The Vanishment, Chapter Six

Chapter Six:
         Alaina trudged over the landscape, cursing her brother and grinding her teeth in frustration. What was she supposed to do now? She knew she really should think about what Arick had said but she couldn’t focus on that right now. There were too many other thoughts working their way through her brain. She didn’t even know where she was going. Daphne had mentioned something about her brother being in the next town over, but what was the name of the town? What if she passed by it on accident?
         After a while the soothing sounds of the forest calmed her nerves. Above her the twittering of birds filled the air. A robin flew from branch to branch, teasing its playmate in a rousing game of chase. Up ahead a squirrel chattered happily to itself as it searched the forest floor for nuts. Behind her some twigs snapped just like the ones snapping under her own feet…
         Alaina stopped where she stood with her ears perked. There it was again: the unmistakable sound of someone else working their way through the forest. Alaina rolled her eyes. Hadn’t she made it clear she didn’t want to be followed? She spun around abruptly, facing the sound and shouted, “Arick, I already told you! Go home!”
         Immediately, the crunching, twig-snapping sounds stopped and were replaced with a voice she didn’t recognize. “…must be her. Get her!”
         Alaina sucked in a surprised breath. It wasn’t Arick! Several men in a green and black uniforms darted through the trees. She was such an idiot!
Spinning on one heel she turned and pushed herself through the trees, running as fast as her injured ankle would let her. Behind her, the men were no longer concerned with concealing themselves. They crashed through the bushes, hopping onto the path she walked on.
         Breathing heavily, she jumped dove into the trees, hoping their tall forms would shield her. She crouched low, ducking below the bushes as she scrambled back and forth.          She only stopped momentarily, to remove her shoes so she could tread more softly across the forest floor. Maybe if they couldn’t hear her she could lose them. Small stones and twigs bit into the bottom of her feet, making her bite her lip to stay quiet.          
         She had just gotten over the next hill when the ground gave way beneath her feet. She was so surprised she didn’t even cry out as she tumbled into the animal trap, twigs and leaves falling all around her. As she slammed hard into the ground, her ankle snapping beneath her. At the same time, Alaina skimmed the edge of the hole and her head slammed against the dirt wall. She had just enough time to feel pain shoot through her leg and head before everything went black.

         Darkness fell around Alaina as the day continued. All through the night she lapsed in and out of consciousness with unfocused, sketchy images flitting through her brain. Bustling sounds and the nearby movements of some creature touched what little awareness she had. Something grunted and groaned nearby. She felt herself being moved and nausea overwhelmed her, pushing her back into darkness.
         A little while later, her eyes slowly opened in tiny slits. There was a light beside her too bright to look at. She groaned and tilted her head away.
         Whispers sounded around her. At first they were quiet, blending together uncomprehendingly. Then they separated into an outraged hiss and two male voices.
         “What have you done?” an irate voice cried. “We don’t do this. You shouldn’t have gotten involved.”
         Alaina twisted slightly where she lay, trying to see the person who spoke. The light around her was so bright she couldn’t see a thing. She squinted, trying to make out the forms around her but it was no use.
         A trembling voice answered. “But, the magic. Can’t you feel it? She’s obviously important.”
         “It doesn’t–”
         Suddenly a great howling wind filled the space, muffling the voices so Alaina could no longer hear them. She curled her knees to her chest, shielding herself the best she could as the wind caressed her with icy fingers. Without warning, a rush of warmth surrounded her, like she was sliding into a heated stream that enveloped her from head to toe. It was then that sleep finally came. Not unconsciousness, but warm, comfortable sleep that spread throughout her entire body.
         When Alaina awoke completely she found herself not in a hole anymore, but propped against a tree and a rock. Her first glance around told her she was in a strange part of the forest. She recognized nothing in the vicinity. In fact, the sight of her knapsack resting against a nearby bush was the only familiar aspect of her situation. She pushed herself to her feet and glanced around warily for the voices she’d heard before. The only sounds in the forest were those of nature passing the day. She could see no one else around her.
