Gabriel Stone and the Divinity of Valta Read online

  GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA

  Shannon Duffy

  This book is dedicated to my amazing, full of life, and loving son, Gabriel Cole. You are the reason I wrote this book and the inspiration behind this story. Always remember to chase your dreams and know that you are far more magical than anything in this book. I love you. Always and forever.

  GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2013 by Shannon Duffy.

  Gabriel Stone and the Divinity of Valta

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America by Month9Books, LLC. Month9Books is a registered trademark, and its related logo is a registered trademark of Month9Books, LLC.

  www.month9books.com

  Summary: Gabriel Stone finds a mysterious crystal that opens a portal into a magical, but dying world.

  ISBN 978-0-9850294-7-0 (tr. pbk) ISBN 978-0-9850294-6-3 (e-Book)

  1. children’s. 2. fiction. 3. fantasy. 4. Gabriel Stone and the Divinity of Valta. 5. Shannon Duffy. 6. middle grade.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  For information, address Month9Books, LLC, PO BOX 1892 Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526.

  www.month9books.com

  Illustration by Mark V. McKenna

  Cover Design by Stephanie Mooney

  eBook Formatting by Studio 22 Productions

  Acknowledgements

  First of all, thank you to all of you readers. I appreciate each and every one of you. I hope you enjoyed Gabe’s journey, and remember: you all have a little magic inside of you. Don’t be afraid to let it shine.

  To my critique partners who’ve become so much more than the words “critique partner” could ever imply, because you’re my friends: I love you. To Rachel Harris who writes like chocolate and who is my soul sister, thank you for always being there for me and encouraging me forward, for all of our talks and get-togethers, and heart-felt friendship. To Trisha Wolfe, who writes the steamy, thank you for your belief in me and my stories for so long now, your honest talk, all of your wisdom and your friendship. Without you both, my stories wouldn’t be what they are. It’s been so much fun sharing our writing journeys together.

  Thank you also to the others who dove into these pages and gave me great input, Brenda Drake, and Elizabeth and Ron Snow.

  To Month9Books and the editors who worked on this story, a huge thanks. It’s been nothing but a pleasure going through this process with you guys. You are professional, caring, and super attentive to detail. Special mention to Georgia McBride whose unflappable faith in this story from the very beginning helped guide me through, encourage and motivate me, and who ultimately helped make my dreams come true. I adore you. Truly.

  Mark V. Mckenna, the illustrator for the cover, just wow. I love how you brought my story to life. You are mad talented. Thank you so much.

  Mr. Rowsell, my high school English teacher, thank you for being such a special teacher. You motivated me to want to do better all the time, and little did you know that when you read aloud some of my work to the class, you planted a seed that inspired much bigger things to come.

  Lauren Hammond, my amazing agent, thank you for being you. You are a ray of sunshine, an incredible support system, sometimes my sanity (ha), and someone who I’ll always call friend. You = awesome.

  To my cousin, Brenda, thank you for bringing me back to Beachy Cove Falls just recently after so many years. It was incredible to be there again and especially to bring Gabriel with us this time. And when he found the triangular rock at the base of the falls like he did in this book—as Gabriel would say—it was epic! As you know, the falls from our childhood hikes together became the inspiration for the ones in this story, and I’ll cherish those times, and many others that we spent together, forever. Luv ya, cuz!

  To my dearly departed grandmother, “Nanny Chapman,” I love you and miss you and your smiling face every day.

  To my nephew, Brent, Gabriel’s side-kick in this book and in real life, too—dude, you are awesome. I love you like a son.

  To my parents, Eric and Dorothy, (and whose names I used in this story), thank you for buying me a never-ending supply of books in my childhood which encouraged me to read. Also, thank you for loving to read anything I wrote—from day one. Your pride in me overwhelms me. More than anything, thank you for being the most amazing parents in the world. I am blessed to be able to call you Mom and Dad. I love you both with all of my heart.

