The Last Oracle (48 page)

“You cannot do this! It requires my—”

“Au contraire, Jeremiah, you are currently under criminal investigation.”

“Shinsu?” he said stunned.

“You will find the paperwork, along with a copy of the original letter in your packets.” She grimaced. “Gentlemen, please open your packets as I wish to dissolve this unholy union immediately.”

“Shinsu!” he said again.

“Jeremiah, you are repeating yourself!” she said, glaring at him, as he sunk into his seat.

Luther, a council member stood, and stated, “Shinsu, none of the council wish to interfere with your...marital affairs. But it does seem that we should first evaluate the data and take testimony on the charges against Jeremiah, try him, if appropriate,
and then
address the marriage.”

“Council, you know me to never be frivolous. We can spend an hour arguing which issue should be addressed first, or you can simply open your packets and end this portion of the meeting. However, I do assure you that my request—and its timing—is critical to this entire case, and will save us the embarrassment of what is potentially a very awkward situation!”

“Shinsu, did you write that letter? Do you have knowledge as to Jeremiah’s misconduct?” Luther asked.

She shook her head. “If I had ever suspected that Jeremiah had been involved, I would have presented it to this council then and there!”

“I don’t believe that we can force Jeremiah to testify with an anonymous note,” Marco, another council member, said as he pulled on his bushy brows.

“I have reasonable confidence that the accuser will step forward when the time is right,” Shinsu said. “Now then, may I have your signatures so that I might end this mockery of a marriage?”

Jeremiah rolled his eyes and pulled his knee up in his chair as he turned to the side.

“You needn’t have gone through the formalities of a council meeting. If you wished to be rid of me—as with all of my wives—all you needed to do was ask.”

“Ask you? Why bother?” Shinsu’s eyes steeled on him.

“There is an obvious irreconcilable break in affinity between husband and wife. And the prejudicial statements by Jeremiah support the claims made by Shinsu. Therefore, this council sees fit to annul this marriage,” Luther announced.

With a satisfied smile, Shinsu brushed her hands together as if done with a nasty task. Jeremiah slumped in his chair, fuming.

“All of that was completely unnecessary and a waste of our precious time,” Jeremiah muttered. Shinsu approached him with a cold gleam in her eyes.

“Oh, it was completely necessary. And I’m pleased to see Erebos. I find it extraordinarily satisfying to watch you squirm under the pressures that you have inflicted upon so many.” She stood up straight and now calm, said, “You are extremely fortunate that I do not condone your brand of punishment.”

“I demand that you identify my accuser!
” he said, suddenly enraged. “Or I will show you my brand of justice! You and your oracle friends will all be gone if I have my say!”

Shinsu laughed as if he had just told a joke. “This council was formed by Apollo
for
the oracles.”

“Only one of them is here—it must be her!” Jeremiah shouted as he pointed to Daphne.

Paolo’s eyes narrowed as he wrapped his arm protectively around Daphne and whispered, “Trust me, it will not go that far!” Daphne smiled icily at Jeremiah as she nodded to Paolo.

“Did you forget that I, too, am ‘one of them’?” Shinsu asked.

“I demand that the oracle, Daphne, testify!” Jeremiah said.

Paolo squeezed Daphne’s arm. “We are out of time,” he said as he brushed his lips along her cheek and then walked slowly toward the council.

Raising his voice, Paolo said, “The source of the letter was not from Daphne.” Paolo took a sip from his champagne glass. He looked calm and collected, even a tad bit arrogant. But the action was strictly to give him a moment to gather his wits and calm his pounding heart.

“
You?
After all I have done for you?” Jeremiah shrieked. “Others told me you were nothing but a self-centered...gigolo—I should have listened!”

Luther lifted a hand to stop Jeremiah’s ranting. “Paolo, did you write this letter?”

“I am not the author, but I am familiar with the contents of the letter.” Approaching the front of the room, Paolo continued, “If I may, there is some history that I believe is vital to the charges against Jeremiah.”

