Oracle (10 page)

    
A much
too familiar skittering sound filled the air around them. “Oh no.” Anastasia’s
hand tightened over Simon’s. “Please tell me that isn’t what I think it is.”

    
“If only
I could.” He stared into the forest.

    
“Well,”
Selene looked to Reaper, “looks as though you’re not as imposing a figure as
you imagine you are.”

    
“It
appears these creatures lack healthy respect for a higher power,” he replied.
“Shall we remedy that?”

    
A bow
appeared in Selene’s hands from out of thin air. “Let’s hope we can.”

    
Brandon
giggled. “It’s about time we had some excitement.” He drew a pair of twin
daggers from his waistband. “I was getting bored.”

    
A creature
with brown and yellow striped fur dropped from an overhanging tree into the
path behind them. It was about two feet tall with glowing eyes and bared fangs.
It growled at them. And somehow Anastasia was certain this was the same
creature who had before defied Reaper by staying behind after his fellows had
fled.

    
Five
seconds later this was the furthest thing from her mind as the world seemed to
explode with leaping, hissing, growling beasts. Anastasia screamed as one such
creature landed on her shoulder to shriek in her ear. She threw her hands up to
protect her face. Simon grabbed the beast, cursing as its fangs sank into his
hand, and snapped its neck.

    
Selene
backed away from the thick of the fighting, shooting silver arrows into the throng
with unerring aim. Brandon and
Nephima
, on the other
hand, were more at home in the midst of the chaos. They twisted and turned in
perfect synchronicity, as if they had fought side by side their entire lives.
His daggers moved in a blur almost too swift for the eye to see and she dealt
deadly blows with her katana so smoothly the weapon seemed an extension of her
arm.

    
Lorn
was not faring so well. He’d managed to get himself
separated from the others and though he was fighting fiercely, already he was
running red with blood from bites and scratches. He’d been trained to fight
men, not beasts, and hadn’t fought
anything
since becoming Anastasia’s
bodyguard when she was a child.
  

    
Anastasia
grasped Simon’s arm. “You must help
Lorn
.”

    
“No,” he
said. “I can’t leave you here defenseless.”

    
“I’ll
look after her,” Reaper said. He’d been so silent Anastasia hadn’t even
realized he was standing behind them.

    
Simon
looked as if he didn’t like the idea any better than she did, but she could not
stand by and watch
Lorn
fall when a word from her
might save him. “Go. Please.”

    
After
giving her a tight nod, Simon waded through the furry bodies toward
Lorn
.

    
Reaper
put his arms around Anastasia from behind. She gasped, stiffening. “What are
you doing?”

    
“Creating
a shield.” As he spoke, the air surrounding them took on a faint shimmer.
“Though a rather weak one, I admit. I’ve rarely had cause to use it.”

    
Anastasia
did her best to pretend she was not distinctly uncomfortable with having him
touch her. “It will protect us from the creatures?”

    
“It
should,” Reaper said. “Provided we aren’t attacked en masse. But I believe the
beasts are too busy dying to do so. You have skilled friends.”

    
“I don’t
know as I’d call them my friends.” She hoped the battle would end soon so she
might get away from the feel of his warm breath against her neck. “Simon is, of
course, and
Lorn
also, in a different sort of way.
But the other three I only just met.”

    
“And yet
they’ve join you on this perilous journey to save your life. Curious.”

    
One of
the furry creatures leapt at them and Anastasia shrank back closer to Reaper.
But the shield did its work, bouncing the creature back. It shrieked angrily
and ran off into the woods.

    
Blood was
flying along the path and Anastasia had to look away. She knew killing the
creatures was something they had no choice over, but the sight still turned her
stomach and made her think of her own possible impending death. She squeezed
her eyes shut, but could not close her ears to the sounds.

    
“I know
why Selene came.” Anastasia was hardly aware of what she was saying, speaking
simply to hear something besides the snarls and squeals. “She means to kill me
if the Cataclysm can be stopped no other way. And I’m glad for it. I do not
want my life at the cost of the world.”

