Firemancer Collection (Fated Saga Box Set Book 1) (16 page)

   “You’re mighty lucky, little lady, not a burn on ya.” He was clearly shaken. “Better be more careful, might not be so lucky next time.”

   The boys briskly whisked her away before the manager could ask any questions.

   Jae scolded her, harshly.

   “He is right! You
should
be more careful. You could have been hurt, or worse.”

   “I was standing near the fire. Okay, a little too close.”

   “How about in the fire, Meghan. Uh, how did you do that exactly?” asked her brother.

   “It’s the same as last night. I think it is because of the Catawitch,” she admitted, not quite believing that was the entire truth.

   “It was back, just now?” Jae confirmed hastily, glancing back at the now distant fire.

   “Yes,” she answered, remembering that Sebastien did not understand what they were discussing. He was about to ask when she broke in, explaining.

   Jae was gravely concerned. What would happen to his new friends after his departure?

   “Meghan,” he said, after she’d finished. “Promise me something, will you?” He looked her straight in the eye, his old arrogance returning. “After I leave, if the Catawitch comes back, ignore it! Do not even talk to it. It cannot harm you or take you anywhere unless you go willingly.” He turned to Colin. “I expect you to watch her until this Catawitch decides to leave her alone.”

   He clearly did not trust Meghan to listen to him, which angered her. And she certainly didn’t need a babysitter, especially if it was Colin. She stormed off but Sebastien seized her arm, stopping her. She faced him eye to eye, recognizing something she had never seen before… fear.

   “I think this is important, Meghan.”

   She did not speak, but gawked awkwardly at the three boys, growing infuriated. She kept walking. No one stopping her this time.

   “Why does everyone suddenly think they need to tell me what to do? I have always done just fine on my own,” she muttered crossly. Her stomach was ill and she hated that she had not found out what the Catawitch wanted.

   What if it did come back?

   What would she do?

   Could she ignore something that might want to harm her, her family, or her friends?

   What if the Catawitch did not mean any harm? Jae had said they were not evil cats, just loyal to their masters.

   No. She knew if she followed her gut, that it did not have good intentions. She found herself back at her uncle’s trailer, but with no desire to go inside. Tears filled her eyes and she slumped down letting the rain drizzle over her face; it did not hide the fact that she was crying. She heard the boys enter Jae’s wagon. Colin’s thoughts perplexed her.

   “No, I think we should let her be. You can’t talk to her when she gets like this.”

   “Like this! What is that supposed to mean?” Behind her, the trailer door opened and Kanda Macawi climbed down the steps. Meghan hastily wiped her face, but her smudged makeup easily gave her away.

   Her uncle waved Meghan into the trailer and out of the rain but she ignored him. It was impossible for Meghan to hide. Kanda had already spotted her.

   “Get yourself together,” Meghan said. “This isn’t like you.”

   “Hello, Meghan,” greeted Kanda. “I dropped off an old radio I am hoping Arnon can fix. If anyone can…” she saw Meghan’s face and plopped down, putting an arm around her shoulder. “What, may I ask, is the cause of this?” she asked, genuinely concerned.

   “It’s nothing, I’m fine,” squeaked out Meghan.

   “Meghan, I have seen plenty of tears in my day. Tears do not happen for
no
reason.” She took out a tissue and dabbed Meghan’s wet face. She could not answer; the words would not come out. Instead, a torrent of uncontrollable tears erupted.

   Meghan despised it.

   It was weak.

   Kanda hugged her and let the tears fall. After a few minutes, she was finally able to stop the tears and regain some control. Kanda did not ask her to speak, but sat patiently as Meghan blew her nose.

   “Thanks,” she said, throwing the tissue into the rain soaked fire pit.   

   “It was nothing. Honestly, I almost decided to join you. Sometimes there is nothing like a good cry. Somehow I feel better after, renewed.”

   As Meghan thought about it, she did feel better.

   “I wish there were another way. Crying sucks,” she admitted.

   “So why were you, if you want to talk about it?”

   “I dunno. A lot of reasons. Everything’s changing.”

   “Oh, I see. Change is bound to happen.”

   “But that doesn’t make it any easier.”

   “Meghan, you are growing up and so is your brother. People change. You cannot expect things to stay the same forever.” It was one of those statements grown ups were known to make. Meghan considered herself already quite grown up, but still did not see why anything should have to change.

