“Um, I suppose so.”
Erin turned her horse towards the path, but she was going too slowly. I snatched the reins from Cyrus and snapped them downward. The horse beneath us took off like a shot.
“Eva!” Cyrus yelled in my ear. “What the hell are you doing?”
I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t focus on anything other than the fierce need to go into the trees. I felt as if I was being controlled. My fear of horses? Gone. My lack of knowledge about the path? Gone.
I knew at once where I was going. And I knew what I was going to find.
Cyrus wrapped his arms around my waist when I leaned forward, pressing my face close to the animal’s mane. I ignored the wind stinging my cheeks. I watched the trees blur around us. The scene was far too familiar. Finally, the path widened out to expose the river. I jerked the reins so quick, the horse slid to a stop before we reached the edge of the water.
“Eva. By the very gods, what has gotten into you?” Cyrus hissed.
“Let me go.”
He released me just enough so that I could jump down. I landed in a crouch while Joey and Erin caught up. I pushed upwards before I broke out into a run. He was here. The one in the mirror. I could feel him. I ran through the trees alongside the water until a large circular patch of grass came into view.
“He is here.” I gasped to Cyrus, who appeared out of the shadows with his sword in hand. I pointed to the center of the circle with a shaky hand. “There.”
“Who?” Cyrus’ hand shimmered until his sword disappeared. Then he grabbed my shoulders to force me to face him. “Who is here?”
I didn't answer him. Instead, I marched to the center of the clearing before falling to my knees. I started jerking up clumps of soft grass. I tore at the dirt until Cyrus knelt down beside me.
"What's here, Eva?" Now it was Cyrus who was speaking slowly. "Am I still speaking to the Sibyl?"
“Something went wrong.” I closed my eyes. “Something always goes wrong. The magic isn’t strong enough. They die. They always die.”
“What sort of magic?” Cyrus didn't touch me. He didn't stop me from ripping up the ground. “What happened here?”
I frowned, trying to make sense of the thoughts I had no control over. “The twisted ones. Witches of an ancient line. They pull you in with false promises. But it never works. This field of bones is their hallowed ground.”
"Release her." Cyrus kept his voice even, but I heard the threat in his words. This time, he stood. I caught sight of his sword shimmering back into existence. "Now."
I laughed, even as I felt the tip of the sword press against the back of my neck. "You wouldn't. Your heart won't let you harm the girl."
Cyrus hesitated.
I reacted.
I grabbed a clump of dirt from the pile I'd made then slung it into his face. Cyrus cried out as he stumbled back. I lunged forward to slam my elbow back until it connected with his nose. He grunted, but before I could strike out again, he grabbed me by the waist to throw me to the ground. He had his sword in his hand within seconds.
"The girl is a conduit, Greek. Allow me to find my bones. I have earned the right."
"You are violating the code between Apollo and Persephone. You must use the mirror, not the girl."
"Apollo is not my god." I hissed. "I serve gods far older than yours."
I scratched at Cyrus' face, barely missing his eyes before he snatched my arms to hold them over my head.
"Leave the girl." Cyrus snarled with the blade pressed against my heart. "I will do as I must, spirit."
I gasped out loud when a weight I hadn't noticed left my chest and my thoughts stopped flying in a million different directions. I felt like I'd been run over by a truck. When I could focus on my surroundings, I saw what appeared to be blood pouring out of Cyrus' nose.
"Oh my god." I whispered. "Cyrus, what did I do?"
"Your name." He barked. "Now."
"Eva." I took a shaky breath. "Your Little One, remember?"
"Prove it."
"Get off of me. You're bleeding. We need to get you checked out."
"Prove that you are who you say you are." He shoved my arms further into the grass. I heard footsteps approaching us. I turned my head enough to see Joey's hiking boots beside Erin's cowboy ones.
"Ok." Joey whistled. "If you two wanted time alone, you could have just said. You didn't have to run off like that."
"Stay back." Cyrus kept his eyes on my face. "Eva has been possessed."
