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

by Cynthia D. Witherspoon

  But if it leads to the Sybil's destruction, I'd find a location in Hell itself—"

  “No, my pet.” Hera rewarded me with a cold smile. "Not Rome, Italy. Rome, North Carolina."

  I frowned as I tried to remember the state. I’d been to South Carolina with Eva, of course. But North Carolina? I’m sure I’d just flown over it.

  "There is a Rome, North Carolina?" I finally asked. "It's got to be in the sticks.

  What makes the place so important?"

  Hera returned her gaze to the window, but this time, her gaze was full of inspiration. "I have told you of the various pantheons and belief systems." she said to me. "Yet, it is time for you to learn another lesson from our realm. Allow me tell you of something known as The Eleventh Percent. "

  ***

  That conversation had been over a week ago. I’d taken my dive; made Eva look like a million bucks in front of the council. Zeus and all of them would bend over backwards for her now.

  Just as planned.

  Getting the docket to Leyton was easy. Pulling strings and sending him to ScarYous Tales of the Paranormal was easy, too. That Landry guy had been trying to get a piece of the glory from Grave Messages for months now. But that didn’t even matter. Eva could be destroyed. That was what mattered. I grinned as I slipped past the security guard dozing in the lobby of her condo. She and her faithful slaves would head out in the morning, but I couldn’t resist having a little fun. I knew she wouldn’t be alone. I knew that she had moved Joey in with her to protect him from me. But what she didn’t prepare for was the abilities which had come with my transformation as a Skinwalker.

  I faded into the shadows of her hall. Past the doors of people who had been my neighbors when we had first come out to Los Angeles. Sure, Eva and I had been close once. We were best friends once.

  But you know what they say. The best of friends make the worst of enemies. I didn’t stop until I was inside her precious condo. I could see Joey sitting on the couch next to the bastard slave who had taken my place. I felt my rage rise up once more as I watched them. Cyrus passed Joey a flask as they laughed. He had taken my place in

  more than Eva’s heart. He had taken Joey away from me as well.

  I smiled despite my anger. My rage was only a small part of this. I understood that now. Hera’s plan was flawless. Eva would be destroyed. Joey shredded to pieces right next to her corpse. And because Eva would be gone, Cyrus would perish, too. I would bide my time. Obey my mistress. Stop any potential war in Olympus from even happening.

  And the best part?

  My hatred would be fulfilled at the same time.

  I didn’t stop until I reached the room Eva had claimed on Day One of our move. I shifted until I reached the side of her bed. She was asleep, her breathing labored as I resisted the urge to grab her heart straight from her chest. Instead, I tried to remember the love I had once had for her.

  I couldn’t do it. None of the memories—how I had loved her smile, her laugh, even her smart mouth—could bring back the tenderness I had once felt for her.

  I could only think of what she had done. The bitch knew who my mother was. She had known for almost a year that the woman I’d spent my entire life searching for had thrown herself in front of a bus in New York moments after we met her. She knew how I had loved her. Yet, she threw everything away for the damn Greek sitting on my couch this very moment.

  I leaned down to press a cold kiss against her lips. Her eyes flew open the moment I

  made contact, but before she could jerk away, I had her throat in my hand.

  “I will see you dead, Evie.” I caressed the side of her throat with my thumb. “There will be no Hermes to bail you out this time, and your beloved Council can’t help you, either. Your time has long since come. At last, I have finally found a way to end your existence.”

  I laughed when she screamed, shifting myself off her bed and into the shadows seconds before the Greek threw open her bedroom door.

  She would die, and stay that way. Her little Greek slave would suffer, and then die too. And my mistress would be a heroine for Olympus. It was all I could ask for.

  Chapter One

  Jonah Rowe

  At this moment, Jonah couldn’t help but feel like he’d gotten the shaft.

  It was summer, which was always when the Grannison-Morris estate was at its emptiest, and the only residents left were the eight to nine people who everyone else had affectionately dubbed the “skeleton crew.” Only this time, that wasn’t the case.

