The Prophecies (The Sentinel Series Book 2) (9 page)

‘Careless?’

‘You caused it to snow on the hottest day so far this year, you moved all the water from the pool to the forest…’

I supressed the smile at that. I’d had no idea that Isaac one of the Guardians had been patrolling the borders of the forest at the time. He hadn’t seemed to have forgiven me since.

‘You’re getting stronger every day, I have never seen anything like it but you need to be more sensible about how you use your powers. It seems the Oraculum are keeping a close eye on you.’

I couldn’t get what Cain had said to me out of my head that I was to break the Oraculum, even though he refused to tell me how I managed it. Maybe it would be a good idea to keep my head down for a few days.

Quinn sitting next to me on the bed nudged me into agreeing and I reluctantly nodded. But if I had a few days off I wasn’t going to sit idle. As my Guardians started to filter out of the room in relief I asked Caleb to hang back. I waited for my Guardians to go before I spoke to him.

‘Fancy a walk.’

He pulled a face knowing I meant to go and see Zach again but eventually nodded. ‘
Sparring though not killing each other.’

I nodded.

Seth raised an eyebrow at my sudden covert plan. I leaned over the bed and kissed him, deeply and as he reached for me I pulled back slightly. ‘
I’ll be back soon to finish that kiss, so don’t move.’

He smiled and held up his hand in a Boy Scout salute.

Caleb and I walked down the corridor, under the beady eye of Eli who must have been asking Caleb where we were going even if he wasn’t doing so out loud. As Eli hadn’t tried to stop us, I presumed Caleb had told him something.

As we stepped outside the sun momentarily blinded me and for a split second I saw Aurelia crying again, but as soon as the image arrived it was gone. I hesitated at the top of the steps for a few seconds but with nothing more to go on it didn’t seem worth upsetting Persia again with it.

The rain had stopped and the sun was trying to come out as we approached the grassy slopes round the back of the fort. I could see Zach and another boy - the boy with bright blond hair who had cracked his opponent round the head the first day I had met the Guardlings - were sparring viciously, neither gaining the upper hand. Other Guardlings were fighting nearby. As I neared, Zach’s eyes slid to me for a second and that was all the blond boy needed to gain his advantage. He cracked his pole round Zach’s knee and followed up with the other end of the pole with a smash to the stomach. Zach staggered back and the blond boy stopped, laughing.

I tutted, disapprovingly. ‘Clumsy Zach, you should keep your eye on your opponent, and not get distracted.’

Zach laughed as he righted himself, gingerly. He turned his attention back to the blond boy momentarily. ‘Good fight Deacon, I’ll get you tomorrow.’

Deacon, still laughing over his win, ran back towards the other Guardlings.

Zach walked over to me. ‘I blame you entirely for that,’ he laughed as he hugged me. ‘How you doing?’

‘You can’t blame me for your lack of focus,’ I laughed, hugging him back. ‘But if you want to take it out on me, we can fight again.’

Zach looked across at Caleb. ‘Am I allowed?’

He scowled. ‘Just… go easy this time eh. Fight with honour.’

‘I can do that,’ I said, trying to look the perfect picture of innocence.

Zach grinned. ‘You have no honour Eve.’ He bent down on the pretext of doing up his laces, grabbed my foot, and knocked my other leg out from under me, flipping me onto my back.

I laughed as I lay dazed on the grass. ‘And you do?’

Zach held a hand out to help me up. ‘Sorry, couldn’t resist.’ Caleb went to sit on the bank to watch.

I took Zach’s hand and as he pulled me up I kneed him hard in the stomach. He staggered back, winded and I sprang up onto the balls of my feet, ready for him to come back. He coughed, holding his stomach, protectively, doubled up in pain. Had I really hurt him that badly? I went to him, to see if he was ok, but as I got close, he suddenly elbowed me in the face. I leapt back in pain.

Zach bounced up onto the balls of his feet as I rubbed my cheek, laughing. ‘Oh you are so going to pay for that.’

