Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

H yax flagged down a black cab. His main means of transport were the portals but since he was with Gwil, they weren't available to him and he'd dismissed Gwil's suggestion of taking the Tube before he'd finished his sentence. Much to his surprise, they'd received a response granting them access to the Moorgate oracle that morning and even Goya's patronising tone hadn't put a dampener on Gwil's mood. That could be because he and Gwil had been shagging like rabbits for the last twenty-four hours and fucking a fae prince had put his now-boyfriend in the best mood Hyax had seen Gwil in for… well, ever.

The roads across the city weren't as busy as usual and he then remembered it was Christmas Eve and most of the people working in the Square Mile would have finished for the break. The humans had some strange customs, but Christmas was one of their better holidays and he'd got Gwil a little something for later.

Gwil checked his phone for the location tracker Goya had sent and scowled. He'd known of the oracle's existence but never had the need to use it, and didn't know where its entrance was. "According to this, it's under Finsbury Square."

He was vaguely aware of the place but hadn't known it to be significant. "So?"

"Last time I checked it was an underground car park, not the site of eternal wisdom."

Hyax had no clue about those, he'd never driven a car let alone know where to leave one. They got out of the cab. The street lights illuminated the green area known as Finsbury Square and a sign for the car park instructions. "Seems you were right. Perhaps it moved. Moorgate is a pretty old area of London, maybe there was somewhere else nearby as this area is even better positioned on the same ley line as the Spitalfields house…" The raw energy was making his wings vibrate, which he hadn't thought possible as they weren't even present in this realm.

"Or maybe they moved due to the outlandish fees to park here."

Gwil scanned the parking charges. The details to pay were via an app but Gwil scrunched up his nose as he stared at the details. "There's something not quite right. Can you look at this? The sign for the app."

Hyax crouched down next to Gwil and Hyax had to stop thinking about what he'd like to do to his arse once they were back home.

He drummed his fingers across the sign. "You're right… this is a cover."

His magic manifested as a slight shimmer and the sign changed and he was now shown instructions to scan a QR code and download the latest oracle app.

"You have to be shitting me," Gwil said. "An app for an ancient oracle."

Hyax took out his phone and scanned the code. He'd seen far stranger things in London. "It makes sense. The oracle is meant to be a fount of all knowledge and future looking… why wouldn't it embrace modern technology?"

"I suppose so. I've never actually been to one, so I don't know what to expect."

"I've not been to a human one, but there's a number of fae ones I can access if there's a need." Not that he'd used one in decades and none of them had been via a mobile phone app, neither had they asked for a code. "Talking of access, we need to provide a four-digit PIN."

"Oh, I wondered what that was for. Goya sent it along with the tracking details."

Hyax tutted, Gwil could be blinkered when it came to Goya. "Didn't you even question why it was there?"

"Well, no, I just thought it was Goya being his usual knobbish self." Gwil checked his email. "The number's twenty-twenty."

Hyax groaned. "They might have tried to future-proof but they need more help with the security encryption."

"Huh?"

"An all-seeing oracle with twenty-twenty vision." It was more than predictable and only a step up from using one-two-three-four.

Hyax tapped in the code and a door appeared and slid open to reveal a grotty-looking lift more in keeping with the car park than any oracle he'd visited. He hoped he wouldn't get his shoes dirty.

"Here's the ancient lift shaft to enlightenment, I see," drawled Gwil as he followed Hyax inside.

The lift doors closed and there was one single button on the wall with the words Seek the truth written underneath. He pressed it and the lift started to descend with a judder. "I'm assuming Goya gave you a contact name as well?"

"Said we should ask for Duncan, he's the warlock in charge. I don't know him but apart from the ones who work with the Vampire Council, most warlocks don't have a high opinion of vampires."

"Duncan?" Hyax groaned, remembering dealing with a warlock of the same name as a contact for his security council business. "Oh, I hope it's not who I think it is. The man's as skeevy as they come. You're going to have to go all alpha male and protective if it is him."

"I thought you'd not been to this oracle."

"I haven't but magic users tend to run in similar circles and our paths cross regularly with warlocks. I suppose Duncan is a relatively common name, I might be lucky."

The lift opened to reveal a man whose outward appearance was mid-twenties, not that it meant anything when it came to warlocks, wearing a long robe, his red hair falling over his shoulders.

Hyax had not been lucky.

"Welcome to the Oracle at Moorgate." He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "Prince Hyax, isn't this a pleasure."

"Duncan, I didn't realise you were on duty here."

"I'm on rotation—looking to broaden my skill set with a customer-facing role."

Gwil stepped forwards, and Hyax would be all for rewarding him if he played dutiful boyfriend. "Goya contacted you on our behalf."

Duncan wrinkled his nose. "He did say a Gwilym Hilt would call. He didn't mention your dark odiousness."

"I've been called a lot worse, and since I'm here escorting my betrothed, Prince Hyax, I would like you to feign a modicum of courtesy."

"His Highness is welcome, but your aura may obscure the purity of the oracle."

"Pull the other one, Duncan, the murky puddle has no beef with vampires. It's your prejudice, so be a good lad and move it along." Gwil flashed his fangs. "I'd hate to have to get bitey."

"There's no need for violence."

Hyax took his hand, the first time he'd done so in public, something he thought he could get used to. "Let's go. I'm sure Duncan is happy to assist the fae crown," Hyax said.

They were in a little lobby which was more akin to a waiting room than the site of a significant paranormal cultural landmark, but the atmosphere changed as Duncan led them through a door and into a cavern where a shimmering circle sat at its centre appearing to glow with an ethereal light. Hyax realised the effect was due to hundreds of fairy lights and, with his excellent night vision, he spotted a couple of extension cords and a multi-plug adaptor.

