The Oracle Series: Vols. 4, 5, & Grave Endowments

by Cynthia D. Witherspoon

  “Interesting.”

  “What?” I leaned over to try to see his cell phone, but it was no use. The ancients preferred their language over English. I couldn’t read a single word I was looking at. “What does it say?”

  “The gods are bickering.” Cyrus glanced over his shoulder at me. “About you.”

  “So?” I shrugged. “From what you forced me to read, they bicker all the time. Why is this any different?”

  “Because they are choosing sides.” Cyrus typed something on his screen. “There are those who support you and are thrilled that you put Hera in her place. Then there are the others.”

  “The others?” I finished my coffee with a single gulp. “Why do they matter?”

  “They matter, dear girl, because your enemies are the ones who will come after you.” Cyrus shook his head. “You may be immortal on earth, but if they can get you to the Underworld, then your soul will suffer.”

  “I am hearing that word way too much here lately.” I shook my head. “So what do we do?”

  “I am being summoned to Olympus. Apollo wishes to see me.” Cyrus ran his thumb over his phone. “While I am gone, promise me you will stay here.”

  “Cyrus…”

  “I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, Little One.” My keeper gave me such a serious look, I took a step back. “Keep Joey with you at all times.”

  “Actually, I’m going to help trail Elliot.” Joey tucked his phone back in his pocket. “I want to be able to tell my posse where he is.”

  “Your posse?” I let my words come out slowly. “Since when do you have a posse?”

  “Since I get to lead a group of crazed photographers in search of a million dollar photo. They are scrambling since I told them we might catch Elliot in the act.” Joey kissed my cheek. “See you on the flip side, Evie. I gotta run.”

  “See you.” I waited until he was out the door before I focused on my beloved again. “Joey’s gone. You’re leaving me. What can I do?”

  “Lock the door. Get some sleep.” Cyrus put his arm around my waist to pull me against him. “Stay safe. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “You know I don’t follow your orders very well.” I closed my eyes as he held me. “In fact, I’m really bad at listening to you at all.”

  “Please.” Cyrus kissed me. “Don’t make me worry.”

  I let myself be swallowed up in my beloved’s embrace. When he released me, I nodded.

  “Fine. I’ll behave. But hurry back. I don’t know how long it will last.”

  Cyrus kissed my temple one final time as he released me. I sighed when he disappeared into the shadows and I was alone. Believe me when I say the irony was not lost on me. I’d spent the past three weeks wanting the chance to come home. But now that I was here?

  I wanted to be anywhere else. I wanted to be productive. I needed to do something. Anything to help with the predicament Elliot had created.

  I glanced down at the bags I had abandoned in the hallway. I could call the police, but it wouldn’t do any good. I could get on Google and see what the great search engine had to say about Elliot’s murders. I started to grab my tablet when I had a better idea. I crossed my living room and entered my office. The entire back wall was lined with books on Greek history and mythology. Surely they would have the answers to my questions about Hera and Elliot.

  Surely.

  Chapter Four

  I tried to focus on the stories about Hera, really I did. But ultimately, they told me nothing more than I already knew. She married Zeus, abused her power to seek revenge on those who displeased her, and fancied herself to be the goddess of true love and family. I snorted each time I read that phrase. The goddess I had encountered was nothing more than a bully. There was no love about her.

  I slammed the heavy book cover closed then shoved it aside. I pulled the next one free from the stack I had made before I changed my mind. Not on doing the research, but on the subject matter. I turned to the index, found the page numbers I needed, and began to read every story I could find on Kassandra.

  The parallels between her story and that of Delphine, the first Sibyl, were uncanny. Both had been approached by Apollo thanks to their beauty. Both had been granted gifts by him. And both were cursed when they refused him. Yet, while Delphine became an adored symbol for what she could offer the masses, Kassandra had been reproached. Her warnings were ignored. She had been condemned to mockery and disbelief. I tapped a pen against the page as I realized how she felt. After all, it was the fear of that same mockery which kept me from going to the police about Elliot in the first place.

