The Society of Imaginary Friends (The Conjurors Series)

by Kristen Pham

  They stepped through the doors, and Kanti left them to find a restroom while Valerie stared at the graceful beauty around her. It was so quiet and peaceful inside that she was startled when an exceptionally tall woman with dark skin and deep purple hair appeared suddenly, as if she had stepped out of thin air. Something about her quiet authority almost made Valerie want to bow, as ridiculous as that idea was. She smiled pleasantly at her visitors. “Cyrus, Valerie, welcome. My name is Midnight.”

  “Hi,” Valerie said shyly, wondering how Midnight knew her name. Did she have some kind of psychic power? She was tongue-tied staring into the depths of Midnight’s violet eyes, which were a shade lighter than her hair. Her name sounded familiar, and Valerie remembered that she was the Conjuror Thai had mentioned when he had told her about Tan.

  “If I may ask, how was your trip to the Globe?” Midnight asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “We so rarely have travelers from Earth now.”

  Valerie was surprised, and looked at Cyrus for help. How did Midnight know? But Cyrus looked confused, too.

  “Um, the whole thing was pretty cool,” she said uncertainly, not sure how much to tell.

  Midnight chuckled. “I apologize. As the Grand Master of this Guild, I approve and assist with all travel between Earth and the Globe. Azra and I worked closely together to craft your trip. The Great Pyramid portal is complex, but it was the last working place to launch from Earth.”

  “You should know—I think I broke it,” Valerie said, stricken.

  “We knew that was a possibility. We’re simply grateful that it was able to deliver you to us before it disintegrated. I sense you’ll be a delightful addition to our world.”

  Valerie relaxed. “I’m sure glad to be here.”

  “How is your friend, Thai? I haven’t visited him in a few weeks. He’s a resourceful young man.”

  “He’s doing well, I think. He’s very grateful to you.”

  Midnight shook her head, and her beautiful hair brushed against her shoulders. “It was my honor. We are lucky to count him as an ally. So what brings you to our guild today? Are you here to report a Sighting?”

  “No, nothing like that,” Cyrus said. “Actually, it’s Valerie who’s here to see you. She’s new to the city and she’s checking out the guilds.”

  “But what’s a Sighting?” Valerie interrupted.

  “We like to see curiosity in our new recruits,” Midnight said with approval. “A Sighting occurs when a Conjuror discovers that one of the Fractus has been seen projecting to Earth for a dark purpose. Sometimes it turns out to be mischief-makers looking to have fun at the expense of humans, but we have had some situations where the Fractus have been terrifying a human to the point of mental torture.”

  “That’s terrible.”

  “Even when it’s young Conjurors thinking it’s funny to jump out from under children’s beds, they don’t realize the psychological scar it can leave. It’s always busiest here around Halloween, so we’ve been receiving many reports of Sightings over the past few weeks.”

  “As if all the parties and tricks happening on the Globe for Halloween aren’t enough to keep them happy! They think it’s fun to scare some poor kid.” Cyrus said, disgusted.

  “We partner closely with the Society of Imaginary Friends,” Midnight explained to Valerie. “Often they’re the best eyes and ears for what’s happening down on Earth. In fact, information from Cyrus has led to the capture of twelve troublemakers over the years, as well as three members of the Fractus.”

  At this remark, the gloom surrounding Cyrus finally lifted. He whispered to Valerie, “I found most of them when I was your imaginary friend, Val. You were like, some kind of monster magnet. That’s the other reason I suspected that you had some major magic inside you. It was probably what was drawing them all to you.”

  Valerie remembered that she and Cyrus had fought many foes together over the years, but she had always thought they were imaginary. “Those monsters were real?”

  “On the Globe they were, sure. But they couldn’t hurt you on Earth. So I turned it in to kind of a game, so you wouldn’t be afraid.”

  She shuddered. “I can’t believe someone would do that to a kid.”

