The Song of Hadariah: Dybbuk Scrolls Trilogy: Book 1 (Dybbuk Scrolls Trillogy)

by Alisse Lee Goldenberg

  “I should have,” Rebecca said sadly. “I really should’ve. I know that now.” She stared around her at the trees, the ground, the sky, anywhere but at Emilia’s face, which was so full of understanding that it hurt Rebecca to see it.

  “Why does this realization sadden you so?” Emilia asked.

  “Because it’s too late. It’s like that old saying—You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.” She laughed, but it rang hollow. “You don’t know that one, huh? But my bubbie died, and now it’s too late to learn the stories and the lessons that she so badly wanted to teach me. I was so stupid. I just dismissed it all. I dismissed her. I thought all she knew was dumb fairy tales, superstitions, and kid stuff. Why would I ever need to know any of that Old World nonsense? She wanted to teach me. She wanted me to know and to understand my culture, where I came from, and I couldn’t be bothered to listen. I always figured I had more time. Another day, another few years to listen. I’d have those talks when I wasn’t so busy, when I was older maybe. I never looked at her and saw someone who would one day be gone from my life. She was always there for me, until she just…” Rebecca swiped a tear from her face. “She was just gone.”

  Emilia lightly reached out and tucked a long strand of Rebecca’s black hair behind her ear. “I am sure you listened and learned more than you realize,” she said. “You just do not remember it all. There is a difference. Do not worry. It will return to you. And when this quest of yours is over, you will have stories of your own to tell impatient children one day.”

  Rebecca smiled. “Thank you. You know, you aren’t at all like the princesses I remember from any stories I’ve ever heard or read.”

  Emilia knitted her eyebrows in confusion. “I do not understand.”

  “Well,” Rebecca said, “they were all very passive characters. Waiting to be rescued, dreaming of their princes, obeying their fathers’ every wish. The ideal woman.” She rolled her eyes.

  Emilia laughed. “But there are many princesses in this world who are not that way at all!” she exclaimed. “There are princesses who rule their own kingdoms, princesses who are hunters of treasures, princesses who are scholars, and princesses who are pirates even.”

  Rebecca’s eyes went wide. “Are you a pirate?” she asked. This would explain a lot about their new friend.

  “No,” Emilia said. “The pirate is merely an example. I am simply saying that just because a woman is of royal blood, she does not have to be docile.”

  “That’s true,” Rebecca said. “But what type of princess are you?”

  “The type of princess who disagrees with her king and father,” Emilia replied. “And the type of princess who had to wait to be rescued and is immensely thankful that you and your companions arrived when you did.”

  * * *

  Carrie lay awake. She had been listening to Rebecca and Emilia’s conversation. She felt a bit guilty for eavesdropping, especially when Rebecca had been speaking about her bubbie. It was never easy getting her friend to open up about how she was feeling. Even so, the whole conversation had helped Carrie get a better feel for Emilia’s character, though she still was not sure she trusted her entirely.

  Carrie sat up and smiled at Emilia and Rebecca. “I should wake Lindsay up, too, I guess.”

  “It would be best,” Emilia answered.

  Carrie nudged Lindsay’s shoulder. “Wake up, sleepyhead,” she crooned.

  Lindsay opened her eyes and groaned. “So soon? Not fair!”

  Carrie stood and quickly shoved their stuff into their backpacks and Lindsay’s suitcase. She set her pack onto her back and waited for her friends to do the same. Lindsay did so while halfheartedly rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her usually perfect hair resembled a tumbleweed, and Rebecca carefully reached over to try to smooth it out, earning herself a bleary glare from the small blonde.

  “Let’s go,” Carrie said. She felt energized and ready for anything. She set off with the other three girls right behind.

  They walked on, stopping every now and then to eat and rest when their feet grew too weary. On their first break, Lindsay grabbed a brush from her suitcase and desperately tried to fix her hair. She nearly gave up before Emilia approached and fixed it into a long plait going down her back.

