The Last Oracle

by Colvin, Delia

  After a few minutes, he said softly, “Doc says I need to take you back to bed.”

  “Good idea,” she said and then craned her neck searching for Mani. She finally saw him alone under a tree looking off into the distance. “Where is Melitta?”

  “I guess he’s just not ready yet,” Alex said cryptically.

  “Alex what does that mean? Is she here?”

  “Let’s enjoy tonight.” He shook off the darkness cast by the story of Melitta and smiled again. “We’ll talk about that tomorrow.”

  “Okay.”

  “This isn’t a story I would like to share with you tonight.”

  CHAPTER 19

  The next few days, Doc insisted that Valeria stay in bed. However, she needed no insistence; she was exhausted from her minor travels but also exhilarated from the party and the pictures. They had given her a photo album. Most of the people she had known all of her life had photo albums, but until the past year, there had never been anyone she cared about enough to have pictures of. Now, she had a family…and a daughter who might wish to see how things were before she was born. That was one of the things Valeria had always been curious about. Had her mother been as joyously happy as Valeria was now? Somehow, she could never see her father loving anything as much as his beer.

  Most everyone in the family was busy—including Alex. Now that Valeria had survived her birthday, he was helping out with the numerous tasks required so that the twenty new oracles could reestablish their lives.

  It was a beautiful fall morning. Alex had been gone for hours. But now he returned, stoked the fire in the fireplace and opened the windows. The air was moist as if it had rained overnight. Just like at Camelot—it rained at night and the sky was its deepest blue by morning. Late fall never seemed as dismal here at Morgana.

  “Max and I have decided to take matters into our own hands. Doc has kept himself busy, but I haven’t seen him interested in reviving Melitta. Sometimes, I wonder if Myrdd’s presence makes it more difficult for Doc.”

  “Why isn’t Shinsu here?” Valeria asked. Then, placing her hand on Alex’s, she said, “And tell me what happened with Melitta.”

  Alex sat down on the edge of her bed and a dark shadow fell across his face.

  “Shinsu would be here. But these are dangerous times for all of us. Shinsu is intimately trusted in the council and by Jeremiah. She left with him to his island home after we resurrected the remains so that she could keep an eye on him.”

  Valeria shuddered. “She has paid a price! I will never understand how Shinsu could have ever married Jeremiah!”

  “When Shinsu was brought back from the Elysian Fields, Myrdd refused to see her.”

  “Why? She was the love of his life, and he refused to see her?”

  “Myrdd had been involved with a woman of ill-repute—perhaps this Vivianna. I believe that he was too ashamed to see Shinsu.

  “Those days, I didn’t attend council meetings. I was too absorbed in my art and searching for you. Still, I remember the horror when Doc and Lita returned to report that Myrdd had been executed.” He shook his head in regret. “I should have been there with all of them.”

  Grabbing his hand, Valeria kissed it. “I am so grateful that you weren’t executed! But I still don’t understand why Lita isn’t back with us.”

  “Before Jeremiah, the council was very democratic. What happened with Myrdd was a shock, but we couldn’t help but believe that it was a one-time incident and that Myrdd had broken the rules of the immortals—though we still don’t know the details of the crime. We heard that Jeremiah had ‘proof’ that Myrdd had violated the sanctity of Delos by bringing a mortal to the premises. Myrdd did not defend himself and was executed on the spot.

  “At the next council meeting, Doc was in the Azores when Melitta presented the petition to remove Jeremiah. No one ever imagined...” Alex shook his head and drew a deep breath. “When they executed Lita, Maxi, and Elliot, it was a wake-up call for all of us.

  “Doc was inconsolable when he returned from the Azores. Then he received Jeremiah’s warning.”

  “His warning?” Valeria asked feeling the growing sense of horror. Alex nodded, his eyes growing wide as he remembered.

  “Her head.”

  Valeria felt the wind sucked out of her lungs. Finally, she gulped and said, “Are her remains in the grave?”

  Alex nodded.

  “Well then, we’ll have to take charge of this and dig them up.” Valeria sat up and started to get out of bed. Alex took her shoulders in his hands and pressed her back down.

