The Book, The Witches, and the Doorway (Fated Chronicles Book 1)

by Humphrey Quinn

  “You fell off the bed, just making sure nothing’s broken. Must have been some dream. You okay?”

  “Yeah, except, I feel kind of beat up.” Every muscle in her body ached, and the flames still burned hot in her mind.

  Colin arrived with the water.

  “I made it extra cold.”

  It was hint enough to confirm that he had indeed been stuck in her dream. After making sure she was not physically injured, Arnon sighed, relieved, and ordered the twins back to bed. As soon as their uncle was back in his own bed, she sat up.

  “Colin,” she said through her thoughts.

  “Are your dreams always that fun?”

  “Very funny, Col. It was so real. I never have such vivid dreams. You disappeared. What happened?”

  “Uncle Arnon woke me. You had fallen off the bed and he came running in. You were flopping around having some sort of seizure or something.”

  She wrinkled her nose at the thought of wobbling around on the floor uncontrollably as others watched.

  “What happened after I left the dream?” Colin asked cautiously, unsure he wanted to hear it.

  “The flames overtook me, the other Meghan disappeared, and I became her. I was standing there on fire, Colin. The really strange part is the fire didn’t burn me. It was hot, but it didn’t burn. And then, the little girl came back and said…” she hesitated.

  “What? What did she say?”

  “She said, ‘I am no longer alone’ and something about being sorry about something.” It was starting to become fuzzy in Meghan’s memory.

  “What does that mean?”

  “How do I know?” she snapped back, silently.

  “Sorry.” He waited for her to continue.

  “If I had to, Col, I’d swear it really happened.”

  “I would say it’s official now, we have been at camp for a hardly a day and already it’s the strangest summer we have ever had.”

  Meghan could not argue with that fact. “I’m tired now,” she muttered. “Night, Col. Going back to sleep.”

  “Okay, and a, no more dreams, or at least, leave me out of it, huh?”

  She did not reply, and secretly hoped it would never happen again. She tossed and turned, the dream refusing to leave her thoughts, the heat of the flames still nagging at her subconscious. With each passing minute aggravation kept her from falling asleep and annoyance replaced confusion and concern.

  Colin also had trouble falling back to sleep. His thoughts reeled through various topics, but none more so than how he had ended up in his sister’s dream. He must have hooked onto her thoughts while they were sleeping. It had never happened before, but their ability had changed over the years, so why not again?

  Then, an alarm went off in his head. How would they control this new ability if it happened while they were sleeping? Would and could this happen every night?

  It was a devastating thought. Not only because of the interruption in their sleep, or being forced to participate in his sister’s dreams, but that his dreams were the one place no one, including his mind-reading sister, could ever get into. It was his only safe place. The only place he was completely free. He could not allow it to happen again!

  “How do I stop it though?” he whispered. “How do I control something that happens while I’m sleeping?” Unsure of how to control this new step in their abilities, he attempted to clear his mind, hoping it would be enough. He tossed and turned, pulling the covers over his head, and waited impatiently for sleep.

  CHAPTER 5

  Sebastien arrived the next morning, and the trio headed to the lake, not too far from their favorite sideways growing tree. They looked forward to a morning boat trip. In minutes, they arrived and found Kanda’s boat, tied up at a dock near the shore.

  “It might take all morning just to get that knot out,” sighed Colin.

  “Nah! I can get it out in no time,” Sebastien promised, setting in to untying the mess of rope that was keeping the boat attached to the dock. After fifteen minutes, he had made little progress, and the trio’s excitement waned.

  A presumptuous voice startled them from behind.

  “I could help you with that.”

  They spun around to see a gangly looking lad leaning against a tree with his arms loosely crossed. The twins recognized him from the gypsy caravan. He’d been a member of the family that had lagged behind, and had dropped his suitcase. His dangly hair hid his face, just as it had before.

  The trio gawked awkwardly at the scrawny boy, but did not answer.

  “Okay,” the boy said smugly. “You don’t need any help, then?”

