Shadow Sight

by T. G. Ayer

  Allegra’s mouth was open, and she slowly became aware that she was still sprawled on the grass. She cleared her throat and boosted herself to her feet, dusting off her damp behind before straightening to meet his gaze. Xales’ gaze. “You can transform?” she asked softly, her brow furrowing with confusion even though she was well aware of what she’d just witnessed. She shook her head and scanned him from head to toe before asking, “Why did you not do this before?”

  Xales shook his head slowly, his expression darkening. “You were not yet ready,” he said, his low baritone reverberating around the clearing.

  “And I suppose you now believe I am ready?” she asked dryly, thinking about the cryptic words of the Pythia she’d so recently spoken with. Then Allegra shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m talking to a half-man, half-boar.”

  “How hard is that to process? Athena shifts into a panther,” Xales replied, an eyebrow cocked.

  “That’s different. She’s a demigod,” Allegra muttered, still unsure how to deal with a talking boar-man.

  Xales tilted his head to one side. “And you believe I am not a demigod?” He frowned as though Allegra had claimed something he was finding hard to understand.

  “How would I know? I know nothing about you. Remember, you didn’t exactly come with a user manual.”

  Xales chuckled. “My apologies. I shall endeavor to ensure that the next Pythia is availed of the necessary user manuals in order to transition her more comfortably.”

  “Good for the next Pythia,” Allegra muttered as she pulled her dress away from her moist skin. The fabric had dried, but it was still pretty much transparent.

  Until now, Allegra wouldn’t have thought twice about being naked in front of her familiar. But seeing him on two legs, making intelligent conversion, looking rather like an attractive man, made her uncomfortable.

  “It’s quite fortunate that you chose this moment to transform,” she said. “I’ve been meaning to thank you for saving my life. I’m certain I would not have survived had you not arrived in time.”

  “You need protection, my lady. It is my duty to protect you.” He tipped his head in a shallow bow.

  “Protection? I needed saving,” Allegra muttered.

  Xales shook his head. “You were well capable of saving yourself, my lady. The help I offered was only in order to keep you safe during your vision.”

  Allegra squinted at the boar. “You knew about that?”

  “I’ve worked alongside oracles for thousands of years. I understand all too well how you could have reacted once you slipped into the time stream.”

  Allegra nodded, a little unsure of how to react. Xales had been at her side since the beginning, even before she’d truly accepted that she was the Pythia. He’d scared her at first, but he’d consistently saved her life, over and over again. And she’d grown fond of him.

  No. She’d grown fond of a giant, snorting, stomping boar.

  Now she was facing a half-human, half-man, and having great difficulty in thinking straight.

  Putting a hand to her head, Allegra took a deep breath and said, “I need a moment. Sorry, Xales. It’s just…”

  “I understand.” The boar-man chuckled as he walked over to lean against a nearby tree. “You are not the first Pythia to need time to accept that I’m not just a boar.”

  Allegra settled onto a grassy patch beneath a tall tree. “So when were you first paired with the Pythia?” Allegra asked, merely to ensure she maintained a connection with him. The last thing she wanted was to end up alienating her familiar. That wouldn’t bode well for her future safety.

  Xales lifted his eyes to the small patches of blue sky that could be seen from their little spot. “I believe my first charge was the second Pythia, the niece of the very first recognized Pythia. That was over three thousand years ago now.”

  “Oh? How far down the line was Cathenna?”

  Xales tilted his head. “Cathenna was the seventh Pythia, so my sixth charge, some two hundred years after my first Pythia.” Xales fell silent, and Allegra wondered if his memories of Cathenna were filled with pain. From her own visions, she had no doubt he’d recall pain more than anything else.

  Allegra smiled gently. “From what I can tell she was a lovely person.” Then she paused and squinted at Xales. “I suppose there is no guarantee that the Pythia will automatically be a kind soul.”

