“Your trail was very clever, Jon,” Cael remarked. “I commend you—you seem to have outwitted the Solas Beir.”
“Not you though,” Jon said.
“Actually, I only followed your scent. It was Marisol who caught on to your trickery.”
“Knew there was a reason I went for the smart girl,” Jon muttered. “Even though she is incredibly mean.”
“Sorry,” Marisol said, smiling. She hopped down from her perch and pecked Jon on the cheek. “Forgive me?”
“I suppose,” Jon said. “So where are David and Abby?”
“That’s what we were wondering,” Marisol said.
“I saw David pass by some time ago,” Jon said. “He crossed the stream and then took off. Maybe he smelled Abby and went to find her.”
“Where did he cross?” Cael asked.
Jon pointed, and Cael changed back into a wolf, sniffing the ground. He crossed the stream and circled the area, and then raised his head and bounded off into the trees.
“Guess he’s caught their scents,” Marisol said. “Come on.” She took Jon’s hand, and they ran after Cael.
When Abby and David arrived at Caislucis, they saw Eulalia making preparations for the new Western Oracle’s confirmation ceremony. Dressed according to tradition for affairs of state, she was wearing an elegant white gown and her delicate silver tiara.
She was accompanied by several aides who were clad head-to-toe in white and feverishly taking notes. A petite Asian woman Abby had never seen before was talking with the queen. Her scarlet shift and black leather leggings seemed very bold among all that white.
“What happened?” Eulalia asked, hurrying over when she saw David carrying Abby into the Great Hall.
“She had a little accident during the training exercise,” David said. “She fell and hit her head on a rock in the meadow.”
“Let me see,” Eulalia said.
“It’s all right,” David said, setting Abby on her feet. He kept his hands around her waist as if he still weren’t certain she could stand on her own. “I healed her. But she seemed a bit disoriented when she came to, so I wanted her to take it easy.”
“I’m fine.” Abby stepped away from David’s protective embrace to prove it. “Really—I just blacked out, I guess, and had some kind of dream, or vision, or something.”
“What was your vision?” the newcomer asked.
“I…uh…it’s difficult to remember,” Abby began, suddenly unsure if it was the best idea to share her vision in the presence of a total stranger.
“Forgive me.” Eulalia beckoned David and Abby to follow her to the center of the hall where she had left the woman standing. “Introductions are in order. This is my son, the Solas Beir, and our cai aislingstraid, Abigail. David and Abby, this is the Northern Oracle.”
David bowed formally, and Abby followed suit with a respectful curtsey.
“Welcome, Northern Oracle,” David said. “We are greatly honored by your visit.”
The Northern Oracle smiled. “A bit surprised too, I imagine. I must apologize for the lack of notice that I was coming.”
“It’s a very pleasant surprise,” David said. “I am sure that the new Western Oracle will be honored to have you here as well.”
“The queen has been telling me of your choice for the post—I think you have made a wise decision. I have not met Nerine yet, but of course the tale of how she rescued Cael has been told across the kingdom,” the Northern Oracle commented.
“As have the tales about you and your people,” David said. “Your valor in battle is legendary.”
“You flatter me, Solas Beir,” she said.
“Not at all,” David said. “If not for your intervention at the Gauntlet, Cael would not have been able to obtain the Sign of the Throne, and I would not be here. I am eternally grateful to you.”
The Northern Oracle smiled. “You have done well with your son, Eulalia. I can see already that he will be a gracious king, revered by his people.”
“Thank you,” Eulalia responded, beaming. “I am very proud of him. David, I was telling the Northern Oracle of your plans to visit each of the oracles.”
David nodded. “Yes, I had intended to visit you in the north soon, but it seems you have spared us a long trip in coming to Caislucis instead.”
“Indeed—it is quite a long journey. I had hoped to meet with you sooner, but I was delayed in coming. Nevertheless, let me assure you, Solas Beir, that we of the north have been ever loyal to the Light and will remain so,” the Northern Oracle said.
