The Raven and the Staff (The St. James Chronicles Book 2) Read online

  Pushing away from him awkwardly to create distance, I smiled shyly up at him, feeling a little sad about the mental barrier that kept me from taking comfort in a gorgeous man’s arms. Internally, shifting gears, I tried to reassure him, “Please forgive my impatience. I’m just worried.”

  His face showed his disappointment, but he recovered quickly and with a slight nod of his head, he said, “I understand. I’ll see what I can do to hurry this process for you.” He smiled gently, “Please sit and eat. I’ll return shortly.” With that, he exited from the doorway, causing Duck to move aside to allow him out of the hut.

  Walking over to the doorway, I watched the direction A’don went and stepping out, I looked around to see if anyone was watching. Duck guessed at what I was up to. “Mistress, should I wait here?”

  Looking over my shoulder, I whispered as I placed my finger over my lips to signal him into silence, “Yes.” It was a short response but also successful in its effect as Duck responded by blinking his eyes and slightly nodding his head in understanding.

  Stealthily, I snuck from building to building, following behind A’don. It wasn’t difficult to find him as he was the only other human looking being and he wasn’t really trying to hide where he was going. Briefly, I wondered where all of the Vardos were as the village seemed empty. Suddenly, A’don veered left and seemed to disappear into a rock. Stopping in my tracks, I wondered how I was going to go through a rock. When I approached, I breathed a sigh of relief as it was clear to see by shifting my view to the side, there was actually a hidden doorway.

  As I stepped into the entrance to the unknown, my teeth hurt from the tightness of my clenched jaw. My fear of the unknown was palpable as the blood raced through my veins in a rapid rhythm enforced by the increased beating of my heart. Every thump in my chest was quickly followed by a swift rush of sound in my ears like a wave on a shore. Exhausted and exhilarated at the same time, I continued forward cautiously. It was difficult to know what I would find once I slipped into the stone entrance. As I turned the corner, my adrenaline increased dramatically and at one point, all I could hear was my own heartbeat pulsing in my ears. Taking in a deep breath, I looked out into the room. All of the Vardos seemed to be focused on a clear box at the front of the room. They were all chanting in an unknown language that sounded remarkably like a Native American song I’d once heard. Within the box there was a form that looked remarkably like a man. However, it was transparent. It shifted and swayed with the music. As it turned around, I could make out a face. The sharp intake of breath that was followed by its rapid escape at the moment I realized what I was looking at, caused all of the Vardos to stop and stand perfectly still. I swear, if they had faces, they would have all pivoted to stare at me in unison just then.

  My face flushed bright red as a sea of smoky apparitions seemed to turn toward me as if they’d read my thoughts. A’don was at the front of the room at that point and had turned in time to see me. As the blood rushed from my head in embarrassment, I took a deep breath to try and steady myself. Feebly, I felt like I was slipping. No, not now, I thought wildly as a single word escaped my lips, “Jaxon.” A tingling sensation started to flow through my body signaling that I would soon faint.

  Suddenly, a gentle but firm pressure surrounded my waist and lifted me up. A soft, thin, female voice said calmly, “Slow down, child. Take some deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

  Looking toward the voice, I saw a pale purple haze and an outline of a face in smoke. Continuing to breathe slowly, my world started to right itself. Sensing I was gaining my strength, the being let me go to stand on my own.

  “I am Nelani.” The purple voice spoke again. “I am the high priestess of the Inner Sanctum of Heru-ur.” The wispy smoke swirled and twirled into the basic outline of a human but did not solidify like A’don had. She started to walk me closer to the clear box that contained what looked to be the spirit of Jaxon. “I understand you are new to the many things you’ve witnessed, and this all must be very difficult for you, but I sense you’ll be stronger sooner than you think.” The strength of her arms holding me up was reassuring while she continued to move us closer to the front of the room. “As you can see, your friend was not able to retain his soul within the form he was in.” As we got closer, I could see that the bird was still in the box but no longer breathing. “It did not suffer.” She waved her hand and the red guards approached to remove the deceased bird.

