* * *
Jaelyn broke through the brush in front of her with a final shove, sweat dripping down her face and blood beading on her arms from the thorns. If it weren't for the Sidhe blood, the poison from the thorns would have incapacitated me hours ago.
She had a cutlass at her side but she knew that worse things waited for her than just the thorns and creeping vines. Things even her Sidhe blood would do little to help her with, let alone be profitable in a fight. Some beings even purposefully preyed upon her kind, she knew. To draw a weapon unprovoked here was tantamount to declaring war.
As she stepped over a log, her bootlace snagged on a branch and she tumbled to the ground. “Just great,” she cursed. All the chirping and croaks were silenced in an instance. It was her silence that guaranteed her survival here in the Garbed Forest, named for the bright mosses and creeping vines that seemed to clothe the carnivorous trees.
The chirping resumed and Jaelyn let out a small sound of relief.
She looked around and saw a squirrel sitting on a stump looking at her. “One would think a Sidhe would be better at maintaining their silence here,” a rather masculine voice said with a chuckle.
She blinked, but she had seen weirder things. A talking squirrel, Jaelyn thought to herself, trying to take it in stride and just nodded at the squirrel. I'm really talking to a squirrel.
That was when she could have sworn she saw a smile cross its buck-teethed mouth. “You may talk, girl. Most would not dare attack me, and nothing that lives in this forest would. I am more than I appear to be.”
“Thank you. Umm– Who exactly are you?”
“What is more important is who you are, Jaelyn. I am just the one who saved you from that Cait.”
“Oh,” she said, frozen in fear. All she could see was the giant, lithe cat that she had been in pictures her father had shown her when she was younger. The giant black spots and golden fur that covered its flanks.
“Oh is right. You wouldn't be the first young adventuress that died that way. The Cait has had many an unlucky adventuress for lunch. But, luckily for you, I have a task for you, and your death would be very counter-productive to my plans.”
“But, I have a quest already. I can't just abandon it like that.”
“I thought you might say that. I really must insist in this case. And what I am suggesting would make for a much better Galgain.”
“Why should I listen to you?” Jaelyn asked, blushing with anger at his words.
“First, even though you are not fully Sidhe, the blood still runs in your veins and you are bound to the Edicts of Honor. I do believe that I saved you. Second, this is much more important that searching for that sword. You are not ready for it, nor is the world.”
“More important? What could be more important than finding that sword?”
“Not what– who.”
She rolled her eyes at the squirrel. “Who, then?” “The Child of Fire.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped like a fish. “Wha– what? How? I thought they were all killed.”
The squirrel twittered, and Jaelyn could only compare it to a laugh. “Well, his plan to kill The Children rather worked against Him. As all that live here in Undermire know, this is just one of three connected worlds. Since it is nearly impossible for humans to cross the Veil, The Children or not, He didn't think that it would be worth the trouble of going there himself.”
“And what do you want me to do about this?”
“The Child of Fire will arrive in Talas in one week's time. He will travel from Earth. I want you to be there to help him. Events are being put into motion. Entities that have not stirred in nearly a millennium are waking again, and it is all centered on this one boy. He is the spark that will light the fire. Some will try to help him, others will try to stop him. I just hope that I can be in time,” without a further moment's notice, the squirrel was scampering off through the woods and then disappeared out of sight within seconds.
Four
Something Fishy
“Even after twenty years, I still have the smell in my skin.”
- Fisherman Tom Rickety
Riley and Abe returned from their fishing trip that next Tuesday. They came back with wind burnt faces and every inch of them smelling like fish guts, which Charley was quick to tell them.
The day after they returned, they came to his building and threw rocks at his window until he open the window and was almost hit in the face by the last rock.
Abe pointed at the tree fort and then at themselves and then at him. Charley shot them the thumbs up and they turned to climb the ladder
He decided that he would try one last time to get Nina to talk to him. Pulling on his socks and shoes, he then went into the living room. His mother was sitting on the couch as Charley entered. “Where are you going?”
“Just to the tree fort. Riley and Abe are there.”
She sighed. “Don't tell me they were throwing pebbles again. Wait, I don't want to know– because if I do know, they're dead. Well, are you taking Nina? She might like to see them too.”
“That's what I was just going to ask.” She nodded. “Good. Be safe.”
He looked at her and cocked his head to the side. “We're just going to the tree fort.”
“Just saying, Charley. Be safe.”
He shook his head and walked out of the condo to the door across from his own and knocked. No one answered, so Charley decided to knock again.
Nina's mother opened the door. “Hello, Charley. I'm afraid it's still the same. She won't see you.”
Charley shook his head. “Will you tell her that Abe and Riley are in the tree fort? We have something to talk about.” She looked at him for a minute before answering, “Sure, I'll tell her. No guarantees, though, okay?”
