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  Meghan stood behind Ivan, waiting as he again studied the map. She took off her pack and sat down. As she did, a plume of red dirt wafted off from her clothes.

  “I’m never going to get these clean,” she whined.

  “While we’re stopped, can you…” Meghan cut him off.

  “Yeah, yeah. Just a sec.” She took a minute to gather herself and then created a fire in the palm of her hand. She focused on their journey, and the figure she had seen earlier that morning. She saw the same shadow of a figure, hiking through the valley. Nothing had changed. She searched the flames for any hint of what they might face ahead. However, there was nothing new in her vision.

  Ivan shook his head in confusion after Meghan informed him they were still not alone. A sense of urgency came over them both and they decided to eat lunch while walking, again.

  After awhile, the quiet of the valley grew on Meghan’s nerves. Hoping it would not turn into the catastrophe it had the first time, while in Grimble, during the carriage rid, she attempted conversation with Ivan.

  “Tell me about the Svoda, Ivan, the other groups I mean. Do you know anyone in the other groups?”

  “I was only four when we started traveling again,” he answered. “So no, I don’t really know much about the other groups other than they exist.”

  “How about Jul.. Banon Blackwell, then. She is the leader of all the Svoda, right?” Ivan shot her a look that said, DUH!

  “What I mean is,” she clarified, “how did she end up here, with this particular group?”

  “Oh. Well, when the time came for the Svoda to divide themselves amongst the different groups, Banon Blackwell knew she would have to choose just one. She wanted it to be a fair decision, so she, along with those selected to be leaders of the other groups held a raffle. A regular pull-a-ticket-out-of-the-hat kind of raffle, actually. Each ticket had a group number on it and Banon Blackwell drew this group.” Ivan actually sounded happy explaining this to Meghan.

  “I wonder how the other groups handle not having her around. They must miss such an incredible woman…leader, I mean.”

  Ivan chuckled.

  “She is admirable, to say the least,” he agreed.

  A short while later, as the heat of the day wore on Meghan, a voice echoed through her head.

  “Colin?” she whispered, knowing instantly that it was not her brother. Her block was still firm. She sensed Colin in the back of her mind, but did not contact him or let his thoughts in. So whose voice was she hearing?

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  “Aahhh!” she suddenly yelled, falling over. She had not been watching her steps and was now laying face first in the dirt.

  Ivan shook his head, but grabbed her hand, helping her up. Meghan wiped off the red dirt now plastered on her face, spitting out bits that had wormed their way into her mouth. She poorly ignored Ivan’s humor-filled eyes.

  “You are enjoying my discomfort a little too much, aren’t you?” she mumbled.

  A sly smirk snuck through his lips but he said nothing. Throughout the rest of the day, the unfamiliar voice periodically entered her mind, but never clearly enough to hear what was being said.

  “Great,” she thought. “Just great! Hearing voices while stuck in the middle of nowhere on a mission with Ivan. Just perfect!”

  Meghan’s frustrations grew more obvious as the day progressed. Ivan’s sly smirk turned to agitation as Meghan slowed and stumbled more often. As the second day ended, Ivan announced their hideout for the night was not too far, but they needed to pick up the pace to get there in time.

  Once again, they found themselves scurrying to the cave with just minutes to spare.

  Ivan looked quite pleased.

  “What?” prodded Meghan.

  “We made good progress today. We actually went a lot further than I expected we would.

  We will arrive at our destination sometime in the late morning, if all goes well.”

  “No wonder I’m so damn tired,” retorted Meghan. “I thought this journey wasn’t supposed to be that long.”

  “I have a theory about that, actually. I think the valley changes. That even though the Goblins sleep during the day, something changes. Like a defense mechanism, to keep people from getting through the valley. I don’t think Banon Blackwell realized we might walk in circles a few times.”

  “Have we been?” Meghan had not noticed.

  “Yes. A few times.”

  “I’ll say it again, then. No wonder I’m so damn tired!”

  “You survived,” replied Ivan, adding, “Same drill as last night. You see and I’ll get us some dinner.”

