Book of Fates ✔

Disappearance

"Watch out!" Daph harshly pulled Nikk aside, away from the road. The bewildered eyes of the driver flashed before Nikk, and the car cut the air inches away from him. "Could you be more precise with the transpassaging?" Daph snapped, checking the sheath on her waist. "We don't want to be dead beforehand."

"I didn't have much time for visualizing," Nikk spit out in return. He looked up at the building. "Do you remember which apartment?"

Next moment, the noise of shattering glass came from the window on the third floor. The only window where the light was on.

"Not hard to guess," Daph shrugged, and hurried across the road.

In half a minute, they reached their destination and stood by the front door. The door was shut, and a heavy silence crawling inside. Nikk listened.

"...supposed to think of it?" Alexander's voice was heard, nettled. "We had a deal!"

"And I've kept my word," Leir answered. "That's all I could find on the account of your wife. Your Eva is ordinary, she's not a..."

"...all this to find mom?" Anya's yelped.

Nikk rolled his shoulders, ready to kick the door open, but Daphne stopped him. "Hold on, Leir doesn't attack. We need to be sure the book is there."

"...you mean I dragged myself and my daughter into your mess for nothing?!"

"Nothing's ever for nothing, Alexander. You helped me to find the book—"

"To hell with your book, your maniac Choraun is now hunting us!.."

"Not you, but the book... And he'll find us again soon, so, Anya, give me the artifact, and nobody will be hurt."

"No!"

Without hesitation, Daphne blew the door open with a fierce kick of her leg. Without the slightest regard for his own safety, Nikk rushed through the dim hall into the room, shards of glass cringing underneath his feet.

"For Ariy's sake, calm down your daughter, Alex—"

The three of them froze, and so did Nikk as he stopped in a doorway. He glanced around, appraising the situation. Anya was close to him now, clutching the silver book to her chest; Leir and Alexander stood opposite from each other, an upturned desk between them.

Seeing Nikk, Leir twitched his mouth, but didn't move. "Just for once, can you leave it be, Nikk?"

With a war cry, Daphne rushed past her brother, her sword swinging over her head. Leir dodged aside, hissing as his injured shoulder hit the bookshelf.

Alexander stormed away from the crossed swords. "Take the artifact and go now," he said, pushing Nikk and his daughter out of the room.

"On what side are you?" Nikk asked, drawing his eyebrows together.

"Against everyone."

On the staircase in the hallway, the light flickered, and the light bulb exploded, leaving the world to the embrace of the dark. The moon peeking through the window outlined two figures.

"Back! Now!" Nikk recoiled back into the apartment, his head whirling, seeking for a place to hide.

"You're twice dead!" Daphne cried in the room. The clinking of the blades accompanying her words. Daphne was screaming, gutting the pillows on the sofa as Leir deflecting her strikes. "How could I fall for your lies! You're nothing like..."

"Eleutheray." Leir interjected.

"...Eleutheray! You're..."

"Pathetic."