Jacob slumped into a chair. The operation hadn’t been nearly as long as he’d expected, but it wasn’t easy, either. Akeno had screamed through most of it, and everyone in the room had needed a break at one point or another. Jacob felt like pulling his hair out or crying for the Makalo. Luckily, he’d been able to control his emotions and be the support Akeno needed.
He pushed his fists into his eyes, trying to wipe away the exhaustion he felt. Akeno had been put in his room to continue the healing process, with Ebony and the Fat Lady taking turns watching over him. Frequent cries of pain came from his room. The Fat Lady said this was normal and would last a few hours.
Brojan returned to see how things had gone. After he visited with Akeno for a moment, he approached Kenji, Matt, the Fat Lady, Sweet Pea—who’d also come back—and Jacob. They were seated at the table, which had been cleaned and sterilized.
Brojan turned to the Fat Lady. “How many potions did you say you’d be able to make?”
“Which potion?”
“Malono. The one to help get Aloren.”
“Five. I didn’t think you’d be using them all, though.”
Brojan shook his head. “We still haven’t decided who will be going. But now that Jacob has finished the journal, as soon as those potions are done, we’ll be ready to go.” He looked at Jacob. “You have completed the reading, correct?”
“Uh . . . no, I haven’t—”
Kenji saved him. “We decided to give him a break from reading for a couple of weeks. He needed to focus on too many other things.”
“What else could there be?”
Jacob leaned forward. “Let’s see. Fighting lessons with him,” he motioned to Sweet Pea, “homework, basketball practice, pulling people out of the scented air. Getting to math forty-five minutes early in the morning. Dealing with a new ability. Hallucinating.” He shrugged. “My life isn’t exactly simple.”
“Then it’s time for you to stop focusing on those things.”
“I can’t. I have to play basketball. I’ve worked so hard to get to this point. And I can’t just stop doing homework—I still have to graduate from high school. My mom would kill me if I didn’t.”
“Dude!” Sweet Pea said. “Listen to Brojan, for crying out loud. The journal was written for you.”
Everyone stared at Sweet Pea, and he flushed.
Jacob stuttered. “W—what? What are you—impossible. No way.”
“There’s a reason for everything—for why we want you to read that book. It will answer so many things for you—he left it behind so you’d eventually read it.”
Brojan put his hand up, stopping Sweet Pea from saying anything more and stopping Jacob’s forthcoming questions. He scowled at Sweet Pea, a bright pink filling the air around him—the color for irritation, and one Jacob hadn’t seen on a Makalo before. “It isn’t your business to tell Jacob.” He turned his scowl on Jacob. “How seriously are you taking this?”
“What’s Sweet Pea talking—”
Brojan shook his head. “How seriously are you taking this journal?”
Jacob sighed in exasperation. “Very. But with everything else going on, I just haven’t had time. I’m not Superman.”
Brojan pulled on a curl in his beard, watching Jacob for a few moments before answering. The silence in the room made Jacob want to disappear.
The pink left the patriarch, replaced with light blue. “Well, we need to remove some of the distractions,” he said. “We’ll take the Key until you finish reading the journal—partially as punishment for what happened last night, and partially to keep you from being distracted. Also, no more fighting lessons, and no more pulling people out of the everlasting potion. Those two things at least are to be put on hold until you finish reading Dmitri’s book. We’re serious about this, Jacob. You need to understand everything that goes on around you and for you.”
Jacob nodded. He pulled the Key from his pocket and put it on the table in front of the patriarch. He’d expected this. “The box is in my room.”
“We don’t need it.” Brojan put the Key in his pocket.
“Get going—both of you,” Kenji said. “Jacob, we’ll check with you every hour or so to see how much you’ve read in the book.”
Jacob dragged himself from his chair, motioned to the door with his head, and he and Matt left the room. No goodbyes were exchanged.
Jacob shut the door behind them, not looking forward to the long walk ahead. He’d gotten very accustomed to Keying himself all over the place. Discouragement flowed over him. He wished he’d followed his feelings last night and not listened to Matt.
“Man, I’m sorry I got us in so much trouble.”
Jacob shrugged in response. He was glad Matt’s leg had healed. But still, Jacob was upset with himself over what had happened—and not just because the consequences stank. He’d put his brother and Taga Village in danger. What would’ve happened if the Ember God had followed him through the door?
They were silent almost the entire way home—past the tree, through the forest. The house was in sight the next time Matt spoke up.
“Let me know if you need me to do anything for you—I know Mom wouldn’t want me to, but I could always finish some of your homework.”
Jacob shot him a quick smile. “I really don’t have that much to do right now. Thanks, though.”
They went through the back door and entered the kitchen. Jacob’s mom was sitting at the table, digging through a box of oil paints.
“I’ve got reading to do,” he said, walking to the stairs.
“Yes, you do. Brojan sent a Minya—you aren’t even to eat dinner until you’ve finished.”
