Forsaken (Fated Saga Fantasy Series Book 8) (5 page)

“Thank you,” said Juliska anyway. “I’m sure it was lovely. Although, I suppose the redecoration fits as well.” She pretended it didn’t bother her. It did. And it didn’t. She was used to it and forced a smile.

Her younger siblings had singed the flowers, leaving behind burnt edges and melted frosting. They had replaced the Happy Birthday Juliska, with her old nickname… Burniska.

She’d never live down her teen years. Her siblings would never let her. The first couple of years after learning she was Firemancer were tough. There was a rough patch, an adjustment period, when she first started lessons with her mentor, PanSofia. She’d often wake in the middle of the night with her sheets ablaze, or be walking down a hall and flames would burst out of her and she’d set fire to curtains.

It was never on purpose, and only acerbated by the torment from her siblings. But she always had terrible guilt about it as it created extra work for her mother to keep up with. The constant repairing and replacing of things. Putting out actual fires, along with the metaphorical fires between her and her siblings.

Her mother guessed this. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Look at you now,” she stated proudly.

“Hm. Yes,” sneered Amelia.

At least it sounded like a sneer to Juliska.

Could she just skip the cake and leave now?

“Second Seer,” boasted her mother.

“Lucky you,” Amelia remarked. “Once old PanSofia kicks the bucket, you’re the Seer to the Banon.”

Juliska cleared her throat. “PanSofia is in fine health. I’m sure she won’t be going anywhere, anytime soon.” She could not tell them what she’d found out today. Not yet. And it was the last thing she wanted to talk about with her siblings, it would only add more fuel to the fire.

“PanSofia looks great,” Alex piped in. “I ran into her the other day in town.”

“Yes. She may be in her seventies, but she gets around like someone half her age,” said Juliska. “But, um…” she stopped, catching herself.

Maybe it was better not to say anything. Although they’d all find out about the task the Banon had asked her to do soon enough. Better from her she supposed. But she needed to be careful not to reveal too much.

“What is it darling?” Her mother waited patiently.

“Well… PanSofia recently turned down a special job on behalf of the Banon. She decided she was a little uncomfortable with it. I guess her mind is willing but she thinks the body, not so much. Anyway, Banon Havelock asked me to do this task in her place and I’ve agreed to it.”

Her mother took on a worried look.

“What kind of project?” asked Alex.

“I can’t really say,
yet…
the Banon’s request,” she explained.

“How intriguing,” said Adam, looking like he was about to shoot twenty questions at her.

“Tell us, please, please, please,” Anna begged. “Any hot guys working with you on this task?”

Juliska grumbled out a sigh.

“I only brought it up because we were talking about PanSofia and it’s not something I can talk freely about until the Banon makes his official announcement in a few days. And I’ll be on the job, and this is a
very
important job. It will be completely work related and nothing more. I don’t even know who else is involved and I don’t care.”

“You’re really are no fun,” scowled Adam.

“You’re so
serious
all the time,” Anna charged.

“Oh cut the cake already,” groaned Alex. “I’m starting to wonder if there’s a return policy on infants…” There were a few laughs, but the tension didn’t lift for long.

Amelia shook her head. “How is it luck just follows you? Another reason to celebrate Juliska.” She turned and busied herself grabbing some glasses from a cupboard.

What is her deal today?
Juliska moaned silently.
She really is picking for a fight.
 

Alex and his mother exchanged a fleeting glance. Amelia had always been the jealous kind. Preferring the attention always be on her, but never really having any reason for it to.

Although talented in her own right as a potion maker, and highly sought after, her vocation was mostly dull and uneventful. It did not come with any high level of prestige, or notoriety.

Juliska let out a long puff of air. When would she learn to just keep her mouth shut? She shouldn’t have said a thing. Should just have eaten a piece of cake and left. And let them all find out when everyone else did.

She couldn’t help what she was. It wasn’t like she’d been given any choice. She was a Firemancer. A seer. She hadn’t chosen it. It just
was.
But for some reason Amelia had always had issue with the attention given her, even though she was years older and living the life she’d chosen for herself.

“Is this task dangerous?” asked her mother.

Juliska shook her head. “Um. No. Not at all. You don’t have to worry about that. I wish I could tell you all more, but no, it’s not dangerous. PanSofia just felt I would be a better fit I guess. I
can
say, it will be a momentous occasion when he makes the announcement.”

Adam and Anna looked riotous.

“You
are
the lucky one!”- Anna.

“Get to have all the fun!” – Adam.

“Yeah, that’s me. All about
fun.
” She shot Adam a glare as he’d just complained how
not fun
she was.

“Okay everyone. Enough.” Their mother put an end to the conversation. “Let’s go out in the yard to eat our cake. It’s a lovely summer evening.”

Juliska accepted the slice of cake her mother handed her, but wasn’t in the mood to eat it. She didn’t want to celebrate. She just wanted to leave and go home.

It was a perfect evening to be outdoors though. Warm. A light salty breeze coming off the ocean. Stars brightening overhead, with a pinkish backsplash as the sun disappeared down over the horizon.

There was a long tense moment as everyone ate their cake, in silence.

Juliska caught another fleeting look between Alex and their mother. Now that Alex was about to have a baby, it seemed like they were suddenly speaking on some privately silent understood wavelength.

He turned to Amelia. “Earlier, you were about to tell us about a recurring dream you’ve been having, but never got to it.”

Juliska lowered her head and grinned tightly. Her mother and Alex were playing right into Amelia’s needs. To be the center of attention.

And let her have it…
Juliska didn’t want it. She’d had enough.

