Control (Book Seven) (Fated Saga Fantasy Series) (12 page)

He wanted so desperately to wrap his arms around her and carry her away from this place.

“I love you,” she whispered back.

It took every ounce of strength he had to leave.

Catrina watched her savior disappear.

She heard a distant bellow from the direction of Freyne’s mirror.

“He will kill you, you know,” she responded confidently. “It’s only a matter of time.”

There was no reply but the laughter stopped.

##

Many h
ours had passed since the mysterious ship landed in the middle of the banished encampment earlier that morning.

Everyone on board with injuries
now treated, waited anxiously along with many others for a long meeting to end; between Nashua, the Tunkapog leader, Curtis Bevins, current leader of the banished Svoda and the new arrivals. Billie and Noah spoke on behalf of the group.

As an advisor to
Nashua, Kanda sat in as well, along with Arnon Jacoby and a few others from the banished camp.

Ivan, Meghan, Nona, and Sebastien
all waited together. Jae had decided to return to bed, after another cup of Kanda’s potion laden tea during lunch. It was coming up on night and the lack of sleep was starting to catch up with Meghan and Ivan. Neither had slept properly in days. Kanda’s tea was looking like a better option by the minute.

Nevertheless,
both stayed awake, desperate to find out what was happening on the island. And what was going to happen after this meeting ended.

If the plan to confront Fazendiin
and reclaim the Stone would be postponed, in order to confront Juliska Blackwell, or if nothing would change and the Immortality Stone would still take precedent.

Meghan hung her
head looking distressed. “If Billie and the rest of her crew had to escape on a ship belonging to the Stripers, things must have gone down hill, fast.”

“The meeting should be over soon,
” said Sebastien. “Let’s wait and see. Maybe it won’t be as bad as we’re thinking.”

“They sure are taking a long time for it to be
better
than we’re thinking,” Meghan replied, holding no hope.

Ivan kept his thoughts to himself.

Nona hopped up. “My cat sense is telling me there’s a nice juicy...”

“Don’t need to hear the details, Nona,” said Meghan, as playfully as she could muster. “Go. Hunt. Eat.”

Nona liked being in the encampment. Being so far hidden in the woods, small rodents didn’t scare so easily; hunting was almost too easy. Meghan thought if they stayed long enough, Nona would end up getting fat with all the food roaming around. The Catawitch certainly enjoyed it.

The tale of the ship’s bat
tle with the Slopikes, Amphivena and Salt Spiders, had already spread like wild fire through the encampment. Looking over the ship now, the damage made perfect sense. Meghan wondered how Colin had found the ship? And what would have happened if he had not...

A door opened.

“Finally,” breathed out Meghan.

A few bodies exited, people Meghan didn’t recognize.

No one spoke a word.

No one tried to make eye contact.

Meghan’s first thought:
It’s even worse than we thought
.

After a painfully long minute, Billie and Noah exited, with
Kanda and Arnon directly behind.

Billie came up to them and at first, said nothing. Their desperate gazes cried out for good news, which she could not give them.

“I know how much you all want to know what’s happening on the island. I’m afraid all I can truthfully say is... it’s bad. Really bad.”

“What happened?” asked Ivan. “
We fled just after Jae jumped over the cliff. I knew things would change after that, but... what’s happened?”

Billie explained
all that had happened after Jae had jumped off the cliff. How everyone was confused and disbelieving of what they had witnessed and how Garner and his wife had confronted Juliska, casting off any disbelief that might have lingered.

“After our failed attempt at an attack
, we fled, too. Those who came with me on the ship are all that got away. At least to my knowledge. As to what’s going on back there, right this very minute, I cannot imagine. But I have no doubt that Juliska is very much in charge, and that everyone’s lives are in grave danger. She has a host of Scratchers and an army of Stripers at her beck and call.”

Meghan’s chest heaved as if weighted down.
She thought about all those innocent people on the island. She wondered about the Mochries, Jae’s family... were they still alive? What had happened to them after Jae’s death? She felt instant guilt for not having thought of Mireya sooner. How was she coping with what she thought was her brother’s death? They didn’t even know he hadn’t actually died.

“
Our escape,” continued Noah, “was with the aid of someone in the Striper guard. We feel fairly certain it is a trap. In part to follow us to wherever we sought out help, and in part to hunt down the two of you,” Noah aimed at Meghan and Ivan.

“Us?” they asked together.

“Yes,” answered Billie. “We can’t be sure why, but for some reason, Juliska is hunting you both. Apparently she is quite determined to find you, if she let us go in hopes of locating you. And here we are, we’ve shown them exactly where you are.” Her tone held nothing but apologies.

“
I can’t say it’s not disturbing,” said Meghan, “but honestly, I’d rather know. If you were not here, Billie, we wouldn’t even know she is hunting for us.”

Ivan kept quiet but nodded his agreement with Meghan.
She could not tell what he was thinking.

“
If we were tracked here, we may have put this entire encampment in danger,” Billie said.

“Which is why we will need to act fast,” Arnon said.

“We all knew time was of the essence,” added Kanda. “But our guests have made that point exceedingly clear. Juliska has become as equally threatening as the Grosvenor.”

“
Is there a plan?” asked Sebastien.

“Nothing, as of yet,”
answered Arnon. “We are taking the night to mull things over.”

“We will meet agai
n tomorrow. A decision will need to be made then,” finished Kanda.

Arnon and Kanda to
ok their leave and started towards home, their heads together, whispering as they walked.