“Go ahead,” Luther said.

“
I will
have your head for this!” Jeremiah raged.

Luther raised his brows, “Paolo, I must warn you, your testimony must be pertinent or Jeremiah is correct, you will most certainly be charged with at the very least, a frivolous abuse of council and you will be punished.”

Paolo drew a deep breath and started to run his finger along his collar, but stopped himself.
Where are they?
His mind began to wander down the path of the evening’s most likely outcome—he and the rest of the oracles would certainly be slaughtered. He felt a pang in his heart when he thought of Valeria and Shinsu, Daphne and Alex. In fact, there was not one of the oracles that he now didn’t consider a friend of sorts, even Tavish. Still he would delay the inevitable as long as possible.

“
During the War of the Titans, a naïve, mortal girl served as an informant for Zeus against the Titans and formed a friendship with one of them.” Paolo glanced up at Jeremiah and lifted a finger. “You, Jeremiah!”

“This is you’re charge? Luther, haven’t we heard enough of this?” Jeremiah grumbled.

“Paolo, get to the point” Luther said barely concealing the threat.

“Council, I assure you that this is all pertinent. Please permit me to continue.” He took a few steps forward and felt all of the eyes of the immortals on him. In a few minutes, they would stop looking at him as if he were the son of Adonis. The whisperings and flirtations would end...as would the invitations. He sighed. “That girl formed a friendship with you and Aegemon.”

“Members of this council enjoy a certain advantage of friendships. If you have a point here, then by all means, get on with it!” Luther said.

Paolo sighed again. He was stepping through a minefield. “That triad plotted against their perceived enemy—the oracles.”

“Plots! Is that what you offer us as proof against Jeremiah? Paolo, please tell us what does this fairy tale have to do with our business here?” Marco asked, as he offered a sympathetic glance to Jeremiah.

“It has to do with returning Delos to the oracles,” Paolo stated.

“I should have known when you started chasing that oracle, Cassandra!” Jeremiah bellowed.

Paolo shook his head with a sardonic smile. “There are very few who know this history and I’m certain the Council will find it interesting—Hyperion.”

“Is that the accusation? That I changed my name?” Jeremiah narrowed his eyes in a threatening glare. “Remember Paolo, that if there are any actual charges made, all of those that had knowledge of this possible illegal misconduct will also be charged.”

“Hyperion, it was you who assisted the mortal girl and her illegitimate child to gain entry to Delos, so that the child might swim in the River Styx.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about!” Jeremiah blasted with a side-glance to Paolo, trying to assess his intentions.

“You are wondering if I will speak the truth. I see it in your eyes. You believe that everyone is as cowardly as you,” Paolo said.

“Paolo, be cautious of your tone! Until we have seen proof of any misconduct, Jeremiah is the head of this council!” Luther said.

Nodding, Paolo paced in a circle in a manner that suggested that he was trying to calm himself. As he faced away from the council, he shot a brief, nervous glance to Daphne who offered a slight shake of her head. They weren’t here, yet. This was about to end very badly.

“I apologize, council. However, I do know this to be the truth...because I was that mortal child. Hyperion—Jeremiah—brought my mother and I here. Years later, you introduced me as the son of a god.”

Jeremiah’s eyes widened with terror. “I do recall an immortal child who wished to swim here,” Jeremiah stuttered. “If you admit that was
you, and that you were not an immortal, then you have misrepresented yourself to this council and I will have you executed on the spot!” Jeremiah raged, as his face swelled with anger.

Shinsu said, “Come now! You introduced someone as an immortal without evidence? I don’t believe anyone in this council would believe that.”

“Jeremiah, there is no question that you knew I was a mortal. In fact, my mother often spoke with disdain about the price she was forced to pay for your involvement—and my introduction.”

“Take him, Erebos! I’ve heard enough of his lies!” Jeremiah demanded.

Erebos stepped toward Paolo and the dribs took his arms and pulled him forward. “Shall I produce witnesses?” Paolo asked, raising his voice.

