The Academy - Book One (Published)

Chapter Thirty Nine

Chapter Thirty Nine
Nah'Bye, Ward Family Home

"I wonder where dad, Jael Quin and the twins are," asked Kayla is they slowly approached the dark house.

Kaylan shrugged but had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.  As they walked into the house they smelled something putrid, "Mia stay right here." He walked into the house to inspect the smell sighing in relief when he saw it was from food left out.

"Kae," called Kayla from the door. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, no one is here.  All their clothes and personal items are missing." He walked toward her with a look of worry.

She turned her nose up at the repugnant smell, "What should we do?" Sitting at the kitchen table she frowned when she saw a message cube.

Kae saw Kayla reaching for the cube, "No.  Don't touch it."

Reaching out she touched it and watch as a hologram of Lucas and Jacob appeared:

"I know you're wondering where is my family," Lucas image mocked.  "Well I'll tell you where they are when you come back to Ah'Taria," smiling smugly his image gazed from the hologram. "Now before you think I killed them they are safe and sound and being treated as my guest wherever they are."

They hologram flickered and faded and Kae could do nothing but applaud, "That's a good play on his part."

Kayla looked at him as if he'd grown two heads, "You're doing it again you're praising them." Standing she glared at Kaelen before sighing in frustration.

As she walked away Kaelen mumbled, "Well it was." Shrugging he called to Kayla, "Don't get comfortable I'm sure he knows the message he left was activated.  We need to go!"

Kayla grabbed a few of Jael Quin notes and walked toward him, "I know where we can go."

Kaelen cocked a brow and smirked, "Where in the universe do you believe we can go where he'd never look?"

Kayla held out a piece of paper with Ancient written on it, "We can go to the outlands." Kaelen snatched the picture from her staring at it intently.  Smiling he held his hand up and called for the box that they used to communicate with Acadia and Joshua.  Opening the box he was relieved when he saw the stack of royals. Folding the picture of the ancient world he placed it into the box with the message cube.

Holding his hand out he smiled, "We need to hurry and go."

*******

DragonRise, Lucas's Transport

"I'm assuming you taught him that?"  said Lucas as he poured a glass of wine staring at Jacob with an impressed look.

Shrugging Jacob smiled, "It depends on a scale of 1-10 how mad are you."

Lucas sipped his wine thoughtfully, I’d say I'm an-" Just as he was about to answer his hand held went off.  Glancing at it he smiled, "Wow it would seem you taught him a little too well."

At Jacob's inquisitive look he turned the device around and pointed, "The cube we left on Nah'Bye just activated."  Standing up he cocked an eyebrow, "Shall we?"

Jacob suppressed a sigh as he nodded just when they were about to perform the step Lucas's hand held went off again.  Pausing he frowned before sliding his finger across the screen and yelling into it, "What is it?"

"Lucas, you need to come back to the palace." 

Lucas glared at the screen, "Why do I need to come back?"