"How?" I frowned. "There's no mirror within a mile from here. I'm not possessed."
"Prove it." Cyrus emphasized each word. "I need to make sure you are who you say you are."
"Fine." I snapped. "You are as heavy as the damn horse you brought me here on. And I am getting eaten up by the bugs in the grass. Now get off of me."
"Yeah, that's Eva alright." Joey's voice filtered through from where my arm was still up by my ears. "All sass. No class."
Cyrus studied me for a minute before his sword disappeared. He released my arms and rolled off of me. He stayed still in the grass for a minute to wipe his face clean with his sleeve. I, for one, was not going to stay on the ground. I stood on trembling knees to study the damage surrounding me. I had been digging a hole, but hadn't gotten very far thanks to my fight with Cyrus.
"What the hell was I doing?"
"Little One, you might want to sit back down. You are the one we need to have checked out, not me. Possessions can take a lot out of you."
I turned to see Cyrus had joined me. He reached out to caress my cheek while he examined me for injuries.
"Are you alright?" My keeper looked pained as he traced a sore spot on my throat. "I'm sorry."
"What just happened?" I closed my eyes at his touch. "You said I was possessed."
"You were. Do you remember anything?"
"I remember everything." I frowned. "It was so weird. When we reached the forest, I had to come here. The desire was overwhelming. I remember running. I remember digging in the dirt. Even what I told you."
I tried to step back, but when I moved, the world jerked to the side. I stumbled forward, catching myself before I went face first into the dirt around my feet.
"Are you alright?" Cyrus repeated his question. "Eva?"
"Dizzy." I muttered when the world started wobbling around me again. "Cyrus..."
I don't have the words to explain what happened next. I felt my body grow heavy. I couldn't open my eyes. I had never experienced such a wave of exhaustion. My keeper caught me as I fell forward.
"Dammit."
Cyrus swept me up. "We've got to get her back to the hotel. The sooner the better."
I could hear the three of them. I could hear the panic in Joey's voice when he asked what happened to me. I wanted to tell my friend that I was just tired. That my head wasn't pounding and he was paying my bar tab for the rest of the week. Just to make him laugh.
I couldn't respond. I tried to fight against the sweet darkness which overwhelmed me. It was a fight I lost.
Cyrus held me close to his chest. I heard him whisper just before I released myself to sleep.
"I love you, Little One. Please. Come back to me."
Chapter Ten
"What are you doing here?" Elliot Lancaster's voice broke through my sleep. "You have been banned from being any place where Grave Messages is filming."
"You say you love Eva, but yet, you refuse her the one being who is dedicated to protecting her. The only one with the knowledge to help her." Cyrus responded. "She was possessed, dammit. How many times do I have to warn you of the dangers that threaten her?"
"Possessed. Right." Elliot again. "Joey, did you catch any of this on tape?"
"No. I thought we were just going for a tour. I figured I'd get shots of the grounds when we were actually filming."
"So we have no proof that Eva was in danger. Leyton, didn't you say that Cyrus could be punished for going against a direct order?"
I struggled against t
he weight of the sleep in my eyes. I knew they were all standing around my bed. And I knew they were arguing. But this time, I couldn't stop it.
"Apollo had nothing to do with my banishment." Cyrus snapped. "I know about the theft, Tiresias. What I don't know is what your role was in the crime."
"You accuse me? How dare you! You are a cretin! A savage beast!"
"Stop." I managed to croak out. I reached out to grab at the sheets. "I can't sleep with you all fighting over the top of me."
"Eva." Cyrus sat down on the edge of my bed. I didn't miss the relief in his voice. He cupped my hand in between his own. "How are you feeling?"
"My head is pounding. My elbow is killing me. I'm covered in dirt and grass." I squeezed my eyes tight, but with a little effort, I got them open. I blinked to see Elliot, Leyton, and Cyrus circling around my bed. Joey, Elizabeth, and Erin stood off to the side. "And all with an audience present! Lovely."
I didn't get the laugh I was hoping for out of my keeper. Instead, he grew even more serious.
