Divided (Bloodlines, The Immortal, and The Dagger of Bone) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 5)

by Humphrey Quinn

  “Maybe I'm better this way,” he said darkly.

  “What are you trying to prove, Jae? Or maybe I should ask, who are you trying to impress? Yourself, or your father?”

  Jae snarled, frightening Meghan, forcing her to retreat. He stopped his near attack falling to the ground, his voice enraged. “It’s all his fault. I hate him!”

  “Jae, your father can be really mean sometimes, but I know in there somewhere, he loves you and just wants what’s best.”

  “You saw him when I was injured by that Scratcher, how proud he was...” Jae spat out the words like getting rid of poison. Meghan noted his emphasis on the word injured and wanted to ask if Jae had somehow faked the injury, but let it slide, because Jae stood back up, eyes swimming in the color of dark ink.

  “It doesn't matter anymore,” he told her, his breath coming out heavier. “I'm more powerful than anything he could ever be, or ever think of being.”

  Meghan thought back to her conversations with Jae after leaving Cobbscott, when he had missed the power he had felt while being on his own.

  “Whatever you've done, Jae, you made the choice to do it. Your father didn’t make this choice for you.”

  Jae's face crumbled again. “I – I can't control it anymore.” He doubled over, looking like he might be sick. When he looked up again, his own eyes stared into Meghan’s. “Please, just leave me alone,” he begged. “You can't help me. I'm done for.”

  “Done for?” she repeated. “Jae, you’re not done for! Let me help you. Just tell me what you did. A spell gone bad? A potion you shouldn’t have taken? Maybe a doctor can sort it out. We'll find someone... Juliska,” she suggested promptly.

  As she said Juliska's name, Jae let out a furious groan. “Just leave me alone,” he begged her. Jae’s eyes disappeared and the black, inky ones replaced them. He lunged like he meant to attack her, but bounded over her head and ran away.

  Meghan watched, horror-struck, but did not give chase. Instead, she stood, staring into nothing, a feeling of numbness spreading over her body.

  The schoolyard was empty, the students now all back in class. She had no desire to return. She turned her gaze, knowing what she did want. Stiffly, she stepped onto the street, pointing her body toward the house of Ivan Crane.

  The chances of him being home were slim, but she could think of nowhere else to go. She walked, holding onto this one thought. Get to Ivan’s… she ignored any passersby, ignored the strange looks they were shooting at her, not stopping until she had come to the gated entrance of a cream colored cottage.

  She had never been inside. She opened the gate, hardly aware of her movements to do so, and made her way to the small front porch. She glanced through a window and saw a shape moving inside.

  “Good. You're home,” she murmured evenly between gritted teeth.

  She knocked.

  Ivan opened the door, gasping out her name. He dragged her inside at once.

  “Have you been walking around like this?” He slammed the door shut behind them.

  “Like what?” she spoke, her teeth still gritted, her brain still numb.

  Ivan spun her around to face a mirror. Her eyes shot open in surprise, her trance-like numbness vanishing.

  The veins on her face and neck popped with pulsating, fiery lines across her skin. Ivan scooted away and came back with an ice-cold glass of water, forcing her to drink it before allowing her to say another word.

  When she handed him the empty glass, she glanced in the mirror again. The fiery lines were dimming.

  Ivan dragged her into his kitchen, maneuvering her body through a small pathway he had left between stacks of what looked like clutter. Somehow, she had pictured Ivan to be a neat freak. Upon entering the kitchen, she noticed a pile of dishes in the sink and a slew of dirty pots on the woodstove. There were rows of empty shelves where clean dishes should have been. Ivan swooshed a bunch of papers off the kitchen table, and emptied a chair.

  “Not how I pictured your house to be,” she spoke, still hazy.

  “Cleaning is not real high on my list of priorities,” he confessed, ordering her to sit.

  She shook her head. “Ivan,” she spoke evenly, “you're going to tell me everything. Everything!” she emphasized firmly. “I will not leave here until you do.”

