Chapter 20
TWENTY
Kallie
Sconces light the previously darkened hallway, showcasing symbols engraved into the stone walls. Only a few light up at a time, leaving holes in whatever story they’re trying to convey.
“This way,” Aslan instructs, breaking the silence. As she heads into the unknown—well, unknown to me—the flames begin moving with her, quickly dimming the entrance with each of her steps. Odeyssa follows without a word, and against my better judgment, so do I.
The retreating light only allows me to catch glimpses as I brush past, the passageway giving me bits and pieces of a tale I don’t understand.
I don’t know whether I’m looking at the beginning, middle, or the end.
However, something calls me to listen, devour the images, trace the grooves of the engravings with all my senses and become one.
But there’s no time.
A set of stairs waits for us at the end of the passageway, leading us farther down into the dungeon.
I watch Odeyssa’s and Aslan’s retreating forms disappear down with the light as I fight with myself to stay upright.
To keep breathing—moving. Ultimately, I’m out of options, and the only thing for me to do is follow them down, even though my mind screams at me to leave.
The damp air clings to my lungs, suffocating, as I near the bottom.
I’m close to catching up with them, but as I round the corner, my steps falter.
A soft, ethereal blue glow bathes the space.
The flames from the sconces are long gone, replaced by a wall of flowing, cobalt water, molecules dancing in the air like living creatures.
At the center of the cave, a stone pillar stands, supporting a floating orb—a beacon of blissful beauty, its light pulsing with a rhythm of its own.
“What is this place?” My question comes out breathlessly, but still, it echoes off the empty space.
“This is where all the answers stay hidden,” Aslan states ominously.
Her stride doesn’t slow until she’s standing on the other side of the mysterious sphere.
She looks up at us expectantly, beckoning us to do the same.
Odeyssa’s eyes meet mine as we both give each other a sideways glance.
However, where hers are entranced—wide-eyed and full of excitement—mine scream at her with uncertainty.
I follow a few paces behind her, noting my surroundings suspiciously, like an invisible dome will pop out of the ground any second, trapping us in here where no one would hear our cries.
A shudder courses through me at the thought.
“Answers to what exactly?” I ask hesitantly.
“To whatever it is you’ve been searching for.
” Her hands begin moving over the top of the orb, eyes rolling to the back of her head, only the whites showing between her lids.
It looks like something ancient and unholy has taken root inside her.
The globe pulses with light, turning stark white, until suddenly, scenes flash inside.
They play out like a movie on fast forward, blinking in and out, only allowing me to track a few images here and there.
Familiar faces come and go—mine being one of them—and for a single moment, the orb zooms in on my chest, giving a very brief—but detailed—look at my necklace.
Instinctively, my hand reaches up to grasp the same one that’s always dangling just past my collarbone.
But it’s not there. In fact, with the shit show that’s been my life, I don’t even remember the last time I saw it.
Odeyssa’s face comes into view, but she stays silent, and the show comes to an end after a few more wisps of pictures play out. But the last scene it leaves us with is the face that haunted my dreams—literally—for years. Callum.
His face is achingly close—too close—and time fractures.
Slows. Like the world itself wants to make sure I see him before it rips him away again.
A cruel trick. One last, lingering look burned into my mind, whether I want it or not.
The glow suddenly fades, leaving the unspoken truth hidden inside the images.
Even as Aslan’s shoulders roll forward, and she releases a sigh with relief, and the story has been told, I’m unable to tear my gaze away.
Something pulls at me to see more, know more, even though I wasn’t told anything at all.
What was it saying? What does it all mean? Finally, I rip my eyes away, looking first at Aslan, who looks like she just went through Hell, then at Odeyssa, whose grin stretches from ear to ear, as if she completely understands what we just witnessed, and I’m the only one being left in the dark.
“Well, that was quite interesting,” Aslan croons.
“Care to share with the class, because I’m lost.” My tone is a bit snippy, but I’m sick and tired of everyone else knowing what’s going on around here and being the last to know—if I ever find out at all. “What was all of that?”
