Fate's Revenge (Twisted Fate, Book 4)

Chapter Forty-One

A/N: Extra Update just because it's Tuesday, which is my least favourite day of the week and it needed a pick-me-up 😊🥳

The trip was over in a blink, so quick I didn't notice the portal closing until it flashed like a supernova behind us. There wasn't even enough time to fear the swirling that I had entered because, just as quickly and with the sound of a popped bubble, we were through it. We landed with a thump, not unlike my first crash at Hell's Fire. Only this time, the ground was smooth, shiny, and gold. This time, Gabe was with me. I wasn't at Hell's Fire, but the home belonging to Fate. Finally.

I darted my eyes to Gabe warily and then back to the Sisters.

All three sisters, identical but for the colour of the streaks in their hair and matching hues of their dresses, were circled around where we lay on the floor. Gabe grabbed my hand and squeezed with reassurance. We struggled to our feet and each Sister stepped back a foot in unified movement while they continued to stare. It was like they had never seen a human or had guests before. I couldn't tell if they were stupefied as to what to do with a visitor or freaked out that someone was encroaching on their oh-so-sacred territory.

Both thoughts evaporated once they began to talk, so unlike Lachesis.

"Welcome," the sister with blue streaks said to me, and then winked at Gabe. "Hello, Brother."

The sister with black streaks in her hair rolled her eyes and my gaze fell to the golden shears swinging circles from deft movements on the finger it hung on. Atropos, the sister that cut lifelines. That meant the one with blue in her hair was Clotho, the sister who spun. Out of the three, Lachesis was the only one who wasn't smiling, and actually appeared annoyed.

"Alyssa Frank, meet my sisters," Lachesis sighed and pointed to each. "This is Atropos and Clotho. Now, why don't we let them get back to work and we can..." She raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips, appraising me with a critical eye. "Talk."

It was like I could hear the tick of annoyance in Gabe's jaw. He stepped into Lachesis's line of sight, directly in front of me to impede her line of sight, and said, "That wasn't the deal."

"Plans change, and my sisters are busy." She shrugged but didn't look at all sorry. "But I have a few minutes to spare."

"No, Lachesis," Gabe said. "We didn't come here so..."

I tuned their negotiations out. All that really mattered was the end and distancing myself from their debate. Clotho and Atropos's attention on the argument allowed me to look around, take stock and catch my breath. I had no doubt Gabe would win. A time out gave me the chance to think of what to ask first, like "Why me?"

Looking around, I saw everything was gold. Shined to polish with a lacquer finish, the walls looked alive, like a golden metallic nail polish swirling in its transparent glass container. There were no windows, but I understood that—when you live at the center of the Void, you only had Darkness to see.

At the center of the room was a swirling golden pole with stairs that wrapped its entire length and disappeared into the floor and ceiling. A blue light shone from its bottom, the same light that crept from under a set of massive double-doors without handles at the back of the room, which was covered with symbols etched into its surface, ancient and powerful.

To the right of the doors was a kitchen with a gold brick island, nugget faucets, and pots that hung in a transparent row but for their outlines. Behind me was a living room, but in front, just before the doors, was a wooden table with three chairs. Another blue light beckoned from the middle of the table, so small I nearly missed it.

My breath hitched in my throat and I struggled to swallow. I glanced behind me to make sure Gabe and Lachesis were still absorbed in their conversation, but it wasn't necessary. Even Clotho and Atropos were still riveted with their exchange. Nobody noticed when I edged away to figure out what the table held.