Embrace (The Shifter, The Magic Map, and The Goblin King) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 3)

by Rachel Humphrey-D'aigle

  Except for Ivan.

  Ugh. The boy that can do no wrong… Juliska just loves him.

  He is as bad-tempered as always. We are at least on speaking terms, although barely. Juliska put his Initiation on hold until tonight. She told me herself that she needed to wait until we reached the E Valley, because she had a special challenge planned for him. I really wish she didn’t like him so much.

  Of all the people she could choose from… why Ivan?

  It just means I have to see him even more, as it turns out that when Tanzea Chase told me my schooling would be aimed more toward Firemancy, what she actually meant is that Juliska would be teaching me herself. That’s one part of school I love! I get to skip some classes… Darcy is totally jealous so that’s awesome. She glares a lot. But that’s about it. She hasn’t tried anything other than her usual taunts, which we just ignore. I think she can see how useless it would be since I’m spending so much time with Juliska right now.

  But the sucky part is so is Ivan. I don’t know why, or what she has him doing. But he’s been very busy. And around far too much. And he’s not even living with the Mochries right now. He moved out and got his own place.

  Firemancy wise, The Firemancer’s Pocket Guide is proving a great challenge, but I’m slowly working my way through the book and learning everything I can.

  One thing Colin and I have been worried about is the bird-human. I have not seen it since Grimble. Maybe it did not move on with us, which would be sad really. It was a comforting thought, knowing it was a small memory of home. Never mind that he or she saved my life!

  Oh, and then there’s my brother. Colin spends most of his spare time alone these days. I have no idea what he’s up to because he is better than ever at blocking me out of his mind. His skill at magic is also improving, and apparently at a record pace. At least this is what I’ve heard people whispering behind our backs. Not like they’re afraid of him, just surprised. And impressed.

  At the same time my brother seems to be improving, everyone else seems to be getting worse. There’s even rumors spreading that this is the real reason school is canceled right now. The Svoda are getting a little freaked out. Their magic is weaker than it should be, and there seems to be no answer as to why. The adults try not to act worried about what’s causing it, but it’s pretty easy to tell they are.

  Regardless of what’s screwing up the Svoda’s magical powers, or that my brothers seem to be supercharged, the use of magic is strictly forbidden here in the E Valley, except in a life or death situation. I guess this is an order straight from the ruler of this place. Some guy named Eidolon. Svoda can visit, but they cannot use magic.

  So far, the first two weeks here in the E Valley have proven hot, dry and boring. All of us non-Initiated still in school types have to keep ourselves entertained while the Initiated attend regular meetings. By entertained, what I really mean to say is that we are supposed to be keeping up on our studies. Not my idea of a good time! Unless it’s Firemancy, then that’s okay.

  Anyway, they never tell us what goes on in these meetings. However, even I, still a newbie to the Svoda world, can tell there are a lot more meetings than normal, and this whole weakened magic thing is definitely causing a panic. People seem busier than ever, considering there’s no school, and just not much to do around here.

  Meghan let out a groan. “Ick, Nona. Why are you always so keen on licking my feet? I suppose that’s enough catching up for now anyway.” She put the journal aside.

  Nona stopped licking. There was an unfamiliar sound somewhere outside. She sat up straight and froze in position, like a statue. Her Catawitch eyes blazed toward the door. A moment later, satisfied it was nothing potentially harmful she relaxed and returned to licking Meghan’s feet.

  Meghan leaned back against a rock wall. The rock was the color of rust, and uncomfortable to lean against, but this was her bedroom wall. At least while living in the E Valley. They had no wagons here. Instead, the Svoda had taken over abandoned cave dwellings that lined the bottom of a towering canyon wall.

  Jae Mochrie had explained that when the Svoda had first journeyed here, they had been allowed to use magic to fix up the dwellings and make them livable. Which mostly meant making the homes big enough to fit everyone. Unfortunately, this did not mean additional privacy. If anything, it was less.

