The Palantir: The Maqlu, #1

By JC Holmberg

Alex Scire never thought much about the supernatural – until he mistakenly took his dad's magical ankh. Suddenly, he starts seeing ghosts everywhere, including his twin sister, Deborah, who's stuck in the afterlife. Desperate to move on, she asks Alex to help her find the Palantir, an object with extraordinary magical powers.

After discovering a clue to the Palantir's location, Alex joins an archeological expedition headed to the ancient Mayan city of Lamanai to search for the object. But to find it, he has to battle a tyrannical ghost king, survive assassination attempts by those who killed his family, and gain the trust of two skeptical Druid apprentices.   

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tist Fiction
• Release date: Sep 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781956342024

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 John C. Holmberg

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021915452

This is a work of fiction and is a product of the author’s imagination. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously.

Learn more about the history and background of this book at:

www.JC Holmberg.com

Front cover image by Rebecacovers

Names: Holmberg, J. C., author.

Title: The Palantir / JC Holmberg.

Description: First printing edition. | [Pine Knot, Kentucky] : [Tist Fiction], 2021. | Series: The Maqlû ; book 1 | Interest age level: 10 and up. | Summary: Alex Scire never thought much about the supernatural--until he mistakenly took his dad's magical ankh. Suddenly, he starts seeing ghosts everywhere, including his twin sister, Deborah, who's stuck in the afterlife. Desperate to move on, she asks Alex to help her find the Palantir, an object with extraordinary magical powers--Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: ISBN 9781956342000 (paperback) | ISBN 9781956342017 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781956342024 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Magic--Juvenile fiction. | Brothers and sisters--Juvenile fiction. | Future life--Juvenile fiction. | Archaeological expeditions--Juvenile fiction. | CYAC: Magic--Fiction. | Brothers and sisters--Fiction. | Future life--Fiction. | Archaeological expeditions--Fiction. | Ghosts--Fiction. | LCGFT: Ghost stories. | Fantasy fiction.

Classification: LCC PZ7.1.H6466 Pa 2021 (print) | LCC PZ7.1.H6466 (ebook) | DDC [Fic]--dc23

