Fate's Revenge (Twisted Fate, Book 4)

Chapter Forty-Eight

"What do you mean, Suzie's in the hospital? How did she leave Glory Academy?"

Gabe started firing questions at Tyler as my heart stopped beating, and Hailey continued to cry. Was it dramatics, or should we start hiking back to the Mortal Realm like, right now? Suzie went to the ER for splinters and I was still mad. Maybe her accident was that she stubbed her toe? But Hailey was acting like the sky was falling and they hadn't even known each other.

It was the way people responded to tragedy.

I looked up and met Gabe's gaze. "Let's go check on her."

He paused long enough so that Tyler glanced between us, his gaze wary. Even Hailey sniffed and peeked over her Kleenex. I could see Gabe's indecision and felt my resolution strengthen in response. Just because I didn't like Suzie right at this moment, didn't mean I didn't care about her well-being. If it was nothing, I could leave and add to the length of the proposed silent treatment I had in mind for her. But... what if she truly was ill or seriously hurt? Never mind the fact that I would never forgive myself if I didn't go to see her if something was seriously wrong, I couldn't not go—she was still my oldest friend.

"I..." Gabe shook his head. "No. Alyssa, it isn't safe. We brought you here for a reason, remember? If I take you back to the Mortal Realm, Darkness is going to come after you. That's not even a question of if it realizes you are unprotected, but when. I don't think it will take Darkness long to find you, Alyssa, and I don't think having me around is going to stop it from wanting to try to get you. Look at what happened when we brought you here. It's why we brought you here."

Narrowing my eyes on Gabe for a moment, I thought about what he said and then sighed. Turning to face Tyler, I asked, "Do you know what happened? Why is she in the hospital?"

"I don't know," he said. He looked from Gabe to me and shrugged, appearing as unsure as Hailey did upset.  "She left with Mike, but then he returned without her, spoke with the other Brothers, and then everyone started scurrying around. Raffy left. He went to the hospital, but I didn't see Mike leave with him or see him anywhere else, so I don't know."

"He went upstairs," Hailey said, bringing her tissue to her nose again and hiccupping. The tears, at least, had begun to subside enough to hear her clearly. "H-he said he had to wait." She lowered the tissue and snorted. "Honestly, I don't know he didn't just go to the hospital to wait with the others. Aren't they together or something? Shouldn't he be there?"

Gabe flinched and looked away, refusing to meet my eye. I walked over and placed my arm on his, my stomach flipping over and over. "Gabe? What do you know?" I swallowed. "Where is Mike?"

"I—nothing." He pressed his lips together and looked down. Slowly, he brought his head back up and looked at me from beneath hooded eyes. "You really want to go see Suzie?"

I shifted my weight and dropped my hand, squaring my shoulders. "Either you take me or I start playing with potions. Don't forget, I know where to find the door that will take me there, too."

It was funny how intentions snuck up you. I hadn't realized how much I wanted to see Suzie—aside from knowing it was the right thing to do if Gabe had agreed to go with me—until the alternate plan was spoken aloud, no hesitation. With every revelation from Tyler and Hailey, the dread in my stomach became heavier and now I knew I had to go. Still, even though I'd told Gabe I would use a potion, the door in the Diamond Room would be faster. I'd be able to keep my body, though without it Darkness probably wouldn't want me as much. If there was any way of going so she didn't know I was there, that would be even better.

"Alright then." Nodding, I turned to walk away when Gabe didn't respond. It wasn't something he could take his time deciding, not with the time differences between here and there—every second mattered—and this was something I refused to miss.

Good or bad, I had to be there.

I felt it.

"Alyssa. Wait."

Gabe grabbed my arm before I stepped out of reach. He glanced at Hailey and Tyler, and then at me, though his eyes continued to dart their way. But despite his obvious misgivings or, from what I could only guess, his concern for my desire of secrecy, he pulled me to him. With the strength of an angel, he ignored my struggles until I gave in and let him hold me.

"I guess this tells us whether or not you love the Brothers," Hailey said and rolled her eyes at Tyler. She smiled, drawing her tissue back down.

It wasn't worth a response, but I couldn't help correcting her—again. "Just one, Hailey."

"Whatever," she said.

Gabe looked down at me, smiling. Any other time and I was sure he'd call me on Hailey's suggestion, especially considering my time spent with Mike and the fact that I stopped talking to Suzie over it. For now, he simply raised an eyebrow, silently promising that we would revisit the idea.

"Do you really want to go?" he asked, speaking quietly as though we were the only two around. His eyes found mine and held, ignoring Hailey and Tyler.

I nodded and licked my lips. "I insist, though I want to come right back if she's fine and just being dramatic to get attention. I totally wouldn't put it past Suzie to do that."

Gabe narrowed his eyes again, looking like he was about to say something, and then shook his head. "Fine." He let his grip ease and slid an arm around my waist so that he could stand at my side or... I don't know. Make sure I couldn't go alone? "We'll go. I'll take you."

"Now?"

"Yes." He nodded. "We can go now."

Hailey stepped towards us, but Gabe held out his hand to stop her, and then looked at Tyler.

"Gabe." I put my hand on his arm and pushed it down. "They can come with us if they want. If Suzie is hurt, I would like to have my friends with me."

"They can't come, actually," Gabe said, and looked from them to me. "They'd be nothing more than ghosts that frighten humans."

I thought of Deryk, of how he had been able to go to the Mortal Realm, and then shook my head. "That's... no. They won't mist, Gabe. I saw Deryk in the Mortal Realm and he was just fine. I was the one who couldn't touch anything living because I was in astral form."

"Pure Souls aren't given the potion for solidifying until graduation from Glory Academy," he said. "They are like they are in astral form because they lose their physical form upon death. It keeps them from leaving before their training is complete."

"You mean until the people they left behind are gone because everyone they loved would be dead, right?"

He didn't say anything, but then he didn't have to. It was heartless, the tactics the Brothers used, but it made sense. By keeping the students in the Celestial Realm that long, it guaranteed their will to leave would be gone by the time graduation rolled around. It forced allegiance, obedience. Still, as much as it made sense, it was for the wrong reasons. The Brothers just wanted to keep the students here while their main concern should be that if the students saw those they left behind, they may not be able to let go of the lives they'd had. That would be cruel, and it was the Brothers' duty should have been focused on making sure they helped the Pure Souls transition as seamlessly as possible, not on making sure they were on lock-down.

"Ahem." Tyler raised his hand in the air. His head lowered, his chin resting on his chest, and he looked at us from beneath lowered lashes. "The Dark Souls are given that when we arrive at Hell's Fire. That's why Deryk was solid."