    
“Brave
words,” Reaper whispered in her ear. “But I wonder will you feel the same when
all hope is gone.”

    
Anastasia’s eyes snapped open. She twisted her head, trying to look back
at him. “What do you mean? Do you know there’s no hope?”

    
Reaper’s
dark gaze was impossible to read. “I believe the danger has passed.” The shield
around them faded as he stepped away.

    
“Wait.”
She caught hold of his sleeve. “Tell me. Do you know what’s going to happen
when we reach the temple? Do you know what Oracle will tell us?”

    
“You
should see after your guardsman.”

    
Anastasia, realizing she was going to get nothing further from him,
turned to look for
Lorn
. Small, furry, bloody bodies
littered the path. If any of the creatures yet lived, they must have escaped
into the forest.

    
On the
far side of the path,
Lorn
was sitting on the ground
with his back to a tree. Simon knelt beside him while Selene stood nearby. What
the hem of Anastasia’s dress dragged through as she carefully made her way over
to them was something she did not want to even consider.

    
She took
in
Lorn’s
blood spattered chainmail as she crouched
beside him and felt a hitch in her chest. “
Lorn
,” she
laid her hand on his shoulder, “are you badly hurt?”

    
“Not so
badly, my Lady,” he said. “You are well?”

    
“Yes, of
course. Thanks to Reaper.” She glanced over at the higher power, who was standing
away from the rest of them, gazing up at the starless sky.

    
“My
failure shames me.”
Lorn
looked to the ground. “As
your guardian, it is my duty to protect you and I could not do so in the face
of those... creatures.”

    
“You
failed nothing. Look at me.” She put command into her tone, assuring he would
lift his head to avoid disobeying her. “You have done nothing worthy of shame.
I am fine and you fought well against what you have never before faced. I find
no fault in your actions this day.”

    
He
nodded. “As you say, my Lady.” Though it was clear he continued to believe
otherwise.

    
Anastasia
bit back a sigh. “Simon, what of you?” He too was splattered with blood, but
she could not tell whether or not any was his own. “Are you hurt?”

    
“Only my
hand.” He showed her the marks where the creature he’d saved her from had sank
its teeth into the skin around his thumb. “It’s no longer bleeding. Doesn’t
even hurt, really.
Lorn
is the one whose wounds need
binding.”

    
“What
will we bind them with?” Anastasia asked.

    
A
wrapping of white gauze appeared in Selene’s hand. “Use this.” She handed it to
Simon, who set about unrolling it.

    
Anastasia
moved back to be out of the way. Having no knowledge of treating wounds, she
could hardly have helped. Instead, she turned to Selene in an effort to strike
up a conversation. “It is a most impressive power you have, to conjure things
out of the air. Can all higher powers do so?”

    
“It’s not
conjuring.” Selene spoke the word as if it left a nasty taste in her mouth.
“I’m no Magus. I can simply draw what I need to me from wherever is the nearest
source. Even if it be in another realm.”

    
“So
you’re a thief,” Brandon said.

    
Selene
scowled. “I am no thief.”

    
“You take
things from people without their permission and never return it,” he said.
“Sounds like the definition of a thief to me. Not that I have anything against
thieves, of course. You need something, you take it. Makes sense to me.”

    
Selene’s
expression was growing so dark Anastasia thought she should get in-between the
two of them, if only verbally. “Brandon, are you injured?”

    
He looked
down at the blood which was all over everybody except Selene, Anastasia, and
Reaper. “Not in the least. I feel great. Nothing like a good battle to get the
adrenalin pumping. Though I have to say, I usually do my work without getting
all bloody. It’s a refreshing change of pace.”

    
Though
Selene made a face, she said nothing of whatever was on her mind. “If
Lorn
can walk, we best keep moving before those things come
back with reinforcements. Surely we’re near the end of the woods.”

    
“We
should take a couple of these things with us,” Brandon said. “Fresh meat would
be nice.”

    
Anastasia
clamped a hand to her mouth. “You can’t be serious.”

