Adrift
Ariboslia Book II
◊◊◊
J. F. Rogers
Copyright
Adrift - Ariboslia Book II
© 2016 J F Rogers
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced except by permission from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to existing people or places is purely coincidental.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will set your paths straight.
-Proverbs 3:5-6
Table of Contents
Pronunciation Guide
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Shameless Request for Reviews
More from J. F. Rogers
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Pronunciation Guide
People
Achaius ah-key-us Rescues babies and elderly from the Treasach
Aodan Tuama ay-den Too-ah-ma Fallon’s uncle and leader of the fasgadair
Be’Norr* beh-norr Evan’s fasgadair name
Cahal Fidhne kah-hal Feen Accompanies Fallon on her quest
Cataleen Cat-ah-lean Fallon’s mother
Cairbre kar-bruh A legendary hero
Declan Cael deck-lan Kayl
Deirdra deer-drah The love of legendary hero Cairbre
De’Mere deh-meer Faolan’s fasgadair name
Fallon fal-lawn The main character
Faolan fway-lawn A friend of Fallon’s mother (also known as Wolf)
Fiona fee-own-ah Fallon’s paternal grandmother
Hreidmar hreyd-mar Leader of the dark pech
Jacobus Durnin jay-koh-bus duhr-nin Rowan’s old friend
Jorge Durnin jorj duhr-nin Rowan’s old friend’s father
Kai keye An exile
Maili may-lee Declan’s betrothed
Miloslsv mee-los-slaf A dark pech who forged the zpět
Mirna Meer-nah Fallon’s maternal grandmother
Morrigan More-ih-gahn The original fasgadair
Pepin pep-in The pech who made Drochaid
Sandor san-door A guard for Bandia
General Seung say-ung A selkie general
Sully sull-ee A seer
Tyge teeg A guard for Bandia
Clans
Ain-Dìleas ahn dill-ay-ahs from Bandia
Arlen are-luhn from Kylemore
Cael kayl from Notirr
Dosne Dohs-nee from Fàsach
Olwen Ohl-ven from Reòdh
Treasach treh-zack from Gnuatthara
Races
Fasgadair faz-geh-deer Vampires (means “blood drinker”)
Gachen gah-chen Shape-shifters (anagram for “change”)
Pech peck Small, strong people with abilities with stone
Selkie sell-key Gachen who turn into seals
Places
Ariboslia air-eh-bows-lia The realm
Ardara ahr-dahr-ah A gachen village
Bandia ban-dee-ah Occupied by the Ain-Dìleas
Bàthadh Sea bah-thach The sea leading to the land to the east
Ceas Croi* kase kree A city in a mountain created by the pech occupied by the fasgadair
Cnatan Mountains crah-dan The mountains that make Bandia difficult to reach by land
Diabalta dee-ah-ball-tah A formerly great city now under Morrigan’s control
Fàsach fah-zack A village in the dessert occupied by the Dosne
Gnuatthara new-tara A fortified city occupied by the Treasach
Kylemore kyle-more A village in the trees occupied by the Arlen
Notirr* no-tear A village of mounds in hills occupied by the Cael
Reòdh* ray-och A village in the ice lands occupied by the Olwen
Saltinat salt-in-at An underwater city occupied by the selkie
Taobh Na Mara toov nah mah-rah A seaside village occupied by the selkie
Tower of Galore ga-lore A large tower rumored to be occupied by giants
Things
Bian bee-ahn The time when gachen or selkie come of age and shapeshift for the first time
Buille cridhe bool-yah kree A potion
Cianese see-ahn-eese A foreign language (most speak Ariboslian)
Co-Cheangail ko-kang-gale A committee of United Clans
Drochaid* dro-hach The amulet Pepin created
Feamainn fee-min Seaweed
Glemmestein glem-eh-stine A mineral that results in memory loss
Ionraic* on-eh-rick The committee of believers after the Co-Cheangail fell apart
Rác rack Kai’s dog
Sàl samhanach Sahl Sam-ann-ack A giant octopus-like sea creature
Sirist see-rist A small, green pitted fruit
torman-ciùil* tor-man kyohl A stringed instrument that sits on your lap
Turnering av Stryke* turn-ay-eh-ring ahv streek An annual pech competition of strength
Uilebheist oo-deh-bish A monster the pech use as a death penalty
Uisge bàs oosh-geh bahs Poison
Zpět sp-yet The amulet that resurrected Morrigan
False Gods
Aine awn-yah god of love and fertility
Aoibhell ee-vell her harp is a premonition of death
Camalus cam-al-is god of war
Druantia drew-ahn-tia god of protection, knowledge, creativity
*trill the r
Prologue
◊◊◊
BE’THORR PERCHED IN THE trees—trapped. Wind parted the leaves, threatening to expose him. If Fallon caught him now…
Fallon sat in her bedroom window seat. Her black hair hung down, concealing her face. She appeared to be reading, sometimes writing. Was she doing schoolwork? From what he understood of her world, her formal education should be complete.
