“Get away from me,” she pleaded breathlessly. He didn’t let go.
“What’s wrong? Do you need a doctor?”
A pain slammed into her stomach and she let out a short cry. What was this? What was wrong? She doubled over, clutching her stomach. “Oh please, no. Hold on little baby, please…” She looked up with a horrified gasp.
“Juliska… are you… pregnant?” he asked her. He didn’t need to hear her answer. He saw it, quite suddenly as if a veil had been lifted. She was pregnant, no doubt.
Why was she hiding it? How was she hiding it?
He tried to repress the concerns rising, but they surfaced regardless of his efforts. And the level of magic surrounding this child was different than anything he’d ever sensed before. Powerful. Frighteningly so.
Juliska looked into Cornell’s eyes and saw everything.
He knew. He knew what she was…
Eddy… not only had he betrayed her, but he had betrayed their child.
Cornell was sensing her child’s powers… it’s what he did.
Rage forged its way above the pain. She had to protect her baby…
Her hands acted out of their own accord. She lunged, grabbing Cornell’s head. Fiery pulses streamed through her veins. But it did not burn him. Instead, a force came out of her hands that was not a power she’d ever wielded before. She had no idea where it was coming from. Or what it was doing.
Cornell fell to his knees. He tried to speak, to make her stop, but he could do nothing. Juliska realized what she was doing and gasped, terrified. She tried to let go of him, but her hands were glued to the sides of his head, a current coming out of her body and into his.
His eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he lost consciousness.
Only then, did the current stop and Juliska’s grip release.
She drew back, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. She’d only wanted to protect her baby, she hadn’t meant to hurt him. He slumped over to the floor.
“Cornell,” she whimpered weakly.
There was no reply.
What had she done to him?
By the looks of it, she’d fried his brain.
No… it wasn’t entirely her, she realized. Her baby had done it too. Helped her. It must have sensed she was feeling vulnerable and afraid… but how? How could an infant be so powerful while still in the womb?
She needed Tanzea. Or Fazendiin. She needed answers.
And she had to do something with Cornell. But what? If he was discovered in her office it would raise questions. And he needed help.
Juliska held her breath, unsure what to do.
She let out the breath and reached up into her hair and released Pajak. Everyone believed her pet just an eerie looking heirloom. The spider crawled down her arm and sat in her palm. She looked into its beady little eyes.
“I need help.”
Before she’d even taken a breath, Jurekai Fazendiin was standing in her office.
She gasped at the speed of his arrival.
He waved his arm around them. “Don’t worry. No one will know I’m…” he paused, seeing the dead looking man on the floor. “Did you feed?”
“No. No. It’s the baby… I was feeling threatened…”
Fazendiin glanced at her belly. Powerful. So powerful already. He hid the joy in this moment.
“Did this man find out about you?”
“I- I’m not sure, but I think, yes. I panicked. I didn’t mean to hurt him. He’s a nice man. He didn’t deserve this…” She fell against the desk. Fazendiin grasped her shoulders. “I got scared.”
“This is not your fault. You’re pregnant and your instinct is to protect your child. Apparently your child’s is to protect you.” In fact, this fascinated him immensely. He’d never witnessed anything like it in all his years.
“Cornell needs a doctor,” Juliska whispered.
“No. A doctor would examine him and they’d find out what you did. I have another plan. Where does he live?”
Juliska told him. In a flash, the two men were gone. In another flash, Fazendiin was back in her office.
“Your problem is solved. I want you to forget all about it and go on with your day like it’s any other.”
“Wh-hat did you do?”
“Took him home. Put him next to a half empty bottle of whiskey and made it look like he had a little too much and passed out in a chair. They’ll find him at home. They won’t be able to trace anything back to you.”
Juliska nodded, in a daze of confusion.
“They really can’t trace your magic?” she asked.
“No. Not at all.”
“But… Cornell… what will happen to him?”
“I can’t answer that with any certainty as I don’t know what you or your child did to him. Your child is special Juliska. Powerful. You must keep this secret or your child will be in grave danger.”
“But at what cost?” she begged of him. “Cornell didn’t deserve what happened to him…”
“I must go, Juliska. Someone is coming. You’re safe, your child is safe. That’s all that matters.”
He was gone in a flash.
Footsteps approached her office. She had just seconds to gather herself.
There was a knock and she called out, “Come in,” evenly.
The Banon’s head slid in between her door. “Just wanted to say goodnight, and don’t work too late.”
She forced a smile. “Goodnight. You know, I am a little tired tonight. I’ll heed that advice and head home soon.”
“Good. Good. Until tomorrow.” He left without any question or inkling as to what had just happened in her office.
When the door closed, her body deflated.
Was Cornell still alive? Had she killed him?
Had Eddy really told him what she was? Or had she just been paranoid?
And if Eddy had said something, had he told others as well?
What if Cornell was fine, and woke up and remembered what she’d done to him?
