Juliska was glad someone finally said it, and it wasn’t her.
“Sorry, Mother,” mumbled Amelia.
“Don’t apologize to me. You know darn well we kept Juliska’s full name as a tribute to her family. A family she never knew, and has no memory of. Her name is all she came to us with.”
Amelia’s demeanor fell slack. “I’m sorry. Juliska… I didn’t mean it.” She looked honestly apologetic.
“Forget it.” She forced a smile.
“I am sorry. I really did not mean that. I guess I’m just tired, not that gives me any excuse. I haven’t been sleeping well. Not just the dreams… I don’t know why. I’ve been taking a tonic. Not one I made, my old mentor, Tanzea. But it’s stopped working.”
“Maybe you should see a doctor?” suggested Alex, concerned.
“Yes,” agreed her mother. “You do look a little ragged darling. I don’t mean that in a bad way. You look a little worn out.”
“I’ll see a doctor, or have Tanzea give me a new potion. I may have kept the other one around too long and the potency wore off.”
Juliska took the high path, letting her sister off the hook, and wanting to end the night on a happier note.
“Your dream, Amelia. It is a nice dream,” she spoke graciously. “It is a shame it can’t be real.”
“But it is just a dream. Forget it.” Amelia slipped back into her chair, looking restless.
Juliska got up to leave.
“Don’t go,” pleaded her mother.
“Sorry. I must. I… have a job to prepare for. Birthday or not.” Juliska made a hasty retreat with quick goodbyes.
After she’d made it out of the house and down the street out of sight, she stopped, letting out a breath. She made a decision just then. She’d never return to that house again. There was no point. As loving as her mother was, and her father had been, she’d never fit in. She hadn’t since the day they’d taken her in and adopted her. And even less when a couple years later she was discovered as a Firemancer. Followed shortly after by becoming an apprentice to PanSofia.
If her family loved her, they could come to her. Every time she visited, it ended the same. She, in an argument, typically with Amelia… with their mother and now Alex, trying to smooth things over. With two younger siblings that she had absolutely nothing in common with.
She wasn’t a Cobb. She had no idea what it meant to be a Blackwell as she had no memory of her family. But she would never be a Cobb. Not really.
“I’ll make my own way. Always have. Always will.”
She hurried home to start packing.
The quest was leaving in just a few days and there was much to prepare for. When she arrived home, she found the papers from the Banon as promised, with instructions for her preparation. She lived in a small apartment right next door to PanSofia. She had never bothered with fancy furnishings and the like; she spent so little time here.
After reading through the letter, she set in. She’d been asked to drop her luggage off as soon as possible. Otherwise she’d get stuck carrying it all herself. Not a fun thought.
It hadn’t been made entirely clear what exactly her job would entail, but she imagined it would have to do with seeing on behalf the expedition leader.
She hoped she didn’t let them down.
It was the biggest job she’d been asked to do to date, and her nerves were in high gear. And if she was perfectly honest, she was excited.
Excited to explore. To travel. Not that she’d ever have let Amelia hear her say that. And this expedition was for a good cause. A worthy cause. To scout potential locations for a new home for the Svoda.
It meant a huge undertaking though. It had to be the perfect location. Secret. Remote. Powerful energy to cover all their magical needs. A place where they could keep their secrets and practice magic freely, without concern of being discovered.
She couldn’t wait to meet the rest of the members chosen to do this with her. Chances are she already knew all or some of them. She was certain they’d been forbidden to speak of it as well.
Although they’d all had months to prepare. She had just days.
Juliska spun around in circles with no idea where to start packing.
The list of recommended clothes and items was long. It looked like they needed to be prepared for a journey across various climates and conditions… around the world even. And perhaps it was. She had no idea.
A flutter of nerves rolled through her belly. She assured herself she was ready for the job and started packing.
CHAPTER FOUR
The entire island was in attendance as the Banon, Benson Havelock, made his surprise announcement. Rumors had been rampant, but Juliska did not think anyone had actually guessed correctly. They had gathered in an open pavilion at the center of the island. It was another warm summer day with lots of sun.
Once he had finished explaining the quest, the Svoda were abuzz with anticipation and excitement. Tomorrow morning they’d see off an expedition, the first of its kind; a group chosen to search out a possible new place for them to call home. Or a second home…
Juliska was paraded out on a stage along with the other members of the quest as Banon Havelock officially introduced them to the Svoda… a few of the members she knew and had worked with before, some she recognized by name or reputation, a couple she did not.
Seeing them all together on the stage got her nerves worked up.
It was happening. It was really happening.
The first man the Banon introduced was Milo Jendaya, the man responsible for the quest in the first place. He had petitioned the Viancourt and the Banon to consider it, repeatedly. Until at last, they’d agreed. He had set in to organizing it straight away.
He and Juliska had attended school together, and he’d recently married another schoolmate and they’d just found out days ago they were going to have a baby. He debated taking himself out of the quest but his wife, Kay, wouldn’t hear of it. They’d only be gone a month and she refused to the let expedition planner not tag along.