What was she doing?
He ruffled his feathers, eager to escape.
Why wouldn’t she leave?
Fallon glanced out the window, the tip of her writing utensil in her mouth, her purple eyes shifted his way. Be’Thorr ducked, then shook his head at his paranoia. She’d never spot him in this tree. As long as he stayed put.
She resumed her writing. Should he risk fleeing now? No. She’d look up the moment he took flight.
That would be his luck.
What a fool he’d been. What else did he expect her to do today of all days? Sleep it away? Go out somewhere? No. She’d be up waiting for someone to take her back to Ariboslia. How could he be so daft? He should have left hours ago. But he lingered, both eager for and dreading what was to come. And Fallon had risen earlier than expected and planted herself in that blasted window. And now her friend was awake too.
He wished he could take her back to Ariboslia. But that wasn’t possible. Not now.
The sun was rising. Birds began their morning chatter. As they flew near his perch, they scattered, chirping warnings to others who might venture too close. But they needn’t have worried. Be’Thorr wouldn’t risk exposing himself for a meal. Despite his growing hunger.
A cool summer breeze rustled the leaves, exposing him. He held his breath. His cover settled back into place, and he breathed easier. Somewhat.
His stomach felt heavy and uneasy, like a thick sludge churned within.
Ah, Fallon. So clueless as to the truth about to be revealed. How much could her heart take? He wanted to protect her. But he needed his distance. And she was tough. Tougher than she realized.
His heart ached, to the extent his heart could hurt in its present condition. There she sat. So anxious she never left that spot…or went longer than five seconds without peering out the window. Waiting. How many hours would she sit there?
Something grunted below him. A huge boulder moved along the ground, through the woods, and into Fallon’s backyard. The stone pitched forward, slamming one end into the ground with a loud thud, shaking everything within earshot. Be’Thorr shifted his grip and unfurled his wings to regain his balance, staring at whatever had thrown the rock. A small person with a red braid brushed his hands. Pepin.
Fallon and her friend pressed their faces against the window. A finger pointed at Pepin strolling down the path, probably to fetch another boulder. The girls disappeared from the window.
This was his chance.
Be’Thorr secured the amulet cord with his beak, careful not to snip it. He flew deeper into the woods, landed high in the trees, and listened for footsteps. Nothing followed. No shouts. He relaxed.
Was Pepin building a new megalith?
No matter. Be’Thorr leaped from his perch and flew toward the megalith from which he’d come. He’d catch up with them in Kylemore.
◊◊◊
PROPPED IN THE WINDOW seat, clutching my journal, I stared into the backyard where I’d sometimes glimpse Wolf watching over me. He was gone now. Nothing but the overgrown lawn, the dilapidated tree house, and the woods.
Today was the day.
Stacy flopped on my bed, flipped a page in her magazine, and gasped. Instead of taking the bait, I browsed earlier entries in my journal.
October 29. My memories of Ariboslia dim with the ever-darkening New England days. So depressing. Nothing compares with those heart-elevating, adrenaline-pumping months. This world is so bland. Like a plain, over-boiled potato. Going to school and pretending all I experienced hadn’t happened is like watching television in black and white, trying to convince myself color never existed. However boring this world seemed before my adventures was now multiplied a hundredfold. School: a jail full of immature, shallow students who live for themselves, raising themselves above all others, and ignorant teachers who speak with authority on subjects they don’t understand.
I’ve seen an invisible world! What I’ve seen would awaken people to unimaginable possibilities beyond their nearsightedness. But I’m denied, forced to answer science exams incorrectly for a decent grade. Muted. Unable to speak about reality for fear of being imprisoned, trapped in a padded cell, wrapped in a love-me jacket.
Stacy let out another gasp. Louder. I flipped ahead a few pages.
January 17. Stacy, our church, periodic visits from Wolf, brief trips to the sky in falcon form (when I dare), and the promise of returning to Ariboslia sustain me during these dark days. The new calendar and increasing sunlight renew my hope. The day is growing closer.
I returned to my latest entry.
June 21. My eighteenth birthday has finally arrived. A year ago today, I was dragged to Ariboslia. Was it all a dream? I have nothing to prove it. Only this journal…something the world would assume to be the ramblings of a psychopath.
