The Daughter (The Oracle Series Book 6) Read online

  The Oracle Series, Vol. 6:

  The Daughter

  Cynthia D. Witherspoon

  Story ©copyright Cynthia D. Witherspoon 2015

  Cover art: Untitled by Taylor Freeman and Three Rabbits Photography. Model: Mel Klonsinski ; edited for cover use.

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  Prologue

  Cyrus of Crete, Keeper of the Sibyl, Commander of the Olympian Forces

  We were victorious.

  Could there have been any other outcome? The beast had been slain. Zeus’ witch? Shackled to the earth plane with no hope of redemption in the near future. It was a time of celebration. Reflection on what went well during the battle we fought in the basement of an abandoned house in Rome, North Carolina.

  Yet, I knew better. Our enemies were too great. They would not be deterred by a single defeat. Hera may have been contained, but she still had a voice. A crown.

  One I was sure she would use against my beloved Eva.

  I fell to one knee and bowed my head when the door to my right opened. Despite my position, I knew who had joined me. He had once been the instrument of my death. The slave master who saw fit to chain my soul to his service some millennia ago.

  The father of my salvation.

  “Rise, Cyrus.”

  Apollo passed by me without a glance. His younger brother, Hermes, followed close behind. I lifted myself up to see the two gods lean against the large mahogany desk that dominated the room. One would have expected my patron god to be pleased. Instead, he rubbed his hands together in front of his nose before he spoke.

  “Report.”

  “Nothing of consequence has occurred.” I placed my arms behind my back to stand at attention. A measure of respect for my master. “We returned to Los Angeles four days ago. Attended the beast’s final rites yesterday.”

  “And my Sibyl? How is she?”

  “Well enough.” I kept my expression stoic as I considered the state of my darling girl. I swallowed back the image of her from the night before when she had curled her head into my lap to cry herself to sleep. “She has taken Lancaster’s death harder than one could imagine.”

  “How so?” Hermes broke in. He tugged at the hat he wore until it was pushed back to expose his silver eyes. “One would believe the girl to be celebrating. She was victorious, after all. She kept her word to me.”

  I closed my eyes as I remembered the last rites of my enemy from the day before. Believe me when I say I spent the entire time resisting the desire to smile as the man charged with leading this pitiful funeral had droned on about Elliot Lancaster’s short life. A life that had been blessed with wealth. Good fortune. Opportunity.

  One he threw away the moment he turned against my beloved Eva. I had sworn upon my honor as a warrior of Apollo that I would witness this day the first time he made my darling girl cry. Two years had passed since that fateful night and my honor was intact as I watched my enemy’s ashes float into the sea.

  “Let us take a moment to celebrate Elliot.”

  The man’s voice had broken through the sobs which grew louder by the patrons around me. I gritted my teeth together at his words. Celebrate Elliot? Please. Spare me. If only the priest knew the truth. Lancaster had become tainted. Dark. His heart twisted by hatred and the false promises of a fickle goddess.

  A selfish bastard who had suffered the wrath of my lord Apollo through a man by the name of Jonah Rowe.

  I felt my suit jacket tighten just below the elbow when Eva McRayne squeezed my arm. I looked down at my darling girl to see tears streaming down her face. I sighed while I cupped my hand over hers. She and Lancaster had been friends once. They had shared a very brief relationship which ended when Lancaster grew jealous of her. He had turned to Hera for power. The beast had slaughtered Eva’s mother and the man who raised her. Lancaster had become such a nuisance. So much so, I had been forced to accept the assistance of a group known as the 11th Percent. It was only then that Lancaster was destroyed once and for all by Jonas Rowe.

  “Hush, it’s alright.” I had leaned down to whisper in her ear while I reached into my pocket to pull out a handkerchief. “This travesty will be over soon.”

  Eva simply shook her head as she took the square cloth I had provided. I watched as she wiped away the tears. I stood amazed as she regained her composure to stare at the priest who had raised his hands to the sky in order to praise the god I knew as Zeus.

  “Let us leave this place filled with the Lord’s light.” The priest dropped his hands. “Let us rejoice in our memories and release the sadness of this day.”

  Sadness? I scoffed. I would toast the very gods this night. I stood by Eva as Lancaster’s family started to walk through the crowd. I kept my eyes forward when Joseph Lancaster, Elliot’s father, glared at me when he walked past us. It wasn’t until Connor Garrison came over to Eva that I moved. Eva kept her grip on my arm when I reached out to shake Garrison’s hand. The producer had nodded before he clasped Eva’s free hand.

  “We need to speak as soon as possible.”

  “We always do but really, can’t it wait?” Eva cleared her throat. “I don’t think now is a good time…”

  “No. It’s not.” The producer shook his head when he released her. “Come by the office on Monday. Bring Joey with you.”

  Joey Lawson. Eva’s cameraman, friend, and current roommate. He was still recovering from the blow to the head he had suffered from Lancaster’s hands or else, he would have been here with us. Standing on Eva’s other side.

  I had to respect the man for that alone. Ours was not an easy life to live. Yet, Joey was one of the few who could take the punches thrown at us in stride.

