Betrayal (42 page)

“I don’t remember what I felt then, Beth, but I’m sure that I didn’t look for a relationship with Gerald. It just couldn’t be helped. It wasn’t intentional. ”

“How could you know this now?” Bethany looked at me incredulously.

“I don’t know how I know,” I lied. “I just know that’s all.”

“Well you knew then. You knew, and understood the consequences and you knew that the union between you and Evan was imperative to our future. It still is.”

“Don’t forget the part when you threatened to tell Evan.”

Silence. Ah, the missing chapter from the book of Bethany.

“How do you know that? Did Gerald tell you that, or are you remembering it?”

“No he didn’t. I guess my memory is coming back after all.” I would never tell Bethany about my diaries. I suppose best friends did keep secrets from each other, sometimes.

“I was protecting my brother. But I guess you’ve made your choice.” Bethany’s eyes narrowed and a scowl emerged on her heart shaped face. Her expression was lethal.

“I’m not saying that I’m making any choices because as far as I’m concerned I don’t feel anything for either Gerald or Evan right now, but it would ultimately be my choice.” I proclaimed. I wished that I could scream it from the peaks of the Sierra Mountains.

“Oh grow up, Cordelia, and realize one thing; your loyalties are to this family. You are the Empress of the Ischeros, the divine daughter of Zeus, and that won’t change. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“Does that mean that I don’t have any right to choose who I fall in love with?”

“We don’t have to choose. We are drawn to our matches, and are destined to be with our matches. It’s a feeling, a connection so strong that no other feeling or attraction could break it. The connection is permanent, and what the gods have set into motion. Besides, you already made your choice, the correct one. My brother did nothing but love you in return.”

I said nothing, and the room was hushed again. I felt like I was a hostage, stowed away in this huge mansion, with my heart already claimed. I knew what Bethany was saying was true, because I had read my own words of love and devotion for Evan, yet my brain, without the actual precious memories of feeling and knowing the love that pulsed between Evan and I, couldn’t comprehend the idea of a forced union whether the both of us had really accepted it or not. Bethany broke the silence, and I was forced to focus on her again.

“If you continue frequenting with the wrong kind, you will get us all killed. We are all here to protect you. Being out of this house on your own is extremely perilous. You are also putting Gerald in danger. Victor will go after anyone and will use anyone to get to you. ” Bethany reconfirmed. I hadn’t actually thought about that possibility. “Delia, please trust me. I don’t want to sound like your guardian, or a parent, but this is for your own good and for the survival of our people. Your relationship with Gerald, whatever it was, is over, and has been since before you left. So leave it at that. It was a mistake to begin with. You are in love with Evan, and were planning to marry him, not Gerald Bergnum. Evan is your fiancé.” Bethany declared. Trust her? Bethany was out of her freakin’ mind.

“I've known you for two years, and honestly, Bethany, I don't know who you are anymore. I'm starting to believe that I never really knew you. I don't know that I can trust you, Beth. You should have just told me the truth from the very beginning when I was brought back here. I don’t know why you felt like you needed to treat me like some infant. I could’ve handled it.”

“I was trying to make things easier, and make things right. Unlike you, who was out having your cake, and having a taste as well. You were playing a dangerous and selfish game that would only end badly. And you are doing it again now. We can only be with one of our own. You are behaving like a slut Cordelia.”

How could she call me a slut? Gerald and I never… “Well I guess it takes one to know one.” I hissed,

“Pardon me?” Bethany asked, innocently. The act was a waste. I knew what she had done, and I wasn’t about to spare her feelings.

“Gerald and I have never done anything but kiss. But you… you and Victor. You…and Victor?” I stammered.

The blood flooded Bethany’s face as the heat reached her eyes – pure horror. She knew exactly what I was getting at. Silence engulfed the parlor.

Bethany fell into the chaise lounge, hung her head over the back of the sofa, allowing her face to fall over the side, and then cried. She sobbed like a lost child. I felt awful. I had only wanted to hurt Bethany because she had hurt me.

