Foretell (34 page)

We walked in silence through the forest, staying just on the outskirts of the clearing, where the marketplace was. I was terrified and shaking over what would happen next. This society led their people into genocide by attempting to gain land.

What would they ask of me?

A residual phrase repeated itself over and over in my mind.

Eight minutes, four seconds.

It was the longest time I’d held out during training while battling the curse. I wasn’t sure why, but I couldn’t get the time out of my head.

Eight minutes, four seconds.

The voice in my head chanted it nonstop. Was it the best I could do? I wondered. Was I defenseless against these people? I guess I was about to find out.

Bright lights of a nearby fire revealed itself through the shade of the forest. We headed towards the glowing flames. The outlines of dozens more people came into view as we neared it. Everyone was wearing the same strange, mysterious hooded cloaks.

I chewed at my bottom lip nervously, feeling a heavy bout of anxiety take over.

As we approached, one of the figures lowered their hood revealing their face. I recognized Lettie’s blond hair easily enough. She smiled and whispered to someone standing next to her, no doubt about how she caught me spying on her and her friends the other day. I felt heat rush to my cheeks in humiliation.

If that wasn’t bad enough, it seemed as if everyone had been waiting for this moment, waiting for
their
goose to arrive. I was here to serve them their golden eggs on a platter. My throat clenched just thinking about it. I didn’t want to do this anymore, especially not for the Order of Dracul. Not after what Aurelia told me.

The next voice I heard surprised me. It was Salazar. He stood next to me, apologizing for giving away my identity. “My oath to this Order means far more to me than the throne. With your help, Estelle, even the stars are not beyond our reach.”

His voice was drowned out by the panic swirling inside of me. Aurelia warned me about Salazar’s allegiance to the Order. After everything, I should’ve known he wouldn’t keep his promise to me.

My eyes darted around the fire, roaming over the faces I could make out. There was no one else I recognized, no one else I knew.

A tall, thin man approached me, lowering his hood to reveal a sheath of pitch-black hair and pale blue eyes. His skin was hard and unusually fair for a Rom. There was no emotion in his face, just an empty quality that frightened me. I was terrified simply being in his presence.

The people surrounded the man as if he were their leader, as if he controlled everyone and everything. I dimly wondered if that were the case. “My name is Dimitri,” he announced, extending his hand to me.

When I didn’t immediately take it, someone shoved me forward, almost warningly. After regaining my composure, I let Dimitri shake my hand. His grip was strong, already making me want to cower. I held my ground though, meeting his cool gaze with my own icy stare.

“You are in the presence of the Order of Dracul,” he stated. His voice was formal, monotone.

“I guessed that on my own, thanks.”

He continued on as if he hadn’t heard me. “The legends of your capabilities have long since compelled us to search for you. We’d nearly given up hope before Salazar came to us. We are grateful the contributions you intend to give the Order. That being said, we’d like to get started immediately.”

“I haven’t agreed to any contributions,” I mentioned breathlessly. Everyone’s eyes were on me, watching, appearing hopeful for what I could give them.

Salazar nudged my side. In a hushed whisper, he said, “Dimitri is the son of Dracul, himself. You can’t refuse him.”

“Why not?” I whispered back heatedly. “I’m not acquainted with this Dracul. Why should I care whose son he is?”

There wasn’t time for Salazar to answer. Dimitri grabbed my arm. “I’ll do the honors,” he announced.

I snatched my arm away from him reflexively. A hush fell over the crowd. I looked at Dimitri’s hard face, noticing the slightest twitch of his jaw.

I needed to think of something quickly. Clearly, this man was intimidating for a reason and I didn’t want to test my limits. I said the first thing I could think of, hoping it would work. “I’m sorry to tell you this. However, I no longer have the capabilities you desire.”

Everyone stayed silent, my words echoing through the woods like howling ghosts. After a few moments, someone shouted, “Well, she’s obviously lying!”

I glanced up to see
who
’d called me out. Of course, it was Lettie. She moved to join Dimitri’s side, glaring at me in frustration. Rex picked a real charmer, that one.

Lettie urged Dimitri to test me. “Use Rex,” she told him. “He’ll find out whether or not she’s lying.”

The name immediately caught my attention. Dimitri spared a quick nod towards one of the cloaked members. The mysterious person stepped forward, dropping their hood. The firelight danced over Rex’s dark hair and stony features. My jaw dropped, seeing him standing there. It felt as if the ground was pulled out from under me, and I was falling, sinking.

Salazar steadied me, noticing I had swayed. I pushed his arm away from me, revolted by his touch.

“Rex, find out if the girl is lying,” Lettie ordered him.

I would’ve thought it would be hard for him to meet my gaze, but Rex’s eyes roamed over me openly. He slowly moved to stand next to his princess, ready to do her bidding.

I could hardly believe my own eyes. There he was, standing against me. The rest of the crowed blurred. All I could see was Rex, his dark cloak and Lettie’s form hovering next to him. How could Rex be here with these people? Was it for Lettie?

I fiercely glared at him, hoping the betrayal I felt would stab him like a knife. I wanted him to know how much I hated him-with just one look.

Something flickered in the amber depths of Rex’s gaze, surprising me. It almost looked like he was hurt. I probably imagined it. Either way, I decided I didn’t care.

“Say, it again, girl,” Dimitri commanded me.

“I’m not an oracle anymore,” I said, the boldfaced lie hanging off of my lips with no remorse. “And I can’t tell you how to get your land.”

Rex watched me intently for a few moments, making me feel extremely nervous. I hoped he wasn’t waiting for me to take it back. Because there was no way I would admit the truth. I didn’t care if they did force it out of me. At least I’d go down fighting.

Rex turned to Dimitri and said, “She’s not lying.”

