Vespera entered the Hall of Records wearing a curious look on her face. ‘You requested to see me?’
I got straight to the point. ‘What happened to the pendant Thoth gave Miss Koriche?’
She looked puzzled a moment, then memories of that far-gone lifetime came back to her. ‘As Thoth requested, the pendant became a family heirloom, passed down by my son to his sons. And that’s probably where it is today.’
I looked at Zalman. He needed no further prompting.
‘I will trace Miss Koriche’s family tree,’ he said, ‘and get back to you with the identity of any possibilities. There may be none; there may be hundreds, it’s hard to say.’
‘A better staff I could not want,’ I told them all, happy to be finally getting somewhere in my search.
‘Are we done here?’ Polaris asked, having other pressing matters for me to attend to. ‘Arcturus will want to speak with you, Kali, before you return to Montségur.’
‘Ah yes, my adulterer father.’
‘The ringstone to which your father pledged his service acts as a constraint on his will.’ Denera spoke up on Arcturus’s behalf as I followed Polaris from the chamber. ‘Is a rape victim an adulterer? He may have looked like he was enjoying himself, but I assure you he did not.’
I nodded to concede her point. I would reserve judgement until I had spoken with my father myself.
Polaris entered the cabin where my father was confined to explain why I was there to see him. The room was made of Orme-reinforced steel, which blocked all psychic frequency. It had a twin-door entry with a security chamber between the doors; one door was required to be shut before the other could be opened. If the prisoner stuck his or her nose beyond the first door, then both security doors would close and trap the escapee. Even if the prisoner was able to become invisible, the sensors were DNA-sensitive and would identify even the ghost of a person.
When Polaris bade me enter, he looked more sombre than I had ever seen him. ‘He’s devastated, go easy,’ he advised.
It was so unlike Polaris to sympathise with my father that my Anunnaki judgemental streak dulled and I felt deeply apprehensive about having to confront a situation that involved true human emotion.
One look at my father’s expression and my human side knew how deeply he was hurting. He sat hunched forward on the metal bench that was the only object in the round, glowing metal room. I wanted to say something reassuring, but nothing came immediately to mind. However, the uncomfortable silence lasted only a moment, until my father found the courage to raise his head and see my awkward expression.
‘How can you even look at me?’ he asked, tears of shame in his voice.
‘I love you.’ The words were finally forthcoming. I may have looked older than my years, but emotionally speaking both Kali and Tamar were still very immature.
‘I don’t deserve your love.’ He couldn’t look me in the eye for his own filled with tears. ‘Or your mother’s.’
‘I won’t tell her,’ I said, moving to embrace and reassure him, but he held out a hand and stopped me.
‘I want you to tell her,’ he said. ‘She should know…’ His words trailed off; pained by whatever he was thinking, he added, ‘I cannot tell her.’
His shame consumed him and, although he fought it off, finally reduced him to tears. I had never seen my father cry, nor even unnerved.
‘Mum will understand, truly,’ I said as he wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He shook his head. ‘Look, I saw the whole thing,’ I started, then stopped at the look of horror on my father’s face. ‘Well, not all…’ I tried to backpedal but the damage was done. ‘But I saw enough to know you didn’t succumb to Ishtar willingly or easily.’
‘Ishtar!’ Arcturus went as white as a sheet as he recognised the name of the Nefilim goddess of seduction and war.
I took a seat alongside him on the metal bench. ‘Arcturus doesn’t fear the Nefilim, so why do you?’ I asked.
My father cracked a sorry smile. ‘Arcturus fears losing Meridan.’
My sympathetic smile did nothing to reassure him. I couldn’t predict how my mother would react; whether Ishtar’s scheme to cause a rift between them would be fulfilled. However, there was something I could do to ease the healing process.
A pile of paper materialised in my hands, covered with handwritten text. ‘Here.’ I handed it to Arcturus.
‘What’s this?’
‘My account of what happened as I would relay it to my mother…including the part of this conversation we haven’t had yet.’
I grinned to see my father’s sadness replaced by wonder and pride.
