“That was nice of them to save all that stuff for you.”
“Actually, yes it was. I never imagined I’d want to go through any of it. There were pictures I had not seen since I was four. Oddly enough, seeing my mother's face, I thought for a strange moment that I was looking at…” he had turned to look at Meghan, but stopped when interrupted by an announcement echoing through the air.
“This is your thirty-minute curfew warning.”
Meghan, startled again, dropped her bag. When she bent over to pick it up, she felt the stinging prick of a thorn from her locket. And sudden inspiration hit.
“Ivan, your mother might not have meant a metaphorical treasure close to her heart.”
He looked at her funny, not getting her meaning.
“What if she meant something more literal? Like something she wore that would have been close to her heart. Like a necklace, or locket. It just came to me because I wear a locket that belonged to my own mother.” She tapped her chest, “and it’s in front of my heart.”
Ivan looked perplexed. “Um. I can’t believe I never thought of that. That’s actually a brilliant deduction,” he appraised curiously.
He threw his hands up in the air.
“What?” she demanded.
“Now, I really can't believe I never thought of it. My dad, right after my mom died, I heard him tell the Balaton about a piece of jewelry that had been stolen from her. I don’t know if it was a necklace, but it’s definitely worth checking into.”
“Well, to your credit, Ivan, you were just a little kid at the time. You can’t remember everything.”
He shook his head in personal disappointment anyway.
“If you're right though, I'm one step closer, minus the issue of it being stolen of course. Um... thank you, Meghan.” He was overly gracious, gaze fixed on hers in some weird stare that made her cheeks hot. What was he looking at? And why wasn’t he stopping?
“Well, um, you know, one step at a time, I guess.”
“Yeah.” He tore his gaze off her but started moving again. “Got to get you home,” he reminded. Almost like he cared that she made it home. It did not take long to reach the driveway. Ivan followed her all the way to the porch, which wrapped around almost the entire house. But his eyes kept landing on her, a befuddled look rattling his features, like he was… searching for something.
Meghan wasn’t having it. “What on earth is wrong with you today?”
He raked his hand through his hair, opening his mouth to speak but shrugged instead.
“You’re being all nice and stuff. To me. To Bird. Like you suddenly care.”
He just stared in idiotic silence.
Meghan noticed Juliska standing on her bedroom balcony, waving down to them two stories up. She beamed upon seeing Meghan and Ivan talking. She must have missed the arguing part. Or the Meghan shouting in a loud whisper part.
He nodded at Juliska and looked back at Meghan, set his jaw in total Ivan fashion and left without further explanation.
Meghan, frustrated, stomped up the stairs, across the porch and into the house where Juliska was just stepping down the spiral staircase from upstairs.
“Another long school day I see,” she noted upon Meghan’s heated entrance.
“Yeah. Loads of schoolwork.”
“Ivan helping you?” Juliska prodded.
“Ivan? Um... no,” she answered, adding under her breath, “Just being his usual obnoxious self.”
“Ah, well, I'm sure he would help if you needed it.”
“Won't be asking,” insisted Meghan.
Juliska shrugged. “And not to add to your workload, but I wanted to squeeze in a Firemancy lesson tonight, too. I won’t have any time over the next few days since we’re so busy prepping for the arrival of the next group.”
“Okay. I’ll just go put all my stuff away.” Meghan really just wanted to hide all of her research on Juliska. Her hand shook a little as she grabbed the staircase banister.
“Oh, we’ll have supper before the lesson,” Juliska added. “I’ll see you in the dining room.”
Meghan let out a breath she'd unknowingly been holding in since walking into the house.
Upon arriving in her room, Nona awakened from a nap and set into stretching and licking her paws. Meghan tussled the tuft of white hair on Nona’s head to say hello. The catawitch purred a contented reply.
“Going for supper, you want me to bring you back anything?” asked Meghan.
Nona sleepily nodded no. “I’ve had my fill today.” She smacked her lips together, which spread into a crafty grin.