Meghan turned to Billie. “Regardless of the circumstances, it is
still nice to see you.”

“And you
all as well,” she answered, looking worn.

“Listen,” said Meghan, taking them aside and out of
earshot of anyone that might be nearby. “There’s something I wanted to tell you guys before you turn in for the night. Sebastien, you haven’t heard this yet either,” she told him.

Ivan
did not join. He leaned up against a tree, still having not spoken. Meghan cast him a worried glance; she could not tell what was going on in his head, but he looked far away. Not present.

She put him out of her mind for the moment and whispered, “I know how the ship got
here.”

Billie and Noah waited wide-eyed for her to explain.

“It was Colin.”

“Colin? How
did he...” Billie was cut off.

“Is
Catrina with him?” asked Noah.

Meghan raised her hands motioning for them to wait and let her explain.

“Sorry,” said Noah. “We’ve been wondering for such a long time...”

Meghan nodded,
continuing her explanation. “Colin’s abilities as a Projector are... impressive, from what my uncle has told me. Exactly how he found you and got you here, I have no clue. And in regards to Catrina, as of a few days ago, Catrina and Colin were still together and they were,” she paused, searching for the right word. “I hate to say fine, because I don’t imagine them being fine, but they are together and alive.” She attempted to sound positive, but there wasn’t much to sound positive about.

“For now, alive does sound just fine, t
hank you,” said Noah. “You have no idea what a relief it is to hear something. When we helped them escape...” he trailed off, peering awkwardly at Meghan.

“I messed up,” she replied. “
We don’t have to pretend it didn’t happen.”

Noah nodded
graciously. “When we helped them escape, we didn’t know if that might be the last time we ever saw Catrina. To know she’s still alive, it makes a disastrous day end just a little brighter.”

“Colin really brought the
ship here?” Sebastien asked Meghan, still stunned.

“Yeah. He did. We didn’t talk, he just let me know it was him and then vanished.”

“He’s a powerful young man,” Billie said unexpectedly. “But a good one, too.”

“
He has changed though,” said Meghan. “Didn’t have a choice, I guess.”

“That’s the real shame of it all,” Billie spoke wi
th an edge of fire in her tone. “You young people, forced into a battle created by stupid old people!”

Meghan for some reason found it humorous. A bit of Billie’s usual spunk had found its way back.

Billie tossed Noah a knowing glance. He returned it with a silent shrug. Billie looked directly at Meghan.

“T
here’s something else you should know. During the meeting, the subject of Colin was brought up.”

“In what way?” she asked.

“Curtis was explaining how Amelia died and that Colin had been publicly ousted as the Projector,” said Noah. “And, the subject wasn’t exactly expanded upon, but it seemed clear they had been discussing things previous to that moment. To what extent, I’m afraid we don’t know.”

“Do you think they are hunting him?” Meghan barely dared to ask.

Billie reached out and patted her shoulder. They didn’t know. But they feared this was the case, too.

Meghan blew out a
distraught breath. She wondered if Kanda and Arnon had been in on these discussions. Surely not! Surely if they had, they would have shared this information with her.

“So,
not to change the subject,” started Billie, “but I just need to ask... how is it that Jae Mochrie is alive?”

“Oh, right,” said Meghan. She took the next few minut
es and explained the situation.

“That poor boy,” Billie whispered when Meghan had finished.

“And also rather lucky,” Noah added. “Does he have any idea the chain reaction his stunt set off?”

Meghan could not tell by his tone if he were pleased or disgusted.

Noah picked up on this and added, “I didn’t mean that in a bad way. This thing with Juliska was going to happen. It was always just a matter of when. Jae’s actions, as far as I’m concerned, were beyond brave.”

“I
don’t think he sees it that way.” It was Ivan that said it, sidling up alongside Meghan.

“Maybe he doesn’t
now,” said Billie. “I’m sure he’s still feeling guilty for what he did, but choosing to forfeit his own life to reveal Juliska’s secret, and die rather than accept his fate, shows great bravery.”

“I cou
ldn’t agree more,” said Meghan. “You guys should go,” she added. “You must be exhausted. They’ve got you all set up somewhere?”

“Yes. The people here have been very kind. There were a few empty homes and we’ve graciously been offered
them, for as long as we need. I think this young man standing next to you had something to do with that happening so quickly.”

“It was
nothing,” replied Sebastien. “Glad to help.” He wore his most Sebastien-y smile, the one that always turned Meghan’s legs to jelly.

“I think we will bid you all goodnight,” said Billie, staving off a yawn.

“Yes. If we don’t return soon my wife is sure to come searching,” said Noah lightheartedly. 

“Have a good night,” Ivan said
, with a nod.

They watch
ed them disappear into the darkness now veiling the encampment; lanterns popping on, flames bursting to life, lining the walkways with hazy shades of orange and yellow.

“I wonder what’s going to happen
now?” asked Meghan.

“With what
?” asked Ivan. He looked and sounded spent.

“Is
everything
too vague an answer,” she replied.

Overwhelmed. That was what Ivan’s face had read earlier that she could not read at the time. It was still there.
A mix of tiredness, worry, doubt, regret, with a small side of defiance... or was it denial? Maybe it was a little of both.

They fell into an awkward silence as they walked.
The path was wide enough only for two to walk side by side.

Ivan fell a few steps behind.

Meghan wondered if he’d go inside tonight? She almost felt like forcing him to. Maybe she’d sneak him one of Kanda’s sleeping potions.