The Guardians of the Relic
Chapter 17

They all sat around the table. Izdel and Erhan sat on either side of her. Zugast was nowhere to be seen, but Emily already figured he must be looking for Athena. Ethan still wasn’t back with anything to drink. She wondered what was keeping him. Izdel sat quietly next to her. It wasn’t like him not to talk. The silence was beginning to get to her.

“So how did the council first form? I mean how did you all meet?” She directed the question at Erhan. She had been meaning to ask that question for so long, it just never seemed like the right time. At first Erhan didn’t say anything. She wondered whether he even heard her.

“Well we came together because of our…” he paused, “unique abilities.”

“Unique abilities? Do you mean the wizard stuff?”

“Only partially. You see, we are not like all other wizards Emily. We are especially gifted”

She looked at Izdel puzzled. After a moment he finally spoke. “What Erhan is trying to say is that we all have a specialty, one particular power that overshadows the rest.”

“Okay…” said Emily, still a little confused,

“Let me explain. For example, take Glohone. He has the ability to instantly create fire. He controls it from within him, although he can perform any other spell perfectly. His control of fire is the one quality that separates him from the rest of us.”

“I see,” replied Emily. “So what is your unique ability?”

Izdel smiled “I will show you.” He closed his eyes, and Emily waited. Nothing. Then she felt a vibration pulse through the room. She looked down. The ground started to shake and the walls began to rattle. She stood up, but that was a bad idea because she lost her footing. Emily grabbed onto the table to steady herself.

“That’s enough now,” said Erhan to Izdel. The tremors stopped and he opened his eyes.

“Incredible,” she muttered. She was scared yet fascinated at the same time. The door flung open and Ethan ran into the room.

“What the hell was that?” he demanded.

“Nothing. It was just Izdel,” said Emily. She looked at his empty hands. “Where are the drinks?”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t replace anything,” said Ethan. He didn’t look at her.

“What took you so long then?” she asked.

Ethan saw that Izdel and Erhan waited for his answer too. Why wasn’t anything ever easy? he thought. “I decided to take a walk.” Feeling uncomfortable, he tapped the side of the table with two fingers.

“Really?” asked Emily.

He didn’t make eye contact with her and walked to the counter. She followed him. “Yeah, it’s a nice night,” he said.

Emily studied him. He looked too nervous. Something was wrong. “You’re lying,” she said.

“What? No, I’m not.” He still didn’t make eye contact.

“Ethan what’s going on? I understood why you lied to me the first time. You didn’t think I could handle the truth. But I know now so there’s no reason to hide anything from me.”

Ethan sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t think you will ever be ready to hear this.”

“So you are hiding something then?”

“Please, just let it go Emily. It’s none of my business in the first place.”

“I should be the one to tell you Emily.” They both turned around to see Alastair. Glohone stood next to him. She hadn’t even heard them enter the room.

“Tell me what?” asked Emily.

“I have kept it a secret from you for too long. I thought it would keep you safe, but I was wrong.”

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“I am responsible for your parent’s death,” said Alastair. He lowered his head.

The room fell silent. Izdel and Erhan exchanged looks. She turned to Ethan, but he didn’t look at her. Emily felt frozen in time, like a knife was plunging straight through her heart.

“You. Killed. My. Parents.” She said each word slowly. The tears were starting to build, but she fought them. A large lump began forming in her throat.

“No, not personally. But I was there the night that they were killed.”

“And you did nothing? What happened to them?”

“Alkron killed them. We tried to stop him but…”

“You didn’t,” she interrupted him “They’re dead. All this time you knew and you didn’t tell me.” The energy drained from her body, and the room began to spin.

“I’m sorry. I realize my error now. Beth and Peter were wonderful people. They were my dear friends,” said Alastair.

“Don’t you dare say their names!” she spat. “You don’t deserve to speak their names.” There was dead silence in the room. Emily ran her fingers through her hair. Her head was throbbing. Tears fell from her cheeks. She turned to face the rest of them.

“You were supposed to protect the people of this town. I trusted you. I thought you were the good ones. But you... let them die.”

“Emily,” said Izdel. He moved towards her.

She stepped back. “No, don’t.” She lifted her hand. Izdel stopped in his tracks.

“Please Emily, let me explain,” said Alastair.

“No. I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.” She felt like she couldn’t breathe. She needed air. She had to get away from here, from them. Emily turned and ran out the door. She heard Alastair call after her but she didn’t stop.

Emily ran as fast as her feet could take her. As she ran flashes of her mother appeared before her. The birthday when she had handed her the jewelry box. Her father lifting her in the air and spinning her around as she giggled. Memories of them flooded through her mind and played like a slide show in her head. Emily’s heart thudded in her chest.

