King Solomon's Journey (The Dominguez Adventures) Read online

  She gave Antonio the raised eyebrow expression, ‘I’m waiting’. He smiled in return, and winked at her, being ornery.

  “I told you, I’m an anthropologist. Several days ago, after picking up Raven from the dealership, I went to Hidden Mountain. New cars require proper testing on the road, and it seemed the perfect drive to see what Raven could do. I’ve been to the Mountain often since moving to New Mexico fifteen years ago. Something about it attracts me to it.

  The Mountain is the site of an ancient, inactive volcano with lots of volcanic rock around the area. I hiked up to the site, not far from where I parked. On the way to the Summit stands a large Decalogue Stone with inscriptions dating back to around 1000 B.C., an issue that has created great controversy over the past years. In the 1980’s, a trial spawned, verifying the engraving’s authenticity. The Ten Commandments inscribed on the Stone are the same that appear in Exodus, chapter twenty, a fact that intrigues me.

  That day on the Summit, I looked around the area. While doing nothing out of the ordinary, I took a step that sent me straight down, into a cavern. During the fall, I hit my head, losing consciousness. While unconscious I dreamt, or hallucinated.” He stopped, trying to summons the courage to tell her the next part.

  She stared at him with those beautiful eyes. He let his eyes meet hers.

  Laying her hand on top of his, her touch electrified him.

  “Go ahead, Antonio, tell me.”

  “I swear I didn’t know you at that point, I had never seen you, and without even knowing your name, you were somehow inside my hallucination.”

  Still gazing at him, Amanda squeezed his hand. The intensity of her touch made him tingle as he covered her hand with his, and continued.

  In my vision, “I knew things about you, in relation to you, without any conversation. Maybe it was telepathy, or like downloading from a computer. I regained consciousness to find I was face-down in a giant hole. A stream of sunlight peered into the cavern. Once my eyes could focus, I noticed a bundle of Scrolls beside me. The light was too weak, so I took it to the surface. The climb out of there is an entirely different story in itself.

  Making it to the surface, I covered the hole as best as I could. I took off towards Raven, running. My head was bleeding. I had to stop it. Later, I confirmed that the Scrolls were written in Paleo-Hebrew.”

  Again, a need to pause came over him, partly because Amanda gripped his hand, touching him. He felt the heat radiating from her hand. She was here, in this place, right now, and so very real.

  “The Scrolls came from King Solomon. From your appearance in my vision, I surmised you share a connection, in some way, with the finding of the Scrolls. Since then Amanda, I have been devoted to finding you, learning about you, wanting to understand the significance of us, and the Scrolls. I need to know about the bond that exists. Also, I want to understand the meaning of our relationship, hoping that there is one.”

  Antonio sensed her surprise, as she continued to grasp his hand, gazing into him. Her bottom lip trembled as she spoke.

  “Did you figure anything out?”

  “I know you have an understanding, or knowledge, necessary to the Scrolls Legacy. I also know you are my…,” he cut himself off.

  “Antonio, I am your what? Please finish.”

  “The woman I have never found. Our relationship is part of this journey and maybe more to come.”

  Closing her eyes, she threw her head back. “I am speechless.”

  “Amanda, I understand.”

  They sat without words, for a long time. Releasing his hand, she sipped her Mocha.

  “Please, tell me Amanda. Does this scare you?”

  “Not in the way you are thinking. It is not frightening like a ghost story, instead, it’s ‘My Life may Change’ – chilling. I have baggage. I am neither worthy of a Biblical Quest, nor am I a ‘great catch’ for any man.”

  “Why do you say all of that? You’re good, virtuous, and beautiful, with a sense of humor. People believe in you. Why would a man be getting a ‘bad catch’?”

  “It has been a long time. Even when it was, in reality, it was not.” Making him understand would prove a monumental achievement.

  “You are referring to being with a man, correct? How long since you were with a man, Amanda?”

  Her expression showed her shock from his question.

  “It was about eight years ago.”

