Coins of Power

By J A Lesley

Paige loves stories about myths and monsters, but she never thought she’d be part of one. When crazy aunt Ella sends the final piece in a series of ancient talismans for her fifteenth birthday gift, Paige’s world is turned upside down.

Cam, a new boy in school has mystical secrets too, and when he sees Paige’s birthday gift he realizes his grandfather’s warnings weren’t nonsense after all. Danger looms in the form of Balor and his band of sea monsters.

Along with friends Tegan and Jacko, Paige and Cam must learn how to wield their mysterious powers if they are protect their treasures, their families and maybe even the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Brassel
• Release date: Jan 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386924012

J A Lesley

J A Lesley writes urban paranormal fiction for middle grade and young adult readers

Book preview

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to characters, places or persons,

living or dead, is coincidental.

Prologue

The German shepherd halted his circuit of the dock and stared out toward a flat spot on the dark water. With practiced caution, the dog crept to the concrete ledge and peered over the side. Suddenly, seeing the creatures just beneath the surface, he raced back and forth, turning in frantic circles along the dock’s edge, whining pitifully.

What is it, boy? asked the security guard as he sauntered down to see what the shepherd fussed about. He crouched beside the dog. What do you see?

The dog answered with a low throaty growl, as he poised to leap at the black shadows lurking just below the waterline.

The guard flashed his torch at the water and the hair on his arms stood to attention. Four or five large black shapes with blinking yellow eyes slithered around the support pylon. The dog growled louder and began to slaver, foam flew as his bark became hysterical. The guard managed to grab the dog’s collar before he began scrabbling at the concrete ledge in an attempt to leap in after the creatures.

One of the creatures broke the surface, and both man and dog were assaulted by the overpowering stench of rotten fish.

The dog went crazy—scratching and barking—pulling so hard that the guard nearly lost his footing on the slippery planks.

What a stink! The guard cursed, his throat constricting on the words as the saliva dried in his mouth. Without warning he retched. Relinquishing his hold on the dog’s collar he fell to his hands and knees, and vomited.

The dog flew off the dock with a loud growl, yelping as he hit the water. A second later all went silent as he was sucked under.

At the other side of the dock, behind a couple of dumpsters, two shadowy figures emerged from the murky water with barely a splash. Silently, the creatures edged toward the large crate of squid waiting to be weighed before being moved inside the fish market with a forklift. It was the last crate—the others were already safe inside the big cool room at the other end of the building.

The creatures latched onto the crate and dragged it back toward the wate—any sound they made was masked by the dog’s violent thrashing, and the still heaving guard.

The crate slid down the boat ramp and disappeared along with the creatures.

~ * ~

Sometime later, the dog, shivering with cold, limped up the steps at the end of the dock and collapsed, panting, on the boards. He whimpered mournfully when the still-woozy guard approached and shone his torch at him.

Large welts, like jellyfish stings, crisscrossed the dog’s back and legs. Geez! What's happened boy? What were those things? The last he murmured to himself, knowing that the dog understood even less than he did.

C’mon boy, he urged the dog, we’d better get you to the vet. When the dog appeared to have difficulty standing, the guard bent down and picked him up. C’mon, boy, it’ll be okay, he soothed as he headed to the security office to sign out.

He shivered. How am I ever going to write this report?

One

The wind whistled through the leaves. Paige and Tegan lay on their backs, both gazing up at the patchy ceiling of the tree house. Daylight flickered with the fluttering of the leaves, dappling the girls with warm late-afternoon sunshine.

They were getting too old for the tree house now, but it was still a place where they could escape and hide—especially from Paige’s obnoxious little brother, Mo, who wasn’t yet big enough to climb trees.

All was silent, except for the wind.

Drifting off into a world of wishes, Paige quietly pondered the surprise her father would bring home for her birthday. She desperately hoped her dad had paid attention to all the hints she’d dropped. She knew a computer was probably out of the question, but an iPod and speakers? Surely that wasn’t asking too much.