  Because the Mochries were a family of four, but were also hosting the twins, and the grizzled Corny Tibbit, they’d been given one of the larger dwellings. Ivan had chosen to move out of the Mochrie’s and get a place of his own.

  Meghan couldn’t imagine living in one of the smaller dwellings as crowded as it was in this one. She and Colin still shared a bedroom with Jae and Mireya. There were four holes punched into the rock wall, just large enough for someone to sleep in without getting too claustrophobic. They did at least have mattresses and didn’t have to sleep directly on thin blankets or directly on the rock.

  But dressing in the morning was complicated and had to be timed. There was one stone partition in the room that had to be shared by all four of them. They each had a trunk filled with belongings and there wasn’t much room for anything else in the room.

  Outside of their bedroom was a main room, which included a combined living space and kitchen. Five doors lined the walls. The first was the youngster’s bedroom. The second belonged to Sheila and Irving. The third opened to a large closet, which Corny Tibbit decided to take over upon arrival. The fourth led outside into the E Valley, and the fifth opened to a tunnel that led deeper into the canyon.

  This tunnel connected with other tunnels and cave dwellings, like an underground web that eventually led to a large open dome in the center. This was also how to get to the bathhouses. There were two, one for the women and one for the men.

  Inside the dome was where meetings took place. Where people gathered to eat and visit. Where the Svoda businesses set up shop. Only a few carried enough supplies to bother opening. The Steel Gin, Balloch Flummer’s bookstore, the bank, and a mercantile on wheels.

  Meghan sighed. It was early, but she sensed the household about to stir and wake. She hadn’t been able to sleep and decided to start writing in her journal. Sure enough, just minutes later there was movement in the kitchen, followed by the smell of coffee percolating. Mireya slipped out of bed and dressed, heading out to help her mother.

  Colin still slept. He was caught in the middle of a dream, but that’s all Meghan could sense in his mind. Even in his sleep, she had trouble penetrating his thoughts. It was like he had put up some permanent block she could not get past.

  She closed her eyes, willing herself to fall asleep if only for a few minutes. But her mind was alert and sleep evaded her. She was just about to give up and get up herself when there was a couple of thumps against the floor and the voice of Jae mumbling to himself. He’d jumped out of bed realizing he’d overslept and was frantically dressing. As if Irving Mochrie knew the perfect moment to rub in his son’s forgetfulness, his voice echoed into them.

  “Jae! You had better be ready. I’m leaving in two minutes.”

  “Coming, Dad! Be right there.”

  “Better be. We have to finish work early today. Ivan’s Initiation ceremony is tonight.”

  “As if you’d let anyone forget,” Jae grumbled. He departed without so much as a hello or goodbye.

  Colin’s head popped out from behind the wall of his bed. “When was the last time we actually had breakfast with Jae at the table?”

  “More like, when was the last time we ate with Jae, period,” retorted Meghan. “Seems like everyone is super busy, but doing what exactly? It is a dry, dead valley out there. And we’re not in school, and there’s only a few businesses even open.”

  “Irving’s is one of them though. I guess he needs Jae’s help.”

  “Every single day?”

  Colin shrugged. “I guess there’s still lots of work to get done.”

  “Well… it feels very busy around here considering all the not-so-
much-really-happening, going on.”

  Colin refused to answer. His sister was slyly prodding for information on what had been keeping him so busy lately and he was keeping that to himself. She was right though. There was a sense of things going on, people kept busy… for what reason? He’d heard the rumors, just like everyone else. That something was wrong with people’s magic. He assumed it had to be this.

  Weakening magic was not a concern of his. Colin lay back down, facing the rust colored stone a few feet over his head. He’d been having a dream about the silver haired girl named Catrina. But when he’d awakened, like so many dreams, he’d forget some of the specific details. They’d been talking. And laughing. Time seemed to go on for days inside the dream.

  And then like always, she’d gotten scared and had to leave suddenly.

