Destiny

Chapter Five: The Anger

"Where the hell have you been?" Nathan was waiting for me outside of the house.

After I'd been questioned, I'd gone for a walk and eventually ended up back here. The sun had long gone, the sky was like an inky black carpet that shimmered with tiny glittering stars.

I was freezing, and I felt like my fingers were about to fall off.

Nathan let me in the house, and I sat down on the bottom of the wooden steps, rubbing my hands together. The lights were on and it made the ruddy brown walls look like melted chocolate.

"I was worried sick! You can't just walk off like that!"

I snapped my eyes up to Nathan's face. His hair was a mess, like he'd run his hands through it numerous times. His coat was tightly fastened, and his trainers were covered in mud. He had a fiery gleam to his eyes, and his face was flushed with anger.

"Look! I get it! I'm the Fae queen and it's your duty to make sure I survive and blah de blah! But I've survived for sixteen years albeit with my father's help, but still. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell your parents that you lost me. I'm safe, and the future of the Fae is still in my hands."

Nathan's eyes were wide and he looked flabbergasted. "That's not why I was-"

"Save it," I muttered as I took the steps two at a time. I threw open my bedroom door and slammed it shut once I was safely inside.

Sam and I had unpacked my things so that everything was neatly hung up in the wardrobe. My underwear was folded and laid out in the draws. My books and paper were lined up on the top of the desk. My duvet had been covered by a plain black quilt and so had the pillow.

I slumped to the floor and curled up on myself, staring down at the ground. I heard Nathan's footsteps as he, too, went up the stairs. I concentrated hard, very hard, closed my eyes and imagined the door being unable to be opened by anyone but me.

As the energy was drained from me, I stopped trying to cast the spell and just stared at the door. Feverishly hoping that Nathan was going to his room, I was disappointed when the door handle was pushed down. The door shook.

"Lisbeth, what have you done to the door?" Nathan shouted. It was the first time he'd ever said my name, and it sounded wrong on his lips. No, that wasn't it, it sounded wrong because of the vexed tone he'd said it in.

"Locked it," I replied, curling into myself even more.

I heard Nathan curse, then I heard a bump and I assumed he was leaning back against the door, just sitting there, waiting for me to leave the room.

My phone rang, and with stiff limbs I heaved myself up and answered.

"Beth?" Sam's anxious voice asked.

"Sam," I breathed.

From outside the door, Nathan muttered something incoherent.

"Do you need me to come over?"

As much as I needed Sam, wanted him to be here, I knew that I needed to stop using him to help me. I would get better, stronger, and I'd find the Realm, and then I'd help to save the Fae. After that... Well, I no longer saw the point of living. If I were going to die anyway, what was the point of prolonging the inevitable?

"No. I'm fine. You stay there. I have to go, Sam, dinner's ready. I love you, I really do. Goodbye."

I hung up, without waiting for his response, I probably wouldn't see Sam again. I was saying goodbye forever. I held back the abundance of tears that were ready to fall, and instead shoved my fist into my mouth and bit down hard.