The Last Oracle (40 page)

“Maybe after the earthquake and tsunami they ran out of caskets—or maybe they didn’t know who he was,” Lita offered.

“Or maybe this was just a wild goose chase,” Camille said. “I’m sorry, Val—I don’t mean to be ungrateful. I just really hoped we would find him this time.”

“I’m so sorry for getting your hopes up!” Valeria choked.

After a few minutes, Alex climbed out of the grave and said, “Well, this man was definitely not a pauper.”

Turning toward Alex, Camille narrowed her eyes as he held out a gold chain and a small coin-like medallion. Camille sucked in a breath and, with her trembling
hands, she ran her thumb over the medallion.

“It’s him,” Valeria whispered.

Camille’s eyes filled with tears as she held out the medallion with the seven circles. Then she reached around her neck and pulled out a chain with the same medallion. Valeria sighed with relief and then embraced her closest friend who would no longer be lonely.

∞

That night, Camille sat with Jonah in the far-bedroom. Valeria insisted that Myrdd leave the plane, where he had created a comfortable cubby under a dining table. Myrdd wasn’t pleased, but he came without much of a fight. It was not the quietest of evenings, but it was thrilling to know that Jonah would be back with them the next day.

Myrdd wandered into the room where Jonah’s remains were. He stared for a moment at Camille who was sitting next to the bed with her head on the mattress asleep. Then he stared at the medallions on the bedside table. Without a word, he picked them both up and went into the living room where Alex was sleeping with his head on Valeria’s lap.

“Do you remember?” the old man whispered.

“Remember what, Myrdd?” Valeria responded.

He took the two medallions and held them next to each other. Then he turned them, pressing their rough bottom edges together to show that they had once been one. Valeria thought for a moment—there was something so familiar about his actions. There were words she wanted to say, but she couldn’t find the right ones.

“There was a game that you taught me when I was young,” she said in surprise, as she stroked her hand over Alex’s head.

“Cassandra, it is time for you to remember that game for our trip to the North Country,” he said.

Valeria whispered so that she wouldn’t wake Alex. “Myrdd we aren’t going to the North Country. We’re going south.” She didn’t want to tell him the name of their location as she wasn’t certain that he could discern friend from foe.

Myrdd walked over to the fire without responding and sat on the floor, pulling his legs up to his body as he rocked.

“Myrdd?”

He didn’t respond.

“Myrdd are we supposed to go to the North Country?”

She noticed his subtle nod.

“Where is it that we are supposed to go?”

“The boy knows,” he said, still staring into the fire.

“The boy?
Is that Caleb, or maybe Paolo?” She thought for a minute and then remembered a vision that Alex had given her of Myrdd calling him ‘boy.’ “Myrdd do you mean Alex?” Again, Myrdd nodded. “Alright, I’ll talk to Alex tomorrow,” she said in a whisper.

∞

The next morning they were awakened by a loud cry from Camille’s room. Alex and Valeria sprang from their bed, ran down the three steps, and raced to the end of the hallway. Mani and Melitta were there in their robes and pajamas. Camille was standing with her hand over her mouth, staring at the bed in stunned silence.

“Camille?” Valeria said, running toward her and wrapping her arms around her. Then Valeria turned to see what she was looking at. In the bed was the man who Valeria had seen in her vision—Jonah! He was dark-complexioned, with an angular face. Something about his presence, even now, spoke of intelligence and gentleness, while still courageous.

Mani was checking his vitals. “He is breathing.”

A choke came from Camille’s throat and Valeria brushed her back, attempting unsuccessfully to push back her own tears. Mani smiled and then said, “He is healing faster than most.”

Mani stepped away and Camille pressed her head to Jonah’s chest and then lifted his hand and kissed it.

“I’ll make breakfast,” Alex said.

∞

The day was uneventful as they all waited for Jonah’s full recovery. Myrdd occasionally glanced at Valeria as if she needed to talk to Alex about their change in plans, but she just couldn’t bring herself to break the mood.

Jonah actually opened his eyes by late afternoon, and by evening, he and Camille sat side by side on the couch. The glow of love in their eyes reminded her of newlyweds forced to attend their own reception.

Finally, Alex smiled mischievously and said, “Jonah, you look like you could use some more rest.”

“I
am
kind of tired,” he said with a wink as he stretched his arm around Camille.

“Perhaps you should walk—some exercise may help you regain your energy. There is a treadmill here,” Mani said, oblivious to what Jonah really needed.

“Treadmill?” Jonah asked, looking at Camille for a definition. She rolled her eyes and shook her head as if he didn’t need to know about it.

Lita brushed her hand along Mani’s chest. There were many things she loved about her husband, but sometimes his scientific mind got in the way.

“Jonah, in my humble opinion, it does appear that you could use a bit more
bed rest
,” she said with a knowing smile. “My husband has obviously forgotten how...
tired
...he was when I returned.” Everyone laughed, including Mani.

“I feel I owe you an explanation of what happened and why I required your rescue,” Jonah said.

“Jonah—later!” Camille said as she jumped up and grabbed his hand. “They can wait, but I’ve waited long enough!”

∞

The next morning Alex, Valeria, Myrdd, Mani, and Lita packed and made breakfast for Camille and Jonah, delivered it on a tray, and then said their goodbyes to the reunited lovers.  Myrdd continued to glare at Valeria and she knew that she had to tell Alex. Jonah, dressed in jeans and pulling on a T-shirt, stopped them.

“I apologize if this dress is too informal,” Jonah said, and then noticed that the rest of the family were dressed the same. “Alex and Valeria, I do have some vital information for you. Please come inside. This won’t take long.”

