by Holly Martin
Seth grinned hugely and took Quinn’s face, my face, in his hand bending down to kiss him on the lips.
I gasped, my hands shooting to my mouth in shock and Quinn backed away in disgust.
Seth laughed loudly, grabbed my hand and then threw me over his shoulder. ‘I think I just proved without doubt who the real Eve is.’ He quickly turned and ran towards the entrance, with me laughing so hard over his shoulder.
He ran out the door and down the stairs, past the pool, and down the next flight of stairs, heading towards the woods. Tears were soon running down my cheeks as I laughed hard at Quinn’s reaction. Seth ran through the trees, and I could feel his body shaking with laughter as he carried me.
‘Seth, stop, put me down,’ I protested feebly, through my laughter. But Seth was good, and he obediently did what he was told.
‘Did you know that was Quinn?’ I laughed.
Seth nodded. ‘He looked so proud of what he had done, you just looked shocked.’
‘But if you knew, why did you try to kiss him?’
Seth chuckled. ‘To wind him up.’
‘What would you have done if he hadn’t pulled away?’
‘I guess it’d have been one of those weird stories we would tell our kids, the day I kissed Uncle Quinn.’
I laughed loudly and held onto him for support, wiping the tears from my eyes, my sides hurting. It had been so very long since I had laughed like this, and it was all down to Seth, it was him that made me feel this happy, this good. I looked up at Seth, who was chuckling as well and I suddenly stopped laughing, knowing instantly what I had to do.
Seth stopped laughing as well at my sudden silence.
I reached up to hold his face. ‘Seth, marry me.’
‘What?’
I smiled, ready to tell him how much I loved him and wanted to marry him as soon as we could arrange it but suddenly Lucas appeared out of the air, looking very serious.
‘The Oraculum have summoned you. They’re sending a helicopter for you right now.’
Chapter 8
‘Now?’ I looked at Seth, we couldn’t catch a break.
Lucas nodded. ‘Come on, Eli wants to talk to you before you go.’
I grabbed Seth and Lucas’s hand and slid us all to Eli who was waiting by the pool. My Guardians and Quinn were standing in a huddle, and hushed angry whispers were coming from them. As soon as they saw me they fell into silence.
‘What do they want?’ I asked, quietly.
Eli pulled a face. ‘Essentially to tell you off for going to save Persia and Izri, for putting your life in danger.’
This rattled me. ‘Well they’re not getting an apology for it. Firstly I had no control over going and secondly if I did I still would have gone. They can’t give me this great power and then complain when I use it to save my friends, to save the innocent…’
‘I know how you feel, and I’m behind you all the way. But you can’t go angering the Oraculum, you do not want to be on their bad side.’
I paused. The Oraculum were the nine strongest, most powerful men in the world. But I wouldn’t be intimidated by them. ‘What do you want me to do Eli?’
‘Eve,’ said Mason.
I looked at him.
‘They are already wary of you; evidently you are already stronger than many of them, and growing stronger every day. They don’t need to become more wary of you. They are very powerful, very influential and they like to think they are in charge. It wouldn’t hurt for them to continue thinking that way for a bit longer. It wouldn’t hurt for you to go in there, smile sweetly as they tell you off, promise them it won’t happen again and leave them with a smile on their faces,’ Mason said.
‘Are you suggesting I lie? Are you suggesting that I lie to those that you have pledged to?’ I said, playfully.
Mason frowned. ‘Eve, the biggest regret of my life is pledging to them and not to you. If I could do it all again, I would pledge to you in a heartbeat. I never knew you when I pledged and now I do, I so wish I could take it back. In my heart I am loyal to you, so yes, I’m suggesting that you lie to them, that you do whatever it takes to get them to back off, whatever it takes to keep you safe.’
