Horrified gasps, followed by a hundred questions flew at Juliska. She ignored them all and continued.
“They had advised me that a very courageous man from their caravan offered to put the girl into a deep sleep. One she should never have awakened from. He would take her deep in the caves of Eidolon, the Goblin King, storing her body in a glass coffin which would allow her to simply sleep away her life, living in her dreams. At the time, this seemed a better fate than killing the girl, whom they all loved dearly.” Juliska’s bereaved gaze turned to the Flummer family.
The crowd grew quiet, contemplating what she spoke.
Meghan noted Billie Sadorus eyeing the Flummer family. They clearly did not believe what Juliska was saying.
“Those of you in my group will recall the Initiation task I asked of Ivan Crane, to venture into the valley seeking out a man believed held prisoner. The man of which I spoke was none other than the courageous man that tempted fate, and was so cruelly murdered at the hands of the Goblin King.” She explained in clarification to the new group members so they better understood what had occurred. She even retold the tale of the battle that had ended with Colin Jacoby killing a Scratcher, and reminding everyone in her group how they’d questioned how he’d accomplished such a feat.
“I believe I now know how Colin Jacoby did this incredible thing. I believe that he had the help of the Projector, at that moment. For you see, the foolish Mr. Jacoby followed our Initiate and his Learner Companion into the valley. He just could not bear to be left behind while his sister fulfilled her duties. While this was understandable at the time, it has come to my attention just earlier today that Mr. Jacoby discovered this girl, Catrina Flummer, asleep in her coffin. And when he opened the coffin, her sleeping spell was lifted and he brought her back with him.”
More stunned gasps and cries drowned out more questions that the Banon ignored.
“This cunning girl led him to believe she was in danger and needed his help. He hid her. Kept her secret. Even from his own sister.” Juliska’s tone implored her people to comprehend such a vile act.
“This girl, she cannot help it. It is her nature,” Juliska explained.
Meghan looked at Ivan and Jae. They each knew this was not the true story. They had all known about Catrina, a fact she hoped the Banon did not know. For their sakes.
Juliska continued. “I learned all of this, as I said, earlier today, just minutes before we sounded the alarm. And how, you will ask, did I learn of this? From a brave, brave young woman that stepped forward once she discovered this girl.”
“Who?” someone shouted.
“Meghan Jacoby,” Juliska spoke evenly. “Meghan, you see, had a vision about this girl and confronted her brother. He lied. Told her she was wrong, that there was no such girl! But she persisted and discovered the truth. And once she did, confided in me. She could see instantly that this girl was dangerous and feared for her brother’s life.”
Meghan had difficulty listening to Juliska speak. She understood that Juliska needed to keep the people calm, and was trying to cover for her own stupidity, but she felt like Colin and Catrina were now wanted fugitives, guilty of some terrible crime. When the only thing they had ever actually done was kill a Scratcher and fall in love…
“It was in chase of Colin Jacoby and Catrina Flummer that led us to this meadow, to our imprisoned friends and family. During which, we discovered that our enemies have some new weapon that drains our magic.” Juliska then did something Meghan did not expect. She grasped Meghan’s shoulders and pushed her in front of her so everyone could see.
“This brave girl not only confided about this Projector, but today, realized that this weapon did not affect her own Firemancer’s abilities. Something, I, as your leader, did not recognize at the time. It was she that doused the flames that nearly burned our loved ones.”
Eyes lit up in gratitude towards Meghan as Juliska announced this heroic deed. It took every ounce of strength Meghan had not to just crumble, and rather put on a generous and humble smile.
Jae grinned. This is what he had told Juliska…
Juliska allowed Meghan to step back.
She did more than step back. She took the opportunity to slip into the crowd as Juliska continued speaking.
“Most of you know the outcome of the earlier events of today. Colin Jacoby and Catrina Flummer figured out some way to escape, no doubt using her prowess as a Projector. However, because of their escape, we happened upon another discovery. One that will answer the next question I know is on all your minds.”
While she paused from speaking, Meghan hid at the back of the crowd. She saw Ivan up ahead, his head tilted, noticing her standing there. He slid back, standing next to her, Meghan thought, to question Juliska’s story.
“Don’t Ivan,” she begged. “I can’t.”
He nodded that he understood and for once, did not push for answers.
Meghan could not express, in words, how she felt. A shiver came over her, chilling through to her bones. Something about this entire situation just wasn’t right. Her gut instinct told her this, and it was rarely incorrect.
Juliska started speaking again, but Meghan did not hear as Ivan stunned her by doing the most unlikely of things: he put his arm around Meghan’s shoulders, steadying her. She felt instantly that this was not because he liked her, or that he cared about her, but that he simply understood she needed someone to stand by her side, just for this moment. She leaned into him, trembling.
“I don’t understand what I’m feeling right now, Ivan.”
She wasn’t the only one struggling to explain what she meant.
Ivan took a deep breath, twisting his head toward her.
“That’s because you’re beginning to understand who you should truly be afraid of, Meghan. And the truth…”
“Is not pretty,” she breathed out in bitter conclusion. She shimmied out of his grasp, better able to hold herself up now.
