Fate's Demand (Twisted Fate, Book 3)

Chapter Eighteen

Teigan's backyard was two, maybe three times the size of the field at Royal Academy. It looked like it stretched for miles in the dark. Straight ahead was a kidney-shaped pool while a ground level patio sat pristine-white on my right, appearing large enough to seat fifty without needing extra chairs.

With a sigh, I veered left, opting to sit on one of the five swinging benches placed around a brick-laid campfire. Luckily for me, it was already lit. The bench was situated close enough for warmth and comfort, but far enough not to burn as sparks spat out of their cage. Now, feeling sluggish as the effects of the alcohol and Mike's embrace wore off, I just needed a good book and a warm blanket, and the spot would be perfect.

In an hour or so, it would be midnight, the time marking Friday's transition into Saturday. Had it only been a week since my birthday? It felt like so long, I should at least be nineteen. So much had happened, yet there was so much more about to happen. I should probably be scared. Again, I knew that the lingering effects of alcohol kept me from feeling its strength. How bad could it be? I'd been to Heaven and enjoyed it every time. That gave me an advantage over the unknown.

As I snuggled into myself to watch the fire burn, I was thankful that at least I knew something.

*****

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty."

I blinked, slowly pulling myself awake, and looked through the burning fire. Suzie was hunched down, resting an arm on her knees, watching me while she fed the dying fire until it flared once again. Had she been there long, hovering as I slept?

"Sleep well?"

"I—yeah." I nodded and sat up, rolling the kinks out of my shoulders. As the drowsiness faded, my body burst into alert. I looked around, darting my eyes in every direction, and then focused on the ground. Sighing, I dragged my hand through my hair. Great. The circumstances leading to my seclusion rolled through my mind in various degrees of embarrassment.

Now, I was going to leave high school as the stupid drunk who demanded to be kissed and passed out by the fire.

"Don't worry, nobody noticed you out here," she said and rounded the fire to plop down in the empty seat beside me.

I lifted my head. "Right." I rolled my eyes at her and then watched as the fire caught and grew. "What time is it?"

"Midnight maybe?" She shrugged and the cheer in her voice faded as she followed the direction of my gaze with her own. "I didn't pay attention. You looked so crashed, I figured it was better to let you sleep."

"Ugh." I covered my face with my hands. "I totally forgot to check in with my parents. My mom is going to be so worried."

"Don't worry about it! You're eighteen now, right? Officially an adult."

"Yeah, well, this adult still needs her parents to pay for college." I dug in my pockets to find my phone and had to stand up so that I could reach it.

"Wait." Suzie reached up and held my arm. "Let's talk first."

I sat where she patted and looked to the fire, keeping her in my periphery vision. "About?"

"How about when you plan on leaving?"

"You mean we, right? When do we plan on leaving?"

"Sure." She shrugged and then lowered her voice, looking at me out of the corner of her eye while she continued to face the fire. "You know, Darkness has a school too."

"A what and a who?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "You don't know?"

"Would I have asked if I did?"