    
“Actually, I’m often serious,” Brandon said. “People just don’t seem to
realize it. I can’t imagine why.”

    
“I hate
to say this,” and by Simon’s expression he hated it quite a bit, “but Brandon
makes a point. Once we’re free of the woods it would be nice to have a little
fire and something warm to eat.”

    
“Can
these things be eaten?” Selene grimaced as she prodded one of the furry bodies
with the toe of her boot. “We don’t even know what they are.”

    
Nephima
advanced on one of the fallen creatures and, with a
quick slice of her katana, removed its head. She then crouched down to have a
look inside. “Looks like any animal to me.” She glanced up at Simon. “Should I
make it portable?”

    
Simon
nodded. “But do it out of eyesight, please. And don’t look so put out, Selene.
Lorn
needs a rest.”

    
Lorn
surely would have protested this, but he had fallen
asleep. Or perhaps lost consciousness, though Anastasia didn’t like to think on
what that might mean. “Yes, a little rest and he’ll be fine.”

    
“I
suppose we could all use a moment’s rest,” Selene said begrudgingly.

    
“Not me,”
Brandon said. “I’m fresh as a daisy.”

    
“So help
Nephima
then and spare the rest of us your chirping,”
Selene said.

    
Never had
Anastasia seen a smile which looked less pleasant than the one Brandon was
giving Selene.
Nephima
laid her hand on Brandon’s
arm. “Carry the creature for me?”

    
“Sure,”
he said, turning away from Selene. “Never let it be said I would shy away from
some heavy lifting.”

    
Anastasia
sat down beside
Lorn
. Though she did her best not to
look at the carnage, she couldn’t escape the smell. It crawled down the back of
her throat and set her stomach to rolling. She doubted she would have to worry
about whether or not one of these beasts would make an appetizing meal, as
eating was the last thing she felt like doing anytime in the near future.

    
“Here,
have some water.” Simon handed her a canteen. “How are you holding up?”

    
“I’m all
right.” She managed to take a few swallows of the water before her stomach
started to protest. “I’ll be glad when we’re free of this place.”

    
“So will
we all,” Selene said, her tone certainly sharper than was warranted.

    
Simon
shook his head. “Must you be so antagonistic to everyone? We’re supposed to be
in this together and all you do is try to pick fights.”

    
“And all
you can do is be everyone’s champion,” Selene said. “I don’t need you to tell
me how to act. In case you’ve forgotten, I recently watched my father die right
before my eyes. I know you didn’t think much of him, but I did. So excuse me if
I’m not a shiny ray of sunshine like that grinning buffoon.”

    
“I’m
sorry,” Simon said, reaching out as if to embrace her, “I know what you’re
going through
is
--”

    
“I don’t
want your sympathy.” Selene stepped back from him. “I think I’ll scout ahead
along the path and see if I can find out how much farther the woods go.”

    
“Be
careful,” Simon said to her retreating back. “This place is dangerous.”

    
“I’m
perfectly capable of looking after myself,” Selene retorted.

    
Simon
sighed. “I know.” But he said the words low and with a defeated slump of his
shoulders.

    
Normally,
Anastasia wouldn’t have hesitated to go to him with an offer of a sympathetic
ear but under the circumstances she thought it better to let him be. Everything
had changed and even though she still loved him as much as if he were her
brother by blood, still she knew something of their relationship had changed as
well. She didn’t like it, but she was going to have to get used to anyway.
Perhaps she wouldn’t even have the time left for it matter. Another thought she
would have preferred to avoid, but one which lurked constantly at the back of
her mind waiting to pounce at every opportunity. The possible briefness of her
life was not a subject she could avoid. No matter how much she might want to.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

    
Daniella
stood beside Richard with her arm threaded through
his. This was a means to keep him restrained, as she could feel his muscles
tight with the desire to do violence upon their cousin. Everyone in the throne
room knew why they were all gathered together. It was left only for the High
Priest to speak the word.

    
“You wish
to make contestation for the throne?” He popped another grape into his mouth as
he gazed down at Charles and Victor who knelt at the bottom of the dais.