Wildcat Fireflies

by Amber Kizer

  We all let loose and boogied. Pure joy and a common love united all of us. We were going to rescue the kids and defeat the Nocti and heal Juliet. We would. There was no other possible outcome.

  As the song faded, Juliet broke the silence. “So what exactly is the plan?”

  “We’re going to kick some ass,” Rumi answered her with a grin.

  We were ready.

  Be strong, my daughter, and know that generations of our line stand at your back and cheer you on.

  —R.

  CHAPTER 45

  Juliet

  Father Anthony—No, I mentally corrected myself, Tony—called on everything he knew about the military to help us formulate the plan. “We turn toward the ambush and fight. We don’t run. They won’t be expecting it. Let them think things are going their way until it’s too late.” He made sense. When he reminded Meridian and Tens about a man named Josiah who’d told them unity was their strength, I remembered to mention the words I’d heard from whoever, whatever, that had saved Enid and me from the tornado. Those too talked about standing together.

  We’d mapped the spot where I was supposed to meet Kirian and Ms. Asura. That was where I headed now. Alone. At least it looked that way. We had no idea if they were watching me. A few minutes before midnight I stumbled over a tree root and swore.

  I had a flashlight, but it didn’t seem to make a bit of difference. My heart thumped a wicked, heavy tempo. Kirian had changed, but then, I knew I had too. I was no longer the little girl he’d left. I’d grown up in these three years; I’d taken care of the house and raised the kids he and Ms. Asura now threatened. I felt fierce and unstoppable. Maybe I didn’t really understand our enemy, but that was okay. I trusted Tony, and Minerva. I knew it would take time to completely trust Meridian and Tens, but I was on my way to having a group of people I could count on. Right now, Bodie and Sema, maybe even Nicole, counted on me to come through for them.

  In these woods, my new friends were prepared and positioned. The full moon hung creamy and voluptuous in the sky. It made the frost on the tree branches sparkle and bling and made crunching through the undergrowth noisy. I wore one of Rumi’s enormous down coats, which swallowed me but chased the chill away.

  Meridian was nearby. She had promised she would hear me and respond if I called out, but I couldn’t see her. Her velvet scarf was wrapped around my neck and I wore Tony’s gloves on my hands. There was comfort in wearing their belongings. I closed my eyes and whispered, “Mom, if you can hear me, I need you. Please help me do the right thing.”

  I stepped out into the clearing and a spotlight shone directly into my eyes, blinding me.

  “Jewel, you came!” Kirian ran forward, sweeping me up in his arms, in an unusually demonstrative way. Shocked at his greeting, I froze while he hugged me tightly, his breath on my ear, his cheek pressed against mine. Into my ear, he whispered, “When I say run, you run. You can’t trust her. Or me.”

  “Kirian, put her down! You stupid child,” Ms. Asura, impeccably dressed as always, screeched. “Come here.”

  He backed away, leaving me confused and stranded under the bright light blinding me. I tried to shield my eyes until she lowered it out of my face.

  “Hello, Juliet.”

  “Hi,” I answered. “I’m here. Where are Bodie and Sema?” How I’d ever seen her as good and caring was beyond me. There was nothing warm about her, nothing loving in her eyes.

  “They’re nearby,” she said, putting her hand firmly on Kirian’s shoulder. His eyes begged my forgiveness.

  “Where?” I shouted, losing patience. With new eyes, I saw how cowed he was, how scared, how desolate.

  Ms. Asura shook her finger at me. “Such theatrics. First, you have to swear you’ll come with us.”

  “Fine.”

  “And join our cause.”

  “Fine. Just let the kids go.” I needed to hear where they were stashed. I needed her to say it. My mouth was dry and pasty; I was sure my heart would burst under the pressure. This had to work.

  The leaves on the ground were caught up in a breeze. The trees swayed. Vines growing on the trees seemed to move too, like snakes, or arms with fingers.

  “Kirian, get that bag, will you?” Ms. Asura pointed to Bodie’s backpack lying against a tree on the edge of the clearing. He loped over to pick it up. As he straightened, one of the vines undraped from the tree and twined about his neck. She flicked another finger and I realized she was controlling them.

