by Kristen Pham
Gideon shook his head. “The Roaming City is secure. But if something unexpected happens, I will guard your life with my own.”
There was no mockery in Gideon’s eyes, and Valerie could see that he meant every word.
Chern waved his hand and the air shimmered. A hole in the air appeared, and through it she could see the desert of Ephesus, with its rolling waves of sand. Gideon stepped through, and Valerie and Henry went through together. Chern came last, and the window back to Arden snapped shut abruptly behind him.
“I hope it won’t take long to find the city,” Chern said anxiously, chewing his fingernails. “We could run out of water. Wait! Who brought the water?”
“Relax, Chern, you could make another portal back to Arden if we get desperate, right?” Valerie said soothingly.
“Ah, yes, of course. What was I thinking?” he said absently.
But even without a portal, they didn’t need to worry. The city of Ephesus found them quickly, proving that their need was very great. White pillars surrounding a pool of water appeared in the distance, and as they walked closer, she could see the brown huts where the Oracles lived. They bustled through the streets, wearing robes of different colors that signified how experienced they were at prophesizing.
She remembered the last time she was here, when she had witnessed a man named Leo joining the Illyrians, an immortal race that lived beneath the oceans of the Globe. The entrance to Illyria was in Ephesus, and she’d had the chance to meet Leo before he vanished into the still waters of the pool at the outskirts of the city. She hoped that he was happy with his new life.
Their approach was spotted, and a familiar Oracle fluttered over to them on her dark wings.
“Sibyl!” Valerie said, recognizing the Oracle she had befriended when she came for her prophecy.
Sibyl briefly rubbed her cheek against Valerie’s as a greeting. Her heart squeezed painfully as she remembered their parting after the funeral of Pythia, the original Oracle and Sibyl’s mother. She saw Sibyl quickly wipe away a tear as well, but then she brightened.
“I knew you would be back. And this must be your brother. News travels quickly,” Sibyl explained, seeing the twin expressions of surprise on Henry’s and Valerie’s faces.
“We have come for help,” Gideon said, gently guiding them back to their purpose.
“On the rising darkness,” Sibyl said. “We have been seeing a change in many of our prophecies.”
At a distance, Valerie saw another Oracle hurrying toward them. She squinted. “Is that Putrefus?”
“Yes. I must speak quickly. There has been a split among the Oracles. Conflicting prophecies are being delivered to the Conjurors who have visited us since you left.”
“What does that mean?” Chern said sharply.
Sibyl noticed him for the first time and eyed him suspiciously, but continued. “It means that there is a fork in time. Two paths are possible now. One set of prophecies guides us toward peace, another toward war. It is up to us to choose wisely.”
“Has this ever happened before?” Gideon probed.
“I see you’ve already told them,” Putrefus snarled, reaching the group. He was panting a little. “There has been a split in the prophecies, it is true. But I think there is a simple answer. Some of the Oracles are making their predictions up.”
Sibyl raised her eyes to the skies as if she was searching for patience. “This isn’t the first time this has happened. Prophetic splits are a natural part of history during times of major change.”
Putrefus sniffed derisively. “So you say. But I’ve never seen it, so I don’t believe it.” He turned to the group. “If you want your prophecy from the most powerful Oracle in the Roaming City, then you had best come with me.”
“Why, who is it?” Henry asked innocently.
“You fool! Can’t you feel my power? Or do you have so little magic that it entirely escapes you?” Putrefus said, his face flushed.
He marched away from them in a huff. Valerie watched him doubtfully as he left. “I know he’s powerful, but we’re not really going to go to him for our prophecies, are we?”
Gideon examined her. “What would you suggest?”
“I—I guess I think we should ask Sibyl. We want prophecies that will lead us toward peace. Who’s the best person to help us down that road?”
Gideon nodded at her logic, and Valerie’s shoulders relaxed.
“I would have you come to Pythia’s Temple and see which of the Oracles is drawn to you. The most powerful prophecies are given rather than taken,” Sibyl said.
She led them to the largest of the buildings. Inside was a crowd of Oracles, and they all quieted when the group entered. Immediately, a girl in a white robe grabbed Henry’s hand and pulled him into the middle of the three concentric circles in the center of the room.
Her gaze was fixed on something in the distance, as if she were already in a trance. Henry looked back at Valerie, his eyes pleading for help, since he had no idea what was going on. But she knew that the space inside the circles was holy, and no one could enter after a prophecy had begun. He would have to muddle this one through without her.
“Are you sure this is the best idea? The white robe means she’s one of the least experienced,” Chern whispered loudly to Gideon.
“Hush,” said Sibyl, and he sniffed and went quiet.
Over mountains, across seas,
Through despair, into bliss,
Though pain will bring you to your knees,
You’ll find the answer you seek in a kiss.
Then the little Oracle leaned down and whispered into Henry’s ear. He went pale, and Valerie could sense the strangest dread wash through his mind like ice water. But before she could understand what he heard, a door slammed in her face and she was shut out of his mind.
“That was—short,” Chern said.
“We have delivered prophecies that were three words long,” Sibyl said with irritation. “That was a powerful prophecy. Most aren’t so poetic. In fact, only a few Oracles are capable of delivering rhyming prophecies.”
