surely you didn’t take the medallion with you?”
“That’s just it! I didn’t take it. We were away on vacation, and there’s no way I would’ve taken the medallion with me, given all your grandmother’s hype about not losing it.”
“So you didn’t touch the medallion that day?”
“No,” Clara rushed on. “I did.”
“But if—”
“I don’t know how it got there, but it was just there. You had scraped your knee, and I was cleaning it in the bathroom of the cottage we had rented, when suddenly there was this green glow on the bathroom counter.”
“A green glow?” Jaden choked.
“Yes, like the glow you get from a light stick.”
“And then?” Atu asked.
“Naturally, I investigated. It was coming from my toiletry bag, so I pulled things out.”
“And you found the medallion,” Jaden concluded.
“Yes! If I had known that’s what it was, I wouldn’t have put my hand in there. But I did. And when I pulled the medallion out, I could hardly believe my eyes. My first thought was that your father had packed it, but when I asked him about it later that evening, he denied it. So I went to fetch the medallion to prove to him that it was there . . .”
“And then you couldn’t find it,” Jaden finished.
Clara looked put out. “How did you know?”
“Something Zareh told us about the medallions. But I’m still not sure how this helps us with a time and place.”
“That evening was the night you had your . . . dream?” Atu ventured.
“It was.” Clara nodded.
“Bro, I think we have our time and place then.” Atu grinned.
“Oh, I get it!” Clara bounced on her chair. “The time was when we were there, and the place was where we were staying!”
“You said it.!”
“Hmm, I don’t know,” Jaden murmured. “There’s so much that was left to chance. What if my mom hadn’t seen the disc? Or she hadn’t remembered that it was in the dream? Or . . .”
“Which is exactly why I think it is the time and place we’re looking for,” Atu broke in. “Think about it. Has any of this been clear for any of us to see? At any point in our journey?”
Jaden had to admit it wasn’t. The answers were always there, but hidden just beneath the surface, waiting for them to scratch the right piece of dirt away. “I guess not. Since we have nothing to lose, we should go there and see if we can find a solution to our problem.”
Chapter Seven
They had to go back several years and wade through three years of records before Jaden’s mother found the right file. Jaden had been nine on that vacation. He let her “ooh” and “aah” over the photo folders for a while before reminding her they needed a name and location. Reluctantly, Clara closed the folders and opened another file with the corresponding receipts. She flicked the information over to both the holoscreen and Jaden’s PAL.
Jaden scanned the receipt, then did a double take when he saw the resort’s name. Happy Days Campground and Cabins. How could a book written so many centuries ago contain the same name? He shook his head. Solving that puzzle was a formula for insanity.
Skimming the rest of the receipt, he found the location: Lake Pleasant. Yes, it had been. Although he’d bitten back impatience as his mother flipped through the photos, they reminded him of how much he’d enjoyed that particular vacation. He hoped it still lived up to its name and would provide them with answers. Stepping from the room, he pressed his CC and ordered the call to Kayla.
“Hi,” Kayla answered, gracing him with one of her incredible smiles.
“Hello.” Jaden grinned. He couldn’t help himself.
“What’s up?” Kayla asked when Jaden said nothing.
“Oh, right.” Jaden remembered he had called to give her information and not stare at her. “We might have a destination.”
“Really? Where? And how did you find it?”
“It’s a story, but we can fill you in while we travel.” Being with her again, all day, every day would be heavenly. Jaden was suddenly aware of Kayla’s accusing gaze. “What?”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a girl.”
Well, duh. What was she going on about?
Kayla rolled her eyes. “Girls need a little more information when they travel. Like where they’re going so they can pack the right clothes?”
Oh. Jaden grinned. “I thought you didn’t fuss about things like that. Besides, our smart suits will keep us comfortable, no matter what the temperature.”
Kayla’s eyes flashed. “You don’t think there may be times I’d like to get out of that suit?”
Jaden was tempted to say, I’d prefer if you stayed in it. But now was not the time to tease. “We’re heading south east, down towards the coast.”
“Thanks. I’ll be ready in an hour or so. I’d like to take one last shower before we leave.”
Jaden grinned. “A fine idea. Atu and I will be there in ninety minutes. That is, unless the gliders pick up on the fact that we need them. Then we’ll see you when they collect us.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Kayla signed off.
Jaden stared at the screen. Just like that, she was gone. It was a rude reminder of how temporary life could be. Wandering back to the family room, he found his mother poring over the photos again. He plopped next to her on the sofa, wanting to take some time and enjoy her company. When Clara reached out her hand and took his, he knew she felt the same way.
“You’re leaving soon?” Although Clara tried, she was unable to hide her sadness or apprehension.
“Yes. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get back to our everyday lives.”
Clara sighed. “I suppose. Is it selfish of me to say that I wish it wasn’t you or Kayla or Atu who had to do this?”
Jaden folded her hand into his. “Not at all. It tells me you love me. And that’s what makes doing all this worthwhile.”
Clara’s lip trembled, and a tear slid down her cheek. Jaden pulled her closer, so she was against his side. There was no need for words. He let her cry, holding her and rubbing her arm soo
thingly.
When the tempest had passed, Clara squeezed his hand before rising. “Enough melancholy. I’ll make some sandwiches to get you through at least the first part of your trip.”
“Thanks, Mom. That would be fantastic.”
Sending him one last watery smile, Clara headed for the kitchen. Jaden watched her leave. How was he going to keep his parents safe? Sure, Pallaton and the Legion would be here to keep watch, like when Jaden, Kayla, and Atu had done their training this past week. But what happened if the Legion was overwhelmed? The last group of Gaptors had been substantial, and Jaden doubted the Usurper had stopped sending them through. How large would the next group be?
How many Gaptors were there on the gliders’ world? Jaden would have to ask Han. And could Zareh send more gliders to match the increased number of Gaptors?
But he was getting sidetracked. There had to be a way to find his parents if the unthinkable happened and they were taken. When he first heard about the arcachoa and its ability to send him back in time, Jaden thought he might be able to use it to help him track his parents. But that wasn’t possible. The arcachoa would only take him back in time if that specific place had an artifact. And his parents weren’t artifacts.
But what if his parents had an artifact with them when they were taken? Surely he could use that? What artifact could he give them? Not the relic stone. They needed that for killing Gaptors. Then he remembered his grandmother’s key. It had unlocked the disc from his family’s toy chest to give them the first map, so hadn’t it served its purpose? But was it an artifact? How had Han—or was it Taz—phrased it? An artifact was an object that was present in both their worlds. Surely the key was an artifact because Zareh had to have crafted it in his world. Then again, Zareh could’ve had both the key and chest made here.
Jaden’s mind went around and around. Then he remembered the strange markings on the key and chest. He raced upstairs and retrieved Awena’s book. Plopping onto his bed, he paged through the book, taking his time. On the fifth page, he found them. Faint, but definitely there in the background. The same markings that were on the key and toy chest. The key had to be an artifact.
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