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

by Humphrey Quinn

  “I made a mistake, but I'm going to fix it. And everyone will know what you’ve done. And you will have two less monsters to carry out your sick orders.” His penetrating stare taunted Juliska to contradict him. She did not. But there was no proof she was responsible, only one young man’s blame. Nothing she could not smooth over. She’d sacrifice one more to keep control of the many.

  People were casting their gazes at Jae, and Juliska, and Irving, and then Darcy, dead on the ground, trying to piece it all together.

  “Son?” Irving called out again. “Come away from there.”

  No one dared get close to him. Afraid he’d change back into that deadly monster… had they seen that correctly? Jae Mochrie and Darcy Scraggs, Scratchers? They were befuddled, trying to make some kind of logical sense out of it all. The only problem was, there was none.

  Jae sighed, some kind of contentment coming over him.

  Meghan needed to stop this. Somehow, she had to. She peeked out of the tree line, Jae caught her movement. Her ocean blue eyes brimmed with tears, begging him silently to stop.

  Why couldn’t she have found out soon enough to change this? She should have pushed Ivan harder. Should have worked harder to sort out her visions.

  Perhaps there was no stopping it. Perhaps this is how Juliska’s world, fell.

  Billie and Garner had spoken of a war…

  But this was not fair. Not Jae.

  “Please…” she begged one last time.

  “I can’t live with what I’ve done. Or what I will do if I live.” He closed his eyes and fell back…

  Everything went blank.

  Meghan was aware of the screams of horror and the cry of pain from Irving. But it all sounded miles away. And then they were away. The chaos, gone.

  Ivan had opened the Magicante and taken them away. She grabbed the book and sank to the ground.

  “Bring him back,” she demanded of the book. “You’ve done it before. Bring him back.”

  The book sighed. Audibly bothered by what he had to say.

  “Please,” she begged through sobs.

  “I'm sorry, Lass. It cannot be done.”

  “Bring him back. You have to!”

  “This time is not the same.”

  Meghan screamed out a garbled mess of words that meant nothing. Why would this time be any different? Ivan had died and the Magicante had brought him back to life.

  Strong arms picked her up off the ground, she struggled to get free.

  “Meghan.” Ivan’s voice was weak and scratchy. She stopped struggling, the pain staring back at her, crippling. The tears falling down his face… too real. She leaned her head against his chest, the sobs winning. He held her tight, a little afraid to let go or he might fall over. Through her sobs, she tried to explain to Ivan that he had died in Grimble, and the book brought him back to life. Ivan showed no surprise to this revelation, but he glanced down at the Magicante unable to ask it the question they needed an answer to.

  Sebastien took a heavy breath and asked on their behalf.

  “Why not this time? Why can’t Jae be saved?”

  There was a long pause and the book explained.

  “There is one death that cannot be undone by any magic. A life taken voluntarily, either by one’s own hand, or by knowingly and willingly giving it to save the life of another. Sacrifice,” he stated bluntly, “cannot be undone.”

  Sebastien nodded, defeated, and plunked down on the ground. It made sense. It sucked, but it made sense. He averted his gaze from Meghan and Ivan. She was very comfortable in his arms, someone she claimed to despise. She’d never forgive him anyway. Heck, he didn’t even know why he still thought about her in any romantic way. He’d been fourteen when she’d left, and they’d shared one, innocent, peck on the lips.

  But the crush had never lessened over time, for him. And yes, he’d been a part of her life since then. But she had not been a part of his. And from the looks of it, she’d moved on whether she was willing to admit it or not.

  Meghan got her sobs under control and gently pushed away from Ivan. He let her go, but they refused to look at each other for fear of just losing it again.

  “I did everything all wrong,” Ivan muttered.

  “No. Stop,” decided Meghan. “There is no point in playing the blame game. Or going down the road of, what ifs. It’s done. He’s… gone. Jae is gone. It can’t be undone.” She sucked in her courage and looked at Ivan and Sebastien. “From here on out, clean slate. We start over. No more secrets. Or lies. Or holding back. No more of it.”