‘You are a very gifted child,’ he said, overwhelmed by my gesture of trust and forgiveness.
Even the Anunnaki half of me had to admit that bringing hope to another felt good.
‘Read it and decide how guilty you really are,’ I said, knowing he remembered little of what had actually occurred. ‘Then give it to Mum when you’re ready.’ I got up and turned to my father to say goodbye.
Arcturus didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ‘You are all grown up.’
I embraced him; he had never needed a hug so badly. ‘I just want to see you two crazy kids put this behind you and be happy.’
‘No one wants that more than I do.’ My father held me at arm’s length. ‘But speaking of crazy kids, what’s this I read about you and Killian Labontè?’
‘Ah…’ I wriggled free of my father’s clutches, feeling this was my cue to depart. ‘I really do have to go…Gotta save the world and all.’
‘His family are dangerous,’ my father said. He was living testament of that. ‘And in my humble opinion, Killian Labontè is dangerous too.’
‘If you think his family are bad, you ought to meet his band.’ I made light of my father’s worries and could see that a scolding was forthcoming. ‘But what if Killian is just some ignorant son of the blood that the Nefilim haven’t got to yet?’ I went on. ‘His auric body is pretty average. No trace of Orme, no huge looming spooks!’
Arcturus hazarded a nod to concur that my reasoning had merit.
‘So cut my friend a little slack, okay?’ I smiled. ‘He’s really very—’
‘That’s your I’ve-done-something-naughty smile,’ my father accused, pointing at me. ‘You’ve kissed him, haven’t you?’
‘Now I really am going.’ I turned and headed for the security doors. ‘Later, Dad,’ I said, and stepped into the security chamber.
‘Tell that boy he is so lucky I’m detained at present,’ Arcturus called after me. ‘And if he so much as thinks a lustful thought about you—’
‘Too late.’ I gave him a cheeky wave goodbye as the security door put a great metal barrier between us.
CHAPTER 7
STRANGE AURA
MIA DEVERE—MERIDAN
En route to the dig site, I was acutely aware that my husband could be lying in wait anywhere along the precarious path through the unearthed ruins. So when someone jumped out of the shadows just to my rear, I had a blade at his throat before he could speak.
‘Emmett,’ I said, surprised to find he was my captive. I sheathed the knife on my left hip, beneath my long jacket. ‘Don’t go creeping up on people like that.’
Emmett looked stunned to find me packing such a weapon, and more stunned that I had the expertise to wield it so effectively. ‘I won’t,’ he assured me. ‘Ever…again.’ And he started to back away.
‘Did you want me for some reason?’ I asked.
‘Tamar’s not back yet,’ he blurted out. ‘Doesn’t that worry you? If you think she’s safe with Killian…sorry, Mr Labontè, you’re sorely mistaken. The guy is a complete psycho! He thinks his parents are alien beings, and that down that hole somewhere he’s going to find the Rod of Power or a map to find it, and with that weapon he intends to murder his parents—who aren’t really his parents, you understand. And then…’ Emmett threw his hands in the air, ‘God knows what he plans to do!’
I was going to
sound like an uncaring mother, but I needed to get back to my mission. ‘What I would be more concerned about is whether Mr Labontè is safe with my daughter,’ I said.
‘How can you say that? Kali’s only thirteen!’
His use of the name shocked me into an about-face, and I found him looking just as perplexed.
‘Kali? Where did that come from?’ He shook off the conundrum to pursue his argument. ‘Nevertheless—’
‘Nevertheless, Tamar will be back when she’s good and ready, and neither you nor I can alter the fact. If she needs me, Emmett, she’ll call.’
‘Look, I know you think I’m just a jealous loser, but what if Tamar is in trouble?’ he persisted, following me, which I simply couldn’t allow. I also didn’t want Emmett becoming infatuated with my daughter; he was bound to get hurt when she stepped right over him in pursuit of her greater goals.
‘Tamar doesn’t get into trouble, she is trouble,’ I said, and he looked appalled.
‘How can you say that about your own daughter?’