“I so don’t want to know any more,” laughed Meghan. “See you in a while. Doing a lesson after supper.” Nona just went happily back into napping mode.
During dinner, which consisted of a hearty root vegetable stew and buttered ployes, Juliska again asked Meghan about school. “So what are you learning this week?”
“Mostly a lot of history,” Meghan lied. Truth be told, she had been doing so much research on her own, she couldn’t even remember what they had been learning in school.
“You are distant tonight,” Juliska noted, catching Meghan off guard. “I hate this. I’m sorry, Meghan. I may be new at this parenting thing, but I can see something is bothering you.”
Meghan crammed another bite of food into her mouth, motioning sorry, can’t speak.
“Is it your brother again?” Juliska asked, her voice turning sour. “I’m sorry. I truly am, but your brother chose his own path. It cannot be helped now.”
Meghan swallowed, her food clumping tightly in her throat, still not replying to Juliska.
“And there! I’ve done it again. I was never much good with the whole sibling thing, and clearly even worse at parenting.”
Meghan observed it odd that the subject of her siblings would come up after she’d just read and written about them in her journal. But she moved beyond this and tried to act interested in the conversation, careful not to blurt out the words, I think you're my mother...
“I’m just…” Meghan blew out a pocket of air. “It just feels a bit like starting over, again. New place. New people. Back to School. Firemancy, and yes, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about my brother, whatever he’s done.”
Juliska nodded understandingly.
“I didn’t know you had any siblings,” Meghan broke in, hoping Juliska would elaborate.
“Yes. Four. A much younger brother and sister, and a much older brother and sister. Not related by blood. I, very much like you, came into the lives of the Svoda as a young girl. When they found me and brought me to the island, I overheard that it had been over fifty years since a magical child had been discovered as most magicals already lived here on the island. History tells of the time when the Svoda first came to the island, although, perhaps you have already learned this in class?”
“Um, actually, I don't think we've covered this yet.”
“Ah, good, I didn't want to bore you with repeat history lessons.”
“No, not at all. I actually find it, um, interesting.” She spoke as if somehow embarrassed by wanting to learn history.
Juliska released a clipped laugh, and continued. “Where was I then, ah yes... after the Svoda first came here, they knew there were still magical stragglers out in the world. Many still in hiding, seeking a place like this to call home. They set up a system to track down these magicals, and ask them to join us here. Over time, the tracking system found fewer and fewer magical blips. And years would pass with only the occasional blip, like when they found me.”
“So they traced your magic? That's how they found you and brought you here?” asked Meghan.
“Yes. I don't even remember using magic. For some reason, I don’t have any memories of my time before being rescued by the Svoda. I have always hoped that perhaps one day some of these memories would come back to me, but it’s as though they have been wiped clean out of my head.”
Meghan shook her head in despondently. “Th
at must be hard, not knowing where you came from.”
“I can’t deny I don’t wonder about it, but I’ve put it behind me. The future is my life now,” Juliska spoke with certainty.
Meghan wondered if she could do the same. Put her past behind her and move forward, living in acceptance of who she was today. A Firemancer, descended from a magical family she knew nothing about.
Meghan wanted to keep the conversation going. “So you lived with another family when you came here then?”
“Yes, the Cobb family. Nice folk. Meant well. I didn’t fit into their mold. Let’s just say I liked to get into a little trouble. Not always my own fault.” Juliska winked.
Meghan rolled her eyes in bemused response, wondering if she got her own trouble-making ways from Juliska? “Um, Cobb?” Meghan asked after a moment. “Do you mean like, Amelia Cobb? I remember reading about her in the Jackal Lantern. She is the leader of the banished Svoda, right?” Meghan hoped she wasn’t pressing her luck asking this question.
Juliska sighed. “One and the same. My eldest sister. Clearly, we did not see eye to eye.” Her voice was strained, the topic a struggle to discuss.
“Did you remain friends with the rest of the Cobbs?”