"Do you know who possessed you? Did they give you their name?"
"Oh, sure." I rolled my eyes. "He gave me his name, his age, even his social security number."
Cyrus didn't respond. Neither did anyone else. So I sat up with a sigh.
"No. I think it was a man though. He came to see me last night."
"Come again?" Elliot stepped closer to the side of my bed. "Through the mirror?"
"Yes. Left me a message and everything." I gestured towards the bathroom. "Go see for yourself."
Elliot looked between me and Cyrus then disappeared into my bathroom. I heard the black cloth fall. He came out a few minutes later.
"Ok." Elliot breathed out the word. "I suppose we didn't get this on tape either."
"I am not going to set up cameras in my bathroom, Elliot. Joey follows me everywhere as it is." I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging free a mixture of tangles and blades of grass. "That's beside the point though. What are you doing here? I didn't think you'd be here until the end of the week."
"Leyton called me this morning. He said you were heading into trouble." Elliot returned to my bedside. I didn't miss the glance he threw over to the Seer. "We were already on the plane when Joey called me."
"Well, your timing was off. You missed all the action." I shook my head. "Listen, so much has happened in the past two days, I can't get a grasp on it. Not right now at least. I need a shower first. Can we meet up for dinner?"
"Sure." Elliot took my free hand. "Eva, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have sent you here alone."
"I wasn't alone." I pulled my hand away. "I had Joey."
He didn't say anything, even as he followed the others out of my room. When Cyrus and I were alone, my keeper sighed.
"You should stay in bed, Eva. Possessions are serious."
"Obviously." I pushed the covers back. "I've never felt anything as strange as that."
"What do you mean?"
I swung my legs over the side of the bed to give myself time to get my words together.
"I was still me, but my words? My actions? Not me. You apologized, but I'm the one who should be saying I'm sorry." I studied the wall just past Cyrus' head so that I didn't have to meet his gaze. "I can't believe I attacked you, Stick."
Cyrus pushed himself forward to wrap his arms around me. He held me close to his chest, pressing his cheek against the top of my head. I didn't fight it. Nor did I break the silence around us. He was the one to speak first.
"Thanks be to all the gods who ever were that you are alright." Cyrus swallowed. "I was so afraid..."
"Doubtful. You're not afraid of anything." I looked down at where our fingers were intertwined between us. "Did I hurt you? Can I hurt you?"
"I'm fine. You, however...." Cyrus pulled back. "Sibyls have been possessed before. And the spirits wouldn't let go. I've had to...harm them."
"How?" I tilted my head to the side. I remembered the sword above my heart and realized what he didn't want to tell me. "You killed them."
"A Sibyl can only be killed when she relinquishes the mirror." Cyrus looked up to the ceiling. "You know this. What you don't know is that when a spirit won't leave willingly, I am forced to bring the Sibyl to the River Stix. Your immortality will not allow you to cross into the Underworld."
"You were going to stab me."
"Only if I was forced to do so." Cyrus released my hand to rub his face. "I don't want to hurt you, Eva. Ever. I felt horrible during our encounter."
I felt heavy with sadness. Cyrus was a servant, but his true damnation came when he had to go against the ties which bound him to me. I couldn't imagine what he had gone through in that clearing. I didn't want to think about the fear he must have felt when he thought he would have to attack me. So I did the next best thing.
I kissed him. This time, I kept it slow. Sweet. When we broke apart, I spoke.
"You do what you have to, Cyrus, to bring me back. I'll understand and depending on how you kill me, I might even be grateful."
"I can't kill you..."
"Yeah, yeah. Immortal." I gave him a light push on the shoulder. "How's your nose?'
"It's good." Cyrus rewarded my concern with my favorite crooked grin. "You hit like a girl."
"Which is why you started bleeding."
"Touché." Cyrus took my hand to help me up. "Are you sure you want to go downstairs? We can hang out here for awhile."
"Yeah. I need to know the real reason why the cavalry showed up. I don't believe in Leyton's warning for a second."
