The Rise of Guardian House
Chapter 7
I picked up the phone on the third ring; I didn’t recognize the interplanetary number but I knew who would be on the other end. “Hey Girl. What’s important enough to get you off your island on Nue – Atlantia long enough to visit with an old friend?” “We need to talk, Can you meet me somewhere?” We talk for another minute and hang up. I pick up the old manuscript I’d been translating the night before and read the ancient script on the cover one more time House of Fire – Book of Shadows’ (‘House of Fire – Book of Shadows’). “Who was on the phone?” Andy asked walking in. “Marie, she’s here on business looking at a piece of property or something and wants to meet for lunch.” “Take the car. I’ve already called the service to pick me up, anyway.” “I thought you might want to give Amber a call and go over to your Grandmother’s house today. You can take a last look around and decide what you want to get out of there before the house is closed up; especially after she found that locked room last week, but we can do that later or the two of you can meet Amber there after lunch and I can join you after my board meeting if you’d like. Gotta go,” he kissed me and left. I pulled into a lot and walked over to Scarbo’s where I asked to be seated towards the back away from the windows and ordered a glass of wine. Marie pulled up in a cab about ten minutes later and we caught up over drinks while we waited for lunch to arrive. “Are you sure they were following you?’ she asked when I told her about the car that had been following behind me since I’d pulled out of the gated community we lived in, it had also driven by at least twice between the time I’d parked and she’d arrived. “No, but my instincts say it was and given what you just told me about the things going on at Covenant I’d put money on it; that, plus what Amber said about Grandmother Bridgett being convinced someone was watching the house before she died– well, it makes me wonder.” “Yeah, I know what you mean. I’ll get the check. Why don’t you call Amber and have her meet us there. I’m anxious to see this room she discovered. Don’t forget to call Andy too; we may need his help.” We drove around and stopped a few times to take care of some errands just to make sure we weren’t being followed then pulled up in front of the house I’d grown up in. Amber was sitting on the porch waiting for us. “Shall we give ‘Aunt Marie’ the tour of Great Gran’s House?” she asked unlocking the door and standing aside. As soon as we have closed the doors behind us Amber drops the persona of a young girl speaking to her Mother’s old college roommate; immediately she looks taller, more self-assured, and her red hair waves around her face like flame. Her entire demeanor has changed. She is Fire Wytche. “Welcome back Sea Wytche. The House of Fire is at your disposal.” “It’s just like I remember it from when we all used to spend our summers and holidays here as children. We kids would swim and climb the rock walls or hike in the woods with one of your Gran’s friends learning everything there was to know about animals, plants and survival in general and then there were the magic lessons, Martial Arts, and the stories. We thought it was great fun; little did we know we were already being trained as future Guardians and Warriors, remember Blaize.” “I remember I was the first of us to leave what she used to call the incubator when Mother didn’t return from a ‘business trip’ so there were a lot of things I missed when I had to be trained to take her place. Come to think of it you were here then if I remember right, your Mother was also injured around that time and had to spend some time in some ‘hospital’ so you stayed here with us. I hated you sometimes – you’d be having fun while I was busy becoming a Guardian and Fire Wytche. The next year I married Andy.” “Yes, and the following year I was born and that’s when the rules were changed. Each House began training its own family and this place became Guardian House – something about Grandmother Bridgett taking on the embodiment of ‘The Mother’ I missed all the fun.” “Are you ready to see the room or do you want to wait for Dad to get here, Mother?” “I don’t understand it. I know these are all of her keys. Want me to go get a screw driver and hammer, Dad?” “Not yet. Remember the chain Gran used to wear around her neck? Check her jewel box and bedside table and see if you can find it. If she took the time to send packages to all of us I’m sure she also managed to let us know what was happening and provide whatever we needed to find it. I know in my bones the answers begin with that necklace.” I said looking around at everyone. The locket was not in the jewel box or drawer and for almost an hour we looked everywhere we could think of to no avail. Finally we gave up and Andy went to get a screwdriver and hammer. Just as he put the screwdriver to the first hinge Amber came running up the stairs yelling. “I found it, I found Gran’s necklace.” I turned the amulet over in my hands and examined it again. “I don’t think this is the actual key; I think it’s more like a map giving us clues to where it is. I also think it’s probably a good thing you didn’t try taking the door off Andy. There’s something important in there and I’m sure Gran took extra precautions to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.” “Marie, unscrew that crystal finial from the bedside lamp and bring it here. Andy, close those blinds and Amber you need to bring up that piece of wood you found the necklace hanging on.” “Now what, Mom?” Amber asked when I’d finished putting everything where I wanted it. “Now we wait,” I said pointing to a small circular stained glass window high up on the wall. While we waited I explained how I’d noticed that the pentagram wasn’t one piece but actually unscrewed from the fastener and, I also noticed the finial on the lamp was crooked and knowing how OCD Gran was I figured it was deliberate, “One thing led to another and now in a few minutes we should know if I’m right.” “Turn the lamp off Amber.” The moon slowly crept across the sky lighting up the small window in the process until suddenly moonlight exploded and shown into the room striking the amulet. The light bounced and was concentrated by the finial which in turn struck the wall just to the left of the door. The entire wall moved. The wall closed behind us and the room lit up with a soft glow, it was huge with eight alcoves. Each alcove held a bow window looking out on a different landscape – none of them familiar. There was an altar in each alcove that held candles, paper, ink and quills, and other ritual items. The wall size chart on the one solid wall told which Guardian spirit each altar belonged to, I realized where we were and why. Marie and Amber walked straight to the altars marked Fire and Sea while I took Andy’s hands. “You would not have managed to get safely through the door if you weren’t supposed to be here. Take your place my husband, you are a Shadow Warrior. You have been since the beginnings of time.” I walked to the center alter and lit the candle, “Mother and Creatoress of All, I stand before you as Spirit Guardian, Fire Wytche, and Crone of the House of Fire. I ask your protection and guidance on we who are gathered here and to those known and who we have yet to meet as we call to them.” I wrote my name on a sheet of paper and burned it in the flame then turned to the rest of them. Each of the others in turn lit their candles and offered up a prayer then put their names to the flame to seal the promise. I opened the letter addressed to me that was lying on the Spirit alter beside an ancient manuscript titled ‘Records of the Guardians’. Among other things it held a list of nine names, which element they represented, along with their present locations and a means of notifying them. The list confirmed what we knew and also held a few surprises. I read over it and then showed it to everyone else. Marie took a quick look and handed it back. “I guess there’s no point in waiting any longer. Temperance and I are adopting an eleven year old whose parents were killed in an accident last year. She’s some distant relation of Tempie’s, we weren’t going to say anything until it was settled but look at what it says beside my name.” The list identified Marie as Sea Wytche, Guardian and Crone of the House of Waters, Soul Mate to Temperance Chardey, Guardian & Wytche of the House of Energy, and adopted Mother to Victoria Fowler, Outworlder & Trainee (Natural Wytche). “At least you already know these people. Gran has me marrying some Guardian from the House of Light and having two kids, and I don’t even have a boyfriend.” “Shouldn’t we concentrate on notifying the rest “asked Andy trying to bring the conversation back to the subject at hand.
