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

by Humphrey Quinn

  He continued, without letting them speak.

  “I would say three, no, four times a week will do. That should get you caught up on history and beginner skills in time for your exams.”

  “At least it’s not every night,” thought Colin dejectedly.

  “In a couple of days I will send a tutor to your house. You’re staying with the Mochrie family, yes, yes all right. I won’t lie!” he barked at them. “This will be a difficult six weeks for you. But not to worry. A little hard work never killed anyone!” He laughed in his high-pitched voice, which reverberated off the barren walls. “After fall exams, there is no telling when the next chance of passing the class will be, since we have a break for the holidays, and then of course, we move on.”

  The twins gawked at each other and Meghan butted in without waiting, or asking permission. “Excuse me, Sir, but moving on to where?”

  Muckle Mauch stopped; the expression on his face went blank.

  “Sorry, what?” he asked, his eyes widening a little.

  Meghan wondered if she had spoken out of turn, and would end up doing lines, instead of her homework.

  “This is not part of my job,” he explained. “I advise you how to succeed in passing class levels, which should be your number one concern. However, I suppose it’s possible you don’t understand how things work.” He sucked in deeply and said in a well-rehearsed manner, “We are not advised where we will go next, that is for Banon Blackwell and the Viancourt to research and decide. Get used to it. It happens every few months or so.”

  It was not exactly the answer the twins were looking for, but they had no chance to think about it or question further. The advisor had them back on topic and scheduling tutor times in the blink of an eye.

  On their way to class, they regretted that the time was coming when they would say goodbye to Uncle Eddy. Even more so, they regretted that the time they did have, would be lessened even more by schoolwork.

  “I know it seems inevitable, Col, but we haven’t asked him about staying behind when the Svoda leave Grimble,” said Meghan.

  “Somehow, I think I already know the answer, Sis. But we can still ask,” he added, trying to keep up hope. They headed to class, which was already in session, running into Jae at the door; he held a stack of books, with his hand on the doorknob.

  “How’d ya like Muckle Mauch?” he asked with a sardonic eyebrow lift.

  She let out a terse laugh. “Considering all the tutoring he set up for us, not so keen right now.”

  “Teacher Lindy asked me to grab a few books for her. You guys coming back to class?”

  “Unfortunately,” droned Meghan. Jae finished opening the door and entered, followed by Meghan. Her eye caught a lit candle sitting in the corner of the room.

  That’s all it took. A single flame. Meghan touched the doorknob and the floor swayed beneath her. From the corner of her eye, in the flame, there was a shadow. She jerked her head away, not wanting to see it, hoping desperately it was not another warning of an imminent attack.

  Colin steadied her, shutting the door gently.

  “Are you all right? Is it the Firemancy thing again?”

  “Maybe,” she said, wishing she hadn’t touched the door knob after Jae. She detested this new ability.

  “We need to get to class,” reminded her brother.

  Meghan’s pocket stirred and the baby Catawitch poked its head over the edge, meowing softly.

  As Colin took hold of the doorknob, Meghan turned and suddenly fled the school.

  “What are you doing?” Colin flung the thought at her disappearing figure.

  “Just something I gotta do,” she sent back, putting her mind block firmly in place to keep him out of her thoughts.

  “Wonderful,” Colin said through his teeth. “What am I going to tell the teacher?” He entered the classroom, and thought half-sarcastically, and half-truthfully, “I think she’s completely lost her mind.”

  Teacher Lindy was guiding a student through moving objects, without touching them.

  “Concentrate, Marvin. This is where you always mess up! I know you can do this.” The rest of the class cheered the boy on as he focused on moving a heavy stack of pillows through the air. The goal was to have them land neatly in an outlined square.

  Colin waited near the door, not wanting to interrupt or get in the way. Once the stack was positioned nicely in the square the class cheered and crowded around the exhausted boy. Teacher Lindy cheered happily.

  “Splendid job! You’re going to pass the exam this time, Marvin, I can feel it! Well done.”

