Heather's Adventures: The Search for Maxamus

Chapter 20. Rheannah

"What makes you so sure it's her?" I asked Max as we sat at home on the rainy day. I was cleaning his sword while he was digging through books.

"I just know! Remember mother said the moonlight water didn't save me that day, Heather did."

I rubbed a spot on my sword, attempting to get it shinier, "Yeah, I remember, but I don't see where you're coming from with this."

Max showed me pictures in one of our father's old books about ancient artifacts "See? These are Thalia's lost artifacts. The heart amulet and the bow. Heather had both."

"That's just a wooden stick. It has no string or a quiver of arrows. Geeze Max you should know your weapons by now."

"It's a bow, trust me. Heather was protected by Thalia and I had Puggy's silver cross."

I just shook my head and laughed at him, "father took that into the caverns with him. It's lost somewhere in there. Probably in the bottom of the center lake fountain where the mermaids live."

"Rheannah you don't get it, something or someone saved me that day and the only one who knows who saved me is Heather. I need to find her to figure out how she did it. I owe her."

"Please don't tell me you're in debt with a girl you've never met. Max I can't clean that one up for you." I watch my sword's blade reflect off light from the ceiling light. Clean enough. It's always good to have a fresh, clean blade.

Max just shook his head, trying to dig up more information, "I don't know yet I need to figure out everything."

Our mother entered the room. We were perched in our father's old study. We weren't exactly supposed to be in here...

"Max, Rheannah, what are you two up to this time?"

"Max is all delusional for his imaginary girlfriend again." I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"S-shut up!" Max shouted back at me, "you're polishing your sword for the third time this week."

"And? I like having a clean blade. Better than having it stained with blood."

Our mother shook her head, "Why have you dug out all the books? I told you those were not for your reading they were too hard."

"I can read them perfectly fine." Max stated.

I stood up from my chair in the corner and snatched the book from him, "ew what is this I don't even understand this. What are these words?"

My mother took the book from me, "these are the books of the ancient scriptures...oh no this isn't good..." She dropped the book and ran out.

"So you can read the ancient scriptures fluently without being taught..." I lead on.

Max nodded, "Heather could do that too. Father apparently saw her before he died."

"Max...you think she's real?"

"I know she is...you'll help me find her right?"

I nodded, "no matter how delusional you are you're still my brother. What can I say? I can't say no. Mother would kill me for not protecting you."

Max opened the book mother grabbed from me once again, "if only you could read these..."

"I'll learn! Our teacher in swordsmanship can teach us. I know he knows them. He keeps those quotes on the walls. I never knew what they meant but no one writes in that language unless they know what it means. You're my brother so wherever you go I'll follow."