Copyright © 2010-2012 by Kymberlee Elliott. This work is protected under the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act of 1988. All rights are reserved; any infringement of this copyright can be punishable by law. Infrigements include any unauthorised selling, broadcasting, copying, duplication or distribution of the work.
Chapter 18
All around me were cages and in every cage was a Shifter, but not like any Shifter I had ever seen; they looked wild and deranged. As I stood there taking in the cells that were barely large enough for one Shifter to stand in I swallowed a cry and stepped further inside leaving the comforting shield that Bryant had around him, but I was so shocked I barely noticed. I started off walking down the rows, but my walk turned in to a jog, which turned in to a frantic run. I barely noticed the tears that were running down my face until I saw a familiar blonde head. ‘Greg?’ I moved to the bars and reached through, but Greg just snarled at me, his eyes were bloodshot and wild. I obviously didn't move away fast enough because he lunged at me. I staggered back and hit another cell. Two strong arms wrapped around me from behind squeezing tightly. I went still and turned my head to see two red eyes and bared teeth, but the face was achingly familiar. ‘Kit?’ He didn't so much as twitch at the sound of my voice and my heart broke. ‘Kit it’s me Izzy? Your glykia mou. Don’t you remember? Come on Kit you remember me.’ There was nothing. Mr C had come up and was staring at Kit keeping his body strangely relaxed. ‘Kit let her go.’ The arms didn't move in fact they got tighter. I gasped and my hands automatically moved to rest of Kit’s. The minute my gloves touched his skin he stilled. I took my chance and reached out. The haze around Kit was thick and angry and pulsing. I grit my teeth and waded through it immediately feeling the insidious whispers urging me to take control and kill. I ignored it and finally reached Kit. Before he could crack my ribs I imagined a transparent globe surrounding Kits brain and forcibly filtered out all of the fog, but something was wrong, his brain was red and angry and I realised I might already be too late. His arms didn't loosen, but I wasn't paying attention I was too busy frantically thinking of what I could do. My presence here was causing problems the Shifters were stirring, throwing themselves against the cell doors, the rumbles and rattles making everyone anxious. Suddenly I was shoved away. I stumbled to my knees and looked back to see Kit backing away from his cell door. ‘Leave now.’ His voice was different, rougher and lacking in all emotion. Mr Carter moved up to me and helped me up. ‘Perhaps we should go and come up with a different plan.’ I shook my head violently. ‘No, it may already be too late. Kit’s brain is already showing severe effects. I can’t wait any longer it has to be now.’ I was shouting so at first we didn't notice the change in the room the first warning we got was Marissa’s startled shout. The second was my back slamming up against the wall and a monstrous face snarling at me. Warm drool dripped on to my shoulder and the fetid breath made my skin crawl. ‘Owen it’s me, it’s Izzy. Come on you know me.’ He lifted a hand and wrapped it around my throat squeezing. I gasped and felt my pulse pound in my temple. I was trying to reach out and calm him, but I was panicking and I couldn’t hold my concentration. I heard Mr Carter and Marissa, but I didn't know what they were saying. Just when I thought I was going to pass out again a shadow moved up behind Owen and then I was looking in to my favourite golden eyes. I blinked and then felt the most wonderful thing; sweet, cool oxygen. I sank to my knees and looked up just in time to see Owen hit a cell and slump to the ground. ‘Glykia mou you will be the death of me.’ I sighed and closed my eyes. ‘You weren’t there Kit, I looked.’ I closed my eyes and searched again noticing a golden pulse that was forcing the haze away, but not far. Reaching in I shielded his brain again and did all I could to soothe him mentally. The minute my mind brushed against his the red faded and his emotions calmed down. He sighed and went to his knees in front of me placing his arms on the wall behind me caging me in. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked at me. His gaze was intense, it was drilling in to me as he leant forward and gently rested his forehead against mine. I sighed and carried on stroking his brain. Each touch caused him to relax further until he was pressed right up against me pinning me to the wall and purring deep in the back of his throat. I didn't stop until all the red had faded. I wasn't sure how long we had been sitting like that, but I didn't want to move, Kit was warm as usual and his rhythmic purring was more comforting than I remember. Finally I withdrew my mind, but maintained the shield. I kept my eyes closed praying this wasn't a dream. ‘Open those beautiful eyes for me glykia mou. Let me see you.’ I took a deep breath and looked up. He smiled at me and the arrogant tilt of his lips was so familiar. ‘I thought I was too late.’ I didn't dare speak louder than a whisper because I was worried my voice would crack. ‘No glykia mou, I am right here.’ I nodded and leant forward resting my face against the hollow of his neck. He shuddered and cupped the back of my head pressing me against his skin. I felt calmer and happier than I had in days and would have stayed there forever if Mr Carter hadn’t interrupted. ‘Izzy the others are getting a little restless and Owen won’t stay down forever, if you are going to do something you have to do it now.’ Kit flowed to his feet in one fluid movement and held his hand out for me. I slid my hand in to his and he jerked me up. ‘Ready to earn your keep Oracle?’ I raised a brow and buffed my finger nails on my top. ‘Watch and learn puppy.’
