Fate

Chapter Forty Six

Word Count: 1517

~Zayla

With one foot stepping in front of the other, I walk right back into Fate's estate.

Everything is trashed. The foyer is an absolute mess, all of Fate's belongings having been strewn around with no care. Vases are scattered across the floor in various pieces, furniture tipped on its side and rugs turned up and about. Nothing is familiar about it. And Fate is nowhere to be seen.

I wander out onto the sand. I may no be in control of my body and mind, but I can still feel the worry within me. Where is he? What happened here?

As I look around, I catch sight of him sitting by the dining area, head in his hands. My natural reaction is to run and jump on him, let him know I'm okay, and that I'm here now. However, I can't. I remain where I stand, simply staring at my poor mate. There is a hard shield blocking me from reacting to anything. I can feel her like dark claws digging into the depths of my mind.

It seems Ira makes me wait for him to catch sight of me. Finally, he lifts his head, casting his glance toward me. With widened eyes, he gets to his feet so quickly, he kicks his chair back into the floor.

He's been crying.

I wish I could comfort him. I also wish I could ask him where he thought I went. It would break my heart to hear that he thought I left him. While it seems foolish for him to think so, I'm assuming Ira has a dark plan to convince him otherwise.

"Zayla?" He says in disbelief, as if he can hardly believe I'm standing in front of him right now. "What happened, where did you go?"

"I had to go away," I say, unsure of where that had come from. Not me.

If he believes my mind has been taken over by Ira, he has no idea at all. He makes his way over to me, but instead of embracing me immediately like I assumed he would, he lingers back a few steps. He knows something up, at least. For once I wished he hadn't promised to keep out of my head, to not notice the emotions I do obviously put out.

"Did I do something wrong?" Fate asks, that anxious expression on his face tearing away at my heart. Does Ira not see this? Does she not care? Clearly she's thinking of no one but herself, not caring if Fate is without his soulmate.

Had it been up to me, I would have shaken my head. But Ira allows no such thing.

"I had no other choice," I say. If only I could slap my hand over my mouth before I could say something foolish on behalf of that disgusting immortal. "I'm surprised you suspected me to come back with you after everything."

Oh no.

Those exact words out of my mouth hurt me as much as I imagine they hurt Fate. By the way she makes me speak, I'm assuming she's figured out our past. Does her abilities extend to sifting through my memories to see what she wants to? If so, it makes this all the more terrifying.

"I thought we were okay...You seemed okay before all this," Fate says, confused as to my sudden shift. Does he not see something is wrong? I want to wave my hands in front of my face.

"You're stupid for thinking that," I say so sharply, he flinched. "After everything you've put me through, you really think I would want to be with you."

My words are so toxic, I'm surprised Fate has given up. Ira surely has a way of convincing that is disgustingly realistic. Her way of getting to Fate must be working, because the hurt on his face is about to make me cry. If only I could express that myself. Instead I feel how stony I must be portrayed.

"Where did you go before?" Fate questions.

"Away from you," I say, a little too quickly. Clearly Ira didn't account for this happening. She attempts to right herself. "I have someone else who truly wants me. Someone who will treat me well. He convinced me to end this foolish exchange between you and I."