Firemancer Collection (Fated Saga Box Set Book 1) (12 page)

   “She probably just has a bad case of the flu,” suggested Jae. “My aunt did once, had a real high fever and hallucinated like crazy, but she was fine after.”

   “She can’t possibly be sick on your thirteenth birthdays,” reminded Sebastien. “She has been waiting for this one forever. I bet you by tomorrow morning she’s good as new.”

   Hours went by without a word. Evening became night, and Jae disappeared at one point, saying he needed to go home and let his parents know where he was. He returned about thirty minutes later, looking more worried than ever. It also put the boys in a situation they had hoped to avoid, a conversation with adults about Jae.

   “So what do your parents do, Jae?” asked Milo a few minutes later.

   “Teachers,” he answered without hesitation. “They travel around helping students having difficulties, keeps‘em real busy.”

   Colin and Sebastien took noticeably deeper breaths, and tried to get back to the topic of Meghan before Sebastien’s father could question Jae further.

   “Should we go and check on them, maybe they need help?” asked Colin, unsure of how much longer he could sit and wait for news of his sister. The others agreed, but Milo said he thought it best for them to wait, and continued monotonously stoking the fire.

   As the night crept on, the chill of the air forced them closer to the fire. Sebastien excused himself after awhile, disappearing into the camper. Upon returning, he brought along some tonics. Colin noted that his face was ashen as he handed them out.

   Finally, shortly after midnight, tired footsteps faintly headed in their direction; they each stood and breathlessly waited for a shadow to emerge from the darkness. It was Arnon. Colin was the first to bombard him, followed by the rest.

   “How is she? What happened? Is she all right now?”

   Arnon sat down, wearing exhaustion on his face. He raised his hand for them all to sit.

   “She will be all right.” Everyone sighed in relief. “But…” he continued, pausing as they inhaled, waiting with baited breath. “It may take some time.”

   They exhaled again. 

   “How long?” asked Colin.

   “A week, maybe longer,” he replied, adding, “We’ll have to postpone the birthday party.”

   “Of course,” Colin said expectantly.

   Sebastien braved the next question.

   “So what is wrong with her?”

   “We had a local doctor come by. She picked up some kind of fever, but on the good side, it is not contagious in any way.”

   “Well that is something at least,” said Milo.

   “Kay is going to sleep with Meghan tonight. I hope that is okay.”

   “Yes, of course it is perfectly fine. We can all crash here tonight, give Meghan some space to recover,” declared Sebastien’s father. “Jae, you are welcome to stay if it suits you.”

   “Actually, I think I will go home and come back first thing tomorrow.”

   Colin and Sebastien escorted him to the dirt roadway.

   “Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” asked Sebastien. “There is plenty of room.”

   “I might be able to see if anything happens from my wagon. I will keep watch and report to you guys if I see anything.”

   Colin was jealous and at the same time, glad that Jae would do this.

   “Is there anything… magical you could do for her?” he asked, not sounding hopeful.

   “No, I am afraid I do not know much about healing, other than cuts and bruises. I am more apt to make it worse. When I disappeared earlier I did try to get a closer look, but I did not see much.”

   Both Colin and Sebastien watched as Jae evaporated into the night, to where his pretend parents were supposed to be camped, jealous that shortly, he would be closer to Meghan.

   “He wouldn’t actually try anything that would make her worse, would he?”

   “No. I think he just feels bad for her,” said Colin.

   “If something does happen for the worse, he will come back faster than my mom or your uncle would,” decided Sebastien. 

   They headed into the trailer and Colin crawled into the bottom bunk below Sebastien, but sleep would not come. His thoughts strayed to the magic that had somehow gotten them home. The book had probably helped in the end, he told himself. He could not have performed magic all on his own. It simply was not possible.

   Meghan did not understand how she was not burning everything her body touched. The flames, which still licked every inch of her skin, did not burn anything, including her own body. Even though the pain was unbearable, this understanding somehow calmed her. She was in pain, but maybe if this ended she would not have any permanent damage done to her body. It was also a relief that she would not hurt anyone else.

   A new wave of heat swept through her body, and although her thoughts were more clear, in the fact that she was not actually on fire, her body still felt as though she were burning alive. She let out a moan and started to panic when she lost her breath. Her body seized and she started thrashing so violently that she nearly fell off the sofa.

