Foresight Page 9

  She flicks her lighter, jumping into the flame before I can stop her. Leaving me to pace my room, startled by every tiny sound, certain it will be Liander at the door, come to enslave me. But the seconds and then minutes tick by and I’m left to think.

  Never a good thing. Not with so much left to be worked out. I have to talk to Piers, but my family has to come first, don’t they? Once they know what Liander and my grandmother have been up to… I halt my pacing, cold fear running fingers over my flesh. What if they all know? What if I’m the only dupe? I shake my head and resume tracking across the carpet from the door to the fireplace. No, that’s foolish thinking. There might be a few—like Ash, obviously—who know the truth, but I can’t believe my entire family are involved.

  Doubt whispers dark thoughts. What if my grandmother knows exactly what she’s doing and I’m being led astray by the fire trying to consume me? Maybe Liander is trying to prevent a disaster from happening and is just a jackass on the outside?

  But no, that moment of weakness dies when I remember the touch of Liander’s magic siphoning power from my Goddess. Is she trapped, then, not sleeping after all? I believed she was with us by choice, but she’s never spoken or opened her eyes or addressed us directly. We chose to accept Liander’s explanation her mind is busy elsewhere, body trusted to our care.

  Life here in the sanctuary was so different when I was a child. I remember being happy but focused, thrilled with my ability while some of the other girls were terrified. I’d always felt Gaia powerfully inside me, even more when Liander brought her to us—confirmation to me she was who he claimed. But the joy of my childhood died when he arrived, and since then I can only recall duty laced with anxiety and need.

  If only we’d been permitted to commune directly with our Goddess. Perhaps things would have turned out differently. But the shielding keeping her from us has only allowed us to feel her power—not her soul.

  At least, for me, until now.

  My entire being aches for Gaia suddenly, the need to run from my room, to take the flame to her and free her from Liander is almost my undoing. I instead force myself to collapse into the soft cushions of the couch and deep breath myself under control.

  I will wait for Ash. And together we will free our Goddess and our people. But to do that, I need answers, the kind of answers I might be able to gain from visions now that my mind is clear and open. But I must know if my grandmother is a full part of this manipulation, if she is complicit with Liander’s plans or just acting out of a false sense of loyalty to him. And in order to find out, I must examine my most recent foresight, the one I experienced at Gaia’s side.

  I can only hope I’m wrong, that this investigation will prove Sibyl has nothing to do with the sorcerers and their plotting. It’s possible, though not likely. Still, I have to know.

  The lighter in my hand is heavy, like a stone, though I welcome the flames when I summon the spark from the wheel and descend with intent—

  —Blood. Bodies. Fire. But wait, beneath that vision, deeper, the touch of one you know. Influencing you, throwing darkness into your path. Manipulating the outcome of the vision, to the worst possible result—

  Sibyl’s power ripples in subtle touches through the vision. And I’m proved right even as the flames pull me deeper. And at last, I know this isn’t wrong, that challenging the lies I’ve been presented with is the only way I can uncover the truth and fully embrace my foresight.

  I give in to the flames, let them burn away the false leads and misrepresentations of my visions. I see so clearly now, as I dive through the future—

  —You sigh in sadness at the deception, the way you’ve been controlled and told for so long the one you’re meant to trust is your enemy. She smiles at you through the rippling flames, her power as pure as Gaia’s, her purpose your purpose. You must help her, the one named Syd, warn her of what is to come. You spiral forward, in darkness, flying on fire over the world, landing in a back yard where she waits, looking surprised, but not afraid. And you feel the heat of the flames engulf you as you rise again and burn up in a blazing flare—

  I cry out against this death I see, the first true vision I’ve had in years, but the fire holds me tight and pulls me downward into its burning depths.

  ***

  Chapter Fifteen

  Someone slaps me, so hard I jerk upright, mind still on fire, breath panting smoke into the air. Ash hovers beside me, Rena clinging to my hand, though she looks terrified and ready to run.

  I cough out another puff of smoke before gagging on the taste. Ash thumps me between the shoulder blades while I bend in half over my knees, finding myself lying on the floor.

