Catrina stepped up beside him.
“I know this picture,” he told her quietly.
“You know who this is?”
“Well, no, not who. But this is the same woman, in another picture, that I saw at Billie’s a while back.”
“She must mean a lot to Billie, whoever she is.” Catrina noticed the drag marks. “Colin, where did this trunk come from?”
“I think it came from the clearing. One of the missing. I think…”
“The trunk belonged to the woman in the picture,” Catrina finished with a sigh.
“Poor Billie. Poor everyone,” Colin whispered. “Chances are everyone in this caravan knows someone from the missing group.”
“Yes, it is quite sad,” Catrina agreed.
Footsteps scurried by the tent, just outside.
A voice called out. “Meeting! Meeting! Right now! Everyone must attend!”
More footsteps followed as everyone eagerly scurried to attend. Billie came out of her room, seeming back to her normal self again, and they followed her. Everyone gathered in the cantina in the center of the clearing.
Colin avoided the crowd, and stayed at the edge of the group, with Catrina at his side.
Whispers raced around.
“I heard that the hunting party never returned!”
“Really?”
“When did they leave?”
“Last night I think,” someone said back.
“What hunting party?” a man asked.
“Do you ever know what’s going on?” his wife barked in return.
“Maybe they’ve found out some other news,” another voice muttered.
Jae sidled up next to Colin.
“Hi.”
“Hi back,” said Jae. “I assume the way you’re back here Catrina is on your other side?”
He nodded.
Jae looked at the empty space where Catrina would be if she were not currently invisible and gave her a quick hello. Colin appreciated that they included her. It had to be hard not to be seen.
“So what do you think this is all about?” asked Colin.
“My guess is the hunting party. They left yesterday,” Jae explained, “and were supposed to be back by dark. There’s been no sign of them. At least that’s what I heard my dad tell my mom this morning.”
“That can’t be good,” Colin muttered back.
Jae shuffled his hand through his hair, pulling it away from his face. Catrina nudged Colin’s arm and pointed.
“What happened, Jae?” asked Colin, seeing a bruise on his chin.
“Huh?”
“Your face, there’s a huge bruise on your chin.”
“Oh, that. Fell, chin first, into the corner of my cot. Smartest move ever.” He rolled his eyes at his own clumsiness.
“That bruise is not from hitting his cot,” Catrina whispered at his side. “It’s much too large.”
Colin shrugged. He’d try asking about it again after the meeting.
“You know what, I forgot something I gotta take care of,” Jae suddenly blurted out. He took off and was out of sight in seconds.
“I thought this was a mandatory meeting?” Catrina said.
“Yeah, me too,” Colin mumbled under his breath. “Jae knows what he’s doing I guess.” They turned their attention back as Pantin Hollee climbed up onto a table, so everyone could see her as she spoke.
Colin noted Kalila and Kalida Jackal near the front, ready to take notes for their next edition of the Jackal Lantern.
The crowd instantly silenced, waiting for the Pantin to begin.
“I speak today, on behalf of Banon Juliska Nandalia Blackwell,” she stated first. “You may have heard that we sent out a hunting party, in search of food. I can confirm that as of this time, they have not yet returned.”
Worried murmurs spread like wildfire.
“Though we are of course concerned, we do not yet believe anything unfortunate has occurred. They could simply be lost.”
A few people agreed with this reasoning, but most clearly believed something sinister had occurred.
“The most likely scenario is that they are delayed. However, as a precaution, the Viancourt has seen fit to enforce the following rules, effective immediately.”
She paused while unrolling a scroll and began reading.
“One: Absolutely no one is permitted to leave the clearing. Two: Magic will continue to be prohibited so the investigation into the whereabouts of our sister caravan can continue, unimpeded. Three: Each and every member of this caravan will be expected to report, directly to the Viancourt, any suspicious activity.”
Hollee rolled up the scroll. “The curfew is lifted, for now,” she added, “but we impress upon each and every one of you to be cautious when out after dark. That is all.”
“What do you mean by suspicious activity?” Kalila Jackal called out. “Is it believed that someone here is responsible for the devastation?”
“No. No. Of course not,” Hollee insisted compassionately. “But to be blunt, we need all eyes and ears open. We are each equally responsible for our own actions as well as reporting the actions of others that might potentially be dangerous to the group as a whole.”
“Beautifully spoken,” Kalida replied. “I’m going to quote that.”
The Pantin nodded her approval.
“Now, disperse. Zone leaders, gather your members. Meetings will resume in an hour’s time. Be safe! Be cautious! Be alert! That is all for now.”
The Pantin hopped down from the table and continued on her way to fulfilling her next duty.
Colin let go of Catrina’s hand, attempting to look like he walked alone as the crowd dispersed across the clearing. Each conversation he overheard was about either the missing hunting party or the missing caravan. He nodded hello as he passed by the Jackal sisters, busy scribbling notes, for what was sure to be an extra special edition of the Jackal Lantern.
While walking back toward Billie’s, they stumbled into a group of youngsters. Darcy led the conversation.
“I can’t believe we still can’t use magic. What the heck are we supposed to do all day?”
