Astray

by J F Rogers

  “There are no portals that I know of, nor do I know how to use them. How is it you don’t know how you arrived?”

  I shrugged, deflating somewhat. “I woke up here. Is there anyone else who could help me?”

  “Possibly. But you are here for a reason, Fallon. There are things you must do before you return to your realm. Do you understand?”

  Not really. I was far from home, and this woman either couldn’t or wouldn’t help me. At least, not before doing whatever it is I’m supposed to do. My stomach squeezed in on itself again, threatening to send its contents back where they came from.

  “May I see the amulet you are wearing?” She pointed to where it lay beneath my new dress. I glanced down. How did she know I wore it?

  “You wonder how I know? It was given to your mum, Cataleen, by a pech named Pepin. The amulet allowed Cataleen to enter your realm through the megalith and understand your strange tongue. I know you wear it. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be here, and we couldn’t speak to one another as we do now. With the amulet, called Drochaid, you understand me, and I understand you though we speak not the same tongue.”

  I attempted to allow the sheer weight of all she said sink in. It made sense in a twisted, sci-fi way. I was near the megalith when I passed out and when I woke up. In fact, only the megalith remained the same—other than the wolf. It explained much of what happened to me in the last few days. I decided to test it. I removed the amulet.

  My grandmother spoke, “Mi abair a’ firinn.”

  I watched her mouth as she spoke the words. They matched. I replaced the amulet Drochaid.

  She smiled. “I speak the truth.”

  Once again, as she spoke, her lips didn’t align with the words, same as Kyra’s. This craziness my grandmother spoke of was the only logical explanation.

  So everyone I talked to was going to resemble an out-of-sync movie? I groaned then laughed at myself. That was the least of my worries.

  For every question answered, a million emerged. I couldn’t sort them to know which to ask first. My mind whirred. It was like inspecting a dirty room, wondering where to start cleaning.

  “What about the wolf?” I asked. What happened to him? “Does he have something to do with my being here?”

  “Wolf?” She cocked her head. That little tidbit seemed to throw her. “What wolf?”

  “At home, a wolf chased me. It chased me here too. At least, I think it’s the same one…” There couldn’t have been two different wolves.

  “Interesting.” My grandmother scratched her face. “I wonder…I shall have to discuss this with the elders.”

  We’d gotten a bit sidetracked. I needed to know about my mother and why I was here. What was I supposed to do?

  “As family, it is my duty to explain who you are and why you are here, in due time. It would not do to overwhelm you with much more now.”

  “But—”

  My grandmother raised a hand. “I’ll send for Declan. He can tell you more about us as well. I apologize for excusing myself abruptly, but my aging body requires rest. I’ll see you at dinner.” She smiled a warm, grandmotherly smile. “My heart rejoices to have you with us.” Then she rose and disappeared through the door where she’d first emerged.

  Right on cue, as though he’d been listening outside the door, Declan appeared.

  Chapter Eight

  ◊◊◊

  MY HEART SPUTTERED AT the mere sight of him. When he opened the door and motioned me to walk through, I ambled past, studying him from the corner of my eye. His gaze remained fixed on something in the dark room as he held the door for me. His other hand trembled.

  I took a deep breath, unsure how much more I could take. How could she kick me out without answering my questions? She hadn’t helped at all, just filled my mind with more questions, cycling on an endless roller coaster, making my head hurt. With each step into this crazy world, the memory of home further retreated. I feared the world I knew would disappear altogether.

  I paused, awaiting instruction from Declan, who’d yet to utter one word to me. His manner irked me. So did his incomprehensible good looks. Not that it took much to further irritate me at the moment. Crossing my arms with a loud sigh, I raised my eyebrows. “Is someone gonna tell me what’s going on around here?”

  He fixed his penetrating gaze on me. “It was Mirna’s charge to tell you.”

  I shrank back. Great, I was trapped in a foreign land, and this guy was my designated tour guide? The brooding type. What was his deal? I didn’t care how attractive he was. A creep was a creep. “Look. Will you just tell me how I can get home? That’s all I want, really.”

