Fate's Demand (Twisted Fate, Book 3)

Chapter Thirty-Three

My stomach dropped once I made sense of his question.

I heard the words, but it took time to string them into something I understood. It had been stupid to open my mouth and fling what Deryk told me about Dark Souls at them. Of course, they would want to know how I found the information. Since lying wasn't an option, my only choices were to out-right deny answering him—not that I didn't know the answer, but that I wouldn't answer—or tell Gabe the truth as I knew it.

But here?

If Gabe was David, he'd know how much I loved this room, full of sparkle and shine. Put aside the fact that its walls were created by enough diamonds to provide the world with funds for research to cure every disease, and all that was left was the brutal honesty of reflection. Mine. Gabe's. Anyone who ventured into this room could see themselves from every angle. Even the floor was accusing, leaving me nowhere to look to hide the less-than-cooperative gleam in my eye.

David wouldn't bring me here and ruin its effect with such a question.

I looked around again and sighed. "Way to kill the joy, Gabe," I said, and turned to face him. "Is it impossible for you—or any of the Brothers, for that matter—to just let me enjoy something? By the time I'm meant to come here, I'll have nothing left. How about I tell you which area of this place I like the most and you agree not to take me there for interrogations? I like the garden and this room, so only fun conversations are allowed in these places from now on."

"Aly—"

"No, Gabe." I raised my hand and cut him off before he could make any excuses. "If I can't go home, I need somewhere I can unwind and clear my head. You know, a happy place?"

He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. If my attempt to make him feel guilty succeeded, it didn't show. Gabe smiled, tilting his head, and said, "Go ahead."

"A little late now, don't you think? You've already ruined it, so just... leave the garden alone, okay?"

The fact that unfulfilled pleasure had become expected was sad, even if it was as simple as having an area to enjoy and remember my dreams with David. If that ever changed, I'd probably keel over and die from the shock of it. Then we'd be right back where we started, minus the extra life I currently had by being human.

What would I become when I died? The light that made me pure as a human was used as a weapon now. When I croaked, would that be all that would be left? Purity? A light? My ability to question or fight for what I believed in would probably be gone. I would have no voice. Heck, I didn't even know if I'd have a body at that point, which meant that I had to try to do everything I could to understand what was happening so that I could stay alive as long as possible. No way did I want to end up with a conscious and no control or ability to move or speak or even see.

Turning my back on Gabe once again, I stared in the opposite direction and watched us both in the reflection on the wall.

"So then tell me what you meant when you said the only thing that's stopped Pure Souls from being dark is the fact that they don't understand that they have a choice."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Alyssa." He took a step forward, watching the wall, but stopped when he saw me flinch. "You can't lie."

"What? You think you're the only ones who can to keep things to yourselves?"

"This is important!"

I twisted around. "And what I want to know isn't?" I narrowed my gaze on him. "You cannot expect me to participate in share time unless you are willing to do the same." I uncrossed my arms and gestured towards him. "Considering I asked who knows how many times, I'll even let you go first."