  Xales nodded. “That is a keen observation, my lady. But I can confirm that Pythia Cathenna was one of my most wonderful and kind charges. Her heart was filled with love and devotion to her family and to her people.” Xales let out a deep sigh.

  Allegra glanced over and met his intent gaze. “Very well. I accept you are real and I’m not hallucinating. So, why did you decide to show me your true form now?”

  Xales bobbed his head then exhaled what appeared to be a puff of sparkling steam.

  A good reminder that the creature is magical, Allegra.

  “My responsibility is to keep the Pythia safe. The form that Apollo gave me all those years ago was meant to aid me in ensuring the safety of my charge. Though I have fulfilled my role, at times, a Pythia would reject me, the shock a little too much for her to deal with. The few times that it happened, the relationship was filled with tension, which makes for a very strained life together. Especially as my position at the Pythia’s side is a permanent one.”

  “Who was it that reacted badly?”

  “That would be my second Pythia. Her name was Julia, and I’d thought she liked me. I’d revealed myself to her, and she—having been well prepared by my first Pythia Kassandra—appeared to be familiar enough with me. I believe the fault was mine for assuming that her knowledge extended to knowing I can transform into a human form.”

  “Nobody told her?”

  “No. I am still rather miffed in regard to that omission.”

  Allegra chuckled. “I can imagine what happened, but please, do go on,” she said as she waved a hand at Xales who responded with a cheery grin, his affectation almost wolfish.

  “I appeared to her in her olive garden, a day or so after a band of thugs had attempted to abduct her from the home of a senator in the north of Greece. I’d believed she’d be in the frame of mind for a reassurance of her safety that went beyond the extent of her own knowledge. I revealed myself in my boar form, as I did with you, and waited as she settled and calmed—she was one of those Pythias who was startled by most things, including my appearances.”

  Allegra twisted her lips. In this day and age, with the more modern understanding of human nature, that would have been a sure sign that Pythia Julia would have been even more startled by a half-man half-boar appearing before her.

  Xales smirked at the expression on Allegra’s face, and she guessed he’d read her well enough. “So I transformed to my human form, ensuring I maintained a comfortable distance from her.” Xales paused and let out a weary sigh. “She screamed, turned, and ran.”

  “Please don’t tell me you ran after her?” Allegra asked, her hand over her mouth as she hid a pained grin.

  Xales nodded sadly. “I did. In all honesty, I did not believe she would be afraid. I had no concept that a monstrous creature running after her, chasing her between the trees and all the way back to the house would turn her into a squalling, babbling mess.”

  Allegra could not stop the stunned laugh that escaped her lips. She turned it into a choked cough, but Xales was grinning widely. “I’m sorry, Xales. That must not have been easy for you.”

  He shook his head. “It was amusing. It still is. The Pythia Julia was quite a…delicate soul.”

  Allegra shrugged. “I assume not all Pythias are possessed with a strong disposition?”

  “No. A fact that I can personally attest to.”

  “What happened? I mean…did you remain with her?”

  “Unfortunately, I am the Pythia’s familiar. I had nowhere else to go. Apollo attempted to placate Pythia Julia, but though she calmed down enough to tolerat
e my boar form, I never believed she was strong enough to stand seeing me in half-human form. I remained in the shadows ever since, appearing only when she needed protection or rescue.”

  “And of course, that experience made you wary.” Allegra smiled sadly, feeling a pull of sympathy for her familiar

  “Clearly I was a little dense,” he said tapping a finger against his temple.

  “Oh no,” Allegra whispered, clamping her lips together to avoid smiling.

  “It is okay, my lady. It amuses me now too. Although, at the time, I was quite…conflicted. I want to be me. This form is my true physical form, and I longed to find some freedom to roam in my natural body. But any excursions in such a form had to be relegated to the night and to the shadows.”

  “I thought you were able to roam without the Pythia. You’re not tied to me…are you? I hope you’re not fixed to where I am all the time,” Allegra asked, concerned now at the ramifications of such a situation.

