Through Magic and Mystery E-Book

S.D. Pixley

• Herausgeber: Dreaming of Dancing Bubbles
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Now that Eka and Christelle have survived the rediscovery of the magical world erased from their memories as children, the family betrayal that led to their lost childhoods, and attacks by a celestial being from another universe along with his minions, you’d think they deserved a really long vacation.

Nope.

Now, as they settle into their new found magical abilities and world, they must confront new challenges and dangers as they return to Eka’s paternal home, Hawaii.


Eka is no longer running from the most devastating moment in her life, the night her parents and brother died. But now, as she’s forced to deal with her father’s Waker family, her hybrid magic still refuses to fit into the Waker mold, leaving her an outsider again, while yet another Waker community reminds her how much she isn’t like them. Especially her grandmother, Haipo. And how can Eka help Christelle in the fight against Lintu if no one is able, or willing, to help her understand her magical abilities? Even if she could use her magic, with Lintu interested in her abilities, maybe she’s better off moving under his rader. Unfortunately, Christelle charges headfirst into any conflict with him and Eka can’t just let her best friend go it alone. On top of that, Eka begins to wonder if her brother might have survived, instead of dying with her parents. Can she believe the grandmother that wanted her destroyed?


Christelle is determined to stop Lintu from hurting another living being. With her gifts now at a celestial level, she believes she has the power to stop him. Unfortunately, as strong as they are, these new abilities are not quite working for her. She needs Gaia to help her get them under control, but the only way to reach her seems to be a scavenger hunt/rally where the prize comes from Gaia herself. But to compete she has to do the one thing she thought she’d never do since learning that her Waker family had betrayed her. Work with Wakers. This might just be one of the hardest thing she’s ever done without loosing her mind.

If you enjoy light-hearted fantasy adventures with plenty of action and strong friendships, you'll love the Adventures of Eka and Christelle.

Leseprobe

Through Magic and Mystery

♦

The Adventures Eka and Christelle

Book Two

S.D. Pixley

Published by Dreaming of Dancing Bubbles

An imprint of Shelrie Dawn’s Desk, LLC

Florida, USA

Copyright © 2021 Shelrie Dawn Houlton

www.DreamingOfDancingBubbles.com

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination.

Front cover image by Casey Gerber

Book design by Lorna Reid

Story Edit by Claire Baldwin

Copyedit by Nick Hodgson

Graphics from the following sources:

freepgnimg.com

openclipart.org

Vector-Images.com

BuySellGraphic.com

ISBN (Paperback): 978-0-9992608-7-6

ISBN (Epub): 978-0-9992608-8-3

Table of Contents

RECAP

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

CAN YOU GO HOME AGAIN WHEN IT REALLY WASN'T

I THOUGHT YOU SAID A THREE HOUR CRUISE

WAKERS, WAKERS EVERYWHERE. UGH.

WAKERS, WAKERS EVERY...NOT AGAIN

YOU DON'T KNOW ME

THERE I AM

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

BEWARE LOW HANGING FRUIT

FEELS LIKE HOME

THERE'S NO I IN TEAM, OR NO U.

DANGER IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

PLAY NICE

TRICKY, TRICKY HEART

INTO THE POPPY FIELD

BAD CHOICE WILL TRAVEL

KNOW YOURSELF

A BOOK HAS A COVER FOR A REASON

HERO: A.K.A NOTHING TO LOSE

UP, UP AND AWAY

RECAP

Hey Kiddos, you’re back! Curious about Eka and Christelle, huh? What they’ve been up to since they left Florida.

A shame they left with so little information about this new world they fell into. Or re-fell into.

But, can’t blame Eka for zipping away without a backward glance, what with that Community all but running her out of town. Not sure she’s stoked about what’s ahead, her father’s Hawaiian community. Home of that crazy grandmother of hers, A'he. You remember, the one that wiped her memory and threw her out, just after her parents and brother died! I’ll tell you, if it weren’t for Sema and Win raising her, who knows what would’ve happened to little Eka. Sema and Win? Her mom’s parents, that’s who.

Not sure how Christelle’s feeling. She was lied to by her family, all those years, then ‘surprise, you’re magical! Welcome back to the world we hid from you!’. Just wasn’t the right way to run it, in my opinion.

All those years, separated from part of themselves, then dumped into this new world, can’t have been a settling experience. And definitely didn’t get them ready to deal with Lintu, that shadowy, Waker-killing thing that set their whole, off-course lives in motion.

Anyway, I hope Christelle can work through what happened to her when Lintu attacked her. It really did change everything for her. Good thing Eka finally stopped running, for once, and was there for Christelle. Well, she ran a bit. But she came back and they made up. Yeah!