Zach grinned as he came for me, I dropped onto one knee, grabbed his leg and threw him over my head. He turned the throw into a roll and landed back on his feet again. I leapt forward and kicked him hard in the ribs, but as I did he kicked my other leg out from under me and I was flat on my back again. This time he didn’t give me a chance to catch my breath or help me up, he went to kick me hard in the leg, but I managed to roll out the way before he could make contact. I leapt to my feet and he grabbed me in a stranglehold, attempting to position himself to throw me, I managed to outmanoeuvre him, side stepping him as he held me, so he couldn’t get a good enough grip. Then, seizing my opportunity, I bit his hand hard so he had to release me. He leapt back and I stamped on his foot, feeling the bones crunch satisfyingly.

He staggered back and laughed. I laughed too, but then a distant roar ripped across the mountains, a rattling, shaking noise that got louder and louder. It sounded like a stampede. All the Guardlings turned towards the approaching sound and Zach immediately moved in front of me.

The trees moved violently before us as if they were caught in great winds. Suddenly the noise was upon us, the ground shaking in waves as the earthquake ripped through the slopes as if it was made from paper. A huge tear burst open in the ground, a horrific chasm that sliced through the field and straight under the fort. The ground shook underneath my feet so hard I would have fallen over if Caleb hadn’t been there to hold me up.

The roaring was so loud I barely heard the other noise above me, but something made me look up and I stared in horror as one of the turrets fell away from the fort and plummeted towards us. Instinctively I filled myself with my power and grabbed hold of the turret before it got anywhere near us, simultaneously shielding myself and the Guardlings underneath a great bubble from any loose bricks or dust that I hadn’t managed to stop with my telekinesis. I moved the tower to rest on the ground further off, but my shield now had a thick layer of dust over the top and it was impossible to see if there was any further damage to the fort but at least we were safe under here. The roaring and shaking stopped, almost as quickly as it began and above us the dust had started to settle. The fort was still standing, the turret being the only part that had broken off; everything else looked unruffled as it stood in the early morning sun. I knew it would be a different story inside.

I removed the debris from the top of my shield with telekinesis and then released the shield.

‘Is everyone ok?’ I yelled. The Guardlings were still standing and none of them looked hurt. I quickly let my healing power flow through Zach, healing him of any injuries I had caused him during the fight. Grabbing Caleb’s hand I slid back to Seth who hadn’t kept his word about staying in the room, he was already running down the stairs when I slammed into him. He caught me before I bounced off him and fell down the stairs.

The look of relief on his face probably echoed mine at seeing he was alive and well.

‘I couldn’t slide to you.’ He leaned his forehead against mine.

‘I was shielded.’

I pulled back from him, knowing if I let myself I could stand in the safe embrace of his arms all day.

I reached out for the bond of my personal guard and pulled them all to me. They arrived, coiled ready to attack but healthy and unharmed. I wanted to hug them all though with Eli’s angry expression I managed to stop myself. Though that didn’t stop him from grabbing me and pulling me against him hard. I smiled against him, he didn’t show emotion very often but I was always touched by it when he did.

‘We need to check the fort for any injured people. Cassidy won’t be able to heal everyone by herself.’

They nodded.

‘Call me if you need me to heal anyone.’

We split up, running in different directions over the fort, though Seth stayed with me. I just hoped that the people of the fort were as resilient as my Guardians.

I flopped down on the bed, exhausted. I had spent most of the day running around helping the injured. A lot of the people who weren’t Deus hadn’t fared as well as the Guardians. Then there were building repairs to help with; the Guardians with their strength and my powers managed to repair lots of structural problems too.

So much for not using my powers today.

I looked up as Seth took my shoes off, my red converse that had been through so much with me over the last few months.

He ran his finger down the instep of my foot and a bolt of desire ran straight through me. I knelt up sliding my arms round his neck and kissed him.

‘Are we going to be alone tonight?’ I kissed him again, letting the weight of the kiss punctuate my words.

‘We can be alone; I just won’t sleep if there’s no one else there to protect you.’

I didn’t like the idea of him not sleeping.

He grabbed my legs and flipped me over onto my back, making the decision for me. He leaned over me, putting a hand either side of my face as he kissed me again.

I ran my fingers across the dirt on his face. I smiled. He looked rough and rugged like this.