  Xales gave a half nod. “Sort of. I am when you are awake. And most definitely if you are in any form of danger or in any situation in which you may encounter danger. But when you are asleep, or in meditation, I take a few moments in which to wander off.”

  “That’s good. But aren’t you connected somehow to my mind.” Allegra lifted a finger then tapped her temple and pointed to his head. “You know when I’m in danger.”

  Xales nodded. “Yes. We have a telepathic connection. But past experience has made me all the more wary. There are times when a Pythia may believe she is in no danger and is unfortunately quite mistaken. Even the Pythia is human and fails to have the best judgment of the people around her.”

  “Ah, I see,” Allegra said, her lips twisting in a sad, wry smile. “That makes sense. But it still seems a little unfair. You deserve time off.”

  The boar-man gave a low chuckle. “Thank you for saying so. You are very much like Pythia Cathenna. That kindness and thoughtful nature.” He nodded slowly, his eyes glazing as though he was staring off at a fond memory.

  His expression brought a smile to Allegra’s face. She, herself had liked Cathenna almost from the first moment she’d seen a vision of the ancient Pythia.

  The same ancient Pythia who was Allegra’s grandmother.

  Chapter 16

  Allegra cleared her throat. “Speaking of Cathenna.” Xales snapped his gaze to Allegra’s face, his eyes rising in question. “You knew I was in the time-journey. Did you know where I went? I’m assuming you would have a sense of it considering you’re meant to protect me…”

  Allegra left the question unfinished as she too considered the meaning of her words. Would her familiar also have seen her vision?

  As though he’d heard her thoughts, Xales replied, “No. I don’t go with the Pythia during such journeys. But I am able to sense your emotions and know if you are in danger. I can’t explain it. It makes no sense, but when the Pythias communicate, it’s almost unnecessary for me to be in the shared place.”

  Allegra straightened. “How do you get your head around the fact that when the Pythias join or meet each other, that you, Xales, are with each of them…at the same time?” Allegra shook her head, then pressed her fingers into her temples as though the very idea was enough to explode her brain.

  Xales chuckled. “There is a first time for all things. And believe me, my first time in the joining was supremely confusing.”

  “Can you sense yourself?”

  He nodded. “It is an odd sensation to feel your own mind coming from three places at the same time. I am still attempting to come to terms with it.”

  “So, when I was underwater, and you were watching over me, you would have sensed who I was with?” she asked carefully, watching Xales’ face as he hesitated, as though this was one question he wasn’t sure he should answer. Allegra’s eyes narrowed as she watched him formulate the best response. Then she held up a hand. “You don’t have to answer. I think I know how this can be a problem for you. However you answer, you may be revealing to me something I do not yet know.”

  He let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders dropping and he smiled. “That is true. If the meeting had been with Pythias of only your past, then it would have been a simple thing to say yes, I know. But a Pythia’s own future is often hidden from her prophecies in order to protect both the oracle and the people around her and those she serves.”

  Allegra nodded. “Because not every Pythia is a good person at her core. It’s a sad thing to acknowledge.”

  “Only the wisest of souls accept a truth regardless of its impact.” Xales looked away for a moment then met Allegra’s eyes. “There is something more you wish to ask me?”

  Allegra glanced away for a brief moment. “It’s about Cathenna. Do you know?”

  He nodded. “The question is, what exactly do you know?” he said, his tone gently. “I wish to clarify in order to ensure I do not reveal a truth you are still unaware of.”

  Allegra cleared her throat, finding that while she’d listened to Xales’ tale, she’d systematically ripped apart a handful of long blades of grass and now her lap was littered with green confetti.

  Dusting them off her dress, she said, “I know that Cathenna is my grandmother. I know that she sent her daughters away for their safety because she saw in her visions the danger to each of the Pythia’s lives. I know that her daughter Jocasta was sent to the future, and I know that I am her child. And I know that Aurelia brought me to this time period because Jocasta believed I’d be in great danger.”