"He may be a wretched being, but Tiresias is very accurate in his visions. Don't dismiss what he foretells outright, Little One."
"I'll believe him when he tells me something useful." I shook my head and instantly regretted it when the dizziness returned. "How long does this lightheadness last, Cyrus?"
"Depends on how much energy the spirit took from you."
"Ok. I'm going to shower. You are going to sit outside the door and tell me everything you know about this possession business."
"I've warned you about it before."
"I know. But that doesn't mean you told me anything."
I moved around my hotel room in slow, deliberate steps. When I stepped into the bathroom, I saw Elliot had returned the black cloth to its spot over the mirror. I left the door cracked open then turned the water on.
"Can you hear me?" Cyrus called through the crack in the door. "You know, this can wait until you get out."
"I can hear you. And no, it can't. Now start talking, buddy."
I peeled off my clothes from that morning. I stepped under the heavy spray of water with a happy sigh. I was washing my hair when Cyrus began to talk.
"What do you know about possessions?"
"Only what I've seen in movies." I called out. "You know. Spinning heads, green pea vomit. The good stuff."
"Which means you know nothing." Cyrus sighed. "Fortunately, most spirits are much less dramatic than your American films. They need a willing participant. Someone who has exposed themselves to their world. Secondly, they must be mobile."
"What do you mean by 'mobile'?" I twisted my hair under the water as I tried to get the soap out. "I don't understand."
"Most souls are trapped in the Underworld. Their only exposure to the world of the living is when they are contacted through the scrying mirror or with a tool such as the Ouija Board." Cyrus must have knocked the door further open because I felt a cold blast of air hit me through the steam. "Even then, they must be extraordinarily strong to be able to reach through the barriers put in place by Hades to keep them in place."
"Otherwise they would roam the Earth, right?" I blew water out of my nose. "Like zombies?"
"No. Like apparitions."
"Ok. So how did this one get loose?"
"I believe that when you broke the mirror on your first night here, you broke the barrier. As a result, the spirit who was trapped here is now mobile."
"Yay. Go me." I muttered. "And since I a
m a willing participant to all things ghost related, he jumped at the chance to use me."
"The girl is a conduit." Cyrus repeated the words I had said to him earlier that day. "This is why I have stressed the dangers of what you do. I understand your desire to do the television show. I will even admit that it has helped Apollo tremendously. But those dangers are still very real."
"Because you may have to stab me?"
"No, Little One. Because each time you are possessed, you lose a bit of yourself to the spirit while obtaining a piece of them. Knowledge. Memories. Madness. You can not become two different people in the same body without being effected by it."
I stood under the water for a moment as I realized what he said. I didn't feel any different. I didn't feel as if I'd lost anything. But perhaps, I had. The longer I thought about it, the more I remembered what had occurred out in the field.
"We need to talk to Daniel Ortez. He is the owner of Kentauros. I think he has the right to know about the bones by the river."
"You never found any bones. Did you?"
"No, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. And if so, then surely Ortez would agree to a proper burial for them."
I shut off the water and snagged my towel. I heard Cyrus shut the door, so I dried off as quickly as I could. I wrapped my hair up, threw on my bathrobe, and stopped just before I could join him. There was something else I remembered. Something much more important than any possession. I pushed open the door to see him staring out the window across my room.
"Cyrus, you told me you loved me. Did you mean it?"
"Yes." He turned his head. "I do love you, Eva. How could I not?"
"Why did you ask me to come back to you?"
"Because I didn't know how much of the spirit remained in you. Or if you would lose yourself to it while you were sleeping." Cyrus frowned. "I don't want to frighten you. The spirit could have returned when you are most vulnerable. And we've already seen how weak your mental barriers are in your sleep. The nightmare is proof of that."
"The nightmare." I breathed out my words while I walked over to my closet. I never got to unpack, so I knelt down to dig out clean clothes from my suitcase. I stopped only after I pulled out a pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt. "Wait. Didn't you say that my nightmare was probably a memory?"
The Oracle Series: Volumes 1-3 Page 33