The Oracle

Chapter 39: Charity's Awakening

SORA

An entire day passes with no word from anyone, leaving me alone with my thoughts for over a day, the time creeping into the night. I've been so bored that the only thing keeping me sane is trying to imagine my future after this and all that I want. I really wish Merrick or Akari were here, or even Isabella or Kit or Sander.

Suddenly, I perk up in my cell when I hear rapid heels approaching and I look up to see Miroslava rushing towards my cell with a small smile on her face, which turns into a lethal grin once she sees me.

"Somebody's here to see you," Miroslava grins.

"What?" My eyes flicker between her and the empty space around the corner, trying to see up the spiral staircase.

"Out of my way!"

"Hey, come on, calm down--" Darius's voice rings though the corridor, two sets of footsteps coming nearer hurriedly.

"There's no time to be calm," the same melodic voice from seconds ago says.

"Is that..." My breath hitches and my eyes widen as a pair of familiar hazel eyes comes into view, the light from the burning torches illuminating her figure and giving her a soft glow. "Evory?"

The glow from the light almost makes her skin seem olive in appearance, more of the greens in her hazel eyes standing out, and I don't fail to notice how her once long black hair is now cut to slightly above her shoulders, and instead of wearing her typical white dress or her white top and black pencil skirt, she's wearing a black and gold trimmed tank top that flows and has on black thigh high boots with gold trim around the tops and cuts in the sides on top of white skinny jeans.

"Evory!" I exclaim and rush to the edge of my cell as Darius appears at Evory's side. "You're okay!"

"Very much so," Evory smiles. "Thanks to Isabella and everyone. But...we must hurry."

"Hurry? What?" I furrow my eyebrows in confusion and watch as Miroslava holds up a silver ring of keys and moves to unlock my cell. "What's going on?"

"We have to leave," Miroslava says. "Immediately."

"What? But the trial--" I start.

"There will be no trial," Evory stresses, my eyes flickering over to her. "Carmin revealed his true intentions to Miroslava this morning. He doesn't intend to let you live, no matter what. Trial or no trial, he intends to kill you and go after the runestones. We can't let that happen."

"I stole Carmin's keys from his office when I met with him," Miroslava says as she backs away and the door opens. "It won't be long until he notices. Come on, we need to meet with the others."

"Others?" I ask.

"Aria is ultimately falling," Darius says, his expression grim. "Gambit and Sekai arranged for safe passage through Miroslava for those of us who wish to flee. Isabella, Shae, Kit, and Sander went on a mission this afternoon as a cover once Evory woke up so that they could flee to the rally point. I told Evory she should rest a few more days, but she said that the guard on Aria members would be too high by then. Sadly, she's right."

"Clea and Akari will be meeting us once we're outside," Evory explains. "They used an evening mission with some other Arias as a cover as well. Aikaterina was never an Aria, so she was free to come and go as she pleased. Reverence and Kaito aren't aware of the situation, just as Carmin isn't aware yet."

"We should go," Miroslava frowns as she glances around the corner towards the stairwell. "They'll be coming to fetch you soon, and they'll be wondering why Evory isn't in the infirmary. Follow me."