I was ready for Dimitri to grab my hand and force me to give him what he wanted when it finally occurred to me exactly what Rex had said.
She’s not lying
.

What the hell?

My eyes flew to Rex again. He’d definitely known I was lying. I could see it in his expression. But why hadn’t he called me out?

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who’d been astounded by Rex’s statement. The entire crowd started to voice their concerns at once.

“Maybe she’s not really the oracle,” someone said.

“Or maybe the abandoner can’t really see past her lies,” another person mentioned.

Lettie’s beautiful face transformed into one of sadness.
She looked truly disappointed to hear Rex’s news. The entire society had been counting on me to help them put a means to their ends.

An angry member shouted, “We should test the girl to make sure!”

“I agree, you
should
test her,” Salazar said. “I’ve seen proof of her abilities.”

Dimitri stroked his chin, considering Salazar’s suggestion. I spared a fearful glance at Rex. I couldn’t tell if he was worried, but I was assuming he should be. If they caught me in my lie, they’d catch him in his, too.

Finally, Dimitri nodded, agreeing with the council member. “We’ll test her,” he said and pulled me towards the fire with him. The crowd circled around us, waiting expectantly.

I didn’t know what to do at that point. All I could hope for was that the time I spent training with Aurelia would pay off.

Eight minutes, four seconds.

I was going to have to hold out a lot longer this time.

Gripping my hand tightly, Dimitri told me what he wanted. “We’ll start with something we’d all like to know,” he announced. “I want you to tell me if you’re lying. I also want to know if the former king is covering for you.”

No
. This couldn’t be happening. Searing tingles ignited down my spine as the answer came to my mind. I clamped my mouth shut, afraid to hear the answer leave my lips.

I glanced at Rex worriedly, wondering if I’d just given him a death sentence. The symptoms took over, one by one. I fought against each of them, praying that I could hold out. I swayed again, overwhelmed by the dizziness.

“She looks as if she’s struggling,” Lettie said, each word more gleeful than the last. She
wanted
to see me fail.

I wanted to tell her I wasn’t
struggling,
I was perfectly fine, thank you very much.

But I remained silent, too terrified to open my mouth. I was afraid that if I did, the next words that would tumble out would be driven by the curse, giving Rex and me away.

Lettie kept watching me though. Our faces were only a whisper apart. A tiny sneer pulled at her lip, waiting for me to break. She knew I was under pressure. I breathed deeply and straightened my shoulders, trying not to give myself away.

I couldn’t help but note every little thing about her, wondering where Rex’s attraction to this girl stemmed from. She was graceful and demure, I’d give her that much. She held her head high, like a swan floating across a peaceful pond. Her golden hair was swept back into an elegant coiffure, with not one strand out of place. She carried herself well, unlike myself.

But what did Rex love about her? I wondered crazily. For all her beauty, there couldn’t be much to love. Could she make him laugh until his stomach hurt from it? Did she carry out his bucket list requests like he’d done for me? When he kissed her, did he feel as if the world stopped rotating just so that single moment would last forever?

I knew I would never be okay with being a second choice, even as miserable as it made me feel. I had wanted Rex to find his long, lost princess. But a part of me, a more selfish part of me, wished he didn’t want her anymore.

The time ticked by, and I wondered how many minutes had passed. I felt the bile rising in my throat. The nausea overwhelmed me, making me want to vomit all over the ground. I clenched my jaw, swallowing it back painfully.

Angrily, Lettie grabbed me by my arms and shook me. “Tell Dimitri you’re lying!” she yelled. She was frantic. Scared, too. She desperately wanted to be right about me.

I looked to Rex, seeing the pain in his eyes. I couldn’t call him a liar. Lettie was so passionate about the Order. She’d never forgive Rex for helping me.

The words were in my throat, then filling my mouth with their fervor to escape. The answer to Dimitri’s wants tore at my lips, demanding to be let loose. I fastened my hand to my mouth, trying to hold it back.

Lettie tore my hand away. “We know you’re lying,” she said. “Say it.”

I bit down hard on my lip, swallowing the answer down. Squeezing my eyes shut, I felt the force of the curse pushed from inside.

Rex’s beautiful face came to my mind. I saw him forcing me into wakeboarding, demanding I try something worthwhile. Guiding me up the mountain, and wiping away my tears with his shirt. Drawing stars on my shoulder, finding time to make something beautiful while being held prisoner.

I tasted blood from where I’d been biting down on my lip, but didn’t loosen my hold. The answer could not escape my mouth. I couldn’t let go of it.

The answer was mine to give. I tried hard to believe that. My voice belonged to
me
.

The force of the pushing curse felt as if it exploded, combusting like bomb inside of me.

Before I knew what was happening, I felt myself floating to the ground. My head fell slack against the dewy grass. There was a faint, muted sound, as if it were miles away. I realized it was Rex’s voice. He was calling my name.

“Are you okay, Essie?”

No time or strength to reply. I had to protect the answer Dimitri and Lettie were demanding from me. It had to stay locked deep inside.

The answer was mine to give.

Blotches of gray dotted my vision, just as they had that day in the closet after I saw the little phantom girl. I knew what was coming next.

Total blackness erupted and my world succumbed to the dark shade of sleep.

I woke to the fresh scent of lilies and orchids. The sun’s bright rays blinded me as I opened my heavy eyes. After focusing my vision, I caught sight of several huge flower arrangements surrounding me in the midst of a tiny room.

I blinked, trying to take it all in. I thought maybe I was dreaming. The last thing I remembered was falling into a dark void, empty and hollow of life. It had felt like I was dying.

I winced, remembering my last moments spent battling with the curse. I couldn’t remember the outcome. I couldn’t remember if I’d given myself up as the oracle, if I’d given Rex up as a liar.