Had she dreamt those voices? She took a few steps in one direction, searching with her eyes and suddenly realized her foot didn’t hurt anymore. Bewildered, she sat on the rock and felt her ankle. The bandage was missing and the swelling had gone down. She stood again and hopped a few times.
         There was no pain in her ankle, whatsoever.
         She spun in place and glanced around the forest. She was certain there was no one else nearby, but obviously someone had helped her. How was it possible that she had healed so quickly? When she touched her face and arm, she was relieved to find all tenderness gone from those spots, as well. Even if someone had treated her wounds, injuries didn’t heal that fast. How was it possible that she was completely healed? There was no way to know.
         Unsure what else to do, she picked a direction and started walking, hoping she was heading toward the appropriate town.
         Later that afternoon, Alaina stopped near a large boulder for her first rest of the day. Hunger pains shot through her stomach. She dug through her knapsack, searching for a piece of bread. Instead she found an unexpected treasure. Buried into the bottom of the bag was one of Saige’s star-knots. Her friend must have slipped it into her sack when she’d said goodbye.
         The sight of the gift made Arick’s words come crashing back to her.
“Saige is dead,” he had said.
Now the full significance of those words threatened to knock Alaina off her feet.
         Squeezing the knot in her fist, she sat on the boulder, curled her knees to her chest and cried. She pictured the older woman the way she’d last seen her – a wild fire in her eyes as she held a knife to her father’s stomach.
         And now her friend was dead. It was too impossible to be true.
         Alaina remembered the anger in her father’s eyes just before she’d left Briarton. Fury swept through her as a very specific image pushed its way into her brain. In it, she saw her dad sneaking around Saige’s house, stumbling drunkenly amongst the shadows. She saw him lighting a torch and making the flame flare up with a splash from one of his favorite bottles.
         Suddenly, a terrible, anguished cry ripped itself from Alaina’s throat. She slammed her fist into the tree behind her, and dropped her shoulders in defeat. Every part of her wanted to run back to Briarton to see the ashes for herself. She dreamt of sneaking through the dark into her father’s room while she was there. The anger and humiliation she’d felt since her mother died pushed her forward every step. She held a knife to her father’s throat and …
         Alaina squeezed her eyes shut. Who was she fooling? She’d never have the courage to do that. If she went back to Briarton now she’d probably receive the worst beating of her life. She’d never have the resolve to leave again. And then what would happen to Boeme?
         Without warning, a ball of anguish, frustration, fear, and pressure built up in her throat and before she could think of holding them back a well of tears sprung from her eyes. Sobs wracked her body as Alaina rested her elbows on her knees and let the tears fall freely. Who did she think she was? She couldn’t take on this task. It was too big. She had no idea where she was, she had no idea how she would help Boeme, and she had no idea where she was supposed to go from here.
         It wasn’t until a kind of moist heat touched her cheek that Alaina was shaken out of her stupor. Her eyes dropped down to her lap. The star knot was emitting an odd kind of steam. Surprised out of her depression, Alaina sat back in surprise.
         The star knot was settled on her crossed legs and little lines of steam twisted up in the air above it. She could see tiny wet spots on it where the steam was coming up. Out of curiosity, Alaina wiped her cheek and held a tear up against the edge of the knot. As the tear made contact with the knot, a soft sizzle sounded and another tendril of steam rose out of her lap. Alaina’s eyebrows shot up.
         At that moment, an unexpected wind swept up, tossing her hair in a million different directions until she was forced to clamp her hands over her head to keep it still. The suddenness of the wind sent a frightening chill down her spine and before she knew it Alaina was on her feet rushing away from that spot, her legs jarring a strange red and orange fruit plant she’d never seen before. Ignoring it, she shoved the star knot back in her bag and hurried on toward Calaye.

                                                                          *    *    *

         Somewhere far across the forest, a red-haired woman with a pale face glanced up as if she’d heard a sound. A wild, pleasure-filled smile played on her lips and she rushed to a round, stone well that sat in a circular room just outside her bedroom. The well’s water was boiling and churning. She glanced up to stare at a nearby mirror. Instead of reflecting her image, the mirror showed her a scene in the forest. Trees surrounded a small clearing where the wind was whipping through the branches. A single boulder sat at the edge of the space and just beyond that a red and orange fruit plant trembled against the base of a tree.
