The Lost Chalice (The Relic Seekers Book 3) (20 page)

“With your superpowers, I’m sure you could leap the fence,” Jake said. “Raphael could just walk through it. I’ll have to use my muscles and my training.”

“Want me to give you a piggyback ride?” Nathan asked.

“Hell no.”

“I can get in and check out the place,” Raphael said.

“Are you up to
traveling
?” Nathan asked.

“Yes. The rest helped.”

Nathan drummed his fingers on his thigh. “We don’t even have equipment or weapons. Not that you two need them.”

“We’ll make do with what we have. You two stay out of sight,” Raphael said. “I’m sure the Reaper’s men know exactly what you look like. We don’t want to alert them.”

Jake nodded. “The only thing to our advantage is that he won’t know that we’ve figured out where he is.”

They pulled the car farther down the street, and Raphael slipped out. “Keep an eye on the statue,” he said. “I’ll come down there when it’s clear.”

“Can you believe he’s a Roman centurion?” Nathan asked as they watched Raphael slip up the street. He walked behind a parked car and never came out.

“There he goes,” Jake said. “Walking through walls. Must be nice.”

Nathan crossed his arms and stared out the window. “The Reaper won’t hurt her as long as he needs answers,” Nathan said, as much for himself as Jake. “The most important thing to him is finding the chalice. And we know she doesn’t know where it is.”

“If he believes her. She lied to him once about the other chalice. He won’t forget that.”

“No, but he knows she’s the only one with the ability to find the real one. If he could have found it himself, he would have already done it. He needs Kendall safe.”

Nathan sat up straighter. “There’s Raphael.”

Sure enough the guardian was standing by the statue of the knight, motioning to them. “Here goes.” They put on baseball caps to help hide their faces and walked casually to the gate. Raphael opened it just enough for them to squeeze in.

“What did you find?” Jake asked.

“Several guards. They’re unconscious for now. Let’s hurry before they wake up.”

Easy as that, they walked up to the Reaper’s château past his unconscious security. The home was four stories tall and sat on several acres of well-tended grounds. The Reaper might not have the chalice, but he had money. There were lots of windows. That might come in handy. But no balconies.

Two guards were unconscious near the door.

“I found four more around back,” Raphael said. “I think it’ll be easiest to go in here.”

“What about alarms?” Nathan asked.

“We’re about to find out.” Raphael did something with his hand and woke one of the guards.

“I wish I knew how he did that,” Jake said.

Raphael had already disarmed the man, and now he had his hand clamped over his mouth while holding the guard’s weapon against his crotch. The guard was tough, but Raphael was tougher. The frightened man admitted that Mr. Alexander had brought a woman here. She was blond, and he had put her in one of the second-floor rooms. The alarm was off because Mr. Alexander was expecting company.

Raphael put him back to sleep and let him fall. “Company? We’d better hurry. I’ll go first. If anyone’s inside, I’ll knock them out. If they get past me, you two will have to handle them.”

The plan worked. As they encountered another guard, Raphael put him to sleep. No yelling,
no gunfire, no fighting. “I wish I could have had you with me on my missions,” Jake whispered.

Things got trickier when they rounded a corner and saw four guards carrying a crate. The men looked up and dropped the big container. It crashed to the ground, and the guards pulled guns. Before they could fire, Raphael put the men in front to sleep. Two in the back didn’t fall. Nathan growled and started running. He slammed into them, and the guards slid down the corridor like hockey pucks. Nathan turned, his eyes fiery, and looked back at Jake. One of the guards raised his gun and aimed at Nathan.

Jake’s body spiked with adrenaline, but he couldn’t get there in time to help.

He didn’t have to. The guard fell back, and the gun dropped from his hand.

Nathan turned back to look at the fallen guard, and then met Jake’s eyes. “What was that?”

“Raphael and his magic.”

“What?” Raphael asked. He was bending over the first two guards, removing their weapons.

“Thanks,” Nathan said. “I owe you for that one.”

Raphael frowned. “Grab those weapons and let’s go.”

Jake had already collected the weapons and stuck them in various parts of his clothing.

Further armed, they hurried up the stairs to the second floor. Another man approached. Before he could call out, Raphael flung out his hands and the man dropped like a teddy bear.

“How do you do that?” Jake asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Can all Protettori members do things with their hands?” Jake asked.

