See How She Falls (2 page)

Then
there was Francesca, she was just a waif of a thing. She sat there drawing
imaginary circles on the floor with her toe. Francesca was downright
unsettling. It was as if she was always in the future and never the present.
Whatever she saw there seemed to weigh down upon her shoulders, crushing her
until her frail body could not even remain upright. A fierce intelligence shone
through her eyes that belied a millennia of secrets.  Then, there was her
Guardian, Eric. His name I knew. He was a domineering bastard, if there ever
was one. Eric loved to push his way into any and every conversation just to
prove how intelligent he was. All he succeeded in doing was pissing everyone
off.   

Feeling
someone’s eyes upon me, I looked up to find Kennan’s gaze locked upon me. He
raised a brow in my direction as if to ask me what the heck was going on. I had
no idea what the Council members wanted, but I would find out.

“So,
you have questions?”  I ventured, to end the oppressive silence.

“We
want to know how it came to be that Isadora was so carelessly taken. Why were
we not called in immediately following her disappearance? We should have been
informed.”  Damali leveled me with her gaze, making me feel like a
petulant child.

“Honestly,
we were so busy trying to figure out how to put an end to the insanity, we
didn’t have time to organize our thoughts. I was thrown into this position, and
I’ve been playing catch up ever since. I assure you, it isn’t a mistake that
will happen again.”  I wouldn’t succumb to bullying. I’d been through far
too much, and knew that I had far more to come. I wasn’t going to add a spoiled
Council member to my list of woes.

“In
the future, we would appreciate being apprised of anything that so wholly
affects Seers,"  Brutus shouted. Seriously, I needed ear plugs around
the man. It was intolerable.

“In
the future, I would appreciate your support. I understand that things are tense
right now. None of us expected Isadora to die. Well, none of us except for,
perhaps, her. Now, we are left with a much larger problem. So, if we can put
our differences behind us for the moment and deal with the problems at hand,
that would be fantastic.” 

“What
problems? We thought that Elaine had been dealt with.”  Francesca’s soft
voice broke me out of my staring contest with Brutus. I really needed to figure
out what his real name was.

“I
was given a warning. It is part of the reason I requested that you join us.
Something is coming. The darkness shall descend and we must be prepared to
fight it.”

“Don’t
be ridiculous,” Francesca murmured. “The darkness is a myth. A terrible story
we tell our children to keep them in line. You are young still. Someday you
will understand how things really are.”  She looked up momentarily, her
empty eyes focusing on nothing, before she turned her attention back to the
circles she was tracing with her toe.

“You
may find it ridiculous, heck you may not even believe me. I get that. I’m
young, I’m new at all of this, and most of all I don’t know the history of our
people. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t the truth. Ren gave me the warning,
straight from the heavens themselves. When God talks, I listen.”  I tried
my best to keep my temper in check. There was no telling what new powers might
manifest if I got too upset.

“It
isn’t that we don’t believe you, dear,” Damali placated. “We just need proof.”

I
stared at all of them for a breath before rolling up the sleeve of my shirt.
I’d kept the runes well hidden since they’d appeared, so they weren’t common
knowledge. As I held my arm out for closer inspection a strange look crossed
their faces. It was half awe, half revolt. I couldn’t make sense of it. All I
did know was that I wished they’d gone away when the other Seers were freed
like I thought they would.

“Is
this proof enough?”  I wanted to see their honest reactions. I needed to
know whether I could trust them to be on my side. I wanted to believe that they
would be able to help me with whatever was coming.

“When
did those runes begin?” shouted Brutus.

“Around
the time the Seers started disappearing. We believed the runes to be somehow
connected to their deaths. Unfortunately, we were wrong,"  Kennan
chimed in.

“Do
any of you have any knowledge of what this darkness is supposed to be, or
further information about the prophecy?”  I needed something from them.

“Don’t
tell me you think you are the Seer to Come?”  Eric’s voice dripped with
contempt.

“All
signs point to yes,"  I deadpanned. I really hated that guy. He was
such an asshat. I had my own issues to deal with. I didn’t need him being all,
“You aren’t allowed at the cool kid’s table,” with me.

“What
evidence do you have to support this?”  Francesca asked slowly.

“My
oath,"  Aberto chimed in, once again appearing out of thin air.

That
was another fun thing that had developed. He could sense whenever I was
becoming upset and would appear randomly to check on the situation. This
stupid, seemingly irreversible connection between us was becoming a nuisance.
It was unnerving and something that I’d been meaning to discuss with him. And
from the look on Kennan’s face at Aberto’s sudden appearance that talk needed
to happen soon.

“Old
One, you have no place in this Council meeting,"  Eric chimed in.

“Don’t
forget your place, Guardian.”  Aberto’s eyes lit up with a cold fire. “My
place is anywhere the Council leader needs me. You doubt her word, you doubt her
actions, and you seem to think she is friendless in our world. Do not
underestimate her, or you will be found wanting.” 

“My
apologies,"  Eric mumbled.

“I
don’t want this to turn into an argument. I’m not trying to debate whether or
not I’m the Seer from the prophecy. Honestly, it would be super awesome if it
weren’t me. What I need from y’all is information. I need to know everything I
can about the darkness, about the prophecy, about what is coming our way. The
only way we are going to be able to survive this is to prepare. Do any of you
have anything at all that might help?”

“All
of our resources are back at our homes. Obviously, our presence here is
unnecessary. We can assist you from there,"  Damali answered snidely.

“If
you think returning to your homes is the best move, then by all means, don’t
let me stop you. But I’m holding you to your word. You say you can assist me
from there, and there better be some assistance coming my way. If not, I can
easily find a new Council. There was nothing left in Isadora’s notes about
retention of Council members.”  I raised an eyebrow, waiting for any of
them to respond.