  “No, love! You are staying here. Max and I have already planned to dig up her remains tonight as soon as Doc is distracted with patients. We thought we would try to revive her and if she doesn’t…well, then we know.” He sucked a deep breath. “We aren’t sure how all of this works. We’re just grateful that, so far, it has worked.”

  That night, Ava kept Valeria company. Lars was with Mani, while Alex, Elliot, and Max went to Lita’s gravesite. Early the next morning, Valeria awoke in the bed alone. There was a hint of frost around the edges of the window and there was a fire roaring in the fireplace. When she glanced at the rocking chair, she was stunned to see Olivia sleeping, with a book in her lap. Instead of the blanket and belt from before, she wore a pretty pink turtleneck and long skirt. Olivia slept for a few more minutes, and then stirred and opened her eyes.

  The girl jumped up and then offered an apologetic glance for having fallen asleep on the job. Valeria smiled and that seemed to calm Olivia.

  “Olivia, did they find Melitta?” Valeria asked.

  “Yes! Elliot said that he and Alex decided to take her to the other house so that they could surprise both Lita and Mani later. I thought that was very sweet,” she said demurely, as her eyes fluttered and her cheeks turned pink. “Don’t you think that was very sweet of Elliot—well, and Alex— to think of that?”

  “Yes, they are pretty…sweet guys,” Valeria said with a snicker. “Where’s Camille?”

  “Oh, she said she wanted to pick up a few things for Lita’s homecoming.” Olivia smiled, revealing her soft dimples.

  “And how are things with Elliot?”

  “Oh…good,” she said with a blush.

  Valeria tried to sit up and realized that she was larger today than just a few days before. She lay back down and then thoughts started coming together in her head.

  “Olivia, I need a computer or a notepad.”

  “A computer?” Olivia asked puzzled.

  “A notepad would be fine. There is one on Mani’s desk.”

  A few minutes later, Olivia returned with a notepad.

  “What do you do with that?” she asked.

  “You write on it,” Valeria said. She looked on the bedside table next to her and found a pen. She began writing names: Myrdd and Shinsu, Cassandra and Alex, Camille and Jonah, Ava and Lars, Tavish and…

  She pursed her lips in thought, and then placed a question mark next to Tavish’s name. She continued writing: Max, Elliot and Olivia. She continued writing until Alex arrived and slid onto the bed next to her—a sight which caused Olivia to blush a deep scarlet and look away as if she had witnessed an impropriety.

  “Sorry, Olivia, but we do have a license,” Alex said with a wink as he kissed his wife.

  “A license for what?” Olivia asked.

  He shook his head as if to say never mind. He shifted his attention to Valeria. “I hope you don’t mind. You were sleeping and Melitta needed something to wear—”

  “Of course, I don’t mind!” Valeria felt a thrill. “She’s alive? Oh, Alex!” She hugged him tightly. “Camille should pick up something new for her to wear—she would know what would look nice on her. But of course, she is welcome to whatever I have! We need to move out of here, too! Can I meet her?” She sat up and moved her leg.

  “Whoa!” Alex said with a quick laugh, as he tossed an apple a few inches up and then caught it. “Oh! You’ll be glad to know you can be a bit more mo
bile—Mani cleared you for crutches, as long as you don’t overdo it. It seems you’re healing well.”

  “Can I get up now?

  He laughed. “Doc said occasionally!” Then he took a bite of his apple. “In the next few days, I’d like to take you out to meet Myrdd. We can’t seem to coax him out of the woods and I suspect another familiar face might help.” Alex narrowed his eyes and glanced at the notepad she was writing on. “What is this?”

  She bit her lip and shrugged. “I was thinking about oracles and all of a sudden all of these names came to mind. I don’t really know if they’re even accurate.”

  Surveying the list, Alex began reading aloud, “Nicola, Anthony, Matthew, Dismas, Avaya,” Alex said as he glanced up at her and lowered a brow. “Val, I don’t remember telling you these names. I don’t even know most of these names.”

  “Whose names?”

  “These are the names of all of the oracles—at least I imagine this is all of the oracles.”

  Valeria shook her head, “It can’t be. There’s only ninety-nine of them. Not one hundred.”

  Alex’s face lit up in surprise. “Who gave these names to you?”