“At last,” she said, practically purring in her happiness. “An opportunity has arisen.”

                                                                            *    *    *

         It was noontime of the following morning before Alaina came upon the first town since Boeme. The town was called Calaye. It was a lot bigger and more bustling than either Boeme or Briarton.
         Standing on the outskirts, Alaina stared into the village with her mouth open. How was she ever going to find one specific person in the mayhem below her?
         The town itself was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen. She had to pass through a great metal gate to get into the city and now she saw that tall metal posts lined each side of the street. The posts were molded into tree-like shapes, their branches holding a light much brighter than any candle she’d ever seen. Beside her, a cart traveled into the town, overflowing with fruits and vegetables. Other wagons were being loaded with a variety of objects: knives, hammers, swords, hinges, rakes, and other types of metal equipment. Besides those carts, numerous people traversed the city atop horses, floating along with the river of pedestrians.
         “Excuse me,” Alaina tried to stop a passing woman. But the woman barely paused to glance at her before continuing on down the street. “Okay,” Alaina said slowly. She tried the next woman. “Excuse me. Can you tell me where Edan Chase lives?”
         The woman paused and gave her a quick up and down glance. “Sorry, the name sounds familiar but I don’t know him.” She walked away before Alaina could ask anything else.
         Alaina pursed her lips. This was obviously going to be a little more difficult than she’d thought. She pushed herself off the street to get out of the way of traffic. From there she allowed herself to examine the city more closely. Tall green trees grew everywhere, offering shade to the majority of the town. Their presence lent a soft, easy-going touch to the town that otherwise struck Alaina as busy and overwhelming.
         Cobblestone paved the main street in the city. It was extravagant to Alaina, who was used to the streets of loose dirt back in Briarton. Along the edges of the cobblestone street was a tight line of various shops and services. Alaina read a few of the signs. “Maggie’s Herbal Healing,” she read aloud. “Charms and Talismans, The Earthstone Shoppe, Bianca’s Stilorian Tavern Stop.” The last sign showed an image of a delicious ham dinner beside a large mug of ale. The sight made her stomach growl. She dug in her pocket for a few coins Saige had given her. They should be more than enough to buy a simple dinner.
         Inside the tavern robust music pounded, performed by a small group crowded into one corner. A space had been cleared in the middle where several couples danced, stomping their feet to the energetic tune. Sweet, spicy scents wafted through the air, drawing Alaina further into the room. Her eyes fell on all sorts of glorious meals that were scattered about the tavern. There, a table dined on roast duck with fired dumplings. Behind them, she saw a turkey dinner with mashed potatoes. She eyed all these tables, striding past them until she found herself standing before a long stretch of bar with tall stools. Alaina made for one of these seats and settled her elbows on the bar, waiting for someone to approach her.
         After a moment, a thick woman with long, curly brown hair stepped behind the bar and gave her a stern up-and-down look. “What you looking for, missy?” she asked in a crass tone.
         Alaina raised her eyebrows. “Some kind of food. That’s about all I know right now. What do you have?”
         The woman eyed her warily for a second, then handed her a menu. “Name’s Bianca, hon,” she said. “Give me a shout when you’re ready.” She walked away, her hips bouncing to each side as she moved.
         Alaina scanned the menu and finally settled on a serving of pulled and salted pork with corn on the cob and sliced potatoes. She called Bianca back to give the woman her order.
         After taking note of the food, Bianca eyed her again. She leaned on the bar with her elbows, a suspicious, nasty glower on her face. “You got money, kid?”
         Surprised, Alaina nodded eagerly and withdrew a large handful from her pocket to show the woman. Bianca stared at it with one eyebrow raised, then shrugged. “Don’t mean no offense, hon. Just don’t see many girls your age eating in a place like this. Food’ll be right out.”
         Alaina dropped the coins back in her pocket and folded her arms on the bar top. From her seat she could examine everyone in the tavern. The majority of the customers were men, although there were several women and the three or four servers she saw were young girls close to her own age. Eventually, her eyes came to rest on one young man standing against the far wall. His hair was brown and long, and his face was rough-shaven, giving him a dark, mystic look. He stared around the room the same way she did, only his perusal took on a somber quality. Alaina couldn’t say what it was about the boy that caught her attention but her eyes were continuously drawn back to his little corner.
