Until the Stars Burn Cold Read online

  “I’ve got you!” she felt his weight as he leaned heavily upon her; his eyes were squeezed shut and his breath hissed sharply through his clenched teeth. Mia didn’t know what to do or how to help him so she hung on and hoped that it would be enough. Yet in that moment, as she felt his heart beating rapidly, she sensed her resolve falter and she knew that she had to help him. Gently she turned him back to the bed and tried to ignore that his body was warm against hers and that he smelled of the combination of the salt from the sea with a faint hint of cloves. It was an alluring scent and it made her skin tingle as she desperately tried to ignore the reaction that he was causing within her. “Come… sit back on the bed.”

  “No, no I think it’s beginning to ease. If we can just stand…” he trailed off as he took a catching breath and his hands dug into her shoulders as the pain twisted through his body like a flash of hot white lightning.

  Mia bit the bottom of her lip to stop herself from crying out as his fingers bit into her flesh. After what seemed like a eternity his grip loosened. “All right, we won’t move.”

  Slowly he started to straighten and support his own weight, but he did not remove his hands from her shoulders. Tentatively he moved, dropping one arm and taking a step forward while still pinning Mia to his side. He bent his head and looked at her, he wanted to thank her for her assistance. She feared him, he had sensed that in the waver of her voice and movements, but still she had come to his aid. But as he opened his mouth to speak a great darkness that had enfolded his mind receded for an instant. In that fleeting moment he saw the clear morning sky and felt a sea breeze on his face. Someone was calling his name... it was almost intelligible. Below he could see small boats bobbing on the water and the voice seemed to coming nearer. He jumped with a start as the voice sounded loudly in his ear, “Jinn!”

  His eyes widened in surprise but before he could explore the memory any farther the blackness billowed like a storm cloud and obscured the sunlight image once more. Mia had been looking at him when his face had been transformed with a stunned expression.

  “What is it?” she asked insistently. “What happened?”

  “Jinn… my name is Jinn.”

  “That’s great!” she said enthusiastically. “See there’s nothing to worry about. It was obliviously some sort of mind glitch. I’m Mia.”

  Jinn looked past her. “It was morning, early, and I could see the gulls in the air. There was an inlet by the sea and the breeze was cool as it blew across my face.”

  Mia frowned. “The sea is quite a long way from Ghost Gum Creek, at least a couple of hours drive.”

  “There were boats.”

  “I’m sure there were, but the question is how did you get from the coast to here?” Mia’s heart clutched as she saw the confusion in his dark eyes and something inside her longed to reassure him. “We’ll work it out I promise. Come on Jinn, I’ll get you something to eat.”

  He nodded and followed her lead, but his arm stayed wrapped about her shoulders. Mia led him downstairs to the kitchen. She deposited him at the table and quickly gathered some eggs, bread and a small frying pan. She felt his eyes on her as she went to the fridge and reached for the orange juice. His stare seemed to burn into the back of her head and made her feel self conscious.

  She walked back to the stove and contemplated the surreal situation in which she found herself. Mia furtively cast a glance towards the man who sat at her table and tried to analyze her actions. Lighting the gas she placed the pan on top and dropped in a knob of butter. Anyone else in their right mind would have summoned the police as soon as their feet touched the ground, but she had hesitated. And the question that kept spinning about her mind was, why? The pan began to sizzle and she automatically cracked a couple of eggs into it.

  Why am I helping him? Why am I feeding him? As she watched the eggs cook she realized that she didn’t have an answer. There was just something about Jinn that made it impossible for her to turn away. Perhaps it was the whole abandoned kitten scenario. All she knew was that she couldn’t cast him out into the night. Deftly she plated up the food and placed it in front of him. His eyes snapped up and held hers.

  “I try but I cannot bring forth any other images.”

  “Don’t try to push it. I’m sure that your memory will return soon enough,” she said as she moved the plate a little further forward. “Eat up.”

