The Angelus Brothers Chronicles - The Golden Hind

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

"When are we going in?" Gabriel shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"I don't know. The humans ending their war has made it harder but they did need to stop. What kind of animals drop bombs on their children?" Shaking his head and reaching across his desk he grabbed a sheet of paper and began to scribble a note on it. Nettie and Maude watched as he folded it and lit the red candle on his desk. After a few moments, he picked it up and dripped the wax on the page and pressed the ring he wore on his little finger into it. Lifting it he looked down at the eagle with a lightning bolt embossed into the rapidly cooling wax that now sealed his note. 

"Take this to Annie. Tell her I mean every word. Then head back to the garrison tonight and see how the land lies. I can't see that the humans have relaxed security just yet." Nettie took the note and turned to leave. Maude paused at the door. 

"So if the wars are over, does that mean we averted the prophecy?" Gabriel looked up at the formerly human phantom and shook his head. 

"I don't know. It's not usually that easy to avoid a prophecy. When they war might not mean in the midst of it." Maude pulled a face and nodded. 

"OK boss." With that, the two women left and Gabriel sat back in his chair looking apprehensive. He had a feeling things were only going to get worse from here. In the last fifty years creatures were finding their Fated ones rapidly and more and more it was mixed species. Hell Nettie and Maude, Raphael and Rouge, even he and Kaia. His mind hummed and buzzed as he thought her name. Looking over at the huge dusty old book that was open on his desk he didn't need to read the handwritten words inside. He knew them off by heart and in the pit of his stomach, he had a feeling it was fast approaching. 

When species mix, when humans war, when the Oracle is found, when night becomes day and day becomes night. The seven circles will align, the walls will weaken and the four will return. 
Only the love of the Oracle will banish the darkness and bring back the light. Only the love of the Oracle can save the world.

It didn't matter how the words were written as each account had them written ever so slightly differently they all said the same. Warring humans, mixing of species and finding the Oracle was going to bring about the end of days. It was coming so why wasn't he hearing back from his superiors? He'd sent dispatch after dispatch but heard nothing back. Should he just go in without orders, rescue the Oracle and hope it's the right thing to do. If what he had heard on the grape vines was right the news had gone as high as Zeus himself. But that could easily just be talk. But he couldn't help imagining Zeus himself, the very king of the Gods, reading his dispatch. 

Reaching over the book he picked up a piece of paper and began studying it. Not that he needed to, the plans of the Shoebury Garrison were emblazoned on his brain at this point. He knew every road, every building, the exact curve of the horseshoe shape of the main buildings, down to the number of paces it took him to get from the gate to the bunker that doubled as an entrance to the Oracle's prison. 

Gabriel glanced up as Winston appeared in the open doorway and tapped on the door. 

"Master Myron to see you, Sir." The vampire nodded. 

"I'll come down." He knew how much the centaur hated trying to climb the stairs.

In the hallway stood Myron, his long black hair was braided and pulled into one long braid that hung down his shoulder. A large black leather patch covered his right eye where it had been lost in battle centuries before. The mahogany skin of his torso joined seamlessly into the black coat of the horse half of the ancient centaurs body. His large black hooves clattered on the floor as he came forward to greet Gabriel by grasping his wrist. The vampire returned the gesture. 

"A little bird told me you've found your fated one." Gabriel gave his old friend a small smile. 

"Is there anyone that doesn't know?" 

"You took her to the square. You might as well have taken her to Annie's. Plus you sent Maude with your note. You know that ghost is an absolute sop for a love story." Gabriel shrugged. 

"It was going to get out sometime." Myron had looked out for Gabriel when he was a child through his father's abuse and the bullying of the other adolescents in the square, just like Winston had. The centaur and the dwarf were the only creatures that got Gabriel through his abusive childhood at the hands of his father. He'd never felt able to go to his mother as she was always so sad. 

"So your note asked for a woman's weight crossbow and leg dagger. Tell me it's not for you kid." Gabriel snorted.

"Very funny." The centaur laughed to himself as he pulled a bag from his shoulder and pulled first a small ornate-looking crossbow from it, followed by a small quiver, a handful of bolts for the bow and lastly a leather sheath and strap with an ornate handle sticking out from it and placed them one by one on the hall table. Gabriel picked up the dainty crossbow in his hands and held it as if he was going to shoot it. 

"This is some fine work." He said as he inspected the carved wood and embossed metal detailing. 

"Of course. Nothing shoddy coming out of my smithy." Retorted the centaur proudly. 

Kaia appeared at the top of the stairs in a deep bronze-coloured chiton that came down to her knees and fasted at each shoulder with large matching gold pins. Myron smiled warmly at her as she descended the stairs towards them. She had a grace and confidence the centaur found enchanting as she approached them. Holding out his hand to her he gave her a warm smile. 

"I'm Myron. Probably his only friend." Kaia frowned a little but took the hand of the towering half man half horse. 

"Kaia." She replied and looked down at the weapons then questioningly at Gabriel. 

"I uh... got them for you." Myron chuckled. 

"Some men buy flowers. This one buys weapons." Slinging his bag back on his shoulder he smiled again at the hind. 

"It was nice to meet you, Kaia. I'm getting back to my smithy. I'll see you later Gabe." He clopped across the hall and ducked as he left through the front room and clattered down the short staircase to the drive. 

"They look lovely." She said picking up the bolts and studying one. "But these arrows are too small for my bow." 

"They are crossbow bolts." He showed her the bow as he spoke. "I thought until we get your bow back it might work for you. I got you this as well." He picked up the dagger and crouching gestured to her leg. "May I?" She nodded and watched as he parted the fabric that covered her left thigh and strapped the sheath to it before pulling out the blade and handing it to her. While she examined the small sharp blade with its ornately carved handle, he strapped the quiver to her right thigh and dropped the bolts into it. 

"These are very thoughtful gifts." She said as she put the dagger back in its sheath. 

"I... I have a feeling something bad is coming. I wanted to know you had the means to protect yourself." Gabriel blushed as he spoke and handed her the crossbow. "If you want we can go outside and I can show you how to use it?" Kaia smiled at him and nodded. 

In the garden, Gabriel showed the doe how to notch the bolt into the crossbow and showed her the trigger. She aimed at a tree and loosed it. The bolt sunk into the tree a little right of centre. Gabriel was impressed but Kaia frowned. 

"If it had been my bow that would have hit dead centre." 

"It was an amazing shot." Replied the vampire rubbing her shoulder. He was seriously impressed and bewildered that she was displeased by it. It was barely off, he knew he wouldn't have been as accurate. He'd hoped it would take her mind off her bow for a bit, if she was right and Heracles had it it was going to be less than easy to retrieve.