by Wendy Owens
“I swear, she was fine when we left,” Uri attempted to reassure his angered mentor.
“Uri! Don’t you get it, she’ll never be safe if anyone finds out she’s alive. Both sides would do anything to have her!” Michael shouted, never stopping his movement.
“We were careful,” Uri said as if pleading for Michael’s understanding.
“You should’ve never been there and you know it!” Michael growled, shooting a sharp stare in Uri’s direction.
“Fine,” Uri said in a solemn voice. “I messed up. Is that what you want me to say?”
Michael didn’t say anything in response. The longer the silence grew the more uncomfortable the group became. Rachel looked to Gabe, wide-eyed, and he could see she wanted to be anywhere but in that room.
Shifting in his seat Gabe looked to Michael, and said, “She didn’t have any details for us, but it was clear Mirada knows the Guardians crown is not just some story. It’s real and we need to find it. I don’t know, maybe if you go and talk to her, perhaps she’ll tell you more.”
“I won’t be able to find her. Nobody will; she’s too smart for that. I’m sure as soon as you left, she was gone,” Michael explained.
“What do you mean, gone?” Gabe inquired.
“She knows how to stay hidden, a visit from you, Gabe, meant she wouldn’t stay hidden for long,” Michael added.
“Dang it, Michael, what do we have to say to convince you we were careful,” Gabe argued, agitated and almost feeling accused. “We were in and out, there’s no way anyone was following us.”
“No, Michael’s right,” Uri interjected. “Mirada’s careful; she’s probably long gone. She wouldn’t take the chance in case a tracker was on us.”
“Then who do we ask?” Haim moaned, the despair settling over him.
Gabe looked to Michael, whose gaze was affixed on the floor. “Do you know anyone who could help us?”
Michael took a deep breath, pausing before answering. “No ... maybe Sophie could comb through the archives; if you’re lucky you’ll find some sort of record somewhere. A hint, perhaps, as to where to start searching.”
Gabe’s heart sank at Sophie’s name. After the confrontation at his wedding, she was the last person he wanted to see.
Haim hopped to his feet. “Then I guess we should go and find her as soon as we eat. I’m starving.”
“I doubt that you’d starve to death anytime soon,” Uri chimed, following his friend and standing to his feet.
As Rachel and Gabe rose and began to follow their friends from the room, Gabe hesitated, turning back to look at Michael. The man was staring into nothingness. In that moment the reality hit Gabe; he couldn’t imagine how he would feel if Rachel had been put into the kind of danger they had evidently put Mirada in. Michael loved Mirada like he loved his wife.
“I’m sure she’ll be all right, sir,” Gabe offered.
“Huh?” Michael huffed, looking up. “Oh, yeah, she’s been there before, she’ll figure it out,” Michael replied, but Gabe could see he wasn’t convincing even himself. “Let me know if Sophie finds anything.”
Gabe turned and took off in a sprint to catch up with the group heading to the dining hall to satisfy their grumbling stomachs.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or keep sulking all day?” Rachel asked, peering over at Gabe.
“What are you talking about? I’m not sulking,” Gabe replied defensively, sitting up straight in an effort to sound more convincing.
“Oh please, you’ve been in a mood ever since we left Michael’s office. Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you or not?” Rachel asked.
The last thing Gabe wanted to do was have a discussion about what was actually bothering him. At first he was concerned about Michael and his obvious worry for Mirada, but after they ate his thoughts shifted to Sophie. He knew he should be fine talking to Sophie and going to her for assistance. They were all adults, but after the scene she made on his wedding day he preferred to avoid all contact with her.
“It’s nothing,” he began, but he could see by the look in her eyes that she was not convinced. “Really, it’s silly, it doesn’t even matter.”
Rachel sat for a moment, thinking about Gabe’s statement. She turned towards him, smiled and reached out, scooping his hand into hers, gently pulling it close to her chest. Looking into his eyes, she spoke softly, “I married you not only because I love you, but because I want to live my life with you. That means all the good parts and the bad. Even the bits you might think are silly. If something’s bothering you, I want to be able to help you fix it.”
