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

by Cynthia D. Witherspoon

  ***

  Jonah, Terrence, and Reena awaited Eva McRayne and her crew at the private airstrip in Raleigh. Reena simply changed out of her relax clothes, which meant her new outfit didn’t have paint splattered all over it and rearranged her hair into a tighter ponytail. Terrence was clad in Dockers, loafers, and a snug black polo shirt. Jonah didn’t change a damn thing. He didn’t view this as important enough for changing. Plus he didn’t care if McRayne or her buddies judged him based on appearance. It wasn’t like they would be friends. Though he had given the Grave Messages website a glance so that he wouldn’t be completely in the dark.

  He got the website and more. Terrence wasn’t kidding when he mentioned McRayne had been all over the news. Article after article detailed the gruesome murders of one Janet and Martin McRayne, followed by more propaganda regarding the woman’s suicide attempt. It was deemed a miraculous recovery based off her so-called immortality.

  Yeah. Right.

  “Why would she come here?” He wanted to know. “RDU is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.”

  “Jonathan said that they wanted to be incognito,” Reena reminded him. “Celebrities, influential people—they all want the smaller airports so that they can avoid paparazzi and psychos and all that. A commercial airliner doesn’t allow privacy for anyone, but in remote places like this? Famous folks can call ahead, and the airport powers-that-be can arrange transport.” She gestured to the stretch limousine that had actually been there before they showed up. “The people land, get in, and put road behind them with almost no one being the wiser.”

  Jonah thought on it. Made sense. Enough.

  Terrence paid no attention to any of their words. He bounced on his heels like a kid and watched the sky as though he could will the arrival to be sooner. Jonah looked over Terrence’s outfit once more and had to admit that he was pretty sharp. Despite that, he just didn’t think that it would impress a celebrity. But he wasn’t about to tear down his friend. Jonah had a feeling that it would happen soon enough.

  “Showtime,” announced Reena, and Jonah threw his eyes skyward.

  A private jet descended, made a smooth landing, and taxied to a point not very far from the limo. Jonah had expected to see some fancy words emblazoned across the jet, but McRayne—or whoever handled transportation—did the thing properly. It still didn’t sit well with him. It wasn’t like everyone had jets to fly them everywhere, and limos to whisk them away the minute they landed. Why did McRayne need all the secrecy? Wasn’t shouting from the highest mountain all a part of the celeb protocol?

  “Take off the dampener, Reena,” said Jonah as the jet doors lowered. “Do us a favor and peg these people right now.”

  “That isn’t the way I do things, Jonah,” said Reena in a blunt tone. “You know that. No advantages. We all need to be on even ground. That’s always the best way to make a first impression.”

  Jonah shook his head. “Reena, do you realize that you’re saying this about a suicidal woman getting off of a private jet?”

  The occupants of the jet quickly descended the steps. The first guy seemed a bit happy-go-lucky, but at the same time, it looked forced.

  “That’s the camera dude,” revealed Terrence. “Don’t really see much of him, obviously, but the Theia Productions website sings his praises. I think his name’s Joey.” After Joey, a positively hardcore-looking man made a quick scan of the airstrip

  like an attack was imminent. That could only be Eva’s bodyguard. Damn; was the guy retired Special Forces or something? It would probably be best to stay on his good side.

  Lastly, Jonah got his first official look at Eva McRayne. It was weird. She appeared to be a contradiction. On the one hand, she fit the profile of a vapid, spoiled celebrity to a T: Honey-blond hair with every strand in place, athletic figure, and that indefinable air of someone who had no money problems whatsoever. But on the other hand…there was something different.

  There was a preternatural air about her. It wasn’t anything he could see. It was something that he sensed. Her features seemed a bit haunted, but if she’d just lost her parents, then that was no surprise. And her eyes—wait, were they gold? Terrence hadn’t mentioned that one. The eyes had an interesting effect, and Jonah caught himself wondering that maybe there was something to this lady.

