The Complete 8-Book Guardians Adventure Saga

by Summer Lee

  The Treasury was originally built as a mausoleum and crypt in the beginning of the 1st Century A.D.

  Achava had studied as much as she could about Petra in her younger days, in hope that she would eventually make a trip there. She was always too busy with missions, and none of them landed her in Petra.

  She felt she knew the city as if she had grown up there.

  Achava wanted to make sure that she knew exactly where to go in order to find the fleece. It was a choice of only a few places. The Garden Temple, the Winged Lion Temple, or the Ad-Deir, which was Arabic for monastery. If the fleece would be anywhere, it should be in one of those places.

  Suddenly, she laughed. What if it was stashed in a Bedouin village? That would be so funny.

  Now, that she was in Petra, she would look around. Ad Deir was in the furthest north-eastern corner of Petra and the second most visited building, after The Treasury. She walked passed The Treasury on Facades Street. She wouldn’t let anything stop her from finding the fleece. What she would do with it once she found it was another matter.

  Everyone she passed glared at her. The wounds were still bleeding on her face. She needed to clean the blood off again.

  Also, her shoulder still had a piece of the black ram’s horn in it, which caused a constant slight trickle of blood.

  She saw a vendor and was suddenly hungry. Walking up to it, she saw that the woman managing it was with child. “This is a hard job for someone in your condition.”

  “You got that right.”

  “I’ll take a pita bread and a slice of honeydew.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the cash to pay. “Do you sell something to drink?”

  “Bottled water.”

  “I’ll take one.” Achava paid and then found a rock to sit on while she ate.

  Her mind wandered to Sam. How was she able to ruin that relationship so quickly? This was really hard. Although, she could not think of a time in her life when life had been easy. Her shoulder throbbed. The piece of the trumpet that was still in her shoulder was getting infected. As she tried to think about who could help her, she thought of her mother, Aviela, who now lived in a community setting, where she could get her meals prepared. Now that she had learned to Soul Merge, she could go see her mom for a while.

  First, she would finish her lunch.

  Walking over to some thick bushes, she sat down. She wanted to take time to pray to see if her plans were acceptable. Looking toward heaven, she talked to her Heavenly Father.

  “In my eyes, there is nothing to believe in on earth anymore. I know I am supposed to love others, including my enemies, but that is all I see. Enemies and more enemies. My faith will never wane from You, my Lord. You know this. The times are different from when Achsah walked the earth. There are more distractions away from You and more hatred for no reason. Guard my heart, so the evil will never get to me. I will not promise, because I do not have the power to keep a promise, just as I have no power to change one hair on my head. That is why I want Your guidance. I’d like to go see my mother until I get stronger. Just show me what to do. Amen.”

  Her thoughts were drawn to Israel and its need for spiritual protection. The Lord spoke to her in her mind. “Where is my defender of Israel? Who is taking responsibility for defending the southern border between Israel and the Gaza Strip?”

  “I don’t have the strength for that right now. I barely have the strength to Soul Merge to my mother’s.”

  She heard his gentle voice say, “Go to your mother.”

  Chapter the Fourteenth

  SAM TRUSTED ANTHEA COMPLETELY. When she was ready to go to Bab as-Siq, so was he. Anthea clasped his hand and said, “Close your eyes.” The trip seemed slower than when he traveled with Achava, but at least he did not have to go to the airport.

  They stood at the entrance just as Achava had done. Sam had his backpack and sunglasses on. He was glad he put his shorts on. It was going to be a warm day.

  “Well, it looks like we all had the same idea.” The voice came from behind them. As they turned they saw Aharon with a huge smile on his face. “Petra it is.”

  Anthea batted her eyes a couple of times, and then looked at the entrance to the Siq with some confusion. “Something is wrong.”

  “What is it?” asked Sam.

  “My super power is missing.”

  “You mean the Soul Merge thing,” said Sam.

  “Yes,” she said. “Why can’t I Soul Merge past this?”

