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They then earnestly set in to releasing their fellow comrades.

  Reunions would have to wait however, as most of the imprisoned people were sick and weak, barely able to comprehend what had occurred.

  Billie ran to the woman named Maura, and with Garner’s assistance, freed her from her bonds. The woman flung her arms weakly around Billie, sobbing.

  “I thought I was going to lose you, forever,” Billie told the woman.

  Juliska swept through the meadow, shouting orders.

  In the next few hours’ chaos, no one noticed Meghan, Jae and Ivan walking to the opposite edge of the meadow. They searched the area surrounding the exploded trees, but found no clues to indicate how the explosion had occurred.

  “Whatever or whomever it was,” said Ivan, “it scared away the Stripers.”

  “We can at least be thankful for that,” added Jae, turning to head back into the meadow.

  Meghan stopped him by blurting out what they had all really wanted to say.

  “So we all agree that the Projector is Catrina, right?” She gulped hard, trying to keep her composure, feeling the desire to confirm this dreaded truth.

  The two boys stared at her for a moment, worried Meghan might lose it, and true enough, saying it aloud felt like sentencing Colin and Catrina to certain death.

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  “It does seem the most likely scenario,” Ivan finally agreed. “The truth isn’t so pretty, is it?” his question appeared aimed toward Jae.

  A hint of hatred flitted through Jae’s eyes and then disappeared.

  “I handed my brother right over to her. I completely fell for the ‘I’m just a poor girl in danger routine,’” Meghan mumbled.

  “Try to think of it this way Meghan,” Ivan said. “If they had still been here, they would very likely both be dead at this point. Besides, all three of us are to blame.”

  “That is true,” admitted Jae. “We all knew about Catrina.”

  “But Colin is my brother. I should have been looking out for him…Now it might be too late.”

  “He is still alive,” Ivan reminded.

  “I suppose that fact will have to suffice for now,” she succumbed. “I will find him, somehow… before she turns really dangerous, and I lose him forever.” Jae touched her shoulder, nodded and then walked back into the meadow, helping to assist in the ongoing rescue of the imprisoned Svoda.

  “Meghan,” said Ivan, stopping her from following.

  She turned to face him.

  He stepped forward, stopping just inches from her.

  “I don’t mean to be …” he stopped, searching for the right words.

  “Mean? Rude? A royal pain?” Meghan answered, but with tired animosity.

  “More or less,” he replied, huffing slightly. “I don’t… hate you,” he added.

  “Gee thanks,” she retorted, readying another witty retort.

  He put his hand over her mouth.

  “Will you just shut up for a minute!” He took his hand away and regained his composure.

  “You are so… infuriating!”

  Meghan held her tongue.

  “I do… feel…” he eventually spoke, but then did not finish and looked to be reprimanding himself, for being unable to formalize what he was trying to say.

  Meghan said it for him.

  “But you don’t want to. I get it Ivan. I have no idea what you’re all about. What you’re up to. Or what you want from me. But I know that you cut yourself off from feeling anything real. I’m not as daft as you think.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to say,” he said, lifting his head. “Not using those exact words, however.”

  Meghan rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

  “We don’t have to be friends, Ivan. Don’t worry. I won’t be responsible for making you care about something!” She turned to walk away once again.

  He grabbed her.

  She looked down at his hand, tightly gripping her arm, and then into his eyes, filled with conflict.

  Behind Ivan, in the darkness of the forest, a small flame sparked to life.

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  Meghan’s vision was instant.

  She stood atop a hillside, watching a terrible scene erupt around her. She watched, terrified, as she picked up a knife and stabbed Catrina Flummer, and then her brother, killing them both.

  It took a moment to realize that the vision had ended, as within the vision, as well as in real life, it was Ivan that held her tight, as she sobbed uncontrollably.

  “What is it?” he asked, trembling. “What did you see?”

  “I have to save him, Ivan. She’s going to destroy him. And if I can’t… I kill them both…

  and you help me do it!”

  Ivan let go and backed away. Meghan’s legs gave out and she fell to her knees, searching into the darkness for the source of the flame. All she saw now was darkness.

  “No!” Ivan said emphatically. “This can’t be right,” he stuttered. “I would never ask you to kill your own brother. I know what I must sacrifice, but I would never...” he stepped farther back.

  “I don’t know what you mean, Ivan,” sobbed Meghan, wishing greatly that something, anything, would make sense.

  “I… forget it!” He assisted her off the ground. “Get yourself together. We should return to the group,” Ivan’s icy voice sent a chill down Meghan’s spine.

  Again, however, he was right.

  There was absolutely nothing Meghan could do at this very moment, to fix the frightening future she had just witnessed. Right now, she needed to worry about what was going to happen in the next few minutes and hours.

  She had broken many rules.

  She had kept secrets from Juliska Blackwell.

  Jae was in some kind of serious trouble and Ivan … she still did not know what to make of Ivan.

  I am fourteen and a half years old! I should be getting lost in daydreams and flipping through fashion magazines. Instead, I’m apparently plotting to kill my brother and his girlfriend!

