The Nexis Secret: YA Fantasy Romance (The Nexis Angel Series Book 1)

by Barbara Hartzler

  “More like dominating the world, actually.” Lenny’s deep voice rumbled on my right.

  Genesis six domination, the words were back again, this time they almost left my tongue. Tingles crawled up and down my neck. “That’s just crazy. They’ve really been at this for tens of thousands of years?”

  “Afraid so.” His giant paw landed on my shoulder.

  I gulped, bit my lip, willing myself to ask the question I didn’t want to ask. “And that’s why they want the Seer so bad, to finally get what they want?”

  He stared down at me. “That’s it exactly.”

  Strange fascination gurgled in my throat, a bubble of curiosity I couldn’t shove down. “And what are these sacred stones exactly?”

  Brooke rubbed her hands together. “That’s my favorite part. It’s from the book of Joshua. Each group has their own sacred stone. The Guardian Amethyst, the Watcher’s Sapphire, and the Nexis Ruby. Each stone has a special power.”

  I gulped. “That sounds cool. What kind of power?”

  “Don’t worry yourself about the stones.” Bryan took my hand and squeezed. “We need to worry about Nexis and what they really want from you.”

  Maybe, here in this dark tunnel, it was my time to be brave—to find out the truth. I swallowed down the lump of fear before it could shoot up again. “Has Nexis ever had the Seer on their side before?”

  “No, never. Not that they haven’t tried. They’ve managed to get themselves in other positions of power and killed several Seers for not joining them. Even people they thought were Seers, like Joan of Arc.”

  “Joan of Arc, really?” This time a softer grit of sandpaper grasped my hand. Bryan.

  “Her and many more, though she wasn’t actually the Seer of her generation.” The goosebumps popped up my arms again. He squeezed tighter. “I think it’s time you found out the truth, before it finds you first.”

  I nodded at his shadowy face, but the dark and light shapes blurred until he was unrecognizable.

  “C’mon.” He tugged my hand, like he’d done so many times before.

  This time a strange cold seeped into my skin. Even his soft voice, his warm touch, couldn’t melt my heart. If I was the Seer or even if they thought I was, would I meet the same fate as Joan of Arc did—a trial by fire? Or would it just happen to someone I love instead? The cold enveloped me, sapping away all my steeled-up resolve.

  Numbly my feet trudged forward, deeper into the tunnel. The musty air lost its edge, smelled fresher even, calling me to be still. And I knew what I had to do.

  I let go of Bryan’s hand, stopping dead in my tracks in the middle of the tunnel. I clasped my hands together in silent surrender, as if God could really hear me. Where are you? Without you, I’m completely lost.

  “Lucy, we’re almost there.” Bryan’s hand brought warmth this time.

  I whispered my thanks to the ceiling. Almost like God was telling me He’d heard, and given me friends to help me along the way.

  We found ourselves in another circular vestibule with a spiral staircase, much like where we’d entered at the library. I was the last to climb the stairs. I stumbled across the uneven doorstop, landing on my knees in the dewy grass. Tony and Lenny pushed a stone panel back into place until it looked like there was no door at all.

  Stars greeted me in the cool night sky. “Where are we?”

  He wrapped his hands under my shoulders, pulling me up in one swift motion. “Behind you.”

  I whirled around, my face inches from the observatory tower. “Cool, unless Nexis knows about this.”

  “Get back. We don’t want them to spot us.” Laura yanked me against the brick wall with the rest of the group, her voice low. “I don’t think so. That door hasn’t been opened in a long time. Shanda was right. I bet they’ve been searching for this all year.”

  “Creepy, sis,” Lenny whispered. “Do you think that tunnel goes anywhere else?”

  “Like where?” She rolled her eyes at him.

  “Like a secret passage to a Nexis underground lair? Woooo.” He reached out and waved his hands in her face like a cartoon ghost.

  “Or a Watchers’ den where they monitor us like puppets in a play.” Yep, that was me—always blurting out exactly what I was thinking. But if we found a secret entrance in the chapel, there had to be others.

  Crickets chirped happily in the crisp night air, oblivious to our earth-shattering problems.

  Bryan looked at me, head cocked. “Why would you think something like that?”

  I dropped Laura’s hand. “Strange symbols, underground tunnels, forgotten legends. At this point, it seems like anything is possible.”