   A tall figure came closer, followed by another. Cold, wet hands pressed on her face and for a moment, she could see the face of Kay Jendaya staring down at her. She heard desperate voices around her, whispering words she could not understand. Finally, Meghan could stand the pain no more and lost all strength, falling into unconsciousness.

   The searing pain that penetrated her body dissolved into weightless content. She slept. Throughout her sleep, distant voices echoed frantically, but still, she could not understand them. Then, abruptly as it left, the pain came slicing back into her mind, tearing her from her peaceful slumber.

   Meghan’s body jolted upward. She took deep, painful breaths. Her eyes focused just long enough to see the face of a stranger kneeling beside her. This stranger placed her hand on Meghan’s chest and gently pushed her back down onto her back.

   She heard the strange woman speak things she could not understand and the pain disappeared again. This time, Meghan did not descend completely into unconsciousness. But exhaustion prohibited her from doing anything but keep still and listen to the voices surrounding her.

   In the trailer, Uncle Arnon, Kay Jendaya and Kanda Macawi watched over Meghan. Minutes later, there was a faint knock at the door. Arnon nodded toward Kay and Kanda, knowing who it was.

   “Ameila,” he said opening the door. “Please come in.” She entered and immediately took hold of his hand.

   “Hello, Arnon. It is good to see you. Although, I wish it were under better circumstances.”

   “This situation is most unexpected,” he said.

   “Indeed,” she answered, looking down at Meghan.

   “She’s a Firemancer,” whispered Kanda Macawi. “I have never seen the change take place in such a violent manner.”

   “Is there nothing more we can do for her?” begged Arnon, his voice hollow.

   “I have every person capable researching now,” insisted Amelia. “I am so sorry, Arnon. As you said, this is a most unexpected turn of events.”

   “On the bright side, if there is one to this cruel torture,” continued the woman named Amelia, “is that this just might be the clue we have been looking for all these years. As you know, we already have our theories as to their father’s identity, which is why they have been in hiding. However, Firemancy is not a common gift and always stays within family bloodlines. We are closer than ever to discovering who the twins’ mother really is.”

   “Have you considered that
she
might be the twins’ mother,” whispered Kay.

   There was a long silence before Amelia answered.

   “We have had that very thought cross our minds,” she sighed. “How that possibility could be true, though, is still undetermined. There are only three known Firemancy bloodlines. One of those bloodlines we can count out, as we are already familiar with their history.”

   “If it is somehow possible that
she
is their mother, what then?” asked Kanda.

   “For now, nothing. Destiny has awakened their powers and their fate is already in motion. Of course, had we any inkling that Meghan was descended from a seer’s bloodline, especially Firemancy, I do not know that we would have chosen to bind their powers when they were infants. Torture like this is certainly not what we intended for these youngsters once they encountered their destiny. Her power should have developed slowly over many years. Now, it comes on like a firestorm.” She looked at Arnon pleading forgiveness.

   “I did not know either,” he replied. “I just wish there was more I could do.”

   Kanda squeezed his hand, smiling, weakly. 

   “Go to the boys,” Kay told Arnon. “They will be going crazy by now waiting for news. We will stay with her tonight.”

   “Yes,” agreed Kanda. “You know we will do everything we can for her. After all, we all think of her as our daughter, too.”

   Arnon could not argue with that. He left the trailer, trying to hold back tears.

   Meghan tried to listen to the conversation going on around her. Exhaustion kept her from doing so, and she often went into and out of consciousness.

   “Okay, ladies,” said Kanda. “I have an idea of how to get Meghan through the next few days, but it is not going to be pleasant. The spells I have been using are already weakening and will not last. Her pain will keep intensifying.”

   “I think I know where you’re going with this, which is why I insisted that Arnon leave,” said Kay. “I do not think he could bear to see the amount of suffering Meghan will be in.” 

   “Or the pain we will be in if my idea works,” added Kanda.

   Kay nodded with understanding.

   “Bring it on then!” insisted Amelia, trying to sound courageous. “We can take turns and rest in between.”

   “I will take the first watch,” said Kanda, her voice faltering. “I just hope this works. I fear that Meghan’s body is not strong enough to pull through on her own.”

   “Then we will take on the highest amount of pain we can tolerate. We cannot lose this child,” said a determined Amelia. “If our theories about her father’s identity are true, then she is fated to be one of the three.”

   “Which makes us her path to that destiny,” smiled Kay.

   Kanda Macawi took a deep breath.

