The Map, The Dagger, and The Vampyres (Fated Chronicles Book 2)

by Humphrey Quinn

  Meghan sighed and looked around the room, unsure where to begin. Juliska had many belongings here. Closets full up with clothing. Trunks full up with who knew what. And of course, the trunk which was her secret lair, her cave of candles. They moved carefully so as not to disturb anything, trying to keep their presence unknown.

  They started with the obvious spots. Her desk. The nightstand. Next, they glanced into the overly large, filled up closets, but it seemed mostly to be clothing. They turned to the trunks, which were locked.

  “Well, it was a good thought, Nona,” sighed Meghan, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. She gasped. “I shouldn't have done that. Creases!”

  “We can smooth it out. Just get up gently as you can.”

  Meghan got up carefully. It didn't look too bad, but it was obvious someone had sat down. Nona jumped onto the bed, her steps going unnoticed. “I might leave cat hair,” she worried. “Hey...” she purred.

  “What?”

  “Come, look at this.” Nona's head pointed to a spot under Juliska's pillows, where the pages of a thin book had been tucked in. Meghan very carefully picked up the pillow enough for Nona to pull it out with her teeth. Meghan grabbed it and took one more look at Nona. “Should we really do this?”

  Nona nodded yes. “It’s most likely nothing we are looking for anyway,” she reminded.

  “True. Okay.” Meghan kept her finger on the page that had been opened so as not to lose the page, and turned to the beginning. She read aloud.

  “Today a strange thing happened when I was close to someone. I felt his pain, like I could see it in my own head. Is that possible?” She stopped reading. “Huh, that's weird.”

  “I'd say. It is eerie how similar you two are. She writes like you.”

  Meghan did not reply but just stared at the rest of the page. Something wasn’t right. She flipped the page and read some more, and then the next and the next. With each page, her heart again found itself pounding in her chest at full speed.

  “Nona, she doesn't write like me, this is me!”

  “Are you sure?” she asked, needing no answer for she could see everything in Meghan's thoughts.

  Meghan flipped back to the page the book had been open to and felt suddenly that she might vomit. “This... this is what I wrote earlier today, after seeing Ivan.” Her voice wavered and she threw down the book like it had turned to poison.

  “Why? Why would she do this?” Meghan begged to know. “She's been reading everything I have written since day one.”

  Meghan’s only positive thought were the few choice omittances left out of her journal entries.

  “This can't be happening.”

  Nona feared Meghan might actually faint.

  “Is there no one I can trust?” Meghan implored.

  “Me,” said Nona firmly. “You can trust me, Meghan.”

  “Of course you, Nona.”

  “Don't be sorry. Let’s get out of here. We have discovered something I fear would not be prudent for anyone to know... more so than half the things we have learned lately. I’ve had a bad feeling for a while now about Juliska Blackwell, but once you thought she might be your mother, well, I put it aside.”

  “Colin always thought that too,” Meghan spoke. She sounded like she was stuck in a dream. “Why didn't you tell me, Nona?”

  “Because you wanted it to be true, Meghan. You wanted her to be your mother, you love… loved… still love her. And now it might all be true, and yet with this knowledge, I just don't know what it all means.”

  “Nothing means anything anymore. It’s just a continual line of shocking discoveries that I do not understand. A succession of lies… to what end? Keep me permanently in the dark about my life? Who I am? Where I come from? It was Juliska’s idea to start my own journal,” she remembered, sounding hollow.

  I'm losing her Nona mumbled, worried that Meghan was about to have a breakdown she might not soon recover from. “Meghan,” she said firmly, “keep it together. We need to fix this room and get out of here.”

  Meghan nodded, tears streaming down her face. She felt the tears becoming uncontrollable, edging toward sobs but she bit her lip, hoping the pain would keep that from happening. She placed the book back under the pillow and smoothed out the bed covers.

  They double and triple checked that everything was as it should be; then, they left the same way they came in and tiptoed back into Meghan's room. She foraged for her journal and rushed to the fireplace to throw it into the flames.

