by Nicole Maggi
“Surprisingly, yes. But she’s been a mess for a long time and I don’t want to push it.” Bree ran her finger around the rim of her mug. “It’s so weird—it’s like the minute my dad starts to shrink, she starts to grow.”
“Your dad kept her down for a long time,” I said, remembering all the things Jonah had told me about how his mom used to be the breadwinner of the Wolfe house, and then his dad made her quit her job and stay at home after he was hired by the Guild. “Maybe she’s finally getting her chance to step up again.”
Bree looked out the kitchen window. A gust of wind rattled the pane. “Maybe. I hope so. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”
“I won’t say anything,” I promised.
“Thanks.” She looked back at me. “You know, we make a good team, Jacobs. Who would’ve thought?”
I grinned at her.
Nerina appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, her phone pressed to her ear. “How many did you say there were?” She was speaking in Italian, so I assumed it was a Concilio member on the other end of the line. “But that’s impossible.”
A voice crackled through the phone, not quite loud enough for me to hear. “Yes, perhaps they did transfer them from another site,” Nerina continued. “That would be the best explanation. I don’t even want to think what the worst might be.”
Bree nudged me. “Translation, please?”
I translated Nerina’s side of the conversation for Bree while Nerina said good-bye and hung up. “What was all that about?”
Nerina tapped the phone against her mouth. “That was our Concilio member who is stationed at the Angel Falls site. Last night they attempted to retake the site and were met by a horde of Malandanti.”
“Did we retake it?” I asked at the same time that Bree said, “What do you mean, a horde?”
“No, they failed. There were over two dozen Malandanti. They were lucky to get out alive,” Nerina said.
“But that’s impossible,” I said, echoing what Nerina had said moments earlier.
“Yes, I know.” Nerina gazed out the window for a long moment, her eyes fixed on the gray sky. “But there are possibilities, things we don’t even want to imagine.”
“You said not to underestimate the Malandanti,” I said, “so we have to imagine them.”
“Sí, you are right.” Nerina snapped her attention back to me. “By the way, I want you to take Cal out on patrol with you tonight.”
“What? Why? I wasn’t allowed on patrol for, like, weeks after I was Called,” I said, following her back into the living room where Heath and Cal sat on the couch. If Jonah was there tonight, having Cal around was going to be a major hindrance.
“We don’t have time for that,” Heath said. “He needs to get the lay of the land around the Waterfall.”
“I don’t want to get into another confrontation with the Malandanti,” I said, giving Cal a pointed look.
“I’m really sorry about that,” Cal said, a look of contrition painted across his features. On most other people it would seem phony, but you could tell it was genuine on him. He had a good heart—the Concilio wouldn’t have Called him if he didn’t—and that radiated out through his face. “I was rash and dumb, and it won’t happen again.”
“Don’t go past the birch trees,” Nerina suggested. “They won’t consider us a threat unless we get too close to the barrier.”
I looked at Heath with pleading in my eyes. “Can’t you come? I don’t know the first thing about Guiding someone.”
Heath stumbled backward with his hand over his heart, like I’d shot him with an arrow. “That hurts, Alessia. That really hurts.”
“Oh, come on.” I rolled my eyes. “You just barely finished training me. I don’t know why everyone thinks I’m ready to be a Guide.”
“You are a lot more ready than you think, cara,” Nerina said.
“I have faith in you,” Cal piped up from the couch. I half-laughed, half-snorted. Okay, maybe there was something kind of refreshing about his enthusiasm. I’d only been in the Clan for like four months, and I was already jaded. Maybe if I’d been Called at a time when the Guild hadn’t been breathing down our necks, if my boyfriend hadn’t turned out to be a Malandante, I would be just as gung ho about the Benandanti as Cal was. But there were too many ifs and maybes now, and my heart had been broken one too many times.
But if Jonah was at the Waterfall tonight, I’d have to figure out a way to keep Cal and his enthusiasm out of the way.