“It’s nothing you can fix.” Gabe could see her sincerity and it only reaffirmed why he was with her.
“Maybe just talking about it will make you feel better.”
“I doubt it,” Gabe answered, looking away.
“Why don’t you try it,” she suggested. Silence hung between them for a time, “for me.”
Gabe took a deep breath. He knew Rachel was right. He had a habit of holding in the things that bothered him. She made him want to be better. She made him want to confide in her.
“It’s Sophie,” he said at last.
“What about her?” Rachel’s voice was still soft as she spoke to him. She never ceased to amaze him. Most women he had known lacked her maturity. The mere mention of an ex’s name would have unnerved many he had been with in his youth. But not Rachel, he loved her confidence in what they were.
“Michael said we should ask her for help.” Gabe hoped she would infer what he meant by the statement.
“And that’s a problem?” she inquired.
Gabe peered at his wife. How could she not understand that this was a problem? Had she already forgotten when Sophie shouted at her in front of everyone at the wedding? “Yes, that’s a huge problem. Sophie disrespected both of us on what should have been the most important day of our lives. She’s the last person I want to ask for help. I would think you’d feel the same way.”
Rachel’s expression didn’t change, and her voice remained calm. “Gabe, if you look back over your life, what was the best day in your memory?”
Surprised by her question Gabe responded, “Our wedding day, of course. What kind of question is that?”
“You said Sophie ruined what should have been the greatest day of our lives. It still was that for me and if you mean what you say, then she didn’t really do any harm.” This was one of the things Rachel did that annoyed Gabe, mostly because it made him feel like a real jerk. She never held a grudge or an ill feeling towards anyone.
“You need to remember something,” Rachel continued. “Our best day was one of the worst for her. You can spend your time being angry about the past, or you can leave what happened behind us, and move forward.”
“How do you do that?” Gabe asked.
“Do what?” Rachel asked.
“And the fact that you don’t even know what you do makes me love you all the more.”
“If you say so,” Rachel replied as she laughed.
Gabe pushed himself off of the wall he had been leaning against and entwining Rachel’s arm around his, headed in the direction of the courtyard. “Come on, let’s go find Sophie.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, you’re right, like usual,” Gabe answered.
The two walked arm in arm down the long hall and out into the open air. Looking up at the sky, Gabe noticed the gray clouds and green overcast to everything. Ever since the demons had begun attacking the earthly realm, things hadn’t been the same. It was rare to hear a bird sing, forests all over the globe were burning, and there were places where ash would fall like snow. If talking to Sophie would help them put an end to this, then that’s what he’d do.
“Well if it isn’t Gabe Harwood.” The instant he heard the voice, he recognized it.
“Calysta,” he snarled, looked over his shoulder and turning to lock eyes with the oracle who had first so delightfully told him of his destiny. “
I never expected I’d find you here.”
“Why is that? Figured your master would always keep me locked up down there in my prison cell?” she asked, baiting him.
Rachel could see it made Gabe want to explode with anger. She quickly poked him in the side, “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
Before Gabe could say a word, Calysta took it upon herself to respond. “Oh my, this must be the little Mrs.; how exactly did your ex-girlfriend take the news of your new love? I’m guessing not so good.” Calysta was enjoying herself so much that she could barely contain herself.
“You’re just as delightful as I remember you,” Gabe said sarcastically. “Rachel, this is Calysta, she was the resident oracle at Rampart Manor. Calysta this is Rachel.”
“Oh wow, you knew Gabe when he was just a boy,” Rachel offered, politely extending a hand.
Calysta reached out to accept the gesture. “Yes, he was quite the Romeo as I recall. But of course I doubt …” As the two women’s flesh touched, Calysta gripped Rachel tightly, her head jerking back, and her eyes revealing only the whites.
“Are you all right?” Rachel gasped, frightened by the display.
