“Hyperion, it was you who assisted the mortal girl and her illegitimate child to gain entry to Delos, so that the child might swim in the River Styx.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about!” Jeremiah blasted with a side-glance to Paolo, trying to assess his intentions.
“You are wondering if I will speak the truth. I see it in your eyes. You believe that everyone is as cowardly as you,” Paolo said.
“Paolo, be cautious of your tone! Until we have seen proof of any misconduct, Jeremiah is the head of this council!” Luther said.
Nodding, Paolo paced in a circle in a manner that suggested that he was trying to calm himself. As he faced away from the council, he shot a brief, nervous glance to Daphne who offered a slight shake of her head. They weren’t here, yet. This was about to end very badly.
“I apologize, council. However, I do know this to be the truth...because I was that mortal child. Hyperion—Jeremiah—brought my mother and I here. Years later, you introduced me as the son of a god.”
Jeremiah’s eyes widened with terror. “I do recall an immortal child who wished to swim here,” Jeremiah stuttered. “If you admit that was you, and that you were not an immortal, then you have misrepresented yourself to this council and I will have you executed on the spot!” Jeremiah raged, as his face swelled with anger.
Shinsu said, “Come now! You introduced someone as an immortal without evidence? I don’t believe anyone in this council would believe that.”
“Jeremiah, there is no question that you knew I was a mortal. In fact, my mother often spoke with disdain about the price she was forced to pay for your involvement—and my introduction.”
“Take him, Erebos! I’ve heard enough of his lies!” Jeremiah demanded.
Erebos stepped toward Paolo and the dribs took his arms and pulled him forward. “Shall I produce witnesses?” Paolo asked, raising his voice.
“According to you there were no witnesses! How dare you accuse me of such a vile act!”
As Paolo was brought forward, Shinsu raised a hand. “Paolo states that he has witnesses. If this is a false accusation, we shall know soon enough.”
The dribs held their position as Paolo took a close look at Erebos’s double-edged axe and felt a tightening in his throat. But he held his head high as he glanced around the room at those who had admired him and flirted with him for centuries. Only a few words later and now they sneered at him with disdain, seeing him as a mere mortal who had violated the sanctity of Delos.
“Council, as Jeremiah is under investigation in this situation, I believe that we should permit Paolo to bring forth his witnesses. Certainly, none of you could refuse that,” Shinsu said.
Luther nodded. “Paolo, call your witnesses; but be warned that if this is a trick, you will be executed on the spot!”
The dribs released Paolo and, again, he ran his finger along the neck of his shirt. Then he lifted a finger. “I call my witnesses!” Paolo announced but no one stepped forward. He turned around to face the rest of the immortals. “Come now, none of you will step forward?”
They turned their faces in disgust.
“Erebos—I order you to remove Paolo from this meeting!” Jeremiah declared. The dribs reached for Paolo, but he yanked his arms free.
“Please allow me a few moments to convince my witnesses to speak.”
“You have one minute Paolo,” Marco said. “You have accused Jeremiah of crimes that must be corroborated by witnesses. Either present your witnesses, or your charges against Jeremiah will be dropped and you will be punished.”
Drawing a breath, Paolo glanced around the room. “Perhaps my witnesses are concerned that they will be met with Jeremiah’s form of justice should they attempt to speak the truth.”
The remainder of the council members conversed and then Luther said, “Yes, Paolo, we do see your point. The council has agreed to guarantee the safety of any immortal who speaks the truth on your behalf.”
Raising an eyebrow, Paolo said in a further attempt to stall, “To clarify for my witnesses, anyone who speaks the truth on my behalf will not be executed because of their testimony—is that correct?”
“Yes, Paolo,” Luther said, losing patience.
“In that case, I call my witnesses!”
There was an awkward silence. Paolo shrugged smugly to the council as his heart pounded, but otherwise, the room remained quiet.
“Will no one speak?” Paolo said working to keep his voice strong. He would not give Jeremiah or the immortals the pleasure of seeing his fear. He would keep his cool even as the axe fell on his neck.
