Page 18 (2/2)

"What do you mean ‘the prophecy’?" I asked curiously "I have not heard of such a thing"

"Of course you have not," it sounded slightly indignant "The prophecy came to be after you left But you are the one The one ill save us all"

I felt my heart flutter a little I was the one to save therimaced and turned to Jade

"Did you know of this?"

She shook her head "No But I a peace

Why wouldn’t it be you? Besides, it was your necklace they took in the first place It is only right that you will right it"

For the first tioddess, I felt apprehensive I was ato save all of the Olynitude of that challenge staring nificant

The raven fluttered off of my shoulder and fleith a shriek I watched it fly into the distance and disappear before I returned aze to the horizon

The air here sarden Freesia, ht like a curtain I inhaled it, drawing in the fragrance and enjoying the taste in my mouth I could taste the peace around ht was so dark, so velvety that I felt as if it was tangible, as if I could breathe it in, as well I felt it clinging tomy body like unseen hands

The landscape aroundfloere everywhere as the er than I had ever seen it in the e and yellowy-red Sailors in theelse around er than life

The horses nickered softly to each other as they walked through the knee-high waving wild-grass They were nervous I could feel it suddenly, a palpable force in the air around us

So ith us The horses knew it too I scanned the darkness, but even with aze flew to Aphrodite’s face

"No," she sighed "I see nothing"

Goosebumps formed on my arms and the hair on the nape ofWe were not alone

Suddenly, a blackness so absolute that it alht of the moon, appeared in front of us Ortrera’s horse reared up on its hind legs and I clung to Ortrera’s back as she soothed her terrified ained composure and stood at attention, the occasional flick of her ear the only sign of her distress She ell trained

The darkness became more and e black dog, then split into three then oddess of witchcraft, plus Circes and Medea They lived in a cave on the outskirts of the Spiritlands, a cave which contained a direct connection to the Underworld

They stood in front of us noo of thely hair They appeared as old, stooped women, their faces etched rinkles, their eyes cloudy and sightless Yet they still followed our movement with uncanny precision As always, they unnervedwoht in the bodice and her full breasts spilled over the top Her plump red lips parted, then spoke

"Harmonia Aphrodite," she murmured "You did not trouble yourselves to stop as you passed That was a mistake We knohat you need"

I hesitated

"What do we need, witch?" I asked

She tossed a tiny bundle to ht it easily and exa froht be

"What is this?" I questioned "And why do we need it?"