Oracle

by Amy Reece

  “I didn’t protect her,” he whispered to no one in particular.

  “All right, Rémy. That’s enough!” Kate’s tone was stern. “We do not have time for that line of thought. We need to figure out what to do. Now come sit down and tell me exactly what happened.”

  He obeyed, but after a few minutes he was back to pacing in front of the bay windows, sipping another drink. I told Kate everything we had seen at the apartment and everything I had sensed. When I reached the end of my story and had finally answered all Kate’s questions, I stalked across the room to Rémy and took the drink from his hand. “I need you sober, okay? So does Mina. We’ll find her, Rémy. I swear we will.”

  He stood, glaring, before finally nodding and allowing me to lead him back to the sofa.

  “Why don’t you both rest here while I call the rest of the Conseil; they need to be informed.” Kate bustled out.

  “I need to call Fionnuala,” I said. “God, what am I going to tell her?” Rémy sat beside me while I talked to the head of the Irish Seers. When I couldn’t speak coherently through my tears, he took the phone and finished telling her what little we knew.

  “She and Caoimhe will catch the next possible flight,” he said as he handed the phone back to me. He fell back against the couch, throwing his arm over his face. “How did this happen? Why would Luc take Mina? What could he possibly hope to gain?”

  “I don’t know, Rémy. I would have thought he’d take you or me if he were going to take anyone. Can’t we call the police? This is kidnapping!”

  “I don’t think so, at least not yet. She’s an adult and has only been gone for a few hours. How would we explain how we know she’s been taken?”

  “How about the fact that our apartment is wrecked? I think it’s pretty clear something bad happened there!” I was yelling, but couldn’t bring myself to calm down.

  “Yes, but how would we tell them we know who took her? How useful would it be for the police to be involved when we can’t tell them anything about Luc?”

  I hated that he had a point. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I said grudgingly. “Can you think of anywhere he might be keeping her? You’ve been tracking him for a year,” I asked hopefully.

  “I’m racking my brain, but none of the places I tracked him would be the kind of place he would need to keep a captive. I just don’t know, cherié. I don’t know what to say or think.”

  Poor Rémy! He was lost without Mina and I realized how much we had both come to rely on her quiet way of keeping us both calm. “She always knows exactly what to say, doesn’t she? She always seems to know what we’re feeling and how to make us feel better,” I mused. “What?” I asked when I noticed he was staring at me intensely.

  “You’re right. I never thought of it that way.” He flopped back against the sofa, lost in thought.

  “I took her for granted,” I whispered.

  “So did I, cherié.” He sat up and rubbed my shoulders. “So did I. But I will find her, and I will never take her for granted again,” he vowed.

  “Rémy, Ally!” Geneviève rushed in, followed by her husband, Arnaud. “Nous sommes venus tout de suite après avoir entendu les nouvelles! Qu'est-ce qu'on peut faire pour trouver notre douce Mina?” She threw herself in her cousin’s arms rather dramatically.

  “Thank you, Geneviève.” He met Arnaud’s exasperated look over her shoulder. “I don’t quite know what to do, to be honest. I want to rush out and look for her, but I have absolutely no idea where to start.”

  “Come, mon petit.” Arnaud gently disengaged his wife from Rémy. “You don’t need to get yourself too excited. Why don’t you sit over here?” He led her over to the couch as Rémy and I exchanged bemused glances.

  “Oh, Arnaud, stop fussing! I’m fine! I hope you’re not going to be this overprotective for the next six months.”

  Six months? Why would he…oh! “Geneviève! Oh, my goodness! You’re pregnant?” I exclaimed.

  “Oui, but I was going to wait to tell you until after we find Mina,” she explained while giving Arnaud a dirty look.

  “That’s wonderful! Congratulations! A baby! Oh, Geneviève!” I pulled her in for a hug while Rémy slapped Arnaud—who was unsuccessfully trying to smother a smug grin—on the back.

  “Well, I guess the secret is out,” she said.

  “I’m glad,” I stated. “We needed some good news today.”