   Almost as if directed, Meghan felt the pain returning. This time, however, along with the pain came strange visions. Pictures formed in her mind, but they dissolved into new ones so quickly that Meghan had no time to focus on them. Her eyes popped open and darted back and forth as if they were trying to read quickly. Her breathing sped up and then in the smallest of seconds, she stopped. Her eyes stared up at the ceiling of the trailer and the pain ended, and she held her breath.

 
Is it over?
She dared think. A few seconds went by and Meghan slowly let out her breath, feeling no pain. She had not overheard everything that had been said, but she had heard enough to believe that whatever was happening to her was just beginning.

   Then it happened. Meghan could not even scream. The visions returned and along with it, a burning so hot that she knew for sure she was actually burning alive. Her body thrashed on the sofa.

   “We have to hurry,” said Kanda, holding Meghan’s hand. She heard Kanda take a deep breath, say something indiscernible and then cry out. Kay and Amelia were at her side in a second.

   “I’m okay,” she muttered, rocking back and forth. Kanda chanted quietly, focusing all her energy on taking as much of Meghan’s pain and she could and transferring it to her own body. Her free hand remained in a tight fist. The two free women looked at each other, knowing that not too long in the future it would be their turn.

   The visions in Meghan’s head slowed and then stopped, one particular vision taking over, like a vivid dream that she could walk in, watching from the sidelines.

   It was dark in the dream. Nighttime. She was standing outside of an old building, watching as three cloaked figures emerged. A sign over the door indicated it was an orphanage. The figures held two small, wrapped bundles.

   “At least we found them first,” whispered a man’s voice.

   “Yes,” agreed another. “To show powers at such a young age. It is unheard of. They are lucky they did not cause any harm. Who knows what would have become of them.”

   “We should hurry,” said a woman. “If it is true what they say, we do not want to be around if their father decides to show up.”

   The three, cloaked figures then disappeared into the darkness.

Chapter 6

   Colin found himself sneaking into his sister’s dreams again; they were vivid and strange. Unfortunately, along with seeing her dreams, he also felt her pain. More than once, Sebastien awakened him, afraid he was having nightmares.

   “You can feel her, can’t you?” he asked timidly, after the third time.

   “I am not doing a good job at blocking her,” Colin admitted. 

   “I take back anything I have ever said about what you two can do. Feeling someone else’s pain, I could not handle that.”

   Colin did his best to block Meghan from his mind, but periodically she would sneak in. The night was long and fitful.

   The warmth of the sun soon hit Colin’s face and the smell of percolating coffee filled his nostrils. He rolled over, not ready to get up. He opened his eyes to Sebastien’s face peering down at him.

   “My mom is home and your uncle has just left.”

   Colin shook off his grogginess and bounded out of bed. Kay Jendaya appeared fatigued and worn; her husband helped her into the camper and she did not say a word to the boys. Sebastien’s father stayed inside for a painfully long time. Finally, the door opened and the boys accosted him with questions. Mr. Jendaya shushed them and motioned to walk away from the camper.

   “Kay needs to rest now. Meghan still has a fever, but is handling it like a trooper.” He forced them to sit and eat breakfast. They hoped that Jae would arrive soon, with any news other than, ‘she’s handling it like a trooper’.

   Half way through breakfast, Jae granted their wish. He sat down looking as tired as Sebastien’s mother had. Colin was dying to talk to Jae, but had to wait until Mr. Jendaya was busy. At the end of breakfast, he told the boys he would clean up, and they should find something to keep themselves busy.

   “But, by all means, stay away from that trailer!”

   They had wanted to go to Jae’s wagon, but would have to find another way. As they departed the Jendaya camp, Sebastien’s father yelled out, “Oh, by the way. Happy birthday, Colin.”

   He had forgotten. He and his sister were now officially thirteen. Both Sebastien and Jae repeated the remark, though not as heartily. As soon as they had gone a safe distance, Jae stopped them.

   “I am afraid I did not see much. There was a woman that I had not seen before.”

   “She must have been the doctor,” said Colin. “What else?”

   “Not much. I could not see Meghan.”

   “You should get some sleep,” Colin told Jae.

   “Nah. Couldn’t sleep right now. I did nap a little in between watching out of my window.” They set off for the lake, moodily skipping rocks, and sitting under the shade of the trees, quietly reflecting.

   “She is seizing again,” cried Amelia. “I’m sorry. I weakened and lost my concentration.”