  What the hell was he thinking? They were fake. Duh. Granted, he had never seen golden eye contacts, but she probably had them specially made to accentuate her whole

  “Sybil” image. The fact that she lost her parents was terrible. But the woman could probably buy her way out of her grief. She had the jet and limo, after all.

  In no time at all, McRayne, her muscle, and Joey were face-to-face with them.

  Joey and Terrence high-fived like they were already bosom buddies, but it was clear that Terrence’s attention was on Eva. The bodyguard shook Reena’s hand, and unless Jonah was much mistaken, they were sizing each other up. What was the deal with that? Did this man assume that Reena was the muscle of this trio, and gravitated to a kindred spirit? For some reason, the thought kind of offended Jonah. He wasn’t the one with the bodyguard, after all. That was the woman who was in front of him at the moment, shaking his hand with neither zeal nor thrill.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eva,” welcomed Jonah in a practiced voice. “The

  name’s—”

  “I know your name, Country,” said Eva in a terse voice. “Jonah Rowe. Former accountant. Current—what do you do again? And that’s Terrence Aldercy, standing by Reena Katoa. Despite what you may believe, I’m not stupid. Do you really think I would stay with people and not know who they are?”

  Jonah pulled away his hand, narrowing his eyes. That was yet another check on the list of criteria for a spoiled celebrity brat. “If you know who I am, then you know not to call me Country,” he replied. “And I wouldn’t talk if I were you. I looked you up.

  You’re from Charleston, superstar. You’re just as Southern as the rest of us.”

  Eva turned pale at the mention of Charleston, but she rolled her eyes when she spoke.

  “So you’ve seen the show. Read a couple of websites. You think you know everything there is to know about me. Country and a fan boy? Cyrus, great job setting up our living arrangements. Really.”

  “Wait, what?” said Jonah, caught off-guard. “You got it wrong, Terrence is the

  one who—”

  But Eva wasn’t interested. With a scoff, she turned her back on Jonah and got in the limo, where Joey, Special Forces dude—or Cyrus or whatever—and Terrence already were. Terrence hadn’t noticed anything past Eva already knowing his name, so conversation with him was out. Jonah still had Reena, though. He noticed that she hadn’t entered the limo just yet. She stared at it, shaking her head.

  “I’m in full agreement,” he grumbled to her. “She is quite a little—”

  “No, Jonah,” said Reena. “McRayne is scared. Terrified. Something isn’t right.” Jonah blinked. “I thought you had your dampener on,” he said.

  “Oh, I do,” confirmed Reena. “I know it because I’m not stupid. I didn’t need my essence reading to know that.”

  Jonah wasn’t convinced. “How can she be afraid of anything with Cyrus the

  Action Figure following her around like a shadow?”

  “Damn if I know,” said Reena with a shrug. “I just met these people.” She lowered herself into the limo. Jonah approached the door and sighed. “Dammit, Jonathan,” he said under his breath. “De-stress, my ass.”

  Chapter Two Eva McRayne

  I was shaking.

  I couldn’t stop it. I wasn’t used to this feeling of pure fear. And I didn’t like it. I felt weak. Helpless. The utter desire of fight or flight was so prevalent, I almost jumped out of the limo as the last two joined me. Hera’s spell had done quite a number on me. But I was better than that. I was stronger than that.

  Zeus, Hecate, Medusa—they all believed in me. I made a promise to myself that Elliot would not scare me
away from the show I’d helped create. I felt more confident after kicking his ass at my ceremony, but Hera had to ruin that with her little fear spell.

  Despite that, Elliott wouldn’t make me go away.

  No matter what he could do now. Or what he had done.

  So I clenched my phone in my hand and kept staring out the window. Despite the fact that Elliot was supposed to be across the country from me, I knew better. Hera had empowered him. She granted him abilities that not even Cyrus could explain to me. I kept waiting for him to show up. Slip out of the darkness to finish what he had started.

  I swallowed down my tears before they could get started. I was in North Carolina, which was far too close to Charleston and the memories I was trying so hard to forget.

