Sacrifice of the Septimus: Part 1 (Afterlife saga Book 7) (9 page)

“It’s just a fucking room Keira, get a grip!” I said getting angry with myself. But that’s where I was wrong. It wasn’t just a room at all. It was a symbol of the unsuspecting destruction that was waiting in the shadows for us to walk past. Aurora was still out there on her pursuit for world domination with her Uncle Cronus. The prophecy still loomed right alongside the threat of the apocalypse they wanted to bring with them, punishing the Earth and all who inhabited it.

If anything it just felt like borrowed time and as we were forced to wait there was nothing to do but live as though none of it were true. We all knew it was coming but not knowing when was almost as bad as if we did. And with the Oracle still missing that also meant so was our only link to the Fates.

With nothing to do but act the part then that’s what we did and now was no exception. So with this in mind I decided I couldn’t do that in a towel, no matter how funny Pip would no doubt find it. I got dressed in stonewash jeans that flared around the leg but were tighter around the bum and I was glad I skipped breakfast or I would have had to have gone back in there to get another pair. I grabbed the top I had pulled off the hanger and ripped off the tag that was still attached holding it up to see it in more detail. It was a sweater made from thin lightweight material with long sleeves that hung from the shoulder like bat wings. The design on the front was little grey stars on pale pink fabric that bunched together made a bigger star. I pulled it over my head and naturally pulled up the sleeves, which was when I first noticed something.

I hadn’t been wearing my fingerless gloves recently and it wasn’t just when I was inside Afterlife but outside as well. I had to wonder if this could be put down to my time spent as Katie? I knew that her reasons for the scars were what she believed was from the car accident, one it turned out she had died in as a child with her twin sister. Could it then be possible that because there was no guilt or shame surrounding them that it never mattered to her about showing them to the world. Because in the end if you don’t judge yourself then you have no reason to believe others will. Which begged the question…

Had I stopped judging myself?”

I held them face up and looked closer at them. Some even looked to be fading and the redness from the deeper scars wasn’t as angry looking as I remembered. In fact, looking at them now, they didn’t look half as bad as I remembered. I laughed once at myself and decided that if I hadn’t been bothered to notice before then there was really no reason for me to be concerned now.

So with this brave new outlook on life and today becoming the first day of change I nodded my head in acceptance. After all, most of my fears were very likely in my head because no one else seemed to have noticed either. Which only shows how little it matters and like Vincent said to me once,

‘These scars don’t define you, you define them.’

I finally got that now. He was trying to tell me that if I didn’t see them, then neither would the rest of the world in my eyes.

So with my mind made up and feeling great about it I pushed the sleeves up my forearms for comfort and couldn’t help but mutter,

“Mmm, nice and soft.”

“I hope you don’t say that in the bedroom Toots or I would find yourself a dealer of blue pills.”

“Pip,” I said spinning round to find her perched on the sofa’s arm.

“The one and only,” she said and I noticed she too had changed from the Robin Onesie she had been wearing earlier. Now however she was wearing a tight denim skirt covered in band patches, black tights with cat heads peeking over her thigh and a T shirt that I had to squint at before I fully understood what I was looking at…in the end I still needed it confirming,

“Is that a Stormtrooper riding a whale through a rainbow circle?”

“Actually it’s a Narwhal, which is pretty much the Unicorn of all whales and I like to think of the rainbow as a circle of trust.”

“Ooookay,” I said not knowing where else to go with that one.

“Cute top, you got any shoes?” she asked and I automatically looked down at her feet to find her wearing surprisingly for Pip, normal looking shoes. They were cute, with their round toes, gold buckle and woven pattern.

“Nice,” I said nodding to them.

“What these old things? Okay, so they’re brand new but aren’t they just to weep over.” She turned her leg to the side giving me my first view of the heel and a green light bulb called Pip flashed neon in my head. I wanted to answer yes if you were a seven year old girl with an obsession for Unicorns, then granted, you might possibly weep over them. For starters I had no clue how she even made it to the couch with those large unicorn heads for heels, let alone sneak in.

“Speaking of shoes, have you seen any trainers around here?” Pip gave me a wrinkled nose and said,

“That depends, do they looked like they’re condemned or whose former owner was in fact a zombie?”

“Ha, ha, yes that’s probably them.”

