by KD Blakely
Creating the gates to reach our new home was draining, but we were triumphant. With few entrances, each confined with layers of protection, we would be safe from non-magickal intrusions. There is only one rule: Protect the existence of Chimera, whatever the cost. To ensure this, travel between Chimera and the Mundane world is restricted.
This has grown easier as time has passed.
As more creatures and users of magick moved to Chimera, magick stopped functioning properly in the Mundane world. It faded in the minds of men from a terrifying reality to myth, from myth to legend, and from legend to bedtime stories told to frighten young children. Knowledge of our existence was lost, and those in Chimera were safe.
Some of our kind chose not to leave the Mundane world. There are still vampires in Italy and the Americas, shapeshifters in the New World, and a few wizarding families in Europe.
To guard our hard-won home, we who left the Mundane world would have no contact with any who decided to remain outside. Most of us believe, after all this time, that those who stayed behind no longer remember our existence.
There are no stories of this place.
Our alliance has indeed been broken, but on this one thing we are still in agreement. To protect our creation, it must never be mentioned to any in the Mundane world. And any who learn of our existence must forever become a part of Chimera.
Chapter 8
Why is She Here?
Mornings were another way things were changing. Before this year, the three of us had risen early, out riding bikes or chatting on-line by 8:00 am. But for several months now, I’d noticed Olivia sleeping in later and later.
At first I kept waiting for things to return to normal. But lately, I’d begun to realize it wasn’t going back the way it had been. To be fair, it wasn’t just Olivia. At school, it was like some strange sleep virus was infecting everyone in 7th grade. I really liked mornings, so it had better not infect me!
I’d complained to Mom about Olivia sleeping late, but she just said sleeping in was normal for teenagers. “Have you forgotten when your brother was your age?”
I had forgotten. Who’d want to remember that? Chris had been a total slug. My parents had to knock on his door, yelling at him to get up every morning. Dad even had to go in and pull the covers off the bed. Once Dad got so impatient he poured a glass of ice water on his head. That got Chris up.
Note to self — Don’t become a teenage slug!
Maybe this morning I should have slept in. Every time I tried to imagine who would meet us at Johnny’s, my stomach started flipping around like something was doing gymnastics in there.
It was ten minutes before 8:00 am when the three of us met on our corner.
“Let’s go.” Faith turned to lead the way. I noticed her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were flushed. Knowing Faith, she was excited to learn about that strange place.
Olivia’s greeting was a grumbled complaint. “I can’t believe we’ve got to be at Johnny’s so early. To meet someone we don’t even know.”
“Come on, Olivia, aren’t you excited? We’re going to find who sent those pages and what they know about that strange place.”
“No, Faith. I’m too tired to care right now. You be excited for both of us.”
Olivia really must be tired. Her hair was hanging limp around her face and she hadn’t slathered on lip-gloss or eye shadow after getting out of sight of her house.
Faith raised her eyebrows, and the corners of her mouth turned down. “Aren’t you the least bit interested?”
“I’m here, aren’t I? This time of day, that’s a high level of interest.”
I sighed, feeling suddenly tired as Faith and Olivia bickered at each other, and I increased my pace. That effort didn’t last long. Faith grabbed my arm and said, “Kat, what do you think about that place, Chimera?”
Olivia mumbled, “What place called Chimera?”
“From those pages last night. I think that’s the place we fell into yesterday. Chimera.”
I felt a chill chase its way down my back. “I hope you’re wrong. Remember, ‘Any who learn of our existence must forever become a part of Chimera?’”
Faith shook her head. “I’m not worried, ‘cause I think it was just Andrew. You know, trying to freak us out.”
I looked at Faith in disbelief. “No way did Andrew send us to that place!”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “It can’t be anyone we know. No one in town could do that.”
“But a stranger wouldn’t know where Kat lives!” Faith stopped, her hands fisted on her hips, glaring at Olivia.
“Fine, then let’s hear your great idea.”
“How should I know? That’s why I asked you.”
“Maybe it was a ghost. Or little green men from Mars. Or Bigfoot.” Olivia was smirking. We all knew Faith didn’t believe in such things.
Faith rolled her eyes, and said, “Are those my only choices? How ‘bout the tooth fairy?”
Olivia laughed, then Faith and I joined in. For a moment, it felt like it always had been.
Then Olivia groaned. “It’s Saturday, one of the only days I can sleep in. Let’s get this over with, and maybe I’ll still have time to go back to bed.”
Johnny’s Burger Shack was a favorite hangout for those of us in middle school. There were no fast food places in town. One had finally been built a couple miles away, down off Highway 101, but people in town preferred Johnny’s. Everyone said his cheeseburgers were the best in a hundred miles. Johnny liked that so much, he’d painted it on the wall outside the restaurant.
Inside, it was like the aftermath of a disaster movie, where a rundown diner and a McDonald’s got crushed together. You took a seat at one of the small booths held together with brightly colored duct tape. Someone would take your order and bring your food, but you got your own drinks in a to-go cup from the soda machine near the door.
