The Prophecy (The Guardians) (29 page)

“Whatever, it wasn’t like that.” Gabe snarled, hopping to his feet.
 
Kicking dirt onto the flames he commanded, “Let’s go.”

Gabe left the circle without another word.
 
As he left, Haim approached.
 
Noticing the scowl on Gabe’s face he asked, “What’s wrong?”
 
Gabe did not answer.

The two mile hike to Mirada’s cabin was a quiet one.
 
Rachel and Gabe were both still steaming about their brief spat, while Haim and Uri were terrified of being pulled into the lover’s quarrel.

“It’s just over that hillside there.” Uri said at last, motioning ahead of the group.

“When we get in there, let me do the talking.” Gabe instructed.

“Oh, of course, I wouldn’t want to get in the way any more than I already have.” Rachel’s snarky tone caused Gabe’s back to stiffen.
 
He chose not to respond.

The four approached the cabin quietly.
 
Rachel quickly noticed how unassuming everything was.
 
There was a stone path that led up to the wooden stairs that the earth had begun to reclaim many years ago.
 
There was a small garden bed along the side of the home filled with various herbs, and a wind chime hanging from a metal rod stuck in the ground.

“Pst…” Uri said, motioning towards the door, glaring at Gabe as he drew his sword.

Alarmed, Gabe looked up and realized what had set Uri on edge.
 
The door was cracked open, the reality set in that perhaps they were not the first ones to find Mirada.
 
Gabe and Haim quickly followed suit, brandishing their weapons.

“Stay here.” Gabe commanded in a low voice to Rachel.

Rachel thought for a brief moment of arguing, but while she knew she was capable of handling herself with a street thug, she was not so confident in a fight against some super natural being.

Uri led the way, creeping up the stairs slowly and silently.
 
Reaching the door, he looked back at his comrades.
 
Haim nodded, reassuring him he was ready for what awaited them.
 
Turning back to face the unknown, Uri pushed the door open further.

All three men held their breath, unsure what would await them within.
 
Gabe looked back at Rachel one last time, allowing his gaze to linger for a moment.
 
She smiled slightly in an attempt to comfort him, and Gabe felt a warmth rush over his flesh.

“Are you four going to stand out there all day playing with your weapons or do you plan to come in?” a voice called from the darkness.

“Mirada, is that you?” Uri asked, furrowing his brow.

“It’s my home isn’t it?
 
Who else would it be?” the voice answered.

“Is everything alright in there?” Uri asked, not budging.
 
“We saw the door was open.”

“Of course, I left it open for you.”

“But—” Gabe began, suddenly stopping himself.
 
He was already sure of how the conversation would proceed.
 
He would ask how she knew they were coming, and then she would boast about how she’s an Oracle, making him look like a complete idiot in front of Rachel.
 
He decided some questions were better left unasked.

“I’m sure Mrs. Harwood is a bit chilly out there all alone, there’s a seat for her in here by the fire.” Mirada called from the comfort of her own seat within her home.

“Uri, are you sure it’s safe?” Gabe whispered.

Before his friend could answer, Mirada replied for him.
 
“You four came to my home, I think it’s I who should worry about safety.”

Gabe sighed.
 
He was sure he had whispered quite softly and she would not hear his question.
 
Unfortunately, he was wrong.

“Rachel,” Gabe called motioning for her to join them.
 
The other two men entered the cabin, not waiting for the newlyweds.
 
Rachel didn’t hesitate, eager to rejoin the group.
 
Scurrying up the worn and rickety wooden stairs, she linked her arm around Gabe.

“Are you ready for this?” Gabe asked, looking into Rachel’s oversized brown eyes.

“Of course.” Rachel answered confidently.

The two made their way into the small cottage, where Gabe noticed something different right away.
 
When he had entered the other homes of the two previous Oracles he met, they had a super natural presence.
 
He couldn’t explain it, even if someone had asked.
 
There was a sense of magic and mystic in those homes, perhaps it was the littering of magical trinkets, or simply a presence that hung around in the room.

Mirada’s home, however, was not this way at all.
 
Once inside, he could see it was actually quite normal and cheery.
 
There were no creepy sculptures or totems.
 
From what he could see, no magical objects were around the home whatsoever.
 
The walls were painted a bright sky blue, the wood trim was white.
 
Had he not known better, he would have thought they were at a home in Cape Cod.

Across the room a fire burned, two high back chairs faced the flames.
 
A slender hand rested on an arm of one of the chairs.
 
Gabe saw an oversized ring on one of the fingers and a stone that appeared to be an opal.
 
The nails were unpainted, but clean and well kept, the skin tone alabaster.
 
A white linen cuff hung around the elbow and peaked out from behind the chair.

“Mirada?” Uri confirmed once all his friends were in the room.

The woman did not answer, instead she stood and approached the group.
 
Her movements were haunting; she glided as if her feet did not touch the ground.
 
Her hair was long, climbing down to the middle of her back, and the color was a pale blonde.
 
Her features were small and delicate; her lips thin, her cheeks glowed with a soft and warm rosy color, her eyes a pale blue, almost gray.

Gabe stared, he couldn’t help thinking about how this was the woman, the woman who had captured Michael’s heart like Rachel had his.
 
He had never thought of his mentor as someone who was capable of feeling something like romantic love.
 
He seemed so logical and methodical.

“He wasn’t always that way.” Mirada said looking directly at Gabe.

“What?” Uri asked, completely confused by her statement.

Gabe’s mouth fell open, she couldn’t have been talking to him, he didn’t say anything out loud.
 
