Autumn Awakens

by M. J. Padgett

  She nodded. “He did, but that does not mean he is a good person, Parker. You of all people should understand how people can hide behind a mask, pretend to be one thing when they are another. It has caused me significant pain to see him pursue my sweet Jemma, but discovering Rose’s ultimate plan must come first, despite the broken heart that is quickly approaching my Goddaughter.”

  “People are dying, Fiona! How can you sit by and let that happen?”

  “With much pain, my boy. That is why I called Rebecca—”

  “Stop! Just... just stop. Rebecca is dead. I don’t know who you were talking to, but Rebecca is dead.”

  “Oh, Parker, you never did have much of an imagination,” a soft voice said from behind. I turned to find Jeanine—but not Jeanine.

  I gasped. “Rebecca?”

  She smiled and nodded. “I’m so, so sorry. I had to leave, and you weren’t ready to hear why. It pained me to lie to you, but I’m here now. I promise I will not leave you again.”

  I sat in the chair again, my legs feeling like wobbly jello—probably the green kind no one wanted because it was gross, much the way I felt. People and surprises kept popping up everywhere, making me believe I might never sleep again. Sleep. There was a time I couldn’t stop falling asleep, and I wished for that time with all my might.

  “I’m sorry, Parker. After what happened to Hayden, I had to be cautious. I can’t just go around telling everyone my suspicions. Don’t get me wrong, Hayden is a wonderful woman, and I love her, but her accident made me fear anyone could be infected,” Fiona said, her voice hardly a whisper in my ear as I stared at my former foster mother, my biological aunt.

  Rebecca wasted no time diving into her work. That hadn’t changed. She always was the type to make us do our chores before anything else.

  “First order of business, Parker, you cannot tell anyone I am here. Think of me as a secret weapon you need to protect. Second, we must help Jeanine recover her missing memories.”

  “What about me?” I asked. “What about Ophelia and Jordan?”

  “All in due time, my love. The plan is working as it should. You did find the descendants, didn’t you?”

  “You mean the cousins? Nikola, Alorna, and Petra?” I asked. She nodded. “Yeah, we found them when we were attacked on the train, right after Thaddeus darted—oh...”

  Fiona scowled. “Quite handy with that gun, wasn’t he? It seemed whenever the odds were against Rose, he used that thing on someone.”

  “Wow,” I said. “And the dragons?”

  “I have my thoughts on those, as do the recordkeepers. They will find the answers we seek, and when they do, we will share those thoughts with the group,” Fiona said.

  “You’ve gotta level with me a little here. Those dragons are causing tons of issues,” I argued. “What if someone decides to just kill them?”

  Fiona sighed. “I believe they are Protectors as Rose called them. There are stories of dragons sworn to protect a chest of magical items, but there’s not much written about the items. The dragons, the Protectors, were thought to have died out long ago.”

  “Holy crap,” I said. “You think Ethan and his sisters are those dragons? How?”

  “I do not believe the suppression spell will work on them because they are not cursed. They just are dragons who don’t remember that they are dragons, nor do they remember how they moved from this land to Savannah,” Fiona added as Rebecca stared at me, taking me in for a moment. “As I said, I cannot be sure until I have time to research more thoroughly. Meanwhile, we must help your mother and father.”

  I cut my eyes at her. “My dead father? You said he was lost at sea, probably killed by a Kraken.”

  “Well,” Fiona said guiltily. “I believed he was, but it seems Rebecca and her sisters weren’t playing around with their magical prophecy building. He has returned as well, and in just the right place as all the others. I had no idea that was the case until Rebecca arrived.”

  “Magical prophecy? The one everyone keeps talking about but still doesn’t make much sense to me?” I questioned, falling deeper into a hole of confusion I was sure I would never comprehend.

  “All you need to know now, my darling, is that it will all work out. What my sisters and I wrote is playing out in life, just as we intended. Protect your loved ones, and everything else will fall into place.” Rebecca’s sweet voice reminded me how much I’d missed her, but it didn’t make me forget what I now thought was the most important topic. “Where is my father if he’s not dead?”