So, has their celestial mentors contacted them again? Eka would sure like to ask Irida about the weirdly non-Waker powers she gave her. And Christelle would love to corner Gaia about how to destroy Lintu.

And last we saw them, they were on their way to Hawaii. Did they make it there?

One way to find out - read on!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Big, fluffy clouds drifted above Eka in a postcard blue sky, a perfect day for selling the benefits of the area. She glanced sideways, from her vaguely lounge chair shaped contraption, at Christelle, then lifted her leg through the dangling plastic strips.

She remembered buying the beach chairs from a thrift store, their bright colors almost shouting at her from inside the dingy shop. And they had brighten up her campsites, and cheerfully held her up above many a questionable campground. After all, she’d had many neighbors with dogs and grass can hide some crazy stuff.

But after a while, with wind throwing the chairs around, and rain corroding their frames, and sun fading their plastic strips, their colorful enthusiasm seemed deflated. Now they sagged at the mere presence of Eka, seeming to have started a slow, unraveling end to their existence. Her chair barely held enough faded plastic strips (strips the indifferent thrift store clerk had mumbled were ‘confetti pink’) on a wobbly aluminum frame, to keep her from falling through. Well, at least her butt, left shoulder, and right foot were solidly above ground. Everything else was a ‘wait and see’ game. Christelle lay face down on her own, previously sky blue ‘lounger’. A luxury version that held tightly to the left foot as well.

Okay, sell the scenery, not the amenities.

“Beautiful day, huh?” Eka asked her.

Would it work?

Christelle lifted her forehead off the ground and stared at Eka before flipping over. “Nice change from rain, yeah.”

A slight snap and the luxury of Christelle’s lounger ended as her left foot hit the ground.

Come on chairs, work with me.

Eka gently tapped her chair with her foot, then blew out a sigh as she scanned the campsite. Off through the trees, glittering bits of light reminded her of the clear, fresh river water. Perfect.

“Hey, how about a swim?”

Christelle opened only one eye this time and seemed to keep the rest of her body still on the chair. Maybe afraid to move. “It’s fifty one degrees. I’m good.”

Eka sprang off the chair, then pulled off her top and shorts, bikini ready. “Come on, the water’s amazing!”

Christelle stared at Eka, seeming to decide on something. She opened her mouth and started to lift herself up, then stopped, stiffened, and rolled off the chair. Another plastic strip sighed and let go.

Christelle glanced at the chair, then shook her head and stood up. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll go swimming if…” Christelle paused, staring at Eka. She took a deep breath, “If tomorrow morning we finally head to your grandparents.”

Eka’s breath caught and her body rooted to the dirt, heartbeat drumming against the ground.

“I know this is hard,” Christelle squinted at nothing in particular. Maybe a thought? “But we were supposed to be heading there months ago. I mean, traveling with the Tents, was great but we haven’t learned anything else about our abilities. Or what Lintu wants. Why the attacks.”

A familiar darkness flitted through Eka’s memories, pulling and calling her to somewhere. Then the screams followed. Luckily not from her.

“Eka, are you alright?” Christelle took a step toward her, frowning.

Eka wrenched herself forward, stumbling and shaking free of her frozen pose. “Fine, fine. I think I just need to swim.” Feet, somehow attached to her, rushed her body into the trees.

“Eka?” Christelle’s voice trailed behind her. “Hey! We haven’t trained for two months! I mean, I didn’t really think Gaia would show up to train us, but I thought we’d learn more by now!”

Eka kept moving.

Deep breath. Breathe!

“You can’t keep avoiding this!”

“Sure I can.” She whispered to a pine flashing by.

“No you can’t!” Christelle’s voice echoed through the empty campground and into the tree line.

All Christelle’s demands flitted through her memory. Why had she decided a partner would be a good idea?

‘Little plates go on top of big plates.’

‘Leave the seat down.’

‘Clean the dishes when you’re done.’

‘Let’s go to Hawaii now.’

Christelle wasn’t her manager or boss.

“I could just drive off and never look back. See you running after me.” She mumbled. And smiled at the image.

“Still hear you!”

“Is one of your gifts freaky hearing!”

Eka broke through the trees and slowed, padding across the thinning, quiet pine needles and across the pebbles to the river bank.

Why can’t she just chill? It’s not like Hawaii won’t still be there.

“Still hear you!”

“What? But I wasn’t…”

A splash caught her attention, thoughts gone. In the river, a tiny, scaly fishtail disappeared into the rippling surface. Sunlight bounced off the surface in bits of tiny sparkles, entrancing her to a stop; until the wind lightly caressed her face, waking her from the trance as it tumbled through the leaves and disappeared into rippling trees. And, along with the wind, tension drifted away from her body.

