The Magi (The Magi Series)
Read The Magi (The Magi Series) Online
Authors: Kevin M. Turner
Tags: #Mystery, #Young Adult, #elijah hawk, #series, #kevin m turner, #Fiction, #Fantasy, #novel, #Adventure, #the magi, #book
by
Kevin M. Turner
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The Magi
Published by Kevin M. Turner at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Kevin M. Turner
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Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
To family
For home is found with those we love
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For my family:
Michelle, Karsie
Gene, Dorene, Reva, Carlos
Todd, Christine, Mandy
Kelli and Dave
Without all of whom I have no place to call home
Chapter 2: Two Abandoned Diaries
Chapter 3: The Mystery of the Photo Album
Chapter 4: Saint Phillip’s Academy
Chapter 6: The Secret of the Magi
Chapter 8: An Encounter with the Past
Chapter 9: The Training Barracks
Chapter 11: An Extraordinary Gift
Chapter 12: The Methods of Olivia Rose
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“You wished to speak with me, sir?”
“Have a seat, Roland. Drink?”
Roland sat down and cautiously gripped the crystal goblet placed before him. His master never offered a drink unless there was important business to attend to, and from the look in his eye, tonight’s business was urgent.
“Thank you,” Roland said, wiping his mouth on his silver and black sleeve before the sweet liquid dribbled down his chin. The drink was an appetizer. A symbolic gesture offered just before blood was to be spilled. He waited patiently for direction.
“We found them.”
“Sir?”
“Ten years we’ve searched, and we’ve finally found them.”
“Are you sure?” Roland instantly knew the importance of his job. This was no menial task. He was about to be given the honor of his life!
“Certain. And it’s important that you leave tonight. There must be no chance of word spreading.”
“What are my orders?”
“I think you know, Roland.”
“You want me to kill them.”
“Yes.”
“All of them?”
“All of them.”
Roland took another sip from his goblet and nervously looked around. “Even the child?” he whispered.
His master leaned in so close that the smell of his foul breath permeated through Roland’s lungs.
“Especially the child.”
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Elijah Hawk mindlessly separated his mashed potatoes into four even piles on his plate, twirling each pile with his fork until they turned into a sort of creamy whip that looked like thick soup. Dinner was the last thing on his mind. His mom always made delicious food that took him just heartbeats to devour, but at the moment, it was as appetizing as a plate full of fish bait. Elijah continued staring at his uneaten food as he half-listened to his sister, Kyria, talk about her day.
“I’ve heard that Mr. Walker is the hardest of the advanced teachers, but my friend Wendy says I shouldn’t have any trouble in his class as long as—”
Elijah couldn’t keep up with Kyria. She could sure ramble! The schedule for her first year of high school came through the mail the other day, and that was all she could talk about. It was just as well. Elijah much preferred this side of Kyria than the past six months, where she kept to herself up in her room, writing in her diaries. She always had a look of worry on her face, and any time Elijah came in to talk with her or play a game of Monopoly in the back room like they had on countless occasions, she looked upset.
“Are you okay, dear?” Elijah’s mom asked, interrupting his moping. He nodded his head half-heartedly.
School was just around the corner, and he knew what that meant. It meant the start of a giant rat race to become noticed—especially by girls. Despite doing everything he could during the summer to bulk up, he remained as skinny as fishing line. Elijah had hopes of returning for his last year in junior high with everyone talking about how buff he had gotten. But that wouldn’t be the case. He couldn’t understand it. Both his father and his father’s brother, Uncle Stan, were broad and muscular. When was it his turn? Elijah sighed, knowing that he would now be spending his thirteenth year trying to avoid the lucky kids who
had
filled out this summer. He returned to his mashed potatoes.
“Elijah, are you sure you’re okay?”
Mothers. They always know.
“I’m fine, Mom.”
“Do you want me to make you something else? You haven’t touched your pork chop.” Elijah continued building his mashed potato fortress.
“I’m just not hungry.”