   Kanda jumped from her seat and helped Amelia to her feet.

   “It is harder than I thought it would be,” she admitted shamefully.

   “We are doing our best,” Kanda reminded kindly. “I will take my turn now.”

   “You have not had a long enough rest,” insisted Amelia. “I just need a moment.”

   Just then, Meghan bolted upright. The two women gently tried to push her down and keep her as still as possible. In the process, a thorn on Meghan’s locket pricked her skin. She sank into a deep coma, feeling no more pain, hearing no more voices, and felt nothing.

   Then, there
was
something. She opened her eyes, blinded by a great amount of light. Shadows formed as her sight slowly returned. She tried to stand, but the surface beneath her swayed, making her legs unstable. She fell to her knees and when she looked up, she could see. Everything was clear.

   Her body bounced up and down, and Meghan realized she was kneeling on a petal of some kind. She stood up, slowly turning in circles, taking in her surroundings.
Roses?

   “Where am I?” she whispered. She decided to follow the stem of the rose bush, maneuvering around the thorns, some of which were nearly the size of her body.

   A short distance later the path came to an opening in which two roses entwined each other, one black and one white. Underneath, a silvery feather floated, carrying the body of a sleeping woman. Meghan was not sure if she should try to wake the woman, whose face she could not see. Perhaps this woman could tell Meghan how to get home.

   “Why exactly do I want to go home?” she muttered. “So I can be sick again?” She paused, closing her eyes, enjoying the complete silence and lack of burning pain. She sighed, opening her eyes. “I would still like to know where the heck I am.”

   She stepped closer to the woman, opening her mouth to speak. A tranquil voice stopped her.

   “Do not awaken her yet. It is not time.”

   “Who are you? Where am I?” Meghan asked, looking around for the source of the voice.

   “Fate has found you, my dearest Meghan,” echoed the voice. “When the time is right, the lady on the feather will present herself to you.” 

   “What do you mean?” asked Meghan, not understanding.

   “There is much yet to learn before you are ready to meet her, Meghan. Patience my child.”

   Meghan’s head began to grow fuzzy and she became unsteady. She stumbled, pricking herself once again on a nearby thorn.

   The nothingness returned. The rose bush was gone.

   The memory of the voice vanished.

   Deep within a stone room, a middle-aged woman sat by her candles, her lifeline to the outside world, the world she had banished herself from many years before. Though her pale skin too often did not see the light of day, her beauty was stunning.

   Each of her candles took the shape of a person or place she desired to watch over, and in the flames, she could see them. She could hear them. She could even talk to them if she so desired.

   She desired the latter greatly, but her secret needed to remain so. Her heart ached to speak with those she had left behind, to explain why she had left them. However, giving in to that desire would render all she had worked for, and given up, useless.

   “No! I will remain strong for those that I love. I will keep hope that one day they will see the truth and understand.” She blew out her candles, plunging herself into darkness.

   She wept, holding her face in her hands, longing for one more chance to hold her loved ones in her arms, to feel their embrace around her.

   An unexpected light filtered through her wet fingers. She dropped her hands, assuming the candle of her self-made captor had lit. What did he want now?

   When she looked more closely, she gasped, horror-struck.

   “This is not possible!” she cried out. “What treachery is this?” She could answer her own question easily. It could not be a trick.

   “These candles only obey one Firemancer. Me.”

   She crawled, hesitantly, to the newly lit candle, blowing off the thick layer of burning dust. The flame burned brighter. She had thought many times over the years of destroying the candle, but could not bring herself do it. Perhaps …

   “No! She is dead! This cannot be!” She gazed into the flame, afraid to let herself believe for a moment that she could be alive. Nevertheless, there in the flame, was a redheaded girl, sleeping. The Firemancer’s heart thumped rapidly, overflowing with emotion, which instantly turned to dread.

   “He lied to me!” she whispered coarsely.

   The Firemancer stood, unsure of what to do. Her breath came out in heavy waves. She wanted to flee, to give up, to avenge this deception. This changed everything!

   She stopped herself before leaving the cave.

   “This cannot change anything,” she said painfully. “My plan is more necessary than ever before. Now, I cannot fail!”

   The Firemancer fell to her knees sobbing tears of joy, watching the beautiful redheaded girl sleeping.

   She was truly alive, and for now, this would have to be enough.

   First a week passed, then nearly a second, with no new information. Meghan’s condition was always the same: her fever would not break and she did not regain consciousness. Colin thought on occasion he heard her, calling out to him in his mind, but she never replied when he answered back.