"Are they human Christmas tree lights?" he asked.

"Good for tourists. Most people who come down here have a two-for-one ticket with the Tower of London's blood pit," Duncan said with a sniff.

"Is this place even magical?" Gwil asked.

Hyax chuckled. "Very much so, but that there's not the oracle. It must be a decoy."

"His Highness's intelligence is even greater than his beauty."

Duncan shuffled off and they followed him through a series of archways and into another cavern, although smaller this time, and lit by sconces on the wall. In front of them was an alcove. "The Oracle of Moorgate. First discovered in 1121 and has been in constant use since. The Warlock Ruling Committee has granted you three questions. Use them wisely."

The power and history was undeniable. He could feel the echo of a thousand years seep over his skin, and it called to him, but he was surprised by what he'd been offered.

"Three questions. I wasn't expecting that. I should only need one but I would need to immerse my hands."

"I'm going to have to check. That's not on the sheet I was given."

Hyax grimaced but slunk up to Duncan and placed his arms around his neck. "I thought I was one of your favourites."

Gwil bristled and Hyax suspected he felt the ripple of Hyax's projection being directed at someone other than him. Duncan looked confused then smiled. "Who am I to deny such a wonderful man as you?"

Hyax tucked a hank of Duncan's frizzy hair behind his ear and smiled. "Thank you. You can leave us to it… I know how to work an oracle."

Flustered and a little unsteady on his feet, Duncan tottered away.

"Are you able to change the effect of your projection?" Gwil asked. "Usually I get a raging hard-on, but he seemed more confused than horny."

He'd always wondered if Gwil had been moved when he'd been caught in the crossfire, and while he'd never deliberately done so, Gwil had been in the wrong place at the right time to have experienced some of his most spectacular displays. Hyax was delighted.

"Species-dependent. Or at least magical versus non-magical. An individual's magic will distort it, like a defence shield with varying effects. Without the magic, it's a baser reaction, more about primitive desire." He leant in close and nibbled Gwil's ear. "But now I don't need to project to make you hard, and I promise that I'll make sure your desires are completely catered for."

"Oh God!"

Gwil growled and Hyax danced out of his reach. "Later. After we've asked the oracle."

"You're a fucking tease."

"A tease doesn't put out."

Gwil made a low-keening noise.

Hyax chuckled to himself, loving the effect he had on Gwil, something he planned to take full advantage of later. For now he had a job to do. He shrugged off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

He'd consulted oracles before and each had a particular way about it, as if there was a memory to the water that made it either easygoing or cranky, and the temperature or time of day all had to be factored in.

The alcove containing the oracle was softly lit and the oracle itself was at floor level and contained by a series of mismatched worn bricks. Hyax suspected they had been replaced several times over the last nine hundred years. He knelt down and brushed the surface of the water, letting his magic flow, and watched the colours swirl and dance. A blue sheen morphed into a purple hue and his body tingled at the hidden depths beneath his fingertips.

Gwil had come to stand behind him. "Do I need to do anything?"

Hyax shook his head. "No, just give me a few moments. I need to connect and then ask my question. Could you go over to the entrance and keep Duncan away? I sense he's the sort to like to watch people doing magic… I reckon he's a spell-sniffer."

"Is that like knicker sniffing? I wouldn't put that past him either," Gwil said as he sauntered away.

The real issue would be having Gwil too close, he was a distraction and his magic might ask questions about him rather than the stone. He returned his concentration to the oracle, refocusing and closing his eyes. The water was cold but his hand had grown accustomed to the temperature and he could feel a delicious tremor across his skin. He thought about the Stone of Ljin, pictured it as clearly as possible, and spoke aloud. "I seek the Stone of Ljin, show me the way to find it."

He opened his eyes to stare at the surface of the oracle. At first it was just his own reflection, then an image began to form… a stone triangle sitting on top of a series of columns. "You have got to be fucking with me?"

"What?" called Gwil.

"It's in the British Museum."

"Fucking hell. Where? That place is massive."

He tried to concentrate again and pull the oracle back to stone, the water rippled as if it was laughing at him and, instead of the building, he saw an image of Gwil, head tipped back, mouth open and close to orgasm. "That was not what I asked for!"

"Did you say something?" Gwil asked.

He removed his hand and slapped the surface of the water. An oily slick appeared and covered the oracle. Tutting, he stood and wiped his hand on his jeans.

"No, and I won't get any more out of it. Bloody prick."

Most oracles had a personality of sorts, some required an individual to work though, others more accommodating, and he should have realised the one that had been in London for so long would have picked up the passive-aggressive tendencies of the city's inhabitants.

"I suppose we know where it is… it's a start."

"I should be able to pinpoint it once I'm in there but they'd have to agree to drop the wards and I'd have to wander around and cast openly."

"If they sort it in time, I think the British Museum is closed for Christmas. From recollection, it's shut until the twenty-seventh." He checked his watch. "We should go see Goya when we're back on the surface, maybe he can get us access for Boxing Day."

"Let's get out of here. Before the grumpy puddle starts belching out gas."

"They do that?" Gwil said.

"I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past it.

"Gives us Christmas Day to wait. Do you think you'll be able to stay or do your parents want you home for something?"

If he wasn't mistaken, Gwil was hoping Hyax might be available. Some humans had such an affection for this holiday and it was something Gwil hadn't left behind when he'd been turned. "I tell you what, you go see Goya, and I'll go and pick up a few things and we can spend tomorrow together."