See How She Fights (The Chronicles of Izzy #2)(11)

“I am so glad you could make it. I just wish it could have been under happier circumstances. I had wished your next visit would be for the ceremony,” she smiled before motioning for us to sit down.

“Molly, Ian, if you will go and get settled in I would appreciate it. I need to have a word in private with Kennan and Izzy.” Isadora always said things in a way which made you believe you had the choice but really there was no room for argument. I wondered how she had developed such a talent.

As soon as they left the room, I turned back to Isadora and Kennan. They were exchanging a knowing glance. I looked over to Breanan and Conall, neither of which gave anything away.

“Alright, what gives? Why is everyone treating me like royalty? What ceremony? More importantly, why couldn’t Molly and Ian stick around?” I asked, unsure of what was going on. The moment I felt like I had a foothold in this bizarre world things shifted again. It was really bothersome.

“You have not told her anything, have you? Really, Kennan I am disappointed. How many more conversations must we have?” she said shaking her head.

“I didn’t think it was the right time. I wanted to wait until after the wedding. I wanted to give her some normalcy. At least for a while,” Kennan muttered.

“It is all an illusion, my dear Guardian. You know that in this world she will never be normal,” Isadora said sadly.

“Sitting. Right. Here,” I said, getting annoyed. Everyone was speaking in subtext and code again. If they didn’t start explaining themselves soon, I was going to lose it.

“Yes, dear, we know you are here,” Isadora said patiently. “First things first, tell me what you have seen. The dreams, the vision, I need to know it all.”

I spilled everything, from the first dream I had up until the vision that had occurred only hours before. It might as well have been a lifetime for all that seemed to have happened between then and now. As the memories flowed from my lips, the uneasiness settled in my stomach. I knew whatever was about to happen, whatever Isadora was going to say would leave me forever changed. I just hoped I would be able to survive this time.

“Well, that makes some sense I suppose. I have been unable to see her as well. It is most unfortunate,” she said with all of the concern of someone who had asked for no ketchup on their burger but got it anyway. She was as bizarre as she always had been. “I have a picture that I need to show you dear. It will be quite unsettling, but I feel you must see it. It seems that your time is coming sooner than we thought it would and I must prepare you for the role you must play. Part of that is keeping you completely informed. You must understand what I am about to show you is not to be shared lightly. If you feel you must include Molly and Ian that is fine, but I would rather keep it within this group.” She motioned to the people standing in the room.

I didn’t like the idea of keeping anything from Molly or Ian but if whatever she showed me was that disturbing, I would. They had enough to deal with as it was. Especially Molly. She still didn’t know where her mother was. I couldn’t heap anything else on top of that stress.

Isadora moved over to her mahogany desk and pulled out a file. She stared down at the folder in her hands for a moment before looking up to lock eyes with Breanan. He nodded almost imperceptibly in her direction, spurring her back into motion. She shook her head lightly and smiled sadly. She walked back over to me and handed me the folder. As soon as it hit my hands I felt a weight settle over me. I swallowed deeply. Everything was about to change.

I hesitated a moment before I opened the folder. I wished I had waited longer. The moment I opened it, my head began to swim with what my eyes were now forced to witness. None of Xavier’s nightmares, nothing that I had seen while held hostage in the lab, could have prepared me for the photographs now staring me in the face. There, in my lap, lay the most gruesome sight I had ever beheld.

My eyes didn’t want to believe what they were seeing. There, in the photograph, was a young woman laid out in a white, sleeveless gown. Carved up each arm were blood crusted symbols of some sort. They looked deep and unpardonably painful. I took a deep breath praying that she was dead before this had been done to her.

I traced my eyes up her body to rest on her face. When I came to it, my stomach recoiled. Where her eyes should have been were two gaping chasms; a void of darkness where once there was light. I couldn’t look anymore. I dropped the file to the floor spreading its contents into disarray.

“What was that?” I demanded, trying to regain my balance. As much as I wanted nothing to do with the contents of the folder, I knew they somehow pertained to me. If the past year had taught me anything, it had taught me that ignorance was not bliss in this world. The sooner I faced whatever was coming, the better. No repression, no denial, no trying to be someone I was not.

“What you are seeing is one of three Seers that have been found similarly mutilated since our dear Xavier disappeared.” Isadora’s tone showed no emotion.

I stared at her, trying to wrap my head around how she could remain so distant from it all. She was supposed to be the head of the Council, the person that protected us. How could she be so detached when Seers were dying?

“Do you know who is doing this or why?” I asked, pacing back and forth. Kennan had picked up the file and its contents from the floor and was leafing through them with a rather grim expression.

“We have some idea. It is some sort of ritual sacrifice. Our scholars are working on deciphering the runes and the exact ceremony. The problem is, our kind have not done a ritual sacrifice in almost a thousand years. Even then it was normally done with animals, never humans,” Conall said with disgust. I suddenly wanted to know how he had lost his eye. Durn my easily distracted mind. I pulled myself back to the present.