  Aharon stepped into the Siq and sniffed the air. “Petra is a special place, Anthea. It is the kind of special that doesn’t allow pesky magical abilities. The natural ones are okie-dokie though.”

  “Okie-dokie?” said Sam. “It sounds like you are from Oklahoma.”

  “What I mean is that natural human abilities are fine, but forget using Soul Merge, Fire Spit, or Transfer in here. Walking is good for us. Well, you two. Shall we do this?”

  “Sounds good,” said Sam.

  Anthea glared at the Antiquarian.

  “Alright, old man!” said Anthea in sarcastic tones. “What are Fire Spit and Transfer?”

  “Oh, did I mention those things?” Aharon smiled like a Cheshire cat again. It was the look he always gave when trying to fool people.

  “You know you did,” said Anthea.

  “All I knew about was the Soul Merge,” said Sam, studying Anthea’s face.

  Aharon’s expression became serious, as he addressed Anthea. “We have no time for deliberating on things that are out of your reach, for the time being. Your curiosity in this matter will only delay our getting to the fleece. Achava is already close to what she believes to be the goal.”

  Anthea stepped in front of him. “How do you know that? If we are unable to use special abilities, then there’s no way you could know where she is.”

  “I’m just that good.” Aharon’s smile was back in the form of a smirk.

  Sam kept walking. He saw something strange along the edge of the Siq. While Anthea and Aharon stopped to argue, Sam saw holes that were blocked off with fencing. He called out, “Anthea, look at this.”

  “What?”

  “Holes in the ground. Deep holes.” He walked around and looked at another one. “I think there may be something down there!”

  His cohorts walked up to him and stopped long enough to look at what he was talking about.

  “It’s just a hole,” Anthea said, with disgust.

  “Ah, Anthea,” Aharon said. “To many a person it is just a hole, but to the few who can really see deep, it is a possibility.”

  “Looks stupid to me.” Anthea looked in another hole.

  “I’m fascinated.” Sam shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not trying to cause another argument, but maybe we should check this hole over here out. This hole looks like it could lead to an open cave. What if it leads to something magnificent?”

  “Like the fleece,” said Aharon.

  Sam laughed. “Definitely.”

  “Looks stupid to me.” Anthea looked in another hole. “Who would think this to be good other than Achava? Except maybe another of God’s warriors. Is that what you are, Sam?”

  “Not hardly.”

  “What if it leads to a larger empty hole?” Anthea snarled as she shook her head. “We have to follow Achava’s lead. We’re wasting time. Let’s get going.”

  Sam looked shocked. “Since when do you follow your sister? How do you know she’s going the right way? I am the one who figured out to come to Petra anyhow.”

  “Ahem!” Aharon interrupted. “No one told me anything about that, and I found my way here all by my lonesome.”

  “You know what I mean,” Sam said. “Maybe it’s time that I’m taken seriously. That hole could lead to nothing, or maybe not. But what if it does have a mystery of its own? What if it leads to something? What have we got to lose? Just because we’re on a mission, doesn’t mean that we can’t have a little fun.”

  “If you’re talking about fun,” Anthea’s mouth went up
at one corner, as she folded her arms in front of her and said, “I’m in!”

  Aharon smiled a knowing smile at Sam. “Well, I must say that I must think seriously about this detour.” He paused a minute, studying the sky. “Okay, I have thought about it and therefore I say... I too, am in. We’ll follow your lead, Sam.”

  “Let’s go.” Sam laughed. He motioned. “Come this way.”

  “Lead well. I don’t want to have to pull everyone’s butt out of the fire.” Aharon was excited.

  Anthea put her hand on Sam’s shoulder. “I trust you, Sam. Lead on.”

  Aharon removed the chain and rope from the hole, which caused Sam to pay more attention. He held out his hand to allow Anthea to go first. She cocked her head to the side and smiled at Sam. She was pretty when she smiled.

