Page 18 of Secrets of the Lore Keepers
Return. I hadn’t thought of that. But, regardless, a bright future would not happen for us if we did not find the buried goddess. “You’re the best sister ever,” I gave her an impulsive hug. “But come on, the light has come and we have a goddess to find.”
Together we made our way downstairs into the kitchen where Kian sat, helping himself to some bread and cheese.
“I hope you don’t mind,” he began when he saw us.
Maraini nudged me with her elbow, and I fought to keep from giggling. “No, eat,” I said. “We’ll go to the orchard when you’re done.”
Even though I wanted the nasty nonsense with the goddess over with, I did not relish the thought of digging through the orchard. I waved away Maraini’s suggestion to eat. My stomach twisted in knots as we gathered supplies and marched to the orchard. My thoughts briefly flew to the cows, but they could wait while we dug. The golden sky was still alight with the fresh glory of sunrise, the bright blades of grass wet with drops of dew, and blue and yellow flowers glistened as they help their buds up, soaking in the light.
The trees waved about us, thick trunks, wide branches all sloping upward. I stood under the breezy boughs and found it hard to believe anything evil could hide in such a place. Kian rested a shovel against a tree and we walked around the grove. I studied the knobby trunks and branches heavy with tiny green apples. It was beautiful, home, with nothing dark surrounding it. I’d thought I would have a feeling, a trepidation deep in my gut when we reached the place where the goddess was buried. But there was nothing.
“This isn’t right,” I announced, scratching my head, one hand on my hip. From the time I was young, I knew to trust my inner sensations. I knew when to trust people, when to wager they were telling a lie, and here, there was nothing. “The air is pure; the trees don’t play host to death.”
Kian placed a hand against a trunk and closed his eyes, as though listening to the spirit of the trees. “Nay, there is a lightness here I cannot explain.”
Maraini, who’d brought the book along, flipped to the page with the diagram of the original layout of the land. “I don’t think it’s the orchard either. During the rituals, it was never a place we blessed.”
I cocked my head at her. “But the barn was, and the garden. . .”
“And the house,” she said, glancing back at it.
I shivered. No way there was a monster buried under the house. “But it’s new,” I protested. “Papa had it built for Mama. We should go to the garden.”
Maraini gave me a doleful look, as though she knew I was procrastinating. But really, why would the buried goddess be under the house? It made no sense to me.
Without giving her time to respond, I spun and headed toward the garden.
“Rae,” Maraini called after me.
“I’ll go milk the cows,” Kian offered, as though he could taste the tension in the air.
“It’s not the house.” I shook my head as Maraini and I reached the garden. “The house is home, it’s warm, comforting, and full of good memories.”
“Think about it,” Maraini protested as we walked the edges of the garden. “The house can be rebuilt over and over again, but where’s the one place we hate going? The once place that wouldn’t be rebuilt because it’s underground already?”
My shoulders sagged as I walked the warm earth. The scent of fresh fruits and vegetables hung in the air, bliss, perfection, and nothing of darkness and evil.
“The place where we found the book, as though it is a marker. That has to be the reason it’s down there, instead of with the other accounts of the land. Because it’s a sign, telling us where to go, where to look. Don’t you see, Rae?”
“We’ve been down there a thousand times,” I protested. “There are just rows and rows of shelves, dust, dirt, and moldy food we should toss.”
“We never stay long enough to look at anything, we just run in and out as fast as we can. It’s because the place has an aura about it,” Maraini mused. “What if there’s a labyrinth, a tunnel underneath, and all we need to do is find it?”
Frowning, I eyed the garden. There was no way anything was buried under it, aside from potatoes and carrots. It made sense that the buried goddess would be where no one would bother her, and no wild animals would dig her up. Still, I didn’t want to go into the cellar. It gave me chills. “What about the barn?” I asked half-heartedly.
“No, the more I think about it I’m sure it’s the house.” She glanced toward it. “We are Lore Keepers. We always hold our secrets close. Look, it’s probably best we do this in daylight. I’ll get the lanterns while you find Kian, we’ll want him with us.”
She set off toward the house without another word while I shivered in the sunlight. It was a beautiful, warm summer day, and my heart was filled with nothing but dread. Spinning on one heel, I made my way to the barn when the warm sounds of happy animals could not make the thudding in my heart cease. We were truly going to find the buried goddess, and the legend would morph into truth.
I found Kian standing on the road, shielding his eyes as he studied it. I fell in step beside him and looked, noticing the distinct cloud of dust whipping up. “Do you have visitors?” he asked.
“Not today,” I said. “Market day is tomorrow and if we are missed, those who have needs will come here, seeking a remedy or advice.”
“Advice?” He raised an eyebrow.
“We might be young, but we are still Lore Keepers. We know the history of the world and that knowledge gives us insight.”
“The seer always spoke highly of you,” Kian remarked, his hand touching the small of my back.
