Fate

3

Chapter 3

Lucy pulled out two drawers with complete ease. She dumped them on the empty mattress. She grabbed the last drawer then dumped it onto the pile. She rifled through it before she pulled out a black shirt and jeans and held it up for both Kellan and I to see. "This is what Aryan would have worn. Not a red shirt and what looks like jeans."

"How do we figure out where he is then?" I said.

"I'm going to make a few phone calls. Don't touch anything more in here." Lucy handed the clothes to me then ran out of the room.

"What is she doing?"

"Making phone calls." Kellan said, shrugging. He headed for the door and nodded toward the hallway. "Let's get out of here so we don't contaminate any evidence."

I laid the clothes down on the bed then followed him out of the room. "Why does she always leave me hanging? This is twice now."

"She has too much going on in her head."

"I'll say."

We walked down the steps to see Lucy pacing between the kitchen and living room, her phone up to her ear.

"We're running low on time. I know, I know. But it's Aryan. He's my closest friend-" She paused then her body relaxed. "Thank you so much. I swear I will pay you whatever amount you need."

I cleared my throat but she didn't turn around.

"I really appreciate this-"

"Lucy." Kellan said.

Lucy stopped and glanced behind her at Kellan and I. She rolled her eyes before saying goodbye to the person on the phone. "What do you want?"

"I want to know what the hell is going on?"

Lucy looked like she wanted to yell at him, or me, but she took a deep breath and her shoulders dropped. "I'm trying everything I can to find Aryan. I'm just... I'm not a team player. I work better by myself. And I'm sorry if that's hard to understand."

"We're trying, too, Lucy." I said softly.

She set the phone on the counter then walked out of the room, not saying another word. Kellan followed her, quickening his pace to keep up.

"Don't leave the house!" He yelled back to me.

I rolled my eyes. Did I have anywhere else to go? Who did he think I was?

Right.

I walked back up the steps and sat on the top step. Lucy called someone and she sounded desperate. Whoever it was could help her. Us. Aryan.

But who was it?

I slowly unraveled the bandage from around my middle, letting my wings breathe. Part of my left wing was black but I knew they had to heal before they'd be normal again.

I glanced into Aryan's room and frowned. Things were so much simpler when he was home. When he was with me.

There was a breeze outside and it was blowing into the room. The curtains had fallen and were moving around, almost as if someone were there.

I narrowed my eyes and stood up. I hated anything that could scare me. It was partially why I was at the hospital so long. It was my weakness.

Lucy told me not to mess anything up in Aryan's room but I couldn't stop myself from going inside.

Everything was the same except the bed looked like it had been moved. But only a little bit to the side.

"Aryan?" I asked, freezing in my spot. I wanted so badly for him to be back and everything to be normal again.

A hand covered my mouth and after a few panicked breaths, I realized the hand was holding a towel and the towel had something on it.

Next thing I knew, I was slumping into the man holding me. My head grew heavy and I was so, so tired. I just needed to rest my eyes.

Just for a few...