I turned around towards the strange man. “Thank you for your help awhile ago. But I don’t think I’ll need your services.”
“Come on.” Elliot led us out of the conference room. “Let’s get you upstairs. I want to take a look at the knot on your head.”
“I have a knot on my head?” I tried to keep my voice calm, but thoughts of the handsome man seeing me at less than my best came to the forefront. “Where?”
“Here.” Elliot stopped just long enough to brush his hand against the side of my head. His gentle touch changed into one of panic as he grabbed my shoulders and forced me to face him. “Eva, oh my god.”
“What?” I pushed at his hands, but Elliot wouldn’t let me go. Instead, he pulled me over to one of the large mirrored columns in the lobby. “Eli, you’re really starting to freak me out.”
“Look. Just look.” He turned me so I was standing in front of him, facing the mirror. “Your eyes have changed, Eva.”
“You’re being ridiculous,” I studied my form in the mirror and gasped when I noticed just what Elliot was talking about. My boring green eyes had shifted color. They were now as golden as Kathy Carter’s had been. I only got a second to see the difference before my reflection became someone else.
Kathy Carter, who had thrust her mirror upon me not thirty minutes before was standing in front of me. She had changed just as I had. The woman’s image in the mirror wasn’t the young and beautiful person who had tricked me. She was old. Her face was covered in blood. But her strange eyes were the very same. She was laughing. I could hear her words in my head. I knew without knowing how that she had thrown herself in front of a taxi.
“You have freed me, child.” She took a step backward, the crazy grin still lighting her wizened face. “Take care of my son. I place his very heart in your hands.”
I fell against Elliot so hard he almost toppled over.
“Hey!” He managed to keep us from hitting the floor, but I refused to look at the mirror again. I threw myself into him, burying myself into his shirt. Elliot’s voice softened as he adjusted his hold to pull me closer. “Eva, it’s ok. Gold is the new green, right? I’m sure it’s nothing permanent.”
“She’s here.” I was shaking so hard my teeth were clicking together. “Kathy Carter. I just saw her.”
“Where?” Elliot held me tighter as he tried to calm me down. “I don’t see anyone.”
“Behind me. In the glass.” I tried to keep my voice calm, but I couldn’t manage it. “She threw herself into traffic, Elliot. Tell me you see her too.”
“See what? Evie,” Elliot pulled back just enough to tug my chin upwards. “Who did you see?”
“Her!” I jerked away from him and pointed at the column. “The scryer! She’s in there.”
“Ok.” Elliot breathed out the word as long as he could as he kept his arm in place around my shoulders. “Let’s go upstairs. You need to lie down. I’ll fix you a drink and you can sleep this off. ”
“As I said, we have much to discuss.” The stranger was standing behind us, his arms crossed over his chest. “What you’ve experienced is only the beginning, Ms. McRayne.”
“Stop saying that!” I glared at him from my position by Elliot’s shoulder. “There is no beginning.”
“Eva is in no condition to speak with you.” Elliot snapped as he turned us towards the elevator. “Leave us alone.”
I had no choice but to follow him. I didn’t say anything while we made our way through the hotel. I did nothing but keep my head down as I tried to ignore the others passing us in the halls talking about the horrible accident out in the street. I wanted to scream at them though. It wasn’t an accident.
Kathy Carter wanted to die. She wanted to be free of the shackles binding her to this life.
Shackles she had clamped onto me.
***
I fell into a sleep filled with whispers when we returned to my room. I don’t remember most of them, but one word was repeated so many times I couldn’t help but remember it when I finally woke up.
Cumae.
Elliot was sitting in a chair at the edge of my bed flipping through the channels as if I were suffering from a bad hangover instead of a psychotic breakdown. This was my rational explanation. I’d gone temporarily insane from the stress of moving across the country. I laid there for a minute, convincing myself the symptoms had shown up long before I’d arrived in New York. I’m sure it started back in Athens when I agreed to go out to L.A. with Elliot in the first place.
