Page 1 of Shadows of the Lost Relic (Vanguard of the Ancients #1)

Chapter 1

Lyra

T he night was quiet, the kind of quiet that only came with a city lulled to sleep under the watchful eye of the moon. The museum stood like a beacon in the city’s heart, its marble pillars gleaming in their spotlights—a challenge to breach its defenses. The challenge didn’t intimidate me. It called to me. I had faced greater temptations, greater obstacles, and I always came out on top. This was just another job, the latest in a line of many.

This was what I lived for.

Having spent days watching the guard rotations and mapping the area out, I knew the museum had extensive grounds, with nothing except a few trees and the occasional sculpture or outdoor exhibit to shield me from detection. I broke into a run as I moved through the darkness, keeping low to the ground. A sprint to the ring of statues from Rome. Another to a well imported from eastern Europe. My last sprint led me to a tree, and I launched myself into the branches. My hands gripped the wood, and I swung myself into the safety of the surrounding leaves, where I took a moment to catch my breath, listening out to make sure none of the guards had seen me and that the night wasn’t over before it had really begun.

Once I was sure I had made it this far without detection, I adjusted the straps on my backpack, ensuring it was secure. I quickly climbed through the tree, trying to keep my movements from making it rustle and move too much. Because this was the closest tree to the Museum, I hadn’t been able to climb it during the day, so I could only hope my instincts were right and the branches would hold my weight.

As if summoned by my thoughts, an ominous creaking brought me to a halt. My heart hammered in my ears, and I couldn’t tell if the branch beneath me was still protesting my weight. My hands clung to the trunk behind me, and I was stuck in place, fear making it impossible to move. The seconds dragged on before slowly, painfully slowly, the branch fell silent, and I could move my body again. I released a relieved breath.

That could have been embarrassing.

Once I was sure I was steady, I took a deep breath and took off on the last run of the night. There was no time to stop. If I hesitated, I was going to lose my balance and end up on my ass on the ground. As I reached the end of the branch, I focused everything I had on the sliver of magic inside me. I wasn’t like my family, with their holier than thou attitudes and shimmering wings. I couldn’t fly. If I focused hard enough, though, I could hover or jump farther than I should be able to. Thankfully, this was one of those times, with the distance between the tree’s outer branches and the museum within my reach. My feet landed on the stone, and I let the momentum carry me into the shadows.

I crouched low on the rooftop, my black suit blending seamlessly into the shadows, and flexed my gloved fingers, eager for the actual work to begin. I’d spent weeks studying the building’s blueprints, memorizing every hallway, every hidden nook, and most importantly, every security measure. Now that it was time to put that knowledge to use, excitement thrummed in my veins. This heist would be a pretty feather in my cap, not to mention the payout for this job was nothing to sneeze at.

With a practiced hand, I unhooked a small device from my belt—a jammer that would scramble the alarms long enough for me to get the job done. I exhaled as I pressed the button, my stomach fluttering as the small green light blinked to life. The system would reset in three minutes, and I needed to be inside before my time was up. Once I was inside, there was less to worry about. Just guards, and then the security around the artifacts themselves.

I crept toward this evening’s entry point, then ran my hands over the screws of the museum’s ventilation system, calling on the magic of my lineage again. Getting into places we weren’t supposed to was a useful skill, even if my family didn’t use it the same way I did. The screws clattered to the roof, and I lifted the grate free. I set it aside as silently as I could. No one would notice I’d removed it until it was too late. The guards didn’t patrol the roof. A silly oversight I was happy to exploit.

I slipped inside, my movements feline and fluid. The narrow metal duct was a tight fit. I wasn’t worried, though, this was my world—tight spaces, silence, and shadows. When I reached the end of the vent, I peered through the slats into the darkened hallway below. The guards weren’t due to patrol this corridor for another forty minutes, but it paid to be careful.

Sure it was safe to move forward, I lowered from the vent without a sound, landing softly in a crouch on the polished marble floor. I paused with my breath caught in my throat as I listened for any sign I’d been detected. Silence was the only thing that greeted me.