  “Sorry,” said Meghan. “You startled us.”

  “Didn’t mean to. But I’m pretty good with knots,” he boasted.

  “I can’t seem to make any progress,” said Sebastien, stepping aside. “Be my guest.” He motioned for the boy to give a try.

  The boy knelt down taking a look over the knot, before hiding the rope from view. Just a minute later he stood up, rope in hand. The stunned trio clapped their hands, astounded at how dexterously he had done it.

  “Wow! Thanks!” said Meghan, smiling at the boy.

  “Was nothing,” he insisted, suddenly sheepish.

  Sebastien kept his frown to himself, or so he'd thought.

  He caught the moody young man's gaze, which froze mid swing by, recognition registering in the briefest of moments as their eyes met. They were both hiding something. The look was familiar.

  Funny, not funny, thought Sebastien. And he followed that up with a quick reminder to keep his feelings to himself on the matter because letting anyone else in on his secret was a stupidly clumsy maneuver, accidental or not. He straightened his features, returning to the part he was fast growing tired of playing.

  New boy was a cheater though, and Sebastien wasn't even able to call him out on it. Guy had totally used magic when they weren't looking, to unravel that knot. There's no other explanation for how he got it untied so fast.

  And Sebastien was annoyed by this, why? Other far more important things to deal with—he reminded himself. Like, this guy shouldn't be trusted. He was a stranger and worse, from the gypsy camp. But even Sebastien had to admit it was very unlikely the guy was here to hurt Meghan or Colin. Regardless, he wouldn't be letting his guard down.

  “My name is Meghan, by the way, and that is my brother, my twin brother, Colin. And this is our friend Sebastien.”

  “Name’s Jae. I’m staying in the camp too. You might have noticed all the wagons.”

  “Yeah, we saw them,” piped in Colin. “We were eating breakfast when you guys arrived in the camp. You’re staying in those wagons that are always empty. And I really like the music you play on those strange looking guitars, too.” Colin realized he had said a mouthful and was afraid he had given away the fact that they had been spying. His face turned beet red and he cast his gaze to the ground.

  Jae did not seem to care.

  “We were about to paddle around the lake,” explained Meghan. “Would you care to join us?”

  “Um…” His gaze shifted back and forth between the campground and the boat, apparently struggling with the decision. A bit of the smugness disappeared, replaced with hints of both sadness and fear. “You know what? I will come. I just… I can’t stay out for too long.”

  “We never stay out for too long anyway,” said Colin. “My sister gets bored fast.”

  She huffed out an incoherent grumble.

  Jae chuckled. “How about I paddle?” he suggested as they hopped in. “I haven’t had the chance in ages.”

  The twins certainly did not mind. This meant they could sit back and enjoy the ride as they knew Sebastien would insist on taking the second paddle. They shoved off from the dock, heading toward the middle of the lake. The water was clear and cool. Patches of fog rolled along the water fighting to survive as the sun rose higher in the sky. Minnows swam near the surface, toying with the lake spiders as they glided across, leaving tiny waves in their wak
e.

  Colin sat in the middle of the boat, with Jae in the front, leaving Meghan and Sebastien sharing the back seat. Meghan watched him row, thinking to herself how well he did it. Every motion was smooth and effortless.

  She did not linger in her daydream long however.

  “You like Sebastien. You like Sebastien.” Colin’s taunt echoed into her mind. Meghan’s temper was instantly hot, but she ignored him. Sharing thoughts with a brother sucked. They really needed to figure out a way to block each other better.

  “But then of course, I’d never know when my little brother was in trouble and needed me to come to his rescue. Again...” She shot the thought into his brain like a canon.

  It was Colin’s turn to grumble. His taunt ended.

  Sebastien eyed the two siblings. They were doing it again. Talking to each other through their minds.

