Page 55 of Oracles Always Win

Ipointed at the statue in the box. “Doyou see that?Itlooks like something my grandfather owned.”

“TheJahaller?”Gagelooked at me sharply.

“Idon’t know what you just said but if that’s what it’s called, then yeah.”

“Didyou talk to it?”

“No…I…”Ishook my head and rubbed the toe of my shoe over a stain in the old blue carpet. “Ithink it might have said something.Maybe?Once?Mygrandfather’s suite freaked me out, soIdidn’t go back in there.Isit a talking doll or something?”

Haydenmade a whimpering sound.

Van’sAdam’sapple bobbed as he audibly swallowed.

“What?WhatdidIsay?”

“AJahalleris a supernatural being.Aliving magical creature.Buttheir kind can only survive on magic and interaction with magical beings.Ifhe was isolated from magic and ignored, he would have starved.”Gagegrimaced. “Withoutmagic, they slowly die and turn into statues.”

Iclutched at my throat as horror flooded me. “Ikilled someone?”

“Ittakes a long time,”Vansaid quietly. “AndPawsseems to think the ward on your grandfather’s suite should have been enough to sustain it.Butonce it was stolen…”

Isank onto the edge of my bed. “That’swhy you were all so concerned about the robbery.”

“Wefound him.That’swhat’s important,”Vansaid.

“Ishe okay?”Iheld my breath asIwaited for an answer.

“Hewill be.”

“Arethere more creatures like that?”Iwhispered.

“Probablynot,”Vansaid. “Butwe can’t know for sure.Yourgrandfather owned a lot of magical artifacts.Well,Iguess everything is yours now.Someof them are quite powerful.Themagic in most will be inert until activated through ritual, but whatever was stolen, we want to get them back.Noone wants any of those things falling into the wrong hands.”

“Youmean like someone who isn’t a supe?”Iasked.

“Yes,”Vanagreed. “Ora criminal, or even just someone with bad intentions.”

“Lookslike his visions are fairly accurate and realistic,”Haydensaid toGage. “Whenwe first realized he was an oracle,Ifeared we wouldn’t understand the messages he was giving us.”

“Whereis the one he painted today?”Vanasked.

Gagepointed to a painting by the bed.Weall turned to look at it.

Ihadn’t seen whatIpainted today.Bythe timeIgot myself under control,Gagehad already brought me back to the inn.AndwhenI’dwoken earlier,Ihad other things on my mind—namelyGage.Mystomach twisted asIeyed the picture.Itshowed a shadowy scene of people in cages.Stacksand stacks of cages.

“Shit,”Vanmuttered. “Thereare more of them.”

“Yeah…”Gageagreed. “Itisn’t good.Therearen’t enough details to pinpoint a location and none of the bastards running the place are shown.”

“Areyou sure this is from today?”Haydenasked.

“Isaw him paint it.”

“Couldit be a scene from the past?”

Gageshook his head. “Idon’t recognize any of those people.”

“Fuck.”Haydenpushed his hands through his hair.