   “Meghan, my sweet child, if I may be honest,” Kanda began.

   Meghan feared what she would say, but it was not what she expected.

   “You have had a hard life, traveling from place to place, losing your parents before you could even remember them. Plus, you seem to be under the impression you can control everything about your life. Do not think it has gone unnoticed how you take care of your brother when he is in trouble, or worry about your uncle. You’ve had to take on many responsibilities, far beyond most girls your age.”

   Meghan’s perplexed face made it clear she had never thought about it that way before.

   “My point is, have a good little cry over it. But please, remember, sometimes you have to look out for yourself too.”

   Meghan was speechless.

   “Look, it’s getting colder and you are soaked,” said Kanda. “We do not need you getting sick again, so why don’t you get warmed up and dried off. Come by tomorrow and we will have a tonic, or some hot tea, if it persists on raining.”

   It had been awhile since Meghan had visited Kanda. Her teas were always soothing.

   “Yeah, okay,” she agreed.

   Kanda reached over and hugged her. It was a deep, warm kind of hug, one that you could disappear and hide in. Meghan stiffened a little, not being used to that kind of a hug. Kanda let go and stood up to leave. The drizzle had wilted her hair and was collecting on her sweater.

   “If events start to seem overwhelming, Meghan,” she started, “there is only one place to look.” Kanda placed her hand over her heart. “It will guide you through the muck and confusion.”

   Meghan was confident that her heart was causing most of her confusion. She sat a little longer, watching Kanda’s figure disappear around the corner. It was the first time she had ever had a grown up type conversation, and although she felt better, she still did not want things to change. She definitely did not want to worry her uncle. It seemed he always had enough to worry about for the three of them.

Chapter 8

   Evening had arrived. Meghan cleaned up her face and headed for Jae’s wagon, determined to salvage the rest of the day. The boys were at the table. They stared at her unsure of what to say. She sat down, opened a tonic, with an air about her that said
you’re the crazies, not me.

   “So what is your plan for tonight, Jae?” asked Colin after awhile.

   “Pretty simple. Gonna head out about half hour before midnight, stay hidden, and then when the doorway opens, go home.”

   “And what if something
does
go wrong?” challenged Meghan.

   “Don’t worry, I won’t be alone. As I said, I am sure my dad will be there, maybe more. They will fight off the Scratchers if they show. It will all go perfect.”

   Sebastien raised his bottle of tonic.

   “A toast then, to our departing friend.”

   “And our lives getting back to normal,” added Meghan.

   “To hoping maybe a little magic sticks around once you’re gone,” Colin muttered timidly. 

   Jae raised his bottle clinking it against the others.

   “To my new friends! I hope we meet again.”

   They downed the tonic, which bubbled and stung their throats. Sebastien was the first to finish and belched loudly and proudly. Meghan swished her hand across her nose, choking over hers. Colin could do little better than tiny sips at a time. Jae guzzled his and slammed the bottle down.

   The sun was fading fast.

   “Do you want to have dinner with us, Jae?” asked Meghan.

   “I need to rest, save my strength for later. Just in case,” he added at the end, seeing their untrusting faces. They said their goodbyes, hugging and patting each other on the back. Jae waved to the trio as they departed, somberly.

   Sebastien walked the twins to their camp and joined them around the fire. Uncle Arnon had dinner simmering over the fire pit and glanced oddly at the gloomy trio as he stirred the pot. Meghan, noticing her uncle’s stares busied herself setting the dinner table, and ordered Colin to help. The last thing they needed was for him to question their somber demeanor.

   Every few minutes their eyes drifted toward Jae’s soon to be deserted wagon. In between their worried gazes, they listened for any sign of the Scratchers.

   After dinner, which Sebastien ended up staying for, their uncle told them it was time to come in for the night. Colin went in first, not wanting to watch Meghan and Sebastien awkwardly say goodnight to each other.

   “Night, Sebastien,” Colin called out, taking one last glance in Jae’s direction.

   “Yeah, later, Col.”

   Before Meghan could follow him inside, Sebastien pulled her into the shadow of the trailer, so they could not be seen.

   “What?” she asked anxiously.

   “I…I wanted to say, I’m sorry,” he stuttered, keeping his gaze on his feet.

   “Sorry for what?”

