Firemancer Collection (Fated Saga Box Set Book 1) (42 page)

“Speaking about that,” interrupted Meghan. “You may have caught it, but I did not tell Ivan he died. I think until we figure out whether we can trust him or not, it’s just better that way.”

The boys agreed.

“I think it’s time for Uncle Eddy to tell us what’s going on,” Colin blurted out suddenly.

“No more stalling,” agreed his sister. “Let’s go tomorrow, we’ll sneak away.”

“I’m supposed to stay inside,” reminded Colin.

“We’ll go in one of those heated carriages. I’ll say it’s my Christmas present to you.”

“Speaking of Christmas, I’ve got some last minute shopping to finish,” said Jae, in a sudden urgent hurry to leave the room.

“I guess I’ve got a bit of holiday stuff to finish up, too,” said Meghan.

“I never had a chance to go shopping. I don’t have anything to give anyone,” Colin said sadly.

“I shopped for both of us, Big Bro,” she said. “I’ll bring them down and you can help me wrap, that way, you’ll see what we got everyone.”

“Okay,” he agreed, still somber.

“What?” she asked.

“I don’t have anything for you.”

“I already got my Christmas wish, Colin. You’re alive and awake!”

“Who has done
what
with my sister?” Silently, he added,
Give her a few weeks, she’ll be back to normal.

“I heard that,” she joked.

He shrugged it off.

“For now, I’ll take what I can get.”

##

##

Christmas morning arrived and a light snow fell, blanketing everything in a fresh coating of white. Sometime during the night, Ivan had finally returned. He nodded politely to Meghan, but did not speak of the events that had taken place.

A few hours before dinner, a carriage arrived. Meghan announced that as a gift to her brother she had arranged a carriage ride around the village. Luck was with them as Mireya was busy with her mother. However, luck ran out quickly as Ivan jumped up, snatching a coat.

“Is it all right?” he asked.

“Sure,” answered Meghan nervously. Once inside the carriage she asked, “How’s your head?”

“I gather it’s safe to talk,” he said, glancing at Jae.

“Its safe,” confirmed Jae.

“I figured as much. I didn’t mean to tag along but I wanted to ask a question.”

“Shoot,” replied Meghan.

“What’s so great about that book that someone would attempt to kill Colin for it?”

“That’s actually why we’re going into Grimble,” she said, wishing she had not allowed him to ask his question so easily.

“Grimble?” he questioned.

“Yes,” she said.

Colin took over. “We’re going to visit a dead relative.”

“I knew you had to be visiting someone,” he nodded as if to congratulate himself on being correct.

“How did you end up at the mud huts, anyway?” asked Meghan. This was a question she had been dying to ask Ivan. He leaned back, smiling pompously.

“As I said before, I thought it was an outside job. Especially since you two were spending so much time in Grimble. Then, I got help with that hunch when I came across Nona. She nearly knocked me over one day trying to get out of the wagon. I assumed you would be with her, but she was alone.”

“She does that a lot, disappears for hours,” said Meghan.

Ivan continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “I decided to follow her and she led me to the gully where the compound was located. I staked them out, in attempts to investigate whether they had anything to do with Colin’s attack. Which is what I was doing, when we, uh, crawled into each other.”

“Ivan,” she began, putting aside her pride. “I never thanked you properly for helping me.”

“I was there on my own accord.” His response was not the friendly response she hoped for, but it was better than his usual tone.

“I want to thank you too, Ivan,” added Colin. “Without your help my sister might not be here today, at least, that’s what she tells me.”

Meghan shot daggers at him.

“I can’t say as I was much help. I think she had some luck on her side that day, too,” he said, glancing at the book sticking out of Colin’s jacket.

The look on Ivan’s face said,
You’re not going to tell me what’s so special about that book, are you?

The carriage reached the edge of the town where the wooden wagon door would take them out to Grimble, and Meghan asked the driver to return two hours later. No sooner than they had gotten into Grimble and out of sight of the wagons, Timothy appeared.

“Hey guys, Merry Christmas.”

They returned the greeting and followed him to the old mill where Uncle Eddy greeted them.

“Merry Christmas everyone, Meghan, Colin, Jae, and, someone new.”

“Uncle Eddy, this is Ivan Crane, he helped me get the book back, maybe saved my life,” she admitted, dutifully. Colin glanced at her sideways about to make fun, but stopped himself.

“I can’t thank you enough then, Ivan Crane.”

“Glad to be of service, sir.” He eyed Uncle Eddy curiously.

“Sit, sit,” Eddy insisted. “Not much time, not much time.”

Timothy kept Ivan and Jae busy, allowing Meghan to relay details of the ghost compound ordeal.

“Now you understand why it is vital to keep that book safe!”

“Uncle Eddy, why am I supposed to have this book?” Colin dared to ask, hoping for an answer.

“The book understands what it needs, ask it sometime. You never know what it might tell you.”

“Ask it? I never thought of that,” said Colin.

Ivan and Jae grew weary of Timothy and joined the conversation with Uncle Eddy, who after a few minutes pulled Ivan aside. Meghan assumed he wanted to thank Ivan privately, for his help and left them alone.

“Ivan, I don’t have much time, so I will be blunt. I can tell you recognize me. I beg you to keep my secret and please, what you are planning, I implore you, don’t do it!”

His ghostly face pleaded.

Ivan stuttered his reply. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes you do, Ivan. There are things even you do not yet understand. It is all I will say.”

Ivan stood alone for a moment, before putting on a strained smile, rejoining Jae and Meghan.

“We should be getting back soon,” said Jae.

Ivan nodded in eager agreement.

