Forsaken (Fated Saga Fantasy Series Book 8) (7 page)

CHAPTER SIX

A week into the quest…

So far, everything was going as scheduled.

No injuries. No illnesses. No ominous visions.

Tons of information collected and two locations down.

The second, they all considered not nearly as hospitable as the oasis. It was set inside a cliffside overlooking the ocean. Stunning views. Possibly good for short visits, vacations maybe, but for permanent living it just didn’t have the right options available. Powerful magic, but little else to offer in long term home comforts. So they departed and headed to number three.

They were finally leaving Maine. And heading somewhere south, deep in the mountains to a place known as the Witch’s Head. A circle of mountains that most non-magical folk avoided; old folk tales rumored it a place filled with spirits of the dead. What is really had going for it was a lot of privacy, and an abundance of magical energy. Which to someone of non-magical blood who wandered into the spot without this understanding, would give them the impression of something mystical they could not understand and usually explained off, by calling it haunted.

The most attractive part of this place lay at the bottom of an expansive valley right in the middle of the circle of mountains. This valley was a prime location for people like the Svoda. Not only was is remote and secluded, but the arrangement of the mountains created a vortex of sorts, which collected and contained an abundance of magical energy. The vortex pushed it down, capturing it in this valley.

Upon arrival, they set up the tent and prepped for exploration. But as it was evening, they decided to give it a rest for the night and start up in the morning. This gave them a chance to unwind and enjoy a dinner together.

It unfortunately gave Eddy another chance to corner Juliska. He grabbed the open seat next to her, while her old school mates, Milo and Arnon, laughed and offered no help in rescuing her.

“When will you get the hint?” she charged Eddy hotly.

“Um, let me see… you’re going have to try a lot harder.”

She raised her palm at him in what was meant to be a threatening pose.

“You wouldn’t.”

“You don’t know me.”

“I’m trying to.” He grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it.

She pulled it back with a scowl. “Do not push me Eddy.”

He refused to stop. “Have a drink with me.”

“I don’t drink. It muddles my head.”

“Not at all?”

“No.”

“Have you ever?”

Milo and Arnon cleared their throats and held back a laugh.

She glared at them. “Yes. I have. Not a story I’m going to share.”

“Lightweight, are we?” Eddy teased, leaning back a little. “See how easy this is?”

“What?”

“Talking. Conversation.”

“That’s not what we’re doing.”

“We could be friends you know. Do you have any?” he asked boldly.

“Of course I do…” It was a lie really. She knew a lot of people. Even considered some of them friendly. But even Milo and Arnon were just old schoolmates that she’d hung around with years ago. Not so much now at all, other than for work. She tried her darndest, but could not think of one true friend. She had acquaintances. Family. She had her mentor, PanSofia. But there wasn’t a single person she had ever called, friend.

For a moment, this felt rather pathetic. But she shook it off, fast.

Work mattered. Her visions mattered. Not friends.

She got up from the table to wash her dishes and put them away. Eddy followed.

She spun around and confronted him.

“My personal life is none of your business.”

“I’d really like it to be.”

“Why?” It came out before she could stop herself.

“You’re smart. Sharp. Devoted. I admire that.”

She looked at him incredulously.

“I’m Balloch Flummer’s apprentice. A historian, and record keeper. I do value order and devotion, immensely.”

She looked him over from head to toe.

He shrugged.

She caved. “Okay. I can give you, that you appreciate what I do, and that I take my job seriously.” She paused, her breath feeling a little short. “However…” he cut her off.

“You’re also incredibly gorgeous. I’ve never seen a woman and been so instantly stricken by her beauty.”

Her breath hitched. “That’s… bold.”

“Why not? You won’t take my hints,” he grinned at her.

“Well,
Edward
, that’s very… flattering…”

“But?”

She inhaled deeply. “I didn’t come on this mission to
meet
anyone. I have to stay focused.”

“What about after the mission?”

“You’re just not going to give up, are you?”

“Take a walk with me, Juliska. It’s too beautiful a summer night to stay indoors.”

The very idea sent butterflies fluttering through her insides. Or maybe it was the way her name slipped off his tongue.

“I… I don’t think that would look very… appropriate.” It was all she could come up with as an excuse.

Eddy grinned. “Ah see. I’m getting to you. You almost said yes.”

“That’s the exact opposite of what I said!” She refused to wait for him to rebut her and rejoined the table where a heated debate had just begun.

“Ah, Juliska, maybe you can clear this up,” said Arnon.

“Um, I’ll try,” she replied, a touch flustered.

“It’s about your sister.”

“Amelia,” added Milo. “She told me about a dream she had.”

Juliska let out a disgruntled groan. She hadn’t realized her sister and Milo were that close. He was a few years younger… oh right, Kay. She and Amelia were good friends. She let out a long sigh.

“I’m guessing this dream was about returning magic to all the land,” chimed Juliska dramatically. She was annoyed that Amelia had actually told this dream to someone outside her family.

“That’s the one,” said Milo.

“She actually believe it’s possible?” asked Arnon, dumbfounded. “It’s a nice thought, I guess, in the pure imagination of it, but it’s…”

“Preposterous.” Nashua was firm in his assessment. “A more ridiculous endeavor has never been attempted.”

Juliska agreed, but answered Arnon just the same. “I can’t honestly say what Amelia believes, but knowing my sister… how do I put this? She likes to get on these little kicks about things, and then nothing ever comes of it.”

