Chapter 11: Memory Lane

Ash comes to my side, takes my elbow in her hand. "Are you all right?" Her voice is low enough only I hear it.

"Fine, thank you." I offer a trembling smile. "Just tired." It's not necessary to lie to Ash, but I want to understand what's happening to me. Thank Gaia for Bellanca, though how did she know I needed her? She and her brother have gone again.

Ash releases me, but doesn't stop staring in her closed and determined way, not until Sibyl approaches with a smile, reaching out to embrace me.

"Very well done, my dear," she says, an arm around my shoulders as she faces Ash. "The finest we've raised, wouldn't you say, dear Ash?"

My aunt shrugs, grin twisted. "If you say so." She yawns, stretches inside her robe. "Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Forgot why I hated being part of this shit so much."

Sibyl glares at her, tightening her grip on me. Why is Ash purposely provoking my grandmother?

"It was your idea," she snaps at my aunt who winks at me like she finds the whole situation amusing. "I had thought perhaps you'd come to your senses and were finally rejoining the family."

"Not a chance." Ash strips off her robe and tosses it at Sibyl's feet. "Just for old time's sake. You and your little pet sorcerer might think this is the only gig in town, but I have better things to do."

"Ashtoria Marie Helios." Sibyl's voice cracks like a whip, making me jump though Ash keeps grinning. "Don't make me punish you."

"For what?" She flicks her fingers in my grandmother's face. "You don't have the balls to do anything, Grandmother." I start. Wait, what? Sibyl is my grandmother. Which makes her Ash's mother. So why...? And she's stressed the moniker so much, I know it's a taunt. But why? I've only ever heard Ash address Sibyl by her first name. "Neither does that pathetic piece of crap you brought into our sanctuary."

Black power rushes toward us, and only then do I realize Liander is still here. Ash turns with a casual wave and blocks his magic before it can harm her, the slap of black scattering in a rush of broken pieces. He grunts and staggers a little while my aunt snarls at him.

"Try that again," she says. "I'll drain your ass dry."

"You may go." Sibyl's power is more formidable. Ash rocks back herself from a solid wall of fire. But her contempt isn't lessened as she shrugs, hands in the pockets of her leather jeans, sparks in her blue eyes.

"See you around," she says before sauntering out with a click of her tongue and a mock salute for Liander. I stare as my aunt slams the door behind her, turned instantly to face my grandmother before the sound of the echo is even stilled.

"You are forbidden further contact with Ash," she says, fury snapping in her gaze. "I will have her banished for this."

Banished? I want to protest. That means cutting my aunt off from the family, from the Oracles who love her. Where will she go? What will she do? I grasp for my grandmother's hand, ready to beg her to reconsider, but Liander interrupts.

"About time," he snaps. "I'm truly disappointed in how little control you have over your women." Is that anger in Sibyl's eyes? I hope so. How dare this cretin talk of our family like that? We are the Helios Oracles. He is just a sorcerer. "I'll leave you to discipline them. I have a job to do."

Sibyl starts, while my anger simmers at her lack of retaliation. Maybe they are right, but I like this new rebellious side of myself. "Already?"

He waves her off, talking over his shoulder as he goes. "Finally."

My grandmother appears troubled, and I'm going to add to her worries. I can't stand this to go on any longer and this is the first time I know I'll have her alone, without Liander listening in.

"Please tell me," I say, voice cracking as emotions run high, "we are following the true path of Gaia by helping him?"

She looks startled for the second time, as though I've slapped her, stepping away with a scowl hurriedly disguising her reaction. The rest of the family are gone, only my grandmother and I in the round chamber. "How dare you challenge my authority in this matter," she says. I can tell she's trying to be firm, but she sounds more disturbed than angry.

I shake my head, unwilling to let this go. Maybe Ash's confrontation has given me courage or the recent events have freed me to speak, but it's time at last to confront Sibyl fully. "I've spent my whole life trusting and believing in you," I say. "I've never questioned, Grandmother. But I have reason to believe the visions I've experienced aren't being interpreted truthfully."

Flames rise from her feet, sizzling out toward me. I've made her truly angry this time, but I can't bring myself to care.

