Shifting (25 page)

“Not that it matters at this point,” said Ivan. “But how did you get the book?”

“Everyone just took off. Couldn’t tell ya why,” she lied, winking at Timothy.

He was getting good at keeping secrets, too.

122

Soon, they arrived at the old mill. Uncle Eddy wasn’t there so she left a message with Timothy who set immediately to deliver it.

“Be careful, Timothy. Don’t talk to any strangers.” Meghan had an enormous desire to get Ivan home and checked out by the doctor, and to check on Colin, whose voice she had not heard since the beginning of the battle.

“You go along without me,” said Ivan unexpectedly, as they entered Bedgewood Harbor.

“But you’re hurt,” she argued.

“And what will I say happened to me?”

“You fell.”

“I have a… friend I can see, don’t worry. Go and check on your brother, tell him you got his precious book back.” He was not exactly smug, but was not nice either. He strode off in a direction of town she had never been to. Part of her wanted to follow him. She hoped Ivan could be trusted.

“He knows what he knows,” she resigned, continuing to the hospital.

She hoped that the voice she had heard during the battle meant that Colin had come out of his coma. To her dismay, his condition had not changed.

“I thought for sure I heard you, Colin. I got the book back, so don’t worry. Get better, okay.” She kissed his forehead and headed home.

Her legs and brain were jelly. She followed Nona back to the Mochrie house and stumbled indoors.

“There you are,” said Sheila. “I was hoping you would show soon. Not good to over do it just because you’re feeling better.”

Meghan almost laughed. I’ll try to remember that!

Sheila made a funny face and wrinkled her nose as Meghan walked passed her. Skunk rags.

She didn’t have the energy to make up an excuse.

It was good to be home, even if it wasn’t truly home. She bathed, ate, and sat downstairs, dozing while waiting for either Ivan or Jae to come home. Hours passed, and neither returned home that night.

Colin’s darkness again turned into a dream world. This time, however, it was not the sunny playful dream it had been before. The girl with the silver hair was back, hiding behind a tree trunk, frightened. Colin walked around the tree trunk until he was face to face with her. He walked around the tree three times before he found her.

“I don’t have long,” she trembled. “They will discover I’ve gone.”

“What do you mean?” asked Colin, gravely concerned for his dream girl. She vanished, but he heard her voice. He walked around the tree trunk again, locating her.

“They knew,” she said frantically. “Somehow, the last time you found me. They knew.” She vanished again, popping in behind him.

He whirled around.

“I need your help,” she whispered, disappearing again. Colin hurried around the tree trunk, hoping she would return. She did, and he grasped her hand, hoping it would keep her there.

123

“Who are you?” he asked her.

“Catrina,” she whispered in his ear. “And I need your help, Colin Jacoby, as much as you will need mine. You are the only one that can help me… ”

Instead of disappearing, this time, her body turned ghostly. He hand fell through hers.

“How can I help you?” Colin pleaded.

“Please, don’t forget about me,” she begged.

Viciously, her dark silhouette flew backwards into the nothingness, like someone pulling off a veil from Colin’s face. Colin reached for her but his dream changed. He did not feel so heavy or lost.

Air moved across his face.

“I’m waking up,” he realized.

A voice echoed in Meghan’s head, waking her. She was slumped over in a chair. The voice echoed again, this time discernibly. She bolted upright.

“Colin!”

“I’m awake! They’ve sent someone to tell you. Knew I’d get to you first, though.”

“You’re really awake?” she questioned, grabbing her coat.

“Yep, really awake.”

“Going to wake everyone, they’ve all been so worried. I’ll be there quick as I can… big bro.”

“Big bro,” he snorted.

“You are my big brother, technically speaking.”

“What the heck happened while I was out?” he questioned, not understanding this change in his sister.

“Short version, I got the book back! I’ll tell you about it later.” She bounded up the stairs, wanting to shout that Colin was awake, but first, sent a leaf to Uncle Eddy.

“Colin awake! Everything great! Will contact you soon.”

She entered the bedroom where Mireya still slept and woke her gently.

“What’s up?” she asked groggily.

“Colin’s awake!”

Mireya jumped up and down in her bed.

“Yes! Thank goodness that’s over. I’ll wake Mom and Dad.” Mireya ran downstairs to her parents’ room.

Meghan knocked lightly on Ivan’s door but there was no answer. She wondered where he had gone. She put it out of her mind, high tailing it down the stairs, just as a knock pounded on the front door. She answered it before anyone else had the chance, realizing it would be the messenger from the hospital.

Oliver Stamm delivered the message on behalf of his father, the doctor. She acted as though she was hearing the information for the first time and thanked him.

“What a wonderful news,” said Sheila, emerging from her bedroom. “And right before Christmas.”

124

Meghan, Sheila and Mireya traipsed through the snow, making their progress slow. Half way there, they ran into Jae. He looked as though he had not slept, but had a smile on his face just the same.

“Dad and I were on our way home, when we got news that Colin was awake. I was on my way to make sure you knew.”

“Yes, we found out a few minutes ago,” replied his mother, fixing his untidy hair. “Why didn’t you come home last night? I hope your father isn’t working you too hard,” she said as they walked.

“We worked late and fell asleep at the office. Sorry, we should have sent a message.” Jae held his mother’s arm, keeping her steady over an ice patch as they reached the hospital entrance.

Doctor Stamm’s tall silhouette leaned over Colin, along with Irving Mochrie, giving him a thorough exam. Meghan ran to her brother’s bed and hugged him until he could not breathe.

