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Oracle dips the tip of the knife into the black liquid in the cauldron, which sizzles and snaps. When Oracle makes a twirling motion with their finger, the liquid contents swirl energetically, throwing off sparks of light. “I think that should do it.” They dip a tube into the cauldron, scooping up some of the liquid, then dribble a couple of drops onto a slide. “Let’s have a look.”
I follow as they step up to the most complicated microscope I’ve ever seen. There are knobs and dials all over it and it’s so tall, Oracle has to use a step ladder to look through the scope. “I should be able to see the elements of the reincarnation spell binding to the blood cells… wait… what?” Oracle adjusts a knob, then gasps. “This can’t be right.”
Mags and Lilith huddle next to me and we barely dare to breathe as we wait for Oracle to speak.
“Shifter,” Oracle says, lifting their head to pin me with those strange silver eyes. “You have shifter blood.”
I’m too stunned to say anything.
They step off the stool and grip my hand, pulling me to another table. “I’ll need a cell sample.”
“Oh… no…” I back away, but their hold is unbreakable, which is odd considering they look like a tiny, old person. “Isn’t there a form I should sign?”
Picking up a swab, they thrust it into my open mouth, scraping my cheek.
“Ouch!” They let go of my arm and I jump back.
Bustling back to the microscope, they smear the swab on a slide and thrust the slide under the lens. Climbing the step ladder, they look through the lens. “Hmm, this is interesting. Extremely rare. Mythical even.” They adjust a dial, gasping again before swinging their astonished gaze to me. “There is indeed shifter genetic information in your deoxyribonucleic acid molecules. Theoretically possible, but there has been no evidence of humans carrying these characteristics before now.” Her eyes move to Lilith. “You have your answer, Lilith Guardian Witch. The child is a latent shifter.”
Mags grips my arm. “So she’s immortal then, right? She’s not going to die?”
“No,” Lilith says. “If she were immortal, then her reincarnations wouldn’t have died.” A frown wrinkles her brow. “We need to figure out how the curse connects with the reincarnations and if that has anything to do with Vanessa’s latent shifter blood.”
“So am I a shifter, or not?” I’m very confused and a little freaked out by what I’ve learned so far. “I’ve never had the urge to turn into anything nonhuman.”
“This is something new,” Oracle murmurs, moving around me, examining me like I’m a lab specimen. “Dangerous magic for sure.” They give Lilith a significant look. “Too volatile to remain in the Citadel. She’ll have to go back to Earth.”
“But she’ll die!” Mags cries, the concern in her voice warming me. “We have to find a way to stop the cycle.” Her voice cracks. “If we don’t, we’ll lose both Vanessa and Keenan. It’ll destroy the Wolven-North family.”
“Human death is inevitable,” Oracle says dismissively. “It is part of the natural order.”
Mags looks like she wants to argue but it’s Lilith who intervenes, her tone gently chiding. “My darling Oracle, we must do more for her. We are magical creatures; we make miracles happen all the time. This problem is simply more complicated than we’re used to.” She lifts the Oracle’s hand to her lips, kissing their knuckles. “Lyra Guardian Witch was family. When she cast that spell, she embroiled both the Wolven-North family and mine in a centuries-long curse.”
“And the perpetrator of the curse has been punished,” Oracle says in monotone. “We have done our duty to the recipients of the curse.”
“Yet the damage continues to cause harm,” Lilith steps closer to Oracle.
I feel like a voyeur as an intimate moment unfolds between the two. Lilith runs her fingers down Oracle’s cheek. “I must help them, for the sake of my daughter, for the sake of her friends. And for the sake of my future grandchild. This curse must be lifted and the reincarnation spell dealt with.” She bends, pressing her forehead to the Oracle’s. “Please help, my love. We need your wisdom to see our way through.”
Oracle let’s out a breath and their tone has a hint of humor to it. “This is why Oracle’s don’t date. It affects our impartiality.”
Lilith grins, kissing them. “You can’t resist me.” She deepens the kiss and I decide the linoleum floor is more interesting.
Under her breath, Mags says, “So gross. Get a room.”
“So is the Oracle like your stepparent or something?” I say softly, then realize my curiosity might be rude and add, “You don’t have to answer.”
“Not really,” Mags replies with a shrug. “They’re my mom’s partner, but otherwise just an Oracle.”
“I don’t know what that means.” I felt horribly out of my element in Wolf-Haven and now I’m feeling the same sensation in the Shadow Realm.
“It means Oracle is the ultimate in impartial.” At my blank look, she adds, “Not really parent material. No Christmas presents, no birthday cards, no family pictures.”
“What about your dad?” Do witches even have fathers? Maybe the question is too personal.
She answers though. “My dad is a warlock and warlocks tend to be dangerous to everyone but themselves, and even themselves sometimes. I’ve never met him.”
I glance at her. “I’ve never met my dad either.”