Perhaps she should leave. Flee now, and go somewhere she and her baby would be safe. But where? She didn’t like the idea of being alone. Here, she at least had Tanzea to help her. She sighed and dropped her head, dreading that she’d have to tell the woman what she’d done.
Maybe Tanzea would abandon her too.
Juliska steeled herself. She had no choice. And in part, no control. Once the panic set in, her baby had taken over. But she could not go around letting this sort of thing happen. She hadn’t gone through everything she’d gone through to start a body count.
Regardless, she’d have to control her panic and paranoia somehow, so her baby would not be afraid. Juliska rubbed her belly, unable to stay angry at the little thing. It loved her. She loved it. It was just acting on her emotions.
She smiled down at her belly.
“It’s okay little one. We’ll get through this. I promise we will.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
A week had passed since they’d found Cornell Tibbitt passed out in his house.
They’d found him next to a half empty bottle of booze. His friend had drank his share of whiskey, but never once had Arnon seen him drink enough to melt his brain and not regain consciousness for days.
He’d tested the contents of the bottle, but found nothing out of the ordinary in it. He’d even tasted himself, just to be sure. Nothing happened; the booze wasn’t tainted in any way.
Once he had regained consciousness, Arnon visited him in his hospital room, partly as his friend, and partly as his job as Balaton. His friend didn’t seem all there. It was strange, he’d been perfectly fine the last he’d seen him. Off to the speak with the Banon, a meeting he discovered had never taken place.
Arnon guessed he changed his mind and didn’t go. He made the decision to keep their discussions to himself until he’d gotten to the bottom of what had happened.
Too many strange things were going on, that had no viable explanations. And all since Juliska Blackwell had
returned. Coincidence? Perhaps.
Arnon had attempted to question Cornell, but got nowhere. His answers were nonsensical and after a few minutes, his eyes would just glaze over. The doctors performed many tests, for human diseases and magical ones, but found nothing to explain what had occurred.
It was perplexing to say the least.
Arnon struggled to believe there was no cause behind it.
What a great mind and a great friend, to lose in such a mysterious way.
Perhaps he’d just snapped. Unable to handle all the losses he’d suffered. It just didn’t seem right though. Cornell was from hearty stock and rolled with the punches. Things got him down but he always picked himself right back up.
Arnon had even questioned Juliska, to see if he’d visited her office.
She’d told him she hadn’t seen him, and actually left a bit early that night.
Arnon was glad he and Cornell had kept everything Eddy had told them secret. He was beginning to get the impression that he should not trust anyone, at least not until he got to the bottom of all this.
Eddy had visited Cornell, too.
He looked terrible. Arnon almost told him he should check himself into the hospital, but held his tongue. Eddy just looked at Cornell and then Arnon, with a gaze that worried he was somehow responsible for this. Because of what he’d told them.
What sickened Arnon the most, was that when he questioned Juliska, he did not believe her answers. She was calm. Too calm. In total control of every movement. Calculated, he thought. The way she looked when she denied Cornell had visited her. She’d looked him straight right in the eyes with a determined gaze that almost ordered his belief in what she was saying.
It had the opposite effect.
Raised a few red flags.
It hurt, to think this woman they all trusted could have had something to do with what happened to Cornell. Even with all Eddy had told them, they could not be certain it was the whole story. And maybe it was all just a story. Maybe Juliska made it all up, to keep Eddy on her side…
None of it made sense.
There was no motive for it.
Regardless, the Banon explained he had seen Juliska that night, alone in her office readying to go home. And no one else had seen Cornell enter the building, so it ended there.
After another week, when Cornell showed slight signs of improvement, Arnon tried to question him again. But he could not answer. Cornell was not himself. His speech was slower, his quick wit, lost.
Arnon gave up. Fearing they’d lost Cornell.
He didn’t speak of his concerns with Eddy, but just like him, Arnon found himself certain of something he could not prove. It meant one thing; there was a traitor on the island, most likely getting outside help. Powerful help. And until he could figure out who this traitor was, he’d have to keep all of this to himself. And he’d have to tread carefully while investigating. Or he might end up residing in the empty bed next to Cornell.
Later that night, just as Arnon was about to head home, he was notified of a situation that needed special handling. When he arrived on the scene, a shop owner nodded down a dark alley next to his store.
Arnon took a glance and sighed.
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“No worries. Poor guy’s been through hell.”
An Eddy supporter, Arnon thought to himself. There were quite a few. Even all these months later with Eddy a shell of his former self.
Arnon rounded the corner, took hold of Eddy and popped out of the alley and inside his friend’s apartment. He was passed out. Drunk. Smelled like he hadn’t showered in days. Arnon managed to pile him on his bed and left him there to sleep it off.
“What is this island coming to?” He turned to leave when Eddy stirred.
He got himself upward and his feet onto the floor, taking in his surroundings and Arnon. “Sorry…” he mumbled. He’d done it again.
“Look, Eddy. I don’t even know if you’ll remember this advice in the morning, but I’m going to give it to you anyway. Move on. Clean yourself up. Go back to work. Get on with your life. You can’t drink it away.”