Amelia shrugged. “No matter really. Just a silly dream.”

“No. Tell us,” encouraged their mother. “It must be an important one, seeing as you remembered it so clearly.”

“Well, okay then. If you really want to hear it?” She cheered up a little, the attention on her.

“Especially if there’s a hot guy,” sighed Anna.

Amelia rolled her eyes. “No. It’s not that type of dream. Why don’t you go find yourself a boyfriend already?”

“Oh dear lord,” their mother whispered.

“Anyway,” Amelia drawled. “This dream is a more existential type dream. Got me to thinking. So much so, that I took out a notepad and started writing down the dream and all the thoughts screaming out of my head at the same time. I’ve had it a few times now, not exactly the same. A little different, you know how dreams are. But each time it just wakes up my mind and gets me wired and I cannot go back to sleep.”

“I’m intrigued. What did it get you to thinking about?” asked Alex. He liked a good debate.

“Magic. The existence of it. About how everyone used to have it. About how incredible it would be if everyone did again. You know?
The entire world,
not just our little corner of it. What if we didn’t have to hide anymore? Didn’t have to be stuck on this island? Could roam freely.”

Juliska cleared her throat. What her sister was talking about sounded eerily similar to what these rumored undergrounders were talking like. Was Amelia one of them?

“You’re talking about if everyone on the planet was magical again?” This was something Juliska had not heard rumored before. This was new. And concerning.

“Yes. Can’t you imagine it? How incredible it would be?”

“Incredible, sure,” agreed Alex. “But…”

“But what?” Amelia retorted.

“It’s a nice thought. A very nice thought. But there’s no reality in it.”

“How so?”

“Let’s just say for a minute it is possible for this to happen… I can’t even fathom how one would return magic to the entire world… but let’s just pretend it’s doable. Can you even imagine the chaos that would follow such an event?”

“It could be planned for. If it was done right…” Amelia argued. “I’m not saying it would be easy or without complication. I’m not that naïve.”

“I don’t think there’s enough planning in the world to prepare the entire planet to suddenly have magic return.” Juliska couldn’t help herself. The idea was preposterous.

“Of course,
you
wouldn’t agree with it.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Juliska demanded.

Amelia rose from her chair. “It just means you’d never agree to anything I suggested, ever. Even if it was the best idea about anything.”

“That’s not true. But the very idea of returning magic to a world that’s forgotten it even existed… the outside world fears what it does not understand. It would never work. Not with a lifetime of planning.”

Amelia fumed, but said nothing.

Juliska tried to smooth things over. “I shouldn’t say anything, but if you just wait a few days until the Banon’s announcement… I wish I could tell you, really I do. But if it works out, it might satisfy your need for adventure. To roam freely, Amelia. For everyone who feels this need.”

“I don’t have a need for adventure. I have a need for freedom. To come and go as I please. As I decide. There’s a world out there we are forbidden to enter. Unless your name is Juliska Blackwell. Couldn’t even take on the Cobb family name.”

“Amelia!” their mother scolded. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you today but that was uncalled for. You are an adult, so act like one. We do not treat each other with such disrespect.”

Juliska was glad someone finally said it, and it wasn’t her.

“Sorry, Mother,” mumbled Amelia.

“Don’t apologize to me. You know darn well we kept Juliska’s full name as a tribute to her family. A family she never knew, and has no memory of. Her name is all she came to us with.”

Amelia’s demeanor fell slack. “I’m sorry. Juliska… I didn’t mean it.” She looked honestly apologetic.

“Forget it.” She forced a smile.

“I am sorry. I really did not mean that. I guess I’m just tired, not that gives me any excuse. I haven’t been sleeping well. Not just the dreams… I don’t know why. I’ve been taking a tonic. Not one I made, my old mentor, Tanzea. But it’s stopped working.”

“Maybe you should see a doctor?” suggested Alex, concerned.

“Yes,” agreed her mother. “You do look a little ragged darling. I don’t mean that in a bad way. You look a little worn out.”

“I’ll see a doctor, or have Tanzea give me a new potion. I may have kept the other one around too long and the potency wore off.”

Juliska took the high path, letting her sister off the hook, and wanting to end the night on a happier note.

“Your dream, Amelia. It is a nice dream,” she spoke graciously. “It is a shame it can’t be real.”

“But it is just a dream. Forget it.” Amelia slipped back into her chair, looking restless.

Juliska got up to leave.

“Don’t go,” pleaded her mother.

“Sorry. I must. I… have a job to prepare for. Birthday or not.” Juliska made a hasty retreat with quick goodbyes.

After she’d made it out of the house and down the street out of sight, she stopped, letting out a breath. She made a decision just then. She’d never return to that house again. There was no point. As loving as her mother was, and her father had been, she’d never fit in. She hadn’t since the day they’d taken her in and adopted her. And even less when a couple years later she was discovered as a Firemancer. Followed shortly after by becoming an apprentice to PanSofia.

If her family loved her, they could come to her. Every time she visited, it ended the same. She, in an argument, typically with Amelia… with their mother and now Alex, trying to smooth things over. With two younger siblings that she had absolutely nothing in common with.

She wasn’t a Cobb. She had no idea what it meant to be a Blackwell as she had no memory of her family. But she would never be a Cobb. Not really.

“I’ll make my own way. Always have. Always will.”

She hurried home to start packing.

The quest was leaving in just a few days and there was much to prepare for. When she arrived home, she found the papers from the Banon as promised, with instructions for her preparation. She lived in a small apartment right next door to PanSofia. She had never bothered with fancy furnishings and the like; she spent so little time here.