March 2022 Edition

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 – THE UNSEEN WORLD

CHAPTER 2 – OLD BURYING POINT

CHAPTER 3 – THERE WILL COME A TIME

CHAPTER 4 – SEEING THE INVISIBLE

CHAPTER 5 – A HUNG JURY

CHAPTER 6 – A STUDY IN WITCHCRAFT

CHAPTER 7 – AGAINST A ROUGH ANTAGONIST

CHAPTER 8 – THEY COME UNINVITED

CHAPTER 9 – SURPRISE, SURPRISE

CHAPTER 10 – THE DOORWAY TO WISDOM

CHAPTER 11 – HOPE FORMS

CHAPTER 12 – OF GODS AND MEN

CHAPTER 13 – A SPARK FROM ANOTHER PERSON

CHAPTER 14 – A PARTING ON WAVES

CHAPTER 15 – FLIGHT 19

CHAPTER 16 – SOPHIE’S CHOICE

CHAPTER 17 – WHO CARES ENOUGH

CHAPTER 18 – A DANGEROUS BUSINESS

CHAPTER 19 – LOOKING FOR THE BAD

CHAPTER 20 – LAMANAI

CHAPTER 21 – ACROPHOBIA

CHAPTER 22 – FOR FOOLS RUSH IN

CHAPTER 23 – DREAMERS OF THE DAY

CHAPTER 24 – LOOKING FEAR IN THE FACE

CHAPTER 25 – +VLFBERH+T

CHAPTER 26 – HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN

CHAPTER 27 – ALL WRAPPED UP

CHAPTER 28 – GREAT RESOLUTIONS

CHAPTER 29 – THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR

CHAPTER 30 – THE BEST LAID SCHEMES

CHAPTER 31 – THE ONE LESS TRAVELED

CHAPTER 32 – A LIGHT IN DARK PLACES

CHAPTER 33 – WITH HOPE IN THE HEAD

CHAPTER 34 – WHAT NOT TO FEAR

CHAPTER 35 – RUDE AWAKENINGS

CHAPTER 36 – THE CHOICES WE MAKE

CHAPTER 37 – A SINGLE CANDLE

CHAPTER 38 – TO FEAR DEATH

CHAPTER 39 – TROUBLES OF MORE THAN ONE KIND

CHAPTER 40 – WHERE THERE IS DESPAIR

CHAPTER 41 – A FRIEND IN ADVERSITY

CHAPTER 42 – THE PALANTIR

CHAPTER 43 – BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

CHAPTER 44 – FAILURE IS NOT FATAL

Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.

Mark Twain

Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World

CHAPTER 1

THE UNSEEN WORLD

Alex Scire had always thought his mother had died in childbirth – until he met her and his twin sister at the airport earlier that day. Shocked his father had lied to him his entire life, he’d spent the drive to his future home in silence, struggling with the emotions and unanswered questions roiling inside him.

Jessica finally broke the uneasy silence that had prevailed since Denver when she turned to her husband and asked, When are you going to tell us what this is all about, Gerald? First, you had us fly halfway around the world, then, when we got here, you herd us into this beat-up old pickup truck and drove us for hours into the wilderness. Why?

Alex’s dad studied the blizzard-like conditions outside before he replied, A couple of days ago, I had a premonition that someone was after you and Deborah.

Your premonitions have always been eerily right, Jessica replied. Go on.

Gerald hesitated, then said, I don’t know what type of threat it is, so I plan to take you to my father’s home on the Ute Indian Reservation. The Great Spirit’s presence is strong there, and with our combined powers, I believe we can protect the two of you from whatever the danger is.

Bewildered, Alex leaned forward and said, Back up! What type of powers are you talking about?

Jessica glanced at Alex, then turned to her husband. You haven’t told him?

He shook his head. I’ve never seen any indication of magical abilities in him and think your order’s fears were unfounded. We didn’t need to take all the precautions we did.

Hindsight’s a wonderful thing, Jessica replied. We knew the consequences and made a decision based on the information we had at the time. Besides, he’s still young. Sometimes these abilities don’t manifest themselves until they're older.

Jessica turned towards Deborah in the back seat and said, Learn from this. You’ll face many tough choices in your life. Make sure you can live with whatever decisions you make because once you’ve made a choice, you’ll rarely get an opportunity to undo it.

Deborah shrugged and turned to stare out the window.

Hold on. You can’t keep dropping bombshells on me like this and not explain what the heck is going on, Alex said.

The ability to manipulate nature’s elements, or what you call magic, results from a very rare genetic trait, his mother said. Your father has some abilities, but the trait runs especially strong in the female side of my family. In fact, your grandmother, your sister, and I all belong to a secret order of Druid women with magical powers.

Why didn’t you ever tell me any of this, Dad?

Gerald glanced nervously around before replying. Not now, son. We’ll talk about this when we get to your grandfather’s house. He pulled off a necklace he was wearing and thrust it towards his sister sitting next to him in the backseat. Here, put this on. I’ll explain more about it when we get to the reservation. But promise me you’ll never take it off.

Alex saw his sister glance at the necklace, then return to staring out the window. His dad shook it and said, Go on. Take it. It’s not meant for me. I always intended to give this to you when you were ready, and I believe now’s the time to pass it on. It’s not meant for me.

When his sister made no move for it, Alex hesitated, then grabbed the necklace. As soon as his fingers closed around it, a tingling sensation coursed through him, causing goosebumps to break out. An anguished cry of, No! reverberated in his head, causing him to jump. He looked around to see who’d made the sound, but the only one paying attention was his father, who immediately broke eye contact.