My theory had holes in it, though. I kept seeing the Carter woman’s crazy grin in the back of my mind. I kept hearing her words echoing through the cobwebs of sleep clouding my thoughts.
What did she mean, son? Who had she entrusted into my care? Was it the stranger who had helped me?
I knew one thing for certain. I had to get these thoughts out of my head before I started acting as crazy as she had. I mean, come on. Talking to dead people through mirrors?
I’d be locked away for sure.
“Hey.” I sat up in bed and cleared my throat. “Any good football games on?”
“No. UGA is on hiatus this week.” Elliot pressed a button and the screen went dark. “Are you feeling any better?”
“Yeah.” I started picking at the blanket he’d draped over me. “I think so. I was having some really weird dreams.”
“What kind of dreams?” His face was soft in the dim light. “Nightmares?”
“No.” I frowned, tapping my fingers against the covers. “They were more annoying than scary. I’m in the dark and surrounded by whispers. I couldn’t really make out what they were saying.”
“Eva, maybe we should have a doctor check you out.” Eli’s face was pale as he fiddled with the remote. “You might have done some damage when you hit your head.”
“No!” I realized how harsh my voice sounded, so I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice as I responded. “I don’t need to see a doctor, Elliot. They aren’t going to tell me anything other than what I already know.”
“Which is?” Elliot threw down the remote. “A concussion is serious. It’s possible you have one.”
“I don’t think seeing a dead woman in the mirror is a symptom WebMD lists for concussions.” I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. I just got overwhelmed today.”
I reached over and flipped on the lights. I didn’t know how long I’d been asleep, but the sun was going down. I could see little streaks of purple and yellow from the gaps in my curtains. “How long have I been out?”
“About two hours. Not long at all.”
Elliot had turned his attention back to the blank television. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who was annoyed. His shoulders were tense and the look on his face became unreadable. Now it seemed as if it was my turn to ask.
“Ok, Eli. What gives?”
“Cyrus is refusing to leave.” Elliot frowned as he tossed the remote onto the side table. “He says he is tied to you now just like the damned mirror is.”
“Who – or what – is a Cyrus?” I matched his expression as I swung my legs off the edge of the bed. “Don’t tell me it’s the guy from the scrying session.”
“The very same.” Elliot gestured for me to stay put and fixed me a glass of water. “Listen, you don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to. He could be a stalker.”
“Maybe.” I sipped on the water before I sat it down on the side table. “Or maybe he knows something about this crazy Carter woman and what she did.”
“Do you want me to let him in?” Elliot stuffed his hands in his pockets. “He’s waiting outside the door.”
I nodded, trying to straighten my messy hair while Elliot had his back turned to me. He opened the door and called out into the hallway. “Cyrus. She’s awake.”
Elliot returned to my room as I sat down in the chair he had vacated. He took his place behind me as the stranger from the conference room entered.
“Ms. McRayne, I failed to introduce myself earlier.
My name is Cyrus.”
“I’ve heard.” I tilted my head towards Elliot. “I’ve also heard you refuse to leave.”
“Unfortunately, our fates have been twisted together. It is not a matter of refusal so much as a matter of protocol and necessity. I am not allowed to leave.” He stood in front of me with his hands clasped behind his back. “Tell me, how are you feeling?”
“Better.” I frowned at him. “This isn’t a social call, Cyrus. I want you to take the mirror back.”
“I can’t do that, Ms. McRayne.” The stranger shrugged. “I can only advise you in regards to the powers you now possess.”
“Powers?” I laughed out loud. I knew it was rude, but I couldn’t stop myself. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“No, I am not.” Cyrus glanced over to Elliot who rewarded him with a snarky smile. “It seems you were correct after all.”
“Correct about what?” I glared at Eli as if he were the enemy now instead of Cyrus. “What did you say about me?”
“Nothing bad.” Elliot’s smile became the picture of innocence. “I told Mr. Cyrus here you didn’t put much stock in his…what did you call it? Mumbo-jumbo?”