  While walking, Emilia found endless fascination in the girls’ flashlights, delighting in the fact that they allowed her to carry one. She spent hours whirling the beam of light through the leaves and branches in the trees, shining it at her new friends, laughing whenever they winced as she accidentally shone it into their eyes. She shone it on her arms and legs, revelling in her friends’ gaping at her shadow-less form.

  When they asked her about it, she merely shrugged. “It is the way I am,” she said with a smile.

  She proved an apt pupil as Rebecca showed her their compass and explained to her the concept of magnetic north and how it worked. She proclaimed the small device as being “clever.”

  Later in the day, as they trekked on, Lindsay commented on the absence of animals in the forest.

  “We met Adom, and we met you,” she said, “though you are clearly not an animal. Don’t get me wrong here, I mean, we’d be totally cool with it if you were. But I was wondering—where is everybody else? I assume this world has more people. You spoke about your father, your boyfriend, and the prince. Adom mentioned another king and queen, as well as Asmodeus. There seem to be a few towns and villages around as well. But where are they? Where are the people, the animals, anybody?”

  “Most are afraid of this darkness,” Emilia answered, “so they will not come out. I suppose they will never come out until this ends.”

  “We’ll just have to make sure it ends soon and ends happily,” Lindsay said with conviction.

  “You seem sure of this,” Emilia said. Her dark eyes gazed deep into Lindsay’s grey ones, as if trying to see if she truly meant her words.

  “You bet I’m sure,” Lindsay answered.

  “So am I,” Carrie agreed.

  Rebecca nodded as well. “Emilia,” she said, “Adom told us we have to pass a golden mountain and a bunch of caves. Are we getting close?”

  Emilia cocked her head to the side in thought. “We are indeed,” she answered. “The caves are a little ways ahead. Beyond that lie all the mountains.”

  “What’s in the caves?” Carrie asked.

  “Each cave is different. Some are home to magical objects, others lie empty, still more have been claimed by animals, people, witches…”

  “Witches?” Lindsay asked, wide eyed.

  Emilia nodded and kept walking.

  “There are witches?” Lindsay asked again. “That’s so cool. And scary.”

  “We met a talking fox and tree, had a run-in with enchanted fruit, rescued a shadow-less princess, and are currently tracking down a dybbuk. But it’s the idea of witches that surprises you?” Rebecca stared at Lindsay in disbelief as she dragged the suitcase across the ground.

  “It shouldn’t, and yet it does,” Lindsay replied.

  “You never cease to amaze me.”

  Carrie walked ahead with Emilia, shining her light left and right, illuminating spaces between the trees. It seemed to be getting darker, and Carrie stumbled a couple of times over unseen roots and rocks. Yet, the encroaching darkness did not seem to bother Emilia, and she seemed to walk along effortlessly. Carrie let out a surprised gasp as she found her light hitting stone.

  “Emilia,” she whispered. “Is this the wall of a cave?”

  Emilia approached and ran her hand lovingly along the rock’s bumps and crevices. “I did not think we had come so far so soon,” she murmured.

  “Is this a witch’s cave?” Lindsay asked quietly, earning herself an elbow in the ribs from Rebecca.

  Emilia smiled. “No. I would not venture into a cave inhabited by a witch.”

  “We’re going inside? Awesome!” Lindsay said.

  “Where’s the entrance?” Rebecca asked. She cast her flashlight’s beam along the s
tone and narrowed her eyes, trying to see how this solid wall of rock could actually be a cave. In the back of her mind, she knew she had heard many stories that featured settings like this one. But to her frustration, she could not recall a single one.

  Emilia gestured for them to follow her, and with one hand trailing along the face of the rock, she led the way a little farther. They approached what looked like a tall crack in the stone, and Carrie watched as Emilia began to squeeze her way through. She reached forward and took a hold of the redhead’s arm.

  “Wait,” Carrie told her. “What exactly is inside this cave?”

  “Someone has hidden here an item of great power,” Emilia explained. “An enchanted mirror. I believe it would be prudent if we go and fetch it.”

  “What does this mirror do?” Carrie asked.

  “Do you know the story of an enchanted mirror?” Emilia asked Rebecca.