  Rena blubbers a moment, trying to speak, but indecipherable as her voice rises to a wail. Ash glares at her, snapping her fingers in my cousin’s face, breaking her fearful spiral.

  “Enough!” Rena whimpers, lower lip catching between her teeth, brown eyes huge as they lock on Ash. “Hush, you.” My aunt returns her attention to me, examining me carefully with her sharp blue gaze. “How do you feel?” She grips my chin in hand, turning my face from side to side while I catch my breath, looking back and forth between my eyes with intensity I’ve never seen in her before. “Can you talk?”

  I nod, swallow bitterness that can only be ashes, and pull free of her hand. “I’m okay.” My words are dulled by the soreness in my throat. I feel like I’ve swallowed live coals, but lived to tell about it. Fire burns in my belly, begging to be free.

  “No,” Ash snaps. “You’re not.”

  “Zo-eee.” Rena drags out my name in her quivering voice, high pitched from her fright. “You were burn-ing.”

  I squeeze her hand to comfort her and try to stand. Ash helps me while Rena steps aside, still weeping, hands wringing in front of her. I look down at myself, at the skim of gray on my skin, the pattern of burn on the carpet, and shudder off a fall of flakes that float gently to the floor.

  Ash snaps her fingers at Rena again. “Make yourself useful. Water.”

  Rena just stares at her, still crying with growing volume. I push Ash aside and go for the pitcher myself, pouring a shaking glass and downing it in three gulps. My throat feels better, but my insides are sizzling still and I wonder if the sensation of burning from the core out will ever go away.

  So close. I turn with a fresh glass, sipping this time, the tremor in my hand stilling enough I don’t spill it all over myself. Ash glares like I broke some rule she set while Rena quivers and weeps.

  “What the hell were you doing?” Ash’s voice shakes, her own stress finally showing.

  “I had to know.” I lower the glass as her eyes flicker sideways to Rena. But I don’t care who knows now. The truth will be coming out, just as soon as I pull myself into order and can confront my grandmother. “I saw the truth, Ash. All of it.”

  She hisses at me, but not before Rena stills and looks back and forth between us, both hands rising to wipe tears from her face. I catch the calculated look in my cousin’s eyes, know she’s over her worry for me as quickly as she’s caught scent of a juicy bit of story she can tell.

  “What truth?” She meets my eyes, her curiosity a living thing in her gaze. How have I missed how petty and small Rena is? Are they all like her? If so, no matter what I say or bring to them, my family is not strong enough to do anything about it.

  “Mind your own business.” Ash steps between me and Rena, cutting off my view of her just as anger flashes over my cousin’s face. My aunt’s temper is sharper, though.

  Silence. Her voice ricochets in my head. If you know what’s good for you.

  I know she’s the wrong person to rebel against, that Ash may be the only one on my side, but I’m tired of carrying this alone. She must see the defiance in me, because she spins and grabs Rena by the arm, forcefully propelling the girl toward my door. I open my mouth to protest, try to take a step, feel my knees buckle and realize I just don’t have the energy to fight right now.

  Rena squeals in frustrati
on as Ash pushes her through the open door. I look away as my aunt slams it in the younger Oracle’s face. The chair is close, so I let myself fall into it, taking another drink of water.

  Ash joins me, crouching in front of me, and I’m surprised to see her anger is gone. She sighs, takes my free hand in hers and squeezes it, fear for me all over her beautiful face.

  “Zo,” she whispers. “Tell me what you saw.”

  I do, all of it, and follow up with the way it felt to fall into the fire. She looks away, sniffs softly, one hand rising to swipe over her cheek. Is my aunt crying? The strongest woman I’ve ever met, tough as nails, really shedding tears? For me, or for our people?

  When Ash turns back, her face is bleak and pale. “I was worried this might happen,” she says. “You’re too damned smart for your own good.” Her smile is weak, but present. She stands, pulling me up beside her. “We don’t have much time. Rena will no doubt run off to her mother or to Sibyl and blab about your event.” I want to ask Ash what happened, but the shape of my body in soot on the floor tells me more than enough.