  Lenny nodded. “I’m with Lucy. I don’t like this at all. There’s gotta be more to it.”

  “Maybe.” Bryan scratched his chin, glancing away from me. “I’ll look into it.”

  “You do that.” I shrugged off his dubious maybe and glanced around at the rest of the group. “They’ve got an eye in the sky, and we’re stuck here. Now what do we do?”

  A flash of something gleamed in Tony’s eye. “What if I can distract them somehow? And find out if Felicia’s working for them at the same time?”

  “I’m listening.” Beside me, Bryan’s voice turned gruff. He reached for my hand, as if for the first time I might be able to give him some measure of strength. I squeezed back. His puffed-out chest deflated.

  Tony whipped out his cell. “I could call her up and say we’ve found some kind of secret chamber, across the river. Maybe they’d leave the tower.”

  Bryan shrugged, with my hand still in his. “I guess it’s worth a shot. Let’s put it to a vote. Just nod if you approve.”

  Laura nodded on my left, then me, followed by Lenny and Tony. Brooke peered over at Bryan and bit her lip. Slowly, she nodded, too.

  With an emphatic nod, Bryan gave his final approval. But his lips twitched, as if it wasn’t his first choice. Again, I squeezed his hand. His eyes softened as he stared down at me.

  “Here goes.” Tony dialed the number, gulping in a deep breath. Suddenly his lungs heaved, and his voice turned breathy as he panted into the phone. “Felicia, you won’t believe it. We’ve found something, a secret chamber under the Watchers’ field. But it’s too dark tonight. We’re going to meet up at dawn tomorrow to explore it. You in?”

  At my side, Laura stifled a giggle. Bryan just shook his head and slumped down against the brick tower.

  “Great. Bring all the flashlights and candles you’ve got, okay?” He clicked off the call and stuck the phone in his pocket. “Now, we wait.”

  “Brilliant.” Laura golf-clapped at him. “You should really take up acting or something.”

  He raised his eyebrows, taking a slight bow. “I just might.”

  “Shush.” Brooke slammed her finger to her lips. “They might hear us.”

  “Sorry.” Laura mouthed, still smiling at Tony.

  I slunk down the side of the tower on the grass next to Bryan. The wind whipped at my face, and I wrapped my arms around my knees. His hand found its usual place on my back, rubbing circles, only this time it wasn’t for my comfort.

  “What if this actually works?” His hushed words floated up, into the cold breeze. “We’ll have to treat her like a traitor. This can’t be happening after all these years.”

  “We’ll figure that out when the time comes.” My words weren’t really about Felicia, like my mouth knew more than my brain.

  Vibrations trembled behind the stone tower wall, then stomping, probably heavy footsteps down a certain wrought-iron staircase. A door creaked open and slammed shut. Kevin’s bleached head barreled into the darkness, his legs churning in the fastest sprint I’d ever seen. Soon he was out of sight, headed straight for the field across the river.

  “Well, I guess we know the truth now.” Tony’s whisper was solemn, as if he never really believed it could be true. “I’m sorry, man. I hoped we were wrong.”

  “Me too,” I whispered so low I wonder if Bryan e
ven heard me.

  He grabbed my hand and pulled us both up, his face full of weary lines. “Let’s get back to the dorms. We’ll deal with this tomorrow.”

  In an instant, he let go of my hand and took off running.

  I tried to keep up, but halfway across the quad my legs turned to mush and cold air seared into my lungs. I slowed the pace, but he kept on running into the night. The white outline of the hawk’s wings on his jacket practically flapped in the darkness, almost as if he were really flying. Tony and Lenny disappeared after him until all the boys were out of sight.

  I whispered to the starry sky, “Help him figure this out.”

  Laura and Brooke finally caught up to me.

  Brooke nudged my shoulder. “He’ll be fine, he just needs some time to cool off.”

  “You’re right, I know.” My hot breath steamed into the cold air.

  Laura’s lips curled up. “Let’s sneak back in the way we came.”

  I nodded and followed them into the shadows, wishing I could turn back time to the way things were before I saw that symbol—the mark of the Seer.

  Chapter 20

  A thunder rush of wind and metal blew in my face as another train raced into the station. The blast whipped my hair around me.

