Prophecy (34 page)

Oliver ran to my side, tall and strong. He lifted Allison into his arms. “Thank you. You’re brave, Callie Ingram. I am indebted.”

“Look out!” A scream ripped through Isla and she fell at my feet, cut across the middle like Buddy. Blood pooled from her torso. Blank eyes stared at me. My limbs shook.

Oliver presented his sword and fought Isla’s killer with Allison in one arm. Lars Mahoning caught the opponent at his knees and the two tumbled.

Oliver lay Allison at my feet. “Stay with her. I’m sorry. I’ll be back.” He gave her one last look and cut through Isla’s killer before the fight moved closer, enveloping him in the mix.

I grabbed Allison again and dragged her with me, sliding, and falling in Isla’s blood before finding a steady footing in the wind. Allison groaned.

“Are you awake?” I yelled into her ear.

“I hurt.”

“Can you walk?”

She nodded weakly.

“Okay. Stay with me. Walk.” She put weight on her feet and I supported her body.

A great roar behind us sent fear through my bones. The sound was so near I didn’t dare turn around for fear it would swallow us whole. Allison’s knees buckled and we fell. I scrambled to lift her in another way.

“You.” Adam glared down the end of a long lighted sword.

I blocked his view of Allison, widening my arms at my sides. “What do you want with her?”

“You’re the center of this, not her. I saw you with Liam at the deli, and you’re Justin’s friend.” An evil smile slid over his lips. “Were Justin’s friend.” He tapped the light sword on my chest.

“Gah!” It sizzled, cutting through the material and burning the skin beneath my shirt.

“You found us here tonight. You had Tony killed. And Canin.”

I didn’t know Canin. Was he the one who attacked me outside my home?

“The ravens follow you.” He dug his blade into my sternum.

My hands wrapped around it on instinct, burning and slicing my palms.

“I will lead the Stians now. I see what they missed. You’re the nymph who’ll rule with the Viking. When I carry your dead body to them on my sword, they’ll bow to me. I’ll end the prophecy by ending you.”

Adam reared his arm back and thrust the sword through the air between us. Searing pain punched through me. My heart gave an awkward thud. Something snapped and I lost feeling in my legs. Fierce lightning illuminated my world. Liam’s face in the distance confirmed my intuition. I wouldn’t recover from this. Anguish marred his beautiful features. Fear widened his eyes and panic twisted his regal mouth in heartrending ways. These were clearly not emotions he had regular use for, unlike me. I knew fear too well. Fear of failure. Fear of loss. Fear of betrayal and in that moment, fear I’d never again feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. Behind me, Allison gurgled. A sound I’d heard twice more tonight. Once when Buddy had defended me with his sword and once when Isla had come to my rescue. My stomach knotted. Not Allison, too. Numbness weighted my face, chest and hands.

She’d die because I knelt before her. Killed by a sword meant for me.

* * * *

Darkness overcame me. The thunder subsided. Only the irregular thumps of my stuttering heart remained. A moment later, there was silence. I pulled in a breath too deep to be real. Feeling returned in my toes. The pain through my chest dissolved. The black sky split open, emitting light brighter than the sun. I squinted against it. My body rose to its feet without my intent.

“Calypso.” A great voice boomed over me. “You were chosen in your mother’s womb to lead these men. Her love for you has blessed your path. It is your destiny.”

My mind snapped to attention. “Zeus,” I whispered.

“I promised to care for Nike’s people when she and her brothers came to stay with me. I am the god of gods. I am bound by honor to keep my promise. These Vikings are offspring of Nike’s brethren. They are mine to protect. They are yours to manage. May you lead them to Valhalla.”

What? “I can’t lead Vikings!” I screamed into the light.

“You can do all things.”

“Nike said the nymph will rule with the Viking. Will Justin rise to help me?”

“You are both; child of Calypso, daughter of Hermes.”

“Does that mean no? Is he dead?” My knees buckled. “Will
you
help me?”

“I will give you what you need.”

A line of light glowed at my feet. The hilt of the sword swirled with silver and gold. Runes illuminated the blade. I extended a hand in awe of its glory and the sword rose to meet my fingers.

The ravens waddled at my feet, wings spread, beaks wide.

