Secrets of the Deep (29 page)

“Well, it’s just…now that Izzy mentioned Celestus…and Nix just reminded me about Garnock’s demon familiar…it jogged my memory about something else I once heard concerning Atlantis.”

“What’s that?” Dani asked.

Archie hesitated. “Well, I have to warn you, the theory is a little wild. But I think it could pertain.”

Maddox arched a brow. “Let’s hear it.”

“All right, but don’t think I’m mad. Some say the whole empire of Atlantis was originally founded by…fallen angels.”

“
What?
” Dani exclaimed.

“That’s why they were so advanced,” Archie said hastily. “They used to live in Heaven, y’see. But then they got kicked out for rebelling, right? According to the story, on their way down, these evil angels stole the secret knowledge of the celestial realm and decided to apply it here on Earth. That’s why it seemed so incredibly far ahead of anything humans had at the time. Because it wasn’t
from
here. It was never supposed to be here,” he said. “It was never meant for our world.”

“Where’d you hear this?” Jake asked, crinkling his nose.

“I sat next to a chap at the Invention Convention from the alternative archeology department at one of the luncheons, Dr. Coturnix. Everyone was all abuzz about Dr. Schliemann discovering the lost city of Troy, but I found this fellow’s area of study even more compelling. Coturnix encouraged me to investigate it for myself in the Apocrypha, particularly the Book of Enoch.”

“English, coz?” Jake prompted.

“Oh—sorry. An apocryphal text means an ancient manuscript that’s related to the Bible, but isn’t officially included in it. Enoch was Noah’s granddad, y’see. He lived to be, blazes, about a thousand years old. His writings are quoted several places in the Bible.”

“Never thought about Noah having a grandpa,” Dani remarked.

“According to Enoch, there was this horrid brigade of some two hundred rebel angels known as the Watchers. They were followers of Lucifer, and after Archangel Michael threw them out of Heaven, they decided to come down here and make a new life for themselves on Earth.”

“Didn’t they go straight to you-know-where?” Dani pointed to the floor.

“Not immediately. Their main punishment at that point was getting thrown out of their home and never being able to see God again. For a time, they were free to roam about, and that’s when they decided to invade the Earth.

“Of course, this was forbidden,” Archie continued, “but if they got an invitation from humankind… Well, just like a vampire can’t step over your doorstep unless you invite him, the Watchers used their celestial knowledge to bribe humans into letting them come into the Earth plane. They pretended like they came in peace, only wanting to help them.

“Naturally, they didn’t appear as horned, red-skinned demons, but still kept their angel looks for a while, plus they still had their superior intellect, superior strength, angelic paranormal abilities. They managed to manifest themselves in human form as ultra-handsome men, even claiming they were gods, like Zeus and Apollo and such. By doing that, they tricked human women into marrying them, and eventually had families. But the children born to them were not normal beings.”

“Obviously,” said Maddox, “if they were half demon.”

“Precisely,” Archie said. “The Watchers’ descendants were flesh and blood like us, but as smart and strong as angels—only wicked fallen ones. Within a few centuries, their clans had grown to dominate mankind and had pretty much taken over the Earth.”

“Yikes,” said Jake.

“The ancient Hebrews referred to these creatures as the Nephilim. Dr. Coturnix speculated that these bloodlines might have made up the different enemy tribes of terrifying ‘-ites’ that the heroes in the Old Testament had to fight all the time, like Joshua and Caleb. The Amalakites and Jebusites and so forth. In places, they are referred to as giants inhabiting the Promised Land that had to be driven out.

“Coturnix speculates that these groups were actually fallen angel descendants—Nephilim. That’s why God would order Joshua and his army to wipe certain tribes out completely—men, women, children—because they were, well, basically demon spawn.”

“Blimey,” Jake said, pondering for a moment. “Wonder if there’s anyone left alive with Nephilim blood today.”

Archie shrugged. “Anything’s possible, but that was the whole point of having the Flood, wasn’t it? To get rid of them all at one go.”

“So…God flushed the Nephilim down the drain,” Dani remarked.

Archie nodded. “That was my colleague’s scholarship on the matter, anyway. Oh, and by the way, there were supposed to be a few telltale signs if someone was a Nephilim. Because, you see, the two species—human and fallen angel—didn’t combine quite right. The kids came out kind of…freakish and wrong.”