As a low growl came from within the woman, Gabe lunged forward, attempting to break the connection. “Let her go!” he shouted.
When at last he managed to pull them apart, Calysta collapsed to the ground. Frightened and unsure what to do, Rachel looked to Gabe. “Is she all right?”
“Step back,” Gabe commanded, lowering onto one knee next to Calysta. He reached, down, pulling back one eyelid, and exposing the white beneath. Suddenly, the eye shifted and the iris was staring back at him. Gabe gasped, falling backwards onto his bottom.
Calysta sat up, shaking off whatever it was that had just overcome her. Gabe stood up, Rachel rushing past him to the woman’s side. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No, no, I’m fine,” Calysta replied, standing up and brushing herself off. “But you’re not.”
“Excuse me?” Rachel’s voice trembled.
“You’re in great danger,” Calysta replied.
“Of course, here it comes,” Gabe scoffed.
“I’m sorry, what’s going on?” Rachel inquired, looking back and forth between the two.
Calysta refused to let Gabe answer, jumping in herself first. “Gabe here’s a skeptic. You still don’t believe in oracles’ abilities, do you?”
“Oh no,” Gabe corrected. “I believe, I just think you’re a liar.”
“Gabe!” Rachel scolded, appalled by her beloved’s behavior.
“Please, don’t tell me you’re buying this act,” Gabe argued.
“It doesn’t matter what I think, it’s still no excuse to be rude,” Rachel replied.
“I don’t mind, the truth is hard for some people to hear,” Calysta offered, in a voice that reflected her as a delicate and feeble woman.
Gabe laughed loudly, “The last thing you know anything about is the truth.” Turning to Rachel Gabe excused himself. “I can’t listen to this anymore. I suggest you don’t either. I’m going to go find Uri, I’ll catch up with you later, all right Rachel?”
Shocked by his reaction, Rachel nodded silently.
The women watched as Gabe walked away from them. Calysta smiled, “He really hasn’t changed much at all, has he?”
“I wouldn’t know, I didn’t know Gabe back then,” Rachel replied coolly. While she was happy to be polite to the woman, she was no fool. Rachel trusted her husband, and if he said not to trust her, Rachel would make sure she kept her guard up.
Calysta stared at her, sizing her up. “I can tell you two love each other.”
Rachel nodded, giving Calysta a half smile, “Yes, we do.”
Calysta furrowed her brow, as if she were debating on asking her next question. “Does he know?”
“Know what?” Rachel peered at her, a blank look on her face.
“Sweetheart, it won’t be too much longer and you won’t be able to hide it from him,” the woman suggested.
Rachel looked away, wondering if something she had done revealed the secret she had not yet confirmed, even to herself. “I don’t even ... I mean, how did you …”
“I’m an oracle, remember?”
“I wasn’t even sure if I was,” Rachel replied.
“Well, you are. When do you plan to tell Gabe he’s going to be a father?”
Rachel reached out, steadying herself on a nearby post. She knew she had been late and that motherhood was a possibility, but now faced with the reality that it was true, she felt her legs grow weak. “Please don’t say anything.”
With an eyebrow cocked, Calysta grinned, saying “Trouble in paradise?”
“No!” Rachel exclaimed, annoyed at the insinuation. “It’s just, Gabe has enough on his mind without adding anything else to it.”
“Yes, that’s right, the Guardians crown,” Calysta added.
“What? How did you know about that?” Rachel gasped.
Calysta sighed, “Eventually it will click for you honey, I’m. An. Oracle.”
“And you’re such pleasant company, too, aren’t you?” Rachel chimed sarcastically.
Calysta laughed at the girl’s snarky comment, pleased to see a bit of the girl’s actual personality emerge. “When we touched I not only could feel that life inside of you, but I also saw what you all are seeking. It’s one of my abilities.”
“Great, thanks for the heads up when I went to shake your hand.”