  The Greetings From Charleston postcard. My parents calling out to me through the mirror. The inevitable fight with Elliot that had left me in the hospital for weeks. The fact that Apollo was my father, not the man I’d known throughout my childhood—

  No. I couldn’t think about that here. Not now. I leaned forward until my head touched the glass. We were pulling out of the airfield and on our way to the manor Cyrus swore would keep us safe while we filmed the episode. One week and I would be back across the country. Back in California where I could keep an eye on Elliot to make sure he didn’t hurt anyone else.

  Not that I had done any good. I bit my lip as the driver pulled out onto a highway. I hadn’t been able to protect anyone. Not really. Ash, the Native American who became Elliot’s first victim. The others he sacrificed in Hera’s name to grant himself power. Even my own mother and father—no, not my father, just the man who raised me.

  I had to get used to that, but damn, it was hard. When you called a man your father for twenty-four years, the label stuck.

  No. I had to stop. I had a job to do. Get it done, then start on the next one.

  I felt my phone buzz in my hand. I glanced down at the screen to see Cyrus had sent me a message despite sitting right next to me. I sighed, pulled the phone down, and opened the screen with a single swipe of my thumb. Little One, breathe. I’m right here.

  I shook my head as he reached out to squeeze my hand. Cyrus was known as a Keeper. My guide, mentor, and guard against all things which threatened me. But he was so much more than that. I’m sure I couldn’t have handled anything without him by my side.

  I’m fine. I typed back as quickly as I could. Promise.

  He gave me a look that told me he didn’t believe me. He was right to do so. I wasn’t fine. I wasn’t sure if I ever would be again.

  But I had to act fine. Smile for the camera. Keep the show going.

  Maybe I was a better actress than I thought.

  I kept my eyes on the passing road, but I turned my attention to what was going on around me. The three people who came to greet us at the airfield were representatives of the Grannison-Morris Estate. I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d done my research on them. I had to make sure they weren’t agents under Hera’s control. I didn’t find anything suspicious on them. Just listings on white pages and the standard social media sites. There was nothing that would alarm me. No real interest in the paranormal or the Greek pantheon. They seemed stable. Boring.

  That was all I wanted to know. I didn’t dare get close enough to any of them with the threat Elliot would pose if he found out I’d befriended them.

  “Eva? Earth to Eva.” Joey leaned in to snap his fingers in front of my nose. “You still with us?”

  “Somewhat.” I gave him a small smile. Joey had been with me from the beginning. He was also on Elliot’s hit list since he was under my protection. “What’s up?”

  “Reena was asking about our location. Since you snatched up the files and refuse to give me a copy, I haven’t read about it yet. Care to enlighten us?”

  “Oh.” I dropped my phone back into my lap. “It’s nothing spectacular. The

  Covington mansion not far from the Grannison-Morris Estate.”

  “The what?” The man called Jonah had been just as disinterested in me as I had him. Not that I could blame him. I’d been hateful when we got off the plane. All part of my keep ‘em distant routine. “Never heard of it.”

  “Covington mansion. I’m not surprised you’ve never heard of it. It’s not something you’d learn about binge-watching Netflix.”

  “She got you there, Jonah.” The man named Terrence laughed. “You should see him. He won’t move for days unless you make him.”

  Jonah gave me a dark look and mumbled, “So someone reads my page on

  Facebook.”

  I smiled as sweetly as possible.

  “To put it simple, it’s a big house on a big hill cursed by the original owner. For those who are interested, the mansion was built entirely out of granite back in 1823 by the founder of Covington Textile Mills, George S. Covington. His entire family died when a fever swept through the area, save him. So he built the house as a memorial to them. He even went so far as installing a tomb beneath the parlor and had them buried there. But in doing so, he also put things in it to invite the spirits in. He studied Spiritualism. Held séances. At the time of his death, he cursed anyone who would dare to change anything about his beloved memorial. Families moved in, and then back out within a week. It was eventually boarded up.”

  “Until now.” Joey piped up, rubbing his hands together. “So we’re going to check out an abandoned, cursed mansion with bodies buried beneath it? Awesome find, Evie.”