  Suddenly I felt eyes all around me, staring.

  The world went black and gray.

  One thing remained—the eyes.

  Tenuous trust, shattered in an instant, as if someone knew the secret we found last night, and they weren’t going to let us get away with it.

  The darkness closed in, a gray mist suffocating like fog around us.

  Only I could see. Everyone else was blind.

  A message burned in my heart, telling me I had to lead the way. I had to show them the truth. Strong hands thrashed at me from either side, but I danced around them. Away from their clutches, toward the light that burned so brightly that I fell to my knees. I bent my head and nodded, accepting my role even if I didn’t know the details, didn’t know the cost.

  Colors filtered through the mist, and the subway station reappeared.

  The world was right again.

  The vision vanished as quickly as it came on.

  They kept getting weirder, not to mention more pointed. This one felt like a turning point, like I couldn’t go back any more.

  “Clumsy girl,” Tony gripped my arm, hoisting me to my feet. “Someone’s got to look out for you.”

  I blinked until the fog cleared. Better play it cool, like nothing had just happened.

  We climbed from the subway to East 103rd Street in Harlem, a trio of two-by-two ark buddies on a pilgrimage ordered by our fearless leader. When I snuck a peek at Bryan, his lips were twisted, his eyes skittering over everyone and everything on the crowded sidewalk. Just a hint of fear, small but unmistakable. He hadn’t answered my calls all day. I was determined to give him his space, as if I had a choice.

  The overcast sky dimmed to a darker shade of gray, Brooke following right on her brother’s heels as he led the way past eclectic New York shops and beautiful old brownstones to Lexington Avenue.

  Tony lagged behind with me as we shuffled down the crowded street. We turned the corner into a construction zone, which lasted until we reached 104th.

  “Smell that. It’s heavenly.” Laura inhaled, lingering in front of a fragrance shop on the corner.

  I caught a whiff of exotic sandalwood. “If only the rest of New York smelled this good.”

  “True dat. No time for window shopping, little sis.” Lenny shoved her down 104th as Tony pulled me along the sidewalk. “Pick up the pace.”

  “Hey, I go at my own speed,” she cried, punching Lenny’s bicep.

  “Yeah, why don’t you stop and smell the sandalwood?” I twirled my dark hair into a rope and whipped it at Tony. “We could pass for brother and sister, I guess.”

  “Funny.” He pursed his full lips that any girl would pay to have. Under the glare of the streetlights, his dark hair really contrasted against his features.

  “Wow, your skin is paler than mine. Anyone ever tell you that you look like a vampire?” I hissed at him.

  He jerked his face toward me as he bared his teeth. “If I was, you wouldn’t be around long enough to tell anyone.”

  A large Latina passed us, covering the eyes of her two kids and huddling them to her side.

  I cracked up so loudly both brother and sister pairs turned around. “Watch out, Tony Cullen is scaring the locals.”

  Laura and Brooke busted out laughing, but Bryan and Lenny furrowed their foreheads like I’d asked them to multiply square roots.

  Tony just hung his head. “You don’t want to know.”

  It felt good to smile, even laugh again. Things had been way too heavy lately. Maybe this so-called field trip was just the thing to lift me out of my funk. Even Mr. Tall Dark and Brooding might have a little fun. Yeah, right.

  We crossed Third Avenue into the residential area of 104th Street. Circles of light haloed the gum-dotted pavement every few feet as the street noises died down. Tall brick buildings covered with evenly spaced windows sprouted on our right, then on both sides of the street. I scooted closer to Tony. “Are these the projects?”

  He shrugged, eyes darting around. “Not the scary ones you see on TV. These are mostly remodeled co-ops. Don’t worry, there’s a police station a couple of blocks over. It’s perfectly safe.”

  I wanted to run up to Bryan and wrap myself in his arms, but I had to be brave. Silly girl. I bit my lip, trying not to let the shivers crawl up my spine. From our spot in the back of the group I herded the sheep forward until we crossed Second Avenue. We passed a few oddball shops and brownstones that screamed old New York. Then we came to our final destination.

  “Beautiful.” I whistled out all the pent-up air in my lungs.

