Page 15 of Kell

Kell patted Alana’s thigh. “I would very much like to hear the story. Any insight into the mind of the seeker could be advantageous.”

Mara smiled. “Alana was in science class. They were working with minerals from the periodic table and one of the other students asked her if she had heard of Marty Grainer.”

“I was young, and the story was believable,” Alana said, though she smiled. She had thought herself a modern-day Nancy Drew back then, looking for clues to a mystery. That was before she broke her sister’s heart, and she still shared her discoveries with her older sibling.

Mara laughed. “It was true... in a way.”

Legion grabbed the teapot and poured himself a cup of tea. “I admit I am curious about this Marty person.”

“Alana’s classmate told her that Marty was a science teacher at the school when it first opened. He discovered that the school was built on an old military site and a rumor that there was a treasure that had been confiscated from an enemy buried somewhere on the grounds. He had investigated the school and even made some holes in the concrete, but he never found the loot and was fired for the damage he caused.”

Kell rubbed his chin. “I have the feeling Alana went looking for this treasure.”

Mara nodded. “She did. She researched the old military outpost and found the same information Marty did. Then she retraced his steps to the sites he had dug up.”

Alana rolled her eyes. “I should have realized right away that the sites didn’t match up. I assumed Marty didn’t transpose the differences in the terrain in the last few hundred years. I was wrong.”

“What were you wrong about?” Kell asked.

Mara pointed at Alana. “She figured out where the treasure was and that it had already been removed.”

Legion nodded. “The treasure was gone before Marty discovered it.”

Alana shook her head. “No, Marty took it and then made the false holes so the school board would fire him. He left the state after selling his treasure to a private collector.”

“How did you find out?”

Alana shrugged. “I tracked him... online. He was in Texas, living it up. I called him and told him what I discovered, and he offered me money to stay quiet.”

“What did you do?”

“I called the authorities. I should have taken the money. The treasure was a casket of silverware and some gold jewelry from the era. Since he found it, he was only responsible for the damages done to the school.”

Legion took another sip of tea. “That’s when you found out you had magic?”

Alana shook her head. “It was shortly after the hike when Adara said I needed to have my mother perform the test. I am not sure if she sensed something in me, but she did say she was concerned her contacting me opened a pathway to magic that should have been left dormant.”

Mara clutched her mug. “What test?”

Alana hadn’t thought about that day in a long time. It was the catalyst that changed her life, but she hadn’t seen it that way at the time. “I told Mom about Adara speaking to me. She hugged me and was so excited for me. She assumed you would have magic as well and prepared the test for both of us.”

Mara shook her head. “I don’t remember a test.”

“Mom had that old mortar bowl and pestle. She combined several ingredients from the sacred book. It has spells to reveal a druid as well as the ritual to open the gateway. She chanted it in front of me and the smoke swirled around me like a noose. It was insubstantial, yet I felt like it was latching onto me. It was weird.”

“I don’t remember Mom chanting a spell.”

“She had already unleashed it. Mom called you into the room and the smoke remained unaffected. She told you to go watch TV while we finished up the dishes and after you left, she swore me to secrecy. I was upset, but she said it was the way of the druid. Only those of power could be part of the temple when it returned.”

Mara looked hurt, but she forced a smile. “I wouldn’t have crossed Mom either.”

Legion cursed, and everyone turned to him.

“What is it,” Kell asked.

“I figured out what changed for Adara. That was the time she told me to destroy our connection.”

Alana nibbled her thumb. “That makes sense. She said she lost her power source. That must have been you. You kept her alive until the druids emerged.”

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