  We filled them in on the details of what little we knew about Mina’s disappearance and then had to turn around and repeat the story two more times as the rest of the Conseil appeared in waves over the next hour. I was emotionally exhausted and a text from Jack was all the reason I needed to excuse myself to the hallway so I could call him. It was 11:00 a.m. in Albuquerque, so I figured he must be on a lunch break from classes. He had finals this week and would graduate in two weeks with his bachelor’s degree. With me gone, he had taken a heavy load both semesters, saying he had nothing better to do than study. Since he still had a year left on his scholarship, the army had agreed to let him continue on to a master’s program at the university before he began his active duty.

  “Ally, hon, what’s up? You never answered my text.”

  “I’m so sorry, Jack. They took Mina! Luc took her!”

  “Okay, slow down, sweetheart. Tell me what happened.”

  The sound of his voice washed over me, calming me and allowing me to concentrate for the first time since I had touched the doorknob of my apartment. I told him about Mina’s disappearance and how I sensed what had happened in the apartment. “She was so scared, Jack! I can’t imagine what she’s going through right now!”

  “Yes, you can, querida. You know exactly what she’s going through, and you know she can get through this, just like you did. Now tell me what you and Rémy are planning.”

  “That’s just it, Jack. We don’t have a plan. We don’t know where to start. We don’t know why Luc would take her or what he could possibly hope to gain by taking Mina.”

  “It sounds like he’s desperate and is trying to start something,” he said.

  “That’s what Rémy thinks, but we have no idea what he’s trying to start. Jack, I was ready to come home, but now—”

  “Ally, I don’t want you anywhere near that crazy bastard! Come home. Let Rémy and the rest of them find Mina.”

  I smiled sadly, because we both knew that wouldn’t happen. “I love you, Jack.”

  “I love you, too. Sweetheart, you believe that, don’t you? In your email you said ‘I hope you still love me.’ What’s that about?”

  I shook my head and then realized he couldn’t see me. “I’m sorry, Jack. I know you do, I just—”

  “You just what? Come on, hon. We’ve been through too much for you to doubt me.”

  “I don’t doubt you, Jack.” I sniffed.

  “Jesus, Ally. Don’t cry. Please.”

  “I’m not,” I cried. Then I laughed. Of course I was crying. “God, Jack. I’m a mess.”

  “I can be there tomorrow, next day at the latest. I need to be there,” he said firmly.

  I sniffed again and pulled myself together. “No. Absolutely not. I’m fine. I promise. This isn’t about me, anyway. It’s about Mina.”

  “I want to be there.”

  “I know, but you need to finish school. We’re going to find Mina and then I’m coming home. Please stay there, Jack. It will just be one more thing for me to worry about. And I know you love me. I’m just being my usual crazy, stressed self. I’m okay, I promise.”

  I heard him sigh and I could picture him scrubbing his hands over his face. “Okay. I know I can’t just forget everything here and fly over there. Please be careful. Please, Ally.”

  “There’s nothing to be careful about yet. I’m just lounging around the estate.” I promised to keep him informed about our plans and continued to talk him out of blowing off the rest of his finals to fly over to help.

  After picking at the dinner Kate ordered for everyone, I retired to the g
uest bedroom I always used. Everyone was staying at the estate until we found Mina. I had to believe that was possible.

  Chapter Two

  “There are some villainies that bring no gain. For by dishonesty the few may thrive, The many come to ruin and disgrace.”

  —Sophocles, Antigone

  Day 2

  Rémy let himself in the back door as I entered the kitchen early the next morning. He was wearing the same clothes from the day before, now rumpled. He had obviously been up all night and looked exhausted and depressed. He tossed his keys on the table as he sunk into a chair, staring straight ahead, his gaze unfocused. I poured a cup of coffee and set it in front of him, prepared the way he liked it: one sugar and lots of milk.

  He glanced up at me in surprise. “Merci, Ally. I didn’t see you. Why are you up so early? It’s not even six o’clock.”