Good.

My goal was just ahead, and I kept my footsteps light and deliberate as I navigated the labyrinth of corridors and grand rooms, each more opulent than the last. This was the sort of museum that held collections that should have been returned to their rightful countries, but rich people liked to claim they were doing a public service by loaning their ill-gotten goods to the institution so the public could view them.

I had explored the various exhibits, making a mental map so I wouldn’t get lost, and had pored over the blueprints so long that they’re burned into my memory. My destination was the Hall of Mythology, where ancient and mystical artifacts were housed. Tonight’s prize was Pandora’s Box, or so it was rumored. Who could tell if it was real? All that mattered was that the client thought it was.

My heart beat steadily in my chest as I approached the hall. This was the part of my job I loved the most—the anticipation, the moment just before I laid eyes on my target. It was the feeling of the plan coming together. I pushed open the heavy oak door just enough that I could slip inside, closing it as quietly as I could behind me. No reason to ruin all my hard work by dramatically flinging open doors.

The Hall of Mythology was breathtaking. Tall, arched ceilings loomed overhead, and glass cases lined the walls, showcasing relics from long forgotten civilizations and abandoned gods. The center of the room drew my eye. An ornate box sat on an elevated pedestal encased in glass. This was what I was here for, and now wasn’t the time to let myself get distracted. There would be other jobs for some of the other things in the room. I could wait before I took them. Getting greedy was how thieves got caught.

The box was beautiful, its surface intricately carved with symbols that shifted in the dim light. It was small enough to fit in my hands, but its size didn’t mean it was harmless. I could feel the power radiating from it from across the room. I approached it cautiously, my eyes scanning for any hidden security measures I’d missed. You never knew when they were going to add something that hadn’t been on the plans.

Lasers crossed in every direction in the space around the pedestal, invisible to the naked eye but detectable by the faint reflection in the small mirror I carried for this purpose. I nimbly contorted my body and weaved through the lasers like a dancer. My movements were careful and deliberate—one wrong step and the alarms would blare. I was too close to my goal to rush things now.

When I reached the glass case at last, I pulled a glass cutter from my belt and attached its small suction cups to the surface. The tool emitted a soft whir as it carved a perfect circle in the glass. I inhaled deeply to steady my hands, then held my breath as I lifted the cut section and set it atop the case. With a sharp exhale, I reached inside and carefully grasped the box.

The moment my fingers touched the wooden surface, a strange warmth spread through my gloves and into my hand, traveling up my arm until it settled in my chest. It left behind a faint tingling that lingered across my skin. I froze, and my breath caught in my throat in a mixture of fear and excitement. The carvings beneath my fingers glowed with a faint light. The surrounding air hummed with energy.

What the hell was happening? Artifacts had never done this when I had touched them before. And why was it warm? This was why I wore my gloves when handling artifacts, to avoid this happening.

I shook my head to clear the sudden fog that clouded my thoughts. There was too much on the line to get distracted. I had the prize—now I needed to get out of here. I quickly stashed the box in my backpack, the glow dimming as it disappeared from sight. With the backpack settled into place across my shoulders, I could still feel warmth pulsing through the material into the skin of my back.

As I turned to leave, a low, resonant voice echoed through the hall. “Leaving so soon? We were hoping for a proper introduction. After all, you put on such a show for us.”

I spun, my hand instinctively reaching for the knife I kept strapped to my thigh while my eyes scanned the shadows, searching for the source of the voice.

Three figures emerged from the darkness, stalking forward with a predatory grace that set me on edge. They were moving around each other as if they had rehearsed their arrival to be as menacing as possible.

I took a calculated step back, keeping my eyes on the trio as I considered my best escape route.

The first of them was tall, with a commanding presence and dark hair that framed a face of sharp angles and intense blue eyes. Weaving behind him, the second was slightly shorter, with sandy blonde hair and a mischievous grin that was reflected in his gray eyes. The third, with chestnut hair and observant green eyes, was the quietest of the trio, his expression calm and calculating.