“Hey super-spy, I’m going to swim. If you can hear me, get over here and jump in.”

The late afternoon warmth, being a Northwest warmth, was completely assured of its ability to heat up its Northwest environment. This smugness was reassured by the warming rocks, trees and grass. Unfortunately, a human body, something this particular warmth had never encountered in its hours-long incarnation, was a blazing inferno compared to its little heat and soon its life lesson was learned. Just before it petered out.

Eka shivered a moment as her heat disappeared, but cannonballed in through the chill. Then her body hit the water. And slid into the river as an icy blanket gripped her, the moment slowing down as each nerve inside her shouted an alarm. Above her, sun and sky rippled with the surface. Hanging motionless, the cold settled into her, driving the lingering darkness out of her mind. As she sank to the bottom, her feet wiggled in the river bed muck; muck which commenced to explore every nook and crevice of her toes, as if it had never encountered such a weird object. A moment more and her legs bent, then pushed off, and she rocketed up, sending muck off in all directions. A bit of muck, apparently not done with the exam, pulled at the disappearing feet until there was nothing left to pull, sadly drifting off.

Eka’s skin shimmied through the cool, smooth water until she shot through the surface and into 51 degrees of cold air, pulling air into her aching lungs.

“Woo woo!”

Shivering at the touch of air, she stayed in the somehow not-freezing water, finally settling into a horizontal float along the surface. Clouds puffed overhead, racing in slow motion as, across their surfaces, faces imploded into birds, that contorted into sailing ships. Around her, the breeze continued to whisper through the branches, and an eagle scanned from the top of a fir.

Memories of swimming this river, the Crooked, and the nearby Umpqua, hiking through the Teanaway and Ahtanum, all rushed back. Sema and Win could be in Borneo or Peru, but they always brought her back here, back to their cabin.

And that’s where they were headed. A short pit stop before Hawaii.

But not today.

“Or tomorrow.” She argued to herself. “I mean, I haven’t seen the falls in a while. We could head there first.”

“Are you kidding?” Christelle stood on the bank in her one piece, arms crossed.

Eka sighed and swam to her, crawling out into shiver inducing air. “What?”

“You want to make a detour? Again?”

“Maybe.” Eka shrugged at the ground then looked up. “I mean, it’s once in a lifetime. The falls are amazing and who knows when we’ll get the chance again.” Her half-smiled struggled to sell it.

Christelle sucked in a breath. “I can’t believe you’re doing this! Every time we’re close, you turn us around!”

Eka started to remind her of the time Christelle wanted to travel to Thor’s Well, convinced it couldn’t exist. And it just happened to be in the opposite direction of Winn’s cabin. But lavender energy pulsed from Christelle and her hair seemed to take that moment to defy gravity.

“Christelle, your…”

“No! You are not distracting me this time!”

Old leaves, twigs, and other forest debris joined the hair in floating around, adding some bobbing moves to show off.

“I’m not.” Eka held her hands up. “But there’s…”

“Every time you say you’re not, we end up further away from the goal! I didn’t sign on for a tour of America! I’m done with screwing around!”

And ground debris rose up and spiraled in the wind, funneling around Christelle’s body.

“Christelle!” Eka pointed at spinning leaves and dirt.

“What?”

Before an explanation left Eka’s lips, wind spun around them, picking Eka and Christelle up and hurling them into the air. Eka, reaching for anything to hold onto and finding nothing, pinwheeled up, then hung for a brief moment far above the landscape.

Float, float! Come on magic!

But she didn’t float, her magic on break, apparently. Instead, the forest hurtled up at her as she, again, hopefully grabbed at nothing, finally meeting the trunk of a pine and bouncing down the rough surface. Hope finally panned out and she managed to catch some branches, clinching them hard, and jerked to a stop halfway down.

A few breaths later, she finally opened her eyes and looked down. At a far away forest floor.

How high up was she? She examined the ground from all her upside down angles. Maybe only one broken leg from the ground? Probably?

Taking her chances on staying in the tree, she pulled both legs up and around a thick branch, then flipped upright.

“Christelle?” Her whisper-shouted question dissipated a few trees away.

“Eka?” The answer-question came from below and off to the right.

“Hey! I think your gifts are working.” Erratic giggling trailed Eka’s shout.

“Are you okay up there?”

“Just getting to know the locals.” She patted the pine.

“Uh, okay.”

Crunching came closer to the tree, growing louder. “I think I see you.” Christelle’s voice drifted directly up. “Can you climb down?”

Can I?