I narrowed my eyes at Elliot when Cyrus spoke up from his position. I’d almost forgotten he was still in the room.
“What do you know of the Sibyls?”
“Absolutely nothing.” I shook my head. “I’m not really in the mood for a mythology lesson either.”
“So you recognize the name from mythology?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “I didn’t really pay much attention in my literature classes, so I don’t know much about them.”
“A pity you didn’t, Ms. McRayne.” Cyrus took his phone out of his pocket, pressing the side of it. “All myths find their foundations in history. You are now part of this history. It is truly in your best interests to listen to what I have to say.”
“I’m sorry.” I was trying to be polite, but the laughter was bubbling up again. “Are you saying I’ve just become some sort of mythical creature?”
“Kathy Carter was no ordinary woman.” Cyrus fiddled with his phone for a little longer. When he turned the screen towards me, there was a picture on it of an old woman partially under a cab. “This is her after she died.”
I shook my head as Elliot leaned over my shoulder and pushed the phone away. “No. That’s impossible. She was so…”
“Young?” Cyrus smiled. “Yes, youth is only one gift provided by Apollo to his Sibyls. It is the first trait to fade when they lose their position. Immortality is the second one.”
“Obviously not.” I frowned, tapping my fingers against the armrest. “I don’t think immortality worked too well for her when she decided to play in traffic.”
“Immortality is a gift as well. It fades just as quickly as youth when the Sibyl is released from her oath.” Cyrus leaned against the armoire the television was on. “Perhaps I should start at the beginning.”
“No. I don’t want to hear about this anymore.” I stood up, taking the mirror from where I’d put it on the nightstand. “Do a spell. Chant a chant. Just make this go away.”
“I cannot,” Cyrus stayed put, waving his hand to dismiss the mirror I was handing him. “The only release is to pass the mirror onto a willing participant. At which point, you will cease to exist.”
“But I wasn’t willing!” I stamped my foot with frustration. “She forced me into this.”
“You accepted the mirror.” Cyrus’s expression was one of pity. “You spoke the words just as she asked you to. It was at this point you made your choice.”
“Then give it to Elliot.” I started to hand the mirror to my friend who backed away as if I’d threatened him with a knife. “Oh, come on, Eli. You are the one who believes in this crap. You were the one who wanted to experience the unknown. Take my place.”
“He cannot, Ms. McRayne.” Cyrus locked his hands together as if I tried to force the mirror onto him instead of Elliot. “The Sibyl must be a woman.”
“You are sounding awfully sexist right now.” I frowned as I looked between the two of them. “So what am I supposed to do? Find another girl crazy enough to take my place?”
“It is an option, yes.” Cyrus nodded. “But remember, please, to do so will also be your suicide.”
“Suicide?” I felt as if there were a set of invisible chains tightening around me the more he talked. I didn’t like it one bit. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly.” He smiled at his little joke. “So you do have another choice after all, Ms. McRayne. You can be the Sibyl or find a new one, then die to release yourself.”
“That’s not much of a choice.”
“It’s not meant to be.” Cyrus pushed off of the armoire. “Are you ready to listen?”
“We’re listening.” Elliot spoke up from behind me. When I turned towards him, he shrugged. “We need to know, Eva. I saw how you were when Carter gave you the mirror. I saw how you panicked when you looked in the column. Besides, you were talking in your sleep.”
“I don’t talk in my sleep.” I snapped, but I had good reason to. This was a lot for me to take in and I hadn’t even heard the full story yet.
“You did today.” Elliot leaned over the chair, snagged my hand to pull me back down into my seat. “If we are going to find a way to break this Sibyl thing, we have to hear Cyrus out.”
“Fine.” I glared at Elliot and then Cyrus. “I’ll listen. But only if you can give me a way out that doesn’t involve suicide.”
“There is no other way out.” Cyrus tucked his phone back into his jacket pocket. “This is a long tale, Ms. McRayne. You may as well get comfortable.”
