by Amy Reece
Jack watched me like a hawk while we ate and insisted we only discuss mundane, pleasant things until the plates were cleared. I still wasn’t hungry, but I loved him, so I ate as much from my plate as I possibly could.
“Now,” said Mina as Rémy cleared the table. “Let’s see if we can figure out what to do.”
“Is there any way to figure out where he is?” Jack asked. “Rémy, can you track him down?”
“I have been trying all night. He arrived in New York in July, but has since disappeared. I fear he may be using another name.”
“Shit,” Jack muttered. “We can’t catch a break.”
“On the contrary,” said Rémy. “This is our break. He is here, in Albuquerque. I’m certain of it. This will be over soon. We are close to the end game. He will make his move in the very near future.”
“But what do we do in the meantime?” I asked.
“We prepare,” Mina stated grimly.
“Great,” I said. “What does that mean?”
What it meant was every extra minute of my day was now spent at Mina and Rémy’s house, practicing my defensive powers and perfecting our mental communication with each other. We were still attempting to keep the whole psychic thing from Megan, but my excuses for constantly escaping across the street were starting to wear thin by the second week. Jack was a trooper, taking over all the dinner and dish chores, which was actually better for everyone’s digestion. Kai was a frequent dinner guest, but always refused our offers of a ride home afterward.
“Ally, can you help me with my English homework after dinner?” Megan asked one evening while we ate the tacos Jack had prepared, black bean for me, beef for everyone else. Kai had stared at them dubiously for a moment, but with Megan’s encouragement, seemed to be enjoying his dinner.
“Meg, she has to go to Rémy’s after dinner. You know that,” Jack admonished quietly.
“No.” I shook my head and reached for more Spanish rice, for which Jack had a real flair. “You know what? I can help you with your homework, sweetie. I don’t need to rush off right after dinner every single night. Rémy and Mina can wait for a while.”
At Kai’s questioning look, Megan filled him in. “Ally is doing a special project with them. She says it’s a surprise and she can’t tell me what it is yet.”
“Kai, is this the first time you’ve tried Mexican food?” I tried to get Megan off the subject of my nightly disappearances.
He nodded. “It’s good. Thank you.” He was nothing if not polite.
“Just wait ’til you taste my Auntie Trina’s enchiladas, Kai! They’re amazing! And my Aunt Gloria makes the best menudo in the whole world. You can come with us to our next family party,” Megan said, oblivious to the faintly panicked look on Kai’s face.
“What’s menudo?” he asked.
“A truly disgusting soup made with the lining of a cow’s stomach,” I said.
“Are you having me on?” he asked, sounding very British.
Megan giggled. “No, she’s telling the truth, except it’s delicious. Ally doesn’t eat meat, so she doesn’t know what’s good. Besides, you told me all about blood pudding! That’s gross!”
I had seen Mina and the other Irish Seers eat this atrocity and completely agreed with Megan, but there was no need to be rude to a guest. “Meg, let’s not insult someone’s food choices.”
“That’s rich.” Jack laughed. “This from the woman who refused to kiss me after I ate menudo. Seems a little unfair, huh, Kai?”
The boy smiled and nodded slightly. “I’ll try the menudo if you promise to try blood pudding someday, Megan.”
She scrunched up her nose, but stuck out her hand. “Deal.” They both shook on it.
Megan and Kai cleared the table while Jack and I spent a few minutes talking quietly in our bedroom. The new practice schedule was seriously cutting into our alone time. Kai left to walk home while Megan got her homework out and set it up on the dining room table so I could help her. We were wrapping up an essay she had to write about a book she had read in class while Jack was cleaning up the kitchen.
“Meg, where did you put the salt shaker?” he asked as he joined us at the table.
“On the stove, with the pepper.”
“It’s not there,” he said. She shrugged and I met Jack’s confused gaze. This would be the second missing item in the last week.
“You’re late,” Rémy said when I let myself into their house a half hour later.