“Okay,” he replied. He walked toward the steps as Nina's mother closed the door.
His foot was just touching the first step when he heard a series of thuds and then the creak of the door opening. He turned and saw a rumpled Nina, with hair flying in every direction, walking toward him with a brush in hand.
“Not a word, Ashe. Not one,” she said as soon as he had opened his mouth to comment. He shut it just as quickly. Realizing he was still in the dog house, he changed tactic and started back down the stairs. Though he did grin as he turned his back to her.
After several days of healing, he had no problem climbing the ladder. In fact, Charley felt that it was almost easier today than it was most days. No point in looking a gift horse in the mouth.
As soon as he climbed the last rung and had nodded to Riley and Abe he asked, “So, how was fishing?”
Nina came in behind him and plopped down in a chair and looked grumpily at all three of them. Riley answered. “Oh, it was really-”
Abe cut in. “Okay, we can chit-chat about fishing later when I’ve gotten the smell out,” he said, rolling his eyes at Riley who looked hurt at the interruption. “Right now we have bigger fish– never mind– more important things to think about. Did you two find anything else while we were in exile?” He asked, looking at both Charley and Nina.
Charley and Nina glanced at each other before returning their gaze to Abe and Riley. Riley's face looked thoughtful. “About that. We haven't actually been discussing that while you were gone.”
“Then what did you talk about?”
Nina answered this time. “Er, nothing, really. We didn't exactly talk at all.”
Abe' face turned incredulous while Riley still appeared to be off in his own world. “What do you mean you guys didn't talk at all?” He nearly shouted.
“Well, I may have been angry at Charley– but– yeah,” she finished weakly.
They all jumped as the bell they had set up started ringing. Abe, being the closest to the trapdoor, looked down. He glanced back at them. “Someone left a package.”
“Did you see anyone?” Charley asked. “Just the package.”
Charley walked over to the trapdoor and looked down. A small pa
ckage sat there. He looked back at them. “I'm going to go look.”
They all nodded. “We're coming with you,” Nina said, her face stern.
Charley grew exasperated when they even refused to let him be the first one to go down the ladder. “What if this is a trap? The best way to keep you safe is if we go first and then you come,” Nina explained.
Charley rolled his eyes. He doubted his friends would be much help if it came to a large magical animal attacking, but didn't say anything.
When they got to the ground, Charley picked up the package and read the tag:
Charley Ashe
Charley's hands shook as he pulled the wrapping off the square packaging. Inside sat the old book that Renwick had shown them. He opened the front cover and a piece of paper fell to the ground. Charley reached down and grabbed it.
Charley unfolded it, but before he could read it, it was pulled from his hands. “Hey,” he shouted, “That's mine!”
“Dear Mister Ashe, if you wish to know more about who you are, and what you are, come to the place you last saw this,” Abe spouted, dancing away from Charley.
Charley looked at Nina and Riley. They both looked thoughtful. “Do you think we should?” Riley asked.
Charley nodded. “I have to. How else am I ever going to find out who I really am?” Charley asked.
Riley nodded his head. “If this is real, I want to go too. How else is the mystery ever going to get solved?”
“I'm going to,” Abe said, looking serious for the first time about everything.
“Count me in, too. I don't believe a Barghest is real, but I want to know more. I need to,” Nina added with her face set stubbornly.
He pushed open the door. The insides looked the same to Charley. The one difference was the black-haired man he had met the week before. Charley froze, blocking the others at the door. “You?”
The man grinned. “Yes, me. Though I'm not sure the dramatics were necessary.”
Nina pulled on Charley's arm, trying to get him toward the door. Charley shrugged her hand off. “Who are you?”
“My name is Rafe. Rafe Fithen.”
Charley froze for a moment. Why does that name sound so familiar?
Charley caught a movement and saw Renwick appear from among the books. Renwick, noticing Nina attempting to pull Charley back through the door, smiled. “Do not worry, Nina. Rafe will not hurt Charley. In fact, he is here to help all of you understand.”
Charley heard the door tinkle behind him. His stomach fell when he heard who it was. “What are you going to help them understand, Renwick?” His mother asked, voice dripping with anger.
Charley turned to her. “Mom-”
“No, Charley. We'll talk later. Wait outside.”
“Mom, I need to know. I need to know why a Barghest attacked me. I need to know who I am.”
His mother balked. “Charley– We just wanted to protect you. Please, don't ask something that can't be undone.”
She looked white in the face when Charley spoke, losing her air of anger. “Mom, what are you and dad trying to hide from me?”
After that, she just looked defeated. Charley felt guilty as soon as he saw her face drop. “I suppose I had better tell you,” she said with a sigh. “I'll need to call everyone's parents.”
“Everyone's?” Riley asked.
Charley's mom nodded and a small smile appeared. “Yes, all of you are very important. All four of you are very important– though I suspect you already know that.”