Book Two - The Opening

Eva woke up and cried. Today, one year ago, her best friend, Jessica, vanished. Today also was Jessica’s fifteenth birthday – or would have been. Everyone believed she had been kidnapped, murdered, and buried in the muck of the swamp somewhere.

She rolled out of bed. She and Peter, Jessie’s adopted brother, planned to go to Jessica’s favorite spot in the woods in remembrance. Before she left the house, she splashed water on her face to remove any trace of tears on her dark skin. She had to act strong for Peter. She needed to help him move on.

 

 

“Nooo!” Jessica stood in the Sahl Desert watching in outrage as Ragnar, who she had believed to be an ally, lifted her dragonfly necklace over his head. She’d made the stupid mistake of believing him. He told her his necklace was the real one and that hers was a fake replica – whatever that meant. A necklace was a necklace and they had looked identical to her . . . until his necklace dissolved into black dust in her hands.

Next to her, ready to spring into action, stood four Nighthawks, who were a band of warriors fighting against Queen Desdemona. Those same Nighthawks had brought her to meet Ragnar, she believed, so he could be her teacher, but it seemed they didn’t know him as well as they thought. Naomi, her closest friend at the moment and Tiergan’s sister, stood away from all the commotion.

She stepped forward to wrestle her necklace from the traitor’s grasp, but Tiergan beat her to it. His hand snaked out and gripped Ragnar’s wrist. “Don’t you dare, old man. It belongs to her.”

A second later, Faolan, her fox companion, leaped into the air, snatched the necklace in his teeth, and landed gracefully on the ground. He trotted up to Jessica with the gold chain secured in his mouth, his silver tail swooshing back and forth in pride.

“Thank you, Little One.” She dropped the necklace back where it belonged . . . around her neck, as she created some distance between herself and Ragnar. She felt like an idiot. Her father had warned her never to remove the necklace. She hadn’t known at the time what he meant. She assumed he’d only acted melodramatic to make his gift seem more than cheap jewelry.

She surveyed the group. The Nighthawks looked tense, but since they were warriors, that was their typical state. Ragnar had a smirk on his face as he watched Jessica glare back at him. Tiergan still stood about an inch away from the old man and looked about ready to rip his throat out. “Thanks, Tiergan. Your coddling is always most welcome.”

He glanced at her, and the tension seemed to break. He stepped back and winked at her in response, which Jessica was unhappy to note caused an odd flutter in her chest. She and Tiergan had an awkward relationship. He attempted to kill the boy she was in love with, he claimed in order to save her life. She had yet to see whether that was true or not, but he definitely saved her life when hunters chased her and he did heal Faolan of a broken bone. She hated the fact that he always appeared when she found herself in a sticky situation.

Still laughing, Ragnar said, “At least she has protective friends, though slow to act they may be.”

            Tiergan put his arm across her shoulders, which made her feel small and violated. She forced herself to stay rooted where she stood. “Jessica will do well at Ashrogof. She is incredibly bright and I’ve watched her do amazing things. Please give her a chance.”

            Ragnar turned his icy gaze to Jessica. “Do you agree, young lady?”

            “No. I don’t want to stay here in this barren land with you,” she retorted. Was Ragnar against them or not? He certainly looked creepy with a crooked grin and long, yellow teeth.

            Derek broke his usual silence, “If I may say so, Sir, she hasn’t been very long in this world. She is weary from her long journey and doesn’t know anything about Ashrogof. She needs our protection and encouragement. Any youth that goes through as many near death situations as she has of late will be a little shaken. In a safe, comfortable environment, I know she will thrive.”

Jessica glanced at Derek, surprised that he, too, wanted her to stay with Ragnar. She liked the older man, but why was he treating her like a child now? So what if there was some truth to his statement?

“Enough. This is my life, we’re talking about. All I have wanted to do since coming to Zatar is return home, but what you’re saying is that I’m supposed to be here? My adopted father is actually my biological father and he wants me to be here? Why didn’t he tell me? And where is my biological mother?”

            She had only been in Zatar for a few months and she never even meant to come here. She went for a walk on her birthday in Virginia through the woods, where she’d been abandoned as a baby. An albino deer, Snowglare, led her through a portal to Zatar, another realm. Her life had been one constant roller coaster since entering the strange world.

            Ragnar replied, “Yes, your father meant for you to come here. Your biological mother is here, in Zatar.”

            “She is? Where?” She glanced around as though she might be hiding behind one of the stone and clay buildings.

            “She isn’t in the Sahl Desert but you will meet her if you agree to stay.”

            She glared at him again. How dare he taunt her like that? She recalled a prediction Lady Foxgloves had given her during her stay at Agnof Keep. She told her she would be reunited with loved ones. That could mean her biological mother. She wondered if her mother looked like her. Did they share similar interests and personalities? She knew absolutely nothing about her, yet the father who raised her could have told her. He’d been lying to her the entire time. She felt angry at her dad, but mostly confused.

            “There is much we can teach you . . . we will focus using the paranormal arts in the natural world. You will meet others with your abilities, but training with us won’t be easy. Our teaching methods are not for the feint of heart. You must show commitment and persistence. You must keep your body and mind sharp. If you fail to progress, you will be asked to leave.”

            Jessica always loved a good challenge. She turned to look up at Tiergan. Why, she didn't know. His opinion hardly mattered to her.

            He answered before her mouth formed the question. “I studied with Ragnar, Jessica. He’s the best teacher anywhere.” He looked as though he wanted to say more, but held is tongue.

            She caught Umi’s gaze and she nodded at her in support. Naomi looked warily back at Jessica. This was her first time meeting Ragnar as well.

            She sighed. “Fine. I’ll stay. It isn’t exactly like I have a choice anyway . . . ”

            Ragnar said, “That isn’t good enough. You have to want to stay.”

            She glanced at Derek and he seemed to be trying to signal to her. She wanted to meet her mother, and if she needed to stay to do that, then she would. “I do want to stay.”

            Ragnar stroked his white beard.

            “You will wake up before the sun rises every day. You will talk when I say talk and be silent when I say silence. You will not complain or protest. You will be pushed to great extremes . . . those of the body and of the mind.  Are you sure you’re prepared? Do you promise to obey my every command and those of the other instructors?”

            She lifted her eyebrows at him in disbelief. “Yes, I will.” As long as you are not unreasonable.

            “All right. That will have to do for now. Please keep in mind you will not be officially accepted into my mentoring program until you go through the trial and the ceremony. Bring the horses this way.”