Blood Oath (A Gabby Girls Adventure Novel, Book Two)

by T. L. Clarke

  A soft chime sounded in the air, and everyone pulled back their hoods, revealing their faces. Eyes looked at me curiously, angrily. I did not recognize anyone except for Veda, who was looking at me very solemnly. And then I felt an intense glare coming from the corner. It was Chaos staring at me with his penetrating gray eyes, his face rigidly cold, his body tense as if ready for action.

  What was he doing here? It seemed like he was waiting just like everyone else. Waiting for what, I had no clue.

  Then I heard a faint rustling from the far corner of the chamber, which caused everyone to look in that direction. Great, more spectators have come to see my mortifying punishment. I instantly recognized the Eternal Council members filing into the chamber solemnly, wearing burgundy ceremonial robes with a bird emblem. They walked across the platform silently. At the end of the procession was a regal-looking Grandma Celeste, minus her staff. In fact, her tall frame walked sure and confident, without a hint of her familiar limp.

  I wanted to run over to her for protection, but the grave and warning look in her eyes told me not to. The Eternal Council stood before me, looking cold, unapproachable, and very intimidating.

  I almost squealed with fright when I felt a hard hand press on my shoulder. I looked around nervously, only to see Petra looking at me calmly but solidly.

  Okay, under any other circumstances, I would have been mouthing off quite angrily, but with everyone looking at me like they wanted to skin me alive for amusement, I decided to take a less aggressive stance. Looking at the Eternal Council apprehensively, I decided to plead my case before things got real nasty.

  "Umm, look. Here’s the deal. I’m sorry for sneaking into the Eternal meeting. It won’t happen again, okay? I mean, jeez, it was only a meeting, no need to get all crazy," I said in one breath.

  Petra’s nails bit into my shoulder painfully. "Silence" she barked.

  The Eternal Council just looked at me silently, which made me squirm even more. Silence from adults was never, ever, a good sign.

  Queen Nemesis laughed chillingly as she looked around the chamber. "Eternals, you’ve got to be kidding me. She’s just a mere child. We are wasting our time. She is not the one. Why are we wasting our time here?"

  Helios raised his hand, indicating silence. He looked over at me sharply. "You’re not here because of sneaking into the meeting, Neophyte. You’re here because we need answers," he stated briskly.

  I looked at him anxiously. Okay, answers to what? I was all too happy to tell him that I had no answers. I needed them.

  Queen Harmonia slowly stepped forward, floating down the platform, then walking completely around me like I was an animal in a cage at the zoo.

  Her violet eyes flashed with curiosity. "The attack on Vineswell was, well, quite disturbing, Neophyte. The Banished have never been this bold in attacking one of our strongholds"—she paused, pursing her full lips—"and only one thing could embolden them to this extent— the prophecy of the reincarnation of the Akasha." She touched my shoulder gently, her lips curving into a slight smile before she turned on her heels and walked back up the platform to stand with the Eternal Council. "And we’re here to find out if you are indeed her."

  My body tensed with shock. What? Reincarnation of the Akasha? These people were insane, and I was about to tell them that when I felt Petra’s rough squeeze on my shoulder.

  Queen Nemesis walked off the platform with the sickening scent of hibiscus floating around her. She looked at me icily. "I, for one, know that you are not the Akasha because she does not exist. But the Eternal Council is convinced that we should put the prophecy to the test." She smiled cruelly. "Do you like tests, Neophyte?" She grabbed my chin roughly, tracing a long, sharp fingernail across my cheek. "Because this one might be just a tad painful if you don’t get the answers right."

  Queen Harmonia looked over at Queen Nemesis with irritation. "Sister dear, we have already acknowledged your displeasure with having this ceremony. But protocols are protocols. And this ceremony must be done. Please let the will of the council be done."

  Queen Nemesis looked at me coldly before gliding over to stand with the Eternal Council. "Very well, let the Eternal Council’s will be done, as ridiculous as it may be," she responded mockingly.

  Priscilla’s long ceremonial robe rustled as she walked over to a gigantic gold vessel that was strangely plopped in the center of the platform. In the background was a huge floor-to-ceiling stained glass window.

