Ember (51 page)

I brightened. Jaden sighed heavily then
rushed past him. Poor Tirk looked regretful. I smiled to him
thankfully then chased after Jaden.

He didn’t even make a snide comment when I
came up behind him. He was moving very fast.

“Jaden, what’s happening?”

He kept ahead. There was a long pause.

“Jaden?”

“You shouldn’t be coming.”

I sighed. “But you know you’re not going to
be able to convince me not to, so let’s not waste time talking
about it. Tell me what’s going on.”

His jaw clenched, then he looked over head
shaking. “I don’t know.”

As we walking down the string of halls, I
wanted more and more to reach ahead, just to hold onto him somehow.
I could scarcely believe it when he matched this himself, reaching
his hands behind his back to grab mine. We’d just come to a half
open door. He latched my fingers around the cloth of his jacket
then turned his head back just a fraction.

“Stay behind me, okay?”

My heart pounded. I couldn’t see his face. I
nodded. “Yeah.”

Then he turned back ahead and pushed through
the door.

Inside was a grayed-out, unadorned, room with
very few windows. There were books to the right, a blank wall
ahead. Disturbingly quiet besides a single penetrating voice.
Thoran’s.

I took a quivering breath, hands latched
tightly to Jaden as he rounded the corner.

To the left now, I saw, was a larger space,
high ceiling for the lodge. Again almost no furniture or décor. At
least a dozen men stood in a circle at its center. I caught Ikovos
first. He looked at me coming in but his attempt at a smile was
lackluster. It made me darken further before we hit the edge. A few
boys cleared to make a space for Jaden. Both were on the trip I’d
taken to the Meoden dimension.

There were others there too. Almost all
glanced once at us. Thoran did as well, pausing in his dialogue,
which I just now realized I hadn’t been registering a word of. I
tried to lessen my hold on Jaden as his deep eyes turned to the
boy.

“Is Tirk not with you?” His expression was
serious, but calm.

Jaden have the slightest head shake. “He said
he had a few more people to get.”

Thoran’s eye shifted to me, then back to
Jaden. “
And . .
.”

Sophie stopped him then, putting a hand to
his wrist and whispering something softly in his ear. Her distress
was much more apparent, as was Cornelius’s, who was standing at her
other side.

When she’d finished Thoran looked back to
Jaden, giving him a never-mind sort of look.

Good. I guess I’m not getting kicked out
then.
I spared a glance around.

All the faces were severe and uncertain.
Whatever was happening I don’t think anyone knew about it.

A voice came behind us then. “Here.”

It was Tirk. Behind him followed a few
others, Holdan included. He looked me over as they approached,
fitting in beside us. Tirk ended up on Jaden’s right. I was a bit
back from the circle.

The room seemed to settle. Thoran took a
breath. “Some of you already know what I’m about to tell you, most
don’t.”

A few murmurs.

Derrith, who was standing to Thoran’s left,
looked around assertively.

He knew for certain.

Thoran continued firmly. “Communications with
the Meoden have been cut, we—”

A buzz of whispers broke out, drowning out
his voice. It was all I could do to study around. Jaden’s
expression was dark, but held as unrevealing as ever. Ikovos, who
was about six guys over from us, was shaking his head to the
question of a boy beside him.

“Please.” Thoran’s hand rose. The room fell
silent. He cleared his throat, undeterred. “Now, this is due in no
part at our decision. For days now we hadn’t heard a word from
them, and yesterday they never showed up at the meeting. If—”

“What does this mean?” interrupted Holdan,
stepping forward. “Why would they risk dispute?”

Thoran regarded him tersely for a moment,
then turned to addressing the rest of the group. “We can only
assume that they’re no longer interested in keeping the peace.”

Holdan moved in again. “But how—”

Thoran put a hand up to him, obviously not
big on the whole interruption thing, then he cleared his throat. “I
can assure you all, we are not basing this on simple notion. We are
also not jumping to any conclusions.”

My eyes shifted from Ikovos to Jaden. They
were my only clue to what was happening - I didn’t know how dire it
was or wasn’t if communications stopped. Was this common or? . . .
But both of their faces were severe.