  “Are you afraid of men?” This was a reasonable question.

  “No, some of my favorite people are men.”

  “A relationship then, does that scare you?”

  “It terrifies me.”

  “Thank you for being frank with me, Amanda. I can deal with something much better, if I know what it is.” He got the answer he needed.

  He leaned over the table to pick up the check, and Amanda saw a Star of David hung from a long chain. Incorporated into the design were the head of a lion and a shield. Antonio was wearing the symbols of the Tribe of Judah. Amanda had been searching for a way to tell him no, but here was a sign that perhaps she should say yes. A firm believer that all things are connected within the web of design, the Star of David was not a sign she could ignore.

  “Antonio, the Scrolls, the seeking for the answers…it may be dangerous.”

  “Yes, that’s what I hate about telling you all of this.”

  “We should not discuss them here, Antonio.”

  “That’s probably true.”

  “How about we go to the resort where I am planning to stay? Is it a good place? How far away is it? Where do you live?”

  Antonio was surprised by her sudden about face. No matter, whatever the reason, he was thankful for the opportunity to press his point on their being fated to be together.

  He laughed. “The resort is an hour away, it’s a great place, and I live about twenty-five minutes from Santa Fe.”

  “Do you want to take me to the cabin? I don’t know where we go from there, but we might talk, maybe eat dinner.”

  Knowing she would not escape his presence anytime soon, he spoke. “There is nothing more I would want to do, Amanda.”

  “What are we waiting for?” She was feeling more like herself.

  “I’m not sure.” Antonio paid for the coffee, and they left the shop. He had a thought as he was driving. “Amanda, do they have organic food at the resort?”

  “I do not know, but it has a kitchen, and a Whole Foods Market nearby.”

  “I see. Should we go to the market on the way?”

  “That would be great. It just occurred to me that I did not get a rental car, and I could be stuck in the mountains. You would not leave me up in the mountains, would you Antonio?” She smiled.

  He teased back. “I don’t know. Do you think I would?”

  “Wow that was a stupid move on my part.”

  Antonio was pleased. It wouldn’t be easy for her to make him leave once they were at the resort.

  “Amanda, I promise not to leave you stranded in the mountains.”

  “Thank you.” She replied dryly.

  Chapter 8

  “A book without words is like love without a kiss; it’s empty.”

  — Andrew Wolfe

  Amanda stared from the window of the cabin, watching the snow fall in the last glow of twilight. Not fond of the bitter cold, she preferred dry and arid climates. Despite this, she loved the snow. She wanted lots of snow, a blizzard even, as long as they didn’t lose electricity. The best snowfall was one that demanded staying home and just ‘being’. She had always dreamt of spending a day snowed in with someone she truly loved.

  The snow was blowing earlier than normal, even for the higher elevations. During the past few years, unseasonable weather was the norm all around the world. Early snow in the mountainous regions was by far the least of the oddities associated with recent weather patterns.

  For years Mother Nature had sent outbursts of unstable weather, this time she had unleashed her wrath upon the entire continent. She was
like a woman unsure of just where she belonged, and what she should be doing. Her usual patterns and seasonal changes were no longer so predictable. Ferocious outbursts of unseasonal weather continued to increase. The outside world sought shelter from the unbridled fury of winter storms come too early.

  Mother Nature was suffering from a serious imbalance, crying out through showers of freezing rain and snow. Many of these showers sprouted in places they didn’t belong. She wasn’t crying, she was sobbing. Then suddenly she would change, and happy sunshine appeared in a place she had recently drowned in a deluge of nature's own tears.

  Untamed cloud formations released their heavy snows upon a golden Texas, while Canada remained clear, warm, and bright. This erratic behavior drove hapless people that patiently coped with her yearly wrath into seriously unpredictable catastrophes.

  Thankfully, their cabin was toasty. It was great. A part of her was concerned that she was unprepared for the weather. Without a car she would be left vulnerable, surrounded by mountains covered with snow. She trusted Antonio on a level that for others might seem gullible, after all, even with her connections, she knew little about him other than his name, he played poker, was a scholar, and was bent on enveloping her in some mystical journey in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy.