  Ivan sighed. “I've been counting down the hours until school let out. I was coming to see you.”

  “Oh,” she stated, momentarily caught off guard. “I didn’t actually expect you to be here.”

  “I took a day off,” he said, the words sounding foreign to him.

  She nodded absentmindedly. He refilled her water and continued.

  “I do plan on telling you... everything,” he stated emphatically. “But I need Bird's help to explain some of it, and, well, I don't want to worry you more than you are already, you're clearly about to lose it.”

  “You are so infuriating, Ivan Crane,” she slurred in exasperation. The vein-like lines on her face, which had not yet fully dimmed, now darkened into deep fiery pulsating channels.

  Ivan grasped her by the shoulders. “I'm infuriating,” he repeated in mock tones. “Imagine me, life going on just as I've planned it. Infiltrating a world that's nearly impossible to get into only to have the likes of you come along and shove a big, hot, burning poker into everything, destroying everything I've worked so hard for!”

  “What are you working so hard for?” she demanded, keeping her determination.

  “Only trying to save the world,” he spouted like it should be obvious. “I have spent every breath planning, maneuvering, and plotting to get my life exactly where I needed it to be.”

  “And why do you think it’s your responsibility to save the world? And what does it need saving from?” she asked hotly.

  “It’s not my job anymore,” he declared with hostility. “Because after arriving here, I found out I wasn't the only one here who knew, after all. All this time, I thought I was alone. The only one that knew. I even thought in order to fix everything, I'd have to forfeit my life.” He let go of her, having not yet let go of her shoulders, stepping back, taking heavy, labored breaths. His eyes shouted equal amounts of disdain and confusion.

  “Ivan, you're still not making any sense. Can you please…”

  Ivan broke in. “There's so much, Meghan. When you first came to live the Svoda, I used you.” He meant for the revelation to horrify her opinion of him.

  “I know you did,” she revealed calmly.

  He looked at her, taken aback by her response.

  “I know you think I'm just a dumb girl, but I'm not that stupid, Ivan. I know you only tolerated me because it would look good to Juliska Blackwell.”

  “Yes, that's true,” he admitted bleakly. “She took such an instant liking to you, it was too easy.”

  “So what?” she asked. “Why did you have to get closer to her?”

  “Because I needed proof. Proof I could show everyone. So that everyone would know the truth. They deserve to know the truth.”

  “That Juliska Blackwell is... evil,” Meghan spoke, her voice wavering uncertainly.

  Ivan wrinkled his face, shooting her a look of unexpected comprehension.

  “She's been spying on me, since day one,” Meghan told him in hushed tones. Heck, maybe she was somehow listening in on her too. “A few nights ago I found a journal under her pillow. It was an exact replica of my own. And everything I have ever written, she has read.”

  Ivan looked grave as she spoke.

  “Don't worry,” she said, relieving his concern. “By some miracle, I never wrote anything of extreme consequence in there. I kept a lot to myself. I started reading back through my own entries and believe me, there's plenty I wished she did not know, but nothing that could point anything back to you.” That’s what he’d be most worried about.

  “I thought I had it all figured out.” Ivan’s words, like air pushed out from a deflating balloon. “Thought I knew everything I needed to, what I’d be giving up, wha
t I’d have to do, and then Bird turned everything I knew upside down. All my planning, all my...” he ran out of air, on empty.

  “You gave up a lot, Ivan. It's obvious. But so what, your life isn't going where you thought it would. Welcome to the club,” she muttered bitterly.

  “Meghan, there's more. A lot more. And I do want to tell you everything, but I need Bird's help.”

  “Where is Bird?” she asked. “I still haven't seen him.”

  “That's what I was coming to see you about. He’s gotten himself into a bit of trouble.”

  “Well, why didn't you say so?” demanded Meghan. She got up like nothing else mattered except saving Bird. She looked ready to rush out of the house that very instant.

  Ivan rolled his eyes. “I will never understand you.”

