Dark Summoner (Relic Keeper Series Book 1) (11 page)

T
he next three weeks were eerily calm. Reagan reassured me that no news was good news, but my instincts knew better. A storm brewed under the surface. There’d been a few rumblings here and there, but nothing had happened. No attacks, no assaults, no monsters. This false sense of peace and calm only further unnerved me. It wasn’t that I would have preferred for the war to start or for people to attack us. But sitting here waiting, expecting their attack was much worse. Every day was the same false comfort, a tease of how different life could be, right before it’s torn from your hands and burned in front of your eyes. It was torture. I didn’t know why they held back. Were they preparing for something great? Did they have to adjust things now? Or were they trying to toy with my mind? Make me go crazy?

I shouldn’t have been complaining. This was probably the last time I’d remember what peace was like. But I couldn’t help the part in me that wanted to get it over with. To know what I would I come up against. Imagining versus encountering was playing games with my head.

The up side of this momentary peace was the opportunity for me to train. When Kieron had said I would begin immediately, I hadn’t expected to be awoken before dawn the next morning and sent on a ten-mile run in the pouring rain. Every day for the past three weeks, Reagan, Luca, and Marcus trained with me for hours on, rain or shine. The workouts were rigorous, painful, intense, and took me beyond my limits. I passed out at least four times from exhaustion but that didn’t stop them. Once I was up again, I was back to running, fighting, or climbing. Day in and day out, every muscle in my body ached, including ones I didn’t even know existed. As much as it sucked, there was something empowering about the pain. It was like I was getting to watch my body become stronger, more controlled, more disciplined—and I liked it. Much to my chagrin, I still hadn’t trained with a sword. They said that Kieron would determine when I was ready for hand-to-hand or weapon-to-weapon combat.

When I wasn’t getting my ass handed to me, I spent my time in Kieron’s archives. It was a gigantic library with documentation on the history of not only the First Realm, but my world as well. For hours, I’d comb through everything I could find on the Relic, the Council, the Black Walker, and anything else that appeared pertinent. I wanted to gain every possible piece of knowledge, every advantage I could find, and hold onto it.

I tried to keep myself busy so I wouldn’t be stressed or scared. Thoughts I didn’t want to deal with caught up with me when I sat and relaxed. Thoughts about my father, the future, Dorian. Even though I was pissed at him for abandoning me, part of me hoped he’d make an appearance and offer some answers or updates. I started to think he hadn’t really cared at all and he had used me like Kieron accused others of doing.

To make matters worse, Kieron had been notably absent over the last month. When I’d reached my limit of curiosity and asked, Reagan told me he was busy dealing with business and would return on Friday. I had a strong inclination business meant something far different here than the ordinary world. When I asked what happened on Friday, Reagan mumbled something about guests arriving at the estate. For some reason, she didn’t want to elaborate and that made me nervous. When I tried to press her, she left the room. When I turned to Marcus and Luca, they both just smiled, laughed, and walked away, leaving me to ponder all sorts of situations.

The lack of his ever-magnetic presence left me empty, which led me down the halls and into Kieron’s study, the only place in the estate that captured his essence. It seemed illicit to be there without him. I was fairly certain alarms would go off at any moment, but I didn’t care. Being here was the closest I’d get, or allow myself to get, to the real thing. The room reminded me of a history museum, focused on ancient texts and artifacts. Antiquated books covered the floor-to-ceiling shelves, every so often broken apart by an artifact protected inside a glass display box. His desk was mahogany and took up the entire corner of the room. The scent of a recent fire lingered through the air. Near the farthest window resided a large case that displayed jewelry, stones, statues, and containers. A beautiful golden ring with a sizable emerald in the center caught my attention. I peeked around the room to make sure I was still alone. Cautiously, I lifted the glass dome off its base and touched the stunning piece of jewelry. My fingers grazed the exotic stone, and I entered into a transient-like state.

She’s fearful as she runs from her pursuers, running for her life. She passes bridges, corners, and alleys. She splashes through puddles as she makes her way through the mist and rain. It’s cold. Fog makes it difficult to see who or what pursues her. The road is deserted. Cobblestones on the street cause her to slip and lose her footing. She breathes heavily, continuously glancing over her shoulder. Changing directions, she runs down a side street and stops in front of a wall. Frantic and scared, she races up to a door and tries the handle, but it’s locked. Her hands, covered in rain and sweat, slip on the knob over and over again. She rams her shoulder into the door, but nothing happens. She recognizes the moment too late, and her pursuers approach from behind. Wrapping her arms tightly around her drenched coat, she turns and faces them. She trembles but raises her chin, her expression one of determination. Her beautiful moonlight-pale skin contrasts starkly against her ebony hair and crystal eyes.

“She may destroy me, but she will never keep it. It’s not hers to keep,” she says.

Several cloaked figures approach her. One places a hand under her chin and lifts her face to meet his eyes. “There is much you don’t see, Visia.”

His voice is frightening.

“It has been found.”

She gasps, shakes her head, and takes a step back from his touch. “That’s impossible.”