“According to you there were no witnesses! How dare you accuse me of such a vile
act!”

As Paolo was brought forward, Shinsu raised a hand. “Paolo states that he has witnesses. If this is a false accusation, we shall know soon enough.”

The dribs held their position as Paolo took a close look at Erebos’s double-edged axe and felt a tightening in his throat. But he held his head high as he glanced around the room at those who had admired him and flirted with him for centuries. Only a few words later and now they sneered at him with disdain, seeing him as a mere mortal who had violated the sanctity of Delos.

“Council, as Jeremiah is under investigation in this situation, I believe that we should permit Paolo to bring forth his witnesses. Certainly, none of you could refuse that,” Shinsu said.

Luther nodded. “Paolo, call your witnesses; but be warned that if this is a trick, you will be executed on the spot!”

The dribs released Paolo and, again, he ran his finger along the neck of his shirt. Then he lifted a finger. “I call my witnesses!” Paolo announced but no one stepped forward. He turned around to face the rest of the immortals. “Come now, none of you will step forward?”

They turned their faces in disgust.

“Erebos—I order you to remove Paolo from this meeting!” Jeremiah declared. The dribs reached for Paolo, but he yanked his arms free.

“Please allow me a few moments to convince my witnesses to speak.”

“You have one minute Paolo,” Marco said. “You have accused Jeremiah of crimes that must be corroborated by witnesses. Either
present your witnesses, or your charges against Jeremiah will be dropped and you will be punished.”

Drawing a breath, Paolo glanced around the room. “Perhaps my witnesses are concerned that they will be met with Jeremiah’s form of justice should they attempt to speak the truth.”

The remainder of the council members conversed and then Luther said, “Yes, Paolo, we do see your point. The council has agreed to guarantee the safety of any immortal who speaks the truth on your behalf.”

Raising an eyebrow, Paolo said in a further attempt to stall, “To clarify for my witnesses, anyone who speaks the truth on my behalf will not be executed because of their testimony—is that correct?”

“Yes, Paolo,” Luther said, losing patience.

“In that case, I call my witnesses!”

There was an awkward silence. Paolo shrugged smugly to the council as his heart pounded, but otherwise, the room remained quiet.

“Will no one speak?” Paolo said working to keep his voice strong. He would not give Jeremiah or the immortals the pleasure of seeing his fear. He would keep his cool even as the axe fell on his neck.

Luther nodded to Erebos and the dribs pulled Paolo back to the stone. Paolo yanked his arms free and then straightened his tie as he lowered himself to his knees. He avoided eye contact with Daphne and Shinsu. He didn’t want to see the regret in their eyes. Instead he winked seductively at Martina, who turned, repulsed by his advances, and then he laid his head on the stone.

“I will speak as your witness!” Alex said, as he stepped from the trail by the River Styx. Paolo sighed and rolled his eyes at Alex in relief.

“Oh, thank God!” Daphne sighed in a near whisper as Alex passed her.

“Things getting a little tense?”
Alex said, as he brushed his hand over her shoulder.

“Val?” Daphne asked quietly, and Alex nodded as he walked toward Paolo, his jeans and polo shirt seeming out of place in Delos.

With the dribs distracted Paolo stood and walked toward Alex. “You took long enough!” Paolo said quietly.

Alex shrugged. “Sorry, pal.”

“Valeria?”

“I believe so,” he whispered. Then turning to the council, Alex said, “Paolo didn’t write the letter. I did!”

“Alexander! I might have suspected! Council, Alexander is a criminal. Any letter he has written is certain to be full of lies. Erebos!” Jeremiah said and then turned to Shinsu. “If you knew of this, I will have your head as well!”

“Jeremiah, if Alex is not considered an appropriate witness, I have others,” Paolo said. He turned toward the entrance as a host of boats
entered Delos with Lars, Ava, Camille, Mani, and Caleb. Jeremiah’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he saw the previously exterminated oracles, including Lita, who clung tightly to Genesis—and Myrddin.