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  Just then Billie Sadorus jogged by.

  34

  “Gettin’ dark, you boys. Better be gettin’ to home.”

  They hadn’t realized how late it had become. The duo raced back toward their cave dwelling, reaching the entrance just in time.

  Off to the side of the dwelling, standing not too far away in another doorway was the Three D’s.

  Colin and Jae were at least thankful that the oncoming darkness would keep them from adding insult to injury. As it was, Irving Mochrie glared and shook his head at Jae and Colin as they entered.

  “Sorry, dad,” Jae apologized rapidly. “We lost track of the time.”

  “Time for bed,” was all Irving replied.

  As Colin and Jae headed to bed, followed by Mireya, Sheila appeared.

  “Oh, good, Colin, I believe these are for you.” She then handed him a stack of papers.

  “Papers from Corny,” he whispered.

  Sheila looked amused as she handed them over.

  As soon as Mireya was asleep, Jae snuck into Colin’s cubby and they studied the papers.

  They moved them around, trying to put them together so they made sense. After a few tries they still spelled nothing. They shortly gave up, leaning against the back wall. Neither was in the mood to sleep.

  “If you decide to go searching for Catrina, Colin,” whispered Jae, “I think that you should go during the Feast of the Blest Arcane. No one would miss you for a day or two.”

  “That’s true, huh. You said it would be a busy time. It really lasts an entire week?”

  “Yes, and good busy, since unlike the retelling festival, it’s not just one big gathering.

  People have smaller parties and dinners to go to, so it’s an easier excuse if you’re not around.

  And I can handle mom and dad, I’ll tell them you were invited to dinner with someone else.” Colin’s mind began to race. The thought of searching for Catrina, all on his own, was daunting. Could he really do it? He took a deep breath, knowing that somehow, he would find the strength and bravery he needed.

  Concentration escaped Meghan. Since moving in with Juliska, she felt sidetracked, not quite settled in. Then, there was the extra time spent with Ivan; he had been attending her training at least once a day.

  At what felt like a snail’s pace, she was learning how to create fire in the palm of her hand.

  The trick was for it not to spread to her entire body, or, to someone or something else.

  Juliska and Ivan both agreed this was a vital ability needed on any journey. The ability to create fire anywhere, any time, would be of great use… then, all I need to do is learn how to see at will. No pressure.

  The Initiation training was proving harder than Meghan had anticipated.

  On the afternoon of the sixth day, Juliska had Meghan take a break from practicing Firemancy, and instead, focus on using actual magic.

  35

  “Don’t worry,” she said, before Meghan could ask. “This castle has protection around it.

  Eidolon cannot sense that we are practicing magic in here.”

  “Oh. Cool,” Meghan said. She later changed her mind on ‘cool’, as it did not go well.

  Meghan attempted the Emissio spell, but to no avail.

  After awhile, Ivan arrived to monitor her progress.

  “Are you taking the time to collect energy before you try the spell?” he asked, after seeing Meghan fail time after time.

  “Well, of course I’m trying,” she retorted.

  “Can I make a suggestion, Banon Blackwell,” he asked.

  She nodded yes.

  “Perhaps Meghan simply needs better motivation.”

  Meghan did not like the sound of Ivan’s suggestion one little bit. Juliska pondered the idea, at first appearing unsure.

  “The only reason I agree is that we are running out of time, but yes, perhaps you are right, Ivan.”

  “Let’s change spells,” he then said, taking Meghan aside. “I know you do this. I’ve seen you,” he whispered so Juliska could not hear.

  “That was a life and death situation,” she whispered back, realizing he was speaking of their secret adventure in Grimble.

  “Exactly,” he mouthed. Out loud, he said, “I want you to block me, Meghan. If anything, blocking a spell might help you stay out of harm’s way.”

  Meghan sighed, but kept her cool.

  “I am going to send a spell at you. Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy on you the first time. You will use the Obstructo spell to block me.”

  Meghan had heard Jae use the Obstructo spell, back in Grimble. She readied her mind, attempting to collect magical energy to use for her spell.