“Then nope, sorry and I would help you look but I went through the whole plague thing and that shit ain’t pretty, so if you do excuse me I will leave you to your hunt. Sophia and I will be waiting at the bar for you, I bet her we could drink six cosmos by the time you’re ready, so don’t rush…take your time… stay a while…” She informed me and then jumped off the arm landing perfectly despite the heels.

“How you do that I will never know.” I grumbled and she laughed.

“Well if you had been wearing heels since 1533, then trust me, there is no end to what you could do in them. Smell ya laters Tootie star baker!” She finished with a wink and I knew exactly what she was saying.

“Okay shoes, come out, come out wherever you are.” I chanted looking round the room as soon as I was on my own and really hoping they weren’t under the bed again.

“I knew waking up this morning was a bad idea.” Once more I was complaining to myself as I searched the room, purposely leaving under the bed until last.

“But of course.” I hated sticking my hands under beds as I still had that age old fear that most children develop about monsters living under there. The difference being now of course that I knew monsters were real, so it wasn’t exactly comforting even as an adult knowing I had to fish around under there.

I was definitely thinking that if one more person said anything negative about my comfy shoes then I was going to have to give in and buy a new pair, relegating my old ones to a life of limbo at the bottom of my wardrobe back home at Libby’s.

It was strange how I still thought of it as my home when I was living here full time. I had to admit that I hadn’t yet moved my personal things in and ninety nine percent of the stuff in the dressing room had been bought for me. I guess now we were getting married (human style) then it was time to start thinking about packing everything up and taking that last step.

“Stop putting it off, Keira.” I told myself and got down on my knees wishing that I was doing so for other reasons. I giggled at myself for my naughty thoughts and last night’s car pumping popped into my head. I was still smiling as I pulled my damp hair to one side and tipped my head over so I could see.

But this is when my smile died and blind fear took over.

Glowing eyes looked back at me and before I could react a shadowed hand grabbed me, pulled me under and covered my mouth to stop me from screaming. My eyes widened with panic as I was dragged closer to the face hiding in the dark, my legs kicking out madly trying to escape. I tried to twist my body free but there wasn’t enough room to move and when I banged my head on the solid wood above a voice finally cut through the terror,

“Calm down Electus or someone will hear us!”
It was a woman’s voice I didn’t recognise, belonging to eyes I had never seen before and I murmured ‘who are you’ under her hand.

This was when the unbelievable was spoken,

“It’s me…

“Pythia”

Chapter 9

Why do you hide?

“Mthe woracle?” I asked murmuring through her hand, not believing for one minute that it could be. 

“Yes. I trust you will understand when I ask you not to start screaming like a Banshee if I let go…I know you’re well acquainted with how they sound.” Okay, so maybe I take that back. How would she know that? Unless of course there was a bulletin going around Hell about a crazy blonde girl and a cowboy breaking out of Tartarus after killing a shit load of banshees?

“Mokay,” I said knowing she would be able to understand my mumble. I finally felt her relax her hand and instead of probably doing the smart thing, like biting her and then making a run for it, I hissed out my first question,

“What are you doing under here
,
Pythia?”
Seriously, did she just roll her creepy glowing eyes at me?

“Scoot out and let’s go do this somewhere that isn’t suffocating my lungs with dust. You go first and check no one is outside the door.” She ordered and I had to wonder why she needed to hide so badly. Well, I would find out soon enough and the sooner the better. So with that in mind I did as she instructed and shimmied and snaked my way from under the bed. I ran to the door, opened it a crack to find no one there. I took this as a sign that Draven had informed Ragnar that I would be safe for the day with Sophia and Pip…that or he had the day off. Either way we were Scott free.

“The coast is clear, Scooby,” I said momentarily forgetting I was no longer around Pip and not sure an ancient old Oracle and fate keeper of the Gods would get the Scooby Doo reference.

“Thanks Shaggy.” Okay, so I guess I was wrong, but hey she was in a child’s vessel, so maybe on occasion she just had to play the part.

“Need a hand?” I asked her as she struggled from under the bed, moaning about size or something.

“What did you say?” I asked her again stepping forward to grab her hand when I stopped dead and stumbled backwards at my first sight of her.

“What the…?”

“I said, that I am not used to having a bigger body yet.”

“I…uh…” I closed my eyes and shook my head with tiny motions as if trying to make sense of what I was seeing now…no I take that back, not
what
but…
who! 
Because it wasn’t any Oracle I knew.