   “Earlier today, we all sort of ganged up on you. I thought maybe we might have hurt your feelings, or something.” He squirmed.

   “Oh, that,” was the only reply she could muster. Meghan thought back to her talk with Kanda. And although she was still afraid of things changing, she thought maybe it was time to talk to Sebastien, really talk to him.

   “I was upset,” she admitted. “So many strange things happening.”

   “That’s why I started feeling bad, a lot
has
happened. I am sorry.”

   “Nothing makes sense to me anymore,” she continued. “I hate that.”

   “I would bet that after tonight everything will go back to normal,” he reassured her.

   Meghan shifted her feet in the dirt and took a deep breath.

   “I have this feeling, Sebastien. It keeps telling me nothing will be the same again.”

   He put his arm on her shoulder to comfort her and smiled his famous smile. For a moment, she lost all her worry and smiled back.

   Meghan knew her uncle would be calling her inside any second.

   “I better head in,” she sighed.

   “Yeah, tomorrow then.”

   He started to turn away and as he did, an uncontrollable urge surged through Meghan. Without thinking twice about it, she sprang at Sebastien, planting a kiss on his unsuspecting lips. She could not believe she had done it! Her heart skipped twenty beats.

   Before Sebastien could respond, Meghan darted away. She saw, from the corner of her eye, that he stood frozen in place and to her incredible delight, he was beaming. She rushed inside drowning herself under her bed covers. Before she could stop it, Colin was in her thoughts.

   “Oh, come off it! I don’t want to hear about that!”

   Meghan was too electrified to get angry.

   “Then stay out!”  

   “Fine, goodnight.” he said grumpily.

   Their uncle came to the door.

   “No talking, out loud or how ever else you do it. I want to hear snoring,” he chuckled. He walked into their room and gave one of those speeches that grown ups give, and kids despise. Meghan thought she had heard enough of that for one day, but listened anyway, her heart still strumming.

   “Look at you two, practically all grown up.”

   Meghan’s first thought was that he had seen her kiss Sebastien, or worse, heard them talking.

   “Before I know it,” continued their uncle, “you’ll be all grown up and living lives of your own.”

   “No need to worry,” said Colin. “We will be around for a while yet. I mean, I can’t legally leave until I’m sixteen.”

   His uncle laughed and ruffed up his hair. “Goodnight,” he said, lingering at their door, before closing it. The twins did not speak after that, but also did not sleep. They continually checked the time for when Jae would be passing by them. The campground was in complete silence. No breeze rattled against the trailer, no peepers peeped in the night air and thankfully, there was no cry of the Scratchers.

   The twins felt that it was
too
quiet and wished that something would happen. It was ten o’clock now, another ninety minutes and he would be leaving for the fallen pine tree. Sleep came in waves after that. What felt like hours passed, when an echo pushed its way into the minds of the twins, rousting them from their fitful slumber. 

   “Scratchers!” gasped Colin, sitting up.

   Meghan jumped softly out of her bunk and began dressing, and for the first time, Colin did not argue. Meghan opened the secret door and they slipped out.

   “We are
so
grounded,” Colin murmured as they crawled away.

   “I am thinking a full year this time,” agreed Meghan. A few minutes of running later, they were at the path’s edge leading to the pine tree. Meghan noticed Colin’s empty hands.

   “Col, where’s the book?”

   He felt around as if the book would be up his sleeve.

   “I can’t believe it,” he stammered.

   “Forget it, there’s no time, but be ready to do that spell.” She started running down the path.

   “I’m ready,” he yelled. “I am just not sure it is going to work,” he added under his breath.

   It had to be nearly time for the door to open. The Scratchers howled, stopping the twins in their tracks. They saw a blast of light over the trees.

   Jae was fighting!

   They raced as fast as they dared, trying not to stumble over jutting tree roots and jagged rocks. Soon, the clearing was in front of them. Jae stood alone, close to one of the fallen pine tree’s empty, but still dark rooms. He did not hear them come up behind him. The Scratchers’ howls were deafening.

   The twins watched as two began to dive from behind Jae, while he held the ones in front at bay. Jae nearly fell over when a voice shouted behind him.

   “Emissio!”

   Colin’s magic still worked!

   “What are you doing here?” Jae screamed in dismay over the noise of the flying beasts. “You’ll be…”

   Meghan did not allow him to finish.