  “Follow me.” He sped away in the opposite direction from where we’d come.

  Seriously? He could help me get home? I chased after him, away from the homes in the hills and curious stares of those milling about them. We passed fenced vegetable gardens and horse corrals. Cool, salty air and sporadic seagull calls alerted me to the ocean before it spread into view. The terrain grew rocky, and the surf roared as Declan led me onto a pier. It extended beyond the crashing waves.

  I savored the rejuvenating air and gazed at the horizon. Waves splashed against the rocky coast, contrasting with the serene line at the edge of the world. Other than the pristine wooden pier, the coast was bare of buildings or manmade obstructions. My first uncluttered view of the ocean.

  Declan sat, allowing his legs to dangle in the water.

  “Um, this doesn’t look like the way home to me.” I tapped my foot.

  He continued gazing out to sea.

  “What am I supposed to do? Jump into the ocean and hope it takes me home?”

  No response.

  I dropped my shoulders, lifted my head, and let out an exaggerated sigh. I stared at him, waiting for any kind of response. Nothing. He was an immovable wall.

  Not wanting to stand there all day, I slipped off my sneakers, tossed them onto the dock, and plunked next to him. My breath caught as my feet touched the frigid water. I jerked them away before easing back in. The pain gave way to numbness. Closing my eyes, I allowed the salty fresh air to penetrate my mind.

  The symphony of crashing waves, accompanied by the cries of gulls, lulled me back to the Maine coast. As a child, I teased the surf, running toward the retreating wave, squealing in delight at its inevitable return. Bumpah snatched me up and held me, allowing the water to encircle my otherwise uncatchable feet.

  Oh, Bumpah, if only you were here.

  Instead, I was stuck with this jerk who wouldn’t even talk to me. “Why do you hate me?” I clutched the dock’s splintery edge.

  Declan faced me, head cocked to one side, brows pinched together. “Hate you?”

  “Yes. You made me chase you down the path. You won’t speak or even look at me. You must hate me.”

  He laughed. His dark, expressive eyebrows drew farther apart as his eyes shone, making my blood boil. He closed his mouth, but his shoulders continued to quake in silent laughter.

  I pushed myself up to stand, but he gripped my shoulder, pinning me down.

  “I don’t hate you.”

  “Then why are you treating me like this? You’re not exactly being friendly.”

  He swirled his feet in the water. “I’m…I guess I’m nervous.”

  I simmered down a bit. This hot guy nervous? With me? “Why?”

  He shook his head, back in brooding mode. “Mirna should’ve told you. When you were in the bath, Kyra explained how you are unaware of where you are or why you’re here. That’s not what we expected. Then I listened as Mirna spoke to you. She should’ve told you. It shouldn’t fall on me.” He lifted his gaze to the horizon. “She’s suffered much loss. I understand this is hard for her.”

  Unsure what to say, I wiggled my feet in the water.

  “If you want to know the truth, I’ll tell you what I can. But, please,” he glanced over his shoulder at me, “don’t argue.”

 
I flushed at his intense gaze. What was it about me that made people assume I’d argue? Then I remembered how short I’d been a few moments ago. “Fine.” I leaned back on my hands, attempting to disarm my self-defense mechanisms.

  “What do you want to know?”

  Everything! “Why am I here?”

  “That, I cannot tell you. Try again.” His eyes softened. Was he on the verge of something resembling a smile?

  “Ohhh-kayyyy.” I took a deep breath. What could I ask? A random thought jumped to my tongue. “Are you human?” Now, why’d I ask that? It was far from the most pressing question in my mind.

  “Nay.”

  My jaw dropped. “Seriously?”

  The look he threw me seemed to say, I thought I told you not to argue.

  “Okay then, if not human, what?”

  “We’re gachen. We’re humanlike in this form, but when we reach our Bian—that’s when we’re confirmed into adulthood and learn of our totem—we can transform into our totem form. We’re shape-shifters.”

