“Right.” He laughed awkwardly. “Take it anyway,” he said, shoving it toward me. We started down a narrow set of stone stairs, brushing cobwebs aside along the way. “It’s right around this corner.”
“So do you think he was hinting at something?” I asked, breathing in a cobweb. I coughed and swatted at my face, grunting in aggravation.
“Who?”
I frowned. “Soothe. Do you think Soothe was hinting at something? He said that I would find this place ‘helpful.’ It sounded like one of his cryptic messages, don’t you think?”
Fenn shrugged. “I guess so. I’ve heard through the grape vine that his voices have returned. So it’s possible he knows things again. You know him better than I do.”
“How so?”
Fenn threw me a witting look over his shoulder. “You guys have some sort of weird lingo. You exchange looks. If you think there was something more to his statement, then I’m sure there was.” He stopped. “Here we are.” He extended his hand and stepped out of the way to help me down onto the dusty cobble-stoned floor.
He touched the tip of his torch to a small crack in the wall, and we watched as the flames raced past us and around the room. That’s when the treasures before me really shined.
I gasped. “Look at all this stuff!”
“Neat, right?”
I stepped past him and skimmed through the various items, seemingly placed with no rhyme or reason. Large golden sculptures littered the floor. Trunks were filled with coins and gems. There was furniture, weapons...everything that could be coveted. Everything that was sacred.
“This is insanity,” I said. I had no idea where to begin.
Fenn came up behind me, running his hand sensually over my back and down my sides. I spun into his arms. “Still in the mood?” He sounded so hopeful.
I giggled. “Are you kidding? After all that? Not really. At least not in here.”
He frowned, but it was fake. “I agree,” he said, kissing me softly. “But we will be finishing where we left off later.” I shivered in anticipation.
“So, umm…” I said, trying to steady my voice, “what do you think we should look for?”
Fenn snorted as he went to work on a small white oak chest.
I laughed. “I figured you would say that.” I glanced around. Finding Soothe’s non-existent clue felt more like a nightmare than a godsend.
I did the only thing I knew how, and that was to start from the beginning. Hours passed as we made our way through the heaping mess of treasure. Fenn had shucked out of his jacket and rolled the sleeves up, resting against a table while digging through a mound of papers.
Even though I wanted out of my dress, I kept it on, knowing that there would probably never be another time where I could wear it again. I had just turned to a small jewelry box when Fenn cleared his throat.
“Come look at this,” he said. The chill in his tone of voice prickled at the back of my neck. I walked over to the chest he was digging through.
“What is it?”
He handed me a partially burnt, dated picture, and stared past me, his face pale, twisting an uncomfortable knot in my stomach. The back had scribbling across it that had been smudged with ash. The only letters that I could make out were a Z and a D. A sick feeling replaced my earlier butterflies.
I carefully turned the photo over, willing it to be charred. But it wasn’t. The perfectly clear face of a teenage boy holding a staff taller than him stood front and center. There was a glint of an evil smile on his lips.
There was no mistaking who it was. Those deep, brown eyes were full of malevolence so thick it was almost churning in the depths of his pupils. I felt instantly pulled to him as I stared into his dark eyes.
Fenn snatched it out of my hand. “It’s him, isn’t it?” Hatred curved his words. His fingers seemed to curl around the photo with an urge to crumble it to pieces.
I only nodded.
He dropped it into the small box he had found, cursing.
“I don’t even look like him. Thank The Fates.”
“That’s a blessing,” I blurted out, thinking of Zane and how closely he resembled his father. The old tugging sensation crept in, buckling my knees. I grabbed on to a nearby table for support. Fenn turned around on cue. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m not scared of him anymore,” I said, my voice quivering with uncertainty as I regained my composure. What I really felt was that if I said it enough, maybe it would be true.
“You shouldn’t be, Rory,” he said for the millionth time. “There’s other stuff here. Look.” He took the box and placed it on the table, dust flying up in a grayish white cloud.
“I wonder why Kaede has all of this stuff,” I said after sneezing twice.
“Bless you,” Fenn said as he pillaged through the box.
After pulling out the first layer of photos, we stumbled upon three spectols—a small compass-like gadget that could record a moment in time with one half, and relay it to another with the other half of the gadget. Two were complete having both halves, and the third spectol had only the side that played out. They all had the three symbols of The Fates on them.
After perking up a brow at Fenn, I picked one up. There was a small tag around the dial that was labeled Zordon. I took in a deep breath and turned the small dial counter clockwise. The spectol floated out of my hand as light peeked out from the inside.
The room around us faded away, melding and transforming into the Hall of Knowledge. Fenn reached out and took my hand in his, gripping it tightly.
A man appeared before us. He wore the same pristine white robe that Lexi wore. His head lifted up just enough to show a set of large round eyes glowing white. Screeching overtook the room. It was a Fate. I covered my ears, trying to tune out the awful, painful sound.
“How are we supposed to decipher this?” I shouted over the screeching.
“Extium!” Fenn shouted, closing the spectol. Immediately the screeching vanished, replaced by the sound of flickering flames inside the Artifact Chamber. We stared at each other for a long time. The distant sound of cheery music seeped in from above, drowning out the quiet pounding behind my eyes.