  “Run!” Kirian screamed, clutching at the vine with frantic fingers. He clawed at the vine and it tightened, lifting him until he was on his tiptoes, trying to breathe. Other vines wrapped around his limbs and his torso, holding him captive.

  I started forward to help him.

  “Uh—don’t move,” Ms. Asura yelled at me.

  I froze. Meridian had warned me that there was something about the poison ivy that wasn’t natural. That I was to stay as far into the clearing as I could, to be on the safe side.

  “I’m sure your new friends are filling your head with all sorts of stories about me. Most of them true. Maybe. Probably.”

  “Why are you doing this? I don’t understand.” I stalled, watching Kirian’s face turn shades of red, then purple.

  She checked her watch. “Happy birthday, Juliet. For a gift, I thought about getting you jewelry or a car. But how about something else?”

  “Let him go. He can’t breathe!” I screamed back at her. “You’re insane.” I heard the woods whispering. The vines hanging on the trees seemed to move independently of the wind. They curled and unfurled from the trunks of trees and from the brambles like fingers crooked in our direction. Slithering like tongues darting out.

  “Quite the opposite. We laughed about you, you know? While we were in bed together, Kirian told me all about your little crush. How silly you were. How sad. To think anyone could really love you. Enough to take you away? Your mommy abandoned you. Kirian laughed at you. You’re not enough.”

  Anger clouded my vision. “Let them go. What do you want from me?”

  Kirian thrashed around, trying to speak.

  “We can tell her the truth now, darling,” Ms. Asura said to him. Then to me, “Aren’t you angry? He used you. And you suffered years of abuse. Aren’t you ready for a little payback? Do you feel the rage?”

  I did. I felt every slap and taunt and wound. But I gave no outward sign. Meridian’s warning to not let Ms. Asura get me emotional helped shield my emotions. I’d had practice with Mistress. Practice hiding my anger, my rage, my despair. So I used all of that and channeled my grief into muscle tension and a glare that willed Ms. Asura the very pain she was inflicting on Kirian, on me.

  “Give in to what I see in your eyes.”

  I let her see, perhaps giving her what she wanted might buy Kirian a breath.

  She applauded. “Now all you have to do is let him die. Help me send him away forever. Then we can deal with the others, like Meridian.”

  At the mention of Meridian’s name, cold doused the hot anger and I suddenly felt more in control. I’m not alone. I’m not alone. “I—I don’t know,” I stuttered. How did she know about Meridian?

  “You don’t really expect me to believe that, do you? He betrayed you. He’s done everything I’ve asked of him and more. You’re alone, you need me. You need us. Meridian can’t give you what you want. I can tell you about your mother. Your father. I can give you history and a future. Then we’ll show Meridi—”

  “Lay off, bitch, I’m right here.” Meridian stepped from the woods opposite us and came to stand next to me. She grabbed my hand and I felt instantly better.

  “When I said come alone, you thought that meant bring a friend?” Ms. Asura cackled. “Priceless.”

  “Two,” Nicole said as she came from the woods behind me and stepped up to take my other hand. Tears flooded my eyes. She wasn’t dead.

  “A party to initiate Juliet into our family. How nice. You know, Nicole, I didn’t figure out where you
came from until the tornado. Did you tell Juliet you’d been using her, trying to get her to join you?”

  Holding hands with Meridian and Nicole, I saw the empty black holes where Ms. Asura’s eyes should be. Nocti. As if I had any doubt after this performance.

  “She didn’t believe she deserved a guardian angel, thanks to all your treatment. You and that monster in charge of Dunklebarger.” Nicole squeezed my hand, then continued to prod Ms. Asura. “You killed the headmistress, didn’t you?”

  “Of course I did. She was getting greedy. Always wanting more money for her services. Thinking Klaus wanted her instead of me. When she told me she was the brains behind the whole operation I couldn’t help myself. Don’t tell me you’re sad?” Ms. Asura demanded.

  “No.” Nicole and I spoke in unison.