  This plan was all well and good, except for the fact that Meghan was not in control of her emotions.

  As soon as she started her fire, the unwanted vision came: Jae, on his pillar, the dark silhouette drowning him… killing him.

  Again though, the vision was not the same. At the end, when the silhouette was about to pick up Jae, and throw him into the black abyss, Jae fought back. His eyes turned black, fuming with anger. Meghan quivered at the sight of Jae’s coal black eyes.

  Even more disturbing, was that Jae’s body changed, too. His teeth were sharp and snapped at his opponent. His body was no longer the tall, frail, thin body Meghan was used to seeing.

  His arms were rugged and strong.

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  Jae charged the silhouette, forcing it to the edge of the pillar. It toppled into the black abyss, leaving Jae the lone victor. He turned to Meghan. His eyes pierced hers, as if he could see her. He snarled, easily leaping from his pillars to hers.

  Meghan screamed.

  The vision ended.

  Ivan picked her up off the cave floor. After Meghan had regained her composure, he let go and turned around, facing the cave wall, angrily.

  “Will you ever trust me enough to tell me what’s going on with Jae?” she asked, still shaking.

  Thus far, they had avoided any real confrontation. Ivan whirled around and then squatted so that he was eye to eye with Meghan.

  He gulped and then spoke.

  “Yes, I will actually.”

  Meghan’s eyes opened wide, reading Ivan’s face as he replied.

  “But not today, right?” she whispered, realizing he was just taunting her.

  “No. Not today.”

  “Why not?” she asked, genuinely interested in his reply.

  “You’re not ready… yet.”

  She wrinkled her nose at him.

  “In your eyes, Ivan Crane, I doubt anyone would ever be deemed ready!” Meghan folded her arms and huffed.

  “I am going to tell you something, Meghan Jacoby.”

  He then stood up, looking quite tall and foreboding.

  Meghan did the same. She wanted to be on even ground when he insulted her, so she could defend herself properly.

  “I have certain goals I very much intend on fulfilling. Failure is not an option. Nothing will get in my way. Nothing!”

  Meghan recalled the violent dream she had, where Ivan had attempted to kill her.

  “You are an asset, Meghan,” he went on. “The Banon likes you, for whatever reason,” he added dryly. “Therefore, I like you. The way I see it, we are unwilling business partners. You are helping me get what I want, and I, eventually, will give you what you want.”

  “So this is like ‘let’s make a deal’ or something?” Meghan guffawed. “You rub my back and I’ll rub yours?” Meghan shook her head in disgust. “No wonder you don’t have any friends, and to think…” she accidentally admitted, “I was almost starting to not despise being around you!”

  Ivan lunged toward Meghan, pinning her against the cave wall.

  “Having friends is a luxury I cannot afford, Meghan Jacoby. Friends make you care. Friends make you realize what you’re giving up. Friends get in the way.” Meghan gulped, hard, unable to take her eyes off Ivan’s face, only inches away. Many thoughts raced through her mind at light speed.

  What did Ivan mean?

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  What was he giving up?

  What was he hiding?

  Perhaps he was just angry with her, because her Firemancy had allowed her into his secretive mind. Colin hated when she did that, too. She knew it was the one place he always felt free. Perhaps Ivan was worried she would see too much. She suddenly remembered the phrase keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Did Ivan think of her as an enemy?

  She did not know. However, she did now know that Ivan Crane was not someone she could afford to get close to, or trust, completely. She might be forced to spend time with him, but it was now purely business. There was no giving Ivan a chance any longer.

  Ivan stood back, unpinning Meghan from the wall and went to the opposite side of the cave and readied dinner. Meghan took a deep breath and once again started a fire in her hand, this time keeping her focus. Once her vision was over, she advised Ivan of what she had seen.

  “If we keep up our current pace, we should be there before the other valley walker,” she said, quietly.

  Ivan nodded, handing her a meat pie.

  Outside their cave, the valley began stirring to life. In the distance, a ghastly, deafening cry filled the sky. It was so forceful it shook the ground.

