Paolo narrowed his eyes and tightened his jaw. No one had known the secrets of his upbringing. He never discussed the playground that would’ve been any other child’s nightmare—or the friendships that others would consider hellish.
“Mother, you must release...” Paolo thought for a moment as he took a cautious step forward and then decided, he said, “You must release Isabella.” Paolo took another step. “Do you recall that she is my wife? My Isabella? Do you remember?” He took another step. “Please release her, and then I can take you to our home—our Bella Vida. It’s a beautiful home and I have waited for you to join me there,” he said, reaching for Kristiana. Still holding Valeria, Kristiana jerked back, away from Paolo, nearly breaking Valeria’s arm.
“Mother, we could be happy at Bella Vida—please!” he said as he reached for her again. Kristiana swung the dagger and slashed Paolo across his hand.
Aegemon’s voice came from his bed in the other room. “Grab her necklace! That’ll kill the witch.”
Hearing Aegemon’s suggestion, Kristiana glared toward the dying man’s room and then back to Paolo. A low growl worked its way to her lips. “Have you betrayed me, Paolo?” Kristiana glared at him before turning her rage toward Valeria. Yanking Valeria’s head back, Kristiana growled, “Look what you have done—you have turned everyone against me!”
“Not everyone,” Max said calmly as he stepped into the room. Kristiana was stunned into near silence.
“Max?” she murmured, as her eyes widened in confusion and affection.
“Circe, you really are alive!” Max smiled softly and, suddenly, the anguish and pain in his eyes melted. “I’ve missed you. I didn’t believe I would ever see you again,” he said in nearly a whisper as he held out his arms to her. He took another step toward her, as Kristiana tightened her grip possessively on Valeria.
“Do you love her, too?”
He locked his gaze on Kristiana’s as his head turned slowly. “There is no one in this world who I will ever love, as much as I love you,” he said, keeping eye contact with her while taking another step forward. Her eyes softened as they filled with love.
“My...Max,” she said, closing her eyes to take in the pleasure of the moment. When she opened them, she seemed confused. Squinting, she bit her lip and her eyes began to move back and forth slowly, increasing in speed as if a rapid crossfire was occurring in her mind. Then her face began to twitch as it contorted in agony.
“Circe?” Max said, reaching for her.
She held up the dagger, defensively, and then yanked Valeria’s head back further, as though she would either break her neck or slice it in an instant. Max lifted his arms calmly and then Kristiana screamed, “All of you betrayed me!” She moved backward to a heavy metal door.
With each step, Valeria was thrown off balance due to Kristiana’s unpredictable steps. Kristiana’s eyes darted to Paolo. “Even my beautiful boy...Do you know that I am the only one who will ever love you?” She began to sob like a child, and yanked Valeria’s head back with her. Paolo’s eye twitched as he shook off her words that had haunted him for an eternity.
Lifting his arms, Max stepped back. “Circe, the kid is right, we could go to Bella Vida—you, me, and...Paolo. We could have the life you’ve always dreamed of,” he said.
Shifting her weight nervously, from foot to foot, Kristiana glanced at Valeria. As she stared at her swollen belly, and as if she had just noticed it, Kristiana’s eyes widened in shock. Glaring angrily back and forth between Max and Valeria, her face reddened in rage. “Have you been sleeping with my husband?” She jerked Valeria back toward the door. Kristiana lowered her brows and she began to whisper the words she had just said as if she had just heard them. “Max...did you do that to her?” Kristiana asked with so much pain that all Max could do was turn his head as she stared at him, desperate to find some sanity in her eyes.
Alex tried to rise to his feet, but he couldn’t find the strength. He watched in horror, unable to do anything to stop what appeared to be inevitable.
For the first time, Valeria spoke in a voice that was tense, but determined. “Kristiana—Circe—I really don’t want to hurt you.”
This caused Kristiana to laugh hysterically as she jerked Valeria around to face her. Placing one hand on her neck, and raised the dagger. “I was a great warrior! You were just a princess—who do you expect will win?”
