“Lips sealed,” he said.
She waved and took off to grab Sebastien.
She knocked on his parents’ door only after seeing a light on and hearing voices inside. She greeted his parents at the same time motioning that she needed to see him outside.
He obliged without question.
“How’s Ivan?” he asked, feigning concern.
“Oh. He’ll figure things out, or maybe explode, either one or the other,” she replied. “But that’s not why I needed to talk to you.”
“Wait! Before you say anything else,” Sebastien stopped her. “I didn’t get a chance earlier, in all the chaos of the day, Billie and the ship and everything...” He took a hesitant breath. “I just wanted to wish you happy birthday.”
“Oh, thanks. I was just thinking about that oddly enough.” She hoped it was dark enough that he could not see her cheeks reddening.
“I know it’s been a wacky few days, I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t forgotten. I’m sorry I didn’t have time to get a gift.”
“Oh, what, less than twenty-four hours notice and mega-crisis’ happening left and right didn’t leave you enough time?” she joked.
“The Meghan I knew a few years back would never have accepted any excuses.”
“I guess with sudden aging comes wisdom,” she replied sarcastically. “Anyway, don’t worry about it. Much bigger problems on the horizon.”
“What’s up?” he asked.
She saw Ivan and Jae approaching, and waited so she could explain just once. Nona headed in their direction, too, listening to Meghan’s thoughts.
Meghan explained Colin’s predicament. Though shocked, they were eager to help. They left together, heading towards the back entrance where they would meet up with Colin.
When Colin saw them coming, he extended his cloak to cover them.
The first greeting was awkward; it had been a long time since they had all been together, and much had changed. However, after greetings and a little small talk, Ivan noticed things turning awkward and suggested they get a move on, rather than let them slip in uncomfortable silence.
Colin agreed heartily. He was ready to go. He didn’t want to leave Catrina alone any longer than he had to. It had already been half a day.
“I wish we knew why Freyne wanted this woman freed,” said Ivan.
“Would knowing help?” asked Jae.
“Suppose not. So where to?” Ivan asked instead.
No one answered. This wasn’t starting out well.
“Maybe,” started Meghan, stopping, shaking her head.
“Maybe what?” prodded Ivan.
“I was just thinking maybe I could reach out to Colby, but...”
“Bad idea,” agreed Ivan. “He is too volatile right now. Plus, he might tell your father what we’re up to, and I think we should keep this between us. The fewer people that know, the better.”
“So we need an idea that works,” said Sebastien. He threw his hands out in front of him, as if this action would somehow force an idea to come to mind. He grimaced, saying, “Sorry, I got nothing.”
The stared each other down.
Not one good idea in the bunch.
How would they free someone imprisoned such a long time ago, that even Jurekai Fazendiin could not free?
A pit was expanding inside Colin’s gut.
What if they couldn’t do it? What if they could not find a way to free this woman?
It was the middle of the night and the temperatures in the northern Maine woods were dropping to well below freezing.
“We need a place to think,” said Sebastien, with a shiver. “I hate to sneak away again. My parents and your uncle,” he aimed at Meghan, “were not too keen when we did that the last time. But I don’t think it’s avoidable.”
“You’re right,” she exhaled. “They’ll try to stop us, ask a bunch of questions. We need to find a place to figure all this out, unless you think there’s anyone here that could help?”
“I don’t think there can be,” said Ivan. “If someone did know something, Fazendiin would have forced it out of them by now.”
“Agreed,” said Meghan, frowning.
“It’s too bad we couldn’t just go back in time,” mumbled Jae.
“Back in time?” questioned Colin.
“Yeah, see how the Svoda got her into the glass to begin with. If we could see how, we could maybe figure out how to get her out.”
“That’s a brilliant idea, Jae,” said Meghan. “Unfortunately impossible, but a great idea none the less.”
“Damn!” spat Colin.
“What?” asked Meghan.
“If Jasper were still here... I think he was alive when it happened. I could have just asked him. Although if Jasper were still alive, I probably wouldn’t have even gotten myself into this situation!” he added in a berating tone.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Meghan. “We’ll figure it out. We will. Sebastien and Ivan are right though. No one here can help so we should leave. The longer we stay the more possibilities there are for you to get caught, Colin.”
“So where do we go?” asked Nona. She wound her way around Meghan’s legs, purring out her question.
Blank stares were the reply.
“This is so pathetic,” let out Meghan. “We don’t even know where to go!”
“Kanda’s house, at the campground,” said Colin.
Sebastien’s eyes lit up. “Yeah. It’s empty right now. It’s perfect.”
“Well, at least we decided something,” Meghan mumbled.
The decision made, Nona used her Catawitch ability and a minute later, they were walking up the driveway to Kanda’s house in the Cobbcott Campground.
“I never thought I’d be back here again,” said Meghan.
“Not quite the same as summer visits,” said Sebastien.
“At least it’s a house, with four walls and heat,” said Jae, a shiver in his voice.
“I’m going to check around,” said Nona, “just in case.”
“Oh, let me guess, you smell a late night snack nearby?” retorted Meghan.