  “Good. Then this’ll be easy. He used you, too, Juliet.” The vines tightened around Kirian’s throat. His face turned a black shade of purple and his eyes bulged.

  Nicole seemed to try to loosen the vines with her eyes, but she shook her head sadly at Meridian. She couldn’t win that battle. I didn’t want Kirian to die. He didn’t deserve death.

  Tens came out of the woods behind a leashed Custos and took Meridian’s free hand.

  The wolf growled and showed all of her teeth. Rumi and Tony followed a similarly leashed Mini and stood next to Nicole. Mini was puffed up and spitting hisses. They were all draped in glowing glass balls. We were a line of light, of love, of strength.

  Kirian gasped.

  Meridian’s hand tightened in mine and I stood next to her at a window.

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  “We’re in my window room. I’m sorry, but I think this means Kirian is dying.” She held my hand and didn’t let go.

  I nodded. The window looked across Wildcat Creek. On the other side I saw kids coming closer, waving, some running and jumping and playing. A few swung from branches into the creek to swim. It was summer there and the woods were in full bloom with birds and insects. Catfish swam in the creek. It was my favorite time of year. Mine and Kirian’s.

  “Jewel?” Kirian was next to me, looking beyond. “I’m sorry.”

  “I know.” I didn’t hold back the tears.

  “I loved you. I did. It was real.” He brushed the tears from my cheeks, but I couldn’t feel him.

  “You need to go on now,” Meridian said to him.

  We all turned and studied the figures approaching from the other bank. I recognized a bunch of kids and a few elderly patients—Miss Claudia and Paddy, the grandparents Kirian and I had adopted ourselves to years ago. And Enid’s sister, Glee.

  “Nicole!” I saw her wave from the crowd and felt a warmth around my neck. I looked down and realized her necklace was dangling over my heart. I smiled and waved back to her.

  “That’s my auntie.” Meridian pointed. “She’s holding your—”

  Kirian jumped through the window, making a cannonball into the creek. “Be good!” he called to me, swimming to the bank and our crowd of friends.

  A loud scream brought me right back into my body. Back into the cold, wintry woods. Back to our row of light and the battle against Ms. Asura and her darkness. I didn’t have time to process anything.

  I opened my eyes. The light we generated together was so bright, I squinted against the glare. Nicole’s necklace also glowed around my neck.

  Ms. Asura was screaming, screeching in a primal release that made goose bumps break across my skin.

  “What’s happening?” I yelled at Meridian.

  “I think she’s burning. I don’t know,” she replied, never taking her eyes off Ms. Asura.

  Tony recited the Lord’s Prayer in Latin. Rumi mumbled words in a language I didn’t recognize. Tens and Meridian stared straight ahead. Custos barked and Mini hissed.

  We are the light. Brighter than the sun on silver or glass. A million megawatts of good.

  Ms. Asura was boiling. Her skin bubbled up as she ran from us into the woods.

  “Should we follow?” I asked.

  “No, we can’t kill her without a Sangre and we need to find the kids. They could have been out here for hours.”

  “What if she’s heading toward them? She could hurt them.” Rumi took steps toward the singed path she had left. We dropped hands.

  The light dimmed back down to a normal level.

  Tens said, “We found the van. But the kids weren’t inside. It’s in that direction.”

  It was only seconds, but I glanced down and realized I was clutching Tony’s hand. “Where’s Nicole?”

  They all shook their heads. No one had any idea. “Was she here?” I asked.

  Meridian nodded. “She was here. But you saw her with Auntie and your mom. She’s gone, at least for now—” She broke off and shrugged.

  I’d puzzle it out later. I loped over to Kirian’s body. “Kirian? Kirian? Help me!” I pleaded.

  Tony checked for his pulse as I pulled his inert frame into my lap.

  “I’m sorry. We couldn’t save him.” Tony held me while I wept.

  “How are we going to find the wee ones?” Rumi asked.

  Meridian looked up at the moon, at the stars sharing her sky. “We, uh, need help. Auntie? Josiah? Roshana? Nicole?” She called to the night. Waiting. She turned to Tens. “Any ideas where to start?”

