The Prophet's Daughter

by Kilayla Pilon

  But, most of all, I wanted to know why he had done it. I settled into the seat, adjusting my position until I found something comfortable. I then closed my eyes, listening to the roar of the engine and my own breathing in an attempt to fall asleep.

  I woke up a few hours later, the car pulling to a sudden stop, tires squealing. The sharp, unexpected movement threw me against the front seat, my head smacking hard against the window.

  “Ow,” I grumbled, leaning back against my seat with my head in my hands.

  “We’re here,” Jim said. “Sorry about your head,” he chuckled, his tone sarcastic. He climbed out of the car, still laughing as if he enjoyed my pain – thought I didn’t doubt he was, in fact, enjoying it.

  “Where, exactly, is ‘here?’” I asked as he opened the car door, bowing in a dramatic fashion. I slid out and glared at him, Isaac following close behind me, remaining silent.

  “Well,” he began, rubbing his jaw. “The Chapel is where we are, and your last stop.”

  “Dramatic,” I snorted. “I thought we were going to Cobalt?” I looked around the area, but I didn’t see a Chapel anywhere in sight. I just saw a lot of dead trees and snow. What little sky I could see was tinted a soft sunset orange – I’d been out for quite a few hours. I rubbed my arms, shivering. It was way too cold.

  “We’re near Cobalt,” Isaac added, glancing up at me before lowering his gaze.

  “Yes ma’am we are,” Jim said, grinning. “Beautiful place, really.

  The Chapel was a good find on the Prophet’s part.”

  Kate crawled out of the car, stretching and yawning. “That was a much needed nap. We’re here already?”

  Jim nodded, patting her on the back. “Now if only I had gotten to sleep and you had driven like you promised.”

  Kate snorted. “I thought you didn’t like my driving?”

  “I don’t see the ‘Chapel’ anywhere around here,” I interjected, interrupting the two of them and gesturing towards the trees that surrounded us.

  “You aren’t very observant, are you?” Jim sighed, grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around. I gasped at the unexpected sight standing before.

  It stood, towering before me, the light of the setting sun shining behind it. With brown bricks accented with gray stone, the Chapel stood tall with two large front doors and windows of varying colors, round and large or high and pointed. Vines crawled along the walls, reaching towards the roof. Leaves blossomed from these vines, covering the walls as if the building had been woven together, created by the vines and not by the brick that stood, shadowed beneath the foliage.

  “No, she’s not,” Isaac murmured, brushing Jim away from me and grabbing hold of my arm. I jerked away from him, but his grip remained tight. “Jim, go on ahead. Alert them so they can be ready for her arrival.”

  “This place would be a lot prettier if it wasn’t used to house a lying coward,” I sighed, still struggling to remove my arm from Isaac’s iron grip.

  “Good idea, anything to get away from big mouth,” Kate said as she glowered at me before she spun around and skipped off towards the church. Jim shrugged and followed, trudging along behind her. Isaac and I stood in silence for a long moment, watching as they disappeared inside the Chapel.

  “Why didn’t the just stop in front of the stairs?” I asked, squirming and trying to move my arms out of his hands.

  “Don’t really know,” he responded with a quick shrug before falling silent again.

  “You’re so vocal,” I said, clapping my hands together and giving a dramatic sigh. “Really, you’re talking my ears off.”

  “Just miss my dad.” He looked at me, a thousand unsaid words dancing in his eyes. For a brief moment, I felt a sort of empathy towards him. I knew his pain more than most others did – we had both lost our parents just days apart and the wound was still fresh and painful. At the same time, I wanted to punch him, just reel back and hit him straight in the face. He deserved it – he was an idiot who had lied and betrayed me and I hated him. He should have been the one to die in place of his father, but that was not how the world worked.

  “Yeah, and I miss my parents too. They were good people – no matter what they did in the past,” I responded with scorn, clenching my hands into fists.

  “So was my dad, I just wish he had managed to save you like he wanted to.”

  “What?” I asked, blinking. His response came unexpected and hit me like a train, a wave of confusion washing over me.