  Rebecca and Fiona shared a look, a silent discussion between them. Was I ready, or wasn’t I? Rebecca sucked in a deep breath, then decided she would tell me something true, even if I wasn’t prepared. And boy, was I unprepared.

  “It’s Gerald Benson, Jeanine’s husband. So, you see, everything is working out as we planned,” Rebecca said. That bit of information pushed me over the edge. All I could do at that point was sit and stare at a random speck on the table. We sat in silence for some time before anyone was brave enough to speak again. Rebecca reached across the table and grasped my hand.

  “I will reveal myself in the proper time, Parker. I want very much to see the others, but it is best if I am a secret until the right time,” she said.

  Fiona scooted closer. “There is a proper time for all things. Do you understand?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “This is a lot to take in. Thaddeus is a traitor and Rebecca is alive, and now I’m told Gerald is my biological father? I cannot process any of this, not even close.”

  Rebecca chuckled. “I think you need some sleep, then things might come together a bit better in the morning.”

  “Yes, but what are we going to do?” I asked.

  “We? You’re going to pretend we never had this talk, while I—”

  “Fiona, I can’t pretend this didn’t happen. I need to help. I need to do something,” I argued.

  Rebecca and Fiona shared that look again, then Fiona relented. “Fine. Go get some sleep and rise when the rooster crows. Thaddeus will meet with Rose’s advisor in the morning as usual. Meet me here, and we will follow him together.”

  “Good, that’s good. We need to be more offensive about this,” I said. “I had planned to discuss offensive tactics with the king tomorrow, but given this new surprise information... I don’t know, I guess you’ve got it under control?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. The prophecy was meant to come to realization long ago, but things kept getting in the way. But now, it’s finally working. I’m so sorry this happened to you, Parker.” Rebecca’s sincere face made me relax. “I truly had hoped things would be over and done by now.”

  I nodded. “Tomorrow morning. And I’ll try hard not to act weird, but Chris is gonna know something is up. I’ll just hide from him until... I hope not forever?”

  Rebecca chuckled and leaned forward to hug me. “No, not forever. When the final battle with Rose is over, I will reveal myself. I can’t risk Rose discovering I’m still alive. Until then, I have faith you can do this, Parker.

  “Go now, get some sleep, and we will discuss this further on our trip in the morning,” Fiona said.

  “You’re not coming?” I asked Rebecca. She shook her head.

  “I have work to do here, but we will meet after your trip. I promise, now go sleep,” Rebecca insisted.

  I hugged her again, then started to leave. At the last second, I turned to Fiona. “Sorry I basically accused you of treason.”

  “Nonsense. It’s forgotten. Honestly, I’m glad to have help now. I’ll see you soon,” Fiona said, then waved me off.

  I nodded and quietly exited the room. At the end of the hall, I listened for any sound before moving the tapestry and slipping into the main hallway. I got lost twice, but eventually found my way to the hall of bedrooms where the others slept. Members of the guard were still cleaning the mess and preparing the dead for burial. King Marcellus stood in a high tower peering out over his vast kingdom. His mind was probably a raging i
nferno, one I wanted to pick a little, but decided sleep was more important.

  I pushed open the door to my room and found Ophelia tucked neatly into the bed. Jordan was sprawled on a wide sofa in front of the fireplace, a book resting on his chest. I chuckled at the sight of the anti-book boy, then chuckled again when I saw it was a children’s book about dragons. I placed the book on the floor and covered him with a thick blanket, then fell on top of the covers of my bed. Ophelia stirred and opened her eyes.

  “Park? Are you okay?”

  I rolled on my side and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Yeah. I’m okay. Go back to sleep.” I kissed her cheek and pulled her covers tighter over her shoulders. She fell asleep again as I allowed my own eyes to close. I thought for sure I would dream of monsters, but my sleep was quite peaceful. It was much needed and would be the last sleep I got before confronting my deepest nightmares.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I woke to giggling, a cheerful chuckle that piqued my interest but not enough to open my eyes. Then I heard Jordan’s distinctive hiccupping laugh and managed to peel one eyelid open. Ophelia and Jordan were huddled around the fire, roasting marshmallows for breakfast. Jordan threw one at Ophelia, and she smacked it midair, sending it into the fire.

