The Promise (The Seekers Book 1) Page 10

  He was returned to the Tor on November 15th 1539 where he was executed alongside the two monks who had been in charge of the Treasury. As he said his final prayers and waited for the hangman’s noose the Abbot’s eyes fell on the final resting place of his sacred charges and he actually smiled.”

  Millie didn’t know what to say and they were all silent for a while. The thought that people had actually died protecting this secret was a very sobering one. Eventually Oliver shook his head, it had taken him a while but he had a serious problem with one part of Quark’s explanation. “I’m sorry Quark but can I ask you something?”

  “Of course Your Highness.”

  “If the real Stone was buried under Glastonbury Abbey then the Coronations were fakes. You said they were anointed as part of the ceremony, but how could they be if they were sitting on a fake stone?”

  Quark smiled at Oliver, his great respect and affection for his young charges was a new feeling for him. “Indeed. You make a good point Oliver, but you see the treasures were lost to men only.”

  Millie and Oliver exchanged glances, both wanting to speed Quark on. When he finally got the picture he continued rapidly, “Well the Guardians knew of course so they have watch over it.”

  “The who?” the twins said together.

  Quark puffed out his chest and the orange logo shone a little brighter in the sterile setting of the Portal. “Yes well, you must understand that down the centuries mortals have been, er ... assisted in certain things by er, certain sources.”

  Millie huffed, “That does not answer Oliver’s question.” She didn’t like to admit it but she wanted to know too.

  “Well, The Guardians have had sole responsibility for the sacred treasures for over 2000 years now. They trust no one, for The Enemy has tried many times and in many ways to seize them. They are hidden from all, including me, but when it is necessary they simply substitute the real stone for the fake one and then swap them back again.”

  Millie sighed. Oliver ran his hands through his dark, spiky hair, “Okay ...so these Guardians watch over the real stone and they are the only ones who know where it is?”

  “Indeed.”

  Millie threw her hands in the air, “How am I supposed to find it then? I can hardly dig up the whole of Glastonbury can I?”

  Quark did not hesitate, “But Your Highness, you have already met the Guardian and he is willing to take us to the exact spot!”

  Millie was stunned. “But...”

  “His name is Joseph, your Highness.”

  36

  Millie loved half term; they were usually sent to stay with Aunt Viv in Devon and had loads of freedom to do pretty much whatever they wanted, within the ground rules of course. Aunt Viv was an artist and made her living from selling her paintings in a local studio. She was completely batty, but the whole family loved her dearly. She spent most of her time covered in paint and completely distracted by her work.

  She lived in an old bungalow that was rather run down and filled with all sorts of crazy maritime stuff. It was the exact opposite of her sister’s tidy home and Millie loved it. It overlooked the sea and everyone, including Winston, looked forward to long walks on the beach. But why did they have to go today? Millie felt that the Cornerstone was within her grasp at last and now they were being taken away from it.

  “I don’t see what your problem is,” said Oliver dripping yoghurt everywhere at breakfast, “we simply take Quark with us.”

  Millie shuffled away from the mess, she hadn’t actually thought of that, “What? Just take him on holiday with us, but what about the stone? We are so close now I don’t really like leaving it another week.”

  “No silly, we can still travel through the portal; Aunt Viv will be none the wiser.”

  Millie took her toast out of the toaster, “But I thought the portal was here?”

  Oliver shrugged, “We’ve always entered here because Quark is here, but he always gets us back doesn’t he? So I guess Quark is the portal in some way.”

  Millie considered this, “I see what you mean; we have been up and down the country with him.”

  “Exactly.”

  Millie licked some jam off her fingers, “What about all that stuff with the trees though? How does that work?”

  “Maybe it’s something to do with the gifts Michael gave us?”

  Remembering Michael gave Millie confidence. Of course, she was the Seeker; nothing could happen without her so what difference would a few more days make, after all the stone had been hidden for centuries. “Right. I’ll go and see Quark and tell him the news then I can put him in my luggage.”

  Oliver had moved on to his cereal and nearly choked with laughter, “You still don’t get it do you? As long as you have your crystal Quark can come and go wherever you are!”

  Instinctively Millie patted her pocket and felt its reassuring presence, “What? You mean he is IN the crystal?”

  Oliver nodded, “I guess so, when he takes that form, yes.”

  Millie gulped, the crystal never left her side. Ever.

  37

  The trip down to Devon was a nightmare; the whole world seemed to be creeping down the M5 at a snail’s pace. Millie couldn’t help thinking how much easier it was to travel with Quark. They would have been there in a second. Dad couldn’t come as Saturday was his busiest day, so poor mum was driving all the way, there and back, on her week end off. She was a careful driver, but even Millie could see she was getting stressed; she was slowly eating her way through all the car sweets and wrappers were strewn everywhere.