  Any and everybody had somewhere to go for either half the summer or the whole season. This one saw Liz and her family trek to Las Vegas. Her parents rewarded her for achieving the Dean’s List for the second consecutive time, as well as a consecutive 4.0 grade point average. Liz happily accepted the gift, and it also didn’t hurt that Bobby and Vera went along with her family as well. Spader was off doing…something. No one really wanted to know. Douglas had been forced to spend summer with family he didn’t even like. Even Malcolm, the most reserved of them all, was occupied for the summer. He’d given some carpentry insights that had been so invaluable that he’d been invited to teach a couple woodshop summer courses.

  So everyone had something to do.

  Everyone, that was, except for Jonah, Terrence, and Reena.

  After the ordeal that they’d experienced, everyone felt the three of them should have the luxury of being bored. Liz, for one, thought that it was a courtesy to allow the three of them to rest and not have to “expend mental energy.”

  Malcolm threw in his two cents right before his departure. “You can’t possibly recharge your batteries while out having fun and running yourself ragged,” he’d said.

  “Sometimes, sitting back and taking perspective is the most advantageous thing.”

  So, here the three of them were, in the family room of the estate, bored out of their minds. This wasn’t relaxing. This wasn’t battery recharging. This was—

  “Bullshit,” said Terrence aloud. “This is total bullshit. Why do we have to be stuck here like this? This feels like kid’s table crap.”

  Reena rolled her eyes. “You know that’s not the case, Terrence. We weren’t left out. Everyone felt like they did us a kindness and an honor to leave us to rest.”

  “Not helping anything, Reena,” murmured Jonah. “Don’t even pretend like you want to be here with us. We all know that you’d rather be locked up in some hotel room with Kendall right now.”

  Reena took a breath and closed her eyes. “Not possible at the moment,” she grumbled. “Thanks to Jonathan. He felt like I needed to get my emotions in order. Let’s just leave it at that.”

  “It wouldn’t be so bad if we weren’t the only ones at the entire estate,” complained Terrence. “I hope that that was luck of the draw. Surely that wasn’t done by design—”

  “Would it be that huge of a matter if that was the case?” asked a familiar voice.

  Jonathan was there. Their mentor and trainer always looked the same; button down, tan duster, and infinity medallion around his neck. This image was so commonplace to Jonah nowadays that he barely noticed it. He certainly didn’t notice it right now, as he’d fastened on to what Jonathan just said.

  “What did you say, Jonathan?” he queried. “You isolated us on purpose?” “It wasn’t isolation,” said Jonathan. “I sincerely believe that the three of you need to have your spirits replenished. But I never intended for you to sit here slothfully doing

  nothing at all. I have a simple task for you all. Should be easy as can be.”

  Jonah glanced at Terrence and Reena. What the hell would this be?

  “What’s that, Jonathan?”

  Jonathan pocketed his hands. “Have you ever heard of Eva McRayne?” “No,” said Jonah and Reena at once.

  “Hell yeah!” exclaimed Terrence, who actually hopped up from his seat. “She’s awesome! The centerpiece of Grave Messages!” “Grave what?” asked Jonah.

  Terrence looked at Jonah in di
sbelief. “Seriously, Jonah?” he breathed. “You’ve never heard of The Sibyl?”

  Now Jonah was really befuddled. “Wait. Sibyl? What’s she got to do with Eva?” “They are one and the same, Jonah,” clarified Terrence. “Eva McRayne is the

  Sibyl. Grave Messages is her show. She is the best. Smart, intense, and kinda hot—”

  “Whoa,” interrupted Jonah, “Grave Messages is a TV show? You guys know me well enough to know that the only thing I watch on TV is The Big Bang Theory.

  Everything else is Netflix. What, pray tell, is this show about?”

  Now Terrence looked a bit sheepish. Jonathan spoke up once more. “It’s best if I take over now, Terrence,” he said. “Eva McRayne is a superbly talented spiritual conduit who communicates with—”

  Now Jonah was the one that rose out of his seat. His meter went from zero to octane in a nanosecond. “Forgive me, Jonathan, but are you out of your damn mind?” After everything that happened with Landry over the past few months?” Jonathan’s eyes narrowed. “Mind your tone, Jonah,” he said with quiet authority. “This is an entirely different situation. Miss McRayne is no charlatan. She has a spiritual gift.”

