Envisioned (The Elemental Prophecy) (35 page)

The next morning, I was awakened by the sound of vomiting. Both my stomach and head ached from the combined effects of alcohol consumption by Brielle and I.

I made my way to the bathroom where Brielle leaned against the toilet. I slumped down next to her and pulled the hair out of her face.

“I didn't even drink that much…damn Hurricanes,” she moaned.

I chuckled, “You are feeling the effects of our combined drinking efforts so it's worse than a normal hangover.”

“You could've warned me, jerk.”

“You're just a lightweight,” I teased. “It's not that bad.”

She flipped me off, just like she did to Kimber last night. I started laughing as I rose off the floor. “Want me to run you a bath, mi amante?”

“That would be wonderful,” she mumbled.

After I got Brielle into the bathtub, I went downstairs to fix us a late breakfast. Brielle came down just as I was flipping over the bacon. She groaned, “I don't want to eat anything. Especially greasy eggs and bacon.”

“Greasy food is the best cure for a hangover, next to more alcohol.”

“I don't know if I believe that. If I eat that, I'm going to throw it all back up. I just want some hot tea,” she replied as she started going through the cabinets. She grabbed a coffee mug and filled it with water before putting it in the microwave. Even though she didn't want to eat, I made her a plate and set it on the table before sitting down with my own. She stared at her plate with distaste as she leaned against the counter waiting for the microwave to finish. Once it beeped, she took her mug out and began to steep her tea bag into the steaming water. She brought the mug, honey, and sugar over to the table as she sat down in the chair next to mine. She leaned over to lay her head on my shoulder as she groaned in discomfort. I chuckled as I wrapped my free arm around her, teasing her as I whispered, “Lightweight.”

She jabbed me in the ribs with her fingers, causing us both to jerk slightly in response. “Damn it, I forget that I feel what I do to you now,” she grumbled. Ever since we completed the bond, she could feel the slightest things that were done to me, even bug bites and small scratches.

I laughed in reply as she took out the tea bag and added honey and sugar to her mug. Kiera stumbled out of her room, and mumbled, “Damn Hurricanes.”

“Tell me about it. I'm never drinking another Hurricane as long as I live,” Brielle added.

“Ugh, how can you eat?” Kiera asked me.

“That's what I said,” Brielle quipped.

“I'm not a baby like you two. Plus, greasy food helps with hangovers.”

“Whatever, not if I throw it all back up,” she retorted.

“Suit yourself, but I know from experience. Once you get over the idea of how gross it is eating it right now, you will feel so much better, I promise.”

“Fine, I'll eat,” Brielle conceded. “The tea is helping ease my stomach so I think I can keep it down.”

Kiera grabbed a soda from the refrigerator and plopped down on the couch. “This is the best remedy for me.”

“Just thinking about the carbonation makes me sick,” Brielle replied after she took her first small bite. I took my plate and put it in the dishwasher before making my way back to sit with Brielle as she pushed her food around on her plate. Just as I was about to sit down, the air began to distort next to the dining room table. I reflexively jumped up and blocked Brielle with my body as the Oracle shimmered into place. Brielle stood up next to me and held onto my bicep as we waited to be addressed.

“Hello again, Brielle. Jace. Kiera,” she addressed us individually.

“Oracle,” we each replied back, almost in unison.

“I am sorry, but I am here to escort you to the High Council, Brielle and Jace. You have been summoned.”

“For what?” I asked even though I know the answer already.

“For the murders of the Elder Council of the Santa Catalina Island.”

“Murder?! We were both defending ourselves!!” Brielle shrieked in anger. I tried to calm her by wrapping my arm around her and pulling her into my side, but the anger and fear pouring through my body from her didn't ease.

“That is not how the High Council views it. You will be able to defend yourselves at your trial.”

“Trial? Oh my God…Jace, what's going to happen to us?” Brielle stammered.

“I don't know,” I answered, directing my attention to the Oracle. “And you're not going to tell us, right?”

“I cannot. But, I will tell you that your journey does not end there.”

“Well, I guess that's something,” I shrugged in disappointment.

“Before we go, I have a question that I would like to ask you. I forgot to ask the last time we met, and it's been bothering me ever since,” Brielle stated.

“Of course. Please proceed with your question.”

“Are the five in the Prophecy, Jace, Kiera, Kimber, Zane, and myself? We thought that with all the circumstances surrounding us that it made sense, especially since they each represent one of the Elements.”

The Oracle smiled, “You have deduced correctly. Your companions will aid you greatly in your journey. Do not be afraid to trust and rely on them throughout this endeavor.”

Brielle sighed before asking, “How much time do we have?”

“We must go now. You may change your attire, but that is all.”

Brielle nodded before turning to go towards the stairs. I followed her up to our loft, and we both dressed slowly, attempting to prolong the inevitable. As soon as we were dressed, Brielle plowed into me, wrapping her arms around my waist, and pressing her head against my chest. Her thoughts were running wildly, from us being imprisoned again to being executed on the spot.

“Mi amante, don't think like that. Stay positive. We were defending ourselves. The trial is just a technicality,” I said, attempting to comfort her.

“I can hear your thoughts. You aren't so sure about that.”

She was right, I wasn't. I didn't know what the outcome of the trial would be. The High Council has been disregarding the Prophecy just like the other Elder Councils. I wasn't sure that the trial wasn't just a ploy to get Brielle in their clutches.