Before Max and Paolo could move, Valeria raised both of her arms up and slammed her locked fists over Kristiana’s elbow, forcing it to bend and automatically diverting the knife from her throat. Then she said, “I didn’t survive New York by being fragile!”
Clinging to Kristiana’s hand with the dagger, Valeria threw a two knuckle punch to Kristiana’s larynx. Paolo lunged at Kristiana’s arm that was holding the dagger. When Valeria pulled her hand back, her fingers caught on the cord that held the crystal. Just then, Kristiana swung around Paolo to kick at Valeria’s stomach. Valeria turned to avoid the impact and felt the snap of Kristiana’s cord and the dagger dropped to the ground.
The shriek stopped all action as Kristiana’s eyes widened in shock. Her left hand clutched the crystal and her other hand flew up to cover her face—horror replacing the mix of her other emotions. In an instant, the smell of stagnant air was replaced with the smell of rotting flesh. Kristiana glanced at Max as her horror turned to grief. He reached for her, but she shook away from him as tears filled her eyes.
Then Kristiana’s rage returned and she grabbed the dagger from the ground and lunged with fury at Valeria. As the dagger approached her chest, Valeria found herself suddenly airborne and then recognized the comfort of Alex’s arms that were now around her. They careened into the wall and rolled onto the cold stone.
There was the sound of old hinges giving way and an eerie breeze moved through the room, accompanied by a feeling of deep despair from the lost souls.
Kristiana stood at an ancient metal door as her fingers moved over her newly disfigured face; she stared at Max and said, “Now, no one will want me.”
“Circe!” Max said stepping toward her. She held her hand up as if to stop him and stepped back toward the threshold to hell. But this time Max refused to back-off. “Please, come to me.”
Shaking her head as she mourned her beauty. “I know you could never love me now,” she cried as her foot hit the edge of her throne and she lost her balance. Kristiana grasped the air as she disappeared into the blackness of the underworld.
Paolo pushed the metal door closed and it groaned as it clanked shut.
Alex’s hands were shaking as he held Valeria tightly; they wrapped their arms around each other, grateful for the moment as both of their hearts raced.
“Are you all right?” he whispered in her hair. She nodded.
Taking a deep breath, Valeria pulled back and looked at the bloody hole in his shirt. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine in just a few minutes,” Alex said. They sat there holding each other while Alex recovered. Then he stood and helped Valeria up. “Is there a way out of there, Paolo? I should probably go after her.”
Aegemon cackled from his bed. “You oracles are supposed to know so much!” he hacked. “You go and you’ll be lost forever in her world—just as she has always desired!” He laughed and hacked again.
“No, Alex!” Valeria said in a near cry.
“Don’t worry, I could never leave you!” he said, as he rubbed his hands along her back. Then he brushed her belly and felt the baby kick. “I’ll just wait for her to return.”
Paolo’s face was unusually pale as he wiped a trembling hand across his brow. He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Time is different in the underworld,” he said, nearly breathless as he stared at the ground. His voice gained strength, and when he looked back up, his color had returned and he seemed nearly recovered. “If Kristiana believes that she is in danger, she will bring an army—certainly an army of dribs, but perhaps even Erebos.” He pursed his lips for a moment and said,
“I do not believe she will harm me. I will go for her.”
Suddenly, they heard the screech of metal and noticed the same eerie breeze move through the room. All eyes turned toward the door to the underworld, as Max stood at its entrance.
Alex lowered his brow. “Max, if you step through there, you may never return.”
Max smiled wistfully at Valeria. “For once in this cursed life, I dare to dream for more...and I’m willing to fight for it. I’ll spend the rest of my days convincing her of that, whether in this world—or that one.”
Alex shook Max’s hand and Valeria hugged him. Rubbing his arm she said, “Take care of yourself, Max! You’ve been a good friend in the little time I’ve known you.” Then she kissed his cheek and Alex and Valeria stepped away from the door.
“Wait,” Paolo said. “I need to know...are you...?”