         A throat clearing brought her attention back to the bar where she saw a pretty blond who looked to be about seventeen or eighteen. She held up Alaina’s plate and grinned widely, her big blue eyes sparkling. “Ready for your food?”
         “Thanks,” Alaina said. “Could I also have some water, please?” The girl bobbed her head and winked. When she returned with the glass, Alaina stopped her again. “I’m sorry to bother you, but do you by any chance know someone named Edan Chase?”
         The waitress shrugged, her skirt swaying with her as she moved back and forth, wiping down the counter beside Alaina. “Of course. He’s one of Calaye’s finest blacksmiths. Does everything from horseshoes to light posts. Even made some equipment special for Bianca.” She winked again. “Handsome devil, too. What do you need him for?”
         Alaina shrugged. “I was just told to find him when I got into town.”
         “Well, this town can be kind of confusing. I could take you to meet him but my shift goes pretty late tonight. Do you have a place to stay yet?”
         Alaina chewed her food and tilted her head. “You know, I hadn’t even thought about that.”
         “Well, don’t worry about it,” the girl said. “You can stay with me. That is, if you don’t mind waiting here until I get off. Then I could take you to see Edan tomorrow morning.”
         Alaina raised her eyebrows, in surprise, “Are you sure?”
         Her new friend waved nonchalantly at her. “Don’t worry about it. You can just hang out here in the meantime if you’d like.”
         Alaina nodded. “Sure! That’d be great! Thank you,” she exclaimed.
         “My name’s Justine by the way,” the girl said.
         “I’m Alaina,” she said.
         Relieved to finally have direction, she settled into her seat and went back to eating. As she did so, she took more time to look around the tavern. She could understand why Bianca had been so surprised to see her in there. Half the people there were so drunk they could barely stand. It probably wasn’t the safest place for a young girl to be alone. Across the room, she saw Justine laughing and flirting with one of the musicians. She threw her head back, laughing uproariously at something he said, then settled herself in his lap so she could plant a big kiss on his lips. When her eyes wandered the room she caught Alaina’s gaze and waved eagerly. Alaina grinned in response and turned back to her meal.
         A few hours later she was startled when Justine nudged her gently. Blinking hard to clear the sleep from her eyes, she sat up and looked around in confusion. The tavern was emptied out and one of the other serving girls was putting the chairs up on the tables.
         “Alaina,” Justine whispered. “I’m sorry it’s so late, but we can go now if you’d like.”
         Alaina nodded and scooted sleepily off her chair. Outside, the crisp night air seeped into her veins, waking her up enough to notice the subtle changes that occurred in Calaye at night. The glowing balls that lined the street had been dimmed somehow, giving the town a moonlit-like glow. All the daytime activity had died down and the street was practically empty.
         Justine caught her looking around and nudged her reassuringly. “Don’t worry, it’s not that far.”
         Alaina shook her head. “Oh, I’m not worried. I just appreciate you offering me this.”
         Justine shrugged. “Sure. I mean, you seem nice enough and it’ll be nice to have a little company around the house.” As she spoke, Justine shifted her steps toward a small house that rested on a narrow corner of the street. “This is me,” she said, gesturing to the darkened windows. “Watch your step when you come in. I’m afraid I’m not the tidiest housekeeper but I don’t want to turn on the lights and wake Jim up.”
         Alaina glanced at her in surprise. “Jim?”
         Justine nodded. “My husband.”
         Alaina’s eyebrows shot into her hairline. “Husband? How old are you?” She winced in surprise as she knocked her shins on some unseen object.
         Justine laughed at her shock. “I’m eighteen,” she said.
         Alaina’s widened. She remembered Justine flirting with the musician in the tavern. She certainly hadn’t been acting married.
         “Anyway, I assume he’s asleep,” Justine continued. She led Alaina down a short hallway to a small room on the right-hand side. “You can sleep in here. The bed’s in the far corner. I kind of store all my extra stuff in here so it’s a little crammed. Just be careful. Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning.” She closed the door abruptly, leaving Alaina to find her way across the room in darkness.

