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

by Cynthia D. Witherspoon

  “You know, they say that if you die in a dream, then you die on the physical plane.” Elliot giggled. “How about we test that theory?”

  I shoved myself backwards when he took another swipe at me. I managed to grab his knife hand just as he hooked his foot behind my own. With one jerk of his leg, I was flat on my back beneath him.

  I cried out at the fire that erupted down my left side. Elliot grasped my throat beneath my jaw to force my head up.

  “What did I ever see in you?” I spat out in my anger. “Apollo was right. I should have left you to the Erinyes.”

  “A little too late for regrets, Evie.” He leaned in. “I’m coming to get you. I will feel your blood on my hands if it is the last thing I do.”

  I had to focus. I had to think. I forced myself to let go of the hand he had around my throat, pressed my arms together in front of my face, and shoved upwards. Elliot grunted when he lost his grip on me. I jumped to my feet before I lunged at him. I had to get the weapon away from him.

  But my opponent had other plans. I saw his lips curl up in a cruel smile. He tossed the knife to the side and met me in the middle. He blocked my punch then grabbed each side of my head. He pressed his nose against mine so hard, I had to close my eyes while he dug his fingertips into my scalp.

  My dream shifted the moment he made contact with me. My mind filled with every memory I had spent the past two months trying to forget about my former love. The lazy days at the University of Georgia. The nights we had wasted away talking over cold pizza while a movie played on my television. The pure adoration I had held for the man who seemed too good to be true. The fear I had felt when I was so sure he would be leaving me behind after our college graduation.

  I took a step back and slipped in a puddle of blood. The chill that ran up my leg replaced those memories reminded me of what Elliot had become.

  A killer. A monster.

  Elliot released me with a laugh and I fell hard against the body of my father. He retrieved the knife with a grin.

  “No. I’ve changed my mind. No death for you tonight. Torturing you is much more fun.”

  I woke up with a strangled cry. Cyrus had placed me back in my hospital bed. He was stretched out beneath me and was tracing small circles across my back. I threw my arms around his neck as the mixture of love and hatred overwhelmed me. I was sobbing against him when my beloved spoke.

  “Hey.” He shifted at my movement. “Little One, what’s wrong?”

  Cyrus tried to adjust himself beneath me, but I held on tighter. I buried my head against his chest as I relived my nightmare. My beloved gave up his attempt to lift me up and wrapped his arms around me. He whispered words I couldn’t understand against the top of my head. When I was calmed down enough, I loosened my grip from around my keeper. He leaned up to flip the light switch on to get a good look at me.

  “You’re bleeding.” Cyrus jerked his hand away from my side to examine the blood on his fingers. “Eva, don’t move. I’m going to take a look at your wound.”

  I started to speak, but no words came out. Instead, my mouth filled with a sharp metallic taste. I heard Cyrus yell out for the nurse just before my eyes rolled back in my head and a heavy darkness released me from the world.

  Chapter Five

  “Be quiet. The girl is coming to."

  I scrunched up my face at the unfamiliar voice filtering through my peaceful sleep. It had been weeks since I had been able to sleep so well. There was no way I was going to let some stranger interrupt it.

  "But aren't you the least bit curious, Drew?" Another voice, high and thin, filled the air around me. "Apollo's very own daughter! Home at last!"

  Wait, what? I wasn't Apollo's real daughter. It was just a title to go along with the whole Sibyl bit. I sat up with a huff, ready to refute them when I realized something very important.

  I wasn't in Charleston anymore.

  I threw off the quilt covering my legs and ignored the two people standing at the foot of my bed. I was dressed in real clothes. The hospital gown that had been my wardrobe was gone. The pain in my side? Gone.

  The room I was in looked like it belonged in a fairytale. Dark wood paneling, large windows that ran from floor to ceiling. Even the sparse furniture was impressive.

  Had I been kidnapped? I mean, the question wasn’t unreasonable. I’ve read the Inquirer before. I was famous. Wealthy. All it would take was a group of crazies to grab me while I was knocked out.