  This was too much. “So what do you become? Show me.”

  “Nay, that’s not a good idea. Is there anything else you want to know?”

  “Why don’t you want to show me?”

  “Because.” He drummed his hands on his legs. “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “I have yet to reach my Bian.”

  “Oh. How does that happen?”

  “When it’s time, usually around age fifteen, your body just changes.” He shifted his gaze down. “Or so I’m told.”

  “How old are you?”

  Still downcast, he resumed his drumming. “Seventeen.”

  “Oh.” The way he carried himself and his speech made him appear older.

  An awkward silence grew until he chopped it down. “I’m an embarrassment to my clan.” His voice deepened, and he seemed to grow. “I’m a Cael. I don’t mean I am merely a member of the Cael clan; my name is Cael. I’m Declan Broderick Cael IV. I’m the next clansman in line to take a seat on the co-cheangail.”

  I didn’t like how he puffed himself up. “What’s that?”

  “The co-cheangail is the committee of United Clans. There are two representatives for each clan.” He returned to normal height.

  Not wanting to get into politics, I changed the subject. “So every one of you changes into an animal eventually?”

  With hunched shoulders, he nodded, as though it was up for debate.

  “I wonder if I will.”

  “I assumed you would, being the daughter of Cataleen. It didn’t occur to me until now that you’re half human.”

  “It never occurred to me that I’m half not. Besides, we’re both seventeen. So, if I do, my change is delayed too.” The idea intrigued me, but it was impossible to envision myself as anything other than me. I changed the subject again, to what should have been my first question. “Any idea how I can get home?”

  “If you can find the megalith and figure out how to use the amulet, I would think you can go home anytime.”

  I slumped. Both would take quite a bit of work. I grasped the amulet. “Mirna said this is what got me through. Funny, I don’t remember it.”

  “What is funny?” He tilted his head. I’d have to be careful about using words he was familiar with in ways that would likely be lost on him. As I formulated an attempt to explain, he continued, “A pech made the amulet. They have the ability to manipulate stone. The pech who made Drochaid must have been powerful. It is a transport stone and enables the user to pass from one realm of existence to the next through the megalith, as long as you know how to use it. This one is also a language translator and a guide—one of a kind.”

  “How did I get through then? I don’t know how to use it.”

  “Did someone help you?”

  “No. I was alo—” I was about to say alone, but the face I saw before passing out came to mind. “Wait. There was someone. I hit a tree branch and blacked out. Just before I passed out, I saw a face.”

  “What caused you to hit your head?”

  “A wolf. I was chased by a wolf.” I spoke as though being chased by a wolf was an everyday occurrence in my realm. Where had he gone?

  “What did the face look like?”

  “It was pale with glowing yellow eyes. That’s all I could make out. I couldn’t see well.”

  “Is that unusual in your realm?”

  “What? The eyes? On a human, yeah. I’ve seen eyes look like that on deer in headlights, but human eyes don’t reflect light like that.”

  “Headlights?” His lips matched the sound.

  “Uh. Yeah. They’re just bright lights.” Not only would I have to avoid unfamiliar phrases, I’d have to be careful to choose words he would understand.

  He nodded. “Hmm. A wolf. A pale face. Glowing yellow eyes…” Declan crinkled one eye and rubbed his chin.

  “What?”

  “I wonder if someone from Ariboslia brought you through. Your description sounds like a fasgadair. I don’t know about your realm, but only they match your description here. Their eyes reflect the light. It could have chased you in wolf form then shifted. Though I must be wrong, for such a creature wouldn’t help you.”

  “What’s a fas…” I couldn’t remember the word.

  “A fasgadair?” In response to my nod he explained, “They’re blood-drinkers. I’m uncertain why I mentioned it. I’m sure it wasn’t. They wouldn’t help you. They would kill you or take you captive.”

  “A blood-drinker? Like a vampire?”

  “What’s a vampire?”

  “They’re mythical creatures who feed on human blood. Once bitten, the victim either dies or becomes undead like them. They have many different abilities, depending on which story you hear.”