“I can try…”
“You can. Or you can get back on your feet and be a man. You’ll never win her back like this.”
“She doesn’t forgive. There is no winning her back.”
“Then move on. Find something to live for Eddy, or there’s no point in getting up in the morning.”
Eddy looked at his friend. Bewildered. Lost. Broken…
What did he have to live for?
Nothing… nothing at all.
He’d lost everything that made life worth living.
If he could not have Juliska, or at the least, be a part of his child’s life…
It hit him, quite forcefully. The meaning of his life now.
It was a sad truth. There was nothing for him to live for.
But there was something he could die for…
“You’re right,” he told Arnon. “You’ve been a good friend. Thank you for that.”
Arnon nodded. “Take care, Eddy.” He left, hoping his friend would start to recover.
Eddy scrounged around and found a notepad. His letter was short and to the point. He tore off the page and put it into an envelope. Once done, he whispered, “Juliska Blackwell.” The letter disappeared out of his hand.
Eddy dug out a razor and took a layer of hair off his face while the bath water warmed. He stared into the mirror with sluggish determination. There was only one way he could prove his love for Juliska Blackwell. Only one way to protect his child.
She was immortal.
She believed their child was as well.
This left him with only one option… he’d have to become immortal too.
#
Juliska should have cried. Tears wanted to form, but they just didn’t fall. She hugged her brother, Alex, then Anna and Adam; all cried freely.
Their mother had passed three nights previous. Unexpectedly…
Amelia had not come to the funeral, or if she had, she did not show herself. She wasn’t well liked around the island at the moment. Still, this was her mother, they could have put differences aside… Juliska stopped herself. Who was she kidding? She’d be happy if she never saw Amelia again.
She left the graveyard when it was done, having said her final goodbye.
Her siblings would be fine without her; Alex would take the reins.
Her mother was at peace now.
She stopped, spinning around. She could not shake the feeling that someone was watching her. There was no one within her line of sight. Just in case though, she made a point to walk a normal looking as possible, and not waddle along like her six and a half month pregnant body wanted to.
It didn’t feel right not to cry. But something inside her just felt numb.
Without realizing where she was going, she found herself standing outside the house of Tanzea Chase. She needed to get another bottle of tonic to hide her pregnancy. The woman opened the front door just as Juliska knocked.
“How do you know? Every time?”
She just shrugged. “Come in. Have a seat in the kitchen.”
Juliska obliged happily as her feet and back ached.
“I’m sorry about your mother.”
“Thank you,” replied Juliska.
Tanzea handed her the tonic she’d come for.
“How are you feeling?”
“Other than a little big and tired all the time… fine.”
“You need to take it easy from here on out.”
“That’s not really possible. Unless I can come up with some valid excuse to stay home sick… no one knows I’m pregnant.”
Tanzea sighed. This was a problem. “You look thin.”
“I eat constantly.”
“You sound tired.”
“I’m not sleeping well. And before you go getting any ideas, I’ve lost count of how many tings I’ve read that tell me that’s perfectly normal. They claim it�
�s your body trying to make you adjust to never sleeping again… which is apparently what happens after you have a child.”
Tanzea grinned. “I suppose you’re right.”
“I will do my best to rest more,” Juliska promised.
“Good. I think I have a solution for you.”
“For what?”
“How to keep your baby…”
She let out an eager breath. “What can I do?”
“You can do exactly what happened to us. It’s so easy, it’s almost silly.”
Juliska sat back in her chair. “I hadn’t even thought of that. Tanzea… it’s… it’s brilliant.”
“I know. And staring us in the face the entire time.” She rolled her eyes. “I think once you have the baby, we will hide it here for just a few days, maybe a week, so you can form a bond, make sure he or she is healthy. And then we’ll place it in an orphanage. I’ve already researched this, there’s one nearby. Just on the mainland. But it will be perfect. You’ll place the child in the orphanage, and then as soon as possible after we will miraculously track it, and bring the baby home as a lost one. We’ll arrange for you to adopt the child and voila…”
“I have my child…”
“And no one needs to know more.”
“Oh Tanzea, I cannot express what a relief this is.” She looked at the woman. “Thank you. For everything. For understanding. For not judging. For helping me through this.”
“This child is special. And you deserve to feel safe. Of course, our best tracker is… out of commission,” she reminded.
“Cornell. Poor Cornell… he’s getting better they say. A little. I don’t think his mind will ever be the same.”
“And as bad as it sounds, sadly, that keeps you and the baby safe.”
“I know. We do still have trackers at least.”
“Yes and Cornell did train them well. Just don’t be surprised if it takes a few days or if we have to do something to prod the process along. Patience will be key. But it will work.”
Juliska agreed.
It was a solid plan.
But just the thought of leaving her newborn out of her sight was already causing her grief. It was a relief to have this plan, and it would work… she wished she could just get it all over with now. And move forward.
Forsaken (The Seer's Apprentice, The Pearl Dragon, and The Devoted Ghost) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 8) Page 26