Firemancer Collection (Fated Saga Box Set Book 1)
Page 16
Meghan’s legs faltered. Colin, in only slightly stronger shape, leaned to steady her.
Juliska Blackwell reached her first. “I am sorry. But the truth is all I can speak. Nothing else has kept us alive for this long,” her voice grew kinder.
The thought of their uncle being dead was horrible enough, but being tortured for something he did not know about was more than either of the twins could bear.
The Banon released her steadying grip on Meghan and whisked around, motioning for two women, who stood near the entrance, to enter.
“Bring them! Nothing will be decided tonight. Tomorrow, the Viancourt will decide their fate.” She dashed away, her deep red jacket flipping in the still night air behind her.
Two women grabbed the twins, not unkindly, pulling them from the stone room, out into the darkness. A crowd of at least a hundred shot untrusting glares at the duo, followed by unwelcoming voices.
“She will not let them stay!”
“No. No way, it’s not right.”
“Where then will they go?” another one asked. “They can’t go home.”
“Spies!” someone shouted viciously.
Two things were certain. One: they could not go home! And two: they were not welcome here!
The twins came to an abrupt stop. A tall man with spikes in his hair, dressed in a long over-sized coat, blocked their path. His eyes were unkind, showing no mercy. The twins recognized him as the man named Garner Sadorus.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
The twins did not answer.
“Oh get out of the way, Garner,” spat the woman holding Colin’s arm. “You heard the Banon. This will be decided by the Viancourt, the entire Viancourt, Garner, not just you.” Her eyes flashed, enjoying the confrontation.
“And I, as a member of this most high position, have the right…”
“Excuse me, Vian Sadorus, sir.” Again, Jae came to their rescue. “I will speak for them.”
The man named Garner glared down at Jae with a penetrating scowl, but gave up, stalking away.
“Wouldn’t be good to get on his bad side,” whispered Jae. “Although, most believe that’s the only side he has.” Neither twin could reply at that moment.
The two escorts shook their heads at the confrontation and forged onward. Jae followed them a few steps before a forced goodbye left him in the shadows.
The murmurs of the crowd faded. The escorts held lanterns to light their way; the twins had not even noticed where they had gotten them. There was no moon or stars, only black night. They stopped at the entrance to a wagon. Inside, it was similar to the one Jae had stayed in back in Camp Cobbscott, though smaller.
The twins waited near the entrance as the two women disappeared into another room. They were gone only a minute and came back with blankets.
“You will have to stay in the wagon for the night, but its safe here,” the first woman said. She was a small stout woman and went to the fireplace, waving her hand over it. “Fire will keep you warm. Food you can find in the kitchen.”
The twins sank into a sofa next to the fire, overwhelmed. The stout woman exited the wagon. The other lagged behind, taking a seat across from the twins. She was a rugged looking woman with short, somewhat curled hair. Her voice was not what the twins expected. Colin’s thoughts said it best – a woman right out of a black and white movie, over-dramatic and to the point, and he thought her face was pretty.
“I’m positively ashamed for such harsh treatment, especially after you helped our Jae get home. I’m sure you’re picking up that the Svoda aren’t so trusting to strangers.”
“Jae warned us to be careful,” mustered out Meghan. She couldn’t think of anything else to say, and worse, if they said too much or the wrong thing, it was bound to cause trouble for themselves or Jae.
“Yes, he’s a good boy. Hope the court isn’t too hard on him. What do they expect from a kid?”
“Jae will have to go before a court?” questioned Colin, feeling oddly comfortable around the woman.
“'Fraid so. It’s the only way to get the whole picture, see. But don’t go frettin’ about that. Jae can handle himself fine. My name is Billie by the way, Billie Sadorus.”
“Sadorus? Are you related to the man named Garner?” asked Colin without thinking.
