Fate's Revenge (Twisted Fate, Book 4)

Chapter Forty-Four

"Everyone dies, eventually," Clotho told me. Despite her intentions, it didn't help.

"But you expect I will die much sooner than what's considered natural, don't you?" I looked at each of the Sisters, one-by-one, but nobody elaborated. Even Gabe didn't appear to have anything to say, neither a question for the Sisters to clarify or a denial. I cleared my throat. "Well, then. Am I going to die soon?"

Lachesis snorted. "Darkness wants you."

"That doesn't have to be a death sentence, Lachesis," Gabe said. "She's protected now. I'm protecting her."

"Yes, and that has gone so well in the past." She rolled her eyes. "If I hadn't told the Brothers to bring her to Glory Academy—"

"What?" I looked at Gabe, twisting in my seat. "What is she talking about?"

He sighed, glaring at Lachesis for another moment before turning to me. "Lachesis told us to bring you to Glory Academy after you turned eighteen. It had never been done before, so it wasn't something we considered to be an option, but it was the best way to protect you."

He looked so afraid of my reaction I couldn't get mad. It was impossible, not just because of who I knew he was, but because it wasn't his fault. How could he be blamed? There were too many ahead of him in that line, his name would never be called. If it was, so much time would pass his infraction would be long forgotten.

I patted his hand and looked back to Lachesis. "So, if I die—"

"You are not dying," Gabe said.

"If I die..." I repeated and cleared my throat again. "What happens to the Pure Souls? I can't just take back what allows them to live an afterlife."

"They will still be Pure Souls," Lachesis said, but didn't elaborate.

"How?"

She shrugged, and I gave up waiting for her to continue. "Okay, why go through all this trouble? What am I meant to do and, if I die, what'll happen? What will I do then? Who will I become?"

Lachesis clamped her lips together and shook her head. I looked to Gabe, but he was too busy glaring at Lachesis with eyes that looked like bombs going off in his head to notice. To call him unhappy would be optimistic. Murderous, challenging, ready to hit the next thing that moved... That would be more accurate. It scared me to imagine his reaction if he was the one affected. It couldn't get any worse.

"I thought we came here to talk?" Playing dumb might work to decrease the tension in most situations, but nobody was biting.

"Girls, why don't you get some work done?" Lachesis suggested, keeping her attention fixed on Gabe.

"We need to talk," he said and stood.

"Girls?"

Clotho and Atropos hesitated, their eyes darting between Gabe and Lachesis. I had nothing to offer when it was my turn to be seen. Judging by their expressions, we felt the same. None of us wanted to get in the middle of whatever new argument was brewing between Lachesis and Gabe.

"I need to use the washroom," I said, the words rushing out before I realized they were true. "Do you have a washroom?"

Clotho and Atropos scurried away as soon as Lachesis and Gabe refocused on me. Their steps were soundless, only the swish of the doors opening and closing giving them away as they went back to their duties in the back room.

"Bathroom?"

"Oh, uh..." Lachesis looked around and sighed. She gestured towards the staircase and said, "Take the stairs down and it's the first room on the right. Please, mind your manners and refrain from exploring. It's my personal space."

It must have been reserved for the guests they never had. Or wanted, it seemed—her bathroom appeared to have never been used. Basic white, it had no frills and was spotless. I hurried, making sure to leave it as clean as when I arrived. Curious, I wanted to check out the rest of her "personal space" but was even more intrigued to listen to their conversation when they thought I wasn't listening.

The bottom step of the stairs was the perfect hiding place for eavesdropping without being seen. Without Clotho and Atropos underfoot to distract them, Lachesis and Gabe became so immersed in their argument they didn't notice I'd been gone for nearly twenty minutes. I was fully prepared to work girl problems to my advantage if they did, and the best part is it wasn't even a lie. Gabe wouldn't question it. Lachesis was centuries past menopause, so she probably didn't understand.

"I don't care about your reluctance, Lachesis," Gabe was saying as I held my breath and sat tentatively so as not to make a sound. "We made an agreement to talk so that Alyssa can understand where she comes from and what she's meant to do."

"I explained where she came from."

"Not why or what plans you have for her."

"I'm sorry, Gabe, but I have provided all I can and it's more than either of you had when you arrived," she said, and I imagined her shrugging with her usual nonchalance. "The rest will come to light when it's needed. It always does."

One of them began to pace. Closing my eyes so that I could figure out if they were coming towards the stairs, all I learned was that the weight behind the footfalls was too hefty to be coming from Lachesis. The fierceness that showed on Gabe's face whenever he was determined popped into my mind and I smiled.

"You don't have the right to keep her ignorant."

"And you had no right telling her who you are, David," she said, drawing each syllable out. "I guess that makes us even. You're lucky I'm in a good mood and don't feel like discussing this with the Brothers."

"I didn't tell her."

A pause fell, and I strained to hear.

"So, you expect me to believe she guessed? I'm sorry, but considering you wanted to fall for the girl—literally—I find that hard to accept."

"Why don't you ask Renalda how Alyssa figured out who I am? I didn't tell her," he said. "Frankly, I don't see what the problem is. No harm has come from her knowing I was David."

"No, I don't suppose it has." She laughed. "In fact, I'm guessing the fact that she knows makes her want to stay, doesn't it?"

"So then why—?"

"Why not tell her? Because neither of you like to listen. I mean, you're a Brother. All you had to do is follow commands, just like you always have," she said. "Why would I want you two happily-ever-after if you won't respect me?"

"So, you—there was no reason to not tell Alyssa who I am?"

"None whatsoever," she said, a smile in her voice. "It helped determine which future was being played out and kept her from jogging her memory before she turned eighteen, but other than that? It was a baseless rule made to keep you both on track, stop you from disobeying."

"You did this to spite us? F-for... revenge?"

The anger in Gabe's voice was scary to hear, so low and deep it was amazing it didn't shake the house's foundation. Like clapping thunder, it echoed inside the walls. Any moment the roof was bound to collapse.

I felt a sudden need to be a part of the conversation, no longer a spectator on the sidelines. A few seconds and ten steps, and I was striding off the stairs into the middle of their verbal battle in a very literal sense. Lachesis stood by the couch in the Sisters' living room and Gabe had paced his way to the table, so close he might as well have a seat and relax a while. If somebody could provide them with guns it would turn into a draw unto death, finally over with only one survivor.

At least bullets were quick and compared to words, I wasn't sure which was kinder.