  He’d bet his life there was something important he was forgetting. Or something she was trying to tell him, but couldn’t. The lack of new clues was testing his patience. Mainly because there was this invisible counter winding down in his mind. A little push with every minute that went by and he had not found her, or found out what happened to her. He was running out of time. And so was she.

  It made no sense how he knew this. But he was certain of it. He’d never been so certain of something. Catrina needed his help. Her life depended on him finding her. He didn’t care how he knew, or why. Only that he believed it fully and would not stop searching for her.

  “You ready for some breakfast, Col?” asked Meghan.

  “Yeah, sure.”

  They hurried to dress. Sheila Mochrie’s absentminded voice chimed good morning as they entered the kitchen.

  “Breakfast is on the stove. I’ll be off in a minute to a zone meeting.”

  “What are you meeting about today?” Mireya asked her mother. She was just emerging out of Corny’s closet room with an empty tray.

  “Oh nothing of interest,” Sheila replied. Her smile appeared forced and tight. She disappeared into her and Irving’s bedroom.

  Mireya set down the empty tray and shuddered. “It’s so creepy in Corny’s room, and it’s supposed to be a closet. I can’t believe he just won’t come out of there.”

  “He didn’t have anything for you to give me, did he?” asked Colin.

  Mireya shook her head, holding back a wry smile. They still didn’t understand why the grizzled old man had taken such a liking to Colin, and frankly, neither did he. But he had tried to warn him while back in Grimble, that someone would try to steal the Magicante. And Colin had missed it.

  Corny had been his normal quiet self since then. But if he ever had gifts to hand out again, Colin would pay attention this time.

  Mireya took a seat on the opposite side of the table, immediately immersing herself into a book. A minute later, Sheila bustled out of her bedroom and shouted, “I’ll be back in a few hours, stay out of trouble, don’t stray too far,” and shot down the tunnel leading to the dome center.

  The twins finished breakfast and headed outside into the valley. When the twins thought of a valley, for some reason, lush, green and full of life came to mind. Here, it was dusty, hot and dry. A rust colored desert that went on as far as the eye could see.

  Just outside their dwelling were other Svoda youngsters of various ages hanging around. Some reading. Some playing. Some talking. They didn’t have far to roam, as the official entry into Eidolon’s Valley was not far away, and the Svoda were strictly forbidden to enter. The canyon wall was long as it was towering. Doors marked the dwellings all along the outer wall. The twins were nearly in the middle.

  To their far left at the end of the canyon wall was a rock archway. This is how they’d come into the valley and this is how they would leave. Although it had not yet been announced as to when the doorway would open and they would move on.

  If they turned to their right and walked to the very end of the canyon, there was a pathway, which led upward into the rock. This is where Juliska Blackwell currently resided. The path was steep, but easily passable. At the very top, wedged between the canyon wall (that housed the Svoda dwellings), and another canyon wall, was an oval shaped stone castle. It was difficult to tell whether the stone had been carved away and shaped into the castle, or whether the stone had become lodged there, and then the castle was forged after. Regardless, it was a remarkable sight.

  Meghan had been there a few times already, to have Firemancy lessons with Juliska, and she couldn’t wait to return again. It was a bit like visiting royalty. And Juliska being Banon to the Svoda Gypsies, she was technically doing just that.

  If you kept walking and skipped the path leading to the Banon’s castle, you entered into a bowl-shaped formation carved into the ground. It was wide enough to fit many people, and open to the sky. This is where they were to gather for Ivan’s Initiation later that night.

  In front of the twins was sand. A lot of it. Some soft, some hardened with time and lack of moisture. And rocks. Many of them. Most climbable. When on top, you could see far out across the valley. A place the Svoda were strictly forbidden to enter.

  Goblin-like formations littered the valley floor and if you stared at them long enough, they appeared to sway and move, almost as if they were alive. And then there were the dust devils whirling walls of sand across the valley. The twins guessed it would be uncomfortable to get blasted by one of those.

