The Last Oracle (41 page)

They landed along the southern coast of England with its dramatic cliffs, and were transferred by limo to a nearby inn. That night, Valeria slept soundly in their Victorian-styled bedroom, dreaming of springtime at Morgana.

The next morning, she sat in the lobby, sipping her herbal tea and longing for coffee. The windows around the grand hotel permitted a view of the English garden and countryside. She was warmed by the golden glow of the magnificent fireplace that was wide enough for a five-foot log. She needed that bit of warmth as it was still mid-winter in this part of the world and a light snow had fallen during the night. The snow created a mystical quality as the white of the ground kissed the misty curling wisps of white and gray over the sea.

Despite this new excursion, Valeria could finally envision their perfect world—without fear or death or loneliness. Having just moved into her third trimester, she was having fun tickling the baby’s feet and knees as they pushed out from the now cramped quarters of her belly. Valeria would grab whatever protruded and could feel the baby squirm, imagining her laugh, feeling so joyful and loved.

There was something special about being here—the place where Alex had spent most of his adolescence learning from the wise Myrdd. Valeria hoped that they would find the answers and freedom they so
desired. Then she heard the familiar voice from behind her and sighed as her wonderful fantasy ended.

“Alex, you are going to listen to this crazy old man when he tells you that you must again place Valeria in danger?” Paolo spat, angrily.

She sipped her warm tea and tried to concentrate on the fire so that she didn’t have to listen. But, by then, Paolo had sat down on the leather sofa facing her, forcing her into their discussion. Alex slid onto the couch next to her and she turned into him and put her arm over his shoulder.

Alex smiled briefly and lifted a hand toward Myrdd. “I do see Paolo’s point—although we don’t know that there is any danger in this journey.” He patted Valeria’s leg.

“What is the purpose of this? What was the purpose of the last fiasco? If not for my intervention, Kristiana would have killed Valeria,” Paolo continued crossing his legs and sitting back, confident that he’d made his point.

Suddenly, Alex was distracted by a strong kick against his arm that came from Valeria’s stomach. He smiled before returning his attention to the intense conversation. Alex wanted to point out that, although it had been Paolo who stopped the initial attack, Max had played a major role in saving Valeria. But Myrdd had said that Paolo was necessary and Alex would not antagonize him by presenting what he saw as fact.

“All that was required was accomplished,” Myrdd said with his booming voice.

Mani and Lita joined them and so Alex looked to Mani for support.  

“There is something Cassandra must do,” Myrdd said calmly.

Exploding with impatience, Paolo leaned forward and nearly yelled, “What do you mean with your cryptic messages, old man? You expect us to perceive
that
as wisdom and then I should be willing to risk
her
life. You must give us some reason to believe you.”

Myrdd nodded patiently. “It is not for you to believe or understand. It is all for the protection of the last oracle.”

“And yet, you continue to endanger her!” Paolo raged.

“Yes, it is her path,” Myrdd said.

Valeria looked at Paolo and Myrdd and suddenly thought that she might find some resemblance, but then she changed her mind. Paolo did look quite a lot like Max. The issue with Paolo and Kristiana presented an interesting conundrum. If Myrdd or Max—both oracles—and Kristiana—a mortal, albeit a sorceress—could produce an immortal child, then perhaps Alex and Valeria’s child could be immortal, too. If Valeria remained mortal and her child was immortal, then Valeria would be the only one to age.

But if Valeria somehow became immortal, and her child was mortal, it would be difficult to watch her own child age past her. Perhaps, Valeria thought—just perhaps—she was asking too much to have them both be immortal like Alex. After a life of living disconnected and feeling alone, she finally had a family she loved and would fight for. She had a love that ran to the core of her being and defined her. And now, they were going to have a child—which had been
an impossibility in the world of oracles. For her and Alex to live with their child was certainly so much more than she had ever dreamed her life might be.

“Where are we going?” Valeria asked.