She ran until she couldn’t take it anymore. She stopped and put her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breathe. She closed her eyes. The hot tears still ran down her cheeks. Someone put their hand on her shoulder. She looked up expecting to see Alastair, or any one of them for that matter.

“My dear, are you okay?” asked an old lady who looked to be in her eighties. Her hair was fully grey. Emily covered her ears when the cars honked past; she didn’t realize she was standing in the middle of the road. She quickly moved out of the way.

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you,” she said to the old lady when they both moved safely onto the pavement. She wiped away the tears. The old lady shook her head, but didn’t say a word as she carried on walking. Emily, feeling numb, walked all the way back to her apartment.

The next morning Emily lay awake in bed. She couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t stop thinking about her parents. She got up and opened her closet. She pushed the clothes aside, grabbed the jewelry box, and sat down on her bed. When Emily opened it, she reached for her mother’s necklace. She ran her thumb over the heart-shaped bronze pendant. The orange stones embedded in it sparkled in the light.

Emily always felt close to her mother when she touched it. It was like the pendant carried her presence within. She held it to her chest and closed her eyes. The box slipped from her lap and fell to floor. It made a strange sound when it hit the ground. She picked it up and shook it. Something was inside, but where? She shook it and heard the sound again. Emily turned the box around and studied it carefully. She searched all over the polished exterior trying to replace it, until finally she noticed it. She slid her fingernail along the flat bottom of the box, and found a small latch. Her heart began to race as she wondered what it could be.

It was a secret compartment. Inside was a key. It was an unusually shaped key, unlike anything she had ever seen before. There was a tiny note rolled up and attached to it. She untied the string and opened the piece of paper.

To my sweet baby girl Emily. I hope you never replace this. But if you’re reading this then it means you are in great danger. You must destroy the pendant - Love Mom.

Emily studied the key as the realization slowly sank in. The box it unlocks must contain the pendant that everyone is searching for. She had it all along and didn’t know it. This was the reason her parents had died.

She heard Daisy call her. She quickly put the necklace and key back in the box and covered it with her blanket.

“Coming,” she said.

When she opened the door Daisy walked straight past her. “I am going to kill your brother!”

“Hey Daisy, this is really not a...”

“He forgot. I can’t believe he forgot,” said Daisy. She didn’t look at Emily or hear her. Her face was red. She was wearing a pretty blue dress; in fact she was all dressed up. Her makeup and hair were perfectly done. Emily looked at the clock in her lounge. It was twelve in the afternoon. She had been lying in bed all morning.

“Emily, are you listening to me?” Daisy looked at her for the first time since she entered. “Wait, are you okay?” she asked. “Your eyes are red you’re still in your pajamas?”

“I’m fine. I just lost track of time, that’s all. What were you saying about my brother?”

“He forgot what day it is.”

Emily rubbed her temples. She had a killer headache. “What’s today?” she asked.

Daisy looked at her shocked. She shook her head and put her hands on her hips and became even more upset. “Please, not you, too? What? Does it run in the family?”

“Okay Daisy, slow down, take a breath, and tell me what’s going on?”

“It’s my birthday,” said Daisy. She folded her arms and turned her face away from her. Emily’s heart sank. She completely forgot.

“Oh Daisy, I’m so sorry. It slipped my mind.” She walked over and gave her a big hug. “Happy Birthday sweetie.” Daisy’s face still looked hurt. “Are you mad at me?”

Daisy finally smiled. “No, I’m not.” She waved a finger at her. “But I’m furious with Michael.”

“I don’t think that he forgot your birthday,” said Emily.

“Yes he did. I’ve been dressed and waiting since nine this morning.”

“Okay, then maybe he’s just running late. Did he call you?”

Daisy shook her head. “You think I would be ranting and raving like this if he’d called me?”

“Did you try calling him?”

“Eh...let’s see...only like a gazillion times. He is not answering his phone.”

Emily thought about when she had last seen him. “Daisy, when last did you speak to Michael?”

“I saw him yesterday. After the town meeting he dropped me off at home. Why?” She stopped and studied her. “No, don’t you even think of defending him.”

It wasn’t like Michael to disappear. He was probably fine. Maybe he just got caught up with work, but she had to be sure.

“I just realized. I had a meeting today and I’m late. I will let you know as soon as I get in touch with Michael.”

“Okay, but aren’t you on leave now?” asked Daisy.

“Yes, I am. It’s a personal matter. I really need to get dressed but we can all have supper together later?”

“Sure, thanks. See you later then,” said Daisy.

“Okay. Enjoy your day.”

The poor girl looked confused as she walked out, but Emily couldn’t help it. She had to lie. She needed to go down to the gallery and replace her brother.