"Blasphemy!" She tries to push against me with her power, but mine is stronger than hers. Sadness pierces my heart, as I stare at her, remembering her power's interference with the visioning. What purpose could she have, unless...

"You've led us astray on purpose." I shudder and hug myself, not trying to attack her with magic, holding her off until hers drops away. "You manipulated the seeking. Didn't you?"

She doesn't answer, spluttering her way around her guilt. I know it's true, then, feel it in her power as I touch the edges of her fire with my own. "Enough, Zoe." But she's lost all authority with me. The way her eyes tighten, how her lips thin, tongue sneaking out to wet them, all of it showcases her guilt.

"Why, Grandmother?" I now realize the deepest part of the lie. The visions I believed, the foresight I've trusted my entire life... how much of it has been shaped by my grandmother? I shudder, glare at her with disbelief. "You've broken our sacred oath to channel the future truthfully and with honor. You've betrayed Gaia."

Sibyl shakes, hands clenching into fists at her side, eyes blazing with fire. She might not be striking me with power, but it's clear she wants to.

"Stupid girl," she snarls. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Then why have we lost our purpose?" I throw the question at her. This isn't me, this confrontational girl, but I'm suddenly free and unwilling to let this go any longer. I must have answers from her. "Why do we only seek visions under the orders of Liander Belaisle when once we were free Oracles?" I jab a finger at her. "Why have you allowed him to control us when we are so much more powerful than he?" She doesn't answer. "And why do you influence a seeking with your own magic, if not to manipulate for some secret purpose?" I drop my hands to my sides, lost and sad. "What are you afraid of, Grandmother?"

"That's what's been wrong with you lately." Her voice is cold again, though her fire still rages inside her, around her. "You've been challenging your visions."

I hold still, jaw aching from jutting forward in defiance. So like her to turn this conversation around and try to use it against me.

"You little idiot." She wrings her hands in front of her. "I've done nothing of the sort, and would never go against the word of Gaia." My resolve cracks slightly. She sounds so insistent, so hurt by my accusation. Am I wrong? "What you felt was me protecting you, you young fool. From the outside world. Someone must do it. And I am the only one strong enough to keep you safe." No, wait. Is that true? I had no idea. But then again, I've never been outside the vision like that before.

Is she telling the truth? It makes an odd kind of logical sense...

"Zoe." She jerks me out of my spinning confusion with just the sound of my name. "Don't you know the consequences of doubting your gift?"

Hesitation and renewed nerves bubble to the surface all over again. Did I misjudge her? And by pushing against my visions, have I cause irreparable damage? What if this incident is a forerunner for something much worse? I'm flinching at shadows. Could it be my fault? I don't want to believe it, but it's so hard to counter her when I was raised to obey her. "Tell me."

She shakes her head, flames dying. "I blame myself," she says, faint despair in her voice, adding to my crumbling courage, sending shivers through the girl she trained. "I should have schooled you to believe fully and not trusted you to develop so much on your own." Guilt flickers over her face. "I thought if I raised you personally, but gave you certain latitudes, things would be different for you than they were for your mother."

My mother? My entire body stiffens. "What are you talking about?" My mother died in an accident in the city above, when I was very small. I don't even remember her.

Sibyl shudders, takes a step toward me. I hold my ground since she's not threatening. Instead, her hand rises and she touches my cheek, her fingers hot from the flames that have only recently died. "Leyea was brilliant," my grandmother says. "Powerful, almost as powerful as you." Her hand drops like dead weight to her side. "But she, too, questioned her visions. Became paranoid and rebellious. I had thought I taught you better, watched you close enough. I now see I was wrong. Like mother, like daughter."

"What are you saying?" I almost choke on the words.

"Leyea died," Sibyl says, "in the flames of her power. That's what happens to Oracles who doubt, Zoe. Who challenge the gift of Gaia."

I stare at her, open mouthed, fear surging. Dear Goddess, was I right after all? Was my guess the correct one and I've doomed myself?

"I see you still doubt," Sibyl says, taking my hand firmly in her own. "It's time I proved it to you."

I follow her as she leads me to the door, stumbling over my feet with a terrible fear growing in my heart.

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