Max narrowed his eyes and shrugged casually. “So she says…” Then as Max began to walk through the entrance to the underworld, he stopped and turned back to Paolo. “But if that were true, that would make me...a very happy man.” Max almost smiled and then he stepped into the other world and was gone.
“We must leave this place at once!” Myrdd said, having appeared out of nowhere and now standing in the hallway in front of Aegemon’s room.
Aegemon sneered at Myrdd from his bed. “I should have known that you would come back!”
As Alex and Valeria passed his room, Aegemon lifted an arm. “Cassandra, please...one moment of your time.”
“What is it Aegemon?” Stopping in the hallway, Valeria eyed him cynically. The fact was, she felt weak from everything that had just occurred and had no patience for Aegemon or his tricks.
“Please...please come,” he pleaded. She glanced at Alex and then shrugged as they stepped into his room. As they neared his bed, Aegemon grasped her hand. She felt his pasty grip and jerked her hand back, fighting to keep the revulsion from her face.
“I know that you have a good heart—not like the rest of them. And I know that you will understand. One...very small favor?”
“Not likely,” she said and then had a moment of conscience for the dying man. “What is it that you want?”
“Will you leave me a coin...for Charon?”
“You are headed to Tartarus!” Paolo huffed. “What difference will a coin make?”
A drib returned with a tray of tea and startled by the newcomers, he dropped the tray and ran from the room. Aegemon eyes widened as he whispered, “Please don’t let me end up like him!”
Valeria glanced at Alex who reached into his pocket and flipped a coin that landed on Aegemon’s bedding. Aegemon greedily grasped it and held it as the greatest of gifts. He closed his eyes. “Thank you, Alexander! Thank you! I shall never forget your kindness!”
Alex and Valeria exited the cave without another word.
CHAPTER 24
In the small jet, Mani and Lita immediately examined Valeria and confirmed that both she and the baby were fine. Still Alex insisted that Valeria rest during the flight and she had no problem agreeing. She was exhausted.
As Alex pulled Valeria into the bedroom, Lita approached with a blush in her cheeks.
“Alex, Mani, and I were thinking that instead of heading right to Puerto Rico...Valeria’s favorite place,” she teased, “we might stop in Sao Miguel.”
“Sao Miguel?” Valeria asked.
“Of course!” Alex smiled and then turned to Valeria. “The Azores—it’s where Lita and Mani were married.” Lita’s blush widened and Mani came back and wrapped his arms around Lita.
“Sao Miguel is small enough that we would know if there was any danger. It would give us a chance to ensure Valeria’s recovery from the stress over the past few days,” Mani said.
“And, it would be a second honeymoon for the two of you!” Valeria gushed, causing even Mani to blush.
∞
It was a magical holiday for the two couples in Sao Miguel. They stayed several days in an elegant B&B on the coast.
During the day, they strolled like tourists without a care, down ancient streets and long rocky beaches, eating the most incredible seafood and shopping. On the tiny island, they felt free from concern—certain that Kristiana would be gone for some time; and with Max in the underworld searching for her, perhaps there was hope that she was out of their lives forever.
Lita suggested that Valeria might want to purchase some things for the baby, as well as new maternity clothes. It was the first time Valeria had shopped for anything for the baby and it somehow made their future seem more likely.
While Alex and Mani perused an aviation store, Lita and Valeria sat outside, enjoying the warmth from the sun.
“I’m glad to see your ankle has recovered so well,” Lita said.
“Thanks to your magical touch and hellacious physical therapy!” Valeria laughed as she brushed her hair back from her face.
Lita raised her brow. “My magical touch? Well, that’s awfully funny coming from you!”
“What do you mean?” Valeria asked, as she wrapped a rubber band around her ponytail a third time and then released it.
Lita stared out to sea and shrugged. “The legend of the last oracle.”
Valeria’s eyes grew wide and then she laughed. “Yes, well I’m afraid that is all it is—a legend!”