  Jae didn’t notice them at all, sitting at the front of the boat. He was too enthralled by the chirps and buzzes from frogs, insects, and birds. Fish jumping, eating the insects. Loons warbling some distance away. The last of the fog lifted and sun beamed down. Its heat frightened away the mosquitos. Which was a good thing, otherwise they’d have spent the entire day swatting instead of paddling or relaxing.

  “We heading in any particular direction?” asked Jae, after they reached the lake’s center.

  “My votes for the marshes,” said Sebastien. “Sometimes there’s large lake turtles in there.”

  “Turtles?” questioned Jae tensely. “How large exactly?”

  “I’ve seen a couple close to two feet,” bragged Sebastien.

  The smugness returned, with Jae’s under-his-breath reply, which none of the three could decipher.

  “What was that, Jae?” asked Meghan.

  “Hope we get to see one,” he stated, clearly not repeating what he had actually said.

  “Be careful as we get closer, it’s easy to get tangled in the plants,” Sebastien warned.

  Jae signaled back, okay.

  Meghan lifted her hand out of the water, which had been skimming the surface, having no desire to feel slimy plants against her skin.

  “So, Jae,” she started, “where is your caravan from?”

  Colin was glad she had finally asked, seeing as he had wanted to, but had not dared.

  Jae answered the question as if he had rehearsed the answer a hundred times.

  “Traveling is our life. We are not from any one place.”

  “Have you always traveled around?” asked Colin.

  “Yes. Always.”

  “We have too,” explained Colin. “With our uncle.”

  “I can’t believe you would do so by choice,” said a clearly baffled Jae. “Wouldn’t you rather live in just one place?” Disbelief replaced the arrogance in Jae’s voice. Then, once again, he changed his mind. “I mean, I can understand why your uncle would choose to travel, there really is no better way to live.”

  Meghan, Colin, and Sebastien were mystified by Jae’s incessant turns in attitude.

  Colin explained his own position on the subject.

  “Cobbscott is the only place we visit for any real length of time; four entire months every summer. It is definitely my favorite place, but living here year round would not be fun at all. Once the campground closes for winter, the town shuts down. It would be quite boring, cold, and snowy. Mostly though, I like traveling because that means Uncle Arnon is my teacher, and I don’t have to attend normal school.”

  “Definitely right on that count!” agreed Meghan. “I have no idea how people survive real school. Although, I suppose one day it might be nice to live in just one place. When I’m older maybe. Can’t imagine where I’d want to live though.”

  The conversation ended and the rowing ceased as the boat came to a slow stop. The foursome listened and watched for anything interesting in the water, the surface of which was still and glass-like. Colin noticed that all the minnows and lake spiders had disappeared.

  “Ah let’s go! This is boring,” blurted out Meghan after too many minutes of nothing.

  Colin snickered.

  “Yeah, yeah. So what? I said it. I’m bored.”

  “Knew you would,” sneered Colin. Score one for me, Sis… he sent silently, with a grin.

  Jae laughed at the two of them. “You guys remind me of my sister and myself. I guess all siblings are the same, no matter where…” he trailed off, turning his gaze forward again. “Where to next?”

  “It will take a bit to get back,” said Sebastien. “Maybe we should call it a day?”

  The twins agreed.

  Sebastien and Jae started to paddle, but the boat refused to move.

  “What’s going on?” asked a frustrated Sebastien.

  They searched the water below anxiously, but saw nothing to get stuck on.

  A low moan echoed from underneath the boat.

  Meghan plunked down with a gasp, grasping her seat. “What was that?”

  “Nothing to worry about, I’m sure,” reassured Sebastien, still looking over the boat’s edge, alongside Colin.

  “We need to get free!” yelled Jae, suddenly sounding panicked.

  Meghan, Colin, and Sebastien started to reach Jae’s level of panic when bubbles of foamy water began surging up the sides of the boat. The surge splashed Colin’s face, which daringly still dangled over the boat’s edge.

  He leaned back with a jerky movement. “There’s something down there!” He stumbled sideways, over his seat.

  “Grab him!” shouted Meghan. “He’s gonna tip the boat!”