Bree sauntered into the room, her hands wrapped around her refilled mug of coffee. Cal took one look at her, sat up straighter, and smoothed his hair down. I’d become so used to Bree’s presence that I’d forgotten the effect she had when you saw her for the first time, with that long raven hair and crystal-green eyes. Her usually luminous skin was still mottled with bruises and cuts, which made its own impression. She looked like a porcelain doll that could take you down with a single blow.
Cal cleared his throat and got to his feet. “Hi, I’m Cal. I don’t think we’ve met yet.”
Bree leveled her gaze at him. “Bree. I’m the mage.”
Cal glanced from her to Nerina. “What’s a mage?”
“A mage is the person who’s going to save your ass in battle,” Bree said. She took Cal’s offered hand, a slow grin stretching her mouth wide. As they stood staring at each other, their hands still clasped, I saw Nerina roll her eyes and shake her head. I bit my lip to keep from laughing out loud. So much for her plan to distract me from Jonah.
Bree pulled her hand free from Cal’s and turned to the rest of us. “Alessia and I were just at my house,” she announced.
Nerina rounded on her. “What? Without any kind of protection?”
“That was really risky, Bree,” Heath said.
“We’re here, aren’t we?” Bree shrugged. “So it all worked out okay.”
“Why on earth did you go back there? You know the Harpy is looking for you.”
Bree’s gaze flickered to me. I gave a tiny shake of my head, so small that Heath and Nerina missed it. But I could’ve sworn Cal saw it. His eyes narrowed at me. I ignored him.
“I needed to check on my mom. She’s not doing great, obviously,” Bree said. “We eavesdropped outside my dad’s office. He was in there with Pratt—”
“—the Raven,” I supplied to Cal.
“—and they were talking about the Guild, about them having a failsafe in place in case something like this happened.”
Nerina clenched her jaw. “Did they say what it was?”
“No.” Bree leaned against the mantel over the fireplace. “Could it have something to do with the telephone call you just had?”
“Yes. Or no. It could be anything.” Nerina ran her red-nailed fingertip over her bottom lip. How she had time to keep her hands perfectly manicured, I had no idea. “There are so many pieces flying around. It is hard to see how they fit together, sí? But at least we know they are planning something. And I would bet it involves one of the sites they still control.”
“I’ll hit the books we salvaged from your lair,” Bree said.
“I’ll help you,” Heath offered.
“And I’ll see if I can find out anything at the Waterfall tonight.” I crossed the room until I stood right in front of Cal. “Listen. Tonight, on patrol, if I tell you to do something, you do it. No matter what. No questions asked. Okay?”
Cal nodded. “Absolutely. No problem.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Should I—stay here? Help with the research?” He shot a look at Bree, who tossed her hair back and ignored him. Wow, she really had that hard-to-get thing down.
“No, you should get some rest before patrol tonight,” Nerina said before I could answer. “Sleep now while you can.”
Cal looked a little crestfallen, but he obeyed Nerina and left. “He could’ve helped,” I said to her. “Three pairs of eyes are better than two.”
“The last thing we need right now is for our mage to get distracted,�
�� Nerina said.
“I resent that,” Bree snapped. “I’m not Alessia.”
“Hey, I resent that,” I said.
“Stop it, you two,” Nerina said, heading for the den. “There’s enough teenage angst in this house as it is.”
“I don’t do angst,” Bree said, and the two of them bickered all the way into the den, their voices carrying back into the living room.
I ran my hands through my hair and looked at Heath. “Please come with me tonight. Please.”
He slung his arm around my shoulder. “You really are ready to be a Guide. I wouldn’t have let Nerina choose you if I didn’t think so.” I avoided his eyes. Better to let him think that was the reason I wanted him to come. But Heath was smarter than that. He pulled his arm away. “You want to talk to Jonah tonight, don’t you?”
“If he’s on patrol, yes.” I swallowed hard. “If he knows something about this failsafe, he’ll tell me.”
“And if the Malandanti find out what he’s doing . . .”
