Phantom Scythe - Shards of Aether: Book 1

Chapter 9

Marvain parked her car near the entrance gate of the estate. It was a grand mansion perched on top of a hill overlooking Sormera Valley, the valley just north of Ridgemire. It hadn't been sold yet, and she was the one who was going to sell it to the highest bidder.

She allowed the entrance to scan her face and her hand. The edges of the curly gates flashed green as the gates retracted into the pillars. She was the only one who had clearance to enter.

The front yard of the estate was an expansive lawn populated with massive bush sculptures and fountains. The main driveway was decorated with cascading marble plates creating a wave-like pattern that never repeated. Just the driveway and the front yard alone would go for more than most houses.

The garage was a custom underground lair accessible by driving around the circular driveway and stopping in front of the front doors. The platform would then lower into the ground, where the car would be washed clean by the machines in the garage walls.

Marvain smiled to herself. Evan would kill to have something like that.

The double doors opened automatically, and Marvain was buffeted with the aroma of freshly cleaned carpets and polished marble. Though the mansion was state of the art high-tech, the architect had designed it with an ancient palace feel. The walls were carved with intricate patterns. Two symmetrical staircases led to the second floor.

Marvain ran her hand along the railing. She knew she would be slightly jealous of whomever was going to own this place.

She paused and looked around. Something didn't seem right. The lights hadn't turned on automatically. She went over to the light switch and tried it. The lights stayed off. She raised her hand in disgust and scoffed. Just when everything was starting to go right, something went wrong.

"Hey Paul," she said to her wrist pad, using its voice to text feature. "Can you get a technician to the mansion? The power's out."

His response was quick as usual. "You got it. I'll let the new guy know."

She began pacing around the room, trying to talk herself out of her anger. It was curious Paul hired a new technician. His team was great and he said he wasn't even accepting any new applications. What could have changed his mind?

She wandered the other rooms of the mansion as she waited. She was tempted to dip her toes into the expansive pool in the backyard. There was a spa at both ends of the pool. This place was meant for parties. She hoped she would be invited one day.

Having nothing better to do until the technician arrived, she went looking for the control room. Every house had one. It was where all the functions of the mansion could be managed. This one was located underground as a side room to the garage. The only light was the natural sunlight that leaked in down the stairwell leading to the garage. Marvain used her wrist pad to illuminate the room.

As she approached the door she paused. It was already open slightly. The lock had been destroyed by some kind of blast, and there was a hole burnt through where the handle should have been. Her hands grew clammy as she glanced behind her. Who could have done this, and how could they do it without triggering the alarm system?

Still, her curiosity got the best of her. She used a finger to ease the door open. The light from her wrist pad glinted off the metal walls. It was long and narrow, with the wall-mounted screens close to the door. She tapped on one of the screens. It was unresponsive. Odd, these usually ran on their own power.

She pushed on a tiny drawer in the wall and it popped out. The spring-loaded crystal mounts were empty. She took a step back. This wasn't some malfunction of the mansion. This was done on purpose. She strode to the back of the room and pulled open one of the Aether crystal racks set into the wall. The typical red glow was absent. There weren't even any dead crystals. She confirmed this was the case for all the other racks as well.