I sat down beside her, and said nothing as I patted her shoulder, trying desperately to comfort her after taking her to the point of tears. The room was quiet except for Bethany’s heavy sobs. I honestly didn’t remember ever witnessing Bethany cry like this. This was a pivotal moment. I just wished that I wasn’t the culprit.

“Are you alright? I didn’t mean to…” My insides ached for her.

“But you did.” Bethany looked up at me with glassy sky blue eyes and a tear stained face. “How did you know? It happened while you were in the future.” In the future?

“Yesterday, you were sitting exactly where you are sitting now, and you were thinking about it, and I read your thoughts.” Bethany’s face went ash gray to pale white. “I didn’t mean to. I was suddenly able to. I heard what you were thinking. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to intrude on your thoughts.” I tried to explain, but I was a jumble of nerves juggling words.

“When we came back?”

“Yeah, from buying the fabric for our gowns. You were reflecting on what Sacha had said to you about you knowing Victor very well.” Bethany nodded and gulped all at once. It was true, and she was humiliated.

“I love Nikolas. I would never knowingly hurt him.”

“Knowingly?”

“I didn’t know I was in bed with Victor until it was over.”

“Huh?”

“That’s when he exposed his true self to me. I know what you’re thinking.” I was thinking that I had no idea what she was talking about. How could she not know who she is with?

“I don’t understand. How could you not know that it was Victor?” Bethany sighed, sat up, and began to explain. “There was a battle ensuing here in the now while you, Nikolas, and I were in the future the night before you were hit by the jeep. Nikolas was needed and was called back by Evan to battle Victor’s disciples who had targeted the children of four of the families. They were being held hostage for a trade for you.” Bethany paused and pulled out a handkerchief to blow her nose. She even did that with a dainty flair.

“I stayed in the future to guard you. Nikolas was gone for just a few hours, or so I thought. I was in my bed when Nikolas came to me. I had been worried about him and couldn’t sleep. I had been overjoyed with his safe return, and well we made love that night… for the… first… time, but –”

Bethany had to pause again. Her lower lip trembled as she tried to speak. “But, it wasn’t… Nikolas.” Bethany broke down all over again. I was heartbroken for her although I was still a bit confused as to how Victor was Nikolas or how Nikolas was Victor. All I got so far was that her first time was with Victor, the boy she loathed indefinitely, and not with her soul mate. I was crying too. Something that sacred, should never be exploited.

“It was Victor, and he had staged the whole kidnapping of the children perfectly. He knew that Evan would seek his strongest disciples, and he knew he took a chance in believing that only one of us would be called on and the other would have to stay behind to protect you. Somehow he had known that it would be Nikolas. Somehow he found out which point in time Nikolas and I were hiding you. He knew once he found us, he would find you, and then kill you.” The information was incredible.

“So that’s how Victor found me.”

“Yes. While we were… in bed, he was Nikolas and he asked where you were. I thought nothing of it. I told him. I told Victor …where you were. You were killed the following afternoon.” Bethany broke into sobs again.

I hugged her, and her tears flowed onto my shoulder. She was a mess of quivers, and now I understood why she was always full of angst. The poor thing was wracked with guilt.

“I’m so sorry Cordelia. I should have known. He shifted into Nikolas. He used Nikolas’ body, but only his body, not his mind. He looked exactly like him, spoke like him, and even kissed like him. I was a fool. The empire is in peril because of me, and no one knows it.”

“And no one ever will.” I vowed. Bethany looked at me, and sobbed even harder. She cried for a minute, and looked up at me. “I’m so pleased that we are friends again, sisters as before.”

“Me too, sis.” I smiled broadly. I wanted to cheer her up, but didn’t know how to, then something struck me.

“How is Victor able to change into another person?”

“It is one of the gifts which he has acquired. Victor has developed a power that is above what was expected of him. Some of us are gifted with a special device, and Victor has the gift of the Chameleon. We are all baffled by his growth in power. He has surpassed the magnitude of power that he should have, and has done this without killing another Ischeros after your parents. He is extremely powerful. The other families are aware of this gift because he has used it before.

“Does Victor have to Glamour the person?”

“No, but he has to have wounded them once. He only loses it when the person he is impersonating looks him in the eye.”

“When did he wound Nikolas?”