  Sebastien nodded. It wasn’t forgiveness, only temporary acceptance because they had no other option. And she was right, it was time to move forward, together, starting with a clean slate. Which means he had one more secret he had to share.

  Ivan raked his hand through his hair, agreeing with her too.

  “So what do we do now?” Nona asked everyone.

  “We need to get off the island,” Ivan answered uneasily. “I just don't know how. The boundaries are well protected. I haven’t figured out how to penetrate them.”

  Meghan got to her knees to collect the Magicante. Perhaps it would know some way to get them off the island. Some way through the magical barrier currently imprisoning them.

  “Um,” started Sebastien. “In being honest, and starting fresh, and also possibly the best timing ever, I may have a solution to that problem.” He removed a candle from his pocket and joined her on his knees, his next words, weighted. “This will take us off the island.” He handed her the candle.

  “How?” asked Ivan, kneeling down with them.

  “There is one last thing I need to tell you, Meghan. I was waiting until the right time.”

  “Sebastien, I can't handle anymore, really. I'm...” Her hand was shaking around the stem of the candle. He reached out his hand to steady hers.

  “You just have to light it. That’s all.”

  Meghan looked at Sebastien and down to the candle.

  Sebastien nodded to Ivan, pointing for him to take hold as well.

  Nona flitted into Meghan's arms.

  “Where will it take us?” Meghan asked Sebastien.

  His gaze dropped, reluctant to tell her. She had been through so much; surely, this would take her over the edge too. “To someone you'll want to meet.”

  “Can they be trusted?” she wanted to know.

  “Definitely,” he answered.

  Ivan looked hesitant, but what choice did they have, they needed to get off the island.

  Sebastien, seeing they would need more convincing, took a very deep breath and revealed, “Meghan, your mother is still alive.”

  “Yeah, I know. And she’s a spying, conniving, evil... murderer…” she stopped, unable to continue her tirade on Juliska Blackwell.

  Sebastien let go of the candle, shooting her a questioning look. Ivan let go and leaned back as well, shooting Sebastien a questioning look. He apparently had not told him everything about the Jacoby twins, after all.

  “Juliska Blackwell,” said Meghan, answering Sebastien’s unasked question. “I had a vision. I know she’s my mother.”

  “Um, Meghan,” said Sebastien, his face contorted with confusion. “I don't know what you saw in your vision, but Juliska Blackwell is not your mother.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I met your mother months ago,” Sebastien explained. “She’s a Firemancer, like you, and she gave me this candle so you could find her. But it’s definitely not Juliska Blackwell.”

  Meghan stared emptily, hardly believing what she was hearing.

  Slowly a perceptive smile spread across her face. “Juliska is not my mother.” She grabbed onto this one thrilling thing like her life depended on it. “Juliska is not my mother,” she repeated, informing everyone around her of this news like they hadn’t all just heard.

  Ivan nodded understandingly. Nona purred her approval of this news as well.

  The vision, she’d gotten it wrong. What was new? She�
�d jumped to a hasty conclusion; one she’d wanted to be true at the time.

  Sebastien expectantly grasped the candle once again, as well did Ivan.

  “Are you ready?” Sebastien asked Meghan.

  She nodded nervously, her world again spinning out of control. Her mother was truly alive, and it was not Juliska Blackwell! She had no idea what her vision had meant, but it did not matter just now.

  She focused on the candle's wick and a second later, it sizzled, catching fire. Within a moment, the fire had erupted into a twisting flame that shot up into the sky, dragging them, weightlessly, along with it. It penetrated the island’s magical protection with ease. Within moments, the flame started to fizzle and they thudded softly to the ground just outside the entrance to a cave.

  CHAPTER 51

  Colby and Elisha raced up the hill towards home, eager to show their prize to Colby's father. His father would be waiting for him in the safe room, deep inside the Fazendiin estate, because his imprisoned grandmother would have warned him of his son’s impending arrival.