  “Ready?” asked Ivan.

  Meghan replied by taking a defensive stance with her palm faced out. Ivan’s spell came so fast, Meghan never even had the chance to speak.

  “Carnacari!” he shouted.

  Meghan lost her stance and screamed as a cascade of white carnations pummeled her body.

  They broke and fell to the floor after hitting her. They were easily breakable, but still stung upon impact.

  Ivan frowned.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “Sorry,” she huffed. “I was ready. I just freaked when a cavalcade of white flew at me. It wasn’t what I expected.”

  “What did you expect?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. To be blown into a wall or something.”

  Ivan sighed.

  36

  “Let’s try it again, now that you know what’s coming. Although I might remind you…” Meghan cut him off.

  “Yeah yeah yeah. In the real world, I won’t have any clue what’s coming at me. You’ve reminded me a few times, Ivan.”

  “At least you’re listening,” he retorted under his breath.

  Ivan said his spell again, and again, and again. Finally, Meghan got her defensive spell said fast enough to block a few of the flower arrows. Ivan would have kept going, but Juliska decided it was time for a break, for which Meghan was very grateful.

  That evening, they returned to the study of Firemancy. It was time for Meghan to gain control of the fire she was creating, and keep it in the palm of her hand. Three attempts in a row she created fire, but not until the third try did she successfully keep it from spreading.

  She held her palm upward, controlling the flames, but that is when the real trouble started: uncontrollable visions.

  “This is no good, Meghan,” warned Ivan, after lifting her off the floor. “If all that’s going to happen is you fall instantly into a vision, I can’t trust to have you all there. This is too dangerous.”

  Juliska nodded her agreement, but with added compassion. Meghan, losing her patience blew her hair out of her sweaty face, and let in to him, fiercely.

  “I’m doing my best, Ivan,” she articulated in an angry whisper. “I’m exhausted from trying.

  Is it impossible for you to just say, great job, Meghan… Your half way there, Meghan…It’s only been six days and you’ve come a long way, Meghan…” Her nostrils flared in frustration, but she bit her tongue before saying something completely regretful.

  “Exhausted isn’t going to help either of us, Meghan, if you’re stuck in an uncontrollable vision when I need you awake and in the present!” he grumbled back.

  “Well maybe you shouldn’t have picked me, then!” she shot back.

  “What’s done is done,” intruded Juliska, before the argument could escalate. Ivan shut up, nodding at Juliska. At least he never argues with her, thought Meghan.

  “I say enough for today,” announced Juliska. “I think, in all honesty,” she glanced slightly toward Ivan, “that you are trying too hard, Meghan. Take some rest. We will start again tomorrow morning.”

  Meghan left the room abruptly. She noticed that Ivan stayed behind, however, shutting the door behind her.

  Her fury was instant. She knew Ivan and Juliska were discussing her failures, and before she knew it, she had burst into flames, l
osing complete control. She attempted to squelch it before it could be noticed, but Ivan was too quick.

  The door flew open just as she put out the final flame. The curtains behind her were singed and smoking, giving her away. Ivan’s self-righteous eyes caught her. Meghan glared, about to rekindle herself, as he re-shut the door.

  “Ignore him,” insisted Nona. “I watched you practice all afternoon, and you did very well.

  Even Juliska believes that. Now, it’s time to rest.” Nona knew her words would hardly calm Meghan’s fiery temper. At least as she stormed away, no more fires erupted.

  37

  By morning, however, she had ruined her sheets, singing them beyond repair. Meghan sat up, still fuming, but more determined than ever to succeed.

  “I will keep my emotions under control today!” she said, decidedly. “I will not let Ivan Crane get the best of me!” She immediately got up and began practice. She created a controlled fire in her palm on the first try, but a vision awaited her.

  Nona sat, still as a statue, keeping guard as the vision took over.

  It began much the same as it always did … her repeated nightmare of Jae Mochrie, injured and beaten, lying on his pillar, just out of her reach. She held her breath through to the end, not wanting to relive the vision, but as it neared its typical ending - Jae’s beaten body being hurled into the great dark abyss - something new occurred.

