Fate's Demand (Twisted Fate, Book 3)

Chapter Forty-Seven

"Okay, you've seen the Brothers when their Glory is illuminating them, right? Well, that's what Darkness knows you have. It's realized that's what stops it from taking you over without permission."

"Yeah, yeah." Waving my hand through the air, I said, "I know that. Why can I see theirs and not Tyler's?"

"Honestly? No clue." Deryk shrugged. "I guess because it's different. The Brothers' light comes from their Glory, which comes from Him. That diminishes when their connection to Him is severed all or in part. Your light comes from your purity. Any affiliation you may or may not have with Him cannot alter it. I bet that the only way to modify it is if you do something terrible, which is contrary to the goodness you hold."

"Huh." I rolled my eyes and leaned back. "Well, no pressure or anything."

"Whatever, Aly. You're the girl who walks to the end of the block to avoid jaywalking in residential areas even when there's no traffic." He laughed. "You're so used to your light, it's normal, so you don't even see it. I doubt you ever did."

"So, because I can't see mine, I can't see theirs? Why? Because their light is a part of mine?"

At least the Brothers' wasn't hidden.

What Deryk theorized didn't explain how the students could see mine. I mean, if I couldn't see theirs because they were a part of me, technically they had a part of me, and so they shouldn't be able to see it either. At least, not if it was thought out logically.

"Right." Deryk smiled wide, nodding. "That is my theory."

"So, what about the other light?" Shifting to get comfortable, I was happy to finally be talking to someone who was willing to provide answers. "Darkness doesn't know about it?"

"Nope, and that's a good thing. Whatever it is has the power to kill Darkness. Trust me, it would kill you if it knew. There's no question about that." He paused, grimacing. "We're going to have to visit Tyler again."

"Ew. Why?"

"You just cured him of Darkness, Aly. Don't you think we should find out what it knows now?"

Ugh.

I couldn't remember why I used to love logic—not even that made sense anymore.

Could Darkness be baited? Was it possible to lure it from hiding and kill it one shadow at a time until it was snuffed from existence? Cause that would be easier than a repeat trek to the infirmary. Darkness, it seemed, wouldn't be satisfied until it corrupted each memory I cherished or killed me.

In the end, it would do the first before finishing with the second.

"I need a way back to my body, Deryk," I said instead of agreeing.

The white, silver, and blue light was in my heart, which was in my body. That, obviously, left my astral form's arsenal severely deficient. Realizing the differences between the glow and the light made me feel unprotected. Sure, I could help Dark Souls using my glow, which beat killing them. If Darkness really came after me while I was here, would I be able to defend myself without it? Against a shadow like Brenan had morphed into when he didn't have a body to inhabit? I didn't want to take the chance. Plus, Derek had been killed before I'd killed Brenan in shadow form. What if Deryk thought Darkness didn't know about it, but was wrong?

"Fine. Let's go see Tyler and then—"

"No. I want a way back first. After what happened, I need a safety net so that if it happens again, I can bail. Consider it my protection against what you promised wouldn't be here."

"I can try."

"Then I'll wait." As soon as he nodded, I asked my follow up question. "What was the summons from the Sisters about?"

"Uh..."

"You said I could find out here," I reminded when he hesitated, and his gaze flickered to the lava-filled wall.

"You can." He looked back and I saw the truth. "But I can't tell you. Marcus will have to share that with you."

My eyebrows drew together. "Who is that?"

"Marcus is the first of us at Hell's Fire—the original Dark Soul. He was also one of the ones who were summoned by the Sisters."

"I thought you ran Hell's Fire?"

Deryk laughed from deep within his chest. He looked at me, laughing even more, but then forced himself to set the humour aside. "Aly, I've barely been here long enough for rigor mortis to set into my body. I'm a new student. The only reason I am where I am is because they needed a connection to you."

"Glad I could help." I rolled my eyes. Social elevation in a school full of dead students. Yeah, not exactly big on my list of things to do.

"It's not like that," he said and sighed. "Look, I will see if I can bargain with Renalda, okay? Then you can go see Tyler. In the meantime, would you consider helping the Dark Souls? Just while we wait for Marcus to return."

"With what?"

Before the words came out, it was clear some questions shouldn't be asked.

Not only would the answer suck, a swift no would help ease the conscience of the guilt that was felt upon refusing to do something a blind man could see was for the greater good. I mean, after it's explained, there's no graceful way to refuse.

"Not only did you cure Tyler of Darkness, you restored him to the level of purity seen in students at Glory Academy." Deryk leaned forward again, and I held my breath as he continued, "Aly, with a single touch from you, Hell's Fire won't be necessary anymore. You can restore the Dark Souls to their purest form."

*****

An hour later, back in my own room, the conversation with Deryk kept replaying in my head.

Had it been wrong to say no?

The rules the angels were forced to obey needed to be changed and there was no way the Pure Souls would abide by their archaic traditions. Not ever. But the one thing of theirs that made sense was what Deryk proposed infringing upon—the Dark Souls' free will. I just couldn't do it. There may be some who wanted it, and if they asked, I would gladly help.

What about the ones who didn't?

Dark or not, it was their choice.

Of course, most of the Dark Souls didn't know what they wanted. When they had died, they hadn't even been old enough to vote. Glory Academy had rejected them if they had a less-than-savoury life or seemed unsure, which forced them to be ostracized from their kind. I couldn't lay blame or force them to choose, even though it made my proposed role more difficult.

Like them, I couldn't be forced to choose, either.

It was too overwhelming to digest along with everything else.

Lying on my back on the bed, I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing. If ever a dream would be welcome, it would be right now. It was too bad Suzie couldn't pull off a dream visit. A little girl talk, and a second opinion, was exactly what my sanity needed to remain intact.