  “If you think I’m going into who-knows-what first, you’re crazy, Sam.” Anthea raised a brow as she kept smiling. “You first.”

  Sam chuckled to himself. In the right light, Anthea was really breathtaking. He took in a breath, and then started down into the hole.

  Sam didn’t know if Anthea and Aharon were just humoring him or if they really believed in him. No matter the reason, it felt good to have someone trust what he had to say. It felt good to be the leader. Sam knew he couldn’t hold his own like either one of his team, but right now he was the most important part of it. The brains. In spite of the fact that Anthea and Aharon had probably years or possibly centuries of more experience, they leaned on him now.

  He had figured out how to get to the fleece. Thoughts entered his head about whether each of the others had their own agenda, or not. He would have to wait to see. Anthea talked a good fight and she made more sense than Achava ever had. She was rough and tough, but appeared to be honest. Even if that honesty hurt, it would be good for him. That’s what he needed in his life. Someone who would be honest with him.

  ***

  Sam felt like he had known Achava forever. Although in retrospect, they never really talked much. He knew some of her past, but he didn’t know anything about her personally. Except that she didn’t want to get romantically involved with anyone. At least not him.

  He spent most of his life being rejected by just about every female he was ever interested in. He knew that he had subconsciously sabotaged a few possible relationships, because he didn’t feel worthy of the girl. He didn’t have faith in himself.

  He was treated with respect by his mentor, Professor Salinger. Salinger taught Sam everything he knew. At least everything Sam knew.

  Sam was grown up now. He felt in charge. He had faith in his own intelligence. He belonged to a team now. He didn’t know how long it would last, but he was going to ride it out as long as it did. He didn’t trust either Anthea or Aharon completely, but that’s the way he started with Achava as well. She had visited him at least once a year while he worked at the university. Yet she had never even mentioned Anthea.

  He didn’t know what to expect with either of the sisters. He felt that since he was almost forty now, he should know what to expect from such strange women. He may even beat Achava at her own game. How fun it would be to locate the fleece first. It wasn’t about that, not really, but if it happened... it happened.

  He chuckled slightly. Sam did not really want to beat his ex-partner. He wanted to succeed at his mission. Now that thought felt better.

  He appreciated Anthea’s straight-forwardness. It was a refreshing change from Achava’s dramatic presence. Overly dramatic, actually. Every time Achava started to feel anything, she put up a block and would not let him in. Then she ended up being cold and heartless. He knew she didn’t want to be romantically involved. He was stupid for even asking her to marry him. He should have known better.

  It was too late to take the question back. Sam knew that. It was too late for anything associated with Achava. She was cruel to him. Cruel in the way an ex-lover would be once they got what they wanted from the person who cared about them. He was now aware that he never had a shot with Achava, but he was not sorry that he decided to try anyway. He stepped in a deep, narrow hole, which brought Sam back out of his thoughts.

  “Do you think the fleece is in here?” asked Anthea.

  “One never knows,” said Sam. “I just don’t know what made this Gideon guy so important to you Israelis.”

  Aharon spoke up quickly. “Gideon was a small man from a small clan in Israel that lived in fear of the Midianites. Yet God chose him to be the warrior to lead Israel into battle to protect themselves from that enemy.”

  Sam said, “It sounds like a story about a great God, not a great man.”

  Chapter the Fifteenth

  ACHAVA STOOD IN FRONT of the village for retired citizens called “A Home for Enoch.” Running her finger down the list of names of people that lived there, she found the name, Aviela of Achsah, and pressed the button to ring the phone in her mother’s bungalow.

  “Hello.”

  “Hello Mother.”

  “Achava, is that you?”

  “Yes, Mother. Let me in.”

  The lock clicked open beside her. She opened the gate and went into the large yard filled with flowers and pools of goldfish.

  Aviela came out to meet her. “How are you, darling?” asked Aviela, her eyes tearing up.

  “Not doing so well these days, Mom.” Her voice choked up.