  I shook my head to chase the thought away. No. There was no way. Cyrus would never let that happen.

  "What is this place?" I whispered before I whirled around to face the two strangers. "Where am I? Where is Cyrus?"

  "Calm yourself, Sibyl." The man stepped forward with his hands raised. "You are safe."

  "Where am I?" I repeated my question as I moved towards him. "If this is another one if Elliot's attempts to mess with my head..."

  I stumbled, which ruined the tough girl facade I was trying so hard to maintain. Yet before I could hit the ground, I felt myself freeze in midair. The girl giggled and lifted me back upright.

  "All will be told in proper time." The girl flounced past me to sit on the edge of the bed. "But for now, introductions. My name is Teresa and the lout in the corner is Drew. We are Ambassadors for the Great Mother."

  "Ambassadors." I drew out every syllable in the word. "Ok. Great. Look, this little trip down the rabbit hole has been fun, but I’ve got to get going."

  I turned on my heel and headed towards the door. But when I tried to open it, the damn thing wouldn't budge. I shook it. I jerked the knob. Finally, I smacked my hand against it in frustration when the girl started giggling again.

  “For the representative of the gods, you’re not very bright.” I heard her skip over to the door. “You can’t get your way by bullying everything, you know.”

  “Let me out of this room.” I gritted my teeth when she grinned at me. “I have to find Cyrus. Now.”

  “Your keeper is in good hands.” The man spoke up. “But unfortunately, we are not allowed to open the door for you until the Great Mother has told us to do so.”

  “Who is this Great Mother? And what in the hell does she have to do with me?” I stomped my foot this time. “Hera? Kampe? Who?”

  “I can’t believe you are so clueless!” The girl grinned wider as she tapped me on the nose. “Apollo’s blood may run in your veins, but you are…”

  “Silence, Teresa.”

  We all turned towards the woman who stepped out of the corner. She was tall. Her hair dark. The newcomer glared at the other two until they bowed and stepped away from the door. I watched as the woman glided across the room only to stop just short of me. It was only then that I realized her eyes were the palest shade of lavender I had ever seen.

  “Welcome to the Academy, dear child.” The woman folded her hands together at the waist as she studied me. “Eva, isn’t it?”

  The Academy. The damned school that Hermes had told me to report to. But I was given two weeks to finish the promo necessary for Grave Messages. There was no way two weeks had passed without me knowing it.

  “Since we’re doing the introduction thing, yes, I’m Eva.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “And you are?”

  “Hecate.” She bowed her head at me. “I am the headmistress here.”

  “Nice to meet you.” I rolled my eyes. “Now can you please tell me what is going on? The last thing I remember was…”

  “Was what, exactly?” Hecate stayed still. Her strange eyes staring at me as if she could see straight through to my soul. Perhaps she could. “I would like to hear of the account in your words.”

  “I,” I wrapped my arms around my chest before I shook my head. “I don’t know. I was in the hospital. I had scheduled a whole host of interviews to offset the bad publicity my fall caused to Grave Messages.”

  I was surprised when she smiled. “Good. I am glad to hear my pupil’s potion worked so well.”

  “Potion?” I glanced ove
r at Drew and Teresa. “You poisoned me?”

  “Not exactly.” Hecate’s smile softened. “Come to my office, child. I will provide the answers you seek.”

  The heavy door creaked open before she breezed through it. I narrowed my eyes, grumbled under my breath, and did the only thing I could do.

  I followed.

  ***

  “Where is Cyrus?”

  I stormed down the dark hallway after her. I wouldn’t admit it to the goddess, but I was worried. As my Keeper, Cyrus was tasked to stay by my side. His duty to Apollo was to protect me. But as my lover, he refused to be parted from me. We had become inseparable the second I took Apollo’s oath to become his Sibyl some two years before. So to wake up in a strange place without him was more than unsettling.

  It was frightening.

