See How She Fights (The Chronicles of Izzy #2)(38)

I began to flip through the papers in the folder devouring each and every word as I went. I sat there for hours reading everything I could. I was startled out of my concentration by a hand resting on my shoulder.

“You have been in here for hours, Izzy. Let’s get you fed.” Kennan moved around the couch to crouch in front of me. As soon as he was eye level he pulled me towards him and placed a fiery kiss on my lips.

“What was that for?” He left me breathless.

“I needed to get your attention. I know you, Izzy. If it were up to you, you would stay in here all day until each and every bit of what is in that folder is inside your head. You have to take care of yourself or you will be useless to Isadora and everyone else involved in this thing,” Kennan said, brushing his thumb down my cheek. I knew he was right, but I also knew I needed to know everything I could about what was happening if I was to stop it.

“Can food be brought in here?” I looked back at the pile of papers I had strewn about me. I had not even realized I was doing it until now. I looked down and saw a pattern in the papers. Something that I had not noticed before. The runes were carved in a different order on each of the Seers arms. They rotated the order for each one. Four Seers had been found dead with runes carved on them thus far. If my hunch was right there would be two more Seers and Isadora making a seventh. I gasped.

“What is it, Izzy?” Kennan’s voice raised an octave as though preparing himself for some sort of attack.

“I think I know what is happening. What they are using this sacrifice for. I need to see Eleanor.” I got up and started to make my way to the door before Kennan pulled me to a stop. His large body grazed the contours of my back causing me to pull in a breath.

“I will get her. You stay here where I know you are safe. I am sending in Ian and Conall as well. I will not take the risk of you being lost to us. To me,” he said as he moved past me and out the door.

I moved back to the couch and tried to arrange everything that had happened in my head. According to Eleanor’s research, the runes all had a meaning. There were six carved on the arms and one on the chest. I knew that the vision I’d had of Xavier earlier was a clue. Whatever was being done, he wanted it done more quickly. If we wanted to stop whatever was happening we had to act soon. Looking back over the photos of the other Seers I knew I was right. Two more would be taken and Isadora would be sacrificed as the vessel. The symbol on the center of each chest linked them to one another as vessels. As my thoughts swirled in my head, I heard a commotion out in the hall by the office. I arose as Molly came bursting through the doors.

“He told me I couldn’t come, but I told him to shove it,” Molly snapped towards Ian.

“I don’t want you involved if you don’t have to be, Molly. You are about to turn twenty-five. You do realize that every Seer that has been taken has just come of age, don’t you? So please, for once, help to keep me sane,” Ian pleaded with her.

“I have something that needs to be said, something that I have avoided telling you because I don’t want my suspicions to be founded. I don’t want to be right. I can teach you how to break through the fog on the woman. If she is who I suspect she is, well I just…,” Molly approached me slowly. She reached out and handed me a piece of paper that had symbols written on it with instructions of how to break through a veil.

“Who do you think it is, Molly?” I wondered if she suspected the same thing I had earlier. The thing I had not allowed myself to even dwell on.

“If it is her, then I will tell you all I know,” she said before turning to leave. I breathed in heavily as Eleanor was brought into the room with Conall and Kennan.

**********





CHAPTER FIFTEEN


“Eleanor, you said you believe that the sacrifice was of Druid origins. Do you still believe that?” I asked, hoping that the answer would be yes.

“Yes, and I have found which sacrifice I think it may be. If all of the elements are correct then this is a health sacrifice.” She lowered herself into the chair across from me as I digested the information she had just given me.

“So these sacrifices are being used to bring health to someone else, is that what you are telling me? Could this someone be near the point of death? Could these sacrifices bring that someone back?” I leaned forward, staring intently at Eleanor. I needed to know. I longed to finally have my suspicions confirmed.

“Yes,” Eleanor met my eyes and confirmed everything I had feared.

“So, he isn’t dead then?” Kennan said, startling me. I had forgotten that Eleanor and I were not alone.

“No. I knew, but was not positive. Wherever he is, he can only communicate in the dreaming. I’ve been thinking about the symbols on the arms and the one on the torso. After going through Isadora’s notes, I have found some information on each of the symbols being used. Do you mind confirming my findings, Eleanor? You have more experience with this sort of thing than I do.” I flipped through the scattered papers until I found the list of symbols I’d given to Eleanor days before. Except these were in Isadora’s handwriting with her notes. “So the Fehu is the rune of wealth, Uruz the symbol of health and life force, Kenaz is the symbol of knowledge, Gebo that of sacrifice, Hagalaz symbolizes destruction in order for rebirth, and lastly Laguz forms a psychic link. Is that all correct?”