A Promised Prophecy

Chapter Thirty-One

I slept, just as James recommended. I don't know how long I was asleep for, but I finally woke up to the sound of shuffling and masked voices. I rolled over, the sun shining into the Vault from the seawall as the waves crashed into the glass. Water poured into the room with each wave and the sound was calming in its rhythmic nature.

Then I focused on the people in the room with me. James was talking with Est and another man I didn't know but recognized from La Voisin.

"Cybill is appeased for now, but she's wondering where you are," Est tried to be quiet as she spoke to James.

"I know. I'll go see her today." James groaned and ran his hand through hair. Based on his expression and what Est had said, it seemed fair to believe that Est and the other man were also suspicious of Cybill. Cybill had gained quite a following so keeping her in check would be hard, especially with such an interesting story as being born outside of Silverleaf with the ability to prophesize.

"You're awake," Est acknowledged as we made eye contact. "Long time no talk, huh?"

"Est." I nodded at her as I sat up on the cot.

"I knew our paths would cross again, but I didn't understand in what context. Seeing you in the bar really surprised me." Her body slid gracefully as she walked over to me. It was hard to believe that the young woman I saw in front of me was the pre-teen from my memories. It made me feel old. And still, her ability to see through the magic James placed on me in the bar meant that she had grown tremendously in her abilities over the years.

I'd never heard of someone being able to see past concealment magic and I needed to make sure that Eris wouldn't either. "Est, how could you tell it was me and not some man?"

"Don't worry about it." She winked at me as she sat on the cot across from me that James had sat on nearly a few hours earlier.

"I told her." James shook his head, sitting in an adjacent cot alongside Est. The other man stayed silent, taking a spot standing behind Est, almost like a bodyguard.

"James, why would you ruin the fun?" She whined.

"I appreciate the honesty right now," I answered for him.

"James told us about your predicament." She looked me up and down as if she expected to get a better understanding of how I was doing. I was doing pretty shitty and I'd hope that was easy to see. I was wearing a tattered robe and anything brand name I once had was either destroyed or left behind. I felt like a shell of who I once was. Rhea, member of the Deadly Witches coven, and B-list celebrity was sleeping on a cot in the Vault and pretending to be a middle-aged man with no magic. She finally asked, "So, why'd you come back here of all places?"

"Cue me in," the man who had been silently standing behind her finally addressed only Est.

"She trained here with Celeste years ago. She left and never looked back .You might recognize her from TV. She's in the Deadly Witches coven."

"Hm," he acknowledged without another word.

"I came here for Celeste," I answered her when their own private conversation ended. It was nice that James didn't tell her my whole story, especially when it was mine to tell. "I'm in trouble. I think I let Eris free after she nearly murdered me."

"Oh," Est's eyes widened and she started to laugh as if she'd heard the best drama of her entire life. "You really fucked up, huh?"

"You're not really making me feel better about the situation." I laughed. At least she didn't immediately want to ban me, throw me out so Eris could find me and kill me, or hand me up to Cybill on a silver platter.

"Rhea." Est smiled. "We're in this situation with you. Are you ready to help us?"