  I stared at the unusual window, in the center of which was a huge gold bird with wings outstretched in the center of a huge gold and purple shell. Bright gold flames shot out from behind it, and a large sun hovered above. All around the edges of the window was ancient writing in huge black cursive letters.

  Priscilla rubbed her palms together. Flames of fire engulfed her hands before she flicked them, sailing the flames through the air, landing them squarely in the center of the vessel. She turned around, looking at us solemnly, her mouth twisting wryly before she spoke. "Just like the phoenix, for centuries, we have waited for the Akasha to arise from her ashes, immortal and renewed."

  Grandma Celeste walked over to me, placing a warm hand on my shoulder, guiding me over to the vessel. I saw a flicker of worry in her eyes as she looked at me deeply. "Stand here. And no matter what happens, don’t move," she instructed softly.

  Everyone gathered around me, and I started to feel very claustrophobic as they chanted in unison.

  "Quaerimus enim vestra sapientia. We ask for your wisdom, Petimus vestrae regimen. We ask for your guidance, Spiritus elemento. The element of spirit, Quintum, quod requirit ut. The fifth that binds us."

  Whatever they had expected to happen didn’t, and I stood there for what seemed like forever, fidgeting as I waited. A chill swept through my body, causing me to shudder. My teeth chattered like I was out in a blizzard without a coat. I could actually see the puffs of cold air with every breath I took. The chamber was like a freezer, and not even the flames from the vessel warmed me. I gave Grandma Celeste a sidelong gaze, but she was avoiding my stare and bodily contact for some reason. I missed her ever-present murmurs of assurance of comfort; all I felt now was coldness, inside and out. And even though I was in a chamber crammed full with Eternal lunatics, I could honestly say that I’d never felt so alone and isolated in my entire life.

  The flames sputtered and crackled with a raw intensity that I’d never seen any fire have. Tufts of black smoke wafted up to the ceiling, followed by tufts of white smoke. I was mesmerized as the white tufts, with flecks of gold sparkling within them, swirled and danced in the air. The smoke just hung in the air, dancing, somehow welcoming. It clustered together, forming a small ball, which got wider and wider, then trickled down toward the floor, slowly, finally transforming into the shape of a tall, curvaceous woman’s body. The translucent body got more solid as it shimmered before me.

  I blinked with surprise when it finally transformed into a very solid, beautiful pale woman with violet eyes and long, flowing white hair that cascaded down to her waist. She shook her body delicately, and huge, fluffy lightly golden wings unfolded in all their beauty. Her presence was huge, filling the chamber with her magnificence.

  She smiled at me warmly. "Akasha, you are never alone, for we are always with you."

  The crowd gasped when she said "Akasha."

  I gasped as she floated closer, smelling of earth and flowers. Her wings fluttered gently, emitting a cascading stream of gold-hued air laced with the scent of a sunny day on the beach, which rolled over me like a comforting wave.

  "Goddess Ananke," they all whispered in utter amazement.

  Her soft gaze never left me, as my gaze never left her. There was a weird glint of enlightenment in her eyes, as if she held a world of untold secrets that were waiting to unfold. Softly, she grasped my face between her hands, the instant connection sending a jolt of energy through my body, warming me to the core.

  "We have waited centuries for you to return to us." She smile
d. "But we’ve never lost faith, never for one minute, for we knew that when the universe saw fit, you would be reborn." She released my face, smiling at me with so much love and respect that I felt truly humbled by it. It filled me with so much power and confidence that I felt I could do anything, be anything.

  She sighed before floating effortlessly through my body, leaving the remnants of her spirit, which spread through me like a warm blanket.

  I spun around, watching her float through the crowd regally as though they were all beneath her. Everyone gawked, with emotions ranging from shock, to fear, to curiosity. She looked at them with utter disdain.

  "Well, what do we have here? The mighty Eternals. What a pathetic spectacle you are." She chuckled with menace. "How it must have killed you to beg for my presence." She tapped her lips. "I wonder, did you inform the Elementi of your little ceremony tonight?"