  “No one...oh, well, someone must have.” Changing the subject, she ran a finger down Alex’s chest and said, “You know, since we’re going to give Lita and Mani back their home, and ours isn’t ready yet, I wouldn’t mind going back to St. John for a while.”

  He grabbed her finger and kissed it. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up for that! Even if I agreed—and I don’t—there is a large family of oracles who would bar the road out of here,” Alex said. “Not until after this child is born and both of you are safe.” Then he took another bite of his apple and stared at her for a few minutes and said, “Would you like to meet Lita? Because she would very much like to see you.”

  Valeria sprang up in bed as her eyes widened. “Well, what are we waiting for?”

  ∞

  At the main house, in the room where Valeria had initially recovered from the car accident, Lita sat on the edge of the bed with her ankles neatly crossed. She rose rapidly when Valeria came in on her crutches—as if royalty had just entered. Lita smoothed the sides of her teal cotton dress that was significantly less feminine than Olivia’s. But Lita’s femininity needed no adornment. She had long, thick gray hair that sat below her shoulders. Her skin was darker than most, as if she had been in the sun. Her features were small and delicate but there was a strength in her eyes that defied the fragility of her appearance. Valeria remembered the angelic face over the tomb that Alex had carved, and realized that he had perfectly captured her essence.

  “Please pardon me for requesting your presence! I was so anxious to see you again,” Lita said in a voice that had a rich musical quality. Noticing Valeria staring at her, she fidgeted nervously and then glanced down at her dress and shoes and bit her lip.

  “Will he like this?” Then she rolled her eyes, irritated with herself for being so silly. Valeria was still staring at her. Lita continued, “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I guess it’s been such a long time, I wonder if he still...” She smiled apologetically.

  “He never stopped,” Valeria said softly. Lita let out a shaky breath, obviously relieved. Then she smiled as if a light switch had just been flipped on inside of her.

  “I understand that they call you Valeria now. I so wished to meet you officially—I mean, this time.” Lita swallowed. “We’ve known each other so long that it feels a bit strange to...of course, I don’t expect you to—”

  Suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, Valeria recalled the beautiful soul and embraced her as the sobs form. “I’ve missed you, my dear friend,” were the words that sprang from Valeria’s mouth before she could even evaluate them.

  ∞

  The sun was setting when Valeria worked her way on the crutches toward Mani. He sat on a log by a bonfire with his fingers woven together. He was uncharacteristically unshaven and his clothes were a bit rumpled. He gave Valeria a weary smile. Then he suddenly looked with surprise at Valeria’s belly.

  “The child is growing!”

  “Yes, she is. Doc, we’ve decided that you are taking a night off.” Mani shrugged but Valeria persisted, “You need to shower and shave.” Mani brushed his hand over his light stubble.

  “Perhaps.”

  When he came out of the shower, Alex had left him a blue cotton shirt and tan slacks. Valeria handed him his razor and shaving cream. Mani seemed to be only following her instructions because he was too exhausted to argue.

  Once he was finished shaving, Valeria said, “Mani, can you walk me back to your place?”

  “Of course,” he said. It was obvious he was lost in thought. She smiled, realizing that Mani hadn’t asked her all of the questions she expected about why she was out alone or how long she had been on her crutches.

  As they approached the house, Mani narrowed his eyes as if he felt a change but couldn’t identify it. There were now flowers in the window and the shadows of flames from the fireplace. He turned toward Valeria wondering why she had stopped some distance from the door. The door opened and Alex stepped out, leaving it open as he walked toward Valeria.

  “What is going on?” Mani asked as he glanced at Alex, who gestured toward the door. Mani turned back slowly as his breathing increased. Then, for the first time, Valeria saw something in his eyes other than the world-weariness he wore like a saddle bag. She saw hope.

  Melitta stepped into the doorway and all Mani could do was stare, trying to focus his eyes on the shadow that looked like...

  “Mani!” Came Melitta’s desperate cry. Before he even registered her voice, his long legs had taken the steps, and the woman in the doorway was in his arms for the first time in centuries; and the man who never cried let out a joyful sob.