  Stepping up to the glass case, I placed my hand on the outside, “Jaxon?” Pain ripped through my heart seeing him as a vacant mist, devoid of emotion and suspended in time. An ache in the pit of my stomach grew and slid up my body to place a large lump in my throat as nothing happened. He didn’t respond.

  “He is in a transformative state. Bound by love and light. He will not be able to communicate in this weakened state, but he can feel your presence.” She was beside me again. “The ritual we have performed will keep him contained within this box until we can find a way to help him through the performance of the ritual of Amun-Ra.” She turned back toward the group and said, “Peace to all, our work here is done for now. You may leave.”

  Mumbling voices could be heard, and the group of Vardos began filing out of the room slowly and steadily.

  Looking back at Nelani, my mind whirled with questions. “I mean no disrespect, but why didn’t someone just tell me what was happening?”

  Moving to the other side of the box, she replied in a strong, firm voice, “It was our hope to save the creature holding the spirit, but when we determined this was not possible, we had to make the choice to save the spirit within through the binding ritual. Also, there was an aura of attachment to the bird that made us believe you were not ready to part with the creature.” A small gasp escaped my lips, but she continued as if she hadn’t noticed it, “Pretarius felt your fear of the unknown would prevent us from acting hastily when time was of the essence, so the decision was made to proceed without discussing it with you. Also, we do not usually share our rituals with outsiders, so we could not invite you to participate.”

  Parting my lips to speak a rebuke of her claim, I just as quickly closed them because I knew she was right. Somehow, I’d become enamored with the idea of Jaxon being able to keep his bird form or at least continuing to transform between bird and man like Alkard and his clan had in the past. It really was a silly, romantic thought to envision Andrea and Jaxon as the lost reincarnated souls of Valoria and Alkard. The funny thing was that I couldn’t even figure out why I’d become so fixated on the idea, but it was something that was just stuck in my head. Realizing how absurd it was, I resigned myself to accept what was and tried to find a way to move forward. In order to do that, though, I needed to find the scrolls that would lead me to the lost staff of Ra. Speaking hesitantly and feeling a little ashamed of my selfish motivations even though they were grounded in some girlish romantic fantasy, I still sought to admonish them for keeping the secret, “Very well. I accept that you were right, but you still should have told me or explained to me what you were going to do.”

  The smoke swirled and formed a smile, laughter erupted from behind her as a deep gray Vardos entered the room from a hidden doorway. “You were right, Nelani, she is spirited.” As the strong male voice advanced, Nelani appeared to bow toward it.

  She spoke, “Maggie, this is Solas, the High Priest of the Shrine of the Light.” She straightened and turned toward me with her wraithlike form. “A’don, you and Maggie are ready to go to the shrine to find the ancient scrolls that will guide you to the lost staff.” Looking behind me, A’don waited near the doorway. He was so quiet that I didn’t even know he was there.

  Nelani approached me and placed her wispy forehead against mine, she whispered, “Go with the light of the one, dear child, may your journey be filled with inspiration and enlightenment.” She leaned away from me and moved to where A’don stood, repeating the same words to him. A’don whispered something to her and she laughed sof
tly, “Go, my son, be safe.”

  “Thank you.” My voice trailed after her retreating form. She disappeared into the rocks where I thought I’d seen another doorway.

  “We should go now.” Solas had moved to a position at my side without me seeing him so when he spoke, I jumped. “Dear child, you must open your heart and mind more so that you are not so easily frightened.”

  Feeling a little perturbed by his admonishment, a little saucily, I responded, “Yes, I’ll try to be more aware of invisible beings that move without sound.” Rolling my eyes, I smirked at him. He burst out laughing.

  “You are fun.” He moved forward and as he came closer to A’don I could hear him say, “You’ve got your hands full with this journey.”

  A’don smiled and looking at me sheepishly, he said, “Come, Maggie. Let us finally be on our adventure.” He held out his hand to me.