He lets out a loud, maniacal laugh. “Nothing is impossible for her.”

The rain slows, and she glances up to the sky. Suddenly a sharp pain tears through her. When she looks down, there is a knife through her bosom and she crumbles to the floor. Blood and light pour from her chest as she lays dying and alone on the dirty, deserted street.

I returned to the present, struggling for air on my hands and knees. Unexpected tears dripped down my cheeks. Frightened by the realism of what I’d
seen
, I willed myself to calm down before I hyperventilated. I’d never had a vision from touching an object, and I’d never once
seen
someone be killed within one. They were getting stronger and more vivid. I could only attribute my heightened
sight
to everything that had changed within the last several weeks. I wiped my face, closed the glass case, and sneaked back to my room.

I’d spent Thursday afternoon in my room staring into space, as I tried to unwind from the heart-wrenching vision of last night. My workout this morning was only a momentary break, and I thought I had my emotions under control. But when the rain started again on the last leg of our run, my mind flashed back to the dark alley and the poor woman who died.

I’m not sure what the hell Kieron kept in those containers, but from now on, I didn’t need to find out. I lay on my back with my legs hung over the bedside as I swung them rhythmically up and down. I swirled a loose hair strand around my fingers, when I
sensed
him. My skin tingled and simmered in awareness as his force grew nearer. I paced the room, attempting to calm the nervous excitement that coursed through me. I was like a kid on Christmas morning, desperate to get downstairs and see what presents Santa had left me. I told myself the surge of elation had nothing to do with his return and everything to do with gaining some news. My inner critic wasn’t convinced.

My instincts were like an inner compass, guiding me to his presence. I knew without a doubt that he was somewhere on the lower floor. I slipped from my room and followed the path of his enigmatic presence as it blazed through the estate.

I decided to tiptoe around the house to avoid detection. I crept down the long staircase and moved quietly through several corridors until I found him inside his study. He conversed with a familiar male voice, one that brought a shiver to my skin that only moments ago was heated like the sun. I leaned forward toward the door and placed the side of my head to the broad gap, which allowed their conversation to reach my ears with ease.

I heard Kieron’s fierce voice. “Daegus, you are well aware that I don’t take kindly to threats.”

“No one is making threats. I’m trying to avoid an all-out war across the factions. If she is presented to everyone and a mutual decision is made, the Council will feel much better about these circumstances.”

“And you think parading her around a bunch of arrogant faction leaders will accomplish that?”

“Yes, I do. But it’s also more than that, she—”

Kieron’s irritated voice shouted. “Let’s call this what it is—an inspection. The Council and the Temple are afraid of her, afraid of what she could mean for their future.”

“You must understand how sensitive this issue is. It’s been almost three hundred years without bloodshed.”

“Without bloodshed?” Kieron mocked.

“Mild skirmishes here and there, yes, but nothing of the gravity we saw under the hollow moon. You recall those days, I am sure. Not even you would wish to return to that.”

“What happens between your factions is no longer a concern of mine. It hasn’t been for the last two hundred years.”

“No one will openly challenge you, Kieron, we all know that. But, there are those who will act, even if it means facing your wrath. Nothing like this has happened in any of our lifetimes. You have to expect the rash and irrational. The factions are demanding to see her.”

Silence.

“You know this is the right decision. I’m not asking for your allegiance. I’m only asking that you present her.”

Silence again.

“
If
she agrees, then I will bring her,” Kieron finally said.

“I am certain you will be able to convince her of the importance of her attendance.” Leather creaked as he rose from his chair. “I’ll leave you to it.”

I hurried into the first open door I could find, almost smacking into a wall in the process. Afraid of making too much noise and drawing attention to myself, I gripped the handle and gently pressed against the thick wood until it was within a hair of closing.

When his footsteps disappeared down the hall, I leaned back against the wall and slid to the ground, my nervous energy getting the best of me. My relief was short-lived when I heard a firm tapping on the door. I didn’t have to be a psychic to guess who was on the other side. I could either hide and pretend I wasn’t there, or I could face him. Worried that he might have noticed I’d snooped in his study yesterday, I plastered a causal smile and pulled the door open with one hand.

Kieron’s perfect features eyed me with disapproval. “Spying is something a child does, not a grown woman.”

“I wasn’t spying,” I countered. “I knew you were back, and I wanted to talk to you.”

“So you decided to hide? Your logic doesn’t make any sense.”

“I was waiting until your guest had left. I figured it wasn’t a good time to go barreling in and make a scene.”

He genuinely smiled at me. And I think I stopped breathing.

“A wise decision.”

If he looked at me like that more often, I’d probably drop to my knees and beg him for all the fantasies I’d been dreaming about. But as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone again. “It appears the entire Council wishes to meet you as soon as possible.”

“Why? What does seeing me accomplish?” I asked.

We walked back to his study. When he closed the door behind us, my thoughts headed into salacious territory. What was it about this man that stirred such a lust in me?

“There are those who think you need to be controlled before you can assume your role. They assume you are weak-willed, weak-minded. For those reasons, they fear what that means for the realm’s future.”

“So they want to use me?”