The Oracle sat on the stone floor at the back of the massive chamber. She was young–much younger than Kaelyn expected. Although Kaelyn wasn’t sure what she had expected. Certainly not someone of an age with her. A fat candle, stuck to the floor with melted wax, sat in front of her, supported a tiny flame. It illuminated her dark hair and eyes and round face.
“Thank you,” she said to Kaelyn’s escort and she motioned for Kaelyn to sit on the other side of the candle.
Kaelyn eased down. The flame flickered with her movement then stilled.
“You seek the Oracle.” The woman’s voice was airy, melodic. It trembled over Kaelyn, drawing gooseflesh. “And what it is you would ask?”
“I–” Kaelyn bit her lip. This was it. Everything could change in the next moment. She just wasn’t sure if she wanted it to. Sure, she wanted to remember who she was, but she didn’t know if that would change her situation any.
She drew in a quick breath. Knowledge was power. Even if it was something she didn’t really want to know. Once she knew herself and her history, she’d be able to make an informed decision about her life.
“I’ve lost my memory. Can you help me?”
“Give me your hand.” The Oracle reached over the candle and Kaelyn grasped her fingers.
“There is something. . . ,” said the Oracle.
The back of Kaelyn’s hand grew warm and the Oracle closed her eyes.
“Yes, something.”
The heat from the flame burned into the Kaelyn’s skin, and she fought the urge to squirm.
“I just. . . .” The Oracle pursed her lips and furrowed her brow.
Tears welled Kaelyn’s eyes and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep still.
The Oracle gasped and yanked her hand back, her eyes wide. Kaelyn jerked away from the flame and hugged hers to her chest.
“You need to ask Her directly,” said the Oracle.
“I what?”
“Ask Her, yourself.”
“How do I do that?”
The Oracle learned forward. “You’ll know.” And she blew out the candle.
Darkness engulfed the room. Cloth rustling against stone indicated that the Oracle had stood and left, leaving Kaelyn alone. Now what?
She had no idea what ‘ask her yourself’ meant. She didn’t even know who ‘her’ was.
“Hello?” Kaelyn’s voice echoed through the empty chamber.
No one answered.
“Hello?”
Still no answer.
Great. She supposed she could find her way back to the stairwell and her friends, but then her entire journey here would be useless. How was she supposed to talk to anyone when she was alone?
She ran a hand through her hair and stared into the darkness above.
Something high up flickered. She squinted and it flickered again. A white light, cold and bright, hung in the black. Then another flickered into existence and another until a night sky blossomed overhead.
She stood, neck strained back, but the stars didn’t get any closer.
“Hello? Can you restore my memory?” She knew she shouldn’t have bothered, but she couldn’t help herself. Besides, hadn’t she been told to ask.
The stars twinkled like ordinary stars.
So much for that. She sat again. She’d asked, now she supposed the only thing she could do was wait. On the edge of the impossible horizon, a full moon began to rise, just as it had a few days ago in the forest. It had crested the trees and hung in the sky, a giant silver orb, sparkling against the snow and ice. She’d been mesmerized by it then. Perhaps she needed to relive her most recent memories before she could unlock her older ones.
The moon rose higher and higher, blotting out stars and bathing her in light. Then something in its core rippled.
She blinked, but it looked like the same old moon. She let her gaze drift to the stars around it, and it rippled again. From the corner of her eye, she sensed there was something more to it. It felt alive, filled with movement. Words whispered over her, hissing and sighing like wind in the trees. She strained to hear them, but couldn’t make anything out and her gaze flew back to the moon.
Silence pressed around her and the moon was once again mundane.
Light flared bright before her and she squinted against it.
“She has spoken,” said the Oracle, still sitting on the other side of the candle.
Kaelyn scrambled to her feet. She swore she’d heard the woman leave and not return. Of course, she also hadn’t heard whatever had been spoken. “So. . . ?”
The Oracle stood and held out her hand. “This is the path you must travel.”
Kaelyn jerked back. “What path? No one said anything.”
“My point exactly.”
“Excuse me?”
The Oracle offered a sad smile. “Can you remember?”
“No, I–” Kaelyn closed her eyes and concentrated. The fog within her billowed, heavy and dark. It seemed thicker than before. She remembered the trip through the mountains and to Carthway. She remembered Mythnar and Talar and Mac and waking in the temple in Norwell. And before that . . . still nothing. Her throat tightened. “But I didn’t get a chance to ask. No one was here.”
“She is always here.”
“Then why didn’t she answer me? I called out. I–” Her eyes burned and rushing filled her ears.
“That isn’t your path. This is.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Let me try again.” Maybe she’d done something wrong. She had no idea what, but if she could fix it, she would. She hadn’t thought this moment was so important. Of course, she hadn’t thought the Oracle would deny her, either. But now it was everything to her.
Her body trembled and she gasped for breath. She had just assumed this would be the end, she didn’t even know if she had other options. Did she even want another option? It had been difficult enough to get here. Where else would she have to go only to face failure again?
She struggled to breathe past the lump in her throat. “Please. One more try.”
The Oracle shook her head.
Kaelyn’s legs lost strength and she collapsed to her knees. She struggled to stand. She could handle this, try again. She could do this. Please, don’t let this be it.