  “Would I have burned up?” I stare at the outline of my body.

  Ash doesn’t answer that question. “They might not like it,” she says, “but you need to know everything now. Our timetable has been moved up and there’s nothing they can do about it.”

  I meet her eyes, frowning as I watch her open her lighter and flick the wheel. “Wait, what? Who?”

  Ash’s hand tightens on mine. “You’ll see soon enough,” she says. And pulls me into the fire after her.

  ***

  Chapter Sixteen

  We step out of the flames together, into a cool night breeze. I hear the pounding of the surf nearby, but it’s too dark to see the ocean. A small, two-story cottage sits before us, surrounded by an overgrown but welcoming garden, an old wooden swing-set creaking softly on the right. The light is on, enough to cast shadows back from the climbing bushes and long grass that border the small lawn, lighting the path of beach rocks leading to the back door.

  I hold my place as Ash turns to me, her brow tight, but her hand on my arm gentle and supportive.

  “This probably won’t be pretty,” she says, just as the door opens and a handful of people spill out into the yard to stare. I look over her shoulder at the mix of emotion crossing their faces and understand her meaning. One of the men looks so angry I worry he might come after us. He’s big, too, burly through the shoulders, a full beard making him appear bear-like and dangerous.

  I’m not afraid, despite his animosity. I can take care of myself. The flames surface, waiting for me to summon them as I step past Ash and face the six men and women now watching me. At least some of them just seem anxious, whispering to each other while my aunt waves with one of her smug grins.

  “What the hell were you thinking?” The big man’s rumbling voice silences the mutters passed among the others. I feel Ash’s demeanor shift from arrogant to irritated and reach out to hold her back as she snarls back at him.

  “It’s time, Baird.” She snaps his name with familiar temper. “Zoe needed to be read in long ago.”

  I have no idea what she’s talking about, but I have a feeling these people, this situation, are going to change everything about my life. And, privately, I feel a surge of relief, though I don’t yet have any answers. But the feeling I’m trapped in the sanctuary—a feeling I’ve been enduring for the past two years, if not longer—is stripped away. Because I can sense the sorcery in these people and, in a few of the women, the fire. Oracles, escaped from the control of Liander and Sibyl.

  What other explanation is there?

  The big man stomps two steps forward, though he flinches from my gaze when his brown eyes meet mine. Is that fear under his bluster, then? Why is he afraid of me?

  “You’ve ruined everything.” He chops through the air with one big hand, fingers tightening into a fist at the end of the movement. I breathe in the scent of lavender and wild roses and feel an even deeper calm take hold of me, the barest hint of salt from the ocean reminding me of my need to talk to Piers.

  “Oh, hush, Baird.” I didn’t notice her before, though perhaps she’s only just emerged from the doorway. She’s shadowed by the light behind her, caught in the dark space on the step between the glow coming from inside and the illumination over the porch. Still, a shiver runs through me at the sight of her and I hesitate, a frown pulling at my brows. The feeling I know this woman is almost impossible to deny. She steps down into the grass, the barest touch of light over her cheek before both sources are behind her, cloaking her once again in shadow. “I agree with Ash. Zoe belongs here, with us. And it’s time we admitted we need her.”

  Baird backs down, but from his deeply creased scowl I know he doesn’t agree. I keep my attention focused on the woman approaching us, find myself smiling as her features finally come into clarity only a step or two from Ash and me. My chest tightens, air compressing in my lungs as she turns and hugs my aunt, kissing both of her cheeks. She’s smaller than Ash by at least six inches, closer to my height, with my dark, curly hair, my brown eyes.

  “You’re an Oracle. A Helios.” But she’s more than that, I know the truth even as I choke out the words and she turns to smile at me with gentle eyes.

  “Zoe.” Her voice cracks. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

  It can’t be her. She’s dead. I was told she died, when I was very small. But it is, I know the sound of her voice though it’s been years since I heard it and as I stumble forward and hug my mother, I sob uncontrollably and release the pain I’ve held deep inside for so long.