She ignored the fact that the doctor and Colin were mid conversation.

“My son Oliver tells me you are quite talented, Mr. Jacoby. I’m afraid my boy is always a bit distracted, loves to daydream too much.”

“From what I’ve seen of Oliver, he does a great job,” said Colin. The doctor smiled and left his side, giving him a clean bill of health. The doctor and Irving stepped outside of the room to speak.

“Don’t ever, ever, do that to me again,” Meghan demanded. Silently, she sent, “When I thought you were dead… it was like part of me died.”

Colin blushed, unused to this kind of attention from his sister.

“I promise to try and never get attacked again,” he sent back to her.

“How long will he have to stay?” Meghan asked Dr. Stamm when he came back into the room.

The doctor mulled it over.

“Normally after such an ordeal, at least a week. But, seeing as Christmas is almost here, maybe a few days will suffice, as long as he promises to rest.”

“Thank you, doctor,” she said, relieved.

“This will be a blessed Christmas,” said a teary-eyed Sheila. Jae sat down for a minute and fell asleep almost instantly.

“Irving, you’re working the boy too hard,” Meghan overheard Sheila say.

“It’s best this way, Sheila. We’ll discuss it later.”

A messenger arrived then, with a letter from Juliska Blackwell, addressed to Colin.

Dear Mr. Jacoby,

I am thrilled to hear that you are recovering. First, let me apologize for this occurrence. The actions taken against you will not be tolerated. Unfortunately, we have not yet caught the perpetrator, but the Balaton continue their efforts. We will keep you posted as any new developments arise.

125

Now that you are awake, if there is any information you can provide us to assist our efforts, please speak to any Balaton or member of the Viancourt. Otherwise, I wish you a speedy recovery in time for the holiday.

Deeply sorry again,

Juliska Nandalia Blackwell.

Colin contorted his face in confusion. Juliska Blackwell’s words seemed genuine. Perhaps he had misjudged her, truly being jealous over the attention given his sister.

“Banon Blackwell will not rest until they have caught whoever did this,” insisted Irving Mochrie.

Meghan secretly knew that it was not likely to happen.

That evening, after returning home, Meghan found a package on her pillow. She took off the leaf attached.

“Meghan,” the leaf spoke in Juliska’s voice. “I had poor Hollee digging through trunk after trunk looking for this book. I was beginning to think I had left it behind somewhere. This is something a dear friend once gave me, and I wish to pass it on to you. I hope it helps, and as always, my door is always open.”

Meghan opened the package. The Firemancer’s Pocket Guide. Meghan spent the evening skimming through it, enthralled. With each page she began to realize that being a Firemancer meant more than just having horrible visions. She could learn to summon visions at her leisure, or show other people what she was seeing. She could even learn to control the element that allowed her to see: Fire.

Meghan sent a heartfelt letter to Juliska, thanking her. A sense of contentment blanketed Meghan. Yes, they still had many unanswered questions. In addition, they desperately wanted to find out if their uncle was alive. But something told her she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

Over the next three days, Meghan studied the book, and sent continual updates to Uncle Eddy. On the third day, Colin was released from the hospital. The Mochries arranged for a heated carriage to bring him home. Once home, they sat Colin in a cozy chair next to the fireplace, where he happily watched Meghan, Mireya and Jae decorate the Christmas tree.

That evening, Sheila and Mireya delivered some last minute Christmas gifts, leaving Meghan, Colin and Jae alone, at last.

“I’ve been dying to hear what happened,” said Colin.

Jae concurred.

“I’ve been thinking about how to explain it all,” she said intently. “When it comes down to it, I don’t think you can fully understand what happened, without having been there.” Her serious tone intrigued the boys.

“I’m going to try something,” she finally said. Her eyes lit up and she motioned for the boys to join her close to the fireplace.

126

“I did some research the last couple of days, while you were in the hospital, Colin. So far, to be perfectly honest, being a Firemancer has kind of sucked. I keep having visions I don’t want to see.”

Meghan left out the part that Jae was at the forefront of those visions.

“Anyway, I did some reading and discovered something that makes being a Firemancer pretty darn cool.”

Colin smirked. His sister, reading? He had a faint thought, wondering if he might still be in a coma.

She heard him and frowned.

To Colin and Jae’s astonishment, Meghan stuck her hand in the fire, swirling the flames.

“That is so wrong,” shuddered Jae.

Meghan continued swirling the flames until an image appeared. The boys gasped. It was Meghan at the old mill, with Uncle Eddy. She transferred her memories into the fire, replaying it for the boys to see and hear.

She kept her focus, avoiding unwanted memories to appear, and keeping herself present and in the moment, to avoid any new visions from taking place.

After seeing the bird-human and the Magicante bring Ivan back to life, the boys sat in the same awed reverence that Meghan had, a few days prior.

“Wow,” muttered Jae. “The bird is a shapeshifter. Unbelievable!”

“And the timing! One more second, and I would’ve been a goner, no question,” insisted Meghan.

“Are you sure I’m not still in a coma?” asked Colin.

She pinched him hard.

“Yeah, definitely awake,” he winced. “It’s all so unbelievable. I mean, I’m finally getting used to the idea of magic existing, and now, I don’t even know what to think!” admitted Colin.

“I’ve known about magic my entire life,” said Jae, “But even I have never seen magic that can bring someone back from the dead!”

“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 then blurted out.

“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.

127

“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.