A few, tiny branches lay below her, just enough to add scratches to a broken leg. “Not really. Have anything left to get me down?”

A long, quiet moment hung between them.

“No. What about your gifts?”

Eka glanced down again. Could she make it down before the magical kickback happened? She couldn’t even remember how long she had between doing magic and the after effects.

“I haven’t even tried since we left Florida.”

“No time like the present,” Christelle’s response drifted up through the trees.

Her arms were losing their stand against gravity and there was no Waker rescue coming, Christelle or otherwise. She sighed and wrapped her hand around a tiny branch nearby and mumbled. “Fine. Sink or swim.”

It never hurt, the way she seemed to empty herself into the area around her, her energy lighting up the surroundings like a spotlight. At least that’s what it looked like to her and Christelle, a spotlight that shouted ‘Hey Universe, changing things a bit. Thought you could use an upgrade!’

Then the spotlight was gone.

The twig shimmered, then broke from the tree and shot out from both sides. It grew fast, smoothing out, as small offshoots sprung from the growing wood, connecting it to a second long, growing piece of wood and, within a minute, a ladder hung from her hand. She held her creation, like all her creations, without feeling any of its weight, no matter how large or heavy it was. She dropped the bottom on the far off ground, the top against her branch.

“My foot!” Christelle shouted.

“Sorry!”

Even if she couldn’t feel it, it was still heavy.

“No, no. It’s okay.” Christelle squeaked from below. “You did it, yeah.”

“Woot woot! I didn’t…” A buzzing sound came from above and she looked up to see the ladder pushing against a beehive. And bees, haloed by yellow energy, spun out and around the hive, moving in wider and wider circles.

“Crap!” She shimmied to the ladder and swung onto it as the buzzing grew louder.

“What?” Christelle shouted up.

“Bees!” Eka felt them brush against her skin and she started sliding, more splinters lodging in her hands and feet. It may be a magical, temporary ladder, but it was definitely wood. Unfortunately.

A few feet from the ground she dropped next to Christelle and sprinted as she yelled. “Angry Bees! Run!”

Christelle bolted after her, and they swerved through trees, as buzzing swirled around them. The bees’ energy rolled around her, angry energy. So angry it was almost palpable, like tiny energy stingers, even as the bees fell behind.

Eka pulled ahead at the camper, leapt up the step, yanked open the door and stumbled in. Without loosing momentum, she grabbed the broom and propelled several attackers out the door and over the dying camp chairs, before Christelle stumbled in, slamming the door behind her.

They’d made it.

They collapsed down, scratching and rubbing at rapidly rising welts. Apparently, this was bee victory, as the excited buzzing outside seemed to be a celebration.

Then Eka felt it, the itching aftermath of using her magic, which always heralded consequences. The vardo shook, rocking them as she grabbed her stomach in anticipation. But the nausea never came, even as the vardo settled.

Why wasn’t she nauseous? Not that she wanted her stomach roiling, but, what had changed? So…strange.

“Bet the ladder’s gone.” She mumbled, releasing her stomach and scratching a few late-comer welts as magical slivers disappeared from under her skin.

Christelle nodded, rubbing a minefield of welted skin. “Did you see that…energy? Did you feel…”

“Angry energy? Yeah.” Eka checked her clearing skin, the pulsing aches dissipating.

“They were pretty angry.” Christelle narrowed her eyes at Eka. “Or agitated at something. Someone? Know anything?”

Eka shrugged. “Bees can be unpredictable.”

“Uh, huh.”

A soft buzzing still hovered outside, but the party was winding down.

Eka pushed herself up from the floor, grinding dozens of real world tree splinters into her palms.

“Holy crap!”

She fell back, lifting her hands to find wooden needles zig-zagging under her skin.

Christelle studied Eka’s hand, then stood up and rummaged through the bathroom supplies, returning with tweezers. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Eka grabbed them and pulled at the pine slivers.

Why can’t they disappear, like the ladder’s?

“Eka, I’m sorry I lost my temper.” Christelle sat next to Eka.

“No worries, we lived.” The tweezers dug into her thumb, dragging out another long slice of wood. “Owww.” She sucked her thumb then glanced at Christelle. “Your magic is getting crazy strong. I mean, you didn’t even break a sweat.”

The twinge of a smile pulled briefly at Christelle’s face. “I know right.” But the smile was attacked by a frown and defeated. “And I’m afraid. Afraid of what I just did, that I could hurt someone.” A brief flash of anger. “Afraid I won’t be ready if that…if Lintu comes back.”

“I know.” Eka continued to pull slivers, dropping eye contact.

“I’m not saying I haven’t had fun. I loved performing again.” Christelle continued.