Lita smiled. “You know, you have always been humble; even when you were one of the most powerful and respected women in the world. Of course, I never had the opportunity to meet you as Cassandra...but I wish I had.”
Valeria blushed and looked down. Biting her lip, she said, “Lita? I’ve noticed things...changing.” Lita glanced at Valeria’s belly in concern. “No...nothing like that. More like...I seem to know things now, like the names of oracles whom I’ve never met. Names that Alex says I probably never even knew as Cassandra. And then there was the vision of the crash.” Valeria stared out to the sea. “I did have something like that happen before when I had the plague, except it seemed more like a memory then. I guess I assumed that it was from the fever. But when Myrdd said that we needed to go to Cuma to the temple...well, I already knew that.”
Brushing Valeria’s shoulder, Lita smiled softly. “I don’t know. It does seem as though you were able to heal Myrdd’s memory by your touch alone. Perhaps you are healing yourself as well?” Lita suggested. “Or perhaps it’s from the love of Alex and your new family.”
Valeria wanted to tell Lita of her increasing concern that they had more threats to face. But the conversation ended abruptly when they saw the men returning.
As they window shopped, Alex’s face lit up. He guided her into a small store that smelled of freshly cut wood and featured hand-made furniture. They headed toward the window where Valeria saw a hand-carved cradle. The wood work was breathtaking. All Valeria could do was cry—she did a lot of that lately—as Alex insisted that it be sent to their cottage. Seeing Alex so animated and enthusiastic, she could actually envision their life together without the dark cloud that constantly seemed to haunt them.
Later, they stopped at an outdoor café and had lunch. Valeria watched as Mani laughed joyfully at something Lita said. The glow in his eyes and his laughter made Valeria realize that love had transformed Mani. When she thought of Camille, she suddenly understood why her moods had shifted. How difficult it must be for her to see so many reminders of a happiness that she would never again know. Valeria pushed that thought away as she quietly ached for her best friend.
She wondered what would happen after she had the baby. Would they go to St. John? Somehow, she couldn’t envision a life with a baby in their open-walled, Caribbean love nest. In fact, she couldn’t see that life at Mani’s in Puerto Rico either, or even here in the Azores. She loved Manhattan and missed her brownstone. But the only place that felt like home was their cottage! She tried not to think about it and convinced herself that it would all sort itself out.
As they walked along the rocky beach, they passed a house. It was a beautiful two story beach hou
se with sand-worn shingles and a steep roof-line. The base was mostly windows and a wrap-around porch. Valeria was instantly attracted to it. Then she saw a picture in her mind of what it would be like to stay there.
She saw Alex and a two-year-old little girl playing on the beach, while Charlie, the dog, rolled in the sand. There was Lita and Mani holding hands and relaxing on lounge chairs with Lars and Ava. She saw Camille with an attractive black man—who looked exactly as she had imagined Jonah to look. The man was tall and slim with oracle blue eyes that were enhanced by his dark skin and charismatic smile. Camille was wearing a white, blue, and green sarong when Jonah pulled her onto his lap and they laughed joyfully. Then Camille wrapped her arms around his neck and Valeria saw something she had never seen in Camille’s eyes...the true happiness that could only be found between symbolons!
On the drive back to the airport, Valeria couldn’t get the picture of Camille and Jonah out of her head. There was something so real about it.
They climbed the stairs to the plane when Alex noticed that Valeria stopped and clung to the rails. “Val, are you all right?”
“No...I just—” Suddenly, the kaleidoscope effect started and she felt nauseous and dizzy. Luckily, she fell right into Alex’s arms and he carried her onto the jet. She lay down on the bed and Mani came back to examine her; but by then, she was fine—and she had a purpose.
“Camille needs to meet us here,” Valeria said.
“Sure, maybe next year, after the baby,” Alex said.
“No, I think she needs to meet us now. Can you call her?”
“What’s going on?” Alex asked, lowering his brows with concern.
“I know this sounds ridiculous, but I think....” She took a deep breath, feeling foolish. “Jonah is here.”
The Last Oracle Page 34