“And who cares?” Valerie said. “He got his answer. He’ll wake Kanti with a kiss, just like a fairy tale.”
But Sibyl shook her head. “It is rarely so straightforward. I think there is complexity to this prophecy that will take time to unpack.”
No Oracles came forward to pull Gideon to the circle, and Sibyl nodded briskly. “I will deliver your prophecy myself. I warn you that I am not the most powerful, nor am I drawn to deliver your prophecy. But I may be able to sense something of value, and my prophecies lead to the light, to peace.”
Gideon bowed his head. “I thank you.”
Henry left the circle, his hands shaky. The girl immediately melted into the crowd after giving his shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. He leaned on Valerie as if he needed her to stand.
“What is it?” she whispered. “What else did she say to you?”
“I didn’t understand it. Something about a choice I’ll have to make. Shh, Sibyl’s going to speak.”
Sibyl concentrated for a long time, and she began to sweat. Valerie worried that her friend might faint. Sibyl gripped the edge of the stool tightly, and finally she gasped out, “Go to Dunsinane. The Black Castle. Someone will come who will lead you there.”
Her eyes opened. “I’m sorry, that is all.”
“It is enough, a start. I am grateful to you,” Gideon said, and the two left the circles.
Putrefus snickered behind them. “He should have come to a pro,” he said snidely.
Valerie was tempted to smack him right then and there, but Chern surprised her by dragging him out of the building by his ear. “I’ll take care of this no-good-nick,” he said.
She giggled, and even Henry smiled. “I didn’t know he had that in him.”
The group weaved their way out of the temple and saw Chern delivering a scolding to Putrefus at a distance. Sibyl drooped, more tired than Valerie had ever seen her.
“Something felt wrong, like I couldn’t concentrate,” she said. “It was most strange.”
Valerie gave her a hug. “Thank you for everything. I hope I’ll see you again soon.”
Sibyl touched her cheek to Valerie’s and nodded to Henry and Gideon before fluttering away. Chern rejoined the group and they headed out of the main part of town. But as they passed one of the nondescript huts, she heard a moan, like pain. She stopped in her tracks and peered in the doorway.
A figure walked toward her, and in the dim light, she could see it was a tall, bony man who was a little older than Gideon.
“You’re here,” he said to Valerie, his brown eyes boring into hers. “I have a message, but it is only for you.”
“No way are you going in there alone,” Henry said.
“It’s okay,” she replied. She had her magic back, and she sensed that this man didn’t mean her harm. Something important was about to happen.
“It’s not okay!” Chern exclaimed, and grabbed her arm with surprising force. “Get away from there. Come with us, now.”
His hand was wrapped painfully around her arm, and she was strangely repulsed by his touch. “Let me go,” she said, and Chern flinched away.
“Valerie makes her own decisions,” said Gideon, and led Chern and Henry away. She nodded gratefully to him.
She stepped into the little hut, which had nothing more than a bed and a simple stove inside of it.
“Pythia was not the only one waiting for you,” the man said, reminding Valerie of how Sibyl’s mother had died immediately after delivering her prophecy. Azra said that Pythia had only lived so long because she had been waiting to share her knowledge before she passed on. How did he know that?
“Who are you?” she asked.
“I am Mer, and I also have a message for you. But I was locked up when you were here last and could not come to you.”
“Who did that to you?”
He waved her question away. “It was my own doing. I will pay for my crime for the rest of my life. I am banned from prophesizing for all time.”
“So you’re breaking the law by giving me this message?”
He nodded. “Yes. Do you still wish to hear what I have to tell you?”
She hesitated. The truth was that she had been punished for breaking rules many times in her life, but she rarely regretted her decisions. She wasn’t going to judge Mer for a crime that she didn’t even know about. It was up to her to decide what she thought of what he was going to tell her.
“Yes.”
Mer sighed in relief, as if she had taken an immense burden from his shoulders. “Blood still calls blood, though you have found your brother,” he said simply.
“That’s it?”
He hesitated, and then added, “For the path of light to have a chance in these dark times, you must connect with the rest of your family.”
Her heart pounded in her chest as if it would burst out. “You mean, I have another brother or sister? Or cousin?”
“Your father—lives,” he said haltingly, as though he was hunting for the words to express what he saw. “You know him. He’s on the Globe, and you must find him again.”
She fell to her knees and tears rolled down her cheeks. “Who? Who is it?”
Mer concentrated, but shook his head. “Finding him is your quest, and find him you must to follow the path that leads to the light.”
Joy rushed up inside of her as her shock receded. Without realizing what she was doing, she folded Mer in a hug.
“How can I ever repay you?”
Mer smiled a little as she pulled away, but slowly, as if he hadn’t used those muscles in a very long time. “This is thanks enough. Now I am at peace.”
The return trip to Arden was a blur for Valerie. Her heart had grown in size. As soon as she and Henry were alone, he turned to her.
“Okay, spill. What happened?”
“Our father is alive. We have to find him!”
Henry took a step back from her. She didn’t see any joy in his eyes, and anger poured through their connection, until for the second time that day, he shut her out.