  Marvin looked to be around eleven, and was one of the older students in the class, other than the twins and Jae. And Daveena. And the girl named Maria. Colin wasn’t sure how old she was, her face looked young. And she always smiled kindly and said hello when passing them in the hall, or down the street. But she had to be older than anyone else in the class. He wondered why.

  “Okay, back to your pillows class, and we shall begin again. Who would like to go next?” There were no volunteers. Teacher Lindy noticed Colin working his way to an empty pillow. Her eyes perked up. “Aha! Colin Jacoby. I think it’s time for you and… where’s your sister, still with advisor Mauch?”

  At the name, the students squealed under their breath. The teacher gave them a, you’re-a-naughty-class look, and the giggling ended. Colin tried in vain to think up an excuse.

  “Uh, she is… she fell ill, had to go home, I think.”

  “Home? Did she get a letter of excuse?” the teacher prodded.

  “A what?”

  “Letter of excuse, excusing her from school. Only valid written permission allows a student to miss school.”

  “Oh, um, you’d have to ask Meghan. I’m not sure, Teacher Lindy.” Colin didn’t know what else to say. He knew his sister did not have a letter of excuse.

  “Too bad,” the teacher exclaimed. “Exciting day today, trying to move pillows.”

  “She’s a little too excited over such a simple task,” whispered Colin to Jae, while taking his seat on a pillow. Jae winked his reply.

  “Since you’re here, Mr. Jacoby,” the teacher continued, “why don’t you take a turn?” She used magic to move the pillow stack out of the square, strewing them about. “All you need to do is collect and stack the pillows neatly, then move them into the square. The goal is to have them exactly lined up in the square. During the exam, if you are outside of the lines you lose points.”

  Colin was instantly anxious, although he knew he could do this task, no problem. It was completely different though, with a classroom of twenty scrutinizing his every move.

  “After fighting Scratchers, moving a stack of pillows should be easy, right?” he muttered.

  “All you need to do is reach out and feel the energy around you,” the teacher instructed. “Collect it, focus on what you want to accomplish, and use that energy to move those pillows.”

  Colin had already practiced moving objects with Uncle Eddy. Piece of cake he repeated over and over in his mind. Colin closed his eyes, blocking out the students watching. He was aware of the energy surrounding him; it felt diminished in the crowded classroom though. There wasn’t enough for what he needed. Colin peeked at the boy named Marvin, who was still recovering and catching his breath. It had taken nearly all the energy he had to move them.

  “How can I draw more?” mumbled Colin. He reached out beyond the classroom, then the school, and then beyond the Svoda wagons into Grimble, where copious amounts of energy were just waiting to be collected. Within seconds, he was over-filled. Colin’s eyes popped open. He moved his hand swiftly. The pillows were collected and stacked. He hovered the stack three feet in the air and moved them deftly, landing them softly in the square, perfectly aligned.

  The class observed Colin in impressed stupor, including Jae and Teacher Lindy.

  “On the first try. So easy. Spectacular…” she stammered.

  Colin smiled, quite satisfied with his performance. He w
as not tired at all and sat down next to Jae, who patted him on the back.

  “That was great!”

  “How did you do that?” asked the boy named Marvin. “You don’t even look winded.”

  Colin answered honestly. “I could do it again. I’m not winded at all.” Actually, he felt incredible. Powerful. Like the day back in Cobbscott when he had tackled the three bullies. He leaned over to Jae. “I get what you mean,” he whispered.

  “About what?”

  “The power you feel. It makes you feel… huge.” Colin did not know how else to describe it.

  “I wish I could feel it again,” sighed Jae. “I haven’t since I got home.”

  Colin wondered if he could help Jae. But how? Jae already knew more than he did.

  The class forged on, with students trying their hand at moving the pillows. None of the remaining students succeeded.

  Meghan never returned to class. Colin tried to reach out for her.

  “Figures. Blocking me.” He hoped she was not out causing another scene. The rest of the afternoon crawled by. “At least tonight,” he thought, “I can finally visit Uncle Eddy.”