“Just a bit longer,” implored Meghan. She laughed, seeing Timothy swirl around Colin’s head playfully.

“Timothy,” Colin said, curiously. “If you don’t mind talking about it, how did you die?”

Timothy’s eyes widened and he whisked closer to Colin.

“It was terrifying, actually. I died in a fire.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” replied Colin.

“I lived in an orphanage,” explained Timothy. “One rainy night I was lying awake in my bed, and I heard voices outside, so I tiptoed to the window. We got into a lot of trouble if we got caught out of bed. When I looked out of the window, I saw four people standing in the shadows, holding something in a blanket, and then poof, they vanished. I ran back to my bed and hid under the covers. After a while, I snuck back to the window, but there was nothing there.

“Then, out of nowhere there was something. A man, at least I think it was a man. His face looked caved in and a bit yellow. I watched him point something at the orphanage and a few minutes later a fire started. It burned everything.

“I remember helping kids get out and then I got stuck in a room. The smoke was so thick I couldn’t see. The next thing I knew, I was dead.”

Colin thought that was the end of the sad story, but Timothy continued.

“After I died, I decided to hang around for a few days. I guess I wasn’t ready to move on yet. The headmaster of the orphanage was heartbroken. I remember him crying for three children lost in the fire.

“On the third night, a woman showed up, sobbing. I can still hear her voice, ‘I was coming for you.’ She sat for hours staring at the rubble, realizing whatever she was looking for was gone. I don’t know if the she ever found who she was looking for, or if they were one of the unfortunate ones that died the same night I did.”

Timothy floated higher into the air, indicating it was the end of his story.

“I really hope you get to move on soon, Timothy,” said Colin. “This is not a good place for you.”

“It’s not so bad. It
will
be a lot more boring once you’re all gone. But I’ll go on helping the new arrivals,” he smiled. Timothy became his happy, playful self in no time.

Colin called Meghan over and explained what he had just heard.

“Poor Timothy,” she replied, at the same time thinking something about Timothy’s story sounded familiar. She could not place why.

“I don’t mean to be a party pooper,” interrupted Jae. “But we really do have to get going. Mom’ll be furious if we’re late for Christmas dinner.”

“Yes,” agreed Ivan, eager to leave.

“Yes,” said Uncle Eddy as well. “It is time for us
all
to go.”

The twins hoped it did not mean what they feared.

“Now? Are you sure? We still have almost a week before we leave Grimble,” reminded Colin.

“I’m sorry, but it is time. Come, I believe I have two more pieces of that candy in my pocket and I would love nothing more than one last hug.”

Meghan fought off tears. Colin couldn’t hold it back, a tear dripped down his cheek. Out of politeness, Jae and Ivan walked away, allowing the twins some privacy. Eddy popped the candy in his mouth revealing a living uncle. They hugged him together, as hard as they could.

“Okay now, I’ve only got a minute,” he knelt in front of Colin. “You are as tall as your actions. Keep the book safe, and I am so
very
proud of you.”

He turned to Meghan.

“I couldn’t be prouder than I am right now, seeing what you have already accomplished. Above all else,” he said to them both, “
never
break your bond.”

They hugged him one last time and stepped back as the ghostly uncle returned.

“It’s time,” Eddy said, extending his hand to Timothy. “Are you coming?” he asked lightheartedly.

“Really and truly?” Timothy replied, his ghostly eyes widening.

“Really and truly,” replied their uncle.

“I can’t believe it! I’m finally going home,” he shouted, readily grasping Eddy’s hand.

The twins could not help but smile.

“You better take good care of our uncle, Timothy,” ordered Meghan, through her sniffles.

“You bet I will,” he said, as they floated higher and higher into the gray sky.

Jae came over and waved alongside Meghan and Colin. They heard the echo of Uncle Eddy’s voice, one last time.

“Remember that you always have each other.”

What they did not hear, however, was this:

“You did a good job, Tim, keeping yourself in that cell, pretending you couldn’t get out.”

“She fell for it just like you said she would, and she used magic all on her own, just like you hoped.”

“Yes, Tim, she did. I only hope I did enough.”

“They have a rough road ahead, don’t they Mr. Gillivray?”

The ghost who had called himself the twins’ uncle sighed, taking one last glance below.

“Yes, Tim,” he answered. “A road even I wouldn’t want to travel.”

##

##

The foursome slowly made their way back to the carriage. Once inside, Nona licked Meghan’s face, then snuggled up between her and Colin, licking Colin’s salty, tear covered hand. It was hard to stay sad for long. The streets of the Svoda village were lined with twinkling lights, and the Mochrie house was full of good cheer. Ivan and Jae entered the house, leaving Colin and Meghan outside.

Footsteps trudging through the snow caught their attention.

“Merry Christmas, Ditch Witches,” croaked the voice of Darcy Scraggs.

“What do you want?” asked Meghan, bored of her games.

“I’m getting quite tired of you two screwing up my plans.”

“Have you ever considered making better plans then, Darcy?” challenged Colin, much to the surprise and delight of Meghan.

“You will so pay for that,” she retorted. “One of these days, I will figure out what you’re up too!” She haughtily strode away.

“You know, Col, as much as I wanted it to be Darcy that hurt you, I don’t think she had anything to do with it.” Meghan hated to admit it.

“No. I think she’s your basic run of the mill bully. But, I’m not going to worry about it today.”

Meghan twisted her head, staring at her brother.

The sun was setting over the horizon, the air was crisp, and today, nothing could dampen their spirits.

“C’mon Little Sis,” said Colin, shifting his body so he could reach up and put his arm around her neck. “It’s Christmas.”