“I know.” I gripped Heath’s hand. “But I need to talk to him. And it will be harder with Cal there. This way you can keep Cal occupied and I can . . .”
Heath closed his eyes and inhaled deep. “Fine. Fine.” He jabbed a finger at me. “But I hope your Padawan will someday cause you as much stress as you’ve caused me.”
My heart pounded loud as I flew away from Jenny’s house that night. Heath and Cal streaked across the ground below, their auras shimmering like beacons in the dark. We headed for my farm and led Cal down my driveway and over the hill behind the house.
Will you rebuild it? Cal asked when we passed the ruins of the burned barn.
I hope so. I flew over the stone wall that marked the edge of our property, while Cal and Heath leapt over it. And Nerina’s underground hideout too. But not until it’s safe to come back here.
Not until we destroy them, right?
It’s a lot easier said than done, Heath said. The war between the Benandanti and Malandanti has been raging for centuries.
But there’s something about now, isn’t there? asked Cal. Somehow it feels like it’s all coming to a head, doesn’t it?
I swerved around the tops of tall pine trees, the wind whistling through my feathers. Cal was right. It did feel like the war was coming to a head. I wondered if it felt like that just because I was part of it now, if every generation of Benandanti had felt the same as me. Was I just one small part of the longer story, or was I appearing in the final chapters?
We can only hope you’re right, Heath said, interrupting my solitary thoughts, and that we are the ones who prevail.
Up ahead, the birch trees came into view. I dropped low, darting through and around bare branches until I reached the birches. This is as far as you go, I told Cal.
True to his word, Cal didn’t protest. He belly-crawled into the thickest part of the copse and hunkered down. Heath picked his way into the brush just beyond the birches. You go ahead, he said to me.
I almost didn’t want to crest the trees. If Jonah wasn’t there . . . I’d gotten my hopes so high that even the idea was crushing. I had to remind myself there was a good chance he wouldn’t be there, that he was still trapped inside the Guild. With heavy wings, I rose up and over the back side of the stream, peering into the magical bubble below.
Almost immediately, the Raven’s hateful black shape loomed just inside the barrier at the top of the Waterfall. He beat his wings, so fast and so mocking that I wanted to punch through the barrier and slice his throat open with my talons. I know who you are, I thought at him, my body humming with anger. I know what you’re doing.
Alessia?
I tumbled backward in the air, the sound of Jonah’s voice in my head a shot of sweet pain. Tearing myself away from the Raven, I rounded the barrier and flew down to the pool at the base of the Waterfall. Jonah stood on its banks, his paws sinking deep into the snowy ground there. I felt you, he said to me. I heard what you said to the Raven.
Jonah! My body shook with relief and gratitude that he was there, that he was alive, that he seemed to be okay. I flew close to the barrier, remembering just in time how much it would hurt if I actually hit it. Are you all right? What did they do to you?
Wait. He leapt lightly up the rocks at the side of the Waterfall. The Raven fluttered down to meet him. After a moment, Jonah wheeled around and burst through the barrier. Go. Fly like I’m chasing you.
I took off like an arrow through the trees, over the brush, and past the birches. Jonah rushed after me. I heard Cal howl as he ran past, but Heath muffled his cry with one of his own. I had no idea what Heath would say to explain this to Cal, but I couldn’t worry about that now. I drew Jonah far away from the Waterfall, back over the stone wall, all the way to the shadowy ruins of our barn. There was no moon tonight, and the crumbling structure would hide us from anyone or anything that happened past.
Jonah crouched beside the remnants of the milking pens, the blackness of his form blending into the dark so that only his green eyes showed. I fluttered down to him and pressed my face into his neck. Are you okay? Where have you been?
They’ve been keeping me at the Guild in Bangor, he said.
What did they do to you after they came back and found us gone?
I felt him shudder against me. He shifted so that I could settle between his front paws, almost like an embrace. It wasn’t close enough, but it would have to do. They weren’t happy. But I think they believed me, that you guys overpowered me and escaped. I mean, they must have, because they didn’t kill me. But they were definitely suspicious.
