“You’re right about that as well, brother. Everything you say is right.” Solar flopped down in the seat next to Javi and the two men sat shoulder to shoulder, lost in serious thought.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you guys,” the Oracle said, his tongue sticking out as he dexterously tied the last knot on the colorful strings. “I have a plan.”
Javi and Solar turned to look at one another. Twin looks of frustration, rage, and amusement crossed their faces. Javi turned away and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh? Do tell, wise Oracle.”
“I didn’t tell you guys before because Solar’s not gonna like it, so I didn’t want to spoil the last few days with Zara. And then I forgot, but I remembered now. And that’s what counts.” The Oracle stood and crossed the room. He first grabbed Solar’s wrist and then Javi’s, tying matching embroidery floss bracelets onto the two stupefied men.
“What the fuck is this?” Solar asked, holding his wrist up for inspection.
“It’s a friendship bracelet,” said O. “See, all three of us have them now.” He held up his own wrist in proof. “So, do you want to hear the plan or not?”
This time Solar joined Javi and both men pinched the bridges of their noses. “Yes, O. We want to hear the answer to our problems, please.”
“Okay,” O said. “But you’re not gonna like it. Remember that I already know that when you’re tempted to yell at me, okay? And I’m merely a receptacle for an idea that was floating through the cosmos. Don’t blame the messenger.”
“For the love of god, O!”
“Tell us the fucking plan!” Javi and Solar yelled at the same time.
The Oracle raised his hands in surrender and flopped down on the chair he’d been sitting in. “Jeez Louise. Fine. God. Everybody hates a disclaimer, huh?”
“I’m leaving,” Solar said, rising from his chair and stalking to the door. “I’ve got a new mate waiting for me and I’m sick of this shit. Javi, you can tell me what the plan is when he finally gets around to telling you.” Solar stalked toward the door of the hut.
“We use Zara.”
The Oracle’s words froze Solar in his tracks. “What did you say?”
Solar turned around slowly and the momentary grave look lining the Oracle’s face had his blood turning to ice. The Oracle was never serious.
But the look fell away as the Oracle cocked his head to one side and leaned back in his chair like a man on vacation. “I said we use Zara to lure Dalyer out of hiding. Look, she hit fertility about a week early. We still have a few days until her actual 21st. And she was always Dalyer’s favorite wife. I saw it with my own eyes while I was living at the castle with them.”
“You think he’ll leave hiding with the hopes of finding her and claiming her,” Solar’s voice dropped the temperature of the jungle about twenty degrees.
“Well,” Javi interjected, scratching his beard in a way that told Solar he was actually considering this ludicrous idea. “Dalyer doesn’t know she’s hit her season yet. Or that she’s been claimed.”
The Oracle put one finger in his mouth and snapped it out of his cheek. “Popped like a champagne cork.”
“Jesus Christ, O!” Javi exclaimed, glancing at Solar.
But it was a testament to how concerned this plan made him that Solar didn’t even comment on the Oracle’s absurdities. He turned to his comrades.
“And how close to Dalyer would we have to dangle my mate in order for this plan to work? How long would she be out in the breeze? Waiting to be snatched up by the most evil, most disgusting, vindictive son of a bitch to ever walk the dragon realm?” His voice was finally rising.
“The details of the plan haven’t been worked out yet,” the Oracle waved his hand through the air. “Mostly I was concentrating on getting you to agree to it first.”
Solar paced across the small room, filled a tin cup with water, contemplated sipping at it, but set it down untouched. He refused to let his hand shake. Mind over matter.
“If we did this, O, what would happen to her? Tell me.”
The Oracle’s brow furrowed as he studied his friend. “You know I can’t tell you that, brother.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Solar’s voice was rising again. “What’s the fucking use of having a fucking oracle around if he won’t ever tell you the fucking future?”
Javi leaned back in his chair, out of the line of fire. He’d been down this road himself, when his wife died. And he’d come up against the same unfulfilling answers. He knew that all Solar could do right now was rage until he made peace with it.