  Meghan stalked passed Ivan and into the brightly lit meadow. The pyres were now emptied and being dismantled.

  She saw Juliska speaking with the Viancourt members from both groups. Surprisingly, Jae stood close by, as if waiting to speak with her. She tried to catch his eye but he ignored her.

  The imprisoned Svoda seemed to be coming around and reunions with family and friends momentarily grasped their attention.

  Ivan took off in the opposite direction, leaving Meghan alone. She did not try to stop him.

  Meghan sighed, feeling empty, numb and tired; so tired, that she wished she could no longer feel anything.

  “Maybe I can turn it off, like Ivan,” she muttered. It would be much easier than feeling angry, empty and confused all the time. “But he does care… about something,” she admitted.

  “Even Ivan cannot turn it off completely.”

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  She whirled around, startled, after hearing the snap of a branch in the woods behind her.

  Her eyes darted between the trees looking for the culprit. She saw nothing, and shook it off as nerves and headed quickly into the meadow.

  Behind where she had been standing, a silhouette emerged from the shadows.

  “Its not the right time,” Sebastien Jendaya spoke softly. “Soon, Meghan, I promise.” He then slipped away in the darkness.

  Juliska motioned for Meghan to join her.

  “Meghan, I need a few private words with you, please.”

  Meghan was surprised that Juliska did not sound angry when she spoke. The Viancourt had left to attend to other duties. Jae stayed behind, however. He nodded in a manner that told her everything would be okay.

  “First, Meghan, I must apologize for my rash and unbecoming behavior earlier tonight.

  Being a leader requires certain choices that I am often not fond of making. Nevertheless, you were very brave in coming to me. The more time I have had to think on it, I realize that turning in one’s brother is just about the most difficult
thing one could ever do. I also see the reasoning behind keeping your silence, as discovering what appears to be an innocent girl in trouble, would garner the same decision on almost anyone’s part.” Meghan once again nearly choked up. This was too much. Not even Juliska was going to be angry with her. She had betrayed her own brother… didn’t she deserve some sort of punishment for her actions?

  “You did not know,” Juliska continued. “I’m sure you believed you were doing the right thing, in keeping your brother’s secret.” She then leaned forward, closer to Meghan’s face, becoming much more serious. “I also expect, in the future, that if anything of this sort ever happens again, you will tell me immediately! You are my apprentice, Meghan. And if you wish to remain so, I must know that I can trust you, completely.” She then stood up.

  Meghan did not dare breathe.

  “Now, I have a mess to clean up. Do not contradict anything that I am about to say, understood?” her voice now held a cold edge.

  “Yes,” Meghan replied quietly. “I’m sorry, “she added. “It will never happen again.”

  “Very well. We shall speak no more of it,” Juliska spoke. “We have much more pressing issues at hand.”

  What Meghan heard intimated in Juliska Blackwell’s words, was that this would be the first, and last, time she would ever clean up a mess that Meghan Jacoby had any connection to. This was strikes one, two and three. Any other missteps and she was out! Meghan did not know what out meant in this world, but she did not wish to be the target of Juliska’s wrath.

  Moreover, in truth, Meghan felt that Juliska had every right to be angry. She had hidden Catrina Flummer, after Juliska had attempted to leave the girl sleeping in a cave. Surely, this would have been a better fate. Now, because Meghan had not come forward sooner, she had unleashed a great evil into the world, and worse, that evil had attached itself to her brother.

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  Meghan felt shame only in that she had not come forward sooner. At least Colin would have been free of her! He would still never forgive me, but at least he would still have a chance at a life. Now…

  Juliska Nandalia Blackwell, Banon of the Svoda Gypsies, asked for everyone’s attention.

  The group had doubled in size, now standing at about four hundred strong.

  “First, let me just acknowledge that you all have many questions and concerns. I will explain, as much as I know…” she then paused as the crowd listened intently.

  “Upon my group’s arrival in Eidolon’s Valley, I discovered a message. It held devastating news… one of the previous group’s children had been deemed a Projector.” Horrified gasps, followed by a hundred questions flew at Juliska. She ignored them all and continued.

  “They had advised me that a very courageous man from their caravan offered to put the girl into a deep sleep. One she should never have awakened from. He would then take her deep in the caves of Eidolon, the Goblin King, storing her body in a glass coffin, which would allow her to simply, sleep away her life, living in her dreams. At the time, this seemed a better fate than killing the girl, whom they all loved dearly.” Juliska’s bereaved gaze turned to the Flummer family.

  The crowd grew quiet, contemplating what she spoke.

  Meghan noted Billie Sadorus eyeing the Flummer family. They clearly did not believe what Juliska was saying.

  “Those of you in my group will recall the Initiation task I asked of Ivan Crane, to venture into the valley, seeking out a man believed held prisoner. The man of which I spoke was none other than the courageous man that tempted fate, and was so cruelly murdered at the hands of the Goblin King.” She then went on to clarify, to the new group members, so they better understood what had occurred. She even retold the tale of the battle that had ended with Colin Jacoby killing a Scratcher, and reminding everyone in her group how they had all questioned how he had done this.