  One thing was for certain. I wouldn’t ignore the warning she gave me in New York. I closed my eyes and wrote down everything that I could remember about my interaction with her. It wasn’t much. I remembered her strange red hair. I could hear her voice in my head. But her words?

  Nothing. I couldn’t remember anything other than the fear on her face when she spoke to me.

  I was interrupted by the doorbell. I tossed my pen aside before I marched through the living room to throw open the door.

  A tall man stared down at me with the clearest gray eyes I’d ever seen. He was dressed in a shirt as white as his hair; both of which contrasted nicely against his Boca Raton tan. He carried a long box beneath his arm.

  “Eva McRayne?” His voice boomed in my hallway. “May I come in?”

  “I’m not sure.” I eyed him with suspicion. “You don’t seem like the type who would want to kill me. Blind me with that ridiculous shirt? Yes. But kill me? No.”

  The man’s resulting laughter was just as loud as his words had been. I winced and he shook his head.

  “If I wished to kill you, Sibyl, you would already be dead. Now, may I come in?”

  I shrugged and stepped aside. Despite Cyrus’ warning, I didn’t see this man as a threat. Although after he bounded into my living room, I started to wonder just who on earth my visitor was.

  “So…introductions?” I lowered myself down onto the arm of my couch. “I’m Eva. You seem to know me as Sibyl. Who are you?”

  “Zeus.” The man was bent down, studying the controls of my television when he answered. “What wonderful technology you humans have created. I stand amazed, honey.”

  I know my jaw dropped. I could feel my mouth hanging open in my shock, so I shook my head to try again.

  “I’m sorry. Did you say Zeus?”

  “Yes.” The man stood and for the first time, I noticed the small swan tattoo on his hand. “I’ve decided to give you a present.”

  I looked around just in case there was someone else behind me he could have been talking to. Of course, I was all alone. I took a deep breath to stop my heart from beating out of my chest before I spoke again.

  “I’m sorry. I’m not sure how I should greet you. What should I call you?”

  “You already did.” The man tore his eyes away from the digital clock on the wall to look at me. “You invited me in and introduced yourself, didn’t you? And call me Zeus. I don’t like it when those around me are too formal.”

  I pressed my fingertips together in front of my nose to keep from laughing. The great god of us all was nothing more than a frat boy. I thought about offering him a beer or to take him surfing, but dismissed it when he collapsed on my couch with the remote in his hand. He turned it on and tuned me out until I cleared my throat.

  “A beer would be great.” He interrupted me before I could speak. “Damned sun. It’s too hot outside today.”

  “Sure.” I rolled my eyes as I went into the kitchen. I kept a few bottles in the back of my fridge for Joey when he came over, so at least I had what he wanted. I worked off the top and went back into the living room to see him watching Spring Break re-runs. I handed him the beer and resumed my perch on the couch arm.

  “Zeus, please don’t take what I’m about to say the wrong way, but why are you here?”

  “What?” He stayed glued to the bikinis bouncing on the screen. “What’
d you say, honey?”

  “First off, I’m not your ‘honey’.” I snapped before I snatched the remote from his hand. I flipped through the channels until I got to CNN which had yet more coverage on the serial killer here in L.A. “And second of all, that is more important than you drooling all over my couch.”

  Zeus’ eyes flashed before he broke out in a massive smile. He reached up and tapped the side of my chin with his knuckle while taking a swig of his beer.

  “You’re feisty. I like that. Tell you what else I like.”

  I rolled my eyes and waited to hear about his infamous escapades with women. I mean, really. If the King of the Heavens was famous for anything, it was fathering numerous kids throughout his family tree. Yet Zeus managed to surprise me yet again with his next words.

  “I like what you’ve done for my family, Sibyl. Apollo did well when he created you.”

  “Um, he didn’t.” I started when he patted the seat next to him. “What?”

  “Sit down. I want to give you your present.”