Meghan noticed Ivan’s gaze focus elsewhere. It was the girl, Maria. Awake after her wound from the quake earlier, with a small bandage on the side of her head. Ivan winced, seeing her. As if she felt eyes on her, Maria’s gaze shifted and landed on Ivan. Her eyelids fluttered, lips forming a delicate smile. She did not hold the pose long. Too shy.
“You like her.” Meghan stated it, rather smugly. So he really did feel things, or at least, one thing.
His gaze turned back to Meghan. “You’re much more observant that I give you credit for.” And she was not sure he was happy about that, or not.
“And you think I’m infuriating,” Meghan mumbled with an aggravated shake of her head. She looked up to demand just what he did want from her, smarts, or playing the dumb girl, when she saw something she’d have never believed existed.
Ivan was smiling. Not with any reckless abandon. But for Mr. Grumpy All The Time, it might as well have been the sun beaming down in a torrential rain.
Meghan gave up her tirade. It could wait. Until he pissed her off again, which was sure to happen at any moment.
“So what makes Maria so special?” she asked him, tone teasing just a little.
His chest heaved in a weighted breath.
“For one, she doesn’t have the need to share every single thought that enters her mind.”
Meghan stifled a laugh. Yeah, Maria was perfect for Ivan. And could not be more opposite of her and her inability to keep her mouth shut. When she made to tease him again though, his gaze had gone stoic. Whatever amusement he’d found, was over. A hard and fast reminder that the storm was not over yet. This was just a break in the clouds.
And she could keep her mouth shut when she wanted to. Meghan only wished she’d been smart enough to keep it shut before she’d betrayed her own brother.
Yup, break in the clouds. The storm was moving back in.
She tuned back into Juliska, having missed the last few minutes.
“I understand that all of you want to know what happens next. I don’t have all the answers.
We will have to figure out these things, together. The question has arisen on whether we will go our separate ways, back into our groups, and continue as we were, or whether we should join as one group. My answer to this question is neither.”
The crowd listened intently, wondering what other possibility there could be.
“We have discovered a doorway, not previously known or documented in the Book of Doorways.”
“Where does this doorway lead?” a voice called out.
When Juliska answered the crowd inhaled simultaneously, and Meghan Jacoby felt as though she might faint. Was it possible this one thing could go right?
“This door, my friends,” Juliska announced, “will take us home. We are returning to our island.”
CHAPTER 35
Kay Jendaya stepped down a flight of stairs and into her kitchen where her husband Milo was sitting near an open window. The aroma of coffee from his mug was mixing with a twinge of maple wafting in from the trees outside. She set down a handful of laundry that still needed folding onto the counter.
“I found the oddest thing in Sebastien's room just now.” She attempted to play it down, nervously shuffling through the laundry pile.
Milo purposely set down his cup and gave Kay his full attention.
“What did you find?”
She kept diving into the laundry pile, not really doing any actual separating or folding.
“A letter. I've been in his room a few times. I guess somehow I missed it.”
Which was ridiculous. It hadn’t been missed, just hadn’t made itself known to them until their son was ready for them to read it. This wasn’t exactly expected or unexpected, but a dread that had this morning threaded its way into reality.
“Did you read it?” Milo inquired evenly.
“No. Not yet,” she replied, handing it to him. Her hand shook, unable to carry through the act of reading it herself. It had been weeks since Sebastien's last visit. And if he could not face them, and had to leave a letter instead…
But Milo played along. “Well, let’s have a look, shall we?” He grabbed a knife and sliced the envelope open. A maple leaf shimmied its way out, floating in the air, activating a message that had been stored within.
It was their son’s voice who spoke to them.
“Mom. Dad. I'm sorry to tell you like this, but it’s the only safe way. If I came home, I might not have the courage to say this, and leave after. First, I love you both, and hope one day you'll forgive me.”
Nothing like getting right to the point. Kay gripped onto the pile of laundry like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
“I'm sorry, you can’t possibly understand how sorry, but I can't do it. I’m not purposely trying to hurt anyone. You, or Amelia, or anyone, I just… I do not agree with Amelia. Or you.”
He exhaled roughly, those words painful to say aloud.
“I don’t think bringing magic back into the world is a good idea. Perhaps that’s because I’ve spent so much more time out in the world, than you have. And it’s not so much the plan as what Amelia wants from Meghan and Colin. I have no proof. No real evidence other than this continual warning in my gut. You charged me with being their friend, and to look out for them. To protect them, and that’s what I’m going to do. This is the right choice, for me. I can’t live with any other. They are special. But I don’t think they are meant to be part of Amelia’s plan, whatever that is.”
Milo's heart broke with every word his son spoke, but he held the emotion in so as not to panic his wife who looked like she was nearing a meltdown.
“I understand what my actions mean. I won’t be seeing you for a long time. I suppose there’s a chance I won’t see you again. Please know I did not make this decision lightly. I wanted to tell you for some time, but I couldn’t find the courage to. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed, but that is not enough for me to change my mind.”
There was an audible sigh from the leaf recording.
