The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld by K. N. Lee, Ann Wicker

wait,” Halston said.
     
    Koa listened. She was so anxious that her knees bounced with nerves. The Oracle knew so much about both worlds, and Koa felt like such an eager novice on the subject.
     
    “Well, I suppose that is just as well.” She leaned back and her eyes settled on Koa. “It is nice to finally meet you, child.”
     
    Koa nodded. “Yes. Nice to meet you too, Oracle. I’ve been waiting for Halston to bring me here for quite a while.”
     
    The Oracles smile spread across her small, sagging face. “Well then, now that we’ve met, you can visit me anytime. I can teach you a thing or two about life.” She glanced at Koa’s hand. “You married?”
     
    Koa was aghast. She shook her head and pursed her lips.
     
    The Oracle grinned. “How old are you?”
     
    Koa glanced at Halston. She was uncomfortable already. “Twenty-one.”
     
    The Oracle waved her hand. “Oh, just a baby. Still…not too early.”
     
    Koa looked away. She pretended that she didn’t hear.
     
    “What are you waiting for?” she asked.
     
    Koa giggled nervously. Change the subject lady , Koa thought.
     
    The Oracle sat back in her chair. “I married one man. At nineteen. He was good man.” She nodded her head at the memory. “He never judge me for what I am. When he die, I lost more than love. I no longer care what happen to me. I give up.”
     
    Koa looked at her. She felt bad. She looked around. It made since. She wondered if the Oracle’s home had been this messy when her husband was alive. Something told her that it hadn’t
     
    “Because I treat him good, he good to me.” The Oracle pointed at her. “But you see? All men the same. Rich man, poor man, white man, Asian man, black man…all the same. Just pick one.” She laughed. “You cook for them, you clean, you take care of them, they all yours. They have no reason to act up.” She laughed harder. “Understand?”
     
    Koa glanced at Halston who just looked ahead at the Oracle with an expressionless face. Koa couldn’t help but narrow her eyes. “Yes,” she said, but she had no idea what the older woman meant. Koa didn’t think all men were the same. She’d seen too many evil men out there to have her ideas changed by a strange woman with bifocals as big as saucers.
     
    The Oracle scoffed and slapped her knee. “Nonsense. I know don’t get it, child.”
     
    Koa’s face turned red. She hoped to God that the Oracle couldn’t read minds.
     
    “But one day, you will get it.” The Oracle stared at her.
     
    Koa nodded. She tried not to think too much…just in case the Oracle could read minds. She tried not to think about how disgusted she was to sit in that smelly house and have cat fur all over her clothes. She tried…but she couldn’t help but to think those things. Koa and the Oracle were in a stare off with Koa trying to figure out if the Oracle was fiddling in her head, and the Oracle simply giving her an intense look with her magnified eyes.
     
    Halston cleared his throat. He was all business on this night. “The message said that you linked with someone. Someone from the Netherworld.”
     
    The Oracle ignored him. Her eyes narrowed as she continued to look at Koa. “You want something, child, don’t you? You want to know the truth of your past.”
     
    Koa nodded. She leaned forward in her seat so much that she nearly fell off.
     
    “I sent the message because I wanted Halston to bring you here. I wanted to finally meet the girl of prophecy.”
     
    Halston looked at Koa. He looked perplexed. “But…”
     
    Koa smiled and looked to the Oracle who winked at her. The Oracle had tricked him.
     
    “Do not worry, Halston. I did not lie to you. I did link with someone from the Netherworld last night, and that link wanted one thing. They want Koa. Koa the key…and she must be used to set the world right again.”
     
    Halston turned to the Oracle. His brows were furrowed in annoyance. “Is it true then? Is he behind everything