“We
shall help you in any way we can, Milady.”  Damali’s tone seemed sincere,
but I didn’t have the best track record in judging people’s character.

“If
that is all you can give me, then you are dismissed,"  I said,
turning toward my desk. I wanted them gone. I was tired of wearing the
contacts, I was tired of worrying about what new talent may develop in their
presence, and most of all, I was tired of trying to fill the role of Council
Leader. I was exhausted beyond belief.

“May
the gods shine favorably upon you,"  Brutus shouted as they made
their exit.

Chapter
Three

I
waited until I heard the door shut to look up. When I did, I found Kennan and
Aberto both staring at me. I decided it was time for some answers; answers I’d
been waiting on for weeks. I needed to understand what Aberto was. I’d been
struggling, trying to understand what I was becoming, and I knew, without a doubt,
that his secret held some of the answers I sought.

“Kennan,
I need to speak with Aberto alone for a moment.”  I pleaded with my eyes.
I knew that my request would just add to the tension brewing between us, but I
could only deal with one problem at a time.

“If
that is your wish.”  Kennan’s voice came out strained through gritted
teeth.

“I
need answers.”  That was all I could give Kennan. Any more explanation,
and he would once again begin to fret over my well-being. Lately, he had been
either distant or smothering, never just the Kennan I was used to.

“I
will wait right outside the door. Please come and get me when you are
finished.”  Kennan left without sparing me another glance. It hurt deep in
my chest that things were so off with us. I just didn’t know how to make him
believe that my changes didn’t change how I felt about him.

“I
need to know the truth,"  I choked out. I knew that Aberto had been
keeping a lot of secrets from me, and I also knew that he said I would regret
knowing the truth.

“Can
we sit?”  Aberto’s gruff voice sounded from behind me.

“Sure.” 
I swallowed deeply, not wanting to address the other issues at hand.

“What
would you like to know?” he asked, after we had arranged ourselves in the two
wingback chairs close to the fireplace.

“What
are you? I only ask, because I want to understand what is happening to me. In
order for me to do that, I think I need to know all that I can about
you.” 

“Are
you sure that you want the truth. It is not a pretty tale, Izzy. This is a tale
of shame, of a curse that I carry with me through the rest of time. Modern
Seers and Guardians have forgotten the truth. The Guardians revere Old Ones as
the beginnings of their lineage. They have painted us as their guides, their
source of wisdom. Which is what we have made them believe over thousands of
years. The truth is far uglier. No one, aside from those cursed, knows the
truth. Are you sure this a burden you wish to bear? It is a secret that I would
ask not be shared with anyone, not even your Guardian.”

“I
need to know, Aberto. If that means I have to keep a secret, so be it. It isn’t
like I’m not already keeping stuff from him.”  I closed my eyes and pulled
in a deep breath, trying to chase away my sadness. I opened my eyes slowly,
trying to convey in mere seconds what could take an eternity to say. “Please, I
need the truth.”

“The
truth.”  Aberto paused. “The truth may be easier to show you than to tell
you. Will you come with me?”  He reached his hand out to me, pleading with
his eyes.

“Where?” 
I asked.

“I
want to take you back to the beginning, the dawn of the Guardians. If you wish
to know me, to truly understand what it is that I am, then you must see it for
yourself.”

“Okay.” 
I reached my hand out and entwined my fingers with his. Immediately, I was
ripped into the dreaming, or vision, or whatever it was. I really missed the
days when I just had one or the other.

“Where
are we?”  I whispered, afraid my voice may draw unwanted attention.

“We
are in the place where it all changed, the moment I became what you see before
you now.”  Aberto said, pointing towards a much younger, less troubled
visage of himself. “This is the culmination of my fall. This, Izzy, is the man
I used to be. The man I would still be if it weren’t for the wisdom of the
gods. We are on the island of Santorini.”

“Why
are we here, and maybe more importantly, when are we here?”  I questioned
Aberto. Nothing looked remotely familiar. The beautiful buildings I associated
with Santorini were nowhere to be seen.

“The
year is 1645 BC, and we are here because I did not heed the warnings whispered
by the gods. If I had, these people would still be alive.”  I turned to
look at Aberto only to find a darkness staring back. “I was arrogant, and in
that arrogance, I failed them.”

“What
do you mean?”

“I
will show you.”  Aberto led me closer to his younger self. As soon as we
were within earshot, he pulled me to a stop. “Listen.”

I
did as he asked. I stood rooted to the ground, my attention rapt as the scene
played out before my eyes. Aberto stood talking to several men that appeared to
be similar in age. Scanning the group, I counted seven, all listening intently
to the words coming from Aberto.

“We
must not interfere, that is the role of the Seers. If they have not given us
the direction, we cannot move," Aberto declared. His voice resounded
throughout the group, carrying with it a confidence that would not be refuted.

“If
we do nothing, they will die. We were given the vision Aberto, are we not meant
to use it?”  A man asked, timidly questioning Aberto’s guidance.

“If
the gods wanted us to act, do you not believe they would have given us a firm
resolve? Yet, here we stand, unable to decide. The gods would have guided us
firmly had this been their purpose.”  Aberto seemed determined to sway the
men away from action.

“It’s
as he says. Aberto’s wisdom has guided us without fault thus far, we should put
our faith in him that he will not lead us astray.”  With that the men all
seemed to come to some sort of agreement. All but the one that had questioned
him earlier. He seemed to doubt the wisdom in Aberto’s words.

“I
don’t understand, you were just doing what you thought was right.”  I
turned toward my Aberto, trying to make sense of what I had seen.