When the Banon called out her name next, she raised her chin and stepped forward. Her family, minus Amelia, was in the crowd and clapped hard for her. Her younger sister, Anna, was pointing to one of the men near her, and giggling. Juliska cast a side-glance to see whom she were gawking at.
C. Edward Gillivray. She rolled her eyes and tossed Anna a stern glare. Juliska only knew him by reputation… it was a mile long, and his ego, two. He wasn’t a bad looking fellow… had thick lashes any woman would die for, and dark blue eyes behind them; though he could use a shave, Juliska thought. She shook her head in disgust. This was a prestigious event that would potentially go down in history, and he hadn’t even shaved.
He’d been in a class maybe two or three years ahead of her, if she remembered right. And she’d been pulled out of school a few years early to become PanSofia’s full time apprentice. Her mentor had taken over her studies at that point.
The Banon continued introducing the other members.
After her, was another ex-schoolmate, now a member of the local law enforcement, Balaton, Arnon Jacoby. A kind man who took his job very seriously, but was known for being fair. Juliska had always liked him. Mostly because they both thought a lot alike and took their jobs seriously. She respected that and always found him pleasant to work with. On this quest, his job was to provide protection, and rate security concerns of their potential new home.
Next was Cornell Tibbit. A middle-aged, beloved man that operated the Svoda’s magical tracking system. It helped that he was gifted with sensing magic himself; there had never been another tracker better. Where others relied on magical equipment, he relied on his senses. Woman, in particular, adored him, being that he could sometimes sense the magic of their unborn children. Mostly, if their child was gifted. Everyone hoped for a gifted child. Juliska didn’t understand the excitement, other than bragging rights of the parents. For the child, it meant they’d be like her. Shoved into an apprenticeship an
d their life planned out for them. Not that it was all bad. At least not today… and overall, Juliska liked her job.
But Cornell also happened to be the tracker that found Juliska when she was eleven and brought her home to the Svoda. She had much to be thankful for and adored the man just for this. But he didn’t just track for magical blips out in the non-magical world… he also investigated magical traces at crime scenes, and tracked the magic of their enemies. If there were any sudden shifts in magic, Cornell would know. Another reason he was vital to this quest.
Joining as well were two members of the Tunkapog, longtime allies of the Svoda. They had worked closely with Milo and Cornell to map out and scout potential habitable locations that were still hidden and remote from the non-magical world.
The first was a young woman named Kanda Macawi. She’d been appointed as a liaison between her people and the Svoda just over a year ago. The Tunkapog preferred to remain in their own hidden part of the world, but there was always a liaison between them and the other magical clans. There was something calming about the woman. She had a natural grace that seemed to rub off on all those around her.
Except her brother, Nashua, the second Tunkapog member of the quest. Juliska had only met him once but thought him pompous and prickly. He was also recently chosen as successor to the current leader, who had decided to relinquish his position at some point in the near future.
Lastly was Balloch Flummer, local historian, storyteller and record keeper. She thought he was a friendly fellow, and she was certain they’d get along easy enough. To her surprise though, he was tagging along his apprentice… C. Edward Gillivray.
Or as he introduced himself to Juliska a moment later, Colin. Edward. Gillivray. He even took off his hat and bowed, like some kind of gentleman. He looked nothing of the sort. The Banon had finished the introductions and she’d slipped to the back of the stage where the man had cornered her. C. Edward Gillivray was disheveled and unshaven, with an arrogant smile and eyes that danced in some silent amusement. He was even more unkempt than she’d first thought.
She just stared with an unimpressed raised eyebrow.
He grinned.
There was a challenge hidden in it…
She cleared her throat. They were still on stage; she played nice and forced a smile in greeting.
“Ah, there it is,” he whispered too intimately.
She frowned but did not ask him to clarify. He did anyway.
“I’ve heard you have the most beautiful smile of any woman on the island. And now up this close, I see it’s true.”
Colin Edward Gillivray was everything his reputation claimed.
Full of himself. Confident he was magic’s gift to womankind. How he’d come to be a historian and record keeper’s apprentice, she could not imagine. A quick glance didn’t shout out someone who loved history. Or cared about keeping records. And yet with all his disheveledness, there was something quite put together about him. It was his confidence she supposed. And she hated to admit it, but his eyes dazzled and his smile forced a real one out of her.
“What’s your name again?” he asked, as if he’d not just heard the Banon say it minutes before. And obviously, he knew who she was already.
She smiled wider and leaned in. “I’m not interested…”
His lips turned into a defiant grin.
She frowned.
This was all she needed. Some idiot of a man pining after her. She was on this quest to do her job as a seer, and nothing more. Especially with the likes of C. Edward Gillivray.
He left her alone as the Banon finished making his speech. The crowd cheered and the explorers took one last wave at the crowd before being whisked away to prepare for departure.
She was captured later by PanSofia, her mentor.
“There you are,” she smiled. “I was hoping to catch you before you left in the morning. Nervous?”
Juliska let out a breath. “You’d know I was lying if I said no.”
Her mentor chuckled. “You’ll do just fine. I have no doubts that you’re ready.”
“I feel ready. I do. But this is an important quest. I don’t want to mess it up.”
