House of Anubis: House of Mistakes

Part XXXII

It was an odd sensation, both fiery hot and searing cold. It felt terrible yet incredible all at the same time, and Fabian couldn't remember any situation that even had a passing resemblance of the feeling. It was over too soon, though, and he was forced to step back out into the real world, a thousand scratching, scrabbling hands at his back, pushing him forward.

It was disorienting, but it didn't take long to get his bearings. The tank room, the sarcophagi, another Sinner, and Robert Frobisher-Smythe.

"Welcome to my army," he crooned, his voice somehow both smooth like silk and sharp as broken glass, "Fabian Rutter."

Right, that was who he was, wasn't it? Fabian Rutter: geeky, mousy, sweet.

Only one person had ever called him sweet, and she had betrayed him. He hated her, and now he had the power to destroy the world she could never have a prayer of protecting. Not when she'd abandoned them. Robert had already destroyed her Osirian, and now it was his turn.

Fabian grinned, flexing his fingers as he got a feel for his body for what felt like the first time. It was strong, stronger than he'd ever given it credit for, and crueler too. He'd already known he was smart, but enlightened as he was now, he was brilliant. This was all he could have been if not for his inhibitions: assertive, ingenuous, wicked.

"Who do you serve?"

The answer came easily, as though it were already there in the space where his soul and conscience once occupied. "Ammut the Devourer," he replied simply, as though it were obvious. Robert continued to look at him expectantly, and in the back of his mind, there was a low ring. Ah, yes, now Fabian understood. "And you, Mr. Frobisher," said the Sinner of Pride.

His eyes burned red and Robert smirked. There was work to be done.

—

"Fabian!" KT called, throwing open the front door and legging it down the hall. Fabian's door was already open, but the room was empty. The contents of her package strewn across the bed were the only sign that anyone had been in there since that morning, and KT couldn't help but wonder where he'd gotten them. From Patricia maybe? She'd have to go check on her upstairs. "Fabian?"

"What's all the shouting about?" Trudy asked, poking her head in from the kitchen. "Be careful, Victor's already in a stinking mood."

"Trudy, where's Fabian?" she asked.

Trudy's brow furrowed in confusion. "Fabian? Well, I suppose he's over at the school with the rest of the house. Isn't the play today?"

KT smiled tightly. "Right. Of course."

"Speaking of, shouldn't you be over there as well? It's already past noon, you know."

She checked her watch: 12:15 pm. The play was already underway, so she couldn't go back there without getting swept up in it. She sent another mental apology to Mara and tried to come up with a lie.

"Oh, um, yeah... Joy just forgot a prop! You know how it is— something always goes wrong on opening night!" KT laughed awkwardly, and Trudy hesitantly joined in. "I'll, erm, just be grabbing that now." She backed away and booked it up the stairs, ignoring Victor's order to stop. She threw open Patricia's door and felt her heart sink.

The window was wide open, with a rope made of sheets like you'd see in a movie dangling over the ledge. Patricia had had to make a run for it, but there was still a chance Fabian was with her.

"Miss Rush, what do you think you're doing back here?" Victor asked her coldly. She spun around, startled by his figure in the doorway. "It is the middle of the day."