“You will unite the clans and make honorable warriors of these leagues. Create Vikings who are worthy to feast at Odin’s table in Valhalla,” Zeus thundered.

Wind whipped violently at my skin. I wielded the sword with both hands, for fear of losing it over the dam’s edge.

“Yes, sir.”

Great light poured through the night. In a sweeping arch, it settled above me before dropping like a stone, bursting against my head, shimmering over my skin until I glowed from the bath of glory. My skin responded, tingling and snapping as the luminescence seeped inside, filling my bones and core until I was certain I glowed. At once, my lungs filled anew. My heartbeat returned, heavy and strong. Hair whipped around me, long and wild like the nymphs who shared my bloodline.

Night closed over, blackening the world. The great light was gone, along with Zeus’ voice in the sky. I rubbed my eyes as they adjusted to the change. My hands were clean. My bloodied clothes had been replaced with a shimmering gown of white. Before me knelt a hundred Vikings, some I recognized as Stians, all in various degrees of injury. Liam lay at my feet.

“Liam.” I dropped to his side.

He turned his face to me in shock. “You are the Viking and the nymph.”

I nodded. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You do.” He tipped his head to the men on the walkway. “Tell them.”

I stood tall, squaring my shoulders in the relentless wind. “The battle here is over. If you want to leave, go peacefully now, but I hope you’ll choose to stay.”

Several men stood, scowling. They walked through clumps of fallen warriors. A few rose and followed the first. Many stayed.

A round of soft clapping erupted behind me. Nymphs approached with wide eyes and reverent postures. Hope played over their features.

“You aren’t bound to serve them anymore.” I spoke with fervor. “You choose your path.” Feminism roared through me.

The ladies sat at my feet.

A single sword rose over a head with ginger hair. A man I recognized from Hale Manor spoke the first word from the battleground. “Calypso.”

“Calypso,” the crowd answered.

“Calypso.” Liam smiled.

I embraced Liam with renewed hope. If this was possible, maybe all things were. Two dire prayers burned in my heart. “Justin and Allison need a hospital.”

Allison’s voice was weak but determined through my cell phone. “I can’t believe I’m missing a senior year Halloween bash. It’s the biggest party of the century and you’re going without me.”

I steadied the mascara brush in my hand, leaning closer to the bathroom mirror.

“It’s amazingly unfair you were attacked at knifepoint last week and survived. You should definitely be pissed about missing this party.”

She sighed. “Ow.”

“See. You can’t even sigh without pain, silly. How about this? I promise to send pictures and videos. I also promise to spill something messy on someone you hate and I promise to drop your name to Oliver Hale no less than three times.”

“Four.”

“Four.”

“Ugh. Yuck. Dad’s here with pain meds and a lecture. I gotta go. Text everything.” She disconnected without a good-bye. Allison had survived with her trademark congeniality intact. Her memory was another story. Oliver had taken that to protect her. It had hurt him more than he let on, but I felt it. I felt everything lately.

Mom bounced up the steps, looking happy. “Wow. Justin’s going to collapse when he sees you.”

Justin also got a memory reduction. He thought he’d blacked out and fell in his pond. The hospital staff took their lame stories in stride with some help from Liam’s sway. Two workers stabbed at a deli where nothing was stolen and one almost drowned cowboy. Justin had recovered in an hour and went home with a headache and no memory of an epic Viking battle, whether from the bashing of water in the Dover Dam or Liam meddling with his mind, I didn’t know. Honestly, I didn’t care. The only things I wanted that night had come true. My friends lived. Oliver had to start over wooing Allison. A task made tougher with her housebound for recovery. He didn’t have a ton of reasons to drop by a practical stranger’s house and visit. Justin didn’t remember my relationship with Liam. I couldn’t help wondering if that was intentional on Liam’s part. Liam gave me continual opportunities to run away, which seemed moot considering I was officially the boss of him. I smiled. He pretended to hate the new dynamic, but the pride behind his words was visible from space when he complained.

“Are you a goddess?” Mom asked.

Lip gloss froze on my bottom lip. “What?”

“The dress.” She whistled. “Where did you find it? It’s marvelous.”

I slid my lips on fresh gloss and drank in the reflection before me. My wild hair waved down my back and over both shoulders. The buttery soft silk clung to my body, dipping dangerously between my breasts and down my spine, revealing two matching white scars from my death. I’d covered both as well as possible in liquid makeup and an abundance of shimmer powder.