  “Not long now.” she said wearily.

  Eventually they reached the narrow, winding, country lanes and Millie turned to check on Winston, who had slept most of the way. Lucky him. Oliver had his head stuck in a chess book as usual; he was always surprised when they finally arrived somewhere. How did he do that? At last the bungalow came into view. Sitting at the end of a long private track its cheery lights were a welcoming beacon in the grey evening. As if by magic Winston awoke and began to bark excitedly and Aunt Viv appeared in the doorway, a huge grin on her face.

  Ten years older than their mum she had never married and in many ways was the exact opposite of Sarah. She hated exercise, loathed housework and only cooked what she called “proper meals” when she had company. She was a free spirit their mum always said and though she had tried to organise her once, she had long since given that idea up!

  They were barely out of the car as she rushed forward to greet them, “Come in, come in. Was it truly dreadful?” Oliver winced as she gathered him in her arms and with many hugs and kisses they were ushered inside. They were about two hours late but trifles like that never bothered Aunt Viv. The smell of jacket potatoes and something simmering in the slow cooker made them all realise how hungry they were.

  “My! How you two have grown! I know I say that every time but it’s true. Guess that’s what comes of only seeing you in the holidays. How is school?”

  Millie plonked her case in the cluttered hall, “Its fine Aunt Viv – but school is still school.”

  Oliver managed to trip over the first bit of chaos on the floor; he was making his way, slowly, to the easel standing proudly in the enormous bay window.

  “Awesome! How do you do that Aunt Viv?”

  It was an oil painting of a most beautiful sunset. The light reflecting on the cliffs and the water really took your breath away. Everyone gathered round in silent admiration. Sarah sighed deeply, “I wish I could do something like that. It’s amazing.”

  Aunt Viv blushed a little at the praise and she hurried away to the kitchen, her frizzy, greying hair just fitting under the old beams.

  “Yes, well, thank you and I wish I could do half the things you do Sarah, but God seems to only have given me one talent so I try my best to use it! Now, let’s get you all fed. Did you remember Winston’s things?”

  After supper everyone flopped contentedly in the lounge, finding space here and there among the haphazard collectio
n of shells, driftwood and goodness knows what. Aunt Viv had refused to join the 21st century so there was no computer, or even a television, in the bungalow. They usually played a game of some sort but tonight they were all too whacked and for once Millie didn’t argue about an early night. This holiday was going to be more exciting than usual and she would need all her energy for the quest.

  In the end they didn’t meet up with Quark until the Tuesday. After their mum left Aunt Viv always liked to plan a few treats for the first couple of days, that way she said she didn’t feel too guilty when she left them to their own devices. Millie had enjoyed the visit to the Seal Sanctuary and the shopping in the nearest town but she was eager to get on with things. She felt a little nervous entering the portal with Aunt Viv pottering about downstairs but, sure enough, Quark was waiting for them and did his funny little bow.

  “Greetings Your Highnesses, this is indeed a most wonderful place, I have enjoyed exploring it. Isn’t it wonderful how such a large ocean is held in place by such a tiny beach and the forces that be?”

  Oliver hadn’t given it much thought before but he made a mental note to ask Quark more about it later. Millie was on a mission, however, and not really interested in the science of the planet anyway. He looked around the portal; it was the same as all the others except for the long floating benches instead of individual chairs. Winston jumped up, “This is much better, thank you Quark.”

  Oliver raised an eyebrow, it was still funny to hear him talk, let alone offer opinions. Millie sat opposite and glared, “You are only here because aunt Viv thinks we are on a walk, so no funny ideas!”

  Oliver decided to act as peacemaker, as usual, “So, what’s the plan, Quark? When do we go?”

  Quark put his head on one side and addressed his answer to Millie, “I thought immediately, if you are ready?”

  Millie bit her bottom lip and nodded. She was feeling nervous and could think of nothing to say. They had been building up to this all this time, what was left to say?

  Quark bowed again then turned to Oliver, “We must assume that our enemies are waiting for our next move, so we must remain vigilant at all times.”

  “Absolutely!” agreed Winston, enthusiastically scratching his collar.

  Quark turned and opened a new portal and the little band stepped through.

  38

  Within a split second they were ankle deep in muddy water. It was cold and gloomy and the underground tunnel was most uninviting. Quark had turned on his orange glow and the slimy walls glistened in the faint light. There was very little headroom, however, and Oliver was particularly uncomfortable.

  “Yuck. For once I wish I was shorter.”

  Winston growled, “You should worry, I have four paws and a belly in this stuff.”

  Oliver was more concerned about his head, “Can I go next to Quark please or I’m going to knock myself out on this roof!”