  Jae stood up, egging on the faceless silhouette, challenging it.

  Meghan breathed, paying more attention now.

  “Jae! You can’t fight that thing,” she yelled instinctively. Then she thought, Maybe he’s supposed to fight this thing? Maybe he needs to fight it! “Be strong Jae!” she then encouraged. “Fight it! I know you can!”

  The vision did not take the turn Meghan hoped it would.

  Jae spun and peered at Meghan. She fell backwards in shock. His eyes had turned black, and his face was contorted and wrong.

  Amazingly, the silhouette backed away from him, and a face began to form in the blackness of the silhouette. The only distinctive feature that Meghan could see was an eerie, pleased smile. The silhouette then faded and vanished, leaving Jae to fight the evil expanding inside him. He fell to his knees, panting, screaming and convulsing until the blackness had ripped itself out of his body.

  Then, the vision ended and Meghan was on her bedroom floor. She fell onto her back with a thud.

  Nona licked her face as Meghan moaned in despair.

  What did this change mean? Was this still Ivan’s fear she was seeing? Would he ever explain to her what it all meant?

  Meghan feared she was defeated. How could she forget about this vision and move forward? How could she keep it from happening, repeatedly, every time she created a fire?

  “Oh, Nona. I’m so tired. I’m not cut out for this.”

  Nona stopped her licking as a knock at the bedroom door intervened and sidetracked Meghan’s melancholy mood.

  Breakfast, delivered by Pantin Hollee.

  “Thank you, Hollee,” mumbled Meghan, rising from the floor.

  “Up early and hard at work already, I see.”

  Meghan nodded half-heartedly.

  “I’ve never seen anyone work so hard and learn so fast, Meghan. It will all come together.” Despair and failure must have been written all over her face, Meghan realized. She fought the lump rising in her throat, determined not to let it surface. She mustered out, “Thanks.” Hollee gave her an understanding pat on the shoulder and then left, insisting she eat.

  38

  After breakfast, her strength renewed, Meghan hardened her mind once again.

  She would not fail Juliska.

  She would work harder.

  She would gain control.

  8

  Colin tried to ignore the third argument (in a week) currently raging in the Mochrie house.

  Jae’s father was angry with him, nothing new.

  However, Irving’s agitation soared today, at the fact that Jae was disappearing for hours, while he was supposed to be with him, studying.

  Colin did not wish to be present for this argument, which was proving to be the most heated he had ever witnessed. However, his curiosity got the better of him.

  Where is Jae spending all his time? And why hasn’t he told me?

  “Jae, you must understand I do this for your own good,” avowed Irving. “Tomorrow morning you will accompany me to work! That is final! No more wandering off!” Irving’s face was red hot.

  The angry glare that emanated from Jae sent shivers down Colin’s spine, and he swore that for the tiniest of moments, Jae’s eyes even changed color, appearing darker.

  Then, Jae did something he had never done before. It paralyzed everyone in the room.

  “No, Dad,” he said with quiet confidence. “I won’t.”

  Irving’s red face turned purple but no words would come out of his mouth. Sheila Mochrie sank into her chair with a blank stare, having never heard Jae out right defy his father.

  Colin decided he no longer wanted to be present. This is going to get bad. Very bad. He edged his way to the front door, escaping, and took cover behind a nearby rock formation.

  To his surprise, a moment later, Jae bounded by.

  Colin had the briefest of thoughts … Maybe I should follow him. He was curious now.

  Where was Jae disappearing to if he wasn’t spending time with his father, which until the arguments of this past week, is where Colin believed Jae always was.

  “If I can’t trust Jae, who can I trust?” muttered Colin. He decided to follow, anyway, with the intention of outing his presence at the right moment.

  Jae was still obviously angry. He mumbled as he stormed off, punching and kicking rocks along the way. Colin had never seen him so angry. Could he blame him, though? Life with the Svoda was hard enough, and Jae’s father, even harder.