  “No!” shouted Nona. “You must keep it and you must keep writing in it, or Juliska will know you found out.”

  Meghan looked aghast. What could she write in here that would seem real and normal, knowing every word was being read by Juliska Blackwell.

  Meghan remembered how she had felt after betraying Colin, and how Juliska had told her not to contradict anything she’d said when giving her speech to the Svoda. And how her gut had told her that day, that something was wrong. That something was wrong with Juliska… but she had buried it upon arriving at the island. Buried it deep, preferring to live in the hope that Juliska loved her like a mother, whether she was truly her mother or not.

  Now, this feeling resurfaced and she could not control her thoughts. She felt a pain in her chest which she thought would surely crack her open, allowing all her organs dump out onto the floor. She fell to her knees struggling to breathe.

  “Meghan, she's home,” Nona advised.

  Meghan stared at her catawitch. She couldn't do it. She wasn't that good of an actor. She would spill in minutes in this state.

  “You do not have a choice,” Nona told her. “You must!”

  Meghan shook her head.

  “Stand up,” ordered Nona. “Stand up!” Meghan closed her eyes and did as her catawitch said. She stood and smoothed out her skirt. “Now take a deep breath and clear your mind. Go back to how you felt this morning before anything of this day had happened.”

  Meghan took a shallow breath, still feeling like she could not breathe in deep enough to catch a proper amount of air.

  Nona stepped to the bedroom door. “You're going to step outside the door and lean over the railing and ask her how the arrival went.”

  “I don't think I can,” squeaked Meghan.

  “Do it. Now. It’s simple. Just step out there, and ask, how did the arrival go?”

  Meghan stepped toward her door and rested her hand on the doorknob. She was emanating so many layers of shock, hurt, anger, and confusion. She did not think she could hide this, even for just a moment.

  She dug deeply into herself searching for the strength. She thought of all the times she had lied so easily to Uncle Arnon when she and Colin had gotten into some sort of trouble. She latched onto this thought.

  I've done this a hundred times before. It’s no different. This was different though. She had never lied about anything this serious while living with her uncle. Just lie she shouted to herself. It’s what you do best. She picked up her head and opened the door before she could give it any more thought.

  “Oh, I didn't wake you, I hope,” said Juliska, upon seeing her come out of her room.

  “No, not at all. I couldn't sleep,” Meghan spoke over the railing. “Did everything go okay tonight?”

  “Yes, it did. Thank you for asking. I do have meetings, again, that will go late into the night. Get some sleep now.”

  Meghan nodded. “I'll sleep better now that I know everything went okay.” She smiled and returned to her room, falling onto her bed.

  “See,” said Nona. “Don't doubt yourself, Meghan. Now is not the time for doubt. Even if you think lying is a terrible talent, it served you well tonight.”

  “This is a much bigger lie, Nona.”

  “One day at a time. Maybe we should change that to one hour at a time,” Nona suggested less seriously.

  “Thank you, Nona. I really do not know what I would do without you.”

  “I am here, always.”

  “It’s just, if
Juliska is my mother and Jurekai Fazendiin my father, I can't even share any of this with Colin, because he's who knows where and isn’t answering any of my attempts to contact him... and there's still the question of what the heck is up with Jae, and who is Bird, and where is Bird? Ivan was worried when I hadn’t seen him. And why can I hear this Colby kid's thoughts? Who the heck is he?” She ended her speech with a deep, overwhelmed exhale.

  “Okay, maybe one minute at a time,” Nona croaked, her own emotion unraveling as Meghan’s worry infused her own doubts. “We'll find the answers, Meghan,” she said again. “Whatever it takes, we’ll figure it out, together.”

  CHAPTER 47

  “Amelia asked me again if we’d had word from Sebastien,” stated Milo upon arriving home after a long day. He almost felt the shudder that slithered down his wife’s back. She kept her gaze toward the stove where she was stirring a pot.

  “Milo,” she spoke apprehensively, ignoring his remarks. “Has Amelia ever told you her final plan? The part where Meghan and Colin Jacoby are the vital key to our success?”