  As Jinn began to eat, Mia took the opportunity to check the ground floor. She had to know just how he had managed to break into her house. Quickly she checked the front entrance, the heavy oak door was locked and bolted and the rosy stained glass panels were intact. The sash windows in the two front rooms were snibbed and closed. She walked back into the kitchen to see Jinn heartily attacking the plate of eggs.

  “All right?”

  “It’s good,” he answered with a full mouth and a smile.

  “Excellent,” Mia replied as she made her way to the French doors that opened onto the garden and turned the handle. She expected it to swing open. To her surprise she saw that it too was still bolted from the inside. She looked down to where her hand still clasped the door knob and attempted to turn it for a second time. It was only then that her eyes swept over her hand and she saw the silver ring in the shape of a man, was missing from her finger.

  Chapter Four

  Night Market – Patong Beach, Phuket.

  He felt the glass talisman roll against his chest as he walked. It was warm and tingled against his skin. The sword must be close. Anticipation bubbled in him. It had started with myths and rumors, but finally after almost seven months he had tracked the artifact to here.

  His grey eyes scanned the crowd as he walked towards the night market, it was crowded and noisy and hot. Rock music from one of the nearby bars filled the air as did the beeps from the scooters and tuk tuks as they drove past. After negotiating his way across the street he stepped determinedly into the market, oblivious to the chaos which swirled about him. Vendors called tourists and locals alike in the hope of enticing them into their stalls. The market stalls were crammed together side by side and back to back on both sides of the narrow walkway. This made walking almost impossible in places as tourists blocked the way as they sought out souvenirs, from colorful sarongs, carvings, painting, Hmong embroidery, silver jewelery to fake luxury handbags. The air was hot and oppressive and Kane felt a drop of sweat trickle down his neck as he pushed deeper into the market. Dressed in a white kurta and black fisherman pants which accentuated his slim build, he looked like every other tourist. The muggy atmosphere made it hard to breathe, with each breath the air was warm, dense and almost tangible. It was more like biting the air rather than breathing it. It smelled of dust and flowers, sweat and lemongrass, spice and barbequed meat. The air pressed against Kane, heavy as if it was trying to deter him from his purpose. But he pushed on, pushed through the throng of humanity until he came to a small stall at the very end of the marketplace. Inside sat an ancient woman on a high stool. Her long silver hair was pulled back into a knot and secured with long wooden sticks on which hung antique silver etched beads. Her dark eyes narrowed warily as he stepped in front of her. Kane placed his hand in a prayer position in front of his chest before bowing his head in the traditional Thai ‘wai’.

  “Sawad-dee.”

  The elderly lady returned the greeting but remained silent as she watched him with unblinking eyes.

  “I am -.”

  “I know who you are Mr. Barton,” the woman cut in.

  Kane inclined his head. “I’m searching for an item… an artifact, and I was told that you could help.”

  “No, I do not think so. I have no artifacts, only have what is here,” she said as she cast her hand wide in an elegant gesture that seemed to encompass the entire stall. The multiple jade and silver bangles she wore on her thin wrist tinkled against each other like a mass of tiny bells.

  Kane glanced about her wares and realized that his talisman had grown warmer against his chest. The dagger wa
s close. There was a mixture of antique and new items jumbled on the trestle tables. Old inlaid wooden chests sat next to elephant cushion covers, and an intricately carved Buddha was surrounded by silk table runners in ten different shades and heavy silver jewelery. He turned his attention back to the woman. He knew that she was lying, he could feel it. Her lips were now set in a thin and determined line.

  “I seek the jade dagger of the legendary warrior, Adirake.”

  The old woman smiled and then let out a low chuckle. Her head shook and caused the silver beads of her hair jewelery to clink and jingle together.

  “Adirake’s dagger is a story for children. It does not exist, it is… a fairytale.”

  Kane took a step closer. A menacing light flickered in his cold grey eyes but his lips curved into a smile. Yet the ancient one did not flinch.

  “The jade dagger does exist.”