  “You heard me,” he muttered. “Despite what you seem to think, I don’t want you dead.” He let go of my arm, watching as it fell limp to my side.

  For a long moment we stared at each other, eyes unblinking and mouths unmoving. Neither of us made a single sound, the creak of the trees against the soft winds the only sound.

  “Why?” I croaked, breaking the silence as I stared at him, anger obvious in my tense body. “Why now? Your friends killed my parents and everyone else who I have ever given a damn for, and now you tell me you don’t want me dead?” I closed my mouth, clenching my jaw and swallowing hard. I wanted to say so much more and yell until his ear drums burst, but instead I chose silence – a far better option, I had thought.

  “Arin, I like you. You’re better than the others, different…”

  “Yeah, I’m not a goddamn child murderer,” I spat in response, fists clenching and arms flexing. I had no control over my body, and I swung – connecting with his jaw. Isaac closed his eyes, pain obvious in his expression as he staggered backwards, holding his face.

  “Arin, please…” he groaned, crouched over and rubbing his jaw.

  “I hope you realize the feeling is not mutual,” I hissed, taking a step away from him to restrain myself. The urge to beat him to a bloody pulp thrummed through me, blood roaring in my ears, drowning out the sound of my own breathing.

  “Yeah,” he murmured, disappointment apparent on his face. It may as well have been scrawled along his face in big, black writing.

  “Good,” I said and pivoted around as the doors to the Chapel swung open and Kate poked her head out, waving at us.

  “Let’s go,” Isaac murmured, his hand still holding his jaw.

  “Awesome,” I snorted, heading towards the Chapel with Isaac behind me. Kate looked on, her face twisted in a sly grin. I had a feeling she’d been expecting me to go along without much fight after we’d arrived – after all, it wasn’t like I had anywhere to go if I even tried to flee.

  “Almost everyone is already here,” muttered Kate with a look of disappointment on her face. “I think the news got out pretty fast that we found you.”

  “More like when Neil found her,” Isaac interjected, shoving past Kate and into the building. She scowled at him, a look of complete hatred pasted on across her faces. I brushed past her, stepping into the building and looking around.

  Candles flickered along the walls, a long hallway leading to a set of wooden doors. Isaac disappeared into an archway a few steps ahead to the side, a bang echoing throughout the hall as Kate slammed the door shut. She ran her fingers through her blonde hair, sighing.

  “I suppose we might as well get something to eat before everyone sees you.” She patted me on the back. “I’m starved; I wouldn’t doubt you’re hungry too?”

  “Considering I’m going to be dead, no, not really,” I responded, moving away from her hand. My stomach, however, protested against her words – I was hungry, but I didn’t want to eat. I just wanted to get everything done and over with.

  “Oh, come on,” she said with a roll of her eyes, waving her hand and disappearing into the same archway Isaac had turned into. I shuffled along after her, gaze scouring every inch of the building. It was clean, immaculate really, and gorgeous – but it made me uncomfortable to stand in such a place that I knew acts of evil had, and would continue to be, committed in.

  Inhaling, the delicious smell of food washed over me and my stomach growled, saliva dripping in my mouth. I had no control over myself, and drift
ed towards the scent. I had never smelled anything so amazing, so delicious.

  “Well,” Kate snorted. “I’d say you’re hungry, even if you deny it.” She took a bite of the food in her hands, grinning. I looked at it, confused at the crumbling object.

  “What’s that?” I asked, blinking as I tried to remember what it was she was holding in her hands. However, I didn’t think I had ever seen it before. It was round and full of little brown dots.

  “Chocolate chip cookie.” She took another bite, still wearing that smirk. “Delicious, right?”

  “Never had it,” I admitted and glanced up at Kate, who had a horrified look across her face.

  “What? You haven’t had a cookie before?” She frowned, grabbing my hand and placing one my palm.

  “I’ve had cake, but no, never a cookie,” I said, eying the food item. “What is it?”

  “Heaven,” she said, nodding. “Try it.”

  “They aren’t that good,” Isaac pointed out as he stepped up behind her, a red plastic plate almost overflowing with food in his hands. “This is the good stuff.” He held it out to me, and I eyed it.

