When she walked out, Jake was lying on her bed, sound asleep with an open book beside him. Shaking her head, she walked toward the bed. Glastonbury Abbey was the title of the book. She considered pinching him, but he looked so peaceful, she just stood and watched him for a minute. He was wearing his stolen sweats, but his hair looked damp as if he’d showered. His face was relaxed, mouth slightly open, jaw shadowed with a hint of beard. His face was as incredible as his body. How could a man look so good? she wondered as she picked up the small pillow from the foot of the bed. She smacked him on the stomach with the pillow, and he bounded off the bed.
She jumped out of the way. “Why are you sleeping in my bed?”
“I brought you some books. Hell, don’t ever startle me like that. I could have hurt you.”
“And I’m not supposed to be startled to find you asleep on my bed in my locked bedroom?”
“I knocked. You didn’t answer. I came in. Bodyguard, remember? That’s how it works unless you want me to stay in here all the time.”
“I’m surprised I was able to sneak up on you.”
“I’m off my game from that damned cave. Nathan sent you some books.” He pointed to the stack on the table, then picked up the one that had fallen on the bed. “There’s some interesting stuff about the abbey in here. I was reading about the black knight who guards the abbey. Lots of people claim they’ve seen him.”
“We need to explore the abbey,” Kendall said. “We’re wasting time here.”
“We can’t go anywhere without clothes, unless you want to wear your sweats. Nathan’s having some things sent over until our bags arrive. Why don’t you rest until then?”
“I’m tired, but I don’t think I can sleep.”
“Then we’ll research.” Jake plopped down on her bed again. “Grab a book.”
“You can’t research in your room?”
“Two heads are better than one.”
Kendall took a seat on the bed opposite him. There were plenty of chairs in the room, but she preferred studying this way, and there was something comforting about having him here. They both read in silence, sharing interesting tidbits as they stumbled on them.
“This says Glastonbury is considered one of the most powerful energy centers in the world.”
“Sounds like new-age stuff to me,” Jake said.
“The area is crossed by ley lines. This says one line runs through Saint Michael’s Tower on top of the Tor, and then straight through what would have been the high altar at Glastonbury Abbey. And another through the Chalice Well.”
He stretched his legs and bumped his foot against hers. “Aren’t ley lines like imaginary lines connecting sacred sites?”
She nodded. “Some people put a lot of faith in the lines. Many ancient sites are crossed by the lines, like Stonehenge. Even Celtic and Christian sites. Several of the great cathedrals are connected by the lines.”
“Stonehenge isn’t far from here,” Jake said.
“No. And there’s another stone circle at Avebury. It’s the largest stone circle in Europe.”
“Stone circles… Reminds me of statues that electrocute.”
“I’ve never heard of Stonehenge electrocuting anyone. But it does make a person wonder if there’s a connection. We’ve just learned of a secret order that protects powerful relics, and now we’ve magically traveled to a place full of mystical sites.”
Jake looked like his wheels were spinning.
“What are you thinking?”
“That I wish I were on a fishing boat.”
“But this is exciting,” Kendall said.
“So is pulling in a trout. I don’t like things I don’t understand.”
“You don’t understand me.”
He gave her a look that melted her midsection. “You’re the exception.”
She turned away and opened another book, this one about the Tor. At one time, the ocean’s waters came right up to the base of the Tor. The bare, oblong mountain would have been visible from the sea. “This is interesting,” Kendall said. “The Tor has been a sacred site for thousands of years. Even before Joseph of Arimathea brought the chalice here, ancient civilizations used the place for religious and learning purposes. I remember hearing that. Here’s one I hadn’t heard. King Arthur supposedly used the Tor as a stronghold. Glastonbury is thought to be the Isle of Avalon. And one of the Celtic legends is that it’s the entrance to the underworld where fairy folk live, just like the woman at the gift shop said.” Kendall didn’t know about fairies, but she was pretty sure there had been knights there.
“Sounds like science fiction,” Jake said.
“Might I remind you that we just fell through a portal?” Kendall said. “If you want more historical information, how about this? The lady at the gift shop was right about this too. The monks supposedly hid their treasure and relics in tunnels and caves under the Tor. Did you notice how one side of the Tor has terraces cut into the hill?”
Jake nodded.
“This says some experts believe the terraces are part of a maze of tunnels underneath the Tor. Some kind of labyrinth.”
“A maze… That sounds disturbingly familiar,” Jake said.
“If the monks hid their treasure in these tunnels, there must be some connection to the Protettori since their maze led to the Tor. Marco said they were in other places as well.”
Several minutes later, she found something in the pages that made her head reel. There wasn’t just a powerful well here. There was also a powerful chalice. The Blue Chalice, or the Blue Bowl it was sometimes called. Experts and psychics said it was from Christ’s time. It was kept at Little Saint Michael’s, the house that was used for accommodations for Well Companions, people who supported the Chalice Well Foundation.
Kendall looked up from the book to tell Jake about her discovery, but she saw he was asleep again. She thought about waking him, and instead she curled up on the bed near his legs and closed her eyes. She dreamed about Adam and the plane crash. When she woke up, she saw Jake sitting on the bed, watching her, his face thoughtful.
She sat up. “I guess I was sleepy.”
“You were dreaming about Adam.”
“Did I say something?” she asked.
“You were calling for him.” Jake brushed her cheek with his thumb. It was damp. “You were crying.”
“I dreamed about the plane crash. I dream about it a lot.” Especially in the past few days.
“You said he was twelve when he died, and you were ten. I know you loved him. Still do.”
“I did. He was…” her world. “He was my friend. I didn’t have anyone else. Our fathers were always on some archaeological dig or looking for a new relic. Neither Adam nor I had a normal childhood. He looked out for me like you do.” She smiled.
A strange look crossed Jake’s face. She had touched on a nerve, but she wasn’t sure what it was. There was a knock on the door and Jake went to answer it. A bellboy had two bags for Kendall from Nathan.
“I’m sorry, I thought this was her room,” the bellboy said.
“It is. You got bags for me?”
He nodded and handed Jake two more bags. They contained clothing; jeans, shirts, underwear, shoes for Kendall and basic equipment.
“We need money,” Kendall said.
“He gave me some when we first got here. I guess Fergus had it sent over. And we have new cell phones. Yours is on the table. It must be nice to pick up the phone and have the world at your feet.”
“Then I guess we can leave,” Kendall said.
“Sure you don’t want to rest longer?” Jake asked. “That damned cave wore me out. How are you feeling?”
“Tired. I think that black shadow ghost thing did something to my head.”
“If it wasn’t a ghost, what could do something like that?”