Eka’s hand stopped mid-tweezer and her gut tightened as she held her breath.

“But that’s not why we’re here.”

Quiet and stillness.

“Not why I’m here.”

Eka looked up. “I know. We’ll get there.”

Christelle sighed and squinted at the tweezers. “Grab a little higher.” She touched the splinter, pushing it further in.

“Hey!” Eka jerked her hand away. “I got it.”

“Sorry. Eka, I know you don’t want to go back to Hawaii. But,” she held up her hand as Eka opened her mouth, “I have to go.”

Flashes of screaming, fear in darkness, rolled over her. Always followed by a pit of loss and fiery anger.

Christelle took a deep breath. “You know I’m the first to jump on the ‘avoid Wakers’ bandwagon, but I need to figure out my gifts. Get ready.”

Eka’s shoulders sagged and she nodded.

Christelle sighed. “And I can’t. Not if I avoid Wakers. Or my gifts.”

Eka nodded again.

“So, what I’m saying is, you don’t have to go. But…I’ve got to go.”

Eka’s stomach twisted and she ripped a piece of skin off with a splinter. “Damnit!”

After a few moments of sucking on the finger in the expectant quiet, Eka took a deep breath. “You’re right. It’s time. I just…” The screams and darkness again. “I haven’t remembered much more about that night in Hawaii. It’s all crappy darkness. And fear.”

Christelle frowned, fidgeting in her seat. “But it’s the only other place we know with Wakers. And your grandparents, the good ones, will be there too.” Christelle frowned deeper. “You’re okay with your grandparents, yeah?”

Sema and Winn, their laughter, the hugs and treats on scary nights, unlikely adventures across the globe. She nodded. “So we go.”

Across from her, Christelle’s whole body sank away from the vice-grip of tension holding it, and the frown gave way to a smile. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Eka smiled back. Outside, stillness reminded her their attackers must have gone home. “And the bees seemed to have left. We can pack up tomorrow and be there by evening.”

Christelle sat up and the frown marched right back in. “Wait. We’re less than a day away? And we’ve been camping in this area for three days?”

“Hey, procrastination is an art-form.” Eka smiled. Weakly.

Christelle’s thumb shot to Eka’s big toe and ground a splinter in deeper.

“Hey!” Eka yanked her foot back.

“You deserved that.” Christelle stood up and walked out, slamming the door.

“Maybe!”

After a moment of quiet, Eka staggered up, needles still stabbing into her hands and feet. She hop-walked after Christelle.

There’s got to be ‘remove splinter’ magic or something.

Eka stumbled out the door and down the steps. “Christelle, come on. We’re going, no more jacking around. I can probably get us there faster if…” She bumped into Christelle’s still form.

“Christelle?”

Her friend pointed shakily to the windshield, a single sheet of paper flapping under the wiper. A familiar sheet of paper that seemed to wave ‘hello again’. Eka’s heart sped up as she tentatively lifted it from under the wiper blade. Half-written letters stared back at her. The same letters.

“Is it?” Christelle whispered.

Eka nodded. “From the book. Or a maybe a copy.”

“But how? Grams had them. Or…” She was pale and took off into the vardo. A moment later she emerged, shaking her head. “My copy is still in tact.”

“You still have that?” Eka almost yelled. Almost.

“I was trying to figure out something that seemed like a weapon.” Christelle still hadn’t regained any color.

“We could use one right now.”

Christelle shook her head. “Not sure it was a weapon, it seemed like more of a charger or something.”

“Awesome.” Eka whipped her head around, looking for someone hiding in the campsite or tree-line. Even footprints. Nothing. “We need to go.”

Christelle nodded.

Eka, splinters forgotten, hooked up the camper as Christelle ran around grabbing their stuff and shoving it into the vardo, both racing until they were done and leaving. The sun was just setting as they pulled out and Eka checked the rear view mirror for signs of anything following. Nothing.

As the campsite grew farther away, her heart slowed and she focused on the road. It really did seem to stretch forever ahead of them, an endless invitation to unknown wonders. But it was deceptive. It didn’t really go on forever. There was an end, and that end was Winn’s cabin, very, very soon. And then…

“Hawaii.” She mumbled.

“What?” Christelle whispered, glancing toward the side view mirror.

“Nothing.”

Just a rock and a hard spot.

CAN YOU GO HOME AGAIN WHEN IT REALLY WASN'T

Eka drove north out of Bruceport, down route 101.

How did he find us? Were we followed? From Manatee Isles? Did he send someone else? Damn it!

A shiver went through her.

Why is he looking for us? I’ve got to leave. Go.

Her heart beat fast.

Where, though?