The sound of buzzers and bells going off in the kitchen penetrated throughout the dining room. Johnny had partly automated the kitchen like a fast food place, and the high school supplied plenty of cheap labor to man the fryers and prepare some of the food. But only Johnny touched the grill.
The decorations included lots of plastic, and odd shades of purple, gold, and what Johnny fondly called avocado green. Guys from school called it puke green behind his back.
I pulled open the glass door and the three of us hesitated in the entrance. I eyed the row of booths visible on this side of the partition running down the middle of the room. I wondered if we’d have to walk all the way around to check the booths on the other side.
I felt my palms begin to sweat.
Faith poked me in the ribs and nodded toward a booth near the back where a small hand waved at us. I gasped and took a small step backwards when I saw who was seated at the table. Rowena just-call-me-Ronny Danann. The woman who married my brother Chris a week ago.
Actually, I guess I have to call her Ronny Taylor now. That sucks.
I’d never mentioned to anybody how uncomfortable Ronny made me. Her formal, stiff way of speaking was really strange, but that wasn’t the problem. Mostly, when I looked at her, I was afraid I’d lost my mind. People in town thought Chris had been seeing her for the last two years.
But it had been much longer.
I was five and Chris was fifteen when I started trailing after him. My babysitter, old Mrs. Johnson, fell asleep in the afternoons and never knew I’d left.
Chris didn’t like me following him, so I got very good at sneaking. He’d met someone who looked exactly like Ronny for the past seven years. And it was obvious, even to a five year old, that they’d already known each other a long time.
For most of those years, there had been nothing romantic between them. Ronny was definitely a grown-up, while Chris was just a geeky teenager. But that changed over the years. Or rather, Chris changed.
That’s what made me worry I was losing my mind. Chris and I had both changed a lot in seven years, but Ronny ha
dn’t changed at all. Not her hair, not her face, not even her clothes. She didn’t look one day older.
Two years ago they’d started holding hands and kissing. I don’t know if other ten year olds like to watch their brother making out, but I didn’t hang around much after that.
I’d never told Ronny or Chris that I’d seen them together for the past seven years. But it creeped me out whenever I had to be near her. And now, it appeared that Ronny, my new sister-in-law, the woman who never looked any older, was the one who wanted to talk to us.
I do not want to do this!
I hung back, feeling my stomach churn when Ronny stood up and motioned us over. Faith and Olivia looked at me curiously, and I could only shrug. I trailed after them uncertainly, wondering if I should just turn and go.
I was still asking myself that as we got to the table. Ronny said, “We now are all here. Before starting, would you like to eat something? As my treat.”
I’d been hungry when we came in, but my stomach was jumping too much to eat anything now. In fact, the smell of my favorites, fried potatoes and bacon, were making me feel queasy.
“Nothing for me, thanks,” I said weakly, while my mind began buzzing with questions.
“I could eat!” Olivia grinned, looking slightly more awake, and Faith seconded the idea. I waited impatiently for the waitress to finish taking their order before I started to ask the questions that were now stinging my brain like a swarm of angry mosquitoes.
“How did you—“ I almost burst with impatience when Ronny held up her hand and said, “Let us wait until our food is served to us. We do not want to get interrupted, and I do not want anyone to hear what I need to say to you.”
The loud sounds of people filling drinks at the soda machine and the buzzers going off in the kitchen made it difficult to hear any of the conversations going on around us. I guessed Ronny was counting on those sounds to cover whatever we were about to discuss.
We sat in silence, Olivia looking half-asleep, until the waitress put breakfast on the table. Then Olivia’s head snapped up and she grabbed her fork. “Yum.”
Once the waitress was back out of earshot, Ronny cleared her throat and said, “You are wondering what all the mystery is about? I am sorry for that. I have much to explain, but first I need you to promise me you will not talk about this. With anyone.” She paused and met each of our eyes.
I hesitated, not sure I wanted to give her any promises. Ronny looked at me intently for a moment, then said, “Before that, I believe Kat has a concern about me.”
Chapter 9
T M I
I glanced at Faith and Olivia, then back at Ronny. “I…I don’t know what you mean.” Although I was afraid I did.
My heartbeat accelerated when Ronny frowned at me. I suddenly remembered the thought I had before falling asleep.
What if there is a place called Chimera, and there are magical beings? If so, maybe it wasn’t so crazy for Ronny to still look exactly the same. But what would that make Ronny? Ronny—who’d married my brother Chris just last week.
I stared down at the table, drawing circles with my fork, not willing to meet her eyes. Ronny said, “I have seen you many times over the years, Kat. I know how you used to follow Chris.” I glanced up, horrified.
She smiled at me. “Do not concern yourself. Chris did not know, and I do not intend to tell him. I hoped you would not recognize I was the same one with him all that time. But whenever you let yourself look at me, I see the doubt in your eyes.”
She glanced at Olivia and Faith before continuing. “I will not tell you the whole story now, but I will tell you this. I first met Chris when he was ten years old. The same year you were all born. That year troubled him greatly. A new baby in the house meant his life would be changed forever.”
I looked at Ronny curiously. Had Chris found change as hard as I did now?