  Rebecca thought a moment, fully aware of everyone’s eyes on her, expecting an answer. “I think I do,” she began. “I…I think I remember a story of a mirror that can show you anything that is in the world at any time, if you ask it to.”

  Lindsay grinned. “That is so cool. I can use it to see if that guy from school really does hang out with that sleazy little—” she stopped, realizing her friends were staring at her. “I was kidding! I was actually thinking we can use it to see where Asmodeus has hidden the strings. We’ll just ask it to show them to us.”

  Emilia nodded. “Precisely,” she said and turned to enter the cave.

  Carrie shone the light in after her, and Lindsay shuddered.

  “I like her,” Lindsay said. “But that shadow thing is really creeping me out. Becca, do you remember what that means?”

  Rebecca shook her head. “I’ve been trying and trying to remember, but I can’t. I’ll keep on it though.”

  The girls followed Emilia into the cave. and found themselves standing with Emilia in a large cavern. Their flashlights’ beams ricocheted off gems embedded in the stone walls, enveloping them in rainbow lights. Carrie shook her bangs out of her face and stared in amazement. Her blue-green eyes widened with joy. She had never seen anything so incredible. She felt she could stand there for hours, turning with her flashlight inside a kaleidoscope of colour. Her friends did the same thing on either side of her. A sharp moan broke her out of her reverie. She turned and saw Emilia standing, shoulders hunched, as if in pain.

  Her red hair shook as her body stood quivering. A stricken look was on her face. Her hands were balled into two tight fists. Carrie could swear she could see tears in her eyes. Yet Emilia seemed determined not to let them fall. At her feet lay a broken mirror.

  “Holy…” whispered Rebecca.

  “Why would anyone destroy something so precious?” Emilia asked. It was clear she expected no answer.

  “It must have been Asmodeus,” Carrie said. “He doesn’t want anyone to find the violin’s strings.”

  Emilia shook her head, her hair swaying like flames around her face. The pain in her expression made her look much older than when she had first been rescued. Rebecca stepped forward as if to comfort her. Emilia raised her hand to stop her.

  “I refuse to believe he would stoop so low,” Emilia said.

  “Why not?” Carrie asked. She could not understand why Emilia would try to think well of the dybbuk king. “He stole the violin’s strings in the first place. He condemned your world to death. Why not break the mirror?”

  Emilia sighed. “It just seems so final. I had hoped he could be reasoned with when we got to him. That there was still hope for tikkun. Now,” she gestured to the broken glass at her feet, “now I am not so sure.”

  “You speak as if you know him,” Rebecca said.

  “All here know Asmodeus,” Emilia replied. “All pray for a peaceful resolution to all of this. Now I am not sure how that is possible.” She turned with tears in her eyes and quickly walked out of the cave, not even looking back to see if they followed.

  Rebecca glanced uncomfortably at Lindsay as they exited the cave. “She seemed so upset,” she said to her, making sure they were out of Emilia’s range of hearing. “It seems odd that something Asmodeus did upset her so much.” She stopped, lost in thought. “That word she used. It sounds familiar. What does it mean?”

  “Tikkun?” Lindsay asked.

  Rebecca nodded.

  “It means redemption,” Lindsay answered. “She was hoping that, in spite of all that he has done, the king of the dybbuks could still be redeemed.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Joldisch Riz

  Carrie jogged up to Emilia. The princess was walking briskly ahead of the group, unaware of the fact that they were lagging far behind her.

  “Emilia!” Carrie called. “Wait up!”

  Emilia paused and turned, her brow wrinkled in confusion. “Sometimes I do not understand anything you and your friends say at all.”

  “I’m sorry,” Carrie apologized. “I know what we saw back there disturbed you.”

  Emilia sighed and turned away.

  “You probably don’t want to talk about it,” Carrie continued, “but if Asmodeus could destroy that mirror, how do we really know he hasn’t destroyed the violin strings by now? Think about it. Why would he hold on to something like that? If he truly means for this world to die, wouldn’t he destroy those strings to ensure no one saves them?”