“You’re confused.”

“No shit, you can say that again!” She threw my trainers at me to catch which she had found under there and said,

“I would rather not. Now let’s take this somewhere else should we.” I looked her up and down, this fully grown woman who was now stood in front of me was one I had never seen before. She looked like an Egyptian goddess, with dark hair, tanned skin and exotic olive green eyes that had flecks of amber running through them.

“Who are you?” I asked again unable to accept it was really her.

“I told you, now come on, they won’t wait for you forever!” She snapped and I just dropped my shoes and folded my arms, telling her that I wasn’t going anywhere.

“Prove it.”

“Fine. You spent a birthday in the Savoy hotel in London and I brought you a birthday cake, jumped on your bed wearing a tutu, gave you a bracelet representing the quarter moons and a book that didn’t belong to you or me…no doubt the shadow king is still pissed at me…anyway, good enough?” After she reeled off all the things only the Oracle could have known I nodded and said,

“Totally. Roof?”

“That will do.” I quickly kicked my shoes on and walked past her to then place my hand on the glass doors so they opened.

“I hate these steps,” I complained, hating heights.

“I would tell you to close your eyes but only an idiot would do that.” I rolled my eyes at her and said,

“Jeez thanks Captain Obvious, I hope our little chat is going to be slightly more helpful.”

“Oh it’s something you are going to want to hear.”

“Right,” I thought sarcastically, knowing exactly where listening to the Oracle could get you sometimes. We got to the top of the stairs and onto the roof which was void of anything other than a door at the end, leading to a staircase back down into the maze that was Draven’s home. It was also where we shared our first kiss, one I wasn’t supposed to remember.

“So alright, out with it,” I said crossing my arms again, knowing this time I wasn’t going to accept any of her bullshit.

“Wow, not even bothering with any pleasantries this time, huh?”

“I found you hiding under my bed
,
Pythia I think we are well past the need for pleasantries don’t you?” She shrugged her shoulders and patted the dust from her dusty pink kaftan top which she’d matched with black leggings that were also now in desperate need of a wash.

“Nice to see he’s rubbing off on you,” she muttered and at this point I’d had enough.

“I think if I were to act like Draven right now we would be finding out if you had wings or not when I pushed you off this bloody roof!” I snapped and the look of shock on her face was almost laughable.

“Don’t tell me you’re shocked?”

“I am taken aback I must confess,” she told me and I shook my head, utterly dumbfounded.

“You lied to us!” I shouted and she raised one finger and said,

“Uh no, I didn’t.”

“You told him he would kill me!” I shouted again striding towards her as my anger built. She started backing up, looking panicky and it was only when she was close to the edge that I stopped. She looked back over her shoulder to see the deadly drop below before looking back at me.

“It looks like your powers are kicking in nicely,” she commented ignoring what I had last said and instead nodding down at my hands. I followed her gaze seeing what she was referring to. I opened up my glowing fists and saw the blinding vibrant light illuminating my veins and pulsating with power just as Draven’s did.

“Do you want to see them in action?” I threatened thinking back to all the pain she had caused us both. She gulped then cleared her throat before saying,

“That won’t be necessary I promise you.”

“Then say what you have come here to say and have done with it.”

“Can you at least give me some space?” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to let go of the anger that these days came so easily.

“Thank you,” she said as I walked away and slumped down with my back to the wall that surrounded the roof top. Pythia sat down next to me and released a defeated sigh.

“I never wanted to be an Oracle you know.”

“I never wanted to be an Electus,” I said confessing how I sometimes wished that Draven and I were just two normal people in love, who would grow old together.

“I know. We aren’t that different you and I.” I raised an eyebrow at her in question and she laughed once.

“It’s true. We have both been chosen to do something we don’t fully understand yet but with the promise that one day our duty will end and we can simply live out the rest of our lives the way we dream it to be.” I gave her a sad smile and nodded, as she was at least right in that respect.

“I don’t really relish the idea of being the one everyone hates when hearing something they don’t like. It actually really sucks.”

“I bet,” I said feeling slightly bad for her now, knowing I was no better than the rest. 

“But please believe me when I say that all I do in this world is for us all. It’s always been bigger than me or you or your Draven. We are all pawns Electus, even if it seems like I was the one that placed us all on the board.”