Kay’s eyes were closed, Milo speechless as Sebastien finished.
“I’m sure it won’t be long before Amelia’s informed that I have not checked in, and don’t plan to. She will be furious, and I’m most sorry for the backlash I’m sure you’ll suffer in my place. I’m making a mess of things, but I am so certain I’m doing the right thing. As certain as you are, that your way, is the right way. And…” he paused, taking a courage grabbing breath.
His, was the only breath, his parents did not dare inhale or exhale, too many emotions riding those airwaves.
“I might be wrong,” Sebastien continued. “But I’ve sensed you might not be as devoted to Amelia as you once were. If I’m wrong, then I guess this is really it. If I’m right, I can make it safe for you to leave. All you need to do is go into my room and say, I’m ready to leave. I don’t want to be on opposite sides but I cannot return to yours. If you stay, please don’t hate me, not forever at least. I guess… I guess that’s all I have to say.”
And that was the end.
The leaf spiraled downward, hitting the floor with a soft scrape.
Kay said nothing, her breaths shallow. She returned to her laundry, folding with empty movements. Her son’s words winding their way toward comprehension.
Milo reached down and grasped the leaf, calmly walking over to the wood stove, opening a burner, and throwing the leaf into the fire. He watched it burn and walked over to Kay, laying his hand on her shoulder. His touch brought her back to reality.
“He's our son,” she whispered, her eyes swimming in stunned tears.
“Which is why I destroyed the letter.”
“Someone will find out… and Amelia will find out… and then we'll never...”
Milo put his fingers gently over her mouth, not allowing her to utter the words he was also thinking and fearing.
“We will see our son again,” he spoke firmly. “We go about our business. We act like we don't know.” He waited until she had nodded in agreement before dropping his hand.
“He might change his mind?” she said, her voice already pleading for that moment to have happened.
“Maybe he will,” Milo agreed. “Until then, we do everything just as we always have. Our goals have not changed because of this.”
“No. No, of course not. I still want magic returned. I don't want to live in hiding anymore. Sebastien will understand one day that we did this for him so he could have a better life.”
It was a better life, right?
Their son sounded so sure of himself.
“He’s out there, all alone.”
“He’s been alone a long time,” Milo reminded roughly.
“Because we allowed it.” A decision she often regretted, but they were too deeply involved to get him out. Sebastien had done that for himself. Their son was braver than his own parents. “He’s choosing a different life.” It was more of a question of, if theirs was still the correct one.
Milo took her shoulders and fixed his gaze on her.
“He’s chosen his path. We’ve chosen ours. For today, that’s all to be said about it.”
Meaning, let’s stay quiet, act normal, like it’s any other day, and give our son time to either get far away from Amelia’s grasp, or change his mind and come home. Kay nodded, lips pursed, eyes damp. She put on a restrained smile.
Milo returned to his coffee, the taste gone bitter.
Kay grabbed a couple towels and shoved them into the drawer and swung back to Milo. “I'll be helping out at the school today. You'd better drink up yourself. You wouldn't want to be late for work.”
They stared into each other’s eyes, wondering how long they could pretend that everything was normal, or how much time they had until it was discovered their son had defected.
CHAPTER 36
Meghan Jacoby sat on the floor of her new bedroom, leaning against her bed, staring deeply into the flame of the candle sitting in front of her; the candle held the shape of her brother.
“Colin…” his name slid through her lips
in an airy whisper. Calling to him. A skill she was still trying to master. But the vision she desperately tried to have did not come. The peek into his whereabouts, hidden from her. The flame burned down the wick, like any other candle might. There would be no comfort brought from Firemancy today.
Like she deserved it after what she’d done.
She was the reason he’d been forced to flee in the first place.
Her brutal penance, weeks passing without a single moment of contact. Not even a flicker of that mind block he’d slammed shut, reopening. Living without any knowledge of his whereabouts. His condition. Catrina’s condition. If she was becoming more unstable… her brother had fled alongside the suspected Projector. So not only was he out of Meghan’s reach, and therefore, protection, he was side by side with a young woman who’d get more dangerous with each passing day.
With the mind block so firmly in place, she had no reason to believe he was listening to her, but she continually attempted to speak to him anyway, having many one-sided conversations. Mostly, begging forgiveness. And if not that, a please, please, please, just let me know you’re alive out there somewhere.
She’d know this.
Block or no block, if Colin had befallen some tragic end, she’d know.
Because even with his presence absent from her mind, the block was still in place. As long as it remained, this was her only way to determine he was still alive. And she imagined and hoped, unharmed, having to hold the belief that no matter how angry or unforgiving he was, if his or Catrina’s life was being threatened, he’d ask for help. Wouldn’t he?
It was little solace, but all she had.
Today, his flame showed her nothing.
Other times, it had shown her many things. Not what she wanted, never that. But scenes from his past, mostly things she already knew, but nothing about his present or future. Regardless, she refused to give up, pinning her gaze deep into the flame. Every thought focused on her brother.
The Map, The Dagger, and The Vampyres (Fated Chronicles Book 2) Page 32