The Illyrian Series: The Oracle Of Rosedale
Chapter 29

He uses his eyes to point past me. "Please sit." I turn back and see a big, red armchair at my back. I don't take the seat. "Is it not to your liking? Purple, maybe?" The chair changes colour once again.

"How can you do magic here?" I slowly replace my voice.

"It's cheap magic." He sighs. "And it only works in this little building."

I nod. "And my friends?" I need to stop losing Violet and Malin.

"They're in my library." Is his simple answer. "Let's talk. Please, sit."

I take a deep breath and settle on the plush armchair. "You were expecting me?"

His grey eyes light up. "Yes, for many, many years."

"You knew I was coming?"

He nods. "I did. I saw it in Solana's mirror."

I glance at the walls. It's showing the image of him gazing into the mirror. "That's the Oracle's name?" He nods. "I'm guessing she's the one who sent you here."

"She did." His eyes are hard.

"Do you mind me asking why?"

He almost laughs. "What do you think?"

"All I know is you angered her."

"I did." He admits. "We had...differing opinions."

"What were those opinions?"

"She wanted to watch history, I wanted to change it." He looks at the wall. "This thing won't tell you that part though."

I lean forward on the chair. "She didn't want you changing history. So she sent your here?"

"You're quick." He says sarcastically. "And yes. But in a rare turn of events, I knew something she didn't." He points at me. "I knew you were coming." Buddy's

"How long have you been here?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. You can't really tell time here. Too many moons."

I shake my head. "Zane, I need your help..."

He cuts me off. "You want me to tell you how to replace the oracle. I'll help you."

That doesn't make me less uncomfortable. "Something tells me your offer comes with conditions I won't like."

His teeth are a shade lighter than the rest of his skin. "I want to leave."

I rub my face. "I don't know how to release you."

"Of course you don't." He says. "I know how to do it."

"Then why haven't you done it already?"

"I don't know, I just really like it here." The sarcasm is clear.

"So why do you need my help?"

"Solana will know if this house is empty." He reveals. "And I can't get any of the prisoners to stay here because I haven't seen any. She made sure of that."

It takes me a second to realize what he's saying. "No."

"Ah, I knew you'd say that." He stretches his long legs. "It's time to meet your friends. Talk amongst yourselves."

"Zane, I'm not..." He points at the green door that magically appears on the South wall.

"You'll replace them when you walk through." He promises. "Go."

I get up from the seat and tread lightly towards the door. It opens on it's own accord. "See you soon, princess." Zane's voice fades into the background. I step into the dark room and the door bangs shut.

Once again, the decor is grande. It's two storey's high and filled with floor to ceiling shelves bursting with books. A ladder is positioned on each wall, allowing people to access the higher books. In the middle of the room is a big desk and chair. Beside that are brown sofas and armchairs.

"Adria," Violet is coming down one of the stairs. She has a leather book in her hands.

"Where's Malin?" I ask.

"He's here somewhere," She looks around the rectangular room. "Malin."

"Yes." A shelf transforms into a door and he comes through. "Adria." He drops the bowl in his hands on the table and hugs me. "Where were you?"

"Talking to Zane." I rub my grey arms.

"Will he help?"

"He has a condition."

He notices my mood. "How bad is it?"

"He wants one of us to stay behind and he'll show us how to reach her when he's out."

"That's ridiculous," Violet objects. "We can't agree to that."

"That's what I told him. We have to think of another way." I say.

"What else can we offer him?" Violet asks.

"He seemed very set on leaving." I sigh. "What will we do?"

Malin quietly perches himself on the edge of the table. "We don't really have another choice."

"What are you talking about?" This is me.

"Adria..." His voice falters. "We know who our best option is."

"And who is that?"

He looks me in the eye. "Me."

I don't move. "Malin, you can't be serious."

"It's the only thing that makes sense."

"No, it's not." I argue.

He runs his hand through his dark hair. "Maybe this is what I'm meant to do." He sighs. "My whole life has been one disappointment after another. I've never been good enough, never been strong enough, never been brave enough. Maybe this is the sacrifice I was meant to make. The only way to make my life worth anything."