‘Interesting that you called her Kali just now—a Freudian slip, do you think?’ I could see Emmett’s mind boggling at the question. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’m off to work.’
I didn’t look back to see how hurt or frustrated he was, I just kept moving.
‘All you history hunters are alike!’ he yelled into the stairwell as I descended. ‘Why do you think the past is so much more important than the present? Nothing is more important than the present—it’s the only reality that actually exists! Where we can have an effect!’
I moved with greater speed to get beyond his view. I was thinking of the present and the future, but it was the past that held the key to a brighter outcome for both. I needed to alert my fellow staff members to the potential threat my husband now posed; my daughter could take care of herself.
The excavation team had only explored the tunnels of the outer labyrinth, for the maze was so extensive they’d been forced to map it as they moved through to ensure they didn’t get lost or fall into one of its many hidden pits. So far they had found only dead ends, and that was all they would ever find.
I moved through the maze with sure-footed certainty, yet ever mindful of an ambush. Imagine my surprise when I spied the light of a glowstick up ahead in the darkness, and two figures moving towards me.
‘Who’s there?’ I called out.
‘It is Polaris, and I have your husband in my custody.’
‘Praise the universe.’ I breathed a sigh of relief and ran to meet them.
‘I’ve come to let you know that Arcturus handed himself in voluntarily,’ Polaris told me. ‘And, having revisited his meeting with Sabine Labontè this morning, I can verify that he isn’t a threat to your mission.’
‘That’s fantastic news.’ I flung my arms around Albray’s neck and gave him a squeeze, but he was unresponsive. Something wasn’t right: both my husband and the captain were acting strangely.
Polaris headed back inside the cavern. ‘Time for me to go. I’m parked in one of the outer chasms,’ he explained.
‘So what did Sabine do with you for half an hour?’ I asked my husband.
He smiled to reassure me. ‘Only implanted in me the will to discourage our daughter away from her son.’
‘That’s it?’ I thought the woman an idiot. ‘Has she no idea of the damage you could do?’
Albray shrugged. ‘I lucked out. Shall we go?’
‘Go where?’ I was surprised by his eagerness to accompany me, for only I could enter the Signet station.
‘If you think I’m leaving you unaccompanied for this mission, you’ve got another think coming. This project is crawling with Nefilim, and they’re bound to be monitoring these tunnels. I’ll guard the entry whilst you do your thing.’
This comment struck me as odd, for even if our adversaries were monitoring the tunnels, our light-bodies acted as shields to prevent us being detected by undesirables.
‘Sweetheart,’ Albray pulled me from my musing with a click of his fingers, ‘time is of the essence.’
‘That way,’ I said, and indicated that he should walk on in front of me.
As I followed him, I used my third-eye vision to check out his aura. I expected to find a Nefilim in my husband’s guise; however, Albray’s light centres appeared normal and his primary auric hue was as orange as ever—even in the green light of the glowstick he carried. Still, his light-body had a kind of fluid look about it, which was something I’d never seen before in the whole fourteen years since I’d learned to use my etheric sight.
The tunnel we were following ended in an unremarkable-looking earthen chamber.
‘I don’t get it.’ Albray threw up his hands. ‘Did we take a wrong turn somewhere?’
‘Must have.’
I backed up a few paces, trying to decide what to do. Something wasn’t right here and there was no way I was going to open the passage to my Signet station until I knew it was safe. A blade was no good in this instance—I didn’t want to inflict harm in case this really was my husband, and it was my psychic sight and not his auric body that was faulty. I reached for the stun-gun in my bag and only then realised that I’d dropped it when I apprehended Emmett, and in my hurry to get away from him I’d left it behind! It was times like this I wished I’d developed the skill of physical teleportation. All the Amenti staff members had the capacity to develop any psychic ability, but our needs throughout our lifetimes had given each of us an aptitude for particular skills.
Time to run, I told myself, and my body was quick to respond. I raced up the tunnel in the darkness, doubly panicked when I didn’t hear anyone pursuing me. For if this was a Nefilim ambush, there would be reinforcements to block my escape. I reached for my knife, but was knocked to the ground as I collided with another body, which then fell on top of me.
