Bonds that Burn and Bind

Chapter 4 Part 3

AN: I took my test now it's time to sit and wait to see if I can officially call myself an OT. But to celebrate being done (hopefully) I want to give you two chapters. Literally danced around my room after I wrote the last sentence in Chapter 4 Part 4. Anyways thanks for the 195 reads and 65 votes. These stats are absolutely amazing !!!!

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"Use this," I said, holding the Efa's ruby out to her.

She looked hesitantly at it before meeting my gaze. "Erm, I only got 20 copper leaf coins. I would need at least 16 more before I could afford that."

"How about we trade information instead? Do you know how to get to Dragide?"

Once she was done giving directions, I held out my hand, and she reached for the glittering mushroom.

The tips of her fingers brushed my palm, and her body went rigid— her eyes rolling into her skull.

"Are you okay?" I asked, and she clamped her hand around my wrist with lightning speed. I let out a startled cry and attempted to pull away, but her fingers were like cold marble.

"Valentina Ashwood." Two voices came from her mouth, one hers, the other a hoarse whisper.

A shiver traveled down my spine. "Who are you? How do you know my name?" I reached for my dagger.

Her mouth stretched into a grin. "I've been called many things. A messenger, oracle, prophesier, sear, she-who-sees-far-and-wide, demon."

I replaced the dagger I had half drawn but kept my hand resting on its hilt. "I heard oracles only read futures they find interesting," I said, choosing one of her titles. Even as I said it, a knot formed in my stomach at the thought of my future being interesting.

The oracle's grin widened further still. "Indeed. Tomorrow night, you will stand at the altar with a man you do not love, but you will come to love your husband. Ignore all that calls you away from him, and all shall be fine. But if you find yourself separated, fly back to him, little bird."

"What could call me away from Lord Fredrick?" I asked, fearing the answer. She released me, and her eyes returned to their normal blue, and her full face heated into a shade of pink.

"Erm, I'm so sorry about that!" she exclaimed. " I'm a medium, but I don't have much control over what uses me to speak yet. Did I say anything upsetting? That spirit felt very strange. How about an apology-eel?"

She didn't wait for a response as she grabbed one of the skewers, seasoned it with a red spice blend that smelled of salt, garlic, thyme, onion, and more my nose couldn't distinguish, before sliding it on the grill inside her clay oven. She squeezed the Efa's ruby and tossed it in the bottom of the oven just as it ignited with a healthy flame that would burn for the next couple of days.

I briefly considered just leaving. But with the amount of traveling I was about to do, it was a good idea to force something down.

" You channeled an Oracle. It told me I will come to love my husband," I said, omitting the second half of the prophecy.

Her expression filled with wonder. "Really!? I've never channeled one before. Usually, their prophecies are far more ominous than that." She paused, her eyes sweeping over my face. "This may not concern me, but I hope your husband didn't..." She motioned to her face. "If he's responsible, I know someone— they helped me once."

I started, realizing what she was suggesting. "We aren't married yet, but Fredrick would never. This was done by something else."

"If you say so," she handed the cooked eel to me. "I don't know you really well, but you seem like a person that deserves love, and not just any love but good love."