The Time Capsule

Chapter Nineteen.

"The Adairs think you should stay alive. Fate does not. So-"
"Wait... why would my biological father not want me alive?" Nadia spoke out, even though fear caused her to shake.
Cyrus blinked pointedly at her. "Did I not just answer that? Fate wants control over everyone and everything. He doesn't want someone who could potentially ruin his job or his life, messing with matters of Time, Fate, Dreams, etc. That means that he wants to kill or harm you to stop you from-" His eyes widened.
"Stop me from what? Why did he?-" Nadia froze, realizing something: "He put me in this time loop, didn't he?" Silence encompassed them. "Because he wanted to keep me from owning up to my true potential? Or maybe just to distract me so I wouldn't bother him." She looked down, trying not to get upset.
"Nadia Wolfe." Cyrus sounded angry. "The reason Fate put you in the time loop was because he couldn't control you. You are the product of Fate and Destiny. You have an immense amount of power. And he doesn't like that. Not one bit. So distracting you from your true power, your potential, whatever you want to call it, that's his endgame."
"He can't control my future?" She looked confused, trying to think how that was possible.
"No. None of the High Council wanted to tell you how you got trapped in the loop for fear of angering Fate."
"Wait, wait, wait... Why did the Night Wraiths not like me when it was Fate's fault that I was in the loop in the first place?" 'How unfair. They almost killed me.'
"Night Wraiths? Ah..." Cyrus let out a breath, looking not at all surprised by the admission. "Roman failed to mention that the Wraiths had appeared. But they only do their job. Fate created the loop just for you so that you would stray off your path. They disagreed with him because he messed with the timeline."
"But... If he created the loop just for me, then why were the other Loopers in it?" Nadia frowned, trying to piece the puzzle bit by bit together.
"There were other Loopers? Ah, I will be having a little chat with your favorite Keeper." Cyrus glared at Nadia, the room growing colder. "It wouldn't be possible for other Loopers to be in the loop since it was created for you."
"I-But that lady Adelaide told me that..." 'OHHH...' "She said that the Time Pit was for people awaiting punishments from the High Council. She never specifically stated that it was for people stuck in the loop. That still doesn't explain my question: Who and why were those Loopers there?"
"I think it's about time we spoke to Fate." He looked slightly unnerved.
Nadia wondered what Fate looked like. Did she look like him? Or more like her mom? And that fact that she had two parents-well, one-that she didn't even know she had until a few minutes ago... It was insane.
"GUARDS! TAKE NADIA WOLFE TO THE CELL." Cyrus shouted, gritting his teeth at her as he went out the door.
Nadia's pulse began to pound even more, her chest ready to burst from her anxiety. Guards cuffed her wrists with the same glowing handcuffs that they had used on the Adairs. She was basically dragged to yet ANOTHER cell. 'I'm starting to get sick of being taken to different cells.' She held in a sigh, feeling nauseous.
They opened a dark wooden door, taking off her cuffs and shoving her inside a dimly lit room, shutting the door and locking it. The stone was slightly damp, and the walls were stiff concrete. The cell was just big enough for three raggedy faded gray pillows and three people. Roman sat in the far right corner, Rosamund beside him.
When they saw her, they both stood up, rushing towards her. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" The Keeper of Time asked, looking like he was about to blow the entire place up with his rage.
Rosa looked Nadia over, checking for any wounds or scrapes. "No amputated limbs. Thank goodness."
"Why didn't you use the bracelet? You could've escaped." Roman Adair crossed his arms, tilting his head.
"I needed to gain information. If it had gotten bad, I would have used it." Nadia finally let out her sigh. "I need to talk to you two. Cyrus gave me some interesting knowledge."
"Such as...?" Roman raised an eyebrow.
"He said that Fate and Destiny are my parents. That Fate created the time loop so I would get knocked off my true path. That Fate wants to kill me because he doesn't like opposition and that he's a control freak. Oh, and that for some reason, those Loopers somehow got into the time loop that was specifically created for me." Nadia couldn't stop talking, the words spilling out like an erupting volcano.
Now, out of breath, she looked at the two Keepers.
"So? Anything you'd like to add?" She clenched her jaw, feeling like she was weak for admitting all of this.
Roman walked backward, leaning against the wall, looking down. "Unfortunately, I already knew some of that information."
The room's temperature raised, Nadia barely able to control her anger.
"But before you consider murdering me, I must say this: I did not know that Fate and Destiny were your parents. And I did not realize why Fate wanted you in the time loop."
She could feel the anger rising inside of her. Her body began to shake. "How DARE you keep this from me. You promised. You promised that you had no ill intent. That you would be honest."
"Ah, ah, ah. I never specified honesty in the agreement. I said that I would not have any ill will, nor would I play any tricks on you. Fine print." A scathing look from Rosamund made him pause. "That, however, is not the point of my statement. What I'm trying to say is, I was trying to protect you from... Fate. I didn't realize he was your father. But he orchestrated an illusion of those Loopers, and I assume planted an illusion of those two kids at your school in your head. All to distract you from your course. So I went along with the tricks of Fate to help keep you safe." He let out a breath. "I knew talking to those two was a bad idea and that they weren't real. Also, having you not talk to them and asking you not to talk to them was the best I could do without angering Fate."
He fell silent, Nadia clenching her fists.
"Does this cell restrict my powers?" Nadia quietly asked.
The Keeper of Time looked surprised she wasn't yelling. "It should."
"Does the bracelet make me invisible to everyone?" She inquired.
"Yes. Even me." He looked suspicious.
Rosa sighed. "This has turned into a mess."
Nadia closed her eyes, determined to escape this cell and all that came with it. She didn't want to think about Roman keeping secrets, especially secrets important to her safety. She didn't want to think about Cyrus threatening to kill her at any moment or that he wanted to talk with Fate. She didn't want to think about any of that. So she concentrated and focused, summoning her powers.
The small light on the ceiling flickered, the room plunging into darkness. She didn't open her eyes. 'Come on... Come on!...' Raising her hands, she felt the energy pulsating between them, lifting them up and above herself.
"Nadia, don't! It'll only last for an hour. And then you'll be on your own. If you do this, we won't be able to help you." Roman Adair yelled out over the wind whipping through the room.
She pressed the gem on the bracelet and pushed her hands down and onto herself. Soon enough, she didn't hear anything. Quiet. Utter and complete silence.