I frowned. Initially, when I had first met Mason, his duty to the Oraculum made me take an instant disliking to him. But very quickly he warmed to me, we warmed to each other and though I knew he cared for me now as deeply as the other Guardians, I hadn’t realised his loyalty had changed so much. His last words, suddenly registered. ‘Keep me safe? Are you seriously telling me they could turn against me?’
Mason shrugged. ‘I really doubt it, but it wouldn’t be the first time something like that has happened. Think about race horses, they train them up to be the strongest and fastest, the moment they lose their usefulness they shoot them. If a horse is continually running in the opposite direction, it won’t be long till the horse is down at the glue factory.’
I looked at Eli and back at Seth.
‘Mason’s right baby, just smile and nod and get out of there,’ Seth said.
There was something else; they were still on edge about this.
‘They have insisted that you come alone, that we don’t go with you, not even on the helicopter,’ Lucas said.
‘What? But they’re the ones that have insisted on your protection, that you don’t ever leave my side. Now, when it suits them, they’re taking that protection away.’
‘They’re trying to prove a point,’ Quinn hissed, angrily. ‘They’re trying to prove that they are in charge.’
I tutted. ‘What if I refuse, what if I take you guys along anyway?’
Mason smiled, wryly. ‘Remember we are trying to reduce their wariness not add to it.’
I shook my head angrily.
‘If you want us to come with you, then we will, regardless what they say, but I have to agree with Mason, if we do it will really anger them, and that’s what we are trying to avoid,’ Eli said.
‘I don’t see the problem,’ Isaac said. I hadn’t noticed he was there as well. ‘They’re the good guys, so we don’t get to go with her, she hardly needs our protection from them.’
I glared at him, why did he always talk about me, not to me, as if I wasn’t even there. And who said I’d be taking him with me anyway, I’d take my personal guard and Seth, not him. I ignored him and turned back to Eli. ‘Fine, I’ll go alone.’
‘I could come with you,’ Quinn said, thoughtfully.
I looked at him ignoring the sigh of exasperation from Isaac. ‘That kind of goes against the whole ‘must go alone’ order.’
Quinn grinned. ‘Not if they don’t know about it, I could go as a mouse or a tiny spider. Something that could fit in your pocket. They’d never know and at least you wouldn’t be alone. And I’m sure nothing bad will happen, but if it does, I can at least shift into something big, something that could protect you.’
I thought about it. What if they discovered him and killed him?
Lucas shook his head. ‘They wouldn’t do that Eve, as much as you don’t want to anger them, they’re not going to do anything like that to you. They might shout at you, might threaten you, but something like that would sever all contact between you. It would make you turn your back on them, on saving the world, and they wouldn’t jeopardise that.’
Quinn looked puzzled. ‘Do something like what?’
‘Kill you,’ I muttered.
Quinn laughed, loudly. ‘They could try, they wouldn’t get very far with it.’
I turned back to Eli, warily. ‘What do you think?’
He paused, before answering me. ‘I like it, if anything happens to you, then Quinn can always come back and get us.’
‘Nothing is going to happen to her Eli,’ Quinn growled. ‘I wouldn’t let it.’
‘Yes of course, I just meant… I think it’s a good idea,’ Eli finished, carefully.
I nodded. Then smiled with relief. It would be good to take someone with me, to hold my hand, well at least metaphorically.
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‘Thanks Quinn. But promise me you won’t shift into a human or anything else unless you absolutely have to. I don’t want them getting angry that I’ve disobeyed their orders and taking it out on you.’
Quinn shook his head, incredulously, a grin on his face.
‘Quinn, promise me.’
He nodded. ‘I promise, no shifting unless I have to.’
I nodded, satisfied. ‘Where am I going anyway, where are they?’
Eli turned me around and pointed up to the top of the next mountain. As I moved, I saw something glint in the late morning sun. ‘That’s the Oraculum up there, about fifteen minutes helicopter journey from here. Quinn if you’re going you need to change now, the helicopter will be here in a minute.’
Without another word, Quinn shrunk disappearing into his clothes and as the clothes fell to the floor a small mouse appeared out of the neck hole. I scooped him up and gently put him in my pocket.