“I’m fine.” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest. “I don’t care about the history. I don’t care about any tragedies or lost love affairs. Tell me what I need to know.”
Chapter Six
I supposed nothing Cyrus could say should have surprised me given the day I’d had. I mean, come on. I’d just survived the first day of a convention filled with weirdoes and con artists. I’d been attacked by a woman who committed suicide right after my encounter with her. And I’d hit my head hard enough to think I was seeing her ghost in a mirror. I’d changed my explanation in the half hour Elliot and Cyrus had been with me.
After all, who wants to admit they’ve had a psychotic breakdown?
My explanation made sense. It was rational. I’d hit my head. The fact some strange man was in my hotel room trying to convince me I was passed some sort of mythical abilities was the insane part. Cyrus started pacing in the small sitting area just across the room tapping his finger against the side of his nose as he began.
“Sibyls are known as the daughters of Apollo since He is the one who grants them their gifts of immortality, beauty, as well as the ability to see and speak to spirits. They are his messengers in the flesh.”
“Impossible.” I interrupted him. “Ghosts, spirits, vampires – it’s all a lie to sell movie tickets. You should be old enough to know this by now.”
“Ah, but you have already been exposed to our world.” Cyrus smiled. “Twice. The first was the image in Carter’s mirror. Apollo did speak to you, did he not? He has a tendency to be dramatic. Then Carter herself appeared to you. I was behind you the entire time, Ms. McRayne. I can see the spirits just as you can. Don’t deny it.”
“I,” I paused long enough to get a sip of water. I needed to get my story straight. My thoughts were all jumbled. “I was delusional. It happens, you know, after you hit your head.”
“True, but you said it yourself. Your fall was not so bad it would warrant hallucinations.” Cyrus stopped pacing. “Shall I continue?”
“Why not?” I mumbled. Elliot squeezed my shoulder to let me know he was still there. He was still standing behind me in case I needed him. “You’re going to anyway. Who am I to stop you?”
“During the ancient times, Apollo was known for his conquests with women.” Cyrus smiled as if remembering something. “Tho
se who could afford to do so would lock up their daughters for fear the god would take notice of their beauty. Those who couldn’t would leave offerings for him on his altars or pay his priests to ensure the god was blind to them. Yet, Apollo was still able to find women of his liking.”
Cyrus resumed his pacing. I relaxed in my chair as I waited for him to continue. Mythology wasn’t one of my interests. I liked facts. I could count on data to be reliable. Gods and spirits did not fit in this description.
“The great god came across a beauty picking herbs in the woods of Cumae. As the account goes, she refused him. Day after day he would return to find her in the forest. Finally, he cornered her by a small lake and begged to have her. The maiden, flattered by the words of love from the god, set her basket down upon the sand. When she stood, she held a large mound of sand with both palms and told him she would grant him his wish if he would grant her one in return.”
Cyrus stopped long enough to make sure I was paying attention. And I was, but just barely. His voice was soft. Soothing. He was making me very sleepy.
“Of course, Apollo jumped on the opportunity. He promised her anything she desired. So she wished to live for as many years as there were grains of sand on the earth. It was done. With a single snap of his fingers, Apollo granted the girl her wish. As he began to woo the girl, she began to scream. A hunter – a hero we presume – came out of the woods to confront the girl’s attacker. Apollo killed him, but left the maiden alive. He never returned to her.”
“Sounds like the typical myth.” Elliot shifted to sit on my armchair. “What does this have to do with Eva?”
“Because this maiden was the first Sibyl.” Cyrus gestured towards the mirror. “Apollo had been tricked by the beauty. She was granted her wish, but denied him his own. The girl was granted beauty. Immortality, since the grains of sand covering the earth cannot be counted. As she lived, those who resided in Cumae became suspicious. Children not yet conceived on the day her wish was granted aged and died. The beauty was banished from the village by those frightened by her lack of aging. They called her a monster. Many believed she was a witch in league with Hades himself.”
The Oracle Series: Volumes 1-3 Page 5