“Not all. The gifts vary.”

“When we get back, you’re giving me a crash course in mine,” Nathan said. “I’m tired of being a slave to this . . . whatever it is.”

“It’s you,” Raphael said. “Most people, even normal ones, have untapped potential. You’ve tapped into yours.”

“Whether you want it or not, I guess,” Jake added.

Raphael pointed to his ears and then to the room ahead of them. He’d heard someone inside. The man was a walking weapon, but he was looking a little weary. Jake motioned that he’d go first. He raised his gun and stepped inside. Before he could survey the entire room, something crashed down on his skull. He recognized her smell as stars circled behind his eyes.

“
Jake, I’m sorry.” Kendall patted his cheeks as Raphael and Nathan pulled him up. “I didn’t know it was you. Where’s your water?”

“I gave it to Raphael.” Jake winced and rubbed his head. “And I thought you missed me.”

She threw her arms around him. “I did. I didn’t know if the Reaper had kidnapped everyone. He wouldn’t tell me.” Her voice was muffled against his chest. His arms were tight around her. She could feel his relief in his embrace.

“No. We tried to stop him in DC, but he got away.”

Kendall released Jake and hugged Nathan. “I’m so glad to see you.” She leaned back and looked at Raphael. He had one brow cocked. “Oh hell. I’m even glad to see you.” She grabbed Raphael and hugged him. He looked surprised, and Kendall had a fleeting impression of sadness. Odd. She stepped back. “How did you find me?”

Jake searched her face, as if trying to make sure she was really all right. “Nathan’s people found out there was a private jet flying to Prague right after the Reaper took you. We figured it must be him.”

“Good thing you came. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I got out. I don’t have any money.”

Nathan was also looking at her like a collector checking his prized relic for damage. “You saw the Reaper?” he asked.

Kendall shivered. “He offered to spare your lives if I agreed to help him.”

“He’s not in a position to bargain.” Jake’s jaw tightened. “Did he hurt you?”

“No. He was . . . almost a gentleman. But I think he took my vial of water.”

“Then he will have started to heal,” Raphael said, his voice heavy with dread. “You didn’t see Marco?”

“No. Do you think he’s here?”

“He must be,” Nathan said. “He took a flight here. What about Brandi?”

“He took her too?” Kendall asked.

“We thought he had,” Nathan said. “We didn’t find her.”

“I haven’t seen her,” Kendall said. “The last time was at Thomas’s town house. She thought she heard Thomas. She left the bathroom. When I found her, she was . . . different. Her face, I don’t know, it changed.”

Nathan frowned. “Changed?”

“She didn’t look like Brandi.”

“What did she look like?” Jake asked.

“I don’t remember. I blacked out.”

“Maybe it was the tear gas,” Jake said.

“I didn’t think about that,” Kendall said. “The gas probably messed with my head. What if the Reaper killed her before he kidnapped me?”

Nathan touched her shoulder. “I’ll call Hank and have him check the town house.”

“We need to hurry before those guards wake up,” Nathan said.

Kendall tucked her hair behind her ears. “There’s one tied up in the closet where I was held. I expect he’ll be waking up soon.”

“You tied him up?” Jake asked.

“Yeah, with stockings. That’s all I had.” She smiled at Nathan. “You would have been proud of the knot.” He smiled in return, and she saw Jake’s mouth tighten.

“Did you see anyone else?” Jake asked.

“Not alive.”

That drew curious frowns. “I felt a woman in the room where I was held, but I think she’s dead. Everything in the room looks like a throwback. Everything was still there . . . clothes, brushes, shoes.”

“You think he killed her?” Nathan asked.

“I don’t know, but she was afraid of him.”

“Let’s get moving,” Raphael said.

“How are we going to find Marco?” Nathan asked. “We don’t know if he’s roaming around here, a prisoner, or lost in the middle of Prague.”

“With his memory loss, I’d be surprised if he found this place,” Jake said. “I think we should get Kendall out first, then come back for Marco.”

Nathan nodded. “She’s the main target. It’s not safe to keep her here.”

“I can’t leave without checking to see if he’s here.” She owed her life to Marco.

“Raphael can look for him. He can move a lot faster than you and I can,” Jake said. “What do you think, Raphael?”

Raphael wasn’t listening. He was studying a small painting on the wall.