  “You speak of magic, Mr. Barton. Magic has no place in this modern world.”

  “The legend tells that the blade always hits its mark, thereby making its owner invincible.”

  “Did you ever stop to think that maybe the story is an exaggeration, and the skill was with the warrior and not the blade?”

  “You’re stalling. I will have the blade with or without you help.”

  “I know what you are.”

  He held her gaze for a moment. “Then give me the dagger and I will not harm you.”

  “And why would I have the dagger?”

  “You are its guardian, although I didn’t expect one so old.”

  “Ah, looks can be deceiving,” she said with a shrug of her frail shoulders.

  “Come, I tire of this game. Give me the dagger or I will take it from you.”

  “I cannot do that. Adirake’s dagger belongs here with his people. The power must be respected and not used for personal gain. Adirake was a great warrior and a protector of the weak. The dagger is like its owner, honorable. Which is why you can never wield it.”

  Kane took another step forward and looked hard at the old woman. His eyes danced with a green strange light. “You have no choice. Do you not sense the power that I possess? I order you to give me the dagger. ”

  The old woman stared silently at him for a moment before her eyes creased and her face broke into a smile.

  “You think you can command me, sorcerer?” She laughed. “You will have to do better than that.”

  He started to mouth ancient words and his arm slowly circled. A thin ribbon of fire darted through the air towards the woman’s head.

  She waved her hand, as if she was swatting a fly and the stream of fire disappeared.

  “I am protected by the dagger and by the magic of the light. I know what type of man you are Mr. Barton. Long ago you turned to the dark magic, didn’t you? Thinking it held all the power. But you are wrong.”

  Kane bowed. “Forgive me, I underestimated the power of the guardian. However the outcome will be the same,” he said before he once again began to speak in an ancient tongue. “I-n-gub-en… digir gal-gal- gu…” but before he could finish his chant he felt his heart contract and his breath stall. His chest tightened as if it was bound by an iron bar and his talisman burned into his skin. He leaned heavily on the trestle table for support one hand clutched his chest. He forced himself to calm down as he tried to breathe through the pain. “What magic is this, witch?”

  The ancient woman slowly stood up from the stool and she regarded Kane.

  “Ah, this isn’t my magic, Mr. Barton. This is – ,” she said as the air around her rippled. In an instant her body blurred and was transformed into a beautiful young woman, with dark almond shaped eyes and black hair that fell to her hips.

  He reached out a hand in a vain attempt to catch her but all he managed to achieve was to knock a stack of brightly colored silk scarves to the floor. She stepped out of his reach and behind the heavily laden tables, pausing briefly to extract an ornately carved box. She turned to leave but then hesitated. Removing the box lid she withdrew a jade dagger, its blade was etched with swirling designs, and the hilt was carved with fantastical beasts. A fat ruby was set into the pommel.

  “Take heed of my words, sorcerer. You will never possess Adirake’s blade.”

  He raised his hand and tried to focus on the words, but the pain ripped through his chest and all he could do was watch helplessly as she replaced the dagger and scooped up the box. Silently she slipped between the stalls and disappeared into the maze of the crowded marketplace. The burning on his chest was almost unbearable, and reaching into the kurta’s neckline he pulled out the heavy gold chain from under the thin cotton shirt. The glass sphere suspended on the chain glowed with a pale light. In its center swirled what look like a mass of storm clouds, shots of light like lightning hit the inside of the glass with such intensity he wondered if the bauble would shatter. Then the realization struck him. The curse that had been set in stone, the spell that could not be broken had failed. Kane’s eyes opened wide with horror as the ramifications dawned on him.

  “Jinn! Jinn is alive and unbound!”

  Breathing hard he grabbed the table and pulled himself up. He tried to summon enough power to transport him back to his hotel, but the pain was too great and he could not focus. He would have to use conventional means instead. With uncertain steps he walked through the maze of stalls towards the edge of the market. The intense burning in his chest receded and left him feeling aching and bruised… each step seemed to jar his entire body with a fresh wave of pain. He hobbled like an old man, barely having the strength to hail an awaiting tuk tuk. The vehicle halted in front of him, it was a motorized version of the traditional rickshaw. Kane slid into the back seat, then reaching into his pocket he withdrew a fistful of money. Leaning forward he thrust the crumple notes at the driver.

