I stare silently out the shattered window, numb and shivering as Aidan drives us back to our hideout. The buildings give way to small businesses as we get closer to downtown, and I see a run-down gas station on the corner. “Stop there.”
Aidan slows down, steering into the tiny parking lot and maneuvering around the two gas pumps to stop in front of the store. “Is this safe?”
I jump out of the car without answering and rush inside, the bell ringing as the door opens and closes.
The tiny store, no larger than a school classroom, feels cold and dirty. The cracked tiles on the floor are covered with stains, and the smell of oil makes me wrinkle my nose. The young clerk looks bored behind the counter.
“Excuse me.” I wait, but he just flips another page in his magazine. “Where are your maps?”
The clerk points to the rack at the other end of the counter, licking his dirty fingers to turn another page.
I walk over to the red metal stand, grabbing two folded maps, one of Reno and the other of the Mt. Rose and Lake Tahoe area. Each map has a sale price sticker of two dollars, so I fish a five out of my pocket, show the clerk my maps, and drop the bill on the counter as I leave the store.
I slide back into the Jeep, some loose glass falling onto the floor as I shut the door. I fan the maps out, so Aidan can see what I bought.
“What are those for?” Aidan steers out of the lot, turning back out onto the empty street.
“I keep thinking about the clues that Violet gave us. None of it makes any sense to me. I thought we’d look at some maps because the stone has to be hidden somewhere around here. Right?” I partially unfold the Reno map, staring at the lines that make up the city I grew up in and the city that suddenly feels foreign.
Aidan nods, stopping the car in an alley just two blocks away from our abandoned building. He reaches over, laying a hand on my arm. “Are you doing okay?”
“I’m fine. We find the stone. There’s nothing else. We find Taurus’s birthstone, and we find my key, then we send him back wherever we can send him. We get Jocelyn back. You’re right. She’ll be fine.” My jaw set, I fold the map and get out of the car, shutting the door a little harder than I had planned. I march straight to the building, throwing caution to the wind.
I’m done running.
I sit on the floor, hunched over the map of Mt. Rose and Lake Tahoe, while Aidan stares at the Reno map, absentmindedly putting chip after chip in his mouth. My eyes are tired, and everything on the map starts to look the same. I’ve read every inch of it, but nothing jumps out at me.
Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I lean back on the blanket to rest my back. I pull my phone out of my pocket, glancing at the almost dead battery, and press the contacts icon, skimming through until I find Sarah’s number, and press Call. After a few quick rings, it sends me to her voicemail. I hang up, calling right back, and again get her voicemail. I scroll through my numbers until I find her diner and press call. After two rings, the hostess answers.
“Thank you for calling the Steak and Eggs diner, this is Linda, how can I help you?”
“Can I talk to Sarah, please? It’s urgent.”
Linda hesitates. “She’s not here, can I take a message?”
I frown over at Aidan, who’s watching me. “No, that’s okay. When did she leave?”
Another moment of silence on the line. “Leave? She hasn’t been here for a couple of days. Are you sure I can’t take a message for you?”
“No, thanks.” I push the button to disconnect the call and slip my phone back into my pocket, sitting up. “Do you think that’s weird that she never went to the diner when we dropped her off?”
Aidan turns his map around, looking at it from a different angle. “Do you think something happened to her?”
I search inside myself, not sure how to answer. “It’s possible something happened.”
Aidan looks up, studying my face. “But you don’t think so?”
Guilt nags at the back of my mind for doubting her when she seems to be helping, but I slowly shake my head. Clearing the negative thoughts away, I pick up my map again, growling in frustration. “I don’t even know what I’m looking for on this stupid map.”
“Let’s think about the first line. The place to start is a match to the stone. Taurus’s stone is a combination of three jewels. The Zodiac stone and the stones for the months in which his house rules. Sapphire belongs to Taurus, and he rules in April and May.”