“He said that?”
“No, I did. Jacob, something this important—you should’ve applied yourself more.”
“I thought you’d want me to get my homework done!”
“Of course I do, but you could have found time to read if you’d scheduled better.”
He grumbled in response and took the stairs two at a time to his bedroom. He shut his door, let Hazel out, and plopped on the bed, pillow over his face. Sweet Pea had said the journal was written for Jacob. How was that possible? He’d only just been introduced to Eklaron, and had never met the Makalos before then. And he knew for sure he’d never met Dmitri. He would’ve known if he’d run across a king.
Was it a possibility, though? Did Dmitri know who Jacob was?
Eventually, tired of his thoughts, and realizing he’d find answers in the journal, Jacob pulled it from his backpack and rolled over to read.
We’ve found a puncture wound on the baby—the Lorkon did something to him. The Fat Lady, upon seeing his state, immediately conducted a thorough examination, finding the hole. It’s very small and was covered by the hair at the nape of his neck. No blood, no scab. Just the wound. I know I wouldn’t have noticed it, and Arien doesn’t think she would have either, especially if Danilo had not become sick.
Jacob nearly dropped the journal when he read the name Danilo. That’s what the Lorkon lady in the forest had called him. Danilo was Dmitri’s baby!
I can’t help but wonder if the Lorkon expected we’d eventually retrieve him from them. Why else would they make the entry point so well hidden?
We are both distraught—our baby has been poisoned. Arien is beside herself—she doesn’t remember a time when Danilo was not with her, and we are almost positive they didn’t drug her. She wasn’t hurt in any way, and we are asking ourselves, why would they poison the baby? If they’d wanted to kill him, I am certain they’d have done something else.
Someone knocked on Jacob’s door, making him jump.
“Me ‘n Dad ‘n Mom are going for dinner, Jake!” Amberly yelled through the crack. “We’ll bring something back for you ‘n Matt! Bye!”
Jacob didn’t respond. He picked up the journal again. At first there wasn’t anything very interesting—just more counts of those injured and sick and other people who needed Dmitri’s help. Then a couple o
f paragraphs jumped out at Jacob.
Things are not what they’d seemed—what I’d supposed them to be. When everyone worried that the Lorkon had kidnapped Arien for power or for money, they were wrong, myself included. The Lorkon didn’t take Arien for a ransom or control. They kidnapped her for her unborn child. Our child. This revelation came at great risk to a young Makalo named Ebony. It was the baby they’d wanted all along, and they intend to get him back!
Arien and I have discussed this topic extensively. We are afraid for our child’s safety if he remains with us. We are worried that no matter where we hide, they’ll find us. So, after several days of frustration, pain, tears, and even argument, we’ve decided he cannot live in this land or with us. We’ll have to take him to a place where he’ll lead a life free from the problems of this world. But where?
Jacob lowered the journal, mulling over what he’d just read. Was there a chance? Was it possible? The Makalos really, really wanted him to read this book—and Sweet Pea had even said it had been written for Jacob. What if it wasn’t just for him, but about him?
He sat up in shock at this thought, barely noticing Hazel flitting around the room. What if Dmitri was his birth father? What if he’d left the journal behind so Jacob would read it and know where he’d come from? And Arien—this would mean she was his birth mother! Was that possible? A voice inside him said no. His parents would’ve told him long ago if he’d been adopted.
But then . . . this might give a reason for his weird abilities and why the Lorkon would want him. If he were the baby, and the Lorkon had poisoned him—or maybe put some potion in him that would give him magical abilities—this would explain why they so badly wanted his powers in their control.
Jacob’s eyes widened in surprise. His parents weren’t really his parents! Matt and Amberly weren’t even his family!
A rapping at his window let him know a Minya was there. He opened it, letting Early in.
“Akeno is improving,” she said, staring at Hazel. “Who’s she?” Early folded her arms and glared at the other Minya, bright purple swirling around her.
“Don’t be jealous. She’s not mine—she’s Aloren’s Minya.”
“Oh, good.” Early relaxed, her purple changing to light blue. “Are you reading?”
“Yes, I am. Tell the Makalos I won’t stop until I’m done, and they don’t need to check on me every hour.”
She flitted out the window and he shut it after her, then sat down and flipped through the previous pages of the journal, reading bits here and there. Though Dmitri hadn’t said so, he and Arien must’ve decided to put Danilo up for adoption.
And it made sense—why everyone in Eklaron already knew who he was, why they’d been watching him his whole life, why the Lorkon female had called him Danilo, why he reacted so differently to things than others did.
He suddenly felt sick. Bile rose in the back of his throat and he fought to keep it down. If all of this were true, his abilities were because of the Lorkon! Not because of some cool thing!
He threw the book on his bed, left Hazel with her honey, and raced downstairs to find his mom.
“Mom? Mom!” He ran into the living room—it was empty.