  “Take me to The Andaman Breeze Hotel.”

  The driver looked at the money, and frowned. “Too much, you give me fifteen hundred Baht. The journey is not that long.”

  “Keep it, just get me to the hotel as fast as you can.”

  With a nod the driver pushed the tuk tuk into gear. The smell of exhaust fumes overpowered the spice scented air as they drove through the busy streets of Patong.

  Kane Barton staggered into his hotel room, his hand pressed against his chest. Leaning up against the door he caught his breath. The excruciating pain had eased, a little. He was annoyed that he had allowed that bitch guardian to escape with Adirake’s blade, but she would have to wait. He had a far more dangerous problem to solve. He pushed himself off the door and made the five steps to the blue silk covered bed. Grabbing his suitcase, he brushed aside the orchid on his pillow and sank onto the mattress.

  He flipped open the case and rummaged through its contents until he found what he was looking for, a map. Pushing the case onto the floor, he opened the map and spread it across the king sized bed.

  He had used the power of the Jetae Shamsheara stone to curse Jinn into a ring all those years ago. And yet as impossible as it was, he had escaped. The stone’s power had failed, which meant if Kane couldn’t return Jinn to the ring, his magic would also diminish until it stopped altogether. All of his magic was based upon the potency of the stone, and without it his spells and conjuring would fall like a house of cards. Casting Jinn into a ring had been the first spell. It had imprisoned Jinn but it also bound the Jetae Shamsheara to Kane, so if Jinn remained free it would break Kane’s ability to wield the stone.

  He took the chain from his neck and held the Jetae Shamsheara stone above the map. The swirling grey mists within its glass darkened and boiled.

  “Come I command you, reveal Ranjinn Ladarius. Show me where he is. Slowly the stone began to swing backwards and forwards over the map, until it jerked his hand and landed on Australia.

  ~* * *~

  “Well there isn’t really much that I can tell you, Mia,” the elderly doctor said as he let the stethoscope drop back around his neck. “Your friend appears to be in perfect health, except…”<
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  “Except what?” Mia broke in as she sat forward in her chair.

  “Except that the lad has lost his memory. Which in my opinion was very careless of him.” Dr. Rowan smiled as he poked his gold rimmed glasses back on the bridge of his nose. He was a tall man with a slightly ruddy complexion and was Mia’s grandfather’s best friend. Not only that, he had been her honorary uncle for as long as she could remember.

  “What can we do?”

  “Wait for it to return,” he said as he clasped Jinn’s shoulder in a sign of support.

  “So it will return. I will be able to remember my life and what has occurred?”

  “No one can be one hundred percent sure, but I think you have an excellent chance of regaining your memory.” Dr Rowan turned his attention back to Mia. “Could we have a quick word?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Don’t fret young man, I’ll have her back in a jiffy,” he said as he guided Mia through the door. Without another word he ushered her into another examination room. “My dear, I just wanted you to go over the facts once more. Can you tell me again where exactly did you find him?”

  Without so much as blinking, Mia looked Dr. Rowan evenly in the eyes. “I found him in the garden. Uncle Albert, I’ve told you this already. The storm woke me up, I looked out the window and there he was.”

  Albert Rowan held her gaze for a split second longer than necessary and Mia forced herself not to squirm under it. It was the exact same look he had given her when she was seven years old and snagged three lollipops from his desk, and when confronted boldly denied it. It was if somehow he knew that she wasn’t telling him the entire truth. Mia smiled broadly in the hope of throwing him off the scent.

  “Hmmm, the question is what are we going to do with your friend? I suppose I could take him to the hospital, but the chances are that he would be transferred to the psych ward.”