Shards and Sketches: Chapter I
A Kingdom Keepers Fanfic
Divide them, and they stand no chance against us. Maleficent’s voice echoed in Jez’s head.
Jez didn’t understand most of the plan, but that didn’t matter. All she had to do was lure one of the hosts alone into the park after-hours, and Maleficent would take care of the rest.
Finn was the obvious choice. He already seemed interested in her from their one conversation, so it shouldn’t be too hard to convince him to meet her. Besides, he was the one causing the most trouble, sneaking into places he shouldn’t in the park and drawing the other kids together. Maleficent believed he was their leader, so capturing him would make the rest of the group crumble.
There was only one problem: the other girl.
He was always with that girl. Jez was sure she could get him alone if she tried, but Maleficent had told her in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t supposed to get anywhere near the girl. She didn’t know why. There didn’t seem to be anything special about her, even if she did look vaguely familiar sometimes.
It was a problem too complicated for such a hot day. She stepped away from the car wash collection table and kicked off her shorts before jumping into the spray of one of the hoses.
The heat tired and confused her. It was a recent problem, she thought. She had vague memories of enjoying warm weather back in . . . wherever she lived before Orlando. But it probably didn’t matter. If it did, she’d remember it better.
Keeping her gaze away from Finn (he seemed more interested in her when she wasn’t looking), she turned around and spotted another host walking toward her.
Terrence Maybeck.
She wasn’t entirely sure why she invited him. Backup, maybe. In case trapping Finn didn’t work out.
“Hey.”
She let her mouth quirk up just a bit. “Hey, yourself.” She glanced at his T-shirt and denim shorts and raised an eyebrow. “You don’t look dressed for this.”
He grinned. “Nah, I’m just a spectator.”
She laughed and hooked her arm around his, dragging him over to the lemonade stand. She grabbed a cup and handed it to him, then took one herself. The lemonade hadn’t been poured carefully, so sticky drops clung to the sides, coating her fingers.
Maybeck grabbed the cup automatically, but didn’t try to take a sip. He patted his pockets. “I didn’t bring my wallet.”
She tilted her head, letting her wet hair fall over her shoulder. “It’s free for you.”
Now he took a sip. Something caught his eye and he started to wave. He’d seen Finn then.
He took a couple steps in that direction, but Jez caught his arm, refusing to relinquish his focus. Strategy, she told herself. She tilted his cup up to make him finish it. He half coughed, half laughed as she did so, and most of the lemonade dripped down his chin.
He crumpled his cup and threw it at her. She crumped her own and threw it back.
“Are you trying to kill me?”
That made her falter, just for an instant. Then she flashed a broad smile and clarified, “the lemonade is free since you’re with me.”
He wiped the lemonade off his chin. “Oh, so it’s a bribe?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe I should bribe you then. You know, to make it fair.”
She put her hand on her hip and leaned against the lemonade table. “I’m listening.”
“A movie ticket.”
She raised an eyebrow. “For?”
He smirked, confident of his success. “Watching it with me.”
She almost laughed, but caught herself in time. She took a step closer. “Hmm. I was thinking something a little more . . . exciting.”
His eyes lit up. She had him now. “What kind of exciting?”
“Like, the Magic Kingdom?” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “I bet you know all its secrets.”
He snorted. “Not hardly. Besides, that’s not much of an adventure. Hollywood Studios, maybe, but–”
“After dark,” she said, cutting him off. “You could sneak in, couldn’t you?”
“I . . . might could. But I don’t think I could sneak in with you.”
Jez shrugged off his concern. “My mom works there. I could borrow her pass.”
Jez hadn’t felt cold in . . . she couldn’t remember how long, but now she felt the sudden absence of heat as water sprayed, drenching them both. She whirled around to find a dark-haired girl whose name she didn’t remember holding a hose and laughing.
“Hey!” Maybeck shook his head to clear the water from his eyes, but more dripped into them from his hair. His eyes locked on the girl with the hose.
“I’ll call you,” Jez blurted out before he could run off. “Tonight. Where we should meet.”
Every bit of his hesitance was gone. He bounced on his toes, though from excitement about the water fight or their meetup at the park, she wasn’t sure. As long as he said yes, it didn’t matter.
He grinned, his teeth flashing. Something about this smile looked different from the earlier ones. More genuine, though she couldn’t say why. The sight sent a strange warmth flooding over her–a pleasant sort of warmth, completely different from the oppressive heat of the day.
Why was she doing this? What made her so sure he was the enemy?
“Yeah, it’s a date.” He ran off, grabbing a bucket full of water as he ran.
Jez stayed frozen where he’d left her. Unnoticed by anyone around her, her eyes gleamed green for an instant, then faded back to grey.
She shook her head. She’d been confused for a moment, but now couldn’t remember why. She spotted a familiar black car and walked over to it. She had to tell Maleficent of her success.