  She shrugged. “I was having a woe is me, moment. More like, we were. Bird needs help, feeling bad has to wait.”

  “Okay, well, I don’t have a clue how he got there, but somehow, he got caught in a local shop, which just recently reopened. I happened upon him while walking down the street and noticed a rather odd looking bird perched inside a cage in a front window display.”

  “Do they know he's not really a bird?” she asked, completely concerned.

  “Don’t think so, but we cannot take the chance. It’s going to be tricky, and require actual planning. We cannot just go strutting in.”

  “Let's plan then, we have to get him out of there.”

  Ivan nodded to a pad of paper. “Already started.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Meghan needed an excuse for skipping out on school. Juliska would find out. But it had taken all afternoon for her and Ivan to plan Bird's escape, and she was confident it would go smoothly. Her not returning to school… that might not go over so well.

  She planned on meeting up with Ivan early the next morning right after curfew lifted, but before any of the shops opened for business. Meghan was so wrapped up in their plan, and coming up with an excuse for missing school, she nearly missed Billie Sadorus sidle up alongside her.

  “Oh! Hi, Billie.”

  “Didn’t mean to startle ya.”

  Theme of my life lately, droned Meghan silently.

  “Actually, was hopin' I'd run into ya,” Billie said.

  With everything going on, it hadn’t even crossed Meghan’s mind to visit Billie.

  “Sorry I haven't been by. School,” she noted, showing her all the books in her shoulder bag.

  “Ah, yes. Remember those days quite well.”

  Billie walked alongside her, silent for a moment, pondering her words. “I see ya was visitin’ Ivan Crane.”

  Meghan blushed. Did everyone think she liked him? And did everyone know her business? Maybe saving Bird wasn’t going to be so easy after all. Sometimes she forgot she was living on an island where everyone took it upon themselves to know everyone else’s business.

  Billie though? She didn’t typically care about these things. Probably just small talk.

  “I was visiting him. Yes. It is not what you think though.”

  Billie tossed her a questioning look that morphed into a grin. “Oh… I see. I wasn’t insinuatin’ anything. He’s a good lad, that’s all.”

  Meghan groaned. “Sorry, Billie. Everyone keeps reading into things that are so not there.”

  “Well, people do have trouble keeping to their own business ‘round these parts,” she cracked lightly. “Still, his loss I imagine.” She winked.

  “Yeah, Ivan would not agree with you about that,” Meghan mumbled sarcastically.

  “It’s a lovely little cottage,” Billie mused.

  “You should see the inside.”

  Billie laughed. “Well, I would wager it’s hard to live in the home he once shared with his parents.”

  “Yeah, I would take that wager,” agreed Meghan.

  Billie stopped. There was definitely something else on her mind than mindless chatter. “Meghan, I wonder if ya might accompany me home before curfew sets in this evening. I've been meaning to visit. I have some of... Colin's things. I thought ya might like to have’em.”

  “Oh. Wow, yeah, I would. I can't believe that never crossed my mind.”

  “It has been rather chaotic ‘round here.”

  “You can say that again.” Meghan followed Billie home.

  Seeing the real version of Billie’s house was much more impressive than the magical replica they had visited back in Grimble. Its brown-shingled turrets jutted from the sides of the house, shooting into the air. There was a small, square front porch on the real version, whereas in Grimble, it had been just a path leading up to a door. The real door was made of ornately carved wood and was heavy to open.

  “So, Billie, I always wanted to ask... is your house an actual old ship? Or did you have it built this way?”

  “Little a both, actually. You see, the wood all comes from a ship my father used to own. However, he wrecked it one day, brought it to shore where it sat for years, until he passed. I decided I didn't want it goin’ to waste so I had it torn apart and rebuilt into my home. It’s like havin' a piece of my dad with me.”

  “And your dad was a piece,” another voice spoke, heartily amused. A head poked up from behind a nearby hedge. A woman appeared, covered in clippings, a bit of green smudged on her face. Underneath the smudge, her pale skin had a pinkish glow to it, especially accentuated by her raven black hair and the black tattoo crawling up her neck.