My victim whimpered as I overpowered him and pinned him beneath me.
‘Emmett!’ I gasped and released him. He was in grave danger by being here, yet he could be my saviour.
‘There are these strange creatures out there,’ he told me.
There was so much distress in his voice that I knew he’d seen some Dracon, which left no doubt in my mind that this was an ambush. The Nefilim were attempting to seize Signet Station Twelve!
‘My bag, where is it?’ I gripped him hard to express my urgency.
He found my hand in the darkness and shoved the bag into it.
‘You can’t write yourself out of this one, knife girl.’ My husband’s voice came from behind us, taunting, although clearly it wasn’t Albray who addressed me. From the tunnels up ahead I heard the familiar sound of Dracon ground troops scurrying on all fours along the ceilings, walls and floor towards us.
Despite my superhuman strength and resilience, my heart was pounding. Of all the Signet stations this was the only one we could not allow them to take, for the Triogenes pyramid housed the stargate that linked Earth to the lower causal realms of Aramatena in the constellation of Lyra. A highly advanced race of beings guarded the main passageway in and out of this lowest harmonic universe, through which ran the Amenti superhighway between Earth and Tara. If anyone but me tried to activate the stargate within the pyramid, the pyramid’s guardian council had the ability to destroy Triogenes at Earth’s end—better to leave humanity to its own devices than risk the main porthole to the second harmonic universe being breached or destroyed. Without the consent of the Council of Aramatena, my Signet station would not fully activate and connect to the grid. And without all twelve Signet stations active, Amenti’s doors would not open.
I found the stun-gun and pulled it from the bag. ‘Stay close to me,’ I whispered to Emmett as I dragged him to his feet. ‘Your immortal soul depends on it.’
‘I believe you,’ he replied, and I pulled him in the direction of the dead end.
Albray stood at the tunnel entrance, silhouetted against the light of the glowstick that he’d placed in the annexe beyond him. He formed his hands int
o fists and glowing blue etheric blades shot out of the fingerless leather gloves he wore. These weapons would leave no physical marks as they injured only the etheric body, but as the physical body could not exist without its etheric double, any vital organs pierced by the blades would go into seizure.
‘Time to cooperate,’ he advised me.
I shot several darts into his body and watched him fall. ‘I quite agree.’
Unless Albray had joined the ranks of the Nefilim and Dracon, this was clearly not my husband, for etheric blades were a weapon of the Old World Order. The Nefilim must have developed a means to disguise their light-bodies, but their shield was not perfect, and now I knew what the fault looked like.
I stepped over the motionless form and into the annexe beyond. ‘Come on,’ I urged Emmett.
There was a smooth rock wall on the far side of the annexe, which I approached. I took a deep inhalation and sang a very high, very pure sonic, which caused a doorway of glowing white light to carve itself through the stone.
‘Holy shit,’ said Emmett.
The Dracon reached the chamber entrance, but were put off entering by the high frequency of my note; it drove them crazy.
I held my note, grabbed Emmett by the arm and pulled him through the light barrier with me. Then I abruptly ended my song and the rock immediately reconstituted behind us.
‘Oh my goddess,’ Emmett gasped. ‘That was totally rad, Doc!’
Although I was flattered by his reaction, I couldn’t show it. ‘You shouldn’t be here at all,’ I said instead, annoyed by the breach in security.
He was offended. ‘What threat am I to you? Come to think of it, what would you have done if I hadn’t brought you your bag?’
He had a point.
‘It’s not what kind of threat you are to me, Emmett, it’s the threat your being here poses to all existence on this planet!’ I was turning circles contemplating what to do with him.
‘Look…obviously you’re up to some pretty scary shit here, which I’m not supposed to know about, and so I won’t even ask,’ he said, eyeing the massive quartz crystal formation glowing in front of us. ‘Why don’t you just tell me what you want me to do?’ He turned his baby blues back to me and raised both brows imploringly.