“Thank you. We could not ask for better allies. Having you with us will go a long way toward an alliance with the Southern and Eastern Oracles,” David said.
“We can hope,” the Northern Oracle replied. “That is actually the reason for my visit. In the time just before you became Solas Beir, we were met with a series of attacks on our fortress, which is why I was unable to attend your coronation. The Kruorumbrae seemed to rapidly gain in numbers and strength. We were managing to hold them off, and then, suddenly, they vanished. Since then it is as though there were a veil over my visions, and I can no longer see my brothers to the south and east. I fear they too have been under attack.”
“I hope all is well in their regions. We have had our own share of attacks, but it seems it is not just the Kruorumbrae we need to worry about,” David said. “We believe that one of our villages was ravaged by the Daughters of Mercy.”
The Northern Oracle frowned. “Could it be that they were pursuing the Kruorumbrae? I cannot imagine the Daughters of Mercy would attack someone who had committed no wrong.”
“We fear that they did just that,” Eulalia replied. “It is unprecedented, but they have taken captive a number of the villagers, seemingly without cause.”
“I fear these are not isolated events,” a musical voice echoed though the room. Abby turned to see a woman with smooth grey skin and long white hair entering the Great Hall.
“Nerine,” David called, smiling. He walked over to the mermaid, who looked graceful in a sweeping white gown, having temporarily transformed her tail into legs. He took both her hands in his. “Thank you so much for agreeing to serve as the Western Oracle.”
“I am honored by Cael’s nomination, and happy to serve,” Nerine said as she and David rejoined the others in the center of the hall. “And I am pleased to finally meet the Northern Oracle.”
“Welcome, my sister,” said the Northern Oracle. “Do you bring us news as well?”
Nerine nodded. “I do. There seems to be a great darkness rising once again, even from the sea. It is as it was in the days when the sirens preyed on my kind. Some of my people have gone missing, and there are tales of a beast that takes them. One with a serpentine tail.”
The creature I saw watching us, Abby thought, in a flash of insight. “I think I’ve seen it. After David’s coronation, he and I flew to Lone Tree Island. When we were leaving the island, I glimpsed something perched on the rocks, like it had been spying on us, but all I saw was a black-and-white striped tail as it slithered back into the sea. But if all the sirens are dead, what could it be?”
“I do not know,” Nerine frowned, “but my people are very frightened. They say the old Western Oracle has risen to take her revenge.”
“Surely that cannot be,” Eulalia said. “Abby—what of your vision? Is there anything you can tell us?”
Abby looked from face to face, suddenly very uncomfortable to be in the spotlight. “Not exactly. Nothing related to the Daughters of Mercy or the sea. In my vision I entered a labyrinth and Tierney was there, waiting for me.”
Eulalia and the Northern Oracle exchanged a dark look and returned their gazes to Abby. She felt her face grow red, which made her feel even more self-conscious.
“Did he try to hurt you?” David asked, taking Abby’s hand.
David’s familiar touch steadied her. Abby felt the flush in her cheeks fade as she met his gaze. “Surprisingly, no,” Abby said.
“W
ell, what did he want?” David asked.
“He just…he said he just wanted to see if the stories about me were true. If the Shadows had underestimated me. And what’s even weirder is he kept calling me Rabbit. Whatever that means,” Abby finished.
“Hmm,” David mused. He looked perplexed.
“Yeah. I know,” Abby shook her head. “Weird.”
“Abby, did you say there was a labyrinth?” Eulalia asked.
Abby turned to look at Eulalia. “Yes, I did. Why?”
“Because,” Eulalia said, “there used to be one in the meadow. But it burned to the ground the night David was taken.”
“All right then,” Abby shivered. “I am officially creeped out.” She caught herself, realizing she might not be speaking as formally as required, considering her audience. “On that note, please excuse me, but I’ve got to get ready for the ceremony. See you soon, Nerine. It was nice to meet you, Northern Oracle.”