  “Oops,” she said. “We better be quiet, or we’ll wake Park.”

  “He needs all the beauty sleep he can get,” Jordan teased.

  Ophelia threw a marshmallow at him, which landed nicely in his mouth. She crinkled the bag and tossed it into his lap. She had her serious face on which meant Jordan was in for a lecture. I had a feeling I knew what it was about, but I chose to mind my own business and pretend to be asleep—so not minding my own business.

  She cleared her throat.

  “Oh, here we go. What did I do now?” Jordan asked, annoyed already.

  “Nothing, it’s just... Okay, yesterday that thing with Ethan and Petra. You got a little too worked up over it. You’re a great guy, Jordie, and if she passes you up, then she’s stupid.”

  Jordan’s head drooped. “It’s not like there are a bunch of people our age here. I just thought, you know, for once maybe I didn’t have a bunch of competition. We were getting along really well, then dragon dude showed up to steal the show.”

  “He is pretty impressive, isn’t he?” she asked.

  “Not helping, Ophie. And don’t call me Jordie. You know I hate it,” he said sternly. “And what about you, huh? You could say the same thing about yourself. You passed up a bunch of nice guys because you kept holding out hope Parker would finally get a clue.”

  “And he did, didn’t he?”

  “Yeah, but you deserved his attention a long time ago. I love him like a brother. You know that, but geez, Ophelia, you just kept waiting.”

  She sighed. “I guess in hindsight it seems a little obsessive and silly, but some things are worth waiting for, Jordan. I had other things to focus on anyway. It’s not like I had time to date or take any other men seriously. I love him.”

  I was sick with guilt. I’d never noticed Ophelia waiting on the sidelines for me. It was something I should have noticed but was too busy trying to make something of myself. Even if I had noticed, I wouldn’t have been worthy of her before. I still wasn’t sure I was.

  “Do you think Petra is worth the wait?” he asked.

  “I don’t know her very well yet. But that doesn’t matter. Do you think she is?”

  “We’re sort of young, so I’m not sure how I feel. I know I like her, but—”

  “No, but. You’re not in a competition, Jordan. You keep being you, and if she likes you, then your time will come. Don’t act like a jealous jerk, because you’re not that guy, okay?”

  Jordan sighed. “You’re right. It’s just hard, ya know? Everything is so different and strange.”

  I heard the roosters crow. It was time to get up and meet Fiona. I wanted to stay there with them all day, but my duty had to come first. I also hated keeping secrets from them, but it was necessary to protect them. I grumbled and rolled onto my side to see them better. Ophelia smiled and rose from the cushy chair.

  “Morning sunshine,” she said.

  “Morning. How are you guys?”

  The door rumbled with a hard knock, startling all three of us. “Parker, Henry wishes to see you.” It was Thaddeus, and my body instantly froze in place. My muscles were tight with anger. I wanted to pull open the door and punch him in the face, but Fiona was right. We must gather enough evidence, present it to the king, and allow him to choose how the traitor should be punished. However, meeting Henry would put a kink in my plan for the day.

  Ophelia sensed something was amiss, but she said nothing as I slid out of bed. I ran my hands through my hair and down my face, then groaned. I could use another few hours of sleep, but war waited for no one. I pulled the door open, finding Thaddeus with his smug smile staring back at me.

  “I need to pee first,” I said, but Thaddeus stood his ground.

  “Sure. I’ll just have a talk with Ophelia and Jordan while I wait,” he said, peering around me at my family.

  “Actually,” I said, hoping to come up with a convincing argument that Ophelia and Jordan would go along with without question. “They were just leaving to head to the kitchen for breakfast, weren’t you?” Ophelia’s eyes connected with mine and she got the hint. She gripped Jordan’s elbow and pulled him along, out the door, and toward the kitchen where I hoped they would not be alone. Judging by the bustling I heard coming from the lower floors, I assumed most people were up.

  “What does Henry want?” I asked.