  “Let’s go, Cyrus. I’m done here.”

  She sounded tired. Withdrawn. One look at her golden eyes told me how tired she was. How drained, despite the mask she wore for the crowds who had gathered. I resisted the urge to wrap her up in my arms. For all her strength, Eva could seem so fragile. She was a creature meant to be pampered. Adored. She was a princess of Olympus, after all.

  “Of course she did.” Apollo’s voice broke into my memories to pull me to the present. “My daughter has our blood running through her veins, after all. She will continue to excel in all tasks we put before her.”

  “Tasks, m’lord?” I frowned. “It may be too soon…”

  “Yes.” Apollo interrupted me. “The Sibyl has become so much more than my messenger. The Council has demanded she aid us in a new…development.”

  I ran my tongue over my teeth as he spoke. The Council of Olympus consisted of the twelve most powerful gods on the divine plane, save one. Since Hera’s banishment, they carried on business as usual without our enemy working in the shadows to destroy us. And though she was praised, I considered the goddess an enemy of the highest order.

  One who was not pleased to find out that Apollo had broken the creed set forth after the death of the last demi-god some five centuries before. A creed she had set forth when the seer Tiresias had declared a demi-god would set
Olympus aflame with war. I contained the shudder that ran down my spine at the thought of it. The great temples? Destroyed. The soldiers of the gods? Blocking the golden streets in lifeless piles.

  I will admit, when I had first heard of Eva’s birth, I had the same fear. As a Commander of the Olympian Legion, I knew well enough how vicious a war between the gods could be. But after meeting the girl, I knew she was not the threat Tiresias had warned us about.

  No, that’s not right. After loving her, I knew she would fight to the teeth for peace. Even if it meant sacrificing herself to ensure it.

  “Cyrus?” Apollo snapped his fingers inches away from my nose. “Where are you, boy?”

  “My apologies, m’lord.” I bowed my head. “My thoughts were filled with the words of Tiresias.”

  “The war.” Hermes answered for me while he crossed his arms over his chest. “The threat is very real, dear brother.”

  “No.” Apollo’s tone left no room for argument. “If there is to be war, it will be Hera’s doing. Not Eva's. We will ensure she accepts the blame for her actions.”

  “Her hatred has support.” I countered. “The cries of discontent are spreading. The spirits have mentioned Aphrodite and Poseidon.”

  “It is your job to protect the Sibyl from those who wish her harm.” Apollo went around his desk and sat down. “But in this, you will not share your knowledge with her, understand? I will not risk her life to some foolish banter.”

  Banter. The gods themselves were choosing sides, and Apollo saw their words of discontent as mere banter? Surely he understood how dangerous such words could be. I started to remind him when he pushed a folder across the desk.

  “Eva needs a distraction. Hence, the task we have arranged for her.”

  I stepped forward to pick up the documents. I couldn’t help but notice the folder matched the ones that covered Eva’s desk back in Los Angeles. The words Grave Messages were embossed across the front. The documents inside?

  Detailed a place that caused the blood to drain from my face.

  “Golden One, surely you aren’t serious.” I whipped my head up to stare at my master. “This could very well be Eva’s undoing.”

  “Then make sure it is not.” Apollo leaned back in his chair. “A portal was opened by someone, Cyrus. We need to find out who was the cause of this and it must be closed.”

  “I believe this is to distract Eva from more than just the war.” I spoke slowly, knowing that my words could very well damn me. “I believe you wish to distract her from other…revelations.”

  “I will speak with Eva when I am ready.” Apollo’s golden eyes flashed. “We have an eternity, after all. Are we clear?”

  “Crystal.” I snapped the folder closed. “Permission to return to the Sibyl?”

  “Not yet.” Apollo glanced over at Hermes. “You’ve been promoted, Cyrus.”

  Promoted? I raised a single eyebrow at his words, but remained silent. Finally, the Golden One spoke.

  “You are correct in that the threat of war is very prevalent.” The Sun god tapped his fingers against his desk. “Since you are most versed in the Greek ways of fighting, we will need you here in Olympus more often than not. You will be responsible for the troops. Their training. Their strategy.”

  I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. What did this mean for my role as Eva’s Keeper? Would I be separated from her?

  Never. My heart would not allow it.

  “So yay.” Hermes gave me a tight grin. “Congratulations, Cyrus. You’re the new Supreme Commander of the Olympian Forces.”

  “I,” I swallowed down the string of curses that threatened to escape my tongue. Instead, I remembered where I was. Who I served. I knelt down to one knee, bowed my head, and muttered. “I am not worthy of such an honor, m’lord.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Apollo sighed. “You have served me well, Cyrus. The only slave to do so, no matter how wretched the girl to take up the title of Sibyl. I expect you to continue to excel in this role as well.”

  “What does this mean for Eva?” I found it very difficult to breath as I stared at the floor. “Will I be relinquished from my duties to her?”

  “Now, you’re just being stupid.” Apollo must have moved around his desk because he was standing in front of me within seconds. He tapped me twice on the head to force me to stand once more. “You will continue your duties to my girl. Were we not just talking about how you were to serve as a distraction to Eva?”

