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The moment I stepped back inside the Temple I could already start to feel its pull, as if it wanted me to find its core. The one gate that powered it all. Especially now I knew…
That the Fates weren't finished with me quite yet.
So, after an emotional goodbye to Vena, who I had at least managed to get to spend a little time with, I was now making my way back to the door that would lead me home. Because as much as the Janus Gate was trying to pull me further toward its rabbit hole, I knew there were things I needed to do first.
I even found nervous laughter bubbling up out of me at the thought of what I was planning to do. Because as a historian and somebody who had dedicated their life to history, I couldn't help but be excited by the idea. But then I also knew that I would be foolish not to be also terrified by it. However, the overruling emotion that I did have, was the one thought I kept coming back to…
Lucius.
I loathed the thought of keeping anything from him, especially something as huge as this. After all, our secrets had been the reason for most of the mistakes we had both made in the past. But then again, hadn't those secrets also led us down a path to a future where the outcome had been in our favour? Because I had to question, what would have happened had I never stepped through the Tree of Souls portal and gone into Hell?
I thought about how many people's lives it had affected in a positive light. The McBain brothers had their souls returned to them for the part they played. Nero had become an elevated member of Lucius's council, despite her decision to stay in Hell for the time being.
But even this meant that she was now considered as being under the protection of the crown. As for Carn’reau, he had been reunited with his brother and after being in their Realm, I had started the potential path for their own prophecy. A war that I knew they still needed to win, and one Lucius and I had vowed to aid them in whenever the time came. And really, what better way to aid them now than to continue along my journey and potentially find this key the Oracle of Light had spoken of.
I even thought about Lucius's brother, as he had finally stepped out of the shadows and had the freedom to join our family by Lucius’s side, now known as more than just his second in command in Hell. The blood of the Devil and a King in his own right. But mainly I had to think what would still be happening now if I hadn't taken that first step down what I knew at the time would be a dangerous path. Would the Tree of Souls still weep, losing its leaves as each soul became infected? Would his brother still be creating an army to defeat not only Lucius, but one with the power to take over all of Hell?
Would Lucius have lost the war?
All of these things happened in the wake of what had first been assumed to be a mistake made on my part. Meaning everything you did in life you could be put down to simple coincidence or you could convince yourself it all would have happened the way it was meant to, regardless of what you did. But I didn't believe in that, not after everything that had transpired due to reckless mistakes made. Because throughout history, some of the biggest mistakes ended up becoming a serendipitous event. Our mistakes didn't define us, they simply made us stronger to face the destiny that sometimes those mistakes are forged by.
I knew I had a choice. I could trust Lucius with knowing the journey I was about to undertake and risk the potential outcome. This of course being me locked away in a tower and prevented from stepping foot in this temple ever again. Or I could simply make the journey without his knowledge, in hopes that I would get back to my own time with the proof that I needed that it was all prophecy after all.
That it was all simply meant to be.
After all, sometimes as a Chosen One it was easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission and my mother knew this better than most. I released a heavy sigh as I made it back to the bookcase, stepping through and releasing my next heavy sigh for a very different reason. This in the wake of hearing my mother shout,
“See! I told you, my dreams don’t lie!” This was aimed at Pip and Sophia, who were still dressed as they had been for Christmas day. Whereas my mother was in her Christmas pyjamas and those jolly little Santa’s might have looked happy, but my mother certainly wasn't. As I now had some explaining to do. Hence why I started off by saying quickly,
“I can explain.” However, the moment I said this, three female family members all faced me and folded their arms at the same time. Of course, Pip was slightly more naughty looking with it, as she had a hip cocked out and was wearing a black T-shirt she’d bought herself as a present, that I admit looked a bit tame for Pip as it simple said,
‘I’m Peace’
Of course, she wore this with leggings that were the same pattern you would get on a Christmas sweater, making them look knitted. With this she also had on a pair of mad boots that looked like Santa’s snowy workshop was making its way up her leg and the heels were actual little Santa’s.
My mother, however, unfolded her arms so she could take a different stance, now mirroring Pip and cocking out a hip, placing a hand to it.
“Let me guess, it didn't have anything to do with your father's vault this time,” my mum said, making me wince.
“Ooh, ooh, if we are playing the guessing game, can I go…? I am going to guess that you found a door,” Pip said after clapping and making one of her miniature candy canes she had glued to her fingernails spring off and go flying off somewhere in the room. She watched it land and then just shrugged her shoulders.
“Really, Pip, that's what you've got, she's just come from a literal Temple of doors!” my auntie Sophia said, who was still wearing a gorgeous green velvet dress that flared at the skirt and had a belt of black ribbon high at the waist. Naturally, her comment made me smirk.
“Okay fine, but my other guess was really out there, I mean it's not like she wants to go back in time or anything… Ooooh… erm…her bad?” At this my mother's eyes grew wide, shooting first a look of horror to Pip and then back to me.
“Oh no, please tell me my dream wasn’t true,” my mum said.
“Er, that depends, what did you dream?”
“I dreamed of you going through a door that looked like it belonged in a Lord of the Rings movie, meeting a pretty girl with raspberry hair…”
“Oooh Rad… sound like a cool chi… erm, sorry, please continue,” Pip said before my mum did in fact continue,
“Then there was an old lady wearing a garden lawn around her shoulders, with a crown of twigs and you were both talking about going back into the past.” It was at this point that I released a sigh, walked over to take her hand, and then I said,
“Mum, I think it’s time you sit down.”
“Well, that’s never a good sign,”Pip muttered, and my only thought was… no, no it never was.