  Quark hovered in mid-air and waited patiently for them all to sort themselves out, he was always unruffled, “It’s only a little way from here, the corridor splits into two, one half leads to St Michaels Tower which is directly above us on the Tor and the other leads to the Stone.”

  “Wait a minute, did you say St Michael’s Tower?”

  “Yes, Your Highness, The Captain of the Host.” and with that he set off and the little troop followed, cutting a wake through the muddy water.

  After fifty yards of sloshing through the stuff Millie’s anxiety levels were starting to rise. She hadn’t felt this way since her encounter at the well, but she had no time to share her feelings as Quark stopped suddenly and she bumped into the back of Oliver. She couldn’t see anything though, “I thought you said the tunnel split?”

  “Indeed it does.” Quark placed his hand through a section of the wall and it rolled away to reveal a new route. “Remember these tunnels were originally made by men so the Guardians have concealed this one, but we are granted access.”

  They trooped through and it closed behind them. This tunnel started to incline quite steeply so their feet were soon on dry land again. Arriving in a small and musty chamber the quartet formed a circle in the empty room and Quark came to rest in the centre. Oliver spotted some very large candles in holders on the wall, “Pity we don’t have some matches.”

  Quark glanced in their direction and immediately sooty flames danced up the plain walls casting eerie shadows all around. Everyone continued to look at Quark. Millie couldn’t stand it anymore, “So where is he then?”

  As if by reply the ground under their feet began to change, at first it was a deep yellow, then orange and finally a deep royal blue. Millie wasn’t sure what she was standing on as the entire nature of the room changed. Gone was the small chamber and in its place a new structure was taking shape. It shone with the brilliance of a diamond and Millie had to shield her eyes. When it dulled slightly she took away her hand and gasped.

  If Millie had tried to describe it she would have said it was like being inside her crystal. She didn’t know how that could be, but that’s what it felt like. The structure enclosed them with very little room to spare. It was like the 3D prisms they worked with in maths, but each side had many facets and she couldn’t see the outside so didn’t really know what shape it was. And there was still no floor! At their feet the royal blue substance floated around the base of the structure, but she still could not feel it.

  Coming up through the blueness was Joseph! No longer dressed in drab grey, however, his robes shone with all the brilliance of the spectrum. His twinkly eyes remained the same, however, and he smiled at Millie. “Good to see you again my dear.” He surveyed the others, “Welcome everyone.”

  Quark sensed that his charges were too stunned to speak so he stepped forward, “Thank you for meeting with us, we are honoured.”

  Joseph graciously inclined his head, “Shall we proceed Millie?”

  Millie wanted to say something but her voice had gone, her legs were trembling and she felt strangely out of control. She looked to Quark and he gestured for her to go with the Guardian. Every fibre in Millie’s body was screaming no but she didn’t know why. This was why they had come here. She was the Seeker, only she could reveal the Stone of Destiny. Oliver had sensed her dismay but thought it was just nerves, so he smiled to encourage her.

  Millie took a step forward, she still could not feel the floor, but ahead of her a small shape was emerging, and as she got closer it became clearer. It was a small wooden chest. It seemed to rest just above the swirling blue cloud and Millie could see it had two large golden hinges. There was no lock.

  It only took a few steps to reach it and Millie gazed at the beautiful engravings on the ebony box. They were exquisitely carved and she wondered who had done such a wonderful thing. She knelt down without thinking, resting deeper into the blue essence and stretched out her hands to open the chest, but as soon as she touched it all hell broke loose.

  The crystal structure shattered and Millie and the chest were falling, she was hurtling at incredible speed into a darkness that suffocated her and she struggled for breath. Ice cold filled her with dread and she watched in horror as her fingers turned deathly white. Must. Not. Drop. The. Chest.

  Oliver was grabbed from behind but could not see who was restraining him. In front of him, however, everything had changed. A cruel face sneered down at him, foul yellow teeth and the smell of rotting meat inches from his face made him want to heave. Dank, greasy hair fell over a face contorted with rage. Tall and strong clearly, yet he seemed without substance. Oliver could see through his black body! Others flew around him shrieking and moaning, demonic beings without real form, only showing the semblance of a face for an instant.

  Oliver struggled but could not break free. His eyes searched frantically for the others, but he was quite alone. He lashed out with his legs and was rewarded with a heavy blow across the cheek. His head snapped back and a small trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth. Oliver glared back defiantly but the smile on his
enemies face chilled him into silence. Suddenly he was aware of movement but his lifeless body would not respond. Oliver was trapped, but where was he going?

  39

  Millie woke up to the sound of a gently lapping sea; the white sand beneath her fingers was hot and Millie brushed some of the fine grains away from her face. The beach was deserted. As far as the eye could see an azure sky stretched away from her. This crystal clear ocean was beautiful; certainly they had never been here with Aunt Viv.