  The Eternals gasped, looking at each other guiltily.

  "I guess the answer to that question is no. Oh, such bad little Eternals. But don’t worry. As we speak, they have sensed your break in protocol, and there will be hell to pay for your disobedience." She floated by them, leaving trails of white smoke in her wake.

  The Eternals stiffened, looking at her worriedly.

  Goddess Ananke looked over at me with warmth, reaching out her hands, beckoning me forward. "Come to me, my sweet Akasha reincarnated, spirit daughter."

  I hustled over and grasped her hand, which was warm and cold at the same time. With just one touch, I floated with her through the crowd.

  She smiled at them cruelly. "Open your eyes to what you will ultimately decide to save or to destroy." She looked at me cunningly. "Retribution for past transgressions is more fulfilling than forgiveness, Akasha."

  Her words rang through my mind, filling me with longing for memories of things old. My mind fought to retain my thoughts, my being, as something else fought for control, for space.

  Goddess Ananke abruptly stopped as Queen Nemesis bowed mockingly, all the while looking at her with cold, angry eyes.

  "Well, well, well. It’s the beautiful but manipulative Queen Nemesis." She clucked like a disapproving mother hen. "You’ve been very busy with nasty little business, my dear. Be very careful with what you play with. The darkness is never forgiving, and blind ambition is a short journey to destruction." She floated away laughing chillingly. Queen Nemesis’s flawless face tightened angrily.

  Queen Harmonia bowed with respect. "Welcome, Goddess Ananke. Your presence truly humbles me," she whispered.

  Goddess Ananke smiled warmly, touching her cheek. "The beautiful Queen Harmonia." She sighed. "Know that the waters are very murky, my dear. A tide threatens to sweep you under, drowning you in its deep depth, leaving nothing in its wake, not even your soul," she stated matter-of-factly before floating away from Harmonia, still grasping my hand.

  She floated to a stop in front of Grandma Celeste. "The beautiful High Priestess Celeste. You have done a wonderful job with her, pleasing us to no end." She kissed her softly on both cheeks. "Have faith, High Priestess, for she is strong."

  Tears glistened in Grandma Celeste’s eyes as she looked at me with so much love and fear that I was tempted to wrap my arms around her comfortingly. Ananke turned to me, her eyes examining my face curiously as if she could sense my urge.

  She whispered, "Hold fast, Akasha, for there is nothing more powerful than necessity and fate." She abruptly released my hand, allowing me to float to the floor effortlessly. Her eyes flashed with fire as she looked around the chamber with her lips twisting cruelly. "Eternals, you are future minions for the Underworld. Everything that has been given to you freely—powers, gifts, love—you have destroyed and corrupted in your quest for more greatness than you even deserve. I do not pity you for the pain that is in store for you. You deserve every burning flick of pain for your outright disobedience against the blood oath." Her voice rocketed throughout the chamber like a cannon, with sarcasm dripping from each word.

  "The gods have lost all respect for your kind. We refused to answer your pathetic pleas for forgiveness, but, I am here before you as though I am your servant and you are the master." She flicked her hand in the air, sending a wave of energy that rocked the floor like an earthquake. She pointed at them icily. "So, let’s be very clear." She looked over at me gently. "She, the Akasha reincarnated, is the only reason that I am here. And you have used her like a cheap pawn in order to request my presence. I pity you when she reaches her full potential of knowledge and power." She smiled wickedly. "There will surely be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Eternals."

  She spoke directly to me. "Akasha, when the time comes to make the decision of fate, the decision between light and dark, they will make your choice easy, for they are not worth saving."

  I actually felt sick to my stomach as the hatred for the Eternals that burned in her eyes rolled over me like an angry sea. I had never felt such deep-seated emotions as she felt toward them toward anyone. It was rooted, it was deep, and I could instantly sense that if it wasn’t for me, she would destroy them where they stood and not blink an eye at their demise. What could have made her hate them so? And would I eventually grow to hate them in the same way?

