Rabidity (Jane Loft-series #1)

Chapter 8

Everything goes very fast after that. Amelia and Phostius lead me and the rest of the newly formed Circle of the stage. I whistle and Dana follows. After all, Phostius did say she belongs to the Circle that would be formed at the Festival. Well, here we are.

"Get in," Amelia says and she opens a door at the back of her palace. "Quickly!"

We hurry inside and the small corridor leads us to a dark, mouldy room with a large round table in the middle. Cobwebs are on the walls and a few inches of dust cover the floor and table. This room looks like it hasn't been used in years. When everyone's inside, I start talking.

"What did just happen?" The bracelet hurts when I move my arm to ruffle my hair. I get the tiara out, comb the braid out of my hair with my fingers and shake my head wildly so my hair flies everywhere. So, that's better. Although Xavier and Fang, who are standing beside me, are looking rather displeased because I showered them with glitters.

"The goddesses just saved your life," Phostius says. "They told you what's going on, warned you and came all down to form your Circle. It has never happened before."

Amelia nods. "Normally, only one goddess comes down to form one, but now all of them came."

"En plus," Xavier says and his French accent takes the upper hand again. "The fact the upper goddess Strength is our guardian means something too, right?"

There is some agreeing murmuring. The people in the room form a tensed circle around the table.

Fang is the one to talk next. "But where are we supposed to find Adam, Queen Amelia?"

"I don't know," she sighs, dusting off the table before she puts her hands on it. She frowns. "The last time I saw him he was near Palsa, but that was seven years ago. He moved out as soon as I told him what had happened to his father and he never returned. I don't know where he is now."

"Palsa is a good place to start," Fang decides, walking through the room. Trevor is leaning against the doorpost and is thinking about what happened, playing with his ring around his thumb. "Even if he's not there, there will be people who can tell us more."

Trevor looks up. "Hold on. Strength said Jane has only two months left. The first thing I read when I went to the library was Palsa is almost three months on walking distance of Macaria. How the hell are we going to do that?" His remark silences everyone.

"The motorcycles," Phostius says. "Queen Amelia, the motorcycles in the barn. They haven't been used for over twenty years, but it has to be possible to make them work, right? With one of them, it will only take a few days before they are in Palsa."

My mother looks at the guard with new hope in her eyes. "You're right, Phostius, but everyone who ever knew anything about motorcycles is dead or unable to tinker on one because of their age."

Summer snaps her fingers. "Jane comes to school on a motorcycle! She knows those horrid things. She can make them work."

That is true. I go to school on a motorcycle and I know how to repair them. But they are new models, modern things that ride on sunlight and air. Sure, I based myself on the old models when I cleaned mine up, but I need to get to know the machines before I try to make them work. I will need help. So I say: "I can't do it alone. Not when we have so little time."

"I'll help," Fang and Xavier say at the same time and I smile.

"Alright," Amelia breaths, "that's settled, then. Jane, you have a week to make those things work."

"I won't need a week," I say, "not if everyone in here helps me."

I look at Trevor – who crosses his arms but nods with a combative glance in his eyes– Xavier –who has a cheeky grin on his face and winks at me– Fang – he holds up his thumb to let me know he's in – and Summer, who rolls her eyes but agrees anyway. Amelia and Phostius nod their heads and Dana barks, wagging her tail. That might be a coincidence, but I see the dog as another teammate.