Cursed (32 page)

“Well, not exactly.”

“How can you not exactly be pregnant?” Gabe was quickly becoming agitated with the conversation.

“She is going to get pregnant and the child she has will be the prophet.” Uri tried to explain, realizing he wasn’t shedding any light on the situation.

“Do you know how crazy you sound?”
 
Gabe worried his friend may have lost his connection with reality during their time apart.

“No, now hear me out.
 
When Rampart was destroyed, they captured the Oracle.
 
All these years we assumed she had been killed during the attack, but Haim and I picked up on some intel that they had been using her for information.” Uri elaborated.

“Why does it not surprise me that she has been giving information to the enemy?” Gabe snarled.

“That’s not fair, Gabe.
 
She has been their prisoner all this time.
 
We have no idea what they have put her through.” Uri pleaded.

“I suppose.” Gabe conceded.
 
“So what did she share?”

“That’s how we found out about the girl.
 
The demons had already located her and they were heading in for the kill.
 
We managed to grab her and run just before they arrived.
 
Needless to say she has been struggling with all of it.
 
Unfortunately we did have a couple of demon run-ins that forced her to understand all too quickly what kind of war she’s in the middle of.
 
It’s been a long road just to get here.”

Gabe didn’t like the direction the conversation was heading.
 
“And what does this have to do with me?”

“Well, I just thought…” Uri stammered, surprised by Gabe’s reaction.
 
“With us finding her and the prophecy, I just thought this would change things.”

“You must have forgotten one part of that prophecy.
 
If this girl’s baby lives, I die.
 
That means you just thought you would come back here and I would be happy to march off to my death.
 
I may not be afraid to die Uri, but that doesn’t mean I want to!”

“Well no, it isn’t like that.” Uri insisted.

“Then what is it like?”

“We’ve tried everything to hide her but they always seem to find us.
 
I was running out of options.
 
I just thought with the prophecy you would… I don’t know, somehow know what to do.” Uri pleaded.

“I’m not a Guardian anymore Uri, I left that life.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry…” Uri replied, the uncomfortable silence growing between them.
 
“I’ll go and tell her.” Uri said standing and walking to the door.

“Wait!
 
What?
 
Did you bring her here?” Gabe asked, infuriated.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.
 
I didn’t think it would be a problem.”

“Well it is!
 
She needs to go.
 
You both do.”
 
Gabe suddenly felt threatened, like the safe place he had worked so hard to build was slipping away.
 
The life he had left was trying to pull him back in.
 
A life that had promised his death.

“I’m sorry, we’ll go.” Uri said shamefully as he bowed his head and opened the front door.

There in the doorway stood a young woman.
 
She obviously had been listening in on the conversation, or at least attempting to.
 
Her hair was brown and shoulder length, she had it pulled back in a tight band at the nape of her neck; a couple wild strands fell in her face.
 
When the door opened, her cheeks had immediately flushed red.
 
Her lips were full, her nose petite, and Gabe thought her large, almond shaped eyes looked almost as if they had been painted on they were so exaggerated in size and color.

“Hello…” she whispered, looking over Uri’s shoulder at the stranger.
 
“I’m Rachel.”

Gabe didn’t know what to say.
 
He wanted his safety back, he wanted them both gone right away but it was also clear she was scared.
 
He smiled slightly and replied, “Hi Rachel, I’m Gabe.
 
Why don’t you two come in and rest for the night.”

Gabe didn’t want to be pulled back into his old life, but he also knew there was no way he could send his dearest friend and a scared, demon-hunted girl into the night.
 
They would simply have to leave first thing in the morning.
 
Gabe took another look at the small creature and wondered if allowing her into his home might just be the biggest mistake he had ever made.