There was no way, he thought.

“Michael actually used to be quite the romantic.” Mirada added, not looking away from Gabe.

“Oh, you’re doing that thing— you know I hate it when you do that.” Uri growled.

“Doing what thing?” Rachel asked, noticing the stare locked between her beloved and this strange woman.

“Mirada is a telepath as well.” Uri answered.

“What?” Gabe exclaimed, shaking his head as if he were trying to shake her out of his mind.
 
“She can read my thoughts?
 
Can I block her?”

“Doesn’t work that way, I’m afraid,” Mirada answered with a smile, and she extended her hand delicately.
 
“I’m Mirada, but you all already know that.
 
Thanks for that, Uri.”

Though it was obvious Mirada was kidding, Uri quickly jumped to his own defense, “I wouldn’t have brought them here if it wasn’t an emergency.”

Mirada laughed as she turned and walked back to the chair she had originally come from.
 
“Calm down, Uri, I knew you would bring them here when I first allowed Michael to share with you my home’s location.”

“What?
 
You knew I—” Uri began, suddenly stopping as he contemplated the absurdity of it.

“Mrs. Harwood, you should take this other seat here, warm yourself next to the fire.
 
You can’t be expected to be subjected to such harsh traveling in your condition.” the woman said waving to the empty chair next to her.

“My condition?” Rachel asked curious.
 
“What condition?
 
I’m fine.”

Mirada didn’t answer, instead she simply sat quietly.

“How do you know our names?” Haim asked.

Uri and Gabe both chuckled, amused that Haim seemed so far behind the situation.

“What?
 
What’s so funny?” he groaned.

“Why don’t we go outside and keep watch?
 
I’ll explain it all to you out there.” Uri insisted, pushing his slow witted friend out the front door.

Gabe, Rachel, and Mirada were now alone in the room.
 
There was an awkward silence hanging in the air as neither Gabe nor Rachel were sure where to begin.

“You really should warm yourself up.” Gabe agreed, walking Rachel over to the chair.
 
She couldn’t stop thinking about what the woman had said, “In your condition.”
 
What could she have meant by that?
 
She decided it best not to look directly in her eyes, as if it would protect her from the thought reading in some way.
 
Suddenly, she realized Mirada was probably reading her thoughts right then, and now she knew she was thinking about all of this.
 
Rachel accidentally glanced at Mirada who was already looking at her.
 
The woman smiled.
 
Panicking, Rachel looked away quickly.

“Relax, I would never do anything to hurt the two of you.”
 
Mirada added in an attempt to comfort the pair.

Gabe glanced around.
 
Spying a small wooden stool, he stepped away momentarily and pulled it up next to Rachel’s chair.
 
After sitting, he looked to Rachel.
 
He could see she was uncomfortable.
 
Gabe reached out, taking her hand into his, using his abilities to calm her.
 
Rachel looked into the fire, entranced by the flames, a small smile emerging on her lips.

“Nifty trick.
 
Does she mind?” Gabe heard the words echo in his thoughts.
 
Quickly realizing they had not been audible, he looked to Mirada who just smiled.

“Don’t do that!” Gabe exclaimed.

“Do what?” Rachel asked, confused by his outburst.

“Sorry, nothing.” Gabe answered.

“Is everything alright, Gabe?” Rachel pushed.

“Yeah, sorry, it’s nothing.
 
Really.” Gabe reassured her.

“So how can I help you two?” Mirada asked.

“Seems like you already know why we’re here.” Gabe chimed with a snarky grin.

“Even though I know why you’re here, it doesn’t mean you will find the courage to ask the questions that need asking, young man.” the woman answered.

“Seriously?
 
You’ve got to be kidding me.” Gabe snapped.
 
“Uri assured me you were different, I don’t know why I believed him.”

“Gabe!” Rachel scorned, glaring at him.
 
“We need answers, she has them.”

“She’s not going to give us any answers, Rachel, this is what they do.
 
They enjoy toying with you, that’s all.” Gabe insisted.

“It’s your choice if you want to ask me questions.
 
I know my sisters have not earned your trust and I am sad for that, but I can’t undo what they have done.”
 
Mirada explained.

“You all claim to be neutral, but—” Gabe began until he was interrupted by Mirada.

“Make no mistake, I am not my sisters.
 
Now if you don’t want my help, it makes no difference to me, you can all be on your way.
 
Your mere presence puts me at greater risk.”

“Gabe, please.” Rachel pleaded.
 
“We have no other choice.”

Gabe stared at Mirada, his contempt for her quite clear in his expression.
 
Michael loved this woman, Uri seemed to trust her, and it was clear Rachel felt compelled to do so as well.
 
He was not so easily won over, though.
 
He had experienced firsthand the way the other Oracles would leave out crucial information for no other reason than to torment people.
 
They had been removed from society for so long, hidden away in their secret hiding places, consumed years ago by boredom, turned cold by the decades of time.
 
Gabe dared not make the same mistake and trust another Oracle’s word without question.

“Fine, let’s say I do believe you, and you’re not like the others, can you help us?” Gabe asked.

“I can answer questions you might have with honesty, unless such a question would tip the scales in the favor of one side or the other.” Mirada answered flatly.

“See!” Gabe exclaimed.
 
“What did I tell you?
 
They just mess with your head.”

“Mirada,” Rachel continued calmly as she ignored Gabe’s outburst. “You say you can’t tip the scales in favor of one side or the other, is it my understanding your goal is to keep things even between good and evil?”