“She and Dad went out to dinner,” Matt said, coming from the kitchen. “Hungry?”
“How long have they been gone?”
“Ten minutes, maybe.”
“Give me your cell.”
Jacob took the phone from his brother and dialed his dad’s number. He was directed straight to voicemail. “Dad, you and Mom need to come home right now. Was . . . was I adopted? I really need to talk to you guys.” He hung up and noticed the expression on Matt’s face.
“Adopted?” Matt asked. “You?”
“I’m sure of it—the journal is talking about a baby boy who’d been—” Everything hit Jacob at once. If he was the son of Arien and Dmitri, that meant he was royalty. He sank to the couch. A prince? Him? Then he remembered what Gallus had said when he and Akeno entered the shop for the first time. He’d called Jacob “Your Highness.”
“Dude? Are you okay?”
Jacob shook his head—no, he wasn’t. “Uh . . . if I’m their baby, that means I’m a prince. That means the Lorkon are in control of my kingdom! ‘Cause Arien and Dmitri have disappeared—they’re probably dead. And they brought me here to separate themselves from me—to keep me safe.”
“What the heck are you talking about?”
Another thing hit Jacob and he ran upstairs to get the journal, then returned to the living room, flipping back through the pages to read what Dmitri had written.
It was the baby they’d wanted all along, and they intend to get him back!
No wonder Keitus, the Lorkon king, had acted so surprised when Jacob had been clueless! Of course they’d known who he was—they’d sent their wolves to get him. How long had it taken them to find him? Fourteen years, at least! He sat back on the couch, completely shocked. And what had it said about Ebony?
This revelation came at great risk to a young Makalo named Ebony.
His hands shook as he flipped forward to where the words waited to reveal themselves. He had to read more.
I, Arien, am writing at Dmitri’s request. He’s doing his best to help my people during this difficult and heart-rending time. I love him so much. I can’t believe I ever considered anyone else over him—he has proven himself to be a wonderful king, husband, and father.
Dmitri and Kenji are going city to city, helping people, warning and encouraging them not to do anything drastic. Their last stop will be Maivoryl City, where the Lorkon now reside, to help the orphans and people there where so much death and destruction have occurred. It is the least we can do before going into hiding.
The Fat Lady, in her amazing and magnificent way, created a potion to counteract the poison the Lorkon gave our child. We discovered they weren’t attempting to kill him, but were trying to turn him into an instrument. Maybe for obtaining more power? More lands?
Using Rezend and the Fat Lady’s potion, and hoping enough of my blood runs through his veins, we’re praying he’ll recover without any lasting side effects.
Lasting side effects? Of course there had been lasting side effects! Jacob could mold materials, for crying out loud! And see the emotions of other people! What sort of instrument had he been turned into? It was no wonder the Lorkon wanted to unleash his abilities—especially if they’d planned to use him as a way to get more power. And what did Arien mean about enough of her blood running through his veins? As far as Jacob knew, Dmitri was just as royal as Arien.
This was just too much to take in. Why hadn’t his parents ever told him he’d been adopted? Why’d they lie to him his whole life?
“Honestly, Jake, you look like you’re about to pass out.”
Jacob stared at Matt. “Dude, I’m not even from Earth.”
“Huh?”
Jacob plopped on the couch next to Matt. “I can’t believe I was adopted and Mom and Dad didn’t tell me.”
Matt didn’t answer. He picked up a pillow and turned away from Jacob, but not before Jacob saw the blush on Matt’s cheeks.
“Wait—you knew?”
“Uh . . . I need to talk to Mom and Dad too.”
“You need to talk to them? Why you? I’m the one who got attacked by the Lorkon! I’m the one they tried to poison! Or, excuse me—tried to turn into ‘an instrument.’”
Matt put the pillow down. “That’s seriously what they were trying to do?”
“Yes—obviously they didn’t succeed. ‘Course, if Akeno and I hadn’t escaped, who knows what would’ve happened to me. They would’ve killed Akeno, I’m sure of it.”
“So, explain this all to me again. From the beginning.”
“I went to the other world, remember? When the wolves chased me? Well, they were trying to get me to go to the Lorkon castle. In fact, the Lorkon stole the Key to use as bait to get me there. Anyway, the Makalos gave me a journal to read—you know, this book
,” he held it up, “and told me it would help me understand the history of Eklaron. But they weren’t completely honest with me—it’s actually the history of me. And I’ve finally put two and two together. Dmitri wrote the journal, and he and Arien are my parents. They went into hiding after stashing me here to be raised. How on earth did they get Mom and Dad to take me, though? See—this is why I need them to come home now!”
Matt nodded. “Yeah, no kidding.” He frowned. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
“You’re telling me!”
Jacob got to his feet and paced, then pulled out a bar stool. He plopped down on it and opened the leather book, determined to read while waiting. He wasn’t going to move until they walked through the door and answered his questions.