  Helios stepped forward boldly and formally bowed deep from the waist. "Goddess Ananke, we mean no disrespect, and if you interpreted our request for the Rite of Spirit as such, then we respectfully beg your forgiveness." His voice was strong but respectful.

  Ananke’s eyes flashed heatedly. "You, King Helios, I can tolerate—along with a select few—but others are toeing a fine line by the audacity of even being in my presence." She paused. "I will allow the Rite of Spirit because of the dire circumstances that dictate that this must be done. So, take this for what it is, a gift that is never to be bestowed again." She sighed. "Let the Rite of Spirit commence."

  She spread her wings gloriously, allowing them to flap back and forth like she intended to soar through the air. Her body trembled, then split, forming two distinct bodies, then constricted back into one. She opened her palms, face up, as gold smoke spilled from her fingertips like lava from an erupting volcano. It floated to the floor, then bounced through the air like bullets, whizzing by everyone’s head, then bursting into a ton of small orbs.

  The gold orbs drifted through the air, hovering over everyone’s heads one by one as if searching for something. The sound of them whizzing through the air was deafening as they flew back at top speed toward Goddess Ananke, splashing into her body with such force that she actually flinched with each entry as if she was being stung by swarming bees. She closed her eyes as gold smoke spewed from her body, causing it to sway back and forth with violence, her lips spreading into a slow, satisfied, but painful smile.

  Goddess Ananke opened her now-gold-colored eyes. "The Makos have found the bond." She looked at them as she glided through the crowd and stopped at Veda. She reached up and cupped her face. They both stood there looking at each other, and after what seemed like an eternity, Veda nodded her head slightly as if answering some secret question. Ananke smiled and enfolded her into a long embrace, her wings enclosing her body, then released her.

  Ananke floated through the crowd and stopped before Chaos.

  He looked at her with surprised eyes, then bowed to her respectfully. I wanted to burst out in a fit of laughter when I saw the flirtatious smile that she gave Chaos. Even the goddess obviously thought that he was a major hottie.

  "If only I were a few centuries younger, my sweet Chaos. Gabrielle would not have a chance for your affections." She cupped his face softly as they both stood, eyes locking solemnly.

  Chaos’s gray eyes widened with surprise, his mouth forming a perfect O.

  "Yes, I know, but I am sure," Ananke responded softly. It was like they were having some sort of silent conversation, and after some chilling minutes of absolute silence, Chaos nodded with acceptance.

  His body tightened tensely before relaxing as Ananke’s wings folded around him into a long embrace,
then released him.

  She smiled hauntingly. "You will do very well, my young Ares… very well."

  She floated toward me with a very grave look on her face.

  "Know that I am only the first test. The second"—she paused— "will not be as welcoming." She grasped my hand as we floated back to the lit vessel, hovering above it.

  "You must look deeply, Akasha. Understand what calls you. Understand what you must do," she demanded sharply.

  I could feel the sharp pull of whatever dark energy was deep within it, and I wanted to run.

  She dropped my hand, and surprisingly, I floated with no assistance as she circled me like a predator, pushing me down closer to the flames. The flames were now angry, almost greedy, as they licked my feet and legs. It felt like insects tearing the skin away from my bones. It pulled, scratched, and tugged at me painfully as I sunk lower into the flames. My mind begged to flee, but I could not move. I was paralyzed, locked by the greedy, all-consuming flames. It rolled from my feet, then up my legs and arms, engulfing my entire body painfully. The pain became so excruciating that I wobbled, my knees buckling. But the flames would have none of it. It cruelly pulled me by my feet; obviously it was not finished with me. The flames became bigger, hotter, and more painful.

  I screamed, but no sound came out of my mouth. Silently I begged for release, but none came. The whispers, the faceless whispers, floated by my ear.

  "This is just the beginning. Hold fast, Akasha reincarnated."

  And with that, I felt myself slipping into the cool, releasing darkness. So this was what death felt like. My mind floated, totally at ease, mercifully thinking of absolutely nothing. My heart-shaped lips curled into a soft smile as I just floated effortlessly, my eyes only snapping open when I felt the plush softness beneath my back.