The Map Maker's Quest (3 page)

 

Chapter Three

Uncle Ernie's Amulet

J
ane pulled her windbreaker on and then used her hands to gather up her long hair. She pulled a pony tail holder from her pocket and secured her hair out of the way. Jackie pulled her hair back into a similar pony tail and then smiled at her sister. They could almost be twins but Jackie still looked a bit older.

“It's good to have you back,” Jane said.

“It's good to be back. You don't know how much I missed you guys. We're going to get these jerks,” Jackie replied. “I want some revenge.”

Tasker had already departed from the house, saying he was going back to inform Eriunia and the others about their plans. They would meet up later around Two Harbors, and put their heads together one last time. Jane, Jackie, and Tasker along with Jacob were going to search for the book. In the meantime, Tasker said he was going to tell Eriunia, Carvin, and Bella what had taken place. He said he would meet them where the rebel forces were gathering at Palisade Head. The massive outcropping of stone jutted out into the water just up the coast from Duluth. From there they could use the mushroom rings to move either to Duluth or back to Madeline Island if needed.

“Tasker sure didn't want me going with you guys,” Jacob said. He stuck his head in the door and looked at the two of them. “You know, if you guys had the same color hair you could almost be twins.”

“He did seem kinda irritated at that,” Jane agreed. She smiled at him and then tucked her map and pen inside the inner pocket of her jacket. She slipped the amulet over her head and tucked it inside her shirt where it would be safe. Suddenly there was another knock on the door, and Jacob stepped to the side to let Grandpa Able into the room.

“Jany, I know you two are going after the book,” Grandpa Able said. He hugged them both warmly and then reached into the front pocket of his flannel shirt. “There is one more thing I wanted to give you but I didn't want anyone else to see it.”

He handed her a small slip of yellowed parchment paper and then turned and headed towards the door. When he reached the top of the steps he stopped and looked back.

“Grandma and I are going to go see your aunt in Florida,” Grandpa Able said. He held up two plane tickets and smiled. “I think that will keep us from becoming hostages in this game of cat and mouse.”

Jane breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that, even if they managed to rescue their mothers somehow, the Adherents would simply keep taking hostages. “Have a fun time,” Jane replied. “We'll miss you. Are you flying out of Duluth?”

“No, I figured we'd drive to the Twin Cities,” Grandpa Able replied. “I think that'll remove us from these characters' clutches.”

“I don't know if they have a map that reaches to the Twin Cities,” Jackie chimed in. “I remember being moved north before the world went dark.”

They all hugged one last time, and then everyone went downstairs to see the elder Timbrill couple off. Once the car was in motion, Jane turned to Jackie and Jacob, her face set in an angry scowl.

“Let's finish getting ready,” Jane growled. “Then we're going to find a way to end this once and for all.”

About twenty minutes later, they gathered in the living room of the silent house, the occasional creaking of the old structure being the only noise. Jane was keyed up and her foot tapped almost constantly as they all filtered into the room.

“Where are we meeting them?” Jacob asked again. He leaned over the table and looked at Jane's map.

“Here at Palisade Head,” Jane replied. She pointed to the area of the stone outcropping. She had been adding furiously to the map and it had grown to include much of the lake and the main part of the city.

“You have to cross over near there though, right?” Jacob asked.

“Yes,” Jane said. “Well, at least Jackie does. I think I might be able to emerge anywhere on my map.”

“Okay,” Jacob said. He tapped his chin with his right hand as he considered the map. “I want to take Jackie through with me. I think I can guide her out at the right spot.”

“Remember, we have to wait until evening in order for Jackie to cross over again,” Jane pointed out. All the things Tasker had taught her were swirling around her mind.

“Well,” Jacob said. “You or I could go across and find out what the plans are. Whoever stays here can take my car and start looking for clues about the book.”

Suddenly Jane slapped her head with her right hand and exclaimed loudly, “Duh, I forgot about the piece of paper Grandpa gave me.” She reached into the front pocket of her jeans and carefully opened the square of parchment. Written on the surface of the material were these simple lines.

