See How She Falls (The Chronicles of Izzy #3)(4)
Feeling someone’s eyes upon me, I looked up to find Kennan’s gaze locked upon me. He raised a brow in my direction as if to ask me what the heck was going on. I had no idea what the Council members wanted, but I would find out.
“So, you have questions?” I ventured, to end the oppressive silence.
“We want to know how it came to be that Isadora was so carelessly taken. Why were we not called in immediately following her disappearance? We should have been informed.” Damali leveled me with her gaze, making me feel like a petulant child.
“Honestly, we were so busy trying to figure out how to put an end to the insanity, we didn’t have time to organize our thoughts. I was thrown into this position, and I’ve been playing catch up ever since. I assure you, it isn’t a mistake that will happen again.” I wouldn’t succumb to bullying. I’d been through far too much, and knew that I had far more to come. I wasn’t going to add a spoiled Council member to my list of woes.
“In the future, we would appreciate being apprised of anything that so wholly affects Seers," Brutus shouted. Seriously, I needed ear plugs around the man. It was intolerable.
“In the future, I would appreciate your support. I understand that things are tense right now. None of us expected Isadora to die. Well, none of us except for, perhaps, her. Now, we are left with a much larger problem. So, if we can put our differences behind us for the moment and deal with the problems at hand, that would be fantastic.”
“What problems? We thought that Elaine had been dealt with.” Francesca’s soft voice broke me out of my staring contest with Brutus. I really needed to figure out what his real name was.
“I was given a warning. It is part of the reason I requested that you join us. Something is coming. The darkness shall descend and we must be prepared to fight it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Francesca murmured. “The darkness is a myth. A terrible story we tell our children to keep them in line. You are young still. Someday you will understand how things really are.” She looked up momentarily, her empty eyes focusing on nothing, before she turned her attention back to the circles she was tracing with her toe.
“You may find it ridiculous, heck you may not even believe me. I get that. I’m young, I’m new at all of this, and most of all I don’t know the history of our people. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t the truth. Ren gave me the warning, straight from the heavens themselves. When God talks, I listen.” I tried my best to keep my temper in check. There was no telling what new powers might manifest if I got too upset.
“It isn’t that we don’t believe you, dear,” Damali placated. “We just need proof.”
I stared at all of them for a breath before rolling up the sleeve of my shirt. I’d kept the runes well hidden since they’d appeared, so they weren’t common knowledge. As I held my arm out for closer inspection a strange look crossed their faces. It was half awe, half revolt. I couldn’t make sense of it. All I did know was that I wished they’d gone away when the other Seers were freed like I thought they would.
“Is this proof enough?” I wanted to see their honest reactions. I needed to know whether I could trust them to be on my side. I wanted to believe that they would be able to help me with whatever was coming.
“When did those runes begin?” shouted Brutus.
“Around the time the Seers started disappearing. We believed the runes to be somehow connected to their deaths. Unfortunately, we were wrong," Kennan chimed in.
“Do any of you have any knowledge of what this darkness is supposed to be, or further information about the prophecy?” I needed something from them.
“Don’t tell me you think you are the Seer to Come?” Eric’s voice dripped with contempt.
“All signs point to yes," I deadpanned. I really hated that guy. He was such an asshat. I had my own issues to deal with. I didn’t need him being all, “You aren’t allowed at the cool kid’s table,” with me.
“What evidence do you have to support this?” Francesca asked slowly.
“My oath," Aberto chimed in, once again appearing out of thin air.
That was another fun thing that had developed. He could sense whenever I was becoming upset and would appear randomly to check on the situation. This stupid, seemingly irreversible connection between us was becoming a nuisance. It was unnerving and something that I’d been meaning to discuss with him. And from the look on Kennan’s face at Aberto’s sudden appearance that talk needed to happen soon.
“Old One, you have no place in this Council meeting," Eric chimed in.
“Don’t forget your place, Guardian.” Aberto’s eyes lit up with a cold fire. “My place is anywhere the Council leader needs me. You doubt her word, you doubt her actions, and you seem to think she is friendless in our world. Do not underestimate her, or you will be found wanting.”
“My apologies," Eric mumbled.
“I don’t want this to turn into an argument. I’m not trying to debate whether or not I’m the Seer from the prophecy. Honestly, it would be super awesome if it weren’t me. What I need from y’all is information. I need to know everything I can about the darkness, about the prophecy, about what is coming our way. The only way we are going to be able to survive this is to prepare. Do any of you have anything at all that might help?”