  Midnight overheard Valerie’s last sentence. “Yes, it’s disturbing how some troublemakers see nothing wrong with frightening innocent children. That’s part of the reason why what we do here is so important.” Just then, Kanti walked back to the group, and Midnight turned her attention to the purpose of their visit. “Let me call someone to give you a tour. If you’re interested in joining the Guardians, they’ll set you up for testing.”

  But before she could call anyone, the door burst open and a big, beefy man wearing a long, blue robe and tall, pointy hat hurried in. He was so focused that he didn’t notice the group at first.

  “Chern? Everything okay?” Midnight asked.

  The man let out a high-pitched shriek, and his eyes filled with terror. “Oh, you scared me!”

  Midnight purposefully spoke in a soft and soothing voice. “Nothing to frighten you in here, Chern. All is safe.”

  “Yes, yes, I know. You startled me.” His face turned very red. “I’m here to report that one of the Fractus is after me! I’m convinced of it!”

  “What happened?”

  “Well, first, when I opened my front door this morning, right there on my porch was a black shoe print. And I know it’s not from my shoe—it was much too small. Then, I discovered that one of my robes was missing from my closet! I’m sure, simply positive, that this is the work of the member of the Fractus that I heard about in the news—the one who was haunting that young family in India! He’s disguising himself in my robe. You must find him before he comes back for more of my things!” Chern’s voice reached a higher and higher pitch as he told his story.

  Valerie had to use all her concentration not to burst out laughing. She made a point not to look at Cyrus, because she knew that one glance and they would both be on the floor.

  “We’ll send someone over right away,” Midnight said seriously. Then she turned to Valerie. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll send someone to give you your tour,” she said, and then whisked Chern through one of the doors in the back of the room.

  The minute that the door closed behind them, Kanti, Cyrus, and Valerie burst into laughter. “That guy brings new meaning to being paranoid!”

  “He’s the Grand Master of the History Guild. He’s always running to the Knights of Light or the Guardians with these kinds of stories. He even comes to the Society of Imaginary Friends on a regular basis swearing that he knows where the Fractus are hiding! He’s become a running joke around town,” Cyrus said.

  The rest of their visit was uneventful. The guide showed Valerie, Cyrus, and Kanti around the building, explaining some of the details about how they protect the barrier between Earth and the Globe, and the history behind the Guild.

  Valerie was very drawn to the Guardians, and learning more about the Guild deepened her interest. After all, she had more firsthand experience in crossing between worlds than almost anyone else on the Globe. In fact, compared to the Conjurors, Valerie was an expert on everything about Earth—from its culture to its geography—in a way that only having lived there could give. She could really make a difference as one of the Guardians, and she liked the idea of protecting her old home from the Fractus.

  Still, she had held the dream of being a Knight for so long that it would be difficult to let go. It was one of the most important decisions she’d ever make, and she knew that there was someone on Earth whom she wanted to talk to before she made her choice.

  Chapter 19

  After finishing the tour of the gothic Guardians of the Boundary Guild, which was filled with secret passages, dark hallways, and tall, arched ceilings, Valerie, Cyrus, and Kanti left The Horseshoe so that Valerie could see the rest of the city.

  Kanti had to leave to teach a class on popular culture on Earth to the apprentices, and Cyrus seemed more r
elaxed after she left. He and Valerie wandered around Silva for hours, peering into strange shops and exploring the winding streets. She insisted on stopping by every shop that sold sweets. Since she wasn’t sure how to barter her power yet, Cyrus volunteered to leave small objects made of light in return for the candy. She gobbled the candy up, though none tasted as good as Dulcea’s pastries.

  “Dr. Freeman would freak out if he knew how much junk I’m eating! But maybe not. Maybe he doesn’t have time to think about me.”

  “Why do you always do that?”

  “What?”

  “Assume no one cares about you. Trust me; you’re not the kind of person people forget.” A piece of Valerie’s heart that she didn’t know was frozen thawed a little. “Anyway, it’s almost dinner time, and Dulcea doesn’t like it when anyone comes late.”