  I was still aggravated, but I did what I was told. I sat down, shifted just enough to face him, and tried not to grunt when he dropped the heavy box onto my lap. I was tugging on the silver ribbon that tied it closed when he leaned over the lid.

  “Do you know what it is?” He winked at me. “Guess.”

  “Please don’t say a swan.”

  I was awarded by another round of booming laughter as I opened the lid. This time, I gasped as I removed the lid from the box and set it on my coffee table. Inside was the most beautiful sword I’d ever seen. It was shorter than the one Cyrus carried with swirls of gold gleamed against the white steel of the blade. At the hilt, a bird rose up out of the sun. I stared at Zeus then back to the sword in disbelief.

  “She’s beautiful, isn’t she? The Ceremonial Sword of the Sibyl.” His smile grew wider while he lifted it out of the box. “I had Hephaestus make her especially for you. Go on. Try her out.”

  I took the weapon from Zeus’ hands. It was light. Balanced. I stood up and twirled it around in a lazy circle before I saw Zeus stand up. He grinned when a staff of white marble appeared in his hand.

  “Let’s spar, shall we? You can’t truly know your weapon until you’ve used it.”

  “I can’t spar you.” I stared at him in disbelief. “That’s ridiculous.”

  “Why? Afraid I’ll beat you?” The great god frowned. “I am not so careless that I would strike you down after giving you a gift.”

  “I’m not worried about me.” I countered. “I’m worried about my damn furniture.”

  Zeus laughed again, but this time, he stabbed at me with the staff. I dodged to my left as it crashed through one of the table lamps.

  “Hey!” I ducked my head when he swung again. “No fair, Frat Boy.”

  I rolled to the side when the staff cracked against my floor. I grabbed the closest end to me and used it to balance myself as I kicked upward. I landed a blow to his stomach that knocked him back. I jumped to my feet, twirled the blade twice, and swung.

  Zeus blocked my hit with his staff. He leaned over the cross our weapons made to leer at me. “You’re cute.”

  “I’m taken.” I shot back. “And ew. You’re married.”

  Zeus allowed his staff to disappear back into oblivion then he dropped back down on my couch. “I’ve heard that you met Hera.”

  “Yes.” I used the bottom of my shirt to wipe off a smudge on my blade. “She hates me, you know.”

  “I don’t understand it.” Zeus leaned forward as he drank more of his nasty beer. “You’re a great girl. One hell of a fighter. And your show? I’m a fan.”

  “Let’s just say I got in the way.” I replaced my new sword in its box. “But since we’re on the topic of getting in the way, I need your help.”

  “Everybody needs something from me.” The god’s face grew dark. “What?”

  “I need you to replace the lamp you broke.” I pointed to the shattered remains on the side table. “I told you I didn't want to fight in here.”

  The great King of the Heavens blinked twice before he offered me a smug smile. “You got it, honey.”

  The entire mess disappeared with a snap of his fingers. I whirled around to see a very solid marble statue appear where the lamp once sat. It was one of himself in full Greek regalia.

  “Oh, my god.” I whipped my head back to see him smiling. “You are so vain it hurts.”

  Zeus wiggled his eyebrows as he stood up. “I thought I looked better than a stupid lamp anyway.”

  He tapped the side of my chin with his knuckle again. “Yeah. I like you, Sibyl. I’m going to tell my son to keep you.”

  And just as quickly as he appeared, the great King of the Heavens vanished. I stared at the statue, then at the sword to make sure I hadn’t imagined the whole encounter.

  I sat back down on the couch to run my fingers over the blade. I wasn't kidding when I said it was beautiful. But I couldn't focus on the sword. Instead, I chided myself for not asking Zeus to help me with Elliot. I mean, really. The most powerful god of the Greeks was sitting in my living room and I couldn't make myself do it. Not after the look on his face when I said I needed his help.

  If I'd learned anything during my time as the Sibyl, it was that the gods were fickle. No matter how much they said they liked you. I put the lid back on the sword box and placed it in my hall closet. I was sure it would come in handy sooner rather than later.

