Fate's Demand (Twisted Fate, Book 3)

Chapter Thirty-Six

This isn't real.

Isn't that what Gabe had said? That Darkness had no way of entering the realm? I had thought about wanting to see my parents. David had once told me during one of our shared dreams that I was the one who initiated the dreams while he only became a tour guide.

Still, I was confused.

I understood how David was able to tour me around Heaven—his longevity probably meant that he'd been through something similar—but what about Deryk? How did he seem so at ease with everything and know so much more than me? He'd just died. Had he spent every moment since then immersed in afterlife education? I needed to know as much as the Dark and Pure Souls. If I didn't, I would look like a fool the minute I was asked to answer a question on how to guide them.

"What did you do?" I demanded, trying to my shift focus to the here and now, though it was hard to determine which problem was more immediate. "Where are my parents?"

He shrugged, his mouth tilting up at the corners. "Out looking for you, I would guess. It's what they do. Every day... and evening. Sometimes even during the middle of the night."

"Out looking for me? Why?"

"Because you are missing, Aly."

"No." I shook my head and licked my lips as I looked around. Finally, I turned back to Deryk, raising my chin. The dread I'd begun to feel in my room started to settle in the pit of my stomach like fresh-poured cement. "I told them that I was going with Suzie on a road trip. They knew I was leaving, Deryk. It's only been a few weeks."

He pointed to the door of the fridge. "Look at the flyer, Aly. You've been gone for over a year."

"What?" I followed his direction before he'd finished talking and found the flyer he had indicated. Reaching out, I tore it free from its magnet with a shaking hand. "This is—" I shoved the flyer in his direction. "This is not true. What have you done? Where are my parents?"

I took another step forward, slowly, like I was stalking him.

"Me?" He stood straight, pointing his finger at his chest. "I haven't done anything. Maybe your angel buddies are the ones lying to you."

"Says the boy who wanted to kill me," I said, clenching my teeth.

"I never wanted to kill you. Darkness wants your allegiance."

"And will kill me without it, right?" I asked, not expecting him to answer.

Darkness had always been clear on its intentions, which was still more than I could say for Fate. Even angels, though they had always been consistent in their goal to protect me.

"Didn't your new friends explain the time difference? One hour there is like a day spent here. Your parents were making flyers before you started your first class at Glory Academy."

"How do you know when I began class?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Is that really what you should be asking?"

"Yes. I don't believe you about the rest." I let the flyer float down to the floor. "This is a dream that you've manipulated to confuse me. You want me to join you and have stooped so low, you're using my parents against me so that I'll question Gabe and Mike."

"Where are you going?" He stood straight as I passed through the doorway.

Deryk followed me into the living room where I began shoving my feet into the closest pair of shoes sitting beside the front door. They were my mother's sneakers but, although snug, fit enough to allow me to leave. Unwilling to wait or stop to talk, I pulled open the door, determined to prove that this was all a lark that Darkness was trying to fool me with to get what it wanted.