Alex ran his fingertips lightly over the animal teeth, claws, and strips of hide on it but stopped at the small, silvery, looped cross in the center. He gazed at the strange hieroglyphic-like symbols running down the stem for several seconds before slipping it over his head. As soon as it touched his chest, a strange sensation shot through his body, causing goosebumps to pop up. He studied the little cross for a moment, then flipped his braids out from underneath the necklace, tucked it into his shirt, and turned to look out at the snowy landscape.

There was a break in the storm when they turned onto Colorado Highway 151 a few minutes later, giving Alex his first glimpse of Chimney Rock National Monument. The sight was so awe-inspiring that he almost didn’t spot the two black specks that popped out from between the columns and flew down the ridge.

It was such an odd sight that he shifted his full attention to them, watching as they sped towards their pickup. He thought he was imagining things when they got closer because they appeared to be two transparent flying people wearing old-fashioned Puritan-style clothing. An instant later, they slammed into the truck, hitting it so hard that the old Chevy skidded sideways across the slick road.

Jessica placed a hand on her husband’s arm. Please tell me that was the wind.

Gerald shook his head and whispered, I don’t know. I lost my ability to see the other side when I gave up the necklace.

It wasn’t the wind, Alex said. This will sound crazy, but I think two ghosts just attacked us.

Alex could see the doubt in his sister’s eyes and was about to defend his comment when a shiver ran down his spine. He swung around and saw the two ghosts flying straight at them – carrying a tree trunk. There was no time to do anything other than yell, Duck! before the tree crashed into the truck. He heard the glass shattering, screeching tires, and his mother’s scream. As they went airborne, all he could think about was how he’d failed his family.

CHAPTER 2

OLD BURYING POINT

The days after the accident were the worst in Alex’s life. In shock over the death of his family, he spent the first day alone in the hospital, undergoing a battery of tests and getting his broken leg set. His grandfather Ignacio, whom he’d never met, arrived on the second day to take Alex to his father’s funeral before hustling him off to Boston.

On the third day, Alex found himself standing outside the Charter Street entrance to Salem’s Old Burying Point Cemetery. He felt his grandfather gently push him and heard him say, Go with your grandmother. Your mother’s and sister’s funeral will start soon.

I don’t think she wants me here, Alex replied. She’s never reached out to me once in my life.

Don’t hold that against her, his grandfather said. I’m guilty of the same thing. Your father went into hiding before you were born and never told anyone you existed.

But ever since I arrived, all she’s done is glare at me. Why can’t you come with me?

This is a private ceremony. Normally they only allow other Druids to attend their funerals, but you’re getting a special exemption because you’re family. Now go. I’ll be waiting here for you when it’s over.

Alex grimaced, took a deep breath, and stepped through the entrance. A wave of cold air immediately washed over him, making him feel like he’d entered a different world. That didn’t bother him nearly as much, though, as the dozens of ghosts that suddenly appeared. Thinking he was imagining things, he rubbed his eyes and looked again. But instead of disappearing, more ghosts had appeared – all moving towards him.

He hurried after his grandmother, clumping along as fast as he could with his crutches and leg cast. Alex felt like turning back as the ghosts drifted closer, but seeing her walking calmly among them, he put his head down and forced himself to push through the gauntlet of spirits.

It wasn’t until he stopped underneath a massive oak tree on the Derby Street side of the cemetery that the ghosts faded away. Alex was so shocked by what had happened that he didn’t hear his grandmother talking to him until she grabbed his shoulders and shook him. He looked up and saw her staring at him with icy grey eyes.

Are you listening to me? she asked. I said I don’t want you interfering with the funeral, so stay here and don't make a sound.

Even though he nodded in agreement, she kept a firm grip on him. He tried wriggling away when he suddenly felt as if something was trying to squeeze his head. Thinking his pain medication was wearing off, he closed his eyes, hoping the pounding would go away. But just when he’d resigned himself to dealing with the pain, a warming sensation emanating from where his dad’s necklace lay against his chest spread into his head and cleared the pressure. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see his grandmother staring hard at him while silently moving her lips. Are you okay? he asked.