  Jae gently lunged forward and steadied Colin, stabilizing the boat.

  Sebastien picked up his paddle and attempted to get the boat moving. Jae joined him, but the boat did not budge.

  Colin stood back up and from a more distant vantage point, carefully looked into the water. More bubbles burst to the surface. “There is something down there,” he insisted, plunking down onto his seat.

  “What exactly do you mean by something down there?” asked Jae, with growing agitation.

  “Look for yourselves!” Colin challenged, gripping the edge of the boat, hoping not to fall out.

  “There’s nothing in these waters, it’s a lake,” argued Sebastien.

  “Just telling you what I saw,” said Colin, determined not to move from his seat.

  Meghan sat next to Sebastien, peering over the edge afraid she might actually see something down in the water, but was straight back in her seat when the boat began rocking violently.

  The moaning below the boat resonated so much that it felt as though the boat might vibrate into shreds. More bubbles escaped to the surface, boiling around the walls of the boat. Sebastien and Jae stopped paddling. They needed all their strength just to stay seated.

  Jae looked as if he might be sick.

  “This is my fault,” he mumbled. “I shouldn’t have come. I’m going to be in so much trouble.” No one responded. They were too frightened to care what Jae meant.

  Inwardly, however, Sebastien was calculating different causes and reactions. Time froze in his mind, almost like he'd heard described by others, when suddenly thrust into a potentially life-altering moment. His life, his actions, his lies, his unlived future…it flashed in vivid images all at once. So fast, and yet so clear.

  Had Jae and his caravan brought some evil thing to the campground?

  Was something trying to hunt Meghan and Colin?

  Was this the thing he'd always been lying in wait for? Would he need to out himself to his friends? Was the lie about to end?

  It didn't matter in the end—protect the twins at all costs. That was his job. The rest would have to work itself out.

  The boat began to rise up out of the lake. Water seeped in through a crack forming in the bottom. Meghan screamed and fell into Sebastien’s lap as the boat lurched to the side. There was no time for embarrassment over falling into his lap as seconds later, the four passengers were tossed out of the boat and into the frigid, slimy-plant and leec
h-filled water.

  Meghan and Sebastien surfaced beside each other, looking more plant-like than human. Meghan choked on a slimy weed that found its way into her mouth.

  Jae had already started swimming to shore.

  Sebastien helped Meghan clear the tangle of plants surrounding her and they followed Jae.

  A voice rang out in Meghan’s mind. “Sis,” it called, hesitantly.

  “Colin!” She sensed panic in her brother’s mind and swam faster. Sebastien made it to shore with Meghan right behind. He started to help her out of the water when his hand dropped, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

  “I know I look like crap right now, but give a girl a break, huh!”

  Sebastien could not speak. He could only point over her head, at the lake.

  She stood at the water’s edge and turned around.

  “Impossible!” she whispered, nearly falling back into the water. The boat was broken, split down the middle and partly sunken, with Colin sitting upright, seemingly on the surface of the water.

  “I’ve landed on it,” he whispered ominously, pointing below the surface.

  “Keep very still,” said Jae with growing unease.

  “How do we get him out?” cried Meghan.

  The water around Colin began to bubble again.

  “Grab onto something,” ordered Sebastien.

  “What would you suggest I grab onto exactly?” Colin shouted. Something began to surface, lifting him completely out of the water. A monstrous set of antlers appeared, covered in lake plants, followed by a massive muscular body. Colin straddled the animal’s back. It had to be seven feet tall, the antlers nearly six feet wide.

  Recognition seemed to hit everyone at once.

  It was a moose, just a moose.

  “I should’ve known,” Sebastien said, deflating. “What else that big would be underneath the water around here?” His mind had automatically drawn much darker conclusions. But sometimes, it was just a moose. He almost laughed at the absurdity of what he'd been about to do, in outing himself and magic—over a moose! Granted, a giant one hiding under the water and they were not always friendly, or so uncaring of human presence.