  I could feel it.

  Chapter Five

  I don’t think time worked on Mount Olympus like it did on earth. Two days passed before Cyrus appeared in the shadows of my living room. I was in the kitchen when I felt the strange sense of security I experienced every time he was near. So I poured up a glass of whiskey for him, grabbed my wine, and barreled out of the kitchen.

  “You’re home.” I smiled until I saw the shadows move behind him. “And you are not alone.”

  Kassandra stepped out from behind him. I knew it was her. I recognized her red hair immediately. I put the glasses down on the coffee table to smooth out my shirt. She glanced up at Cyrus then raised her chin when she faced me.

  “Eva, this is Kassandra, former princess of Troy.” Cyrus took a step back and rolled his eyes where only I could see him. I had to hide my giggle behind my hand as he continued. “You wished to speak with her.”

  “Yes.” I nodded as I fell into the role of formality. “Welcome to my home, Kassandra. Wine?”

  I handed her the glass I had made for myself. She took it with care since her hands were trembling. It wasn’t until she sat down in one of my arm chairs that I broke the silence around us while passing Cyrus his whiskey. “You wanted to speak with me at Paracon. Why?”

  “I told you all that I have seen.” The woman sipped on her drink. “I can tell you nothing more.”

  “Oh, I doubt that very much.” I leaned back against the couch to rest my head in my hand. “I happen to believe in you.”

  “What?” Kassandra widened her clear green eyes. “You don’t…you can’t…”

  “I can and I do.” I shrugged. “I’ve read the stories. More often than not, those who failed to heed your warnings met with misfortune, did they not?”

  “They did.”

  “So I would be a fool not to pay attention to what you have to say.” I frowned. “But I have a problem I’m hoping you can help me with.”

  “Anything.” The woman seemed to tremble harder since I told her I believed her. “What sort of problem?”

  “I can’t remember what you said. Maybe it was the craziness of the convention. Or maybe there’s been a lot going on since then. But your words have escaped me. Can you tell me again?”

  “Did you bring me here to make fun of me?” Kassandra snapped. “You say you’ve read my history. Yet, now you mock me.”

  “Something about ashes.” I ignored her outburst and handed her my notebook I’d been writing in. “I tried to write it down a few days ago. But I just…I can�
�t remember.”

  Kassandra stared at my notes for a long time. When she looked back up at me, I realized she was crying.

  “After all this time,” she whispered. “Why now? Why you?”

  “I have seen too much in too short a time to dismiss anything outright.” I leaned forward to clasp my hands over hers. “Please. Can you write down what you have seen? In English?”

  She freed the pen from the spiral binding of the notebook. She used her knees to balance the paper when she began to write. I glanced up to see Cyrus staring at me with the softest expression on his face, so I winked at him. He awarded me with my favorite crooked smile when the woman finished. She passed me the notebook and pen.

  “Thank you,” Kassandra whispered. “Daughter of Apollo. While I was cursed by our patron god, you were blessed by him. I can see now why he chose you over all the others.”

  “I’m sorry?” I sat the notebook aside. Her words were a little too close to what Zeus had said about Apollo creating me. “He didn’t choose me. The previous Sibyl did.”

  “No. Kathy Carter was told many years ago to relinquish her role to you when you came of age.” Kassandra looked at me with confusion. “Apollo knew of you long before your birth. You are truly his daughter.”

  So maybe what Cyrus had mentioned about her being crazy wasn’t that far from the truth. I let her hug me. I allowed her to call me her sister. But what I didn’t do was mention my very mundane, very human parents who resided across the country from me. I poured her another glass of wine and one for myself before I asked my next question.

  “Kassandra, I’ve read about you. But no book can tell me everything about you. Will you share your story with me? How is it that you are still here?”

  “Please, call me 'sister’.” Kassandra wrapped her thin fingers around the base of the wine glass. “I will tell you, but only because I like you.”

  “That’s a good start.” I tapped my glass against hers until they clinked. “To beginnings.”