“So how does it all work?” She took a moment to sigh, looking out to the vast rolling mountains and then she tipped her head back against the stone before answering me,

“As it always does. The Fates speak to me and I have no choice but to listen. Then I act as their messenger, doing what they command of me.”

“You kinda pulled the short straw with that one, didn’t you?”

“You could say that again.”

“I would rather not,” I said nudging her arm as I repeated her earlier words. She laughed and lifted up her shoulders a bit as if I had lightened her load just by listening.

“I didn’t tell him he was going to kill you. I want you to know that.” This surprised me.

“You didn’t?”

“I cannot lie. As in it is impossible for me as I would be forfeiting my own life if I did.”

“So what did you tell him?” Draven had never actually told me the exact words so I was more than curious to know. This was when she really started to look uncomfortable, so I pushed,

“It’s about me right…so I think I have a right to know.” I didn’t say this with a malicious tone but I still wanted her to know that I had a point. She rubbed the back of her neck catching the wispy bits of hair that weren’t quite long enough to make it up into her clipped hair.

“I told him that he would unknowingly bring forth the death of a loved soul, one gifted with his life’s blood.”

“Life’s blood?” 

“His essence.” The soft way she gave me my answer didn’t make it any less significant or heart breaking for that matter.

“Oh, I guess that would be me then,” I said disappointed that in some way he hadn’t misinterpret her words.

“So tell me, how does it happen?” When she wouldn’t look at me and I waited long enough I said her name as if to bring her out of this trance,

“Pythia?”

“I told Draven something long ago and at the time I didn’t understand it and neither did he. Not until that day he found me hiding in the only home I have ever truly known.”

“Where?”

“I was scared of what I had to do next but I had no choice, he knew that. So when he found me in Mount Parnassus in the hidden Temple of Apollo I knew I had no choice for the Fates had brought him to me,” she said holding onto my arm in a way to express the importance of what she was saying.

“That’s when you told him wasn’t it?” She nodded sadly and I told her,

“I understand. You had no choice Pythia, I get that now.” I watched as she started shaking her head and I knew there was more to come.

“Once I told him, then there was no going back, not even if I had wanted to. It wasn’t long after when I realised the full extent of the Fates’ plan.”

“Why, what happened next?” My need for the raw truth was pushing my patience to its limit and I had to dig my nails into my palms to control myself from shaking her to get it out quicker.

“Next came you. The letters, the cryptic clues, it was all as the Fates deemed it should be. I was only allowed to tell you enough to set you on your journey, one destined for you and those you would meet along the way. I was left to merely watch and hope having guided you as much as I was allowed.” I thought about what she just said and knew from what Draven had hinted at, that the painful time we endured was for a reason and Pythia had only confirmed it. I didn’t know what was coming but I did know that Sigurd and Jared would both play a part in its future. The same as Lucius and even Seth. All these new pieces on the board because of me and the path in front of them all, on which the Fates had placed me.

She watched me as I processed all of this and something she saw in me made her decide to go into more detail.

“It’s like puzzle pieces that you get in the wrong order so that the Fates always get the outcome they need and all the time they are drip feeding me information that only makes sense when my cup is full.” She shook her head as she said this looking down at her little Persian slippers that were embroidered threads of a sunset. I gave her the time she needed before she finally looked at me and said,

“My cup is full, Keira.” I inhaled sharply knowing now was the time. It was the one I had been waiting for since the second the name Electus was spoken.

“Now is the time to tell you all I know and more importantly all the King knows.”

“I’m ready.”

“I hope so, because this will take you on a journey like no other.” I frowned remembering where the last journey she sent me on ended. In Hell, and I wasn’t just talking about the place.

“It was long ago when I first met your Draven, only he was so different back then, trust me on this. If you think him intimidating now, then back then he was plain terrifying.” I could only imagine as the small glimpse I had received in my dreams of that side of him, back in his past, had been enough.

“His name was Arsaces I of Parthia, also known as Persia. He started the Arsacid dynasty when the Gods realised they not only needed a balance over their own kind but one that could influence the mortal kind as well. Back then the world was still trying to compete with the power of men in their quest for greed…as it still does, I suppose.”

“But why is there no control now?” I asked wondering what had happened to make Draven step down from being seen as King of Persia.

“Who said there isn’t? Just because it is not recognised by closed eyes it doesn’t mean it is not standing right in front you.” This conversation was making me realise just how little I knew and not only about my own world but about Draven’s world and where he had stood in it.