  “So you say,” said Reena, equally as riled as Jonah. “If she is authentic, then where exactly did she get this gift?”

  “That’s the best part!” said Terrence. “It’s the show I told you that I started watching once I checked out on ScarYous Tales. It’s nothing ethereal—I mean, nothing that deals with us! Like Jonathan said, she ain’t a charlatan! She said that it comes from

  Apollo.”

  Terrence’s words left dumbfounded silence in their wake. Jonah ran his tongue over his teeth, like he always did when he heard grade A bull.

  “Please, Terrence,” he supplicated, “do not tell me that you mean Apollo Apollo.” “The very same, Jonah,” said Jonathan. “Apollo, the god. Patron of Delphi, symbolized by the lyre, healer, prophetic deity—”

  “I know the stories, Jonathan,” interrupted Jonah. “I’ve done book reports on mythology. Mythology. As in lie. If she fancies herself to be aligned with Apollo, then I suppose she’s calling herself Sibyl after the Sibyl no one ever believed—” “That was Cassandra, actually,” corrected Reena.

  “Whoever,” spat Jonah. “Point is she’s lying. And if she’s on TV—”

  “Jonah, stop,” said Terrence. “And while you’re at it, calm down a bit, alright?

  We’re supposed to be de-stressing, recall that?”

  With difficulty, Jonah desisted. Yeah, Terrence was right, but that was before Jonathan mentioned this fresh hell.

  Reena, who seemed to have successfully put a lid on her own thoughts, directed her attention to Jonathan. “Sir, clearly, we’ve gotten way off the point,” she said as in level a voice as she could muster. “Your initial question was whether or not we’ve ever heard of this woman. Why does that matter?”

  Jonathan smoothly moved his weight from one foot to the other. “She is coming to Rome,” he replied. “Today.”

  Jonah raised an eyebrow. “So what?” he asked. “What’s that got to do with us?” “Miss McRayne’s Keeper is an old acquaintance of mine,” Jonathan explained. “In light of recent events, he contacted me to offer her safe haven as they film a new episode of Grave Messages here in Rome. When I had another protector guide support the suggestion, I agreed.”

  Jonah shook his head. “You cannot possibly have said yes, Jonathan.”

  “I did indeed say yes,” Jonathan responded.

  Jonah threw his hands in the air. What was Jonathan’s deal? After everything that had happened with Landry and ScarYous Tales of the Paranormal, why was he subjecting them to this Grave Messages crap? And this McRayne woman would be crashing at the estate? For the love of God, she could probably buy out a hotel floor! Why the hell did Jonathan have to lodge her?

  “Back up,” said Reena. “You said someone else suggested this? Who?” “Akraia,” answered Jonathan. “She is another Protector Guide. Apparently, she got wind that Grave Messages’ production company was interested as Rome for a potential filming site, so she contacted me after I had spoken to Cyrus. This is part of my sphere of protection; therefore I have the right to know any and everything that goes on around here.”

  “Huh,” said Terrence, who looked intrigued. “That Akraia guide must have been around Elliot Lancaster if she got wind of that—” “Who?” said Reena and Jonah simultaneously.

  “Elliot Lancaster,” repeated Terrence like it should have been obvious. “His dad runs the company that does Grave Messages. He was a presenter on the show, but now he’s the day-to-day producing consultant, something like that. I think he scaled back his responsibilities for that Helakos woman.”

  “What are you talking about, Terrence?” questioned Jonah.

  Terrence sighed. “I read that Elliott’s supposedly messing around with this billionaire heiress who’s recently moved to Beverly Hills named Juno Helakos,” he said. “They spend a lot of time together—she’s been labeled a cougar. Eva’s got a new partner on the show. It’s a blind guy named Leyton. Well, he was her new partner. But his dumb ass left for ScarYous.”

  Jonah eyed Terrence intently. He noticed that Reena did too, and surprisingly, Jonathan as well. Reena was the one who broke the silence.

  “You read all this, you say,” she said slowly, “do you mean…as in…tabloid gossip?”

  “Dear Lord,” said Jonah, who now questioned his best friend’s sanity. “This just keeps getting better and better.”

