Broken (7 page)

35

“Yeah, I agree. After Grimble… well, I just don’t want to go through something like that again.”

“Which brings me to the real reason for my visit.” Her voice quieted, as she stalked about the room, listening for anyone close enough to overhear.

“Is it safe?” Colin asked her.

“Yes. There is no one close enough to hear.”

Colin decided to undo Catrina’s invisibility spell and she materialized in front of Nona.

“Hello, Catrina. It is nice to see you,” Nona’s cat-like voice said playfully.

“Honestly, it is nice to be seen, Nona, and it’s lovely to see you as well. So what brings you here?”

“I come bearing a warning,” she then shared.

“A warning?” Colin repeated, dismayed.

“Yes. It is possible that you are being watched.”

“It seems like everyone is being watched,” Catrina said. “Now more than ever, especially after this mornings meeting.”

“Yes, definitely more so. But this is different, Colin.”

“How so?”

“Meghan has discovered that there are ways, which we did not previously know about, to spy on someone. To watch their every move if desired.”

“Let me guess? Juliska has something to do with this?” asked Catrina, folding her arms in disdain.

Without hesitation, Colin recast the spell, once again hiding Catrina.

“Do they know about her?” he asked, his nostrils flaring.

“We have no reason to believe that they do. Meghan does not know with any certainty that you are actually being watched. She just wanted you to be aware that it is possible.” Colin started pacing.

“It will be okay, Colin,” Catrina said, trying to comfort him. Her eyes gave away the fear she truly felt.

“I just do not understand what my sister sees in Juliska Blackwell!” he then shouted. “I have said it before and I’ll say it again: I do not trust her! Not one bit!”

“Colin,” Nona began. “It’s not always so simple.”

“Well it should be!”

Colin calmed himself.

“I’m sorry, Nona. I didn’t mean to get angry. I just don’t know what to do.” Catrina grasped his hand.

“We’ll figure it out together, Colin. Your sister loves you. This is why she sent Nona. You know she would never do anything to put you in danger.”

“I do understand, Colin,” Nona said, not having heard Catrina. “Just be careful. I must return now. You said you had a message for Meghan.”

Colin then explained Jae’s odd behavior.

36

“I will pass this information along, Colin. I can tell you, though, that Meghan knows nothing more. It is a situation she finds most infuriating.”

“Thanks, Nona. Take care, okay?”

“You as well,” she replied, jaunting out of the tent.

As soon as they were alone Colin grabbed Catrina and darted into their shared room. He used every magical spell he could find in the Magicante to protect the room.

“I didn’t want to say this in front of Nona,” Colin finally admitted, “but I really think my sister’s relationship with Juliska Blackwell is not healthy.”

“Like it or not, though, Juliska is the only other seer around. Meghan does need a teacher.”

“You’re right, I know. There is just something that I can’t quite put my finger on, Catrina.

Something about Juliska that’s just… off.” It was not the right word, but his anger kept him from thinking straight.

“And if Meghan is right?” Catrina whispered. “What then?”

“We could leave?”

“We don’t have anywhere to go, Colin.”

“There must be a way,” he said, stomping his foot.

“We would somehow have to get our hands on the Book of Doorways,” Catrina then said.

“It’s the only way I know of to find a way out of this place.”

“We’ll never get our hands on that book!” Colin’s voice trembled. “It’s in Juliska’s possession.”

“Then we must be very careful, Colin. I cannot be discovered, not yet.” She tried to hide her fear, but as she spoke, Colin could tell she was afraid.

Colin stepped toward Catrina, to comfort her, when the ground began to tremble under their feet. The tremble worsened into shaking, which spread out of the tent and across the meadow.

Alarmed screams nearly drowned out the rumble accompanying the quake. Colin steadied himself, ran to the outer room and stuck his head out of the tent, only to pull it back in when a nearby tent pole came crashing down in front of him. He turned around to find Catrina standing right behind him. She took hold of him and he drew her in, holding her close. She closed her eyes, as if to wish away the quake. Colin felt his own panic start to lessen.

The ground slowly began to stabilize again. The rumble dissipated.