  “Let’s get you into the house, so you can rest.”

  They went inside where Aviela fussed over Achsah, making her a cup of tea and handing it to her. That was when she saw the infected shoulder with a foreign object embedded in it. “What on earth happened to you?”

  “I was in a couple of fights.”

  “Did Samuel Godfrey do this?”

  “No, but he was part of the problem.”

  “So, who did it?”

  “Do you remember Father’s love child, Anthea?”

  “What were you doing with that bitch?”

  “I’m not sure, to tell you the truth.” Achava proceeded to tell her the entire story, beginning with the marriage proposal. “I know that Anthea is just using Sam. But he would not believe me if I told him.”

  “He will have to learn the hard way. Anthea is too smart for him,” Aviela said. “Although she does not have the same DNA that you and I have. She will never be as powerful as you. Her mother was a witch.”

  “Glad you understand.”

  “You have to fight fire with fire. If you get close enough to Sam, you can abduct him with the power of your mind. It is a gift in our family line.”

  “Thanks Mom.” Achava winced at that moment.

  “So, what did she shove into your shoulder?”

  “She broke off a trumpet in it, used by a priest that marched around Jericho during Caleb and Joshua’s days.” Achava’s voice trembled. “Mother, I need you to take it out and disinfect the wound.”

  “Certainly. Let’s go to the bedroom. I keep medical supplies in the master bathroom.” Aviela acted like she could barely contain her rage. “I think I should put you in the shower first.”

  “I agree.”

  She gave her a couple of pain pills. “This may help a little bit.”

  While Achava undressed, Aviela got out the supplies and set the shower for hot. She dumped a bottle of body wash on her daughter and rinsed it off. She even helped her dry off and put on sweat pants.

  Achava lay on the bed covered with towels. After spraying antiseptic medicine on the shoulder, Aviela said, “Brace yourself.”

  She got out a pair of pliers, grasped the piece of the horn and yanked hard. It came out instantly.

  Achava screamed with the pain, “Aw-w-w.” She had never felt anything so excruciating like that before in her life.

  After spraying the shoulder again, Aviela closed the wound with super glue. She then wrapped an entire box of gauze around the shoulder and wrapped a warm comforter around her only daughter. “Sleep if you can. At least rest.” She placed a kiss on her cheek. “I love you.”

&n
bsp; “Read to me,” whispered Achava.

  She picked up a book and read, “We find our strength in the Lord. God has chosen you for a purpose. He declares who and what you are to be on earth. Those who choose to walk his path are enabled by his power. He sees beyond our faults, failures and limits. We do not walk in fear and disobedience, because He loves us so much and we want to please Him.”

  That was the last Achava heard before going into a deep sleep. Occasionally, she would awaken hot with fever. She would feel the ice packs and go back to sleep.

  When she awakened, she felt good. She was well.

  ***

  Achava returned to Ad Deir.

  The monastery was carved right into the mountain. The architecture was similar to the Treasury, but not as elaborate. There weren’t as many statues or figures on the outside. She stared at the entrance, which was an open doorway. It beckoned to her and mocked her at the same time. She had heard that it was an 850-step climb. With no toilets at the top. The uncertainty made her wonder. What if she was wrong about the fleece being there?

  She didn’t realize how much she actually depended on Sam’s advice and intellectual expertise. Recently, he was the one who figured out the riddles and put the pieces together. She couldn’t get over how he defeated Itai Malka, or how he figured out where the fleece might be.

  She knew that she had one more task to complete, unless it had been taken care of without her knowledge. Either way, she had no choice but to follow the lead that Sam gave her. The lead that Sam gave her?

  She did not understand her own heritage. She felt both ancient and young at the same time. There was a possibility that she had been succeeding in her missions long before Sam was born. She recently became too dependent on him. He was her crutch. It was easy having someone around to bounce ideas off of. It was helpful having someone else there to talk with. And laugh with.