“I’m an oracle. And that was the gods and goddesses telling me what needs to happen next.” She explains it like it’s the most normal thing in the world. To her, it probably is. But she has to know this looks—and sounds—completely insane.
“So, what you’re telling me is not only did you understand whatever it said, but it also has something to do with what we’re doing here?”
“Precisely.”
“And you just so happen to know why we stumbled here in the first place?” I cross my arms across my chest, disbelief coating my words.
“It would be safe to assume I know…everything.” She gives me a pointed look, and all the color drains from my face. I stare at her, unbelieving. There’s no way she could—that seems impossible.
“I think we have some things to discuss.”
“Can someone please explain what you guys are talking about?” Odeyssa chimes in, and I’d almost forgotten she was there.
Disregarding her, my eyes stay trained on Aslan. “Wouldn’t you telling me what happens—or is going to happen—alter the future?”
Aslan chuckles lightly. “There are loopholes to everything, and nothing I tell you will change the trajectory, just simply push you in the right direction.” Eyeing her curiously, I have half a mind to get the hell out of dodge.
Coming here was a mistake. Nobody told me the entire place was full of whack jobs.
“So you see the future?”
“Yes. There are a few avenues the future could hold. Things change, shift all the time. Different decisions can be made, and there can be unexpected…encounters. In this case, however, there’s a pretty clear picture on what will happen in the end.
” I open my mouth to ask another question, but she beats me to it.
“No, there is nothing that indicates you being here will change the way this plays out.”
My brows pull together at her admission. “I’m afraid I don’t follow.”
Odeyssa leans over to the side. “The prophecy.” Although her voice comes out a whisper, she seems excited at the prospect.
“What prophecy?”
The queen walks around the stone pillar and rests her hand on my back, urging me to walk forward.
Odeyssa follows close, eagerly waiting for something to happen, I guess.
But before we get too far, Aslan turns to face her.
“Odeyssa, I think this would be better if Kallie and I had some time to go over everything…alone.” A look of disappointment crosses over her face, but ultimately, she nods her head.
“You can go see what Sintharion is up to. I’m sure he could use your help with something. ”
Quickly, her somber expression morphs to annoyance.
“I’ll leave, but whatever mess he has found himself in is on him.
” As if she can sense my apprehension, she continues, turning to me.
“You’re safe with her. There’s nothing to be afraid of.
And I’ll be outside if you need me.” She pulls me in for a quick hug before disappearing back around the corner where we entered.
“So this prophecy?”
“I think we should have a seat.” She gestures to the small, dark-green loveseat resting against the wall I must’ve missed before.
“Before you start, you said that I should assume you know…everything.”
Her head hangs for a second, a pained expression passing over her features before her eyes meet mine.
“I know you were held. I know what they did to you. I know you are the princess that this whole realm thought perished in that awful fire, and you are the daughter of King Ambroyss. Also”—she places a gentle hand on my knee—“I know you have experienced a lifetime of pain and betrayals that will haunt you.”
My mouth hangs open in shock. “I guess that’s one way of summarizing it.
” But she didn’t mention anything about the lab—the creatures or fae that were trapped inside those tubes.
“Before I escaped, I stumbled upon a room full of…experiments?” How else am I supposed to put it?
It was nothing I’d ever seen before—granted, that’s not saying much because when it comes to Siderium, I’m like a fish out of water.
“I’m aware.” That comment shocks me more than anything. Abruptly standing, I yell at her in outrage.
“What do you mean, you’re aware? You know about all of the crazy, sadistic, inhumane shit that’s going on there?”
“Like I said, the future changes. And I couldn’t do anything about it. I cannot interfere.”
“That’s a copout, and you know it!”
“Your mother couldn’t do anything about it either.” Her eyes glaze over to somewhere far away, but with a shake of her head, they meet mine again. “There are things that we need to discuss. We can’t change the past, but with your help, there is still hope.”
I let out a loud, sadistic laugh. “Hope? How in the world do you see that in all of this carnage?”
“The prophecy,” she says earnestly. Her head tilts toward the seat I was sitting in moments ago, and although I feel the wrath of a thousand suns, I sit back down.
“Bear with me. This is a little lengthy.” She offers a soft smile before continuing.