Outside of the tent, they heard voices calling out, asking if everyone was okay, and people scurrying to check on loved ones. Colin stuck his head out of the tent again, and it seemed that everyone was uninjured. A few things had fallen over, but overall, everything was okay.

He felt Meghan reaching into his thoughts and opened up the block.

“Are you guys okay?” she asked.

“Yes!” he replied quickly. “And you?”

“Fine. Was that freaky or what? We’ve never experienced a quake before.”

“Not in a hurry to have it happen again,” Colin replied. “Since you’re in my head, though, thanks for the warning.”

37

“Nona thinks I pretty much scared you to death. Sorry. I just meant for you to be extra careful. They are watching everyone right now, Colin! Its like everything is falling to pieces.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of what it feels like here, too,” he admitted. Hearing Meghan’s voice calmed him. He was wrong to get so upset. Somehow, things would work out.

“I gotta run, Col. Just glad you’re all right.”

“You too, Sis.”

He felt her mind go blank and put his own block back in place. Colin explained to Catrina that his sister’s warning might have come across a bit heavier than she had meant it to.

“Maybe I should go see if anyone needs help,” he said, feeling the need to keep busy.

“Yes, go. I will be okay here.”

Colin looked pained at leaving her.

“Really, Colin. I am fine. We are fine. We will just be careful. If I have to, I’ll stay in this room, until its safe to leave.”

Colin nodded in begrudging acceptance. However, when he opened the tent to leave, he jumped back, startled.

“Ivan!”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” Ivan replied, stepping inside.

“I was just coming out to see if anyone needed help. Does that sort of thing happen here a lot?”

“Never been here before, don’t know much about the place,” Ivan replied. “But everyone is fine. A few broken things, tents that need reinforcing, but nothing serious. You both fared well I presume?”

“Yes. We’re fine. I’m glad no one was hurt,” Colin said.

“But that’s not why Ivan’s here,” Catrina then said, from behind Colin.

“Is she here?” Ivan then said, confirming Catrina’s suspicions.

“Colin, could you lift the spell so Ivan can see and hear me, please. I assumed he would want to speak with me at some point.”

“Let’s go into our room first, just as a precaution,” he advised.

Colin motioned for Ivan to follow.

Once inside Colin lifted the spell and Catrina materialized.

“I have some questions,” he started right in.

“Of course,” Catrina said.

The first question, however, was not what Colin expected. He had assumed Ivan wanted to know more about his mother.

“How did you end up in the cave?”

Colin listened intently, as they had not yet discussed this very intriguing issue.

“To be perfectly honest, Ivan, I am not totally sure. All I remember is taking a walk and then the next thing I knew, I’m waking up in a strange room. A hospital room, I think. I was surrounded by faces I did not know,” she stopped, and then clarified her last statement.

“That’s not completely accurate. I did recognize one face, but only from pictures. You are not going to like it, Ivan.”

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“I assume you’re going to say Banon Blackwell,” he said.

Catrina nodded yes.

“She is the only person I assumed you would have photographs of,” he added.

“I know you probably want to know why, but I do not know, Ivan.” Her voice echoed confidence. “All I am sure about is that I was given a drink which made me sleepy, and then I was put into the coffin. After that, everything is a bit foggy. All my memories are from dreams. Dreams that somehow found Colin Jacoby, while he slept in his own coma.” Colin could hear Ivan’s teeth grinding as he contemplated what Catrina told him.

Listening to her talk was both satisfying and terrifying for Colin. On the one hand, these were questions that he had desperately wanted to ask himself, but had not yet dared, for fear it would upset her. Somehow, though, he also had the nagging suspicion that Catrina did not speak the entire truth. That she held something back from Ivan. Perhaps, when she was ready, she would tell him.

“And what about my mother?” Ivan suddenly blurted out. “How is it that she would leave this message with you, so many years ago, as a small child, to deliver it to me now? So many years past her death. And why you?”

“These are things I really cannot answer, Ivan. I wish I could. I really do. But, now that we have the time, I can tell you the entire message.”

“Please,” he begged. “Tell me!”