  They burst into the dorm cafeteria in the nick of time, and Dulcea was waiting at the door, watch in hand. “Right on time. Valerie, how are you liking Silva?”

  “It’s wonderful here. There’s so much to see!”

  “Excellent!”

  “And thank you so much for my room. I love it.”

  “Of course! That’s what I’m here for. Now, you two go fill your plates and make sure you leave room for dessert!”

  A long buffet full of strange dishes stood in the middle of the room. On either side of the buffet were round tables filled with other young Conjurors of different ages studying at the Society of Imaginary Friends. In the group of around one hundred, Valerie spotted several fairies, two giant people who towered five feet over everyone else, and five boys with bright red hair who were completely identical. Valerie wondered if they were brothers, or if one was an amoebiate, like Thai, and they were all clones.

  She put a little bit of everything on her plate, and then she and Cyrus sat alone at a table in the corner. This time, she didn’t hesitate to taste everything, no matter how strange it looked. She was in ecstasy, and she practically inhaled everything in sight. It was as if a part of her couldn’t believe that she was finally going to have as much to eat as she wanted, so she had to fill up before it all disappeared.

  “Cy, you have got to try this purple lumpy thing; it’s the perfect amount of salty and sweet! It’s like mashed potatoes with a little hint of sugar.”

  “It’s muddleberry pudding. It’s really popular in Elsinore, where Kanti’s from. She’s always eating that stuff.”

  Once Valerie had her fill and topped it off with a chocolate filled with a sweet cream, she sat back, content.

  “Finally! I’ve been waiting to give something to you,” Cyrus said. From under his shirt, he pulled out a long chain that he was wearing around his neck. On the end of the chain was a clear sphere. He pulled it over his head and handed it to her.

  She took it, looking curiously at the image that was flickering inside the sphere. At first, she couldn’t make it out, but then the image shifted, and she realized what she was seeing. Inside the sphere was a moving picture of Valerie when she was little, playing with a dollhouse that she recognized from when she was six years old. It was her first trip to the hospital, and it had been her favorite toy. “It’s me in there,” she said in confusion.

  “Yeah. This was made for you. It’s your protective charm, so that when you were on Earth, no one could find you except for me.”

  “Like the charm Venu has that stopped you from finding him?”

  “Yes. For the past few years, the Society of Imaginary Friends has been issuing these charms for all kids with imaginary friends so that they can’t be found by the Fractus.”

  Valerie put it around her own neck. “Thanks, Cy. For keeping me safe. Not only with this, but also from all those monsters. You made it fun to fight those guys, so I was never really afraid. I don’t know what I would have done without you all those years.”

  “I never took it off, even after you stopped believing in imaginary friends. I wanted to make sure that nothing bad would ever happen to you.”

  Her heart squeezed in her chest. Maybe he wouldn’t get sick of her, like the others. After all, he had been her best friend for a long time, and he hadn’t abandoned her yet.

  Before they said goodnight, Cyrus explained how to project to Earth. He assured her that there was really nothing to it other than a lot of concentration, but she was doubtful. She decided not to try it for the first time in front of Cyrus—she’d definitely embarrassed herself enough in front of him over the past few weeks.

  That night, Valerie entered her room and found that she had the space to herself. As she unwound Cyrus’s flower of light from her hair, she had to smile at how perfectly Dulcea had decorated her room. There was even a poster of her favorite band, the Crew, on the wall. She put the flower on her bedside table, where it glowed softly, like a nightlight. Then, taking a deep breath, she decided that it was time to make her first trip back to Earth. Kanti wasn’t back from her class yet, and Valerie was glad. For some reason, visiting Thai was private.

  She squeezed her eyes shut and thought of Thai. She pictured his dark, intense eyes, and imagined the sound of his voice when he thought he could tell her what to do. She was thinking so hard that it took her a few seconds to realize that someone was talking to her.

  “You’re here already, open your eyes,” a familiar voice ordered her.