“For the past few weeks now there have been
signs leading us to suspect something was happening. First with the
Meoden’s diminishing patrols, then the new breed of creature me and
Cornelius came across—” he looked down as irritated at his own lack
of ability to piece this together sooner “—and finally Demian’s
unnaturally lenient compliance in our recent dealings.”

Thoran stared hard about the room. “I would
tell you that I believe it is not absurd to assume that they intend
to declare war on us outright.”

The room shuddered at the words.

“Please,” he said, quieting everyone once
again. “As I said before, it will not do us any good to worry about
things we don’t know for certain. . . . I simply wanted to give you
an idea of what this might mean for the order.”

The group of men resettled. I guess they were
taking his suggestion to heart.

I was having a harder time with it. . . .

“At this point we will be doubling, if not
tripling up on patrols, constant watch at the gates. All aides over
fifteen will be recruited for external work. We’ll focus on
gathering information for now. And of course, above all, seeing to
the safety of the lodge.”

That means they’re leaving.

My grip on the jacket tightened for the first
time. Jaden’s eyes hit me, head turning back. I immediately tried
to compose my expression.

This
was the thing I was most afraid
of. This was what . . .

Thoran took a breath. “I regret that I do not
have the time to discuss this further, for now at least. We have
scheduled orders for those present, and more to pass along. Derrith
has them written out. As he calls your name, please come up to
receive them. That is all.”

He backed off then and the room erupted with
conversation.

Derrith called the first names right away.
“Nick, Ikovos, and Kyle.”

My chest shook, eyes shifting from Thoran,
who was heading out of the room with Sophie beside him, to Ikovos.
He was already walking up to Derrith.

The noise from the compound of voices was
steadily rising, but I couldn’t-

“Caleb and Vaan.”

My head turned to the coat I was clinging to.
I couldn’t see his face at all. I wanted to say something, to ask
if it was going to be okay, to-

“Holdan, Tirk, and Jaden.” Derrith’s eyes
turned up as he said it. The other two headed over.

I stiffened. I didn’t want to let go, but I
knew any second he’d make me.

Then, hesitantly, his head turned to the
side. As if he was going to say something to me. I felt a rush in
my body, heartbeat all but halting.

Don’t go.

His jaw clenched and he turned forward,
pulling away without a word. My fingers grazed his back beneath the
coat as he did, but he kept moving. I looked down at them now . . .
empty.

My eyes closed and I swallowed, then I turned
back up. I was being silly, he wouldn’t be gone forever of
anything. I shook my head out then looked around for Ikovos. He was
already gone. The order must have been urgent of he would have . .
.

I felt my knees getting weaker, the flurried
room seeming utterly deserted.

“Evelyn,” called Cornelius, striding up to
me. “Oh, my dear . . . are you quite alright?”

“Oh . . . yes,” I managed, putting a hand to
my dizzy head and feeling ridiculous for losing it so easily. “Yes.
I’m fine.”

He pursed his features into a frown. “I’m
sorry that that all came upon you so suddenly. How was the
trip?”

My eyes grazed Jaden reflexively. He was
still talking to Derrith. I nodded. “Good.” I tried to refocus my
attention to Cornelius, but the whole thing seemed so long ago now.
“It was very good . . . we had to stay longer for the—”

“Parts,” he finished. “Yes, Ikovos told
me.”

I smiled, but it almost immediately turned
grim. “Cornelius, what’s happening? I don’t understand. Is everyone
going to be okay? Will—”

He put his hands on my shoulders. “Calm,
child, calm.”

I sucked in a shuddered breath.

“I cannot say for sure what is happening . .
. or that everything will be alright.” He frowned as the men
continued to shift about the room, continual names being called.
“But I know that you must be strong now.”

My eyes drifted over the faces of the boys,
off to their important missions. “But what can I do?”

He sighed. “I know that you have learned a
great deal in defending yourself. Thoran has said that if you wish
we will assign you to a patrol route with some of the boys.”

My heart rushed at the thought.

