Fates Entwined

Chapter 4: Tangled Fates

Risha sipped her coffee, staring blankly at the mountain of emails on her screen. It was hard to focus when her mind was a whirlwind of worry. Miri had been distant ever since meeting Neil, and though she wouldn't admit it, Risha could tell her cousin was slipping.

She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples. Six months had flown by, and neither of them had any idea how to find their third humans. And now Miri was too busy playing googly eyes with yoga guy.

A knock on her desk startled her.

"Deep thoughts?" Sol's voice was warm and teasing.

Risha smiled. Sol was her senior at work—brilliant, composed, and annoyingly perceptive. She'd always admired Sol's ability to handle chaos with grace.

"Something like that," Risha admitted.

"Well, your inbox might implode if you keep ignoring it," Sol joked, placing a file on her desk. "I need your input on this by tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure, no problem."

Sol hesitated, as though wanting to say something more, but eventually just nodded and walked away.

Across town, Miri sat across from Neil at a cozy café. The smell of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the faint hum of conversation around them.

"So, what's your deal?" Neil asked, leaning forward. "You seem... different."

"Different how?" Miri asked, feigning innocence.

"I don't know. It's like you've got this energy about you. Like you're not really here."

If only he knew.

"I just have a lot on my mind," Miri said, stirring her latte.

Neil gave her a soft smile. "Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm pretty good at listening."

Miri's heart twisted. Neil was everything she didn't have time for—kind, steady, and grounding. But the clock was ticking, and she couldn't afford distractions.

The next day at the office, Risha found herself in the middle of a chaotic scene. A fire alarm blared, and people poured out of the building.

"What's going on?" she asked a passing coworker.

"Small fire on the third floor," they replied.

Her stomach dropped. The third floor was where Sol's office was. Without thinking, she darted against the flow of the crowd, ignoring shouts to stop.

When she reached the third floor, smoke filled the hallway. She covered her mouth with her sleeve, squinting through the haze.

"Sol!" she called, her voice muffled.

"Risha?" A faint voice answered.

She followed the sound to find Sol trapped under a fallen bookshelf. Papers were scattered everywhere, and Sol's ankle was pinned.

"Hold on," Risha said, kneeling beside her.

Using all her strength, she managed to push the shelf off, freeing Sol.

"You okay?" Risha asked, helping her to her feet.

"Yeah, thanks to you," Sol said, wincing as she put weight on her injured ankle.

Risha supported her as they made their way to the stairs. By the time they reached the ground floor, paramedics were waiting.

"You're a hero," one of the coworkers said as they helped Sol onto a stretcher.

Risha forced a smile but felt uneasy. Saving Sol didn't fulfill the conditions of her mission. There was no anonymity, no sense of helplessness beyond a temporary crisis.

As Sol was wheeled away, she gave Risha a look filled with gratitude and something else—something warmer, deeper.

That evening, Miri burst into Risha's apartment, her face flushed with excitement.

"You'll never guess what Neil did," she began, but Risha wasn't in the mood.

"Miri, we're running out of time," Risha said, cutting her off.

Miri blinked. "What happened?"

Risha sighed, recounting the incident with Sol.

"And now she's... interested in you?" Miri said, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't be ridiculous," Risha said, though the memory of Sol's gaze made her cheeks warm.

"Oh, come on, Rish. Sol's always had a soft spot for you. This just sealed the deal."

"None of that matters," Risha said firmly. "Saving her doesn't count. We need to focus."

Miri bit her lip, torn between wanting to comfort her cousin and the guilt gnawing at her for spending so much time with Neil.

Unbeknownst to the cousins, Eron watched their every move from the shadows.

"They're unraveling," he mused, a sinister smile tugging at his lips. "Miri's distracted, and Risha's tangled in emotions she doesn't understand. Perfect."

His golden eyes gleamed as he reached into the void, summoning an orb that shimmered with faint light.

"Let's see how much more chaos you two can handle," he said, releasing the orb. It floated away, its glow dimming as it sought its target.

Somewhere in the city, a new thread of destiny was about to intertwine with theirs. But whether it would lead to salvation or destruction remained to be seen.