Broken (8 page)

“Why have you brought me here? Who are you?”

The woman took a deep breath.

“I suppose the truth will have to suffice here, won’t it? Although I have not spoken the truth in such a long time, I fear I can scarcely remember it.” The look on Sebastien’s face translated to impatience.

“Let’s start with your second question. I am, or once was, a member of the Svoda Gypsies. I left the island shortly before the mass exodus; you would have been but an infant at the time.

More importantly, I am a Firemancer.”

“You’re Svoda? And a Firemancer?” Sebastien replied, shocked.

“And a dead one!” she added humorously. “And for now, must stay so!”

“Why? Why pretend you are dead?”

“Look into my eyes, Sebastien. I know you recognized them the moment you saw them.” Sebastien lost his breath. He could not speak, but only shake his head. He jumped up from the table and paced the room.

“You can’t be!” he finally mustered out. “How?”

“It is a very long story. One I am not yet prepared to tell. Moreover, it is not why I called you here. I need your help. Help only you can give me, Sebastien.”

“Why me? What help can I offer you? Why not go to her yourself? You’re all she’s ever wanted,” he said, retaking his seat. “She’s never admitted it, but I know.”

“Which is why only you can help me, Sebastien. You know my daughter better than anyone. Except, perhaps Colin.” She paused, biting her lip nervously. “There is something I need to show you.”

“I’m sorry,” Sebastien interrupted. “This is just… crazy! I mean, I can see it, yes, it’s obvious. You are Meghan Jacoby’s mother. She looks just like you. And she’s a Firemancer, too!”

The woman’s face looked sad, confused and anxious all at once.

“Believe me, Sebastien, when I say that what I have done, I have done for the greater good.

I do one day hope to set things right. However, for now, there are things happening that are much larger than either you or me. Perhaps you need a different perspective,” she said, 41

breathing heavily. “You’ve spent your entire life as friends to Meghan and Colin. You never once told them about magic, even after magic came into their lives. Why?” Sebastien slumped in his seat.

“Since I was little, I was told over and over again that they were special. That they needed protection. That they could not find out about magic, and if the time came when they did, I could not expose who I was. I was to be their friend. That’s it.” Sebastien’s face ached with pain. “I never knew what was to happen. I had no idea what special meant until it was too late and they were gone. If I had known what kind of dangers they would be faced with, I might have chosen not to be so secretive,” he admitted. “But, at the time, I thought it was the right thing.”

“Then you understand why I have done this terrible thing. My sacrifice has the potential to save countless innocent lives, Sebastien, including my daughter’s. I have foreseen it! Besides, I am not the only one with secrets,” she added, winking. “I know more about you than you might think.”

“I-I have to do what I can,” he stammered.

“Which takes us back to the reason I called you here. There is something I need you to see, Sebastien.” She arose from the table. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.” She came back seconds later with a candle, in the shape of Meghan Jacoby. She put the candle on the table and lit it.

“I must warn you, that what you are about to see might be difficult to stomach.” She then showed him the vision of Meghan killing Colin and Catrina.

When finished, Sebastien sat silently. Stunned.

“Is that really what will happen?” he said after awhile.

“If we do not intervene, then yes. I am afraid that it will.”

“I don’t understand, though. How could Colin turn evil? He’s so….NOT!” he said for lack of a better term.

“I have not been able, yet, to see what causes this path. Firemancy is not all seeing and all knowing. Helping my daughter is the most important thing I can do.” Sebastien noted something then.

“So far, you keep talking about your daughter this and your daughter that. Have you no concern for your son, too? I will not allow him to turn evil!”

“Oh. I surely hope that you can save Colin!” she said fervently. “Doing so will not only save lives but prevent years of havoc and heartache!”

She stopped and looked into Sebastien’s eyes.

“Colin Jacoby is not my son.”

Sebastien nearly fell out of his chair. Of all the things this woman had told him, and shown him, this was the most shocking news of all.

“I am confused as to how it’s believed that he is Meghan’s twin. I honestly do not know who Colin Jacoby is, or where he comes from.”

