Untrustworthy.
If what Carrick says is true, she had a hand in creating this prophecy, and put me on a path of doom.
“I’m going to give you some advice,” Veda says, leaning an elbow on the armrest of her chair, which puts her slightly closer. I note she smells of jasmine and wood smoke, which is actually very pleasant. I brace, because I’m sure her advice is to talk me back into my place to help thwart the prophecy, but I have my denial on the tip of my tongue, ready to unleash.
Instead, I about fall out of my chair when she says, “You should tell Myles and Rainey what is going on. You need support and friendship right now as you are going through the hardest thing you’ve ever endured.”
I gape.
“Harder than even when your dad died,” she continues softly. “Last night, you lost a sister, and now you’ve been told the fate of the world could rest partially on your shoulders. It’s a lot to ask any young woman to carry alone.”
“You want me to tell Myles and Rainey?” I practically hiss, keeping my voice low just in case the sound carries. “They’ll think I’m crazy.”
“Yes,” she intones with empathy. “Given your mental history, that’s a probability.”
Well, of course she knows about my mental history, I think drolly. She’s a god after all.
“Then you know,” I reply sarcastically. “That’s just not a good option.”
Veda gives me an understanding smile and holds her hand up slightly, turning her palm up toward the sky. Before my eyes, a small bottle materializes, and I can’t help but gasp.
It’s nondescript, plain glass about three inches high and thin. It’s capped with what looks like an eyedropper. Inside is a bright pink liquid.
Veda places it on the table before me. “These are special eye drops. They will temporarily allow humans to see daemons and fae. It doesn’t last long, maybe an hour, but if you want your friends to see the truth, you can use that. Just a drop in each eye will do.”
My gaze moves from the bottle to her. I was sure my expression reflects not only the incredulity I feel, but also the distrust. “How do I know you’re not giving me something that will blind them permanently? Or kill them?”
“You don’t,” she admits softly. “But it’s there if you want it. A tool that can help them see what you can see, so they will know you’re not crazy. From what I gather about them, they are both strong of character and can be great allies to you in these tough times.”
I ignore the bottle a moment, as well as her suggestion to bring Rainey and Myles into my drama. “Why aren’t you trying to talk me into helping with the prophecy?”
Veda shrugs. “That’s Carrick’s job.”
Of course it is. He gets rewarded if I help stop it. There’s no avoiding the bitterness welling within me, followed by another wave of grief over what I’ve lost. Not only my sister, but also my normality.
Tears start to prick at my eyes, but I don’t even bother to try to blink them back as I stare at the bottle on the table. In a small voice, I admit, “I don’t want to be a part of this. I’m scared.”
I’m stunned when Veda’s hand reaches out to take mine and she squeezes it. Immediately, my grief evaporates. While I don’t feel euphoric, I feel more in charge of my emotions.
Veda just eased my pain by whatever magic gods hold, but I guess that makes sense if she’s the god of Humanity.
“I’m not going to tell you that you have to participate,” Veda says. “You have a choice. You can walk away, move as far from Seattle as you can, and hope beyond hope that something else will happen to divert the prophecy. But you need to know, chances are the prophecy will be fulfilled and you and your loved ones are going to be in great peril along with the rest of the world.”
“I feel there’s an or,” I murmur.
“Or,” she drawls with a smirk. “You can fight and try to change the course of the future. You can put your destiny in your own hands, and you’ll have some measure of control.”
I hate she’s making sense, but ultimately, she’s said nothing that convinces me. Like she just said, perhaps something else will happen to stop the prophecy, and, let’s face it, it might not be as doom and gloom as we think.
Veda’s smile lessens into one of understanding mixed with slight disappointment. “I can see I’m not making an impression, but the drops are there to use if you want to broaden your support system. Actually, it might also help protect them because, surely, you know you’re still in danger. Word will get around there’s a human with special powers to see beneath the veils. Their proximity to you could make them targets.”