Luther nodded to Erebos and the dribs pulled Paolo back to the stone. Paolo yanked his arms free and then straightened his tie as he lowered himself to his knees. He avoided eye contact with Daphne and Shinsu. He didn’t want to see the regret in their eyes. Instead he winked seductively at Martina, who turned, repulsed by his advances, and then he laid his head on the stone.
“I will speak as your witness!” Alex said, as he stepped from the trail by the River Styx. Paolo sighed and rolled his eyes at Alex in relief.
“Oh, thank God!” Daphne sighed in a near whisper as Alex passed her.
“Things getting a little tense?” Alex said, as he brushed his hand over her shoulder.
“Val?” Daphne asked quietly, and Alex nodded as he walked toward Paolo, his jeans and polo shirt seeming out of place in Delos.
With the dribs distracted Paolo stood and walked toward Alex. “You took long enough!” Paolo said quietly.
Alex shrugged. “Sorry, pal.”
“Valeria?”
“I believe so,” he whispered. Then turning to the council, Alex said, “Paolo didn’t write the letter. I did!”
“Alexander! I might have suspected! Council, Alexander is a criminal. Any letter he has written is certain to be full of lies. Erebos!” Jeremiah said and then turned to Shinsu. “If you knew of this, I will have your head as well!”
“Jeremiah, if Alex is not considered an appropriate witness, I have others,” Paolo said. He turned toward the entrance as a host of boats entered Delos with Lars, Ava, Camille, Mani, and Caleb. Jeremiah’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he saw the previously exterminated oracles, including Lita, who clung tightly to Genesis—and Myrddin.
Jeremiah’s eyes darted around the room and then he hobbled to several of the other council members and began whispering commands. Getting nowhere with the council, Jeremiah said, “Myrddin! I might have known you were behind this!”
“You see, I assured you that it would have been extraordinarily awkward for a council member to have two spouses—well, except for you, Jeremiah,” Shinsu said.
Shinsu stepped in front of the council. “I suggest that we permit all of these witnesses to speak before making any judgments!”
Luther nodded his agreement.
“I demand that Alexander Morgan be removed from these proceedings!” Jeremiah choked again. The dribs took Alex’s arms and moved him toward Erebos.
“Just one moment, Jeremiah,” Shinsu said, and then her eyes narrowed. “Alexander, I did not see you arrive by gondola. How is it that you find yourself here in Delos?”
Alex smiled coldly at Jeremiah. “I came from the underworld.”
“Impossible!” Jeremiah said.
“But true, none the less,” Alex said calmly.
“Jeremiah, in that case, I am afraid that you have no jurisdiction over Alexander. He has come from the underworld and is now under Hades’ jurisdiction.”
“My nephew, the lord of the underworld, is to make a decision even in my small kingdom of Delos?” Jeremiah asked.
Paolo lifted a hand. “I do not believe that you may call it ‘your kingdom,’. Delos is the home of the oracles.”
“Hades may take Alexander back for all I care!”
Suddenly the council members looked unsure of themselves, Luther said, “Jeremiah, Shinsu, I’m not sure what’s going on here. But I believe that before we make any fur
ther judgments here we, as a council need to investigate the initial charter—”
Shinsu lifted a hand, “You need only wish to see the truth. Delos was established for the oracles. The truth is that this current council has no power here.” She glanced at Alex, “Please continue.”
“I did not come alone,” Alex said. “The soul that I have brought with me wishes to testify.”
“How?” Luther asked.
“Through the stone of truth.”
Suddenly, the rose and gold quartz plate lit with the form of a hand and there was a vision of Valeria on the screen overhead. Alex sighed heavily with relief. He had trusted his intuition, as Daphne had recommended, as she was right.
“What is this?” Jeremiah asked. “Another criminal is now going to speak?”
Valeria narrowed her eyes at the council head. “Jeremiah—I do not require your approval to speak! This council was presented to three. Those three, or their representatives—as approved by Apollo and Zeus—are the only ones permitted to hold council here!”
Caleb wandered toward Alex. “That’s the third triumvirate,” he said to Alex proudly. Alex shook his head subtly to silence the boy.