  “Then who will act as her Keeper when I am away?” I found myself staring at the wall once more. “How often will I be separated from her?”

  “Bring in the girl.”

  Apollo called to a guard standing by the door. I heard the heavy wood open but didn’t turn around when a familiar presence filled the room. My lord circled around me until his shoulder was pressed against mine before he leaned in to speak once more.

  “Often enough so that my daughter can forget about the trivial love she has developed for you. Do not think for a second that I am unaware of your transgressions, Keeper.”

  I stiffened when he pushed his shoulder against mine before he crossed the room. Relationships between the hallowed and their keepers wasn’t unheard of. They happened often. But for a princess of Olympus to take up with a slave?

  Unacceptable.

  I knew this well enough given the history of my gods. Yet, what Apollo couldn’t understand was the depth of my feelings for his beloved daughter. Eva had become so much more than an object to protect. She was my very soul. My only reason for continuing to suffer through this wretched life of mine.

  “Dominique Breaux. Apostle of Nike.” Apollo’s tone told me to turn around. What choice did I have? I spun on my heel to see a woman I had never hoped to see again smirking at me. “And the newest keeper of the Sibyl.”

  “M’lord.” I spoke through gritted teeth. “This keeper has a direct connection to our greatest threat. Surely it would be in Eva’s best interest…”

  “Not to have your former lover aiding you in protecting her?” Apollo gave me a dark grin. “I care nothing for your concerns, Cyrus. Breaux has recanted her allegiance to the bitch. She’s on our side now.”

  I relaxed my jaw, took a breath, then tried again. “I stand by your decision, Golden One. But Breaux’s record has proven that she is weak in battle. Her losses are great.”

  “Then you will train her.” Apollo’s golden eyes flashed. “Take her to Eva immediately. You have three days before I will call for you again, Keeper. Make the best use of that time as you can.”

  “Very well.” I took another deep breath. I refused to look at the Creole woman who was doing her best to ignore me. “Your wish is my command, Lord Apollo.”

  “Now, that’s the spirit!” Apollo’s grin rivaled the Sun he controlled. “I believe it is high time you two became reacquainted with each other. So go. Tell my daughter what you must to get her to agree to this arrangement.”

  I fell to my knee as the gods left us. When the heavy door slammed shut behind them, I glared at the newcomer. She returned my hateful gaze with one of her own.

  “Don’t think for one second that I am going to fall into your arms, Crete.” Her amber eyes darkened. “I despise you now just as much as I despised you then.”

  “The feeling is mutual, my dear.” I stood to cross my arms over my chest. “Believe me when I say this arrangement is far from satisfactory.”

  “Why?” Dominique widened her strange eyes as she jumped to her feet. “Because you’re afraid I won’t be able to protect the little princess? I promise. I won’t put a single pea under her mattress when she’s not looking.”

  “Breaux.” I gritted my teeth. “Eva is not what you expect her to be.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” She waved her hand to dismiss my words. “A princess is a princess. I don’t care how many bad guys she claims to have defeated.”

  I took two steps to close the distance between us to point my finger at her nose. “Not one wo
rd about our history. Understood?”

  “Ah,” She sneered. “You’re afraid you’ll lose your place in her bed, then? Sweet but unnecessary. I want to forget about you as much as you wish to forget about me.”

  “Then it is settled.” I nodded, afraid that my relief would be exposed on my face. “Come along, Keeper. I do as I must, as will you.”

  I stepped into the shadows without waiting on her to follow. I knew Dominique was a strong fighter, but she was nowhere near strong enough for my tastes. Not when Eva was at risk. I heard her snicker as she shifted into the shadows beside me.

  “Let the games begin, Crete. Let the games begin.”

  Chapter One

  Eva McRayne

  “Honey, I’m home!”

  I didn’t glance up as Joey Lawson bounded into my living room. I was too busy trying to get the stupid little squares on my tablet to work to my advantage.

  “Ha!” I squealed as the word fell into place. “Beat you, Blueberry!”

  I curled up with a laugh as the Skype box in the corner of my screen showed my friend, Jonah Rowe as he shook his head.

  “You got lucky, Superstar.”

  I grinned wider when Joey leaned down to give me a peck on the cheek. He waved at the small screen.

  “Says the writer.” I teased. “I can’t help it, Rowe. I’m just too damn good at Scrabble.”

  “Don’t you have anybody else to harass?” Jonah rolled his eyes. “I hear Reena ringing the dinner bell. Talk to you later, Evie. Bye, Joey.”

  “Bye.” I sang at him before I closed out the screen. I beamed up at Joey. “I won.”

  “Obviously. You know, it’s not nice to beat people at their own game, Evie.” Joey chuckled as he collapsed in the chair across from me. “Your old man here yet?”

  “Not yet.” I sighed and tossed the tablet onto the sofa. “I never know when he’s going to come back when he goes to Olympus.”

  “So you’re holed up in the condo until he gets back?” Joey raised an eyebrow at me. “Or can you go out and grab a bite to eat?”