“When we were children, and we were all a happy family.” Bethany said gazing up at the patterned ceiling as if she was reminiscing about the good old days. “Nikolas and Victor were seven years old and training. Victor accidently wounded Nikolas in a mock sword fight. Nikolas still has the scar; a small nick right below his chest. Who would have ever expected Victor to be a Chameleon, or expect him to use the gift so cleverly?”

“Is there anyone that he can’t impersonate?”

“Oh yes,” Bethany assured. “Anyone with a higher grade of power, that leaves Evan and you.”

We were both quiet for a while. After a few moments, Bethany grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “I’m exhausted. I’m going to go up for a nap. I’ll see you at dinner.”

She was up and headed for the foyer.

“Sure.” I said. “But before you go, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“How do you know that’s it’s really Nikolas when you see him now?” I watched Bethany’s lower lip quiver, and I knew that I shouldn’t have asked. “I’m so sorry Beth, I’m just curious.”

“No it’s alright, really.” She sauntered toward me. “Ever since that night I’ve asked Nikolas to answer a riddle that only he and I know the answer to. We change the riddle every time he leaves me. He doesn’t know the real reason why we do it, but I… never want to doubt that it’s Nikolas again. I know it sounds silly but…” I remembered the first time I saw them together after arriving in the past. Bethany had asked Nikolas a question before embracing him, and he had answered it. I would have never thought that this was the reason for the riddle. I guess it made sense. It was so sad.

“No it’s not silly at all. It’s genius.” I said. Bethany nodded, and headed to her bedroom. “Look about this afternoon, I want you know why I went to see Gerald.”

“Stop. It’s understandable Delia. You’re curious. In all honesty, if I were in your satin shoes, I would be too.” Bethany said, with a glimpse of a smile.

“Don’t let me keep you.” I said. With a short nod, Bethany was gone.

I exhaled and plopped down on the chaise lounge. Within a few minutes, I decided to do the same, and went up to my bedroom. I didn’t need a nap, just some time alone to think. I witnessed an entirely different side of Bethany today, and it was heart breaking, yet refreshing. I hoped that our talk would make things less stressed between us. I needed a friend.

Just then, Winston came to mind. I needed to speak with him. I would have to arrange for another meeting with Gerald. I would really be pressing my luck with leaving the house again, but I had no other options. I could either sit idle and wait for my memory which may never come back, or have Winston fill me in on everything he knew about me, the family, and whatever else there was. My mind was made up.

I leaned back, stretched my legs out on my chaise, and closed my eyes and tried to relaxed. When I opened them again I noticed some movement in my peripheral. By the French doors to my veranda, a tall, beautiful woman robed in what appeared to be white silk, blew in with the temperate breeze. She looked like a glowing angel, well what I expected an angel would look like. Had I fallen asleep? I bat my eyelashes a few times just to be sure that I hadn’t fallen asleep to another strange dream. She appeared closer this time, about a foot or so away from my chair. She was real, I think. It was further confirmed when she spoke.

“Do you remember me?” She asked in a voice that sounded almost symphonic, and was just above a whisper. I knew that I had seen her before, and wondered when and where. The glow surrounding her began to dissipate as she moved closer to me. She was now standing right in front of me, only a few inches away.

“Yes. You are the Goddess Athena.” She stood regal, minus the helmet and shield.

“We are sisters, you and I, and it is time that you return to us. It is within yourself that you will find the answers, young empress. You have the strength were you lack the aspiration. No other being has the ability to assist you. Everything stems from you through your father. Zeus wishes you to embark upon this alone.” Athena was looking down at me with intent in her luminous eyes.

“You are the leader of the Ischeros, our earthen empire, and descendants of the Olympians. The empire stands to perish without your strengths.

Everyone in your kingdom is aware of this certainty. Hades’ disciples search for the strongest in power. He knows that his disciples are close to finding this high power. That high power is you. Hades is driving his disciples hard, and has dispatched another battalion. It is imperative that you accept all that you are destined to be for your soul is in grave danger, as are the souls of the members of the empire. In a matter of days your soul will be snatched away from this earth, and sent to the Underworld, if you do not make the realization.”