Abominations and gods who love them

Chapter five

THE FIRST REALM

At the thought of help, Talia looked around to see if she could ask for directions. Nobody was in sight. She considered going back to the principal but she had a feeling the woman would refuse her. The woman cared but Talia could bet she wasn't going to tolerate an anti-social behavior and part of it being she didn't want to step on sorority witches toes. She wiped off her tears and forced on her dark shades. Without her voice, asking for directions would be impossible so she decided to jump into any classroom she stumbled upon until she found the "Morals class". Rushing a bit too fast, Talia felt someone run into her. She had been so lost in thought to actually look at what was in front of her. His body was stiff and she went at him headfirst. She felt shock rush through her body as her shades slammed between the bridges of her eyes, almost falling. Almost immediately, a strong arm went around her waist, steadying her from another ill fate. Talia looked up at the cause of this mess, ready to blame him for ruining the already worst day of her life. His eyes...

"Are you okay?" He inquired, his brows squinted in worry.

She blinked. He wasn't afraid. It took a minute for Talia to realize her glasses were still on. She adjusted them, cursing the pain pulsing through her eye socket even if the words weren't coming out. She did not enjoy the wishy-washy good boy proximity and she tried to back away but he wouldn't let her go.

"I didn't get a reply." He said in a deep voice, his steel-blue orbs piercing her.

Talia made the words in her head but upon opening her mouth to say than, Nothing came forth. She didn't like this one bit.

"I see." The boy smiled. "You've been hexed."

How did he know? She felt his arms drop after a few seconds and almost immediately, his lips partly touched hers. It was something between needy and chaste but all the same, It made Talia redden. She pulled back wide-eyed.

"Ever heard of consent!" This time, She heard her own voice. She looked back at the boy a bit confused. Did Sybil free of her of the hex or did the kiss have something to do with it?

"That is no way to say thank you." The boy said, looking down at her. A thing that made Talia feel small.

"What did you do?" She was forced to ask.

"Let's just say weres have an inborn gift to sense bad magic." He replied, taking his courier bag.

"Thank you," Talia muttered silently, feeling ungrateful. She knew a thing or two about shifters. So the boy was telling the truth.

"At least I met you. The name is Solomon Garner. You?"

"Talia. Talia Trueborn."

"Nice to meet you, Talia. I am a bit tardy so I have to go. Do stay away from witches." He then walked away. Talia stared at Solomon, lost in thoughts. She was carried away jumping at the thought of finally making some human contact. She almost forgot to ask for directions.

"Wait!" She demanded, running to catch up with Solomon. "Could you direct me to Morals class?"

"Seems like fate has aligned our paths, Talia. I'm late for the very same class."

Talia gave a small grin. Maybe this was fate.

***

THE SECOND REALM

There was low rumbling amidst the court. The prideful scholars clearly detested the thought of having cursed humans, prideful nymphs, and dark practitioners around them.

"Or does anyone think differently?" Persephone demanded.

The rumblings stopped. Not a mutter. Even the nobles knew to fear the queen. They would be made a spectacle for revenge, their families wouldn't be spared.

Following there was no reply, The eldest court member proceeded to give his well-thought opinion.

"Of course not, My queen. But wouldn't it be wise to be sure this would work?"

The Queen could read his thought like a book and she did not appreciate the pretense.

"Do not deceive me Minas. I know this plan sounds crazy but I am quite certain it will work. So if that is there is to say, The court is dismissed."

Minas made an attempt to speak but upon noticing the disapproving look of the goddess, He kept his damn mouth shut and pulled away from the circular chair. He and the fellow court members gave a bow and headed out, leaving just the Queen and her son in the courtroom.

"Minas does a point mother." Prince Denys said to his mother, drumming on the steady woodwork as he waited for her reply.

"Minas is paranoid. I am not asking the oracle on this. You were the one who put this idea in my head in the first place. Why in the world would you have doubts now?" Persephone replied.

"I don't have doubts mother, but if there are risks that might arise in the future, Don't you think we should know?"

"The oracle's knowledge of the future is worse than knowing nothing. Her prophecies are vague and will only strengthen the doubts I know you already have." She said. "But if you insist. Let's find out shall we?"

The Queen then craned her neck to a servant by the door and he immediately came running, falling on his face just as he approached the queen.

"Fetch me the oracle," Persephone commanded, putting him on his way. The servant nodded and got on his way. In a span of minutes, The servant returned panting with a white-haired woman just behind him. The woman was clearly old but fighting it every step of the way. Her hair was purely white and her sun-kissed skin, wrinkly and darker. Despite being one foot close to the grave, she was agile. Her frightening white orbs peered in the direction of the Queen and she gave a toothless smile. She wasn't blind. At least, not in the conventional sense. In the sense, that she could walk on her own despite being blind. It was criteria for a seer to be unbothered by the wiles of the world. They allowed the old god to guide them.

"It's been forever." The oracle began, taking a seat without help. "When last did we meet? Oh, I remember. Before the avoidable death of the king."

The queen flinched at the sheer disrespect. Unfortunately, There was nothing she could do and because the woman knew it, She tended to push her limits.

"If you are done instigating me, We can move on to more pressing–"

"Let me guess, " The seer cut in. "Your big plan go save the realm?"

"Yes. We plan to use human worship to preserve the realm. But to use it all, The first realm will be deprived of its portion. I have to know, Will it work?"

The oracle turned in the direction of Prince Denys and said, "The prince can't be here. It will adversely affect my prediction."

Without further ado, The Prince understandably left the room and the seer began.

"The old god tells me; A proud deity's mistake will bring death to this realm and when love blossoms, fear shall shatter. In ruins, the water will breathe again but at the cost of a fracture in time."