“It’s hard to explain, a long, complicated story, but the short of it is, once I was deemed a Firemancer and started my apprenticeship, they were not really my family anymore.”
“Oh, that’s a shame.”
“Yes, but one cannot choose one’s family, can we?” Juliska stood to leave as she was finished eating. “You know, I hate to, but let’s postpone your lesson for a few days. It seems like you’ve got more than enough schoolwork already and I should probably get some more work done myself.”
“Actually, yeah, I do have a lot to do,” agreed Meghan, afraid she had pushed too far for information. The Cobb topic was obviously a sour one.
“Goodnight,” Juliska spoke, their conversation abruptly ending.
Meghan waited for her to leave before racing up to her room. This info about the Cobb family would not help her cause (of finding out if Juliska ever had any children) but it made her realize how little she knew about the Svoda or Juliska Blackwell.
Meghan walked over to her bed and fell exhaustively backwards, onto it. Too exhausted to do any schoolwork. She decided to snuggle up with Nona and sleep, planning to rise early the next morning to finish her assignments.
She started dozing in minutes. A voice filtered into her mind and suddenly she was wide awake. “Colin?” she asked hastily, instantly recognizing the voice was not the one she longed to hear, but rather of the boy named Colby. She did not try to speak to him again since it appeared he did not notice she was eavesdropping. Or did not care.
She listened intently just the same, curious to find out more about this boy and who he was. The only word she heard clearly, was Fazendiin. She guessed that Colby was trying to block her, but had let his guard down for a brief moment. After hearing this one word, his voice vanished.
She sat up and grabbed her journal, writing down the name. Where had she heard it before? It sounded familiar. “Stupid brain!” she belittled. “If Colin were here,” she did not finish.
Nona pawed her face gently. “Don’t do this to yourself, it will not help fix anything.”
Meghan nudged Nona’s face under her chin and lay back down.
Sleep came quickly. And so did morning.
Meghan awoke to Nona tapping her face.
“Go away,” Meghan grumbled.
“It’s morning and you have schoolwork to finish.”
Meghan gurgled a few choice words before getting up, dressing, and finishing the assignments that needed to be turned in that day during school. She hastily went down to breakfast, which was served promptly at eight, which was followed by the start of school at nine.
Meghan ate quickly, sucking down her juice, hoping to squeeze a few minutes in the library before classes started. Juliska paid no attention as Pantin Hollee had joined them and they were discussing meetings for the day. Things were getting crazy as the last of the preparations were arranged for the next group’s return. Meghan had not been paying attention to their conversation, so when it seemed they were laughing at something and Juliska asked her a question, Meghan had to apologize and ask her to repeat it.
“I was just wondering,” asked Juliska in a humorous tone, “if you've just so happened to have any useful visions, regarding the upcoming arrival?”
“Oh, sorry. No,” replied Meghan. Ever since her faked vision, about the field of pyres, Juliska often hoped that Meghan would have more timely visions regarding upcoming events.
“Not to fret,” Juliska insisted. “I think we have everything covered. Balaton to fight off any Scratchers, enchantments to hopefully shield us from the Grosvenor,” Juliska said to stave off any concerns Meghan might have, when in truth, the arrival was the last thing on her mind.
“Grosvenor,” Meghan murmured, dropping her spoon.
“Sorry, what?” Juliska looked her way.
“Oh, um, nothing. Just remembered something I’d been trying to remember all night, for a school assignment.”
“Well, glad to help jog your memory,” said Juliska. She wore a strange smile as she spoke.
Meghan made her excuses and left.
Two things were prominent in her thoughts as she scurried away.
One: she remembered where the name Fazendiin came from. Jurekai Fazendiin was the creator of the Grosvenor. But what this had to do with the boy, Colby, she had no idea.
And two: was it a coincidence that Juliska, again, just so happened to bring up the very subject she was trying to think on? She swept the thought away, disavowing it as coincidence, and nothing more.