Myrdd’s face clouded as he stared at Alex. “The face in the stone…”

“Now they call it Tintagel,” Alex said.

∞

Their limo wound along the narrow, wintry road following the English cliffs; periodically, they would see older homes with their quaint thatched roofs. Myrdd sat quietly and then he turned to Valeria and said, “You must waste no time. When you find it—you must open it immediately! You must remove it—do you understand?”

Valeria glanced at Alex and then said, “Myrdd, what is it that I’m supposed to remove?”

Myrdd’s eyes clouded. “I...I’m not certain...”

“And
this
is the man who we are entrusting with Valeria’s life?” Paolo said to no one in particular.

“You said that I mustn’t waste time,” Valeria said.

Myrdd nodded. “Yes...that is correct...there is no time to lose...” Myrdd looked around and mumbled to himself, “I must keep my wits about me.” He took a deep breath. “What was it that you asked?”

“You said that there was something that I needed to remove,” Valeria said laying her head on Alex’s shoulder and then lacing her fingers with his, wondering if this excursion was a mistake.

“Oh, yes…oh, yes.” He thought for a moment. “You will know... But do not waste time! You must remove it at once...that is vital. Do you understand Cassandra?”

“I think so,” Valeria answered.

They arrived at the ruins of Tintagel castle and walked along the tourist trails. Myrdd took no interest in the tourist phenomena and hurried along a trail that was at first the main path into the castle, but then diverted his direction toward a coastal trail that was not commonly followed during the winter.

Undeterred by large waves that lapped at them, or signs that advised of falling hazards, Myrdd continued quickly along the trail. The land jutted out to the sea, giving them a spectacular view of the ruins.

“See the face in the stone?” Alex said as he pointed at the cliff below the ruins; it had a distinct face carved in it over the years by wind and salt and sea. The cliffs reminded Valeria of an old movie called,
Widows’ Peak
where the women plunged themselves off the rocky cliffs and into the violent sea in an effort to reunite with their lost loves. She shivered.

“We don’t have to do this,” he said, taking her into his arms.

“I’m...fine,” she said and nodded toward Myrdd.

Paolo followed along the trail occasionally complaining as if his considerations were of the utmost importance. As they made their way around a sharp inlet, the trail rose at a steep pitch. Valeria glanced down and watched the violent throws of the waves as they at first crashed and then snarled around the rocky inlet. Below them was a cave at the base of the cliff that was partially filled with water. Finally, Myrdd stopped and Valeria saw two ancient carvings on the cliffs.

Myrdd ran his fingers over one of the carvings of the labyrinth with its seven circles to the center. “The Walls of Troy!” he said with finality.

“It hasn’t changed much in 3,000 years,” Alex said.

Valeria was taken aback by Alex’s statement. “You know about this?”

He nodded as he appreciatively brushed his fingers along the carving on the right. “I created this one.” Then he pointed to the one on the left. “That one was already here when I arrived—I assume Myrdd carved it.”

“Not I...Apollo.”

“Apollo?”
Valeria asked.

Suddenly, Myrdd looked out toward the sea and his lips pressed together in a thin line. His eyes gazed dreamily at the water. “If I live, I would like to see her again,” he said softly. Then the clouds returned to his eyes and he sank to his feet, wrapping his arms around his legs.

Instantly, Valeria felt a shadow cast over them. In a moment of sudden clarity, she felt the hopelessness of the situation, yet she knew that her path had already been chosen. Myrdd appeared completely disconnected, as if he had used every ounce of focus he could muster and now had to await the outcome.

“Val?” Alex asked, concern lacing his voice.

Turning away from Alex, she ran her finger around the carving. “It’s seven circles to the center. If we do this right, we get the snake that eats its tail.” Her finger traced the infinity symbol in the middle of the carving. “We get an eternity!” She forced a smile to her face. “Only seven circles to an eternity with you!” Then she wrapped her arms around Alex—suddenly afraid to let go. It would all be different soon.

