Fate's Revenge (Twisted Fate, Book 4)

Chapter Forty

A/N: Did anyone check out WattCon virtually this year? What did you enjoy about it if you did? I tuned in for a few of the panels and found it both entertaining and enlightening--it's fantastic to see authors from this platform find success doing what they love!

"You okay?" Gabe asked. "You look worried."

He stepped in front of me and placed his hands on my waist, just over my hip bones. I shook my head and looked up, trying to smile. He was so sweet and kind, and sincere to boot. It was just how I imagined angels would be. That is, until I met them. Now, Gabe was unique, set apart from humans and angels as a true gentleman—honourable.

"Alyssa?"

"I'm fine." I sighed, hating not being able to lie. The truth itched on my tongue, demanding to be addressed. Biting down didn't help. Either I ran, or I talked. "Okay, so I'm not fine."

"That's pretty normal, I'd say, considering everything that you've been through and discovered. Do you want to talk about it?"

"And waste our super-secret cuddle time?" I forced a smile and looked up to see him. "No. Besides, we're going to the Sisters' to "talk", right?" I pulled him close, barely able to clasp my hands around his back as I rested my cheek against his chest. "This is all I need right now."

"You don't want to lie down or sit?"

"Nope. I'd just fall asleep and mess up again when someone tries to wake me." I squeezed him tighter still, inhaling his scent. "Renalda knows I know you're David, by the way. But I don't think she'll say anything."

"For now, maybe," he said, "but Renalda only does things to benefit Renalda. Sooner or later, she'll want something, and knowledge is power. Or, at least it's blackmail."

"It's kind of sad that she doesn't have friends," I said against his chest, my voice muffled. "I'd hate to be so lonely I had to blackmail people when I needed something."

Gabe laughed, pulled my head close so he could kiss the crown. "Of course, you'd be the one to find something to pity in Renalda. She's a shark, Alyssa. Always stay on guard and never forget how easy she was able to fool you into thinking she was Lachesis."

"Right. Well. I have a pure soul, so I wouldn't hold your breath."

He'd reminded me of Renalda's actions, like it was her fault I was tricked. I wasn't so sure. I'd met the real Lachesis before coming here. Had I paid more attention and been less naïve, Renalda would never have succeeded in fooling me. It was time to stop being distracted by questions and start getting the answers, and the first step to doing that was to own my own mistakes, even if they led to something as good as discovering who Gabe was and getting the Sisters to finally agree to talk to me.

"It's time," Lachesis called through the door. She only knocked once, though it could hardly be called that it was so soft, and she didn't touch the doorknob. "The portal has been prepared. We have no more than five minutes before it closes."

"Well, that's sneaky," I said against Gabe's shirt. In the ten minutes since we'd come into the bedroom, I hadn't stepped away and if it weren't for her time limit, I wouldn't any time soon.

Gabe laughed, stepping back just enough so that he could cup my cheek in his palm and make eye contact. He barely moved a foot away, and his warmth was already missed. After so long apart, I didn't want to have to be satisfied with holding hands, and soon even that wouldn't be possible if we didn't want to be caught together.

"She didn't put a time limit on how long it stays open," he said, still amused but refraining from laughing again. "Portals cannot stay open indefinitely, Alyssa. They take a lot of power and energy to sustain."