She hastened toward the school, today Nona tagging alongside as Jae had not been doing so. Upon arrival, two Balaton popped out of nowhere, running toward a dust storm of kicking feet and swinging fists. It looked like a couple of schoolboys had gotten into a scuffle. In seconds, the boys were split apart.
When the dust settled, Meghan looked on in shock.
Jae Mochrie! In a fight!
She tried to make eye contact with him but he pretended not to see her. His hair dangled in front of his face, hiding his eyes, but she saw what looked like a cut on his lip. She started toward him but stopped when someone else jumped in front of him.
“Don’t start, Darcy,” Jae spit out.
She stood, arms folded in a scolding posture. “You need to be more careful, Jae.”
“Whatever,” he jeered hotly.
Darcy grabbed him by the arm, which Jae yanked away.
“Ah, c’mon, Jae. I was only pokin’ fun,” Darcy slung at him. He stopped, sighed, and Meghan watched as Jae’s scowl twisted into a chilling grin. Darcy sauntered away and much to Meghan's surprise, Jae trotted along after her, away from the school.
Meghan slammed her mouth shut, realizing she had been gaping with it just hanging wide open. “What the heck is happening?” she spoke in a coarse whisper. “Is everyone on this island going crazy?” Meghan continued ranting. “First, Ivan gets all nice, and now Jae is acting completely mean. It’s mental!” Meghan glanced down at Nona. “Maybe they switched bodies?” she suggested with an edge of sarcasm.
“Interesting theory,” her catawitch mused over the possibility. “I’ll see what I can find out while you're in school.” Nona bounded away toward the direction Jae and Darcy had taken.
Meghan scrunched her eyes closed hoping that when she reopened them she would suddenly find herself somewhere else, anywhere else. But upon opening them, students were streaming by, heading to school. Can this day just be over already? She wished she could skip classes, but that would be a mistake. “Okay, just get it together,” she mumbled, heading toward the school again.
Just before she reached the entrance, an ominous scream echoed nearby.
A foreboding shadow grew overhead.
The Balaton popped into view again, ordering students or a
nyone close by into the school. Meghan raced alongside other scurrying students as an announcement rang across the island, “Attack imminent! Remain indoors!”
Nona came charging back running alongside Meghan. Once inside, they were directed into an assembly room, and waited for what seemed like hours for any news. The teachers would not allow them near any doors or windows. Nevertheless, enough sound seeped through the walls, enough to know it was a definitely a Scratcher attack.
Meghan did overhear one of the teachers explaining to another teacher that they had expressed this very concern in their last zone meeting: wondering if any Scratchers had managed to stay behind and survive on the island after they had abandoned it so many years before.
I guess you got your answer now, Meghan shouted in her head. So much for the magical protection covering the island. It had kept this menace locked in. Sure did wait long enough to show its ugly head.
Meghan overhead students talking about the Scratchers and how they wished they could kill one, like that one kid did from that one group. What was his name… Colin Jacoby.
She crept to a corner and ignored their stares, which cried out, If he could do it, could she? She was keenly aware this was not something she could accomplish. Although now had her suspicions as to how Colin had done it. Or she should say, how Catrina had done it. She is a Projector after all.
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, a Balaton entered the school and advised the teachers it was once again safe and recommended the students be sent home. Classes were postponed for the day (best news ever, decided Meghan) and students began hastening out of the school to check that no one in their families had been injured, or worse...
Meghan made her way to the entrance where the Balaton was speaking with one of the teachers. “Far as we know, just one injury,” he was saying. “Not life-threatening,” he was sure to clarify.
“Who?” asked the teacher. “Who was injured?”
“Young man, name of Jae Mochrie,” he informed her.
Meghan’s eyes popped open wide.
“Didn’t see it myself, but apparently he fought one of’em, gave it a thorough magical beating, or so I've been told.”
Divided (Bloodlines, The Immortal, and The Dagger of Bone) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 5) Page 5