‘I’ll be right back, let me just go and clean up,’ he said. He stood up, disappearing off to the bathroom.

I stretched out on my bed and felt myself immediately drifting off.

I heard voices. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it sounded very serious. I strained to listen and the next thing I was standing in the shadows of a dark wood panelled room. On sofas and chairs in front of me were three men talking. One of them was Cain.

Was this another prophecy and they couldn’t see me? I didn’t want to test the theory, something told me I needed to listen.

‘She needs to be stopped,’ said one man with round spectacles and a short white beard. He had very little hair, but there was nothing frail about him, his hands were strong and his eyes were cold and black.

Seth suddenly landed at my side, but I signalled him not to say anything. He tensed though when he saw where we were.

I guessed I was looking at two more members of the Oraculum.

‘Who are they?’

Seth discreetly pointed them out without causing too much movement.
‘Cain, Jonah, Nathaniel.’
Nathaniel was the man with glasses. My supposed father. Though I guessed there were to be no emotional reunions today.

Jonah by comparison seemed hundreds of years older with long white hair and a white silvery beard that seemed almost as long. Cain seemed unfazed by what they were talking about, swirling his red wine around in his glass so it left blood-like stains on the sides.

‘She has grown stronger than any of us had ever expected,’ said Jonah, his voice rough like sandpaper. There were no prizes for guessing who they were talking about. ‘She started that earthquake today, there can be no doubt about that.’

My eyes widened at this bizarre accusation.

‘She started the earthquake?’ Cain said, almost amused by them.

‘After her ridiculous edict that everyone in the fort had to pledge to her, this was her way of gaining back their favour. Did you see how she was running round the fort today healing everyone, it was just a political stunt to get people to like her,’ Jonah said.

‘That was Eli’s ruling not hers,’ Cain said, mildly. He hardly seemed interested in the conversation at all.

‘Eli works for her, you can be sure that order came direct from her even if she didn’t come out with it publicly,’ Nathaniel said.

Jonah nodded. ‘If she can damage the earth so easily, destroying it will be next.’

‘She’ll murder us in our beds,’ said Nathaniel.

‘That’s a ridiculous thing to say.’ I guessed this was the first proper reaction that Cain had given to the conversation as Jonah and Nathaniel looked startled at the sudden venom in his words.

‘Is it?’ Nathaniel said.

‘She has no reason to fear us unless you give her reason to. Even then she is not the sort of person that would actively seek us out to attack us; only in defence would she fight against us.’

‘You seem pretty sure of her,’ Jonah said. ‘What if Samuel is right and she goes insane? Will you be so quick to defend her then?’

‘It is strange that only Samuel has had that prophecy.’ Cain resumed swirling around his wine, trying to appear calm again.

‘And what of the other prophecies,’ Nathaniel growled.

Cain shrugged. ‘As I said, any actions she takes against us will only be in defence.’

‘I say we put an end to this madness now, before it’s too late.’

‘What are you suggesting?’ Cain stood up and I shrank further back into the shadows fearful he would suddenly see me, but the movement caught his eye and he immediately looked towards us. Cain’s face was a picture of shock as he stared right at me. Jonah and Nathaniel shot up too, Nathaniel immediately going for the knife at his belt.

‘You see, she’s here to kill us.’

Cain moved towards me and I grabbed Seth’s hand and slid us back to my bedroom.

‘What the actual hell was that?’ I said. ‘They’re planning on killing me.’ I sat down heavily on my bed. ‘The nine most powerful men in the world and they plan to kill me.’

‘You’re the Sentinel; of course they’re not going to kill you.’

‘Nathaniel didn’t sound like he was planning to come here and hug me.’

My personal guard arrived in my room. These late night visits were starting to become a regular thing. I wondered when was the last time any of them had slept.

While Seth communicated silently with Eli and probably the others Lucas sat next to me taking my hand. ‘Why did you slide to them? You’ve probably made them more wary than they were before.’

Excellent.

‘I don’t know, I didn’t even realise I had. I fell asleep, I heard voices and I was trying to hear them and the next thing I was there, behind them listening to their conversation.

Lucas squeezed my hand, then returned his attention to the silent conversation that was happening between my other Guardians.