The clouds and hills seemed to lean in to the road as she pushed harder on the gas. Were the trees getting closer?

She glanced left, then right, trying to catch movement just out of focus and, of course, the truck swerved, following her shifting gaze.

“You’re freaking me out!” Christelle screeched from beside her, clutching the door handle.

Eka pulled onto the shoulder and rolled to a stop. In the quiet, their breathing said it all, echoing through the still cab. Heart as loud as her breathing, Eka glanced out the window. The pines stood tall, not reaching for her, under a few puffy pale clouds that drifted through the twilight sky.

They’re trees, not assassins.

Just like the trees from her childhood, full of perching places high above all of this. Maybe, if she was up in one, away from all this…

She turned at a slap on her arm, a wadded paper laying next to her feet. The paper from the windshield. She yanked her feet up, around the steering wheel, and onto the dash. “What the hell?” Her yell echoing around the small space.

“Are you listening?” Christelle frowned at her.

Eka sucked in a deep breath and unraveled herself from the dash and wheel, kicking the paper to Christelle’s side. “What?”

Christelle growled and picked up the paperball, shaking it. “This is why we need to get to Hawaii.” Her palms shook in the air and her head flew back, a yell erupting from her. “I can’t believe that thing has the information from the book. We have to stop them. They can’t do those things again. Rip people apart…” Christelle’s sucked in breath and threw the paperball down, chest heaving.

An abrupt quiet descended on the cab again. A very long, drawn out silence.

“Christelle.” Eka finally whispered, eying the paper ball, sitting on the floor between them.

“What!”

Eka jumped, staring at Christelle sitting rigidly, staring at her. And, if stares were a natural force, say a hurricane or a tornado, Eka would be pinned against the cab door.

“I was there, I know what happened.” Eka tried reaching out, but was afraid. Like, physically afraid to put her hand near Christelle.

Christelle didn’t relax, but at least she didn’t lung at Eka’s hand.

“You’re right,” Eka whispered, a tad bit louder now, “we need more information. There’s so much we don’t know about all this. So…” She knew it was crazy, but they needed to do this. “We’re going to Hawaii. I’m going.”

Was she even breathing? She checked and restarted her breath.

Christelle opened her mouth, but Eka continued.

“But my magic is…I’m not a Waker. I don’t belong there, in a Waker community. Not even a place that should have been home.”

Christelle’s body, seemingly stone a moment ago, now seemed flesh, actually pliable. She laid her hand on Eka’s shoulder. “I’m no Waker, either. Not anymore. That’s why we have to stick together. Two of a strange kind.”

Eka’s mouth quirked up. “Peas in a shell.”

Christelle actually let a smile out of the dungeon.

“So, you know I don’t know how to use this magic and neither does anyone else.” Eka continued, probably to drown out any silence trying to make its way back in. “I think I’m just a parlor trick.” Eka held up her hand as Christelle started to say something. “I’m just saying, I’m not any use in a fight.”

Christelle squeezed Eka’s shoulder then dropped her hand and sagged in the seat. “I know. But I can’t run away from it.”

Eka nodded. “I know that. But be careful. Maybe these Wakers can help. Maybe even fight with you against Lintu.”

“No. This is my fight.”

Careful.

“Christelle, I know Manatee Isles was a crap-fest of an introduction to this world.”

“Re-introduction.”

“Too true. But,” Eka tentatively picked up the paper, holding it between them, “we keep playing at a disadvantage.”

“That’s why I need to train. Gaia upgraded me. Gave me her gifts. I just need to get them in fighting shape.”

“But there must be a reason Gaia can’t go this alone. You might need help in this fight. And I can’t do it.”

There was silence for a long while. Like a really long while.

Was she going to answer? Agree?

“Maybe.”

Eka jumped at Christelle’s voice.

“Great.” Eka squeaked, catching her escaping voice. “Of course you’re pretty bad ass without help. I mean, you took out Wallace with a rose bush.”

Christelle’s face seemed to wrestle, frown versus smile. Smile won.

“And,” Eka added. “With a ton of experienced Wakers stuck in a standoff.”

“I did do all that,” Christelle’s shoulders dropped a bit, releasing some tension from its hang out spot, “without much training.”

“Definitely no ‘rosebush warfare’ training.”

Now Christelle grinned. “Right!”

“Who knows, maybe next you’ll be bowling over your enemies with watermelons.”

“Or pinning them with wet noodles.”

They laughed for a moment, the first time in days. Or was it weeks. Who knows, but it was the release Eka needed. She grabbed the steering wheel, shifted, and pulled back on the road. “We’re not far now.”

“Eka…thanks.”