“Who the hell are you?” My voice was steady despite the unease that crept up my spine. The situation was as bad as it could be, I still had options. There was still a laser grid between me and them which would set off all the alarms. The shock of the sound should give me a few extra seconds to escape.

The blonde chuckled softly, delighted by the chance to showboat. “Just concerned citizens, here to ensure that precious artifacts remain where they belong.” He was the one who had spoken from the shadows, I was sure of it.

My mind raced with all the possibilities. They weren’t security—their movements were too smooth, too confident. Not to mention they weren’t wearing uniforms. It was the way they carried themselves that gave them away. Scions most definitely. And they had to be brothers. Their hair was different and that was the most distinct thing about them. Their faces all had the same angles. There were moments when their movements were identical. And when they stopped, all three of them standing together, it was like looking at variations of the same person.

I had no interest in trading verbal spars with them, especially when I could have been running. I darted toward the one exit I knew wasn’t blocked by security doors—the east corridor. I sprinted forward, eager to escape, only for an invisible force to grab me, slowing me down, as if my own limbs were betraying me. Definitely other Scions then.

I glared over at them, stuck in place.

The quiet one with the green eyes raised his hands, the cut ends of a red thread dangling from them, his expression unreadable. “You’re not going anywhere.”

My frustration mounted as I struggled against the unseen restraints. My window of escape wasn’t just closing, it had disappeared. I had worked so hard not to get caught, and I needed to find a way out of this, a way to get away from these men.

The tallest one, who was clearly the leader, took a step forward. “We don’t want to hurt you. That artifact chose you. There’s more at play here than you understand.” His voice was calm, his hands in his pockets like he didn’t have a care in the world. It didn’t change what he had said to me, though.

My heart pounded in my ears at his words. What did he mean, ‘the artifact chose me’? I had to get out of here, get away from them. Drawing as much air into my lungs as I could and focusing all of my will, I forced myself to move, inching closer to the exit. The invisible force grew stronger as I tried and pulled me back to the same place I had been.

The tall one narrowed his eyes at me and for a moment, I felt as if he could see right through me—into my thoughts, my fears, my past. “You’re going to attempt an escape through the east corridor. I am telling you right now it’s a dead end.”

His words stopped me cold. How did he know? How could he possibly know I was going to head that way next? Was he reading my mind? I fucking hated that bullshit. A client had tried to pull it on me during one of my first ever jobs. It had left a foul taste in my mouth, and blood on my knife.

“What do you want from me?” I demanded, my voice tinged with a mix of anger and fear. This was getting worse by the second and I couldn’t think of a way out. My mind was as paralyzed as my body.

The blonde one, still grinning, shrugged. “Come with us. We can explain everything. And who knows, you might even have a good time.” He followed it up with a wink, like that would be enough to convince me.

“Or at least try to explain everything.” The quiet one added, his voice gentle while still firm. I felt like a cornered animal he was trying to soothe. “There’s a place where you can get answers about the box, and more. There will be more questions at the end, though.”

My mind was still racing, desperately looking for a way out of this situation. They had me cornered, and I knew that running would only get me caught, or worse. I couldn’t see a gun on any of them, but experience had taught me that didn’t mean I wouldn’t end up with a bullet in the back of the head.

The biggest thing keeping me here was the artifact’s reaction—the warmth, the glow—had left me with questions I desperately wanted answered. I had no choice, and I hated it.

“Fine,” I said, my voice laced with reluctance. “But the moment I sense any trouble, I’m out.”

The leader nodded, extending a hand toward me. He had stepped right through the laser grid field. The bastards must have deactivated it before they came out here. It made sense; having the alarms go off would bring an end to the game they were trying to play with me. “Welcome to the beginning of a much larger world.”

I hesitated, doubts and fears running through my mind before I reached out, my fingers brushing his. His hand was warm, steady, and I felt a strange sense of calm wash over me. It wasn’t narcotic; it felt different, more real somehow. The sensation lingered even after he had let go of my hand. Together we turned toward the exit, the other two falling into step behind us.