“Just remember your training. Stay focused. Stay away from things that might steal your focus.” Her words seem to insinuate something…
“Things?”
PanSofia lifted an eyebrow. “When I say things, I really mean C. Edward Gillivray. I saw him corner you.”
Juliska laughed. “You have nothing to worry about. The man is… I can’t even believe they allowed him on this quest. He’s a mess!”
PanSofia nodded knowingly. “I expected nothing different. I’m not worried.” She looked proudly at her student. Soon to be ex-student.
As soon as they returned from the quest, she would officially announce her retirement. She thought of speaking to Juliska on it now, but changed her mind and decided to wait until her return.
“I won’t let anyone down,” promised Juliska, simultaneously hoping this was true.
Her mentor smiled. “Good luck. Be safe.” She left her to finish preparing for travel.
CHAPTER FIVE
Juliska stepped onto the ground. The dry, dusty ground. She turned in circles, in awe of where she was and what she was seeing. They’d just been on the island. Lush, green and full of life.
Kanda and Nashua Macawi had opened a magical portal and they’d stepped through.
She understood why they were on this quest now. Their skill at creating portals to other places on earth was invaluable.
And this place… it was unlike anything she’d ever seen.
“Kind of breathtaking… isn’t it?” someone asked her. She looked up to see C. Edward Gillivray standing beside her.
“Yes it is,” she agreed, unable to deny it.
“Just call me Eddy,” he blurted out.
“What?” She was only half paying attention.
“Just call me Eddy. Everyone does. Colin was my grandfather’s name. I was named after him, but it got a little confusing having two Colin’s around so my family called me Edward, eventually Eddy.”
“Your ancestry does not interest me.” She turned and followed the others. He needed to get the point, fast. She saw no reason to placate him.
He just chuckled and followed her.
Eddy wasn’t going to be so easy to get rid of. She even disliked the name. If she had to speak to him, it would be Edward.
The sand didn’t go on forever. Within sight behind them was a thick forest. It was a little further to see anything to either the right or left, but this desert wasn’t all encompassing of their view. It seemed an odd place for a desert, being it began and ended within sight, and was surrounded by pine and maple trees, lush greenness and life.
Juliska wondered where they were. The quest’s destinations had been kept secret. Part of their security she’d been told. The fewer the people who knew, the less chance of the wrong people finding out.
Like the Grosvenor. A confrontation they’d be lucky to survive.
Or the Stripers… treasure hunters willing to do just about anything for the right price.
And humans. Good old regular non-magical humans. They had to make sure they didn’t accidentally reveal any secrets to the non-magical world.
“This way,” Milo hollered to them all. He took them down the ridge to the center of the sandy desert, where oddly, there was a protrusion of rocks pushing out of the ground and a wall of water flowing freely over its side. The water fell right back down in between more rocks, the surrounding desert not taking in a bit of the moisture.
“Where are we?” It was Arnon Jacoby who asked.
“Would you believe we’re still in Maine?” challenged Kanda.
“No,” many in the group said at once.
The woman grinned widely. “It’s true. We are. In fact…” her brother cut her off.
“If you listen, we’re not all that far from the island. The ocean is close.”
They did. Inte
ntly. Somewhere in the far distance, over the waterfall, was the unmistakable sounds of the ocean. Seagulls. Boats. A lighthouse horn. The smallest hint of sea air in their nostrils.
“Unbelievable,” whispered Arnon. The rest agreed. “So where exactly are we then?”
“The Oasis of Loramoore,” announced Milo.
There was a waterfall, around twenty feet high, but it didn’t look like much of an oasis.
“We’re not actually there yet,” stated Nashua. “Come.” He led the party toward the waterfall. Once there, they stopped. “We have to go through the falls,” he told them.
Juliska let out a disheartened grunt. She didn’t enjoy the idea of getting soaking wet just minutes into their journey.
“Don’t worry,” said Kanda. Juliska wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to get wet. “If you have magical blood in you, the water won’t actually touch you.”
“Oh, is this another portal?” Juliska asked curiously.
“Of sorts, yes,” Kanda started to reply.
Her brother interrupted again. “Magical blood will let you into the oasis. If you did not have magical blood, it’s just a waterfall and goes nowhere.”
“Brilliant,” muttered Milo.
Arnon Jacoby took a glance at Kanda. “Anything we need to know before heading in?” There was a protective flare in his tone, but security was his job. Before she could reply, her brother stepped up beside her.
“There’s nothing dangerous here.”
Arnon raised an eyebrow at the man.
Kanda shot her brother a stern gaze.
“Am I a grown woman able to speak for myself?”
Nashua frowned, but conceded.
“It’s perfectly safe,” she answered Arnon. “Even from overprotective brothers,” she jested with a humored sneer.
Everyone got a good chuckle in, except Nashua.
Arnon accepted what they said, for now. But he’d still be on his guard. It was his job after all.
They stepped through the falls, and as promised, the water fell right over them and they stayed dry. What awaited on the other side… if what they’d seen so far was breathtaking, this gave the word instantaneous new meaning.
Forsaken (Fated Saga Fantasy Series Book 8) Page 5