  Milo shook his head, only momentarily taken off guard by her question. “You know the answer, Kay. She has always said it must remain secret until the very end, to ensure success.”

  “What if our son is right?” she asked, spinning around to face him. “What if what we are doing is wrong?”

  “Do you no longer want magic returned?” asked Milo, surprised at her turn in attitude.

  “Yes. Yes, I do. But is it just a dream, Milo? A dream that should stay a dream? Is it right, what we want to happen?”

  “I have to admit, I've been asking myself these same questions lately,” revealed Milo. He suddenly left the room and upon returning held a suitcase in his hand. “It’s packed. I feared...” he choked up. “I feared we might need to leave at some point. I packed it yesterday and hid it in the closet.”

  Kay sobbed. “I don't know what's right anymore. When we first left the island and came here, I was so sure. So sure what I wanted. But now that it’s practically upon us, I don't know.” She wiped her eyes with her apron. “My biggest fear, more so than even being banished from seeing our son again, is what lies in store for Meghan and Colin. There is something wrong... I asked her about it the other day,” she admitted. Milo gasped in shock. “I asked Amelia to tell me more. I told her I couldn’t help it, that I needed to know.”

  “What did she say?” he asked, still in shock at his wife’s daring.

  “Not to worry. That she had everything under control and everything would work out just as it should. But you know what she did not say?”

  Milo waited patiently for her to continue.

  “She did not once tell me they would be safe. That they would not be harmed in any way. Amelia couldn’t even look me in the eye when she spoke these things.”

  “We could leave. Sneak away. Tonight,” Milo whispered apprehensively. Neither wanted to be prisoners inside the newly established banished camp. This camp was wrong, went against everything they’d come here to do. It was just a prison, nothing more.

  “How would we get away? The borders are secure, especially now that Curtis and Amos defected.”

  Milo, seeing that his wife was ready to leave the northern Maine woods, bowed his head humbly and took out another note. “Remember what our son told us. To walk into his room and say, I’m ready to leave. This note appeared to me when I did. Our amazingly smart son left a second message.” He took out a hand-sized mirror. “The note said to speak into the mirror that we need safe passage, and safe passage will be provided.”

  “We'd be leaving behind everything,” Kay said, barely audibly.

  “If you still want to stay, I will not leave your side,” Milo spoke.

  Kay grasped the mirror from his hand, peering into it. “We need safe passage,” she spoke evenly. A fog steamed up the mirror and a message etched onto the glass.

  “Go to the tree nearest the eastern border at exactly nine tonight.”

  They knew the exact tree. It was a monstrous tree just at the border of their safe haven, here in the northern Maine woods. It stood taller and wider than any other tree in the area, and was marked with no trespassing signs to stave off wanderers that might happen across their neck of the woods.

  It was almost eight now. If they started out and were not caught, they would make it just in time.

  Colin held his finished book, his own Magicante, in his hands. The cover looked ancient, more like it was made hundreds of years prior, not just days. It was a dark mahogany color, and the front cover had raised gold letters that read Magicante across the very top. The edges of the book looked worn, with raised ridges trimmed with gold and black. In the center of the book, unlike the one he had used previously, was a lock. Catrina held the key in her own hand.

  “What about the leaves?” Colin asked Jasper, while the Projector readied to perform the ceremony that would forever seal Colin and the book together.

  “Your choice. Most of us just used blank pages. The book I gave you was made by a Projector that was fascinated with leaves. Had a massive collection. It’s not something you have to decide now. You can always change your mind later.”

  “Oh, okay. Blank pages for now.” His hands shook a little while he waited. He wondered if this ceremony would hurt and how long it would last. Regardless of his concerns, he refused to ask, for fear he would look like a coward. Moreover, it did not matter whether it hurt or not, he had to do it regardless. There was no choice for him.

  “I have to say, it gives me great relief to get you and the book made one,” said Jasper. “This way, you'll have plenty of time to learn how to work with the book before your real powers...” he let the sentence hang. “You know.”