I kicked a foot through the featherlight folds of silver and white material over my legs. “Are the shoes too much?” I’d purchased my first pair of strappy stilettos. My newfound inability to lose balance made me brave.

“Definitely too much.” Mom smiled. “Take them off immediately so I can borrow them.

“Not a chance.”

Mom moved behind me, playing with my hair and admiring our reflections. “You’ve changed so much these past few weeks, I barely recognize you. We used to look like mother and daughter.”

I spun in her hands, looming slightly over her and feeling bigger than my mom for the first time in my life. I hated it. She was the best mom in all creation and the only one I wanted.

“We
are
mother and daughter. I got a senior year makeover, but I still look exactly like you in here.” I took her hand and pressed it to my chest.

Tears welled in her eyes. “I want to hug you so much, but I’ll ruin all your hard work.”

I grabbed her in my arms and held her tight. “It wasn’t as hard as you think.”

She sniffled against my shoulder. “Jeez. Brag much?”

I laughed into her crazy hair, inhaling the familiar scent of apples and lavender. “I still have your hair.”

Ding dong. “Woof!”

Mom wiped her eyes. “Your date’s here.” A knowing smile spread over her face.

“Mom, Justin and I are friends. I’m dating Liam.”

She scrunched her nose. “I know. I’m teasing, but since you mention it… Justin’s walking you to your boyfriend’s party. Does that seem a little strange to you?”

“Maybe,” I hedged. More complicated than strange, but at least we were all alive.

“We never talked about this.”

“I don’t want to talk about this.”

“I’m having lunch with Justin’s mother tomorrow. Maybe she’ll have some inside scoop.”

Oh, jeez.

Ding dong. “Woof.”

Mom took another long look at me before bouncing down the steps to our front door. Chester’s toenails danced over the wooden floor in the foyer. Justin’s slow easy drawl climbed the distance to my ears. He was magnificent and I adored him. Nothing could change that. When he fell in love, the girl better appreciate him because Justin didn’t give his heart away recklessly. Of all the revelations that night on the dam, I struggled most with the fact Justin wasn’t more than human. How was that possible?

“Come on, sugar. What’s taking you so long?” Justin called up the steps. “There can’t be much you can do to improve what God already gave ya.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” I strode down the steps, carrying the length of my gown in one hand.

“Good lord.” Justin whipped a sleek black Stetson off his head and placed it over his heart. “Have mercy.”

“Thank you.” I bowed my head and smiled.

“Home by midnight.” Mom shoved a trench coat in my direction.

I pushed the coat away and pulled a shiny silver wrap from the coat tree. “Home by two?”

“Hey, be careful with my New Year’s Eve wrap. No stains.”

“What do you think I’m going to do in it?”

She opened the door with one hand and covered her eyes with the other. “Out. Go. Be young and beautiful. I’ll stay here with Chester.”

“Woof.”

“Home by two?” I asked again.

“Fine.” A tiny smile curved beneath her hand.

Justin hugged her tight, arching his back and lifting her off the ground. “See ya, Mrs. I. Don’t eat all the crispy treats. I’m coming back for my doggie bag.”

“Woof.”

Justin put Mom down and eyeballed me with appreciation. “What are you supposed to be, anyway?”

“I’m Calypso.”

Mom choked behind us. “Just like your namesake.”

“Who?” Justin asked. The first secret I’d ever kept from him.

“Calypso,” Mom answered. “She was a nymph who lived on an island and held a married man captive so she could force him to love her. It was an awful story. I hoped you’d never hear it. I hid the books once you were old enough to read.”

Justin scoffed. “Your name is Calypso? That doesn’t fit you at all. You look like Callie to me. If I were you, I’d tell people you’re an Olympic goddess. Otherwise, that’s a weird costume.”

“Right. You’re the costume expert after spending so much time on your very original cowboy outfit.”

“This ain’t a costume, sugar.”

“Please stop calling me sugar.”

“What? It’s part of the costume.”

Mom laughed. “You two better get going before this gets ugly. Besides, I’ve got work to do. Here come some evil goblins now.”

I stepped through the doorway, pulling Justin behind me. We skirted around a group of costumed grade-schoolers hauling pillowcases.