  It’s easy to ignore the renewed whispering while my mother’s arms hold me tight and her lips touch my temple. If I had my way, I would never let her go. But, after what seems like only a moment, she gently pushes me back and I let her, misery and hope and love all hunching my shoulders forward as I savor the scent of roses clinging to me. From her.

  She blinks away tears, touching my cheek with her fingertips, lower lip trembling. “My darling Zoe.” Mother coughs softly before composing her face to calm. “I’ve missed you, my dear.”

  I clear my own throat, rubbing gooseflesh from my arms, feeling suddenly awkward and exposed. Ash joins my mother, stepping back from me, as though forming a line I can’t cross. I look back and forth between them, heart aching while a sizzle of anger wakes and won’t be denied.

  “They told me you were dead.” I believed them, even Ash. Who knew better. The sizzle turns to a slow burn I’m not sure I care to control. Relief spins into fury quickly, so quickly. “You lied to me.” My own mother. Has anyone I loved ever told me the truth? “You’re as bad as Sibyl.”

  She flinches from those words, turning her face from me while Ash sighs.

  “It’s not Leyea’s fault, Zo.” My aunt shoves her hands into the front pockets of her leather jeans. “We all decided it was for the best.”

  “You left me with them.” I’m spitting my hate at my mother suddenly, flames bursting from my fingertips as I lash out verbally, my power wanting to strike her while my mind works through the truth. “All those years, knowing we were being manipulated and controlled. You let me work for them.” I can’t speak further, throat locked. Instead, I hammer my thighs with both fists, more tears coming, pouring down my cheeks, hot with flame, but out of rage. The fire begs to consume me, to carry me away from this agony, and I wish I could just let go and accept its offer.

  “We couldn’t take you out.” My mother’s voice is soft, but it reaches me, so full of anguish my own fury softens a little, enough I regain my focus, to pull back from temptation. “Zoe, if you’d seen what I’ve seen…” she trails off, shaking her head, hands wringing before her. “There is a time and a place, my darling. For everything.” She tries a little, wretched smile, eyes dark with hurt. “You of all should understand that.”

  I do. I’m an Oracle, just like her. I know fate works in mysterious ways. But I just can’t work past the betrayal of my own moth
er abandoning me like this.

  “Zo.” Ash’s tone is dark, but not harsh. “These people, they’re family.” She gestures behind her, my gaze drifting over the watchers. I recognize Helios bloodline markers in the women’s dark hair and eyes. “Family working outside the sanctuary to protect the world from Belaisle and the Brotherhood.”

  The who? I shake my head, wiping at my tears.

  “The sorcerers we work with,” she gestures to Baird and a few others, “were once known as the Steam Union.” Mother’s words trigger memory.

  “Piers?” I lick my dry lips. “Piers Southway. Do you know him?”

  Baird grunts in anger when my mother appears confused. “The boy who’s been hunting us.”

  Understanding lights her eyes. “No, dear one,” she says. “This group are not of his kind. Though there was a time they had association with his people.” Baird nods while my mother sighs. “This is no time for a history lesson. Just know the founder, Josephine Morrow, was unhappy with the way her people were headed and created our branch, moving out here to the coast.” She opens her hands, gestures for the others to come forward. They do, though they stay at least three steps back, wariness in their eyes, the set of their bodies. “She was the first to uncover the sanctuary, to call on Oracles to join with her sect. And some of us did, interbreeding with the sorcerers in her care. This group has only ever been few in number, on purpose, their ultimate aim to protect the family.”

  “From the Brotherhood,” Ash says. “Though, after the initial few left our people, the sorcerer sect cut off the Helios women from contact with the Steam Union, a fact we only just discovered shortly after you were born.”

  My mother’s lips tighten. “I was restless. Spent my days wandering the city, much like you do, Zoe.” She knows? She’s been following me? “I was contacted,” she says. “By Baird and his people.” The big man grunts. “They had dwindled in numbers and in power, had lost their true purpose, though it was he who resurrected Josephine’s true goal—to watch over the Oracles.”