  “I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. My brain won’t stop churning,” I said with a sigh. “You want some breakfast?”

  “No, but I’ll eat anyway.” He stood and began gathering items from the refrigerator. “Is an omelet all right with you?”

  “I was offering to make breakfast for you,” I said, exasperated.

  “I know, cherié, but since I don’t care for cold cereal, I’d better handle the cooking.”

  “Pig,” I said fondly. We had been over this too many times for me to be offended.

  “Princess,” he responded, cracking eggs in a bowl and beating them.

  Within minutes he set a beautiful omelet in front of me and one for himself at the opposite side of the table. It was delicious, but neither of us had much of an appetite. We forced ourselves to eat half our breakfast while Rémy filled me in on his nocturnal activities.

  “I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to check out Luc’s apartment in town.” At my raised eyebrows he shook his head. “Nothing. There are new tenants.”

  “So, what did you do for the rest of the night?”

  “Drove around aimlessly, trying to think of somewhere I could search.” He sighed. “I have no idea where she could be.”

  My heart melted at his forlorn tone. “Why don’t you get some sleep? I promise I’ll wake you the second we hear anything.”

  “I’ll sleep when she comes home.” He stood and carried our plates to the sink. “I need to take a shower and shave before I go out again.”

  “At least let me come with you.”

  He smiled tiredly and nodded. “Of course. Can you be ready in half an hour?”

  We drove all over Rouen, looking in alleyways and up and down every street, but saw no trace of Mina. Try as we might, neither of us could get the slightest hint of a mental connection with her; either she was unconscious or purposely blocking us. We both refused to consider any other reason for her lack of connection. We finally gave up around 3 p.m. and headed back to Kate’s, disheartened and exhausted. We entered the living room to find Fionnuala and Caoimhe had arrived in our absence. Caoimhe opened her arms to me and I reveled in a few moments of unleashed emotions as she rubbed her hands up and down my back and whispered comforting nonsense. Fionnuala was all business, demanding to know what we had done and where we had looked.

  “And there’s been no word? No demands from her kidnappers?” At all our blank looks and negative head shakes, she stood abruptly and stalked to the window. “What do you know about this Luc? I think I met him once, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, when you brought Mina here for the first time,” I replied.

  “You have been chasing him for the past year, haven’t you, young man? You have found nothing?” She rounded on Rémy angrily.

  “Fionnuala!” I exclaimed, appalled at her accusing tone.

  “No, Ally,” Rémy said. “It’s perfectly all right. I have been chasing him for the past year, and I have found very little. Luc and his group have always been one step ahead of me, taunting me, and now I let them take Mina.”

  “You didn’t ‘let’ them take her! You can’t blame yourself for this, Rémy!” I tried to keep from yelling.

  “Yes, I can. I do. It’s my job to protect you both and I failed. I will never forgive myself,” he said matter-of-factly.

  “Rémy, tell them what we know about Les Dépaysés,” Kate ordered.

  “About what?” Caoimhe asked.

  “Les Dépaysés. It means to be without country or homeland. Basically dispossessed. It is what Luc is calling the group of followers he has been gathering. He has spent the past several years traveling all over Europe searching for unknown Seers that might be sympathetic to his message,” Rémy explained.

  “And what is his message?” Fionnuala demanded.

  “That Seers should rise up and take over the world. Or at least France. Luc has political aspirations, apparently. I have heard he has been searching for children lately. He hopes to find others with powers like Ally, Mina, and myself.”

  “What could he possibly want with our sweet Mina?” Caoimhe wondered aloud.

  “We think he may be trying to force some sort of action or confrontation,” Kate said. “He may be as tired of the chase as we are. I fear this could be his first step. I am very much afraid of what else he plans.”

  “It doesn’t matter what else he plans or what his next step is. Right now all I care about is getting Mina back!” Fionnuala yelled into her sister’s face.

  Kate, to her credit, didn’t react negatively. She simply put her arms around Fionnuala and pulled her close. Fionnuala resisted for a few seconds, then allowed herself to be comforted.