  She took off her thick gloves. “I don't think we've officially met. I’m Maura,” she said, shaking Meghan's hand. The last time Meghan had seen her, Maura had been tied to a stake and nearly burned alive.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” said Meghan.

  “You, too. I’m just sprucing things up before the first snow,” she added with a kind smile. “Some things are better done before winter sets in,” she quipped, her words aimed playfully at Billie. Who just waved her arm indicating jubilantly that Maura had no idea what she was talking about, but never once did either lose their smiles.

  “You head inside, take care of your business. I’ll be seeing you around,” Maura noted, returning to her hedge trimming.

  As they stepped into the ship-shaped house, Billie exclaimed, “You can’t believe what relief and joy it gives me to be back here on the island. And thank goodness for Maura, ‘cause frankly, I’m downright terrible ‘bout procrastinatin’!”

  Meghan laughed lightly, which oddly enough, felt like little jolts of relief from all the crap and chaos that kept piling up.

  They walked into Billie's living room where a small box sat on her sofa. “There it is,” she pointed with a nod.

  All those jolts of relief froze, gaining immense weight. It was like looking at what remained of her brother. Of what he once was, because no matter what he was changed now.

  Before Meghan had made a move to grab the box, Billie strolled over to a bookshelf.

  “The most important item is not in that box.” She proceeded to lift a few stray books, grabbing one hidden behind, and handed it to Meghan.

  Meghan just stared at the book, stunned.

  At first, she was elated; the book was safe. Billie had hidden the Magicante. This morphed almost instantly to panic. “I thought, hoped, Colin had this with him.” He so rarely ever left it anywhere.

  Meghan sniffled. The book was a brutal reminder of what she’d done. Making it all too real.

  “I betrayed my own brother.”

  “Ya did what ya thought ya had to. Life isn’t always so cut and dry.”

  And it was useless to go down this road again. Meghan pinned her gaze on Billie, the truth of something finally winding its way to the surface. “You understand what this book is?” She must, she’d hidden it.

  “I do,” a man’s deep voice answered. Meghan spun, giving a start. Eyes darting in bewildered question between Billie and her brother, Garner, who stalked into the room like he owned the place. And filled the place, the room got small, fast.

  Me
ghan always trusted Billie. Was this some kind of trap?

  When was she going to learn that nothing was ever as it first appeared in this world?

  Billie huffed, planting her hands on her hips. “Oh, brother.” she tsked at his ominous entrance.

  He softened some. “Sorry. Habit.”

  “Huh?” Meghan responded, gaping. What happened next caught Meghan off guard completely. So much so, there was only gaping. No talking.

  “I have to start with an apology,” Garner began. “My ungodly behavior to you is, was… a necessary evil. However, I’d wager you’ve been around our world long enough to figure out not all is as it first appears.”

  Her words from a minute ago.

  “There is a certain facade I must keep in public,” he continued, like somehow that simple explanation made sense of all this madness.

  “Okay?” Meghan squeaked out. She hadn’t meant it to be a question, but…

  “I asked my sister to call you here today for two reasons.”

  Garner did this? Not Billie. He wanted to meet with her in private, and she was holding the Magicante. This was getting super weird.

  “First, I wanted to be sure the book was returned to you. Your brother would want you to have it in his absence, even in spite of…” he trailed off.

  “That it’s my fault he fled,” Meghan finished bluntly.

  “That’s actually the second part of why you’re here. It was not entirely your doing.”

  Mouth hanging open again. She clasped it shut. She might need some superglue if this got any stranger.

  “What I mean to say is,” Garner clarified, “you did what you did, however, the outcome would have been the same. Colin and Catrina would have left regardless of the how.”

  Meghan’s breath rushed out of her lungs. “How do you…” He knew far too much about all of this. She swayed a little.

  “Meghan?” called out Billie.

  “I’m fine,” she blew her off.

  “We could sit,” offered Billie.

  “You may want to,” Garner warned ominously.