Jeffery watched, concealed behind a boulder, as Sage climbed into the boat, and they started moving out of the secluded harbour. What they had been saying was anyone's guess. He wished he could be close enough to hear to report back. Matthew hadn't looked very happy about whatever Sage had said before they left; if it was anyone else, it would have been easy to guess, but with Matthew, it didn't take much to make the older man unhappy. Sage could have said anything ... she may have said something that may have held the key to their success, or she could have simply asked him what his favourite colour was. Frustrated, Jeffery pushed away from the rock as the boat disappeared between the two tall, towering rock columns. Jeffery made his way toward the village. It irritated him that all this skulking around wasn't getting him any closer to what these backward villagers were up to. Pulling a satellite phone from his pocket, he punched in a sequence of numbers, waited while it dialled and sighed in relief when it was picked up.

"It's me," he said without greeting, "they've gone on a boat ..." he paused, frowning as he was interrupted, "... no, I have no idea where they went or what they are going to do. For all I know, Sage may need a break from whatever happens in that house." He stopped at the top of the stone stairs, watching the boat move out to deeper waters, "She hasn't left the house for nearly a week," he sighed, "no I haven't been able to get in yet," he spluttered in indignation before continuing, "what are you ... of course, I've been trying," he ground out, "they have that place locked up tighter than a maximum security prison."

He relaxed, watching the boat move out toward deep waters, "I'm watching them now, and it appears she is going on a tour ... it could be a coastline tour."

Turning, Jeffery moved toward the marketplace, "I cannot stay here much longer; I'm already drawing too much attention to myself by being here ... no! You cannot come here..." he glanced around, "... that would give away everything we've been working towards," rolling his eyes as he paused, Jeffery nodded as he listened to what was being said on the other side of the line, "I'll keep you updated and keep Maddy under surveillance."

Cancelling the call, he pushed the chunky device into his jacket pocket and turned toward the ocean. The boat was a speck on the horizon; it didn't matter where they went ... as long as the locals continued to stay away from where they thought the grave was located, it would give them enough time to get the Magi's Coronet. It was a race to power, much like all the global races spoken of in history before them. Who knew being part of the brotherhood of old would give him what he had always wanted and longed for … no that wasn't the word … yearned was closer. Throughout his life, when he was ignored, glanced over, patronised … this opportunity would give him power over everything. It would give him the seat at the table of the head of one of the most powerful families of all time.

"I shall rule," he whispered, "and those who belittled, ignored and patronised me will fall at my feet in fear …" his eyes quickly scanned the immediate surroundings, ensuring that no one was close enough to hear him, "… I want the Magi's Coronet and I shall possess it."

Turning from the ocean, he approached the village and the usual place where he could afford to eat. Seeing his regular waitress, he nodded and curtly told her to bring his usual. Finding a seat facing the ocean and marketplace, Jeffery sank into it, oblivious to the many pairs of eyes watching his every move.

Standing behind a potted plant, Maddy hoped Jeffry hadn't seen her; she had been close enough to overhear the conversation and some of his muttered comments; if he knew she was in the marketplace, he would make everyone's lives miserable for the next week.

A thin wooden panel opened next to her, startling her, and her gaze snapped to the gentle gaze of one of the older vendor's wives. A finger to the woman's lips kept Maddy silent as the woman pushed the panel back in as a wooden concertina and stepped out onto the shadowy stones of the marketplace place, drawing Jeffery's attention to her. He watched her potter around with her broom as she swept the place in front of her home and store, and then he looked away. Maddy watched as the woman kept her eyes locked on Jeffry until she waved her hand for Maddy to enter through the open wooden door. Maddy quickly took refuge in the woman's cool, dark living room. The broom continued to swoosh a little longer before the woman appeared again; casually placing the broom on one side inside the doorway and turning, she pulled the door closed behind her. Silently, she moved through the dark room, catching Maddy's hand on the way through and keeping her in tow until they were in a room near the back of the house.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

Maddy sank into a chair, leaning back and looking at the older woman.

"Thank you, Aunt Charlotte," she whispered, "how did you know?"

"I saw him following Sage," Aunt Charlotte whispered, "Stuart is waiting for you in the adjoining courtyard, and he'll take you home."

"I can't go home yet," Maddy whispered, "I still have shopping to do for the house."

"Why can you not shop while Jeffery's in the marketplace?" Aunt Charlotte asked.

"He will follow me," Maddy whispered, "he has been following me, keeping an extremely close watch on me ... I was nearly caught leaving a few minutes late from the house two nights ago ... you know what will happen with the funds if he reports it, we cannot have that happening again."

"That damned curfew," Aunt Charlotte muttered, "have you some of the items?"

"A few, but not all," Maddy whispered.

"Give me the list and cross of the items you have off the list," Aunt Charlotte said, "I'll get you the rest, and they will be delivered to the house tonight."

"Delivered?" Maddy frowned, "Why? How?"

"Matthew will take Sage to the grave," Aunt Charlotte said, "he heads in the general direction … once she has the Magi's Coronet, Sage will need protection …" Aunt Charlotte sighed before frowning, "… did you know Jeffery had a phone that he uses to reach someone regularly."

"Not until today," Maddy said, shaking her head, "do you know who he is phoning?"

Aunt Charlotte shook her head, "But I have a number."

"You are as cunning as a fox, Aunt Charlotte," Maddy smiled, "what's the number?"

Aunt Charlotte wrote numbers on a piece of paper, giving them to Maddy, "Do you know whose number that is?"

Maddy shook her head, "It …" she frowned, "… the area code …" Maddy sighed, "… this number and the office Sage came from have the same area code."

"Huh, that is interesting," Aunt Charlotte said, nodding, "when Sage and Matthew come back, perhaps you need to show her that number. I have a feeling we're going to have visitors soon."

"Visitors?" Maddy spluttered as she stood, "I don't like how that sounds."

"It's not going to be a lovely visit either," Aunt Charlotte sighed, "we are moving toward the end at a speed that can derail everything for either side. If we are not careful, it could be us. "

Stuart pushed open the courtyard door just then, drawing the attention of both women, "Ready?"

Maddy nodded, turning to Aunt Charlotte, "We just need to make sure it isn't us."

Aunt Charlotte nodded, "Do not leave the house tonight. Tell Avidan that he will need to bring in more … assistance …" sighing as she rolled her shoulders, "… I have a sense that we are reverting to how we used to be."

"What way is that?" Maddy asked as Aunt Charlotte accompanied them into the courtyard.

"Why the way we survived during the war, of course," Aunt Charlotte said smiling, "we haven't really stopped living that way …" she shrugged, "… they have moved on thinking we have as well, but we're still here … waiting … watching … fighting."

Maddy stared at Aunt Charlotte thoughtfully but could not vocalise her question as Stuart called her name urgently, motioning for her to join him.

Giving Aunt Charlotte a quick hug, Maddy followed him into the courtyard tunnel and closed the door. Aunt Charlotte watched the door close, shook her head, and returned to her house, closing and bolting the door behind her.

"What are we to do now?" she looked at a picture of two identical young women, "I wish you were here to chat with …" gently she stroked the face of the young woman on the left, "… I miss you so much, my darling sister."

Moving toward the kitchen, Aunt Charlotte began preparing the main meal of the day; it all depended on when her husband could get away from the market and that all depended on when Jeffery went off to watch the house. No one trusted him, and the old network instantly came together when he stayed past his allowed time.

"It's like living through that time all over again," Aunt Charlotte muttered, "the only difference is this time, there may not be planes dropping bombs. Dear heavens above … please let this wrong be righted without bloodshed ... the time for living and not existing is past."