   “We remember what you said, Jae, but you cannot do this alone.”

   Fear rapidly turned to acceptance, as he knew she was right.

   “How much longer?” asked Meghan, staying between the two boys.

   “Any second now,” Jae said, over the noise.

   Colin helped Jae fend off the Scratchers, now constantly diving into the blasts. One of them was nearly breaking through when finally, a light began emanating from within the empty rooms of the fallen pine tree.

   “Hurry, Jae, go through,” said Meghan.

   “We’ll be fine,” said Colin, ending his own spell.

   “Where’s your book?” Jae asked frantically.

   “Ah, sorry, forgot it hurrying to get here.”

   “Jae, just go, you have to,” insisted Meghan.

   Two shapes emerged from the now lit pine tree. Jae let go of his spell appearing weak, and was caught by a man the twins assumed to be his father.

   “I cannot believe you let yourself get stuck behind! Do you have any idea what this last month has been like for us?” the man shouted.

   “How mean!” the twins thought in unison. “Shouldn’t he be happy to see him?”

   Jae’s father then noticed the twins. His face contorted fiercely.

   The second man that had come through shot spells at the Scratchers, pushing them higher into the sky.

   “Dad, do you have to? If not for them, I don’t think I would have made it.”

   His father’s eyes darted between the twins and Jae.

   “I am sorry son. Rules are rules.” He pushed Jae into the pine room. He waved to the twins one last time, dissolving into the light.

   His voice echoed back to them. “I’m sorry,” he said, knowing they would soon lose all memory of him.

   Jae’s father approached the twins as the second man neared the doorway of the pine tree. The Scratchers were looming overhead reorganizing for another attack.

   Out of nowhere, one lone flying beast flew over the twins, knocking them to the ground. Another dove head first into Jae’s father, catching his shoulder and digging in deeply; so deep, that the sharp talon cracked and snapped off, remaining in Mr. Mochrie’s shoulder.

   The creature backed away in agonizing pain at the loss of its talon. Jae’s father, also screaming in pain, rolled over on the ground, close to the still brightly lit pine room.

   The second man still defended on the other side of the tree. The twins, now on the ground, crawled carefully over to Jae’s father.

   “I’m okay, he winced. “Stay close to the ground.” Jae’s father nudged the twins to move closer to the edge of the tree for extra cover.

   “I assume that Jae has told you what I must do.”

   They nodded yes, not taking their fearful eyes off the Scratchers, now preparing to dive again.

   “Before I do it, and even though you will forget, I must say thank you. I am truly sorry for what I must do.”

   Meghan and Colin knew they had done the right thing and no punishment, however great, could change their minds. With eyes closed, they waited for the spell to take away their memories of Jae. Wondering exactly what they would remember.

   “You will have about five minutes until the spell takes effect,” he informed them. “As soon as I say it, run as fast as you can. We will take care of the Scratchers.”

   A panic-stricken voice rang out from behind Jae’s father.

   “Irving, in front of you!”

   No more than he’d said it, the twins saw the Scratchers diving directly for them. Jae’s father attempted to stand and speak at the same time but the spell missed completely. The creature hit Irving Mochrie with a crushing blow, dragging him across the ground with its curved claw. He fell to the ground with a new gash across his chest, a few feet away from the entrance to his freedom. The man helping Jae’s father worked his way toward Irving, still sending defensive spells, which were growing weaker.

   Echoes of voices began to escape from inside the shining room. They had not seen what had happened. They were yelling for the two to hurry. The man helping Irving was now over him, and ignoring the twins.

   He dragged Irving Mochrie’s body closer to the pine room; he was unconscious and bleeding profusely. Colin and Meghan tried to keep low and help the man. Irving was not a large man but his weight was heavy.

   “He looks bad,” sent Colin uneasily.

   “I hope he isn’t…” Meghan could not muster out the word. The man let go of Irving, leaving the twins to try to pull him closer.

   “Get him close as you can, I will keep defending. Then run, and once I see you’re away, I will take him through,” he said. “You are very brave and the Svoda will have to trust you with our secret.”

   There was no time for a reply. The man fought hard, shouting his spell repeatedly, as the twins struggled to move Irving closer to the doorway. The light inside was growing fainter, and blood was pouring from his chest, leaving a trail behind his dragging body.