“Sorry,” I said huffily. “I needed to help Meg with her homework. I have a family, you know!”
“I know that, but we have much to do and no idea of how much time we have left. We can’t afford to get lazy.”
“You’re calling me lazy?”
“All right, you two! Cool it!” Mina came in with tea. “Settle down. Let’s not let the stress get to us, okay?” She placed her hands on our shoulders and I felt her soothing calm flow into me.
“You’re like the People Whisperer, Mina. Maybe you could get your own cable show,” I said. I reached up and touched her hand. “Thanks.”
“Je regret, mon ange,” Rémy pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. “Sorry, cherié,” he said to me.
“Did you tell her?” Mina asked.
“Tell me what?”
“Grandmére called today. She and my grandfather will be here this weekend for a short visit.” At my questioning look he continued. “Apparently, she has had another prophecy, one she feels is important enough to justify a trip over here.”
“Great.” I dropped my head onto my arms. “There goes my weekend too. If I don’t get a date night with my husband soon, it’s not going to be pretty!”
Mina reached across and patted my hand sympathetically. “I know, Ally. This will all be over soon. I really feel it. So does Rémy.”
“So, what’s this new prophecy?” I asked, looking up.
Rémy shrugged. “She wouldn’t say. She says she won’t tell anyone except Grandpére until she gets here. I have a feeling this prophecy will be ‘revealed’ by our new Oracle.”
“Fabulous,” I groused. “Just what I need.”
***
Jack and I decided to host dinner for Kate and Phillipe Saturday night. We were making pasta—something I could usually manage without a complete disaster—and Tara had volunteered to take Megan off our hands for a few hours so we could talk without having to watch our words. Megan had somehow wrangled an invitation for Kai as well, and it turned into a movie and pizza outing. Jack was putting the finishing touches on the sauce while I chopped vegetables for a salad when Rémy and Mina arrived with our weekend guests.
“It smells divine in here!” Phillipe exclaimed as he pulled me in for a hug. “Ally, you look wonderful. Marriage certainly suits you. Jack, it is good to see you again.” They shook hands while Kate commandeered me for a hug.
Rémy had brought wine, which he poured and handed around. He offered a toast and we all partook of the crackers and cheese I had set out. “So, Grandmére, let us hear the prophecy, please.”
“Wouldn’t you all rather wait until after dinner?” she asked.
“It would be better to get it over with,” I said. “Tara is supposed to keep Megan busy for a few more hours, but you never can tell with kids.”
“Ah, yes.” Phillipe smiled. “I look forward to meeting Jack’s little sister. I have heard so much about her over the years.”
“Yeah, well she doesn’t know anything about all the Seer stuff, so we should get that out of the way well before she’s due back. Plus, she has a friend with her, and we sure don’t want to talk in front of him. Actually, the friend needs to be a topic of our discussion,” I added. At Kate’s raised eyebrows, I shook my head. “Later, okay?”
Kate nodded. “Fine. Well, let’s get this over with. This is the prophecy I received four days ago. I’ve told no one, except Phillipe.” She set her wine down, closed her eyes, took a moment of silence, as if she was gathering her thoughts and then intoned,
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“Light and dark will battle for preeminence. An ancient evil will return. Darkness shrouds the origins. Blood will be the price.”
She sat down and took a sip of wine.
We all sat quietly for a full two minutes before Rémy broke the silence. “Well, that certainly sounds cheerful. Do you have any idea what it means, Grandmére?”
“None. But—” she began, but broke off and sipped her wine again.
“What is it, Kate?” I asked.
“Nothing. It’s just that this prophecy was different somehow. Never mind. I’m sure it’s nothing. The important thing is to have the new Oracle receive this newest prophecy and release it to the Conseil and the Council very soon.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered. “Would it possible for us to eat dinner first? I don’t think I could possibly prophesy on an empty stomach.” That earned me a few chuckles and Jack and I retreated to the kitchen to bring the food.