  “Calm yourself, Sibyl.” Hecate slowed down long enough for me to catch up. “Your Keeper returned to South Carolina to do his duty to you. He will return the moment he is done."

  “What duty?”

  “To explain to your companions why you disappeared.” The goddess chuckled. “We had to whisk you away quite suddenly.”

  “Kidnapped.” I grumbled loud enough for her to hear me. “The term you should use here is ‘kidnapped’.”

  “At any rate, the media so captivated with you would have a field day if they discovered you were no longer at the hospital. Cyrus is working with your assistant to tamper down their curiosity.”

  I grimaced at the thought of what the press would do with my sudden vanishing act so soon after my alleged suicide attempt. I had to get back to Charleston. I had to finish my work for Grave Messages before the press really did get out of control. I could do the crazy photo shoots. I could walk the red carpet for every premiere Theia sent me to. But really? The best way to put this mess behind me was to get back to filming the show. It would keep me busy. Keep my mind off of Elliot’s insanity.

  Yeah. Even I knew that I was lying to myself. Nothing - no show, no interview, not even Cyrus - could distract me from the Skinwalker.

  “Ms. McRayne, if you please.”

  I jerked my head up to see that Hecate had stopped by an impressive set of double doors. One of which was open. She gestured for me to enter, so I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and passed over the threshold.

  The room was stunning, but it was the view outside that was breathtaking. I went to the window with a gasp. Below us was a lake so clear, it appeared to be covered in glass. Pine trees carpeted the area around the water at the base of a snow tipped mountain. I pressed my hands against the window before I turned back to the goddess behind me.

  “Is this Mount Olympus?”

  Hecate blinked twice before a grin graced her regal features. She came up beside me to shake her head.

  “No. Despite your connections to the gods, you are not allowed to travel to our realm. This, dear child, is Mount St. Helens.”

  “The volcano?” I turned back to the scenery with relief. I was still on earth at least. “Why do you have a mysterious school at the base of a volcano?”

  “Why not?” Hecate tilted her head towards me. “Hikers travel the area, that is true. But we have no fear of discovery. The forest is too vast. As for the volcano itself, well. Nature’s fury has no effect on the likes of me and mine, Sibyl.”

  I pressed my fingers against my temples as I tried to wrap my mind around the events of the past thirty minutes. I couldn’t do it.

  “Are you sure I’m not dreaming right now? Cause I’m pretty sure this isn’t real.”

  “Let us start from the beginning, shall we?” Hecate gestured for me to take a seat at her desk. “But first, there are some precautions we must make with you.”

  “Excuse me?” I crossed my arms over my chest while she pulled out a box from the top drawer. “What is that?”

  “Gloves.” She passed the box over to me. “Hera was quite insistent that the gods were made aware of your particular ability to steal our knowledge. I can’t allow you to do that while you are present at the Academy.”

  “Why? Is that considered cheating?”

  “Yes.” Hecate smirked as she sat down. “And annoying. Please do as I ask. Wear the gloves when you are in the presence of another deity.”

  “Fine.” I plopped down in the chair and opened the box. Inside were a pair of white gloves that reminded me of the ones my mom used to have me wear at Easter. “Classy.”

  “I thought so.”

  “Look, why am I really here?” I took out the gloves and slipped them on. “I don’t buy Hermes’ crap story for a second. Is this an attempt by Hera to get me out of the way for a while?”

  “Eva, you are an extraordinary creature. The Council believes that you – and you alone – are strong enough to represent them here on the Earth plane.”

  I decided to keep my mouth shut, but in my mind, I was screaming. I wasn’t extraordinary. I had failed not once, but twice to bring down my enemy. And those who were closest to me were the ones who got hurt. Or killed. I knew now that leaving Elliot alive in Montana was a mistake that would haunt me for the rest of my days. And nothing this goddess could tell me would change that.

  “Sibyl, are you listening?”

  I snapped my head up to realize she had asked me a question. I cleared my throat and turned my attention back to the woman sitting across from me.

