Firemancer Collection (Fated Saga Box Set Book 1) by R. H. D'aigle Page A

hesitant, handed over the Magicante, hoping Jae could shed some light on his recent purchase.
       Jae flipped through the pages. “This is not familiar to me. Where did you get it?”
       “From the flea market in town, at the Blue Moon Festival.”
       Jae closed it and handed the Magicante back to Colin.
       “How did the book get us back here?” Jae asked.
       “Honestly, I have no idea,” shrugged Colin. “I believe it only happened because we were in danger and needed to get out of a place fast. There was a message on one of the leaves.”
       “There was a message on a leaf for you?” asked Jae.
       Colin nodded yes.
       “That is odd,” said Jae, peering again at the book with great interest. Colin held the book closer, afraid for a moment he might want it again.
       Jae laughed smugly.
       “Don’t worry. I have no need of that book, although, it did help us out of quite a jam.”
       “So that is our short and sweet story, how about yours?” grilled Meghan.
       Jae took a deep breath and started.
       “First, you have to understand that for the safety of my people, there is a lot I cannot tell you, and for your own safety, there are some things you cannot know.” Jae’s severe tone caught Meghan and Colin off guard.  
       “Can you at least tell us who you are, and what those horrific creatures are?”
       “Those creatures, they are called Scratchers. And I hope after I leave, they will not decide to come back.”
       Colin interrupted. “You mean they might come back, later?”
       “Yes, maybe no. The Scratchers hunt and kill my people. Sometimes we do not see them for months, and then sometimes, far too often.”
       “Those things are hunting you all the time?” reiterated Colin.
       “Yes,” Jae answered.
       Meghan and Colin linked their minds to discuss this news without talking aloud to Jae.
       “Do you think we should tell him about what we saw earlier tonight, Col? It was the reason we were trying to find them after all?”
       “Maybe it could help them,” Colin thought back. “If those things are hunting them all the time, it sounds like they need all the help they can get!”
       “Jae, we have something to tell you,” started Meghan nervously. “Maybe this will help, or maybe we were just really, really stupid and should not have followed you.”
       Jae leaned forward, intrigued by what they had to say.
       “The reason we were there tonight was that we were trying to warn you. We followed a couple of your… people, into the woods earlier in the evening, yeah-yeah, bad idea,” she agreed, seeing a look of are you crazy on his face. “Besides that point,” she continued. “We ended up at the tree and those Scratchers arrived. We hid… in the tree.”
      “They were there, hours before?” cried out Jae in disbelief.
       “Yes,” answered Colin.
       “How could they have known where we were heading?” Jae pondered over this question, gravely.  
       “Anyway,” said Meghan, continuing. “We were stuck in the tree, confused as heck, and then someone else arrived. It looked like a person, but it was impossible to see for sure since their voice was distorted and they hid under a dark cloak.”
       “It’s true then! There is a Scratchman,” Jae said angrily, but not explaining further. He stood up and began pacing. “This is so unbelievable.”
       “Why do they hunt you?” asked Colin, boldly.
       “Why? Many reasons I guess.” It was clear he did not want to discuss why. “The most confusing part is that somehow, they always know where we are and where we are headed.”
       Jae looked at the twins, cautiously. 
       “How do I explain so it makes sense? You see, when I met you and said we travel a lot, this is true. What I left out is that we rarely travel here, in this reality, even though this is the world we are originally from.”
       The twins looked perplexed.