Chapter 27
Safe
The rest of the trip back to Fedonis's passed quickly. They convinced themselves that Maren was safe because she hadn't actually made eye contact with her doppelganger. To do so portended one's own death. Jeremy's doppelganger, however, because it was sighted by Tina, revealed that Jeremy was in danger. He shrugged his shoulders. "Not news to me."
Both Tina and Maren wanted to discard the Dragon's Horn in the mirror room, but Jeremy insisted that they take it. He held it firmly under his arm now, and walked briskly to the doors that led to Fedonis's chambers.
Fedonis, sensing their arrival, was leaning up against the door. As Jeremy pushed the doors open, the old man toppled over.
"Ah! And just on time!" said the hermit from the floor.
"Sorry," said Jeremy, offering Fedonis a hand.
"Tish tosh tush. What wares have you for me, hrm?" Fedonis pushed off from the floor with his gnarled cane and sniffed at Jeremy's underarm.
Jeremy pulled the Dragon's Horn away. "I'm keeping this for myself," he said. "But we've found these." He held out his other arm. He was holding small rocks, iridescent seashells, a small dagger, and leather shoes. Tina held out her spoils as well―a jar filled with yellow cream, metallic flower petals, and a necklace.
"Ah!" The hermit rubbed his hands together. Some dead skin cells flaked onto the leather shoes, and noticing that he was in dire need of exfoliation, he began to vigorously scrub at his elbows to rid himself of the skin.
Jeremy, appalled, dropped the shoes, and this seemed to bring Fedonis back to the present.
"And you wanted my protection, yes, hrm?" Fedonis's eyes fell on the Dragon's Horn. "Well it's that I'll be wanting."
"No," said Jeremy.
"We'll think about it," interrupted Maren.
This seemed to pacify the hermit and he shambled back to his makeshift storefront. "Hungry?"
Jeremy, Maren, and Tina gathered around him. Lyrna began to groom herself.
"Jerky? Nuts? Pestra bread? And of course the oasis has all the nutrients you'll need, but have a chew." Fedonis passed a large basket to Jeremy and they all began to grab at whatever looked edible. "I've got four rooms to put you up in. Unless, of course, less rooms would suffice," Fedonis shouted, fiercely waggling his eyebrows.
“Four rooms would be just fine,” said Maren.
Fedonis pulled a ladder up from a loose stone and began to rotate a lever on its side. The ladder grew taller and taller. At last, Fedonis set the ladder against the stone wall.
Fedonis climbed the rickety ladder and stopped four stones up. He slid a stone aside and gestured for everyone to take a peek. "In here. Make yourselves at home. You'll see a well-lit corridor, with four doors on one end, and four on the other. Hrm? Got that?"
"Yes, thank you sir," said Maren.
Fedonis tipped an invisible hat. "Wash and fill up at the oasis before you get settled in now."
Jeremy, Maren, Tina, and Lyrna made their way swiftly to the oasis and filled their canteens. After returning and climbing the ladder, they walked slowly through the corridor of their new residence, noting Fedonis's paintings on the wall, which were mostly self-portraits. It was decided that Jeremy would take the center room, Tina would be on his left, and Maren and Lyrna would be on his right (Jeremy insisted that Maren sleep with Lyrna).
After Fedonis sprinkled a bit of protective charm dust and uttered an awkwardly long formula, Tina crawled into her room. Jeremy went to join Maren and Lyrna. "Just for a second," he said.
Maren crawled into her small room first and Jeremy followed. Lyrna waited until they'd settled before curling up in a ball at the base of the bed. The room was just big enough for a single bed, and just tall enough to sit up in. "Pretty claustrophobic," said Maren, shivering slightly.
"Should I leave? I just feel like we haven't had any time alone together." Jeremy took a sip from his canteen. "Hey―is my hair getting too long for you?"
"Oh?" Maren shook her head and laughed softly. His hair always looked perfect, no matter the length. "You're all right."
"You're so much more to me," he said in a mawkish voice.
Maren blushed and leaned back against the wall. "Jeremy, you always push the envelope, and too soon. Can we just―"
"I'm always chasing, Maren. When's it going to end? When will you feel comfortable with me?" Jeremy set his blue eyes on her and parted his lips to speak, but said nothing.
Maren closed her eyes tightly. She wanted to blink back all of the raw, jumbled feelings. This was a time of war, and she couldn't allow herself to be weak, to be weakened by this fickle and magnetic boy who had beguiled her for so long. But then, hadn't there always been love in times of war? Wasn't love the engine of courage? Or was love the last thought of a fool? "The backdrop to our lives is pretty epic," she said at last. "I'm sorry if I distance myself from you. I imagine you must be lonely. I..." Maren looked down at her lap. "I'm sorry about what happened at Ms. Donegall's."
"Oh," Jeremy sounded embarrassed. "It's okay."
"And something else happened too, didn't it?"
"Hmm?"
"Before your time at Ms. Donegall's. After we returned to Earth and while I was staying with my Earth family, Bruce―that's my Earth father―told me that you were accused of murder. There was a boy...."
"Jason Truitt," said Jeremy sadly. "Yeah, I um..." He scratched the back of his head and then started rubbing a piece of the sheets between his fingers.
"It's okay," said Maren. "I believe you're innocent."
"Well I'm not." Jeremy looked away. "I mean, it was self-defense. Not even―it was an accident. He had the gun, he had it pointed at me, and I tried to..." Something caught in Jeremy's throat, and Maren placed her hand on his knee.
"Whatever you've gone through, you need to grieve."
"I don't need to do anything," said Jeremy. There was a defensive edge to his voice. "It's all predetermined, don't you see? I could just sit, and do absolutely nothing, and fate would find me. I mean, I drove a plane to Leviathan Island! Somehow, right? I meet Mantel, and look―I'm here again! And all I want is for you to treat me like I'm just a person that you like. But," Jeremy held his hand up to prevent her from protesting, "if I'm not your type, please don't pity me."
"You are! I don't have a type, but I like you a lot."
At that moment, Lyrna let out a soft growl and scurried out the door.
Jeremy watched her exit and smiled to himself. "You think I'm a jerk. You're probably right."
"Not anymore. You're excusable on every count." Maren crossed her arms defiantly.
"Well," he said after a brief pause, "that's the best I'm going to get." Jeremy pushed Maren back on the bed and pressed her arms up over her head. She narrowed her eyes at him, but he only leaned in closer. He kissed her now, and her heart fluttered. Maren could feel her body flush with warmth, but she didn't resist. In a word, kissing Jeremy Chikalto was divine.