“Wrong how?” Jake asked.

“Well, they were usually oversized, for starters. Eight, nine feet tall was common. One of those ‘-ite’ kings was supposed to be thirteen feet tall. Oh, and another distinguishing trait was six fingers on each hand. They weren’t all the same. Some also had big, strange, cone-shaped skulls.” Archie gestured to the back of his head. “Coturnix collects them. They turn up all over the globe, but nobody can explain them.

“He said they
can’t
be human because they don’t even have the right Y-shaped pattern of cranial sutures that we have joining the plates in our skulls. Also, the sheer volume of the brain cavity led him to theorize that this cone-headed variety of Nephilim might’ve had extreme mental or even supernatural abilities, like telepathy.”

“Hey, Archie, what about telekinesis?” Dani flashed a grin at Jake.

“Oh, shut it.” He scoffed. “I’m not a Nephilim.”

Archie chuckled. “Well, if you start getting the urge to drink blood or offer human sacrifices up on top of a pyramid somewhere, do let us know. That was a favorite Nephilim pastime. Dr. Coturnix said some of these freakish skulls they found actually have various dental anomalies, like fangs, for example.”

“Lovely.” Isabelle shuddered.

“Eh, that could be a hoax,” said Nixie.

But Jake grinned. “I wish I could’ve fought some Nephilim.”

“Sounds fun,” Maddox agreed with a faint smile.

Sapphira didn’t look convinced. “So this motley crew of fallen angel offspring are supposed to be the Old Ones who founded Atlantis?”

Archie just shrugged.

Everyone was quiet, and for a moment, Jake mulled his cousin’s account.

“Suppose it were true,” he said at length. “Then that would mean that artifact sitting right there”—he pointed at the table—“was the handiwork of Atlanteans. Who were actually devil-spawn Nephilim. Which would make the orb more or less…demonic in origin.”

“Yes,” Archie said, nodding, “more or less.”

Spooked, Dani stood abruptly. “Let’s get rid of it. It needs to be destroyed,” she said in a tight voice.

“How?” Maddox asked, pivoting to her with a nod of agreement. “Should I smash it?”

“Hold on!” Archie protested. “That’s a real Atlantean artifact! Nobody’s smashing anything! It needs to be studied for its historical significance!”

“But if it could destroy the world—” Maddox said.

“It’s too dangerous!” Dani said, nodding. “If it’s evil, and only bad people want it…”

“She’s right, Arch,” Isabelle agreed.

But Nixie sided with Archie—sort of. “Excuse me! Let’s not rush to judgment here, because after all, there is another viewpoint on Atlantis. The exact opposite view, in fact: that it was a utopia of knowledge and peace, and that their downfall wiped out a golden age.”

“If you’re a demon spawn, sure,” Jake muttered. “Flood must’ve been a bad day for that lot.”

“Or maybe
none
of it existed!” Nixie argued. “We just don’t know. These could all be legends!”

“Well, Davy Jones believes in it,” Sapphira said, then hesitated. “And to be honest, I’ve seen a small demonstration that it actually
does
work…”

“Fascinating,” Archie murmured after Sapphira had described how the wedges had unfolded in her tutor’s cave, and the hum and the spinning and the lights.

Archie looked sorely tempted to try to turn it on. “Clearly, we need to do some research—”

“I don’t think you should go messin’ with it, Arch,” Jake warned.

“Of course not—that would be irresponsible until I know more.” Archie shook his head, frowning. “I wish there was some way to consult Dr. Coturnix about it, but he’s somewhere in the jungles of Belize right now—studying Mayan pyramids, as it happens.”

Archie glanced at his fob watch. “Well, the local library should be open for another hour yet this evening. I’ll go see if they have any books on Atlantis to point me in the right direction. At least it’s a start. Eventually, though, as long as it seems safe, I’ll want to put the orb under my microscope and run some tests. Who knows what secrets it might yield?”

“I’ll assist,” Isabelle volunteered.

“I might be able to coax a few secrets out of it by magical means, as well,” Nixie said.

“Good, then it’s settled,” Archie said.

“Remember, you will need to be extremely careful handling that thing,” Sapphira warned. “You don’t want to accidentally start it up like I did. It was only activated for a minute or two, and it was already starting to cause some sort of vortex in my tutor’s cave. I could barely shut it off. I’m not even sure how I activated it in the first place.”

