Blood Oath (A Gabby Girls Adventure Novel, Book Two) (7 page)

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Helios. But first, let’s get the
Neophytes
safely to the Isles. Then we’ll strategize on how best to deal with this situation," Queen Harmonia instructed softly.

Chaos’s eyes narrowed coldly. "They’re under my protection now, and I will make sure that they get to the Isles in one piece." He crossed his arms authoritatively. "Now, what do we do about the rest of our academies? The
Banished
obviously know that it’s our weakest point of entry, and they will not hesitate to attack again. We need to take precautions now."

The council members yelled in agreement.

My brows furrowed with surprise. How in the world could someone this young command the respect of so many adults?

"What is your suggestion, Chaos?" Helios asked quickly.

He ran his fingers agitatedly through his hair. "We send out a high alert to all
Eternals
informing them of the recent attack. In conjunction, send more Warriors to secure the academies."

There was a sudden commotion in the corner, among some
Ares
, as they looked at Justice, who was talking urgently into his phone. He walked over to Chaos and whispered urgently in his ear. Chaos’s eyes widened, then narrowed. Justice shot him a questioning stare, causing Chaos to nod in agreement.

Justice leaned over the phone confidently. "I just got word that the police and media were tipped off about the incident at Vineswell. So priority number one is to clean up the academy. That means moving the bodies from the site quickly and contacting our
Normal
allies to work some damage control with the media and the authorities."

The council erupted with panic again.

Thallo responded tiredly, "If that’s the case, then we need more
Eternals
, like, now."

"Thallo, that’s in motion right now. The
Elementi
have authorized the opening of all portals, and Warriors are en route." Helios’s voice resonated with authority.

"This is all so ridiculous. The
Banished
actually have us on our heels," Queen Nemesis spat nastily. "I knew this day would come. Now we can either run and hide or ramp up our efforts, ending this war once and for all."

"Sister, dear, I think that we have exhausted that topic and the council is now at a stalemate. That’s why I asked Veda to organize a general
Eternal
meeting for tonight to discuss the path forward," Queen Harmonia responded briskly.

I could just hear the thick tension between them in the air. It crackled like a whip.

Someone cleared her throat noisily before speaking. "Chaos, how are the
Neophytes
holding up?"

I knew that voice instantly. My lips automatically curled into a smile. It was Grandma Celeste.

Chaos peered at me sharply. "I guess as well as to be expected under these circumstances."

I shot him a nasty glare. How would he know? He hadn’t said one word to us since we left Vineswell.

"Very well, Chaos. I trust you to get them to the Isles safely, or you will deal with my wrath," she said warmly.

He chuckled huskily. "Yes, Celeste, I know the power of your wrath, almost too well."

My brows shot up with surprise. The ice-cold
Ares
Warrior had actually thawed. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. As if he could feel my glare, Chaos turned toward me and smiled—coldly—then reached for the sliding panels and firmly shut them in my face.

chapter

FOUR

Our invisibility lasted
for most of the flight as
Ares
Warriors walked up and down the aisle, ignoring us completely. I looked over at Rosalinda, Jessica, and Zora, who were sleeping quite happily with no care in the world.

I, on the other hand, was very frustrated, and quite honestly, I needed space to think. I got up and walked further up in the jet, plopping down in the leather seat in a dark, secluded section. I dabbed the dots of sweat that had suddenly, annoyingly collected on my forehead, feeling sick to my stomach, keeling over from the pain. This was definitely not right; it felt like someone was playing drums on my stomach. I closed my eyes as I curled up against the coolness of the leather seat and hoped that the pain would stop as I rocked back and forth. My thoughts drifted to Grandma Celeste. Something was not right with her. I could just sense it.

Chaos looked at me with concern. "Is everything all right?"

I squeaked with fright. I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed when he sat down across from me.

"Yes. Fine." I looked at him haughtily.

"I see that you’re a girl of very few words. A lot of fight—as foolish as that might be—but no words."

I don’t know why, but as gorgeous as he was, I found him extremely annoying.

"Are you serious? I mean, what do you want me to say? We’ve been sitting here for at least two hours, and no one has even said one word to us. We’re invisible."

His gray eyes narrowed curiously. "Like what? You were listening to every word we said, which, by the way, was not cool. So you know everything now."

Embarrassed, I could feel the heat rising from my feet to my face. I was about to go ballistic. "No, I don’t know everything. Like why is everyone so worried about getting us to Transcendence so quickly? And were we really the target of the attack? And what’s the deal with that weirdo with the lizard tongue?"

His eyes flashed with annoyance. "Does it even matter at this point? You’re safe."

Crossing my arms angrily, I looked at him like he was a nut. "Uh, yes, it does matter. We’re not babies, you know? We can handle truth. And we actually have a say in what we do and where we go."

He snorted with contempt in his eyes. "First, you can’t handle the truth. Second, you don’t have choices,
Neophyte
. Your choices are what we say they are."

I looked at him, shocked. Was he a lunatic?
Ares
boy was definitely letting this power thing go straight to his huge head.

"What?"

His eyes narrowed coldly. "Let me repeat myself just so we’re real clear. From this point on, you don’t have a say about where you go and what you do." He leaned in so close that I could smell the clean scent of soap mixed with earth that wafted from his body. "Your life is not your own,
Neophyte
, or didn’t they tell you that little fact?" he spat venomously.

