2. ZARA
ZARA
I stirred as I felt Seth start to slide from the bed.
“Is it morning already?” I wormed my way over to his side and tried to snuggle up to him, but he was already halfway out.
“Go back to sleep, my love, it’s too early for you to get up yet,” he murmured tucking the quilt back around me, and as much as I tried to fight it, I felt myself drifting back off.
By the time I woke up properly it was nearly ten o’clock and he hadn’t come back, so I decided I might as well get up and face the day.
I could hear him in his office talking on the phone with someone when I got downstairs, so I left him to it and headed to the kitchen for my caffeine fix.
I stopped short at the sight of the stranger sitting at the table.
I doubted Seth would have left anyone alone here while he was in his office, so whoever it was must have been able to get past the manor’s wards the same as Gabriel had done.
“I don’t mean you any harm.”
I’d been about to scream out for Seth, but something made me hesitate. Which was stupid, because I was sure that was exactly what someone who meant me harm would say to stop me from screaming for help. But it didn’t feel like I was in any danger.
“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my kitchen?” The penny dropped as I realised that although I could see her, I couldn’t actually see her.
Which could only mean that the Oracle, or rather Raquel, had finally decided to grace me with her presence.
I squinted as I did my damnedest to see through whatever glamour she was using.
She frowned and then her expression cleared as she realised what she was doing.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realise I was doing that, force of habit.
” She stood up and whatever magic she’d been using to shroud herself dropped away.
“Ta-da.” She nibbled nervously on her lip as she waited to see how I’d react.
For someone who’d been around millennia she looked ridiculously young.
If I didn’t know better I’d have said she wasn’t much older than Florence.
Her dark blue eyes, luscious black curls and golden skin were set off to perfection by the white, loose fitting dress she was wearing, and with her delicate features, combined with the fact that she was about five foot nothing tall, anyone who didn’t know better would have easily been fooled into thinking she was harmless.
“Is this the real you I’m seeing, or just the you that you want me to see?” She actually looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place who she reminded me of. I wasn’t even sure if it was her looks that were familiar or if it was just something about her.
“It’s the real me.” She gave me a tentative smile that quickly disappeared when I demanded to know why she was in my home.
“I just felt like I should come. I’ve visited so many people because of you, it seemed only right that we should finally meet.
Especially now you know the truth about me and the Prophecy. Haven’t you been curious about me?”
I stared at her in silence. That was a trick I’d learned from Seth, who always gave me the silent stare until I started babbling whenever he knew there was something I wasn’t telling him. It never failed to work on me, and it looked like I’d nailed it too because she sighed and rolled her eyes.
“Fine. I came to apologise for the things I had to do.” I definitely hadn’t been expecting that.
And I probably shouldn’t believe it either.
“Are you very angry with me?” The last was added in a contrite tone that could have been genuine or could have been calculated to try and win my sympathy.
If it was the latter she was fresh out of luck.
“Very,” I said flatly. “Did you really think I wouldn’t be when you’ve torn my entire world apart?”
“Well, quite apart from the fact that you’re kind of shooting the messenger here, not everything I did was to your detriment, Zara. If I hadn’t schemed to keep you in this realm, you might never have met Seth. You could at least cut me some slack for that don’t you think?”
“Never have met him and never be about to have him ripped away from me,” I shot back. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to have your soul mate taken from you?”
“Well—”
“No. I didn’t think so,” I cut in before she could dare to try and tell me she could imagine how it felt. “I wish I could say I hope you never find out, but you know what? I actually hope you do.”
She flinched but where once I might have felt guilty, now I was glad. I felt my siren powers start to stir and wondered if I’d be strong enough to blast her to oblivion.
“If you want to annihilate me, I’m not going to try and stop you,” she said sadly, as the lights started flickering and the cupboard doors vibrated.
“Maybe it’s no more than I deserve. But just remember this, Zara, you’re the one who’s going to have to live with the knowledge of what you did for eternity.
And take it from someone who knows, that’s a very long time. ”
One of the ceiling lights popped, shards of glass raining down on the floor, and the cutlery started to rattle in the drawers.
“Do you really want to become that person?” Another two lights blew in response.
“I didn’t just come here to apologise. I know how you can delay the Prophecy.”
The rattling stopped instantly, although the lights were still flickering and I could still feel the power swirling around beneath my skin, just waiting for me to unleash it. It wanted so badly to be unleashed.
“Go on.” Before she could say anything else she cocked her head to one side as if she was listening to a voice only she could hear.
“We’ll have to finish this another time. Father is calling for me, and he’ll be angry if he finds out I came here to try and help you. Just tell Seth it’s important that he doesn’t let himself get coronated yet. I’ll come back and explain as soon as I can.”
Instead of the flash of golden light that had heralded Gabriel’s arrival and departure, Raquel simply shimmered and then faded away in front of my eyes.
“Zara? Are you alright? What happened to the lights?” Seth was standing in the doorway looking confused. “Did your powers get out of control again?”
“Nearly,” I admitted. “The Oracle, I mean Raquel was here. She’s gone now.”
He scowled. “What did she want? Hasn’t she done enough damage already?”
“She said she wanted to apologise for interfering in our lives the way she did. She also said she knows how to delay the Prophecy. Her father called her away before she could tell me anything much, all she said was not to let your coronation happen until she’s had a chance to come back and explain.
Maybe that’s the final nail in the coffin or something,” I said hopefully.
“Like it’s not official until you’ve accepted the crown.
Maybe that’s why Gabriel was in such a hurry to get it done. ”
“I suppose that’s not entirely beyond the realm of possibility. Words, blood, action. The power of three is a common feature in a lot of spells, but then going to the Underworld on its own could be taken to be the action part.”
“All the more reason for you to make your father come to you rather than you going there. You can’t set foot in that place until we find out what the repercussions could be.”
“You don’t need to try and convince me, sweetheart.
I’m completely in agreement. I’ve asked Jed to come over because I need to talk to him about something else, but I’ll see what he makes of this too.
And in the meantime,” he shot a rueful look at the little piles of broken glass on the floor, “I’ll go and grab a broom and some new lightbulbs. ”