  “Sorry. My mind was wandering. What did you say?”

  “I am curious as to what you hope to learn during your time with us.”

  “I have no idea.” I shrugged. “I just found out this place existed a few days ago. What do you teach? Is there a course list or something for me to look at?”

  “Not exactly.” Hecate’s smirk was back. “You will have one week to study beneath the mentor assigned to you. Our history, fighting techniques, even diplomacy since you will be speaking on our behalf. Yet, I must warn you. You are to have no contact with the world outside of the Academy. Your focus will be on what we wish for you to learn.”

  “Brainwashing then.” I kept my tone dry as I responded. “Sounds fantastic. Tell me, though. Do I get to choose the flavor of Kool Aid? Or will that be a surprise?”

  “You will be presented to the Council next Friday.” Hecate ignored me as she began to play with the set of skeleton keys which hung around her throat. “It is then that the formal announcement will be made.”

  “What happens if I fail?”

  “You won’t.” Hecate studied me with her strange eyes. “Yet, we must address the possibility. The truth is, I don’t know. You are the first creature sent to me that has not been chosen by the gods to protect one of their beloved pets.”

  “Alright.” I took a breath. “And after one week, I will be allowed to return home?”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “But be warned, Eva. There is the possibility that if you do fail, the gods will send you back to me until they are satisfied with your training.”

  “And I have absolutely no choice in this matter what so ever.”

  “There is always a choice, child.” Hecate smiled, but this time, it was one of pity. “One I am sure you are quite familiar with.”

  I closed my eyes as I realized what she was talking about. The oath of the Sibyl could be broken if I relinquish my role to another girl willing to take the oath. But to do so would mean my suicide. And access to the ancient mirror used to by Apollo to grant the gifts he gave his Sibyl.

  Access I didn’t have since I’d first broken the mirror then returned it to Apollo for safekeeping after he repaired it.

  “I know what I want to learn from you.” I laced my fingers together against my knees. “I don’t care about power. Or the torrid histories of the gods. I want to know how I can defeat Elliot Lancaster once and for all.”

  Chapter Six

  “Elliot Lancaster. Hera’s newest pet?”

  Hecate stood up to lean against her desk in front of me. She folded her arms and stared at me with such intensity, I started to squirm. I
felt like I had been sent to the principal’s office. Finally, she broke the tense silence between us.

  “I am aware of more than you know.” She tapped her long fingers against the desktop. “But not even I have been privy to the entire story. Would you care to elaborate on the events which occurred between the two of you?”

  “Not really.” I sighed. “But I will.”

  So I told her everything. I told her about my past with Elliot. How we had discovered Hera’s secret little cult in Montana. I told her how my former friend had devoted his very soul to the goddess and in return, he was made into a monster who murdered people to provide his new mistress with blood sacrifices. For the most part, I was the one talking. But Hecate interrupted more than once with questions of her own. She asked me about the fights between us. She asked about Elliot’s shape shifting ability. Hell, she even asked about Hermes’ role in my resurrection.

  And I was honest. I told her what I knew to be true. Just as I was finishing up, Cyrus returned. I knew he was there the second he appeared out of the shadows thanks to the sweet security that surrounded me. I started to stand up. I started to rush over to him, throw myself into his arms, and then cuss him out with every bad word I knew for leaving me alone in such a strange place.

  In the end, I behaved. I caught sight of his relieved smile before he knelt down to one knee to bow his head at the goddess.

  “I told you he would return shortly.” Hecate swept over to where my beloved Keeper was knelt down. “Rise, Cyrus of Crete.”

  She offered her hand to my Keeper and I resisted the urge to raise my eyebrow as she linked her arm with his to lead him over to the desk.

  “I have been told you were successful. The humans believe the girl has been moved to a private facility?”

  “Yes, Great Mother. The media is satisfied for the moment. Yet, I do not know how long the peace will last.”

  “The girl will be returned in a week.” Hecate waved away Cyrus’ concern. “They can have their pound of flesh then.”