  “What is it?” I questioned, poking at a small pile of green slime looking stuff. It jiggled at my touch. “Food isn’t supposed to jiggle.”

  “That stuff is,” Kate said, fake gagging. “Jell-O, it’s some really nasty stuff if you ask me.”

  “Lies,” Isaac said, picking a piece off of it and popping it in his mouth.

  “Where did you get all this stuff?” I continued, taking the plate in my hands. I had never had so much food on my plate at once – that was the one thing we never had a lot of; food. When I was little, I remembered a few nights full of crying because we hadn’t had anything to eat and my stomach had hurt. Mum had always hated those nights the most.

  “We have people who go out and find stuff,” shrugged Kate, “or our cooks make it from scratch with whatever they can find. This stuff is rare, though – I mean, today is a special day after all. Tomorrow, too, since the Prophet will want to wait. Or he’ll do it tonight at midnight.”

  “Do what?” I asked, setting the food down on a table beside me, no longer feeling the sense of hunger that I’d been feeling moments before. My heart pounded in my chest and my stomach felt as I had swallowed a stone.

  “Ritual,” Isaac answered before Kate could, his face continuing to hold a frown. He hadn’t smiled in a while – I missed his smile, but it pleased me to see him so miserable. If only the cost of his torment wasn’t going to be my own life.

  “Joy,” I breathed, chewing on my lip as I stared at me feet. I had to do what Felicity had asked, I knew that well – but “how?” was the unanswered, frustrating question that rang in my head.

  My stomach rumbled, but I wasn’t hungry and I knew that if I dared to swallow anything, I would vomit. I was struggling not to throw up as it was. Glancing at the food, I closed my eyes, a shiver running down my spine.

  “Let’s just go and,” I paused; unsure of what else it was we were going to do. “Meet the Prophet, I guess.”

  “Can’t I eat first?” whined Kate, dangling a cookie in my face before taking a bite out of it.

  “You’ve already had like, four of those, others might want some too,” Isaac said, poking at Kate and raising an eyebrow.

  “And you already ate, too!” she stated and gave him a light shove. “She can wait five more minutes. After all, as she put it, she’s only going to her death.”

  I stared at her, a fire burning in my stomach at her words. Fists clenching, I turned to Isaac, glowering at him and waiting to see if he had anything to say on the matter. Instead, he just raised a hand to me and grabbed my closed fist.

  “Come on,” he murmured, dragging me over to one of the tables

  – filled with food, of course. “Just sit and wait. She’s a b-”

  “I can hear you.” Kate said, turning back towards the food and picking around it for something to eat. I glowered at her, but did the same with the plate at our table.

  “Might as well eat something,” I sighed, begging my stomach to keep it down. I grabbed at a bowl, peering inside to see a bunch of small packets, all of them labeled ‘beef jerky.’ I pulled one out and pointed it at Isaac, grinning.

  “Isn’t that what we had when we first met?” he asked, taking the packet and tearing it open.

  “Yeah,” I said, picking it out of the package and taking a bite.

  “Looks like it’ll be the last thing we’ll eat together, too.”

  “Yeah,” he responded voice soft and eyes lowered, staring at the packet. “I guess so.”

  We sat for another few minutes in silence as Kate chatted away to the others that came in and out of the kitchen, glancing at Isaac and I. Whispers arose with each person and I could feel their eyes on my back, watching me. I closed my eyes and buried my face in my hands, waiting for it to be over.

  “Okay!” Kate said, stepping up behind us and rubbing her stomach. “I’m full.” She gave me a sharp poke in the side and I jumped up, cringing at the odd and unpleasant feeling that coursed through my body.

  “That wasn’t necessary,” I spat, moving away from the table. I caught the gaze of a small child, who looked to be no more than four, and she ran off, giggling with excitement. No doubt to tell her parents, or friends, about the girl in the kitchen – the girl from the prophecy.

  “Too bad,” Kate laughed with a shrug, spinning around and swaying with each step until she was halfway to the archway. “Everyone is waiting and you are taking a lifetime,” she said in a sing-song voice, pivoting to glance at us and walking backwards.