  I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was Elliot’s find, not my own, but I winked at him and started to reply before Cyrus joined in.

  “If this man invited spirits in, then it could be a portal.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “I don’t know how comfortable I am with this, Little One. Perhaps there is another haunted pile of rubble for you to play in.”

  I shrugged. “Everywhere I go is a portal, Cyrus, as long as it has a mirror in it. No one will die. It’s an in-and-out. I’m not that concerned.”

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Jonah snapped. “First thing, we don’t say die. That is a fiction. And don’t you dare think….don’t you even consider it. What if a spirit attaches itself to you? Do you have any idea—”

  Cyrus turned his own dark gaze towards the man while Reena gave him an identical look. She spoke before Cyrus could.

  “Jonah, stop. They are here by Jonathan’s invitation. As such, we must respect them.” The woman shook her ponytail. “Look, Ms. McRayne, I don’t know what forces brought you to our home, nor do I wish to know what you are facing. But do not expect us to become involved. We will respect your privacy as long as you respect ours.”

  “Agreed.” I nodded, feeling a strange kinship with this woman. There was an aura of strength about her that I could relate to. It was how I had been before the Charleston fiasco. I also tried hard to ignore the twinge of disquiet I felt when Jonah said death was a fiction. Delphine, the first Sybil, had said something similar not too long ago. “It is my hope that we are out of your hair within a few days.”

  “Thank God,” Jonah muttered as the limo turned down a driveway. “The sooner you are gone, the better.”

  “Wait, Reena. Don’t go saying I won’t help if I can.” Terrence held up his hand as the car came to a stop. “We’re not doing anything. And it might do us some good to get out of the house before we pass into Spirit from boredom.”

  Pass into Spirit? That was such a waste of breath. Why couldn’t he just say die?

  “Such a poor choice of words, dear man.” I tucked my phone down into my messenger bag before reaching for the door handle. “But I would prefer it if you left this one to the professionals.”

  I stepped out of the car to see that Jonah had gotten out as well and beaten me to the other side. He jabbed a finger into my shoulder as he hissed at me.

  "I don't know who you think you are, Superstar, and I don't give a damn. But here? On this estate? We are the professionals. We're the ones saving your ass from— something. So you can
drop the attitude."

  I grabbed his hand and shoved it aside before Cyrus got the chance to break him in half. "You have no idea what I am dealing with. And if you and your people are smart?

  You'll leave me alone to do that."

  “Oh, I'm sorry,” Jonah chided as he threw his hands up in the air. "Let me guess. You're biggest problem is what color your fingernail polish is going to be, right? That is, if you don’t decide to take a leap...."

  "Stop."

  Jonah whirled around and I huffed as an older man stepped forward. He looked as distinguished as the massive building behind him. This must be the Jonathan that Cyrus had told me about.

  "Jonah, go inside and wait for us." Jonathan offered me his hand. "Ms. McRayne, forgive Jonah's rudeness. Please, call me Jonathan."

  "Then you must call me Eva." I shook his hand, amazed as the anxiety which had filled me earlier disappeared. "Sir, I must speak with you as soon as possible."

  "Come inside. The driver will take care of your things." The man fell in step beside me as we walked across a stone walkway to enter inside. "Welcome to GrannisonMorris Estate. While you are here, you may have free reign of the grounds and the house.

  I hope you find this place to be a sanctuary of sorts."

  "I already do." I glanced over to see Cyrus bowing his head towards the stranger. I would have to remember to ask him about it later. "I hear that you are already familiar with Cyrus. And the lollygagger with his mouth open? That's Joey."

  "Yes, I am quite familiar with the great Cyrus of Crete." The man nodded with a smile that Cyrus mimicked. "It has been quite some time, old friend. I look forward to speaking with you after dinner. I am certain it will be quite an enlightening experience."

  "Dinner? Great! I'm starving!" Joey lifted his camera bag so that it hung over his shoulder. "It was a long flight and Sentinel Sibyl over here refused to stop for fast food so that I could eat on the plane."