Kyria looked over, studying him. Her anguished look returned when he made eye contact with her, which sent him even deeper into his self-pity.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Elijah’s mom walked over and kissed him on the head which made him feel better, although he would never admit it. “When your father gets home, Elijah, the two of us want to talk with you.”
“About what?” he asked.
“We can discuss it later. It will be late, but it’s important.”
Super. He excused himself and left his mother at the table looking concerned.
Later that evening, Kyria found Elijah upstairs in his room reading a book at his desk. She flopped down on his bed and held her chin in her palms.
“So, what’s got you all twisted?”
“Nothing.”
“HA! Liar. Is it a girl?”
Elijah blushed. “No. It’s just—” Kyria waited patiently while Elijah calculated the risks of telling his sister what bothered him. “Nevermind.” She didn’t push it. Instead, she rolled over on her back and stared up at his bedroom ceiling.
“Well, whatever it is, I hope you snap out of your funk. You’re no fun like this.” She looked at him playfully, which made Elijah smile. Kyria could always get him to smile. Last year, they attended a funeral for some great aunt named Florence, and while everyone else was grieving, Kyria and Elijah spent the entire time trying to stifle their nervous laughter. It was highly inappropriate. Elijah finally had to quit looking at his sister, but even then the visions of her giggling kept popping into his head and he had to excuse himself, pretending that he was too overcome with emotion to stay in the sanctuary.
“You’re one to talk, loser!” he retorted. “You’ve spent the last six months holed up in your room. Talk about a funk.”
She turned and smiled at him.
Kyria was as beautiful as she was clever. Her dark brown hair was long and straight, usually tied in a careless ponytail. Though she never wore braces, her teeth were perfectly aligned. She had big green eyes and her skin was golden tan with just a sprinkling of freckles on her cheeks, which stood out more in the summer. She stood tall and thin and had she not been so consumed with school, she would have had the boys lining up at the front door to go out with her.
As for Elijah, he was also tall and thin. He liked being tall, but the thin part was the problem. His hair was brown—some would call it blonde—and he had deep-blue eyes that in the right light would rival the color of the ocean. His parents had dark hair like Kyria’s, which made Elijah stand out when they traveled together, and he hated that. It was like a constant reminder that he was somehow different.
“If you tell me what you’re so upset about, then I’ll tell you what I’ve been writing in my diary,” Kyria said.
“Like I care about all the hot boys with dreamy skin you’ve got a crush on!” Kyria reached over and punched Elijah in the arm. “Ow!”
“Serves you right. Fine, I won’t tell you. At least not now.” Kyria had a look that made Elijah curious. Like she was being sneaky and liking it. She stood up and headed for the door. “Promise me you’ll tell me what Mom and Dad talk to you about, will you?”
“Sure,” said Elijah. “See you tomorrow.” Kyria walked out smiling. It was good to have her old self back.
Elijah never did find out what his parents were going to talk with him about because he fell asleep long before his dad came home.
One in the morning.
Elijah’s eyes popped open.
Quiet.
Dead quiet.
Something wasn’t right.
He suddenly jolted upright knowing one terrifying truth. He was in danger! Elijah stared up at his bedroom ceiling, feeling an unsettling warmth from the depths of his gut surge through his body. This sense was odd, but clear. It warned him that if he didn’t move now, he wouldn’t survive the night.
Elijah sprang up from his bed and immediately darted to the darkest corner of his room, hiding from something he couldn’t see or hear. For what seemed like hours, he froze, covering his mouth to muffle the sound of his breathing. He tried to calm himself down to think more clearly about what he needed to do.
He had to warn his family. Elijah was certain of the danger he sensed, but he didn’t know what, or where, it was. He thought of his parents and sister who were still in their beds, sleeping unalarmed. They hadn’t been startled awake by this strange sensation—this instinct. It was up to him to somehow warn them, but still remain quiet. The telephone! He could call them to warn them. That would be silent—at least from his end of the line. The problem was, the nearest phone was downstairs in the kitchen. He would have to make it downstairs without being seen or heard, call the separate phone line in his parents’ room, and then make it to safety. Suddenly, his body began to warm up again. It was time to move!