  Elisha performed the obligatory blood sacrifice and Colby entered through the gate. He walked with speed into the house, through the corridors, and into the safe room.

  Jurekai Fazendiin waited for his son, a satisfied expression on his face.

  “I did it, Father,” said Colby, approaching him. “The Projector, Jasper Thorndike, is dead and his power now lies in the dagger.” Colby drew out the dagger from its sheath and held it in his palm for his father to see.

  “I knew you would succeed, Son,” spoke his father, stepping forward, gently grasping the dagger from this son’s hand. His fingers closed around it, gripping it firmly. His eyes closed and his breathing slowed, a moment of perfect bliss.

  “What are you going to do with it, Father?” Colby asked, eager to know. His father wanted to collect as much power as possible, and surely, this would be enough. This had to mean his father’s plans would move forward.

  “How will you transfer the power into your own body?” Colby asked when his father did not immediately answer his first question. He still did not answer, and Colby panicked, worried his father could somehow sense the regret he felt over the act of killing the Projector. He’d tried to bury it.

  His father opened his eyes and looked down at his son, an odd expression flitting across his face. “Do you know that you have a twin sister?” He asked this in an even, unsurprised tone. He was well aware Colby did not know this because he had never told him. And he’d let Colby’s mother believe she’d hidden the girl well.

  Colby did not reply, completely taken off guard by what his father had just told him.

  “I suspect your mother thinks she can somehow control the future,” he said, laughing at the absurdity of the thought.

  “How do you know I have a sister?” questioned Colby, finding his voice. “Did my mother tell you this?”

  “After a fashion,” he responded vaguely.

  A look of understanding flashed in Colby’s eyes but he buried it deep, preferring to hide his theory from his father. It had to be the girl, Meghan Jacoby. This is why they could hear each other’s thoughts. It had to be why.

  Fazendiin jerked his head and eyed Colby. “We shall deal with the matter of your sister, soon enough.” He continued with frenzied excitement. “First, this dagger, my Son, this is everything we need.” It glowed red hot in his hand, his fist closed firmly around the shaft.

  Colby nodded, holding his breath in exhilarated jubilation.

  His father looked down at him with greedy eyes, revealing evenly, “It is also not for me.” Jurekai lunged forward and in one fluid motion plunged the dagger deeply and directly into his son's immortal heart.

  MAGICANTE SAYS:

  I bet you're asking if Jae's really dead?

  Please tell us he's not, and you're out of your head!

  But if you find yourself tossing and turning,

  Your mind a restless torture and burning,

  Then hop on over, stop seething in red,

  And download volume three because it's available in the kindle store!

  READ FATED CHRONICLES VOLUME THREE

  The Spell, The Stones, and The Treasure

  “This is what you’ve been searching for, Ivan. This is the treasure your mother left for you. You couldn’t find it because you thought it was lost, but it wasn’t. The treasure your mother left behind....” Meghan couldn’t say it aloud. It dumbfounded her that this revelation made her so happy. Giddy, even. Like fate had just slapped her in the face with a happy spell…and all Ivan could manage was a befuddled stare.

  https://www.amazon.com/Humphrey-Quinn/e/B01GUO91W2

  The adventure is complete!

  Fated Volume One: The Book, The Witches, and The Doorway

  Fated Volume Two: The Map, The Dagger, and The Vampyres

  Fated Volume Three: The Spell, The Stones, and The Treasure

  Fated Volume Four: The Ghost, The Dragon, and The Lost King

  Fated Volume Five: The Queen, The Mirror, and The Creation

  This series is a collection from the already published 11 Book Fated Fantasy Adventure Series by Humphrey Quinn. The adventure begins in Maine with our characters just turning thirteen and ends eleven books later with them aged seventeen. It's a mix of fun and humor, sibling rivalry, magic and misadventure, coming of age struggles as well as darker themes like betrayal, and consequences of choices made, and even has some romance nearer the middle to the end of the series.

  http://www.jackallanternbooks.com/p/fated-volumes.html