Eka nodded and rolled the window down, the air refreshing after that jacked-up moment. Christelle turned on some local pop station and they danced down the road for an hour. A perfect hour, like those hours of childhood, hanging out in the trees, high above it all. Then a familiar break in the tree line loomed ahead and her daydream of escape crashed.

“We’re here.” She sighed.

Christelle squinted. “Where?”

Eka pulled onto a grassy shoulder, next to a dense forest. “Right through there.” She pointed at the tree line ahead.

“Through the trees?” Christelle was frowning, again.

Eka smiled, her clammy hands drying. “Always wondered why there wasn’t a drive. Why Winn’s place seemed like it was in the middle of an obstacle course. Guess this entrance was really just a front for me.” She pulled forward until the narrow, grassy path appeared.

“Through there.” She pointed between the trees. “I think my truck can still make it.”

Christelle’s eyes opened a bit more and she patted the dash. And tried to hide her crossed fingers.

The ground, covered in forest debris looked smooth, but hidden under it all were trenches. As if the forest itself was daring her to enter. The creaking tree limbs sounded suspiciously like laughter. And not the ‘we thought this little prank would cheer you up, you looked funny bouncing around like that’ kind of laugh. More like the ‘you think that thing will make it through here, well by all means, come in’ kind.

Pulling in, the truck hit the first bump and lifted her off the seat. Then, as soon as she slammed down, another dip threw her up. And sideways. Outside, the truck and vardo creaked, rattled, and moaned while, beside her, Christelle performed feats of aerial contortion, each jolt sending her flying into the roof or the window.

“O…M…G…you…sur…vived…this…before?” Christelle managed.

Eka nodded, looking like a broken jack-in-the-box in the rearview mirror.

They bumped along until they finally moved out of the trees and she braked, letting her body settle into its previous configuration.

Last time through wasn’t that bad, was it?

The side mirror, still intact, showed the truck and vardo holding together and relatively unscathed. A single branch desperately clung to the vardo’s roof, the only evidence of their adventure.

After a moment of settled quiet, she pulled forward, down the relatively smooth path, and soon a familiar ocean inlet, log cabin, and barn came into sight, nefarious forest forgotten.

And there on the porch sat Sema and Winn. Her heart smiled deeply. They were her childhood, at least the only one she really remembered. The smile took over as Sema stood, heading her way, Win waving as he followed her down.

Eka stopped in front of the two and Christelle threw her door open, pouring out onto the ground.

“Christelle?” Eka hopped out to help, but Sema and Winn intercepted Eka and smothered her in hugs. “Hey little bird.” Their muffled greeting went through her, relaxing her a little.

Christelle’s hand slapped the hood and she slowly hauled herself up. Was she green? Pale green?

Eka waved her over, “Sema, Win, Christelle.” Eka pointed at everyone in her usual, flash-introduction method.

Christelle stumbled over, holding her stomach and head.

“Are you alright?” Winn asked. “You look a little green.”

“That’s what I thought!” Eka nudged him.

Christelle narrowed her eyes. “Was that drive constructed to kill?”

Sema laughed. “We haven’t used that old drive since Eka took off.” She glanced at Winn. “Didn’t think anyone could use it.”

“Only her.” Christelle pointed at Eka.

Sema laughed and shook her head. “It’s so great to see you again, Christelle.”

A frown flitted across Christelle’s pale, green face. “Again?”

“We visited Shirley once when you were at the Hapton’s. You were quite the little leader, all the plants fell right in line.” Sema winked at her and, with those few lines, she was done with the story and off in another direction. “You two hungry? We’ve got a few things at the campfire that aren’t packed for tomorrow.” And she was off to the campfire.

“Tomorrow?” Eka and Christelle asked simultaneously.

Win nodded. “Departure.”

Eka’s stomach turned and a faint pounding beat in her head. “So soon?”

Sema threw her hands on her hips. “We’ve already waited three months. Can’t imagine what was keeping you?”

Christelle glanced at Eka but Eka turned to look at her truck. “So where am I parking my home.”

Win sighed, walked over and put his arm around her, steering her to the truck’s cab. “Why don’t we get the truck and camper set up in the barn. Can’t leave it out in the open. Who knows how long we’ll be gone.”

What?

“How long do you think we’ll be gone?” She slid into the cab.

Winn shrugged. “I’ll get the barn doors.”

Her hand touched the steering wheel.

I’m not ready to leave you.

She sighed and the truck seemed to sigh back. Or maybe it was just the wind. Slowly she shifted gears and her, the truck, and the vardo crept to the barn where Winn had the doors opened; to a barn that seemed so much smaller than before. When had it shrunk?