  Allegra couldn’t bring herself to voice the reason, aware that she’d tucked those facts away in the darkest reaches of her heart, planning to deal with them later. When she was ready.

  Xales’ baritone drew Allegra out of her thoughts. “Then you do know enough,” said Xales as he exhaled deeply. “Have you studied the Book of Visions?”

  Allegra shook her head.

  “The Codex of the Pythia?”

  Another shake of her head.

  Xales cleared his throat, his dissatisfaction filling his tone. “Aurelia kept them in her study,” he offered as he watched her face.

  He was trying to ascertain if her lack of understanding was by choice. Allegra shook her head. “You know very well I’ve not entered Aurelia’s study.”

  Xales bowed his head. “That I do. But I’m concerned with whether you even knew about the books in the first place.”

  “No. There are a few old books in the box in Aurelia’s old room. There was Aurelia’s own diary but no codex. And two or three small diaries belonging to other Pythias, but nothing bearing those titles.”

  Xales tipped his head to the side. “The diaries you mentioned, were they more notes rather than large leather-bound books?

  “I believe they were. The information was sketchy, and some written in a sort of code I haven’t been able to decipher.”

  “Ah, those would be the notes Aurelia kept on her travels. They do not tell the whole truth. You will need to study the Codices if you want to find out more.”

  “Thank you Xales. Now that I am aware they exist, I shall find them and begin my reading,” Allegra said with a smile.

  “It will help you to understand the Pythias of the past. Each Codex is more or less a diary, written by each of the Pythias as a means of transferring knowledge and offering guidance to the next oracle who would take her place.”

  Allegra grimaced. “Why was I never told about them?”

  “No doubt Aurelia would have imparted that knowledge to you had she been alive to train you to become her successor. I must admit, I am surprised that she made no provisions.”

  “Would Mara have known?”

  “Possibly? And should she bear this knowledge, I would then question why they were not given to you earlier.”

  Allegra lifted an eyebrow. “Have you met Mara?” she asked with a snort. “I think I’ll just ask her where they are and leave it at that.”

  Xales chuckled. “Yes. The woman scares me too.”

 
Allegra laughed at that, the thought of an enormous boar-man cowering in fear before a tiny, wrinkled, old lady tickling her funny bone.

  When the laughter subsided, Allegra cleared her throat. “I did find something in Aurelia’s box. Evidence of Pythias being hunted and killed by a man named Langcourt. You’re familiar with him, given that he had you abducted from Barbarina Town. Someone was investigating suspicious deaths going back a few thousand years. Do you know about that?”

  The familiar nodded soberly. “I was given to the Pythias all those years ago mainly because the oracles were sought after, and there were many who wanted to own an oracle for personal gain. The gods were reluctant to intervene but felt some form of protection was warranted. After all, everyone needed the Pythia alive and safe.

  “But as the years passed, it became clear that there was a new threat. A specific threat on the life of the Pythia and of every other oracle that followed her. Someone was systematically killing the oracles. At first, it appeared the work of a person who hated the status and power of the oracle. But the threat continued through the centuries, making it clear that it could not be one singular individual. There were considerations given to a secret group of hunters that handed their missions to their progeny. And perhaps that theory bears an element of truth. But soon it became even clearer that the genetic line was also a target. The killers were not only eradicating the oracles, but they were intent on eliminating her descendants too.”

  “Was there any substantiating evidence to support that theory?” asked Allegra as she considered what she knew about Langcourt.

  Xales shook his head. “Much of this is conjecture and supposition. What are your thoughts on the matter, my lady?”

  Allegra shook her head. “I’m just thinking it through. We know Langcourt is determined to eliminate me. And his attempts began only when I became the Pythia.”

  “Which means the Pythias succeeded in keeping you hidden.” Xales seemed especially satisfied at that.