“It would be suicide,” agreed Milo.
Nashua called for quiet.
“We came here today to vote, I say we do so. I would prefer this vote be accepted by all. My feelings are that we should accept.” He raised his hand, asking for silence as instant rejections resounded throughout the pavilion. “Regardless of the reason, trap or not, this might be our only chance to confront Fazendiin and take the Stone.”
“But if it’s a trap? How do we plan for that?” asked a nameless voice in the crowd.
“There’s only so much we can do against such power,” Curtis acknowledged. “But,” he paused, shaking his head, unable to fathom what he was about to do. “I agree with Nashua. It might be our only chance.”
Seeing as the leaders from both groups agreed, Nashua and Curtis looked to Billie and Noah.
“We realize your situation,” Nashua began, “but if we can secure the Stone, we stand a much better chance succeeding when it comes to freeing the Svoda.”
Billie and Noah glanced at each other and then back towards their fellow escapees. She bowed her head before answering, looking as though afraid to let the words escape her lips. Her hands came up in front of her mouth, clasped together.
“We agree,” she muttered. Realizing she had barely spoken, she lifted her head, dropped her hands and repeated, “We agree.” She shot Noah a glance that screamed, I hope I didn’t just condemn the Svoda...
He gave her a light pat on the shoulder.
Billie added, “The people are in grave danger, but the Stone changes everything.”
Arnon stepped forward. “If Fazendiin and Juliska have that Stone at their disposal, we cannot win. We have to find some way to get it back. It has been done before. We must do it again.”
“How was it done before?” someone called out.
Arnon stepped back. He knew how it had been done before. Colin had told him all about it. How Jasper had hidden the Stone. The only problem was, Jasper had never told Colin specifically how he had done it. And the last thing he wanted was to put Colin in the middle of a mess like this. He stayed quiet.
Nashua answered everyone’s concerns. “I don’t know how they did it. It is a part of history, long forgotten. I truly believe,” he went on, “that if each and every one of us works together, we can catch Fazendiin off guard. We can take the Stone. We can hide it again.”
“So what say the rest of you?” barked Curtis. “The time for debate is ended! Do we meet Fazendiin head on, face whatever wicked thing he’s got planned, or do we wait? And lose what might be our best chance to confront him. He’s prepared to meet us. Who is ready for battle?”
No reply was heard. Not even an inhale or exhale broke the silence.
A hand went into the air. It was Arnon Jacoby. Kanda lifted her arm and grasped his hand. A chain reaction was set off, hands shooting into the air, one by one until all had said yes.
Nashua glanced at the rotating leaf, his eyes fierce. “We accept.” The response was recorded into the fiery lettering and the leaf swirled into the air, higher and higher, disappearing back inside the dark canopy of cloud.
The cloud started to move upward, dissolving, revealing blue sky, dotted with puffy clouds. The sun was finally making an appearance.
It warmed a few degrees down on the ground below.
Nashua turned to Curtis. “Whatever fighters you have, get them ready. I don’t imagine Fazendiin’s going to make us wait long. I want to be ready to pull out by tomorrow morning.”
Curtis nodded, shoving off, shouting orders to his people. Billie offered the services of anyone able bodied from her crew. Curtis accepted and they followed his lead.
Nashua was immediately surrounded by his top warriors, along with his sister and advisor, Kanda, Arnon Jacoby and the Jendayas.
“We’re going to have to go at him with every thing we’ve got,” Nashua said. “Our only hope is to overwhelm him with our sheer numbers.”
“We are not so many,” Kanda noted.
“We can’t do any significant damage to Fazendiin, but we can keep him distracted long enough to secure the Stone,” insisted Nashua.
“It will take a lot of magic to move that Stone,” noted Milo. “More than any one of us has the capability of using.”
“We’ll have to use our reserved stores,” said Nashua. “It may take everything we have, but we must try.”
“I don’t know,” said Kanda in a moment of doubt. “This whole thing just reeks of trap! How do we know this won’t be playing right into his hand? We meet, we fight, we weaken and he seizes the moment to wipe us out.”
“We must try,” said Nashua. “Do you realize how long it might have taken to track him and the Stone, on our own?”
“I know,” she acknowledged. “There’s just... so many lives will be at risk.”
“Such is war,” replied Nashua. “It is not our way. But it is our current path. The world of magic is still our home. However, if I do not have your approval, Sister, we will not fight. We can turn back. Go home.”
Kanda threw him a villainous look.
“You know me better than that, Brother.”
“Then let us prepare for battle. Together.”
##
Mireya and Joseph walked alongside the cart, ready to deliver their final sacks of food for the day at the prison. It was their final delivery to the prisoners before the public de-magicking.
Just before reaching it however, they found the roadway blocked.
Daveena kept her fierce gaze focused on the back of the cart.
Mireya and Joseph held their breath.
They were about to be found out. This was it!
Not only would the prisoners have no chance of escaping or surviving the upcoming de-magicking, but they would most likely join them in prison.
A shape was materializing against the wall of a nearby building.
The guard driving the food cart recognized the Striper now striding towards them.