His condescending tone was really pissing me off. He was really hateful and obviously did not like me at all, which, by the way, kind of stung.

"Don’t talk to me like that."

He looked at me. His stare was so cold and methodical that a chill ran through my body. "Gabrielle, I don’t have time for games. So, I’m going to keep it as real as it gets. Back the heck off."

Our eyes locked in battle. He examined me closely; it was as if he was desperately searching for something. There was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes before they narrowed angrily. I could instantly tell that he didn’t like what he saw
at all
.

"Do you even know how close you were to being killed? Do you even care? What about your former classmates and professors? You know, the ones whose bodies were scattered across the ground, drained of blood, and cut into pieces like confetti. And what about the
Circles
sent to protect you? They’re dead too, so excuse me if I don’t care about your hurt feelings." He was so angry that each word came out like bullets, short and painfully to the point.

I recoiled at his bluntness. I didn’t like him at all. He was just cruel. But I was not going to back off or let him intimidate me like a bully. "Look, Warrior boy, I was there. So you don’t have to remind me."

At that moment, he actually made me feel like bawling my eyes out, which for me was super unusual and super girly. And I could tell that he was the type of guy who would be absolutely repulsed by any display of weakness. Besides, I would never give him, of all people, the satisfaction of knowing how deep a nerve he had touched.

He leaned back in his seat, studying me calculatingly. "But you see,
Neophyte
, I think I do. You need to understand that this war against the Underworld is now your reality, your battle too. And the sooner that you come to terms with this, the less likely you are to get yourself or anyone else killed."

Oh my goodness, was he really blaming me for getting everyone killed? Tears of anger stung in my eyes. "This is not my fault. I didn’t ask for any of this. And I think it’s cruel of you to even"—I paused, catching my breath. Gosh, I think I was hyperventilating—"to sit here and lecture me like
I
did something wrong. I was born into this
Eternal
thing. I didn’t sign up for it."

I knew I touched a nerve when I saw his jaw tighten angrily.

Moving in for the kill, I leaned forward, poking him in his hard, muscular chest angrily. "What are you, all of eighteen, pretending to be some sort of grown-up? Talking down to me, making me feel guilty like I had something to do with any of this? Well, I didn’t." I knew that I was borderline hysterical. But you know what, I didn’t care. I was on fire. I knew that somehow I was wrapped up in the sudden attack on Vineswell. That guilt, rational or not, was making me crazy.

Tears of fury rolled down my cheeks. "I had to stand there, helpless, and watch them being killed like cattle. Not you, me. So please don’t act like the all-knowing and like I’m some stupid little girl that you don’t want to deal with." I was so done. I did everything I swore that I wouldn’t do—cry. I could feel the rawness of my throat and eyes. I hated him with a purple passion for breaking me down like a baby, for breaking me down to feel every bit of my fifteen years.

He just stared at me with a raw intensity that truly unnerved me. Abruptly, he touched my hair so reverently that I thought I would just burst out into another round of tears. He closed his eyes briefly, then sighed before swiftly standing up and storming away.

Anxiously I bit my lip because I honestly didn’t know what to make of what had just happened. I leaned back in my seat, pulling my knees up to my chest for comfort. I knew that Grandma Celeste would be totally angry at my rude behavior. Sighing, my thoughts instinctively drifted to the last time I saw her. Which was only a few nights ago…

Grandma Celeste smiled
at me indulgently as she handed over a pristine white envelope. "I have something that I’ve been waiting to give you for a very long time."

I looked at her warily, grabbed the envelope, and flipped it back and forth between my fingers apprehensively. "Who is it from?"

Grandma Celeste smiled tenderly. "It’s something that your mother wanted me to give to you when the time was right." She pulled one of my fluffy, dog-eared ponytails playfully, then slowly walked away with her ornate silver staff clicking melodically. Suddenly she stopped midstride. "And Gabi, don’t share the information in the letter with anyone." She swiftly disappeared from the terrace.

I stared at the envelope for what seemed like eons before my trembling fingers quickly broke the red wax seal and pulled-out the letter nervously. My eyes greedily read the contents.

My sweet Gabrielle:

With every day that you grow into your destiny, my heart swells with more love and pride than I could ever convey with mere words. There are so many things that I long to tell you and to show you, but I’ve run out of time. So I leave this letter as a last remedy, to right all that is wrong, to reveal the truth when there is no other recourse.

And after all is revealed, I hope that with the passage of time, you will forgive me for every lie that I told in the name of my love for you. The most damning lie is one that I live with every day, a lie that when I look into your eyes, I am painfully reminded of. Painful reminders of the love that I left behind and the painful choices that I’ve made—for better or for worse. Every day I’m reminded of your real father, Aether, the love that I left behind.

I reveal this now because this truth is all that might save and protect you against the darkness and bring you to the light. Remember, what is done in the dark will always come back to the light. And always remember that the light can unlock the Circle of Eternity and forgiveness can open unimaginable doors. All I ask is that you open your heart and forgive. This is all that will win in the end.

In Circle and Eternally in love always,

Eternally Mom

What? How could this be? It was like everything that I had known to be true was slowly crumbling apart around me. My head snapped around when I heard the all too familiar clicks of Grandma Celeste’s staff as she briskly walked back onto the terrace.