But there was Wolf. And I’m able to transform into a falcon and fly. There is no doubt about that.… Today, if I’m given the choice to return as promised, I’ll know.
My heart flipped. I glanced down at Drochaid for the gazillionth time, hoping for one of the arrows to light up, showing me where to go. My mother’s amulet guided me every step of the way last year. Still, I kept checking. But who was I kidding? I’d feel its warmth first. I pulled my pencil from my mouth and continued writing.
This day, more than any other, I expect Drochaid’s glow.
But I’m torn. On one hand, I want nothing more than to return to the mysterious, untamed land where I received new life. I want to do God’s will and save lives…my family. I don’t want to waste my life in this house with my grandmother. On the other hand, I hate to leave Stacy. But more than that, I’m afraid. My life will be in constant danger. I won’t know who to help. Those I’m meant to save and those who want me dead are the same—the fasgadair.
Then there’s Declan.…
Ah, Declan. Was it wrong that my heart did a little somersault? He’s betrothed. Unavailable. And yet…those eyes. Those intense green eyes always penetrated my soul. So many memories of Ariboslia had faded, but those eyes were burned into my psyche.
I took a deep breath. This wasn’t about Declan. It was about God’s plans and my part in them. I must remember.…
I tapped the pencil against the notebook, unsure what to add.
Didn’t I have to do what God called me to do? How else would I live with myself? And how could I stay here? Bored out of my mind. I would regret it forever. I crisscrossed my legs and glanced in irritation at the dull amulet around my neck.
“You’re obsessing, Fal. Stop thinking about it.” Stacy peeked out over the magazine as she lounged on my pillows and a few overly loved stuffed animals from Bumpah.
“I can’t help it.” The notebook slid off my lap. “It’s supposed to be today. What if Pepin was wrong? What if they decide they don’t want me to return? What if something happened to them?”
Stacy lowered the magazine onto her chest and raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious right now? It’s only six a.m. What time do you expect this to happen?”
Okay. She had me there.
“Wasn’t it much later last time?”
Another good point.
“You still have the entire day. Besides, would it be so bad if you stayed a little longer? You have me. And it’s not so bad to live with your grandmother anymore, right?”
“That’s because I’ve changed.” It started with little things: cleaning dishes left sitting in the sink, taking out the overflowing trash, and responding in a pleasant tone.
“That’s all it takes. One person to take the high road.” Stacy rolled the magazine into a log. “And I’m telling you. She was a wreck when you were gone.”
“Yeah. She seemed happy to see me.… For a few minutes anyway.” I bent to pick up the journal. “The scrapbook made a huge difference too.” What a project—sorting through the massive piles of postcards from Bumpah stashed all over the house, mapping them in a scrapbook with the few pictures I found of him.
&
nbsp; “I so wish I’d seen her face when you gave it to her.” She drummed the magazine against her leg. “You got her to stop sending herself more postcards.”
“True. I curbed the insanity a bit.”
“And she likes you a lot more now. So…I repeat: Would it be so bad if you stayed?”
Yes, yes, it would be. “It’s funny. I keep thinking I have a choice. But I never applied to any colleges. I’ve never considered staying.”
Stacy gripped the magazine and bit her lip.
“I’m not eager to leave you, ya know.”
She fiddled with something invisible on her right knee.
“I don’t belong here.”
“None of us do, Fal.”
“It’s more than what awaits us after this life. There’s unfinished business in Ariboslia. There’s so much more I need to do—to learn.”
“Well, I’m in no hurry for you to leave.” Her frown deepened. Then she smiled, her eyes mischievous. “And I don’t think Jeremy is either.”
I rolled my eyes and groaned. “Oh please.” There was one guy for me, and it wasn’t any high-school boy…or recent grad. Not from this realm.
“What? He likes you.”
Her singsong, teasing tone invoked my pillow-throwing reflex.
“Hey.” She laughed, peeling the pillow from her face.
High-school boys. Nothing brought forth a more pronounced groan than their mention. Stacy knew this…and that I’d take the bait. “I would rather—”
She bolted upright and shushed me.
“What?”
“Shhh!” She held her hand up to silence me as she leaned her ear toward the left. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?” My un-hushed voice met more shushing. Her hand, still upright, waved at me.
A heavy thud shook the house. I twisted to peer outside. She slammed into me and pressed her face against the window.
“Dude, a dwarf!
Chapter Two
◊◊◊
A SMALL MAN WITH a stout body strolled down the path into the woods, red braid swinging to his waddle.