  Not certain why, but I bristled a bit at the insinuation that I was so simple minded. Normally, I wouldn’t take offense at such a thing as I strongly believed that grace was the best way to deal with misunderstandings. Realizing that I wouldn’t see Jaxon again for a while, I turned back toward him and pressed my palms to the glass. Speaking reverently, I whispered, “I’ll be back. Don’t give up. Kelsey and ‘Drea need you and we all love you.” For a split second I thought I saw his eyelids flutter, but there was no other movement. Resigning myself to the task at hand, I took a deep breath and sent out a little prayer to the great spirit to watch over him. Turning back to A’don and Solas, I walked briskly across the room. “Well, let’s do this.”

  “Yes, let’s.” A’don waved toward Solas which prompted Solas to lead the way. A’don stepped aside and waited for me to pass, bowing low and holding out his arm, “After you.”

  I walked past him and followed Solas out into the village.

  We made our way slowly through the village. It was interesting to follow a puff of glittering smoke that kept shifting form in front of me and swirling from side to side. He was clearly having fun at my expense as I thought he was going to enter a hut each time and would follow him toward that building. Faintly I could hear him mumbling and chuckling under his breath which was causing me to get frustrated with him for some reason. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that he was purposefully goading me somehow, but why?

  A’don walked up beside me and as he placed his hand upon my tensed forearm, he calmly said, “It’s a test.”

  Inhaling sharply, I looked at him sideways, “Of what?”

  “Your patience. It will be required during this journey.” He smiled softly at me. “Relax. There’s time and we’ll find what we seek. I have faith in you.” It truly was a disarming smile. My anxiety began to slip away with his kind expression and his supportive words.

  “I hadn’t realized I was so tense.” Looking down briefly, I felt appreciative of his kindness and in an effort to repay him, I grinned cheekily back at him.

  His eyes sparkled. “You should smile more. It’s very beautiful.”

  The heat steadily rose in my face, making me feel like I wanted to climb into a hole somewhere. Not wanting to be rude, I loudly replied in a squeaky voice, “Thanks,” as I looked away from him to observe my surroundings and calm my racing heart. Sometimes, being a socially awkward virgin was a challenge. It didn’t take much to swoon or blush at the words of a handsome man. The funny part was that I didn’t fall over in a prudish fit when I watched him walk into the woods half naked. Sighing ruefully, I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d be like if I’d only dated more. Realizing how silly I was being, I giggled softly and refocused my energy on following Solas.

  Within minutes, we were standing under a great expanse of trees that reached into the sky, staring at a carving in the stone that resembled the columns of the Roman Parthenon with a doorway inset under the elaborate sculptures. My mouth fell open and my heartbeat slowed in awe of the beauty before me.

  “Now that’s something you don’t see every day.” Feeling slightly overwhelmed, a small smile danced across my lips as I breathed in a barely audible whisper of appreciation, “This is truly magnificent.” As I stepped forward to admire the carvings more closely, it felt like I was instantly filled with a deep calming sensation. Touching the column nearest to me, I was transported through space and time. A swooshing sound filled my ears as I found myself suddenly standing within a crowd of hooded people who were working diligently to complete the task of etching and sculpting the great masterpiece. A smoky figure stood to one side and right next to him was a human form with a hawklike head. A bright light emanated from within him and seemed to set him on fire. Standing so close that I could feel a warmth radiating from him which left me filled with a sense of wonder, I steadily gazed upon what appeared to be Ra, the sun-god. He was truly magnificent. As I watched, he turned and looked straight at me. His head transformed into a human head and he spoke.

  “You will find the path you seek beneath the beast’s head.” His voice was deep and rich, making me feel cozy inside.

  “What Beast’s head?” My voice sounded odd to my own ears as I asked the question, but I hadn’t actually moved my lips. Had I?