She shivered as a cold wind whipped over the coast and Alex said, “At least it isn’t as cold inside the cave.” Before releasing him, she brushed her hands over the side of his face and then through his hair, savoring the moment and creating a memory.

“You know I adore you,” she said, as tears flooded her eyes.

“We’ll be on our way to Puerto Rico in no time!” he said. But she could tell by the look in his eyes that he didn’t believe it either. A tear streaked down her face and he brushed it away.

“We can turn around,” he whispered. “It’s not too late.”

She bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment. “This...this is our path,” she sighed.

There were steps carved into the sandstone. Alex turned to Paolo. “You go first. I’ll help Val. But if you could, please give her a hand up.”

Paolo lowered his eyebrows in irritation. “Of course I would help Valeria!” Then he climbed up the six steps.

“I don’t need any help,” Valeria said to Paolo, as she climbed up the stairs. But the fact was that she was grateful that Alex stood behind her and Paolo was at the top. Her balance wasn’t what it used to be.

Once Alex reached the top, he pulled Valeria into his arms and kissed her. “Gorgeous view here,” he said, standing on the narrow ledge.

Paolo grumbled, “Let’s get this over with so that we can return to some semblance of sanity.”

Alex pulled three flashlights out of his backpack and handed one to Paolo, who headed off into the cave; he handed another one to Valeria.

“Sometimes, there are bats in the cave’s entrance. Paolo’s probably already scared them off, but why don’t we give him a minute.” Alex held her behind him. Satisfied that the bats weren’t an issue, he stepped inside the cave. She took a moment and, instantly, the musky moisture of the cave filled her senses as the dark absorbed them. She saw Alex’s light move rapidly up as he disappeared from sight. Then she heard struggling.

“Alex?”

“
Val, run!
” he shouted. But she was frozen. She held her flashlight up, but the movement was so rapid she couldn’t determine what was happening. Then she heard the unmistakable sound of a woman’s growling and grunting—
Kristiana!

“I’m not leaving you!” Valeria said as she tried to shine a light on Alex and Kristiana. Where was Paolo? She backed away from the struggle, uncertain whether to move back toward the entrance, or further inside the cave. She raised her flashlight to use as a weapon, but as soon as she did, she could no longer see them.

“Alex!”
Valeria cried.

In the darkness, she could only see an occasional flash of what she was certain was Kristiana’s dagger, captured by the sunlight that was filtering into the cave. Valeria tried to determine what exactly was
happening and how to help, but with the few inches of coverage from her flashlight, and their rapid movement, she couldn’t determine what to do. Then she saw that Alex had Kristiana pinned against the wall. He turned to Valeria as Kristiana fought him like a wild animal.

“Run, Val! Please!” he pleaded.

“I’m not leaving you,” she said.

“Please!”

Valeria began to move toward the entrance and nearly tripped. She shined the flashlight behind her and saw Paolo lying against the wall with a bloody hole in his chest.

Suddenly there was something obscuring the light at the cave’s entrance and Valeria recognized Myrdd standing tall. “Run, Cassandra!” He pointed into the cave.

Kristiana struggled away from Alex and ran with the dagger toward Valeria and Myrdd.

“No!”
Alex yelled, as he grabbed Kristiana, but her forward movement was too fast and instantly, Alex, Myrdd, and Kristiana went over the ledge outside the cave. She could hear the thuds of bodies, and the distinct sound of a body slamming against the rocks that jutted from the cliff, falling over a hundred feet to the sea below.

Stunned and terrified, Valeria moved toward the entrance. Well below them, she saw Myrdd’s body on a rock as the waves crashed over him. Valeria glanced around the water for Alex, but didn’t see him.

She stepped outside the cave, onto the narrow ledge and there Valeria saw Alex face down and unconscious on the ledge below. She glanced around nervously.
Where was Kristiana?