looked at him.
“Always on the defensive, have you not learned that sometimes you need to let your intuition guide you.” She said it in her old woman wisdom way, which made it hard for Tyler to be offended.
“How do I know it is you?” He asked
The old woman eyed him. She took a moment it seemed to decide how to prove to him who she was
“You stood for hours under the Oak tree across the street waiting to see if Rhea would come back after I didn't give you the answers you wanted.” She said
“Anyone could know that.” He replied still flexed in ready attack
“Ah, yes you are right. But what nobody else knows is that you knew, I knew more then I would reveal to you. That her spell to make you forget her did not work, she was only blinded from you."
Normally Tyler would feel rage at a statement like this but he slowly put down his sword.
“Then tell me what you wouldn't before.” He demanded.
The woman went back to putting her jars in a bag
“Always using force where it is not needed.” she tsked her tongue
“You don't think you owe me the truth after all this time? Have I not suffered enough for what you would call the grand design?” He asked bitterly.
She looked at him again and walked closer to him. She ran her hand over his forehead, reading his third eye chakra.
“Yes, I can see you have suffered greatly, but have learned very little in the process of your 'suffering'.” she ran her hand down the front of his body to his heart. He knew it was pointless to try to stop her, this woman knew things others couldn't even comprehend.
“I see” she said shaking her head.
“Revenge is not the answer, Tyler. There are always two sides to everything.”
“I don't care about her side; she has some explaining to do.” Tyler couldn't help but to feel enraged. He thought his rage about the situation was under control, almost forgotten then he made that ill fated trip to England, and it changed everything. Here he was again before the Oracle begging to find Rhea, but this time it wasn't from his heart, it was from anger.
“Things had to happen the way they did Tyler for it all to come to this. Only you can save her now.”
Tyler jerked away from the shadows and paced across the room. It took a moment for her words to sink in.
“What do you mean save her?”
The old woman threw some kind of herb over her shoulder and shrugged
“She is in danger.”
“What do you mean?” He asked
“What do you care, you only plan on making her explain herself, and then kill her. Isn't that right? Make her fix your broken heart because she is the one who broke it?” the woman chided at him.
Tyler had killed people for less harmful comments and behavior, but his respect for the Oracle went too deep.
“Damn it Darlene stop talking in riddles! Explain what you mean.”
“She is in danger, Tyler that is all I can say. I am on my way to meet her. I leave tonight, from my cabin. You remember where my cabin is don't you?” She asked him
“Yes, of course I remember.”
She shook her head in acknowledgment.
When the Moon is just coming over the horizon, come to me and we will travel together first back here to gather my friends. I have two women with me and a small child, it is vital that they reach the safe haven of the retreat Rhea has started.” She said simply.
“Then let's leave now.” Tyler insisted.
“No you come when the moon is coming over the Horizon, I have an appointment I cannot miss, and it is important that you meet me there. We can portal, after that, if you wish.”
“And if I do this you will take me to Rhea, so that I can have closure?”
the woman smiled at him
“As long as you promise not to kill her right away.”
He snorted. He had fantasized of killing Rhea for so long, even now his boot held the knife he planned on jabbing in her black heart.
“I can't make that promise.” He stated truthfully.
The woman smiled and patted his check “I have always liked your honesty, you will see my boy there is more at play then you think.”
Tyler turned away from her, then looked back
“Does Rhea know you are coming?”
She smiled
“I have sent her word.”
“How?” His temper instantly flaring.
The woman stiffened her back. “Don't mock me boy, you know I am the Oracle. I find who I want to find, and I call who I want to call, as I called you.”
He narrowed his eyes “You didn't call me.”
“I did, in the only way you answer Tyler. Why do you think you even had the idea to come and find me?”
He looked down at the ground. Tyler had forgotten how powerful she was.
“Of course.”
Daring a little further. “Does Rhea know I am coming with you?”
“No, she is unaware. You will have that advantage, but do not think you will find her as cold hearted as you have tricked yourself into believing.”
The woman closed her bag up. “Now go and I will see you tonight.”
Tyler opened a portal and stepped through it. Frustrated that the old woman had to always do things in such a strange manner.
Tyler portaled to the building, as he reached the apartment he heard the first howl. The Hell Hounds. He knew for a fact the charms in the apartment worked. He would have to lower them and create a portal back to back, to leave that night. He had hours to wait until then.
When he entered the apartment Eliza was standing by the fire place in the dancing dress she had been wearing when they first met. He had gone to the Inn while on the hunt for a fire witch, when he had decided to stop in for some beer. Eliza had performed on the stage that night, very seductive and alluring. She then put on the dress and came out to socialize. Rodger was the owner of the Inn, and had been aggressive with Eliza, that was how Tyler had become involved with Eliza, he had defended her against Rodger. Rodger was a spineless man, and Tyler knew he had put true fear in him, so why had Rodger made unwanted advances to Eliza, it just didn't add up.
Tyler was in no mood for her.
“We leave tonight, change into regular clothes.” His tone towards her was flat.
“Do we get to go and find the Oracle?”
“I found the Oracle.” He said eyeing the fruit on the bar.
Eliza Squealed in delight.
"When do we go?" She asked
"When the moon is over the Horizon." He replied
She rolled her eyes "That doesn't answer my question, are we in some cryptic novel?" She asked
"What the hell do you want me to tell you Eliza? There is no time out here. Out here we go by the position of the moon and the sun." He was clearly irritated
Absent mindedly he grabbed the peach, not caring much for apples. He took a bite, the nectar from the peach tasted so good he took several more bites.
It wasn't long after that first bite that Tyler started to feel strange. He walked over to the bathroom and leaned against the tub. His vision blurry just a bit, he tried to shake off the feeling. Something had been wrong with the fruit.
Eliza was rubbing his back, trying to aid him to the bed.
“What is this?” He asked Eliza falling on the bed
"Don't worry, soon everything will be different for us, and you won't remember any of it." She said calmly.
Tyler tried to wrap his mind around what Eliza had just said. He knew he should feel angry. He should kill her, everything in him told him that she was working for evil. Her aura even had a darkness to it, he could see that now.
The harder he stared at her, the more light headed he felt as his vision blurred even more.
"Just relax, and let the potion take its effect on you." She said calmly as she lit a black candle.
Tyler fought with everything in him to stay awake, He opened his eyes to see another
woman, standing over him chanting with Eliza. He couldn't make her out, closing his eyes he tried to listen. He was sure that it was Acacia, the chanting filled his mind, as he could only see magick filling in the fog, then darkness swallowed him in to sleep.
It had been hours, Tyler was not aware he had fallen asleep. Eliza sat next to him on the bed as he sat up.
"What happened?" He asked
She looked relieved, there was a faint hint of tears in her eyes.
"You don't remember?" She asked
"No." He said rubbing his head. He had a slight headache.
"You tripped on that loose board, and hit your head." She said
"There have been howls all around us, I'm scared."
He took note of her, she did look afraid.
"And there was something at the door." She insisted.
He got up
"Hell Hounds." He said
He looked out the crack in the window, it's past time to go, I hope we aren't too late."
He took the charms off the apartment, holding her close he opened a portal, and pulled her into it.
Tyler: The Gatekeeper Series Page 5