   Colin, wanting to comfort his very outwardly worried uncle, told him he sensed she was simply in a deep sleep, dreaming. Colin also hoped she would recover in time to say goodbye to Jae, who would be leaving in three days time. The blue moon was fast approaching.

   That evening, hurried footsteps approached the Jendaya camp, scraping dirt as they hastened closer; the group waited breathlessly, hoping it was not bad news. Kay Jendaya came running into the firelight, out of breath and exhausted. 

   “The fever finally broke! She awoke for a short minute, then went back to sleep. She will be fine now.” Uncle Arnon got up and headed for the trailer. Colin stood to follow. At first, he thought Uncle Arnon was going to say no. 

   “C’mon,” he hastily decided, and they scurried away. Once inside the trailer, they saw her sleeping on the pull-out sofa.

   Colin had never been this happy to see his sister. Arnon sat down, a look of relief on his face. Colin knelt next to the couch just gazing at her, waiting for her eyes to open. Minutes later, Colin’s head drooped and his eyes closed. His head popped back up and his uncle forced him straight to bed without protest. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell into a deep sleep, not a dream in his head, just precious, wonderful, uninterrupted sleep.

   A familiar voice rang through his thoughts the next morning.

   “Colin, you awake?”

   Colin jumped from his bunk and dashed out of the bedroom, to see Uncle Arnon handing Meghan a glass of juice. He grinned from ear to ear, rushing to her, hugging her hard, making her wince and spill her juice.

   “Sorry,” he said, laughing.

   Tears streamed down their uncle’s face.

   “It’s good to have you back,” he said happily.

   “What happened? How long have I been here? And why do I feel like I have been beat up?” She tried to sit up, but struggled. Uncle Arnon assisted her.

   “It has been nearly two weeks,” informed her uncle.

   “What! That long?” Her memories of the previous two weeks were faint, like a distant dream she could not quite remember.

   “You have been through a lot, Meghan. You had a terrible fever,” he told her. “Do you remember anything?”

   “I do remember the fever. There were times I thought I was literally burning alive. I remember seeing a lot of faces I did not recognize, and then, a lot of darkness, and a lot of lights, and something about roses.” She shook it off and tried to gather her bearings. “Right now, I just feel great!” she added, smiling. “Like I wasn’t even sick.”

   “I am going to run and tell everyone you are awake. They will be very relieved.” As Arnon departed, Meghan saw her reflection in the window and quivered.

   “Ugh, I am a mess. Hand me a brush, would you?”

   Colin did so gladly. Minutes later, a troop of footsteps drew near the camper. “Oh, no,” she cried from the bed. “He brought them all here, now. Look at me, I am in my night gown, and have not showered, in, ohhhhh,” she cringed and hid under the covers.

   The door flung open. First, appeared Mr. and Mrs. Jendaya, followed by Kanda Macawi, and then Sebastien, Jae, and Uncle Arnon. The camper was crowded with smiling faces. Meghan peeked her nose over the top of the covers at her audience, not sure of what to say.

   “We will not stay long,” insisted Kay. “We are just so relieved that you are better.”

   “Thank you,” she murmured from behind the blanket.

   “What are you doing?” asked her uncle.

   “I look horrible,” she whispered.

   “She’s already back to normal,” laughed Sebastien.

   “You have been sick for awhile,” added Jae. “You are bound not to look your best.”

   This was not as helpful as he’d hoped it would be. Meghan disappeared under the blankets until everyone had left. Colin had to coax her out.

   Though she had been out for nearly two weeks, she was surprised at how energetic she felt. She was ravenous, and Colin gladly made her breakfast. She then asked them to leave, insisting she was well enough to shower and dress. Uncle Arnon was nervous to leave her alone, but Colin reminded him he could sense if something was wrong, so he agreed.

   Over an hour later, she finally materialized.

   “I cannot believe it, but I am starving already,” she told them. Arnon hopped into the trailer to make her another plate of food. She sat down next to Colin and minutes later gobbled down another plate.

   “I think this evening,” started Uncle Arnon, “will be time for a belated, although less lively than planned, birthday party.”

   “Wow. I even missed my thirteenth birthday,” she moaned. Then she looked at Colin. “I messed up yours, too. Sorry,” she squeaked in a regretful tone.

   “We can make up for it tonight,” he replied.