There were no words for what I was thinking as we stood there motionless. “This could be great,” Fenn said excitedly. He turned to me. I watched him vacantly as he grabbed my forearms. “No, I’m serious, Rory. What if this was how Zordon communicated with Saeth? This could be an important message!”
“A message we can’t interpret,” I reminded him.
“But Astral can,” he pointed out.
My mood perked up. “He can.” I looked up at him. “We have to tell him!”
“We can do it tomorrow morning when we meet with Kaede. That way we can figure out how he got a hold of these in the first place and why he hasn’t said anything.”
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s take the box and go to bed. I don’t want to be down here anymore.” I didn’t add how the air suddenly felt stale.
Fenn grabbed the box, rummaging through its contents one last time. He pulled out another photo and held it up, his calm expression morphing into a sadness I had only seen on him a few times.
The photo showed Zordon and Gwenevere as teenagers. They were dressed elegantly and stood near a moonlit pond. Zordon had a sincere smile on his face. His arm was tossed casually over her shoulder. She was leaning into him with a rigid smile, her red gown matching the silent rage in his eyes.
How could she have turned rogue?
“Do you think they were ever happy?” Fenn spoke with a heavy sigh.
I took a moment to digest his question. “No,” I answered honestly. “I believe she was a cover for his wrong-doings. She made him seem normal. She hid his insatiable taste for power.”
Fenn’s head hung even lower. I pulled
him back into a hug. “I love you.” I didn’t know what else to say. It sucked from every angle. How could such a perfect night turn so sour?
“We should go through the rest of this stuff tonight. Get it over with,” he said, sounding exhausted at the idea.
I placed my hand against his solid chest. “Instead, maybe we should slow down,” I coaxed. “Nothing good has ever come from rushing when it comes to our luck.”
His smile was unmistakably proud. “What brought on this change in pace?”
I felt my face flush as I awkwardly shrugged. “I’m just sick of screwing up,” I admitted wholeheartedly.
His eyes instantly filled with regret. “You’re right. I was just playing. Let’s take this and talk with Kaede in the morning. See what’s up.”
I shook my head and turned for the stairwell. But before I could take the first step, he grabbed my hand and spun me around as if we were still on the dance floor. His mouth pressed greedily against mine. My hands were in his hair, twisting and weaving it through my fingers, wanting him to give in to me. Wanting just a moment of privacy in his company.
“You still on for it?” he questioned, wriggling his brows up and down.
I smirked at him, answering with an equally pleasure-promising kiss. “I guess you’ll find out,” I teased.
Chapter 5
The Spectol’s Message
THE NEXT MORNING, I WOKE in Fenn’s strong arms to a loud pounding on Astral’s door. I shot up in our bed, completely naked. And completely exhausted. A sickening dread swarmed my body. The connection. I wasn’t ready to see Zordon again.
But then I realized something. I had been nothing but tired since I returned, and not once had I fallen into Zordon’s lap. Why?
An uncomfortable tingle spread along my skin and the hair on my arms rose in response. I needed to speak with Astral.
I eased out of bed and quickly dressed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. They burned with a dire need to shut again.
Fenn sat up groggily, watching me through one eye. He laughed, rubbing at his eyes. “Bring your cute butt back over here,” he called with a sexy, raspy voice.
He was still being cautious of everyone around us, which is why we had to “end” our night near the edge of the island where the sound of rushing water hushed our cries of passion.
I pressed my finger to my mouth, quieting him, and then pointed next door. I honed in on Astral’s room and looked to Fenn to make sure he was listening.
“What do you mean he has it? I thought your men on the inside were going to retrieve it,” Astral said, his voice heightened and shaking. It was the tone I most feared from him. Astral only ever panicked if the situation was truly bad.
“We have sent out as many as we can spare, Astral, but I’m afraid we have to abandon the idea. None of my soldiers want to take the mission knowing the odds aren’t in their favor. They either turn up missing, or are publicly tortured as a warning,” Kaede replied. His voice dropped an octave. “It was only a matter of time until Zordon found out about the Oraculus with how she abused the connection. How can I ask more of my men to sacrifice themselves for a lost cause, when she has yet to prove herself?”
My blood pressure rose making my skin feel hot. A part of me felt betrayed, but the other part, the part that knew the truth, knew that Kaede had every right to say what he said. I haven’t proven myself, and I had no right to ask anything more of his men.
“Do not!” Astral said, the threat in his words clear and dangerously calm.
A door down the hall slid open. Someone must have woken from their bickering.
“Not here,” Kaede bit off quietly.
“Then where? Because I’m sure when the end is upon us, Zordon will show no interest in following social etiquette,” Astral replied desperately.
There was a short, uncomfortable pause, and then Kaede said, “I will be in the advisory room.” Hard footsteps carried down the hall.
I turned to look at Fenn. He shoved off his sheet, his nostrils flaring. “Don’t listen to it, Rory.” He stood from the bed, and walked over to the dresser, cracking his knuckles.