  “Just a planning meeting and he requests your input.” Thaddeus stepped into the room, sliding by me with ease. His actions were already more suspicious, and I struggled to control my reaction, a familiar feeling. He was nothing more than a criminal of the worst kind.

  “Yeah, well, I’ve got other plans for today like checking on my mother and other stuff, so... He’s the General, I’m sure he’s got things under control.”

  “I’m afraid he will insist,” Thaddeus replied, his eyes darting around the room as if he were looking for something. It gave me an idea.

  “Fine, but I need to check on my brothers first. I’ll be there soon.” I stood aside and waited for him to pass, then closed the door behind us. I did need to use the facilities first, so I found a bathroom and prepared for the day, a quick shower included. Even after the shower, I felt a little gross.

  When I exited the bathroom, I passed Ross. “Hey, just the guy I wanted to see. I need a favor.”

  “Sure, happy to be of use for once,” he said, a little sadness in his voice.

  “Let’s grab Chris first,” I said, deciding Rebecca would just have to understand I had a good reason to break our agreement. Chris and Ross needed to know about Thaddeus’ treachery so they could protect our family.

  “Sure. He’s getting up I think,” Ross replied, then banged on our brother’s door. It cracked open, then whipped open fully when Chris saw it was us.

  “Sorry, guys. This place is starting to creep me out. What’s up?” Chris asked.

  “I have jobs for you guys. Feel like working an operation with me?” I asked.

  “Heck yeah. What is it?” Ross asked.

  “Come on, follow me.” I completely ignored Thaddeus’ request I meet with Henry and guided my brothers to the secret hall I’d seen the night before. When we approached the tapestry, I checked around. When I was sure no one could see, I pulled it aside and walked forward. I smacked right into a stone wall.

  “What the... It was right here! Where did it go?” I cried.

  “Park, are you okay?” Ross asked, glancing at Chris.

  “It was right here. There was... It was a... What the heck?” I pulled the tapestry back again, but there was nothing. I was beginning to wonder if it was all a dream when I caught sight of Fiona down the hall to my right. She was staring right at me with a look of contempt on her face. As she strode closer, the look became more c
ross. She stopped in front of me and eyed my brothers.

  “Is this your idea of alone? What have you done, Parker?” she asked.

  “Something changed. I have an idea, and my brothers are the best ones to help. Can you trust me?” I begged. “I took a leap of faith with you last night; I’m asking you to return the favor.”

  She looked over the guys once more, then sighed. “Fine, but Rebecca won’t like this.” Fiona looked at the tapestry, said a few words, then pulled it back carefully. The opening appeared. I stepped in, followed by my brothers.

  “Wait... Rebecca? As in Jeanine’s sister, our dead foster mother?” Ross questioned skeptically.

  “We have a lot to discuss, but yes. Rebecca’s not as dead as we thought, but you can’t say anything to anyone, understand?” I asked.

  Chris paused with his head hunched because he was nearly too tall to fit in the small hallway. “You say she’s alive? How? We buried her, Park. This is getting crazier than my wildest imagination can contain.”

  “I get it. Trust me, okay? Have my back like we do in the field.” I waited for him to choose. He looked at Ross, who only shrugged, then sighed and pointed down the hall.

  “Lead the way, but if something tries to eat me, I’m out,” he said.

  Ross chuckled and followed close to Chris. Fiona brought up the rear. Her tinkling walking sound quickly grew annoying. I wondered if she did it on purpose or if she had no choice. I couldn’t imagine having the affliction, something like entrance music everywhere I went. Then again, if it were super cool, intimidating music maybe I’d like it okay. By the time I stopped thinking about the sound Fiona made when she walked, I had emerged from the hall and entered the small library. Rebecca sat at a desk across the room, her back to us. When she heard Fiona, she turned.

  “There you are! I thought—” Her words were cut short when she saw my brothers. Fiona went to her and carried a small discussion, but Rebecca’s eyes never left Ross and Chris. Rebecca nodded, then slowly approached us. “My boys. There is so much to explain, but there truly is no time. Would it be horribly rude of me to ask you to trust me, and we can discuss everything later?”