         “You’re such an idiot!”
         Alaina jerked awake to the loud roar and clutched the blankets to her chest for protection. Then she realized the voices were coming from outside her room.
         “Would you let it drop already?” She heard Justine say. “There’s nothing I can do. If the tips aren’t there they’re not there.”
         “That’s such a lame excuse,” a man shouted. “Why don’t you shake your tush a little more? You do it enough as it is, just apparently not enough to bring home any decent money.”
         Alaina looked around her in surprise, seeing the room for the first time. Justine hadn’t been kidding when she said the room was a dumping ground for her extra things. A tall dresser sat across the room, piled high with a dozen different articles of clothing. A pile of pillows and cushions was building in on corner. It sat beside a pile of mismatched dishes and some empty plant pots.
         “Look!” Justine cried, drawing Alaina’s attention back to the fight outside her door. “There’s nothing I can do. Now, I’m giving you what money I have so pay what bills you can and shove off!”
         “Shove off?” the man repeated. “Shove off?” A door crashed against its frame as he apparently shut it to follow her.
         “You heard me,” Justine said. Alaina could hear her voice approaching her room.
         “Well what about this chit you have sleeping in the guest room? Are you charging her anything?”
         “No, of course not,” Justine cried.
         A crash resounded outside Alaina’s door. “Well, why not?” he roared.
         “You know why not,” Justine said, crisply. “That’s not the way it’s done.”
         “Well I didn’t make that rule and I say I don’t want her here!” Heavy footsteps pounded down the hall. Alaina jumped to her feet and got dressed as quickly as she could, anxiety giving her speed. She didn’t want to cause Justine any problems, but she certainly didn’t want this man barging in on her and throwing her out in the street in her underwear.
         Suddenly the footsteps stopped. “For goodness sake, Jim,” Justine said. “Would you just stop? Look, we’re getting out of here, okay?” She knocked briskly on Alaina’s door.
         Alaina swung it open almost immediately.
         “Hey,” Justine said, smiling apologetically. “I’m sorry. Are you ready to go?”
         Alaina bobbed her head and grabbed her knapsack in a flash. “Sure.” She followed Justine out into the hallway passing Jim on her way out. He was a tall man with broad shoulders and hair that stuck out in every direction. His eyes roved all around them wildly. Something about him made her think of her father.
         “That’s right!” he yelled, making Alaina jump even further from him. “Get out of here! I don’t need you around here, anyway!”
         “Shut up Jim!” Justine replied. “Go back to paying your precious bills!” She slammed the door shut behind her.
         Outside, in the fresh morning air, Justine brushed her hair away from her face and smiled cheerfully. “Whew!” she said, grinning easily. “Sorry about that. The old man just goes a little crazy about things sometimes.”
         “That was your husband?” Alaina asked, shocked. She couldn’t believe how cheerful Justine was now that she was out of the house.
         Justine nodded, rolling her eyes. “Oh yeah, he’s the love of my life, alright,” she said dryly.
         “Listen,” Alaina said, touching the other girl’s arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any problems.”
         But Justine waved her away. “Don’t worry, you didn’t. They would have been there even if you weren’t.”
         Alaina nodded and stared quietly around, unsure what to say. All around them, people were starting to go about their business. Shops were opening and more and more carts were working their way onto the street.
         “This is a pretty busy town isn’t it?” she asked Justine. The day was early enough that the crisp chill of dawn still surrounded them, yet the entire town already awake.
         “Oh yeah,” the other girl replied. “Even though we’re pretty far from Lystienne, we still provide a large majority of the metal crafts for the kingdom so we’ve always got traders and merchants traveling in and out.” She ran her hands over one of the tree-like metal posts that lined the street, eyeing it thoughtfully as they walked.
         Alaina squinted at her in confusion. “What do you mean, the kingdom? And what’s Lystienne?”
         Justine sent her an odd glance. “Lystienne’s the king’s city, of course. It’s the main city of the kingdom.” She gestured around them. “Of all of this.”