“Meanwhile, Jones still wants it,” Maddox said. “I suggest we keep the orb in a safe place, and that
nobody
touch it until we know more.”

“I’ll figure out a spot,” Jake replied.

“Whoever’s coming with me, let’s hurry! Library closes in an hour.” Archie dashed off, presumably to fetch a notebook and pencils for his little research trip.

Isabelle and Nixie followed him out.

“Should I go with them?” Dani asked, glancing at Jake.

Before he could answer, Liliana spoke up shyly. “Mr. Maddox? Would you please take me back down all those steps to see Wallace? I’m afraid I’ll fall if I try it by myself. I’m not
that
used to walking yet.”

“Of course I will, Your Highness,” he said with an affectionate smile.

As he went over to lift her up onto his back again, Sapphira frowned. “Lil, I know you want to pet Wallace, but you have to be very careful when you’re on the beach not to get splashed.”

“Dani,” Jake said, “could you figure out some accommodations for our guests? They’ll need a bedchamber—”

“Oooh, I don’t want to stay indoors,” Sapphira said with a slight shudder. “If you don’t mind, I noticed a little striped canvas pavilion on the beach, where my sister and I would be much more comfortable.”

“Are you sure? It’s small,” Jake said, though that
would
keep Aunt Ramona and Miss Helena from noticing their guests. “That’s just where we change clothes into our swimsuits or dry off.”

“No, I think it’s big enough to fit a couple of cots in there,” Dani said. “Even the beach lounge chairs might be comfortable enough with some blankets and pillows?”

“That sounds perfect,” Sapphira said.

“I’ll go set it up for you and bring a few things to make you more comfortable in there.” Dani offered the mermaid a smile, as if to show that she, at least, was willing to forgive her.

“You’re very kind,” said Sapphira. “How can I help?”

“Actually, I’d like a word with you—alone, Your Highness. If you don’t mind,” Jake said in a tone that brooked no debate.

The command took the mermaid aback, as well as Maddox and Dani. Dani’s auburn eyebrows rose as she realized Jake meant to give Sapphira the stern talking-to she deserved for her trickery and lies.

She had come clean now, but he wanted to make it very clear that they would not tolerate any more of her deception in the future. With their lives on the line, they all needed to know they could trust one another.

With guarded looks, Dani followed Maddox off the patio, while he carried Liliana on his back.

Jake and Sapphira were left alone.

When the others had gone, the princess folded her arms across her chest and turned to him with a haughty lift of her chin, looking defensive. “I suppose you wanted a moment alone to scold me?”

“I don’t like being lied to,” he said, looking her right in the eyes. He didn’t care if she was a princess or what. “If it’s not bad enough you were willing to drown all humanity for the sake of your sister, you made me risk my friends’ safety without knowing the full truth.”

“Oh, Jake, don’t be angry at me,” she said with a coy little smirk. “You’re supposed to be my great hero and protector on land, remember?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Another distraction technique, Sapphira? I’m on to your deceptions. Don’t think I didn’t notice that little game of yours back in the Seaweed Forest—insulting me to throw me off, so I wouldn’t ask any questions? You can’t trick a trickster, love. I just did the exact same thing to Davy Jones. In fact,” he added after a pause, “I’m starting to think you and I have more in common than either of us likes to admit.”

“Oh, really? How’s that?”

He gave her a long, searching look. “You’re not the only one who might’ve brought destruction to your people.”

She tilted her head warily in question.

“You brought Davy Jones’s wrath down on your kingdom, and I may have accidentally started a war between the Order and the Dark Druids. But don’t worry,” he said, leaning his hip against the railing around the patio, arms folded across his chest. “We’re going to fix this. Your situation—and mine. I have to believe that.”

Her gaze turned wistful. “Do you really think so, Jake? I don’t want my father to hate me over this.”

“Ah, how could your own father hate you?” he asked sympathetically, encouraged by this rare glimpse of her vulnerable side.

She heaved a sigh. “Well, maybe ‘hate’ is an exaggeration. But he expects me to blunder all the time, and now I have,” she said in frustration. “Do you know what it’s like having a king for a father? Even at the best of times, I can never please him, hard as I try. He so would have preferred a firstborn son instead of me.” She gazed toward the sea. “I’ve been a disappointment to him since the day I was born. And now look what I’ve done.”