‘You won’t be able to use your powers either,’ explained Alexandria quickly as the faint sound of rotor blades filled the air. ‘They have developed a force field type thing that extends over their building. As soon as you fly through it in the helicopter, your powers will be blocked.’
I thought about this for a moment. They really were covering all bases. ‘But that means they won’t be able to use their powers either, doesn’t it?’
Alexandria shrugged. ‘I’m not sure. I don’t know a lot about how your powers work, how theirs work. I would presume that if your powers are blocked then theirs will be as well, but it might be a force field specifically designed for you. They know so much about you that it wouldn’t be beyond their capabilities to create something like that.’
Excellent! Still, if they wanted a fight, if all else failed, I had my martial arts training. It would never come to that I was sure, I just had to go in there and smile and nod and then get out of there, but if it did then I’d be ready.
I nodded. ‘Fine, what’s the worst that can happen, right?’
I looked up at the helicopter that was slowly coming in to land in the grounds below us. A large sleek, black thing that looked menacing, although I was sure I was just projecting my anxiety onto it. We started walking towards it with everyone giving me last minute advice.
‘Just stay calm.’
‘Don’t anger them.’
‘Just smile politely, agree to whatever they say and get out of there.’
‘Don’t give them cause to be wary about you.’
‘They will probably keep you waiting for a few hours, you know to make you sweat, to show you who’s in charge, don’t let it bother you, just stay calm.’
‘Be polite.’
‘Be friendly.’
‘A smile goes a long way.’
‘Remember first impressions last, make yours a good one.’
‘Don’t use your powers, whatever you do, don’t use them.’
This last one surprised me and I turned to see Persia had joined us. She still looked sad and I guessed that she had said goodbye to Izri last night or this morning. ‘But I won’t be able to use my powers will I? Not with the force field?’
‘No probably not but…’ Persia trailed off. ‘It’s possible there might be some holes in it. Just don’t use them, that will really annoy them.’
I nodded in bewilderment. We had reached the helicopter now and my heart was pounding. The last minute advice had only made me more nervous. I turned back to face my friends, my family. ‘So I’ll see you in a few hours then,’ I shrugged, trying to be nonchalant about my impending doom. I so wished I could take them all with me, but that would really put the cat amongst the pigeons.
I got on and went to close the door behind me, when I spotted Seth looking forlorn. I got out and ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him hard.
‘Erm Eve, I don’t think we should keep them waiting,’ Eli said.
I ignored him.
‘Seth, I want to get married to you, not after I’ve saved the world, not in a few months’ time, I want to marry you now. Will you organise it?’
His face split into a huge grin. ‘Are you serious?’
I nodded. ‘Do you remember that place we went to in Mexico, when we were younger; I want to get married there, on the beach, as soon as we possibly can. But…’ I looked around at my Guardians. ‘But don’t tell these guys about it, not yet.’
He frowned slightly. ‘Eve…’
‘Please, just book it, don’t tell anyone and we’ll sort out the logistics of protection when I get back.’
‘Well, what about the flowers, the dress, the food, the photographer? I want this to be perfect for you, you should choose all that stuff.’
‘Eve,’ Mason said.
‘Seth, I’m marrying my best friend, my soul mate, there is nothing in the world that is more perfect than that. Don’t worry about any of that stuff. As long as you are there, sliding a ring on my finger, I will be the happiest person in the world.’
Seth grinned and nodded. He held my face, trailing his thumb lightly across my lips. I kissed him again, just briefly, then quickly ran back to the helicopter.
I climbed on board, fastened my seatbelt and when I looked out the window again, they were already little dots on the ground below. I waved, though I didn’t think they could see me, and then they were gone, lost beneath the clouds. I put my hand in my pocket, and stroked the comforting warm fur of my brother, I felt marginally better that he was coming with me.
