AllFreeNovel
Share Us
BLAINE
Blaine jolted awake, heart pounding in his chest, his mind foggy with the memory of bonfire smoke in the air and with a thin sheen of sweat across his skin. Images of dancers pounding their feet against the bare earth, dust billowing up around their scantily clad forms, and guttural chants echoing through the tall lodgepole pines played through his thoughts.
The green eyes of a blonde-haired dancer as she stalked toward him, framed by firelight, flashed through his thoughts. But he couldn’t make out the details clearly.
“What on earth could this mean?” he wondered aloud. He didn’t recognize the location, but knew it was nowhere in his city. Was it a message from Zeus? Or perhaps it was just the late-night takeout food playing tricks on his mind.
There was a light rapping on his bedroom door. “Sir?”
Blaine sat up in bed, swinging his legs around to the floor. “Yes, Jake, come on in.” His majordomo must have awoken him from the dream, but Blaine didn’t remember the initial knock. “That’s strange.”
Jake entered the room, his footsteps barely making a sound on the plush carpet, carrying the business phone in his hand.
“Another emergency?” Blaine stood and stretched, shaking off the remnants of the dream.
“Sorry, Sir. It’s Maria this time.” Jake held out the phone to him, his gaze apologetic.
“One of the many joys of being mayor of this illustrious city,” Blaine responded with a hint of sarcasm. He took the phone and added, “Jake, you’ve been a trusted friend and servant for years. Thank you.”
Jake nodded, acknowledging the gratitude. “Can I get you anything?”
Blaine shook his head. “Get some more sleep, if you can. Tomorrow’s agenda is long.”
Jake bowed and exited the room.
Blaine took a deep breath and brought the phone to his ear. “Maria, to what do I owe this three a.m. call?”
“Thank you for taking my call, Chief.” Maria’s breath came heavily, as if she’d been running, which Blaine couldn’t imagine happening in those heels she loved to wear. “You know I’d never disturb you at this hour without good reason.” Exhaustion strained her vocal cords, cracking not just once but twice as she spoke. “As the city’s oracle, I have little control over when the gods send me missives for your ear, Sir.”
“I understand,” Blaine replied, pacing barefoot in his room, luxuriating in the plush carpet under his toes as his skin cooled from the evaporated sweat. “Apollo works on his own schedule. To what do I owe the pleasure of this one?”
“There’s a new player in town.”
“New god-touched are called into service as fits the gods’ needs,” Blaine replied by rote. “What’s so unusual that this one required disturbing my sleep?”
“First, this vision awoke me from my sleep, which rarely happens. Usually, my visions come during quiet times of reflection. This vision felt like a slap upside the head; like I’d been hit with a shockwave of energy.”
Chills ran down Blaine’s spine, and he paused at his floor-to-ceiling bedroom window overlooking the city, foolishly hunting amongst the twinkling city lights for anything amiss. Dancing forms from the dream replayed through his thoughts.
“I can see how that would be concerning.”
“Exactly. Second, in my vision, this new person took a seat at the city council table with us.”
“A new god-touched of that rank wouldn’t just appear out of nowhere, Maria. The elevation process takes years. Decades for some. Perhaps the vision meant someone on the council got elevated up a rank?”
“Well, I understand my visions can be muddied, but I’m certain this person is an entirely fresh face.”
“Can you provide me with a description of this unknown person?” Blaine asked. “Or their deity?”
“The vision didn’t make those details clear, but what I saw was truly terrifying.”
Blaine’s mind raced as he considered the implications. “I can see how this turn of events would be upsetting to the entire council. I appreciate you bringing the possibility to my attention.”
“Respectfully, Sir, I should note this was without doubt the strongest vision I’ve had all year.”
Blaine could tell she wanted to say more, but held off out of respect for his position. He ran a hand through his hair, preemptively feeling echoes of the exhaustion of the coming day. The information Maria brought wasn’t actionable, per se. Or was it?
“I meant what I said, Maria. Your contributions are invaluable to your fellow council members and in service to our city.”