“He’s my brother, sure. Stink of a man!” she said, winking. “But my brother none the less.” She stood to depart. “I realize it won’t be easy, but do try and get some rest, will you?” She then muttered to herself all the way out of the wagon.
“What a way to treat two youngins. Shameful, that’s what it is. Sometimes I don’t know what’s becoming of us all?”
The door shut and they heard a lock clink into place. They were alone.
Neither twin spoke.
The desire eluded them.
Colin moved to the other couch. Sleep came in waves, and included nightmares of their uncle’s unknown fate. It was not until light began to fill the wagon that they got up, slowly realizing that the previous night had not been a terrible dream. Colin was the first to speak.
“What do they need to decide exactly, anyway?”
“I think, whether we can stay with them or not.”
“Why can’t we stay?” he whispered as if someone may be listening.
“They’re obviously not fond of outsiders, Col.”
“But what would they do with us?”
“Like I’m supposed to have some idea?” she snapped back. “Sorry,” she added a second later.
“I wish we knew how long we’re going to have to wait here,” Colin replied.
Meghan let out an anguished huff. “I cannot accept that there is NO way to find out about Uncle Arnon. I think as soon as we get out of here, we need to find a way.”
“We don’t even know where here is. How are we going to find a way home?” asked Colin.
“I don’t know. But we have to! The Scratchers follow these guys, so there must be a way!” she said decidedly.
With nothing more to say, they attempted to eat. They found bread for toast in the kitchen; it was dry going down their throats no matter how much butter they spread on it.
After hours of waiting, and not knowing their fate, the lock clicked open on the wagon door. They sat down trying not to appear too eager and did not look up until they heard the familiar voice of Jae Mochrie.
“Guys, it’s me. Sorry I couldn’t come sooner,” he apologized, slumping down next to them. “They wouldn’t let me come until after I’d met with the Viancourt.”
“I hope it wasn’t terrible, Jae,” said Meghan, concerned about their only friend in this unfamiliar world.
“It was like filing a report. They needed a list of anything I’d done that could have compromised our safety.”
The twins were horrified.
“Look, it’s not that bad. If I were in serious trouble I would not be allowed here.”
“What about us? Have they decided anything?” she asked cautiously.
“I’m not sure. I have to bring you to the court in thirty minutes, though. They held a private meeting after I left.”
“How far do we have to go to get there?” asked Meghan.
“That’s hard to answer.”
“Where exactly are we?” asked Colin, hoping for a clearer picture.
“A place called Grimble.”
“Grimble? Where’s that?” Colin asked.
“It’s a bit hard to describe. Maybe I’ll get to show you around,” Jae said, attempting to sound positive.
“How far away from home are we?” Meghan then asked.
“It’s difficult to explain. When you go through a doorway you’re in another place.” None of this made sense to Meghan, but Colin had read many books about portals to other worlds.
“So, it’s not a matter of how far,” he said, “but finding the right doorway to the right place.”
“More or less,” said Jae, catching on to their thoughts. “Unfortunately, from Grimble, there
is no way back to Cobbscott.”
“You’re absolutely sure?” questioned Meghan, losing hope.
Jae nodded. “We’d better get going. We don’t want to make the Viancourt wait.” The twins, though not eager to discover their fate, were desperate to get out of the wagon prison.
“It’s not far,” Jae told them, as they followed a fog-covered path.
“Are we going into a town?” asked Meghan, struggling to see Jae.
“Yes and no,” he answered, confusing the twins. The fog cleared enough to see a group of gypsy wagons lined up in a circle; as they climbed up the stairs to one of them, the twins’ attention was taken away by a ghostly shadow two wagons over.
“C’mon, we gotta keep moving,” urged Jae, reclaiming their attention. “Once inside we have a ways to go.”
“A ways?” questioned Meghan.
“You’ll see,” said Jae, with a slight smirk. He opened the door and motioned for the twins to enter ahead of him. They expected to see the same thing they had in the other wagons, but this one was much different.