“Young woman! We are all aware of your history and this is a council that is present in this world. As you, evidently, are no longer of this world, you may not testify.”
Valeria’s voice had a power behind it that caught Jeremiah by surprise. “You have no authority here. By the laws of Apollo, this council shall now be returned to its rightful leadership and therefore Jeremiah, you are excused.”
The noise from the crowd rose, as Jeremiah stepped toward the oracles. “Erebos, I order you to execute these intruders!”
Erebos stomped toward Alex, as Valeria said calmly, “Erebos, your domain is in Tartarus—not here. I suggest you return to the hole you crawled out of. Your services will no longer be required. Further, Jeremiah, I remind you that the laws of the third triumvirate state that you must allow at least one designee of each of the positions!”
Erebos seemed confused as he glanced up at the image of Valeria on the screen and then back toward Jeremiah.
Jeremiah’s eyes sparked with outrage. He glared from Valeria and then back at Erebos. “Erebos, I am the head of this council and I will inform you of when you may leave.”
“Jeremiah, you were given no power in any of the worlds—as it was a well-known fact that you are not to be trusted.”
Suddenly, in a fit of rage, Jeremiah hobbled on his cane to the quartz stone of truth, pulled it from its pedestal. Immediately Valeria’s image disappeared from the screen. Jeremiah threw it with the strength of a young Olympian. The stone hit the wall of the cave, broke into two halves, and then dropped into the river.
Seeing his wife silenced and her image erased was the last straw for Alex. It was as if Jeremiah had actually assaulted her. His face reddened as he moved toward the former council head in a fit of rage. “I’ve had enough of you!” Alex said with all of the pain of the past few years and the realization of Jeremiah’s role in his agony. He grabbed the ancient man by the neck and dragged him to the edge of Delos and then held him out over the River Styx—ready to drop him in and allow Cerberus, the three-headed dog, to have his way with him.
“Alexander,” Jeremiah choked. “You are not a murderer,” he said as his eyes bulged. “You don’t want to spend an eternity in Tartarus. That is not a place that you—”
“Drop the bastard!” Paolo yelled. “Just drop him!”
There was an extraordinary silence within the cavern that was suddenly broken by Genni’s coo. In an instant, Alex was reminded of who he was. He was a husband—a symbolon—and now a father.
Slowly, he released his shaking hands from Jeremiah’s throat. Jeremiah immediately collapsed forward as he coughed and sputtered. Then Alex drew a deep breath as he returned to his daughter.
A moment later, Caleb said, “Alex, Val’s soul is still here.”
“How do you know that, Caleb?” Alex asked, with his heart still pounding.
Shrugging, Caleb said, “I don’t know how...I just know.”
“What does she want?” Camille asked.
Tavish laughed and folded his arms. “She wants us to drown that stinking rat, Jeremiah.”
Caleb laughed and he turned to Lita and scrunched his nose. “She says she wants Myrdd to hold Genni.”
Lita glanced at Caleb and then at Alex. Myrdd was still staring at the ground. Finally, Lita said, “All right, my friend.”
Glancing toward Shinsu, Lita had a moment of inspiration. “Shinsu, perhaps you could help.”
Shinsu nodded as Lita handed her the tiny pink bundle. “She is a beautiful child, isn’t she!” Shinsu said with a glow.
“I thought you might be able to help Myrdd hold Genni,” Lita said.
Shinsu continued smiling at the infant. “There is something very special about you, isn’t there?” she said to the baby, as she bounced her in her arms and stepped slowly toward Myrdd.
Then she glanced at Myrdd, who barely made eye contact with her. And, while keeping her eyes on the child, she said, “Myrddin, you have become quite a recluse. Cassandra has requested that you hold her child. But I don’t believe I am quite ready to give you up yet,” she said to Genesis.
Myrdd held out an open palm and Shinsu lowered her brows and shook her head. “Oh, no, no!” she said in mild irritation. “Myrddin, that will simply not do at all—don’t you recall holding a child?”
“I...I’ve forgotten.” He looked to the ground, confused and upset with himself.
