Akarnae (25 page)

“Yes, sir,” she agreed.

“Good,” he said, nodding. “Now, let’s head back before your friends come searching for you.”

They retraced their steps until they stopped at the entrance to the food court.

“I hope you enjoy Kaldoras, Alex,” Jarvis said. “And remember to stay on your guard.”

Alex promised to do so and headed inside, thinking all the while about how strange their conversation had been.

Twenty-Three

“Are you ready for this?”
Bear asked ten minutes later as he led the way out onto the grounds.

Alex fidgeted with her backpack and said, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“You’ll be fine,” he encouraged. “My family can’t wait to meet you.”

“No pressure then, huh?”

He laughed. “It’s not like you’re my girlfriend. You don’t actually
have
to impress them, you know.”

“You can be my girlfriend, if you want,” Jordan said, winking at her.

She made a face at him. “In your dreams.”

“Break it up, you two, or Mum’ll give you both ‘the talk’,” Bear said. Then he cocked his head thoughtfully and added, “Actually, never mind. That’d be hilarious to watch.”

“As hilarious as the time she gave
us
‘the talk’?” Jordan asked.

Alex burst out laughing. “
What?
”

“Total misunderstanding,” Bear murmured, looking uncomfortable. “Jordan was giving me some pointers about how to talk to the girl I had a crush on a few years back. Mum overheard part of the conversation and jumped to the wrong conclusion.”

“I couldn’t look her in the eyes for a week,” Jordan said with a chuckle. “But it sure gave Bear the incentive he needed to go get his girl.”

Alex had to hold her stomach she was laughing so hard.

“No wonder you want me to act like your girlfriend,” she said, elbowing Jordan. She then turned her attention back to Bear and told him, “I’m suddenly feeling much more confident. Let’s get out of here.”

Bear grinned in response and pulled a Bubbler vial out of his pocket, throwing it at the ground. As soon as the iridescent portal was large enough, he picked up his backpack and stepped through it.

Alex waited for him to get clear before she approached the colourful wobbling substance. She’d seen a few Bubbledoors open up in her time at Akarnae, but she’d never used one herself. Nor had she ever been so close to one. It truly was beautiful, with the sunshine glinting off the rainbow-coloured, bubble-like substance.

“Any day now,” Jordan drawled, pulling her from her observations.

“Patience is a virtue, you know,” Alex said.

“I have too many virtues already. I don’t think my personality could handle any more.”

Alex shook her head at his arrogance and stepped forward into the Bubbledoor. She was instantly surrounded by the colourful light as her weightless body travelled across a vast distance at an impossible speed. She almost fell flat on her face when the movement stopped, and she was still trying to get her feet under her when Jordan walked straight out behind her like a pro. No jelly-legs for him, apparently.

“That was so cool!” she said, finally managing to steady herself enough to look around and note the woodland surrounding them. “I wish we had these back home.”

“They’re not hard to make,” Bear told her. “All you need is the proper chemical equation and the right ingredients.”

Alex snorted. “So says the Chemistry genius. Most of the stuff we learn about in Fitzy’s class isn’t even possible in Freya. Before coming here I’d never even heard of—”

“You know the great thing about holidays?” Jordan interrupted loudly. “The fact that we don’t have to talk about anything academy-related. Like Chemistry.”

Both Alex and Bear understood the not so subtle hint and dropped their conversation without argument.

“How far away is your house?” Alex asked Bear.

“Turn around,” he said, grinning.

Alex did so and she couldn’t help but smile at her first glimpse of Bear’s home. The Bubbledoor had delivered them onto a little cobbled path that wound from the edge of a forest straight up to a cottage. Well, ‘cottage’ probably wasn’t the best description, since it was quite a large house. But it was just so homey-looking, with wildflowers in the garden and a half-sized wooden picket fence. Vines grew along the walls of the house, making it look like something straight out of a fairytale. All in all, it was completely enchanting.

“Wow, Bear, this place is amazing,” Alex said.

He shrugged, but she could see his pleased expression out of the corner of her eye. “It’s home.”

“Let’s get inside,” Jordan said. “I’m
starving
.”

“You just ate breakfast!” Alex was amazed yet again at the never-ending pit that was Jordan’s stomach.