Calysta raised both her hands, waving them in the air. Rachel had it all wrong, and she needed to explain herself. “Wow, you’re a lot like your husband.”
“Well thank you!” Rachel snapped. “I take that as a great compliment.”
“Will you listen for a second? I sensed your hopelessness, but you should know something. It’s not. The weapon’s real.”
With a skeptical glare Rachel asked, “What are you talking about?”
“The Guardians crown … it exists,” Calysta confirmed.
“And why exactly would you be telling me this?” Rachel inquired.
“Let’s just say I owe one of the Guardians a very big debt. But you need to know that it won’t be easy. The crown is protected by a keeper.”
“Where is it?” Rachel questioned, still unsure if she could believe anything the woman was telling her.
“That I don’t know. The location was moved long ago and it has been a secret ever since,” Calysta explained.
“Then how on Earth does that help?”
“I never said I could help you, I just thought it might bring you a little comfort to know it’s real.” Reaching out and squeezing Rachel’s arm gently, Calysta added, “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
Rachel hesitated for a moment, “Pardon me, I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but from what I’ve heard about you, I doubt you owe anyone enough of a debt to actually help us.”
Calysta turned to take her leave, glancing over her shoulder she replied, “Dina, she’s the one I owe.”
Rachel tilted her head and watched as the woman walked away. For some reason she believed her. Lowering her hand to her belly Rachel cradled it gently. She would need to talk to Gabe, soon; he needed to hear the news from her.
“It’s about time! Where have you been?” Gabe demanded.
Rachel flashed a shocked expression in Gabe’s direction. “All right, I’m going to act like I never heard you ask that.”
Gabe’s aggravated look quickly faded as he realized how he must have sounded. “Babe, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. It’s that woman, she just gets my under my skin.”
“I agree, Calysta can be quite challenging, but I’m glad I stuck around, we had an interesting discussion,” Rachel remarked.
“Oh yeah, some big revelation, I’m sure, she loves those,” Gabe added.
Rachel considered the words she had shared with the oracle. She couldn’t help but focus on the irony of Gabe’s statement. If he onl
y had known how big of a revelation had been revealed. He was going to be a father sooner than he ever imagined. There was something that Rachel couldn’t deny about what Calysta had said; soon enough she would begin to show and would no longer be able to conceal it from her husband.
“Well?” Gabe prompted.
“Well, what?” Rachel peered at her husband.
“Are you going to share what you two talked about, or what?” Gabe pushed.
“Oh, I thought you didn’t want to hear what she had to say. Isn’t that why you left?” Rachel taunted. She knew it was torture for Gabe, but she was also a little thrilled to put him in his place.
“Fine, don’t tell me,” Gabe replied sternly.
“Geez, you take all the fun out of this. She confirmed the Guardians crown exists. Only problem is that she doesn’t know where it is.”
“Only problem is her lips were moving, and we all know what that means,” Gabe snarled.
“All righty, yes, we all know you can’t stand her and it’s clear you definitely do not trust her, but you need to lighten up a little.” Rachel instructed, growing impatient with his attitude. “Let’s just not talk about her anymore. Did you find Uri?”
“Yeah, he had some stuff to take care of, but he said he saw Sophie earlier at the back of the grounds, near the forest.”
“Perfect, we should get going then. The sooner we get Sophie on the case, the sooner we find the Guardians crown,” Rachel suggested.
Rachel linked her arm around Gabe’s as they made their way to the rear of the compound, weaving in and out of the refugees. Her touch immediately brought a peace over him.
“I really am sorry I’ve been such a pain in the butt,” Gabe offered, looking down at the profile of his beloved.
“Oh, I don’t know if I’d go that far, perhaps a pain in the neck,” Rachel giggled.
“Gee, thanks,” Gabe replied.
“Seriously, are you okay?” Rachel asked, looking up briefly into her husband’s eyes.
“Of course I am,” Gabe quickly answered in a light-hearted tone.
“Gabe, I think I know you well enough to tell when something’s wrong,” Rachel protested.