  Colin finished it. “Before my real powers turn me into a crazed, lunatic, madman.”

  Jasper nodded matter-of-factly.

  “Jasper,” said Colin apprehensively after another moment. “There's something I wanted to clarify.”

  “Go ahead. Ask away, that's why you're here.”

  “I'm a little confused. Once I am one with the book and it’s catching my uncontrollable streams of consciousness, why am I still dangerous?”

  “Ah, yes. Well, you see, Mr. Jacoby, in times of great angst, anger, sadness and the like, our emotions become overwhelming. We can suddenly be lost in an abundance of thought. The book is good, but it’s not perfect. Think of it like this. It’s like a car engine that's running just fine, but then runs out of coolant and overheats, causing the car to stall.”

  Colin wanted to ask You’ve driven a car? Instead, he asked, “So what happens when the book stalls?”

  “A misfire in the connection, which must be repaired. The book will need a little time to cool down, so to speak. To fix the connection and keep from doing harm, you will need unparalleled control and awareness. So for example, to make this easier on myself, I live in protected, cloaked locations. Safe houses, where I need not worry about a breakdown between the book and my mind. More than anything, Mr. Jacoby, you need to surround yourself with things that keep you even. You cannot allow your emotions to overwhelm you. If you do, the consequences could be fatal for those around you, or even for yourself.”

  “Myself?”

  “We are not unkillable, Mr. Jacoby! Need I remind you that I am the last of my kind until you came along?”

  “How can we be killed?” Colin felt like this was a vital bit of information that could not wait.

  “All in good time,” said Jasper, putting up a hand. “We have much yet to discuss. Now, how about we get you hooked up?”

  Colin nodded, looking sickly.

  “Don't worry, it doesn't hurt,” Jasper told him like he’d read his thoughts.

  “I'm ready,” Colin said, still mentally prepared for it to hurt.

  Catrina smiled in encouragement.

  “Grasp the book, firmly,” ordered Jasper. “Hold onto it very tightly.”

  Colin was already gripping the book, like
his life depended on him not letting go.

  “When you're ready, say the following: ‘Become my second soul’.”

  Colin closed his eyes trying to maintain his breathing. His thoughts strayed to his sister, his uncle, and Kanda Macawi. What would they say if they could see him right now? Did they have any idea what he was? Would they shun him as the rest of the world did?

  “Become my second soul,” Colin whispered. He waited. Nothing happened. Maybe I didn't do it right? He opened his eyes one at a time, expecting something to hit him.

  Jasper just stood, smiling. “How do you feel?”

  “Um, the same. Did something go wrong?”

  “No. That's it. That's all you have to do.”

  “Seriously!” Colin nearly shouted. “That's it?”

  “What were you expecting?” asked Jasper.

  “I don't know. Lightning, thunder, wind, pain, magic swirly lights... something!”

  Jasper chuckled. “Sorry. It’s just a simple incantation.”

  “Why would you get me so worked up about it?” Colin spat angrily.

  Jasper's face turned stoic.

  Catrina touched Colin's arm and realization hit him.

  “You're testing me. See how I react to things.” He took a deep breath. “Didn't do so well just then, did I?”

  “It’s why you're here,” Jasper told him again. “To learn. Which requires mistakes.”

  “Good thing I got more than a year to make them,” Colin spoke sullenly.

  “Let's continue, shall we?” said Jasper. “There is actually one more step. But I promise no pain, and sorry, no magic swirly lights, or thunder.”

  “Okay, what’s next?” Colin asked, exasperated.

  Jasper proceeded to lift the sleeve on his arm and show Colin a tattoo. Catrina investigated it closely too. Colin noted it was an exact likeness of a book and had the letter M in the center of the tattoo.

  Jasper pinched at his skin and a moment later, a book the size of the tattoo was suddenly sitting in his hand, his arm now absent of any tattoo. Jasper tapped the book with his other hand and it grew in size; to such a size, that Jasper could barely hold it up with both of his hands.