She rolled into a small space under a hay loft as the doors shut behind her, sealing shut her home and future. Switching off the truck, she took a deep breath. And stepped into her former childhood playground, engulfed by the familiar scent of old wood and dirt.

“You never did stay in the cabin much, liked to sleep and play out here.”.Win came up next to her.

“Yeah.” Eka stared up at the loft. “I think I built a whole bedroom up there.”

Win pointed across to another loft. “You used to build all sorts of contraptions up there.” He smiled and walked over to the far wall, a rusted bucket laying sideways. “You used to use this to slide things between the two lofts.” He laughed, blindly reaching for it, a now glowing yellow bucket.

“Winn, what’s wrong with it?”

He stopped moving as the bucket expanded, wrapping around his hand and pulling him down to the ground and trapping him under an expanding mountain of metal.

“Help!” Eka ran to his side as Christelle and Sema burst into the door.

Christelle slid next to him, wind picking up around her as Sema…laughed?

“Gotch!”

“Sema, help him!” Christelle yelled.

“Are you kidding me?” Eka looked from Sema to the struggling Win.

“What?” Christelle frowned, the wind in a holding pattern.

Sema’s laughing morphed into a grin. “I knew he’d go for something nostalgic.” She turned to the prone Winn. “Concede?”

Winn nodded, metal covering his mouth. Sema, still grinning, sent yellow energy spreading over the ground and Winn and the metal melted away from his body and his grin. “Now that was clever. No idea it was coming. The bar is high.”

Eka shook her head but a grin was consuming her face. “You two are worse than last time.”

Christelle, sitting, looked around her. “What is going on?”

“They’re competing for top trickster.” Eka grabbed Christelle’s hand, listlessly laying next to her limp body, her face sporting a confused expression, and hauled her up.

“Top trickster?”

“Yeah. The Chinook blue jay versus Indonesia’s little deer.” Eka leaned over and whispered. “Never try to stop this contest. Trust me.” She shivered at an old memory.

Winn stood, brushing off his jeans and t-shirt. “Despite this, blue jay is a way better trickster than a tiny dear. I mean, it can fly.”

Sema shook her head. “My fifty point lead says otherwise.” She singsonged and danced around him.

“How many points do you have?” Eka couldn’t remember the last score she’d heard.

“Let’s see.” Sema rested her hand on her chin. “I believe we passed five million just last week.”

“Five million!” Christelle stared at the two, then turned to Eka.

Eka shrugged. “Been at it since before I was around. You know,” Eka said to Winn, “if we went up to Bone River, I bet you could win back some of those points. And we could do some hiking.”

Win slapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Nice try, but tomorrow is the push off date.”

“I know you’re not happy about this.” Sema’s smile faded and her serious face looked directly at Eka. “You’ve never been back to the islands since…that night. But we have to go. Everyone’s gathering and,” Sema held up the paper they’d found on the windshield, “there’s something dangerous out there. Something that seems focused on you both.”

Eka’s shoulders sagged. “Fine. But isn’t there another group we could contact. Does it have to be there?”

Sema sighed. “I wish we had a choice, but Win and I have something we have to take care of there. Besides, there’s the contest.”

“Contest?” Eka and Christelle asked in unison, again.

Sema grinned at them. “Hasn’t happened in centuries.”

“And Wakers are arriving from all over to compete.” Winn added, his eyes crinkling.

“Waker groups, trying to find clues and complete insane tasks.” Sema jumped in. “It’s going to be brilliant!”

“Like a treasure hunt?” Eka tried treasure hunting eggs at Easter once but she only ended up with rotten eggs, a single, and very old, bite-sized snickers, and a shredded plastic basket.

Win nodded. “And, I hear the winners get a gift directly from Gaia.”

“Really. From Gaia herself?” Christelle focused on the the two depots of information. “How does someone get into the contest?”

“Well, if I remember, you have to join a team.” Sema’s face contorted in thinking mode, a mesmerizing ballet performance of facial features.

“Yes, yes. That’s what I remember.” Win’s blue energy pulsed around him and his words sped up. He turned to Sema. “Remember the drowning waterfall. How we had to resuscitate Billy?”

Sema nodded, her yellow energy crackling. “He almost lost the whole thing for us, drowning like that.”

“At least we got him back.” Win’s energy dissipated.

Sema sighed. “Yeah. And we still won.” They both smiled a bit at that.

“What did you win?” Christelle suddenly had more questions. “What was the gift?”

Sema and Win exchanged a look she’d never seen. Almost a secret handshake kind of look.

“Actually, it wasn’t the real contest. Some of us just tried to create one.” Sema’s eyes glowed a bit yellow.