Shifting (13 page)

“Blocking me. Figures.” He hoped she was not out causing another scene. The rest of the afternoon crawled by. “At least tonight,” he thought, “I can finally visit Uncle Eddy.” Meghan jaunted out of the school and retrieved a note from Juliska Blackwell, which included directions on how to locate her. She followed the map to the ocean’s shore, where a few hundred yards out an island of rock jutted out of the water; a fort had been forged into the rock.

Meghan had to walk down a gravel road, which was lined with spike-like rocks, in order to reach the entrance. Ocean waves crashed over the rocks, splashing her. Juliska’s private Balaton guarded the entrance.

“What’s your business?” one of them asked in a gruff voice. He kept his gaze straight forward, not looking at her. The second guard’s eyes grazed down at her. He nudged his partner.

“Jenner, its okay, it’s the girl.” The other one darted his eyes, curiously, then opened the gate.

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“You may enter. Banon Blackwell has alerted us to your possible visit.”

“Thanks,” said Meghan, curtsying her way through, gratified. Juliska had told them to expect her! Any insecurity Meghan had had about her unannounced visit vaporized into the mists of the ocean.

A woman dressed in business attire greeted Meghan at a stone door and led her inside. Before Meghan could make her request to see Juliska, another ornate stone door swung open; Juliska Blackwell elegantly strode into the room. She wasn’t dressed in her normal one piece long-jacket, but instead, a long sleeved tunic, which was form fitted down to her hips then flared slightly; it was a silky, crimson color.

“Meghan. I’m so pleased you came. Join me on the roof top,” she said, winking. Meghan followed Juliska up a stone stairwell to an outside room. The floor they walked on was carved out of the rock. Juliska led them to the opposite corner, where a stone overhang could shield them from the sun.

“Please, sit,” insisted Juliska. Meghan did as she was told, sitting across from the Banon. A table separated them, and before Meghan could speak, the same woman who had helped Meghan into the fort entered with a tray of food.

“Your timing could not have been more perfect, I was about to have a late breakfast. Please join me if you’re hungry.”

“Thanks, I am a little hungry.” She helped herself to a biscuit and jelly. After a few minutes, Meghan could no longer hold back why she had come. “This may be bad mannered of me…” she started.

Juliska put down her fork and gave Meghan her full attention.

“I’m not even sure how to begin. Something is happening, something terrible. Not to me…” she said, adding wearily, “Unless you count being a seer in the terrible category.”

“That bad?” asked Juliska, smiling sympathetically.

“Sorry, I think I’m just having a hard time adjusting.”

“That is entirely understandable, Meghan. It does take some practice and getting used to.” Meghan knew instantly that Juliska understood her.

“Twice now,” said Meghan, getting to the heart of the visit, “I’ve had this overwhelming feeling. It tells me something is horribly wrong. The frustrating part is that I do not know what it is, or how to fix it. It’s all so mysterious. Not clear at all!”

“May I ask, is this occurring around one particular person?” Meghan explained her encounters, leaving out Jae’s name.

“Interesting,” replied Juliska, afterward. “As I’ve said, seeing is a gift and a curse. I’m sure that’s a picture you’re seeing loud and clear.”

“Yeah, that one’s easy to see,” Meghan replied, rolling her eyes. Meghan enjoyed talking to Juliska. It was easy.

“Sometimes,” said Juliska, “seeding out the problem comes down to experience and, well, guess work.”

“How do you guess?” asked Meghan.

Juliska laughed softly.

64

“Time, I am afraid. Learning to decipher what you feel or see. Understanding if what you’re seeing is the past, present or future is a good place to begin.”

“Even if I somehow decipher that, what can I do? I mean, say it’s a current problem, can I interfere in someone’s life, if they truly are in danger?”

“That depends,” admitted Juliska. “This is where things get tricky. You see, if it is the past, obviously you cannot do anything. If it is the present or future, is it something you can fix? Is it something you should fix? In the end, you must decide what to do with your knowledge, Meghan.”

“Wow,” she replied, her eyes wide. “That’s so much to decide. What if I’m wrong? What if I make things worse?”

“I am afraid I may be burdening, more than helping today,” sighed Juliska.