  39

  Jae was too upset to notice Colin following a distance behind him. Jae came to a stop at the entrance to the path that led to Juliska Blackwell’s castle. It was a steep climb. Colin hid as Jae glanced back, appearing to be checking to see if he was alone. His face showed signs of an inward struggle.

  Jae began the climb to the castle. Colin decided not to follow, which turned out to be a smart decision as Jae got a few steps up, then changed his mind and came back down. As soon as he was down, he changed his mind and began upward again, at a hasty pace, as if determined not to change his mind this time.

  Was Jae visiting Meghan? Colin doubted that. But why would he visit Juliska Blackwell?

  Was he so upset with his father he would turn him in, and for what? Being mean? Colin knew that Jae respected Banon Blackwell, and at the same time, she had not always been kind to his family. Then Colin had another disturbing thought.

  Was this where Jae spent his missing time? With Juliska Blackwell?

  “What is he up to?” muttered Colin in frustration. He still did not trust Juliska, even though Meghan did explicitly.

  Once again, though, Colin came to the following conclusion: If I can’t trust Jae, who can I trust? He could not question his only real friend in this place.

  Colin wondered if Meghan would have any insight and decided to message her, later. It was time to check in with her, anyway. On the walk back to the Mochries, a leaf struck him in the head.

  “Like she can read my mind,” he chuckled. The letter was brief.

  “Col, I’m leaving soon, just for a day or two, for the Initiation thingy with Ivan. I will let you know when I’m back. How are you? Sorry I haven’t contacted you before now, very busy training.”

  Colin quickly recited his response.

  “Doing fine. Well, not really I guess. Jae and his dad had a huge fight today. Very unpleasant. Apparently, Jae has not been spending as much time with his dad as we thought.

  He would not admit where he was spending his time though and stormed off. Please be careful, whatever you are doing with Ivan.”

  Colin sighed, r
ealizing something then. He missed Meghan. He missed being able to talk with her. He had been so preoccupied with finding Catrina, he had let those memories slide away.

  “It’s not the same without you here,” he added. “But I really am doing fine, no worries.” He kept his mind closed off from her, still afraid he might accidentally give something away about Catrina. Now that he thought about it, it seemed wrong, unnatural to hide this from Meghan.

  He sent his leaf reply and continued home. He assumed that if Jae did visit, and she found out anything, she would fill him in later.

  Upon arrival home, Colin was surprised to find the place empty. Though it was dinnertime, not even Sheila Mochrie was there, preparing her usual evening meal.

  40

  Colin was pleased to see, however, that Corny Tibbitt had left him another page. He crept into his bedroom cubby closing the curtain, hoping this time, the pages would fit together and give him whatever message Corny was trying to send.

  Colin stopped.

  There was a small box wrapped in brown paper sitting on his bed, like a gift. He gawked at it and then hesitantly picked it up. Balloch Flummer’s words, ‘Trust no one,” rang clearly through his thoughts.

  There was no tag to say whom it was from, just like back in Grimble, when he and Meghan had received money anonymously. Colin wondered if this gift was from the same person.

  He untied the brown paper cautiously. Inside was another small box labeled, J & T First Aid Kit.

  It included the normal things he was used to seeing in a first aid kit, like bandages and gauze, but then also included items he had never seen before. He picked up a bottle called Reliable Pain Potion, with a headline that read: Never Expires. Drink and be pain free! The next labeled bottle said, Smoke Screen: Advantage Yours! Bottle includes One Smoke Screen.

  Twenty seconds that could save your life! To use, break the bottle.

  There were also various creams for instant healing of minor bites, scrapes or burns. These, he thought, looked eerily similar to the ones Kanda Macawi had used on him and Meghan when they visited Cobbscott.

  He delved into the kit a little deeper and pulled out a small scroll, unrolling it. It contained various life saving spells, like how to create water or fire. Lastly, was a thin pair of glasses, which he put on, only slightly wary of what might happen. However, nothing did happen.