  CHAPTER 28

  Meghan jaunted out of the school and retrieved a note from Juliska Blackwell, which included directions on how to locate her. She followed the map to the ocean’s shore, where a few hundred yards out an island of rock jutted out of the water; a fort had been forged into the rock. She’d seen the top of the fort peeking over the tree tops from the village, but up this close it was an imposing sight.

  From the very top, one could look out over the entire Svoda village. There was only one road leading to the fort. It was cobblestone, like so many other roads in the town. But the sides were lined with dangerous looking spiky rocks that pointed inward, and outward, she assumed to ward off any potential unwanted visitors.

  Meghan approached nervously. Once closer, she saw Juliska’s private Balaton guarding the entrance.

  “State your business?” one of them asked in a gruff voice. He kept his gaze straight forward, not looking at her.

  Meghan got tongue tied and almost turned around and left without explaining. The two guards were imposing just in themselves. Never mind the wall of spikes lining the roadway.

  The second guard’s eyes grazed across her. He nudged his partner. “Jenner, it’s okay, it’s the girl.”

  The other one darted his eyes, curiously, then opened the gate to let her through.

  “You may enter. Banon Blackwell has alerted us to your possible visit.”

  “Thanks,” said Meghan, relieved, but also gratified. Juliska had told them to expect her. Any insecurity she had about her unannounced visit vaporized into the mists of the ocean.

  She stepped through the gate, surprised at the vast courtyard leading to the entrance of the fort. It was a sparse open space. More cobblestone. She thought it was big enough that if necessary, the couple hundred Svoda in the village could stand in the courtyard.

  A petite woman dressed in business attire greeted Meghan at a stone door and led her inside. Before Meghan could make her request to see Juliska, another ornate stone door swung open; Juliska Blackwell strode elegantly into the room. She wasn’t dressed in her normal one piece long-jacket, but instead, a long sleeved tunic, which was form fitted down to her hips then flared slightly; it was a silky, crimson color. Accentuating just how tall and thin she was.

  “Meghan. I’m so pleased you came. Join me on the rooftop.” She followed Juliska up a stone stairwell to an outside room. It was larger than she expected. And although it looked to be carved out of stone, the floor was even and easy to walk on. Juliska led them to a far corner where an overhang shielded them from the day. It wasn’t particularly sunny today though, mostly cloudy and breezy.

  Meghan paused halfway over. “Wow. You can see the entire town from up here.”

  “Yes. Magnificent view, isn’t it?”

  Meghan nodded. She wondered what the real town looked like. Jae had said this was a replica. From this view, it was much bigger than she’d thought.

  “Please, sit,” motioned Juliska. Meghan joined her underneath the overhang. She took a seat at a table, across from Banon. The woman in the business attire reappeared, setting down a tray of food and drink.

  “Your timing could not have been more perfect, Meghan. I was about to have a late breakfast. Please join me if you’re hungry.”

  “Thanks, I am a little hungry.” She helped herself to a biscuit with jelly.

  “Coffee?” asked the woman serving them.

  “Yes, please, Hollee,” said Juliska.

  The woman glanced at Meghan. “Oh, um, no thanks.” She did drink coffee now and then, when she’d lived with Uncle Arnon, but the caffeine often made her jittery and her nerves were already on high alert, just sitting across from Juliska Blackwell.

  “It’s decaf,” said Juliska, shooting a wink in Meghan’s direction.

  “Oh. In that case, sure. Why not?”

  Juliska chuckled. “I love coffee. Can’t handle the caffeine.”

  “My uncle let me drink coffee sometimes,” said Meghan. “But more than a cup and I feel like I can climb walls.”

  Juliska laughed lightly, putting Meghan at ease. “I know what you mean.” She turned to the woman serving them. “Thank you, Hollee. We’re all set for now.” The woman gave them each a short nod and departed, leaving them to speak alone.

  They ate in silence for a few minutes. Sipping on the hot coffee. Without realizing it, Meghan let out a deep sigh.

