Singed Feathers

7. Chapter One

Mallory headed for the open front door, dressed in her school uniform, her school backpack slung over one shoulder. “We’re going, Mum.” She called out loud enough her mum would hear in the kitchen.

“Hurry up.” Brodie stood on the patio, also dressed in his uniform and carrying his school backpack. He had the same green eyes as Mallory, but where his brown hair was kept short, Mallory’s brown hair that was naturally streaked with copper highlights, fell around her shoulders.

Norine strode towards them, drying her hands on a tea towel. “Why are you leaving so early?”

“It’s seven-twenty. Ten minutes isn’t early,” Mallory said. “I just don’t feel like walking fast this morning.”

Norine reached for Mallory’s forehead. “Are you sick?”

Mallory stepped back before her mum could make contact. “No.” The last thing she needed was her mum trying to send her back to bed. She needed to return to Inadon. Even with the trip to buy coffee plant seeds yesterday the day had dragged by at times. All she could think about was the many things they planned to do.

“You look flushed. Are you sure you’re not coming down with something?” Norine asked.

Brodie grabbed Mallory’s arm, dragging her out the door. “Of course she’s not sick. You’re going to make us late and then you’ll be blaming us for missing the bus when you’re the one holding us up.” He kept moving towards the edge of the concrete patio.

“Call me if you are coming down with something. I’ll organise a lift home for you,” Norine called out after them.

Mallory waved, glancing over her shoulder at her mum who remained in the doorway. She waited until they were several houses away before she spoke, keeping her voice low. “I hope she doesn’t watch us all the way to the corner. How are we meant to get in the van Ryan borrowed if she does? I told you we shouldn’t have left earlier than usual. That it’d make her suspicious.”

“It wasn’t like we left real early. What happens if we get stuck in traffic? We can’t be late returning to Inadon.” Brodie glanced over his shoulder. “She’s shut the door. It’s all good.”

Relief washed over Mallory as she checked the house. Her brother had been right. The door was closed. “Even if we’re a little late, it wouldn’t be by much. Not with how time works between the worlds.” She smiled when she spotted the van parked at the corner. There was a dint in the rear passenger corner, the closed curtains in the rear windows were a faded red and the paint was a dull white, the clear coat flaking away in areas.

“We need a better place to leave from than that van,” Brodie said. “Look at it.”

The side door slid open as they approached and Callum leaned out. “You’re in the back with me, Brodie.” He had dark eyes, short dark hair and his lanky body was starting to gain a muscular, wiry look.

Brodie shoved his bag in on the floor. “Good. At least no one will be able to see me in it.”

Mallory got in the front of the vehicle. “It isn’t that bad.”

Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, it is.” He leaned close to kiss her, a smile lingering when he moved away. Like his brother, he had dark eyes and hair, but his hair was kept long and tied at the nape of his neck and his tall frame was filled out from hours at the gym, his shoulders broad.

Mallory dropped her backpack on the floor at her feet and buckled up. “Where are we going?”

“Underground parking at the local shopping centre.” Ryan pulled out onto the road.

“Callum did you-” Mallory broke off when she turned in her seat to find there was a curtain separating the front and back of the van.

“I wouldn’t open that if I were you,” Ryan said. “They’re getting changed. Or at least that was the plan.”

“Don’t touch the curtain,” Brodie said.

“What were you going to ask me?” Callum asked.

“Did you bring the coffee plant seeds?”

“Yeah. Four of them.”

“I still think you should cut your skin and sew one of them inside,” Brodie said.

“I’m not cutting myself,” Callum said.

“Might be the only way to get one to Inadon,” Brodie said.

Mallory thought it was past time to interrupt the conversation that was a repeat of the one that had become rather heated yesterday. “I managed to get hold of Kern and Ewen last night.”

“You didn’t tell me,” Brodie accused.

“I was waiting to tell everyone together.” Mallory took her purple notebook out of her backpack.

“What did they say about getting distracted from quests the guardians send us?” Ryan asked.

“That if it doesn’t bother those needing the quests done it doesn’t bother the guardians. They also said we wouldn’t be failed for not completing the quest or failing it. At least not due to a single quest. They wouldn’t give me a clearer answer than that. Said some things we need to figure out for ourselves.” Placing the purple notebook on her lap, she rummaged in her backpack for a pen.

“Did you ask them about transferring money between here and Inadon?” Ryan asked.

Mallory nodded. It was another topic they’d discussed during yesterday’s drive. “You have to be a guardian and they’ll transfer it at the current rate. They said we’re usually better off earning money on Inadon than transferring money from this world. The exchange rate isn’t the best. They also said all party members are paid equally, from the money owed, when a payment is due regardless of how many quests each party member helped with. That if a party member shouldn’t be paid then they should be removed from the party before a payment is triggered.”

“I don’t mind that Danni was paid. She didn’t accept any of the other money we earned,” Callum said.

“Of course she should be paid,” Brodie said. “But we need to work on finding ways to earn money on Inadon.”

“Then that’s our plan,” Ryan said. “Work on getting money and gaining those three CAS points so we can gain a character level. We’ll talk to the wagoner about fire drake nests after we escort him to Surith and back.”

“I hope we find a nest with eight eggs,” Brodie said.

Mallory opened the notebook. “What should I write this time?”

“School,” Callum suggested.

Ryan entered the underground parking. “I doubt we’ll forget that.”

“What about that Mum thinks you’re coming down with something and we left ten minutes early,” Brodie said.

“Why does your mum think you’re coming down with something?” Ryan asked.

“Because of the lame excuse she used when we left early,” Brodie said.

Mallory started to argue his statement, but finished writing down the words instead. “Anything else we should make note of?”

Ryan pulled up in a corner park out of the way, turning off the engine. “That’ll have to do. Time to dress and return to Inadon.”

A shiver of excitement rushed through her and she shoved the notebook into her backpack, taking out her clothes, leather boots and the disc. “I thought we couldn’t leave until eight.” She checked her phone. “It’s seven thirty-five. We still have twenty-five minutes.”

Brodie slid the curtains apart. “You’ve got to get changed, so hurry up.” He closed the curtain again and the sound of the door sliding open preceded Mallory’s door being opened.

Callum held Mallory’s door. “We can leave a few minutes early if we’re ready to go.”