“But they can hear each others thoughts… finish each other’s sentences… I was told they were discovered in the same crib, at an orphanage.”

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“The orphanage is part of that long story I do not yet wish to tell,” Meghan’s mother spoke.

“Perhaps there is some connection I am not yet aware of. Colin has some aura surrounding him. Something I cannot break through. I can only see him, when it involves Meghan. I have not been able to see his past, present or future, when she is not in the picture. It is something I have experienced only one time, previously,” she added, as if she were not sure she wanted to continue.

“What do you mean?” Sebastien asked.

“I dare not speak it,” she then said, fervently changing her mind. “I am most likely wrong anyway,” she added, standing up from the table. “Save your friends, Sebastien, and none of this will come to pass!”

“What must I do?” he asked slowly.

“I need you to deliver something to my daughter.”

“How? I would have to show myself to her. She would know there are other doorways.

Other ways to come home.”

“And I know why you are afraid of this truth. But we all must be willing to sacrifice for this cause.” She stood and took out a small white candle and handed it to him. She stroked his face lovingly.

“You have already sacrificed much for such a young life. Nevertheless, I must ask you to risk my daughter never forgiving you, in order to save her life. She will not be able to live if she kills Colin. Regardless of blood, he is her brother.” Sebastien took hold of the candle.

“I’ve already betrayed her. Will it truly matter if she finds me out now, or later? I will have to face her, someday.” He sighed deeply. “You haven’t by chance, happened to have seen if she forgives me or not, have you?” he asked nonchalantly.

“I am sorry. It is a future still undetermined. I will say this. I do hope that she does. My daughter deserves someone as smart, compassionate and courageous as you, Sebastien Jendaya.”

He stood up from the table as well.

“What do I do with this candle? Just hand it over?”

“You will deliver it, and you’ll know when the time is right to do so, and she will know what to do with it. Meghan is a Firemancer after all.”

“Maybe someday, she’ll forgive me for the secrets I hid from her. But not telling her you’re alive…”

“I know. And for asking it of you, I am truly sorry for what it might mean.” Sebastien nodded, and then departed.

There was another stop he needed to make, before beginning this new quest.

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8

Meghan and Juliska studied quietly in the candle room. A strange scratching sound startled Meghan and she jumped, when Pajak, Juliska’s pet spider, scratched and clinked its way by her, crawling up Juliska’s dress, coming to a rest on her shoulder.

“Ah, my pet. Good hunting?”

The spider touched one of its glassy feet to her chin. Juliska’s eyes widened, as if the spider had told her interesting news.

“Let’s take a lunch break, Meghan,” Juliska then decided. “After, I want you to practice on your own, and then later tonight, we’ll do some more hands on practice together.” Meghan did not wish to leave the candle room. It already felt like home and she desired greatly to make her own. Nevertheless, she obligingly stowed her study supplies and grabbed her book. She gently awoke Nona, as she had fallen asleep while watching Meghan study.

Nona jumped to the ready and waited for Meghan by the door.

“It’s so hideous!” Nona heard Meghan’s thoughts betray. “Can she actually talk with that thing?”

“Is it so hard to believe that Pajak can talk?” Meghan heard Nona reply.

Meghan smiled at her loyal Catawitch.

“No, I guess not. But even on your worst day, I’d take you a thousand times over, versus Pajak!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Nona said, stepping out of the candle room and into Juliska’s room.

“See you later,” Meghan said, as she passed Juliska, exiting as well.

Juliska nodded, but was too engrossed in her conversation with Pajak to speak aloud. As she exited, Meghan heard high-pitched squeaking and chirping, and then heard Juliska reply.

“Oh, really, did he? How very interesting, my pet. Very good job,” she spoke.

“Apparently they cannot hear each others’ thoughts, like we can,” Meghan noted, adding,

“I wonder how one learns to speak spider?”

For some reason Nona found Meghan’s comment funny and laughed in a raucous, cat-like manner. The more Meghan thought about it, it was a little funny, thinking of someone learning to speak spider.