  Juliska put down her fork. “You’re troubled?” she guessed.

  “I’m not even sure how to begin. Being a Firemancer is,” she clipped her words with a headshake. “There’s this thing happening. A terrible thing, I think. Not to me, unless you count being a seer in the terrible category. Sorry,” she added in haste. “I just mean…”

  Juliska held up her hand to stop her and smiled sympathetically. “Going that well is it?”

  “I’m just having a hard time adjusting. More like, I don’t really understand anything that’s happening.”

  “That is an entirely acceptable way to feel, Meghan. It does take some practice and getting used to.”

  Meghan knew instantly that Juliska understood her.

  “Twice now,” said Meghan, getting to the heart of the visit, “I’ve had this overwhelming feeling. It tells me something is horribly wrong. The frustrating part is that I don’t know what it is, or how to fix it. It’s all so mysterious. Not clear at all.”

  “May I ask, is this occurring around one particular person?”

  Meghan explained her encounters, leaving out Jae’s name.

  “Interesting,” replied Juliska, afterward. “As I’ve said, seeing is a gift and a curse. I’m sure that’s a picture you’re seeing loud and clear.”

  “Yeah, that one’s easy to see,” Meghan replied, rolling her eyes. She enjoyed talking to Juliska. It was easy. Effortless, in a way.

  “Sometimes,” said Juliska, “figuring out the problem comes down to experience and, well, guess work.”

  “How do you guess?” asked Meghan.

  Juliska laughed softly. “Time, I am afraid. Learning to decipher what you feel or see. Understanding if what you’re seeing is the past, present, or future is a good place to begin.”

  “Even if I somehow decipher that, what can I do? I mean, say it’s a current problem, can I actually interfere in someone’s life, if they truly are in danger, or need help?”

  “That depends,” admitted Juliska. “This is where things get tricky. You see, if it is the past, obviously you cannot do anything. Often we see glimpses of the past in order to better understand a current situation. If what you’re seeing is the present or the future, you must determine if it is something that can be fixed. Or if it’s something you should attempt to fix. In the end, you must decide what to do with your knowledge, Meghan.”

  Her eyes widened. “Um. Wow. That’s so much to decide. What if I’m wron
g? What if I make things worse?”

  “I am afraid I may be burdening you, more than helping today,” sighed Juliska.

  “I guess I just didn’t realize how complicated Firemancy would be. I don’t know why, but I thought having visions would make things easier to understand. Not harder.”

  “With time and practice, it will become easier, Meghan. No. Easier is not the word I’m looking for. Manageable. Controllable.” She rose from her chair, pacing elegantly. When she turned back, Meghan gasped. Juliska’s pulled back hair began to fan out around her shoulders, something crawling through her dark strands. There was the slightest sound of tinkling, almost like glass hitting glass.

  “Banon Blackwell, you’ve got a spider in your hair,” she choked out. Juliska didn’t flinch or seem to care. She shifted her hair so Meghan could see the spider.

  “Not to worry. That’s Pajak, my pet.”

  It was big. Far too big. With a black body and silver slits cutting across its legs. And shiny, like it really was made of glass.

  “He serves as a fantastic hair piece when he sleeps.”

  A spider for a pet! When would this new world begin to make sense? Meghan was not fond of spiders and this was the biggest one she had ever seen. It had to have been at least four inches round.

  Juliska ignored Pajak, completely at ease with the spider. She took her seat at the table again.

  Meghan had a hard time keeping her eyes off the freaky looking thing.

  “I’m going to give you something.” Juliska was speaking to her and she’d tuned out for a minute.

  “Okay,” replied Meghan.

  “It’s something an old friend once gave me. Pantin Hollee,” she called out. The same woman that delivered the food came striding in.

  “Yes, Banon Blackwell.”

  “Oh, Hollee, when will you start calling me Juliska?”

  “As I have always answered, only when not on duty, and I’m never not on duty, Ma’am,” the lady called Pantin Hollee replied dutifully.