See How She Fights (The Chronicles of Izzy #2)(37)

“Where is he?” I rushed around the room putting my clothes on. I was probably matched as well as Ian normally was, but I wanted to find out what was going on. Something told me things were about to get far more complicated than anyone had anticipated.

“He’s in Isadora’s office.” Kennan led me down the hall and downstairs to the huge wooden doors of her office. I started to knock as the door opened from the other side. Inside the door stood Conall.

“I need a word alone with Izzy, if you don’t mind. I’m sure she will tell you everything, but these were my mother’s instructions.”

Conall leveled Kennan with his gaze. I knew that his request would not be denied but I wondered at the seriousness of it all. I also wondered if Isadora had a coffee pot hidden in her office somewhere.

“I’ll wait outside the door.” Kennan bowed his head to Conall as he shut the door.

“What’s going on?” I asked around a yawn.

“My mother has been taken. She will be the next to be sacrificed,” Conall said, moving toward her desk.

“Wait, what? I mean, what?!” I screamed. I was dumbfounded. How had he been able to say that so calmly? “What about your dad? Why won’t he do anything to stop this? We have to do something!”

“My father is dead by now. This is an event that cannot be changed, Izzy. I am sure my mother told you that some things must stay the course. This is one of those things. She has known for many months that this day was coming. She even knew what day it would be. But she also knew that if she did not stay the course that destiny had set before her, the world would be far worse off. She left something for you.” He grabbed a file from her desk and moved back towards me as I sat heavily on the couch.

“How are you so calm about all of this? I mean, you are losing both of your parents today.” I wiped at the tears threatening to spill over my cheeks. I was getting sick of losing people. I was sick of death. I was sick of people thinking it was no big deal to face death knowingly. This shit was scary. I wanted people to act like it was for once.

“I am calm because no other course of action will aid you in your task. I am calm because my mother asked this of me. I am calm because if I let any other emotions in right now I can’t be the man you need me to be,” Conall finished, lowering himself to sit next to me.

I looked at him sideways. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that last statement.

“Not like that, Izzy. I meant that I can’t be the Guardian you need me to be. I would not be able to uphold the oath I made to my mother if I allowed myself to wallow in the grief of their loss.”

Well, that was a relief. I loved a good romance but I had no desire to become part of some twisted love triangle.

“What is your task?” Perhaps if I concentrated on the issues at hand, I would be able to cope with her loss better. It seemed to work for everyone else around here. These people could give lectures on compartmentalizing.

“In this folder, you will find everything my mother knew about the sacrifices. You will find where they intend to sacrifice her as well as information on the last two Seers that will be taken. I have not seen any of what is in here. She instructed me to give this information to you and you alone. My mother believed in you, Izzy. I hope that her belief is not unfounded,” he said, handing me the folder before silently exiting the room.

Talk about living up to expectations. No pressure or anything.

I looked at the folder resting on my lap. I knew that the moment I opened the folder, my life would never be the same. That blasted folder was practically passing the torch to me. I swallowed hard and began to open it. I looked down at a pile of papers and lying on top was an envelope with my name on it. I set the folder and its contents aside, pulling the letter out. I was getting kind of tired of dead people leaving me letters. This was emotionally taxing.

**********

Izzy,

I leave you with a choice. It is not an easy choice to make and I know you will not make this choice lightly. I need you to decide whether you will fulfill the calling and become the leader of the Council or lead a normal domestic life with Kennan and the occasional vision. I have seen both futures and I know that you would be happy in the domestic life. I also know that by asking you to choose the Council, I am asking you to face great hardships. There are things lying ahead of you that will challenge everything you have ever known and believed. Yet I ask you to choose us all the same.

I know what I ask is hard. I ask more of you than anyone ever asked of me. I am asking you to give up the life that you long for. I am asking that you take this job and that you fight for our people. I can promise you that we are lost without you. I wish that I had more time to prepare you but God has other plans it would seem. The best advice I can offer you is to trust yourself and trust Kennan. All else will matter for naught.

Make me proud. Make your mother proud. But more importantly, make yourself proud. There are grave dangers lying ahead for you. Things I wish I could warn you of, but I cannot. It is not the time. Just remember there is a reason for all things we must endure. Farewell Izzy, and know that my faith in you goes well beyond this plane.

Love,

Isadora

**********

I sat motionless, staring at the paper in my lap. She knew she was going to be taken. She knew she would be sacrificed. I felt as though I had been duped once more. I was so sick of people keeping things from me. I understood her need for secrecy, but I felt as though I had been going through this whole process with a giant piece of the puzzle missing. I wanted to know everything she knew. I needed to find out what could be done to stop whoever this woman was. I needed to find out how the sacrifices were connected with Xavier. Most of all, I needed to figure out how to get this stupid rune off of my arm. I breathed in slowly through my nose, closing my eyes. If I wanted to accomplish anything I needed to keep it together.