  They stepped out and in the opposite direction of a few other Svoda youngsters who were sitting atop some of the rocks, reading, studying or talking. Colin found one that was climbable and vacant and made his way to the top. Meghan followed. He plunked down at gazed out across the valley.

  From this vantage point, it went on and on and on. He thought it odd they could see so far, seemingly to no end. And yet it was almost like looking at something that just repeated itself over and over again. A bit like everything they were seeing was somehow looped to repeat. Was it a mirage? Their eyes just playing tricks on them? This Eidolon did have some strict rules. Perhaps the Svoda were not being allowed to see what was really in the valley. He wondered what would happen if he were to step foot beyond their borders and into the valley. Would it look the same?

  Meghan put her attention into The Firemancer’s Pocket Guide, eager for her next lesson with Juliska. She had tagged her journal along, but no longer had the desire to write. After a while, she glanced at her brother, who was still gazing out into the valley. She watched him closely for a full minute. He did not blink, even once.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered. “Does that really pass the time? Staring into nothing?”

  Colin frowned. “I’m trying to focus.”

  “On what?”

  “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Oh, of course. I’m too stupid with magic to understand,” she mocked.

  “That’s not what I said.”

  “Might as well have been.”

  “It’s just… complicated. Something I read in the Magicante,” he admitted.

  “Whatever,” she said, reminding him, “Better not get caught doing magic.” She turned her attention back to her journal, going over past notes she’d written from her lessons with Juliska.

  Colin ignored her. He was attempting something he had learned from the Magicante, and it was definitely breaking the no magic rule. However, the book insisted he would not get caught. After leaving Grimble, the book had begun to randomly open and show Colin new spells it thought would be useful for him to learn. He’d been practicing this new spell for over a week already, and had only made it work for just a few short seconds.

  If he could learn how to use this magic correctly, it would allow him great sight. Not a vision like his sister. Not seeing the past or future, but for his own eyes to see far into the present, to distant locations. The vastness of the E Valley seemed the perfect place to practice this magic. Maybe he could prove whether there was something else in the valley. Or whether what they saw, was actually all there was to see.

  The sun moved through Eido
lon’s Valley changing the shapes of the goblin-like formations; after a while it began playing tricks on Colin’s eyes as he swore the formations were actually moving.

  Frustrated that he could not make the spell work, he breathed heavily and opened his eyes.

  “You must quiet your thoughts and focus only on the place you want to see.” This is what the Magicante had told him. The only problem, all Colin could think of were vague things like rock formation, or cave, as he did not know any specific locations in the E Valley. He didn’t know how specific it needed to be. Or maybe he just wasn’t doing it right, or his magic wasn’t strong enough to pull it off.

  He shook his head, stretched his back and closed his eyes. “Aspectus Remotus,” he mumbled under his breath. Nothing happened. He didn’t see anything but the darkness of his closed eyelids, or the brightness of the valley if he opened them. He let his eyes close again, attempting to clear his thoughts and focus on the destination. The corners of his mouth lifted, forming a grin; his thoughts strayed to Catrina. Her silver hair. Her sad smile. Holding her hand. Laughing. Reaching out for her desperately, each time she was pulled from his dreams.

  Colin’s breath hitched and his hands fell down to the rock to steady himself. Except he was still sitting down on the rock. And yet he was flying. At least that’s what it felt like. He flew over rocks, past canyon walls and through the dust devils. He didn’t feel anything, but could see everything clearly. And yet he was still sitting down with his sister just behind him. The valley held no surprises that Colin could see. It looked the same as it did from his perch on the rock. He guessed it was the sun, or the distance that made the formations look like they were moving.

  His gaze narrowed in on a possible target. A cave opening still far ahead. He felt a pull coming from that direction; it must be his destination.

  “Wicked…” he muttered, flying inside. It took a moment for his vision to adjust to the dark. A voice called out his name, startling him. He sucked in, coming to a screeching halt. He felt like he was floating in the dark, but his hands were still firmly planted on the rock; he hadn’t moved. And yet he could see everything around him in the cave as if standing there.