  What problems would arise with Antonio here? Still, somehow despite all her concerns, the prospect of spending a couple days snowed in with this man filled her with excitement, instead of worry.

  Antonio finished unloading the car, inside, he inspected the setting. The cabin was great, a finely finished classic motif. High ceilings with exposed beams acted as a frame for the hand-crafted pattern. The walls and floors boasted the fragrance of real cedar sealed with a matte finish.

  The furnishings were modest; a tall armoire housed a generous mix of electronics that sat angled in the far corner, framed by large picture windows on the adjacent walls. If it weren’t almost dark outside, the window on the east would reveal a beautiful view of the mountains. The south window revealed a peek at the screened-in porch equipped with hot tub.

  A burgundy leather sofa framed the seating area within the open design. In front of the sofa sat a rustic, understated coffee table. In addition, two matching oversized leather club chairs shared a side-table to finish the area’s border.

  The seating area opened into a large dining area, complete with a stone fireplace that covered the breadth of the wall, alongside a long rustic dining table. Chairs sitting in front of the fireplace suggested a family could bask in its warmth. A stairwell ascended into a second bedroom. In the dining area, a side door led to the kitchen.

  Returning to the living area after placing their luggage in their respective bedrooms Antonio saw her standing at the window with her arms wrapped across her middle, he feared the weather's change was frightening her. He approached until he stood beside her; “Amanda, are you okay?”

  She turned her head, and smiled. "Yes, I am fine. The snow makes everything so silent. I was just enjoying what was left of the view." She dropped her arms and walked away. "I am going to make some tea, would you like to set the table for our discussion while I am gone?"

  "Sure, let me get my notes, and I will…would you like to sit in here by the fire, the coffee table is large enough for us to work from?"

  "That would be perfect." Was her response from the kitchen doorway.

  Antonio retrieved his work case, and rearranged the chairs in the living room area, closer to the fire, and to each other. He had hoped to be able to discuss his ideas in an intimate setting, and this was working out well.

  After arranging his transcribed notes, and the notes he had made in connection to his findings, he stared into the fire awaiting Amanda's return.

  Amanda brought in a small tray with mugs of tea, and sugar, lemon and cream. Beside the tea things was a small plate of cookies. "Not sure what you took in your tea, I brought a choice of everything." She told Antonio as she sat the tray down on the opposite of the large low table.

  Antonio laughed, "I have a sweet tooth, and like it with lots of sugar." He proved his point by dropping in three sugar cubes, and an extra dollop of cream.

  Once their tea was prepared, Antonio sat back and watched Amanda pick up one stack of the documents spread out on the table; she had chosen the original copies of the translated Scrolls he had written in Hebrew.

  Antonio watched her, waiting for her to ask for assistance. It took him a moment to realize her eyes were moving down the page, reading the Hebrew text.

  "You read Hebrew." Amanda looked up at the tone in his voice. It sounded like an accusation to Amanda. "Yes, I read Hebrew, as well as English, German, Spanish, Italian and Latin."

  Antonio was stunned. This Temptress of his was definitely more than a pretty face. He should have known that a Prophecy requiring the meeting of minds to save the world would choose someone that fit his desire for a partner who suited him in all ways. Still, there were some things he could do that were so far outside the realm of normal intellectuals, he rarely met another.

  Reaching for the original photographs showing the Scrolls, he handed them to Amanda. "Can you decipher these?"

  She took the pages he held out, and with one glance, knew she would need help. Amanda knew her own limitations, and if this 'quest' required her to read pictographs, she needed to let him know in advance that she was unable.

  "Antonio, I am sorry to say that, these are beyond me. I have never been able to grasp the required knowledge of Ancient Hebrew, and I cannot assist you if that is required."

  “I would like to teach you to read Paleo-Hebrew. That is, if learning from me would be acceptable,” his voice softened.

