Oracle of Spirits #5 Read online

  With that assessment she marched from the room and up the stairs. A few moments later we heard the door to her bedroom slam shut.

  It was my turn to glare at him. "You didn't have to be such a jerk to her," I scolded him.

  A frown slipped onto his face and he pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. "That was the only way I was sure to get rid of her."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Get rid of-" Ian flicked the cigarette into the fire and stood.

  He walked over and took the seat beside me. His steady gaze looked into my eyes. "You might find this really hard to believe, but Cronus has actually been protecting you."

  I snorted. "

  Ian shook his head. "It's true. He was the one who didn't want us to split up in the Cash mansion. Hell, he badgered me non-stop to send you out of the city rather than keep you with us until he realized we couldn't just drop you off anywhere. Not when your powers were growing so fast."

  "What about using me as bait in the glue factory?" I pointed out.

  He smiled. "I could smell him in the side hallway. One more second and I think he would've made his holier-than-thou appearance. That guy does love an entrance."

  I snorted. "He did look pretty impressive at the mansion, and the way he takes over a room with his feelings is something else."

  Ian shook his head. "I wouldn't know. Cronus once told me only the kids of angels can feel their emotions."

  "Then you're lucky," I told him. "For a guy who doesn't show much emotion he's got a heck of a lot of feelings."

  "He's been knocked around a bit. It's not easy being a Fallen," Ian told me.

  I raised an eyebrow. "A Fallen?"

  He leaned against the back of the couch and shrugged. "A fallen angel. He was cast out for dallying with human women."

  I blinked at Ian. "You mean Cronus got kicked out of heaven for getting a girl pregnant?"

  "Pretty much."

  I snorted. "And I thought shotgun weddings were tough."

  "The man upstairs is pretty strict with his angels," Ian agreed. He leaned forward and studied my face. His voice changed to a soft, serious whisper. "Listen, I know this isn't easy for you, but it isn't easy for him, either. Maybe you could ease up on him a little. You know, so I don't have to listen to you two fight all the time."

  I rolled my eyes. "My hero."

  He grinned and shrugged. "A guy's gotta have some peace and quiet some time."

  I pursed my lips and looked into the distance ahead of me. "How am I even supposed to start with him? I mean, he kind of left me and my mom, and he's tried his hardest to ignore me since I got here."

  Ian nodded at my blue eye. "You could start by asking him how you're supposed to use that thing. It doesn't look dead like Quinn's eye, so it's gotta be useful for something."

  I reached up and brushed my hand over my discolored eye. "I think it works. At least, sometimes I see things."

  Ian jerked his head towards the bottom of the stairs. "Don't tell me about it. Go up there and ask him."

  I sighed and shook my head. "I don't think I'm up for another meeting with him tonight."

  "Then I will have to disappoint you," a voice spoke up.

  Ian and I whipped our heads to the doorway. Cronus leaned against the frame. His face was pale and his legs looked unsteady beneath him. Ian hurried past me and leaned Cronus on him.

  "You really shouldn't be standing, much less walking around," Ian scolded him.

  Cronus' eyes fell on me and I thought I saw a ghost of a smile on his lips. "I was told to talk with someone when I gave enough damn."

  "If you don't collapse on me," I teased.

  "I have strength left, but not in this form," Cronus replied.

  "Then let's get this form over to the couch," Ian suggested. He hefted Cronus over to the couch and plopped him down on the cushion beside mine. Ian resumed his position in his chair and chewed on his cigarette.

  "You asked how I could assist you," Cronus recapped.

  I nodded. "Yeah."

  He sighed. "I will teach you the skills of a Nephilim, that is, a child of a human and angel, but only as far as your powers have progressed."

  I raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

  "He's trying to tell you you're a kid and you'd probably explode with energy if you tried the harder things," Ian translated. Cronus glared at Ian. Ian held up his hands and grinned. "Just trying to help."

  I gestured to my eye. "Any way you can fix this?"

  He studied my eye for a moment before he nodded. "The change is permanent. Your other eye will some day also change."

  I dropped my hand and my heart sank. "So I'm going to be blind?"

  "During the night you will see as Cecilia sees, and during the day you will see more clearly than any human," he explained.

  I sighed and shrugged. "I suppose that's something. Jenny called it a God's Eye, and said it was a window to heaven."

  "A window, or a door, but the strength of the portal depends on the innocence of the bearer of the eyes," he told me.

  "Innocence? Like being evil, or like sex?" I asked him.

  "Darkness in a soul will cloud the vision and God will be shut to their eyes," he commented.

  "So I'm guessing being your daughter is why she can do a Blessing so easily," Ian spoke up.

  Cronus nodded. "It is."

  "And what we saw tonight was a big Blessing?" Ian guessed.

  There was another nod. "It was."

  My eyes widened. "That was a Blessing?"

  "Of a great magnitude, yes," Cronus acknowledged.

  "So what else can I do besides the mystic stuff?" I wondered.

  "With practice you may form apparel, levitate, and-"

  I jumped to my feet and a wide smile broke my dour face. "You mean I can fly?"

  "With practice," he emphasized.

  "Lots of practice," Ian teased.

  "What about your sword? Can I make that, too?" I asked him.

  Cronus pursed his lips. "Again, with practice you may be able to create such a weapon."

  I grabbed his arm and tugged. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get practicing!"