  Rémy motioned for me to follow him and we exited, leaving the sisters alone.

  ***

  Day 3

  No word from Mina or Luc. We spent most of the day pacing the floors at the estate, hoping to hear something. Anything. Geneviève paced and worried with us until Arnaud made her lie down, telling her she needed to take care of herself for the baby’s sake. I had no such luck getting Rémy to rest. I had never seen him so disheveled before: he had dark circles under his eyes, a day’s beard growth, and he wore a rumpled t-shirt and jeans. There was nothing left of the urbane young businessman he normally presented to the world; he was reduced to the raw material of a man desperately trying to find the woman he loved. After picking at his lunch, he grabbed his car keys and stormed out.

  “Where are we going?” I asked as I climbed in the passenger seat and fastened my seat belt.

  “I have no idea. You probably shouldn’t come with me.”

  “Oh, I definitely should, if for no other reason than to make sure you keep your speed to a semi-reasonable level so you don’t wrap your car around a tree or something. I would hate to have bad news for Mina when we get her back.”

  He chuckled briefly and mirthlessly. “All right. Point taken.” He drove for hours, heading basically north through an endless parade of small towns including Bois-Guillame, Isneauville, and Quincampoix before circling back. We stopped multiple times to show her picture and ask if anyone had seen her. No one had. It was as if she had disappeared into thin air.

  “Your stomach is hurting, cherié?” Rémy glanced over as I was clutching my stomach.

  “I’m fine.” I forced myself to clasp my hands in my lap and ignore the pain shooting through my gut.

  “Let’s stop by your apartment so you can get your medicine.”

  He wandered through the apartment as I went to the bathroom to gather the prescription pain medication that made my life bearable when I had an attack. I took the opportunity to pack a bag since I had left with only the clothes on my back and then walked to the living room, expecting to find Rémy. He wasn’t there and I found him sitting on Mina’s bed, holding a stuffed animal he had won for her at a local fair a few weeks ago.

  “She kept this? I don’t even know what it’s supposed to be.”

  “I think it’s a bear of some sort. She loves it.” I sat beside him and reached for the toy.

  “It’s hideous,” he scoffed.

  “But you gave it to her
, and she loves you,” I explained patiently. Really, guys could be so dense sometimes. I felt horrible for the uncharitable thought when he inhaled sharply and lowered his head to his hands, his back heaving as he tried to control his sobs. I had never seen him cry and it floored me. “Hey, come on.” I put my arm around him. “We’re going to get her back. We have to. Now, let’s head back so you can get some sleep. You’re so exhausted you can’t even think straight.”

  He pulled himself together quickly and insisted on helping me pack a bag of Mina’s things so she would have fresh clothes when we found her.

  “Thank you, Ally,” he said as he drove, staring out the windshield.

  “For what?”

  “For staying so positive. I’m tired and I tend to get negative when I haven’t slept. I’m afraid that if I fall asleep something will happen.”

  “I promise to wake you up the second we hear anything, okay? I swear I won’t let you sleep through anything important.”

  I had to repeat my assurances when we got back to the estate and it took Geneviève’s assistance to bully him into sleeping for a few hours. I spent an hour talking to Jack on FaceTime, catching him up on what had happened and what we had done.

  “How are you holding up, querida?” he asked softly.

  “I’m okay, Jack. This isn’t about me.”

  “I know. I also know you probably aren’t taking care of yourself. How is your stomach?”

  I sighed. “Not great, but I got my medicine and I’m doing a little better. How are your finals going?” I needed to talk about something normal, if even for just a few minutes.

  He seemed to understand my need, as he always did. “Oh, they’re going okay, I guess. I turn my senior design project in on Wednesday and then I have a paper for that friggin’ U.S. History class I had to take. God, a required social studies elective my senior year? What the hell?”

  I laughed, glad to talk about his life for a while. “Poor Jack! What are you writing your paper on?”

  “I don’t know. Something about the effect of big business after the Civil War or some crap like that.”