  “I believe I now know how Colin Jacoby did this incredible thing. I believe that he had the help of the Projector, at that moment. For you see, the foolish Mr. Jacoby followed our Initiate and his Learner Companion into the valley. He just could not bear to be left behind while his sister fulfilled her duties. While this was understandable at the time, it has come to my attention, just earlier today, that Mr. Jacoby discovered this girl, Catrina Flummer, asleep in her coffin. And when he opened the coffin, her sleeping spell was lifted and he brought her back with him.”

  More stunned gasps and cries, drowned out more questions that the Banon ignored.

  “This cunning girl led him to believe that she was in danger and needed his help. He hid her. Kept her secret. Even from his own sister…” Juliska voice implored her people to comprehend such a vile thing.

  “This girl, she cannot help it. It is her nature,” Juliska added.

  Meghan looked at Ivan and then Jae. They each knew this was not the true story. They had all known about Catrina, something the Banon still did not know.

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  “I learned all of this, as I said, earlier today, just minutes before we sounded the alarm. And how, you will ask, did I learn of this? From a brave, brave young woman that stepped forward once she discovered this girl.”

  “Who?” someone shouted.

  “Meghan Jacoby,” Juliska spoke evenly. “Meghan, you see, had a vision about this girl and confronted her brother. He lied. Told her she was wrong. There was no such girl! But she persisted and found out the truth! And once she did, confided in me. She could see instantly that this girl was trouble and feared for her brother’s life.” Meghan had difficulty listening to Juliska speak. She understood that Juliska needed to keep the people calm, and was trying to cover for her own stupidity, but she felt like Colin and Catrina were now wanted fugitives, guilty of some terrible crime. When the only thing they had ever actually done, was kill a Scratcher and fall in love…

  “It was in chase of Colin Jacoby and Catrina Flummer that led us to this meadow, to our imprisoned friends and family. During which, we discovered that our enemies had some new weapon that drained our magic.” Juliska then did something Meghan did not expect. She grasped Meghan’s shoulders and pushed her in front of her so everyone could see.

  “This brave girl not only confided about this Projector, but today, realized that this weapon did not affect her own Firemancer’s abilities. Something, I, as your leader, did not recognize at the time. It was she that doused the flames that nearly burned our loved ones.” Eyes lit up in gratitude towards Meghan as Juliska announced this heroic deed. It took every ounce of strength Meghan had not to just crumble, and rather put on a generous and humble smile. Jae grinned. This is what he had told Juliska…

  Juliska then allowed Meghan to step back.

  She did more than step back. She took the opportunity to slip into the crowd as Juliska continued speaking.

  “Most of you know the outcome of the earlier events of today. Colin and Catrina Jacoby figured out some way to escape… no doubt using her prowess as a Projector. However, because of their escape, we happened upon another discovery. One that will answer the next question I know is on all your minds.”

  While she paused from speaking, Meghan hid at the back of the crowd. She saw Ivan up ahead, his head tilted, noticing her standing there. He slid back, standing next to her, obviously, Meghan thought, to question Juliska’s story.

  “Don’t Ivan,” she begged. “I can’t.”

  He nodded that he understood and for once, did not push for answers.

  Meghan could not express, in words, how she felt. A shiver came over her, chilling through to her bones. Something about this entire situation just wasn’t right. Her gut instinct told her this, and it was rarely incorrect.

  Juliska started speaking again, but Meghan did not hear her, as Ivan then did the most unlikely of things: he put his arm around Meghan’s shoulders, steadying her. She felt instantly that this was not because he liked her, or that he cared about her, but that he 89

  simply understood she needed someone to stand by her side, just for this moment
. She leaned into him, trembling.

  “I don’t understand what I’m feeling right now, Ivan.”

  She realized that what she’d said probably did not make any sense.

  Ivan took a deep breath, turning his head just slightly toward her.

  “That’s because you’re beginning to understand who you should truly be afraid of, Meghan.

  And the truth…”

  “Is not pretty,” she breathed out.

  Meghan then noticed Ivan’s gaze turn elsewhere. It was the girl, Maria. Her eyes flitted delicately, briefly grazing him, and then back towards Juliska.

  “You like her, don’t you,” Meghan asked.

  His gaze turned back to Meghan.

  “You’re much more observant that I give you credit for…” he told her, reaffirming his grip firmly around her shoulders, as Juliska Blackwell regained their attention.

  “I understand that all of you want to know what happens next. I don’t have all the answers… We will have to figure out these things, together. The question has arisen on whether we will go our separate ways, back into our groups and continue as we were, or whether we should join as one group. My answer to this question is neither!” The crowd listened intently, wondering what other possibility there could be.

  “We have discovered a doorway, not previously known or documented in the Book of Doorways.”

  “Where does this doorway lead?” a voice called out.

  When Juliska answered the crowd inhaled simultaneously, and Meghan Jacoby felt as though she might faint. Was it possible this one thing could go right?

  “This door, my friends,” Juliska announced, “will take us home.”

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