“That doesn’t mean I’m not hungry again,” he said, nudging them forward.

Bear led the way up the winding path and pushed open a wooden gate that squeaked a little on its hinges. As they approached the house, Alex saw a curtain flutter on the other side of one of the windows. When they were just steps away
from reaching the front door, it was thrown open and a blurry missile launched itself at Bear.

“BARNY!” the missile squealed.

Bear laughed and picked up the little girl who had attached herself to him. He threw her up in the air before catching her again and swinging her around in his arms while she giggled madly. When they were both so dizzy that they had to stop, he set her back on her feet and she stumbled over to give Jordan a hug.

“Jordie!” she greeted, just as enthusiastically.

“Hey, kiddo!” Jordan said as he picked the little girl up and squeezed her tightly. She started laughing when he began to tickle her mercilessly.

“Stop! Stop!” she gasped.

“Never!” he cried, cackling maliciously.

“I’ll tell Mummy”—she tried to say between laughs—“that it was you”—she hiccupped—“who broke her favourite vase last year!”

Jordan stopped immediately and lowered her to the ground, raising his hands in surrender. “How do you know about that?”

“I know
everything
,” she said, with the confidence only one so young could exhibit. She then turned and squealed again, throwing herself at a surprised Alex. “We’re going to have
so
much fun together!” she sing-songed as she hung from Alex’s waist.

Not sure what to do, Alex hesitantly put her arms around the smaller girl. “I—um—can’t wait?” she said, looking to Bear for some kind of explanation.

“Evie, let go of Alex for a second,” Bear said. “Do you remember how to introduce yourself properly?”

The little girl released Alex from her surprisingly strong grip and stood up as tall as she could—which meant that she reached Alex’s hip.

“Hello,” the girl said in her most proper voice. “My name is Evelyn Louise Ronnigan. I’m five years old and I live here with my family. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Alex tried not to laugh when the child who had been wrapped around her a moment ago held out a hand to shake. Instead, Alex knelt down so they were at eye level and she formally took Evelyn’s hand in her own.

“Hello, Evelyn,” Alex said seriously, shaking the offered hand gently. “I’m Alexandra. But you can call me Alex.”

Evelyn beamed and bounced excitedly on her feet, causing her brown ringlets to swing wildly around her head. “You have to call me Evie! Evelyn is only for when I’m in trouble.”

“Evie it is,” Alex agreed, and the little girl smiled even wider. She then grabbed Alex’s hand and pulled her into the house, leaving the boys to follow along behind them.

“MUMMY!” Evie called out. “THEY’RE HERE!”

A middle-aged woman with light brown hair and piercing blue eyes walked into the hallway, wiping her hands on her apron. “Evelyn, remember what we said about not yelling in the house?”

Evie hung her head. “Sorry, Mummy.”

“I’ll let it go this time,” Mrs. Ronnigan said, “but next time you’ll be given a time-out.”

The little girl nodded eagerly, happy to get off with a warning. Then the older woman turned to the three newcomers.

“Sweetheart,” she said, holding her arms out for Bear.

Jordan was closer and he jokingly stepped into her embrace. “Hey, Dotti!” he said, hugging her fiercely while Bear tried unsuccessfully to swat him away. “I’ve missed you!”

“I’m sure you have, Jordan,” Bear’s mother remarked dryly, but she was smiling at him. “Or, rather, you’ve missed my cooking.”

“You’re a package deal,” he said cheekily, before Bear finally elbowed him out of the way.

“Hi, Mum,” Bear said, wrapping his arms around his mother. She was tall, but he still dwarfed her in his embrace. “It’s good to see you.”

“We’ve missed you,” she said softly.

Alex felt like she was intruding on what should have been a private moment, but no one seemed to mind her presence. Evie was happily swinging their joined hands as if they’d known each other for years.

Looking at the close-knit family, Alex’s heart gave a melancholic pang as she wondered about her parents and what they were doing for their Christmas holiday. Even though her life at the academy kept her busy enough not to feel too homesick, she still missed them. But she knew that even if she was back in Freya, they would still be half a world away from her. At least this way she was with her friends. She only hoped that wherever her parents were, they were enjoying themselves.