“Ardon,” he spoke after a moment, bowing his head at her sudden appearance.
She ignored his bow, telling him, “I have new orders.”
The guard listened.
“Tell the prison guards they have been instructed to up security starting first thing tomorrow. We don’t want any last minute attempts to escape before the big day.”
“Ah, yes the day we suck’em dry,” the cart driver reveled.
Ardon’s face did not give away her thoughts on the subject.
“You’ve got a night to prepare,” she said, warning, “I wouldn’t mess this up if I were you.” Her eyes swept across the three youngsters, who were caught looking, and dropped their heads instantly.
“I’ll get right on it. We’ll be ready by the morning.” The driver bowed his head and took leave of her.
The youngsters caught each other’s eyes, now panic-filled. The prisoners were not due to attempt escape until tomorrow night, but with even more security, they’d never make it.
They would have to escape tonight!
But just how would they tell the prisoners this?
They had but one chance to pass along the message.
The cart lurched forward, aiming toward the prison.
Mireya leaned down, making to tie her shoe, her eyes searching the dirt at the side of the road.
Joseph darted towards the front of the cart as it rolled along. He sneezed loudly, catching the guard’s attention for just a split second.
Mireya saw what she needed. A flat piece of granite. She grasped it, dropping it into the top of her boot.
Daveena shouted to Joseph, “Cover your mouth when you do that.”
The cart driver glanced at her and grimaced, but agreed. “What she said! Only common courtesy, boy!”
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. I won’t do it again.”
Mireya grabbed a couple of pebbles, grasping them in her hand.
“This would be so much easier if I could just use magic,” she moaned.
The guard pull
ed the cart to a stop and ordered them to make their delivery. She hopped onto the back of the cart and started pulling off her boot.
“What are you doing?” demanded the driver.
“Um, rock in my boot,” she answered.
“Well hurry it up,” he growled.
She reached inside the boot as if looking for the rock and used one of the small pebbles to scratch a message into the flat piece of granite.
“Tonight!”
She grasped the rock in her hand and then let the pebbles fall into her boot. She turned the boot upside down, making an obvious effort to remove them from inside her boot and shoved it back on her foot.
Now they just had to get the rock-message to the prisoners, but the cart driver wasn’t taking his eyes of off them.
The two guards currently watching the prisoners came over to inspect the cart. The driver called them over.
“So we’re beefing up security starting tomorrow. We don’t want to take any chances of these people escaping.” The way he said the word people indicated he did not think of them as people at all. More like animals meant for the slaughter.
Mireya took the only chance she could think of.
With her back to the fence, and using her fingers to feel around behind her, she found a hole large enough to shove the piece of granite through.
Joseph sneezed again, just as the rock hit the ground. This time he made an over dramatic movement to cover his mouth and nose.
The guard didn’t reply, just glowered and ordered them to hurry it up again. He wanted to be on his way. Daveena tossed Joseph and Mireya the sacks and then jumped down bringing the last one herself. They delivered them in typical silence, being sure to give the prison guards their extra sack of fresh bread, and left.
When they came back outside to the cart, the three youngsters cast a quick side glance and noticed that dirt had been scuffed over the message. They took a chance look at whoever was in the courtyard.
A woman, middle aged, looking worn and tired. She didn’t look at them, but gave the slightest of nods and walked away.
They prisoners knew. It was all the three youngsters could do. They had passed along every vial of potion and every weapon they could sneak into the bread loaves. It was tonight. Or it wasn’t at all.
Either four days from now these prisoners would be paraded in front of the entire island and have their magic sucked dry, and their lives most likely ended, or they escaped tonight.
Chapter 5
Meghan and Colin stood outside of Kanda Macawi’s home in the Cobbscott, Maine, campground, with Ivan, Sebastien and Jae just behind them, and Nona sitting on the ground next to Meghan.
“Back again,” Meghan huffed.
“It’s even colder than when we left,” added Sebastien. “Summers are so much more fun here.”
She turned and smiled, suddenly getting that feeling again. The one that Sebastien’s smile always gave her, making her feel weak in the knees. The last time she had seen him in this campground, before her life with the Svoda had begun, she had kissed him.
“Good to see some things never change,” chimed an annoyed Colin under his breath.
Meghan tried to hide her pink cheeks and headed into Kanda’s home. Colin used magic placing his magical protective cloak over the entire house, as well as made it comfortably warm inside in just minutes.
“Your powers have grown so much,” said Meghan. “It is kind of freaky.” It slipped out. She hadn’t meant to say it.
“Freaky good or freaky bad?” Colin asked her.
“Good,” she stumbled across her words. “Maybe freaky isn’t the right word. More like surprising. It’s like you can basically do anything you want at the smallest whim.”
“Except free my girlfriend from the grip of Freyne Rothrock,” he replied bitterly.
“Okay, not every whim.”
She was thankful when she heard thumping behind her and turned to see Ivan, Sebastien and Jae throwing pillows and cushions onto the floor, preparing for the blood spell.