I wasn't entirely sure what I was supposed to do, but I had a general idea. Closing my eyes I searched for all the Shifters, they register differently in my head, but I can’t tell you how I can distinguish them; imagine smelling a bouquet together it smells one way but if you focus hard enough you can sort through the smell until you can identify the individual flowers. Once I had all the Shifters in the vicinity in the palm of my mental hand I forced out a shield and pushed at the fog. With an inaudible pop the fog was forced away and the noise around the room lowered. I could maintain this sort of shielding indefinitely if I wasn't pressed to do too many other things, but for some reason shielding other people caused my own burgeoning shielding to lower so I was more vulnerable, but I wouldn’t be doing it for long. ‘Ok let’s get everyone out of here and regroup besides I know for a fact at least half of you are starving.’ I heard a few chuckles which turned to suspicious mumblings when Titan sketched a ward and all the doors opened. As one the Shifters surged out and headed for the door. Mr Carter soon took charge and ordered all the Shifters aged 15 and younger to their rooms, the 16 and over’s were to follow us. In total there were about 20 Shifters, but I only cared about 4; as one Matt and Greg rushed towards me, but Kit intercepted them before they could reach me. ‘Limited touching, her shields are down.’ I rolled my eyes and moved past Kit and held my arms out revelling in the bear hug they swept me up in to. ‘I knew you would come Izzy.’ I ruffled Greg’s hair and smiled at him. ‘Of course I came for you, you’re one of my only friends I can’t go misplacing you.’ He grinned and crushed me again. Matt didn't say anything, but he ran his knuckles down my cheek and then chucked me under the chin. Owen scuffed his feet and cleared his throat. ‘Izzy about earlier....’ I didn't let him finish, I strode to him and yanked him in to a fierce hug. The breath whooshed out of him and he crushed me back. ‘You were under attack Owen, I don't blame you.’ He smiled and then leant forward and kissed my cheek before stepping back and stepping outside. I lifted a hand and pressed the spot and then turned to Mari bemused. She looked equally perplexed so I shrugged and went outside glad I could get out of there.
When I stepped out I felt the cool breeze and tilted my face up to the sky. My hair fluttered and I felt it brush my face. After the stifling stillness of the cells I was inordinately pleased to be free. When I opened my eyes again I saw Kit staring at me, his face half hidden in shadow, the half moon casting the other half in silver light. His eyes flashed as he stared and I felt a shiver skate down my back. I wasn't scared of Kit, but in that moment he looked entirely inhuman. Shooing the feeling away I turned to the group. ‘Where can we go that’s big enough for everyone? I want everyone to hear this at the same time.’ That stumped everyone until Kit clicked his fingers. ‘How about you finally see your rooms Oracle?’ I turned to him frowning. Mari chuckled. ‘Of course the only suite big enough for all of us are yours.’
‘I don't have a suite.’ Again Mari laughed. ‘You do, you just haven’t seen them yet because you keep passing out and almost dying.’ I rolled my eyes and waved for her to lead on.
We trailed through the school like a Chinese dragon until we came to a large ornate staircase in a wing of the school I had never been in. Mari led the way up and finally we came to a large, open and airy corridor. She stopped at the door and looked at me expectantly. I in turn looked at Kit who smiled and nudged me forward. ‘The room seals itself after the death of an Oracle and only opens for the next one. You have to open it.’ I snorted and Mari sighed before moving to the door and shaking the door handle, but the door didn't budge so I tried. Walking over I reached a hand out and touched the door. The minute I did it swung inwards. I laughed and turned, grinning so wide my face hurt. ‘That’s amazing.’ I led the way in and whistled. The room we were in looked like a common room at school, but better furnished. Sofas and chairs covered the floor along with a large table. Moving through I opened another door and saw a large bedroom with a huge four poster bed and vanity, but what caught my eye were the French doors that led to a large garden. I gasped and moved to it swinging the doors open and stepping out. It was beautiful; there was a small wrought iron table and chairs surrounded with plants and trees that were high enough to completely shield the table and anyone who sat there. ‘You like gardens?’ I turned and saw Kit leaning against the door watching me. ‘How could you guess?’ He pushed off and stepped towards me before taking and seat and leaning back to look at the sky. ‘The rooms are different for every Oracle; they conform to the tastes and needs of the current one. It’s because of a spell that was put on the rooms after the first Oracle to stay here kicked up a fuss over the lack of windows. The school must like you if it built you a garden.’ I shook my head and turned away, it was still too weird to think of the school as almost sentient. I moved and swept my hand through the flowers before turning back too Kit, but he wasn't there and neither was the table he was sitting at.
Hello Oracle.
I smiled at Aladice and nodded.
Thank you for healing me. Why am I here I am still conscious?
She laughed and motioned me closer so I wandered over and gazed down at her.
You have more power than the others that came before you Isabel, but you need more than that, you need wisdom. Eventually I hope to teach you all the knowledge we Oracle’s have gathered throughout the ages, but there isn’t time at the minute so I must commandeer you every now and again to guide you. You have shielded the others, but you still need to find the locus, once you have you need to drop it in salt water for a minute. Once a white vapour is released it is safe. Keep the locus safe because it will have an imprint of the Malachai and that is always handy to have. He is making mistakes because of all of us you frighten him the most. Go now and remember what I have said to you.
The next thing I knew I was warm and pressed against something hard. I realised I was cradled against Kit’s chest in one of the chairs. ‘Ease up Kit.’ He relaxed and sat back, but he didn't move his arms. I sat up and looked around at all the shocked faces, which made me grin. ‘Ok kiddies; who wants to hear what happens next?’