  “I read celebrity gossip!” said Terrence, unabashed. “So what?! It’s not like I’m living these crazy lives, I just read about them!”

  “It’s not so much that, Terrence,” said Jonah, “it’s just that one would think that—”

  “Look,” interrupted Terrence with a trace of heat in his voice, “I’m well aware of what happened. You think it’s possible that I’d forget? Turk Landry can go to hell for what he did, and is still doing. But Grave Messages is good TV. I love it, and I ain’t ashamed of it. It’s a part of all the TV that I watch. I’m a janitor, remember? So any release that I got from nasty teenagers, clogged sinks, and shitty toilets is a blessed one. TV and celebrity gossip provide such releases. Sorry for the swearing, Jonathan,” he added hastily.

  Jonathan waved a hand, but regarded Reena, who looked pensive. “What’s on your mind, Reena?” he asked.

  “It’s just…weird,” she murmured. “Juno Helakos? Her surname is Greek, and Eva McRayne claims to be blessed by a Greek god. The name Juno is from Ancient Rome, and we live in Rome, North Carolina. It’s just a bunch of coincidences, and they just— stirred in my brain is all.”

  Jonah looked at her. Reena made some crazy connections there. He hadn’t even noticed those things, and he probably should have. Emotions clouded his rationale at the moment.

  “Might be an alias,” suggested Terrence. “Lots of rich folks have those.”

  “True indeed,” said Jonathan, “but Ms. Helakos is not the issue here. Miss McRayne’s flight will land at a private airport in Raleigh in two hours, and I want the three of you to meet her and her people there. You have my authorization to use the Astralimes, and Akraia has seen to it that a car will be there to collect you all and bring you back to Rome. I personally would have preferred if you all could simply use the Astralimes to come back, but with the Phasmastis Curaie’s strictures on Tenth Percenters using ethereal travel, it’s just better that you ride back in the car. Road trips clear the mind. You guys go ahead and get dressed.”

  “Wait. Hold on for just a damn minute.” Jonah held up his hands when he faced

  Jonathan. “You said in light of recent events earlier. What the hell does that mean?”

  “You haven’t heard?” Terrence looked shocked. “Jonah, it’s been all over the news.”

  “Netflix, remember?”

  “Eva tried to commit suicide after her parents were murdered.” Terrence shifted on his feet. “Or at least, that’s wh
at the news has been reporting. She survived and was still healing up. In fact, I didn’t think she would be back on the show for a while.”

  Terrence grinned when he whirled around to face Jonathan. “This is her first show back, ain’t it? She must be back to a hundred percent, then!”

  Terrence bounded the stairs so exuberantly one would have thought that he needed the toilet. He must have a crush on this Eva McRayne. Dear Lord. Reena ascended the stairs more slowly; she was probably deep in thought about more random coincidences, as well as these new people about to be introduced to the estate. Jonah let them head upstairs, and then turned back around to Jonathan.

  “A suicidal spiritual conduit?” Jonah narrowed his eyes. “Really?”

  “The girl is not suicidal.” Jonathan folded his hands together in front of him. “She was in the middle of a fight with the one called Lancaster. It was he who harmed her.”

  “Don’t tell me you watch this crap, too.”

  “No.” Jonathan gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I have much more reliable resources than television.”

  “I still have strong feelings about this, Jonathan,” said Jonah in a sharp whisper. “I would be surprised if you didn’t, Jonah,” said Jonathan calmly. “I do, too.”

  Jonathan’s response stunned Jonah. “Then why did you green light this?” he asked. “Surely you don’t believe in this Greek gods and monsters sh—stuff, right?”

  Jonathan contemplated Jonah’s question for a minute or so before he answered.

  “The realms of life are infinite, Jonah,” he said at last. “We know that life never ends; what other secrets does life hold? With the vastness of life, who am I to refute the possibilities? Is Eva McRayne the genuine article? I do not know, never having met her. But it’s far from impossible. But the thing that I do know is that I am a Protector Guide over everything in this region that I survey. Miss McRayne is a new element. I don’t know if her presence is blessing or threat. Events will unfold right here—where I can do something about either eventuality.”