Elizabeth staggered back, a look of horror plastered on her face. He thought he heard her mutter the word monster as she hurried away, but he didn’t care as the pain had vanished, like the ghosts.

Alex watched her walk over to a nearby group of women, all wearing forest-green ankle-length cloaks, fastened at their necks with gold Celtic knot pins. They joined hands, and moments later, began chanting in a strange throaty language.

Unable to understand the words, he looked around the cemetery, trying to figure out if he’d seen ghosts or had just imagined them. He was so intent on spotting more that it was some time before he noticed fog rolling into the cemetery – blotting out the beautiful sunset outside. Within minutes it had gotten so thick that he couldn’t see more than a dozen yards in any direction. The chanting continued until the mist completely shrouded the cemetery.

Soon, women of all ages started arriving, appearing out of the fog as if by magic. He nodded to the first few that passed by, but all they did was glare back. Alex gave up trying to be polite and turned his attention to the women as they formed a circle around a large rectangular hole in the ground.

As the women began singing in the same language as before, he looked around for his mother’s and sister's caskets but didn’t spot them. It wasn’t until a few minutes later, when he noticed two white-shrouded objects floating in air, that he realized he was watching the bodies of his mother and sister. They hovered for a few seconds, then slowly sank into the hole.

The singing stopped, and one by one, the women stepped forward, said a few words, then threw a white lily into the hole. When the ring had reformed, the group started singing again. The song was so mournful that it was several seconds before Alex noticed dirt snaking up into the sky from the pile next to the hole. It swirled over the women’s heads, rising and falling to the rhythm of the music, before coalescing over the gravesite. When the song ended, the dirt fell like gentle rain on the bodies.

Within minutes, there was only a small mound of loose dirt to indicate where the grave was. After a few moments of silence, the gathering broke up, leaving Alex in shock at everything he’d seen.

When everyone else had left, his grandmother walked over to him and said, Let’s go. The repast will be starting soon.

Can I stay here a little longer? he asked. I never got a chance to say goodbye to them.

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed as she studied him. Finally, she said, Don’t be too long. You have to get up early tomorrow to catch your flight home.

Alex watched the fog slowly dissipate as his grandmother walked towards the exit. Struggling to cope with the events of the last three days, he knelt at the gravesite with tears streaming down his face. Why did you leave me? he whispered. But there was no answer.

The sound of Halloween revelers in the street below reminded him what a horrible thirteenth birthday he was having. He looked around and noticed the sunset had given way to nighttime, turning the cemetery into a grim, eerie place. Rousing himself from his gloomy thoughts, Alex headed for the exit, unaware that grass was already sprouting through the top layer of dirt over the gravesite and that dozens of ghosts were following him.

CHAPTER 3

THERE WILL COME A TIME

Deborah thought it odd that she awoke in a cemetery with no memories of who she was or why she was there. She saw a group of people dressed in old-fashioned clothing and headed towards them. But before she could reach them, they vanished.

Confused, she looked around and noticed a golden light shining on the far side of the cemetery. She ran towards it, hoping to get answers, but when she got close, it was so bright that she had to look away. A vaguely familiar woman’s voice called out, Thank Gaia, you’re finally here. I was afraid we would have to cross over without you.

Deborah realized something was wrong but couldn’t quite put her finger on what. Hoping she was just having a nightmare and would soon wake up, she shielded her eyes and peered into the light, where she saw a middle-aged man and woman standing in front of an open shimmering gate.

Hurry, dear, the woman said. We can’t wait much longer.

Curiosity drove Deborah to step closer and look closer at the couple standing outside the gates. It took her a few moments before recognizing the woman was her mother. The man’s face was harder to place, but she guessed it was her father. She saw him stretch out his hand and heard him say, Come. There’s nothing to fear.

Deborah stepped forward but hit an invisible barrier. She tried pushing but couldn’t get through. Desperate to reach her parents, she started pounding on it, screaming, Help me, Mom.