“Well, Myrddin,” she huffed, “infants never were your forte. Give me your hand!” she said as she took his hand and wrapped it around her and the infant. Then, with her face lowered to observe the child, she felt the arms of her symbolon moving around her. She closed her eyes as his arms moved snugly around her and the child. Then he peered over her shoulder and the fog cleared from his eyes.
Speaking to the infant, Shinsu said, “Myrddin and I never had children. We were too old by the time he got his nerve up to propose.” Her face glowed, although she hated to admit that she was thrilled by his touch. “Of course, those days were so very many years ago—nearly an eternity,” she said musically, as if she were telling a fairy tale.
Then Myrdd’s hand reached up to brush her cheek and, shocked by the action, Shinsu jumped and turned. She saw the soft glow of love in his eyes and her heart filled with love for her symbolon.
“Hello, Sue!” he said as the color returned to his face.
Her face lit with a playful smile. “Hello, you old, cheating goat!” But her eyes sparkled and her skin flushed.
“I’ve missed you!” he said.
She winked and whispered, “We’ll talk more later.” Then she turned to Lita. “Perhaps you had better hold this precious child.” Shinsu passed Genni back to Lita. Then Shinsu returned to Myrdd and he wrapped his arms around his wife.
Within an instant, there was an eerie feeling in the cavern. An odd breeze picked up that seemed to come from the underworld. The room dulled as if the source were absorbing the available light. There was a presence in the tunnel and the immortals subconsciously backed away from it—even the dribs.
The presence continued to move down the cave from the underworld. Suddenly, there was a ripple on the river and then Charon’s boat appeared with a ghostly vision of Valeria wearing a white gown.
Behind Charon’s boat, a giant of nearly eight feet rounded the corner, walking on top of the river and stepped onto Delos. There was a hushed whisper among the immortals.
Hades brushed his fingers along his dark beard and then lifted a finger at Jeremiah. “Uncle, it has been too long since we have visited.” He turned up the corners of his mouth and the glacial chill of his smile matched the color of his eyes. With mock sincerity he added, “You never come to visit anymore.” Then Hades released a loud laugh. “Hyperion—or is it Jeremiah now? You have what belongs to me, and I want him back,” Hades
said, narrowing an eye at Alex.
“It has been too long,” Jeremiah said hesitantly, as his eyes darted back and forth nervously. “And, as far as I am concerned, he is yours to take and good riddance!”
Alex bravely stepped forward. “Hades, I was in your land, but it was only to right a wrong. The Fates and Jeremiah interfered with the destiny of my symbolon, as was laid down by the laws of Apollo, and she was wrongfully taken.”
Raising a single eyebrow, Hades twisted his mustache and lifted his mouth in a calculating smile. “Now then, Alexander, mistakes are unfortunate—but they do happen. Be a good boy and step onto Charon’s ferry. Be with your symbolon. You must know that once you have entered my kingdom, you may never leave. That is the rule!”
“Hades, I would not have been forced to enter your kingdom without this deception.” Alex lifted his hands. “How can we resolve this?”
Licking his lips, Hades responded, “Alexander, I am a simple god. I have simple needs. I do not interfere in the business of others. I only know that you have come into my land and so you must return. I have already recovered Cassandra. Come, be with her! I will attempt to make arrangements with Minos, as he is the judge of souls, so that you might join her in the Elysian Fields.”
Alex felt the pull to be with his love and he could feel her yearning as well. But he hesitated and Hades added, “Bring the child if you wish.” Then Hades glanced hungrily at Genni for just a moment. “You would enjoy the Elysian Fields—Cassandra enjoyed her stay there!”
“Genni is not an option!” Alex said with finality. “But we do have an exchange.”
“Whom do you offer?” Hades asked, as he eyed the oracles hungrily.
“Aegemon has offered to go in my place,” Alex said. “There is another. If you allow Cassandra to speak, I’m certain this could all be resolved to your satisfaction.”
Hades dipped a brow. “Ah, yes, Apollo’s not so humble servant, Aegemon,” he said. “Bring him to Charon’s ferry.”
The Last Oracle Page 43
