Fate's Demand (Twisted Fate, Book 3)

Chapter Thirty

"Here's your schedule," Gabe said and smiled. "I'll wrangle a tour guide so that you don't wind up lost again."

We were back in the administration office in Glory Academy, thankfully without Lachesis. After the dream with Deryk, which I had yet to confide to anyone, I was certain that enrolling was what I needed to do. Not because I felt obligated or had been tricked. It was more of a compulsion by the time I'd woken up. Like an itch in my hand when I was fighting, urging me to swing even though I knew doing so would be half pain, half victory, and always satisfying.

Both groups of students had started pure, so maybe Darkness was right, and I was meant to lead them. After waking a second time, I knew only one thing, which was that the more I learned, the more I'd understand. So, I'd navigated my way back to the office and advised Gabe that I'd do as they wanted.

"Mike told you about that?" I looked down at my hands clasped in my lap and peeked at Gabe from under lowered lashes.

"Lachesis." He laughed. "She thinks you have spunk. I told her that was a polite term for your insolence and stubbornness."

"Huh." Would she like my fist in her face, too? I raised my chin and looked down my nose at Gabe, prepared to give back the schedule if I didn't like his answer to my next question. "She doesn't teach here, does she?"

"No. She would never be able to endure the pain brought to her if she did. Now that we're back and have, for the most part, resumed our duties, she has retreated back to her home in the Void."

"The what?"

Gabe leaned forward, clasping his hands on the desktop. "It's like Darkness, but stronger, more dangerous, and it never needs permission to take you over," he said and then leaned back again, gesturing with his hands to form a circle. "It's quarantined between the worlds by each of their magic, which combined, is the only thing keeping the Void from becoming a threat. The Sisters remain in the Void to remind the worlds that Fate can make their cultures extinct should they fight with each other or remove their magic from housing the Void."

"Creepy."

What would it be like to live in such a place, literally between worlds? How many different races did the Sisters rule and how many, if any, had they actually met? They couldn't create anyone, at least, but that didn't alleviate my concerns. Because once life was given, it was subject to Fate's will. Live. Die. The Sisters decided it all. It seemed fitting that they were exiled to live at the center of nothingness.

"It's dangerous, Alyssa. Not even the Brothers venture within," he warned. "We'd be lost—no light can be shone without ejecting you through the closest world's doorway with no way home—and susceptible to death if we breathed the ancient Darkness in."

"Okay!" I rolled my eyes. "Place to avoid? Check."

He looked at me with distrust. Despite everything else, when Gabe said he knew me, he'd been right. "Don't ever go there, Alyssa," he said, leaning forward in his chair to bore me with his gaze. "You are made of light."

"Okay!" I raised my hands. "God. I don't even know how to get back to my room, Gabe." I sighed, letting the air out of my lungs, and looked around the office. "Speaking of rooms." I looked back at him. "I'd like my own dorm. No roommates please."

"You don't like your room?"

"Sure. I mean, as far as comfort, I've never slept better. But you were right. Staying away from everyone will set me apart. If I'm going to lead them, I have to be approachable."

"So, you've accepted your role?" His grin was filled with pleasure.

"Not yet. I just figured I'd prepare myself for it in case I decide to be who you people think I should be." I shrugged. I wouldn't commit myself to anything I didn't understand but letting them believe I was close to making the decision that they wanted me to might loosen their tongues. "Besides, at least when I go home, I can brag about having really cool, really dead friends."