“But if you are willing . . .” his brow knit
“. . . Sophie is leaving for a while, at least a few days. The
younger boys here will be without a caretaker and with all the
Masters gone they’ll surely be afraid of what is happening. If you
are willing, I would ask you to stay here with them . . .”

“And take over Sophie’s duties?” I checked,
jaw clenching.

“Yes.” He nodded.

I paused.

He took in a small breath. “I know it is not
what you came to do, but—”

“I’ll do it,” I said, head shaking. “Without
question.” He looked surprised. “I might be able to tag along with
the patrols, but I wouldn’t
do
much. I want to be able to
help and I can cook at the least. . . . I’ll do it.”

He seemed to bubble over at the
assertion.

“Thank you, my dear,” he finally said.

My head bobbed. “Of course.”

His lips pursed, recalling. “A few of the
younger boys often help Sophie. If you ask, um . . . Lucas I think
it is, he should be able to show you how everything is done.”

Lucas . . . one of Trevor’s friends that’s
always tagging around.

“Will you be able to find him alright?” he
asked. I could tell he had other things to do, though he hid it
well for my sake.

“Definitely.” I nodded. “I know one of his
friends.”

Cornelius nodded too. “Good, you—”

“Master, I need you over here.” Cornelius’s
head turned. It was Derrith.

He looked back at me, and I gave him a
releasing gesture. He was with little more than a nod.

“Take over for Sophie, right, I can do
this.”

As my eyes followed the robed man
unconsciously towards Derrith, I noticed something very,
very
wrong.

Jaden wasn’t there anymore!

I spun around anxiously. He wasn’t anywhere.
First Ikovos, now him.

But you knew this was coming, Evelyn . .
.

I let my fist tighten.
You have to be
strong, that’s what Cornelius said.

With a heavy chest I marched out of the room,
fiercely determined to help in any and every way I could.

~ ~ ~

“OKAY, GUYS, that’s the last one, thanks for
the help.” I set the last pot onto the highest shelf inside the
pantry.

For the past four days the lodge had been in
upheaval. Not long after the meeting I’d slipped into, Thoran
announced to all of the boys, the changes that would be taking
place, leaving out only a few of the finer details. I thought
they’d all taken it quite bravely to be honest . . . especially the
younger ones.

As Cornelius had asked, I’d found Lucas
directly after speaking with him. The young boy gave direction
without complaint, taking me through all the steps of cooking
breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as how to organize the
laundry and cleaning.

Sophie really was amazing.

It wasn’t so bad for me though. I had a lot
of help. Trevor, Nathan, and Lucas were my almost-constant
companions. A fact for which I was very grateful. All of the older
boys were rarely here and when they did come, it was only to rest
and eat.

Ikovos I’d gotten to speak to in short bursts
a couple times. He would always check on me when he got back
in.

Jaden was . . . Jaden was worse. I saw him
less than anyone. And even when he was around he was quiet and
distant. I got used to enduring it.

Today had been by far the most hectic day
yet. It had started out with news of an outpost in the other
dimension being lost to the Meoden. The first real confirmation of
war. Since then, I’d been cooking and packing meals double-time,
while still trying to take care of the younger boys around me.

I’d
just
finished cleaning up from
dinner with the help of Trevor, Nate, and Lucas, all of whom were
waiting in the kitchen as I exited pantry.

“Do you have anything else for us to help you
with?” asked Nate expectantly. Though I knew he must have been
exhausted. It was well past dark outside.

“Hmm . . .” I put my hands on my hips and
looked around. “I actually think you guys helped me get everything
done early tonight.”

The place was empty besides the five of us.
The boys didn’t come out to study at night anymore.

When I glanced back at Nathan smiling, he
looked displeased. I checked Trevor and Lucas who were sitting at
the counter for input. They both shrugged.

“What is it, Nathan?” I asked.

He was leaning against the wall, head down.
“I just don’t like to go to bed this early.”

“But you worked so hard all day, aren’t you
tired?”

“I don’t know,” he started. Then he looked
off, chocolate eyes glistening. “And if I’m not tired enough . . .
I’ll just lay in the dark alone, and—” my features fell as I bent
down in front of him “—I get scared that the Meoden will come
again.”