“Um, I realize the timing is terrible, but...” Sebastien reached into his pocket, taking out a plain white candle. His throat felt solid and heavy, and he worried he might not be able to breathe, never mind speak. When he tried, the words came out in a flustered hurry. “This will take us off the island,” he said, handing her the candle.
“How?” asked Ivan, kneeling next to her.
“There is one last thing I needed to tell you, Meghan. I was waiting until the right time.”
“Sebastien, I can't handle any more, really. I'm...” Her hand was shaking around the stem of the candle. He reached out his hand to steady hers. “You just have to light it.”
Meghan looked at Sebastien and then down to the candle.
Sebastien nodded to Ivan, pointing for him to take hold as well.
Nona flitted into Meghan's arms.
“Where will it take us?” Meghan asked Sebastien.
He looked away, reluctant to tell her. She had been through so much; surely, this would take her over the edge too. “To someone you'll want to meet,” he explained shakily.
“Can they be trusted?” she wanted to know.
“Definitely,” he answered.
Ivan looked hesitant, but what choice did they have, they needed to get off the island.
Sebastien, seeing that they would need more convincing, took a very deep breath and then said, “Meghan, your mother is still alive.”
She said, “Yeah, I know. And she’s a spying, conniving, evil...” she stopped, unable to continue her tirade on Juliska Blackwell.
Sebastien let go of the candle, shooting her a questioning look. Ivan let go and leaned back as well, shooting Sebastien a questioning look. He apparently had not told him everything about the Jacoby twins, after all.
“Juliska Blackwell,” said Meghan as if answering Sebastien’s unasked question. “I had a vision.”
“Um, Meghan,” said Sebastien, his face contorted with confusion. “I don't know what you saw in your vision, but Juliska Blackwell is not your mother.”
Meghan’s face shot up, listening intently.
“I met your mother months ago,” Sebastien continued. “She’s a Firemancer, like you, and she gave me this candle so you could find her.”
Meghan just stared emptily, hardly believing what she was hearing.
Slowly a perceptive smile spread across her face. “Juliska is not my mother,” she mumbled under her breath. She grabbed onto this one thrilling thing as if her life depended on it. “Juliska is not my mother,” she repeated with more vigor, as if informing everyone around her of this news.
Ivan nodded understandingly. Nona purred her approval of this news as well.
Sebastien expectantly grasped the candle once again, as well did Ivan.
“Are you ready?” Sebastien asked Meghan.
She nodded nervously, her world again spinning out of control. Her mother was truly alive, and it was not Juliska Blackwell at all! She had no idea what her vision had meant, but it did not matter just now.
She focused on the candle's wick and a second later, it sizzled, catching fire. Within a moment, the fire had erupted into a twirling flame that shot up into the sky, dragging them, weightlessly, along with it. It penetrated the islands magical protection with ease. Within moments, the flame started to fizzle, and they thudded softly to the ground, just outside the entrance to a cave.
##
Colby and Elisha raced up the hill towards home, eager to show their prize to Colby's father. He knew his father would be waiting for him in the safe room, deep inside the Fazendiin estate, because his imprisoned grandmother would have warned him of his son’s impending arrival.
Elisha performed the obligatory blood sacrifice and Colby entered through the gate. He walked with speed into the house, through the corridors and into the safe room.
Jurekai Fazendiin waited for his son, a satisfied expression on his face.
“I did it, father,” said Colby, approaching him. “He is dead and his power now lies in the dagger.” Colby drew out the dagger from its sheath and held it in his palm for his father to see.
“I knew you would succeed, son,” spoke his father, stepping forward, gently grasping the dagger from this son’s hand. His hand closed around it, gripping it firmly. His eyes closed and his breathing slowed, as if in a moment of perfect bliss.
“What are you going to do with it, Father?” Colby asked, eager to know. He knew his father wanted to collect as much power as possible, and surely, this would be enough. This had to mean that his father’s plans could move forward. He also hoped it would mean that his father would need him now more than ever, and he would not be sent back to school.
“How will you transfer the power into your own body?” Colby asked when his father did not immediately answer his first question. He still did not answer and Colby panicked, worried his father could somehow sense the regret he felt over the act of killing the Projector.
His father opened his eyes and looked down at his son, an odd expression flitting across his face. “Do you know that you have a twin sister?” he asked in an even, unsurprised tone. He already knew Colby did not know this, as he himself had just learned of it.
Colby did not reply, completely taken off guard by what his father had just told him.
“I suspect your mother thinks she can somehow control the future,” he said, laughing at the absurdity of the thought.
“How do you know I have a sister?” questioned Colby, finding his voice. “Did my mother tell you this?”
“After a fashion,” he said, tapping his nose.
A look of understanding flashed in Colby’s eyes but he buried it deeply, preferring to hide his theory from his father. It had to be the girl, Meghan Jacoby. This is why they could hear each other’s thoughts.
Fazendiin jerked his head and eyed Colby. “We shall deal with the matter of your sister, soon enough.” He spoke with frenzied excitement. “But first, this dagger, my son, this is everything we need.” It glowed red hot in his hand as his fist closed firmly around the shaft.
Colby nodded, holding his breath in exhilarated jubilation.
His father looked down at him with greedy eyes, revealing evenly, “It’s also not for me.”
Jurekai then lunged forward and in one fluid motion plunged the dagger deeply and directly into his son's immortal heart.
##
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Divided (Book Five) (Fated Saga Fantasy Series) Page 15