 

Set in iron,

Etched in glass,

Revealed by light,

Read the words,

Follow the path.

 

“Couldn't be simple, could it,” Jacob said. He scratched his head as he looked at the words. They were printed neatly on the paper and whoever had written them had been left handed, that was the only thing he could tell for sure.

Jackie read the words again, she always enjoyed a good word puzzle so she tried putting the words into different orders.

“Any ideas?” Jane asked Jackie. She was stumped, and she still needed to go meet with Tasker and the others.

“Gimme a second,” Jackie retorted. “My mind is a little rusty. What kind of glass is set in iron?”

“A window,” Jacob burst out.

“I don't think so, most windows are set in wood,” Jackie replied. She discounted the idea the moment he said it.

“Mirrors,” Jane piped in.

“Telescope lenses!” Jacob burst out again. Then he shook his head. That was silly, most telescopes were steel not iron

“The even bigger question is what piece of glass is set in iron and still near a source of light,” Jackie said. She was thinking out loud now as her mind circled around. The answer was right in front of her, she knew it. She turned away from the table and began to circle the room looking at the walls.

“A flashlight?” Jacob asked. He was grasping at any idea that popped into his head. He tossed his shield down on the couch as he watched Jane and Jackie. “A spotlight? I don't know.”

Jackie stopped at the picture frame holding her grandfather's favorite photograph. It was a shot of Split Rock Lighthouse on a foggy day, the brilliant light shot out in a straight line from the top. She was surprised to realize how much the light shining out across the Lake looked like a spotlight.

“Jane, show me that amulet,” Jackie said. A smile spread across her face as the idea struck her almost immediately. She knew where the first clue was. It was a place her great uncle had spoken fondly of when he was alive.

Jane crossed to her and pulled the amulet from under her shirt. She slipped the chain over her head and handed it to her.

“Look, a light between two lines,” Jackie explained. Jacob and Jane stood next to her as she held it up to the photo. “But they're not lines, the amulet is a rock and the lines split it in half. Split Rock Lighthouse is a light between two stones. It's a word picture of the lighthouse. Think about it. The mirror and light of the lighthouse fits the poem perfectly.”

“So the first clue is hidden inside the lighthouse,” Jacob said. He walked back over and picked up his shield. Now it was time for action, he thought.

“I would say not just inside the lighthouse. I think it's inside the mirrors,” Jackie said. She pointed to the photo before them. “Revealed by light, we have to get inside the lighthouse and climb up into the mirror.” That would be hard she knew, but it could be done.

Jane thought about the few times she had visited the lighthouse. A set of wrought iron stairs circled the outside of the building and led to the mechanism. On the upper floor of the lighthouse, they would have to climb the iron ladder in order to get inside the big glass lens.

“We'll take my car to Split Rock and meet you there,” Jacob said. He looked around for his keys, ready to get moving right away.

“Be careful,” Jane cautioned him. She put her hand on his arm and tried to slow him down. “That area is well covered by many maps.”

“I think we should keep this little bit of information to ourselves for now,” Jackie muttered. Suddenly the house creaked loudly and they all jumped, “What was that?”

“It's just the wind,” Jacob said. He pointed out the window to where the trees in the neighborhood were swaying under the power of the wind. “We will take our time getting there and plan on meeting you at the trail leading up to the lighthouse just before it closes for the night.”

“At the bottom of the steps by the old boathouse?” Jane asked.

“Yeah,” Jacob replied. “Then we can sneak up into the lighthouse as the sun sets.”

“That should work,” Jackie replied. She was excited, if freedom had been exhilarating before it was doubly so when she had a purpose and a real chance at striking back at Cain.

Jane was not happy about leaving either of them alone but she wanted to know what Eriunia and the others were planning, so she agreed. It was nearing lunch time, so they ate a quick lunch of sandwiches and Oreos. Then Jane stood up.