  “Well?” I sighed, turning my gaze to look at Isaac. His stare was focused on me, intense and full of frustration. He just nodded and stood up, silent and stepping beside me. He was making it hard for me to continue hating him now that I knew he didn’t, in fact, want me dead. Also, from what it seemed, being the one person out of the many that wasn’t begging for me to drop dead within the next few days at the hands of the man they followed with blind obedience.

  “I’m sorry.” Isaac said, and he grabbed my hand. I moved to pull away, but instead decided to allow it. He held on tight, his gaze forward and never seeming to look at me whenever I glanced his way. He continued to hold it as we exited the archway and pushed open the doorway leading to the inner area of the Chapel.

  Chapter 14

  Gasping arose from the people around us, a greeting of shock rippling through the room. They hadn’t all believed that I had been found as they had been told – I could tell by the surprised expressions across the faces of the few people who turned to see who was coming in. Their reactions caused the rest of the people sitting in the lines of pews to turn, some of them gasping, others cheering.

  I stared at the red carpet that lead up to the altar, a table dressed with a white cloth sitting behind a tall stand, where a man in black stood. Standing behind the table was a wooden crucifix sitting alone, along with two other poles standing a few feet on each side beside it.

  This time, I was the one holding Isaac’s hand, clinging tight to his hand, feeling the warmth of his hand in mind. I didn’t want to admit it, but I needed him at my side – even if I wished that I didn’t. I couldn’t do it alone.

  The two of us walked down the carpet, both of our gazes fixed ahead on the black cloaked man who stood silent, peering at us from under the hood. I couldn’t get a good look at his features, but he was tall and broad – that was all I could read from him.

  As we approached, he pulled down his hood. Everyone sitting in the pews turned the moment he did, all moving to stand up. Their movement echoed throughout the well-lit room, and I was tempted to look around and observe the décor, but I remained with my gaze fixed upon the face of the man before me.

  “Child,” breathed the man, his voice rough and somewhat hoarse. His face was lined with few wrinkles, but his hair was snow white and brushed back, long and wispy. His face was lined with a thick, peppered gray be
ard, a small smile coming to his pale lips.

  “Lovelock,” I responded, unable to keep the deep hatred from my voice. Isaac squeezed my hand, a gasp rippling across the crowd at my words. Murmurs wisped through the crowd, only ceasing when he raised his hand.

  “So you know who I am,” he sighed and brought his hands together. Blue gaze sweeping the crowd, he soon locked them on me, giving me a small nod. “How delightful, my dear.”

  “Dear,” I snorted, glowering at Lovelock as Isaac and I stood, hands locked together, halfway down the aisle, in sight of all who sat in the room. A hand brushed mine and I glanced down, catching sight of a small child being whisked away by his mother as he stared at me with awe-stricken eyes.

  “Isaac,” continued Lovelock, passing off my rudeness like one would pass off a fly. “I have heard about your father. He is missed, I can assure you this, but it is only further evidence of what will happen when one goes against His word.” His gaze hovered on our hands for a moment before he returned it to Isaac’s.

  “Yes, my Prophet. I do understand.” Isaac said, his words echoed by the crowd of people. Isaac bowed his head, glancing at me with sadness welling in his green gaze. I glanced around to see that everyone else had bowed their heads. I did not.

  “Now,” began Lovelock, raising his hands again to silence the crowd. “Isaac, Child, come forward and follow me. I will show you to where you will be staying until we have prepared the ritual and the timing is right.”

  Isaac took a step forwards, tugging on my hand. I remained rooted to the ground, staring up at my father, blinking. Isaac gave another tug, looking at me with confusion and desperation.

  “Timing,” I began, ignoring the boy before me. “What do you mean?”

  “All will be explained,” Lovelock said, stepping down from the podium and waving his hand, gesturing for the two of us to come forward. I took a hesitant step, my legs struggling to step towards him. A cocktail of emotions washed over me, most predominant of the mix being fear and anger. I was terrified and everything in me screamed to flee, but I also wanted to tear this man down.