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." I yell. "You can't stay here."

"And why not?" He demands. "Why does it even matter? At least here I'm making a difference."

"What do you mean 'does it even matter?' It matters because you have a life back home." I turn to Violet who's slouched against a bookshelf. "Talk sense into him."

"You can't stay here." She says softly.

Malin scoffs. "Adria can't, she has to fulfill her destiny. And Violet is a mage, she's already sacrificed so much just coming here. I make the most sense."

"Oh, you want to discuss logic now. Okay, let's discuss logic. What about your father, and your sister?"

"My father is inconsequential and my sister..." He pauses. "She'll understand."

"You're not doing this."

"It's not your decision. I'm taking the deal with Zane."

"Stop saying that." I turn to Violet. "Do something."

She opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. She releases a big sigh and brushes the hair away from her face.

"You're not saying." I direct this at Malin.

He removes his scabbard from the belt at his waist. "Eveything is clear now." He whispers. "Take this, give it to William Thistle."

"I'm not giving it to anyone." I shove it back and the hilt collides with his stomach. "Because you're not staying here."

He gets off the table, drops the sword on his former spot and walks up to me.

He presses his lips on my forehead. "I trust you, Adria. I know you'll make the right decisions."

I push him away. "Stop it." I'm crying now. "Stop it. I don't care about the oracle, I'm not leaving you here."

"You're going to abondon millions of people to save me?" He asks. "Don't do that for me, Adria. If you do, I'll never forgive you."

I shake my head and more tears flow down my cheeks. "Please."

The door I came through reappears and he walks towards it.

"Malin." I run up to him and squeeze his right arm. "Don't do this." He shakes me off and keeps walking forward. "Violet." She isn't looking at us. "Violet." I scream.

"I'm sorry." This is the weakest her voice has ever sounded.

Malin pauses in front of the door. "I love you. Both of you." He's about to say something else. He thinks better of it and opens the door.

"No." My scream falls on deaf ears. He disappears behind the door.

I run forward and jump in. I emerge outside the house. I run around the perimeter, looking for another entrance.

"Ah, fresh hair."

Zane has his arms on his waist and a big smile on his face. Violet is a few feet away and is looking at him with distaste.

"You." I run up to him.

Violet intervenes and stops me from hitting Zane. The latter just laughs.

"I'm not the enemy, Adria." He says. "We should leave before the Crawley's get here. Where did you apparate from?"

The glare I give him is sharp. "The oracle was right to lock you here. You're a monster."

He's not offended. "That's between me and Solana."

"I hope she replaces you and sends you back here."

He just smiles. "Where did you apparate in? We should hurry."

Violet places her arm around my shoulder and steers me away from the building.

I give it one final glance and promise to come back for Malin, no matter what.

Ten minutes to our designated spot, we hear a screech.

Zane's face is hard. "They found us." He stops walking.

"Move, we're almost there." Violet glowers.

"No. They can't be outrun." He eyes the scabbard in my hand. "I need a weapon."

I advance towards him. "You're crazy if you think I'm giving you this sword. I'd rather get eaten by that thing."

"Give him your dagger." Violet orders. I glare at her. "I hate him too, Addy. But we need to get our of here. Think of Malin."

I begrudgingly remove the dagger from my belt and throw it at him. He moves his foot at the last second so it doesn't get impaled.

"Thank you." He keeps his eyes on me as he bends to retrieve it. "Though how you think I can fight them off with this is beyond my understanding."

I ignore him, aim my arrow towards the screech and stand ready.

"The trick is to aim for the eye." Zane advises.

"Stop talking." I snap.

A louder screech stops him from responding.

Tiny clicks fill the empty valley. I don't have time to be afraid, the figures soon make themselves known.

They're 15 foot spiders with legs that take up a majority of their height. The body is circular with a big grey eye in the middle. The rest of the body is black.

I take a deep breath. "That is not what I was expecting."

"They're called Crawley's for a reason." Zane hisses. "Don't move, they're only capable of detecting movement."

