fight for.” He chuckled and turned to smile at her.
“Don’t ever tempt the gods. They often take your wishes seriously.”
“So you met Eddy and Dax and
just like that, up and left the only home you’d ever known?” She concentrated
on a thick tangle and tried to imagine everything Alton had given up.
“It wasn’t that simple. I went
to the council and asked them to consider the captives’ plea. I tried to
convince them that the demon threat was real, that Taron, who discovered the
threat even before Dax and Eddy arrived, had lost count of the demons passing
through from Abyss into Earth’s dimension. The council said it was not
Lemuria’s problem. That Earth must save itself and we should not get involved.
What they don’t seem to realize is that if Earth falls to demon rule, a tipping
point could be reached. Lemuria and Atlantis could be next, and if they fall,
even Eden might be lost. The battle between good and evil has gone on since
time began, but we are faced with the fact that—this time—evil could very well
prevail. If evil wins, the battle is over for all time. It’s a terrible risk.
One I couldn’t ignore.”
“Have you heard from your
friend? From Taron?”
Alton shook his head. “No. I’m
beginning to think that it might be worth the risk to return to Lemuria. We
need help. My people were warriors once; maybe they can be warriors again. We
need them. Our small band can’t defeat demonkind on our own.”
He reached across the bed for
his scabbard and withdrew HellFire. The glowing blade fascinated Ginny, the
sense of life she felt when he freed the sword from its sheath. She reached out
and touched the blade, ran her fingers over the crystal. “It’s warm,” she said.
“Almost like it’s alive.”
“I am alive. Haven’t you been
listening?”
She snatched her fingers back
and stared at Alton. He looked just as surprised as she felt. Ginny turned back
to the sword. “Well, Alton merely said you could speak. I guess I didn’t
realize the full ramification of that. I’m sorry.”
She stroked the blade once
again and ran her fingers over the jeweled hilt. “Alton, have you asked
HellFire for advice? I mean, if the swords have been around for as long as you
say…”
“Of course he hasn’t thought
to ask me. That would be too much to hope for.”
Alton’s snort disappeared
behind the hand he pressed over his mouth. Ginny had to bite her lip. A snarky sword?
“HellFire, I apologize, but
after carrying you for thousands of years with nary a word, I’ve not yet grown
accustomed to conversing with you on a regular basis.” Alton glanced at Ginny
with raised eyebrows. Then he picked up the sword and held it across his lap.
“Do you have any idea what we can do?”
“You and this woman must go to
Lemuria. Speak with your father and the Council of Nine.”
“Great. What if they throw us
in prison, or worse, decide to kill me on the spot?”
The sword glowed a brilliant shade of blue. “They would not dare, not when you are accompanied
by a sentient sword and a lost daughter of Lemuria.”
Ginny felt a shiver run along
her spine. She slowly pulled the comb free of Alton’s snarls and stared into
his green eyes when he turned to look at her.
“Lost daughter of Lemuria? Ginny?”
“Me?” Ginny cleared her throat
and tried again. “You’re saying that I…”
The blade glowed. “Descended from one who ventured forth from the continent before it
disappeared beneath the sea. Her veins carry the blood of ancient
Lemurian royalty, from a time before Lemuria was ruled by the Council of Nine.
Her presence and mine shall ensure safety.”
The crystal went dark. Ginny
ran trembling fingers along the blade. Now it was merely cool and empty, like a
beautiful piece of glass. “I don’t believe that.” She swallowed. “I’m not
Lemurian. Look at me. I’m black!”
Alton still had a bemused
expression on his face. “There are some among us who are darker skinned,
“Don’t ever tempt the gods. They often take your wishes seriously.”
“So you met Eddy and Dax and
just like that, up and left the only home you’d ever known?” She concentrated
on a thick tangle and tried to imagine everything Alton had given up.
“It wasn’t that simple. I went
to the council and asked them to consider the captives’ plea. I tried to
convince them that the demon threat was real, that Taron, who discovered the
threat even before Dax and Eddy arrived, had lost count of the demons passing
through from Abyss into Earth’s dimension. The council said it was not
Lemuria’s problem. That Earth must save itself and we should not get involved.
What they don’t seem to realize is that if Earth falls to demon rule, a tipping
point could be reached. Lemuria and Atlantis could be next, and if they fall,
even Eden might be lost. The battle between good and evil has gone on since
time began, but we are faced with the fact that—this time—evil could very well
prevail. If evil wins, the battle is over for all time. It’s a terrible risk.
One I couldn’t ignore.”
“Have you heard from your
friend? From Taron?”
Alton shook his head. “No. I’m
beginning to think that it might be worth the risk to return to Lemuria. We
need help. My people were warriors once; maybe they can be warriors again. We
need them. Our small band can’t defeat demonkind on our own.”
He reached across the bed for
his scabbard and withdrew HellFire. The glowing blade fascinated Ginny, the
sense of life she felt when he freed the sword from its sheath. She reached out
and touched the blade, ran her fingers over the crystal. “It’s warm,” she said.
“Almost like it’s alive.”
“I am alive. Haven’t you been
listening?”
She snatched her fingers back
and stared at Alton. He looked just as surprised as she felt. Ginny turned back
to the sword. “Well, Alton merely said you could speak. I guess I didn’t
realize the full ramification of that. I’m sorry.”
She stroked the blade once
again and ran her fingers over the jeweled hilt. “Alton, have you asked
HellFire for advice? I mean, if the swords have been around for as long as you
say…”
“Of course he hasn’t thought
to ask me. That would be too much to hope for.”
Alton’s snort disappeared
behind the hand he pressed over his mouth. Ginny had to bite her lip. A snarky sword?
“HellFire, I apologize, but
after carrying you for thousands of years with nary a word, I’ve not yet grown
accustomed to conversing with you on a regular basis.” Alton glanced at Ginny
with raised eyebrows. Then he picked up the sword and held it across his lap.
“Do you have any idea what we can do?”
“You and this woman must go to
Lemuria. Speak with your father and the Council of Nine.”
“Great. What if they throw us
in prison, or worse, decide to kill me on the spot?”
The sword glowed a brilliant shade of blue. “They would not dare, not when you are accompanied
by a sentient sword and a lost daughter of Lemuria.”
Ginny felt a shiver run along
her spine. She slowly pulled the comb free of Alton’s snarls and stared into
his green eyes when he turned to look at her.
“Lost daughter of Lemuria? Ginny?”
“Me?” Ginny cleared her throat
and tried again. “You’re saying that I…”
The blade glowed. “Descended from one who ventured forth from the continent before it
disappeared beneath the sea. Her veins carry the blood of ancient
Lemurian royalty, from a time before Lemuria was ruled by the Council of Nine.
Her presence and mine shall ensure safety.”
The crystal went dark. Ginny
ran trembling fingers along the blade. Now it was merely cool and empty, like a
beautiful piece of glass. “I don’t believe that.” She swallowed. “I’m not
Lemurian. Look at me. I’m black!”
Alton still had a bemused
expression on his face. “There are some among us who are darker skinned,
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