When Mrs. Ronnigan finally let her son go, she turned to Alex with a warm smile and said, “Bear has told us so much about you, Alex. We’re so pleased you could come and stay with us.”

She shocked Alex by hugging her tightly, as if she too was a part of the family.

“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Ronnigan,” Alex said. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’ve opened your home to a complete stranger.”

“Nonsense,” the other woman said, waving away her gratitude. “The more the merrier, as we Ronnigans like to say. And feel free to call me Dorothy. But
not
Dotti.” She said the last while directing a frown towards Jordan, to which he just smiled innocently in response.

“Bear, why don’t you take your friends upstairs and get them settled,” Dorothy suggested. “Knowing you boys, you’re
probably hungry, so come back down when you’re done and Gammy and I will have something ready for you.”

“Apple pie?” Jordan asked hopefully.

“We’ll see,” Dorothy said, and she took Evie’s hand and walked back through the door she’d entered from.

“Let’s go,” Jordan said, eager to speed things along.

As they walked up the hallway towards the staircase, Bear played the courteous host. “There are three levels to our house,” he said. “Here on the bottom floor we have the kitchen, dining room, lounge room, and Dad’s office. He tries not to bring work home with him but sometimes that can’t be helped.”

Alex had absolutely no idea what Bear’s dad did for work, but before she could ask, he continued with the tour.

“Gammy also has a room on this floor, but it’s more like a self-contained flat that joins onto the kitchen.” They reached the staircase and started up it while Bear continued, “You’ll be staying in Blake’s room on the second floor, Alex. Mum has already set it up for you.”

“Who’s Blake?” Alex asked.

“My brother,” Bear said. “He’s going to bunk in with Johnny, my other brother, when they arrive.”

“I’m fine just sleeping on a couch somewhere,” Alex told him. “I don’t want anyone to be put out because of me.”

“They don’t mind,” he said. “And besides, they’re not due here until Kaldoras Eve because of work, and they’ll only be able to stay for a few days. You’ll be much more comfortable this way.”

Bear went on to explain that other than Blake’s room, the second floor had the main bathroom, his parents’ room, and Evie’s room. After pointing out each of their bedrooms, he led her straight to where she would be staying.

Blake’s room was nice. Really nice, actually. There was a big, comfortable-looking bed along with a large desk and a
built-in wardrobe. Best of all were the huge double windows that looked straight out the side of the house and into the forest that surrounded Bear’s home.

“Nice view,” Alex said as she put down her backpack and sat on the bed. “Where are you both sleeping?”

“In the attic,” Bear answered.

“The attic?”

“It’s awesome,” Jordan said. “They’ve added a wall down the middle so that Bear’s room is on one side and Johnny’s is on the other. Both rooms are massive, with more than enough space for me to stay up there too.”

“Huh,” Alex said, trying to reconcile the image she had of spider-infested attics with what she presumed was her friend’s bedroom. She shook her head and moved on. “I can’t believe I never asked you about your family before, Bear. I had no idea you had brothers and a sister. Is it just the four of you?”

“Yep,” he said. “Just us.”

“What about you, Jordan?” she asked. “Do you have any siblings?”

Jordan’s body became rigid with tension, but he cleared his throat and answered, “No, it’s just me.”

She knew he was sensitive when it came to his family so she turned her attention back to Bear, which prompted Jordan to visibly relax once again.

“Tell me about your brothers, Bear. What do they do?”

He shared a secret grin with Jordan before saying, “I think it’ll be more interesting if you hear it from them.”

Alex was even more curious now, but all she said was, “Okay. If you say so.”

The boys left her to unpack and took off up into the attic, but they returned barely five minutes later with Jordan claiming starvation. Alex had to practically run after them as they led the way back downstairs into the dining room where they found an
elderly lady sitting at the table. She could only be the infamous Gammy.

“Do you have a hug for an old woman, Barnold?”

She was exactly as Alex had imagined. Grey-haired, short and plump. Her wrinkly face was lit up with a smile and her entire presence exuded warmth and love.

“If you can find me an old woman, Gammy, I’ll be happy to give her a hug,” Bear said. “Until then, you’ll have to take her place.”