She shut the safe with a thunk, and Dhiraj could see the agent's ears perk up immediately after. He stood up and tried to leave, but Beth grabbed his ankle.
"Wait! Could you help me raise him?"
Dhiraj's face twitched. "Winny, get out of there!"
Winny put the painting back in place, opened the window and hopped down to the grass below. By the time the agents and the officer got to the room, there was no trace left of her. When they got back to the hallway, the collapsed drunk girl was gone as well.
Dhiraj and the gang said their goodbyes to Beth and Winny the next morning, just outside the town limits. Everyone was in good spirits, and even Travis gave them a hug. They all ignored Beth lingering far too long with her hands around his waist.
Jennifer was all smiles. "You guys were amazing last night."
Winny smirked. "That's what he said." She took her cousin's hand. "If there's anything else we can do, we'd be happy to help. That's what family's for."
Jennifer hugged Winny one last time before they hopped back in the van and headed to the farm.
Dhiraj held Jennifer's hand in his as he looked back at the "Now Leaving Treasure" sign. They had the books, and he was sure that Erica would retrieve the staff. If all went well, maybe the next time they crossed the city limits, everything would be back to normal.
Chapter 16
Over an hour passed before Ted was taken from the ship. Even though he knew he was surrounded by dark souls, he did his best to reach Natalie's mind with his words. He wasn't sure how much she'd heard, if anything at all. That didn't stop him from trying, even when a half dozen guards shrouded in black surrounded him on the way down the ship's ramp. The armor underneath their capes made a sound like a chain-link fence with every step.
The castle was ancient and magical. There was something about it that made him think of the nerdy medieval video games he'd played as a kid. He'd even played a few with the old Erica before she'd moved on to popularity. The guards stopped in front of an ornate golden door. It opened with a sound that rattled the hallway. They ushered him inside and shut the door behind him. For a moment, he thought he might be alone, but two more guards stood in front of a much taller door. Its height was on the verge of ridiculous. Ted looked up at the decorations on the wall. The jewels that covered the shields and staffs above reminded him of the markings on the side of the ancient sword he'd used to dispatch Nigel and the Torellos. He wondered how his weapon and the items above could be connected, when the guards each slammed their staffs to the ground in unison.
He pursed his lips together. "I haven't exactly studied the dark soul handbook, but I assume you want me to come over?"
The dark souls guarding the chamber didn't respond, but Ted took their silence for a yes. He approached and stood in front of the second massive doorway. Ted thought back to what the soldiers had said when he and Natalie were taken from the village alley. They'd mentioned the General wanted a word with them. Was that the person behind these oversized doors? Ted swallowed as they opened.
He supposed he shouldn't be shocked by how long the room was, given how much castle they'd spied from the ship, but he was surprised anyway. He crossed at least 50 feet of red carpet before the throne at the end came into view. The walls on either side were carved with the faces of creatures he hoped he'd never see. The artwork was stunning and grotesque. Ted turned his attention toward the bronze throne. Cloaked in shadow, a man sat on the edge of the seat.
No. Not a man. A boy.
"I've been waiting a long time to meet you."
Ted hadn't spoken, but it sounded as if he had. It took a moment to realize the voice had come from the boy sitting before him. He was dressed similarly as the guards, though everything he wore seemed a little more ornate. His armor was more like crystal than chain mail. It made his
"Wait! Could you help me raise him?"
Dhiraj's face twitched. "Winny, get out of there!"
Winny put the painting back in place, opened the window and hopped down to the grass below. By the time the agents and the officer got to the room, there was no trace left of her. When they got back to the hallway, the collapsed drunk girl was gone as well.
Dhiraj and the gang said their goodbyes to Beth and Winny the next morning, just outside the town limits. Everyone was in good spirits, and even Travis gave them a hug. They all ignored Beth lingering far too long with her hands around his waist.
Jennifer was all smiles. "You guys were amazing last night."
Winny smirked. "That's what he said." She took her cousin's hand. "If there's anything else we can do, we'd be happy to help. That's what family's for."
Jennifer hugged Winny one last time before they hopped back in the van and headed to the farm.
Dhiraj held Jennifer's hand in his as he looked back at the "Now Leaving Treasure" sign. They had the books, and he was sure that Erica would retrieve the staff. If all went well, maybe the next time they crossed the city limits, everything would be back to normal.
Chapter 16
Over an hour passed before Ted was taken from the ship. Even though he knew he was surrounded by dark souls, he did his best to reach Natalie's mind with his words. He wasn't sure how much she'd heard, if anything at all. That didn't stop him from trying, even when a half dozen guards shrouded in black surrounded him on the way down the ship's ramp. The armor underneath their capes made a sound like a chain-link fence with every step.
The castle was ancient and magical. There was something about it that made him think of the nerdy medieval video games he'd played as a kid. He'd even played a few with the old Erica before she'd moved on to popularity. The guards stopped in front of an ornate golden door. It opened with a sound that rattled the hallway. They ushered him inside and shut the door behind him. For a moment, he thought he might be alone, but two more guards stood in front of a much taller door. Its height was on the verge of ridiculous. Ted looked up at the decorations on the wall. The jewels that covered the shields and staffs above reminded him of the markings on the side of the ancient sword he'd used to dispatch Nigel and the Torellos. He wondered how his weapon and the items above could be connected, when the guards each slammed their staffs to the ground in unison.
He pursed his lips together. "I haven't exactly studied the dark soul handbook, but I assume you want me to come over?"
The dark souls guarding the chamber didn't respond, but Ted took their silence for a yes. He approached and stood in front of the second massive doorway. Ted thought back to what the soldiers had said when he and Natalie were taken from the village alley. They'd mentioned the General wanted a word with them. Was that the person behind these oversized doors? Ted swallowed as they opened.
He supposed he shouldn't be shocked by how long the room was, given how much castle they'd spied from the ship, but he was surprised anyway. He crossed at least 50 feet of red carpet before the throne at the end came into view. The walls on either side were carved with the faces of creatures he hoped he'd never see. The artwork was stunning and grotesque. Ted turned his attention toward the bronze throne. Cloaked in shadow, a man sat on the edge of the seat.
No. Not a man. A boy.
"I've been waiting a long time to meet you."
Ted hadn't spoken, but it sounded as if he had. It took a moment to realize the voice had come from the boy sitting before him. He was dressed similarly as the guards, though everything he wore seemed a little more ornate. His armor was more like crystal than chain mail. It made his
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