Everyone returned to the living room and sat down. Myrdd narrowed his eyes.

Glaring at Jonah, Myrdd said, “Tell him about the North Country.”

“I’ve not forgotten, Myrdd.”

Alex glanced at Myrdd and Jonah in confusion. “You two know each other?”

Jonah nodded as he sat down. Camille came out of the bedroom in a nightgown and robe; she sat on the back of the couch behind Jonah and brushed her hands over his back, her eyes full of love.

“Myrdd came to find me in Africa before I was taken. He gave me the two coins and told me that they were vital to our future. And to the future of other oracles,” he said.

“What do the symbols mean, Myrdd?” Lita asked.

“They are the Walls of Troy,” Myrdd responded.

“The Walls of Troy? I remember the symbol,” Valeria said.

“May I see the coins?” Alex asked.

Camille went into the bedroom and retrieved the two medallions and handed them to Alex.

Alex lowered his brows and Valeria felt the burning glare of Myrdd.

“All right, Myrdd,” she huffed. She turned to Alex and already saw the concern in his eyes. She smiled softly. “Something in this symbol fixes things. I don’t know how, but it does.” She took the two medallions. “See how they fit together?” she asked, and Alex nodded. “There was a game that Myrdd played with me when I was a child. Give me your hands,” she said.

He turned to face her and narrowed his eyes. Valeria had never before offered to give him
a transference. He took her hands and felt the energy.

He saw the hands of a child. She was perhaps five. She had some sort of puzzle in one of her hands with a large flat circle a foot across with seven rings, like that of a maze. The circle opened at the bottom and there was a compartment in the middle. It was open like a garden labyrinth and there was pink sand that filled the one inch deep walls. Myrdd held another identical puzzle filled with blue sand.

“Child, what happens if we turn these upside down?”

Myrdd pushed his long beard over his shoulder as he lifted Cassandra’s puzzle so that the opening was at the bottom and all the sand began to flow onto the floor.

“You upset Lord Apollo with the mess!” Cassandra giggled, her brown curls bouncing with her joyful laughter. Myrdd frowned and she patted his cheek. “I understand you can’t smile right now. But I will remember! When the puzzles are turned too far, they become empty and you get nothing.” Her brilliant blue eyes sparkled as she smiled and her dimples deepened. “But if you turn them sideways,” she said with a thrill as she turned the two puzzles so that the openings faced each other, “then you get the snake that eats its own tail!” Cassandra giggled at the image. “It goes on forever!” She drew an infinity symbol of a sideways eight in the pink sand.

Myrdd nodded. “And how many circles are there?”

Cassandra smiled, but was serious as she noted Myrdd’s concern. “I will remember…it is seven.”

Myrdd narrowed his eyes. “And what must you do?”

“When the time is right, I must recover the contents!”

Myrdd nodded.

Alex smiled at his wife proudly. She had mastered the art of transference! Then he saw her serious mood.

“I’m also familiar with this symbol,” Alex said.

“As you should be,” Myrdd responded, now standing near them.

“Alex,” Valeria said, hesitantly. She grabbed his hands and, sensing her seriousness, he turned toward her. “Myrdd says that we need to go to the North Country.”

“While there may be merit to going there, all of this will have to wait until after the baby,” Alex said as he brushed the side of her face affectionately.

Valeria drew a deep breath and glanced at Myrdd.

“I think it has to be now,” she said softly.

Alex stood up frustrated. “It was only a few days ago when you had a dagger come inches from killing both you and the baby.
Please
, let’s just go on to Mani’s.”

He drew in a deep breath and kneeled in front of her. Taking her hands in his, he said,  “Val, I feel like I’ve been holding my breath each and every day since I found you, praying that I could hang on to this dream for just...even one more day; one more day when I have you in my arms. Just
one more day
when I can wake with you next to me,” Alex said as he swallowed back his tears. “After you survived the curse and the pneumonic plague, I was able to start dreaming again. Then there was the council, and the fire and the baby. Once you survived your last birthday, I felt like I had more than I have been promised in this lifetime. Please, all I want is a little more time...” He laid his head against her stomach and she stroked his head.

“We...we have to go. I’m sorry,” she said.

“Is it Myrdd who’s insisting?” Alex turned to Myrdd. “Where were you when Kristiana was waving the dagger at my wife and daughter?”

“I was where I was meant to be,” Myrdd said with confidence. “I have my own difficulties to resolve. This one is yours.”

“And you...you take no responsibility for this?”

Myrdd shook his head. “I take responsibility for what I must. My crimes have already cost me dearly. My purpose now is to set things right.”

“I’m sorry to intrude, Alex. But Myrdd is right,” Jonah said. “I’ve seen it in my visions. You must go to the North Country now.”

Alex let his head fall back as he felt an old sadness overtake him.

“Where is the North Country?” Valeria asked.

“Cornwall, England,” Alex said.

“You will need assistance,” Myrdd said.

“Who?”
Alex huffed.

“The boy,” Myrdd said. Involuntarily, Alex rolled his eyes; this time, he was certain that Myrdd meant Paolo.

“Great!”

∞

Jonah and Camille remained in the Azores. It was such a gift for Valeria to see Camille so happy. She only hoped that she would have eternity with her symbolon. Alex refused to give Paolo any specifics about where they were going. He suggested that Paolo fly into Heathrow and that Alex would have a plane waiting for him in London to take him to their destination.

As the Gulfstream headed north from the Azores, Alex pulled Valeria onto his lap. “At least Aegemon isn’t a threat anymore.”

Mani and Lita sat happily across from Alex and Valeria. Mani pulled out a medical journal, while Lita had just discovered
eReaders and the myriad of books available to her in an instant.