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  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.

  Chapter One

  ◊◊◊

  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.