“We have to trust what the Oracle says—if our journey doesn't end there, then it can't be that bad. At least not death or imprisonment.”

“I hope so,” she sighed. She looked up and pressed a sweet, soft kiss on my lips.

“Ready?” I asked unenthusiastically.

“No, but we have no choice,” she replied, pulling away from me and walking towards the stairs. I threaded my fingers through hers as we walked down the stairs together, where a bleary-eyed Kiera and the Oracle awaited us.

“Tell my dad what happened, OK? I don't know when we'll be back, but it will be soon,” Brielle said as she pulled Kiera into a hug.

“It is time,” the Oracle spoke. Brielle broke away from her sister and we walked hand-in-hand to where the Oracle stood. She placed a hand on each of our shoulders and closed her eyes. I'd never been transported to the High Council before, so I was unsure as to what it would feel like, but it wasn't what I expected. My skin prickled, and white light invaded my vision until it was all that I could see. Then, in an instant, we were standing in a small, empty room with white marble walls lined with gold. There were no chairs, tables, desks, bookshelves, or wall art—simply nothing.

Brielle swayed next to me before vomiting on the pristine, white granite floor. Dizziness and nausea fought me as I struggled to stand still and keep my breakfast in my stomach.

“Teleportation is jarring for your equilibrium. You may experience nausea, dizziness, accelerated heart rate, and body temperature fluctuations. Extreme cases experience seizures, stroke and heart attack,” the Oracle informed us.

“That would've been nice to know beforehand,” Brielle snapped as she braced her hands on her knees while taking deep breaths. I slowly walked to the wall and placed my forehead against the cool surface of the marble to quell the effects from the teleportation.

“This will be your holding cell until the High Council is ready to see you,” the Oracle informed us.

“How long will that be?” I asked as I turned to face her.

“It may be minutes, it may be hours,” she replied vaguely, as usual. I rolled my eyes at her response, and I heard Brielle scoff her disapproval.

“I will see you in the Court,” the Oracle added before fading from our sight. I turned back and replaced my forehead on the wall.

“Are you sure she's not against us, too?” Brielle asked semi-sarcastically.

It took too much effort for me to talk so I replied in her mind,
No, mi amante. The Oracle is bound by many rules, especially here with the High Council. Do not take it personal.

Our lives could be on the line here. How is that not personal?! They could sentence us to death for all we know, and she's handing us to them on a silver platter!

There is nothing we can do—there are guidelines set in pl—

Fuck their guidelines, Jace! I'm not going to just let them decide my fate while I sit around and do nothing! I don't even know why I agreed to come here.

You had no choice. She would have made you whether you agreed to or not.

I would have liked to see her try.

Brielle, stop acting like this. We need to be in this together, not angry at each other.

She sighed and paced the room, not responding to me verbally or telepathically. I leaned against the wall as I waited for her to calm down. After several minutes, she walked over to me and linked her arms around my neck as she said, “I'm sorry. I'm just scared.”

“I know, mi amante. We will get through this, I promise.”

The door opened suddenly, and anxiety gripped me at the thought of the trial facing the High Council. A young woman, maybe a little older than us walked in with cleaning supplies. She cleaned the floor where Brielle had thrown up, restoring it to its polished appearance. As she turned to leave, Brielle called out, “Miss, do you know when they are going to come for us?”

The woman ignored Brielle, never even glancing in our direction or stopping before she walked out the door.

“Well, I guess we're going to be here awhile,” Brielle said as she sat on the floor, scooting backwards until her back met the wall. I sat next to her and rested my arm around her shoulders before laying my head against the wall. Brielle set her head on my shoulder as she sighed.

We sat there together as seconds turned to minutes and minutes dragged into hours. My phone read 3:27 PM, which meant we had been waiting about four hours.

Brielle had resorted to pacing around the room, nervously biting her fingernails. Just as I was about to stand up and stop her, the door opened and the same woman from earlier walked in. “It is time,” she said.

We followed her out the door and through a series of hallways, all of which were decorated with paintings of various Gods and Goddesses. Brielle stiffened, her grip on my hand tightening as we passed the portrait of Hades, and her fear shot through me, the strength of it making my breath hitch. The depiction was identical to the man she described as the captor from her nightmare. She stopped and turned to me, the fear evident in her eyes as she said, “Jace, that's him…that's the man from my nightmare.”

“Keep walking,” the woman escorting us sternly instructed. We resumed walking and I tried to comfort her by caressing her hand where my thumb rested. I brought her hand to my mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of it as I told her,
Don't worry, we won't let it happen. I love you.

I love you, too.

The rest of the walk was silent, except for our footsteps. We turned down a hallway that ended with a large set of golden doors, and a lump formed in my throat. So many things could go wrong, and I worried that I wasn't strong enough to protect Brielle here. I pushed the thoughts from my mind. I couldn't afford to think that way. I had to be positive, to believe that we would make it out of here unscathed. I had to be strong enough for her.

We stopped in front of the doors as the woman entered a code on a panel to the left of doorway. The doors opened automatically, and the woman remained next to the control panel. Two guards appeared, stalking towards us, and I instinctively pulled Brielle closer to me. “Let's go,” they ordered as they took up positions on either side of us.

We inched forward, dragging out the inevitable as we walked at a snail's pace. We crossed the threshold into the High Council's Court, and I prayed the Gods were in our favor.