  Emilia shook her head. Strands of her fiery hair fell across her eyes, but she made no move to brush them away. “He would not have destroyed them,” she said. “They are not indestructible, but if one string is destroyed, another is created to be strung on the violin. Please trust me. He has hidden them, and we shall retrieve them. This world will not, must not die.” Emilia looked away, drawing her shoulders back, head held high, as if daring anyone to contradict her.

  Carrie paused, unsure if she should say something in response. She knew Emilia was upset about what they had seen in the cave and seemed sincere in her desire to help, but something about the girl just did not sit well with her. There was something distinctly odd about Emilia that Carrie did not like. She watched as the princess walked ahead, her mind full of thoughts.

  Emilia turned and saw that Carrie, Rebecca, and Lindsay had not caught up to them. She stopped and waited.

  “What’s up?” Lindsay asked, jogging up to Carrie’s side.

  Emilia held up a hand to silence her. She looked around, as if searching for something. Nearby, they could make out a rhythmic rumbling, as if someone were drumming a steady beat. Carrie and Rebecca looked too. Nothing seemed different. The spot where they were standing looked like every other part of the forest they had previously walked through.

  “We are in the part of the forest where the giants dwell,” Emilia told them. “We must proceed with caution here.”

  Carrie looked alarmed. “Giants?” she asked. “Like I’ll grind your bones to make my bread giants?”

  “I remember stories about giants,” Rebecca said. “They weren’t bad people. Just overly large.”

  Emilia nodded. “The giants are not evil creatures. They do not eat humans. The one thing we must take note of is the fact that they do not like to be startled. We should be loud as we cross through this part of the forest. In this manner we will alert them to our presence.”

  “If the giants are good,” Lindsay said, “why don’t we ask for help? I’m sure we would travel much faster if we continued on by giant. Their legs are much longer than ours.”

  Carrie nodded. It sounded like a good plan to her, and she would like the break very much. Every muscle in her legs hurt.

  “We shall do no such thing!” Emilia snapped. She turned on Lindsay, eyes blazing. “I never specified that these giants were good. I merely said they would not use us in their baking. Now let us keep walking.”

  Carrie, Lindsay, and Rebecca exchanged confused looks. Emilia’s outburst had taken all three of them by surprise.

  “So noise is a good thing,” Lindsay said in an
attempt to lighten the mood. “Does anyone here know the words to ‘Seventy-Six Trombones’?”

  Rebecca wrinkled her nose at Lindsay and began making gagging sounds.

  “What?” Emilia asked.

  “It’s a song,” Carrie explained.

  “Lindsay knows more songs than anyone else we’ve ever met,” Rebecca said. “It’s sort of become a bit of a game with us: stump the Lindsay.”

  “You sing?” Emilia asked, visibly impressed.

  Carrie nodded. “She was the lead in the school musical,” she said proudly. “I was lucky to get cast as shrubbery.”

  Lindsay blushed deeply. “It wasn’t much of a competition. Not many people auditioned.”

  “Do not be so modest,” Emilia said. “Music is a gift. You should share it with others. Do not squander or hide it. Use it whenever you can. Please sing us something.”

  Lindsay shook her head. “Please don’t make me,” she begged. “I get so nervous when I’m put on the spot like this.”

  “But you have no problem on stage in front of hundreds of people,” Rebecca teased.

  “That’s different!” Lindsay insisted. “You can barely ever see the audience from the stage! Here, or in a small crowd, I can clearly see all of you guys. You’ll be staring at me. Judging me. I hate it. You know that!” She looked at all three of her companions staring at her expectantly.

  “Please,” Rebecca said, an encouraging smile on her face.

  Lindsay sighed in resignation. “Fine. If you insist.”

  “We do,” Carrie said. It was always so hard to get Lindsay to perform for them, but when she did, she was always glad of the opportunity after.

  “There are giants in the sky…” Lindsay began. Her voice trembled a little as if she were nervous to sing in front of the small group.

  Rebecca groaned. “Preferably something not from the school show. We heard enough of that stuff to last us a lifetime.”

  “Sondheim is not stuff,” Lindsay sniffed. “Besides, I thought it was appropriate considering the situation. But if you don’t like that one, fine. I guess not everyone has my good taste in music.”