         Still, Alaina shook her head in confusion. “King? What king?” she asked.
         “King Phillip and Queen Pandora,” Justine answered, staring at her with wide eyes.
         “We have a king and queen?” Alaina asked.
         “Of course,” said Justine. She sidestepped a passing cart and let loose a funny little laugh. “Where are you from anyway?”
         “Briarton.”
         Justine shrugged. “Never heard of it. It must be a loner town. I’ve heard of those – towns that don’t recognize the king and queen. They prefer to rely on themselves for everything. I know there are a few left. Personally I don’t understand the concept. It just seems silly to me.”
         “What do you mean?” Alaina asked.
         “Well, the towns that recognize Lystienne all work as a kind of chain. For example, we specialize in metal works and a lot of our products are transported to other towns and cities across the kingdom. They, in turn, transport other supplies and resources to us. Food, clothing, animals. Things like that.”
         That made sense, Alaina thought. She suddenly remembered Jadyn saying Boeme specialized in fertilizer and soil. She considered the people of Briarton and snorted. “We definitely wouldn’t have been involved in something like that. Briarton’s never really been open to outsiders. It’s a very close-minded town.”
         “The house at the end down there is Edan’s,” Justine said, changing the subject.
         “His house?” Alaina asked. “He wouldn’t be out working already?”
         Justine shook her head. “He has a very large family – lots of sisters and his parents are getting older. He helps around the house with morning chores and such.”
         “Are you friends with him?” Alaina asked.
         For a second, Justine hesitated. “Let’s just say we’re old acquaintances.” With that, she floated up to the front door and knocked.
         A girl with long, dark brown hair opened the door. As soon as Alaina saw her, she realized she must be Daphne’s sister. The two shared the same heart-shaped face and kind eyes. This girl appeared to be younger than Daphne, however. She was probably only a few years older than Justine. Her eyes took in the two visitors and her joy immediately lit up her face.
         “Justine!” she squealed. She leapt forward to hug Alaina’s blond companion. “My gosh, it’s been so long. How are you?”
         Justine grinned brightly. “Oh, I’m hanging in there. Been keeping busy over at Bianca’s. You know how it is. How about you? Anything new?”
         The other girl rolled her eyes and dropped her voice. “Edan’s on a rampage this morning. You know how that goes.”
         Justine’s eyes twinkled with delight. “What’s happened now?”
         “Alexandra wants to start dating.”
         Justine bobbed her head knowingly. “Ah. Yep, that would do it. Well listen, do you think we could come in for a second? I’ve got someone here who needs to talk with him.” She gestured to Alaina, who held out her hand.
         “Hi. I’m Alaina Berak,” she said.
         The other girl shook her hand jovially. “I’m Lara Chase, Edan’s sister. Come on in.” She stepped back to open the door far enough for them to slide in.
         Inside the house a tense silence hung in the air. The sweet smell of blueberry muffins reached Alaina and Justine the further into the house they went. Unfortunately, the lovely scent was overpowered by the awkward silence that filled the room.
         Lara led them toward the kitchen, where three other young girls sat around the kitchen table. Glum expressions overwhelmed their features. They all eyed the table as if they were specifically trying to avoid something else. A tall, muscular boy with short brown hair stood at the window with his back toward them. They could see the line of his jaw as he clenched his teeth together.
         Alaina raised her eyebrows and leaned in to Justine. “This is a rampage?” she whispered.
         Justine smirked. “Just wait.”
         “You can’t go on a date with this guy,” the boy said, without turning to face the girls.
          The young girl at the end of the table jerked her head up, her eyes cold. “Why not?” she asked.
         “For goodness sake, Alexandra!” the boy burst out. He spun around and slammed his fist on the counter beside him, so hard the dishes there rattled and one cup even fell, shattering on the floor beside him. “You’re only thirteen years old!” the boy cried. “I forbid you to date! You don’t know anything about men! Men are jerks, that’s just the way it is. You have no idea what you’re doing!”
         Alaina leaned back toward Justine. “Ah, I see what you mean,” she said.
         “Excuse me,” Lara whispered. She scurried across the room to clean up the broken cup.