I looked ahead to where we were going. The mountain peeped above the clouds, but I could see no building. All too soon we dipped below the clouds again, and then I saw it, what could only be described as a great palace in the sky. Everything about it screamed a superiority complex, clearly size and strength was something they were trying to convey here. It had a great portcullis at its front, which was open at the moment, like a hungry mouth, with sharp teeth waiting to devour me. Its walls were high and foreboding, and jutting out from each corner were great round turrets. Every surface was a polished gleaming black marble. The; the only colour amongst the expanse of black was the heavily gold lined windows. There was nothing welcoming about it. If I was in a horror movie right now, I would be running a million miles from this place, but instead I was flying straight for it.
I wondered at what point I would lose the use of my powers. I closed my eyes and let my powers fill me and I smiled as I felt it course through my veins. I would know the exact point that I had entered the force field, the exact point when my powers would wink out. But to my utmost surprise, when the moment came, when I felt my powers dull, I could still feel them in me. Maybe it was because I had held onto them as I flew through the force field, maybe it was because of my strength, but some of my power remained.
I took off my watch and sat it next to me on the seat. Telekinesis used such a tiny amount of my powers. I looked at the pilot to see if he would notice but he was busy with the controls, as he came in to land. I returned my attention back to my watch and called it to my outstretched hand. It flew obediently into my palm. I smiled as I quickly refastened my watch around my wrist. It was only a small thing, but it made me feel a fraction more confident about what today held, if I still had some of my powers. I let my powers wink out as the helicopter touched softly onto the ground. I would only use my powers if I had to. No point in upsetting the Oraculum.
I pushed back the door and walked out onto the grass; the castle loomed over me. A tall, thin man was waiting for me. His blond hair was swept back from his face and hung long down his back. He had a pinched look as he viewed me with distaste.
‘I am Sebastian of the Oraculum,’ he said, and then turned and walked towards the great metal portcullis. I guessed I was supposed to follow him so I hurried on to catch up with him. As we walked under the portcullis, I half expected it to come crashing down on me; its sharp points gleamed menacingly as I went under.
I caught up with Sebastian and fell in at his side, which clearly displea
sed him. By the look he gave me he expected me to follow him not stand equal to him.
I had promised I wouldn’t go in there defiant, but I wasn’t going to be submissive either. Sebastian walked at my side, not saying a word, not even looking at me. So this was how they wanted to play it then? They were going to be the over-stern headmaster and I was the naughty student, about to be expelled or put into detention for life.
I sighed heavily as we walked up the steps.
Sebastian slowed and stopped. Turning towards me, he surveyed me through narrowed eyes.
I looked back at him. I had to learn to trust these guys; my future depended on their support.
‘Sebastian, I kind of get the feeling that you guys aren’t behind me, that you are regretting the little experiment you made. I kind of feel I’m facing the end of the world alone.’
He frowned. ‘I suppose it does feel that way. We’re not happy that you would risk your life so readily when we have spent the last seventeen years protecting you so fiercely.’ He looked away. ‘There are those on the council who would die for you,’ he mumbled, so quietly I could barely hear him. ‘And those who wouldn’t.’
I stared at him, his mouth clenched angrily. ‘And where do you stand?’
His eyes flashed. ‘The prophecies are never wrong, despite what you have heard, and some on the council seem to have forgotten that. Even if we don’t agree with the prophecies, they can never be changed, they never alter, even if we try and run away from them, they always come true.’
I sighed again. ‘Talk about sidestepping the question.’
‘Come on, the rest of the council will want to see you,’ he said, gruffly, touching my elbow as he turned away.
As he touched me I was suddenly filled with an image, so clear, so vivid, like a film played in my head. It was almost like a memory but it wasn’t mine. It was an image of Sebastian kneeling before me, pledging to me, swearing to protect me, to die for me. It was obviously an image that Sebastian had just given me. And by the way he had covertly given it to me; it was obviously something he didn’t want anyone else to know about.