“I need to change as well,” David added. “Nerine, Northern Oracle, thank you again for coming. I’m looking forward to the confirmation and the banquet. Please, if there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable, you only need to ask. We will see you again very soon.” David placed his hand on the small of Abby’s back and walked her to the corridor that housed their chambers.
After David and Abby were out of earshot, the Northern Oracle discreetly pulled Eulalia to the side. “My dear queen, I do not mean to intrude on the affairs of your realm, but I sense there is more to that story than your cai aislingstraid was willing to divulge.”
Eulalia nodded, her brow furrowed with worry. “Thank you, Northern Oracle. I do appreciate your concern. Perhaps she was shaken by her vision and her injury. I will speak with her about it later.”
That night, the queen observed Abby closely during the ceremony and banquet, but nothing seemed amiss. Perhaps she was just shaken by the events of the day, she thought. The arrival of the Northern Oracle certainly took us all by surprise.
Still, there was something that seemed off about Abby’s demeanor. Eulalia could feel it, even if she couldn’t say what it was.
“What happened out there today?” Jon asked David while they were socializing after the banquet. “We looked everywhere for you guys, and finally Cael tracked you back to the castle.”
“Abby took a bump on the head, so I healed her and brought her back here. Sorry to keep you guys waiting,” David said. “I should have let you know, but we got distracted by our guests.”
“Oh. No worries,” Jon assured him. “Is she all right?”
“I think so. She was confused at first, but she seems okay now.” David frowned. “Doesn’t she?”
Jon looked over at Abby, who was standing on the other side of the room, laughing as she chatted with Marisol and Nerine. “Yeah, she seems fine to me,” he said. “Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know,” David answered. “I’m just paranoid, I guess. Something bad happens to her and I blame myself for not being there to protect her. You know what I mean?”
“Yeah, man, I do,” Jon nodded. “But trust me, that is not a road you want to go down. I could never keep her from getting banged up as a kid. And if you haven’t noticed, she’s pretty darn stubborn.”
“Yeah,” David chuckled. “I’ve noticed.”
“I’ll bet,” Jon grinned. Then he grew serious. “The girl does what she wants, and there’s no way you can protect her from everything. You can’t be giving yourself a guilt trip about it.”
“True,” David agreed. “But what if I missed something when I healed her? What if I healed the gash on her head, but she has a concussion or something?”
“Man, you are going to make yourself crazy if you think like that,” Jon said.
David groaned. “Too late.”
Jon laughed, clapping David on the shoulder. “Yeah, well, lighten up, would you? We’re at a party. Enjoy it.”
Abby opened her eyes and sat up in bed. She had to hurry—he was waiting for her, and in a few hours’ time, the castle would be a hive of activity. She dressed quickly, and silently slipped out of her room, holding her shoes in one hand so she could pad quietly down a dark corridor and into a narrow passage.
Other than the spiders that spun cobwebs from its ceiling, no one seemed to know the passage existed or that it led to a door in the fortress wall at the edge of the forest. Nevertheless, she had placed a charm on both the entrance and exit so it would be hidden from prying eyes and to prevent anyone but her from using it. She didn’t want to be found out, but she didn’t want anything from the outside getting in either.
Once outside, she paused for a moment to slip on her shoes and look around, making sure she was not observed. Satisfied that she was alone, she stepped into the forest.
Here she treaded carefully, trying to position her feet on leaves and moss, avoiding mud. The last thing she wanted was to leave tracks, and it wouldn’t do to soil her fine shoes either. It took time to reach the meadow—what path there had once been was overgrown. That was fine; the plants were healthy and would spring back, erasing her steps, hiding the night’s activity.
Finally, Abby reached the meadow where the labyrinth stood. Again, she took a moment to look around, but no one was following her. She gracefully leapt across the long grass and into the entrance of the labyrinth.