“We don’t have time to appreciate the Reaper’s art,” Jake said.

“This is it,” Raphael said.

The object of the painting was a cup, a plain wooden cup sitting on a table. “It’s what?” Kendall asked.

“This is the chalice.”

“The chalice?” Kendall asked. “The Holy Grail?”

“Yes.”

“Not very impressive,” Jake said.

Nathan stared intently at the painting. “I think I’ve seen it before.”

“You’ve seen the Holy Grail?” Jake asked.

Nathan looked confused. “I don’t know how I could have.”

“We don’t have time to figure it out now,” Jake said. “We have to get Kendall out of here before the guards wake up.”

“I don’t want to leave without Marco,” Kendall said.

“Raphael can find Marco.” Jake cupped Kendall’s cheek. “I’ll carry you out of here if I have to.”

“Get Kendall to safety. I’ll make sure the guards are still knocked out,” Raphael said. “You’re the key to this now, and there’s more at stake than just us.”

She nodded. Raphael went first. Nathan and Jake put Kendall next and they followed close behind her. She felt like she was royalty being sheltered.

They passed one room, and Jake suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Nathan asked.

Jake stepped inside the room, and she and Nathan followed while Raphael stood at the door. Like the rooms she’d examined, this one was beautifully decorated. There were antiques on every surface and art on the walls. Jake crossed the room to another door. He stood there as if in a daze.

Kendall glanced at Nathan. He frowned and shrugged. Kendall touched Jake’s arm. “You OK?” An image appeared. A little boy standing in the same place where Jake was.

No, you must not go in there.

The woman’s voice was clear. The episode only lasted a few seconds. Jake recognized a door, Nathan recognized the Holy Grail, and she kept seeing some woman who may have been a prisoner here.

“What are you doing?” Nathan asked.

Jake rubbed his forehead. He looked confused. “Déjà vu.” He tried the handle. “Locked. I wonder what’s in there?”

“Can you pick it?” Nathan asked.

“This is an unusual lock,” Jake said. “You might have to do your thing and knock it down.”

“Is it that important to get inside?” Nathan asked.

Raphael pushed them all aside. “Stand back.” He walked up to the door, took a breath, and vanished.

“He doesn’t need keys,” Nathan said.

“I wish I could do that,” Jake said.

A moment later, the door opened. “Welcome,” Raphael said, his tone sarcastic.

They stepped inside. “I think we’ve found your chalice room,” Nathan said.

The room was glorious. Rare objects filled every space, and one entire wall was covered in shelves that held chalices, cups, and vases. “I saw this room in a dream,” Kendall said. Some of the chalices were ornate, and some were simple. She quickly searched for the one from the painting, even though she knew it wasn’t there. If the Reaper had it, he wouldn’t be after her. He would be at the fountain trying to drink.

“I recognize this,” Nathan said.

He held a small obsidian knife. A ceremonial knife the Aztecs used for sacrifices. She remembered when Uncle John found it. “It was your father’s,” she said. “This must be his lost collection.”

His eyes bore a spark of regret, followed by hatred. “I guess the Reaper did kill him.”

Kendall touched his hand. “I’m sorry, Nathan. But at least you know why he died.”

He nodded and stuck the knife in his pocket. “I’ll kill him,” Nathan said calmly.

Kendall squeezed his fingers lightly. “I know.” As Raphael hurried them along, Kendall recognized several objects that had belonged to Uncle John. “I’m sure there are lots of collections here.”

Jake’s lips thinned. “Too bad we can’t take everything.” He looked at Raphael. “You can’t move all this like you moved the treasure under the chapel can you?”

“I didn’t move it.”

“You said you did.”

“I didn’t really move it,” Raphael said.

“It’s some kind of mind trick?” Nathan asked.

He smiled. “I’ll show you when we get back.”

“I’ve seen enough treasures,” Jake said. “We need to get out of here. After the Reaper is dead, we can come back and explore the place from top to bottom.”

Raphael walked them out. One of the guards was mumbling and trying to move. Raphael waved his hand, and the guard fell back to the ground. “Go on. Get Kendall out of here. I’ll look for Marco.”

“Do you want one of us to stay with you?” Jake asked.

“I’m fine. I can move faster without you.” Raphael looked worried. “I’ll meet you somewhere.”