It was a small town. It reminded the twins of the old fishing villages they often visited off the coast of Maine. A few Gypsies hustled about, but mostly, it was deserted.
“What is this place?” asked Colin in a stunned voice.
Jae led them deeper into the town.
“This is Bedgewood Harbor,” he explained. “It’s a small replica of our real home, in the Bedgewood Isles, which is actually off the coast of Northern Maine.”
“So your real home is in our world?” confirmed Colin.
“Yeah, it is,” answered Jae, as he directed them down a cobblestone street.
Two older, proper-looking ladies sat outside of a small brick building. A sign dangled over them: The Jackal Lantern. They wore 1930’s style dresses and sipped from delicate looking teacups.
“Those are the Jackal sisters,” said Jae. “They put out our local paper. And, whatever they’re drinking, it’s definitely not tea!” He laughed, nodding to the sisters as the trio walked by. The sisters nodded back, politely.
Moments later, a drizzle started to fall, a damp coolness seeping into their skin, etching its way into their bones. Meghan and Colin shivered simultaneously.
“Our weather here is the same as on the real Bedgewood Isles. I’m not sure how it all works exactly. But it’s a small connection to home.”
They stopped in front of an ominous brick building.
“I can’t go inside,” said Jae, holding open the door. The look on his face said, I hope I see you again.
The twins stepped inside the building, gulping hard. Before they shut the door, Jae explained where they needed to go.
“Take the winding stair up two levels,” he instructed. “Then take the staircase to your right and go down three levels.” His voice cracked at the end.
Colin wrinkled his brow. Why not just go down one level to begin with? Meghan heard his thought, but ignored it, dragging him inside. One lone picture hung on an otherwise bare wall.
“Nethanial Bedgewood, founder of the Svoda Gypsies,” read Meghan.
“I guess that explains why it’s called Bedgewood,” said Colin nervously.
Once up the two flights of spiral stairs, they reached a hallway leading to the right. A few steps away another staircase headed downward. Upon arrival they came to an archway, with a hanging sign.
Viancourt in session, do not enter!
“Great! It says not to enter. Maybe we arrived too late,” Colin said. They decided to take a seat in what appeared to be a small waiting room. The fireplace was unlit and the twins shivered as they waited. The cold dampness had followed them inside.
They hoped to catch a glimpse of someone who could tell them whether they should enter or wait, but no one showed up. They waited, silently, their minds still trying to comprehend all that had happened, when a crisp, but pleasant voice came over a loud speaker.
“New incoming message. Please listen carefully. In the case of Meghan and Colin Jacoby, a decision has been reached. Please enter through the archway within the next thirty seconds.” The pleasant woman’s voice came over the distant speaker again, counting down from thirty.
Meghan grabbed Colin and dashed for the archway. As they passed through, an iron barrier slammed down behind them.
The building changed too, the walls now made out of wooden planks, like a ship. They stepped cautiously down the only corridor, stopping at a door. Streaks of light snuck through the cracks in between thick wooden planks.
The door creaked as it opened into a dimly lit room, made up of nine wooden desks. The desks were lined up in a semi-circle with a podium in front, which swiveled, to face an audience, or, the nine desks.
Behind the row of desks was an elevated chair, currently empty. Lanterns and candles were the only light in the room and a smaller desk sat off to the side. A man hunched over it, scribbling notes.
After seeing the twins’ arrival, he jumped up, guiding them to stand in front of the podium, in clear view of the desks. Only three of the chairs were occupied, two men (one being Garner Sadorus), and one woman. The twins assumed they were the Viancourt. The court examined the twins with great interest. However, not one of the three gave any indication as to what kind of decision they had made.
“Please stand for Banon Juliska Nandalia Blackwell.” The twins were startled as the man who had assisted them announced the Banon’s arrival. A door opened from the back and she elegantly strode into the room, wearing a long-jacket as before. This time, it was emerald green and simpler in style. She took her seat in the raised chair behind the court.