“I know, right,” Dulcy agreed. “I mean, if I have to style my own hair one more day, I am going to freak out.”
“Dulcy,” Darcy spoke dryly. “Shut up. Listening to you speak is starting to irritate me.”
The youngsters laughed but suppressed it after the icy glower Darcy threw at them.
“It is a pain,” another boy spoke up. “Not being able to use magic. I’m sick of spending all my time cleaning up, and by hand.”
“And not playing any games,” another girl chimed in.
“Yeah, I’m bored out of my mind,” a boy next to her agreed.
“We couldn’t use magic in the E-Valley either,” Dulcy moaned. “What gives?”
Colin debated taking the long way back to Billie’s, to avoid the group, or mainly, avoid Darcy, but stopped when Jae emerged from around the corner. To Colin’s and the group’s surprise, Jae confronted them.
“You’re all really going to complain about not using magic?”
“And what are you going to do about it?” Darcy countered.
“There’s nothing to be done. Juliska ordered no magic. Period. Not until we find out what happened to the missing.”
“Oh, and what? You speak for her now or something,” Darcy challenged.
Colin had to agree Jae’s behavior was odd, at best. It wasn’t like him to confront anyone, never mind Darcy. But he did not back down. Staring intently at the bully. Almost like he was trying to send some silent message with just his gaze. Everyone else went about their day, leaving them. Colin moved to leave too, motioning cautiously for Catrina to follow. But a sharp intake of breath stopped him.
It was Darcy. A look of shock swept through her, which she washed away with an inhale, her arms crossing in front of her. Then it was Jae’s turn to suck in and look surprised. He shook himself, rubbing his eyes like they ached. Or he’d just
awakened.
Darcy leaned into him. “Got something in your eye?” She wasn’t concerned. Her voice taunted. Dared him to deny some secret she was the only one privy to, leaving Colin more confused by the second.
Jae’s face pinched inward. “Nothing in my eye that isn’t supposed to be there.”
Darcy smirked. The corner of her mouth lifting smugly.
Okay, this is getting downright bizarre. If Colin wasn’t mistaken, something had just changed between Jae and Darcy. This was confirmed again when Jae returned her smug grin. Neither spoke again though. Jae cast a fleeting glance in Colin’s direction a bit like he was suddenly as invisible as Catrina, and left the same way he came. Darcy spun around, unfortunately spotting Colin, her smirk dissolving into a scowl.
“What are you looking at?” she barked hotly.
There was no use in trying to respond vocally, so he put on a fake smile that said,
have a nice day, which of course, just infuriated her even more. But she didn’t push and huffed off around the corner.
Colin let out a deflating exhale.
“I take it this is out of character for your friend?” surmised Catrina.
“Definitely. But then, I don’t know. Maybe not. He might just be doing his part. Spying on his neighbors and all that.”
Catrina laughed. It was a nice laugh, decided Colin. He wanted to hear her laugh more. The sound was instant warmth, like summer sun on a lazy afternoon.
“I haven’t known Jae long enough to have any say, but I saw the way you looked at him, Colin. You were certain something was off.”
“It’s a long story, but, my sister’s had some visions about him. She’s never gone into depth about them, which leads me to believe she’s trying to hide the truth.”
“Which is?”
“It’s bad. Really bad. So bad, she’s afraid to tell me because she thinks it will frighten me.”
“Obviously, it does.”
“Yes. Because if it’s bad enough my sister won’t tell me, it means Jae’s in some serious trouble. Trouble I think I just saw for myself, and yet, there is no way to prove that other than, he isn’t acting like himself.”
“Well, if you were wrong and it is just the whole keeping an eye on your fellow neighbor thing, our lives are going to get even more complicated.”
“I’m worried about that too.”
“Do you regret saving me?”
“Never.” Not even a moment of hesitation. “We’ll just be careful. Even more careful than we are now. Heck, I’ll make myself invisible if I have to.”
Catrina smiled and laughed again. It was a sound that sent Colin’s heart all a flutter.
“I think I will send my sister a message about Jae, too.”
“In case it matches one of her visions?”
“Yeah. I ought to let her know, just in case. C’mon. Let’s get back to Billie’s where it’s safer. We shouldn’t talk out in public anymore.”
“Too many prying eyes.”
“Watching a guy they already think is weird, talking into the air.”
Catrina followed close and seconds after they slipped into Billie’s tent, Nona trotted in behind them.
“Colin, I have a message from your sister,” her cattish purr announced.
“Oddly enough, I have one for her as well,” Colin replied, glad of the Catawitch’s timely visit. “How is she doing, Nona?”
“She is fine. However, she tried to reach your thoughts, but was unable.”
“Oh, how strange. I didn’t even feel her try,” he said truthfully.
“Actually, this proves a theory,” Nona explained. “There is a room in which Meghan does her training, and while she’s in there, no one can hear or see what happens. We can still hear each other’s thoughts while she is in this room. However, it appears that whatever magic protects this room, blocks your telepathy.”
“But you guys can still hear each other?” Colin confirmed. “Nothing has ever blocked our telepathy before, except for us.”
“Yes. It is a disconcerting situation on my part as I feel more confident knowing that Meghan can always reach you, if needed.”
