AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We give them that,” the oracle corrected. “I don’t work alone. Kenna has been my greatest teacher. I’ve learned a lot from her. I hope you’ll do the same. Did you get her list?”
“Yes, though I’ve been doing some investigating on my own first,” Lila said. “I have some photos I’d like you to look through.”
She briefly told the women what she’d found so far.
While she talked, Dixon withdrew a few star drives from his pocket. All of her star drives, in fact. He’d likely planned to bring her to the oracle’s compound no matter what.
Lila fished out the correct one and handed it to Mòr. The rest she put in her pocket.
“I’m sure most of your hits are genuine,” Mòr admitted. “The oracle children have a long history of sheltering runaways. Some come from tragedy. Some come from abuse and neglect. Some join us because they believe. Just because someone left home, doesn’t mean they’re missing. It doesn’t make them agents of the empire, either.”
“So noted,” Lila said. “What have you told your family about me? The purplecoats at the gate had a sketch with my name on it.”
“They know you are a friend of the oracles and that they should let you inside unimpeded. Those I tasked with rescuing you from Bullstow don’t live on the compound, so no one here knows who you are except for a trusted few.”
“Who?”
“Kenna and Connell. Even if the others heard your proper given name, it’s unlikely that they’d mark you as an heir or the prime minister’s daughter. We don’t care much about outsider politics and business here.”
Is your offer still good? Dixon wrote.
“What offer?”
Kenna studied Dixon’s face. “Methinks there are domestic troubles afoot.”
“Ah, that offer.” Mòr rose to her feet. “I find myself glad for those troubles, although that probably makes me an awful person. When you mentioned you were both coming by, I’d hoped you would stay, at least for a little while. We prepared one of the guest cabins for your use.”
The oracle threaded through the furniture, leading the group toward the door.
Mòr took Lila’s arm. “I must say that I’m excited to host you. I’ve been wanting to get to know you better. Sometimes bad things lead to good things, don’t they? Do try to—”
All at once, the oracle stumbled.
Lila grabbed her out of instinct, realizing quickly that she had not tripped. Lila tried to slide the oracle to the ground gently, just like a tranqed a suspect.
But Mòr didn’t behave like someone who’d been tranqed.
She fought against Lila, thrashing as she fell to the floor.
Kenna knelt at her side and fiddled with a little bracelet on her sister’s wrist before turning her on her side. “Lila, fetch padding for her head. Dixon, push back the furniture.”
Lila snatched a pillow from the bed and worked it under Mòr’s head. Chairs scraped against the floor as Dixon shoved them away. Mòr’s eyes flickered underneath her eyelids, darting back and forth, as if she feared for her life. She muttered gibberish, her body twitched, and her head smacked against the pillow.
Lila understood now why thick rugs covered every floor, why blankets and pillows had littered every room.
“What if we hadn’t been with her?”
“Someone is always with her,” Kenna said, her eyes glued to her wristwatch.
Mòr muttered words as she thrashed, phrases barely intelligible, interrupted by a stray turn of her head. “In the valley near the fallen… The bishop hides from the Army of the Dead…”
Kenna stroked her sister’s forehead as Mòr twitched and bucked.
“What is she saying?” Lila asked.
“I’ve stopped caring. You should, too. Don’t let yourself get drawn in by it. You’ll only be disappointed.”
“The bishop moves diagonally… Lost in a nest of gold…”