“I have a suspicious feeling,” accepted Meghan, “that the burden part, will be around for awhile. I guess I just did not realize how complicated Firemancy would be. I don’t know why, but I thought having visions would make things easier to understand.”

“With time and practice, it will become easier, Meghan. No, easier is not the word I’m looking for. Manageable. Controllable.” Juliska rose from her chair, pacing elegantly, deep in thought.

When she sat back down Meghan caught a glimpse of something crawling in her pony-tailed hair. Juliska’s hair fanned out, falling around her shoulders.

“Banon Blackwell, you’ve got a spider in your hair,” spat out Meghan. A glass-like, black and silver spider posed on her shoulder, cleaning its self.

“Not to worry. That’s Pajak, my pet. He serves as a fantastic hair piece when he sleeps.” A spider for a pet! When would this new world begin to make sense? Meghan was not fond of spiders and this was the biggest one she had ever seen. It had to have been at least four inches round.

Juliska ignored Pajak.

“I’m going to give you something, Meghan. Something an, old friend once gave me. Pantin Hollee,” she called out. The same woman that delivered the food came striding in.

“Yes, Banon Blackwell.”

“Oh, Hollee, when will you start calling me Juliska?”

“As I have always answered, only when not on duty, and I’m never not on duty, ma’am,” the lady called Pantin Hollee replied dutifully.

“Oh fine, then. Will you please go to my study and grab an unused journal, and bring it to our new Firemancer?” The woman nodded and departed. “I want you to keep this journal with you at all times,” she then instructed Meghan, “and whenever anything occurs that you think is Firemancy related, write it down. Keep track of where you were and who you were with. This, after some time, may begin to give you a better picture of what may be happening, if certain patterns arise.”

“Okay, I will,” decided Meghan, as she was handed the journal.

“Thank you, Hollee,” said Juliska.

Meghan flipped open the journal, all the while keeping her eye on Pajak the spider.

“Is Pantin a title or a name?” Meghan asked.

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“Title. Hollee is my most trusted personal assistant, and, she will show you out. Unfortunately I must get back to work. But promise me, Meghan, if anything out of the ordinary happens, you will come to me immediately. No work I am doing is more important than helping a new Firemancer!” Her eyes twinkled. She leaned over to Meghan and touched her shoulder gently.

Meghan could not take her eyes off Pajak, who she swore winked at her.

Juliska’s touch was powerful, energy emanated through her. It was easy to understand why Juliska was the Svoda’s leader. Just then, Meghan’s pocket stirred and Juliska glanced curiously.

The kitten had been sleeping so soundly that Meghan had again, forgotten about her. Meghan opened her pocket and let Juliska see the Catawitch.

“My, my. To be chosen as the master and companion of one of these is truly an honor.” Juliska gazed at Meghan with even more fascination now.

“Thank you, Juliska, I mean, Banon Blackwell,” Meghan bowed slightly hoping she had not offended.

“I insist that you call me Juliska. I may not be able to force Hollee to do it, but frankly, it is nice to hear my real name once in a while.” She winked and then departed, asking Pantin Hollee to show Meghan out of the fort.

Meghan hurried back into the village wanting to get started right away in her journal. She stopped at the one open shop to get a pen. The man behind the counter showed Meghan his selection; she couldn’t get over the fact that she did not need to pay. He simply bid her a good day and sank behind a shelf.

Colin found Uncle Eddy talking to Timothy in the old mill. After learning that Meghan had cut classes and not made contact, Uncle Eddy insisted that Colin send a leaf, once she had.

“We also found out that after the holidays we are moving on,” Colin then informed him.

“I assumed that would be the case,” said Uncle Eddy. “We still have some time, though. Come whenever you can.” This did not cheer up Colin, but he pretended to be happier, and told Uncle Eddy about successfully moving the pillows in class.

“I did it no problem. I couldn’t believe it was so easy.”

“Good, good,” he answered. “I had no doubts that you would fit right in.” The rest of the hour his uncle helped him get a start on his homework, and they watched Timothy play. Colin, too soon, realized it was time to leave.

“No Meghan yet?” Eddy asked, hopeful of some news before Colin’s departure.

“No, still nothing. She is completely blocking me.” Timothy followed most of the way back and left him near the wagons. When Colin arrived home he spied his sister sitting alone in the back yard, writing. He stormed through the house ignoring the Mochrie’s, and yelled at her.