  A massive circle of stained glass glowed in the gathering dusk from several stories up. We stopped in front of the enormous stone church. Above the door it read St. Lucy’s Church and School. “Awesome, I have a church and a school. Does that mean I’ll have to become a saint to get my full inheritance?”

  Bryan ignored me and checked his watch. “Good, we’re on time. I told Father Patrick about half past eight. I said we’re doing a paper on St. Lucia and we had to interview a priest. I know. I hate lying to a man of the cloth. But we have to know more about her, and they’re not all sympathetic to the Guardians. Some are. Some aren’t. We’ll have to see.”

  I glanced over at Tony and he shot me a quirky look. We followed the siblings up the steps to the church. In the doorway, I stopped.

  A strange sensation of utter sorrow mixed with determination submerged in the pit of my stomach, but I pressed on. You don’t get a church named after you for happy reasons.

  A hush fell over us as bright soprano voices feathered the air of the grand stone foyer. A long high note pierced through the cracks of the sanctuary door, then faded to silence. I tiptoed across the tiles after Brooke and Bryan.

  “Choir practice, ugh,” Tony whispered to me.

  “It’s gorgeous.” I held one finger to my lips, pausing mid-step.

  Another muted refrain rang out, the low alto rising in a soporific crescendo. I arched up to my toes as the music swelled, peeking into the triangular window of the nearest door.

  “C’mon.” He grabbed my hand, yanking me down a dim hallway. “If anyone’s destiny depends on this, it’s yours.”

  “For your information, if anyone isn’t quite ready for her destiny, it’s me.” I waved my farewell to the beautiful music, my beacon of hope that melted away the dark subway vision.

  Thick eyebrows waggled above his pale, bluish lids. “Ready or not, here it comes.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter, you know.” I wriggled my hand free to walk at my own pace.

  “Somebody thinks you do.” He cocked his head down the hall, toward the broad shoulders that disappeared into a doorway.

  “Why can’t he do it himself?” I stamped my fo
ot like a toddler who didn’t get her way. Exactly how I felt, too. “He’s just mad about Felicia, but it’s not like I’m the one who forced her to switch sides.”

  Yellow light spilled from the open doorway into the dim hall.

  “Of course not, but it’s totally rocked him. He says we have to go on the offensive now, whatever that means.” He pulled me toward the light into the small library. “Just keep an open mind, will you?”

  I nodded at him, the smell of burning wax searing my nose. In a room as big as a bedroom, shelves of books lined the walls from plush carpet to coffered ceiling. The windows were draped with burgundy velvet. Candles flickered in gilt candelabras on the windowsill between the fabric panels. Old hardbacks stacked with ancient leatherbound volumes lined each shelf, all miraculously dust-free.

  Bryan and Lenny stood in front of a large mahogany table in the center of the room, their sisters seated in Victorian chairs in front of them. Bryan scooted out the remaining chair, nodding at me to sit.

  Then a black-clad man with a white collar bustled in. “It’s nice to see chivalry hasn’t died out in the teenage population.” He adjusted his dark frames against his grayed temples. Those small, beady eyes reminded me of someone.

  Bryan shook hands with the priest, who then took the remaining seat. “Thanks for meeting with us, Father Patrick. You’ll be a big help to our project.”

  Father Patrick cracked his knuckles, then flexed his fingers. “You’ve been assigned one of the more interesting saints, I must say. What did you want to know?”

  “We want to know the legend of St. Lucia.” Laura’s tiny voice sounded larger in this small space. She gulped, then turned to me. Silence hung heavy in the room.

  Brooke glanced at me just like Laura had. Then she pulled out a pad of paper, her pen poised over it. “Tell us about how she became a saint.”

  Behind me, Bryan rested his hand on my chair. His fingertips grazed my shoulder, tracing the tiniest circle on my back. How could I concentrate while Bryan was doing that?

  “There are many legends that surround her.” Father Patrick’s gaze swept over us in a wide arc. “The legend goes that she was martyred for her faith after she refused to marry a prominent man. He purportedly turned her over to the Diocletian’s governor in Syracuse, who killed Christians in the Middle Ages. When she refused to recant her faith, they tried to drag her off but couldn’t move her, as if she were made of stone. Then they tried to burn her, but God saved her then, too. So they gouged out her eyes, eventually running her through with a sword. Because of her eyes, she’s the patron saint of the blind.”