Nona licked her lips and darted off.
Ivan used magic to unlock the door and held it open as they each stepped inside. He was glad of the quiet. Glad he had a quest to focus on.
They got in and each took seats in Kanda’s cozy living room. Colin used magic to get the fireplace roaring minutes later.
It was very late now. Well after midnight.
Between the heat, the late hour and the way too comfy furniture, Meghan found her eyes drooping in no time. She tried to fight it. They were here to help Colin.
She turned to ask Ivan a question and smirked.
Ivan was sound asleep.
Sebastien whispered, “You should just join him, Meghan. You haven’t slept in a couple days either. We’re not going to get much done tonight.”
She didn’t want to give in. Colin was relying on her.
“He’s right,” Colin said, accepting the fact.
Meghan’s eyes closed almost instantly.
Colin stepped outside and called for Nona.
“Yes,” she replied, leaping out of a nearby bush.
“Nona, I was hoping to ask a favor.”
“Go ahead.”
“It’s a lot to ask, it means leaving Meghan, but just for a little while.”
Nona nodded.
“The truth is, I’m sort of freaking out. Trying not to show it, but Catrina has been alone almost all day and night now and...”
“You would like me to keep her company,” finished Nona.
“Would you?”
“I wouldn’t mind at all. I’ll stay with her until morning, then return to check on progress.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Nona. The thought of her all alone just kills me.”
“I can be there in a few seconds. Although, I do need a fire to travel to. Is there one where she is located?”
“I can take care of that,” sa
id Colin. “I’d like to see her myself, but I’m afraid it will be even harder to leave her.”
“Just give me a fire and I’m there,” Nona purred.
Colin cast a fire for her; she jumped in and vanished.
He pictured another fire bursting to life inside the barn, just outside of Catrina’s prison, surprised that even with the distance between them he had no difficulty making it happen. Catrina would not be alone tonight. He grasped onto that thought and let it bring him a small sliver of peace.
##
Catrina Flummer sat leaning against a wall, locked inside the stall in the barn. She turned with a start when a ball of fire appeared about ten feet in front of her prison, just hovering in the air.
A cat-like shape jumped out of the fireball, landing just in front of her prison.
“H-hello,” Catrina called out.
The shadow moved closer.
“Nona? Is that you?”
“Hello,” the Catawitch replied.
“What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you.”
“Colin sent me.”
“Colin! Is he okay?”
“Yes. So far. He and Meghan are working to free you.”
“Colin’s with his sister again then?” she asked, thrilled at this news.
“Yes, and no. A lot to catch you up on.”
Catrina sighed. “I think we have time.”
“Yes. I am to stay with you until morning and then report back. If things are not finished by tomorrow night, I shall return again. Colin sends his love,” she added.
“He asked you to come, didn’t he?”
“Yes. He’s very worried about you being alone here.”
“Well, I like to put up a brave front, but I was starting to go a little crazy. Old barns are not only very dark at night, but rather creepy too. And not knowing what’s going on out there... all I can say is thank you, Nona.”
“It’s my pleasure. Get comfortable. I’ll fill you in on all you have missed.”
Chapter 4
Four more days.
This was all the time they had until the public de-magicking of the Svoda prisoners. And that’s if the prisoners were lucky and Juliska allowed them to live.
Most were betting she would not.
Daveena Troast worked in the kitchen baking her special bread loaves. Today’s batch was extra special. They had been informed to double today’s order as it would be the prisoner’s last delivery of food.
No one would be permitted near the prisoners in the remaining days leading up to the de-magicking.
Until that morning, the youngsters had assumed they would have at least one more delivery. As early morning turned to mid morning, and quickly nearing afternoon, they found themselves in a panic to finish baking the bread on time.
Mireya worked close by, blocking any other youngsters from getting too close to Daveena. Joseph tried to keep the others preoccupied in other parts of the kitchen, or out front, readying the sacks for delivery.
Today’s order needed to be perfect.
There could be no mistakes.
All the prisoner’s loaves were important today, but one in particular was vital. Without this item, their attempt to escape would be followed soon after with being caught!
Just after noon, the food cart and its driver arrived, ready for the youngsters to load up the burlap sacks. As he sometimes did, the cart driver stepped inside.
Daveena gasped.
She hadn’t put out the usual fresh loaf.
The fresh loaf that enticed the Stripers to it, rather than to the kitchen or the loaves she didn’t want discovered.
“What? Nothing for me today?” the cart driver grunted. He started to make his way into the kitchen. Mireya tossed a towel over a loaf still cooling; there were two vials hidden inside.
“Sick of standing out here smelling all this bread baking,” the driver said. “Give me a loaf,” he added in an ungrateful tone.
Mireya and Joseph just watched, knowing that the loaves currently cooling each contained something inside.
Mireya tossed Daveena a look that shouted what do we do?
But Daveena didn’t bat an eye. She turned and grabbed a loaf that had already cooled and handed it to him.
“I want the freshest one,” the driver grumbled. “This one’s cold.”
Joseph eyed Mireya to follow him.