Tegan’s thoughts were elsewhere as she tried to remember the silly dream she’d dreamt last night. She had woken in a cold sweat and had trouble going back to sleep. The dream had sat at the edge of her memory all day and it bugged her like crazy that she couldn’t quite catch hold of it.

A shaft of sunlight suddenly flashed across her vision, casting a strange greenish glow into her eyes.

That’s it! Tegan squealed as she remembered. Her blond curls bobbed as she sprang upright. I knew it was you! She swiveled around on her backside till she faced her best friend, a mischievous gleam lighting her eyes.

Paige groaned inwardly. Whenever Tegan got that look on her face, Paige knew it meant trouble. What did I do now? she asked, her voice wary.

You didn’t do anything, I remembered my dream. It was so-o-o frightening! Tegan punctuated her words by leaning forward, her blue eyes wide and earnest. You were in it—it was dark and you were walking toward a big building with this boy–

A boy? Not likely, Paige poked her friend in the arm. Boys are creeps, she snorted.

Tegan’s eyebrows shot up. What happened to Jeremy Glover?

Paige poked her again. Harder. Like I said, boys are creeps. The boy you saw in your dream, who was he, anyway?

Although Paige didn’t sound too curious, Tegan knew that deep inside she would itch to know. She gave a dramatic shrug. Dunno. You were walking away. Could only see your back.

Then how’d you know it was me?

Again Tegan shrugged. Just do. Now stop butting in. I’ve lost my train of thought. With a studious expression, she laid back and watched the light flickering through a hole in the ceiling and tried to recapture the image. If she drew out her story it would annoy the heck out of Paige.

She was rewarded with a sharp dig from Paige’s elbow. C’mon, spill it!

Okay, okay. You and this boy, whoever he was, were walking toward a big building. Dunno the place exactly, but it seemed familiar. She cocked her head from one side to the other, then waved her hand in dismissal, I guess the place isn’t important.

She closed her eyes and frowned fiercely as if straining to remember. It was nearly dark and this thing, it sort of looked like a man but it didn’t, you know?

Paige shook her head, thinking Tegan had truly lost it this time. You’re not making much sense, Teegs.

Well, I think it was a man—or a shadow of a man— she lowered her voice till it was a mere whisper, —all misty and hunched and fat. He was following you.

Now the story was getting interesting. And...?

I don’t remember much else—I couldn’t see very well.

Surely you remember more than that.

Well... there was one odd thing about the shadow-man.

Paige ground her teeth. What?

He had a horn.

A horn—like a trumpet?

Not that kind of horn, silly. Tegan swatted the air. No. It was on his head—like the devil—but he had only one. Like a unicorn—maybe it was a unicorn?

Crossing her arms, Paige glared. "A unicorn? You are nuts—completely bonkers. Unicorns are horses—not fat men." She started to giggle. This was obviously one of Tegan’s more elaborate jokes—the punch line was coming next, for sure and for certain. She smiled to herself as she decided to play along.

Then what happened?

It chased after you, and you ran, but it caught up. Then, suddenly, it grabbed at you and there was a flash—and a weird green light with bright sparkles in the air.

Paige sprang upright as the gooseflesh danced along her arms. Maybe Teegs wasn’t joking. And then what?

I woke up.

You woke up? B-but you can’t have just woken up. What was the flash? Who was the boy? And the man-thing—you must remember more than that!

Nope—that’s it. Tegan folded her arms across her chest, signaling the end of the interrogation.

Irritated, Paige stood and gazed out the window in time to see her father’s silver Lexus pull into the driveway. All thoughts of dreams, unexplained flashes of light and fat men with horns were immediately forgotten.

Dad’s home—he’ll have my birthday present! She thrust her feet into her shoes and began lacing them.

The back screen door squeaked open an instant later. Paige’s mother stood in the doorway, scanning the yard as she wiped her hands on her apron.

Paige, honey? Are you out here? Your Dad’s home—time for cake. Her mother didn’t wait for an answer, but let the door swing closed with another painful squeak.

