The Oracle of Refuge

Chapter 7

The thin, sharp-chinned candidate stood akimbo, glaring at Brynne, flanked by two guards, half-encircled by the crowd behind her, a crescent of curious eyes and hushed whispers.

"Would you like me to silence her insolence?" Sync asked, cool as an electric cucumber.

"No, let me handle this." Brynne stepped forward. "That man needed a comforting word, a true word, so I gave it to him."

"He belongs in jail," the woman said. "You interfere with justice."

That's ironic, coming from a probably corrupt candidate in a corrupt contest, Brynne thought. Again, she kept such inflammatory opinions to herself. She didn't want to repeat the mistake she had made in insulting Suzette Blaze.

"He was issued a citation. I didn't interfere with an arrest." She kept her voice low, as soothing as she could manage. "I don't think he'll bother you or any of us from now on."

"Us? Ha!" The woman's long, narrow nose crinkled, and her lips curled. "You dare to call yourself one of us?"

Actually, I'm not. I'm not one of you, and you're definitely not one of me. You wouldn't recognize a true Oracle if she were standing right in front of you... which she is.

"Look, ma'am--"

"Shanda Brace, and don't you forget it."

"Shanda Brace, I'm not sure what you're angry about, so I am going to leave and hope you think better of me in the future."

"You can be sure that I won't," Shanda assured her.

"Okay, then." Brynne stepped around the other woman, then walked in a wide circle around the crowd when no one moved for her.

They all hated her now. She was sure of it. She was a pariah, anathema... and all because she told the truth, while the rest of them were scheming, ambitious, selfish... liars. The world had gone crazy. But she had a job, a mission--from God, no less--so she held her head high as she strode down the sidewalk, under the bright blue awning, toward the glass doors that led into the main indoor area of Refuge.

"Brynne!" a soft voice called, then, growing nearer, "Brynne!"

She looked to her right to see Maggie jogging to catch up with her, giving Adam a wide berth.

"Hi, Maggie."

Maggie sidestepped Adam and grabbed Brynne's arm, whispering, "What are you doing?"

"Walking home from the library with some books," she answered casually, surprising herself with the word home. Did she already consider the Red Regiment Inn and Refuge her home? A pang of guilt twisted her stomach as she remembered her original mission, her lost family...

"No, I mean..." Maggie glanced over her shoulder, wide-eyed, looking toward the crowd that was, no doubt, still glaring at Brynne. She could feel their disapproval cold on her back.

"I'm being honest," Brynne told the shorter redhead. "I'm being who I am and who I'm called to be."

"What are you talking about, Brynne? You're scaring me." Maggie's voice was small and pleading. "I thought you were normal, like me, that this whole oracle thing was just a game to you, too."

"Not to me." Brynne glanced behind her, and saw the crowd dispersing. She linked her arm through Maggie's and pulled her through the glass doors, then into a narrow alcove that housed a lush green plant and a painting of a farm. "Listen, Maggie, this is serious." She lowered her voice. "Can I trust you?"