  To my husband, Alan who found the original 12-18 pages of this story on an old computer in the basement and encouraged me to finish writing it, thank you! Your constant encouragement, unstoppable belief in me, and true excitement over my stories makes me smile. I love you.

  And to the hero of this story and owner of my heart, my son Gabriel, thanks for the inspiration, for being you, and for being proud of me and what I do. You are a gift from God and will always be my angel.

  And finally, thanks again to the readers, because without all of your awesomeness, this book wouldn’t matter. Huge thanks to each and every one of you.

  GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA

  Shannon Duffy

  Chapter One

  Gabriel stopped mid-step near the water’s edge, captivated by the sparkling colors glowing beneath the frigid river. Monstrous ice chunks drifted through the base of Beachy Cove’s waterfalls, where he and his friends often hiked. They didn’t usually hike by the falls in winter, when it was so cold that half the river was covered in ice. And they never went in early spring, when the ice broke over the waterfalls—it reminded Gabriel too much of the day his mom had disappeared up there. But Brent and Piper made him come because they were bored and had both gotten Cs on the history exam. Hanging out was definitely better than going home and showing their parents those kinda marks.

  Besides, he kind of wanted to get a good look at the scene. A part of him wondered if maybe his mom hadn’t really abandoned him. Maybe she really had fallen in the water somehow, and drowned. It sure looked dangerous.

  As he stared, he noticed a shiny thing beaming at him from the middle of the river. When you see something magical-looking sticking out of an oversized ice cube and performing a light show that would put the Wizard of Oz to shame, you stop to stare. He totally did gawk at the object trapped in the ice. It pulsed and steamed, emitting an array of multi-colored lights that ascended into the air.

  Brent Chapman and Piper Ramirez came huffing up behind him. The three of them always hung out together. Whether it was school, sports, video games, watching horror movies, hiking, paintballing, or, well, doing nothing, they were together. They had been friends for like, ever.

  “Hey. Do you see that glowy crystal thingy?” Gabriel asked, dazzled by the crystalline light show. He dropped his backpack. If I can just make it to the middle without falling in.

  Brent folded his husky arms across his chest. “What, that shiny thing? Dude, get back from there. You’ll freeze if you fall in.”

  Piper, normally the cautious one of the three best friends, didn’t say a word, and Gabriel took it as a sign. A dare, almost. He took another step toward the river. But then Piper found her voice.

  “Wait! I see something out there too, but you can’t go on the ice!”

  Gabe scrunched his shoulders up to his ears. “Why not?”
>
  “It’s called pneumonia, bro. As in sick. You getting sick. The water in February is not for swimming in, unless you’re one of the crazies who do the whole Polar Bear Plunge.” Brent narrowed his eyes across the river. “What is that thing, anyway?”

  Gabriel stared at the water, thinking. He knew how risky it was—he didn’t need his friends to tell him that. His own mom had disappeared up here. But he had to get it—that thing was just too sparkly to ignore. Gabriel looked back at his friends with a devilish grin, and then jumped onto a block of ice a couple of feet below. It tilted to one side, sliding him toward the water. He spread his legs wide, dispersing his weight evenly, and the ice leveled out.

  Gabriel glanced over his shoulder and arched a brow. “What is it?” he asked, repeating Brent’s question. “That’s what I’m gonna find out.”

  “Are you nuts, Gabe?” Piper’s honey-brown eyes were the size of saucers as she watched him. She looked both horrified and amazed. “Let’s just go back.” She jerked her thumb toward the wooded path leading home. “We’ve got a half hour hike back, still.”

  Gabriel steadied himself and eyed the next ice chunk floating ahead. Maybe Piper’s right. Maybe I am nuts. He fisted his hands wondering if he should turn around and go back. But just then, the sun glistened against the object, making its colors glow even brighter.