We put aside thoughts and discussion of the dark prophecy and enjoyed our meal while we caught up. Kate informed us Geneviève was beginning to show and Arnaud continued to spoil her dreadfully. They were looking for a house close to Rouen so he could be close to work, where they could settle down and raise their family. It sounded so nice and I couldn’t completely restrain an envious sigh. Jack noticed and reached over to squeeze my hand briefly. I wanted to forget all about Seers and prophecies and be able to concentrate on my husband and the family we were building.
Megan and Kai returned in time for dessert, an exhausted-looking Tara following behind. “They both ate their weight in pepperoni pizza, so I don’t know how they’ll stuff in any dessert—” She broke off when she entered the dining room and noticed everyone staring at Kate and Kai, who were standing across from each other.
“You?” Kate asked, choking.
“You,” whispered Kai.
“What the hell?” muttered Jack.
Kai recovered first. “I’ve seen you in my dreams. You speak in riddles.”
“I’ve seen you, as well, but not in my dreams. And you were older. But it was definitely you,” Kate said, coming close to Kai, reaching out her hand to touch him. It didn’t surprise me when he backed away.
“I have to go,” he said. “My father will be angry if I’m late.”
“Kai, wait!” Megan followed him to the front door.
He stopped and turned to her as he opened the door. “Bye, Megan. See you later. Sorry.”
“Kate, what was that all about?” I asked, crossing to her and taking her hand. She sat, pale and worried. Jack hurried to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water for her, placing it in her hand and making sure she drank before answering me.
“You remember I mentioned this prophecy was different? Well, when I had the prophecy, I saw that boy clearly, only he was a few years older. But it was him. I know that for a fact.”
I believed her; after all, I had seen the same thing during my last nightmare/vision.
Megan returned to the room, so we all awkwardly stopped talking. “That was weird. What did you mean? Why did Kai run away?” she asked Kate.
Kate looked to Jack and me for permission. He looked at me, searching, and I nodded briefly; it seemed the time had come to let Megan in on our little secret. Kate gestured for Meg to sit down and proceeded to tell her about the wonderful world of Seers.
“Wait. So, all of you are Seers? You’re all psychic?” She looked around the room.
“Except for Jack and me,” said Tara. “We’re mere humans.”
“God, Tara! We’re all human. You’re going to make her think we’re freaks or something,” I complained.
Megan, who had a deep vein of sweetness running through her, got up and crossed to where I was sitting, and leaned against me. “I would never think that, Ally. You’re my sister.”
“Thanks, Meg. I’m so glad we’re sisters now.” I hugged her to my side.
“So, will you read my mind?” she asked. “Please?”
I laughed slightly. “Well, I could try, but Rémy is so much better at it than me.”
“Come here, Megan,” Rémy commanded as he held his hand out toward her. She hesitated, suddenly shy around him, but he smiled and she put her hand in his. He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her hair. “Hmm, let’s see now. This is very interesting! You are thinking about how much fun it is to finally have a sister and you are so glad to live with Jack and Ally. Also, you are worried that Kai is mad at you and won’t want to be your friend anymore. I can tell you that is ridiculous. He’s lucky to have you for a friend. And most importantly, you’re hoping that Ally will let you have dessert, even though you ate too much pizza. I think your chances are pretty good for that last one.” Before she hopped off his lap, he leaned forward to whisper in her ear. She stopped to look in his eyes, a serious expression on her face. He smiled slightly and nodded. She hugged him and then hopped down.
What was that last part about? I asked him mentally as Megan pulled me toward the kitchen for her dessert.
She’s feeling very ordinary and not special right now. She knows Kai is special, but is afraid to ask about him. I assured her that she is, indeed, very special, and that we will not drive Kai away. She feels very strongly about him, cherié. We must tread lightly there.
We took a break from shoptalk while we had dessert. I had bought a berry and cream layer cake rather than attempt to make anything on my own. I do know my limitations. While Jack tucked Megan in, I took the opportunity to quiz Kate about Kai.