I snap my fingers. “I remember Sarah saying that his true birthstone has sapphire, emeralds, and diamonds.”
My hope swells, and I grab the map, going immediately to the south-west shore of Lake Tahoe. I double check to make sure and grin at Aidan. “I found something.”
Aidan gets up and squats behind me, reading the map over my shoulder. I point to the area that is the Emerald Bay State Park on the map. “That looks promising.”
After a closer look at the map, my shoulders slump like a popped balloon. “If that’s it, that park has over fifteen hundred acres of land.”
I pull out my phone again, dialing Sarah one more time, and hang up when it goes straight to voicemail. I stand up and stuff my phone back into my pocket, stretching my tired body. “I guess we go to Lake Tahoe.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It takes about an hour to drive to Lake Tahoe on a sunny day, but with all the snow we’ve been getting in the area, the roads are almost nonexistent. I’m anxious about the length of time it’s taking when the deep blue waters finally come into view.
I study the map while Aidan navigates the icy mountain highway, hoping to narrow down our searching area but not having any luck.
We curve around the southwest shore of the lake, closing in on Emerald Bay State Park. I marvel at the snowy forest that looks more like a painting than an actual place.
Aidan steers the Jeep into a turnout for scenic viewing and shuts off the engine. “You ready?”
I nod, collecting my maps. “Keep your eyes open. It’s already getting late, and we have that long drive back.”
We make our way carefully over the edge, testing our weight on each rock before fully stepping down. The climb is slow and tedious. A fall would be far and steep and straight into the forest below.
We finally reach the bottom, and I breathe a sigh of relief to have my feet firmly on solid ground. My relief, however, is short-lived as I turn and study the forest that stretches out in front of us. With a deep breath, I square my shoulders and tread through the trees, following the Eagle Falls Trail.
The snow is so thick that the trail is almost impossible to follow. I stop, closing my eyes, and relax into a trance, using all my senses to reach out and feel for the stone. The trees around me hum with an energy I’ve never felt before, alive in a way I couldn’t have imagined. I open my eyes, disappointed that I can’t sense anything of the stone, and keep walking, with Aidan following close behind. “Can you feel the birthstone?”
Frustration creases his brow. “Nothing yet.”
I peek through the fir trees, trying to gauge the amount of sunlight we have left. “We have to move. We’re running out of light, and it’s going to get colder fast.”
The trail winds down to Emerald Bay, and I push through the snow, clearing a path with my boots. The effort of kicking through the powder and the frigid air makes it hard to breathe. I stop with my hands on my hips, sucking in deep, burning lungfuls of air.
“I don’t know how we’re going to find anything here. I don’t even know if we’re on the right side of the park. What if they buried it? The ground is frozen, and we don’t have anything to dig with.”
Aidan stares down the trail in front of us. “Let’s keep pushing our way to the bay. We can sweep along the water from there.”
I scan the forest as we walk, reaching out for any different energy signature, and feel nothing but disappointment. As we walk, I see a break through the trees and the dark glistening waters of Emerald Bay. The gray afternoon light sparkles on
the foam-crusted waves.
“There’s the water.”
Aidan stops, still as a statue, his eyes glazed over. “I think we’re getting close.”
My heart flips in my chest. “Seriously? You feel it? I don’t feel anything. Are you sure?”
I can’t believe it. Are we about to catch a break?
“It’s faint, but I feel something out there. You’ll be able to sense these stones better once you go through the ritual.” Aidan glares at the water through the trees. “The second part of the clue was to partner with the element.”
I wait for him to finish.
“Taurus is one of the three that rules over the Earth element. Water would be a partner, wouldn’t it?”
“That sounds right. Earth and water both make up the planet, and the ground needs water to grow things. That’s a partnership to me.” I’m ready to run to the bay, but Aidan grabs my hand.
“You don’t think it’s in the water, do you?” A shadow crosses his face, and I’m sure he’s flashing back to our fall in the Truckee River. “It’s too deep, and it’s freezing.”