“She seemed pretty serious to me,” said Milo. “She made some good points. You know Arnon, your sister Nina was there too. She seemed interested as well.”

Arnon scowled. He’d have to have a talk with her once he got home. He’d forgotten that his sister and Amelia had become friends after working together a couple years back.

“Hold up a second,” said Cornell. “I only heard half of this conversation. Explain what you mean by returning magic. What exactly are we talking about here?”

Everyone was listening now.

How pleased Amelia would be to know her topic was being debated by some of the finest minds on the island. Milo explained her sister’s dream perfectly. She’d definitely told him everything. Maybe even more than she’d shared with her or the family.

Most had similar opinions; it was a nice thought, a nice concept, but not the least bit plausible or realistic. The chaos it would cause would be disastrous. But they debated the subject for the next few hours. Each coming up with pros and cons of such an event happening.

Juliska, having nothing more to offer the conversation, got up from the table, excusing herself. She needed some air. Eddy moved to follow. She groaned, but agreed, in disbelief she’d rather walk with Eddy than listen to people debate her sister’s latest crazy idea.

She supposed she could manage a walk. As long as he didn’t try anything else.

A flame from a candle sconce caught her eye and she swooned. Eddy reached over to steady her but she pushed him away and caught her breath. The conversation quieted at once, all eyes focusing on Juliska.

“What is it?” Arnon asked at once.

She looked at everyone at the table. “We’re being followed.”

“What?” Arnon, Cornell and Nashua asked at once.

The table emptied. Everyone waiting to hear what else she had to say.

“We’re being followed,” she said again as evenly as possible. “A man… I saw a man. Not clearly. No face or identifiable features. But definitely following us.”

Arnon took over. “Cornell, would you do a sweep of the area and see if you pick up any magical traces this man might have left behind?”

The magic tracker nodded curtly and departed at once.

“I’m going to run some perimeter checks,” said Arnon.

“I’ll go with you,” offered Nashua.

“Maybe you should stay, just in case.” Arnon’s gaze flitted to Kanda. Apparently, thought Juliska, she wasn’t the only woman getting picked up on. But Kanda just smiled, unconcerned, and cast her brother a knowing look.

Nashua laughed. “I may be the overprotective brother, but my sister can take care of herself in a battle.”

“Can she?” Arnon looked eager to find out more.

Kanda gave nothing away as to what her brother meant.

“A battle?” Juliska muttered, taking in an uneasy breath. It wasn’t anything she’d actually prepared herself for. She’d done basic battle training, but frankly, wasn’t all that confident in her abilities.

“Not to worry,” assured Arnon. “I’m sure it won’t come to that.”

Regardless, he nodded knowingly at Milo, Balloch and Eddy. Winked at Kanda, before leaving the tent with Nashua. They followed them outside.

“You all stay close to the tent,” ordered Arnon.

Nashua began to stretch and pop his joints. “I’d prefer to search in my wolf form,” he told Arnon. “My senses are much stronger.”

Arnon nodded, understanding. He’d seen a few of the Tunkapog transform into their animal forms before. It still astonished him. He took a quick glance back at Kanda.

She knew what he was thinking. What animal did she transform into?

With Nashua it was fairly easy to tell. His clothing was made out of white fur, and in some places, it seemed to naturally soak into his skin, almost like it was a living part of him. And yet he claimed he could remove the furs whenever he wanted to.

Nashua’s body began to quiver and shake, rocking side to side. Violently at first, and then faster and faster, soon moving so fast it was more like a vibration. And then boom! A wolf had taken his place and ran off into the night. Arnon took off right behind him.

Milo looked over at them all. “I do hope they’ll all be all right.”

“They will,” insisted Kanda. “It’s just precautionary anyway. We have no way of knowing if what Juliska saw is happening right at this moment, has already happened, or will happen in the future.”

It was a sad truth. She wished her visions could be more precise.

Kanda patted her on the arm and she, Milo and Balloch headed back inside.

Eddy sauntered up to her wearing a sly grin. “You’ll do anything to get out of that walk, won’t you?”

She let out a timid laugh.

Eddy stretched and sighed arrogantly. “Yup. Getting under your skin. I think my work here is done for tonight.”

Why did the man have to be so devilishly charming? And disarming?

“I’ll leave you to your work,” he whispered more seriously, joining the others inside the tent. She lowered her head and sighed. There was more to Eddy than first met the eye. He did know when to actually let her be so she could focus.

Although she found it harder to do now that he had done this. She stepped into the tent and straight into her room in order to be alone. She opened a small bag and removed a few candles, lighting them. And waited. For anything to show itself to her.

But nothing came. No new visions, only that same one.

A man, at least she was pretty sure it was a man, based on the build from the silhouette she saw. And he was definitely around here somewhere, or had been, or would be. Which meant even if it was a future vision, it would happen soon as they were only supposed to stay here a few days.

It was a long, restless, night.

Cornell returned hours later having tracked nothing out of the ordinary. He was concerned though, that he wasn’t familiar enough with the magical energy in this place that he might have missed something.

Nearing dawn, Arnon and Nashua returned. He was in human form again, but they had spotted nothing. They decided to set up a round the clock watch, just in case. And they decided that during exploration they’d each stay within a group, and no one should remain alone.

Cornell wasn’t in the mood for sleep, so he told everyone he’d take first watch at the tent door. Nashua decided to stay with him. The others piled into their beds to try to get a few hours’ sleep before it was time to explore the valley.