“Is he a Seer? Can you tell anything without touching him?”
“Most definitely, which is unusual. He is a Seer, but there is more. I don’t know what else he is, but I am afraid for him.” She shivered as she said it.
My stomach cramped as she spoke. I didn’t know who or what Kai Stone was, but he had staunchly defended Megan from a bully and had earned my gratitude. I also saw in him a lonely boy with an absentee father and a negligent nanny who needed the kind of love a real family could provide.
“I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but I finally got a report back from the private detective I hired to look into the boy’s background,” Rémy said as he poured more wine for everyone. “There is no record of a Kai Stone being born in London or the surrounding area ten years ago. I had them check a year in either direction with the same results. They will continue to check into birth records in other parts of the country, but I have a feeling the result will be the same.”
“What does this mean?” I asked, looking around at the faces staring back at me.
“That boy is not who he says he is,” Mina said.
Part Three: Oracle
Chapter Ten
“Good advice, if there’s any good in suffering. Quickest is best when trouble blocks the way.”
—Sophocles, Antigone
Kate and Phillipe stayed through the weekend and insisted I spend quite a bit of time with them, preparing for my first big prophecy as the Oracle. I had a three-day fall break coming up at the end of the following week, so we had decided it was a perfect opportunity to make a quick trip to France to establish myself more firmly as the Oracle. We planned to tell them that I had had the new prophecy at home and had decided it was too important to talk about over the phone. Rémy made the travel arrangements and Jack made arrangements for Trina and Manny to keep Megan for a few days. I insisted he go with us; I was planning to make sure the Conseil understood we were a package deal from now on. Kate felt that my willingness to travel to France a few times per year would soften them about my sudden disappearance this past summer.
Megan’s fears that Kai wouldn’t want to be her friend were unfounded and they were thick as thieves again but at school only; Kai hadn’t come home with her after school since the night he had met Kate. Rémy and I had multiple conversations about how to deal with this new development but finally decided to let it go for the time being and adopted a wait-and-see attitude. We all seemed to sense he was important, but none of us had any
clue as to how or why and were afraid of scaring him away.
Megan was seated at the kitchen table, working on math problems while I chopped vegetables for a big pot of homemade soup I was hoping would be edible. The recipe seemed simple, but I had failed epically at simpler recipes. I still needed to spend a few hours with Rémy and Mina later tonight, but for now I was enjoying some domestic time.
I was chopping a carrot, trying to make even-sized pieces, when the voice started in my head.
“Ally. Ally! Listen to me, please! I don’t have much time. I have to warn you.”
I vaguely remember setting down the knife so I wouldn’t slice off a finger and leaning my arms against the counter. I closed my eyes and was swept into a vision.
“Ally, follow me. Hurry!” The boy, the older version of Kai, motioned for me to follow him, his green eyes intense as they stared into mine. We were in a stark, white room of some sort. It reminded me of the time I had talked to Ashley Hayes when I had been conked on the head by her killer.
“You’re Kai, aren’t you?”
He turned and nodded. “Hurry, Ally. We don’t have much time.”
“Where are we going? I don’t trust you, Kai. I don’t know who or what you are. I can’t follow you.”
He looked at me sadly. “There’s no reason to trust me. I don’t know who or what I am, either. All I know is that Megan is in danger. Please, Ally. She’s the only thing that’s important right now.”
“Why? Why is she in danger, Kai? Tell me!” I demanded.
Kai moved to open the door we had reached. “I can’t tell you. He won’t let me! But you have to save her!” He pushed the door open and we were suddenly in the place of my last vision: the dark, cavernous room with broken bottles and trash littering the brick floor. In places the bricks were torn up, forming piles and impassable rough spots. The square windows of green and brown glass, many of them broken and allowing cold air and moonlight to stream in, reached high toward the scaffolding overhead.