  CHAPTER 20

  “Myrdd isn’t himself. I was hoping that seeing you would help,” Alex said as he pushed Valeria in the wheelchair down the wooded trail.

  They wove their way through the forest and came to a mass of vines and pine boughs that looked like some place a wild animal might inhabit. Alex stopped and called out, “Myrdd?” Valeria saw a sudden movement, like that of a frightened animal. “Myrdd, I’m going to bring Cassandra to see you. You remember Cassandra!” Alex spoke gently. He lifted Valeria from the wheelchair and moved to the front of the shelter, setting her on the ground. Alex sat protectively next to her, ready to move Valeria in an instant if necessary.

  From the back of the shelter, she saw a flash of white, but her eyes had not yet adjusted.

  “Don’t be frightened,” Alex said to her. Then he looked back at the shelter. “Myrdd? Can you come out? See, it’s Cassandra.” Valeria saw movement and, after more encouragement, saw an old man with a long, dirty white beard and flowing hair. He checked her out as if suspicious, and then calmed and curled into a ball near her.

  “Myrdd? Do you remember me?” she said as she smiled softly. Myrdd didn’t move. She glanced at Alex. “I’m going to try something.”

  Moving her body into as close of a ball as she could—considering her broken leg that was outstretched and her growing belly—she tried to mimic Myrdd’s position. She sat there for nearly ten minutes. Then, Myrdd moved his head back and Valeria did the same. Myrdd looked at her suspiciously. She imitated his look. Myrdd looked up at her and leaned toward her. Valeria did the same. Finally, Myrdd seemed to relax a bit.

  Valeria looked at Myrdd. “Can you do this?” She moved her hand in front of her, as if waving hello. Myrdd looked suspiciously at her and then duplicated her action. “Good!” she said.

  “Can you do this?” She held up her hand and moved it in an arc and then turned it over. Myrdd thought for a moment and then duplicated the action quickly but without the grace that Valeria had demonstrated. Alex watched in astonishment. “Good.”

  Valeria sat for an hour and now had Myrdd duplicating her actions almost as well as she did them. She placed her hand on his and said, “Myrdd, now I want you to
say what I say: hello.”

  Narrowing his eyes at her for a moment, he suddenly turned his head as if clearing the cobwebs. When he looked back at her, his eyes had cleared. He shook his head again and then smiled, his teeth covered in a dark film, and muttered, “Hello.” Myrdd seemed surprised to hear his own voice. “Hello, Cassandra.” He cleared his throat. “It has been some time.”

  Valeria laughed softly. “Yes it has, Myrdd. Do you remember Alex?”

  Myrdd looked at Alex and pulled back his head. “Has it been this long?” Then Myrdd dropped his head and shook it. “It must be longer than it...” He looked up at Alex and then back at Valeria. “Alexander has found you...then it has been a very long time.”

  Alex smiled and spoke gently. “Yes, and we’re married now. It’s very good to see you again, Myrdd.”

  Myrdd reached toward Valeria and she noticed Alex lean forward as a defensive move, but he restrained himself from stopping Myrdd’s actions. Valeria squeezed Alex’s hand. Myrdd pointed to Valeria’s stomach. “Are you…”

  “Alex and I are having a baby.”

  “She is a good baby,” Myrdd said, causing Alex and Valeria to exchange a curious glance.

  “Myrdd, you need to clean up and get some food. And if you would like to, we would like for you to stay at the main house...I mean our home.”

  “I don’t care to stay inside.” His face puckered. “Too drafty.”

  “Well, let’s start with the food and shower and we can talk from there,” Valeria said.

  Myrdd came out of the shelter. Alex picked up Valeria and, suddenly, Myrdd noticed that she was wearing pants. “You dress like a man now?” he asked Valeria.

  Valeria and Alex laughed. “Yes. Yes, I guess I do.”

  As Myrdd showered, Alex asked Valeria, “How did you know imitating Myrdd would help him?”

  Valeria shrugged. “It’s not like I figured out brain surgery. It was just...simple observation. I stayed in a foster home and the grandmother lived there and suffered from dementia. I noticed that when the other kids imitated her she seemed to do better. I guess I kind of thought that it was a way out of her fog. Eventually, she would actually talk to me.”