“I'll be back,” Jane said. They smiled at her as she tried to make her voice sound like the Terminator. She hugged Jackie one last time and kissed Jacob fiercely, hoping she would see him again soon. “Stay out of trouble.”

They smiled at her and then she vanished into the Divide.

 

* * * * *

 

Jane stood before the wall
of darkness for a moment examining it closely. It didn't seem as black as it had the first time she had seen it. She pushed into it after finding the place on Palisade Head where she wanted to emerge. She emerged from the Divide with a small popping sound, which startled a goblin looking up at her. Jane looked down at him as he scrambled to greet her.

“Where is everyone?” Jane asked.

The goblin was tall and skinny, taller than most of the goblins she had seen so far, and his skin was mottled and had a greenish hue.

“Up on top of the rocks,” he replied.

The goblin pointed up the narrow trail that mirrored the road leading to the top on her side, but here it was just smaller. Jane turned and looked up the trail. It amazed her how much the two worlds looked the same.

“I can find my way,” Jane said. She waved off the goblin as he attempted to lead her to the top. She started up the side of the hill and climbed over the rough trail until she reached the top. The closer she got to the top, the more activity she saw. Goblins and humans were arriving constantly. Many of them were loaded with supplies and arms taken from Madeline Island and the Isle of Lakes. At the top of the trail Jane saw a series of small walls in the same places as the old barriers on her side. Unlike the short stone railings on her side, these were thick walls, and she paused as she watched the rebels working hard to enforce the barriers.

“It's not perfect, but it'll help if we need a refuge here.” A voice said from behind her.

Jane whirled and smiled when she saw the tall figure of Eriunia walking towards her. Two steps behind her was the lanky form of Carvin, and perched on his shoulder was Bella. Jane hugged Eriunia happily and started to cry when Bella jumped onto her shoulder and hugged her neck tightly. Carvin even gave her a brief handshake which she accepted graciously. She didn't know what to think of him yet. Bella's wing still hung limply, and Jane sighed in her mind. She had hoped time would begin to heal the broken wing but it seemed Bella would be grounded for the rest of her life.

Flying Cloud was standing nearby, and she looked about, hoping to see Jacob. Instead she saw only Jane, who glared at her. Flying Cloud smiled weakly. There was little chance of the two of them getting along.

“We need to talk,” Jane muttered to Flying Cloud.

“About what?” Flying Cloud asked.

“Later,” Jane shot back. Her blood was boiling just looking at the other girl. How dare she try to act like she didn't know why Jane wanted to talk to her?

“Is Jackie here?” Carvin asked anxiously. He looked around hopefully but his face fell when he failed to see her nearby.

“No, we had a few problems on our side and we didn't want to use the charge in her medallion until we had to,” Jane replied. She smiled at him and patted his arm sympathetically. “I think she wanted to come to see you though,” she added as Carvin's face fell in disappointment. He brightened again immediately and took a deep breath.

“What happened?” Eriunia asked. “Tasker stopped in briefly but said he was going to warn Madeline Island and try to gather as many forces as he could and bring them here.”

“The Adherents kidnapped mine and Jacob's mothers,” Jane explained. “They brought them to this side of the Divide and demanded we give them some book for their freedom.”

“So that's what Cain is after,” Eriunia muttered quietly. Under­stand­ing flooded through her, and she mentally kicked herself, it was something she should have guessed.

“You've heard of it?” Jane asked curiously. She wondered silently just how much the elf woman knew that she wasn't sharing. Immediately her mind began asking if Eriunia could be the traitor in their midst.

“Just in rumors and whisperings,” Eriunia admitted after a moment. She reached up and brushed away a mosquito buzzing around her face before continuing. “Tales have been told of a book filled with information from the earliest times of our world. Many have sought for it, but, to my knowledge, no one ever found it.”

They were standing on a rocky outcropping looking out over the choppy waves. A storm was brewing out across the water, and Jane felt the coolness in the air. Silence descended on the small gathering for a couple of minutes until a goblin scout came jogging into view.