They stepped over to the pile of sacs and crates ready for delivery, picking one up and spilling the contents, food sprawling everywhere.
It wasn’t much of a defensive move, but it was all they had.
The guard turned to them.
“Don’t know if I’ve ever seen a boy clumsier than you. Always falling, dropping stuff. What good are ya?”
“Sorry,” said Joseph. “I’ll clean it up.
He leaned in to grab something and slipped on an apple. Falling onto the ground with a thud and a wince.
Mireya raced to help him up.
The guard just shook his head in an irritated manner. “Stupid kids,” he mumbled under his breath, adding something about needing a new job and how was he lucky enough to get stuck working with these idiots...
When he turned back around the guard jumped.
Daveena was standing right behind him with a cut in half loaf, slathered in melting butter. She wore a wide toothy grin that sent shivers down the guard’s spine. She stood face to face with him. Tall enough to stare him right in the eyes.
His face crumpled into a mix of disdain and unease.
The loaf was so fresh, steam trolled, wafting its enticing smell throughout the house.
“Fresh enough?” Daveena asked him in a surly tone.
The guard grabbed the bread, eager to get away from Daveena. He stepped back outside to his cart, stuffing his face with the bread.
Daveena let out a throaty sigh. Mireya and Joseph rejoined her in the kitchen, not believing they hadn’t been caught.
“That’s one less vial though,” whispered Joseph.
“Actually, it’s worse,” replied Daveena in a low voice. “Figures the one I’d grab is the one they need the most.”
“The key?” questioned Mireya softly.
“Yup.”
“Dang,” Joseph let slip out under his breath.
“Put it in the meat,” suggested Mireya.
“Gonna look obvious,” warned Joseph.
“No other choice,” agreed Daveena. “I’ll make it a meat roll, tie it up.”
“Do it quick!” reminded Joseph. “Mireya, let’s get loading.”
“Yeah, keep prying eyes out of here.”
Minutes later, Daveena came out with the wrapped piece of meat, hoping no one would notice it if they decided to inspect the sacks closely. She had cut a thin layer into the meat and hidden the key inside, and then layered it with herbs and rolled it, tied it up and wrapped it.
A short while later they had the food loaded and ready for delivery.
Daveena, Mireya and Joseph stayed with the cart to make the deliveries. The rest of the youngsters started cleaning and prepping for the next day’s work.
They didn’t notice a small movement in the kitchen.
They made so much noise cleaning they never heard the shuffle of footsteps as it moved stealthily against the back wall. Even if they had heard something, and looked up to investigate, they would have seen nothing.
The formless shape slipped through a back door unnoticed.
With each step thereafter, a woman’s body started to materialize.
KarNavan’s second in command, Ardon, cast a smug gaze back towards the house she’d just left.
##
Meghan stood in Kanda’s kitchen, watching coffee percolating. Days had passed with no new progress made on how to free her grandmother from the glass prison.
Nona strode into the kitchen.
“How’s Catrina?” Meghan asked.
“She’s doing well all things considered.”
“How’s Colin?�
�� Meghan asked quietly.
“He is in the living room, looking like he’s about to bang his head through something.”
“This sucks so bad, Nona. I really thought we’d have gotten somewhere by now. We’ve gone through all of Kanda’s books, but there’s just nothing helpful here. We’re at a dead end.”
Ivan sauntered into the kitchen, grabbing a mug for coffee.
“Actually,” he said, “I think I might have come up with something.”
“Anything, at this point, would be better than what we’ve got right now.”
He poured coffee, ignoring Meghan’s insistence that it wasn’t finished percolating yet. She followed him back into the living room.
“Ivan thinks he has an idea,” announced Meghan.
Sebastien and Jae looked up from the books they were shuffling through and Colin spun around from a window, eager to hear it. He was rubbing his hands together, reminiscent of someone coming down off a drug.
“So what’s your idea?” asked Meghan.
“I’ve been thinking it might be time to pay our mother a visit.”
“I hadn’t even thought of that. I don’t know what she knows about Fazendiin or his mother, but she’s bound to know more than we do.”
“It’s at least a place to start,” said Sebastien.
Jae slammed his book shut. There wasn’t anything useful inside anyway; he’d been turning the same pages for days.
“It’s settled then,” Colin said decidedly.
He was ready to get a move on. “Meghan, you’ll need to let me in your head for a minute, so I can see where to take us.”
“Done,” she replied into his mind.
Meghan had barely shown him where to go when, voila, she opened her eyes and the group no longer stood in the living room of Kanda’s house, but rather just inside the cave where Isabella Crane resided.
Meghan held out her hands as if to steady herself, although she didn’t really feel dizzy, more overwhelmed by the sudden movement.
Sebastien steadied her. “Okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, fine.”
She didn’t know why it was any different than when Nona did it. And with Nona, it was actually freakier, seeing as they needed to step into a fire. Something no normal human would ever do voluntarily. Perhaps she just could not imagine that all this power came from Colin. That he did it as if it was second nature. He wished it and it happened. No big deal.
Control (Book Seven) (Fated Saga Fantasy Series) Page 11