Chapter 221: Records II
Unfortunately, that included the oracles. Their blank eyes seemed to register my presence, for they narrowed at my sudden interruption.
"I mean... we get the picture, Damon treated Darach terribly in his youth," I said, sweating slightly at the multiple pairs of eyes staring in my direction. "But Oracles, is there any way you can show how Alpha Elrod treats his son?"
"You have some nerve, to demand the Oracles serve your bidding!" Dahlia yelled out from the other table. She stood to her feet, slamming a hand against the surface before pointing a manicured nail in my direction.
With the red of the blood moon shadowing her figure, I easily found the courage to meet her glare. There was nothing she could do here, not in front of everyone, and certainly not without her wolf. If she dared, I didn’t mind letting her have a taste of the silver necklace she was so unwilling to let go of the last time we met.
"It doesn’t work like that, unfortunately," Blaise hissed hurriedly. He cast a look around us, his gaze lingering on the Oracles for a second too long before turning back to me. "These memories have to be submitted. It means that they belong to Darach himself, memories that were given to the Oracles the last time they had a meeting."
Meanwhile, Damon was as still as stone, his eyes staring unblinkingly at the visions summoned by the oracles. I guessed he must have been lost in his own memories. No matter what, I hoped he felt at the very least regretful for all his past actions.
"Shall we continue?" Alpha Thorton asked smugly.
I clenched my fists, wishing for nothing more than to throw a punch right in his face. He must be elated, then, knowing that there was nothing we could do to show Darach’s abuse at the hands of his own father. After all, Darach wasn’t here, and Alpha Thorton surely wouldn’t portray himself in such a way.
The Oracles did not reply to Alpha Thorton. Instead, they continued to look in our direction. Even though their eyes were so pale that I could not see a proper pupil from this distance, I could tell that I was the subject of their gaze.
One of them, in particular, stepped forward. Her long dress swayed behind her as though it were a cloud of mist, trailing behind her every step. She was like a specter, an otherworldly presence that did not belong in this material realm. Everyone had their eyes on her as she stopped right in front of our table.
’It need not be the young heir’s memories,’ she suddenly said.
I raised my hands instinctively, using them to cover my ears. Her voice was so loud that it sounded as though someone had rang the church bell right above my head.
"Ugh..." I groaned, wincing. She had stopped speaking but I could still hear voices echoing. They spoke incoherent sentences, but whatever noise was made wouldn’t cease.
"Harper, are you alright?" Blaise asked. In comparison, he sounded like a mere murmur, as though he was speaking through a thick panel of glass.
"Harper?"
’They cannot hear us,’ the voice continued. ’It is only you we speak to.’
When I looked up again, I noticed that yet another Oracle had walked over. She didn’t stand right in front of the table, but she had moved significantly close enough. Only at her words did I realize something― her lips did not move. She hadn’t been speaking out loud. Yet, I heard her voice loud and clear, echoing in my mind.
’The moonwater can show all memories,’ the Oracle continued. ’Be it yours or any others’, as long as you are willing to offer it to the Moon Goddess for judgment.’
I felt Damon’s hand rest on my shoulder, gently shaking me, yet I continued to stare ahead at the Oracles. Their expressions were impassive, as cold as the tone of their voice. However, their words quickly shone a path for me.
The second they stepped back to where the silver bowl was, I gasped sharply. A pop sounded in my ears as though I had just exited a tunnel. Finally, I could hear the world around me again.
"Harper, what’s going on?" Damon asked. This time, his voice was as loud as it should be. "Shit, your ears! Blaise, give me your handkerchief!"
"What’s wrong with my ears?" I asked dazedly.
I raised my hand, touching my skin only to realize that it felt wet and sticky. My heart dropped instantly; this wasn’t a good sign. True enough, when I pulled my hand back to look at it, the pads of my fingers were coated with red.
"Blood..." I muttered, my breath shakily leaving my lips.
"Here," Blaise said, holding out a clean white napkin.
Damon snatched it instantly, dabbing gently at my ears to get rid of the blood trails. I didn’t even need to look and I already knew that everyone’s eyes — Dahlia’s especially — were on us.
"What happened?" Damon asked as he helped me clean. "You zoned out there for a second."
"The Oracles..." I murmured, looking at them.
The women had their eyes turned to the bowl staring impassively at the moonwater. None of them met my gaze.
I swallowed the bile in my throat.
"Did Nicole send word yet?" I asked, my eyes still fixated on the Oracles.
"Not yet," Blaise said with a sigh. "The connection here is horrid. It keeps oscillating between a bar and two."
"Or none," Damon grumbled.
"Is Miss Harper feeling well enough to continue?" Alpha Thorton said from across, his voice purposely amplified a little louder so that everyone could hear him clearly. "Otherwise, perhaps it’s a sign that the Moon Goddess doesn’t wish to have impersonators present. Miss Harper is, after all, to my understanding, not one of us. What business does a human have in a werewolf council?"
"Harper is my mate," Blaise immediately shot back. "Without the presence of a luna, that makes her the highest-ranking female member of Fangborne. On the other hand, Alpha Thorton, perhaps your daughter shouldn’t be present. She is neither the heir to Thunderstrike nor the luna of the pack. She has no business sitting in on a discussion of the leaders of the pack."
Dahlia’s face scrunched up uglily, but before she could say anything to retort, I stood to my feet. This time, the Oracles turned to face me. Even while expressionless, I knew that they understood what it was I wanted.
"I have records to offer," I said quickly, gesturing to the bowl of moonwater. "Please show my memories of Darach Elrod."
