CHAPTER ONE
IT WAS THE evening of the Firefly Festival in Tenebris. The great city had always been known for its gorgeous green fireflies, but on the eighth day of the twelfth month, the city was filled with fireflies from all over the world. Gold, green and red specimens clustered in elegant glass containers, while the beautiful women of the town went about in dresses of gold and green to mimic the fireflies’ glow.
Galia looked out over the city from her balcony. She was dressed in her priestess’s white and gold, but Rhea had also given her an amazing crown of sparks to wear. They were viridescent and lovely, but Rhea had said they would only last the night.
“Still, that’s enough time, isn’t it?” her friend had said with a sigh. “You look beautiful, Galia.”
Galia had smiled then, but now she wondered. What did Rhea know? Galia felt different somehow, changed. Soon, everything would be settled––one way or another. All she had to do was wait until midnight. The only thing she had to do was remain calm until then. She decided to peak at the city.
Though she’d only wanted to spy the festivities and gaiety, word spread that the young Oracle was at her window. By the time she looked down again, a small crowd had gathered. When they saw her look, they began chanting her name. It wasn’t her real name, of course, just the title she’d taken.
Galia took a deep breath. She had to do her best not to curse them. They didn’t deserve that. If anything, they deserved a better Oracle. Perhaps after tonight, they would have one.
Aware that her firefly crown made her an easy target, she back away from the window. For a few minutes she paced. Then she tried to read. But she couldn’t stop thinking about the packed satchel hidden at the back of her closet. Her mind buzzed like a hive of bees. She was almost ready to make her way to the temple early when the timbre of the cries outside changed. Before they had been light and merry, wonderfully celebratory and sweet. Now there was an ugly edge to them.
Though she knew she shouldn’t, Galia raced back to the balcony. She tried to hide at the far edge, but it was pointless.
“She is at the window, let her see!”
“Let her see what we are doing for her!”
“Let the blood be shed!”
They pushed a man to the front. Someone grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled it back. His face was bloodied, his eyes wild. But she knew him and, in that moment, she knew her life was over.
CHAPTER TWO
GILLIAN AWOKE SLOWLY. It was like swimming up through murky water, stuck in sludge that would not let her go. Maybe that was best. Some part of her wanted to sink back into unconsciousness.
Aren’t I done? Isn’t this over yet?
Though she asked the questions, she already knew the answers. Wakefulness came, whether she wanted it to or not.
“Gillian?” She felt an arm slide under her shoulders and roll her. Her sore muscles protested. “Gillian?” She opened her eyes to see Shayne’s one blue eye and one brown staring intently into her face. “Are you all right?” Shayne hugged her close, her head pillowed on his shoulder. The ground underneath them was cold and hard. “Gillian?”
“I’m all right,” she said. Even in her own ears, her voice sounded distant and sleepy.
“I think we’re here,” Shayne said quietly.
Here? She sat up. Tenebris?
They were at the gates of a city. It was the end of her search!
Shayne sat up next to her, and draped an arm around her shoulders.
“Tenebris,” she whispered.
As surely as she knew her own room in Los Angeles, she knew that this was the Hollow City. One moment they’d been at the gate in Cappadocia, and now they were here.
Shayne got to his feet and helped her up. Though she wobbled she couldn’t help but stare at the ruins.
“I can’t believe it,” she whispered.
“I can,” Shayne said, with so much conviction that she had to look at him. He grimaced. “After that trip? I could believe
IT WAS THE evening of the Firefly Festival in Tenebris. The great city had always been known for its gorgeous green fireflies, but on the eighth day of the twelfth month, the city was filled with fireflies from all over the world. Gold, green and red specimens clustered in elegant glass containers, while the beautiful women of the town went about in dresses of gold and green to mimic the fireflies’ glow.
Galia looked out over the city from her balcony. She was dressed in her priestess’s white and gold, but Rhea had also given her an amazing crown of sparks to wear. They were viridescent and lovely, but Rhea had said they would only last the night.
“Still, that’s enough time, isn’t it?” her friend had said with a sigh. “You look beautiful, Galia.”
Galia had smiled then, but now she wondered. What did Rhea know? Galia felt different somehow, changed. Soon, everything would be settled––one way or another. All she had to do was wait until midnight. The only thing she had to do was remain calm until then. She decided to peak at the city.
Though she’d only wanted to spy the festivities and gaiety, word spread that the young Oracle was at her window. By the time she looked down again, a small crowd had gathered. When they saw her look, they began chanting her name. It wasn’t her real name, of course, just the title she’d taken.
Galia took a deep breath. She had to do her best not to curse them. They didn’t deserve that. If anything, they deserved a better Oracle. Perhaps after tonight, they would have one.
Aware that her firefly crown made her an easy target, she back away from the window. For a few minutes she paced. Then she tried to read. But she couldn’t stop thinking about the packed satchel hidden at the back of her closet. Her mind buzzed like a hive of bees. She was almost ready to make her way to the temple early when the timbre of the cries outside changed. Before they had been light and merry, wonderfully celebratory and sweet. Now there was an ugly edge to them.
Though she knew she shouldn’t, Galia raced back to the balcony. She tried to hide at the far edge, but it was pointless.
“She is at the window, let her see!”
“Let her see what we are doing for her!”
“Let the blood be shed!”
They pushed a man to the front. Someone grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled it back. His face was bloodied, his eyes wild. But she knew him and, in that moment, she knew her life was over.
CHAPTER TWO
GILLIAN AWOKE SLOWLY. It was like swimming up through murky water, stuck in sludge that would not let her go. Maybe that was best. Some part of her wanted to sink back into unconsciousness.
Aren’t I done? Isn’t this over yet?
Though she asked the questions, she already knew the answers. Wakefulness came, whether she wanted it to or not.
“Gillian?” She felt an arm slide under her shoulders and roll her. Her sore muscles protested. “Gillian?” She opened her eyes to see Shayne’s one blue eye and one brown staring intently into her face. “Are you all right?” Shayne hugged her close, her head pillowed on his shoulder. The ground underneath them was cold and hard. “Gillian?”
“I’m all right,” she said. Even in her own ears, her voice sounded distant and sleepy.
“I think we’re here,” Shayne said quietly.
Here? She sat up. Tenebris?
They were at the gates of a city. It was the end of her search!
Shayne sat up next to her, and draped an arm around her shoulders.
“Tenebris,” she whispered.
As surely as she knew her own room in Los Angeles, she knew that this was the Hollow City. One moment they’d been at the gate in Cappadocia, and now they were here.
Shayne got to his feet and helped her up. Though she wobbled she couldn’t help but stare at the ruins.
“I can’t believe it,” she whispered.
“I can,” Shayne said, with so much conviction that she had to look at him. He grimaced. “After that trip? I could believe
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