         Alexandra stared back at her brother with a contempt-filled silence that was almost as powerful as her brother’s shouts. She shifted from her seat and walked heavy-footed to stand before him.
         “Edan,” she began, her face hard. “Try to understand a few things. First of all, I don’t care what you think. I don’t need your permission to do anything, much less date someone. If it’s such a big deal, Dad can tell me to stop. Until then, I’m going to do whatever I want!”
         Edan raised a hand. “But-”
         “No!” Alexandra interrupted him, putting her hand in his face. “I’m not finished! Second of all, I’ve been seeing Daryl for four months now. I just haven’t told you till now. So there!” She turned and stomped away.
         “What?” Edan roared. “How is that even possible?” he asked, following her across the room.
         “I knew you would react like this,” Alexandra sneered. “You think you know everything, but I’m not a little girl anymore! You have to let me grow up sometime.”
         Edan shook his head and snarled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I forbid it, Alex!”
         Alexandra opened her mouth to answer, but Justine stepped forward, her hands raised. “I’m really sorry to interrupt, but this sounds like it could be a long fight and we really don’t have that much time.”
         “That’s fine,” Alexandra cried. “This is over anyway.” She flew from the room before anyone could stop her.
         “What is it, Justine?” Edan whirled to face the blond, his eyes piercing holes through her from across the room.
         She raised her eyebrows and pulled Alaina forward to stand before her. “I’ve got someone here who needs to see you. She just got into town last night.”
         “Hi,” Alaina said. She raised a hand in nervous greeting. “Sorry to interrupt.”
         Edan took a deep breath and dropped his hands resignedly. “No, I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. He reached out to shake her hand. “How can I help you?”
         “Um, I have a message for you from Daphne,” she said.
         “What?!”
         “What are you talking about?”
         “Have you seen her?”
         “Where is she?”
         All these questions burst through the room at once. Before she realized what was happening they had all surrounded her, their eyes wide and waiting. Without a word, she held up Daphne’s letter, hoping it would explain everything they wanted to know. Edan handed the letter to his sisters without looking at it and kept his attention on Alaina.
         “What’s happened to her?” he asked, sitting down slowly. “We’ve all been going crazy from the lack of information. All we know is she and the rest of Boeme are gone and the town’s buildings have been wiped away.”
         Alaina shook her head. “They’re not gone. They’re still there, you just can’t see them.”
         “What?” Edan cried. He leapt from the chair, sending it flying against the back wall. “She’s been there this whole time? You have to show us where she is! Let’s go right now. We have to see her!”
         Alaina’s hands flew up to ward him away. “Please,” she said. “It’s not as simple as that.”
         “What do you mean?” he demanded. “If you can see her than we should be able to.”
         But Alaina shook her head. “I don’t think that’s true. They said I’m the first person who’s seen them in over two years. I don’t know how I saw them, I just did.”
         As she spoke, one of Edan’s sisters returned Daphne’s letter to him. He unfolded it quietly and Alaina saw some of the color fade from his cheeks as he stared down at it. Finally, he folded it and glanced up at her with serious eyes. “What do you want from us?”
         She shrugged. “I’m not sure, exactly. I promised I would help them. They said you would have information that would help me do that.”
         Edan scrunched his brow and shook his head. “I don’t understand. What information are we supposed to have?”
         “Jadyn said to tell you to remember the rumor. Does that mean anything to you?” she asked.
         The Chase family looked wildly around at each other, all of them trying to interpret the message in their own way.
         “Alaina,” Justine said, interrupting the scene. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I need to get to Bianca’s. I don’t know if you need help getting somewhere else ….”
         Alaina raised a hand to stop her from leaving. “No, hold on. I’ll just come with you.” She turned back to face Edan and his sisters. “Listen, I know I’ve given you quite a shock. You probably need some time for everything to sink in. When you’re ready to talk, I’m staying at Justine’s but I’ll probably be at Bianca’s Tavern most of the day.” She glanced at Justine to be sure that was okay and the other girl nodded.
         Edan nodded quietly and his sisters sank into chairs all around him so they could discuss the matter more closely. The two strangers quietly let themselves out of the small house.