The Oracle of Refuge

Chapter 3

Chapter Three

A fire raged around her. A mighty wind raked her hair back from her face. The ground shook beneath her feet. And a Voice whispered somewhere deep in her heart.

"Bring My words to them, Daughter of Elias. Tell them they must repent and turn from their wicked ways."

Brynne whispered back the message, heart pounding, bones atremble. She nodded. "Am I the Oracle, then?"

"You will speak for me. Tell Refuge to repent and seek Me."

"Alright." How could she refuse?

The Presence behind the Voice was all around her, somehow both terrifying and comforting, protecting her, urging her to do as she was asked.

She could not refuse.

But she was afraid. A tear trickled down her cheek.

"My family... What about them? I just want to find them."

"Patience, child... Trust."

Everything around her dissolved, then rearranged into an ordinary dream, something about tossing a ball with Patrick and Paul... while balancing on a cloud over a purple ocean.

"Brynne?"

Another whisper, this one quite clearly human.

Brynne opened her eyes to see Adam Pilgrim staring down at her with what she was coming to believe was his trademark frown, the default setting of his face.

"I'm awake," she assured him, stretching and yawning. "I'm awake." She sat up, and he scurried back from the bed. She studied the set of his shoulders, the shadows under his eyes. "Did you sleep at all?"

"I had a job to do." He lifted his chin. "I don't need much sleep, anyway."

"If you pass out from exhaustion, and then someone attacks me, what good are you to me?" she pointed out.

Adam worked his jaw. "That won't happen."

"Maybe you need to hire some guys for second and third shift," she suggested half seriously.

"This isn't a joking matter, Oracle."

"I'm not really joking." She pushed back the blanket and swung her legs over the side of the bed, then stood, hands on her hips. She took a deep breath and declared, "I'm the Oracle." It would have been rather a grand moment had her right calf muscle not chosen that moment to camp violently. She ground her teeth and winced, reaching to massage the back of her leg.

"What's the matter?" Adam asked, taking a step forward.

"Leg cramp," she bit out.

"Lean on the leg and flex your foot," he suggested.

"Like heck I will!"

"Trust me."

Trust, the Voice had said. Trust.

Brynne shifted her weight to her right leg and bent her toes upward. Immediately, the cramp began to fade. She slumped with relief.

"Better?"

"Better." She straightened and smiled at Adam. "Thank you."

Adam shrugged. "Old trick."

Brynne cleared her throat. "Well... As I was saying... I'm the Oracle."

He lowered his brows, appearing puzzled. "I know."

"What I mean is..." She took another deep breath and held out her hands. "I know it now. I know that I'm the Oracle, the real one."