Page 26 of King's Reckoning
"We should head back," Reed said. "No point sticking around if Blackwood's people have already cleared out."
The climb back to the surface was quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. Emerging into daylight, they found the cemetery peaceful, almost serene in the morning light. No tactical teams, no threats. Just weathered headstones and birdsong.
"Feels like we missed the party," King commented, scanning the area.
"Or arrived after it ended," Reed added. "Better that way. Less complications."
Rowan checked her phone, finding a message from Darkness. "Scouts report Blackwood's vehicles left about two hours ago. Headed north toward the city."
"So they got what they came for and cleared out," King said. "Question is, what did they take? And why leave this behind?" He nodded toward Rowan's backpack.
"Maybe they didn't know it was there," Reed suggested. "Or maybe it wasn't what they were looking for."
"Either way," Rowan said, "we need to get this back to Barbara and Abby. See what they make of it."
The ride back to the clubhouse was uneventful, giving Rowan time to process everything they'd found. Her mother's journal had been precise, the directions clear. Elena had wanted them to find this box, had hidden it specifically for them to discover.
Back at the clubhouse, the main room had been transformed into a research center. Barbara's equipment covered one table, while Abby sat at another, surrounded by papers and books. The two women looked up as they entered.
"You found something," Abby said, her eyes fixed on Rowan's backpack.
Rowan carefully removed the box, placing it on the examination table. "It was hidden in an alcove, just where Mom said it would be. But someone elsehad been there before us. The main sarcophagus was already empty."
Barbara approached with her equipment, examining the box without touching it. "The craftsmanship is remarkable. Same era as the others, but the design is slightly different."
"Blackwood's people took something else from there," King explained. "Something bigger, from the main tomb."
Abby's expression darkened. "Then they have part of the sequence. Not all of it, but enough to cause problems."
"What exactly are these boxes?" Reed asked, leaning against the wall. "And why would Elena hide them in crypts and graves?"
"Protection through respect," Abby said. "People don't disturb graves without good reason. It bought time—decades of it." She gestured to the box. "As for what they are...they're keys."
"Keys to what?" Rowan asked.
"To understanding what's buried beneath this territory. Records of something that existed here long before recorded history. Something powerful enough that people have been killing for it since the first settlers arrived."
"You're being cryptic," King said, his patience wearing thin. "Elena died protecting this secret. My daughter deserves to know what it is."
Abby sighed, looking suddenly older and more tired. "It's not a simple explanation, Marcus. What Elena found...it changes everything we think weknow about this land, about who controlled it first." She turned to Rowan. "Your mother discovered proof of an advanced civilization that predated all known settlements in this region. One with knowledge that could rewrite history books."
"Archaeological evidence?" Barbara asked, her interest piqued.
"More than that," Abby said. "Technology. Methods of working with the land itself. The kind of knowledge that governments and corporations would kill to control." She gestured to the box. "These contain maps, formulas, historical accounts. Pieces of a puzzle that, when assembled, leads to the source of it all."
"And that's what Blackwood is after," Reed concluded. "Whatever this source is."
"Yes," Abby confirmed. "The Devils too, though they're just pawns. Mercenaries hired to create chaos, to distract from the real operation."
Rowan opened her mother's journal, finding the page with the map of all seven locations. "So we have three pieces. Blackwood has at least one. That leaves three more to find."
"And we need to move quickly," Abby said, struggling to stand. "Now that they have part of the sequence, they'll accelerate their search."
"You need rest," King told her, gentler than before. "You're still recovering."
"There's no time—"
"There's time for a few hours," Reed cut in. "Blackwood's people will need to analyze whatthey found. That gives us a window." He looked at King. "We should have the prospects watching the remaining locations anyway. Advance warning if anyone approaches."