“Yeah, I agree. After Grimble, I just don’t want to go through something like that again.”
“Which brings me to the real reason for my visit.” Her voice quieted and she stalked about the room, listening for anyone close by.
“Is it safe?” Colin asked her.
“Yes. There is no one close enough to hear.”
Colin decided to undo Catrina’s invisibility spell and she materialized in front of Nona.
“Hello, Catrina. It is nice to see you,” Nona’s cat-like voice purred playfully.
“Honestly, it is nice to be seen, Nona. And it’s lovely to see you as well. So what brings you here?”
“I come bearing a warning,” she shared ominously.
“Another warning?” Colin repeated, dismayed.
“Yes. It is possible that you are being watched.”
“It seems like everyone is being watched,” Catrina said. “Now more than ever, especially after this morning’s meeting.”
“Yes, definitely more so. But this is different, Colin.”
“How so?”
“Meghan has discovered there are ways, which we did not previously know about, to spy on someone. To watch their every move if desired.”
“Let me guess? Juliska has something to do with this?” asked Catrina, folding her arms in disdain.
Without hesitation, Colin recast the spell, once again hiding Catrina.
“Do they know about her?”
“We have no reason to believe they do. Meghan does not know with any certainty you are actually being watched. She just wanted you to be aware that it is possible. Much more possible than she’d thought.”
Colin started pacing. “Possible enough to warrant a warning.”
“It will be okay, Colin,” Catrina comforted. Her eyes gave away the fear she truly felt. And didn’t that send him into a fury all at once.
“I do not understand what my sister sees in Juliska Blackwell,” he grumbled too loudly. “I have said it before and I’ll say it again: I do not trust her. Not one bit!”
“Colin,” Nona began. “It’s not always so simple.”
“Well, it should be!”
Colin calmed himself.
“I’m sorry, Nona. I didn’t mean to get angry. I just don’t know what to do.”
Catrina grasped his hand. “We’ll figure it out together. Your sister loves you. This is why she sent Nona. You know she would never do anything to put you in danger.”
“I do understand Colin,” Nona said, not having heard Catrina. “Just be careful. I must return now. You said you had a message for Meghan.”
Colin explained Jae’s odd behavior.
“I will pass this information along, Colin. I can tell you though, that Meghan has learned nothing new. It is a situation she finds most infuriating.”
“Thanks, Nona. Take care, okay?”
“You as well,” she replied, jaunting out of the tent.
As soon as they were alone Colin grabbed Catrina and darted into their room. He used every magical spell he could find in the Magicante to protect the room from outsiders.
“I didn’t want to say this in front of Nona,” Colin finally admitted after his flurry of spellcasting, “but I really think my sister’s relationship with Juliska Blackwell is not healthy.”
“Like it or not though, Juliska is the only other seer around. Meghan does need a teacher.”
“You’re right, I know. There is just something that I can’t quite put my finger on. Something about Juliska that’s just… off.” It was not the right word, but his anger kept him from thinking straight.
“Don’t get me wrong, Colin. I only said she needed a teacher, I never said Juliska was the right choice. She’s just the only choice.”
He wanted to ask Catrina what exactly she meant by all that, and what knowledge she had about the
gypsy’s fearless leader. But his mind was wandering all over the place, wondering how to make sure Catrina stayed safe.
“If your sister is right and we’re being watched, you’re being watched,” she corrected. “What next?”
“We could leave?”
“We don’t have anywhere to go, Colin. We’re not even sure where we are since Juliska refused to tell anyone.”
“There must be a way.” He wished his knowledge of magic was vaster. Perhaps the Magicante would help.
“We would have to get our hands on the Book of Doorways,” Catrina told him. “It’s the only way I know of to find a doorway out of this place.”
“We’ll never get our hands on that book. It’s in Juliska’s possession. She’s the only one that uses it to open the doorways.”
“And if we stole it we’d be stranding everyone else here,” Catrina reminded.
“Wherever that is.”
“Our only option is to be careful. Colin, I… I cannot be discovered. Not yet.” Her voice got tight, that fear leaking through again. A look that shredded him to see. A look he’d do almost anything, including steal the Book of Doorways and stranding everyone, to make sure Catrina never had to wear, again.
The ground beneath their feet swayed.
Was he passing out?
Oh, perfect. Same old useless Colin Jacoby to the non-rescue.
No, wait, the ground was actually moving.
Catrina lurched and Colin lunged over to catch her, the two of them barely remaining upright. The shaking worsened, shouts and screams echoed all around the clearing outside their tent.
Something crashed and clanked outside.
It sounded like hell had broken loose. Is this what had happened to the missing? Had there been some kind of quake that ran them off and started the fire?
Colin grabbed Catrina’s hand and they left their magically protected room and made it to the exit of Billie’s tent. He stuck his head through to see what was going on, only to pull it back an instant later as a tent pole from next door came crashing downward right where his neck had been.
Catrina gasped as he jumped back in.
The rumbling went on.
He wrapped himself around her, the two of them grounding each other.
Broken (The Stones, The Vampyres, and The Cursed Child) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 4) Page 6