“Why aren’t you happy?” she asked him.
“I know who my father is. Joe Jenkens. He took care of me when I was sick, went fishing with me, and supported me through all of the terrible things that happened this year. This man who gave us his DNA abandoned us. I can never forgive that.”
“We don’t know that he left us! We live in a world where magic is possible. There are any number of good reasons why he isn’t a part of our lives. Maybe he doesn’t even know we exist.”
Henry shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s too late now.”
“Not for me.”
“You’re on your own in this one,” he said, and stalked away.
Her spirits dipped as he left, but beneath her disappointment was a well of hope. She had a father.
Chapter 12
For a few days, it was back to business as usual as Valerie continued to train with the Knights and plan how they would infiltrate the Black Castle to find Jet and Kellen. After a particularly long day, she returned to her dorm to find Dulcea, Henry, and Cyrus waiting for her. Their faces were lit with excitement.
“Kanti’s awake!” Henry said, and all traces of the worry that had creased his forehead for days were gone.
“Guess she didn’t need Prince Charming’s kiss to wake up after all,” Cyrus teased.
“Is she okay? Do they know what happened?” Valerie asked.
“All we know is that sometime this morning she emerged from whatever that cocoon thing was,” Dulcea said. “She’s healthy and fine, and we can talk to her through my mirror after dinner.”
Henry was so excited that he could barely eat any of the delicious food in the dorm’s cafeteria. “I was ready to go and see if a kiss would wake her, even though I doubted that would help. I was planning how to sneak past her parents and everything. But now she can come back here and everything will be the way it’s supposed to be.”
Cyrus grinned. “Even I miss her snarky comments.”
Valerie was giddy with relief as well. Finally, things were starting to turn around for them. Now they just needed to bring Jet home safely and find her father.
A short while later, they all crowded around Dulcea’s mirror with big, expectant smiles on their faces. The glass shimmered, and a figure appeared in a long, blue cloak with the hood pulled low, obscuring her face.
“Hi, guys,” Kanti said, her voice a little shaky but definitely hers.
“We can hardly see you,” Henry said. “How are you?”
“I’m fine. I’m going to come back as soon as my parents will let me out of their sight. If I don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to explode.”
“Do you know anything about what happened to you?” Dulcea asked.
“I’d rather tell you all in person.”
“But you’re okay, right?” Valerie asked anxiously.
“You’d tell us if something’s wrong,” Cyrus said, more as a statement than a question.
Kanti’s shoulders relaxed a little. “It’s a long story, but I’m really okay. I’m much more worried about who’s keeping Cy’s big head from growing so large it can’t fit through a door.”
Everyone laughed, including Cyrus.
Henry touched the glass. “I’ve missed you so much.”
She touched it from the other side and whispered, “Me, too.”
Valerie was heading up to her room for bed when Cyrus jumped on her platform.
“I’m a hundred pounds lighter,” she said.
“Me, too. It wasn’t right without the whole gang together,” Cyrus agreed. “But I need to talk to you about something.”
“Sounds serious.”
“I have an idea about who your dad might be. That Mer guy said you know him, right?”
“Yes, but I don’t want to go around asking every Conjuror I’ve ever bumped into if he’s my dad.”
“M
aybe you don’t have to. I remember one person we met who said that his family was lost to him.”
“Leo!” Valerie said, her eyes shining. Cyrus nodded. “Cy, you’re a genius!”
“He must be a good person, because they allowed him into Illyria.”
The only people who were allowed to have immortality and be keepers of the Akashic Records were those who had done something truly selfless. The Akashic Records held the history of every piece of information in the universe, so only someone who had proven his worth would be trusted with such powerful knowledge. And she had connected with Leo as soon as she met him. She practically danced with excitement.
“How am I going to find him?”
“I have an idea about that, too, but we have to wait. I have to go home to Messina for a few days.”
“What for?”
“Cara is having her Where-o-Well ceremony,” he explained. Cara was his younger sister, and the ceremony meant that she would jump into a magic well that could spit her out anywhere on the Globe. Then she had to make it home to prove she was an adult who officially accepted the rules of Messina—which meant rejecting the use of any magic for the rest of her life.
“I thought that didn’t happen till you’re eighteen,” Valerie said.
“You’re right. But she’s in some special honors program, and she’s graduating three years early. What a nerd,” Cyrus replied, but she could hear the pride in his voice.
“Wish her luck from me.”
“I wish I could bring you with me, but my dad…” he trailed off. Valerie had met his parents when she visited Cyrus’s home, and they were furious at the trouble that she had brought with her.
“Don’t worry, Cy. I understand. And besides, I have my test coming up, so I couldn’t go with you anyway.”
“I’m really sorry I’m going to miss that. I wanted to watch you wipe the floor with whoever they gave you to fight,” Cyrus said
“Don’t worry, I’ll give you the play-by-play when you get back. I’m hoping I get to spar with Claremont. I wouldn’t mind wiping the smirk off of her face once and for all.”
Valerie couldn’t stop thinking about Cyrus’s theory about Leo. It was going to be hard to distract herself until he came back from Messina, so she decided to resume her search for the spy.