“I guess it is time for me to call Colby,” said Meghan, blowing out a uneasy breath.
“He won’t be able to find us under the cloak,” advised Colin.
“I’ll just try to reach him first, see if I can pique his interest.”
“Do you really need to?” asked Colin, again vocalizing his dislike of this part of their plan.
“I think I do, sorry. His blood will make the spell stronger, like my mother said, and he is my brother, like it or not. Plus, there’s the whole prophecy thing about the three of us, and I’ve been thinking, what if this is it? Maybe us working together will end all of this.”
“Do you think it could be that easy?” called out Jae. “The three of you work together on this, and the prophecy is fulfilled.”
“Don’t know. And seeing as no one really knows how to truly interpret the prophecy, I don’t see how it can hurt to try.”
“What if it does hurt?” asked Ivan. “What if the three of you getting together doesn’t change things for the better?”
“I don’t know, Ivan. I just know what I’ve been told and what my gut is telling me I should do. And it says try to get Colby to come on this little adventure.”
“Fine. Let’s not discuss it anymore,” said Colin, with a biting tone. “If dealing with Colby means I can figure out how to free Aloyna from the glass and then free Catrina, let’s get on with it!”
“Okay. I’ll try to contact him.” Meghan reached out to Colby through her thoughts, hoping he would listen to her. Her first attempts went unanswered.
She opened her eyes to see everyone staring intensely at her.
“Why don’t I go outside and do this... alone... ” she left the house, deciding to leave the safety of the cloak before trying again.
She walked to the end of Kanda’s driveway. Just around the corner and down a ways was the spot her uncle had always parked his travel trailer when summering here. She decided to keep walking. It felt like it had been ages since she had seen their old camping spot.
It was early afternoon, but still cold enough she could see her breath in front of her. She pulled her jacket tightly around her body. There were no leaves left on the trees. They were bare, leaving her feeling exposed. A snowflake hit her nose, melting. It was followed by a raindrop. It was right at freezing, and very much felt like a storm was brewing.
She saw the empty space where her uncle’s camper was usually parked. Somehow, it seemed smaller to her than she remembered. She closed her eyes, wishing it was summer, that none of the things that had happened to them in the last few years had happened. She had turned thirteen here. She was sixteen now.
She turned and glanced toward the park’s entrance and exit, recalling the first time she had seen the Svoda come marching into the campground. How she and Colin had made eye contact with Jae and later met him.
Had it all been fate? Had it all been because of the prophecy? Did she have any say in her future? Any control of the outcome at all? Or was fate somehow controlling every step she, Colin or Colby made?
She inhaled, ready to reach out to Colby again.
“C’mon,” she said after her third unanswered attempt. “Why won’t you answer me?”
“Maybe I was busy!” a hostile voice replied.
This voice wasn’t in her mind.
She opened her eyes and saw Colby just a few feet away. His presence always caught her off guard. She never knew if she should be happy to see him, or afraid to see him.
Elisha, his Catawitch, wound around his legs protectively.
“Thank you for coming,” she said.
“Not sure why I did yet,” he returned with a questioning tone.
“I need your help with something,” she said.
“My help?”
“Yes. Believe it or not, your help. But you need to promise to hear me out and not interrupt me every two seconds while I explain.”
“You act like I do that a lot.”
&nbs
p; “Regardless of if you interrupt a lot or not, this is a bit complicated to explain so please, just hear me out completely.”
“Fine. Talk.”
“First, I think I might be able to help you free your... our... grandmother from the glass in your father’s estate.” She held up her hand to remind him that he had promised not to interrupt, but she knew she had already won his attention.
“I cannot guarantee it,” she added. “I don’t know if this will work, for sure, but I have an idea. Second, this will require you to work alongside me and Colin, can you do that?”
Colby did not respond right away. She knew he was thinking about what she had said.
“Does Colin have to be involved in this?” asked Colby.
“Yes. No debate on that part.”
He went quiet again.
“Colby, I know how important doing this could be to you. I know your father would be pleased if you did this.” She hoped this would entice him to say yes.
“My father has been searching for a way to free her since she was imprisoned. What makes you think you can? And why would you? Is this some kind of trick?”
Meghan felt him trying to barge into her mind. She blocked him and frowned. “Must you always be so untrusting?”
“Yes,” he answered. Elisha meowed her agreement.
“Fine. What I tell you now is everything I know. Total truth. No lie. Colin’s girlfriend has been captured and is being held prisoner.”
“How? Colin’s as powerful as I am!”
“One of the Grosvenor, someone named Freyne Rothrock, has figured out a way... in part thanks to you and dear old Dad.”
“How so?”
“Freyne figured out that you used the bones of a dead Projector to make the dagger that stole Jasper Thorndike’s power. I guess he surmised if they could be made into a dagger, they could also be made into a prison a Projector could not break into or out of.”
By the look on his face, he did not much care for this news. She felt him struggling to keep his thoughts to himself, but for only a moment. He was very good at regaining control.
“So what does this have to do with our grandmother?” he asked.
Control (Book Seven) (Fated Saga Fantasy Series) Page 13