  “I have to get that crystal. Shh, you’ll jinx me.” He jumped, landing near the edge of the ice, and cautiously slid to the middle. The slab flopped back and forth under his feet, threatening to capsize him. Whoa. That was close. His mind raced with scary thoughts about falling in. He tightened his leg muscles and gritted his teeth. You can do it.

  Gabriel focused on the glowing object just a few feet away. It seemed to await rescue, steam dispersing like smoke signals. His pulse raced as he thought about his choices. Maybe he should just go back. What if he didn’t jump far enough? Or what if the ice flipped him off right into the icy water? He gulped back the huge lump in his throat. He was too close to give up now.

  He fisted his hands, took a deep breath, and jumped. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The cool air pushed his hair back from his face, and his eyes lingered on the twirling colors sparkling from the crystal. He couldn’t stop staring at the bright colors. Concentrate! He darted his eyes back to the slab of ice that rushed up to him.

  But it was too late.

  His body slammed into the river with a horrible slap. His jaw hit the edge of the ice, slicing open his chin. He barely managed to yelp before he splashed under the frigid river. Bitter water enveloped him like a blanket of bee stings. His blood trailed downstream in a red ribbon of color.

  Fighting through the pulsating pain, he swam toward the glimmer ahead, which lit up the murky water like a beacon. The ice holding the crystal had melted, allowing it to break free. As the small, glowing object sank toward him, Gabriel held out his trembling hand, watching as it descended into his palm. Heat from the crystal trickled through his fingers all the way down to his glowing palm. He stashed the shimmering rock into his pocket as the last dregs of air left his lungs.

  He pushed for the surface, only to find that ice had collected above him, creating a barrier. He pressed the ice above him, but it wouldn’t budge. He twisted his head side to side, searching for another escape, but didn’t find one. He didn’t know how to get out. Concentrate, Gabe. Think. Move.

  Gabriel forced his gaze back to the prison of ice over his head. His heart leapt, ramming against his ribs. His lungs threatened to burst even as he denied the possibility of what he was seeing.

  His mother’s face floated above him. Long, brown hair cascaded around her face, and her gentle, green eyes turned up at the edges in a smile. Had Mom drowned down here, too?

  A shadow fell over her face, then strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him up. When he broke the surface of the water, he sucked in a mouthful of air like a hungry animal.

  Firm hands gripped him, tugging him to shore. Soon Gabriel lay stretched out on the snowy ground. He coughed and spluttered, then blinked up at Brent who stood over him dripping wet.

  “What were you thinking, bro?” Brent asked with a shiver. “You could’ve drowned!”

  Piper stomped the ground. “You got a death wish, Gabe?” She fisted her hands on her hips, even as relief colored her face.

  Gabriel sat up, then scrambled to the water’s edge and gaped out over the river. “My mom was there.” He cast desperate eyes on Brent and Piper. “Didn’t you see her?”

  Brent looked at Piper, his eyebrows raised. “He must have been under too long. Maybe he lost oxygen to the brain or something.”

  Piper sighed and trudged up beside Gabriel. “No, Gabe, she wasn’t. It’s just us. Your mom’s … gone.” She took off her coat and wrapped it around Gabriel’s shoulders.

  Gabriel sighed and plunked down on his butt. “I know, I know. It’s just … never mind.”

  Piper pulled a few tissues from her pocket and handed them to Gabriel. “Your chin.”

  Gabriel pushed his wet, brown hair away from his face. “Thanks.” He grimaced as he blotted the blood. Remembering why he got the stupid injury in the first place, he reached into his pocket, and pulled the object out. Just like before, it warmed his hand. “I got it,” he whispered in awe.

  Brent dropped to his knees in front of Gabriel. “Wow, that’s awesome. Wait. What is it?”

  Piper leaned in closer to inspect it. “Is it a crystal? It’s triangular. I’ve never seen a crystal like that before.”

  Gabriel held it up, his eyes widening. Beams of red, green, and blue shot through the air. “Looks like a crystal, right? It’s epic!” He held the crystal to his cheek and warm beams of light shot over the smile stretching across his cheeks. It tickled, and a slight hum resonated against him.