“I am sure you recall the first part, ‘Find my hidden treasure and you will find the answers you seek,’” she started. “This is the rest: ‘To find my hidden treasure, you must seek the possession I held close to my heart.’”

“Another riddle! Why can’t people just say what they mean?” he nearly shouted.

“I am truly sorry, Ivan. This is obviously something important, and I wish I knew more.” He eyed her as if she was holding back some vital part, something that would explain his late mother’s message.

“I do not know what possession she speaks of,” he sighed. “Many of the people who knew her are either dead or in another caravan. Are you sure there is nothing more?” he demanded.

“Ivan, I’m sure she told what she knows,” Colin spoke, coarsely.

“Yes, that is all Ivan,” Catrina affirmed, again. She then gently touched his arm. “Perhaps now is not the time for you to discover this answer,” Catrina then added, speaking wisely.

“You’re a strange girl, Catrina Flummer,” Ivan replied, in a calmer voice. “I will keep silent about your presence here, but I feel it only wise to warn you,” he turned to Colin, “that with everything going on, keeping this secret will get harder each day that it continues.”

“We don’t need any more reminders about that,” Colin exclaimed.

Ivan then took his leave, once again leaving Colin and Catrina alone. Colin’s first thing to do was redo his spell to hide her. He then took out the Magicante.

“What are you doing?” Catrina asked him.

“Heeding the warnings and getting us all the protection we need,” he assured her.

She came and sat next to him and watched him open the book.

39

“Please, can you help me?” he then asked. “I need to protect this tent, especially this room.

I want it to be as if we don’t exist to the outside world while we are in this room!”

“Hmm,” its cranky, tired voice replied. “It does appear that drastic measures are required in this matter.” The books pages then began to flip back and forth. Magicante did this repeatedly, offering various spells to help conceal the space and keep it safe. After thirty minutes, the Magicante flipped shut.

“There,” Colin said, relieved. “It is as secure as we can make it!” Feeling bold, he questioned Catrina. “So… Can I assume you did not actually tell Ivan everything?”

“You are right,” she sighed. “Everything that was pertinent to Ivan, he now knows. As for the rest, I think it needs to remain secret. At least until I know, for sure, what exactly did happen to me and why. Even with my suspicions, I do not want to pass judgment before it is due. Is that okay?” she asked timidly.

“You know, I have to agree with Ivan,” Colin then said. “You really are a strange girl. No, not strange… unique … in a very good way,” he added, hoping he had not offended her.

“I just don’t want to make things worse than they already are,” she insisted. “I don’t actually want to be strange,” she smiled, taking his hand.

“I don’t mind, really,” he said. “I mean, being strange or not telling me everything,” he clarified. He desired greatly to lean forward and kiss her, but kept his distance, his nerves getting the better of him.

Catrina, however, did not have this same fear. She leaned in and gently kissed his lips just for a moment, and then rested her head on his shoulder.

“Your heart is beating quite fast,” she whispered.

“Is it?” he stuttered.

Colin said nothing more, wishing he could stay in this moment forever.

7

Sebastien Jendaya stood at the entrance of a cave.

“I can’t believe I am doing this,” he muttered, looking as deeply as possible into the darkness that awaited him. “I can’t believe this place is real,” he added.

The dream had seemed so real though… Real enough that he knew the moment he awoke that he had to find this place.

A voice echoed in his head.

“Please. Enter, Sebastien. I have been waiting for your arrival.” He stepped confidently into the darkness. After a short distance, he came to a dimly lit room. Sun shone down from a source above, but it only lit the center of the room. A dark-40

haired woman stood with her back to Sebastien, removing a whistling kettle of water from a stove. Even in the dimly lit space, he could see that her hair was a deep black with hints of red.

“Tea?” she asked.

“No. Thanks.”

“Take a seat then,” she said, nodding her head toward a wooden table off to the side. He sat, breathlessly, waiting for her to join him. As she turned to face him, he gasped. She looks just like … he did not dare finish the thought. Her eyes. He shook off his thoughts, as there could be no truth to them. Her eyes were bright blue, like a sparkling ocean, and even in the dim light of the cave, they were piercing against her pale skin and dark hair.

Sebastien did not wait for her to speak.