  Meghan took a few steps deeper into the cave. She wanted this bad trip to be finished.

  What was she doing here? She squelched the edging desire to cry and bit her lip. She could not, and would not, permit Ivan Crane to get the better of her.

  Meghan Jacoby would do what she needed to help Jae. In addition, if Juliska wanted her to work with Ivan, she would. She faced Ivan, extending her hand.

  “Business partners, then,” she told him.

  He shook her hand, his dry smile returning.

  “I knew you’d come around.”

  Meghan wanted to hit him.

  “Let’s get some sleep,” he advised. “We have a big day tomorrow.” Megan sighed.

  Why did Ivan always have to be right?

  13

  Evening approached, and Colin was farther away from his closest safe spot than he had hoped he would be. Bird urged him along, but his short legs could only go so fast. They were hiking past a ridged canyon wall, which Colin thought would never end. Somewhere at the 58

  end of this rocky ridge was his hideout. Bird began chirping more raucously as they neared the end. Colin stopped for a second, catching his breath. He leaned up against the last bit of the canyon wall. The light around Colin faded. He knew he needed to hurry and enter the cave, or face being caught by the Goblins.

  As he repositioned the bag over his shoulder, he froze. The canyon wall he had been leaning against stirred. The rocky canyon wall began shifting. Pebbles and rocky debris fell down its sides. A sharp slice of rock hit the side of Colin’s face, leaving a bloody gouge. Colin ran. He didn’t’ want to be around when it awoke.

  The creature came to life with a terrible roar that rumbled through the entire valley. It shook its body like a wet dog, but rather than hair, shards of rock showered the ground below the beast.

  Colin ran faster than he’d ever ran before, leaping inside the cave. He turned over and watched what he had believed was a canyon wall, stalk passed him, like an oversized playful puppy. An outstretched spiky tail wagged behind it.

  Colin crept deeper into the cave.

  “What have I gotten myself into?” he asked Bird.

  Bird’s eyes were wide with disbelief, too, but he nudged Colin’s arm meaningfully.

  “Yeah, I’m doing the right thing. I know,” said Colin. “This is just …” he paused. “So different than my life. Right now, I should be heading back to Cobbscott for the summer, and dealing with bullies, and meeting up with the Jendayas.” Colin sighed. That life was so far out of reach now.

  He shook off his apprehensions and dug out his first aid kit, locating a cream that would heal the cut on his face. It stung to put on, but within seconds the bleeding had stopped and the wound had closed. Colin then took out Corny’s map.

  “We should be at our destination tomorrow morning,” he told bird. An electric pulse shot through his nerves, as he thought of actually meeting the real Catrina.

  “Abdo Remotus Aspectus,” he whispered.

  His mind’s eye left the cave and raced to where Catrina lay sleeping. He had no problem locating her. She was clear to him now. He gazed into the glass coffin where she serenely slept.

  A shadow hovering in the room stole Colin’s attention. A hooded figure edged closer to the coffin. A long knife sparkled in its hand.

  “No. No. No!” screamed Colin.

  Catrina’s eyes flew open, looking straight into his. She placed her hand on the inside of her glass coffin, gasping.

  “Hurry, Colin. Please,” she begged.

  A gloved hand covered her face from Colin’s view.

  He lost control of his spell and instantly surrendered his contact with her. He arose, as if to depart.

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  “I have to go. I can’t wait.”

  Bird flew in front of Colin, attempting to stop him.

  “I can’t wait,” argued Colin. “If I do, I’ll be too late!” Bird’s attempts to stop Colin failed. He stepped out into the valley, just as Nona bounded in front of him, trying to push him back into the cave and safety. Colin did not give Nona a second glance and took only a few steps when something grabbed hold of him, yanking him off the ground.

  Colin came face to face with a Goblin.

  An eerie grin spread over its red rock face.

  “Straight to Eidolon with you,” its rough voice announced. The Goblins body wriggled along the ground, like a slug.

  Colin went limp. He knew instantly how stupid he had been. He might never make it to Catrina now.