The journey through the museum was far too short, with no chance for me to shake the trio. Outside, a sleek black SUV waited by the curb, its engine purring softly in the still night. I glanced around, my instincts still on high alert, but there was no sign of any other threats. No one was watching us, even with the car clearly left running with no one inside.

The leader opened the passenger door for me, and, after a brief hesitation, I climbed in and settled into the leather seat. He sat beside me in the driver’s seat, the other two climbing into the back.

The one with the mischievous smile leaned forward. “I’m Kane. My brothers are Evan and Theo.” He pointed to the quiet one first, then the driver.

I wasn’t ready to give over any information about myself yet, and didn’t offer my name in return.

He didn’t look worried about it.

I kept my eyes on the window as we drove through the city, mentally mapping our route. I may have agreed to come with them, but I wasn’t stupid; I knew I wasn’t safe. They were talking to me sweetly now, but there was no guarantee this wasn’t a trap. I needed to know the best way to escape, so I was ready when the time came. But as the buildings grew sparse and the roads less traveled, I realized we were heading toward the outskirts, far from the lights of the city.

The only sound in the car was the hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of fabric as one of the men shifted in their seat. My mind churned, trying to piece together the puzzle that had suddenly become my life. Who were these men? Why did they know I was going to be at the museum and what did they want with me?

After what felt like an eternity, the SUV slowed and turned down a narrow road lined with tall, dense trees that hid the sky above. A building complex marked the end of the road, the facade revealing nothing of its purpose. There was no way of telling where we were, save for a small, discreet sign on the main building that read: Vanguard Institute.

The name meant nothing to me, but the atmosphere did. There was a weight in the air, a sense of purpose and secrecy that set me on edge. I had felt it before when I was around artifacts of great power. It was like the gods had left behind some of their weight on the earth. Some sacred places still felt like this, but they were fewer now as faith dwindled, and many became tourist spots.

The leader stopped the SUV and turned to me, his expression unreadable. “This is where it begins. I hope you’re ready.”

I swallowed hard, my heart thudding in my chest like it needed to remind me it was there. There wasn’t anything I could do except nod. I didn’t know what I was walking into, but there was no turning back now.

A shiver ran down my spine as we stepped out of the SUV and approached the building. The doors opened on their own, and I followed the men inside, my senses on high alert. The whirring of the hydraulics closing the doors behind us told me escape was going to be difficult. I needed to be on my guard.

The outside may have looked plain, but the inside was different. It was stark and modern, with clean lines and muted colors. Advanced security measures were subtly woven into the design—cameras in the corners, and biometric scanners at every door. It was a fortress disguised as simple buildings. My unease grew with every step, but I kept my expression neutral, refusing to let them see my fear.

They led me down a long hallway, the walls lined with closed doors that gave away nothing of what lay behind them. Finally, we reached an enormous set of double doors at the end of the corridor. The leader, Theo, placed his hand on a scanner and with a soft beep, the doors swung open.

My breath caught as I stepped inside. The room was vast, with high ceilings and walls lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes, artifacts, and strange devices. In the center of the room stood a large table on which rested a holographic display of the city, marked with various points of interest.

But it wasn’t the technology that caught my attention. It was the people. Men and women of all ages, dressed in varying degrees of formal and casual attire, moved with purpose and focus. Their eyes flicked to me as I entered behind the men, some filled with curiosity, others with suspicion.

Theo stopped in the middle of the room, turning to face me. “Welcome to the Vanguard of the Ancients, Lyra. This is where your journey truly begins.” I blinked a couple of times as he spoke. I hadn’t told him my name. How did he know it? The tension that had settled during the journey here came back with a vengeance, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

I swallowed hard, all the questions I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer to resting on the tip of my tongue. That was a dramatic statement. It made me feel so much worse, my fear building until I could taste it. I couldn’t run. The door had hissed closed behind me, the shrill beep confirming when it locked. I didn’t know what to do.

But one thing was obvious—my life had just taken a turn I could never have predicted.