The sapphire was real. He knew it. He also knew that he had to find it,
soon.
“According to this, the stone
was kept within the walls of the Secluded City. King Richard, apparently,
carried it with him wherever he went. Apparently, he believed very strongly in
its mystical powers.” Mikayla removed her glasses and looked up at Will. “So
does Malachi get rid of the stone after his father’s death to prevent something
or is it stolen? What happens to the stone once Malachi becomes king? How does
Malachi bring about peace after one hundred years of war and conflict?”
Will grinned as Mikayla’s voice
babbled out question after question that sounded more like fairytales and
treasure hunts than the serious history she preached. He closed the book and
set it on top of the diary. Mikayla’s jaw dropped down, and she was speechless.
He took her hand in one of his and closed her laptop with the other. “Now, come
with me.” When she resisted, he tugged a little more. “You promised that if I
found something important we could do something else today. I found something
important. I held up my end of the bargain.” He tugged again. “Let’s go!”
“Will…” Mikayla protested even
as she allowed him to tug her out the door.
Chapter 8
The tires of the navy blue Jeep
roared over the dirt road as it wound up the mountain. Gravel spit out from the
tires and bounced off of ancient trees that had long guarded the road,
protecting it from change. The sun streamed through the canopy of palm trees,
dappling the gravel road that stretched in front of the Jeep as it bounced over
ruts in the road.
Mikayla
stretched her arms above her head and grasped the fabric covered roll bars. Her
fingers tapped in the sunlight to the oldies music that blared from the
speakers of the Jeep and woke up the birds sleeping in the trees. Birds flew
out of the trees with loud cries of dismay as Will accelerated just a little
bit to make the next curve. Her laughter at the wind and the birds filled the
air with music. She began to sing.
“Everyday,
it’s a getting faster, going faster than a roller coaster…”
Will
grinned. Her voice was terrible, but she was enjoying herself. Her messy bun
had collapsed early in the ride up the mountain, and now, pins gone, it
streamed out behind them and whipped into her face. Wild, free, lovely. Because
he was enjoying himself, he joined in, blending his voice with hers on the
chorus.
“Love
like yours will surely come my way.”
Mikayla
laughed lightly as the Jeep crested the hill and rolled to a stop in an empty
plain, the top of the island, the top of the mountain that had once appeared
either through plate tectonics or some ancient volcanic activity. She stood in
the Jeep, grasping the bars for support and allowed the sun to beat down on her
shoulders and head, clearing away any dreary thoughts or feelings, any guilt
from having left her work behind. She breathed deeply and took in the clean,
fresh air, air that seemed untouched by human hands. Air that cleansed the
soul.
Will
climbed from the Jeep with practiced ease. He had long ago given up on doors on
the Jeep. It was too much work to keep putting them on and taking them off.
They spent most of their time off anyway. He reached into the backseat for his
camera bag and the picnic basket he had packed before leaving that morning.
Something had told him early on that today he would not be eating in that
dreary cell of the Hall of Records. Today was different. It had been since the
sun had risen and woken him, early, early enough to know it was a good day for
climbing mountains and capturing beauty on film.
He
pulled the heavy bag with his camera equipment from the Jeep and looked up at
Mikayla, still standing on her seat, breathing in the air, taking in the view.
It was a marvelous view that deserved to be appreciated. Will held out a hand.
“C’mon,
there’s an even better view from over there.” He nodded
soon.
“According to this, the stone
was kept within the walls of the Secluded City. King Richard, apparently,
carried it with him wherever he went. Apparently, he believed very strongly in
its mystical powers.” Mikayla removed her glasses and looked up at Will. “So
does Malachi get rid of the stone after his father’s death to prevent something
or is it stolen? What happens to the stone once Malachi becomes king? How does
Malachi bring about peace after one hundred years of war and conflict?”
Will grinned as Mikayla’s voice
babbled out question after question that sounded more like fairytales and
treasure hunts than the serious history she preached. He closed the book and
set it on top of the diary. Mikayla’s jaw dropped down, and she was speechless.
He took her hand in one of his and closed her laptop with the other. “Now, come
with me.” When she resisted, he tugged a little more. “You promised that if I
found something important we could do something else today. I found something
important. I held up my end of the bargain.” He tugged again. “Let’s go!”
“Will…” Mikayla protested even
as she allowed him to tug her out the door.
Chapter 8
The tires of the navy blue Jeep
roared over the dirt road as it wound up the mountain. Gravel spit out from the
tires and bounced off of ancient trees that had long guarded the road,
protecting it from change. The sun streamed through the canopy of palm trees,
dappling the gravel road that stretched in front of the Jeep as it bounced over
ruts in the road.
Mikayla
stretched her arms above her head and grasped the fabric covered roll bars. Her
fingers tapped in the sunlight to the oldies music that blared from the
speakers of the Jeep and woke up the birds sleeping in the trees. Birds flew
out of the trees with loud cries of dismay as Will accelerated just a little
bit to make the next curve. Her laughter at the wind and the birds filled the
air with music. She began to sing.
“Everyday,
it’s a getting faster, going faster than a roller coaster…”
Will
grinned. Her voice was terrible, but she was enjoying herself. Her messy bun
had collapsed early in the ride up the mountain, and now, pins gone, it
streamed out behind them and whipped into her face. Wild, free, lovely. Because
he was enjoying himself, he joined in, blending his voice with hers on the
chorus.
“Love
like yours will surely come my way.”
Mikayla
laughed lightly as the Jeep crested the hill and rolled to a stop in an empty
plain, the top of the island, the top of the mountain that had once appeared
either through plate tectonics or some ancient volcanic activity. She stood in
the Jeep, grasping the bars for support and allowed the sun to beat down on her
shoulders and head, clearing away any dreary thoughts or feelings, any guilt
from having left her work behind. She breathed deeply and took in the clean,
fresh air, air that seemed untouched by human hands. Air that cleansed the
soul.
Will
climbed from the Jeep with practiced ease. He had long ago given up on doors on
the Jeep. It was too much work to keep putting them on and taking them off.
They spent most of their time off anyway. He reached into the backseat for his
camera bag and the picnic basket he had packed before leaving that morning.
Something had told him early on that today he would not be eating in that
dreary cell of the Hall of Records. Today was different. It had been since the
sun had risen and woken him, early, early enough to know it was a good day for
climbing mountains and capturing beauty on film.
He
pulled the heavy bag with his camera equipment from the Jeep and looked up at
Mikayla, still standing on her seat, breathing in the air, taking in the view.
It was a marvelous view that deserved to be appreciated. Will held out a hand.
“C’mon,
there’s an even better view from over there.” He nodded
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