She saw her father step through the gate and disappear. Her mother started to follow him but stopped and said, I’m sorry, dear, but we can’t help you. You’ve got to make it through on your own. We must go now but don’t worry; we’ll be waiting for you. She smiled, blew Deborah a kiss, then passed through the gates, instantly disappearing as her father did. The gates closed behind her, leaving the cemetery in darkness once more.

Shocked that her parents had departed without her, Deborah sank to her knees, feeling more alone than she’d ever been in her life. Time lost all meaning as she waited for their return. She didn’t stir until a gentle voice said, You can’t stay like this. Come, child. Walk with me.

Deborah looked up at the unknown speaker. His stick-thin frame, large protruding nose, and ears that were far too big for his head seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him. Too numb to argue, she did as he asked and moved for the first time in days. He tucked her arm in his and led her out of Old Burying Point Cemetery.

Neither talked as they strolled through the streets of Salem until hours later when Deborah finally broke the silence and asked, Who are you?

He patted her hand and smiled. Just call me Mr. Crane. Right now, though, you should focus on coming to grips with the fact you’ve died and haven’t moved on. I don’t want you waiting for loved ones who will never return. I’ve seen it before. You could waste years, even decades, of your life here.

It took a moment for his words to sink in. I’m dead? Deborah asked in a stunned voice. That can’t be.

It often comes as a shock to those who die unexpectedly, especially the young. Nevertheless, you are, so the sooner you come to grips with that fact, the better off you’ll be.

Do you know what happened to me? I can’t remember anything beyond seeing my parents disappear into some shiny light.

I know a little about your history, but don’t worry about that now. It’s common to have some memory lapses about the life you used to lead when you first die. It’ll come back, Mr. Crane said. Just give it time.

How long have I been here? Deborah asked.

A few days, but time doesn’t have as much meaning in the afterlife as it did when you were alive. He paused, his eyes narrowing as he studied Deborah. When he spoke again, it was in a more serious tone. I have to be honest with you. I came to check on you partly because I was concerned for your well-being but also because I’m curious about you.

Why’s that?

Things have been different here since your funeral. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, but other spirits have felt the same thing.

Is that why everyone goes out of their way to avoid me?

Perhaps. It also might have something to do with the perpetual scowl on your face.

For the first time since she’d died, Deborah laughed. Touché.

You have a nice laugh. You should use it more often, Mr. Crane said.

But seriously, you need to understand that this is your life now. Take charge of it. Don’t be like me. I’ve been dead for almost two hundred years and still haven’t figured out why I haven’t moved on. Then again, I like the afterlife and don’t have a burning desire to figure out my unfinished business. But you’re too young to stay here as long as I have. You need to figure out your business and move on.

How do I do that?

I can’t help you there. It’s different for each person. You’ll have to figure that out on your own.

This is all a bit too much for me right now, Deborah said. Can we switch subjects?

Of course, Mr. Crane replied.

They walked around the rest of the day, returning to Old Burying Point after sunset. As he pulled his arm out of hers, she asked, Where are you going?

I spend most of my waking time in Boston’s libraries. It’s peaceful there at night, and nobody disturbs me.

You’re going to leave me? Please don’t, Deborah said.

You won’t be alone. Most spirits tend to be more active at night because the energy of the living is too painful a reminder of the life they once had. So, there’ll be plenty of people to talk to.

Deborah turned her big brown eyes up, silently pleading her case. Not tonight. Please.

Fine. I’ll stay with you tonight, but you’ll eventually need to rest, just like you did when you were living.

Where will I sleep? Do I go back to where I used to live, wherever that was?

You can if you want, but in general, most of us just fade away to the netherworld.

Where’s that?

I wish I could explain it, but alas, I still haven’t figured it out.

Are there any kids my age I can hang around with?

Mr. Crane shook his head. Not around here. He paused, then added, What would you like to do, child?

"I’d like to start learning more about who I was.