Neither Paige nor Tegan needed to be told twice. They’d smelled that cake baking earlier in the afternoon. It was Paige’s favorite. Passion fruit sponge. The whole neighborhood knew that aroma. Mum made the ultimate passion fruit sponge. She drizzled the passion fruit pulp all over the whipped cream—but best of all; she crushed heaps of chocolate flakes on top.

Tegan made it to the ladder first, but paid the penalty by having her fingers squished under Paige’s jogger-shod foot. "Yeeoowww!.

Sorry, I couldn’t wait to get to the cake I guess, Paige replied petulantly. But you should’ve let me go first, it is my birthday, after all.

Tegan began to screw her face, then, after a second, smiled to herself instead—her own birthday was soon and she would be just as excited.

Paige’s mum was spooning the fresh passion fruit pulp over the cream when Paige careened through the kitchen with Tegan hot on her trail both rushing on their way to see Paige’s birthday surprise.

In the living room, Morgan, Paige’s three-year-old brother, had already grabbed one of her gifts and was busily trying to untie the bright red ribbon.

Hey! That’s mine, you little twerp! Paige screeched as she tugged the package out of his hands and held it out of his reach.

His lower lip trembled and his eyes welled. Aw, Paithe, me wanna help.

He looked so forlorn, Paige immediately felt guilty that she’d yelled at him. She bent down to wrap an arm around his small shoulder, Don’t cry, Mo, I tell you what, how about we do it together? Okay?

Morgan’s big, brown eyes lit up in an instant. The other one, too?

What other one? She gave her father a quizzical look as he came into the room.

Happy Birthday, sweetie. Her dad lifted her in a big hug and swung her around several times before setting her back down.

Here, he said, handing her the mysterious package. This sat waiting on the doorstep when I arrived—postmark says Wales, he added, glancing down at the strange postage stamps. Must be from Great Aunt Ella.

Ditzy Aunt Ella, you mean, Paige returned with a grin and set the box aside. I’ll unwrap it later—it’s probably another useless gift I can’t open. Do you remember the thing she sent for my tenth birthday? I never did work out what it is.

Tegan tilted her head. Is that the carved box you keep under your dresser?

Yeah. Looks pretty, but what it’s for, I’ll never know, Paige dismissed, before returning her attention to the gift with the curly red ribbon.

Me help, Paithe! Morgan reminded, squeezing between Paige and her father.

Yes, you help. Paige replied.

They squatted on the floor together while her parents and Tegan looked on. Once the ribbon had been removed, Paige and Morgan began to rip the shiny blue paper from the box. As soon as Paige recognized the carton underneath, she shrieked with delight.

Wow! How did you know I wanted an iPod? she asked, though her focus hadn’t left the box before her.

Her mum laughed. "I guess we realized after the twentieth time you said, ‘I really, really, really want an iPod and speakers."

Oh yeah, I forgot. Hey, listen to this, Paige said, reading out the specs from the side panel, it says here that the speakers work on laptops as well.

Paige’s dad cleared his throat. What is that I smell? Passion fruit sponge cake, perhaps?

Paige rolled her eyes at her father. Whadda’ ya’ reckon, Dad? —not half freakin’ ob-vi-ous.’

Is that how you speak, young lady? Her mum frowned as she placed the candle-topped cake on the table.

Paige and Tegan exchanged a knowing glance. Sometimes it was the pits having an English teacher for a mother.

Thanks a lot for the iPod—I promise not to play it too loud, Paige said as she launched herself into her father’s arms.

Although he didn’t believe that last statement for a minute, Oscar hugged his daughter tight. At fifteen, she wouldn’t be able to help herself.

He studied her face, amazed at how closely she resembled her maternal grandmother, especially now she was almost a woman. Her wavy black hair came from his Aboriginal heritage, the café au lait skin was a blend from him and his wife’s Welsh blood but her elfin features were the image of Maere—she even had those curious eyes, each a slightly different shade of green. Not many people noticed it at first, but it became especially noticeable when she was excited... or angry; the darker