“That water is too cold to swim in any time of the year. They would’ve had to just sink it, and I don’t think they would’ve risked that. I think they’d want to be able to get to it someday.” I cover the last of the trail as fast as I can, dragging Aidan behind me.
We break through the trees and onto the snow-covered beach, and I stumble as the sand gives way beneath my feet. “Do you feel it?”
“The pull is stronger here. It feels like it’s all around us. I’m not sure which direction it’s coming from.” Aidan turns in a circle, scanning the air. He points to a small island in the center of the bay. “What’s that?”
“Some island. I’m not even sure what the name is.” I pull the map out of my coat pocket where I’d stuck it to keep it dry, unfolding it to scan for our location.
“It’s called Fannette Island.” I search the whole map, scanning for other islands. My head snaps up, and I look at Aidan, about to burst.
“Aidan, there aren’t any other islands here at Lake Tahoe. Beware of the cold, talking about the partner points to the freezing waters. Someone would freeze to death trying to swim in that water. Then we take refuge where there is only one. If that’s the only island here, then that’s where we need to go.” I hastily fold the map up, jamming it back into my pocket.
“The question is, how do we get out there?” Aidan looks at me with none of the excitement that runs through my body.
“There’s gotta be something. We have to look. We’re too close to finding the stone.” I dash along the shoreline, looking for anything we can use for a boat.
“Over here!”
I follow the sound of Aidan’s voice and find him standing near the trees with his back to me, and run over, stopping next to him. On the ground, tucked beneath a tree, lies an old wooden boat.
“Let’s get it out.”
We each grab hold of the boat and pull, but it doesn’t budge. I plant my feet, grunting as I pull with all my strength. The boat gives an inch, and I grit my teeth, giving one final tug. The small vessel works free, and I squeal as it throws me on my butt in the snow. I roll to the side to keep from being smashed.
Aidan suppresses a laugh and walks over to offer me a hand. I glare at it but allow him to pull me to my feet.
“Let’s have a look at this and see if it’s safe.” Aidan squats next to the boat, inspecting the integrity of the wood.
The small craft barely looks large enough to carry the two of us. The wood is old and wet but appears to be intact. There aren’t any gaping holes in the bottom, for which I’m grateful, and one small oar lays on the bottom, tucked beneath the middle seat.
“It looks safe enough.” Aidan leans on the edge, pushing to test the boat.
I snort. “We’ll see when we get it in the water.”
Aidan rolls his eyes and motions for me to grab the back of the boat. “Then I guess we find out.”
I squat by the end, setting my feet on the slippery ground, and lift. It’s heavier than I thought it would be, which makes me feel a little bit better that we’re about to get in it and float across the freezing lake.
We carry it to the edge of the water and place it down as gently as possible, so we don’t cause any unnecessary damage. I put my hands on my hips, panting as I stare out at the silent island midway in the bay. We have to be crazy to go out there.
Aidan pushes the tiny boat into the water, hanging on to the edge to keep it from floating away. “Get in.”
I hold it steady as I carefully step in, testing my weight on the wood, and catch my breath, hoping I don’t fall through or tip into the water. One foot secure, I carefully push with the other, the boat tilting dangerously. My heart leaps into my throat, and I hold my position until the rocking stops.
Aidan steadies the boat as I quickly lower myself on the back seat, sitting as still as I can, and wait for Aidan. He swiftly joins me, landing both feet in the boat with his catlike movements. I shake my head as he drops into the boat, picking up the single oar and shoving us away from the shore.
Fannette Island lies almost directly in the center of the bay. I’d heard of it as a kid, but I don’t know much about it. An old stone building resembling a miniature castle peeks out of the trees in the steel gray light, looking precisely like somewhere I don’t want to be.
Aidan, perched on the stern of the boat, moves the oar in a figure eight pattern, scooting us closer to the island. The moisture hanging in the air freezes in my hair and I shiver, feeling exposed. It’s much colder out on the water. I glance over the edge into the deep blue waters. In the heart of winter, the blue is so dark, it’s almost black.