  “Sounds like a fasgadair. They live in your realm too?”

  “No. Only in stories.”

  He studied me with such intensity, I found it hard to hold his gaze. “Are you certain? I mean, how would people in your realm make something like that up? Are there stories about shape-shifters too?”

  I nodded. “The most famous are werewolves. They’re supposedly cursed by the full moon. That’s when they change into wolves and attack. Do you think that’s what chased me? A werewolf?”

  Declan let out a series of small breaths as he shook his head. “That’s foolishness. We can change at will. ’Tis not a curse, but the way we were made. We, the gachen, lived in your realm once. Did you know that?”

  “No way. Seriously? When?”

  “Long, long ago, until humans revered us as gods. The One True God is a jealous God. Human worship of us made Him angry, so He removed us and put us here, in Ariboslia.

  “During the Great Clan War, a couple of daft women made a grave mistake. Their husbands were called to war. The women, worried for their husbands’ safety, resurrected Morrigan.” His eyes bulged as though willing the severity of this error into my psyche. “Before she was to be beheaded for unmentionable crimes, Morrigan managed to sneak away to your realm where she was worshiped as the Battle-Crow or the goddess of war. It’s said the women resurrected her, thinking she would help their husbands win the war. Once Morrigan returned, she wasn’t the same. She was no longer dead, yet she wasn’t alive either. She was a monster—a demon. She fed on blood. She was, as far as we know, the first fasgadair.

  “Once brought back from hell, Morrigan killed the two women. Turning into a crow, she flew to the battlegrounds. They say, once there, in her undead form, she slaughtered almost everyone on all sides of the battle, and then returned to the sky, cawing over the dead bodies. Few escaped the massacre.”

  “Wait a sec—is this real?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

  “It’s written in the annals.” He nodded, widening his eyes further as if seeking my understanding.

  I didn’t fully understand, but motioned for him to continue.

  “The fasgadair have been strengthening
ever since. They kill most of our men. They spare some, either turning them into fasgadair to grow their army or enslaving them to breed more gachen to feed upon. Every once in a while someone will manage to escape, bringing horrifying tales.”

  “If that’s what got me through the megalith, why would it help me? Why didn’t it kill me?”

  “That’s why I say it couldn’t have been. Once they turn into their undead state, they’re soulless, caring for nothing.” His eyebrows pinched together. “When we found you, you were lying outside Mirna’s door sick with sùgh poisoning. Your leg was torn up too. How did you get there? How did you know she lived there?”

  “I didn’t. Maybe the wolf brought me.”

  “Right, the wolf. The fasgadair,” he mulled it over aloud. “Perhaps the wolf is a gachen who protected you from the fasgadair? But why wouldn’t he identify himself?” He paused, as if expecting me to answer. “Maybe a gachen pushed you through the megalith after you passed out and came through with you. In any case, we should tell the elders.”

  “Who are the elders?”

  “Seven chosen elders oversee our village.”

  “What do you think they’d do…to the wolf, I mean. I don’t want anyone to hurt him.”

  “Why would they hurt him? If I’m correct, he’s one of us, especially if he’s helping you. They might be able to help figure this all out. They may help find him.”

  That would be nice. For some reason, I missed the wolf. Perhaps because he seemed to have saved my life. Or because he was my only tie to my world, aside from the amulet.

  We remained silent a few minutes. The sun lowered in the sky, touching the horizon. The sea began the slow process of swallowing it.

  Declan rose, suggesting we go to dinner. Though I stalled, this time he waited and walked by my side. I moved slowly, unsure what awaited me and how much more I could take.

  Chapter Nine

  ◊◊◊

  THE OCEAN BEHIND US, Declan and I trekked back to the village past farmland and stables. We threaded through a maze of dwellings mounded within the earth. The ground leveled, and we approached a large tent surrounded by tables and benches. A sizeable crowd had gathered. Their chatter mingled with the cicadas in the background and random bleats and grunts from farm animals milling about.