  "Whoa there! Hold on a minute," Ian spoke up as he sat up. "You're forgetting something."

  I blinked at him. "What?"

  Ian nodded at Cronus. "Cronus just got his ass nearly handed to him trying to keep you alive. I think he needs a break before you kill him with your practice sword."

  I dropped Cronus' arm and glared at Ian. "I won't kill anyone I'm not supposed to."

  Ian chuckled. "And if I happen to make you mad?"

  "Then you'll be on the 'supposed-to' list," I quipped.

  "We will begin your training when I am recovered," Cronus spoke up. He stood on steadier feet and waved off Ian as the other man stood. "It will take a week for me to replenish my strength. That will give time for your mind to conjure up our next plan of action against our foes."

  Ian cringed. "It might take longer than that. I don't really know where to start."

  "What about that house? We could try searching what's left of it," I suggested.

  Ian shook his head. "They wouldn't have evacuated that quickly if there was any fear they'd leave something behind."

  "What about Lilith? She'd know something," I pointed out.

  "We could go ask her, but not without a small army or-" Ian paused and furrowed his brow. "Or maybe we could."

  "Can or can't?" I questioned him.

  "I'll get back to you on that. Ruthven's supposed to visit tomorrow night with an update on his searches," Ian revealed. He stood and stretched his arms above his head. "Which means now would be a good time for a nice, long sleep."

  CHAPTER 13

  I couldn't argue with that, so we trooped our way upstairs to our rooms. I slipped into mine and walked over to the bed.

  "Psst."

  I jumped a foot in the air and spun around towards the bathroom door. Jenny's head peeked out from the entrance. She tiptoed out of the bathroom, a
nd I saw she had her bags with her.

  "What are you doing?" I asked her.

  She cringed and put a finger to her lips. "Not so loud, honey," she requested.

  Jenny pulled out a small vial and shook the contents. The red liquid inside swished from side to side.

  "A little emergency rations of Cronus' blood," she explained. "It told me enough for me to know trouble's coming here, so I need to get along."

  I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of trouble?"

  She shrugged. "Something about a fool coming around and causing trouble. Anyway, say goodbye to Ian and Cronus for me, will ya?"

  Jenny moved towards the door to the hall, but I grabbed her arm. "How can you go out alone? What if the Whisperers come for you again?"

  She smiled and studied my face. "They've got their sights set on a lot more interesting targets than me."

  I cringed. "You mean me."

  "You, and Cronus. You take care of him for me, okay? He may not be the best dad you wanted, but he'll come through for you when you need it," she assured me. "Oh, and I almost forgot." She dug into her pocket and pulled out a folded paper. "This is the spell to break those stones the Whisperers are using."

  I took the paper and unfolded it. "Eamque infectum?"

  "It means 'spell undone,'" she translated.

  I frowned. "That's a pretty easy spell."

  "The trick is not just anyone can use the spell. The spell will work only if a mystic says it, and with them all being rounded up those Whisperers don't have much of a problem there," she explained. She took a step back towards the door, but paused. "Oh, and I told Ian everything I knew about the Whisperers' plans. Just tell him all I know is they're using the mystics and Phantoms to open something. Don't know how or what, but that's what they're doing."

  I smiled at her. "Thanks, and good luck."

  "Good luck to you, too, honey. You're going to need it."

  Jenny turned and opened the door. She slipped around the corner and down the hall. I stuck my head out and watched her pink self disappear down the stairs.

  "So she's gone," a voice spoke up.

  I whipped my head to the door opposite and down the hall from mine. Ian leaned against the door frame with his arms folded.

  "Do you think we should catch her?" I asked him.

  He pushed off the frame and shook his head. "She's a big girl. Besides, she's right. The Whisperers have bigger fish to fry, and they have to finish whatever they're planning with those mystics."

  I cringed. "You think they're still alive?"

  He shrugged. "Who knows. Nobody's found any bodies, so my bets are that they're being held captive. Hopefully Ruthven will give us some info tomorrow." He stifled a yawn. "Anyone, I'm going to bed. Good day." He turned, but I reached out my hand.

  "Wait." Ian paused and half-turned to me. I smiled at him. "Thanks."

  He raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

  I bit my lower lip. "For that chat after I talked with Cronus. It. . .I really appreciate it."

  He grinned. "No problem. Besides, I like the idea of scaring Cronus with the idea that I might be his son-in-law sometime." Cronus' door opened and he stepped out. His glare fell on Ian. Ian raised his palms and backed into his room. "Joking. Just joking."

  "A joke is meant for amusement," Cronus shot back.

  Ian looked at his wristwatch. "Wow, would you look at the time. Better get to bed." He stepped into his room and shut the door.

  I shook my head and glanced at Cronus. He stared back at me with his usual creepy non-blinking. I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

  "You look a great deal like your mother," he commented.

  I smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

  "It was meant to be one," he assured me.

  I looked him up and down. "You'll have to show me what you looked like when you met Mom. She doesn't have a picture of you."

  He bowed his head. "When my strength has returned. Goodnight."

  "'Night," I called back.

  Cronus disappeared into his room, and I slipped back into mine. I shut the door and leaned my back against the entrance.

  "A fool's coming. . ." I whispered.

  Little did I know how right would be Jenny's divination.

  For all books by Mac Flynn visit her author's page or visit Mac Flynn's website.

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