Page 6 of Oracle Returns: Time will Stop

And fast.

Beside her, there was a dark-haired man, and he was protectively flanking this Oracle woman as if she was also in danger.

Yeah, in danger from Julian, because this was his thirteenth reason, and just about ready to lose it.

“We deserve to know what the hell is going on! We lost someone in our family, and this whole thing has been a clusterfuck from the start. It all started happening once the name Oracle came up!”

Yes, it had been a mess, and unfortunately, Avalon knew that this was just the beginning. Behind the scenes, where she did her best work, there was so much left to unravel, so that lives could be saved.

Losing anyone was not a good thing, but now, she was focused on mitigating losing anyone else.

Fate hung in the balance.

This was a long time coming, and there was no doubt that the anger was understandable.

They’d lost a loved one, and she, of all people, understood that.

Only, as Oracle, she’d had very little choice in how to let this unfold. Her main priority was keeping the static intact, so that all the psychics all over the world would be safe.

And the dead would be too.

Why that became her job in life, she had no freaking clue, but here she was, trying to hold it down.

Even now, outside her safe place in California, she was at risk, but it didn’t matter. This person perpetrating all of this needed to be stopped.

On top of that, the universe was a strange, vast place where people didn’t always understand that this plane was not the ONLY plane.

Reality was more than perception.

There were levels, and this one…it was in danger.

“I understand your anger,” she said, her voice calm, gentle, and filled with sympathy. “I am very sorry you lost someone you love,” she admitted.

She was no stranger to losing family.

When Roxy was killed, and Bishop had nearly died, Avalon had mourned alongside them. When Luke lost his life protecting their ‘family’, it had been soul-crushing, and one of the reasons she went into hiding.

To retire, of sorts.

Only, Oracle could never retire. Her job, until she was replaced, was to make sure that the plane stayed ‘safe’ for the dead.

Add to that, when her family broke up, scattering into the wind for her ‘retirement’, it had been painful.

Every part of her had wanted to keep them close, so she could have her family. Instead, she was forced to watch them walk away for their best interests.

Losing Jagger, Maura, Laird, Brianna, and the Monroes had been shitty. They’d taken a piece of her heart with them when they left.

Now, she had to come here to save four of them from what was headed their way.

“Sorry isn’t going to cut it,” Julian admitted.

Oh, boy.

Someone was tense.

It was time for Lucian to step in.

This was his sign.