"What does that mean?" I seethe.

"It means move, and they'll stab you with one of their legs."

I whimper silently. I wish Malin was here. He would know exactly what to do.

Violet sighs a few feet away. It's like she can read my thoughts.

One of the spider's moves it's left hind leg back. "I think it's leaving." Violet notices.

"We can't be too sure." Zane says. "Just say still."

I groan softly. My arrow hand is starting to hurt. "How long are they planning on standing here?"

"I don't know. Just don't drop your hands." He's still clutching the dagger.

"A few more seconds." Violet has her sword hanging by her side.

I struggle to keep my pose.

"Just a few more..." Zane whispers.

My arms drop slightly. One of the two Crawley's moves forward. "Don't move." Zane orders. "Do not move."

I struggle to stay still as the thing moves closer.

Soon, it's directly in front of my arrow. One shot, and I'll get it's eye. Zane reads my mind. "Don't you dare take that shot."

My arms hurt, I'm furious, and Malin is still trapped. I groan and release the arrow.

It hits the Crawley in the eye and it staggers backwards before falling on the ground. I cock another arrow.

"You idiot." Zane bellows.

"No time to complain, it has a friend." I direct my arrow at the other. This one is smarter than it's friend. It lowers it's head and the arrow passes over.

Violet tries to use her sword, but it's no use. The thing is too big and too far for damage.

I'm about to send another arrow when Zane throws my dagger at the Crawley's eye. It releases another screech and goes down a few feet from its friend.

We wait a full minute to make sure they're both dead. I recover first and move to retrieve my weapons. I pick the failed arrow from the ground first, then pull the second out of the first Crawley's eye. It comes out with an unsatisfying sucking sound.

In front of me, Zane retrieves the dagger. "Here." He throws it at my feet. "Now, let's get out of here."

I pick up the blade, pocket everything in my quicker without cleaning them, and follow Violet back to our spot.

"And you're sure it's here?" I hear Zane ask Violet from behind a huge lump.

"It is, stop taking to me." It warms my heart to know she's being mean to him.

"Adria, are you in place?" Violet asks.

"I am." I yell back.

"I'm starting the spell now. We'll be gone soon."

My heart feels hollow. I can't believe I'm leaving Malin here. What is wrong with me? What am I thinking?

I contemplate stepping out of the circle. If Violet leaves without me, I'm going to be trapped here for a very long time. Possibly, for ever.

I imagine running up to Malin. He'll answer the door, see me and... And his face will fall. He'll be so disappointed. I force myself not to move. Not for me, but for Malin.

His sacrifice has to mean something. And I have to replace a way for him to leave as soon as I get out.

The world around me fades to black. When I've lost my sight, I hear a familiar whoosing sound.

I don't cover my ears this time.

The world quickly becomes clearer. I get a full view of the sun in the early morning sky.

"Adria?" Violet calls from behind me.

I break out of the circle and focus on her. "Violet." I run up to her and we hug.

Zane laughs from our side. "I'm free." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "After so long, I'm finally out."

I regard him with contempt. He runs a hand through his blonde hair and opens his forest green eyes. He's as beautiful as I suspected him to be back in his living room. His face is chiseled to perfection and his shoulders are sculpted. He's well kept for a magician.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some things to take care of." He says.

"Tell us how to get to the oracle." I demand.

He smiles. "Adria. You didn't really think I was going to do that."

The blood drains from my face. "We had a deal."

"And you held up your end. Thank you for that." His smile grows wider and more charming. "But I can't have you telling Solana I'm out."

"You, you...pig." I yell.

He laughs. "Goodbye, it was lovely meeting you." He tries to step out of the circle and meets an invisible wall. "What..."

Violet has a murderous expression on her face. "You've spent so long in Tatris, you've forgotten the most basic spells."

"What is this?" Zane looks angry.

"This is a basic containment spell." Is her simple response. "Tell us how to get to the Oracle or I will set the circle on fire with you still inside."

He scoffs. "You don't have the courage to do that."

A ball of fire appears in her right hand. She throws it at his feet and smirks. "Try me."