Book of Fates ✔

Fire and Earth

As the time passed, the trees were flashing by and the car was taking Anya toward the unknown, the fresh air inspired her determination. She was the one who broke the silence.

"Since I agreed to come with you, will you tell me where are we going exactly?"

"The fomoires will be looking for us, watching our every step," Daphne said reluctantly. "We need to go as far away from the city as possible."

"Go where precisely?"

"The destination is yet to discover."

Thus the subject dropped, and the taciturn trip continued.

Anya blankly stared out of the window, she looked away only to glance at her phone that marvelously wasn't broken after her fly from the third floor. Dad didn't call, but sooner or later he'd do that. What would Anya say? How was she? Where was she? Was everything okay at home?..

Nikk interrupted Anya's thoughts. "How about we stop and grab some food?"

"Great idea, I'd love to have a break from the wheel," Eirn instantly caught the mood.

Daphne's forehead creased. "No, it's dangerous. The fomoires could be still following us!"

"We can't just aimlessly drive all day, Daph," Nikk said without looking at the daitian, "We need for Amarillis to call. Without her, we don't know where to go."

"Whatever." Seeing Daphne's irritated expression, Anya suspected that Daphne hated when something went the opposite way from what she preferred. "But if the fomoires show up, don't forget I warned you."

"Come on, Daph. As if you enjoy it! Bouncing on this road forever..." Eirn glanced over his shoulder at her, and hurryingly looked away as Daphne gave him an ice cold glare.

"First, for you I'm Daphne. Second, you know I enjoy nothing in this life for many years already."

In a quarter of an hour, their car parked at the gas station with a small shop. It was the only place so far where real people could be. Daphne refused to go out and stayed in the car, while others went shopping.

"Eirn, give me your jacket," Nikk asked before walking through the entrance door. "Bloody clothes are out of fashion nowadays."

The moment Anya was inside and saw sandwiches in a fridge she realized she was starving. She didn't care if those sandwiches were fresh; her grumbling stomach suggested that the food looked delicious enough.

A few minutes later, with her hands full of snacks, Anya turned her head, looking for her new friends. Nikk was by a bookstand, browsing through some magazine with a bored expression. Eirney was a few feet away, chewing potato chips without bothering to pay for them.

"In the theatre," Anya began, approaching. She still hesitated she wanted to know all the answers, but her curiosity was stronger. "Daphne mentioned she hadn't seen the fomoires for almost ten years."

"Yep," Eirn nodded, sending another slice of potato to his mouth.

"Then... how many years have you already spent on Earth?"

"Thirty, give or take."

"You're kidding me?" Anya stared at him in disbelief. The fair-haired daitya looked no more than twenty. Twenty two, at most.

Eirney chuckled at her skeptical face and handed her a bag of chips, but Anya shook her head, refusing the unpaid food.

"And what, you and the fomoires are competing, searching for something on our planet for thirty years, and can't come to peace negotiation?"