Ronny shook her head. I was afraid for a moment I’d said it out loud. Then she said, “You and Chris have altered tremendously in the past twelve years, but I have not. This, I believe, is what worries you. Am I right?”
My mouth was so dry, I knew I couldn’t get a sound out. I nodded reluctantly, unable to look at Olivia and Faith. What could they be thinking?
“There is no need for you to be concerned. Chris knows every part of me. And I swear I will never allow anything to bring harm to him.” For a moment, a fierce gleam seemed to shine from her eyes.
She took a deep breath, and her eyes looked completely normal again. Did I imagine that strange look? She continued, “Before we speak about how all of this is possible, I must know if you read the pages I left for you?”
When we all nodded, Ronny clasped her hands on the table. It was a casual pose, but the skin stretched so tight over her knuckles it looked white and waxy. Like mine did on roller coasters.
She began to speak low and quiet, while keeping her eyes on her hands. “So, now you know how Chimera began. I was born there, a long, long time ago.” At the inquisitive sound that escaped Olivia, she glanced up with a slight smile. “No, I am not going to tell you how old I am. Not now.”
“You saw our rule, that any who learn of our existence must be brought to Chimera. There they must spend the remainder of their life. This rule was designed to keep our secret safe. It is better to be safe than worry, right?”
Something about that last sentence didn’t sound right, but I dismissed it, wondering what she’d tell us next.
She paused a moment, as if collecting her thoughts. I heard Olivia’s toe begin to tap. I’d have tried to kick her, but the table was too crowded. I’d probably kick Ronny by mistake.
“What about us?” Faith looked both scared and outraged.
“Do not worry, I have no way to enforce that rule, even if I believed in it. Listen and you will see.” She sighed deeply, and sounded unbearably sad. “Once Chris and I knew we loved one another, I asked our Council to make an exception for us. Chris would not be happy leaving your family behind forever. He would never be able to tell you why he had to leave or where he would be. We could not have a good life together like that.”
The world wobbled around me and I grabbed the edge of the table, afraid for a moment I’d fall off my chair. Chris might have been forced to live in Chimera? I couldn’t imagine my life if Chris just disappeared without a word. And I didn’t believe he’d do that. He’d have told us.
And what if he did? Then our whole family would know about Chimera. Would they have forced us all to disappear into Chimera?
Ronny hadn’t noticed my momentary distraction and continued softly, “The Council refused my request. Even though my mother is one of the founding members and occupies our highest rank.”
She stared at me intently. “When I told them I would live in the Mundane world with Chris, they threatened to ban me from Chimera forever. I do not think they believed I would choose to stay in the Mundane world. In nearly five hundred years of your time, no magickal being has chosen to leave. The Council was sure this threat would make me obey them.”
She fell silent a moment, her eyes distant. “It took long months of searching my heart before I could make the decision to leave Chimera. To move here and be with Chris in your world. Knowing it would be forever. It was the most difficult decision of my life. But one can’t cry over spoiled milk, right?”
Faith said, “I think you mean spilt milk.”
The smile Ronny gave her was just a weak imitation of her early smile. “Did I get it wrong? I like using your sayings, but Chris is always needing to correct me. I make him laugh when I mangle your sayings.”
She turned to me, her eyes sad and intent. “I can see you are wondering why I requested for you to come to listen to my story. The answer is simple. I need you to help me.”
She sat straighter, her shoulders growing stiff and her face turning hard. “I have tried to enter Chimera but cannot get in. The Council has kept their threat. The entrance is magicked against me and I am banished from my home.”
Olivia was definitely waking up now, her eyes shining with interest. “Why do you wanna go back? I’d be totally mad at them if I were you.”
Ronny’s hands writhed together for a moment before she answered, “Just after the wedding, my mother told me she was needed in Chimera. She had to return home immediately. She could not even stay for the reception. Something had gone wrong.” Ronny looked up and the strain she was under showed clearly on her face. For the first time, I thought she actually did look years older.
“Mother was afraid someone was seeking to take over Chimera. She swore she would have word to me by the time I returned from honey-mooning. But she has never contacted me. That could never happen if all was well with her.”
I was suddenly glad I hadn’t eaten anything. My stomach twisted as Ronny continued, “I need to find what has happened. And you are the only ones who can help me.”
Chapter 10
No Way, No How
There were several moments of silence as the three of us stared at Ronny. Finally I asked the question I knew we were all thinking. “What do you mean, we’re the only ones who can help?”
Ronny leaned her elbows on the table and rubbed her eyes. She continued without looking up. “As I said, I cannot go into Chimera. And Chimera has been blocked to non-magickal beings. Or, I should say, most non-magickal beings. You three are exceptions.”
“What?” Faith’s voice shot up at least one full octave.
“As you could see inside our history, the different creatures that exist in Chimera do not get along. Twelve years ago, during the year you were born, several groups in Chimera began to fight.”
She must have seen my confusion. Or maybe it was Faith’s stare of appalled disbelief. “You must understand, the magick world fights with spells and curses. The fighting grew so intense, magick started to leak into your world. People in Santa Ramona noticed many strange things that year.”
I gasped so loud Ronny looked startled. “You do not need to worry, there was little lasting effect.”