“But Kaede is right. This is all riding on me and I have done nothing to show them that they can believe in me,” I said, blindly staring at the papered windows. “I have to make a move soon before doubt sets in.”
He tugged his shirt over his pants and then in two great strides, pulled me into a heartwarming hug. “Good morning,” he said. The steady sound of his heart calmed the scattered thoughts coursing through my mind.
“Good morning,” I replied, reaching up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. His smile stretched underneath my lips.
“I refuse for either of us to have a bad day today,” he said when I stepped back. “So put your chin up and let’s head to Kaede’s room. We’ll wing it from there.”
“Wing it?”
“Yes, wing it. Some of the best laid plans are those that are not over thought, or so I’ve heard.”
“Heard from who?” I asked as he grabbed the box with the spectols off the top of the dresser.
He shrugged his shoulders. “You know, whoever it is that always says wise-sounding things. That person.” He offered me a charming smile when he walked over to the door.
“Oh, right. That person,” I said, laughing. I slid the door open and started down the hallway for Kaede’s advisory room. “Should we say anything about what we heard?” I asked him when he reached for my hand.
“No. I wasn’t going to say anything, but Kaede has had a hard time finding allies to fight with us. Everyone is scared. When you disappeared, word spread that you were dead. Everyone believed that Zordon had won. It will take time for people to believe that you are alive and ready.”
Even though I appreciated his openness, I still felt like I had just been punched. “Well, when you put it so mildly…”
He squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry, Rory. When word spreads that you’re alive, and when we successfully take Pyre Island, more will come.”
“I sure hope so,” I muttered, feeling more lost than ever. How was I going to fight against Zordon’s army without aid? How could I save our realms if the people living inside of them wouldn’t fight with me?
“Ignore the negative for now. Let’s just try to get some answers. Okay?” Fenn said, holding the box out as a reminder.
I nodded absently, too many thoughts spiraling through my head. The Oraculus, my missing connection. That was something I couldn’t ignore. Astral and Kaede had to have been talking about it.
Fenn nudged me mid-thought. “Okay?” he repeated.
Our steps ended sooner than I wanted them to. I sucked in an encouraging breath as we stopped in front of a guard in iron-clad armor outside the advisory room.
“We’re here to see Kaede,” Fenn said. The guard’s expression was detached from the world as he slid the door open, then immediately stood back at attention.
Kaede and Astral stood when they saw us, both wearing a constrained smile. “Fenn, Aurora, what a pleasant surprise!” Kaede said after clearing his throat.
Banjamin smiled and reached for his tea. “Have you come to talk about the wedding?” he asked intently, searching our faces with hope. Kaede looked away from us, clutching the edge of the table.
I looked to Fenn, my mouth suddenly dry. We hadn’t discussed this yet. I blushed at the memory of the previous night.
Kaede laughed awkwardly and lifted his chin, attempting to look confident. “Let the young lovers have some time to talk it out. Come, sit with us.” He extended his arm out to us.
Astral’s eyes locked with mine. I wasn’t sure he wanted me here. But when had that ever stopped me?
“You found his spectols,” he stated inside of my mind, giving away no emotion on his face.
I li
fted a brow. “Do you know what’s in them?”
He had nothing to say.
Fenn guided me to the end of the table where Masami was waiting with fresh, aromatic tea. My mouth watered at the memory of the silken taste.
“To what do we owe this honor?” Kaede asked when he sat. His hands fidgeted on the table. His face pulled tight, like he had to force himself to remain calm.
It made my stomach prickle in fear. Why was he so nervous? Was he worried I overheard? Was it something more? Something I didn’t know about yet?
Fenn set the box he had been holding down on the table, pushing it forward in Astral’s direction. Kaede’s posture went rigid.
“A box?” Banjamin mused. Astral pulled it towards himself, tilting the lid open.
“It’s what’s inside the box,” I answered, sitting up on the pillow, watching Astral for any signs of recognition. “We found it last night.”
Kaede leaned over and inspected the contents carefully. “Zordon’s things,” he said darkly, his tone dropping a few octaves. “From my Artifact Room. I see you two have made yourselves most welcome.”
I peered over at him from under my lashes, afraid to make eye contact. The muscles in his jaw were tight, his eyes narrowed in our direction.
“We stumbled upon the room on accident,” Fenn said, stuttering a little. I reached for his hand under the table. He glanced over at me.
I swallowed and said, “Actually, we ran into Soothe last night and he pointed us in the direction of the Chamber. He hinted that I would find something down there. Something of use.” I sounded way more sure of myself than I felt. “I was curious to find out exactly what it was, you know, since he can never just come out and say things.”
Both Kaede and Banjamin chortled in agreement. I forced myself to join in laughter with them. Astral remained silent.
“That is the way of a Seer,” Kaede said knowingly, flicking a glance at Banjamin. “I must say I am relieved. I was worried that you were coming to speak of something else, and when I saw this box…” He trailed off, his gaze growing distant. A moment ticked by and then he looked back at me, searching my face. “You have to understand, Aurora, I have lost a lot of great men in this fight against Zordon. A lot of lives were lost to attain what you see before you.”