Fate

27

Chapter 27

Holden walked over to the four of us and crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn't nearly as muscular as Kellan or Aryan and his lack of training showed it. He was an intelligent fighter whereas Kellan and Aryan were strong physically. "You're not going to like my idea but I suggest we send Julia."

Kellan's expression shifted and he almost got to his feet. Lucy, too, was pissed.

"We're not sending Julia. End of story."

"Then we wait here for him to come and kill us all."

"Julia's not experienced enough to fight him."

"So we teach her. He's impatient, I'm sure, so we only have a matter of days. Not even a full week to do this."

Lucy looked at Kellan, frowning. "I don't like this. I don't trust him not to hurt her."

"I'll go back. I'll keep an eye on her." Aryan said, raising his eyebrows.

Silently, she pleaded with him not to. I knew she loved him almost as much as I did. They'd been friends for so long that I wasn't surprised by her love for him.

"How would we convince him that you are trying to help him?" Holden asked, focusing his gaze on Aryan.

"Easy," He said, shrugging. "I tell him."

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Surrounded by empty ice cream cartons and pizza boxes, I summoned Andreas. I was aware of the eyes around me but I knew the conversation would be between Andreas and I. I could tell him exactly what I wanted.

"My, my how the tables have turned." Andreas said from behind me.

I turned around and saw him walking down the stairs into the basement. Holden thought it was a good idea for me to envision myself in a different location so Andreas didn't know where I was. So I envisioned myself at the house in the basement without Holden's things.

"You take after me more than you know, Julia."

"I want to make a deal."

He stopped at the bottom of the steps. "A deal? With me? I'm surprised."

I rolled my eyes. "I want to help you."

His eyebrows raised but he said nothing.

"Aryan and I want to work with you. We'd also like to give Lucy a taste of her own medicine."

"A taste of her own medicine. You are sounding more and more like me each day."

I bit my lip to avoid groaning. He was so irritating.

"But what could your mother have possibly done?"

"Are you going to help me or not?" I didn't have an answer to his question so I asked my own, changing the subject.

He watched me for several seconds before a smile spread on his face. "I'd be delighted to."

Back in the living room, I looked around at Holden and Aryan watching me and nodded. "We're set. When do we leave?"

Lucy sighed and I noticed her hands were wrung in her lap.

"Tomorrow." Aryan said, meeting my gaze. "We'll train you tonight then leave in the morning."

I nodded. "Do you know how to get to the lab?"

"That's not a place I'd ever forget."

Kellan got to his feet and looked at Lucy. "Help me move the furniture out of the way so we can train her."

Lucy looked like she was about to scream at all of us but she got up and helped Kellan lift the couch and move it against the wall.

Holden and Lucy helped teach me several techniques to defend myself in cause I was caught in a fight. Lucy, I'm sure, enjoyed the practice while Holden needed it just as much as I had. He hadn't been in a position to fight or train in several centuries and was behind on new fighting tactics. Kellan and Aryan spared against one another. Aryan let Kellan win several times only to practice getting out of the holds and such. I had a feeling he was doing it to let Kellan feel like he was tough. But Aryan was tougher.

Lucy ended the training around one before going to Kellan's room. She was silent as she did so, speaking to no one. She shut the door behind her and the rest of us watched after her.

"Is she mad at me?" I asked, my eyebrows scrunching together with worry.

Kellan looked at me like I was crazy. "She would never be mad at you. Even if she tried."

I sighed. "This is my fault."

"It's his fault." He said, his voice darkening when he talked about Andreas.

Aryan squeezed my hand. "Go talk to her."

I nodded. I looked at the closed door before I went down the hall and stepped inside.