  “You would teach me the Ancient Hebrew? Antonio that would be awesome, I have tried, but inevitably confused myself, I have always ended up frustrated.”

  He could hear her disappointment.

  “I want to teach you. Amanda, you now have the rare opportunity to learn through King Solomon’s own words.” His voice convinced her that he wanted to teach.

  “Are you sure? I do not want to slow you down with your work,” she explained.

  “It would be great; I need your help...” His gaze connected with hers. As he spoke, he thought he wanted to teach her – anything. A sweetly erotic feeling swam through him. His thoughts had him so distracted that he almost didn’t hear her words.

  “Okay, Antonio, teach me.” It was almost a whisper.

  Antonio found himself at a loss for words, unsure if she was asking him to teach her an old language or something more. He forced himself to remember her reaction to the last time he came onto her, and smartly chose to straighten up and clear his head of thoughts that were not conducive to Ancient Hebrew text.

  “Let me explain how I translate ancient documents. I number the lines that need decoding, and then number the grid, inserting them inside the squares as I translate the Paleo-Hebrew pictographic symbol. I do another grid in the same fashion, except, I use the Aramaic style script for the word in it, the next grid holds the English word. After finishing all the single words, I then turn them into Modern Hebrew sentences. From that, I create English sentences.

  Occasionally, I have to compare and sort of play with the sentences to get them into the correct context; I use my mastery of the p'shat or plain historical meaning, then I delve deeper into other levels of possible meaning. In creating this grid system, I found that when I needed to take a break, coming back to finish is much easier with the grid system. Does it make sense to you?”

  She felt queasy. “Yes, it makes perfect sense.” She lied.

  “Great, I’ve read over most of the Scrolls, but I haven’t translated much of it yet. I thought we could do it together.”

  “Thank you, Antonio.” Her voice sounded appreciative, but once the Scrolls spread across the table, she left her seat.

  “Did I do something?”

  She searched the room. “I need my glasses.”

  Her purse was next to
him, he picked it up. Smiling, he asked, “Are they in here?”

  She came back to the table, and reluctantly retrieved her glasses from the purse. He hadn’t seen her with glasses before. He was curious. As she placed them above her nose, he was happy to see her eyes still popped out at him.

  “Now let’s take this word,” his arm slid around her back and pulled her in, nearer to the Scrolls, and closer to him. Her scent, having experienced it once in the car and again in Vegas, fit her quite nicely. One day he would have to ask her about it.

  He pointed to the next word. Saying it in Hebrew, he simultaneously wrote it on the grid.

  “Meeg-dal means ‘tower’.” He wrote ‘Tower’ on the English grid.

  “The next word, is za-hav, ‘gold’.” He wrote ‘gold’ in the appropriate square.

  She watched as he pointed out the next word in the text, pronouncing it for him, as he wrote it in Modern Hebrew; “She-mesh is ‘the Sun’.” He smiled at her.

  “Antonio, is it a tower to the Sun?”

  He glanced at the Scrolls copy. “It could mean ‘from the Sun’.”

  For the next two hours, they worked together, bent over the Scrolls translation copies, and created an English copy worthy of any Museum staff.

  Chapter 9

  “When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality.”

  Dom Helder Camara

  Feeling energetic, despite the long hours they had just spent bent over the low table with the Scrolls, Amanda finally straightened and laughingly said, "Enough!" Smiling at Antonio, she declared. “Antonio, a drink right about now would be nice. Can you open some wine? I am horrible with a corkscrew.”

  He laughed, “You have a vineyard, but can’t open a bottle of wine?”

  “You do not want me to open it. That is, unless you like particles of cork in your wine.”

  Walking with him, she wanted to watch him open the bottle. Handing her the wine glasses, Antonio expertly removed the cork, and held it up triumphantly.

  “I was hoping, Doctor, that you could enlighten me.” She wanted to tease him. After all, he’d already made known his amorous attentions toward her, but she wanted to establish a comfort zone. "About the Scrolls true meaning." She added.