Tingling energy crawls through my fingers. I gasp, choking on the cold, and sputter my words. “I feel the stone.”
Aidan nods, frowning as he concentrates on rowing. Tiny beads of sweat glisten on his forehead. “It’s here and has been for a very long time.”
Finally, we bump into the shore of Fannette Island and climb out of the boat. We pull it out of the water to keep it from floating away. The island isn’t extensive, but it’s steep, with rocks and trees covering every inch.
“Ciara, come over here.” Aidan stands beside a waist-high plaque.
The information marker shows pictures of the island and provides the short story of the island’s history. “I’m sorry, Aidan, we don’t have time for a history lesson.”
I turn to head up the island, but he stops me with a very emphatic look. I lean over the board, reading just above his finger: Fannette Island was once home to Captain Dick “Them’s my toes” Barter from 1863-1873. The eccentric captain had built his own tomb and chapel on the island, but he was never buried on the island due to being lost in a storm off Rubicon Point in 1873.
I straighten, staring at the board. “Filling a space that stormy waters would not. It’s in the tomb.”
We climb the cliff leading to the top of the island, acutely aware of the fading light. Around halfway up, I notice I’m climbing faster and easier than Aidan. Given his reflexes and my tendency for accidents, I find it both strange and amusing. I stop and call down to him. “Are you okay? You’re moving a little slow.”
“I’m not slow.” He grumbles. “You carry the Capricorn stone. You’re tapping into its power even though it’s sealed and you’re not an official Guardian. Remember, you’re the house of the goat.”
Smiling, I turn my attention back to climbing and quickly arrive at the top. Aidan joins me as I take in my surroundings.
Sapphire-colored water and snow-capped emerald trees stretch as far as the eye can see in any direction. I make the full circle, admiring the view, but stop cold when movement on the distant beach catches my eye. From this distance, it’s hard to see details, but there’s no mistaking the dark shapes on the shoreline. “I think we’re about to have company.”
“Let’s go.” Aidan leads the way to the back side of the island, where
we find the empty tomb of the captain.
The crumbling structure is made of stone, the victim of extreme winter weather and vandalism. It looks unstable at best, but I don’t waste any time entering the small tomb. It’s dark inside, the air smelling of moss mixed with the sour odor of long-standing water. My body buzzes with the electricity of Taurus’s stone, which causes Capricorn’s stone to hum in return.
Aidan smiles at my confusion. “The stones can sense each other. It’s all tied together. The birthstones, the Zodiacs, the Aids. You.”
Quickly, I circle the inside of the tomb. “I can’t tell where the energy is coming from, can you pinpoint it?”
Aidan squeezes his eyes shut then slowly shakes his head. “There’s too much energy in here. I can’t tell.”
I whirl around, searching for anything that looks out of place, when my eyes fall on a loose rock in the center of the floor. I drop to my knees and yank the hefty piece of stone loose, only to find mud beneath it. Using the rock as a tool, I use it to bang on the others, knocking each one loose and pulling it out of the way.
Aidan picks up on my plan, grabs one of the rocks I knocked loose and follows suit, starting on the other side of the tomb. Before long, we’ve pulled up most of the floor. I sit back on my heels, staring around at the walls. My eyes fall on a small brass plate, almost invisible as it blends in the with stone through years of exposure to the elements. I move in for a closer look and find the name Captain Dick Barter engraved and barely legible. As I walk toward the wall, I keep my eyes fixed on the plate for fear of losing it against the stone.
“Filling a space that stormy waters would not.”
Aidan stops banging and joins me near the wall. The stones have moved slightly out of the original position, and the wall looks as if it might fall at any minute. I run my finger over the plate to clear away some of the grime, yelling as a jolt sears through my arm as if I just grabbed an electric fence.
The Tenth House Page 15