“You have come to a unanimous decision in the matter of the Jacoby siblings?” asked the note taker. The three court members answered “Yes” in unison. The man returned to his desk and began scribbling a transcript of the meeting. The one female court member, an older, rough looking woman, whose nameplate read, Tanzea Chase, was the first to speak.
“I have been led to believe that you lived with your uncle. Is this correct?” Her voice was cold and the smell of mothballs emanated from her direction.
Colin was shaking too hard to speak, so Meghan started.
“Yes, that’s true, our Uncle, Arnon Jacoby, Ma’am.” Meghan tried to be courteous and confident.
Tanzea Chase continued her questioning.
“What circumstances brought you to living with him?”
“Our parents,” she gulped hard, “died when we were two years old.”
Another member of the court spoke, his nameplate read, Darius Hadrian. His face was stern and gave away no emotion.
“How is it that you decided to help our Jae Mochrie?” The twins were not sure how to answer this and Meghan trilled a silent reminder to Colin not to mention that Jae had told them about magic.
“We met Jae at the lake one day, back at Camp Cobscott,” explained Colin timidly. “Then we asked him to hang out again the next day, and he told us that he would be leaving. We left it as it’s been nice to meet you and all…”
Meghan sent him a mind nudge to get to the point.
He continued nervously.
“The night you were all leaving, my sister and I did something we now realize was a very bad idea.”
He took a deep breath and retold the story of the night Jae got stuck behind, and how they had found the fallen down pine tree and encountered the Scratchers. As Colin explained, Meghan realized something: their current predicament was entirely her fault!
It was due to her desire to go into the woods that began the series of events that brought them to this moment! Moreover, she was the reason her uncle was likely dead, or worse, being tortured, if he had somehow survived. Her knees wobbled and she grabbed the podium for support.
Meanwhile, Colin finished explaining their first encounter with the Scratchers.
The group talked amongst themselves.
“So, their story corroborates his,” Tanzea’s rough voice said.
“Fasci
nating information! This could prove most useful, proof of a Scratchman,” said Darius Hadrian.
Juliska Blackwell had not yet moved or spoken. Meghan, regaining her composure, was captivated by her as she gracefully vaulted from her chair, facing the twins. The three members of the Viancourt went mute behind her.
“We are sorry for putting you through this, and we are sorry for your uncle. It has been decided by this court that you will be permitted to live amongst us. There is no alternative. No way to send you home.” The court clapped lightly behind her, although the twins noticed Garner Sadorus and Tanzea Chase hunched over, whispering. The court arose behind her, believing Juliska would depart the wooden chamber, but she lingered.
“There are a few things you must understand,” she told the twins. “Though guests here, there will be certain events you may not be permitted to attend. Things meant only for the Svoda people. Things that must be kept secret.”
Both Meghan and Colin shook their heads that they understood. They were in an unfamiliar place, with no knowledge of how to get home, but at least they could stay.
Jae will be so relieved, they both thought. The Banon exited the room in the same graceful manner as she had entered. The court followed behind her, but not before Garner got in one last scowl. He had been so anxious to question them yesterday, and today he had not asked them one single question. The twins did know what to think about that.
The note taker still hunched over his desk, scribbling away. After a minute, he noticed the two still standing there, awkwardly.
“Oh, sorry, forgot. This way to get out,” he headed them off to another door. As he pushed them through the door, he advised, “Go down a flight of stairs and then up two levels, and then down a flight. Find yourselves right back where you started.”
He slammed the door behind them.
##
##
They could not get out of the building fast enough. A crowd of around twenty waited, breathlessly, Jae in front. Colin gulped, seeing a few Svoda off to the side, glaring. Meghan answered the group’s question.
“They said we can stay.” Jae was instantly relieved. The glaring Gypsies stormed off, muttering to each other. This clearly was not the decision they had expected. Jae introduced the twins to his family.