  She popped open her eyes and Thai was sitting in a green chair next to a hospital bed where Chisisi lay, watching her with interest.

  “Chisisi! Are you really okay?”

  “Yes, yes, no need for more fuss. And my efforts were most gladly given, seeing that you have made your journey safely.”

  She turned her wide eyes to Thai. “He knows?”

  “He knew the whole time,” Thai said with a shake of his head, but she could see that he wasn’t annoyed. His glance at Chisisi seemed affectionate.

  “Then you know you were attacked because of me,” she said, all of her guilt rushing back. “I’m so sorry for what happened to you.”

  “It is no fault of yours. It was the Fractus who did this to me, not you. I am proud that I had the chance to thwart their plans and to help you make your way to your new home.”

  “Thank you for everything you’ve done,” she said, and Chisisi nodded his head.

  “Speaking of your new home, how is it there? Are they treating you okay?” Thai asked.

  Valerie filled him in on her fight with Venu in the pyramid, her trip to the Globe, and all of the marvelous things she’d seen. Thai and Chisisi listened with quiet attention.

  When she finished, Thai burst out, “I can’t believe that Venu sneaked past me! I was staring at the pyramid, waiting to see you leave, and he must have crawled in right behind my back. I knew I should have come through the tunnel with you, no matter what you and Cyrus thought. You could have been hurt!”

  “It worked out okay. He’s not following either of you anymore, is he?”

  “The frog man is quite gone, I assure you,” Chisisi said. “Your benefactor looked in to the matter and said that he has left the country.” Valerie breathed a sigh of relief. She noticed that Chisisi looked tired, and his eyes closed.

  In a softer voice, she whispered to Thai, “I heard you’re going home for a while.”

  “I want to say goodbye, since I won’t see my parents and my brothers and sisters for a while. I’ve missed them. I wish I could tell them what’s going on.”

  “Maybe someday, you will. Obviously, there’s magic in your family. Maybe they’ll understand.”

  Thai’s face darkened. “I hope this doesn’t happen to any of them. I want them to have normal lives.”

  She watched his mouth tense with worry, and wished that she could touch his face and smooth the worry away. “It’s so good to see you.”

  Thai’s face softened. “I know. It’s not the same without you. No one to get me into trouble.”

  “I’ll be back soon. Tell Chisisi I said good-bye.”

  “Bye, Valerie,” Thai said.

&
nbsp; She concentrated and let her mind be pulled back to the Globe. It wasn’t until she sat on her own bed that she realized she had forgotten to ask him what he thought about choosing between the Guardians and the Knights. She’d have to visit him again tomorrow, she thought with a sleepy smile.

  That night, she didn’t fall asleep as soon as she lay down. She loved the Globe, and she knew that this was where she finally belonged, but something was missing. She wondered if she would always feel like a piece of her was still on Earth, at Thai’s side.

  Chapter 20

  In the middle of the night, for no apparent reason, Valerie suddenly awoke from a deep sleep. It was almost as if a fire alarm inside her head had gone off. A feeling of panic seared through her like a flash of lightning, and she sat up straight in her bed, ready for an emergency. She wondered what in the world had woken her. Everything was as it should be in her room, and there was no sound other than Kanti’s soft, even breathing.

  Then, without warning, the room faded before her eyes, and she saw the white walls of a strange closet, where she was curled in a ball, shaking. Instantly, she knew that she was in one of her visions like the ones she had on Earth when she was unconscious. But this time was different—she hadn’t fainted, and she was still awake and conscious. If she concentrated, she could even feel her soft sheets clutched in her hands. This knowledge grounded her and allowed her to watch the scene unfold more objectively than she ever witnessed it before.

  She heard Sanguina’s voice, low and threatening. “Where are you? Hiding?” She popped into view, her face inches away. Valerie screamed.

  “You swore that you would stay away after I helped you last time!”

  “You know by now that I will never let you go, Henry,” Sanguina said, shaking her head as if she was disappointed. “I’m always here. And like always, I won’t leave until you give me what I want.”