  I got it!

  Chapter Two

  Gabriel woke to Zigzag’s sloppy licking, and glanced at the clock on his nightstand. “Not again.” He pushed his pet boxer away, sat up in bed, and gave his clock a tap. “Stupid piece of junk.”

  Today, of all days, his alarm clock had chosen to fail him. Again. It was the day Brent, Piper, and he would find out if the waterfall crystal was more than just a crystal, or if it was something really magical. Maybe it had been dropped from an alien ship, or something really cool.

  The only person Gabriel knew who could figure out if the crystal belonged to aliens was his sixth grade science teacher, Mr. Roswell. But if he didn’t hustle, he wouldn’t get a chance to share his discovery. Gabriel felt his neck to make sure the necklace he’d made for the crystal last night hadn’t fallen off during his restless sleep. “Still there,” he mumbled as he patted the oddly warm crystal. He lowered his feet onto a heap of blankets and clothes; another night of nightmares meant yesterday’s clothes were joined by his blanket on the floor beside his bed.

  With no time to worry about style or cleanliness, he pulled on yesterday’s jeans and t-shirt. A swift run of fingers through his hair and Gabriel felt as ready as ever for school. He made a quick stop to grab some books, pausing for a moment to stare at the framed picture on top of his dresser.

  “Hi, Mom.”

  It had been a year since she’d gone for a walk, and never come back. Endless search parties and an official investigation all ended with the same conclusion: she’d vanished into thin air.

  Gabriel’s stomach churned. He picked up the picture and searched his mother’s face, looking for an explanation as to why she’d left. Her smiling face looked back. No answers there.

  In his mind’s eye, it was about a year ago. His mom had kissed his forehead as she tucked him into bed. As she’d left, she turned off the light. He’d bolted straight up.

  “But, Mom. T-the light.”

  “It’s okay, sweetheart. Remember, I’ll leave your door open, and you’ve got that night-light.” She’d pointed to the small, Spiderman night-light plugged into the wall across from his bed. The one he’d gotten when he was like, three. Th
e one he hid when his friends came over.

  “But can’t you just lie down with me till I doze off?” His voice had come out more pleading than he’d liked, but he hated the idea of falling asleep in the dark even more.

  “Not tonight, honey. I need to get some air. I’m gonna go for a walk in the mountains at Beachy Cove Falls. You’ll be okay, and I promise I won’t be long.” She had sighed and shook her head. “You should never have watched Brent’s dad’s old horror movies.”

  Gabriel had plopped back on his pillow with a sigh. He hated being such a wimp at night. Eleven years old was too old to be afraid of the dark. He blamed it on watching too many horror movies with friends. Somehow, during the day, between pillow fights and chowing down on popcorn, they didn’t seem so scary. He knew they were fake. But that didn’t console him when the sun went down.

  After watching The Exorcist in Brent’s basement, Gabriel’s mom had to lie with him until he fell asleep every night for a week. On top of that, he’d slept with the light on for months now. And not just a night-light, but the overhead light, too.

  His mom had turned back to face him from the doorway and the hall light had caught the sparkle in her moss-green eyes that everybody said matched his. She’d given him a thumbs up, whispering to him as she left. “Be brave, Gabe. I love you.”

  “Gabe!” His father’s voice boomed from the first floor, shaking Gabriel back to reality. He swallowed hard and set down the frame, his eyes burning. I was too much trouble. That’s why she left. He ran from the room, hoping to outrun the guilty thoughts.

  “Coming!”

  Zigzag barely kept up as he bounded down the stairs. They nearly knocked down Gabriel’s dad as they hurried past the kitchen counter.

  His dad looked over the newspaper as he leaned against the counter, his eyebrows furrowing as he inspected Gabriel’s attire from head to toe. He stopped, zeroing in on his feet. “Uh, aren’t you forgetting something?”