Page 26 of The Oracle's Journey

We took turns carrying the exhausted princess, using my shirt as a sling. As a whole human being she wasn’t heavy, but as a half sized, mismatched creature, she was, well, light as a bird.

Since we didn’t have to track roving animals, the hike back to camp wasn’t nearly as long. Emmelina mostly slept or cried. In the last ten or so minutes, she found her words again, while riding against my chest. She rested her head on my shoulder when she spoke for the first time.

“I made you both anchors, so I could find my way back.” Her bird’s claws reached over my shoulder and pulled the matted plait forward. “I didn’t think about how it would make things hard for you, so you had to cut it, and I got lost.”

“How did you find us this morning?” asked Ozanna.

“You mingled your souls again, better than my plait did,” Emmelina explained.

I raised an eyebrow at Ozanna as if to say is that what they’re calling it now? She blushed.

“It was always going to happen,” Emmelina said. “I didn’t think I would hurt anything to help it move along.”

I balked. “What was always going to happen?” Ozanna and I both asked at the same time.

Emmelina paused and buried her face on my shoulder. “You’re both going to be so mad at me.”

I looked at Ozanna, her face awash with concern as well. “I don’t think we will, princess. Please tell us.”

“I had a vision before I met either of you. Of all the people my father could hire and between you and Lobikno, I found that you and Ozanna would very likely fall in love if your paths ever crossed. And that it was important for me that you did, because I need more than one person to use as an anchor and for stability you’d have to be in harmony,” she said in nearly one breath. “So, I tried to help you along by weaving your souls together before I left to find the wolves. I didn’t think it would hurt to try and help your bond along.”

I glanced over at Ozanna to gauge her reaction to Emmelina’s explanation. She scowled, looking more than a little displeased. It was a far-flung plot on Emmelina’s part, but I’d clearly seen that the girl was unstable leading up to now. Ozanna shook her head and shrugged, so I continued. “I don’t think you hurt us. The risk you took was all yours. We were afraid for you. If you had told us your plan, we could have helped you.”

“I saw that they were going to hurt you all,” she said mournfully, “and falling into the magic was all I could see working. I couldn’t think clearly.”

I realized this was the most coherent I’d ever heard the girl sound, nothing like the mad woman that had giggled and thrown wasp nests around. The thought must have occurred to Ozanna, too.

“How are you feeling, Emmelina?” Ozanna asked. “You seem pretty … clear headed now.”

“I feel like a monster,” Emmelina snapped, “but yes, I can think clearly now. Thank you.”

I cocked my head to the side and thought for a moment, spinning together a theory. “You spent a lot of energy in your magic these last couple of days. Maybe you’re clear headed because you relieved some form of back pressure.”

“That can happen?” Emmelina asked, incredulous.

“I don’t know for sure.” I shook my head. “My understanding of magic is mostly academic. But if the books are to be believed, it can if the talent is massive.”

“I’m not even an oracle right now,” she moaned. “I’m a bird-squirrel!” She dropped her head on my shoulder and heaved a dramatic sigh.

I reached up and petted her feathered head. “Dear girl, you’ve simply got to get some rest and do things that fill your heart with joy.”

“Really?” she said, looking between Ozanna and myself.

“Yes. Some food, some sleep, and spending time with the people that care about you will help immensely,” I promised. Though I wasn’t entirely sure that it would apply to someone with divine power. And my understanding was merely academic.

We were only a few yards from camp at that point. My thoughts were already turning to what needed to be done next, but my concentration slipped when I heard Lobikno and Judith’s raised voices ahead of us. Eve screamed. My heart stuttered and I sprinted toward the sound, terrified that I’d find them surrounded by Dulanzo’s people.

“Keep your head down,” I hissed to Emmelina. She squeaked and snuggled down as much as she could in the improvised sling.

We burst through the tree line and stumbled on a rather confusing tableau.

Judith had a sword in her hand, pointed at Lobikno’s throat. He grinned down at the older maid, hands at his sides.

“Keep your hands off my daughter!” she screamed at him.

Eve was tucked behind him, a possessive hand on his arm. “Mother, stop!”

Emmelina’s feathered head popped out of the sling and took in the sight. “What the … what did I miss?”

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