Chapter Five Tresia

“You sentenced him to death for an immature prank! I know I’m pissed off at him for doing it, but there’s no way I actually wanted him sentenced to death. He’s my twin brother for fuck’s sake!”

“Tresia, you have to understand that laws are...”

“I know why the damn laws exist, but I also know choices exist too and you could have made the choice to do anything else to him, but you didn’t. Mom, Dad, let’s go to the Oracle’s Temple at the Seat of Crown, so I can pull my card. It seems the elders have decided our family’s tradition should balance on the edge of a cliff.”

While dad’s seeing everyone out, I’m trying in vain to get mom to breathe and calm down. There isn’t shit we can do about Misha, but hopefully my mate can begin to fill his void in mom’s life. It’s not the same, but at least it’s something.

It took dad and I a few hours to get mom to come around. Giving her time to clean up, dad and I watch the day slowly pass by when we finally make it to the Oracle’s Temple. I technically don’t need to be here yet, but I’d rather take some time to center myself and meditate. My life is about to drastically change for the second time today.

“Tresia...Tresia...Tresia!”

“What! For the love of all the Gods, what do you want mom?”

“Don’t yell at me, it’s time. The Oracle Cards are in full glow. You need to select your card.”

Getting to my feet, I see the Oracle Cards for myself. Funny enough, their aura is my favorite color. Looking over at my mom and then my dad, I mouth I love you to each of them and take another step closer to the altar holding the cards. The Seat of the Crown is beautiful all year, but on mate day it’s granite walls, muraled ceilings and natural flowing pond turn into the favorite color of the card puller. Which in this case is me and my favorite color burnt orange. It’s a gas without being toxic. Once I pull my card the gas will take over and find my mate.

Standing directly in front of the cards sends a warm feeling of coming home through me. Quickly looking around me, I see more people than I thought would be here. It doesn’t affect the outcome other than making me a bit nervous. Placing my outstretched arm over the cards, I turn my hand palm down. Opening my hand and relaxing my fingers, I allow the cards to control my hand. Closing my eyes, I can hear the cards rearranging and finally settling. My hand feels as though it’s resting on the surface of warm water.

I’m not sure how long I’ve been standing here, but I feel it, I feel my card. Allowing my hand to be controlled, it feels as though it’s dipping below the water’s surface. There’s a warmth surrounding my hand with added pressure. The pressure is like someone is holding my hand and directing it where they want.

Feeling the edge of a card, my hand turns and takes hold of it. I open my eyes and take the card out of the blinding glow, and as my brain registers the card it looks blank, but I do as tradition states, spin around and hold it in the air for all to see.

The gasps and the yelling starts, and I don’t understand why, so I bring the card down to my eye level and watch it. The card is black with what looks like six white silhouettes on it. There are colors beginning to swirl within each of the white silhouettes. Glancing up I see six figures walking toward me, but I can’t make out who they are.

“Mistress to the Veil! The whore and her men must be sacrificed! You know the law! Kill the betrayers!”

I can hear everything being yelled at me. My mom and dad suddenly surround me, to protect me, but I can’t look away from the fucking card. I can see who the figures are now, but I can’t form words, I want to scream and can’t. I don’t know if I want to scream in horror or excitement. It feels right but all the stories of my childhood flood my mind.

“Don’t come near her! She’s no whore! Tresia’s the Chosen One or have you all forgotten the Legend of the Oracle’s rebirth? You will not harm her!” Dad sounds scared and angry at the same time.

“Get out of the way Clark. You’re not going to stop us from doing what must be done. We’ll never allow her to reach the Veil and if that means killing you and Matty, so be it.”

I’ve never heard Anthony growl out words before and they slam into me like I’ve been pierced by an arrow. A real physical pain hits me so hard and so fast that I collapse to my knees. Looking up, I see Ryland running toward me and his shirt is covered in blood.

“No! Get off of her! She’s ours and no one will harm her!” These are the only words I can hear Ryland scream.

“Ryland! Help!” My own voice is failing me.