  Worse yet, he might never make it home.

  14

  It was late morning. Meghan and Ivan stood at the entrance to their destination: another cave.

  The moment of truth. Was the Svoda who had wandered into the valley still alive? Was he being held captive? Did whatever he have on his person, which Juliska did not want to leave in the valley, still exist? Or had it been taken by Eidolon?

  Ivan took hold of two torches, which hung from a wall, unlit.

  “Hm hm,” mumbled Ivan. “If you don’t mind…”

  “Oh, right,” said Meghan. She snapped her fingers over the torches and they roared to life.

  “We need to try and keep to a schedule in here,” informed Ivan. “This is not a safe cave.

  Once it’s dark, the Goblins will be able to find us in here.”

  “Okay,” said Meghan, apprehensively. “You do realize,” she added, “that even the best laid plans hardly ever go smoothly?”

  Ivan rolled his eyes.

  “I am aware, Meghan, and to be honest, other than walking in here and searching for what we are looking for, there is no other plan. We’ll be winging it.”

  “Winging it! Oh that’s sounds nice and solid,” she criticized.

  “There’s no telling what’s going to happen. We will just have to plan as we go.” Ivan stepped in, unafraid.

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  Again, Meghan had to talk herself down from her inner ledge. I am too young for this. I’m not good enough for this. What could Juliska have been thinking when she agreed with Ivan that I could handle this?

  She stepped in after him, glad at least that the cave floor was relatively flat and smooth.

  Somewhere, not too far in, was supposed to be a series of rooms, like a stone dungeon.

  Another twenty steps in and the rooms came into view.

  Meghan’s heart raced faster and faster. Each room they searched so far remained empty.

  One of these rooms was going to have a person in it, dead or alive.

  Meghan and Ivan then froze in place. Three rooms down a door creaked. Feet shuffled inside. Meghan wished in that moment that she could talk to Ivan’s mind, as she could with Colin.

  They edged closer to the door. With one smooth step, Ivan jumped to th
e opposite side, motioning for Meghan to burst through the door, together.

  The element of surprise… Would it be enough?

  Ivan held up three fingers. Meghan understood, on the count of three they would enter.

  When he held up his third finger, they simultaneously barged into the room. Ivan had his palm ready for a fight, and Meghan held a ball of fire, ready to throw it.

  Her fire fizzled.

  Ivan’s hand fell and his head cocked awkwardly to one side.

  They were not alone. There was someone else already there. Someone they both recognized, instantly.

  Colin awoke. Apparently, he had passed out after being taken by the Goblin. Figures, he chided himself.

  “At least Meghan wasn’t here to see that,” he whispered. What sucked most was that he did not have any clue where he was.

  One lone torch hung on the side of a wall, lit. Overwhelming thoughts hit him all at once… What about Catrina? Where’s Bird? And … Oh crap, where is my bag, and… double crap… Where’s Magicante?

  Colin’s breathing began to accelerate and his nerves made him sick. He needed to get out and fast. Was it day or night? Was Eidolon on his way? Did he come out only at night, too?

  Colin located the door, but he was too short to look out of the window.

  Something moved outside, flapping wings, and then feet shuffling closer.

  “Colin?” a male voice whispered.

  “Yes, it’s me,” Colin croaked. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s… Bird, in my human form.” Bird’s voice sounded muffled.

  “What’s going on out there?” asked Colin. “Are you okay? They took the Magicante.”

  “Actually, they did not,” Bird replied. “I have it safely hidden. I grabbed it before they could see it.”

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  Colin breathed a huge sigh of relief.

  “Thanks, Bird. Seems like I, or my sister, cannot succeed at any quest without you!” Bird chuckled.

  “Maybe someday we’ll be able to discuss that. Right now, we need to hurry.” An inflection in Bird’s voice insinuated something bad was on its way.

  “There’s a spell, Colin, one that can open the door, but you must do it.”

  “You name it, I’ll do it!”

  “Fenestra,” said Bird.

  For some reason that sounded familiar to Colin, and his brain searched for the answer.