See How She Falls (The Chronicles of Izzy #3)(30)

“I will not," Aberto muttered, passing me without a spared glance.

“Well, just ruin all of my fun.”

“One of these days, he is going to turn you into a frog, Red," Kennan snickered, bending to kiss me on the head.

“Can he really do that?” I asked with wide eyes, to which Kennan shrugged.

“Keep messing with him, and you may just find out.” He smiled his half smile before disappearing into the should-be haunted, swamp house.

I followed reluctantly, worried that I might begin sprouting warts at any moment. At least I was in the swamp, frogs liked the swamp. I heard a holler for everyone to move out of the way as we entered the house. It seemed my alleged aunt had been told of our arrival.

“Finally! We need to talk, niece.” She didn’t hesitate, grabbing my arm and pulling me behind her swiftly.

“Okay, maybe a little slower?” I was struggling to keep up with her long strides up the stairs to her room. The house seemed vastly different than the last time I’d been there. The colors were somehow brighter, and the smells were more prominent.

“We have no time for slow, it is coming, and fast. You must prepare or perish. Those are your choices. If you wish to blindly fall into the whole “Prophecy chosen one” thing, then so be it. But, I made your momma a promise, and I intend to keep it.” This woman was a whole ball of crazy if she thought we could stop the prophecy.

Where my mother had been calm, serene, and well-put together, this woman was a hot mess. She was buzzing with frenetic energy that seemed to bounce and zap around her as she moved. It was as if my mother and aunt were balancing the different ends of the spectrum. It made me wonder if my mother’s death had thrown off the balance somehow.

“Of course it did, my dear.” ’d always wanted a crazy aunt. I guess I should’ve been more careful what I wished for.

“Please don’t do that, or if you do eavesdrop, just pretend you aren’t. It creeps me out.” I flopped into the first chair I saw once we entered the room. The near crash of the helicopter, fine the landing, and the hike had done me in.

“Oh, sorry. I forget sometimes. I’m sure you know how it is. After two hundred years, things can get a bit fuzzy. Well, of course you don’t know the two hundred years part. I’m rambling, aren’t I?” She smoothed her dress down, lowering herself into a chair directly in front of me.

“What should I call you?” I had yet to figure out the woman’s name, and calling her Grand Seer seemed a bit too formal for family.

“Mona. That’s what your mother called me.” She smiled brightly.

“Is Mona your name?” The way she’d phrased it confused me.

“No. I honestly don’t remember what my given name was. When we were young, your mom used to call me Moan-a all of the time. It started after I became a speaker box for the heavens. I would whine and moan about the headaches afterward. So, to take my mind off of the pain, she used to call me sad little Moan-a.” She smiled fondly at what I thought a very strange memory.

“Well that wasn’t very nice of her.” I was confused how a name like that could bring on fond memories.

“No, she was baiting me. You see, I was always the competitive one between the two of us. Your mom knew that if she made it seem like she was the stronger Seer it would drive me to be better, and handle my gifts more efficiently. She was taking care of me, like she always did.” She paused looking down at her hands for a moment before looking into my eyes. “What started as a joke, became a constant reminder from my sister that I was strong enough to endure this.”

“I miss her.” I hadn’t thought about my mom much in the last months. I’d been trying to keep my attention on everything but her absence. But now, in the presence of the only living family I had left, the reality came like an unwelcome slap to the face.

“I know, I do too.” Mona moved from her seat to engulf me in a familiar hug. “But, we must move forward. Dwelling in the past will do nothing to save us from what is coming. I need you to be a strong girl now. Okay?” She pulled back, leaving her hands on my shoulders to assess me.

“I know. I just haven’t thought much about her and seeing you brings it all back to the surface.” I wiped my eyes and nodded, grounding myself in the present. If the prophecy was right, I would be seeing her again soon at any rate.

“We need to discuss what I’ve been seeing.” Mona moved back to her seat and stared at me gravely. Gone was the kind aunt that I’d just seen. The woman sitting before me was a leader, a force to be reckoned with.

“Well, let’s get it over with shall we?” I didn’t see any point in postponing the inevitable.

“One moment.” My aunt closed her eyes and shook out her shoulders, when she began speaking again, it was no longer her words. “Guard yourself Seer, the darkness shall arise soon. Look not for answers in the fog, for they lie within you. There are enemies at your gates, trust not what you see, but what you feel. The time has come for you to pay the price for the gifts that have been bestowed. Fail and all of your struggles will be for naught.”

It would be super awesome if the Big Guy would just give me a simple road map instead of sending me riddles that were impossible to decipher. Or better yet, not just telling me what I already knew. And the whole bit about me paying for the gifts, it wasn’t like I’d asked to be born a Seer. As far as I was concerned they could just take their gifts back.