Page 10 of Claiming Sarah

She quirked a smile. “You’re not?”

“I don’t know much about the contra.”

“The holy text says she will come in the guise of an ally but be unlike anyone born on Orhon,” Omen said. “She will be of royal blood. She will be strange, but we will know her by her essence. Predict’s murder attempt on Sarah is what sealed it for me, though.”

I frowned, trying to see her point of view. “How do you mean?”

“The contra is foretold to bring an end to the power of conduits. Predict, as her name suggests, had a foresight. It was not infallible, but it was usually on the mark. That is why Mother Portend renamed her that at her initiation. I believe she sawSarah’s future. Her power yet to come. That is why she tried to murder her.”

I did not know how to gently ask what was on my mind. So I chose bluntness. “If Sarah will bring an end to your power as a ghost conduit, why follow her?”

Omen smirked. “Iama conduit. I cannot change that. Conduits are born with their powers. But I never agreed with the politics of the faith. Wielding our power for those who could pay. Aligning ourselves with classed families to maintain our power and authority…all of it was nonsense. We weren’t created to rule or to lord our ability over others. We were created to help people. That is all. My sisters lost sight of that long ago. Plus, those bitches were really mean to me.”

I chuckled. “Also a good reason to follow Sarah. I do not believe she has it in her to be mean.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Omen agreed.

Another curious question sprang to my mind. “Why did Portend rename you Omen, if you are gifted with illusions?”

“Jac told you about my house?” she asked in surprise.

Omen’s house was a ship she kept hidden through an illusion. A terrifying notion for the unsuspecting visitor. “He mentioned it, yes.”

“Mother Portend thought my skills with foresight were better than they are. She liked knowing what was coming, so she wanted us all to focus on those skills to the detriment of others. But illusions were always my thing, ever since I was a little girl. She had her priorities. I had mine.” She shrugged.

“You and Jac, back when we were all younger, you two…” My voice trailed off because I didn’t know how to ask the question delicately.

“We fucked. You can say it.”

I appreciated her bluntness, and was the same in return. “Are there any lingering feelings?”

She laughed sharply. “No. Not at all. We were just two kids having fun in the temple. That’s all it ever was.”

Her words set my mind at ease. “Thank you for telling me, Omen. It is none of my business, but I wanted to know because—”

“You and he and Sarah are a thing,” she said before I could. “Or at least, you will be when he returns. I know.”

I chuckled. “Perhaps you do have some foresight?”

“No foresight needed for that.” She grinned. “It is all over the three of you. Hell, I knewbeforeshe was willing to sacrifice herself to Portend to save Jac. When he came to see me, it was obvious things had changed for him. I am glad of it. The contra should not be alone.”

“Why do you say that?”

“She is the most powerful conduit. Someone like that should be able to pull whatever tail she wants.”

I laughed at her crassness. “I wish I had your confidence, regarding her status. You know of Silence’s power, yes?”

“She can steal her enemies’ voices,” Omen said. “It was quite a thing to see during the fight here.”

I nodded. “Sarah has her blood in her now, and after she woke from the coma,shecould also steal voices. Ode Hrimp said it would likely fade, as her own blood replaced Silence’s, but she did it again when we were intimate. Accidentally, but still. It happened.”

Omen gave me a knowing look. “Sounds to me like you’ve got a contra on your hands, don’t you think?”

“I am not sure, but I would like to be certain. She is unique and special and amazing, but I view her through the eyes of love.”

Omen paused before she carefully said, “There is a way to know for certain, I think. The Mother Test.”

“There is not a test for the contra?” I asked, confused.

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