Iron Oracle (IronMoon #2, PUBLISHED/SAMPLE)

The Bell

He grumbled. "A moment."

"Do you know the old rune, the Comet?"

"No, but comets are historic symbols of destruction and divine wrath. Is this any different?"

"Not really. It's fallen out of use, I didn't know it the first time I saw it, but Flint recognized it, and Anita has seen it as well. It means the Moon's anger and wrath, something she has flung to earth to destroy what has corrupted and angered her. Before I went beyond the Tides, I had a vision of the Comet rune, on a hastily constructed pup-ring, paired with the runes for Luna and Mother, and then also partnered with the Balance rune, flanked with Love and Faith. It was in a battered lock box, left in the ruins of an ancient farm house."

He kept watching.

"Anita had the same vision. She doesn't know I've had it twice and also seen this ring."

"Your point?" Gabel twitched with impatience.

"When Anita told me she thought you'd destroy everything you'd touch..." I hesitated. "You're the Comet, Gabel."

Gabel frowned.

"This isn't just about Magnes," I went on very slowly. "This is about something else. You and I have--"

"a role to play? Be good little puppets?"

I tucked my lips together.

Gabel growled, "No. If She takes you from me, I will tear this world apart, build a tower from the rubble so I can crawl up to the sky and smash my claws into Her Eye!"

So much for thinking Gabel might budge a degree if he thought the Moon had a purpose. If anything, it incensed him even more. He glared at me, face darkening, rage building. I did not say anything.

"No." Gabel stated after a moment, "I will not be used. I will not let you be used. She can't make me, Gianna, and I've already resolved to not do Her bidding."

Perhaps I had made a mistake by telling Gabel, and giving him time to work up his stubbornness. No. The Moon had told me we needed to know. She must already have foreseen this, accounted for everything.

Gabel change the subject entirely. "Gleaming Fang deserves our attention right now. I don't trust Anders as far as I can throw him. But I don't know why. In the vision, you saw him wearing multiple collars. I wonder if when you can scry again how many of those collars he'd be wearing now."

"You think many collars, many masters?"

"That's the obvious deduction, isn't it?"

"It's your vision." I wasn't going to get drawn into helping Gabel analyze that vision. It hadn't been my vision, and so much had changed since then that dwelling on it might be a mistake. Still, there was merit in ruminating on it. For him to ruminate. Not me.

Gabel's fingers pulled at the sheets as his stared at the ceiling. "You don't understand."

"I do," I said.

"Your mind is already elsewhere. You've already left." he accused.

"That isn't true! It is an old vision, from months ago, a great deal might have changed, and it's your vision. You know that! Only you can say what you think it means. I'm not putting you off, I just can't help you like you want, and I can't scry to check up on the current state of things."

"You've met Anders. You have an opinion." Gabel pressed.

Exactly three times. The first time I didn't care to remember, the second time I had been introduced and only seen him from a distance, and the third time I had other things to worry about at Solstice. I hadn't sat down and shared food with him, or any kind of conversation. What did I think of Anders? What was there to think of Anders? He hardly separated himself from the ranks of males. I had only seen his Luna, and never been introduced, and a few young kids I had also never met or even seen. "My opinion of him is I don't have an opinion."