  I wiped my eyes. Bodie and Sema needed me. Kirian was beyond my help now; if he’d made it to summer at the creek, maybe life was okay for him.

  A blinking in the woods sparked my attention.

  “What’s that?” Meridian saw it too.

  Another tiny light blinked out of the woods toward us.

  “And that?” Tens pointed to yet another.

  “Those are fireflies,” Rumi said, moving toward them.

  “It’s too early,” Tony commented.

  They came all around us in a swarm. The temperature rose and the night illuminated to day.

  I gasped.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Rumi asked Meridian and Tens.

  They nodded. I wanted in on the inside info.

  “The story of the firefly feast? The little boy who followed his mother’s soul?”

  One firefly stopped in front of my nose, hovered, and seemed to wait for me to notice it. “What do we do?” I asked.

  “We’re following!” Rumi boomed loudly into the night. The bugs began to form a lighted trail along the creek, through the woods. They became both a lantern and the borders of a path we walked between like a garland.

  “Bodie? Sema?” we called.

  I don’t know how far we walked. It felt like hours and only seconds rolled into one. Time stood still.

  The path ended in a swarm of pulsing light. The temperature was balmy, almost too warm for my coat, and no frost covered the forest floor or trees. The kids were huddled together against a log. Duct tape covered their mouths and their hands were tied. Dirt was smeared across their cheeks and knees. They looked like they’d fallen into a mud pit.

  I ran and slid into them, holding them tightly, then ripping at the bindings. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  Someone undid the tape and ropes and Bodie threw his arms around my neck.

  “I just wanted to go with you. I’m sorry I got in the van. It was all my idea,” he cried.

  Sema let Rumi hold her. She put her head on his shoulder, stuck her thumb in her mouth, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep almost immediately.

  “I know. It’s okay now. It’s okay.”

  I looked at the relieved faces around me and said, “They’re okay. They’re okay.” I held Bodie and thanked everyone and anyone for helping us find them safe.

  Light the fires, dance the tunes, a new Fenestra has joined our family!

  Lucinda Myer

  CHAPTER 46

  I cracked open the spine of the large leather journal Rumi had given me for Valentine’s Day. It was the first time in my life that I celebrated the day of love, in love. The first time I
felt like I was loved unconditionally. Not just by Tens, but by Auntie and Rumi, Tony and Joi. Juliet and I knew we could count on the other for the big things. Now we needed time to learn the little things about each other, the things that sisters who grow up together take for granted. And while we weren’t related, at least not in the biological sense, our connection went beyond a title.

  I ran my hands over the cover of the journal. The green leather was embossed like Auntie’s journal with roses and butterflies, ferns and animals. I knew part of my charge as a Fenestra was chronicling our experiences and knowledge for the next generation, but I had no idea where to start. I lay down my pen, taking a break from thinking, and launched myself over the back of the couch onto Tens, who oomphed his surprise.

  “Supergirl!” He laughed.

  I found the devilishly ticklish spot in his ribs.

  He tried to evade. “No fair. No fair!” He grabbed my arms and pinned me against him.

  “It’s time to go to Rumi’s for dinner,” I said, gasping for air.

  “Already?” he asked, checking the rooster clock hanging above the kitchen sink. Joi’s cottage was fast becoming home and I knew we weren’t leaving anytime soon. There was too much to unravel still. Too many unaccounted-for children that had been hidden at Dunklebarger for years. Too many sacrificed by Nocti.

  “Juliet’s cooking.” I elbowed him off the couch and handed him the new boots I’d given for him Valentine’s. Tony had helped me find them.

  “Should we eat ahead of time, or can she cook?” Tens asked.

  Juliet was cooking brunch for us for the first time. “When she saw Auntie she learned her recipes. Cooking and baking are her quilting.” She planned on making Auntie’s famous mac and cheese and her chocolate cake for us, and Glee’s spiked eggnog and quiche lorraine for Enid. There were so many dishes on the menu I didn’t know what all we’d find. “Her food tastes better than anyone else’s. There’ll be plenty.” I’d helped her grocery-shop yesterday and I’d never seen a person so excited to walk around a megamart.