“Thanks for not telling me where you were all day! I had no idea if you were all right or not.”

“I’m obviously fine! Maybe I didn’t feel like having you in my brain all day,” she whispered angrily, hoping no one would overhear.

“Fine. Whatever. I’ve got to send a leaf to Uncle Eddy and tell him you’re all right. He was worried, too.” Meghan could see that her brother had been anxious, but for some reason, this made her even more furious.

“Don’t worry about me, okay? I went for a walk, I needed some air!” 66

“You know, I don’t think you can play by your own rules in this place. You missed classes all day, and the teacher is expecting you to have some kind of letter of excuse for not being there. I think she is worried that you won’t have enough practice time to pass to the next level or…” he stopped.

“Or what, Colin?” she barked.

“Maybe you would enjoy being the only thirteen year old in the elementary class, when Jae and I both pass, and you don’t.”

Meghan jumped out of her chair and promptly left the backyard, huffing her way to her bedroom, sliding the curtain closed as angrily as she could.

Days passed without the twins speaking, and each time Colin tried, Meghan made herself busy writing in her journal. Whenever Meghan thought she might try, Colin was busy impressing some student, or the teacher, with his ever-increasing magical abilities; something she was not improving on, and growing increasingly agitated by.

The weekend arrived and they headed out to visit Uncle Eddy, not saying a word the entire way. As they arrived at the old mill Uncle Eddy instantly noticed that something was wrong.

“You might as well spill the beans,” he said. The twins ignored each other. This did not please Uncle Eddy. “Listen!” he said, gaining their attention. “If there is only one thing you remember from what I teach you, it better be this. I understand you have been through a lot these last few months, but it is imperative that you stick together. You are both stuck here! You are both starting new lives. If you work out your problems, rather than ignoring each other, you’d at least be certain that you will always have each other.”

Colin knew he was being foolish, but his sister had not been nice to be around lately.

“That’s not true!” she objected, hearing the thought.

“Oh, it’s okay to spy on my thoughts now, but I’m still not allowed in yours!”

“If you were to try harder, you could block me out better!” she shouted.

“Why would I want to block you all of the time, I don’t have anything to hide.”

“And you’re saying I do.” She jumped up folding her arms tightly.

“ENOUGH!” roared Uncle Eddy, stopping the twins in their tracks; it had sounded exactly like Uncle Arnon. “Did you not hear a word I said?” he added firmly. The twins quieted, and Meghan sat down, leaving her arms securely folded.

“Uncle Eddy, you have no idea what it’s like to always have someone in your head, reading all your thoughts,” she said hatefully.

“It’s the same for me, too,” Colin said, trying to calm down.

“At least you’re talking now,” said Uncle Eddy. “You two need to work this out. This talent of yours can be of great benefit, but privacy of course is needed, for you both. You will have to figure out a way to make this work. Your lives have been entwined together since you were born. I am making this your number one priority! Remember, no secrets! If you let your bonds fail, these next few years could be even harder to live through.” The twins knew he was right, but were not yet ready to admit it to each other; they did do their best to get along the rest of the day.

67

He had them practice drawing energy and using it to perform spells. Meghan was slowly making progress, but was still far behind Colin; this irritated her tremendously, but she tried to not show it. Colin congratulated her when her spells did work, and she thanked him nicely, and by the end of the day they were back to getting along.

Another day with Uncle Eddy was ending though. Meghan fed her kitten; she grew fast and could no longer fit into her pocket. Timothy arrived, happy to see the kitten looking healthy.

“Have you given her a name yet? I’ve thought up a bunch if you need help,” and without waiting he began listing names. “There’s Waggles, Blackberry, although, she looks more like a fuzzy peach, and then there’s Athena, Bashful, Buttons, Cuddles. Another one I like is Jingles, and then Doodles.”

“I think I’ve chosen one, but thanks, Timothy,” Meghan interrupted, realizing he could have easily continued for hours. “I’ve decided to name her, Nona Jacoby. She will be an elegant full grown cat someday; therefore she needs an elegant name.”

“Nona it is, then,” said her uncle, as he escorted them to the edge of the mill, surveying the area.