Now, she relaxed. Here she would be hidden. Here is where he would be waiting. She knew the way well. She wound her way around, one hand stretched out to playfully caress the vibrant green wall formed by a towering hedge. She was excited to see him. It had been a while since she had been able to sneak out, but in the secret message he had left for her, he had begged her to come. He had said there was something he needed to show her.
Rounding the last corner, she saw him. He was sitting on the carved stone bench, gazing up at the stars, deep in thought. He was wearing a tailored suit, and he looked so handsome, his black hair ruffling slightly in the night breeze. Hearing her approach, he met her gaze with his dark eyes. He smiled.
“Tierney,” she whispered.
“I was worried you would not come,” he said softly, taking her hand and pulling her close to him.
“I promised I would,” she said.
“So you did. Shall we?” He gestured to the round, flat stone in the center of the labyrinth.
“We shall.” Somewhere in the back of her mind it occurred to her that she’d had a similar conversation before, but with someone else. She couldn’t remember who. No matter.
She stepped onto the stone circle and the next thing she knew, they were standing in a different part of the forest. Before her was a tree stump, as tall as she was. On it was carved the face of a bearded man. His features were covered with the verdant fuzz of moss, accented by tiny scarlet and white mushrooms sprouting here and there on the bark. He was crowned in a thick fungus layered in ridges at the top of the stump.
She had not been here before, but she knew the name of this wooden man. “The Emerald Guardian?” she asked.
“Yes,” Tierney said, laying his palm against the center of the stump man’s forehead. “Place your hand over mine. We are going through.”
She looked at him questioningly, then did as he asked. “They do not know about the Guardian, do they?” she asked as they stepped into the other world.
“No—and let us keep it that way,” Tierney answered. He laced his fingers through hers and led her away from the tree they had just stepped through.
“Where are we?” she asked.
He chuckled. “At present, we are standing in a graveyard.”
Around them stood marble stones of various shapes and sizes. Based on the moss and lichen that had seeped onto the surface of the stones, and the tall grass growing between the markers, this was an old graveyard, and one few people came to visit. Beyond the tombstones was a wrought-iron gate.
“Come—what I wanted to show you lies just ahead.”
They passed through the gate and crossed a dese
rted country road. Tierney led her up a tree-dotted hill. At the crest of the hill, the countryside fell away sharply and transformed into something much different. A dark mass of factories stood silhouetted against the night sky, great smokestacks belching out black fumes. This, then, was not to be a trip for the sake of enjoying the scenery.
“You cannot see the stars anymore,” he noted. “Do you see what they have traded for them?” Beyond the factories was an expanse of glittering lights stretching to the horizon.
She nodded. “What is this place?”
“It is legion,” he said, with a small, sad laugh. “It is only one of many places where the trees are almost gone, the animals have fled, the waters are poisoned, and we cannot abide. The Solas Beir wants us to stop feeding on humans, but there is nothing else left to eat. They are locusts. In the few short years since he closed the portals, look at how much they have devoured.”
“But you devour the humans,” she said.
“Only so we can live. But without us, they are killing themselves. And if they succeed, we will be forced to feed on ourselves.”
“Perhaps that is what he wants,” she suggested.
A dark look crossed Tierney’s face and, for a moment, she was certain he would hit her. She stepped back.
He studied her eyes. “Perhaps,” he said. He took her face in his hands and kissed her hungrily, the heat behind it barely contained. Then he looked into her eyes again. “You know what I am. I cannot change that.”
“I know,” she said. “I never asked you to.”
He kept her gaze a moment longer, and then a small, mischievous smile appeared on his lips. “Come,” he said. “The night is still ours and we might as well enjoy it. When was the last time you danced?”
“It has been a while,” she replied, returning his smile.
“There is one thing humans do well,” Tierney said, looking down at the lights of the city. “They make the most of their short lives while they can.” He took her arm, and they returned to the road, following it until they reached the edge of the city. They headed toward a busy downtown area bustling with nightlife.
The Rabbit And The Raven Page 11