Fate's Revenge (Twisted Fate, Book 4)

Chapter Five

As the door closed behind me, the humidity generated from the lava and steam outside was replaced with the oppressive heat stemming from the walls streaming with fire. It seemed tacky when I'd first seen it. Then Marcus had explained how it was fuelled by the power in the Dark Souls' souls to erect and maintain protective wards cast by witches. It's why Glory Academy's walls shone, eliminating their need for light fixtures, though witches weren't necessary for Heaven—good needed no help while Darkness could only protect itself by manipulating good. The Dark Souls' purity made protection possible, but their traces of Darkness mutated the outcome.

Taking each step on the tips of my toes, I took shallow breaths to keep from coughing as the warmth burned down my throat to scorch my lungs. I'd forgotten how dry the heat from the walls made it here. Feeling faint, I paused and waited for my body to get used to the change.

Once I stopped feeling as though I was swaying, I continued forward, keeping to the sides of the walls without ever touching them, and tried not to make a noise. I didn't know where to find Tyler. Hell's Fire didn't conform to a class schedule like Glory Academy and only presented seminars for topics such as combat when interest was shown. There had only been one while I was here, but it had given me the opportunity to kick Marcus's butt in front of everyone. That was fun, and something I would cherish doing again.

It was quiet now. Either there was another seminar, or everyone was in their dorms. I chose to try the cafeteria. Nobody was ever in the library and the biggest similarity between the Dark and Pure Souls, aside from being fuelled by me, was that neither group willingly spent their downtime in the gym. I didn't get it. The gym provided a release for me, not to mention invaluable training for what none of us knew came next.

Heading straight down the hallway, I knew that the cafeteria was on my left.

I stopped at the edge of the wall and peered around, just over the railing into the sunken room. Only half of the tables were filled, but Tyler wasn't present at any. I looked once more and then ducked out of sight before anyone noticed my presence. Deryk and Marcus were both absent.

After how they'd helped me to escape—Tyler by healing me and Deryk by getting Renalda's help—I was scared they were in trouble.

If so, it would be because of me and I would have to help.

Ironic, considering I was their supposed leader, but Marcus was a dynamic personality and much more self-entitled than he deserved. Or maybe he did deserve it. I didn't really know anything about him except that he was the first Dark Soul, who was apparently important enough for the Sisters to call when they'd summoned the Brothers. He must have done something since arriving to have earned that kind of respect. Had he helped set up Hell's Fire? Did the Sisters mistakenly think that he was a way to Darkness, like what they told him would somehow be conveyed? Or was he just a figurehead holding a glorified position because of the order in which he was born? Or died, as the case seemed to be.

I did know that Marcus was charming and smart, and ruthless when crossed. Nothing would set him off more than if he felt like the Dark Souls were being mistreated or denied something they should be entitled to, and that's exactly what my leaving would have been for him. It didn't matter that what he wanted was about to kill me or that I technically outranked him by being the first Pure Soul. My beating heart made me different and knowing that I had an afterlife in my future had made him cavalier over the life I was trying to live now.

"What are you doing here?"

My hand flew to my chest as I turned. "Justine!" I blew out the breath clogging my throat and forced a smile. So much for staying under the radar. "You look... well."

Her fragile frame and light brown hair that hung in ringlets to frame her heart-shaped face remained unchanged. Her doe eyes weren't as wide, though, like her innocence had been tapered, then lost. Had that affected her child-like charm or her appeal to the peers that doted on her? I hoped not. Justine reminded me of Sera—young, eager to learn, and kind. Where Sera had helped form the research groups at Glory Academy, providing invaluable insights, Justine had gifted me with acceptance at Hell's Fire when I'd first arrived.