It felt good to laugh. It also helped that spotty beams of sun were sneaking through the clouds and warming the meadow. Overall, the mood seemed more cheerful than it had in the previous days.

“You know, Nona, it might actually come in handy to speak spider,” Meghan then said unexpectedly.

“How so?”

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“It is not the first time Pajak has disappeared for hours, only to come back and have something it wants to discuss with Juliska.”

“And it’s obviously a conversation she wants to have in private,” Nona added, understanding Meghan’s concern at once. “Maybe I’ll have to add keeping an eye on Pajak to my list of duties…” her thoughts wandered off as she caught the whiff of a rodent nearby.

“See you after lunch,” Meghan whispered, as Nona vaulted in the opposite direction.

Meghan made a point to pass by Billie’s, so she could see if Colin wanted to join her. Her visit proved timely, as Billie stepped out just as she was about to enter. Colin followed behind her. Billie looks a bit pale, she noted.

“Ah, the sister,” Billie spoke.

Her voice lacked the usual passion and fervor.

“How are you finding yourself, Meghan Jacoby?”

“Oh, um, fine I guess.”

Billie nodded and then sauntered off toward the cantina.

“What’s up with Billie?” Meghan asked Colin.

“We’re a little worried about her. We think she knows someone in the missing caravan.

We think she’s really worried.”

Meghan could not help but notice Colin’s use of the word ‘we’ and to her surprise, she felt a twinge of jealousy. We always used to be the term associated with her and Colin. Now, it appeared, Catrina had replaced her in that role.

Colin checked that the coast was clear and then held the door open for Catrina. Though she could not see her, Meghan was sure to whisper hello.

“She says hi back,” Colin smiled.

“Heading to eat, you want to join me?” asked Meghan.

“We were heading there, too!”

Upon arrival, they glanced for Jae, but their luck did not hold, as he did not appear to be eating lunch just then. They located the jutting rocks at the edge of the meadow, so they could eat with less of a chance of someone overhearing.

People were quieter than normal, and the main topic of conversation stemmed around the hunting party. They were still missing.

During lunch, the cloud cover returned, cooling the air. Soon, patches of fog lined the meadow and the edge of the woods surrounding it. This turn in the weather matched the turn of the mood, as more people arrived to eat, and the conversations turned to hushed whispers that only those close by could hear.

It was clear that most everyone felt sure that something sinister had befallen the hunting party. This, combined with the already missing caravan, left little hope that something terrible would not befall them all.

As people arrived to get food, they ignored acquaintances they might normally speak to, and avoided sitting with anyone they did not consider close friends or family. Those already eating watched the new arrivals with paranoid glances. Many of those glances made their 45

way to Meghan. It seemed as though every time she lifted her head to look at something, someone’s eyes were darting away, pretending they had not been staring.

“Kind of losing my appetite,” Meghan said after a bit. She had eaten about half of her food.

“This place is starting to give me the creeps.”

“Catrina agrees,” Colin replied softly. “And for that matter, so do I.”

“Here, take the rest of my food. I can’t finish.” Meghan wrapped her half-eaten meat pie in a napkin and handed it to him.

Colin put it in his pocket to eat later.

“I think I’m doing the opposite of what you need right now, Colin. Drawing way too much attention our way.”

“Yeah, what’s with all the staring?” he asked.

He turned, to where Meghan assumed Catrina was sitting, and then nodded understandingly.

“They are waiting for you to have some kind of vision, aren’t they?” he said, answering his own question.

“I guess,” Meghan replied. “You know, someday, I would really enjoy just a few hours when I’m not being stared at!” She folded her arms and set her chin in resigned acceptance.

As the crowd continued to grow, space became tight, and people started sitting closer together and inevitably, talking. Heated conversations began sprouting throughout the cantina, table by table. To the twins, the noise helped lift the dreariness of the clouds and fog, as well as sidetrack them from their worries.

Suddenly, a scream echoed through the meadow, silencing all debates. No one spoke, but most stood and searched for the source of the scream.

It came from a little girl.

She pointed toward the woods with a look of terror on her face.

And then, everyone froze.

There was movement at the edge of the meadow.