  He stepped closer and holding up a staff with elaborate carvings and a ruby colored stone at its end, he raised it in the air above his head. He whispered something that I didn’t quite hear and then in front of me appeared a photo of a lion’s head as if it were a hologram projecting from the end of the staff. As it moved over the creature, it was surrounded by sand and then the body came into view. Catching my breath, I couldn’t help but recognize the similarity to the sphinx. Except, the sphinx had a man’s head. Twisting the staff in his hand, the view expanded to reflect the pyramids of Giza. Then the picture disappeared, and he was speaking again.

  “Little light, you must be courageous and calm, or you will perish. The staff can only be obtained by one who holds the Eye of Horus and the Tablet of Thoth and Hermes. There are many challenges that you must undertake to achieve your goal. Remain pure and your heart will lead you to the answers you seek.” The end of the staff glowed a brilliant red and then exploded in a bright white light that blinded me. Shielding my eyes from the intensity, my legs became weak and looking down at my hand, it began to turn to sand and fly away from me. A silent scream flew from me as I watched my body dissolve before my eyes. The last thing I saw was a singular eye staring at me and then “Pop” nothing.

  Chapter Three

  With a deep intense breath, I bolted upright, my heart in my throat and my mind screaming. Firm hands pulled me back down and I struggled at first until I heard the soothing sound of A’don’s voice above me. “Shhhh. Lie still, sweet Maggie. All is well. You’re safe with me.”

  Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths. Recalling the vivid scene that had played out in my mind, I looked up to A’don’s calm but concerned face positioned over me as my head was resting on his legs. “I saw the staff.”

  His smile was so bright and the sparkle in his eyes seemed more intense. “But that’s wonderful. Do you know where it is?”

  “I think it’s in Egypt under the Sphinx.” Placing my hands up to my temples, I began to rub my head.

  Somewhere behind him, I could hear Solas chuckle. Confound that man, he was such a pain in my side. What could possibly be so funny now? The heat began to rise in my face again and taking a shallow breath, I calmed myself to regain my composure. Sitting up, I regarded him cautiously, not knowing what to expect, and asked in a rush, “What the heck are you laughing at and why is that funny at all?” Blisteringly, I demanded, “Is there something you know that I don’t?”

  His shifting form seemed to waver slightly as he sighed, “Ahhh. You are so full of fire.” Chuckling softly, his voice rumbled in a low tone, “I remind you of someone, I think.” At my slight indignant snort, he harrumphed and admonished me, “You must manage your inner peace better, Maggie Little Hawk.” My eyes grew wide and the blood pumped through my veins. How did he know my middle name was Kestr
el, which meant ‘little hawk’? His form twinkled as he snickered like he knew what I was thinking. “I see that you are recovered from your journey.” Exasperated, I closed my eyes to fume at him silently. It felt like there was smoke coming out of my ears as if I were some cartoon character. He continued, “Come, child. You must let go of your frustration. I am not the one who perturbs you. There is much to look at before you can leave here on your journey and time is short.” My face turned ten shades of red but A’don had already gotten to his feet and reached out his hand to help me up from the ground.

  Under my breath, I fumed, “I don’t know what it is about him, but one of these days I’m going to kick him so hard. I’d like to see him laugh at me then!”

  A’don actually chuckled. “Good luck. Just be careful you don’t kick yourself in the process. He’s very slippery.” He laughed again. It was a magical sound. Deep and rich and filled with true humor.

  Turning to him, I couldn’t help it. Envisioning myself kicking a wispy puff of smoke with no form or shape and my foot flying through the air to kick myself in the face, a winsome smile crossed my lips. Even though that was physically impossible as I hadn’t been able to do the splits since I was nine, it was a comical thought. A’don must have guessed at my thoughts based on my look of consternation and joy, because his eyes got big and then his laughter increased. His face lit up with his joy which was infectious and caused me to let my guard down and laugh harder. It felt so good to not be angry. Ever since Daniel betrayed me, I’d been drowning myself in anger and resentment. A great weight was lifted as I was able to breath for just a moment and A’don was a key to helping me achieve that.