And they’ve been keeping you locked up since then?
Yes. It’s been a regular reeducation camp.
A sick feeling dropped in my gut. What do you mean? Have they been . . .
I didn’t need to say the word; Jonah felt it in my mind. No, they haven’t been torturing me. Not physically, anyway.
Then . . . what? I didn’t want to know, but I needed to.
They never leave me alone. There’s always a Malandanti—or a member of the Concilio—with me. His aura crackled, the anger from his words fueling it with energy. If there’s one thing the Malandanti are experts in, it’s mind games.
Oh, Jonah.
His eyes met mine and in their jeweled depths I saw a twinkle, the spark of the Jonah I knew and loved. Luckily, I am even more skilled at mind games than they are. After all, I learned from the master.
Bree?
Bree, he confirmed, a note of laughter in his voice. Is she okay?
She’s healing. She’s worried about you. I nestled my head right against his throat, feeling the thrum of his pulse there. We went to your house today and overheard your dad and Pratt talking. Something about a failsafe.
I’ve heard them mention it too. Before I could ask, he answered. I don’t know what it is. No way are they trusting me with that information.
Damn. I arced my head back and forth, stroking the curve of his neck with my face.
But it might have something to do with the Tibetan site.
Why do you think that?
Because half the Concilio left for Tibet last night.
I pulled away from him. Really? That’s huge. Thanks. I’ll tell my Clan to start looking there.
Don’t thank me. I’m just doing what’s right. His paw scratched the ground. Come back here. I snuggled back into him. We were silent for a long moment. I listened to his heartbeat, deep and strong.
Do you think they’ll let you come back to school soon?
I hope so. Maybe tomorrow. He lowered his head so that it rested on my feathery back. I’m definitely gaining back their trust. That’s why they let me out on patrol tonight. Plus . . .
I held my breath. What is it?
I think . . . I don’t know . . . it feels like they’re desperate.
What do you mean?
Well, look what happened at the Guild. Why didn’t they just kill me for letting you get away?
Because they
can’t lose a Clan member.
Yes . . . because it would take too long to find a replacement and train him, right? But why? They’ve done it before, killed someone for stepping out of line, I know they have. So why take the time then and not now?
Because the war is coming to a head, I answered, echoing Cal’s words. Because they don’t have the time to spare.
Exactly. Jonah tilted his head upward, his gaze fixed on the stars above us. They’re in a precarious position and they know it. I think they used to believe that a Malandanti victory was a given, and it’s not anymore.
No, I said, it’s not. At least I hope it’s not.
Jonah brought his head back down, pressed his face to mine. And I hope I’m on the right side when it does end.
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Not when wishing for such a thing meant the death of one of my Clan. Cold wind swept through the ruins, rustling my feathers and Jonah’s fur. He brought his hind legs in closer, curling tighter around me. Who was that Catamount?
Our Lynx replacement. We just Called him last night. Oh, and I’ve been chosen as his Guide. So not my decision.
Ugh, that sucks. Like you need one more thing on your plate. He paused. Him?
Yeah, it’s a guy from Willow Heights High. He’s all like, “Being a Benandante is the best thing ever!” Makes me want to vomit.
Uh-huh. Jonah moved slightly away from me. So he’s a, uh, kid . . . like us?
Yeah. He’s a senior.
Do you like him?
He’s okay, I guess.
Jonah backed away even more, and I looked up at him.
Oh, my God, no! Not like that at all. Come on. I can’t deal with your jealousy on top of everything else.
Sorry. He resettled next to me. It’s just, you get to spend all this time with him and we have to lie to everyone in order to meet.
I know. I hate it too.
The wind swept through the barn, rattling the loose fragments of burned wood. Clouds shifted over the moonless sky, turning everything smoky gray. I should get back, Jonah said. I could feel the tug of sorrow in his words, the same tug I felt in my heart. I’m going to tell him I injured you, so don’t follow me.